Analysis Program Research Articles

Evaluation of structural problems in the application of strict criteria for sperm morphology assessment.

The WHO manual for basic semen analysis and ISO 23162 describe sperm morphology assessment as a standard part of semen analysis. Older studies showed a correlation between morphology results and (artificial) conception. In more recent studies this relationship was less apparent and there is more emphasis on sperm morphology as a marker for healthy spermatogenesis (and general male health). Meantime, many laboratories ceased morphology assessment, probably due to unfamiliarity with this paradigmatic shift and to technical difficulties in the assessment, like the interpretation of morphological criteria. The aim of this study was to identify morphological criteria with high variability in results in the Dutch External Quality Control (EQC) program. Over the period 2015-2020, a total of 72 photos of sperm cells along with dichotomous propositions based on 14 criteria as defined in WHO5 (2010) were distributed in the Dutch EQC program for semen analysis. The EQC results were evaluated for variability per criterion and for trends in time. Between 2015 and 2020, 40 to 60 laboratories assessed the photos. Criteria with low variability between participants were related to acrosomal vacuoles, excessive residual cytoplasm, and tail metrics. In contrast, head ovality, regularity of head and midpiece contours, and alignment of the major axis of the midpiece and head led to the highest variability in outcomes. In general, there was a slightly positive trend (lower variability) in time, except for the criteria with the highest variability (stable or declining trend). This study indicates that there are (high) variabilities in the interpretation of the morphological criteria, leading to inconsistent outcomes of morphology assessment. The results are discussed from the perspective of imperfections in definitions and examples of the criteria as given in the WHO manuals.

Politicians’ Communicative Behavioural Patterns: A Study into British Parliamentary Discourses of 2010-2022

In recent years, linguopragmaticians have sought to make predictions as to why and how politicians resort to certain communicative behaviours, hence the focus of linguistic research. Drawing upon parliamentary discourses of Conservative Prime Ministers David Cameron, Theresa May, Boris Johnson and Labor Party leaders Jeremy Corbyn and Keir Starmer, this article aims to develop a new approach to naming communicative behavioral patterns of modern British politicians. The commonality of domestic political tasks faced by the politicians, namely the UK’s exit from the European Union, environmental agenda, migration reform, healthcare system troubles, have predetermined the choice of certain types of ‘communicative personality’ and, consequently, a selection of lexical means used by the politicians during parliamentary debates. The algorithm for typologizing the communicative behavior of politicians includes creating a corpus of utterances and analyzing it through the content analysis program Sketch Engine. A comparison of the most frequent lexical units used by a politician in given communicative situations have made it possible to identify prevailing types of ‘communicative personality’ and key intentions realized in the course of political communication.

Investigation of containment spraying characteristics based on the correction of droplet evaporation shielding effects

Historically, the spray models in the accident analysis program are mostly based on the isolated droplet and ignore the shielding effects among droplets, which theoretically introduces some errors. This paper investigates the effect of multi-droplet shielding on spray evaporation by taking the containment spray systems as the research object. By discussing the correction factors, the law of droplet group shielding effects can be studied, and then the correction of the spray package can be realized by the self-programming. After that, the transient response characteristics of temperature and pressure in the containment before and after the model correction are studied by modeling the loss of coolant accident and main steam line break accident, respectively. And, this research tries to analyze the influence of the cell normalization model as well as spray parameters on the calculation results. The results reveal that the program can achieve more accurate prediction after being modified by the shielding effects, and the multi-cell model can capture the temperature stratification effects more accurately under accident conditions. Additionally, the spray temperature and spray sizes have an insignificant effect on the in-shell thermal hydraulics response characteristics, but the increase of the spray flow rate has a better effect on the mitigation of the temperature stratification effects and the suppression of the in-shell pressure. The research in this paper can provide some reference or research ideas for accurate modeling and safety analysis of accidents.

Comparative analysis of the reliability assessment of commercial and residential feeders in the power distribution utility of Nigeria

Reliability studies serve as valuable tools for assessing and optimizing system performance. Utilities with higher reliability indices are more likely to achieve break-even points due to significantly reduced downtime. This paper explores a comparative assessment of two 11 kV feeders supplying electricity to residential and commercial customers, addressing concerns about distribution system reliability in Nigeria and its impact on the country's GDP. The study involves a comprehensive reliability analysis, utilizing a flowchart to outline procedural steps and employing the ETAP Software program for data analysis collected over a one-month period from a power utility company. The data encompass operational parameters such as day-hourly consumption, outage records, and network equipment data. Results indicate higher reliability indices in the commercial feeder compared to the residential feeder, with the Customer Average Interruption Duration Index (CAIDI) being lower in the commercial feeder. The research underscores the significance of reliability assessment in improving operational efficiency, facilitating maintenance planning, and enhancing customer satisfaction.

Comparative Analysis of Climate Change Policies: Pakistan VS. Global Approaches

Purpose: The current study compares global climate change policy to Pakistan's national climate policy in order to investigate global and national priorities in the context of carbon emission, air pollution, gender and smog under the adaptive management model. Methodology: The United Nations Climate Change Policy Papers and Pakistan's most current Climate Change Policy 2021, were analyzed in this work utilizing keyword search methods for contextualization in the qualitative data analysis program NVivo 11. Findings: The findings show that Pakistan's climate change strategy is highly similar to global climate change policy in terms of carbon emissions, a little less so in terms of gender, but not in terms of air pollution. It is concerning that smog, a serious problem in Pakistan, is not on the agenda of global climate change policy. Unique Contribution of theory, practice and policy: Through adaptive management, the research identifies specific gaps where national policies diverge from global priorities. For instance, the model helps to highlight the lack of emphasis on smog in global policies, a critical issue for Pakistan, thereby suggesting areas for improvement and alignment. The study suggests that the Pakistani government should make efforts to address this issue on a worldwide scale in order to solve the problem.

Technical Notes: Robustness of three-dimensional treatment and imaging isocenter testing using a new gel dosimeter and kilovoltage CBCT.

Coincidence of the treatment and imaging isocenter coordinates is required to safely perform small-margin treatments, such as stereotactic radiosurgery of multiple brain metastases. A comprehensive and direct methodology for verifying concordance of kilovoltage cone-beam computed tomography (kV-CBCT) and treatment coordinates using an x-ray CT-based polymer gel dosimeter (dGEL) and onboard kV-CBCT was previously reported. Using this methodology, we tested the ability of a new commercially available x-ray CT-based polymer dGEL with a rapid response to provide efficient quality assurance (QA). The aim of this study was to evaluate the robustness of the three-dimensional geometric QA methodology using dGEL. The dGEL were commercially manufactured. The prescribed dose for each field was determined by visually identifying the 5, 10, and 20Gy isodose lines. A linear accelerator was used to irradiate the gels with seven non-coplanar beams. An in-house analysis program was used to identify the beam axes and treatment isocenter in kV-CBCT coordinates by processing the pre- and post-irradiation CBCT images. The impact of the radiation dose on the test reproducibility was examined, and the detectability of an intentional geometric error was assessed. The treatment isocenter was within 0.4mm of the imaging isocenter for all radiation doses. The residual error of the test with the intentional error was within 0.2mm. The analysis and image quality variations for a single dGEL introduced displacement errors less than 0.3mm. The test assessed the coincidence of treatment and kV-CBCT isocenter coordinates and detected errors with high robustness. Even for a 10Gy dose, the test yielded results comparable with those obtained using higher radiation doses owing to the rapid response of the dGEL dosimeter.

Фонетические процессы в сочетаниях согласных (на материале осетинского языка)

The aim of the research is to identify all potential consonant clusters in the modern Ossetian literary language where assimilative and dissimilative changes are possible. The article discusses a detailed algorithm aimed at creating a theoretical basis for an orthoepic dictionary of the Ossetian literary language. The research is novel in that it is the first to obtain data on all possible assimilative and dissimilative processes in the Ossetian literary language. Consonant clusters were identified using a representative corpus of Ossetian texts presented on the Internet and consisting of 836,593 words. As a result of the study of 819 consonant clusters, such combinations were found in which, based on data on the phonemes of the Ossetian literary language, assimilative processes could be expected. In particular, this refers to consonant clusters where voiced and voiceless consonants meet at the boundaries of morphemes, voiced consonants in the final position and voiced consonants at the boundaries of morphemes. To determine the phonetic processes that occur in these clusters (progressive assimilation for voicing/devoicing, regressive assimilation for voicing/devoicing), words containing such clusters were included in the instrumental analysis program.

The system reliability of steel trusses with correlated variables

The paper focuses on the system reliability of steel trusses with correlated variables. The correlation between bearing capacities of bars was considered. Two static truss schemes were considered. Nodal forces were the only load. The Finite Element Method analysis was conducted in Robot Structural Analysis program. To conduct system reliability analysis it is essential to find cut-sets, it was realized by stiffness matrix spectral analysis. Then reliability analysis was performed in Sysrel module of Strurel computing environment. First Order Reliability Method was used as the base, Subset Simulation method was used to check the correctness of the results. The sensitivity analysis of reliability index enabled the authors to draw conclusions, which variables have the greatest influence on the reliability of the structure. The effects of actions and bearing capacities were assumed to be the only random variables and that the excessing the bearing capacities of bars is the only way the structure can get into failure area.

273-OR: Initial eQTL Discovery in Individual Pancreatic Cell Types from the Human Pancreas Analysis Program

273-OR: Initial eQTL Discovery in Individual Pancreatic Cell Types from the Human Pancreas Analysis Program

Thermal safety characteristics analysis of helium xenon gas cooled small reactor system under LOCA accidents

The thermal safety characteristics of the system after a small break loss of coolant accident (SB-LOCA) in a helium xenon gas-cooled small reactor will determine whether the reactor will experience a meltdown and the duration of the meltdown. At present, research on SB-LOCA both domestically and internationally is mostly focused on water-cooled reactors, lacking relevant research on helium xenon gas-cooled reactors (He-Xe GCR). Therefore, it is of great significance to research the thermal safety characteristics of He-Xe GCR after a breach loss of coolant accident. This article improves the gas turbine model based on the original SB-LOCA analysis program for pressurized water reactors. And added a calculation model for the characteristics of helium xenon mixed gas, a heat transfer model for helium xenon mixed airflow, and a compressor model. Finally, a Brayton Cycle Reactor System Analysis program (BRESA) was developed for SB-LOCA analysis of He-Xe GCR. Explore the impact of the size and location of fractures on the thermal safety characteristics of the system using BRESA. Research has found that as the size of the rupture gradually increases, the decrease in reactor core power is greater, and the reactor power is shut down earlier. Comparative analysis of the impact of different breach positions on the residual heat removal characteristics reveals that a breach accident on the high-pressure side of the system poses a greater threat to system safety. Therefore, when setting the safety threshold for the Brayton cycle system, the focus should be on the hazards of high-voltage side breaches. This research achievement assists with the safe operation strategy of He-Xe GCR in the future.

Routines and Daily Dynamics of Young People with Borderline Intelligence: An Ethnomethodological Study

Young people with borderline intelligence functioning (BIF) have intellectual functioning at the border between intellectual disability and those considered neurotypical. This population group is often underrepresented in social research, which makes it difficult to understand their experiences and needs. The research aims to understand the daily lives of young people with BIF to identify needs that society might not be aware of. The study was conducted with a sample of 30 young people. The ethnomethodological design was appropriate for the study of the routines and daily dynamics of these young people, which allowed the researchers to understand the experiences and meanings of the participants from their own perspective. The analysis was carried out in the context of the subject of Qualitative Research Tools in Social Work with fourth-year students, through participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and field diaries. Data analysis was performed using the Atlas.ti23 qualitative content analysis program. The findings suggest a strong dependence on family and social support; a daily life marked by challenges; and a search for autonomy, among many other aspects. Collaboration with the participants allowed the researchers to better understand their experiences and needs from reflexivity.

Traditional Korean diet high in one-carbon nutrients increases global DNA methylation: implication for epigenetic diet.

DNA methylation is a major epigenetic phenomenon through which diet affects health and disease. This study aimed to determine the epigenetic influence of the traditional Korean diet (K-diet) on global DNA methylation via one-carbon metabolism. A crossover study was conducted on 52 women. Two diets, a K-diet, high in plant foods and low in calories and animal fat, and a control diet, similar to the diet currently consumed in Korea, were provided to all subjects alternately for 4weeks with a 4-week washout period. Clinical parameters were measured before and after each dietary intervention. Nutrient intake was calculated by using a computer-aided nutritional analysis program. One-carbon metabolites in the serum and global DNA methylation in peripheral mononuclear cells were determined using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The K-diet group consumed more folate (669.9 ± 6.7µg vs. 502.7 ± 3.0, p < 0.001), B6, B12, serine, and choline, and less methionine (992.6 ± 63 vs. 1048.3mg ± 34.1, p < 0.0001) than the control group did. In the K-diet group, the increment of plasma 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (0.08µg/mL ± 0.11 vs 0.02 ± 0.10, p < 0.009) and decrement of L-homocysteine (-70.7 ± 85.0 vs -39.3 ± 69.4, p < 0.0168) were greater than those of the control group. Global DNA methylation was significantly increased in the K-diet group (6.70 ± 3.02% to 9.45 ± 3.69, p < 0.0001) but not in the control group. A K-diet high in one-carbon nutrients can enhance the global DNA methylation status, suggesting an epigenetic mechanism by which the K-diet conveys health effects. Trial registration Korean Clinical Trial Registry (trial number: KCT0005340, 24/08/2020, retrospectively registered).

High-Resolution Electron Ionization Mass Spectrometry of Stannane: Deconvolution of Superimposed Fragmentation Patterns.

In a pulsed laser plasma driven extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light, tin droplets undergo evaporation, eventually depositing on different surfaces. The removal of surface bound tin is commonly achieved with a hydrogen plasma, resulting in the formation of stannane (SnH4). The mechanisms leading to the formation and decomposition of stannane remain incompletely understood. To analyze these mechanisms mass spectrometrically, a reference is crucial, necessitating a high-resolution and thoroughly characterized mass spectrum of stannane. In this paper, a high-resolution 70 eV electron ionization (EI) mass spectrum of stannane is presented. The mass spectrum comprises all ten natural isotopes of the stannane fragments generated through EI. Utilizing the custom analysis program RASP, the relative distribution of fragments is calculated from the isotopically superimposed mass signals, offering crucial insights into the occurring processes. Furthermore, the dependence of fragment formation on ion source pressure and temperature was determined.

Single cell regulatory architecture of human pancreatic islets suggests sex differences in β cell function and the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes.

Biological sex affects the pathogenesis of type 2 and type 1 diabetes (T2D, T1D) including the development of β cell failure observed more often in males. The mechanisms that drive sex differences in β cell failure is unknown. Studying sex differences in islet regulation and function represent a unique avenue to understand the sex-specific heterogeneity in β cell failure in diabetes. Here, we examined sex and race differences in human pancreatic islets from up to 52 donors with and without T2D (including 37 donors from the Human Pancreas Analysis Program [HPAP] dataset) using an orthogonal series of experiments including single cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq), single nucleus assay for transposase-accessible chromatin sequencing (snATAC-seq), dynamic hormone secretion, and bioenergetics. In cultured islets from nondiabetic (ND) donors, in the absence of the in vivo hormonal environment, sex differences in islet cell type gene accessibility and expression predominantly involved sex chromosomes. Of particular interest were sex differences in the X-linked KDM6A and Y-linked KDM5D chromatin remodelers in female and male islet cells respectively. Islets from T2D donors exhibited similar sex differences in differentially expressed genes (DEGs) from sex chromosomes. However, in contrast to islets from ND donors, islets from T2D donors exhibited major sex differences in DEGs from autosomes. Comparing β cells from T2D and ND donors revealed that females had more DEGs from autosomes compared to male β cells. Gene set enrichment analysis of female β cell DEGs showed a suppression of oxidative phosphorylation and electron transport chain pathways, while male β cell had suppressed insulin secretion pathways. Thus, although sex-specific differences in gene accessibility and expression of cultured ND human islets predominantly affect sex chromosome genes, major differences in autosomal gene expression between sexes appear during the transition to T2D and which highlight mitochondrial failure in female β cells.

Analysis of AP1000 Small-Break Loss-of-Coolant Accident Using Reactor Transient Simulator

The Westinghouse Electric Company’s Advanced Passive Reactor (AP1000) is characterized by the incorporation of passive safety systems (PSSs) designed to ensure core cooling during transient events. The assessment of PSSs requires evaluation of their performance through a combination of experiments and simulations employing various thermal-hydraulic codes. In addition, detailed evaluation of PSSs for a specific reactor system transient analysis such as loss-of-coolant-accident analysis supports understanding representative integral effects test facility development and the further evolution model development and assessment process. Developing a reactor system code is a complex and time-consuming process that requires significant engineering expertise and effort. It can take several months to even years to complete in the early stages of reactor system design and analysis. However, this process can be expedited through the use of transient simulator models for similar reactor systems, which can be used for lesson learning and training purposes. This study uses the Personal Computer Transient Analyzer (PCTRAN) code. The main advantage of PCTRAN is its ease of use and ability to run faster than real time. This study presents the results obtained for a small-break loss-of-coolant accident (SBLOCA) for two breaks using the full version (licensed) of PCTRAN. The purpose of this investigation is to evaluate the overall system behavior during the postulated SBLOCA event as well as assess the capability of the PCTRAN code to reproduce the system response during transient events. The obtained results were compared with the Westinghouse NOTRUMP system code. The PCTRAN code proved to be reliable in predicting the qualitative behavior of the system in both transient cases. As for the system response, it was found that it is contingent on the activation time of the PSSs. The differences in reactor coolant system pressure between the two codes were attributed to the critical flow model and simplification of mass and energy balance. Despite PCTRAN’s limitations, it can still provide a reasonable prediction of various reactor parameters such as pressure, mass flow rate, and void fraction during a SBLOCA scenario. It is worth noting that PCTRAN currently employs a bulk approach similar to that of the Modular Accident Analysis Program (MAAP) and MELCOR codes. However, the upcoming version of PCTRAN will include an artificial intelligence–based detection and accident prevention system, as well as different models for different reactor components. Consequently, PCTRAN has the potential to be upgraded to match the system thermal-hydraulic codes of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and become more widely used in cybersecurity to safeguard nuclear power plants from cyberattacks.

Hyperspectral Leaf Area Index and Chlorophyll Retrieval over Forest and Row-Structured Vineyard Canopies

As an unprecedented stream of decametric hyperspectral observations becomes available from recent and upcoming spaceborne missions, effective algorithms are required to retrieve vegetation biophysical and biochemical variables such as leaf area index (LAI) and canopy chlorophyll content (CCC). In the context of missions such as the Environmental Mapping and Analysis Program (EnMAP), Precursore Iperspettrale della Missione Applicativa (PRISMA), Copernicus Hyperspectral Imaging Mission for the Environment (CHIME), and Surface Biology Geology (SBG), several retrieval algorithms have been developed based upon the turbid medium Scattering by Arbitrarily Inclined Leaves (SAIL) radiative transfer model. Whilst well suited to cereal crops, SAIL is known to perform comparatively poorly over more heterogeneous canopies (including forests and row-structured crops). In this paper, we investigate the application of hybrid radiative transfer models, including a modified version of SAIL (rowSAIL) and the Invertible Forest Reflectance Model (INFORM), to such canopies. Unlike SAIL, which assumes a horizontally homogeneous canopy, such models partition the canopy into geometric objects, which are themselves treated as turbid media. By enabling crown transmittance, foliage clumping, and shadowing to be represented, they provide a more realistic representation of heterogeneous vegetation. Using airborne hyperspectral data to simulate EnMAP observations over vineyard and deciduous broadleaf forest sites, we demonstrate that SAIL-based algorithms provide moderate retrieval accuracy for LAI (RMSD = 0.92–2.15, NRMSD = 40–67%, bias = −0.64–0.96) and CCC (RMSD = 0.27–1.27 g m−2, NRMSD = 64–84%, bias = −0.17–0.89 g m−2). The use of hybrid radiative transfer models (rowSAIL and INFORM) reduces bias in LAI (RMSD = 0.88–1.64, NRMSD = 27–64%, bias = −0.78–−0.13) and CCC (RMSD = 0.30–0.87 g m−2, NRMSD = 52–73%, bias = 0.03–0.42 g m−2) retrievals. Based on our results, at the canopy level, we recommend that hybrid radiative transfer models such as rowSAIL and INFORM are further adopted for hyperspectral biophysical and biochemical variable retrieval over heterogeneous vegetation.

Structural damage localization based on deflection influence surfaces calculated by the three-dimensional boundary face method

A structural damage localization method based on deflection influence surfaces (DIS) calculated by the three-dimensional (3D) boundary element method (BEM) is proposed. By combining the 3D BEM with Structural Properties Intelligent Analysis Programs (SPIAP), the static equilibrium method (SEM) is performed on a square plate. Then, all the deflection values are automatically extracted by the SPIAP for the purpose of using the optimized bivariate polynomial function (BPF) to fit the DIS. The accuracy of the SPIAP-fitted DIS is proved by the optimized BPF program. Finally, a structural damage localization module is developed and verified through an experimental example. The numerical and experimental results indicate that compared to the analytical solution, the deflection calculation error of the square plate is no more than 1.8‰. Moreover, the damage localization accuracy of the simply supported beam under single-damage and double-damage cases has been improved by 28.6% and 16.7%, respectively.

Identification of Keratoconus-Related Phenotypes in Three Ppip5k2 Mouse Models.

It is necessary to establish a mouse model of keratoconus (KC) for research and therapy. We aimed to determine corneal phenotypes in 3 Ppip5k2 mouse models. Central corneal thickness (CCT) was determined using spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) in Ppip5k2+/K^ (n = 41 eyes), Ppip5k2K^/K^ (n = 17 eyes) and 2 knock-in mice, Ppip5k2S419A/+ (n = 54 eyes) and Ppip5k2S419A/S419A (n = 18 eyes), and Ppip5k2D843S/+ (n = 42 eyes) and Ppip5k2D843S/D843S (n = 44 eyes) at 3 and 6 months. Pachymetry maps were generated using the Mouse Corneal Analysis Program (MCAP) to process OCT images. Slit lamp biomicroscopy was used to determine any corneal abnormalities, and, last, hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining using corneal sections from these animals was used to examine morphological changes. CCT significantly decreased from 3 to 6 months in the Ppip5k2+/K^ and Ppip5k2K^/K^ mice compared to their littermate controls. OCT-based pachymetry maps revealed abnormally localized thinning in all three models compared to their wild-type (WT) controls. Slit lamp examinations revealed corneal abnormalities in the form of bullous keratopathy, stromal edema, stromal scarring, deep corneal neovascularization, and opacities in the heterozygous/homozygous mice of the three models in comparison with their controls. Corneal histological abnormalities, such as epithelial thickening and stromal layer damage, were observed in the heterozygous/homozygous mice of the three models in comparison with the WT controls. We have identified phenotypic and histological changes in the corneas of three mouse lines that could be relevant in the development of animal models of KC.

Trends and disparities in the incidence and mortality of stomach cancer in the United States.

e16102 Background: Stomach cancer is the fifth most common cancer worldwide and has one of the lowest survival rates across all malignancies. There is a constant need to define current stomach cancer incidence and incidence-based mortality (IBM) rates among different population groups for improved clinical practice. We aimed to investigate the trends of stomach cancer incidence and IBM by population characteristics of age groups, gender and ethnic groups. Methods: Data obtained from the National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End results (SEER) Registry 12 were obtained to determine the incidence and IBM rate of stomach incidence from 1992 to 2020. Joinpoint Regression Analysis program was used to calculate the annual percent change (APC) for trend analysis. Results: A total of 82,810 stomach cancer patients were identified from the dataset. Most of the patients were males; N = 49,909(60.27%) and Non-Hispanic Whites, N = 40,894 (49.38%). The overall incidence rate was 8.00 (95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 7.95 to 8.06) and the overall IBM rate was 6.44 (95%CI: 6.39 to 6.49). The incidence rate of stomach cancer decreased significantly by 1.28 % per year from 1992 to 2020; however the degree of decline from 1992 to 2017, APC (-1.18, 95% CI: -1.27 to -1.04, p &lt; .001) was lower compared to between 2017 and 2020, APC (-3.42, 95% CI: -6.08 to -1.69, p = 0.01). Conversely, IBM rate increased significantly from 1992 to 1994, APC (36.59, 95% CI: 22.51 to 52.29, p &lt; .001) followed by a significant decrease from 1994 to 2020, APC (-1.29, 95%CI: -1.43 to -1.15, p &lt; .001).Incidence rates reduced significantly from 1992 to 2020 for all gender, ethnic and age groups except among the Non-Hispanic Asian Indian or Alaska Native (NHAIAN) population with APC (-0.67, 95 CI% -1.93 to 0.61, p = 0.29) and &lt; 60 years age group with APC (0.03, 95 CI % : 0.18 to 0.25, p = 0.76). Significant decline in IBM rate was observed from 2000 to 2020 across all gender, ethnicities and age groups except among the NHAIAN, APC (-0.21, 95 CI%: -1.26 to 0.84, p = 0.68) and the &lt; 60 years age group, APC (0.16, 95 CI%: -0.33 to -0.65, p = 0.52). Conclusions: Stomach cancer incidence and IBM rates have decreased significantly over the last 20 years except in NHAIAN and &lt; 60 years age populations. These findings suggest the need for further research focused efforts in these potentially high-risk groups.

Influence of Base Layer Thickness and Property on Flexible Pavement Behavior

When designing the pavement layers, a suitable thickness must be chosen to protect the pavement from environmental conditions and traffic loads and ensure the structure's durability up to the design life. To investigate the behavior of flexible pavement, the characteristics and thickness of each layer are programmed into the finite element method (FEM). The Abaqus program is one of the infinite-element analysis programs. The use of the Abaqus program leads to a reduction in cost and time compared to laboratory tests. In this study, the Abaqus program analyzed a three-dimensional model of a multi-layered road section, and all materials have elastic behavior. The model comprises five layers (wearing, binder, base, subbase, and subgrade). The model was looked at with different base layer thicknesses (15, 25, and 30 cm) and elasticity moduli (1655, 2070, and 3000 MPa). Critical parameters were looked at in the present research: vertical displacement at the wearing layer's top, horizontal tensile strain in the asphalt layer's lowest point, and vertical compressive strain at the subgrade's surface. The outcomes indicated that the pavement is more susceptible to rutting than fatigue as a result of static load. An increase in thickness and modulus of elasticity for the base layer leads to a reduction in rutting risks.