Objective: To study the relationship between cortical auditory evoked potential (CAEP) thresholds and behavioral thresholds in pediatric populations with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). Methods: Fifteen children (m...Objective: To study the relationship between cortical auditory evoked potential (CAEP) thresholds and behavioral thresholds in pediatric populations with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). Methods: Fifteen children (mean age 6.8 years) with bilateral SNHL underwent behavioral pure-tone audiometry and CAEP testing at 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 kHz. CAEP thresholds were determined using tone bursts, and correlations between CAEP and pure-tone thresholds were analyzed using Pearson correlation and t-tests. Results: A strong positive correlation was observed between P1 thresholds and behavioral thresholds across all test frequencies: 0.5 kHz (r = 0.765, p Conclusion: The strong correlation between P1 and behavioral thresholds demonstrates the reliability of CAEP testing for estimating auditory thresholds in children. These findings support the use of CAEP testing as a reliable objective tool for threshold estimation, particularly in cases where behavioral responses cannot be reliably obtained. When adjusted with frequency-specific correction values, CAEP testing provides a reliable method for assessing hearing thresholds in pediatric populations.展开更多
The societal risk related to rainfalltriggered rapid debris flows is commonly managed in urbanized areas by means of early warning systems based on monitoring of hydrological parameters(such as rainfall or soil moistu...The societal risk related to rainfalltriggered rapid debris flows is commonly managed in urbanized areas by means of early warning systems based on monitoring of hydrological parameters(such as rainfall or soil moisture) and thresholds values.In Alpine catchments,this type of landslides is recurrent and represent one of the major geohazards.Debris flows are typically initiated by high-intensity rainstorms,prolonged rainfall with moderate intensity or snow melting.They frequently happen in situations of temporary infiltration into soils that are initially unsaturated.During significant rainfall events,the rise in pore water pressure can become crucial for the stability of slopes in particular areas.This phenomenon relies on hydraulic and geotechnical characteristics,along with the thickness of the involved soils.This procedure can result in a local drop in shear strength,as both apparent cohesion and effective stress decline,while driving forces rise because of the increase in unit weight.Accordingly,this study estimates Intensity-Duration(I-D) rainfall thresholds at the site-specific and distributed scales by combining empirical and physics-based approaches and modeling of soil coverings involved in soil slips or debris slides inducing debris flows.The approach was tested for mountain slopes of the Valtellina valley(Lombardia region,northern Italy),which suffered several catastrophic landslide events in the last decades.The empirical approach was adopted to reconstruct physics-based slope models of representative source areas of past debris flows events.To such a scope,nonpunctual but distributed data of hydro-mechanical soil properties and thicknesses were considered.Thus,to reconstruct the unsaturated/saturated critical conditions leading the slope instability,a combined hydrological modeling and infinite-slope stability analysis was adopted.This combined hydromechanical numerical model was used to attempt to determine a three-dimensional Intensity-Duration threshold for landslide initiation considering plausible rainfall for the Valtellina valley.Due to the lack of reliable records of past landslide hindering a thorough empirical analysis,the presented approach can be considered as a feasible approach for establishing a warning standard in urbanized areas at risk of shallow landslides triggered by rainfall.Moreover,findings highlight the importance of having access to spatially distributed soil characteristics to define and enhance input data for physics-based modelling.Finally,the proposed approach can aid an early warning system for the onset of shallow landslides by utilizing real-time rainfall monitoring or now-casting through a meteorological radar technique.展开更多
BackgroundIt's crucial to study the effect of changes in thresholds(T)and most comfortable levels(M)on behavioral measurements in young children using cochlear implants.This would help the clinician with the optim...BackgroundIt's crucial to study the effect of changes in thresholds(T)and most comfortable levels(M)on behavioral measurements in young children using cochlear implants.This would help the clinician with the optimization and validation of programming parameters.ObjectiveThe study has attempted to describe the changes in behavioral responses with modification of T and M levels.MethodsTwenty-five participants in the age range 5 to 12 years using HR90K/HiFocus1J or HR90KAdvantage/HiFocus1J with Harmony speech processors participated in the study.A decrease in T levels,a rise in T levels,or a decrease in M levels in the everyday program were used to create experimental programs.Sound field thresholds and speech perception were measured at 50 dBHL for three experimental and everyday programs.ConclusionThe results indicated that only reductions of M levels resulted in significantly(p<0.01)poor aided thresholds and speech perception.On the other hand,variation in T levels did not have significant changes in either sound field thresholds or speech perception.The results highlight that M levels must be correctly established in order to prevent decreased speech perception and audibility.展开更多
The oilseed crop Camelina sativa exhibits salinity tolerance,but the effects on early growth stages across a range of different salts and in combination with salicylic acid(SA)have not been thoroughly evaluated.In thi...The oilseed crop Camelina sativa exhibits salinity tolerance,but the effects on early growth stages across a range of different salts and in combination with salicylic acid(SA)have not been thoroughly evaluated.In this study,seeds were germinated in varying concentrations of six salts(NaCl,CaCl_(2),ZnCl_(2),KCl,MgSO_(4),and Na2SO_(4))with or without 0.5 mM SA.Using the halotime model,we estimated salt thresholds for germination and parameters of seedling growth.Germination and seedling growth parameters of camelina significantly decreased with increasing salt concentration across all salt types.Salts containing Zn and SO_(4) were most detrimental to germination and seedling growth.Except for KCl,0.5 mM SA generally reduced the salinity tolerance threshold(Saltb(50))of camelina.Specifically,Saltb(50)was 21.5%higher for KCl and 16.1%,25.0%,54.9%,21.0%,and 5.6%lower for CaCl_(2),NaCl,MgSO_(4),Na2SO_(4),and ZnCl_(2),respectively,when 0.5 mM SA was compared to 0 mM SA.Furthermore,camelina seedling growth was consistently more sensitive than germination across all salt types.SA did not significantly enhance germination or seedling growth and was harmful when combined with certain salts or at the germination stage.It can be concluded that both the type of salt and the concentration of SA are as critical as the salt concentration in saline irrigation water.展开更多
The geostress and rock blasting in underground engineering may greatly affect the stress thresholds of surrounding rock.In this study,pre-damage impact tests were first conducted on granite under varying confining pre...The geostress and rock blasting in underground engineering may greatly affect the stress thresholds of surrounding rock.In this study,pre-damage impact tests were first conducted on granite under varying confining pressures(5,10 and 15 MPa)and numbers of impacts(1,5,10 and 15 impacts).Then,uniaxial compression tests were undertaken on the pre-damaged granite to study the evolution of stress thresholds using the crack volume strain method and acoustic emission method.The crack damage stresses determined by the two methods were compared.Additionally,based on the rise time amplitude and average frequency,the evolution law of microcracks inside rock specimens was revealed,and an improved acoustic emission method was proposed.The results indicated that as the number of impacts increased,the crack closure stress,crack damage stress,and peak stress of granite specimens initially rose and then declined,while they continuously increased with the confining pressure.The proportion of shear cracks first declined and then rose with greater number of impacts and decreased with higher confining pressure,and that of tensile cracks showed the opposite trend.The improved acoustic emission method was more accurate in identifying the crack damage stress.展开更多
We investigate the mixed-state entanglement between two spins embedded in the XXZ Heisenberg chain under thermal equilibrium.By deriving an analytical expression for the entanglement of two-spin thermal states and ext...We investigate the mixed-state entanglement between two spins embedded in the XXZ Heisenberg chain under thermal equilibrium.By deriving an analytical expression for the entanglement of two-spin thermal states and extending this analysis to larger spin chains,we demonstrate that mixed-state entanglement is profoundly shaped by both disorder and temperature.Our results reveal a sharp distinction between many-body localized and ergodic phases,with entanglement vanishing above diferent fnite temperature thresholds.Furthermore,by analyzing non-adjacent spins,we uncover an approximate exponential decay of entanglement with separation.This work advances the understanding of the quantum-to-classical transition by linking the entanglement properties of small subsystems to the broader thermal environment,ofering an explanation for the absence of entanglement in macroscopic systems.These fndings provide critical insights into quantum many-body physics,bridging concepts from thermalization,localization,and quantum information theory.展开更多
Objective To investigate changes that occur in the brain when the physiological convulsive threshold becomes pathological,and to determine what differences occur in pathological and physiological convulsive thresholds...Objective To investigate changes that occur in the brain when the physiological convulsive threshold becomes pathological,and to determine what differences occur in pathological and physiological convulsive thresholds during the development of epilepsy. Methods In this study,the threshold for convulsions was determined by direct cortical stimulation in rats.The convulsive threshold was measured while recording electroencephalograms and subsequently examining histopathological changes in the hippocampus. Results At the beginning of the experiment,convulsive thresholds were all above 1 100 μA although there were significant individual variations in rats of the same group.But those thresholds quickly declined during the initial 4 weeks of repetitive electrical stimulation.The convulsive thresholds approached a constant level[TLS(430±34)μA,TGS(480±46)μA,TPS(605±70)μA]in the 10th week.There were no significant changes in thresholds when stimulation lasted for longer,the convulsive thresholds and the variations in rats of the same group were significantly lower than that at the beginning of the trial(P<0.01).An interictal discharge was also recorded in the 3rd week in heavy current group and at the 8th week in weak current group respectively which were concomitant with the neuronal da-mage and loss in the hippocampus.There was no abnormality observed in control group. Conclusion These findings indicate that the convulsion threshold in the brain should be divided into two stages:physiological convulsive threshold and pathological convulsive threshold(epileptic threshold).Epileptic threshold is created by pathological acquired factors which give rise to brain damage.The intensity of these pathological acquired factors is correlated with the formation of the pathological convulsive threshold.展开更多
It is imperative to derive an appropriate cadmium (Cd) health risk toxicity threshold for paddy soils to ensure the Cd con-centration of rice grains meet the food safety standard. In this study, 20 rice cultivars from...It is imperative to derive an appropriate cadmium (Cd) health risk toxicity threshold for paddy soils to ensure the Cd con-centration of rice grains meet the food safety standard. In this study, 20 rice cultivars from the main rice producing areas in China were selected, and a pot-experiment was conducted to investigate transformation of Cd in paddy soil-rice system with 0 (CK), 0.3 mg kg–1 (T1) and 0.6 mg kg–1 (T2) Cd treatments in greenhouse. The results showed that Cd concentrations of rice grains existed signiifcant difference (P<0.05) in 20 rice cultivars under the same Cd level in soil. The Cd concentrations of rice grains of the CK, T1 and T2 treatments were in the range of 0.143–0.202, 0.128–0.458 and 0.332–0.806 mg kg–1, respectively. Marked differences of the ratios of Cd concentration for soil to rice grain (BCFs) and transfer factors (TFs, root to grain and straw to grain) among the tested cultivars were observed in this study. The bioconcentration factors (BCFgrain) and TFs of the 20 rice cultivars were 0.300–1.112 and 0.342–0.817, respectively. The TFs of Cd from straw to grain ranged from 0.366 to 1.71, with signiifcant differences among these 20 rice cultivars. The bioconcentration factors (BCFgrain) and TFs among the 20 rice cultivars ranged from 0.300–1.112 and 0.342–0.817, respectively. The species-sensitivity distribu-tion (SSD) of Cd sensitivity of the rice species could be iftted wel with Burr-III (R2=0.987) based on the data of BCFs. The toxicity threshold of Cd derived from SSD for the paddy soil was 0.507 mg kg–1 in the present study.展开更多
The hand-held soil plant analysis development （SPAD） chlorophyll meter nitrogen status of the potato and guiding fertilization recommendations N recommendation, it is critical to establish the threshold SPAD value h...The hand-held soil plant analysis development （SPAD） chlorophyll meter nitrogen status of the potato and guiding fertilization recommendations N recommendation, it is critical to establish the threshold SPAD value has proved to be a promising tool in evaluating the n the process of N evaluation of potato plants and （SPAD reading）, below which nitrogen supplement is required. And taking convenient using into account, the threshold needs to be dynamic throughout the potato growing season so that the users can test their potato plants and make fertilization decision at any growing time of potato. To complete this goal, field experiments with different nitrogen supply levels were conducted in different sites in northern China from 2009 to 2011. The results showed that threshold SPAD values decrease as the growing season progresses for all cultivars and planting sites. By statistical analysis, the threshold regression models were established respectively as： y=-0.003χ2-0.0507χ＋58.213 （y, threshold SPAD value; χ, days after emergence） for the potato cultivar Kexin 1, and y=-0.003χ2＋0.017χ＋52.489 （y, threshold SPAD value; χ, days after emergence） for the cultivar Shepody, from which, the threshold SPAD value at any day after emergence can be calculated.展开更多
Penile hypersensitivity plays an important role in premature ejaculation （PE）, but differences in penile sensitivity among subtypes of PE are unknown. Therefore, we compared penile sensory thresholds in PE subtypes ...Penile hypersensitivity plays an important role in premature ejaculation （PE）, but differences in penile sensitivity among subtypes of PE are unknown. Therefore, we compared penile sensory thresholds in PE subtypes of lifelong and acquired PE, PE with and without erectile dysfunction （ED）, PE with an intravaginal ejaculation latency time 〈1 min and 〉1 min, and PE with and without orgasmic pleasure perceptual dysfunction. During August 2014 to January 2016, 136 patients with PE were included. Penile warm, cold, and vibratory thresholds were measured. Data of clinical characteristics, sexual life, Premature Ejaculation Diagnostic Tool （PEDT） score, and the 5-item version of the International Index of Erectile Function （IIEF-5） score were collected. Vibratory thresholds of the PE with ED group were higher in the right coronal sulcus （median amplitude： 4.92 vs 3.65 μm, P= 0.02） and the right penile shaft （median amplitude： 3.87 vs 3.30 μm, P = 0.03）, while differences in penile sensory thresholds between other subtypes were not significant. The median PEDT score was lower in the PE without ED group （12 vs 14, P 〈 0.001）. The IIEF-5 and PEDT scores were negatively correlated （r = -0.29, P 〈 0.001）. Patients with orgasmic pleasure perceptual dysfunction had a lower median IIEF-5 score （20 vs 21, P = 0.02）. Patients with PE and ED had lower penile sensitivity, and ED was associated with more severe symptoms and weaker orgasmic pleasure perception. In men with PE, management of comorbid ED is necessary. In case of side effects in erectile function, topical anesthetics should be cautiously used in men with PE and ED.展开更多
Regional guidelines for soil heavy metals,in conjunction with specific crops,are proposed to better assess soil environmental quality.In this study,large amounts of soils with different levels of Pb/Cd/As pollution we...Regional guidelines for soil heavy metals,in conjunction with specific crops,are proposed to better assess soil environmental quality.In this study,large amounts of soils with different levels of Pb/Cd/As pollution were collected in Guangdong Province,China,to carry out a pot experiment,which was closer to the actual situation and properties of the heavy metal contaminated soils.Taking the widely planted vegetable pakchoi as the research object,we analyzed the correlations between the Pb/Cd/As concentrations in pakchoi and the total or available soil Pb/Cd/As concentrations and established their optimal regression equations.And then,the total and available soil Pb/Cd/As thresholds for pakchoi were calculated according to the allowable Pb/Cd/As limits in pakchoi and were compared with the current soil assessment standards.Furthermore,a lot of paired vegetable-soil samples in field were collected and their pollution situations were assessed by both the current limit thresholds and the calculated thresholds.Obviously,it was more consistent to assess the Cd and As pollution situation of the vegetable and soil samples with the calculated soil thresholds than the current soil assessment thresholds.It further proved that it was necessary to explore the soil heavy metal thresholds for safety of vegetable in specific regions,which would be more scientific and practical to guide safety production of local agricultural products and effective utilization of soil resources.展开更多
Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine if heart rate variability(HRV) during incremental test could be used to estimate ventilatory threshold(VT) in professional basketball players, with sufficient precision ...Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine if heart rate variability(HRV) during incremental test could be used to estimate ventilatory threshold(VT) in professional basketball players, with sufficient precision to be used in their training. Furthermore, the second aim was to analyse the association between HRV and 3 methods of VT determination by gas analysis.Methods: Twenty-four professional basketball players(age: 23.4 ± 4.9 years; height: 195.4 ± 9.8 cm; body mass: 92.2 ± 11.9 kg) performed an incremental running test to exhaustion. First ventilatory threshold(VT1) was determined by ventilatory equivalent(VE) and HRV and second ventilatory threshold(VT2) was determined by 3 methods of gases analysis(V-slope, VE and gas exchange ratio(R), and HRV). Pearson's coefficient(r) was used to detect differences between data and the strength of each relationship. The mean of absolute differences and Bland–Altman analysis were used to evaluate whether there was agreement.Results: The results showed no significant differences in HR and oxygen consumption(VO2) at VT1 between the 2 methods. Furthermore, no significant differences among the methods of gases analysis and HRV were observed in speed, HR, and VO2 at VT2. Moreover, VTs estimated using HRV and gas methods were significantly correlated. Correlation in HR values was higher between R and HRV(r = 0.96) and VE and HRV(r = 0.96) than V-slope and HRV(r = 0.90).Conclusion: These findings provide a practical, inexpensive approach for evaluating specific training loads when determining VT2 in basketball players. Therefore, HRV is an alternative method to determine VT2 without the application of expensive technology that limits its use to laboratories.展开更多
BACKGROUND： Physiological convulsive thresholds degrade when the brain is in some pathologic states; thus, a level of stimulus that cannot provoke a convulsion may evoke a seizure or epileptic seizure. OBJECTIVE： To...BACKGROUND： Physiological convulsive thresholds degrade when the brain is in some pathologic states; thus, a level of stimulus that cannot provoke a convulsion may evoke a seizure or epileptic seizure. OBJECTIVE： To investigate the changes that occur in the brain when the physiological convulsive threshold becomes pathological, and to determine what differences occur in pathological and physiological convulsive thresholds during the development of epilepsy. DESIGN： A randomized controlled animal experiment. SETTING： Research Institute of Epilepsy of Shanxi Medical University; Department of Neurology, The Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University; Research Institute of Function of Shanxi Medical University. MATERIALS： Thirty-six female Wistar rats were selected for this study. The rats were obtained from the experimental animal center of Shanxi Medical University. All laboratory procedures complied with animal ethical standards. The animals were randomly divided into three groups： a strong current group, a weak current group and a control group, with 12 rats in each group. An automatic determinator of seizure threshold was made at Shanxi Medical University and Taiyuan University of Technology. Two bipolar stainless steel stimulating electrodes and an electrode connector （diameter 1.2 ram） were made at Taiyuan University of Technology. METHODS： This study was performed in the laboratory of Research Institute of the Epilepsy of Shanxi Medical University between December 2005 and August 2006. The threshold of localized seizures was measured by performing direct cortical stimulation in rats under anesthesia. After 1 week of post-operative recovery, electric stimulation was started with three different kinds of stimulation. Seizure activity was induced by a ramp-shaped single train of biphasic pulses （50 Hz, total pulse duration of 2 ms, increasing from 0 to 2 000μ A in 15 seconds）. The threshold of localized seizures （TLS） has been defined as the minimum current intensity necessary to provoke convulsion of the forelimbs and/or facial muscles. Up to the TLS, if stimulation continued, the current intensity necessary to provoke the generalized seizures is called the threshold of generalized seizures （TGS）. If stimulation is continued for about 2 seconds when the TGS is reached, rats still showed generalized clonic activity after stimulation ceased. When seizures stopped, a short period of immobility can be observed. The current intensity is called the threshold of prolonged seizures （TPS）. The rats in the strong current group were stimulated up to the current level required to reach the TPS. In the course of stimulation, first, the TLS was recorded, then the TGS, and finally the TPS. The stimulation interval in one session was 10 minutes, repeated twice daily. The rats in the weak current group were only stimulated up to the current levels required to reach the TGS; first, the TLS was recorded and then the TGS was measured at the same time as the strong current group. Control animals were also equipped with a full electrode set and placed in the same conditions, but no stimulation took place, only electroencephalogram （EEG） recording at the same times as the experimental groups. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： ① Stimulation of the two experimental groups lasted for 11 weeks and then observation of their behavior and electroencephalogram recording continued for 4 weeks. The control group was also observed over a total of 15 weeks. ② Observing neuronal damage/loss in the hippocampus with a light microscope using a 250x visual field. RESULTS： All 36 Wistar rats were included in the final analysis. At the beginning of the experiment, the convulsive thresholds were all above 1 100 μA, although there were significant individual variations among rats of the same group. Those thresholds quickly declined during the initial 4 weeks of repetitive electrical stimulation. The convulsive thresholds approached a constant level in the 10^th week after commencement of stimulation. There were no significant changes in thresholds when stimulations lasted longer; the convulsive thresholds and the variations in rats of the same group were significantly lower than at the beginning of the trial （P 〈 0.01）. An interictal discharge was also recorded in the 3^rd week in the strong current group, and in the 8th week in the weak current group; these discharges were concomitant with neuronal damage and loss in the hippocampus. There was no abnormality observed in the control group. CONCLUSION： These findings indicated that the convulsion threshold in the brain should be divided into two stages： a physiological convulsive threshold and a pathological convulsive threshold （epileptic threshold） The epileptic threshold is created by pathologically acquired factors, which give rise to brain damage. The increase in the intensity of these pathologically acquired factors led to aggravation of damage.展开更多
The case-based reasoning（CBR） and rule-based reasoning（RBR） fusion systems include a diverse range of fusion methods and their tasks are characterized by interleaving combination of the reasoning procedures. Exist...The case-based reasoning（CBR） and rule-based reasoning（RBR） fusion systems include a diverse range of fusion methods and their tasks are characterized by interleaving combination of the reasoning procedures. Existing approaches cannot clarify the complex relationships between data from the knowledge sources nor uniformly represent the heterogeneous case and rule knowledge in one fusion space. As a result, existing approaches fail to solve system fragility due to knowledge uncertainty and reasoning unreliability. For the purpose of addressing the difficulties, a novel algorithm for CBR-RBR fusion with robust thresholds（CRFRT） is proposed. Heterogeneous case and rule knowledge are uniformly represented in one defined fusion unitary space. The robust thresholds have been achieved to distinguish the complex relationships between meta-knowledge in the fusion space and to enhance system capacity of knowledge identification. Furthermore, fusion reasoning strategies are constructed for CRFRT and its procedure based on which robust solution of the fusion reasoning problem is obtained. Finally, CRFRT is validated by benchmark problems in machine learning. Compared with other CBR and RBR approaches, the reasoning efficiency and accuracy are increased by 5% and 2.2% respectively. The variations of system accuracy are decreased by 2% to 3.8%. The above results show that the CRFRT algorithm boosts the system＇s effectiveness and robustness. The proposed CRFRT can solve the fragility of complex intelligence decision system and give quality performance for fault diagnosis.展开更多
The Himalayan region has been severely affected by landslides especially during the monsoons. In particular, Kalimpong region in Darjeeling Himalayas has recorded several landslides and has caused significant loss of ...The Himalayan region has been severely affected by landslides especially during the monsoons. In particular, Kalimpong region in Darjeeling Himalayas has recorded several landslides and has caused significant loss of life, property and agricultural land. The study region, Chibo has experienced several landslides in the past which were mainly debris and earth slide. Globally, several types of rainfall thresholds have been used to determine rainfall-induced landslide incidents. In this paper, probabilistic thresholds have been defined as it would provide a better understanding compared to deterministic thresholds which provide binary results, i.e., either landslide or no landslide for a particular rainfall event. Not much research has been carried out towards validation of rainfall thresholds using an effective and robust monitoring system. The thresholds are then validated using a reliable system utilizing Microelectromechanical Systems(MEMS) tilt sensor and volumetric water content sensor installed in the region. The system measures the tilt of the instrument which is installed at shallow depths and is ideal for an early warning system for shallow landslides. The change in observed tilt angles due to rainfall would give an understanding of the applicability of the probabilistic model. The probabilities determined using Bayes' theorem have been calculated using the rainfall parameters and landslide data in 2010-2016. The rainfall values were collected from an automatic rain gauge setup near the Chibo region. The probabilities were validated using the MEMS based monitoring system setup in Chibo for the monsoon season of 2017. This is the first attempt to determine probabilities and validate it with a robust and effective monitoring system in Darjeeling Himalayas. This study would help in developing an early warning system for regions where the installation of monitoring systems may not be feasible.展开更多
Fuel moisture content is one of the important factors that determine ignition probability and fire behaviour in forest ecosystems.In this study,ignition and fire spread moisture content thresholds of 40 dead fuel were...Fuel moisture content is one of the important factors that determine ignition probability and fire behaviour in forest ecosystems.In this study,ignition and fire spread moisture content thresholds of 40 dead fuel were performed in laboratory experiments,with a focus on the source of ignition and wind speed.Variability in fuel moisture content at time of ignition and during fire spread was observed for different fuels.Matches were more efficient to result in ignition and spread fire with high values of fuel moisture content compared to the use of cigarette butts.Some fuels did not ignite at 15%moisture content,whereas others ignited at 40%moisture content and fire spread at 38%moisture content in the case of matches,or ignited at 27%moisture content and spread fire at 25%moisture content using cigarette butts.A two-way ANOVA showed that both the source of ignition and the wind speed affected ignition and fire spread threshold significantly,but there was no interaction between these factors.The relationship between ignition and fire spread was strong,with R2=98%for cigarette butts,and 92%for matches.Further information is needed,especially on the density of fuels,fuel proportion(case of mixed fuels),fuel age,and fuel combustibility.展开更多
Since the first impoundment of the Three Gorges Reservoir(TGR)in China in 2003,more than 5000 landslides including potential landslides were identified.In this paper,a deep-seated active landslide in TGR area was anal...Since the first impoundment of the Three Gorges Reservoir(TGR)in China in 2003,more than 5000 landslides including potential landslides were identified.In this paper,a deep-seated active landslide in TGR area was analyzed.Fourteen years’monitoring data and field investigations from 2006 to 2020 were used to analyze the deformation characteristics,influencing factors,and meteohydrological thresholds.The landslide showed a none-overall periodic movement pattern featuring acceleration during long-duration rainfall and rapid transition to constant creep after rainfall events.Two secondary sliding masses,No.1 and No.2,were defined via field investigation.The reservoir has no impact on the deformation whereas long-duration-low-intensity rainfall is the main factor.At present,the cumulative displacements of the main sliding mass range from 0.9 to 3.2 m,and the deformation during the rainy season is gradually increasing.The boundary of this landslide was formed,and the boundary of No.2 sliding mass became obvious.The probability of the failure of sliding mass No.2 is very high under the conditions of continuous rainfall.The 15-day antecedent rainfall combined with 4-day cumulative rainfall could be the rainfall threshold which could be associated with the groundwater level S1 of 294 m above sea level for forecasting large deformation of Tanjiawan landslide.展开更多
Among many epidemic models, one epidemic disease may transmit with the existence of other pathogens or other strains from the same pathogen. In this paper, we consider the case where all of the strains obey the suscep...Among many epidemic models, one epidemic disease may transmit with the existence of other pathogens or other strains from the same pathogen. In this paper, we consider the case where all of the strains obey the susceptible-infected- susceptible mechanism and compete with each other at the expense of common susceptible individuals. By using the heterogenous mean-field approach, we discuss the epidemic threshold for one of two strains. We confirm the existence of epidemic threshold in both finite and infinite populations subject to underlying epidemic transmission. Simulations in the Barabasi-Albert （BA） scale-free networks are in good agreement with the analytical results.展开更多
Spectral computed tomography(CT) based on photon counting detectors(PCDs) is a well-researched topic in the field of X-ray imaging. When PCD is applied in a spectral CT system, the PCD energy thresholds must be carefu...Spectral computed tomography(CT) based on photon counting detectors(PCDs) is a well-researched topic in the field of X-ray imaging. When PCD is applied in a spectral CT system, the PCD energy thresholds must be carefully selected, especially for K-edge imaging, which is an important spectral CT application. This paper presents a threshold selection method that yields better-quality images in K-edge imaging. The main idea is to optimize the energy thresholds ray-by-ray according to the targeted component coefficients, followed by obtaining an overall optimal energy threshold by frequency voting. A low-dose pre-scan is used in practical implementations to estimate the line integrals of the component coefficients for the basis functions. The variance of the decomposed component coefficients is then minimized using the Cramer–Rao lower bound method with respect to the energy thresholds. The optimal energy thresholds are then used to take a full scan and gain better image reconstruction with less noise than would be given by a full scan using the non-optimal energy thresholds. Simulations and practical experiments on imaging iodine and gadolinium solutions, which are commonly used as contrast agents in medical applications, were used to validate the method. The noise was significantly reduced with the same dose relative to the non-optimal energy thresholds in both simulations and in practical experiments.展开更多
Information on hearing thresholds is not always reliable as differences in these thresholds have been described even for the same species. This may partially be due to different methods used by different labs. A frequ...Information on hearing thresholds is not always reliable as differences in these thresholds have been described even for the same species. This may partially be due to different methods used by different labs. A frequently used approach to obtain an estimate of hearing threshold is the electrophysiological recording of auditory brainstem responses (ABR). They are usually recorded under deep anesthesia and represent the auditory evoked far-field potentials at various levels in the central auditory pathway. Alternatively, several behavioral approaches are employed. These commonly use operant or classical conditioning to determine hearing thresholds. A potential disadvantage of these methods is that any sound conditioning may in principle alter auditory perception and therefore auditory thresholds. To exclude this type of methodological bias a prepulse inhibition (PPI) paradigm can be used where an audiogram can be determined without any kind of pre-training. Here we compare the threshold estimates obtained by two different ABR and PPI measurements where stimuli are presented in different contexts, either randomly or non-randomly, to test for a possible effect of auditory sensitization. In addition we test the effect of a frequency specific acoustic trauma on the audiograms obtained with both methods. In general we find behaviorally determined audiograms to be significantly lower in absolute thresh- old compared to ABR measurements. Furthermore non-randomized presentation context of the stimuli generally results in audiograms with 10 to 15 dB lower thresholds than pseudo-randomized presentation. Finally, the amount of threshold loss induced by acoustic trauma is similar for all methods tested.展开更多
文摘Objective: To study the relationship between cortical auditory evoked potential (CAEP) thresholds and behavioral thresholds in pediatric populations with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). Methods: Fifteen children (mean age 6.8 years) with bilateral SNHL underwent behavioral pure-tone audiometry and CAEP testing at 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 kHz. CAEP thresholds were determined using tone bursts, and correlations between CAEP and pure-tone thresholds were analyzed using Pearson correlation and t-tests. Results: A strong positive correlation was observed between P1 thresholds and behavioral thresholds across all test frequencies: 0.5 kHz (r = 0.765, p Conclusion: The strong correlation between P1 and behavioral thresholds demonstrates the reliability of CAEP testing for estimating auditory thresholds in children. These findings support the use of CAEP testing as a reliable objective tool for threshold estimation, particularly in cases where behavioral responses cannot be reliably obtained. When adjusted with frequency-specific correction values, CAEP testing provides a reliable method for assessing hearing thresholds in pediatric populations.
文摘The societal risk related to rainfalltriggered rapid debris flows is commonly managed in urbanized areas by means of early warning systems based on monitoring of hydrological parameters(such as rainfall or soil moisture) and thresholds values.In Alpine catchments,this type of landslides is recurrent and represent one of the major geohazards.Debris flows are typically initiated by high-intensity rainstorms,prolonged rainfall with moderate intensity or snow melting.They frequently happen in situations of temporary infiltration into soils that are initially unsaturated.During significant rainfall events,the rise in pore water pressure can become crucial for the stability of slopes in particular areas.This phenomenon relies on hydraulic and geotechnical characteristics,along with the thickness of the involved soils.This procedure can result in a local drop in shear strength,as both apparent cohesion and effective stress decline,while driving forces rise because of the increase in unit weight.Accordingly,this study estimates Intensity-Duration(I-D) rainfall thresholds at the site-specific and distributed scales by combining empirical and physics-based approaches and modeling of soil coverings involved in soil slips or debris slides inducing debris flows.The approach was tested for mountain slopes of the Valtellina valley(Lombardia region,northern Italy),which suffered several catastrophic landslide events in the last decades.The empirical approach was adopted to reconstruct physics-based slope models of representative source areas of past debris flows events.To such a scope,nonpunctual but distributed data of hydro-mechanical soil properties and thicknesses were considered.Thus,to reconstruct the unsaturated/saturated critical conditions leading the slope instability,a combined hydrological modeling and infinite-slope stability analysis was adopted.This combined hydromechanical numerical model was used to attempt to determine a three-dimensional Intensity-Duration threshold for landslide initiation considering plausible rainfall for the Valtellina valley.Due to the lack of reliable records of past landslide hindering a thorough empirical analysis,the presented approach can be considered as a feasible approach for establishing a warning standard in urbanized areas at risk of shallow landslides triggered by rainfall.Moreover,findings highlight the importance of having access to spatially distributed soil characteristics to define and enhance input data for physics-based modelling.Finally,the proposed approach can aid an early warning system for the onset of shallow landslides by utilizing real-time rainfall monitoring or now-casting through a meteorological radar technique.
文摘BackgroundIt's crucial to study the effect of changes in thresholds(T)and most comfortable levels(M)on behavioral measurements in young children using cochlear implants.This would help the clinician with the optimization and validation of programming parameters.ObjectiveThe study has attempted to describe the changes in behavioral responses with modification of T and M levels.MethodsTwenty-five participants in the age range 5 to 12 years using HR90K/HiFocus1J or HR90KAdvantage/HiFocus1J with Harmony speech processors participated in the study.A decrease in T levels,a rise in T levels,or a decrease in M levels in the everyday program were used to create experimental programs.Sound field thresholds and speech perception were measured at 50 dBHL for three experimental and everyday programs.ConclusionThe results indicated that only reductions of M levels resulted in significantly(p<0.01)poor aided thresholds and speech perception.On the other hand,variation in T levels did not have significant changes in either sound field thresholds or speech perception.The results highlight that M levels must be correctly established in order to prevent decreased speech perception and audibility.
基金the Genetics and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute of Tabarestan (GABIT) Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University (SANRU) for the use of the services and financial supports of this research
文摘The oilseed crop Camelina sativa exhibits salinity tolerance,but the effects on early growth stages across a range of different salts and in combination with salicylic acid(SA)have not been thoroughly evaluated.In this study,seeds were germinated in varying concentrations of six salts(NaCl,CaCl_(2),ZnCl_(2),KCl,MgSO_(4),and Na2SO_(4))with or without 0.5 mM SA.Using the halotime model,we estimated salt thresholds for germination and parameters of seedling growth.Germination and seedling growth parameters of camelina significantly decreased with increasing salt concentration across all salt types.Salts containing Zn and SO_(4) were most detrimental to germination and seedling growth.Except for KCl,0.5 mM SA generally reduced the salinity tolerance threshold(Saltb(50))of camelina.Specifically,Saltb(50)was 21.5%higher for KCl and 16.1%,25.0%,54.9%,21.0%,and 5.6%lower for CaCl_(2),NaCl,MgSO_(4),Na2SO_(4),and ZnCl_(2),respectively,when 0.5 mM SA was compared to 0 mM SA.Furthermore,camelina seedling growth was consistently more sensitive than germination across all salt types.SA did not significantly enhance germination or seedling growth and was harmful when combined with certain salts or at the germination stage.It can be concluded that both the type of salt and the concentration of SA are as critical as the salt concentration in saline irrigation water.
基金Project(2023YFC2907400)by the National Key Research and Development Program of China-2023 Key Special ProjectProject(51974043)supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China+2 种基金Project(SKLCRKF1908)supported by the Open Fund of the State Key Laboratory of Coal Resources in Western China,Xi’an University of Science and Technology,ChinaProject(2023JJ10072)suupported by the Hunan Provincial Natural Science Foundation for Distinguished Young ScholarsProject(2022RC1173)supported by the Science and Technology Innovation Program of Hunan Province,China。
文摘The geostress and rock blasting in underground engineering may greatly affect the stress thresholds of surrounding rock.In this study,pre-damage impact tests were first conducted on granite under varying confining pressures(5,10 and 15 MPa)and numbers of impacts(1,5,10 and 15 impacts).Then,uniaxial compression tests were undertaken on the pre-damaged granite to study the evolution of stress thresholds using the crack volume strain method and acoustic emission method.The crack damage stresses determined by the two methods were compared.Additionally,based on the rise time amplitude and average frequency,the evolution law of microcracks inside rock specimens was revealed,and an improved acoustic emission method was proposed.The results indicated that as the number of impacts increased,the crack closure stress,crack damage stress,and peak stress of granite specimens initially rose and then declined,while they continuously increased with the confining pressure.The proportion of shear cracks first declined and then rose with greater number of impacts and decreased with higher confining pressure,and that of tensile cracks showed the opposite trend.The improved acoustic emission method was more accurate in identifying the crack damage stress.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.92365202,12475011,and 11921005)the National Key R&D Program of China(Grant No.2024YFA1409002)Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Major Project(Grant No.2019SHZDZX01)。
文摘We investigate the mixed-state entanglement between two spins embedded in the XXZ Heisenberg chain under thermal equilibrium.By deriving an analytical expression for the entanglement of two-spin thermal states and extending this analysis to larger spin chains,we demonstrate that mixed-state entanglement is profoundly shaped by both disorder and temperature.Our results reveal a sharp distinction between many-body localized and ergodic phases,with entanglement vanishing above diferent fnite temperature thresholds.Furthermore,by analyzing non-adjacent spins,we uncover an approximate exponential decay of entanglement with separation.This work advances the understanding of the quantum-to-classical transition by linking the entanglement properties of small subsystems to the broader thermal environment,ofering an explanation for the absence of entanglement in macroscopic systems.These fndings provide critical insights into quantum many-body physics,bridging concepts from thermalization,localization,and quantum information theory.
文摘Objective To investigate changes that occur in the brain when the physiological convulsive threshold becomes pathological,and to determine what differences occur in pathological and physiological convulsive thresholds during the development of epilepsy. Methods In this study,the threshold for convulsions was determined by direct cortical stimulation in rats.The convulsive threshold was measured while recording electroencephalograms and subsequently examining histopathological changes in the hippocampus. Results At the beginning of the experiment,convulsive thresholds were all above 1 100 μA although there were significant individual variations in rats of the same group.But those thresholds quickly declined during the initial 4 weeks of repetitive electrical stimulation.The convulsive thresholds approached a constant level[TLS(430±34)μA,TGS(480±46)μA,TPS(605±70)μA]in the 10th week.There were no significant changes in thresholds when stimulation lasted for longer,the convulsive thresholds and the variations in rats of the same group were significantly lower than that at the beginning of the trial(P<0.01).An interictal discharge was also recorded in the 3rd week in heavy current group and at the 8th week in weak current group respectively which were concomitant with the neuronal da-mage and loss in the hippocampus.There was no abnormality observed in control group. Conclusion These findings indicate that the convulsion threshold in the brain should be divided into two stages:physiological convulsive threshold and pathological convulsive threshold(epileptic threshold).Epileptic threshold is created by pathological acquired factors which give rise to brain damage.The intensity of these pathological acquired factors is correlated with the formation of the pathological convulsive threshold.
基金support of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41271490, 21077131)
文摘It is imperative to derive an appropriate cadmium (Cd) health risk toxicity threshold for paddy soils to ensure the Cd con-centration of rice grains meet the food safety standard. In this study, 20 rice cultivars from the main rice producing areas in China were selected, and a pot-experiment was conducted to investigate transformation of Cd in paddy soil-rice system with 0 (CK), 0.3 mg kg–1 (T1) and 0.6 mg kg–1 (T2) Cd treatments in greenhouse. The results showed that Cd concentrations of rice grains existed signiifcant difference (P<0.05) in 20 rice cultivars under the same Cd level in soil. The Cd concentrations of rice grains of the CK, T1 and T2 treatments were in the range of 0.143–0.202, 0.128–0.458 and 0.332–0.806 mg kg–1, respectively. Marked differences of the ratios of Cd concentration for soil to rice grain (BCFs) and transfer factors (TFs, root to grain and straw to grain) among the tested cultivars were observed in this study. The bioconcentration factors (BCFgrain) and TFs of the 20 rice cultivars were 0.300–1.112 and 0.342–0.817, respectively. The TFs of Cd from straw to grain ranged from 0.366 to 1.71, with signiifcant differences among these 20 rice cultivars. The bioconcentration factors (BCFgrain) and TFs among the 20 rice cultivars ranged from 0.300–1.112 and 0.342–0.817, respectively. The species-sensitivity distribu-tion (SSD) of Cd sensitivity of the rice species could be iftted wel with Burr-III (R2=0.987) based on the data of BCFs. The toxicity threshold of Cd derived from SSD for the paddy soil was 0.507 mg kg–1 in the present study.
基金supported by the National Nature Science Foundation of China (31360502)the Pre-973 Project of China (2012CB126307)the Inner Mongolia Nature Science Foundation, China (2013ZD04)
文摘The hand-held soil plant analysis development （SPAD） chlorophyll meter nitrogen status of the potato and guiding fertilization recommendations N recommendation, it is critical to establish the threshold SPAD value has proved to be a promising tool in evaluating the n the process of N evaluation of potato plants and （SPAD reading）, below which nitrogen supplement is required. And taking convenient using into account, the threshold needs to be dynamic throughout the potato growing season so that the users can test their potato plants and make fertilization decision at any growing time of potato. To complete this goal, field experiments with different nitrogen supply levels were conducted in different sites in northern China from 2009 to 2011. The results showed that threshold SPAD values decrease as the growing season progresses for all cultivars and planting sites. By statistical analysis, the threshold regression models were established respectively as： y=-0.003χ2-0.0507χ＋58.213 （y, threshold SPAD value; χ, days after emergence） for the potato cultivar Kexin 1, and y=-0.003χ2＋0.017χ＋52.489 （y, threshold SPAD value; χ, days after emergence） for the cultivar Shepody, from which, the threshold SPAD value at any day after emergence can be calculated.
文摘Penile hypersensitivity plays an important role in premature ejaculation （PE）, but differences in penile sensitivity among subtypes of PE are unknown. Therefore, we compared penile sensory thresholds in PE subtypes of lifelong and acquired PE, PE with and without erectile dysfunction （ED）, PE with an intravaginal ejaculation latency time 〈1 min and 〉1 min, and PE with and without orgasmic pleasure perceptual dysfunction. During August 2014 to January 2016, 136 patients with PE were included. Penile warm, cold, and vibratory thresholds were measured. Data of clinical characteristics, sexual life, Premature Ejaculation Diagnostic Tool （PEDT） score, and the 5-item version of the International Index of Erectile Function （IIEF-5） score were collected. Vibratory thresholds of the PE with ED group were higher in the right coronal sulcus （median amplitude： 4.92 vs 3.65 μm, P= 0.02） and the right penile shaft （median amplitude： 3.87 vs 3.30 μm, P = 0.03）, while differences in penile sensory thresholds between other subtypes were not significant. The median PEDT score was lower in the PE without ED group （12 vs 14, P 〈 0.001）. The IIEF-5 and PEDT scores were negatively correlated （r = -0.29, P 〈 0.001）. Patients with orgasmic pleasure perceptual dysfunction had a lower median IIEF-5 score （20 vs 21, P = 0.02）. Patients with PE and ED had lower penile sensitivity, and ED was associated with more severe symptoms and weaker orgasmic pleasure perception. In men with PE, management of comorbid ED is necessary. In case of side effects in erectile function, topical anesthetics should be cautiously used in men with PE and ED.
基金supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong,China (2015A030313571)the Guangdong Provincial Science and Technology Projects,China (2014A020208069 and 2013B020204001)the the Guangdong Provincial Agricultural Standardization Research Project for 2016,China (YCN[2016]310)
文摘Regional guidelines for soil heavy metals,in conjunction with specific crops,are proposed to better assess soil environmental quality.In this study,large amounts of soils with different levels of Pb/Cd/As pollution were collected in Guangdong Province,China,to carry out a pot experiment,which was closer to the actual situation and properties of the heavy metal contaminated soils.Taking the widely planted vegetable pakchoi as the research object,we analyzed the correlations between the Pb/Cd/As concentrations in pakchoi and the total or available soil Pb/Cd/As concentrations and established their optimal regression equations.And then,the total and available soil Pb/Cd/As thresholds for pakchoi were calculated according to the allowable Pb/Cd/As limits in pakchoi and were compared with the current soil assessment standards.Furthermore,a lot of paired vegetable-soil samples in field were collected and their pollution situations were assessed by both the current limit thresholds and the calculated thresholds.Obviously,it was more consistent to assess the Cd and As pollution situation of the vegetable and soil samples with the calculated soil thresholds than the current soil assessment thresholds.It further proved that it was necessary to explore the soil heavy metal thresholds for safety of vegetable in specific regions,which would be more scientific and practical to guide safety production of local agricultural products and effective utilization of soil resources.
文摘Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine if heart rate variability(HRV) during incremental test could be used to estimate ventilatory threshold(VT) in professional basketball players, with sufficient precision to be used in their training. Furthermore, the second aim was to analyse the association between HRV and 3 methods of VT determination by gas analysis.Methods: Twenty-four professional basketball players(age: 23.4 ± 4.9 years; height: 195.4 ± 9.8 cm; body mass: 92.2 ± 11.9 kg) performed an incremental running test to exhaustion. First ventilatory threshold(VT1) was determined by ventilatory equivalent(VE) and HRV and second ventilatory threshold(VT2) was determined by 3 methods of gases analysis(V-slope, VE and gas exchange ratio(R), and HRV). Pearson's coefficient(r) was used to detect differences between data and the strength of each relationship. The mean of absolute differences and Bland–Altman analysis were used to evaluate whether there was agreement.Results: The results showed no significant differences in HR and oxygen consumption(VO2) at VT1 between the 2 methods. Furthermore, no significant differences among the methods of gases analysis and HRV were observed in speed, HR, and VO2 at VT2. Moreover, VTs estimated using HRV and gas methods were significantly correlated. Correlation in HR values was higher between R and HRV(r = 0.96) and VE and HRV(r = 0.96) than V-slope and HRV(r = 0.90).Conclusion: These findings provide a practical, inexpensive approach for evaluating specific training loads when determining VT2 in basketball players. Therefore, HRV is an alternative method to determine VT2 without the application of expensive technology that limits its use to laboratories.
文摘BACKGROUND： Physiological convulsive thresholds degrade when the brain is in some pathologic states; thus, a level of stimulus that cannot provoke a convulsion may evoke a seizure or epileptic seizure. OBJECTIVE： To investigate the changes that occur in the brain when the physiological convulsive threshold becomes pathological, and to determine what differences occur in pathological and physiological convulsive thresholds during the development of epilepsy. DESIGN： A randomized controlled animal experiment. SETTING： Research Institute of Epilepsy of Shanxi Medical University; Department of Neurology, The Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University; Research Institute of Function of Shanxi Medical University. MATERIALS： Thirty-six female Wistar rats were selected for this study. The rats were obtained from the experimental animal center of Shanxi Medical University. All laboratory procedures complied with animal ethical standards. The animals were randomly divided into three groups： a strong current group, a weak current group and a control group, with 12 rats in each group. An automatic determinator of seizure threshold was made at Shanxi Medical University and Taiyuan University of Technology. Two bipolar stainless steel stimulating electrodes and an electrode connector （diameter 1.2 ram） were made at Taiyuan University of Technology. METHODS： This study was performed in the laboratory of Research Institute of the Epilepsy of Shanxi Medical University between December 2005 and August 2006. The threshold of localized seizures was measured by performing direct cortical stimulation in rats under anesthesia. After 1 week of post-operative recovery, electric stimulation was started with three different kinds of stimulation. Seizure activity was induced by a ramp-shaped single train of biphasic pulses （50 Hz, total pulse duration of 2 ms, increasing from 0 to 2 000μ A in 15 seconds）. The threshold of localized seizures （TLS） has been defined as the minimum current intensity necessary to provoke convulsion of the forelimbs and/or facial muscles. Up to the TLS, if stimulation continued, the current intensity necessary to provoke the generalized seizures is called the threshold of generalized seizures （TGS）. If stimulation is continued for about 2 seconds when the TGS is reached, rats still showed generalized clonic activity after stimulation ceased. When seizures stopped, a short period of immobility can be observed. The current intensity is called the threshold of prolonged seizures （TPS）. The rats in the strong current group were stimulated up to the current level required to reach the TPS. In the course of stimulation, first, the TLS was recorded, then the TGS, and finally the TPS. The stimulation interval in one session was 10 minutes, repeated twice daily. The rats in the weak current group were only stimulated up to the current levels required to reach the TGS; first, the TLS was recorded and then the TGS was measured at the same time as the strong current group. Control animals were also equipped with a full electrode set and placed in the same conditions, but no stimulation took place, only electroencephalogram （EEG） recording at the same times as the experimental groups. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： ① Stimulation of the two experimental groups lasted for 11 weeks and then observation of their behavior and electroencephalogram recording continued for 4 weeks. The control group was also observed over a total of 15 weeks. ② Observing neuronal damage/loss in the hippocampus with a light microscope using a 250x visual field. RESULTS： All 36 Wistar rats were included in the final analysis. At the beginning of the experiment, the convulsive thresholds were all above 1 100 μA, although there were significant individual variations among rats of the same group. Those thresholds quickly declined during the initial 4 weeks of repetitive electrical stimulation. The convulsive thresholds approached a constant level in the 10^th week after commencement of stimulation. There were no significant changes in thresholds when stimulations lasted longer; the convulsive thresholds and the variations in rats of the same group were significantly lower than at the beginning of the trial （P 〈 0.01）. An interictal discharge was also recorded in the 3^rd week in the strong current group, and in the 8th week in the weak current group; these discharges were concomitant with neuronal damage and loss in the hippocampus. There was no abnormality observed in the control group. CONCLUSION： These findings indicated that the convulsion threshold in the brain should be divided into two stages： a physiological convulsive threshold and a pathological convulsive threshold （epileptic threshold） The epileptic threshold is created by pathologically acquired factors, which give rise to brain damage. The increase in the intensity of these pathologically acquired factors led to aggravation of damage.
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No. 71171143)National Natural Science Foundation of China Youth(Grant No. 71201087)+2 种基金Tianjin Municipal Research Program of Application Foundation and Advanced Technology of China(Grant No. 10JCYBJC07300)Tianjin Municipal Key Project of Science and Technology Supporting Program of China(Grant No. 09ECKFGX00600)Science and Technology Program of FOXCONN Group(Grant No. 120024001156)
文摘The case-based reasoning（CBR） and rule-based reasoning（RBR） fusion systems include a diverse range of fusion methods and their tasks are characterized by interleaving combination of the reasoning procedures. Existing approaches cannot clarify the complex relationships between data from the knowledge sources nor uniformly represent the heterogeneous case and rule knowledge in one fusion space. As a result, existing approaches fail to solve system fragility due to knowledge uncertainty and reasoning unreliability. For the purpose of addressing the difficulties, a novel algorithm for CBR-RBR fusion with robust thresholds（CRFRT） is proposed. Heterogeneous case and rule knowledge are uniformly represented in one defined fusion unitary space. The robust thresholds have been achieved to distinguish the complex relationships between meta-knowledge in the fusion space and to enhance system capacity of knowledge identification. Furthermore, fusion reasoning strategies are constructed for CRFRT and its procedure based on which robust solution of the fusion reasoning problem is obtained. Finally, CRFRT is validated by benchmark problems in machine learning. Compared with other CBR and RBR approaches, the reasoning efficiency and accuracy are increased by 5% and 2.2% respectively. The variations of system accuracy are decreased by 2% to 3.8%. The above results show that the CRFRT algorithm boosts the system＇s effectiveness and robustness. The proposed CRFRT can solve the fragility of complex intelligence decision system and give quality performance for fault diagnosis.
基金the Department of Science & Technology (DST), New Delhi for funding the research project Landslide hazard assessment and monitoring at Chibo Pashyar, Kalimpong (Grant No. NRDMS/02/31/015(G))
文摘The Himalayan region has been severely affected by landslides especially during the monsoons. In particular, Kalimpong region in Darjeeling Himalayas has recorded several landslides and has caused significant loss of life, property and agricultural land. The study region, Chibo has experienced several landslides in the past which were mainly debris and earth slide. Globally, several types of rainfall thresholds have been used to determine rainfall-induced landslide incidents. In this paper, probabilistic thresholds have been defined as it would provide a better understanding compared to deterministic thresholds which provide binary results, i.e., either landslide or no landslide for a particular rainfall event. Not much research has been carried out towards validation of rainfall thresholds using an effective and robust monitoring system. The thresholds are then validated using a reliable system utilizing Microelectromechanical Systems(MEMS) tilt sensor and volumetric water content sensor installed in the region. The system measures the tilt of the instrument which is installed at shallow depths and is ideal for an early warning system for shallow landslides. The change in observed tilt angles due to rainfall would give an understanding of the applicability of the probabilistic model. The probabilities determined using Bayes' theorem have been calculated using the rainfall parameters and landslide data in 2010-2016. The rainfall values were collected from an automatic rain gauge setup near the Chibo region. The probabilities were validated using the MEMS based monitoring system setup in Chibo for the monsoon season of 2017. This is the first attempt to determine probabilities and validate it with a robust and effective monitoring system in Darjeeling Himalayas. This study would help in developing an early warning system for regions where the installation of monitoring systems may not be feasible.
基金funded by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2018YFE0207800)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(2572019CP10)+1 种基金the National Innovation Alliance of Wildland Fire Prevention and Control Technology of Chinathe Northern Forest Fire Management Key Laboratory of the State Forestry and Grassland Bureau。
文摘Fuel moisture content is one of the important factors that determine ignition probability and fire behaviour in forest ecosystems.In this study,ignition and fire spread moisture content thresholds of 40 dead fuel were performed in laboratory experiments,with a focus on the source of ignition and wind speed.Variability in fuel moisture content at time of ignition and during fire spread was observed for different fuels.Matches were more efficient to result in ignition and spread fire with high values of fuel moisture content compared to the use of cigarette butts.Some fuels did not ignite at 15%moisture content,whereas others ignited at 40%moisture content and fire spread at 38%moisture content in the case of matches,or ignited at 27%moisture content and spread fire at 25%moisture content using cigarette butts.A two-way ANOVA showed that both the source of ignition and the wind speed affected ignition and fire spread threshold significantly,but there was no interaction between these factors.The relationship between ignition and fire spread was strong,with R2=98%for cigarette butts,and 92%for matches.Further information is needed,especially on the density of fuels,fuel proportion(case of mixed fuels),fuel age,and fuel combustibility.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.42172303,No.41877254)the National Key R&D Program of China(Grant No.2018YFC1504803,2018YFC1505102)the Research Fund for Excellent Dissertation of China Three Gorges University(Grant No.2020SSPY018)。
文摘Since the first impoundment of the Three Gorges Reservoir(TGR)in China in 2003,more than 5000 landslides including potential landslides were identified.In this paper,a deep-seated active landslide in TGR area was analyzed.Fourteen years’monitoring data and field investigations from 2006 to 2020 were used to analyze the deformation characteristics,influencing factors,and meteohydrological thresholds.The landslide showed a none-overall periodic movement pattern featuring acceleration during long-duration rainfall and rapid transition to constant creep after rainfall events.Two secondary sliding masses,No.1 and No.2,were defined via field investigation.The reservoir has no impact on the deformation whereas long-duration-low-intensity rainfall is the main factor.At present,the cumulative displacements of the main sliding mass range from 0.9 to 3.2 m,and the deformation during the rainy season is gradually increasing.The boundary of this landslide was formed,and the boundary of No.2 sliding mass became obvious.The probability of the failure of sliding mass No.2 is very high under the conditions of continuous rainfall.The 15-day antecedent rainfall combined with 4-day cumulative rainfall could be the rainfall threshold which could be associated with the groundwater level S1 of 294 m above sea level for forecasting large deformation of Tanjiawan landslide.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 11072136)the Shanghai Leading Academic Discipline Project,China (Grant No. S30104)
文摘Among many epidemic models, one epidemic disease may transmit with the existence of other pathogens or other strains from the same pathogen. In this paper, we consider the case where all of the strains obey the susceptible-infected- susceptible mechanism and compete with each other at the expense of common susceptible individuals. By using the heterogenous mean-field approach, we discuss the epidemic threshold for one of two strains. We confirm the existence of epidemic threshold in both finite and infinite populations subject to underlying epidemic transmission. Simulations in the Barabasi-Albert （BA） scale-free networks are in good agreement with the analytical results.
基金supported by Grants from National key research and development program(No.2016YFF0101304)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.61771279,11435007)
文摘Spectral computed tomography(CT) based on photon counting detectors(PCDs) is a well-researched topic in the field of X-ray imaging. When PCD is applied in a spectral CT system, the PCD energy thresholds must be carefully selected, especially for K-edge imaging, which is an important spectral CT application. This paper presents a threshold selection method that yields better-quality images in K-edge imaging. The main idea is to optimize the energy thresholds ray-by-ray according to the targeted component coefficients, followed by obtaining an overall optimal energy threshold by frequency voting. A low-dose pre-scan is used in practical implementations to estimate the line integrals of the component coefficients for the basis functions. The variance of the decomposed component coefficients is then minimized using the Cramer–Rao lower bound method with respect to the energy thresholds. The optimal energy thresholds are then used to take a full scan and gain better image reconstruction with less noise than would be given by a full scan using the non-optimal energy thresholds. Simulations and practical experiments on imaging iodine and gadolinium solutions, which are commonly used as contrast agents in medical applications, were used to validate the method. The noise was significantly reduced with the same dose relative to the non-optimal energy thresholds in both simulations and in practical experiments.
文摘Information on hearing thresholds is not always reliable as differences in these thresholds have been described even for the same species. This may partially be due to different methods used by different labs. A frequently used approach to obtain an estimate of hearing threshold is the electrophysiological recording of auditory brainstem responses (ABR). They are usually recorded under deep anesthesia and represent the auditory evoked far-field potentials at various levels in the central auditory pathway. Alternatively, several behavioral approaches are employed. These commonly use operant or classical conditioning to determine hearing thresholds. A potential disadvantage of these methods is that any sound conditioning may in principle alter auditory perception and therefore auditory thresholds. To exclude this type of methodological bias a prepulse inhibition (PPI) paradigm can be used where an audiogram can be determined without any kind of pre-training. Here we compare the threshold estimates obtained by two different ABR and PPI measurements where stimuli are presented in different contexts, either randomly or non-randomly, to test for a possible effect of auditory sensitization. In addition we test the effect of a frequency specific acoustic trauma on the audiograms obtained with both methods. In general we find behaviorally determined audiograms to be significantly lower in absolute thresh- old compared to ABR measurements. Furthermore non-randomized presentation context of the stimuli generally results in audiograms with 10 to 15 dB lower thresholds than pseudo-randomized presentation. Finally, the amount of threshold loss induced by acoustic trauma is similar for all methods tested.
