Highest Variation Research Articles

Prevalence, Cost, and Variation in Cost of Pediatric Hospitalizations in Ontario, Canada

Identifying conditions that could be prioritized for research based on health care system burden is important for developing a research agenda for the care of hospitalized children. However, existing prioritization studies are decades old or do not include data from both pediatric and general hospitals. To assess the prevalence, cost, and variation in cost of pediatric hospitalizations at all general and pediatric hospitals in Ontario, Canada, with the aim of identifying conditions that could be prioritized for future research. This population-based cross-sectional study used health administrative data from 165 general and pediatric hospitals in Ontario, Canada. Children younger than 18 years with an inpatient hospital encounter between April 1, 2014, and March 31, 2019, were included. Condition-specific prevalence, cost of pediatric hospitalizations, and condition-specific variation in cost per inpatient encounter across hospitals. Variation in cost was evaluated using (1) intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and (2) number of outlier hospitals. Costs were adjusted for inflation to 2018 US dollars. Overall, 627 314 inpatient hospital encounters (44.8% among children younger than 30 days and 53.0% among boys) at 165 hospitals (157 general and 8 pediatric) costing $3.3 billion were identified. A total of 408 003 hospitalizations (65.0%) and $1.4 billion (43.8%) in total costs occurred at general hospitals. Among the 50 most prevalent and 50 most costly conditions (of 68 total conditions), the top 10 highest-cost conditions accounted for 55.5% of all costs and 48.6% of all encounters. The conditions with highest prevalence and cost included low birth weight (86.2 per 1000 encounters; $676.3 million), preterm newborn (38.0 per 1000 encounters; $137.4 million), major depressive disorder (20.7 per 1000 encounters; $78.3 million), pneumonia (27.3 per 1000 encounters; $71.6 million), other perinatal conditions (68.0 per 1000 encounters; $65.8 million), bronchiolitis (25.4 per 1000 encounters; $54.6 million), and neonatal hyperbilirubinemia (47.9 per 1000 encounters; $46.7 million). The highest variation in cost per encounter among the most costly medical conditions was observed for 2 mental health conditions (other mental health disorders [ICC, 0.28] and anxiety disorders [ICC, 0.19]) and 3 newborn conditions (intrauterine hypoxia and birth asphyxia [ICC, 0.27], other perinatal conditions [ICC, 0.17], and surfactant deficiency disorder [ICC, 0.17]). This population-based cross-sectional study of hospitalized children identified several newborn and mental health conditions as having the highest prevalence, cost, and variation in cost across hospitals. Findings of this study can be used to develop a research agenda for the care of hospitalized children that includes general hospitals and to ultimately build a more substantial evidence base and improve patient outcomes.

Phenolic Content and Antioxidant Activity in Apples of the 'Galaval' Cultivar Grown on 17 Different Rootstocks.

Apple cultivars are one of the main factors setting the composition of bioactive compounds in apples and the quality of the fruit. However, research has been providing increasing amounts of data on the influence of rootstocks on the variations in the composition of bioactive compounds in apples. The aim of the study was to determine the influence of rootstocks on the changes in the qualitative and quantitative composition of phenolic compounds and their antioxidant activity in vitro in apple flesh and peel. HPLC analyses of phenolic compounds in apple samples were performed. The rootstock–scion combination had a significant effect on the composition and antioxidant activity of phenolic compounds in apple samples. Depending on the rootstock, the total content of phenolic compounds in apple flesh of the ‘Galaval’ cultivar could vary by 2.9 times, and in the peel by up to 90%. The genotype of the rootstock resulted in the highest variation in total flavan-3-ol content in apple flesh—by as much as 4.3 times—while the total content of flavonols varied by 2.1 times. In apple peel, on the contrary, the greatest variation was recorded for the total flavonol content (by 4.4 times), and the total flavan-3-ol content varied the least (by 1.8 times). A proper match of a cultivar and a rootstock can program a fruit tree to grow larger amounts of higher-quality, antioxidant-rich, and high-nutrition-value fruit.

The load-bearing of composite slabs with steel deck under natural fires

<abstract> <p>Composite slabs with steel deck combine the load-bearing resistance of the steel deck and rebar with the compressive resistance of the concrete (components). Unprotected composite slabs may be exposed to natural fire conditions from below, and steel reduces its load-bearing capacity during the heating stage. In short fire events, with limited deformations, the composite slabs can recover the load-bearing capacity during the cooling stage. This research presents the validation of the numerical model and the development of a parametric study, to evaluate the load-bearing capacity during the fire event. This method includes a time step procedure, based on the average temperature calculation for each component, including the reduction coefficients applied to the design strength of each material. A new proposal is also presented to evaluate the residual load-bearing capacity. In some circumstances, the residual load-bearing can be reduced by more than 20%. The results showed that the highest variation in the load-bearing resistance of composite slabs occurs when the steel temperatures are between 20 and 600 ℃, after this temperature, the steel has already lost most of its mechanical strength. Moreover, it was observed that different heating rates and different cooling rates influence the rate of the reduction and recovery of the load-bearing capacity. It was also noticed that the lowest load-bearing capacity of the composite slabs was reached after the end of the heating phase, showing that the stability of the element during the heating phase does not guarantee fire safety during the cooling phase.</p> </abstract>

Chromosomal diversity in three species of Lycosa Latreille, 1804 (Araneae, Lycosidae): Inferences on diversification of diploid number and sexual chromosome systems in Lycosinae.

Lycosa is one of the most speciose genera in Lycosidae, including species with different sexual chromosome systems (SCS). We carried out cytogenetic analyses in three species of Lycosa, revealing that L. erythrognatha and L. sericovittata share 2n ♂ = 22 and SCS X1X20 while L. gr. nordenskjoldi presents 2n ♂ = 19 and SCS XO, composed only of acrocentric chromosomes. All species shared pericentromeric heterochromatin. Nonetheless, one specimen of L. sericovittata carried two chromosomes with terminal heterochromatin and L. gr. nordenskjoldi showed four chromosomes with interstitial heterochromatin plus another chromosome with terminal C-bands. The pericentromeric heterochromatin of all species as well as the terminal heterochromatic blocks in L. sericovittata were CMA3 + . The 18S rDNA sites varied in number and type of bearing chromosomes both at inter and intrapopulational levels, with the highest variation in L. gr. nordenskjoldi. These differences may be related to gene dispersal due to the influence of transposition elements and translocation events. Despite these variations, all species shared ribosomal sites in pair 5. This study demonstrated intra and interspecific chromosomal variability of Lycosa, suggesting that chromosomal rearrangements are related to the diversification of diploid number and SCS in this group of spiders.

Sensory Evaluation of Wheat-Cassava-Bamboo Shoot Composite Bread

With the numerous studies pertaining to bamboo shoot utilisation, little have been explored on the bread baking industry and general consumption in Kenya. The objective of this study was to conduct descriptive sensory and consumer acceptability analyses on wheat-cassava-bamboo shoot composite bread. Bamboo shoot flour was composited with wheat: cassava (80:20) at different levels of 0% (control), 2.5%, 5%, 7.5%, 10% and used to make composite bread. In descriptive sensory analysis, Principle Component Analysis (PCA) was used to outline systematic variations in bread sensory attributes. The results of PCA showed the existence of 3 principle components that explained a total variation of 78.5%. The PCA of composite bread sensory attributes indicated 9.75% variation based on the presence of bamboo shoots flour while there was 11.3% variation due to bamboo shoot flour absence. The highest variation (57.4%) was due to intensity of bamboo shoot flour in the bread. Consumer acceptability test was conducted using a 5-point hedonic scale and involved 50 semi-trained panellists. The study found out that 2.5% bamboo shoot flour bread had no significant difference (<i>p </i>> 0.05) in terms of taste, aroma, crumb colour, crust colour and overall acceptability compared to control. However, there was gradual decrease in consumer acceptability of all the attributes tested with increase in proportion of bamboo shoot flour. A substitution level of up to 2.5 bamboo shoot flour in composite bread on overall acceptability was indistinguishable to the control bread; hence has significant potential for incorporation in bakery products. The results of this study show that blending bamboo shoots with wheat-cassava flours for bread making is a suitable strategy to increase bamboo shoot utilisation in the baking industry and improve food security.

ANALISA HASIL UJI KEKUATAN TARIK, TEKAN &amp; STRUKTUR MAKRO SAMPAH PLASTIK JENIS PET, HDPE, DAN CAMPURAN (PET+HDPE)

Plastik is a material which has difficult to decompose. Therefore, the utilization of waste into useful material is important to do. This study aims to identify the tensile strength, bending, and macro structure of recycled PET, HDPE, and PET + HDPE plastik waste mixtures and recommendations for plastik products that fit the characteristics of these plastik types. PET and HDPE plastik waste is melted with oil and reprinted into tensile and bending test samples in accordance with predetermined variations, and then the results of the fracture are analyzed in a macro structure. Based on tensile testing, the tensile strength test results have the highest stress and strain values obtained in the mixture of 40% + HDPE 60% (B2) used oil specimens of 10.58 MPa and strain values of 11.98%. The results of bending strength testing which has the highest bending stress value and maximum load value are obtained in plastik mixture specimens with 30% used oil mixture + 70% HDPE (B1) of 11.58 MPa and for maximum load values of 43.33 KN. Testing the tensile strength and bending strength of the type of plastik mixture Oil and HDPE + PET (50%: 50%), the results obtained can still not be recommended to be used as a paving block product because the value of stress, strain, bending stress, and the maximum load is still relatively low, namely for the tensile test the highest variation of stress value is 5.21 MPa, the highest variation of strain value is 5.23%, the maximum load value is 10 KN, and the highest variation of bending stress value is 40% + 60% by 4.01 MPa.

Agro-Morphological, Biochemical and Antioxidant Characterization of a Tunisian Chili Pepper Germplasm Collection

Pepper species have been described as being highly sensitive to climate change. Here, we discuss the variability of the agro-morphological and phytochemical responses of pepper cultivars in the context of ongoing climate changes during seven stages of maturity, including heat stress. The effects and interactions were calculated to determine the source of variation according to rising temperature. Capsaicin content (CAP), total phenolic (TPC) and flavonoid (TFC) levels and antioxidant activity (AA) were also determined at different harvest times (at 10, 25, 40, 55, 70, 85 and 100 days after anthesis, DAA). Agro-morphological data showed that the highest variation was recorded for fruit traits compared to flower and plant ones. In particular, calyx shape margin, calyx annular constriction, fruit shape at blossom end and fruit size had a significant impact on the morphologic diversity among accessions. Levels of bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity depended on the genotype and the harvest time. TPC and AA increased at 100 DAA, while TFC were highly detected at the early harvest. Principal component analysis (PCA) allowed us to separate three clusters with well-defined biochemical traits. In particular, regardless of harvest time, Baklouti Chébika, Baklouti Sbikha and Chaabani accessions presented higher levels of TPC, TFC and AA regardless of the considered harvest time. In conclusion, high genetic variability was noted within the analyzed pepper germplasm, thus suggesting the need for major consideration of both agro-morphological and biochemical traits for pepper breeding programs. The current research was conducted to facilitate better management under high-stress conditions due to global warming

Epidemiological associations with genomic variation in SARS-CoV-2

SARS-CoV-2 (CoV) is the etiological agent of the COVID-19 pandemic and evolves to evade both host immune systems and intervention strategies. We divided the CoV genome into 29 constituent regions and applied novel analytical approaches to identify associations between CoV genomic features and epidemiological metadata. Our results show that nonstructural protein 3 (nsp3) and Spike protein (S) have the highest variation and greatest correlation with the viral whole-genome variation. S protein variation is correlated with nsp3, nsp6, and 3′-to-5′ exonuclease variation. Country of origin and time since the start of the pandemic were the most influential metadata associated with genomic variation, while host sex and age were the least influential. We define a novel statistic—coherence—and show its utility in identifying geographic regions (populations) with unusually high (many new variants) or low (isolated) viral phylogenetic diversity. Interestingly, at both global and regional scales, we identify geographic locations with high coherence neighboring regions of low coherence; this emphasizes the utility of this metric to inform public health measures for disease spread. Our results provide a direction to prioritize genes associated with outcome predictors (e.g., health, therapeutic, and vaccine outcomes) and to improve DNA tests for predicting disease status.

Endophytic Fungi Assures Tropical Forage Grass Growth by Water Stress Tolerances.

Forage plants is the base of beef and dairy cattle production. While water stress limits agricultural production worldwide, endophytic fungi can play a beneficial role for plants, such as tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of inoculation of the endophytic fungi Paraconiothyrium estuarinum (CML 3695, CML 3696, CML 3699) and Paraconiothyrium cyclothyrioides (CML 3697, CML 3698) on agronomic characteristics of two forage species, Brachiaria brizantha (A. Rich) Stapf. cv. Marandu and Megathyrsus maximus Jacq. cv. BRS Mombaça, under different available water capacities. The treatments simulated a long drought period (LDH) equivalent to 10% of the available water capacity (AWC) and simulated 7 (7 DH) and 14days of drought (14 DH) without water supply. The grasses were evaluated for length and dry weight of shoots and roots. All treatments reached humidity below the permanent wilting point (PWP) and the highest variation in soil moisture was observed at 14 DH, for both grass species. The endophytic fungi promoted an average 15% increase in shoot length (SL) for B. brizantha and an increase of 34% for SL, 266% for Dry Shoot Mass (SDM), and 340% for Dry Root Mass (RDM) for M. maximus treated with P. estuarinum (CML 3699) at 7 DH. Paraconiothyrium estuarinum (CML 3699) guaranteed the highest tolerance to water deficit and sustainable growth performance to both tested grasses.

Modeling electricity consumption patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic across six socioeconomic sectors in the State of Qatar

The propagation of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the associated measures taken by many countries to slow down the spread of the disease, has significantly affected all aspects of people's lives, including the global energy sector. This study aims to investigate the impact of the pandemic on the spatial patterns of electricity consumption in six socioeconomic sectors (residential (villa and flat), industrial, commercial, government, and productive farms) in the State of Qatar. The spatiotemporal patterns of electricity consumption have been assessed using various Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and spatial statistical modeling prior and during the pandemic. The results demonstrate variations in electricity consumption within and between the six sectors. The main changes in the electricity consumption within sectors during the pandemic year is during the lockdown phase. Spatially, some sectors are affected by the pandemic, and hence the pattern and the spatial and temporal distribution of electricity consumption has changed during the pandemic year compared to pre-pandemic years. The results also show that there were variations of spatial clustering of electricity consumption among these sectors. Most of the high-high clustering patterns are located in the mid-eastern and northeastern parts of Qatar. The highest variation in electricity consumption between sectors occurred in the productive farms due to its massive development during the pre-pandemic period and were not affected by the pandemic. There is a sharp decline in electricity consumption in both the industrial and commercial sectors during the pandemic year. Other sectors witnessed an increase in electricity consumption during the summer months, which was mainly due to travel restrictions imposed by many countries around the world. This analysis is vital for policymakers to detect the changes in electricity consumption patterns in the context of emergencies such as the pandemic.

Lipid accumulation by Coelastrella multistriata (Scenedesmaceae, Sphaeropleales) during nitrogen and phosphorus starvation

A novel freshwater strain of Coelastrella multistriata MZ–Ch23 was discovered in Tula region, Russia. The identification is based on morphological features, phylogenetic analysis of SSU rDNA gene and ITS1–5.8S rDNA–ITS2 region and predicted secondary structure of the ITS2. Phylogenetic analysis places the novel strain in the “core” Coelastrella clade within the Chlorophyceae. This is the first record of Coelastrella multistriata in the algal flora of Russia. Cultivation experiments were carried out to evaluate growth dynamics of the newly identified strain and the impact of nitrogen and/or phosphorus depletion on the fatty acid profiles and lipid productivity. On the fully supplemented Bold’s basal medium and under phosphorus-depleted conditions as well, the fatty acid profiles were dominated by α-linolenic acid (29.4–38.1% of total fatty acids). Depletion of either nitrogen or both nitrogen and phosphorus was associated with increased content of oleic acid (32.9–33.7%) and linoleic acid (11.9%). Prolongation of the growth to two months (instead of 25 days) resulted in increased content and diversity of very long-chain fatty acids including saturated species. The total very long-chain fatty acid content of 9.99% achieved in these experiments was 1.9–12.3-fold higher than in stress experiments. The highest variation was observed for oleic acid (3.4–33.7%). The novel strain showed the ability to accumulate lipids in amounts up to 639.8 mg L−1 under nitrogen and phosphorus starvation, which exceeds the previously obtained values for most Coelastrella strains. Thus, the newly identified MZ–Ch23 strain can be considered as a potential producer of omega-3 fatty acids on fully supplemented Bold’s basal medium or as a source of biomass with high content of saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids after nitrogen and phosphorus starvation.

VARIATIONS OF THE TRYPILLIA CULTURE HOUSES ACCORDING TO THE INTERIOR OF THE SECOND STOREY

Oven is a permanent element of interior of the Trypillia culture house. An oven is always located to the right from the entrance to the residential room of the second storey. Other interior details, such as altar, podium etc, are not met in every single house. This paper aims to define variations of the Trypillia culture houses according to the presence or lack of elements of interior. Origin of variations is analyzed according to the chronology of sites. The analysis is focused only on the interior of the second storey.&#x0D; Fifteen variations of Trypillia houses were defined as of today. Variations one to three are typical only for Early Trypillia. Those are different from the latter variations by the location of an oven. Variations four to six were formed during the Trypillia BI stage and lasted till Trypillia CII. Other variations characterize slight differences between certain periods of culture. Organization of interior did not change much since Trypillia BI. However Trypillia BI is characterized by its highest variation.&#x0D; The high level of unification of the Trypillia culture dwellings was probably caused by the fact that the house construction was the collective activity. Different taboos, which did not let the deviation from commonly accepted rules, also should not be excluded. Certain individual elements could appear in the result of house construction by an individual or family. They could be also caused by the functioning of house and some rational reasons.&#x0D; Change in the location of an oven during Trypillia BI could be explained by the climate change during this period of time, which was noted by the number of scholars, or incorporation of people from different cultural units into Trypillia populations.

Genetic and phenotypic diversity of selected Kenyan mung bean (Vigna radiata L. Wilckzek) genotypes

BackgroundMung bean is a pulse crop principally grown in the tropic and subtropic parts of the world for its nutrient-rich seeds. Seven mung beans accessions from Eastern Kenya were evaluated using thirteen phenotypic traits. In addition, 10 SSR markers were used to determine their genetic diversity and population structure. This aimed at enhancing germplasm utilization for subsequent mung bean breeding programs. ResultsAnalysis of variance for most of the phenology traits showed significant variation, with the yield traits recording the highest. The first three principal components (PC) explained 83.4% of the overall phenotypic variation, with the highest (PC1) being due to variation of majority of the traits studied such as pod length, plant height, and seeds per pod. The dendogram revealed that the improved genotypes had common ancestry with the local landraces. The seven mung beans were also genotyped using 10 microsatellite markers, eight of which showed clear and consistent amplification profiles with scorable polymorphisms in all the studied genotypes. Genetic diversity, allele number, and polymorphic information content (PIC) were determined using powermarker (version 3.25) and phylogenetic tree constructed using DARWIN version 6.0.12. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) was calculated using GenALEx version 6.5. A total of 23 alleles were detected from the seven genotypes on all the chromosomes studied with an average of 2.875 across the loci. The PIC values ranged from 0.1224 (CEDG056) to 0.5918 (CEDG092) with a mean of 0.3724. Among the markers, CEDG092 was highly informative while the rest were reasonably informative except CEDG056, which was less informative. Gene diversity ranged from 0.1836 (CEDG050) to 0.5102 (CDED088) with an average of 0.3534. The Jaccards dissimilarity matrix indicated that genotypes VC614850 and N26 had the highest level of dissimilarity while VC637245 and N26 had lowest dissimilarity index. The phylogenetic tree grouped the genotypes into three clusters as revealed by population structure analysis (K = 3), with cluster III having one unique genotype (VC6137B) only. AMOVA indicated that the highest variation (99%) was between individual genotype. In addition, marker traits association analysis revealed 18 significant associations (P < 0.05). ConclusionThese findings indicate sufficient variation among the studied genotypes that can be considered for germplasm breeding programs.

Association between Variations in Body Mass Index and Cognitive Function in Older Korean Adults.

BackgroundAlthough several studies have assessed obesity and cognitive impairment, most of these studies focus on body mass index (BMI) and cognitive impairment. Therefore to better understand the importance of weight maintenance with aging, this study investigated the relationship between variations in weight and cognitive impairment using the Korean version of the Mini-Mental State Examination (K-MMSE) in individuals aged 45 years or older in Korea.MethodsData on 3,477 adults with normal cognitive function (K-MMSE ≥24) at baseline were acquired from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging (KLoSA) 2006-2016. The association between weight variability and risk of cognitive impairment was assessed using multiple logistic regression models. We also assessed weight variability and change in cognitive function over the 6-year follow-up using multiple linear regression.ResultsOverall, higher variations in BMI were associated with cognitive impairment. Patients in the quintile with the highest variation (Q5) in BMI (mean of BMI changes, 2.69) showed the greatest degree of cognitive impairments (adjusted odds ratio, 1.52; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.08-2.14; P for trend=0.016). Furthermore, a higher frequency in the number of times (3 times) the patient’s body weight changed was associated with a lower cognitive function (adjusted odds ratio, 3.42; 95% CI, 1.67-7.03; P for trend<0.001).ConclusionIn this nationally representative study, weight variability was associated with a higher risk of cognitive decline during mid- and late-life stages.

↵​Investigations on Per se Performance, Genetic Variability and Correlations in Vegetable Cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.] Germplasm for Yield and Its Attributing Traits

Background: Cowpea is a multiple-purpose, drought-tolerant, climate-smart and leguminous pulse crop. Recent studies established this crop as a potential vegetable crop with nitrogen fixation ability and round the year cultivation unlike French bean. In several crops, exotic collections imported into India have positive impact in release of new varieties. Per se performance evaluation is the best option for identification of high yielding varieties. Genetic parameters controlling the expression of yield and its components are essential in determining the effect of such genetic parameters and association among the characters enhancing the green pod yield of vegetable cowpea. Methods: A set of eighty seven genotypes of vegetable cowpea including 59 exotic collections imported from International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Nigeria; 24 indigenous germplasm collected from different parts of India and four released commercial varieties were evaluated in a randomized block design during Kharif, 2019. The analysis of variance by Panse and Sukhatme (1985), genetic parameters by Burton and De Vane (1953) and heritability in a broad sense and genetic advance by methods given by Allard (1960) and Johnson et al. (1955) were carried out to validate the results. Result: The analysis of variance revealed that genotypes exhibited significant differences for all the characters. Based on per se performances, the exotic collections for flowering and maturity traits and check varieties followed by indigenous collections for yield and yield characters have exhibited superior performance. The highest range of variation was observed for green pod yield per plant. The highest variation was observed for pod yield per plant and number of pods per plant. The higher estimates of GCV and PCV ( greater than 20%) were registered by pod width, mature pod weight, number of pods per plant and pod yield per plant, which indicates partly the interaction of the genotypes with the environment influencing the expression of these characters. High heritability along with high genetic advance was observed for green pod yield per plant, pod length, pod width and number of pods per plant indicating that these traits were mainly governed by additive gene action and responsive for their further improvement. The maximum coefficient of variation was recorded for pod width followed by green pod yield per plant, pod weight and pod length. Green pod yield per plant has a positive and significant correlation with pod length, pod width, mature pod weight, number of pods per plant and number of seeds per pod. Hence, these characters should be considered, while selecting the genotypes for their further genetic improvement in vegetable cowpea.

Assessment of the inter-lap stability and relationship between the race time and start, clean swim, turn and finish variables in elite male junior swimmers’ 200 m freestyle

ABSTRACT The aims of this study were to: (1) assess the stability (mean and normative) of the lap performance, and a set of clean swim and turn variables of junior male swimmers in the 200 m freestyle, and; (2) verify the relationship between the start, clean swim, turn, and finish phases in the 200 m freestyle. Seventy-six individual races in the 200 m freestyle at the 2019 long-course LEN European Junior Championships were analysed. Start, clean swim, turn, and finish variables were assessed. The lap performance showed a significant variance. The highest variation was verified between the first and third lap (Coefficient of Variation = 7.37%). The clean swim and the total turn also presented a significant variance. Normative stability indicated a moderate to very-high stability for all variables. All phases of the race had significant correlations with the final race time (p < 0.001). The total turn (i.e., the total time spent to perform the turn), specifically turn #3, showed the largest correlation with the total race performance. The significant correlation between all phases of the race and the final race time indicates that coaches and swimmers should customise the swimmers’ preparation and race strategy at major international competitions, based on the individual characteristics of each swimmer.

Variation in Significant Difference of Sausage Textural Parameters Measured by Texture Profile Analysis (TPA) under Changing Measurement Conditions

This study examined the measurement conditions of the texture profile analysis (TPA) experiments that are typically used to measure the physical properties of sausage. As the measurement conditions (compression ratio and cross-head speed) were changed, the significant differences between the values of textural parameters (hardness, adhesiveness, springiness, cohesiveness, chewiness) of samples changed. Furthermore, among the measurement conditions, there was more variation in the significant difference between the value of samples due to a change in the compression ratio than due to a change in the cross-head speed. The highest variation in significant difference was observed between the values of cohesiveness of samples due to changes in measurement conditions, whereas the lowest variation in significant difference was observed between the values of springiness of samples due to change in measurement conditions. Therefore, it is desirable to provide a clear basis for setting specific measurement conditions for TPA test, since significant differences in the values of textural parameters of samples were caused by differences in cross-head speed or compression ratio, not by a difference in samples, when analyzing the cohesiveness of sausage, especially.

Future magnitude 7.5 earthquake offshore Martinique: spotlight on the main source features controlling ground motion prediction

SUMMARY The eastern offshore of Martinique is one of the active areas of the Lesser Antilles Subduction Zone (LASZ). Although its seismicity is moderate compared to other subduction zones, LASZ is capable of generating a M 7+ interplate earthquake and recent studies and historical events, such as the M 8 1839 and M 7–7.5 1946 earthquakes, confirm this possibility. Given the high risk that Martinique can face in case of unpreparedness for such a M 7+ earthquake, and the lack of a regional seismic hazard study, we investigated through numerical modelling how ground motion can vary for a hypothetical Mw 7.5 interplate earthquake. Our main objective is to highlight the major factors related to earthquake source that can cause the highest variation in ground motion at four broad-band seismic stations across Martinique. For this purpose, we generated 320 rupture scenarios through a fractal kinematic source model, by varying rupture directivity, source dimension, slip distribution. We computed the broad-band ground motion (0.5–25 Hz) by convolution of source–time functions with empirical Green’s functions (EGFs), that we selected from the analysis of moderate events (M 4–4.5) recorded in the area of interest since 2016 by the West Indies network. We found that the fault geometry and the spatial extension of the largest slip patch are the most influential factors on ground motion. The significance of the variation of the predicted ground motion with respect to ground motion prediction equations (GMPEs) depends on the evaluated frequency of ground motion and on the station. Moreover, we concluded that the EGF selection can be another significant factor controlling the modelled ground motion depending on station. Our results provide a new insight for the seismic source impact on ground motion across Martinique and can guide future blind seismic hazard assessment studies in different regions.

Oral Administration of the LSD1 Inhibitor OG-S1335 Increases Fetal Hemoglobin in Humanized Transgenic Sickle Cell Disease Mice and in Baboons

Increased levels of fetal hemoglobin (HbF) lessen the severity of symptoms and increase the life span of patients with sickle cell disease (SCD). New and more effective strategies to increase HbF are needed because the current standard of care, hydroxyurea, is not effective in a significant proportion of patients. Although BM transplantation, gene therapy, and gene editing technologies offer the promise of a cure, it is unlikely that these methodologies can be implemented to treat the large numbers of patients projected worldwide, including those in developing nations that could most easily be treated with an effective, orally administered drug therapy that increased HbF. The lysine-specific demethylase 1A (KDM1A, also referred to as LSD1), is a component of co-repressor complexes that repress γ-globin gene expression and a therapeutic target for HbF reactivation (Shi et al, Nat Med 19:291, 2013). Our laboratory has shown that subcutaneous administration of RN-1, a pharmacological inhibitor of LSD1, increased γ-globin expression in SCD transgenic mice (Rivers et al, Exp Hematol 43:546, 2015; Cui et al, Blood 126:386, 2015) and in baboons (Rivers et al, Haematol 101:688, 2016), widely acknowledged as the best animal model to test the activity of HbF-inducing drugs due to conservation of structure and developmental regulation of the β-globin locus among simian primates. The objective of this investigation was to test whether oral administration of a new LSD1 inhibitor, OG-S1335, could increase HbF in SCD transgenic mice and baboons. Oral administration of varying doses (0.25, 0.5, 1.0mg/kg/d; 4d) of OG-S1335 to SCD mice (3 mice per dose) increased γ-globin expression and the percentage of circulating erythrocytes and reticulocytes positive for HbF (F cells and F retics; Table 1). In baboons, dose escalation was initially performed by administering the drug to a single animal in cycles of 3 days, followed by 1-2 weeks of observation to measure effects on blood parameters. Increased levels of F retics were initially observed at a dose of 100μg/kg/d and subsequently 4 additional baboons were treated with OG-S1335 (by oral gavage) at a dose of either 100 or 200μg/kg/d (7 separate experiments in total). The data presented are in the mean+SD format, with “post-dose” indicating the time point when the highest variation from baseline levels was reported. Increased F retics (pre=8.4+8.9%, post=43.0+27.9%; p<0.01), γ-globin chain synthesis (pre=0.05+0.05 γ/γ+β, post=0.28+0.18 γ/γ+β; p<0.01), and γ-globin mRNA (pre=0.02 +0.02 γ/γ+β, post=0.20+0.11 γ/γ+β) were observed with maximal levels achieved 7 days after administration of the first dose (d8). A decrease in the absolute number of reticulocytes (pre=72.8+17.8 X104/μL, post=35.4+17.8 X 104/μL; p<0.05; nadir on d6-8), neutrophils (pre=4634+994/μL, post=2655+1257/μL; p<0.02; nadir on d13-17), and platelets (pre=406+86 X103/μL, post=168+98 X103/μL; p<0.01; nadir on d8) was also reported, together with increased monocytes (pre=200+68/μL, post=541+213/μL; p<0.01; peak on d10-15). A negative correlation between decreased platelet counts and F retics (r= -0.55), γ-globin chain synthesis (r= -0.92), and γ-globin mRNA (r= -0.80) suggests that variability in drug exposure in addition to possible genetic factors regulating γ-globin expression may be responsible for the observed variability between animals. Additional experiments were performed in two phlebotomized anemic baboons to test the effect of the drug in a model with increased relevance to sickle cell disease. OG-S1335 (100μg/kg/d; 3d) induced high levels of F retics (PA8695, pre-dose=24%, post=66.8%; PA8698: pre-dose=13%, post=93.6%), γ-globin chain synthesis (PA8695: pre-dose=0.07 γ/γ+β, post=0.20 γ/γ+β; PA8698: pre-dose=0.02 γ/γ+β, post=0.44 γ/γ+β) and γ-globin mRNA (PA8695: pre-dose=0.06 γ/γ+β, post=0.18 γ/γ+β; PA8698: pre-dose=0.03 γ/γ+β, post=0.33 γ/γ+β) in each animal. We conclude that oral administration of the LSD1 inhibitor OG-S1335 significantly increased F retics, γ-globin chain synthesis, and γ-globin mRNA in SCD mice and in baboons, supporting further efforts toward the development of this drug for SCD therapy. [Display omitted] DisclosuresCiceri:Oryzon Genomics SA: Employment. Cavalcanti:Oryzon Genomics SA: Employment.

Parametric study on the vertical operational characteristics of carbon fiber reinforced elastomeric isolators using Taguchi approach

This paper investigates the viability of implementing the Taguchi method for conducting a parametric study of fiber reinforced elastomeric isolators (FREIs) in a systematic way. In this regard, the vertical properties of carbon fiber reinforced elastomeric isolators (C-FREIs) were chosen as a case study. Finite element models were first validated with experimental data to model a range of full-scale C-FREIs by varying five different physical and mechanical properties. The Taguchi method assumes minimal interaction between the factors and cannot be applied directly during design due to the highly non-linear behavior of elastomeric isolators. This study addresses this limitation through a unique array design. The C-FREI combinations to be modelled and analyzed were significantly reduced where the additivity of the Taguchi method suggested a very robust manner to test the performance of the bearings. Finally, a comprehensive parametric study was conducted on the vertical stiffness and compression modulus of the introduced C-FREIs. The trends obtained indicated that the vertical stiffness of C-FREIs is more sensitive to variations in most factors compared to the compression modulus. Variations in the carbon fiber reinforcement thickness have the lowest effect on the vertical stiffness whereas variations in the number of elastomer layers have the lowest effect on the compression modulus of C-FREIs. Furthermore, changes in the primary and secondary shape factors obtained by varying the loading area caused the highest variation in the vertical stiffness and compression modulus of C-FREIs.