Activity Restriction Research Articles

Occurrence of adult acquired flat foot among diabetic patients in Rawalpindi and Islamabad: a cross-sectional descriptive study

Human foot is a biological masterpiece, which is strong enough to support the body weight and flexible enough to adjust to various surfaces. Foot postural deviation can alter the alignment of the entire body. The collapse of the medial longitudinal arch of the foot causes one of the most prevalent deformities i.e. flat foot. Diabetic patients are more prone to have flat foot due to degeneration of posterior tibial tendon over the course of their disease. The aim of this study was to determine the occurrence of adult acquired flat foot and assess the disability of flat foot among diabetic population in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Pakistan. In this cross-sectional descriptive study, 384 diabetic patients aged 35-60 year were enrolled after obtaining informed consent. Non-probability convenience sampling technique was employed. The data was gathered by performing navicular drop test to determine the presence of flat foot, assessment of posterior tibial tendon dysfunction through single heel rise test and by using foot function index questionnaire to assess pain, disability and activity limitation. Based on results of the study, posterior tibial tendon dysfunction was observed to cause the appearance of low navicular height leading to flat foot in 58.33% of the population. Moreover, there is a moderate tendency of occurrence of flat foot among diabetic population in the absence of other risk factors such as hypertension, obesity, steroids use and previous foot trauma etc. With regard to the functionality measured by foot function index, it was implied that the functional status of the patient was reduced because of the pain, disability and activity restriction in the presence of flat foot.

Aksi Solidaritas Sosial (Studi Pada Komunitas Driver Ojek Online dan Non Komunitas di kota Palangka Raya)

<table width="614" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody><tr><td valign="top" width="409"><p>Social solidarity among online motorcycle taxi drivers is the main goal in an online motorcycle taxi driver community. This can be seen in a community of online motorcycle taxi drivers when conducting associations. However, the association has faded along with the spread of the COVID-19 virus in Indonesia. This makes the community association of online ojek drivers unscheduled and unable to conduct associations between online motorcycle taxi drivers due to the implementation of community activity restrictions (PPKM). With conditions like this, the association of online motorcycle taxi drivers in a community in palangkaraya city is hampered. This study aims to find out how solidarity occurs between online motorcycle taxi drivers in Palangka Raya city after the Covid-19 pandemic when viewed from the point of view of social solidarity theory. This research uses qualitative-descriptive methods to describe each behavior of the activities of the object under study, so as to produce accurate information, also carried out with a sociological approach. The theory used is social solidarity as formulated by Emile Durkheim. All forms of data collection and processing are carried out by means of surveys as well as the author's participation in the activities of the online motorcycle taxi driver community in the city of Palangkaraya. The results of this study show that online motorcycle taxi drivers who in fact vary in ethnicity, religion and culture play an important role as actors in developing an attitude of social solidarity as a result of disaster fundraising or disaster sesame drivers, gatherings every two weeks on certain days, regular social gatherings that are carried out once a week on Saturdays.</p><p class="Normal1"> </p></td></tr></tbody></table>

The Role of Illness Perceptions in Dyspnoea-Related Fear in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Dyspnoea is often the most distressing symptom described by people with a chronic respiratory condition. The traditional biomedical model of neuromechanical uncoupling that explains the physiological basis for dyspnoea is well accepted. However, in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), measures that are linked with neuromechanical uncoupling are poorly related to the restriction in activity during daily life attributed to dyspnoea. This suggests that activity restriction that results from dyspnoea is influenced by factors other than expiratory airflow limitation and dynamic pulmonary hyperinflation, such as the ways people perceive, interpret and respond to this sensation. This review introduces the common-sense model as a framework to understand the way an individual's lay beliefs surrounding sensations can lead to these sensations being perceived as a health threat and how this impacts their emotional and behavioural responses. The aim is to provide insight into the nuances that can shape an individual's personal construct of dyspnoea and offer practical suggestions to challenge unhelpful beliefs and facilitate cognitive re-structuring as a pathway to reduce distress and optimise health behaviours and outcomes.

Alternations of antibiotic resistance genes and microbial community dynamics on shared bicycles before and after pandemic lockdown

The prevalence of shared bicycles has raised concerns over their potential to transmit pathogens and microbes harboring antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), which pose significant human health risks. This study investigated the impact of anthropogenic activities on the composition of ARGs and microbial communities on shared bicycles during the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown when shared bicycle usage was altered. A total of 600 swab samples from shared bicycle surfaces were collected in Shanghai before and during COVID-19 lockdown periods. Even during lockdown, 12 out of 14 initially detected ARG subtypes persisted, indicating their tenacity in the face of reduced anthropogenic activities. These ARGs displayed significantly higher absolute and relative abundance levels before the lockdown. In addition, the percentage of potential pathogens in the total microbial abundance remained at 0.029 % during the lockdown, which was lower than the pre-lockdown percentage of 0.035 % and suggested that these risks persist within shared bicycle systems. Interestingly, although microbial abundance decreased without the consecutive use of shared bicycles during lockdown, the microbial diversity increased under the impact of restricted anthropogenic activities (p < 0.001). This emphasizes the need for continuous monitoring and research to comprehend microbial community behaviors in various environments. This study uncovered the underlying impacts of the COVID-19 lockdown on the microbial and ARG communities of shared bicycles, providing comprehensive insights into the health management of shared transportation. Although lockdown can decrease the abundance of ARGs and potential pathogens, additional interventions are needed to prevent their continued spread.

Timing of Outcomes and Expectations After Knee Surgery in the US Military: A Systematic Review.

Knee injury and subsequent surgery are widespread in the military setting. Associations between knee surgery and expected outcomes over time have not been consolidated and characterized systematically by procedure type across the body of literature, and the temporal expectations of these outcomes remain unclear. To summarize common postoperative follow-up times and associated outcomes that determine clinical or surgical failure in US service members after elective knee surgery. A systematic search was conducted with 3 bibliographic databases of published research reports from 2010 through 2021. Studies in US military service members undergoing elective knee surgery, with a minimum of 1-year follow-up, and reporting on a functional/occupational outcome were included. Three reviewers screened all abstracts and full-text articles to determine eligibility. Systematic review of longitudinal cohort studies. Level 2a. Extracted data included military demographics, surgical procedure variables, surveillance period, and outcome measures. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach were used to determine study quality and risk of bias. A total of 22 studies (mean follow-up time of 40.7 months) met the inclusion criteria. For cruciate ligament repair, approximately one-third of patients required a second surgery or were medically separated from military service by 2 years from surgery; 100% were reinjured by 4 years, and 85% sustained a new injury within 5 years of surgery. For meniscal repair, nearly one-third of patients were medically separated, and half were placed on activity restrictions within 3 years of surgery. For articular cartilage repair, within 5 years, 39% of patients required a second surgery, 30% were placed on activity restrictions, and 36% were medically separated. For patellar repair, 37% of patients were medically separated and over half were placed on activity restrictions within 5 years. Common knee surgeries can have long-term implications for military careers that may not become apparent with shorter follow-up periods (<2 years). When longer surveillance periods are used (eg, up to 5 years), additional surgical procedures are more common and the likelihood of being injured or medically separated from military service is higher.

Open preperitoneal inguinal hernia repair has superior 1-year patient-reported outcomes compared to Shouldice non-mesh repair.

The Shouldice method for inguinal hernia repair remains the gold standard for prosthesis-free repairs. Nonetheless, international guidelines have favored posterior mesh reinforcement as the standard of care for inguinal hernia repair due to lower risk of recurrence and chronic pain, avoidance of general anesthesia, and favorable biomechanical properties. Recent publications have shown the benefits of an open approach to posterior repairs. Herein, we use the Abdominal Core Health Quality Collaborative (ACHQC) registry to compare patient-reported outcomes after a Shouldice no-mesh repair versus open preperitoneal (OPP) mesh repair. We performed a propensity score matched analysis to compare patient-reported quality of life (QoL) and peri/postoperative outcomes after a Shouldice repair versus OPP. Data from 2012 to 2022 were obtained from the ACHQC, and 1:1 optimal matching was performed. EuraHS scores were used to estimate QoL, and further analysis on the EuraHS domains of pain, aesthetics, and activity restriction were performed between the two cohorts. Matching resulted in 257 participants in each, Shouldice and OPP cohorts. OPP was associated with a better QoL score compared to Shouldice at 30days after surgery (Median (IQR) 7.75 (2.0-17.0) vs 13.0 (4.0-26.1); OR 0.559 [0.37, 0.84]; p = 0.003). This difference persisted at 6 months and 1 year postoperatively (OR 0.447 [0.26, 0.75] and 0.492 [0.26, 0.93], respectively). We did not observe any significant differences in hernia recurrence risk at 1-year, or rates of 30-day SSOs/SSIs, postoperative bleeding, peripheral nerve injury, DVTs, or UTIs. Our data suggest that OPP is associated with significantly better patient-reported QoL, in the first month after surgery and up to 1 year postoperatively, especially with respect to lesser pain, when compared to the Shouldice repair. In specialized inguinal hernia practices, open posterior mesh repairs may lead to better outcomes than non-mesh repairs. We encourage more training in both repairs to facilitate larger prospective studies and evaluation of the generalizability of these results to all surgeons performing IHR.

Replication of previous autism-GWAS hits suggests the association between NAA1, SORCS3, and GSDME and autism in the Han Chinese population

BackgroundAutism is a severe neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by social interaction deficits, impairments in communication, and restricted and repetitive stereotyped behavior and activities. Family and twin studies suggested an essential role of genetic factors in the etiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Also, other studies found SORCS3 and GSDME (DFNA5) might be involved in brain development and susceptible to ASD. MethodsIn this study, 17 genome-wide significant SNPs reported in previous ASD genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and 7 SNPs in strong linkage disequilibrium with known ASD GWAS hits were selected to investigate the association between these SNPs and autism in the Han Chinese population. Then, 10 tagSNPs in SORCS3 and 11 tagSNPs in GSDME were selected to analyze the association between these SNPs and autism. The selected 24 SNPs and tagSNPs were genotyped using the Agena MassARRAY SNP genotyping assay in 757 Han Chinese autism trios. ResultsRs1484144 in NAA11 was significantly associated with autism; significance remained after the Bonferroni correction (P < 0.0022). Also, rs79879286, rs12154597, and rs12540919 near GSDME, as well as rs9787523 and rs3750261 in SORCS3, were nominally associated with autism. ConclusionOur study suggests that rs1484144 in NAA11 is a significant SNP for autism in the Han Chinese population, while SORCS3 and GSDME might be the susceptibility genes for autism in this population.

FALL ENCOUNTERS AMONG OLDER ADULTS: IMPACT OF COVID-19

Abstract It was suspected that the restrictions in activity and clinical care during the COVID-19 pandemic would result in increased fall risks and falls in older populations. To explore the impact of the pandemic on falls, we examined the trajectory of fall rates among older adults cared for through a large, multi-state, Midwest healthcare system. De-identified medical record data was used to measure falls presenting to emergency, urgent, and hospital care in adults age 50+ from April 2019 through September 2022. We compared the fall rate during the pre-and post-COVID-19 time periods. Differences in fall rates were compared based on age groups, gender, race, and neighborhood socioeconomic status (nSES). The overall fall rate after COVID onset was significantly greater compared to prior to before COVID (11.59; 95%CI:11.50-11.67 vs. 11.20; 95%, CI:11.06-11.33). While White patients had a significantly higher rate of falls post-pandemic, changes in fall rates did not differ based on age, gender, or race. The changes did vary based on nSES, with the lower groups experiencing the largest increases. Findings may be related to differences in access to care and other services both early in the pandemic and as restrictions were lifted. Given the high cost of fall injuries, further work is needed to reduce falls and injuries in older adults.

Impact of Physical Activity Interventions on High-Risk Pregnancies: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Pregnant women with absolute contraindications may be advised against physical activity throughout pregnancy. In this context, bed rest elevates the short-term risk of neonatal complications, thereby exacerbating negative long-term effects on childhood development. The aim of the current study was to investigate the impact of various physical activity interventions during bed rest or activity restriction in pregnancy on factors such as birth weight, preterm birth, maternal hypertension, gestational age at delivery, and the incidence of cesarean sections. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, a systematic review was designed. The protocol was registered in the International Prospective Registry of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) (CRD42022370875). Nine studies, with a total sample of 3173 women, from six countries on four continents were included. There were significant differences in the relationship between bed rest status and birth weight (Z = 2.64; p = 0.008) (MD = 142.57, 95% CI = 36.56, 248.58, I2 = 0%, Pheterogeneity = 0.45) favourable to active groups. No significant differences were found in other analyzed outcomes. Pregnant women who experience this problem must maintain a minimum of daily activity to alleviate these physiological complications and the medical field must understand the consequences of physical inactivity during pregnancy.

COMPARING ILLNESS PERCEPTIONS OF MULTIMORBIDITY AMONG OLDER ADULT UTILIZERS AND NON-UTILIZERS OF HOME-BASED CARE

Abstract Health behavior interventions targeting illness perceptions improve outcomes for those with chronic illness. Research investigating illness perception in the context of multimorbidity suggests illness-perception of multimorbidity (IP-MM) predicts short-term health status among individuals with multimorbidity. However, less is known about IP-MM among home-based care (HBC) utilizers who receive in-home support for multimorbidity management. This study aimed to compare IP-MM among older adults HBC-utilizers and non-utilizers. Secondary analysis of a cross-sectional study exploring IP-MM in 116 community-dwelling older adults with ≥2 chronic conditions. IP-MM was assessed via MULTIPleS summary and subscale scores (0-78), including causal-links (0-9), prioritization (0-12), treatment-burden (0-18), activity-restrictions (0-9), and emotional-representations (0-30), where higher scores indicate stronger perceptions. HBC-utilizers self-reported receiving nursing, rehabilitative, or medical services at home. One sample t-tests was performed to compare MULTIPLeS subscales between HBC-utilizers and non-utilizers. HBC utilizers comprised of 18% with 82% as non-utilizers. Mean number of chronic conditions was 4.5 (2); Mean age was 73.3 (6.72), 71% female, 35% Hispanic, 33% Black, 27% White, and 5% Asian. Mean (SD) MULTIPleS summary score was 39.39 (21.1). Subscales scores:[activity restriction: 5.19 (2.88); causal relationships: 4.81 (3.07); prioritization:8 .24 (3.52); treatment burden: 7.84 (5.57). HBC utilizers had significantly higher mean treatment-burden subscale scores (10.38 ± 5.51), than non-utilizers (7.28 ± 4.45), p=0.027. No significant differences in other subscales or summary scores. Older adult HBC-utilizers and non-utilizers experienced comparable IP-MM, differing only in treatment burden perceptions. Additional research on IP-MM is needed to develop interventions that improve multimorbidity management and treatment-burden among HBC utilizers.

RELATIONS BETWEEN MOOD AND DAILY ACTIVITIES: AN ECOLOGICAL MOMENTARY ASSESSMENT

Abstract Behavioral activation (BA) is an evidence-based therapy for depression that has recently been applied for informal caregivers. Investigating the mechanisms of BA could lead to enhanced quality of care by optimizing guidance to patients. We examined concomitant and lagged associations between mood and daily activities in 50 informal caregivers using an Ecological Momentary Assessment approach via smartphone technology. Participants recorded the number and types of activities they did each day in a 14-day period. Activities were rated for enjoyment on a scale of 1 to 5 (5 being most pleasant). Mood for the day was rated on a scale of 1 to 5, (5 being the most positive). Linear mixed-model analyses examined concomitant and lagged (+/- 1 day) associations between activities and moods. Results indicated concomitant associations between mood and both frequency (t = 2.36, p = .019) and enjoyment of activities (t = 4.11, p &amp;lt; .001). Previous day’s mood was not associated with either frequency or enjoyment of activities the following day. Previous day’s enjoyment of activities was associated with mood the following day (t = 2.34, p = .02). There was no association between frequency of activities the previous day and mood the following day. These findings support BA theory by suggesting that increasing engagement in enjoyable activities may have positive impacts on mood not only in the moment but also have a lasting impact on future mood. Future research should expand this model by including covariates important to the population such as age and activity restriction.

Physiological changes in captive elephants in Northern Thailand as a result of the COVID-19 tourism ban - muscle, liver, metabolic function, and body condition.

The international travel ban initiated in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic greatly affected how captive elephants were managed in Thailand. A lack of tourists and associated income meant elephants were chained longer with reduced food provisions, had fewer mahouts, and limited exercise like riding, which likely affected health and welfare. Fifty-eight elephants from six tourist camps were assigned a body condition score (BCS) and blood samples were collected monthly for 2 years during the travel ban to measure: (1) muscle enzymes [creatine kinase (CK), aspartate aminotransferase (AST)]; (2) liver enzymes [aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT)]; (3) lipids [total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low (LDL) and high (HDL) density lipoproteins]; and metabolic function [glucose, insulin, fructosamine]. Serum CK concentrations were lower at the end of the study, possibly due to no tourist activities like riding. Changes in liver function included increased AST and ALP, also possibly due to physical inactivity. Feeding less bananas and sugar cane was associated with fewer elephants in the obese category and lower TG concentrations. However, increases in glucose, insulin and fructosamine were observed as local people returned to feed elephants after lifting travel restrictions. In sum, changes in several health biomarkers were observed in association with restricted activities and food resources. Camps need better plans to meet the health and welfare needs of elephants during any future disruptions to the tourism industry, although reduced feeding of sweet treats appeared to have positive effects on body condition and metabolic function.

POOR SLEEP HEALTH MAY BUILD THE ONSET OF A FEAR OF FALLING AMONG COMMUNITY-DWELLING OLDER ADULTS

Abstract A greater fear of falling (FOF) predicts activity restrictions, falls, disability, and increases the risk of mortality among older adults. Although poor sleep has been identified as a relevant factor for FOF among older adults, evidence is primarily shown in cross-sectional studies using isolated sleep characteristics. Whether multidimensional sleep health contributes to increase in FOF among older adults who are particularly vulnerable to falls is less well understood. We investigated the longitudinal relationship between sleep health and the incidence of FOF among community-dwelling older adults and how the association differed between those with or without prior falls experiences. Data were from individuals who completed the sleep module in the National Health and Aging Trends Study (2013-2014; n=695). FOF was assessed with a single item. Multidimensional sleep health was measured with self-reported sleep items based on the SATED model (i.e., sleep satisfaction, daytime alertness, timing, efficiency, and duration). Covariates included sociodemographics, assistive device usage, health, and sleep medications. Multiple logistic regression was used to analyze the data. Poor sleep health was associated with the onset of FOF at 1-year follow-up (OR=1.20, 95%CI=1.02-1.41). Moreover, poor sleep health increased the odds of having FOF among individuals without prior falls experiences and elevated the already heightened risks of developing FOF among those who fell at baseline. Improving sleep health may potentially prevent older adults from developing FOF.

The important issue of awareness of disaster response to the COVID-19

This study aimed to analyze the community's disaster response awareness during the Covid-19 pandemic during the implementation of The Large-Scale Social Restrictions (LSSR) in Gresik. Self-awareness was observed using Peter L. Berger and Thomas Luck man's Social Construction Theory through a dialectical process of internalization, objectification, and externalization. The results showed that there had been no good awareness in efforts to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in Gresik. Socially, the community had not taken the dangers of Covid-19 seriously. There was also an inconsistency between knowledge and reality related to disaster response. In coping with the dialectical process, the community had not implemented a disaster-aware culture by obeying the existing regulations. At least, the sociocultural environment determined a person's construction for self-identification, interaction, and adjustment to the social changes that occurred. Hence, the sociocultural construction of the community had never made the disease outbreak a serious problem and considered it as well as God's reminder even though infected cases continued to increase. A situation was indeed difficult for the Task Force to succeed in the Large-Scale Social Restrictions (LSSR) to Community Activities Restrictions Enforcement (CARE) suppressed the increase of Covid-19 positive cases in Gresik, Indonesia. This research sees that the government's policies in handling Covid- 19 are not enough, it needs more optimal involvement of community and religious leaders, to provide education on the importance of maintaining health protocols and building self-awareness of the dangers of Covid.

Construction and validation of a nomogram for predicting fear of falling related activity restrictions in community-dwelling older adults

Fear of falling related activity restrictions are widespread among older adults, leading to several adverse effects. Given these consequences, there is an urgent need for a comprehensive assessment tool that integrates various risk factors to predict the likelihood of older adults experiencing such activity restrictions. This cross-sectional study investigated fear of falling related activity restrictions and its influencing factors, simultaneously constructed and validated a nomogram among older adults residing in the communities in China. The model includes variables like age, gender, self-rated health, past year injurious falls, gait stability, anxiety, and cognitive impairment. It showed an AUC of 0.892. Internal validation had an AUC of 0.893, and external validation had an AUC of 0.939. Calibration curve showed good fit, and decision curve showed high clinical benefits. It's an intuitive tool for medical professionals to identify older adults at high risk of activity restrictions due to fear of falling.

Екологізація сільського господарства: правовий аспект

The article is devoted to the analysis of regulatory and legal support of ecologization in the field of agriculture and prospects for its improvement. Ecologization of the agricultural sector is ensured by legal norms contained in laws and by-laws. In general, the norms of environmental and agrarian legislation of Ukraine regulate the relations of environmental protection and nature use in the field of agriculture. The main directions of further improvement of the legal support for the ecologization of the agricultural sector are: the implementation of certain types of agricultural production activities, taking into account the peculiarities of specialization and activities related to agricultural production; use of land and other natural resources in agricultural production; agricultural production waste management; organic agricultural production, etc. In particular, the relevant rules of nature protection for agricultural production should be aimed at: ensuring ecological and biological safety in the process of agricultural production activity; ensuring rational use of land and other natural resources in agricultural production; restriction and termination of agricultural activities that damage to the environment; introduction of the most effective methods of management, in particular, the spread of the use of organic production methods; support for the development and introduction of innovative technologies in the field of agriculture; protection of agricultural plants and animals; increasing the level of knowledge and improving the practical skills of sustainable agriculture. A special role in the legal support of ecologization of agriculture is played by strategic documents defining goals and task for the relevant period. The task of state policy is to bring national legislation, standards and practices in the agricultural sector closer to the pan-European principles of sustainable agriculture policy and good agricultural practices. Also, rules of nature protection should be reflected in the local intra-economic acts of the subjects of agricultural activity.

Retrospective Evaluation of the Implementation of Community Activity Restrictions in Ambon City

Retrospective Evaluation of the Implementation of Community Activity Restrictions in Ambon City

SOME THOUGHTS ON THE BUSINESS EFFICIENCY AND THE METHODS FOR ITS ANALYSIS

The issue of enterprises’ business is relevant at all phases and stages of their development. The survival of enterprises and the continuation of their business in the context of the complex and contradictory economic reality require them to be financially stable, properly oriented and positioned on the competitive market that is characterized with certain level of entropy. The achievement and maintaining of market and financial stability require the enterprises to implement measures for the continuous increase of their business efficiency. The importance and relevance of this issue are even higher today due to the effect of a system of internal and external factors, and as a result of the existing crises some of which are still experienced. For example, the enterprises’ business is subject to the influence of the Covid-19 pandemic consequences and the health crisis, supply chain disturbance, closing and restriction of many business and activities in the country, etc., it has caused. The business of the Bulgarian enterprises is also influenced by the wars led in the vicinity of the territory of Bulgaria, the occurred gas crisis, the unstable political situation, the high inflation rate, the increase of energy and other resource prices and a number of other factors.The author’s interest to the issues of enterprises’ business efficiency and the methods for its analysis is a long-term interest. Observations show that the specialized literature in the country does not offer theoretically substantiated general methodology for efficiency analysis, which is feasible and useful for the business practice. Only individual methodologies for analysis of different aspects of the efficiency are offered, such as methodology for analysis of the efficient use of workforce (analysis of the labour efficiency indicator). Thus, the objectively existing dialectic relations between the resultative indicators that characterise the various aspects of efficiency and the factor indicators that affect the improvement or worsening of the business in general and its specific aspects, cannot be covered. This publication reviews the methodology for analysis of enterprises’ business efficiency. The concept of efficiency is consistently highlighted, the sources of the information necessary for its analysis are described, and the system of indicators for business efficiency analysis is justified. The author’s objective is to suggest an improved general methodology for analysis of business efficiency, which integrates the individual private methods for analysis of its different aspects in the course of the enterprises’ business.

In-situ transformation into MoP/MoS2 heterogeneous structure with rich S-vacancy enhanced hydrogen evolution reaction

The surface modification strategy has broken through the restriction of hydrogen evolution activity caused by low conductivity inert surfaces of MoS2 during hydrogen evolution reaction. In this work, a new strategy for regulating the interface structure between MoS2 and MoP using sulfur vacancy is proposed, which is derived from the synthesis of molybdenum disulfide nanotubes with rich S-vacancy (Sv-MoS2) by reduction. Subsequently, Sv-MoS2 was phosphated by introducing a P source, and the obtained (MoP/Sv-MoS2-8) composite. The introduction of P atoms provides more active sites for hydrogen adsorption and desorption by replacing S atoms to form (Mo-P) covalent bonds, further increase the number of S vacancies to activate the inert interface. The synthesized MoP/Sv-MoS2-8 has excellent catalytic activity and good cyclic stability, showing a lower Tafel slope of 60 mV·dec−1 at a current density of 10 mA·cm−2, and no potential attenuation after the cyclic stability test for 24 h. The excellent HER performance is mainly due to the synergistic effect of P atom doping and S vacancy, which greatly reduces the energy barrier of the Volmer step and the adsorption/desorption of the H* intermediate step.

Assessing the impact of COVID-19 lockdown on fine-scale air quality across a heavy-pollution city using low-cost sensors

COVID-19 pandemic led to restricted anthropogenic activities and drastic emission reduction, while air quality in response to strict control measures at a fine spatial scale still remained unknown. At first, we estimated the high-resolution air quality based on low-cost sensors, assimilated meteorology, and other geographical covariates. The result suggested that PM2.5, NO2, and SO2 across Handan decreased by 21%, 55%, and 12%, respectively. In contrast, the 8-h O3 level over Handan increased by 87%. Then, the random forest (RF) model was applied to remove the meteorology in order to capture the response of air quality to emission reduction at the fine spatial scale. The deweathered concentrations of some species varied greatly at different roads and points of interest (POI). The deweathered NO2 level suffered from more drastic reduction in some industrial points and roads compared with other POI, which was closely associated with the dense nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions in these sites/roads. However, the deweathered O3 concentrations in some main lines (e.g., highway and sidewalk) showed more significant increases, which might be due to more rapid decline of NOx emission compared with volatile organic compounds (VOC) emission in a VOC-limited region.