Standard Time Research Articles

Intestinal full-thickness needle-core biopsy via laparotomy is safe, rapid, and effective and less invasive than standard incisional biopsy in dogs and cats.

To describe the intestinal full-thickness needle-core biopsy technique via abdominal laparotomy outcomes and compare the histopathological and immunohistochemical diagnosis with standard incisional intestinal biopsy technique in dogs and cats. 3 dogs and 17 cats. Client-owned dogs and cats were prospectively enrolled if intestinal full-thickness biopsies were indicated for the diagnosis of diffuse chronic intestinal diseases following ultrasonography. The study period extended from June 2021 to December 2022. All animals underwent intestinal biopsies with both techniques (needle-core biopsy and standard incisional biopsy) via abdominal laparotomy. Data collected included clinical signs, biopsy collection times, complications, and histopathologic and immunohistochemical findings. A minimum follow-up of 14 days was required. The main clinical sign at presentation was chronic vomiting (65%). Mean needle-core biopsy collection time (262 seconds) was significantly shorter than standard incisional biopsy collection time (599 seconds; P < .000001). The incidence of minor complications was 10% (inflammation of the skin surgical site secondary to licking). One catastrophic complication occurred on a standard incisional biopsy site in 1 cat in a context of bile peritonitis (5% of all cases). There were no complications associated with the needle-core biopsy. All but 1 cat were discharged, with a median of 2 days (range, 1 to 4 days) after surgery. The diagnoses resulting from both techniques were 100% concordant for the distinction between inflammatory bowel disease and intestinal lymphoma via histopathology and immunochemistry. Needle-core biopsy is safe, rapid, and effective and is less invasive than standard incisional biopsy.

Steering the Frequency of Hydrogen Master Based on Pulsar Observations

Hydrogen masters have high short-term stability, using them as master clocks can generate high-precision local standard time in a short period of time. However, the hydrogen maser has a frequency drift phenomenon, which leads to its poor long-term stability, thus affecting the accuracy of the local time. The rotation of the millisecond pulsar is highly stable. With the help of its high long-term stability, it can regularly control the frequency of the hydrogen atomic clock, thus control the real-time signal. The stability of four millisecond pulsars in the second data set released by the International Pulsar Timing Array (IPTA) is analyzed. At the same time, the frequency stability of a hydrogen maser of the National Time Service Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (NTSC) is analyzed by Hadamard variance. Finally, a strategy for steering the frequency of hydrogen master using pulsars is given.

Clinical evaluation, useability, and utility of the Work Ability Screening Profile II (WASP II)

Introduction:&#x0D; The Work Ability Screening Profile (WASP) was conceptualised and developed by occupational therapists at the University of Durban Westville to provide a basic vocational screening assessment. Its purpose was to screen competence in generic work skills which reflected performance in activities essential to workplace participation relevant to the South African context. The assessment was revised in 2005 and renamed the WASP II. It was decided this screening assessment tool would be continuously reviewed using action research with clinicians involved in the ongoing evaluation so ensure validity and reliability for the population with which it is used. This study considered the clinical evaluation, useability and utility of the WASP II in order to inform further revision.&#x0D; Method: A cross sectional survey was used to gather data from 70 occupational therapy clinicians familiar with or using the WASP II in clinical practice.&#x0D; Results: A sample of 70 respondents indicated the WASP II was suitable to assess current work ability and production speed with a variety of clients with physical and mental health dysfunction. Ten of the 12 subtests were used by at least 40% of the time by the 28 respondents who used the WASP II frequently. These respondents reported good to adequate useability in terms of cost, sensitivity to clients’ educational level and ease of understanding instructions, incorporation into clinical practice contexts while supporting clinical reasoning and judgement. The accommodation of clients’ language and provision of standard scores were indicated as inadequate. Utility was considered adequate for all aspects including discrimination of moderate to severe dysfunction, informing the choice of other assessmentsas well as supporting vocational rehabilitation intervention. The WASP II outcomes were also understood by other service providers, employers, referring parties as well asclients.&#x0D; Conclusion: While the WASP II was considered appropriate for use in the South African context and has adequate useability and utility, some subtests need to be updated and revised in terms of the standard times and content validity for current practice in the work environment.&#x0D; Implications for practice:&#x0D; The WASP II has useability&#x0D; &#x0D; aligned with generic work skills of acquiring information or following d irections numeracy, conveying information and written communication &#x0D; for with those with work experience and with scholars and students yet to enter the workplace The WASP II has utility in relation to • cost and clients’ educational levels &#x0D; detailed instructions on the task layout but some standardisation needs to be interpreted with care &#x0D; sensitivity to all aspects of assessment of generic work skills, except discrimination of mild dysfunction&#x0D;

Digital Marketing Communication as an Instrument in Social Responsibility Projects After the Earthquake in Türkiye

The earthquakes that took place in Kahramanmaraş, Hatay, Gaziantep, Adıyaman, Adana, Malatya, Diyarbakır, Kilis, Osmaniye, Şanlıurfa, and Elazığ on February 6, 2023, at 04:17 and 13:24 Turkish Standard Time, resulted in significant property damage and fatalities. After these earthquake disasters in Türkiye, all government institutions, non-governmental organizations, individuals, and international actors implemented a variety of social responsibility projects to provide aid to the region and mitigate the effects of the earthquake on the lives of the people. Since the COVID-19 pandemic that occurred between 2020 and 2022 accelerated the digital transformation of businesses, the use of social media and digital marketing tools by individuals and institutions has increased significantly. Although Digital Marketing communication tools such as e-commerce web sites, social media marketing, and search engine marketing are primarily marketing and profit-oriented technologies, it has been demonstrated that they can also be used in social responsibility projects due to their widespread use by individuals and businesses and their ability to quickly deliver messages to the masses. Following the development of a conceptual framework for social responsibility and digital marketing communication, examples of the use of Digital Marketing Communication Tools, such as E-Commerce Web Sites (Topraktan Tabağa, Umut Hareketi), Social Media Platforms (Instagram, Twitter, Youtube), Search Engine Advertisement (Google Ads), and Social Media Advertisement (Facebook), in Türkiye's post-earthquake social responsibility projects are examined in this study. Based on these examples, suggestions for influencers, institutions, and content managers regarding the use of marketing communication tools in social responsibility projects are shared, and recommendations for future research are provided.

РАЗРАБОТКА МЕХАНИЗМОВ ПОВЫШЕНИЯ ДОСТУПНОСТИ ЛЕКАРСТВЕННОЙ ПОМОЩИ В УСЛОВИЯХ ЧРЕЗВЫЧАЙНЫХ СИТУАЦИЙ С ИСПОЛЬЗОВАНИЕМ ГЕОИНФОРМАЦИОННЫХ ТЕХНОЛОГИЙ

The article considers the issues of availability of reserves of medicinal products intended to provide medicinal supplies to victims in the elimination of the medical and sanitary consequences of emergencies, taking into account the internal risks for territories with complex climatic and geographical characteristics. The purpose of the study was to develop approaches to increase the territorial availability of medicinal products in the Tomsk Region reserve in emergency situations. In the course of the research, content analysis of data from regulatory documents and scientific publications on the medicinal provision of the population in emergency situations was used; correlation analysis of geo-information, spatial-geographical and natural-climatic indicators characterizing the territorial availability of medicinal products. The typologization of the Tomsk region according to the degree of transport accessibility was performed using cluster analysis algorithms. It has been established that the main climatic and geographic factors creating the internal risks for the drug supply system of the disaster medicine service of the Tomsk region include dangerous hydrological phenomena, forest and peat fires, frosts and hurricanes. More than 85% of the territory of the Tomsk region belongs to hard-to-reach areas equated by climatic conditions to those of the Far North, which poses risks for the drug supply system. Based on the data of the geo-information services, the road accessibility of the Tomsk region districts in relation to the regional center has been considered, two directions «Eastern» and « Northern» have been identified including 5 and 11 respectively. It was established that direct interaction between the districts belonging to these areas bypassing the regional center is extremely difficult. In the process of typologization of the districts according to the degree of transport accessibility in the direction "East", one group with a high degree of transport accessibility between 3 districts that are remote from the regional center has been identified. Two groups of districts have been identified in the North direction. The first group, characterized by high transport accessibility, included 5 districts, including the regional center. The second group with low transport accessibility included 6 districts. The optimal area for the placement of an additional point of medicines of the Tomsk region reserve has been justified, taking into account the transport infrastructure of the districts, natural and climatic risks, socio-demographic factors and the standard time for the organization of drug provision in an emergency situation. With the use of geo-information technologies, a model of decentralization of the reserve has been developed to increase the availability of drug care by the regional disaster medicine service of the Tomsk region in the context of internal risks.

Work Standardization in Lean Manufacturing for Improvement of Production Line Performance in SME

Lean manufacturing is a management philosophy and production system that provides all humanly conceived soft technology to remove waste in any production line. One of the requirements of lean is work standardization. Work standards impose a 'rule of law' in a production line by restricting operators to how long they should work on a single unit. The standards consist of the standard workflow, standard work time, and standard quantity that must be adhered to to meet the customers' demands. The main objectives of this study were to improve the performance of a production line, say SW660 x 600, in terms of weekly output, lead time, and work-in-process (WIP). By applying certain lean elements to the production line, this work indeed improved the performance of the production line. In this work, 5S, PDCA cycle, SPC, and VSM tools were used together to solve the production line problems systematically. It was noticed that the low weekly output and long cycle time at each workstation resulted in delays in the delivery of products to customers. The study managed to increase the weekly output from 61.75 per week to 128.75, an improvement of more than 108.50 percent. Next, in terms of lead time, with the help of a simulation exercise, this work also managed to reduce the lead time from 5 to 1 hour, a reduction of 80 percent. Lastly, the WIP also recorded a reduction from an average of 17 to 9 units weekly, which was an improvement of 47 percent on the weekly WIP. Therefore, this work showed that with the introduction of work standards on the production line, the organization could meet the customers' demands and deliver on time as promised. The study can also be used in other production lines of this and other organizations to help improve their production line performance in the long run.

An Internal Medicine Learning Collaborative Facilitating a Virtual Continuing Medical Education Program in Guyana and the Wider Caribbean During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

To collaborate and share medical knowledge between US and Caribbean physicians during the COVID-19 pandemic via a free online continuing medical education (CME) series. Method: This was a multi-institution collaborative effort between the Southern Regional Area Health Education Center and Cape Fear Valley Medical Center, both located in North Carolina, USA, and its Caribbean partners, the Guyana Medical Council and Ministry of Health, and the University of the West Indies Medical Alumni Association, Jamaica. The lecture series ran from July 2021 to October 2022. The Zoom (Zoom Video Communications Inc., San Jose, CA, USA) meeting platform was used for the monthly lectures on the fourth Thursday between 7 and 8 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST). Results: Analysis of program data from July 2021 through October 2022 (excluding December 2021) found 1,105 unique individuals engaged in the 15 continuing education sessions. The series had a cumulative total of 2,411 participants, with a mean session participation of 161 and a range of 94 to 299 participants per lecture. An outcome survey assessing the reasons for attendance identified that the most significant factors in their participation in the series were: a) the quality of educational content (83.21%), b) the ease of access and Zoom platform (81.76%), and c) the lectures being offered at no cost (61.31%), and 80.84% gained new medical knowledge leading to practice changes. Conclusion: The Internal Medicine Learning Collaborative (IMLC) model can be easily replicated by following the steps outlined. It overcomes barriers such as travel and quarantine restrictions and is cost-effective to initiate and maintain. It allows physicians with access to resources and specialty training in the United States to share medical knowledge with colleagues in the developing world where such access may be limited, thus promoting health care and continuing education activity in their respective regions using freely available technologies.

Chronometric TMS-fMRI of personalized left dorsolateral prefrontal target reveals state-dependency of subgenual anterior cingulate cortex effects

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) applied to a left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) area with a specific connectivity profile to the subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (sgACC) has emerged as a highly effective non-invasive treatment option for depression. However, antidepressant outcomes demonstrate significant variability among therapy plans and individuals. One overlooked contributing factor is the individual brain state at the time of treatment. In this study we used interleaved TMS-fMRI to investigate the influence of brain state on acute TMS effects, both locally and remotely. TMS was performed during rest and during different phases of cognitive task processing. Twenty healthy participants were included in this study. In the first session, imaging data for TMS targeting were acquired, allowing for identification of individualized targets in the left DLPFC based on highest anti-correlation with the sgACC. The second session involved chronometric interleaved TMS-fMRI measurements, with 10 Hz triplets of TMS administered during rest and at distinct timings during an N-back task. Consistent with prior findings, interleaved TMS-fMRI revealed significant BOLD activation changes in the targeted network. The precise timing of TMS relative to the cognitive states during the task demonstrated distinct BOLD response in clinically relevant brain regions, including the sgACC. Employing a standardized timing approach for TMS using a task revealed more consistent modulation of the sgACC at the group level compared to stimulation during rest. In conclusion, our findings strongly suggest that acute local and remote effects of TMS are influenced by brain state during stimulation. This study establishes a basis for considering brain state as a significant factor in designing treatment protocols, possibly improving TMS treatment outcomes.

Exploiting Traffic Light Coordination and Auctions for Intersection and Emergency Vehicle Management in a Smart City Mixed Scenario.

IoT (Internet-of-Things)-powered devices can be exploited to connect vehicles to smart city infrastructure, allowing vehicles to share their intentions while retrieving contextual information about diverse aspects of urban viability. In this paper, we place ourselves in a transient scenario in which next-generation vehicles that are able to communicate with the surrounding infrastructure coexist with traditional vehicles with limited or absent IoT capabilities. We focus on intersection management, in particular on reusing existing traffic lights empowered by a new management system. We propose an auction-based system in which traffic lights are able to exchange contextual information with vehicles and other nearby traffic lights with the aim of reducing average waiting times at intersections and consequently overall trip times. We use bid propagation to improve standard vehicle trip times while allowing emergency vehicles to free up the way ahead without needing ad hoc system for such vehicle, only an increase in their budget. The proposed system is then tested against two baselines: the classical Fixed Time Control system currently adopted for traffic lights, and an auction strategy that does not exploit traffic light coordination. We performed a large set of experiments using the well known MATSim transport simulator on both a synthetic Manhattan map and on a map we built of an urban area located in Modena, Northern Italy. Our results show that the proposed approach performs better than the classical fixed time control system and the auction strategy that does not exploit coordination among traffic lights.

Is Blepharoplasty Cost-effective? Utility Analysis of Dermatochalasis and Cost-effectiveness Analysis of Upper Eyelid Blepharoplasty.

This cross-sectional prospective study measured utility values of upper eyelid dermatochalasis to quantify its impact on quality of life and assess cost-effectiveness of upper blepharoplasty. Utility of dermatochalasis was assessed using the standard reference gamble and time trade-off methods, with dual anchor points of perfect eye function and perfect health. The utility value obtained was used to create a Markov model and run a cost-effectiveness analysis of blepharoplasty as a treatment for dermatochalasis while utilizing the societal perspective. One hundred three patients with dermatochalasis recruited from an urban outpatient ophthalmology clinic completed the utility survey. The authors determined utility values for dermatochalasis ranging from 0.74 to 0.92 depending on the measurement method (standard reference gamble/time trade-off) and anchor points. The cost-effectiveness analysis yielded an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of $3,146 per quality-adjusted life year, well under the conventional willingness-to-pay threshold of $50,000 per quality-adjusted life year. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis with Monte Carlo simulation demonstrated that blepharoplasty would be cost-effective in 88.1% of cases at this willingness-to-pay threshold. Dermatochalasis has an impact on quality of life that is significantly associated with level of perceived functional impairment. Rising health care costs have underscored the importance of providing value-based treatment to patients, and the results of this study suggest that blepharoplasty is a cost-effective treatment option for symptomatic bilateral upper eyelid dermatochalasis.

Disposable Nitrile Glove Resistance to Limonene: Dextrous Robot Hand Versus ASTM F739 Comparison.

The current technique to assess glove resistance to chemicals for worker protection relies on challenging a flat, 2.54 cm diameter glove piece at or near room temperature. This does not simulate a donned whole glove near the skin temperature subjected to work activity forces. Four different types of disposable nonpowdered unlined/unsupported nitrile gloves in triplicate were measured for thickness, porosity, and for the acrylonitrile content (A) of the challenge and collection sides. Limonene permeation at 35 °C through a whole glove on a clenching and nonclenching dextrous robot hand and with the standard ASTM F739 technique were facilitated by taking samples from the collection sides for GC-MS analysis. The standardized breakthrough time (SBT) when permeation reached 100 ng/cm2/min and the steady state permeation rate (SSPR) depended on A, thickness, and porosity. Only the thinnest glove (Lavender) showed statistically significant (p ≤ 0.05) increased average SSPR for the clenching hand relative to the nonclenching hand and for the ASTM technique. The ASTM test data for the three thickest gloves were not statistically different from those of the robot hand, but differed from the manufacturer's. More research with different chemicals and higher clenching forces is needed. Clenching forces can enhance the permeation. Workers wearing ultrathin disposable nitrile gloves have a higher potential for chemical penetration/permeation. Company glove permeation data obtained near room temperature may have a longer SBT and lower SSPR than in practice. Double gloving may be advisible in emergencies and for unknown chemicals when no appropriate thicker Chemical Protective glove is available.

Endurance time analysis for seismic performance of underground structures subjected to mainshock–aftershock sequences

The seismic response analysis of subway underground structures only considers the impact of a single mainshock, ignoring the aftershocks, which may cause more serious secondary damage within a short time after strong earthquakes. To investigate the seismic performance of underground structures under sequential earthquakes and improve the understanding of aftershocks, we analyzed the dynamic response of subway station structures under mainshock–aftershock sequences. A typical two-story and three-span subway station was selected as the prototype, and a finite element model of a soil–underground structure interaction was established. Based on the basic concept of endurance time and design response spectrum of relevant seismic standards in China, an endurance time acceleration function was generated, and nine mainshock–aftershock sequences were constructed. Thereafter, the seismic responses of subway stations under the action of mainshock–aftershock sequences, such as lateral deformation characteristics and damage failure law, were discussed and analyzed. The results show that the endurance time method can be used as a new and efficient method to study the seismic performance of underground structures subjected to mainshock–aftershock sequences. The effects of aftershocks on the damage and lateral displacement of underground structures were preliminarily revealed. The structural deformation response of each layer varies greatly due to the different damage states of the mainshock. The maximum story drift θ of the structure increases with the increase of loading seismic intensity. From the perspective of seismic damage and relative deformation, the structural dynamic response, considering the effect of sequential earthquakes, is greater than that of the mainshock alone, which reflects the disadvantage of aftershocks in seismic design. The results provide a reference for seismic analysis and damage assessment of structures under sequential earthquakes.

Low Complexity Energy Disaggregation Algorithm for Non-intrusive Load Monitoring

Energy Disaggregation is the efficient technique to detect the energy profile of individual electric load by disaggregating the overall power consumption. The benefits of energy disaggregation are not only limited to residents but also helps to improve the building efficiency through load identification process. The idea of this paper is to provide a widespread review of energy disaggregation and present a scheme for non-intrusive load monitoring at a building level model. As the scheme involves a simple regression model with better accuracy, it is less complex to achieve energy disaggregation for the real time load identification in educational institution. Various metrics involved in the assessment of model performance like accuracy, standard errors values and computation time were evaluated and demonstrated for validity. A broad investigation is done for building level energy disaggregation and probable elucidations were discussed for future research initiation.

Not all patient-reported outcome measures are equivalent at two years compared to one year after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction based on a retrospective analysis

ObjectiveThis article aims to assess for clinically important differences in patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) at one and two years post anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). MethodsA retrospective comparison of prospectively collected PROMs for a single cohort who underwent a primary ACLR with or without associated meniscal surgery from 2016 to 2020 was assessed. Six externally validated PROMs were collected preoperatively and at standardized times postoperatively. Descriptive statistics and paired equivalence testing of PROMs at one and two years after surgery was completed using previously published or calculated minimal clinically important differences as upper and lower equivalence limits. A repeated measures analysis of PROMs that were not clinically equivalent at one and two years after surgery was completed to assess for a clinically significant difference. Subgroup analyses based on sex, age and associated meniscal injury were completed. ResultsOne-hundred and forty-five participants with a mean age of 28.7 years (standard deviation: 9.9 years) were included in the final analysis. All PROMs were clinically equivalent at two years compared to one year after ACLR except the quality of life and sport and recreation domains of the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS). The quality of life (mean difference (MD):12.3, P ​< ​0.01, effect size (η2): 0.65) and sport and recreation (MD: 8.78, P ​< ​0.01, η2: 0.50) domains of the KOOS were clinically different at two years compared to one year postoperatively. No major differences were found in the subgroup analyses compared to the entire included sample. ConclusionWhile most PROMs were equivalent at two years compared to one year after ACLR, the quality of life and sport and recreation domains of the KOOS, which reflect knee performance during higher demand activities, exhibited a clinically significant difference. Level of evidenceIV.

Peatland evaporation across hemispheres: contrasting controls and sensitivity to climate warming driven by plant functional types

Abstract. Peatlands store disproportionally large amounts of carbon per unit area, a function that is dependent on maintaining high and stable water tables. Climate change is likely to negatively impact carbon storage in peatlands, in part due to increases in vapour pressure deficit (VPD) driving higher evaporation (E) rates. However, the response of E to increasing VPD depends on the dominant vegetation type within peatlands. In this study, we used multiple years of eddy covariance (EC) measurements to compare E regimes at two peatlands with contrasting vegetation types – Kopuatai bog in Aotearoa / New Zealand, dominated by the vascular wire rush Empodisma robustum, and Mer Bleue bog in Canada, a “typical” shrub- and moss-dominated Northern Hemisphere peatland. We examined seasonal variability in E and equilibrium E (Eeq), energy balance partitioning, and the response of E, evaporative fraction (EF), and canopy conductance (gc) to VPD. Mean annual E was 45 % lower than mean annual Eeq at Kopuatai but only 16 % lower at Mer Bleue, demonstrating much greater limitations on E at Kopuatai. In addition, the mean midday (10:00–14:30 local standard time) dry-canopy Bowen ratio (β) at Kopuatai was 2.0 compared to 0.8 at Mer Bleue; therefore, the sensible heat flux (H) dominated over the latent heat flux (LE) at Kopuatai and vice versa at Mer Bleue. The responses of E, EF, and gc to increasing VPD at Kopuatai demonstrated stronger limitations on evaporative water loss for VPD &gt; 0.7 kPa compared to Mer Bleue. The observed limitations at Kopuatai were attributed to strong stomatal control by E. robustum due to the rapid decrease in gc with increasing VPD; however, surface E could also be limited by its dense standing litter. At Mer Bleue, however, E was only weakly limited at VPD &gt; 2 kPa, likely due to weak stomatal control over transpiration by the sparse shrub canopy and relatively large surface E from Sphagnum carpets. As such, the results of this study suggest that E. robustum drives a greater “hydrological resistance” to increasing VPD than the vegetation at Mer Bleue, leading to greater water retention at Kopuatai. This may enable greater resilience of the carbon sink function at Kopuatai to climatic warming and drying than at Mer Bleue.

Evaluation and implementation of Lie group integration methods for rigid multibody systems

AbstractAs commonly known, standard time integration of the kinematic equations of rigid bodies modeled with three rotation parameters is infeasible due to singular points. Common workarounds are reparameterization strategies or Euler parameters. Both approaches typically vary in accuracy depending on the choice of rotation parameters. To efficiently compute different kinds of multibody systems, one aims at simulation results and performance that are independent of the type of rotation parameters. As a clear advantage, Lie group integration methods are rotation parameter independent. However, few studies have addressed whether Lie group integration methods are more accurate and efficient compared to conventional formulations based on Euler parameters or Euler angles. In this paper, we close this gap using the $\mathbb{R}^{3}\times SO(3)$ R 3 × S O ( 3 ) Lie group formulation and several typical rigid multibody systems. It is shown that explicit Lie group integration methods outperform the conventional formulations in terms of accuracy. However, it turns out that the conventional Euler parameter-based formulation is the most accurate one in the case of implicit integration, while the Lie group integration method is computationally the more efficient one. It also turns out that Lie group integration methods can be implemented at almost no extra cost in an existing multibody simulation code if the Lie group method used to describe the configuration of a body is chosen accordingly.

Modelling and optimizing hydraulic retention time in the biological aeration unit: Application of artificial neural network and particle swarm optimization

The biological aeration unit (BAU) is essential for removing organic and inorganic matter in the wastewater. Microorganisms present in the wastewater are able to remove organic and inorganic matter. The challenge is that the BAU consumes large quantities of energy during the process, due to the constant supply of air for the respiration of microorganisms. The standard hydraulic retention time (HRT) in the BAU is between 4 and 12 h per treatment cycle which is extensive, hence the high levels of energy consumption. The purpose of this study is to optimize the HRT in the BAU, by reducing the operation time of the air pumps/blowers, resulting in less energy consumption per treatment cycle. Particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm optimizes the HRT in the BAU. Variables in the optimization model are verified using the sensitivity analysis method. The results of the study show a reduction in HRT from 4 to 2.4954 h, which is a 37.6 % energy saving in the BAU. The biggest drivers in the HRT optimization model are energy consumption (61.3 %), airflow rate (36.8 %), and temperature (1.2 %). Therefore, decreasing airflow rate and increasing wastewater temperature reduces HRT in BAU.

Cervical Cerclage to Prevent Recurrent Mid-Trimester Miscarriage- A Retrospective Study in A Private Hospital

Background: Cervical insufficiency (CI) poses significant risks to pregnancy outcomes, including recurrent mid-trimester miscarriages and preterm births. Cervical cerclage, a primary preventive technique, aims to mitigate these risks by preserving cervical length and structural integrity. Objective: This retrospective study evaluates the effectiveness of cervical cerclage in preventing recurrent mid-trimester miscarriages. Method: Conducted over two years at a private hospital, the study analyzed 92 cases of mid-trimester cervical cerclage. Data included patient demographics, cervical parameters, and pregnancy outcomes. Statistical analysis employed descriptive statistics and odds ratios. Results: Term deliveries (45.65%) predominated over preterm (33.70%) and abortion (20.65%) outcomes. Notably, cervical length inversely correlated with preterm birth risk (odds ratio: 0.25), while cervical dilatation increased preterm birth likelihood (odds ratio: 34). Maternal complications were infrequent, with hemorrhage (3.3%), infection (1.1%), and cervical lacerations (2.1%) reported. Conclusion: Cervical cerclage demonstrates promise in preventing mid-trimester miscarriages, with term deliveries comprising the majority of successful outcomes. However, challenges persist, including the lack of standardized treatment timing and potential complications. The study underscores the importance of individualized care in managing CI and highlights the need for further research to optimize treatment protocols.

The practice of Daylight Saving Time in Canada: Its suitability with respect to sleep and circadian rhythms.

Daylight Saving Time (DST) is the practice of setting the clocks one hour forward from Standard Time (ST) in the spring and back again to ST in the fall. This commentary discusses the impact of bi-annual time changes on sleep and circadian rhythms and suggests avenues to minimize negative outcomes on the well-being of Canadian citizens. Ideally, ST should be close to solar time, meaning that daylight is equally distributed before and after noon time, i.e., when the sun is at its highest point in the sky. In Canada, some provinces are proposing to opt out of DST to either return to constant ST throughout the year or to implement permanent DST. National and international associations of clinicians and researchers on sleep and biological rhythms and in health sciences have positioned themselves in favour of permanent ST. In Canada, the Canadian Sleep Society and the Canadian Society for Chronobiology have also issued such a position. This commentary focuses on the implications of previous research findings for sleep and health in Canada given its northern geographical location. It concludes with a research agenda focusing on the Canadian context.

Astronomical Time Scale of the Late Pleistocene in the Northern South China Sea Based on Carbonate Deposition Record

Variations in solar insolation caused by changes in the Earth’s orbit—specifically its eccentricity, obliquity, and precession—can leave discernible marks on the geologic record. Astrochronology leverages these markers to establish a direct connection between chronological measurements and different facets of climate change as recorded in marine sediments. This approach offers a unique window into the Earth’s climate system and the construction of high-resolution, continuous time scales. Our study involves comprehensive bulk carbonate analyses of 390 discrete samples from core SCS1, which was retrieved from the deep-sea floor of the northern South China Sea. By utilizing carbonate stratigraphic data, we have developed a carbonate stratigraphic age model. This was achieved by aligning the carbonate sequence from core SCS1 with the established carbonate standard stratigraphic time scale of the South China Sea. Subsequently, we construct an astronomically tuned time scale based on this age model. Our findings indicate that sediment records in this core have been predominantly influenced by a 20,000-year cycle (precession cycle) throughout the Late Pleistocene. We have developed an astronomical time scale extending back approximately 110,000 years from the present, with a resolution of 280 years, by tuning the carbonate record to the precession curve. Time-domain spectral analysis of the tuned carbonate time series, alongside the consistent comparability of the early Holocene low-carbonate event (11–8 kyr), underscores the reliability of our astronomical time scale. Our age model exposes intricate variations in carbonate deposition, epitomizing a typical “Pacific-type” carbonate cycle. Previous research has illustrated that precession forcing predominantly influences productivity changes in the South China Sea. The pronounced precession-related cycle observed in our record suggests that changes in productivity significantly impact carbonate content in the area under study. Furthermore, the clear precession period identified in the carbonate record of core SCS1 reflects the response of low-latitude processes to orbital parameters, implying that carbonate deposition and preservation in core SCS1 are chiefly influenced by the interplay between the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) and the monsoon system within the precession band. Our astronomical time scale is poised to enhance paleoceanographic, paleoclimatic, and correlation studies further. Additionally, the independent evidence we provide for using proxy records for astronomical age calibration of marine sediments lends additional support to similar methods of astronomical tuning.