Deconstruct the soup - cuticular hydrocarbon signals of Australian meat ants

Trabalho final de mestrado integrado em Medicina (Pediatria), apresentado á Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de CoimbraO tempo de utilização de videojogos tem sido relacionado com Perturbação de Hiperatividade e Défice de Atenção (PHDA) em adolescentes. Está por explorar a possibilidade de uma associação similar com outros fatores relacionados com a exposição a videojogos. No nosso estudo, investigámos o padrão de utilização de videojogos numa amostra de adolescentes e a sua relação com sintomatologia de PHDA. O estudo baseou-se em questionários realizados a estudantes com 11 a 18 anos de idade e a seus pais (n = 430 adolescentes, 430 pais). A análise estatística foi realizada aplicando o teste de Kruskal-Wallis, tendo como variáveis dependentes as subescalas da Conners' Parent Rating Scale – Revised: Short Form, preenchidas pelos pais. As variáveis independentes investigadas foram: tempo de utilização e evolução da utilização de videojogos, internet e televisão; número e tipo de videojogos; plataforma utilizada; número de modos de jogo; jogo em modo singleplayer ou multiplayer; tipo de multiplayer e evolução dos resultados escolares. Verificámos um aumento, ao fim de semana, dos adolescentes com tempo de utilização superior a duas horas diárias de videojogos (12,3% em dias de semana para 30,7% ao fim de semana), internet (19,5% para 40,5%) e televisão (24,9% para 51,7%). Observámos diferenças nos padrões de utilização entre rapazes e raparigas: os rapazes apresentaram tendência para jogar mais videojogos, mais modos de jogo e mais videojogos em modo multiplayer, assim como preferência por videojogos de desporto e ação-aventura/role-playing games (as raparigas preferiram casual games e videojogos de ação). O resultado mais relevante deste estudo foi o aumento da sintomatologia de PHDA dos adolescentes com tempo de utilização diário de videojogos ou de televisão superior a duas horas, que jogavam casual games, que utilizavam PC ou smartphones/tablets ou que tinham preferência por multiplayer. 2 Para além da esperada relação com o tempo de utilização de videojogos, a sintomatologia de PHDA apresentou associação com outros fatores do padrão de utilização de videojogos. A investigação futura focada nos videojogos como potenciais fatores de risco da PHDA em adolescentes deve ser alargada para incluir o tipo de videojogo, a plataforma e os modos de jogo.Video game exposure time has been associated with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in adolescents. The possibility of a similar association between ADHD and other factors related to video game use has not been explored. In this study, we analyzed the video game usage pattern of a sample of adolescents and its association with ADHD symptoms. The study was based on questionnaires given to students 11 to 18 years old and their parents (n = 430 adolescents, 430 parents). The statistical analysis was conducted using the Kruskal-Wallis test, considering the Conners' Parent Rating Scale – Revised: Short Form subscales, answered by parents, as the dependent variables. The assessed independent variables were: video game, internet and television exposure time and evolution of exposure time; number of video games; video game genre; gaming platform; number of game modes; singleplayer or multiplayer game mode; type of multiplayer and evolution of academic performance. We reported an increase, on weekends, in adolescents with an exposure time lasting more than two daily hours of video games (12,3% on workweek to 30,7% on weekend), internet (19,5% to 40,5%) and television (24,9% to 51,7%). We identified differences in the usage patterns of males and females: boys had a tendency to play an increased number of video games, game modes and multiplayer video games, and favored sports video games and action-adventure/role-playing games (girls’ favorites were casual games and action video games). The most relevant finding of this study was the increase of ADHD symptoms in adolescents with a daily video game or television exposure time greater than two hours, who played casual games, used PC or smartphones/tablets or had a preference for multiplayer mode. 4 In addition to the anticipated connection with video game exposure time, ADHD symptoms were also associated with several usage pattern factors. Future research focused on video games as a potential risk factor for ADHD should be expanded to include video game genre, gaming platform and video game mode

The antenna of horse stomach bot flies:morphology and phylogenetic implications (Oestridae, Gasterophilinae: <i>Gasterophilus</i> Leach)

Antennae are among the most elaborate sensory organs in adult flies, and they provide rich information for phylogenic studies. The antennae of five out of eight species of Gasterophilus Leach (G. haemorrhoidalis (Linnaeus), G. intestinalis (De Geer), G. nasalis (Linnaeus), G. nigricornis (Loew) and G. pecorum (Fabricius)), were examined using scanning electron microscopy. The general morphology, including distribution, type, size, and ultrastructure of antennal sensilla were presented, and the definition of auriculate sensilla and sensory pits were updated and clarified. Eighteen antennal characters were selected to construct the first species-level phylogeny of this genus. The monophyly of Gasterophilus was supported by the presence of coeloconic sensilla III on the antennal arista. The species-level cladogram showed G. pecorum branching off at the base, and the remaining species forming the topology (G. intestinalis+ (G. haemorrhoidalis+ (G. nasalis+ G. nigricornis))). Our research shows the importance of the antennal ultrastructure as a reliable source for phylogenetic analysis

A cluster-based baseline load calculation approach for individual industrial and commercial customer

Demand response (DR) in the wholesale electricity market provides an economical and efficient way for customers to participate in the trade during the DR event period. There are various methods to measure the performance of a DR program, among which customer baseline load (CBL) is the most important method in this regard. It provides a prediction of counterfactual consumption levels that customer load would have been without a DR program. Actually, it is an expected load profile. Since the calculation of CBL should be fair and simple, the typical methods that are based on the average model and regression model are the two widely used methods. In this paper, a cluster-based approach is proposed considering the multiple power usage patterns of an individual customer throughout the year. It divides loads of a customer into different types of power usage patterns and it implicitly incorporates the impact of weather and holiday into the CBL calculation. As a result, different baseline calculation approaches could be applied to each customer according to the type of his power usage patterns. Finally, several case studies are conducted on the actual utility meter data, through which the effectiveness of the proposed CBL calculation approach is verified

Clinical features and prognosis of pulmonary enteric adenocarcinoma: A retrospective study in China and the SEER database

ObjectivePulmonary enteric adenocarcinoma (PEAC) is a rare subtype of pulmonary adenocarcinoma that lacks effective treatment. The purpose of this research was to investigate the clinical characteristics, treatment, and prognosis of PEAC, as well as the impact of relevant factors on survival, thus providing a reference for the clinical management of patients with this disease.MethodsFor this study, we gathered clinical data from 26 patients with PEAC in the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University from June 2014 to June 2021. We used SEER*Stat software V8.3.5 to download the PEAC patients from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. In total, 20 patients were identified. Clinical data, including general information, imaging findings, and treatment protocols, were obtained, together with a follow-up of disease regression. The relevant clinical data were then analyzed.ResultsIt included 12 males and 14 females out of 26 patients from China, whose mean age was (62.73 ± 11.89) years; 20 were in the lower lung, 11 were stage I-II, and 15 were stage III-IV. Five had EGFR mutations, and four had KRAS mutations. In terms of treatment, patients with stage I-II were primarily treated by surgery, and patients with stage III-IV were treated mostly by chemotherapy. We extended the follow-up date to January 2022. On completion of the follow-up visit, 11 patients died, and the remaining 15 patients survived. The overall survival (OS) of 26 patients was 2.0-76.0 months, while the mean was 53.1 months, and the median OS (mOS) was 38.0 months (95% CI:1.727-74.273). In the case of progression-free survival (PFS) times, it was 2.0-76.0 months, with a mean PFS of 31.0 months and a median PFS (mPFS) of 8.0 months (95% CI:4.333-11.667). The PFS of the 15 patients in stage III-IV was 2.0-17 months, while the mean PFS was 6.5 months and the mPFS was 6.0 months (95% CI:4.512-7.488). Out of the 20 patients identified in the SEER database, the average age was 69.9 years, with 14 males and 6 females. Of these patients, 8 were diagnosed with stage I-II, while the remaining 11 were diagnosed with stage III-IV. 10 underwent surgery, 4 received radiation therapy, and 9 received chemotherapy. The mean OS of the 20 patients was 67.5 months, mOS was 28.0 months (95% CI: 9.664- 46.336). For patients diagnosed with stage III-IV, the mean OS was 14.8 months and mOS was 20 months (95% CI: 4.713-35.287).ConclusionPEAC is rare, and the prognosis is determined mainly by the stage; patients who undergo surgery in stage I-II have a better prognosis

Task-Specific Recognition Signals Are Located on the Legs in a Social Insect

Task allocation ensures a high level of organization within social insect colonies. Workers reveal their task assignment through cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) signals. The source and chemical composition of these signals are largely unknown. We ask whether task recognition signals are located on particular body parts of workers of Australian meat ants (Iridomyrmex purpureus). We analyzed the CHC profile on the antennae, legs, and abdomens of workers engaged in different tasks. Discriminant analysis showed that the leg profile is the best indicator of task identification. Behavioral assays confirmed this finding: workers typically reacted differently to non-nestmates engaged in different tasks, but not if the CHCs on the legs of their opponents were removed by a solvent. Lasso and Elastic-Net Regularized Generalized Linear Model (GLMNET) revealed which CHC components show the highest correlation in task and nestmate recognition, suggesting that social insects can simultaneously convey different CHC signals on different body parts, thereby allowing efficient signaling and signal perception.a University of Melbourne Postgraduate Scholarship and a Holsworth Wildlife Research Endowment (to QW)

Analysis of Rewetting Characteristics and Process Parameters in Tobacco Strip Redrying Stage

To study the rewetting characteristics of tobacco strips during the redrying stage, a conjugate heat and mass transfer model of tobacco strips was established based on their physical properties. The fundamental relationship between the multiphysical fields and humidity fields of tobacco strips and the key process parameters was considered in this model, and the feasibility of the model was verified via experiments. Based on this model, the transfer and variation laws of the moisture content, humidification rate, and temperature of tobacco strips under different relative humidity and temperature conditions were studied, and the rewetting process parameters of tobacco strips were determined using COMSOL Multiphysics. The results show that this model can be used to study the rewetting characteristics of tobacco strips during the redrying stage. The rewetting of tobacco strips can be divided into two stages, namely, the accelerated stage and approximate constant rate increase stage, where the former stage has a greater impact on the rewetting effect. The higher the relative humidity and temperature, the greater the change in the moisture content, humidification rate, and effective moisture diffusivity, and the faster the increase rate. The best rewetting effect was achieved when the relative humidity was 85% and the temperature was 55 &deg;C. Under these conditions, the moisture content of the tobacco strips was 11% to 13%, the humidification rate was 0.03 %/s to 0.29 %/s, the highest effective moisture diffusivity was 7.8 &times; 10&minus;10 m2/s, and the maximum activation energy was 37.86 kJ/mol. This study provides a theoretical basis and data support for analyzing the characteristics of the rewetting process and for optimizing the process parameters

Discrete Heaped Model of Tobacco Strips Drying and Characteristics Analysis of Heat and Mass Transfer

To accurately study the drying characteristics of tobacco strips in the process of redrying, a discrete heaped physical model of tobacco strips is built. Based on this model, a convective drying multiphase porous media model of the heaped tobacco strips is established, which considers the binary diffusion and transport of vapor inside and outside the tobacco leaf. The model is solved using COMSOL Multiphysics, and the accuracy of the model is verified by experiments. The changes in hot air velocity, vapor and moisture content, and evaporation rate in heaped tobacco strips with different thicknesses are analyzed. The results show that: it is feasible to study the drying characteristics of tobacco strips in redrying using a discrete heaped model; there were significant differences in water content, evaporation rate, and temperature in different regions of heaped tobacco strips; the increase in heaping thickness will significantly reduce the uniformity of heat and mass transfer of tobacco strips in the process of convection drying. This model can provide a reference for the study of heat and mass transfer in porous media, such as tobacco strips in the heaping state