Release Time Research Articles

Prevalence and Predictors of Trans Radial Approach Complications in Coronary Angiography and Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Abstract Background An increasingly popular approach for both diagnostic and interventional coronary procedures is the transradial approach (TRA). When compared to a transfemoral approach (TFA), (TRA)was found to lessen vascular complications. The most frequent and commonly silent transradial approach (TRA) complication is radial artery occlusion (RAO), which is followed by less serious vascular complications including hematoma and radial artery spasm. Aim and Objectives Evaluate the prevalence and predictors of complications of transradial approach (TRA) immediately after TR procedure and follow-up by radial artery doppler ultrasonography within 24 hours. Subjects and Methods This prospective registry observational study involved 250 patients who underwent either diagnostic coronary angiography, elective PCI, or primary PCI by TRA. It was carried out at Ain Shams University Hospitals and October 6 University Hospital. Result RAO, affected 20% of patients who underwent a TR procedure, which was the most frequent complication, followed by hematomas and spasms, each affected 8% of patients. It is noteworthy that none of the patients experienced hemorrhage, pseudoaneurysms, or AV fistula. Univariate and multivariate regression analysis revealed that, factors independently associated with TRA complications were patients in the age group (≥ 60 years old) (OR = 19.33, 95%CI: 9.09 to 41.11, P < 0.001) and female patients (OR = 2.67, 95%CI: 1.56 to 4.55, P < 0.001), and according to the periprocedural factors to be wrap closure by rolled gauze (OR = 15.17, 95%CI: 8.03 to 28.65, P < 0.001) and delayed time of compression release (OR = 2.97, 95%CI: 2.07 to 4.26, P < 0.001). Conclusion Older patients, female patients, lower BMI, longer procedure duration, more number of catheters used, wrap closure with rolled gauze, and delayed time of compression were the predictors of transradial approach (TRA) complications immediately following TR procedure and in the follow-up by radial artery Doppler ultrasonography within 24 hours. RAO, which affected 20% of patients who underwent a TR procedure, was the most frequent complication, followed by hematomas and spasms, each affected 8% of patients. It is noteworthy that none of the patients experienced hemorrhage, pseudoaneurysms, or AV fistula.

Enzyme-responsive microgel with controlled drug release, lubrication and adhesion capability for osteoarthritis attenuation

The treatment of osteoarthritis (OA) remains challenging due to the narrow therapeutic window and rapid clearance of therapeutic agents, even with intra-articular administration, resulting in a low treatment index. Recent advancements in local drug delivery systems have yet to overcome the issues of uncontrolled burst release and short retention time, leading to suboptimal OA treatment outcome. Herein, we developed a methacrylate-crosslinking hyaluronic acid (HA) microgel (abbreviated as CXB-HA-CBP) that covalently conjugates the anti-inflammatory drug celecoxib (CXB) via a metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2)-responsive peptide linker (GGPLGLAGGC) and a collagen II binding peptide (WYRGRLC). The GGPLGLAGGC linker is specifically cleaved by the overexpressed MMP-2 enzyme within the OA joint, enabling the sustained and on-demand release of CXB entity. The synergistic action of CXB and HA effectively inhibited macrophage activation and reduced the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, protecting chondrocytes from damage. Furthermore, the collagen II peptide introduced on the microgel surface enabled a cartilage-binding function to form an artificial lubrication microgel layer on the cartilage surface to reduce cartilage wear. The CXB-HA-CBP microgel showed an extended retention time of up to 18 days in the affected joint, leading to an effective OA treatment in rats. This sophistically designed microgel, characterized by the prolonged retention time, sustained drug delivery, and enhanced lubrication, presents a promising biomedicine for OA treatment. Statement of significanceA new methacrylate-crosslinking hyaluronic acid (HA) microgel, covalently conjugated with the celecoxib (CXB)-GGPLGLAGGC and the collagen II binding peptide (CBP, peptide sequence: WYRGRLC), was developed. The overexpressed MMP-2 in OA joint cleaved the GGPLGLAGGC linker to trigger the CXB moiety release. Besides, the CBP on the surface of microgels enabled a cartilage-attaching ability, resulting in a prolonged retention time and an improved lubrication property in joint. This advanced drug-loading microgel remarkably reduced macrophage activation and pro-inflammation cytokine production, while protecting the chondrocytes via a dual action of CXB and HA. This study demonstrated that the enzyme-responsive drug-loading microgel could serve as an platform to efficiently attenuate osteoarthritis.

Teaching Linked Data Principles through Virtual Wikidata Edit‐a‐thons

ABSTRACTCataloging and metadata professionals in libraries have an interest in learning about the Semantic Web and Linked Data technologies. However, with limited release time and funding for continuing education, professional development opportunities need to be designed with learner needs in mind: free, flexible, and fun. Our regional Linked Data interest group approached this challenge by developing an annual program in the form of a five‐day edit‐a‐thon, providing training and hands‐on experience in creating and editing Wikidata. The flexible format makes use of synchronous video conferencing, detailed online documentation, independent editing days for hands‐on learning, and opt‐in community discussion via Slack. Individual and project progress was tracked with the Wikimedia Event Dashboard. This poster proposes the Wikidata edit‐a‐thon as an ideal method to fulfill a professional development need of library staff by introducing participants to the principles of Linked Data through this flexible and interactive event.

Capsule polymer flooding for enhanced oil recovery

To solve the problems of shear degradation and injection difficulties in conventional polymer flooding, the capsule polymer flooding for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) was proposed. The flow and oil displacement mechanisms of this technique were analyzed using multi-scale flow experiments and simulation technology. It is found that the capsule polymer flooding has the advantages of easy injection, shear resistance, controllable release in reservoir, and low adsorption retention, and it is highly capable of long-distance migration to enable viscosity increase in deep reservoirs. The higher degree of viscosity increase by capsule polymer, the stronger the ability to suppress viscous fingering, resulting in a more uniform polymer front and a larger swept range. The release performance of capsule polymer is mainly sensitive to temperature. Higher temperatures result in faster viscosity increase by capsule polymer solution. The salinity has little impact on the rate of viscosity increase. The capsule polymer flooding is suitable for high-water-cut reservoirs for which conventional polymer flooding techniques are less effective, offshore reservoirs by polymer flooding in largely spaced wells, and medium to low permeability reservoirs where conventional polymers cannot be injected efficiently. Capsule polymer flooding should be customized specifically, with the capsule particle size and release time to be determined depending on target reservoir conditions to achieve the best displacement effect.

Bacterial Cellulose-Chitosan Composite for Prolonged-Action L-Asparaginase in Treatment of Melanoma Cells.

A significant challenge associated with the therapeutic use of L-ASP for treatment of tumors is its rapid clearance from plasma. Effectiveness of L-ASP is limited by the dose-dependent toxicity. Therefore, new approaches are being developed for L-ASP to improve its therapeutic properties. One of the approaches to improve properties of the enzymes, including L-ASP, is immobilization on various types of biocompatible polymers. Immobilization of enzymes on a carrier could improve stability of the enzyme and change duration of its enzymatic activity. Bacterial cellulose(BC) is a promising carrier for various drugs due to its biocompatibility, non-toxicity, high porosity, and high drug loading capacity. Therefore, this material has high potential for application in biomedicine. Native BC is known to have a number of disadvantages related to structural stability, which has led to consideration of the modified BC as a potential carrier for immobilization of various proteins, including L-ASP. In our study, a BC-chitosan composite in which chitosan is cross-linked with glutaraldehyde was proposed for immobilization of L-ASP. Physicochemical characteristics of the BC-chitosan films were found to be superior to those of native BC films, resulting in increase in the release time of L-ASP invitro from 8 to24h. These films exhibited prolonged toxicity (up to 10h) against the melanoma cell line. The suggested strategy for A-ASP immobilization on the BC-chitosan films could be potentially used for developing therapeutics for treatment of surface types of cancers including melanomas.

Development and Assessment of Loratadine Fast-Disintegrating Tablets via β-Cyclodextrin Complexation with Superdisintegrants

ABSTRACT: This study aimed to enhance the solubility and consequent bioavailability of Loratadine, a widely used medication for seasonal allergic rhinitis and chronic idiopathic urticaria. The approach involved complexation with β-cyclodextrin to improve solubility and the formulation of fast-disintegrating tablets via the sublimation method. Crosspovidone acted as a superdisintegrant, while camphor served as a sublimating agent. Methodology: Pre-compression parameters were assessed to ensure adequate flow properties, while post-compression parameters were evaluated against IP acceptable limits for variations in hardness, weight, wetting time, friability, drug release, and disintegration time, drug content, FTIR, and DSC. Dissolution studies were conducted in 0.1N HCL, and statistical analysis employed a central composite design for optimization. Results: Formulation B14 emerged as the optimized batch, demonstrating favourable characteristics including wetting time, in vitro drug release, drug content, and disintegration time. Analysis of stability conducted in accordance with ICH guidelines affirmed the formulations' stability. Conclusion: The developed fast-disintegrating tablet formulation of Loratadine exhibited enhanced solubility, potentially translating to improved bioavailability. These advancements suggest increase efficacy and improved patient compliance in the management of allergic rhinitis and urticaria.

A multi-step mathematical model-based predictive strategy for software release timing during testing stage

Mathematically precise modeling is important to be established to accurately examine the quantitative relationship between software testing and software reliability. Software testing process is complex since it is concerned with various factors such as test case execution, defect debugging, tester expertise, test case selection, and so forth. For this reason, it is required to be meticulous in formulating the software testing process in a manner which is mathematically concise. The software release life cycle or sequential release timeline, referring to the process related to the development, testing and distribution of a software product comprises several critical stages, and the length of this particular life cycle reveals variations depending on different factors like the type of product, the intended use of it, industry security, general standards and compliance. One consideration software engineers have is related to the release date of the software so that future commitments about the software’s release time can be formulated beforehand. In view of these aspects, a multi-step strategy for predicting software release dates is proposed in the current study along with the following stages: firstly, the proposed technique selects the utmost reliability growth model that very well fits the observed test data halfway through the testing period, and then employs it to forecast the probable date of release. This technique entails approximating the unknown parameters of suitable Software Reliability Growth Models (SRGMs). Finally, the chosen SRGM is used to forecast the release date of the software under test by fitting it to available fault data. The proposed method is straightforward and applied to test on a total of ten actual datasets collected from the literature. The results of the proposed technique reveal that in the majority of the situations, nearly exact approximation of date of release can be made halfway through the testing period. Moreover, the proposed method’s performance is also compared to that of a number of previous strategies present in the literature. The outcomes obtained by our study demonstrate that the proposed strategy may be used to forecast the release date of software in practical situations.

Assessment of Pollution of the Waters in the South Kuril Fishing Zone of Russia by Radioactive Waters from the Fukushima-1 NPP Based on Lagrangian Modeling

The study investigates the potential hazard arising from the actions taken by the Japanese government regarding the discharge of technical radioactive water from the Fukushima-1 nuclear power plant storage facilities. The contamination of the South Kuril Fishing Zone (SKFZ), which is one of the most promising fishing areas for the Russian Federation, with radioactive particles, is considered. Based on the modeling of passive markers simulating radioactive contamination, the study analyzes the pathways and mechanisms of pollution transfer into the SKFZ. The research is conducted using altimetric data on geostrophic currents for the period from August 24, 2022, to August 24, 2023. The pollution transfer into the SKFZ is determined by a set of conditions related to the current development regime of the First Kuril Meander and the local vortex system with varying characteristics, both near the discharge site and at the SKFZ border. A seasonal dependence of the speed and quantity of polluted water infiltration toward the Russian Federation’s shores is established. The possibility of rapid pollution advection into the SKFZ within 13 days has been discovered. This speed is due to the entrainment of contamination by the Kuril Meander and its further transport by the mesoscale vortex system to the SKFZ border. The study reveals periodicity in the influx of pollution into the SKFZ. Graphs depicting the distribution of the quantity of “dirty” markers over their release times and the arrival of polluted water at the SKFZ border have been created.

Smart Implantable Hydrogel for Large Segmental Bone Regeneration.

Large segmental bone defects often lead to nonunion and dysfunction, posing a significant challenge for clinicians. Inspired by the intrinsic bone defect repair logic of "vascularization and then osteogenesis", this study originally reports a smart implantable hydrogel (PDS-DC) with high mechanical properties, controllable scaffold degradation, and timing drug release that can proactively match different bone healing cycles to efficiently promote bone regeneration. The main scaffold of PDS-DC consists of polyacrylamide, polydopamine, and silk fibroin, which endows it with superior interfacial adhesion, structural toughness, and mechanical stiffness. In particular, the adjustment of scaffold cross-linking agent mixing ratio can effectively regulate the in vivo degradation rate of PDS-DC and intelligently satisfy the requirements of different bone defect healing cycles. Ultimately, PDS hydrogel loaded with free desferrioxamine (DFO) and CaCO3 mineralized ZIF-90 loaded bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) to stimulate efficient angiogenesis and osteogenesis. Notably, DFO is released rapidly by free diffusion, whereas BMP-2 is released slowly by pH-dependent layer-by-layer disintegration, resulting in a significant difference in release time, thus matching the intrinsic logic of bone defect repair. In vivo and in vitro results confirm that PDS-DC can effectively realize high-quality bone generation and intelligently regulate to adapt to different demands of bone defects.

ПОСТРОЕНИЕ МОДЕЛИ РАСЧЕТА ВРЕМЕНИ ВЫПУСКА ДОРАБОТОК ПРОГРАММНОГО ОБЕСПЕЧЕНИЯ ПОСЛЕ ВНЕДРЕНИЯ СИСТЕМЫ УПРАВЛЕНИЯ РЕЛИЗНЫМ ЦИКЛОМ

The paper proposes a mathematical model for calculating the release time of a new software release. This model allows you to evaluate the difference between the operation of a production system during the release cycle and after it. The relevance of the proposed methodology determines the need for its application to the problem of assessing the effectiveness of an information complex and an automated release process cycle. The object of the study is the information department of the bank, ensuring automation – the process of estimating the release time of software improvements. The goal of the work is to build a model for calculating the release time of software improvements after the implementation of a release cycle management system, ensuring regular, fast and stable implementation of new software versions. To achieve this goal, within the framework of the work, an architectural solution for a system that automates the release cycle process was designed; a new process of personnel interaction was modeled after the implementation of the release cycle system; a pipeline for automatic delivery of software to an industrial environment and a process for automatic packaging of software into containers have been developed; a mathematical model was built to calculate the release time of software improvements after the release cycle management system. To solve these problems, we used the Gitlab CI/CD class system, which provides the ability to automatically assemble containers and deploy them into environments, and the Deckhouse system for container orchestration.

Comparative Study of Single and Coaxial Electrospun Antimicrobial Cross-Linked Scaffolds Enriched with Aloe Vera: Characterization, Antimicrobial Activity, Drug Delivery, Cytotoxicity, and Cell Proliferation on Adipose Stem Cells and Human Skin Fibroblast.

The preparation of materials with application in the biomedical field needs to attend some characteristics such as biocompatibility, nontoxicity, adequate mechanical properties, and the ability to mimic the extracellular matrix. Scaffolds for use in cell culture were prepared based on gelatin, polylactic acid (PLA), aloe vera mucilage, and tetracycline. Fibers were prepared in single and coaxial configuration and then cross-linked with glutaraldehyde saturated vapor. The fibers were obtained with cylindric morphology and changed to ribbon morphology and porous membranes, similarly to the extracellular matrix, when cross-linked. Membranes prepared by coaxial electrospinning showed core-shell structures when observed by transversal images, which is beneficial for controlled drug release. Characterization techniques such as scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy demonstrated the cross-linking due to the increase in diameter, formation of imine groups, and improvement of thermal stability. Antibiotic release tests showed that the prevalent release mechanism is diffusion and can be controlled considering the encapsulation effect, when fibers are prepared with a coaxial configuration, increasing the drug release time, making it a suitable material for controlled release. The biological evaluation of the scaffolds was carried out in two cell lines: mammalian adipose stem cells (ASCs), used as a primary cell culture, and Detroit 548 human skin fibroblasts as a dermal cell model. Aloe vera enriched scaffolds showed better activity in contact with both cell lines, exhibiting cell viability values greater than 90% and favorable results in live-dead assays when no damaged cells were observed. Cell proliferation was evaluated using Detroit 548 human skin fibroblast on gelatin-based scaffolds by the staining of the adhered cells; the images showed good confluence and morphology of the cells on the aloe vera and antibiotic loaded membranes for both of the studied configurations. Antibiotic loaded membranes presented antimicrobial activity against S. aureus, and this behavior increased when aloe vera is included. According to the results, the scaffolds prepared on single configuration enriched with aloe vera and tetracycline could be used in dermal tissue engineering as burn dressings, diabetic foot apposite, and skin substitutes, and the scaffolds prepared with a coaxial configuration are recommended for controlled release systems of antibiotics as treatments for chronic wounds such as diabetic foot and burn healing.

Preparation of CS coated graded ordered porous ZrO2 implantable drug carrier

ZrO2 is bioceramic known for its excellent chemical stability and biocompatibility. Porous ZrO2, with its large surface area, has attracted considerable attention in the field of orthopedic implant drug delivery. However, the shortcomings of poor bioactivity and insufficient drug loading capacity in traditionally prepared porous ZrO2 limit its application. In this paper, graded ordered porous ZrO2 with interconnected open pores was prepared by colloid crystal templating, which exhibited large specific surface area and excellent slow-release properties. Then, it was surface-coated with chitosan (CS) possessing bioactivity and strong adsorption capacity. Factors affecting microscopic morphology, drug loading and slow-release properties of this composite were systematically investigated using ibuprofen (IBU) as a drug model. Results showed that graded ordered porous ZrO2 significantly enhanced drug loading capacity compared to normal ordered porous ZrO2, reaching 125.66 mg/g. Additionally, surface coating modification of the composite by CS significantly affected IBU loading capacity. By regulating process parameters such as CS concentration and coating time, high-efficiency loading of IBU was realized and drug loading capacity reached up to 194.17 mg/g. In vitro drug simulation experiments showed that CS coating effectively controlled the initial burst release of IBU and prolonged the effective release time; maximum cumulative release rate reached 93.7 %. This study provides a new idea for implantable drug sustained-release systems, which may better meet medical needs.

Microencapsulation of Extracts of Strawberry (Fragaria vesca) By-Products by Spray-Drying Using Individual and Binary/Ternary Blends of Biopolymers

Valorization of agricultural and food by-products (agri-food waste) and maximum utilization of this raw material constitute a highly relevant topic worldwide. Agri-food waste contains different types of phytochemical compounds such as polyphenols, that display a set of biological properties, including anti-inflammatory, chemo-preventive, and immune-stimulating effects. In this work, the microencapsulation of strawberry (Fragaria vesca) plant extract was made by spray-drying using individual biopolymers, as well as binary and ternary blends of pectin, alginate, and carrageenan. The microparticle morphologies depended on the formulation used, and they had an average size between 0.01 μm and 16.3 μm considering a volume size distribution. The encapsulation efficiency ranged between 81 and 100%. The kinetic models of Korsmeyer–Peppas (R2: 0.35–0.94) and Baker–Lonsdale (R2: 0.73–1.0) were fitted to the experimental release profiles. In general, the releases followed a “Fickian Diffusion” mechanism, with total release times varying between 100 and 350 (ternary blends) seconds. The microparticles containing only quercetin (one of the main polyphenols in the plant) showed higher antioxidant power compared to the extract and empty particles. Finally, the addition of the different types of microparticles to the gelatine (2.7 mPa.s) and to the aloe vera gel (640 mPa.s) provoked small changes in the viscosity of the final gelatine (2.3 and 3.3 mPa.s) and of the aloe vera gel (621–653 mPa.s). At a visual level, it is possible to conclude that in the gelatine matrix, there was a slight variation in color, while in the aloe vera gel, no changes were registered. In conclusion, these microparticles present promising characteristics for food, nutraceutical, and cosmetic applications.

Solving the yard crane scheduling problem with dynamic assignment of input/output points

This paper introduces an automatic yard crane scheduling problem with additional assignments of input/output (I/O) points at the block. I/O points are the buffer between the block and the rest of the terminal and containers are relocated from the block to the I/O points or vice-versa. The crane schedule therefore not only considers movements, storage and retrieval of containers, but must also be coordinated with the release and due times of containers at the I/O points, which are also limited and need to be assigned during the scheduling process. This results in a complex, but at the same time, more realistic problem. Two GRASP (Greedy Randomized Adaptive Search Procedure) heuristic approaches are proposed along with improvements to the solution construction and local search phases that are specifically tailored for this problem. The proposed algorithms are statistically calibrated and comprehensive experiments are designed to assess the performance of the method, including validation across small, medium, and large size instances. The experimental results show that the proposed methods are effective and competitive when compared to existing approaches. The GRASP manages to obtain an optimality average rate of 71.25% for small instances and finds 461 new best solutions in the 480 medium and large instances, with up to 200 containers, when compared to existing approaches for this problem.

Impacts of climate change on the transcriptional dynamics and timing of bud dormancy release in Yoshino‐cherry tree

Societal Impact StatementThe iconic Yoshino cherry tree in Japan is experiencing shifts in its blossom timing due to climate warming. To develop a genetically informed predictive model for bud dormancy release, we examined seasonal gene expression in Yoshino cherry trees at three different locations. Our experiments, coupled with the analysis of DORMANCY‐ASSOCIATED MADS‐box (DAM) genes, highlighted DAM4 as the most reliable indicator for the rate of bud dormancy release. Our study demonstrated that seasonal gene expression profiles serve as a valuable indicator for forecasting the timing of dormancy release, benefiting Japanese traditions and providing insights into the biological impacts of climate change.Summary The Yoshino cherry tree Cerasus × yedoensis ‘Somei‐yoshino’ stands out as an iconic springtime symbol in Japan. For the Yoshino cherry trees to bloom in the spring, dormant buds must undergo a period of exposure to low temperatures, allowing them to break dormancy. Key genes related to dormancy release, known as DORMANCY‐ASSOCIATED MADS‐box (DAM), have been extensively studied. However, it remains unclear how these genes function in natural environments to regulate the timing of bud dormancy release. To develop a genetically informed predictive model for bud dormancy release, we explored seasonal changes in genome‐wide gene expression profiles in the Yoshino cherry trees at three distinct sites in Japan. Five distinct genome‐wide transcription profiles, subjectively named as modes—early summer, summer, autumn, winter, and spring—were identified, with the winter and spring modes observed when the daily mean temperature was below approximately 10°C. Our experiments of bud dormancy release, along with the assessment of expression profiles of DAM genes, have revealed that among the six DAM genes, DAM4 expression profile is the most indicative of the rate of bud dormancy break. Our estimates suggest that, on average, the tree needs to be exposed to temperatures below 10.1°C for 61.1 days to suppress DAM4 expression to the threshold required for bud dormancy release. Our projections for the timing of bud dormancy release indicated a delay of approximately 2.3 days per decade from 1990 to 2020. Our study demonstrated that gene expression serves as a valuable indicator for forecasting the timing of dormancy release.

Source term estimation using noble gas and aerosol samples

Algorithms that estimate the location, time, and magnitude of a point-source atmospheric release using remotely sampled air concentrations typically use data for a single chemical or radioactive isotope. A Bayesian algorithm is presented that uses data from multiple radioactive isotopes that are all released in the same short-duration event. Data from noble gas and aerosol samplers can be used simultaneously in the model. Application to a large synthetic data set using four isotopes shows the new algorithm generally gives more accurate location and time estimates than a comparable model using a single isotope.

Effects of Encarsia formosa (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) parasitism on the feeding preference and performance of the whitefly predator Serangium japonicum (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)

The relationship among the whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), its predator Serangium japonicum (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), and its parasitoid Encarsia formosa (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) can be defined as intraguild predation (IGP). IGP represents an interaction that combines elements of both predation and competition between two species. In our previous study, predators (S. japonicum) often indirectly reduce the number of parasitoids (E. formosa) by consuming shared food resources, such as B. tabaci. To suppress whitefly outbreaks, a combination of parasitoids and predators is often released together using a mixed-species approach. However, the impact of the parasitic behavior of parasitoids on the feeding behavior of specific predators, such as S. japonicum, has not yet been well-studied. We conducted a laboratory study to examine how the parasitoid E. formosa affects the predation rates and performance of S. japonicum. Results indicate that S. japonicum shows a preference for non-parasitized whiteflies over parasitized ones, regardless of the availability of choices. Furthermore, we found a correlation between the preference for non-parasitized whiteflies and the duration of parasitization. As the developmental days of the parasitoid mummies increased, the food intake of the predatory group decreased significantly. Additionally, as the parasitoid mummy develops, S. japonicum spends more time exploring and probing the mummy before deciding whether to consume it. In summary, our study suggests that S. japonicum exhibits a significant preference for consuming non-parasitized whiteflies. Therefore, it is important to coordinate the release timing of S. japonicum and E. formosa in the biological control of B. tabaci.

Mass Production of Multishell Hollow SiO2 Spheres With Adjustable Void Ratios and Pore Structures.

SiO2 multishell hollow spheres (MHSs) as supports have multiple porous layers and internal voids, which present notable advantages in regulating mass transport and chemical reactions. However, practical applications of SiO2 MHSs are severely hindered because of their high costs and low production efficiency issues. Herein, it is overcome these obstacles by developing a precursor hydrolysis method and demonstrate a cost-effective production of void-ratio tunable SiO2 MHSs on a large scale, which has a much lower cavitation temperature (25°C) and one order of magnitude decrease in cost. In addition, the new method can also be applied to fabricate TiO2 and SnO2 hollow spheres (HSs). In particular, an NH4Cl precipitation-pyrolysis strategy is developed to tune the pore diameters and pore distributions of SiO2 MHSs with different void ratios. SiO2 MHSs with varying void ratios and pore distributions have the broadest controlling release time ranges (30-430h). The precursor hydrolysis method and NH4Cl precipitation-pyrolysis strategy offer adequate stimulus to push forward SiO2 MHSs from laboratory-scale to industry-scale applications.

Modeling the impact of noise and uncertain operational environment on software release decisions considering testing coverage-based SRGM

The operational environment of software differs from the debugging environment. Therefore, the study explores the impact of irregular consumption by diverse users on the development cost of software, reliability of software, and release decisions. To accomplish this, a release model has been formulated considering logistic testing coverage-based reliability growth model built as a stochastic process including the error generation. The stochastic nature has been captured by considering the noise factor due to irregular fluctuations occurring during testing while usage uncertainty has been captured by introducing a constant parameter in the cost function of the operational phase. It is assumed that the testing phase cost is affected by the noise and the operation phase cost is affected by the severity of noise which is the result of uncertain usage by users. The model was evaluated against a real failure dataset. The release model creates a trade-off between software development cost, release timing, and reliability aspirations. This study contributes to software reliability literature and provides insights to practitioners to make software release decisions. The sensitivity analysis results give information about various aspects during the operational phase that affect the overall development cost.

Prior coordination solutions shape motor learning and transfer in redundant tasks

Motor learning does not occur on a ‘blank slate’, but in the context of prior coordination solutions. The role of prior coordination solutions is likely critical in redundant tasks where there are multiple solutions to achieve the task goal – yet their influence on subsequent learning is currently not well understood. Here we addressed this issue by having human participants learn a redundant virtual shuffleboard task, where they held a bimanual manipulandum and made a discrete throwing motion to slide a virtual puck towards a target. The task was redundant because the distance traveled by the puck was determined by the sum of the left- and right-hand speeds at the time of release. On the first day, 37 participants in different groups practiced symmetric or asymmetric solutions. On the second day, all participants transferred to a common criterion task, which required an asymmetric solution. Results showed that: (i) the symmetry of the practiced solution affected motor variability during practice, with more asymmetric solutions showing higher exploration of the null space, (ii) when transferring to the common criterion task, participants in the symmetric group showed much higher null space exploration, and (iii) when no constraints were placed on the solution, participants tended to return to the symmetric solution regardless of the solution originally practiced. Overall, these results suggest that the stability of prior coordination solutions plays an important role in shaping learning in redundant motor tasks.