AIM:To compare the effects of different types of negative pressure suction on the macular and optic disc retinal vessel density(VD)in myopic patients with different axial lengths(ALs)undergoing femtosecond laser-assis...AIM:To compare the effects of different types of negative pressure suction on the macular and optic disc retinal vessel density(VD)in myopic patients with different axial lengths(ALs)undergoing femtosecond laser-assisted excimer laser in situ keratomileusis(FS-LASIK)by optical coherence tomography angiography(OCTA).METHODS:A prospective,nonrandomized,controlled study.Participants underwent FS-LASIK surgery were divided into the short AL group(SAL,22≤AL<26 mm)and the long AL group(LAL,26≤AL<28 mm)according to the different ALs.Further,the two groups were divided into subgroups according to the corneal flap using VisuMax or WaveLight FS200 femtosecond laser(FS)platform.All patients underwent OCTA before the surgery and 1-day/1-week/1-month after the surgery.ANOVA statistically analyzed data with two-factor repeated measurement in SPSS.RESULTS:Totally 108 participants(108 eyes,18–35y)were divided into SAL group[22 patients(4 males and 18 females)were treated with VisuMax,and 24(3 males and 21 females)were treated with WaveLight FS200]and LAL group[34 patients(4 males and 30 females)were treated with VisuMax,and 28 patients(6 males and 22 females)were treated with WaveLight FS200].In the LAL group,there was no significant difference in macular superficial capillary plexuses vessel density(SCP-VD)in the fovea and perifovea region,but compared with the VisuMax subgroup,SCP-VD in the parafoveal region(t=2.647,P=0.010)and the whole area(t=2.030,P=0.047)in WaveLight FS200 subgroup decreased at one day after the operation and increased to a preoperative level at 1-week and 1-month after operation.There was no significant difference between SCP-VD in the two SAL subgroups,neither of deep capillary plexuses vessel density(DCP-VD)and optic nerve head vessel density(ONH-VD)in the SAL and LAL groups.CONCLUSION:With the increase of AL and suction intensity,a transient decrease of SCP-VD in the macular region is observed at 1d postoperatively during FS-LASIK,and it increases to preoperative level at 1-week and 1-month postoperatively.However,the AL and suction intensity do not affect the macular DCP-VD and ONH-VD.展开更多
The safety and stability of high-speed maglev trains traveling on viaducts in crosswinds critically depend on their aerodynamic characteristics.Therefore,this paper uses an improved delayed detached eddy simulation(ID...The safety and stability of high-speed maglev trains traveling on viaducts in crosswinds critically depend on their aerodynamic characteristics.Therefore,this paper uses an improved delayed detached eddy simulation(IDDES)method to investigate the aerodynamic features of high-speed maglev trains with different marshaling lengths under crosswinds.The effects of marshaling lengths(varying from 3-car to 8-car groups)on the train’s aerodynamic performance,surface pressure,and the flow field surrounding the train were investigated using the three-dimensional unsteady compressible Navier-Stokes(N-S)equations.The results showed that the marshaling lengths had minimal influence on the aerodynamic performance of the head and middle cars.Conversely,the marshaling lengths are negatively correlated with the time-average side force coefficient(CS)and time-average lift force coefficient(Cl)of the tail car.Compared to the tail car of the 3-car groups,the CS and Cl fell by 27.77%and 18.29%,respectively,for the tail car of the 8-car groups.It is essential to pay more attention to the operational safety of the head car,as it exhibits the highest time average CS.Additionally,the mean pressure difference between the two sides of the tail car body increased with the marshaling lengths,and the side force direction on the tail car was opposite to that of the head and middle cars.Furthermore,the turbulent kinetic energy of the wake structure on the windward side quickly decreased as marshaling lengths increased.展开更多
In the United States, the costs of health care have become a major burden for the health care system. In order to address this problem, the hospitals of Syracuse, New York, developed programs to provide subacute and c...In the United States, the costs of health care have become a major burden for the health care system. In order to address this problem, the hospitals of Syracuse, New York, developed programs to provide subacute and complex care. The Subacute programs provided patient transportation services for dialysis and other types of care outside hospitals. They also developed programs for services such as intravenous therapy in nursing homes. The Complex Care Programs, such as intravenous therapy and mental health services, have provided alternatives to extended care in hospitals. During the past five years, utilization of these programs has varied, declining between 2019 and 2022, and then increasing between 2022 and 2024. The programs have avoided the need for 1530 - 2974 patient days in hospitals. The programs saved the Syracuse hospitals approximately $600 per inpatient day. This amounted to savings of $918,000 - $1,784,400 per year. These programs demonstrated how relatively small mechanisms can save large amounts of health care resources.展开更多
In this work,the flow surrounding the train was obtained using a detached eddy simulation(DES)for slipstream analysis.Two different streamlined nose lengths were investigated:a short nose(4 m)and a long nose(9 m).The ...In this work,the flow surrounding the train was obtained using a detached eddy simulation(DES)for slipstream analysis.Two different streamlined nose lengths were investigated:a short nose(4 m)and a long nose(9 m).The time-average slipstream velocity and the time-average slipstream pressure along the car bodies were compared and explained in detail.In addition to the time-averaged values,the _(max)imum velocities and the pressure peak-to-peak values around the two trains were analyzed.The result showed that the nose length affected the slipstream velocity along the entire train length at the lower and upper regions of the side of the train.However,no significant effect was recognized at the middle height of the train along its length,except in the nose region.Moreover,within the train’s side regions(y=2.0-2.5 m and z=2-4 m)and(y=2.5-3.5 m and z=0.2-0.7 m),the ratio of slipstream velocity U_(max) between the short and long nose trains was notably higher.This occurrence also manifested at the train’s upper section,specifically where y=0-2.5 m and z=4.2-5.0 m.Similarly,regarding the ratio of _(max)imum pressure peak-to-peak values Cp-p_(max),significant regions were observed at the train’s side(y=1.8-2.6 m and z=1-4 m)and above the train(y=0-2 m and z=3.9-4.8 m).展开更多
Shear thickening fluids （STFs） based on additives with different concentrations and molecular chain lengths were investigated. STF samples were prepared with silica and additive dispersed in polyethylene glycol （PE...Shear thickening fluids （STFs） based on additives with different concentrations and molecular chain lengths were investigated. STF samples were prepared with silica and additive dispersed in polyethylene glycol （PEG） 400, where three types of additives with different molecular chain lengths of PEG4000, PEG6000, and PEG10000 were used. For PEG10000, different concentrations, including 0, 1%, 3%, and 5%, were selected to study the influences of additive concentrations. Rheological properties of the samples were measured with a rheometer. The results show that the shear thickening effect was significantly enhanced with the increase of the concentration and the molecular chain length of additives. The mechanism of enhancement was quantitatively explained with the formation of large particles clusters.展开更多
This paper addresses an iterative learning control(ILC) design problem for discrete-time linear systems with randomly varying trial lengths. Due to the variation of the trial lengths, a stochastic matrix and an iterat...This paper addresses an iterative learning control(ILC) design problem for discrete-time linear systems with randomly varying trial lengths. Due to the variation of the trial lengths, a stochastic matrix and an iteration-average operator are introduced to present a unified expression of ILC scheme. By using the framework of lifted system, the learning convergence condition of ILC in mathematical expectation is derived without using λ-norm. It is shown that the requirement on classic ILC that all trial lengths must be identical is mitigated and the identical initialization condition can be also removed. In the end, two illustrative examples are presented to demonstrate the performance and the effectiveness of the proposed ILC scheme for both time-invariant and time-varying linear systems.展开更多
AIM:To evaluate the changing trends and outcomes of colorectal cancer(CRC)surgery performed at a large single institution in Taiwan.METHODS:This study retrospectively analyzed 778patients who received colorectal cance...AIM:To evaluate the changing trends and outcomes of colorectal cancer(CRC)surgery performed at a large single institution in Taiwan.METHODS:This study retrospectively analyzed 778patients who received colorectal cancer surgery at E-Da Hospital in Taiwan from 2004 to 2009.These patients were from health examination,inpatient or emergency settings.The following attributes were analyzed in patients who had undergone CRC surgical procedures:gender,age,source,surgical type,tumor number,tumor size,number of lymph node metastasis,pathologic differentiation,chemotherapy,distant metastases,tumor site,tumor stage,average hospitalization cost and average lengths of stay(ALOS).The odds ratio and95%confidence intervals were calculated to assess the relative rate of change.Regression models were employed to predict average hospitalization cost and ALOS.RESULTS:The study sample included 458(58.87%)males and 320(41.13%)females with a mean age of64.53 years(standard deviation,12.33 years;range,28-86 years).The principal patient source came from inpatient and emergency room(96.02%).The principal tumor sites were noted at the sigmoid colon(35.73%)and rectum(30.46%).Most patients exhibited a tumor stage of 2(37.28%)or 3(34.19%).The number of new CRC surgeries performed per 100000 persons was12.21 in 2004 and gradually increased to 17.89 in 2009,representing a change of 46.52%.During the same period,the average hospitalization cost and ALOS decreased from$5303 to$4062 and from 19.7 to 14.4 d,respectively.The following factors were associated with considerably decreased hospital resource utilization:age,source,surgical type,tumor size,tumor site,and tumor stage.CONCLUSION:These results can be generalized to patient populations elsewhere in Taiwan and to other countries with similar patient profiles.展开更多
A small cubic closed vessel with schlieren measurement technique combined with high-speed video camera were used to study limit flame properties under microgravity conditions at atmospheric pressure and room temperatu...A small cubic closed vessel with schlieren measurement technique combined with high-speed video camera were used to study limit flame properties under microgravity conditions at atmospheric pressure and room temperature.The rich flammability limit of C3H8/air was determined to be 9.2% C3H8.Stretched flame propagation speeds,stretched laminar burning velocities and unstretched laminar burning velocities near rich C3H8/air flammability limits were measured at different equivalence ratios.Outwardly propagating spherical flames were used to study the sensitivities of the flame propagation speeds and laminar burning velocities to flame stretch using Markstein lengths.Unstretched laminar burning velocity at rich flammability limit was determined to be 1.09cm/s.Lewis numbers were less than unity in rich C3H8/air and negative Markstein lengths were concluded.Absolute values of Markstein lengths were found to decrease linearly with equivalence ratios increase.展开更多
A study of the quenching of pyrene fluorescence by a series of alkyltriphenylphosphonium bromides indi- cated the coiling conformation of ionic surfactant in aqueous solution.Formation of pyrene excimer in cetyltriph-...A study of the quenching of pyrene fluorescence by a series of alkyltriphenylphosphonium bromides indi- cated the coiling conformation of ionic surfactant in aqueous solution.Formation of pyrene excimer in cetyltriph- enylphosphonium solution strengthened the conclusion.展开更多
The five longest tune-out wavelengths for the rubidium atom are predicted from existing experimental and theoretical information by using an approximation formula. The formula is derived from the analysis of a non- re...The five longest tune-out wavelengths for the rubidium atom are predicted from existing experimental and theoretical information by using an approximation formula. The formula is derived from the analysis of a non- relativistic configuration-interaction plus core polarization （CICP） calculation of the tune-out wavelengths for rubidium. The differences between the wavelengths predicted from the approximation formula and the exact CICP calculation are at the 10-3 nm level. The predicted five longest tune-out wavelengths are 790.115nm, 423.155nm, 421.111 nm, 359.429nm, and 359.022nm, respectively.展开更多
The need for efficiency has been a major challenge for hospitals in the United States. The efficiency of these providers is directly related to their inpatient lengths of stay. The coronavirus epidemic has challenged ...The need for efficiency has been a major challenge for hospitals in the United States. The efficiency of these providers is directly related to their inpatient lengths of stay. The coronavirus epidemic has challenged the ability of hospitals in the United States to reduce stays and provide efficient care. This study described the impact of the epidemic on inpatient lengths of stay in the hospitals of Syracuse NY between March-November 2020 compared with the same periods in previous years. It demonstrated that, during this period, adult medicine lengths of stay increased by 4.5 percent and adult surgery stays increased by 5 - 6 percent. These increases were not large;however, they challenged the ability of hospitals to provide efficient care at a time when additional capacity was needed to deal with the epidemic. The results of the study suggested that the coronavirus epidemic should not limit the effectiveness of hospital programs that support efficiency and protect needed health care resources at the community level.展开更多
Hospital length of stay reduction is an important mechanism for improving the outcomes and efficiency of care. This study evaluated the impact of length of stay reduction in the hospitals of Syracuse, New York. Betwee...Hospital length of stay reduction is an important mechanism for improving the outcomes and efficiency of care. This study evaluated the impact of length of stay reduction in the hospitals of Syracuse, New York. Between 2015 and 2020, length of stay reduction saved 7106 inpatient days for adult medicine, and 10,605 patient days for adult surgery in the hospitals. At a conservative late stay rate of $600 per day, $4,263,600 was eliminated for adult medicine and $6,363,000 was eliminated for adult surgery between 2015 and 2020. The study data suggested that the numbers of days saved were the greatest for patients with Major and Extreme severity of illness. At the community level, length of stay reduction can support the efforts of health care providers to free inpatient capacity for patients with Coronavirus and other conditions. It can also generate the efficiency needed to reimburse the costs of care.展开更多
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of different heat-stimulating time lengths on lower back pain.METHODS: Forty participants were randomly assigned to four groups of various heating time lengths. The short heating t...OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of different heat-stimulating time lengths on lower back pain.METHODS: Forty participants were randomly assigned to four groups of various heating time lengths. The short heating time length group(SL),moderate heating time length group(ML), and long heating time length group(LL) respectively received 15, 30, and 60 min of moxibustion therapy stimulating the acupoint Guanyuan(CV 4). The conventional acupuncture group(CA) received needle acupuncture treatment as a control group. The participants were treated continuously over a 2-week treatment period for a total of 10 sessions, with five sessions given per week. Participants were assessed weekly by blinded assessors, using the visual analogue scale(VAS) and Roland Morris Questionnaire(RMQ).RESULTS: The VAS and RMQ scores reduced in all four groups during treatment. There were significant differences in VAS scores(P < 0.01) and RMQ scores(P < 0.01) between before treatment and after 2 weeks of treatment in the LL group. After treatment, the LL group reported significantly lower VAS scores compared with the CA group, ML group,and SL group(P < 0.05).CONCLUSION: The long and moderate lengths of heat-stimulating time of 30 and 60 min may be more effective for relieving lower back pain than that of short stimulating time lengths.展开更多
Following the recommendations of a report submitted by the Central Social Insurance Medical Council concerning the 2002 revision of the Medical Service Fee Schedule, a new inclu-sive payment system, which is based on ...Following the recommendations of a report submitted by the Central Social Insurance Medical Council concerning the 2002 revision of the Medical Service Fee Schedule, a new inclu-sive payment system, which is based on the Diagnosis Procedure Combination (DPC) sys-tem, was introduced in 82 special functioning hospitals in Japan, effective beginning in April 2003. Since April 2004, the system has been gradually extended to general hospitals that satisfy certain prerequisites. In this paper, the new inclusive payment system is analyzed. Data pertaining to 1,225 patients, who were hospital-ized for cataract diseases and underwent lens operations from July 2004 to September 2005, are used. The lengths of hospital stay and medical payments among hospitals are com-pared. Even after eliminating the influence of patient characteristics, there are large differ-ences among hospitals in average lengths of hospital stay and DPC-based inclusive pay-ments. The highest average inclusive payment is 3.5 times as high as the lowest payment. On the other hand, there are relatively small differ-ences in non-inclusive payments based on the conventional fee-for-service system—the larg-est deviation from the average of all hospitals is approximately 10%. Thus, although payments based on the DPC account for only one-third of the total medical payments for this disease, the major differences in medical payments among hospitals are caused by differences in their DPC-based inclusive payments. The results of the study strongly suggest that revisions of the payment system in Japan are necessary for the efficient use of medical resources in the future.展开更多
The interaction length induced by Shock Wave/Turbulent Boundary-Layer Interactions(SWTBLIs)in the hypersonic flow was investigated using a scaling analysis,in which the interaction length normalized by the displacemen...The interaction length induced by Shock Wave/Turbulent Boundary-Layer Interactions(SWTBLIs)in the hypersonic flow was investigated using a scaling analysis,in which the interaction length normalized by the displacement thickness of boundary layer was correlated with a corrected non-dimensional separation criterion across the interaction after accounting for the wall temperature effects.A large number of hypersonic SWTBLIs were compiled to examine the scaling analysis over a wide range of Mach numbers,Reynolds numbers,and wall temperatures.The results indicate that the hypersonic SWTBLIs with low Reynolds numbers collapse on the supersonic SWTBLIs,while the hypersonic cases with high Reynolds numbers show a more rapid growth of the interaction length than that with low Reynolds numbers.Thus,two scaling relationships are identified according to different Reynolds numbers for the hypersonic SWTBLIs.The scaling analysis provides valuable guidelines for engineering prediction of the interaction length,and thus,enriches the knowledge of hypersonic SWTBLIs.展开更多
Telomeres are the structures that locate at the terminals of linear eukaryotic chromosomes. They can play essential roles in many cellular processes. The terminal location ofArabidopsis-type TTTAGGG tandem repeats wer...Telomeres are the structures that locate at the terminals of linear eukaryotic chromosomes. They can play essential roles in many cellular processes. The terminal location ofArabidopsis-type TTTAGGG tandem repeats were thought to be highly conserved. The terminal location of Ginkgo biloba L. consisting of TTTAGGG tandem repeats, were confirmed by Bal31 exonuclease degradation and Southern blotting. By comparing telomeric restriction fragment （TRF） lengths at different developmental stages from embryos to seedlings, a fluctuant tendency towards variation was found in these samples. The TRF length of embryos was also compared with that of embryonal calli and an upward trend was discovered in callus culture. The results suggest that there should be a telomerase mechanism or/and ALT mechanism for the maintenance of telomere length.展开更多
Adjuvanted vaccines are recommended for administration through an intramuscular route. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommended the anterolateral thigh using a 22 - 25-G 25-mm (1 inch) need...Adjuvanted vaccines are recommended for administration through an intramuscular route. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommended the anterolateral thigh using a 22 - 25-G 25-mm (1 inch) needle for infants, injected at a 90° into the skin surface, and using a 16 mm (5/8 inch) for newborns. Appropriate needle lengths may differ depending on racial backgrounds. In the present study, the thickness of the epidermis and lengths from the skin surface to the muscle fascia and bone were measured using ultrasonic echograms in order to determine suitable needle lengths for Japanese infants aged 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 12 - 15 months old. The thickness of the epidermis was 1.44 - 1.54 mm (95% CI), and the lengths from the skin surface to the muscle fascia and bone were 11.52 - 12.28 mm (95% CI), and 25.66 - 26.93 mm (95% CI), respectively, at the anterolateral thigh. At the center of the deltoid muscle, skin thickness was similar to that at the thigh, furthermore the lengths from the skin surface to the muscle fascia and bone were 8.49 - 9.10 mm (95% CI), and 17.38 - 18.31 mm (95% CI), respectively. The lengths from the skin surface to the muscle fascia and bone were 1 - 2 mm shorter in 2-month-old infants than those in older generations. Therefore, the appropriate needle length for intramuscular injections in Japanese infants was 16 mm (5/8 inch) at any age and sites, and with 25 mm (1 inch) needles at a 90° angle being associated with the risk of over-penetration.展开更多
Short Retraction Notice The paper does not meet the standards of "Open Journal of Composite Materials". This article has been retracted to straighten the academic record. In making this decision the Editoria...Short Retraction Notice The paper does not meet the standards of "Open Journal of Composite Materials". This article has been retracted to straighten the academic record. In making this decision the Editorial Board follows COPE's Retraction Guidelines. The aim is to promote the circulation of scientific research by offering an ideal research publication platform with due consideration of internationally accepted standards on publication ethics. The Editorial Board would like to extend its sincere apologies for any inconvenience this retraction may have caused. Editor guiding this retraction: Prof. Chengye Fan (EiC of OJCM) The full retraction notice in PDF is preceding the original paper, which is marked "Withdraw".展开更多
The hydrodynamic interactions(HIs) in colloidal monolayers are strongly influenced by the boundary conditions and can be directly described in terms of the cross-correlated diffusion of the colloid particles. In this ...The hydrodynamic interactions(HIs) in colloidal monolayers are strongly influenced by the boundary conditions and can be directly described in terms of the cross-correlated diffusion of the colloid particles. In this work, we experimentally measured the cross-correlated diffusion in colloidal monolayers near a water–oil interface. The characteristic lengths of the system were obtained by introducing an effective Saffman length. The characteristic lengths of a particle monolayer near a water–oil interface were found to be anisotropic in the longitudinal and transverse directions. From these characteristic lengths, the master curves of cross-correlated diffusion are obtained, which universally describe the HIs near a liquid–liquid interface.展开更多
Using molecular dynamics simulation, we compared evaporation behavior of a tiny amount of water molecules adsorbed on solid surfaces with different dipole lengths, including surface dipole lengths of 1 fold, 2 folds, ...Using molecular dynamics simulation, we compared evaporation behavior of a tiny amount of water molecules adsorbed on solid surfaces with different dipole lengths, including surface dipole lengths of 1 fold, 2 folds, 4 folds, 6 folds and 8 folds of 0.14 nm and different charges from 0.1e to 0.9e. Surfaces with short dipole lengths (1-fold system) can always maintain hydrophobic character and the evaporation speeds are not influenced, whether the surface charges are enhanced or weakened; but when surface dipole lengths get to 8 folds, surfaces become more hydrophilic as the surface charge increases, and the evaporation speeds increase gradually and monotonically. By tuning dipole lengths from 1-fold to 8-fold systems, we confirmed non-monotonic variation of the evaporation flux (first increases, then decreases) in 4 fold system with charges (0.1e-0.7e), reported in our previous paper [S. Wang, et al., J. Phys. Chem. B 116 (2012) 13863], and also show the process from the enhancement of this unexpected non-monotonic variation to its vanishment with surface dipole lengths increasing. Herein, we demonstrated two key factors to influence the evaporation flux of a tiny amount of water molecules adsorbed on solid surfaces: the exposed surficial area of water aggregation from where the water molecules can evaporate directly and the attraction potential from the substrate hindering the evaporation. In addition, more interestingly, we showed extra steric effect of surface dipoles on further increase of evaporation flux for 2-folds, 4-folds, 6-folds and 8-folds systems with charges around larger than 0.7e. (The steric effect is first reported by parts of our authors [C. Wang, et al., Sci. Rep. 2 (2012) 358]). This study presents a complete physical picture of the influence of surface dipole lengths on the evaporation behavior of the adsorbed tiny amount of water.展开更多
基金Supported by Wu Jieping Medical Foundation(No.320.6750.2021-4-15).
文摘AIM:To compare the effects of different types of negative pressure suction on the macular and optic disc retinal vessel density(VD)in myopic patients with different axial lengths(ALs)undergoing femtosecond laser-assisted excimer laser in situ keratomileusis(FS-LASIK)by optical coherence tomography angiography(OCTA).METHODS:A prospective,nonrandomized,controlled study.Participants underwent FS-LASIK surgery were divided into the short AL group(SAL,22≤AL<26 mm)and the long AL group(LAL,26≤AL<28 mm)according to the different ALs.Further,the two groups were divided into subgroups according to the corneal flap using VisuMax or WaveLight FS200 femtosecond laser(FS)platform.All patients underwent OCTA before the surgery and 1-day/1-week/1-month after the surgery.ANOVA statistically analyzed data with two-factor repeated measurement in SPSS.RESULTS:Totally 108 participants(108 eyes,18–35y)were divided into SAL group[22 patients(4 males and 18 females)were treated with VisuMax,and 24(3 males and 21 females)were treated with WaveLight FS200]and LAL group[34 patients(4 males and 30 females)were treated with VisuMax,and 28 patients(6 males and 22 females)were treated with WaveLight FS200].In the LAL group,there was no significant difference in macular superficial capillary plexuses vessel density(SCP-VD)in the fovea and perifovea region,but compared with the VisuMax subgroup,SCP-VD in the parafoveal region(t=2.647,P=0.010)and the whole area(t=2.030,P=0.047)in WaveLight FS200 subgroup decreased at one day after the operation and increased to a preoperative level at 1-week and 1-month after operation.There was no significant difference between SCP-VD in the two SAL subgroups,neither of deep capillary plexuses vessel density(DCP-VD)and optic nerve head vessel density(ONH-VD)in the SAL and LAL groups.CONCLUSION:With the increase of AL and suction intensity,a transient decrease of SCP-VD in the macular region is observed at 1d postoperatively during FS-LASIK,and it increases to preoperative level at 1-week and 1-month postoperatively.However,the AL and suction intensity do not affect the macular DCP-VD and ONH-VD.
基金supported by Wuyi University Hong Kong and Macao Joint Research and Development Fund(GrantsNos.2021WGALH15,2019WGALH17,2019WGALH15)the National Natural Science Foundation of China-Guangdong Joint Fund(GrantsNo.2019A1515111052)+2 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.52202426)a grant from the Research Grants Council(RGC)of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region(SAR),China(Grants No.15205723)a grant from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University(Grant No.P0045325).
文摘The safety and stability of high-speed maglev trains traveling on viaducts in crosswinds critically depend on their aerodynamic characteristics.Therefore,this paper uses an improved delayed detached eddy simulation(IDDES)method to investigate the aerodynamic features of high-speed maglev trains with different marshaling lengths under crosswinds.The effects of marshaling lengths(varying from 3-car to 8-car groups)on the train’s aerodynamic performance,surface pressure,and the flow field surrounding the train were investigated using the three-dimensional unsteady compressible Navier-Stokes(N-S)equations.The results showed that the marshaling lengths had minimal influence on the aerodynamic performance of the head and middle cars.Conversely,the marshaling lengths are negatively correlated with the time-average side force coefficient(CS)and time-average lift force coefficient(Cl)of the tail car.Compared to the tail car of the 3-car groups,the CS and Cl fell by 27.77%and 18.29%,respectively,for the tail car of the 8-car groups.It is essential to pay more attention to the operational safety of the head car,as it exhibits the highest time average CS.Additionally,the mean pressure difference between the two sides of the tail car body increased with the marshaling lengths,and the side force direction on the tail car was opposite to that of the head and middle cars.Furthermore,the turbulent kinetic energy of the wake structure on the windward side quickly decreased as marshaling lengths increased.
文摘In the United States, the costs of health care have become a major burden for the health care system. In order to address this problem, the hospitals of Syracuse, New York, developed programs to provide subacute and complex care. The Subacute programs provided patient transportation services for dialysis and other types of care outside hospitals. They also developed programs for services such as intravenous therapy in nursing homes. The Complex Care Programs, such as intravenous therapy and mental health services, have provided alternatives to extended care in hospitals. During the past five years, utilization of these programs has varied, declining between 2019 and 2022, and then increasing between 2022 and 2024. The programs have avoided the need for 1530 - 2974 patient days in hospitals. The programs saved the Syracuse hospitals approximately $600 per inpatient day. This amounted to savings of $918,000 - $1,784,400 per year. These programs demonstrated how relatively small mechanisms can save large amounts of health care resources.
基金Project(52202426)supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of ChinaProjects(15205723,15226424)supported by the Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region(SAR),China+1 种基金Project(K2021J041)supported by the Technology Research and Development Program of China RailwayProject(1-BD23)supported by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University,China。
文摘In this work,the flow surrounding the train was obtained using a detached eddy simulation(DES)for slipstream analysis.Two different streamlined nose lengths were investigated:a short nose(4 m)and a long nose(9 m).The time-average slipstream velocity and the time-average slipstream pressure along the car bodies were compared and explained in detail.In addition to the time-averaged values,the _(max)imum velocities and the pressure peak-to-peak values around the two trains were analyzed.The result showed that the nose length affected the slipstream velocity along the entire train length at the lower and upper regions of the side of the train.However,no significant effect was recognized at the middle height of the train along its length,except in the nose region.Moreover,within the train’s side regions(y=2.0-2.5 m and z=2-4 m)and(y=2.5-3.5 m and z=0.2-0.7 m),the ratio of slipstream velocity U_(max) between the short and long nose trains was notably higher.This occurrence also manifested at the train’s upper section,specifically where y=0-2.5 m and z=4.2-5.0 m.Similarly,regarding the ratio of _(max)imum pressure peak-to-peak values Cp-p_(max),significant regions were observed at the train’s side(y=1.8-2.6 m and z=1-4 m)and above the train(y=0-2 m and z=3.9-4.8 m).
文摘Shear thickening fluids （STFs） based on additives with different concentrations and molecular chain lengths were investigated. STF samples were prepared with silica and additive dispersed in polyethylene glycol （PEG） 400, where three types of additives with different molecular chain lengths of PEG4000, PEG6000, and PEG10000 were used. For PEG10000, different concentrations, including 0, 1%, 3%, and 5%, were selected to study the influences of additive concentrations. Rheological properties of the samples were measured with a rheometer. The results show that the shear thickening effect was significantly enhanced with the increase of the concentration and the molecular chain length of additives. The mechanism of enhancement was quantitatively explained with the formation of large particles clusters.
文摘This paper addresses an iterative learning control(ILC) design problem for discrete-time linear systems with randomly varying trial lengths. Due to the variation of the trial lengths, a stochastic matrix and an iteration-average operator are introduced to present a unified expression of ILC scheme. By using the framework of lifted system, the learning convergence condition of ILC in mathematical expectation is derived without using λ-norm. It is shown that the requirement on classic ILC that all trial lengths must be identical is mitigated and the identical initialization condition can be also removed. In the end, two illustrative examples are presented to demonstrate the performance and the effectiveness of the proposed ILC scheme for both time-invariant and time-varying linear systems.
文摘AIM:To evaluate the changing trends and outcomes of colorectal cancer(CRC)surgery performed at a large single institution in Taiwan.METHODS:This study retrospectively analyzed 778patients who received colorectal cancer surgery at E-Da Hospital in Taiwan from 2004 to 2009.These patients were from health examination,inpatient or emergency settings.The following attributes were analyzed in patients who had undergone CRC surgical procedures:gender,age,source,surgical type,tumor number,tumor size,number of lymph node metastasis,pathologic differentiation,chemotherapy,distant metastases,tumor site,tumor stage,average hospitalization cost and average lengths of stay(ALOS).The odds ratio and95%confidence intervals were calculated to assess the relative rate of change.Regression models were employed to predict average hospitalization cost and ALOS.RESULTS:The study sample included 458(58.87%)males and 320(41.13%)females with a mean age of64.53 years(standard deviation,12.33 years;range,28-86 years).The principal patient source came from inpatient and emergency room(96.02%).The principal tumor sites were noted at the sigmoid colon(35.73%)and rectum(30.46%).Most patients exhibited a tumor stage of 2(37.28%)or 3(34.19%).The number of new CRC surgeries performed per 100000 persons was12.21 in 2004 and gradually increased to 17.89 in 2009,representing a change of 46.52%.During the same period,the average hospitalization cost and ALOS decreased from$5303 to$4062 and from 19.7 to 14.4 d,respectively.The following factors were associated with considerably decreased hospital resource utilization:age,source,surgical type,tumor size,tumor site,and tumor stage.CONCLUSION:These results can be generalized to patient populations elsewhere in Taiwan and to other countries with similar patient profiles.
基金Supported by the Research Foundation of Beijing Institute of Technology(20070242004)
文摘A small cubic closed vessel with schlieren measurement technique combined with high-speed video camera were used to study limit flame properties under microgravity conditions at atmospheric pressure and room temperature.The rich flammability limit of C3H8/air was determined to be 9.2% C3H8.Stretched flame propagation speeds,stretched laminar burning velocities and unstretched laminar burning velocities near rich C3H8/air flammability limits were measured at different equivalence ratios.Outwardly propagating spherical flames were used to study the sensitivities of the flame propagation speeds and laminar burning velocities to flame stretch using Markstein lengths.Unstretched laminar burning velocity at rich flammability limit was determined to be 1.09cm/s.Lewis numbers were less than unity in rich C3H8/air and negative Markstein lengths were concluded.Absolute values of Markstein lengths were found to decrease linearly with equivalence ratios increase.
文摘A study of the quenching of pyrene fluorescence by a series of alkyltriphenylphosphonium bromides indi- cated the coiling conformation of ionic surfactant in aqueous solution.Formation of pyrene excimer in cetyltriph- enylphosphonium solution strengthened the conclusion.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant Nos 11304063 and 11174066the Youth Foundation of Liaoning Normal University under Grant No LS2014L002
文摘The five longest tune-out wavelengths for the rubidium atom are predicted from existing experimental and theoretical information by using an approximation formula. The formula is derived from the analysis of a non- relativistic configuration-interaction plus core polarization （CICP） calculation of the tune-out wavelengths for rubidium. The differences between the wavelengths predicted from the approximation formula and the exact CICP calculation are at the 10-3 nm level. The predicted five longest tune-out wavelengths are 790.115nm, 423.155nm, 421.111 nm, 359.429nm, and 359.022nm, respectively.
文摘The need for efficiency has been a major challenge for hospitals in the United States. The efficiency of these providers is directly related to their inpatient lengths of stay. The coronavirus epidemic has challenged the ability of hospitals in the United States to reduce stays and provide efficient care. This study described the impact of the epidemic on inpatient lengths of stay in the hospitals of Syracuse NY between March-November 2020 compared with the same periods in previous years. It demonstrated that, during this period, adult medicine lengths of stay increased by 4.5 percent and adult surgery stays increased by 5 - 6 percent. These increases were not large;however, they challenged the ability of hospitals to provide efficient care at a time when additional capacity was needed to deal with the epidemic. The results of the study suggested that the coronavirus epidemic should not limit the effectiveness of hospital programs that support efficiency and protect needed health care resources at the community level.
文摘Hospital length of stay reduction is an important mechanism for improving the outcomes and efficiency of care. This study evaluated the impact of length of stay reduction in the hospitals of Syracuse, New York. Between 2015 and 2020, length of stay reduction saved 7106 inpatient days for adult medicine, and 10,605 patient days for adult surgery in the hospitals. At a conservative late stay rate of $600 per day, $4,263,600 was eliminated for adult medicine and $6,363,000 was eliminated for adult surgery between 2015 and 2020. The study data suggested that the numbers of days saved were the greatest for patients with Major and Extreme severity of illness. At the community level, length of stay reduction can support the efforts of health care providers to free inpatient capacity for patients with Coronavirus and other conditions. It can also generate the efficiency needed to reimburse the costs of care.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Study the Mechanism Based On the P38mapk Signal Pathway Mediated by Cautery Moxibustion Therapy of Hui Medicine Treatment Idd,No.81360567 And Research on Mechanism of Koa Treated By Cautery Moxibustion of Hui Medicine Based on Wnt/β-catenin Signaling Pathway,No.81460757)Ningxia Natural Science Foundation(Evaluation of Different Moxibustion Doses for Low Back Pain,No.NZ11208)
文摘OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of different heat-stimulating time lengths on lower back pain.METHODS: Forty participants were randomly assigned to four groups of various heating time lengths. The short heating time length group(SL),moderate heating time length group(ML), and long heating time length group(LL) respectively received 15, 30, and 60 min of moxibustion therapy stimulating the acupoint Guanyuan(CV 4). The conventional acupuncture group(CA) received needle acupuncture treatment as a control group. The participants were treated continuously over a 2-week treatment period for a total of 10 sessions, with five sessions given per week. Participants were assessed weekly by blinded assessors, using the visual analogue scale(VAS) and Roland Morris Questionnaire(RMQ).RESULTS: The VAS and RMQ scores reduced in all four groups during treatment. There were significant differences in VAS scores(P < 0.01) and RMQ scores(P < 0.01) between before treatment and after 2 weeks of treatment in the LL group. After treatment, the LL group reported significantly lower VAS scores compared with the CA group, ML group,and SL group(P < 0.05).CONCLUSION: The long and moderate lengths of heat-stimulating time of 30 and 60 min may be more effective for relieving lower back pain than that of short stimulating time lengths.
文摘Following the recommendations of a report submitted by the Central Social Insurance Medical Council concerning the 2002 revision of the Medical Service Fee Schedule, a new inclu-sive payment system, which is based on the Diagnosis Procedure Combination (DPC) sys-tem, was introduced in 82 special functioning hospitals in Japan, effective beginning in April 2003. Since April 2004, the system has been gradually extended to general hospitals that satisfy certain prerequisites. In this paper, the new inclusive payment system is analyzed. Data pertaining to 1,225 patients, who were hospital-ized for cataract diseases and underwent lens operations from July 2004 to September 2005, are used. The lengths of hospital stay and medical payments among hospitals are com-pared. Even after eliminating the influence of patient characteristics, there are large differ-ences among hospitals in average lengths of hospital stay and DPC-based inclusive pay-ments. The highest average inclusive payment is 3.5 times as high as the lowest payment. On the other hand, there are relatively small differ-ences in non-inclusive payments based on the conventional fee-for-service system—the larg-est deviation from the average of all hospitals is approximately 10%. Thus, although payments based on the DPC account for only one-third of the total medical payments for this disease, the major differences in medical payments among hospitals are caused by differences in their DPC-based inclusive payments. The results of the study strongly suggest that revisions of the payment system in Japan are necessary for the efficient use of medical resources in the future.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.11772325 and 11621202)。
文摘The interaction length induced by Shock Wave/Turbulent Boundary-Layer Interactions(SWTBLIs)in the hypersonic flow was investigated using a scaling analysis,in which the interaction length normalized by the displacement thickness of boundary layer was correlated with a corrected non-dimensional separation criterion across the interaction after accounting for the wall temperature effects.A large number of hypersonic SWTBLIs were compiled to examine the scaling analysis over a wide range of Mach numbers,Reynolds numbers,and wall temperatures.The results indicate that the hypersonic SWTBLIs with low Reynolds numbers collapse on the supersonic SWTBLIs,while the hypersonic cases with high Reynolds numbers show a more rapid growth of the interaction length than that with low Reynolds numbers.Thus,two scaling relationships are identified according to different Reynolds numbers for the hypersonic SWTBLIs.The scaling analysis provides valuable guidelines for engineering prediction of the interaction length,and thus,enriches the knowledge of hypersonic SWTBLIs.
文摘Telomeres are the structures that locate at the terminals of linear eukaryotic chromosomes. They can play essential roles in many cellular processes. The terminal location ofArabidopsis-type TTTAGGG tandem repeats were thought to be highly conserved. The terminal location of Ginkgo biloba L. consisting of TTTAGGG tandem repeats, were confirmed by Bal31 exonuclease degradation and Southern blotting. By comparing telomeric restriction fragment （TRF） lengths at different developmental stages from embryos to seedlings, a fluctuant tendency towards variation was found in these samples. The TRF length of embryos was also compared with that of embryonal calli and an upward trend was discovered in callus culture. The results suggest that there should be a telomerase mechanism or/and ALT mechanism for the maintenance of telomere length.
文摘Adjuvanted vaccines are recommended for administration through an intramuscular route. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommended the anterolateral thigh using a 22 - 25-G 25-mm (1 inch) needle for infants, injected at a 90° into the skin surface, and using a 16 mm (5/8 inch) for newborns. Appropriate needle lengths may differ depending on racial backgrounds. In the present study, the thickness of the epidermis and lengths from the skin surface to the muscle fascia and bone were measured using ultrasonic echograms in order to determine suitable needle lengths for Japanese infants aged 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 12 - 15 months old. The thickness of the epidermis was 1.44 - 1.54 mm (95% CI), and the lengths from the skin surface to the muscle fascia and bone were 11.52 - 12.28 mm (95% CI), and 25.66 - 26.93 mm (95% CI), respectively, at the anterolateral thigh. At the center of the deltoid muscle, skin thickness was similar to that at the thigh, furthermore the lengths from the skin surface to the muscle fascia and bone were 8.49 - 9.10 mm (95% CI), and 17.38 - 18.31 mm (95% CI), respectively. The lengths from the skin surface to the muscle fascia and bone were 1 - 2 mm shorter in 2-month-old infants than those in older generations. Therefore, the appropriate needle length for intramuscular injections in Japanese infants was 16 mm (5/8 inch) at any age and sites, and with 25 mm (1 inch) needles at a 90° angle being associated with the risk of over-penetration.
文摘Short Retraction Notice The paper does not meet the standards of "Open Journal of Composite Materials". This article has been retracted to straighten the academic record. In making this decision the Editorial Board follows COPE's Retraction Guidelines. The aim is to promote the circulation of scientific research by offering an ideal research publication platform with due consideration of internationally accepted standards on publication ethics. The Editorial Board would like to extend its sincere apologies for any inconvenience this retraction may have caused. Editor guiding this retraction: Prof. Chengye Fan (EiC of OJCM) The full retraction notice in PDF is preceding the original paper, which is marked "Withdraw".
基金Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.11474054,11774417,and 11604381)the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province,China(Grant No.BK20160238)
文摘The hydrodynamic interactions(HIs) in colloidal monolayers are strongly influenced by the boundary conditions and can be directly described in terms of the cross-correlated diffusion of the colloid particles. In this work, we experimentally measured the cross-correlated diffusion in colloidal monolayers near a water–oil interface. The characteristic lengths of the system were obtained by introducing an effective Saffman length. The characteristic lengths of a particle monolayer near a water–oil interface were found to be anisotropic in the longitudinal and transverse directions. From these characteristic lengths, the master curves of cross-correlated diffusion are obtained, which universally describe the HIs near a liquid–liquid interface.
基金Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant Nos.11175230 and 11105088National Program on Key Basic Research Project under Grant No.2012CB932400Shanghai Supercomputer Center of China and Shanghai University Supercomputer (ZQ3000&4000)
文摘Using molecular dynamics simulation, we compared evaporation behavior of a tiny amount of water molecules adsorbed on solid surfaces with different dipole lengths, including surface dipole lengths of 1 fold, 2 folds, 4 folds, 6 folds and 8 folds of 0.14 nm and different charges from 0.1e to 0.9e. Surfaces with short dipole lengths (1-fold system) can always maintain hydrophobic character and the evaporation speeds are not influenced, whether the surface charges are enhanced or weakened; but when surface dipole lengths get to 8 folds, surfaces become more hydrophilic as the surface charge increases, and the evaporation speeds increase gradually and monotonically. By tuning dipole lengths from 1-fold to 8-fold systems, we confirmed non-monotonic variation of the evaporation flux (first increases, then decreases) in 4 fold system with charges (0.1e-0.7e), reported in our previous paper [S. Wang, et al., J. Phys. Chem. B 116 (2012) 13863], and also show the process from the enhancement of this unexpected non-monotonic variation to its vanishment with surface dipole lengths increasing. Herein, we demonstrated two key factors to influence the evaporation flux of a tiny amount of water molecules adsorbed on solid surfaces: the exposed surficial area of water aggregation from where the water molecules can evaporate directly and the attraction potential from the substrate hindering the evaporation. In addition, more interestingly, we showed extra steric effect of surface dipoles on further increase of evaporation flux for 2-folds, 4-folds, 6-folds and 8-folds systems with charges around larger than 0.7e. (The steric effect is first reported by parts of our authors [C. Wang, et al., Sci. Rep. 2 (2012) 358]). This study presents a complete physical picture of the influence of surface dipole lengths on the evaporation behavior of the adsorbed tiny amount of water.
