Conducted Research Studies Research Articles

Evaluation of Infectivity, Length of Infection, and Immune Response of Avian Reovirus Variants in Egg-laying Hens.

ABSTRACTWe conducted research studies on avian reovirus (ARV) infectivity in egg-laying hens, focusing on three variants (δC genotypes 2, 3, and 5) detected in layer chickens in Pennsylvania to date. Day-old chicks (Hy-Line North America, LLC, PA), raised at the Poultry Education and Research Center of Penn State University Park campus, showed healthy growth and normal egg production after 20 weeks of age. ARV variants were propagated in LMH cell cultures, with concentrations measured at TCID50/mL. Each group of 10 hens received a 1.0 mL dose containing 103 to 104 TCID50/mL of one ARV variant through oral, nasal, and ocular routes. Infected hens showed normal egg production, with minimal symptoms of watery droppings in the first-week post-inoculation (pi). Cloacal and oral pharyngeal swabs were collected daily in the first week pi and every other day in the second-week pi to monitor virus shedding. Virus shedding began 24 hours pi through feces, peaked at 2 to 4 days pi, decreased by 5 to 7 days pi, and ceased after 12 to 14 days pi. A few birds' oral pharyngeal swabs were weakly positive for 1 to 3 days pi, then all turned negative. Infected hens developed high serum and egg yolk antibody titers at 2 to 3 weeks pi, showing 100% protection against subsequent infections with the same variant strain, demonstrating a 100% protection rate.

Analysis of Impacts Due to The Grounding Vessels around Raja Ampat Islands

Abstract The author titled “Analysis of Impact Due to The Grounding Vessels around Raja Ampat Island” describes about the socio-economic and cultural impacts that arise as the result of human error in maritime sector. This writing aims to identify the impacts due to the grounding of vessels around Raja Ampat Islands. The author conducted research studies related to several incidents of vessels which crashed the coral reefs and aground around waters of Raja Ampat islands. The writer uses descriptive method and qualitative approach in collecting data by library research, observation, and interview. The data which were collected from various sources of both literatures and information from interview are analysed by qualitative analysis method. The result of this research shows some impacts identified as the result of the grounding vessels around Raja Ampat islands. The social impacts occurred in the form of reduction/loss of coral reef biodiversity and the damage to marine environmental ecosystem. Meanwhile, economically the grounding of these vessels results costs for resolving environmental disputes; environmental damage mitigation and restoration costs; as well as the value of social and cultural ecological benefits for the ecosystem and society of the Raja Ampat islands. Furthermore, economic impact also occur on the vessels which were aground such as costs for towing, repairing the vessel, and compensation for Raja Ampat government.

Institutional Capacity and Implementation of Financial Management Regulatory Framework in Devolved Governments in Kenya: A Case of Embu County

Between 2013 and 2022, the county government of Embu faced persistent challenges in public resource management, leading to unfavorable audit opinions despite guidance from the Public Finance Management. Reports from the auditor general (2017, 2019, 2021), the controller of the budget (2019, 2020, 2022), and internal financial documents highlighted issues such as inefficiency, poor budget management obstructing development, low absorption capacity, and misalignment with the integrated development plan. This study investigated the effect of revenue, information sharing, budgeting, and expenditure management capacities on the implementation of the Financial Management Regulatory Framework in Embu County, Kenya. The study is anchored on the agency theory, institutional theory and resource dependency theory. Descriptive research design was adopted for this study, focusing intently on Embu County as the epicenter of the investigation. The research participants comprised 65 senior administrators well-versed in the nuances of the Public Finance Act of 2012. Due to the manageable size of the target population, a census study approach was adopted, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of the subject matter. Both primary and secondary data sources were tapped into. Primary data collection methods included structured questionnaires meticulously designed to extract specific insights, in-depth interviews for nuanced perspectives, and credible reports from authoritative sources. Secondary data, vital for contextualizing the primary findings, were sourced from a plethora of academic books, scholarly journals, and previously conducted research studies. The collected data was analyzed using a combination of descriptive statistics portrayed by percentages, mean scores, median charts and graphs. The inferential statistical analyses used is done through Anova, regression and R-squared. The study unearthed critical insights into the existing financial management capacities within Embu County. The findings collectively underscore the integral role of various capacities - revenue management, information sharing, budget making, and expenditure management - in ensuring robust financial accountability. Through examination of these capacities, the study illuminates the interconnections between efficient financial practices and regulatory compliance. The conclusion drawn from these findings emphasized the pressing need for strategic interventions within Embu County's financial management system. The study made the following recommendations: To enhance revenue management, the county was advised to overhaul its revenue collection systems, employing innovative technologies for efficiency and accuracy. Information sharing mechanisms were recommended to be streamlined, ensuring real-time communication between various governmental bodies and departments. Participatory budgeting processes, involving both public and administrative stakeholders, were recommended to instill transparency and community-driven decision-making. Furthermore, robust internal control systems for expenditure management were deemed imperative, necessitating the implementation of stringent audit protocols and oversight measures.

Teaching English Intensively by NESTs in the Saudi EFL Setting: Status and Implications

Intensive EFL programs become the current mainstream in the Saudi educational system in most undergraduate tracks. They are aimed at compensating students’ previous lack of exposure to English. These programs are chiefly staffed by NESTs. The policy makers believe that native-English instruction is an ideal teaching model that can offer authentic English in the EFL classrooms. There is, however, a dearth of the conducted research studies that examine such a trend. This paper endeavors to assess NESTs’ teaching performance based on a list of teaching competencies at Jeddah's intensive English program. The data are qualitatively collected via an observation checklist of seven NESTs. The main findings reveal that NESTs significantly perform high in almost 60% of these competencies. Also, there are no significant differences between the median ranks of NESTs in all the teaching competencies according to these variables: nationality, experience and qualification. This paper recommends that the ideal EFL instruction requires NESTs to be aquatinted with a wide range of technical, contextual and cultural competencies along with their nativeness.

A Review on Advanced CRISPR-Based Genome-Editing Tools: Base Editing and Prime Editing.

In the field of medicine, it is axiomatic that the need of a precise gene-editing tool is critical to employ therapeutic approaches toward pathogenic mutations, occurring in human genome. Today we know that most of genetic defects are caused by single-base pair substitutions in genomic DNA. The ability to make practically any targeted substitutions of DNA sequences at specified regions in the human genome gives us the chance to employ gene therapy in most known diseases associated with genetic variants. In this regard, CRISPR/Cas9 applications is becoming more and more popular along with the significant advancements of life sciences, by employing this technology in genome-editing and high-throughput screenings. Several CRISPR/Cas-based mammalian cell gene-editing techniques have been developed during the last decade, including nucleases, base editors, and prime editors, all of which have the exact mechanism at first glance. However, they address a subset of known pathogenic sequence mutations using different methods. First, we highlight the development of CRISPR-based gene-editing tools. Then we describe their functions and summarize the conducted research studies, which are increasing the reliability of these strategies to better efficiencies for prospective gene therapies in the near future. Lastly, we compare the capabilities of all these platforms together besides their probable limitations.

Recent Advances in Limiting Fatigue Damage Accumulation Induced by Self-Heating in Polymer-Matrix Composites.

The self-heating effect can be considered as a catastrophic phenomenon that occurs in polymers and polymer-matrix composites (PMCs) subjected to fatigue loading or vibrations. This phenomenon appears in the form of temperature growth in such structures due to their relatively low thermal conductivities. The appearance of thermal stress resulting from temperature growth and the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) mismatch between fibers and neighboring polymer matrix initiates and/or accelerates structural degradation and consequently provokes sudden fatigue failure in the structures. Therefore, it is of primary significance for a number of practical applications to first characterize the degradation mechanism at the nano-, micro- and macroscales caused by the self-heating phenomenon and then minimize it through the implementation of numerous approaches. One viable solution is to cool the surfaces of considered structures using various cooling scenarios, such as environmental and operational factors, linked with convection, contributing to enhancing heat removal through convection. Furthermore, if materials are appropriately selected regarding their thermomechanical properties involving thermal conductivity, structural degradation may be prevented or at least minimized. This article presents a benchmarking survey of the conducted research studies associated with the fatigue performance of cyclically loaded PMC structures and an analysis of possible solutions to avoid structural degradation caused by the self-heating effect.

Marked distinctions in syntactic complexity: A case of second language university learners' and native speakers' syntactic constructions.

Existing research on syntactic complexity tends to examine diversity and complexity embedded in grammatical employments which may well be witnessed in formulations of different syntactic structures. Conceivably, the subject syntactic complexity seems to be exercised mostly by non-native speakers and writers. The present study employs pseudo-longitudinal data: essays written by undergraduate students in different levels collected at the same time. Hence, it aims at investigating the mechanism involved in the L2 production of L2 learners in terms of syntactic complexity by analyzing a corpus of non-native English-speaking learners. The research inquiry is mainly focused on investigation of significant differences in terms of syntactic complexity between writing of Japanese university students and that of native speakers, probing further into the particular dimension and level of difference. The study also traces marked variations in syntactic complexity employed by Japanese university students in different grades. Nagoya Interlanguage Corpus of English (NICE) developed by Sugiura in 2015 was employed to conduct the entire research proceedings. The corpus of the subject study comprises 339 essays written by L2 EFL learners studying in a Japanese university employing a judicious selection of quantitative measures of syntactic complexity. The results exhibited a considerable statistical difference between the writing of Japanese learners and native English writers. The findings of this study provide meaningful pedagogical implications for English teachers and textbook compilers. Japanese university students in higher grades are found to be employing more complicated and diverse syntactic structures. Conforming to the already conducted research studies with almost similar objectives, this study demonstrates the significance of using both general and more particular complexity metrics to assess syntactic development in L2.

International Center of Excellence for Malaria Research for South Asia and Broader Malaria Research in India.

The Malaria Evolution in South Asia (MESA) International Center of Excellence for Malaria Research (ICEMR) conducted research studies at multiple sites in India to record blood-slide positivity over time, but also to study broader aspects of the disease. From the Southwest of India (Goa) to the Northeast (Assam), the MESA-ICEMR invested in research equipment, operational capacity, and trained personnel to observe frequencies of Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax infections, clinical presentations, treatment effectiveness, vector transmission, and reinfections. With Government of India partners, Indian and U.S. academics, and trained researchers on the ground, the MESA-ICEMR team contributes information on malaria in selected parts of India.

Casting Process Improvement by the Application of Artificial Intelligence

On the way to building smart factories as the vision of Industry 4.0, the casting process stands out as a specific manufacturing process due to its diversity and complexity. One of the segments of smart foundry design is the application of artificial intelligence in the improvement of the casting process. This paper presents an overview of the conducted research studies, which deal with the application of artificial intelligence in the improvement of the casting process. In the review, 37 studies were analyzed over the last 15 years, with a clear indication of the type of casting process, the field of application of artificial intelligence techniques, and the benefits that artificial intelligence brought. The goals of this paper are to bring to attention the great possibilities of the application of artificial intelligence for the improvement of manufacturing processes in foundries, and to encourage new ideas among researchers and engineers.

A Mini Review of Museum Literature and Museum Development in Southeast Asia

This study aims to provide a review of previously conducted research studies about museums and their recent development in Southeast Asia. The bibliometric analysis of Web of Science database revealed that the number of publications related to museum was in an increasing trend and majority of the studies focusing on museums are publications from and within the context of the People’s Republic of China. The visualization of similarities viewer software analysis showed that China is the most relevant keyword with the highest occurrence. It further revealed that museums are understudied in Southeast Asia. Basing on the number of museums and their cultural offerings in Southeast Asia, museum visitors are foreseen as a potential market for heritage tourism development. While the pandemic forced the closure of a number of museums globally, the industry rebounded quickly by establishing a digital presence, thereby offering new opportunities for those in the heritage tourism industry.

INFLUENCE OF SEED DENSITY OF UNIVERSAL AND GRAIN AMARANT VARIETIES ON YIELD AND PHYSICAL-TECHNOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF GRAIN

In the conditions of global warming, in particular the growing aridity of the steppe zone of Ukraine, as well as the deficit of organic matter and declining nitrogen reserves in the soil, agricultural producers are faced with the task of finding effective cultivation of drought-resistant crops that are competitive in the market, have economic feasibility and unpretentiousness in cultivation. The experiment was established in 2021 in the research field of the Department of Field and Vegetable Crops within the land use of LLC «Iceberg» Rozdilna district of Odessa region. The administrative center is located in the village Grebinky. The experiment is two-factor: factor A – varieties of amaranth, factor B – the density of standing amaranth plants. Variants of the experiment are arranged sequentially in 3 repetitions. The total area under the experiment is 10 thousand m2, the total area of the plot is 555,0 m2, the accounting area is 300,0 m2. The predecessor is Sudanese grass for hay and green fodder on 2 cuts. Agricultural techniques in the experiment are adopted for the cultivation of organic amaranth, without fertilizers and plant protection products. Amaranth was sown with 60 cm row spacing with the help of ASTRA NOVA 5б4 seed drill. One of the features of amaranth plants is the specificity of the location of leaves on the stem, which determines the effective use of sunlight even in thickened crops. Our research studies have established a certain effect of changes in the density of amaranth crops on its productivity. The best yields of amaranth grain are observed at a sowing density of 150 thousand pieces/ha. It was found that the highest yield of amaranth grain in the experiment was obtained by Lera variety and was in the version of 150 thousand pieces/ha – 3,34 t/ha, which exceeds the control version by 0,53 t/ha, or 18,9%, and we prove mathematically (LSD05 for AB = 0,21 t/ha). The same applies to the variety Kharkivsky-1, where under the conditions of the year the largest grain yield was obtained in the variant with a sowing density of 150 thousand pieces/ha and amounted to – 3,06 t/ha, exceeding the control variant by 0,25 t/ha, or by 8,9%, which is a significant difference. Further increase or decrease in sowing density provided a decrease in yield. To obtain quality products from harvesting to direct processing into amaranth grain, a set of technological operations of post-harvest processing is used, the purpose of which is to prevent losses and preserve all its useful properties. From the conducted research studies, it is possible to draw a conclusion that the nature of amaranth grain is very variable indicator. The main factors that influence the nature of amaranth grain include the method of grain laying, grain density, variety, surface condition, fullness, moisture content of the grain mass. With an increase of humidity there is the increase in the mass of 1000 grains, the speed of soaring and the angle of natural slope. Studies have shown that the optimal sowing density for growing amaranth in the Southern Steppe of Ukraine is 150 thousand pieces/ha. Under such conditions, the highest yield of amaranth grain is formed, which under the conditions of the year was for the variety Kharkivsky-1 (universal) 3,06 t/ha and for the variety Lera (grain) – 3,34 t/ha. Knowledge of the basic physical and technological characteristics of the grain mass is a prerequisite for determining the optimal modes of technological equipment for post-harvest processing and reliable storage of grain for processing.

Virtual Reality: Online Games Leads to Mental Health and Psychological Trauma

These days it is unimaginable to maintain a life without the use of technology. The victorious individual and cognitive development of a child is completely based on acive enagagement in several activities. Enhancing their mental processes, evolving several forms of knowledge, and comprehending and acquiring social morals in the condition they are brought up. A.NLeontiev, S.L.Rubinstein, A.Smirnov, B.M.Teplov, M.M.Mukanov, S.M.Dzhakupov and others who are psychologists have conducted research studies. They have observed that the establishment & organization of several psychological processes and the growth of personality chiefly depends on matter of activity, its aims, intention and means of execution. Even though video gaming is not much issue for many of the people, surplus playing of video games may cause functional damage psychological distress in some of the games. The recent edition of Diagnostic and statistical Manual of Mental Disorders causes internet gaming disorder in the Emerging Measures models section.In the latest years, two of the vast effective models in the gaming studies. Which are the interconnections of person affect cognition execution model.

Randomised Controlled Trial of the Short-Term Effects of OROS-Methylphenidate on ADHD Symptoms and Behavioural Outcomes in Young Male Prisoners with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (CIAO-II)

Background: 20-30% of prisoners meet diagnostic criteria for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Methylphenidate reduces ADHD symptoms but effects in prisoners are uncertain due to high rates of comorbid mental health and substance use disorders. We therefore estimated the efficacy of a first line medication recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for ADHD, Osmotic Release Oral System methylphenidate (OROS-methylphenidate), in reducing ADHD symptoms in young adult prisoners with ADHD. Methods: An 8-week parallel arm, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial of OROS-methylphenidate versus placebo in 200 male prisoners from two young offender prisons in Southeast England and Scotland. Participants aged 16-25, met DSM-5 ADHD criteria. Randomisation to OROS-methylphenidate (n=101) or placebo (n=99) was stratified by prison. Trial medication was titrated for five weeks against symptom reduction and adverse effects to a maximum daily dose of 72 mg, followed by stable dose for three weeks. Primary outcome was ADHD symptoms at 8-weeks using the investigator rated Connors Adult ADHD Rating Scale (CAARS-O). Thirteen secondary outcome measures included emotional dysregulation, mind-wandering, violent attitudes, mental health symptoms, and prison officer and educational staff ratings of behaviour and aggression. Trial registration: EudraCT Number 2015-004271-78; ISRCTN16827947. Database lock 27 th August 2019 Findings: Mean CAARS-O at 8 weeks in the OROS-methylphenidate arm was estimated to be reduced by 0.57 points relative to the Placebo arm (95% CI: -2.41 to 3.56) and non-significant. The responder rate, defined as a 20% reduction in CAARS-O scores was 48.3% for the OROS-methylphenidate arm and 47.9% for the placebo arm. No statistically significant trial arm difference were detected for any of the secondary outcomes. Mean final titrated dose was 53.8 mg in the OROS-methylphenidate arm. Interpretation: The study finds that ADHD symptoms did not respond to treatment for ADHD in young adult prisoners and does not support routine treatment with OROS-methylphenidate in this population. This does not exclude treatment in those with severe symptoms who may require treatment in prison. Further research is needed to evaluate effects of higher average dosing and adherence to treatment, multimodal treatments, and preventative interventions in the community. Trial Registration: Trial registration: EudraCT Number 2015-004271-78; ISRCTN16827947. Funding: Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation (EME) programme (project ref: 14/23/17). Janssen Pharmaceutical Company supplied Concerta XL. Declaration of Interest: Philip Asherson reports grants and personal fees from Janssen-Cilag Ltd (High Wycombe, UK), Medice (Iserlohn, Germany), Shire/Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd (Tokyo, Japan) and Flynn Pharma Ltd (Stevenage, UK); non-financial support and grants from QbTech AB (Stockholm, Sweden); personal fees from Novartis International AG (Basel, Switzerland) and Eli Lilly and Company (Indianapolis, IN, USA); and grants from Vifor Pharma Group (Villars-sur-Glâne, Switzerland), GW Pharmaceuticals (Cambridge, UK) and QbTech AB, outside the submitted work. Ylva Ginsberg has received royalties, speaker fees, reimbursement for travel costs and/or collaborated in research with Shire, Medscape [www.medscape.com/ (accessed 5 January 2021)] and Studentlitteratur AB (Lund, Sweden). Susan Young is director of Psychology Innovations Ltd (London, UK), which has received fees from Shire/Takeda, and has received fees for training in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) assessment tools and psychological interventions. She is a consultant at the Cognitive Centre of Canada and has received fees from the sale of psychological treatment programmes; she is also president of the UK ADHD Partnership, which received unrestricted educational grants from Shire/Takeda. Stephen Lawrie has received personal fees and research income from Janssen-Cilag, as well as personal fees from Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Marlborough, MA, USA), in connection with work on schizophrenia (i.e., outside the submitted work). John Strang conducted research studies with the study medication being provided by the relevant pharmaceutical companies, and King’s College London has received payment of consultancy fees or honoraria for such work. However, this work does not apply to the study of ADHD nor to the type of treatment (methylphenidate). Ulrich Muller-Sedgwick received honoraria for being on an advisory board and/or speaking/delivering training for the UK Adult ADHD Network, British Association for Psychopharmacology, Takeda, Sosei Heptares (London, UK), Eli Lilly and Company, and Flynn/Medice. Ethical Approval: Ethical approval was obtained from the East of England, Essex, Research Ethics committee (ref: 16/EE/0117). Research and Development approvals were obtained from Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust and NHS Forth Valley (Ref: FV908), and additional approvals were given by HM Prison & Probation Services (England) and the Scottish Prison Service.

The synthesis of strategies for the efficient performance of sophisticated technological complexes based on the cognitive simulation modelling

Purpose. Improving the productivity and energy efficiency of complex technological complexes through the development and use of scenario-cognitive modeling in control systems. Methodology. Fuzzy cognitive maps, in the form of a weighted oriented graph, were used to develop a scenario-cognitive model. As a result of the conducted research studies, a new strategy of generalization of an expert estimation of mutual influences of concepts on the basis of methods of the cluster analysis is offered. Findings. Based on experimental research and object-oriented analysis of a complex technological complex, a structure of a fuzzy cognitive model is created. A scenario-cognitive model in the form of a weighted oriented graph (fuzzy cognitive map) has been developed, which illustrates a set of connections and the nature of the interaction of expertly determined factors. To solve the problem of impossibility of operative interrogation of experts in case of change in parameters of functioning of difficult technological complexes, expert estimations of values of weight coefficients of mutual influence of concepts are received. Cluster analysis methods were used to group expert assessments and determine a single value as a result of the research. The results of the scenario-cognitive modeling of the enterprise showed that production shutdowns and abnormal situations related to the failure of electrical equipment, deviations of the technological regime and the quality of wastewater treatment have a significant impact on the dynamics of productivity, energy efficiency and efficient use of equipment. Originality. The new scenario-cognitive model developed for forecasting the situation in the absence of accurate quantitative information consists in creating a fuzzy cognitive map, for modeling which many parameters of complex technological complexes are expertly determined. Using the developed methodology, a degree of interaction of these parameters is found, which allows determining dynamics of change in target criteria of functioning under various management strategies. Practical value. On the basis of the created scenario-cognitive model, software has been developed which allowed analyzing dynamics of change in productivity, energy efficiency and efficiency of use of the equipment under possible scenarios of functioning of difficult technological complexes is developed.

PERCEPTION OF CHILDREN WITH CRANIOFACIAL MICROSOMIA ABNORMALITIES BY THEIR CLOSE RELATIVES

When a child is born with a deformed face, his/her social environment is quickly confronted with a change which undoubtedly favours numerous over-generalizations. Children with craniofacial microsomia anomalies (CFCs) may experience less social support, more rejection and make them withdraw from their social life more frequently. The purpose of this research study is to show how children with craniofacial hypoplasia abnormalities is perceived by their close relatives. The sample of this study consisted of 26 participants (F=16; M=10). This research study was conducted using the following questionnaire methods: the Scale of Over-Generalization Effect by K. Milska and A. Mański (SOGE), modified Own Health Assessment Scale method (SOWC) and the Authors-Designed Questionnaire (ADQ) to obtain information on the issue. A child's illness always affects a variety of family life spheres. Most of the surveyed women did not experience any complication during pregnancy or childbirth. Unfortunately, after their child was diagnosed, most adults were not offered getting in contact with a psychologist / psychiatrist / psychotherapist. Some relatives - after the birth of a child with craniofacial microsomia (CFM) - reduced their working hours or gave up work completely in order to take care of the child. The most urgent needs for this child's illness reported by adults most often referred to educational and financial matters. At the time of this research study, most of the respondents (61%) - upon the birth of a child with CFM - considered it plausible to enlarge their family. As a result of the conducted research studies, new variable systems (a type and character of dysmorphia, closeness - distance) were identified, which may be a relevant element to facilitate research studies on the perception of children with body deformities by their environment. In the characteristics of a child with CFM, it was shown that his/her close relatives evaluate the child positively. Family members apply constructive strategies for coping with the child's illness, however, the research study results indicate the legitimacy of introduction of psychological and psychiatric consultations for close relatives to the standards of CFM child treatment.

Numerical investigation of conjugate heat transfer and entropy generation of MHD natural convection of nanofluid in an inclined enclosure

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate conjugate heat transfer of natural convection and entropy generation of nanofluid in the presence of external magnetic field via numerical approach in an inclined square cavity enclosure.Design/methodology/approachControl volume finite volume method with collocated arrangement of grids was used for discretization of continuity, momentum, solid and fluid energy equations. Rhie and Chow interpolation technique was applied to avoid checkerboard problem in pressure field and the well-established SIMPLE algorithm was followed to deal with the pressure and velocity coupling. The cavity is filled with water and nanoparticles of the aluminum oxide (Al2O3). This study has been conducted for the certain pertinent parameters of the volume fraction of nanoparticle (φ = 0–0.08), the angle of inclination (ϴ = 0°–330°), the Ra number (Ra = 103–108), the solid to fluid conductivity ratio (ksf = 1–400), the Ha number (Ha = 0–80) and the wall thickness ratio (δ/L = 0–0.3).FindingsThe results indicate that averaged Nu number increases by approximately 9% by increasing volume fraction from 0.0 to 0.08. Nu increases with an increasing inclination angle to 40° and decreases abruptly in 90° because of the formation of two weaker vorticity with opposite circulation pattern intensifying the density of isotherm curves in a vertical direction. Nu increases sharply with increasing Ra more than 105. Nu also augments almost 67% by increasing ksf = 1 to ksf = 50 and remains constant by increasing ksf more than 50. Nu number reduction is almost 72% with a variation of wall thickness ratio from d/L = 0 to 0.3. Entropy generation because of fluid flow, magnetic field and heat transfer reduces linearly almost 30%, 19% and 16% by increasing volume fraction, respectively. With increasing ksf, entropy generation because of fluid flow, magnetic field and heat transfer increases asymptotically, but Bejan number decreases.Originality/valueA brief review of conducted research studies in nanofluid flow and heat transfer reveals that the effect of wall thermal inertia was not investigated in MHD natural convection of nanofluids in an inclined enclosure. The aim of the present study is to analyze conjugate heat transfer in an inclined cavity filled with water and Al2O3.

Hybrid energy systems in unmanned aerial vehicles

Purpose The presented research is carried out in reaction to the soaring costs of fuel and tight control over environmental issues such as carbon dioxide emissions and noise. The purpose of this paper is to study the feasibility of applying the environmental-friendly energy source in an unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) propulsion system. Design/methodology/approach Currently, the majority of UAVs are still powered by conventional combustion engines. An electric propulsion system is most commonly found in civilian micro and mini UAVs. The UAV classification is reviewed in this study. This paper focuses mainly on application of electric propulsion systems in UAVs. Investigated hybrid energy systems consist of fuel cells, Li-ion batteries, super-capacitors and photovoltaic (PV) modules. Current applications of fuel cell systems in UAVs are also presented. Findings The conducted research shows that hybridization allows for better energy management and operation of every energy source onboard the UAV within its limits. The hybrid energy system design should be created to maximize system efficiency without compromising the performance of the aircraft. Practical implications The presented study highlights the reduction of the energy consumption, necessary to perform the mission and maximizing of the endurance with simultaneous decrease in emissions and noise level. Originality/value The conducted research studies the feasibility of implementing the environmental-friendly hybrid electric propulsion systems in UAVs that offers high efficiency, reliability, controllability, lack of thermal and noise signature, thus, providing quiet and clean drive with low vibration levels. This paper highlights the main challenges and current research on fuel cell in aviation and draws attention to fuel cell – electric system modeling, hybridization and energy management.

Practice in the Field of Thermal Retrofitting in Historic Buildings and Preservation of the Authentic Tissue of Façades of Historic Buildings in Poland

The pursuit to reduce emissions of harmful substances to the atmosphere resulting from the combustion of fuels for heating purposes makes a building more ecological and environmentally friendly. All operations aimed to limit emissions of pollutants into the atmosphere are motivated by the growing environmental awareness of developed societies and alarming reports on the global warming and its effects. In Poland, legal regulations are the answer to this problem. According to them, it is necessary to reduce the limit values of the heat transfer coefficient for partitions in rebuilt buildings. These values will be successively tightened until 1 January 2021. The compliance with the limits of the heat transfer coefficient is also required for historic buildings. For obvious reasons, historical buildings do not meet the technical requirements imposed on modern architectural structures. The constructional technique of partitions in historic buildings and building materials used in them require to undertake additional actions to provide thermal extra insulation of such buildings. The provision of extra insulation of historic buildings so that they can meet the assumed technical requirements is a challenge for designers and manufacturers of materials used for extra insulation in buildings. The first part of the paper covers the influence of modern thermal retrofitting methods and techniques applied in historic buildings conducted under the provisions of law onto the preservation of authenticity of the historical tissue of monuments. The paper analyses a variety of traditional and most recent methods and materials used in the provision of thermal insulation of external vertical partitions in historic wooden and brick-based buildings with wooden and masonry structures. Then the second part of the paper based on the conducted analyses determines the effectiveness of the adopted thermal retrofitting techniques, threats resulting from the applied methods towards the authenticity of historic building structures. At the same time, a set of factors which are relevant to the preservation of the authentic character of historic buildings was specified. To sum up, on the grounds of the conducted research studies it was indicated that the thermal retrofitting methods applied currently in historic buildings based on the provision of extra insulation for vertical partitions (applied from the inside of buildings) in reversible techniques do not admittedly devastate the authentic structure of walls but still do not ensure the expected and required technical parameters (and in the case of wooden architecture they lead even to accelerated degradation). The effective thermal retrofitting methods involving external extra insulation of partitions damage the authentic tissue of monuments. As a result of stricter legal regulations and a lack of good thermal retrofitting methods, it may be necessary to decommission historic buildings from their use.

How faithfully do HIV clinicians administer the PHQ-9 depression screening tool in high-volume, low-resource clinics? Results from a depression treatment integration project in Malawi.

Integration of mental health services into nonspecialist settings is expanding in low and middle income countries (LMICs). Among many factors required for success, such programs require reliable administration of mental health screening tools. While several tools have been validated in carefully conducted research studies, few studies have assessed how reliably nonspecialist clinicians administer these tools to low-literacy LMIC populations in routine care. Ninety-seven patients accessing human immunodeficiency virus primary care in Malawi who completed Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ)-9 depression screening with their clinician then completed a second PHQ-9 with a trained research assistant (RA) blinded to the first result. Compared to clinicians, RAs identified more patients with any depressive symptoms (PHQ-9 score ⩾5: 38% v. 32%), moderate/severe symptoms (PHQ-9 ⩾ 10: 14% v. 6%), any suicidality (14% v. 4%), and active suicidality (3% v. 2%). Across these indicators, clinician and RA ratings had strong overall agreement (81-97%) but low corrected Kappa agreement (31-59%). Treating RA results as the reference standard of a carefully supervised research administration of the PHQ-9, clinician administration had high specificity (90-99%) but low sensitivity (23-68%) for these indicators. In routine care in LMICs, clinicians may administer validated mental health screening tools with varying quality. To ensure quality, integration programs must incorporate appropriate and ongoing training, support, supervision, and monitoring.

Multiobjective optimal placement of active tendons to control irregular multistory buildings with soil–structure interaction

SummaryIn recent decades, many researchers have conducted research studies on structural control to improve the safety and serviceability of high‐rise buildings against earthquakes and strong winds. On the other hand, applying active control systems and controlling strategies in buildings are costly process, and it is necessary to reduce the number of controllers.In this paper, a multiobjective genetic algorithm is proposed to optimize the placement of active tendons in a 2D shear frame and a 3D irregular building considering soil–structure interaction effect to reduce active control cost and response of structures at the same time. For multiobjective optimization, multiobjective genetic algorithm of the MATLAB toolbox is used to find a set of Pareto optimal solutions for a multiobjective minimization. The results indicate that the method is capable of finding the number and location of the required active tendons in both 2D shear frame and 3D irregular building with 10 and 20 stories while the base shear of structure is minimized. The specific advantage of the employed algorithms is to reduce the number of mounted active tendons approximately by 50%.