Modeling Information Reliability and Maintenance: A Systematic Literature Review

Operating a business efficiently depends on effective everyday decision-making. In turn, those decisions are influenced by the quality of data used in the decision-making process, and maintaining good data quality becomes more challenging as a business expands. Protecting the quality of the data and the information it generates is a challenge faced by many companies across all industrial sectors. As companies begin to use data from these large data bases they will need to begin to develop strategies for maintaining and assessing the reliability of the information they generate using this data. A considerable amount of literature exists on data quality but minimal amounts of information exist on information reliability and maintenance. For these reasons, it is important to study the current methods used by businesses to maintain desired levels of data and information quality. The purpose of this paper is to describe and assess the available knowledge relating data quality, reliability and maintenance by performing a systematic literature review in these areas

Localized pulsed nanosecond discharges in a counterflow nonpremixed flame environment

A flame is a very unusual environment for the development of a gas discharge, since it presents strong gradients in temperature, composition, and pre-ionization. In this paper we examine how such an environment impacts the development of the plasma when using repetitive pulsed nanosecond discharges, one of the main strategies used in the field of plasma assisted combustion. Experiments were performed in a counterflow nonpremixed burner with parallel electrodes at the nozzle exits and nanosecond-resolved photography of the plasma emission is presented. It was shown that the discharge development in stratified media may take place in the form of a dielectric barrier discharge with a localized energy deposition. In the experiments presented the discharge energy was coupled to the flame front because of the high rate of chemi-ionization and the gas density decrease in the flame

Interactions Between the Serotonergic and Other Neurotransmitter Systems in the Basal Ganglia: Role in Parkinson's Disease and Adverse Effects of L-DOPA

Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by the progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. However, other non-dopaminergic neuronal systems such as the serotonergic system are also involved. Serotonergic dysfunction is associated with non-motor symptoms and complications, including anxiety, depression, dementia, and sleep disturbances. This pathology reduces patient quality of life. Interaction between the serotonergic and other neurotransmitters systems such as dopamine, noradrenaline, glutamate, and GABA controls the activity of striatal neurons and are particularly interesting for understanding the pathophysiology of PD. Moreover, serotonergic dysfunction also causes motor symptoms. Interestingly, serotonergic neurons play an important role in the effects of L-DOPA in advanced PD stages. Serotonergic terminals can convert L-DOPA to dopamine, which mediates dopamine release as a "false" transmitter. The lack of any autoregulatory feedback control in serotonergic neurons to regulate L-DOPA-derived dopamine release contributes to the appearance of L-DOPA-induced dyskinesia (LID). This mechanism may also be involved in the development of graft-induced dyskinesias (GID), possibly due to the inclusion of serotonin neurons in the grafted tissue. Consistent with this, the administration of serotonergic agonists suppressed LID. In this review article, we summarize the interactions between the serotonergic and other systems. We also discuss the role of the serotonergic system in LID and if therapeutic approaches specifically targeting this system may constitute an effective strategy in PD

Quasi Free 238U (e,e'f)-Cross Section in Macroscopic-Microscopic Approach

We present the result of a theoretical study of inclusive quasi free electrofission of $^{238}$U. The off-shell $$cross sections for the quasi free reaction stage have been calculated within the Plane Wave Impulse Approximation (PWIA), using a Macroscopic -Microscopic description of the proton and neutron single particle momentum distributions. Electron wave function distortion corrections were included using the effective momentum approximation, and the Final State Interaction (FSI) effects were calculated using an optical potential. The fissility for the proton single hole excited states of the residual nucleus $^{237}$Pa was calculated both without and with contributions of the pre-equilibrium emission of the particles. The fissility for $^{237,238}U$ residual nuclei was calculated within the compound nucleus model. The $(e,e^{\prime}f)-$cross sections thus obtained were compared with available experimental data.Comment: 26 pages, 7 figure

Effectiveness of polyhexamethylene biguanide dressings vs. platelet-rich plasma in diabetic foot ulcer: a pilot study of case series

Diverse treatments, including polyhexamethylene biguanide dressings, have been explored for managing diabetic foot ulcers. Platelet-rich plasma, known for its potential in chronic wound healing, has demonstrated efficacy both in vivo and in vitro, with possible intralesional or topical application. However, research on the production costs of PRP is scarce. This study compares the effectiveness and financial implications of polyhexamethylene biguanide dressings versus Platelet-rich Plasma in the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers. Conducted at the General Hospital of Mexico from July to August 2019, this case series involved 8 patients, split equally between the two treatment groups. Weekly assessments showed consistent reductions in wound size in both groups. By the fourth week, 75% of patients achieved clinical healing. The PHMB group demonstrated a 75.13% reduction in wound size, compared to a 37.38% reduction in the PRP group. However, due to the small sample size, no statistical significance was found between wound size, healing time, and dressing type. This report suggests no clear relationship between treatment, healing duration, and wound diameter. Additionally, PRP did not show a clear financial advantage over PHMB dressings. Randomized control trials with sufficient sample sizes are required to demonstrate overall advantage for each therapy choice

Thermal and phase transformations analysis in a PREMOMET® steel

Thermal analysis in a PREMOMET® steel has been performed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and highresolution dilatometry. The phase transformation temperatures (Ac1, Ac3, Ms and Mf) of this steel were obtained by the two methods at different heating rates showing good agreement between both techniques. The enthalpy of α-γ transformation for this steel was measured using the thermograms acquired by DSC and microstructure was analyzed by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The results showed that this steel retained a martensitic structure for all conditions

Sustained Stable Disease with Capecitabine plus Bevacizumab in Metastatic Appendiceal Adenocarcinoma: A Case Report.

In a patient who had been diagnosed in 2006 with appendiceal adenocarcinoma with peritoneal metastases after an incomplete surgery, palliative chemotherapy was administered. First-line treatment with 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin and oxaliplatin (FOLFOX) and second-line treatment including 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin and irinotecan (FOLFIRI) plus panitumumab showed inefficiency in controlling disease progression. Third-line chemotherapy combining capecitabine plus bevacizumab was started, achieving good control of the tumour growth and a minor response in the second computed tomography scan. We decided to maintain the treatment, although forced bevacizumab "breaks" were necessary due to unexpected adverse events, with the patient suffering disease progression every time bevacizumab was stopped and reaching minor response again once the antiangiogenic treatment was reintroduced. During more than 10 years after starting third-line treatment, the patient maintained good performance status and disease stability with this "up and down" management until January 2019, when a neurological adverse event during bevacizumab infusion drove us to abandon it definitely

Ultrasound assisted one-pot synthesis of benzo-fused indole-4, 9-dinones from 1,4-naphthoquinone and α-aminoacetals

A one-pot synthesis of benzo[f]indole-4,9-diones from 1,4-naphthoquinone with α-aminoacetals has been developed. This method provides a straightforward synthesis of benzo[f]indole-4,9-diones via intramolecular nucleophilic attack of aminoquinones to aldehydes under mild reaction conditions. The detailed mechanism was also investigated