Improving the Resilience of Port–Hinterland Container Logistics Transportation Systems: A Bi-Level Programming Approach

Port–hinterland container logistics transportation systems (PHCLTSs) are significant to economic and social development. However, various kinds of unconventional emergency events (UEEs), such as natural or human-caused disasters, threaten PHCLTSs. This study aims to measure and improve the resilience of PHCLTSs. Bi-level programming models with two different lower level models are established to help PHCLTSs recover their capacity efficiently in the face of UEEs. In the upper level model, the government makes immediate recovery decisions about a damaged PHCLTS with the goal of improving the resilience of the PHCLTS. In the lower level models, truck carriers make decisions about transportation routes and freight volume in the recovered PHCLTS. They cooperate fully to pursue the maximization of total profit and are coordinated by a central authority, or they make their own decisions to pursue maximization of their own profit noncooperatively. An algorithm combining particle swarm optimization (PSO) and traditional optimization algorithms is proposed to solve the bi-level programming models. The numerical experimental results show the validity of the proposed models.

The Basolateral Amygdala Mediates the Role of Rapid Eye Movement Sleep in Integrating Fear Memory Responses

The basolateral amygdala (BLA) mediates the effects of stress and fear on rapid eye movement sleep (REM) and on REM-related theta (θ) oscillatory activity in the electroencephalograph (EEG), which is implicated in fear memory consolidation. We used optogenetics to assess the potential role of BLA glutamate neurons (BLAGlu) in regulating behavioral, stress and sleep indices of fear memory, and their relationship to altered θ. An excitatory optogenetic construct targeting glutamatergic cells (AAV-CaMKIIα-hChR2-eYFP) was injected into the BLA of mice. Telemetry was used for real-time monitoring of EEG, activity, and body temperature to determine sleep states and stress-induced hyperthermia (SIH). For 3 h following shock training (ST: 20 footshocks, 0.5 mA, 0.5 s, 1 min interval), BLA was optogenetically stimulated only during REM (REM + L) or NREM (NREM + L). Mice were then re-exposed to the fear context at 24 h, 48 h, and 1 week after ST and assessed for behavior, SIH, sleep and θ activity. Control mice were infected with a construct without ChR2 (eYFP) and studied under the same conditions. REM + L significantly reduced freezing and facilitated immediate recovery of REM tested at 24 h and 48 h post-ST during contextual re-exposures, whereas NREM + L had no significant effect. REM + L significantly reduced post-ST REM-θ, but attenuated REM-θ reductions at 24 h compared to those found in NREM + L and control mice. Fear-conditioned SIH persisted regardless of treatment. The results demonstrate that BLAGlu activity during post-ST REM mediates the integration of behavioral and sleep indices of fear memory by processes that are associated with θ oscillations within the amygdalo-hippocampal pathway. They also demonstrate that fear memories can remain stressful (as indicated by SIH) even when fear conditioned behavior (freezing) and changes in sleep are attenuated.

Defects systematization of reinforced concrete bridges of ukrainian railways as the result of their inspection

Visual inspection is the important part of the bridges management. Many defectscan be detected that determine the traffic conditions, service life, and operation cost. Thedeterioration of bridges calls for effective methods for condition evaluation and maintenance as wellas suitable methods of their repair and recovery. This article aims defects systematization ofreinforced concrete bridges to define the effective method for recovering of their technical state. Morethan 100 reinforced concrete bridges in Ukrainian railways were inspected from 2017 to 2021.Ultrasonic pulse velocity, penetration resistance, reinforcement corrosion tests, and rebar locatingwere performed on beams, bed block, and piers of reinforced concrete bridges. It is shown that themost probable reasons of defects are natural impacts (freezing-thawing, moisturizing-drying),technogenic factors (train vibration, leakage current), and technological disadvantages(unsatisfactory production or setting). During the inspection, there are three categories of defectswere defined. The first one does not influence the train traffic (for example, deficient protectiveconcrete layer). The second one can limit the train traffic (for instance, crack width more than 0.3mm). The third category endangers the safe railway operation (such as an intense leaching of cementstone at an area more than 2 m2). It is made a proposal to match external signs of damage withreasons their appearance and methods of recovery. Three main types of repairs are used in Ukrainianrailways: torkret process, steel hooping, waterproof layer. However, the relationship between thetype of defect and the method of recovery has not been estimated before. It is important that themethods of repair and protection will be assigned according to their operation state (a disabled staterequires immediate recovery of the structures) as well as the reasons of appearance (destructiveacts). These methods must prevent a future destruction or protect of the structures.

Acute spinal cord compression due to spinal subdural hematoma after spinal anaesthesia in-patient under anticoagulant drug

Background Subdural spinal cord hematomas are very rare condition. They most often occur in patients with primary or secondary blood haemostasis disorders and following lumbar punctures. Early diagnosis and management preserve functional prognosis. Case description We report the case of a female 69-year-old patient on oral anticoagulant, Acenocoumarol 4 mg (SINTROM) for previous aortic prosthesis. The patient had undergone surgery for appendicitis under spinal anaesthesia 2 days before her admission in neurosurgery department. She was admitted in emergency for 1/5 central flaccid paraplegia with sensitive umbilical level. A spinal MRI performed showed a collection intradural in intermediate signal in T1 and hyposignal in T2 with echo gradient of 8 mm thickness extended from D8 to L2 compressing the marrow with anomalies of intramedullary signal extended from D8 to the conus medullaris. We retained indication to operate the patient early in emergency because of acute spinal cord compression. We performed T12-L2 laminectomy, durotomy and evacuated hematoma. Postoperative marked by an immediate recovery of sensitivity and an onset of motor recovery from 1/5 to 2/5 and 4/5 follow up at on year with physiotherapy. Conclusion Spinal cord compression due to subdural spinal hematomas not often described especially in patients with haemostasis blood disorders due to anticoagulants drugs. In addition, we should pay attention with lumbar puncture in these patients. Emergency surgery allows a good prognosis about recovery of neurological disorders.

Sternal Fracture Fixation with a Steel Wire: The New “Timala” Technique

Purpose: Traumatic sternal fractures are rare but quite disabling injuries. Timely fixation of sternal fractures reduces pain and prevents respiratory complications. However, the fixation technique should be simple, effective, and readily available in local circumstances.Methods: From January 2014 to March 2020, seven patients with sternal fracture/ dislocation underwent steel wire fixation with the new “Timala” technique. In this technique, adjacent ribs are anchored with two steel wires to form an “X” in front of the fractured segment of the sternum. Patients were followed up clinically and radiologically.Results: Six of the patients were men and one was a female. Five of them had injuries due to falls and two were injured in road traffic accidents. Their age ranged from 18 years to 76 years, with a median age of 41 years. All seven patients experienced immediate recovery from pain and showed evidence of fracture healing on postoperative chest X-rays and clinical examinations.Conclusions: Anchoring ribs to fix the sternum with steel wire is a safe, effective, easily available, and reproducible method to fix sternal fractures or dislocations.

Co-Immobilized Capillary Enzyme Reactor Based on Beta-Secretase1 and Acetylcholinesterase: A Model for Dual-Ligand Screening

We have developed a dual enzymatic system assay involving liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC–MS) to screen AChE and BACE1 ligands. A fused silica capillary (30 cm × 0.1 mm i.d. × 0.362 mm e.d.) was used as solid support. The co-immobilization procedure encompassed two steps and random immobilization. The resulting huAChE+BACE1-ICER/MS was characterized by using acetylcholine (ACh) and JMV2236 as substrates. The best conditions for the dual enzymatic system assay were evaluated and compared to the conditions of the individual enzymatic system assays. Analysis was performed in series for each enzyme. The kinetic parameters (KMapp) and inhibition assays were evaluated. To validate the system, galantamine and a β-secretase inhibitor were employed as standard inhibitors, which confirmed that the developed screening assay was able to identify reference ligands and to provide quantitative parameters. The combination of these two enzymes in a single on-line system allowed possible multi-target inhibitors to be screened and identified. The innovative huAChE+BACE1-ICER/MS dual enzymatic system reported herein proved to be a reliable tool to identify and to characterize hit ligands for AChE and BACE1 in an enzymatic competitive environment. This innovative system assay involved lower costs; measured the product from enzymatic hydrolysis directly by MS; enabled immediate recovery of the enzymatic activity; showed specificity, selectivity, and sensitivity; and mimicked the cellular process.

The impact of COVID-19 on recovery after heart surgery: preliminary findings from the CardiacCovid Study

Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Background/Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic has had far-reaching effects on everyday life leading to stress and anxiety, which may be heightened in those undergoing cardiac surgery. Health impacts following a traumatic event may be apparent at one month but can also present after many months. Purpose The aim of the CardiacCovid study was to explore the effect of the pandemic on recovery from cardiac surgery. We report the preliminary results from a single centre study in the UK during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods Patients >18 years old undergoing any form of cardiac surgery between 23rd March 2020 (UK lockdown) to 4th July 2020 (lifting of most restrictions) were recruited to this prospective observational study. Those too unwell or unable to give consent/complete study questionnaires were excluded. Participants completed a Quality of Life (QoL) (EQ-5D), impact of event (IES-R), depression (CES-D) and health service use questionnaire at baseline, 1 week after hospital discharge, and 6 weeks after surgery. Questionnaires were completed electronically on the Amplitude platform or via post. Ethics approval (20/YH/0132) was obtained and the study was registered (Clinicaltrials.gov:NCT04366167). Results A total of 395 patients had surgery of which 298 (91.7%) were screened and 203 (68.1%) were enrolled to the study. Participants were mostly male (74.6%), with a mean age of 63 years, undergoing urgent/emergency (57.9%) CABG +/-valve (70.1%). Mean inpatient stay was 8.6 days and in-hospital mortality was 0.5%. No patients had Covid-19. The initial findings suggest a deterioration of QoL at 1 week post discharge with near restoration to baseline level at 6 weeks post-surgery. Mean scores for CES-D and IES-R remained within subclinical levels at all available time points. However, at 6 weeks, a proportion of patients reached levels for depression on the CES-D and had high IES-R scores indicating possible post-traumatic stress. Conclusion We believe that this is the largest/only study exploring the impact of the pandemic on cardiac surgery recovery, including QoL, spanning the immediate recovery phase but will continue until 1 year. The findings so far show that recovery from cardiac surgery during the Covid-19 pandemic is similar to that reported prior to the pandemic (Cromhout et al 2018) and reinforces the need for psychosocial assessments to identify patients who may require additional support during the immediate recovery phase.

Uncovering the relationship between customer anger and frontline employees’ recovery performance in the service encounter

Purpose Regarding the interpersonal influence of customer anger on frontline employees (FLEs) in service encounters, existing findings remain mixed. Building on emotion as a social information model and appraisal theory, this study aims to focus on two dimensions of customer anger – intensity and relevance with FLEs and examined their divergent effects on FLEs’ immediate recovery performance. Design/methodology/approach This study conducted a questionnaire survey of 366 Chinese FLEs in the hospitality and tourism industries. Hierarchical regressions and bootstrap analysis for nonlinear mediated relationships were used to test the hypotheses. Findings The results suggested a U-shaped curvilinear relationship between the intensity of customer anger and FLEs’ recovery performance and a positive linear relationship between relevance with FLEs of customer anger and FLEs’ recovery performance. Moreover, the mediating effects of FLEs’ emotional anger and cognitive perceived threat were confirmed. Practical implications Service managers should improve FLEs’ awareness of unconscious emotional contagion and encourage them to shoulder responsibility actively even if customer anger is not related to them. In addition, complaining customers can learn how to strategically express anger to get good remedies. Originality/value This paper examines the divergent effects of two dimensions of customer anger on FLEs, advancing the understanding of customer anger in the service interaction. It is also the first to suggest the U-shaped nonlinear effect of customer anger intensity on employees’ service outcomes and its underlying mechanisms, reconciling mixed findings.

Vagal reactivation after a cardiac rehabilitation session associated with hydration in coronary artery disease patients: crossover clinical trial

This study aimed to investigate the hydration influence on the autonomic responses of coronary artery disease subjects in the immediate recovery period after a cardiovascular rehabilitation session, in view of the risks of a delayed autonomic recovery for this population. 28 males with coronary artery disease were submitted to: (I) Maximum effort test; (II) Control protocol (CP), composed by initial rest, warm-up, exercise and passive recovery; (III) Hydration protocol (HP) similar to CP, but with rehydration during exercise. The recovery was evaluated through the heart rate (HR) variability, HR recovery and by the rate of perceived exertion and recovery. The main results revealed that the vagal reactivation occurred at the first 30 s of recovery in HP and after the first minute in CP. A better behavior of the HR at the first minute of recovery was observed in HP. The rate of perceived exertion had a significant decrease in the first minute of recovery in HP, while in CP this occurred after the third minute. In conclusion, despite an anticipated vagal reactivation found at HP, these results should be analyzed with caution as there were no significant differences between protocols for all variables and the effect sizes were small.