Flowering, Physiological and Biochemical Responses of Two Echinacea Species to Drought Stress

Drought is one of the most important environmental stressors that limit plant\u27s productivity. To evaluate the effects of drought stress on Echinacea purpurea and Echinacea angustifolia seedlings at the four-leaf stage, an experiment was conducted with four levels of irrigation regimes: 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% of field capacity (FC) in a CRD based factorial experiment with three replications. Growth indices such as shoot and root dry and fresh weight, were reduced at lower FC in both species, but E. angustifolia showed more sensitivity than E. purpurea. Drought stress significantly affected flower stem length, flower longevity, flower diameter, and flower anthocyanin in both species. In addition, flowering was not observed in E. angustifolia under 50% and 25% FC treatment, but the longest flowering period was recorded in E. purpurea under 75% FC treatment (37 days). In this study, leaf carotenoid and anthocyanin contents increased, while the total chlorophyll content decreased under severe drought stress. A reduction of protein content and antioxidant capacity were observed in both species during severe drought stress. The highest amount of electrolyte leakage, malondialdehyde (MDA), total sugars, and proline was observed in E. angustifolia under 25% FC treatment. Catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) antioxidant enzymes activity increased at severe drought stress. Overall, the results indicate that E. purpurea is more drought tolerant than E. angustifolia and E. purpurea is a good candidate for arid and semi-arid regions with limited water resources

Pronóstico del intervalo de confianza en la eficiencia de las unidades de toma de decisiones en el análisis envolvente de datos

Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) is a well-known method for calculating the efficiency of Decision-Making Units (DMUs) based on their inputs and outputs. When the data is known and in the form of an interval in a given time period, this method can calculate the efficiency interval. Unfortunately, DEA is not capable of forecasting and estimating the efficiency confidence interval of the units in the future. This article, proposes a efficiency forecasting algorithm along with 95% confidence interval to generate interval data set for the next time period. What’s more, the manager’s opinion inserts and plays its role in the proposed forecasting model. Equipped with forecasted data set and with respect to data set from previous periods, the efficiency for the future period can be forecasted. This is done by proposing a proposed model and solving it by the confidence interval method. The proposed method is then implemented on the data of an automotive industry and, it is compared with the Monte Carlo simulation methods and the interval model. Using the results, it is shown that the proposed method works better to forecast the efficiency confidence interval. Finally, the efficiency and confidence interval of 95% is calculated for the upcoming period using the proposed model.El análisis envolvente de datos (DEA) es un método bien conocido para calcular la eficiencia de las unidades de toma de decisiones (DMU) en función de sus entradas y salidas. Cuando los datos son conocidos y en forma de intervalo en un período de tiempo dado, este método puede calcular el intervalo de eficiencia. Desafortunadamente, la DEA no es capaz de pronosticar y estimar el intervalo de confianza de eficiencia de las unidades en el futuro. Este artículo propone un algoritmo de pronóstico de eficiencia junto con un intervalo de confianza del 95% para generar un conjunto de datos de intervalo para el próximo período de tiempo. Además, la opinión del gerente se inserta y desempeña su papel en el modelo de pronóstico propuesto. Equipado con un conjunto de datos pronosticado y con respecto al conjunto de datos de períodos anteriores, se puede pronosticar la eficiencia para el período futuro. Esto se hace proponiendo un modelo propuesto y resolviéndolo mediante el método del intervalo de confianza. A continuación, el método propuesto se implementa sobre los datos de una industria automotriz y se compara con los métodos de simulación de Monte Carlo y el modelo de intervalo. Usando los resultados, se muestra que el método propuesto funciona mejor para pronosticar el intervalo de confianza de eficiencia. Finalmente, se calcula la eficiencia y el intervalo de confianza del 95% para el próximo período utilizando el modelo propuesto

The Effect of Local Fuse on Behavior of Concentrically Braced Frame by a Numerical Study

The concentrically braced frames (CBFs) are one of the most widely used lateral load-resisting systems. Seismic performance of these structures has a weakness that is due to the brace buckling at a lower loading than the ultimate compressive loading capacity. In this paper, attempt is made to enhance the seismic response of CBFs through utilizing a local fuse. For this purpose, first the formulation of fuse area and length are presented. Then based on this formulation, several numerical models have been built and analyzed to examine the effect of implementing this fuse on seismic response of CBFs. From the analyses results, it is found that if the reduced cross-section fuse (RCF) is properly designed and also the end of brace is fixed, the CBFs with equal energy dissipation capacity, that are equipped with this fuse exhibit a better ductility than the customary CBFs

Ethylene and Anti-Ethylene Treatment Effects on Cut "First Red" Rose

Studies were conducted to determine the effects of ethylene and anti-ethylene treatments on postharvest life of cut "First Red" rose flowers. Effects of exogenous ethylene at 1, 10 and 100 ul l-1 for 48 h at 22 C on cut "First Red" rose flowers were investigated. Ethylene at different concentrations reduced postharvest life, with 100 ul l-1 having the greatest effect. Ethylene production measurements suggested that "First Red" rose is climacteric during senescence. Pre-treatment of "First Red" rose flowers with 0.5 mM silver thiosulfate (STS) for 2 h at 22 C increased vase life, but pre-treatment with 1 ul l-1 1- methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) did not. Pre-treatment of "First Red" rose with 0.5 mM STS and, to a lesser extent, 1 ul l-1 1-MCP for 2 h at 22 C, protected flowers from subsequent exposure to 10 ul l-1 ethylene. Maximum vase life in both ethylene-treated and non-ethylene-treated "First Red" rose flowers was obtained with 0.5 mM STS

Application of artificial neural network method in predicting contemporary Iranian family relationships

Virtual social networks play a very important role in social change, especially changes in the structural and emotional relationships of the family. But predicting these changes is very important today. But what method can be used to predict structural changes in the family? This study intends to introduce one of these methods, which is a subset of artificial intelligence, called artificial neural network and as an example to show its effectiveness in predicting the relationships of families affected by virtual social networks. Therefore, the research question is formulated in such a way that by what method or methods can the consequences of the impact of virtual social networks on family relationships be predicted? Since this research is a quantitative research, data collection was done by a questionnaire and the research model was operational. The research model is a fuzzy field statistical model. The result of the research is the prediction of four types of committed, unsuccessful, incompatible and broken families, which were shown on the fuzzy spectrum as follows: Committed family: 75 to 100%; Unsuccessful family: 50 to 75%; Incompatible family 25 to 50 percent and broken family 0 to 25 percent

Global, regional, and national burden of disorders affecting the nervous system, 1990–2021: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021

BACKGROUND: Disorders affecting the nervous system are diverse and include neurodevelopmental disorders, late-life neurodegeneration, and newly emergent conditions, such as cognitive impairment following COVID-19. Previous publications from the Global Burden of Disease, Injuries, and Risk Factor Study estimated the burden of 15 neurological conditions in 2015 and 2016, but these analyses did not include neurodevelopmental disorders, as defined by the International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-11, or a subset of cases of congenital, neonatal, and infectious conditions that cause neurological damage. Here, we estimate nervous system health loss caused by 37 unique conditions and their associated risk factors globally, regionally, and nationally from 1990 to 2021. METHODS: We estimated mortality, prevalence, years lived with disability (YLDs), years of life lost (YLLs), and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), with corresponding 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs), by age and sex in 204 countries and territories, from 1990 to 2021. We included morbidity and deaths due to neurological conditions, for which health loss is directly due to damage to the CNS or peripheral nervous system. We also isolated neurological health loss from conditions for which nervous system morbidity is a consequence, but not the primary feature, including a subset of congenital conditions (ie, chromosomal anomalies and congenital birth defects), neonatal conditions (ie, jaundice, preterm birth, and sepsis), infectious diseases (ie, COVID-19, cystic echinococcosis, malaria, syphilis, and Zika virus disease), and diabetic neuropathy. By conducting a sequela-level analysis of the health outcomes for these conditions, only cases where nervous system damage occurred were included, and YLDs were recalculated to isolate the non-fatal burden directly attributable to nervous system health loss. A comorbidity correction was used to calculate total prevalence of all conditions that affect the nervous system combined. FINDINGS: Globally, the 37 conditions affecting the nervous system were collectively ranked as the leading group cause of DALYs in 2021 (443 million, 95% UI 378–521), affecting 3·40 billion (3·20–3·62) individuals (43·1%, 40·5–45·9 of the global population); global DALY counts attributed to these conditions increased by 18·2% (8·7–26·7) between 1990 and 2021. Age-standardised rates of deaths per 100 000 people attributed to these conditions decreased from 1990 to 2021 by 33·6% (27·6–38·8), and age-standardised rates of DALYs attributed to these conditions decreased by 27·0% (21·5–32·4). Age-standardised prevalence was almost stable, with a change of 1·5% (0·7–2·4). The ten conditions with the highest age-standardised DALYs in 2021 were stroke, neonatal encephalopathy, migraine, Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, diabetic neuropathy, meningitis, epilepsy, neurological complications due to preterm birth, autism spectrum disorder, and nervous system cancer. INTERPRETATION: As the leading cause of overall disease burden in the world, with increasing global DALY counts, effective prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation strategies for disorders affecting the nervous system are needed

Global, regional, and national burden of disorders affecting the nervous system, 1990–2021: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021

BackgroundDisorders affecting the nervous system are diverse and include neurodevelopmental disorders, late-life neurodegeneration, and newly emergent conditions, such as cognitive impairment following COVID-19. Previous publications from the Global Burden of Disease, Injuries, and Risk Factor Study estimated the burden of 15 neurological conditions in 2015 and 2016, but these analyses did not include neurodevelopmental disorders, as defined by the International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-11, or a subset of cases of congenital, neonatal, and infectious conditions that cause neurological damage. Here, we estimate nervous system health loss caused by 37 unique conditions and their associated risk factors globally, regionally, and nationally from 1990 to 2021.MethodsWe estimated mortality, prevalence, years lived with disability (YLDs), years of life lost (YLLs), and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), with corresponding 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs), by age and sex in 204 countries and territories, from 1990 to 2021. We included morbidity and deaths due to neurological conditions, for which health loss is directly due to damage to the CNS or peripheral nervous system. We also isolated neurological health loss from conditions for which nervous system morbidity is a consequence, but not the primary feature, including a subset of congenital conditions (ie, chromosomal anomalies and congenital birth defects), neonatal conditions (ie, jaundice, preterm birth, and sepsis), infectious diseases (ie, COVID-19, cystic echinococcosis, malaria, syphilis, and Zika virus disease), and diabetic neuropathy. By conducting a sequela-level analysis of the health outcomes for these conditions, only cases where nervous system damage occurred were included, and YLDs were recalculated to isolate the non-fatal burden directly attributable to nervous system health loss. A comorbidity correction was used to calculate total prevalence of all conditions that affect the nervous system combined.FindingsGlobally, the 37 conditions affecting the nervous system were collectively ranked as the leading group cause of DALYs in 2021 (443 million, 95% UI 378–521), affecting 3·40 billion (3·20–3·62) individuals (43·1%, 40·5–45·9 of the global population); global DALY counts attributed to these conditions increased by 18·2% (8·7–26·7) between 1990 and 2021. Age-standardised rates of deaths per 100 000 people attributed to these conditions decreased from 1990 to 2021 by 33·6% (27·6–38·8), and age-standardised rates of DALYs attributed to these conditions decreased by 27·0% (21·5–32·4). Age-standardised prevalence was almost stable, with a change of 1·5% (0·7–2·4). The ten conditions with the highest age-standardised DALYs in 2021 were stroke, neonatal encephalopathy, migraine, Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, diabetic neuropathy, meningitis, epilepsy, neurological complications due to preterm birth, autism spectrum disorder, and nervous system cancer.InterpretationAs the leading cause of overall disease burden in the world, with increasing global DALY counts, effective prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation strategies for disorders affecting the nervous system are needed

The Selection, Promotion, and Reception of Translated Fiction in Wellington

This is the first systematic study of the selection, promotion, and reception of translated fiction anywhere in New Zealand. The study has two phases. The first draws on the responses of 277 adult readers in Wellington to a questionnaire about their perceptions of translated fiction. The findings reveal that most Wellington readers say they enjoy reading books set in other cultures, but their actual reading is largely English-language oriented. While some respondents expressed a specific interest in reading translated fiction, most prioritised genre and content. Age and ethnicity correlate only weakly with perceptions of translated fiction, but knowledge of one or more second languages is a strong predictor of positive perceptions of translated fiction. The second phase of the study draws on seven semi-structured interviews with representatives from three major book-related entities in Wellington: New Zealand Festival’s Writers Week, Wellington City Libraries (WCL), and Unity Books. The interviews provided first-hand insights into each entity’s policies and practices for selecting and promoting translated fiction. Although its past and current coordinators speak highly of translated literature, Wellington’s Writers Week has seen a significant decline in the number of non-English-speaking writers in the last two decades. Similarly, Unity Books claims to treat all categories of books, including translated fiction, equally, but its commercial practice in fact prioritises certain other categories. Wellington City Libraries, on the other hand, has taken a proactive approach to the promotion of translated fiction, for example through blogs and physical displays. Combined with the survey data, the interview findings demonstrate both the complex nature of reading choices and the challenges of advocating for the enhanced visibility of translated fiction in a largely monolingual context. However, many signs also point to a growing recognition of translated fiction as an important element of eclectic reading. This recognition can lead to positive changes in the future.</p

What to read during a pandemic: A case study of ‘book promotion politics’ in Iran

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Flowering, Physiological and Biochemical Responses of Two Echinacea Species to Drought Stress

Drought is one of the most important environmental stressors that limit plant\u27s productivity. To evaluate the effects of drought stress on Echinacea purpurea and Echinacea angustifolia seedlings at the four-leaf stage, an experiment was conducted with four levels of irrigation regimes: 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% of field capacity (FC) in a CRD based factorial experiment with three replications. Growth indices such as shoot and root dry and fresh weight, were reduced at lower FC in both species, but E. angustifolia showed more sensitivity than E. purpurea. Drought stress significantly affected flower stem length, flower longevity, flower diameter, and flower anthocyanin in both species. In addition, flowering was not observed in E. angustifolia under 50% and 25% FC treatment, but the longest flowering period was recorded in E. purpurea under 75% FC treatment (37 days). In this study, leaf carotenoid and anthocyanin contents increased, while the total chlorophyll content decreased under severe drought stress. A reduction of protein content and antioxidant capacity were observed in both species during severe drought stress. The highest amount of electrolyte leakage, malondialdehyde (MDA), total sugars, and proline was observed in E. angustifolia under 25% FC treatment. Catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) antioxidant enzymes activity increased at severe drought stress. Overall, the results indicate that E. purpurea is more drought tolerant than E. angustifolia and E. purpurea is a good candidate for arid and semi-arid regions with limited water resources