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Objective To establish the Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) for standard operation procedure of Shanghai Pheretima. Methods According to the comprehensive technical requirements of GAP standardized production of Chinese herbal medicine, the key technologies of standardized cultivation and processing were studied in Sangxin Town, Chongming District, Shanghai. Results The production area environment, variety characteristics, breeding technology, pest control, harvesting and processing, packaging, storage and transportation, quality monitoring and other technical links of Shanghai Pheretima were clearly defined and standardized. Conclusion This study provides practical basis for the standardization and modernization quality management of Shanghai Pheretima. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a critical need to bridge the gap between research and its practical implications, particularly in the sphere of aging and quality of life improvement for older adults. This article delves into how purposeful research can cater to a diverse range of stakeholders – including older adults, caregivers, activity professionals, city councils, community developers, healthcare providers, policymakers, researchers, local communities, and societies at large. Noteworthily, the article furnishes guidelines that encompass a typology aimed at equipping researchers with the tools necessary for pinpointing practice gaps effectively. The article also outlines the ways for crafting meaningful, practical recommendations contingent on the intended beneficiaries and the types of research. The article concludes with a spotlight of the latest studies published in the newest issue of Activities, Adaptation & Aging: Dignified and Purposeful Living for Older Adults. The authors hope that this article will contribute to fostering research that meaningfully translates into actions, improving the quality of life and enabling a dignified and purposeful living for older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a research that focuses on the use of empowerment and participation technologies (TEP) as a pedagogical measurement tool. The acronym TEP refers to a transformation of technological tools with the integration of new physical configurations in the technological network, and is the evolution of information and communication technologies (ICT). They are having greater prominence in many aspects of the daily coexistence of society, in order to improve the quality of life and apply digital tools in the educational field. In this way, we are becoming part of a technological culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: The discovery of graphene gave way to the search for new two-dimensional structures. In this regard, octa-graphene is a carbon allotrope consisting of 4- and 8-membered rings in a single planar sheet, drawing the research community's attention to study their inorganic analogs. Considering the promising properties of octa-graphene-like structures and the role of GaAs and GaP in semiconductor physics, this study aims to propose, for the first time, two novel inorganics buckled nanosheets based on the octa-graphene structure, the octa-GaAs and octa-GaP. This work investigated the structural, electronic, and vibrational properties of these novel octa-graphene-based materials. The octa-GaP and octa-GaAs have an indirect band gap transition with a valence band maximum between M and Г points and a conduction band minimum at Г point with energy of 3.05 eV and 2.56 eV, respectively. The QTAIMC analysis indicates that both structures have incipient covalent in their bonds. The vibrational analysis demonstrates the occurrence of ΓRaman = 6Ag + 6Bg and ΓRaman = 12A′ + 12B″ for octa-GaP and octa-GaAs, respectively. The symmetry reduction of octa-GaAs leads to activating inactive modes observed in the octa-GaP structure. The frontier crystalline orbitals are composed by Ga(px) and P(py and pz) orbitals for octa-GaP and Ga(px and py) and As(s, py, and pz) for octa-GaAs in the valence bands while in the conduction bands by Ga(py, pz, and s) for both compounds and P(px and pz) and As(py). The phonon bands demonstrate the absence of the negative frequency modes and the structural stability of these new nanosheets. This report aims to reveal the fundamental properties of both newfound materials for stimulating experimental research groups in the search for synthesis routes to obtain this structure. Methods: This work used the DFT/B3LYP approach implemented in the CRYSTAL17 computational package. Ga, As, and P atomic centers were described by triple-zeta valence with polarization (TZVP) basis set. The vibrational analysis was carried out via coupled-perturbed Hartree–Fock/Kohn Sham (CPHF/KS) method, and the chemical bonds were evaluated via the quantum theory of atoms in molecules and crystals (QTAIMC). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Perspectiva Empresarial is the property of Fundacion Universitaria Ceipa 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.)

In metal processing, bending forming is widely applied in various fields. To prevent excessive surface scratching and heavy indentation on the profiles, which can negatively affect the surface quality, it is often necessary to determine the clearances between the rollers and the upper and lower surfaces of the profiles using experimental methods. However, this experimental approach not only results in material waste but also fails to determine the optimal clearance value. Therefore, orthogonal experiments were conducted to design different clearances between the rollers and the upper and lower surfaces of the profiles to mitigate the issues of excessive surface scratching and poor surface quality during the bending forming process of large-section Z-profiles. Finite element simulation was employed to simulate the different experiments, and a range analysis was performed on the experimental results to obtain the optimal clearance value. The obtained results fall within the range of results obtained from traditional experimental methods, indicating its consistency with actual practice, higher accuracy, and scientific rigor compared with experimental methods. Furthermore, the roller tooling design was revised based on the optimal clearance value for the profile processing. The experimental results demonstrate that the surface quality of the profiles processed with optimal clearance is superior to those processed without it. Additionally, this study presents a comprehensive methodology for roller tooling design and investigates the influence of different loading modes on the local wrinkling deformation of the profiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Forces applied to the repaired flexor tendon should not exceed its yield force during early postoperative rehabilitation to prevent gapping and rupture. We aimed to biomechanically compare the tensile strengths and the 2-mm gapping of 4 different 4-strand core suturing techniques for flexor tendon repair. Methods: Fifty-six goat deep digital flexor tendons were repaired with the 4-strand double-modified Kessler, the 4-strand augmented Becker, the 4-strand Savage, and the 4-strand modified Tang techniques. All tendons were repaired with 4-0 polyester for core suture and 5-0 polyester for continuous epitendinous running suture. The specimens were subjected to static linear tensile testing by applying a single linear load-to-failure pull. After the linear load testing, the yield load, the ultimate strength of the repaired tendons, and the force exerted to yield a 2-mm gap were measured. Results: All peripheral sutures ruptured near the yield point. All core suture techniques were similar regarding the yield force. The augmented Becker 4-strand technique had the greatest ultimate strength (98.7 [82-125.3] N). The modified double Kessler technique was the weakest in resisting a 2-mm gap formation. The 4-strand modified Tang repair had the shortest (11.3 [7-15] minutes), while the 4-strand augmented Becker had the longest operative time (29 [23-33] minutes). Conclusions: All 4 techniques demonstrated similar yield force, with differences in operative time, ultimate strength, and resistance to gapping. Future clinical studies can further elucidate their appropriateness for early active motion protocols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of China Forestry Economy is the property of China Forestry Economy Magazine Agency 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.)

We introduce a unique soft lithographic operation that exploits stamp roof collapse-induced gaps to selectively remove an alkanethiol self-assembled monolayer (SAM) on Au to generate surface patterns that are orders of magnitude smaller than structures on the original elastomer stamp. The smallest achieved feature dimension is 5 nm using a micrometer-scale structured stamp in a chemical lift-off lithography (CLL) process. Molecular patterns retained in the gaps between stamp features and their circumscribed or inscribed circles follow mathematical predictions, and their sizes can be tuned by altering the stamp structure dimensions, including height, pitch, and shape. These generated surface molecular patterns can function as biorecognition arrays or be transferred to the underneath Au layer for metallic structure creation. By combining CLL process with this gap phenomenon, soft material properties that are previously thought as demerits can be used to achieve sub-10 nm features in a straightforward sketch.

Hydraulic control is a popular method for control contaminant transport through groundwater. Also, sheet piles are perfectly used for control and delaying seepage and contaminant transport through soil. Due to imperfections of sealing, corrosion, or due to accidental damage, a long horizontal slot is present in the sheet pile at depth below the ground, which allows enough water and contaminant to pass through it. The present paper investigates the effect of defects in steel sheet pile on seepage and contaminant transport whenever the slots at various distances from the ground happened. To solve the seepage and contaminant transport through groundwater, a numerical model (Geo-Studio) based on the Finite Element Method was utilized. The current study is two-dimensional flow for the effect of slot place and sheet pile depths and other values, soil hydraulic conductivity, head difference between upstream and downstream pile, breadth of the gap, and distance between the contamination source and the sheet pile. The flux is increased in case of the sheet pile with slot than the sheet pile without slot because the velocities magnitudes have increased and flow go through the slot. It was recommended equations for calculating total seepage discharge and seepage under sheet pile with slot for known depth of slot with maximum error 5.78 % and 1.922 % respectively. Also decreases the depth of the slot from ground accelerate the contaminant transport to arrive the downstream ground through the slot. An equation for calculating the traveling time of contaminant through the slot was recommended.

Background. The present study assessed the quality of images and the presence of marginal gaps on cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images of teeth restored with all-ceramic and metal-ceramic crowns and compared the gap sizes observed on CBCT images with those obtained on micro-CT images. Methods. Thirty teeth restored with metal-ceramic and all-ceramic crowns, properly adapted and with gaps of 0.30 and 0.50 mm, were submitted to micro-CT and CBCT scans. Linear measurements corresponding to the marginal gap (MG) and the absolute marginal discrepancy (AMD) were obtained. The objective assessment of the quality of CBCT images was performed using the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), and the subjective assessment was defined by the diagnoses made by five examiners regarding the presence or absence of gaps. Results. The measurements were always higher for CBCT, with a significant difference regarding AMD. No significant difference in image quality was observed using CNR between the crowns tested. Low accuracy and sensitivity values could be observed for both crowns. Conclusion. Marginal mismatch measures were overestimated in CBCT images. No difference in image quality was observed between the crowns. The correct diagnosis of gaps was considered low, irrespective of crown type and gap size.

Abstract Introduction Previous articles reported on the tip–apex distance, lag screw placement, fracture pattern, reduction quality, osteoporosis and other factors associated with second surgery. The current study focused on investigating the association of the matching degree between proximal femoral intramedullary nail and femoral medullary cavity on reoperation rate. Patients and methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted. It included patients with intertrochanteric fracture who were treated with proximal femoral anti-rotatory intramedullary nail (PFNA) between January 2016 and April 2021. The gap between the intramedullary nail and the femoral medullary cavity was equal to the difference in diameter between the two. According to the gap size, all patients were divided into three groups, as follows: high-matching group: gap ≤ 2 mm; middle-matching group: 2

Introduction. One of basic technological operations in construction technology is a process of classification of fine grained mineral materials, for example, natural sand. The related actual problem is connected with increasing performance and effectiveness of screening of sand medium, in particular reducing the contamination of screening surface of vibrating screens from seal particles and sticking in sieve holes wedge-shaped grains. The solution of this problem concludes in performing by the use of vibroimpact screens of various operating principle. One of innovative vibroimpact screen constructions is a screen with vibroimpact lattice, mounted under sieve with a gap on spring elements, which provides an impulse impact on all sieve surface area. Such construction provides increasing the effectiveness of sieve cleaning due to the transfer to sieve impact impulse in each screen oscillation period and reducing its excessive damage and abrasion by increasing the area of vibroimpact lattice and sieve interaction. The purpose of the work is to determinate functional relationships of dynamical interaction between elements of three-mass vibroimpact ‘screen body – vibroimpact lattice – sieve’ system for providing the necessary value of impact impulse transferred to sieve in relation to screen body oscillation frequency and amount of gap between lattice and sieve.Materials and methods. The research is based on a method of mathematical modelling. On the first stage the research is being conducted with using two-mass ‘screen body – vibroimpact lattice’ model without consideration the impact between lattice and sieve for determination the oscillation frequency range of in-phase oscillation regime and gap values providing an impact between lattice and sieve. For the calculation of displacement of screen elements and for research the relationships of its parameters in selected range the three-mass model of vibroimpact model of screen with one impact pair is used on a second stage of research.Results. As a result of calculation obtained the functional relationships of correlation of the gap between vibroimpact lattice and screen sieve and oscillation frequency on the impact impulse transferred to sieve and sieve double amplitude were obtained. The developed recommendations for practical using of obtained relationships for adjustment operating regimes of vibroimpact screen which allow to establish the screen operating oscillation frequency and value of gap between lattice and sieve for providing high effectiveness of sieve holes cleaning from contaminating particles.Discussion and Conclusions. Performed mathematical modelling allowed to obtain dependencies of influence of gap between sieve and vibroimpact lattice and screen elements oscillation frequency on impulse transferred on screen sieve and sieve double amplitude. Developed practical recommendations of obtained dependencies allow to perform an effective adjustment of vibroimpact screen operating regimes and reduce the labor intensity of works being performed during its starting-up and maintenance.

A study was conducted to determine the level of knowledge and factors influencing awareness of Good Agriculture Practices among mandarin growers in Jajarkot, Nepal. For data collection, 60 commercial mandarin producers were interviewed using pre-tested semi-structured questionnaires. Based on their knowledge of GAP, the farmers were divided into two groups: GAP aware and GAP unaware. The data were analyzed using statistical tools such as binary logistic regression, t-test, and chi-square test. The results revealed that less than half of the respondents were aware of the Mandarin GAP. GAP linked to waste management was embraced by the majority of respondents, whereas GAP related to documents and records was determined to be the least adopted of the 10 standards. The t-test result showed a significant difference in dependency ratio between GAP aware and GAP unaware respondents. Similarly, number of bearing trees was significantly different between GAP aware and GAP unaware respondents. The Chi-square test revealed that training had a significant relationship with GAP awareness. The binary logit model's result indicated that education level and experience in mandarin farming have a substantial impact on GAP awareness. Lack of plantation material, followed by illness and insects, a lack of knowledge of new production techniques, lower productivity, a lack of subsidies, and a lack of insurance were the main production issues. Hence, subsidies and crop insurance must be provided to the farmers and GAP awareness programs and training are required to boost mandarin output.

Abstract Introduction Many low-and middle-income countries (LMICs) have improved health indicators in the past decades, however, there is a differential in outcomes between socioeconomic groups. Systematic analysis of drivers of child nutrition gap between non-poor and poor groups has a policy relevance in Nepal and other countries to make progress towards universal health coverage (UHC). The objective of this paper was to estimate the mean height-for-age z scores (HAZ) gap between under-five children belonging to non-poor and poor groups, divide the gap into components (endowments, coefficients and interaction), and identify the factors that contributed most to each of the component. Methods Information about 6277 under-five children was extracted from the most recent nationally representative Nepal Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) 2019. HAZ was used to assess nutritional status of children. Wealth index was used to categorize children into non-poor and poor. Mean HAZ gap between groups was decomposed using Blinder-Oaxaca technique into components: endowments (group difference in levels of predictors), coefficients (group difference in effects of predictors), and interaction (group difference due to interaction between levels and effects of predictors). Detailed decomposition was carried out to identify the factors that contributed most to each component. Results There was a significant non-poor and poor gap in nutrition outcome measured in HAZ (0.447; p

In this article, we report on an optical real-time autocorrelator readout with a 5 Hz refresh rate, equipped with a transimpedance amplified photodetector based on the two-photon absorption (TPA) of semiconductor photodiodes (PDs) for ultrashort (1 < ps) pulse measurement. By replacing the GaP PD of a commercial TPA detector with GaAsP and Si PD elements, we demonstrated that the spectral response based on the TPA of each photodetector followed the linear response of the corresponding semiconductor PD within accessible wavelength regions. The TPA spectral response of the GaAsP detector exhibited a peak at 1200 nm and a long wavelength limit near 1300 nm. The TPA spectral response of the Si detector exhibited a short wavelength limit near 1170 nm and a linear response up to 1300 nm. The two types of PD were compared with the characteristics of the GaP photodiode. These photoconductive detectors are efficient, compact, and robust sensors and can be used to diagnose the pulse characteristics of ultrafast fiber lasers and light sources near IR wavelengths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mechanical circulatory support using ventricular assist devices is a common technique for treating patients suffering from advanced heart failure. The latest generation of devices is characterized by centrifugal turbopumps which employ magnetic levitation bearings to ensure a gap clearance between moving and static parts. Despite the increasing use of these devices as a destination therapy, several long-term complications still exist regarding their hemocompatibility. The blood damage associated with different pump designs has been investigated profoundly in the literature, while the hemodynamic performance has been hardly considered. This work presents a novel comparison between the two main devices of the latest generation–HVAD and HM3–from both perspectives, hemodynamic performance and blood damage. Computational fluid dynamics simulations are performed to model the considered LVADs, and computational results are compared to experimental measurements of pressure head to validate the model. Enhanced performance and hemocompatibility are detected for HM3 owing to its design incorporating more conventional blades and larger gap clearances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The illiquidity status of financial institutions widens up the financial stability gap, hence affecting other economic agents that depend on the financial sector. The objective of the study is to determine how the financial stability gap affects private investment in sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA). Annual time series secondary data from 33 SSA countries for the period 2007–2018 was used. Using the general methods of moments (GMM) estimation technique, we found that the financial stability gap beyond 109.9% becomes detrimental to private sector investment while government effectiveness and investment by the government improve private investment. The study recommends that financial institutions undertake liquidity protection measures as a means of protecting the stability status, while SSA governments invest in the economy and provide the needed business environment for private sector investment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the suitability of water quality parameters in intensive white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) cultivation activities based on Good Aquaculture Practice (GAP) quality standards implication practice. This research was carried out with the ex-pose facto causal design concept during one cycle of shrimp cultivation, with the indicator being studied is the condition of the water quality parameters which were then corrected with the GAP standard according to the Minister of Agriculture Regulation No. 75 of 2016. The results showed that the condition of the water quality parameters during the cultivation period was still following the GAP quality standards, except for the alkalinity parameter which had a value of 157 mg/L and organic matter 104.43 mg/L, both values were above the GAP quality standard threshold. The abnormal condition of the two parameters was caused by unpredictable natural and seasonal factors. This can be seen from the trend of the temperature and salinity parameter graphs that fluctuate unstable. Furthermore, for technical parameters, the cultivation system at the research site was still following the cultivation quality standards listed in the GAP. Based on the discussions, it can be concluded that the water quality parameters at the research pond location as a whole were still following the GAP quality standard which refers to the Minister of Fisheries Regulation No. 75 of 2016, except for the alkalinity and organic matter parameters which had a slightly worse concentration than the GAP quality standard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To study the notion of gap between two operator matrices on non-Archimedean Banach spaces, it is natural to take stability of closedness for these matrices into account due to the definitions of K -diagonally dominant and off- K -diagonally dominant operator matrices. So, we shall study this problem in the present paper. Furthermore, under sufficient conditions, we give a counterpart of the generalized convergence for a operator matrix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper critically engages on the causes of battling to read and write eloquently in English First Additional Language by the University of Limpopo’s first entering education students. The paper is both conceptual and empirical in nature. This is the qualitative case study design. Interviewing technique and document analysis were used to collect data from the thirtysix research participants represented by twenty-seven students, nine from each department within the School of Education and nine lecturers, three from each department in the school. Altogether, data were solicited from thirty-six research participants. Research findings reveal that firstly, battling to read and write by first entering education students stems from the existing gap between the primary, secondary and the tertiary education sectors. Secondly, that the closure of teacher training colleges of education aggravated the reading and writing challenge by learners. Thirdly, the previous years’ ongoing curricular changes at the primary and the secondary schooling sectors, consolidated the reading and writing predicament especially for the EFAL. Fourthly, insufficient culture of reading and writing by parents at the primary and secondary schooling sector, spilled over to the first entering students. Lastly, the generation of teachers at the primary and the secondary school level, who themselves pull hard to read and write eloquently, reinforce the said reading and writing problem. As part of the conclusion, the researchers recommend that the University’s School of Education needs to quickly adopt schools within the vicinity of the university to partner with them to alleviate this sorry state. In addition, there is an urgent need for the University’s School of Education to work in partnership with the primary and the secondary education institutions to lead the readingfor-joy campaign. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A finite group G is said to be a Bn-group if for any n-element subset A = { a 1 , a 2 , ... , a n } of G satisfies that | A 2 | = | { a i a j | 1 ≤ i , j ≤ n } | ≤ n (n + 1) 2 . Bn-groups can be considered as a generalization of the commutativity of a group. In this paper, the characterizations of the B8- and B9-groups are given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Problem: As the discourse around employee engagement has continued to emerge as an interdisciplinary, intercultural, and interprofessional concept, the gap between research and practice of engagement still remains, making collaboration among HRD scholars and practitioners in developing an engaged workforce a huge challenge. The Solution: To fill the gap between research and practice on engagement, ontological, epistemological, and focal views of various perspectives on engagement are reviewed. Conceptual commonalities and differences in the multiple definitions, theories, and frameworks of employee engagement are also discussed. By exploring the divergence and convergence in the engagement discourse, a common ground for collaborative HRD in developing an engaged workforce is identified. Finally, implications for HRD research and practice are provided. The Stakeholders: The intended audience for this article is HRD scholars, practitioners, and employers interested in developing an engaged workforce and workplace. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Lubrication Engineering (0254-0150) is the property of Editorial Office of LUBRICATION ENGINEERING 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.)

Employers and the industry as a whole are extremely concerned about the employability of engineering graduates. Because of this, the quality of the product that comes from engineering colleges is important, and it must be the kind of product that possesses particular qualities and qualities that can be relied upon. The technical education system requires a complete overhaul in addition to modifications that must be implemented in the individual parts of the system. The purpose of this article is to investigate the skill gaps that exist between the non-teaching staff of academic programmes offered by universities and the industrial applications of information technology (curriculum). It investigates some of the factors that contributed to the gap, as well as some of the potential ways in which it could be closed. Skill gap analysis provides insights into your entire workforce, it helps with strategic workforce planning, it improves recruitment efforts, it generates a competitive edge, and it helps individuals learn and develop more effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intelligent polymers have become the focus of attention worldwide. Intelligent polymer materials through organic synthesis methods are used to make inanimate organic materials become "feeling" and "sentient". Intelligent polymer materials have been applied in actual engineering production, and they are becoming a new research topic for scientists in various fields and countries, especially in the areas of drilling and plugging. The development of intelligent polymer materials can provide new solutions and technical means for drilling and plugging. Unlike traditional plugging materials, intelligent polymer plugging materials can cope with environmental changes. They have the characteristics of a strong target, good plugging effect, and no damage to the reservoir. However, there are currently no reviews on intelligent polymer plugging materials in the drilling field, so this paper fills that gap by reviewing the research progress of intelligent polymer plugging materials. In addition, this paper describes the mechanism and application status of intelligent polymer shape-memory polymers, intelligent polymer gels, intelligent polymer membranes, and intelligent polymer bionic materials in drilling and plugging. It is also pointed out that some intelligent polymer plugging materials still have problems, such as insufficient toughness and a poor resistance to salt and high temperature. At the same time, some suggestions for future research directions are also presented for reference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose To clarify the cognitive gaps between the expectations and real-life experiences of foreign women from Asian countries who gave birth in Japan. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted between March 20 and July 22, 2018, with foreign women of Asian origin who have given birth in Japan in the past five years. Six interviews about their experiences before and after childbirth were analyzed qualitatively. Results The childbirth experiences of foreign women from Asian countries in Japan resulted in three cognitive gaps. These women experienced before giving birth "loneliness of giving birth in a cross-cultural environment." However, as pregnancy proceeds, these changed to experiencing "alleviated anxiety through gathering information," "confidence to mutual understanding with medical staff." After childbirth, this further changed to "satisfaction with the perinatal service in comparison with their home country," resulted in (the positive gap due to unclear expectations for the medical environment in Japan.) "Concern about medical staff attitudes towards foreigners," altered to "trust built with the medical staff," and caused (the positive gap due to low expectations for medical professionals.) "Confusion over the cultural differences between their home country and Japan" arose after childbirth from "a belief that their own culture (postpartum/childcare customs) is obvious," led to (the negative gap due to implicit expectations for their own culture (postpartum/childcare customs).) Conclusion The expectations and later experienced realities of childbearing among foreign women from Asian countries in Japan were compared. The analysis revealed a positive gap regarding the Japanese medical environment and medical personnel and a negative gap regarding childbirth culture. There are negative and tacit expectations when foreign women give birth in Japan, and care should be based on the assumption that a discrepancy may arise between their expectations and reality. Health professionals should actively intervene from the initial stages of pregnancy to bridge the gap, for example, by providing information about Japanese medical care, encouraging foreign women to rethink the image they have of medical personnel, and explaining the local culture of childbirth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the article is to examine the relationship between the literary layer and the documentary paratext in Hélène Gaudy's novel Un monde sans rivage (2019), which describes the catastrophic expedition to the North Pole of three Swedish travelers in 1897. Authentic documents present the flow of events, the growing struggle between the waning power of travelers and nature, the entropy of resilience and motivation, which is visible in the laconic and incompleteness of the quoted materials (interrupted or illegible sentences), destroyed in the middle of the photo. The manner of presenting these documents reveals the writer's method of work, which does not hide their progressive degradation, but on the contrary, treats them as a trigger for the imagination, because her story seems to draw narrative momentum and strength from this lack and incompleteness. Gaudy's way of working with a documentary allows us to understand why the author needs this formal heterogeneity, why she has not decided on a documentary account or fictional novel. The skillful intertwining of these two formats generates a synergistic dynamic of forces that makes literature better embody life, and the documentary comes to life in contact with the literary imaginary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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<0.05). RTS and EMTRAS were detected as short- and long-term independent variables for mortality (p<0.05). After Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis, the areas under the curve (AUC) of GCS, GAP, RTS and EMTRAS for short-term mortality were 0.861cm², 0.876 cm², 0.901cm² and 0,917cm², respectively; the AUC of such parameters for long-term mortality was detected 0.896cm², 0.904 cm², 0.914cm² and 0.899cm², respectively. Conclusion: EMTRAS values were detected more significant parameters for short-term mortality whereas RTS was more significant for long-term mortality in multiple trauma patients. Such two scores may be useful to predict the patient prognosis along with GCS or solely. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Challenges in the measurement of racial disparities in school discipline are a significant barrier to identifying policy and programmatic reforms that are effective at closing gaps. This article reviews key measurement issues and presents a set of empirical analyses as an illustrative case study. Specifically, we reframe the interpretation of discipline data in light of initiatives designed to reduce racial discipline disparities. We also characterize common metrics and recognize several additional ones for use in discipline disproportionality outcome evaluations. Leveraging a statewide policy reform as an example, we report findings from a quasi-experimental evaluation, which demonstrated that the various metrics can point to differing conclusions. We conclude with proposed guiding principles for the selection and use of discipline disproportionality metrics in evaluations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Model studies were carried out using the COMSOL Multiphysics package, aimed at ensuring the forming of a permanent magnet magnetic field at a considerable distance to a ferromagnetic product from its pole, which is necessary to create efficient portable ultrasonic electromagnetic-acoustic transducers of thickness gauges and testing and diagnostic devices. It is theoretically shown and experimentally confirmed that for portable measuring ultrasonic devices it is expedient to set the height of the permanent magnet at about 60 mm and the cross section of the magnet pole 50x50 mm². At the same time, with a gap between the magnet pole and the product of about 30 mm, the value of the normal component of the magnetic field induction near the surface of the object is about 0.3...0.4 T, which is sufficient for thickness gauging or diagnostics of ferromagnetic products using the ultrasonic pitch-and-catch method. References 19, figures 8. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land is a vital resource for agricultural productivity and economic growth. Inequalities in access and rights to land by male and female farmers could hamper agricultural productivity. The study assessed the gender gap in land rights and access to agricultural production in Okigwe Agricultural Zone of Imo state, Nigeria. The study identified the socio-economic characteristics of the farmers in the study area; determined the farmer's access to land; ascertained the land rights of the farmers; determined the socio-economic factors influencing access to land in the study area. It was hypothesized that there were no significant differences in the access to land by male and female farmers. Ninety-six (96) male and female farmers were sampled, and data were collected using a structured questionnaire. Data collected were analyzed using frequency, percentages, Ordinary Least Square Regression and t-test. Results showed that the mean farm size of male and female farmers was 0.2842 hectares and 0.1842 hectares. All male farmers had the right to land, while a few female farmers had the right to land. The result showed that age, income and education significantly affect male and female to land and that there were significant gender gaps in access to land. The study recommended the provision of agricultural credits to enable farmers to acquire land for agricultural production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IntroductionAlthough auditory temporal processing plays an important role in speech comprehension, it cannot be measured 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, we measured the auditory steady state response (ASSR) elicited by silent gaps embedded within broadband noises at 80 Hz.MethodsWe 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 80 Hz silent intervals of 0.4, 0.8, 1.6, 3.1, and 6.3 ms.ResultsSignificant ASSRs were recorded only when the gap length was longer than the behavioral thresholds and the ASSR amplitude increased as the gap length increased.ConclusionEighty 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.

The study was carried out to determine the factors affecting the adoption of good agriculture practices (GAP) for apple production in the Prime-Minister Agriculture Modernization Project's (PMAMP) apple zone of Mustang district. Altogether, 100 households from Thasang and Gharapjhong rural Municipalities were chosen for the study by a stratified random sampling technique. Descriptive statistical tools, logistic regression and t-test were used to analyze the data which were collected from the semi-structured interview schedule. Out of the ten selected good agriculture practices standards, intercropping practices were adopted by the majority of respondents (83%) while the ring method of irrigation (19%) was found to be the least adopted. The magnitude of logistic regression coefficients of good agriculture practices revealed that occupation was a highly significant (p

Material sputtering and erosion are key issue in fusion science. In the steady state, tungsten sputtering can be maintained at a low level. However, tungsten is seriously sputtered by the hot plasma from edge localized mode (ELM) bursts. The time evolution and spatial distribution of sputtering on the divertor gap are still not clear. This unclearness influences the understanding of ELM-induced sputtering and the explanation of experimental phenomenon. In this study, the evolution of tungsten flux generated by ELM burst is obtained via hybrid multiscale simulation and a double-peak of tungsten flux is found. The first peak is produced by the ELM electrons, which provides great sheath potential, and the second peak is generated by the energetic ions from ELM. The castellated divertor gap (CDG) can influence the tungsten sputtering distribution due to the change of the impacting angle. The sputtering and erosion on CDG are more serious than that on the mono-block top, but the tungsten source from the gap is very insignificant because the gap size is small. The simulation results are compared with EAST experiments and a qualitative consistency is obtained.

Peru has experienced significant growth but faces challenges with its infrastructure. Despite economic and population growth, competitiveness has not risen at the same pace. The importance of proper roads for economic development and the lack of planning have led the country to confront an infrastructure deficit. This deficit affects connectivity and the quality of the road networks, thereby influencing competitiveness. To bridge this gap, the PPP modality had been used, but challenges were encountered, ranging from the execution of works to maintenance issues. This research study pursues three main objectives: to describe the current landscape of road infrastructure in Peru; to present the Peruvian PPP system and the experience gained through implemented concession contracts; and to identify the critical success factors of Peruvian concessions and propose an evaluation methodology for future contracts. To achieve this, an empirical study of 16 operational road PPPs and a literature review of the most relevant international experiences on success variables for such contracts were conducted. The primary contribution of this study lies in presenting the Peruvian experience and identifying key success factors for this type of contracts in Peru.

Purpose: Blood-derived biomarkers have been extensively considered as possible prognostic indicators in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) recently. In order to assess the value of circulating biomarkers in common IPF clinical practice, the study intends to draw conclusions regarding the link between disease severity, prognostic indicators, and serum matrix metalloproteinase in patients with stable idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Materials and Methods: The study comprised 22 people with an IPF diagnosis that had been verified by a multidisciplinary approach. The sociodemographic details, clinical and radiologic symptoms, pulmonary function tests and the Gender-Age-Physiology (GAP) score were noted. ELISA has been used to research serum MMP concentrations. Results: There is no statistically significant correlation between the Matrix Metalloproteinase (MMP) 2, MMP 7, MMP 9, and MMP13 and the GAP index and, pulmonary function tests, or disease severity. GAP score was found to be higher in stage 3 in patients with severe disease, in stage 2 in patients with moderate disease, and in stage 1 in patients with mild disease. Conclusion: There are consistent findings in the literature, despite the fact that the association between MMP and IPF prognostic markers, pulmonary function tests, and disease severity could not be seen in this investigation. However, because they could open the door to a cutting-edge treatment strategy, these indicators should be investigated prospectively in larger series.

Electrospinning, a standard technique for producing nonwoven fabrics, is widely used in the biomedical field. Due to local electric fields, fiber deposition is influenced by 3D surface structure of metallic collectors. For complex shaped structures, predicting the deposition and orientation of the fibers remains challenging. Investigations on well-defined structures permit a more detailed insight. In this study, metal blocks with round, slit and square holes of various sizes and depths were fabricated and covered with a thin layer of polymer fibers. The fiber arrangement of the layer was investigated by different microscopic methods. Analysis of the results showed less deposition on round holes and well-bridged aligned fibers on gaps which were less than four times wide as deep. Experimental results confirmed the theoretical predictions. Considering these findings, further work can be addressed to specific collector design to attain targeted fiber deposition.

When the tail of an undersea vehicle passes through the seal ring, complex characteristics—such as high speed and separation flow—arise during the connection process of the bottom of the launch tube and the seal cavity. Considering these characteristics and using the dynamic boundary unsteady value simulation, the flow field evolution and pressure fluctuation characteristics in the vehicle-tube gap were studied under different initial pressure ratios and vehicle speeds. The results show that the instantaneous speed of the high-temperature and high-pressure gas at the bottom of the tube can exceed the speed of sound when entering the gap cavity in the initial stage of the tail connection. The airflow is reflected after hitting the seal ring away from the bottom of the tube and produces violent flow oscillations and pressure fluctuations. Owing to the movement of the vehicle, the connection area increases and the impact peak amplitude gradually decreases. The amplitude of pressure fluctuation increases linearly with the initial pressure ratio. When the initial pressure ratio is 3.0, the relative peak and valley values of the pressure fluctuation can reach 1.4 times and 0.5 times of the initial pressure, respectively. When the speed of the vehicle increases, the leakage rate and peak pressure increase and the time of occurrence is advanced; meanwhile, the pressure fluctuation period remains unchanged under the above parameters.

ObjectiveTo unmask the psychological gaps related to suicide ideation in the elderly based on Social Reference Theory， so as to put forward countermeasures for psychological crisis intervention and management.MethodsFrom 2018 to 2019， purposive sampling was adopted to select 19 elderly people with history of suicidal ideation and suicide attempt from 37 geriatric nursing institutions in Ji'nan， Shandong province. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the elderly， and the collected data were processed by Colaizzi seven-step analysis method.ResultsThe qualitative analysis showed that the elderly with suicidal ideation often experienced strong psychological gaps， including physical condition and function gap， family role gap， socially isolated and lonely gap， filial expectation gap and the gap between the real self and ideal self.ConclusionThe psychological gaps serve as the main psychological motivator for suicidal ideation in the elderly， therefore， reducing the psychological gaps can be a new approach for the suicide intervention among the elderly.

Background: The aim of this study was to compare three different pulp coverage materials with calcium silicate content considering microleakage in the cavity floor and evaluate the gaps with a stereomicroscope and scanning electron microscope SEM. Methods: A total of 40 human molar teeth were used in this study, and class V (4 mm mesio-distal × 3 mm gingivo-occlusal × 3 mm depth) cavities were prepared. The samples were divided into four groups (N = 10), including NeoPutty(Nusmile), Biodentin (Septodont), and TheraCal PT (Bisco). All groups were restored using Single Bond Universal adhesive and Filtek Z250 (3M ESPE). The 0.5% basic fuchsin dye leakage was examined at 40× magnification under a stereomicroscope. SEM analysis revealed that the magnification was fixed at 1.00 KX on all the images. The gaps between the pulp coverage material and the cavity floor dentin were measured from four different points. Results: The different microleakage scores were statistically significant (p < 0.05) when the pulp coverage materials were compared considering microleakage. Conclusions: Within the scope of this study, the biocompatible pulp coating materials NeoPutty and Biodentin showed the least microleakage at the cavity floor and the smallest gaps on the dentin material combined surfaces. By contrast, TheraCal showed increased microleakage and large gaps.