Virtual Net Propagator: A cloud-based computational tool for systemic decision propagation analysis

Today's organizations are witnessing a growing complexity in making interconnected decisions. Where individuals have a wider range of decisions to influence, the consequence of decisions far more propagate across the system, and the business environment continually influences the status of the system. Predicting the cascading effects of decisions in such situations would be very problematic yet can have several implications for managers and executives to think beyond organizational silos and make local decision with a bigger picture of emergent consequences in mind. A prominent challenge within this realm is the ever-increasing complexity of decision propagations, especially when incorporating the role and influence of people involved in decision-making. This paper tackles this challenge from an engineering change perspective, with the focus on computing the compound risk of decisions when their consequences concurrently propagate across the system. We introduce an interactive tool called Virtual Net Propagator, which incorporates organizational dynamics into decision analysis, with the aim to identify change opportunities and effective set of interventions. Illustrated by a field engineering case study, it is demonstrated that the proposed tool can provide detailed knowledge on how decisions are interconnected and how systemic (cascading) effects of a decision propagate through causal pathways, so highlighting key influencers along with role and influence of interfacing (hidden) players

Cryoprotectants and their changes in cabbage aphid, Brevicoryne brassicae (Hem.: Aphididae)

Cabbage aphid, Brevicoryne brassicae (L.), is an important pest of cabbage, especially ornamental cabbages, due to its voracity and population build-up on these plants in wintertime. The cryoprotectants of B. brassicae and their changes were investigated during the cold seasons. Adult aphids were collected monthly on ornamental cabbages from October 2008 through May 2009. The amount of sugars and polyols were measured by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and the amount of glycogen was spectrophotometrically determined. The identified compounds were as follows: glucose, mannitol, myo-inositol and trehalose. Mannitol, myo-inositol and trehalose were significantly correlated with average temperature. The total amount of these compounds increased from the lowest amount (11.90 ± 3.07 µmol/g f.w.) in October to its highest (55.8 ± 8.83 µmol/g f.w.) in the coldest month, January. There appears that these three compounds, especially mannitol, play important roles in enhancing cold tolerance of B. brassicae during cold seasons. The amount of glycogen showed no significant differences during those months and varied from 4.8 ± 0.58 mg/g f.w. in October to 3.3 ± 0.98 mg/g f.w. in December. There was no significant correlation between glycogen and the cryoprotectants

Proton-Coupled Electron-Transfer Mechanism for the Radical Scavenging Activity of Cardiovascular Drug Dipyridamole

Dipyridamole (DIP) is a well-known pharmaceutical drug used as a coronary vasodilator and anti-platelet agent in clinics for treating several cardiovascular diseases. Primarily, the therapeutic effects of the drug are attributed to its antioxidant potency. In this research, we aim to declare the unknown antioxidant mechanism of DIP as well as its potent chain-breaking antioxidant activity in polar aqueous medium inside the cells, using different experimental methods and theoretical quantum calculations. Data demonstrated the higher antioxidant capacity of DIP against ROS and free radicals in polar cell's interior. DIP is capable of generating long living and noninvasive DIP• radicals in oxidant condition that leads to an effective “chain-breaking antioxidant” activity. Quantum computational data indicated that DIP antioxidant has more favorable ionization potential than trolox which means DIP has higher antioxidant activity. Also, data showed that the direct hydrogen-transfer is not a favorable process to construct DIP• because of high barrier energy, though electron-transfer process can more easily to produce DIP•+ with the lowest barrier energy. Altogether, the electron donating potency of DIP to reduce ferric ion, having the low anodic oxidation peak potential, producing long lived stable DIP• radicals and protecting myoblast cells from oxidation, proposed the excellent “chain-breaking antioxidant” potency via electron-transfer mechanism of this vasodilator DIP drug in polar aqueous medium

The Effect of Self-Control Skills Training with follow-up Through Virtual Group on reducing problematic mobile phone use

Background and Objectives:  Self-control has been conceptualized in a number of ways but generally refers to the active regulation of one’s thoughts, feelings, and behavior. Theoretical and empirical work indicates that the ability to effective self-control has important and wide-ranging implications such as enacting positive behaviors that are conducive to longer-term goal attainment and inhibiting negative behaviors that undermine longer-term goal attainment. The study aimed to determine the effectiveness of self-control skills training on reducing problematic mobile phone use among male students of Farhangian University. Methods:The method of the study was quasi-experimental with pre-test and post-test design. The population of the study consisted of all female students of Farhangian University of Sistan and Baluchestan province. The sample consisted of 60 individuals (30 in experimental group and 30 in control group) who had problematic mobile phone use and volunteered to participate in the experiment. The data gathering instrument was Genaro et al. scale of Cell-Phone Over-Use Scale (COS). This scale has no components. It has 21 questions on a 6-point Likert scale (never to forever). The sum of the scores of 21 questions determines the overall score of problematic mobile phone use. To implement the experimental design, first the Cell-Phone Over-Use Scale was implemented and after identifying the students who used Cell-Phone Over-Use, they participated in self-control skills training workshops. Findings: The results of the study showed that training self-control strategies on the problematic mobile phone use has a negative and significant effect on male students of Farhangian University of Zahedan. Also, there is a significant difference between the pre-test and the post-test for problematic mobile phone use in the follow-up group via the virtual network and the non-follow-up group via virtual network. Conclusion: It can be concluded that the training of self-control strategies and follow-up through the virtual group for students at the University of Farhangian will help to reduce problematic mobile phone use and move towards the general use of mobile phone. The results also showed that pursuing self-control skills training through virtual networks makes the effects of these trainings affect the behavior of mobile phone use for a longer period of time. Due to the fact that Cell-Phone Over-Use can affect the educational and learning activities of university students, it is recommended to university officials, educational and research planners to teach self-control skills and follow this Consider consecutive instruction in short-term university curricula.One of the most important limitations of this study was the tendency of students to pretend at the initial diagnosis through a questionnaire that they do not Cell-Phone Over-Use. The results of this research are useful and practical for university research and educational experts, university professors and students and all university educational planners.    ===================================================================================== COPYRIGHTS  ©2020 The author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, as long as the original authors and source are cited. No permission is required from the authors or the publishers.  ====================================================================================

The Evaluation of Growth, Yield and Physiological Responses of African Horned Cucumber (Cucumis metuliferus L.) to Deficit Irrigation

Introduction Water stress is the most prominent abiotic stress limiting agricultural crop growth and productivity. Deficit irrigation stress as a consequence of the progressive decrease in water availability has been a hot topic regarding food security during the last two decades. Growth and development of plants is influenced by reduction in turgor that results in decreased nutrient acquisition from dry soil. When water supply is limited, plant growth and yield is reduced and plant structure is modified by decreasing in leaf size. The effect of deficit irrigation on fruit yield and quality has been reported by numerous researchers with different results. In melon, deficit irrigation reduced marketable fruit number and yield, average fruit weight, fruit diameter and did not affect rind thickness and seed cavity, but increased total soluble solids content. Although the effects of water stress have been studied on growth and yield of different crops during the last years, recent information on the response of African horned cucumber yield and quality to deficit irrigation remains limited, particularly about the results of restricted water distributions in arid and sub-arid environments. The main goal of this study was to evaluate the effect of controlled deficit irrigation on growth, physiological parameters and yield and fruit quality of African horned cucumber.   Material and Methods Field experiment was performed based on a completely randomized block design with three irrigation regimes (60, 80 and 100 %ETc), whit three replications at Research Farm of University of Zanjan during the 2019. The African horned cucumber seeds were sown on 1th July 2020 at recommended spacing of 50 cm in row with 120 cm between rows. The irrigation system consisted of one drip line every crop row. The three irrigation levels were calculated based on actual evapotranspiration (ETc): (1) control, irrigated 100% crop water requirement, (2) deficit irrigation 80% ETc and (3) deficit irrigation 60% ETc. The Water requirement of the plant for control treatment was estimated using long-term average daily data of meteorological parameters recorded at Zanjan Meteorological Station and following relation. Before starting the differential irrigation at five-leaf stage, all treatments were supplied with similar amount of water to maximize stands and uniform crop establishment. During plant growth, the relative water content, proline content, electrolyte leakage, chlorophyll and carotenoids, P and K contents were measured. After fruit harvest, vine length of each plant, leaf dry weight and stem diameter were measured. The fruits were harvested when color changed from green to yellow. Fruit weight, fruit number per plant and fruit yield per plant was measured. Immediately after harvest, fruit firmness, total soluble solid, total phenols content, antioxidant capacity and vitamin C were determined.     Results and Discussion As the results showed water deficit stress significantly reduced plant length, chlorophyll content, and increased carotenoids content. Based on the findings, deficit irrigation caused a significant reduction in leaf relative water content. According to the results, phosphorus and potassium contents in African horned cucumber leaves decreased with deficit irrigation treatments. The highest P and K contents were found under irrigation 100 %ETc treatment. Drought stress and associated reduction in soil moisture can decrease plant nutrient uptake by reducing nutrient supply through mineralization. The proline content increased with the deficit irrigation treatments; in particular with sever deficit irrigation (60 %ETc). Mean comparisons of data showed that deficit irrigation led to a significant increase in electrolyte leakage compared to control. Water deficit stress caused significant reductions in yield. The highest fruit number per plant and yield were obtained under irrigation 100% ETc. The average fruit weigh significantly increased in response to increase water deficit stress. Deficit irrigation treatments significantly decreased vitamin C and fruit firmness. Significant differences among irrigation treatments were observed for total phenols and total soluble solid contents. The phenols and total soluble solid contents increased with the decrease of irrigation water applied. Antioxidant capacity was affected significantly by the irrigation treatments, and water deficit stress increased antioxidant capacity, which no significant difference was observed between irrigation 100 and 80 %ETc.   Conclusion Water deficit has been shown to adversely affect plant growth, fruit yield, and leaf water status of African horned cucumber, but led to increase the TSS and antioxidant capacity. According to the results, fruit yield reduced 13.9 % under irrigation 80% ETc compared to irrigation 100% ETc, However, water consumption was saved by 20% and improved fruit weight and fruit quality with increasing soluble solids and antioxidant capacity

Augmented Reality App with AI-based Pervasive Latency Monitoring of RAN and Programmable Metro Packet-Optical Networks

Deep data plane programmability is exploited at different future 6G network technological segments to realize end-to-end application delay telemetry. For the first time, data analytics obtained by RAN controllers and metro network collectors are processed by a Multi Agent System running AI algorithms with the aim of detecting latency anomalies and their location in the network, suggesting the most appropriate recovery countermeasure. The demo is shown applied to Augmented Reality application with extreme low latency requirements

Acquired Epidermodysplasia Verruciformis Due to Multiple and Unusual HPV Infection Among Vertically-Infected, HIV-Positive Adolescents in Zimbabwe

We have characterized the EV-like dermatosis of acquired HIV in 4 adolescents. Multiple HPV types were isolated in skin tissue samples, including β-HPV, but also high levels of HPV 1 and 2. ARV did not improve the EV eruption

Whole genome sequencing reveals a 7 base-pair deletion in DMD exon 42 in a dog with muscular dystrophy

Dystrophin is a key cytoskeletal protein coded by the Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) gene located on the X-chromosome. Truncating mutations in the DMD gene cause loss of dystrophin and the classical DMD clinical syndrome. Spontaneous DMD gene mutations and associated phenotypes occur in several other species. The mdx mouse model and the golden retriever muscular dystrophy (GRMD) canine model have been used extensively to study DMD disease pathogenesis and show efficacy and side effects of putative treatments. Certain DMD gene mutations in high-risk, the so-called hot spot areas can be particularly helpful in modeling molecular therapies. Identification of specific mutations has been greatly enhanced by new genomic methods. Whole genome, next generation sequencing (WGS) has been recently used to define DMD patient mutations, but has not been used in dystrophic dogs. A dystrophin-deficient Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (CKCS) dog was evaluated at the functional, histopathological, biochemical, and molecular level. The affected dog’s phenotype was compared to the previously reported canine dystrophinopathies. WGS was then used to detect a 7 base pair deletion in DMD exon 42 (c.6051-6057delTCTCAAT mRNA), predicting a frameshift in gene transcription and truncation of dystrophin protein translation. The deletion was confirmed with conventional PCR and Sanger sequencing. This mutation is in a secondary DMD gene hotspot area distinct from the one identified earlier at the 5′ donor splice site of intron 50 in the CKCS breed. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00335-016-9675-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

Parasites of non-native freshwater fishes introduced into england and wales suggest enemy release and parasite acquisition

When non-native species are introduced into a new range, their parasites can also be introduced, with these potentially spilling-over into native hosts. However, in general, evidence suggests that a high proportion of their native parasites are lost during introduction and infections by some new parasites from the native range might occur, potentially resulting in parasite spill-back to native species. These processes were investigated here using parasite surveys and literature review on seven non-native freshwater fishes introduced into England and Wales. Comparison of the mean numbers of parasite species and genera per population for each fish species England andWaleswith their native ranges revealed\9 % of the native parasite fauna were present in their populations in England and Wales. There was no evidence suggesting these introduced parasites had spilled over into sympatric native fishes. The non-native fishes did acquire parasites following their introduction, providing potential for parasite spill-back to sympatric fishes, and resulted in non-significant differences in overall mean numbers of parasites per populations between the two ranges. Through this acquisition, the non-native fishes also had mean numbers of parasite species and genera per population that were not significantly different to sympatric native fishes. Thus, the non-native fishes in England and Wales showed evidence of enemy release, acquired new parasites following introduction providing potential for spill-back, but showed no evidence of parasite spill-over