Spatial Parameters Research Articles

The impact of varying trolley case usage modes and weights on body posture

ObjectiveTo study the body posture characteristics when walking with trolley case, and to explore the effects of different usage methods and weights of trolley case on body posture characteristics. MethodsFifteen subjects pushed and pulled(Condition 1 and 2) the case with three load weights of 10 %, 20 % and 30 % of their own body weight with 0 % no load as baseline for both conditions. The basic gait parameters, kinematic and kinetic data were collected using the VICON infrared motion capture system and a 3D force platform. Two repeated measures factor (condition×weight) analysis of variance was used for statistical analysis of the gait temporal and spatial parameters, as well as trunk angle, kinetic ground reaction force, shoulder joint force, and trunk moment. ResultsSignificant condition*weight interactions were detected in DLST (Double Limb Stance Time) (F=5.341，P = 0.006), GRF (Ground Reaction Force) in frontal plane (F=10.507, p < 0.001) and vertical plane (F=3.751, p = 0.021), shoulder joint force in sagittal plane (F=21.129, p < 0.001), and flexion-extension angle of the trunk in the sagittal plane (F=4.888, p < 0.010). Significant main effects were detected in walking speed (F=35.842, p < 0.001), right support time (F=12.156, p < 0.001), left swing time (F=8.506, p < 0.001), left support time (F=1.122, p < 0.001), right step length (F=33.900, p < 0.001), and left step length (F=14.960, p < 0.001) under different weights. A significant main effect was detected in sagittal GRF (F=11.77, p < 0.001), trunk rotation angle (F=4.124, p = 0.016), amplitude of COM (F=2.993, p = 0.046), under different weights. ConclusionWhen the weight of the case exceeds 20 % of the body weight, from the perspective of energy efficiency, the push method is more advantageous than the pull method. When walking with luggage, people tend to maintain the stability of their trunk posture by adjusting the force on their arms more often.

Improving tuberculosis case detection through contact risk stratification by Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra and spatial parameters: Evaluation of an innovative active case finding strategy in Mozambique (Xpatial-TB)

Prompt diagnosis is critical for tuberculosis (TB) control, as it enables early treatment which in turn, reduces transmission and improves treatment outcomes. We investigated the impact on TB diagnosis of introducing Xpert Ultra as the frontline diagnostic test, combined with an innovative active-case finding (ACF) strategy (based on Xpert Ultra semi-quantitative results and spatial parameters), in a semi-rural district of Southern Mozambique. From January-December 2018 we recruited incident TB-cases (index cases, ICs) and their household contacts (HCs). Recruitment of close community contacts (CCs) depended on IC´s Xpert Ultra results, and the population density of their area. TB-contacts, either symptomatic or people living with HIV, were asked to provide a spot sputum for lab-testing. Trends on TB case notification were compared to the previous years and to those of two districts in the south of the Maputo province (control area), using an interrupted time series analysis with and without control (CITS/ITS). A total of 1010 TB ICs (37.1% laboratory-confirmed) were recruited; 3165 HCs and 4730 CCs were screened for TB. Eighty-nine additional TB cases were identified through the ACF intervention (52.8% laboratory-confirmed). The intervention increased by 8.2% all forms of TB cases detected in 2018. Xpert Ultra trace positive results accounted for a high proportion of laboratory confirmations in the ACF cohort (51.1% vs 13.7% of those passively diagnosed). The Number Needed to Screen to find a TB case differed widely among HCs (55) and CCs (153). During the intervention period, a reversal of the previous negative trend in lab-confirmed case notifications was observed in the district. However, the CITS model did not show any statistically significant difference compared to the control area. Paediatric population benefited the most from the ACF strategy and HCs screening seemed an effective intervention to find microbiological confirmed cases in early stages of the disease.

Cell Surface Parameters for Accessing Neutrophil Activation Level with Atomic Force Microscopy.

In this study, we examine the topography and adhesion images of the cell surface of neutrophils during the activation process. Our analysis of cell surface parameters indicates that the most significant changes in neutrophils occur within the first 30 min of activation, suggesting that reactive oxygen species may require approximately this amount of time to activate the cells. Interestingly, we observed surface granular structure as early as 10 min after neutrophil activation when examining atomic force microscopy images. This finding aligns with the reorganization observed within the cells under confocal laser scanning microscopy. By analyzing the cell surface images of adhesion, we identified three spatial surface parameters that correlate with the activation time. This finding enables us to estimate the degree of activation by using atomic force microscopy maps of the cell surface.

Enhanced Irradiance Levels using Synergistically Engineered Monochromatic Wavelength Ultraviolet-C Arrays Configuration

Contamination in healthcare environment poses risk of microbial transmission to healthy people. Recently, conventional ultraviolet (UV) technologies, particularly low-pressure mercury lamps have caught researcher’s attention for disinfection. Nonetheless, drawbacks such as hazardous components, limited lifespan, warm-up time, maintenance and fragility have driven researchers to delve into light emitting diode (LED) technologies as an appealing alternative. However, due to the diminishing intensity exhibited by LEDs over extended distances, prior studies primarily focused on short-distance investigations. Consequently, the phenomenon remained insufficient owing to the limited exploration in this field. Furthermore, frequently investigated LEDs in ambient settings, potentially created a gap in completely understanding the capability for irradiance attainability. Hence, this study aimed to overcome this limitation by evaluating the effectiveness of UV-C LEDs with synergistic arrangements within an enclosed chamber, offering optimum settings for examining irradiance performance. The analyzed recorded data aimed to identify trends in emission performance over different distances (5 to 60 cm), providing insights into how the arrangement of LEDs could influence irradiance output. The study unveiled that the synergistic effects of 6, 8, and 10-LED, when strategically engineered, significantly contributed to enhanced intensity. Notably, 10-SEMW LEDs exhibited a remarkable ability to maintain significant irradiance levels across extended distances. This was evident in the range between 0.037 and 0.016 mW.cm⁻² observed at 5 and 60 cm, respectively. In conclusion, the findings stress the importance of strategically arranging LEDs in a synergistic configuration to achieve optimal irradiance levels across a diverse range of spatial parameters for effective long-range disinfection.

How body postures affect gaze control in scene viewing under specific task conditions

Gaze movements during visual exploration of natural scenes are typically investigated with the static picture viewing paradigm in the laboratory. While this paradigm is attractive for its highly controlled conditions, limitations in the generalizability of the resulting findings to more natural viewing behavior have been raised frequently. Here, we address the combined influences of body posture and viewing task on gaze behavior with the static picture viewing paradigm under free viewing as a baseline condition. We recorded gaze data using mobile eye tracking during postural manipulations in scene viewing. Specifically, in Experiment 1, we compared gaze behavior during head-supported sitting and quiet standing under two task conditions. We found that task affects temporal and spatial gaze parameters, while posture produces no effects on temporal and small effects on spatial parameters. In Experiment 2, we further investigated body posture by introducing four conditions (sitting with chin rest, head-free sitting, quiet standing, standing on an unstable platform). Again, we found no effects on temporal and small effects on spatial gaze parameters. In our experiments, gaze behavior is largely unaffected by body posture, while task conditions readily produce effects. We conclude that results from static picture viewing may allow predictions of gaze statistics under more natural viewing conditions, however, viewing tasks should be chosen carefully because of their potential effects on gaze characteristics.

Effects of community structure of Cunninghamia lanceolata sprouting forests with different densities on ecosystem carbon density at the early stage of succession.

To explore potential responses of ecosystem carbon density to changes of community structure during natural regeneration of woody plants, we analyzed the relationships between ecosystem carbon density and its components, tree species diversity, structural diversity (CVDBH) and spatial structure parameters (mingling, aggregation, dominance, crowding) of Cunninghamia lanceolata forests with different sprouting densities (1154, 847 and 465 individuals·hm-2) at the early stage of succession in Baishanzu National Park. The results showed that tree species diversity (species richness index and Shannon diversity index) increased with the decrease of sprouting density of C. lanceolata. Among the stand structural parameters, CVDBH, stand density, and mingling increased with the decrease of sprouting density of C. lanceolata. The stand distribution pattern of different C. lanceolata densities was uniform, with sub-dominant stand growth status and relatively dense status. The carbon density of tree layer under high, medium, and low sprouting densities of C. lanceolata were 57.56, 56.12 and 46.54 t·hm-2, soil carbon density were 104.35, 122.71 and 142.00 t·hm-2, and the total carbon density of ecosystem were 164.59, 182.41 and 190.13 t·hm-2, respectively. There was little variation in carbon density of understory layer and litter layer among different treatments. The carbon density distribution characteristics of different C. lanceolata densities were following the order of soil layer (63.4%-74.7%) > tree layer (24.5%-35.0%) > understory layer and litter layer (0.8%-2.0%). The results of variance partitioning analysis indicated that the change of tree layer carbon density was mainly influenced by stand structure diversity, soil layer carbon density was influenced by both tree species diversity and stand structure diversity, while ecosystem carbon density was mainly influenced by tree species diversity. Stand spatial structure parameters had a relatively little effect on ecosystem carbon density and its components. The sprouting density of C. lanceolata significantly affected ecosystem carbon accumulation during the conversion from C. lanceolata plantations to natural forests. A lower remaining density of C. lanceolata (about 500 individuals·hm-2) was more conducive to forest carbon sequestration.

LES analysis of local isotropic turbulence depending on the spatial scale of the external forcing field

The study investigates the effect of the parameterisation of an external force scheme based on trigonometric functions on turbulence. In particular, the dependence of the generated turbulence on the Reynolds number and the influence of its spatial parameters are investigated. The turbulence used is generated by a large-eddy simulation based on a high-precision finite volume method, and the turbulence energy and isotropy of the turbulence are also investigated. The parameter of the external force field used in this study characterises the wavelength of the trigonometric function, and the influence of this parameter on the spatial scale is studied in detail. As a result, steady turbulent fields are generated and isotropic turbulence is observed at different spatial scales of the external force field with M=2, 3 and 4. The property of increasing turbulence energy with increasing Reynolds number is confirmed.

Analiza wpływu obciążeń falowych na instalacje morskie

Given that the loads affecting offshore installations exhibit a broad range of variability in both temporal and spatial parameters, these loads are among the least studied components in the consideration of offshore installations as integrated systems. The existing calculation models and approaches used in design are rather conditional. When determining loads affecting offshore installations, the most common error is the description of loads in terms of time parameters, which lead to a distortion of the dynamic behavior of offshore installations. This is primarily because dynamic effects on the structure clearly demonstrate feedback between the influence of loads and the system itself. These loads can be classified as external and internal. Internal loads include loads from installation and construction processes, as well as loads from auxiliary and technological equipment, and external loads include ice, seismic, snow and wind loads. There are several approaches to solving problems related to the impact of wind waves on offshore installations. For this reason, an analysis and comparison of these methods were conducted to improve modeling process of offshore installations. Taking into account the impact of wave loads is a critical aspect of in developing the calculation model for the operational assessment of the residual resource of offshore installations.

Relationships between Spatial Biology and Physiological Ecology in the Gopher Tortoise, Gopherus polyphemus.

AbstractThe overlap between spatial and physiological ecology is generally understudied, yet both fields are fundamentally related in assessing how individuals balance limited resources. Herein, we quantified the relationships between spatial ecology using two parameters of home range (annual home range area and number of burrows used in 1 yr) and four measures of physiology that integrate stress and immunity (baseline plasma corticosterone [CORT] concentration, plasma lactate concentration, heterophil-to-lymphocyte [H∶L] ratio, and bactericidal ability [BA]) in a wild free-ranging population of the gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) to test the hypothesis that space usage is correlated with physiological state. We also used structural equation models (SEMs) to test for causative relationships between the spatial and physiological parameters. We predicted that larger home ranges would be negatively correlated with traditional biomarkers of stress and positively correlated with immunity, consistent with our hypothesis that home ranges are determined based on individual condition. Males had larger home ranges, used more burrows, and had higher baseline CORT than females. We found significant negative correlations between lactate and home range (, , ). CORT was negatively correlated with the number of burrows used in both sexes (, , , adjusted ). No correlations were observed between space use and BA or, notably, H∶L ratio. SEMs suggested that variation in the number of burrows used was a result of variation in baseline CORT. The lack of a relationship between H∶L ratio and home range suggests that home range differences are not associated with differences in chronic stress, despite the pattern between baseline CORT and number of burrows used. Instead, this study indicates that animals balance trade-offs in energetics, likely by way of baseline corticosteroid, in such a way as to maintain function across continuously variable home range strategies.

Influence mechanism and numerical reconstruction method of complex wind field acting on a large-MW floating wind turbine

The large-scale wind fields show a series of complex characteristics, including wind shear, turbulence intensity, and spatial coherence, which could significantly affect the coupled dynamic responses of floating wind turbines (FWTs). During numerical simulation, to obtain the coupled dynamic responses of large-scale FWTs more accurately, it is necessary to provide a more accurate simulation of the time scale and spatial scale characteristics of actual measured large-scale wind fields. This study investigated the influence mechanism and numerical reconstruction method of a complex wind field acting on a large-MW floating wind turbine. The influence mechanisms were concluded as follows: Wind shear was found to decrease the mean power generation and increase responses at 1P and 3P frequencies. Turbulent winds could significantly decrease the mean response and increase the low-frequency and 3P responses. The difference in spatial coherent structures between different wind fields was clarified by analyzing the proper orthogonal decomposition mode. As spatial coherence strengthened, the mean responses became smaller, the low-frequency responses became larger, and the 1P and 3P responses became smaller. On this basis, a numerical reconstruction method was proposed in this study to reconstruct large-scale numerical wind fields using wind speeds measured at finite spatial points in model tests or offshore measurements. This method accurately simulates the wind profile characteristics, turbulence intensity distribution along the vertical direction, and spatial coherence parameters of the wind field.

Collective motion of chiral particles in complex noise environments.

Collective motion of chiral particles in complex noise environments is investigated based on the Vicsek model. In the model, we added chirality, along with complex noise, affecting particles clustering motion. Particles can only avoid noise interference in a specific channel, and this consideration is more realistic due to the complexity of the environment. Via simulations, we find that the channel proportion, p, critically influences chiral particle synchronization. Specifically, we observe a disorder-order transition at critical [Formula: see text], only when [Formula: see text], the system can achieve global synchronization. Combined with our definition of spatial distribution parameter and observation of the model, the reason is that particles begin to escape from the noise region under the influence of complex noise. In addition, the value of [Formula: see text] increases linearly with velocity, while it decreases monotonically with the increase in chirality and interaction radius. Interestingly, an appropriate noise amplitude minimizes [Formula: see text]. Our findings may inspire novel strategies to manipulate self-propelled particles of distinct chirality to achieve desired spatial migration and global synchronization.

A New Strategy to Optimize Complex Absorbing Potentials for the Computation of Resonance Energies and Widths.

Complex absorbing potentials (CAPs) are artificial potentials added to electronic Hamiltonians to make the wave function of metastable electronic states square-integrable. This makes the electronic-structure theory of resonances comparable to that of bound states, thus reducing the complexity of the problem. However, the most often used box and Voronoi CAPs depend on several parameters that have a substantial impact on the numerical results. Among these parameters are the CAP strength and a set of spatial parameters that define the onset of the CAP. It has been a common practice to minimize the perturbation of the resonance states due to the CAP by optimizing the strength parameter while fixing the onset parameters, although the performance of this approach strongly depends on the chosen onset. Here, we introduce a more general approach that allows one to optimize not only the CAP strength but also the spatial parameters. We show that fixing the CAP strength and optimizing the spatial parameters is a reliable way to minimize CAP perturbations. We illustrate the performance of this new approach by computing resonance energies and widths of the temporary anions of dinitrogen, ethylene, and formic acid. This is done at the Hartree-Fock and equation-of-motion coupled-cluster singles and doubles levels of theory using full and projected box and Voronoi CAPs.

Estimation of Gait Parameters for Adults with Surface Electromyogram Based on Machine Learning Models.

Gait analysis has been studied over the last few decades as the best way to objectively assess the technical outcome of a procedure designed to improve gait. The treating physician can understand the type of gait problem, gain insight into the etiology, and find the best treatment with gait analysis. The gait parameters are the kinematics, including the temporal and spatial parameters, and lack the activity information of skeletal muscles. Thus, the gait analysis measures not only the three-dimensional temporal and spatial graphs of kinematics but also the surface electromyograms (sEMGs) of the lower limbs. Now, the shoe-worn GaitUp Physilog® wearable inertial sensors can easily measure the gait parameters when subjects are walking on the general ground. However, it cannot measure muscle activity. The aim of this study is to measure the gait parameters using the sEMGs of the lower limbs. A self-made wireless device was used to measure the sEMGs from the vastus lateralis and gastrocnemius muscles of the left and right feet. Twenty young female subjects with a skeletal muscle index (SMI) below 5.7 kg/m2 were recruited for this study and examined by the InBody 270 instrument. Four parameters of sEMG were used to estimate 23 gait parameters. They were measured using the GaitUp Physilog® wearable inertial sensors with three machine learning models, including random forest (RF), decision tree (DT), and XGBoost. The results show that 14 gait parameters could be well-estimated, and their correlation coefficients are above 0.800. This study signifies a step towards a more comprehensive analysis of gait with only sEMGs.

The influence of sensitizer on spatiotemporal asymmetry in gait: a comparison of fallers and non-fallers

Aim To compare spatiotemporal parameters of asymmetry in gait between fallers and non-fallers in the age group of 50–79 years under the influence of different sensitisers. Settings and design Convenience sampling. Cross-sectional observational study. Methods and material A cross-sectional study was conducted on a cohort of seventy-two healthy adults within the age range of 50–79 years. The participants were segregated into two distinct groups: fallers, who had experienced falls within the past year and achieved a John Hopkins score exceeding 6, and non-fallers, characterised by an absence of falls in the preceding year and a John Hopkins score lower than 6. Gait analysis was performed using a pressure-sensitive walkway system known as GaitRite. Subjects were asked to walk two times on the walkway under five different conditions (slow walking, fast, walking, fixed gaze walking, dual-task walking, and walking with weights). Data were analysed. Results A Mann–Whitney U Test was employed to statistically compare gait asymmetry between fallers and non-fallers, revealing a significant difference. This dissimilarity in gait asymmetry was further magnified under varying sensitising conditions. Temporal parameters demonstrated more pronounced asymmetry when compared to spatial parameters. Conclusions The result shows that sensitisers influence the asymmetry in fallers more when compared to non-fallers. The sensitisers which increased asymmetry compared to non-fallers were slow walking, fast walking, fixed gaze, dual-task, and walking with weights. This study observed that all the temporal parameters are sensitive towards asymmetry when subjects were asked to walk under different sensitisers.

Identification of high-permeability and water-rich zones in a fractured karst water source area based on the hydraulic tomography method

Determining the spatial hydraulic parameters of aquifers is of paramount importance for the development and utilization of groundwater in water source areas. However, most methods are unable to accurately characterize the heterogeneity of aquifers because of the influences of complex geology, hydrogeology, structure and insufficient information. Hydraulic tomography (HT) is an effective and robust method for hydraulic parameter inversion to characterize heterogeneity. In this study, a two-dimensional HT model was established to simulate hydraulic parameter fields for a fractured karst aquifer in the Zhangji water source area (Xuzhou city, China). Steady-state hydraulic tomography (SSHT) and transient hydraulic tomography (THT) with different prior information conditions were applied to determine the high-permeability area and water-rich zones, and to infer possible locations of karst conduits and strong runoff paths in the water source area. The results indicate that: (1) THT can better reveal larger-scale heterogeneous characteristics of hydraulic properties compared to SSHT. The hydraulic conductivity distribution estimated by THT correlates well with the geological conditions of the area, especially in identifying water-rich zones formed by faults and other formations. (2) When combined with geological conditions, HT possesses the ability to identify strong runoff paths in fractured karst aquifers. (3) Accurate prior information, which is more relevant to the head response information, is conducive to obtaining more acceptable HT results. (4) THT can simultaneously identify high-permeability and high-storage zones, and the analysis of the overlap of these two regions has the potential to predict underground water reservoirs, which is of the utmost importance for the development and utilization of groundwater resources in water source areas.

Coordination abilities of female cadets in higher education institutions of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine

Significant number of women want to study in the higher education institutions and work in the system of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine. The training of female cadets with a high level of development of motor skills is an important task in higher education instituti ons of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine.&#x0D; The level of coordination abilities is an important component in the structure of the overall physical fitness of female cadets. The aim of our work was to study the indicators of coordination abilities of female cadets at the initial stage of training. In the course of our work we studied the coordination readiness of 60 female cadets: the level of static balance, the ability to coordinate hand movements, the ability to general coordinate body movements, the ability to differentiate spatial and temporal parameters of movements, the ability to orientate in space. In the process of work, we used tests that are recommended in scientific and methodical literature.&#x0D; We found that female cadets at the beginning of their studies do not have a sufficiently high level of coordination abilities. In tests of a jumping and running nature, in which speed-power abilities are manifested, women have low results. Higher results are observed in tests for assessing the ability to balance, coordination of hand movements and orientation in space. Therefore, paying attention to the coordination training of female cadets is relevant.

Movement patterns during gait initiation in older adults with various stages of frailty: a biomechanical analysis

BackgroundGait initiation is challenging for older individuals with poor physical function, particularly for those with frailty. Frailty is a geriatric syndrome associated with increased risk of illness, falls, and functional decline. This study examines whether spatial and temporal parameters of gait initiation differ between groups of older adults with different levels of frailty, and whether fear of falling, and balance ability are correlated with the height of lifting the food during gait initiation.MethodsSixty-one individuals aged > 65 years, classified by Fried frailty phenotype, performed five self-paced gait initiation trials. Data was collected using a three-dimensional passive optical motion capture system, consisting of 10 cameras with the ability to perceive reflective markers, and two force plates. The total duration of gait initiation and the duration of its four sub-phases, the first step length, and the maximum foot clearance during the first step were derived, and compared statistically between groups. Additionally, an association analysis was conducted between foot clearance and fear of falling, and confidence in balance in older individuals.ResultsFrail individuals had significantly longer unloading durations, and total durations of gait initiation compared to non-frail older adults. Additionally, they had shorter first step lengths compared to non-frail older adults. Pre-frail older adults also showed shorter steps compared to the non-frail group. However, there were no significant differences between groups for the maximum foot clearance during the first step. Nevertheless, the maximum foot clearance of older individuals correlated significantly with their fear of falling and confidence in balance.ConclusionOlder adults with reduced physical function and signs of frailty mainly display longer duration of gait initiation and decreased first step length compared to non-frail older adults. The release phase is decreased as the double support phase is prolonged in frail patients. This information can guide the development of specialized exercise programs to improve mobility in this challenging motion between static and dynamic balance.

Geometric-Optical Model of Digital Holographic Particle Recording System and Features of Its Application

The paper proposes an equivalent optical scheme of an in-line digital holographic system for particle recording and a mathematical model that establishes a one-to-one correspondence between the dimensional and spatial parameters of a digital holographic image of a particle and the imaged particle itself. The values of the model coefficients used to determine the real size and longitudinal coordinate of a particle according to its holographic image are found by calibration. The model was tested in field and laboratory conditions to calibrate a submersible digital holographic camera designed to study plankton in its habitat. It was shown that four calibration measurements are sufficient enough to determine the model coefficients, and the developed design of the submersible digital holographic camera makes it possible to perform these measurements during the recording of each hologram. In addition, this neither requires data on the refractive index of the medium with particles nor on the parameters of the optical elements of the scheme. The paper presents the results of marine experiments in the Kara Sea and the Laptev Sea, as well as in fresh water in laboratory conditions and in Lake Baikal. The error in measuring the particle size in seawater without the use of the model is 53.8%, while the error in determining their longitudinal coordinates is 79.3%. In fresh water, the same errors were 59% and 54.5%, respectively. The error in determining the position of a particle with the use of the designed mathematical model does not exceed 1.5%, and the error in determining the size is 4.8%. The model is sensitive to changes in the optical properties of the medium, so it is necessary to perform calibration in each water area, and one calibration is quite sufficient within the same water area. At the same time, the developed design of the submersible holographic camera allows, if necessary, calibration at each holographing of the medium volume with particles.

Research on creating the indoor thermal environment of the solar greenhouse based on the solar thermal storage and release characteristics of its north wall

Improving the solar thermal storage capacity of the north wall of the solar greenhouse can effectively enhance the indoor thermal environment during the night-time in winter. However, the indoor thermal environment is also influenced by the interaction between the spatial parameters of the solar greenhouse and outdoor meteorological conditions. Additionally, the heat storage and release performance of the north wall are dynamically affected by changes in the indoor thermal environment. This complicates the quantitative assessment of the impact of solar active–passive heat storage methods applied to north walls on the indoor thermal environment. Therefore, in this study, we develop a mathematical model that considers simplified calculations of the solar greenhouse’s spatial parameters and the design method of an active–passive ventilation wall with latent heat storage, which was proposed in the early stage, for evaluating the impact of the solar thermal storage and release characteristics of the north wall on the indoor thermal environment of the solar greenhouse. This model is validated against measured data from the experimental solar greenhouse with high accuracy. Using this model, we analyze the quantitative reinforcement effects of a phase change composite wallboard and a solar collector system on the solar energy utilization of the north walls and its effects on the indoor thermal environment. Compared to ordinary solar greenhouses in Wuzhong, the application of a GH-20 composite phase change thermal storage wallboard to improve the passive solar energy utilization of the north wall can increase the solar energy contribution rate by 90.9%. Furthermore, integrating a multi-surface solar air collector with double-receiver tubes on the phase change composite wall can increase the solar energy contribution rate by 95.4%. Also, the experimental results reveal that the solar active–passive heat storage methods applied to the north wall can enhance the indoor thermal environment during night-time and increase cucumber yield by more than 10% in winter. This study provides a method reference for optimizing the active–passive solar thermal utilization of the solar greenhouse.

Comparison of head direction cell firing characteristics across thalamo-parahippocampal circuitry.

Head direction (HD) cells, which fire persistently when an animal's head is pointed in a particular direction, are widely thought to underlie an animal's sense of spatial orientation and have been identified in several limbic brain regions. Robust HD cell firing is observed throughout the thalamo-parahippocampal system, although recent studies report that parahippocampal HD cells exhibit distinct firing properties, including conjunctive aspects with other spatial parameters, which suggest they play a specialized role in spatial processing. Few studies, however, have quantified these apparent differences. Here, we performed a comparative assessment of HD cell firing characteristics across the anterior dorsal thalamus (ADN), postsubiculum (PoS), parasubiculum (PaS), medial entorhinal (MEC), and postrhinal (POR) cortices. We report that HD cells with a high degree of directional specificity were observed in all five brain regions, but ADN HD cells display greater sharpness and stability in their preferred directions, and greater anticipation of future headings compared to parahippocampal regions. Additional analysis indicated that POR HD cells were more coarsely modulated by other spatial parameters compared to PoS, PaS, and MEC. Finally, our analyses indicated that the sharpness of HD tuning decreased as a function of laminar position and conjunctive coding within the PoS, PaS, and MEC, with cells in the superficial layers along with conjunctive firing properties showing less robust directional tuning. The results are discussed in relation to theories of functional organization of HD cell tuning in thalamo-parahippocampal circuitry.