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Intensive forestation widely occurs in East Asian rivers. It deteriorates the ecosystem of gravelly or sandy bars, affects flood protection, and changes the landscape of the river. For the regulation of forestation and vegetative succession on the bars, a suitable tool, through either a numerical simulation model or through empirical knowledge that will predict the future process after treatment, is required. With this background, a dynamic model is developed based on the empirical knowledge obtained by field observations in order to simulate the vegetative growth process on the bars. Observations were conducted at several Japanese rivers in order to better understand tree growth and biomass, herbaceous plant biomass, and soil nitrogen content. The model is composed of four modules: a hydrological module, which provides for flood inundation, flushing and sedimentation processes, a tree module, which describes the recruitment, growth and thinning of tree densities, and a herbaceous plant module, which describes the biomass of herbs as a function of environmental conditions. Finally, there is a soil module, which mostly describes nitrogen budgets. The model was successfully applied to the Arakawa River in central Japan in order to simulate a 30-year process after a major flood. Simulations were conducted for several cases related to the processes of two tree species: Robinia pseudoacacia and Salix spp. The model was then applied in order to elucidate the forestation mechanism of the bar, which indicated a possible reason for the effect of decreasing the supply of coarse sediment. The impact of the tree and herbaceous plants by different hydrological processes is also discussed. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper the solar radiation forecasting in Pekan located in Pahang is presented. The time series utilized are 10 minute solar radiation data obtained directly from the measurements realized in the sites during about one month. In order to do solar radiation forecasting, quick propagation algorithms Artificial Neural Network (ANN) models were developed. Around 1617 data's are taken to train ANN. The effects of temperature, humidity, wind speed, wind chill, pressure and rain on solar radiation are discussed in this paper. The maximum mean absolute percentage error was found to be less than 7.74% and R-squared (R2) values were found to be about 98.9% for the testing stations. However, these values were found to be 5.398% and 97.9% for the training stations. The trained and tested ANN models show greater accuracy for evaluating the solar radiation. The predicted solar potential values from the ANN are given in the form of table where included the other variables such as temperature, humidity, wind speed, wind chill, pressure and rain. This table is of prime importance for different working disciplines, like scientists, architects, meteorologists and solar engineers, in Malaysia. The predictions from the ANN models could enable scientists to locate and design solar energy systems in Malaysia and determine the best solar technology [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease and is closely related to metabolic syndrome and its risk factors. Worldwide, epidemiological studies have reported NAFLD prevalence rates of 5% to 30% depending on geographical variations. While epidemiological data suggest a progressively increasing prevalence of metabolic risk factors in Singapore, there are limited data about NAFLD per se in the community. We aim to explore the prevalence and perceptions of NAFLD in Singapore., Methods: Attendees at a gastroenterology public forum were enrolled in a cross-sectional observational study evaluating demographic, anthropometric and clinical information. The diagnosis of NAFLD was based on sonographic criteria. Metabolic syndrome was defined according to International Diabetes Federation guidelines. Perceptions of NAFLD were explored using a self-administered survey questionnaire., Results: A total of 227 subjects were recruited, with NAFLD being diagnosed in 40% of the cohort. Relative to those without NAFLD, subjects with NAFLD had higher male preponderance, older age, higher body mass index, waist circumference and more metabolic syndrome (all P < 0.05). Although 71.2% subjects had heard about NAFLD before, only 25.4% of them felt that they were at risk of NAFLD. Comparable responses were observed in subjects with no metabolic risk factors relative to subjects with one or more metabolic risk factors (P > 0.05). Of note, 75.6% of subjects with one or more metabolic risk factors did not think that they were at risk of NAFLD., Conclusion: Our study suggests a significant local prevalence of NAFLD in the community including non-obese individuals. Considering the tendency to underestimate risk of NAFLD, enhanced public education about NAFLD is warranted to improve understanding., (© The Author(s) 2015. Published by Oxford University Press and the Digestive Science Publishing Co. Limited.)

This solar radiation study was undertaken at Pekan campus (3.5°N, 103.4°E), Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University Malaysia Pahang. The study focused on the variation of daily global radiation in east coast Malaysia and the development of an empirical model to estimate the monthly average daily global solar radiation on a horizontal surface with Pekan meteorological station data. Solar radiation data were obtained using the weather station which was installed at the site from 2011 to 2013. The patterns were divided into five conditions: clear sky, partially cloudy, fully cloudy, afternoon rain, and northeast monsoon season. It was observed that on a clear sky day in Pekan, the maximum solar insolation was 939 W/m² and total solar energy received was 6.51 kWhr/m². In contrast, on a fully cloudy day the maximum solar insolation was only 30 W/m² and total solar energy received was 0.35 kWhr/m². Subsequently, the developed models were evaluated using statistical analysis. This paper describes an advanced understanding of the daily variation of global solar radiation in east coast Malaysia which may be significant for the design of a solar system. Lastly, use of the Angstrom modified linear models developed is highly recommended to estimate the monthly average daily global solar radiation in Pekan, Pahang and locations with similar solar radiation patterns in east coast Malaysia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Around 50% of the population harbour thyroid nodules on ultrasonography, up to 7% of which may be malignant irrespective of size. While fine-needle aspiration biopsy is reliable, subjecting every thyroid nodule to this procedure is not cost-effective. Hence, ultrasonography is used primarily to characterise thyroid nodules, whereas nodules that have suspicious features are subject to a fine-needle aspiration biopsy. The presence of microcalcifications, macrocalcifications, irregular margins, 'taller-than-wide' shape, marked hypoechogenicity and intrinsic vascularity are features that render a thyroid nodule suspicious for malignancy. Spongiform appearance and the presence of colloid plugs or purely cystic nodules are considered features of benignity. In this article, these aforementioned sonographic features of malignancy and benignity are pictorially illustrated and a basic approach to dealing with solitary and multiple thyroid nodules is highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the diagnostic accuracy of our early experience with contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in the characterisation of focal liver lesions (FLLs) using histopathology, contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or other imaging follow-up as the standard of reference. Materials and Methods: Seventy-three patients with 82 FLLs who underwent liver CEUS from January 2006 to December 2008 were retrospectively reviewed. CEUS was performed with up to 4.8 mL of SonoVue® (Bracco, Milan, Italy) using a low mechanical index mode. The CEUS findings were compared with histopathology, or where histopathology was not available, clinical and imaging follow-up over at least 12 months was used as the standard of reference. Results: Of the 82 FLLs, 50 were malignant and 32 were benign at final diagnosis. CEUS correctly identified 43 malignant FLLs, with final diagnosis confirmed by histopathology in 13 lesions and clinico-radiological follow-up in 30 lesions. Twenty-nine lesions were correctly identified as benign on CEUS, with all these lesions confirmed on clinico-radiological follow-up. CEUS demonstrated a sensitivity of 86.0% and a specificity of 90.6% in the characterisation of liver lesions as malignant, with an overall accuracy of 87.8% (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Our early experience has shown that CEUS can be accurate in differentiating malignant from benign FLLs and may become a useful first-line imaging tool where CT or MRI are not available or contra-indicated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to present mathematical models of all the propulsion components of hybrid drivetrains. These models are based on very limited amounts of data, nevertheless they match real characteristics with high accuracy based on numerous measurement data points, thus they allow the modelling process of fuel and energy consumption for a particular vehicle in any homologation driving cycle to be performed in a very short time at the early stage of vehicle design. The characteristics provided in the article concern: the full load engine torque curve, full load electric motor power curve, combustion engine efficiency characteristic, including dynamic states and warm-up period, electric motor efficiency characteristic, inverter efficiency characteristic, battery characteristics in a wide temperature range and efficiency of the drivetrain. Moreover, the main principles concerning gear ratio selection are provided to conduct subsequent steps of transmission modelling from scratch. Simulations of drivetrain performance and vehicle fuel consumption in WLTP and US06 tests prove the suitability of the presented models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recent analysis of the human proteome via proteogenomics and ribosome profiling of the transcriptome revealed the existence of thousands of previously unannotated microprotein-coding small open reading frames (smORFs). Most functional microproteins were chosen for characterization because of their evolutionary conservation. However, one example of a non-conserved immunomodulatory microprotein in mice suggests that strict sequence conservation misses some intriguing microproteins. Results: We examine the ability of gene regulation to identify human microproteins with potential roles in inflammation or fibrosis of the intestine. To do this, we collected ribosome profiling data of intestinal cell lines and peripheral blood mononuclear cells and used gene expression of microprotein-encoding transcripts to identify strongly regulated microproteins, including several examples of microproteins that are only conserved with primates. Conclusion: This approach reveals a number of new microproteins worthy of additional functional characterization and provides a dataset that can be queried in different ways to find additional gut microproteins of interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fifth Generation (5G) cellular networks have been adopted worldwide since the rollout began around 2019. It brought with it many innovations and new services, such as Enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB), Ultra Reliable and Low-Latency Communications (URLLC), and Massive Internet of Things (mIoT). Furthermore, 5G introduced a more scalable approach to network operations using fully software-based Virtualized Network Functions (VNF) in Core Networks (CN) rather than the prior hardware-based approach. However, while this shift towards a fully software-based system design provides numerous significant benefits, such as increased interoperability, scalability, and cost-effectiveness, it also brings with it an increased cybersecurity risk. Security is crucial to maintaining trust between vendors, operators, and consumers. Cyberattacks are rapidly increasing in number and sophistication, and we are seeing a shift towards zero-trust approaches. This means that even communications between VNFs inside a 5G core must be scrutinized and hardened against attacks, especially with the advent of quantum computers. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), over the past 10 years, has led efforts to standardize post-quantum cryptography (PQC) to protect against quantum attacks. This paper covers a custom implementation of the open-source free5GC CN, to expand its HTTPS capabilities for VNFs by introducing PQC Key Encapsulation Methods (KEM) for Transport Layer Security (TLS) v1.3. This paper provides the details of this integration with a focus on the latency of different PQC KEMs in initial handshakes between VNFs, on packet size, and the implications in a 5G environment. This work also conducts a security comparison between the PQC-equipped free5GC and other open-source 5G CNs. The presented results indicate a negligible increase in UE connection setup duration and a small increase in connection setup data requirements, strongly indicating that PQC KEM's benefits far outweigh any downsides when integrated into 5G and 6G core services. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work incorporating PQC into an open-source 5G core. Furthermore, the results from this effort demonstrate that employing PQC ciphers for securing VNF communications results in only a negligible impact on latency and bandwidth usage, thus demonstrating significant benefits to 5G cybersecurity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given that more and more oil reservoirs are reaching the high water cut stage during water flooding, the construction of an advanced algorithmic model for identifying inter-well connectivity is crucial to improve oil recovery and extend the oilfield service life cycle. This study proposes a state variable-based dynamic capacitance (SV-DC) model that integrates artificial intelligence techniques with dynamic data and geological features to more accurately identify inter-well connectivity and its evolution. A comprehensive sensitivity analysis was performed on single-well pairs and multi-well groups regarding the permeability amplitude, the width of the high permeable channel, change, and lasting period of injection pressure. In addition, the production performance of multi-well groups, especially the development of ineffective circulation channels and their effects on reservoir development, are studied in-depth. The results show that higher permeability, wider permeable channels, and longer injection pressure maintenance can significantly enhance inter-well connectivity coefficients and reduce time-lag coefficients. Inter-well connectivity in multi-well systems is significantly affected by well-group configuration and inter-well interference effects. Based on the simulation results, the evaluation index of ineffective circulation channels is proposed and applied to dozens of well groups. These identified ineffective circulation channel changing patterns provide an important basis for optimizing oil fields' injection and production strategies through data-driven insights and contribute to improving oil recovery. The integration of artificial intelligence enhances the ability to analyze complex datasets, allowing for more precise adjustments in field operations. This paper's research ideas and findings can be confidently extended to other engineering scenarios, such as geothermal development and carbon dioxide storage, where AI-based models can further refine and optimize resource management and operational strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protein-based adhesives have attracted substantial consideration due to their environmentally friendly advantages and the abundance of functional groups they possess. However, these adhesives suffered from poor properties, including poor bonding strength, low stability, and limited resistance to mildew, which hindered their widespread application in the wood processing sector. In this study, a straightforward and practical strategy for preparing keratin-based wood adhesives was presented. By incorporating hydrogen peroxide, the performance of the fabricated adhesives was significantly reinforced. The adhesion forces between wood substrates reached up to approximately 2.4 and 1.3 MPa under dry and wet conditions, respectively. All components used in the adhesive were derived from biomass and low cost. Furthermore, this keratin-based adhesive demonstrated excellent mildew resistance and bactericidal properties compared to other modified protein adhesives. Therefore, this study proposed an eco-friendly and effective approach to developing high-performance, multifunctional, and fully biobased protein adhesives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the complex environment of microgrid deployments targeted at geographic regions, the seamless integration of renewable energy sources meets a variety of essential challenges. These include the unpredictable nature of renewable energy, characterized by intermittent energy generation, as well as ongoing fluctuations in load demand, the vulnerabilities present in distribution network failures, and the unpredictability that results from unfavorable weather conditions. These unexpected events work together to disturb the delicate balance between energy supply and demand, raising the alarming threat of system instability and, in the worst cases, the sudden advent of damaging blackouts. To address this issue, a fuzzy logic-based energy management system has been developed to monitor, manage, and optimize energy consumption in microgrids. This study focuses on the control of diesel generators and utility grids in a grid-connected microgrid which manages and evaluates numerous energy consumption and distribution features within a specified system, e.g., building or a microgrid. An energy management system is suggested based on fuzzy logic as a swift fix for complications with effective and competent resource management, and its presentation is compared with both the grid-connected and off-grid modes of the microgrid. In the end, the results exhibit that the proposed controller outclasses the predictable controllers in dropping sudden variations that arise during the addition of sources of renewable energy, supporting the refurbishment of the constant system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is significant communication and interdependence among the gut, the microbiome, and the brain during development. Diseases, such as necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), highlight how injury to the immature gastrointestinal tract leads to long-term neurological consequences, due to vulnerabilities of the brain in the early stages of life. A better understanding of the developing gut–microbiota–brain axis is needed to both prevent and treat the devastating consequences of these disease processes. The gut–microbiota–brain axis is a bidirectional communication pathway that includes metabolic, nervous, endocrine, and immune components. In this review, we discuss gut development, microbiome colonization and maturation, and the interactions that influence neurodevelopment in the context of NEC. We describe the components of the gut–brain axis and how the microbiome is an integral member of this relationship. Finally, we explore how derangements within the microbiome and gut–microbiota–brain axis affect the normal development and function of the other systems and long-term neurodevelopmental consequences for patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psoriasis is a long-term inflammatory skin disorder that significantly affects a patient's quality of life in addition to having notable physical symptoms. Recent research has increasingly focused on the neuropsychiatric dimensions of psoriasis, recognizing the complex interplay between psychological health and dermatological disease. There is growing recognition of the correlation between psoriasis and neuropsychiatric conditions such as anxiety, depression, and cognitive decline, indicating the reciprocal interaction of the skin and brain. This study explores the prevalence and implications of neuropsychiatric disorders among 3,850 psoriasis patients, of whom 458 were diagnosed with neuropsychiatric conditions. The results emphasize the value of treating psoriasis with a multidisciplinary approach. Integrating care that addresses dermatological and neuropsychiatric health is crucial for improving patient outcomes and quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Young Black women experience higher rates of dating violence victimization compared to their White peers. Religion is a cornerstone of African American culture, suggesting that Black women may use religious coping after experiencing trauma like dating violence. However, research has not explored the patterns of religious coping following dating violence experiences. The current study analyzed survey data from 481 young Black women aged 18–19 years on their religious coping behaviors, acceptance of violence beliefs, and dating violence victimization experiences. Results showed that victimization was positively associated with negative religious coping. Findings indicate that one way young Black women cope with dating violence victimization is through feelings of spiritual discontent, and they may see their victimization as a punishment from God. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]