Strict Condition Research Articles

Chemical Profiles of Particulate Matter Emitted from Anthropogenic Sources in Selected Regions of China

Particulate matter (PM) emissions from anthropogenic sources contribute substantially to air pollution. The unequal adverse health effects caused by source-emitted PM emphasize the need to consider the discrepancy of PM-bound chemicals rather than solely focusing on the mass concentration of PM when making air pollution control strategies. Here, we present a dataset about chemical compositions of real-world PM emissions from typical anthropogenic sources in China, including industrial (power, industrial boiler, iron & steel, cement, and other industrial process), residential (coal/biomass burning, and cooking), and transportation sectors (on-road vehicle, ship, and non-exhaust emission). The data was obtained under the same strict quality control condition on field measurements and chemical analysis, minimizing the uncertainty caused by different study approaches. The concentrations of PM-bound chemical components, including toxic elements and PAHs, exhibit substantial discrepancies among different emission sectors. This dataset provides experimental data with informative inputs to emission inventories, air quality simulation models, and health risk estimation. The obtained results can gain insight into understanding on source-specific PMs and tailoring effective control strategies.

Existence Results of Some Nonlinear Minimization Problems with Application to a System of PDE

A new class of non-self mappings, called proximal condensing operators, is introduced and used to investigate the existence of best proximity points for non-self mappings in reflexive Banach spaces by applying an appropriate measure of noncompactness. In this way, we present generalizations of well-known Schauder and Darbo fixed point problems. We then define the notion of best proximity points for multiplication of two non-self mappings in the setting of Banach algebras and present some sufficient conditions to ensure the existence of such points. Finally, we renorm a Banach space consists of all real valued and continuous functions with two variables to obtain the strict convexity condition and then we survey the existence of an optimal solution for a system of partial differential equations.

Quantitative analysis of antibacterial efficacy of herbal irrigants against endodontic microflora – A clinical study

Abstract Aims: The study aimed to assess the antimicrobial effectiveness of green tea and neem extract compared to sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) against various root canal microorganisms. Materials and Methods: Thirty patients with pulpal necrosis were selected, providing 60 samples before and after irrigation. Groups were assigned as follows: Group A: 3% NaOCl (control), Group B: green tea, and Group C: neem extract. Samples were collected before and after irrigation in two phases. Samples were collected maintaining a strict sterile condition and stored in buffer solution at −80°C for bacterial-load measurement through real-time Polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Statistical analysis included within-group comparisons using Wilcoxon’s test and the paired t-test and inter-group comparisons using the Kruskal–Wallis test with post hoc Dunn’s test and one-way analysis of variance with post hoc Tukey’s honestly significant difference test (P ≤ 0.05). Results: While no irrigant achieved complete bacterial eradication, all solutions exhibited significant antimicrobial activity postirrigation. NaOCl yielded the most effective results, with green tea nearly comparable, and neem extract demonstrating the lowest efficacy. Conclusions: Herbal irrigants, particularly green tea, can serve as effective alternatives to chemical solutions. However, neem extract proved less effective than both green tea and NaOCl, indicating its inferiority in root canal disinfection.

A Lyapunov–Razumikhin control strategy for stochastic nonlinear delayed systems with polynomial conditions

Numerous control schemes for stochastic systems involving time-varying delays need a strict slow time-delay condition, which does hold for some practical models. Also, some stochastic systems will have different structures as working conditions change. In this article, we will investigate the control of stochastic systems which contain time-varying delays and polynomial conditions. By providing the dynamic-gain based homogeneous domination approach, and selecting a new Lyapunov–Razumikhin (L–R) function, a universal dynamic controller for systems with different growing conditions is presented, and the slow time-delay condition is removed successfully. The algorithm is finally verified with a practical example.

Prevention of diaper rash in newborns and children under 1 year old: results of a clinical study

Introduction. Modern preventive measures of skin diseases aim to maintain the protective skin barrier. The area that comes in direct contact with the diaper becomes excessively wet, the corneous layer is damaged, which results in a weakened barrier function of the epidermis and the occurrence of an inflammatory process, diaper dermatitis.Aim. To study the clinical efficacy and safety of the use of disposable diapers and pull up pants in full-term and premature infants from birth to 1 year of age to prevent diaper dermatitis.Materials and methods. A total of 45 full-term and premature children under 1 year old with various diseases, including skin eruptions in the area covered by the diaper were included in the study. The proposed care products were used for 14 days on the strict condition that they would be reapplied after defecation and during hygiene procedures in a timely manner. The skin status was assessed visually by a paediatrician from Day 1 to 14 of the study using the M. Odio skin assessment scale.Results. The M. Odio scale evaluation of the skin around waist, buttocks, genitals, anal region, and inguinal folds in all children on Days 1, 7 and 14 showed 0 scores. No adverse events were reported during assessment of the skin status over 14 days of the use of care products.Discussion. The observations were consistent with the previously published data demonstrating that maintenance of the functional characteristics of the skin in the area covered by the diaper and exposed to faecal and urinary enzymes, elevated temperature and humidity prevented the development of diaper dermatitis and skin diseases.Conclusion. No signs of diaper dermatitis were detected in all 45 full-term and premature children under 1 year old, including children with various diseases, during 2 weeks of application of disposable Tanoshi Premium diapers and pull up pants in clinical practice. This fact proves the safety and good tolerance of disposable diapers by children under 1 year old provided that the skin care requirements were met. Tanoshi Premium diapers and pull up pants can be recommended for babies of different ages and body weights, including those with diaper dermatitis.

First iteration of a User-Centered Design process to develop an in-bed leg press.

Physical inactivity is prevalent among hospitalized patients and the daytime spent lying should be utilised for exercise. However, implementing new interventions in hospitals' complex daily routines is difficult and requires a participatory approach. Exploring clinical settings and clinicians' perspectives regarding exercise in hospitalized patients to gauge the potential of further development of an in-bed training device and to formulate development goals. A User-Centered Design approach was employed, consisting of work shadowing and focus groups with physiotherapists and nurses. Content and network analyses of the focus group data were performed. Personas were then developed and used to create clinical scenarios. Some clinicians perceived in-bed exercise counterproductive, while others recognized potential for unsupervised training. The most important design characteristics appeared to be a small size, low weight and simplicity of use to facilitate storage, transportation, and administration, respectively. The scenarios revealed that the device's use could increase the physical activity time by 1.4%, although it would also increase the working time of clinicians. The study highlighted the difficulties in developing a usable training device but encouraged the authors to pursue their efforts under the strict condition of following the formulated development goals.

R-linear and strong convergence of Tseng methods for solving certain split and non-split problems

In the recent past, authors have fondly assumed the co-coercive condition for solving certain class of split inverse problems. Recently, some attempts have been made to relax this very strict condition, however, only few results exists in literature in such case. In this paper, we present some new Mann-type Tseng methods for solving split monotone variational inclusion and common fixed point problems for a finite collection of quasi-pseudocontractive operators. We prove strong convergence and R − linear convergence rate results of our methods, while the co-coerciveness property is dispensed with. Our methods incorporate the relaxation, inertial extrapolation and self-adaptive step size techniques to achieve better performance and faster convergence. With the aid of relevant numerical experiments, we showcase the performance profile of our methods in comparison with recent methods in literature.

Nearly polarization-insensitive angular filters enabled by metal-dielectric photonic crystal in the visible region

We report on the design and fabrication of nearly polarization-insensitive angular filters, which have been developed through the optimization of one-dimensional Ag/MgF2 photonic crystals (PCs). We evaluate different initial systems for optimization and compare their results in terms of both the wavelength and angular selectivity. Our findings reveal that relaxing the strict periodic condition of initial photonic crystals with a small number of lattices has enabled improvement in the angular selectivity via Fabry–Perot resonances in dielectric layers, achieving a transmission as high as 81% at normal incidence by optimizing the dielectric layer thickness. The simulation results demonstrate that the transmitted beam through the angular filtering sample at 633 nm has allowable angles within 29° and 33° for TE and TM polarization, respectively, with a transmission over 80% at normal incidence. This proposed and demonstrated angular filter represents what we believe is a novel way to utilize 1D metal-dielectric PCs as polarization-insensitive angular filters, overcoming the main drawback of a low transmission. This angular filter will have significant applications in lighting, beam manipulation, optical coupling, and optical detectors.

Changes in Food Preferences Before and After Intragastric Balloon Placement.

In recent years, numerous studies have tried to decode the way bariatric surgery works toward weight reduction by the use of food preference questionnaires. The intragastric balloon has gained popularity, mainly due to its limited invasiveness, in patients with obesity not fulfilling criteria for bariatric surgery. However, there is no study assessing the changes in food preferences [FP]. We decided to analyze the FP of individuals prior to intragastric balloon insertion and following its removal, on the strict condition that participants must complete the 6-month treatment period and attend at least 4 of the 7 follow-up interviews. Patients were asked to rate the frequency of consumption of 63 food items before balloon insertion, at monthly intervals and after balloon removal. The food categories were protein, carbohydrates, fruit and vegetables, and sweets and fats. The questionnaires of 320 participants were analyzed. A reduced frequency in consumption of meat and meat products, high-fat, and high-carbohydrate/sugary products and an increase in raw vegetables and fruit was found in all individuals. The intragastric balloon seems to exert analogically similar mechanisms to bariatric surgery for weight loss, both functioning through alterations in FP. These are dictated by the anatomical re-configuration of the stomach, but mainly by counseling of dieticians and the self-education of the patient after experiencing unpleasant postprandial discomfort.

Note on singular Sturm comparison theorem and strict majorant condition

In this note we present a singular Sturm comparison theorem for two linear Hamiltonian systems satisfying a standard majorant condition and the identical normality assumption. Both endpoints of the considered interval may be singular. We identify the exact form of the strict majorant condition, which is necessary and sufficient for the property that every solution (conjoined basis) of the majorant system has more focal points than the solutions of the minorant system. We provide a formula for the exact number of focal points of any solution of the majorant system, depending on the number of focal points of solutions of the minorant system and on the number of right focal points of a solution of a certain transformed linear Hamiltonian system. This transformed system may be in general abnormal. Our result extends the previous Sturm comparison theorems for linear Hamiltonian systems by Kratz (1995) [18] on a compact interval and by the authors (2020) [35,36] on an open or unbounded interval. The main result is also new for the second order differential equations, where it extends the singular comparison theorem by Aharonov and Elias (2010) [1].

Integrated analysis of transcriptome and small RNAome reveals regulatory network of rapid and long-term response to heat stress in Rhododendron moulmainense

Main conclusionThe post-transcriptional gene regulatory pathway and small RNA pathway play important roles in regulating the rapid and long-term response of Rhododendron moulmainense to high-temperature stress.The Rhododendron plays an important role in maintaining ecological balance. However, it is difficult to domesticate for use in urban ecosystems due to their strict optimum growth temperature condition, and its evolution and adaptation are little known. Here, we combined transcriptome and small RNAome to reveal the rapid response and long-term adaptability regulation strategies in Rhododendron moulmainense under high-temperature stress. The post-transcriptional gene regulatory pathway plays important roles in stress response, in which the protein folding pathway is rapidly induced at 4 h after heat stress, and alternative splicing plays an important role in regulating gene expression at 7 days after heat stress. The chloroplasts oxidative damage is the main factor inhibiting photosynthesis efficiency. Through WGCNA analysis, we identified gene association patterns and potential key regulatory genes responsible for maintaining the ROS steady-state under heat stress. Finally, we found that the sRNA synthesis pathway is induced under heat stress. Combined with small RNAome, we found that more miRNAs are significantly changed under long-term heat stress. Furthermore, MYBs might play a central role in target gene interaction network of differentially expressed miRNAs in R. moulmainense under heat stress. MYBs are closely related to ABA, consistently, ABA synthesis and signaling pathways are significantly inhibited, and the change in stomatal aperture is not obvious under heat stress. Taken together, we gained valuable insights into the transplantation and long-term conservation domestication of Rhododendron, and provide genetic resources for genetic modification and molecular breeding to improve heat resistance in Rhododendron.

A Fixed-Time Proximal Gradient Neurodynamic Network With Time-Varying Coefficients for Composite Optimization Problems and Sparse Optimization Problems With Log-Sum Function.

This article presents a novel proximal gradient neurodynamic network (PGNN) for solving composite optimization problems (COPs). The proposed PGNN with time-varying coefficients can be flexibly chosen to accelerate the network convergence. Based on PGNN and sliding mode control technique, the proposed time-varying fixed-time proximal gradient neurodynamic network (TVFxPGNN) has fixed-time stability and a settling time independent of the initial value. It is further shown that fixed-time convergence can be achieved by relaxing the strict convexity condition via the Polyak-Lojasiewicz condition. In addition, the proposed TVFxPGNN is being applied to solve the sparse optimization problems with the log-sum function. Furthermore, the field-programmable gate array (FPGA) circuit framework for time-varying fixed-time PGNN is implemented, and the practicality of the proposed FPGA circuit is verified through an example simulation in Vivado 2019.1. Simulation and signal recovery experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed PGNN.

All-optically controlled holographic plasmonic vortex array for multiple metallic particles manipulation

Due to the sub-diffraction-limited size and giant field enhancement, plasmonic tweezers have a natural advantage in trapping metallic particles. However, the strict excitation condition makes it difficult to generate an arbitrary plasmonic field in a controllable manner, thus narrowing its practical applications. Here, we propose an all-optical plasmonic field shaping method based on a digital holographic algorithm and generate plasmonic vortex arrays with controllable spot numbers, spatial location, and topological charge. Our experimental results demonstrate that multiple gold particles can be stably trapped and synchronously rotated in the vortex arrays, and the particles’ kinestate can be dynamically switched. The proposed holographic plasmonic vortex tweezers are suitable for a broadband particle trapping, and this method can be generalized to other surface electromagnetic waves like Bloch surface wave.

Morpheme Structure Constraints Solve Three Puzzles for Theories of Blocking in Nonderived Environments

In nonderived environment blocking (NDEB), a phonological process applies across morpheme boundaries or morpheme-internally when fed by another phonological process but is otherwise blocked. I present a theory of NDEB that attributes blocking to an interaction between morpheme structure constraints (which constrain possible underlying representations in the lexicon) and the usual phonological mapping from underlying to surface forms. The theory has some unusual aspects that make it conceptually suspicious, but I will argue that it receives empirical support. Using several case studies, I discuss three puzzles for theories of NDEB previously proposed in the literature, including the Strict Cycle Condition (Mascarό 1976), Kiparsky’s (1993) theory of underspecification, Sequential Faithfulness (Burzio 2000), Colored Containment (Van Oostendorp 2007), and Optimal Interleaving with Candidate Chains (Wolf 2008). I show that none of those theories can deal with all three puzzles and that the proposed theory with morpheme structure constraints succeeds. This result supports a dual-component architecture of phonology (as in Chomsky and Halle 1968) over architectures that eliminate language-specific morpheme structure constraints (i.e., the principle of Richness of the Base in Optimality Theory).

Highly reliable a‐Si:H gate driver on array with complementary double‐sided noise‐eliminating and dual voltage levels for TFT‐LCD applications

AbstractIn this work, we present a high‐reliability gate driver on array (GOA) for a 10.7‐in. HD (1,280 × RGB × 720) TFT‐LCD panel, featuring an alternatively double‐sided noise‐eliminating function. The gate driver circuit is designed with 12‐phase clock signals that exhibit 75% signal overlapping, threshold voltage recovering, and double‐sided driving schemes. The double‐sided driving scheme reduces the number of mental wires and TFTs in the gate driver circuit, resulting in a smaller layout area for GOA. By utilizing dual levels of voltage, we implemented a negative gate bias method to mitigate threshold voltage shifts for the noise‐eliminating and driving TFTs. This prevents the noises from clock signals effectively. The reliability test of the proposed GOA with 720 stages passed a strict testing condition (90°C and −40°C) for simulation and exhibited good performance over 800 hours at 90°C for measurement.

Regarding the Ideal Convergence of Triple Sequences in Random 2-Normed Spaces

In our ongoing study, we explore the concepts of I3-Cauchy and I3-Cauchy for triple sequences in the context of random 2-normed spaces (RTNS). Moreover, we introduce and analyze the notions of I3-convergence, I3-convergence, I3-limit points, and I3-cluster points for random 2-normed triple sequences. Significantly, we establish a notable finding that elucidates the connection between I3-convergence and I3-convergence within the framework of random 2-normed spaces, highlighting their interrelation. Additionally, we provide an illuminating example that demonstrates how I3-convergence in a random 2-normed space might not necessarily imply I3-convergence. Our observations underscore the importance of condition (AP3) when examining summability using ideals. Furthermore, we thoroughly investigate the relationship between the properties (AP) and (AP3), illustrating through an example how the latter represents a less strict condition compared to the former.

Deep-learning assisted reduced order model for high-dimensional flow prediction from sparse data

The reconstruction and prediction of full-state flows from sparse data are of great scientific and engineering significance yet remain challenging, especially in applications where data are sparse and/or subjected to noise. To this end, this study proposes a deep-learning assisted non-intrusive reduced order model (named DCDMD) for high-dimensional flow prediction from sparse data. Based on the compressed sensing (CS)-dynamic mode decomposition (DMD), the DCDMD model is distinguished by two novelties. First, a sparse matrix is defined to overcome the strict random distribution condition of sensor locations in CS, thus allowing flexible sensor deployments and requiring very few sensors. Second, a deep-learning-based proxy is invoked to acquire coherent flow modes from the sparse data of high-dimensional flows, thereby addressing the issue of defining sparsity and the stringent incoherence condition in the conventional CSDMD. The two advantageous features, combined with the fact that the model retains flow physics in the online stage, lead to significant enhancements in accuracy and efficiency, as well as superior insensitivity to data noises (i.e., robustness), in both reconstruction and prediction of full-state flows. These are demonstrated by three benchmark examples, i.e., cylinder wake, weekly mean sea surface temperature, and isotropic turbulence in a periodic square area.

Comparative Effects of Prepared and Vended Herbs on Selected Diarrhoegenic Bacteria in Ekiti State

Herbs contamination by some pathogenic bacteria poses a major threat to the usage as a treatment option for diarrheagenic bacteria. This study was carried out to determine the comparative effects of prepared and vended herbs sold within Ado-Ekiti metropolis on selected diarrhogenic bacteria. Herb was prepared in the laboratory under a strict aseptic condition, and a total of 50 vended herbs samples were purchased from vendors across ten different locations within Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State. All herb samples were analyzed using standard microbiological techniques, total bacteria count, Staphylococcal counts, coliform counts and fungal counts were carried out. Bacteria colonies on the agar plates were identified using morphological and biochemical characterization. The susceptibility testing of the vended and prepared herbs on selected diarrheagenic bacteria; Shigella dysenteriae, Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhi were carried out using agar well diffusion method. The haematological and histological effects of the herbs were done using standard haematological and histological procedures respectively. The data generated were analysed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the level of significance was set at 0.05. There was a low microbial count in the prepared herb compared to the vended herbs, Staphylococcal counts, coliform counts and fungal counts of the vended herbs ranged from 15.50±0.65 to 52.00±0.36 cfu/100ml, 7.00±0.40 to 22.00±0.13 cfu/100ml, 8.50±0.15 to 36.50±0.20 cfu/100ml and 1.50±0.50 to 8.00±0.40 sfu/100ml respectively while the total bacterial counts of prepared herbs ranged from 1.00±0.01 to 2.00±0.00 cfu/100ml. There was a low microbial count in the herbs vended by those with more than 9 years herb vending experiences compared to others. Nine different bacteria species were isolated from vended herb samples with Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus 8(22.2%) being the most frequently occurred bacteria and followed by Enterobacter aerogenes and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was 4(11.11%) occurrence. The laboratory prepared herbs exhibited a better antibacterial activity against the tested diarrheagenic bacteria (S. dysenteriae (6.00±0.00 mm), E. coli (10.00±0.10 mm) and S. typhi (8.00±0.40 mm) compared to the vended herbs. The bacteria isolated from the vended herbs showed higher resistant against augmentin and amoxicillin. The haematological profile of the rats showed a significant increase in the white blood cell counts. There were also multiple foci of hepatic necrosis with cellular aggregation around the same foci in the liver and diffuse tubular degeneration and necrosis with the tubular epithelium completely eroded in the kidney of the rat. However, occurrence of these bacteria in vended herbs could predispose consumers to the risk of infections with pathogenic and antimicrobial resistant bacteria. Also, the herbs could be a source of toxicity showed in both histological and haematological parameters, which could pose a life-threatening disease to the consumer. Therefore, steps involve in the preparation of the herb must be standardize to prevent the microbial contamination.

A novel sequential-based hybrid approach incorporating physical modeling and deep learning for multiphase subsurface flow simulation

Multiphase subsurface flows are of great importance for both the sustainable utilization of resources and ecological protection. The simulation of multiphase flow is conventionally resolved using either physics-driven numerical discretization or data-driven machine learning strategy. Despite being perceived as distinct paradigms, their algorithmic-level synergy is expected to bring tremendous advantages. Within the implicit pressure and explicit saturation scheme, this study constructs deep learning model for pressure approximation using an ensemble of equal-probable permeability realizations and the corresponding pressure/velocity fields under randomized injection/production strategies. Specifically, this study proposes two network models, namely U-Net and Fourier Neural Operator, and empower them by physics-guided loss functions, which not only improve the training efficiency but also ensure the physical continuity of the velocity field and maintain the overall mass balance of the coupled system. Moreover, we advance the saturation front using a standard explicit solver under its strict stability condition. The results demonstrate that our hybrid approach performs strong adaptability and flexibility under different permeability and injection/production conditions enclosed in the model training set. For all test cases, we achieve less than 0.6% relative errors for both pressure and saturation solutions. More importantly, our well-trained hybrid solver only uses a fraction of second, which is several orders of magnitude faster than the traditional physics-driven numerical solvers. Our newly designed solution architecture provides a physically reliable technique for superfast multiphase subsurface flow field approximation, which is believed to be of great value for the challenging production optimization and uncertainty quantifications of subsurface resource utilizations.

The Effect of Sports Activities on The Self-Esteem of Socially Excluded Men

Background. Self-esteem is one characteristic of personality, a construct of self-confidence, self-respect, and harmonious interaction with oneself (Breslin, Leavey, 2019). Research devoted to the analysis of men's self-esteem reveals that a positive self-evaluation of men requires an image of a physically active man, which the man could compare with other men who demonstrate physical strength (Conzelmann, Schmidt, 2019). A man's physical self-perception is part of the assessment of a physically healthy and strong person and an aspect that ensures his sociality (Crawford, 2017). Scientific research establishes clear links between a man's physical attractiveness (Anderson-Butcher, 2019), sociability and self-esteem (Anderson, White, 2017). Men who systematically engage in active physical activity are physically healthier and more attractive (Burrmann, 2018). They are also emotionally more stable, their emotional self-control is more focused and their self-confidence is higher (El Ghali, 2018).
 Aim of the research. To reveal the effect of sports activities on the self-esteem of men experiencing social exclusion.
 Methods. To determine men's self-esteem changes The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale was chosen, and the Data were processed using SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Science), version 22.0.
 Results. A study in which men experiencing social exclusion participated in independent and team sports activities for half a year revealed a positive change in their self-esteem. When analyzing the changes in men's self-esteem before and after the activities, the distance between the estimates of the Rosenberg test before the experiment and 6 months after it ended is 1 standard deviation on the z-scale of the standard normal distribution. According to Cohen's concept of effective size, such a difference between standardized means can be considered as large. Despite the relatively small sample (N=30), the test met the very strict condition of statistical reliability (p≤0.001).
 Conclusion. The study revealed that when socially excluded men were included in sports activities held for half a year, their self-esteem changed from 15 points (low self-esteem) to 25-30 points (high self-esteem).
 Keywords: social exclusion, self-esteem, sports activities