Effectiveness of Green Olympic Initiatives on Reasons Affecting Residents’ Actions to Support the Olympic Movement

The world faces major environmental challenges that affect the well-being of human beings, plants, and wildlife. The Olympic Games, one of the most influential sport events, should pay special attention to environmental issues. In 1996, the environmental element became a central factor of the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) (IOC, 2009). To scientifically and comprehensively evaluate the impact of the Olympics on the host city, the IOC launched the Olympic Games Global Impact (OGGI) study in 2003 (IOC, 2006). This study begins two years before the host city is selected, and terminates two years after hosting the Games (IOC, 2006). One of the reasons to do an 11-year OGGI study is likely because the social, economic, and environmental impact of the Games may vary throughout the whole process. To a great extent, these technical reports remain internal to the IOC. A majority of previous studies on mega sport events have focused on the economic impact (Twynam & Johnston, 2004). Few studies have emphasized the environmental aspect of major sport events. It would be constructive to investigate the environmental impact of the Beijing Games over eight years, from the moment of being named as the host city to one year after hosting the event. Based on the environmental measures applied in Beijing, there were five critical time periods that should be considered in order to comprehensively understand the effectiveness of the Beijing Green Olympic initiatives, including July 2001 (Time 1) when Beijing was named as the host city for the 2008 Olympic Games, August 2007(Time 2) when it was one year before the Games, August 2008 (Time 3) when it was during the Games, December 2008 (Time 4) when it covered close-out and summary period of the Games, and December 2009 (Time 5) when it was one year after the Games. Research has suggested that local residents play an important role in achieving successful and sustainable impact of mega sport events (Deccio & Baloglu, 2002). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine residents’ perceived effectiveness of Beijing Green Olympic initiatives, by investigating their awareness, perception, attitude, intention, and actual behavior through conducting a time-series analysis. Based on a comprehensive review of literature, a questionnaire was developed that included the following sections: awareness, perception, attitude, behavior intention, and actual behavior associated with Beijing Green Olympics initiatives. All items were phrased in a 7-point scale (1 = “strongly disagree” to 7 = “strongly agree”). The questionnaire was phrased into five versions, corresponding with the five key time periods. Each version had a different leading statement and, to increase recall accuracy, a historical scenario/picture reflecting a specific time period. Five sets of pictures depicting significant events that happened in China during each time periods were collected and their accuracy of time representation was verified by two professors and three graduate students in sport social science from a leading Chinese university. Items within each time period were put in a random order to reduce carry-over effect in the repeated measure research design. The questionnaire was then double-translated to ensure translation accuracy. A community intercept approach was adopted and data were collected at shopping centers, city libraries, parks, restaurants, municipal offices, and transportation centers in Beijing, China. A total of 119 subjects, who were 18 years or older in 2001 and considered Beijing as his/her primary residential location since 2001, were included in the study. A doubly repeated measure MANOVA was conducted, which revealed that the vector mean scores of the Green Olympics’ effectiveness variables (i.e., awareness, perception, attitude, behavior intention, and actual behaviour) were significantly (p \u3c .05) different over the five time periods. The research findings indicate that the perceived environmental impact by residents had been formed, developed, and altered as a result of different environmental efforts applied in Beijing. To a great extent, these reflected the effectiveness of the Green Olympic programs across five key periods of the Games. Further discussions are conducted on expanding environmental programs and policies beyond 2008 and the city of Beijing, and moving China toward environmentally sustainable development

Effects of electrode materials and potential gradient on electro-osmotic consolidation for marine clayey soils

This study conducted experimental investigations into the effects of electrode material and potential gradient on the effectiveness of electro-osmotic consolidation (EO) in strengthening soft soils. Seven laboratory tests were conducted on high-water-content marine clayey soils through EO. In these experimental tests, four different types of electrodes made of steel, copper, aluminum, and composite carbon fiber (CCF) were employed in four tests each to evaluate the consolidation effectiveness. Additionally, four tests, one was the comparitive study for different eletrode materials, were carried out to determine the optimal gradient for the EO using CCF electrode. Several critical properties of the tested soils were examined and evaluated in this study, including the effective voltage utilization, potential distribution, water discharge, discharge rate, energy consumption, and soil bearing capacity. The test results indicated that the CCF electrode had superior performance in water discharge, discharge rate, and average soil water content compared to metal electrodes. Furthermore, CCF led to uniform enhancement of soil strength, with treated soil bearing capacities 6.3 to 12 times higher than initial values, and 1.9 to 2.5 times higher than those attained with metal electrodes. Additionally, an effective potential gradient of 1 V/cm was identified for the EO with the CCF electrode, providing a higher discharge rate and a larger soil strength in a uniform distribution. Moreover, the use of CCF electrode significantly reduced corrosion compared to metal electrodes during the consolidation process, further contributing to improved consolidation efficiency. This study offers valuable insights and recommendations for the utilization of CCF in marine clayey soils, effectively addressing the challenges posed by electrode corrosion and high energy consumption in EO applications

Initial Rotor Position Detection for Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor Based on High-Frequency Voltage Injection without Filter

The accurate initial rotor position of a permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) is necessary for starting the motor, and for the position sensorless control method adopted by a PMSM control system under some working conditions. This paper presents a new method to detect the initial rotor position of a permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM). The method does not need a low-pass filter, and has strong robustness and a simple calculation method. According to the relationship between high-frequency current response and rotor position angle θ, the rotor position angle can be obtained by arctangent and linear formulae. Finally, the magnetic polarity of the rotor is distinguished according to the change of inductance. In this method, the arctangent function is used to eliminate the filtering process and reduce the influence of the parameter deviation of the motor system on the detection accuracy of the initial position. The experimental results verify the correctness of the theoretical analysis and the effectiveness of the method. Document type: Articl

Correlation between obstructive sleep apnea and hypoperfusion in patients with acute cerebral infarction

PurposeTo explore the relationship between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and hypoperfusion during ultra-early acute cerebral infarction.Patients and methodsData were retrospectively collected from patients admitted to our hospital with acute cerebral infarction between January 2020 and January 2022, who underwent comprehensive whole-brain computed tomography perfusion imaging and angiography examinations within 6 h of onset. The F-stroke software automatically assessed and obtained relevant data (Tmax). The patients underwent an initial screening for sleep apnea. Based on their Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI), patients were categorized into an AHI ≤15 (n = 22) or AHI >15 (n = 25) group. The pairwise difference of the time-to-maximum of the residue function (Tmax) > 6 s volume was compared, and the correlation between AHI, mean pulse oxygen saturation (SpO2), oxygen desaturation index (ODI), percentage of time with oxygen saturation < 90% (T90%), and the Tmax >6 s volume was analyzed.ResultsThe Tmax >6 s volume in the AHI > 15 group was significantly larger than that in the AHI ≤ 15 group [109 (62–157) vs. 59 (21–106) mL, p = 0.013]. Spearman’s correlation analysis revealed Tmax >6 s volume was significantly correlated with AHI, mean SpO2, ODI, and T90% in the AHI > 15 group, however, no significant correlations were observed in the AHI ≤ 15 group. Controlling for the site of occlusion and Multiphase CT angiography (mCTA) score, AHI (β = 0.919, p < 0.001), mean SpO2 (β = −0.460, p = 0.031), ODI (β = 0.467, p = 0.032), and T90% (β =0.478, p = 0.026) remained associated with early hypoperfusion in the AHI > 15 group.ConclusionIn patients with acute cerebral infarction and AHI > 15, AHI, mean SpO2, ODI and T90% were associated with early hypoperfusion. However, no such relationship exists among patients with AHI ≤ 15

Synthesis and biological activities of novel danshensu amide derivatives as anti-myocardial ischemia agents

A series of novel danshensu amide derivatives were synthesized, and the protective effects of all the compounds on rat myocardial cell lines H9C2 by hypoxia were investigated. The results showed that all the seven compounds could significantly increased cell viability compared with hypoxia group. Among these compounds, 3-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-2-hydroxy-N-propylpropanamide (6) exhibited good activities, with cell viability reached 94.2 % compared to the normal. The novel danshensu amide derivatives, possessing an additional lipophilic alkyl chain showed a good lipophilicity.Colegio de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aire

Frequent alterations in cytoskeleton remodelling genes in primary and metastatic lung adenocarcinomas

The landscape of genetic alterations in lung adenocarcinoma derived from Asian patients is largely uncharacterized. Here we present an integrated genomic and transcriptomic analysis of 335 primary lung adenocarcinomas and 35 corresponding lymph node metastases from Chinese patients. Altogether 13 significantly mutated genes are identified, including the most commonly mutated gene TP53 and novel mutation targets such as RHPN2, GLI3 and MRC2. TP53 mutations are furthermore significantly enriched in tumours from patients harbouring metastases. Genes regulating cytoskeleton remodelling processes are also frequently altered, especially in metastatic samples, of which the high expression level of IQGAP3 is identified as a marker for poor prognosis. Our study represents the first large-scale sequencing effort on lung adenocarcinoma in Asian patients and provides a comprehensive mutational landscape for both primary and metastatic tumours. This may thus form a basis for personalized medical care and shed light on the molecular pathogenesis of metastatic lung adenocarcinoma

The IASLC Lung Cancer Staging Project: A Renewed Call to Participation

Over the past two decades, the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) Staging Project has been a steady source of evidence-based recommendations for the TNM classification for lung cancer published by the Union for International Cancer Control and the American Joint Committee on Cancer. The Staging and Prognostic Factors Committee of the IASLC is now issuing a call for participation in the next phase of the project, which is designed to inform the ninth edition of the TNM classification for lung cancer. Following the case recruitment model for the eighth edition database, volunteer site participants are asked to submit data on patients whose lung cancer was diagnosed between January 1, 2011, and December 31, 2019, to the project by means of a secure, electronic data capture system provided by Cancer Research And Biostatistics in Seattle, Washington. Alternatively, participants may transfer existing data sets. The continued success of the IASLC Staging Project in achieving its objectives will depend on the extent of international participation, the degree to which cases are entered directly into the electronic data capture system, and how closely externally submitted cases conform to the data elements for the project