Individual Performance Research Articles

The effect of COVID-19 anxiety on nurses' productivity determinants through perceived workload and individual job performance: A Bayesian mediation analysis

This study aims to predict how COVID-19 anxiety affects productivity determinants by examining the role of perceived workload and individual job performance as mediators using Bayesian mediation analysis. To achieve the study's objectives, all nurses working at Imam Reza Hospital were recruited to participate. To gather data, all eligible and voluntary nurses were asked to complete questionnaires that included the Corona Disease Anxiety Scale (CDAS), Individual Job Performance Questionnaire (IJPQ), NASA Task Load Index (NASA-TLX), and Workforce Productivity Questionnaire. Of the total number of nurses employed, 222 (126 women and 96 men) nurses fully completed the questionnaires. Out of these, 140 individuals were married and 82 were single. The mean ± standard deviation (SD) of the age and experience were 28.56 ± 5.78 and 8.49 ± 6.50, respectively. GeNIe software version 2.0 utilized to analyze the Bayesian network. The results showed that for the high COVID-19 anxiety and high workload states, with a probability of 100 %, the probability of high evaluation and high environment increased by 16.6 % and 16.3 %, respectively, but low evaluation and low environment decreased by 22.4 % and 22 %, respectively. In the high COVID-19 anxiety and low IJP states with a probability of 100 %, most change was related to the high ability (6 % increase), low evaluation (3.9 % increase), high incentive (3.8 % increase), low ability (4.6 % decrease) and low support (2 % decrease). Regarding COVID-19 anxiety (high 100 %), workload (high 100 %) and IJP (low 100 %), most of the increase was related to high environment and high evaluation by an increase of 17.3 and 17.2 %, respectively. Also, the value of low evaluation and low environment was reduced by 24 and 23.4 %, respectively. The study's findings confirm that nurses have been more productive during the COVID-19 pandemic, despite facing high workloads and the COVID-19 anxiety.

Altered activation of the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex during oddball performance in individuals at risk for Alzheimer's disease

IntroductionThe neural mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative disorders in the elderly remain elusive, despite extensive neuroimaging research in recent decades. Amnestic type mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) and late-life major depressive disorder (MDD) are two such conditions characterized by intersecting cognitive and affective symptomatology, and they are at a higher risk for Alzheimer's disease. Materials and methodsThis study analyzed the neural underpinnings of cognitive and depressive symptoms in a cohort comprising 12 aMCI subjects, 24 late-life MDD patients, and 26 healthy controls (HCs). Participants underwent a detailed neuropsychological assessment and completed a visual attentional oddball task during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), with evaluations at baseline and at 2-year follow-up. ResultsInitial findings showed that aMCI subjects had reduced dACC activation during oddball (target) stimulus detection, a pattern that persisted in longitudinal analyses and correlated with cognitive functioning measures. For HCs, subsequent dACC activation was linked to depression scores. Furthermore, in the affective-cognitive altered groups, later dACC activation correlated with oddball and memory performance. ConclusionsThese findings enhance our comprehension of the neurobiological basis of cognitive and depressive disturbances in aging, indicating that dACC activation in response to a visual attentional oddball task could serve as a neural marker for assessing cognitive impairment and depression in conditions predisposing to Alzheimer's disease.

Cytochrome P450-soluble epoxide hydrolase oxylipins, depression and cognition in type 2 diabetes

AimsThis study examined serum cytochrome P450-soluble epoxide hydrolase (CYP450-sEH) oxylipins and depressive symptoms together in relation to cognitive performance in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). MethodsClinically cognitively normal T2DM individuals were recruited (NCT04455867). Depressive symptom severity was assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II; total scores ≤13 indicated minimal depressive symptoms and ≥ 14 indicated significant depressive symptoms). Executive function and verbal memory were assessed. Fasting serum oxylipins were quantified by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass-spectrometry. ResultsThe study included 85 participants with minimal depressive symptoms and 27 with significant symptoms (mean age: 63.3 ± 9.8 years, 49 % women). In all participants, higher concentrations of linoleic acid derived sEH (12,13-dihydroxyoctadecamonoenoic acid; DiHOME) and CYP450 (12(13)-epoxyoctadecamonoenoic acid; EpOME) metabolites were associated with poorer executive function (F1,101 = 6.094, p = 0.015 and F1,101 = 5.598, p = 0.020, respectively). Concentrations of multiple sEH substrates interacted with depressive symptoms to predict 1) poorer executive function, including 9(10)-EpOME (F1,100 = 12.137, p < 0.001), 5(6)-epoxyeicosatrienoic acid (5(6)-EpETrE; F1,100 = 6.481, p = 0.012) and 11(12)-EpETrE (F1,100 = 4.409, p = 0.038), and 2) verbal memory, including 9(10)-EpOME (F1,100 = 4.286, p = 0.041), 5(6)-EpETrE (F1,100 = 6.845, p = 0.010), 11(12)-EpETrE (F1,100 = 3.981, p = 0.049) and 14(15)-EpETrE (F1,100 = 5.019, p = 0.027). ConclusionsAssociations of sEH metabolites and depressive symptoms with cognition highlight the therapeutic potential of the CYP450-sEH pathway in T2DM.

Stochastic resonance is not required for pink noise to have beneficial effects on ADHD-related performance? The Moderate Brain Arousal model challenged.

ObjectiveRandom noise, such as white or pink noise, has been shown to have beneficial effects on the performance of individuals with (elevated traits of) ADHD. Both the state regulation deficit (SRD) account and the moderate brain arousal (MBA) model argue that this effect is due to enhanced cognitive arousal. The MBA model specifically attributes this to random noise affecting dopaminergic (DA) transmission via stochastic resonance (SR). However, he requirement of SR and the role of DA have not yet been properly examined. To test this, proper control conditions are needed. MethodTo examine the requirement of SR, 60 neurotypical adults with varying levels of ADHD traits performed a slow two-choice reaction time (S1-S2) task in three auditory conditions: pink (random) noise, a pure 100 Hz tone (non-random noise), and silence. All participants also completed the Attention Network Test (ANT) in two conditions (pink noise and silence) to inspect the effect on executive network efficiency which may serve as a proxy measure of DA. ADHD traits were assessed via self-report. ResultsAuditory stimulation improved performance on the S1-S2 task in participants with elevated ADHD traits, however this was the case for both pink noise and the pure tone. Pink noise did not affect executive network efficiency, irrespective of ADHD traits. ConclusionsOur results suggest that stochastic resonance is not required for pink noise to have a beneficial effect on ADHD-related performance. Pink noise did not affect our DA proxy measure, however this negative finding should be interpreted with caution. Our results cast doubt on the tenets of the MBA model, warranting further research.

Individual and team performance in cricket.

Advancements in technology have recently allowed us to collect and analyse large-scale fine-grained data about human performance, drastically changing the way we approach sports. Here, we provide the first comprehensive analysis of individual and team performance in One-Day International cricket, one of the most popular sports in the world. We investigate temporal patterns of individual success by quantifying the location of the best performance of a player and find that they can happen at any time in their career, surrounded by a burst of comparable top performances. Our analysis shows that long-term performance can be predicted from early observations and that temporary exclusions of players from teams are often due to declining performances but are also associated with strong comebacks. By computing the duration of streaks of winning performances compared to random expectations, we demonstrate that teams win and lose matches consecutively. We define the contributions of specialists such as openers, all-rounders and wicket-keepers and show that a balanced performance from multiple individuals is required to ensure team success. Finally, we measure how transitioning to captaincy in the team improves the performance of batsmen, but not that of bowlers. Our work emphasizes how individual endeavours and team dynamics interconnect and influence collective outcomes in sports.

Cognitive reserve and cognition in mood disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Cognitive functioning heterogeneity is a well-recognized phenomenon in individuals diagnosed with mood disorders. Cognitive Reserve (CR) has been linked to multiple positive outcomes, including cognitive performance in these patients. This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to provide a comprehensive analysis of the relationship between CR and cognitive functioning in individuals with mood disorders, including bipolar disorder and depressive disorders. Following PRISMA guidelines, a systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted of original research exploring the relationship between CR and cognitive performance in adult individuals with mood disorders. The literature search was conducted on PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, from 2002 to September 2023, and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) was used to evaluate the quality of studies. Overall, 17 studies met the inclusion criteria for the systematic review and 11 for the meta-analysis. Both qualitative and quantitative findings suggested a positive relationship between CR measures and cognitive domains. CR emerges as a possible protective factor for cognitive functioning in adult individuals with mood disorders, potentially helping to mitigate the cognitive impairments associated with the disorder. These findings underscore the importance of the fact that promoting and enhancing CR could help in the cognitive prognosis of this population.

Simulating tDCS electrode placement to stimulate both M1 and SMA enhances motor performance and modulates cortical excitability depending on current flow direction.

The conventional method of placing transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) electrodes is just above the target brain area. However, this strategy for electrode placement often fails to improve motor function and modulate cortical excitability. We investigated the effects of optimized electrode placement to induce maximum electrical fields in the leg regions of both M1 and SMA, estimated by electric field simulations in the T1and T2-weighted MRI-based anatomical models, on motor performance and cortical excitability in healthy individuals. A total of 36 healthy volunteers participated in this randomized, triple-blind, sham-controlled experiment. They were stratified by sex and were randomly assigned to one of three groups according to the stimulation paradigm, including tDCS with (1) anodal and cathodal electrodes positioned over FCz and POz, respectively, (A-P tDCS), (2) anodal and cathodal electrodes positioned over POz and FCz, respectively, (P-A tDCS), and (3) sham tDCS. The sit-to-stand training following tDCS (2 mA, 10 min) was conducted every 3 or 4 days over 3 weeks (5 sessions total). Compared to sham tDCS, A-P tDCS led to significant increases in the number of sit-to-stands after 3 weeks training, whereas P-A tDCS significantly increased knee flexor peak torques after 3 weeks training, and decreased short-interval intracortical inhibition (SICI) immediately after the first session of training and maintained it post-training. These results suggest that optimized electrode placement of the maximal EF estimated by electric field simulation enhances motor performance and modulates cortical excitability depending on the direction of current flow.

Comparable cerebral cortex activity and gait performance in elderly hypertensive and healthy individuals during dual-task walking: A fNIRS study.

Hypertension increases the risk of cognitive impairment and related dementia, causing impaired executive function and unusual gait parameters. However, the mechanism of neural function illustrating this is unclear. Our research aimed to explore the differences of cerebral cortex activation, gait parameters, and working memory performance between healthy older adults (HA) and older hypertensive (HT) patients when performing cognitive and walking tasks. A total of 36 subjects, including 12 healthy older adults and 24 older hypertensive patients were asked to perform series conditions including single cognitive task (SC), single walking task (SW), and dual-task (DT), wearing functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) equipment and Intelligent Device for Energy Expenditure and Activity equipment to record cortical hemodynamic reactions and various gait parameters. The left somatosensory cortex (L-S1) and bilateral supplementary motor area (SMA) showed higher cortical activation (p<.05) than HA when HT performed DT. The intragroup comparison showed that HT had higher cortical activation (p<.05) when performing DT as SW. The cognitive performance of HT was significantly worse (p<.05) than HA when executing SC. The activation of the L-S1, L-M1, and bilateral SMA in HT were significantly higher during SW (p<.05). Hypertension can lead to cognitive impairment in the elderly, including executive function and walking function decline. As a result of these functional declines, elderly patients with hypertension are unable to efficiently allocate brain resources to support more difficult cognitive interference tasks and need to meet more complex task demands by activating more brain regions.

A Q-learning driven competitive surrogate assisted evolutionary optimizer with multiple oriented mutation operators for expensive problems

Surrogate-assisted evolutionary algorithms (SAEAs) prevail in the solution of computationally expensive optimization problems. However, with the growth of problem scale and complexity, the high-dimensional problem space greatly restricts their effectiveness and applicability. This paper proposes a Q-learning driven competitive surrogate-assisted evolutionary optimizer with multiple oriented mutation operators (CSEO-MOMO) to improve the prediction effectiveness and accuracy of SAEAs in different scenarios of optimization problems. CSEO-MOMO constructs isomorphic models with different complexities during iteration. The Q-learning method is employed to pick the proper model for prediction based on the state feedback of the iterative population. To explore the search space more comprehensively and increase the probability of finding a better solution, two competitive sub-populations coevolve with personalized mutation operators, of which different oriented optimal tractive base vectors are nominated to guide the mutation direction. In addition, a tailored infilling strategy concerning both the performance of the iterative individuals and their spatial distribution is used to winnow out the individuals with great potential for real evaluation. A suit of high-dimensional CEC benchmarks of different properties and an openly shared topology optimization problem are used for the effectiveness and efficiency verification of CSEO-MOMO. The experimental results reveal that CSEO-MOMO trumps seven excellent SAEAs in solving high-dimensional complex problems and possesses better accuracy and robustness under various fitness landscape scenarios. (The relevant MATLAB code of CSEO-MOMO is publicly available in the first author’s GitHub repository: https://github.com/qinna-zhu/CSEO-MOMO.)

Exploring positive impact of social media on employee mental health: A Delphi method

This study investigates the positive effect of social media on employee mental health, a critical factor affecting both individual well-being and organizational performance. Addressing a gap in empirical research, particularly in Malaysian context, this study utilizes a two-round Delphi method to gather expert opinions from diverse fields, sectors, industries, and generations. The research identified 41 themes, subsequently categorized into five key dimensions. The study found that interpersonal connection was the most important dimension, followed by psychological well-being, performance and satisfaction, growth and development, and working culture. This research elucidates the multifaceted benefits of social media in enhancing employee mental health and offers comprehensive insights into its constructive role in the workplace. Contributing to the literature, it provides practical implications and strategic recommendations for organizations to leverage social media effectively to bolster employee mental health.

Effects of condensed tannin-enriched alternative energy feedstuff supplementation on performance, nitrogen utilization, and rumen microbial diversity in grazing beef cattle

This study aims to investigate the effects of alternative energy feedstuff supplementation containing condensed tannin (CT) on palisade grass pastures, focusing on intake, nutrient digestibility, animal performance, ruminal and blood parameters, nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), and its impacts on the ruminal bacterial community in backgrounding Nellore young bulls. Two experiments were conducted simultaneously. Animal performance was evaluated in Experiment 1. The experimental design was a completely randomized block; ninety Nellore bulls (Bos taurus indicus) with an average initial body weight (BW) of approximately 240 ± 5 kg were used (64 as testers and 26 as regulators). The feed intake, digestibility of dry matter and nutrients, ruminal parameters, NUE, and the impact on the ruminal bacterial community were evaluated in Experiment 2. The experimental design was a 4 × 4 double Latin square involving eight Nellore bulls with an average initial BW of 290 ± 8 kg, all of which were cannulated in the rumen. The treatments consisted of energy supplementation at 0.3% of BW with peanut skin (PS), 0.3% of BW with sorghum grain (SG), 0.3% of BW with soybean hulls (SHs), and a control treatment with a supply of mineral salt ad libitum. The total digestible nutrient intake was lower in animals that received only mineral supplements (p < 0.005). The dry matter (DM) intake decreased with treatment PS, while the DM and nutrient digestibility increased (p < 0.005). There was a reduction in ruminal ammonia nitrogen and an improvement in NUE in the PS treatment (p < 0.005). However, the bacterial and Archaea populations were unaffected (p = 0.619). Individual animal performance and gain per kg were increased in the treatment with supplements containing or without CT compared to the mineral supplement (p < 0.001). The NUE improved in treatments PS, SG, and SH (p <0.01). Feedstuff supplementation using no edible foods by products containing CTs is an effective alternative energy source for Nellore bulls grazing on palisade grass during the rainy season. Additionally, it can be used to mitigate the environmental impacts of N excretion.

NHANES 2011-2014: Objective Physical Activity is the Strongest Predictor of All-Cause Mortality.

Objectively measured physical activity (PA) is a modifiable risk factor for mortality. Understanding the predictive performance of PA is essential to establish potential targets for early intervention to reduce mortality among older adults. The study used a subset of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011-2014 data consisting of participants aged 50 to 80 years old (n = 3653, 24297.5 person-years of follow-up, 416 deaths). Eight accelerometry derived features and 14 traditional predictors of all-cause mortality were compared and ranked in terms of their individual and combined predictive performance using the 10-fold cross-validated Concordance (C) from Cox regression. The top three predictors of mortality in univariate analysis were PA related: average MIMS in the 10 most active hours (C = 0.697), total MIMS per day (C = 0.686), and average log transformed MIMS in the most 10 active hours of the day (C = 0.684), outperforming age (C = 0.676) and other traditional predictors of mortality. In multivariate regression, adding objectively measured PA to the top performing model without PA variables increased concordance from C = 0.776 to C = 0.790 (p < 0.001). These findings highlight the importance of PA as a risk marker of mortality and are consistent with prior studies, confirming the importance of accelerometer-derived activity measures beyond total volume.

The motivation plan, a contemporary solution for increasing the effectiveness of motivation

Motivation employees is a challenge to reach employee satisfaction at the workplace. Many existing studies have investigated the role of motivation and have evidenced the fact that motivation is a precursor to individual and organizational performance. This paper considers some of the motivation issues with a focus on the necessity of drawing up the motivation plan as a very important managerial document. This study has included 55 business managers. Terrain data were analyzed using SPSS. The findings provide important information for the theory of motivation and their application in practice. This study will serve as an incentive for managers with their approach to the motivation plan. The paper also proves the necessity of the commitment of relevant institutions for the support they should give to managers in this direction through training sessions. This paper aims to argue the importance of motivation plan as a necessity to support manager to achieve the organizational objectives and one more warranty for individual and organizational performance.

Evaluation Left Ventricle Performance in hypertensive patients using heart ultrasound and levels of a salt-producing brain peptide in blood

Background: we studied on 100 patients in total, with 56 in the 'LV dysfunction' group and the rest in the 'control' group to evaluate of left ventricular functioning in hypertensive patients by examining the ultrasound of the heart by tracking the scores and their association with levels of a salt-producing brain peptide in the blood. . To find relevant research, a thorough online search was conducted. Data were retrieved and synthesized from the included studies after they were evaluated for quality and risk of bias. The findings demonstrated a robust association between B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels and speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) derived indices of left ventricular (LV) performance in hypertension individuals. The findings of this review highlight the potential of STE as a valuable tool for evaluating LV performance in hypertensive patients and its association with BNP levels in Baghdad. Aim: This study aims to find out how hypertension patients' LV function, as determined by speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE), correlated with B-type natriuretic peptide BNP levels in the blood. Methods: All subjects had echocardiographic tests using a commercially available ultrasonography equipment equipped with a phased-array transducer operating at 3.5 MHz, with the following parameters measured: Biplane with a few tweaks for this study, the LVEF was calculated using Simpson's method ,the left ventricular systolic volume (SV) ,systolic volume at the end of the left ventricle (LVESV), in order to determine the LVMI, the Devereux formula was used and the filling ratio of early to late diastole (E/A ratio). They were compared with a healthy group (control) to obtain accurate results. Results: There were statistically significant differences in LVEF, LVEDV, LVESV, LVMI, E/A ratio, E/e' ratio, and global longitudinal strain (GLS) between the control and LV dysfunction groups. Diastolic dysfunction was more common in LV dysfunction patients, and they also had lower GLS values than the control group. The levels of BNP were shown to have a favorable relationship with numerous echocardiographic parameters. Hypertensive individuals had greater BNP levels than the control group. The LVH group also had greater levels of BNP than the non-LVH group.

Çevre Yanlısı Davranışlarla İlişkili Bilişsel İşlevlerin Nöropsikolojisi

The daily habits and behaviors of modern society people harm the environment more than expected. It is well known that in order to protect the inherent values of the natural assets of the world we live in, and to sustain the mutual interaction of people with the environment in a productive manner, necessary precautions should be taken to establish and maintain pro-environmental behaviors. However, people act in different levels of pro-environmental behavior. Although most of the people state that they have a pro-environmental attitude, they cannot transform their attitudes into actual behaviors in their daily lives for various reasons. Examining the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon, known as the attitude-behavior gap, may contribute to the development of interventions that can help to understand how these behaviors differ among individuals and to eliminate this difference between the observed pro-environmental behaviors. At this point, neuroscience studies can provide a more comprehensive explanation of the reasons for the behavioral differences between these individuals, by comparing the performance of individuals with and without pro-environmental behaviors and those who have adopted and not adopting the environmentalist view, on behavioral tasks, and by simultaneously examining the physiological responses that may be related to sustainable behavior. This article will discuss how neuroscience and neuropsychological approach can provide an explanation for these questions through their unique methods.

The effect of multisector integration communication on empowerment in rural areas

Background: Empowering impoverished communities has been a long-standing endeavor. However, the persistent prevalence of poverty still affects approximately 25 million individuals (BPS, 2023). Nevertheless, the government continues its relentless efforts to minimize the presence of impoverished families. One of the strategies employed is the implementation of the Family Hope Program (PKH). PKH stands as a program that has effectively fulfilled its mission. Various research studies have been conducted to comprehend the processes, mechanisms, impacts, and societal implications. However, research exploring the cross-sectoral communication aspects, elaborating on the involvement of stakeholders and PKH implementers spanning multiple institutions, remains lacking. Purpose: This research aims to measure the level of influence of multi-sectoral integration communication on the performance of individual PKH implementers. Methods: The employed methodology is an explanatory survey. The surveyed population comprises civil servants engaged in PKH. The population size consists of 80 individuals. Probability sampling is utilized as the sampling technique, with a sample size of 44 respondents, determined using the Slovin method. Hypothesis testing employs Path Analysis. Results: The research findings indicate a significant influence of cross-sectoral communication factors, encompassing organizational member perceptions, organizational strategies, communication climate, media quality, information accessibility, information dissemination, information accuracy, and organizational culture, on the performance of individual PKH implementers. Conclusion: Organizational member performance emerges as a critical aspect for the success of PKH implementation. The research results demonstrate that this performance is influenced by several factors, including information accessibility, media quality, information accuracy, organizational communication climate, organizational culture, information dissemination, and organizational strategies in the execution of the PKH program. Implications: The success of PKH is contingent upon the performance of individual members from collaborating institutions. Enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of individual performance factors can be achieved by synergizing with cross-sectoral communication components.

Stress and Burnout in the European Workplace and the Role of Resilience

Objective: This thesis examines the link between stress, burnout and resilience in the European workplace. Design: review article Methods: Using a large number of studies and data sets from various European countries, the effects of stress in the workplace on individual health and performance as well as on a societal level are analyzed. Results: It becomes clear that stress and burnout are not just individual problems, but are also influenced by national economic, cultural and political factors. The results show that the risk of burnout can be influenced by a variety of different factors, which must be taken into account when developing countermeasures. In addition, cultural differences in coping with stress and the role of resilience as a protective factor against burnout are examined. Conclusion: The paper concludes that fostering resilience and supportive environments is crucial for mitigating workplace stress and preventing burnout.

Hybrid pathway of bio-ethanol production employing empty fruit bunches co-gasified with charcoal and mixed culture fermentation: Optimization using response surface methodology

The research focuses on the synthesis of syngas from lignocellulosic biomass via co-gasification, employing response surface methodology. In addition, the study aims to optimize syngas fermentation efficiency for bioethanol production, utilizing two species of microorganisms – Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Clostridium butyricum – within an integrated biorefinery framework. The raw syngas was generated through the co-gasification of empty fruit bunches and charcoal mixtures (75:25). The optimal ratio of these components was determined via central composite design. The individual performances of S. cerevisiae and C. butyricum, as well as their co-fermentation, were thoroughly investigated, considering parameters such as colony forming units (CFU), pH, total organic carbon (TOC), and syngas flow rate. Morphological features of microorganisms during syngas fermentation were characterized using field emission scanning electron microscopy analysis. The results indicated that the highest bioethanol concentration, reaching 31.20 mmol, was achieved through co-fermentation as opposed to single-inoculum fermentation. Furthermore, a significant increase (3.08%) in bioethanol productivity was observed when the syngas flow rate was elevated from 50 to 1000 mL/min. Therefore, microbial co-fermentation emerges as a promising strategy to enhance bioethanol production from syngas derived from lignocellulosic biomass. Highlights Parametric optimization for co-gasification using response surface methodology Syngas was co-fermented using Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Clostridium butyricum Effects of syngas (CFU, pH, and TOC) were investigated during co-fermentation Bioethanol production increased 3.08% when syngas flowrate increased from (50 to 1000 mL/min)

Assessing the Impact of Employee Communication and HR Initiatives on Individual Performance

Assessing the Impact of Employee Communication and HR Initiatives on Individual Performance

ML-driven segmentation of microvascular features during histological examination of tissue-engineered vascular grafts.

The development of next-generation tissue-engineered medical devices such as tissue-engineered vascular grafts (TEVGs) is a leading trend in translational medicine. Microscopic examination is an indispensable part of animal experimentation, and histopathological analysis of regenerated tissue is crucial for assessing the outcomes of implanted medical devices. However, the objective quantification of regenerated tissues can be challenging due to their unusual and complex architecture. To address these challenges, research and development of advanced ML-driven tools for performing adequate histological analysis appears to be an extremely promising direction. We compiled a dataset of 104 representative whole slide images (WSIs) of TEVGs which were collected after a 6-month implantation into the sheep carotid artery. The histological examination aimed to analyze the patterns of vascular tissue regeneration in TEVGs in situ. Having performed an automated slicing of these WSIs by the Entropy Masker algorithm, we filtered and then manually annotated 1,401 patches to identify 9 histological features: arteriole lumen, arteriole media, arteriole adventitia, venule lumen, venule wall, capillary lumen, capillary wall, immune cells, and nerve trunks. To segment and quantify these features, we rigorously tuned and evaluated the performance of six deep learning models (U-Net, LinkNet, FPN, PSPNet, DeepLabV3, and MA-Net). After rigorous hyperparameter optimization, all six deep learning models achieved mean Dice Similarity Coefficients (DSC) exceeding 0.823. Notably, FPN and PSPNet exhibited the fastest convergence rates. MA-Net stood out with the highest mean DSC of 0.875, demonstrating superior performance in arteriole segmentation. DeepLabV3 performed well in segmenting venous and capillary structures, while FPN exhibited proficiency in identifying immune cells and nerve trunks. An ensemble of these three models attained an average DSC of 0.889, surpassing their individual performances. This study showcases the potential of ML-driven segmentation in the analysis of histological images of tissue-engineered vascular grafts. Through the creation of a unique dataset and the optimization of deep neural network hyperparameters, we developed and validated an ensemble model, establishing an effective tool for detecting key histological features essential for understanding vascular tissue regeneration. These advances herald a significant improvement in ML-assisted workflows for tissue engineering research and development.