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Ehsan Ameri 1, Ali Farhadi Mahali2 , Mojtaba Tabari3 Background: Improving the quality of visit services in laboratories of medical-teaching centers of universities of medical sciences plays a major role in providing better services to patients. The present study aimed to evaluate the policy of improving the quality of visit services of the reform plan in laboratories of medical-teaching centers in Golestan province. Methods: The present research was cross-sectional and had a descriptive-analytical type. A total of 384 staff in the diagnostic laboratories were selected for the study using a simple random sampling method. The data collection tool included a 35-item researcher-made questionnaire. Results: There was a gap between the current and desired status of the fourth axis of the health system reform plan. The gap was about -0.01, indicating that there was a gap between the current and desired status and it was related to the supervision department according to the respondents in the target statistical population. Conclusion: The implementation of this plan was effective in improving the quality of visit services in laboratories of medical-teaching centers in Golestan province but this effectiveness did not meet the goals of the fourth axis of the reform plan. Therefore, the factors, which caused a lack of supervision among the executive departments of laboratories of medical-teaching centers in Golestan province, should be removed for increasing the effectiveness of this plan.

Background: Emergency Trauma Score (EMTRAS), Revised Trauma Score (RTS) and Glasgow Age Pressure (GAP) are used to determine the patient status, and to predict the intervention and prognosis.Objectives: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the association between mortality and trauma severity scores (EMTRAS, RTS, and GAP) in multiple trauma patients.Methods: In this study, patients who had referred to the Emergency Department of Mustafa Kemal University Hospital due to multiple trauma within a one-year period were evaluated retrospectively. The hospital is located in the central district of Hatay, Antakya in the Republic of Turkey, 680 km from the capital, on the Syrian border. Its population is 1,5 million. Antakya is located as the central district of Hatay with population of 400,000. Demographic data, trauma type, nationality, vital parameters [pulse, peripheral oxygen saturation (SO2), respiratory count, systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP)], physiological scoring systems (GCS, RTS, GAP and EMTRAS), and mortality states of the patients were reviewed. Data were analysed by SPSS 21, and the effect of current parameters on short-term (in the emergency service) and long-term (30 days) mortality was examined.Results: Three hundred and thirty-three multi-trauma patients were enrolled into the study. The median age of the patients was 31 (IQR: 22) years; 88.3% (294) of the patients were male. The exitus rate was detected as 7.8% in the emergency service and 26.4% within one month. GCS, RTS and GAP values of the patients who have died in the emergency service and within one month were significantly lower; however, the EMTRAS level was significantly higher in these patients (p

Relevance. Modern approach to development of oil and gas fields. Digitalization and automation of hydrocarbon production allow not only to reducing the response time to possible deviations from the operating level of production, but also quickly making decisions on its further normalization. The use of modern software to create a reservoir model using the material balance method allows you to calculate current and predicted reservoir pressures depending on the amount of selected and injected fluid. With high-quality adaptation, the integration of the reservoir model, wells and collection system, in its turn, allows you to correctly approach the choice of a field development system, as well as correctly assess the possible potential of the field. Forecast calculations performed on an integrated model can form the basis for budget planning, as well as the basis for carrying out geological and technical activities on wells, commissioning new wells, and modernizing equipment and infrastructure. Moreover, group optimization calculation allows us to maximize additional oil production, taking into account all geological and technical constraints. Aim. Formation and analysis of an approach to setting up a reservoir model by adapting parameters using the material balance method; formation of a solution for adapting the integrated model, reconciliation of the results with actual data; carrying out an optimization calculation and obtaining additional oil production. Methods. Adjustment and adaptation of reservoir models using the material balance method; adjustment and adaptation of the integrated model of a field/group of fields; calculation of the forecast for a period of 30/90 days; optimization calculations. Results. The obtained results make it possible to adapt the components of the integrated model with an accuracy of ±5 %, which makes it possible to simulate the operating mode of the field. As a result of the analysis, tuning criteria were identified, and the minimum required set of parameters for a qualitative adaptation of the reservoir model and the collection system was presented. The effectiveness and accuracy of the tool are also proven by comparing actual data on operating modes with synthetic ones. Based on the work done, it can be concluded that the use of the integrated model shows us a high convergence with real data, which allows us to optimally approach the field development mode. Moreover, an optimization calculation was carried out to obtain additional oil production using the proposed solution, and a forecast for oil production for a period of 90 days was calculated, which was later confirmed when compared with actual data.

Polymers based on glycidyl azide polymer (GAP) and isocyanate present molecular structures dependent on NCO/OH molar ratio and diisocyanate reactivity. In this study, GAP polymers are obtained from a reaction with aromatic (toluene diisocyanate, TDI) or aliphatic (isophoranediisocyanate, IPDI) diisocyanates, varying the NCO/OH molar ratio from equimolar to 2.5. The increment in NCO/OH molar ratio increases the gel fraction in GAP/TDI polymers up to 90 wt%, along with a progressive growth in their glass transition temperature (Tg), which rises 10 °C from NCO/OH equimolar to 2.5. In opposition, in the GAP/IPDI polymers, the maximum gel fraction is 20 wt%, and the Tg value practically does not change in NCO excess. Infrared spectroscopy shows the predominant presence of urethane groups in polymers containing up to 2.0 NCO/OH molar ratio; however, at 2.5, urethane and allophanate characteristic bands are present in both polymers. That reactivity is controlled by chemical kinetics since the activation barrier of the reaction between the GAP and TDI is 10 kcal.mol‑1 lower than in the corresponding reaction with the IPDI. This difference results from the sum of the higher hyperconjugative interactions, approximately 65%, and the lower steric hindrance, about 35%, in the activated complex containing the TDI.

Massive GGGGCC (G4C2) repeat expansion in C9orf72 and the resulting loss of C9orf72 function are the key features of ~50% of inherited amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia cases. However, the biological function of C9orf72 remains unclear. We previously found that C9orf72 can form a stable GTPase activating protein (GAP) complex with SMCR8 (Smith-Magenis chromosome region 8). Herein, we report that the C9orf72-SMCR8 complex is a major negative regulator of primary ciliogenesis, abnormalities in which lead to ciliopathies. Mechanistically, the C9orf72- SMCR8 complex suppresses the primary cilium as a RAB8A GAP. Moreover, based on biochemical analysis, we found that C9orf72 is the RAB8A binding subunit and that SMCR8 is the GAP subunit in the complex. We further found that the C9orf72-SMCR8 complex suppressed the primary cilium in multiple tissues from mice, including but not limited to the brain, kidney, and spleen. Importantly, cells with C9orf72 or SMCR8 knocked out were more sensitive to hedgehog signaling. These results reveal the unexpected impact of C9orf72 on primary ciliogenesis and elucidate the pathogenesis of diseases caused by the loss of C9orf72 function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients diagnosed with complex hepato-pancreaticobiliary (HPB) conditions experience a challenging journey through the healthcare system. Patient navigation is commonly offered to patients and their caregivers throughout this process. Here, we report on the development and phase I testing of a prototype web-based dual (patient and provider) navigation application 'PatientNav.' Methods: Evidence-based recommendations were determined through a needs assessment. The PatientNav app was designed to be a highly customizable tool based on the needs of the patients, the care team, and the characteristics of the institution. Our phase I pilot trial targeted adult patients who reported the capacity to use a mobile app or desktop website presenting to our HPB transplant clinic at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital/Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center over two months. Usability, functionality, and reliability testing were conducted by applying multiple strategies, including biometric data analysis, task completion, questionnaires, and interviews. Results: Out of 22 patients, 18 (81.8%) completed the in-app survey whose responses were included in the analysis. The usability rate of PatientNav among patient app users was 95.4%. Among patient app users who completed the in-app survey questionnaire, 66.6% reported that the content in the PatientNav app was relevant. In terms of the app's reliability, none of the patient app users reported technical issues with accessing PatientNav throughout the study period. To further elucidate the characteristics of individuals who exhibited high usage of the PatientNav assigned task functions, we divided our cohort based on the median number of tasks used (N = 75 total tasks). The univariable comparison showed that high function users were older, with a median (IQR) age of 61.5 (57.8, 71.3) compared to 52.2 (34.5, 65.7) years among low function users. No differences were observed based on gender, racial distribution, living condition, or occupation. However, 41.7% of low function users had Medicare/Medicaid insurance, whereas all high function users had private or combined insurance. Conclusion: Our phase I pilot study showed that PatientNav is a feasible, usable, and functional technological tool that enables patients with complex HPB diagnoses and their care team to interface in real-time using patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs). PatientNav is a reliable tool that can be used by clinical and support staff to help navigate patients through surgery and aftercare and by patients to assist in navigation and self-management. Trial registration: The trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov; Registration number: NCT04892927; date of registration: 5/19/2021. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Quality of reduction is of paramount importance after acetabular fracture and is best assessed on computed tomography (CT). A recently proposed measurement technique for assessment of step and gap displacement is reproducible but has not been validated. The purpose of this study is to validate a well-established measurement technique against known displacements and to determine if it can be used with low dose CT. Methods: Posterior wall acetabular fractures were created in 8 cadaveric hips and fixed at known step and gap displacements. CT was performed at multiple radiation doses for each hip. Four surgeons measured step and gap displacement for each hip at all doses, and the measurements were compared to known values. Results: There were no significant differences in measurements across surgeons, and all measurements were found to have positive agreement. Measurement error < 1.5 mm was present in 58% of gap measurements and 46% of step measurements. Only for step measurements at a dose of 120 kVp did we observe a statistically significant measurement error. There was a significant difference in step measurements made by those with greater and those with fewer years in practice. Conclusion: Our study suggests this technique is valid and accurate across all doses. This is important as it may reduce the amount of radiation exposure for patients with acetabular fractures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Jurnal Ilmu Ekonomi Terapan is the property of Universitas Airlangga and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The effect of the gap between the propeller tips and the inner wall of the duct ring on the thrust and available capacity of the ducted propeller propulsion system is investigated. The structure of vortex flow in a thin gap between the end surface of the propeller blades and the air ring of the ducted propeller is analyzed, as well as the features of the propeller blades flow at boost modes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Chinese Journal of Explosives & Propellants is the property of Chinese Journal of Explosives & Propellants Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Purpose: To determine whether a 24 MHz transducer significantly improves sensitivity, specificity and accuracy in evaluating flexor tendon repair integrity compared with an 18 MHz transducer. Methods: One hundred and twelve cadaveric digits were randomised to an intact repair or simulated 'failed' repair, and to a two‐ or eight‐strand repair of a flexor digitorum profundus laceration. A blinded sonologist evaluated specimens in static mode using 18 and 24 MHz transducers. Gaps were remeasured after scanning, and final gap width recorded. McNemar's exact test calculated differences between sensitivity, specificity and accuracy, and chi‐squared test to compare sensitivity, specificity and accuracy between number of strands (2 vs. 8) and repair gap (≥4 mm). Results: The 24 MHz transducer had higher sensitivity (81 vs. 59%), lower specificity (67 vs. 70%) and higher overall accuracy (74 vs. 64%), than the 18 MHz transducer. The difference for sensitivity was significant (P = 0.011), but not differences for specificity and overall accuracy (P > 0.05). Pearson's correlation (r = 0.61) demonstrated a moderate‐to‐strong positive correlation between measured and true gap sizes. Increased number of suture strands (2 vs. 8) did not impair sensitivity, specificity nor accuracy. Discussion: Ultrasound may tend to overestimate gap width, and a slight risk that some intact repairs, or those with small, clinically insignificant gaps may undergo surgical exploration that may not be indicated. Conclusions: A 24 MHz transducer is a more sensitive and accurate transducer for assessing flexor tendon repair integrity and measuring small gaps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Endocytosis is a process vital to angiogenesis and vascular homeostasis. In pathologies where supraphysiological growth factor signaling underlies disease etiology, such as in diabetic retinopathy and solid tumors, strategies to limit chronic growth factor signaling by way of blunting endocytic processes have been shown to have tremendous clinical value. ADP ribosylation factor 6 (Arf6) is a small GTPase that promotes the assembly of actin necessary for clathrin‐mediated and clathrin‐independent endocytosis. In its absence, growth factor signaling is greatly diminished, which has been shown to ameliorate pathological signaling input in diseased vasculature. However, it is less clear if there are bystander effects related to loss of Arf6 on angiogenic behaviors. Our goal was to provide an analysis of Arf6's function in angiogenic endothelium, focusing on its role in actin and endocytosis as well as sprouting morphogenesis. Methods: Primary endothelial cells were cultured in both 2D and 3D environments. Here, endothelial cells were fixed and stained for various proteins or transfected with fluorescently‐tagged constructs for live‐cell imaging. Results: We found that Arf6 localized to both filamentous actin and sites of endocytosis in two‐dimensional culture. Loss of Arf6 distorted both apicobasal polarity and reduced the total cellular filamentous actin content, which may be the primary driver underlying gross sprouting dysmorphogenesis in its absence. Conclusions: Our findings highlight that endothelial Arf6 is a potent mediator of both actin regulation and endocytosis and is required for proper sprout formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The RASA2 and RASA3 GTPase-activating proteins are recently recognized negative regulators of T cell activation and adhesion. RASA2 was identified as a novel immunotherapy target in a CRISPR-Cas9 screen for molecules permitting human primary T cell proliferation in the presence of inhibitors. RASA2 depletion increased antigen sensitivity in conventional and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells and improved tumor rejection. RASA3 was identified in a CRISPR-Cas9 screen as an inhibitor of T cell receptor (TCR)-induced LFA-1-mediated ICAM-1 binding in mouse T cells. Rasa3 deficiency altered T cell adhesion, migration, and T cell-dependent antibody responses in mice. Rasa3 is highly expressed in pathogenic type 17 T helper cells and is required for the development of experimental autoimmune encephalitis in mice, suggesting that it has T cell type- and tissue-specific functions. Both RASA2/Rasa2 and RASA3/Rasa3 are rapidly repressed upon TCR stimulation of human and mouse T cells, thus promoting T cell activation. RASA3 is also inhibited by PI3K activity. Understanding the mechanisms that keep T cells in check can provide insight into targets for reinvigorating T cell function in cancer and chronic infection, or for suppressing T cell function in the context of autoimmunity and transplantation. The RASA2 and RASA3 GAPs have recently emerged as key inhibitors of T cell activation, adhesion, and migration, thereby introducing a potential new set of therapeutic targets for manipulating T cell activity. Following stimulation, the T cell receptor (TCR) and its coreceptors integrate multiple intracellular signals to initiate T cell proliferation, migration, gene expression, and metabolism. Among these signaling molecules are the small GTPases RAS and RAP1, which induce MAPK pathways and cellular adhesion to activate downstream effector functions. Although many studies have helped to elucidate the signaling intermediates that mediate T cell activation, the molecules and pathways that keep naive T cells in check are less understood. Several recent studies provide evidence that RASA2 and RASA3, which are GAP1-family GTPase-activating proteins (GAPs) that inactivate RAS and RAP1, respectively, are crucial molecules that limit T cell activation and adhesion. In this review we describe recent data on the roles of RASA2 and RASA3 as gatekeepers of T cell activation and migration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Marine Fisheries: Jurnal Teknologi & Manajemen Perikanan Laut is the property of IPB University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Many vertical-axis wind turbines (VAWTs) require arms, which generally provide aerodynamic resistance, to connect the main blades to the rotating shaft. Three–dimensional numerical simulations were conducted to clarify the effects of a gap placed at the blade–arm connection portion on VAWT performance. A VAWT with two straight blades (diameter: 0.75 m, height: 0.5 m) was used as the calculation model. Two horizontal arms were assumed to be connected to the blade of the model with or without a gap. A cylindrical rod with a diameter of 1 or 5 mm was installed in the gap, and its length varied from 10 to 30 mm. The arm cross section has the same airfoil shape (NACA 0018) as the main blade; however, the chord length is half (0.04 m) that of the blade. The simulation shows that the power of the VAWT with gaps is higher than that of the gapless VAWT. The longer gap length tends to decrease the power, and increasing the diameter of the connecting rod amplifies this decreasing tendency. Providing a short gap at the blade–arm connection and decreasing the cross–sectional area of the connecting member is effective in increasing VAWT power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thermal damage process of the energetic material sample D-RDX was simulated by the thermal accelerated aging test, and the physical and explosive properties of the thermally damaged D-RDX energetic material were measured. The results showed that the physical properties of D-RDX did not change significantly under the test conditions, but the impact safety was significantly different, and the safety of the thermally damaged D-RDX sample showed greater dispersion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of the College Of Basic Education is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Chinese Journal of Applied Mechanics is the property of Chinese Journal of Applied Mechanics Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This work introduces an investigation of the surface roughness (Ra) during flat plate machining utilizing magnetic abrasive finishing process (MAF). In this study three parameters (Machining time, Mesh size, and Gap) were studied. The MAF tool is made from permanent magnet and the abrasive powder is consisting of 40% of SiC and 60% Fe powder with three Mesh size (100, 250, and 400 µm). The Taguchi L9 array was used in designing the experiments. The results show that the increasing machining time caused a decrease in Ra. The increase in mesh size and the gap will increase the surface roughness. The dominant factor that affect the surface roughness was the machining time due to enough time to machine the target surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PurposeTo identify the role of gender and other factors in influencing ophthalmologists' compensation.DesignCross-sectional study.ParticipantsU.S. practicing ophthalmologists.MethodsBetween January and March 2020, an anonymous survey was sent to U.S. residency program directors and practicing ophthalmologists who recently completed residency training. Respondents who completed residency ≤ 10 years ago and responded to questions about gender, fellowship training, state of practice, and salary were included. Propensity score match (PSM) analysis was performed with age, academic residency, top residency, fellowship, state median wage, practice type, ethnicity, and number of workdays. Multivariate linear regression (MLR) analysis controlled for additional factors along with the aforementioned variables.Main outcome measuresBase starting salary with bonus (SWB) received in the first year of clinical position was the main outcome measure. A multiplier of 1.2 (20%) was added to the base salary to account for bonus.ResultsOf 684 respondents, 384 (56% were female, 44% were male) from 68 programs were included. Female ophthalmologists received a mean initial SWB that was $33 139.80 less than that of their male colleagues (12.5%, P = 0.00). The PSM analysis showed an SWB difference of -$27 273.89 (10.3% gap, P = 0.0015). Additionally, SWB differences were calculated with the number of workdays substituted by operating room (OR) days (-$27 793.67 [10.5% gap, P = 0.0013]) and clinic days (-$23 597.57 [8.90% gap, P = 0.0064]) in separate PSM analyses. The SWB differences between genders were significant using MLR analyses, which also controlled for work, clinic, and OR days separately (-$22 261.49, $-18 604.65, and $-16 191.26, respectively; P = 0.017, P = 0.015, P = 0.002, respectively). Gender independently predicted income in all 3 analyses (P

Purpose: To evaluate the current practice, equipment availability, and training needs for managing childhood glaucoma in Nigeria. Materials and Methods: An online questionnaire (Google Forms) was distributed through E-mails and social media platforms of pediatric ophthalmologists and glaucoma specialists who practice in Nigeria and manage glaucoma in children aged 0–16 years. Information concerning sociodemographic characteristics, type of practice, location of practice, years of practice, status, and preferred practices in the management of childhood glaucoma cataracts were obtained and analyzed with SPSS. Results: Thirty (23.3%) out of 129 eligible participants indicated they perform glaucoma surgeries in children. The majority (66.6%) had practiced as specialists for 10 years or less, and 70% were pediatric ophthalmologists. A third of the respondents practiced in the country’s southwest region, with none in the Northeast region. The most common surgery performed for primary congenital glaucoma was combined trabeculotomy trabeculectomy, while trabeculectomy was the most common surgery performed for juvenile open-angle glaucoma. Two respondents reported performing glaucoma drainage device surgery and seven reported possessions of skills for goniotomy. All centers had trabeculectomy instrument sets, while three centers had facilities for endolaser cyclophotocoagulation, and only two centers had knives for goniotomy. Antimetabolites were routinely used for childhood glaucoma surgeries by 26 (86.7%) respondents, and the most common antimetabolite used was mitomycin (21; 80.8%). Conclusion: There is a need for the development of in-country training programs and the exchange of skills through collaboration among those providing glaucoma services within Nigeria to improve the care of children with glaucoma.

Over the past two decades, the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellite mission and its successor, GRACE-follow on (GRACE-FO), have played a vital role in climate research. However, the absence of certain observations during and between these missions has presented a persistent challenge. Despite numerous studies attempting to address this issue with mathematical and statistical methods, no definitive optimal approach has been established. This study introduces a practical solution using Linear Regression Analysis (LRA) to overcome data gaps in both GRACE data types—mascon and spherical harmonic coefficients (SHCs). The proposed methodology is tailored to monsoon patterns and demonstrates efficacy in filling data gaps. To validate the approach, a global analysis was conducted across eight basins, monitoring changes in total water storage (TWS) using the technique. The results were compared with various geodetic products, including data from the Swarm mission, Institute of Geodesy and Geoinformation (IGG), Quantum Frontiers (QF), and Singular Spectrum Analysis (SSA) coefficients. Artificial data gaps were introduced within GRACE observations for further validation. This research highlights the effectiveness of the monsoon method in comparison to other gap-filling approaches, showing a strong similarity between gap-filling results and GRACE’s SHCs, with an absolute relative error approaching zero. In the mascon approach, the coefficient of determination (R2) exceeded 91% for all months. This study offers a readily usable gap-filling product—SHCs and smoothed gridded observations—with accurate error estimates. These resources are now accessible for a wide range of applications, providing a valuable tool for the scientific community.

ABSTRACTSurvey forecasts are prone to entry and exit of forecasters as well as forecasters not contributing every period leading to gaps. These gaps make it difficult to compare individual forecasters to each other and raises the question of how to deal with the missing observations. This is addressed for the variables GDP, CPI inflation, and unemployment for the US. The theoretically optimal method of filling in missing observations is derived and compared to several competing methods. It is found that not filling in missing observations and taking the previous value do not perform particularly well. For the other methods assessed, there is no clear superior approach for all use cases, but the theoretically optimal one usually performs quite well.

Chassis parts that support the entire load of an automobile, such as the frame, cross-member, and lower arm, require fatigue performance. Chassis parts require different fatigue performances, depending on the shape and role of the components. For chassis components manufactured through gas metal arc welding (GMAW), joint gaps cannot be eliminated or constantly managed owing to spring-back and dimensional errors. When a joint gap occurs, the fatigue performance of a joint welded through GMAW decreases. Therefore, in this study, tandem GMAW (T-GMAW) was applied to weld joints with improved fatigue performance, compared to those welded through single-wire GMAW. The effectiveness of the proposed method was verified by comparing the fatigue performance of the joints with that of those welded through single-wire GMAW. The welding torch of the T-GMAW system was designed in a compact form suitable for automotive sites. In this study, joint gaps of 0 and 10 mm were selected, and the welding conditions were selected with the same deposit amount per unit area. The melt-pool behavior of T-GMAW and single-wire GMAW was confirmed using a high-speed camera. Results revealed that the fatigue strength of the weld of the T-GMA was approximately twice that of a single-wire GMA weld, regardless of the joint spacing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A gap has been reported between healthcare professionals' (hereafter "professionals") recognition of preschool children's diets and parents' perception of concern. This study investigated the gap between the concerns reported by professionals and parents' perceptions regarding health and dietary habits by age (18 months and 3 years) and gender in Japan. Methods: The study design consisted of a cross-sectional, multilevel survey. The request letters were sent to all households with target children with the cooperation of local governments. After obtaining written informed consent from parents, questionnaires were distributed to them. The survey included 30 items on children's concerns about health and dietary habits. At the health checkup, parents indicated whether they were concerned in response to each item, and responded child's height and weight and birth height and weight. Next, the professionals provided counseling to the parents at a health checkup. After that, the professionals noted their concerns in response to the same 30 items as those given to parents. The participation rates were 82.9% (18 months) and 82.8% (3 years). Data of 239 persons for 18 months and 223 persons for 3 years old were analyzed. In the statistical analysis, the items that were judged as concerning by professionals but not by parents were identified; likewise, the items that were of concern to parents but not to professionals were identified. Sensitivity, false negative rate, specificity, false positive rate, and Youden index were calculated to analyze the discordance rate for each item. Results: Many parents in this study were concerned about the issues that professionals did not consider to be concerning. Moreover, the parents worried about more issues for 3-year-olds than for 18-month-olds. The items for which ≥ 10 professionals indicated concerns and with higher discordance between the professionals and parents for both boys and girls were "picky eating" for 18-month-olds and "inconsistent amount of food" for 3-year-olds. Conclusions: The concerns that professionals have with respect to children's diets and the things that parents worry about show gaps. It might be necessary to provide professional counseling for parents to develop a correct understanding of their children's dietary habits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cilia are important cellular organelles for signaling and motility and are constructed via intraflagellar transport (IFT). RabL2 is a small GTPase that localizes to the basal body of cilia via an interaction with the centriolar protein CEP19 before downstream association with the IFT machinery, which is followed by initiation of IFT. We reconstituted and purified RabL2 with CEP19 or IFT proteins to show that a reconstituted pentameric IFT complex containing IFT81/74 enhances the GTP hydrolysis rate of RabL2. The binding site on IFT81/74 that promotes GTP hydrolysis in RabL2 was mapped to a 70‐amino‐acid‐long coiled‐coil region of IFT81/74. We present structural models for RabL2‐containing IFT complexes that we validate in vitro and in cellulo and demonstrate that Chlamydomonas IFT81/74 enhances GTP hydrolysis of human RabL2, suggesting an ancient evolutionarily conserved activity. Our results provide an architectural understanding of how RabL2 is incorporated into the IFT complex and a molecular rationale for why RabL2 dissociates from anterograde IFT trains soon after departure from the ciliary base. Synopsis: The small GTPase Rab2L regulates assembly and maintenance of cilia by acting on the intraflagellar transport (IFT) complex. Here, the IFT‐B1 complex is shown to act as a GTPase‐activating protein (GAP) for RabL2, inducing its dissociation from anterograde IFT trains. RabL2 interacting protein CEP19 has high affinity for RabL2‐GTP but is not a GAP for RabL2.The IFT‐B1 complex is a GAP for RabL2, but not for IFT27 or IFT22, the small GTPase subunits of IFT‐B1.70 residues of IFT81/IFT74 coiled‐coil structure constitute a minimal complex that binds RabL2 to activate GTP hydrolysis.An IFT74 point‐mutant deficient in RabL2 binding disrupts ciliogenesis and injection of IFT particles into cilia of mammalian cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the response of functional traits and phylogeny to different gap sizes, simple linear regression was used to study the changes in leaf functional traits and functional diversity with gap size in a Castanopsis kawakami natural forest. Pearson correlation analysis was used to study the correlation between phylogenetic diversity and functional diversity, combined with phylogenetic trees and functional trait trees to determine species adaptation strategies. The results showed that the specific leaf area of C. kawakamii natural forest decreased significantly with increasing canopy openness (P<0.01), the leaf dry matter content decreased significantly with increasing canopy openness (P<0.05), and leaf nitrogen content decreased significantly with increasing canopy openness (P<0.01). Furthermore, the chlorophyll content, leaf thickness, and leaf phosphorus content increased significantly (P<0.05). With increasing canopy openness, the functional evenness, functional divergence, and functional dispersion of C. kawakamii natural forest decreased significantly (P<0.05). However, the functional richness and Rao's quadratic entropy had no pronounced trend. A weak correlation was observed between phylogenetic structure, phylogenetic diversity, and functional diversity in the C. kawakamii natural forest, in which the index of phylogenetic diversity was only significantly positively correlated with functional richness (P<0.01). No significant phylogenetic signals were detected in the leaf functional traits of C. kawakamii natural forest (P>0.05). Many distant species had functional similarity, showing convergence with the external environment. During gap regeneration of C. kawakamii natural forest, plant leaf functional traits showed convergent adaptation, with habitat filtration dominating community construction and species coexistence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hole EDM process parameters are extensively addressed, but electrode design variables have not been optimized to boost output objectives. This investigation optimizes electrode parameters, including the tool rotational speed (S), water pressure (P), electrode length (L), and internal diameter (ID) to enhance the machined gap (MG), hole conicity (HC), noise emission (NE), particulate pollution (PP), and power factor coefficient (PFC) of the Ti6Al4V. The method based on the removal effects of criteria and multi-attributive border approximation area comparison is utilized to select weights and optimality. A novel model of the process sustainable index (PSI) is comprehensively proposed to evaluate the deployment of the EDM operation. The radial basis function interpolation models were proposed and applied to forecast the response outcomes. The findings presented that the optimal S, P, L, and ID were 200 rpm, 80 kg/cm2, 340 mm, and 0.6 mm, respectively. The enhancements in the MG, HC, NE, PP, and PFC were 58.2%, 44.1%, 24.2%, 12.0%, and 10.7%, respectively. Quality indicators were primarily affected by the electrode length and internal diameter, while ecological indices significantly were influenced by the tool rotational speed and water pressure, respectively. The optimality could be applied in the practical hole EDM for saving costs and efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a comprehensive study of the structural and electronic properties of a graphene/phosphorene (G/P) heterostructure in the framework of density functional theory, including van der Waals interaction in the exchange–correlation functional. While the G(4 × 1)/P(3 × 1) superlattice usually used in the literature is subject to a strain as high as about 7%, the in-plane strain could be drastically reduced to under 1% in the G(4 × 13)/P(3 × 12) heterostructure investigated here. Adapting the lattice constants of the rectangular lattices, the equilibrium configuration in the xy plane of phosphorene relative to the graphene layer is optimized. This results in an equilibrium interlayer distance of 3.5 Å and a binding energy per carbon atom of 37 meV, confirming the presence of weak van der Waals interaction between the graphene and the phosphorene layers. The electronic properties of the heterostructure are evaluated under different values of interlayer distance, strain and applied vertical electric field. We demonstrate that G/P heterostructures form an n-type Schottky contact, which can be transformed into p-type under external perturbations. These findings, together with the possibility to control the gaps and barrier heights, suggest that G/P heterostructures are promising for novel applications in electronics and may open a new avenue for the realization of innovative optoelectronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glycidyl azide polymer (GAP) is an energetic material used in composite solid rocket propellants. Herein, a novel synthetic method for GAP was introduced using a tetrabutylammonium bromide and ethylene glycol‐based deep eutectic solvent (DES). Using this DES combination, the azidation of poly(epichlorohydrin) was successfully conducted within several hours. This strategy eliminates the use of organic solvents during the entire synthetic process and provides the advantage of recovery and reuse of the DES. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Group action on the projective space PG(3,q)is a method which can be used to construct some geometric objects for example cap. We constructed new caps in PG(3,13) of degrees 2, 3, 4, 7,14 and sizes 2, 4, 5, 7, 10, 14, 17, 20, 28, 34, 35, 68, 70, 85, 119, 140, 170, 238, 340, 476, 595, 1190. Then the incomplete caps are extended to complete caps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Pirfenidone and nintedanib unequivocally inhibit FVC decline, but have been inconsistently linked to reduced mortality in phase III studies. On the contrary, real-world data show a survival benefit of antifibrotic drugs. However, it is unknown what this benefit is across different Gender, Age, and Physiology (GAP) stages. Research Questions: Is there a difference in transplant-free (TPF) survival of IPF patients receiving antifibrotic drugs (IPFAF) compared with an untreated cohort (IPFnon−AF)? Is this different for patients with GAP stage I, II, or III. Methods: This is a single-center observational cohort study using prospectively included patients diagnosed with IPF between 2008–2018. Primary outcomes were TPF survival difference and 1-, 2-, and 3-year cumulative mortality for IPFAF and IPFnon−AF. This was repeated after stratification for GAP stage. Results: In total, 457 patients were included. The median transplant-free survival was 3.4 years in IPFAF (n = 313) and 2.2 years in IPFnon−AF (n = 144, p = 0.005). For GAP stage II, a median survival of 3.1 and 1.7 years was noted for IPFAF (n = 143) and IPFnon−AF (n = 59, p < 0.001), respectively. A significantly lower 1-, 2-, and 3- year cumulative mortality was found for IPFAF with GAP stage II (1 yr: 7.0% vs 35.6%, 2 yr: 26.6% vs 55.9%, and 3 yr: 46.9% vs 69.5%). The 1-year cumulative mortality of IPFAF with GAP III was also significantly lower (19.0% vs 65.0%). Conclusion: This large real-world study showed a survival benefit in IPFAF compared with IPFnon−AF. This especially holds true for patients with GAP stage II and III. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This is the first national survey in Malaysia to determine the treatment gaps in status epilepticus (SE). • Non-intravenous benzodiazepine was not widely available in pre-hospital services. • Intramuscular midazolam was not commonly used in district and tertiary hospitals. • There were lack of electroencephalogram monitoring and limited alternative anti-seizure medications in refractory SE. • Non-pharmacological therapies were underutilised in super refractory SE. Early and effective treatment is fundamental in status epilepticus (SE) management. At the initiative of the Epilepsy Council of Malaysia, this study aimed to determine the treatment gap in SE across different healthcare settings in Malaysia. A web-based survey was sent to clinicians involved in the management of SE, across all states and at all levels of healthcare services. A total of 158 responses were received from 104 health facilities, including 23 tertiary government hospitals (95.8% of all government tertiary hospitals in Malaysia), 4 (80.0%) universities, 14 (6.7%) private, 15 (11.5%) district hospitals and 21 clinics. Intravenous (IV) diazepam was available in 14 (93.3%) district and 33 (80.5%) tertiary hospitals for prehospital management. Non-IV benzodiazepine (rectal diazepam and intramuscular midazolam) was not widely available in prehospital services (75.8% and 51.5%). Intramuscular midazolam was underutilised (60.0% in district and 65.9% in tertiary hospitals). IV sodium valproate and levetiracetam were only available in 66.7% and 53.3% of the district hospitals, respectively. Electroencephalogram (EEG) services were available in only 26.7% of the district hospitals. Non-pharmacological therapies such as ketogenic diet, electroconvulsive therapy, and therapeutic hypothermia were not available in most district and tertiary hospitals for refractory and super-refractory SE. We identified several gaps in the current practice of SE management, including limited availability and underutilization of non-IV midazolam in prehospital services, underutilization of non-IV midazolam and other second-line ASMs, and lack of EEG monitoring in district hospitals and limited treatment options for refractory and super-refractory SE in tertiary hospitals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although victims have the right to limited participation in trials and to seek reparations after sentencing, the legal structure of the International Criminal Court (ICC) prioritizes retributive justice over restorative justice and punishment over reparations. Thus, currently, although the perpetrators can be tried through the ICC, it is still difficult to obtain reasonable compensation for the damages suffered by the victims. On the one hand, the ICC's reparation system may be restricted by the identity of the victim, ICC internal factors, and so on. The current structure of the ICC compensation system allows for hierarchical relationships between victims, while at the same time, there is tension between individual and collective types of compensation. These factors have led to a disconnect and gap between the protection of rights at the theoretical level and actual reparation. This dichotomy between the theoretical protection of the rights of victims and the real protection of victims in practice exists in the ICC. Victims are isolated from the field of vision due to potential repercussions. The idealistic illusion of justice is completed when the ICC stands on the stage and accepts the audience's praise. However, for compensation in criminal courts, people are paying increasing attention to the legal process and content. In practice, the proportion of victims of international crimes is not low, and in some cases, victims are widespread. It can be seen that criminal compensation for victims is an issue that spans a vast range of people and regions. Nonetheless, there are still research gaps regarding reparation and other ideas of justice according to the ICC, how the ICC provides multifaceted safeguards for victims, and the limitations and influence of the mechanism of the ICC on the compensation of victims. Considering the above problems, this paper aims to analyze the International Criminal Court indemnity cases. This paper wishes to analyze reparations and other ideas of justice under the ICC, examining the approach of the ICC toward compensation for victims, where the ICC is heading regarding reparations for victims, how the reparations system works, and the advantages and disadvantages of the reparations system, as well as what are the potential problems of ICC related to reparations. What guarantees do the ICC's mechanisms provide for victims to be able to receive reparations? How does the structure of the ICC reparations system conflict with victims' reparations in practical terms? What are the potential obstacles and gaps between criminal trial reparations and victims? The first chapter wants to analyze the early Nuremberg tribunal, Tokyo tribunal, ICTY, and the ICTR by analyzing whether international criminal justice under these military tribunals was restorative justice or reparation justice and interspersed with analyses of reparation to victims under these tribunals. Then, it analyses it further about justice and reparation of the ICC, and it talks about the compensation for the victim and how the idea of compensation under the ICC has evolved. Using these arguments to analyze reparation and other different ideas of justice under the paly of ICC. The second chapter of the article analyzes the "participatate in trial for compensation", "The limits of participating in trial", "Safety protection for victims" to demonstrate the current protection and progress of the ICC system on the issue of victims' compensation, this is because victims' participation in the trial will bring a lot of help to the issue of compensation. The article analyses the significance and shortcomings of participation in a trial for compensation, which is necessary and meaningful to the issue of compensation because "participation in trial" and compensation are related and complementary to each other, as participation of the victims will bring a lot of help to the issue of compensation. The article analyses the section "Protection of the financial situation of victims: A possible alternative methods of reparation" because, to some extent, it can be seen as an alternative method of ICC compensation. The third chapter of the article hopes that by analyzing "Little compensation", "The silence court put on victims' rights of compensation", "The ICC's model of judicial administration remains optional" to argue and analyze how the structure of the ICC reparations system conflict with victim reparations in practical terms. Because the silence the court put on victims' rights of compensation and the ICC's model of judicial administration remains optional, both directly impact the issue of compensation. Chapter IV mainly aims to analyze some of the potential negative impacts of the ICC on victim reparations, specifically "The victim's social death", "Restrictions on "expression" between the victim and the court", "Does the ICC hope to improve its attitude to victims?" to specifically analyze and argue these aspects of its potential negative impact on victim reparations. On this basis, this paper analyzes the gap between criminal trial reparations and victims to identify what negatives exist between the two. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the nanohardness and Young's modulus of randomly oriented CdSiP2 (CSP) and ZnGeP2 (ZGP) single crystals, grown via the horizontal Bridgman method. CSP and ZGP are the only two pnictide chalcopyrites widely used as nonlinear optical crystals in the mid-IR part of the spectrum. Nanoindentation is employed in the continuous stiffness mode (45 Hz, 2 nm) using a Berkovich tip. Nanohardness values of 9.9 ± 0.2 GPa (Knoop hardness of 905 kg/mm2) for CSP and 11.5 ± 0.1 GPa (993 kg/mm2) for ZGP are derived. For Young's modulus, we obtain 136 ± 2 GPa (CSP) and 150 ± 2 GPa (ZGP). The trend of increasing hardness with bandgap and melting point of the isostructural CSP and ZGP, as deduced from previous measurements, is not confirmed. The results for ZGP are compared to 2GaP, its binary isoelectronic analog, and the values obtained, 11.0 ± 0.3 GPa for the nanohardness and 154 ± 2 GPa for Young's modulus, indicate good matching within the accuracy limits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Although auditory temporal processing plays an important role in speech comprehension, it cannot bemeasured by pure tone audiometry. Auditory temporal resolution is often assessed by behavioral gaps-in-noise test. To evaluate whether auditory temporal resolution could be objectively assessed, wemeasured the auditory steady state response (ASSR) elicited by silent gaps embedded within broadband noises at 80 Hz. Methods: We prepared six sound types as test stimuli. One was a continuous broadband noise without a silent interval as a control stimulus and the others were broadband noises with 80Hz silent intervals of 0.4, 0.8, 1.6, 3.1, and 6.3 ms. Results: Significant ASSRs were recorded only when the gap length was longer than the behavioral thresholds and the ASSR amplitude increased as the gap length increased. Conclusion: Eighty Hertz gap-evoked ASSR appears to reflect the neural activity related to the auditory gap processing and may be used as an objective measure of auditory temporal resolution in humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]