Diffuse Coplanar Surface Barrier Discharge in Nitrogen: Microdischarges Statistical Behavior

We studied statistical behavior of microdischarges of diffuse coplanar surface barrier discharge (DCSBD) operated in nitrogen atmosphere at two input voltage regimes. We measured spectrally unresolved discharge patterns together with discharge electrical parameters using highspeed iCCD camera and digital storage oscilloscope. External synchronization enabled us to measure the discharge pattern during positive and/or negative half-period of input high voltage in the single-shotmode of operation. The comparison of microdischarges behavior during positive, negative and both half periods of input high voltage was performed for two levels of input voltage, i.e. voltage slightly above ignition voltage and high above ignition voltage (“overvoltage”). The number of microchannels crossing discharge gap was counted and compared with number of microdischarge current peaks observed during corresponding half-period of input high voltage. The relations of those incidences was shown and discussed

Codon Size Reduction as the Origin of the Triplet Genetic Code

The genetic code appears to be optimized in its robustness to missense errors and frameshift errors. In addition, the genetic code is near-optimal in terms of its ability to carry information in addition to the sequences of encoded proteins. As evolution has no foresight, optimality of the modern genetic code suggests that it evolved from less optimal code variants. The length of codons in the genetic code is also optimal, as three is the minimal nucleotide combination that can encode the twenty standard amino acids. The apparent impossibility of transitions between codon sizes in a discontinuous manner during evolution has resulted in an unbending view that the genetic code was always triplet. Yet, recent experimental evidence on quadruplet decoding, as well as the discovery of organisms with ambiguous and dual decoding, suggest that the possibility of the evolution of triplet decoding from living systems with non-triplet decoding merits reconsideration and further exploration. To explore this possibility we designed a mathematical model of the evolution of primitive digital coding systems which can decode nucleotide sequences into protein sequences. These coding systems can evolve their nucleotide sequences via genetic events of Darwinian evolution, such as point-mutations. The replication rates of such coding systems depend on the accuracy of the generated protein sequences. Computer simulations based on our model show that decoding systems with codons of length greater than three spontaneously evolve into predominantly triplet decoding systems. Our findings suggest a plausible scenario for the evolution of the triplet genetic code in a continuous manner. This scenario suggests an explanation of how protein synthesis could be accomplished by means of long RNA-RNA interactions prior to the emergence of the complex decoding machinery, such as the ribosome, that is required for stabilization and discrimination of otherwise weak triplet codon-anticodon interactions

Omecamtiv mecarbil in chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, GALACTIC‐HF: baseline characteristics and comparison with contemporary clinical trials

Aims: The safety and efficacy of the novel selective cardiac myosin activator, omecamtiv mecarbil, in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) is tested in the Global Approach to Lowering Adverse Cardiac outcomes Through Improving Contractility in Heart Failure (GALACTIC‐HF) trial. Here we describe the baseline characteristics of participants in GALACTIC‐HF and how these compare with other contemporary trials. Methods and Results: Adults with established HFrEF, New York Heart Association functional class (NYHA) ≥ II, EF ≤35%, elevated natriuretic peptides and either current hospitalization for HF or history of hospitalization/ emergency department visit for HF within a year were randomized to either placebo or omecamtiv mecarbil (pharmacokinetic‐guided dosing: 25, 37.5 or 50 mg bid). 8256 patients [male (79%), non‐white (22%), mean age 65 years] were enrolled with a mean EF 27%, ischemic etiology in 54%, NYHA II 53% and III/IV 47%, and median NT‐proBNP 1971 pg/mL. HF therapies at baseline were among the most effectively employed in contemporary HF trials. GALACTIC‐HF randomized patients representative of recent HF registries and trials with substantial numbers of patients also having characteristics understudied in previous trials including more from North America (n = 1386), enrolled as inpatients (n = 2084), systolic blood pressure < 100 mmHg (n = 1127), estimated glomerular filtration rate < 30 mL/min/1.73 m2 (n = 528), and treated with sacubitril‐valsartan at baseline (n = 1594). Conclusions: GALACTIC‐HF enrolled a well‐treated, high‐risk population from both inpatient and outpatient settings, which will provide a definitive evaluation of the efficacy and safety of this novel therapy, as well as informing its potential future implementation

Diffuse Coplanar Surface Barrier Discharge in Nitrogen: Microdischarges Statistical Behavior

We studied statistical behavior of microdischarges of diffuse coplanar surface barrier discharge (DCSBD) operated in nitrogen atmosphere at two input voltage regimes. We measured spectrally unresolved discharge patterns together with discharge electrical parameters using highspeed iCCD camera and digital storage oscilloscope. External synchronization enabled us to measure the discharge pattern during positive and/or negative half-period of input high voltage in the single-shotmode of operation. The comparison of microdischarges behavior during positive, negative and both half periods of input high voltage was performed for two levels of input voltage, i.e. voltage slightly above ignition voltage and high above ignition voltage (“overvoltage”). The number of microchannels crossing discharge gap was counted and compared with number of microdischarge current peaks observed during corresponding half-period of input high voltage. The relations of those incidences was shown and discussed

Overweight and obesity in Slovak high school students and body composition indicators: a non-randomized cross-sectional study

Abstract Background Physical development can be considered as an indicator of the overall health status of the youth population. Currently, it appears that the increasing trend of the prevalence of obesity among children and youths has stopped in a number of countries worldwide. Studies point to the fact that adolescence is a critical period for the development of obesity. Body mass index (BMI) seems to be an orientation parameter in the assessment of prevalence of obesity which is not sufficient for more accurate identification of at risk individuals. The purpose of this study was to evaluate association between BMI percentile zones as health-risk for being overweight and obese and body composition indicators in high-school students from the Prešov (Slovakia) region. Methods A non-randomized cross-sectional study in high school students from the Prešov (Slovakia) region was conducted. The research sample consisted of 1014 participants (boys n = 466, girls n = 549). Body composition was measured using direct segmental multi-frequency bioelectrical impedance analysis (DSM-BIA). To examine the association between obesity and selected body composition indicators, Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA and Eta2 were used. The relationship between selected body composition indicators and percentile BMI zones was determined using the Kendall tau correlation. Results In groups with different BMI percentile zones (normal weight, overweight, obese), ANOVA showed significant differences for girls and boys (p ˂.05) with high effect size (η2 ˂.26) in body weight, body fat mass index, body fat percentage, fat free mass index, fat-free mass percentage, visceral fat area, waist-to-hip ratio, waist circumference, protein mass and mineral mass. The highest degree of correlation among boys was between BMI values indicating overweight and obesity and fat free mass index and waist circumference, respectively (τ = .71, τ = .70, respectively). In girls, the highest correlation was found between classification of BMI percentile zones and waist circumference (t = .78). Conclusion The characteristics of body composition are very useful determinants of health and nutrition status. Our data revealed a direct association between BMI value and chosen body composition indicators. The most accurate indicator of overweight and obesity in our study appears to be waist circumference for both male and female population

Comparative Study of the Properties of High Voltage Spinel Cathode Material Depending on the Method of Synthesis

The most widely used cathode materials for lithium-ion accumulators nowadays are based on LiCoO2, LiFePO4 or LiMnO4. These materials are supposed to be replaced by battery systems with new generation of cathode materials such as sulphur-based or high-voltage cathode materials in the future. This article is focused on the study of electrochemical properties of high voltage cathode material LiCr0.1Ni0.4Mn1.5O4 depending on the process of synthesis. The samples were prepared by solid state reaction method with the temperature as an independent variable where electrochemical charge/discharge capacity retention was observed during cycling and also during cycling at different C rate. The structure and thermal stability of the particles of the synthesized materials was also studied by SEM and TGA.Fil: Kazda, Tómas. Brno University of Technology; República ChecaFil: Cech, Ondrej. Brno University of Technology; República ChecaFil: Vondrák, Jiri. Brno University of Technology; República ChecaFil: Straková Fedorková, Andrea. Brno University of Technology; República ChecaFil: Visintin, Arnaldo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico la Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de la Plata; ArgentinaFil: Cudek, Pavel. Brno University of Technology; República ChecaFil: Kaspárek, Vít. Brno University of Technology. CEITEC; República Chec

Review of Tools for Semantics Extraction: Application in Tsunami Research Domain

Immense numbers of textual documents are available in a digital form. Research activities are focused on methods of how to speed up their processing to avoid information overloading or to provide formal structures for the problem solving or decision making of intelligent agents. Ontology learning is one of the directions which contributes to all of these activities. The main aim of the ontology learning is to semi-automatically, or fully automatically, extract ontologies-formal structures able to express information or knowledge. The primary motivation behind this paper is to facilitate the processing of a large collection of papers focused on disaster management, especially on tsunami research, using the ontology learning. Various tools of ontology learning are mentioned in the literature at present. The main aim of the paper is to uncover these tools, i.e., to find out which of these tools can be practically used for ontology learning in the tsunami application domain. Specific criteria are predefined for their evaluation, with respect to the “Ontology learning layer cake”, which introduces the fundamental phases of ontology learning. ScienceDirect and Web of Science scientific databases are explored, and various solutions for semantics extraction are manually “mined” from the journal articles. ProgrammableWeb site is used for exploration of the tools, frameworks, or APIs applied for the same purpose. Statistics answer the question of which tools are mostly mentioned in these journal articles and on the website. These tools are then investigated more thoroughly, and conclusions about their usage are made with respect to the tsunami domain, for which the tools are tested. Results are not satisfactory because only a limited number of tools can be practically used for ontology learning at present