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Objective: This study compared the ability of Liquorice roots aqueous extract (LRE) and its ingredient, isoliquiritigenin (ISL), in alleviating high-fat diet (HFD)-induced hepatic steatosis and examined if this effect involves activation of AMPK. Materials and methods: Control or HFD-fed rats were treated with the vehicle, LRE (200 mg/kg), or ISL (30 mg/kg) for 8 weeks orally. Results: ISL and LRE reduced HFD-induced hyperglycaemia, improved liver structure, lowered serum and hepatic lipids, and attenuated hepatic oxidative stress and inflammation. In the control and HFD-fed rats, ISL and LRE significantly stimulated the muscular and hepatic mRNA and protein levels of AMPK, improved oral glucose tolerance, reduced hepatic mRNA levels of SREBP1/2, and upregulated hepatic levels of PPARα and Bcl2. These effects were comparable for ISL and LRE and were prevented by co-administration of compound C, an AMPK inhibitor. Discussion and conclusion: ISL and LRE provide an effective theory to alleviate hepatic steatosis through activating AMPK. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From its early days as a fledgling technology, satellite communication has come a long way to become a flourishing component of the global technological ecosystem that determines our increasingly interdependent world. This scholarly essay provides a comprehensive analysis of current developments in satellite communication technology and the several fields in which they might be applied. The essay dives into major inventions that have catapulted this discipline to unparalleled heights, and it spans from the historical origins to the modern accomplishments. This overview elucidates the enormous influence that satellite communication has had on modern civilization, highlighting its central position in allowing global connection, data dissemination, and transformational applications across a variety of industries.

With this publication, we contribute to the knowledge of the arachnofauna of Cabo Verde, focusing specifically on the Islands of Santo Antão and São Vicente. Data were obtained from samples collected as part of the project "Macaronesian Islands as a testing ground to assess biodiversity drivers at multiple scales" (FCT - MACDIV, 2015-2018). This project aimed to identify the factors influencing community assembly in Macaronesian islands. For the Cabo Verde Islands, we focused on dry habitats with the additional aim to revise the aracnofauna of this poorly-known fauna. We applied the COBRA (Conservation Oriented Biodiversity Rapid Assessment) sampling protocol in ten 50 m x 50 m dry shrub plots, with five on each of the two islands, using pitfall traps, sweep-netting and active search. Additional ad-hoc samples were also collected and reported.Our sampling of spiders from Cabo Verde (Santo Antão and São Vicente) yielded a total of 3,368 specimens, of which 1300 (39%) were adults. The samples include 21 families, 87 species, 18 of which are morphospecies awaiting formal identification or description at species level. Species in the families Oxyopidae (2 spp.) and Araneidae (8 spp.) were the most abundant, making up 49% of the specimens. From the 68 named species, 14 are endemic to Cabo Verde, 40 are native non-endemic and 14 are introduced. The colonisation status of Cithaeron reimoseri Platnick, 1991 is unknown. Endemic species accounted for 24% (n = 818) of the specimens and native non-endemic for 63% (n = 2122). A total of 29 species were new records for Cabo Verde, with 15 for Santo Antão, seven for São Vicente and seven for both Islands.

Isoliquiritigenin (ISL) is known to have a variety of pharmacological activities, but its poor water solubility limits its application. In order to improve the bioavailability of ISL and its anti-colitis activity, this study aims to develop an effective drug delivery system loaded with ISL. In this study, ISL pH-sensitive micelles (ISL-M) were prepared by thin film hydration method. The micellar size (PS), polydispersity index (PDI), electrokinetic potential (ζ-potential), drug loading (DL), encapsulation rate (EE) and other physical parameters were characterized. The storage stability of ISL-M was tested, release in vitro and pharmacokinetic studies in rats were performed, and the anti-inflammatory effect of ISL-M on ulcerative colitis induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) was evaluated. The results showed that PS, PDI, ZP, EE% and DL% of ISL-M were 151.15±1.04 nm, 0.092±0.014, -31.32±0.721 mV, 93.97±1.53 % and 8.42±0.34 %, respectively. Compared with unformulated ISL (F-ISL), the cumulative release rate of ISL-M in the three different media was significantly increased and showed a certain pH sensitivity. The area under drug curve (AUC 0-t) and peak concentration (C max) of ISL-M group were 2.94 and 4.06 times higher than those of ISL group. In addition, ISL-M is expected to develop new methods for increasing the bioavailability and anti-inflammatory activity of ISL. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

2,2′,4,4′-Tetrabrominated biphenyl ether (BDE-47) is a polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) homologue that is ubiquitous in biological samples and highly toxic to humans and other organisms. Prior research has confirmed that BDE-47 can induce oxidative damage in RAW264.7 cells, resulting in apoptosis and impaired immune function. The current study mainly focused on how Isoliquiritigenin (ISL) and Licochalcone B (LCB) might protect against BDE-47's immunotoxic effects on RAW264.7 cells. The results show that ISL and LCB could increase phagocytosis, increase the production of MHC-II, and decrease the production of inflammatory factors (TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β) and co-stimulatory factors (CD40, CD80, and CD86), alleviating the immune function impairment caused by BDE-47. Secondly, both ISL and LCB could reduce the expressions of the proteins Bax and Caspase-3, promote the expression of the protein Bcl-2, and reduce the apoptotic rate, alleviating the apoptosis initiated by BDE-47. Additionally, ISL and LCB could increase the levels of antioxidant substances (SOD, CAT, and GSH) and decrease the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), thereby counteracting the oxidative stress induced by BDE-47. Ultimately, ISL and LCB suppress the NF-κB pathway by down-regulating IKBKB and up-regulating IκB-Alpha in addition to activating the Nrf2 pathway and promoting the production of HO-1 and NQO1. To summarize, BDE-47 causes oxidative damage that can be mitigated by ISL and LCB through the activation of the Nrf2 pathway and inhibition of the NF-κB pathway, which in turn prevents immune function impairment and apoptosis. These findings enrich the current understanding of the toxicological molecular mechanism of BDE-47 and the detoxification mechanism of licorice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neuroinflammation contributes to neurological dysfunction in the patients who suffer from subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Isoliquiritigenin (ISL) is a bioactive component extracted from Genus Glycyrrhiza. This work is to investigate whether ISL ameliorates neuroinflammation after SAH. In this study, intravascular perforation of male Sprague–Dawley rats was used to establish a SAH model. ISL was administered by intraperitoneal injection 6 h after SAH in rats. The mortality, SAH grade, neurological score, brain water content, and blood–brain barrier (BBB) permeability were examined at 24 h after the treatment. Expressions of tumor necrosis factor‐α, interleukin‐6, Iba‐1, and MPO were measured by quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR). Besides, the expression levels of NF‐κB p65 and NLRP3, ASC, caspase‐1, IL‐1β, and IL‐18 were analyzed by western blot. The experimental data suggested that ISL treatment could ameliorate neurological impairment, attenuate brain edema, and ameliorate BBB injury after SAH in rats. ISL treatment repressed the expression of proinflammatory cytokines TNF‐α and IL‐6, and meanwhile inhibited the expression of Iba‐1 and MPO. ISL also repressed NF‐κB p65 expression as well as the transport from the cytoplasm to the nucleus. In addition, ISL significantly suppressed the expression levels of NLR family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3), ASC, caspase‐1, IL‐1β, and IL‐18. These findings suggest that ISL inactivates NLRP3 pathway by inhibiting NF‐κB p65 translocation, thereby repressing the neuroinflammation after SAH, and it is a potential drug for the treatment of SAH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ohwia caudata (Thunb.) H. Ohashi (Leguminosae) also called as "Evergreen shrub" and Artemisia argyi H.Lév. and Vaniot (Compositae) also named as "Chinese mugwort" those two‐leaf extracts frequently used as herbal medicine, especially in south east Asia and eastern Asia. Anthracyclines such as doxorubicin (DOX) are commonly used as effective chemotherapeutic drugs in anticancer therapy around the world. However, chemotherapy‐induced cardiotoxicity, dilated cardiomyopathy, and congestive heart failure are seen in patients who receive DOX therapy, with the mechanisms underlying DOX‐induced cardiac toxicity remaining unclear. Mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, inflammatory response, and cardiomyocytes have been shown to play crucial roles in DOX‐induced cardiotoxicity. Isoliquiritigenin (ISL, 10 mg/kg) is a bioactive flavonoid compound with protective effects against inflammation, neurodegeneration, cancer, and diabetes. Here, in this study, our aim is to find out the Artemisia argyi (AA) and Ohwia caudata (OC) leaf extract combination with Isoliquiritigenin in potentiating and complementing effect against chemo drug side effect to ameliorate cardiac damage and improve the cardiac function. In this study, we showed that a combination of low (AA 300 mg/kg; OC 100 mg/kg) and high‐dose(AA 600 mg/kg; OC 300 mg/kg) AA and OC water extract with ISL activated the cell survival‐related AKT/PI3K signaling pathway in DOX‐treated cardiac tissue leading to the upregulation of the antioxidant markers SOD, HO‐1, and Keap‐1 and regulated mitochondrial dysfunction through the Nrf2 signaling pathway. Moreover, the water extract of AA and OC with ISL inhibited the inflammatory response genes IL‐6 and IL‐1β, possibly through the NFκB/AKT/PI3K/p38α/NRLP3 signaling pathways. The water extract of AA and OC with ISL could be a potential herbal drug treatment for cardiac hypertrophy, inflammatory disease, and apoptosis, which can lead to sudden heart failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This International Society of Lymphology (ISL) Consensus Document is the latest revision of the 1995 Document for the evaluation and management of peripheral lymphedema (1). It is based upon modifications: [A] suggested and published following the 1997 XVI International Congress of Lymphology (ICL) in Madrid, Spain (2), discussed at the 1999 XVII ICL in Chennai, India (3), and considered confirmed at the 2000 (ISL) Executive Committee meeting in Hinterzarten, Germany (4); [B] derived from integration of discussions and written comments obtained during and following the 2001 XVIII I CL in Genoa, Italy as modified at the 2003 ISL Executive Committee meeting in Cordoba, Argentina (5); [C] suggested from comments, criticisms, and rebuttals as published in the December 2004 issue of Lymphology (6); [D] discussed in both the 2005 XX ICL in Salvador, Brazil and the 2007 XXI ICL in Shanghai, China and modified at the 2008 Executive Committee meeting in Naples, Italy (7,8); [E] modified from discussions and written comments from the 2009 XXII ICL in Sydney, Australia, the 2011 XXIII ICL in Malmo, Sweden, the 2012 Executive Committee Meetings (9); [F] discussions at the 2013 XXIV ICL in Rome, Italy, and the 2015 XXV ICL in San Francisco, USA, as well as multiple written comments and feedback from Executive Committee and other ISL members during the 2016 drafting (10); informal discussions at the XXVI ICL in Barcelona, Spain; [G] discussions at a dedicated, focused Post-Congress session at the XXVII ICL in Iguazu, Argentina (2019) followed by additional written comments from the Executive Committee and others (11); and [H] discussions and written comments from the XXVIII ICL in Athens, Greece (2021), and the XXIX ICL in Genoa, Italy (2023). The document attempts to amalgamate the broad spectrum of protocols and practices advocated worldwide for the diagnosis and treatment of peripheral lymphedema into a coordinated proclamation representing a "Consensus" of the international community based on various levels of evidence. The document is not meant to override individual clinical considerations for complex patients nor to impede clinical treatment or research progress. It is not meant to be a legal formulation from which variations could be used to describe or define medical malpractice. The Society understands that in some clinics the method of treatment derives from national standards while in others access to medical equipment, technical expertise, and supplies is limited; therefore, the suggested assessments and treatments might be impractical. Adaptability and inclusiveness do come at the price that members can rightly be critical of what they see as vagueness or imprecision in definitions, qualifiers in the choice of words ( e.g., the use of "may ... perhaps ... unclear", etc.) and mentions (albeit without endorsement) of treatment options supported by limited hard data (few randomized control trials). Most members are frustrated by the reality that NO treatment method has really undergone a satisfactory meta-analysis (let alone rigorous, randomized, controlled study). With this understanding, the absence of optimally conducted clinical trials and definitive answers, and with emerging technologies and new approaches and discoveries on the horizon, some degree of uncertainty, ambiguity, and flexibility along with dissatisfaction with current lymphedema evaluation and management is appropriate and to be expected. We continue to struggle to keep the document concise while balancing the need for depth, breadth, and details. With these considerations in mind, we believe that this 2023 version presents a Consensus that embraces the entire ISL membership, acknowledges national standards but rises above them, identifies, and stimulates promising areas for future research, and represents the best judgment of the ISL membership on how to approach patients with peripheral lymphedema in the light of currently available evidence. Therefore, the document has been and should continue to be challenged and debated in the pages of Lymphology (e.g., as Letters to the Editor) and ideally will remain a continued focal point for robust discussion at local, national, and international conferences in lymphology and related disciplines. We further anticipate as experience evolves and new ideas and technologies emerge that this "living document" will undergo further periodic revision and refinement as the practice and conceptual foundations of medicine and specifically lymphology change and advance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current paper presents case study of the Budenovskoe sandstone-hosted uranium deposit, the host sequence of which has been modelled geostatistically, using Plurigaussian conditional simulation (PGS) and Sequential Gaussian conditional simulation (SGS). The PGS method minimises subjectivism of the geological interpretations, by constraining the lithological models to geostatistical and lithostratigraphic characteristics of the host sequence, and accurately reproduces litho-stratigraphy of the sedimentary sequence, realistically conveying its complexity. This was integrated with the rock permeability generated using SGS. Integrating two models has significantly enhanced definition of the fluid infiltration passages in the host sequence. The model was built using stochastic algorithms of PGS and SGS, and therefore can be used for estimation the project risk. In practice, the errors, initially estimated to the blocks used for the conditional simulation, are grouped to the volumes of a practical interest, including the resource and reserve domains, production blocks and the leach cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, with the development of techniques and methods for in-situ leaching (ISL), additional uranium extraction from previously worked-out blocks is becoming not only relevant, but also quite achievable. In this case, the extraction of residual uranium reserves from previously worked-out blocks does not require additional costs for the necessary infrastructure. One of the most important factors in the formation of residual uranium reserves in worked-out blocks is the presence of clay minerals in the ore horizon. In this regard, we conducted a number of studies on the adverse and positive effects of clay minerals on ISL process. Water permeability and relatively good filtration (not less than 0.5–1 m/day) of ores and rocks of a productive horizon (aquifer) is the most important hydrogeological factors affecting the performance of uranium ISL. The second most important hydrogeological factor is the lack of fluid communication between the productive aquifer and nonproductive aquifers, i.e., the obligatory presence of aquicludes. The role of clays in these hydrogeological factors is twofold. On the one hand, the presence of clays negatively affects both the solutions filtration rate and uranium extraction. On the other hand, the presence of clay minerals (forming an aquiclude) enhances the effect of ISL. The study findings allowed the role of clay minerals in uranium ISL to be assessed. The diffusion coefficients of nitrate ions in the clays were determined, and the protective effect of aquicludes was calculated. The effect of the clay content in the ore sand horizon on the solutions filtration coefficients was also established. The static uranium exchange capacity of clays was determined by studying the process of uranium sorption by clay samples from sulfate and bicarbonate solutions. The studies established the diffusion coefficients of nitrate ions in montmorillonite and kaolinite clays, which amounted to 3.34 10−6 and 2.14 · 10−6 cm2/s. Taking into account the calculated values of diffusion coefficients, the protective time of the clayey aquiclude for nitrate ions was 43 years. At 20 % clay minerals content, the solution filtration coefficient decreases to values where ISL conditions become unfavorable. It was found experimentally that the sorption of uranium by clay minerals depends on both the nature of the clays and the composition of the solution. Uranium sorption from sulfate solutions proceeds noticeably better than that from bicarbonate solutions. The highest values of the static uranium exchange capacity were obtained for bentonite (104 mg/g).

2,2′,4,4′-Tetrabrominated biphenyl ether (BDE-47) is a polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) homologue that is ubiquitous in biological samples and highly toxic to humans and other organisms. Prior research has confirmed that BDE-47 can induce oxidative damage in RAW264.7 cells, resulting in apoptosis and impaired immune function. The current study mainly focused on how Isoliquiritigenin (ISL) and Licochalcone B (LCB) might protect against BDE-47’s immunotoxic effects on RAW264.7 cells. The results show that ISL and LCB could increase phagocytosis, increase the production of MHC-II, and decrease the production of inflammatory factors (TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β) and co-stimulatory factors (CD40, CD80, and CD86), alleviating the immune function impairment caused by BDE-47. Secondly, both ISL and LCB could reduce the expressions of the proteins Bax and Caspase-3, promote the expression of the protein Bcl-2, and reduce the apoptotic rate, alleviating the apoptosis initiated by BDE-47. Additionally, ISL and LCB could increase the levels of antioxidant substances (SOD, CAT, and GSH) and decrease the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), thereby counteracting the oxidative stress induced by BDE-47. Ultimately, ISL and LCB suppress the NF-κB pathway by down-regulating IKBKB and up-regulating IκB-Alpha in addition to activating the Nrf2 pathway and promoting the production of HO-1 and NQO1. To summarize, BDE-47 causes oxidative damage that can be mitigated by ISL and LCB through the activation of the Nrf2 pathway and inhibition of the NF-κB pathway, which in turn prevents immune function impairment and apoptosis. These findings enrich the current understanding of the toxicological molecular mechanism of BDE-47 and the detoxification mechanism of licorice.

This paper conducts a holistic performance analysis of the Indian Super League (ISL) football competition and its member franchisees between 2014–2015 and 2019–2020 with a particular focus on financial and sporting performance metrics. The study utilises the PAM for professional football teams which consists of eight financial indicators and three sporting indicators. The data for this research were obtained by dissecting the annual accounts of ten ISL franchisees between 2014–2015 and 2019–2020 season. The results (at both franchisee and league level) show financial problems that have, in some ways, stunted growth of the ISL. Many franchisees have reported poor financial performance for the period of the study and there are problems with debt and profitability. As a result, our findings show that for this study, there is also no statistical evidence that having better financial health leads to superior sporting performance in the ISL to date. The ISL face challenges at governance level due to its peculiar structure and arrangements between the league, franchisees, and broadcasters. Financial performance has been an issue since the inception of the league and franchisees have cost control issues that have been commonplace in other major sporting leagues around the globe. Despite being in its infancy stage, the warning signs can lead to stagnation and regression of the league in the future, if not addressed properly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Satellite communication is inevitable due to the Internet of Everything and the exponential increase in the usage of smart devices. Satellites have been used in many applications to make human life safe, secure, sophisticated, and more productive. The applications that benefit from satellite communication are Earth observation (EO), military missions, disaster management, and 5G/6G integration, to name a few. These applications rely on the timely and accurate delivery of space data to ground stations. However, the channels between satellites and ground stations suffer attenuation caused by uncertain weather conditions and long delays due to line-of-sight constraints, congestion, and physical distance. Though inter-satellite links (ISLs) and inter-orbital links (IOLs) create multiple paths between satellite nodes, both ISLs and IOLs have the same issues. Some essential applications, such as EO, depend on time-sensitive and error-free data delivery, which needs better throughput connections. It is challenging to route space data to ground stations with better QoS by leveraging the ISLs and IOLs. Routing approaches that use the shortest path to optimize latency may cause packet losses and reduced throughput based on the channel conditions, while routing methods that try to avoid packet losses may end up delivering data with long delays. Existing routing algorithms that use multi-optimization goals tend to use priority-based optimization to optimize either of the metrics. However, critical satellite missions that depend on high-throughput and low-latency data delivery need routing approaches that optimize both metrics concurrently. We used a modified version of Kleinrock's power metric to reduce delay and packet losses and verified it with experimental evaluations. We used a cognitive space routing approach, which uses a reinforcement-learning-based spiking neural network to implement routing strategies in NASA's High Rate Delay Tolerant Networking (HDTN) project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores a space mission concept in the geostationary orbit (GEO) region to build a catalogue of space objects down to 10 cm and provide satellite inspection services by using a mother satellite (EaglEye) and two smallsats (Harriers). The mothercraft carries the daughter smallsats, is launched in geostationary transfer orbit (GTO), and reaches the operational sub-GEO circular equatorial orbit at 3000 km from the GEO ring. The Harriers are deployed on the same operational orbit and phased using their propulsion system to be positioned at +/- 800 km from the mothercraft. The RSO measurement phase can then start with the objective to build a complete catalogue of all RSOs in less than one year, down to 10 cm size and up to 15 deg inclination. For that purpose, each spacecraft carries the same wide-field imager, providing a field of view (FOV) of about 700 square degrees with a pixel angular resolution of about 13 arcsec. The three satellites continuously and simultaneously observe a common FOV sliding on the GEO ring. We show that the RSO position and orbit are derived from the multispacecraft measurements, and the catalogue construction can be completed in about 7.5 months. The Harriers are designed to operate in either inspection or RSO detection mode. To limit the carried mass and save delta V, each Harrier is sent back to the mothercraft for refuelling as needed. The mission profile is flexible and can alternate inspections and RSO catalogue updates or perform both in parallel. Also, the use of both Harriers for inspections allows 3D stereo imaging. The mission lifetime is eight years with chemical propulsion and exceeds 15 years with electric propulsion while complying with a medium-size launcher. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laser-based satellite communication systems are more sensitive to disturbances in the propagation environment, which cause the degradation of the incident energy ray on the satellite's optical receiver. Satellite communication is based on signals that weaken with the vibrations of the latter. Our objective in this work is to minimize the effects of these vibrations by closely examining the main factor used in evaluating digital data transmission systems from one location to another. This factor is the Bit Error Rate (BER). It is important in this kind of system to obtain a minimum BER. In this paper, we have explained the adaptation of the aperture variations of the satellite transmitter to the vibrations of the amplitudes at the receiver telescope. We also develop mathematical models that make it possible to adapt the aperture of the transmitting telescope as well as the bandwidth of the system to the variations of the amplitudes of the vibrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While there are many different frameworks seeking to identify what benefits young people might derive from participation in informal STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) learning (ISL), this paper argues that the sector would benefit from an approach that foregrounds equity and social justice outcomes. We propose a new model for reflecting on equitable youth outcomes from ISL that identifies five key areas: (1) Grounded fun; (2) STEM capital; (3) STEM trajectories; (4) STEM identity work; and (5) Agency+. The model is applied to empirical data (interviews, observations and youth portfolios) collected over one year in four UK-based ISL settings with 33 young people (aged 11–14), largely from communities that are traditionally under-represented in STEM. Analysis considers the extent to which participating youth experienced equitable outcomes, or not, in relation to the five areas. The paper concludes with a discussion of implications for ISL and how the model might support ongoing efforts to reimagine ISL as vehicle for social justice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Uranium mainly comes from ISL of sandstone-type uranium deposits in China. The change of porosity and permeability caused by blockage of ore-bearing strata is one of the most serious problems in acid ISL of uranium. In this paper, the groundwater tracer test was carried out before and 1 year after ISL to explore the pore and permeability evolution characteristics of the ore-bearing layer during ISL. The test results showed that the leaching solution migrated along two seepage channels and the water-bearing medium was isotropic. After 1 year of ISL, the flow rate of the leaching solution decreased obviously. However, the flow rate of the leaching solution in slower channel decreased more than that in the faster channel in all directions, which was caused by the more adequate chemical reactions between the leaching solution and the minerals of the ore-bearing layer and the more corresponding precipitation in the slower channel. In addition, the flow rate along the direction of groundwater flow decreased less than that in the direction of vertical groundwater flow. This was closely related to the transformation of aquifer medium by hydrodynamic field. Initial stage of ISL, the occurrence of plugging is closely related to the precipitation-dissolution process of iron and aluminum minerals under the change of pH, which is accompanied by the continuous precipitation of gypsum. • Groundwater tracing tests before and after in-situ leaching were carried out. • The pore and permeability evolution characteristics of the ore-bearing layer was analyzed. • The plugging of pores in different directions was clarified. • The relationship between dissolution-precipitation process and permeability was discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problem of restoring the lost mining potential is of particular relevance for North Ossetia-Alania. For the first time, for solving the problem of the Sadon lead-zinc complex, in connection with depletion of reserves and decreasing grade of extracted polymetallic ores, the feasibility of exploiting the whole deposit by in-situ leaching (ISL) method was investigated. Commercial mineralization of the East Dzhimidon ore zone was characterized in relation to the technological features of the ore preparation for leaching. A comprehensive assessment of the compliance of the ores and the parameters of their position with the requirements of in-situ leaching protocols was given. An audit of the lead and zinc reserves of the Dzhimidon ore field was implemented, taking into account the increase in the reserves eligible for processing due to decreasing the cut-off grades. The theory for effective rock rupture provision to facilitate the subsequent metal was considered. The study was focused on priority separation of intact grains of the useful component from barren rock minerals, with selective energy consumption for breaking interatomic bonds along the intergrowth surfaces only. A criterion of ore blasting preparation (for ISL) was determined, namely, ensuring the level of energy impact, sufficient for breaking weakened intergranular bonds but insufficient for rupture of individual grains. For the first time, a mechanism for expanding mineral resource base through decreasing cut-off grades due to shifting from common underground mining methods to in-situ leaching was demonstrated. The priority of ensuring the quality of ore crushing for leaching through optimization of the blast energy parameters was shown. The ISL performance will be determined taking into account geological parameters of the deposits and ensuring the size of ore grain to be leached.

Satellite communication is inevitable due to the Internet of Everything and the exponential increase in the usage of smart devices. Satellites have been used in many applications to make human life safe, secure, sophisticated, and more productive. The applications that benefit from satellite communication are Earth observation (EO), military missions, disaster management, and 5G/6G integration, to name a few. These applications rely on the timely and accurate delivery of space data to ground stations. However, the channels between satellites and ground stations suffer attenuation caused by uncertain weather conditions and long delays due to line-of-sight constraints, congestion, and physical distance. Though inter-satellite links (ISLs) and inter-orbital links (IOLs) create multiple paths between satellite nodes, both ISLs and IOLs have the same issues. Some essential applications, such as EO, depend on time-sensitive and error-free data delivery, which needs better throughput connections. It is challenging to route space data to ground stations with better QoS by leveraging the ISLs and IOLs. Routing approaches that use the shortest path to optimize latency may cause packet losses and reduced throughput based on the channel conditions, while routing methods that try to avoid packet losses may end up delivering data with long delays. Existing routing algorithms that use multi-optimization goals tend to use priority-based optimization to optimize either of the metrics. However, critical satellite missions that depend on high-throughput and low-latency data delivery need routing approaches that optimize both metrics concurrently. We used a modified version of Kleinrock’s power metric to reduce delay and packet losses and verified it with experimental evaluations. We used a cognitive space routing approach, which uses a reinforcement-learning-based spiking neural network to implement routing strategies in NASA’s High Rate Delay Tolerant Networking (HDTN) project.

The Ka-band dual one-way measurements from Inter-Satellite Link (ISL) devices equipped on the third-generation Beidou Navigation Satellite System (BDS3) follow a time division multiple access (TDMA) structure and can calculate inter-satellite and satellite-ground clock offsets. L-band two-way satellite time and frequency transfer (TWSTFT) is also applied for time synchronization between satellites and ground master. We focus on a full-ISL clock offset estimation and prediction algorithm that estimates all satellite clock parameters simultaneously utilizing ISL clock observations and also synchronizes the constellation to the system time in Beidou Time (BDT) using Ka-band satellite-ground clock observations. We discuss the applications of this algorithm by assessing the clock performance of all BDS3 satellites equipped with a passive hydrogen maser (PHM) or rubidium atomic clock. After investigating the proper prediction model for each satellite, we use the full-ISL algorithm for 24-h clock predictions. The constant hardware delays in the ISL measurements are calibrated by comparing the derived clock parameters with TWSTFT measurements; the full-ISL clock products show high accuracy and continuity. The BDS3 PHMs and rubidium clocks both have a small clock rate drift of 10–20 s/s2. The frequency stability of the BDS3 PHMs and some rubidium clocks is approximately 6–9 × 10–15 at 1-day intervals. A linear model is suitable for these small-drift clocks, while a quadratic model is essential for the other rubidium clocks. Applying the full-ISL clock prediction method improves the RMS of the 24 h prediction error from 0.88 to 0.75 ns for PHMs and from 2.62 to 1.64 ns for rubidium clocks. The estimated ISL hardware delay STDs are less than 0.2 ns, and the prediction errors evaluated with TWSTFT clock observations are similar to those evaluated with Ka-band clock observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our study focuses on the perception of the iconicity of handshapes – one of the formational parameters of the sign in signed language. Seventy Hebrew speakers were asked to match handshapes to Hebrew translations of 45 signs (that varied in degree of iconicity), which are specified for one of the handshapes in Israeli Sign Language (ISL). The results show that participants reliably match handshapes to corresponding sign translations for highly iconic signs, but are less accurate for less iconic signs. This demonstrates that there is a notable degree of iconicity in the lexicon of ISL, which is recognizable even to non-signers. The ability of non-signers to detect handshape to form is explained by the fact that word meanings are understood by both deaf and hearing peoples via the mental elaboration of simple iconic sources in which handshape meanings are grounded. The results suggest that while language external iconic mapping could ease the learning of direct iconic forms, it has a more limited capacity to help hearing non-signers learn indirect and opaque forms. The full semiotic distribution of handshapes in the lexicon and their use in language remain difficult for hearing non-signers to understand and depends on more specific language and cultural knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. International Service- Learning (ISL) is a model of experiential learning offered by Doctor of Physical therapy (DPT) programs in the United States. Over the past several years, the number of these experiences has grown rapidly. Review of Literature. Recent evidence has uncovered detrimental impacts of shortterm health-related experiences, such as ISL, on the host community; however, to date, ethical situations arising in ISL in DPT education have not been explored. From the perspective of the American Physical therapy Association (APTA's) Code of Ethics and the Realm-Individual Process-Situation (RIPS) model of ethical decision making, the aims of this study were to (1) explore the experiences, perceptions, and insights of faculty, students, and alumni, who attended an ISL experience and (2) analyze their ethical nature. Subjects. Ten students, 6 faculty members, and 5 alumni from 4 DPT programs participated. All participants, except one alumnus, traveled to the same Central American country and partnered with the same host organization for the ISL experience. Method. This study used a constructivist grounded theory approach. Results. Data analyses indicated that ISL as experienced by participants in this study did not align with APTA's ethical principles 2A, 3B, and 8B. Furthermore, the RIPS situational analysis indicated that the primary themes arising from this study reflected ethical issues/problems and an ethical temptation, with an overarching ethical silence. Discussion and Conclusion. In their desire to be altruistic and provide global experiential opportunities to students, educators may overlook ethical situations arising from ISL. Research demonstrating the benefit of ISL to patients and the host community, and to establish best practice standards to minimize detrimental impacts to the host should be undertaken. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information systems bring about many innovation opportunities for organizations. However, there are also several factors affecting these opportunities that need to be investigated. Therefore, taking this necessity as a starting point, the present study was conducted to provide an insight into the associations between Information Systems Literacy (ISL), and the analytical approach, as well as Business Process Management (BPM) usage and organization performance. To this end, a structural model has been developed to define the link between design, methodology and approach structures and study the mediating effect on the relationship between ISL, analytical approach, BPM, and organization performance. A questionnaire was developed and a total of 404 usable surveys were collected from civil servants employed in various public bodies in Turkey. Using structural equation modeling, the model and the proposed hypotheses were tested. Results showed ISL has a significant and positive effect on BPM and organization performance whereas there is no positive correlation between neither the analytical approach and BPM nor organization performance. Moreover, the success of the employees with a bachelor’s degree or score above 67.8% appears to be linked with the success of the model investigating the association between BPM usage, ISL, and analytical approach affecting organization performance.

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In this letter, we aim to design set of discrete phase sequences and the corresponding space-time mismatched filter for a moving target to obtain good correlation properties, imposing Signal-to-Interference-plus-Noise Ratio (SINR) and the discrete phase alphabet as the constraints. To find the optimized solution of the obtained multi-objective non-differentiable and highly non-convex optimization problem, we use the Coordinate Descent (CD) framework. Precisely, we iteratively optimize transmit waveform and design the received filter, ensuring the enhancement on the SINR, while reducing a weighted sum of PSL and ISL. Iteration is the price we pay for simplifying the original problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This International Society of Lymphology (ISL) Consensus Document is the latest revision of the 1995 Document for the evaluation and management of peripheral lymphedema (1). It is based upon modifications: [A] suggested and published following the 1997 XVI International Congress of Lymphology (ICL) in Madrid, Spain (2), discussed at the 1999 XVII ICL in Chennai, India (3), and considered confirmed at the 2000 (ISL) Executive Committee meeting in Hinterzarten, Germany (4); [B] derived from integration of discussions and written comments obtained during and following the 2001 XVIII ICL in Genoa, Italy as modified at the 2003 ISL Executive Committee meeting in Cordoba, Argentina (5); [C] suggested from comments, criticisms, and rebuttals as published in the December 2004 issue of Lymphology (6); [D] discussed in both the 2005 XX ICL in Salvador, Brazil and the 2007 XXI ICL in Shanghai, China and modified at the 2008 Executive Committee meeting in Naples, Italy (7,8); [E] modified from discussions and written comments from the 2009 XXII ICL in Sydney, Australia, the 2011 XXIII ICL in Malmö, Sweden, the 2012 Executive Committee Meetings (9); [F] discussions at the 2013 XXIV ICL in Rome, Italy, and the 2015 XXV ICL in San Francisco, USA, as well as multiple written comments and feedback from Executive Committee and other ISL members during the 2016 drafting (10); informal discussions at the XXVI ICL in Barcelona, Spain; and [G] discussions at a dedicated, focused Post-Congress session at the XXVII ICL in Iguazú, Argentina (2019) followed by additional written comments from the Executive Committee and others. The document attempts to amalgamate the broad spectrum of protocols and practices advocated worldwide for the diagnosis and treatment of peripheral lymphedema into a coordinated proclamation representing a "Consensus" of the international community based on various levels of evidence. The document is not meant to override individual clinical considerations for complex patients nor to stifle progress. It is also not meant to be a legal formulation from which variations define medical malpractice. The Society understands that in some clinics the method of treatment derives from national standards while in others access to medical equipment, technical expertise, and supplies is limited; therefore, the suggested treatments might be impractical. Adaptability and inclusiveness does come at the price that members can rightly be critical of what they see as vagueness or imprecision in definitions, qualifiers in the choice of words (e.g., the use of "may... perhaps... unclear", etc.) and mentions (albeit without endorsement) of treatment options supported by limited hard data. Most members are frustrated by the reality that NO treatment method has really undergone a satisfactory meta-analysis (let alone rigorous, randomized, stratified, long-term, controlled study). With this understanding, the absence of definitive answers and optimally conducted clinical trials, and with emerging technologies and new approaches and discoveries on the horizon, some degree of uncertainty, ambiguity, and flexibility along with dissatisfaction with current lymphedema evaluation and management is appropriate and to be expected. We continue to struggle to keep the document concise while balancing the need for depth and details. With these considerations in mind, we believe that this 2020 version presents a Consensus that embraces the entire ISL membership, rises above national standards, identifies and stimulates promising areas for future research, and represents the best judgment of the ISL membership on how to approach patients with peripheral lymphedema in the light of currently available evidence. Therefore, the document has been and should continue to be challenged and debated in the pages of Lymphology (e.g., as Letters to the Editor) and ideally will remain a continued focal point for robust discussion at local, national and international conferences in lymphology and related disciplines. We further anticipate as experience evolves and new ideas and technologies emerge that this "living document" will undergo further periodic revision and refinement as the practice and conceptual foundations of medicine and specifically lymphology change and advance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main challenges for education of disabled learners are identifying and serving these learners in India and raising the quality of education for them. While inclusion of children with disabilities into mainstream education has been challenging due to various policy constraints and gaps in implementation, the paper discusses how National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), India has designed various educational programmes to achieve the three important principles of education policy viz., access, equity and quality. Apart from it's in-built flexibilities offered by NIOS, wherein learners are provided with due flexibilities and opportunities to learn at their own pace and place to every group of learners through use of Media and ICT support both in academic and evaluation system, NIOS has also developed mechanism of providing learning material in Indian Sign Language at secondary level(10th class) and orienting parents and learners through Indian Sign language dictionary. The paper also raises the debate of importance of advocacy and collaboration with various deaf enabled organisation to promote the education of deaf and hard-of-hearing learners in the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Earthquake (EQ) related variations in the ionosphere may provide some insights to understand the seismo ionospheric coupling and to mitigate the damages of seismic hazards. In this paper, the electromagnetic variations in the ionosphere associated with November 14, 2007, M7.7 Chile EQ are investigated in electron density and electron temperature measurements from ISL (Langmuir Probe) of DEMETER (Detection of Electro-Magnetic Emissions Transmitted from Earthquake Regions) satellite and TEC (total electron content) estimated from GPS (Global Positioning System). The investigation of temporal and spatial measurements suggests anomalies which are observed within 10 days before the future EQ (i.e. 9 days before on November 5, 2007). The temporal values of daytime DEMETER and diurnal TEC on November 5, 2007 imply abrupt anomalies that are considered to be the fragments of the plasma intensification process in the Southern Hemisphere activated by the rock compression in the quake region. Similarly, spatial maps of TEC and DEMETER (electron density and electron temperature) showed the anomalous configuration of the temporal analysis that may induce by the epicenter. In addition to spatial and temporal analysis, the Index number for the northern and southern sectors of the EQ preparation zone around the epicenter along latitude confirmed the anomalous values of electron density and electron temperature of the DEMETER satellite. Similarly, the comparison of electron density and electron temperature at the epicenter latitude and its conjugate reveals anomalous enhancement over the seismogenic zone on November 5, 2007 (9 days before) prior to the event. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This International Society of Lymphology (ISL) Consensus Document is the latest revision of the 1995 Document for the evaluation and management of peripheral lymphedema [1]. It is based upon modifications: [A] suggested and published following the 1997 XVI International Congress of Lymphology (ICL) in Madrid, Spain [2], discussed at the 1999 XVII ICL in Chennai, India [3], and considered/confirmed at the 2000 (ISL) Executive Committee meeting in Hinterzarten, Germany [4]; [B] derived from integration of discussions and written comments obtained during and following the 2001 XVIII ICL in Genoa, Italy as modified at the 2003 ISL Executive Committee meeting in Cordoba, Argentina [5]; [C] suggested from comments, criticisms, and rebuttals as published in the December 2004 issue of Lymphology [6]; [D] discussed in both the 2005 XX ICL in Salvador, Brazil and the 2007 XXI ICL in Shanghai, China and modified at the 2008 Executive Committee meeting in Naples, Italy [7, 8]; [E] modified from discussions and written comments from the 2009 XXII ICL in Sydney, Australia, the 2011 XXIII ICL in Malmö, Sweden, the 2012 Executive Committee Meetings [9],and [F] from discussions at the 2013 XXIV ICL in Rome, Italy, and the 2015 XXV ICL in San Francisco, USA, as well as multiple written comments and feedback from Executive Committee and other ISL members during the 2016 drafting. The document attempts to amalgamate the broad spectrum of protocols and practices advocated worldwide for the diagnosis and treatment of peripheral lymphedema into a coordinated proclamation representing a "Consensus" of the international community based on various levels of evidence. The document is not meant to override individual clinical considerations for complex patients nor to stifle progress. It is also not meant to be a legal formulation from which variations define medical malpractice. The Society understands that in some clinics the method of treatment derives from national standards while in others access to medical equipment and supplies is limited; therefore the suggested treatments might be impractical. Adaptability and inclusiveness does come at the price that members can rightly be critical of what they see as vagueness or imprecision in definitions, qualifiers in the choice of words (e.g., the use of "may... perhaps... unclear", etc.) and mentions (albeit without endorsement) of treatment options supported by limited hard data. Most members are frustrated by the reality that NO treatment method has really undergone a satisfactory meta-analysis (let alone rigorous, randomized, stratified, long-term, controlled study). With this understanding, the absence of definitive answers and optimally conducted clinical trials, and with emerging technologies and new approaches and discoveries on the horizon, some degree of uncertainty, ambiguity, and flexibility along with dissatisfaction with current lymphedema evaluation and management is appropriate and to be expected. We continue to struggle to keep the document concise while balancing the need for depth and details. With these considerations in mind, we believe that this 2016 version presents a Consensus that embraces the entire ISL membership, rises above national standards, identifies and stimulates promising areas for future research, and represents the best judgment of the ISL membership on how to approach patients with peripheral lymphedema in the light of currently available evidence. Therefore, the document has been, and should continue to be, challenged and debated in the pages of Lymphology (e.g., as Letters to the Editor) and ideally will remain a continued focal point for robust discussion at local, national and international conferences in lymphology and related disciplines. We further anticipate as experience evolves and new ideas and technologies emerge that this "living document" will undergo further periodic revision and refinement as the practice and conceptual foundations of medicine and specifically lymphology change and advance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper demonstrates the capability of NAO humanoid robot to interact with hearing impaired persons using Indian Sign Language (ISL). Principal contributions of the paper are: wavelet descriptor has been applied to extracting moment invariant shape future of hand gestures and possibility theory (PT) has been used for classification of gestures. Preprocessing and extraction of overlapping frames (start and end point of each gesture) are the other major events which have been solved using background modeling and novel gradient method. We have shown that the overlapping frames are helpful for fragmenting a continuous ISL gesture into isolated gestures. These isolated gestures are further processed and classified. During the segmentation process some of the geometrical features like shape and orientation of hand are deformed, which has been overcome by extracting a new moment invariant feature through wavelet descriptor. These features are then combined with the other two features (orientation and speed) and are classified using PT. Here we use PT in place of probability theory because possibility deals with the problem of uncertainty and impression whereas probability handles only uncertainty issues. Experiments have been performed on 20 sentences of continuous ISL gestures having 4000 samples where each sentence having 20 instances. In this dataset 50% samples have been used for training and 50% have been used for testing. From analysis of results we found that the proposed approach gives 92% classification accuracy with 20 subjects on continuous ISL gestures. This result has been compared with the results obtained with other classifiers like Hidden Markov Model and KNN and found 10% increment in the classification rate with proposed approach. These classified gestures are then combined for generating a sentence in the text format which is being matched with the knowledge database of NAO robot which has also increased the classification accuracy. These sentences are further converted in the form of speech or gesture using NAO robot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The BeiDou Navigation Satellite System is expected to provide a global positioning and navigation service by 2020. To achieve this goal, the new-generation navigation satellites that have been launched since March 2015 are equipped with inter-satellite links (ISLs), with the objective of testing new navigation signals and the ISLs themselves. Using these new-generation navigation satellites and several ground facilities in China, a combined orbit determination experiment was carried out during August 2016. The orbit mechanical model, orbit determination method, and accuracy evaluation method used in this experiment are presented here. The accuracy of the combined orbit determination method is evaluated, and the performance-related improvements resulting from the ISLs are analyzed. The performance of orbit determination has been increased about 37-76% for different satellites in orbit-only signal-in-space range error (orbit-only SISRE). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The abnormalities in the urogenital organs are frequently observed as human developmental diseases. Among such diseases, the defects in the upper part of external genitalia are rather rare named epispadias. The cleft in the dorsal part of external genitalia often reaches to the urethra. In general, the urogenital abnormalities accompany defects in the adjacent tissues and organs. The ventral body wall and bladder can also be affected in the patients with dorsal defects of the external genitalia. Therefore, such multiple malformations are often classified as bladder exstrophy and epispadias complex ( BEEC). Because of the lower frequency of such birth defects and their early embryonic development, animal models are required to analyze the pathogenic mechanisms and the functions of responsible genes. Mutant mouse analyses on various signal cascades for external genitalia and body wall development are increasingly performed. The genetic interactions between growth factors such as bone morphogenetic proteins (Bmp) and transcription factors such as Msx1/2 and Isl1 have been suggested to play roles for such organogenesis. The significance of epithelial-mesenchymal interaction ( EMI) is suggested during development. In this review, we describe on such local interactions and developmental regulators. We also introduce some mutant mouse models displaying external genitalia-body wall abnormalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radars transmit a set of sequences that exhibit small cross-correlation sidelobes, which enhance sensing performance by separating them at the matched filter outputs. Small auto-correlation sidelobes are also required in order to avoid masking of weak targets by the range sidelobes of strong targets and to mitigate the negative effects of distributed clutter. In light of these requirements, in this paper, we design a set of phase-only (constant modulus) sequences that exhibit near-optimal properties in terms of Peak Sidelobe Level (PSL) and Integrated Sidelobe Level (ISL). At the design stage, we adopt weighted ℓ p -norm of auto- and cross-correlation sidelobes as the objective function and minimize it for a general p value, using block successive upper bound minimization (BSUM). Considering the limitation of radar amplifiers, we design unimodular sequences which make the design problem non-convex and NP-hard. To tackle the problem, in every iteration of the BSUM algorithm, we introduce different local approximation functions and optimize them concerning a block, containing a code entry or a code vector. The numerical results show that the performance of the optimized set of sequences outperforms the state-of-the-art counterparts, in terms of both PSL values and computational time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing need of the translation systems, research is being done in the Linguistics field and effort is being done in the development of the translators to assist hearing impaired people. Translation systems are able to convert an input into Indian Sign Language Text and then further into Sign Language symbols. Since, Indian Sign Language has its own syntax and grammar so a system is needed that can convert each sentence from English/Hindi grammar to ISL grammar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the treatment and diagnosis of peripheral lymphedema. Topics discussed include the guidelines provided by the International Society of Lymphology (ISL), standards for medical equipment used for the diagnosis of the diseases, and clinical trials on the patients suffering from lymphatic diseases.

• A new method to identify the P th obtained on the ISL test was proposed. • A stiffness-based method was developed to identify the P th of low hardness steels tested using ISL. • A revision of the ASTM F1624 standard was performed. • Analysis of the influence of step time and strain rate on the ISL results. • Evaluation of the hardness effect on the hydrogen embrittlement susceptibility. Hydrogen embrittlement (HE) is one of the main problems related to the use of metallic materials in sour or wet environments. The Incremental Step-Loading (ISL) test used to evaluate the susceptibility to HE of steels has gained more visibility over recent years, thus allowing for the determination of the threshold load (P th) in H+ enriched environments. However, the ISL standard, ASTM F1624, limits the test to steels with a minimum hardness of 33 HRC. Even for those steels with 33 HRC, the results present some misinterpretations. In addition to this fact, one needs to consider that there are several applications where steels with hardness below 33 HRC are used, as for instance, in fasteners and tool joints under cathodic protection used in the oil and gas industry, for which hardness varies from 26 to 32 HRC. In light of the aforementioned, the standard limitation represents a major disadvantage related to the application of the ISL test. Grounded upon the said, the aim of the present study is to propose a methodology based on the specimen stiffness to be used in the ISL test results, allowing the P th determination of steels with hardness lower than 33 HRC. Conventional and extended ISL tests were performed in two steels (4137-M and 4130-M) with a 32 HRC hardness values. Applying the stiffness-based method on the the conventional ISL test results, a threshold load (P th) of 71.5 %P FFS and 66.0 %P FFS were found for the 4137-M and 4130-M steels, respectively. To validate these results, extended ISL tests were performed on both steels and the results showed a P th of 73.7 %P FFS for the 4137-M steel and 66.0 %P FFS for the 4130-M steel. The results from the conventional ISL test, using the stiffness-based method proposed in this study, provided values similar or with differences lower than 5 %P FFS , when compared alongside the extended ISL tests. Moreover, ISL tests were performed on the same steels with 40 HRC hardness, and the AISI4137-M presented a P th of 21.6 %P FFS and for 4130-M the P th was 22.0 %P FFS. The main conclusion obtained from these tests was that, when large amount of plastic deformation is not present on ISL test, the load drop visual detection is sufficient to determine the P th. As expected, it was observed that both steels with 40 HRC presented higher HE susceptibility than the 32 HRC ones. This behavior was due to higher stress concentration at the notch root presented by the higher hardness condition. The stiffness-based method proved to be robust and capable of separate yielding from hydrogen induced cracking of low hardness steels and could also be used to identify the P th values of steels with hardness lower than that specified by the ASTM F1624 standard, and which are tested using the ISL test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sign language is a visual gesture language. Deaf people use sign language as their main source for communication. They use their hands, face and arms for conveying thoughts and meanings. Sign language is not having any written form and generating signs using video approach is very expensive, so, sign animation is the best solution. Research on Indian Sign Language (ISL) Automation is limited because of lack of Indian Sign Language knowledge and the unavailability of such tools which provide any education for Indian Sign Language. An automation system is designed in which HamNoSys is generated corresponding to the ISL words. HamNoSys is further converted into XML form known as SiGML. A virtual human in tool JA SiGML URL APP takes input as SiGML and generates signs corresponding to the given words. The existing tool available for generation of SiGML is eSIGNEditor which contains a database of words for American and British Sign Language while sign language in India is different from that in America and Britain. So a system is designed to convert the HamNoSys to SiGML, so as to process it further to the SiGML player to animate the signs for ISL words. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main goal of this paper is to demonstrate the multifractal behavior of the ionospheric plasma signals recorded by the ISL instrument installed onboard of the DEMETER satellite before the L'Aquila earthquake of 2009. Multifractal analysis is performed using the so-called the wavelet transform modulus maxima lines (WTMM) method. Signals to be analyzed are: density of electrons and ions, temperature of electrons, and the potential of the plasma. WTMM analysis of the data recorded during April 4, 2009 which recognizes many ionospheric disturbances before the L'Aquila earthquake clearly shows the multifractal behavior of the ionosphere plasma physical response. WTMM analysis of data recorded by the DEMETER satellite two months after the L'Aquila earthquake main shock shows the monofractal behavior of the plasma response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Starting November 2007 and continuing through the present, Tesat-Spacecom has been conducting successfully optical intersatellite communication links utilizing laser communication payloads built by Tesat-Spacecom under DLR funding. A total of four communication payloads are in space at the time of writing. Also optical space-to-ground communication links have been successfully conducted using a compatible ground terminal built by Tesat-Spacecom and the ESA Optical Ground Station on Tenerife. All terminals are using a beaconless spatial acquisition algorithm which was developed by Tesat-Spacecom for intersatellite communication links. We present an analytical investigation on the influence of vibrations deferring the laser beam search pattern on the receiving probability of the counter terminal. A Gaussian distribution of the vibrations is assumed. Results are presented here and compared to computer simulations to verify the analytical results. The influence of link margin and slave terminal position in the scan field on hit probability is addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Satellite communication is inevitable due to the Internet of Everything and the exponential increase in the usage of smart devices. Satellites have been used in many applications to make human life safe, secure, sophisticated, and more productive. The applications that benefit from satellite communication are Earth observation (EO), military missions, disaster management, and 5G/6G integration, to name a few. These applications rely on the timely and accurate delivery of space data to ground stations. However, the channels between satellites and ground stations suffer attenuation caused by uncertain weather conditions and long delays due to line-of-sight constraints, congestion, and physical distance. Though inter-satellite links (ISLs) and inter-orbital links (IOLs) create multiple paths between satellite nodes, both ISLs and IOLs have the same issues. Some essential applications, such as EO, depend on time-sensitive and error-free data delivery, which needs better throughput connections. It is challenging to route space data to ground stations with better QoS by leveraging the ISLs and IOLs. Routing approaches that use the shortest path to optimize latency may cause packet losses and reduced throughput based on the channel conditions, while routing methods that try to avoid packet losses may end up delivering data with long delays. Existing routing algorithms that use multi-optimization goals tend to use priority-based optimization to optimize either of the metrics. However, critical satellite missions that depend on high-throughput and low-latency data delivery need routing approaches that optimize both metrics concurrently. We used a modified version of Kleinrock's power metric to reduce delay and packet losses and verified it with experimental evaluations. We used a cognitive space routing approach, which uses a reinforcement-learning-based spiking neural network to implement routing strategies in NASA's High Rate Delay Tolerant Networking (HDTN) project.