Concentric Circles Research Articles

Art “talismans” of Kharkiv: symbols and thoughts. In memory of Tetyana Vyerkina and Volodymyr Ptushkin

Statement of the problem. In 2022, Kharkiv I. P. Kotlyarevsky National University of Arts celebrates the 105th anniversary of its foundation and, despite the difficult conditions of wartime, it honours the memory of its outstanding artists – T. Vyerkina and V. Ptushkin. Continuing the national tradition, their creative legacy is a remarkable achievement of Ukrainian musical art. The creative experience of these prominent artists reveals the ways for the further successful development of the University and the domestic musical art, and its comprehending becomes one of the urgent research tasks. Recent research and publications. The life and creativity of T. Vyerkina and V. Ptushkin were reflected in the modern musicology studies (portrait-book “Tetiana Vierkina: to Change the World by Art”, 2016; Shubina, 2019; Verbitska-Shokot, 2007; Drach, 2009; Bondarenko, 2014; Derkach, 2015; Krichenkova, 2015; Sediuk, 2017; Savchenko, 2018; Kuzmina, 2019; Nikolaievska, 2020). In the context of the article the linguistic-cultural and musicological works on the theory of symbols and concepts were important (Svyrydov, 2011; Dmytrenko, 2015; Gazheva, 2021; Nikolaievska & Shapovalova, 2021). In connection with T. Vyerkina’s and V. Ptushkin’s creativity the symbolism of the concept as “talisman” was not considered. Objectives, methods, novelty of the research. The purpose of the study is to consider the individual contribution of People’s Artists of Ukraine, Professors T. Vyerkina and V. Ptushkin, to the development of creative traditions of Kharkiv I. P. Kotlyarevsky National University of Arts. The proposed cultural-epistemological approach, based on existential reflection, is innovative in the disclosure of the topic, which makes it possible to see the “concentric circles” of the influence of an artistic personality in the spatial and temporal coordinate system of culture. Metaphorically likening such an influence to the action of a “talisman”, we fill this concept with a symbolic meaning. Research results. A compositional-dramaturgical, genre-style and performing-interpretative analysis of V. Ptushkin’s romance “Talisman”, which was constantly performed by T. Vyerkina in a duet with the composer, is presented; her performance of the vocal part became “exemplary” from the composer’s viewpoint, which allowed this musical piece to “inherit” the status of a kind of stage talisman for both artists. The circles of influence of the concept-symbol “talisman” have been revealed: in art, at various levels, artists themselves, their works, ideas, , principles, schools, performance versions, i.e., that creative energy, which according to the model of concentric circles covers different layers of cultural life, often become “talismans”. The interpretation of the creative work by T. Vyerkina and V. Ptushkin, presented in the article, reveals the significance of the pedagogical activity of artists as “teachers-talismans”, bearers of the achievements of the “school”, and reveals the symbolism of the “talisman” metaphor in the “composer – performer – listener” system. So, not every student manages to find “his” teacher, that is, one with whom a special internal “energy-informational” connection is established, however, if this search becomes successful, then a “talisman symbol” appears, the function of which is performed by the teacher and his school. Talent, creative energy, charisma, professionalism contribute to the appearance of such a “teacher-talisman”. In the same way, the performer may or may not become a kind of “talisman” for the composer to attract listeners to him. The idea of “actual performing intoning” (T.Vyerkina) and personal characteristic composer’s intonation (V. Ptushkin) were tested on the concert stage, demonstrating the unity of theory and practice. The role of the festival “Kharkiv Assemblies”, founded by T. Vyerkina, and the history of the development of the University of Arts – a kind of “talismans” of the city – are also interpreted in a symbolic way. At the centre of the Festival, which took place within the walls of the University, has always been a Human as a creative personality, and this theme covers different eras. Popularization of the Ukrainian art, in particular works by Kharkiv composers, for which T. Vyerkina often was became the first interpreter, was one of the dominant festival strategies. So, the musical composition appears as a meta-message from the Past through the Present to the Future, and this makes art able to model new strategies of cultural development. Conclusion. The comprehension of the traditions of the Alma Mater and the ways of their continuity in the system of “resonant connections”, which is based on the phenomenon of the university as a centre of knowledge, and the grateful memory of Kharkiv artists open up an inexhaustible prospect of further researching the “concentric circles” of their influence on the development of domestic musical art.

Regulation of c-SMAC formation and AKT-mTOR signaling by the TSG101-IFT20 axis in CD4+ T cells

CD4+ T cells play major roles in the adaptive immune system, which requires antigen recognition, costimulation, and cytokines for its elaborate orchestration. Recent studies have provided new insight into the importance of the supramolecular activation cluster (SMAC), which comprises concentric circles and is involved in the amplification of CD4+ T cell activation. However, the underlying mechanism of SMAC formation remains poorly understood. Here, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing of CD4+ T cells left unstimulated and stimulated with anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 antibodies to identify novel proteins involved in their regulation. We found that intraflagellar transport 20 (IFT20), previously known as cilia-forming protein, was upregulated in antibody-stimulated CD4+ T cells compared to unstimulated CD4+ T cells. We also found that IFT20 interacted with tumor susceptibility gene 101 (TSG101), a protein that endocytoses ubiquitinated T-cell receptors. The interaction between IFT20 and TSG101 promoted SMAC formation, which led to amplification of AKT-mTOR signaling. However, IFT20-deficient CD4+ T cells showed SMAC malformation, resulting in reduced CD4+ T cell proliferation, aerobic glycolysis, and cellular respiration. Finally, mice with T-cell-specific IFT20 deficiency exhibited reduced allergen-induced airway inflammation. Thus, our data suggest that the IFT20-TSG101 axis regulates AKT-mTOR signaling via SMAC formation.

3D-printing-assisted flexible pressure sensor with a concentric circle pattern and high sensitivity for health monitoring

In this study, a flexible pressure sensor is fabricated using polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) with a concentric circle pattern (CCP) obtained through a fused deposition modeling (FDM)-type three-dimensional (3D) printer and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) as the active layer. Through layer-by-layer additive manufacturing, the CCP surface is generated from a thin cone model with a rough surface by the FDM-type 3D printer. A novel compression method is employed to convert the cone shape into a planar microstructure above the glass transition temperature of a polylactic acid (PLA) filament. To endow the CCP surface with conductivity, PDMS is used to replicate the compressed PLA, and PEDOT:PSS is coated by drop-casting. The size of the CCP is controlled by changing the printing layer height (PLH), which is one of the 3D printing parameters. The sensitivity increases as the PLH increases, and the pressure sensor with a 0.16 mm PLH exhibits outstanding sensitivity (160 kPa−1), corresponding to a linear pressure range of 0–0.577 kPa with a good linearity of R2 = 0.978, compared to other PLHs. This pressure sensor exhibits stable and repeatable operation under various pressures and durability under 6.56 kPa for 4000 cycles. Finally, monitoring of various health signals such as those for the wrist pulse, swallowing, and pronunciation of words is demonstrated as an application. These results support the simple fabrication of a highly sensitive, flexible pressure sensor for human health monitoring.

Novel ENG Metamaterial for Gain Enhancement of an Off-set Fed CPW Concentric Circle Shaped Patch Antenna

Novel ENG Metamaterial for Gain Enhancement of an Off-set Fed CPW Concentric Circle Shaped Patch Antenna

Multicultural Competence in English Language Pedagogy: An Analysis of Cultural Values in Indonesian Primary ELT Textbooks

This study aims at investigating how different cultures are depicted in textbooks. The textbooks were selected by examining their reference to Inner, Outer, and Expanding Circle countries, including cultural themes which represent these countries. This study’s data corpus consisted of two EFL Primary textbooks, Hang Out 4 and Hang Out 5. Employing Critical Discourse Analysis as the research design, this study adopted two frameworks to analyze the data: Kachru’s (1986) Concentric Circles to categorize the cultural contexts and Pfister and Borzelli’s (1977) categorization to identify the cultural aspects represented. The findings revealed that the cultural representation in the textbooks reflected significant diversity. Particularly within the inner circle, the United States was the nation whose culture was best represented. While in outer and expanding circles, East Asian countries were dominant and included all five categories. However, Indonesia as the source culture has little reference in this textbook.

A Real-Time Respiration Monitoring System Using WiFi Sensing Based on the Concentric Circle Model.

This paper proposes and experimentally validates a novel concentric circle (CC) model for indoor WiFi sensing. By setting the transmitter and receiver together, the perception model becomes concentric circles with equal spacing, eliminating the blind zone and unequal radial sensitivity problems of the Fresnel zone (FZ) model. Then a human respiratory monitoring system is developed based on this model, which executes the following steps: (1) Principal component analysis (PCA) is applied to the channel state information ratio (CSIR) as a preprocessing to extract the components related to human activities. (2) Human presence and respiratory signal detection are adopted to improve monitoring accuracy. (3) The Doppler respiratory frequency is extracted to calculate the respiratory rate. Experimental results show that the CC model achieves high accuracy in velocity measurement with an error of less than 0.4 cm/s. The respiration monitoring system can accurately monitor human respiration with an error of less than 0.7 bpm within 6 m.

Effect of graphene-oxide-modified osteon-like concentric microgrooved surface on the osteoclastic differentiation of macrophages.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of new biomimetic micro/nano surfaces on the osteoclastic differentiation of RAW264.7 macrophages by simulating natural osteons for the design of concentric circular structures and modifying graphene oxide (GO). The groups were divided into smooth titanium surface group (SS), concentric microgrooved titanium surface group (CMS), and microgroove modified with GO group (GO-CMS). The physicochemical properties of the material surfaces were studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), contact-angle measurement, atomic force microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis, and Raman spectroscopy. The effect of the modified material surface on the cell biological behavior of RAW264.7 was investigated by cell-activity assay, SEM, and laser confocal microscopy. The effect on the osteoclastic differentiation of macrophages was investiga-ted by tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) immunofluorescence staining and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) experiments. Macrophages were arranged in concentric circles along the microgrooves, and after modification with GO, the oxygen-containing groups on the surface of the material increased and hydrophilicity increased. Osteoclasts in the GO-CMS group were small in size and number and had the lowest TRAP expression. Although it promoted the proliferation of macrophages in the GO-CMS group, the expression of osteoclastic differentiation-related genes was lower than that in the SS group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). Concentric circular microgrooves restricted the fusion of osteoclasts and the formation of sealing zones. Osteomimetic concentric microgrooves modified with GO inhibited the osteoclastic differentiation of RAW 264.7 macrophages.

NARROW YET BROAD; CLEAR YET BLUR: THE LAW OF CONTRACT OF INDEMNITY IN INDIA

The Contract of Indemnity is a wide used clause used frequently within the mercantile fraternity. However, the same has been down written in the Indian Contract Act under two sections, namely, 124 and 125. There is yet an ongoing dilemma whether the two clauses cover implied indemnity within its ambit and on when does the indemnity contract comes into play in favor of the promisee. Moreover, there is ambiguity on whether the term indemnity is synonymous to the terms such as damages, compensation, reimbursement and restitution. The following article distinctly attempts to resolve these obscurities. Furthermore, there are frequent mercantile disputes where the crystal yet coinciding line between indemnity, insurance and subrogation are blurred out. Therefore, the author comes up with a concentric circle mode of solution to resolve the entire vagueness of the Indian Contract of Indemnity, 1872. In addition to this, the author has also pointed out that despite the two sections being looked down upon as being a narrow scope of indemnity to be compatible with the transnational disputes; if the contemporary precedents being taken into account and the parent contract of indemnity is examined cautiously, the two plain sections are a massive ground to rely upon while resolving contemporary transnational as well as domestic trade disputes on indemnification. Lastly, the author recommends a few suggestions that can be taken into account while resolving the civil law disputes of indemnification in the contemporary era unless a massive amendment is undergone by Sections 124 and 125 of the Act, 1872.

Death of a Salesman

Death of a Salesman

A two concentric circles model incorporating availability of ecosystem services and affordability of humans to clarify the ecological security concept

As human influences on natural ecosystems continue to expand, the utilization of natural resources is approaching a threshold where unsustainability threatens the security of human society. As the challenging tradeoffs between human resource demand, ecological sustainability and the security of human society have become more widely recognized, ecological security issues have received extensive attention. However, despite the emergence of substantial body of scientific research on these broader issues, there is still no broad consensus on the definition of ecological security and how it should be applied to mediate resource use and conservation dilemmas. Across the body of published research in this subject area, the criteria and evaluation methods are often so different that the results of different studies are difficult to compare. In this paper, we propose that ecological security refers to the degree to which the condition of ecosystem can support a certain level of socioeconomic development or quality of life. We propose a simple geometric model to quantify ecological security in two dimensions: the availability of ecosystem services and the affordability of humans. The availability dimension is determined by the supply and demand of ecosystem services and the affordability dimension is determined by the cost and the paying capacity balance to obtain ecosystem services. Then, we applied this model to two hypothetical cases to demonstrate its usefulness. The most important feature of the proposed model is that it enables the quick evaluation of important aspects of ecological security for a study area using eight key factors. Although the shape and geographic characteristics of a study area are usually more complex than the hypothetical case, our model can be applied if the conditions are properly simplified or adjusted.

Is enema reduction in pediatric intussusception with a history of over 48 h safe: A retrospective cohort study

BackgroundIntussusception is one of the most common acute abdominal diseases in children. Enema reduction is the first-line treatment for intussusception in good condition. Clinically, a history of disease over 48 h is usually listed as a contraindication for enema reduction. However, with the development of clinical experience and therapy, an increasing number of cases have shown that the prolongation of the clinical course of intussusception in children is not an absolute contraindication for enema treatment. This study aimed to analyze the safety and efficacy of enema reduction in children with a history of disease longer than 48 h. MethodsWe conducted a retrospective matched-pair cohort study of pediatric patients with acute intussusception between 2017 and 2021. All patients were treated with ultrasound-guided hydrostatic enema reduction. According to the length of history, the cases were classified into two groups: history <48 h (<48 h group) and history greater than or equal to 48 h (≧48 h group). We generated a 1:1 matched-pair cohort matched for sex, age, admission time, main symptoms, and concentric circle size on ultrasound. Clinical outcomes were compared between the two groups, including success, recurrence, and perforation rates. ResultsFrom January 2016 to November 2021, 2701 patients with intussusception were admitted to the Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University. A total of 494 cases were included in the ≧48 h group, and 494 cases with a history of <48 h were selected for matched comparison in the <48 h group. The success rates of the ≧48 h and <48 h groups were 98.18% vs. 97.37% (p = 0.388), and the recurrence rates were 13.36% vs. 11.94% (p = 0.635), showing no difference according to the length of history. The perforation rate was 0.61% vs. 0%, respectively, with no significant difference (p = 0.247).The comparison of the different history groups showed that in patients with bloody stools, the length of history had no significant effect on the enema reduction outcome(94.90% vs. 86.76%, p = 0.064). ConclusionsUltrasound-guided hydrostatic enema reduction is safe and effective for pediatric idiopathic intussusception with a history of ≧48 h.

Distribution of Biting Flies Associated with Swine Production Facilities in the Southeastern United States

High populations of pest flies on swine facilities can be detrimental to the animals and producers. The purpose of this study was to identify the distribution pattern and the influence of habitats on distribution of adult biting flies surrounding commercial swine production barns in North Carolina. In this study, fly surveillance was conducted on four swine facilities in Bladen County, North Carolina, U.S.A., from January to October 2019. Biting flies typically associated with livestock were passively collected weekly on sticky traps, which were placed in three concentric circles surrounding swine barns, and then counted and identified. Stable flies [Stomoxys calcitrans (L.); Diptera: Muscidae] were most abundant on swine facilities that were mixed-use with pastured beef cattle. However, swine producers with no pastured cattle should be aware of the potential for stable flies to disperse from off-property larval development sites. Therefore, adult fly management may be necessary if populations reach nuisance levels. Horse and deer fly (Diptera: Tabanidae) captures were not related to trap proximity to water. Differences in horse and deer fly trap captures was likely less of a reflection of differences in potential fly development habitat quality (e.g., water) and more related to adult fly habitat selection.

1. Ways of Placing Megaliths in Space in European Neolithic

Abstract Monoliths of impressive dimensions, menhirs, dolmens and cromlechs are examples of the megalithic civilization which existed in the area of Afro-Eurasia, from Neolithic up to the Bronze Age included. And in the case of menhirs and dolmens, it is also about isolated presences, and about groups. Alignments are groups specific to menhirs: parallel catenations, equally distanced, of organized stones forming a true spacial composition, with the purpose of symbolizing solemn processions. The cromlech is a complex where many menhirs or/and dolmens were placed in concentric circles, here the spacial composition is even more obvious. The present material will refer also to the most complex and coherent megalithic ensemble in the world: Stonehenge Assembly.

Characterization of Coal Combustion Residues Using Transmission Electron Microscopy Technique

Indian coal-based thermal power stations produces huge amount of coal combustion residues. Proper disposal, management and utilization of these ashes have always been a challenge before the thermal power plant management people. In order to find out the potential use of coal combustion residues one need to explore and look deeply into its various characteristic properties. In the present study the coal combustion residue samples from thermal power station of eastern India were used for characterizing ashes on the basis of Transmission Electron Microscopy technique. The study of the micrographs of Transmission Electron Microscopy showed that the coal combustion residue samples consisted of all the three viz. crystalline, polycrystalline and amorphous phases. The coal combustion residue samples were found to consist of single crystal, single crystal with hexagonal structure, polycrystalline substances and closed packed hexagonal structure. Concentric circles as seen in the diffraction pattern show the presence of polycrystalline substances in the samples. Presence of plerosphere in the coal combustion residue samples can also be seen from some SEM micrographs as well as one of TEM images. XRD studies show the presence of various crystalline substances present in the coal combustion residues. The study shows that the CCR samples are typically formed of Si-Al-Fe system with traces of sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulphur and titanium.

Comparative Study on Socio-Spatial Structures of the Typical Plain Cities of Chengdu and Beijing in Transitional China

China’s socioeconomic transformation and rapid urbanization since the end of the 20th Century have had an important impact on the social spatial structure of large cities. Social differentiation within cities is becoming increasingly prominent. Using detailed data gathered by the Fifth National Population Census of 2000, this study compares the social spatial structure and dynamic mechanisms of the core areas of the cities of Beijing and Chengdu. Factorial ecology analysis is used at the mesoscale to explore the following research questions: ‘How did factors shape the social spaces of two cities with similar topography but at different stages of development during China’s transition from a planned to a market economy?’; and ‘Are the traditional Western theories of socio-spatial interpretation equally applicable to China?’. The results show that Chengdu exhibits a combination of a concentric circle, fan-shaped, and multi-core socio-spatial structure, while Beijing shows a fan-shaped structure. In 2000, influenced by its overall level and stage of socioeconomic development, Beijing was experiencing a faster socio-spatial transformation than Chengdu, and the driving effect of capital on social differentiation and spatial competition was more obvious. The main dynamic mechanisms driving the formation of socio-spatial structures in Beijing and Chengdu include the natural environmental foundation, historical inheritance, urban planning, housing policies, and international influence. The three major variables in the study of traditional Western social spaces, namely economy, family, and ethnic status, were confirmed as applicable to our two case study cities with socioeconomic status as measured by occupation and housing conditions exerting the strongest effect. This perspective of comparing different cities in the same transitional period offers unique insights in identifying the key drivers of socio-spatial differentiation and polarization and their relative magnitude of effect, while enriching the catalog of empirical urban social space research both in China and in the rest of the world.

Increasing Discards as an Unintended Consequence of Recent Changes in United States Kidney Allocation Policy

Kidney transplantation is the preferred treatment for end-stage kidney disease.1Wolfe RA Ashby VB Milford EL et al.Comparison of mortality in all patients on dialysis, patients on dialysis awaiting transplantation, and recipients of a first cadaveric transplant.N Engl J Med. 1999; 341: 1725-1730Crossref PubMed Scopus (3958) Google Scholar Despite a shortage of donated kidneys, the United States has the highest proportion of deceased donor kidneys (DDKs) recovered for transplant that are subsequently discarded, resulting in federal government prioritization of improving organ utilization.2Aubert O Reese PP Audry B et al.Disparities in Acceptance of Deceased Donor Kidneys Between the United States and France and Estimated Effects of Increased US Acceptance.JAMA Intern Med. 2019; 179: 1365-1374Crossref PubMed Scopus (83) Google Scholar,3ESRD Treatment Choices (ETC) Model. (Accessed 5 October 2022, at https://innovation.cms.gov/innovation-models/esrd-treatment-choices-model.)Google Scholar Simultaneously, there is increased emphasis on improving equity in transplant access, including a revised allocation system (“KAS250”) in March 2021 that removed strict geographic boundaries previously used in local organ allocation in an effort to reduce geographical heterogeneity in transplant rates.4Klarman SE Formica Jr., RN The Broader Sharing of Deceased Donor Kidneys Is an Ethical and Legal Imperative.J Am Soc Nephrol. 2020; 31: 1174-1176Crossref PubMed Scopus (0) Google Scholar However, KAS250 dramatically increased the complexity of interactions between transplant centers and organ procurement organizations (OPOs),5Adler JT Husain SA King KL Mohan S Greater complexity and monitoring of the new Kidney Allocation System: Implications and unintended consequences of concentric circle kidney allocation on network complexity.Am J Transplant. 2021; 21: 2007-2013Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (27) Google Scholar and the impacts of this change on organ utilization are not yet understood. Among these 96,834 DDKs recovered during the study period, 21,411 were discarded (22%), including 13,229/64,281 (21%) pre-KAS250 and 8,182/32,553 (25%) with KAS250 (p=0.004)— an increase that occurred despite similar overall quality of recovered DDKs in both eras (median Kidney Donor Profile Index [KDPI] 48% vs 51%). DDK discard has increased across all adult donor age groups (18-60 years: 16% vs 21%; ≥60 years: 54% vs 60%, Supplemental Figure S1), among DDKs with medium (18% vs 22%) and high KDPI (64% vs 68%; Figure 1A), and for DDKs from donors after both cardiac death (22% vs 31%) and brain death (20% vs 23%; Figure 1B). Discard of low KDPI DDKs was unchanged (3% vs 3%). An interrupted time series analysis also demonstrates an accelerated increase in DDK discards after the policy change (Supplemental Figure S2). DDK discard has also increased broadly among OPOs with high, medium, and low performance ratings (Figure 1C), indicating that this is not a geographic- or OPO-specific concern. The current discard rate for kidneys if present in prior years, after accounting for differences in discard rates for different quality organs, would result in 967 and 805 fewer transplants occurring in 2019 and 2020, respectively (Supplemental Table S1). Importantly, reasons for DDK discard also shifted with KAS250, with a greater proportion of discards attributable to exhaustion of the list of eligible candidates without organ acceptance (Figure 1D), supporting logistical complexity as a driver of worsened utilization. While the absolute number of DDK transplants has increased, over 1 in 4 DDKs recovered for transplant are not being transplanted, representing missed opportunities for hundreds of patients annually and increased healthcare system cost. This unintended deleterious consequence of the allocation system change requires urgent intervention to ensure that priceless organs are not wasted and that efforts to improve geographic equity in transplant do not come at a cost of worsening DDK utilization. SAH is supported by NIDDK grant K23 DK133729. Disclosures None Download .pdf (.27 MB) Help with pdf files

Is self-advocacy universally achievable for patients? The experiences of Australian women with cardiac disease in pregnancy and postpartum

ABSTRACT Purpose Patient self-advocacy is valued and promoted; however, it may not be readily accessible to all. This analysis examines the experiences of women in Australia who had cardiac disease in pregnancy or the first year postpartum through the lenses of self-advocacy and gender, specifically seeking to elaborate on the contexts, impacts, barriers, and women’s responses to the barriers to self-advocacy. Method A qualitative study design was used. Twenty-five women participated in semi-structured in-depth interviews. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Results Analysis of findings generated the following themes: 1) Silent dream scream, 2) Easier said than done, 3) Crazy-making, and 4) Concentric circles of advocacy. Regardless of women’s personal attributes, knowledge and experience, self-advocating for their health was complex and difficult and had negative cardiac and psychological outcomes. Conclusion While the women encountered significant barriers to self-advocating, they were resilient and ultimately developed strategies to be heard and to advocate on their own behalf and that of other women. Findings can be used to identify ways to support women to self-advocate and to provide adequately resourced and culturally safe environments to enable healthcare professionals to provide person-centred care.

Automatic Identification and Mapping of Cone-Shaped Volcanoes Based on the Morphological Characteristics of Contour Lines

Cone-shaped volcanoes have important research significance and application value due to their typical cone shape and unique structural features. The existing methods for recognizing volcanoes are mainly morphological feature matching and machine learning. In general, the former has low recognition accuracy, while the latter requires a large number of training samples. The contour lines of cone-shaped volcanoes are distributed in concentric circles. Furthermore, from the center outwards, the elevation of the contour lines increases first and then decreases. Based on the morphological characteristics of cone-shaped volcanoes and the Hough transform algorithm, the main algorithm includes (1) preliminary filtering of contour lines, (2) filtering circular contour lines based on random Hough transform, (3) grouping contour lines based on contour trees, (4) recognizing cone-shaped volcanoes based on concentric-circle contour lines, and (5) automatically mapping cone-shaped volcanoes. Case studies demonstrate the effectiveness of this method for detecting cone-shaped volcanoes in the Western Galapagos shield volcanoes and the Mariana Trench submarine volcano group. The proposed algorithm has low missed and false alarm rates, which is basically consistent with the manual recognition results. This method can effectively automatically recognize cone-shaped volcanoes and cone-shaped landscapes and is a powerful means to support deep-space and deep-sea exploration.

Preferences for Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Among Women and Men in Kenya: Key Considerations for Designing Implementation Strategies to Increase Screening Uptake.

Breast and cervical cancer incidence rates and mortality rates in Kenya are high. Screening is globally accepted as a strategy for early detection and downstaging of these cancers for better outcomes, but despite the efforts established by the Kenyan government to provide these services to eligible populations, uptake has remained disproportionately low. Using data from a larger study aimed at understanding the implementation and scale-up of cervical cancer screening services, we analyzed data to compare the preferences for breast and cervical cancer screening services between men and women (25-49years) in rural and urban communities in Kenya. Participants were recruited in concentric circles starting at the center of six subcounties. One woman and one man per household were enrolled for data collection on a continuous basis. More than 90% of both men and women had a monthly income of less than US $500. The top three preferred sources of information on screening for cancers affecting women were health care providers; community health volunteers; and media such as television, radio, newspapers, and magazines. More women (43.6%) than men (28.0%) trusted community health volunteers to provide health information on cancer screening. Printed materials and mobile phone messages were preferred by approximately 30% of both genders. Over 75% of both men and women preferred an integrated model of service delivery. These findings show that there are many similarities that can be leveraged when designing implementation strategies for population-wide breast and cervical cancer screening hence reducing the challenge of addressing diverse preferences of men and women which may not be easy to reconcile.

Exposure to acute waterborne cadmium caused severe damage on lipid metabolism of freshwater fish, revealed by nuclear lipid droplet deposition in hepatocytes of rare minnow

Cadmium (Cd) is a widely distributed aquatic toxic heavy metal with the potential to disrupt fish metabolism; however, more research is needed to clarify the underlying mechanisms. In the present study, rare minnows (Gobiocypris rarus) were used to detect the effects of cadmium on freshwater fish lipid metabolism and its underlying mechanism by histopathological observation, measurement of serum and liver biochemical indexes, and analysis of gene expression in terms of lipid oxidation, synthesis and transport. Here, severe damage, such as cytoplasmic lipid droplet (LD) accumulation, ectopic deposition of LDs, and the appearance of nuclear LDs (nLDs), was detected after exposure to 2.0 mg/L or higher concentrations (2.5 and 2.8 mg/L CdCl2) for 96 h. Other damage included abnormal increases in rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER) lamellae in a fingerprint or concentric circle pattern and necrosis of hepatocytes, and which was observed in the livers of fish exposed to 2.0 mg/L CdCl2.. Both hepatic and serum lipids, such as triglycerides and total cholesterol, were significantly increased after exposure to 2.0 mg/L CdCl2, as was serum lipase (LPS). Hepatic lipase and lipoprotein lipase remained unchanged, in accordance with the unchanged hepatic mRNA transcripts of PPARɑ. Furthermore, the mRNA transcripts of both SCD and SQLE were significantly decreased. Moreover, hepatic and serum low-density and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol showed significant changes, which were accompanied by a significant increase and decrease in hepatic APOAI and APOB100 mRNA levels, respectively. All the results indicate the presence of severe damage to hepatic lipid metabolism and that disrupted lipid transport may play a key role in the accumulation of hepatic LDs. In addition, the hepatic nLDs of nonmammalian vertebrates and their location across the nuclear envelope are intriguing, suggesting that large-size nLDs are a common marker for severe liver damage.