Elucidating how demography and contemporary landscape features regulate functional connectivity and diversity is crucial to implementing effective conservation strategies, especially in highly fragmented landscapes. We analyzed the impacts of landscape features and demographic events on the dispersal and genetic structure of a locally endangered carnivore, the leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis), across subtropical Taiwan. We genotyped 184 samples from both human-impacted and natural habitats using 12 nuclear microsatellites and a mitochondrial marker. Bayesian analyses revealed a recent population decline within the past 200 years, and a current genetic hotspot appears to have arisen from interbreeding between previously diverged populations. Genetic clustering and resistance surface modeling support the notion that the population structure is influenced by manufactured linear and natural topographical features. We employed a landscape optimization procedure using two genetic distances to reveal that highways and elevation are the most significant barriers affecting leopard cat connectivity. Niche modeling indicated that low temperature is a primary factor limiting leopard cat occurrence, potentially explaining why their resistance to movement is positively correlated with elevation. Utilizing an ensemble approach, we predict that suitable leopard cat habitat will shrink northward and towards higher more rugged altitudes. Our study provides genetic evidence that anthropogenic landscape features compromise the connectivity and persistence of a vagile carnivore that is under severe pressure from habitat loss and human activities. Our findings serve as a model for landscape genetic studies of island carnivores in subtropical regions, aimed at understanding how manufactured landscapes affect intra-species diversity and dispersal.

Title: A Case of Relapsed Acute Myeloid Leukemia Mimicking Acute Otomoastoiditis

Due to their oftentimes ambiguous nature, phosphopeptide positional isomers can present challenges in bottom-up mass spectrometry-based workflows as search engine scores alone are often not enough to confidently distinguish them. Additional scoring algorithms can remedy this by providing confidence metrics in addition to these search results, reducing ambiguity. Here we describe challenges to interpreting phosphoproteomics data and review several different approaches to determine sites of phosphorylation for both data-dependent and data-independent acquisition-based workflows. Finally, we discuss open questions regarding neutral losses, gas-phase rearrangement, and false localization rate estimation experienced by both types of acquisition workflows and best practices for managing ambiguity in phosphosite determination.

A document by Katie Lovell. Click on the document to view its contents.

Quality improvement has become a global priority as more countries become interested in systemic strategies, particularly that of the Quality Improvement Support Agency (QISA). This study sets out to identify and document contextual factors that facilitate or hinder the perceived effects of QISAs. A study of two critical and paradigmatic cases consisting of the QISAs HAS and INESSS was carried out through interviews, a focus group discussion, a non-participatory observation session, and the use of secondary data from in-depth documentary research. All data were recorded and processed using the QDA Miner 6.0.2 software in an inductive approach in two coding cycles and were validated by the participants. The results showed that the contextual factors at the level of the internal environment included: leadership of agency actors; dissemination and support strategy for their productions and support for their implementation; availability and nature of human, informational, and material resources; organizational culture; training of actors; and coordination, coherence, and complementarity of the various activities of an agency. At the level of the external environment, the factors included: crises; institutional collaborations and partnerships at the national and international levels; collaborations and partnerships with system actors; public policy, governance, and leadership; legal provisions; health information system and data accessibility; and funding. These results, the first to be produced on this topic, complement the literature on QISAs and may thus inspire other jurisdictions in developed and developing countries to implement more efficient, sustainable, and self-potentiating quality improvement strategies.

In a high-quality health and social services system, policymakers encourage action at all levels of change to ensure the consistency of quality strategies, especially at the systemic level, in which the other three levels of change are nested and the whole system is structured. This study aims to present an analysis of Quality Improvement Support Agencies (QISAs) as a systemic strategy, which has been successfully implemented in several jurisdictions (countries and states). A comparative study of two critical cases in two different jurisdictions was carried out: Haute autorité de santé (HAS) in France and Institut national d’excellence en santé et services sociaux (INESSS) in Québec, Canada. Several sources of iteratively collected data were coded using a systematized approach. All data were processed and analyzed confidentially using the software QDA Miner 6.0.2. The results showed that HAS has a wider range of activities and INESSS has a narrower range. Their statutes of autonomy differ, with the former QISA more independent of the public power of its jurisdiction and the latter more at the service of public power. Though their products differ, these QISAs each have different effects (proximal, intermediate, and ultimate) on quality improvement in practice settings. Furthermore, it appears that they have each faced dilemmas in achieving systemic quality improvement. This study may inspire other jurisdictions to implement similar systemic quality improvement strategies or strengthen them if they have already been implemented.

Background:China began to launch the National Centralized Drug Procurement(NCDP) policy in March 2019 to improve public hospitals’ drug use model.After non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants(NOACs) entered the purchase list, medical institutions in Suining County of Xuzhou began widely using NOACs on March 1, 2020. Objective: To study the effect of the NCDP policy on anticoagulation, medication and hemorrhage events in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation(AF) in Suining. Methods: In this study, we used the hospitalization data of the Department of Cardiology of Suining County People’s Hospital from January 1, 2017 to June 30, 2022. General data collected included sex, age, type of health insurance, admission year, hospitalization costs, anticoagulants, use of anticoagulants, etc. Stroke risk stratification of patients with AF using CHA2DS2-VASc score classified patients with CHA2DS2-VASC score ≥ 2 as high risk and those with CHA2DS2-VASC score < 2 as medium and low risk. Results: 3,986 patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation(NVAF) were analyzed in the study. 1. The cost after procurement was significantly higher for hospitalized patients than it was before the implementation of the policy(8900.57±9023.02CNY vs 9829.99±10886.87CNY,P<0.001). 2. The proportion of oral anticoagulants increased significantly after the NCDP policy(40.02%vs61.33%,P<0.001), especially the use of NOACs among them(15.41%vs90.99%,P<0.001). 3. The proportion of patients with hemorrhage events decreased significantly after the implementation of the NCDP policy(1.88%vs 0.66%,P=0.01). 4. In the 219 re-hospitalized patients, the anticoagulant rate increased significantly after the NCDP policy(36.07%vs59.82%, P<0.001) ,the use of NOACs increased significantly among them（11.39%vs80.92%, P<0.001). 5. Whether the patient changes the type of anticoagulant or not has nothing to do with age, type of health insurance, hospitalization cost and antiplatelet. The NCDP policy[OR=511.703,95% CI(103.879,2520.618), P<0.001] is the only factor that affects the change of anticoagulant type. Conclusion: The NCDP policy improves the anticoagulant rate and drug compliance in patients with AF, and significantly reduces hemorrhage events.The NCDP policy is the only factor that affects the change of anticoagulant type.

This work presents the macroscopic behavior of skeletal muscles seen from a system theoretic standpoint. Then, according to the data available in the literature, we propose a first Evaluation model for the muscle isometric (constant muscle length) force generation depending on the muscle length and neuronal excitation frequency. Such a model is instrumental in providing a more physics-inspired model of such an isometric force by exploiting a nonlinear spring description with controllable characteristics, such as stiffness and rest length. To conclude, we propose a hybrid dynamical filter model to describe the components of the sensory system. This is in charge of feeding back to the Central Nervous System the measurements of muscle length and its rate of change.

In accordance with ASTM D638, the study investigates and analyses the mechanical and thermal properties of banana bagasse fibre and epoxy resin as a natural hybrid composite material, being biodegradable and recyclable. The objective of the work is to develop composite materials for packaging and transportation of light and medium weight mechanical components. Using epoxy resin and hardener, hand laminates with different compositions and fibre orientations were prepared. The mechanical properties of the banana-bagasse hybrid composite were improved by adding bagasse fibres with nanoparticles, which acted as positive reinforcement and gave the composite higher strength and a smooth surface. The flexibility of the composite was provided by the banana fibres. The samples contained a banana fibre content of 60-65% and a bagasse fibre concentration between 35-40% according to ASTM D790. For the nonwoven with nano-clay powder, the maximum tensile test value is 319.24 MPa, and the flexural strength was high at 664.2 Mpa for the cross-ply laminate with nano-clay inclusion. Tensile strength is increased by the use of nanoclay powder. ASTM standard specimens are subjected to tensile, impact and thermogravimetric tests. Test results can be validated by comparison with natural fibre composites with and without inclusion of nanoclay. In the ASTM E1131 TGA test, natural fibre reinforced composites with 1% inclusion of nanoclay performed better than pure composites. In terms of residual weight, weight loss, derived weight, and heat resistance, the cross-ply and angled-ply specimens performed better than the unidirectional composites.

Background: Neonatal diseases are a significant threat to global public health, resulting in the disturbance of normal homeostatic well-being in affected patients and reflecting the status of, and challenges to, regional, national, and global healthcare systems. Objectives: To investigate the disease spectrum observed among neonatal inpatients changed after COVID-19 breakout. Methods: The present hospital-based retrospective study analyzed the demographic and clinical characteristics of 19,943 newborns who were hospitalized from January 2018 to December 2022 using data derived from pediatric department registers. Results: According to the ICD-11 classification criteria, the two most common neonatal disorders during this study period were “Certain conditions originating in the perinatal period” and “Disease of the respiratory system”. Following the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of neonatal patients declined markedly, and the proportion of newborns assigned the “Disease of the respiratory system” ICD-11 classification similarly decreased. Discusssion and Conclusions: The present study retrospectively analyzed these neonatal disease characteristics at our hospital in greater detail, providing a foundation for future research and policymaking efforts.

Anesthetic isoflurane, which is increasingly used in the medical and scientific fields, remains a poorly studied halogenated agent whose adverse effects are not fully understood. It appears to be related to stress and oxidative damage in biological tissues originating from reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated during metabolism. Considering its common use in research laboratories, whether for performing surgical procedures or for prior exposure to euthanasia, knowledge about its interference in liver biochemical parameters of exposed experimental models is important. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of acute exposure to isoflurane, for a short period prior to euthanasia, or after exposure to a sixty-minute period, on the concentrations of ROS and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, and enzyme activity of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase in mouse liver tissue. Isoflurane reduced CAT activity in the liver tissue of acutely exposed individuals and anesthetic interference was maintained for at least 20 days after anesthetic exposure. Our results demonstrate that acute anesthetic exposure can impair biochemical liver experiments aimed at analyzing antioxidant parameters.

Landscape structure plays a key role in mediating a variety of ecological processes affecting biodiversity patterns, however its precise effects and the mechanisms underpinning them remain unclear. While the effects of landscape structure have been extensively investigated both empirically, and theoretically from a metapopulation perspective, the effects of spatial structure at the landscape scale remain poorly explored from a metacommunity perspective. Here, we attempt to address this gap using a spatially explicit, individual-based metacommunity model to explore the effects of landscape compositional heterogeneity and per se spatial configuration on diversity at the landscape and patch level via their influence on long term community assembly processes. Our model simulates communities composed of lineages of annual, asexual organisms living, reproducing, dispersing, and competing within grid-based, fractal landscapes which vary in their magnitude of spatial environmental heterogeneity and in their degree of spatial environmental autocorrelation. Communities are additionally subject to temporal environmental fluctuation and external immigration, allowing for turnover in community composition. We found that compositional heterogeneity and spatial autocorrelation had differing effects on richness and diversity and the landscape and patch scales. We also note a slight negative effect of compositional heterogeneity on median total landscape population size. Landscape level diversity was driven by community dissimilarity at the patch level and increased with greater heterogeneity, while landscape richness was largely the result of short-term accumulation of immigrants and decreased with greater compositional heterogeneity. Both richness and diversity decreased in variance with greater compositional heterogeneity, indicating a reduction in community turnover over time. Patch-level richness and diversity patterns appeared to be driven by overall landscape richness and local mass effects, resulting in maximum patch level richness and diversity at moderate levels of compositional heterogeneity and high spatial autocorrelation.

Background: Preoperative serum CA19-9 and histology grade could reflect the biological characteristics of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). This study aims to explore the combined effect of preoperative CA19-9 and histology grade on the prognosis of patients with PDAC. Methods: A total of 612 patients with PDAC undergoing curative pancreatectomy were retrospectively enrolled. A biological risk model was established based on preoperative CA19-9 and histology grade. Prognostic significance of the biological risk was evaluated. Results: 360 (58.8%) patients had preoperative CA19-9>112 U/ml and 348 (56.9%) patients had high histology grade. Biological risk based on preoperative CA19-9 and histology grade was independently associated with survival of PDAC patients. The biological risk was incorporated into the eighth edition of the TNM staging system and a modified TNM (mTNM) staging system was developed. The ROC curves showed that the area under curve(AUC) of the mTNM staging system was significantly greater than that of the TNM staging system. Conclusion: Biological risk based on preoperative CA19-9 and histology grade was an independent prognostic factors for patients with PDAC. Incorporating the biological risk into the TNM staging system could improve the the accuracy of the TNM staging system in predicting prognosis of PDAC.

Background: Assessment of individual VTE risk in cancer patients prior to chemotherapy is important. Risk assessment models (RAM) are available but have not been validated for hematological malignancy. We aimed to assess validity of the Vienna Cancer and Thrombosis Study (CATS) score in prediction of VTE in a variety of hematological malignancies. Methods: This is a prospective cohort study conducted on 81 newly diagnosed cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Demographic, clinical and cancer related data were collected and patients were followed up for 6 months for VTE events. Khorana score (KS) was calculated. Plasma D-dimer and sP-selectin were measured then V-CATS score was calculated. We assessed modified V-CATS by using new cut off levels of d-dimer and sP-selectin based on ROC curve of the patients’ results. Results: Out of the 81 patients assessed, 2.7% had advanced cancer with metastasis. The most frequent cancer was Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (39.5%) and 8 patients (9.8%) developed VTE events. The calculated probability of VTE occurrence using KS, V-CATS and modified V-CATS scores at cut off levels ≥3 were 87.5%, 87.5%, 100% respectively. The AUC in ROC curve of modified Vienna CATS score showed significant difference when compared to that of V-CATS and KS (P= 0.047 and 0.029, respectively). Conclusion: Our data shows the usefulness of three VTE risk assessment models in hematological malignancies. Modified V-CATS score is more specific compared with V-CATS and KS, while all three scores have similar sensitivity. Implementation of RAM in hematological cancers can help improve the use of thromboprophylaxis.

Background and Aims: Progesterone therapy is a relatively inexpensive treatment option for endometrial and breast cancers, with few side effects. Two signaling pathways usually mediate the physiological effects of progesterone, namely genomic and non-genomic actions. Genomic action occurs slowly via the nuclear progesterone receptor (PR), whereas the membrane progesterone receptor (mPR) induces rapid non-genomic action. We investigated the effects of progesterone and various PR agonists on ovarian cancer cells. Methods: PR expression of six serous ovarian cancer cell lines was examined by western blotting, and mPR expression was examined by RT-qPCR. PR-negative and mPR-positive ovarian cancer cells were exposed to progesterone and seven types of PR agonists (medroxyprogesterone acetate [MPA], dehydroepiandrosterone, dienogest, levonorgestrel, drospirenone, pregnenolone, and allopregnanolone) at 10–400 μM, and viable cell counts after exposure for 30 min were measured using the water soluble tetrazolium (WST-1) assay. Ovarian cancer cell lines were exposed to 100 μM progesterone, and the expression of BAX, a pro-apoptotic protein, after 1-5 min was examined by western blotting. Results: Western blotting detected no PR expression in the six serous ovarian cancer cell lines. In contrast, RT-qPCR detected mPR expression in all six serous ovarian cancer cell lines. Progesterone and MPA induced cell death in all tested ovarian cancer cell lines in a concentration-dependent manner, whereas no effect was observed for other PR agonists. Western blotting revealed that pro-apoptotic protein BAX expression occurred 1 min after exposure to progesterone, suggesting that the cytocidal effects are mediated by rapid non-genomic action. Conclusions: MPA, like progesterone exhibited a rapid cytocidal effect on PR-negative ovarian cancer cells through non-genomic action. Progesterone and MPA could be novel treatment modalities for ovarian cancer. Keywords: genomics, medroxyprogesterone acetate, ovarian cancer, progesterone, progesterone receptor

Aim: Pulmonary near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a new and promising tool for diagnosis of neonatal respiratory diseases (RD). The study aimed to determine the role of pulmonary regional oxygen saturation (pRSO 2) values obtained by NIRS in the early distinction of neonatal pneumonia (NP) from transient tachypnea of the newborn (TTN). Methods: This prospective, observational, double-blind study was conducted in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) between 2020-2021. Late preterm and term newborns hospitalized in the NICU due to the diagnosis of TTN and NP were included. Cerebral RSO2 and pRSO2 values were measured during the 1 st, 24 th, 48 th and 72 nd hours of hospitalization, using NIRS. Results: Of the eligible 40 infants, 65% (n:26) were diagnosed as TTN and 35% (n:16) as NP. The pRSO 2 values were significantly higher in the TTN group than the NP group for both apexes (75.3±8.7 vs. 69±5.4, p:0,018, respectively) and lateral lung (77.8±6 vs. 72.7±6.2, p:0,016, respectively) in the 1 st hour of hospitalization. There were significant differences in pRSO 2apex and pRSO 2lateral values between the 1 st and 24 th hours of hospitalization and the 24 th and 48 th hours in the NP group (p 2: 0.001 for both). The optimal pRSO 2apex cut-off value was >72% to predict the diagnosis of NP with a sensitivity of 78.6% and a specificity of 69.2%. Conclusion: Pulmonary NIRS may be considered as a feasible and promising diagnostic tool in late preterm and term infants with RD. It may also be helpful for the early differentiation of NP from TTN and the courses of these diseases.

Background To investigate the phenotype and function of mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells in the peripheral blood of patients with Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP), owing to the lack of evidence on the role of MAIT cells in HSP. Methods Blood samples from patients with HSP and healthy donors (HDs) were assessed by flow cytometry and single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to analyze the proportion, phenotype, and function of MAIT cells. We analyzed Th-cytokines in the serum of patients with HSP by cytometric bead array (CBA). IgA in cocultured supernatant was detected by CBA to analyze antibody production by B cells. Results We found that the percentage of MAIT cells in patients with HSP was significantly reduced compared with that in HDs. HSP MAIT cells displayed activation phenotype with up-regulated CD69, FOS, and JUN, indicating that these cells were in the early stage of development. HSP MAIT cells also displayed a Th2-like profile with the capacity to produce interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-5. We also demonstrated that IL-4 was correlated with IgA levels in the serum of patients with HSP. Additionally, CD40L was up-regulated in HSP MAIT cells, and CD40L+ MAIT cells showed an enhanced ability to produce IL-4, leading to IgA secretion in patients with HSP. Conclusion Our data demonstrate that MAIT cells in patients with HSP exhibit an activated phenotype. The IL-4 production of CD40L+ MAIT cells in patients with HSP could take part in the pathogenesis of HSP and this finding suggested that targeting MAIT cells may constitute an attractive strategy for HSP.

A document by Shawn G. Kwatra. Click on the document to view its contents.

Reducing catalyst costs and reaction energy consumption is a potent way to advance biorefinery energy from fundamental research to industrial implementation. Herein, we developed a series of low-cost CuCo/Al2O3 catalysts for hydrodeoxygenation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural to biofuel 2,5-dimethylfuran (DMF). Combined characterizations showed CuCo alloy and Co@CuCo core-shell structures were successfully constructed by reducing layered double hydroxides (LDHs) at different temperatures. Detailed catalytic performance studies found that Co@CuCo catalyst achieved a decent DMF yield of 91.7% under 130 oC and 1MPa H2, which is milder than most literatures. While the CuCo alloy catalyst only gave 23.2% yield. H2-TPD and In-situ-IR indicated the CuCo-alloy shell can prevent oxidation of Co core, so that maintain its high H2 dissociation capacity. Moreover, the electronic structure changes in the Cu-Co alloy promote the hydrolysis of C-O bond. Hence, the local atomic arrangement and corresponding electronic structure in the Co@CuCo structure jointly strengthened the low-temperature reactivity.

Rationale: Occupational or environmental exposure to organophosphate pesticides widely used worldwide can lead to significant health problems. Monitoring the levels of dialkyl phosphates (DAP) metabolites in human urine is a common biomarker for assessing such exposure. In this study developing a new screening method using ultra-fast liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (UFLC-MS/MS) to detect six DAP metabolites in human urine. Methods: Three different compound extraction methods, namely QuEChERS, lyophilization, and liquid extraction, were compared in this study. The performance of each method was evaluated based on the recovery rate. The liquid extraction method provided better results and required only 20 minutes for analysis. The recovery rate, repeatability and reproducibility were determined to assess the method reliability. Additionally, the limits of detection and limits of quantitation were established to determine the lowest concentrations at which the method could reliably detect and quantify the DAP metabolites. Results: The liquid extraction method demonstrated superior performance compared to the other extraction methods, with a high recovery rate ranging from 93% to 112%. The repeatability (RSD) values ranged from 0.62% to 5.46%, indicating good precision within the same laboratory. The reproducibility (RSD) values ranged from 0.80% to 11.33%, indicating acceptable variability between laboratories or analysts. The LOD values ranged from 0.0201 ng/mL to 0.0697 ng/mL, and the LOQ values ranged from 0.0609 ng/mL to 0.2112 ng/mL, indicating the method’s sensitivity. Conclusions: The developed UFLC-MS/MS method are sensitive, and selective technique for detecting six DAP metabolites of organophosphate pesticides in human urine. The method successfully analysed 150 urine samples from farmers and non-farmers, demonstrating its applicability in biomonitoring studies. This method is particularly advantageous as it requires fewer samples, chemicals, materials, and time, making it an efficient and reliable approach for assessing occupational or environmental exposure to organophosphate pesticides.

Comment on Platts-Mills T, Caraballo L, Jacquet A, Zarzuk J. Dust mite allergy. In: Dramburg S, Hilger C, Santos AF, de Las Vecillas L, Aalberse RC, Acevedo N, et al. EAACI Molecular Allergology User’s Guide 2.0. Pediatr Allergy Immunol. 2023 Mar;34 Suppl. 28:e13854.

Coal is a mixture of several chemicals, many of which have mutagenic and carcinogenic effects and are a key contributor to the global burden of mortality and disease. Previous studies suggest that coal is related to telomeric shortening in individuals occupationally exposed, however little is known about the effects of mining and burning coal on the telomeres of individuals living nearby. Therefore, the primary objective of this investigation was to assess the impact of proximity to coal power plants and coal mines on the genomic instability of individuals, while also exploring potential associations with individual characteristics, oxidative stress, inflammatory responses, and the presence of inorganic elements. This study involved 80 men participants from three cities around a thermoelectric power plant and one city unexposed to coal and byproducts. DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples obtained from each participant, and the length of telomeres (TL) was assessed using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) methodology. No significant difference was observed between exposed individuals (6,227 ± 2,884 bp) when compared to the unexposed group (5,638 ± 2,452 bp). Nevertheless, TL decrease was associated with age and risk for cardiovascular disease. Longer telomere length was found to be linked with increased concentrations of Si and P in blood samples. No correlations were observed between TL with comet assay, micronucleus test, oxidative stress, and inflammatory results. Additional research is required to ascertain the potential correlation between these changes and the onset of diseases and premature mortality.

Purpose The distribution of specialist health services is usually uneven by location due to limited resources, which is a problem for people with complex needs. In this context, the research addressed the question: How can a hub and spoke model offer appropriate (available, accessible, acceptable and quality) services for people with intellectual disability and mental health needs? Methods The research applied the question to point-in-time qualitative interview data about services for people with intellectual disability and mental health needs in the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW). The interview data were from a larger mixed-methods evaluation of a time-limited intervention (2018-2020). Purposeful sampling was used to recruit 25 program consumers, families and service providers for semi-structured qualitative interviews, and 14 other stakeholders for focus groups and interviews. Topics included their experience of the process and outcomes of the intervention. Data were analyzed against a hub-and-spoke model analytical framework. Results The research found that the appropriateness of health services benefited from funded, local positions. These local professionals liaised between local mental health, health and disability providers. They also liaised with other local areas and with centralized, specialist intellectual disability mental health services. Conclusions The implication is that specific local positions can work as a bridge between generic and specialist services to improve the availability, access, acceptability and quality of services for people with specific support needs. This program worked well in a geographically large area with a scattered population and decentralized health system.

Recently, Rim et al.1 proposed an exact Dirichlet-to-Neumann (DtN) boundary condition to study the water wave motion over undulated seabed by wave diffraction. This paper focuses on linear wave interaction with a bottom-mounted body near a vertical wall. The water domain is separated into an exterior subdomain and an interior one by a virtual cylindrical surface or so-called an artificial boundary which encloses not only the original body but also its imaginary one about the vertical wall. The wave interaction with the bodies in the interior subdomain is solved by using a boundary integral equation with an exact DtN operator on the artificial boundary which is derived from a velocity potential in the exterior subdomain. Upon successful verification of the present approach by comparison with the results of ANSYS AQWA for a bottom-mounted vertical circular cylinder near the wall, the model is extended to a vertical cylinder with cross section of rounded rectangle.