Search Results (494)

Ensuring optimal adhesive curing during plywood and LVL (Layered Veneer Lumber) hot pressing requires accurate knowledge of internal temperature distribution, which is often difficult to assess using conventional surface-based measurements. This study introduces a custom-developed multi-layer smart sensor network capable of in situ, real-time temperature profiling across LVL layers during industrial hot pressing. The system integrates miniature embedded sensors and proprietary data acquisition software, enabling the simultaneous multi-point monitoring of thermal dynamics with a high temporal resolution. Experiments were performed on LVL panels of varying thicknesses, applying industry-standard pressing schedules derived from conventional calculation rules. Despite adherence to prescribed pressing times, results reveal significant core temperature deficits in thicker panels, potentially compromising adhesive gelation and overall bonding quality. These findings underline the need to revisit the pressing time determination for thicker products and demonstrate the potential of advanced sensing technologies to support adaptive process control. The proposed approach contributes to smart manufacturing and the remote-like monitoring of internal thermal states, providing valuable insights for enhancing product performance and industrial process efficiency. Full article

Background/Objectives: We aimed to test whether home-based low-intensity interval training (LIIT) could be equally or more effective than traditional continuous walking advice (TWA) in a population hospitalized and healed from severe COVID-19. Methods: This pragmatic nonrandomized controlled trial (NCT04615390) enrolled patients admitted to intensive care units due to COVID-19 who at discharge from the hospital were given a choice between either a home-based LIIT program or TWA. The former received a structured LIIT walking (1:1 walk:rest ratio per 10 times) to be performed at a prescribed progressively increasing speed maintained with a metronome. The latter received TWA according to the guidelines (30 min or moderate intensity activity, 5 days/week). Outcome measures, collected at baseline, at the end of the 3-month training and at the 6-month follow-up, included 6 min walking distance (primary), lower limb strength, quality of life, depression and cognitive status. Results: From a total of 85 enrolled patients, 69 of them (LIIT n = 32; TWA n = 37) completed the study. Home exercise was safely executed with an 82% adherence for the LIIT group and 64% adherence for TWA. After the 3-month program, both groups significantly improved the 6MWD (LIIT: +87 m vs. TWA +42 m; p < 0.001) with a significant difference that was also maintained at follow-up (LIIT: +138 m vs. TWA +69 m; p < 0.001). No other significant between-group differences were noted. However, patients in the LIIT group significantly improved in the majority of the outcomes, while patients of TWA improved in only the primary outcome and the physical component of quality of life. Conclusions: Compared with TWA, LIIT walking was feasible, safe and associated with more favorable multidimensional recovery in COVID-19 survivors after hospitalization for severe pneumonitis. Full article

Background/Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the accuracy of TMD patients’ adherence to treatment recommendations, given in writing, based on an anonymous survey. Methods: The study material included a group of 80 patients of both sexes, aged 21 to 45 years, who came for prosthetic treatment due to symptoms of TMD at the Department of Prosthetics and Orthodontics, Jagiellonian University Medical College in Krakow. Axis I of the DC/TMD was used in the diagnosis of dysfunction. The study used an anonymous questionnaire survey, which asked specific questions regarding the reliability of the implementation of the therapeutic recommendations contained in the written treatment instructions, given to patients at the first diagnostic visit. The questionnaire survey was completed by patients once, at the second visit, which was routinely made after 4 weeks. Results: The analysis showed that the most frequent adherence of respondents was to physiotherapy treatments. The same number of patients (57.5% each) used sleep hygiene, stress management, and maintenance of dental arch dislocation during the day. More than half of the subjects used orthopaedic pillows during sleep and performed daily relaxation exercises. Less than half of the subjects (46.3–47.5%) used hot compresses on the masticatory muscles, took prescribed supplements, controlled the position of the jaw, and used an occlusal splint at the required time. Conclusions: The results of the study indicate a low percentage of adherence to the recommendations made by the doctor. Full article

Background/Objectives: Cast walkers (CWs) are often prescribed to offload diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs). However, their mass, the degree of ankle immobilization and the limb length discrepancy they induce may increase the energetic demands of walking, contributing to lower adherence and poorer healing. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of different commercially available CW options on the metabolic costs and perceived exertion of walking, and on related spatiotemporal kinematics, in healthy young participants as an initial step to understanding factors that impact adherence in patients with DFUs. Methods: Participants walked on an instrumented treadmill at a standardized speed for six minutes under five footwear conditions: (1) athletic shoes only (control); (2) ankle-high CW on the dominant limb with athletic shoe on the contralateral limb; (3) condition two with an external lift on the athletic shoe; (4 and 5) conditions two and three with a knee-high CW. Condition 1 was performed first, after which the CW conditions were randomized. During all conditions, a portable calorimeter recorded gas exchange on a breath-by-breath basis. The metabolic cost of transport (MCoT) was quantified as the mean oxygen consumed per meter walked per kilogram body mass, after accounting for standing. After walking, participants reported perceived exertion using the Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion scale (RPE). From the treadmill data, we extracted the mean step width (SW) as well as absolute values for symmetry indices (SIs) for step length (SL) and step time (ST), all of which have associations with MCoT. For each outcome, linear mixed models compared each CW condition with the control and tested for effects of CW height (ankle-high vs. knee-high) and of the lift. Results: A total of 14 healthy young adults without diabetes participated. MCoT, RPE and SW were significantly higher for all CW conditions compared to the control, with less consistent results for asymmetry measures. MCoT was not significantly different across CW height or lift condition although an unexpected interaction between limb and CW height n was observed; MCoT was lower in the knee-high CW with vs. without a lift but did not change in the ankle-high CW based on lift status. Similarly, neither SW nor SIs changed in expected fashions across conditions. In contrast, RPE was significantly lower using the ankle- vs. knee-high CW and when using a lift vs no lift, with no significant interaction. Conclusions: Although metabolic costs were unaffected by CW design changes, which may reflect the absence of anticipated changes in kinematics that impact MCoT, perceived exertion was reduced through such changes. Unanticipated biomechanical changes may reflect a complex interaction among a number of competing factors that dictate behavior and MCoT. The differing results in perception of exertion and metabolic costs might be due to participants’ perceived exertion being sensitive to the collective impact of interacting biomechanical factors, including those not quantified in this study. Future work should seek to directly evaluate the impact of CW design changes in patients with DFU and the relationship to adherence. Full article

The effects of wildfires and prescribed burnings on soil are highly variable. In order to evaluate the effects of different burning intensities on soil properties, a surface-controlled burn of undisturbed soil monoliths was carried out by combining temperatures (50 and 80 °C) and residence times (12 and 24 min). The effects of this burning gradient are evaluated at two soil depths (0–1 and 1–3 cm), with time (just after burning or immediate effects, T0, and five months later, T5), as well as the influence of ash (presence or absence). The results indicate that most soil properties were affected by the burning gradient applied only in the most superficial cm (0–1 cm), with few effects at greater depths. The most intense burn had the strongest immediate impact, reducing soil organic carbon, recalcitrant organic carbon, and microbial biomass carbon, as well as increasing the labile organic carbon and the microbial activity. On the other hand, this burning caused a strong decrease in soil water repellency at a 0–1 cm depth and increased it at 1–3 cm. In contrast, medium-intensity burning caused the opposite effect, increasing water repellency at the soil surface and reducing it at 1–3 cm. As a result of the mineralization of organic matter, the EC and pH increased significantly in all burning combinations and both soil depths studied. After five months (T5), several of these parameters tended to approach the values of unburned soil. Full article

Background: Vitamin D3 is an important factor for bone metabolism, and its deficiency may affect dental implantation results. Materials and methods: 384 patients with a diagnosis of tooth loss and vitamin D deficiency were examined and treated with dental implants. Vitamin D3 supplements were prescribed by the endocrinologist for all patients in the individual dose. The patients were divided into two equal study groups (n = 192) depending on the dental implantation period: Group 1—operation after blood serum vitamin D3 level normalization; group 2—before reaching the reference level of vitamin D3. Follow-up examinations were performed on the day of dental implantation, 7 days later, 1, 3, 6, and 12 months later, and every 1 year after treatment (up to 10 years). Implant stability and peri-implant tissue condition were assessed with clinical and X-ray diagnostics. Patients also visited an endocrinologist 2 months after the start of the treatment, then every 6 months. Results: The target vitamin D3 level (30–60 ng/mL) (p < 0.001) was achieved in all patients after treatment. At the control examinations, peri-implantitis was diagnosed in 10 patients (2.6%). It was detected in the group of patients with severe vitamin D deficiency and vitamin D deficiency—2 (25%) and 8 (3.4%) patients; respectively (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference between groups for risk of complications or bone quality after treatment. Conclusions: Timely screening of vitamin D3 levels and the appropriate treatment by an endocrinologist in young and middle-aged patients allow for achieving 97.4% dental implantation success for a ten-year period. Full article

Background: Medically unexplained oral symptoms/syndromes (MUOS), such as Burning Mouth Syndrome and Persistent Idiopathic Facial Pain, present significant management challenges due to the lack of standardized treatments and high-level evidence. While pharmacotherapy is often employed, real-world data on treatment adherence—a pragmatic proxy for effectiveness and tolerability—remain sparse, especially in Japan. This study aimed to describe the real-world prescribing patterns of antidepressants and dopamine receptor partial agonists (DPAs) for MUOS and retrospectively investigate their association with treatment continuation. Methods: This retrospective observational study analyzed data from patients initiating pharmacotherapy for MUOS at a specialized clinic in Japan (April 2021–March 2023). We used Cox proportional hazards models to evaluate treatment continuation for amitriptyline monotherapy and antidepressant–aripiprazole adjunctive therapy. The primary outcome was the time to discontinuation. Dosage effects were modeled using B-splines to capture nonlinearity. Results: Among 702 MUOS patients who started pharmacotherapy, 493 received amitriptyline as the first prescription, and 108 received aripiprazole as an adjunctive therapy. For amitriptyline monotherapy, a nonlinear relationship was observed between dosage and discontinuation risk, with a relatively lower hazard around 25 mg/day across age groups. In the antidepressant–aripiprazole adjunctive group, the overall hazard ratio for discontinuation was higher (HR = 4.75, p < 0.0005) compared to non-adjunctive therapy, likely due to indication bias reflecting more treatment-resistant cases. However, within the aripiprazole adjunctive group, a U-shaped relationship was identified between maximum aripiprazole dosage and discontinuation risk, with the lowest hazard (HR ≈ 0.30) observed at approximately 1.7–1.8 mg/day. Mild side effects such as drowsiness, dry mouth, constipation, tremor, insomnia, and weight gain were noted, but no severe adverse events occurred. Conclusions: This real-world data analysis suggests specific dosage ranges (amitriptyline ≈ 25 mg/day; aripiprazole augmentation ≈ 1.7–1.8 mg/day) are associated with longer treatment continuation in MUOS patients. Treatment continuation reflects a crucial balance between symptom relief and tolerability, essential for managing these chronic conditions. It is critical to emphasize that these findings are descriptive and observational, derived from a specialized setting, and do not constitute prescriptive recommendations. They highlight the importance of individualized dosing. Definitive evidence-based strategies require validation through prospective randomized controlled trials. Full article

The present paper investigates a new tool for analyzing stability/convergence properties and robustness against matched perturbations of a class of nonlinear systems. We start with a scalar system, where it is shown that the state can be regulated or stabilized to a prescribed time using time-varying functions. The proof is based on Lyapunov theory. We developed a robust terminal-integral sliding mode controller that guarantees convergence of the system states to a desired equilibrium within a user-defined time, irrespective of initial conditions and under bounded disturbances. The method was extended to a class of second-order nonlinear systems, achieving both fixed-time (prescribed-time) convergence and robustness. Theoretical properties were established via Lyapunov-based analysis, and numerical simulations confirmed the effectiveness of the proposed methods in terms of robustness and convergence. Full article

This study focuses on the adaptive tracking control issue for nonlinear multi-agent systems (MASs) under the influence of asymmetric input constraints and external disturbances. Firstly, an auxiliary system is proposed, which can ensure flexible prescribed performance under input saturation conditions. Meanwhile, by introducing a transformation function, the distributed errors are freed from initial constraints. Employing the backstepping method, the adaptive technique, and a neural network approximation technology, a finite-time prescribed performance adaptive tracking control algorithm is designed, enabling the tracking errors to stably converge within the prescribed performance bounds. Secondly, a composite disturbance observer is developed to estimate and mitigate the combined disturbances, which include external perturbations and approximation errors from radial basis function neural networks (RBF NNs). It not only achieves effective disturbance compensation but also further suppresses the approximation errors of RBF NNs. Finally, stability analysis using the Lyapunov function demonstrates that all closed-loop signals remain uniformly ultimately bounded (UUB), with adaptive tracking errors converging to a compact region within a finite time. Simulation results and comparative studies confirm the proposed method’s effectiveness and advantages, providing a basis for its practical use in distributed control applications. Full article

This paper investigates the surrounding control problem of multiple unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) against false data injection (FDI) attacks and proposes a learning-based prescribed performance control (PPC) integrated with a dynamic event-triggering (DET) mechanism. First, a predefined-time observer (PTO) is designed to estimate the injected false data. Then, the constrained surrounding tracking error of multi-USVs is first formulated based on an exponential prescribed performance function. To facilitate the control law design, the constrained surrounding problem is transformed into an unconstrained space using a hyperbolic tangent function. Based on adaptive dynamic programming (ADP) and the DET mechanism, a prescribed performance time-varying surrounding control scheme is developed. Finally, the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed control strategy are demonstrated through rigorous theoretical analysis and simulation experiments, while Zeno behavior in the event-triggered mechanism is excluded. Full article

Background/Objective: Penicillin allergy labels (PALs) contribute to broad-spectrum antibiotic use. Thorough documentation can help prescribers identify and remove unnecessary PALs. We aimed to improve documentation of PALs in three pediatric urgent care (PUC) clinics, using a nurse-initiated quality improvement (QI) approach. Methods: QI interventions included a survey to assess prescriber and nurse confidence, an online educational module, and an algorithm to aid in clarifying PALs. We measured the percentage of PALs with a clarified reaction severity as our primary outcome using annotated control charts. Descriptive and inferential statistics evaluated survey responses between nurses and prescribers. Results: Clarified PAL reaction severity had a sustained upward shift from 58.5% to 63.3% following implementation of our interventions. Of 129 nurses and prescribers, 87 (67.4%) respondents completed the survey. Prescribers and nurses reported feeling knowledgeable about PALs but experienced different challenges to clarifying PAL documentation. Prescribers reported time pressures as a barrier to PAL clarification more often than nurses (IQR [3, 4], p = 0.001). Nurses reported higher confidence in ability to document a PAL compared to prescribers (IQR [3.25, 5], p = 0.010). Respondents requested family education and practice guidance to aid PAL clarification. No consistent differences were noted in PAL documentation by sociodemographic characteristics. Conclusions: The nurse-initiated QI approach demonstrated improved PAL documentation in PUCs. Engaging nurses in antibiotic stewardship initiatives can provide new perspectives and broaden the approach to intervention design and implementation. Future efforts should focus on improving electronic health record and interprofessional workflow processes to build on these improvements. Full article

Background/Objectives: In hypertension (HTN), lifestyle modification is important for controlling blood pressure (BP) and lipidemic profile. The HINTreat trial showed that an anti-inflammatory diet was associated with improved endothelial function, after six months of intensive nutritional treatment. Methods: This post hoc analysis of the HINTreat trial examined how adherence to various nutritional patterns like the Mediterranean Diet (MedDiet), the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, and anti-inflammatory diet, had impact on the blood lipids profile and the CVD risk. Patients with stage 1 HTN, allocated either on intensive lifestyle treatment (ILT) or usual care (UC) standard treatment, participated in the analysis. From the original sample size of the HINTreat trial, all patients that were prescribed lipid lowering medication at any time of the study period were excluded from the total analysis; thus, the intervention and the control groups consisted of 33 and 28 patients, respectively. Nutritional intakes were assessed with repeated 24 h recalls from the previous day, and dietary indexes and scores were calculated as follows: MedDiet score, DASH index, and Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII). After six months of intervention, changes in the nutritional indexes and their effect on the lipidemic profile and CVD risk were analyzed. Results: In the ILT group, reductions were noted in Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring (ABPM) for day systolic BP (SBP) (−12.7 mmHg) and diastolic BP (DBP) (−8.4 mmHg), total cholesterol (TC) (−35.4 mg/dL), triglycerides (TG) (−21.4 mg/dL), LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) (−27.5 mg/dL) concentrations, and CVD risk score (−1.5%), p < 0.001 for all. Multiple regression analysis showed that dietary quality indices independently influenced improvements in blood lipid profile and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk among patients receiving ILT. Specifically, a higher Mediterranean Diet (MedDiet) score was significantly associated with reductions in TC (B = −7.238, p < 0.001), TG (B = −4.103, p = 0.035), and LDL-C (B = −6.431, p = 0.004). The DASH index was positively associated with TG levels (B = 9.913, p = 0.010), suggesting a more complex relationship that may require further investigation. In addition, DII was positively associated with increased CVD risk (B = 0.973, p < 0.001). Conclusions: The findings suggest that ILT can improve BP levels, target blood lipids concentrations, and reduce CVD risk in patients with stage 1 HTN. Full article

This study investigates the cooperative transport of a cable-suspended payload by two multirotor unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). A compact nonlinear control law that allows to simultaneously (i) track a slow reference trajectory, (ii) hold a prescribed inter-vehicle geometry, and (iii) actively damp load swing is developed. The model treats the two aerial robots and the payload as three point masses connected by linear-elastic cables, and the controller is obtained through a Newton–Euler formulation. A singular-perturbation analysis shows that, under modest gain–separation conditions, the closed-loop system is locally exponentially stable: fast dynamics govern formation holding and swing suppression, while slow dynamics takes into account trajectory tracking. Validation is performed in a realistic simulation scenario that includes six-degree-of-freedom rigid-body vehicles, Blade-Element theory rotor models, and sensor noise. Compared to an off-the-shelf, baseline controller, the proposed method significantly improves flying qualities while minimizing hazardous payload oscillations. Owing to its limited parameter set and the absence of heavy optimization, the approach is easy to tune and well suited for real-time implementation on resource-limited UAVs. Full article

This paper addresses the controller design problem for linear systems with time-varying delays. By constructing a novel Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional incorporating delay-partitioning techniques, we establish delay-dependent stability criteria for the solvability of the robust stabilization problem. The derived conditions are formulated as linear matrix inequalities (LMIs) that become affine upon fixing a single scalar parameter, thereby facilitating efficient numerical computation. Furthermore, these criteria guarantee that the reachable set of the closed-loop system remains bounded within a prescribed ellipsoid under zero initial conditions. The effectiveness and superiority of the proposed approach are demonstrated through two comparative numerical examples, including a benchmark problem with varying delay. Full article

Driverless electric formula racing cars are affected by nonlinear vehicle characteristics, perturbations, and parameter uncertainties during races, which can cause problems such as low accuracy and instability in trajectory tracking. Aiming to address such problems, this paper proposes a control method combining a prescribed performance control with adaptive backstepping fuzzy control (PPC-ABFC) to solve the aforementioned issues and improve the trajectory tracking accuracy and stability of racing cars. This control method is achieved by constructing a combined error model and confining the error within a prescribed performance function. The nonlinear terms, disturbances, and unknown parameters of the model are approximated by a fuzzy logic system (FLS). An adaptive parameter update law is designed to update the learning parameters in real time. The virtual control law and the real control law were designed by using the backstepping method. The stability of the PPC-ABFC closed-loop system was rigorously proved by applying the Lyapunov stability theory. Finally, simulations were conducted to compare the proposed PPC-ABFC method with other algorithms at different speeds. The results demonstrated that the PPC-ABFC method effectively enhances the trajectory tracking performance of driverless electric formula racing cars. Full article