Posts

2 mins ago


Thirty-five patients with complete LAM avulsion were included in the study. At 6 months after delivery, 51 LAM avulsions were observed in 35 patients (including bilateral LAM avulsion in 16 cases), of which 54.9% were right avulsions and 45.1% left avulsions. Furthermore, 11 (five right and six left) were type I LAM avulsions at the 6-month assessment, and all of these had disappeared 1 year after delivery. However, none of the type II LAM avulsions (23 right and 17 left) observed at 6 months had disappeared at the second ultrasound examination. There were no differences between the LAM areas detected at the first and second ultrasound examinations (10.2 ± 3.3 vs 9.3 ± 1.8; P = .404).

The type of LAM avulsion observed at 6 months after childbirth predicts LAM persistence at 1 year postpartum.
The type of LAM avulsion observed at 6 months after childbirth predicts LAM persistence at 1 year postpartum.
While the heat during the summer season may dehydrate the elderly, little is known about the seasonal variation in dehydration. This study aimed to investigate the seasonal variation in hydration status among the community-dwelling elderly in Japan.

We retrospectively analyzed the data collected after an overnight fast of adults aged ≥65 years who had no advanced kidney disease and underwent an annual health checkup at Nihon University Hospital between January and December 2019. Participants were classified according to their checkup date, whether summer (n = 265) or not summer (n = 638). The not summer group was subdivided into spring (n = 235), autumn (n = 213) and winter (n = 190).

Among the four seasons, the spring group showed the highest levels of plasma osmolality (306.1 ± 3.9 mOsm/L), urine specific gravity (1.0172 ± 0.0058) and prevalence rates of urine specific gravity ≥1.020 (34.0%). However, seasonal differences were clinically mild, and >90% of participants showed plasma osmolality ≥300 mOsm/L, indicating dehydration, in all four seasons. The summer group showed lower urine specific gravity levels (1.0150 ± 0.0062 vs. 1.0165 ± 0.0064, P < 0.001) and prevalence rates of urine specific gravity ≥1.020 (22.6% vs. 30.4%, P = 0.023) than did the not summer group. The summer season was associated with low urine specific gravity levels even after adjusting for the multiple linear regression model.

Japanese elderly after overnight fast are more dehydrated during the spring rather than the summer. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2020; 20 904-910.
Japanese elderly after overnight fast are more dehydrated during the spring rather than the summer. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2020; 20 904-910.A virtual articulator is a computer software tool that is capable of reproducing the relationship between the jaws and simulating jaw movement. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/paeoniflorin.html It has gradually gained research interest in dentistry over the past decade. In prosthodontics, the virtual articulator should be considered as an additional diagnostic and treatment planning tool to the mechanical articulator, especially in complex cases involving alterations to the vertical dimension of occlusion. Numerous authors have reported on the available digital methodologies used for the assembly of virtual arch models in a virtual articulator, focusing their attention on topics such as the virtual facebow and digital occlusal registration. To correctly simulate jaw movement, the jaw models have to be digitalized and properly mounted on the virtual articulator. The aim of this review was to discuss the current knowledge surrounding the various techniques and methodologies related to virtual mounting in dentistry, and whether virtual articulators will become commonplace in clinical practice in the future. This review also traces the history of the virtual articulator up to its current state and discusses recently developed approaches and workflows for virtual mounting based on current knowledge and technological devices.
To determine whether priming with 1 or 25Hz repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) will enhance the benefits from treadmill training up to 3 months postintervention in people with Parkinson disease (PD), and to evaluate the underlying changes in cortical excitability.

This randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted between October 2016 and December 2018. Fifty-one participants with PD were randomized to receive 12 sessions of rTMS (25Hz, 1Hz, or sham) followed by treadmill training. All participants were assessed at baseline and 1 day, 1 month, and 3 months postintervention. Primary outcome was fastest walking speed, and secondary outcomes were timed up-and-go test (TUG), dual-task TUG (DT-TUG), motor section of the Movement Disorder Society-Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS-III), and electrophysiological evaluation of cortical excitability by TMS.

The 1 and 25Hz rTMS groups produced a greater improvement in fastest walking speed at 1 day and 3 months h in turn suggests an alteration of the homeostatic plasticity range. Rebalancing cortical excitability by rTMS appears critical for plasticity induction. ANN NEUROL 2020;88933-945.
This study aims to evaluate the effect of erosive, abrasive, and erosive/abrasive challenges on the glaze layer of ceramic materials.

Ninety-five samples of monolithic zirconia (MZ) (LuxaCam Zircon HT-Plus) and lithium disilicate (LD) (IPS e.max CAD) were divided according to the response variables Surface roughness and surface loss (n = 10), evaluated with optical profilometry; surface topography, with scanning electron microscopy SEM (n = 3); and biofilm deposition, with microbiological assay (n = 5). The evaluations were performed in three different time evaluations (a) Sintered, (b) Glaze, and (c) Challenge (Erosion, Abrasion, and Erosion/Abrasion). Erosion consisted in immersing specimens in HCl solution, abrasion was performed with brushing machine, and erosion/abrasion consisted of a combination of the two previous protocols. Data were analyzed with parametric tests (P < 0.05).

MZ glaze layer presented significantly higher surface roughness (P = 0.00), surface loss (P = 0.03), and biofilm deposition (P = 0.

2 mins ago


In the dielectric strength test, it was found that nanodoping can effectively improve the direct current (DC) and alternating current (AC) breakdown field strength and the stability after the thermal aging. The dielectric constant of nanocomposite can be reduced, and the dielectric loss had no obvious change during the aging process. Moreover, the zeolite/LDPE nanocomposite with the doping concentration of 1 wt % had the best performance, for the nano-zeolite was better dispersed.The widespread use of glass fibre reinforced polymer (GFRP) bars in reinforced concrete (RC) elements has yet been limited due to the anisotropic and non-homogeneous material behaviour of GFRP. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/indy.html The material characteristics of GFRP bars from different manufacturers vary as a function of several factors. Several standards have developed various procedures to investigate the mechanical characteristics of GFRP bars, but universal methods to test different types and diameters of GFRP bars in tension have not been fully developed. Due to the lack of such a standardized test procedure, there are some doubts and gaps in terms of the behaviour of GFRP bars in tension, which has led to lack of reliable information on their tensile properties. The determination of tensile characteristics of GFRP bars, including the tensile strength, modulus of elasticity, and ultimate strain, according to various test standards, is the main subject of the paper. This paper reports test results for tensile characterization obtained on four types of GFRP bars from four manufacturers with six various diameters. Moreover, the study compares various test procedures according to seven standards to characterize the tensile properties of GFRP bars, to examine the proposed test procedures, and to reveal main differences.There has been an increasing interest in the development of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and their synthetic mimics as a novel class of antibiotics to overcome the rapid emergence of antibiotic resistance. Recently, phenylglyoxamide-based small molecular AMP mimics have been identified as potential leads to treat bacterial infections. In this study, a new series of biphenylglyoxamide-based small molecular AMP mimics were synthesised from the ring-opening reaction of N-sulfonylisatin bearing a biphenyl backbone with a diamine, followed by the conversion into tertiary ammonium chloride, quaternary ammonium iodide and guanidinium hydrochloride salts. Structure-activity relationship studies of the analogues identified the octanesulfonyl group as being essential for both Gram-positive and Gram-negative antibacterial activity, while the biphenyl backbone was important for Gram-negative antibacterial activity. The most potent analogue was identified to be chloro-substituted quaternary ammonium iodide salt 15c, which possesses antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive (MIC against Staphylococcus aureus = 8 μM) and Gram-negative bacteria (MIC against Escherichia coli = 16 μM, Pseudomonas aeruginosa = 63 μM) and disrupted 35% of pre-established S. aureus biofilms at 32 μM. Cytoplasmic membrane permeability and tethered bilayer lipid membranes (tBLMs) studies suggested that 15c acts as a bacterial membrane disruptor. In addition, in vitro toxicity studies showed that the potent compounds are non-toxic against human cells at therapeutic dosages.(1) Background The influence of ketogenic diet on physical fitness remains controversial. We performed a randomized controlled trial to compare the effect of cyclical ketogenic reduction diet (CKD) vs. nutritionally balanced reduction diet (RD) on body composition, muscle strength, and endurance performance. (2) Methods 25 healthy young males undergoing regular resistance training combined with aerobic training were randomized to CKD (n = 13) or RD (n = 12). Body composition, muscle strength and spiroergometric parameters were measured at baseline and after eight weeks of intervention. (3) Results Both CKD and RD decreased body weight, body fat, and BMI. Lean body mass and body water decreased in CKD and did not significantly change in RD group. Muscle strength parameters were not affected in CKD while in RD group lat pull-down and leg press values increased. Similarly, endurance performance was not changed in CKD group while in RD group peak workload and peak oxygen uptake increased. (4) Conclusions Our data show that in healthy young males undergoing resistance and aerobic training comparable weight reduction were achieved by CKD and RD. In RD group; improved muscle strength and endurance performance was noted relative to neutral effect of CKD that also slightly reduced lean body mass.Potato is the largest non-cereal food crop in the world. Timely estimation of end-of-season tuber production using in-season information can inform sustainable agricultural management decisions that increase productivity while reducing impacts on the environment. Recently, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have become increasingly popular in precision agriculture due to their flexibility in data acquisition and improved spatial and spectral resolutions. In addition, compared with natural color and multispectral imagery, hyperspectral data can provide higher spectral fidelity which is important for modelling crop traits. In this study, we conducted end-of-season potato tuber yield and tuber set predictions using in-season UAV-based hyperspectral images and machine learning. Specifically, six mainstream machine learning models, i.e., ordinary least square (OLS), ridge regression, partial least square regression (PLSR), support vector regression (SVR), random forest (RF), and adaptive boosting (AdaBoost), were developed and compared across potato research plots with different irrigation rates at the University of Wisconsin Hancock Agricultural Research Station. Our results showed that the tuber set could be better predicted than the tuber yield, and using the multi-temporal hyperspectral data improved the model performance. Ridge achieved the best performance for predicting tuber yield (R2 = 0.63) while Ridge and PLSR had similar performance for predicting tuber set (R2 = 0.69). Our study demonstrated that hyperspectral imagery and machine learning have good potential to help potato growers efficiently manage their irrigation practices.

5 mins ago


Apparent capacitance was high at lower current pulses suggesting high faradaic contribution. The electrostatic contribution detected at high current pulses was quite low. The results obtained give rise to important possibilities of performance improvements by optimising the device design and the electrode fabrication.The application of adaptive comfort models is among the determinant factors to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the building sector. This research studies the region of Andalusia (south of Spain). https://www.selleckchem.com/TGF-beta.html A cluster analysis is applied to 786 Andalusian municipalities, and 4 groups are established according to the potential of adaptive strategies. A town is chosen from each group, and an hourly specific study is conducted for the last 20 years, as well as a daily study of the old time series by using an artificial neural network based on the existing climate data. The possibility of application of the EN 16798-12019 standard during the days of the year is analysed, as well as the possibilities of using natural ventilation and the possibility of using adaptive setpoint temperatures in comparison with both 3 fixed heating temperatures and 3 fixed cooling temperatures by considering the energy saving. The results to apply the standard ranged 69.0 and 100% of the days of each year. The possibilities of natural ventilation considered were greater than 10% of the hours of the year in all the assumptions. The energy saving of cooling degrees reveals a greater potential in the area studied than that of heating degrees; this tendency is supported by the study of old temporary series which are part of the climate variation predicted throughout the 21st century.Student housing significantly influences the quality and competitiveness of the university education environment. Whereas the traditional post-occupancy evaluations (POEs) of buildings have typically focussed on investigating users' satisfaction, an earlier study developed the gap theory based post-occupancy evaluation (GTbPOE) method, by which both the users' expectation and satisfaction (viz. performance gap) of a university dormitory were investigated. To validate the applicability of the GTbPOE method, further research was undertaken to evaluate the building performance of another dormitory. Using face-to-face interviews, responses of 104 dormitory users were collected, of which the relative importance ratings of six essential aspects (namely visual comfort, thermal comfort, aural comfort, fire safety, hygiene, and communication via information technology) were analyzed via the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). A series of gap analyses on the users' expectation and satisfaction levels corroborated the existence of the adaptation effect on the users' perception that is, the longer the stay, the smaller the performance gap. A comparative analysis on the findings between the two dormitories - one from the earlier study and the other from the present study - further demonstrated the usefulness of the GTbPOE method in benchmarking building performance. Adoption of this method in future POE studies will enable reliable identification of any shortcoming in building performance and hence, can form the basis for improvement measures to augment the performance of buildings within the built environment.Digitization and automation across all industries has resulted in improvements in efficiencies and effectiveness to systems and process, and the higher education sector is not immune. Online learning, e-learning, electronic teaching tools, and digital assessments are not innovations. However, there has been limited implementation of online invigilated examinations in many countries. This paper provides a brief background on online examinations, followed by the results of a systematic review on the topic to explore the challenges and opportunities. We follow on with an explication of results from thirty-six papers, exploring nine key themes student perceptions, student performance, anxiety, cheating, staff perceptions, authentication and security, interface design, and technology issues. While the literature on online examinations is growing, there is still a dearth of discussion at the pedagogical and governance levels.Good economic policymaking requires the best possible economic advice. To be an effective adviser, a policy economist needs to remain credible, even under pressure. There is a gap between theory and reality; minding the gap can help policy economists determine which theories are more likely to work as a matter of practical policymaking. Adding the human dimension makes for better decisions by casting light on how people might respond to otherwise rational policy proposals. It is not sufficient for good policy outcomes that economists confer only with their professional peers. Citizens must be persuaded that the proposed policy reform is in the best interests of the community as a whole. Good economic policymaking should not underestimate the power of incentives to override moral and ethical restraint. Regulation is a poor substitute for culturally-embedded moral restraint. While it is possible to divorce the mechanical side of economics from its moral foundations, this is not the route to good economic policymaking.To contain the COVID-19 pandemic, India imposed a national lockdown at the end of March 2020, a decision that resulted in a massive reverse migration as many workers across economic sectors returned to their home regions. Migrants provide the foundations of the agricultural workforce in the 'breadbasket' states of Punjab and Haryana in Northwest India.There are mounting concerns that near and potentially longer-term reductions in labor availability may jeopardize agricultural production and consequently national food security. The timing of rice transplanting at the beginning of the summer monsoon season has a cascading influence on productivity of the entire rice-wheat cropping system. To assess the potential for COVID-related reductions in the agriculture workforce to disrupt production of the dominant rice-wheat cropping pattern in these states, we use a spatial ex ante modelling framework to evaluate four scenarios representing a range of plausible labor constraints on the timing of rice transplanting. Averaged over both states, results suggest that rice productivity losses under all delay scenarios would be low as compare to those for wheat, with total system productivity loss estimates ranging from 9%, to 21%, equivalent to economic losses of USD $674 m to $1.

Videos

Nullification Season 2024 starts now. Following the advice and strategy of the Founders, the people and the states can take action to reject, resist and nullify federal programs in practice and effect.

Path to Liberty: December 13, 2023

With “nullification season” right around the corner, here’s an overview of the top-4 programs that absolutely have to go if we ever want to get to a real “land of the free”

Path to Liberty, Fast Friday Edition: November 17, 2023

We told you last season that many, many people across the United States and in a half-dozen other countries have been diagnosed with a strange malady called Havana Syndrome. These symptoms first began manifesting in 2016, when diplomats at the US Embassy in Havana, Cuba began reporting things ranging from physical pain to ringing in the ears to cognitive difficulties. Many had diagnosable traumatic brain injuries. The US government initially dismissed the symptoms as the product of crickets. Yes, crickets. But something more sinister was likely behind it. John Kiriakou speaks with Former NSA technical Director, Bill Binney and Dr. Katherine Horton, a former particle physicist, on this episode of the Whistleblowers about Directed Energy Weapon Attacks and Havana Syndrome.

Videos

Nullification Season 2024 starts now. Following the advice and strategy of the Founders, the people and the states can take action to reject, resist and nullify federal programs in practice and effect.

Path to Liberty: December 13, 2023

With “nullification season” right around the corner, here’s an overview of the top-4 programs that absolutely have to go if we ever want to get to a real “land of the free”

Path to Liberty, Fast Friday Edition: November 17, 2023

We told you last season that many, many people across the United States and in a half-dozen other countries have been diagnosed with a strange malady called Havana Syndrome. These symptoms first began manifesting in 2016, when diplomats at the US Embassy in Havana, Cuba began reporting things ranging from physical pain to ringing in the ears to cognitive difficulties. Many had diagnosable traumatic brain injuries. The US government initially dismissed the symptoms as the product of crickets. Yes, crickets. But something more sinister was likely behind it. John Kiriakou speaks with Former NSA technical Director, Bill Binney and Dr. Katherine Horton, a former particle physicist, on this episode of the Whistleblowers about Directed Energy Weapon Attacks and Havana Syndrome.

Getting some W’s, but as Samuel Adams told us, now is not the time to “sit down satisfied with the efforts we have already made.” Since that’s just what our enemies want.
This week’s reports include:
-Geofence Warrants Limited in Utah
-2nd Amendment Financial Privacy Act in FL, ID, MS
-Defend the Guard Act in Arizona

Nullification Movement News Season 1, Episode 10
Path to Liberty: March 25, 2023

As Thomas Jefferson told us - “the ground of liberty is to be gained by inches.”
This week’s reports include:
-NSA Surveillance Section 702
-4th Amendment Protection Act
-Kentucky vs ATF

Nullification Movement News Season 1, Episode 9
Path to Liberty: March 18, 2023

JOIN TAC, Support the Constitution and liberty: https://tenthamendmentcenter.com/members/

00:00 Intro
00:16 NSA Surveillance Section 702
02:41 4th Amendment Protection Act
03:40 JOIN TAC, Support the Constitution and liberty!
04:15 Kentucky vs ATF

Posts

2 mins ago


Thirty-five patients with complete LAM avulsion were included in the study. At 6 months after delivery, 51 LAM avulsions were observed in 35 patients (including bilateral LAM avulsion in 16 cases), of which 54.9% were right avulsions and 45.1% left avulsions. Furthermore, 11 (five right and six left) were type I LAM avulsions at the 6-month assessment, and all of these had disappeared 1 year after delivery. However, none of the type II LAM avulsions (23 right and 17 left) observed at 6 months had disappeared at the second ultrasound examination. There were no differences between the LAM areas detected at the first and second ultrasound examinations (10.2 ± 3.3 vs 9.3 ± 1.8; P = .404).

The type of LAM avulsion observed at 6 months after childbirth predicts LAM persistence at 1 year postpartum.
The type of LAM avulsion observed at 6 months after childbirth predicts LAM persistence at 1 year postpartum.
While the heat during the summer season may dehydrate the elderly, little is known about the seasonal variation in dehydration. This study aimed to investigate the seasonal variation in hydration status among the community-dwelling elderly in Japan.

We retrospectively analyzed the data collected after an overnight fast of adults aged ≥65 years who had no advanced kidney disease and underwent an annual health checkup at Nihon University Hospital between January and December 2019. Participants were classified according to their checkup date, whether summer (n = 265) or not summer (n = 638). The not summer group was subdivided into spring (n = 235), autumn (n = 213) and winter (n = 190).

Among the four seasons, the spring group showed the highest levels of plasma osmolality (306.1 ± 3.9 mOsm/L), urine specific gravity (1.0172 ± 0.0058) and prevalence rates of urine specific gravity ≥1.020 (34.0%). However, seasonal differences were clinically mild, and >90% of participants showed plasma osmolality ≥300 mOsm/L, indicating dehydration, in all four seasons. The summer group showed lower urine specific gravity levels (1.0150 ± 0.0062 vs. 1.0165 ± 0.0064, P < 0.001) and prevalence rates of urine specific gravity ≥1.020 (22.6% vs. 30.4%, P = 0.023) than did the not summer group. The summer season was associated with low urine specific gravity levels even after adjusting for the multiple linear regression model.

Japanese elderly after overnight fast are more dehydrated during the spring rather than the summer. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2020; 20 904-910.
Japanese elderly after overnight fast are more dehydrated during the spring rather than the summer. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2020; 20 904-910.A virtual articulator is a computer software tool that is capable of reproducing the relationship between the jaws and simulating jaw movement. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/paeoniflorin.html It has gradually gained research interest in dentistry over the past decade. In prosthodontics, the virtual articulator should be considered as an additional diagnostic and treatment planning tool to the mechanical articulator, especially in complex cases involving alterations to the vertical dimension of occlusion. Numerous authors have reported on the available digital methodologies used for the assembly of virtual arch models in a virtual articulator, focusing their attention on topics such as the virtual facebow and digital occlusal registration. To correctly simulate jaw movement, the jaw models have to be digitalized and properly mounted on the virtual articulator. The aim of this review was to discuss the current knowledge surrounding the various techniques and methodologies related to virtual mounting in dentistry, and whether virtual articulators will become commonplace in clinical practice in the future. This review also traces the history of the virtual articulator up to its current state and discusses recently developed approaches and workflows for virtual mounting based on current knowledge and technological devices.
To determine whether priming with 1 or 25Hz repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) will enhance the benefits from treadmill training up to 3 months postintervention in people with Parkinson disease (PD), and to evaluate the underlying changes in cortical excitability.

This randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted between October 2016 and December 2018. Fifty-one participants with PD were randomized to receive 12 sessions of rTMS (25Hz, 1Hz, or sham) followed by treadmill training. All participants were assessed at baseline and 1 day, 1 month, and 3 months postintervention. Primary outcome was fastest walking speed, and secondary outcomes were timed up-and-go test (TUG), dual-task TUG (DT-TUG), motor section of the Movement Disorder Society-Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS-III), and electrophysiological evaluation of cortical excitability by TMS.

The 1 and 25Hz rTMS groups produced a greater improvement in fastest walking speed at 1 day and 3 months h in turn suggests an alteration of the homeostatic plasticity range. Rebalancing cortical excitability by rTMS appears critical for plasticity induction. ANN NEUROL 2020;88933-945.
This study aims to evaluate the effect of erosive, abrasive, and erosive/abrasive challenges on the glaze layer of ceramic materials.

Ninety-five samples of monolithic zirconia (MZ) (LuxaCam Zircon HT-Plus) and lithium disilicate (LD) (IPS e.max CAD) were divided according to the response variables Surface roughness and surface loss (n = 10), evaluated with optical profilometry; surface topography, with scanning electron microscopy SEM (n = 3); and biofilm deposition, with microbiological assay (n = 5). The evaluations were performed in three different time evaluations (a) Sintered, (b) Glaze, and (c) Challenge (Erosion, Abrasion, and Erosion/Abrasion). Erosion consisted in immersing specimens in HCl solution, abrasion was performed with brushing machine, and erosion/abrasion consisted of a combination of the two previous protocols. Data were analyzed with parametric tests (P < 0.05).

MZ glaze layer presented significantly higher surface roughness (P = 0.00), surface loss (P = 0.03), and biofilm deposition (P = 0.

2 mins ago


In the dielectric strength test, it was found that nanodoping can effectively improve the direct current (DC) and alternating current (AC) breakdown field strength and the stability after the thermal aging. The dielectric constant of nanocomposite can be reduced, and the dielectric loss had no obvious change during the aging process. Moreover, the zeolite/LDPE nanocomposite with the doping concentration of 1 wt % had the best performance, for the nano-zeolite was better dispersed.The widespread use of glass fibre reinforced polymer (GFRP) bars in reinforced concrete (RC) elements has yet been limited due to the anisotropic and non-homogeneous material behaviour of GFRP. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/indy.html The material characteristics of GFRP bars from different manufacturers vary as a function of several factors. Several standards have developed various procedures to investigate the mechanical characteristics of GFRP bars, but universal methods to test different types and diameters of GFRP bars in tension have not been fully developed. Due to the lack of such a standardized test procedure, there are some doubts and gaps in terms of the behaviour of GFRP bars in tension, which has led to lack of reliable information on their tensile properties. The determination of tensile characteristics of GFRP bars, including the tensile strength, modulus of elasticity, and ultimate strain, according to various test standards, is the main subject of the paper. This paper reports test results for tensile characterization obtained on four types of GFRP bars from four manufacturers with six various diameters. Moreover, the study compares various test procedures according to seven standards to characterize the tensile properties of GFRP bars, to examine the proposed test procedures, and to reveal main differences.There has been an increasing interest in the development of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and their synthetic mimics as a novel class of antibiotics to overcome the rapid emergence of antibiotic resistance. Recently, phenylglyoxamide-based small molecular AMP mimics have been identified as potential leads to treat bacterial infections. In this study, a new series of biphenylglyoxamide-based small molecular AMP mimics were synthesised from the ring-opening reaction of N-sulfonylisatin bearing a biphenyl backbone with a diamine, followed by the conversion into tertiary ammonium chloride, quaternary ammonium iodide and guanidinium hydrochloride salts. Structure-activity relationship studies of the analogues identified the octanesulfonyl group as being essential for both Gram-positive and Gram-negative antibacterial activity, while the biphenyl backbone was important for Gram-negative antibacterial activity. The most potent analogue was identified to be chloro-substituted quaternary ammonium iodide salt 15c, which possesses antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive (MIC against Staphylococcus aureus = 8 μM) and Gram-negative bacteria (MIC against Escherichia coli = 16 μM, Pseudomonas aeruginosa = 63 μM) and disrupted 35% of pre-established S. aureus biofilms at 32 μM. Cytoplasmic membrane permeability and tethered bilayer lipid membranes (tBLMs) studies suggested that 15c acts as a bacterial membrane disruptor. In addition, in vitro toxicity studies showed that the potent compounds are non-toxic against human cells at therapeutic dosages.(1) Background The influence of ketogenic diet on physical fitness remains controversial. We performed a randomized controlled trial to compare the effect of cyclical ketogenic reduction diet (CKD) vs. nutritionally balanced reduction diet (RD) on body composition, muscle strength, and endurance performance. (2) Methods 25 healthy young males undergoing regular resistance training combined with aerobic training were randomized to CKD (n = 13) or RD (n = 12). Body composition, muscle strength and spiroergometric parameters were measured at baseline and after eight weeks of intervention. (3) Results Both CKD and RD decreased body weight, body fat, and BMI. Lean body mass and body water decreased in CKD and did not significantly change in RD group. Muscle strength parameters were not affected in CKD while in RD group lat pull-down and leg press values increased. Similarly, endurance performance was not changed in CKD group while in RD group peak workload and peak oxygen uptake increased. (4) Conclusions Our data show that in healthy young males undergoing resistance and aerobic training comparable weight reduction were achieved by CKD and RD. In RD group; improved muscle strength and endurance performance was noted relative to neutral effect of CKD that also slightly reduced lean body mass.Potato is the largest non-cereal food crop in the world. Timely estimation of end-of-season tuber production using in-season information can inform sustainable agricultural management decisions that increase productivity while reducing impacts on the environment. Recently, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have become increasingly popular in precision agriculture due to their flexibility in data acquisition and improved spatial and spectral resolutions. In addition, compared with natural color and multispectral imagery, hyperspectral data can provide higher spectral fidelity which is important for modelling crop traits. In this study, we conducted end-of-season potato tuber yield and tuber set predictions using in-season UAV-based hyperspectral images and machine learning. Specifically, six mainstream machine learning models, i.e., ordinary least square (OLS), ridge regression, partial least square regression (PLSR), support vector regression (SVR), random forest (RF), and adaptive boosting (AdaBoost), were developed and compared across potato research plots with different irrigation rates at the University of Wisconsin Hancock Agricultural Research Station. Our results showed that the tuber set could be better predicted than the tuber yield, and using the multi-temporal hyperspectral data improved the model performance. Ridge achieved the best performance for predicting tuber yield (R2 = 0.63) while Ridge and PLSR had similar performance for predicting tuber set (R2 = 0.69). Our study demonstrated that hyperspectral imagery and machine learning have good potential to help potato growers efficiently manage their irrigation practices.

5 mins ago


Apparent capacitance was high at lower current pulses suggesting high faradaic contribution. The electrostatic contribution detected at high current pulses was quite low. The results obtained give rise to important possibilities of performance improvements by optimising the device design and the electrode fabrication.The application of adaptive comfort models is among the determinant factors to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the building sector. This research studies the region of Andalusia (south of Spain). https://www.selleckchem.com/TGF-beta.html A cluster analysis is applied to 786 Andalusian municipalities, and 4 groups are established according to the potential of adaptive strategies. A town is chosen from each group, and an hourly specific study is conducted for the last 20 years, as well as a daily study of the old time series by using an artificial neural network based on the existing climate data. The possibility of application of the EN 16798-12019 standard during the days of the year is analysed, as well as the possibilities of using natural ventilation and the possibility of using adaptive setpoint temperatures in comparison with both 3 fixed heating temperatures and 3 fixed cooling temperatures by considering the energy saving. The results to apply the standard ranged 69.0 and 100% of the days of each year. The possibilities of natural ventilation considered were greater than 10% of the hours of the year in all the assumptions. The energy saving of cooling degrees reveals a greater potential in the area studied than that of heating degrees; this tendency is supported by the study of old temporary series which are part of the climate variation predicted throughout the 21st century.Student housing significantly influences the quality and competitiveness of the university education environment. Whereas the traditional post-occupancy evaluations (POEs) of buildings have typically focussed on investigating users' satisfaction, an earlier study developed the gap theory based post-occupancy evaluation (GTbPOE) method, by which both the users' expectation and satisfaction (viz. performance gap) of a university dormitory were investigated. To validate the applicability of the GTbPOE method, further research was undertaken to evaluate the building performance of another dormitory. Using face-to-face interviews, responses of 104 dormitory users were collected, of which the relative importance ratings of six essential aspects (namely visual comfort, thermal comfort, aural comfort, fire safety, hygiene, and communication via information technology) were analyzed via the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). A series of gap analyses on the users' expectation and satisfaction levels corroborated the existence of the adaptation effect on the users' perception that is, the longer the stay, the smaller the performance gap. A comparative analysis on the findings between the two dormitories - one from the earlier study and the other from the present study - further demonstrated the usefulness of the GTbPOE method in benchmarking building performance. Adoption of this method in future POE studies will enable reliable identification of any shortcoming in building performance and hence, can form the basis for improvement measures to augment the performance of buildings within the built environment.Digitization and automation across all industries has resulted in improvements in efficiencies and effectiveness to systems and process, and the higher education sector is not immune. Online learning, e-learning, electronic teaching tools, and digital assessments are not innovations. However, there has been limited implementation of online invigilated examinations in many countries. This paper provides a brief background on online examinations, followed by the results of a systematic review on the topic to explore the challenges and opportunities. We follow on with an explication of results from thirty-six papers, exploring nine key themes student perceptions, student performance, anxiety, cheating, staff perceptions, authentication and security, interface design, and technology issues. While the literature on online examinations is growing, there is still a dearth of discussion at the pedagogical and governance levels.Good economic policymaking requires the best possible economic advice. To be an effective adviser, a policy economist needs to remain credible, even under pressure. There is a gap between theory and reality; minding the gap can help policy economists determine which theories are more likely to work as a matter of practical policymaking. Adding the human dimension makes for better decisions by casting light on how people might respond to otherwise rational policy proposals. It is not sufficient for good policy outcomes that economists confer only with their professional peers. Citizens must be persuaded that the proposed policy reform is in the best interests of the community as a whole. Good economic policymaking should not underestimate the power of incentives to override moral and ethical restraint. Regulation is a poor substitute for culturally-embedded moral restraint. While it is possible to divorce the mechanical side of economics from its moral foundations, this is not the route to good economic policymaking.To contain the COVID-19 pandemic, India imposed a national lockdown at the end of March 2020, a decision that resulted in a massive reverse migration as many workers across economic sectors returned to their home regions. Migrants provide the foundations of the agricultural workforce in the 'breadbasket' states of Punjab and Haryana in Northwest India.There are mounting concerns that near and potentially longer-term reductions in labor availability may jeopardize agricultural production and consequently national food security. The timing of rice transplanting at the beginning of the summer monsoon season has a cascading influence on productivity of the entire rice-wheat cropping system. To assess the potential for COVID-related reductions in the agriculture workforce to disrupt production of the dominant rice-wheat cropping pattern in these states, we use a spatial ex ante modelling framework to evaluate four scenarios representing a range of plausible labor constraints on the timing of rice transplanting. Averaged over both states, results suggest that rice productivity losses under all delay scenarios would be low as compare to those for wheat, with total system productivity loss estimates ranging from 9%, to 21%, equivalent to economic losses of USD $674 m to $1.

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Due to the in situ, real-time, and non-destructive properties, mechanoluminescence (ML) crystals have been considered as intelligent stress sensors, which demonstrate potential applications such as in inner crack visualization, light source, and ultrasonic powder recording. Thereinto, it is highly expected that near-infrared (NIR) MLs can realize the visualization of inner biological stress because mechanically induced signals from them can penetrate biological tissues. However, such an energy conversion technique fails to work in biomechanical monitoring due to the limited advances of NIR ML materials. Based on those, some research groups have begun to focus on this field and initially realized this idea in vitro while related advances are still at the early stage. To advance this field, it is highly desirable to review recent advances in NIR ML crystals. In this review, to our knowledge, all the NIR ML crystals have been included in two main groups oxysulfides and oxides. Besides, the present and emerging trends in investigation of such crystals were discussed. In all, the aim is to advance NIR ML crystals to more practical applications, especially for that of biomechanical visualization in vivo.Power is enacted to oppress others, pursue wellness, or resist oppression. For Black people, societal and relational oppression influences racialized and gendered expressions of power within sexual encounters. The current study analyzed power dynamics within Black university students' first and most recent sexual encounters. Using narrative inquiry within a critical paradigm, five narrative strategies were identified within participants' interviews 1) Offering a Peek into Powerlessness, 2) Detailing Disempowerment, 3) Privileging Stereotypical Power, 4) Reclaiming Power, and 5) Emphasizing Empowered Sex. Racialized, gendered sexual socialization among Black students is discussed. Counseling considerations to increase sexual wellness for Black people are explored.Soybean molasses (SBM) is a byproduct of the manufacture of soy protein concentrate and has high energy value. This byproduct has a high potential for use in the nutrition of ruminant animals, mainly in the replacement of other energy feeds such as corn grain. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/Temsirolimus.html The objective of this study was to evaluate the inclusion of SBM to replace corn grain up to 30% dry matter (DM) in the total diet on growth performance, feeding behavior, carcass characteristics, and meat quality of feedlot lambs (½ Santa Inês × ½ Dorper). Forty intact male lambs with an initial average body weight of 20.6 ± 2.5 kg and approximate age of 120 d were used. The animals were distributed in four treatments (0%, 10%, 20%, and 30% SBM), divided into five randomized blocks according to the initial weight and adapted for 16 d, with diets containing increasing concentrations of concentrate and SBM. Feeding behavior was analyzed at the beginning, middle, and final of the finishing period, and when animals reached 42 d on the finishing diet they wor SBM treatments. The values of total polyunsaturated fatty acids showed a decreasing linear effect (P ≤ 0.05) with the inclusion of SBM. The use of up to 30% SBM in DM did not impair animal growth performance and feeding behavior did not cause damages to carcass parameters and still made the meat healthier, improving the n-6/n-3 ratio, therefore can be used to feed finishing lambs.Supplemental sources of Mg can also aid in ruminal pH regulation due to their alkaline properties. Magnesium oxide (MgO) is the most common source of Mg for ruminants and can help controlling ruminal pH; however, the alkaline potential of other sources of Mg has not been evaluated. We aimed to evaluate the inclusion of calcium-magnesium carbonate (CaMg(CO3)2) and calcium-magnesium hydroxide (CaMg(OH)4) alone or in combination as supplemental sources of Mg in corn silage-based diets and its impact on ruminal microbial fermentation. We hypothesized that inclusion of CaMg(OH)4 would allow for ruminal fermentation conditions resulting in a greater pH compared to the inclusion of CaMg(CO3)2. Four treatments were defined by the supplemental source of Mg in the diet 1) Control (100% MgO, plus sodium sesquicarbonate as a buffer); 2) CO3 [100% CaMg(CO3)2]; 3) OH [100% CaMg(OH)4]; and 4) CO3/OH [50% Mg from CaMg(CO3)2, 50% Mg from CaMg(OH)4]. Nutrient concentration was held constant across treatments (16% CP, 30% NDF, d greater pH-AUC (P = 0.05) for diets with CaMg(CO3)2 in comparison with the Control. Concentration of soluble Mg in ruminal fluid (P = 0.73) and nutrient digestibility (P ≥ 0.52) were similar across treatments. Under the conditions of this experiment, using CaMg(OH)4 alone or combined with CaMg(CO3)2 allowed for a less acidic ruminal fermentation pattern than a diet with only CaMg(CO3)2.The objectives of this trial were to evaluate the effect of corn processing during the finishing phase on feedlot cattle performance and carcass characteristics. We hypothesized that steers fed dry-rolled corn would have better feed efficiency (less feed necessary to the same amount of gain) than steers fed whole shelled corn. Ninety-five backgrounded Angus-cross cattle (initial body weight [BW] = 263 ± 9.8 kg) were used in a randomized complete block design in a feedlot setting. Cattle were divided in to 3 blocks heifers (n = 31, 4 pens; initial BW = 267 ± 1.3 kg), light steers (n = 32, 4 pens; initial BW = 253 ± 1.3 kg), and heavy steers (n = 32, 4 pens; initial BW = 279 ± 1.4 kg). Diets contained 70% corn (experimental treatment), 15% dried distiller's grains with solubles, 7% grass hay, and 8% supplement, on a dry matter basis. Cattle were fed for 217, 224, and 231 ± 8 d for the heifer, heavy steer, and light steer blocks, respectively. Two pens within each block were randomly assigned to one of the follo marbling score, USDA Yield Grade or USDA Quality Grade. In conclusion, feeding DRC to feedlot cattle improved ADG, hot carcass weight, and Longissimus dorsi muscle area, without affecting feed efficiency or meat quality.This study evaluated the effect of heifer development system on body weight (BW), body condition score (BCS), fescue toxicosis symptoms, reproductive performance, and subsequent calf growth of fall-calving beef heifers. Angus × Simmental heifers [n = 399; 240 ± 20.0 kg initial BW; age = 252 ± 20 d] were stratified by BW and BCS and assigned to 1 of 12 groups in each of the two production years. The study utilized a stratified randomized design. Pens were randomly assigned to four treatments drylot (DL) development (fed ad-libitum diet consisting of 90% hay and 10% DDGS on a dry matter basis), grazing endophyte-infected fescue supplemented daily (2.3 kg as-fed/heifer/d; 5050 mix of soybean hulls and DDGS; E+/S), grazing endophyte-infected fescue and supplemented from the midpoint of treatment period until breeding (4.5 kg as-fed/heifer/d; 5050 mix of soybean hulls and DDGS; E+/LS), and grazing novel endophyte-infected fescue with no supplement (NE+/NS). Treatments ceased on d 168 [time of artificial insemination (AI)] and heifers were commingled and managed as a group through second breeding season.

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Results show a segregated expression for both paralogues that predominantly match previous immunocytochemical studies. This study thus adds valuable information to the scarce analyses focusing on the central distribution of the expression of serotonergic markers, particularly tphs, in the vertebrate brain thus characterizing the true serotonergic brain territories.
Children treated for craniopharyngioma (CP) experience significant morbidity. We aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics and postoperative complications of pediatric CP and to determine risk factors for complications to provide a theoretical basis for postoperative treatment.

In this retrospective analysis, we screened clinical data concerning children with CP who had undergone surgery at our hospital from December 2011 to June 2015. We statistically analyzed the relationship between age, sex, disease course, tumor location, extent of tumor resection, and neuroendocrine axis dysfunction.

Of 240 patients (males, n = 144; females, n = 96; mean age, 8.33 ± 4.64years), the main clinical presentations were headache (n = 151, 62.92%), vomiting (n = 84, 35%), vision changes (n = 101, 42.08%), polydipsia and polyuria (n = 47, 19.58%), and growth retardation (n = 42, 17.5%). Hypothalamic-pituitary dysfunction was the most common postoperative complication. There were 216 (90.00%) and 181 (75.42%) patiend reduce long-term morbidity.
We assessed management and outcomes for intussusception at nine academic hospitals in South Africa.

Patients ≤ 3years presenting with intussusception between September 2013 and December 2017 were prospectively enrolled at all sites. Additionally, patients presenting between July 2012 and August 2013 were retrospectively enrolled at one site. Demographics, clinical information, diagnostic modality, reduction methods, surgical intervention and outcomes were reviewed.

Four hundred seventy-six patients were enrolled, [54% males, median age 6.5months (IQR 2.6-32.6)]. Vomiting (92%), bloody stool (91%), abdominal mass (57%), fever (32%) and a rectal mass (29%) represented advanced disease median symptom duration was 3days (IQR 1-4). Initial reduction attempts included pneumatic reduction (66%) and upfront surgery (32%). The overall non-surgical reduction rate was 28% and enema perforation rate was 4%. Surgery occurred in 334 (70%), 68 (20%) patients had perforated bowel, bowel resection was required in 61%. Complications included recurrence (2%) and nosocomial sepsis (4%). Length of stay (LOS) was significantly longer in patients who developed complications. Six patients died-a mortality rate of 1%. There was a significant difference in reduction rates, upfront surgery, bowel resection, LOS and mortality between centres with shorter symptom duration compared longer symptom duration.

Delayed presentation was common and associated with low success for enema reduction, higher operative rates, higher rates of bowel resection and increased LOS. Improved primary health-care worker education and streamlining referral pathways might facilitate timely management.
Delayed presentation was common and associated with low success for enema reduction, higher operative rates, higher rates of bowel resection and increased LOS. Improved primary health-care worker education and streamlining referral pathways might facilitate timely management.
To examine the association between the MSCT quantitative measurements of congenital lung malformations (CLM) and the selection of surgical approaches (lobectomy vs. lung-sparing surgery).

This retrospective study evaluated CLM surgical cases at our institution from 2016 to 2018. MSCT quantitative measurements were generated by a semi-automated approach the volume of the lesion (V
), the volume of the lesion-involved lobe (V
), the volume of the lesion-involved lung (V
) and the volume of the total lung (V
). The proportions of V
to V
(P
), V
to V
(P
), and V
to V
(P
) were calculated. We used Logistics regression to examine whether quantitative measurements were associated with the selection of surgical approaches.

151 patients were included (median age at surgery 6 months). 82 patients underwent lung-sparing surgery, and 69 patients underwent lobectomy. V
(OR 1.51, 95% CI 1.09-2.07), P
(OR 1.78, 95% CI 1.16-2.72), P
(OR 1.63, 95% CI 1.13-2.35), and P
(OR 1.58, 95% CI 1.12-2.22) were positively associated with the selection of lobectomy.

The application of quantified MSCT analysis may provide insight into the quantitative characteristics of CLM, which could be potentially useful for surgical approach selection.
The application of quantified MSCT analysis may provide insight into the quantitative characteristics of CLM, which could be potentially useful for surgical approach selection.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the surgical methods and clinical outcomes of arthroscopic treatment of a special type of calcification with surrounding inflammation in the acetabular labrum of the hip, which was temporarily named "calcifying labrumitis".

From April 2015 to November 2019, a total of seven patients with calcifying labrumitis of the hip who underwent arthroscopic excision of calcified lesions and suture or partial resection of the labrum were included in this study. Radiographs were retrospectively evaluated for morphologic characteristics of calcifying labrumitis. Each patient was assessed by the visual analogue scale (VAS), modified Harris hip score (mHHS), nonarthritic hip score (NAHS) and satisfaction rate before surgery and at the final follow-up evaluation.

Seven patients, one male and six females aged 29-48years, were included in the study; of these patients, three had calcifying labrumitis on the left side and four had calcifying labrumitis on the right side. All patian effective, safe and minimally invasive method, significantly relieving pain and improving hip joint function.

Level IV.
Level IV.
Evaluate team and player compliance with the Knee Control injury prevention exercise programme, study the association between player compliance and injury rates, and compare coach demographics, baseline prevention expectancies, and programme utilisation between teams with high and low compliance.

Prospective one-season cohort study based on a cluster randomisedcontrolled trial on 301 (107 female) floorball players aged 12-17years. Floorball exposure and injuries were self-reported weekly by players using the Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center questionnaire. Team and player compliance to Knee Control was reported monthly by coaches. Additionally, coaches answered pre- and post-season surveys. Teams were divided into a high (≥ 80%) or low (< 80%) compliance group based on their use of Knee Control during the season. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/cftrinh-172.html Players were divided into three compliance groups based on their average weekly number of Knee Control sessions; high (≥ 2 sessions), intermediate (≥ 1 to < 2 sessions), and low dose (< 1 session).