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Abstract Background Treatment for drug-sensitive tuberculosis (TB) is taken for at least 6 months and problems with adherence are common. Therefore, there is substantial interest in the possible use of eHealth interventions to support patients to take their treatment. Electronic medication monitors have been shown to improve adherence to TB medication, but the impact on clinical outcomes is unknown. We aim to evaluate the impact of a medication monitor-based treatment strategy for drug-sensitive TB patients on a composite poor outcome measured over 18 months from start of TB treatment. Methods/design We will conduct an open, pragmatic, cluster randomised superiority trial, with 24 counties/districts in three provinces in China, randomised 1:1 to implement the intervention or standard of care. Adults (aged ≥ 18 years) with a new episode of GeneXpert-positive and rifampicin-sensitive pulmonary TB, who plan to be in the study area for the next 18 months, and will receive daily fixed-dose combination tablets for 6 months of treatment are eligible. The intervention is centred around a medication monitor that holds a 1-month supply of medication and has three key functions: as an audio and visual reminder for patients to take their daily medication; reminds patients of upcoming monthly visit; and records date and time whenever the box is opened. At the monthly follow-up visit, the doctor downloads these data to generate a graphical display of the last month’s adherence record for discussion with the patient and potentially to switch the patient to more intensive management. The primary outcome is a composite poor outcome measured over 18 months from start of TB treatment, defined as either of poor outcome at the end of treatment (death, treatment failure, or loss to follow-up) or subsequent recurrence (culture positive for TB at 12 or 18 months or re-starting TB treatment in the follow-up period). An economic evaluation will also be conducted as part of this study. Discussion This trial will assess whether a medication monitor-based treatment strategy can improve clinical outcomes for TB patients. Several trials of other eHealth interventions for TB treatment are ongoing and are summarised in this paper. This trial will provide an important part of the emerging evidence base for the potential of eHealth to improve TB treatment outcomes. Trial registration This trial was registered with Current Controlled Trials (identifier: ISRCTN35812455). Registered on May 19, 2016.

In this paper, we study a three-species predator-prey model with modified LG-Holling type II with Lévy jumps, and we take the competition among predators into consideration. First, We use an Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process to describe the environmental stochasticity and prove that there is a unique positive solution to the system by mathematical analysis skills such as comparison theorem. Futhermore, the extinction or persistence in the mean of each species under different conditions is obtained. Finally, some numerical simulations are carried out to support our main results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a frequency-domain finite-element (FDFE) method to simulate the 2-D SHTE mode seismoelectric and electroseismic waves. By neglecting the secondary weak wavefield feedbacks, the SH and TE waves are solved, separately. In a finite plane region, propagations of both SH and TE waves can be described as the Helmholtz equation with boundary conditions, which is proved to be equivalent to the extremum of functional by conducting calculus of variation. The computation region is partitioned into structured rectangular elements with the bilinear interpolation. The proposed FDFE algorithm solves the wavefield in frequency domain and avoids adopting the quasi-static approximation. One advantage of the proposed algorithm is its ability to accurately simulate the seismoelectric and electroseismic responses generated from the free surface. We verify the proposed algorithm based on a layered model beneath a free surface by comparing the waveforms calculated using the FDFE algorithm with those calculated using analytically-based method. The proposed algorithm is applied in feasibility studies of interface seismoelectric and electroseismic responses in exploring the hydrocarbon reservoir and monitoring the time-lapse pollutant within a sand channel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analytic solutions are derived for the problem of scattering of obliquely incident plane waves from a rectangular crack in a fluid-saturated porous solid. The propagation direction and polarization direction of the incident waves can be arbitrary. The solutions are based on expanding the crack opening displacements in terms of Chebyshev functions. Explicit expressions for the frequency-dependent stress intensity factors and scattering far fields are obtained. The poroelastic effects play a key role in determining the crack opening mode by changing the effective normal stress applied on the crack surfaces. Consequently, the dynamic responses of the crack can be quite different from those of conventional dry crack in an elastic solid. The effects of scattered slow-P waves as well as wave-induced crack fluid pressure on the dynamic stress intensity factors are clarified, and a corner effect is observed in the scattering patterns for moderately high frequencies. The comparisons of synthetic seismograms with the elastic model show the slow-P waves can cause significant energy loss and waveform change. This study can be used for fracture analysis of porous media and nondestructive testing for individual hydraulic fractures in reservoirs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, atmospheric perturbations residing over around epicenters of forthcoming earthquakes were remotely sensed by the multiple instruments of the MVP-LAI (Monitoring of Vibrations and Perturbations in Lithosphere, Atmosphere and Ionosphere) system. In this study, we found another way and proposed a theory for the evolution of the perturbations in the atmosphere from the aspect of numerical simulation. We started from the fundamental hydromechanics equations for the perturbations based on the atmospheric dynamics in the cylindrical symmetric coordinate to solve their analytical solution. The solution shows that a persistent vibration at the bottom of the cylindrical symmetric coordinate tends to decay exponentially with along altitude. In other words, a persistent ground vibration in a wide area can rapidly evolve into small-scale perturbations in the atmosphere. The preliminary theoretical model in this study shows the kernel concept for the coupling of geospheres. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Turbulence near a free surface is of multi-layered nature and of fundamental significance in understanding vast marine and ocean processes. Direct numerical simulation of an open channel with the free surface modeled by a free-slip boundary is performed. Complex multi-layered turbulence (i.e., the blockage layer, the slip layer, and the Kolmogorov layer) under the free surface are first identified based on predefined anisotropy indices. Later on, statistical features of the anisotropic turbulence inside the three turbulence layers are presented. Most importantly, considering the drastic variation of both velocity and vorticity in near-surface layers, we revisit the complex multi-layered turbulence by the velocity–vorticity correlation structure (VVCS) method [Chen et al., J. Fluid Mech. 742, 291–307 (2014)]. It is found that the VVCS can physically depict evolution of the hairpin vortex inside the channel, including generation in the bottom wall region, expansion in the bulk flow, process of getting flattened in the blockage layer, and then distortion and breakdown in the slip layer and the Kolmogorov layer. Specifically, the correlation structures VVCS11 for streamwise velocity and streamwise vorticity reflect how the hairpin legs are spatially distributed, while the correlation structures VVCS13 for streamwise velocity and spanwise vorticity describe the evolution of the hairpin vortex head. In the end, a cradle-like structure model is proposed based on the VVCS results and the vortex ring collision model is introduced to improve the understanding of the multi-layered turbulence under free surface. Hopefully, this research can be of value in future turbulence modeling work on free surface flows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To make agents' route decision-making behaviours as real as possible, this paper proposes a layered navigation algorithm, emphasizing the coordinating of the global route planning at strategic level and the local route planning at tactical level. Specifically, by an improved visibility graph method, the global route is firstly generated based on static environment map. Then, a new local route planning (LRP) based on dynamic local environment is activated for multipath selection to allow pedestrian to respond changes at a real-time sense. In particular, the LRP model is developed on the basis of a passenger's psychological motivation. The pedestrians' individual preferences and the uncertainties existing in the process of evaluation and choice are fully considered. The suitable local path can be generated according to an estimated passing time. The LRP model is applied to the choice of ticket gates at a subway station, and the behaviours of gate choosing and rechoosing are investigated. By utilizing C++, the layered navigation algorithm is implemented. The simulation results exhibit agents' tendency to avoid congestion, which is often observed in real crowds., 1. Introduction Pedestrian simulation has engaged the attention of researchers over the past few decades. It is not only a simulation technology to reproduce the temporal and spatial changes of [...]