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Fruits and vegetables are perishable in nature; spoilage is more due to high moisture loss. To preserve fruits for a longer duration we need to control the moisture loss and restrict respiration rate. Dehydrators available in the market are very expensive & can’t be afforded by all. The Dehydrator that we developed is both economically and environmentally friendly and able to dehydrate various fruits in a very short span of time. A food dehydrator is an appliance that has a compact space and hot ventilation that can be used as a dehydrator. Dehydration of foods has two primary purposes: to prolong the shelf life of the food products to be stored and reduce the water content to prevent the growth of microorganisms. The objective of the study based on the machine we created is to use it as a source for humans to know that food can last longer by using the machine. It shows the best effect on the food. This aims to preserve food products from the growth of bacteria and yeast through water removal. The study's findings conclude that this food dehydrator can clearly reduce the burden on consumers, especially in businesses that use food dehydrators to produce sales results. Therefore, consumers who use these food dehydrators can produce more quality and durable food product results. Our developed dehydrator can help in economic terms that can further process food products that are more durable with high quality as well as can save time. Keywords: Dehydrator, Preservation, Storage.

Peran ayah (fathering) merupakan peran yang dilakukan oleh seorang laki-laki dalam satu keluarga yang memiliki tugas mengarahkan anak menjadi mandiri dan berkembang positif, baik secara fisik dan psikologis. Peran ayah sama pentingnya dengan peran seorang ibu walaupun waktu yang dihabiskan bersama anak relatif lebih sedikit dibandingkan seorang ibu. Permasalahan penyimpangan orientasi seksual banyak faktor yang dapat menjadi penyebabnya. Tujuan penelitian untuk mengidentifikasi peran ayah dalam pembentukan penyimpangan perilaku seksual. Metode penelitian ini menggunakan penelitian kualitatif deskriptif. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa penyimpangan perilaku seksual berkontribusi dengan fungsi keluarga, manajemen sumber daya keluarga serta proses pembentukan konsep diri anak. Peran ayah dalam keluarga tidak hanya keterlibatannya dalam menjalankan fungsi keluarga seperti fungsi ekonomi, akan tetapi keterlibatan ayah dalam interaksi positif dengan anak aktif dapat memberikan nilai dan karakter pada pembentukan konsep diri anak. Peran ayah (fathering) dapat membantu proses tumbuh kembang anak salah satunya pemenuhan kebutuhan psikologi dan sosialisasi. Dukungan orangtua dalam menuntaskan tugas perkembangan anak dapat menghindari dari perilaku penyimpangan, termasuk penyimpangan seksual. Perkembangan anak erat kaitannya dengan peran orang tua dalam menentukan pandangan dan nilai bagi anak untuk berperilaku. Peran ayah diharapkan dapat melaksanakan fungsinya dengan baik sehingga fungsi manajemen keluarga dapat berfungsi sebagaimana mestinya di dalam keluarga.

Attic karst cave is one of the most common fractured-vuggy structure in Tahe oilfield. In this study, a typical attic-shaped cave was extracted from the geological section of Tahe Oilfield. Under t...

This paper presents novel approaches to oscillator dynamic linear simulations. The simulations use the RF linear simulation software Genesys to simulate the integral transistor-based LC oscillators and the op-amp based Wien (RC) oscillator with the new criterion. The simulation approaches and criteria are designed based on a new oscillator linear theory, which treats oscillators as the energy-free two-port linear networks with the full characteristics of oscillators. The simulations are dynamic in order to be consistent with the dynamic oscillation buildup. The simulations are also linear to obey the circuit linearity constraint. The network response is controlled by the Thevenin source, where both E and R01 of the source are dynamic. This source is created from oscillator internal dynamic resonant energy. The generalized scattering parameter (S’) is used for the dynamic linear simulations. The simulations showed that the LC and Wien oscillators have the same characteristics at oscillation stable states, namely, the internal negative resistance (NR), internal inductive and capacitive impedances, positive phase slope, and negative net resistance of source loop.

This study aims to describe the impact of implementing children's story magazine media in class 3 learning at MIN 10 Ngawi. The method used in this research is descriptive method and uses a qualitative research approach. The technique used in this research is the technique of observation, interviews, documentation with data collectors, observation guides, interviews and field notes. The results of data analysis showed that the learning media of children's story magazines can improve student learning outcomes, it can be seen from the learning outcomes before and after using children's story magazine learning media. Before using the children's story magazine media, the average grade 3 MIN 10 Ngawi students was 64, after using the children's story magazine learning media the average grade 3 MIN 10 Ngawi students was 78

Karya sastra yang berkembang pesat saat ini adalah novel. Cover pada novel berperan penting dalam menarik perhatian calon pembaca. Ilustrasi cover pada novel harus dibuat semenarik mungkin karena pembaca cenderung beranggapan bahwa cover novel memiliki pesan yang akan mewakili isi novel. Cover novel yang akan diteliti adalah cover buku seri “Percy Jackson and The Olympians” karya Rick Riordan dengan genre fantasi. Buku seri ini terdiri dari 5 buah novel yang cover -nya dapat dikatakan berhasil mewakili isi dari masing-masing buku tersebut. Studi ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis cover buku seri “Percy Jackson and The Olympians” dengan menggunakan metode teori semiotika dari Charles Sanders Peirce untuk memaknai tanda-tanda visual yang ada pada cover buku. Hal ini dilakukan dengan mengkaji visualisasi, warna dan hubungan tanda dengan makna cover . Jadi, hasil penelitian adalah terbentuknya persepsi yang merupakan pesan pada cover buku seri “Percy Jackson and The Olympians” sehingga dapat mewakili isi buku tersebut.

Summary We are interested in the development of surrogate models for the prediction of field saturations using a fully convolutional encoder/decoder network based on the dense convolutional network (DenseNet; Huang et al. 2017), similar to the approaches used for image/image-regression tasks in deep learning. In the surrogate model, the encoder network automatically extracts the multiscale features from the raw input data, and the decoder network then uses these data to recover the input image resolution at the output of the model. The input of multiple influencing factors is considered to make our surrogate model more consistent with the physical laws, which has achieved good results in the prediction of output fields in our experiments. Various reservoir parameters including the static reservoir properties (i.e., permeability field) and dynamic reservoir properties (i.e., well placement) are used as input features, and the water-saturation distributions in different periods are taken as the output. Compared with traditional numerical reservoir simulation, which has a high computational cost and is time consuming, not only does it present the same precision, but it costs less time. At the same time, it can also be used for production optimization and history matching.

Polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a group of aromatic compounds that contain at least two rings. These compounds are found naturally in petroleum products and are considered the most prevalent pollutants in the environment. The lack of microorganism capable of degrading some PAHs led to their accumulation in the environment which usually causes major health problems as many of these compounds are known carcinogens. Xanthene is one of the small PAHs which has three rings. Many xanthene derivatives are useful dyes that are used for dyeing wood and cosmetic articles. However, several studies have illustrated that these compounds have toxic and carcinogenic effects. The first step of the bacterial degradation of xanthene is conducted by dioxygenase enzymes that introduces two oxygen atoms in the structure of the aromatic rings. In this study we focused on the bacterial bioremediation of xanthene via Sphingobium yanoikuyae B1DR, an engineered strain carrying the dioxin angular dioxygenase from Sphingomonas wittichii RW1. HPLC analysis of supernatant from resting cells of S. yanoikuyae B1DR grown on xanthene and succinate showed the ability of this strain to transform xanthene to 2-hydroxyphenylacetate that was not produced by the wild type of Sphingobium yanoikuyae B1. Production of 2-hydroxyphenylacetate was confirmed by GC-MS. Our results show the importance of this strain in reducing the toxic effects of xanthene in the environment and showed for the first time that ring-hydroxylation enzymes and hydrolases for biphenyl degradation in S. yanoikuyae B1 may function on metabolites generated from the degradation pathway of xanthene. By analyzing our results we were able to draw a novel pathway for xanthene degradation in S. yanoikuyae B1DR.

The Aceh Province, located in the northern island of Sumatera, Indonesia, is highly vulnerable to disasters. The experience of being struck by the devastating earthquake and tsunami on December 26, 2004 has not been communicated to the young generation of Acehnese. Hence, they need to be informed of the real and serious threats of occurrence of certain disasters. By understanding this information, the impacts of future disasters could be reduced. Preserving the live narrative of the tsunami survivors in the form of a documentary film is one of the ways of ensuring disaster preparedness, which would also be easy for the millennial generation to comprehend. The objective of this paper is to describe how oral narration was combined with visual art to create a documentary film. By capturing the life stories of tsunami survivors, it may serve as an example of community-based risk preparation through the dissemination of tsunami warnings and evacuation messages.

Foam is widely used in fractured reservoirs. However, few studies on the flow characteristics of foam fluid in fractures have been presented, and the flow mechanism of foam in complex fracture netw...

Budaya sekolah di maknai dengan tradisi sekolah yang tumbuh dan berkembang sesuai dengan spirit dan nilai-nilai yang dianut di sekolah, artinya budaya sekolah ini berisi kebiasaan-kebiasaan yang disepakati bersama untuk di jalankan dalam waktu yang lama. Jika kebiasaan positif ini sudah membudaya, maka nilai-nilai karakter yang diharapkan akan terbentuk.Pada penelitian ini kami menggunakan jenis penelitian deskriptif untuk memperoleh gambaran mengenai budaya sekolah di SDN Mangunharjo 4. Sumber data yang kami peroleh yang pertama dari hasil wawancara dengan kepala sekolah, pengawas sekolah, guru dan tenaga kependidikan, dan siswa. Kedua hasil pengamatan di lapangan dengan keadaan lingkungan dan budaya yang ada di SDN Mangunharjo 4. Dari hasil pengamatan dan wawancara dengan kepala sekolah, pengawas sekolah, guru dan tenaga kependidikan, dan siswa kami dapat mengetahui implementasi budaya sekolah menghafal perkalian dan membaca buku non pelajaran di SDN Mangunharjo 4, sikap dan nilai-nilai setelah menerapkan budaya sekolah tersebut, manfaat dan tujuan, serta permasalahan atau pun kendala yang sering terjadi saat implementasi budaya sekolah tersebut. Sehingga kami berharap budaya ini dapat menjadi inprirasi untuk diterapkan di sekolah lain.

Hydraulic fracturing is one of the major production enhancement measures for low permeability fractured reservoirs, where a large amount of oil and gas is stored worldwide. In recent years, during the development and research of these reservoirs, it has been found that the hydraulic fractures formed are no longer the single planar fractures produced by fracturing in homogeneous reservoirs, but complex, non-planar, multiple hydraulic fractures are formed, and the post-fracturing production often shows a positive correlation with the fracture complexity. A large amount of hydraulic fracturing diagnostic data indicates that the interaction between pre-existing natural fractures and induced hydraulic fractures is the key condition leading to the formation of complex hydraulic fractures. Simulation of hydraulic fracture extension in fractured reservoirs requires simulation of fluid pressure changes after the intersection of hydraulic fractures and natural fractures, as well as hydraulic fracture steering and other complex conditions. The traditional hydraulic fracture extension simulation models and theories are no longer suitable for such inhomogeneous reservoir conditions, but the relevant theoretical research is still immature and the interaction between hydraulic fractures and natural fractures during hydraulic fracture extension in fractured reservoirs is still not well understood. It is necessary to further develop theoretical research on hydraulic fracture expansion in fractured reservoirs to understand the mechanism and influencing factors of complex fracture formation, in order to promote the development of field development and theoretical research system of similar reservoirs. In this paper, we simulate and analyze the factors influencing hydraulic fracture expansion in fractured reservoirs. Through a series of numerical simulations, we found that horizontal bedding may open up during hydraulic fracturing to form horizontal fractures, and horizontal and vertical fractures intersect each other to form a complex volumetric fracture network; The distribution length of volumetric fractures increases and the distribution width decreases when the horizontal principal stress difference increases, and the aspect ratio of volumetric fractures increases; the distribution length of volumetric fractures decreases and the width increases when the fracturing construction displacement increases, and the aspect ratio of fractures increases. The residual tensile strength of natural fractures increases, the distribution width of volumetric fractures decreases, the distribution length increases, and the aspect ratio of volumetric fractures increases. The research results can provide some reference and reference for the fracture design and construction of fractured reservoirs.

This thesis was scanned from the print manuscript for digital preservation and is copyright the author. Researchers can access this thesis by asking their local university, institution or public library to make a request on their behalf. Monash staff and postgraduate students can use the link in the References field.

We present and demonstrate an integrated approach to make low-cost high-speed half-duplex optical transceiver with rapid reconfigurability. A single Distributed-Feedback (DFB) diode is employed as the unified E/O-O/E device, which is dynamically biased as laser or photodetector in transmitter or receiver mode. The bias for the DFB and the transmit/receive (T/R) signal path are provided by a custom-designed reconfigurable CMOS chip, which contains the biasing circuitry, a high-speed T/R switch and a burst-mode transimpedance amplifier (BM-TIA). The transceiver front-end operates up to 5 Gb/s for both transmitter (Tx) and receiver (Rx) mode experimentally, while its reconfiguration time is less than 131 ns. This integrated approach not only halves the transceiver optics to facilitate low cost, but also enables high-speed signal transmission as well as rapid reconfiguration, which will be critical for the fiber-to-everything paradigm shift in the near future.

Introduction Construction of three-dimensional ventricular and atrial patches using decellularized extracellular matrix could allow the creation of “organ-like” structures for disease modeling, drug testing and regenerative medicine applications. To engineer functional artificial anatomical hearts several obstacles need to be overcome including generation of chamber-specific cells, prevention of immune reaction and donor/host tissue electrical coupling. Purpose In order to tackle these challenges we aimed to combine human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) technology, developmental biology inspired differentiation system to generate chamber-specific cardiomyocytes, decellularization/recellularization processes, and optogenetics utilizing light-sensitive ion channels to generate light-controllable atrial/ventricular tissue engineered patches. Material and method Atrial and ventricular patches of adult rats were decellularized using 1% SDS, 3% triton-X. The decellularized scaffolds were then recellularized with hiPSC- derived cardiomyocytes (2x107 atrial or ventricular cells). Adenoviral transduction was used to express the light-sensitive cationic channel ChR2 in the tissue engineered constructs. Results and discussion Eight days after cell seeding, we observed the development of spontaneous contraction of the atrial/ventricular tissues. Immunostaining for atrial (Cx40) or ventricular (MLC-2V) markers, gene expression, action-potential morphology, and the response to chamber-specific pharmacology confirmed the atrial/ventricular specific identity of the patches. Histological examination confirmed the preservation of the macro/micro- atrial/ventricular anatomical features in the generated chamber-specific recellularized patches. Optical mapping, using an EM-CCD camera, was used to characterize the conduction and repolarization properties of the generated tissues. The engineered patches could be paced and their electrical activity controlled by either electrical or optogenetic stimulation. Finally, arrhythmogenic reentrant arrhythmias could be induced in the tissue models and terminated by using optogenetic stimulation (“optogenetic-defibrillation”). Conclusions Three-dimensional light-sensitive chamber-specific engineered heart patches could be generated that could be controlled and manipulated through electrical and light pacing. These tissue could be used for several pathophysiological, drug testing, disease modeling and regenerative medicine applications. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: Public grant(s) – EU funding. Main funding source(s): H2020-ERC-COG

Problem The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged health care systems in an unprecedented way by imposing new demands on health care resources and scientific knowledge. There has also been an exceedingly fast accumulation of new information on this novel virus. As the traditional peer-review process takes time, there is currently a significant gap between the ability to generate new data and the ability to critically evaluate it. This problem of an excess of mixed-quality data, or infodemic, is echoing throughout the scientific community. Approach The authors aimed to help their colleagues at the Rambam Medical Center, Haifa, Israel, manage the COVID-19 infodemic with a methodologic solution: establishing an in-house mechanism for continuous literature review and knowledge distribution (March-April 2020). Their methodology included the following building blocks: a dedicated literature review team, artificial intelligence-based research algorithms, brief written updates in a graphical format, large-scale webinars and online meetings, and a feedback loop. Outcomes During the first month (April 2020), the project produced 21 graphical updates. After consideration of feedback from colleagues and final editing, 13 graphical updates were uploaded to the center's website; of these, 31% addressed the clinical presentation of the disease and 38% referred to specific treatments. This methodology as well as the graphical updates it generated were adopted by the Israeli Ministry of Health and distributed in a hospital preparation kit. Next steps The authors believe they have established a novel methodology that can assist in the battle against COVID-19 by making high-quality scientific data more accessible to clinicians. In the future, they expect this methodology to create a favorable uniform standard for evidence-guided health care during infodemics. Further evolution of the methodology may include evaluation of its long-term sustainability and impact on the day-to-day clinical practice and self-confidence of clinicians who treat COVID-19 patients.

The structural, optical, and mechanical properties of TiO2 nanolaminate films grown by plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition are discussed. Several TiO2/Al2O3 and TiO2/SiO2 compositions have been investigated to study the effect of the relative number of ALD oxide cycles on the film properties to obtain a high refractive index coating with low optical losses, low roughness, and low mechanical stress. The formation of crystalline TiO2 observed at high deposition temperature, or film thickness was inhibited by periodically introducing ultra-thin amorphous layers into the film. Only 4 ALD cycles of Al2O3 (corresponding to ca. 0.5 nm) between 335 ALD cycles of TiO2 (ca. 11 nm) form a closed, distinct layer suppressing the crystallization in TiO2 film. Consequently, the roughness of the pure TiO2 film is reduced from ca. 20 nm rms to 1 nm rms in the 335/4 nanolaminate, with only a slight decrease of the refractive index from 2.46 to 2.44 in 100 nm pure TiO2 and the nanolaminate, respectively. The refractive indices of the nanolaminates in various compositions vary between 2.38 and 2.50 at 632 nm, and the corresponding optical losses from the films are low. The mechanical stress was reduced to about 140 MPa in several TiO2/Al2O3 nanolaminates; however, lower mechanical stress has not been obtained with the studied compositions. The nanolaminate structure is preserved up to 600 °C annealing temperature. After annealing at 800 °C, the individual layers interdiffuse into each other so that no distinct nanolaminate structure is detected. By using TiO2/Al2O3 nanolaminates with reduced mechanical stress, a narrow bandpass filter was realized on various substrates, including half-ball and aspherical lenses.

The reservoir characterization aims to provide the analysis and quantification of the injection-production relationship, which is the fundamental work for production management. The connectivity between injectors and producers is dominated by geological properties, especially permeability. However, the permeability parameters are very heterogenous in oil reservoirs, and expensive to collect by well logging. The commercial simulators enable to get accurate simulation but require sufficient geological properties and consume excessive computation resources. In contrast, the data-driven models (physical models and machine learning models) are developed on the observed dynamic data, such as the rate and pressure data of the injectors and producers, constructing the connectivity relationship and forecasting the productivity by a series of nonlinear mappings or the control of specific physical principles. While, due to the “black box” feature of machine learning approaches, and the constraints and assumptions of physical models, the data-driven methods often face the challenges of poor interpretability and generalizability and the limited application scopes. To solve these issues, integrating the physical principle of the waterflooding process (material balance equation) with an artificial neural network (ANN), a knowledge interaction neural network (KINN) is proposed. KINN consists of three transparent modules with explicit physical significance, and different modules are joined together via the material balance equation and work cooperatively to approximate the waterflooding process. In addition, a gate function is proposed to distinguish the dominant flowing channels from weak connecting ones by their sparsity, and thus the inter-well connectivity can be indicated directly by the model parameters. Combining the strong nonlinear mapping ability with the guidance of physical knowledge, the interpretability of KINN is fully enhanced, and the prediction accuracy on the well productivity is improved. The effectiveness of KINN is proved by comparing its performance with the canonical ANN, on the inter-well connectivity analysis and productivity forecast tasks of three synthetic reservoir experiments. Meanwhile, the robustness of KINN is revealed by the sensitivity analysis on measurement noises and wells shut-in cases.

Seborrheic dermatitis (SD) is one of the most common dermatological conditions faced by the general population, regardless of geographic location and ethnicity. Given its widespread existence, it still remains puzzling for dermatologists and the affected individuals due to its varying presentations and recurring nature. We have presented a concise review of seborrheic dermatitis and pityriasis sicca.

The increasing need for energy makes people prefer to develop alternative energy. The sun is the main source of energy to the earth's surface. In sunny weather conditions, solar energy is about 1000 Watt/m2. The cheap source of solar energy causes many parties to use its energy, one of which is for street lamp lighting. The limited time of the sun to produce energy must be make solar energy is stored in batteries so that it can be used at night. However, the battery also has limitations in storing energy which results in less efficient use of PLTS. Therefore, it is necessary to adjust the loading using a controller that is able to regulate how much energy the battery must release according to the needs at that time so that there is no more wasted battery expenditure. With this controller, alternative energy will be used more efficiently. Making the tool begins by looking for some reference components that are capable of being the main material, then doing assembly and continuous testing of the tool to see if the controller runs as desired. It is hoped that this tool can be applied on roads and other places that require load supply regulation. The test results during the tool making process prove that the presence of a load supply regulator controller makes the battery more efficient to use

A corymbose (or corymbiform) arrangement in secondary syphilis (derived from the Greek word korymbos) is characterised by a central large plaque or papule surrounded by smaller satellite lesions akin to an explosion, whereas annular plaques consist of a peripheral ring of erythematous papules with central hyperpigmentation. These are very rare cutaneous manifestations of secondary syphilis. This case report focuses on one such interesting case which presented with the annular and corymbose pattern involving the face and genitalia.

The structural, optical, and mechanical properties of TiO

The functions of the heart are achieved through coordination of different cardiac cell subtypes (e.g., ventricular, atrial, conduction-tissue cardiomyocytes). Human pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hPSC-CMs) offer unique opportunities for cardiac research. Traditional studies using these cells focused on single-cells and utilized mixed cell populations. Our goal was to develop clinically-relevant engineered heart tissues (EHTs) comprised of chamber-specific hPSC-CMs. Here we show that such EHTs can be generated by directing hPSCs to differentiate into ventricular or atrial cardiomyocytes, and then embedding these cardiomyocytes in a collagen-hydrogel to create chamber-specific, ring-shaped, EHTs. The chamber-specific EHTs display distinct atrial versus ventricular phenotypes as revealed by immunostaining, gene-expression, optical assessment of action-potentials and conduction velocity, pharmacology, and mechanical force measurements. We also establish an atrial EHT-based arrhythmia model and confirm its usefulness by applying relevant pharmacological interventions. Thus, our chamber-specific EHT models can be used for cardiac disease modeling, pathophysiological studies and drug testing.

The ability to generate patient/disease-specific human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)-derived cardiomyocytes (hPSC-CMs) brings a unique value to the fields of cardiac disease modeling, drug testing, drug discovery, and precision medicine. Further integration of emerging innovative technologies such as developmental-biology inspired differentiation into chamber-specific cardiomyocyte subtypes, genome-editing, tissue-engineering, and novel functional phenotyping methodologies should facilitate even more advanced investigations. Here, we review cornerstone concepts and recent highlights of hPSC-based cardiac disease modeling and drug testing.

Background: The short QT syndrome (SQTS) is an inherited arrhythmogenic syndrome characterized by abnormal ion channel function, life-threatening arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. Objectives: To establish a patient-specific human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) model of the SQTS, and to provide mechanistic insights into its pathophysiology and therapy. Methods: Patient-specific hiPSCs were generated from a symptomatic SQTS patient carrying the N588K mutation in the KCNH2 gene, differentiated into cardiomyocytes, and compared to healthy- and isogenic- (established by CRISPR/Cas9-based mutation correction) control hiPSC-derived cardiomyocytes. Patch-clamp was used to evaluate action-potential (AP) and IKr current properties at the cellular level. Conduction and arrhythmogenesis were studied at the tissue level using confluent two-dimensional hiPSC-derived cardiac cell-sheets (hiPSC-CCSs) and optical mapping. Results: Intracellular recordings demonstrated shortened action-potential duration (APD) and abbreviated refractory period in the SQTS-hiPSC-CMs. Similarly, voltage- and AP- clamp recordings revealed increased IKr current density due to attenuated inactivation, primarily in the AP plateau phase. Optical mapping of the SQTS-hiPSC-CCSs revealed shortened APD, impaired APD-rate adaptation, abbreviated wavelength of excitation, and increased inducibility of sustained spiral-waves. Phase-mapping analysis revealed accelerated and stabilized rotors manifested by increased rotor rotation frequency, increased rotor curvature, decreased core meandering, and increased rotor complexity. Application of quinidine and disopyramide, but not sotalol, normalized APD and suppressed arrhythmia induction. Conclusions: A novel hiPSC-based model of the SQTS was established at both the cellular and tissue levels. This model recapitulated the disease phenotype in the culture-dish and provided important mechanistic insights into arrhythmia mechanisms in the SQTS and its treatment.

Two-phase flow in fractured and karstified porous media subject to coupled hydro-mechanical conditions is an important issue for oil recovery in carbonate reservoirs. However, due to the co-existence of porous media flow, fracture flow and free flow, as well as their couplings with geomechanical deformation, modeling the behavior of fractured karst systems remains challenging. In this work, a novel coupled hydro-mechanical model for simulating the complex behavior of fractured and karstified porous media is developed. Two-phase Darcy's equation is used to describe fluid flow in both matrix and fractures, while the free flow in cavities is considered based on an assumption of phase instantaneous gravity segregation. A modified Barton-Bandis's constitutive model is used to mimic the nonlinear fracture deformation. The cavity deformation is solved based on the fluid pressure on the cavity boundaries. A mixed finite volume-finite element method and a fixed-stress iterative splitting method are adopted to numerically solve the coupled system of equations. The model is then applied to a series of 2D and 3D problems to unravel the impacts of fractures and cavities on two-phase flow and geomechanical deformation in fractured karst systems. The results indicate that cavities hinder water breakthrough due to storage effects, while water may quickly migrate through highly conductive fractures. Cavities tend to dominate the flow and mechanical processes even though fractures are present as well. Significant stress concentration is observed around cavities. Furthermore, the results of 3D cases imply that phase gravity segregation in cavities leads to lower water saturation in the area above cavities and delays water breakthrough.

After a period of exploitation of carbonate fractured-vuggy reservoir, the water content of oil well keeps increasing, and some wells appear violent water flooding in a short period of time, which leads to the rapid decrease of production. The injection of particle plugging agent is one of the main measures to improve the oil recovery. Foam fluid has the characteristics of low density, high viscosity and low moisture filtration, which can effectively carry plugging particles to the target plugging layers. A stable foam system with high temperature and salinity is optimized and the rheological properties of the foam are studied in this research. The results show that the foam can maintain high viscosity and carry particles effectively even at a higher shear rate.

Background We aimed to estimate the associations between aromatic amino acids (AAAs) and diabetic nephropathy (DN) in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Methods We collected clinical and metabolomic data from 132 healthy subjects (HS group), 132 type 2 diabetes patients without diabetic nephropathy (T2D group) and 132 diabetic nephropathy patients (DN group) in tertiary hospital from May 2015 to August 2016. The odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were obtained by logistic regression. Results The odds ratio of tyrosine for DN increased gradually. High tyrosine was associated with an increased OR of DN (model 3, OR:0.329, 95%CI, 0.144–0.750) when comparing extreme quantiles. Conclusion In Chinese patients with T2D, elevated tyrosine was associated with increased risk of DN.

An antibacterial and anti-oxidation composite film was prepared by a casting method using sodium alginate (SA) and apple polyphenols (APPs) as the base material and glycerol as the plasticizer. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were deposited by ultrasonic-assisted electrospray method. The degree of influence of the addition ratio of SA and AgNPs and different ultrasonic time on the mechanical properties, barrier properties, optical properties, and hydrophilicity of the composite film was explored. The composite films were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that the SA: AgNPs ratio of 7:3 and the ultrasonic time for 30 min have the best comprehensive performance, and SA/AgNPs/APP films showed the lowest water vapor permeability value of 0.75 &times, 10&minus, 11 g/m&middot, s&middot, Pa. The composite film has good strength and softness, with tensile strength (TS) and elongation at break (E) at 23.94 MPa and 29.18%, respectively. SEM images showed that the surface of the composite film was smooth and the AgNPs&rsquo, distribution was uniform. The composite film showed broad antibacterial activity, and the antibacterial activity of Escherichia coli (92.01%) was higher than that of Staphylococcus aureus (91.26%). However, due to the addition of APP, its antioxidant activity can reach 98.39%, which has a synergistic effect on antibacterial activity. For strawberry as a model, the results showed that this composite film can prolong the shelf life of strawberries for about 8 days at 4 &deg, C, effectively maintaining their storage quality. Compared with the commonly used PE(Polyethylene film) film on the market, it has a greater fresh-keeping effect and can be used as an active food packaging material.

Aplasia cutis congenita (ACC) is a rare heterogenous disorder which is characterized by focal absence of skin since birth. Underlying structures such as bone or dura may also be involved. ACC has been considered to be a forme fruste of a neural tube defect by many authors. It might occur in isolation or in association with certain syndromes. We report a case of a new born male with membranous type of ACC over vertex extending to the left parietal region with partial agenesis of parietal bone and ectopic mongolian spot over left ankle.

Summary Fulfilling the potential of human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived cardiomyocytes for studying conduction and arrhythmogenesis requires development of multicellular models and methods for long-term repeated tissue phenotyping. We generated confluent hiPSC-derived cardiac cell sheets (hiPSC-CCSs), expressing the genetically encoded voltage indicator ArcLight. ArcLight-based optical mapping allowed generation of activation and action-potential duration (APD) maps, which were validated by mapping the same hiPSC-CCSs with the voltage-sensitive dye, Di-4-ANBDQBS. ArcLight mapping allowed long-term assessment of electrical remodeling in the hiPSC-CCSs and evaluation of drug-induced conduction slowing (carbenoxolone, lidocaine, and quinidine) and APD prolongation (quinidine and dofetilide). The latter studies also enabled step-by-step depiction of drug-induced arrhythmogenesis ("torsades de pointes in the culture dish") and its prevention by MgSO4 and rapid pacing. Phase-mapping analysis allowed biophysical characterization of spiral waves induced in the hiPSC-CCSs and their termination by electrical cardioversion and overdrive pacing. In conclusion, ArcLight mapping of hiPSC-CCSs provides a powerful tool for drug testing and arrhythmia investigation., Graphical Abstract, Highlights • Optical mapping of hiPSC-derived cardiac cell sheets expressing ArcLight • Evaluating effects of drugs and time (weeks) on conduction and APD • Mapping drug-induced TdP and electrically induced spiral waves (rotors) • Evaluating interventions aiming to prevent or terminate arrhythmias in the model, Shaheen and Shiti et al. combine hiPSC-CMs, two-dimensional cardiac tissue models, and optical mapping of a genetically encoded voltage indicator (ArcLight) to enable both short-term and repeated tissue electrophysiological phenotyping (over weeks). This allowed tracking of electrophysiological tissue remodeling over time; drug effects on conduction, repolarization, and pro-arrhythmia; and investigation of arrhythmia mechanisms and treatments.

Background: Neonatal life, as defined by the World Health Organization, constitutes the first 28 days of extrauterine life. The transition of neonatal skin from an aqueous to an air-dominant environment results in various changes, both physiological and pathological. Aims: This study was designed to find the prevalence and pattern of various physiological and pathological dermatoses as well as its relation to maternal and neonatal factors in the early neonatal period. Materials and Methods: This prospective study was done on 505 live born neonates at Christian Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana. All consecutive live born babies and those presenting for follow-up within 7 days of birth were considered. Results: Out of 505 neonates that were examined, 284 (56.24%) were males and 221 (43.76%) were females. Physiological skin changes were seen in 460 (91.09%), the most common being physiological desquamation in 211 (41.78%) neonates followed by Milia in 199 (39.41%). Pathological changes were seen in 102 (20.20%) neonates of whom one had aplasia cutis congenita. The most common developmental abnormality was accessory nipple in 6 (1.19%) neonates. Icterus was most often seen in neonates delivered by normal vaginal delivery 134 (56.54%). Milia was more often seen in babies of multiparous mothers, 135 (67.84%) as compared to primiparous mothers. Conclusion: A good knowledge of neonatal dermatoses helps allay concerns in parents and treating physicians thereby avoiding diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, which may not be required, especially as most of the early neonatal dermatoses are transient in nature.

Polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a group of complex organic compounds that contain at least two aromatic rings. Some of the PAHs, which have high molecular weight, are known carcinogens. PAHs are one of the most prevalent pollutants in the environment and have two main sources: petroleum products and the incomplete combustion of wood. Several microorganisms are known for the ability to degrade PAHs, either aerobically or anaerobically, such as algae, bacteria, and fungi. The initial step of the aerobic degradation of PAHs is catalyzed by dioxygenase enzymes, which introduces oxygen atoms into the aromatic rings. The first aim of this study was to isolate and identify bacterial species that may have unique enzymes for PAH degradation. Two strains, Paenibacillus validus RD5 and RD6, were isolated from sediment samples obtained from the Logan River, Utah, USA, by aerobic enrichment using biphenyl as the sole carbon source. The second aim was to sequence the RD5 and RD6 genomes and examine transcription of several predicted dioxygenase genes in P. validus RD5 and P. naphthalenovorans PRN1 during growth on naphthalene, biphenyl, dibenzofuran, cinnamate, and benzoate using the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique. Based on the RT-PCR results and comparison of the dioxygenase sequences to other enzyme sequences in GenBank hypotheses were formulated about the role of three of the enzymes in biphenyl, naphthalene, and dibenzofuran degradation in the two Paenibacillus strains

Background There is no information regarding the proportion of stroke patients who drive or ride after a stroke from developing countries. Aim We aimed to study the predictors of poststroke driving or riding and its impact on social life in Indian patients. Methods This study was done in the stroke and neurology clinics of Christian Medical College, Ludhiana, from May 1, 2008 to May 31, 2010. Patients were recruited if they had completed ≥1-year follow-up. Subjects were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Stroke outcome was assessed by using the modified Rankin scale. Outcome was classified as good (modified Rankin scale ≤2) and poor (modified Rankin scale >2). Results Two hundred and one patients were interviewed. Mean age was 58·0 ± 13·4 years (median 59 years, range 17–85 years), 139 (69·2%) were men. The mean duration of follow-up was 37·4 ± 29·2 months (range 19–210 months). Out of 201 patients, 132 (65·7%) drove or rode before stroke and among them only 54 (40·9%) returned to driving or riding after stroke [men 53 (98·1%)]. Among the 78 who did not return to driving or riding, 51 (65·4%) had an impact on social life. In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, the predictors of inability to drive were lower education (odds ratio 0·32, confidence interval 0·12–0·89, P = 0·03), unemployment (odds ratio 4·59, confidence interval 1·67–12·6, P = 0·003), and poor outcome (odds ratio 3·97, confidence interval 1·06–14·8, P = 0·04). Conclusions Only 40·9% of the patients returned to driving or riding. Lower education, unemployment, and poor recovery were the predictors of inability to drive or ride. Inability to drive had a major impact in their social life.