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This paper considers the vehicle control process in emergency lane change (ELC). The control method is divided into two parts: before crossing the obstacle and after crossing it. The first part is done by a feed-forward controller inspired by the driver's behavior pattern in the ELC maneuver. This controller is compensated by a neural network system and two proportional-integral (PI) and proportional-derivative (PD) controllers, which correct the output of the feed-forward controller to follow the path more accurately. The second part consists of two PD controllers responsible for controlling and steering the vehicle in the main path after crossing the obstacle. The main novelty of the proposed method is that the computational burden is low because of using a feed-forward controller, which is the main source of the calculation's burden. So as a result, the controller system can cover the ELC maneuver in under 2 seconds in various lateral displacements to bypass the obstacle and prevent collisions. The co-simulations are performed in CarSim software and MATLAB/Simulink, which shows that the control system can appropriately steer the vehicle and follow the desired at different speeds, in the presence of road friction and parameter uncertainty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insulin resistance (IR) and infertility are two major complications of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which are the results of changes in certain parts of the reproductive and metabolic systems. We aimed to observe the effect of quercetin on dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)-induced PCOS and insulin resistance in rats. All animals were divided into five groups and DHEA was used to induce PCOS. Bodyweight and ovarian morphology of all groups were observed. Fasting blood glucose and insulin levels were analysed. The homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) method was used for IR level determination. The expression of oestrogen receptor α (ERα) and glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) genes in the uterus was examined by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Liver hexokinase (HK) and glucokinase (GK) activity was determined using spectrophotometry. Quercetin significantly improved the IR state in PCOS rats. PCOS resulted in a decrease in liver GK and an increase in liver HK specific activity, whereas quercetin increased both liver HK and GK activity. Our data also showed a significant reduction in uterine ERα and GLUT4 expression in the PCOS group, which was increased by quercetin. A remarkable effect of quercetin was the intensive reduction of PCOS-IR and significant induction of uterine GLUT4 and ERα gene expression; it could thus be a possible effective treatment for PCOS and its complications, IR and infertility. Insulin resistance (IR) and infertility are two major complications of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). We found that quercetin as a natural flavonoid improved the IR state and increased expression of two important fertility related genes in the uterus of PCOS rats; it could thus be a possible treatment for PCOS and infertility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Objective: Oxidative stress is associated with the pathology of various neuropsychiatric disorders, such as depression and anxiety. The aim of the study was to examine the impacts of the lavender aqueous extract (LAE) on the levels of oxidative stress markers in an animal model with chronic mild stress induced depression. Materials & Methods: 36 adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were haphazardly split into 6 groups (n=6). Rats in the test groups were put through five weeks of chronic mild stress. The sucrose preference test (SPT) confirmed depressive-like behaviors in the rats. Rats in both unstressed and stressed control groups received LAE (200 or 400 mg/kg) and distilled water respectively. The specific activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione peroxidase (Gpx), malondialdehyde (MDA) and as well as the total content of glutathione (GSH) were examined in the serum, liver and prefrontal cortex (PFC) using colorimetric assays. Results: The stress group experienced a significantly decreased level of GSH, SOD, GR, Gpx and CAT, and a statistically considerable augment in MDA level in in the serum, PFC and liver p<0.05. LAE at both doses significantly reversed the depression-caused oxidative stress markers in all the studied tissues. No significant difference was observed between the two used dosages of LAE. Conclusion: LAE is able to ameliorate depression-induced pathology possibly through anti-oxidant activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black-Scholes model, as a base model for pricing in derivatives markets has some deficiencies, such as ignoring market jumps, and considering market volatility as a constant factor. In this article, we introduce a pricing model for European-Options under jump-diffusion underlying asset. Then, using some appropriate numerical methods we try to solve this model with integral term, and terms including derivative. Finally, considering volatility as an unknown parameter, we try to estimate it by using our proposed model. For the purpose of estimating volatility, in this article, we utilize inverse problem, in which inverse problem model is first defined, and then volatility is estimated using minimization function with Tikhonov regularization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Letermovir was approved in 2017 for prevention of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in seropositive (R+) allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) patients. Post‐marketing data with this new agent are scarce. Methods: We compared the incidence of both CMV reactivation (any viremia) and clinically significant CMV infection (CS‐CMVi; CMV DNAemia leading to preemptive treatment or presence of CMV tissue invasive disease) at days +100 and +200 post‐HCT in 25 adult allogeneic HCT patients who received letermovir prophylaxis (until day 100) and a historical control group of 106 CMV R+ allogeneic HCT recipients who underwent CMV preemptive therapy. Results: CMV reactivation within 100 days post‐HCT was lower in the letermovir group vs control group (20% vs 72% respectively, P <.001). The 100‐day cumulative incidence of CS‐CMVi was significantly lower in the letermovir group vs control group (4% vs 59% respectively, P <.001). Significantly reduced incidence of CMV reactivation and CS‐CMVi was also observed at 200 days in the letermovir group. No difference in mortality was observed between the two groups. Conclusion: This study confirms the efficacy of letermovir in preventing CMV reactivation in CMV R+ allogeneic HCT recipients in first 100 days post‐HCT and suggests sustained efficacy after discontinuation of prophylaxis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The exact mechanisms of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are unknown and there is no effective cure for the disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the alterations in serum oestradiol and adiponectin levels and in the expression of some important genes in the uterine and ovarian tissues of PCOS rats. The therapeutic effect of quercetin on PCOS was also assessed. Rats were divided into five groups: control, ethanol, quercetin (Q), PCOS and PCOS+Q. After 30 days of oral treatments, the rats' ovaries and uteri were removed and nesfatin-1, aromatase and adipoR1 expressions were quantified with real-time polymerase chain reaction. Serum adiponectin and oestradiol levels were evaluated using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique. The results of this study showed that expression of nesfatin-1 and adipoR1 genes and adiponectin serum levels decreased in the PCOS rats, but aromatase expression and oestradiol level increased. Treatment with quercetin increased the adiponectin level and expression of adipoR1 and nesfatin-1 and decreased both the expression of aromatase and the oestradiol level. Quercetin improved PCOS by phytoestrogenic effects and mimicking oestrogen's function. Quercetin also affects important factors in both the uterus and ovary and could improve the obesity and the diabetic and infertility symptoms of PCOS. Quercetin could improve polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) by its phytoestrogenic effects, mimicking oestrogen's function. Also, quercetin affects obesity and diabetes factors such as adiponectin, nesfatin-1 and adiponectin receptor, thus improving the symptoms of PCOS. Quercetin significantly decreased oestrogen levels and might help fertility problems in PCOS patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: coronary artery disease is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. A valuable tool for its diagnosis is calcium score by cardiac tomography. Objective: to describe the results of the use of calcium scoring in the diagnosis of coronary artery disease. Methods: a cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out at the Cardiocentro "Ernesto Che Guevara" of Santa Clara in 2019. The population consisted of 820 patients with chest pain attended at the tomography service and the sample consisted of 246 patients selected by simple random sampling. A request for informed consent was made and anamnesis, physical examination and coronary calcium score were performed. In the statistical analysis, the Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare the variables describing the calcium score in the four coronary vessels and the Mann-Whitney U test (penalized by the Bonferroni method). Results: 61.4% of those investigated were over 60 years of age, 65.9% were male, 78.1% had some risk factor and arterial hypertension was the most frequent (68.7%). The most common diagnosis was multivessel disease (42.28%) and the anterior descending artery was the most affected (41.46%). There were significant differences between the mean ranges for the number of lesions in the vessels with a median of three for the anterior descending and right coronary arteries. Conclusion: the calcium score was able to diagnose coronary vessel disease in the majority of patients with chest pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a method to estimate nationally representative pretreatment HIV drug resistance (PDR) in order to evaluate the effectiveness of first -line treatments. The objective of the present study was to determine the prevalence of PDR in Cuban adults infected with HIV-1. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study in Cuban adults infected with HIV-1 over 18 years was conducted. The probability proportional to size method for the selection of municipalities and patients without a prior history of antiretroviral treatment during the period from January 2017 to June 2017 was used. The plasma from 141 patients from 15 municipalities for the determination of viral subtype and HIV drug resistance was collected. Some clinical and epidemiological variables were evaluated. Results: 80. 9% of the patients corresponded to the male sex and 76.3% were men who have sex with other men (MSM). The median CD4 count was 371 cells / mm3 and the median viral load was 68000 copies / mL. The predominant genetic variants were subtype B (26.9%), CRF19_cpx (24.1%), CRF 20, 23, 24_BG (23.4%) and CRF18_cpx (12%). Overall, the prevalence of PDR was 29.8% (95%, CI 22.3–38.1). The prevalence was 12.8% (95%, CI 6.07–16.9) for any nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI), 23.4% (95%, CI 16.7–31.3) for any non-reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) and 1.4% (95%, CI 0.17–5.03) for any protease inhibitor (PI). The most frequent mutations detected were K103N (12.9%), G190A (6.4%) and Y181C (4.8%). Conclusions: The NNRTI prevalence above 10% in our study indicates that the first-line antiretroviral therapy in Cuba may be less effective and supports the need to look for new treatment options that contribute to therapeutic success and help the country achieve the global goals 90-90-90 set forth by UNAIDS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the species Neohydatothrips basilaris Hood that were found on leaves of the species plant Eupartorium odoratum L. in Cuba, which belong to the family Compositaceae, and is considered the first record of a host plant for insects.

The effects of host-guest and guest-guest interactions on the structure and electric inductivity of the products of the intercalation of electron pair donors as poly(ethylene oxyde), short chain (n=2-5) secondary amines, and long chain (n=12-18) amines into molybdenum disulfide are discussed. Although in most of the intercalates MoS 2 presents an octahedral conformation, induced principally by a host-guest charge transfer, in those with long chain amines predominate the hydrophobic intermolecular interactions bearing to products with different structural and transport properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]