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A double edge-triggered D-type flip flop includes a half-static clock gating circuit is presented in this paper. Two dynamic latches that each responses to the rising and falling edges of the gated clock are connected in parallel to a half-static latch, which captures the data signal in response to both rising and falling edges of the clock signal. This flip flop topology helps to improve the race tolerance, energy efficiency and circuit compactness. The flip flop is simulated with HSPICE using commercially 0.18 µm CMOS technology. The simulation results presented in this paper showed that it can achieve a 4 Gbits/sec data rate with 96% redundant power reduction when compared to other double edge-triggered D-type flip flop in literature.

Written in the run-up to the COP26 summit held in Glasgow, this review essay reflects on theological tools for the climate justice movement in conversation with five recent books. Reviewed works: Catherine Keller, Facing Apocalypse: Climate, Democracy, and Other Last Chances (Maryknoll, N.Y.: Orbis Books, 2021) Thomas Lynch, Apocalyptic Political Theology: Hegel, Taubes and Malabou. Political Theologies (London: Bloomsbury, 2019) Alastair McIntosh, Riders on the Storm: The Climate Crisis and the Survival of Being (Edinburgh: Birlinn, 2020) Hannah Malcolm, ed., Words for a Dying World: Stories of Grief and Courage from the Global Church (London: SCM Press, 2020) Frances Ward, Like There’s No Tomorrow: Climate Crisis, Eco-Anxiety and God. (Durham: Sacristy Press, 2020)

The aim of the present work is to experimentally investigate the essential work of fracture of 1 mm thick interstitial free high strength steels in cold rolled condition. Essential Work of Fracture (EWF) is done experimentally using Double edge notched tension (DENT) specimens of 140 mm in length and 25 mm in width along both rolling and transverse direction in tensile testing machine. Using a universal testing machine, the specimens were strained along their longitudinal direction until completion of cracking. Totally 23 samples with different ligament lengths are tested to obtain essential work of fracture. The specific essential work was determined by extrapolating the straight-line relationship between the specific work of fracture (wf) and ligament length (/) to zero ligament length. The magnitude of essential work of fracture (we) along rolling direction is 133.56 kJ/m2 and for transverse direction is 17.85 kJ/m2.

The founding artistic director of Double Edge Theatre talks about the process of moving from Boston to rural Western Massachusetts where the theatre has become part of the Ashfield community.

The pathogenesis of many diseases is most closely related to inappropriate apoptosis (either too little or too much) and cancer is one of the situations where too little apoptosis happens, leading to malignant cells that highly proliferate. Defects at any points along apoptotic pathways may lead to malignant transformation of the affected cells, tumor metastasis, and resistance to anti-cancer drugs. Several major molecular mechanisms are involved in the evasion of apoptosis in cancer initiation and progression. Bcl-2 family of proteins and caspases are the central players in the apoptotic mechanism and regulate cell death. Their imperfections cause to the deficient apoptotic signaling and thereby the inadequate apoptosis in cancer cells and eventually carcinogenesis. Strategies targeting these master regulators in carcinoma cells has been a major focus of interest in cancer studies. Therefore, despite being the cause of problem, apoptosis can be targeted in cancer therapy. This chapter provides a comprehensive review of apoptotic cell death and how deficiencies in apoptotic master regulators, caspases and Bcl-2 family proteins, influence carcinogenesis and can be targeted in cancer treatment.

Fatliquors are oil-in-water emulsions added during the fatliquoring process of leather manufacture to lubricate and prevent the fibre structure resticking during drying. They also increase softness, flexibility, and tensile strength of fixed leather. In this study, Jatropha curcas oil of no commercial value in Nigeria was sulfonated. The physicochemical properties of both the sulfonated and unsulfonated oils were determined. The sulfonated and unsulfonated oils were also characterized using DSC, FT-IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and 13C NMR DEPT. The prepared sulfonated J. curcas oil was applied onto goatskin and compared with commercial sulphated fatliquor in the processing of shoe upper leather. Physical/mechanical analyses were carried out on fixed leather. Tensile strength, Sudan stain, elongation at break, and double edge tear test results showed notable improvement in the mechanical properties of the leather processed with the sulfonated J. curcas oil. The microscopic analysis also showed fibre structures that were adequately opened up. This study revealed that the sulfonated J. curcas oil can be a good sustainable substitute for commercially available fatliquor as its application in the processing of shoe upper leather shows properties that are comparable with the renowned fatliquors which are normally utilized in leather industries. It also raises the possibility of commercialization.

Mechanical failure of zeolite-high density polyethylene (HDPE) material applied to skull bone implants is a material fracture that cannot be controlled. An important step to minimize failure due to fracture is to understand the fracture characteristics indicated by the propagation path pattern. This study aimed to investigate the fracture propagation pathways of zeolite-HDPE composites in quasi-static conditions. UV-irradiated Double-edge cracked zeolite-HDPE composite was tested in mode I (a stress perpendicular to the plane of the crack) in a universal testing machine (UTM) with a crosshead speed of 2 mm/min at a constant room temperature of approximately 25°C. The stress and elongation were registered by the UTM. During loading, the evolution of cracks in the ligament length region was recorded with the camera so that the crack propagation pathway until the total fracture occurs can be clearly observed. The results show that the crack propagation pathway patterns were not all straight and parallel to the ligament length. They are also found in a deviant state of the ligament length line by forming an angle α. created between the ligament length line and the fracture propagation deviation direction. This deviation occurs after the crack propagates straight away from the initial-cracks.

For high-speed coding buses, it is a great challenge to evaluate the eye diagram accurately. Assuming that all data bits are independent and have uniform probabilities as previous estimation methods have done is not valid. In this paper, a new statistical method is proposed to estimate the worst-case eye diagrams and bit-error-rate (BER) eye diagrams for coding buses. The probability distribution of coded bus bit vectors is modeled based on the coding rule constraints. Then, actual worst pattern and eye diagram calculation is derived based on bus bit transition probabilities and double-edge responses. In order to validate the method, a parallel link with data bus inversion coding and 4b/6b coding is simulated, respectively. Worst case eye diagrams and BER eye diagrams are calculated and compared with that of no consideration of coding. Compared to the traditional statistical methods, this method eliminates the error due to the invalid assumption and provides more accurate results for designers.

Regulation of The Minister of Finance of The Republic of Indonesia Number 15/PMK.03/2018 on Other Basis to Calculate Gross Income regulates determination of tax payable through indirect evidence other than evidence from bookkeeping. This regulation potentially become double edge sword for the tax authority's mission to collect revenues based on voluntary tax compliance. Based on the Slippery Slope Framework, if the tax authorities maintain the 'cops and robbers’' attitude, voluntary compliance tends to decrease (Kirchler, Hoelzl, and Wahl, 2008). Conversely, voluntary compliance will increase if the tax authorities are perceived to be more efficient in detecting tax fraud and bringing justice. This study presents a literature review as a consideration basis for developing regulatory policies for subordinate regulations of PMK 15/2018 that supports voluntary compliance. Based on the literature review, subordinate regulations of PMK 15/2018 that support voluntary compliance must be reliable, objective, and punishable under legitimate power.

Why do organizations respond differently to social policies? This is an important question because it gives us a clue as to why social progress is often slow even with successful legislation. We argue that HR professionals’ conflicting roles within organizations affect modes of organizations’ compliance with a law because HR professionals are expected to adjust legal pressure to business interests when translating external requirements into internal policies. How they manage this challenge depends on variation in the development of different dimensions of their professional agency: formalization and substantive empowerment. We demonstrate empirically this argument by taking the case of South Korea’s parental leave policy. Using workplace-level data, we find that the presence of formal HR structures predicts that minimal compliance is more likely than is noncompliance, but is less likely than is maximal compliance, and that substantively empowered HR professionals contribute to making both compliance and maximal compliance more probable.

Purpose To construct a prognostic index (PI) for overall survival (OS) to stratify nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) into high-risk and low-risk groups. We also applied the model to investigate the role of the addition of adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) to concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) regimens for the treatment of NPC. Methods A prognostic model was established based on a retrospective study of 362 patients from January 2008 to June 2011. The discriminative and calibration abilities of the model were evaluated by Harrell's concordance index (C-index), and calibration curves. Bootstrapping was used to perform for internal validation. External validation was conducted using 324 patients diagnosed with NPC from July 2011 to December 2012 at the same institution. Survival analyses were performed between CCRT-AC and CCRT alone groups for the high-risk and low-risk groups. Results The primary PI comprised covariates that were associated with OS in the training cohort, including T stage, N stage, age, and plasma alkaline phosphatase (ALP). Internal and external validation showed that the discrimination of the PI for OS was significantly better than that of the 8th edition AJCC staging system. Discretization by using a fixed PI score cut-off of 407.96 determined from the training data set yielded high- and low-risk subgroups with distinct OS outcomes in the validation cohort. Adjuvant chemotherapy improved OS in high-risk patients (HR 0.620, 95% CI 0.408 to 0.941; P = 0.023) but increased the risk of distant metastasis (HR, 4.222, 95% CI, 0.959 to 18.585; P = 0.038) in low-risk patients. Conclusion The proposed prognostic model achieved good prediction and calibration of OS for patients with NPC. The addition of adjuvant chemotherapy might be a double-edged sword, bringing survival benefit to high-risk patients but greater risk of distant metastasis to low-risk patients.

Purpose. The article considers three sabers stored in the Akmola Regional Museum of Local History (inv. No. ГИК 2322/1, ARMLH, Kokshetau, Kazakhstan), National Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan (inv. No. KRUM 802, NMRK, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan) and a private collection. The saber from NMRK was found in a destroyed mound in the Shet District, Karaganda Region (Central Kazakhstan). Results. Total lengths of these sabers are: 90.5, 73.0 and 91 cm (including the blade length – 82.2, 66.3 and 82.2. cm, widths in the area of the ricasso are 3.5, 3.4 and 3.5 cm). All three single-edged blades under consideration have a more or less strong curve. The tip of the saber from the private collection has a rib and double edge clips with long pronounced iron ‘tongues’ welded on to the ricasso of the blade. In two cases the ‘tongues’ are decorated with sharp-angled spikes. A rivet attaching the ‘cheeks’ of the hilt is inserted into the hole of the tang blade that is bent sideward (the saber from the private collection has an S-shaped rivet head). The guard has a characteristic ‘boat-shaped’ design. Based on the typological analysis, it was identified that the samples under consideration differ from traditional sabers of the Turkic nomads of Kazakhstan during the Kimak and Kipchak periods (10th – 12th Centuries). Their closest analogues were found on the territory of Southern Siberia and date back to the 13th – 14th Centuries. It is highly possible that the appearance of sabers of this type on the territory of Northern and Central Kazakhstan were associated with the events of the Mongol invasion in the 13th Century and the inclusion of Eastern Dasht-I Kipchak into the Mongol Empire. Conclusion. It seems that the sabers were forged by masters in Southern Siberia and were then brought to Northern and Central Kazakhstan by the Chingizid troops. The small number of long-bladed weapons of the 13th – 14th centuries found on the territory of Kazakhstan determines high scientific value of the considered sabers.

In a graph G, a vertex v is dominated by an edge e, if e is incident with nu or e is incident with a vertex which is a neighbor of nu. An edge-vertex dominating set D is a subset of the edge set of G such that every vertex of G is edge-vertex dominated by an edge of D. The ev-domination number equals to the number of an edge-vertex dominating set of G which has minimum cardinality and it is denoted by gamma(e nu)(G). We here analyze double edge-vertex domination such that a double edge-vertex dominating set D is a subset of the edge set of G, provided that all vertices in G are e nu-dominated by at least two edges of D. The double ev-domination number equals to the number of an double edge-vertex dominating set of G which has minimum cardinality and it is denoted by gamma(de nu)(G). We demonstrate that the enumeration of the double e nu-domination number of chordal graphs is NP-complete. Moreover several results about total domination number and double e nu-domination number are obtained for trees.

Background and aim India has declared mucormycosis as an epidemic. The incidence rate is rising day by day as there are more than 29000 cases in 28 states until March 2021. COVID-19 is already burdening the health care system, and post-COVID mucormycosis leads to mortality and morbidity in patients treated with COVID-19. This article aims to understand the various complications of mucormycosis and how it is impacting COVID-19 infected patients. Methods A thorough literature search was performed using PubMed, Google Scholar, and Embase from May 2021 to June 2021. The authors selected the articles based on relevance. Mucormycosis, black fungus, fungal infection, COVID-19, pathogenesis, corticosteroids, treatment, antifungals were the major keywords searched. Secondary resources included from the published news articles. Results Through the literature, we observed that patients after COVID-19 are more vulnerable to these fungal infections, especially immunocompromised patients, patients with long-term steroid use, and uncontrolled diabetes. This review enlightens the manifestations, pathogenesis, and various treatment and anticipation policies for mucormycosis. Conclusion Awareness about the possibility of the disease is necessary to reduce the delay of diagnosis and timely treatment to prevent further implications of the disease. In addition, prevention of the disease with strict follow-up measures with sanitation and hygiene maintenance is also essential.

This paper presents an experimental and numerical study of the notch effect on strength and fatigue life of double edge notched (DEN) composite laminates made of woven glass fibre lamina 3238A/EW250F and woven carbon fibre lamina 3238A/CF3052. Experimental results show that the notch effect is dependent on fibre type, notch depth, load type and load sequence. As-n-R-d-r" role="presentation"> s - n - R -d-r residual strength model was proposed to account for the effects of the notch and the stress ratio, and a progressive damage algorithm was developed to predict damage propagation and residual life of composites under spectrum fatigue load. Good agreement between the experimental results and the numerical predictions has been achieved.

Despite the overgrowth of procedures done by VATS, there are still needs for thoracotomy. Post-thoracotomy pain plays an important role in many post-operative morbidities. Surgeons should make efforts to evolve new techniques to reduce post-thoracotomy pain with its associated morbidities. This trial aimed to study the impact of combining lack of rib retraction with protection of both intercostal nerves on post-operative pain. This was a prospective study of 57 patients who had Integrated thoracotomy (I group) which consists of modified French window with Double-Edge closure. The results of I group were compared to our previous study that contained two groups 60 patients each, double edge (DE group) in which standard thoracotomy was closed using double-edge technique and (PC group) in which pericostal sutures was used for closure of thoracotomy. Outcomes assessed were operative time, time to ambulation, doses of analgesics injected in the epidural catheter, post-operative complications, chest tube drainage, hospital stay, and pain score and use of analgesics during the first post-operative year. All groups had similar demographics, operative time, and incisions length, but in I group, there were significantly a smaller number of lobectomies and pneumonectomies. Patients in I group had significantly lower time to ambulation, epidural doses and post-operative pain score throughout the first week. Patients in the (I group) had a significantly lower pain score throughout the first 9 months post-operatively. Up to 6 months post-operatively, there was significantly less use of analgesics among the I group. The combination of retractor-free exposures and neurovascular exclusion sutures for thoracotomy is safe and effective in decreasing post-thoracotomy pain and use of analgesics.

Coumarins (warfarin, acenocoumarol, phenprocuomon) are well known agents that are prescribed for prevention of thromboembolic episodes in pregnant women who are on mechanical heart valves prosthesis. It acts as double edge sword as fetus is unnecessarily exposed to teratogenic effect of drug. Warfarin is well studied drug in terms of its tetratogenic dose, period of exposure, fetopathic effects. Acenocoumarol is well known teratogen but its effect and lethal dose on fetus is less reported. We report a neonate who was exposed to acenocoumarol throughout intra uterine life. Neonate showed all features of coumarin embryopathy (flat facial profile, depressed nasal bridge, short columella, skeletal stippling, short distal phalanges in hand) and cephalhaematoma in addition. We also summarised the clinical findings of all the cases reported so far of acenocoumarol embryopathy. Acenocoumarol has same teratogenic potential as of warfarin. Doses causing embryopathy remained unexplored field. Clinicians need to document properly so that scientific data can be generated as ethical issues arises in head to head trial of these drugs.

This paper studies the effect of tensile properties mismatch on fracture driving force in sandwich plates using Double Edge Notched Tension (DENT) specimens. Notched specimens are used due to the difficulty in fatigue pre-cracking small sized specimens of sandwich plates. Two sandwich plates, SP1 and SP2, composed of different aluminum alloys layers are studied. AA6061 is used as cladding material in both cases while AA2017 and Al 1100 are used as core materials for SP1 and SP2, respectively. Homogenous specimens made of AA6061 are also studied for comparison. The critical fracture load is determined experimentally. Finite element elastic-plastic analysis is performed to evaluate the effect of tensile properties mismatch on fracture driving force ahead of notch tip, Jtip.The results showed that tensile properties mismatch between sandwich plate layers affects Jtip values. In case of SP1, the notch tip is shielded from the remote loading where Jtip is smaller than the remote one vice versa in case of SP2 where Jtip is amplified. It is demonstrated that the amount of shielding is normally less than amplification. In the meantime, notch depth plays an important role in the fracture process while effect of the studied notch radius is minor. Keywords: Sandwich, Mismatch, Shielding, Amplification, Notch, Fracture

Abstract Fatliquor is an oil-in-water emulsion that improves the physical properties of leather such as tensile strength, flexibility, and softness by lubricating the leather fibres. Sulfonated Sesamum indicum oil was synthesized, characterized, and examined for consideration as a substitute for imported fatliquor in Nigeria. The sulfonation of the oil was confirmed by the significant observations made in the FTIR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and 13C NMR DEPT analysis results. A remarkable difference was observed in the physicochemical properties results of both unsulfonated and sulfonated oils. The sulfonated sesame fatliquor was applied onto goatskin and compared with a commercial sulfated fatliquor in the processing of shoe upper leather using standard methods. The average results for tensile strength, double edge tear, elongation, and softness results for the commercial and synthesized fatliquors are as follows: 14.27 N/mm2; 13.77 N/mm2, 50.61 N; 60.11 N, 38.06%; 54.28%, 25.2; 25.0. A comparable level of lubrication of the leather treated with the sulfonated Sesamum indicum oil and that treated with the commercial leather fatliquor was revealed by the Sudan IV stain test as well as scanning electron microscopy analysis results. Experimental analyses, therefore, show that the as-synthesized sulfonated Sesamum indicum oil could be considered as a substitute for imported fatliquor in the leather industry. Graphical abstract

The determination of the postcrack tensile properties of steel fiber–reinforced concrete (SFRC) after exposure to elevated temperatures is a current methodological challenge. The objective ...

An edge $e=uv$ of graph $G=(V,E)$ is said to be edge-vertex dominate vertices $u$ and $v$, as well as all vertices adjacent to $u$ and $v$. A set $S \subseteq E $ is a double edge-vertex dominating set if every vertex of $V$ is edge-vertex dominated by at least two edges of $S$. The minimum cardinality of a double edge-vertex dominating set of $G$ is the double edge-vertex domination number and is denoted by $\gamma_{dev}(G)$. In this paper, we present results for middle graphs of path and cycle and some splitting graphs of path and cycle on double edge-vertex domination numbers.

BackgroundHydroxychloroquine with or without azithromycin was one of the common therapies at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. They can prolong QT interval, cause Torsade de pointes, and lead to sudden cardiac death. We aimed to assess QT interval prolongation and its risk factors in patients who received hydroxychloroquine with or without azithromycin.MethodsThis was a retrospective cohort study. 172 patients with COVID-19 included, hospitalized at hospitals of Babol University of Medical Sciences between March 5, 2020, and April 3, 2020. Patients were divided into two groups: hydroxychloroquine alone and hydroxychloroquine with azithromycin. Electrocardiograms were used for outcome assessment.Results83.1% of patients received hydroxychloroquine plus azithromycin vs 16.9% of patients who received only hydroxychloroquine. The mean age of patients was 59.2 ± 15.4. The mean of post-treatment QTc interval in the monotherapy group was shorter than the mean of post-treatment QTc interval in the combination therapy group but it had no significant statistical difference (462.5 ± 43.1 milliseconds vs 464.3 ± 59.1 milliseconds;P= 0.488). Generally, 22.1% of patients had a prolonged QTc interval after treatment. Male gender, or baseline QTc ≥ 450 milliseconds, or high-risk Tisdale score increased the likelihood of prolonged QTc interval. Due to QTc prolongation, 14 patients did not continue therapy after 4 days.ConclusionHospitalized patients treated with hydroxychloroquine with or without azithromycin, had no significant difference in prolongation of QT interval and outcome. But the number of patients with prolonged QT intervals in this study emphasizes careful cardiac monitoring during therapy; especially in high-risk patients.

Objective The practice of parallel multiple jobs has increasingly become a global trend. However, the effects of parallel multiple jobs on physical and mental health have not been well understood. Method Data come from China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study published by CHARLS in 2015. The agricultural population aged 45 years old and above are selected through stratified random sampling (N = 10,118). Robust regression method is used to give robust estimation. Results U-shape relations are found. The modest increase in the number of parallel multiple jobs can alleviate the difficulty in physical activities functioning and can reduce mental health problems. However, these beneficial effects could turn detrimental with the number of parallel multiple jobs beyond the modest level, leading to work overload. Conclusion Parallel multiple jobs could be considered a double edge sword for physical and mental health.

The seawater salinity and temperature of an ocean are key parameters required for environmental evaluation, with Raman and Brillouin scattering techniques offering a potentially accurate approach. A method for Brillouin scattering spectrum measurement based on a double-edge technique is proposed, and a retrieval model for simultaneously acquiring Brillouin shifts and linewidths is built. The accuracy of the proposed retrieval model is analyzed using simulations, and the results show that this double-edge technique provides good performance in terms of Brillouin scattering spectrum reconstitution and is a feasible method for simultaneous seawater temperature and salinity inversion.

PURPOSE To describe a new technique for identifying the upper (cap) interface during small-incision lenticule extraction (SMILE). If the lower interface is dissected first it can be challenging to locate the cap interface and complete the lenticule separation. SETTING London Vision Clinic, London, United Kingdom. DESIGN Retrospective analysis. METHODS The routine protocol was to open the primary small incision and separate the cap interface, followed by the lenticule interface. If the lenticule interface was dissected first, the modified Sinskey tip was inserted through the superior end of the incision, tangentially along the cap edge interface and then rotated anteriorly to engage the edge of the lenticule adherent to the underside of the cap. The Sinskey tip is then drawn inferiorly, creating a pocket of separation of the lenticule from the cap, enabling the dissection bulb and spatula to be used to dissect the upper interface. RESULTS A total of 629 consecutive eyes undergoing SMILE using the VisuMax femtosecond laser were included. The routine surgical protocol (cap interface first) was followed in 88% of eyes and the lenticule interface first in 12% of eyes. The lenticule was extracted successfully in all cases. Uncorrected distance visual acuity at the 1-day postoperative visit was 20/25 or better in 81% of the cap interface first group and 86% of the lenticule interface first group. CONCLUSIONS The visual results using this cap recovery technique were equivalent to those when a routine SMILE dissection was performed. The technique allowed surgeons to rescue more challenging cases where identifying the different interfaces was difficult. This technique meant that separating the lenticule interface first should no longer be considered a complication of SMILE.

International Conference on Intelligent and Fuzzy Systems, INFUS 2020 -- 21 July 2020 through 23 July 2020 -- -- 242349, An edge e dominates a vertex v if e is incident to v or e is incident to a vertex which is adjacent to v. A subset is an edge-vertex dominating set (in simply, ev-dominating set) of G, if every vertex of a graph G is ev-dominated by at least one edge of D. The minimum cardinality of an ev-dominating set is named as ev-domination number and denoted by. In this paper, we study double edge-vertex domination where a subset is a double edge-vertex dominating set (in simply, double ev-dominating set) of G, if every vertex of V is ev-dominated by at least two edges of D. The double ev-domination number of a graph G is denoted by and it is equal to the minimum cardinality of a double ev-dominating set. We first obtain some relations between double edge-vertex domination and other domination parameters. We also investigate the relation between and. Finally, we determine the double ev-domination number of paths and cycles. © 2021, The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

The choice of anticoagulant agents for newly implanted bioprosthetic valve varies significantly, particularly in the presence of postoperative atrial fibrillation with increasing use of nonvitamin K oral anticoagulation (NOACs) in recent years. We reported a challenging case with a coexisting bioprosthetic aortic valve thrombosis and significant anticoagulant-related bleeding. Clinical management strategy and brief literature review were presented.

Phyto-pathogenic fungi can cause huge damage to crop production. During millions of years of coexistence, fungi have evolved diverse life-style to obtain nutrients from the host and to colonize upon them. They deploy various proteinaceous as well as non-proteinaceous secreted molecules commonly referred as effectors to sabotage host machinery during the infection process. The effectors are important virulence determinants of pathogenic fungi and play important role in successful pathogenesis, predominantly by avoiding host-surveillance system. However, besides being important for pathogenesis, the fungal effectors end-up being recognized by the resistant cultivars of the host, which mount a strong immune response to ward-off pathogens. Various recent studies involving different pathosystem have revealed the virulence/avirulence functions of fungal effectors and their involvement in governing the outcome of host-pathogen interactions. However, the effectors and their cognate resistance gene in the host remain elusive for several economically important fungal pathogens. In this review, using examples from some of the biotrophic, hemi-biotrophic and necrotrophic pathogens, we elaborate the double-edged functions of fungal effectors. We emphasize that knowledge of effector functions can be helpful in effective management of fungal diseases in crop plants.

For standard factor graphs (S-FGs), i.e., factor graphs with local functions taking on non-negative real values, Vontobel gave a characterization of the Bethe approximation to the partition function in terms of the partition function of finite graph covers. The proof of that statement heavily relied on the method of types.In this paper we give a similar characterization for so-called double-edge factor graphs (DE-FGs), which are a class of factor graphs where local functions take on complex values and have to satisfy some positive semi-definiteness constraints. Such factor graphs are of interest in quantum information processing.In general, approximating the partition function of DE-FGs is more challenging than for S-FGs because the partition function is a sum of complex values and not just a sum of non-negative real values. In particular, for proving the above-mentioned characterization of the Bethe approximation in terms of finite graph covers, one cannot use the method of types anymore. We overcome this challenge by applying the loop-calculus transform by Chertkov and Chernyak, along with using the symmetricsubspace transform, a novel technique for factor graphs that should be of interest beyond proving the main result of this paper. Currently, the characterization of the Bethe approximation of the partition function of DE-FGs is for DE-FGs satisfying an (easily checkable) condition. However, based on numerical results, we suspect that the characterization holds more broadly.

This paper presents new developments in the use of the size effect method for obtaining the compressive fracture toughness of 2D woven carbon fibre composites. A modification of the Double Edge Notch Compression (DENC) specimen geometry is proposed, to fit the Combined Loading Compression (CLC) standard fixture, and shown to reduce peak load dispersion. The notch tip diameter sensitivity on the peak load is also investigated, experimentally and numerically, and shown not to have a significant influence on fracture toughness. The use of the CLC fixture also allows for the residual compressive strength of the material to be calculated from post-peak crushing.

Utilization of ground tire rubber (GTR) binder in combination with reclaimed asphalt pavements (RAP) binder can provide added benefits in terms of material, cost and environmental saving, and hence a promising step toward sustainable construction of pavements. The present study utilized essential work of fracture (EWF) principal to evaluate performance of a GTR binder blended with two different types of RAPs: RAP-A and RAP-S, having different rheological properties. The GTR binder was mixed with different percentages (0%, 15%, 25% and 40% by weight of virgin binder) of RAP-A and RAP-S. First, Superpave performance grade (PG) of different combinations of asphalt binders was determined in the laboratory. Thereafter, the EWF of binders was determined using a newly developed double edge notch tension (DENT) test. Further, the data obtained from the DENT test were used to estimate critical crack tip opening displacement (CTOD). The results showed that addition of RAP decreased fracture resistance of GTR binder. Addition of RAP-A resulted in a faster decrease in performance of GTR binder compared to RAP-S. It can be concluded that low percentage of RAP may be utilized with GTR binder. Further, analyses indicated that RAP sources and its quantity could have significant impact on performance of asphalt mixes. Keywords: Reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP), GTR binder, Fracture resistance, Double edge notched tension (DENT) test, Critical crack tip opening displacement (CTOD)

Fracture in thin sheets of polycarbonate (PC) occurs through strain localisation in a strip-like fracture process zone (FPZ) formed at the tip of a crack. Recently Cotterell et al. (2005) has proposed a method for calibrating traction separation laws for plane stress fracture that relies on normalising the overall load displacement behaviour of double edge notched tension (DENT) specimens. It has been shown that in the limit of zero ligament length, the area under this traction separation law tends to the essential work of fracture. The method seems particularly suitable for PC-like polymers where the Dugdale-type fracture process zone can be modeled using the cohesive zone methodology. In this work, we perform experiments on DENT specimens of PC to extract the traction separation law in the manner described by Cotterell et al. (2005) and further, test the effectiveness of the method by comparing various aspects of the experimental behaviour of single and double edge notched specimens with simulations conducted with this traction separation law and a well-established, realistic constitutive model. The simulations indicate that in cases where the overall load displacement behaviour of the DENT specimen is rendered independent of the ligament length by the normalisations suggested by Cotterell et al. (2005), this method of constructing these laws provides a feasible and reliable way of simulating crack propagation in thin polymeric materials.

The People’s Republic of China has experienced extraordinary economic growth, which is associated with increases in chronic health stressors. We examined the impact of John Henryism—a coping mechanism—on various health indicators in a sample of patients ( n = 642) in China. John Henryism significantly related to increased medical adherence [Formula: see text] and health-promotional behaviors [Formula: see text]. John Henryism predicted several indicators of psychological health through social support. John Henryism was also related to increased alcoholism [Formula: see text]. The findings highlight the complexity and paradoxical implications of John Henryism on health. Implications are discussed in relation to China’s epidemiological and age demographic shifts.

Modern ideologies of “good mothering” demand the resources and family configurations primarily available to privileged mothers, and mothers with disabilities are among those women who have been regarded as unsuitable for the responsibilities demanded of mothers in advanced industrial societies. Although less often explored than dynamics of race and class, mothers with disabilities are among those women who have been regarded as unsuitable for the responsibilities demanded of mothers in advanced industrial societies. Through interviews and focus groups conducted with mothers who have sensory and/or physical disabilities, we examine how women with disabilities interpret their identities as mothers in relation to modern ideals of good mothering. We find that motherhood offered some participants a path to feminine legitimacy often denied women with disabilities. Yet, because they are simultaneously regarded as less-than-ideal mothers, participants engaged in interpretive strategies including upholding and expanding dominant standards of good mothering, as well as reframing and rejecting elements of this mothering logic. We also find that, like women of color, these mothers engaged in culturework, performing identity work to strengthen their children’s social justice perspectives on disability and other forms of inequality.