Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Unveiling the Impact of Lean Leadership on Continuous Improvement Maturity: A Scoping Review

Purpose Lean Management (LM) is a process improvement approach with growing interest from healthcare organizations. Obtaining a culture of continuous improvement is a primary objective of LM, and a culture of continuous improvement indicates a mature LM approach, and here leadership plays a central role. However, a comprehensive overview of leadership activities influencing LM maturity is lacking. This study aims to identify leadership activities associated with continuous improvement and, thus, LM, maturity. Methods Following the PRISMA guidelines, a scoping literature review of peer-reviewed articles was conducted in twenty healthcare management journals. The search provided 466 articles published up until 2023. During the selection process, 23 studies were included in the review. The leadership activities related to continuous improvement maturity were identified using the grounded theory approach and data coding. Results The analysis highlighted a total of 58 leadership activities distributed across nine themes of LM leadership. Next, analysing leadership activities concerning the different maturity levels revealed three maturity stages: beginner, intermediate, and expert. Based on the findings, we propose a framework that guides suitable leadership activities at the various stages of LM maturity. The framework provides leaders in healthcare with a practical overview of actions to facilitate the growth of the LM approach, and the related propositions offer academics a theoretical basis for future studies. Conclusion This review presents the first comprehensive overview of LM leadership activities in relation to continuous improvement and LM maturity. To enhance LM maturity, leaders are encouraged to consider their leadership style, (clinical) stakeholder involvement, alignment with the organizational strategy, and their role in promoting employee autonomy.
Regional modeling of organic aerosols over China in summertime

[1] A comprehensive aerosol model was developed and incorporated into a regional air quality model system (RAQMS). It was used to study the behavior and the regional characteristics of carbonaceous aerosols over China in summertime with focus on organic carbon aerosols (OC), especially the secondary organic carbon aerosol (SOC). The whole month of July and August 2003 were selected as simulation period when biogenic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from vegetation reach the annual maximum. A number of measurements for organic and elemental carbon (EC) aerosols were conducted simultaneously over China during this period, which allow for a rigorous evaluation of model performance and an in-depth investigation of organic aerosols. The comparison of model results with observations indicates that the developed model system is able to represent the atmospheric oxidative capacity and the major evolutionary features of OC and EC reasonably well, but a tendency was found toward underprediction of both OC and EC aerosols. Sensitivity simulations regarding absorbing matter for condensation (AMC) and enthalpy of vaporization (EOV) were conducted to understand the effects of key factors on secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation and to provide possible ranges of SOA yields in the troposphere of East Asia. It is found that the overall SOA formation tends to increase with increasing EOV and AMC, but the sensitivity of SOA formation to EOV depends on ambient temperature as well. High OC concentrations mainly occurred in the areas along the Yangtze River, in central China and most parts of north China including Beijing and Tianjin districts, with the maximum monthly mean as high as 15 μg m−3. SOC concentration was high in the forest areas of southeastern, southwestern and northeastern China, with maximum concentration exceeding 5.0 μg m−3 to the south of the Yangtze Delta. The contribution of SOC to OC is around 50% in these areas, whereas in the broad areas north of the Yangtze River, primary organic carbon aerosol (POC) accounts for a high fraction of the total OC (>60%). The estimated regional burdens of EC, OC, POC, and SOC for base case are 28.13, 61.16, 46.05, and 15.11 Gg, respectively. Of the SOC burden, contributions from oxidation of anthropogenic aromatics, monoterpene and isoprene are 17% (2.58 Gg), 48% (7.32 Gg) and 35% (5.21 Gg), respectively. The regional SOC burden varies from 15.1 to 40.3 Gg in different scenarios. For the base case, the total burdens of EC, OC, POC and SOC are estimated to be 13.8, 37.3, 25.6, and 11.8 Gg, respectively, while using emissions solely from China (20°N∼50°N and west of 100°E) in model simulation.
The Co-Expression Pattern of Calcium-Binding Proteins with γ-Aminobutyric Acid and Glutamate Transporters in the Amygdala of the Guinea Pig: Evidence for Glutamatergic Subpopulations

The amygdala has large populations of neurons utilizing specific calcium-binding proteins such as parvalbumin (PV), calbindin (CB), or calretinin (CR). They are considered specialized subsets of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) interneurons; however, many of these cells are devoid of GABA or glutamate decarboxylase. The neurotransmitters used by GABA-immunonegative cells are still unknown, but it is suggested that a part may use glutamate. Thus, this study investigates in the amygdala of the guinea pig relationships between PV, CB, or CR-containing cells and GABA transporter (VGAT) or glutamate transporter type 2 (VGLUT2), markers of GABAergic and glutamatergic neurons, respectively. The results show that although most neurons using PV, CB, and CR co-expressed VGAT, each of these populations also had a fraction of VGLUT2 co-expressing cells. For almost all neurons using PV (~90%) co-expressed VGAT, while ~1.5% of them had VGLUT2. The proportion of neurons using CB and VGAT was smaller than that for PV (~80%), while the percentage of cells with VGLUT2 was larger (~4.5%). Finally, only half of the neurons using CR (~53%) co-expressed VGAT, while ~3.5% of them had VGLUT2. In conclusion, the populations of neurons co-expressing PV, CB, and CR are in the amygdala, primarily GABAergic. However, at least a fraction of neurons in each of them co-express VGLUT2, suggesting that these cells may use glutamate. Moreover, the number of PV-, CB-, and CR-containing neurons that may use glutamate is probably larger as they can utilize VGLUT1 or VGLUT3, which are also present in the amygdala.
Statistical applications of physically based hydrologic models to seasonal streamflow forecasts

Despite advances in physically based hydrologic models and prediction systems, long‐standing statistical methods remain a fundamental component in most operational forecasts of seasonal streamflow. We develop a hybrid framework that employs gridded observed precipitation and model‐simulated snow water equivalent (SWE) data as predictors in regression equations adapted from an operational forecasting environment. We test the modified approach using the semidistributed variable infiltration capacity hydrologic model in a case study of California's Sacramento River, San Joaquin River, and Tulare Lake hydrologic regions. The approach employs a principal components regression methodology, adapted from the Natural Resources Conservation Service, which leverages the ability of the distributed model to provide an added dimension to SWE predictors in a statistical framework. Hybrid forecasts based on data simulated at grid points acting as surrogates for ground‐based observing stations are found to perform comparably to those based on their observed counterparts. When a larger selection of grid points are considered as potential predictors, hybrid forecasts achieve superior skill, with the largest benefits in watersheds that are poorly represented in terms of ground‐based observations. Forecasts are also found to offer overall improvement over those officially issued by California's Department of Water Resources, although their specific performance in dry years is less consistent. The study demonstrates the utility of physically based models within an operational statistical framework, as well as the ability of the approach to identify locations with strong predictive skill for potential ground station implementation.
Measurement of total nonmethane organic carbon (Cy): development and application at Chebogue Point, Nova Scotia, during the 1993 North Atlantic Regional Experiment campaign

A technique was developed for the measurement of total nonmethane organic carbon (Cy) in the gas phase based on cryogenic collection, preseparation of CO, CH4 and CO2, conversion of all carbon to CH4, and measurement by flame ionization detector. Collection and recovery efficiencies were found to be essentially quantitative for C2-C7 hydrocarbons and better than 95 and 93% for methanol and formaldehyde, respectively. CO2 prevented the measurement of the C2 hydrocarbons in atmospheric samples, and system response to ambient water vapor limited the precision of the measurement at very low Cy. The measurement system had an estimated uncertainty of 10% at ambient mixing ratios of 100 ppb C, and a detection limit of between 5 and 7 ppb C. Cy was measured in Boulder, Colorado, during June of 1993 and at Chebogue Point, Nova Scotia, during the North Atlantic Regional Experiment intensive campaign, August to September 1993. Cy values ranged from several hundred ppb C to 11 ppb C in Boulder, and from 177 to below 5 ppb C at Chebogue Point, with medians of 55 and 11 ppb C, respectively. Cy was found to correlate with both CO and O3 at higher levels of those two pollutants. The sum of Cy and the C2 hydrocarbons was virtually always equal to or greater than the sum of the hydrocarbons. Several exceptions to this occurred when high HC values were observed in cannister samples but not Cy measurements. These instances were attributed to short-term perturbations from local sources. There was a net difference between total nonmethane organic carbon and the sum of hydrocarbons and carbonyls of 3.5±7.8 ppb C overall. This difference appears to be broadly correlated with anthropogenic pollution. There does not appear to be a significantly large reservoir of reactive carbon unaccounted for by hydrocarbon or carbonyl measurements.
Using DC resistivity tomography to detect and characterize mountain permafrost

Direct‐current (DC) resistivity tomography has been applied to different mountain permafrost regions. Despite problems with the very high resistivities of the frozen material, plausible results were obtained. Inversions with synthetic data revealed that an appropriate choice of regularization constraints was important, and that a joint analysis of several tomograms computed with different constraints was required to judge the reliability of individual features. The theoretical results were verified with three field experiments conducted in the Swiss and the Italian Alps. At the first site, near Zermatt, Switzerland, the location and the approximate lateral and vertical extent of an ice core within a moraine could be delineated. On the Murtel rock glacier, eastern Swiss Alps, a steeply dipping boundary at its frontal part was observed, and extremely high resistivities of several MΩ indicated a high ice content. The base of the rock glacier remained unresolved by the DC resistivity measurements, but it could be constrained with transient EM soundings. On another rock glacier near the Stelvio Pass, eastern Italian Alps, DC resistivity tomography allowed delineation of the rock glacier base, and the only moderately high resistivities within the rock glacier body indicated that the ice content must be lower compared with the Murtel rock glacier.
Self-Learning Parameter Estimation of K-Distributed Clutter Using GRU Network

Robust and accurate parameter estimation of K-distributed clutter plays an important role in target detection for marine radars. The estimation performance of the existing estimators is limited by only two moments or percentiles. To break this limit, a self-learning estimator using gate recurrent unit (GRU) network is proposed to estimate shape parameter by a well-designed feature vector composed of ten moment ratios and 13 percentile ratios. It is theoretically proved that the feature vector is independent of scale parameter. Then, the scale parameter is determined by a shape-parameter-dependent percentile. Finally, it is verified by simulated data and measured data that the proposed estimator is suitable for the complicated and various clutter environments.
Clinical Management and Therapy of Precocious Puberty in the Sapienza University Pediatrics Hospital of Rome, Italy

Puberty identifies the transition from childhood to adulthood. Precocious puberty is the onset of signs of pubertal development before age eight in girls and before age nine in boys, it has an incidence of 1/5000–1/10,000 with an F:M ratio ranging from 3:1 to 20:1. Precocious puberty can be divided into central, also known as gonadotropin-dependent precocious puberty or true precocious puberty, and peripheral, also recognized as gonadotropin-independent precocious puberty or precocious pseudopuberty. Thus, the main aim of this narrative report is to describe the standard clinical management and therapy of precocious puberty according to the experience and expertise of pediatricians and pediatric endocrinologists at Policlinico Umberto I, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy. In the suspicion of early sexual maturation, it is important to collect information regarding the age of onset, the speed of maturation of secondary sexual features, exposure to exogenous sex steroids and the presence of neurological symptoms. The objective examination, in addition to the evaluation of secondary sexual characteristics, must also include the evaluation of auxological parameters. Initial laboratory investigations should include serum gonadotropin levels (LH and FSH) and serum levels of the sex steroids. Brain MRI should be performed as indicated by the 2009 Consensus Statement in all boys regardless of chronological age and in all girls with onset of pubertal signs before 6 years of age. The gold standard in the treatment of central precocious puberty is represented by GnRH analogs, whereas, as far as peripheral forms are concerned, the triggering cause must be identified and treated. At the moment there are no reliable data establishing the criteria for discontinuation of GnRH analog therapy. However, numerous pieces of evidence suggest that the therapy should be suspended at the physiological age at which puberty occurs.
UAV Navigation With Monocular Visual Inertial Odometry Under GNSS-Denied Environment

In global satellite navigation system (GNSS)-denied environments, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) navigation based on visual–inertial odometry (VIO) has been widely studied. However, existing VIO methods still suffer from some practical problems, such as image enhancement oversaturation and unreasonable weighting in backend optimization. Therefore, this article presents monocular VIO with point-line fusion and backend adaptive optimization to improve the positioning accuracy and robustness of UAV navigation systems. In the front end, we proposed an adaptive gamma image correction algorithm for image preprocessing to avoid image oversaturation, which is more conducive to image extraction and matching. Instead of the traditional line segment detector (LSD) line feature extraction algorithm, we employed an improved EDLines algorithm to enhance the efficiency of line feature extraction, better meeting the high dynamic real-time requirements of UAV. In the backend, we proposed a tightly coupled nonlinear adaptive optimization method based on a two-step approach to address the issue of unreasonable static weights. In the first step, we established a factor graph model and performed the first nonlinear optimization based on a priori visual weights. In the second step, we calculated the reprojection error and established a functional model that examines the relationship between the reprojection error and the information matrix. We updated the information matrix using the reprojection error to adaptively adjust the weights of the point features and line features in real time. Finally, we performed a second nonlinear reoptimization. The proposed method was compared with the monocular visual-inertial system (VINS-MONO) (Qin et al. 2018) and point and line features (PL)-VINS (Fu et al. 2020) methods, the experimental results showing that the positioning accuracy of the proposed method on the public EuRoc dataset (Burri et al. 2016) improved by an average of 32.3% compared with the PL-VINS method, and by an average of 33.8% in three real-world scenarios under changing illumination, weak texture, and large-scale complex scenarios. The results demonstrated that the proposed method exhibited better robustness and higher positioning accuracy in various complex environments.
Novel LMI-based adaptive boundary synchronisation of fractional-order fuzzy reaction–diffusion BAM neural networks with leakage delay

ABSTRACT The boundary synchronisation problem of fractional-order fuzzy reaction–diffusion BAM neural networks with leakage delay is investigated. A novel adaptive boundary controller, Neumann boundary condition, and fuzzy feedback MIN and MAX templates of nonlinear dynamic fuzzy modelling are employed. We developed adaptive sufficient criteria to check the asymptotic stability of error dynamical system by using suitable Lyapunov functional, Wirtinger's inequality and LMI method, which guarantee the drive-response dynamical systems achieve the synchronisation. Meanwhile, two different controllers, adaptive full-domain and boundary controllers are developed. At last, numerical simulations are presented to demonstrate the feasibility of the theoretical results.
Medication-overuse headache—a review of different treatment strategies

Medication-overuse headache (MOH) can develop from primary headaches. MOH is usually the result of overuse of symptomatic medications. It is a noteworthy personal and societal burden. The identification and treatment of patients at risk for MOH is an essential component of MOH management. Medication overuse can be modifiable and can advance from episodic to chronic migraine. Treatment for MOH is complex, and experts in the field have varied views on the most appropriate strategy for MOH treatment. The objective of this review is to give a comprehensive synopsis of the literature for the management of MOH. Treatment strategies, such as detoxification and prevention, are the debatable issues. Medication withdrawal is the foundation for management. The available literature suggested abrupt withdrawal with preventive approaches for early management. Bridging therapy could be useful to get relief from withdrawal symptoms. Multidisciplinary choices proved beneficial in supporting withdrawal and preventing relapse. Worldwide, the termination of overused medications has been observed as a standard treatment strategy; however, patient-specific approaches should be taken.
Clay mineral diagenesis in Rotliegend aeolian sandstones of the southern North Sea

Abstract The distribution of diagenetically-formed clay minerals in Rotliegend dune sandstones of the Southern North Sea Basin is closely related to the following factors: (i) the petrography of the sandstones, (ii) the paleoburial depth and tectonic setting of the area, (iii) the thickness of gas-generating Carboniferous strata underlying the Rotliegendes, and (iv) the facies distribution of the overlying Zechstein. The diagenetic clay minerals are mainly conversion products of feldspars and, to a lesser extent, of detrital clays and micaceous lithic fragments. Sandstones containing dominant drusy illitic and chloritic clay minerals have been buried to depths > 3000 m; if kaolinite is the dominant clay mineral, burial depths were less. Sandstones containing feldspars (detrital and authigenic) up to approximately 7% of bulk volume have permeabilities that are about four times higher than sandstones with similar amounts of kaolinite, and as much as 200 times higher than sandstones with similar amounts of illite and/or chlorite.
Modeling phase functions for dustlike tropospheric aerosols using a shape mixture of randomly oriented polydisperse spheroids

Laboratory and in situ measurements show that scattering properties of natural nonspherical particles can be significantly different from those of volume-or surface-equivalent spheres, thus suggesting that Mie theory may not be suitable for interpreting satellite reflectance measurements for dustlike tropospheric aerosols. In this paper we use the rigorous T-matrix method to extensively compute light scattering by shape distributions of polydisperse, randomly oriented spheroids with refractive indices and size distributions representative of naturally occurring dust aerosols. Our calculations show that even after size and orientation averaging, a single spheroidal shape always produces a unique, shape-specific phase function distinctly different from those produced by other spheroidal shapes. However, phase functions averaged over a wide aspect-ratio distribution of prolate and oblate spheroids are smooth, featureless, and nearly flat at side-scattering angles and closely resemble those measured for natural soil and dust particles. Thus, although natural dust particles are, of course, not perfect spheroids, they are always mixtures of highly variable shapes, and their phase function can be adequately modeled using a wide aspect-ratio distribution of prolate and oblate spheroidal grains. Our comparisons of nonspherical versus projected-area-equivalent spherical particles show that spherical-nonspherical differences in the scattering phase function can be large and therefore can cause significant errors in the retrieved aerosol optical thickness if Mie theory is used to analyze reflectance measurements of nonspherical aerosols. On the other hand, the differences in the total optical cross sections, single-scattering albedo, asymmetry parameter of the phase function, and backscattered fraction are much smaller and in most cases do not exceed 10%. This may suggest that for a given aerosol optical thickness the influence of particle shape on the aerosol radiative forcing is negligibly small. Spherical-nonspherical differences in the extinction-to-backscatter ratio are very large and should be explicitly taken into account in inverting lidar measurements of dustlike aerosols.