Stability results of a mathematical model for the control of HIV/AIDS with the use of male and female condoms in heterosexual populations

A compartmentalized deterministic mathematical model for the dynamics of HIV/AIDS under the use of male and female condoms has been formulated and studied qualitatively. Disease-free equilibria of the sub-models have been found to be locally and asymptotically stable. Stability results revealed threshold values for the proportions of susceptible and infected subpopulations that must use condom in order to achieve control, and possibly, eradication of HIV/AIDS in heterosexual populations. Condom use rate for the susceptible subpopulations has been found to be bounded above by the population’s birth rate, while that of the infected subpopulations is bounded below by a given threshold.KEYWORDS: Locally and asymptotically stable, disease-free equilibrium, HIVAIDS contro

Frequency Index for Learning Space in Higher Education Institutions

AbstractThe aim of this study is to measure the learning space usage rate based on the teaching and learning schedule (timetable) provided by the institutions. The Frequency Index of learning space is developed by analyzing the timetable data and the list of learning spaces available at the institution. The Frequency Index is classified according to the level of usage and the interval percentage according to learning space usage frequency. This classification of Frequency Index is expressed in terms of linguistic value and the color-coded key. From this index, the institution can identify whether the existing learning space is best used or vice versa, which in turn can be a reasonable basis for the institution in need of new learning space

Spectrogram Based Window Selection for the Detection of Voltage Variation

This paper presents the application of spectrogram with K-nearest neighbors (KNN) and Support Vector Machine (SVM) for window selection and voltage variation classification. The voltage variation signals such as voltage sag, swell and interruption are simulated in Matlab and analyzed in spectrogram with different windows which are 256, 512 and 1024. The variations analyzed by spectrogram are displayed in time-frequency representation (TFR) and voltage per unit (PU) graphs. The parameters are calculated from the TFR obtained and be used as inputs for KNN and SVM classifiers. The signals obtained are then added with noise (0SNR and 20SNR) and used in classification. The tested data contain voltage variation signals obtained using the mathematical models simulated in Matlab and the signals added with noise. Classification accuracy of each window by each classifier is obtained and compared along with the TFR and voltage PU graphs to select the best window to be used to analyze the best window to be used to analyze the voltage variation signals in spectrogram. The results showed window 1024 is more suitable to be used

The Influences of Consumer Preference Characteristics towards Green Product: A Case of Naturemill Bin

Despite a widespread adoption of green technology reported in many scholars, we continue to witness disappointing performance outcomes from their implementation. This can be explained largely by the failure of many studies to translate the initial adoption decision, made at an individual-level acceptance of a technology to be used by human. This study examines the key antecedents of the Technology Acceptance Model for users expected to use a naturemill bins in their day-to-day activities. In this study, we apply and extend the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to examine factors that influence acceptance of naturemill bins by individual users. Our focus is on the potential role of user-perceived naturemill bins quality dimensions as antecedents to the TAM’s cognitive mechanisms of perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use (PEU), and the user’s trust in using it. Our results confirm the core TAM relationships within the naturemill bins context and (PEU) found to be the most significant influencer of the consumer acceptance towards green products (Naturemill bin)

Influence of maturity stage on nutritive value of typha for ruminants

The study evaluated the influence of maturity on the nutritive value and fermentation parameters of Typha. Typha samples were collected at two different stages of growth, as indicated by the height of the plants: either 0.5 m (Low Typha; LT, age 3-6months) or 1.5 m (High Typha; HT, age 9-12 months). Samples were analyzed for chemical composition, and incubated in vitro with ruminal fluid from sheep to determine the main fermentation parameters. As maturity advanced, the dry matter, fiber and lignin content (25.30%, 70.40%, 47.30% and 10.58%) in the Typha increased, whereas the content of ashes and protein (12.18% and 12.24%) decreases. The changes in chemical composition caused a significant reduction in both the in vitro ruminal degradability after 96 h of incubation (38.6 and 22.9% for LT and HT, respectively) and the production of volatile fatty acids after 24 h of incubation (6.08 and 5.87 mmol/g dry matter incubated), indicating that the nutritive value of the Typha declines with advancing maturity. The results indicate that Typha plants for ruminant feeding should be preferably harvested at early growth stages

Physical activity in pregnancy prevents gestational diabetes: A meta-analysis

AimsThe effectiveness of physical activity (PA) programs for prevention of gestational diabetes (GDM) lacks conclusive evidence. The aim of this study was to generate clear evidence regarding the effectiveness of physical activity programs in GDM prevention to guide clinical practice. MethodsPubMed/Medline, ISI Web of Science, Scopus, and EMBASE were searched to identify the randomized trials (RCTs) published until June 2019. Randomised controlled trials enrolling women at high risk before the 20th week of gestation comparing the effect of PA interventions with usual care for prevention of GDM were retrieved. Data obtained were synthesised using a bias-adjusted model of meta-analysis. ResultsA total of 1467 adult women in 11 eligible trials were included. The risk of GDM was significantly lower with PA, but only when it was delivered in the healthcare facility (RR 0.53; 95% CI 0.38–0.74). The number needed to treat with PA in pregnancy (compared to usual care) to prevent one GDM event was 18 (95% CI 14 – 29). The overall effect of PA interventions regardless of location of the intervention was RR 0.69 (95% CI 0.51 – 0.94). ConclusionsThis study provides evidence that in-facility physical activity programs started before the 20th week of gestation can significantly decrease the incidence of GDM among women at high risk

A meta-review of meta-analyses and an updated meta-analysis on the efficacy of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine in treating COVID19 infection

Objective: To synthesize the findings presented in systematic reviews and meta-analyses as well as to update the evidence using a meta-analysis in evaluating the efficacy and safety of CQ and HCQ with or without Azithromycin for the treatment of COVID19 infection.Methods: The design of this meta-review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Overviews of Systematic Reviews including harms checklist (PRIO-harms). A comprehensive search included several electronic databases in identifying all systematic reviews and metaanalyses as well as experimental studies which investigated the efficacy and safety of CQ, HCQ with or without antibiotics as COVID19 treatment. Findings from the systematic reviews and meta-analyses were reported using a structured summary including tables and forest plots. The updated meta-analysis of experimental studies was carried out using the distributional assumption-free quality effects model. Risk of bias was assessed using the Assessing the Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR) tool for reviews and the MethodologicAl STandard for Epidemiological Research (MASTER) scale for the experimental studies. The main outcome for both the meta-review and the updated meta-analysis was mortality. Secondary outcomes included transfer to the intensive care unit (ICU) or mechanical ventilation, worsening of illness, viral clearance and the occurrence of adverse events. Results: A total of 13 reviews with 40 primary studies comprising 113,000 participants were included. Most of the primary studies were observational (n=27) and the rest were experimental studies. Two meta-analyses reported a high risk of mortality with similar ORs of 2.5 for HCQ with Azithromycin. However, four other meta-analyses reported contradictory results with two reporting a high risk of mortality and the other two reporting no significant association between HCQ with mortality. Most reviews reported that HCQ with or without Azithromycin had no significant effect on virological cure, disease exacerbation or the risk of transfer to the ICU, need for intubation or mechanical ventilation. After exclusion of studies that did not meet the eligibility criteria, the updated meta-analysis contained eight experimental studies (7 RCTs and 1 quasiexperimental trial), with a total of 5279 participants of whom 1856 were on either CQ/HCQ or combined with Azithromycin. CQ/HCQ with or without Azithromycin was significantly associated with a higher risk of adverse events. HCQ was not effective in reducing mortality transfer to the ICU, intubation or need for mechanical ventilation virological cure (RR 1.0, 95%CI 0.9-1.2, I2 =55%, n=5 studies) nor disease exacerbation (RR 1.2, 95%CI 0.3-5.0, I2 =29%, n=3 studies). Conclusion: There is conclusive evidence that CQ and HCQ, with or without Azithromycin are not effective in treating COVID-19 or its exacerbation

Anisotropic flow of charged hadrons, pions and (anti-)protons measured at high transverse momentum in Pb-Pb collisions at sNN=2.76\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}=2.76 TeV

The elliptic, $v_2$, triangular, $v_3$, and quadrangular, $v_4$, azimuthal anisotropic flow coefficients are measured for unidentified charged particles, pions and (anti-)protons in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 2.76$ TeV with the ALICE detector at the Large Hadron Collider. Results obtained with the event plane and four-particle cumulant methods are reported for the pseudo-rapidity range $|\eta|<0.8$ at different collision centralities and as a function of transverse momentum, $p_{\rm T}$, out to $p_{\rm T}=20$ GeV/$c$. The observed non-zero elliptic and triangular flow depends only weakly on transverse momentum for $p_{\rm T}>8$ GeV/$c$. The small $p_{\rm T}$ dependence of the difference between elliptic flow results obtained from the event plane and four-particle cumulant methods suggests a common origin of flow fluctuations up to $p_{\rm T}=8$ GeV/$c$. The magnitude of the (anti-)proton elliptic and triangular flow is larger than that of pions out to at least $p_{\rm T}=8$ GeV/$c$ indicating that the particle type dependence persists out to high $p_{\rm T}$.Comment: 16 pages, 5 captioned figures, authors from page 11, published version, figures at http://aliceinfo.cern.ch/ArtSubmission/node/186

Centrality dependence of charged particle production at large transverse momentum in Pb-Pb collisions at sNN=2.76\sqrt{s_{\rm{NN}}} = 2.76 TeV

The inclusive transverse momentum ($p_{\rm T}$) distributions of primary charged particles are measured in the pseudo-rapidity range $|\eta|<0.8$ as a function of event centrality in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm{NN}}}=2.76$ TeV with ALICE at the LHC. The data are presented in the $p_{\rm T}$ range $0.15<p_{\rm T}<50$ GeV/$c$ for nine centrality intervals from 70-80% to 0-5%. The Pb-Pb spectra are presented in terms of the nuclear modification factor $R_{\rm{AA}}$ using a pp reference spectrum measured at the same collision energy. We observe that the suppression of high-$p_{\rm T}$ particles strongly depends on event centrality. In central collisions (0-5%) the yield is most suppressed with $R_{\rm{AA}}\approx0.13$ at $p_{\rm T}=6$-7 GeV/$c$. Above $p_{\rm T}=7$ GeV/$c$, there is a significant rise in the nuclear modification factor, which reaches $R_{\rm{AA}} \approx0.4$ for $p_{\rm T}>30$ GeV/$c$. In peripheral collisions (70-80%), the suppression is weaker with $R_{\rm{AA}} \approx 0.7$ almost independently of $p_{\rm T}$. The measured nuclear modification factors are compared to other measurements and model calculations.Comment: 17 pages, 4 captioned figures, 2 tables, authors from page 12, published version, figures at http://aliceinfo.cern.ch/ArtSubmission/node/284