High grain protein content(GPC) reduces rice eating and cooking quality(ECQ). We generated OsAAP6 and OsAAP10 knockout mutants in three high-yielding japonica varieties and one japonica line using the CRISPR/Cas9 syst...High grain protein content(GPC) reduces rice eating and cooking quality(ECQ). We generated OsAAP6 and OsAAP10 knockout mutants in three high-yielding japonica varieties and one japonica line using the CRISPR/Cas9 system. Mutation efficiency varied with genetic background in the T_0 generation, and GPC in the T_1 generation decreased significantly,owing mainly to a reduction in glutelin content. Amylose content was down-regulated significantly in some Osaap6 and all Osaap10 mutants. The increased taste value of these mutants was supported by Rapid Visco Analysis(RVA) profiles, which showed higher peak viscosity and breakdown viscosity and lower setback viscosity than the wild type. There were no significant deficiencies in agronomic traits of the mutants. Targeted mutagenesis of OsAAP6 and OsAAP10, especially OsAAP10, using the CRISPR/Cas9 system can rapidly reduce GPC and improve ECQ of rice, providing a new strategy for the breeding cultivars with desired ECQ.展开更多
Sign language dataset is essential in sign language recognition and translation(SLRT). Current public sign language datasets are small and lack diversity, which does not meet the practical application requirements for...Sign language dataset is essential in sign language recognition and translation(SLRT). Current public sign language datasets are small and lack diversity, which does not meet the practical application requirements for SLRT. However, making a large-scale and diverse sign language dataset is difficult as sign language data on the Internet is scarce. In making a large-scale and diverse sign language dataset, some sign language data qualities are not up to standard. This paper proposes a two information streams transformer(TIST) model to judge whether the quality of sign language data is qualified. To verify that TIST effectively improves sign language recognition(SLR), we make two datasets, the screened dataset and the unscreened dataset. In this experiment, this paper uses visual alignment constraint(VAC) as the baseline model. The experimental results show that the screened dataset can achieve better word error rate(WER) than the unscreened dataset.展开更多
University student Party branches serve as the Party’s grassroots organizations within universities and act as a bridge and link between the Party and students.Therefore,it is essential to strengthen the development ...University student Party branches serve as the Party’s grassroots organizations within universities and act as a bridge and link between the Party and students.Therefore,it is essential to strengthen the development of student Party branches and enhance the effectiveness of student Party member education and training.This paper summarizes and analyzes the issues in the construction of student Party branches in universities and explores strategies for improving their quality,aiming to provide a reference for relevant personnel.展开更多
To improve the quality of the illumination distribution,one novel indoor visible light communication(VLC)system,which is jointly assisted by the angle-diversity transceivers and simultaneous transmission and reflectio...To improve the quality of the illumination distribution,one novel indoor visible light communication(VLC)system,which is jointly assisted by the angle-diversity transceivers and simultaneous transmission and reflection-intelligent reflecting surface(STAR-IRS),has been proposed in this work.A Harris Hawks optimizer algorithm(HHOA)-based two-stage alternating iteration algorithm(TSAIA)is presented to jointly optimize the magnitude and uniformity of the received optical power.Besides,to demonstrate the superiority of the proposed strategy,several benchmark schemes are simulated and compared.Results showed that compared to other optimization strategies,the TSAIA scheme is more capable of balancing the average value and variance of the received optical power,when the maximal ratio combining(MRC)strategy is adopted at the receiver.Moreover,as the number of the STAR-IRS elements increases,the optical power variance of the system optimized by TSAIA scheme would become smaller while the average optical power would get larger.This study will benefit the design of received optical power distribution for indoor VLC systems.展开更多
The efficiency of phytosynthetic bacteria (PSB) to improve the water quality in saline alkali ponds was studied, the result showed that (1) PSB application could increase the content of DO, NO\+-\-3\|N and effective ...The efficiency of phytosynthetic bacteria (PSB) to improve the water quality in saline alkali ponds was studied, the result showed that (1) PSB application could increase the content of DO, NO\+-\-3\|N and effective phosphorus (EP) in ponds; (2) the changes of COD were not evident, just effective in later period after PSB application; (3) PSB application could decrease the contents of NH\+-\-4\|N (NH\-3\|N), NO\+-\-2\|N ; (4) PSB application could improve the structure of the effective nitrogen (EN) and EP, stimulate the growth of phytoplankton, and increase primary productivity, and finally increase the commercial profits of ponds because of the increase of EP and the decrease of EN contents; (5) the effect exerting speed of PSB was slower, but the effect sustaining time was longer; (6) the appropriate concentration of PSB application in saline alkali wetland ponds was 10×10 -6 mg/L, one time effective period was more than 15 days. So PSB was an efficient water quality improver in saline alkali ponds.展开更多
This article describes the integrated modeling approach for planning the size and the operation of constructed wetlands for maximizing retention of nonpoint source pollutant loads and reservoir water-quality improveme...This article describes the integrated modeling approach for planning the size and the operation of constructed wetlands for maximizing retention of nonpoint source pollutant loads and reservoir water-quality improvement at a catchment scale. The experimental field-scale wetland systems （four sets, 0.88 ha each） have been in operation since 2002, where water depth was maintained at 30-50 cm and hydraulic loading rate was at 6.3-18.8 cm/day. The wetland system was found to be adequate for treating polluted stream water with stable removal efficiency even during the winter. The integrated modeling system （modified-BASINS） was applied to the Seokmoon estuarine reservoir watershed and calibrated with monitoring data from constructed wetland, stream, and reservoir. The calibrated integrated modeling system estimated that constructing wetlands on 0.5% （about 114 ha） of the watershed area at the mouth of reservoir could reduce 11.61% and 13.49% of total external nitrogen and phosphorus loads, respectively. It also might improve the nitrogen and phosphorus concentration of the reservoir by 9.69% and 16.48%, respectively. The study suggested that about 0.1%-1.0% of the watershed area should be allocated for constructed wetland to meet specified water-quality standards for the estuarine reservoir at the polder area where land use planning is relatively less complicated.展开更多
japonica rice is mainly distributed in Northeast China and accounts for 44.6% of the total cultivated area of japonica rice in China. The comprehensive using of inter-subspecies heterosis is the main breeding mode of ...japonica rice is mainly distributed in Northeast China and accounts for 44.6% of the total cultivated area of japonica rice in China. The comprehensive using of inter-subspecies heterosis is the main breeding mode of super japonica rice varieties in this region. Improving rice quality at relative high yielding level is the current research focus. Performing crosses between indica and japonica lines allows for the recombination of regulatory genes and genetic backgrounds, leading to complicated genetic rice quality characteristics, which can be used to explore patterns of quality improvement. In the present study, we utilize recombinant inbred lines （RILs） derived from indica-japonica hybridization to analyze the effect factors of rice quality derived from genetic factors, which contain both regulatory genes concerning rice quality and genetic backgrounds＇ random introduction frequency coming from indica （Di value）, and the improvement strategy was further discussed. The regulatory genes involved in amylase content （Wx） and nitrogen utilization efficiency （NRT1.1B） were the major factors affecting the amylose content （AC） and protein content （PC） in RILs, respectively. Both the Di value and the major grain width gene （GS5） had regulatory effects on milled rice width （MRW） in RILs, and their interaction explained the major variance of MRW in the RILs. With the mediation of MRW and chalkiness degree （C）, Di value had a further impact on head rice rate （HR）, which was relatively poor when the Di value was over 40%. In Northeast China, the Di value should be lowered by backcrossing or multiple crosses during the breeding of indica-japonica hybridization to maintain the whole better HR and further to emphasize the use of favorable genes in individual selection.展开更多
The real-time energy flow data obtained in industrial production processes are usually of low quality.It is difficult to accurately predict the short-term energy flow profile by using these field data,which diminishes...The real-time energy flow data obtained in industrial production processes are usually of low quality.It is difficult to accurately predict the short-term energy flow profile by using these field data,which diminishes the effect of industrial big data and artificial intelligence in industrial energy system.The real-time data of blast furnace gas(BFG)generation collected in iron and steel sites are also of low quality.In order to tackle this problem,a three-stage data quality improvement strategy was proposed to predict the BFG generation.In the first stage,correlation principle was used to test the sample set.In the second stage,the original sample set was rectified and updated.In the third stage,Kalman filter was employed to eliminate the noise of the updated sample set.The method was verified by autoregressive integrated moving average model,back propagation neural network model and long short-term memory model.The results show that the prediction model based on the proposed three-stage data quality improvement method performs well.Long short-term memory model has the best prediction performance,with a mean absolute error of 17.85 m3/min,a mean absolute percentage error of 0.21%,and an R squared of 95.17%.展开更多
Objectives: Engaging, enhancing and embedding clinical audit improvement activities into everyday practice to develop capacity, capability and culture in continuous improvement.Method: Through the implementation of an...Objectives: Engaging, enhancing and embedding clinical audit improvement activities into everyday practice to develop capacity, capability and culture in continuous improvement.Method: Through the implementation of an electronic quality management system called Governance, Evidence, Knowledge and Outcome (GEKO), the key aspects of governance, evidence knowledge and outcomes were able to be applied to quality initiatives. Implementation of the GEKO system incorporated the principles of total quality control and management to include strategic management control and marketing in parallel with leadership strategies. The vision was to motivate staff to enable ownership of the quality cycle of continuous improvement of patient care to incorporate underlying systems and processes that impact on patient care. Results: A continuous improvement pathway was successfully established 4 months post hospital commissioning. Over 890 (approximately 16% workforce) multidisciplinary and multi-professional staff received training and support for QIs in 12 months;over 535 quality proposals were received on GEKO. Submissions by profession: nursing and midwifery 46% (246), medical 33%(177), allied health 9% (48), pharmacy 5%(27), and non-clinical staff 7%(37). Average new submissions per month were 42. Reviews demonstrated the application of a rapid cycle approach to develop, test, modify and refine improvements and enhanced clinical care. Conclusion: Appropriate governance structure, processes, extensive education and training together with collaborative relationships are the keys to embed clinical audit improvement into everyday practice. The availability of a quality management system like GEKO is very useful to make QI accessible to all staff.展开更多
Objective:Early thrombolytic therapy for ischemic stroke within the therapeutic window is associated with improved clinical outcomes.This study investigated whether optimizing intravenous thrombolytic(IVT)therapy stra...Objective:Early thrombolytic therapy for ischemic stroke within the therapeutic window is associated with improved clinical outcomes.This study investigated whether optimizing intravenous thrombolytic(IVT)therapy strategies for stroke could reduce treatment delays.Methods:To reduce delays in IVT therapy for ischemic stroke,a series of quality improvement measures were implemented at a tertiary hospital in Hangzhou,Zhejiang Province,from June 2021 to August 2023,which included developing a timeline process management system,forming a nurse-led stroke process management team,providing homogeneous training,standardizing the IVT therapy process for ischemic stroke,and introducing an incentive policy.During the pre-(from June 2021 to February 2022,group A)and post-(from March to November 2022,group B1;from December 2022 to August 2023,group B2[implementation of an additional incentive policy])of the implementation the strategy,the door-tocomputed tomographic angiography(CTA)time(DCT),CTA time,neurology consultation to consent for IVT,CTA-to-needle time(CNT),and door-to-needle time(DNT),the percentage of people who underwent CTA within 20 min,15 min,and 10 min and DNT within 60 min,45 min,and 30 min were collected and compared.Results:Following the implementation of the standardized IVT process management strategy for stroke,the DNT for group B1 and group B2 were 30(24,44)min and 31(24,41)min,respectively,both significantly lower than the 46(38,58)min in group A(P<0.001);the median DCT were both 13 min in group B1 and B2 lower than 17min in group A(P<0.001);the median CTA were 12 min in Group B1 and 9 min in Group B2 lower than 14 min in group A(P<0.001);similar results were observed during the neurology consultation to obtain consent for IVT and CNT.Compared with group A,the proportion of DCT20 min,15 min,and 10 min was higher in groups B1 and B2(P<0.05),and the same result was observed at DNT60 min,45 min,and 30 min(P<0.05).However,the additional incentive policy did not significantly differ between Group B2 and Group B1.Conclusions:Optimizing IVT therapy for ischemic stroke is a feasible approach to limit the DNT to 30 min in ischemic stroke,significantly reducing delays within the therapeutic window and increasing the number of patients meeting target time segments.Additionally,generating a timeline for the IVT therapy process by scanning positioning quick response codes was a significant breakthrough in achieving the informatization of IVT quality management for stroke.展开更多
Objectives: In the post-surgical setting,active involvement of family caregivers has the potential to improve patient outcomes by prevention of surgical complications that are sensitive to fundamental care.This paper ...Objectives: In the post-surgical setting,active involvement of family caregivers has the potential to improve patient outcomes by prevention of surgical complications that are sensitive to fundamental care.This paper describes the development of a theoretically grounded program to enhance the active involvement of family caregivers in fundamental care for post-surgical patients.Methods: We used a quality improvement project following a multi-phase design.In Phase 1,an iterative method was used to combine evidence from a narrative review and professionals' preferences.In Phase 2,the logic model underlying the program was developed guided by four steps: (1) confirm situation,intervention aim,and target population;(2) documented expected outcomes,and outputs of the intervention;(3) identify and describe assumptions,external factors and inputs;and (4) confirm intervention components.Results: Phase 1 identified a minimum set of family involvement activities that were both supported by staff and the narrative review.In Phase 2,the logic model was developed and includes (1) the inputs (e.g.educational-and environmental support),(2) the ultimate outcomes (e.g.reduction of postoperative complications),(3) the intermediate outcomes (e.g.behavioural changes),and (4) immediate outcomes (e.g.improved knowledge,skills and attitude).Conclusions: We demonstrated how we aimed to change our practice to an environment in which family caregivers were stimulated to be actively involved in postoperative care on surgical wards,and how we took different factors into account.The description of this program may provide a solid basis for professionals to implement the family involvement program in their own setting.展开更多
To solve the problem that soybean has narrow genetic base, we constructed a series of male sterile recurrent selection populations, and studied the effects of quality improvement and practical value. An LD-base popula...To solve the problem that soybean has narrow genetic base, we constructed a series of male sterile recurrent selection populations, and studied the effects of quality improvement and practical value. An LD-base population, which fits to our ecology type was constructed by 6 years＇ gene enrichment through the introduction of new genes from 23 local varieties and recurrent selection. The LD-base populations were then improved by making crosses with high protein and high oil genotypes. As a result we obtained a high protein sub-population （db） and a high oil sub-population （gy）, For the db sub-population, the protein content is 1.18% higher than the base population, 22.38% of the individuals contain 45% or more of protein, which is 10.99% higher than the base population. For the gy sub-population, oil content is 0.24% higher than the base population. Individuals with oil content of 20% or more are 11.05% higher than the base population. The quantitative characters such as flowering date, mature date, pod habit, and hilum color, etc., all showed wide range of separation, and the segregation ratio approached balance. The c.v. of branch number of ms1 recurrent population （72.8%） is higher than general cross-population （57.3%）, and the c.v. of 100 seed weight of ms1 （18.1%） is higher than general cross population （16.5%）, the coefficient of variation of plant height, pods per plant, and seeds per pod were not significantly different. It was demonstrated in this paper that the quality character of ms 1 male sterile recurrent selection population was improved by adding new genes. And the segregation of other characters widened, making the populations suitable for the objective of soybean breeding. In this paper, we also discussed the breeding method, key technology, and selection effect of soybean ms 1 population.展开更多
BACKGROUND Gallbladder cancer is the most common malignancy of the biliary tract.Neo-adjuvant chemotherapy(NACT)has improved overall survival by enabling R0 resection.Currently,there is no consensus of guidelines for ...BACKGROUND Gallbladder cancer is the most common malignancy of the biliary tract.Neo-adjuvant chemotherapy(NACT)has improved overall survival by enabling R0 resection.Currently,there is no consensus of guidelines for neoadjuvant therapy in gallbladder cancer.As investigations continue to analyze the regimen and benefit of NACT for ongoing care of gallbladder cancer patients,we examined American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program(NSQIP)database to determine if there was higher morbidity among the neo-adjuvant group within the 30-day post-operative period.We hypothesized patients who underwent NACT were more likely to have higher post-operative morbidity.AIM To investigate the 30-day post-operative morbidity outcomes between patients who received NACT and underwent surgery and patients who only had surgery.METHODS A retrospective analysis of the targeted hepatectomy NSQIP data between 2015 and 2019 was performed to determine if NACT in gallbladder cancer increased the risk for post-operative morbidity(bile leak,infection rate,rate of converting to open surgery,etc.)compared to the group who only had surgery.To calculate the odds ratio for the primary and secondary outcomes,a crude logistic regression was performed.RESULTS Of the 452 patients,52 patients received NACT prior to surgery.There were no statistically significant differences in the odds of morbidity between the two groups,including bile leak[odds ratio(OR),0.69;95%confidence interval(95%CI):0.16-2.10;P=0.55],superficial wound infection(OR,0.58;95%CI:0.03-3.02;P=0.61),and organ space wound infection(OR,0.63;95%CI:0.18-1.63;P=0.61).CONCLUSION There was no significant difference in the risk of 30-day post-operative morbidity between the NACT and surgery group and the surgery only group.展开更多
AIM:To investigate the performance of a new software-based colonoscopy quality assessment system.METHODS:The software-based system employs a novel image processing algorithm which detects the levels of image clarity,w...AIM:To investigate the performance of a new software-based colonoscopy quality assessment system.METHODS:The software-based system employs a novel image processing algorithm which detects the levels of image clarity,withdrawal velocity,and level of the bowel preparation in a real-time fashion from live video signal.Threshold levels of image blurriness and the withdrawal velocity below which the visualization could be considered adequate have initially been determined arbitrarily by review of sample colonoscopy videos by two experienced endoscopists.Subsequently,an overall colonoscopy quality rating was computed based on the percentage of the withdrawal time with adequate visualization(scored 1-5;1,when the percentage was 1%-20%;2,when the percentage was 21%-40%,etc.).In order to test the proposed velocity and blurriness thresholds,screening colonoscopy withdrawal videos from a specialized ambulatory colon cancer screening center were collected,automatically processed and rated.Quality ratings on the withdrawal were compared to the insertion in the same patients.Then,3 experienced endoscopists reviewed the collected videos in a blinded fashion and rated the overall quality of each withdrawal(scored 1-5;1,poor;3,average;5,excellent) based on 3 major aspects:image quality,colon preparation,and withdrawal velocity.The automated quality ratings were compared to the averaged endoscopist quality ratings using Spearman correlation coefficient.RESULTS:Fourteen screening colonoscopies were assessed.Adenomatous polyps were detected in 4/14(29%) of the collected colonoscopy video samples.As a proof of concept,the Colometer software rated colonoscope withdrawal as having better visualization than the insertion in the 10 videos which did not have any polyps(average percent time with adequate visualization:79% ± 5% for withdrawal and 50% ± 14% for insertion,P < 0.01).Withdrawal times during which no polyps were removed ranged from 4-12 min.The median quality rating from the automated system and the reviewers was 3.45 [interquartile range(IQR),3.1-3.68] and 3.00(IQR,2.33-3.67) respectively for all colonoscopy video samples.The automated rating revealed a strong correlation with the reviewer's rating(ρ coefficient= 0.65,P = 0.01).There was good correlation of the automated overall quality rating and the mean endoscopist withdrawal speed rating(Spearman r coefficient= 0.59,P = 0.03).There was no correlation of automated overall quality rating with mean endoscopists image quality rating(Spearman r coefficient= 0.41,P = 0.15).CONCLUSION:The results from a novel automated real-time colonoscopy quality feedback system strongly agreed with the endoscopists' quality assessments.Further study is required to validate this approach.展开更多
<b>Introduction:</b> Achieving viral load suppression among the adolescents living with HIV continues to hold back attainment of sustainable development goals. TASO Mbale realized a viral load suppression ...<b>Introduction:</b> Achieving viral load suppression among the adolescents living with HIV continues to hold back attainment of sustainable development goals. TASO Mbale realized a viral load suppression rate of 63.1% among the adolescents living with HIV in care in quarter 4 of 2016. We therefore, instituted a quality imrpovement project to improve Viral load suppression from 63.1% in quarter 4 2016 to 90% by the end of quarter 4 2017. <b>Method:</b> Baseline data from the Uganda viral load dashboard were analyzed, and fishbone diagram was utilized to provide root causes of low viral load suppression among the adolescents living with HIV at TASO Mbale. The identified barriers were Knowlegde gap, among the adolescents, on positive living, Missing clinic appointments, Sub-optimal adherence, Poorly planned adolescent HIV clinic, Inadequate follow-up and Low use of data for informed decisions. A plan-do-study-act (PDSA) model was applied to implement tested changes. Strategies that worked included introduction of appointment register to track appointment behaviour of the adolescents, generating lists of clients on appointment who were due for Viral Load bleeding, telephone calls for follow up, increasing the frequency of reviewing adolescents from once a month to twice a week, committing a dedicated team responsible for adolescent care. <b>Results:</b> The viral load suppression improved from 63.1% in quarter 4 of 2016 to 63.8% in the first quarter of 2017, to 87.5% in quarter 2 of 2017, 97.6% in the third quarter and 91.4% in quarter 4 of 2017. <b>Conclusion:</b> The use of quality improvement in addressing gaps in HIV service delivery is highly effective.展开更多
BACKGROUND:Medication errors are a common source of adverse healthcare incidents particularly in the emergency department(ED) that has a number of factors that make it prone to medication errors.This project aims to r...BACKGROUND:Medication errors are a common source of adverse healthcare incidents particularly in the emergency department(ED) that has a number of factors that make it prone to medication errors.This project aims to reduce medication errors and improve the health and economic outcomes of clinical care in Hong Kong ED.METHODS:In 2009,a task group was formed to identify problems that potentially endanger medication safety and developed strategies to eliminate these problems.RESULTS:Responsible officers were assigned to look after seven error-prone areas.Strategies were proposed,discussed,endorsed and promulgated to eliminate the problems identified.A reduction of medication incidents(Ml) from 16 to 6 was achieved before and after the improvement work.CONCLUSION:This project successfully established a concrete organizational structure to safeguard error-prone areas of medication safety in a sustainable manner.展开更多
The dairy herd improvement data from Henan Province were analyzed statistically to establish screening criteria for relevant data, thereby laying a foundation for genetic evaluation of dairy cows. With the 2 152 451 t...The dairy herd improvement data from Henan Province were analyzed statistically to establish screening criteria for relevant data, thereby laying a foundation for genetic evaluation of dairy cows. With the 2 152 451 test-day records about 155 893 Chinese Holstein dairy cows collected by the Henan Dairy Herd Improvement Center from January 2008 to April 2016, the dynamics of test times during a complete lactation, test interval during a complete lactation, days in milk （DIM） of first test-day record, daughter descendant number and herd number of bull, age at first calving and pedigree integrity rate among different years and different herd sizes were analyzed by MEANS order of SAS 9.4. In addition, the data that were applicable to genetic evaluation were screened by SQL program. The results showed that during 2008-2015, the number of cow individuals participating in DHI in Henan Province increased from 7 379 to 93 706; the test-day milk yield increased from 19.91 to 24.05 kg; the somatic cell count reduced from 411.09×10^3 to 277.08×10^3 cells/ml; the percentage of cows with DIM ranging from 5-305 d reached 70.92%; the average test times increased from 3.20 to 6.31 times; the test interval decreased from 70.22 to 33.83 d; the dairy cows with age at first calving of 25 months were dominant, accounting for 12.57%; the bulls whose daughter descendant number was 20 or more and the daughters were distributed in 10 or more farms accounted for 6.05%; the one-generation pedigree integrity rate was 82.54%; the percentage of data that could be used for genetic evaluation was screened as 20.67%, which was lower than the results of other similar studies.展开更多
During the laser foil interaction, the output ion beam quality including the energy spread and beam divergence can be improved by the target ablation, due to the direct laser acceleration （DLA） electrons generated i...During the laser foil interaction, the output ion beam quality including the energy spread and beam divergence can be improved by the target ablation, due to the direct laser acceleration （DLA） electrons generated in tile ablation plasma. The acceleration field established at the target rear by these electrons, which is highly directional and triangle-envelope, is helpful for the beam quality. With the help of the target ablation, both the beam divergence and energy spread will be reduced. If the ablation is more sufficient, the impact of DLA-electron-caused field will be strengthened, and the beam quality will be better, confirmed by the particle-in-cell simulation.展开更多
1. Demand for high quality rice in ChinaRice is the leading cereal crop that contributes about40% of the national grain production in China. The totaloutput and areas rank the first and the second position inthe world...1. Demand for high quality rice in ChinaRice is the leading cereal crop that contributes about40% of the national grain production in China. The totaloutput and areas rank the first and the second position inthe world, respectively. In recent years, rice productiongrows steadily, but the quality improvement has beenlagged and the quality becomes a limiting factor. As the展开更多
基金financially supported by National Key Research and Development Program of China(2016YFD0100501)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31871241,31371233)+3 种基金the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province(BE2017345,PZCZ201702,BE2018351)the Research and Innovation Program of Postgraduate in Jiangsu Province(KYCX17_1886)the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutionsthe Yangzhou University International Academic Exchange Fund。
文摘High grain protein content(GPC) reduces rice eating and cooking quality(ECQ). We generated OsAAP6 and OsAAP10 knockout mutants in three high-yielding japonica varieties and one japonica line using the CRISPR/Cas9 system. Mutation efficiency varied with genetic background in the T_0 generation, and GPC in the T_1 generation decreased significantly,owing mainly to a reduction in glutelin content. Amylose content was down-regulated significantly in some Osaap6 and all Osaap10 mutants. The increased taste value of these mutants was supported by Rapid Visco Analysis(RVA) profiles, which showed higher peak viscosity and breakdown viscosity and lower setback viscosity than the wild type. There were no significant deficiencies in agronomic traits of the mutants. Targeted mutagenesis of OsAAP6 and OsAAP10, especially OsAAP10, using the CRISPR/Cas9 system can rapidly reduce GPC and improve ECQ of rice, providing a new strategy for the breeding cultivars with desired ECQ.
基金supported by the National Language Commission to research on sign language data specifications for artificial intelligence applications and test standards for language service translation systems (No.ZDI145-70)。
文摘Sign language dataset is essential in sign language recognition and translation(SLRT). Current public sign language datasets are small and lack diversity, which does not meet the practical application requirements for SLRT. However, making a large-scale and diverse sign language dataset is difficult as sign language data on the Internet is scarce. In making a large-scale and diverse sign language dataset, some sign language data qualities are not up to standard. This paper proposes a two information streams transformer(TIST) model to judge whether the quality of sign language data is qualified. To verify that TIST effectively improves sign language recognition(SLR), we make two datasets, the screened dataset and the unscreened dataset. In this experiment, this paper uses visual alignment constraint(VAC) as the baseline model. The experimental results show that the screened dataset can achieve better word error rate(WER) than the unscreened dataset.
文摘University student Party branches serve as the Party’s grassroots organizations within universities and act as a bridge and link between the Party and students.Therefore,it is essential to strengthen the development of student Party branches and enhance the effectiveness of student Party member education and training.This paper summarizes and analyzes the issues in the construction of student Party branches in universities and explores strategies for improving their quality,aiming to provide a reference for relevant personnel.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.62071365)the Key Research and Development Program of Shaanxi Province(No.2017ZDCXL-GY-06-02).
文摘To improve the quality of the illumination distribution,one novel indoor visible light communication(VLC)system,which is jointly assisted by the angle-diversity transceivers and simultaneous transmission and reflection-intelligent reflecting surface(STAR-IRS),has been proposed in this work.A Harris Hawks optimizer algorithm(HHOA)-based two-stage alternating iteration algorithm(TSAIA)is presented to jointly optimize the magnitude and uniformity of the received optical power.Besides,to demonstrate the superiority of the proposed strategy,several benchmark schemes are simulated and compared.Results showed that compared to other optimization strategies,the TSAIA scheme is more capable of balancing the average value and variance of the received optical power,when the maximal ratio combining(MRC)strategy is adopted at the receiver.Moreover,as the number of the STAR-IRS elements increases,the optical power variance of the system optimized by TSAIA scheme would become smaller while the average optical power would get larger.This study will benefit the design of received optical power distribution for indoor VLC systems.
文摘The efficiency of phytosynthetic bacteria (PSB) to improve the water quality in saline alkali ponds was studied, the result showed that (1) PSB application could increase the content of DO, NO\+-\-3\|N and effective phosphorus (EP) in ponds; (2) the changes of COD were not evident, just effective in later period after PSB application; (3) PSB application could decrease the contents of NH\+-\-4\|N (NH\-3\|N), NO\+-\-2\|N ; (4) PSB application could improve the structure of the effective nitrogen (EN) and EP, stimulate the growth of phytoplankton, and increase primary productivity, and finally increase the commercial profits of ponds because of the increase of EP and the decrease of EN contents; (5) the effect exerting speed of PSB was slower, but the effect sustaining time was longer; (6) the appropriate concentration of PSB application in saline alkali wetland ponds was 10×10 -6 mg/L, one time effective period was more than 15 days. So PSB was an efficient water quality improver in saline alkali ponds.
文摘This article describes the integrated modeling approach for planning the size and the operation of constructed wetlands for maximizing retention of nonpoint source pollutant loads and reservoir water-quality improvement at a catchment scale. The experimental field-scale wetland systems （four sets, 0.88 ha each） have been in operation since 2002, where water depth was maintained at 30-50 cm and hydraulic loading rate was at 6.3-18.8 cm/day. The wetland system was found to be adequate for treating polluted stream water with stable removal efficiency even during the winter. The integrated modeling system （modified-BASINS） was applied to the Seokmoon estuarine reservoir watershed and calibrated with monitoring data from constructed wetland, stream, and reservoir. The calibrated integrated modeling system estimated that constructing wetlands on 0.5% （about 114 ha） of the watershed area at the mouth of reservoir could reduce 11.61% and 13.49% of total external nitrogen and phosphorus loads, respectively. It also might improve the nitrogen and phosphorus concentration of the reservoir by 9.69% and 16.48%, respectively. The study suggested that about 0.1%-1.0% of the watershed area should be allocated for constructed wetland to meet specified water-quality standards for the estuarine reservoir at the polder area where land use planning is relatively less complicated.
基金sponsored by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31371587,31430062)the Cultivation Plan for Youth Agricultural Science Technology Innovative Talents of Liaoning Province,China(2015035,2015036)the Program for Changjiang Scholars and Innovative Research Team in University,China(IRT13079)
文摘japonica rice is mainly distributed in Northeast China and accounts for 44.6% of the total cultivated area of japonica rice in China. The comprehensive using of inter-subspecies heterosis is the main breeding mode of super japonica rice varieties in this region. Improving rice quality at relative high yielding level is the current research focus. Performing crosses between indica and japonica lines allows for the recombination of regulatory genes and genetic backgrounds, leading to complicated genetic rice quality characteristics, which can be used to explore patterns of quality improvement. In the present study, we utilize recombinant inbred lines （RILs） derived from indica-japonica hybridization to analyze the effect factors of rice quality derived from genetic factors, which contain both regulatory genes concerning rice quality and genetic backgrounds＇ random introduction frequency coming from indica （Di value）, and the improvement strategy was further discussed. The regulatory genes involved in amylase content （Wx） and nitrogen utilization efficiency （NRT1.1B） were the major factors affecting the amylose content （AC） and protein content （PC） in RILs, respectively. Both the Di value and the major grain width gene （GS5） had regulatory effects on milled rice width （MRW） in RILs, and their interaction explained the major variance of MRW in the RILs. With the mediation of MRW and chalkiness degree （C）, Di value had a further impact on head rice rate （HR）, which was relatively poor when the Di value was over 40%. In Northeast China, the Di value should be lowered by backcrossing or multiple crosses during the breeding of indica-japonica hybridization to maintain the whole better HR and further to emphasize the use of favorable genes in individual selection.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(51734004 and 51704069).
文摘The real-time energy flow data obtained in industrial production processes are usually of low quality.It is difficult to accurately predict the short-term energy flow profile by using these field data,which diminishes the effect of industrial big data and artificial intelligence in industrial energy system.The real-time data of blast furnace gas(BFG)generation collected in iron and steel sites are also of low quality.In order to tackle this problem,a three-stage data quality improvement strategy was proposed to predict the BFG generation.In the first stage,correlation principle was used to test the sample set.In the second stage,the original sample set was rectified and updated.In the third stage,Kalman filter was employed to eliminate the noise of the updated sample set.The method was verified by autoregressive integrated moving average model,back propagation neural network model and long short-term memory model.The results show that the prediction model based on the proposed three-stage data quality improvement method performs well.Long short-term memory model has the best prediction performance,with a mean absolute error of 17.85 m3/min,a mean absolute percentage error of 0.21%,and an R squared of 95.17%.
文摘Objectives: Engaging, enhancing and embedding clinical audit improvement activities into everyday practice to develop capacity, capability and culture in continuous improvement.Method: Through the implementation of an electronic quality management system called Governance, Evidence, Knowledge and Outcome (GEKO), the key aspects of governance, evidence knowledge and outcomes were able to be applied to quality initiatives. Implementation of the GEKO system incorporated the principles of total quality control and management to include strategic management control and marketing in parallel with leadership strategies. The vision was to motivate staff to enable ownership of the quality cycle of continuous improvement of patient care to incorporate underlying systems and processes that impact on patient care. Results: A continuous improvement pathway was successfully established 4 months post hospital commissioning. Over 890 (approximately 16% workforce) multidisciplinary and multi-professional staff received training and support for QIs in 12 months;over 535 quality proposals were received on GEKO. Submissions by profession: nursing and midwifery 46% (246), medical 33%(177), allied health 9% (48), pharmacy 5%(27), and non-clinical staff 7%(37). Average new submissions per month were 42. Reviews demonstrated the application of a rapid cycle approach to develop, test, modify and refine improvements and enhanced clinical care. Conclusion: Appropriate governance structure, processes, extensive education and training together with collaborative relationships are the keys to embed clinical audit improvement into everyday practice. The availability of a quality management system like GEKO is very useful to make QI accessible to all staff.
基金supported by Zhejiang Provincial Medical and Health Science and Technology Plan Project(2023KY448).
文摘Objective:Early thrombolytic therapy for ischemic stroke within the therapeutic window is associated with improved clinical outcomes.This study investigated whether optimizing intravenous thrombolytic(IVT)therapy strategies for stroke could reduce treatment delays.Methods:To reduce delays in IVT therapy for ischemic stroke,a series of quality improvement measures were implemented at a tertiary hospital in Hangzhou,Zhejiang Province,from June 2021 to August 2023,which included developing a timeline process management system,forming a nurse-led stroke process management team,providing homogeneous training,standardizing the IVT therapy process for ischemic stroke,and introducing an incentive policy.During the pre-(from June 2021 to February 2022,group A)and post-(from March to November 2022,group B1;from December 2022 to August 2023,group B2[implementation of an additional incentive policy])of the implementation the strategy,the door-tocomputed tomographic angiography(CTA)time(DCT),CTA time,neurology consultation to consent for IVT,CTA-to-needle time(CNT),and door-to-needle time(DNT),the percentage of people who underwent CTA within 20 min,15 min,and 10 min and DNT within 60 min,45 min,and 30 min were collected and compared.Results:Following the implementation of the standardized IVT process management strategy for stroke,the DNT for group B1 and group B2 were 30(24,44)min and 31(24,41)min,respectively,both significantly lower than the 46(38,58)min in group A(P<0.001);the median DCT were both 13 min in group B1 and B2 lower than 17min in group A(P<0.001);the median CTA were 12 min in Group B1 and 9 min in Group B2 lower than 14 min in group A(P<0.001);similar results were observed during the neurology consultation to obtain consent for IVT and CNT.Compared with group A,the proportion of DCT20 min,15 min,and 10 min was higher in groups B1 and B2(P<0.05),and the same result was observed at DNT60 min,45 min,and 30 min(P<0.05).However,the additional incentive policy did not significantly differ between Group B2 and Group B1.Conclusions:Optimizing IVT therapy for ischemic stroke is a feasible approach to limit the DNT to 30 min in ischemic stroke,significantly reducing delays within the therapeutic window and increasing the number of patients meeting target time segments.Additionally,generating a timeline for the IVT therapy process by scanning positioning quick response codes was a significant breakthrough in achieving the informatization of IVT quality management for stroke.
基金This work is supported by an unrestricted innovation research grant of the Amsterdam UMC,location Academic Medical Center in Amsterdam,the Netherlands
文摘Objectives: In the post-surgical setting,active involvement of family caregivers has the potential to improve patient outcomes by prevention of surgical complications that are sensitive to fundamental care.This paper describes the development of a theoretically grounded program to enhance the active involvement of family caregivers in fundamental care for post-surgical patients.Methods: We used a quality improvement project following a multi-phase design.In Phase 1,an iterative method was used to combine evidence from a narrative review and professionals' preferences.In Phase 2,the logic model underlying the program was developed guided by four steps: (1) confirm situation,intervention aim,and target population;(2) documented expected outcomes,and outputs of the intervention;(3) identify and describe assumptions,external factors and inputs;and (4) confirm intervention components.Results: Phase 1 identified a minimum set of family involvement activities that were both supported by staff and the narrative review.In Phase 2,the logic model was developed and includes (1) the inputs (e.g.educational-and environmental support),(2) the ultimate outcomes (e.g.reduction of postoperative complications),(3) the intermediate outcomes (e.g.behavioural changes),and (4) immediate outcomes (e.g.improved knowledge,skills and attitude).Conclusions: We demonstrated how we aimed to change our practice to an environment in which family caregivers were stimulated to be actively involved in postoperative care on surgical wards,and how we took different factors into account.The description of this program may provide a solid basis for professionals to implement the family involvement program in their own setting.
文摘To solve the problem that soybean has narrow genetic base, we constructed a series of male sterile recurrent selection populations, and studied the effects of quality improvement and practical value. An LD-base population, which fits to our ecology type was constructed by 6 years＇ gene enrichment through the introduction of new genes from 23 local varieties and recurrent selection. The LD-base populations were then improved by making crosses with high protein and high oil genotypes. As a result we obtained a high protein sub-population （db） and a high oil sub-population （gy）, For the db sub-population, the protein content is 1.18% higher than the base population, 22.38% of the individuals contain 45% or more of protein, which is 10.99% higher than the base population. For the gy sub-population, oil content is 0.24% higher than the base population. Individuals with oil content of 20% or more are 11.05% higher than the base population. The quantitative characters such as flowering date, mature date, pod habit, and hilum color, etc., all showed wide range of separation, and the segregation ratio approached balance. The c.v. of branch number of ms1 recurrent population （72.8%） is higher than general cross-population （57.3%）, and the c.v. of 100 seed weight of ms1 （18.1%） is higher than general cross population （16.5%）, the coefficient of variation of plant height, pods per plant, and seeds per pod were not significantly different. It was demonstrated in this paper that the quality character of ms 1 male sterile recurrent selection population was improved by adding new genes. And the segregation of other characters widened, making the populations suitable for the objective of soybean breeding. In this paper, we also discussed the breeding method, key technology, and selection effect of soybean ms 1 population.
文摘BACKGROUND Gallbladder cancer is the most common malignancy of the biliary tract.Neo-adjuvant chemotherapy(NACT)has improved overall survival by enabling R0 resection.Currently,there is no consensus of guidelines for neoadjuvant therapy in gallbladder cancer.As investigations continue to analyze the regimen and benefit of NACT for ongoing care of gallbladder cancer patients,we examined American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program(NSQIP)database to determine if there was higher morbidity among the neo-adjuvant group within the 30-day post-operative period.We hypothesized patients who underwent NACT were more likely to have higher post-operative morbidity.AIM To investigate the 30-day post-operative morbidity outcomes between patients who received NACT and underwent surgery and patients who only had surgery.METHODS A retrospective analysis of the targeted hepatectomy NSQIP data between 2015 and 2019 was performed to determine if NACT in gallbladder cancer increased the risk for post-operative morbidity(bile leak,infection rate,rate of converting to open surgery,etc.)compared to the group who only had surgery.To calculate the odds ratio for the primary and secondary outcomes,a crude logistic regression was performed.RESULTS Of the 452 patients,52 patients received NACT prior to surgery.There were no statistically significant differences in the odds of morbidity between the two groups,including bile leak[odds ratio(OR),0.69;95%confidence interval(95%CI):0.16-2.10;P=0.55],superficial wound infection(OR,0.58;95%CI:0.03-3.02;P=0.61),and organ space wound infection(OR,0.63;95%CI:0.18-1.63;P=0.61).CONCLUSION There was no significant difference in the risk of 30-day post-operative morbidity between the NACT and surgery group and the surgery only group.
基金Supported by The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (Partially)
文摘AIM:To investigate the performance of a new software-based colonoscopy quality assessment system.METHODS:The software-based system employs a novel image processing algorithm which detects the levels of image clarity,withdrawal velocity,and level of the bowel preparation in a real-time fashion from live video signal.Threshold levels of image blurriness and the withdrawal velocity below which the visualization could be considered adequate have initially been determined arbitrarily by review of sample colonoscopy videos by two experienced endoscopists.Subsequently,an overall colonoscopy quality rating was computed based on the percentage of the withdrawal time with adequate visualization(scored 1-5;1,when the percentage was 1%-20%;2,when the percentage was 21%-40%,etc.).In order to test the proposed velocity and blurriness thresholds,screening colonoscopy withdrawal videos from a specialized ambulatory colon cancer screening center were collected,automatically processed and rated.Quality ratings on the withdrawal were compared to the insertion in the same patients.Then,3 experienced endoscopists reviewed the collected videos in a blinded fashion and rated the overall quality of each withdrawal(scored 1-5;1,poor;3,average;5,excellent) based on 3 major aspects:image quality,colon preparation,and withdrawal velocity.The automated quality ratings were compared to the averaged endoscopist quality ratings using Spearman correlation coefficient.RESULTS:Fourteen screening colonoscopies were assessed.Adenomatous polyps were detected in 4/14(29%) of the collected colonoscopy video samples.As a proof of concept,the Colometer software rated colonoscope withdrawal as having better visualization than the insertion in the 10 videos which did not have any polyps(average percent time with adequate visualization:79% ± 5% for withdrawal and 50% ± 14% for insertion,P < 0.01).Withdrawal times during which no polyps were removed ranged from 4-12 min.The median quality rating from the automated system and the reviewers was 3.45 [interquartile range(IQR),3.1-3.68] and 3.00(IQR,2.33-3.67) respectively for all colonoscopy video samples.The automated rating revealed a strong correlation with the reviewer's rating(ρ coefficient= 0.65,P = 0.01).There was good correlation of the automated overall quality rating and the mean endoscopist withdrawal speed rating(Spearman r coefficient= 0.59,P = 0.03).There was no correlation of automated overall quality rating with mean endoscopists image quality rating(Spearman r coefficient= 0.41,P = 0.15).CONCLUSION:The results from a novel automated real-time colonoscopy quality feedback system strongly agreed with the endoscopists' quality assessments.Further study is required to validate this approach.
文摘<b>Introduction:</b> Achieving viral load suppression among the adolescents living with HIV continues to hold back attainment of sustainable development goals. TASO Mbale realized a viral load suppression rate of 63.1% among the adolescents living with HIV in care in quarter 4 of 2016. We therefore, instituted a quality imrpovement project to improve Viral load suppression from 63.1% in quarter 4 2016 to 90% by the end of quarter 4 2017. <b>Method:</b> Baseline data from the Uganda viral load dashboard were analyzed, and fishbone diagram was utilized to provide root causes of low viral load suppression among the adolescents living with HIV at TASO Mbale. The identified barriers were Knowlegde gap, among the adolescents, on positive living, Missing clinic appointments, Sub-optimal adherence, Poorly planned adolescent HIV clinic, Inadequate follow-up and Low use of data for informed decisions. A plan-do-study-act (PDSA) model was applied to implement tested changes. Strategies that worked included introduction of appointment register to track appointment behaviour of the adolescents, generating lists of clients on appointment who were due for Viral Load bleeding, telephone calls for follow up, increasing the frequency of reviewing adolescents from once a month to twice a week, committing a dedicated team responsible for adolescent care. <b>Results:</b> The viral load suppression improved from 63.1% in quarter 4 of 2016 to 63.8% in the first quarter of 2017, to 87.5% in quarter 2 of 2017, 97.6% in the third quarter and 91.4% in quarter 4 of 2017. <b>Conclusion:</b> The use of quality improvement in addressing gaps in HIV service delivery is highly effective.
文摘BACKGROUND:Medication errors are a common source of adverse healthcare incidents particularly in the emergency department(ED) that has a number of factors that make it prone to medication errors.This project aims to reduce medication errors and improve the health and economic outcomes of clinical care in Hong Kong ED.METHODS:In 2009,a task group was formed to identify problems that potentially endanger medication safety and developed strategies to eliminate these problems.RESULTS:Responsible officers were assigned to look after seven error-prone areas.Strategies were proposed,discussed,endorsed and promulgated to eliminate the problems identified.A reduction of medication incidents(Ml) from 16 to 6 was achieved before and after the improvement work.CONCLUSION:This project successfully established a concrete organizational structure to safeguard error-prone areas of medication safety in a sustainable manner.
基金Supported by Science and Technology Open Cooperation Project of Henan Province(162106000017)Science and Technology People-benefiting Plan Project of Henan Province(152207110004)Puyang Science and Technology Plan Project(150109)~~
文摘The dairy herd improvement data from Henan Province were analyzed statistically to establish screening criteria for relevant data, thereby laying a foundation for genetic evaluation of dairy cows. With the 2 152 451 test-day records about 155 893 Chinese Holstein dairy cows collected by the Henan Dairy Herd Improvement Center from January 2008 to April 2016, the dynamics of test times during a complete lactation, test interval during a complete lactation, days in milk （DIM） of first test-day record, daughter descendant number and herd number of bull, age at first calving and pedigree integrity rate among different years and different herd sizes were analyzed by MEANS order of SAS 9.4. In addition, the data that were applicable to genetic evaluation were screened by SQL program. The results showed that during 2008-2015, the number of cow individuals participating in DHI in Henan Province increased from 7 379 to 93 706; the test-day milk yield increased from 19.91 to 24.05 kg; the somatic cell count reduced from 411.09×10^3 to 277.08×10^3 cells/ml; the percentage of cows with DIM ranging from 5-305 d reached 70.92%; the average test times increased from 3.20 to 6.31 times; the test interval decreased from 70.22 to 33.83 d; the dairy cows with age at first calving of 25 months were dominant, accounting for 12.57%; the bulls whose daughter descendant number was 20 or more and the daughters were distributed in 10 or more farms accounted for 6.05%; the one-generation pedigree integrity rate was 82.54%; the percentage of data that could be used for genetic evaluation was screened as 20.67%, which was lower than the results of other similar studies.
基金Supported by the National Basic Research Program of China under Grant No 2013CBA01502the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant Nos 11025523 and J1103206the National Major Scientific Instruments and Equipment Development Projects under Grant No 2012YQ030142
文摘During the laser foil interaction, the output ion beam quality including the energy spread and beam divergence can be improved by the target ablation, due to the direct laser acceleration （DLA） electrons generated in tile ablation plasma. The acceleration field established at the target rear by these electrons, which is highly directional and triangle-envelope, is helpful for the beam quality. With the help of the target ablation, both the beam divergence and energy spread will be reduced. If the ablation is more sufficient, the impact of DLA-electron-caused field will be strengthened, and the beam quality will be better, confirmed by the particle-in-cell simulation.
文摘1. Demand for high quality rice in ChinaRice is the leading cereal crop that contributes about40% of the national grain production in China. The totaloutput and areas rank the first and the second position inthe world, respectively. In recent years, rice productiongrows steadily, but the quality improvement has beenlagged and the quality becomes a limiting factor. As the
