Biodegradable waste to renewable energy conversion under a sustainable energy supply chain management.

Effective surveillance during smart cities' sustainable development allows their cleanliness to be maintained by reusing waste to produce renewable energy. This study quantifies the biodegradable waste generated in specific regions of several cities and presents ways to convert it into renewable energy. This energy can then be used to partially support regional energy demands. This study explores ways of reducing carbon emissions for biodegradable waste collection processes in regional centers, ultimately sending the biodegradable waste to the energy conversion center. The smart production system allows for the flexible production and autonomation of rates of conversion; green technology depends on each regional center's research management, which is a decision variable for reducing carbon emissions. The major contribution of this study is to consider an energy supply chain management with flexibility of energy conversion under the reduction of carbon emissions, which leads to a sustainable ESCM with the global maximum profit. This study uses mathematical modeling to decrease biodegradable waste with conversion of energy through a classical optimization technique. The solution to this mathematical model yielded significant results, providing insight into waste reduction, reduced carbon emissions and the conversion of biodegradable waste to energy. The model is examined using numerical experiments, and its conclusion supports the model with the fundamental assumptions. Results of sensitivity analysis provide insight into the reduction and re-utilization of wastes, carbon emission reduction, and the benefits of using renewable energy.

Exploring psychopathological and cognitive factors associated with help-seeking intentions among Korean high school students: A cross-sectional study.

Competitive college admissions and academic pressure have continuously increased the psychopathological burden of Korean high school students. Seeking help is one of the primary means of managing mental health, and more attention is required. This study aimed to explore the psychopathological and cognitive factors related to the help-seeking intentions of Korean high school students. This cross-sectional study was conducted between July and August 2020 using the General Help-Seeking Questionnaire, Symptom Checklist-90-R, and Mental Health Literacy Scale. Four hundred and twenty-one Korean high school students (275 males, 146 females; average age 17.44 years [standard deviation = 0.651]) completed self-report questionnaires. We performed analysis of variance, Spearman's correlation analysis, and stepwise regression analysis to explore the factors related to help-seeking intentions. The final model showed an explanatory power of 23.6% for the overall variance in help-seeking intentions. Somatization (ß = -0.200; P = .001) and hostility (ß = -0.203; P = .001) had a negative effect on help-seeking intentions. Further, knowledge of where to seek information (ß = 0.230; P < .001) and attitudes promoting recognition and help-seeking behavior (ß = 0.095; P = .030) had a positive effect. Students responded to society's negative awareness of mental illness by converting psychopathology into socially acceptable symptoms. Educational support can improve mental health literacy. This study is expected to help improve mental illness awareness and increase adolescents' access to public services.

Simulation-based robot-assisted surgical training: a health economic evaluation.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the overall cost effectiveness of surgical skills training on Robotic Surgical Simulator (RoSS). METHODS: This study evaluates the cost analysis of utilizing RoSS for robot-assisted surgical training, at Roswell Park Center for Robotic Surgery. Trainees were queried for time spent on the RoSS console over a period of 1 year, starting from June 2010 to June 2011. Time spent was converted to training time consumed on robotic console, resulting in loss of OR time and revenue. The mechanical durability of the RoSS was also determined. RESULTS: 105 trainees spent 361 h on the RoSS. This duration converted to 73 robot-assisted radical prostatectomy cases, and 72 animal lab sessions. RoSS prevented a potential loss of $600,000, while 72 animal labs would have cost more than $72,000 without including initial robot installation, annual maintenance and personnel expenses. The mechanical durability testing determined breakdown at 180 and 360 h for master control and pinch device, which were repaired under warranty. CONCLUSION: RoSS is a cost effective surgical simulator for implementation of a simulation-based robot-assisted surgical training program.

Enhanced antioxidant enzymes are associated with reduced hydrogen peroxide in barley roots under saline stress.

Antioxidant enzymes are related to the resistance to various abiotic stresses including salinity. Barley is relatively tolerant to saline stress among crop plants, but little information is available on barley antioxidant enzymes under salinity stress. We investigated temporal and spatial responses of activities and isoform profiles of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), non-specific peroxidase (POX), and glutathione reductase (GR) to saline stress in barley seedlings treated with 200 mM NaCl for 0, 1, 2, 5 days, respectively. In the control plant, hydrogen peroxide content was about 2-fold higher in the root than in the shoot. Under saline stress, hydrogen peroxide content was decreased drastically by 70% at 2 d after NaCl treatment (DAT) in the root. In the leaf, however, the content was remained unchanged by 2 DAT and increased about 14 % at 5 DAT. In general, the activities of antioxidant enzymes were increased in the root and shoot under saline stress. But the increase was more significant and consistent in the root. The activities of SOD, CAT, APX, POX, and GR were increased significantly in the root within 1 DAT, and various elevated levels were maintained by 5 DAT. Among the antioxidant enzymes, CAT activity was increased the most drastically. The significant increase in the activities of SOD, CAT, APX, POX, and GR in the NaCl-stressed barley root was highly correlated with the increased expression of the constitutive isoforms as well as the induced ones. The hydrogen peroxide content in the root.