Search Results (17)

Regional anaesthesia has seen a resurgence of sorts since the widespread advent of ultrasound into clinical practice. The ability to access hitherto inaccessible nerves and fascial planes in the human body whilst ensuring visualisation of the needle tip during block performance has opened the proverbial floodgates leading to its widespread adoption, further supported by a growing body of evidence for its many benefits in a patient’s perioperative journey and pain management. The concomitant advancement of technology and the development of powerful simulation and artificial intelligence tools has given a much-needed impetus towards improving training and safe practice in regional anaesthesia. Methods: We performed a detailed search of databases, including PubMed Medline, Web of Science, EBSCO, Embase and the Cochrane Library, up to October 2024. Our search was conducted using phrases including (but not limited to) “history of anaesthesia”, “history of simulation”, “regional anaesthesia and simulation”, AI and “artificial intelligence and anaesthesia”. Full article

The structural deformation monitoring of civil infrastructures can be performed using different geomatic techniques: topographic measurements with total stations and levels, TLS (terrestrial laser scanning) acquisitions, and drone-based SfM (structure from motion) photogrammetric surveys, among others, can be applied. In this work, these techniques are used for the floodgate gaps and the rubber joints deformation monitoring of the MOSE system (Modulo Sperimentale Elettromeccanico), the civil infrastructure that protects Venice and its lagoon (Italy) from high waters. Since the floodgates are submerged most of the time and cannot be directly measured and monitored using high-precision data, topographic surveys were performed in accessible underwater tunnels. In this way, after the calculation of the coordinates of some reference points, the coordinates of the floodgate corners were estimated knowing the geometric characteristics of the system. A specific activity required the acquisition of the TLS scans of the stairwells in the shoulder structures of the Treporti barrier because many of the reference points fixed on the structures were lost during the placement of elements on the seabed. They were replaced with new points whose coordinates in the project/as-built reference system were calculated by applying the Procrustean algorithm by means of homologous points. The procedure allowed the estimation of the transformation parameters with maximum residuals of less than 2.5 cm, a value in agreement with the approximation of the real concrete structures built. Using the obtained parameters, the coordinates of the new reference points were calculated in the project reference system. Once the 3D orientation of all caissons in the barrier was reconstructed, the widths of the floodgate gaps were estimated and compared with the designed values and over time. The obtained values were validated in the Treporti barrier using a drone-based SfM photogrammetric survey of the eight raised floodgates, starting from the east shoulder caisson. The comparison between floodgate gaps estimated from topographic and TLS surveys, and those obtained from measurements on the 3D photogrammetric model, provided a maximum difference of 1.6 cm. Full article

There is a demand for flood control in densely populated river network areas. Therefore, small floodgates are used for long-term and rapid water flow regulation in such contexts. However, people often disregard these floodgates’ potential interference with the natural water environment. This study focused on an urban floodgate-controlled reach and monitored the monthly data of four main pollutant indicators (TN, TP, COD_Mn, and NH₃-N) from 2016 to 2018 at six fixed sampling points (S1–S6). The difference analysis and cluster analysis results indicated that floodgate adjustments were the dominant driving factor of water quality changes in the reach, with pollutant concentration differences observed between the floodgate opening and closing periods. The results of the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment Water Quality Index evaluation showed that the water quality of the floodgate-controlled reach was categorized as “marginal” or “poor”. It is particularly important to note that the concentration of nitrogen compounds exceeded the allowable limits. The results of the Mann–Kendall trend and time series analyses revealed an overall upward trend in NH₃-N concentration and a localized upward trend in TP concentration and presented periodic concentration fluctuations of four pollutants (TN, TP, COD_Mn, and NH₃-N). This study highlights that flood control management using small floodgates can pose a risk of deteriorating water quality. Therefore, it is necessary to develop scientific water quality management methods. Full article

To address the issue of the vibration characteristic signals of floodgates being affected by background white noise and low-frequency water flow noise, a noise reduction method combining the improved adaptive singular value decomposition algorithm (ASVD) and the improved complete ensemble EMD with adaptive noise (ICEEMDAN) is proposed. Firstly, a Hankel matrix is constructed based on the collected discrete time signals. After performing SVD on the Hankel matrix, the ASVD algorithm is used to automatically select the effective singular values to filter out most of the background white noise and retain the useful frequency components with similar energy in the signal. Then, ICEEMDAN combined with the Spearman correlation coefficient method is used to further filter out residual white noise and low-frequency water flows. The noise reduction performance of this combined method is verified through simulation experiments. Filtered by the ASVD-ICEEMDAN method, the signal-to-noise ratio of the simulation signal (50% noise level) is increased from 4.417 to 16.237, and the root mean square error is reduced from 2.286 to 0.586. Based on the practically measured vibration signals of a floodgate at a large hydropower station, the result shows that the ASVD-ICEEMDAN method exhibits good noise reduction performance and feature information extraction abilities for floodgate vibration signals, and can provide support for operational mode analysis and damage identification of practical structures under complex interference conditions. Full article

The Yeongsan River estuary is experiencing increased concentrations of nutrient and organic matter due to its estuary bank (sea dike). The opening of floodgates at the estuary bank leads to a substantial inflow of freshwater into the saltwater zone, thereby resulting in water quality changes. Our study evaluated spatiotemporal variations in nutrient limitation in the freshwater and saltwater zones in the Yeongsan River estuary, which is expected to fluctuate with the changing seasons. We utilized the N:P ratio to evaluate the potential nutrient limitation and conducted bioassay experiments to directly assess actual nutrient limitation. The N:P ratio showed that P was the limiting nutrient in both the long-term (2004–2008) and during our field investigation. However, the bioassay experiment revealed that in the freshwater zone, P was limited in spring and winter (p < 0.05), while no nutrient was limited in summer and fall. In the saltwater zone, we observed P limitation in spring and winter (p < 0.05) and N limitation in fall (p < 0.05), whereas no nutrient limitation was observed in the summer. These results demonstrate that actual nutrient limitation, which directly influences phytoplankton growth, varies spatiotemporally in response to freshwater discharge in the Yeongsan River estuary. Full article

Floodgate operation is one of the main forms of river regulation in the development and utilization of river basins. It changes the natural structure, flow process, and correlative environment of rivers. However, there is little analysis of the multiple impacts of small floodgate operation on the water environment in river networks and of the regulation patterns of urban floodgate infrastructure on pollution. In this paper, a one-dimensional hydrodynamic–water quality model, MIKE 11, was used, taking Wuxi’s two main pollutant indicators—the permanganate index (COD_Mn) and ammonia nitrogen (NH₃-N)—to simulate the water quality response of Wuxi’s river network based on different design solutions of urban floodgate infrastructure. The results show that among the three design scenarios, the order of the decreasing amplitude of the COD_Mn and NH₃-N concentrations was as follows: 1.4 m design solution scenario > 2.1 m design solution scenario > 0.7 m design solution scenario. Meanwhile, under the 1.4 m scenario, the maximum decrease in the COD_Mn concentration reached 37.57%, and the maximum decrease in the NH₃-N concentration reached 206%. In the entire river network system, the improvement in the water quality in the downstream area was significantly better than that in the upstream area. In addition, under the three scenarios of floodgate operation, the changes in pollutant concentrations during the flood season (June–September) were significantly lower than those during the dry season (October–February) and the flat water season (March–May). The research results can provide theoretical support and new ideas for future research on the ecological operation of small floodgates and related research on the water environment effect. Full article

In the Venetian lagoon, the storm surge barriers (Mo.S.E. system) are crucial to prevent urban flooding during extreme stormy events. The inlet closures have some cascading effects on the hydrodynamics and sediment transports of this shallow tidal environment. The present study aims at investigating the effects of the Mo.S.E. closure on the wind-wave propagation inside the lagoon. In situ wave data were collected to establish a unique dataset of measurements recorded in front of San Marco square between July 2020 and December 2021, i.e., partially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ten storm events were analyzed in terms of significant wave heights and simultaneous wind characteristics. This dataset allowed for validating a spectral wave model (SWAN) applied to the whole lagoon. The results show that the floodgate closures, which induce an artificial reduction of water levels, influence significant wave heights H_S, which decrease on average by 22% compared to non-regulated conditions, but in the shallower areas (for example tidal flats and salt marshes), the predicted decrease is on average 48%. Consequently, the analysis suggests that the Mo.S.E. closures are expected to induce modifications in the wave overtopping, wave loads and lagoon morphodynamics. Full article

In the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases, mRNA vaccines hold great promise because of their low risk of insertional mutagenesis, high potency, accelerated development cycles, and potential for low-cost manufacture. In past years, several mRNA vaccines have entered clinical trials and have shown promise for offering solutions to combat emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases such as rabies, Zika, and influenza. Recently, the successful application of mRNA vaccines against COVID-19 has further validated the platform and opened the floodgates to mRNA vaccine’s potential in infectious disease prevention, especially in the veterinary field. In this review, we describe our current understanding of the mRNA vaccines and the technologies used for mRNA vaccine development. We also provide an overview of mRNA vaccines developed for animal infectious diseases and discuss directions and challenges for the future applications of this promising vaccine platform in the veterinary field. Full article

In this research we used walking interviews to investigate the measures used by shopkeepers as protection against floods. The concept of anticipated memory has been used to identify the relationship between their learning from previous events and the adaptive measures they have taken to reduce risk of future flooding in Gregório Creek basin. The area is affected by major flooding issues in the city of São Carlos, southeastern Brazil. Twenty-three (23) downtown merchants shared their experience of the extreme rainfall that occurred on 12 January 2020, characterized by a return period of 103 years. Comparing our findings with November 2015 and March 2018 floods (Interviews 37 and 52 respectively), we noted that due to the enhanced level of threat, people had changed their adaptation strategy by increasing the sum of floodgate height more than 4-fold (870 cm to 3830 cm) between 2015 to 2020. Our results showed that despite frequent flooding, the shopkeepers downtown were reluctant to move away from the area; rather, they preferred to improve their individual protection. The substantial increase in the height of the floodgates represents the population’s feedback in the face of a new level of threat. Full article

The role of agriculture in society is vital due to factors such as providing food for the population, is a major source of employment worldwide, and one of the most important sources of revenue for countries. Furthermore, in recent years, the interest in optimizing the use of water resources has increased due to aspects such as climate change. This has led to the introduction of technology in the fields by means of sensor networks that allow remote monitoring and control of cultivated lands. In this paper, we present a system for flood irrigation in agriculture comprised of a sensor network based on WiFi communication. Different sensors measure atmospheric parameters such as temperature, humidity, and rain, soil parameters such as humidity, and water parameters such as water temperature, salinity, and water height to decide on the need of activating the floodgates for irrigation. The user application displays the data gathered by the sensors, shows a graphical representation of the state of irrigation of each ditch, and allows farmers to manage the irrigation of their fields. Finally, different tests were performed on a plot of vegetables to evaluate the correct performance of the system and the coverage of the sensor network on a vegetated area with different deployment options. Full article

The annual average rainfall in Busan area is increasing, causing frequent flooding of Busan’s Suyeong and Oncheon rivers. Due to the increase in urbanized areas and climate change, it is difficult to reduce flood damage. Therefore, new methods are needed to reduce urban inundation. This study models the effects of three flood reduction methods involving Oncheon River, Suyeong River, and the Hoedong Dam, which is situated on the Suyeong. Using EPA-SWMM, a virtual model of the dam and the rivers was created, then modified with changes to the dam’s height, the installation of a floodgate on the dam, and the creation of an underground waterway to carry excess flow from the Oncheon to the Hoedong Dam. The results of this study show that increasing the height of the dam by 3 m, 4 m, or 6 m led to a 27%, 37%, and 48% reduction in flooding, respectively, on the Suyeong River. It was also found that installing a floodgate of 10 × 4 m, 15 × 4 m, or 20 × 4 min the dam would result in a flood reduction of 2.7% and 2.9%, respectively. Furthermore, the construction of the underground waterway could lead to an expected 25% flood reduction in the Oncheon River. Measures such as these offer the potential to protect the lives and property of citizens in densely populated urban areas and develop sustainable cities and communities. Therefore, the modifications to the dam and the underground waterway proposed in this study are considered to be useful. Full article

Statins are among the most widely used drug classes in the world. Apart from their basic mechanism of action, which is lowering cholesterol levels, many pleiotropic effects have been described so far, such as anti-inflammatory and antiatherosclerotic effects. A growing number of scientific reports have proven that these drugs have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the nervous system. The first reports proving that lipid-lowering therapy can influence the development of neurological and psychiatric diseases appeared in the 1990s. Despite numerous studies about the mechanisms by which statins may affect the functioning of the central nervous system (CNS), there are still no clear data explaining this effect. Most studies have focused on the metabolic effects of this group of drugs, however authors have also described the pleiotropic effects of statins, pointing to their probable impact on the neurotransmitter system and neuroprotective effects. The aim of this paper was to review the literature describing the impacts of statins on dopamine, serotonin, acetylcholine, and glutamate neurotransmission, as well as their neuroprotective role. This paper focuses on the mechanisms by which statins affect neurotransmission, as well as on their impacts on neurological and psychiatric diseases such as Parkinson’s disease (PD), Alzheimer’s disease (AD), vascular dementia (VD), stroke, and depression. The pleiotropic effects of statin usage could potentially open floodgates for research in these treatment domains, catching the attention of researchers and clinicians across the globe. Full article

The transitioning of cells during the systemic demise of an organism is poorly understood. Here, we present evidence that organismal death is accompanied by a common and sequential molecular flood of stress-induced events that propagate the senescence phenotype, and this phenotype is preserved in the proteome after death. We demonstrate activation of “death” pathways involvement in diseases of ageing, with biochemical mechanisms mapping onto neurological damage, embryonic development, the inflammatory response, cardiac disease and ultimately cancer with increased significance. There is sufficient bioavailability of the building blocks required to support the continued translation, energy, and functional catalytic activity of proteins. Significant abundance changes occur in 1258 proteins across 1 to 720 h post-mortem of the 12-week-old mouse mandible. Protein abundance increases concord with enzyme activity, while mitochondrial dysfunction is evident with metabolic reprogramming. This study reveals differences in protein abundances which are akin to states of stress-induced premature senescence (SIPS). The control of these pathways is significant for a large number of biological scenarios. Understanding how these pathways function during the process of cellular death holds promise in generating novel solutions capable of overcoming disease complications, maintaining organ transplant viability and could influence the findings of proteomics through “deep-time” of individuals with no historically recorded cause of death. Full article

Water level fluctuation (WLF) in shallow lakes in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River has been a concern of many researchers. This work aims to investigate the effects of climate change and regulation of floodgates and the Three Gorges Dam (TGD) on WLF and lake volume in Huayang Lakes during the past 52 years. The results revealed that precipitation is the dominant factor that leads to seasonal variation of lake levels, whereas regulation of floodgates and TGD are the key drivers of hydrology regime change in the past 20 years. Natural lake regime has higher water level when there is more precipitation and less lake volume. Floodgates and TGD regulations have changed this pattern since 2003, causing less difference in water level in spite of more precipitation and lake recession. Under the combined impacts of floodgates and TGD regulations, Huayang Lakes have experienced a prolonged outflow time since 2003 and the contribution rate caused by the floodgates and TGD regulations has increased by 19.90%. Additionally, the water level of Huayang Lakes decreased by approximately 0.3~0.5 m from September to November, but it showed no alteration from January to March in the past two decades. This indicated that floodgate regulations used for agricultural irrigation and fishery culture dominate the hydrology regime in winter and early spring. This study is beneficial for aquatic ecosystem protection in floodgate-controlled lakes under the circumstance of climate change and vigorous anthropology activities. Full article

In recent years, floods have increased in frequency and intensity, causing tremendous hardship. In badly affected regions, mostly the rural areas, Weir-type floodgates are the only measure against floods. However, these manually operated gates are numerous and scattered over vast areas. This makes flood mitigation efforts very challenging, which causes severe devastation. Current solutions to automate the floodgates are expensive, black-boxed, and focused on individual gates. In this paper, we present a Centralized Flood Monitoring and Coordination System developed through the Internet of Things (IoT) and other open-source technologies. For this work, we developed a working prototype of an autonomous floodgate that opens/closes according to the level of water. We also developed the required program to allow the gate controller to publish its data through the IoT gateway to the cloud. The data was then captured and viewed on a number of IoT clients, both for individuals and groups of floodgates, in real time. The developed system proved successful as the autonomous gates were monitored remotely through the established IoT framework, with room for future development and improvement. This paper serves as a proof of concept and a preparation for real, on-site implementation of the IoT-floodgates. Full article