This study examined the efficacy of essential oil (EO) obtained from the Australian native plants, lemon myrtle (Backhousia citriodora) (LM) to inhibit Penicillium digitatum by in vitro agar diffusion and vapor assay, and in inoculated oranges. Gas chromatograph/mass spectrometry analysis revealed the main constituent of LM EO as citral. Pure citral was also included in the experiment for com-parison. LM EO at 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 µL disc-1 in the in vitro tests significantly inhibited fungal growth compared to the non-treated control. Moreover, LM EO at 4 and 5 µL disc-1 in both the assays completely inhibited fungal growth similar to its main component of citral. Inoculated oranges dipped in 1000 μL L-1 LM EO solutions for 5, 10, 15 and 30 sec showed significantly lower fungal wounds compared to control. While higher dipping times generated slight rind injury, a 5 and 10 sec dip did not cause any injury to the fruit rind. The quality assessments and sensory evaluations also revealed that the addition of LM EO did not adversely affect the quality and taste of the oranges. These findings suggest LM EO as an alternative to synthetic fungicides to inhibit wastage in citrus during storage.

To control the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries implemented vaccination and imposed societal restrictions both at the national level and for international travel. As a check of the corona status, a COVID pass has been issued. A COVID pass could be obtained when fully vaccinated against COVID-19, having recovered from a documented COVID-19 episode, or a recent (24-48 hours) negative SARS-CoV-2 antigen test. A global analysis of SARS-CoV-2 immune status (determined by past infection and/or vaccination), vaccination rates, as well as societal restrictions in controlling the COVID-19 pandemic is presented.

Functionally graded materials (FGM) have attracted considerable attention in the field of composite materials and rekindled interest in research on composite materials, due to their unique mechanical response achieved through material design and optimization. Compared to conventional composites, FGMs offer several advantages and exceptional properties, including improved deformation resistance, improved toughness, lightness properties, and excellent recoverability. This study focused on the production of functionally graded (FG) polymer materials by additive manufacturing (AM) method. FG structures were produced by the Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) method using Acrylonitrile benzidine styrene (ABS) and Polylactic acid (PLA) materials and tensile tests were performed according to ASTM D638. The effects of different layer thicknesses, volume ratios, and total thicknesses on mechanical behavior were investigated. In addition, tensile tests were carried out by producing single-layer samples at certain volume ratios to create a numerical model with the Finite element method to verify the experimental data. As a result of this study, it is presented that the FG structure produced with FDM improves mechanical behavior.

Bridge load testing is crucial in evaluating bridge load-carrying capacity and construction quality. However, conventional techniques have many limitations such as the need for direct contact and low acquisition frequency. This study provides a comprehensive examination of the static and dynamic load tests of a multi-span cable-stayed bridge utilizing a ground-based radar inter-ferometer (GB-radar). The case study was conducted at the Fifth Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge (FNYRB), which is recognized as the world's first lightweight steel-concrete composite cable-stayed bridge, with two spans measuring 600 m. To enhance measurement accuracy, a method was proposed to detect and recover radar phase jumps caused by vehicle motion. Furthermore, precise geometry projection was employed to acquire vertical displacements from GB-radar which were taken along the line-of-sight (LOS) direction. Moreover, during the static load test, a continuous deformation was observed with a maximum pace of 0.31 mm/min, indicating a post-construction settlement caused by soft soil consolidation. This case study highlights the high sampling frequency, high measurement accuracy, and exceptional weatherproof ability of GB-radar, thereby demonstrating its potential to be an alternative to the structural health monitoring (SHM) system.

Silicon-based microchannel technology offers unmatched performances for cooling high energy physics silicon-pixels detectors. Although Si-Si direct bonding, used for the fabrication of cooling plates, meets the stringent requirements of this application, in particular high-pressure resistance (~200 bar), it is reported to be a challenging and expensive process. In this work, we have evaluated two alternative bonding methods towards a more cost-effective fabrication process: Si-Glass-Si anodic bonding (AB) with a thin-film glass and Au-Au thermocompression (TC). The bonding strength of the two methods were evaluated with destructive pressure burst tests (0 - 690 bar) on test structures, each made of a 1×2 cm² silicon die etched with a tank and an inlet channel and sealed with a plain silicon die using AB or TC bonding. The pressure resistance of the structures was measured to be higher for the TC sealed samples (max. 690 bar) than for the AB ones (max. 530 bar) but less reproducible. The failure analysis indicates that the AB structure resistance is limited by the adhesion force of the deposited layers. Nevertheless, both the TC and AB methods provided sufficient bond quality to hold the high pressure required for the high energy physics pixel detectors cooling application.

This article introduces simulations of theoretical material with controlled properties for the evaluation of the effect of key parameters, as volumetric fractions, elastic properties of each phase and transition zone on the effective dynamic elastic modulus (Ed). The accuracy level of classical homogenization models was checked regarding the prediction of Ed. Numerical simulations were performed with finite element method (FEM) for evaluations of the natural frequencies and their correlation with Ed, through frequency equations. An acoustic test validated the numerical results and obtained the elastic modulus of concretes and mortars at 0.3, 0.5 and 0.7 water-cement ratios (w/c). Hirsch calibrated according to the numerical simulation (x = 0.27) exhibited a realistic behavior for concretes of w/c = 0.3 and 0.5, with 5% error. Nevertheless, for w/c = 0.7, Ed approached Reuss model, similarly to theoretical triphasic materials. Hashin-Shtrikman bounds is not perfectly applied to theoretical biphasic materials under dynamic situations.

Maximal heart rate (HRmax) is a widely used measure of cardiorespiratory fitness. Prediction of HRmax is an alternative to cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET), but its accuracy among endurance athletes (EA) requires evaluation. This study aimed to externally validate HRmax prediction models in the EA independently for running and cycling CPET. 4043 runners (age=33.58 (8.12) years; 83.53% males; BMI=23.66 (2.54) kg·m−2) and 1026 cyclists (age=36.88 (9.03) years; 89.67% males; BMI=24.04 (2.65) kg·m−2) underwent maximum CPET. Student t-test, mean absolute percentage error (MAPE), mean absolute error (MAE), and root mean square error (RMSE) were applied to externally validate 8 running and 5 cycling HRmax equations. HRmax was 184.60 (9.79) beats·min−1 and 182.66 (10.28) beats·min−1 respectively for running and cycling, p=0.001. Measured and predicted HRmax differed significantly (p=0.001) for 9 of 13 (69.23%) models. HRmax was overestimated by 8 (61.54%) and underestimated by 5 (38.46%) formulae. Overestimated HRmax ranged 0.08-4.94 beats·min−1 and underestimated HRmax ranged 0.03-4.90 beats·min−1. MAE and RMSE were 0.18-4.94 beats·min−1 and 9.13-10.47, respectively. MAPE ranged 3.95-4.69%. Prediction models do not allow for accurate estimation of HRmax. HRmax was more often underestimated than overestimated. Predicted HRmax can be implemented for EA as a supplemental method but CPET is the preferable approach.

With Direct Laser Writing (DLW) maturing in all aspects as a manufacturing technology a toolset for quality assurance must be developed. In this work we want to introduce a first of its kind test artifact. Test artifacts are standardized 3D models with specific geometric feature to evaluate the performance of writing parameters. Test artifacts are already common in other 3D additive manufacturing technologies e.g. Selective Laser Melting. The test artifact introduced in this work was developed in particular to accommodate 1) the high geometrical resolution of DLW structures and 2) the limited possibilities to examine the resulting structure. Geometric accuracy, surface adhesion as well as confocal raman spectroscopy results were considered when evaluating the design of the test artifact. We will explain the individual features and design considerations of our DLW test artifact. The difference between two slicers, Cura and 3DPoli, and the implications on measured feature sizes and the general shape is quantified. The measured geometries are used to derive a general design guide for a specific combination of photoresist, laser power and scanning speed and to analyse the geometric accuracy of a structure produced using these guidelines.

Climate change is a phenomenon that makes the climate system of a given region to be more unpredictable and increases the risk of water-related problems. GCMs under the new CMIP6 framework holds several climate models with many improvements as compared to past similar efforts. The improvements are mainly in the number of scenarios formulated, setup, parametrization, and resolution. In this study, 10 downscaled climate models from CMIP6 are evaluated by applying statistical and data mining tools and are ranked based on their capability to describe the historical observed series. The result of the analysis showed that the outputs of the MPI-ESM1-2-HR model have a good overall ranking among those 10 models. The output of this top-ranked model is used to understand future climate over UASB after properly bias-corrected using the QM method. Results of the bias correction step show that average annual precipitation has shown an increment of 6.5\% in the middle (SSP2-4.5) and 10.3\% in the worst (SSP5-8.5) case scenarios for the mid-century (2040 - 2069). Similarly, for the end of the century (2070 - 2099) an increment of 4.7\% and 17.5\% was predicted for the two scenarios respectively. Whereas average annual maximum temperature series showed an increment of 1.5 $\degree C$ for middle and 2.6 $\degree C$ for the worst case in the mid-century. At the same time, an increment of 2.2 $\degree C$ and 3.5 $\degree C$ were predicted for the end of the century similarly for those scenarios. Furthermore, it was predicted that the average annual minimum temperature series will have an increment of 2.6 $\degree C$ and 3.1 $\degree C$ for mid-century and 3.1 $\degree C$ and 4.7 $\degree C$ for the end century for the two scenarios respectively. An increase in precipitation with increased land degradation problems in the sub-basin increases the risk of flood events in the future.

Background and Aims. Most research on Parkinson's disease (PD) focuses on describing symp-toms and movement characteristics. Studies rarely focus on the early detection of PD and the search for suitable markers of a prodromal stage. Early detection is important, so treatments that may potentially change the course of the disease can be attempted early on. While gait disturb-ances are less pronounced in the early stages of the disease, the prevalence, and severity increase with disease progression. Therefore, postural instability and gait difficulties could be identified as sensitive biomarkers. The aim was to evaluate the discriminatory power of the Trail-Walking Test (Schott, 2015) as a potential diagnostic instrument to improve the predictive power of the clinical evaluation concerning the severity of the disease and record the different aspects of walking. Methods. 20 older healthy (M = 72.4 years, SD = 5.53) adults and 46 older adults with PD and the motor phenotypes postural instability/gait difficulty (PIGD; M = 69.7 years, SD = 8.68) and tremor dominant (TD; M = 68.2 years, SD = 8.94) participated in the study. The participants performed a motor-cognitive dual task (DT) of increasing cognitive difficulty in which they had to walk a given path (condition 1), walk to numbers in ascending order (condition 2), and walk to numbers and letters alternately and in ascending order (condition 3). Results. With an increase in the cognitive load, the time to complete the tasks (seconds) become longer in all groups, F(1.23, 73.5) = 121, p < .001, ɳ2p = .670. PD-PIGD shows the longest times in all conditions of the TWT, F(2, 60) = 8.15, p < .001, ɳ2p = .214. Mutual interferences in the cognitive and motor domain can be observed. How-ever, clear group-specific patterns cannot be identified. A differentiation between the motor phenotypes of PD is especially feasible with the purely motor condition (TWT-M; AUC = . 685, p = 0.44). Conclusions. PD patients with PIGD must be identified by valid, well-evaluated clinical tests that allow a precise assessment of the disease's individual fall risk, the severity of the dis-ease, and the prognosis of progression. The TWT covers various aspects of mobility, examines the relationship between cognitive functions and walking, and enables differentiation of the motor phenotypes of PD.

Evaluation of the usefulness of [18F]FDG-PET/CT in the short-term follow-up of patients admitted for COVID-19 pneumonia and to explore the association of findings with clinical prognostic markers. Prospective study included 20 patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 pneumonia between November 2020 and March 2021. Clinical and laboratory test findings were gathered at admission, 48-72h post-admission, and 2-3 months post-discharge. [18F]FDG-PET/CT and respiratory function tests were performed at 2-3 months post-discharge. Lung volumes (TLC), spirometry (FVC, FEV1), lung diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO), and respiratory muscle strength were measured. PET/CT images were qualitatively and semi-quantitatively interpreted. Volumetric [18F]FDG-PET/CT results were correlated with laboratory test and respiratory parameters. Eleven [18F]FDG-PET/CT (55%) were positive. The main finding was hypermetabolic lymphade-nopathy in the mediastinum (90.9%). SUVpeak of the target mediastinum lesion was correlated with neutrophil and lymphocyte counts. Eleven (55%) patients had impaired respiratory function, most frequently a reduced DLCO (35%). SUVpeak was positively correlated with %predict-ed-DLCO values. Pulmonary TLG was negatively correlated with %predicted-DLCO and TLC values. In the short-term follow-up of patients hospitalized for COVID-19 pneumonia, [18F]FDG-PET/CT findings revealed significant detectable inflammation in lungs and mediastinal lymph nodes that correlated with pulmonary function impairment in more than half of the patients.

Poplar is a globalized commercial tree species that supports humanity's economy, energy, and ecology. To evaluate the twelve hybrid Populus euramericana genotypes developed in China, a total of six locations were selected for the test, comprising four climatic types and three soil kinds. The objective of this study is to characterize the early stages of Populus euramericana growth and test locations; to identify good genotypes for stable and high yield that may be encouraged; and to offer practical experience and technical assistance for further breeding of Populus euramericana. Main research methods include the statistical description of tree heights and diameter at breast heights[DBH], the establishment of a mixed effect model to analyze the genotype and environmental interaction effect [G×E], the use of best linear unbiased prediction[BLUP] values as GGE biplots to achieve visual screening, and the calculation of genetic parameters. Results show that the genotype effect [G], the environmental effect [E], and the G×E is significant; the BLUP value has a strong correspondence with the observed value; the goodness of fit of all biplots can explain more than 85% of the variation; broad-sense heritability of tree height and DBH is 0.13 and 0.3, type-B correlation is 0.36 and 0.65; G5, G7, G4 and G9 are excellent genotypes with high yield and stability; using these four genotypes tree height and DBH can get 3.35% and 0.81% genetic gains.The study concludes as follows: Rank-change interaction and scale-effect interaction were distinctly occurred. The G, E, and G×E all had a significant effect on the growth of poplar trees during their early stage. G4, G5, G7, and G9 genotypes have favorable development characteristics. N146 is a great source of paternal genetics.

Urban air quality is increasingly being studied as a fraction of the world's population is now living in megacities. In this study, particulate matter (PM) along Taft Avenue, Manila, Philippines, is investigated in terms of its ability to induce genetic damage on human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL). Size-segregated roadside air samples were obtained from 2015-2016 near the university gate and analyzed using in vitro micronucleus and cytokinesis-block proliferation tests. While cellular proliferation was unaffected by 0 – 0.1 kg·m-3 of PM1.0 and PM2.5, PBL cells treated with PM2.5 displayed significantly higher micronucleus count (p = 0.03) compared to the cells treated with PM1.0. Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy revealed greater amounts of Cd, Ca, Pb, K, Na, and Zn in PM2.5 compared to PM1.0. The results indicate the differences in composition of the two size fractions of air particulates are associated with their genotoxicities.

Sentinel-1A/B radar remote sensing data were applied for the first time to determine the sixth nuclear test, its underground explosion h-bomb location and affected zone in North Korea, on September 3, 2017. Location of epicenters nuclear test were found according to line-of-sight displacement images via its maximum value. Line-of-sight displacement images were obtained by processing in the GMTSAR package in the VirtualBox virtual machine of the Linux Ubuntu 16.04 operation system. In this research, three scenes Sentinel-B data with descending orbits were considered, one after and two before the event (the nuclear test date) scene were used.

A sufficient amount of tissue sample is required to perform next-generation sequencing (NGS) with a high success rate, but the majority of patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are diagnosed with small biopsy specimens. Biopsy samples were collected from 184 patients with bronchoscopically diagnosed NSCLC. The tissue surface area, tumor cell count, and tumor content rate of each biopsy sample were evaluated. The impact of the cut-off criteria for the tissue surface area (≥ 1 mm2) and tumor content rate (≥ 30%) on the success rate of Oncomine Dx Target Test (ODxTT) was evaluated. The mean tissue surface area of the transbronchial biopsies was 1.23 ± 0.85 mm2 when small endobronchial ultrasonography with a guide sheath (EBUS-GS) was used, 2.16 ± 1.49 mm2 with large EBUS-GS, and 1.81 ± 0.75 mm2 with endobronchial biopsy (EBB). The proportion of samples with a tissue surface area of ≥ 1 mm2 was 48.8% for small EBUS-GS, 79.2% for large EBUS-GS, and 78.6% for EBB. Sixty-nine patients underwent ODxTT. The success rate of DNA sequencing was 84.1% and that of RNA sequencing was 92.7% over all patients. The success rate of DNA (RNA) sequencing was 57.1% (71.4%) for small EBUS-GS (n = 14), 93.4% (96.9%) for large EBUS-GS (n = 32), 62.5% (100%) for EBB (n = 8), and 100% (100%) for endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) (n = 15). Regardless of the device used, a tissue surface area of ≥ 1 mm2 is adequate for samples to be tested with NGS.

Is it possible to measure the dispersion of ex-ante chances (i.e. chances “before the event”) among people, be it gambling, health, or social opportunities? We explore this question and provide some tools, including a statistical test, to evidence the actual dispersion of ex-ante chances in various areas with a focus on chronic diseases. Using the principle of maximum entropy, we derive the distribution of the risk to become ill in the global population as well as in the population of affected people. We find that affected people are either at very low risk like the overwhelming majority of the population but still were unlucky to become ill, or are at extremely high risk and were bound to become ill.

Bohrnstedt’s (1969) attempt to derive a formula to compute the partial correlation coefficient and simultaneously correct for attenuation sought to simplify the process of performing each task separately. He suggested that his formula, developed from algebraic and psychometric manipulations of the partial correlation coefficient, produces a corrected partial correlation value. However, an algebraic error exists within his derivations. Consequently, the formula proposed by Bohrnstedt does not appropriately represent the value he intended it to estimate. By correcting the erroneous step and continuing the derivation based upon his proposed procedure, the steps outlined in this paper ultimately produce the formula that Bohrnstedt desired.

In recent years, many studies have highlighted the consistent finding of amoxicillin in waters destined for wastewater treatment plants, in addition to superficial waters of rivers and lakes in both Europe and North America. In this paper, the amoxicillin degradation pathway was investigated by simulating the chlorination process normally used in a wastewater treatment plant to reduce similar emerging pollutants at three different pH values. The structures of 16 isolated degradation byproducts (DPs), one of which was isolated for the first time, were separated on a C-18 column via a gradient HPLC method. Then, combining mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS/TOF) and nuclear magnetic resonance, we compared commercial standards and justified a proposed formation mechanism beginning from the parent drug. Microbial growth inhibition bioassays with Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Staphylococcus aureus were performed to determine the potential loss of antibacterial activity in isolated degradation byproducts. An increase of antibacterial activity in the DPs was observed compared to the parent compound.

Anomaly occurrences in hydraulic machinery may lead to massive systems shut down, jeopardizing the safety of the machinery and its surrounding human operator(s) and environment, and the severe economic implications succeeding the faults and their associated damage. Hydraulics are mostly placed in ruthless environments, where they are consistently vulnerable to many faults. Hence, not only the machines and their components are prone to anomalies, but also the sensors attached to them, which monitor and report their health and behavioral changes. In this work, a comprehensive applicational analysis of anomalies in hydraulic systems extracted from a hydraulic test rig is thoroughly achieved. Firstly, we provided a combination of a new architecture of LSTM autoencoders and supervised machine and deep learning methodologies to perform two separate stages of fault detection and diagnosis. The two phases are condensed by: the detection phase using the LSTM autoencoder. Followed by the fault diagnosis phase represented by the classification schema. The previously mentioned framework is applied to both component and sensor faults in hydraulic systems, deployed in the form of two in-depth applicational experiments. Moreover, a thorough literature review of the past decade related work for the two stages separately is successfully conducted in this paper.

Yaws is a skin debilitating disease caused by Treponema pallidum subspecies pertenue with most cases reported in children. World Health Organization (WHO) aims at total eradication of this disease through mass treatment of suspected cases followed by an intensive follow-up program. However, effective diagnosis is pivotal in the successful implementation of this control program. Recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA), an isothermal nucleic acid amplification technique offers a wider range of differentiation of pathogens including those isolated from chronic skin ulcers with similar characteristics such as Haemophilus ducreyi (H. ducreyi). We have developed a duplex RPA assay for the simultaneous detection of Treponema pallidum (T. pallidum) and H. ducreyi (TPHD-RPA). TPHD-RPA assay demonstrated no cross-reaction with other pathogens and enable detection of T. pallidum and H. ducreyi within 15 minutes at 42 oC. The duplex RPA assay was validated with 49 clinical samples from individuals confirmed to have yaws by serological tests. Compared with commercial multiplex real-time PCR, the TPHD-RPA assay demonstrated 94-95% sensitivity for T. pallidum and H. ducreyi confirmed samples, respectively and 100% specificity. This simple novel TPHD-RPA assay enables the rapid detection of both T. pallidum and H. ducreyi in yaws-like lesions. This test could support the yaws eradication programs by ensuring effective diagnosis as well as enable monitoring of eradication efforts success or failure and planning of follow-up interventions at the community level.

Silty clay modified by fly ash and crumb rubber is a kind of sustainable subgrade filler which has good anti-freeze-thaw resistance stability but wake vibration isolation performance. The objective of this study was to improve the vibration isolation of the modified soil and investigate the vibration isolation effect of the composite subgrade structure of XPS plates and the modified soil by indoor impact test. First, the vibration isolation performance of silty clay, modified soil and composite subgrade structure was respectively evaluated. Second, the effect of XPS plate’s thickness and vibration intensity on the vibration performance of the composite subgrade structure were evaluated. Third, the vibration isolation performance of the test groups under the condition of freeze-thaw cycles was assessed. The results show that the vibration isolation performance of subgrade can be effectively improved by setting XPS plates. The composite subgrade structure has certain vibration isolation effect, especially in vertical direction. Considering vibration isolation performance and costs, 5cm is the optimum XPS plates thickness. The composite subgrade structure has great vibration isolation performance under the condition of freeze-thaw cycles, so it is suitable to be applied in road subgrade in seasonal frozen regions.

Prestrained at 5% and 15% duplex stainless steel UNS S32750 specimens have been subjected to electropulsing treatments with current density of 100 A/mm2 and 200 A/mm2 and 100 and 500 pulses for each current density value. Corrosion tests, X-ray diffraction, microhardness and residual stresses were collected before and after the electropulsing treatments. Tensile tests were performed after the electropulsing treatments in order to compare the mechanical response to the reference tensile tests performed before the pulsing treatments. Increase in fracture strain was observed after the pulsing treatment in comparison to the reference tensile tests. A decrease in microhardness was also observed after the electropulsing treatments for both degrees of prestrain. Electropulsing treatment almost eliminates the work-hardened state in the 5% prestrained specimens while partially recovered the 15% prestrained material increasing both uniform and fracture strain. The bulk temperature of the samples remained the same for all the duration of the treatments. The effect are to be addressed to a combined effect of the increase in atomic flux due to the electrical current and local joule heating in correspondence of crystal defects. Electropulsing treatment applied to metallic alloys is a promising technique to reduce the work hardening state without the need of annealing treatments in a dedicated furnace.

Disposable absorbent hygiene products have evolved for superior performance, enhancing the convenience of daily lives. Yet the use of disposable hygiene pads has brought safety concerns on chemical exposure, and significant efforts have been made to assess the potential risks associated with use of hygiene pads. This article intends to overview the safety assessment framework of diapers and feminine pads, which includes hazard identification, hazard characterization, exposure assessment, risk characterization, and postmarket risk management. Risk assessment of various constituents are reviewed for quantification methods and conservative estimation of exposure parameters. By reviewing the up-to-date considerations in risk assessment, we aim to provide insightful discussion on safety evaluation of current versions of disposable absorbent products. More clinical testing and postmarket surveillance are needed for continuous monitoring of potential health impacts of advanced products and constituents.

Aluminum wire is a common material for wire bonding due to its resistance to oxidation and low price. It does not melt when becoming a free air ball (FAB) during the electronic flame-off (EFO) process with wettability, and is applied by wedge bonding. This study used 20μm Zn-Coated Al-0.5wt.%Si (ZAS) wires to improve the FAB shape after the EFO process, while maintaining stability of the mechanical properties, including the interface bonding strength and hardness. In order to test circuit stability after ball bonding, the current-tensile test was performed. During the experiment, it was found that 80nm ZAS with wire bonding has lower resistance and higher fusing current. For the bias tensile test, the thicker Zn film diffused into the Al-Si matrix easily, after which the strength was reduced. The ball-bond interfaces had no change in their condition before and after the bias. Accordingly, ZAS could be a promising candidate for ball bonding in the future.

Addressing the significant challenge in high-speed cotton dibbling operations in Xinjiang—specifically, the duck bill’s ("Duck bill" is a type of duck-billed bunch planting mechanism or component). shortened opening duration leading to seed throwing and floating—a new crawler-type delayed hole-forming mechanism has been designed. This mechanism extends the duck bill horizontally, thereby prolonging its opening time, enabling cotton sowing speeds of up to 6 km/h. Following agronomic principles for cotton planting, the overall layout of the crawler-type hole-forming mechanism, the structural parameters of the key components and the trajectory of the hole-forming are determined. We use the Discrete Element Method (DEM) and multi-body dynamics coupling method to simulate and analyze the motion process of the device. The fixed the tilt angle of the duck bill α(A), the depth of the duck bill hole-forming into the soil h(B), and the angle of rotation of the moving duck bill β(C) were taken as the experimental factors, with the longitudinal length of cotton seed hole (Y1) and the hole-forming depth of cotton seed hole (Y2) as the response values. The parameter range of each factor and the preliminary influence on the response value were determined through pre-experiments and single-factor simulation test. Based on RecurDyn-EDEM coupling, a quadratic regression orthogonal rotation combination simulation test was carried out. The results show that the order of the primary and secondary factors affecting the Y1 of the time-lapse hole-forming device was: A > C > B. The order of primary and secondary factors affecting the Y2 of the delayed hole forming device was: B > C > A. When the A was 2.4 °, the B was 42.4 mm, and the C was 30.5 °, the performance of the hole-forming was the best, and the Y1 was 26.4 mm, and the Y2 was 25.0 mm. The bench verification test results show that under the optimized combination of operating parameters, the average Y1 was 29.1 mm, and the average Y2 was 23.2 mm. Compared with the results of the previous coupled simulation model, the average relative errors of the two are 7.23 % and 4.36 %, respectively, indicating the accuracy and effectiveness of the established DEM simulation model and virtual test analysis. The hole-forming area and the opening time of the duck bill after the stable operation of the machine were recorded and measured. The calculated hole dislocation rate Hc was 4.33 %, which did not exceed the national standard requirement of 6 %. The qualified rate of hole distance Hx was 94.33 %, which was much higher than the national standard requirement of 80 %. The average opening time of the duck bill at a speed of 6 km/h is 0.45 s, which is much longer than the time required for cotton seeds to fall from the duck bill 0.11 s. It meets the requirements of high-speed cotton planting in China and facilitating advancements in future high-speed planter technology.

Analyzing BRCA1/2 tumor pathogenic variants (TPVs) in epithelial tubal/ovarian cancers (EOC) has become an essential part of the diagnostic workflow in many centers to guide treatment options and genetic cascade testing. However, there is no standardization of testing procedures, including techniques, gene assays, or sequencers used, and data on the execution of tumor tests remains scarce. Therefore, we evaluated characteristics of BRCA1/2 tumor testing in advanced-stage EOC with real-world national data. Pathology reports of patients diagnosed with EOC in 2019 in the Netherlands were obtained from the Dutch Pathology Registry (PALGA), and data regarding histological subtype and BRCA1/2 tumor tests were extracted. A total of 999 patients with advanced-stage EOC were included. Tumor tests were performed for 502 patients (50.2%) and BRCA1/2 TPVs were detected in 14.7%. Of all tests, 48.6% used hybrid capture techniques and 26.5% used PCR-based techniques. More than half of the tests (55.0%) analyzed other genes in addition to BRCA1/2. Overall, this study highlights the heterogeneity in the execution of BRCA1/2 tumor tests. Despite a lack of evidence of quality differences, we emphasize that adequate reporting and internal and external quality monitors are essential for high-quality implementation and execution of reliable BRCA1/2 tumor testing, which is crucial for identifying all patients with BRCA1/2 TPVs.

This study uses a mass-spring-damping system to simulate the repeated strain of liquefaction cyclic triaxial tests. The two results are compared in this paper to understand the feasibility of the mass-spring-damping system developed in this paper and the feasibility of future research on this related topic and development potential. The main factors affecting this mode's repeated strain are the spring coefficient k and the external force Q0. The spring coefficient has an inverse relationship but does not increase in multiples. The external force has a direct proportional relationship but does not increase the result- a non-multiple increase. When the pore water pressure of the liquefied cyclic triaxial test specimen rises, it will cause the specimen to liquefy, decreasing effective stress, shear modulus G, and damping ratio D, causing an increase in strain. The shear modulus and damping ratio are related to the spring coefficients k and c. Both are variables that change with time. This article takes an original thin-tube specimen at point A in the Yunlin area in Taiwan as a testing example. Through Mathematica software, it can be obtained that the mass m=1kg, the spring coefficient k=244e-0.1t kgf/cm, and the damping coefficient c=0.739e-0.257t kgf-s/cm and external force Q0=10.1sin2πt kg; Finally, this study selected the original thin-tube specimens from four locations in the Yunlin area, and simulated the repeated strain amount of the cyclic triaxial test specimens through a spring-damping system. The results show that the spring-damping system is feasible for simulated cyclic triaxial tests because the model is simple and the parameters are easy to understand and obtain, which also shows the extensibility of this model. Preliminary results of the research show that this model can further simulate the repeated strain obtained by cyclic triaxial tests without considering the increased trend in pore water pressure and the decrease in effective stress during cyclic loading.

Microalgae are highly attractive to various industrial sectors and can serve as indicators of aquatic environmental health. An essential step for cultivating microalgae is assessing the cell density, which is traditionally performed through viable cell counting by optical microscopy (OM). However, this method has some limitations, such as the time involved in the process of counting, and the need for specialized training of laboratory personnel. Spectrophotometry is an affordable alternative, especially when applied to culture growth and toxicological tests. We chose the wavelength of 680 nm to detect the optical density (OD) of the green freshwater microalga Desmodesmus subspicatus and green the marine microalga Tetraselmis sp. The correlation between the number of cells and OD was suitable for both microalgae and accuracy was comparable to traditional OM counting. In toxicological tests, the OD technique allowed the monitoring of microalgal growth in the presence of the chemicals potassium dichromate, potassium chloride and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), with results very close to those reported in the scientific literature. This study sheds light on this well-known technique, which is an important contribution since few articles have explored its potentialities and fragilities, showing the successful application to monitoring green microalgal cultures and toxicological assays.

Motivated by empirical observations, we propose a possible extension of Gibrat's law. By applying it into the random growth theory of income distribution (Gabaix, 2009), we find that the income distribution is described by a generalized Pareto-type distribution (GPD) with three parameters. We observe that there is a parameter /elta in the GPD that plays a key role in determining the shape of income distribution. By using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, we empirically show that, for typical market-economy countries, /elta is close to 0 significantly, such that the income distribution is characterized by a two-class pattern in which the bottom 90% of the population is approximated by an exponential distribution and the richest 1%~3% is approximated by an asymptotic power law. However, we empirically find that, for China both in planned economy period and in early stages of market reformation (from 1978 to 1990), /elta is significantly deviated from 0, such that the bottom of the population no longer conforms to an exponential distribution.

Background: Data on the benefits of rapid microbiological testing on antimicrobial consumption (AC) and antimicrobial resistance patterns(ARP) are scarce. We evaluated the impact of a protocol based on rapid techniques on AC and ARP in intensive care (ICU) patients. Methods: Retrospective pre(2018) and post-intervention(2019-21) study in ICU patients. A rapid diagnostic algorithm was applied from 2019 in patients with lower respiratory tract infection. Incidence of nosocomial infection, ARP, and AC as DDD(defined daily dose) were monitored. Results: A total of 3635 patients were included, 987(pre-intervention) and 2648(post-intervention). A median age was 60 years, 64% male, with APACHE II of 19 points and SOFA of 3 points. Overall ICU mortality of 17.2% without differences between the periods. An increase in the number of infections was observed in the post-intervention period(44.5% vs 17.9%, p<0.01), especially due to an increase in ventilator-associated pneumonia(44.6% vs 25%,p<0.001). AC decreased from 128.7 DDD in 2018 to 66.0 DDD in 2021(Rate Ratio=0.51). A recovery of P.aeruginosa susceptibility of 23% for Piperacillin/tazobactam and 31% for Meropenem was observed. Conclusion: The implementation of an algorithm based on rapid microbiological diagnostic techniques allowed a significant reduction in AC and ARP without affecting the prognosis of critically ill patients.

Low Emission Zone (LEZ) is an important mechanism to limit the negative environmental impact of traffic pollution in an urban area. Car traffic in the zone is strictly regulated to meet certain technical and environmental criteria. Such solutions of urban environment protection are gaining popularity, especially in European conurbations. Nowadays there are above 300 zones in Europe, mostly established in Italy and Germany. So far there are no LEZs in Eastern and Central European countries. However, the Warsaw authorities are just discussing launching of a LEZ in the city in 2024. According to the ongoing project, the zone is to be launched gradually, in five phases between 2024 and 2032, with the traffic criteria being tightened accordingly. The progressive emission reductions of the predominant pollutants in LEZ in consecutive phases were estimated on the basis of the Real Driving Emissions (RDE) test, carried out in 2020 by the ICCT. The gradually reduced emissions of NOx and PM were subsequently utilized as the input dataset for the regional CALPUFF model predictions, to calculate concentrations of these main traffic-induced pollutants within the LEZ area. The direct effect of the zone activation is reduction of air pollution in the urban center, which is mostly exposed to the pollution risk due to heavy traffic. Computer simulations reveal that implementation of the zone in the case of Warsaw will result in a quite significant reduction of NOx concentrations within the LEZ, such that its mean concentration in the zone becomes comparable to the rest of the conurbation. However, it will bring only a slight reduction of PM2.5 concentrations. This situation is due to the long-standing dominance of coal combustion in the Polish economy, which also applies to the urban municipal sector. As a consequence, particulate matter emissions of this sector are clearly predominant over the road traffic contribution. Balance can be achieved once the ongoing de-carbonization of the national economy has been completed.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have examined the use of immunoassay urine drug testing of cancer patients in palliative care clinics. OBJECTIVES: We examined the frequency of immunoassay urine drug test (UDT) abnormalities and the factors associated with aberrancy at a safety-net hospital palliative medicine clinic. METHODS: A retrospective review of the electronic medical records of consecutive eligible patients seen at the outpatient palliative medicine clinic in a resource-limited safety net hospital system was conducted between September 1, 2015 and December 31, 2020. We collected longitudinal data on patient demographics, UDT findings, and potential predictors of aberrant results. RESULTS: Of the 913 patients in the study, 500 (55%) underwent UDT testing, with 455 (50%) having the testing within the first three visits. Among those tested within the first three visits, 125 (27%) had aberrant UDT results; 44 (35%) of these 125 patients were positive for cocaine. In a multivariable regression model analysis of predictors for aberrant UDT within the first 3 visits, non-Hispanic White race (odds ratio [OR]=2.13; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.03-4.38; p=0.04), history of illicit drug use (OR=3.57; CI: 1.78-7.13; p< 0.001), and history of marijuana use (OR=7.05; CI: 3.85-12.91; p< 0.001) were independent predictors of an aberrant UDT finding. CONCLUSION: Despite limitations of immunoassay UDT, it was able to detect aberrant drug taking behaviors in a significant number of patients seen at a safety net hospital palliative care clinic, including cocaine use. These findings support universal UDT monitoring and utility of immunoassay-based UDT in resource limited settings.

Steel structures, such as bridges, must be continuously maintained. Due to increasing trac loads, design and execution shortcomings, many steel bridges are subject to various types of damage, such as cracks. The bridges must be maintained by crack removal and re-welding the cracks. During this work, the bridge is closed for trac in order to suppress the crack ank movement during welding. As a result, trac loads on other routes are higher, which increases further damage on detour routes and subsequently additional welding work and costs on theses structures. Therefore, the aim is to provide a method that allows welding work on steel structures under running trac, respectively under cyclic loads. First, measurements at a representative steel bridge were conducted to derive gap opening parameters of amplitude and frequency for welding tests under cyclic loads. In a test setup for reproducible and comparable welding tests, specimen were welded under cyclic loads. Deep grinding of the root layer allowed defect-free welding within the range of 0.1 mm amplitude at a frequency of 2 Hz loadings. For such welds, the weld quality and the fatigue strength was comparable to the standard requirements.

The acetylcholinesterase-inhibitory potential of the oleanane-type triterpenes and their glycosides from the Terminalia arjuna (Combreatceae) bark, i.e. arjunic acid, arjunolic acid, arjungenin, arjunglucoside I, sericic acid, and arjunetin, is presented. The studies are based on the in silico pharmacokinetic and biomimetic studies, the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory activity tests, and the molecular docking research. Based on the calculated pharmacokinetic parameters, arjunetin and arjunglucoside I are indicated as able to cross the blood-brain barrier. The compounds of interest exhibit marked acetylcholinesterase inhibitory potential, which was tested in the TLC bioautography test. The longest time to reach brain equilibrium is observed for both the arjunic and arjunolic acids and the shortest one for arjunetin. All compounds exhibit high and relatively similar magnitude of binding energies, varying from ca. -15 to -13 kcal/mol. The superposition of the most favorable positions of all ligands interacting with AChE is analyzed. The correlation between the experimentally determined IC50 values and the steric parameters of the molecules is investigated. The inhibition of the enzyme by the analyzed compounds shows their potential to be used as cognition enhancing agents. For the most potent compound (arjunglucoside I; ARG), the kinetics of AChE inhibition is tested. The Michaelis–Menten constant (Km) for the hydrolysis of the acetylthiocholine iodide substrate was calculated to be 0.011 mM.

Myocardial infarction (MI) is a serious cardiovascular disease that can lead to death. Cardiac troponin I (cTnI) is a biomarker of MI in the circulation system. For detection cTnI protein, many method suffer the same problem, time-consuming. Main drawbacks are time consuming, have tedious operation, require an expensive reader for translating signals, and require non-accessible reagents. Our goal is to create a kit for cTnI protein testing, that the result can easily be read by color difference. The main breakthrough is, the resolution between different concentration can be told by eyes. The result will be future used to create a commercial, potable, convenient, daily-used rapid-test kit. In this study, a cTnI biosensor is proposed that can be read by the naked eye, performs diagnosis based on the pattern color, does not require a reader machine, is easy to operate, and is portable. Our work proposed a device that shortens the diagnosis time, has a quantitative analysis range of 0.32 –200 ng/mL in the human serum matrix, has a 0.32 ng/mL limit of detection (LOD), and shows many advantages comparing to traditional cTnI ELISA plate.

The use of anti-microbial drugs and coccidiostats in poultry farming is widespread, with a significant proportion of these drugs being excreted and released into the environment. The residues of such drugs in poultry litter (PL) can result in the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The impact of different biotic treatments (aerobic, anaerobic, and stacking) on broiler litter (BL) before use as animal feed has not been studied extensively, nor have the differences between antimicrobial-dependent and independent broiler farms been investigated. This study aimed to determine the resistant bacteria in BL used as ruminant feed before and after litter treatment. The results showed that the most resistant bacteria before BL treatment were Enterococcus species. The study also found that the quantity of amoxicillin-resistant Enterococcus detected in samples from antimicrobial-dependent farms was significantly higher than in those from antimicrobial-independent farms. Additionally, 14% of bacteria were multi-resistant to tetracycline, sulfafurazole, and erythromycin in antimicrobial-independent farm litters, significantly lower than those measured in antimicrobial-dependent broiler farm litter. This study highlights the importance of better understanding, regulating, managing, and using animal waste appropriately to reduce the number of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and minimize the use of antimicrobials that carry high risks for animals, humans, and the environment

The epidemiology of invasive fungal infections (IFIs) is currently changing, driven by aggressive immunosuppressive therapy, leading to an expanded spectrum of patients at risk of IFIs. Aspergillosis is a leading cause of IFIs, which usually affects immunocompromised patients. There is a limited number of antifungal medications available for treating IFIs and their effectiveness is often hindered by rising resistance rates and practical limitations. Consequently, new antifungals, especially those with novel mechanisms of action, have become increasingly required. This study assessed the activity of four novel antifungal agents with different mechanisms of activity: manogepix, rezafungin, ibrexafungerp, and olorofim against 100 isolates of Aspergillus section Terrei, containing amphotericin B (AmB) wildtypes/non-wildtypes and azole-susceptible/-resistant strains, according to the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) method. In general, all tested agents showed potent and consistent activity against tested isolates, exhibiting a geometric mean (GM) and minimum effective concentration (MEC)/minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) range respectively as follows: manogepix (0.048 mg/L, 0.032-0.5 mg/L), rezafungin (0.020 mg/L, 0.016-0.5 mg/L), ibrexafungerp (0.071 mg/L, 0.032-2 mg/L), and olorofim (0.008 mg/L, 0.008-0.032 mg/L). In terms of MIC90/MEC90, olorofim had the lowest values (0.008 mg/L), followed by rezafungin (0.032 mg/L), manogepix (0.125 mg/L), and ibrexafungerp (0.25 mg/L). All antifungals tested demonstrated promising in vitro activity against Aspergillus section Terrei, including A. terreus and cryptic species that were azole-resistant and AmB non-wildtype.

As medical care aiming to maintain the quality of life for elderly patients is increases, implant treatment for elderly patients is increasing worldwide. Therefore, we aimed to investigate implant stability and the reliability of different measuring devices according to implant placement site and duration in patients aged over 65 years. The study evaluated 60 implants in 60 patients aged ≥ 65 years. The implant placement sites were divided into six evenly distributed sections (n=10) i.e., maxillary right- posterior, A; maxillary anterior, B; maxillary left-posterior, C; mandibular right-posterior, D; mandibular anterior, E; mandibular left-posterior, F. Participants visited the hospital seven times: preoperatively, 1V; implant surgery, 2V; stitch removal, 3V; 1-month follow-up, 4V; 2-months follow-up, 5V; before final-restoration delivery, 6V; and after final-restoration delivery, 7V. The implant stability was evaluated with the Osstell Mentor (ISQ), Periotest M (PTV), and Anycheck (IST). The mean values of ISQ, PTV, and IST were analyzed (α=.05). ISQ, PTV, and IST results of 5V and 6V were significantly higher than those of 2V (P<.05). The lowest ISQ results occurred in E location at 5V and 6V (P<.05). In all mandibular locations, IST results of 7V were significantly higher than those of 2V, 3V, 4V, and 5V (P<.05). ISQ results were negatively correlated with PTV and positively correlated with IST, and PTV was negatively correlated with IST. By considering various factors that affect implant stability, the appropriate implant load application time was determined. This could help increase the implant success rate in elderly patients. And as a diagnostic device for implant stability for evaluation of osseointegration in elderly patients, Anycheck was also able to prove its relative reliability compared to Osstell ISQ Mentor and Periotest M.

The paper investigates the influence of ion nitriding on the microstructure, corrosion resistance, and tensile strength at elevated temperatures of Haynes 282 nickel superalloy specimens produced by the Direct Metal Laser Sintering-DMLS technique. Analysis of the specimens’ surface morphology revealed that the ion nitriding process significantly affects the physical and chemical phenomena occurring on the surface of the specimens. Phase composition and stress analysis showed that Haynes 282 nickel alloy specimens produced by the DMLS technique and a chromium nitride layer produced in the ion nitriding process have tensile stress. The layer is also characterized by high nanohardness compared to specimens produced using the classical method (wrought) and DMLS technique. The conducted corrosion resistance tests confirmed the positive effect of the nitrided layer on the corrosion resistance of Haynes 282 nickel alloy produced by the DMLS technique. The ion nitriding process did not significantly affect the elevated-temperature tensile strength of Haynes 282 nickel alloy specimens produced by the DMLS technique.

The accurate of model attitude angel plays an important role on the aerodynamic test results in the wind tunnel test. The original method applies the spherical coordinate system transformation to obtain attitude angel calculation. The model attitude angel is obtained by coordinate transformation and spherical surface mapping applying the nominal attitude angel (the balance attitude angel in the wind tunnel coordinate system) indicated by the mechanism. First, the coordinate transformation of this method is not only complex but also difficult to establish the transformed relationship between the space coordinate systems especially after many steps of coordinate transformation, moreover it cannot realize the iterative calculation of the interference relationship between attitude angels; Second, during the calculate process to solve the problem the arc is approximately used to replace the straight line, the angel for the tangent value, and the inverse trigonometric function is applied. Therefore, in the calculation of attitude angel, the process is complex and inaccurate, which can be solved approximately when calculating small attack angel. However, with the advancing development of modern aerodynamic unsteady research, the aircraft tends to develop high or super large attack angel and unsteady research field. According to engineering practice and vector theory, the concept of vector angel coordinate system is proposed for the first time, and the vector angel coordinate system of attitude angel is established. With the iterative correction calculation and avoiding the problem of approximate and inverse trigonometric function solution, the model attitude calculation process is carried out in detail, which validates that the calculation accuracy and accuracy of model attitude angels are improved. Based on engineering and theoretical methods, a vector angel coordinate system is established for the first time, which gives the transformation and angel definition relations between different flight attitude coordinate systems, that can accurately calculate the attitude angel of the corresponding coordinate system and determine its direction, especially in the channel coupling calculation, the calculation of the attitude angel between the coordinate systems is only related to the angel, and has nothing to do with the change order s of the coordinate system, which simplifies the calculation process.

Coronavirus is a disease caused by a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) which emerged as a global pandemic in 2019 from Wuhan, China. Since its emergence, it has caused immense suffering to human life, 6.27 million lives have been lost, movement curtailed and social dynamics disrupted. The golden standard for getting samples for SARS-CoV-2 detection is through oral- nasopharyngeal swab, this method of sample collection is invasive and uncomfortable, thus stigmatized the general population, and thereby impeded the progress of controlling the spread through mass testing. Being a contact disease, mechanisms to encourage mass testing is key to reduce the spread. This study thus developed a complimentary sample type to test for SARS-CoV-2, the use of human feces. Fecal samples were collected from 100 asym-symptomatic individuals suspected to be infected with COVID-19, virus RNA was then extracted and profiled through Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-qPCR). The antigen rapid diagnostic test revealed high positivity rate of 44%, but the real time polymerase chain reaction results on nasopharyngeal and fecal samples revealed a significant variation, high number of the patients tested positive with stool samples compared to the nasopharyngeal swabs, with 43 and 37%, respectively. SARS-CoV-2 virus was detected in both symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals; however, the symptomatic registered a higher positivity of 25% compared to 20% among the asymptomatic patients. Vaccination only lowered the risk of infection, fully and partially vaccinated lowered the infection level to 10% compared to 20% among the unvaccinated. Finally, gender parity in relation to COVID19 was evaluated, more females (56%) compared to males were recruited in this study, out of which (20; 43.4%) were positive, and 26 (56.6%) were negative based on fecal RT-qPCR outcomes. Based on the outcome of this study, rapid diagnostic test (Ag-RDT) however cheap and or fast does not provide accurate information, moreover, the virus does not stay longer within the Oro-nasopharyngeal region, thus the invalid or negative results, thus use of feces should be adopted as a confirmatory test to ascertain the COVID19 status of an individual.

Background: Cancer patients may fail to distinguish COVID-19 symptoms such as anosmia, dysgeusia/ageusia, anorexia, headache, and fatigue, which are frequent after cancer treatments. We aimed to identify symptoms associated with COVID-19 and to assess the strength of their association in cancer and cancer-free populations. Methods: The prospective multicenter cohort study PAPESCO-19 included 878 cancer patients and 940 healthcare workers (HCWs) systematically tested for SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies. Participants reported the results of routine screening RT-PCR and thirteen COVID-19 symptoms. Backward logistic regression identified the symptom combinations significantly associated with COVID-19. Results: COVID+ proportions were similar in patients (8%) and HCWs (9.5%, p=0.26), whereas symptomatic proportions were lower in patients (32%) than HCWs (52%, p&lt;0.001). Anosmia, anorexia, fever, headache, and rhinorrhea together accurately discriminated (c-statistic=0.7027) COVID-19 cases in patients. Anosmia, dysgeusia/ageusia, muscle pain, intense fatigue, headache, and chest pain better discriminated (c-statistic=0.8830) COVID-19 cases in HCWs. Anosmia had the strongest association in patients (OR=7.48, 95% CI: 2.96–18.89) and HCWs (OR=5.71, 95% CI: 2.21–14.75). Conclusions: COVID-19 symptoms and their diagnostic performance differ in cancer patients and HCWs. Anosmia is associated with COVID-19 for patients, while dysgeusia/ageusia are not. Cancer patients deserve tailored preventive measures due to their particular COVID-19 symptom pattern.

There is high confidence that climate change has increased the probability of concurrent temperature-precipitation extremes, changed their spatial-temporal variations, and affected the relationships between drivers of such natural hazards. However, the extent of such changes has been less investigated in Australia. Daily weather data (131 years, 1889-2019) at 700 grid cells (1◦ × 1◦) across Australia was obtained to calculate annual and seasonal mean daily maximum temperature (MMT) and total precipitation (TPR). A nonparametric multivariate copula framework was adopted to estimate the return period of compound hot-dry (CHD) events based on an ‘And’ hazard scenario (hotter than a threshold ‘And’ drier than a threshold). CHD extremes were defined as years with joint return periods of larger than 25 years. Mann-Kendall nonparametric tests was used to analyse trends in MMT and TPR as well as in the frequency of univariate and CHD extremes. A general cooling-wetting trend was observed over 1889-1989. Significant increasing trends were detected over 1990-2019 in the frequency and severity of hot extremes across the country while trends in dry extremes were mostly insignificant (and decreasing). Results showed a significant increase in the association between temperature and precipitation at various temporal scales. The frequency of CHD extremes was mostly stable over 1889-1989, but significantly increased between 1990 and 2019 at 44% of studied grid cells, mostly located in the north, south-east and south-west. Spatial homogeneity (i.e. connectedness) and propagation of extreme events from one grid cell to its neighbouring cells was investigated across Australia. It can be concluded that this connectedness has not significantly changed since 1889.

The lack of reliable rainfall projection records remains a major challenge to Uganda. In the advent of extreme wetness or drought events, reliable rainfall estimates for local planning and adaptation are essential. The present study used two main datasets to conduct a historical analysis from 1981 to 2019, coupled with future projections under representative concentration pathway (RCP 8.5) for the period 2020-2050. Historical analysis revealed bimodal annual rainfall pattern for March-May (MAM) and September-November (SON) gradients representing heavier to lighter rainfall events respectively over the study area. Investigation of recent trends in rainfall patterns revealed an upward trend from 2010 onwards in annual and seasonal rainfall. Moreover, results for future projections show wet conditions are projected to occur over the study area between the months of April/May and October. Contrarily, March is likely to experience a reduction in wet conditions. Mann-Kendall test employed to make future projections of rainfall depicted decreasing patterns during MAM season whilst increasing tendencies with strong shift was highlighted for SON season over the study region. Meanwhile, annual projections indicate huge variations with linear trends showing a marginal increase as compared to historical trends. Findings would serve as baseline print to propel further studies that could delve into impact analysis of drought extreme events which pose significant threats to the agricultural sector which is heavily reliant on rainfall.

Purpose The gradual increase in geriatric issues and global imbalance of the ratio between patients and healthcare professionals has created a demand for intelligent systems with the least error-prone diagnosis results to be used by less medically trained persons and save clinical time. This paper aims at investigating the development of an image-based colourimetric analysis. The purpose of recognising such tests is to support wider users to begin a colourimetric test to be used at homecare settings, telepathology, etc. Design/methodology/approach The concept of an automatic colourimetric assay detection is delivered by utilising two cases. Training Deep Learning (DL) models on thousands of images of these tests using transfer learning, this paper i) classifies the type of the assay, and ii) classifies the colourimetric results. Findings This paper demonstrated that the assay type can be recognised using DL techniques with 100% accuracy within a fraction of a second. Some of the advantages of the pre-trained model over the calibration-based approach are robustness, readiness and suitability to deploy for similar applications within a shorter period of time. Originality/value To the best of our knowledge, this is the first attempt to provide Colourimetric Assay Type Classification (CATC) using DL. Humans are capable to learn thousands of visual classifications in their life. Object recognition may be a trivial task for humans, due to photometric and geometric variabilities along with the high degree of intra-class variabilities it can be a challenging task for machines. However, transforming visual knowledge into machines, as proposed, can support non-experts to better manage their health and reduce some of the burdens on experts.

This study investigates the trend in monthly and annual rainfall, minimum and maximum temperature (T_min and T_max) using the Mann–Kendall (MK) test and Sen’s slope (SS) method and evaluates the significance of their variability for maize, sorghum and millet yields in northern Togo employing multiple regression analysis. The historical data of Kara, Niamtougou, Mango and Dapaong weather stations from 1977 to 2012 were used. Four non-parametric methods—Alexandersson’s Standard Normal Homogeneity Test (SNHT), Buishand’s Range Test (BRT), Pettitt’s Test (PT) and Von Neumann’s Ratio Test (VNRT)—were applied to detect homogeneity in the data. For the data which were serially correlated, a modified version of the MK test (pre-whitening) was utilised. Results showed an increasing trend in the annual rainfall in all four locations. However, this trend was only significant at Dapaong (p < 0.1). There was an increasing trend in T_max at Kara, Mango and Niamtougou, unlike Dapaong where T_max revealed a significant decreasing trend (p < 0.01). Similarly, there was an increasing trend in T_min at Kara, Mango and Dapaong, unlike Niamtougou where T_min showed a non-significant decreasing trend (p > 0.05). Rainfall in Dapaong was found to have increased (7.79 mm/year) more than the other locations such as Kara (2.20 mm/year), Niamtougou (4.57 mm/year) and Mango (0.67 mm). T_max increased by 0.13, 0.13 and 0.32 °C per decade at Kara, Niamtougou and Mango, respectively, and decreased by 0.20 per decade in Dapaong. Likewise, T_min increased by 0.07, 0.20 and 0.02 °C per decade at Kara, Mango and Dapaong, respectively, and decreased by 0.01 °C per decade at Niamtougou. Results of multiple regression analysis revealed nonlinear yield responses to changes in rainfall and temperature. Rainfall and temperature variability affects rainfed cereal crops production, but the effects vary across crops. The temperature has a positive effect on maize yield in Kara, Niamtougou and Mango but a negative effect on sorghum in Niamtougou and millet in Dapaong, while rainfall has a negative effect on maize yield in Niamtougou and Dapaong and millet yield in Mango. In all locations, rainfall and temperature variability has a significant effect on the cereal crop yields. There is, therefore, a need to adopt some adaptation strategies for sustainable agricultural production in northern Togo.

Liquefaction risk assessment is critical for the safety and economics of structures. As the soil strata of Ramsar area in north Iran is mostly composed of poorly graded clean sand and the ground water table is found at shallow depths, it is highly susceptible to liquefaction. In this study, a series of isotropic and anisotropic consolidated undrained triaxial tests are performed on reconstituted specimens of Ramsar sand to identify the liquefaction potential of the area. The specimens are consolidated isotropically to simulate the level ground condition, and anisotropically to simulate the soil condition on a slope and/ or under a structure. The various states of soil behavior are studied by preparing specimens at different initial relative densities and applying different levels of effective stress. The critical state soil mechanics approach for identifying the liquefaction susceptibility is adopted and the observed phenomena are further explained in relation to the micro-mechanical behavior. As only four among the 27 conducted tests did not exhibit liquefactive behavior, Ramsar sand can be qualified as strongly susceptible to liquefaction. Furthermore, it is observed that the pore pressure ratio is a good indication of the liquefaction susceptibility

The development of hybrid rockets offers excellent opportunities for the practical education of students at universities due to a high safety and a relatively low complexity of the rocket propulsion system. During the German educational program STERN, students of the Technische Universität Braunschweig obtain the possibility to design and launch a sounding rocket with a hybrid engine. The design of engine HYDRA 4X is presented and results of first engine tests are discussed. Results for measured regression rates are compared to results from literature. Furthermore, the impact of the lightweight casing material CFRP on the hybrid engine mass and flight apogee altitude is examined for rockets with different total impulse classes (10 to 50 kNs). It is shown that the benefit of a lightweight casing material on engine mass decreases with an increasing total impulse. However, a higher gain on apogee altitude, especially for bigger rockets with a comparable high total impulse is shown.

Zika virus (ZIKV) co-circulates with several closely related flaviviruses which exhibit similar clinical manifestations thus, clinicians rely on molecular and serological techniques for diagnosis. Cross-reactivity of patient specimens to flaviviruses is a significant impediment to serological diagnosis in areas where multiple flaviviruses co-circulate. Furthermore, patient exposure history to any of these viruses could complicate serological response patterns which could result in over and/or underdiagnosis of ZIKV infection. Three strains of ZIKV, dengue serotypes 1-4, West Nile virus, Japanese Encephalitis virus, and Yellow Fever virus were evaluated for neutralizing properties against 3 monoclonal antibodies, 4 ZIKV-naïve patients with flavivirus exposure history, 5 patients with verified ZIKV exposure and unknown flavivirus exposure history, and 5 flavivirus-naive patients with ZIKV-only exposure. Patients naïve for ZIKV exposure effectively neutralized multiple strains of ZIKV. Overall, the prototype ZIKV isolate MR-766 did not behave like the other ZIKV isolated used in this study. MR-766 was neutralized more completely by polyclonal patient serum than recent ZIKV isolates. MR-766 was neutralized better than dengue virus in ZIKV-naïve patients with prior dengue exposure. MR-766 was neutralized significantly less than recent ZIKV isolates when treated with monoclonal antibodies. The data herein show that without RT-PCR, serological diagnosis may not be possible in areas where multiple flaviviruses are endemic.

The formability and failure behavior of TRIP steel blanks were investigated through various stress states. The forming limit diagram (FLD) at fracture is constructed both experimentally and numerically. Numerical studies are performed to evaluate the applicability of different damage criteria in predicting the FLD as well as complex cross-die deep drawing process. The fracture surface and numerical results revealed that the material failed in a different mode for different strain path. Therefore, Tresca model which is based on shear stress accurately predicted the conditions where shear had the profound effect on the damage initiation, whereas Situ localized necking criterion was able to calculate the conditions which localization was dominant.

The open communication is an exigent need for future power system where the time delay is unavoidable. In order to secure the stability of the grid, the frequency must remain within its limited range which is achieved through the load frequency control. The load frequency control signals are transmitted through communication networks which induces time delay that could destabilize the power systems. So, in order to guarantee the stability the delay margin should be computed. In this paper, we present a new method for calculating the delay margin in load frequency control systems. The transcendental time delay characteristics equation is transformed to frequency dependant equation. The spectral radius is used to find the frequencies at which the roots crosses the imaginary axis. The crossing frequencies are determined through the sweeping test and the binary iteration algorithm. A one-area load frequency control system is chosen as case study. The effectiveness of the proposed method has been proved through comparing with the most recent published methods. The method shows its merit with less conservativeness and less computations. The PI controller gains are preferable to be chosen large to reduce the damping, however, the delay margin decreases with increasing the PI controller gains.

Strata and surface movement induced by mining under open-pit final slope is a huge threat to mine safety. Physical model test is an important method to study mining-induced strata and surface movement laws. Because of rock joints predominantly control rock mass deformation and failure, thus physical model test leaving out of consideration of rock joints is difficult to reflect the influence of rock joints on rock mass deformation. Therefore, this paper presents a three-dimensional physical model test considering simplified dominant rock joints. This test process includes the design of testing equipment, the construction of physical model with dominant rock joint sets, conduction of mining and deformation monitoring. And mining under eastern final slope of Yanqianshan iron mine was selected as a case to study the behavior of mining-induced strata and surface movement.

Precise classification of sarcomas is crucial to drive optimal clinical management. In this prospective, multicenter, observational study within the Hellenic Group of Sarcoma and Rare Cancers (HGSRC) we assessed the effect of expert pathology review, coupled with the application of molecular diagnostics, on diagnosis and management of sarcoma patients. Newly diagnosed sarcoma patients were addressed by their physicians to one of the two sarcoma pathologists of HGSRC for histopathological diagnostic assessment. RNA next-generation sequencing was per-formed to all samples, using a platform targeting 86 sarcoma gene fusions. Additional molecular methods were performed on the opinion of the expert pathologist. Therefore, the expert pathologist provided a final diagnosis based on the histopathological findings and, when necessary on molecular tests. In total, 128 specimens from 122 patients were assessed. Among the 119 cases in which there was a preliminary diagnosis by a non-sarcoma pathologist, there were 37 modifications in diagnosis (31.1%) by the sarcoma pathologist, resulting in 17 (14.2%) modifications in management. Among the 110 cases in which molecular tests were performed, there were 29 modifications in diagnosis (26.4%) through the genomic results, resulting in 12 (10.9%) modifications in management. Our study confirms that expert pathology review is of utmost importance for the optimal sarcoma diagnosis and management and should be assisted by molecular methods in selected cases.

Heart failure is associated with a significant mortality rate, and an elevated prevalence of this condition has been noted among hypertensive patients. The identification of predictive factors for heart failure progression in hypertensive individuals is crucial for early intervention and improved patient outcomes. In this study, we aimed to identify these predictive factors utilizing medical history data for hypertension patients. Specifically, we focused solely on utilizing medical data preceding the diagnosis of hypertension to enable patients to anticipate the onset of potential heart failure at the time of hypertension diagnosis. Age-specific and ICD system-specific predictive factors were identified utilizing the MIMIC-IV database through the application of two analytical approaches: chi-square tests and XGBoost modeling. Our findings reveal 21 overall predictive factors, encompassing conditions such as atrial fibrillation, the use of anticoagulants, kidney failure, obstructive pulmonary disease, and anemia. These factors were assessed through a comprehensive review of the existing literature. We anticipate that the results will offer valuable insights for the risk assessment of heart failure in hypertensive patients.

The rates of obesity and obesity-related diseases continue to increase worldwide, classifying obesity as a global epidemic. Endogenous opioids have been implicated in influencing feeding behavior; however, the role of each opioid peptide is still only partially characterized. Therefore, we assessed the role of the proopiomelanocortin (POMC)-derived peptide beta-endorphin (β-END) in long-term high-fat diet (HFD) feeding and glucose homeostasis and assessed if sex-related differences exist in these processes. Male and female mice lacking the ability to produce β-END and their respective controls were subjected to a 12-week HFD consumption to determine the role of the opioid peptide in food intake and glucose homeostasis. Body weight and food intake were measured weekly for twelve weeks. At weeks 6 and 12, plasma glucose levels were measured using an oral glucose tolerance test. Here, we report that male β-END deficient mice gained more weight and consumed more calories than their wildtype controls; however, this difference was not observed in the female mice. Regardless of genotype, female mice consumed more calories per body weight when compared to male mice despite their smaller body weights. Moreover, our findings suggest differences in glucose homeostasis between the wildtype and knockout mice and that these were only observed at week six but not at week 12. Overall, our study suggests that endogenous β-END may play a role in controlling body weight, feeding behavior, and glucose homeostasis and that sex-related differences may exist in this regard.

Count data analysis presents unique challenges due to its discrete nature, often exhibiting excessive zeros and overdispersion. To address these complexities, count models, such as Poisson regression and Negative Binomial regression, have been developed, enabling modeling and prediction of count-based phenomena. Additionally, it’s important to notice that zero inflation, a phenomenon commonly observed in count data, requires specialized techniques for robust analysis. This article provides an overview of count data and count models, explores zero inflation, introduces Likelihood Ratio Tests, and explains how the Vuong Test can be used as a model selection criteria. Furthermore, we created a Vuong Test implementation from scratch using the Python programming language. This implementation enhances the accessibility and applicability of the Vuong Test in real-world scenarios, providing a valuable contribution to the academic community, since Python didn’t have an implementation of this statistical test.

The Ames/quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) International Challenge Projects held during 2014–2017 and 2020–2022, evaluated the performance of various predictive models. Despite the significant insights gained, the rules allowing participants to select prediction targets introduced ambiguity in model performance evaluation. This reanalysis identified the highest-performing prediction model, assuming a 100% coverage rate (COV) for all prediction target compounds and an estimated performance variation due to changes in COV. All models from both projects were evaluated using balance accuracy (BA), Matthews correlation coefficient (MCC), F1 Score (F1), and the first principal component (PC1). After normalizing the COV, a correlation analysis with these indicators was conducted, and the evaluation index for all prediction models in terms of the COV was estimated. In total, 109 models, the highest estimated BA (76.9) at 100% COV was MMI-VOTE1, reported by Meiji Pharmaceutical University (MPU). The best models for MCC, F1, and PC1 were all MMI-STK1, also reported by MPU. All models reported by MPU ranked in the top four. MMI-STK1 was estimated to have F1 scores of 59.2, 61.5, and 63.1 at COV levels of 90%, 60%, and 30%, respectively. These findings highlight the current state and potential of the Ames prediction technology.

The optical reflection characteristics of asphalt pavement are an important influencing factor in road lighting design, and the macro and micro textures of asphalt pavement significantly affect its reflection characteristics. To investigate the impact of texture parameters on the retroreflection coefficient of asphalt pavement, this study obtained the macroscopic and microscopic texture properties of rutting board specimens and on-site asphalt pavement using a pavement texture tester. The macro- and microtexture parameters, such as macroscopic texture distribution density (D1), microscopic texture distribution density (D2), profile height root-mean-square (Rq), profile slope root-mean-square (Δq), skewness Rsk and kurtosis Rku, were measured, and the corresponding retroreflection coefficient RL was measured using a retro-reflectometer. In the laboratory ex-periments, rutting specimens of AC-13, SMA-13, and OGFC-13 asphalt mixtures were formed. The changes in texture parameters and retroreflection coefficient of different rutting specimens before and after crushing were studied, and a factor influence model between macro- and microtexture parameters and RL was established. And the correlation models of texture index and RL of asphalt pavement are further established. The results showed that in the single factor model, the param-eters can be used to characterize RL with high prediction accuracy, whereas for the on-site meas-urements, the three parameters of Δq, Rsk, and Rku can characterize the RL well. The nonlinear model established on the basis of the B-P neural network algorithm improves its prediction ac-curacy. This research can provide ideas for optimizing the reflection characteristics of asphalt pavement and further provide a decision-making basis for road lighting design.

In many industrial, automotive, and aerospace applications, electro-mechanical systems are subjected to random vibration excitations, and the most critical components are required to undergo qualification tests to verify their suitability. Measured field data are commonly considered as reference for the synthesis of random stationary signals used as shaker input excitations in laboratory tests. For the most popular procedures of random-control testing, the user sets the input profiles in terms of power spectral density (PSD) associated with randomized phases generated by the shaker controller to finally provide the physical motion. As a result, the overall probability distribution of the test signal tends toward Gaussian, whereas many real-life random excitations prove non-Gaussian due to distinctive bursts and peaks. The quantitative estimate of the number and amplitudes of peaks present in a certain signal is usually made through the statistical parameter known as kurtosis. The so-called kurtosis control methods presented in the literature are conceived to perform qualification tests with random and non-Gaussian vibration excitations. In this paper, two novel algorithms able to synthesize shaker input signals for random-control testing with prescribed PSD and kurtosis value are proposed, and the results of their application are comparatively discussed to assess their effectiveness and potentialities in different kinds of qualification testing, including accelerated fatigue-life tests.

We analysed changes in magnitude and timing of the largest annual observed daily flow (Amax), in each water year, for 596 stations in high-value water resources catchments and flood risk locations across Australia. These stations are either included in the Bureau of Meteorology's Hydrologic Reference Stations, or used in its operational flood forecasting services. Monotonic trend (which are either consistently increasing or decreasing) analyses of the magnitude and timing of flood peaks (estimated using Amax) were performed using Theil-Sen and Mann-Kendell approach and circular statistics to identify strength of seasonality and timing. Regional significance at the drainage division scale was analysed using the Walker test. Monotonic decreasing trends in Amax flood magnitude were detected in the Murray-Darling River basin and in other drainage divisions in Victoria, south-west and mid-west of Western Australia and South Australia. No significant obvious pattern in Amax magnitude was detected in northern Queensland, coastal NSW, central Australia and Tasmania. Only the Tanami-Timor Sea Coast drainage division in northern Australia showed monotonic increasing trends. Monotonic trends in Amax magnitude were regionally significant at the drainage division scale. We found two distinct patterns in flood seasonality and timing. In the northern and southern parts of Australia, flood peaks generally occur during February to March and August to October, respectively. The strength of this seasonality varies across the country. Weaker seasonality was detected for locations in the Murray-Daring River basin, and stronger seasonality was evident in northern Australia, south-west of Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania. The trends of seasonality and timing reveal that in general, flood peaks are occurring later in the water year in recent years. In northern Australia, flood peaks are generally occurring earlier – at a rate of 12 days/decade. In Victoria, New South Wales and Tasmania, trends in timing are generally mixed. However, in the south-west of Western Australia, the largest change in timing was evident – with Amax peaks commencing later at a rate of 15 days/decade. Decadal variability in flood timing was found at the drainage division scale as well. Most stations show a decreasing trend in Amax magnitude, but how that trend is associated with the change in timing is not clear.

Different drought indices are used to quantify its characteristics. This research applied many approaches to assessing the uncertain SPI and SPEI and the most capturing index of drought. Machine learning algorithms are used to predict drought; TBATS and ARIMA models run diverse input sources including observations, CSIC, and CMIP6-ssp126 datasets. The longest drought duration was 14 months. Drought severity and average intensity were found -24.64 and -1.76, -23.80 and -1.83, -23.57 and -1.96, -23.44 and -2.0 where the corresponding drought categories were SPI 12 -Sweileh, SPI 9 Sweileh, SPI 12 Wadi Dhullail, SPI 12 Amman-Airport. The dominant drought incident occurred between Oct 2020 and Dec 2021. CMIP6 can capture the drought occurrence and severity by measuring SPI but did not capture the severity magnitude same as from observations (-2.87 by observation and -1.77 by CMIP6). Using observed SPI and historical CMIP6, ARIMA was the most accurate than TBATS. Regarding SPEI forecast, ARIMA was the most accurate model to forecast drought index using the observed historical SPEI and CSIC over all stations. The performance metrics ME, RMSE, MAE, and MASE implied significantly promising forecasting models; -0.0046, 0.278, 0.179, &amp; 0.193 respectively for ARIMA and -0.0181, 0.538, 0.416, &amp; 0.466 respectively for TBATS. Hybrid modelling is suggested for more consistency and robustness of forecasting approaches.

This research is aimed to develop the method for damage degree evaluation in metals and alloys during their deformation and destruction based on acoustic emission (AE) technique. Experimental studies were carried out on tensile specimens of high-strength steel with simultaneous registration of AE signals in tested material. It was shown that the time-dependent AE primary parameters, such as the AE signal maximum amplitudes and AE activity, do not have a clear relationship with the material damage degree. This fact makes it difficult to use standard methods for assessing the damage degree of acoustic signal sources, including defects. It was proposed to use the Kolmogorov-Smirnov criterion to differ the processes of metal plastic deformation and crack propagation during the rupture. The possibility of estimating the material damage degree by high-energy AE hits share was shown. Besides, a particular expression was obtained for evaluating the damage degree for the material under study.

Calcareous sand deposits are widely distributed along the shoreline in ropical and subtropical regions. Microbially induced calcite precipitation treatment (MICP) is a relatively new method to improve the stiffness and strength of the soil. Little is known about the small-strain shear modulus and damping ratio of MICP-treated calcareous sand, which are two crucial parameters for the prediction of the dynamic behavior of soil. A series of resonant column tests are performed to investigate the dynamic performance of MICP-treated calcareous sand, with special attention paid to the influence of treatment duration and confining stress on the stiffness and damping characteristics. The relationship between the initial dynamic shear modulus and unconfined compressive strength is analyzed. Additionally, the empirical equations of the reference shear strain between treatment duration and confining stress are given. The G/G0 of MICP-cemented calcareous sand presents a higher strain sensitivity than that of untreated sand, and its attenuation pattern can be described by Hardin-Drnevich model. The σc has an apparent effect on the degradation characteristics of the dynamic shear modulus of MICP-treated calcareous sand with a low cementation level, however, its effect decreases with the increasing treatment duration. The relationship between the reference shear strain and the treatment duration and confining stress can be described by a power and a linear formula, respectively.

The cold-formed steel sections are becoming popular for different steel structures because it has a high resistance against the different straining actions with minimum weight compared with hard steel sections. Recently, the perforated cold-formed steel (PCFS) sections are used in many applications such as storage perforated uprights racks. Experimental research into the behaviour of steel storage rack uprights subjected to axial compression is presented in this paper. The material qualities of cold-formed steel uprights were determined by tensile tests. The seventeen perforated specimens were examined under axial compression, with five different cross-sections, three different web heights and thicknesses, and varying lengths. The study's goals are to find out how perforations affect the performance and failure mode of steel storage rack uprights, discuss the interaction of distortional and global buckling, and verify the accuracy of using the Direct Strength Method (DSM) for predicting the ultimate strength of uprights failing in buckling interactions for perforated uprights. It is found that the failure modes of perforated specimens with stiffeners generally cannot be well predicted by the Direct Strength Method. But when the modifications proposed by Xianzhong Zhao etc. al. are used, their accuracy is acceptable.

Nowadays, energy saving is considered a key issue worldwide, as it brings a variety of benefits: reducing greenhouse gas emissions, reducing demand for energy imports, and lowering costs on a household and economy-wide level. Researchers and building designers are looking to optimize building efficiency by means of new energy technologies. Changes in existing buildings can also be made to reduce energy consumption and costs. These may include the usage of new heat transfer fluids based on nanofluids. In this work, an extended experimental campaign (from February 2020 to March 2021) has been carried out on an educational building in the Campus of University of Salento, Lecce – Italy, in order to evaluate the increase in performance of the HVAC system, due to the usage of a nanofluid. The results show that, under optimal operating conditions, plant performance improves more than 10%, with average daily peaks of about 15%.

Sedation is a ubiquitous practice in ICUs and NCCUs. It has the benefit of reducing cerebral energy demands, but also precludes an accurate neurologic assessment. Because of this, sedation is intermittently stopped for the purposes of a neurologic assessment, which is termed a neurologic wake-up test (NWT). NWTs are considered to be the gold-standard in continued assessment of brain-injured patients under sedation. NWTs also produce an acute stress response that is accompanied by elevations in blood pressure, respiratory rate, heart rate, and ICP. Utilization of cerebral microdialysis and brain tissue oxygen monitoring indicates that this is not mirrored by alterations in overall cerebral metabolism, and seldom affects oxygenation. The hard contraindications for the NWT are preexisting intracranial hypertension, barbiturate treatment, status epilepticus, and hyperthermia. However, hemodynamic instability, sedative use for primary ICP control, and sedative use for severe agitation or respiratory distress are considered significant safety concerns. Despite ubiquitous recommendation, it is not clear if additional clinically relevant information is gleaned through its use, especially with the contemporaneous utilization of multimodality monitoring. Various monitoring modalities provide unique and pertinent information about neurologic function, however, their role in improving patient outcomes and guiding treatment plans has not been fully elucidated. There is a paucity of information pertaining to the optimal frequency of NWTs, and if it differs based on type of injury. Only one concrete recommendation was found in the literature, exemplifying the uncertainty surrounding its utility. The most common sedative used and recommended is propofol because of its rapid onset, short duration, and reduction of cerebral energy requirements. Dexmedetomidine may be employed to facilitate serial NWTs, and should always be used in the non-intubated patient or if propofol infusion syndrome (PRIS) develops. Midazolam is not recommended due to tissue accumulation and residual sedation confounding a reliable NWT. Thus, NWTs are well tolerated in most patients and remain recommended as the gold-standard for continued neuromonitoring. Predicated upon one expert panel, they should be performed at least one time per day. Propofol or dexmedetomidine are the main sedative choices, both enabling a rapid awakening and consistent NWT.

Electrical contractors have experienced a rise in occupational fatalities in recent years. In 2017, electrical contractors also had the second highest number of non-fatal injuries among specialty trade contractors. Identifying statistically significant dependencies between these catastrophic outcomes and a handful of well-defined contributing factors in construction accidents offers a first step in mitigating the risks of construction accidents in this trade. Therefore, this study used methodologies of descriptive and quantitative statistics to identify the contributing factors most affecting occupational accident outcomes among electrical contracting enterprises, given an accident occurred. Accident reports were collected from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s fatality and catastrophe database. To ensure the reliability of the data, the team manually codified more than 600 incidents through a comprehensive content analysis using injury-classification standards. Inclusive of both fatal and non-fatal injuries, the results showed that most accidents happened in nonresidential buildings, new construction, and small projects (i.e., $50,000 or less). The main source of injuries manifested in parts and materials (46%), followed by tools, instruments, and equipment (19%), and structure and surfaces (16%). The most frequent types of injuries were fractures (31%), electrocutions (27%), and electrical burns (14%); the main injured body parts were upper extremities (25%), head (23%), and body system (18%). Among non-fatal cases, falls (37%), exposure to electricity (36%), and contact with objects (19%) caused most injuries; among fatal cases, exposure to electricity was the leading cause of death (50%), followed by falls (28%) and contact with objects (19%). The analysis also investigated the impact of several accident factors on the degree of injuries and found significant effects from such factors such as project type, source of injury, cause of injuries, injured part of body, nature of injury, and event type. In other words, the statistical probability of a fatal accident—given an accident occurrence—changes significantly based on the degree of these factors. Beyond these outcomes, the described content-analysis methodology contributes to the accident-analysis body of knowledge by providing a framework for codifying data from accident reports to facilitate future analysis and modeling attempts (e.g., developing logistic regression models) to subsequently mitigate more injuries in other fields.

In recent years, cemented tailings/paste backfill (CPB) become more and more important to maintain mine structure and keep mining stope to be stable in deep underground mining. Deep mining process often accompanied by blasting, rock burst and other high-speed dynamic loading. So it’s important to make research on dynamic behavior and characteristics of CPB. In this paper, a series of dynamic loading tests on CPB specimens by SHPB were taken to study the characteristic of stress-strain, dynamic strength, deformation and failure of CPB. The experimental results revealed that some CPB specimens have 1~2 lower stress peaks after reaching the peak stress before getting completely failed. The greater the cement-sand ratio was, the more obvious of strain reaction was. This property mainly showed like follows. The greater the cement-sand ratio was, the greater the dynamic compressive strength was under similar velocity impact; the dynamic compressive strength and the average strain rate were quadratic equation relationship, and the greater the cement-sand ratio was, the higher increase rate of dynamic compressive strength caused by strain rate. The dynamic compressive strength enhancement factor increased with the increase of the strain rate, and is larger than that of rock samples. The failure forms of CPB specimens under low-speed impact were almost the same as them under static uniaxial and triaxle compression. The CPB specimens were crushed broken under the critical strain rate, similar to the failure mode of low strength concrete. The experimental research results will improve our understanding the dynamic mechanical property of CPB and help to guide the strength design of deep mining backfill.

Optical fiber measurement systems have recently gained popularity following a multitude of intensive investigations. A new technique has been developed for these measurement systems that uses Rayleigh backscatter to determine the distributed strain measurement over the total length of a fiber. These measurement systems have great potential in civil engineering and structural health monitoring. This paper addresses some preliminary comparisons between three different fiber coatings and six different adhesives on steel structures. The results are based on a bending test with specimens made of precision flat steel; optical fiber strain measurements were compared with photogrammetric strain measurements. Analysis of the test data showed a strong correlation between the optical measurement system’s results and the theoretical results up to the yielding point of the steel. Furthermore, the results indicate that fibers with the Ormocer® and polyimide coatings have almost no loss in the strain measurements. The main results of this investigation are a guideline describing how to attach optical fibers to steel surfaces for distributed fiber optical strain measurements and recommendations for coatings to obtain realistic strain values. Additionally, the advantages of distributed strain measurements were revealed, which illustrates the potential of Rayleigh backscattering applications.

Multiple studies reported a negative relationship between the Honesty-Humility factor of the HEXACO model and psychopathy. The Durand Adaptive Psychopathic Traits Questionnaire (DAPTQ), which was developed to assess adaptive traits known to be related to psychopathic traits, has previously demonstrate positive relationships with all factors of the Big Five Model, at the exception of a negative relationship with neuroticism. The current study aims to validate the previously reported association between the DAPTQ and the five major components of the personality, while also examining its relationship with the Honesty-Humility factor as defined by the HEXACO model. The results (N = 171) support the good internal consistency, two weeks test-retest validity and inter-correlation of the DAPTQ. A Confirmatory Factor Analysis further supports the nine-factor model of the DAPTQ. When compared to the HEXACO, the DAPTQ did not display any relationship with the Honesty-Humility factor, nor the Agreeableness and Openness factors, but kept its similar association to Emotionality, Extroversion, and Conscientiousness as initially reported in its development phase. Overall, the results support the discriminant validity of the DAPTQ to assess adaptive traits related to the psychopathic personality without overlapping with psychopathic personality traits. Results are discussed in terms of implications and further improvements to validate the DAPTQ.

An on-site, ultra-sensitive, and quantitative sensing method was developed based on quantum dot nanobeads (QDNBs) and test strip for the determination of total aflatoxins (AFTs) in rice and peanut. The monoclonal antibody against AFT (mAbAFT) was home-made and labeled with QDNB. After the pre-coating of the AFT antigen on the test line (T line), the competitive immunoreactions were conducted between AFT and AFT antigen on the T line with QDNBs-mAbAFT. Under optimal conditions, this approach allowed a rapid response towards AFT with a considerable sensitivity of 1.4 pg/mL and 2.9 pg/mL in rice and peanut matrices, respectively. The put-in and put-out duration were within 10 min. The recoveries for AFT in rice and peanut samples matrices were recorded from 86.25–118.0% with the relative deviations (RSD) below 12%. The assay was further validated via the comparison between this QDNB strip and the conventional HPLC method using spiked samples. Thus, the design provided a potential alternative for on-site, ultra-sensitive, and quantitative sensing of AFT that could also be expanded to other chemical contaminants for food safety.

In the paper, by the Faά di Bruno formula, several identities for the Bell polynomials of the second kind, and an inversion theorem, the authors simplify coefficients of two families of nonlinear ordinary differential equations for the generating function of the Catalan numbers and discover inverses of fifteen closely related lower triangular integer matrices.

Recently, research on ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) with the characteristics of ultra-high strength, high toughness, and high durability has been actively conducted from materials to actual structural applications. However, research on experimental methods that reflect the unique characteristics of UHPC, which are different from those of normal concrete, is insufficient. To solve the difficulties in applying the compressive creep test method for normal concrete to UHPC and to verify the validity of the recently proposed ASTM C 1856 standard test method, this study performed compressive creep tests on UHPC with variables of specimen size, sustained load intensity, fiber length, and strain measuring method. Two types of cylindrical specimens of ϕ100 × 200 mm and ϕ75 × 150 mm were used for a specimen size variable. The sustained load intensities of 10% to 40% based on the specified compressive strength of 150 MPa were applied. Two types of steel fiber lengths of 13 mm and 19.5 mm in the UHPC mix were used as a variable, and three strain measuring methods of the embedded strain gauge method, the attached strain gauge method, and the strain meter with stud measured the change in length of the UHPC specimens. The experimental results showed that the strain meter method using the standard rod had limitations due to the error in the verification process using the standard rod and the observation error of the measurer, and the sustained load intensity is preferable to 15% to 40% of the actual compressive strength. It was found that it is possible to perform a compressive creep test for UHPC using a specimen with a size of ϕ75 mm or more, and the fiber length did not affect the creep behavior of UHPC up to 19.5 mm. As a result of comparing the UHPC creep test results with the creep prediction model, the B3 model was found to most accurately predict the UHPC creep behavior. The creep coefficient pattern of the B3 model was very similar to the measured results, and well reflected the effects of the mixing ratio and compressive strength of UHPC.

In this paper, low circumferential reciprocating load foot-scale tests were performed on two truncated PHC B 600 130 tubular piles with bearing nodes to characterize the damage process and morphology of the specimens and to investigate the load-carrying performance of the members. The test results reveal that under the action of tensile-bending-shear loading, the bearing concrete in the node area buckles and is damaged, the anchored reinforcement in the node area yields, the constraint is weakened, an articulation point is formed, and the node rotational capacity increases. When the embedment depth increases from 200 mm to 300 mm, the ultimate bearing capacities of the positive and negative nodes increase by 57.60% and 54.60%, respectively. A numerical simulation is used to verify the test results. Considering the three types of piles with truncated nodes, the numerical simulation is used to analyze the node-bearing capacity at different embedment depths. Finally, two preferred node types are proposed as follows: pipe pile core-filled longitudinal reinforcement anchored into the bearing node and pipe pile body longitudinal reinforcement anchored into the bearing node + pipe pile core-filled longitudinal reinforcement anchored into the bearing node, with preferred embedment depths of 350 mm and 200 mm, respectively.

Brown leaf spot disease caused by Alternaria spp. is among the most common diseases in potato crops. Typical brown spot symptoms were observed in commercial potato-cultivated areas of northern Korea during June 2021–2022. In total, 77 isolates were collected, and based on sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, the collected isolates were identified as Alternaria spp. (83.1%). Phylogenetic analysis revealed that a majority of these isolates clustered within a clade that included A. alternata. Additionally, the ITS region and rpb2 yielded the most informative sequences for the identification of A. alternata. Pathogenicity tests confirmed that the collected pathogens elicited identical symptoms in the field. In the pathogenicity test performed on seven commercial cultivars, the pathogens exhibited strong virulence in both wound and non-wound inoculations. Among the cultivars tested, Arirang-1ho, Arirang-2ho, and Golden Ball were resistant to the pathogens. Furthermore, when testing effective fungicides in vitro, mancozeb and difenoconazole were found to be effective agents for inhibiting mycelial growth. In summary, our findings suggest that A. alternata plays a critical role in leaf disease in potato crop regions and emphasise the necessity for continuous monitoring and management to protect against this disease in South Korea.

The study’s objective is to analyse the mechanical properties of steel pipe piles as a part of a trestle bridge subjected to five years of natural marine corrosion degradation. Sixteen tensile specimens were extracted from the steel pipe piles in the splash, tidal, and immersion zones. The experimental tensile test results are used to establish regression equations defining elastic modulus, yield strength, strain hardening index, and strength coefficient for the true stress-strain curves of the three regions. A non-linear time-dependent mathematical model is exploited to identify the corrosion degradation using the data from one single corrosion degradation measurement campaign. The analysis indicated that the splash zone experiences the most severe corrosion degradation, and there are progressive losses in the mechanical properties of each zone as the corrosion degradation progresses. The established relationships of the mechanical properties, as a function of the ratio of corroded plate thickness to the as-built one, can be used as a fast-engineering approach to identify the mechanical properties of severely corroded piles. The corrosion degradation allowance is also defined using the First Order Reliability Method, accounting for existing uncertainties covered by the partial safety factors. By examining the impact of marine corrosion on the mechanical properties of marine structures and developing predictive models to assess the corrosion’s effect on material strength and corrosion allowance, the study aims to improve offshore structures’ safety, design, and maintenance.

Background: Number of joint infections caused by Vancomycin-resistant pathogens is emerging. Currently no PMMA cement is commercially available to cover VRE. Daptomycin shows promising results in infection treatment, offers a good safety profile and reduced risk for resistance development. Purpose of this in vitro study is to investigate the mechanical stability, handling properties, elution behavior and antimicrobial effectiveness of PMMA cement loaded with three different Daptomycin concentrations in comparison to commercially available ALBC; Methods: Mechanical properties and handling characteristics (ISO 5833, DIN 53435), HPLC elution, antimicrobial effectiveness with proliferation assay (DIN 17025) and inhibition zone testing were investigated; Results: All tested Daptomycin concentrations fulfilled ISO and DIN mechanical strength. Dosage of 0.5. g added Daptomycin did not show any antimicrobial effectiveness in contrast to 1.0 g and1.5 g. Cement with 1.5 g Daptomycin was best in elution and effectiveness, showed good mechanical ISO strength, ISO doughing was a little longer sticky and setting was faster as Vancomycin containing reference cement; Conclusion: PMMA cement containing 0.5 g Gentamicin and 1.5 g Daptomycin could be a good alternative to the already established COPAL® G+V for PJI treatment of VRE.

Background: The Stability Index estimation algorithm was derived and applied to develop and implement a balance ability diagnosis system that can be used at daily life. Methods: The system integrated an approach based on sensory function interaction, called the clinical test of sensory interaction with balance (CTSIB). The piezo-resistive force mat was fabricated, and a Stability Index prediction algorithm was developed and applied using the center of pressure (CoP) variables. The Stability Index prediction algorithm derived a CoP variable for 103 elderly people by Nintendo Wii Balance Board (WBB) to predict the Stability Index of the Balance System (Biodex SD). And, the accuracy was confirmed through the correlation between the real and predicted value. Results: As a result of testing with the test-set, the linear regression model confirmed that the r value ranged between 0.943 to 0.983. To confirm the similarity between the WBB and flexible force mat, each measured CoP value was input and calculated into the developed regression model, and the result of the correlation coefficient validation ​​confirmed an r value of 0.96. Conclusion: The system developed in this study will be applicable to the daily life of the home in the form of a floor mat.

It is unclear how maternal glycemic status and maternal iodine status influence birth weight in mild-to-moderate iodine deficiency (ID). We studied the association between birth weight and both maternal glucose levels and iodine intake in pregnant women with mild-to-moderate ID. Glucose values were assessed using a glucose challenge test (GCT), non-fasting glucose before delivery; iodine status was assessed using an iodine food frequency questionnaire, serum thyroglobulin (Tg) and urinary iodine concentrations (UIC). Thyroid antibodies and free thyroxine (FT4) were measured. Obstetric and an-thropometric data were also collected. Large for gestational age (LGA) was predicted using a Cox proportional hazards model with multiple confounders. Tg>13g/L was in-dependently associated with LGA (adjusted hazard ratio = 3.4, 95% CI: 1.4–10.2, p=0.001). Estimated iodine intake correlated with FT4 among participants reporting io-dine-containing supplements (ICS) after adjusting for confounders (β = 0.4 95 %CI: 0.0002-0.0008, p=0.001). Newborn weight percentiles were inversely correlated with maternal FT4 values (β=-0.2 95 %CI:-0.08 - -56.49, p=0.049). We conclude that in mild-to-moderate ID regions, maternal insufficient iodine status may increase LGA risk. Iodine status and ICS intake may modify the effect maternal dysglycemia has on offspring weight.

To study the strengthening effect on recycled concrete columns by carbon fiber composite materials (CFRP) under different levels of seismic damage, four column specimens were designed for pseudo-static tests. The four specimens were respectively non-destructive without strengthening (prototype), non-destructive strengthening, medium seismic damage strengthening and severe seismic damage strengthening, according to the replacement rate of recycled aggregates and the level of seismic damage. The characteristics of the deformation damage and seismic performance indicators of each specimen were compared and analyzed. A decrease was observed in the initial stiffness of the seismically damaged recycled concrete column specimens strengthened with CFRP, while the ductility, peak bearing capacity and energy dissipation capacity of the specimens were improved. On the other hand, with the reduction of seismic damage and the increase of recycled aggregate replacement rate, the ductility and energy dissipation capacity of the reinforced seismic damaged recycled concrete column specimens were enhanced to different levels. In particular, the cumulative energy consumption of the strengthened specimens under medium seismic damage increased most significantly by 32.5%. In general, the hysteretic curves of the strengthened specimens were full, and the average ductility coefficients were 4.1–6.8. CFRP strengthening was more effective in restoring and enhancing the performance of the recycled concrete column specimens with medium and lower seismic damage levels (displacement ratio ≤ 3%).

Obesity in the United States continues to worsen. Anthocyanin-rich fruits and vegetables provide a pragmatic dietary approach to slow its metabolic complications. Given American diet patterns, foods with high anthocyanin content could address dose-response challenges. In a placebo-controlled, randomized, crossover pilot study, determine the effect of 100% elderberry juice on measures of indirect calorimetry (IC), and insulin sensitivity/glucose tolerance. Overweight and obese adults were randomized to a 5-week study which included two 1-week periods of twice-daily elderberry juice (EBJ), or sugar-matched placebo consumption separated by a 3-week washout period. Following each 1-week test period, IC and insulin sensitivity/glucose tolerance was measured with a 3-hour meal tolerance test (MTT). Treatment differences were tested with linear mixed modeling. 22 prospective study volunteers (18F/4M) attended recruitment meetings, 10 volunteers completed the protocol, and 9 were analyzed for treatment differences. EBJ was well tolerated and compliance was 99.6%. Six IC measures (intervals) were created which coincided with 10-20 minute gaseous samplings in-between MTT blood samplings. Average CHO oxidation was significantly higher during the MTT after 1-week EBJ consumption (3.38 vs. 2.88 grams per interval, EBJ vs. placebo, p = 0.0113). Conversely, average fat oxidation was significantly higher during the MTT after 1-week placebo consumption (1.17 vs 1.47 grams per interval, EBJ vs. placebo, p = 0.0189). This was in-line with a significantly lower average respiratory quotient after placebo treatment (0.87 vs. 0.84, EBJ vs. placebo, p = 0.0114). Energy expenditure was not different. There was no difference in serum glucose or insulin response between treatments. This pilot study of free-living volunteers describes significant change in IC but not insulin sensitivity with an EBJ intervention. Controlled feeding and increased sample size will help determine the utility of EBJ on these outcomes.

Introduction: Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the most prevalent respiratory diseases in the world. In 2020 there were at least 9.9 million new infections, with 1.5 million deaths. Approximately 10% of people infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (LTBI) develop the disease during the first 2 to 5 years after infection. Currently in South America, the diagnosis of LTBI continues to be per-formed through the Mantoux tuberculin skin test (TST). Objective: The objective of our study was to compare the sensitivity of a new immunofluorescence IGRA test against a widely available IGRA kit on the market. Material and method: Close contact to infectious patients with TB, or HIV patients or immunocompromised for another cause were recruited. Two interferon gamma release assay (IGRA) diagnostic kits were used and compared with TST. Results: 76 patients were recruited. 93.42% were Chilean nationality, 98.68% of the patients did not have immunosuppres-sion. The sensitivity of the new technique was 88.89% and specificity 92.50% in the study popula-tion compared to the IGRA previously used. In the subgroup older than 36 years, the sensitivity was 95.65% and the specificity 89.47%. Conclusion: IGRA techniques are a new resource in clini-cal laboratories to be able to make an accurate diagnosis in LTBI in the region of the Americas. In our population, the greatest benefit of this new IGRA would be observed in people over 36 years of age, where the sensitivity of the technique was like that of the currently available test.

Cervical cancer is mostly diagnosed cancer of women worldwide and the second most common cancer among middle-aged women in Bangladesh. Knowledge and perception of women are considered one of the major components of prevention strategy. We carried out this survey to assess the existing knowledge level of students and their perception to the role of vaccination in preventing cervical cancer. The participants were female undergraduate students studying Public Health in a university in Chattogram city of Bangladesh. A total of 275 female students were interviewed through prescribed questionnaire possessing questions on basic information of cervical cancer, its causal agent, risk factors, prevention methods, and vaccination. We marked the responses of participants with zero for wrong answer and one for every correct answer and ranked the knowledge level of students. The mean age of study participants was 20.68 years. In total, 69.1% students possessed poor knowledge whereas, 30.9% had good knowledge. The country of students has significant association with their level of knowledge. Most of the students got information on cervical cancer from traditional media (49.8%) and doctor (30.9%) and the effect of these two sources was statistically significant on the knowledge level of students. Students mostly identified vaccination (21.1%) and Gynecological examination (14.39%) as preventing methods. However, 65.5% of them acknowledge that vaccines cannot prevent this cancer and 33.4% believe in different risks of vaccine. Although students have heard of cervical cancer the overall knowledge was insufficient and perceived negative concepts about cancer vaccine. Therefore, we recommend the initiation of educational programs on basic reproductive health and health seeking behaviour targeting young women to successfully control and prevention of this life-threatening health problem.

Residual dizziness after a liberating maneuver is often referred to by patients as a more disabling set of symptoms than the positional vertigo itself. This situation seems to involve more than half of subjects with labyrintholithiasis. The authors examine the hypothesis according to which residual dizziness involves subjects with labyrintholithiasis on the basis of otoconia.

The standard edge crush test (ECT) allows to determine the crushing strength of the corrugated cardboard. Unfortunately, this test cannot be used to estimate the compressive stiffness, which is an equally important parameter. It is because, any attempt to determine this parameter using current lab equipment quickly ends in a fiasco. The biggest obstacle is obtaining a reliable measurement of displacements and strains in the corrugated cardboard sample. In this paper, we present a method that not only allows to reliably identify the stiffness in the loaded direction of orthotropy in the corrugated board sample, but also the full orthotropic material stiffness matrix. The proposed method uses two samples: (a) traditional, cut crosswise to the wave direction of the corrugated core, and (b) cut at an angle of 45 degrees. Additionally, in both cases, an optical system with digital image correlation (DIC) is used to measure the displacements and strains on the outer surface of samples. The use of a non-contact measuring system allows to avoid using the measurement of displacements from the crosshead, which is burdened with a large error. Apart from the new experimental configuration, the article also proposes a simple algorithm to quickly characterize all sought stiffness parameters. The obtained results are finally compared with the results obtained in the homogenization procedure of the cross-section of the corrugated board. The results were consistent in both cases.

This work is concerned with the existence and uniqueness of boundary value problems defined on semi-infinite intervals. These kinds of problems seldom admit exactly known solutions and, therefore, the theoretical information on their well-posedness is essential before attempting to derive an approximate solution by analytical or numerical means. Our utmost contribution in this context is the definition of a numerical test for investigating the existence and uniqueness of solutions of boundary problems defined on semi-infinite intervals. The main result is given by a theorem relating the existence and uniqueness question to the number of real zeros of a function implicitly defined within the formulation of the iterative transformation method. As a consequence, we can investigate the existence and uniqueness of solutions by studying the behaviour of that function. Within such a context the numerical test is illustrated by two examples where we find meaningful numerical results.

This paper presents results on tribological characteristics for polymer blends made of polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). This blend is relatively new in research as PBT has restricted processability because of its processing temperature near the degradation one. Tests were done block-on-ring tribotester, in dry regime, the variables being the PTFE concentration (0%, 5%, 10% and 15%wt) and the sliding regime parameters (load: 1 N, 2.5 N and 5 N, the sliding speed: 0.25 m/s, 0.5 m/s and 0.75 m/s, and the sliding distance: 2500 m, 5000 m and 7500 m). Results are encouraging as PBT as neat polymer has very good tribological characteristics in terms of friction coefficient and wear rate. SEM investigation reveals a quite uniform dispersion of PTFE drops in the PBT matrix.

The use of smartphones, coupled with different sensors, makes it an attractive solution for measuring different physical and physiological features, allowing for the monitoring of various parameters and even identifying some diseases. The BITalino device allows the use of different sensors, including Electroencephalography (EEG) and Electrocardiography (ECG) sensors, to study different health parameters. With these devices, the acquisition of signals is straightforward, and it is possible to connect them using a Bluetooth connection. With the acquired data, it is possible to measure parameters such as calculating the QRS complex and its variation with ECG data to control the individual's heartbeat. Similarly, by using the EEG sensor one could analyze the individual's brain activity and frequency. The purpose of this paper is to present a method for recognition of the diseases related to ECG and EEG data, with sensors available in off-the-shelf mobile devices and sensors connected to a BITalino device. The data were collected during the elderly's experiences, performing the Timed-Up and Go test, and the different diseases found in the sample in the study. The data were analyzed, and the following features were extracted from the ECG, including heart rate, heart rate variability, the average QRS interval, the average R-R interval, and the average R-S interval, and the EEG, including frequency and variability. Finally, the diseases are correlated with different parameters, proving that there are relations between the individuals and the different health conditions.

Reliable methods to confirm the diagnosis of COVID-19 are essential to the successful management and containment of the virus. Current diagnostic options are limited in type, supply, and reliability. This article explores the controversial unreliability of existing diagnostic methods and maintains that more reliable diagnostic methods, combinations, and sequencing are necessary to effectively assist in reducing the occurrence of discharge of the patient on false negative test results. This reduction would in effect reduce transmission of the disease.

Natural calamities observation, study and simulation has always been a prime concern for disaster management agencies. Billions of dollars are spent annually to explore geo-seismic movements especially earthquakes but it has always been a unique accident. The real-time study of seismic waves, ground motions, and earthquakes always needed a programmable mechanical structure capable of physically producing the identical geo-seismic motions with seismology domain definitions. A programmable multi-parametric five degrees of freedom electromechanical seismic wave events simulation platform to study and experiment seismic waves and earthquakes realization in the form of geo-mechanic ground motions is exhibited in this work. The proposed platform was programmed and interfaced through an IoT cloud-based Web application. The geo-mechanics was tested in the range of i) frequencies of extreme seismic waves from 0.1Hz to 178Hz; ii) terrestrial inclinations from -10.000° to 10.000°; iii) velocities of 1km/s to 25km/s iv) variable arrival times 1us to 3000ms; v) magnitudes M1.0 to M10.0 earthquake; vi) epi-central and hypo-central distances of 290+ and 350+ kilometers. Wadati and triangulation methods have been used for entire platform dynamics design and implementation as one of key contributions in this work. This platform is as an enabler for a variety of applications such as training self-balancing and calibrating seismic-resistant designs and structures in addition to studying and testing seismic detection devices as well as motion detection sensors. Nevertheless, it serves as an adequate training colossus for machine learning algorithms and event management expert systems.

In this study, the corrosion performances of ammonium copper quat (ACQ) and boric acid (BA) wood preservatives were investigated, with micronized copper quat (MCQ) and nano boron (NB) used as reference materials. In the study, Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) wood samples were impregnated according to the full-cell process method with ACQ at 2.4% concentration, BA at 4% and MCQ and NB at 1%. The ACQ- and BA-impregnated samples were then impregnated for a second time using five different water-repellent materials: tall oil, linseed oil, sodium silicate, methyl hydrogen silicone and N'-N- (1, 8-Naphthalyl) hydroxylamine. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) 600 and aluminum sulfate were introduced as single impregnations in the form of homogeneous mixtures with the ACQ and BA. The corrosion properties of the impregnated and control samples, including metal weight loss (MWL) and corrosion depth, were examined. As a result, the MWL values of the ACQ-impregnated samples showed an increase compared to the control group. The MWL values of the MCQ-impregnated samples were lower than those of the samples impregnated with ACQ, whilst the MWL values of the BA-impregnated samples were higher than those of the samples impregnated with NB.

The performance of ground heat exchangers systems depends on the knowledge of the thermal parameters of the ground like thermal conductivity, thermal capacity and diffusivity. The knowledge of these parameters often requires quite accurate experimental analysis, known under the name of Thermal Response Test (TRT). In this paper, after a general analysis of the various available types of TRT and the study of the theoretical basics of the method, the perspective of the definition of a simplified routine method of analysis based on the combination of a particular version of TRT and the routine geotechnical tests for the characterization of soil stratigraphy and of the ground characteristics, mandatory before the construction of a new buildings, even if limited to quite short drilling depth (lower than 30 m). The idea of developing TRT in connection with geotechnical test activity has the objective of promoting a widespread use of in-situ experimental analysis and of reducing TRT costs and time duration of the experimental analysis. The considerations exposed in the present paper lead to reconsider a particular variety of the TRT in particular the version known as Thermal Response Test while Drilling (TRTWD).

The role of vitamin D in the prevention and treatment of non-skeletal health issues has received significant media and research attention in recent years. Costs associated with clinical management of low vitamin D (LVD) have increased exponentially. However, no clear evidence supports vitamin D screening to improve health outcomes. Authoritative bodies and professional societies recommend against population-wide vitamin D screening in community-dwelling adults who are asymptomatic or at low risk of LVD. In order to assess patterns of physician management of LVD in this conflicting environment, we conducted a scoping review of three electronic databases and gray literature. Thirty-eight records met inclusion criteria and were summarized in an evidence table. Results from seven countries showed a consistent increase in vitamin D lab tests and related costs. Many vitamin D testing patterns reflected screening rather than targeted testing for individuals at high risk of vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency. Interventions aimed at managing inappropriate clinical practices related to LVD were effective in the short term. Variability and controversy were pervasive in many aspects of vitamin D management, shining light on physician practices in the face of uncertainty. Future research is needed is needed to inform better clinical guidelines and to assess implementation practices that encourage evidence-based management of LVD in adult populations.

Shear connectors are used in steel beam–concrete slabs of composite frame and bridge structures to transfer shear force according to design loads. The existing Y-type perfobond rib shear connectors are designed for girder slabs of composite bridges. Therefore, the rib and transverse rebars of the conventional Y-type perfobond rib shear connectors are extremely large for the composite frames of building structures. We performed push-out tests of stubby Y-type perfobond rib shear connectors for composite frames. These shear connectors have relatively small ribs than conventional Y-type perfobond rib shear connectors. To confirm the shear resistance of these stubby shear connectors, we performed an experiment by using transverse rebars D13 and D16. The results indicate that these shear connectors have suitable shear strength and ductility for application in composite frame structures. The shear strengths obtained using D13 and D16 were not significantly different. However, the ductility of the shear connectors with D16 was 45.1% higher than that of the shear connectors with D13.

This longitudinal study examined the development of executive function and calibration accuracy in pre-adolescents. Two hundred sixty two students(127 females) from grades 4 (n = 91), 5 (n = 89) and 6 (n = 82) took measures of executive function and performance calibration in a sport task, three times within a period of 20 months. A latent growth curve modeling analysis showed a significant relation between the rates of change of executive function and calibration. Further, the results showed a dynamic interplay in the development of executive function and calibration. There were significant inter-individual differences in the estimated population means both in executive function and calibration and in the rate of change of executive function, but not in the rate of change for calibration. The age of the participants had a positive effect only on the estimated population mean of executive function.

Background. ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is accompanied by executive deficits. Objectives. To obtain evidence of the usefulness of the BRIEF-P and to analyse the possible ceiling and floor effect of its scores in the assessment of executive function in preschoolers with signs compatible with a possible diagnosis of ADHD. Methods. Seven articles were selected from 2538 potentially eligible articles from different databases. We included studies assessing samples of individuals with symptoms compatible with ADHD, with age range 2-6 years, published in English or Spanish, during the period 2012-2022. References published in: Science Direct, NCBI (PubMed), ProQuest Education Journals in the last decade. Risk of bias was assessed using the QUADAS-2 questionnaire. The main variables were: age and executive functioning. Conclusions. Executive deficits in early-life individuals with ADHD-compatible symptoms are more extensive than deficits in working memory. BRIEF-P is an instrument that facilitates obtaining a sensitive and discriminative executive profile. It should be used in combination with other neuropsychological performance tests, finding a floor effect in tests associated with warm executive functions and a ceiling effect in cold executive functions. This requires using a variety of tests to assess executive performance in preschoolers with symptoms compatible with ADHD and designing intervention proposals in line with them...

Lucky bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana hort. ex Mast. = Dracaena braunii) is a domestic species widely cultivated for ornamental purposes in China. In March 2022, a severe occurrence of anthracnose disease was observed on the stems of lucky bamboo plants in a greenery retail store located in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China. The morphological characteristics of isolates obtained from diseased stem tissues were identical with those described for Colletotrichum species. Based on multilocus phylogenetic analysis with the internal transcribed spacer (ITS), actin (ACT) gene, and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) gene, the pathogen was identified as Colleto-trichum gloeosporioides (Penz.) Penz. & Sacc. Pathogenicity was verified by mycelial plug-inoculating stem cuttings of one-year-old lucky bamboo plants and spray-inoculating whole one-year-old lucky bamboo plants, respectively. Koch’s postulates were fulfilled by the re-isolation of C. gloeosporioides from symptomatic tissues. To the best of our knowledge, this report describes the first time that C. gloeosporioides was observed to cause anthracnose on lucky bamboo in China.

Against the backdrop of global climate change, the frequency of drought events is increasing, leading to significant impacts on human society and development. Therefore, it is crucial to study the propagation patterns and trends of drought characteristics over a long-time scale. The main objective of this study is to delineate the dynamics of drought characteristics by examining their propagation patterns in China from 1951 to 2020. In this study, precipitation data from meteorological stations across mainland China were used. A comprehensive dataset consisting of 700 stations over the past 70 years was collected and analyzed. To ensure data accuracy, the GPCC database was employed for data correction and gap filling. Long-term drought evolution was assessed using both the SPI-12 and SPEI-12 indices to detect drought characteristics. Two Moran indices were applied to identify propagation patterns, and the MK analysis method along with the Theil-Sen slope estimator were utilized to track historical trends of these indices. The findings of this study reveal the following key results: (i) Based on the SPI-12, the main areas of China that are prone to drought are mostly concentrated around the Hu Huanyong Line. Indicating a tendency towards drying based on the decadal change analysis. (ii) The distribution of drought-prone areas in China, as indicated by the SPEI-12, is extensive and broadly distributed, with a correlation to urbanization and population density. These drought-prone areas are gradually expanding. (iii) Between 2010 and 2011, China experienced the most severe drought event in nearly 70 years, affecting nearly 50% of the country's area with a high degree of severity. This event may be attributed to atmospheric circulation variability, exacerbated by the impact of urbanization on precipitation and drought. (iv) The frequency of drought occurrence in China gradually decreases from south to north, with the northeast and northern regions being less affected. However, areas with less frequent droughts experience longer and more severe drought durations. In conclusion, this study provides valuable insights into the characteristics and propagation patterns of drought in China, offering essential information for the development of effective strategies to mitigate the impacts of drought events.

The cell concentration measurement on a culture assay using bioimpedance is a very useful tool, but it is complex to translate impedance to cell concentration values. The purpose of this work is to find a method to obtain in real time the cell concentration values for a given cell-culture assay using an oscillator as the measurement circuit. From a basic cell-electrode model, enhanced models of the cell culture immersed in a saline solution (culture medium) can be derived. These models can be used in a fitting routine to real time estimation of the cell concentration in a cell culture, using the oscillation frequency and amplitude delivered by measurement circuits proposed by the authors. Based on real experimental data (frequency and amplitude of oscillations) obtained by connecting the cell culture to an oscillator as a load, the fitting routine is simulated, and real time data of cell concentration is achieved. These results are compared with concentration data found by traditional optical methods for counting. In addition, the error obtained is divided and analyzed in two parts: in the first part of the experiment (when the few cells are adapting to the culture medium) and the second part of the experiment (when the cells grow exponentially until they completely cover the well).Low error values are obtained in the growth phase of the cell culture (the relevant phase), therefore the results obtained are considered to be promising, proving that the fitting routine is valid, and that the cell concentration can be measured in real time using an oscillator.

This study presents a dynamic model of a passenger vehicle and analyzes its dynamic characteristics and responses. A dynamic vehicle model with seven degrees of freedom was established to analyze the behavior of a driving vehicle. The vehicle model had three degrees of freedom for the motion of the sprung mass and four degrees of freedom for the unsprung masses. For this model, the equations of motion were derived using Lagrange’s equation. To verify the model, the suspension deformations computed using the model were compared with the deformations measured through three actual vehicle driving tests which are the slalom, double lane change, and step steer tests. Furthermore, we investigated the effects of suspension stiffness, suspension damping, and anti-roll bar torsional stiffness on the dynamic characteristics and responses of the vehicle model. The developed dynamic vehicle model may help vehicle designers predict the dynamic responses of a vehicle through simulation without performing a driving test.