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This study explored mental workload recognition methods for carrier-based aircraft pilots utilising multiple sensor physiological signal fusion and portable devices. A simulation carrier-based aircraft flight experiment was designed, and subjective mental workload scores and electroencephalogram (EEG) and photoplethysmogram (PPG) signals from six pilot cadets were collected using NASA Task Load Index (NASA-TLX) and portable devices. The subjective scores of the pilots in three flight phases were used to label the data into three mental workload levels. Features from the physiological signals were extracted, and the interrelations between mental workload and physiological indicators were evaluated. Machine learning and deep learning algorithms were used to classify the pilots’ mental workload. The performances of the single-modal method and multimodal fusion methods were investigated. The results showed that the multimodal fusion methods outperformed the single-modal methods, achieving higher accuracy, precision, recall and F1 score. Among all the classifiers, the random forest classifier with feature-level fusion obtained the best results, with an accuracy of 97.69%, precision of 98.08%, recall of 96.98% and F1 score of 97.44%. The findings of this study demonstrate the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed method, offering insights into mental workload management and the enhancement of flight safety for carrier-based aircraft pilots.
During the automatic docking assembly of aircraft wing-fuselage, using monocular camera or dual-camera to monitor the docking stage of the fork-ear will result in an incomplete identification of the fork-ear pose-position and an inaccurate description of the deviation in the intersection holes’ position coordinates. To address this, a quality inspection and error correction method is proposed for the fork-ear docking assembly based on multi-camera stereo vision. Initially, a multi-camera stereo vision detection system is established to inspect the quality of fork-ear docking assembly. Subsequently, a spatial position solution mathematical model of the fork-ear feature points is developed, and a spatial pose determination mathematical model of fork-ear is established by utilised the elliptical cone. Finally, an enhanced artificial fish swarm particle filter algorithm is proposed to track and estimate the coordinate of the fork-ear feature points. An adaptive weighted fusion algorithm is employed to fuse the detection data from the multi-camera and the laser tracker, and a wing pose-position fine-tuning error correction model is constructed. Experimental results demonstrate that the method enhances the effect of the assembly quality inspection and effectively improves the wing-fuselage docking assembly accuracy of the fork-ear type aircraft.
During the investigation of parasitic pathogens of Mytilus coruscus, infection of a Perkinsus-like protozoan parasite was detected by alternative Ray's Fluid Thioglycolate Medium (ARFTM). The diameter of hypnospores or prezoosporangia was 8–27 (15.6 ± 4.0, n = 111) μm. The prevalence of the Perkinsus-like species in M. coruscus was 25 and 12.5% using ARFTM and PCR, respectively. The ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 fragments amplified by PCR assay had 100% homology to that of P. beihaiensis, suggesting that the protozoan parasite was P. beihaisensis and M. coruscus was its new host in East China Sea (ECS). Histological analysis showed the presence of trophozoites of P. beihaiensis in gill, mantle and visceral mass, and the schizonts only found in visceral mass. Perkinsus beihaiensis infection led to inflammatory reaction of hemocyte and the destruction of digestive tubules in visceral mass, which had negative effect on health of the farmed M. coruscus and it deserves more attention.
This study aimed to examine the efficacy of the automated mechanical repositioning chairs compared to canalith repositioning manoeuvres for elderly patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV).
Methods:
A retrospective study included 969 patients with BPPV who were first diagnosed at Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University between 1 January 2020 and 31 December 2020. Patients were followed up for one year. Demographics, disease status, treatment and various outcomes were collected through medical record reviews and follow-up interviews.
Results:
Based on the criteria for evaluating treatment efficacy using objective and subjective indicators, BPPV patients treated with automated mechanical repositioning chair therapy showed a significantly better prognosis and lower recurrence rates.
Conclusion:
Automated mechanical repositioning chair therapy is an effective approach for BPPV treatment, with advantages over conventional manual canalith repositioning procedures.
The 10-item Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) measures different dimensions of depression symptomatology. Digital traits may generate deeper understanding of the MADRS subscales and provide insights about depression symptomatology.
Objectives
To identify digital traits that predict specific MADRS subscales and ascertain which digital traits are important for which MADRS subscales.
Methods
During a Phase II decentralised clinical trial in major depressive disorder (MDD), patients completed the MADRS and used AiCure (LLC, New York, NY, USA), a smartphone application, to complete image description tasks at baseline. Digital measurements identified from the literature as relevant to MDD symptomatology were conducted using audio and video data derived from the image description tasks. Digital measurements included speech (rate, sentiment and first-person singular pronouns), vocal acoustics (intensity, pause fraction and fundamental frequency), facial expressivity (regional facial movement) and head pose (Euclidean and angular head movement). Digital traits analysis involved data pre-processing followed by machine learning (ML) using Elastic Net, Decision Tree, and Random Forest models; model performance was evaluated using 5-fold cross-validation and mean absolute error (MAE). Important digital traits were calculated by percentage change in MAE after permuting a specific variable. Important digital traits for the MADRS Apparent Sadness subscale score were mapped to defined, interpretable domains.
Results
The ML model predictions varied for different MADRS subscales (Table). Overall, Elastic Net and Random Forest models outperformed Decision Tree across all subscales scores other than suicidal thoughts. Half of the literature-based digital traits contributed to the prediction of ≥1 MADRS sadness sub-scale score. The important digital traits for the Apparent Sadness subscale score could be mapped to 4 domains (Figure); this aligned with findings from the literature.
Image:
Image 2:
Conclusions
Digital traits collected from patients with MDD were able to predict certain MADRS subscales better than others.
Funding
Boehringer Ingelheim.
Disclosure of Interest
Z. Zhu Employee of: Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Y. Wu Employee of: Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., J. Seidel Employee of: Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH, D. Roy Employee of: Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., E. Salzmann Employee of: Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH
Adolescence is a period marked by highest vulnerability to the onset of depression, with profound implications for adult health. Neuroimaging studies have revealed considerable atrophy in brain structure in these patients with depression. Of particular importance are regions responsible for cognitive control, reward, and self-referential processing. However, the causal structural networks underpinning brain region atrophies in adolescents with depression remain unclear.
Objectives
This study aimed to investigate the temporal course and causal relationships of gray matter atrophy within the brains of adolescents with depression.
Methods
We analyzed T1-weighted structural images using voxel-based morphometry in first-episode adolescent patients with depression (n=80, 22 males; age = 15.57±1.78) and age, gender matched healthy controls (n=82, 25 males; age = 16.11±2.76) to identify the disease stage-specific gray matter abnormalities. Then, with granger causality analysis, we arranged the patients’ illness duration chronologically to construct the causal structural covariance networks that investigated the causal relationships of those atypical structures.
Results
Compared to controls, smaller volumes in ventral medial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC), middle cingulate cortex (MCC) and insula areas were identified in patients with less than 1 year illness duration, and further progressed to the subgenual ACC, regions of default, frontoparietal networks in longer duration. Causal network results revealed that dACC, vmPFC, MCC and insula were prominent nodes projecting exerted positive causal effects to regions of the default mode and frontoparietal networks. The dACC, vmPFC and insula also had positive projections to the reward network, which included mainly the thalamus, caudate and putamen, while MCC also exerted a positive causal effect on the insula and thalamus.
Conclusions
These findings revealed the progression of structural atrophy in adolescent patients with depression and demonstrated the causal relationships between regions involving cognitive control, reward and self-referential processes.
The occurrence of depression in adolescence, a critical period of brain development, linked with neuroanatomical and cognitive abnormalities. Neuroimaging studies have identified hippocampal abnormalities in those of adolescent patients. However, few studies have investigated the atypically developmental trends in hippocampal subfields in adolescents with depression and their relationships with cognitive dysfunctions.
Objectives
To explore the structural abnormalities of hippocampal subfields in patients with youth depression and examine how these abnormalities associated with cognitive deficits.
Methods
We included a sample of 79 first-episode depressive patients (17 males, age = 15.54±1.83) and 71 healthy controls (23 males, age = 16.18±2.85). The severity of these adolescent patients was assessed by depression scale, suicidal risk and self-harm behavior. Nine cognitive tasks were used to evaluate memory, cognitive control and attention abilities for all participants. Bilateral hippocampus were segmented into 12 subfields with T1 and T2 weighted images using Freesurfer v6.0. A mixed analysis of variance was performed to assess the differences in subfields volumes between all patients and controls, and between patients with mild and severe depression. Finally, LASSO regression was conducted to explore the associations between hippocampal subfields and cognitive abnormalities in patients.
Results
We found significant subfields atrophy in the CA1, CA2/3, CA4, dentate gyrus, hippocampal fissure, hippocampal tail and molecular layer subfields in patients. For those patients with severe depression, hippocampal subfields showed greater extensive atrophy than those in mild, particularly in CA1-4 subfields extending towards the subiculum. These results were similar across various severity assessments. Regression indicated that hippocampal subfields abnormalities had the strongest associations with memory dysfunction, and relatively week associations with cognitive control and attention. Notably, CA4 and dentate gyrus had the highest weights in the regression model.
Conclusions
As depressive severity increases, hippocampal subfield atrophy tends to spread from CA regions to surrounding areas, and primarily affects memory function in patients with youth depression. These results suggest hippocampus might be markers in progression of adolescent depression, offering new directions for early clinical intervention.
Challenges to communication between families and care providers of paediatric patients in intensive care units (ICU) include variability of communication preferences, mismatched goals of care, and difficulties carrying forward family preferences from provider to provider. Our objectives were to develop and test an assessment tool that queries parents of children requiring cardiac intensive care about their communication preferences and to determine if this tool facilitates patient-centred care and improves families’ ICU experience.
Design:
In this quality improvement initiative, a novel tool was developed, the Parental Communication Assessment (PCA), which asked parents with children hospitalised in the cardiac ICU about their communication preferences. Participants were prospectively randomised to the intervention group, which received the PCA, or to standard care. All participants completed a follow-up survey evaluating satisfaction with communication.
Main Results:
One hundred thirteen participants enrolled and 56 were randomised to the intervention group. Participants who received the PCA preferred detail-oriented communication over big picture. Most parents understood the daily discussions on rounds (64%) and felt comfortable expressing concerns (68%). Eighty-six percent reported the PCA was worthwhile. Parents were generally satisfied with communication. However, an important proportion felt unprepared for difficult decisions or setbacks, inadequately included or supported in decision-making, and that they lacked control over their child’s care. There were no significant differences between the intervention and control groups in their communication satisfaction results.
Conclusions:
Parents with children hospitalised in the paediatric ICU demonstrated diverse communication preferences. Most participants felt overall satisfied with communication, but individualising communication with patients’ families according to their preferences may improve their experience.
The effect of treatment with praziquantel (PZQ) on the tegument of adult Schistosoma mansoni worms and on liver egg-granulomas has been examined in mice infected with PZQ-resistant and -susceptible parasite isolates. Two PZQ-resistant S. mansoni isolates, one selected by passage in the laboratory under drug pressure and one from Senegal established from eggs excreted by an uncured patient, were compared with PZQ-susceptible control isolates. Scanning electron microscopic observations on the tegument of Schistosoma adult worms treated in vivo with PZQ showed that more severe damage was inflicted by PZQ on susceptible worms than on drug-resistant worms. Observations on the pathology of Schistosoma egg-granulomas in the liver of infected mice after treatment with PZQ indicated that eggs from susceptible control isolates were more sensitive to PZQ than those from drug-resistant isolates.
A compressible large eddy simulation (LES) is performed to study a pulsed jet actuator that is used to control a turbulent axisymmetric bluff body wake. The actuator is driven at low-frequency ($f = 200$Hz, $S{t_\theta } = 0.029$) and high amplitude (${C_\mu } = 0.034$). The numerical scheme and a suitable boundary condition for the pulsed jet are validated, showing good agreement with experimental results. A comparison of the velocity boundary condition and the moving boundary condition shows that, in the vicinity of the orifice/slot and in the downstream region, the results from these two methods are identical, while the fluid behaviour inside the cavity shows difference. An analysis of the pulsed jet actuator shows that the phase lag of the cavity pressure is determined by the integration of the diaphragm motion and the pulsed jet. The mean total pressure distribution shows that the total pressure loss is concentrated in the vicinity of the slot. Dynamic mode decomposition (DMD) on the pressure field is used to extract coherent structures which oscillate with the same frequency as that of the diaphragm motion. Some small-scale high-frequency structures are also apparent.
The target backsheath field acceleration mechanism is one of the main mechanisms of laser-driven proton acceleration (LDPA) and strongly depends on the comprehensive performance of the ultrashort ultra-intense lasers used as the driving sources. The successful use of the SG-II Peta-watt (SG-II PW) laser facility for LDPA and its applications in radiographic diagnoses have been manifested by the good performance of the SG-II PW facility. Recently, the SG-II PW laser facility has undergone extensive maintenance and a comprehensive technical upgrade in terms of the seed source, laser contrast and terminal focus. LDPA experiments were performed using the maintained SG-II PW laser beam, and the highest cutoff energy of the proton beam was obviously increased. Accordingly, a double-film target structure was used, and the maximum cutoff energy of the proton beam was up to 70 MeV. These results demonstrate that the comprehensive performance of the SG-II PW laser facility was improved significantly.
To enhance the performance of anti-ship missiles cooperative attack, this paper proposes a finite-time trajectory shaping-based cooperative guidance law (TSCGL). Firstly, the cooperative guidance model is established on segmented linearisation of the missile’s heading angle. Then, a trajectory shaping guidance law for a single missile is derived by a weighted optimal energy cost function and Schwarz inequality. On this basis, a finite-time TSCGL is proposed combined with trajectory shaping technology and finite-time theory. The desirable finite-time convergence performance can ensure a simultaneous attack. Through an improved method of time-to-go estimation, it is independent of small-angle assumption and relaxes the launching conditions of the missiles. Additionally, the proposed finite-time TSCGL can achieve better damage performance through energy management. Finally, simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed finite-time TSCGL.
As a typical plasma-based optical element that can sustain ultra-high light intensity, plasma density gratings driven by intense laser pulses have been extensively studied for wide applications. Here, we show that the plasma density grating driven by two intersecting driver laser pulses is not only nonuniform in space but also varies over time. Consequently, the probe laser pulse that passes through such a dynamic plasma density grating will be depolarized, that is, its polarization becomes spatially and temporally variable. More importantly, the laser depolarization may spontaneously take place for crossed laser beams if their polarization angles are arranged properly. The laser depolarization by a dynamic plasma density grating may find application in mitigating parametric instabilities in laser-driven inertial confinement fusion.
In the present study, we investigated the influence of different mid-stage N compensation timings on agronomic and physiological traits associated with grain yield and quality in field experiments. Two japonica rice cultivars with a good tasting quality (Nangeng 9108 and Nangeng 5055) were examined under eight N compensation timings (N1–N6: one-time N compensation at 7-2 weeks before heading; N7: split N compensation at 5 and 3 weeks before heading; N8: split N compensation at 4 and 2 weeks before heading) and a control with no N compensation. The highest yield was obtained with N7, followed by N3. The yield advantage is mainly attributable to the improved population structure (higher productive tiller rate with a stable number of effective panicles), higher total number of spikelets per unit area (large panicles with more grains per panicle), larger leaf area index in the late period and higher photosynthetic production capacity (more dry matter accumulation and transportation in the middle and late periods). Delaying N compensation timing improved the processing and nutritional quality of rice, but decreased the quality of appearance and cooking/eating traits. Our results suggest that, from the perspective of achieving relative coordination between high yield and high quality of japonica rice, the optimal N compensation should be divided equally at 5 and 3 weeks before heading. However, if simplifying the number of operations and the pursuit of eating quality were considered, one-time N compensation should be conducted at 5 weeks before heading.
This study highlights the positive impact of a stock market listing on workplace safety. We find that workplace injuries in publicly listed firms are lower than those in comparable private firms, and this effect relates to heightened monitoring by the media and regulators. The media pays more attention to public firms’ safety issues than to those of private firms, and the reduced media scrutiny due to local newspaper closures leads to greater increases in injuries in public firms. Regulators also monitor public firms more strictly, evidenced by a higher likelihood of nonroutine inspections and larger penalties for detected violations.
Steinernema populi n. sp. was recovered by baiting from beneath poplar trees in China. Morphological and molecular features provided evidence for placing the new species into the Kushidai clade. The new species is characterized by the following morphological features: third-stage infective juveniles (IJ) with a body length of 1095 (973–1172) μm, a distance from the anterior end to excretory pore of 77 (70–86) μm and a tail length of 64 (55–72) μm. The Body length/Tail length (c) ratio and Anterior end to Excretory pore/ Tail length × 100 (E%) of S. populi n. sp. are substantially greater than those of all other ‘Feltiae–Kushidai–Monticolum’ group members. The first-generation males can be recognized by a spicule length of 66 (57–77) μm and a gubernaculum length of 46 (38–60) μm. The new species is further characterized by sequences of the internal transcribed spacer and partial 28S regions of the ribosomal DNA. Phylogenetic analyses show that Steinernema akhursti and Steinernema kushidai are the closest relatives to S. populi n. sp.
The association between executive dysfunction, brain dysconnectivity, and inflammation is a prominent feature across major psychiatric disorders (MPDs), schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder. A dimensional approach is warranted to delineate their mechanistic interplay across MPDs.
Methods
This single site study included a total of 1543 participants (1058 patients and 485 controls). In total, 1169 participants underwent diffusion tensor and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (745 patients and 379 controls completed the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test). Fractional anisotropy (FA) and regional homogeneity (ReHo) assessed structural and functional connectivity, respectively. Pro-inflammatory cytokine levels [interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α] were obtained in 325 participants using blood samples collected with 24 h of scanning. Group differences were determined for main measures, and correlation and mediation analyses and machine learning prediction modeling were performed.
Results
Executive deficits were associated with decreased FA, increased ReHo, and elevated IL-1β and IL-6 levels across MPDs, compared to controls. FA and ReHo alterations in fronto-limbic-striatal regions contributed to executive deficits. IL-1β mediated the association between FA and cognition, and IL-6 mediated the relationship between ReHo and cognition. Executive cognition was better predicted by both brain connectivity and cytokine measures than either one alone for FA-IL-1β and ReHo-IL-6.
Conclusions
Transdiagnostic associations among brain connectivity, inflammation, and executive cognition exist across MPDs, implicating common neurobiological substrates and mechanisms for executive deficits in MPDs. Further, inflammation-related brain dysconnectivity within fronto-limbic-striatal regions may represent a transdiagnostic dimension underlying executive dysfunction that could be leveraged to advance treatment.
There is currently no consensus on the ideal protocol of imaging for post-treatment surveillance of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. This study aimed to consolidate existing evidence on the diagnostic effectiveness of positron emission tomography-computed tomography versus magnetic resonance imaging.
Method
Systematic electronic searches were conducted using Medline, Embase and Cochrane Library (updated February 2021) to identify studies directly comparing positron emission tomography-computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging scans for detecting locoregional recurrence or residual disease for post-treatment surveillance.
Results
Searches identified 3164 unique records, with three studies included for meta-analysis, comprising 176 patients. The weighted pooled estimates of sensitivity and specificity for scans performed three to six months post-curative treatment were: positron emission tomography-computed tomography, 0.68 (95 per cent confidence interval, 0.49–0.84) and 0.89 (95 per cent confidence interval, 0.84–0.93); magnetic resonance imaging, 0.72 (95 per cent confidence interval, 0.54–0.88) and 0.85 (95 per cent confidence interval, 0.79–0.89), respectively.
Conclusion
Existing studies do not provide evidence for superiority of either positron emission tomography-computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging in detecting locoregional recurrence or residual disease following curative treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
Background: Medulloblastoma (MB) is the most common solid malignant pediatric brain neoplasm. Group 3 (G3) MB, particularly MYC amplified G3 MB, is the most aggressive subgroup with the highest frequency of children presenting with metastatic disease, and is associated with a poor prognosis. To further our understanding of the role of MSI1 in MYC amplified G3 MB, we performed an unbiased integrative analysis of eCLIP binding sites, with changes observed at the transcriptome, the translatome, and the proteome after shMSI1 inhibition. Methods: Primary human pediatric MBs, SU_MB002 and HD-MB03 were kind gifts from Dr. Yoon-Jae Cho (Harvard, MS) and Dr. Till Milde (Heidelberg) and cultured for in vitro and in vivo experiments. eCLIP, RNA-seq, Polysome-seq, and TMT-MS were completed as previously described. Results:MSI1 is overexpressed in G3 MB. shRNA Msi1 interference resulted in a reduction in tumour burden conferring a survival advantage to mice injected with shMSI1 G3MB cells. Robust ranked multiomic analysis (RRA) identified an unconventional gene set directly perturbed by MSI1 in G3 MB. Conclusions: Our robust unbiased integrative analysis revealed a distinct role for MSI1 in the maintenance of the stem cell state in G3 MB through post-transcriptional modification of multiple pathways including identification of unconventional targets such as HIPK1.
The early identification and prediction of hand-foot-and-mouth disease (HFMD) play an important role in the disease prevention and control. However, suitable models are different in regions due to the differences in geography, social economy factors. We collected data associated with daily reported HFMD cases and weather factors of Zibo city in 2010~2019 and used the generalised additive model (GAM) to evaluate the effects of weather factors on HFMD cases. Then, GAM, support vectors regression (SVR) and random forest regression (RFR) models are used to compare predictive results. The annual average incidence was 129.72/100 000 from 2010 to 2019. Its distribution showed a unimodal trend, with incidence increasing from March, peaking from May to September. Our study revealed the nonlinear relationship between temperature, rainfall and relative humidity and HFMD cases and based on the predictive result, the performances of three models constructed ranked in descending order are: SVR > GAM> RFR, and SVR has the smallest prediction errors. These findings provide quantitative evidence for the prediction of HFMD for special high-risk regions and can help public health agencies implement prevention and control measures in advance.