A CHARACTERIZATION OF NETWORK PERFORMANCE: THE ROLE OF COMMUNICATION DIRECTIONALITY AND SYSTEM HETEROGENEITY

Networked dynamical systems’ ability to preserve the system equilibrium in the face of disruptive events or persistent disturbances can be an indication of the convergence efficiency and quantified as a measure of system performance. The performance analysis is usually facilitated by simplifications overlooking certain structural properties of the network that can potentially be significant to actual system behavior. We characterize the performance of networks in relation to these properties, such as communication directionality and system heterogeneity, and unravel their influence on overall performance. We examine performance metrics that quantify an aggregate system effort to maintain and/or restore a network equilibrium; formulated by a general quadratic function (L2 norm) of the system output. Using this approach, which builds on the widely-used H2 norm based analysis, we obtain novel closed-form solutions to the performance metrics. We then use them to identify the role of communication directionality and system heterogeneity in network performance. Particularly, we show that the effect of communication directionality on performance can be characterized by the spectral properties of the weighted Laplacian matrix describing the network interconnection and the output performance matrix. Our results indicate that while this directionality can degrade performance, well-designed feedback can also exploit directionality in certain cases to mitigate this degradation or even lead to improved performance. We also demonstrate that performance is sensitive to the degree of connectivity in networks with directed interconnection, however it does not necessarily improve by increasing this degree of connectivity. We then derive the asymptotic behavior of performance with respect to network size, and identify additional performance trade-offs associated with large-scale networks with communication directionality. In addition, we investigate system heterogeneity in droop-controlled inverter-based power systems, by relaxing the common assumption of uniformity of inverter control gains. This heterogeneity, which can result from the distribution of power demand between the inverters, can lead to performance limitations. Numerical examples verify and support our theoretical findings. Our results highlight the performance capabilities and limitations due to the structural properties of the network, and can inform judicious feedback design

Clinical Use of Progesterone and Its Relation to Oxidative Stress in Ruminants

Studies to determine the physiological effects and functions of progesterone started in the twentieth century. Progesterone is a steroid-structured hormone with 21 carbon atoms originating from cholesterol. The corpus luteum, formed after ovulation in ruminants, secretes progesterone, which plays a role in the continuity of the pregnancy. Progestagens can be used for estrus synchronization in cows and heifers. Similarly, they are used for estrus synchronization during the breeding season or outside the breeding season by taking advantage of the negative feedback effect of progesterone in small ruminants. It is applied for the treatment of embryonic deaths due to luteal insufficiency in cows with high milk yield. In anovulatory anestrus, exogenous progesterone applications can be very useful. Progesterone treatment contributes to the resolution of the anestrus by rearranging hypothalamic functions in cattle with follicular cysts. The oxidative stress index in the luteal phase, when progesterone is high in ruminants, is higher than in the follicular phase. In the critical period of pregnancy, a high index of oxidative stress-induced progesterone causes embryonic death. Factors that cause stress in high milk-yielding cows can affect the amount of progesterone synthesis by inhibiting luteal cell function due to excessive free radical production

A review of nature-based solutions for urban water management in European circular cities: a critical assessment based on case studies and literature

Nature-based solutions (NBS) can protect, manage and restore natural or modified ecosystems. They are a multidisciplinary, integrated approach to address societal challenges and some natural hazards effectively and adaptively, simultaneously providing human well-being and biodiversity benefits. NBS applications can be easily noticed in circular cities, establishing an urban system that is regenerative and accessible. This paper aims to offer a review on NBS for urban water management from the literature and some relevant projects running within the COST Action ‘Implementing nature-based solutions for creating a resourceful circular city’. The method used in the study is based on a detailed tracking of specific keywords in the literature using Google Scholar, ResearchGate, Academia.edu, ScienceDirect and Scopus. Based on this review, three main applications were identified: (i) flood and drought protection; (ii) the water-food-energy nexus; and (iii) water purification. The paper shows that NBS provide additional benefits, such as improving water quality, increasing biodiversity, obtaining social co-benefits, improving urban microclimate, and the reduction of energy consumption by improving indoor climate. The paper concludes that a systemic change to NBS should be given a higher priority and be preferred over conventional water infrastructure

Holstein irkı bir İnekte karşılaşılan erken dönem fetal maserasyon olgusu

This case report describes a case of a cow shaped fetal maceration and operative results are presented in the early period. Undetected signs of vitality of the fetus by rectal examination, the uterus and vaginal examination, crepitus in the cervix with the uterus wall thickening were closed. Then, the cesarean operation was decided by operator. As a result, cases are reported in the literature have not completed the process of contrast, defined as a fetal maceration

Effects of Debonding on Oral Mal odor

The objective of this study was to evaluate the affect of debonding on oral malodor. This study consists of three groups. The first group (debonding group) included 20 subjects with brackets and would be debonded in a month. The second group (bracket group) included 20 subjects who still undergone orthodontic treatment with brackets. The last group is a control group who did not receive orthodontic treatment. Oral malodor measurements, Gingival and Plaque Index scores were recorded in each group by same periodontist. Measurements were taken in first study groups before debonding (T1), 1 week after debonding (T2) and 4 weeks after bonding (T3). At the same time the measurements were applied to the second and control group. Data's were evaluated with three way ANOVA test. Bonferroni test were assessed when significant differences between the measurements were exist. Mann-Whitney U- test was used to compare both groups. Oral malodor, significantly decreased after debonding (P0.05). Control group did not show differences in all measurements. The comparison between groups showed significant differences between groups (P<0.05). Bonding brackets cause to increase on oral malodor. However, after debonding immediately oral malodor reached to the acceptable scores. Oral malodor could be another indicator to evaluate the oral health as Gingival and Plaque index scores

Relationship Between Laboratory Parameters and Balthazar Severity Score in Acute Pancreatitis

INTRODUCTION: Several criteria have been established to assess the severity and prognosis of the disease in patients diagnosed with acute Pancreatitis(AP)in addition to the scoring and classifications developed for this purpose.Our study aims to assess the correlation between the clinical picture and laboratory parameters of patients diagnosed with AP in the emergency department, with a focus on using the Balthazar Severity Scoring to identify the severe cases at an earlier stage. METHODS: 250patients over the age of 18 who were admitted to the emergency room due to abdominal pain and were later diagnosed with acute pancreatitis were included in this retrospective study. RESULTS: According to the Balthazar Severity Score calculated,194 patients were classified as mild,while56 as moderate. While there was no significant difference in terms of immature granulocytes percentage between the two groups, LDH and Lipase/Amilase ratio yielded a statistically significant result(P=0.001 and 0.001, respectively).The findings with regard to CRP can be considered borderline significant(P=0.051).Sensitivity was46.4%,specificity was 85%, PPV was47.2%and NPV was 84.6%when the NLR cutoff was14.90.At a lipase/amylase ratio threshold of 2.27,the corresponding NPV was 86.7%, PPV was26.3%,specificity was 57.2%and sensitivity 69.6%. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Unlike previous studies towards diagnosing severe cases of AP at an early stage, our study found that the percentage of immature granulocyte(IG%)parameter did not show any statistically significant results.The lipase/amylase ratio stands out as a potential distinctive parameter for distinguishing severe cases.Furthermore, while diagnosing severe cases, there were statistically significant differences observed across the groups in relation to WBC,neutrophil,lymphocyte,NLR,PLR,andLDH rati

Effects of the progesterone-based estrus synchronization on some reproductive parameters in abaza goats

Bu çalışmada, yerli keçi ırklarımızdan birisi olan Abaza keçilerinin ilk kez olarak progesteron kaynaklı senkronizasyon uygulamasının bazı reprodüktif özellikler ve döl verimi sonuçlarına etkilerinin araştırılması amaçlandı. Çalışmada 2-5 yaşlı, 40-50 kg ağırlığında 40 adet Abaza keçisi kullanıldı. Araştırma üreme mevsiminde gerçekleştirildi. Grup 1’e (n=15) kontrollü progesteron salan aparat (CIDR) ile hormon uygulaması yapılarak östrus senkronizasyonu sağlanırken, Grup 2‘ye ise (n=25) herhangi bir hormon uygulanmadı ve kontrol gurubu olarak değerlendirildi. Östrus süresi Grup 1 ve 2’de sırasıyla 25,1±2,11, 25,4±3,69 saat olarak belirlendi. İlk östrusta gebe kalma oranı Grup 1 ve 2 sırasıyla %73,33, %88 olarak saptandı. Gebelik süresi Grup 1 ve 2’de sırasıyla 153,50±3,21, 151,26±3,89 olarak belirlendi. Östrus süresi, ilk östrusta gebe kalma oranı, gebelik süresi, doğum saatleri arasında gruplar arasında istatistiksel bir fark gözlenmedi. Özellikle doğumların gündüz olduğu ve %72,98 oranında saat 06.00 ile 12.00 arasında görüldüğü saptandı (P<0,001). Çalışma süresince sadece 1 foliküler kist, 1 prematüre doğum ve 1 güç doğum olgusuyla karşılaşıldı. Grup 1'deki ikizlik oranının (%53,34) Grup 2'ye göre (%12) istatistiksel olarak önemli düzeyde yüksek olduğu belirlendi (P=0,005). Yirmi yedi keçide tek yavru (14 erkek - 13 dişi) doğumu izlenirken 10 keçide ikiz yavrulama (10 erkek - 10 dişi) gözlendi. Sonuç olarak, Abaza keçilerinin pek fazla reprodüktif sorun yaşamadığı, doğumlarının gündüz, ikiz doğumların az ve senkronizasyon uygulamalarının üretime herhangi bir olumsuz etkisinin olmadığı belirlendi.This study was undertaken to investigate the effects of progesterone-based synchronization on reproductive characteristics and fertility outcomes for the first time in native Abaza goat breed. A total of 40 Abaza goats, weighing 40-50 kg, aged 2-5 years, were used in the trial. The study was conducted during the mating season. Group 1 (n=15) received hormone administration with progesterone and estrus synchronization. Group 2 (n=25) did not receive hormone administration (control group). The length of estrus was 25.1±2.11 and 25.4±3.69 hours in Groups 1 and 2, respectively. The rate of pregnancy in the first estrus was 73.33% and 88% respectively in Group 1 and 2, respectively. Moreover, the duration of pregnancy was 153.50±3.21 and 151.26±3.89 Group 1 and 2 respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of estrus duration, first estrous pregnancy rate, duration of pregnancy, and time of birth. It was especially found that the births were daytime and 72.98% between 06.00 and 12.00 hours (P<0.001). During the study, only 1 follicular cyst, 1 premature birth and 1 dystocia were encountered. Group 1 twin ratio (53.34%) was statistically significantly higher than Group 2 (12%) (P=0.005). The goats had 27 single (14 male - 13 female) and 10 twin (10 male - 10 female) births. As a result, it was determined that the Abaza goats did not have many reproductive problems, their births were daytime, the twin births were low and synchronization application has no negative effect on the production

Current challenges and future perspectives for the full circular economy of water in European countries

This paper reviews the current problems and prospects to overcome circular water economy management challenges in European countries. The geopolitical paradigm of water, the water economy, water innovation, water management and regulation in Europe, environmental and safety concerns at water reuse, and technological solutions for water recovery are all covered in this review, which has been prepared in the frame of the COST ACTION (CA, 20133) FULLRECO4US, Working Group (WG) 4. With a Circular Economy approach to water recycling and recovery based on this COST Action, this review paper aims to develop novel, futuristic solutions to overcome the difficulties that the European Union (EU) is currently facing. The detailed review of the current environmental barriers and upcoming difficulties for water reuse in Europe with a Circular Economy vision is another distinctive aspect of this study. It is observed that the biggest challenge in using and recycling water from wastewater treatment plants is dealing with technical, social, political, and economic issues. For instance, geographical differences significantly affect technological problems, and it is effective in terms of social acceptance of the reuse of treated water. Local governmental organizations should support and encourage initiatives to expand water reuse, particularly for agricultural and industrial uses across all of Europe. It should not also be disregarded that the latest hydro politics approach to water management will actively contribute to addressing the issues associated with water scarcity.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A Novel Label-Free Optical Biosensor Using Synthetic Oligonucleotides from E. coli O157:H7: Elementary Sensitivity Tests

SiO2-TiO2 thin films for use as fiber optic guiding layers of optical DNA biosensors were fabricated by the sol-gel dip coating technique. The chemical structure and the surface morphology of the films were characterized before immobilization. Single probe DNA strands were immobilized on the surface and the porosity of the films before the hybridization process was measured. Refractive index values of the films were measured using a Metricon 2010 prism coupler. On the surface of each film, 12 different spots were taken for measurement and calculation of the mean refractive index values with their standard deviations. The increased refractive index values after the immobilization of single DNA strands indicated that immobilization was successfully achieved. A further refractive index increase after the hybridization with target single DNA strands showed the possibility of detection of the E. coli O157:H7 EDL933 species using strands of 20-mers (5′-TAATATCGGTTGCGGAGGTG -3′) sequence

A review of nature-based solutions for urban water management in European circular cities: a critical assessment based on case studies and literature

Abstract Nature-based solutions (NBS) can protect, manage and restore natural or modified ecosystems. They are a multidisciplinary, integrated approach to address societal challenges and some natural hazards effectively and adaptively, simultaneously providing human well-being and biodiversity benefits. NBS applications can be easily noticed in circular cities, establishing an urban system that is regenerative and accessible. This paper aims to offer a review on NBS for urban water management from the literature and some relevant projects running within the COST Action 'Implementing nature-based solutions for creating a resourceful circular city'. The method used in the study is based on a detailed tracking of specific keywords in the literature using Google Scholar, ResearchGate, Academia.edu, ScienceDirect and Scopus. Based on this review, three main applications were identified: (i) flood and drought protection; (ii) the water-food-energy nexus; and (iii) water purification. The paper shows that NBS provide additional benefits, such as improving water quality, increasing biodiversity, obtaining social co-benefits, improving urban microclimate, and the reduction of energy consumption by improving indoor climate. The paper concludes that a systemic change to NBS should be given a higher priority and be preferred over conventional water infrastructure