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To mitigate accidents in submarine cable construction within the rapidly expanding offshore wind power sector, this study employed the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and risk matrix method (LS) to assess the risks associated with identified factors. Based on project research and expert consultations, five primary and twenty-two secondary risk factors were identified. AHP was utilized to rank the primary risk factors by severity, probability, and detection difficulty, with the highest risk being the environmental impact, followed by third-party destruction and worker error. LS was applied to rank the secondary risk factors by likelihood and severity, with the highest risks being complex submarine topography, low underwater visibility, and fishing operations. The study proposes risk reduction measures based on these evaluations and offers methodological guidance for improving construction safety in similar enterprises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) is an important window of opportunity for early intervention and rehabilitation in dementia. The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility and effect of delivering transcutaneous electrical acupuncture stimulation (TEAS) intervention to elders with aMCI. Methods: A total of 61 aMCI patients were randomly allocated into the intervention group (receiving a 12-week TEAS) and control group (receiving health education). The feasibility outcomes included recruitment rate, retention rate, adherence rate, and an exploration of patients' views and suggestions on the research. The effective outcomes included cognitive function, sleep quality, and life quality, which were measured by the Montreal cognitive assessment scale (MoCA), auditory verbal learning test—Huashan version (AVLT-H), Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI), and quality of life short-term-12 (QoL SF-12). Results: The recruitment rate, retention rate, and adherence rate were 67.35%, 92.42%, and 85.29%, respectively. Most aspects of the research design and administration of the TEAS intervention were acceptable. The quantitative analysis suggests that compared with the control group, the scores of MoCA, AVLT-H, and SF-12 (mental component summary) were significantly better (p < 0.05); however, the differences were not statistically significant in PSQI and SF-12 (physical component summary) (p > 0.05). Conclusions: The findings demonstrated that the study was feasible. TEAS awas possible for enhancing cognitive function and mental health in people with aMCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individuals with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), a transitional stage between cognitively healthy aging and dementia, are characterized by subtle neurocognitive changes. Clinically, they can be grouped into two main variants, namely patients with amnestic MCI (aMCI) and non-amnestic MCI (naMCI). The distinction of the two variants is known to be clinically significant as they exhibit different progression rates to dementia. However, it has been particularly challenging to classify the two variants robustly. Recent research indicates that linguistic changes may manifest as one of the early indicators of pathology. Therefore, we focused on MCI's discourse-level writing samples in this study. We hypothesized that a written picture description task can provide information that can be used as an ecological, cost-effective classification system between the two variants. We included one hundred sixty-nine individuals diagnosed with either aMCI or naMCI who received neurophysiological evaluations in addition to a short, written picture description task. Natural Language Processing (NLP) and a BERT pre-trained language model were utilized to analyze the writing samples. We showed that the written picture description task provided 90% overall classification accuracy for the best classification models, which performed better than cognitive measures. Written discourses analyzed by AI models can automatically assess individuals with aMCI and naMCI and facilitate diagnosis, prognosis, therapy planning, and evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted in response to the increasing prevalence of Alzheimer's disease (AD) dementia and the significant risk faced by individuals with amnestic mild cognitive impairment with multiple-domain deficits (aMCI-md). Given the promising effects of MTPs, the primary aim of this study was to further explore their impact by assessing the maintenance of their benefits. Thus, 45 participants were randomly allocated in two groups: the Experimental group (n = 22), which received the metacognitive training program (MTP), and the Control group (n = 23) that received the cognitive exercises program (CEP). The training programs—the MTP and the CEP—included 10 individual sessions of a one-hour duration and took place once per week. To test the efficacy of the MTP, cognitive and metacognitive outcomes were compared between two groups—Experimental (EG) and Control (CG)—at four distinct time points: before–after–3 months–6 months after intervention. Based on this study's findings, the positive effects of the MTP were evident over a six-month period. Specifically, already three months post-training, the CG began to show a decline in training-related gains. In contrast, the EG's performance consistently improved, highlighting the superior efficacy of the MTP. Gains attributed to the MTP were detected in cognitive measures: cognitive flexibility and immediate visual recall, as well as in metacognitive measures: metacognitive control, improved metacognitive beliefs of attention, and an increased use of cognitive strategies. In conclusion, the results demonstrated the sustained effects of the MTP in cognitive and metacognitive measures over a period of six months, providing novel insight into the application and efficacy of the MTP in individuals with MCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Echolalia, the repetition of others' speech, is a common observation in autistic people. Research has established that echolalia is functional and meaningful for many; however, some clinicians and researchers continue to characterise it as pathological and in need of reduction. The aim of this systematic review was to understand the range and impact of interventions for echolalia in autistic children. Method: A systematic search was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. A total of 15 studies met predetermined inclusion criteria. Screening, data extraction and quality rating using the Scientific Merit Rating Scale (SMRS) were performed in duplicate. Results: Ten interventions across 15 papers were found. Results indicated that interventions generally decreased levels of echolalia. However, there were considerable inconsistencies in the definitions and conceptualisations of echolalia, administration, generalisation techniques and the measures used. The quality of the studies was very low. Conclusion: Interventions for echolalia vary widely in terms of administration and measurement. There is limited consensus on the definition of echolalia among the reviewed studies, and no evidence that echolalia is recognised as functional or meaningful to the autistic children. Further, the lack of methodological rigour makes it difficult to draw clinical conclusions about the interventions. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: What is already known: Echolalia is the immediate or delayed repetition of others' speech and is a common observation in autistic children and in some older autistic people. While research and practice has established that echolalia is a functional and meaningful form of communication, particularly for those first developing spoken communication, some clinicians and researchers continue to characterise it as problematic and suggest that echolalia should be reduced or eliminated. What this study adds: We systematically searched the literature about echolalia interventions to try to find out about the types of interventions that aim to reduce or eliminate echolalia. We found 15 studies on this topic. The way they defined echolalia was varied, and there was a range of interventions researched. None of the research papers recognised echolalia as functional or meaningful and the quality of the research was very low. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work?: Clinicians, families and researchers should think carefully and critically about suggesting any programs or supports that aim to reduce echolalia as no recommendations can be drawn from the research we studied. Echolalia should be considered functional, and efforts made to understand the meaning and purpose of echolalic speech. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The behavioural decision-making process of individuals highlights the importance of investors' sentiment and their correlation with the real economy. This paper aims to contribute to the literature of behavioural finance by examining the influence of contextual factors on investment decision-making. Design/methodology/approach: Using a questionnaire, a total of 445 valid responses were collected from March to May 2021 through online sources. The current study uses a technique of Fuzzy-analytical hierarchical process (AHP) to assign relative weights to various contextual factors influencing investment decision-making. Harman's single factor test was used to check common method bias. Findings: Results of the study reveal that accounting information, self-image/firm-image coincidence, and neutral information as the top-ranked factors in influencing investment decisions, whereas advocate recommendation and personal financial needs emerged as less important factors in influencing investment decisions. Research limitations/implications: The current study collects data from Indian stock market investors, which may limit the generalization of the study to India only. Moreover, this study is cross-sectional in nature, and there are numerous factors that are not part of the study but might significantly influence the investors' decision-making process. Practical implications: The research has implications for both academicians working in the area of behavioural finance and practitioners' who are active in stock markets, more specifically dealing with retail investors and in the domain of personal finance. Also, the current study will accommodate different groups, i.e. policy makers, financial advisors, investors, investment professionals, etc. in carrying out their professional work. Originality/value: The current study will provide a comprehensive overview of individual investor behaviour. To the best of the authors' knowledge, the present study is one of its kind to use the Fuzzy-AHP technique for evaluating the relative ranks of contextual factors influencing investment decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to review the development of mental health service policy in Hong Kong. After the return of Hong Kong's sovereignty to China, mental health services in Hong Kong transformed from an institution-based care model supplemented by community care to a staging model covering primary prevention, early identification, treatment and integration. However, the staging model is subject to cultural barriers, including collectivist values and medical dominance. Therefore, the development of a community-based inclusive development model that follows a rights-based strategy and addresses the regression of the staging model (due to cultural barriers) should be considered. Design/methodology/approach: It is a comprehensive literature review which covered the journal articles, policy review papers and service reports. The foundation of this review was laid upon the development of traditional Chinese culture and values. As brought by the influence of the Western world, the mental health service policy was cling towards a medically oriented system. Following the worldwide change in the definition of disability, the ideology of the mental health service system has been developing into a community-based and person-centred model which emphasised on equal participation and human rights. This review serves to evaluate and discuss how a community-based inclusive development can be further developed in Hong Kong. Findings: A formal support system for providing personal assistance to people with mental health issues through supported decision-making and certified peer specialists forms the principal foundation of a community-based inclusive development model. A review and reconsideration of laws governing guardianship, compulsory treatment and detention should be conducted to enable the local implementation of supported decision-making. Originality/value: The paper addressed and integrated the theoretical, historical and practical issues in developing a community-based inclusive mental health service policy in Hong Kong. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The main purpose of this study is to understand how collective operational practices are adapted or stimulated by a firm's competitive strategy. Design/methodology/approach: This study employed a data set drawn from 124 plant managers and directors of Indian manufacturing firms. Multiple regression was used to examine the impact of operational practices of lean, total quality management (TQM) and supply chain management (SCM) within competitive clusters of cost leadership, differentiation and focus strategy. Findings: Results of the study show that the pattern of impact of operational practices on firm's performance varies according to type of the competitive strategy employed. All the three competitive strategy clusters have reported that TQM is the most important trigger for Indian manufacturing firms with relative effect of TQM practices on firm's performance being higher than that of lean and SCM practices. Research limitations/implications: Cross-sectional data from Indian manufacturing firms were used, and it would be interesting to test the analytical framework of the study for more sectors and countries. Future studies can take a longitudinal research approach to strengthen the findings of the study. Practical implications: The findings explain how operational practices are aligned with competitive strategies for practitioners so that they can assign limited resources to build diverse operational capabilities based on their strategic choices. Originality/value: Although very few classical studies are reported in various contexts involving competitive strategy, operational practices and firm's performance, no existing study focuses on how these three domains are linked together in the context of Indian manufacturing sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores how tourism students’ satisfaction with their lives and academics affect their sense of belonging within their school communities. The primary supporting research was conducted using a questionnaire, which 285 students in Akdeniz University’s Faculty of Tourism answered. The mean scores of the two scales (life satisfaction and sense of belonging) and the dimensions of student satisfaction were used to conduct multiple regression analysis. The results suggest that two aspects of student life (teaching staff and school management vs. student support and counseling) and life satisfaction had a direct correlation with students’ sense of belonging. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to give a clear picture of the evidence for small and medium enterprises of what the key factors are affecting the performance of supply chain members (SCMs) and their impact. Design/methodology/approach – The authors conducted a survey of small and medium automotive enterprises. After a comprehensive search of the literature on effective factors requirements of supply chain actors (supplier, manufacturer, inventory, distribution, and information flow) 23 factors were identified, and collected data were analysed using SPSS software. Findings – The results show that among the 23 factors, the inventory level is the most significant factor for inventory with the highest percentage (91 per cent). This is followed by productivity to fill the order (88 per cent) and lead time of manufacturing (86 per cent) for manufacturer, and transportation flexibility (84 per cent) for distribution section. Research limitations/implications – Study limitation was that only the companies related to automotive sector were selected, and the number of usable questionnaires was fairly small. Practical implications – The results can help further by introducing a much better perception of effective factors that result in optimizing the practices of supply chain management techniques in order to enhance business performance. The findings also help build a new initiative to be performed by top management when attempting to strengthen partnership and integration among members. Originality/value – This research draws from institutional theory to contribute to the growing body of practical field and conceptual literature on supply chain integration and provides knowledge in assisting small- and medium-sized enterprises to clarify factors that affect SCMs in order to enhance and manage their operational processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to present a hybrid analytic network process (ANP) and data envelopment analysis (DEA) method for ranking organizational units as well as prioritizing organization’s human capital management criteria. Design/methodology/approach – In the proposed DEA model, human capital management criteria are considered as the inputs and organizational commitment considered as the output of DEA model. Afterward, the organizational unit’s efficiency and the weight of human capital management criteria are evaluated through DEA and the data are considered as the basis of ANP model. Findings – The results of prioritizing the drivers of human capital management were showed that leadership practices, human capital management and learning capacity are the most important ones. Also, the findings proved that the proposed integrated DEA/ANP can be helpful in managerial issues. Research limitations/implications – Filling the super-matrix and designing the questionnaire of ANP have always been the challenge of scholars because of the large number of data it requires. One of the main advantages of the proposed hybrid method in this research is that it resolves the above-mentioned problem of ANP. Practical implications – The results of the proposed method may provide managers this opportunity to better analyze the condition of organizational units from human capital management perspective and focus on the most important activities in this context. Moreover, the proposed hybrid method can help scholars to better use both DEA and ANP techniques and obtain more reliable findings. Originality/value – In this study, DEA efficiency measures of units, and the weights of inputs and outputs of DEA model are used to fill the super-matrix of ANP. In addition to having a logical approach, this method provides more reliable results and enjoys the advantages of both ANP and DEA techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heavy metal pollution remains a major concern for the public today, in line with the growing population and global industrialization. Heavy metal ion (HMI) is a threat to human and environmental safety, even at low concentrations, thus rapid and continuous HMI monitoring is essential. Among the sensors available for HMI detection, the field-effect transistor (FET) sensor demonstrates promising potential for fast and real-time detection. The aim of this review is to provide a condensed overview of the contribution of certain semiconductor substrates in the development of chemical and biosensor FETs for HMI detection in the past decade. A brief introduction of the FET sensor along with its construction and configuration is presented in the first part of this review. Subsequently, the FET sensor deployment issue and FET intrinsic limitation screening effect are also discussed, and the solutions to overcome these shortcomings are summarized. Later, we summarize the strategies for HMIs' electrical detection, mechanisms, and sensing performance on nanomaterial semiconductor FET transducers, including silicon, carbon nanotubes, graphene, AlGaN/GaN, transition metal dichalcogenides (TMD), black phosphorus, organic and inorganic semiconductor. Finally, concerns and suggestions regarding detection in the real samples using FET sensors are highlighted in the conclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pretargeting strategy has recently emerged in order to overcome the limitations of direct targeting, mainly in the field of radioimmunotherapy (RIT). This strategy is directly dependent on chemical reactions, namely bioorthogonal reactions, which have been developed for their ability to occur under physiological conditions. The Staudinger ligation, the copper catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) and the strain-promoted [3 + 2] azide–alkyne cycloaddition (SPAAC) were the first bioorthogonal reactions introduced in the literature. However, due to their incomplete biocompatibility and slow kinetics, the inverse-electron demand Diels-Alder (IEDDA) reaction was advanced in 2008 by Blackman et al. as an optimal bioorthogonal reaction. The IEDDA is the fastest bioorthogonal reaction known so far. Its biocompatibility and ideal kinetics are very appealing for pretargeting applications. The use of a trans-cyclooctene (TCO) and a tetrazine (Tz) in the reaction encouraged researchers to study them deeply. It was found that both reagents are sensitive to acidic or basic conditions. Furthermore, TCO is photosensitive and can be isomerized to its cis-conformation via a radical catalyzed reaction. Unfortunately, the cis-conformer is significantly less reactive toward tetrazine than the trans-conformation. Therefore, extensive research has been carried out to optimize both click reagents and to employ the IEDDA bioorthogonal reaction in biomedical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Even though there are various types of cancer, this pathology as a whole is considered the principal cause of death worldwide. Lung cancer is known as a heterogeneous condition, and it is apparent that genome modification presents a significant role in the occurrence of this disorder. There are conventional procedures that can be utilized against diverse cancer types, such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy, but they are hampered by the numerous side effects. Owing to the many adverse events observed in these therapies, it is imperative to continuously develop new and improved strategies for managing individuals with cancer. Nanomedicine plays an important role in establishing new methods for detecting chromosomal rearrangements and mutations for targeted chemotherapeutics or the local delivery of drugs via different types of nano-particle carriers to the lungs or other organs or areas of interest. Because of the complex signaling pathways involved in developing different types of cancer, the need to discover new methods for prevention and detection is crucial in producing gene delivery materials that exhibit the desired roles. Scientists have confirmed that nanotechnology-based procedures are more effective than conventional chemotherapy or radiotherapy, with minor side effects. Several nanoparticles, nanomaterials, and nanosystems have been studied, including liposomes, dendrimers, polymers, micelles, inorganic nanoparticles, such as gold nanoparticles or carbon nanotubes, and even siRNA delivery systems. The cytotoxicity of such nanosystems is a debatable concern, and nanotechnology-based delivery systems must be improved to increase the bioavailability, biocompatibility, and safety profiles, since these nanosystems boast a remarkable potential in many biomedical applications, including anti-tumor activity or gene therapy. In this review, the nanosystems involved in treating lung cancer and its associated challenges are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Positron emission tomography (PET) and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) are molecular imaging strategies that typically use radioactively labeled ligands to selectively visualize molecular targets. The nanomolar sensitivity of PET and SPECT combined with the high specificity and affinity of monoclonal antibodies have shown great potential in oncology imaging. Over the past decades a wide range of radio-isotopes have been developed into immuno-SPECT/PET imaging agents, made possible by novel conjugation strategies (e.g., site-specific labeling, click chemistry) and optimization and development of novel radiochemistry procedures. In addition, new strategies such as pretargeting and the use of antibody fragments have entered the field of immuno-PET/SPECT expanding the range of imaging applications. Non-invasive imaging techniques revealing tumor antigen biodistribution, expression and heterogeneity have the potential to contribute to disease diagnosis, therapy selection, patient stratification and therapy response prediction achieving personalized treatments for each patient and therefore assisting in clinical decision making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Targeted therapies, such as radioimmunotherapy (RIT), present a promising treatment option for the eradication of tumor lesions. RIT has shown promising results especially for hematologic malignancies, but the therapeutic efficacy is limited by unfavorable tumor-to-background ratios resulting in high radiotoxicity. Pretargeting strategies can play an important role in addressing the high toxicity profile of RIT. Key to pretargeting is the concept of decoupling the targeting vehicle from the cytotoxic agent and administrating them separately. Studies have shown that this approach has the ability to enhance the therapeutic index as it can reduce side effects caused by off-target irradiation and thereby increase curative effects due to higher tolerated doses. Pretargeted RIT (PRIT) has been explored for imaging and treatment of different cancer types over the years. This review will give an overview of the various targeted therapies in which pretargeting has been applied, discussing PRIT with alpha- and beta-emitters and as part of combination therapy, plus its use in drug delivery systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microsystems and biomolecules integration as well multiplexing determinations are key aspects of sensing devices in the field of heavy metal contamination monitoring. The present review collects the most relevant information about optical biosensors development in the last decade. Focus is put on analytical characteristics and applications that are dependent on: (i) Signal transduction method (luminescence, colorimetry, evanescent wave (EW), surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET), surface plasmon resonance (SPR); (ii) biorecognition molecules employed (proteins, nucleic acids, aptamers, and enzymes). The biosensing systems applied (or applicable) to water and milk samples will be considered for a comparative analysis, with an emphasis on water as the primary source of possible contamination along the food chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silica nanoparticles (SiO2 NPs) represent environmentally born nanomaterials that are used in multiple biomedical applications. Our aim was to study the amorphous SiO2 NP-induced inflammatory response in MRC-5 human lung fibroblasts up to 72 hours of exposure. The intracellular distribution of SiO2 NPs was measured by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) test was used for cellular viability evaluation. We have also investigated the lysosomes formation, protein expression of interleukins (IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, and IL-18), COX-2, Nrf2, TNF-α, and nitric oxide (NO) production. Our results showed that the level of lysosomes increased in time after exposure to the SiO2 NPs. The expressions of interleukins and COX-2 were upregulated, whereas the expressions and activities of MMP-2 and MMP-9 decreased in a time-dependent manner. Our findings demonstrated that the exposure of MRC-5 cells to 62.5 µg/mL of SiO2 NPs induced an inflammatory response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]