Frequency Profile Research Articles

Escherichia coli Occurrence and Antimicrobial Resistance in a Swine Slaughtering Process.

The swine production chain can be a reservoir of antimicrobial-resistant Escherichia coli, which transfers resistance genes to other bacteria, serving as an important biomarker in the One Health approach. This study aimed to identify the frequency and antimicrobial resistance profile of E. coli in the swine production chain, assess the presence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL), and compare resistance profiles across different sample types. A total of 622 samples of swine carcasses from various points of the slaughter process (n = 400), swine feces (n = 100), commercial cuts (n = 45), environment (n = 67), and feces from employees (n = 10) of a pig slaughterhouse certified by the Federal Inspection Service, located in São Paulo state, Brazil, were collected. A total of 1260 E. coli isolates were obtained from the samples, with 73.6% of the samples testing positive. The agar disk diffusion test was performed with 10 different classes of antimicrobials. To confirm the production of ESBLs, the isolates were submitted to a double-disk synergism test using cefotaxime, ceftazidime, and amoxicillin with clavulanic acid. Of the total isolates, 80.71% were multidrug resistant. All ESBL-producing isolates were multidrug resistant and resistant to amoxicillin, tetracycline, and chloramphenicol. Isolates from human feces samples had less chance of being multidrug resistant than samples from other sources. The diversity of resistance profiles was verified in the samples, not clustering according to the sources, except for human feces isolates that clustered, evidencing lower antimicrobial resistance variability of these samples. Antimicrobial resistance is significantly present in the pork production chain, necessitating a comprehensive multidisciplinary approach to effectively mitigate risks within the One Health framework.

Comparing the frequency, antifungal susceptibility, and enzymatic profiles of the oral fungal composition in patients with and without Alzheimer's disease admitted to a neurology clinic.

Studies have shown that changes in the frequency of oral microorganisms may play a key role in the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, no research has been conducted on the oral fungal composition in AD-patients. The present study aimed to investigate the changes in the frequency of oral fungal composition, the antifungal susceptibility, and the enzymatic profiles of oral fungal composition in patients suffering from AD compared to non-AD individuals. In the present analytical cross-sectional study during 12 months, 76 hospitalized patients with AD were matched with 76 individuals without AD. A sterile serum physiology-moistened cotton-tipped swab was used to sample the mouth area. All swabs were cultured on Sabouraud Chloramphenicol Agar. Fungal identified were confirmed through the PCR-sequencing techniques. Enzyme activity index (EAI) for important pathogenic factors including proteinase, esterase and hemolysin was measured using relevant protocols. The susceptibility to 8 antifungal agents (nystatin, voriconazole, itraconazole, fluconazole, posaconazole, amphotericin B, 5-fluorocytosine, and caspofungin) against fungal strains obtained from AD-patients was evaluated according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines, document M38-A2 for filamentous fungi, and document M27-A4 for yeasts. The results showed that compared to the non-AD individuals, the prevalence of oral fungal composition in AD group was 1.6 times higher. Candida albicans was the most common fungal species isolated from oral swab samples of AD group (n=53, 80%) and non-AD group (n=28, 40%), and the diversity of the oral fungal composition in AD-patients were lower than non-AD individuals. Among the 3 investigated virulence factors, a statistically significant difference was shown in terms of hemolysin activity level between the two studied groups (p<0.05) and the activity level of esterase and proteinase enzymes did not show a significant difference in the two studied groups (p>0.05). The results showed that almost all of the tested isolates were susceptible to nystatin, the most widely prescribed antifungal to treat superficial infections, and only 1.69 % (2/118) of the Candida isolates were resistant to this antifungal drug. Understanding the changes in the frequency of oral fungal composition the antifungal susceptibility, and the enzymatic profiles of oral fungal composition in patients suffering from AD compared to non-AD individuals makes it possible to better understand the etiology of this disease.

A Statistical Study of Polar Mesospheric Cloud Fronts in the Northern Hemisphere

AbstractComplex spatial structures in polar mesospheric cloud (PMC) images provide visual clues to the dynamics that occur in the summer mesosphere. In this study, we document one such structure, a PMC front, by analyzing PMC images in the northern hemisphere from the Cloud Imaging and Particle Size (CIPS) instrument onboard the aeronomy of ice in the mesosphere (AIM) satellite. A PMC front is defined as a sharp boundary that separates cloudy and mostly clear regions, and where the clouds at the front boundary are brighter than the clouds in the cloudy region. We explore the environment that supports the formation of PMC fronts using near‐coincident temperature and water vapor observations from the Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry (SABER) satellite instrument. A comparison of PMC front locations to near‐coincident temperature profiles reveals the presence of inversion layers at PMC altitudes. The adiabatic and superadiabatic topside lapse rates of these temperature inversions indicate that some of the identified inversion layers may have been formed by gravity wave (GW) dissipation. The structure of the squared buoyancy frequency profiles indicates a stable layer or thermal duct that can be associated with large‐amplitude mesospheric inversion layers (MILs) that extend large distances. These inversion layers may be conducive to horizontal wave propagation. We hypothesize that ducted GWs may be a formation mechanism of PMC fronts.

A-290 Prevalence and Antimicrobial Resistance Pattern of Microorganisms Recovered From Bloodstream Infections From Public Hospitals of São Paulo City, Brazil

Abstract Background Nosocomial Bloodstream Infections (nBSI) are an important cause of morbidity and mortality. Brazilian studies concerning bloodstream infections are important tools that can bring specific issues related to antimicrobial resistance. The objective of this study was to describe the frequency and antimicrobial susceptibility profile of bacterial isolates from BSI in patients admitted to public hospitals in 2022 and 2023. Methods This study was a retrospective analysis from 12 hospitals (January 2022 to December 2023) based on BSI isolates laboratory data detected by the clinical microbiology department of a medical diagnostic laboratory. The identification and susceptibility tests were performed using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry (Vitek MS) and Vitek®2 systems, according to the manufacture’s recommendations. Coagulase Negative Staphylococci (CoNS) BSI was only considered in the presence of at least two sets of positive blood cultures with the same organism. Results During the period (January 2022 to December 2023) a total of 19,588 microorganisms isolated from BSI were obtained from 12 hospitals. The frequency of organism group was Gram-positive (10,707; 54.7%), Gram-negative (7,874; 40.2%), yeasts (961; 4.9%) and filamentous (46; 0.2%). The order of prevalence (top ten) organisms was CoNS (5,149; 26.3%); Staphylococcus aureus (2,769; 14.1%); Klebsiella spp. (2,355; 12.0%); Escherichia coli (1,301; 6.6%); Acinetobacter spp. (1,293; 6.6%); Streptococcus spp. (1,125; 5.7%); Enterococcus spp. (1,112; 5.7%); Candida spp. (937; 4.8%); Pseudomonas spp. (749; 3.8%) and Proteus spp. (553; 2.8%). Extended spectrum beta-lactamase rates for E. coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae were 31.6% (268/848) and 74.9% (1027/1371), respectively. The resistance to carbapenems was detected mainly in 74.1% (661/892) of Acinetobacter spp. isolates, 60.7% (832/1371) of Klebsiella pneumoniae; 24.5% (114/465) of P. aeruginosa; 9.7% (34/349) of Proteus spp. and 1.4% (12/828) of Escherichia coli. Antimicrobial resistance was observed mainly in 87.2% of CoNS (2831/3247) and 44.5% of S. aureus (743/1669) to methicillin; 22.9% (146/637) of Enterococccus spp. to vancomycin. Conclusions The frequency of Klebsiella spp. isolates from nBSI has progressively increased and effective infection control measures should be taken to prevent them from spreading. The rates of antimicrobials resistance reported for Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter spp., CoNS, S. aureus and Enterococcus spp. reinforce the high resistance rates to antimicrobials in São Paulo city.

Comparative Performance Assessment between Incompressible and Compressible Solvers to Simulate a Cavitating Wake

To study the effects of fluid compressibility on the dynamics of a cavitating vortex street flow in a regime where the vortex shedding frequency increases as a result of the cavitation increase, the cavitating wake behind a wedge was simulated employing both incompressible and compressible solvers. To do this, a compressible cavitation model was implemented, modifying the Zwart-Gerber-Belamri (ZGB) incompressible solver and including a pressure limit and absorbing boundary conditions to prevent a non-physical pressure field. To validate the performance of the compressible model, preliminary simulations were carried out on a 1D Sod cavitating tube and the cavitating vortex shedding behind a circular body at laminar flow conditions. The results of the cavitating wake behind the wedge with the incompressible and the compressible solvers showed similar predictions in terms of pressure, vortex shedding frequency, and instantaneous and average vapor volume fraction profiles. In spite of this, differences were obtained in the energy content of the fluid force fluctuations on the body at higher frequencies, which appear to be better resolved and amplified when the compressibility model is considered. Overall, both solvers provided comparable results in terms of cavitation phenomena that are well aligned with experimental observations.

Exploiting the Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy Frequency Profiles for State-of-Health Predication of Lithium-Ion Battery

Battery Management Systems (BMS) are essential for optimizing battery performance and extending lifespan through continuous monitoring and decision-making via control sensors. The State of Health (SOH) is one of the BMS metrics that provides valuable information on battery health and degradation. However, one of the main challenges in the BMS domain development is finding accurate and effective algorithms for battery SOH prediction, especially for electric vehicles and grid-connected energy storage systems. This study introduces a new SOH prediction method using wavelet-convolutional neural regression networks (CNRN) algorithms. The methodology involves extracting detailed frequency profiles from Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) data, which are processed through wavelet transformation to capture both time and frequency domain features. These transformed profiles are then input into the CNRN model for SOH prediction. The results demonstrate improved SOH prediction accuracy with EIS frequency profiles, evidenced by a reduction in root mean square error (RMSE) compared to the standard EIS profile. This improvement is due to the fact that the wavelet-CNRN algorithm efficiently captures both the time and frequency features of the battery impedance. Moreover, the performance of the proposed algorithm demonstrated robustness in early end-of-life (EOL) prediction, thereby enhancing the reliability and safety of BMS functions.

Hybrid Modeling of Miniaturized 50 W Annular Hall Thruster

A 50-W-class annular Hall thruster is studied with a hybrid axial–radial two-dimensional model. Ions are described by a kinetic approach, whereas fluid conservation equations are solved for electrons. In such models, additional (anomalous) contributions must be added to the momentum-transfer electron collision frequency to obtain realistic values of the cross-field electron mobility. First, a parametric study is performed, where anomalous transport is described with a simple two-region model based on constant empirical parameters. The simulated global performance is subsequently compared with experimental measurements. Then, laser-induced fluorescence ion velocity measurements are employed to infer a continuous profile of the anomalous electron collision frequency along the channel centerline. The model reproduces the performance, the acceleration structure, the current oscillations, and the doubly charged ion fraction of the laboratory thruster. Measurements of the ion velocity distribution function highlight the presence of a slow ion population in the near plume. The production of the slow ions and their growth for increasing distances from the thruster channel exit is qualitatively reproduced by the model. The results obtained suggest that the generation and dynamics of the observed slow ions can be attributed to the presence of energetic electrons in the plume.

Fast likelihood-free reconstruction of gravitational wave backgrounds

We apply state-of-the-art, likelihood-free statistical inference (machine-learning-based) techniques for reconstructing the spectral shape of a gravitational wave background (GWB). We focus on the reconstruction of an arbitrarily shaped signal (approximated by a piecewise power-law in many frequency bins) by the LISA detector, but the method can be easily extended to either template-dependent signals, or to other detectors, as long as a characterisation of the instrumental noise is available. As proof of the technique, we quantify the ability of LISA to reconstruct signals of arbitrary spectral shape (blind reconstruction), considering a diversity of frequency profiles, and including astrophysical backgrounds in some cases. As a teaser of how the method can reconstruct signals characterised by a parameter-dependent template (template reconstruction), we present a dedicated study for power-law signals. While our technique has several advantages with respect to traditional MCMC methods, we validate it with the latter for concrete cases. This work opens the door for both fast and accurate Bayesian parameter estimation of GWBs, with essentially no computational overhead during the inference step. Our set of tools are integrated into the package GWBackFinder, which is publicly available in GitHub.

Genetic variability of 23 autosomal STRs in Austroasiatic-speaking populations from Thailand.

Austroasiatic (AA) speakers constitute around 4% of the population of Thailand, while the majority (89.4%) speak Kra-Dai (KD) languages. Previous forensic and population genetic studies in various Thai populations have employed a limited number of short tandem repeats (STRs). This study aims to expand the investigation of the genetic makeup of AA populations in Thailand and their relationship to KD populations using a larger number of autosomal STRs with the VeriFiler™ Plus PCR Amplification Kit. We generated 593 new genotypes from AA-speaking groups and combined them with previously reported data from AA and KD groups. A total of 1,129 genotypes across 23 STR loci were used to construct the largest allelic frequency profile for Thai and Lao populations. However, several loci deviated from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, likely due to the reduced genetic diversity in some highland populations, which should be considered in forensic investigations. Beyond forensic applications, our findings reveal genetic differences between AA-speaking groups in Northern and Northeastern Thailand. The AA groups from Northeastern Thailand exhibit greater genetic homogeneity and diversity, likely due to population interactions. In contrast, reduced diversity and increased heterogeneity in AA groups from Northern Thailand are possibly driven by genetic drift and cultural and geographic isolation. In conclusion, we emphasize the usefulness of increasing the number of autosomal STRs in forensic and anthropological genetic studies. Additional Y-STR and X-STR data from various AA-speaking groups in Thailand would further enhance and strengthen forensic STR databases in the region.

Integration of Geophysical and Hydrochemical Methods to Determine the Groundwater Contamination in Al-Hosayniat Landfill South East Mafraq City, Jordan

An integration of Geophysical – Electromagnetic and hydro-chemical methods was used to investigate the potential of groundwater contamination due to Al-Hosayniat Municipal Landfill (HL) southeast of Mafraq city. Twenty-five Time Domain Electromagnetic (TDEM) soundings were carried out inside and outside the HL in addition to one WNW-ESE Very Low Frequency (VLF) profile. The TDEM's results help to define the subsurface geology and structures down to 240m depth. The results also depict the presence of a major fault striking NW-SE that crosses the whole landfill, this fault is documented in the surface geological map, and it was delineated and imaged by TDEM measurements and detected at larger depths. VLF results also detected the presence of a major fault beneath the landfill. The presence of the fault just beneath the HL may enhance the leachate movement which can imply groundwater contamination hazards for a longer period as it is a preferential pathway for contaminants. The results of water quality analyses of adjacent wells show higher concentrations of Na+, SO-24, TDS in some wells and this can be ascribed to agricultural activities and over-pumping in the area rather than landfill leachate. The heavy metal concentrations were found to be within the permissible limits and did't indicate direct contamination due to the HL. However, Fluorite (F-) shows a high concentration of (1.3mg/l) in WS4 and WS5 wells and approaches the permissible limit (1.5mg/l) according to the Jordan Water Standards (JWS). Bromide (Br) shows high concentration of (0.6mg/l) in well Al-2462.

A modified droop-based decentralized control strategy for accurate power sharing in a PV-based islanded AC microgrid

This paper introduces a novel droop-based decentralized control scheme to address the power-sharing challenges within a PV-fed islanded AC microgrid. This novel approach integrates both conventional (P-f/Q-V) and virtual impedance concepts to optimize and manage the precise distribution of active and reactive power among parallel operating inverters posing a significant research challenge. The conventional droop control methods encounter limitations such as voltage and frequency deviations and inaccuracies in power-sharing due to line impedance disparities. To overcome these limitations, the proposed solution integrates an enhanced virtual impedance control loop alongside the conventional control loop (P-f/Q-V). The efficacy of this approach is showcased through simulations conducted using the OPAL-RT OP4510 simulator within the MATLAB/Simulink platform. The Real-time simulation outcomes confirm the efficiency of the suggested control strategy, guaranteeing precise distribution of both active and reactive power while upholding stable voltage and frequency profiles within the system.

Mode-locked waveguide polariton laser

So far, exciton-polariton (polariton) lasers were mostly single-mode lasers based on microcavities. Despite the large repulsive polariton-polariton interaction, a pulsed mode-locked polariton laser was never, to our knowledge, reported. Here, we use a 60-µm-long GaN-based waveguide surrounded by distributed Bragg reflectors forming a multi-mode horizontal cavity. We demonstrate experimentally and theoretically a polariton mode-locked micro-laser operating in the blue-UV, at room temperature, with a 300 GHz repetition rate and 100-fs-long pulses. The mode-locking is demonstrated by the compensation (linearization) of the mode dispersion by the self-phase modulation induced by the polariton-polariton interaction. It is also supported by the observation in experiment and theory of the typical envelope frequency profile of a bright soliton.

Frequency and MIC-based Antimicrobial Resistance Profile of MDR and XDR Gram Negative Isolates of Blood Culture Specimens in a Tertiary Care Setting

The escalation of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) among Gram-negative bacteria, particularly multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) pathogens, posed a significant challenge in tertiary care settings. This paper comprehensively analyzed the antimicrobial resistance profile of MDR and XDR Gram-negative isolates from blood culture specimens at Jinnah Hospital, Lahore, a leading tertiary care facility. Over a period of one year, 9600 blood culture specimens were processed, revealing a high incidence of resistance to a wide array of antibiotics, with notable findings including 100% susceptibility to Colistin and over 90% resistance to several commonly used antibiotics such as Ciprofloxacin and Piperacillin/Tazobactam. Among the positive isolates, 33.8% were classified as MDR and 66.2% as XDR. The study emphasized the critical role of Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MICs) in guiding therapeutic decisions, highlighting the wide variability in resistance patterns and the necessity for personalized antimicrobial therapy. The prevalence of MDR and XDR isolates underscored the urgent need for advanced treatment modalities, comprehensive surveillance, and robust antimicrobial stewardship initiatives. Additionally, the study pointed to the emergence of colistin resistance as a critical challenge in managing infections caused by these pathogens. Through detailed analysis and discussion, this study illuminated the grave challenge posed by AMR in tertiary care settings. It emphasized the importance of innovative approaches to antimicrobial stewardship, developing new antimicrobial agents, and ongoing surveillance to effectively combat this public health crisis.

P-451 Improvement and validation of a cost effective PGT-A test for the detection of aneuploidy, triploidy and mosaicism

Abstract Study question This study aims to validate a PGT-A platform to simultaneously sequence and genotype embryos to detect triploidy as well as high and low frequency mosaicism. Summary answer Previda Plus platform validation establishes the capability to concurrently identify aneuploidy, triploidy and mosaicism with high and low frequencies at a significantly reduced cost. What is known already Low pass sequencing platforms can identify with great accuracy monosomy and trisomy karyotypes from embryo biopsies by comparing DNA quantities across chromosomes, however, these platforms exhibit limitations in identifying triploidy since all chromosomes exhibit uniform concentration. Triploidy detection necessitates genotyping involving the detection of highly variable SNPs to distinguish different haplotypes. Intermediate copy number may represent putative mosaicism. Recent publications show that embryos with low-level mosaicism demonstrate comparable implantation rates to euploid embryos, therefore validating cut offs to differentiate between low-level and high-level mosaics from euploid and aneuploid embryos is necessary. Study design, size, duration To validate triploidy detection, we measured allele frequencies (AF) using a high frequency SNP panel. The SNP frequency profile of a diploid exhibits a mix of AF of 100% and 50%, while a triploid exhibits AF of 100%, 66%, and 33%. To validate mosaicism, cell lines that were diploid, trisomic, or monosomic for a specific chromosome were mixed in pairs in increments of 10% (From 0%:100% line-1:line-2, to 100%:0%) with multiple iterations of each combination. Participants/materials, setting, methods Fifteen cell lines (triploid or diploid) underwent amplification using a 384 highly variable SNP panel. Pooled SNP and PGT-A products underwent processing in a single sequencing workflow. Ploidy Scores (PS) were derived from the total number of SNPs, 66% and 33%, and cutoff values were established to discriminate between diploid and triploid. For mosaicism validation, thirteen different trisomic cell lines were mixed in 10% ratio increments with 15 different monosomic cell lines. Main results and the role of chance Amplified samples exhibited distinct separation in ploidy scores between diploidy (PS of 0.91 to 1.85), and triploidy samples (PS of 0.28 to 0.61) with no overlap of boxplots. Specificity, sensitivity, and accuracy were 100%. For mosaicism validation, mixing different ratios of cell lines featuring monosomy and cell lines for a trisomy for different chromosomes resulted in ratios of monosomy: disomy for one chromosome and trisomy: disomy for the other. We assessed 32 combinations of cell lines, each one in 10% increments of each cell line from 0:100% to 100%:0%. Mixes with 40% trisomy mosaicism exhibited a 2.35 median ploidy, while 50%, 60%, 70% and 80% mixes show 2.45, 2.50, 2.60, and 2.70, respectively. Mixes with 40% monosomy mosaicism exhibited a median ploidy of 1.6, while 50%, 60%, 70% and 80% mixes showed 1.50, 1.45, 1.35, and 1.25, respectively. The literature recommends considering &amp;lt;40% mosaicism as euploid and 80-100% as aneuploid, therefore, ploidy scores below 2.35 are deemed euploid, ploidy scores at or above 2.35, but below 2.6 (40%-60%), are classified as low level mosaic, and ploidy scores equal to or above 2.6, but below 2.7, are classified as high mosaic. Embryos equal to or above 2.8 (80%+) are considered aneuploid. Limitations, reasons for caution This test is not designed to screen for tetraploidy (92 XXYY) and has not undergone validation for it nor haploidy. Validation procedures solely utilized cell lines. Reanalysis of the remainder of embryos deemed triploid or high-rate mosaic using this validation results are currently underway. Wider implications of the findings This Previda Plus platform combined with proprietary chemistry provides a rapid, cost effective, and a streamlined workflow for aneuploidy, triploidy, and mosaicism for use in PGT-A of blastocysts biopsies. Trial registration number not applicable

The asteroseismic imprints of mass transfer

We present new simulations investigating the impact of mass transfer on the asteroseismic signals of slowly pulsating B stars. We used MESA to simulate the evolution of a binary star system and GYRE to compute the asteroseismic properties of the accretor star. We show that, compared to a single star of the same final mass, a star that has undergone accretion (of non-enriched material) has a significantly different internal structure, which is evident in both the hydrogen abundance profile and the Brunt-Väisälä frequency profile. These differences result in significant changes in the observed period spacing patterns, implying that one may use this as a diagnostic to test whether a star’s core has been rejuvenated as a result of accretion. We show that it is essential to consider the full multimodal posterior distributions when fitting stellar properties of mass-gainers to avoid drawing misleading conclusions. Even with these considerations, stellar ages will be significantly underestimated when assuming single star evolution for a mass-gainer. We find that future detectors with improved uncertainties would rule out single star models with the correct mass and central hydrogen fraction. Our proof of principle analysis demonstrates the need to further investigate the impact of binary interactions on stellar asteroseismic signals for a wide range of parameters, such as the initial mass, the amount of mass transferred, and the age of the accretor star at the onset of mass transfer.

Mutational variant allele frequency profile as a biomarker of response to immune checkpoint blockade in non-small cell lung Cancer

IntroductionIdentifying new biomarkers for predicting immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) response in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is crucial. We aimed to assess the variant allele frequency (VAF)-related profile as a novel biomarker for NSCLC personalized therapy.MethodsWe utilized genomic data of 915 NSCLC patients via cBioPortal and a local cohort of 23 patients for model construction and mutational analysis. Genomic, transcriptomic data from 952 TCGA NSCLC patients, and immunofluorescence (IF) assessment with the local cohort supported mechanism analysis.ResultsUtilizing the random forest algorithm, a 15-gene VAF-related model was established, differentiating patients with durable clinical benefit (DCB) from no durable benefit (NDB). The model demonstrated robust performance, with ROC-AUC values of 0.905, 0.737, and 0.711 across training (n = 313), internal validation (n = 133), and external validation (n = 157) cohorts. Stratification by the model into high- and low-score groups correlated significantly with both progression-free survival (PFS) (training: P < 0.0001, internal validation: P < 0.0001, external validation: P = 0.0066) and overall survival (OS) (n = 341) (P < 0.0001). Notably, the stratification system was independent of PD-L1 (P < 0.0001) and TMB (P < 0.0001). High-score patients exhibited an increased DCB ratio and longer PFS across both PD-L1 and TMB subgroups. Additionally, the high-score group appeared influenced by tobacco exposure, with activated DNA damage response pathways. Whereas, immune/inflammation-related pathways were enriched in the low-score group. Tumor immune microenvironment analyses revealed higher proportions of exhausted/effector memory CD8 + T cells in the high-score group.ConclusionsThe mutational VAF profile is a promising biomarker for ICI therapy in NSCLC, with enhanced therapeutic stratification and management as a supplement to PD-L1 or TMB.

Frequency, serotyping, antibiogram, and seasonality of Salmonella isolated from red meat markets.

Bacterial pathogenic strains are as adaptable as Salmonella strains and cause diverse intestinal and extraintestinal diseases in humans and other mammals worldwide. Red meat and its products are important hosts for many zoonotic diseases. This work was designed to investigate the frequency, serotypes, and antimicrobial resistance profile of isolated Salmonella spp. in red meat (cattle, sheep, and goats) sold in Dhamar Governorate, Yemen. A total of 250 red meat samples were collected from the retail seller market between July and December 2022. All samples were transported immediately to the laboratory, subcultured on selective enrichment agar, and identified by serotyping and antimicrobial susceptibility tests via disk diffusion methods. The results indicated 26 positive samples of Salmonella out of the 250 samples (10.4%). Notably, isolates belong to ten various serotypes: S. Typhimurium 19.2%, S. Anatum 15.4%, S. Newport 11.5%, S. Enteritidis 11.5%, S. Muenchen 11.5%, S. Infantis 7.7%, S. Montevideo 7.7%, S. Dublin 7.7%, S. Senftenberg 3.9%, and S. Arizona 3.9%. The antibiotic resistance profile revealed that 57.5%, 53.9%, and 53.9% of isolates are resistant to erythromycin, tetracycline, and norfloxacin, respectively. This resistance among Salmonella spp. suggests a significant threat to health, which will in turn require an active safety measure and response. On the other hand, the seasonal variations "August and July" were found to be associated with an increased frequency of Salmonella isolation.

Analysis of low frequency pulsation and profile modification of turbine control valve

During the operation of a nuclear power steam turbine's main control valve, the valve frequently operates at a small opening and pressure ratio, causing intense alternating loads and oscillation. To address this, a transient numerical simulation studied low-frequency pulsation and optimized steam. Results showed high amplitude and wide frequency range flow pulsations on the spool and tube wall due to repeated flow field separation. By improving the valve core profile, control over the valve throat jet state reduced pressure pulsation amplitudes significantly, as well as mitigating flow-induced vibration in the valve core cavity and pipeline.

Research and Investigation of High Frequency Profile of Step and Touch Voltages Due to Fragmentation of the Grounding Grid

The increasing demand and the benefits of electricity energy have led to the creation of huge power plants, so high voltage substations are necessary for electrical energy. Installing different small power plants to prevent consumption in different parts of a country requires reservation units and high costs for repairs, maintenance and fueling. The necessity of these substations can be searched in the lack of uniformity of different costs, the costs of generating electrical energy, the lack of consumption centers near power plants, and generally the existence of a national grid and the possibility of timely disconnection of the faulty parts of the power grid. The priority in the rehabilitating of a strong substation is to meet the system's operation needs. In all electrical installations, especially in industrial complexes, land connectivity is one of the most important and fundamental measures to protect individuals and equipment and improve the performance of the system. The purpose of ground equipment system is to potentialize the metal body of all electrical equipment with the ground to prevent electrocution and protect personnel. This type of connection is not normally a current carrier, but if one of the phases of the device is connected to the fuselage, the fault current enters the ground through this connection and closes its path through the trans neutral or the generator connected to the ground. Earth networks due to different structures of the earth in different regions may cause problems over time, one of them is the fragmentation of the earth's network due to rot of conductors or due to overvoltage. In this research at different and high frequencies, we use 3 frequencies of 50, 100 kilos and 1 MHz, to check the ground network factors and the security of equipment and people in high voltage substations, we use CDEGS software which is a specialized program for designing and investigating the earth network. Objetivo: Research and investigation of high frequency, profile of step and touch voltajes of grounding grid. Metodología: Design and modeling with Comsol software. Resultados: As the frequency increases, both the step voltage and the touch voltage at the corner points increase more. Conclusiones: By comparing the voltage profiles based on the simulation results, it was found that by increasing the frequency of the contact voltage in each profile and mesh, it is noticeably increased. The point to consider after reviewing the simulation results is that by increasing the frequency of both step voltage and touch voltage in the corner points, they are more increased than other parts.

Fragmentation of colliding liquid rims

We present direct numerical simulations of the splashing process between two cylindrical liquid rims. This belongs to a class of impact and collision problems with a wide range of applications in science and engineering, and motivated here by splashing of breaking ocean waves. Interfacial perturbations with a truncated white noise frequency profile are introduced to the rims before their collision, whose subsequent morphological development is simulated by solving the two-phase incompressible Navier–Stokes equation with the adaptive mesh refinement technique, within the Basilisk software environment. We first derive analytical solutions predicting the unsteady interfacial and velocity profiles of the expanding sheet forming between the two rims, and develop scaling laws for the evolution of the lamella rim under capillary deceleration. We then analyse the formation and growth of transverse ligaments ejected from the lamella rims, which we find to originate from the initial corrugated geometry of the perturbed rim surface. Novel scaling models are proposed for predicting the decay of the ligament number density due to the ongoing ligament merging phenomenon, and found to agree well with the numerical results presented here. The role of the mechanism in breaking waves is discussed further and necessary next steps in the problem are identified.