Parametric and sensitivity analysis for a proposed filtered tailings storage facility in challenging topography

Parametric and sensitivity analyses were performed for a proposed filtered tail- ings storage facility in challenging topography from the Southern Peru region. The purpose was to identify elements which are likely to dictate performance and stability, and to understand the risk profile for the facility. The analyses were performed varying: foundation material physical and hydraulic properties, tailings physical and hydraulic properties, foundation configuration, seismicity, and staged construction. The physical properties of the foundation material were varied by changing the Mohr-Coulomb strength parameters c’ and φ’, whereas the hydraulic properties were varied by moving the groundwater table upwards or saturating a larger amount of the foundation material. A similar approach was adopted in order to vary the physical and hydraulic properties of the tailings. The foundation configuration was varied by hypothetically moving the starter buttress closer to the edge of steep slopes further downhill from the facility. Staged construction stability analyses were simulated by analyzing filtered tailings fill configurations, which followed the overall design slope but varied in height. All analyses presented herein were conducted for the most critical failure mode for each scenario. The results from these parametric analyses showed that the design of the facility was highly sensitive to tailings potential saturation. In the simulation scenarios, saturation of the tailings caused instability in both static and seismic conditions. This sensitivity to moisture conditions highlighted the importance of properly defining the unsaturated filtered tailings parameters and simulating water infiltration processes through the vadose zone.Fil: Preciado, H. F. AMEC S.A; Perú.Fil: Ale, J. AMEC S.A; Perú.Fil: Byler, B. AMEC Englewood; USA.Fil: Perez, F. AMEC S.A; Perú.Fil: Mejía, V. AMEC S.A; Perú.Fil: McIver, D. Minera IRL SA; Perú.Otras Ingeniería Civi

Functional properties of exopolysaccharide (EPS) extract from Lactobacillus fermentum Lf2 and its impact when combined with Bifidobacterium animalis INL1 in yoghurt

The roles of an exopolysaccharide (EPS) extract from Lactobacillus fermentum Lf2 were studied individually or combined with a probiotic strain, Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis INL1. EPS in its purified form caused an increase in the levels of cytokine TNF-α; both purified and crude EPS produced an increase in the regulatory cytokine IL-10. BALB/c mice received yoghurt with no additives (Y), with EPS (YE), with bifidobacteria (YB), or both (YEB) for 25 days. Only the YE group presented significantly increased concentrations of total short chain fatty acids (p < 0.05) including acetic and butyric acids; the levels of the C. coccoides cluster also rose over time (p < 0.05) for this group. A possible bifidogenic role was observed with the YEB group, reflected in the increasing levels of the genus Bifidobacterium along time (p < 0.05); this was not observed when the probiotic was administered solely (YB group)

Positivity yield of HIV index testing services from selected healthcare facilities in Ondo State, southwest Nigeria

Background: Index testing is a voluntary process whereby HIV seropositive clients are counselled and, after obtaining consent, their sexual and needle sharing partners are offered HIV testing services. Index testing has been associated with high HIV positivity yield. The aim of this study is to determine the positivity yield and identify factors influencing the yield from index testing strategy in selected healthcare facilities in Ondo State, southwest Nigeria. Methodology: Six public hospitals in Ondo State with the highest HIV clients currently on treatment were selected. Records of all clients newly diagnosed to be HIV positive at the selected facilities from June 2018 to September 2019, and who had an outcome for index testing services were reviewed. Data were collected using a chart abstraction template from the index testing registers. Information collected included age and gender of the index clients and their partners, method of referral and notification of partners, HIV test results of partners and linkage status of new HIVpositive partners. Data analyses were done using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 24.0. Chi-square was used to test association between variables at a significance level of p&lt;0.01. Results: The records of a total of 904 index clients and their partners were reviewed with partner elicitation ratio of 1:1. The mean ages of index clients and their partners were 38.52±10.96 and 38.98±10.79 years respectively, and majority of the index clients (34.6%) and partners (35.5%) were in the 35-44 years age group. A total of 548 index clients were females (60.6%) while 528 of their partners were males (58.4%), indicating&nbsp; predominantly heterosexual (96.4%) and few homosexual (lesbian) relationships (3.6%). One-fifth (20%) of partners tested positive for HIV andwere all (100%) linked to antiretroviral therapy (ART). The HIV positivity rate in partners of male index clients (26.9%) was significantly higher than in partners of female index clients (15.5%) (p&lt;0.01). Partner referral method was mostly through assisted referral (56%) and most (82%) were contacted by the index clients through phone. Conclusion: Due to its high positivity yield, index testing is a veritable strategy to increase HIV case detection and linkage to ART. Hence, proper deployment of index testing will be critical to improving ART coverage and achieving epidemiological control. Keywords: HIV, client; partner; index testing; ART; southwest Nigeri

Ruthenacycles and Iridacycles as Catalysts for Asymmetric Transfer Hydrogenation and Racemisation

Ruthenacycles, which are easily prepared in a single step by reaction between enantiopure aromatic amines and [Ru(arene)Cl2]2 in the presence of NaOH and KPF6, are very good asymmetric transfer hydrogenation catalysts. A range of aromatic ketones were reduced using isopropanol in good yields with ee’s up to 98%. Iridacycles, which are prepared in similar fashion from [IrCp*Cl2]2 are excellent catalysts for the racemisation of secondary alcohols and chlorohydrins at room temperature. This allowed the development of a new dynamic kinetic resolution of chlorohydrins to the enantiopure epoxides in up to 90% yield and 98% enantiomeric excess (ee) using a mutant of the enzyme Haloalcohol dehalogenase C and an iridacycle as racemisation catalyst.

Detection of RNA from a Novel West Nile-like Virus and High Prevalence of an Insect-specific Flavivirus in Mosquitoes in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico

As part of our ongoing surveillance efforts for West Nile virus (WNV) in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, 96,687 mosquitoes collected from January through December 2007 were assayed by virus isolation in mammalian cells. Three mosquito pools caused cytopathic effect. Two isolates were orthobunyaviruses (Cache Valley virus and Kairi virus) and the identity of the third infectious agent was not determined. A subset of mosquitoes was also tested by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using WNV-, flavivirus-, alphavirus-, and orthobunyavirus-specific primers. A total of 7,009 Culex quinquefasciatus in 210 pools were analyzed. Flavivirus RNA was detected in 146 (70%) pools, and all PCR products were sequenced. The nucleotide sequence of one PCR product was most closely related (71-73% identity) with homologous regions of several other flaviviruses, including WNV, St. Louis encephalitis virus, and Ilheus virus. These data suggest that a novel flavivirus (tentatively named T\u27Ho virus) is present in Mexico. The other 145 PCR products correspond to Culex flavivirus, an insect-specific flavivirus first isolated in Japan in 2003. Culex flavivirus was isolated in mosquito cells from approximately one in four homogenates tested. The genomic sequence of one isolate was determined. Surprisingly, heterogeneous sequences were identified at the distal end of the 5\u27 untranslated region

Transverse Momentum Dependent Parton Distribution/Fragmentation Functions at an Electron-Ion Collider

We present a summary of a recent workshop held at Duke University on Partonic Transverse Momentum in Hadrons: Quark Spin-Orbit Correlations and Quark-Gluon Interactions. The transverse momentum dependent parton distribution functions (TMDs), parton-to-hadron fragmentation functions, and multi-parton correlation functions, were discussed extensively at the Duke workshop. In this paper, we summarize first the theoretical issues concerning the study of partonic structure of hadrons at a future electron-ion collider (EIC) with emphasis on the TMDs. We then present simulation results on experimental studies of TMDs through measurements of single spin asymmetries (SSA) from semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering (SIDIS) processes with an EIC, and discuss the requirement of the detector for SIDIS measurements. The dynamics of parton correlations in the nucleon is further explored via a study of SSA in D (`D) production at large transverse momenta with the aim of accessing the unexplored tri-gluon correlation functions. The workshop participants identified the SSA measurements in SIDIS as a golden program to study TMDs in both the sea and valence quark regions and to study the role of gluons, with the Sivers asymmetry measurements as examples. Such measurements will lead to major advancement in our understanding of TMDs in the valence quark region, and more importantly also allow for the investigation of TMDs in the sea quark region along with a study of their evolution.Comment: 44 pages 23 figures, summary of Duke EIC workshop on TMDs accepted by EPJ

Correction: PAIS: paracetamol (acetaminophen) in stroke; protocol for a randomized, double blind clinical trial. [ISCRTN74418480]

BACKGROUND: The Paracetamol (Acetaminophen) In Stroke (PAIS) study is a phase III multicenter, double blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial of high-dose acetaminophen in patients with acute stroke. The trial compares treatment with a daily dose of 6 g acetaminophen, started within 12 hours after the onset of symptoms, with matched placebo. The purpose of this study is to assess whether treatment with acetaminophen for 3 days will result in improved functional outcome through a modest reduction in body temperature and prevention of fever.The previously planned statistical analysis based on a dichotomization of the scores on the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) may not make the most efficient use of the available baseline information. Therefore, the planned primary analysis of the PAIS study has been changed from fixed dichotomization of the mRS to a sliding dichotomy analysis. METHODS: Instead of taking a single definition of good outcome for all patients, the definition is tailored to each individual patient's baseline prognosis on entry into the trial. CONCLUSION: The protocol change was initiated becau

An early rise in body temperature is related to unfavorable outcome after stroke: Data from the PAIS study

Subfebrile temperature or fever is present in about a third of patients on the first day after stroke onset and is associated with poor outcome. However, the temporal profile of this association is not well established. We aimed to assess the relationship between body temperature on admission as well as the change in body temperature from admission to 24 h thereafter and functional outcome and death. We analyzed data of 1,332 patients admitted within 12 h of stroke onset. The relation between body temperature on admission or the change in body temperature from admission to 24 h thereafter (adjusted for body temperature on admission) on the one hand and unfavorable outcome (death, or a modified Rankin Scale score >2) at 3 months on the other were expressed as odds ratio per 1.0°C increase in body temperature. Adjustments for potential confounders were made with a multiple logistic regression model. No relation was found between admission body temperature and poor outcome (aOR 1.06; 95% CI 0.85-1.32) and death (aOR 1.23; 95% CI 0.95-1.60). In contrast, increased body temperature in the first 24 h after stroke onset was associated with poor outcome (aOR 1.30; 95% CI 1.05-1.63) and death (aOR 1.51; 95% CI 1.15-1.98). An early rise in body temperature rather than high body temperature on admission is a risk factor for unfavorable outcome in patients with acute stroke