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AbstractInfectious disease remains one of the major impediments to the growth and sustainability of shrimp farming worldwide. Despite extensive efforts, including surveillance and diagnostic testing, movement of infected broodstock and post-larvae across countries and continents has been a primary driver of disease introduction into new geographic locations. Often the etiology of a disease and diagnostic tools used to prevent its spread were developed only after the disease was detected somewhere new. From the 1970s to the mid-1990s, disease diagnosis in shrimp hatcheries and farms depended on clinical presentation, farm records, histopathology, and traditional microbial culture techniques for bacterial and fungal pathogens; followed by characterization of the isolated microbes. For viral pathogens, histopathology and electron microscopy were the primary tools for disease discovery and basic characterization since there was (and still is) no immortal cell line for crustaceans. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, molecular techniques supporting genomic characterization of pathogens and polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based diagnostic tools started gaining momentum in the realm of pathogen discovery and disease diagnosis. The late 2000s saw rapid development of molecular diagnostic tools for a wide array of shrimp pathogens and today PCR-based assays have become the most widely relied upon methods of disease diagnosis and surveillance in the shrimp industry. Molecular diagnostics have a number of strengths, including high sensitivity, specificity, speed, and robustness, but like every modality, also have limitations. PCR-based diagnostics detect only those pathogens being targeted and fail to detect unknown pathogens or even newly emerged strains or genotypes of a known target pathogen. Beyond the presence or absence of a target pathogen, PCR-based diagnostics do not provide information about overall health status or disease state of an animal. Progressive over reliance on molecular diagnostics and concurrent neglect of histopathology is creating unforeseeable challenges for shrimp farming worldwide. In this commentary, we provide empirical evidence of how overreliance on PCR-based diagnostics can lead to erroneous diagnoses and failure to detect a new genotype of an existing World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH, Paris, France)-listed pathogen, and an emerging pathogen. These findings illustrate the risks of over reliance on a single methodological approach and emphasize the need to preserve the practice of pairing molecular diagnostics with conventional histopathology. Concurrent utilization of histopathology and molecular diagnostics are critical components of safeguarding the global shrimp farming industry by reducing detection failures of new or rapidly evolving pathogens, improving disease detection and identification, and improving animal health management practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated undergraduate nursing students' perceptions of integrating virtual reality (VR) technology into a community nursing course, specifically home and environmental patient safety assessments. This study used a mixed-methods approach with an explanatory design. Participants were recruited from a community health course. The students engaged in a VR simulation involving home visits using the vizHome platform. Quantitative and qualitative data were gathered using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the System Usability Scale (SUS). Semi-structured interviews were conducted. Quantitative data were collected through Qualtrics and secure Zoom connections for the interviews. The data were analyzed with SPSS and MAXQDA. The results indicated that participants perceived VR as valuable and easy to use for learning home assessment skills. The System Usability Scale (SUS) score revealed room for improvement. Technical limitations were identified as challenges that must be addressed to enhance the user experience. Participants acknowledged VR's potential to supplement traditional learning methods, providing safe and realistic exposure to diverse home environments. While VR was seen as beneficial, it was not considered a replacement for actual home visits in community nursing education. This study provided clinical teaching evidence on the usability and student perceptions of VR in community courses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In some nuclear reactors, under accidental conditions, core debris forms a molten pool, which is later located in a core catcher. The core catcher proposed by the authors uses special refractory material to absorb enthalpy of corium so that temperatures are within 1500 K, which is possible to cool with side cooling and top flooding. Since performing a full-scale prototypic experiment is extremely challenging and complex because of the involvement of very high temperatures and the presence of radioactive materials, it is important to develop a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model capable of simulating coolability of the melt pool with the above cooling strategy. In the present work, a CFD model was developed for the above purpose and was benchmarked with experiments conducted under simulated conditions by the authors. The experiment involved the melting of about 25 L of sodium borosilicate glass at about 1473 K and cooling it in a scaled-down core catcher model. In the presence of decay heat inside the melt pool, turbulent natural convection plays an important role in the temperature distribution inside the melt pool and on the vessel walls. For this, we used different turbulence models. Comparisons among the Standard k-ε, Shear Stress Transport (SST) k-ω, and two-dimensional (2D) Large Eddy Simulation (LES) turbulence models show that SST k-ω and 2D LES turbulences are found to be in good agreement with the experimental results for the temperature distribution in the melt pool, and SST k-ω is found to be computationally less expensive than 2D LES. In general, the CFD model is capable of simulating heat transfer with phase changes inside the heat-generating melt pool. In view of this, the model can be further extended to include cooling of the melt pool in the prototype core catcher. The evolution of crust formation has been investigated in detail using a CFD model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a compact multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) two-element dielectric resonator antenna (DRA) for wideband (WB) and ultra-wideband (UWB) operations. The dielectric resonators (DRs) are fabricated on the top side of the low-cost substrate (FR4) and the etched ground plane on the bottom of the substrate. Featuring two compact U-shaped DRs with a U-shaped defective ground surface (DGS) it has a wide impedance bandwidth of 112.84% (3.02–10.88 GHz). When the diode is connected between U-shaped metallic parasitic strips and the feedline edge, it provides a wide impedance bandwidth of 23.62% (5.6–7.1 GHz). Two parasitic metal elements are placed on the upper surface of the DR to improve the transmission coefficient better than −22 dB between the two ports. This compact antenna has a total volume of 4704.55 mm3 (29 × 29 × 5.594). The proposed MIMO DRA has WB and UWB features, making it easy to monitor and detect signals in the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conocybe commonly occur as saprobes, are distributed in tropical, subtropical, and temperate zones worldwide. In the present study, two new species in Conocybe section Conocybe, viz.Conocybe qujingensis and Conocybe qujinguniversitatis, are proposed based on morphological investigations and phylogenetic analyses. Molecular analyses based on sequence data from the nuclear ribosomal ITS loci support the taxonomic position of the two new species in the genus Conocybe. We also provide illustrations, line drawings, comparisons with closely related taxa, and descriptions of the new taxa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A severe accident involving core melt in a nuclear reactor is a major concern especially after Fukushima. Thus, to mitigate the effects of core melt accidents, an ex-vessel core catcher is being developed for Advanced Indian Nuclear Reactors. The core catcher design envisages using special refractory material. The cooling strategy of the core catcher is one of the key components in the design of the core catcher. Performing a full-scale prototypic experiment is extremely challenging and prohibitory due to the involvement of very high temperature and presence of radioactive materials. Therefore, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model capable of simulating the coolability of the melt pool is important to develop. In the present work, a two-dimensional (2D) CFD model was developed to understand the heat transfer phenomenon and solidification of the heat-generating simulant melt pool. The 2D symmetry geometry of the simulated core catcher vessel was used. The CFD model considers appropriate models for melting and solidification to understand crust formation in the melt pool and the k-ε turbulence model to resolve turbulence inside the melt pool. A decay heat of 1 MW/m3 was also considered inside the melt pool. The CFD simulation results were compared with the authors' experimental results. The experiment involved a scaled-down ex-vessel core catcher model (CCM) employing electrical heaters to simulate decay heat. The experiment was carried out by melting about 25 L of sodium borosilicate glass using a cold crucible induction furnace at about 1200°C and cooling it in the scaled-down CCM. The scaled-down CCM was strategically cooled in three phases, namely, air cooled, indirect side cooling, and complete top flooding. To overcome the complexities of simulation of the initial melt pour condition, the CFD simulation was initialized with the temperatures just after the melt pour was completed in the experiment. Similar to the experimental conditions, the CFD simulations were carried out in three phases by changing the boundary condition. Comparison of the temperatures of the melt pool by the CFD simulations and experiments at different locations gave reasonable agreement. The evolution of crust formation, melt pool temperatures, core catcher inner wall temperatures, and heat flux distribution were investigated in detail using the CFD model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractUnderstanding skin responses to external forces is crucial for post-cutaneous flap wound healing. However, the in vivo viscoelastic behavior of scalp skin remains poorly understood. Personalized virtual surgery simulations offer a way to study tissue responses in relevant 3D geometries. Yet, anticipating wound risk remains challenging due to limited data on skin viscoelasticity, which hinders our ability to determine the interplay between wound size and stress levels. To bridge this gap, we reexamine three clinical cases involving scalp reconstruction using patient-specific geometric models and employ uncertainty quantification through a Monte Carlo simulation approach to study the effect of skin viscoelasticity on the final stress levels from reconstructive surgery. Utilizing the generalized Maxwell model via the Prony series, we can parameterize and efficiently sample a realistic range of viscoelastic response and thus shed light on the influence of viscoelastic material uncertainty in surgical scenarios. Our analysis identifies regions at risk of wound complications based on reported threshold stress values from the literature and highlights the significance of focusing on long-term responses rather than short-term ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supercritical water, known for its abrupt changes in fluid properties near the pseudocritical region, has always posed a design challenge, leading to enhancement or deterioration in heat transfer. Additionally, the lack of complete understanding of the thermodynamic behavior of supercritical water near the pseudocritical zone, unlike in the subcritical zone, highlights the necessity of a systematic study. Hence, this paper focuses on characterizing the convective upward flow and heat transfer characteristics inside a vertical smooth annular square channel. The numerical analysis uses a steady-state, pressure-based, compressible, Newtonian solver with body force term and two-equation turbulence model to study the influence of variation in pressure, heat flux, and heat-to-mass flux ratios. The flow characteristics and heat transfer behavior of deteriorated, normal, and enhanced heat transfer modes are studied. The heat transfer deterioration is suppressed with the increase in pressure; however, it increases with the increase in inlet bulk temperature. The supercritical boiling number that determines the heat transfer mode is calculated and analyzed for the square annulus section. The evolution of the flow in different heat transfer modes differs based on the effect of buoyancy on the velocity field and the turbulence. The calculated Nusselt numbers match the existing Jackson and Hall correlation well with a maximum absolute error of 9.91%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, three sets of hybrid laminates were fabricated from different weight percentages of jute-glass fiber-treated CGS fibers using a hand lay-up process at room temperature. The different laminate sequences are (G-CGS-J-CGS-G), (G-J-CGS-J-G), and (G-CGS-CGS-CGS-G). The testing specimens were cut using a water jet cutting machine. The alkali-treated CGS composites are well embedded in the matrix and showed better performance. The maximum impact strength was observed in (G-J-CGS-J-G) lay-up laminate for 20 wt. % of CGS fiber. Further inclusion of CGS fiber (25 wt. %) decreased the impact strength of laminate (FRP6 specimen). This behaviour is due to the insertion of highly toughened glass fiber at the surface of the laminate can carry the applied load first and evenly dissipate it to the bottom plies, resulting in higher impact resistance. Similarly, (G-J-CGS-J-G) lay-up laminate with 20 wt. % of CGS fiber reveals better hardness value due to the inclusion of more volume of glass and jute fibers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We develop computational models of bone growth in ultrasonically stimulated porous tissue scaffolds with uniform square pores and a bioinspired structure. While bone growth in the bioinspired scaffolds is slower, it produces amounts of bone comparable to the square pore scaffold, making the bioinspired structure ideal for enhancing bone growth with better structural integrity. Controlling the initial mesenchymal stem cell distribution in the scaffolds also affects the growth rate and total bone formation, which could be further useful for controlling bone growth in the scaffold based on an individual's physiology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, on-demand rejection of interfering bands with operating band intended for UWB-X band applications utilizing a diversity antenna with a dimension of 24 × 48 mm2 has been reported. Two sharp rejecting bands, WiMAX and WLAN are obtained by using an anchor-shaped stub embedded within a slotted radiating patch and externally connected C-type stub. MIMO antenna configuration offers isolation of more the 30 db in both measured and simulation environments. The designed MIMO antenna offers good time-domain characteristics and is characterized utilizing various parameters including S-parameters, radiation efficiency, far-field gain, radiation pattern, ECC, DG, TARC, and CCL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sensing of lectins are utmost necessary for its inflammatory, digestive disorder, gut pains and toxicity to human beings and for this purpose we have chosen polythiophene (PT) for its exciting optoelectronic properties. Because of precise carbohydrate specificities of lectin and to make PT water soluble for sensing of lectin, we have synthesized polythiophene-g-poly(N,N-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) -co-poly(glucose-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PT-g-pDMAEMA-co-pGLU-HEM), [PTDG]) from polythiophene macroinitiator (PTI) by copolymerizing DMAEMA and GLU-HEM monomers mixture with CuCl/HMTETA catalyst/ligand followed by hydrolysis using alcoholic NaOMe solution. The Mn of PTI was 38000, polydispersity 2.5, head-tail (H-T) regioregularity 70 mol % and Mn of unhydrolyzed PTDG is 98,900. The UV-Vis spectra of PTDG solution shows two absorption peaks at 430 and 462 nm but it shows a sharp emission peak at 544 nm which quenches with increasing pH. Concanavalin A (ConA) shows an absorbance peak at 278 nm and with addition of PTDG solution absorbance intensity increases showing hypochromic effect. Benesi–Hildebrand plot of reciprocal molar extinction coefficients with concentration suggests 1:1 complex formation between PTDG and ConA. With addition of ConA fluorescence quenching of PTDG solution occurred and using the fluorescence intensity ratio vs concentration plot the limit of detection (LOD) of Con A lectin is found to be 57 µg/L and storing the polymer solution for two months exhibits good durability. The morphology of PTDG changes from vesicle to compound micellar aggregate on addition of Con A lectin. We have synthesized a polythiophene glcopolymer (PT-g-pDMAEMA-co-pGLU-HEM), PTDG) using ATRP technique and its UV-Vis and fluorescence spectra indicates pH responsivity and lectin sensing property with LOD of 57 µg/L. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electroactive polymers (EAPs) have the interesting property of generation and flow of charges and possess exciting tunable optoelectronic properties by incorporating side chains via 'grafting' from the backbone chain retaining its properties and importing new properties from the grafted chains. The graft copolymers of EAPs exhibit exciting tunable optoelectronic properties by varying external stimuli like pH, temperature, ions, surfactants, light etc. Grafting of two main electroactive polymers e.g. polythiophene (PT) and poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) have spurred significant research attention and the controlled grafting has been made using atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) technique with suitable catalyst/ligand systems. Few examples of grafting of PT and PVDF by RAFT polymerization are also described. This feature article delineates controlled grafting of different stimuli-responsive polymers on polythiophene and PVDF backbone highlighting their optoelectronic properties, useful for making chemical/biological sensors, logic gates and antifouling/antibacterial membranes. Interactions of the grafted chains with the external physical or chemical stimuli (like pH, temperature, photoirradiation, ions, surfactants, etc.) significantly alter the backbone conformation both in solution and solid state. This leads to changes in conjugation length of the backbone chain, hence tunes the band gap varying the optoelectronic properties useful for fabrication of stimuli dependent sensors and modulation of membrane pore size suitable for antifouling and antibacterial membranes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer continues to have overwhelming impacts on human health and the development of new chemotherapeutics. Molecular hybridization has thus been valued as a structure-based drug design approach to drugs with enhanced efficacy. Herein, we report the multistep synthesis of quinoline–2-mercapto-1,3,4-oxadiazole conjugates and their cytotoxicity evaluation. Compound 4j 2-[(5-bromopentyl)thio]-5-[(quinolin-8-yloxy)methyl]-1,3,4-oxadiazole showed the best cytotoxicity to pancreatic (MIA PaCa-2) and colorectal (HCT116) cancer cells with IC50 values of 29.19 ± 0.99 and 75.10 ± 1.87 µM, respectively. The compound is also less cytotoxic to non-cancerous human primary dermal fibroblast cells with IC50 = 91.87 ± 1.29 µM compared to the parent compound 8-hydroxyquinoline (IC50 = 72.36 ± 4.23 µM). ADME properties prediction suggested the drug-likeness of potent compounds while molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations with doublecortin-like kinase (DCLK1) revealed the compounds' stable binding interactions at the kinase domain. Overall, the results illuminate compound 4j as a structural model to furnish new cytotoxic agents against pancreatic and colorectal cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intercostal nerves (ICN) are often utilized as donors for various neurotization procedures in brachial plexus injuries. ICN to musculocutaneous nerve (MCN) transfer is usually a standard in pan brachial plexus injuries, in order to restore flexion at the elbow. A tensionless co-aptation of the donor-recipient nerves often necessitates either a distal dissection of the ICNs where the number of fascicles is rather low or a proximal dissection, often at the cost of dissection of the serratus anterior digitation with a risk of later fibrosis and adhesion. We report two cases of pan brachial plexus injuries where ICN-MCN transfer was performed to restore elbow function. These patients underwent clinical and electrodiagnostic evaluation before surgery. We used the standard technique of harvesting ICNs 3-5, with our technical modification of "undercutting of rib" for increasing the donor length. The procedure was applied in two patients with pan brachial plexus injury (mean age = 23). Mean duration since the injury to surgery was ten months. Both patients underwent tensionless anastomosis with a combination of suture and fibrin glue co-aptation. While one patient had some improvement in elbow flexion, another one was under active rehabilitation protocol during follow-up. We found that undercutting of the ribs near serratus digitations can allow mobilization of the ICN from its groove, which in turn lengthens the donor nerve length without violating the serratus anterior digitations and without too anterior dissection of the nerve. It can be a viable option when a tensionless co-aptation at the axilla is otherwise not feasible intraoperatively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bounteous modern and innovative biotechnological tools have resulted in progressive development in the barley breeding program. Doubled haploids developed (homozygous lines) in a single generation is significant. Since the first discovery of haploid plants in 1920 and, in particular, after discovering in vitro androgenesis in 1964 by Guha and Maheshwari, the doubled haploidy techniques have been progressively developed and constantly improved. It has shortened the cultivar development time and has been extensively used in: genetic studies, gene mapping, marker/trait association, and QTL studies. In barley, the haploid occurrence developed gradually from being a sporadic and random process (spontaneous) to haploid development by in vivo method of modified pollination or by in vitro culture of immature male or female gametophytes. Although significant improvement in DH induction protocols has been made, challenges still exist for improvement in areas such as: low efficiency, albinism, genotypic specificity etc. Here, the paper focuses on: haploidization via different in vitro, in vivo techniques, the recent advances technologies like centromere‐mediated haploidization, hap induction gene, and Doubled haploid CRISPR. The au-courant work of different researchers in barley using these technologies is reviewed. Studies on different factors affecting haploid induction and work on genome doubling of barley haploids to produce DH lines via spontaneous and induced technologies has also been highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In the present review article, different advanced liquid chromatographic techniques and the advanced techniques other than liquid chromatography that are used to estimate the pesticide residues from different plant-based samples are presented. In the beginning of the article, details of pesticides, their health effects and various cell lines used for the related study has been outlined. Afterward, detailed descriptions regarding pesticides classification are inscribed. In the end, recent advancements in the area of analysis of pesticides for herbal drugs are explained. Solid phase micro extraction (SPME) and solid-phase extraction (SPE) are considered as most common method of sample preparation for pesticides and its residual analysis. The most commonly used analytical separation technique for pesticide analysis is liquid chromatography (LC) integrated with mass spectrometry (MS) and MS/MS as Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer (QqQ) for the samples analysis where high level of sensitivity and accuracy is required in quantification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aims at the investigation of the transition of the natural convective flow in a water-filled differentially heated cubic enclosure. The schlieren-particle image velocimetry (PIV) system has been developed and employed for simultaneous measurement of ray-averaged velocity and temperature fields from transient schlieren images for distinct Rayleigh number (Ra) (1 × 107 ≤ Ra ≤ 5 × 108). The experimentally obtained results have been compared with three-dimensional computational results. The three-dimensional incompressible simulations are carried out for a wide range of Ra (1 × 105 ≤ Ra ≤ 5 × 108), treating the density difference using Boussinesq approximation. The results from present simulations show that the flow is found steady in the range of Ra (1 × 105 ≤ Ra ≤ 1 × 108) while the critical Ra, at which the steady flow becomes unsteady, lies between 1 × 108 and 5 × 108. The critical Ra from the experiments is found to lie between 4 × 108 and 5 × 108. Also, the three-dimensionality effect on large-scale temperature field is found to decrease as Ra increases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider estimation and inference in a single-index regression model with an unknown convex link function. We introduce a convex and Lipschitz constrained least-square estimator (CLSE) for both the parametric and the nonparametric components given independent and identically distributed observations. We prove the consistency and find the rates of convergence of the CLSE when the errors are assumed to have only q ≥ 2 moments and are allowed to depend on the covariates. When q ≥ 5 , we establish n − 1 / 2 -rate of convergence and asymptotic normality of the estimator of the parametric component. Moreover, the CLSE is proved to be semiparametrically efficient if the errors happen to be homoscedastic. We develop and implement a numerically stable and computationally fast algorithm to compute our proposed estimator in the R package simest. We illustrate our methodology through extensive simulations and data analysis. Finally, our proof of efficiency is geometric and provides a general framework that can be used to prove efficiency of estimators in a wide variety of semiparametric models even when they do not satisfy the efficient score equation directly. Supplementary files for this article are available online. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this research was to investigate late-life physical functioning and lifetime history of physical activity (PA) among older adults in rural and urban Arctic communities. Data was collected in a cross-sectional, population-based study among 65 to 92-year-old community-dwelling Icelanders (N = 175, 41% ≥75-year-old, 43% women, 40% rural). Late-life physical functioning was operationalised as: basic mobility (Timed Up and Go in seconds, TUG); fall risk (TUG≥12 sec); a fall (≥1 fall/year); and recurrent falls (≥2 falls/year). PA history was based on a self-assessment. Compared to urban participants, rural participants were more likely to have fallen recently, be at fall risk, and describe more PA history. Among urban participants, no fall in the past year was independently associated with more PA in middle adulthood; and worse basic mobility and late-life fall risk were independently associated with being in the ≥75-year-old group. Among rural participants, recurrent falls were independently associated with being a man; and better basic mobility was independently associated with more PA in late adulthood. To conclude, this evidence supports an important association between better late-life physical functioning and more mid- and late-life PA and encourages further research to understand high fall risk among older men in Arctic rural areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To mitigate severe accidents in nuclear reactors, the present research sheds light on the melt-coolability behavior of corium with hypothetical experiments that have been performed at two different nozzle diameters under bottom flooding conditions. In this research, a simulant material CaO-Fe2O3 powder mixture was melted and poured into the test section that was embedded in the test facility (using a bottom pouring furnace instead of a tiltable furnace). Then, from the bottom of the melt pool, water was flooded through a nozzle at a pressure of 0.70 bar and a water flow rate of 12 liters per minute. Because of the interaction between the water and melt, the melt quenched and converted into fine porous debris, and the temperature history was recorded using 12 K-type thermocouples connected to a data acquisition system. The average quenching time and porosity of the debris were affected by variations in the nozzle diameter. This research will help in understanding real core-melt accidents that generally occur in nuclear power plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ) has a long tradition of providing publicly funded oral health care for children and young people; however, substantial inequities in child oral health remain. Dental caries is the most prevalent non-communicable childhood disease in NZ, with Māori and Pasifika, those from low socio-economic backgrounds, and those without access to community water fluoridation most affected. Children and whānau with dental caries suffer consequences that seriously affect their day-to-day lives; it is critical not to underestimate the disease or fail to include it when considering children's overall health. Dental caries is a complex disease, as is its prevention. This is particularly so in the current social context of child poverty, our food environment, the exploitation of children in advertising of non-healthy foods and drinks, and the immense challenges of meeting demand for oral health care in primary, secondary and tertiary care within current constraints. We review children's oral health in NZ and make recommendations for change among oral health professionals, all health professionals, health services and society. Further research in oral health services will be an essential part of improving oral health, recognising that there is an urgent need for a shift towards much greater prevention of caries.Glossary of Māori terms: Aotearoa: New Zealand; He Korowai Oranga: New Zealand Māori Health Strategy; Hui: meeting; Manaakitanga: hospitality, kindness, generosity and support; Mana Motuhake: self-determination; Māori: the indigenous people of Aotearoa New Zealand; Mātauranga Māori: Māori knowledge; Rangatahi: adolescents; Tamariki: children; Te Ao Māori: the Māori worldview; Te Kauae Parāoa: Division of Health Sciences Policy on Admissions; Te reo Māori: the indigenous Māori language; Te Tiriti o Waitangi: Māori language version of the Treaty of Waitangi; Tikanga: customs; Whānau: family; Whakamaua: Māori Health Action Plan 2020-2025; Whakawhanaungatanga: the process of establishing relationships and relating well to others [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphene oxide (GO) was prepared through the modified Hummar's method. The polymer nanocomposites (PNC) composed of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and GO, with different wt% of GO were prepared, following the solution casting method in the form of thin films. The micro/nano-structural features and the optical properties of the PNC have been studied. The formation of GO was confirmed through FTIR and Raman spectra analysis. The microstructure, homogeneity, extent of agglomeration and the elemental composition of the PNC were found through the FESEM, energy dispersive analysis of X-rays and the elemental dot mapping, confirming excellent homogeneity of the PNC films. The optical properties like absorbance, refractive index, the extinction co-efficient and the dispersion behavior were investigated with the help of UV-visible spectrophotometer and spectroscopic ellipsometer respectively. The results reveal an increase in absorbance with the increase of weight % of GO in the PNC, attributed to higher electrical conductivity and surface area of GO. The optical parameters (e.g., refractive index, extinction coefficient, etc.) in the visible region show large variation as a function of weight % of GO due to PVDF/GO interaction and optimized properties was found to be for the 5% PNC, making it suitable for various optical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability to control equilibrium trajectory to buckling via uniform/non-uniform prebuckling stresses introduced using piezoelectric actuators creates interesting possibilities for designing smart structures. Recent innovative applications consider buckling as a favorable phenomenon in contrast to the conventional wisdom that considers the peak load carrying capacity as the sole design consideration. A circular-cylindrical shell under axial compression can be effectively used in many such applications if active tailoring of its buckling response is demonstrated. The effect of localized as well as distributed placement of piezoelectric patch actuators is analyzed in the present study based on the mechanics of deformation of a cylindrical shell under axial compression. The study establishes the possibility of active tailoring of buckling parameters such as peak load carrying capacity, initial stiffness, and first critical load. The results indicate that the principal curvatures of the cylindrical shell surface play a significant role in dictating the inter-actuator gap for the effective placement of discrete actuators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this report, a biocatalytic divergent approach of therapeutically important five-membered benzazole heterocyclic compounds such as benzothiazoles and benzimidazoles has been described wherein Bovine serum albumin (BSA) and water play cooperative role for oxidative cyclo-condensation reaction between 2-mercapto/amino anilines and aromatic aldehydes under air at room temperature. Further, this green strategy also extended for the synthesis of privileged and biologically important six membered quinoxalines, 2-phenylimidazo [1,2-a]pyridine and benzo[d]imidazo[2,1-b]thiazoles. Moreover, the present biocatalytic protocol for the synthesis of such five- and six-membered heterocyclic compounds also have the added benefits of high atom economy, operational simplicity, excellent yields, recyclability (up to four cycles), and gram scalability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pure forms of Zirconium diboride (ZrB2) nanocrystals could successfully be synthesized by mechanochemical method. Synthesis of ZrB2 nanocrystals from Zirconium route was tried for the first time. The importance of zirconium sources is a cardinal factor to obtain the purity of the crystalline forms of ZrB2. All past methods involved ZrO2 source for the synthesis which always entrained the traces of ZrO2 due to the incomplete reduction. The present study also revealed the factors like ball to powder weight ratios on the final product properties. In this study synthesis of ZrB2 nanocrystals were compared using both Zr and ZrO2 routes. Products were characterized by XRD, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, BET method, and specific density analysis. The synthesis using Zr produced slightly larger nanocrystallites compared the sizes obtained via ZrO2 route. Surface areas of the products were found 32–88 m2/g depending upon the milling parameters used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work demonstrates a case study in the Mahanadi offshore basin in the eastern margin of India, where gas hydrates have been delineated by seismic experiment, mainly by identifying a bottom simulating reflector or BSR on seismic section, based on its characteristic features. The BSR represents an acoustic impedance contrast between the high-velocity gas hydrates bearing sediments above and low-velocity gas-bearing or water-saturated sediments below. At some places along the continental margins of the world, the BSR has not been identified but gas hydrates were recovered by drilling, whereas at some other places BSR was identified but no gas hydrates were found. Thus, we need to find out an attribute that can be used to characterise gas hydrates and free gas reservoirs. The purpose of this work is to demonstrate this through spectral decomposition in the time–frequency domain. The study based on continuous wavelet transform (CWT) approach, which uses a mathematical mother wavelet, shows the illuminated zone with higher energy low-frequency anomaly, associated with free gas below the BSR. The study demonstrates that the CWT technique provides higher spectral-spatial resolution than that obtained by the short-term Fourier transform technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Igf2bp1 is an oncofetal RNA binding protein whose expression in numerous types of cancers is associated with upregulation of key pro-oncogenic RNAs, poor prognosis, and reduced survival. Importantly, Igf2bp1 synergizes with mutations in Kras to enhance signalling and oncogenic activity, suggesting that molecules inhibiting Igf2bp1 could have therapeutic potential. Here, we isolate a small molecule that interacts with a hydrophobic surface at the boundary of Igf2bp1 KH3 and KH4 domains, and inhibits binding to Kras RNA. In cells, the compound reduces the level of Kras and other Igf2bp1 mRNA targets, lowers Kras protein, and inhibits downstream signalling, wound healing, and growth in soft agar, all in the absence of any toxicity. This work presents an avenue for improving the prognosis of Igf2bp1-expressing tumours in lung, and potentially other, cancer(s). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As more people reaches advanced age, more people experience cognitive impairment and dementia. Dementia is a degenerative disease in which behavioural and psychological symptoms frequently occur, resulting in admissions to nursing homes (NHs), where the most common treatment has been medical treatment. The aim was to compare three rural Arctic NHs in Iceland in their use of psychiatric medication, type of dementia among residents, level of cognitive impairment and selected quality indicators, as well as considering national data, for the period 2016–2018. Data from the interRAI-MDS 2.0 evaluation were used. Residents with severe cognitive impairment used more antipsychotic medications, and residents with mild and severe cognitive impairment used more antidepressants than residents with no cognitive impairment did. Diagnoses of Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) are more common in the capital area and the national average than they are in the rural NHs. This indicates need for diagnostic assessments of ADRD to be conducted in rural areas. Benchmarking is beneficial for local and national regulatory bodies to find areas for improvement. The NHs did not have a lower quality of care compared with the whole country, but areas for improvement were identified. One of the NHs has already started this process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Suicide is a major public health problem and it has a prominent genetic component. We performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of suicidal behaviour severity. Suicide behaviour severity was assessed within the Schedules for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry in our mood disorder sample (n = 3506) for the GWAS. We also performed polygenic risk score analyses to explore genetic sharing between suicidal behaviour severity and a number of phenotypes, including bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, alcoholism, post-traumatic stress disorder, impulsivity, insomnia, educational attainment, loneliness, maltreatment, and amygdala volume. We did not detect genome-wide significant findings at the single-marker or gene level. We report a number of suggestive single-marker and gene-based findings. Our polygenic risk score analyses did not yield significant findings with these phenotypes. Larger sample sizes are required to detect moderate effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clustering ensemble, also referred to as consensus clustering, has emerged as a method of combining an ensemble of different clusterings to derive a final clustering that is of better quality and robust than any single clustering in the ensemble. Normally clustering ensemble algorithms in the literature combine all the clusterings without learning the ensemble. But by learning the ensemble, one can define the merit of a clustering or even a cluster in it, in forming a quality consensus. In this work, we propose a cluster-level surprisal measure to define the merit of a clustering that reflects both levels of agreement as well as disagreement among clusters. Using the proposed measure of merit, we devise a polynomial heuristics that judiciously selects a subset of clusterings from the ensemble that contribute positively in forming the consensus. We also empirically show that consensus achieved by our proposed method performs better in terms of quality compared to well-known clustering ensemble algorithms on different benchmark datasets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Listeria monocytogenes is one of the most invasive foodborne pathogens and is responsible for numerous outbreaks worldwide. Most of the methods to detect this bacterium in food require selective enrichment using traditional bacterial culture techniques that can be time-consuming and labour-intensive. Moreover, molecular methods are expensive and need specific technical knowledge. In contrast, immunological approaches are faster, simpler, and user-friendly alternatives and have been developed for the detection of L. monocytogenes in food, environmental, and clinical samples. These techniques are dependent on the constitutive expression of L. monocytogenes antigens and the specificity of the antibodies used. Here, updated knowledge on pathogenesis and the key immunogenic virulence determinants of L. monocytogenes that are used for the generation of monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies for the serological assay development are summarised. In addition, immunological approaches based on enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, immunofluorescence, lateral flow immunochromatographic assays, and immunosensors with relevant improvements are highlighted. Though the sensitivity and specificity of the assays were improved significantly, methods still face many challenges that require further validation before use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Valeriana jatamansi Jones is an important herbaceous plant of the Caprifoliaceae family used for the treatment of insomnia and stress-related disorders, due to its sedative and anxiolytic properties. In the present study, aerial parts and roots of the species collected in three phenological stages (pre-flowering, flowering and post-flowering) from three natural populations located at an altitudinal gradient were analysed for essential oil composition, phenolics, and antioxidant activity. Essential oil obtained from rhizomes exhibited qualitative and qualitative variations in growth phenophases along the altitudes. Methanolic extracts of aerial parts and roots revealed that the majority of phenolic compounds such as, gallic acid, catechin, chlorogenic acid, hydroxybenzoic acid, caffeic acid and p-coumaric acid, varied largely among different phenological stages along the altitudes. Pre-flowering stage was found to possess maximum concentration of phenolics, flavonoids and higher antioxidant activity in the aerial parts and roots. Findings from this study highlighted that the pre-flowering stage is the most suitable time for harvesting to obtain maximum phytochemicals and antioxidant activity. Further, high level of few phenolics in per-flowering stage at high altitude, suggested the requirement of compound-specific agro-climatic techniques to obtain commercial benefits from the cultivation of V. jatamansi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Evaluation of a combination of antibiotics as an adjuvant therapy in acute severe ulcerative colitis (ASUC).Methods: Patients with ASUC were randomized to either infusions of placebo or intravenous ceftriaxone and metronidazole in addition to standard care. Primary outcome was response on day three according to Oxford's criteria. Secondary outcome measures included changes in partial Mayo score, CRP levels, fecal calprotectin (day three), and need for second-line therapy, hospital stay, and mortality (day 28).Results: Fifty patients (25 in each group, median age: 33 years, 23 males) were included. The number of patients with fulminant disease in the antibiotic group were 16 (64%) as compared to 7 (28%) in the standard of care group. Complete response on day three was attained by 7 (28%) in the antibiotic and 6 (24%) standard of care group (p = 1.00). Three patients from the antibiotic group underwent colectomy and three received intravenous cyclosporine whereas four patients in the standard of care group received cyclosporine (p = 0.725). There was no significant difference in change in CRP, Partial Mayo score, and fecal calprotectin between the two groups on day three.Conclusion: Combination of intravenous ceftriaxone and metronidazole did not improve outcomes in ASUC.Acronym: AAASUC trialRegistration Number: CTRI/2019/03/018196 and NCT03794765. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Startle response is an objective physiological measure integral to the human defense system and a promising target for endophenotype investigations of anxiety. Given the alterations in startle reactivity observed among anxiety and related disorders, we searched for genetic variants associated with startle reactivity as they may be further involved in pathological anxiety risk. A systematic literature review was performed to identify genetic variants associated with startle reactivity in humans, specifically baseline and fear- or anxiety-potentiated startle. The polymorphisms Val66Met (rs6265) from brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), Val158Met (rs4680) from catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT), and the serotonin transporter-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) from the serotonin transporter gene (SLC6A4) were most commonly studied in human startle. In addition, several other genetic variants have also been identified as potential candidates that warrant further research, especially given their novelty in in the context of anxiety. Similar to psychiatric genetic studies, the studies on startle reactivity primarily focus on candidate genes and are plagued by non-replication. Startle reactivity is a promising endophenotype that requires concerted efforts to collect uniformly assessed, large, well-powered samples and hypothesis-free genome-wide strategies. To further support startle as an endophenotype for anxiety, this review suggests advanced genetic strategies for startle research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conventional atomic force microscope (AFM) comprises a single cantilever with piezoelectric base excitation and optical read-out. The micro-electromechanical system is raster scanned over a sample surface to generate topographic measures as well as information on selected material properties. For some large sample surfaces and biological processes, a single cantilever scan may render insufficient scan speeds. We therefore consider developing small-size AFM array technology to improve scan rates by parallel processing scanned information. As a first step we investigate the collective and interactive fluid dynamics between members in an array away from any sample surface. Our analysis is based on Stokes equation for incompressible flow and the two-dimensional boundary integral method. We first formulate the generalized equations and then focus on three- and five-beam configurations. The fluid dynamic behaviour of these small-size arrays are investigated for different gaps between members, Reynolds numbers and actuation modes. Special emphasis is laid on the effect of non-neighbouring members, which often, if not always, has been neglected in the existing literature. One of our findings reveals a Reynolds number dependent concave/convex hydrodynamic loading profile across the array that is introduced by non-neighbouring members in the array. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studying changes in collagen deformation behavior at the nanoscale due to variations in mineralization and hydration is important for characterizing and developing collagen-based bio-composites. Recent studies also find that carbon nanotubes (CNTs) show promise as a reinforcing material for collagenous bio-composites. Currently, the effects of variation in mineral, water, and CNT content on collagen gap and overlap region mechanics during compression is unexplored. We use molecular dynamics simulations to investigate how variations in mineral, water, and CNT contents of collagen bio-composites in compression change their deformation behavior and thermal properties. Results indicate that variations in mineral and water content affect the collagen structure due to expansion or contraction of the gap and overlap regions. The deformation mechanisms of the gap and overlap regions also change. The presence of CNTs in non-mineralized collagen reduces the deformation of the gap region and increases the bio-composite elastic modulus to ranges comparable to mineralized collagen. The collagen/CNT bio-composites are also determined to have a higher specific heat than the studied mineralized collagen bio-composites, making them more likely to be resistant to thermal damage that could occur during implantation or functional use of a collagen collagen/CNT bio-composite biomaterial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Destination brand engagement (DBE) has emerged as a valuable construct for developing and maintaining enduring relationships with consumers. This study investigates the relationships among DBE, destination brand experience, and visitor outcomes by supplementing the existing research in two ways: first, it explores how destination brand experience (sensory, affective, intellectual, and behavioral) affects DBE in a specific tourist destination. Second, the role of DBE in developing destination brand advocacy and destination revisit intentions has also been examined. Some important implications are suggested for both service providers and practitioners of the tourism industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both academics and industry are focusing heavily on building and nurturing consumer–brand relationships. Despite this interest, till now the role of traditional marketing constructs have been explored in developing such relationships. This study presents and tests a unique framework of consumer–brand relationship from experiential and identification perspective. Moreover, this study uncovers the differences in the ways consumers develop and maintain consumer–brand relationships for both product and service brands. Primary data were collected through field surveys, resulting in 321 usable responses. Results reveal that the various dimensions of brand experience have a different influence on the two components of consumer–brand relationship (two-way communications and emotional exchange) across product and service brand categories. Brand identification emerged as a significant predictor of consumer–brand relationship. Furthermore, the extent of the mediating effect of brand identification between various dimensions of brand experience and consumer–brand relationship differs across product and service brands considerably. The study presents several implications for both academicians and practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adenosine deaminase (ADA) is an enzyme present in purine metabolic pathway. Its inhibitors are considered to be potent drug lead compounds against inflammatory and malignant diseases. This study aimed to test ADA inhibitory activity of some Streptomyces secondary metabolites by using computational and in vitro methods. The in silico screening of the inhibitory properties has been carried out using pharmacophore modeling, docking, and molecular dynamics studies. The in vitro validation of the selected antibiotics has been carried out by enzyme kinetics and fluorescent spectroscopic studies. The results indicated that novobiocin, an aminocoumarin antibiotic from Streptomyces niveus, has significant inhibition on ADA activity. Hence, the antibiotic can be used as a lead compound for the development of potential ADA inhibitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An efficient synthesis of potentially carcinogenic dibenzo[a,l]tetracene 1 and dibenzo[a,j]tetracene 2 has been developed and the synthetic standards were used to establish their environmental presence. The synthesis involves Diels–Alder reaction of in situ generated ortho-quinodimethane with phenanthrene-1,4-dione, followed by reductive aromatization as key steps. This synthetic strategy resulted in good overall yield and the mixture of 1 and 2 is easily separable by reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RP-LC). Compounds 1 and 2 were identified in a complex mixture of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from coal tar (Standard Reference Material 1597a) and thus could be potential environmental hazards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on the creation of artificial soils from waste products, such as overburden, leftover brown coal, fly ash and compost, for rehabilitation of degraded mine sites acknowledging acid mine drainage. It was found that with the increase in the amount of compost from 2 to 2.5 g in artificial soils, there was an increase in the moisture holding capacity and load bearing capacity from 7.47 to 16.5% and 2.5 to 5.7 kN, respectively. Metals leached from artificial soils under different conditions were found to be below standards limits set by USEPA for leachate in the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The function of a soft switch is to provide a temporarily flow path of high pressure throttle fluid and store it temporally in a small chamber during valve transition, thus leading to passive vibration isolation. In this article, three different on/off controlled hydraulic systems without and with soft switch have been modeled using bond graph technique and simulated to analyze the performance of the soft switch. Some key parameters of the soft switch are identified and their values are optimized through multiple-run simulation. Thereafter, a relationship has been derived between the soft switch parameters and the overall energy loss of the system using regression analysis. It has been observed that the total energy loss in the system with soft switch is about one-third of that when the system is operated with relief valve only. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]