48080 research outputs found
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Indigenous Peoples provide alternative approaches to managing biological invasions
No full textBiological invasions are a main threat to biodiversity. Seebens et al. find that Indigenous Peoples’ lands host 30% fewer alien species than other lands. This finding calls for additional examination of the drivers of such difference, from Indigenous Peoples’ land management practices to the values that guide relations with nature
Highest ocean heat in four centuries places Great Barrier Reef in danger
No full textMass coral bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) in Australia between 2016 and 2024 was driven by high sea surface temperatures (SST)1. The likelihood of temperature-induced bleaching is a key determinant for the future threat status of the GBR2, but the long-term context of recent temperatures in the region is unclear. Here we show that the January–March Coral Sea heat extremes in 2024, 2017 and 2020 (in order of descending mean SST anomalies) were the warmest in 400 years, exceeding the 95th-percentile uncertainty limit of our reconstructed pre-1900 maximum. The 2016, 2004 and 2022 events were the next warmest, exceeding the 90th-percentile limit. Climate model analysis confirms that human influence on the climate system is responsible for the rapid warming in recent decades. This attribution, together with the recent ocean temperature extremes, post-1900 warming trend and observed mass coral bleaching, shows that the existential threat to the GBR ecosystem from anthropogenic climate change is now realized. Without urgent intervention, the iconic GBR is at risk of experiencing temperatures conducive to near-annual coral bleaching3, with negative consequences for biodiversity and ecosystems services. A continuation on the current trajectory would further threaten the ecological function4 and outstanding universal value5 of one of Earth’s greatest natural wonders
Key Cooperative Attribute-Based Encryption
No full textAttribute-based encryption (ABE) is an important technology in building access control systems with precise control and scalability. In an ABE system, there exists a private key generator (PKG) that issues all private keys. The PKG has a significant drawback referred to as the huge key management burden in large-scale user systems. To overcome this limitation, we propose a more flexible system that offers users the choice to utilize decryption keys either from the PKG or from trusted users to decrypt the ciphertext, reducing the workload of the PKG. Unfortunately, users are restricted to only receiving private keys from the PKG in most ABE schemes. Thus, our system ABE extends the ability of trusted users to generate and distribute decryption keys. Furthermore, decryption keys from trusted users possess equivalent decryption with a private key from the PKG when satisfying the cooperative access policy set by the encryptor. We define the concept of key cooperative ABE for the first time, presenting a key cooperative ABE scheme
The Challenges of Iranian Female Nurses Caring for Male Patients: A Qualitative Study
No full textBackground: Caring is a multidimensional concept with many factors that can affect its quality such as caring for the opposite sex. This study aims to explore the experiences of Iranian female nurses caring for male patients. Materials and Methods: A descriptive qualitative study was conducted via conventional content analysis and purposeful sampling. Seventeen female nurses including staff and head nurses participated. Unstructured, face-to-face, in-depth interviews were conducted from June to December 2019 in Iran. The interviews were recorded by an MP4 player. When no new codes were extracted from the interview the data saturation was achieved. All interviews were immediately transcribed verbatim and were analyzed via Graneheim and Lundman's conventional content analysis guidelines. Results: Four themes emerged from the data: 1) women nurses' concerns about caring for men, 2) women nurses' unpleasant feelings while caring for men, 3) Ignoring women nurses' dignity, and 4) efforts to avoid unpleasant situations. Conclusions: Female nurses in Iran are faced with multidimensional challenges when providing care to men. Not only can these challenges decrease the quality of nursing care for male patients, but also make the hospital a stressful environment for female nurses and may lead to them leaving the work
Top 10 Signs and Symptoms of Psychotropic Adverse Drug Events to Monitor in Residents of Long-Term Care Facilities
No full textObjectives: To produce a consensus list of the top 10 signs and symptoms suggestive of adverse drug events (ADEs) for monitoring in residents of long-term care facilities (LTCFs) who use antipsychotics, benzodiazepines, or antidepressants. Design: A 3-round Delphi study. Setting and Participants: Geriatricians, psychiatrists, pharmacologists, general practitioners, pharmacists, nurses, and caregivers from 13 Asia Pacific, European, and North American countries. Methods: Three survey rounds were completed between April and June 2023. In Round 1, participants indicated their level of agreement on a 9-point Likert scale on whether 41 signs or symptoms identified in a systematic review should be routinely monitored. Participants considered signs and symptoms that reduce quality of life or cause significant harm, are observable or measurable by nurses or care workers, and can be assessed at a single time point. Round 1 statements were included in a list for prioritization in Round 3 if ≥ 70% of participants responded ≥7 on the Likert scale. Statements were excluded if ≤ 30% of participants responded ≥7. In Round 2, participants indicated their level of agreement with statements that did not reach initial consensus, plus amended statements based on Round 1 participant feedback. Round 2 statements were included in Round 3 if ≥ 50% of the participants responded ≥7 on the Likert scale. In Round 3, participants prioritized the signs and symptoms. Results: Forty-four participants (93.6%) completed all 3 rounds. Four of 41 signs and symptoms reached consensus for inclusion after Round 1, and 9 after Round 2. The top 10 signs and symptoms prioritized in Round 3 were recent falls, daytime drowsiness or sleepiness, abnormal movements (eg, shaking or stiffness), confusion or disorientation, balance problems, dizziness, postural hypotension, reduced self-care, restlessness, and dry mouth. Conclusions and Implications: The top 10 signs and symptoms provide a basis for proactive monitoring for psychotropic ADEs
Design, construction, and dosimetry of 3D printed heterogeneous phantoms for synchrotron brain cancer radiation therapy quality assurance
No full textObjective. This study aims to design, manufacture, and test 3D printed quality assurance (QA) dosimetry phantoms for synchrotron brain cancer radiation therapy at the Australian synchrotron. Approach. Fabricated 3D printed phantoms from simple slab phantoms, a preclinical rat phantom, and an anthropomorphic head phantom were fabricated and characterized. Attenuation measurements of various polymers, ceramics and metals were acquired using synchrotron monochromatic micro-computed tomography (CT) imaging. Polylactic acid plus, VeroClear, Durable resin, and tricalcium phosphate were used in constructing the phantoms. Furthermore, 3D printed bone equivalent materials were compared relative to ICRU bone and hemihydrate plaster. Homogeneous and heterogeneous rat phantoms were designed and fabricated using tissue-equivalent materials. Geometric accuracy, CT imaging, and consistency were considered. Moreover, synchrotron broad-beam x-rays were delivered using a 3 Tesla superconducting multipole wiggler field for four sets of synchrotron radiation beam qualities. Dose measurements were acquired using a PinPoint ionization chamber and compared relative to a water phantom and a RMI457 Solid Water phantom. Experimental depth doses were compared relative to calculated doses using a Geant4 Monte Carlo simulation. Main results. Polylactic acid (PLA+) shows to have a good match with the attenuation coefficient of ICRU water, while both tricalcium phosphate and hydroxyapatite have good attenuation similarity with ICRU bone cortical. PLA+ material can be used as substitute to RMI457 slabs for reference dosimetry with a maximum difference of 1.84%. Percent depth dose measurement also shows that PLA+ has the best match with water and RMI457 within ±2.2% and ±1.6%, respectively. Overall, PLA+ phantoms match with RMI457 phantoms within ±3%. Significance and conclusion. The fabricated phantoms are excellent tissue equivalent equipment for synchrotron radiation dosimetry QA measurement. Both the rat and the anthropomorphic head phantoms are useful in synchrotron brain cancer radiotherapy dosimetry, experiments, and future clinical translation of synchrotron radiotherapy and imaging
Optimizing high-temperature energy storage in tungsten bronze-structured ceramics via high-entropy strategy and bandgap engineering
No full textThe authors improve the energy storage performance and high temperature stability of lead-free tetragonal tungsten bronze dielectric ceramics through high entropy strategy and band gap engineering
Individuals with musculoskeletal conditions awaiting orthopaedic surgery consultation: an untapped opportunity for patient health management?
No full textObjective: To describe the health characteristics, condition-specific measures, chronic disease risk factors, and healthcare and medication use over time of individuals with musculoskeletal conditions awaiting orthopaedic surgical consultation. Study importance: Musculoskeletal conditions are highly prevalent in the general population and often coexist with chronic diseases. However, little is documented about the overall health of this group. This study describes the health of these individuals, with particular emphasis on modifiable risk factors of chronic disease. Study type: A repeated measures longitudinal cohort study of individuals referred for orthopaedic consultation across three time points (2014, 2015 and 2016). Methods: This study was undertaken in the orthopaedic outpatient service of a public tertiary referral hospital in New South Wales, Australia. Participants were aged 18 years and older and were referred for and awaiting orthopaedic surgical consultation for a musculoskeletal condition (back, neck, hand or wrist pain, or hip or knee osteoarthritis). Measures included patient demographics, condition-specific indicators (e.g. pain, disability, quality of life [QoL]) and chronic disease risk factors (e.g., excess weight, smoking). Results: The mean age of participants was 57.7 years, and 7.3% identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. Back (43.1%) and knee (35.0%) pain were the most prevalent conditions. At baseline (N = 1052), participants reported moderate pain (mean numerical pain rating scale score of 6.4, standard deviation [SD] 2.4) and QoL (Physical Component Score of 32.7, SD 10.7; Mental Component Score of 46.6, SD 13.3). Chronic disease risk factors were highly prevalent, with 74.6% of participants having three or more. For most measures, there were only small changes over time. Conclusion: Individuals with musculoskeletal conditions who are awaiting orthopaedic surgical consultation have a complex clinical picture and numerous chronic disease risk factors. Given the modifiable nature of many of these risk factors, identifying and addressing them before or while awaiting consultation may improve the health of these individuals
Induced polarization imparts piezoelectricity in noncrystalline polymer films
No full textPiezoelectric materials produce a linear deformation in response to an applied electric field and are essential for precision-control devices. The conventional view is that polymers must be crystalline and possess remanent polarization after artificial poling to gain piezoelectricity. For the ferroelectric polymer poly(vinylidene difluoride), the required poling field is exceptionally high, up to 150-200 kV mm-1. Here, we circumvent this limitation by utilizing the elastic displacement of electric dipoles and creating a net polarization. We find that a subcoercive field of 49 kV mm-1 can induce a high piezoelectric coefficient, d33, of -33 pm V-1 in an unpoled poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) film. In this case, the dielectric acts as a piezoelectric, as long as a bias electric field is applied, with its piezoelectric coefficient increasing proportionally to the strength of the electric field until polarization saturation sets in. The proposed methodology is further extended to amorphous polymers, providing an opportunity to discover alternative piezoelectrics within the dielectric family
Simulation study of compressed ultrafast 3D imaging based on interferometry
No full textObserving the 3D (three-dimensional) surface vibration in 100 MHz is challenging due to low speed of CCD/CMOS camera. In order to obtain the ultrafast dynamic 3D shape information, a compressed ultrafast 3D imaging framework based on interferometry is proposed in this paper. Based on this imaging framework, an reconstruction method combining plug and play-fast flexible denoising network is developed to recover high resolution interference fringe patterns and the corresponding 3D information. The simulation results show that the proposed method can observe the dynamic processes of the anti-phase vibration and the in-phase vibration of the crystal oscillator, therefore the dynamic 3D model is established. The proposed method outperforms other reconstruction methods in terms of average peak signal to noise ratio and structural similarity in recovery the ultrafast dynamic 3D surface