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Copyright of Railway Standard Design is the property of Railway Standard Design Editorial Office 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.)

In this paper, we introduce exterior isoclinism for crossed modules, extending the concept of isoclinism from groups to these 2-dimensional algebraic structures. Motivated by work on tensor and exterior products of nonabelian groups, we utilize nonabelian exterior products, exterior squares, and exterior centers to define this new equivalence relation. Additionally, we provide computational tools implemented in the GAPsystem to identify exterior isoclinism families of small groups and crossed modules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper has two main goals. One is to introduce a type of "headless" (or "antecedentless") relative clause that presents a gap strategy and that has not been sufficiently discussed in the typological literature. The other is to show that this type of headless relative clause with a gap is a characteristic trait of Mesoamerican languages, since it exists in many languages of the Mesoamerican linguistic area as an important constructional option in their relativization syntax, independently of the genetic relationships of the language in question. Two types of headless relative clauses are well known to date: one involving a relativization strategy with a relative pronoun (e.g., I wore what you asked me to wear) and another with a light head, introduced by Citko (2004. On headed, headless, and light-headed relatives. Natural Language and Linguistic Theory 22. 95–126), somewhat comparable to I wore the one that you asked me to wear. The third type of headless relative clause discussed here presents a gap (i.e., there is no manifestation of the relativized term in the relative clause). It would be equivalent to saying 'I wore you asked me to wear'. The phenomenon we study here is interesting both from a typological and areal point of view. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is concerned with the stability of gaps in the essential spectra of self-adjoint relations under non-negative relatively compact perturbation in Hilbert spaces. A stability result about semi-boundedness of self-adjoint relations under relatively bounded perturbation is given. It is shown that the gaps in the essential spectra of self-adjoint relations are invariant under non-negative relatively compact perturbation. The results obtained in the present paper generalize the corresponding results for linear operators to linear relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consider a positive functional F ⁢ ( y ) := ∫ t T L ⁢ ( s , y ⁢ ( s ) , y ′ ⁢ ( s ) ) ⁢ 푑 s {F(y):=\int_{t}^{T}L(s,y(s),y^{\prime}(s))\,ds} , defined on the space of Sobolev functions W 1 , p ⁢ ( [ t , T ] ; ℝ n ) {W^{1,p}([t,T];{\mathbb{R}}^{n})} , where p ≥ 1 {p\geq 1} . This functional is minimized among functions y that may satisfy one or both endpoint conditions. The Lagrangian L is allowed to assume the value + ∞ {+\infty} . In numerous applications minimizers may not be explicit or even may not exist. In such circumstances, it is crucial to know that the infimum of F can be approximated using a sequence of Lipschitz functions that meet the given boundary conditions. However, there are instances where this approximation is not feasible, even with polynomial Lagrangians that meet Tonelli’s existence conditions: this situation is referred to as the Lavrentiev phenomenon. Some results are present in the literature if one requires the Lipschitz approximations to preserve just one endpoint constraint or when the Lagrangian is finite valued. The present paper deals with problems with two endpoint constraints and Lagrangians that are allowed to take extended values. As a byproduct, our Lipschitz approximations may preserve given state constraints. The extended-valued case is challenging since the phenomenon may occur even when the Lagrangian is constant on its effective domain, whose topology becomes relevant. Once assumed that the Lagrangian is radial convex on the rays of the last variable, our findings offer new insights, even when the Lagrangian L is real-valued, autonomous, and there are no state constraints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Gap non-union of long bones are challenging problems in orthopaedic patients. Non-vascularized fibular grafting is a simple, cost effective, single stage procedure and is an accepted method of reconstruction for gap non unions in children. However, there is a risk of non-union when a long avascular strut of fibula is used. The periosteum, by itself has high biological activity and is helpful in osteointegration. Harvesting the fibula with the periosteum gives the advantage of mechanical and biological support in a gap non-union. Methods: During 2020 to 2022, 13 patients presented to us with gap nonunion of long bones due to various aetiology. The mean age of the patients was six years with a mean bone gap of 4.2 cm. A modified technique of harvesting the fibula with the periosteum is described. The graft was stabilized with the recipient bone by intra medullary or extra medullary implants. Results: Union occurred in average 12.7 weeks in all except one patient with congenital pseudoarthrosis of tibia. The fibula on the harvest site regenerated completely in all other patients. One patient had a superficial infection. Children were followed were an average of 17.5 months and there was no incidence of graft resorption or fracture. Osteoperiosteal fibula graft is a simple, effective and cost-effective procedure for the treatment of gap non-unions in children. It offers the advantage of both biological and mechanical support, with high union rates and low complication rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the Anthropocene tightens its grip on the world, forests are facing escalating disturbance rates, tree mortality, degradation and risks of catastrophic collapses. A popular and controversial proposition is to enhance forests' response diversity by adding novel tree species with missing functional traits through forest assisted migration (FAM). Beyond tests of the survival and growth of southern species or provenances in colder regions and studies of the socio-ecological challenges facing FAM, little interest has been paid to the silvicultural system for FAM implementation. Yet, the topic could influence its biological success, social acceptability, and economic feasibility. For example, southern light-intolerant tree species introduced into northern uneven-aged forests may experience a lack of light availability. Likewise, implementing FAM in clearcuts raises social acceptability issues. The patch-cut system combines advantages of even- and uneven-aged systems useful for FAM; however, perhaps due to the difficulty of its operationalization, it is rarely used. We propose a new way to implement the patch-cut system, enabling from the get-go to plan the location and timing of treatment of each patch in a stand. We discuss the advantages that this revisited patch-cut system presents for FAM: (i) the testing of various planting environments, (ii) easy monitoring in an adaptative management context where each patch is a replicate of a repeated-measure experiment and (iii) low intensity planting for efficient future dispersion of species adapted to a changing climate. We end with a call for the development of an international network of FAM trials within the revised patch-cut system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article stresses the importance of expanding the quality of critical care pharmacy education to ensure the provision of critical care to patients. Topics mentioned include state of the pharmacy practice, several reasons for providing inconsistent care to patients and the key steps to optimize critical care pharmacy models.

Copyright of Machine Tool & Hydraulics is the property of Guangzhou Mechanical Engineering Research Institute (GMERI) 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.)

It is widely recognized that heterogeneous environments promote biodiversity. Consequently, we investigated whether heterogeneous environments influence the diversity of ground‐dwelling beetles within a well‐managed conifer plantation forest. We collected carabid beetles, and necrophagous silphid and dung beetles (necrophagous beetles) using pitfall traps at 37 sites with or without fish meat bait. The result of a two‐dimensional principal component analysis (PCA) utilizing environmental indices measured at each site suggested that the environmental heterogeneity depended on the survival density of planted conifers, serving as an indicator of historical gap formation levels. Gaps populated by invading broadleaved trees exhibited low canopy opening percentages and understory cover degrees, while those filled by the growth of planted conifers displayed the opposite conditions. The presence of bait had a negligible impact on carabid beetles but significantly influenced necrophagous beetles. No significant relationships were found between the scores of PCA components and the beetle species richness, suggesting that a heterogeneous environment does not increase the beetle species diversities. However, significant relationships were observed with the scores on nonmetric multidimensional scaling axes, indicating that a heterogeneous environment contributes to the complexity of beetle assemblages. The most dominant carabid, Synuchus cycloderus, was abundant in areas where historical gap formation was thought to be more prevalent. Among necrophagous beetles, Pherotrupes laevistriatus and Panelus parvulus preferred habitats with darker environments, in contrast to Onthophagus fodiens and O. nitidus. This study will aid in developing forestry practices aimed at conserving specific ground‐dwelling beetle species within conifer plantations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A finite group G is said to be a B (n , k) group if for any n -element subset { a 1 , ... , a n } of G , | { a i a j   |   1 ≤ i , j ≤ n } | ≤ k. It is of interest to characterize the structure of B (n , k) groups for n (n + 1) / 2 ≤ k ≤ n 2 − 1. The B (5 , k) groups for 15 ≤ k ≤ 19 have been investigated by several authors. In this paper, we give a complete characterization of B (5 , 20) 2-groups by showing there are five classes of such groups which are nontrivial and nonabelian. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As research and educational institutions, universities have had a role that must be played universally. Japanese law stipulates that "Universities, as the core of scholarly activities, are to contribute to the development of society by cultivating advanced knowledge and specialized skills, inquiring deeply into the truth to create new knowledge, and broadly offering the fruits of these endeavors to society." However, with the increase in the number of learners going on to university, the need to respond to the demands of society, especially companies and local communities, has clearly increased compared to the past. Together with the dilution of the view of work and the emergence of diverse needs on the part of learners, universities are increasingly required to cultivate practical knowledge and skills, as well as foster attitudes and motivation for employment. This study analyzes the relationship between the university's evaluation of "ability to act," "interpersonal ability," "intellectual and academic ability," and "originality" on the part of companies, and the evaluation items of the author's classes, namely, the final periodic exam, quizzes, reports, participation in classes, and the degree of pre-study and post-class study. From empirical regressions, a positive and significant relationship is observed for the final exam and so on, but a positive effect was not necessarily observed for some endpoints. Therefore, universities and the business community team up to tackle this expectation gap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the issues such as poor transverse accuracy and dynamic performance of the warp knitting machine due to the influence of mechanical stiffness, the electromechanical coupling model for electronic transverse motion was established from the perspective of global electromechanical coupling. The mechanical dynamic stiffness matrix was derived, and key parameters affecting mechanical stiffness were identified. Considering the effect of the clearance fit on the stiffness of the mechanical structure, the intermittent recurrence formula under the closed-loop condition was derived, and the clearance amplitude and vibration frequency of the system were analyzed. By using function description method, Simulink software was used to simulate the influence of stiffness indexes on the performance of transverse moving system with clearance fit. The results show that increasing the equivalent axial stiffness of the lead screw and the support bearing in the axial direction does not contribute to the improvement of the system's operational stability. The axial stiffness of ball nut and the torsional stiffness of ball screw affect the transverse accuracy of comb table. The excessive axial tensile and compressive stiffness of the push rod is easy to cause oscillations and overshoot of the system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Preoperative expectations play a major role in determining patient satisfaction after surgery. The aim of this study was to characterize patient’s preoperative expectations and postoperative perceptions of nerve gap repair surgery. Methods: We conducted a search of Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science databases for peer-reviewed articles that studied patient expectations, perceptions, and impressions of nerve gap repair in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Studies related to lumbar plexus radiculopathy, reimplantation, or patient satisfaction scores without patient testimony were excluded. Primary and secondary outcomes were patient’s preoperative expectations and postoperative perceptions of nerve gap repair surgery, respectively. Results: We included 11 studies evaluating a total of 462 patients. One study evaluated only patient expectations, six studies evaluated only patient perspectives, and four studies evaluated both. Patients were generally overly optimistic in their expectations of surgery. Postoperative satisfaction ranged from 82% to 86%, and 81% to 87% of patients would choose to undergo their surgery again knowing what they know now. Conclusions: Patient expectations in nerve gap repair are optimistic, and at times unrealistic. Patient satisfaction with nerve gap repair is high and subject to influence from preoperative education and postoperative outcomes of functional and sensory recovery. Clinical relevance: Surgeons should be aware that patient expectations of their postoperative outcomes can have substantial impacts on their perceived management and overall satisfaction. More emphasis should be placed on preoperative education and expectation management to optimize patient satisfaction.

Electromagnetic pulse welding (EMPW) is commonly used for welding copper and aluminum alloy. The welding gap is important in the EMPW process. The research focused on the effect of welding gap on the welding process and the mechanical property of joints. During the EMPW experiments, the deformation, collision, and metal jet were recorded with a high-speed camera. The joint mechanical property was tested. SEM and EDS were employed to examine the bonding interface. Results indicated that the welding gap length did not significantly influence the aluminum alloy plate motion behavior when it was long enough. With the welding gap width increasing, the collision velocity initially increased and subsequently decreased, and the angle between the two plates when they first collided increased continuously. The intensity and duration of the metal jet and the joint mechanical properties also increased first and then decreased. The welding marks widened first and then narrowed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: To achieve a successful root canal treatment, it is necessary to have a sealer with ideal characteristics that seal the permanent filling of the tooth canal. Over time, various sealers with different compositions have been introduced to increase the obturation quality of tooth root canals, and many studies are still ongoing to find the ideal sealer. This study aims to evaluate the obturation quality of Endoseal MTA sealer based on the void and spreader track in the root canal using intraoral digital radiography (PSP) and compare it with Adseal and MTA Fillapex. Materials and methods: This laboratory study was conducted on 36 central maxillary single-canal permanent human teeth with the same shape and in the pre-clinic of the dental school of Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences. Root canal preparation was done with the Denco rotary system up to size F3 according to the manufacturer's instructions. During preparation, sodium hypochlorite 5.25% was used for washing, and finally EDTA 17% and sodium chlorite 5.25% were used to remove the smear layer. The teeth were dried with a paper cone. The samples were randomly divided into 3 groups and were filled with gutta-percha and sealers; MTA Fillapex, Endoseal MTA, and Adseal by lateral compaction method using Master Cone 35 and cone 20. After the sealers were set completely for 24 hours, PSP imaging was done with a parallel technique, buccolingually and mesiodistally, from the root canal of the teeth, and the presence of void and gaps in the form of spreader track in the three apical, middle and coronal regions, was evaluated with 3 independent observers. The data were evaluated with chi-square or Fisher's exact test, and items less than 0.05 were considered significant. Results: In the current study, the obturation quality of MTA Fillapex, Endoseal MTA, and Adseal sealers was investigated on 36 teeth based on void and gap in the form of spreader track. These evaluations were done according to the direction and location of the sealers. In these evaluations, Adseal sealer had the lowest and MTA Fillapex had the most prevalence of spreader track prevalence, although these differences were not significant based on the chi-square test and there was no significant difference between the prevalence of Spreader track among the three sealers. The void was observed only in the Endoseal group in coronal (mean: 0.5) and apical (mean: 0.7) areas. The results of the Chi-square test showed that there was no significant relationship between the prevalence of void with coronal, middle, and apical sites in Endoseal (P

Spectral features of the original and irradiated with electrons with E = 2 MeV GaP light emitting diodes (LEDs) were studied. Recombination lines of the exciton bound on the N isoelectronic center and on the pair complexes NN1 were detected. The change in the spectral composition of radiation when passing through a section of negative differential resistance is analyzed. Dose dependences of luminescence intensity were obtained for green GaP(N) and red GaP(Zn-O) LEDs. The maximum critical radiation dose was established, after which the LEDs lost their characteristic exciton emission mechanism. The results of the annealing of irradiated LEDs are given.

Background and purpose: To achieve a successful root canal treatment, it is necessary to have a sealer with ideal characteristics that seal the permanent filling of the tooth canal. Over time, various sealers with different compositions have been introduced to increase the obturation quality of tooth root canals, and many studies are still ongoing to find the ideal sealer. This study aims to evaluate the obturation quality of Endoseal MTA sealer based on the void and spreader track in the root canal using intraoral digital radiography (PSP) and compare it with Adseal and MTA Fillapex. Materials and methods: This laboratory study was conducted on 36 central maxillary single- canal permanent human teeth with the same shape and in the pre-clinic of the dental school of Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences. Root canal preparation was done with the Denco rotary system up to size F3 according to the manufacturer's instructions. During preparation, sodium hypochlorite 5.25% was used for washing, and finally EDTA 17% and sodium chlorite 5.25% were used to remove the smear layer. The teeth were dried with a paper cone. The samples were randomly divided into 3 groups and were filled with gutta-percha and sealers; MTA Fillapex, Endoseal MTA, and Adseal by lateral compaction method using Master Cone 35 and cone 20. After the sealers were set completely for 24 hours, PSP imaging was done with a parallel technique, buccolingually and mesiodistally, from the root canal of the teeth, and the presence of void and gaps in the form of spreader track in the three apical, middle and coronal regions, was evaluated with 3 independent observers. The data were evaluated with chi-square or Fisher's exact test, and items less than 0.05 were considered significant. Results: In the current study, the obturation quality of MTA Fillapex, Endoseal MTA, and Adseal sealers was investigated on 36 teeth based on void and gap in the form of spreader track. These evaluations were done according to the direction and location of the sealers. In these evaluations, Adseal sealer had the lowest and MTA Fillapex had the most prevalence of spreader track prevalence, although these differences were not significant based on the chi-square test and there was no significant difference between the prevalence of Spreader track among the three sealers. The void was observed only in the Endoseal group in coronal (mean: 0.5) and apical (mean: 0.7) areas. The results of the Chi-square test showed that there was no significant relationship between the prevalence of void with coronal, middle, and apical sites in Endoseal (P<0.05). Conclusion: No difference was observed between the three sealers in the voids and gaps in the root canal. Based on the results of this study, the obturation quality of the above three sealers isn't different from each other. Although the presence of more void in Endoseal MTA sealer was not significant, it can indicate that the handling of this material is difficult, on the other hand, according to the manufacturer's recommendation, this sealer is recommended for single cone method and is not suitable for use in lateral compression method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aims to analyze the effect of economic growth rate, population growth and inequality on poverty rate in South Kalimantan Province. The data used is secondary data using panel data regression analysis tools, data taken from 2012-2022 in 13 city districts in South Kalimantan Province. The results obtained are that simultaneously the hypothesis of this study is proven by the results of the f test showing all independent variables, namely Economic Growth, Population, and Gap together have a significant effect on the Poverty Level. because the F-Statistic Probability is 0.000000 where the value is <0.05 significance. second individually (partially) the hypothesis of this study is proven by the results of the t test for each variable showing the variables of economic growth and Population have a partial effect on the poverty rate. only the gap variable (Gini Ratio) has no effect on the Poverty Level. Suggestions for improvement are to include other variables in analyzing poverty because the coefficient of determination is only 20 percent. There are still 80 percent factors that influence poverty in South Kalimantan Province, including early marriage rates, education levels, the existence of land and minerals (natural resources), organization, capital accumulation and technological progress, and low human resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the gap between adaptive functioning and cognitive functioning, especially verbal and nonverbal intelligence quotient (IQ) in Chinese children with ASD. We systematically explored cognitive functioning, ASD severity, early signs of developmental abnormalities, and socioeconomic factors as mediating factors of adaptive functioning. We enrolled 151 children (age: 2.5?6 years) with ASD and categorized them into one group with IQ ≥ 70 and another with IQ < 70. The two groups were calibrated for age, age at diagnosis, and IQ, and the relationship of adaptive skills with vocabulary acquisition index (VAI) and nonverbal index (NVI) were separately analyzed. Results show that the gap between IQ and adaptive functioning was significant in children with ASD having IQ ≥ 70, with both VAI and NVI showing statistically significant differences (all P < 0.001). VAI correlated positively with scores for overall adaptive skills and specific domains, whereas NVI had no significant correlations with adaptive skill scores. Age of first walking unaided had an independent positive correlation (all P < 0.05) with scores of adaptive skills and specific domains. IQ-adaptive functioning gap is significant in children with ASD having IQ ≥ 70, suggesting that defining "high-functioning autism" merely on the basis of IQ is not appropriate. Verbal IQ and early signs of motor development are specific and possible predictors of adaptive functioning in children with ASD, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we consider self-similar solutions of the r -mean curvature flow into the (n + 1) -dimensional Euclidean space. By employing some general maximum principles as the main tool, we characterize some self-similar solutions of the r -mean curvature flow under some suitable geometric constraints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: This study investigates the impact of arsenic doping on the optical characteristics and electronic structure of zigzag (8, 0) and armchair (4, 4) gallium phosphide nanotubes using first-principles calculations based on the GaP1-xAsx system, where x = 0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 1. The electronic calculations showed that doping more arsenic atoms reduces the energy band gap for zigzag and armchair GaPAs nanotubes. PDOS analysis indicates that Ga-4p and P-3p orbitals play a significant role in determining the electronic properties of the GaP nanotube. The dominance of Ga-4p and P-3p orbitals in both the valence and conduction bands indicates their importance across the energy spectrum of the material. The complex dielectric function and absorption coefficient of zigzag and armchair GaP1-xAsx nanotubes are calculated for incident radiation with energies ranging from 1 to 6.2 eV. Optical results revealed that both zigzag and armchair GaPNTs exhibit strong absorption in the UV–visible regions due to electronic transitions between different Van Hove singularities. Also, due to quantum confinement effects, pure zigzag gallium phosphide nanotube exhibited two absorption edges at wavelengths (273 and 375 nm). These edges stand from the energy level's quantization in the nanotube construction, affecting the absorption characteristics. Substitutional doping by arsenic atoms changes the absorption edge to the long wavelengths due to decreased bandgap energy. Investigating electronic structures and optical properties of nanotubes proposes several advantages, such as understanding the doping effects on the nanotube structure and contributing to the direction of the experimental studies. These computational studies play a key role in developing the applications of nanomaterials. Methods: Calculations of density functional theory (DFT) are achieved via the SIESTA package. SIESTA is a powerful and effective tool for executing DFT calculations on a large system of atoms. It generates numerous output files covering detailed information about the electronic structure, optical properties, total energy, optimized geometry, and other computed properties. The generalized gradient approximation GGA with Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof PBE functional was used. A vacuum region of 10 A0 was applied to avoid the interactions of adjacent nanotubes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the duplex stainless steel is machined using a wire-cut electrical discharge machining process to overcome the issues of poor finishing, lower dimensional accuracy, and rapid wear of cutting tools in conventional machining processes. The higher rate of material removal and superior finish on the machine surface is dependent on kerf loss, which is expressed as the mean kerf width assessed at certain locations. Nevertheless, this approach is typically not effective in explicating the intricacies of true kerf loss due to the random selection of distinctive points. This work proposes an area-based measuring approach to quantify the kerf loss by taking into account any imperfections on the kerf wall. At the pulse on time of 20 μs and current of 3 A, the machining appears not stable. The pulse on time, current, and voltage of 12 µs, 1 A, and 80 V proved suitable for obtaining excellent dimensional precision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two-dimensional (2D) flume experiments are useful in investigating the performances of floating breakwaters (FBs), including hydrodynamic performances, motion responses, and mooring forces. Designing a reasonable gap between the flume wall and the FBs is a critical step in 2D flume tests. However, research on the effect of the gap on the accuracy of 2D FB experimental results is scarce. To address this issue, a numerical wave tank is developed using CFD to estimate the wave-FB interaction of a moored dual-cylindrical FB, and the results are compared to experimental data from a previously published work. There is good agreement between them, indicating that the numerical model is sufficiently accurate. The numerical model is then applied to explore the effect of gap diffraction on the performance of FBs in 2D experiments. It was discovered that the nondimensional gap length LGap/WPool should be smaller than 7.5% to ensure that the relative error of the transmission coefficient is smaller than 3%. The influence of the gap is also related to the entering wave properties, such as the wave height and period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil fungal communities play a key role in multiple functions and ecosystem services within forest ecosystems. Today, forest ecosystems are subject to multiple environmental and anthropogenic disturbances (e.g., fire or forest management) that mainly lead to changes in vegetation as well as in plant-soil interactions. Soil pathogens play an important role in controlling plant diversity, ecosystem functions, and human and animal health. In this work we analyzed the response of soil plant pathogenic fungi to forest management in a Pinus pinaster reforestation. We started from an experimental design, in which forest thinning and gap cutting treatments were applied at different intensities and sizes, respectively. The fungal communities of plant pathogens in spring were described, and the effect of the silvicultural treatments was evaluated 5 years after their application, as were the possible relationships between soil plant pathogenic fungal communities and other environmental factors. Only a strong low thinning treatment (35% basal area) was able to generate homogeneous changes in soil pathogenic diversity. In the gaps, only the central position showed significant changes in the soil plant pathogenic fungi community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we investigate singular minimal hypersurfaces of the product of spheres S n 1 (r 1) × S n 2 (r 2) . Using special cutoff functions and an ingenious trick, we prove a gap in the Morse index of singular minimal hypersurfaces under suitable assumptions. In particular, we characterize the singular minimal hypersurfaces with a low index for some values of the radii and dimensions of the spheres. Finally, we compute the value of the k-width of the product of spheres for some values of k. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Identify potential barriers, delays, and missed opportunities in the prevention and diagnosis of childhood TB. Methods: Scoping review according to the PRISMA extension. The definitions considered for the selectionfollowedtheacronymPCCwherethepopulation(P) ischildrenunder18yearsofagewithTBdisease, the concept (C) refers tomissed opportunities for prevention and diagnosis, and context (C) is defined as a diagnosis of TB disease. The authors searched systematically in the databases; VHL/Lilacs, Medline via PubMed, Cochrane, Scopus, andWebof Science, without date or language limitation. Results: Seven studies were included. In developed countries, with low disease burden, the main shortcoming is the delay in diagnosing bacilliferous adults in contact with young children. This problem is concentrated in the portion of the population with socioeconomic vulnerability. In underdeveloped countries, with a high burden of disease, the biggest challenge is tracking children who come into contact with bacilliferous patients. Conclusions: There are still many missed opportunities in the prevention and diagnosis of childhood TB. The positive legacy of the COVID-19 pandemic should be taken advantage of and the encouragement of scientific development in the management of infectious diseases should be taken. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The temperature-varying gap between the full ceramic ball bearings and the steel pedestal in wide temperature ranges leads to misalignment of the bearing rotor system, and there is a significant impact on the vibration of the rotor system. In this paper, the dynamic model considering the temperature-varying gap and time-varying contact between the full ceramic ball bearing and the steel pedestal in wide temperature ranges is proposed. The rigid body elements and the inner rings are coupled in the model, and the influence of the temperature-varying gap is analyzed. Results show that the increased gap at high temperatures brings about the looseness of the full ceramic ball bearing, the misalignment occurs between the axes of the two full ceramic ball bearings due to the looseness. The interaction between the full ceramic ball bearing and the steel pedestal becomes more significant, which causes the vibration of the rotor system to rise. Appropriately increase the interference between the full ceramic ball bearing and the steel pedestal helps reduce the gap at high temperature, thus avoiding the excessive vibration caused by misalignment and improving the rotation accuracy of the rotor system. The research results provide a reference basis for the use of full ceramic ball bearings in wide temperature ranges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Waste scavenging is an important activity in developing countries aiding resource recovery and poverty reduction. Despite knowing the dangers posed by the activity, the waste scavengers’ occupational safety is to some extent compromised due to poor utilization of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). This study investigated the disparity between knowledge and practice of waste scavengers regarding occupational risks and safety measures in Yola urban area, through surveys and interviews with 405 participants across 55 dealers' depots. The study findings discovered 375 waste scavengers recognized the potential hazard associated with scavenging job, out of which only 41 were actually using PPEs regularly. While 30 claimed ignorant of the potential risks of the activity. This therefore categorized waste scavengers into three distinct groups in Yola urban area viz: Safe Scavengers" who possess the knowledge of dangers of scavenging and use one or more PPE regularly 41 (10.12%); “Knowledgeable non-PPEs users" who have the knowledge but do not use PPE 334 (82.47%); and "Unaware non-PPEs users" lacking both knowledge and PPE usage 30 (7.41%) mostly children. Null hypotheses were formulated where significant difference observed between Knowledgeable non-users and safety practice (p=0.016). On the other hand, no significant difference found between Safe Scavengers and safety practice (p=0.053); as well as Unaware non-users and safety practice (p=0.060). Pie chart clearly shows the knowledge/practice gap and three distinct group of the scavengers. Recommendation proposed involvement of scavengers’ middlemen and waste management authorities in developing comprehensive strategies that promote a culture of safety, provide training on safety practices, and ensure the availability of appropriate protective gear to narrow down the gap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: A well-balanced joint gap is necessary in Oxford unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (OUKA) to prevent mobile-bearing dislocation. While the gaps between 20° (extension) and 100° (flexion) are precisely adjusted using the incremental mill system, there has been insufficient evaluation of gaps in other angles. We hypothesized that the gap is not always the same in other angles. This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the gap in full-extension (0°), mid-flexion (60°) and deep flexion (130°) for comparison with those in extension and flexion gaps. Methods: We evaluated 119 knees in 83 patients (51 females, 31 males, aged 71.9 years). The full-extension and mid-flexion gaps were compared with the extension gap, and the deep flexion gap was contrasted with the flexion gap. Each gap was classified into isometric, tight or loose, for evaluation of contributing factors. Results: Although the full-extension gap tended to be isometric (45%), the mid-flexion tended to be tight (48%), whereas the deep-flexion was loose in most knees (84%) (P = 0.002). The tight mid-flexion and loose deep flexion gap pattern accounted for 44% of the total knees, especially so with smaller femoral components (P = 0.004). Conclusion: Our results highlight the propensity of tight mid-flexion and loose flexion gap despite the adjustment of extension and flexion gaps in OUKA. Although the effect of such a minor gap imbalance is still unknown, the pattern was more prevalent in patients with smaller-sized femoral components. Use of a larger femoral component may equalize the gap throughout the motion arc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A model-based study is conducted to optimize the dynamic performance of a solenoid actuator in a compressed natural gas (CNG) injector. A mechanical model, an electromagnetic model, and an optimum model using particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm are built to depict operation and optimize the dynamic response times of the injector solenoid actuator. Effects of the number of coil turns (N), spring stiffness (k), and gap between plunger and cylinder wall (g), on the dynamic characteristics of the injector solenoid actuator are investigated. Simulation results show that, when k increases from 560 to 2560 N/m, and g increases from 0.1 to 0.5 mm, the opening response time increases 35.41% and 48.03%, respectively; however, the closing response time of the injector solenoid actuator reduces 27.27% and 45.25%, respectively. When N is increased from 342 to 552, the opening response time reduces 35.48%; nevertheless, the closing response time increases considerably with a 195.45% increment. Using PSO algorithm, it is found that the optimum version of the injector solenoid actuator has improvements for both opening and closing response times, in which the opening response time reduces 11.41% when compared with the original version. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Zagros Mountain range channels a significant volume of water towards the Persian Gulf basin due to the presence of gorges, diverting it from a potential southeast trajectory parallel to the Zagros folds. This study aimed to assess the water flow through the Zagros straits, utilizing 1:50,000 topographic and 1:100,000 geological maps, Iran's Digital Elevation Model (DEM), and various library sources. Hydrometric stations were used as the starting point and their associated sub-basins were delineated. The relationship between precipitation and elevation in each basin was analyzed to extract the precipitation layer of each sub-basin and calculate its average precipitation. Considering the sub-basin areas, the precipitation amount over a specific period was estimated and compared with the recorded discharges. The findings revealed that approximately 110,695 billion cubic meters of water were channeled to the Persian Gulf via the tidal currents of the Zagros Mountains. Notably, the sub-basins with lower discharge relative to the received precipitation, including Gilvan, Simre, Sartang Dolab, Qara Aghaj, and Dez, were situated to the east of the Zagros main thrust, while those with higher discharge were located to the west. This disparity in discharge on either side of the Zagros main thrust could be attributed to various mountain features, such as land surface slope, position in relation to incoming streams, karst, and faulting [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives To assess the ability of two risk prediction models in interstitial lung disease (ILD) to predict death or lung transplantation in a cohort of patients with interstitial pneumonia with autoimmune features (IPAF). Methods We performed a retrospective cohort study of adults with IPAF at an academic medical centre. The primary outcome was a composite of lung transplantation or death. We applied the patient data to the previously described Gender–Age–Physiology (GAP) and ILD-GAP models to determine the ability of these models to predict the composite outcome. Model discrimination was assessed using the c-index, and model calibration was determined by comparing the incidence ratios of observed vs expected deaths. Results Ninety-four patients with IPAF were included. Mean (s. d.) age was 58 (13.5) years and the majority were female (62%). The majority met serologic and morphologic criteria for IPAF (94% and 91%, respectively). The GAP model had a c-index of 0.664 (95% CI 0.547–0.781), while the ILD-GAP model had a c-index of 0.569 (95% CI 0.440–0.697). In those with GAP stage 1 or GAP stage 2 disease, calibration of the GAP model was satisfactory at 2 and 3 years for the cumulative end point of lung transplantation or death. Conclusion In patients with IPAF, the GAP model performed well as a predictor of lung transplantation or death at 2 years and 3 years from ILD diagnosis in patients with GAP stage 1 and GAP stage 2 disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In our study, thirty one neck dissections in thirty patients were performed as a part of their treatment for head and neck cancers over a period of one year. In this study, we aimed to report anatomical variations of the spinal accessory nerve (SAN) encountered during neck dissection with respect to important reference points and structures in the neck and correlate them with the length of the neck and height of patient. We preserved SAN in all the neck dissections and studied its course and branching in relation to internal jugular vein (IJV), sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle, greater auricular point (GAP), mastoid process, clavicle, angle of mandible, length of the neck and height of the patient. In 67.7% patients, the SAN was ventral to the IJV at the level of posterior belly of digastric muscle and in 32.3%, it was dorsal to the vein. In all the cases, SAN was found cephalic to the GAP at the posterior border of the SCM muscle with a mean distance of 1.72 ± 0.54 cm (range 0.90–3.06 cm). The distance between the tip of mastoid process and the point of emergence of the SAN from the posterior border of SCM (Exit Point length) was found to be nearly constant with a mean of 6.35 ± 0.63 cm (range 5.03–8.13 cm). We also found that there is a positive correlation between various parameters and the length of the neck and height of patients. Distance of exit point of SAN from the clavicle, however, is least helpful. We infer that the GAP is one of the most reliable landmarks for the localization of the SAN, followed by distance of exit point from mastoid process and angle of mandible. Also, surgeon should be aware of the variations regarding relationship to internal jugular vein and branching pattern of the nerve. The exit point should be sought for relatively inferiorly in longer necks and taller patients. SAN has great variations and thorough knowledge of these helps to prevent debilitating sequelae and medicolegal repercussions of shoulder syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effective operation of most modern radio engineering systems in the VHF and UHF ranges is impossible without using antenna systems with a high Antenna Efficiency (AF), capable of forming pencil-beam Directional Patterns (DPs) in space. Implementing the optimal amplitude distribution of the field at the antenna aperture can provide the required width of the main lobe at a low level of lateral radiation. This paper considers a leaky-wave antenna with an open radiating transmission line as its distribution-radiating system. The transmission line contains a planar dielectric waveguide screened with a comb-type metal resonant grating. Antennas of this type have a high AF, and the required amplitude distribution on the aperture can be formed, for example, due to the longitudinal variation of the air gap between the dielectric waveguide and the comb grating. The energy calculation method adapted to the conditions of the problem under consideration has been used to identify the best regularity of the longitudinal change in the gap. According to the proposed method, determining the degree and direction of the gap variation is reduced to the problem of calculating the fraction of power taken by each grating inhomogeneity according to the specified amplitude distribution. The non-uniform profile of the distribution-radiating system makes it possible, on the one hand, to improve the initial antenna directivity by increasing the degree of radiation concentration within the main lobe of the DP and reducing the Side-Lobe Level (SLL) and, on the other hand, increasing the Antenna Gain (AG). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Cosmetic dermatology is a key subspecialty of academic dermatology. As such, academic centers are expected to demonstrate excellence in the teaching of cosmetic dermatology skills to trainees, the clinical delivery of cosmetic dermatology services to patients, and the performance of clinical research that advances knowledge and uncovers new therapies in cosmetic dermatology. The Association of Academic Cosmetic Dermatology (AACD), a newly formed medical professional society, includes as its principal aims the support of all of these areas. AACD is comprised of group of board-certified dermatologists who teach cosmetic and laser dermatology at US dermatology residency programs. An expert panel constituted by the AACD recently convened a workshop to review gaps pertaining to academic cosmetic dermatology. This panel considered needs and potential corrective initiatives in three domains: resident education, patient experience, and clinical research. The work of the panel was used to develop a roadmap, which was adopted by consensus, and which will serve to guide the AACD moving forward.

As the Anthropocene tightens its grip on the world, forests are facing escalating disturbance rates, tree mortality, degradation and risks of catastrophic collapses. A popular and controversial proposition is to enhance forests’ response diversity by adding novel tree species with missing functional traits through forest assisted migration (FAM). Beyond tests of the survival and growth of southern species or provenances in colder regions and studies of the socio-ecological challenges facing FAM, little interest has been paid to the silvicultural system for FAM implementation. Yet, the topic could influence its biological success, social acceptability, and economic feasibility. For example, southern light-intolerant tree species introduced into northern uneven-aged forests may experience a lack of light availability. Likewise, implementing FAM in clearcuts raises social acceptability issues. The patch-cut system combines advantages of even- and uneven-aged systems useful for FAM; however, perhaps due to the difficulty of its operationalization, it is rarely used. We propose a new way to implement the patch-cut system, enabling from the get-go to plan the location and timing of treatment of each patch in a stand. We discuss the advantages that this revisited patch-cut system presents for FAM: (i) the testing of various planting environments, (ii) easy monitoring in an adaptative management context where each patch is a replicate of a repeated-measure experiment and (iii) low intensity planting for efficient future dispersion of species adapted to a changing climate. We end with a call for the development of an international network of FAM trials within the revised patch-cut system.

In view of the heat transfer problems of gap flows near the shock-wave interference region of hypersonic vehicles, a two-dimensional model of the shock generator and gap was established. By using CFD technology, the internal flow heat transfer characteristics with shock waves in the front, middle and back of the gap were studied. The results showed that compared to the flow fields without shock wave, the vortex structure of the flow inside the gap changes obviously when the shock wave acts on the front and middle of the gap, resulting in a sharp increase in the flow intensity and heat inside the gap. However, when the shock wave acts on the rear part of the gap, the vortex structure inside the gap does not change significantly, and the far-end wall heat flux near the gap lip decreases locally, which is beneficial to the shape protection of the thermal protection structure. The results clearly indicated that it is necessary to avoid the position where shock wave acts on the front and middle part of gap in structural thermal protection design.

Grassland restoration has been a critical initiative of ecological engineering in China. Drones have effectively facilitated the reseeding in large-scale and diversified terrains at present. However, the accuracy of gap localization has been confined to the high workload during drone operations. This study aims to propose a novel approach for gap localization of degraded grassland, termed YOLOFG (YOLO for Gap), using super-resolution reconstruction and Transformer technology. Firstly, the challenges were addressed on the limited quantity and widespread distribution of gap samples in grassland scenes, in terms of sample acquisition. Drones were also employed to combine the fieldwork and simulation. A total of 132 and 282 aerial images were collected to constitute a mixed gap dataset. Secondly, three data augmentations were selected: random angular rotation, exposure adjustment, and brightness modulation, in order to enrich the mixed gap datasets. The objective of these techniques was to enhance the generalization of the model. Furthermore, 1 242 enhanced gap images were annotated to utilize the open-source labeling tool LabelImg. The annotated data was stored, according to the format specifications of the Pascal VOC dataset. Subsequently, the blurred texture was targeted in the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) aerial photography dataset. The modifications were made to the YOLOv5s model, thereby completing the training of the data. Finally, the spot anchor frame information was utilized to obtain from the recognition model. The imaging principles of the gimbal camera were used to obtain the conversion relationships among multiple coordinate systems. The real-time attitude information was selected from the UAV. A geodetic coordinate resolution model was established for the aerial photography targets, thus enabling precise localization of the target gaps. According to the theoretical framework of YOLOv5s target detection, a cascaded module was introduced to extract the feature texture in the neck network. The high-resolution feature maps were generated with enhanced textures, thereby enabling the model to focus on intricate feature textures. There was a great decrease in the significant scale variations and blurred textures in the drone-captured gap images. Furthermore, ShuffleNetV2 was selected as the backbone network for YOLOv5s. The number of model parameters was reduced to integrate a highly interactive Transformer self-attention structure into the backbone network. More comprehensive mid-to-high-level visual semantic information was obtained from the drone imagery. The information interaction was also enhanced among pixel blocks. More differentiated features were ultimately extracted among pixels to enhance the capture precision for the gap edge pixels. The experimental results demonstrated that the YOLOFG model achieved a mean Average Precision (mAP) of 96.57%, indicating an improvement of 11.86, 9.65, and 6.82 percentage points, respectively, compared with the YOLOv4, YOLOv7, and YOLOv8 models. The parameter count was approximately 6.24 MB, with a model size of 13.9 MB. Compared with the YOLOv5s, the model size remained comparable, yet the precision was enhanced by 3.84%, and the parameter count was reduced by approximately 11.2%, thus facilitating the deployment. With an inference time of 39.6 FPS(frames per second), the improved model outperformed the baseline networks, including YOLOv5s, YOLOv8, and YOLOv4, thus demonstrating the high efficiency and robustness. Finally, 54 target points were measured with an average positioning error of 0.440 4 m between the center points of the targets and the anchor boxes. In summary, the finding can offer a better trade-off between speed and accuracy, in order to realize the rapid and efficient identification of gap distributions across different communities. Additionally, the precise localization requirements were fully met for the drone-based reseeding in grassland gaps. Thus, robust technical support was provided for the subsequent vegetation restoration and reconstruction in degraded grasslands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many III–V semiconductors possess direct bandgaps and are thus widely applied in optoelectronics. Although GaN (either in wurtzite phase or zinc blende phase), GaAs, and GaSb are well‐known direct‐gap semiconductors, GaP exhibits an indirect bandgap nevertheless. In this work, the generic rule of energy gaps in GaN, GaP, and GaAs of the zinc blende phase is analyzed, and the trends of gap variation are studied concerning the lattice constant and anion electronegativity. It turns out that GaP actually manifests a normal behavior, the reason why GaN surprisingly has a direct gap is analyzed through examining and perturbing its valence band as well as conduction band (CB). The CB electron shows a non‐negligible probability to emerge near the N cores. The attractive nucleus potential pulls down the CB more strongly at Γ, which is in principle further supported through an analysis of the Kronig–Penney model. The difference between GaP and GaN in this respect is also analyzed in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past two decades, the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellite mission and its successor, GRACE-follow on (GRACE-FO), have played a vital role in climate research. However, the absence of certain observations during and between these missions has presented a persistent challenge. Despite numerous studies attempting to address this issue with mathematical and statistical methods, no definitive optimal approach has been established. This study introduces a practical solution using Linear Regression Analysis (LRA) to overcome data gaps in both GRACE data types—mascon and spherical harmonic coefficients (SHCs). The proposed methodology is tailored to monsoon patterns and demonstrates efficacy in filling data gaps. To validate the approach, a global analysis was conducted across eight basins, monitoring changes in total water storage (TWS) using the technique. The results were compared with various geodetic products, including data from the Swarm mission, Institute of Geodesy and Geoinformation (IGG), Quantum Frontiers (QF), and Singular Spectrum Analysis (SSA) coefficients. Artificial data gaps were introduced within GRACE observations for further validation. This research highlights the effectiveness of the monsoon method in comparison to other gap-filling approaches, showing a strong similarity between gap-filling results and GRACE's SHCs, with an absolute relative error approaching zero. In the mascon approach, the coefficient of determination (R2) exceeded 91% for all months. This study offers a readily usable gap-filling product—SHCs and smoothed gridded observations—with accurate error estimates. These resources are now accessible for a wide range of applications, providing a valuable tool for the scientific community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spectral features of the original and irradiated with electrons with E = 2 MeV GaP light emitting diodes (LEDs) were studied. Recombination lines of the exciton bound on the N isoelectronic center and on the pair complexes NN1 were detected. The change in the spectral composition of radiation when passing through a section of negative differential resistance is analyzed. Dose dependences of luminescence intensity were obtained for green GaP(N) and red GaP(Zn-O) LEDs. The maximum critical radiation dose was established, after which the LEDs lost their characteristic exciton emission mechanism. The results of the annealing of irradiated LEDs are given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maintaining the newness of a vehicle is currently significant concern for users and vehicle companies. The gap difference between interior and exterior trims plays a crucial role in the overall appearance of vehicles. Over time, the gap and flush parameters of these trims may change due to the movement of components, putting forward higher requirements for the assembly accuracy and reliability design of automotive products. This article presents a study where a test car is subjected to endurance vibration on a wheel-coupled vibration bench. Through measuring the changes in gaps and flushes between the exterior trim parts at different endurance mileage intervals, the variation patterns are obtained. Using dimensional engineering technology, the effects of durable vibration on the gaps and flushes of the vehicle's exterior trim parts were determined. This study provides a foundation for the design of new interior and exterior decoration parts in automobiles. It also offers valuable insights for product design, development, and quality improvement. Problems can be predicted in advance in the early stage of design, and closely coordinate various aspects of production and manufacturing to obtain products with higher standards, requirements, and quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]