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A prevalent issue in rotors is mass unbalance, which leads to synchronous lateral vibrations. In this paper, the critical whirling speeds and global responses of an unbalanced rotor-bearing system with viscoelastic boundary condition are computed using the relationships between the vectors of solution coefficients of differential equations governing the transverse displacements. The mathematical formulation is based on the matrix form of the aforementioned relationships and boundary conditions in the resonance case. The Timoshenko beam model, including the effects of gyroscopic moments is employed. It was found that the presented approach in comparison with the transfer matrix method reduces the matrix product when shaft segments have the same geometric and mechanical properties. A good agreement is found between the results of this study and the findings of studies available in the literature. Furthermore, the eigenvectors for free vibrations of the system were calculated by combining Natanson's technique with the presented approach while considering the derived rotor's characteristic equation after removing the forced term in the equation that describes the forced vibrations. Each obtained forward whirling mode shape describes perfectly the global response in the vicinity of the corresponding forward critical speed. The presented approach can, therefore, be applied to obtain the unbalance responses, whirling speeds, and associated mode shapes of rotor-bearing systems with complex boundary conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic has been recognized as an unprecedented global health crisis. Over 7 million mortalities have been documented with many paediatric fatalities. Trauma and orthopaedic care, much like other specialities, were marginalized due to resource allocation during the pandemic which affected paediatric care. This is the first systematic review to centralise and compile the recommended published guidelines from professional bodies in principally English speaking countries on managing paediatric trauma and orthopaedic care. These guidelines will be required to be implemented sooner and more effectively in case of future pandemics with similar impact.MethodsA search was conducted on PubMed/MedLine, Cochrane Library and Embase using terms including p(a)ediatric or child* and/or COVID* or coronavirus or SARS-CoV-2 and/or trauma and/or orthop(a)edic* with a simplified MeSH heading [mh] in order to make the search as comprehensive as possible. General terminology was utilized to make the search as exhaustive as possible for this systematic review. Another search was conducted on resources available in the public domain from professional bodies publishing on consensus statements and clinical practice guidelines in countries where English is the principal language managing pediatric trauma and orthopedics. The review adhered to PRISMA guidance.ResultsThe search revealed a total of 62 results from both databases and professional bodies. Duplicates were removed. This was then reviewed to identify a total of 21 results which fit the inclusion criteria and included within the main analysis. The guidelines from professional bodies were outlined and categorized into aspects of clinical care.DiscussionThe impact of COVID-19 pandemic has compelled for changes in clinical practice and pediatric management. The systematic review highlights the relevant guidelines on service provision for pediatric patients including indications for urgent referrals, surgical prioritization, reasons for follow-up and trauma guidelines. The rationale for care during the unpredictable evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic may have the potential to be translated and replicated in future pandemics of similar significance.

As HIV unfolded in the 1980s, HIV and AIDS were heard and seen through the lives of those whom it touched directly. Personal histories were foregrounded, centred by the inevitable mortality attached to HIV infection, the courage of circumstance in the face of illness, and the activism necessary to make a difference. In the later part of the decade, the impacts of HIV were most apparent in East Africa, where community responses and political leadership coalesced to reduce new HIV infections. The 1990s marked a turn towards centralised policy, funding, and the reification of biomedically oriented approaches and systems that are intrinsically top-down. This biomedical turn centred on foregrounding the widespread availability of low-cost antiretroviral therapy and was articulated in the 90-90-90 and subsequent targets. Biomedicalisation reinforces individualised approaches to health primarily focused on biomedical technologies and health service provision that do not rely on community or social organisation formats. Emphasis on HIV treatment, along with the promise of reduced HIV transmission through viral load suppression, contributed to limiting socio-behavioural approaches to HIV prevention. While the importance of community-led response was highlighted in the 2016 United Nations Political Declaration on Ending AIDS, community-led response has devolved towards concepts such as community-led monitoring and community-led response that frame responses in direct relation to the dominant biomedical paradigm. There are lessons in the history of the AIDS response that demonstrate that communities formulate responses to AIDS differently when there have been opportunities for community members to determine the pathways for action to address HIV independently. Older research studies offer retrospective insights into moments in the history of HIV when communities were foregrounded and highlighted the need to reconsider the current trajectory of the HIV response. Not only for history's sake but to acknowledge that community leadership remains overwhelmed by elites. While lofty targets and goals drive the contemporary HIV response, the way forward is mired by uncertainty. HIV prevention efforts remain uneven, and millions of people living with HIV depend on access to treatment for decades to come in the context of budgetary uncertainties. Changing the course of AIDS will not be achieved if we fail to ensure that communities occupy a genuine and unambiguous place in shaping HIV response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the effectiveness of local strengthening using textile reinforced mortar (TRM) jackets on the global response of reinforced concrete (RC) frames under gravity and lateral cyclic loadings. Finite element analysis (FEA) was employed to develop and validate an RC bare frame model against an experimental study in the literature. Consequently, four TRM strengthening configurations were applied considering the column's confinement and strengthening of joints and beams. With the aim to attain a ductile behavior of the frame, the selection of each configuration was based on the predicted failure of the preceding strengthening arrangement. A parametric study was performed to investigate the effect of the number of layers, length of TRM jackets, textile orientation, and distributed load values. Finally, the FEA models were compared with traditionally and noninteracting masonry infilled frames from the literature. By evaluating the local retrofitting influence on the global response of the frames, the strength and stiffness enhancements were marginal as compared to the control model. Local measures were more effective in the frame's post-peak response, hence, enhancing the ductility of RC frames. The TRM application to the beam-column joints resulted in substantially higher energy dissipation as compared to the model with no joint upgrading. When comparing the TRM local strengthening method to the global technique using infilled walls, the TRM retrofitted models showed similar energy dissipation to that of noninteracting masonry infilled specimen and lower values than those of the traditionally infilled frame. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has been recognized as an unprecedented global health crisis. Over 7 million mortalities have been documented with many paediatric fatalities. Trauma and orthopaedic care, much like other specialities, were marginalized due to resource allocation during the pandemic which affected paediatric care. This is the first systematic review to centralise and compile the recommended published guidelines from professional bodies in principally English speaking countries on managing paediatric trauma and orthopaedic care. These guidelines will be required to be implemented sooner and more effectively in case of future pandemics with similar impact., Methods: A search was conducted on PubMed/MedLine, Cochrane Library and Embase using terms including p(a)ediatric or child* and/or COVID* or coronavirus or SARS-CoV-2 and/or trauma and/or orthop(a)edic* with a simplified MeSH heading [mh] in order to make the search as comprehensive as possible. General terminology was utilized to make the search as exhaustive as possible for this systematic review. Another search was conducted on resources available in the public domain from professional bodies publishing on consensus statements and clinical practice guidelines in countries where English is the principal language managing pediatric trauma and orthopedics. The review adhered to PRISMA guidance., Results: The search revealed a total of 62 results from both databases and professional bodies. Duplicates were removed. This was then reviewed to identify a total of 21 results which fit the inclusion criteria and included within the main analysis. The guidelines from professional bodies were outlined and categorized into aspects of clinical care., Discussion: The impact of COVID-19 pandemic has compelled for changes in clinical practice and pediatric management. The systematic review highlights the relevant guidelines on service provision for pediatric patients including indications for urgent referrals, surgical prioritization, reasons for follow-up and trauma guidelines. The rationale for care during the unpredictable evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic may have the potential to be translated and replicated in future pandemics of similar significance., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (© 2024 Sugand, Park, Aframian, Gupte, Sarraf and COVid Emergency Related Trauma and orthopaedics (COVERT) Collaborative.)

Summary: Background: Tackling the spread of COVID-19 remains a crucial part of ending the pandemic. Its highly contagious nature and constant evolution coupled with a relative lack of immunity make the virus difficult to control. For this, various strategies have been proposed and adopted including limiting contact, social isolation, vaccination, contact tracing, etc. However, given the heterogeneity in the enforcement of these strategies and constant fluctuations in the strictness levels of these strategies, it becomes challenging to assess the true impact of these strategies in controlling the spread of COVID-19. Methods: In the present study, we evaluated various transmission control measures that were imposed in 10 global urban cities and provinces in 2021– Bangkok, Gauteng, Ho Chi Minh City, Jakarta, London, Manila City, New Delhi, New York City, Singapore, and Tokyo. Findings: Based on our analysis, we herein propose the population-level Swiss cheese model for the failures and pitfalls in various strategies that each of these cities and provinces had. Furthermore, whilst all the evaluated cities and provinces took a different personalized approach to managing the pandemic, what remained common was dynamic enforcement and monitoring of breaches of each barrier of protection. The measures taken to reinforce the barriers were adjusted continuously based on the evolving epidemiological situation. Interpretation: How an individual city or province handled the pandemic profoundly affected and determined how the entire country handled the pandemic since the chain of transmission needs to be broken at the very grassroot level to achieve nationwide control. Funding: The present study did not receive any external funding.

Photo by Mika Baumeister on Unsplash INTRODUCTION When the COVID-19 pandemic swept the globe, governments and healthcare systems scrambled to control it. While most of the global public health community agreed that actions against the COVID-19 pandemic needed to be prompt and efficient, there were disagreements on what those actions should be. Some governments opted to adopt a containment strategy while others implemented mitigation measures; each had reasons to support their course of action, whether rooted in governmental structures, scientific findings, beliefs, or ethical and moral values. However, the dramatically different response strategies may have led to disparate results. This divide is furthered when ethical and moral values and cultural norms are added to this equation. In this paper, I will examine China and Korea, two countries that implemented a preventative containment strategy, and the United States of America and the United Kingdom, which adopted mitigation strategies. I will examine the differences in their outcomes and whether there is a “correct” response to pandemics like COVID-19. l. Response in China and Korea After its initial discovery in December 2019, COVID-19 rapidly spread beyond China to surrounding countries, including South Korea, Japan, and Singapore. China implemented swift measures drawing on its experience with the SARS outbreak. Measures included lockdowns, contact tracing, testing all individuals exposed to the virus, and consequently enforcing isolation and quarantine provisions.[1] During the early stages, the public health systems and the national government moved to a “health care to all” system to avoid nationwide spread. The government and all sectors of society were mobilized to track, contain, and adapt to the overall state of the epidemic.[2] COVID-19 continued and spread in China during Lunar New Year celebrations when population movement within the country was at its peak. Thus, Wuhan entered lockdown to control the number of infected people leaving the city to contain the virus;[3] even in areas where there were few to no cases, the general population of China voluntarily abided by measures like those implemented in Wuhan. The measures included wearing masks, social distancing, and following stay-at-home orders. Furthermore, healthcare workers from all over the country volunteered to travel to Hubei, where Wuhan is, and assembled several Fangcang shelter hospitals.[4] Fangcang hospitals were designed based on emergency medical care cabins that were used after two devastating earthquakes in China and served as temporary quarantine housing and hospital facilities.[5] They are mobile, have fast deployment, and can adapt quickly to different environments. At the start of the pandemic, Wuhan converted gymnasiums, convention centers, sports arenas and training centers, factories, and other venues into Fangcang hospitals. Although temporary, these quarantine hospital facilities were equipped with full medical equipment and personnel, allowing for complete medical functions for “treatment, disease monitoring, diagnosis and other clinical tasks.”[6] Teams of psychologists were also assigned to each hospital to provide counseling for patients.[7] Beyond separating those who were infected from the rest of the population and thus having more control over the community spread of the virus, Fangcang hospitals played a vital role in reducing patient density in traditional hospitals and medical centers by expanding treatment capacities.[8] South Korea reported its first COVID-19 case in January 2020, and, within days, the government activated the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters.[9] Similar to China, South Korea used existing epidemic protocols and implemented the 3Ts strategy, prioritizing testing, tracing, and treatment.[10] High-capacity screening facilities and working with the private sector to ensure an adequate supply of tests made South Korea’s efforts successful.[11] The South Korean government strictly regulated self-isolation and quarantine. Contact tracing efforts used various data sources, “including credit card transactions and closed-circuit television footage.”[12] The government also placed stringent restrictions on travel, beginning with designated entry lines and questionnaires, but expanding to include temperature checks, testing for all travelers at the border, and a mandatory fourteen-day monitored quarantine for anyone entering the country.[13] The majority of the population responded immediately with compliance, with national weekly movement decreasing by 38 percent between February 24, 2020, and March 1, 2020, compared to the corresponding week the previous month. Schools swiftly closed across the nation, and the entire country transitioned to remote learning until the gradual reopening in May and June 2020.[14] There was some discontentment within the population, especially with the South Korean government’s practice of publicly announcing the names of individuals who tested positive.[15] Critics of this practice say it is an infringement of patient privacy and can even be viewed as an invitation to public bullying.[16] However, even with some dissatisfaction with government regulations, a survey of 1,200 South Koreans in September 2020 asking people to agree if they were satisfied with the government’s response showed that the overwhelming majority either agreed or strongly agreed (44.08 percent and 19.75 percent, respectively), and less than 20 percent of the respondents either disagreed or strongly disagreed (11.50 percent and 5.08 percent, respectively).[17] Regulations surrounding isolation and quarantine were strict and applied to those with confirmed cases of COVID-19, anyone who traveled internationally, or individuals suspected to be infected. Individuals were required to use the Self-Quarantine Safety Protection app that tracked location for fourteen days to ensure that quarantine protocols were followed.[18] Case officers monitored the app, and violators not only faced a substantial fine but were also required to wear electronic wristbands that would alert the officers if the individual left the location of their mobile device.[19] ll. The Western Response: The UK and US COVID-19 was reported in many Western nations around January 2020. However, unlike South Korea, many countries did not immediately respond to the outbreak with surveillance and containment strategies but had a wait-and-see approach. As the pandemic worsened, they gradually adopted mitigation strategies to combat the disease as it progressed. While the US adopted a combination of containment and mitigation strategies, a concrete response from state and federal governments did not occur until March 2020.[20] Even then, many states did little to address the pandemic. Although equipped with a robust healthcare system, a shortage of ventilators and hospital beds became evident in some localities early on. The US healthcare system failed to acknowledge the pandemic and prepare a coordinated response in time to stop the momentum of the disease.[21] The goal became “flattening the curve” (keeping the number of cases that needed hospital care low enough to avoid overwhelming the hospital system) as it was clear containment would be impossible. Once tests were developed, poor coordination of testing efforts and insufficient resources to test at the necessary scale to provide comprehensive national surveillance of the disease further hindered efforts to contain infected individuals and decelerate its spread.[22] Eventually, regulations and mitigation measures were implemented, including mask mandates, school closures, caps or bans on in-person gatherings, and the closure of non-essential businesses.[23] However, enforcement of these measures proved difficult, and people instigated protests against many of the recommended policies and requirements. The UK and the US both encountered a shortage of personal protective equipment for healthcare workers.[24] However, a more prominent problem arose from the UK’s initial response to the pandemic. The UK first said COVID-19 was like influenza and therefore did not call for emergency measures to deter its spread.[25] Furthermore, in the first few weeks of the pandemic, the UK government believed herd immunity was the best course of action, stating that most people would have mild symptoms,[26] and the population would become mostly immune to the virus once enough people were infected.[27] In theory, herd immunity was a potentially effective strategy. The public health authorities thought that if the threshold for herd immunity was reached, enough people would have developed protective antibodies against any future infection.[28] However, the risks of COVID-19 were high and the cases “would lead to high rates of hospitalization and need for critical care, straining health service capacity past the breaking point.”[29] Furthermore, while getting COVID-19 would offer some natural immunity against reinfection, reinfection remained a possibility, especially during the early stages of the pandemic when vaccines were unavailable.[30] Later, when vaccines were available, a study showed that an unvaccinated person who contracted the virus was more than twice as likely to become reinfected than a fully vaccinated person.[31] The UK government also expressed concern for “behavioral fatigue.”[32] It claimed that if restrictions were enforced pre-emptively and prematurely, people might become progressively “uncooperative and less vigilant.”[33] Regarding the concern for “behavioral fatigue,” numerous behavioral scientists stated that they were unconvinced that this reason was enough to hold off implementing restrictions. There was a lack of evidence of this phenomenon, and a group of 681 UK behavioral scientists said in an open letter that “[s]uch evidence is necessary if we are to base a high-risk public health strategy on it.”[34] Fortunately, this strategy only remained under consideration for a short period. After rapid increases in confirmed cases and deaths due to COVID-19, the UK government implemented more strict measures, like city lockdown, school closures, and the closure of non-essential businesses.[35] These restrictions took legal effect on March 26th, 2020 – around two weeks after the first proposal of the “herd immunity” strategy.[36] lll. Comparing the Two Approaches The Eastern and Western countries experienced significant outbreaks of COVID-19. However, looking at the mortality rate and new confirmed cases, the differences between the two categories of response to COVID-19 are significant. As of December 31, 2020, the mortality rate per 100,000 population for China and South Korea were 0.3 and 1.8, respectively, and new confirmed cases per day per 100,000 population were 87 and 1,029, respectively. However, the mortality rates per 100,000 in the US and the UK were 107 and 108, respectively, and they had up to 234,133 and 56,029 new confirmed cases every day, respectively.[37] As of July 2022, total deaths in China were 22, 994[38] (population 1.45 billion)[39] and in South Korea 24,794[40] (population 51.36 million)[41] compared to 1,015,093[42] in the US (population 335.03 million)[43] and 182,727[44] in the UK (population 68.62 million).[45] Further differences can be seen in the varying sectors of society, such as healthcare systems and authority models, political structures, and cultural customs among these countries, which in turn affect the response and control strategies.[46] In the US and the UK, rights-based political structures affected the response, making tracking and surveillance more problematic early on. But Western countries did have strict lockdowns and quarantines. China and South Korea maintained a proactive approach by “identifying and managing cases, tracking and isolating close contacts, and strictly restricting or controlling population movement when feasible and appropriate.”[47] In contrast, the UK implemented nationwide lockdowns early on, and the US restrictions varied among states. Both the UK and the US focused on treating the severe cases and those with underlying conditions rather than proactively preventing new cases from developing in the early pandemic.[48] They did shift gears to mass testing schemes and attempts to slow transmission. By the time they implemented cohesive strategies, COVID-19 was widespread. Due to their slow initial responses, they needed to manage an onslaught of cases while trying to prevent transmission. lV. Ethical Implications The “West vs. Rest” culture divide emerges when comparing the COVID-19 response strategies of East Asian countries to those of Western countries. The differences in their strategies further highlight the differences in the prevailing moral values influencing public policy. The preventative stance adopted by many East Asian countries shows a stronger collective identity among citizens. But it also may show more substantial governmental power and less appetite for protest. In contrast, the mostly non-interfering nature of Western governments’ actions shows a reliance on the “autonomous and unanimous responsibility of individuals.”[49] The moral values in the US also may reflect the prioritized position of personal rights and the suspicion of intrusive government policies. Culturally, the populations of South Korea and China are generally more tolerant of personal data-sharing and monitoring, suggesting there is less concern for autonomy or privacy. However, many people in the US and UK would consider the use of location tracking apps and electronic bracelets to be violations of individual autonomy and privacy.[50] Sectors of the Western world also argue that mandating masking or social distancing imposes on individual autonomy and free will. Mask-wearing was an existing practice in East Asian countries, even without mandates or pandemics. Individuals wear masks for common colds and influenza and do not consider a mask requirement an infringement of their autonomy. Furthermore, whether it is due to the authoritarian nature of the government or not, there is a general tendency toward public compliance and accepting government policies in many East Asian countries,[51] and the lack of public dissent played an important part in making combating COVID-19 easier for countries like China and South Korea. The lack of initiative from Western nations arguably violates the bioethical principles of beneficence and nonmaleficence.[52] For example, the promotion of the “herd immunity” strategy from the UK government and consequently the government’s inaction, risked the well-being of its citizens. The government failed to avoid the harm that COVID-19 brought. Similarly, by delaying its response until nearly two months after the initial case was reported, the US also violated the principle of non-maleficence. The success seen in South Korea and China during the early pandemic better exemplifies beneficence and nonmaleficence. The strategy of contact tracing and strict containment saved lives. The consequences of the restrictions varied across the countries as well. Not everyone can afford to self-isolate or quarantine and being required to do so can significantly impact many individuals’ well-being. Furthermore, not everyone’s occupation allows them to work from home and business closures disadvantaged portions of the population disparately. For those who are essential workers, school closures may also burden parents who do not have access to affordable childcare. The stringent restrictions regarding quarantine and self-isolation in East Asian countries also harmed people disparately, raising problems surrounding the principle of justice. However, the speed at which China had COVID-19 contained allowed people there to return to their normal lives quickly. Compared to some Western countries’ waves of lockdown and reinforcement of restrictions, the “zero-COVID” strategy in countries like China showed success, at least during the early stages of the pandemic. The contact tracing and containment was likely financially beneficial. While the pandemic resulted in substantial economic growth downgrades and global recessions, regions like East Asia were estimated to grow by around 0.5 percent. In comparison, the economy in regions like Europe contracted by around 4.7 percent.[53] CONCLUSION China arguably had an advantage in combating COVID-19 since the outbreak was relatively concentrated in one region. This allowed early detection of symptoms and quick containment of the virus. Other countries, like the US, had new cases on both coasts early in the pandemic; thus, containment was more challenging than it was in China. However, the delayed and reluctant response from countries like the US and the UK did not benefit the well-being of their populations and proved to put more stress on their healthcare systems. While mass tracking of people is politically contentious, the promptness of actions many East Asian countries employed at the beginning of COVID-19 seemed to be the more effective course of action that best protected the well-being of their citizens. - [1] Chen, Haiqian, et al. “Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Comparison of Strategies in Six Countries.” Frontiers in Public Health, vol. 9, September 30, 2021, pp. 1-11. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.708496. [2] Chen, et al. [3] Chen, et al. [4] Chen, et al. [5] Wang, Ke-Wei, et al. “Fangcang shelter hospitals are a One Health approach for responding to the COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan, China.” One Health, vol. 10, August 29th, 2020, pp. 1-6. doi: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2020.100167. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352771420302688. [6] Wang. [7] Wang. [8] Wang. [9] Kim, June-Ho, et al. “Emerging COVID-19 Success Story: South Korea Learned the Lesson of MERS.” Our World Data, University of Oxford, March 5, 2021. https://ourworldindata.org/covid-exemplar-south-korea. [10] Chen, Haiqian, et al. [11] Kim, et al. [12] Kim. [13] Kim. [14] Scott, Dylan and Jun Michael Park. “South Korea’s Covid-19 success story started with failure.” Vox, April 19, 2021. https://www.vox.com/22380161/south-korea-covid-19-coronavirus-pandemic-contact-tracing-testing.. [15] Scott and Park. [16] Rich, Timothy S., et al. “What Do South Koreans Think of Their Government’s COVID-19 Response?” The Diplomat, October 7, 2020. https://thediplomat.com/2020/10/what-do-south-koreans-think-of-their-governments-covid-19-response/. [17] Rich, et al. [18] Kim, et al. [19] Kim, et al. [20] Chen, et al. [21] Chen, et al. [22] Chen, et al. [23] Chen, et al. [24] Chen, et al. [25]Chen, et al. [26] Chen, et al. [27] O’Grady, Cathleen. “The U.K. backed off on herd immunity. To beat COVID-19, we’ll ultimately need it.” National Geographics, March 20, 2020. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/uk-backed-off-on-herd-immunity-to-beat-coronavirus-we-need-it. [28] “Herd immunity and COVID-19: What you need to know.” Mayo Clinic, April 20, 2022. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/herd-immunity-and-coronavirus/art-20486808?p=1. [29] O’Grady. [30] O’Grady. [31] Mayo Clinic, April 20, 2022. [32] Yong, Ed. “The UK’s Coronavirus ‘Herd Immunity’ Debacle.” The Atlantic, March 16, 2020. https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2020/03/coronavirus-pandemic-herd-immunity-uk-boris-johnson/608065/. [33] Yong. [34] Harvey, Nigel. “Behavioral Fatigue: Real Phenomenon, Naïve Construct or Policy Contrivance?” Frontiers in Psychology, vol. 11, November 6, 2020. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.589892, quoting a March 16, 2020 open letter to the UK government. [35] Chen, et al. [36]“Timeline of UK coronavirus lockdowns, March 2020 to March 2021.” Institute for Government Analysis. https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/sites/default/files/timeline-lockdown-web.pdf. [37] Chen, et al. [38] “China: WHO Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Dashboard.” World Health Organization, 2022, https://covid19.who.int/region/wpro/country/cn. [39] “China Population.” Worldometer, 2022, https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/china-population/. [40] “The Republic of South Korea: WHO Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Dashboard.” World Health Organization, 2022, https://covid19.who.int/region/wpro/country/kr. [41] “South Korea Population,” Worldometer, 2022, https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/south-korea-population/. [42] “The United States of America: WHO Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Dashboard.” World Health Organization, 2022, https://covid19.who.int/region/amro/country/us. [43] “United States Population,” Worldometer, 2022, https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/us-population/. [44] “The United Kingdom: WHO Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Dashboard.” World Health Organization, 2022, https://covid19.who.int/region/euro/country/gb. [45] “U.K. Population,” Worldometer, 2022, https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/uk-population/. [46] Chen, et al. [47] Chen, et al., p 6. [48] Chen, et al. [49] Festing, Marion, Tobias Schumacher and Yong-Yueh Lee. “How Cultural Norms and Values Shape National Responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic.” The London School of Economics and Political Science, April 15, 2021. https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/businessreview/2021/04/15/how-cultural-norms-and-values-shaped-national-responses-to-the-covid-19-pandemic/. [50] Festing, et al. [51] Festing, et al. [52] Beauchamp, Tom L. and James F. Childress. Principles of Biomedical Ethics. (New York: Oxford University Press, 2009). [53] “The Global Economic Outlook During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Changed World.” The World Bank, June 8, 2020. https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2020/06/08/the-global-economic-outlook-during-the-covid-19-pandemic-a-changed-world.

The 4.2 ka event is one of the most prominent climate events of the Holocene. In this study, several climate model experiments were performed to investigate its causal mechanism. The focus in these experiments was on the impact of anomalies in sea surface temperatures (SSTs) associated with enhanced El Nino activity, as this has been proposed as an important driver for the event. Six different SST anomaly scenarios were considered, covering the tropical sectors of the Pacific, Indian, and Atlantic Oceans. In addition, the possible impact of desertification in Northern Africa and Arabia was taken into account. The model results were evaluated against the global humidity anomaly signature for the 4.2 ka event as provided by proxy-based reconstructions from 129 different sites. It is found that a scenario with desertification and warm Pacific SSTs and cold Atlantic SSTs provides the best match with these proxies. This experiment produces significant decreases in precipitation in South Asia, West and East Africa, and increases in South America and northwest North America. These results are partly forced by the strong increase in albedo in North Africa and Arabia, leading to regional cooling and more stable atmospheric conditions, and partly by enhanced atmospheric moisture transport to South America related to an enhanced land-sea thermal contrast. Based on these results, it is proposed that the 4.2 ka event was caused by tropical SST anomalies, leading to drying in North Africa, assisted by ongoing desertification in Northern Africa and Arabia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ukrainian refugee crisis highlights the many issues associated with trauma, distress, mental and physical health, culturally competent assessments, and meaningful support and interventions. This crisis requires international support and a global response, as hosting countries have specific competencies and capacities. The authors hope that the groundswell of international concern over the crisis in Ukraine will lead not only to a comprehensive response to the needs of refugees from that country but also to a recognition of the needs of other asylum seekers and refugees and to our collective moral obligation to address those needs equitably.

As global warming continues, events of extreme heat or heavy precipitation will become more frequent, while events of extreme cold will become less so. How wetlands around the globe will react to these extreme events is unclear yet critical, because they are among the greatest natural sources of methane(CH 4). Here we use seven indices of extreme climate and the rate of methane emission from global wetlands(WME) during 2000–2019 simulated by 12 published models as input data. Our analyses suggest that extreme cold (particularly extreme low temperatures) inhibits WME, whereas extreme heat (particularly extreme high temperatures) accelerates WME. Our results also suggest that daily precipitation >10 mm accelerates WME, while much higher daily precipitation levels can slow WME. The correlation of extreme high temperature and precipitation with rate of WME became stronger during the study period, while the correlation between extreme low temperature and WME rate became weaker. • Quantitatively assessed the response of wetland CH 4 emissions to extreme climate globally. • Global wetland CH 4 emission rates are most sensitive to daily temperature extremes. • Precipitation stimulated emissions in general. Beyond a certain level, however, extreme precipitation inhibited emissions. • Impacts of climate extremes on wetland CH 4 emissions continue to increase significantly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an experimental study of the seismic performance of austenitic stainless steel full-scale frames using the pseudo-static test method. The bottom single-span, two-storey substructure of the designed prototype frame was chosen as the test frame. Two full-scale frames were tested, one with a bolt-welded joint and the other with an extended end-plate joint. This paper is the first of two accompanying papers to this experimental study and focuses on the specimen design, testing details and global response of the stainless steel frame under cyclic loading. The test results were utilized to analyse the global response of the frames, encompassing failure mode, bearing capacity, deformation capacity, energy dissipation capacity, the overstrength factor, ductility factor and seismic response modification factor. The experimental findings suggest that the stainless steel frames with two joint types demonstrate consistent ability to dissipate energy during cyclic loading. The structure also performs well in terms of deformation, with uniform inter-storey deformation and no soft-storey detected. The maximum storey drift ratio of the frame is 7%. Prior to reaching a storey drift ratio of 2%, the frames with both joint types exhibit similar cumulative plastic deformation, stiffness degradation, and cumulative energy dissipation. • Two stainless steel full-scale frames were tested under two loading protocols. • Global seismic response of the tested frames was analyzed. • Acoustic emission monitoring technique was attempted for overall damage detection. • Overstrength, ductility and seismic response modification factors were calculated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of installed offshore wind turbines is continuously growing worldwide in recent years. Offshore wind farms are generally located near the coast close to traffic lanes and are exposed to the risk of collisions from visiting and passing ships. Potential consequences of collisions may vary from local structural damage to the detachment of turbine nacelles and rotors, and even tower collapse and capsizing of the turbine platform, causing significant economic loss and fatalities. This paper investigates ship collision responses of a semi-submersible floating offshore wind turbine (FOWT), i.e. the OO-STAR floater with the DTU 10 MW blades, using the nonlinear finite element code USFOS. The OO-STAR floater is made of post-tensioned concrete designed by Dr. techn. Olav Olsen. The striking ships are selected to be a modern supply vessel of 7500 tons and a shuttle tanker of 150,000 tons, representing respectively service/coastal merchant vessels and large passing vessels. Modelling of the FOWT in USFOS is described in detail including the OO-STAR floater, the DTU 10 MW turbine blade, the turbine tower, and the mooring system. The modelled hydrodynamic loads include buoyancy loads and motion induced radiation loads using the Morrison equation. The effects of external waves and currents are assumed to be small and ignored in all directions. Eigenmode analysis of the turbine model is performed to verify the established model. Global collision response analyses of the FOWT were performed in both parked and operating conditions. The ship resistance is modelled as nonlinear springs in USFOS containing force displacement curves simulated in LS-DYNA. In operating conditions, wind loads are introduced including wind thrust loads and wind induced torque to rotate the turbine blades. The changes of upstream wind speeds and rotor/wake interactions during collisions are neglected. The results are discussed with respect to energy absorption of the ship and the FOWT, and structural responses of the FOWT including global motions, nacelle accelerations, tower clearance, tower vibrations, and responses of the mooring system. • A semi-submersible floating turbine subjected to ship collisions is analyzed. • Modelling of the turbine in USFOS is described and verified by eigenmode analysis. • The striking ships are service/coastal merchant vessels and large passing vessels. • Global response analyses were performed in parked and operating conditions. • Results are discussed with respect to energy absorption and motions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The existence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in contaminated environment is multifarious. At present, studies of metabolic regulation focus on the degradation process of single PAH. The global metabolic regulatory mechanisms of microorganisms facing coexisting PAHs are poorly understood, which is the major bottleneck for efficient bioremediation of PAHs pollution. Naphthalene (NAP) significantly enhanced the biodegradation of phenanthrene (PHE) by Pseudomonas sp. SL-6. To explore the underlying mechanism, isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) labeled quantitative proteomics was used to characterize the differentially expressed proteins of SL-6 cultured with PHE or NAP + PHE as carbon source. Through joint analysis of proteome and genome, unique proteins were identified and quantified. The up-regulated proteins mainly concentrated in PAH catabolism, Transporters and Electron transfer carriers. In the process, the regulator NahR, activated by salicylate (intermediate of NAP-biodegradation), up-regulates degradation enzymes (NahABCDE and SalABCDEFGH), which enhances the biodegradation of PHE and accumulation of toxic intermediate–1-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid (1H2Na); 1H2Na stimulates the expression of ABC transporter, which maintains intracellular physiological activity by excreting 1H2Na; the up-regulation of cytochrome C promotes the above process running smoothly. Salicylate works as a trigger that stimulates cell to respond globally. The conjecture was verified at transcriptional and metabolic levels. These new insights contribute to improving the overall understanding of PAHs-biodegradation processes under complex natural conditions, and promoting the application of microbial remediation technology for PAHs pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel coronavirus with no previous history of causing disease in humans was reported in December 2019 in the Wuhan province of China. Different community prevention and control measures were used globally with varying outcomes to combat this pandemic. It has infected more than twelve million people worldwide and claimed more than half a million lives, the mortality, and morbidity from the disease ever-growing every day. No approved pharmaceutical intervention or vaccine is available till now, thereby requiring assessment of what has worked well to encourage sharing the best epidemiological control practices. This review aims to examine the COVID-19 epidemiology and relate this with the preventive control measures in use globally and evaluate the strategies for community mitigation to cope with the pandemic so far. A literature review comprising 55 articles and reports was undertaken between 2010 and 2020. Findings showed the person-to-person disease transmission and its severity varied among different subgroups of the populations; the elderly, the obese, and individuals experiencing underlying health complications were affected the most. Virus survival ranges from a few hours to 9 days dependent on nature and environmental conditions. Some studies indicated that there is a probability of disease spread from commonly shared toilets and through the semen of the infected patients. Lessons learned and appropriate recommendations were emphasized. It is hoped that the review will be useful to general readers, researchers, decision-makers, and frontline workers to re-examine their approaches while those communities where COVID-19 is just establishing can learn better ways to deal with it.

The existence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in contaminated environment is multifarious. At present, studies of metabolic regulation focus on the degradation process of single PAH. The global metabolic regulatory mechanisms of microorganisms facing coexisting PAHs are poorly understood, which is the major bottleneck for efficient bioremediation of PAHs pollution. Naphthalene (NAP) significantly enhanced the biodegradation of phenanthrene (PHE) by Pseudomonas sp. SL-6. To explore the underlying mechanism, isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) labeled quantitative proteomics was used to characterize the differentially expressed proteins of SL-6 cultured with PHE or NAP + PHE as carbon source. Through joint analysis of proteome and genome, unique proteins were identified and quantified. The up-regulated proteins mainly concentrated in PAH catabolism, Transporters and Electron transfer carriers. In the process, the regulator NahR, activated by salicylate (intermediate of NAP-biodegradation), up-regulates degradation enzymes (NahABCDE and SalABCDEFGH), which enhances the biodegradation of PHE and accumulation of toxic intermediate–1-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid (1H2Na); 1H2Na stimulates the expression of ABC transporter, which maintains intracellular physiological activity by excreting 1H2Na; the up-regulation of cytochrome C promotes the above process running smoothly. Salicylate works as a trigger that stimulates cell to respond globally. The conjecture was verified at transcriptional and metabolic levels. These new insights contribute to improving the overall understanding of PAHs-biodegradation processes under complex natural conditions, and promoting the application of microbial remediation technology for PAHs pollution.

Background: Croton lechleri is a native tree from Amazon Forest and its barks are used as medicine by the indigenous peoples and their descendants. This study aimed to assess the extraction sustainably of bioactive compounds from Croton lechleri barks using chemometric tools. Methods: Phenolic compounds were extracted and evaluated through 23 factorial design and Response Surface Methodology (RSM). High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis was carried out, and its chromatographic profile was used for principal component analysis (PCA) to establish relationships between individual phenolic compound concentrations and the best extraction conditions. Global Response (GR) was performed to obtain a unique extraction condition for all dependent Croton lechleri barks’ dependent variables. Results: The total phenolic compounds (TPC) and antioxidant activity (AA) varied from 8.8 to 46.57 mg GAE/g (Gallic acid equivalent) and from 81.17 to 283 µmol Trolox/g, respectively. These parameters show coefficients determined for TPC and AA models of 99.70% and 99.80%, respectively. Gallic acid, syringic acid, epicatechin and catechin are present in the metabolism of Croton lechleri. According to HPLC analysis, the three first compounds were better extracted in lower temperatures, while catechin proved to be more stable in higher temperatures. Results showed that the best extraction conditions occurred using water as the solvent at 35 °C during 90 min of the extraction. Also, the coefficient determined for GR was 97.05%, indicating a satisfactory fit model. Conclusion: The extraction of phenolic compounds from Croton lechleri barks could be successfully performed due to the chemometric tools proposed in this research. Thus, the Croton lechleri barks bring prospects for its use as a natural antioxidant and open opportunity to explore new technological applications.

• The prototype of a monitoring system for global responses of the beam was constructed. • Global responses were estimated well in real time without any loss of data. • At least one response data for each span was required for estimation accuracy. Recently, the method of structural response analysis using a limited amount of multi-response data (SRALMR) that can estimate global structural responses was developed and verified with numerical analysis models. As a next step of the validation using the numerical analysis model, a prototype of monitoring system for global structural response (PMS-GSR) was established using wireless sensor network and SRALMR in this study. In addition, the graphical user interface was constructed for estimation performance analysis and user convenience. The experimental validation of PMS-GSR was conducted for beam structure under four load cases (LCs) and sensor-layout cases (SLCs). The experimental specimens were 2-span and 3-span beams, and a wireless sensor network including displacement, slope, and strain sensors was used. Finally, the global displacement, slope, and strain were estimated using PMS-GSR, and estimated global responses were analyzed according to the LCs and SLCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Keywords: Pandemic; COVID-19; Sesame Street; global response; production models; resilience EN Pandemic COVID-19 Sesame Street global response production models resilience 60 64 5 03/08/21 20210201 NES 210201 When COVID-19 emerged, placing new, often overwhelming demands on children, adults, and communities, families everywhere asked: How can I help my child adjust to such dramatic changes? As the journey to a healthier and safer world for all continues, Sesame Workshop will be there to help families navigate whatever challenges arise by modeling resilience, inspiring hope, and helping children and caregivers find new ways to learn and laugh together. Pandemic, COVID-19, production models, resilience, Sesame Street, global response. [Extracted from the article]

Antimony (Sb)-resistant bacteria have potential applications in the remediation of Sb-contaminated sites. However, the effect of Sb(III) exposure on whole-cell metabolic change has not been studied. Herein, we combined untargeted metabolomics with a previous proteomics dataset and confirmatory gene transcription analysis to identify metabolic responses to Sb(III) exposure in Agrobacterium tumefaciens GW4. Dynamic changes in metabolism between control and Sb(III)-exposed groups were clearly shown. KEGG pathway analysis suggested that with Sb(III) exposure: (1) the branching pathway of gluconeogenesis is down-regulated, resulting in the up-regulation of pentose phosphate pathway to provide precursors of anabolism and NADPH; (2) glycerophospholipid and arachidonic acid metabolisms are down-regulated, resulting in more acetyl-CoA entry into the TCA cycle and increased capacity to produce energy and macromolecular synthesis; (3) nucleotide and fatty acid synthesis pathways are all increased perhaps to protect cells from DNA and lipid peroxidation; (4) nicotinate metabolism increases which likely leads to increased production of co-enzymes (e.g., NAD+ and NADP+) for the maintenance of cellular redox and Sb(III) oxidation. Expectedly, the total NADP+/NADPH content, total glutathione, and reduced glutathione contents were all increased after Sb(III) exposure in strain GW4, which contribute to maintaining the reduced state of the cytoplasm. Our results provide novel information regarding global bacterial responses to Sb(III) exposure from a single gene level to the entire metabolome and provide specific hypotheses regarding the metabolic change to be addressed in future research.

Antimony (Sb)-resistant bacteria have potential applications in the remediation of Sb-contaminated sites. However, the effect of Sb(III) exposure on whole-cell metabolic change has not been studied. Herein, we combined untargeted metabolomics with a previous proteomics dataset and confirmatory gene transcription analysis to identify metabolic responses to Sb(III) exposure in Agrobacterium tumefaciens GW4. Dynamic changes in metabolism between control and Sb(III)-exposed groups were clearly shown. KEGG pathway analysis suggested that with Sb(III) exposure: (1) the branching pathway of gluconeogenesis is down-regulated, resulting in the up-regulation of pentose phosphate pathway to provide precursors of anabolism and NADPH; (2) glycerophospholipid and arachidonic acid metabolisms are down-regulated, resulting in more acetyl-CoA entry into the TCA cycle and increased capacity to produce energy and macromolecular synthesis; (3) nucleotide and fatty acid synthesis pathways are all increased perhaps to protect cells from DNA and lipid peroxidation; (4) nicotinate metabolism increases which likely leads to increased production of co-enzymes (e.g., NAD+ and NADP+) for the maintenance of cellular redox and Sb(III) oxidation. Expectedly, the total NADP+/NADPH content, total glutathione, and reduced glutathione contents were all increased after Sb(III) exposure in strain GW4, which contribute to maintaining the reduced state of the cytoplasm. Our results provide novel information regarding global bacterial responses to Sb(III) exposure from a single gene level to the entire metabolome and provide specific hypotheses regarding the metabolic change to be addressed in future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crucial steps have been adopted by health and regulatory authorities around the world to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. This review aims to highlight these steps by providing an overview of the regulatory approaches adopted during the onset of the pandemic, provide an assessment of observed trends, and offer some reflections and proposals to leverage learnings and opportunities from this current pandemic. Documents and informational materials on regulating the development and management of medical products during the COVID-19 pandemic were collected and classified. These materials were sourced from official websites and press releases from health authorities and international bodies from selected markets across the globe, and covered the period between January and July 2020. Additional information to support this study was gathered through a literature review and analysis of related data available from the public domain, and was complemented with the authors' personal experience. Communication has been vital in addressing the impact of COVID-19. A total of 1705 documents and informational materials related to health or regulatory response to the COVID-19 pandemic were gathered. Of these, 343 (around 20%) were identified as regulatory agilities. These agile approaches were classified into 3 categories, namely, where health and regulatory authorities had: (1) facilitated product management across the entire lifecycle, notably in expediting medical product use for COVID-19, ensuring the continuity of clinical trials, and addressing supply chain issues; (2) strengthened international cooperation; and (3) addressed regulatory burden with the adoption of electronic and digital tools. While many regulatory measures have been introduced temporarily as a response to the COVID-19 crisis, there are opportunities for leveraging an understanding from these approaches in order to collectively achieve more efficient regulatory systems and to mitigate and address the impact of COVID-19 and further future-proof the regulatory environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On the basis of an overview of the global responses of a nonlinear Jeffcott rotor/stator contact model, the system reliability was evaluated subject to mixed aleatory-epistemic uncertainty. We used a likelihood-based approach for reliability modeling and analysis. In the context of uncertainty quantification, some advanced Bayesian techniques were adopted to reduce the computation cost in traditional Monte Carlo method. The parameters’ effects on reliability were studied, incorporating both rotor physical background and inherent uncertain factors. This framework could be applied in the field of industrial manufacturing & mounting, risk assessment, product maintaining and benefit rotary machines from design phase to operation stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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To investigate the seismic behavior of a fully prefabricated steel frame with new type construction process, to provide a unique set of data on frame test, and to lay the foundation for follow-up research, a full-scale test was performed under cyclic loads. This frame was composed of box cold-formed columns, hot-rolled I-section beams, end-plate joints, rod flexible braces, and prefabricated concrete slabs. A recently proposed type of bolted end-plate joint and a new proposed construction method were used in this test. Because limited concrete casting and field welding were involved during the structural assembly process, construction efficiency was improved. The design details of the test specimen, the test setup, the loading protocol, the construction process, and the measurement arrangement are introduced. Test observations of braces, beams, joints, columns, and slab behavior are described in detail. Hysteresis behavior of the frame is discussed, including hysteresis curves, backbone curves, overall deformation and energy dissipation behavior. The composite action of the prefabricated slabs under cyclic loads is also studied. The results indicate that the specimen exhibited satisfactory cyclic behavior, horizontal load-carrying capacity and ductility performance, with no obvious degradation in strength was observed even at the large overall drift ratio of 7.69%. Plastic hinges formed at beam-ends and column bases. The frame’s lateral stiffness in the initial position degraded significantly following brace buckling, however, no soft-story mechanisms were developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transient fluid-structure interaction (FSI) has always been a challenging problem in ship mechanics. Underwater explosion and its highly nonlinear impact on nearby structures are more complicated. In this paper, the global responses of a surface ship subjected to an underwater explosion in waves are numerically investigated considering the nonlinear coupling between the fluid and structure solvers. The fluid field is modeled with the boundary element method (BEM), while the potential decomposition theory is adopted to take the surface waves into account. The global responses of the ship structure are modeled with the mode superposition method. Then a FSI model is established using the mode decomposition method of the acceleration potential to consider the interaction. An underwater explosion experiment is carried out to validate the numerical model, which shows good agreement between the numerical and experimental results. With the presented model, the interactions between a ship and an underwater explosion bubble both in still water and waves are simulated. The dynamics of the ship global responses and the influence of the waves are analyzed which shows noteworthy nonlinearity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Antimalarial drugs are essential weapons to fight malaria and have been used effectively since the 17thcentury. However,P.falciparumresistance has been reported to almost all available antimalarial drugs, including artemisinin derivatives, raising concerns that this could jeopardize malaria elimination. Areas covered: In this article, we present a historical perspective of antimalarial drug resistance, review current evidence of resistance to available antimalarial drugs and discuss possible mitigating strategies to address this challenge. Expert commentary: The historical approach to drug resistance has been to change the national treatment policy to an alternative treatment. However, alternatives to artemisinin-based combination treatment are currently extremely limited. Innovative approaches utilizing available schizonticidal drugs such as triple combination therapies or multiple first line treatments could delay the emergence and spread of drug resistance. Transmission blocking drugs like primaquine may play a key role if given to a substantial proportion of malaria infected persons. Deploying antimalarial medicines in mass drug administration or mass screening and treatment campaigns could also contribute to containment efforts by eliminating resistant parasites in some settings. Ultimately, response to drug resistance should also include further investment in the development of new antimalarial drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Bactericidal activity of quinolones has been related to a combination of DNA fragmentation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and programmed cell death (PCD) systems. The underlying molecular systems responsible for reducing bactericidal effect during antimicrobial therapy in low-level quinolone resistance (LLQR) phenotypes need to be clarified. To do this and also define possible new antimicrobial targets, the transcriptome profile of isogenic Escherichia coli harboring quinolone resistance mechanisms in the presence of a clinical relevant concentration of ciprofloxacin was evaluated. A marked differential response to ciprofloxacin of either up- or downregulation was observed in LLQR strains. Multiple genes implicated in ROS modulation (related to the TCA cycle, aerobic respiration and detoxification systems) were upregulated (sdhC up to 63.5-fold) in mutants with LLQR. SOS system components were downregulated (recA up to 30.7-fold). yihE, a protective kinase coding for PCD, was also upregulated (up to 5.2-fold). SdhC inhibition sensitized LLQR phenotypes (up to ΔLog = 2.3 after 24 h). At clinically relevant concentrations of ciprofloxacin, gene expression patterns in critical systems to bacterial survival and mutant development were significantly modified in LLQR phenotypes. Chemical inhibition of SdhC (succinate dehydrogenase) validated modulation of ROS as an interesting target for bacterial sensitization.

First reported in remote villages of Africa in the 1970s, the Ebolavirus was originally believed to be transmitted to people from wild animals. Ebolavirus (EBOV) causes a severe, frequently fatal hemorrhagic syndrome in humans. Each outbreak of the Ebolavirus over the last three decades has perpetuated fear and economic turmoil among the local and regional populations in Africa. Until now it has been considered a tragic malady confined largely to the isolated regions of the African continent, but it is no longer so. The frequency of outbreaks has increased since the 1970s. The 2014 Ebola outbreak in Western Africa has been the most severe in history and was declared a public health emergency by the World Health Organization. Given the widespread use of modern transportation and global travel, the EBOV is now a risk to the entire Global Village, with intercontinental transmission only an airplane flight away. Clinically, symptoms typically appear after an incubation period of approximately 11 days. A flu-like syndrome can progress to full hemorrhagic fever with multiorgan failure, and frequently, death. Diagnosis is confirmed by detection of viral antigens or Ribonucleic acid (RNA) in the blood or other body fluids. Although historically the mortality of this infection exceeded 80%, modern medicine and public health measures have been able to lower this figure and reduce the impact of EBOV on individuals and communities. The treatment involves early, aggressive supportive care with rehydration. Core interventions, including contact tracing, preventive initiatives, active surveillance, effective isolation and quarantine procedures, and timely response to patients, are essential for a successful outbreak control. These measures, combined with public health education, point-of-care diagnostics, promising new vaccine and pharmaceutical efforts, and coordinated efforts of the international community, give new hope to the Global effort to eliminate Ebola as a public health threat. Here we present a review of EBOV infection in an effort to further educate medical and political communities on what the Ebolavirus disease entails, and what efforts are recommended to treat, isolate, and eventually eliminate it.

Bridge weigh-in-motion (BWIM) technique uses an instrumented bridge as a weighing scale to estimate vehicle weights. Traditional BWIM systems use axle detectors placed on the road surface to identify vehicle axles. However, the axle detectors have poor durability due to the direct exposure to the traffic. To resolve this issue, a free-of-axle-detector (FAD) algorithm, which eliminates the use of axle detectors, was proposed. As a further improvement to simplify the BWIM systems, the concept of nothing-on-road (NOR) BWIM was recently introduced. The axle identification method proposed in this paper is an attempt to achieve the NOR BWIM, i.e., using bridge global responses to identify vehicle axles. Wavelet analysis is applied to extract the axle information from the global responses. This allows the BWIM technique to be achieved with only weighing sensors. Numerical simulations are conducted using three-dimensional vehicle and bridge models and the effect of several parameters, including sampling frequency, road surface condition and measurement noise on the identification accuracy is investigated. The results demonstrate that the proposed identification method using wavelet analysis can accurately identify vehicle axles, except for cases where the road surface condition is rough or measurement noises exceed certain levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bactericidal activity of quinolones has been related to a combination of DNA fragmentation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and programmed cell death (PCD) systems. The underlying molecular systems responsible for reducing bactericidal effect during antimicrobial therapy in low-level quinolone resistance (LLQR) phenotypes need to be clarified. To do this and also define possible new antimicrobial targets, the transcriptome profile of isogenic Escherichia coli harboring quinolone resistance mechanisms in the presence of a clinical relevant concentration of ciprofloxacin was evaluated. A marked differential response to ciprofloxacin of either up- or downregulation was observed in LLQR strains. Multiple genes implicated in ROS modulation (related to the TCA cycle, aerobic respiration and detoxification systems) were upregulated (sdhC up to 63.5-fold) in mutants with LLQR. SOS system components were downregulated (recA up to 30.7-fold). yihE, a protective kinase coding for PCD, was also upregulated (up to 5.2-fold). SdhC inhibition sensitized LLQR phenotypes (up to ΔLog = 2.3 after 24 h). At clinically relevant concentrations of ciprofloxacin, gene expression patterns in critical systems to bacterial survival and mutant development were significantly modified in LLQR phenotypes. Chemical inhibition of SdhC (succinate dehydrogenase) validated modulation of ROS as an interesting target for bacterial sensitization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Otilonium bromide (OB) is a spasmolytic agent acting as an L-type calcium channel antagonist in intestinal and colonic smooth muscle cells (SMCs). We analyzed three independent clinical trials with homogeneous design on patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). After 2 weeks receiving placebo, patients were randomized to receive OB (3 × 40 mg daily) or placebo for 15 weeks. We aimed to perform a pooled analysis of the data from these homogeneous clinical trials to evaluate the efficacy of OB treatment on symptoms and global response of patients. Methods: A total of 883 patients with IBS (69.8% women, mean age 46.2 years, 43.8% mixed type) were included, 442 treated with OB and 441 with placebo. The efficacy results from the three studies at weeks 5, 10 and 15 were pooled in an intention-to-treat (ITT) strategy, analyzed with a logistic regression model and described by forest plots. Results: Despite a placebo effect in all efficacy variables, a significant therapeutic effect of OB was observed at weeks 10 and 15 with reference to: (a) intensity and frequency of abdominal pain; (b) rate of responders as evaluated by patients (71.8% at week 10 and 77.2% at week 15); (c) severity of bloating; (d) rate of responders as evaluated by physicians (55% at week 10 and 63.9% at week 15). No significant OB effect was observed in stool frequency and consistency. Conclusions: OB is more effective than placebo in IBS treatment. Therapeutic benefits are significant after 10 weeks and are maximal after 15 weeks of treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyclic tests were performed on six full-scale single-bay two-story frames, including one frame using Q345 ( f y = 345 MPa) ordinary strength steels, and another five frames using Q460 ( f y = 460 MPa) high strength steels or Q890 ( f y = 890 MPa) ultra-high strength steels in only columns or both beams and columns. The frames were designed to provide strength and ductility for earthquake resistance with energy dissipation located at member ends by flexural yielding, and panel zones by shear yielding. Cover-plate reinforced connections were specified to relocate the plastic hinge beyond the nose of cover plates and away from the face of column to improve connection performance. As the first of two companion papers on this experimental study, this paper presents detailed procedures to design the specimens, and then provides the outline of test program including test setup, loading protocol and instrumentation. After that, global responses in experimental results, including test observations of each specimen throughout the test and their hysteresis and backbone curves, deformation and energy dissipation in each half-cycle and in total, were described. The results evidenced that satisfactory seismic behavior was identified by using high strength steel columns with compact or noncompact sections in frames, and the maximum overall drift ratio reached 4.0%. Even the frame with ultra-high strength steel columns with slender sections accommodated an overall drift ratio of 3.0%. No soft-story mechanism occurred in all the frames. Local responses in beams, columns and connections, especially in panel zones, will be examined in the second companion paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Demarcation between local and global responses of blast loaded RC member is proposed. • Design chart for damage degrees of RC member exhibiting local responses is given. • An improved SDOF model for global responses of blast loaded RC member is established. • Direct shear, flexural-shear and flexural failure modes of test member are reproduced. • A unified performance-based blast-resistant design approach for RC member is proposed. Critical political and economic infrastructures are threatened by the intentional and accidental explosions. At present, the analytical model and design approach for blast loaded RC beams/columns considering both the local and global member responses are studied. Firstly, by classifying the damage levels from the local response perspective, i.e., no damage, spalling and breach of blast loaded RC beams/columns, based on total 119 shots of field explosion test, the critical scaled distance distinguishing the local and global responses of RC members is experimentally determined as 0.78 m/kg1/3. For local responses, the field explosion test based design chart of the logarithmic scaled thickness against the logarithmic scaled distance is plotted. Secondly, as for global responses, an improved SDOF model, incorporating the direct shear, flexural-shear and flexural responses of RC members, is established, which comprehensively considers the nonuniform distribution of blast load, strain rate effect, P -Delta effect, compressive arching effect and the rigid body rotation of supports. Furthermore, the proposed SDOF model is validated by seven sets of explosion tests on RC beams/columns with simply-supported and fixed-end boundaries from aspects of direct shear, flexural-shear, and flexural responses. Finally, a unified performance-based blast-resistant design procedure is proposed, and lays the foundation for an independently developed code named Tongji - RC - Blast , which is a reliable and efficient blast-resistant evaluation and design tool for the protective engineers and designers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Proposed a heuristic approach to predict the ballistic limit of thin targets. • Statistical analysis of projectile's geometry effect on target's non-local response. • Consideration of the local and global energy dissipating mechanism contributions. • Proposed an analytical model of the target's kinetic response. • Introduced a metric of performance for thin targets. In Part I of this study, the ballistic performance and failure mechanisms of a thin aluminium target impacted by plate-like, non-axisymmetric projectiles with three different geometries, were considered using the gas-gun experiments. Failure mechanisms of the target material were found to depend strongly on the projectile's geometrical features. Also, the local target's response was not a reliable predictor of the critical kinetic energy for perforation or penetration. In order to improve the prediction of ballistic performance of thin targets, a nonlocal target behaviour should also be accounted for. In this part of the study, the global target response is examined, and a heuristic approach is introduced for the energy balance. The approach involves a new factor that represents additional energy-dissipating mechanisms between the projectile's critical energy and the local work in target defeat. The methodology is based on the identified strong correlation of the normalised impact-induced peak kinetic energy in the target, KE ¯ T m a x , and the normalised target impact-induced nonlocal internal energy, U ¯ T P L + K E , associated with plastic deformation and increase in kinetic energy. A physically-based semi-analytical formulation for KE ¯ T m a x is developed by decomposition of the contributions by the inclined and blunt projectile sections, succeeding statistical analysis of key projectile's geometrical and impact parameters. The developed approach was assessed for 17 projectile geometries implementing a total of 119 finite-element simulations with experimentally validated numerical models at subcritical (50) and critical/supercritical (69) projectile velocities. The obtained predictions had an average absolute error of less than 6.5% for impact velocities at and above the ballistic limit, while at subcritical velocities a higher scatter was observed as a result of secondary interaction effects between the projectile and the target. Overall, the methodology yielded results for the ballistic limit with an error below 5%, improving the otherwise derived results nearly twofold. The method was proven to be a practical and accurate way to improve the projectile's critical energy prediction for thin targets, and, even though developed for non-axisymmetric projectile cases, its framework is directly transferable to axisymmetric projectiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change and environmental disasters are destabilising communities across the world. In a challenging address to the 18th Conference of the Parties (COP) in Doha in 2012, the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon urged the global community to respond with conscientious foresight. This article discusses how social work might respond to this challenge. It outlines the social implications, social work theorists’ reconceptualisation of the environmental space as a domain of practice and ways that the global social work community can act to address these significant global challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]