Prime Tool Research Articles

Efficient X-ray dark field contrast simulations using a condensed history approach.

Due to the growing interest in X-ray phase contrast imaging (XPCI), the development of XPCI simulators has become an active field of research. Efficient computer simulations are a prime tool for optimizing the XPCI setup and acquisition process. In addition to phase contrast, modern XPCI setups provide insight into the unresolvable sample micro structure distribution through the dark field signal. However, to accurately simulate XPCI dark field signals, the virtual sample model should contain many fine structures, considerably increasing the simulation time. Moreover, accurately modeling micro structure distributions is challenging and the micro structure distribution of one virtual sample cannot be easily transferred to another. In this work, we apply a condensed history approach to dark field simulations, removing the need to explicitly model the micro structures in the virtual sample. Instead, a tunable dark field material parameter, representing a measure of the material micro structure distribution, is attached to the sample. The condensed history simulation model offers a substantial increase in simulation speed and the dark field material parameter is easily transferable between samples. The implementation is validated using the edge illumination XPCI setup. Condensed history simulations are compared to real data, showing good agreement, and the simulation speed increase is presented for increasing sample thickness and field of view. The simulation model is shown to remain valid even for thick samples. Simulated computed tomography data sets, with and without explicit micro structure, are favorably compared to each other.

Nudging Strategies to Promote Plant-Based and Sustainable Food Consumption in Canteens.

Transitioning towards a more plant-based diet can promote sustainable food consumption while simultaneously addressing environmental and health-related issues. Integrated nudging strategies are effective in promoting healthy eating behaviours. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of an integrated nudging intervention to promote plant-based meals and determine its effect on promoting sustainable food consumption behaviour. The effects of two versions of a meal on the frequency of choosing a plant-based meal were tested through a quasi-experimental pre-post intervention at three educational context canteens. During the intervention, the priming tools were strategically positioned between the meat meal and the plant-based target meal. In total, 3,870 purchases were analyzed to observe their choices. Additionally, a total of 508 consumers completed a pre- or post-intervention survey. Approximately 60.5 kg (133.4 lbs) less of food waste was generated during the intervention compared to the baseline with a reduction of 6.5 % per plate. The purchase of plant-based meals increased by about 38% from pre- to during-intervention, while meat-based meals decreased by about 19%. The grams of meal consumed per meat-based plate differed significantly from pre- to post-intervention, while that of plant-based did not differ significantly. The environmental assessment reveals that adopting a more plant-based diet and minimizing food waste for each plate significantly reduces the overall environmental impact of the meal. The integrated nudging strategy indirectly influenced sustainable food consumption behaviour through its effect on attitudes and subjective knowledge. Price-health-conscious consumers exhibited higher sustainable food consumption behaviour. These findings suggest that integrated nudging interventions can effectively shift consumer choices towards sustainable food options by influencing their attitudes and knowledge, eventually benefiting environmental sustainability and public health.

Nitrogen Stress Memory in Quinoa: Maternal Effects on Seed Metabolism and Offspring Growth and Physiology.

Plants have developed various strategies to deal with abiotic stresses throughout their lifetimes. However, environmental stresses can have long-lasting effects, positively modifying plant physiological responses to subsequent stress episodes, a phenomenon known as preconditioning or stress memory. Intriguingly, this memory can even be transmitted to offspring, referred to as "inter- or transgenerational memory". Chenopodium quinoa is a pseudocereal that can withstand several abiotic stresses, including nitrogen (N) limitation. This research highlights the critical role of maternal N conditions in shaping the physiological and metabolic responses of their offspring. Mother quinoa plants (F0) were grown under High N (HN) or Low N (LN) conditions. LNF0 plants exhibited lower panicle biomass, net photosynthesis, and yield compared to HNF0 plants. Seeds from LNF0 retained proteins, reduced amino acids' levels, and increased lipids (such as PI 34:2), especially phosphatidylcholines, and their unsaturation level, which was associated with faster germination compared to HNF0 seeds. Offsprings seedlings (F1) grown under either HN or LN had similar proteins and amino acid proportions of their seeds. However, LNF0LNF1 seedlings displayed significantly higher biomass and number of root tips. These changes were significantly correlated with transpiration, net photosynthesis, and stomatal conductance, as well as with starch content, suggesting higher CO2 fixation at the whole plant level in LNF0LNF1 plants. Our findings suggest that quinoa transmits maternal environmental stress information to its offspring, modulating their resilience. This work underscores the potential of utilizing maternal environmental conditions as a natural priming tool to enhance crop resilience against nutritional stress.

The role of reflection in learner identity construction. A sociocultural and dialogical approach / El papel de la reflexión en el proceso de construcción de la identidad de aprendiz. Una aproximación sociocultural y dialógica

The purpose of this article is to present a theoretical-conceptual proposal that enables us to articulate two psychological processes that play an essential role in different educational settings yet are seldom explicitly addressed together: identity construction and reflection processes. Specifically, we will analyse the way reflection is a prime tool for reconstructing learner identity. In the first part, we conceptualize reflection processes from a sociocultural and dialogical approach. In the second part, we explain our theoretical approach to identity construction processes, define the concept of learner identity and highlight the role played by reflection in identity construction. To conclude, we will suggest several guidelines for promoting student reflection on their own learning processes and on themselves as learners with the goal of facilitating their development of an enabling learner identity that allows them to continue learning in different settings and times in their lives.

Applying human-centered design to adapt the Jumpstart Guide for goals-of-care discussions in persons living with dementia.

Goals-of-care discussions (GOCD) are uncommon in persons living with dementia (PLWD) despite the likelihood of eventual loss of decisional capacity in the population. The Jumpstart Guide, an existing serious illness communication priming tool, can improve GOCD in certain populations, but has not previously been adapted for use among PLWD and their caregivers. Using human-centered design (HCD), we adapted the Jumpstart Guide for use with PLWD and their caregivers. We conducted qualitative interviews with clinicians and caregivers of PLWD. Six team members conducted qualitative rapid analysis of interviews leading to the development of summary templates and integrative matrices. Four iterations of the Jumpstart Guide led to the final version. Thirteen clinicians and 11 caregivers were interviewed. Interviews provided key insights into the unique barriers PLWD and their caregivers face during GOCD, including discomfort with accepting a dementia diagnosis and concern with using "serious illness" to describe dementia, as is commonly done in palliative care. Clinicians described differences in GOCD with PLWD compared to other serious illnesses, and the challenge of getting patients and families to think about future health states. Interviews led to Jumpstart Guide adaptations in the following domains: (1) format and structure, (2) content, and (3) specific language. Suggested changes included prioritizing naming a decision-maker, changing conversation prompts to improve accessibility and understandability, ensuring the Jumpstart Guide could be used with patients as well as their caregivers, and altering language to avoid references to "serious illness" and "abilities." Using HCD yielded valuable insights from clinicians and caregivers about the unique barriers to conducting GOCD among PLWD and their caregivers. These insights were used to adapt the Jumpstart Guide for use with PLWD and their caregivers, which is currently being tested in a pragmatic randomized controlled trial in outpatient clinics.

Dietary Fiber in Preventing Non-Communicable Diseases: Predicting Prevented Deaths and Economic Impact through the Use of Algae as a Fiber Source

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are responsible for two-thirds of premature deaths in Europe. This added to the European socio-economic scenario already weakened by the vital aging of the population, contributes to the loss of active individuals, weakening competitiveness and social and economic sustainability, thus making the prevention of NCDs a European objective. Preventing NCDs with the enrichment of the food environment using algae or their compounds, which are rich in nutrients and bioactivities, is an excellent way to promote healthy eating of ecological and sustainable foods. This strategy generates social, economic, and environmental gains, as well as improvements in health and sustainability. The objective of this study was to verify whether the intake of the recommended dose of fiber caused a decrease in the number of deaths caused by NCDs. The NCD prime scenario modelling tool was populated with demographic data on mortality and food intake for 2016. The results obtained by applying the NCDprime model suggested that with the recommended fiber dose, 4.5% of deaths were averted, and about 30 million euros were saved. The number of prevented deaths and the potential for cost savings represent significant health and economic gains. It will allow, in the future, new health policies to be equated with an adaptation of the food ecosystem and the development of new functional foods.

Abstract 6745: Crafting hyaluronic acid-based nanoparticles for enhanced LN targeting as a potent priming tool in immunotherapy

Abstract Background: Cholesterol-conjugated hyaluronic acid, synthesized by grafting cholesterol moieties onto hyaluronic acid, spontaneously formed nano-sized hydrogel of approximately 30-100nm in water. This hyaluronic acid derivative (HA nanogel) has demonstrated the ability to encapsulate various modalities, including low- and medium-sized molecules, peptides, and proteins. Previous reports have highlighted its efficacy in solubilizing poorly water-soluble drugs and serving as a sustained-release matrix. In this study, we explore the potential of HA nanogels encapsulating antigen peptides with adjuvant as a cancer vaccine and a priming tool for combinational immunotherapy. Method: We prepared HA nanogels as a novel peptide carrier for cancer vaccines and attempted to encapsulate various peptides, including neoantigen (mERK2) peptides expressed in immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy-resistant fibrosarcoma cell line CMS5a, gp-100 peptides expressed in metastatic melanoma cell line B16F10, and MAGEA4. Our experiments covered APC uptake, antigen-specific CTL induction, and anti-tumor studies to demonstrate the utility of HA nanogels in these applications. Results: HA nanogel efficiently formed stable complexes with mERK2, gp-100 and MAGEA4 long peptides, each with diameters of 30-100nm. The facile and simple vaccine formulation processes with HA nanogel achieved high drug content and high encapsulation efficiency of 90% or higher. Fluorescently labeled mERK2 long peptide encapsulated in HA nanogel vaccines were subcutaneously administered to BALB/c mice, and uptake analysis of mERK2 long peptides in draining lymph nodes (dLN) was performed using flow cytometry. In comparison to the group receiving mERK2 long peptide without nanogel encapsulation, the HA nanogel group exhibited higher uptake by macrophages and dendritic cells in the dLN. Administering HA nanogel vaccines containing mERK2 long peptides with CpG oligoDNA resulted in higher antigen-specific CD8+ T cells compared to the group receiving mERK2 long peptides without encapsulation. Strong anti-tumor effects were demonstrated in mice models with subcutaneously transplanted CMS5a and B16F10 cell lines. The enhanced efficacy through co-administration with ICI was also confirmed. Conclusion: HA nanogel vaccines efficiently deliver antigen peptides to macrophages and dendritic cells, inducing antigen-specific CTL responses, thereby demonstrating anti-tumor effects against cold tumors such as CMS5a and B16F10. HA nanogels have the potential not only as carriers for cancer vaccines but also as priming tools for combinational immunotherapy. Citation Format: Takashi Nakai, Fumiyasu Momose, Kohei Yabuuchi, Makiko Yamane, Tae Hayashi, Linan Wang, Yoshiyuki Nakagawa, Shogo Aso, Toru Katsumata, Tsuyoshi Shimoboji, Yoshihiro Miyahara. Crafting hyaluronic acid-based nanoparticles for enhanced LN targeting as a potent priming tool in immunotherapy [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 6745.

CHONK 1.0: landscape evolution framework: cellular automata meets graph theory

Abstract. Landscape evolution models (LEMs) are prime tools for simulating the evolution of source-to-sink systems through ranges of spatial and temporal scales. A plethora of various empirical laws have been successfully applied to describe the different parts of these systems: fluvial erosion, sediment transport and deposition, hillslope diffusion, or hydrology. Numerical frameworks exist to facilitate the combination of different subsets of laws, mostly by superposing grids of fluxes calculated independently. However, the exercise becomes increasingly challenging when the different laws are inter-connected: for example when a lake breaks the upstream–downstream continuum in the amount of sediment and water it receives and transmits; or when erosional efficiency depends on the lithological composition of the sediment flux. In this contribution, we present a method mixing the advantages of cellular automata and graph theory to address such cases. We demonstrate how the former ensure interoperability of the different fluxes (e.g. water, fluvial sediments, hillslope sediments) independently of the process law implemented in the model, while the latter offers a wide range of tools to process numerical landscapes, including landscapes with closed basins. We provide three scenarios largely benefiting from our method: (i) one where lake systems are primary controls on landscape evolution, (ii) one where sediment provenance is closely monitored through the stratigraphy and (iii) one where heterogeneous provenance influences fluvial incision dynamically. We finally outline the way forward to make this method more generic and flexible.

Normative power and The Making of Constitutional Democracy

A sound understanding of normative power is key to tackling central questions in legal and constitutional theory, some of which are usefully addressed in Sandro’s recent book. I show how the book’s account of normative power is insufficient for its purposes and how an improved account would shed light on problems the book leaves underexplored. They include the limits on law-making and political power, the contrast between powers and duties, the idea of application of law, and the relationship between political power and powers in the law. The payoff of exploring these problems is an appreciation of how legal powers — channelling the self-direction of individuals and institutions — are prime tools for the making of constitutional democracy.

Hearing the Older Adults and Caregivers Voice in Medication Optimization Initiatives

AbstractBackgroundEngaging older adults, caregivers and family is necessary to produce relevant and meaningful evidence. Patient‐centered‐outcomes research (PCOR) engages these individuals as research partners. For instance, the process of shared decision‐making about deprescribing (reducing or stopping potentially inappropriate medications) between people living with dementia and their carers (consumers), and clinicians, is complex.MethodVarious tactics were employed by the Elder Care Medicine Network (ECMN) and stakeholder steering groups from USA and Australia. These initiatives describes efforts to increase capacity of local communities – older adults, their caregivers, healthcare providers and researchers – to participate in medication related PCOR as well as the development of a tool (PRIME) to help with deprescribing medications for individuals with dementia.ResultThere are over 120 active participants in the ECMN. After they shared their PCOR training needs, trainings were held as Discussion sessions where Council members and network participants shared their medication experiences and talked about participating on a PCOR research team. Network participants also identified what they felt were meaningful research questions on medication‐related PCOR (video). Additionally the PRIME tool was developed via an iterative process utilizing one‐to‐one semi‐structured interviews and a focus group session with 39 participants (people living with dementia, carers, and clinicians) to determine the usability and comprehensibility of the PRIME tool. Iterative changes were made to improve the content and layout of the tool.ConclusionThese two initiatives illustrate the importance of co‐design and incorporating the older adults and caregivers voice in medication optimization efforts in individuals with dementia.

Is There a Need for Greater Emphasis on Clinical Facial Analysis than Cephalometrics & 3D Software Solutions in the Diagnosis and Treatment Planning of Patients with Dentofacial Deformities?

This study is designed to evaluate the need for a greater emphasis on clinical facial analysis over cephalometrics in the diagnosis and treatment planning of patients with dentofacial deformities. A predetermined questionnaire study was designed to get the thought process of surgeons and consultants involved in orthognathic surgery from various parts of southern India. Two hundred and twenty-eight maxillofacial consultants were involved in the survey. Demographic information, type of professional practice, preferred tool in the diagnosis & treatment planning: Cephalometrics or 3D software solutions and flaw in the available tools were evaluated. The results of this study revealed that only 36.8% of the consultants felt that cephalometrics is the prime tool and 73.3% of the consultants felt that 3D software solutions were superior to cephalometrics in the diagnosis and treatment planning of patients with dentofacial deformities. However, 46% of the consultants preferred facial analysis as the prime tool with cephalometrics as an adjunct. Pertaining to the clinical outcome of their treated cases of dentofacial deformities, 61.8% of the consultants felt the need to address additional cosmetic issues following an orthognathic procedure. It was observed that 92.1% of the participants felt the need for greater emphasis on clinical facial analysis than cephalometrics. Human faces should always be evaluated taking into consideration the various esthetic units of the face. Performing corrective jaw surgery merely based on cephalometric values inevitably fails to address the various other innate imbalances of the face. Hence, cephalometric data should only be considered as an adjunct to clinical judgment in the diagnosis and treatment planning of dentofacial deformities.

A Long-Term Perspective of the Internet Susceptibility to Covert Channels

Modern malware now takes advantage of information hiding to avoid detection and implement various offensive and elusive mechanisms. The creation of covert channels, i.e., parasitic communication paths nested within legitimate traffic, is becoming a prime tool to exfiltrate sensitive information or retrieve additional malicious payloads. Despite their impact on the security of the Internet, a precise evaluation of the susceptibility of network traffic to covert channels is missing. Moreover, since the hiding capacity is driven by the targeted protocol and its diffusion, understanding their evolution is vital to engineering countermeasures. To fill such a research gap, this paper discusses how the susceptibility to information hiding mechanisms of major Internet protocols evolved from 1999 to 2021. Results suggest that a periodic quantification of the phenomena should be part of the continuous cyber security monitoring.

Structure and genetic diversity of Canadian Maritimes wild hops.

Studies on the northeastern American native hops (Humulus lupulus ssp. lupuloides) from the Canadian Maritimes are scarce. This study aimed to evaluate the genetic structure and diversity among 25 wild-collected hops from three Canadian Maritime provinces using microsatellite (simple sequence repeat (SSR)) markers. Based on 43 SSR markers, four distinct subgroups were found, with a low molecular variance (19%) between subgroups and a high variance (81%) within subgroups. The Nei's unbiased genetic distance between clusters ranged from 0.01 to 0.08, the genetic distance between clusters 2 and 3 being the farthest and that between clusters 1 and 2 the closest. Cluster 2 captured the highest overall diversity. A total of 18 SSR markers clearly discriminated hop clones by detecting putative subspecies-specific haplotypes, differentiating clones of native-wild H. lupulus ssp. lupuloides from the naturalized old and modern hop cultivars. Seven of the 18 SSR markers also differentiated two clones from the same site from one another. The study is the first, using molecular markers, to identify SSR markers with potential for intellectual property protection in Canadian Maritimes hops. The SSR markers herein used can be prime tools for hop breeders and growers in the region.

Magnetic Seed Treatment Modulates Phenolic and Fatty Acid Metabolism of Sunflower under Water Scarcity

Environmental and anthropogenic activities are pushing the earth towards warmer years, which is reducing agricultural land and causing water scarcity. It is well documented that sunflower (being drought tolerant) crops can be grown under water deficit conditions with some additional supportive priming applications to compensate for drought-induced challenges. However, finding the most efficient and eco-friendly priming tools is always a top priority among researchers to improve plant growth, adaptive traits, and productivity. In this study, an experiment was performed on oil-producing crops (sunflower) using seed magnetic treatment. The seeds were subjected to 0.1, 0.2, and 0.3 Tesla for 20 min, respectively. Plants were exposed to water limitation (100 and 50%) after 30 days of germination. Sunflower showed its tolerance to water limitation by maintaining the majority of growth parameters, nutritive value, metabolizable energy, and higher proline content. Nevertheless, a reduction in the achene number per capitulum, capitulum weight, chlorophyll, catalase activity, unsaturated to saturated fatty acids, anthocyanin, and hydroxyl derivatives of cinnamic acid supported our hypothesis about the need for some supportive techniques. Better metabolic adjustment and percentage of oil yield were manifested by 0.3 T magnetic seed treatment, which was used for phenolic and fatty acid profiling. To conclude, magnetic treatment of seeds may improve their primary metabolic capacity and antioxidation potential, which in turn may activate their secondary metabolism as evidenced by an excess of gallic acid, quercetin, benzoic acid, curcumin acid, sinapic acid, and chlorogenic acid.

Banach spaces of continuous functions without norming Markushevich bases

AbstractWe investigate the question whether a scattered compact topological space K such that has a norming Markushevich basis (M‐basis, for short) must be Eberlein. This question originates from the recent solution, due to Hájek, Todorčević and the authors, to an open problem from the 1990s, due to Godefroy. Our prime tool consists in proving that does not embed in a Banach space with a norming M‐basis, thereby generalising a result due to Alexandrov and Plichko. Subsequently, we give sufficient conditions on a compact K for not to embed in a Banach space with a norming M‐basis. Examples of such conditions are that K is a zero‐dimensional compact space with a P‐point, or a compact tree of height at least . In particular, this allows us to answer the said question in the case when K is a tree and to obtain a rather general result for Valdivia compacta. Finally, we give some structural results for scattered compact trees; in particular, we prove that scattered trees of height less than ω2 are Valdivia.

Cancer 3D Models for Metallodrug Preclinical Testing.

Despite being standard tools in research, the application of cellular and animal models in drug development is hindered by several limitations, such as limited translational significance, animal ethics, and inter-species physiological differences. In this regard, 3D cellular models can be presented as a step forward in biomedical research, allowing for mimicking tissue complexity more accurately than traditional 2D models, while also contributing to reducing the use of animal models. In cancer research, 3D models have the potential to replicate the tumor microenvironment, which is a key modulator of cancer cell behavior and drug response. These features make cancer 3D models prime tools for the preclinical study of anti-tumoral drugs, especially considering that there is still a need to develop effective anti-cancer drugs with high selectivity, minimal toxicity, and reduced side effects. Metallodrugs, especially transition-metal-based complexes, have been extensively studied for their therapeutic potential in cancer therapy due to their distinctive properties; however, despite the benefits of 3D models, their application in metallodrug testing is currently limited. Thus, this article reviews some of the most common types of 3D models in cancer research, as well as the application of 3D models in metallodrug preclinical studies.

Challenges of Gene Editing Therapies for Genodermatoses.

Genodermatoses encompass a wide range of inherited skin diseases, many of which are monogenic. Genodermatoses range in severity and result in early-onset cancers or life-threatening damage to the skin, and there are few curative options. As such, there is a clinical need for single-intervention treatments with curative potential. Here, we discuss the nascent field of gene editing for the treatment of genodermatoses, exploring CRISPR-Cas9 and homology-directed repair, base editing, and prime editing tools for correcting pathogenic mutations. We specifically focus on the optimisation of editing efficiency, the minimisation off-targets edits, and the tools for delivery for potential future therapies. Honing each of these factors is essential for translating gene editing therapies into the clinical setting. Therefore, the aim of this review article is to raise important considerations for investigators aiming to develop gene editing approaches for genodermatoses.

Use of different seed priming tools to enhance the planting value and seed quality in barley

A laboratory experiment was conducted to study the effect of different priming tools on the seed quality parameters of two barley varieties – BHS 380 and BHS 400. One-year-old and fresh seed lots were used. The experimental design was completely randomized design with three replications. Results interpreted that hydro-priming for 6 hours and thermo-priming for 12 hours at 30° C  had significant effect on germination (%), seedling vigour (I&II), field emergence (%) and 2 mm radical emergence (mm) of both lots of two varieties in comparison to control. Pre-chilling treatment does not have any significant effect on seed quality parameters of barley seed. So to enhance the planting value and seed quality in barley hydro-priming and thermo-priming can be used.

Sonographic Association of Polyhydramnios with Adverse Perinatal Outcomes in Diabetic Mothers from 34 to 40 Weeks of Pregnancy

Objective: Polyhydramnios carries a high rate of complications during pregnancies and adverse perinatal outcomes. Obstetrical ultrasound screening is the prime tool to rule out any possible adverse outcome that might lead towards worst scenarios outcome such as growth retardation, C-section and preterm delivery. The objective of this study was to determine sonographic association of polyhydramnios with adverse perinatal outcomes in diabetic mothers from 34 to 40 weeks of pregnancy.
 Methodology: A cross sectional analytical study was carried out at the Department of Radiology in Services Hospital Lahore, Pakistan. Duration of study was from March 2017 to November 2017. Patients in 3rd trimester of pregnancy with Polyhydramnios and diabetes were chosen subsequent to fulfilling consideration (inclusion) and rejection (exclusion) criteria. A complete history and investigation were finished. All necessary examination done. Polyhydramnios confirmed by estimating amniotic fluid index. Statistical Software for Social Sciences (SPSS version 24) was used for analysis of all data. Standard and Mean Deviation (SD) remained calculated for continuous variables.
 Findings: The sample size was 101 in this study. While throughout the study period data of 89 patients was collected. Patients were between the age group of 18 to 35 years. Severity of polyhydramnios was classified as mild moderate and severe. Out of 89 babies delivered during study 66 had no complications while 4 were macrosomic, 1 infant suffered from shoulder dystocia, 1 was lager for gestational age, 3 had respiratory distress syndrome and 3 were smaller for gestational age. Hb1AC levels were higher in diabetic patients with the mean value of 6.18%. In this study, we found that polyhydramnios is associated with poor diabetic control. This research shows that polyhydramnios is associated with an increased risk of adverse perinatal outcomes, and there is a significant positive relation with maternal age, diabetes, fetal anomalies, and fetal macrosomia. Pregnant women with GDM showed higher risk of macrosomic newborns. This study demonstrates that the likelihood of an adverse perinatal outcome increases in association with polyhydramnios.

Design and Analysis of Suspension System for an ATV Using LOTUS Software

Suspension System is classified as the most important subsystem of a vehicle as its design is responsible for the dynamic performance, comfort and safety level of the vehicle. This paper focuses on designing the suspension system for an ATV and considers its impact on steering geometry. LOTUS Shark Suspension Analysis software has been used as the prime software tool for the designing and simulation process for the suspension and to study its corresponding effects on the steering geometry. The literature also includes the force calculations that are performed during suspension design. It also sheds light on calculations and design aspects of the steering subsystem as well.