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18 pages, 4966 KiB  
Article
Phenotypic Changes in Pinus thunbergii, Larix kaempferi, Picea koraiensis, and Abies holophylla Seedlings Inoculated with Pine Wilt Nematode: Revealing the Resistance
by Xuejiao Zhang, Shuailong Wang, Quan Zhou, Jiaxing Li, Qidi Hou, Lili Ren and Youqing Luo
Forests 2025, 16(1), 137; https://doi.org/10.3390/f16010137 - 13 Jan 2025
Viewed by 495
Abstract
Bursaphelenchus xylophilus (pine wood nematode, PWN) has been present in China for over 40 years and has spread to northeast China, where native pine species are key components of the local top community. Pinus thunbergii is known to be susceptible to PWN among [...] Read more.
Bursaphelenchus xylophilus (pine wood nematode, PWN) has been present in China for over 40 years and has spread to northeast China, where native pine species are key components of the local top community. Pinus thunbergii is known to be susceptible to PWN among local conifer species, whereas research on PWN’s pathogenicity in Larix remains limited. Furthermore, there are no research reports on PWN infestation in Picea and Abies species within China. This study conducted a detailed analysis of phenotypic changes and temporal spectral reflectance variations in four conifer species in northeast China—P. thunbergii, Larix kaempferi, Picea koraiensis, and Abies holophylla—following artificial inoculation with PWN. The aim of this study is to establish a theoretical basis for identifying the potential hosts and threats of PWN. The study incorporated a 60-day post-inoculation observation period to systematically monitor and compare temporal changes in external morphology, disease susceptibility (incidence and mortality rates), spectral reflectance, and the normalized wilt index (NWI) in 2–3-year-old seedlings of P. thunbergii, L. kaempferi, P. koraiensis, and A. holophylla after inoculation with PWN. The results showed that P. thunbergii displayed the earliest infection symptoms, followed by L. kaempferi, A. holophylla, and finally P. koraiensis. After inoculation, P. thunbergii was the first to experience mortality, followed by L. kaempferi, P. koraiensis, and A. holophylla. Following inoculation, P. thunbergii exhibited the earliest significant increase in NWI (p < 0.001), followed by L. kaempferi and A. holophylla; P. koraiensis showed the latest increase (p < 0.001). In conclusion, the experiment identified P. koraiensis as having the strongest resistance to PWN among the four species, followed by A. holophylla. P. thunbergii showed the weakest resistance, while L. kaempferi exhibited moderate resistance. The ranking of PWN susceptibility for the four conifer species, from highest to lowest, is as follows: P. thunbergii, L. kaempferi, A. holophylla, and P. koraiensis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advance in Pine Wilt Disease)
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16 pages, 698 KiB  
Article
Cultural Competence and Nursing Work Environment: Impact on Culturally Congruent Care in Portuguese Multicultural Healthcare Units
by Gisela Teixeira, Ricardo Picoito, Filomena Gaspar and Pedro Lucas
Healthcare 2024, 12(23), 2430; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12232430 - 3 Dec 2024
Viewed by 830
Abstract
Background: Cultural competence is central to ensuring effective culturally congruent care to patients and fostering positive work environments, particularly in multicultural settings. Objective: This study aimed to analyse the relationship between cultural competence, the nursing work environment, and the delivery of culturally congruent [...] Read more.
Background: Cultural competence is central to ensuring effective culturally congruent care to patients and fostering positive work environments, particularly in multicultural settings. Objective: This study aimed to analyse the relationship between cultural competence, the nursing work environment, and the delivery of culturally congruent care in multicultural units of a healthcare organisation in Portugal. Method: This was a quantitative, descriptive, and cross-sectional study, targeting nurses from multicultural units. Data were collected using both online and paper-based questionnaires, which included the Cultural Competence Questionnaire for Help Professionals, the Nursing Work Index—Revised Scale (NWI-R-PT), and a single question assessing nurses’ perceptions of the adequacy of the culturally congruent care they provide. Results: A moderate, positive correlation was identified between cultural competence and the Fundamentals for Nursing, while the nursing work environment was influenced by organisational support, professional category, and unit type. Discussion: The findings suggest that enhancing cultural knowledge and technical skills and reinforcing management support may positively impact culturally congruent care delivery in multicultural settings. Conclusion: This study contributes to nursing knowledge by highlighting the complex interactions between cultural competence and the work environment in Portuguese multicultural healthcare units. Future research should explore the impact of transcultural nursing leadership on multicultural work environments and in the delivery of culturally congruent care. Full article
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6 pages, 182 KiB  
Editorial
Carbon Nanotubes and Nanosheets for Sustainable Solutions
by Muralidharan Paramsothy
Nanomaterials 2024, 14(20), 1649; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano14201649 - 14 Oct 2024
Viewed by 1001
Abstract
This Special Issue is a continuation of the preceding Special Issue titled “70th Year Anniversary of Carbon Nanotube Discovery—Focus on Real World Solutions” [...] Full article
17 pages, 2422 KiB  
Article
A “Region-Specific Model Adaptation (RSMA)”-Based Training Data Method for Large-Scale Land Cover Mapping
by Congcong Li, George Xian and Suming Jin
Remote Sens. 2024, 16(19), 3717; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs16193717 - 6 Oct 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1148
Abstract
An accurate and historical land cover monitoring dataset for Alaska could provide fundamental information for a range of studies, such as conservation habitats, biogeochemical cycles, and climate systems, in this distinctive region. This research addresses challenges associated with the extraction of training data [...] Read more.
An accurate and historical land cover monitoring dataset for Alaska could provide fundamental information for a range of studies, such as conservation habitats, biogeochemical cycles, and climate systems, in this distinctive region. This research addresses challenges associated with the extraction of training data for timely and accurate land cover classifications in Alaska over longer time periods (e.g., greater than 10 years). Specifically, we designed the “Region-Specific Model Adaptation (RSMA)” method for training data. The method integrates land cover information from the National Land Cover Database (NLCD), LANDFIRE’s Existing Vegetation Type (EVT), and the National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) and machine learning techniques to generate robust training samples based on the Anderson Level II classification legend. The assumption of the method is that spectral signatures vary across regions because of diverse land surface compositions; however, despite these variations, there are consistent, collective land cover characteristics that span the entire region. Building upon this assumption, this research utilized the classification power of deep learning algorithms and the generalization ability of RSMA to construct a model for the RSMA method. Additionally, we interpreted existing vegetation plot information for land cover labels as validation data to reduce inconsistency in the human interpretation. Our validation results indicate that the RSMA method improved the quality of the training data derived solely from the NLCD by approximately 30% for the overall accuracy. The validation assessment also demonstrates that the RSMA method can generate reliable training data on large scales in regions that lack sufficient reliable data. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances of Remote Sensing in Land Cover and Land Use Mapping)
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7 pages, 232 KiB  
Editorial
70th Year Anniversary of Carbon Nanotube Discovery—Focus on Real-World Solutions
by Muralidharan Paramsothy
Nanomaterials 2023, 13(24), 3162; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13243162 - 18 Dec 2023
Viewed by 1733
Abstract
Seventy years ago in 1952, Russian scientists LV Radushkevich and VM Lukyanovich published clear images showing multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) with 50 nm diameters [...] Full article
17 pages, 20111 KiB  
Article
Simulation of the Impacts of Sea-Level Rise on Coastal Ecosystems in Benin Using a Combined Approach of Machine Learning and the Sea Level Affecting Marshes Model
by Sèna Donalde Dolorès Marguerite Deguenon, Castro Gbêmêmali Hounmenou, Richard Adade, Oscar Teka, Ismaila Imorou Toko, Denis Worlanyo Aheto and Brice Sinsin
Sustainability 2023, 15(22), 16001; https://doi.org/10.3390/su152216001 - 16 Nov 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1921
Abstract
Sea-level rise in Benin coastal zones leads to risks of erosion and flooding, which have significant consequences on the socio-economic life of the local population. In this paper, erosion, flood risk, and greenhouse gas sequestration resulting from sea-level rise in the coastal zone [...] Read more.
Sea-level rise in Benin coastal zones leads to risks of erosion and flooding, which have significant consequences on the socio-economic life of the local population. In this paper, erosion, flood risk, and greenhouse gas sequestration resulting from sea-level rise in the coastal zone of the Benin coast were assessed with the Sea Level Affecting Marshes Model (SLAMM) using ArcGIS Pro 3.1 tools. The input features used were the Digital Elevation Map (DEM), the National Wetland Inventory (NWI) categories, and the slope of each cell. National Wetland Inventory (NWI) categories were then created using Support Vector Machines (SVMs), a supervised machine learning technique. The research simulated the effects of a 1.468 m sea-level rise in the study area from 2021 to 2090, considering wetland types, marsh accretion, wave erosion, and surface elevation changes. The largest land cover increases were observed in Estuarine Open Water and Open Ocean, expanding by approximately 106.2 hectares across different sea-level rise scenarios (RCP 8.5_Upper Limit). These gains were counterbalanced by losses of approximately 106.2 hectares in Inland Open Water, Ocean Beaches, Mangroves, Regularly Flooded Marsh, Swamp, Undeveloped, and Developed Dryland. Notably, Estuarine Open Water (97.7 hectares) and Open Ocean (8.5 hectares) experienced the most significant expansion, indicating submergence and saltwater intrusion by 2090 due to sea-level rise. The largest reductions occurred in less tidally influenced categories like Inland Open Water (−81.4 hectares), Ocean Beach (−7.9 hectares), Swamp (−5.1 hectares), Regularly Flooded Marsh (−4.6 hectares), and Undeveloped Dryland (−2.9 hectares). As the sea-level rises by 1.468 m, these categories are expected to be notably diminished, with Estuarine Open Water and Open Ocean becoming dominant. Erosion and flooding in the coastal zone are projected to have severe adverse impacts, including a gradual decline in greenhouse gas sequestration capacity. The outputs of this research will aid coastal management organizations in evaluating the consequences of sea-level rise and identifying areas with high mitigation requirements. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Coastal Hazards and Safety)
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12 pages, 3201 KiB  
Article
The Relation of the Iron Metabolism Index to the Vulnerability Index of Carotid Plaque with Different Degrees of Stenosis
by Wanzhong Yuan, Ran Huo, Chaofan Hou, Wenbin Bai, Jun Yang and Tao Wang
Diagnostics 2023, 13(20), 3196; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics13203196 - 12 Oct 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1345
Abstract
Objective: To investigate the differences in serum iron index and iron metabolizing protein expression in plaques in patients with different degrees of carotid artery stenosis and the relationship with plaque traits. Methods: A total of 100 patients eligible for carotid endarterectomy (CEA) from [...] Read more.
Objective: To investigate the differences in serum iron index and iron metabolizing protein expression in plaques in patients with different degrees of carotid artery stenosis and the relationship with plaque traits. Methods: A total of 100 patients eligible for carotid endarterectomy (CEA) from August 2021 to February 2022 were included. Patients completed a computed tomography (CTA) scan for patient grouping and a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for precise quantification of carotid plaque traits within 1 week prior to surgery. Clinical indicators associated with the progression of carotid stenosis to occlusion were analyzed using ordered logistic regression. Twenty carotid plaques were analyzed immunohistochemically to investigate the relationship between plaque traits and the iron metabolism indexes. Results: No significant correlation between high serum ferritin (SF), unsaturated iron binding capacity (UIBC) and progression of carotid stenosis (OR 1.100, 95% CI 0.004–0.165, p = 0.039; OR 1.050, 95% CI 0.005–0.094, p = 0.031). SF and serum transferrin receptor (sTfR) were correlated with normalized wall index (NWI) (R = 0.470, p = 0.036; R = 0.449, p = 0.046), and the results of multiple linear regression suggested that SF and sTfR remained associated with NWI (R = 0.630, R2 = 0.397, Adjusted R2 = 0.326, p = 0.014). In plaques, H-type ferritin (H-FT) was correlated with NWI and lipid-rich necrotic core (LRNC) volume (R = 0.502, p = 0.028; R = 0.468, p = 0.043). Transferrin receptor 1 (TfR1) was correlated with LRNC volume and intraplaque hemorrhage (IPH) volume (R = 0.538, p = 0.017; R = 0.707, p = 0.001). Conclusions: There were statistical differences in the expression of iron metabolism proteins in carotid plaques with different degrees of stenosis. Serum iron metabolism index (SF and sTfR) and expression of iron metabolizing proteins (H-FT and TfR1) in plaques were positively correlated with carotid plaque vulnerability index (NWI, LRNC volume). Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Clinical Laboratory Medicine)
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14 pages, 2893 KiB  
Article
The Temporal and Geographical Dynamics of Potato Virus Y Diversity in Russia
by Viktoriya O. Samarskaya, Eugene V. Ryabov, Nikita Gryzunov, Nadezhda Spechenkova, Maria Kuznetsova, Irina Ilina, Tatiana Suprunova, Michael E. Taliansky, Peter A. Ivanov and Natalia O. Kalinina
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(19), 14833; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241914833 - 2 Oct 2023
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2338
Abstract
Potato virus Y, an important viral pathogen of potato, has several genetic variants and geographic distributions which could be affected by environmental factors, aphid vectors, and reservoir plants. PVY is transmitted to virus-free potato plants by aphids and passed on to the next [...] Read more.
Potato virus Y, an important viral pathogen of potato, has several genetic variants and geographic distributions which could be affected by environmental factors, aphid vectors, and reservoir plants. PVY is transmitted to virus-free potato plants by aphids and passed on to the next vegetative generations through tubers, but the effects of tuber transmission in PVY is largely unknown. By using high-throughput sequencing, we investigated PVY populations transmitted to potato plants by aphids in different climate zones of Russia, namely the Moscow and Astrakhan regions. We analyzed sprouts from the tubers produced by field-infected plants to investigate the impact of tuber transmission on PVY genetics. We found a significantly higher diversity of PVY isolates in the Astrakhan region, where winters are shorter and milder and summers are warmer compared to the Moscow region. While five PVY types, NTNa, NTNb, N:O, N-Wi, and SYR-I, were present in both regions, SYRI-II, SYRI-III, and 261-4 were only found in the Astrakhan region. All these recombinants were composed of the genome sections derived from PVY types O and N, but no full-length sequences of such types were present. The composition of the PVY variants in the tuber sprouts was not always the same as in their parental plants, suggesting that tuber transmission impacts PVY genetics. Full article
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18 pages, 6849 KiB  
Article
Use of High-Resolution Land Cover Maps to Support the Maintenance of the NWI Geospatial Dataset: A Case Study in a Coastal New Orleans Region
by Zhenhua Zou, Chengquan Huang, Megan W. Lang, Ling Du, Greg McCarty, Jeffrey C. Ingebritsen, Nate Herold, Rusty Griffin, Weishu Gong and Jiaming Lu
Remote Sens. 2023, 15(16), 4075; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs15164075 - 18 Aug 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1431
Abstract
The National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) is the most comprehensive wetland geospatial dataset in the United States. However, it can be time-consuming and costly to maintain. This study introduces automated algorithms and methods to support NWI maintenance. Through a wall-to-wall comparison between NWI and [...] Read more.
The National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) is the most comprehensive wetland geospatial dataset in the United States. However, it can be time-consuming and costly to maintain. This study introduces automated algorithms and methods to support NWI maintenance. Through a wall-to-wall comparison between NWI and Coastal Change Analysis Program (C-CAP) datasets, a pixel-level difference product was generated at 1 m resolution. Building upon this, supplementary attributes describing wetland changes were incorporated into each NWI polygon. Additionally, new water polygons were extracted from C-CAP data, and regional statistics regarding wetland changes were computed for HUC12 watersheds. The 1 m difference product can indicate specific wetland change locations, such as wetland loss to impervious surfaces, the gain of open water bodies from uplands, and the conversion of drier vegetated wetlands to open water. The supplementary attributes can indicate the amount and percentage of wetland loss or water regime change for NWI polygons. Extracted new water polygons can serve as preliminary materials for generating NWI standard-compliant products, expediating NWI maintenance processes while reducing costs. Regional statistics of wetland change can help target watersheds with the most significant changes for maintenance, thereby reducing work areas. The approaches we present hold significant value in supporting NWI maintenance. Full article
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16 pages, 867 KiB  
Article
The Nursing Practice Environment and Patients’ Satisfaction with Nursing Care in a Hospital Context
by Paula Agostinho, Teresa Potra, Pedro Lucas and Filomena Gaspar
Healthcare 2023, 11(13), 1850; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11131850 - 26 Jun 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2052
Abstract
Nursing, being a profession in health, aims to improve the quality of the response to patients’ demands, which have repercussions on the attitudes, behaviors and performance of nurses. Background. The aim of the study was to evaluate the relationships among the nursing practice [...] Read more.
Nursing, being a profession in health, aims to improve the quality of the response to patients’ demands, which have repercussions on the attitudes, behaviors and performance of nurses. Background. The aim of the study was to evaluate the relationships among the nursing practice environment, nurse–patient interactions and patients’ satisfaction with nursing care in a hospital context. Methods. The study applied a descriptive analysis. Based on the initial exploration of the data, we decided to perform a simple linear regression of the dimensions of the scales. Results. The latent variables and interactions between the different dimensions of the three constructs (the nursing practice environment (PES-NWI), nurse–patient interactions (NPIS-22-PT) and patients’ satisfaction in the hospital context (SAPSNC-18)) were submitted to confirmatory analysis. The model was statistically significant, with a good fit with the data (χ2/gl = 128.6/41 (0.000); GFI = 0.900; AGFI = 0.831; TLI = 0.910; CFI = 0.907; RMSEA = 0.102). Conclusions. The study showed favorable rates of overall satisfaction on the part of patients, such as the nurses’ skills in dealing with their illness/health situation, ability to solve problems in a timely manner, responsiveness to patients’ needs and technical competence. Full article
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16 pages, 730 KiB  
Article
The Relationship between Nursing Practice Environment and Pressure Ulcer Care Quality in Portugal’s Long-Term Care Units
by Katia Furtado, Jaco Voorham, Paulo Infante, Anabela Afonso, Clara Morais, Pedro Lucas and Manuel Lopes
Healthcare 2023, 11(12), 1751; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11121751 - 14 Jun 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3285
Abstract
Background: The morbidity associated with ageing has contributed to an increase in the prevalence of Pressure Ulcers (PUs) in all care settings. The impact of these on people’s quality of life and the extent of the associated economic and social burden constitutes today, [...] Read more.
Background: The morbidity associated with ageing has contributed to an increase in the prevalence of Pressure Ulcers (PUs) in all care settings. The impact of these on people’s quality of life and the extent of the associated economic and social burden constitutes today, by their importance, a serious public health problem. This study aims to describe the nursing work environment in Portuguese long-term care (LTC) units and to assess how this environment relates to the quality of PU care. Methods: A longitudinal study among inpatients with PUs was conducted in LTC units. The Nursing Work Index-Revised Scale (NWI-R) was sent to all nurses in these units. Cox proportional hazard models were used to relate the satisfaction degree with the service (measured by the NWI-R-PT items) to the healing time of the PUs, adjusting for confounders. Results: A total of 165 of 451 invited nurses completed the NWI-R-PT. Most were women (74.6%) and had 1 to 5 years of professional experience. Less than half (38.4%) had education in wound care. Of the 88 patients identified with PUs, only 63 had their PU documented, highlighting the difficulties in updating electronic records. The results showed that the level of concordance with Q28 “Floating so that staffing is equalised among units” is strongly associated with a shorter PU healing time. Conclusion: A good distribution of nursing staff over the units will likely improve the quality of wound care. We found no evidence for possible associations with the questions on participation in policy decisions, salary level, or staffing educational development and their relationship with PUs healing times. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Assessment and Analysis of Healthcare Systems)
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12 pages, 372 KiB  
Article
Association between the Nursing Practice Environment and Safety Perception with Patient Safety Culture during COVID-19
by Nataly Julissa Membrillo-Pillpe, Jhon Alex Zeladita-Huaman, Kimberlym Jauregui-Soriano, Roberto Zegarra-Chapoñan, Eduardo Franco-Chalco and Gabriela Samillan-Yncio
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(10), 5909; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20105909 - 22 May 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3027
Abstract
Aims: In this study, we aimed to identify the relationship between nursing practice environments (NPEs) and safety perceptions with patient safety culture (PSC) during COVID-19. Design: We conducted a quantitative, non-experimental, correlational, and cross-sectional study. We interviewed 211 nurses from Peru using two [...] Read more.
Aims: In this study, we aimed to identify the relationship between nursing practice environments (NPEs) and safety perceptions with patient safety culture (PSC) during COVID-19. Design: We conducted a quantitative, non-experimental, correlational, and cross-sectional study. We interviewed 211 nurses from Peru using two scales: PES–NWI and HSOPSC. We used the Shapiro–Wilk test and Spearman’s coefficient and estimated two regression models. Results: NPE was reported as favorable by 45.5% of the participants, and PSC was reported as neutral by 61.1%. Safety perception, the workplace, and NPE predict PSC. All NPE factors were correlated with PSC. However, safety perception, support of nurses subscale, the nurse manager’s ability, and leadership were predictors of PSC. Conclusion: To promote a safe work culture, health institutions should foster leadership that prioritizes safety, strengthens managers’ abilities, encourages interprofessional collaboration, and considers nurses’ feedback for constant improvement. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Advances in Nursing Care)
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31 pages, 31986 KiB  
Article
Comparing Water Indices for Landsat Data for Automated Surface Water Body Extraction under Complex Ground Background: A Case Study in Jilin Province
by Shu Liu, Yanfeng Wu, Guangxin Zhang, Nan Lin and Zihao Liu
Remote Sens. 2023, 15(6), 1678; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs15061678 - 20 Mar 2023
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 4335
Abstract
Derived from Landsat imagery and capable of enhancing the contrast between surface water bodies and the background, water indices are widely used in surface water body extraction. Whether one index and its optimal threshold can maintain the best all year round is a [...] Read more.
Derived from Landsat imagery and capable of enhancing the contrast between surface water bodies and the background, water indices are widely used in surface water body extraction. Whether one index and its optimal threshold can maintain the best all year round is a question. At present, however, little research has considered the effect of time or conducted experiments with data from different months. To identify the best index for surface water body extraction, two regions in Jilin Province were selected for the case study and a comprehensive comparative analysis considering the imagery acquisition time was conducted. Ten water indices were selected and calculated based on the 30 m spatial resolution Landsat TM/OLI imagery acquired in 1999 and 2001 and 2019 and 2021 from May to October. The indices included the Modified Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI3 and MNDWI), Automated Water Extraction Index (AWEI) for images with and without shadow, Multi-Band Water Index (MBWI), New Water Index (NWI), Water Ratio Index (WRI), Sentinel-2 Water Index (SWI) originally calculated based on the Sentinel-2 imagery, New Comprehensive Water Index (NCIWI), Index of Water Surfaces (IWS), and Enhanced Water Index (EWI). The OTSU algorism was adopted to adaptively determine the optimal segmentation threshold for each index and the indices were compared in terms of inter-class separability, threshold sensitivity, optimal threshold robustness, and water extraction accuracy. The result showed that NWI and EWI performed the best in different months and years, with the best water enhancement effect that could suppress background information, especially for the water-related land use types and cloud pollution. Their optimal segmentation thresholds throughout the study period were more stable than others, with the ranges of −0.342 to −0.038 and −0.539 to −0.223, respectively. Based on the optimal thresholds, they achieved overall accuracies of 0.952 to 0.981 and 0.964 to 0.981, commission errors of 0 to 28.2% and 0 to 7.7%, and omission errors of 0 to 15% and 0 to 8%, with a kappa coefficient above 0.8 indicating good extraction results. The results demonstrated the effectiveness of NWI and EWI combined with the OTSU algorithm in better monitoring surface water during different water periods and offering reliable results. Even though this study only focuses on the lakes within two regions, the indices have the potential for accurately monitoring the surface water over other regions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing for Surface Water Monitoring)
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18 pages, 4839 KiB  
Article
Adaptive Bitline Voltage Countermeasure for Neighbor Wordline Interference in 3D NAND Flash Memory-Based Sensors
by Hanshui Fan, Xuan Tian, Huiting Peng, Yinfeng Shen, Liang Li, Ming Li and Liming Gao
Sensors 2023, 23(6), 3212; https://doi.org/10.3390/s23063212 - 17 Mar 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3158
Abstract
Three-dimensional NAND flash memory is widely used in sensor systems as an advanced storage medium that ensures system stability through fast data access. However, in flash memory, as the number of cell bits increases and the process pitch keeps scaling, the data disturbance [...] Read more.
Three-dimensional NAND flash memory is widely used in sensor systems as an advanced storage medium that ensures system stability through fast data access. However, in flash memory, as the number of cell bits increases and the process pitch keeps scaling, the data disturbance becomes more serious, especially for neighbor wordline interference (NWI), which leads to a deterioration of data storage reliability. Thus, a physical device model was constructed to investigate the NWI mechanism and evaluate critical device factors for this long-standing and intractable problem. As simulated by TCAD, the change in channel potential under read bias conditions presents good consistency with the actual NWI performance. Using this model, NWI generation can be accurately described through the combination of potential superposition and a local drain-induced barrier lowering (DIBL) effect. This suggests that a higher bitline voltage (Vbl) transmitted by the channel potential can restore the local DIBL effect, which is ever weakened by NWI. Furthermore, an adaptive Vbl countermeasure is proposed for 3D NAND memory arrays, which can significantly minimize the NWI of triple-level cells (TLC) in all state combinations. The device model and the adaptive Vbl scheme were successfully verified by TCAD and 3D NAND chip tests. This study introduces a new physical model for NWI-related problems in 3D NAND flash, while providing a feasible and promising voltage scheme as a countermeasure to optimize data reliability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Physical Sensors)
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12 pages, 277 KiB  
Article
Factors Influencing the Rationing of Nursing Care in Selected Polish Hospitals
by Zuzanna Radosz-Knawa, Alicja Kamińska, Iwona Malinowska-Lipień, Tomasz Brzostek and Agnieszka Gniadek
Healthcare 2022, 10(11), 2190; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare10112190 - 31 Oct 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2515
Abstract
Introduction: The rationalization of nursing care can be a direct consequence of the low employment rate or unfavorable working environment of nurses. Aim: The aim of the study was to learn about the factors influencing the rationing of nursing care. Methods: The study [...] Read more.
Introduction: The rationalization of nursing care can be a direct consequence of the low employment rate or unfavorable working environment of nurses. Aim: The aim of the study was to learn about the factors influencing the rationing of nursing care. Methods: The study group consisted of 209 nurses working in internal medicine departments. The study used the method of a diagnostic survey, a survey technique with the use of research tools: the BERNCA-R questionnaire and the PES-NWI questionnaire (which includes the occupational burnout questionnaire). Results: The mean total BERNCA score for rationing nursing care was 1.94 ± 0.75 on a scale from 0 to 4. A statistically significant relationship was demonstrated between the work environment and the rationing of nursing care. The results of the BERNCA-R scale correlated statistically significantly and positively (r > 0) with two (out of three) subscales of the occupational burnout questionnaire (MBI—Maslach Burnout Inventory): emotional exhaustion and depersonalization (p < 0.001), and with all types of adverse events analyzed (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The higher the frequency of care rationing, the worse the assessment of working conditions by nurses, and, therefore, more frequent care rationing determined the more frequent occurrence of adverse events. The more frequent the care rationing, the more frequent adverse events occur. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Clinical Nursing in Healthcare)
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