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The normal stress, strain rate, and pore fluid chemistry significantly influence the large-strain shear response of clays and received great attention for engineering practice. The effect of inundation pressure, consolidation pressure, pH of aqueous solutions, and di-electric on the shear response of kaolin was experimentally investigated. The strain-softening behaviour was observed under normally consolidated (NC) conditions as observed in the past studies on different clays. However, this anomalous shear response with volumetric contraction is not understood. Thus, for the first time, the strain-softening behaviour of NC clays was addressed from an effective stress approach using physico-chemical analysis of kaolin. In this study, the drained shear strength response of NC kaolin was investigated under physico-chemical influence using ring shear tests. A theoretical framework was developed by including micromechanism of clay fabric evolution during shear and explicit expressions for electro-chemical forces. The proposed framework was used to estimate the shear resistance from the modified effective stress approach to interpret the experimental results. The proposed framework provides useful expressions for predicting the shear strength behaviour of kaolin clays, which were validated with experimental data from the present study and literature studies. The new conceptual framework satisfactorily explained the peak and residual shear strength variations under different chemo-mechanical loading for NC conditions. The proposed model adequately predicted the effective stress paths, peak, and residual envelopes in ring shear stress conditions for NC kaolin soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motzkin paths with air pockets (MAP) of the first kind are defined as a generalization of Dyck paths with air pockets. They are lattice paths in ℕ2 starting at the origin made of steps U = (1, 1), Di = (1,−i), i ≥ 1, and H = (1, 0), where two down-steps cannot be consecutive. We enumerate MAP and their prefixes avoiding peaks (respectively, valleys, respectively, double rise) according to the length, the type of the last step, and the height of its end-point. We express our results using Riordan arrays. Finally, we provide constructive bijections between these paths and restricted Dyck and Motzkin paths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the biting behaviour of vectors is essential for determining their vectorial potential and, hence, their role in disease transmission. The study was a two-year entomological survey of malaria vectors in three agrarian communities of Kano state designated as large irrigation (LIC), urban irrigation (UIC) and nonirrigation (NIC) communities. Human-baited Centre for Disease Control (CDC) light traps collected outdoor and indoor biting adult mosquitoes overnight. The collected female Anopheles species were morphologically identified to the species level using standard keys. A total of six hundred and thirty-seven (637) female Anopheles species were trapped of which 322 (50.55%) were collected indoors and 315 (49.45%) were collected outdoors. LIC and NIC had more Anopheles mosquitoes collected outdoors (51.08% and 66.04% respectively) than indoors (48.92% and 33.96% respectively) while UIC had more Anopheles mosquitoes collected indoors (67.77%) than outdoors (32,23%). Mosquito biting activity was higher in the wet season than in the dry season but did not differ significantly indoors (F-value = 3.310, p = 0.84) and outdoors (F = 0.651, p = 0.532). Statistical differences were recorded in the mean outdoor Anopheles abundance (F = 4.51 and p = 0.044) across the communities. Single, bimodal, and multiple biting peaks were observed in the study. Early biting peaks (1800-1900 hours) were observed outdoors (wet season) in NIC and indoors in UIC (dry season). The early outdoor biting activities of Anopheles species established in this study suggest the possibility of continued malarial transmission despite household use of bed nets. This implies that this control measure might be insufficient for malaria control in the region, and thus integrated methods for controlling malaria vectors should be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on the automated extraction of essential data from an electrocardiography (ECG) recording has been a significant topic for a long time. The main focus of digital processing processes is to measure fiducial points that determine the beginning and end of the P, QRS, and T waves based on their waveform properties. The presence of unavoidable noise during ECG data collection and inherent physiological differences among individuals make it challenging to accurately identify these reference points, resulting in suboptimal performance. This is done through several primary stages that rely on the idea of preliminary processing of the ECG electrical signal through a set of steps (preparing raw data and converting them into files that are read and then processed by removing empty data and unifying the width of the signal at a length of 250 in order to remove noise accurately, and then performing the process of identifying the QRS in the first place and PT implicitly, and then the task stage is determining the required peak and making a cut based on it. The U-Net pre-trained model is used for deep learning. It takes an ECG signal with a customizable sampling rate as input and generates a list of the beginning and ending points of P and T waves, as well as QRS complexes, as output. The distinguishing features of our segmentation method are its high speed, minimal parameter requirements, and strong generalization capabilities, which are used to create data that can be used in diagnosing diseases or biometric systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study investigates variabilities and trends in the onset, peak, and retreat of Intertropical Discontinuity (ITD) annual migrations over West Africa between 1979 and 2020, using reanalysis data of the daily mean surface location of ITD of longitudes 15°W to 15°E. The ITD migration peaks are determined from its migration pentad graphs, while its migration onsets and retreats are detected using the ogive. ITD attains peak from August 4 to 28 at latitudes 17°N to 23°N. The percentage cumulative migrations of ITD perfectly exhibit the ogive/sigmoid curve that reflects changes in ITD's migration speed and direction. A new precision method is developed for the determination of the onsets and retreats on the ogive. The ITD periods of onset are between April 26 and May 5 in the west and April 21 and 25 in the east while their corresponding periods of retreats are between October 27 and November 1 and October 18 and 22. The locations of ITD at the onset and retreat periods increase from approximately 11°N and 12°N to 17°N and 20°N in the east and west, respectively. The peak period exhibits the highest variability (5.5–8.6% Coefficient of Variation (CV) and 45–85 days ranges), followed by the onset (4.9–7.2% CV and 20–35 days ranges) and the retreat (1.8–2.9% CV and 20–40 days ranges). However, the latitudinal location of the onset shows the highest variability (9.4–19.7% CV and 8.3–13° latitudinal ranges), followed by the retreat (9.0-15.3% CV and 4.7–11.8° latitudinal ranges) and lastly, the peak (1.6–7.8% CV and 1.4–7.9° latitudinal ranges). There are significant upward trends in the ITD's latitudinal location at the onset, peak and retreat along longitudes 5°E, 0°-15°E, and 10°E, respectively. The trends are attributed to the deepening of the Sahara Heat Low, which in turn is due to its enhanced heating in association with climate change. Direct relationships are observed between the pairs of ITD onset, peak and retreat periods. The ITD migration speed increases from the beginning of the year to the end and displays a gradual advance but rapid retreat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article raises the topic of the critical examination of polypropylene, a key polymeric material, and its extensive application within the automotive industry, particularly focusing on the manufacturing of brake fluid reservoirs. This study aims to enhance the understanding of polypropylene's behavior under mechanical stresses through a series of laboratory destruction tests and numerical simulations, emphasizing the finite element method (FEM). A novel aspect of this research is the introduction of the PEAK parameter, a groundbreaking approach designed to assess the material's resilience against varying states of strain, known as triaxiality. This parameter facilitates the identification of critical areas prone to crack initiation, thereby enabling the optimization of component design with a minimized safety margin, which is crucial for cost-effective production. The methodology involves conducting burst tests to locate crack initiation sites, followed by FEM simulations to determine the PEAK threshold value for the Sabic 83MF10 polypropylene material. The study successfully validates the predictive capability of the PEAK parameter, demonstrating a high correlation between simulated results and actual laboratory tests. This validation underscores the potential of the PEAK parameter as a predictive tool for enhancing the reliability and safety of polypropylene automotive components. The research presented in this article contributes significantly to the field of material science and engineering by providing a deeper insight into the mechanical behavior of polypropylene and introducing an effective tool for predicting crack initiation in automotive components. The findings hold promise for advancing the design and manufacturing processes in the automotive industry, with potential applications extending to other sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective and Background Method Results Conclusions The personality trait of agreeableness is linked to a number of core tendencies (e.g., empathy, warmth) that operate in a feeling‐based manner. Following considerations of this type, it is proposed that the motivations and characteristics of agreeable individuals, relative to disagreeable individuals, should render them more receptive to emotional events and more responsive to them for this reason.Potential links between agreeableness and emotional reactivity were assessed in two studies involving four samples (total N = 517) in which participants continuously rated their feeling states in response to a variety of affective images.Agreeableness did not predict the speed with which emotional reactions began, but agreeable individuals exhibited higher‐magnitude peak intensities, regardless of whether stimuli were appetitive (pleasant) or aversive (unpleasant) in nature.The findings provide novel insights into the personality trait of agreeableness, emotional reactivity phenomena, and the dynamic processes that link agreeableness to emotion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In biomedical studies, longitudinal processes are collected till time-to-event, sometimes on nested timescales (example, days within months). Most of the literature in joint modeling of longitudinal and time-to-event data has focused on modeling the mean or dispersion of the longitudinal process with the hazard for time-to-event. However, based on the motivating studies, it may be of interest to investigate how the cycle-level geometric features (such as the curvature, location and height of a peak), of a cyclical longitudinal process is associated with the time-to-event being studied. We propose a shared parameter joint model for a cyclical longitudinal process and a discrete survival time, measured on nested timescales, where the cycle-varying geometric feature is modeled through a linear mixed effects model and a proportional hazards model for the discrete survival time. The proposed approach allows for prediction of survival probabilities for future subjects based on their available longitudinal measurements. Our proposed model and approach is illustrated through simulation and analysis of Stress and Time-to-Pregnancy, a component of Oxford Conception Study. A joint modeling approach was used to assess whether the cycle-specific geometric features of the lutenizing hormone measurements, such as its peak or its curvature, are associated with time-to-pregnancy (TTP). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Isometric muscle activation of single joint to volleyball players is critic on sport performance to produce potential muscle force, however isometric measurement limited in isokinetic muscle activity measurement of volleyball players. Indeed, hand dynamometers commonly use in various body isometric force. Professional volleyball players age 16.23 ± 0.59 yr, body mass 60.22 ± 4.64 kg, hight 1.69 ± 0.04 m participated to peak and average isometric force measurement over 8 week pre and post test. Accordingly, single joint muscle force production measurement of volleyball players tested on isometric muscle activation using a new hand dynamometer activforce 2. Isometric muscle activation tests consisted of 24 body region from upper and lower compartment. For this isometric muscle action test detected on peak force outcomes (SEM: 37.90; CV: 1.79) and average force outcomes (SEM: 33.62; CV: 1.84). The high isometric muscle action joint loading performing mechanical test application recommended on athletic population to using isometric potential high contraction model by strength training performance separately in-season and off-season measurement modeling. Conclusion, peak and average force production progressive isometric modeling of volleyball athletes worked to current sport–health condition. As out, conclusion must be advanced isometric force measurement proper work in sport-specific tasks. The proper isometric force must be repeat sport performance outcome in different sport modalities.

Background: Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a warm-season perennial (C4) grass identified as an important biofuel crop in the United States. It is well adapted to the marginal environment where heat and moisture stresses predominantly affect crop growth. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms associated with heat and drought stress tolerance still need to be fully understood in switchgrass. The methylation of H3K4 is often associated with transcriptional activation of genes, including stress-responsive. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze genome-wide histone H3K4-tri-methylation in switchgrass under heat, drought, and combined stress. Results: In total, ~ 1.3 million H3K4me3 peaks were identified in this study using SICER. Among them, 7,342; 6,510; and 8,536 peaks responded under drought (DT), drought and heat (DTHT), and heat (HT) stresses, respectively. Most DT and DTHT peaks spanned 0 to + 2000 bases from the transcription start site [TSS]. By comparing differentially marked peaks with RNA-Seq data, we identified peaks associated with genes: 155 DT-responsive peaks with 118 DT-responsive genes, 121 DTHT-responsive peaks with 110 DTHT-responsive genes, and 175 HT-responsive peaks with 136 HT-responsive genes. We have identified various transcription factors involved in DT, DTHT, and HT stresses. Gene Ontology analysis using the AgriGO revealed that most genes belonged to biological processes. Most annotated peaks belonged to metabolite interconversion, RNA metabolism, transporter, protein modifying, defense/immunity, membrane traffic protein, transmembrane signal receptor, and transcriptional regulator protein families. Further, we identified significant peaks associated with TFs, hormones, signaling, fatty acid and carbohydrate metabolism, and secondary metabolites. qRT-PCR analysis revealed the relative expressions of six abiotic stress-responsive genes (transketolase, chromatin remodeling factor-CDH3, fatty-acid desaturase A, transmembrane protein 14C, beta-amylase 1, and integrase-type DNA binding protein genes) that were significantly (P < 0.05) marked during drought, heat, and combined stresses by comparing stress-induced against un-stressed and input controls. Conclusion: Our study provides a comprehensive and reproducible epigenomic analysis of drought, heat, and combined stress responses in switchgrass. Significant enrichment of H3K4me3 peaks downstream of the TSS of protein-coding genes was observed. In addition, the cost-effective experimental design, modified ChIP-Seq approach, and analyses presented here can serve as a prototype for other non-model plant species for conducting stress studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Tikrit University for Humanities 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.)

Purpose: To compare peak and average intensities encountered during winning and losing game quarters in basketball players. Methods: Eight semiprofessional male basketball players (age = 23.1 [3.8] y) were monitored during all games (N = 18) over 1 competitive season. The average intensities attained in each quarter were determined using microsensors and heart-rate monitors to derive relative values (per minute) for the following variables: PlayerLoad, frequency of high-intensity and total accelerations, decelerations, changes of direction, jumps, and total inertial movement analysis events combined, as well as modified summated-heart-rate-zones workload. The peak intensities reached in each quarter were determined using microsensors and reported as PlayerLoad per minute over 15-second, 30-second, 1-minute, 2-minute, 3-minute, 4-minute, and 5-minute sample durations. Linear mixed models and effect sizes were used to compare intensity variables between winning and losing game quarters. Results: Nonsignificant (P >.05), unclear–small differences were evident between winning and losing game quarters in all variables. Conclusions: During winning and losing game quarters, peak and average intensities were similar. Consequently, factors other than the intensity of effort applied during games may underpin team success in individual game quarters and therefore warrant further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article, published in Frontiers in Psychology, explores the field of sport psychology and its role in empowering athletes and coaches to achieve their best performance. It discusses the diverse nature of sport psychology, including different sports, competition levels, age groups, and gender considerations. The article emphasizes the importance of applied research in addressing key issues such as understanding the psychological aspects of sports participation, managing stress, and utilizing artificial intelligence. It also discusses the challenges faced in the field and the need for recovery, optimization, and training from a sport psychology perspective. The article highlights the role of sport psychology in supporting athletes and coaches during training, improving performance under pressure, and promoting psychological well-being. It concludes by mentioning the relevance of sport psychology in both traditional sports and esports, and suggests future research areas such as techniques for enhancing coach performance, interventions for handling pressure, the relationship between emotions and performance, and the impact of stakeholders on athletes. The article includes references to relevant research articles on these topics. [Extracted from the article]

This article raises the topic of the critical examination of polypropylene, a key polymeric material, and its extensive application within the automotive industry, particularly focusing on the manufacturing of brake fluid reservoirs. This study aims to enhance the understanding of polypropylene’s behavior under mechanical stresses through a series of laboratory destruction tests and numerical simulations, emphasizing the finite element method (FEM). A novel aspect of this research is the introduction of the PEAK parameter, a groundbreaking approach designed to assess the material’s resilience against varying states of strain, known as triaxiality. This parameter facilitates the identification of critical areas prone to crack initiation, thereby enabling the optimization of component design with a minimized safety margin, which is crucial for cost-effective production. The methodology involves conducting burst tests to locate crack initiation sites, followed by FEM simulations to determine the PEAK threshold value for the Sabic 83MF10 polypropylene material. The study successfully validates the predictive capability of the PEAK parameter, demonstrating a high correlation between simulated results and actual laboratory tests. This validation underscores the potential of the PEAK parameter as a predictive tool for enhancing the reliability and safety of polypropylene automotive components. The research presented in this article contributes significantly to the field of material science and engineering by providing a deeper insight into the mechanical behavior of polypropylene and introducing an effective tool for predicting crack initiation in automotive components. The findings hold promise for advancing the design and manufacturing processes in the automotive industry, with potential applications extending to other sectors.

Rein tension is relatively easy to measure, and the resulting data are useful for evaluating the interaction between horse and rider. To date, there have been a number of studies using different transducers, calibration methods and analytical techniques. The purpose of this paper is to make recommendations regarding the collection, analysis and reporting of rein tension data. The goal is to assist users in selecting appropriate equipment, choosing verified methods of calibration, data collection and analysis, and reporting their results consistently to facilitate comparisons between different studies. Sensors should have a suitable range and resolution together with a fast enough dynamic response, according to the gait, speed and type of riding for which they will be used. An appropriate calibration procedure is necessary before each recording session. A recording frequency of 50 Hz is adequate for most rein tension studies. The data may be analyzed using time-series methods or by extracting and analyzing discrete variables chosen in accordance with the study objectives. Consistent reporting facilitates comparisons between studies.

Background: The revised U.S. consensus guidelines on vancomycin therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) recommend obtaining trough and peak samples to estimate the area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) using the Bayesian approach; however, the benefit of such two-point measurements has not been demonstrated in a clinical setting. We evaluated Bayesian predictive performance with and without peak concentration data using clinical TDM data. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 54 adult patients without renal impairment who had two serial peak and trough concentration measurements in a =1-week interval. The concentration and AUC values were estimated and predicted using Bayesian software (Mw- Pharm++; Mediware, Prague, Czech Republic). The median prediction error (MDPE) for bias and median absolute prediction error (MDAPE) for imprecision were calculated based on the estimated AUC and measured trough concentration. Results: AUC predictions using the trough concentration had an MDPE of -1.6% and an MDAPE of 12.4%, whereas those using both peak and trough concentrations had an MDPE of -6.2% and an MDAPE of 16.9%. Trough concentration predictions using the trough concentration had an MDPE of -8.7% and an MDAPE of 18.0%, whereas those using peak and trough concentrations had an MDPE of -13.2% and an MDAPE of 21.0%. Conclusions: The usefulness of the peak concentration for predicting the AUC on the next occasion by Bayesian modeling was not demonstrated; therefore, the practical value of peak sampling for AUC-guided dosing can be questioned. As this study was conducted in a specific setting and generalization is limited, results should be interpreted cautiously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current review summarizes the literature on the impact of derived relational responding (DRR) technology on raising intelligence scores. We conducted a systematic review of peer-reviewed studies in PsycINFO, ERIC, and Web of Science between 1985 and 2021. Fourteen publications involving 15 experiments were identified. For studies meeting inclusion criteria, information was extracted on participant characteristics, design, settings, assessments conducted, intervention protocol and trained relations, mean intelligence quotient (IQ) scores before and after training, and outcomes. We assessed risk of bias using a revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials (RoB2), the Risk of Bias in Nonrandomized Studies of Interventions (ROBINS-I), and the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC). Overall, the results suggest that interventions using DRR procedures improve intelligence scores regardless of initial participant ability, diagnosis, or age level. Furthermore, eight of the reviewed studies used the Strengthening Mental Abilities with Relational Training (SMART), whereas two studies implemented the Promoting the Emergence of Advanced Knowledge (PEAK) protocol. Additional training procedures were identified, for example, multiple-exemplar training, fluency training, and relational flexibility training. The quality assessment showed high risk for seven randomized controlled trials, and low to moderate risk for five nonrandomized trials. Three studies used a type of single case design; one study meets standards according to the WWC protocol. The limitations and future directions are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Loss of financial potential is one of the most serious risks enterprises face. The risk management system for the loss of financial potential helps enterprises identify, evaluate and manage risks that may affect their financial condition. This system allows enterprises to reduce the possibility of financial losses andensures more efficient work with financial resources. The purpose of the article is to identify the main imperatives, which are the basis for ensuring the development of financial potential and the justification of measures to neutralise the risks of business entities in the agricultural sector in Ukraine. The main sources of loss of financial potential of enterprises in the agricultural sector of the economy of Ukraine have been identified. It has been established that currently, the biggest threats are: low business activity, a low level of technological equipment and innovation, negative profitability and slow turnover of capital, lack of access to credit for small- and medium-sized enterprises and climate changes. Agricultural enterprises are subject to various risks of loss of financial potential, which may be associated with changes in weather conditions, animal epidemics, changes in legislation, currency risks, etc. Neutralisation of these risks is an important element of effective management of an agricultural enterprise and ensuring its stability. It has been proven that one of the ways to neutralise risks is to create a reserve fund in case of unexpected events that may lead to the loss of financial potential. Such a fund may include funds that can be used for replanting crops, repairing infrastructure, reimbursing losses from animal epidemics and other needs. It is proposed to minimise the risks with the help of insurance. Insurance can be provided at different levels: from crop insurance to emergency insurance. Having insurance allows the company to reduce financial losses in case of unexpected events. In addition, the enterprise can use financial instruments to reduce currency risks. These tools will enable you to protect the company from changes in exchange rates.

The misinterpretation of peak asymmetry as higher oxidation states in x‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) is regretfully all too common. This XPS Insight note introduces the theory of peak asymmetry in x‐ray photoelectron spectra and such asymmetry is discussed for a range of different classes of materials to afford analysts a more informed view of their spectra. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent advances in medical instruments, information technology, and unprecedented data sharing allowed scientists to investigate, trace, and monitor the COVID-19 pandemic faster than any previous outbreak. This extraordinary speed makes COVID-19 a medical revolution that causes some unprecedented analyses, discussions, and models. Modeling the dependence between the number of tests and the positivity rate is one of these new issues. Using four classes of copulas (Clayton, Frank, Gumbel, and FGM), this study is the first attempt tom model the dependency. The estimation of the parameters of the copulas is obtained using the maximum likelihood method. To evaluate the goodness of fit of the copulas, we calculate AIC. The computations are conducted on Matlab R2015b, R 4.0.3, Maple 2018a, and EasyFit 5.6. Findings indicate that at the beginning of a typical epidemic, the number of tests is relatively low and the proportion of positivity is high. As time passes, the number of tests increases, and the positivity rate decreases. The epidemic peaks are occasions that violate the stated general rule –due to the early growth of the number of tests. Also, during both peak and non-peak times, the rising number of tests is accompanied by decreasing the positivity rate. We find that the proportion of positivity is more proportional than the number of tests to the number of infected cases. Therefore, the changes in the positivity rate can be considered a representative of the level of the spreading. Approaching zero positivity rate is a good criterion to scale the success of a healthcare system in fighting against an epidemic. Accordingly, the number and accuracy of tests can play a vital role in the quality level of epidemic data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: The fifth wave of Covid-19 occurred in Iran and lasted from the beginning of July to the end of August 2021. Unlike the previous waves, which lasted mainly 3-4 weeks, the fifth wave in the country, especially in Kurdistan province, was longer than 4 months. This study aimed to identify the causes of prolongation of the fifth covid-19 wave in Kurdistan Province. Materials and Methods: In this qualitative study, the views of 52 medical professionals who were directly or indirectly involved in the surveillance and treatment of COVID-19 were obtained using semi-structured interviews. Data analysis was performed using the framework analysis method. Results: Low coverage rate of vaccination, false beliefs and lack of confidence in regard to the effectiveness of vaccines used, incomplete effects of the vaccines, vaccination during incubation period or illness, non-compliance with health protocols especially use of masks by vaccinated people, lack of correct and consistent use of standard masks, insufficient medical services and facilities, use of outpatient treatment approach and rapid discharge of the patients regardless of the disease transmission period, insufficient attention to the education of the patients and their families, weakness in contacts tracing of infected people, lack of seriousness in implementing government decisions, especially insufficient government support for vulnerable people and businesses, community exposure to a new strain of the virus (Delta strain), increased risk of transmission of the disease in the community due to cold weather in the province were the most important reasons for the prolongation of the fifth covid-19 peak in Kurdistan Province. Conclusion: Based on the results, various factors such as vaccination, behavior of community members, government decisions, and response rate of health system were involved in the prolongation of the fifth corona wave in Kurdistan Province. It seems necessary to consider these factors in dealing with the next waves and peaks

Winwood, PW, Keogh, JW, Travis, SK, and Pritchard, HJ. The tapering practices of competitive weightlifters. J Strength Cond Res 37(4): 829–839, 2023—This study explored the tapering strategies of weightlifting athletes. Weightlifting athletes (n = 146) (mean ± SD ; age: 29.2 ± 8.7 years, height: 172.5 ± 10.1 cm, body mass: 84.0 ± 17.2 kg, 4.7 ± 3.4 years of weightlifting training experience, and 3.9 ± 3.3 years of competitive weightlifting experience) completed a self-reported 4-page, 39-item internet survey on tapering practices. Subgroup analysis by sex (male and female) and competitive standard (local or regional, national and international level) was conducted. Ninety-nine percent (n = 144) of weightlifting athletes reported they used a taper. Athletes stated that their typical taper length was 8.0 ± 4.4 days, with the linear (36%) and step tapers (33%) being the most performed. Training volume decreased during the taper by 43.1 ± 14.6%, and athletes ceased all training 1.5 ± 0.6 days out from competition. Muscular strength, light technique work, and aerobic conditioning were the most common types of training performed in the taper. Athletes typically stated that tapering was performed to achieve rest and recovery, physical preparation for peak performance and mental preparation; training intensity and training duration decreased whereas training frequency remained the same or decreased; traditional exercises were performed further out from competition than weightlifting exercises; assistance exercises and some strength work were reduced; nutritional changes, foam rolling, static stretching, and massage were strategies used in the taper; and poor tapering occurred because of training too heavy, too hard, or too light and life–work circumstances. These results may aid athletes and coaches in strength sports to optimize tapering variables leading to improved performances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study examined relative differences of the content of Applied Behavior Analytic (ABA) Therapy delivered to autistic children. A randomized trial was conducted using 73 school age children who either received a traditional ABA intervention (i.e., treatment as usual, TAU) that emphasized traditional reinforcement contingencies and Skinner's (1957) approach to language development, or a treatment which focused on derived learning and relational framing based on the PEAK curriculum (i.e., relational training, RT; Dixon, 2016). Results suggest that participants who were exposed to the RT gained more skills and had greater improvements in intelligence scores than those participants in the TAU group. Furthermore, indirect measures of positive change including autism severity also appeared to be affected by the group assignment. These data suggest that different types of ABA therapy can produce different degrees of progress for autistic children and have implications for instructional design and service delivery by behavior analysts. • We compared relative differences of ABA therapy content to autistics. • 73 children used in randomized controlled trial. • Relational training produced better outcomes than TAU. • Improvements were shown in intelligence, adaptive behavior, and autism severity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We sought to evaluate a set of procedures based on Relational Frame Theory in teaching children with disabilities to reason analogically using relations between the contextual cues "same," "opposite," and "different." Two children were first taught to respond to the relational cues using common pictures and were subsequently trained through an exemplar to correctly respond to analogies presented in an analogy matrix, based on the prior established relations. Two other children were exclusively trained to respond to analogies in the matrix without prior relational training. The children that received relational and analogy training could correctly respond analogically and the skill transferred to untrained analogies. Mastery was not observed in the control participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Water and wastewater workers can be exposed to hydrogen sulphide (H2S), with an unpredictable exposure pattern, dominated by sharp peaks. These peaks can often be high above the ceiling value (CV) at 10 ppm. Methods We have analyzed self-administrated H2S exposure data among 60 wastewater workers in the Municipality of Trondheim, Norway, from 2015 till 2021. The detection range of the personal alarm equipment used was 1.6 to 100 ppm H2S. The workers were divided in four similar exposed groups (SEGs): wastewater collection net, wastewater treatment plants, wastewater pumping stations and water distribution net. Results We identified measurements from 7083 different workdays, approximately 10% of the workdays between 2015 and 2021. Within these, 1295 days had readings above 1.6 ppm H2S, and 424 (33%) of these days had readings that exceeded the CV of 10 ppm H2S. This percentage was similar across the SEGs. Only one workday had a time weighted average (TWA) exceeding the occupational exposure limit (OEL) of 5 ppm H2S, and only 14 days exceeded 0.5 ppm H2S, 1/10th of the OEL. Conclusions Wastewater workers in this study are regularly exposed to short peaks of H2S, but even high peaks do not influence the 8-h TWA values significantly. A preliminary measurement program over 3 days according to EN 689 to evaluate the need for further measurements would probably not find TWA values greater than 1/10 of OEL; the EN 689 standard is not made for evaluation to peak exposures. Exceedances of CV at 10 ppm H2S occur in 6% of workdays, and in 33% of days with exposure above 1.6 ppm. The toxicity and exposure profile of H2S makes continuous exposure monitoring necessary for alarm purposes. Reliance on the 8-h occupational exposure limit as has been the normal in Norway, will not be adequately protective for wastewater workers. H2S alarm equipment should continue to be used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of correlations between various observable quantities for Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) has been the subject of much interest and discussion. In particular, many studies have explored the Eiso-Ei,peak relation, its origin and its potential use as a means to discriminate between GRBs from various progenitors. Observations of GRBs through the Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope have also opened up the possibility of studying this correlation over a wide range of energies from keVs to GeVs. While the correlation has been studied through Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) GRBs with measured redshifts, its compatibility with LAT GRBs without measured redshifts is yet to be tested. In this paper, we study this correlation with a sample of 24 Fermi LAT GRBs with unknown redshift. We analyze their data between 8 keV and 100 GeV through single and multiple-component spectral models. We use the results of this analysis to study the compatibility of these GRBs with the Eiso-Ei,peak relation by varying the redshift continuously between 0.3 and 10.5. We find that all 24 GRBs are compatible with the Eiso-Ei,peak relation within a 1-sigma uncertainty for a certain redshift range. The range of compatible redshifts found for each GRB remains consistent with observed redshifts for long GRBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We obtain an explicit formula for the variance of the number of k-peaks in a uniformly random permutation. This is then used to obtain an asymptotic formula for the variance of the length of longest k-alternating subsequence in random permutations. Also a central limit is proved for the latter statistic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Nebrija de Lingüística Aplicada a la Enseñanza de Lenguas is the property of Revista Nebrija de Linguistica Aplicada a la Ensenanza de Lenguas 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.)

Copyright of Scientific Journal European Policies, Finance & Marketing / Polityki Europejskie, Finanse & Marketing is the property of Wydawnictwo SGGW 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.)

The study evaluated the convergent validity of the PEAK-E-PA and two common assessments of language development used in educational and clinical settings: the ABLLS-R and the TOLD-I:4. The PEAK-E-PA provides a measure of a participant's ability to derive arbitrary stimulus relations, and may therefore provide a more complex analysis of language functioning than traditional behavior analytic language assessments. The results of the present study support a strong, significant relationship between the PEAK-E-PA and the ABLLS-R (r = 0.73, p < 0.01), but the obtained coefficient falls within the lower range of prior psychometric evaluations of behavioral language assessments. The results suggest a stronger relationship between the PEAK-E-PA the TOLD-I:4 (r = 0.94, p < 0.01), supporting the use of the PEAK-E-PA with individuals with autism who have progressed beyond the elementary verbal operant skills assessed for in traditional behavioral assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a salt-tracer method applicability in Quaternary aquifer system groundwater was tested. The tracer experiment was performed in Vilnius University Kairėnai polygon for hydrogeological investigations in 2021. In Lithuania, experiments with tracers are not prevalent. Therefore, this work describes the practical use of the tracer for the analysis of the hydrogeological environment, a methodology that enables experiments with salt tracers. After the tracer test, the water flow rate was calculated at the time of the peak concentration of Ch, which reached 9.41 m/d. The effective porosity value was calculated manually (0.16) and using TRAC code (0.1389 and 0.1341; normalized for background values). The main results of tracer experiments show that sodium chloride solution is effective as a tracer in the Quaternary aquifer system of Lithuania for actual n calculation, where aquifer hydraulic conductivity values are similar to the studied area. Tracer peak analysis performed in this study confinns a possibility of estimating the heterogeneity of aquifer nef on site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To fulfill CO 2 emission commitments becomes strategic to meet energy demands of sustainable economic growth via adjusting primary energy consumption structure. This study analyzed energy efficiency and CO 2 emission intensity in the top three world economies in the period 1971–2021 and attempted to optimize structure of primary energy consumption for the CO 2 emission commitments in mainland China, reaching peak emission by 2030 and neutrality by 2060. Results indicated that the USA and the European 16 – countries had significant higher energy efficiency and lower CO 2 emission intensity than mainland China (α = 0.05). Reducing coal consumption is an efficient measure to reduce CO 2 emission from fossil energy in the structure. However, renewable energies are crucial for achieving CO 2 emission neutrality. As predicted, mainland China might peak CO 2 emission by 2030 at 14.7 × 109 ton CO 2 with 278 × 1018 J of total primary energy consumption, and would neutralize CO 2 emissions by 2060 from 184 × 1018 J of primary fossil energy in the consumption structure in 2030 with renewable energies, hydropower, and nuclear as planned. Findings of this study provide a practical strategy for fulfilling CO 2 emission commitments in mainland China and might be applicable to the developing world. [Display omitted] • The USA and European 16-countries had higher energy efficiency than mainland China. • Mainland China was enriched with coal in its primary energy consumption structure. • Mainland China had higher CO 2 emission intensity from energy than other economies. • Mainland China would peak CO 2 emission at 14.7 × 109 ton CO 2 by 2030. • CO 2 emission neutrality would be achieved by 2060 with over 80 % renewable energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundGenomic interaction studies use next-generation sequencing (NGS) to examine the interactions between two loci on the genome, with subsequent bioinformatics analyses typically including annotation, intersection, and merging of data from multiple experiments. While many file types and analysis tools exist for storing and manipulating single locus NGS data, there is currently no file standard or analysis tool suite for manipulating and storing paired-genomic-loci: the data type resulting from "genomic interaction" studies. As genomic interaction sequencing data are becoming prevalent, a standard file format and tools for working with these data conveniently and efficiently are needed.ResultsThis article details a file standard and novel software tool suite for working with paired-genomic-loci data. We present the paired-genomic-loci (PGL) file standard for genomic-interactions data, and the accompanying analysis tool suite "pgltools": a cross platform, pypy compatible python package available both as an easy-to-use UNIX package, and as a python module, for integration into pipelines of paired-genomic-loci analyses.ConclusionsPgltools is a freely available, open source tool suite for manipulating paired-genomic-loci data. Source code, an in-depth manual, and a tutorial are available publicly at www.github.com/billgreenwald/pgltools , and a python module of the operations can be installed from PyPI via the PyGLtools module.

Local maxima and minima of a Dyck path are called peaks and valleys, respectively. A Dyck path is called restricted d -Dyck if the difference between any two consecutive valleys is at least d (right-hand side minus left-hand side) or if it has at most one valley. In this paper, we use several techniques to enumerate some statistics over this new family of lattice paths. For instance, we use the symbolic method, the Chomsky–Schűtzenberger methodology, Zeilberger's creative telescoping method, recurrence relations, and bijective relations. We count, for example, the number of paths of length 2 n , the number of peaks, the number of valleys, the number of peaks of a fixed height, and the area under the paths. We also give a bijection between the restricted d -Dyck paths and a family of binary words. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) requires consistent medication adherence to Imatinib (IM) for optimal outcomes, however, adherence to oral chemotherapy is challenging. This observational study explores the relationship between patient knowledge, motivation, and adherence to IM therapy, and their collective impact on clinical outcomes. A prospective, observational study was conducted with 101 CML patients. The 6-Item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-6) was used to assess adherence, motivation, and knowledge levels. The study found that high motivation was significantly associated with lower BCR-ABL expression ( p  = 0.025). Patients with high knowledge and motivation had a 71% favorable response rate, compared to 0% in those with low knowledge and motivation ( p  = 0.01). As conclusion both patient motivation and knowledge are crucial for favorable treatment outcomes in CML. High levels of both significantly correlate with better clinical responses. Tailored interventions to enhance patient knowledge and motivation are essential.