<strong>Introduction:</strong> In black Africa, connectivites have been for a long time a source of diagnostic erraticity because of their clinical polymorphism. This study aims to determine the therapeuti...<strong>Introduction:</strong> In black Africa, connectivites have been for a long time a source of diagnostic erraticity because of their clinical polymorphism. This study aims to determine the therapeutic itinerary of patients followed for connectivitis in the Internal Medicine Department of the CNHU HKM of Cotonou. <strong>Methodology:</strong> This is a cross-sectional study that included patients followed for connectivitis in the HKM-Cotonou Internal Medicine Department from January 2010 to October 2018. <strong>Results:</strong> Out of 3600 patients hospitalized in the study period, 21 had connectivitis, <i>i.e.</i> a hospital frequency of 0.58%. Of the 21 patients collected, 18 met the inclusion criteria. The mean age was 40 (±11) years old and the youngest was of 21 and the oldest 58. The sex ratio was 17.9. The “Fon” ethnic group was the most represented (33.3%) and 15 (83.3%) subjects were Christians. Systemic lupus erythematosus was the most frequent connectivitis (55.6%). The average time of consultation was 38 months. Witchcraft was the most incriminating cause (78%). Ten (55.5%) patients had resorted to self-medication as their first choice of treatment, 5 (27.8%) to traditional medicine treatment and 3 (16.7%) to prayer for healing. The reasons for the first choice of treatment were satisfaction (44.4%), financial problems (27.8%), trivialization of the disease (16.7%), and advice from family and friends (11.1%). The consultation at the CNHU followed a referral from a first contact health structure (61%) or an initiative of the patient (27.8%). <strong>Conclusion:</strong> Connectivitis is a source of diagnostic error in our context. Awareness must be raised among patients for an early consultation at the first symptoms.展开更多
In the Kigongo area of Mwanza Region,northwest Tanzania,fishmonger Neema Aisha remembers how the morning’s fresh catch would sour while she queued for the ferry,putting her business at risk.
Blockchain offers a promising solution to the security challenges faced by the Internet of Vehicles(IoV).However,due to the dynamic connectivity of IoV,blockchain based on a single-chain structure or Directed Acyclic ...Blockchain offers a promising solution to the security challenges faced by the Internet of Vehicles(IoV).However,due to the dynamic connectivity of IoV,blockchain based on a single-chain structure or Directed Acyclic Graph(DAG)structure often suffer from performance limitations.The DAG lattice structure is a novel blockchain model in which each node maintains its own account chain,and only the node itself is allowed to update it.This feature makes the DAG lattice structure particularly suitable for addressing the challenges in dynamically connected IoV environment.In this paper,we propose a blockchain architecture based on the DAG lattice structure,specifically designed for dynamically connected IoV.In the proposed system,nodes must obtain authorization from a trusted authority before joining,forming a permissioned blockchain.Each node is assigned an individual account chain,allowing vehicles with limited storage capacity to participate in the blockchain by storing transactions only from nearby vehicles’account chains.Every transmitted message is treated as a transaction and added to the blockchain,enablingmore efficient data transmission in a dynamic network environment.Areputation-based incentivemechanism is introduced to encourage nodes to behave normally.Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed architecture achieves better performance compared with traditional single-chain and DAG-based approaches in terms of average transmission delay and storage cost.展开更多
BACKGROUND Suicide constitutes the second leading cause of death among adolescents globally and represents a critical public health concern.The neural mechanisms underlying suicidal behavior in adolescents with major ...BACKGROUND Suicide constitutes the second leading cause of death among adolescents globally and represents a critical public health concern.The neural mechanisms underlying suicidal behavior in adolescents with major depressive disorder(MDD)remain poorly understood.Aberrant resting-state functional connectivity(rsFC)in the amygdala,a key region implicated in emotional regulation and threat detection,is strongly implicated in depression and suicidal behavior.AIM To investigate rsFC alterations between amygdala subregions and whole-brain networks in adolescent patients with depression and suicide attempts.METHODS Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data were acquired from 32 adolescents with MDD and suicide attempts(sMDD)group,33 adolescents with MDD but without suicide attempts(nsMDD)group,and 34 demographically matched healthy control(HC)group,with the lateral and medial amygdala(MeA)defined as regions of interest.The rsFC patterns of amygdala subregions were compared across the three groups,and associations between aberrant rsFC values and clinical symptom severity scores were examined.RESULTS Compared with the nsMDD group,the sMDD group exhibited reduced rsFC between the right lateral amygdala(LA)and the right inferior occipital gyrus as well as the left middle occipital gyrus.Compared with the HC group,the abnormal brain regions of rsFC in the sMDD group and nsMDD group involve the parahippocampal gyrus(PHG)and fusiform gyrus.In the sMDD group,right MeA and right temporal pole:Superior temporal gyrus rsFC value negatively correlated with the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale scores(r=-0.409,P=0.025),while left LA and right PHG rsFC value positively correlated with the Adolescent Self-Rating Life Events Checklist interpersonal relationship scores(r=0.372,P=0.043).CONCLUSION Aberrant rsFC changes between amygdala subregions and these brain regions provide novel insights into the underlying neural mechanisms of suicide attempts in adolescents with MDD.展开更多
This study proposes a new post-tensioned precast bridge column(PT-PBC)with a socket connection.Compared to conventional PBCs connected by PT tendons,the combination of the PT tendons with the socket connection can avo...This study proposes a new post-tensioned precast bridge column(PT-PBC)with a socket connection.Compared to conventional PBCs connected by PT tendons,the combination of the PT tendons with the socket connection can avoid tensioning the PT tendons on site,which further accelerates construction speed while improving construction quality and safety.In addition,compared to conventional PBCs with a socket connection,a rocking interface can avoid the formation of a plastic hinge in a column,which greatly alleviates seismic damage to that area.One specimen for quasi-static testing is used to validate the feasibility of this connection type.Subsequently,finite element models(FEM)are established to systematically predict the responses of the proposed columns under lateral cyclic loading.The accuracy of the FEM is verified through quasistatic testing.Next,the influences of the key design parameters of the PT-PBC,including the area ratio and prestress level of the PT tendons,the area ratio of energy dissipation(ED)steel rebars,and the total axial compression ratio on the seismic performances of PT-PBC are systematically investigated.The use of shape memory alloy(SMA)rods as energy dissipation devices and their performances also are investigated.The results show that increasing the area ratio and prestress level of PT tendons has an overall positive impact on the self-centering capacity of the column.The prestress level of PT tendons should be kept between 35%and 55%,depending on different conditions.The total compression axial ratio of the columns should be maintained between 0.3 and 0.4.Both ED steel rebars and SMA rods can boost the column’s energy dissipation capacity,while SMA rods can reduce residual deformation due to their inherent mechanical properties.展开更多
Stroke patients experience varying degrees of upper limb functional impairment.Although bilateral arm training can help stroke patients recover movement after stroke,little is known about the way in which the brain an...Stroke patients experience varying degrees of upper limb functional impairment.Although bilateral arm training can help stroke patients recover movement after stroke,little is known about the way in which the brain and muscles work together during this type of training.To address this,we conducted a cross-sectional study at The Seventh Affiliated Hospital,Sun Yat-sen University in China,where we observed the connection between brain and muscle activity during bilateral upper limb training in 21 stroke patients and 17 healthy controls.We used functional near-infrared spectroscopy and surface electromyography to measure changes in cerebral cortex oxygenation and upper limb muscle contraction signals,respectively.The results showed that,compared with the healthy control group,stroke patients had reduced functional connectivity and more irregular muscle activity in the affected flexor muscle during bilateral upper limb training.Moreover,we found a significant correlation between the surface electromyographic signal characteristics of upper limb muscles and cerebral oxygenation indicators of multiple brain regions in stroke patients.These findings indicate that bilateral upper limb training is an effective rehabilitation method that improves upper limb motor function in stroke patients by promoting brain functional connectivity and improving muscle activity patterns.展开更多
Autonomous connected vehicles(ACV)involve advanced control strategies to effectively balance safety,efficiency,energy consumption,and passenger comfort.This research introduces a deep reinforcement learning(DRL)-based...Autonomous connected vehicles(ACV)involve advanced control strategies to effectively balance safety,efficiency,energy consumption,and passenger comfort.This research introduces a deep reinforcement learning(DRL)-based car-following(CF)framework employing the Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient(DDPG)algorithm,which integrates a multi-objective reward function that balances the four goals while maintaining safe policy learning.Utilizing real-world driving data from the highD dataset,the proposed model learns adaptive speed control policies suitable for dynamic traffic scenarios.The performance of the DRL-based model is evaluated against a traditional model predictive control-adaptive cruise control(MPC-ACC)controller.Results show that theDRLmodel significantly enhances safety,achieving zero collisions and a higher average time-to-collision(TTC)of 8.45 s,compared to 5.67 s for MPC and 6.12 s for human drivers.For efficiency,the model demonstrates 89.2% headway compliance and maintains speed tracking errors below 1.2 m/s in 90% of cases.In terms of energy optimization,the proposed approach reduces fuel consumption by 5.4% relative to MPC.Additionally,it enhances passenger comfort by lowering jerk values by 65%,achieving 0.12 m/s3 vs.0.34 m/s3 for human drivers.A multi-objective reward function is integrated to ensure stable policy convergence while simultaneously balancing the four key performance metrics.Moreover,the findings underscore the potential of DRL in advancing autonomous vehicle control,offering a robust and sustainable solution for safer,more efficient,and more comfortable transportation systems.展开更多
Background:Social connection is widely recognized as a protective determinant of health,yet its direct and indirect effects on mental health remain underexplored.This study examines the relationship between social con...Background:Social connection is widely recognized as a protective determinant of health,yet its direct and indirect effects on mental health remain underexplored.This study examines the relationship between social connection and mental health,focusing on the mediating role of quality of life(QoL)and the moderating effect of regional differences.Methods:We analyzed data from the 2019 Korean Community Health Survey,comprising 229,099 adults.Mental health was assessed through validated measures of depressive symptoms and psychological well-being.Social connection was measured using indicators of interpersonal ties and community participation,and QoL was assessed via self-reported health-related satisfaction across major life domains.Analytical procedures included mediation modeling and subgroup analyses by region,with significance levels set at p<0.05.Results:The results indicate that social connections are significantly associated with lower stress levels and reduced depressive symptoms,with QoL playing a critical mediating role.Notably,the indirect effect of social connection on mental health via QoL is stronger in rural areas compared to urban regions,highlighting the importance of social cohesion and community support in mental well-being.Among 203,567 adults,greater social participation was associated with lower subjective stress(total effect=−0.052,p<0.001)and fewer depressive symptoms(PHQ-9 total effect=−0.308,p<0.001).QoL significantly mediated these associations,with the strongest indirect pathways observed through usual activities(19.2%for stress;27.6%for depression)and mobility(24.4%for depression).Regional analysis showed stronger mediation in rural areas(up to 26.8%for stress and 32.6%for depression)than in urban areas(8–16%and 14.9–23%).Direct effects remained significant,indicating partial mediation.These findings highlight that social participation enhances mental health directly and indirectly through QoL,particularly in rural contexts.Conclusions:Social connection contributes to better mental health both directly and indirectly through improved QoL,with stronger effects observed in rural communities.These findings highlight the importance of fostering social cohesion and enhancing life quality as strategies for improving population mental health.Policy interventions should adopt context-sensitive approaches that account for regional differences in social resources and service availability.展开更多
Floodplain wetlands are invaluable ecosystems providing numerous ecological benefits,yet they face a global crisis necessitating sustainable preservation efforts.This study examines the depletion of floodplain wetland...Floodplain wetlands are invaluable ecosystems providing numerous ecological benefits,yet they face a global crisis necessitating sustainable preservation efforts.This study examines the depletion of floodplain wetlands within the Hastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary(HWLS)in Uttar Pradesh.Encroachment activities such as grazing,agriculture,and human settlements have fragmented and degraded critical wetland ecosystems.Additionally,irrigation projects,dam construction,and water diversion have disrupted natural water flow and availability.To assess wetland inundation in 2023,five classification techniques were employed:Random Forest(RF),Support Vector Machine(SVM),artificial neural network(ANN),Spectral Information Divergence(SID),and Maximum Likelihood Classifier(MLC).SVM emerged as the most precise method,as determined by kappa coefficient and index-based validation.Consequently,the SVM classifier was used to model wetland inundation areas from 1983 to 2023 and analyze spatiotemporal changes and fragmentation patterns.The findings revealed that the SVM clas-sifier accurately mapped 2023 wetland areas.The modeled time-series data demonstrated a 62.55%and 38.12%reduction in inundated wetland areas over the past 40 years in the pre-and post-monsoon periods,respectively.Fragmentation analysis indicated an 86.27%decrease in large core wetland areas in the pre-monsoon period,signifying severe habitat degradation.This rapid decline in wetlands within protected areas raises concerns about their ecological impacts.By linking wetland loss to global sustainability objectives,this study underscores the global urgency for strengthened wetland protection measures and highlights the need for integrating wetland conservation into broader sustainable development goals.Effective policies and adaptive management strategies are crucial for preserving these ecosystems and their vital services,which are essential for biodiversity,climate regulation,and human well-being.展开更多
Traffic at urban intersections frequently encounters unexpected obstructions,resulting in congestion due to uncooperative and priority-based driving behavior.This paper presents an optimal right-turn coordination syst...Traffic at urban intersections frequently encounters unexpected obstructions,resulting in congestion due to uncooperative and priority-based driving behavior.This paper presents an optimal right-turn coordination system for Connected and Automated Vehicles(CAVs)at single-lane intersections,particularly in the context of left-hand side driving on roads.The goal is to facilitate smooth right turns for certain vehicles without creating bottlenecks.We consider that all approaching vehicles share relevant information through vehicular communications.The Intersection Coordination Unit(ICU)processes this information and communicates the optimal crossing or turning times to the vehicles.The primary objective of this coordination is to minimize overall traffic delays,which also helps improve the fuel consumption of vehicles.By considering information from upcoming vehicles at the intersection,the coordination system solves an optimization problem to determine the best timing for executing right turns,ultimately minimizing the total delay for all vehicles.The proposed coordination system is evaluated at a typical urban intersection,and its performance is compared to traditional traffic systems.Numerical simulation results indicate that the proposed coordination system significantly enhances the average traffic speed and fuel consumption compared to the traditional traffic system in various scenarios.展开更多
The concept of the brain cognitive reserve is derived from the well-acknowledged notion that the degree of brain damage does not always match the severity of clinical symptoms and neurological/cognitive outcomes.It ha...The concept of the brain cognitive reserve is derived from the well-acknowledged notion that the degree of brain damage does not always match the severity of clinical symptoms and neurological/cognitive outcomes.It has been suggested that the size of the brain(brain reserve) and the extent of neural connections acquired through life(neural reserve) set a threshold beyond which noticeable impairments occur.In contrast,cognitive reserve refers to the brain's ability to adapt and reo rganize stru cturally and functionally to resist damage and maintain function,including neural reserve and brain maintenance,resilience,and compensation(Verkhratsky and Zorec,2024).展开更多
The advent of sixth-generation(6G)networks introduces unprecedented challenges in achieving seamless connectivity,ultra-low latency,and efficient resource management in highly dynamic environments.Although fifth-gener...The advent of sixth-generation(6G)networks introduces unprecedented challenges in achieving seamless connectivity,ultra-low latency,and efficient resource management in highly dynamic environments.Although fifth-generation(5G)networks transformed mobile broadband and machine-type communications at massive scales,their properties of scaling,interference management,and latency remain a limitation in dense high mobility settings.To overcome these limitations,artificial intelligence(AI)and unmanned aerial vehicles(UAVs)have emerged as potential solutions to develop versatile,dynamic,and energy-efficient communication systems.The study proposes an AI-based UAV architecture that utilizes cooperative reinforcement learning(CoRL)to manage an autonomous network.The UAVs collaborate by sharing local observations and real-time state exchanges to optimize user connectivity,movement directions,allocate power,and resource distribution.Unlike conventional centralized or autonomous methods,CoRL involves joint state sharing and conflict-sensitive reward shaping,which ensures fair coverage,less interference,and enhanced adaptability in a dynamic urban environment.Simulations conducted in smart city scenarios with 10 UAVs and 50 ground users demonstrate that the proposed CoRL-based UAV system increases user coverage by up to 10%,achieves convergence 40%faster,and reduces latency and energy consumption by 30%compared with centralized and decentralized baselines.Furthermore,the distributed nature of the algorithm ensures scalability and flexibility,making it well-suited for future large-scale 6G deployments.The results highlighted that AI-enabled UAV systems enhance connectivity,support ultra-reliable low-latency communications(URLLC),and improve 6G network efficiency.Future work will extend the framework with adaptive modulation,beamforming-aware positioning,and real-world testbed deployment.展开更多
Aiming at the problem of potential information noise introduced during the generation of ghost feature maps in GhostNet,this paper proposes a novel lightweight neural network model called ResghostNet.This model constr...Aiming at the problem of potential information noise introduced during the generation of ghost feature maps in GhostNet,this paper proposes a novel lightweight neural network model called ResghostNet.This model constructs the Resghost Module by combining residual connections and Adaptive-SE Blocks,which enhances the quality of generated feature maps through direct propagation of original input information and selection of important channels before cheap operations.Specifically,ResghostNet introduces residual connections on the basis of the Ghost Module to optimize the information flow,and designs a weight self-attention mechanism combined with SE blocks to enhance feature expression capabilities in cheap operations.Experimental results on the ImageNet dataset show that,compared to GhostNet,ResghostNet achieves higher accuracy while reducing the number of parameters by 52%.Although the computational complexity increases,by optimizing the usage strategy of GPU cachememory,themodel’s inference speed becomes faster.The ResghostNet is optimized in terms of classification accuracy and the number of model parameters,and shows great potential in edge computing devices.展开更多
Addressing the widespread issues of internal fragmentation within protected areas and the neglect of surrounding critical habitat networks,this study aims to develop an assessment framework for the precise identificat...Addressing the widespread issues of internal fragmentation within protected areas and the neglect of surrounding critical habitat networks,this study aims to develop an assessment framework for the precise identification and remediation of regional conservation gaps.To this end,we introduce the Framework for Conservation Priority Identification(FCPI).The framework integrates Morphological Spatial Pattern Analysis(MSPA),the Remote Sensing Ecological Index(RSEI),Circuit Theory,and the Minimum Cumulative Resistance(MCR)model to formulate a multidimensional conservation priority index.This index facilitates the identification of critical ecological network components and enables the dynamic prioritization of conservation efforts.A case study of Fuzhou City from 2014 to 2020 reveals that despite an overall improvement in regional environmental quality,the functionality of core ecological sources has markedly declined.Between 2014 and 2020,the number of ecological sources grew by 76.9%,yet their total area shrank by 13.9%.Concurrently,the number of ecological corridors rose from 27 to 53,extending their total length by 380.23 km,which indicates an intensifying trend of habitat fragmentation.Furthermore,a significant number of crucial ecological network nodes,particularly within Minhou County,lie explicitly outside the existing protected area system.This confirms the presence of conservation gaps and unveils the spatiotemporal dynamics of shifting conservation priorities.The research validates that the proposed FCPI can effectively diagnose the dynamic deficiencies within conservation systems.It offers scientific decisionsupport for local governments,facilitating a transition from isolated conservation efforts towards systematic and comprehensive ecological network governance.展开更多
Non-right-handedness(NRH),encompassing left-handedness and mixed-handedness,has been frequently reported at elevated rates in individuals with various psychiatric disorders.The consistency of this association across m...Non-right-handedness(NRH),encompassing left-handedness and mixed-handedness,has been frequently reported at elevated rates in individuals with various psychiatric disorders.The consistency of this association across multiple conditions and its underlying mechanisms is the subject of ongoing investigation.This review synthesized current evidence to explore the association between NRH and psychiatric disorders from epidemiological,genetic,and neurobiological perspectives.We systematically identified and appraised relevant literature investigating NRH prevalence in psychiatric populations and potential explanatory mechanisms.Epidemiological evidence indicates an elevated prevalence of NRH,particularly within neurodevelopmental disorders.Potential contributing mechanisms identified include early developmental disruptions,shared genetic predispositions,and atypical patterns of brain lateralization.While the association between NRH and psychiatric conditions,especially neurodevelopmental disorders,is evident,the causal pathways and relative contributions of identified mechanisms are complex and debated.This review highlighted key areas requiring further research to elucidate these relationships.展开更多
Background:Brain volume measurement serves as a critical approach for assessing brain health status.Considering the close biological connection between the eyes and brain,this study aims to investigate the feasibility...Background:Brain volume measurement serves as a critical approach for assessing brain health status.Considering the close biological connection between the eyes and brain,this study aims to investigate the feasibility of estimating brain volume through retinal fundus imaging integrated with clinical metadata,and to offer a cost-effective approach for assessing brain health.Methods:Based on clinical information,retinal fundus images,and neuroimaging data derived from a multicenter,population-based cohort study,the Kai Luan Study,we proposed a cross-modal correlation representation(CMCR)network to elucidate the intricate co-degenerative relationships between the eyes and brain for 755 subjects.Specifically,individual clinical information,which has been followed up for as long as 12 years,was encoded as a prompt to enhance the accuracy of brain volume estimation.Independent internal validation and external validation were performed to assess the robustness of the proposed model.Root mean square error(RMSE),peak signal-tonoise ratio(PSNR),and structural similarity index measure(SSIM)metrics were employed to quantitatively evaluate the quality of synthetic brain images derived from retinal imaging data.Results:The proposed framework yielded average RMSE,PSNR,and SSIM values of 98.23,35.78 d B,and 0.64,respectively,which significantly outperformed 5 other methods:multi-channel Variational Autoencoder(mcVAE),Pixelto-Pixel(Pixel2pixel),transformer-based U-Net(Trans UNet),multi-scale transformer network(MT-Net),and residual vision transformer(ResViT).The two-(2D)and three-dimensional(3D)visualization results showed that the shape and texture of the synthetic brain images generated by the proposed method most closely resembled those of actual brain images.Thus,the CMCR framework accurately captured the latent structural correlations between the fundus and the brain.The average difference between predicted and actual brain volumes was 61.36 cm~3,with a relative error of 4.54%.When all of the clinical information(including age and sex,daily habits,cardiovascular factors,metabolic factors,and inflammatory factors)was encoded,the difference was decreased to 53.89 cm~3,with a relative error of 3.98%.Based on the synthesized brain magnetic resonance images from retinal fundus images,the volumes of brain tissues could be estimated with high accuracy.Conclusion:This study provides an innovative,accurate,and cost-effective approach to characterize brain health status through readily accessible retinal fundus images.展开更多
Advances in Alzheimer's disease(AD)research have deepened our understanding,yet the mechanisms driving its progression remain unclear.Although a range of in vivo biomarkers is now available(e.g.,measurements of am...Advances in Alzheimer's disease(AD)research have deepened our understanding,yet the mechanisms driving its progression remain unclear.Although a range of in vivo biomarkers is now available(e.g.,measurements of amyloidbeta(Aβ)and ta u accumulation-the molecular hallmarks of AD-structural magnetic resonance imaging(MRI),assessments of brain metabolism,and,more recently,blood-based markers),a definitive diagnosis of AD continues to be challenging.For example,Frisoni et al.展开更多
The development of brain-computer interfaces(BCI)based on motor imagery(MI)has greatly improved patients’quality of life with movement disorders.The classification of upper limb MI has been widely studied and applied...The development of brain-computer interfaces(BCI)based on motor imagery(MI)has greatly improved patients’quality of life with movement disorders.The classification of upper limb MI has been widely studied and applied in many fields,including rehabilitation.However,the physiological representations of left and right lower limb movements are too close and activated deep in the cerebral cortex,making it difficult to distinguish their features.Therefore,classifying lower limbs motor imagery is more challenging.In this study,we propose a feature extraction method based on functional connectivity,which utilizes phase-locked values to construct a functional connectivity matrix as the features of the left and right legs,which can effectively avoid the problem of physiological representations of the left and right lower limbs being too close to each other during movement.In addition,considering the topology and the temporal characteristics of the electroencephalogram(EEG),we designed a temporal-spatial convolutional network(TSGCN)to capture the spatiotemporal information for classification.Experimental results show that the accuracy of the proposed method is higher than that of existing methods,achieving an average classification accuracy of 73.58%on the internal dataset.Finally,this study explains the network mechanism of left and right foot MI from the perspective of graph theoretic features and demonstrates the feasibility of decoding lower limb MI.展开更多
文摘<strong>Introduction:</strong> In black Africa, connectivites have been for a long time a source of diagnostic erraticity because of their clinical polymorphism. This study aims to determine the therapeutic itinerary of patients followed for connectivitis in the Internal Medicine Department of the CNHU HKM of Cotonou. <strong>Methodology:</strong> This is a cross-sectional study that included patients followed for connectivitis in the HKM-Cotonou Internal Medicine Department from January 2010 to October 2018. <strong>Results:</strong> Out of 3600 patients hospitalized in the study period, 21 had connectivitis, <i>i.e.</i> a hospital frequency of 0.58%. Of the 21 patients collected, 18 met the inclusion criteria. The mean age was 40 (±11) years old and the youngest was of 21 and the oldest 58. The sex ratio was 17.9. The “Fon” ethnic group was the most represented (33.3%) and 15 (83.3%) subjects were Christians. Systemic lupus erythematosus was the most frequent connectivitis (55.6%). The average time of consultation was 38 months. Witchcraft was the most incriminating cause (78%). Ten (55.5%) patients had resorted to self-medication as their first choice of treatment, 5 (27.8%) to traditional medicine treatment and 3 (16.7%) to prayer for healing. The reasons for the first choice of treatment were satisfaction (44.4%), financial problems (27.8%), trivialization of the disease (16.7%), and advice from family and friends (11.1%). The consultation at the CNHU followed a referral from a first contact health structure (61%) or an initiative of the patient (27.8%). <strong>Conclusion:</strong> Connectivitis is a source of diagnostic error in our context. Awareness must be raised among patients for an early consultation at the first symptoms.
文摘In the Kigongo area of Mwanza Region,northwest Tanzania,fishmonger Neema Aisha remembers how the morning’s fresh catch would sour while she queued for the ferry,putting her business at risk.
基金funded in part by the Supported by Natural Science Foundation of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China under Grants 2024QN06022 and 2023QN06008in part by the First-Class Discipline Research Special Project under Grant YLXKZX-NGD-015in part by the Inner Mongolia University of Technology Scientific Research Start-Up Project under Grant BS2024067.
文摘Blockchain offers a promising solution to the security challenges faced by the Internet of Vehicles(IoV).However,due to the dynamic connectivity of IoV,blockchain based on a single-chain structure or Directed Acyclic Graph(DAG)structure often suffer from performance limitations.The DAG lattice structure is a novel blockchain model in which each node maintains its own account chain,and only the node itself is allowed to update it.This feature makes the DAG lattice structure particularly suitable for addressing the challenges in dynamically connected IoV environment.In this paper,we propose a blockchain architecture based on the DAG lattice structure,specifically designed for dynamically connected IoV.In the proposed system,nodes must obtain authorization from a trusted authority before joining,forming a permissioned blockchain.Each node is assigned an individual account chain,allowing vehicles with limited storage capacity to participate in the blockchain by storing transactions only from nearby vehicles’account chains.Every transmitted message is treated as a transaction and added to the blockchain,enablingmore efficient data transmission in a dynamic network environment.Areputation-based incentivemechanism is introduced to encourage nodes to behave normally.Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed architecture achieves better performance compared with traditional single-chain and DAG-based approaches in terms of average transmission delay and storage cost.
基金Supported by Suzhou Clinical Medical Center for Mood Disorders,No.Szlcyxzx202109Suzhou Key Laboratory,No.SZS2024016Multicenter Clinical Research on Major Diseases in Suzhou,No.DZXYJ202413.
文摘BACKGROUND Suicide constitutes the second leading cause of death among adolescents globally and represents a critical public health concern.The neural mechanisms underlying suicidal behavior in adolescents with major depressive disorder(MDD)remain poorly understood.Aberrant resting-state functional connectivity(rsFC)in the amygdala,a key region implicated in emotional regulation and threat detection,is strongly implicated in depression and suicidal behavior.AIM To investigate rsFC alterations between amygdala subregions and whole-brain networks in adolescent patients with depression and suicide attempts.METHODS Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data were acquired from 32 adolescents with MDD and suicide attempts(sMDD)group,33 adolescents with MDD but without suicide attempts(nsMDD)group,and 34 demographically matched healthy control(HC)group,with the lateral and medial amygdala(MeA)defined as regions of interest.The rsFC patterns of amygdala subregions were compared across the three groups,and associations between aberrant rsFC values and clinical symptom severity scores were examined.RESULTS Compared with the nsMDD group,the sMDD group exhibited reduced rsFC between the right lateral amygdala(LA)and the right inferior occipital gyrus as well as the left middle occipital gyrus.Compared with the HC group,the abnormal brain regions of rsFC in the sMDD group and nsMDD group involve the parahippocampal gyrus(PHG)and fusiform gyrus.In the sMDD group,right MeA and right temporal pole:Superior temporal gyrus rsFC value negatively correlated with the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale scores(r=-0.409,P=0.025),while left LA and right PHG rsFC value positively correlated with the Adolescent Self-Rating Life Events Checklist interpersonal relationship scores(r=0.372,P=0.043).CONCLUSION Aberrant rsFC changes between amygdala subregions and these brain regions provide novel insights into the underlying neural mechanisms of suicide attempts in adolescents with MDD.
基金Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant No.52178449,the Beijing Natural Science Foundation under Grant No.8234060the Innovation Center of Beijing Association for Science and Technology。
文摘This study proposes a new post-tensioned precast bridge column(PT-PBC)with a socket connection.Compared to conventional PBCs connected by PT tendons,the combination of the PT tendons with the socket connection can avoid tensioning the PT tendons on site,which further accelerates construction speed while improving construction quality and safety.In addition,compared to conventional PBCs with a socket connection,a rocking interface can avoid the formation of a plastic hinge in a column,which greatly alleviates seismic damage to that area.One specimen for quasi-static testing is used to validate the feasibility of this connection type.Subsequently,finite element models(FEM)are established to systematically predict the responses of the proposed columns under lateral cyclic loading.The accuracy of the FEM is verified through quasistatic testing.Next,the influences of the key design parameters of the PT-PBC,including the area ratio and prestress level of the PT tendons,the area ratio of energy dissipation(ED)steel rebars,and the total axial compression ratio on the seismic performances of PT-PBC are systematically investigated.The use of shape memory alloy(SMA)rods as energy dissipation devices and their performances also are investigated.The results show that increasing the area ratio and prestress level of PT tendons has an overall positive impact on the self-centering capacity of the column.The prestress level of PT tendons should be kept between 35%and 55%,depending on different conditions.The total compression axial ratio of the columns should be maintained between 0.3 and 0.4.Both ED steel rebars and SMA rods can boost the column’s energy dissipation capacity,while SMA rods can reduce residual deformation due to their inherent mechanical properties.
文摘Stroke patients experience varying degrees of upper limb functional impairment.Although bilateral arm training can help stroke patients recover movement after stroke,little is known about the way in which the brain and muscles work together during this type of training.To address this,we conducted a cross-sectional study at The Seventh Affiliated Hospital,Sun Yat-sen University in China,where we observed the connection between brain and muscle activity during bilateral upper limb training in 21 stroke patients and 17 healthy controls.We used functional near-infrared spectroscopy and surface electromyography to measure changes in cerebral cortex oxygenation and upper limb muscle contraction signals,respectively.The results showed that,compared with the healthy control group,stroke patients had reduced functional connectivity and more irregular muscle activity in the affected flexor muscle during bilateral upper limb training.Moreover,we found a significant correlation between the surface electromyographic signal characteristics of upper limb muscles and cerebral oxygenation indicators of multiple brain regions in stroke patients.These findings indicate that bilateral upper limb training is an effective rehabilitation method that improves upper limb motor function in stroke patients by promoting brain functional connectivity and improving muscle activity patterns.
基金the Hebei Province Science and Technology Plan Project(19221909D)rincess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University Researchers Supporting Project number(PNURSP2025R308),Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University,Riyadh,Saudi Arabia.
文摘Autonomous connected vehicles(ACV)involve advanced control strategies to effectively balance safety,efficiency,energy consumption,and passenger comfort.This research introduces a deep reinforcement learning(DRL)-based car-following(CF)framework employing the Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient(DDPG)algorithm,which integrates a multi-objective reward function that balances the four goals while maintaining safe policy learning.Utilizing real-world driving data from the highD dataset,the proposed model learns adaptive speed control policies suitable for dynamic traffic scenarios.The performance of the DRL-based model is evaluated against a traditional model predictive control-adaptive cruise control(MPC-ACC)controller.Results show that theDRLmodel significantly enhances safety,achieving zero collisions and a higher average time-to-collision(TTC)of 8.45 s,compared to 5.67 s for MPC and 6.12 s for human drivers.For efficiency,the model demonstrates 89.2% headway compliance and maintains speed tracking errors below 1.2 m/s in 90% of cases.In terms of energy optimization,the proposed approach reduces fuel consumption by 5.4% relative to MPC.Additionally,it enhances passenger comfort by lowering jerk values by 65%,achieving 0.12 m/s3 vs.0.34 m/s3 for human drivers.A multi-objective reward function is integrated to ensure stable policy convergence while simultaneously balancing the four key performance metrics.Moreover,the findings underscore the potential of DRL in advancing autonomous vehicle control,offering a robust and sustainable solution for safer,more efficient,and more comfortable transportation systems.
基金supported by the“Regional Innovation System&Education(RISE)”through the Seoul RISE Center,funded by the Ministry of Education(MOE)and the Seoul Metropolitan Government.(2025-RISE-01-005-07).
文摘Background:Social connection is widely recognized as a protective determinant of health,yet its direct and indirect effects on mental health remain underexplored.This study examines the relationship between social connection and mental health,focusing on the mediating role of quality of life(QoL)and the moderating effect of regional differences.Methods:We analyzed data from the 2019 Korean Community Health Survey,comprising 229,099 adults.Mental health was assessed through validated measures of depressive symptoms and psychological well-being.Social connection was measured using indicators of interpersonal ties and community participation,and QoL was assessed via self-reported health-related satisfaction across major life domains.Analytical procedures included mediation modeling and subgroup analyses by region,with significance levels set at p<0.05.Results:The results indicate that social connections are significantly associated with lower stress levels and reduced depressive symptoms,with QoL playing a critical mediating role.Notably,the indirect effect of social connection on mental health via QoL is stronger in rural areas compared to urban regions,highlighting the importance of social cohesion and community support in mental well-being.Among 203,567 adults,greater social participation was associated with lower subjective stress(total effect=−0.052,p<0.001)and fewer depressive symptoms(PHQ-9 total effect=−0.308,p<0.001).QoL significantly mediated these associations,with the strongest indirect pathways observed through usual activities(19.2%for stress;27.6%for depression)and mobility(24.4%for depression).Regional analysis showed stronger mediation in rural areas(up to 26.8%for stress and 32.6%for depression)than in urban areas(8–16%and 14.9–23%).Direct effects remained significant,indicating partial mediation.These findings highlight that social participation enhances mental health directly and indirectly through QoL,particularly in rural contexts.Conclusions:Social connection contributes to better mental health both directly and indirectly through improved QoL,with stronger effects observed in rural communities.These findings highlight the importance of fostering social cohesion and enhancing life quality as strategies for improving population mental health.Policy interventions should adopt context-sensitive approaches that account for regional differences in social resources and service availability.
基金support through the“Trans-Disciplinary Research”Grant(No.R/Dev/IoE/TDRProjects/2023-24/61658),which played a crucial role in enabling this research endeavor.
文摘Floodplain wetlands are invaluable ecosystems providing numerous ecological benefits,yet they face a global crisis necessitating sustainable preservation efforts.This study examines the depletion of floodplain wetlands within the Hastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary(HWLS)in Uttar Pradesh.Encroachment activities such as grazing,agriculture,and human settlements have fragmented and degraded critical wetland ecosystems.Additionally,irrigation projects,dam construction,and water diversion have disrupted natural water flow and availability.To assess wetland inundation in 2023,five classification techniques were employed:Random Forest(RF),Support Vector Machine(SVM),artificial neural network(ANN),Spectral Information Divergence(SID),and Maximum Likelihood Classifier(MLC).SVM emerged as the most precise method,as determined by kappa coefficient and index-based validation.Consequently,the SVM classifier was used to model wetland inundation areas from 1983 to 2023 and analyze spatiotemporal changes and fragmentation patterns.The findings revealed that the SVM clas-sifier accurately mapped 2023 wetland areas.The modeled time-series data demonstrated a 62.55%and 38.12%reduction in inundated wetland areas over the past 40 years in the pre-and post-monsoon periods,respectively.Fragmentation analysis indicated an 86.27%decrease in large core wetland areas in the pre-monsoon period,signifying severe habitat degradation.This rapid decline in wetlands within protected areas raises concerns about their ecological impacts.By linking wetland loss to global sustainability objectives,this study underscores the global urgency for strengthened wetland protection measures and highlights the need for integrating wetland conservation into broader sustainable development goals.Effective policies and adaptive management strategies are crucial for preserving these ecosystems and their vital services,which are essential for biodiversity,climate regulation,and human well-being.
基金supported by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science(JSPS)Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research(C)23K03898.
文摘Traffic at urban intersections frequently encounters unexpected obstructions,resulting in congestion due to uncooperative and priority-based driving behavior.This paper presents an optimal right-turn coordination system for Connected and Automated Vehicles(CAVs)at single-lane intersections,particularly in the context of left-hand side driving on roads.The goal is to facilitate smooth right turns for certain vehicles without creating bottlenecks.We consider that all approaching vehicles share relevant information through vehicular communications.The Intersection Coordination Unit(ICU)processes this information and communicates the optimal crossing or turning times to the vehicles.The primary objective of this coordination is to minimize overall traffic delays,which also helps improve the fuel consumption of vehicles.By considering information from upcoming vehicles at the intersection,the coordination system solves an optimization problem to determine the best timing for executing right turns,ultimately minimizing the total delay for all vehicles.The proposed coordination system is evaluated at a typical urban intersection,and its performance is compared to traditional traffic systems.Numerical simulation results indicate that the proposed coordination system significantly enhances the average traffic speed and fuel consumption compared to the traditional traffic system in various scenarios.
文摘The concept of the brain cognitive reserve is derived from the well-acknowledged notion that the degree of brain damage does not always match the severity of clinical symptoms and neurological/cognitive outcomes.It has been suggested that the size of the brain(brain reserve) and the extent of neural connections acquired through life(neural reserve) set a threshold beyond which noticeable impairments occur.In contrast,cognitive reserve refers to the brain's ability to adapt and reo rganize stru cturally and functionally to resist damage and maintain function,including neural reserve and brain maintenance,resilience,and compensation(Verkhratsky and Zorec,2024).
基金supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea(NRF)grant funded by the Korea government(MSIT)(RS-2025-00559546)supported by the IITP(Institute of Information&Coummunications Technology Planning&Evaluation)-ITRC(Information Technology Research Center)grant funded by the Korea government(Ministry of Science and ICT)(IITP-2025-RS-2023-00259004).
文摘The advent of sixth-generation(6G)networks introduces unprecedented challenges in achieving seamless connectivity,ultra-low latency,and efficient resource management in highly dynamic environments.Although fifth-generation(5G)networks transformed mobile broadband and machine-type communications at massive scales,their properties of scaling,interference management,and latency remain a limitation in dense high mobility settings.To overcome these limitations,artificial intelligence(AI)and unmanned aerial vehicles(UAVs)have emerged as potential solutions to develop versatile,dynamic,and energy-efficient communication systems.The study proposes an AI-based UAV architecture that utilizes cooperative reinforcement learning(CoRL)to manage an autonomous network.The UAVs collaborate by sharing local observations and real-time state exchanges to optimize user connectivity,movement directions,allocate power,and resource distribution.Unlike conventional centralized or autonomous methods,CoRL involves joint state sharing and conflict-sensitive reward shaping,which ensures fair coverage,less interference,and enhanced adaptability in a dynamic urban environment.Simulations conducted in smart city scenarios with 10 UAVs and 50 ground users demonstrate that the proposed CoRL-based UAV system increases user coverage by up to 10%,achieves convergence 40%faster,and reduces latency and energy consumption by 30%compared with centralized and decentralized baselines.Furthermore,the distributed nature of the algorithm ensures scalability and flexibility,making it well-suited for future large-scale 6G deployments.The results highlighted that AI-enabled UAV systems enhance connectivity,support ultra-reliable low-latency communications(URLLC),and improve 6G network efficiency.Future work will extend the framework with adaptive modulation,beamforming-aware positioning,and real-world testbed deployment.
基金funded by Science and Technology Innovation Project grant No.ZZKY20222304.
文摘Aiming at the problem of potential information noise introduced during the generation of ghost feature maps in GhostNet,this paper proposes a novel lightweight neural network model called ResghostNet.This model constructs the Resghost Module by combining residual connections and Adaptive-SE Blocks,which enhances the quality of generated feature maps through direct propagation of original input information and selection of important channels before cheap operations.Specifically,ResghostNet introduces residual connections on the basis of the Ghost Module to optimize the information flow,and designs a weight self-attention mechanism combined with SE blocks to enhance feature expression capabilities in cheap operations.Experimental results on the ImageNet dataset show that,compared to GhostNet,ResghostNet achieves higher accuracy while reducing the number of parameters by 52%.Although the computational complexity increases,by optimizing the usage strategy of GPU cachememory,themodel’s inference speed becomes faster.The ResghostNet is optimized in terms of classification accuracy and the number of model parameters,and shows great potential in edge computing devices.
基金supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Fujian Province(2023J01434)the Science and Technology Innovation Special Fund Project of Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University(KFb22028XA)。
文摘Addressing the widespread issues of internal fragmentation within protected areas and the neglect of surrounding critical habitat networks,this study aims to develop an assessment framework for the precise identification and remediation of regional conservation gaps.To this end,we introduce the Framework for Conservation Priority Identification(FCPI).The framework integrates Morphological Spatial Pattern Analysis(MSPA),the Remote Sensing Ecological Index(RSEI),Circuit Theory,and the Minimum Cumulative Resistance(MCR)model to formulate a multidimensional conservation priority index.This index facilitates the identification of critical ecological network components and enables the dynamic prioritization of conservation efforts.A case study of Fuzhou City from 2014 to 2020 reveals that despite an overall improvement in regional environmental quality,the functionality of core ecological sources has markedly declined.Between 2014 and 2020,the number of ecological sources grew by 76.9%,yet their total area shrank by 13.9%.Concurrently,the number of ecological corridors rose from 27 to 53,extending their total length by 380.23 km,which indicates an intensifying trend of habitat fragmentation.Furthermore,a significant number of crucial ecological network nodes,particularly within Minhou County,lie explicitly outside the existing protected area system.This confirms the presence of conservation gaps and unveils the spatiotemporal dynamics of shifting conservation priorities.The research validates that the proposed FCPI can effectively diagnose the dynamic deficiencies within conservation systems.It offers scientific decisionsupport for local governments,facilitating a transition from isolated conservation efforts towards systematic and comprehensive ecological network governance.
文摘Non-right-handedness(NRH),encompassing left-handedness and mixed-handedness,has been frequently reported at elevated rates in individuals with various psychiatric disorders.The consistency of this association across multiple conditions and its underlying mechanisms is the subject of ongoing investigation.This review synthesized current evidence to explore the association between NRH and psychiatric disorders from epidemiological,genetic,and neurobiological perspectives.We systematically identified and appraised relevant literature investigating NRH prevalence in psychiatric populations and potential explanatory mechanisms.Epidemiological evidence indicates an elevated prevalence of NRH,particularly within neurodevelopmental disorders.Potential contributing mechanisms identified include early developmental disruptions,shared genetic predispositions,and atypical patterns of brain lateralization.While the association between NRH and psychiatric conditions,especially neurodevelopmental disorders,is evident,the causal pathways and relative contributions of identified mechanisms are complex and debated.This review highlighted key areas requiring further research to elucidate these relationships.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(62522119 and 62372358)the Beijing Natural Science Foundation(7242267)+2 种基金the Beijing Scholars Program([2015]160)the Natural Science Basic Research Program of Shaanxi(2023-JC-QN-0719)the Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation(2022A1515110453)。
文摘Background:Brain volume measurement serves as a critical approach for assessing brain health status.Considering the close biological connection between the eyes and brain,this study aims to investigate the feasibility of estimating brain volume through retinal fundus imaging integrated with clinical metadata,and to offer a cost-effective approach for assessing brain health.Methods:Based on clinical information,retinal fundus images,and neuroimaging data derived from a multicenter,population-based cohort study,the Kai Luan Study,we proposed a cross-modal correlation representation(CMCR)network to elucidate the intricate co-degenerative relationships between the eyes and brain for 755 subjects.Specifically,individual clinical information,which has been followed up for as long as 12 years,was encoded as a prompt to enhance the accuracy of brain volume estimation.Independent internal validation and external validation were performed to assess the robustness of the proposed model.Root mean square error(RMSE),peak signal-tonoise ratio(PSNR),and structural similarity index measure(SSIM)metrics were employed to quantitatively evaluate the quality of synthetic brain images derived from retinal imaging data.Results:The proposed framework yielded average RMSE,PSNR,and SSIM values of 98.23,35.78 d B,and 0.64,respectively,which significantly outperformed 5 other methods:multi-channel Variational Autoencoder(mcVAE),Pixelto-Pixel(Pixel2pixel),transformer-based U-Net(Trans UNet),multi-scale transformer network(MT-Net),and residual vision transformer(ResViT).The two-(2D)and three-dimensional(3D)visualization results showed that the shape and texture of the synthetic brain images generated by the proposed method most closely resembled those of actual brain images.Thus,the CMCR framework accurately captured the latent structural correlations between the fundus and the brain.The average difference between predicted and actual brain volumes was 61.36 cm~3,with a relative error of 4.54%.When all of the clinical information(including age and sex,daily habits,cardiovascular factors,metabolic factors,and inflammatory factors)was encoded,the difference was decreased to 53.89 cm~3,with a relative error of 3.98%.Based on the synthesized brain magnetic resonance images from retinal fundus images,the volumes of brain tissues could be estimated with high accuracy.Conclusion:This study provides an innovative,accurate,and cost-effective approach to characterize brain health status through readily accessible retinal fundus images.
文摘Advances in Alzheimer's disease(AD)research have deepened our understanding,yet the mechanisms driving its progression remain unclear.Although a range of in vivo biomarkers is now available(e.g.,measurements of amyloidbeta(Aβ)and ta u accumulation-the molecular hallmarks of AD-structural magnetic resonance imaging(MRI),assessments of brain metabolism,and,more recently,blood-based markers),a definitive diagnosis of AD continues to be challenging.For example,Frisoni et al.
基金supported in part by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant 62172368the Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province under Grant LR22F020003.
文摘The development of brain-computer interfaces(BCI)based on motor imagery(MI)has greatly improved patients’quality of life with movement disorders.The classification of upper limb MI has been widely studied and applied in many fields,including rehabilitation.However,the physiological representations of left and right lower limb movements are too close and activated deep in the cerebral cortex,making it difficult to distinguish their features.Therefore,classifying lower limbs motor imagery is more challenging.In this study,we propose a feature extraction method based on functional connectivity,which utilizes phase-locked values to construct a functional connectivity matrix as the features of the left and right legs,which can effectively avoid the problem of physiological representations of the left and right lower limbs being too close to each other during movement.In addition,considering the topology and the temporal characteristics of the electroencephalogram(EEG),we designed a temporal-spatial convolutional network(TSGCN)to capture the spatiotemporal information for classification.Experimental results show that the accuracy of the proposed method is higher than that of existing methods,achieving an average classification accuracy of 73.58%on the internal dataset.Finally,this study explains the network mechanism of left and right foot MI from the perspective of graph theoretic features and demonstrates the feasibility of decoding lower limb MI.
