Time Variability Research Articles

Discrepancy Between Desired Time in Bed and Desired Total Sleep Time, Insomnia, Depression, and Dysfunctional Beliefs About Sleep Among a Clinical Sample of Patients With Insomnia.

This study investigated whether the discrepancy between desired time in bed and desired total sleep time (DBST) index could be a meaningful indicator for assessing insomnia severity in a clinical sample of patients with insomnia. Furthermore, we sought to identify the mediators of the association between DBST and insomnia severity in individuals with insomnia. We collected the medical records of 127 patients with insomnia. Each participant's DBST index was calculated using sleep indices, including time and duration variables. Psychological symptoms were investigated using the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Patients Health Questionnaire-9 items (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, Dysfunctional Beliefs and Attitudes about Sleep-16 items (DBAS-16), and Epworth Sleepiness Scale. The DBST index was significantly correlated with the ISI (r=0.20, p<0.05), desired total sleep time (r=-0.52, p<0.001), and desired time in bed (r=0.32, p<0.01). Linear regression analysis revealed that insomnia severity was associated with age (β=-0.18, p=0.018), DBST (β=0.23, p=0.003), PHQ-9 (β=0.23, p=0.031), and DBAS-16 (β=0.42, p<0.001). The DBST directly influenced insomnia severity, although indirect effects of mediators were not significant. The DBST index directly influenced insomnia severity regardless of the mediating effects of psychological factors among a clinical sample of patients with insomnia. This finding implies that the DBST index can be a simple measure of insomnia severity, even among patients with insomnia.

"When You're in It, It Feels Like It's Everything": Medical Students' Experience of Failure and Remediation in the United States and the Netherlands.

Medical training institutions worldwide must be prepared to remediate struggling learners, but there is little empirical evidence around learners' perspectives on remediation efforts. Research shows that emotion has a significant effect on learning, but it has not been well studied in remediation in medical education. Given the high stakes of remediation, understanding more about learners' emotional experience could lead to improvements in remediation programs. This study aimed to explore medical students' emotional experience of failure and remediation to offer opportunities to improve remediation. This study is a thematic analysis of data collected from July to September 2022 from one-to-one interviews with students from 4 institutions (2 in the United States and 2 in the Netherlands) who had not met expectations on 1 or more medical school assessment(s). Interview questions explored students' experiences with learning of and responding to a performance that was below expected standards, with probes around any mentions of emotions. Fourteen students participated: 9 from schools in the United States and 5 from schools in the Netherlands. The students perceived the failure and remediation event to be highly significant, reflecting negatively on their suitability for a career as a physician. We identified 5 themes: (1) shame was pervasive and only retrospectively perceived as unwarranted; (2) self-doubt was common and weighty; (3) resentment, blame, and other external-facing emotions were present but softened over time; (4) worry and stress related to perceived career effect differed across countries; and (5) students had mixed emotional reactions to the remediation process. Medical students have strong emotional responses to failure and remediation. Expecting and considering emotions such as shame, self-doubt, and anger could help educators design better remediation programs. Differences across countries may be at least partially explained by different degrees of time variability and flexibility within the curricula.

A novel image denoising technique with Caputo type space–time fractional operators

A novel image denoising model, namely Full Fractional Total Variation (TVFF), based on the Rudin-Osher-Fatemi (ROF) and the fractional total variation models is presented. The leading advantage of TVFF model is that it uses fractional derivatives with length scale parameters instead of ordinary derivatives with respect to both time and spatial variables in the diffusion equation. The Riesz–Caputo fractional derivative operator is used to disperse nonlocal influence throughout all directions, whereas the Caputo fractional derivative concept is employed for time fractional derivatives. Therefore, the influence of neighboring pixels is given greater weight compared to those situated farther away and this reflects the consideration behind denoising process better. Moreover, the numerical approach is constructed, and its stability and convergence properties are thoroughly examined. To show the superiority of our model, the denoised images are subjected to visual and numerical comparisons using metrics such as the Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR), the Structural Similarity Index Measure (SSIM) and the Edge-Retention Ratio (ERR). The performance of the TVFF method is evaluated under various types of noise, including Poisson, Speckle, and Salt & Pepper, and the results are compared with those obtained using Gauss and Median Filters. Furthermore, the proposed method is applied to both blind and synthetic images, thereby showcasing its versatility and applicability across diverse datasets. The outcomes showcase the substantial potential of our enhanced model as a versatile and efficient tool for image denoising.

Copper, lead, and cadmium monitoring via the small-spotted catshark (Scyliorhinus canicula; Linnaeus, 1758): space-time driven variability in Western Mediterranean populations.

The philopatric and sedentary nature of female S. canicula, its high abundance as a bycatch and resilience to regular exploitation by bottom trawl fisheries and its widespread distribution, makes it a potentially good candidate as a biomonitor species. To evaluate this potential, microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) and Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (GF-AAS) were used to analyse Pb, Cd, and Cu in muscle tissue of individuals captured in the Western Mediterranean (Alicante, Spain). A monthly assessment of the concentration of these three analytes was conducted from November 2019 to November 2020 with 300 individuals. Results showed the existence of slightly higher mean concentrations during warmer seasons for Pb and Cd with mean concentrations for Pb and Cu peaking in Autumn 2019 and during Spring 2020 in the case of Cd. Significant differences in analyte concentrations found between non-consecutive months suggested gradual variability in time. Although space-wise, time-persistent concentration hotspots were observed throughout the sample area, the magnitude of these appeared to be variable in time and should be evaluated in future studies.

Association between lifestyle factors and mental health in apparently healthy young men

ObjectiveThe study aims to explore the relationship between modifiable lifestyle factors (physical activity, sedentary time, body composition, muscle strength) and mental health, and predict future changes in mental health.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted on 133 men (age: 29.03 ± 6.605 years, BMI: 23.58 ± 2.688 kg/m²) to assess baseline body composition, muscle strength, sedentary time, and mental health, with follow-up at 3 months. F-tests were employed to compare the differences in mental health on sedentary time and body composition variables. Spearman correlation analysis was used to examine correlations between variables.ResultsSpearman’s correlation analysis showed that sedentary time, muscle strength and mental health of the subjects were significantly correlated. BMI, BFM, BFMI, PBF were higher in subjects with ≥ 4 h of sedentary time than in the other two shorter sedentary time groups. Subjects with higher PBF (p = 0.047, η2 = 0.030) and BFM (p = 0.032, η2 = 0.035) had severer depression. Subjects who sat for ≥ 4 h at a time were more severely depressed than those who sat for 2–4 h (p = 0.020). Change in depression was significantly negatively correlated with BMI, BFM, BFMI and PBF. Subjects with higher PBF (p = 0.023, η2 = 0.050) and BFM (p = 0.005, η2 = 0.075) at the baseline had less change in depression.ConclusionA Significant correlation was found between sedentary time, body composition and mental health, and baseline body composition predicted changes in mood three months later.

Well-posedness of Cauchy problem of fractional drift diffusion system in non-critical spaces with power-law nonlinearity

Abstract In this article, we consider the global and local well-posedness of the mild solutions to the Cauchy problem of fractional drift diffusion system with higher-order nonlinearity. The main difficulty comes from the higher-order nonlinearity. Instead of the convention that people always focus on the properties of the solution in critical spaces, here we are interested in non-critical spaces such as supercritical Sobolev spaces and subcritical Lebesgue spaces. For the initial data in these non-critical spaces, using the properties of fractional heat semigroup and the classical Hardy-Littlewood-Sobolev inequality, we obtain the existence and uniqueness of the mild solution, together with the decaying rate estimates in terms of time variable.

Impact of globalization and energy consumption on CO2 emissions in China: Implications for energy transition

Despite the importance of understanding the impact of economic globalization on CO2 emissions through renewable and non-renewable energy consumption, previous studies have yielded contradictory results. This study addresses this gap by examining the relationship between trade openness, foreign direct investment, renewable energy consumption, non-renewable energy consumption, and CO2 emissions in China using wavelet analysis. The methodology allows for simultaneous evaluation of the commonality between variables in both time and frequency domains. The results reveal that the causality between variables varies with frequency, with notable reversals in lead-lag relationships. Economic globalization affects CO2 emissions differently through renewable and non-renewable energy consumption, with distinct short-term and long-term dynamics. The findings highlight the need for credible energy transition programs, increased renewable energy utilization, and strengthened global cooperation to balance economic globalization and environmental quality in China. Future research could explore heterogeneity among provinces, nonlinear and asymmetric effects, and expand the scope to other developing economies.

Tracking the changes and bioaccessibility of phenolic compounds of sorghum grains (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) upon germination and seedling growth by UHPLC-QTOF-MS/MS

In this study, phenolic profile/content was analyzed by high-resolution untargeted metabolomics after short germination (72 h) and seedling growth (144 h), using three sorghum genotypes varying in tannin content (IS 29569, Macia and IS 30400). In vitro antioxidant capacity and phenolic bioaccessibility were determined by microplate-based and INFOGEST methods, respectively. A total of 58 % annotated compounds were found in all genotypes; and phenolic acids and flavonoids represent more than 80 % of sorghum total abundance. PCA analysis showed higher phenolic variability in germination times (72 %) than genotypes (51 %). Germination reduced total ion abundance (−7 %) and free:bound phenolic compounds ratio (2.4–1.1), but antioxidant capacity remained constant. These results indicate the cell matrix-phenolic decomplexation, with the free compounds were quickly consumed after radicle emergence. Germination increased phenolic bioaccessibility (mainly in oral phase) but reduces flavonoids contents in gastric/intestinal digestion steps. This work can stimulate seed germination as a viable option for sorghum-based foods development, with improved nutritional and bioactive properties.

Navigating Delays: A Comprehensive Study of Public Building Retrofitting Projects in Kathmandu Valley

The objective of the study was to find out the present scenario of delays of retrofitting of public building with case of 11projects of Kathmandu valley. An observation and study of the project document is carried out along with questionnaire survey with 50 respondents. The maximum rate of delay in the retrofitting project is found to be 167% time overrun and minimum is found to be 42% of time overrun. Only one project among them is within the schedule with physical progress of 22%. A multiple linear regression analysis was performed to examine the influence of the variables Time overrun (Months) and Time extension with respect to initial contract (%) on the variable Physical Progress. A model summary model is obtained as follows: Physical Progress = 0.57 + 0.02 * Time overrun (Months) - 0.15 * Time extension with respect to initial contract (%) The top ranked specific delay contributing factors in a retrofitting project are as found as Impractical project schedule and duration (frequent changes in critical path), Unavailability of the numbers and skilled workforce for retrofitting projects, Delays occurred due to lack of coherence in architectural, structural, electrical, sanitary, and HVAC drawings, Approvals of shop drawings submitted by the contractor and Unavailability of the specific materials as per BOQ.

Investigating biological mechanisms of colour changes in sustainable food systems: The role of Starmerella bacillaris in white wine colouration using a combination of genomic and biostatistics strategies

This study explores the biological mechanisms behind colour changes in white wine fermentation using different strains of Starmerella bacillaris. We combined food engineering, genomics, machine learning, and physicochemical analyses to examine interactions between S. bacillaris and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Significant differences in total polyphenol content were observed, with S. bacillaris fermentation yielding 6 % higher polyphenol content compared to S. cerevisiae EC1118. Genomic analysis identified 12 genes in S. bacillaris with high variant counts that could impact phenotypic properties related to wine color. Notably, SNP analysis revealed numerous missense and synonymous variants, as well as stop-gained and start-lost variants between PAS13 and FRI751, suggesting changes in metabolic pathways affecting pigment production. Besides that, high upstream gene variants in SSK1 and HIP1R indicated potential regulatory changes influencing gene expression. Fermentation trials revealed FRI751 consistently showed high antioxidant activity and polyphenol content (Total Polyphenol: 299.33 ± 3.51 mg GAE/L, DPPH: 1.09 ± 0.01 mmol TE/L, FRAP: 0.95 ± 0.02 mmol TE/L). PAS13 exhibited a balanced profile, while EC1118 had lower values, indicating moderate antioxidant activity. The Weibull model effectively captured nitrogen consumption dynamics, with EC1118 serving as a reliable benchmark. The scale parameter delta for EC1118 was 23.04 ± 2.63, indicating moderate variability in event times. These findings highlight S. bacillaris as a valuable component in sustainable winemaking, offering an alternative to chemical additives for maintaining wine quality and enhancing colours profiles. This study provides insights into the biotechnological and fermented food systems applications of yeast strains in improving food sustainability and supply chain, opening new avenues in food engineering and microbiology.

Single-cell analysis of VACV infection reveals pathogen-driven timing of early and late phases and host-limited dynamics of virus production.

The extent and origin of variation in the replication dynamics of complex DNA viruses is not well-defined. Here, we investigate the vaccinia virus (VACV) infection cycle at the single-cell level, quantifying the temporal dynamics of early and post(dna)-replicative phase gene expression across thousands of infections. We found that viral factors determine the initiation time of these phases, and this is influenced by the multiplicity of infection (MOI). In contrast, virus production dynamics are largely constrained by the host cell. Additionally, between-cell variability in infection start time and virus production rate were strongly influenced by MOI, providing evidence for cooperativity between infecting virions. Blocking programmed cell death by pan-caspase inhibition increased infection frequency but not virus production at the population level due to a concurrent attenuation of per-cell virus yield, suggesting a dual role for caspase signaling in VACV infection. Our findings provide key insights into the pivotal factors influencing heterogeneity in the infection cycle of a large DNA virus at the single-cell level.

On the Internationalization of English Teaching System in the Planning of Sustainable Development of Future Renewable Energy

Energy is an essential element of human production and business activities. At present, China's energy development and utilization is facing the contradiction between increasing environmental pressure and high emission energy consumption structure. Based on the optimal power flow algorithm, this paper optimizes the scheduling and international teaching of the power system with a high proportion of renewable energy. The probability density function of fan output and photovoltaic output is obtained by wind speed and light intensity model, and the probability density function of load is also proposed. Then, interruptible load, microgrid and energy storage are used as flexible resources to improve the system’s flexibility to meet the random fluctuations caused by a high proportion of wind and light, so as to maintain the stable operation of the power grid. The mathematical model of process optimization power flow satisfying process constraints is a nonlinear time-varying system. The key to process optimization power flow algorithm is to find a simple and effective linearization and discretization method that is in line with the actual power network. On the basis of ensuring the accuracy of the model, the theory, model and algorithm of the process optimization power flow are studied on the basis of the proposed linear time period, the approximate linear time variability of the node voltage, and the goal of greatly simplifying the problem. Finally, through simulation analysis, comparing the results of model 1 and model 2, we can see that from the point of view of the power abandonment cost, the power abandonment cost of model 1 is 2.29 million yuan, which is less than the 8 million yuan of model 2. From the perspective of depth peaking and start-stop times, the total depth peaking of model 1 is 331 times, which is greater than that of model 2, 258 times. The total start-stop of model 1 is 15 times, which is more than 9 times of model 2, so the total cost of optimized electricity of wind and light in model 2 is less than that in model 1. According to the optimal scheduling model of wind and light renewable energy, the effective utilization rate of renewable energy in China is low, and the teaching system should pay attention to this problem. Therefore, this paper puts forward an international English teaching strategy for the utilization rate of renewable energy.

Guidelines for power and time variables for microwave ablation in porcine lung in vitro.

Determination of the appropriate ablative parameters is the key to the success and safety of microwave ablation (MWA) of lung tumors. The purpose of this study was to provide guidelines and recommendations for the optimal time and power for lung tumor MWA. MWA using a 2450-MHz system was evaluated in a porcine lung. The independent variables were power (30, 40, 50, 60, 70, and 80 W) and time (2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 min), and the outcome variable was the volume of ablation. Lung tissues were procured after MWA for measurement and histological evaluation. Analysis of variance was used for statistical analysis, followed by least significant difference (LSD) t-tests where appropriate. A P value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. The outcome variable (ablative volume) was significantly affected by time, power, and time/power interaction (P < 0.05). When the total output energy was kept constant, the combination of higher power and shorter time obtained a larger ablative volume, especially in the low- and medium-energy groups (P < 0.01). We propose guidelines for ablative volume based on different time and power variables to provide a reference for clinical applications.

Why are some individuals better at using negative attentional templates to suppress distractors? Exploration of interindividual differences in cognitive control efficiency.

Negative templates are based on foreknowledge of distractor features and can lead to more efficient visual search at the group level. However, large individual differences exist in the size of benefits induced by negative cues. The cognitive factors underlying these interindividual differences remain unknown. Previous research has suggested higher engagement of proactive control for negative templates compared to positive templates. We thus hypothesized that interindividual differences in proactive control efficiency may explain the large variability in negative cue benefits. A large data set made up of data from two previously published studies was reanalyzed (N = 139), with eye movements recorded in 36 participants. Individual proactive control efficiency was measured through reaction time (RT) variability. Participants with higher proactive control efficiency exhibited larger benefits after negative cues across two critical measures: Individuals with higher proactive control showed larger RT benefits following negative compared to neutral cues; similarly, individuals with higher proactive control exhibited lower first saccades to cued distractor items. No such relationship was observed for positive cues. Our results confirmed the existence of large interindividual differences in the benefits induced by negative attentional templates. Critically, we show that proactive control drives these interindividual differences in negative template use. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Electrical and microstructural characteristics of GDC electrolyte synthesised by benzoate coprecipitation for solid oxide fuel cells

Gadolinium-doped ceria (GDC) is a promising electrolyte material for developing solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) because it offers a higher ionic conductivity at the intermediate operating temperature. In this work, nanocrystalline GDC (Ce1-xGdxO2-x/2, where x = 0.1 and 0.2) powders were synthesised through a novel co-precipitation synthesis method (benzoate route) using ammonium benzoate as a low-cost precipitant. The effect of the synthesis route and processing variables (calcination temperatures and time) on the microstructural and electrical properties of the resulting GDC powder was studied systematically. Multiple GDC electrolyte pellets were fabricated by pressing the GDC powders, followed by sintering the samples at 1100 °C for 6 h. The ionic and electronic conductivity of the GDC pellets were measured in air using EIS at different temperatures (450–750 °C). Huggins' model was used to determine the ionic and electronic conductivity of the GDC pellets. The fabricated electrolyte pellets showed a high relative density of 98.31and 99.02 % for the pre-calcined non-washed and pre-calcined washed powders, respectively, with a crystal size lower than 12 nm. Among all samples, the GDC electrolyte pellet fabricated using the pre-calcined washed powder exhibited the highest ionic conductivity of 3.63E-01 S cm−1 at 750 °C and activation energy of 0.52 eV with an average crystal size of 7–8 nm. The results of this study help to understand and design more efficient ceramic fuel cells with controlled microstructure and compositions at a lower cost.

Impact of digital cataract workflow on time and resource efficiencies in cataract surgery: time and motion study.

To compare time and resource-saving with integration of digital cataract workflow to the existing workflow in high-volume cataract surgery clinics. L V Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, India (Site 1) and Narayana Nethralaya, Bengaluru, India (Site 2). Prospective, time-and-motion. The total time to complete each step (preoperative measurements, surgical planning, and surgical procedures) of the cataract workflow, number of data fields entered, and support staff required for both workflows were recorded. All study measurements were determined first for existing EMR cataract workflow followed by digital workflow (integrated data management system with data reviewer, surgical planner, and data transfer to OR) at both sites. A total of 85 (Site 1, 44; Site 2, 41) cataract workflows were analyzed. The integration of digital workflow into the site's existing EMR workflow reduced the mean time for preoperative measurements by 25.3% (P = .006), surgical planning by 55.1% (P = .008), and surgical procedures by 22.6% (P = .002). The mean±SD overall time for the surgery was significantly shorter in the digital group (887.3±103.3 vs 1271.3±300.7 seconds; P < .0001). For both sites, the number of data fields recorded and the number of support staff needed was significantly lesser for the digital workflow (P < .0001, for both). Integration of digital workflow significantly reduced the overall cataract surgery time, variability of overall time, number of data fields recorded, and resource utilization. Complete digitalization has important implications for improving the efficiency and standardization of cataract surgery workflow.

Linking the neural signature of response time variability to Alzheimer's disease pathology and cognitive functioning.

Promising evidence has suggested potential links between mind-wandering and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Yet, older adults with diagnosable neurocognitive disorders show reduced meta-awareness, thus questioning the validity of probe-assessed mind-wandering in older adults. In prior work, we employed response time variability as an objective, albeit indirect, marker of mind-wandering to identify patterns of functional connectivity that predicted mind-wandering. In the current study, we evaluated the association of this connectome-based, mind-wandering model with cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) p-tau/Aβ 42 ratio in 289 older adults from the Alzheimer's Disease NeuroImaging Initiative (ADNI). Moreover, we examined if this model was similarly associated with individual differences in composite measures of global cognition, episodic memory, and executive functioning. Edges from the high response time variability model were significantly associated with CSF p-tau/Aβ ratio. Furthermore, connectivity strength within edges associated with high response time variability was negatively associated with global cognition and episodic memory functioning. This study provides the first empirical support for a link between an objective neuromarker of mind-wandering and AD pathophysiology. Given the observed association between mind-wandering and cognitive functioning in older adults, interventions targeted at reducing mind-wandering, particularly before the onset of AD pathogenesis, may make a significant contribution to the prevention of AD-related cognitive decline.

Prosody in narratives: An exploratory study with children with sex chromosomes trisomies

Although language delays are common in children with sex chromosome trisomies [SCT], no studies have analysed their prosodic abilities. Considering the importance of prosody in communication, this exploratory study aims to analyse the prosodic features of the narratives of 4-year-old children with SCT.Participants included 22 children with SCT and 22 typically developing [TD] children. The Narrative Competence Task was administered to elicit the child's narrative. Each utterance was prosodically analysed considering pitch and timing variables.Considering pitch, the only difference was the number of movements since the utterances of children with SCT were characterised by a lower speech modulation. However, considering the timing variables, children with SCT produced a faster speech rate and a shorter final syllable duration than TD children.Since both speech modulation and duration measures have important syntactic and pragmatic functions, further investigations should deeply analyse the prosodic skills of children with SCT in interaction with syntax and pragmatics.

Spiking attractor model of motor cortex explains modulation of neural and behavioral variability by prior target information

When preparing a movement, we often rely on partial or incomplete information, which can decrement task performance. In behaving monkeys we show that the degree of cued target information is reflected in both, neural variability in motor cortex and behavioral reaction times. We study the underlying mechanisms in a spiking motor-cortical attractor model. By introducing a biologically realistic network topology where excitatory neuron clusters are locally balanced with inhibitory neuron clusters we robustly achieve metastable network activity across a wide range of network parameters. In application to the monkey task, the model performs target-specific action selection and accurately reproduces the task-epoch dependent reduction of trial-to-trial variability in vivo where the degree of reduction directly reflects the amount of processed target information, while spiking irregularity remained constant throughout the task. In the context of incomplete cue information, the increased target selection time of the model can explain increased behavioral reaction times. We conclude that context-dependent neural and behavioral variability is a signum of attractor computation in the motor cortex.

Residual effect of sequential 4-channel neuromuscular electrical stimulation evaluated by high-resolution manometry

BackgroundHigh-resolution manometry (HRM) can quantify swallowing pathophysiology to evaluate the status of the pharynx. Sequential 4-channel neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) was recently developed based on the normal contractile sequences of swallowing-related muscles. This study aimed to examine the effects of sequential 4-channel NMES for compensatory application during swallowing and to observe the residual effects after the application of NMES using HRM.ResultsSequential 4-channel NMES significantly improved the HRM parameters, with respect to the maximal pressure and area of the velopharynx (VP), maximal pressure and area of the mesopharynx (MP), and upper esophageal sphincter (UES) activation and nadir duration. Furthermore, the improvement in the pressure and area variables of the VP and MP showed a tendency to maintain even when measured after NMES, but there are no significant differences.ConclusionsThe present study suggests that the sequential 4-channel NMES application of the suprahyoid and infrahyoid muscles during swallowing improves the pressure, area, and time variables of the oropharynx, as measured by HRM, and it is likely that the effects may persist even after stimulation.Trial Registration Clinicaltrials.gov, registration number: NCT02718963 (initial release: 03/20/2016, actual study completion date: 06/24/2016, last release: 10/20/2020).