The NEG elements in clause structures

This article deals with the syntax of sentential negative elements in a number of languages. We start by investigating three kinds of sentential negative elements in Arabic. We argue that these elements occupy different positions in the hierarchic order of clause structure. Negative elements occur in positions higher than TNS, or between TNS and AG Rs, or project internal to the Predicate Phrase. Analysis of Arabic negative clauses reveals that although NEG elements project as phrasal heads, they are closely associated with TNS and AGRs. We propose a hypothesis of Adjunction movement to TNS/ NEG motivated by morphological requirement of the elements involved. Movements, which should apply before Spell-out, are necessary for Checking theory. The same procedure has been applied to negative clauses in English, French, Italian, etc. We claim that sentential NEG elements share in their essence certain simple properties at least in the languages investigated here

Évolution temporelle de l’envasement des retenues de barrages de Tunisie

La mobilisation et l’exploitation des eaux de surface sont des pratiques anciennes en Tunisie. Les aménagements réalisés au cours du siècle dernier sont exposés à un alluvionnement plus ou moins accéléré. La capacité de stockage des retenues des barrages est sujette à une réduction progressive au cours du temps. Cette perte de capacité, parfois élevée, dépasse les prévisions de l’alluvionnement de la retenue. La quantification des sédiments piégés se base soit sur les bilans de matière solide à l’échelle d’une retenue, soit sur des levés bathymétriques ou topographiques. Les Modèles Numériques de Terrain (MNT) des retenues sont de plus en plus utilisés. Les différentes évaluations sont entachées d’une incertitude. Les retenues des barrages tunisiens perdent annuellement 0,5 % à 1 % de leur capacité par alluvionnement. L’analyse des résultats de mesures montre que l’alluvionnement est lié à l’hydrologie du cours d’eau, à la gestion de la réserve d’eau et aux manoeuvres de dévasement. La comparaison entre les résultats de mesures de l’alluvionnement et les prévisions des projets met en évidence des différences parfois relativement importantes qui sont dues au régime hydrologique des cours d’eau. En effet, une crue exceptionnelle peut provoquer un alluvionnement nettement supérieur à la moyenne annuelle en régime hydrologique normal. Les retenues méandriformes sont comblées rapidement alors que les retenues linéaires offrent la possibilité de soutirage de quantités importantes de sédiments. Les moyennes annuelles des pertes de capacité des barrages en exploitation et des barrages projetés jusqu’à 2010 permettent de quantifier les volumes des sédiments piégés à 500 Mm3. En 2030, la perte de capacité de stockage des barrages en exploitation pourrait atteindre 43 % de leur capacité initiale. Les aménagements amont et les travaux de conservation des eaux et des sols permettent de réduire le taux d’alluvionnement et de prolonger la durée de vie des grands réservoirs.The mobilization and exploitation of surface water are ancient practices in Tunisia. Installations carried out during last century are exposed to a greater or lesser degree of accelerated silting. The storage capacity of reservoirs is progressively reduced over the course of time. This sometimes accelerated loss of capacity of reserves by silting exceeds the forecasts of hydraulic installation projects. The quantification of trapped sediments is based on the assessment of a reservoir’s retained solid matter, either by bathymetric or topographic rising or by Digital Models of Grounds (DMG) corresponding to different dates. These various evaluations of the sediments trapped in reservoirs are, however, sullied with uncertainty. Tunisian reservoirs lose 0.5% to 1% of their storage capacity to silting annually. The analysis of the results presented in this study shows that silting is related to three factors: river hydrology, water reserve management and dredging operations. The comparison between the silting results and the project forecasts highlights relatively significant differences which may be due to river hydrology. Indeed a significant rising in water level can cause an increase in silting above the annual average found during normal hydrological modes. While meandering reservoirs are quickly filled with sediment, linear reservoirs can undergo dredging to remove a significant quantity of sediment. The annual averages in storage capacity losses of the dam under exploitation and its projections up to the year 2010 enable us to quantify the volumes of the sediment trapped as 500 Mm3. In 2030, the loss of storage capacity of the studied reservoirs may reach 43% of their initial storage capacities. Installations upstream and soil and water conservation efforts may reduce the rate of silting and prolong the lifespan of large dams

Acute pancreatitis at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi: a two year audit

BACKGROUND: Acute pancreatitis ranges in severity from a mild, self-limiting to a fulminant disease with systemic decompensation. The treatment of the severe form of the disease may be difficult with mortality rates of up to 30%. There are published, evidence-based guidelines for optimizing outcome of the disease (1,2). We performed this audit to determine whether our clinical practice conformed to these guidelines. AIM: To audit the management of patients admitted with acute pancreatitis at the Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH) and compare the current practice with accepted international guidelines (1,2) with respect to diagnostic modalities, severity stratification, critical care unit (CCU) management for severe disease, timing of treatment intervention strategies and mortality. DESIGN: Retrospective audit of hospital records. METHODS: The medical records of all patients admitted to the AKUH with a diagnosis of acute pancreatitis from 1st January 2005 to 31st January 2007 were reviewed. RESULTS: Thirty five patients were admitted with a confirmed diagnosis of acute pancreatitis in the two year period. Twenty six patients were males (74%). The median age was 46 years (range 29-82 years). The aetiology of the acute pancreatitis was alcohol in 51%, gallstones in 11%, other causes in 9% and idiopathic in 29% of patients. The median length of hospital stay was 11 days (range 1–38). The diagnosis of acute pancreatitis was confirmed by amylase and lipase assays or with CT scan evidence of pancreatitis. Only three patients (8%) had formal severity stratification (Ranson’s score). Eight patients (23%) had severe disease as defined by pancreatic necrosis and need for critical care. Twenty seven patients with mild disease also underwent abdominal CT scans and only 54% of all patients had an initial ultrasound to exclude gallstones. The timing of these investigations was arbitrary. Ten patients with mild disease received unnecessary prophylactic antibiotics including metronidazole, cefuroxime, and tazobactam/piperacillin for a median period of 7 days. In severe disease where antibiotic use is possibly justifiable, a carbapenem based antibiotic was prescribed for four patients. Nasojejunal feeding was instituted early in six patients with severe disease and parenteral nutrition was also used exclusively in one patient. The overall mortality was 2.9% with the only death occurring in the severe subgroup thereby making the mortality rate in those patients with severe acute pancreatitis in this audit 12.5%. CONCLUSIONS: The current management of acute pancreatitis at AKUH is physician dependant and not in conformity with the established and recommended guidelines. The CT scans were over-prescribed, their timing inappropriate and efforts to exclude the cause of pancreatitis moderate. The mortality rate is acceptable by international standards despite uniform application of diagnostic and risk stratification tools

Experimental and quantum chemical calculations on corrosion inhibition of mild steel by two furan derivatives

Two furan derivatives namely 5-methylfurfurylamine (MFA) and furfurylamine (FAM) were investigated as corrosion inhibitors for mild steel in 1 M HCl. The corrosion inhibition efficiencies (IE) were measured at 0.005M of the inhibitors using electrochemical potentiodynamic polarization measurements. The studied furan derivatives inhibit mild steel corrosion in acidic medium. The MFA shows higher inhibition efficiency of 84.77% compared to FAM of 41.75%. Quantum chemical calculations were performed at the B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) level of density functional theory (DFT). Several quantum parameters were calculated to study the correlation between the molecular structures and the corrosion inhibition performance of the inhibitors. The MFA inhibitor shows higher HOMO energy, softness (S), fraction of electrons transferred (ΔN), and lower energy gap (ΔE) compared to the FAM. This result indicates a better corrosion inhibition performance of the MFA inhibitor. The results show that the calculated values of the quantum parameters using DFT calculations are consistent with the experimental findings

Antecedents and consequences of intellectual capital: a systematic review, integrated framework, and agenda for future research

Data availability: Data available on request from the authors.JEL Classifcation: M40 · G34.This study systematically reviews the fragmented field of Intellectual Capital (IC) to clarify its antecedents and outcomes. Using a hybrid method that combines bibliometric analysis and a framework-based approach, it examines 170 peer-reviewed articles, focusing on key articles, authors, countries, journals, and themes in IC research. The study introduces a comprehensive framework, summarizing the core elements of IC and providing a foundation for future theoretical, empirical, and conceptual research. Six main clusters were identified through co-citation analysis: three related to IC antecedents, particularly board gender diversity, and three concerning IC consequences, notably firm performance. This research maps out existing gaps in the literature and suggests integrated pathways for advancing IC knowledge. It contributes significantly to IC studies by synthesizing a vast array of literature into an integrated framework, offering new insights that both challenge and complement existing narratives. This framework not only elucidates IC's foundational aspects but also sets a strategic direction for future investigations. The findings underscore the evolving nature of IC research and highlight crucial antecedents and consequences. The study bridges academic research with practical applications, emphasizing IC's role in boosting firm competitiveness and value creation. While recognizing its methodological limitations, the study calls for a diversified perspective in future IC research, aiming to deepen the understanding of IC.Not applicable

Neutrosophic Adaptive LSB and Deep Learning Hybrid Framework for ECG Signal Classification

This paper proposes a novel hybrid framework for ECG signal classification and privacy preservation. The framework includes two phases: the first phase uses LSTM+CNN with attention gate for ECG classification, while the second phase utilizes adaptive least signal bit with neutrosophic for hiding important data during transmission. The proposed framework converts data into three sets of degrees (true, false, and intermediate) using neutrosophic and passes them to an embedding layer. In the sender part, the framework hides important data in ECG signal as true and false degrees, using the intermediate set as a shared dynamic key between sender and receiver. The receiver can reconstruct the important data using the shared dynamic key or the intermediate set. The proposed framework is more robust against attacks compared to other methods