Short Battery Research Articles

Compared Block Periodized and Non-Periodized Physical Activity Programs in Older Adults.

The periodization of physical exercise to optimize objectives is common in competitive sports. However, physical exercise programs for older adults only sometimes present periodization in their programming. Therefore, this article aims to research the results of applying the sports periodized method to older adults. A total of 137 participants over 60 years old performed a physical exercise program; 71 participated in a multi-component non-periodized program as the Control Group (CG), and 66 participated in a program periodized in blocks as the Experimental Group (EG). The block periodization program was oriented to the development of strength and was carried out in 86 sessions thrice weekly for eight months. Anthropometric assessments were made using weight, height, Body Mass Index, and electrical bioimpedance; and functional evaluations were made through standardized tests: Short Performance Physical Battery (SPPB), Timed Up & Go (TUG), handgrip, and a two-minute stair test. After the intervention, the EG significantly improved TUG, weight, and BMI. On the other hand, the CG showed significant improvements in fat weight, BMI, and the 2 min stair test. The SPPB did not show changes after the intervention. The periodization of physical exercise for older adults does not significantly impact functional capacity in this population group.

Effects of testosterone and vitamin D on fall risk in pre-frail hypogonadal men: a factorial design RCT

ObjectiveTo test whether transdermal testosterone at a dose of 75 mg per day and/or monthly 24’000 IU Vitamin D reduces the fall risk in pre-frail hypogonadal men aged 65 and older. Design2 × 2 factorial design randomized controlled trial, follow up of 12 months. MethodsHypogonadism was defined as total testosterone <11.3 nmol/L and pre-frailty as ≥1 Fried- frailty criteria and/or being at risk for falling at the time of screening. The primary outcomes were number of fallers and the rate of falls, assessed prospectively. Secondary outcomes were appendicular lean mass (ALM), sit-to-stand, gait speed, and the short physical performance test battery. Analyses were adjusted for age, BMI, fall history and the respective baseline measurement. ResultsWe aimed to recruit 168 men and stopped at 91 due to unexpected low recruitment rate (1266 men were pre-screened). Mean age was 72.2 years, serum total testosterone was 10.8 ± 3.0 nmol/l, and 20.9% had 25(OH)D levels below 20 ng/mL. Over 12 months, 37 participants had 72 falls. Neither the odds of falling nor the rate of falls were reduced by testosterone or by vitamin D. Testosterone improved ALM compared to no testosterone (0.21 kg/m2 [0.06, 0.37]), and improved gait speed (0.11 m/s, [0.03, 0.20]) compared to placebo. ConclusionTransdermal testosterone did not reduce fall risk but improved ALM and gait speed in pre-frail older men. Monthly vitamin D supplementation had no benefit.

A Japanese translation of the Swedish Universities Scales of Personality.

The Swedish Universities Scales of Personality (SSP) is a personality measurement tool with a short test battery of high psychometric quality, previously not availiable in Japanese. We translated the SSP into Japanese and administered it to 103 Japanese nationals. For 11 of the 13 SSP scales in the Japanese version of the SSP (SSP-J11), the Cronbach's alpha ranged from 0.50 to 0.82 with good internal scale reliability. A principal factor analysis replicated the previous work by identifying the same three principal dimensions of Neuroticism, Aggression, and Extraversion factors. The resulting three-factor SSP-J11 shows acceptable reliability and should provide informative insights about personality traits in research and clinical practice in a Japanese context.

Computer Aided Design and Simulation based development of floating solar resort

The presented article introduces Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Simulation to develop a Floating Solar Photovoltaic (FSPV) power plant based resort over Nasser Lake. This research framework aims to achieve multi criteria performance improvements in technical, economic, and environmental aspects. The first target is to improve the efficiency of the solar panels by decreasing the operating temperature especially in hot regions of south Egypt. In addition, this design is a protection technique against PV inverter’s fire and considers the prolongation of FSPV station life span. The third target is to decrease the evaporation and algae bloom of the lakes where it is proposed to install it over Nasser Lake in upper Egypt to protect the water reservoir behind the high dam. To avoid using lithium-ion battery for energy storage, we rely on Magnetic Energy Generators (MEG) to generate the electricity after the sundown which make this design a unique one. This design employs the Magnetic Energy Generators (MEGs) to cover the power generation at night instead of using expensive short life span lithium-ion battery storage for this hug power. This study is presented to support the renewable energy resources and water availability for Egypt compared with similar relative studies carried out worldwide.

Optimizing Electric Vehicle Battery Life: A Machine Learning Approach for Sustainable Transportation

Electric vehicles (EVs) are becoming increasingly popular, due to their beneficial environmental effects and low operating costs. However, one of the main challenges with EVs is their short battery life. This study presents a comprehensive approach for predicting the Remaining Useful Life (RUL) of Nickel Manganese Cobalt-Lithium Cobalt Oxide (NMC-LCO) batteries. This research utilizes a dataset derived from the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute, encompassing 14 individual batteries subjected to over 1000 cycles under controlled conditions. A multi-step methodology is adopted, starting with data collection and preprocessing, followed by feature selection and outlier elimination. Machine learning models, including XGBoost, BaggingRegressor, LightGBM, CatBoost, and ExtraTreesRegressor, are employed to develop the RUL prediction model. Feature importance analysis aids in identifying critical parameters influencing battery health and lifespan. Statistical evaluations reveal no missing or duplicate data, and outlier removal enhances model accuracy. Notably, XGBoost emerged as the most effective algorithm, providing near-perfect predictions. This research underscores the significance of RUL prediction for enhancing battery lifecycle management, particularly in applications like electric vehicles, ensuring optimal resource utilization, cost efficiency, and environmental sustainability.

Fast Ion Transport Interphase Integrated with Space Confinement Enabling High‐Rate and Long‐Lifespan Na Metal Batteries

AbstractThe practical application of sodium (Na) metal anode has been seriously hindered by the uncontrolled Na dendrite growth and severe volume expansion inducing short battery lifespan and safety concerns. Here, highly sodiophilic and ultrafine ZnS‐modified carbon fibers have been rationally constructed as a scaffold to obviate these drawbacks. The in situ generated Na2S‐reinforced fast ion transport interphase and the effective space confinement synergistically facilitate the fast sodium ion interfacial transfer and the homogeneous and dendrite‐free Na deposition, thus enabling high‐rate and dendrite‐free Na metal anode. The modified Na metal demonstrates ultrahigh rate capability (15 mA cm−2) and ultralong cycling life (5300 cycles). Moreover, the Na|Na3V2(PO4)3 (NVP) cell delivers ultrahigh rate capability (80 C) and extraordinarily ultralong lifespan cycling durability (2980 cycles). The Na|NVP pouch cell also exhibits an extraordinarily ultralong‐term cycle life of over 1070 cycles with an extremely low capacity decay rate of 0.0088% per cycle at 10 C. This work provides a facile and efficient strategy to propel the Na metal anode towards practicability.

Assessing the Role of Physical Performance and Executive Functioning in Predicting the Quality of Life of Adults With Intellectual Disability in Northwest Iran

Background and Aims People with intellectual disabilities (ID) are a vulnerable social group whose physical performance, quality of life (QOL), and ability to live independently are affected. This study aims to investigate the relationship between QOL, executive functioning, and physical performance of adults with ID in northwest Iran. Methods This is a descriptive-correlational study. Participants were 61 adults (Mean age=34.31±8.895 years) with ID in Ardabil, Tabriz, and Urmia cities who were selected by a convenience sampling method.. The 26-item WHO QOL Questionnaire, the Barclay deficits in executive functioning scale - short form, and the short physical performance short battery were used to measure QOL, executive functioning, and physical performance. Pearson correlation test to investigate the relationship between these three variables. Regression analysis was used to assess the role of executive functioning and physical performance in predicting QOL. Results The results showed a significant relationship between QOL and physical performance (r=0.31, P=0.015), between QOL and deficits in executive functioning (r=-0.37, P=0.004), and between physical performance and deficits in executive functioning (r=-0.42, P=0.001). Executive functioning and physical performance together predicted 16% of changes in the QOL of patients. Conclusion Executive functioning and physical performance have a relationship with the QOL in adults with ID in northwest Iran. There is a positive relationship between QOL and physical performance, and a negative relationship between QOL and deficits in executive functioning and between physical performance and deficits in executive functioning. The QOL of patients can be predicted based on their executive functioning. Keywords

Evaluation of survival estimates generated from tracking downstream migrating juvenile sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) with a miniature acoustic telemetry tag

Fish that undertake juvenile migration pass through habitats that vary in mortality risk. The ability to identify regions of persistently low survival would improve fishery management. We conducted a field study combined with predictive modeling of survival in downstream migrating juvenile sea lamprey using a new micro-acoustic telemetry tag designed for implantation into small, slender-bodied fishes. Detection data were collected from eight receivers placed across a coastal riverine–wetland–lake complex. Juvenile sea lamprey initiated downstream movement near nautical twilight, stopped frequently, and were more likely to move during high river discharge. Estimated survival was highest in the riverine reach, declined through the river–wetland complex, and dropped precipitously in the drowned rivermouth lake. However, the high transmission rate and resulting short battery life of the microtransmitters (as configured) likely resulted in missed detections in the lower reaches. Simulation analyses suggested survival estimation could be improved by increasing the number of tagged lamprey and staggering release locations. We offer practical recommendations for the use of this new transmitter in field studies with small anguilliform fish.

SEX HORMONES ARE ASSOCIATED WITH BONE DENSITY AND PHYSICAL FUNCTION IN WOMEN RECOVERING FROM HIP FRACTURE

Abstract Testosterone and estrogen have anabolic effects, and alterations could affect recovery from hip fracture. We hypothesized that differences in sex hormones during the year after a hip fracture would be associated with bone mineral density (BMD) and physical function. This analysis included 149 women aged 65 years or older enrolled in the Baltimore Hip Studies 7th cohort. Testosterone and estradiol by LC/MS/MS and sex hormone binding globulin were assayed at four time points post hip fracture (within 15 days of admission, and at 2, 6, and 12 months) on fasting morning samples. Longitudinal regression models accounting for clustering by subject were constructed to examine the relationship between each hormone and BMD and short performance physical battery (SPPB) score over time. Mean age was 81 years, BMI was 25.6 kg/m2, and 92% were white. Testosterone levels were low in women at all time points (median 10-12 ng/dL), as were estradiol levels (median 3-5 pg/mL). In adjusted models, increases in total and free estradiol during recovery were associated with improvement in BMD, whereas total testosterone, but not free testosterone, was associated with improvement in SPPB. These analyses support physiologically relevant relationships between higher estradiol levels and improvement in BMD and higher testosterone levels and improvement in physical function during the year after hip fracture, even at the low levels of sex hormones found in post-menopausal women. These findings suggest that differences in reproductive aging that affect sex hormone production may have clinical effects on recovery from a sentinel event, long after menopause.

Applicability of the Online Short Spatial Ability Battery to university students testing

Introduction. Multiple studies advocate an importance of spatial abilities (SA) for educational and occupational success, especially in STEM. Recently an Online Short Spatial Ability Battery (OSSAB) was developed and normed for SA testing in adolescents. The battery includes mechanical reasoning, paper folding, pattern assembly, and shape rotation tests. The battery has shown good psychometric characteristics (high reliability and validity, low redundancy, discriminative power), and is available in open access and free to use.Aim. The present research aims: 1) to examine the applicability of the OSSAB for university student testing; 2) to describe its psychometric properties and structure; and 3) to investigate links between SA and educational performance.Methods. A total of 772 university students (aged from 18 to 26, mean age (SD) = 19.55 (1.51), 63.1% females) participated in the study. Participants provided information about their age, gender, university major, and academic achievement, and completed a battery of tests that included the OSSAB tests.Results. The study reports psychometric norms for using the OSSAB in university students. Students’ performance in the OSSAB was similar to that shown in previous research in adolescents in terms of means and variance. The OSSAB showed adequate psychometric properties in this sample: no floor or ceiling effects; low redundancy; moderate to high internal consistency; high discriminative power across university majors; and high external validity. The results indicated that around 6% of the students showed very high levels of SA (higher than 1.5 SD above the mean), and around 8% of students showed very low levels of SA (lower than 1.5 SD below mean). In addition, the OSSAB scores were linked to educational profile choice and exam scores, with small-to-medium effect sizes.Scientific novelty. The study provides psychometric norms for a short online open measure of spatial ability in university students.Practical significance. The OSSAB can be used to provide individual recommendations to students (e.g. SA training), to identify spatially gifted students, and for research purposes in university contexts.

Powertrain structure analysis of extended range electric vehicles

Since its invention, the internal combustion engine has greatly contributed to the development of human civilization and is also an important symbol of the progress of human civilization. The energy and environmental problems brought by traditional automobiles have seriously restricted the development of today's automotive industry. Due to the bottleneck of pure electric vehicle power battery technology, its short range and short battery life, the extended range electric vehicle is a smooth transition model of the pure electric vehicle, with its high efficiency, small battery capacity, long driving range and other advantages have received widespread attention. In this paper, the key technical issues, including the component selection, parameter matching, and control strategy of the extended-range electric vehicle drive system, are analyzed and discussed in detail. Several issues worthy of attention in future research are pointed out in the paper and provide insights for further development of extended-range electric vehicles.

Detection of early Alzheimer’s disease at the eye clinic: The BeyeOMARKER study

AbstractBackgroundEarly detection of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is essential for establishing a patient management plan, and for clinical trial selection and determining who will benefit most from future therapies. Effective screening for early AD will require large‐scale implementation of non‐invasive, scalable, and accessible biomarkers such as blood‐based biomarkers and retinal scans. With a high population throughput and a visually impaired population at increased risk for AD (HR = 1.47 (Kuźma et al., J Alzheimers Dis (2021)), eye clinics provide a prime proof‐of‐concept setting to explore the potential of implementing non‐invasive biomarkers in an alternative clinical setting. The BeyeOMARKER study aims to explore the feasibility of large‐scale screening using non‐invasive tools in eye clinics, with the ultimate goal of providing recommendations for AD screening in alternative clinical settings, and exploring factors underlying the association between eye disease and AD.MethodThe BeyeOMARKER study is a prospective, observational, longitudinal cohort study. At the eye clinic, ∼700 participants (aged ≥45) will be screened for early AD using plasma phospho‐tau181 (p‐tau181) and a short neuropsychological test battery (Montreal Cognitive assessment). After screening, 100 plasma p‐tau181 positive cases and 50 p‐tau181 negative controls (matched based on age, sex and eye disease) will be included into the longitudinal BeyeOMARKER cohort. This cohort will be invited to the memory clinic for a hyperspectral retinal scan, structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment including cortical vision tests (e.g., visuo‐perceptive and visuospatial abilities).ResultMain outcomes of the BeyeOMARKER study are 1) a prevalence estimate of AD in a large, diverse population of visually impaired individuals, 2) the performance of hyperspectral retinal scans to detect AD pathology in this population and its complementary benefit over‐and‐above plasma p‐tau181, and 3) improved understanding on the eye‐brain connection in the context of AD through comparison of cognitive and cortical vision performance, and brain atrophy across visually impaired p‐tau181 positive and negative individuals.ConclusionThe BeyeOMARKER consortium aspires to build a detailed roadmap for the implementation of non‐invasive screening for early AD within the eye clinic.

Study on Intelligent Braking Energy Recovery System

Nowadays, traditional internal combustion engine vehicles use fossil fuels, emitting exhaust gases and pollutants, making a negative impact on air quality and the environment. The intensification of global climate change also makes it particularly important to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In order to meet the coexistence of the environment and human development, electric vehicles(EV), as a zero-emission transportation mode, can reduce air pollution and carbon emissions, and improve urban air quality. The number of EVs in the world has increased significantly, and the technology of EVs is constantly innovating. In this article, the brake system is extracted separately from the four parts of the traditional EV and treated as the fifth part to work together with the other four parts.This article analyzes the optimization of motor machinery, power recovery and release, and the driver operation and operation safety. In addition, this article also discusses how to effectively alleviate the problems of insufficient power and short battery life of EVs. This article may offer a reference for the development of EVs.

Life-cycle assessment of batteries for peak demand reduction

At present, a life-cycle assessment of energy storage systems (ESSs) is not widely available in the literature. Such an assessment is increasingly vital nowadays as ESS is recognized as one of the important equipment in power systems to reduce peak demands for deferring or avoiding augmentation in the network and power generation. As the battery cost is still very high at present, a comprehensive assessment is necessary to determine the optimal capacity of ESS so that the maximum financial gain is achievable at the end of the batteries’ lifespan. Therefore, an effective life-cycle assessment is proposed in this paper to show how the optimum capacity of ESS can be determined such that the maximum net financial gain is achievable at the end of the batteries’ lifespan when ESS is used to perform peak demand reductions for the customer or utility companies. The findings reveal the positive financial viability of ESS on the power grid, otherwise the projection of the financial viability is often seemingly poor due to the high battery cost with a short battery lifespan. An improved battery degradation model is used in this assessment, which can simulate the battery degradation accurately in a situation whereby the charging current, discharging current, and temperature of the batteries are intermittent on a site during peak demand reductions. This assessment is crucial to determine the maximum financial benefits brought by ESS.

Physical Frailty Predicts Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Evaluation for Kidney Transplantation

An increasing number of older patients are undergoing evaluation for kidney transplantation; however, older patients experience increased rates of complications compared with younger patients, leading to the study of frailty assessments. Although many centers have evaluated the Fried Frailty Phenotype (FFP), less is known about the ability of the Short Performance Physical Battery (SPPB) to predict outcomes. Frailty assessment by FFP and SPPB was introduced into routine outpatient evaluation for patients aged 55 years and older referred for transplantation. Transplant rate, length of stay, readmission up to 3 months posttransplant, and death were reviewed. Patients were evaluated in an initial cohort followed by a validation cohort by FFP and SPPB. Multivariate analysis correcting for demographic characteristics was applied. Patient cohorts reflected the racial and ethnic diversity of our population, including approximately 40% Hispanic patients. The first cohort of 514 patients demonstrated a significant association between frailty as measured by SPPB and transplantation (odds ratio [OR], 2.27; 95% CI, 1.38-3.83; p=.002). The second cohort of 1408 patients validated the association between frailty measured by SPPB and transplantation (OR, 2.81; 95% CI, 1.83-4.48; p < .001). In addition, there was a significant association between nonfrail status measured by SPPB and death (OR, 0.16; 95% CI, 0.04-0.62; p=.006). Frailty assessment is a potentially useful approach for the assessment of transplant candidates. Our real-world study examined the performance of 2 methods of frailty evaluation methods in a diverse population, demonstrating that SPPB but not FFP was predictive of clinical outcomes. Incorporation of frailty assessments into transplant evaluation may improve risk stratification and optimize outcomes for older patients.

Testing central auditory processing abilities in older adults with and without dementia using the consonant-vowel dichotic listening task.

Hearing loss and dementia are linked, although the roles of peripheral and central auditory dysfunction are not well defined. Many behavioral measures of hearing are confounded by the overlapping cognitive functions required to perform the tests. To collect pilot data to identify how central auditory function, measured using a dichotic listening test that indexes both auditory and cognitive components under different attentional conditions, differs among people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), dementia and controls, and how performance relates to neuropsychological results. Fifty-eight participants (17 MCI, 11 dementia and 30 controls) undertook hearing screening, the Bergen consonant-vowel dichotic listening paradigm, and a short battery of neuropsychological tests chosen to index attention and executive control. Dichotic listening was assessed under three attentional conditions (non-forced, forced right ear and forced left) amongst older adults with normal cognitive function, MCI and dementia. We report two main findings: (a) The expected right ear advantage under non-forced conditions, was seen in controls and patients with dementia but not in people with MCI, who showed equal numbers of correct responses from both ears (i.e., a lack of asymmetry); (b) Performance under forced attentional conditions was significantly associated with disease progression (i.e., control > MCI > dementia) and performance on the cognitive tasks. The reduction in asymmetry on dichotic listening tasks may be a marker of MCI and reflect underlying compensatory mechanisms. Use of this test could aid stratification of patients with memory disorders. Whether abnormalities could predict dementia onset needs longitudinal investigation in a larger sample.

Short term effect of sodium glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors and sacubitril/valsartan on comprehensive geriatric assessment and oxidative stress in elderly with chronic heart failure (from MAGIC-HF)

Abstract Background Sodium Glucose Cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) and Sacubitril/Valsartan (Sac/Val) have improved clinical prognosis in patients affected by heart failure (HF) with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). Cognitive impairment, depression, and poor physical functional performance are a very common comorbidity in patients with HF and result in a worse prognosis. Purpose The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential effects of SGLT2i on functional, humoral, and cognitive aspects, assessed by performing a comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA), and on oxidative stress and platelets activation biomarkers, in a cohort of HFrEF elderly, and any differences between men and women. Methods We enrolled 91 HFrEF patients (63 men and 28 women, mean age 73.7±4.7 years) in the "MAgna GraecIa evaluation of Comorbidities in patients with Heart Failure STUDY (MAGIC-HF STUDY). Men and women differed for use of glucagon-like-peptide 1 receptor agonists, antiplatelet drugs, and circulating levels of NADPH Oxidase 2 (Nox-2). SGLT2i therapy was introduced in patients already treated with Sac/Val for at least 12 months who were taking an average dose of 273.6±102.0 mg/die. Results After 3 months follow-up, we observed a significant improvement in cognitive, humoral and functional parameters of CGA, NTpro-BNP levels and echocardiographic parameters. Changes (Δ) in Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) (p=0.015) and Cardiac Index (CI) which were greater in men (p&amp;lt;0.0001) and Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) which were greater in women (p=0.029). In the whole population, multivariate analysis shows that Δ of CI, Homeostatic model assessment (HOMA), Sp-Selectina, Nox-2 and 8-Isoprostane contributed for 19.7% (p&amp;lt;0.0001), 9.4% (p=0.001), 6.4% (p=0.002), 3.8% (p=0.013) and 2.9% (p=0.024) to Mini mental state examination (MMSE) variability, respectively, and the whole model accounted for a 42.2% of MMSE variation; moreover Δ of HOMA, Sp-Selectina and highly sensitive c-reactive protein (hs-CRP) contributed for 21.6% (p&amp;lt;0.0001), 5.7% (p=0.002) and 4.0% (p=0.014) to MoCA variability, respectively, and the whole model accounted for a 33.3% of MoCA variation. In addition, Δ of Sp-Selectina, Nox-2, CI and HOMA globally contributed for 37.5% of GDS variation (p&amp;lt;0.05); and Δ of HOMA and Sp-Selectina contributed for 30.9% of Short performance physical battery variation (p&amp;lt;0.0001). Conclusions This represents the first real-world study carried out in an elderly population suffering from chronic HFrEF with several comorbidities, in which the addition of SGLT2i, in patients already treated with the best medical therapy including Sac/Val, after three months induced important improvements in clinical, humoral, hemodynamic, functional outcomes and cognitive performance. This study shows that echocardiographic and cognitive improvements are greater in men than in women, instead metabolic and humoral improvements are greater in women.

Oxygen-regulated spontaneous solid electrolyte interphase enabling ultra-stable solid-state Na metal batteries

Solid-state sodium metal batteries utilizing inorganic solid electrolytes (SEs) hold immense potentials such as intrinsical safety, high energy density, and environmental sustainability. However, the interfacial inhomogeneity/instability at the anode-SE interface usually triggers the penetration of sodium dendrites into the electrolyte, leading to short circuit and battery failure. Herein, confronting with the original nonuniform and high-resistance solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) at the Na-Na3Zr2Si2PO12 interface, an oxygen-regulated SEI innovative approach is proposed to enhance the cycling stability of anode-SEs interface, through a spontaneous reaction between the metallic sodium (containing trace amounts of oxygen) and the Na3Zr2Si2PO12 SE. The oxygen-regulated spontaneous SEI is thin, uniform, and kinetically stable to facilitate homogenous interfacial Na+ transportation. Benefitting from the optimized SEI, the assembled symmetric cell exhibits an ultra-stable sodium plating/stripping cycle for over 6600 h under a practical capacity of 3 mAh cm−2. Quasi-solid-state batteries with Na3V2(PO4)3 cathode deliver excellent cyclability over 500 cycles at a rate of 0.5 C (1 C = 117 mA cm−2) with a high capacity retention of 95.4%. This oxygen-regulated SEI strategy may offer a potential avenue for the future development of high-energy-density solid-state metal batteries.

Reading Difficulties in Parkinson's Disease: A Stepped Care Model for Neurovisual Rehabilitation.

People with Parkinson's disease (PD) frequently experience reading difficulties. Little is known about what functional impairments distinguish people with PD with and without reading difficulties and how these should guide rehabilitation. To provide concrete advice for an efficient stepped care model for reading difficulties in PD, based on extensive functional assessments. This study included 74 people with PD in a neurovisual rehabilitation setting who underwent assessment of visual, visuoperceptual, and cognitive functions. Outcomes were compared between those with frequent (RD+; N = 55) and infrequent reading difficulties (RD-; N = 19). Aids and advice provided during rehabilitation were registered. Only a few functions appeared to distinguish RD+ and RD-. Visual functions (i.e., contrast sensitivity, g = 0.76; reading acuity, g = 0.66; visual acuity, g = 0.54) and visuoperceptual functions (i.e., visual attention, g = 0.58, visual motor speed, g = 0.56) showed significant worse scores in RD+ compared to RD-. Aids and advice applied consisted mainly of optimizing refraction, improving lighting, and optimizing text size and spacing. The test battery showed significant differences between RD+ and RD-on only a few tests on visual and visuoperceptual functions. The applied aids and advice matched well with these impairments. Therefore, we recommend a stepped care model, starting with a short test battery on these functions. If this battery indicates functional impairments, this can be followed by standard aids and advice to improve reading. Only in case of insufficient effect additional testing should take place.

Enabling large-scale low-power LoRa data transmission via multiple mobile LoRa gateways

Low-Power Wide Area Networks (LPWANs) enable large-scale Internet of Things (IoT) applications. LoRa is a promising LPWAN technology, but LoRa nodes are battery-powered, so their lifetime depends on energy efficiency. In practice, LoRa nodes have short battery life because long transmission distances to gateways incur high energy costs. With expensive battery replacement, particularly in large networks, it is crucial to reduce LoRa nodes’ energy consumption. Existing low-power transmission techniques focus on static or single mobile gateways, consuming substantial remote node energy unfit for large-scale networks. This paper proposes integrating LoRa with mobility to minimize node energy use by shortening transmission distances. We design the first large-scale mobile LoRa system, MLoRaDrone, using multiple unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) equipped with LoRa gateways flying near nodes. First, we present a low-power mechanism for reliable node sensing and UAV communication. Next, we develop a LoRa transmission parameter assignment strategy encompassing a distributed ADMM-based optimal transmission policy and a 32-approximation channel allocation. Moreover, we propose a UAV trajectory scheduling scheme with a 4-approximation minimizing node energy and UAV flight paths. Evaluations on varied scales verify MLoRaDrone effectiveness for different node counts and UAV paths. Compared to baselines, MLoRaDrone reduces 3000-node energy consumption by up to 35.56× within 25 km2.