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BackgroundAlthough pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) gaps contribute to recurrence after atrial fibrillation (AF) catheter ablation, the mechanism is unclear. We used realistic computational human AF modeling to explore the AF wave-dynamic changes of PVI with gaps (PVI-gaps).MethodsWe included 40 patients (80% male, 61.0 ± 9.8 years old, 92.5% persistent AF) who underwent AF catheter ablation to develop our realistic computational AF model. We compared the effects of a complete PVI (CPVI) and PVI-gap (2-mm × 4) on the AF wave-dynamics by evaluating the dominant frequency (DF), spatial change of DF, maximal slope of the action potential duration restitution curve (Smax), and AF defragmentation rate (termination or change to atrial tachycardia), and tested the effects of additional virtual interventions and flecainide on ongoing AF with PVI-gaps.ResultsCompared with the baseline AF, CPVIs significantly reduced extra-PV DFs (p

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.

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.

The development of adaptive and intelligent clamping devices allows for the reduction of rejects and defects based on weld discontinuities in laser-beam welding. The utilization of fixture-integrated sensors and actuators is a new approach, realizing adaptive clamping devices that enable in-process data acquisition and a time-dependent adjustment of process conditions and workpiece position by means of a closed-loop control. The present work focused on sensor and actuator integration for an adaptive clamping device utilized for laser-beam welding in a butt-joint configuration, in which the position and acting forces of the sheets to be welded can be adjusted during the process (studied welding speeds: 1 m/min, 5 m/min). Therefore, a novel clamping system was designed allowing for the integration of inductive probes and force cells for obtaining time-dependent data of the joint gap and resulting forces during welding due to the displacement of the sheets. A novel automation engineering concept allowed the communication between different sensors, actuators and the laser-beam welding setup based on an EtherCAT bus. The subsequent development of a position control and a force control and their combination was operated with a real time PC as master in the bus system and proved the feasibility of the approach based on proportional controllers. Finally, the scalability regarding higher welding speeds was demonstrated.

The paper considers the quantization of gas volume transfers along a hypothetical pipe. The volume of gas is represented by two probability distributions in temporal and velocity form. The known model of optimal in the sense of filling information quantization is applied to quantization of material objects. There is a constant size gap between quanta. Technological aspects of formation of quanta are not considered. On the basis of the carried out minimum cost study the advantage of velocity quantization over time quantization for a number of selected quanta is determined. A normal probability distribution is taken as the initial distribution of the gas volume. The results of the article can be applied to any material and information processes. The main purpose in future research is recommended for any complex network processes, analysis and synthesis of their quality.

Orientation-patterned gallium phosphide (OP-GaP) has been grown heteroepitaxially on OP gallium arsenide (GaAs) templates using hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE). The effect of OP-GaAs template fabrication methods of epitaxial-inversion and wafer bonding on the heteroepitaxial OP-GaP growth has been investigated. OP-GaP layers with a growth rate of up to 35 µm/h and excellent domain fidelity were obtained. The growth rate and the domain fidelity have been revealed/studied by scanning electron microscope (SEM). In addition, we demonstrate that the crystalline quality of the individual domains, namely, the substrate-oriented domains (ODs) and the inverted domains (IDs), can be investigated by high-resolution x-ray diffraction reciprocal space mapping (HRXRDRSM), which can also indicate the domain fidelity. Attempts to increase the growth rate and improve the domain fidelity by increasing the III and V group precursors resulted in either an increase in the growth rate in the OP-GaP layers grown on epitaxial inversion OP-GaAs template at the expense of the domain crystalline quality and fidelity or an improvement in the crystalline quality of the domains at the expense of the growth rate in the OP-GaP layers grown on wafer-bonded OP-GaAs templates. In the case of OP-GaP grown on OP-GaAs templates prepared by epitaxial inversion, the crystalline quality of the ODs is better than that of the IDs, but it shows that the quality of the inverted layer in the template influences the quality and fidelity of the grown domains. To the authors’ knowledge, exploitation of HRXRDRSM studies on OP-GaP to establish the crystalline quality of its individual domains (ODs and IDs) is the first of its kind. OP-ZnSe grown on OP-GaAs templates has also been included in this study to further emphasize the potential of this method. We propose from this study that once the growth rate is optimized from SEM studies, HRXRDRSM analysis alone can be used to assess the structural quality and to infer the domain fidelity of the OP structures.

Purpose: To evaluate the agreement between 24-2 visual field (VF) test results obtained using the gaze analyzing perimeter (GAP; Findex) and the Humphrey field analyzer (HFA; Carl Zeiss Meditec)., Design: Cross-sectional study., Participants: Patients underwent HFA 24-2 for suspected or confirmed VF loss and were treated at the Kyoto University Hospital between December 2022 and July 2023., Methods: Patients underwent consecutive VF tests on the same eye using HFA and GAP 24-2 tests. Bland-Altman analysis was used to compare GAP and HFA results. Examination points where the sensitivity measured using GAP was ≥ 10 dB higher than that measured using HFA were re-evaluated by referring back to the original gaze data; 2 ophthalmologists assessed whether the gaze moved linearly toward the new test target., Main Outcome Measures: Mean deviation (MD) and elapsed time on an individual basis and sensitivity on an examination point basis., Results: Forty-seven eyes of 47 patients were analyzed. The correlation coefficient of the MD using HFA and GAP was 0.811 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.683-0.891). Bland-Altman analysis showed good agreement between HFA and GAP tests. The mean difference (95% limits of agreement) in MD between HFA and GAP results was -0.63 dB (-5.81 to 4.54 dB). Although no statistically significant differences were observed in the elapsed time (P = 0.99), measurements completed within 200 seconds were observed only in the GAP group (11 cases, 23.4%), who had significantly better HFA MD value than others (P = 0.001). On an examination point basis for sensitivity, the correlation coefficient between HFA and GAP was 0.691 (95% limits of agreement, 0.670-0.711). Original gaze data assessment revealed that the gaze moved linearly toward the new test target for 70.2% of the examination points with a sensitivity discrepancy., Conclusions: The results indicate that the GAP provides VF assessment outcomes comparable to those of the HFA. The GAP exhibited advantages in terms of testing time, particularly in patients with minimal VF impairment. Furthermore, the GAP records all eye movements, enabling the objective determination of VF abnormalities based on gaze patterns and facilitating easy posthoc verification., Financial Disclosure(s): Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found in the Footnotes and Disclosures at the end of this article., (Copyright © 2024 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Plasmodium sporozoites invade hepatocytes, transform into liver stages, and replicate into thousands of merozoites that infect erythrocytes and cause malaria. Proteins secreted from micronemes play an essential role in hepatocyte invasion, and unneeded micronemes are subsequently discarded for replication. The liver-stage parasites are potent immunogens that prevent malarial infection. Late liver stage-arresting genetically attenuated parasites (GAPs) exhibit greater protective efficacy than early GAP. However, the number of late liver-stage GAPs for generating GAPs with multiple gene deletions is limited. Here, we identified Scot1 (Sporozoite Conserved Orthologous Transcript 1), which was previously shown to be upregulated in sporozoites, and by endogenous tagging with mCherry, we demonstrated that it is expressed in the sporozoite and liver stages in micronemes. Using targeted gene deletion in Plasmodium berghei , we showed that Scot1 is essential for late liver-stage development. Scot1 KO sporozoites grew normally into liver stages but failed to initiate blood-stage infection in mice due to impaired apicoplast biogenesis and merozoite formation. Bioinformatic studies suggested that Scot1 is a metal-small-molecule carrier protein. Remarkably, supplementation with metals in the culture of infected Scot1 KO cells did not rescue their phenotype. Immunization with Scot1 KO sporozoites in C57BL/6 mice confers protection against malaria via infection. These proof-of-concept studies will enable the generation of P. falciparum Scot1 mutants that could be exploited to generate GAP malaria vaccines.

This study aimed to investigate the gap between adaptive functioning and cognitive functioning, especially verbal and nonverbal intelligence quotient (IQ) in Chinese children with ASD. We systematically explored cognitive functioning, ASD severity, early signs of developmental abnormalities, and socioeconomic factors as mediating factors of adaptive functioning. We enrolled 151 children (age: 2.5?6 years) with ASD and categorized them into one group with IQ ≥ 70 and another with IQ < 70. The two groups were calibrated for age, age at diagnosis, and IQ, and the relationship of adaptive skills with vocabulary acquisition index (VAI) and nonverbal index (NVI) were separately analyzed. Results show that the gap between IQ and adaptive functioning was significant in children with ASD having IQ ≥ 70, with both VAI and NVI showing statistically significant differences (all P < 0.001). VAI correlated positively with scores for overall adaptive skills and specific domains, whereas NVI had no significant correlations with adaptive skill scores. Age of first walking unaided had an independent positive correlation (all P < 0.05) with scores of adaptive skills and specific domains. IQ-adaptive functioning gap is significant in children with ASD having IQ ≥ 70, suggesting that defining "high-functioning autism" merely on the basis of IQ is not appropriate. Verbal IQ and early signs of motor development are specific and possible predictors of adaptive functioning in children with ASD, respectively., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Dyslipidaemia contributes significantly to globalcoronary artery disease (CAD) and cardiovascular disease. Effective use of statins precludes adequate knowledge of its benefits. This study aimed to determine the gaps in the management of dyslipidaemia among physicians in Nigeria., Methods: This was a web-based survey of physicians across Nigeria regarding the management knowledge and practice of dyslipidaemia. Analysis was done by SPSS 23.0. P<0.05 was taken as statistically significant., Results: Three hundred and thirteen physicians across Nigeria consisting of 65.4% males responded to the survey. The majority, 57.5% were 25-40 years. While most of the participants (98.3%) believe that elevated LDL-C is an important cause of CAD, there were concerns about statins use and associated increased risk of muscle disorder (63.2%), hepatic disease (37.4%), hemorrhagic stroke (27.2%), cognitive impairment (12.6%) and new-onset diabetes mellitus (19.2%). Similarly, 41.9% of participants have concerns about hemorrhagic stroke while 32.2% also expressed concerns about lowering LDL-C and ischaemic stroke. More than a third (38.2%) indicated that >20% of their patients cannot use statins continuously due to adverse effects such as muscle symptoms, etc. The results obtained when asked about the target of LDLC in patients with or without a history of CAD and diabetes mellitus were as varied as 3-200 mg/dl., Conclusion: This study highlights there exist significant gaps in knowledge and practice of the management of dyslipidaemia among experts in Nigeria. Concerted efforts by relevant authorities and societies may be needed to enhance the knowledge and practice of the management of dyslipidaemia in reducing the CV risk among Nigerians., Competing Interests: The Authors declare that no competing interest exists., (Copyright © 2024 by West African Journal of Medicine.)

Soil fungal communities play a key role in multiple functions and ecosystem services within forest ecosystems. Today, forest ecosystems are subject to multiple environmental and anthropogenic disturbances (e.g., fire or forest management) that mainly lead to changes in vegetation as well as in plant-soil interactions. Soil pathogens play an important role in controlling plant diversity, ecosystem functions, and human and animal health. In this work we analyzed the response of soil plant pathogenic fungi to forest management in a Pinus pinaster reforestation. We started from an experimental design, in which forest thinning and gap cutting treatments were applied at different intensities and sizes, respectively. The fungal communities of plant pathogens in spring were described, and the effect of the silvicultural treatments was evaluated 5 years after their application, as were the possible relationships between soil plant pathogenic fungal communities and other environmental factors. Only a strong low thinning treatment (35% basal area) was able to generate homogeneous changes in soil pathogenic diversity. In the gaps, only the central position showed significant changes in the soil plant pathogenic fungi community.

Context: This study investigates the impact of arsenic doping on the optical characteristics and electronic structure of zigzag (8, 0) and armchair (4, 4) gallium phosphide nanotubes using first-principles calculations based on the GaP 1-x As x system, where x = 0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 1. The electronic calculations showed that doping more arsenic atoms reduces the energy band gap for zigzag and armchair GaPAs nanotubes. PDOS analysis indicates that Ga-4p and P-3p orbitals play a significant role in determining the electronic properties of the GaP nanotube. The dominance of Ga-4p and P-3p orbitals in both the valence and conduction bands indicates their importance across the energy spectrum of the material. The complex dielectric function and absorption coefficient of zigzag and armchair GaP 1-x As x nanotubes are calculated for incident radiation with energies ranging from 1 to 6.2 eV. Optical results revealed that both zigzag and armchair GaPNTs exhibit strong absorption in the UV-visible regions due to electronic transitions between different Van Hove singularities. Also, due to quantum confinement effects, pure zigzag gallium phosphide nanotube exhibited two absorption edges at wavelengths (273 and 375 nm). These edges stand from the energy level's quantization in the nanotube construction, affecting the absorption characteristics. Substitutional doping by arsenic atoms changes the absorption edge to the long wavelengths due to decreased bandgap energy. Investigating electronic structures and optical properties of nanotubes proposes several advantages, such as understanding the doping effects on the nanotube structure and contributing to the direction of the experimental studies. These computational studies play a key role in developing the applications of nanomaterials., Methods: Calculations of density functional theory (DFT) are achieved via the SIESTA package. SIESTA is a powerful and effective tool for executing DFT calculations on a large system of atoms. It generates numerous output files covering detailed information about the electronic structure, optical properties, total energy, optimized geometry, and other computed properties. The generalized gradient approximation GGA with Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof PBE functional was used. A vacuum region of 10 A 0 was applied to avoid the interactions of adjacent nanotubes., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Objectives: Identify potential barriers, delays, and missed opportunities in the prevention and diagnosis of childhood TB., Methods: Scoping review according to the PRISMA extension. The definitions considered for the selection followed the acronym PCC where the population (P) is children under 18 years of age with TB disease, the concept (C) refers to missed opportunities for prevention and diagnosis, and context (C) is defined as a diagnosis of TB disease. The authors searched systematically in the databases; VHL/Lilacs, Medline via PubMed, Cochrane, Scopus, and Web of Science, without date or language limitation., Results: Seven studies were included. In developed countries, with low disease burden, the main shortcoming is the delay in diagnosing bacilliferous adults in contact with young children. This problem is concentrated in the portion of the population with socioeconomic vulnerability. In underdeveloped countries, with a high burden of disease, the biggest challenge is tracking children who come into contact with bacilliferous patients., Conclusions: There are still many missed opportunities in the prevention and diagnosis of childhood TB. The positive legacy of the COVID-19 pandemic should be taken advantage of and the encouragement of scientific development in the management of infectious diseases should be taken., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.)

Many health systems are engaging in pay-for-performance agreements with payers that focus primarily on improving ambulatory preventive screenings. These also are referred to as gaps in care. Gaps in care are typically measured by the Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set measures of health care quality. To address gaps in care effectively, the physician-led Gaps in Care program at Northwell Health works to improve processes related to measurement, data attribution, patient outreach, and patient engagement. Following a structured framework to address patient gaps in care is a successful strategy for accomplishing complex value-based care delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Children are over-represented among TB deaths; most dying without accessing TB care. • Major gaps persist in TB preventive treatment (TPT) provision and TB case detection. • Reducing the TPT gap requires major upscaling of household contact investigation. • Reducing the TB case detection gap requires acceptance of some over-treatment. • New approaches are required to improve the accuracy of diagnostic (rule-in and rule-out) tests. Young children are most vulnerable to develop severe forms of tuberculosis (TB) and are over-represented among TB deaths. Almost all children estimated to have died from TB were never diagnosed or offered TB treatment. Improved access to TB preventive treatment (TPT) requires major upscaling of household contact investigation with allocation of adequate resources. Symptom-based screening is often discouraged in adults for fear of generating drug resistance, if TB cases are missed. However, the situation in vulnerable young children is different, as they present minimal risk of drug resistance generation. Further, the perceived need for additional diagnostic evaluation presents a major barrier to TPT access and underlies general reluctance to consider pragmatic decentralised models of care. Widespread roll-out of Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra® represents an opportunity for improved case detection in young children, but attaining full impact will require the use of non-sputum specimens. The new Fujifilm SILVAMP TB LAM® urine assay demonstrated good diagnostic accuracy in HIV-positive and malnourished children, but further validation is required. Given the limited accuracy of all available tests and the excellent tolerance of TB drugs in children, the global community may have to accept some over-treatment if we want to close the persistent case detection gap in young children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable rice cultivation is the goal of agricultural development in Thailand. With that in mind, the Thai rice department started the Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP) in Ubon Ratchathani Province, one of the most important jasmine rice production areas of Thailand. Previous studies have shown that most of the paddy fields were in the essential level or "working towards sustainable rice cultivation", the intermediate level of sustainability, while non-paddy fields achieved an overall Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP) score that allowed them to claim to be sustainable rice farms. The purpose of this study was to identify the significant factors that affected sustainability in the group of practices called "SRP theme" and the constraints of rice cultivation development. The study was conducted on 85 farmers in Det Udom district, Ubon Ratchathani Province, Thailand. Questionnaires and in-depth interviews were collected. The results showed that farm size had a significant effect on the Pre-planting theme (a group of pre-plating activities), water management and nutrient management for the SRP score; a larger farm can lead to higher scores. The integrated farming system had a significant effect on farm management, harvest and postharvest theme. Paddy fields that used the integrated farming system accomplished higher scores. The certified rice program had a highly significant effect on farm management, preplanting, harvest, and post-harvest theme, including the health and safety theme. Moreover, certified rice programs for farmers (Organic, Good Agricultural Practice - GAP and Sustainable Rice Platform-SRP farmers) enabled higher sustainability rice cultivation scores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Little is known about the capabilities of triage and risk scores to predict the outcomes of injured patients, other than mortality, or to determine the need for trauma center resources. Methods: Retrospective analysis of prospectively gathered monocenter data on consecutively admitted adult emergency room trauma patients. For each patient, the GAP (Glasgow Coma Scale, Age and Pressure), MGAP (mechanism + GAP) scores and the revised injury severity classification 2 (RISC2) were calculated. The predictive performance of these scores was compared for the assessment of trauma severity, hospital resource need and early patient outcomes (area under the receiver operator characteristics, AUROC). Results: 2112 patients were evaluated [mean age 49.1 years; Injury Severity Score (ISS) 9.5]. GAP, MGAP, and RISC2 worked best at predicting mortality (AUROC 93.2, 93.5 and 96.1%, respectively). Other endpoints such as ISS > 15, emergency interventions, disability status, and return-not-home were predicted less precisely by these three scores, better by RISC2 (AUROC range 66.2–88.8%) than by (M)GAP-scores (55.2–84.1%), except for preclinical interventions. Over- and undertriage rates for the (M)GAP scores varied between 27.5–53.4% and 10.4–30%, respectively. Conclusion: The almost comparable precision of the three risk scores in the prediction of outcome or interventional need following trauma, and the fact, that the RISC2 can only be calculated following extensive diagnostics, favor earlier applicable (M)GAP scoring in the emergency setting. Overall, due to its easier use, the GAP appears to be the most preferable for the early assessment and triage of the injured in a trauma setting based on this European trauma center experience (NCT 02165137). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rolling bearings are the most fault-prone parts in rotating machinery. In order to find faults in time and reduce losses, this paper presents an intelligent diagnosis method for rolling bearings. At present, the deep residual network (RESNET) is the most widely used convolutional neural network (CNN) and has become one of the hotspots in fault diagnosis. However, the fully connected layer of the deep residual network has the disadvantage of too many training parameters, which makes the model training and testing time longer. So, we proposed a new network structure which the global average pooling (GAP) technology replaces the fully connected layer part of the traditional RESNET. It effectively solves the problem of too many parameters of the traditional RESNET model, and uses data enhancement, dropout, and other deep learning training techniques to prevent the model from overfitting. Experiments show that the accuracy of fault diagnosis of the improved algorithm reaches 99.83%, training time has been shortened. Also, the whole process of rolling bearing fault detection does not need any manually extract features, and this "end-to-end" algorithm has good versatility and operability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to provide theoretical reference for the near natural management of larch plantation, this paper takes larch plantation as the research object, and analyzes the root biomass and spatial distribution of 0-10 cm, 10-20 cm and 20-30 cm in larch medium-aged forest thinned in different gaps, larch near mature forest with different thinning intensity and larch mature forest with different clear cutting bandwidth. 8 points were selected in each stand, and samples were taken according to the depth of 0-10 cm, 10-20 cm and 20-30 cm. After washing, the roots <2 mm, 2-5 mm and >5 mm were dried and weighted, and the diameter distribution and spatial distribution law of the roots of larch plantation under different cutting methods were analyzed. The results showed that: the total root biomass of larch plantation was significantly different with different cutting methods (P< 0.05). The total root biomass of 5 m×5 m and 7 m×7 m gaps was 23.07% and 22.39% higher than the contrast. The root biomass of 30% thinning intensity was the highest (15.03 t/hm²), and the root biomass of 30 m clear-cutting width was the highest (11.33 t/hm²). The total root biomass of the stand decreased with the increase of soil layer. The root biomass of 0-10 cm soil layer accounted for the highest proportion of the total root biomass (about 70%), and the root biomass of <2 mm accounted for the largest proportion of the total root biomass of this soil layer (about 75%). The percentage of fine root biomass in the total root biomass of <2 mm of the cutting stand was significantly higher than that of the control stand. It showed that: the total root biomass of the stand could be increased in different degree for the close-to-nature management with gap thinning of 7 m×7 m for middle-aged plantation, even thinning of 30% intensity for near-mature plantation and strip clear cutting of 30 m width for mature plantation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Neutrophils sense and migrate through an enormous range of chemoattractant gradients through adaptation. Here, we reveal that in human neutrophils, calcium-promoted Ras inactivator (CAPRI) locally controls the GPCR-stimulated Ras adaptation. Human neutrophils lacking CAPRI (caprikd) exhibit chemoattractant-induced, nonadaptive Ras activation; significantly increased phosphorylation of AKT, GSK-3α/3β, and cofilin; and excessive actin polymerization. caprikd cells display defective chemotaxis in response to high-concentration gradients but exhibit improved chemotaxis in low- or subsensitive-concentration gradients of various chemoattractants, as a result of their enhanced sensitivity. Taken together, our data reveal that CAPRI controls GPCR activation-mediated Ras adaptation and lowers the sensitivity of human neutrophils so that they are able to chemotax through a higher-concentration range of chemoattractant gradients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanical stability of commercial GaP/Si templates during thermal annealing and subsequent growth of GaP and AlGaP using metal-organic chemical-vapour deposition is investigated. Although the as-grown GaP layer of the template originally presents an excellent surface morphology, annealing at temperatures between 645 ∘ C to 845 ∘ C to remove the native oxide prior to growth leads to plastic relaxation, accompanied by a variety of defects, including a dense grid of micro-twins. These micro-twins detrimentally affect GaP and AlGaP layers grown subsequently on the template. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The treatment strategy for bony mallet fingers remains controversial. The outcomes of conservative treatment were investigated in this study. In addition, the time to bone union, and gap between the bone fragment and distal phalanx are discussed. Methods: The subjects were 26 patients (27 fingers) with bony mallet fingers (20 males and 6 females, mean age: 46.0 years old, the mean limitation of extension of the distal interphalangeal (DIP) joint: − 20.2°). In conservative treatment, splinting was applied for 6 weeks, followed by 2-week taping. The time to bone union, range of motion of the DIP joint, and the Crawford classification on the final follow-up were investigated. In addition, the bone fragment occupation rate was evaluated on plain radiography on the first examination. Furthermore, the gap on the first examination and after splinting. The relationship between the gap and bone union period was also investigated. Results: The mean time from injury to bone union was 170.2 days, the mean range of motion of the DIP joint was − 8.5° in extension and 60.9° in flexion, and the Crawford classification was Excellent for 22 fingers, Good for 2, Fair for 2, and Poor for 1. On the first examination, the mean bone fragment occupation rate was 44.0%. The mean gap on the first examination was 1.1 mm and this was significantly narrowed to 0.8 mm after splinting (p < 0.01). No significant correlation was noted between the time to bone union and gap on the first examination (p = 0.16), however, a significant positive correlation was noted between them after splinting (p < 0.01). Conclusions: This study suggested that a favorable clinical outcome can be achieved by conservative treatment. Moreover, the bone union period decreased as the gap after splinting decreased, being significantly correlated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glycidyl triazolone and glycidyl nitrotriazolone polymers and glycidyl triazolone/glycidyl azide copolymers were synthesized by nucleophilic substitution of 1,2,4‐triazol‐5‐one and 3‐nitro‐1,2,4‐triazol‐5‐one heterocycles and azide ion for chlorine atoms in poly(epichlorohydrin), respectively. The structure of the resultant energetic polymers was characterized by 1H,13C NMR, infrared spectroscopy, and elemental analysis (Cl). The density of the obtained polymers was experimentally measured, and data on phase transitions and thermal decomposition were acquired by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The triazolone heterocycles inserted into the polymeric chain provided high thermal stability and a much higher density compared to the azide homopolymer GAP. The 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition demonstrated that spatially branched energy‐rich polymeric binders bearing 1,2,4‐triazol‐5‐one and 1,2,3‐triazole heterocycles could conceptually be synthesized starting from p‐(GTO‐co‐GA) azide copolymers. The aforesaid merits make the reported polymers attractive candidates as the matrix of energetic binders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigating cell migration in 3D settings has revealed that specific extracellular matrix environments require differential activities of the Rho GTPases for efficient migration. However, it is largely unknown how the activities of specific Rho GTPases are modulated to direct cell migration in response to different extracellular matrix cues. We have recently reported that extracellular matrix-dependent regulation of a specific Rho GEF is a fundamental mechanism governing cell migration in different microenvironments, providing a direct mechanism for extracellular matrix-specific regulation of Rho GTPase activity directing cell motility. We discovered that the Rho GEF βPix has a unique function during cell migration in fibrillar collagen environments by restraining RhoA signaling through a conserved signaling axis involving Cdc42 and the Rho GAP srGAP1. In this Commentary, we expand upon this new pathway and discuss potential mechanotransductive and therapeutic applications. Additionally, we speculate on a generalized role for Rho GEFs and GAPs in providing localized, context-dependent responses to the cellular microenvironment during cell migration and other cellular processes.

This study is a study of the evaluation of gaps in the implementation of the School Literacy Movement program in two high school in the South Jakarta area. As an intervention program launched by the government to assist learners in developing critical, creative, innovative, entrepreneurial attitudes, social empathy behavior, and love for knowledge, it is necessary to know the extent to which the program has an impact in improving reading skills understanding in learners and what gaps in running GLS programs through the gap evaluation model (The Discrepancy Evaluation Model). The model developed by Malcolm Provus with this qualitative approach generally aims to obtain information about gaps in the implementation of the GLS program. Research data is obtained through observations, interviews, and document studies. Data analysis is carried out with three flow of activities that occur simultaneously, namely: data reduction, data presentation, data withdrawal or verification. results showed that the positive impact of gls program implementation can be monitored even though academic measurement has not been done. One of the related to the success of KBM is the increased readiness of students in attending KBM, increased confidence when speaking in public and writing. Gaps in program implementation in both high schools appear in the design of the target and installation of the program implementation, although both boil to the development of language skills and literacy of learners. In addition, there needs to be a firmer emphasis in the master design that the establishment of a literate environment is the responsibility of all school residents. Despite the gaps that occur in the implementation of school conditions have allowed the formation of a literate environment.

Young children are most vulnerable to develop severe forms of tuberculosis (TB) and are over-represented among TB deaths. Almost all children estimated to have died from TB were never diagnosed or offered TB treatment.Improved access to TB preventive treatment (TPT) requires major upscaling of household contact investigation with allocation of adequate resources. Symptom-based screening is often discouraged in adults for fear of generating drug resistance, if TB cases are missed. However, the situation in vulnerable young children is different, as they present minimal risk of drug resistance generation. Further, the perceived need for additional diagnostic evaluation presents a major barrier to TPT access and underlies general reluctance to consider pragmatic decentralised models of care.Widespread roll-out of Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra® represents an opportunity for improved case detection in young children, but attaining full impact will require the use of non-sputum specimens. The new Fujifilm SILVAMP TB LAM® urine assay demonstrated good diagnostic accuracy in HIV-positive and malnourished children, but further validation is required. Given the limited accuracy of all available tests and the excellent tolerance of TB drugs in children, the global community may have to accept some over-treatment if we want to close the persistent case detection gap in young children.

Summary: Cdc42 GTPase rules cell polarity and growth in fission yeast. It is negatively and positively regulated by GTPase-activating proteins (GAPs) and guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs), respectively. Active Cdc42-GTP localizes to the poles, where it associates with numerous proteins constituting the polarity module. However, little is known about its downregulation. We describe here that oxidative stress causes Sty1-kinase-dependent Cdc42 inactivation at cell poles. Both the amount of active Cdc42 at tips and cell length inversely correlate with Sty1 activity, explaining the elongated morphology of Δsty1 cells. We have created stress-blinded cell poles either by eliminating two Cdc42 GAPs or through the constitutive tethering of Gef1 to cell tips, and we biochemically demonstrate that the GAPs Rga3/6 and the GEF Gef1 are direct substrates of Sty1. We propose that phosphorylation of Rga3/6 and Gef1 mediates the Sty1-dependent inhibition of Cdc42 at cell tips, halting polarized growth during stress adaptation.

In the past 16 years, research on mitophagy has increasingly expanded to a wider range of subjects. Therefore, comprehensively analyzing the relevant progress and development trends on mitophagy research requires specific methods. To assess the hotspots, directions, and quality of results in this field worldwide, we used multiple tools to examine research progress and growing trends in research on the matter during the last 16 years (from 2005 to 2020). We also compared the quantity and quality of the literature records on mitophagy published by research institutions in China and other developed countries, reviewed China’s contribution, and examined the gap between China and these developed countries. According to the results of our bibliometric analysis, the United States and its research institutes published the most papers. We identified cell biology as the most commonly researched subject on mitophagy and AUTOPHAGY as the most popular journal for research on mitophagy. We also listed the most cited documents from around the world and China. With gradually increased funding, China is progressively becoming prominent in the field of mitophagy; nevertheless, the gap between her and major countries in the world must be closed.

This article uses data from the government work reports of 31 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) in China and 21 cities in Guangdong Province of China to perform a fixed effect regression. It was found that economic growth target constraints and economic growth target gaps between countries and provinces, or between provinces and cities have a significant impact on the quality of public occupational health. The non-linear relationship between economic growth target setting and the quality of public occupational health was then discussed in detail, and the reliability of basic conclusions drawn was ensured by robustness and endogeneity tests. The results show that the effect of economic growth target constraints and gaps on the quality of public occupational health shows a “U-shaped” trend at both the provincial and city levels, which initially promotes and, eventually, inhibits. This relationship is closely related to the current economic system reforms, administrative reforms, and social transformation in China. Therefore, in emphasising high-quality economic development, the government should fully consider the actual state of the development of jurisdictions in setting economic goals to improve the quality of public occupational health in an orderly manner.

The development of novel nanophotonic devices and circuits necessitates studies of optical phenomena in nanoscale structures. Catalyzed semiconductor nanowires are known for their unique properties including high crystallinity and silicon compatibility making them the perfect platform for optoelectronics and nanophotonics. In this work, we explore numerically optical properties of gallium phosphide nanowires governed by their dimensions and study waveguiding, coupling between the two wires and resonant field confinement to unveil nanoscale phenomena paving the way for the fabrication of the integrated optical circuits. Photonic coupling between the two adjacent nanowires is studied in detail to demonstrate good tolerance of the coupling to the distance between the two aligned wires providing losses not exceeding 30% for the gap of 100 nm. The dependence of this coupling is investigated with the wires placed nearby varying their relative position. It is found that due to the resonant properties of a nanowire acting as a Fabry–Perot cavity, two coupled wires represent an attractive system for control over the optical signal processing governed by the signal interference. We explore size-dependent plasmonic behaviors of the metallic Ga nanoparticle enabling GaP nanowire as an antenna-waveguide hybrid system. We demonstrate numerically that variation of the structure dimensions allows the nearfield tailoring. As such, we explore GaP NWs as a versatile platform for integrated photonic circuits.

Silvicultural operations, including single-tree selection create gaps in forest canopies and these gaps impact on the forests structure. This study examines the influences of different harvest-created gap sizes on the oriental beech (Fagus orientalis L.) trees traits in temperate Hyrcanian forest, northern Iran. We selected three gap sizes (small, medium and large) and the adjacent unlogged closed canopies with five replications for each and measured some features of beech trees in overstory at the gaps-edge and closed stands. The results showed that gap size significantly influenced on crown length, crown surface area, crown ratio, bole, height/diameter (H/D) and minimum radius / maximum radius (CA) ratios of beech trees six years following gap creation (P

We report existing evidence and gaps in neuropathic pain management in Saudi Arabia, the prevalence and patient management stages in diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) and low back pain (LBP) with a neuropathic component. A semi-systematic approach was adopted to identify data on neuropathic pain. A structured search was conducted through MEDLINE, Embase, and BIOSIS databases to identify articles published in English between January 2010 and December 2019. Unstructured search was conducted through various sources including Google Scholar and Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Health website. Studies including populations ≥18 years and neuropathic pain were included; data gaps were supplemented with anecdotal data from local experts. Weighted or simple means were calculated for overall data; synthesized evidence was represented as an evidence gap map. Of 37 articles retrieved from structured search, none were eligible for final analyses. Thirteen articles from unstructured search and two anecdotal data sources were included for final analyses. The majority of articles included were of cross-sectional design (n = 10) in diabetes patients. The mean (range; number of articles) DPN prevalence was estimated as 33.6% (5.6%-65.3%; n = 8). Data on DPN patient management stages were limited; synthesized evidence indicated that 37.2% (0.41%-80.0%; n = 3) of patients had DPN awareness, 17.8% (n = 1) underwent screening, 22.4% (18.4%-65.3%; n = 2) had DPN diagnosis, and 45.1% (0.0%-62.7%; n = 2) received treatment for pain management. Data on LBP with neuropathic component were scarce (prevalence, 41.0% [n = 1]; diagnosis, 54.7% [n = 1]). Data are limited, so more studies are needed to accurately estimate the prevalence and stages of patient management for neuropathic pain in the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rho GTPases are known to play an essential role in fundamental processes such as defining cell shape, polarity and migration. As such, the majority of Rho GTPases localize and function at, or close to, the plasma membrane. However, it is becoming increasingly clear that a number of Rho family proteins are also associated with the Golgi complex, where they not only regulate events at this organelle but also more widely across the cell. Given the central location of this organelle, and the numerous membrane trafficking pathways that connect it to both the endocytic and secretory systems of cells, it is clear that the Golgi is fundamental for maintaining cellular homoeostasis. In this review, we describe these GTPases in the context of how they regulate Golgi architecture, membrane trafficking into and away from this organelle, and cell polarity and migration. We summarize the key findings that show the growing importance of the pool of Rho GTPases associated with Golgi function, namely Cdc42, RhoA, RhoD, RhoBTB1 and RhoBTB3, and we discuss how they act in concert with other key families of molecules associated with the Golgi, including Rab GTPases and matrix proteins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study entails two parts: The first reports on the synthesis of a novel N-(2,4-dinitrobenzylidene)-3-chlorobenzenamine Schiff base and its analysis by ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) spectroscopy, 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and infrared (IR) spectroscopy. The UV–vis measurements showed absorption between 264 and 304 nm. The experimental optical gap energy was obtained using the Tauc method, and was estimated to be around 3.1 eV. On the other hand, we calculated optical gap energy using the M06-2X level, which gave a value of 3.20 eV, proving to be very close to the experimental one. The second part of this study focused on the dipole moment, dynamic linear and dynamic nonlinear optical (NLO) properties of this new compound. Theoretical calculations using density functional theory (DFT) were used to optimize the geometry, and to calculate this compound's dynamic polarizability and dynamic first-order hyperpolarizability. For the polarizability, we studied the mean polarizability α and the polarizability anisotropy Δ α . To elucidate the correlation between the molecular architecture of this Schiff base and the dynamic first hyperpolarizability, the dynamic behavior of the hyper-Rayleigh scattering (HRS) first hyperpolarizability β HRS , the dynamic electric field-induced second harmonic generation (EFISHG) β / / , and the depolarization ratios (DR) were calculated and analyzed in detail. Moreover, a correlation of β HRS with the optical band gap and between the β HRS and β / / was found. Based on these results, we can conclude that the synthesized Schiff base is a good candidate for the design of organic NLO materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Isolation can be used as an effective shock absorption measure for liquid storage tank (LST), but its defect is that pounding may be caused by earthquake. To study the pounding of sliding isolation LST, the Hertz-Damp model is used to simulate the nonlinear pounding behavior, three particle spring-mass simplified calculation model of sliding isolation LST is established, pounding dynamic equation is solved by Newmark-β method, pounding probability curve is fitted by lognormal distribution probability density function, influence of different types of earthquake on pounding probability are studied, and influence of initial gap and friction coefficient on pounding probability are discussed by selecting 20 near-field pulse, near-field no pulse-like, and far-field seismic waves, respectively. Results show that the pounding probability is the largest under the action of near-field pulse-like earthquake and the smallest under the action of near-field no pulse-like earthquake; the pounding probability is close to zero under small earthquake and about 50% under strong earthquake when the initial gap increases to 0.6 m; increasing initial gap can significantly reduce pounding probability; increase range of friction coefficient is limited for sliding isolation LST, so reducing pounding probability by increasing friction coefficient is not an effective way to reduce pounding probability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The guiding properties of a symmetric conductor–gap–dielectric system consists of a metal film symmetrically surrounded by media of two dielectrics, and is theoretically analyzed by using the quantum hydrodynamic model and Maxwell's equations. We found that the quantum effects, including the Fermi pressure and the Bohm potential, facilitate the propagation of the hybrid surface waves at higher values of the wavenumber. The results show that the permittivity of the surrounding dielectric mediums and the geometric effects (namely, the thickness of the metal film and gap layers) significantly modify the basic behaviors of the hybrid surface waves. Our results provide a good understanding of the basic features of the wave propagation phenomenon in hybrid waveguide systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]