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Wireless sensor network (WSN) technologies have advanced significantly in recent years. Within WSNs, machine learning algorithms are crucial in selecting cluster heads (CHs) based on various quality of service (QoS) metrics. This paper proposes a new clustering routing protocol employing the Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP) to locate the optimal path traversed by the Mobile Data Collector (MDC), in terms of energy and QoS efficiency. To be more specific, to minimize energy consumption in the CH election stage, we have developed the M-T protocol using the K-Means and the grid clustering algorithms. In addition, to improve the transmission phase of the Low Energy Adaptive Clustering-Grid-KMeans (LEACH-G-K) protocol, the MDC is employed as an intermediary between the CH and the sink to improve the wireless sensor network (WSN) QoS. The results of the experiment demonstrate that the M-T protocol enhances various Low Energy Adaptive Clustering protocol (LEACH) improvements such as the LEACH-G-K, LEACH-C, Threshold sensitive Energy Efficient Sensor Networks (TEEN), MDC maximum residual energy leach protocol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces a novel stability metric specifically developed for IQRF wireless mesh sensor networks, emphasizing flooding routing and data collection methodologies, particularly IQRF's Fast Response Command (FRC) technique. A key feature of this metric is its ability to ensure network resilience against disruptions by effectively utilizing redundant paths in the network. This makes the metric an indispensable tool for field engineers in both the design and deployment of wireless sensor networks. Our findings provide valuable insights, demonstrating the metric's efficacy in achieving robust and reliable network operations, especially in data collection tasks. The inclusion of redundant paths as a factor in the stability metric significantly enhances its practicality and relevance. Furthermore, this research offers practical ideas for enhancing the design and management of wireless mesh sensor networks. The stability metric uniquely assesses the resilience of data collection activities within these networks, with a focus on the benefits of redundant paths, underscoring the significance of stability in network evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prompt gamma-ray neutron activation analysis (PGNAA) is a technique that can be used online or in situ to measure the concentrations of different elements in natural materials without altering the elements' chemical forms in matter. The goal of the current work was to use a 2.5 MeV neutron beam to boost the yield of a portable PGNAA (Genie 16) system. Optimizations were performed to reduce the superimposition between gamma rays from the setup's elements and those from heavy metals. The value of the new optimization was verified by the improvement of the minimum detectable concentrations of sulfur, zinc, titanium, nickel, and chrome in soil samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amino acids are essential building blocks of life. However, increasing evidence suggests that elevated amino acids cause cellular toxicity associated with numerous metabolic disorders. How cells cope with elevated amino acids remains poorly understood. Here, we show that a previously identified cellular structure, the mitochondrial-derived compartment (MDC), functions to protect cells from amino acid stress. In response to amino acid elevation, MDCs are generated from mitochondria, where they selectively sequester and deplete SLC25A nutrient carriers and their associated import receptor Tom70 from the organelle. Generation of MDCs promotes amino acid catabolism, and their formation occurs simultaneously with transporter removal at the plasma membrane via the multivesicular body (MVB) pathway. The combined loss of vacuolar amino acid storage, MVBs, and MDCs renders cells sensitive to high amino acid stress. Thus, we propose that MDCs operate as part of a coordinated cell network that facilitates amino acid homeostasis through post-translational nutrient transporter remodeling.

Adult and childhood obesity have reached pandemic level proportions. The idea that caloric excess and insufficient levels of physical activity leads to obesity is a commonly accepted answer for unwanted weight gain. This paradigm offers an inconclusive explanation as the world continually moves towards an unhealthier and heavier existence irrespective of energy balance. Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are chemicals that resemble natural hormones and disrupt endocrine function by interfering with the body's endogenous hormones. A subset of EDCs called obesogens have been found to cause metabolic disruptions such as increased fat storage, in vivo. Obesogens act on the metabolic system through multiple avenues and have been found to affect the homeostasis of a variety of systems such as the gut microbiome and adipose tissue functioning. Obesogenic compounds have been shown to cause metabolic disturbances later in life that can even pass into multiple future generations, post exposure. The rising rates of obesity and related metabolic disease are demanding increasing attention on chemical screening efforts and worldwide preventative strategies to keep the public and future generations safe. This review addresses the most current findings on known obesogens and their effects on the metabolic system, the mechanisms of action through which they act upon, and the screening efforts through which they were identified with. The interplay between obesogens, brown adipose tissue, and the gut microbiome are major topics that will be covered.

This article is an empirical examination of 'victimhood' in the context of the widespread, deadly and destructive electoral violence that affected Zimbabwe in 2008. It contends that an examination of the behaviour of victims of state-sponsored political violence enhances our comprehension of 'victimhood' as a factor in the perpetuation of political violence. The victims were largely ignored by the justice system, the political leadership and the community, all of whom were under the coercive spell of the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU PF). The trivialisation of their situation, and the absence of legitimate avenues for redress, forced many victims to seek direct revenge. The article traces how this fomented and reproduced the already violent political atmosphere in Norton town during the 2008 election period. It relies on interviews with opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) victims of violence in Norton to consider how they attempted to make sense of their pain by claiming victimhood and exacting physical revenge against their tormentors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence of the opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change, in 1999 radically reconfigured Zimbabwe's political landscape. MDC greatly challenged the electoral dominance the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front had enjoyed since independence in 1980. As literature on Zimbabwe's 'crisis' has emphasised, throughout the 2000s ZANU-PF was predominantly preoccupied with repelling this challenge. Central to these efforts were violence and a patronage system involving all state institutions. However, the position of chieftaincy in the new politics has suffered scholarly neglect. This article examines how the government enlisted chiefs and lower-level traditional leaders, through intimidation and patronage networks, in its attempts to make rural areas an exclusively ZANU-PF vote bank. It utilises interviews, newspapers and Hansard, among other publicly available material, to argue that MDC's hegemonic threat forced ZANU-PF to turn to the customary capital of the hitherto neglected chiefs, and that the consequent relationship became an impediment to democracy in Zimbabwe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to classify and calculate the minimal detectable changes (MDC) in gait time and gait speed in a 10-meter walking test (10MWT) in patients with stroke classified according to their gait speed. Methods: The participants were 84 patients with stroke. Their gait times were measured twice each at their comfortable gait speed (CGS) and maximum gait speed (MGS) on a 10-meter straight track, and gait speed was calculated using gait time. Participants were assigned to three speed groups based on their CGS: low-speed (<0.4  m/s; n  =  19); moderate-speed (0.4–0.8  m/s; n  =  29); and high-speed (>0.8  m/s; n  =  36). For each group, first and second retest reliability and MDC of CGS and MGS were calculated using gait time and gait speed in the 10MWT. Results: MDCs in the 10MWT at CGS were: low-speed group, gait time 5.25  s, gait speed 0.05  m/s; moderate-speed group, gait time 2.83  s, gait speed 0.11  m/s; and high-speed group, gait time 1.58  s, gait speed 0.21  m/s. MDCs in the 10MWT at MGS were: low-speed group, gait time 7.26  s, gait speed 0.04  m/s; moderate-speed group, gait time 2.48  s, gait speed 0.12  m/s; and high-speed group, gait time 1.28  s, gait speed 0.19  m/s. Conclusion: Since the MDC of gait speed and gait time differ depending on the participant’s gait speed, it is necessary to interpret the results according to the participant’s gait speed when judging the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The historic defeat of the Zimbabwe African National Union Patriotic Front (ZANU PF) in the March 2008 harmonised elections was followed by the unleashing of a violent campaign against the opposition in the 27 June 2008 presidential run-off. This triggered the mediation of the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The negotiated outcome was a Government of National Unity (GNU) comprising ZANU PF and the two Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) formations between 2009 and 2013. As this paper argues, SADC was thereby largely complicit in the advancement of authoritarian consolidation of ZANU PF. Its deployment of foreign policy within SADC was mainly designed to secure the region's solidarity whilst advancing domestic interests aimed at cementing political survival. The region became a crucial focus of attention by the government, but how this was used to consolidate ZANU PF's hold on power is yet to be unpacked in full. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to calculate and analyze the reactivity coefficients of a SLOWPOKE-2 reactor under different temperature conditions using the OpenMC code and two cross-sectional libraries, JENDL4.0 and the version VIII.0 of the ENDF/B library. The study focuses on the effect of temperature on the reactivity coefficients, specifically the Fuel Temperature Coefficient (FTC), Moderator Temperature Coefficient (MTC), and Moderator Density Coefficient (MDC), as well as the neutron flux. Through full-core calculations using the three-dimensional Monte Carlo method, the reactivity coefficients and neutron flux for both normal and accidental operating conditions of the SLOWPOKE-2 reactor are determined. The reactor employs Low Enriched Uranium Dioxide (LEU-UO2) with a 19.89% enrichment level. The results of the calculations provide valuable insights into the behavior of the SLOWPOKE-2 reactor under varying temperature conditions. Furthermore, the neutron flux distribution is analyzed, providing information on the spatial distribution of neutrons within the reactor core. The obtained results contribute to the existing knowledge on the thermal behavior of the SLOWPOKE-2 reactor, which is essential for optimizing its performance and ensuring safe operation. Also, the findings can guide future design improvements and safety enhancements in similar research reactor systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Plasmacytoid and myeloid dendritic cells play a vital role in the protection against viral infections. In COVID-19, there is an impairment of dendritic cell (DC) function and interferon secretion which has been correlated with disease severity. Results In this study, we described the frequency of DC subsets and the plasma levels of Type I (IFNα, IFNβ) and Type III Interferons (IFNλ1), IFNλ2) and IFNλ3) in seven groups of COVID-19 individuals, classified based on days since RT-PCR confirmation of SARS-CoV2 infection. Our data shows that the frequencies of pDC and mDC increase from Days 15–30 to Days 61–90 and plateau thereafter. Similarly, the levels of IFNα, IFNβ, IFNλ1, IFNλ2 and IFNλ3 increase from Days 15–30 to Days 61–90 and plateau thereafter. COVID-19 patients with severe disease exhibit diminished frequencies of pDC and mDC and decreased levels of IFNα, IFNβ, IFNλ1, IFNλ2 and IFNλ3. Finally, the percentages of DC subsets positively correlated with the levels of Type I and Type III IFNs. Conclusion Thus, our study provides evidence of restoration of homeostatic levels in DC subset frequencies and circulating levels of Type I and Type III IFNs in convalescent COVID-19 individuals.

The increase in demand for video delivery over the last few years has led to a need for more compression efficiency. High efficiency video coding (HEVC) offers a better compression rate compared to the preceding standard codecs. However, the robustness of the coded stream is reduced in the low delay mode used for real-time applications. When a bitstream is transmitted over a hostile network, there is a high probability of burst network packet loss which can result in the loss of the entire frame. To deal with these signal degradations that occur in the transmission channel, an HEVC encoder adaptation scheme based on spatial multiple description coding (MDC) is proposed. A comparative study with the single description coding (SDC) scheme has shown its efficiency in improving the quality of the reconstructed video in the five packet loss cases studied and yields an average gain of about 14 to 35.57%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In post-2000s Zimbabwe, artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) has become one of the major economic activities that provides income and livelihood opportunities to millions of people. The article attempts to make sense of how such mining activities intertwined with the country's political economy and became implicated in shaping the dynamics of local and national politics. Taking the case of Kwekwe district, situated at the heart of the country, the article argues that ASGM as a socio-economic and political activity and a general way of life became the core of contemporary local Zimbabwean political relations, interactions and participation, and indeed a potent motor in party–state expansion and power consolidation. The new arrangements of politics, while facilitating the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union(Patriotic Front) (ZANU[PF])'s strong hold on power and territory in the face of powerful opposition politics represented by the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), also encouraged local actors to expand their own statuses and influence away from political marginality towards the traditional political and elite centres such as the capital, Harare. The article shies away from literature that has emphasised state domination and subordination; this is in order to demonstrate that the relationship between the new political actors (buoyed by gold extraction) and the state is a flexible network of bargains and negotiated fusions, exchanges and appropriations. Largely ethnographical, it engages with an aspect of artisanal mining and politics in Zimbabwe that has yet to receive systematic scholarly attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the introduction of the reimbursement system based on diagnosis-related groups (DRG) in Swiss hospitals in 2012, most readmissions occurring within 18 days and appertaining to the same major diagnostic category (MDC) are merged and thus often reimbursed to a lesser extent. While readmissions reflect increased distress for patients and their relatives, the causes are mainly patient-related and difficult to influence. However, it may be possible to identify cases at higher risk for readmission. Therefore, the aim of this study was to find predictors for early readmissions in the same MDC, to identify high-risk index hospitalizations and possibly prevent unnecessary readmissions. The data of all patients admitted to the Clinic of Internal Medicine at the University Hospital of Basel, Switzerland, hospitalized for longer than 24 hours during the pre-DRG period between October 2009 and September 2010 were retrospectively collected. Data were examined for predictors of unplanned readmission within 18 days under the same MDC ('relevant readmission') by means of logistic regression. 7479 patients (median age 67.8 years, 56% male) were admitted to the Clinic of Internal Medicine, with 232 patients (3.1%) being readmitted at least once. Logistic regression revealed male sex (p =0.035) and a high number of prescribed drugs at discharge (p <0.005) as patient-related predictors. The MDCs respiratory system, cardiovascular system, and gastrointestinal/hepatobiliary system were identified as high-risk categories (each p <0.005). Age and length of index hospital stay added no significant explanatory value to the regression model. Unplanned readmissions under the same MDC within 18 days were infrequent and not related to patients' age or length of hospital stay. Overall, multimorbid patients, and hospitalizations regarding the cardiovascular, respiratory, or gastrointestinal system appear to be most at risk and should therefore be specifically targeted in the prevention of early readmissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The field of pipelined FFT hardware architectures has been studied during the last 50 years. This paper is a survey that includes the main advances in the field related to architectures for complex input data and power-of-two FFT sizes. Furthermore, the paper is intended to be educational, so that the reader can learn how the architectures work. Finally, the paper divides the architectures into serial and parallel. This classification puts together those architectures that are conceived for a similar purpose and, therefore, are comparable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Plasmacytoid and myeloid dendritic cells play a vital role in the protection against viral infections. In COVID-19, there is an impairment of dendritic cell (DC) function and interferon secretion which has been correlated with disease severity. Results: In this study, we described the frequency of DC subsets and the plasma levels of Type I (IFNα, IFNβ) and Type III Interferons (IFNλ1), IFNλ2) and IFNλ3) in seven groups of COVID-19 individuals, classified based on days since RT-PCR confirmation of SARS-CoV2 infection. Our data shows that the frequencies of pDC and mDC increase from Days 15–30 to Days 61–90 and plateau thereafter. Similarly, the levels of IFNα, IFNβ, IFNλ1, IFNλ2 and IFNλ3 increase from Days 15–30 to Days 61–90 and plateau thereafter. COVID-19 patients with severe disease exhibit diminished frequencies of pDC and mDC and decreased levels of IFNα, IFNβ, IFNλ1, IFNλ2 and IFNλ3. Finally, the percentages of DC subsets positively correlated with the levels of Type I and Type III IFNs. Conclusion: Thus, our study provides evidence of restoration of homeostatic levels in DC subset frequencies and circulating levels of Type I and Type III IFNs in convalescent COVID-19 individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the electrodes of a microbial desalination cell (MDC) are investigated as the positive and negative electrodes of an internal supercapacitor. The resulting system has been named a supercapacitive microbial desalination cell (SC-MDC). The electrodes are self-polarized by the red-ox reactions and therefore the anode acts as a negative electrode and the cathode as a positive electrode of the internal supercapacitor. In order to overcome cathodic losses, an additional capacitive electrode (AdE) was added and short-circuited with the SC-MDC cathode (SC-MDC-AdE). A total of 7600 discharge/self-recharge cycles (equivalent to 44 h of operation) of SC-MDC-AdE with a desalination chamber filled with an aqueous solution of 30 g L-1 NaCl are reported. The same reactor system was operated with real seawater collected from Pacific Ocean for 88 h (15,100 cycles). Maximum power generated was 1.63 ± 0.04 W m-2 for SC-MDC and 3.01 ± 0.01 W m-2 for SC-MDC-AdE. Solution conductivity in the desalination reactor decreased by ∼50% after 23 h and by more than 60% after 44 h. There was no observable change in the pH during cell operation. Power/current pulses were generated without an external power supply.

Background: Lateral ankle sprain is the most common musculoskeletal injury. Although clinical research in this field is growing, there is a broader concern that clinical trial outcomes are often false and fail to translate into patient benefits. Methods: We audited 30 years of experimental research related to lateral ankle sprain management (n = 74 randomized controlled trials) to determine if reports of treatment effectiveness could be validated beyond statistical certainty. Results: A total of 77% of trials reported positive treatment effects, but there was a high risk of false discovery. Most trials were unregistered and relied solely on statistical significance, or lack of statistical significance, rather than on interpreting key measures of minimum clinical importance (e.g., minimal detectable change, minimal clinically important difference). Conclusion: Future clinical trials must adopt higher standards of reporting and data interpretation. This includes consideration of the ethical responsibility to preregister their research and interpretation of clinical outcomes beyond statistical significance.

In this research,we present a 64-point radix- 4 2 pipelined Fast Fourier Transform(FFT) architecture which is area-efficient for an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing(OFDM) based IEEE 802.11a wireless Local area network(LAN) baseband. We adopt Multiple Delay Commutator(MDC) architecture for hardware implementation. The proposed 64-point FFT adopts a modified constant multiplier to compute complex multiplication in place of complex multipliers and to avoid read-only memory(ROM),which is used to store twiddle factor coefficients internally. The area of the design is reduced by using modified constant multiplier. The proposed radix- 4 2 pipelined FFT architecture is synthesized using 45 nm CMOS technology with a supply voltage of 1.1 V. The proposed design occupies 15.31K total gates,dissipates 8.6 mW of power and the power delay product is 430 e − 12. • A 64-point radix-42 pipelined FFT MDC architecture which is area efficient for OFDM applications. • The complex multipliers are replaced by constant multipliers with less area. • No need of memory to store the twiddle-factors. • The area of the processor is less compared with previous approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To reduce microvascular free flap failure (MFF), monitoring is crucial for the early detection of malperfusion and allows timely salvage. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate hyperspectral imaging (HSI) in comparison to micro-Doppler sonography (MDS) to monitor MFF perfusion in an in vivo rodent model. Bilateral groin flaps were raised on 20 Sprague–Dawley rats. The femoral artery was transected on the trial side and re-anastomosed. Flaps and anastomoses were assessed before, during, and after the period of ischemia every ten minutes for overall 60 min using HSI and MDS. The contralateral sides' flaps served as controls. Tissue-oxygenation saturation (StO2), near-infrared perfusion index (NPI), hemoglobin (THI), and water distribution (TWI) were assessed by HSI, while blood flow was assessed by MDS. HSI correlates with the MDS signal in the case of sufficient and completely interrupted perfusion. HSI was able to validly and reproducibly detect tissue perfusion status using StO2 and NPI. After 40 min, flap perfusion decreased due to the general aggravation of hemodynamic circulatory situation, which resulted in a significant drop of StO2 (p < 0.005) and NPI (p < 0.005), whereas the Doppler signal remained unchanged. In accordance, HSI might be suitable to detect MFF general complications in an early stage and further decrease MFF failure rates, whereas MDS may only be used for direct complications at the anastomose site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many decisions can be represented as interrelated discrete and continuous choices, i.e. what and how much to choose from a set of finite alternatives (incidence and quantity of consumption). In the last twenty years, several models of Karush–Kuhn–Tucker demand systems have been developed and used to study these kinds of decisions. While strongly grounded in economic theory, most of these models have two limitations: they require specifying a budget, and usually omit any complementarity effects. In this paper, we propose two extensions to the Multiple Discrete Continuous (MDC) modelling framework: (i) an MDC model including explicit complementarity and substitution effects, and (ii) an MDC model with complementarity, substitution that requires no budget definition. Model (ii) relies on the hypothesis that total expenditure on the alternatives under consideration is small compared to the overall budget. This allows using a linear utility function for the numeraire good, leading to a likelihood function without the budget or numeraire good in it. The lack of a budget is specially useful when forecasting, as it avoids cascading errors due to an inaccurate budget specifications. The inclusion of complementarity and substitution effects enriches the interpretability of the models, while the resulting functional form avoids theoretical issues present in previous formulations. Alongside the derivation of the models, we discuss their main properties and propose an efficient forecasting algorithm for (ii). We also report four applications to datasets about time use, household expenditure, supermarket scanner data, and trip generation. Free estimation code for both models is made available online. • Two extensions of the multiple discrete continuous (MDC) framework are presented. • Extension 1 incorporates complementarity and substitution in a tractable formulation. • Extension 2 incorporates complementarity, substitution and an unobserved budget. • Extension 2 relies on the unobserved budget being large. • Free computational implementations are provided online. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the longitudinal validity and responsiveness of the Persian version of Patient-Rated Tennis Elbow Evaluation (PRTEE) and the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) in patients with lateral elbow tendinopathy (LET). Sixty-four patients with LET completed the PRTEE, DASH, and Global Rating of Change Scale (GRC) at baseline and six weeks. The external and internal responsiveness, floor and ceiling effects, minimal detectable change (MDC) and minimal clinically important difference (MCID) were calculated. No ceiling and floor effects were detected for either the PRTEE or DASH. External responsiveness as an indicator to detect the relationship between change in the measured and external indicator of change was acceptable for both, but higher for the PRTEE (AUC = 0.90; CI: 0.83–0.97) vs. DASH (AUC = 0.80; CI: 69–90). Internal responsiveness to detect intervention related changes indicated slightly superiority in responsiveness for PRTEE. The relative efficiency (1.21), standard effect size (1.14 PRTEE vs. 1.03 DASH), and standard response mean (1.34 PRTEE vs. 1.10 DASH). The MDC were 11 and 12, and MCID were 20 and 18 for the PRTEE and DASH, respectively. Both the DASH and PRTEE were responsive in detecting improvement in patients with LET. The PRTEE was shorter, more efficient, and slightly more responsive which supports its use as a core outcome measure in evaluating patients with LET. The Patient-Rated Tennis Elbow Evaluation (PRTEE) compared with the Disability of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) is a shorter questionnaire with higher psychometric and clinimetric properties for evaluating the patients with lateral elbow tendinopathy. This supports the use of the PRTEE in evaluating patients with elbow tendinopathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Throughout history, truce-making has been an important mechanism to temporarily halt fighting between antagonistic forces. In some instances, national truces are used to usher in longer-term national reconciliation. In this regard, there is an important analytical distinction between a truce and a reconciliation. What is sometimes articulated publicly as a formal reconciliation is often merely a truce, at least from the perspective of the hegemonic party. Drawing on the theoretical work of Nir Eisikovits, we develop this argument in relation to what we identify as the three official episodes of state-centric national reconciliation in Zimbabwe, all taking place under Mugabe's rule. In doing so, we demonstrate how ZANU-PF recalibrated the reconciliations as truces to pursue its strategic power interests. In this context, and more briefly, we analyse the post-coup Mnangagwa government's discourse and acts of reconciliation (existing outside an official reconciliation pact) as another episode of truce-making, designed to benchmark what is unacceptable oppositional politics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pralsetinib (PRL) is a selective Rearranged during Transfection (RET) inhibitor, developed by Blueprint Medicines Corporation for the treatment of RET fusion non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), papillary thyroid cancer (PTC), and medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC). RET is a known proto-oncogene found in NSCLC, PTC, and MTC. PRL was recently granted accelerated USFDA approval with the brand name GAVRETO™ on 4 September 2020 to treat metastatic RET fusion-positive NSCLC and was updated on 1 December 2020 with the addition of advanced and metastatic RET-altered MTC and PTC in the USA. On 19 November 2021, the European Commission granted conditional marketing authorization to PRL for use as a single agent in adult patients with RET fusion-positive advanced NSCLC. They were not previously treated with an RET inhibitor. This review article summarizes the milestones in the development of PRL, chemistry, chemical (synthesis) research and development, characterization and identification of PRL-resistant RET mutants, the structural basis of resistance to PRL, mechanism of action, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamic, adverse effects, and regulatory status, including ongoing clinical trial of PRL and other potential drug candidates, leading to this first approval of PRL for the treatment of various solid tumors (RET fusion NSCLC, MTC, and PTC). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background With the widespread clinical application of the five-level version of the EuroQol five-dimensional questionnaire (EQ-5D-5L), whether the questionnaire scores are responsive to changes in patients’ health and how much changes in questionnaire scores represent patients’ real health changes require consideration. Consequently, we assessed responsiveness and estimated the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) of the EQ-5D-5L in surgically treated patients with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) to determine the relationship between MCID and minimal detectable change (MDC). Methods We conducted a longitudinal, observational study. Participants were patients with CIN from the gynecology inpatient department of a grade-A tertiary hospital in Shihezi, Xinjiang, China. Participants completed the EQ-5D-5L and the Global Rating of Change Questionnaire (GRCQ) at baseline and one month post-surgery. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to compare EQ-5D-5L scores pre- and post-treatment. We calculated the effect size (ES) and the standardized response mean (SRM) to quantitatively assess responsiveness. Distribution-based, anchor-based, and instrument-defined methods were used to estimate MCID. MCID to MDC ratios at individual- and group-levels were also calculated. Results Fifty patients with CIN completed the follow-up investigation (mean age 44.76 ± 8.72 years; mean follow-up time 32.28 ± 1.43 days). The index value and EQ visual analogue scale (EQ VAS) of the EQ-5D-5L improved by 0.025 and 6.92 (all p

Abstract: This study seeks to analyze the description of the need for Mode Deactivation Counseling (MDC) as an effort to control adolescent sexual aggressiveness. The research method used literature study and quantitative approach through a survey of 27 inclusive secondary school counselor across several regions in Indonesia. The MDC literature study rested on Mode Deactivation Therapy (MDT), while the survey results were analyzed through descriptive statistical analysis techniques by looking at the categorization of school counselors’ answers. The results show that school counselors need an effective way to control adolescent sexual aggressiveness and this can be done through the application of MDC. Abstrak: Penelitian ini berupaya untuk menganalisis deskripsi kebutuhan MDC sebagai upaya untuk mengendalikan agresivitas seksual remaja. Metode penelitian digunakan studi literatur dan pendekatan kuantitatif melalui survei kepada 27 guru bimbingan dan konseling (BK) yang tersebar di beberapa wilayah Indonesia. Studi literatur MDC berpijak pada MDT, sedangkan hasil survei dianalisis melalui teknik analisis statistik deskriptif dengan melihat kategorisasi dari jawaban guru BK. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa guru BK memerlukan suatu cara efektif untuk mengendalikan agresivitas seksual remaja dan hal ini dapat ditempuh melalui penerapan MDC.

A PGNAA set-up consisting of a 241Am-Be neutron source and a HPGe detector was proposed to determine rare-earth elements in leachate during infiltration process, and was conducted to analyze samples containing gadolinium, samarium, and neodymium. A good agreement between the experimental net peak areas and the MCNP simulated ones was observed. The net peak areas of gadolinium, samarium, and neodymium versus their corresponding masses were then analyzed. The results showed linear dependences after neutron self-shielding correction, and the minimum detectable concentrations were 27.94 mg/L (Gd), 4.77 mg /L (Sm) and 1077 mg/L (Nd), respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adult and childhood obesity have reached pandemic level proportions. The idea that caloric excess and insufficient levels of physical activity leads to obesity is a commonly accepted answer for unwanted weight gain. This paradigm offers an inconclusive explanation as the world continually moves towards an unhealthier and heavier existence irrespective of energy balance. Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are chemicals that resemble natural hormones and disrupt endocrine function by interfering with the body’s endogenous hormones. A subset of EDCs called obesogens have been found to cause metabolic disruptions such as increased fat storage, in vivo. Obesogens act on the metabolic system through multiple avenues and have been found to affect the homeostasis of a variety of systems such as the gut microbiome and adipose tissue functioning. Obesogenic compounds have been shown to cause metabolic disturbances later in life that can even pass into multiple future generations, post exposure. The rising rates of obesity and related metabolic disease are demanding increasing attention on chemical screening efforts and worldwide preventative strategies to keep the public and future generations safe. This review addresses the most current findings on known obesogens and their effects on the metabolic system, the mechanisms of action through which they act upon, and the screening efforts through which they were identified with. The interplay between obesogens, brown adipose tissue, and the gut microbiome are major topics that will be covered.

The post-2000 political-economic crisis in Zimbabwe saw the migration of journalists as political and economic refugees. Many, if not all, of these claimed persecution at home and some amongst them established online publications with an interest on Zimbabwe. But some of the journalists that remained in Zimbabwe became activists in support of either the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) regime or the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). Another group joined civil society whilst others joined either the ruling ZANU-PF party or the opposition political parties, mainly MDC. In the same context, some activists joined newsrooms. In this context, the distinction between journalism and political activism became increasingly blurred. The article, deploying Pierre Bourdieu's field theory, explores how and why this morphing of journalists into activists and vice versa unfolded and its impact on the journalistic field. The findings demonstrate that on one hand journalists morphed into activists through: switching into civil society; active involvement in party politics either as members or election candidates; openly campaigning for or against certain political parties and candidates; and writing political campaign material disguised as news. On the other hand, activists entered the journalistic field as columnists, correspondents or stringers, editors and, in one high profile case, a Ministry of Information official. The metamorphosis happened openly and underground, and it was caused by poverty, greed, the desire to migrate, disenchantment with economic challenges, state-sponsored repression of the media and the desire to secure one's privileged position in the journalistic social field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Experimental research involving patients with ankle sprain is largely unregistered. • Most conclusions of treatment effectiveness are based solely on statistical significance. • Just 9% of statistically significant findings compare favorably to key measures of minimum clinical importance. • There is a high risk of false-positive discovery in a core field of musculoskeletal research. Lateral ankle sprain is the most common musculoskeletal injury. Although clinical research in this field is growing, there is a broader concern that clinical trial outcomes are often false and fail to translate into patient benefits. We audited 30 years of experimental research related to lateral ankle sprain management (n = 74 randomized controlled trials) to determine if reports of treatment effectiveness could be validated beyond statistical certainty. A total of 77% of trials reported positive treatment effects, but there was a high risk of false discovery. Most trials were unregistered and relied solely on statistical significance, or lack of statistical significance, rather than on interpreting key measures of minimum clinical importance (e.g., minimal detectable change, minimal clinically important difference). Future clinical trials must adopt higher standards of reporting and data interpretation. This includes consideration of the ethical responsibility to preregister their research and interpretation of clinical outcomes beyond statistical significance. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hash function has a fundamental role in modern cryptography as a tool to ensure integrity services in the exchange of digital information. The hash function allows one to easily verify whether or not an input data is mapped to a given or stored hash value. One type of hash function is one that uses only messages as input values called Modification Detection Codes (MDCs). Good MDCs must meet the preimage resistance, second-preimage resistance, and collision resistance properties. One type of MDCs hash function is the Preneel-Govaerts-Vandewalle (PGV) scheme, which is one of the most common iterative MDCs utilizing block cipher as its compression function. PGV has 64 schemes for building hash functions that have the property of collision resistance, which is the difficulty of finding two different inputs that have the same hash value. Of the 64 schemes, it is claimed that there are 12 secure schemes, even though there are no formal proofs of the claim. In this study, we showed that iterative differential characteristics can be utilized for finding collision on the 12 claimed-to-be-secure schemes of PGV hash function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Engineering (17264073) is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic, pruritic, inflammatory dermatosis that affects up to 25% of children and 2% to 3% of adults. This guideline addresses important clinical questions that arise in the management and care of AD, providing updated and expanded recommendations based on the available evidence. In this first of 4 sections, methods for the diagnosis and monitoring of disease, outcomes measures for assessment, and common clinical associations that affect patients with AD are discussed. Known risk factors for the development of disease are also reviewed.

The key purpose of this paper is to propose a mono-slip-dependent continuum dislocation method for matrix-dominated composite structure (MDCS) analysis. The methodology focuses on dissipation energy theories utilizing a continuum dislocation method (CDM) integrated with small-strain kinematics. The mathematical modeling of the CDM comprises active mono-slip system formulations, thermodynamic dislocation analysis (TDA), free energy dissipation analysis, and the progression of dislocations. Furthermore, zero and non-zero energy dissipation due to dislocation progression is formulated by using an energy minimization technique with variational calculus. The numerical analysis, performed with Wolfram Mathematica©, is presented using zero and non-zero energy dissipation energy formulations. The outcomes indicate that the formulated approach can be effective for obtaining optimal analysis results for matrix-dominated composite (MDC) materials with a mono-slip system. In sum, this study confirms the feasibility of using the proposed approach to investigate MDCS with inclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To systematically review and summarize the literature on minimal detectable change (MDC) and minimal clinically important difference (MCID) values for the Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS)., Methods: The databases that were searched included PubMed, Embase, Medline, and CINAHL, from database inception to August 2023. The inclusion criteria were studies that examined the MDC or MCID of the LEFS in various patient populations and languages. The data extracted included information regarding test-retest reliability, MDC, MCID, and the intervals between assessments., Results: Twenty-four studies defined MDC and five studies MCID values for the LEFS. They review reported a wide range of MDC values, spanning 11 language versions and a variety of diagnoses, with testing intervals ranging from 1 day to 12 months. MCID values were defined with corresponding area under curve, specificity, and sensitivity metrics for three language versions and a variety of diagnoses across timeframes from 4 weeks to 12 months., Conclusions: The review defined MDC and MCID values that can be applied in clinical practice for the LEFS across a variety of timeframes, diagnoses, and languages. The findings of this study allow clinicians use the identified MDC and MCID values of the LEFS when interpreting clinical outcome data.

Neste trabalho exploramos contextos do conteúdo de Mínimo Múltiplo Comum (MMC) e Máximo Divisor Comum (MDC) por meio de discussões sobre a visualização geométrica e os conceitos matemáticos problematizados por este conteúdo. As definições e os procedimentos na matemática são comumente ensinados com o uso de algoritmos escritos o que exige repensar as práticas de professores que a ensinam, sobretudo práticas pedagógicas que envolvem a aquisição e o domínio da linguagem matemática.

Scholarship tends to neglect the phenomenon of political violence in opposition parties in Zimbabwe. The prevailing narrative is that political violence is largely a monopoly of the state and the ruling party, Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF). However, an emerging trend implicates opposition political parties, particularly the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). The MDC’s party’s foot-soldiers, especially the “Vanguard,” often exhibit violent tendencies. Accordingly, the present article explores the scourge of intra-party violence in the opposition party MDC between 2005 and 2019. The article conceptualises and contextualises MDC’s violence through the lenses of Zimbabwe’s political culture and socialisation in the context of the country’s pre-colonial, colonial, and postcolonial historical trajectories.

Abstract Background Breast milk provides nutrition for infants and also contains a variety of bioactive factors that influence the development of the newborn. Human milk is a complex biological fluid that can be separated into different layers (water phase and lipid phase with its component water and lipid fractions). It can affect the developing human body along the whole length of the gastrointestinal tract, and through the circulation, its factors may reach every organ. Methods In the present study, we analyzed milk samples collected monthly for 6 months from 16 mothers from the 4th week postpartum between 2014 and 2016 in Baranya County, Hungary. The 96 samples provided us information about the fluctuation of certain bioactive factors during the first 6 months of lactation. We investigated with Luminex technology the concentrations of several cytokines (CD40, Flt-3L), chemokines (MCP-1, RANTES, GRO, MIP-1ß, MDC, eotaxin, fractalkine), and epidermal growth factor (EGF). Paired t-tests and one-way ANOVA followed by Bonferroni post-hoc tests were used to compare the data. Results We detected the presence of each bioactive factor in every layer of the milk samples during the first 6 months of breastfeeding in widespread concentration ranges. In the case of GRO, MIP-1ß, MDC, Flt-3L, fractalkine, and eotaxin, the concentrations were constant during the first 6 months of lactation. The water phase of human milk contained higher factor concentrations compared to both fractions of the lipid phase for most factors (except eotaxin and MIP-1ß). The concentrations of CD40, EGF, MCP-1, and RANTES in the first 3 months were significantly different compared to the values detected between 4th and 6th months. In the water phase, the level of MCP-1 was significantly decreased, while all of the other factors increased during the 4th through 6th months. We found significantly higher EGF, GRO, and RANTES levels in the water fraction compared to the lipid fraction of the lipid phase. Conclusions The novel findings of this investigation were the presence of Flt-3L and MDC in all layers of breast milk, and nearly all bioactive factors in the lipid phase. Due to their widespread physiological effects these factors may have an essential role in organogenesis.

Nelson Chamisa is central to the political terrain of contemporary Zimbabwe. Post the soft coup of November 2017 and the death of Morgan Tsvangirai in early 2018, Chamisa became president of the Movement for Democratic Change party and contested the July 2018 presidential election. The tempo of changes in the Movement for Democratic Change presidency is not related directly to the shift from Mugabe to Mnangagwa. However, broader politics formed an important context for Chamisa's contested claim for the Movement for Democratic Change presidency. In examining Chamisa and the Movement for Democratic Change, the article highlights linkages between personality politics and electoral mobilization, and how this relates to political party institutionalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Skin marker-based analysis of functional spinal movement is a promising method for quantifying longitudinal effects of treatment interventions in patients with spinal pathologies. However, observed day-to-day changes might not necessarily be due to a treatment intervention, but can result from errors related to soft tissue artifacts, marker placement inaccuracies or biological day-to-day variability.Research Question: How reliable are skin marker-derived three-dimensional spinal kinematics during functional activities between two separate measurement sessions?Methods: Twenty healthy adults (11 females/9 males) were invited to a movement analysis laboratory for two visits separated by 7-10 days. At each visit, they performed various functional activities (i.e. sitting, standing, walking, running, chair rising, box lifting and vertical jumping), while marker trajectories were recorded using a skin marker-based 10-camera optical motion capture system and used to calculate sagittal and frontal plane spinal curvature angles as well as transverse plane segmental rotational angles in the lumbar and thoracic regions. Between-session reliability for continuous data and discrete parameters was determined by analyzing systematic errors using one sample T-tests as well as by calculating intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and minimal detectable changes (MDCs).Results and Significance: The analysis indicated high relative consistency for sagittal plane curvature angles during all activities, but not for frontal and transverse plane angles during walking and running. MDCs were mostly below 15°, with relative values ranging between 10 % and 750 %. This study provides important information that can serve as a basis for researchers and clinicians aiming at investigating longitudinal effects of treatment interventions on spinal motion behavior in patients with spinal pathologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]