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The dispersion curves and density of states are used to analyze the vibrational characteristics of DNA and RNA segments. This is done using a harmonic Hamiltonian and the Green's function technique. Two configurations of DNA and RNA, finite and cyclic, have been investigated and compared to their infinite counterparts. For the DNA molecule, three models, including a fishbone model, a ldder model, and a fishbone ladder model, have been employed, while the RNA molecule has been represented using a half fishbone model. To enhance the realism of DNA and RNA simulations, the unit cells within each infinite system as well as the length of the finite and cyclic cases are gradually enlarged. The connections between the sub-sites have been modeled using linear springs, where the stiffness of the vertical springs exhibits random variations throughout the length of the DNA and RNA models. Shorter DNA and RNA segments exhibit additional peaks in their density of states, resulting in more bands in dispersion curves. This indicates that as the number of building blocks grows in these segments, their curves resemble those of infinite systems. These findings have practical implications for studying the vibration characteristics of similar macro-systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives A number of regulatory and accrediting bodies require the reporting of critical results on a timely basis (immediately or within the time frame established by the laboratory) to “the responsible, licensed caregiver” as timely notification of critical laboratory results can pivotally affect patient outcome. The aim of the study was to decrease the turnaround time (TAT) of critical result notification along with assurance of notification to the concerned caregiver or clinicians. The objectives was 30% reduction in the critical value notification TAT and identify factors associated with delayed reporting and root cause analysis for these factors by application of quality tools. Materials and Methods The study was conducted at the Institute of Human Behavior and Allied Sciences, Delhi, a tertiary center teaching Hospital, from April 2019 to June 2021. A value streamed Process Map of critical alert was prepared. The incidents related to failure were presented through Pareto chart. The possible causes were analyzed through the fishbone model. The failure mode prioritization was executed with Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA). Through extensive brainstorming, appropriate and feasible corrective actions were implemented. The effectiveness of the implemented plan was analyzed by reassessing the TAT of critical alert and feedback received by clinical caregivers. Results After implementation of corrective action plan using quality tools for 3 months, the average critical alert TAT was reduced to 21 minutes from 30 minutes (30% reduction). The median critical alert TAT for ICU, emergency, and IPD were reduced to 3 minutes (IQR: 1–7). During the pilot project, 156 critical value data were sent for feedback with treatment plan but was received only for 88 patients (56%). Conclusion Comprehensive utilization of quality tools has a potential role in patient safety by reducing the critical alert TAT as well as establishing an effective communication between laboratory personnel and clinicians.

This study established an inversion based on a fishbone model to estimate physical parameters from the responses of elastic building structures subjected to an earthquake. A fishbone model, which has rotational springs and dashpots in addition to the elements in a lumped mass model, is effective for demonstrating structural rotations that happen at the connections of columns and beams. This model is commonly applied to computational calculations of seismic responses of structures and is classified into a forward problem obtaining responses from known systems and excitations. Although its effectiveness for the forward problem has been well demonstrated, it has rarely been applied to the inverse problem, where structural properties are estimated from known responses and excitations. First, this study inverted multi/single-mass-system fishbone models. Then, the inversion was applied to an elastic fishbone model of a 3-mass system, which was built based on an E-Defense shaking table experiment, and its structural responses were numerically simulated. This numerical simulation demonstrated its effectiveness for accurately estimating parameters in the fishbone model of the 3-mass system, especially when its structural responses are not contaminated by noises. Lastly, it was applied to responses containing some noise to examine its influence on the estimation accuracy. The estimation accuracy of damping elements was found to be sensitive to noise, whereas that of stiffness was more insensitive than the damping elements. The proposed inversion is particularly suitable for estimating rotational stiffness, which is not obtainable from the inversion of lumped mass systems.

The mechanical behavior of DNA-like structures has been investigated within the framework of a harmonic Hamiltonian and the Green's function formulism. Three models, a fishbone model and two double strand models, have been considered to model the structure of DNA and obtain the vibration spectra. The results show that increasing the number of building blocks inside the crystalline units decreases the influence of randomness on the vibrational response of the systems. The absence of a large gap in the vibration curve of one model separates it from the other two models in terms of how it responds to mechanical excitations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a method of evaluating seismic damage of column bases in steel moment-resisting frames based on fishbone model and hierarchical Bayesian updating method. In this study, a fishbone model considering the flexibility of column bases was presented instead of the traditional fishbone model with rigid column bases and shear building model with unobtainable stiffness of beam ends and column bases. The fishbone model could be used to update the rotational and shear stiffness of column bases, and also to update the stiffness of the beam ends. First, the eigenvalue problem of the fishbone model considering the flexibility of column bases was formulated. Then, the method of identifying the shear and rotational stiffness of column bases in steel frames was proposed based on the hierarchical Bayesian model updating algorithm using incomplete modal data. The seismic damage of column bases was evaluated by comparing the identified stiffness before and after earthquakes. The effectiveness of the proposed method was numerically investigated with a 5-story building model. The influences of the selection of parameters in algorithm, structural modal data and degrees of freedom on the identified results were studied. Finally, the applicability of the method to realistic damage evaluation of column bases was also examined by a serial of shaking table tests on a 3-story 2-bay large-scaled steel frame specimen. • Proposed fishbone model considering the flexibility of column bases could obtain stiffness of column bases and beam ends. • Proposed method accurately identified stiffness and evaluated seismic damage of the fishbone model with limited modal data. • Influence of equation errors and initial parameters on accuracy of the proposed method was assessed. • Experimental studies confirmed the effectiveness of the method in evaluating seismic damage in real structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fishbone model is a simplified numerical model for moment-resisting frames that is capable of modelling the effects of column-beam strength and stiffness ratios. The applicability of the fishbone model in simulating the seismic responses of reinforced concrete moment-resisting frames of different sets of column-beam strength and stiffness ratios are evaluated through nonlinear static, dynamic and incremental dynamic analysis on six prototype buildings of 4-, 8- and 12-stories. The results show that the fishbone model is practically accurate enough for reinforced concrete frames, although the assumption of equal joint rotation does not hold in all cases. In addition to the ground motion characteristics and the number of stories in the structures, the accuracy of the model also varies with the column-beam stiffness and strength ratios. The model performs better for strong column-weak beam frames, in which the lateral drift patterns are better controlled by the continuous stiffness provided by the strong columns. When the inelastic deformation is large, the accuracy of the model may be subjected to large record-to-record variability. This is especially the case for frames of weak columns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • This paper follows a stepwise application of Driving forces, Pressures, States, Impacts, and Responses (DPSIR) framework. • This paper explores the use of data analytics to analyze oil spillages in the Area of Niger Delta. • Profiles of tensions regarding oil spillages in conflict zones are visualized and analyzed. • This methodological approach uses both numerical and text data in proffering solutions. • Rural development policies can be enhanced to resolve social and environmental tensions between communities and corporations. Abstract This paper follows a stepwise application of Driving forces, Pressures, States, Impacts, and Responses (DPSIR) framework, and explores the use of data analytics to analyze oil spillages in the oil producing Niger Delta area of Nigeria. Our empirical results show that the major concerns of Shell Petroleum Development Corporation (SPDC) are implementing the 2011 UNEP report on oil spills in Ogoniland, and the cleanup program in the Niger Delta area. However, for the communities, the key issues are Shell Oil spillages and water pollution. The most important actionable option derived in the last step of the DPSIR framework is environmental mediation. This methodological approach uses both numerical and text data in proffering solutions to sustainable development crisis in the area, and can be replicated by policy makers at global levels to tackle similar problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the tight-binding Hamiltonian of the Harrison's model and the Landauer-Büttiker formalism, some of the electron transport properties of short poly(G)-poly(C) DNA segments lying between two semi-infinite carbon chains as the nanoleads are investigated. The analytical results of the self-energies due to the leads are represented by solving the discretized form of the one-dimensional Schrödinger's equation. Under the Harrison's model, with considering in-phase overlap between the nearest neighbors' all kinds of atomic orbitals, the influences of more atomic orbitals in central channel and backbone of DNA (according to Fishbone model) on the electron transmission probability are discussed. Transmission probabilities for both the single- and many-orbital states are calculated and compared with each other. Furthermore, the effect of increasing length of the DNA nanowire and the coupling strength of nanolead/DNA interface on transmission probability and the current-voltage (I–V) curves and also the effect of different temperatures of the leads on the I–V characteristics are studied. Our results show that the poly(G)-poly(C) DNA oligomer exhibits a semiconducting behavior and that the vertical coupling strength between base pairs and the sugar-phosphate backbone in poly(G)-poly(C) DNA structure can induce the semiconducting gap. [Display omitted] • Under the Harrison's model, the influence of more atomic orbitals in poly(G)-poly(C) DNA oligomer on the transmission probability is studied. • The effects of increasing length of the DNA wire and the lead-to-molecule coupling on the transport properties have been investigated. • The poly(G)-poly(C) DNA chain behaves like a semiconductor and the vertical coupling between base pairs and backbone in DNA structure can induce the semiconducting gap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives  A number of regulatory and accrediting bodies require the reporting of critical results on a timely basis (immediately or within the time frame established by the laboratory) to "the responsible, licensed caregiver" as timely notification of critical laboratory results can pivotally affect patient outcome. The aim of the study was to decrease the turnaround time (TAT) of critical result notification along with assurance of notification to the concerned caregiver or clinicians. The objectives was 30% reduction in the critical value notification TAT and identify factors associated with delayed reporting and root cause analysis for these factors by application of quality tools. Materials and Methods  The study was conducted at the Institute of Human Behavior and Allied Sciences, Delhi, a tertiary center teaching Hospital, from April 2019 to June 2021. A value streamed Process Map of critical alert was prepared. The incidents related to failure were presented through Pareto chart. The possible causes were analyzed through the fishbone model. The failure mode prioritization was executed with Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA). Through extensive brainstorming, appropriate and feasible corrective actions were implemented. The effectiveness of the implemented plan was analyzed by reassessing the TAT of critical alert and feedback received by clinical caregivers. Results  After implementation of corrective action plan using quality tools for 3 months, the average critical alert TAT was reduced to 21 minutes from 30 minutes (30% reduction). The median critical alert TAT for ICU, emergency, and IPD were reduced to 3 minutes (IQR: 1-7). During the pilot project, 156 critical value data were sent for feedback with treatment plan but was received only for 88 patients (56%). Conclusion  Comprehensive utilization of quality tools has a potential role in patient safety by reducing the critical alert TAT as well as establishing an effective communication between laboratory personnel and clinicians., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest None declared., (The Indian Association of Laboratory Physicians. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ ).)

In this work, using a tight-binding Hamiltonian model, a generalized Greens function method and Löwdins partitioning techniques, some of the significant properties of the conductance of poly(dG)-poly(dC) DNA molecule in SWNT/DNA/SWNT structure are numerically investigated. In Fishbone model, we consider DNA as a planar molecule which contains M cells and 3 further sites (one base pair site and two backbone sites) in each cell sandwiched between two semi-infinite single-walled carbon nanotubes(SWNT) as the nano-electrodes. Relying on Landauer formalism as the basis for investigating the conductance properties of this system, we focus on the studying of the electron transmission and the current-voltage characteristics of DNA in the foregoing structure. In addition, in the presence of the electric potential between DNA molecule ends, our results suggest that the increasing of the value of applied bias give rise to the large enhancement in the conductance of the system. We also find that, as the tube radius increases, the conductance of the system considerably increases.