Investigation of sorption of Cu₂₊, Zn₂₊ and Cd₂₊ ions by a composite adsorbent obtained from bentonite-like clay and hydroxyapatite

The article analyses the results of the measuring of pHpzc (point zero charge) of the surface of adsorbents by potentiometric titration are presente

Flexural-strengthening efficiency of cfrp sheets for unbonded post-tensioned concrete T-beams

There has been a limited number of studies about the flexural behavior of unbonded post-tensioned concrete (UPC) beams strengthened with carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) and these studies have not systematically examined the effect of CFRP sheets on the tendon strain as well as the strengthening efficiency. Moreover, current design guides for the FRP strengthening techniques have not provided any design procedure for UPC structures. This study, thus, investigates the influence of CFRP sheet ratio on the flexural behavior of CFRP-strengthened UPC T-beams and quantifies its effect upon tendon behavior in this kind of UPC beams. The testing program consisted of nine large-scale UPC T-beams strengthened by different layers of CFRP sheets with or without CFRP U-wrapped anchors. The experimental results have shown that the use of CFRP sheets and CFRP U-wrapped anchors significantly affected the tendon strain. The FRP reinforcement ratio governed the flexural capacity, the crack width, the mid-span displacement, and the ductility of the beams in which the strengthening efficiency reduces with the increased number of CFRP layers. The configuration of the CFRP U-wrapped anchors affected the strain of the CFRP sheets, the failure mode and thus the beam behavior. In addition, semi-empirical equations were proposed to estimate the actual strain of unbonded tendons in which the effect of the CFRP sheets and CFRP U-wrapped anchors have been taken into consideration. The proposed equations, which are simple to use, yield reliable predictions with a small variation

Information Transfer in Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone (GnRH) Signaling:Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase (ERK)-Mediated Feedback Loops Control Hormone Sensing

Cell signaling pathways are noisy communication channels, and statistical measures derived from information theory can be used to quantify the information they transfer. Here we use single cell signaling measures to calculate mutual information as a measure of information transfer via gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) receptors (GnRHR) to extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) or nuclear factor of activated T-cells (NFAT). This revealed mutual information values <1 bit, implying that individual GnRH-responsive cells cannot unambiguously differentiate even two equally probable input concentrations. Addressing possible mechanisms for mitigation of information loss, we focused on the ERK pathway and developed a stochastic activation model incorporating negative feedback and constitutive activity. Model simulations revealed interplay between fast (min) and slow (min-h) negative feedback loops with maximal information transfer at intermediate feedback levels. Consistent with this, experiments revealed that reducing negative feedback (by expressing catalytically inactive ERK2) and increasing negative feedback (by Egr1-driven expression of dual-specificity phosphatase 5 (DUSP5)) both reduced information transfer from GnRHR to ERK. It was also reduced by blocking protein synthesis (to prevent GnRH from increasing DUSP expression) but did not differ for different GnRHRs that do or do not undergo rapid homologous desensitization. Thus, the first statistical measures of information transfer via these receptors reveals that individual cells are unreliable sensors of GnRH concentration and that this reliability is maximal at intermediate levels of ERK-mediated negative feedback but is not influenced by receptor desensitization

The burden and characteristics of enteric fever at a healthcare facility in a densely populated area of Kathmandu

Enteric fever, caused by Salmonella enterica serovars Typhi and Paratyphi A (S. Typhi and S. Paratyphi A) remains a major public health problem in many settings. The disease is limited to locations with poor sanitation which facilitates the transmission of the infecting organisms. Efficacious and inexpensive vaccines are available for S. Typhi, yet are not commonly deployed to control the disease. Lack of vaccination is due partly to uncertainty of the disease burden arising from a paucity of epidemiological information in key locations. We have collected and analyzed data from 3,898 cases of blood culture-confirmed enteric fever from Patan Hospital in Lalitpur Sub-Metropolitan City (LSMC), between June 2005 and May 2009. Demographic data was available for a subset of these patients (n = 527) that were resident in LSMC and who were enrolled in trials. We show a considerable burden of enteric fever caused by S. Typhi (2,672; 68.5%) and S. Paratyphi A (1,226; 31.5%) at this Hospital over a four year period, which correlate with seasonal fluctuations in rainfall. We found that local population density was not related to incidence and we identified a focus of infections in the east of LSMC. With data from patients resident in LSMC we found that the median age of those with S. Typhi (16 years) was significantly less than S. Paratyphi A (20 years) and that males aged 15 to 25 were disproportionately infected. Our findings provide a snapshot into the epidemiological patterns of enteric fever in Kathmandu. The uneven distribution of enteric fever patients within the population suggests local variation in risk factors, such as contaminated drinking water. These findings are important for initiating a vaccination scheme and improvements in sanitation. We suggest any such intervention should be implemented throughout the LSMC area.This work was supported by The Wellcome Trust, Euston Road, London, United Kingdom. MFB is supported by the Medical Research Council (grant G0600718). SB is supported by an OAK foundation fellowship through Oxford University

Hidden attractors in fundamental problems and engineering models

Recently a concept of self-excited and hidden attractors was suggested: an attractor is called a self-excited attractor if its basin of attraction overlaps with neighborhood of an equilibrium, otherwise it is called a hidden attractor. For example, hidden attractors are attractors in systems with no equilibria or with only one stable equilibrium (a special case of multistability and coexistence of attractors). While coexisting self-excited attractors can be found using the standard computational procedure, there is no standard way of predicting the existence or coexistence of hidden attractors in a system. In this plenary survey lecture the concept of self-excited and hidden attractors is discussed, and various corresponding examples of self-excited and hidden attractors are considered

Model binding experiments with cucurbit[7]uril and p-sulfonatocalix[4]arene support use of explicit solvation term in governing equation for binding equilibria

The thermodynamics of model host–guest-binding reactions is examined in depth using isothermal titration calorimetry. In conflict with classical thermodynamics, the results indicate that the equilibrium-binding quotient, K, is not a constant for all pairings. This outcome is predicted by an equation for binding equilibria that includes an explicit term for the change in solvation free energy that accompanies the formation of a binary complex. Application of this framework to the experimentally observed concentration dependence of K allows one to obtain the energetic contribution of the solvent, a linked equilibrium denoted here as ΔGH2O. The estimated values of ΔGH2O are large and unfavourable for the binding of selected guest molecules to two hosts, cucurbit[7]uril and p-sulfonatocalix[4]arene. Intriguingly, the estimated values of ΔGH2O are near zero for the binding of two hydrophobic guest molecules to β-cyclodextrin, leading to a thought-provoking discussion on the driving force behind the hydrophobic effect

ARIVU: Power-Aware Middleware for Multiplayer Mobile Games

Ministry of Education, Singapore under its Academic Research Funding Tier

Conquering hypertension in Vietnam-solutions at grassroots level: study protocol of a cluster randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Vietnam has been experiencing an epidemiologic transition to that of a lower-middle income country with an increasing prevalence of non-communicable diseases. The key risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) are either on the rise or at alarming levels in Vietnam, particularly hypertension (HTN). Inasmuch, the burden of CVD will continue to increase in the Vietnamese population unless effective prevention and control measures are put in place. The objectives of the proposed project are to evaluate the implementation and effectiveness of two multi-faceted community and clinic-based strategies on the control of elevated blood pressure (BP) among adults in Vietnam via a cluster randomized trial design. METHODS: Sixteen communities will be randomized to either an intervention (8 communities) or a comparison group (8 communities). Eligible and consenting adult study participants with HTN (n = 680) will be assigned to intervention/comparison status based on the community in which they reside. Both comparison and intervention groups will receive a multi-level intervention modeled after the Vietnam National Hypertension Program including education and practice change modules for health care providers, accessible reading materials for patients, and a multi-media community awareness program. In addition, the intervention group only will receive three carefully selected enhancements integrated into routine clinical care: (1) expanded community health worker services, (2) home BP self-monitoring, and (3) a storytelling intervention, which consists of interactive, literacy-appropriate, and culturally sensitive multi-media storytelling modules for motivating behavior change through the power of patients speaking in their own voices. The storytelling intervention will be delivered by DVDs with serial installments at baseline and at 3, 6, and 9 months after trial enrollment. Changes in BP will be assessed in both groups at several follow-up time points. Implementation outcomes will be assessed as well. DISCUSSION: Results from this full-scale trial will provide health policymakers with practical evidence on how to combat a key risk factor for CVD using a feasible, sustainable, and cost-effective intervention that could be used as a national program for controlling HTN in Vietnam. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03590691 . Registered on July 17, 2018. Protocol version: 6. Date: August 15, 2019