Добірка наукової літератури з теми "While Ordered Weighted `1"

Being one of the natural disasters, earthquake can seriously damage buildings, urban facilities and cause road blockage. Post-earthquake route planning is problem that has been addressed in frequent researches. The main aim of this research is to present a route planning model for after earthquake. It is assumed in this research that no damage data is available. The presented model tries to find the optimum route based on a number of contributing factors which mainly indicate the length, width and safety of the road. The safety of the road is represented by a number of criteria such as distance to faults, percentage of non-standard buildings and percentage of high buildings around the route. An integration of genetic algorithm and ordered weighted averaging operator is employed in the model. The former searches the problem space among all alternatives, while the latter aggregates the scores of road segments to compute an overall score for each alternative. Ordered weighted averaging operator enables the users of the system to evaluate the alternative routes based on their decision strategy. Based on the proposed model, an optimistic user tries to find the shortest path between the two points, whereas a pessimistic user tends to pay more attention to safety parameters even if it enforces a longer route. The results depicts that decision strategy can considerably alter the optimum route. Moreover, post-earthquake route planning is a function of not only the length of the route but also the probability of the road blockage.

Objective: To assess reliability of scoring plaster models and their 3D digital copy of children with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate (CUCLP) using a continuous scale (10-cm visual analog scale [VAS]) and a categorical scale (GOSLON Yardstick). Design: Reliability observational study involving 3 trained GOSLON Yardstick assessors blinded to the origin of the models. Patients: Models from 35 New Zealand (NZ) and 35 Oslo CUCLP patients were standardized and randomly ordered before rating. Outcome Measures: Assessments were undertaken using the GOSLON and the VAS for both model formats. Twenty percent of sample were randomly selected and rescored at the first assessment, and whole sample was rescored 1 week later. Weighted κ was used to assess GOSLON reliability, while correlation was used for the VAS. Results: The VAS and GOSLON intra- and inter-rater agreement was similar for both model formats. Repeat measurements on the day have similar intra-rater reliability as repeat measurements at least a week part. There was no significant difference between the 2 model formats, and both the GOSLON and VAS found the NZ models were significantly worse than Oslo. Conclusions: A 10-cm VAS is a reliable method to assess dental arch relationships and appears to have good face validity when compared to GOSLON. The VAS allows for statistically robust rankings of the dental arch relationships, although more studies will be required to enable the VAS scores to have greater clinical meaning. The 3D digital models can be used for GOSLON and VAS rankings with a high degree of reliability.

The conservation of World Natural Heritage Sites has become a global concern. The identification of priority conservation areas can preserve the value of heritage sites while promoting sustainable development, which is important for balancing the conservation and development of heritage sites. This paper proposes an integrated framework for the identification of priority conservation areas for natural heritage sites based on landscape ecological risks (LERs) and ecosystem services (ESs), taking the Bogda heritage site in Xinjiang, China as a case study. The innovative approach combined the natural and cultural elements of natural heritage sites and included the following steps: (1) the LER index, Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs (InVEST) model and questionnaire method were adopted to assess the LERs and ESs of Bogda heritage sites during 1990–2018; (2) ordered weighted averaging (OWA) was used to identify conservation priorities by weighing LERs and ESs; and (3) the optimal priority conservation area was determined by comparing the conservation efficiencies under different scenarios. The results revealed that the LER, carbon storage (CS), habitat quality (HQ), aesthetic value (AV), and recreational value (RV) showed significant spatiotemporal variation. The most suitable priority conservation area was located at the central forestlands and high-coverage grasslands, with conservation efficiencies of 1.16, 2.91, 1.96, 1.03, and 1.21 for LER, CS, HQ, AV, and RV, respectively. Our study demonstrated that integrating LERs and ESs is a comprehensive and effective approach to identifying conservation priorities for heritage sites. The results can provide decision support for the conservation of the Bogda heritage site and a methodological reference for identifying conservation priorities for natural heritage sites. Furthermore, this study is also an effective application of LERs and ESs in identifying priority conservation areas.

Abstract Introduction Transfusion medicine is unique to lab medicine. While it still involves testing and reporting of results, it is one of the few areas where the laboratory is providing treatment. The risk of providing a blood product must be weighed against the benefit before the decision is made to transfuse a patient. Our study looked at blood utilization at our regional hospitals to assess if there were areas where we need to improve this decision process. Methods Chart reviews were performed for patients who received packed red blood cells (RBCs) in the regional hospitals over a 2-month period. Using the AABB and Choosing Wisely recommendations, we created two screening criteria: hemoglobin (Hb) >8 g/dL or greater than 1 unit RBC ordered when Hb is >6 g/dL to screen for outliers among RBC orders. A more in-depth chart review including information on clinical diagnosis, indications, bleeding status, and blood loss during surgery was performed on cases that met these criteria. Using this information, a decision was made on the appropriateness of the transfusion. Results In total, 1,592 RBC units were screened at eight regional hospitals. Sixty-eight (4%) were flagged as inappropriate, 57 (83.8%) due to multiple units, and 11 (16.2%) for an Hb >8 g/dL. The percentage of inappropriate transfusions at a hospital ranged from 5.2% to 13.6%. However, all hospitals except one were under 5.5%. Discussion In general, regional physicians are transfusing RBCs appropriately. When a unit is ordered inappropriately, it is most likely due to ordering multiple units upfront. To further improve blood utilization, these data were presented to hospital administration and a new alert in the EMR was created. A repeat study will be performed to see if the alerts and awareness of these data has had an effect on blood utilization.

Abstract 69-year-old female with pituitary adenoma status-post transsphenoidal resection 6 years prior and isolated growth hormone deficiency [on somatropin 0.2 mg daily], migraines [on topiramate 25 mg daily], left lipid-rich adrenal incidentaloma, primary hypothyroidism [on levothyroxine 75 mcg daily], and secondary hyperparathyroidism from vitamin-D deficiency [on ergocalciferol 50000 IU weekly] and hydrochlorothiazide 25 mg daily presented for follow-up. Physical exam: afebrile, blood pressure hypertensive at 163/71 mmHg, heart rate 91 beats per minute, respiratory rate 18 breaths per minute, saturating 100% on room air and patient weighed 105 kg. Patient appeared obese but did not exhibit cervicodorsal fat pads, abdominal striae, or other cushingoid features. Neck was supple and did not demonstrate palpable nodules or lymphadenopathy. Labs ordered at clinic visit demonstrated normal TSH 1.28 with normal free T4 1.21, elevated PTH 232 with corrected calcium 9.7 (on hydrochlorothiazide) and normal vitamin-D, 25 level 43, normal ACTH 21, and normal IGF-1 level 75. Given adrenal incidentaloma and prior pituitary adenoma, the integrity of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis was also tested. A subsequent 8: 00 a. m. cortisol was insufficiently suppressed at 5.2 after 1 mg dexamethasone suppression test which raised concern for hypercortisolism from pituitary adenoma or adrenal adenoma. Accordingly, ACTH as well as DHEA-S and 24 hour urine cortisol as well as midnight salivary cortisol level was ordered to assess pituitary versus adrenal origin, respectively. Interestingly, while midnight salivary cortisol was found to be normal at less than 50, the 24 hour urine cortisol measurement was elevated at 878 despite otherwise normal cortisol findings. ACTH and DHEA-S levels are still pending. Plan was made to check two additional midnight cortisol levels and await ACTH and DHEA-S levels. In an effort to explain the urinary cortisol elevation, the patient's medications were reviewed and subsequent literature search revealed that topiramate may interfere with urinary cortisol measurement by causing a dose-dependent increase in the measured urinary cortisol, presumably due to its action on the kidney during renal excretion. Patient had been on topiramate for approximately 6 months prior to this assay. Presentation: No date and time listed

Background:Development of a standardized approach to assess key elements of disease activity in rheumatology clinical trials has been the goal of Outcome Measures in Rheumatology Clinical Trials (OMERACT), American College of Rheumatology (ACR), and European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR).1,2,3The core sets of measures developed include assessments and composite indices incorporating use of patient-reported outcomes (PROs) and clinical measures and clinicians’ assessments to quantify disease activity over time.2PROs are important indicators of disease activity and variability, and they are increasingly used to evaluate treatment effectiveness. Little is known about PROs that patients with rheumatic conditions find most important to convey their experience with their condition and its treatment.Objectives:To examine PROs selected by patients with rheumatic conditions in the ArthritisPower registry to identify symptoms they found most important to track digitally.Methods:Adult US patients within the ArthritisPower registry with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), ankylosing spondylitis (AS), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), osteoporosis (OP), osteoarthritis (OA), and fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) were invited via email to participate in this study. Enrolled participants (pts) were prompted to select ≤10 PRO symptom measures they felt were important to track for their condition at baseline via the ArthritisPower app. At 3 subsequent time points (Month [m] 1, m2, m3), pts were given the option to continue tracking their previously selected PRO measures or to add, remove and/or select different measures. At m3, pts completed an exit survey to prioritize ≤5 measures from all measures selected during study participation and to specify other symptoms not available that they would have wanted to track. Measures were rank-ordered based on number of pts rating the item as their 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th or 5th choice and weighted by multiplying the rank number by its inverse for a single, weighted summary score for each measure. Values were summed across all pts to produce a summary score for each measure.Results:Among pts who completed initial selection of PRO assessments at baseline (N=253), 184 pts confirmed or changed PRO selections across m1-3. Mean (SD) age of pts was 55.7 (9.2) yrs, 89.3% female, 91.3% White, mean disease duration of 11.6 (10.6) yrs. The majority (64.8%) self-reported OA, followed by RA (48.6%), FMS (40.3%), PsA (26.1%), OP (21.0%), AS (15.8%) and SLE (5.9%), not mutually exclusive, and were similar to the overall ArthritisPower population. The average number of instruments (SD) selected for baseline completion was 7.0 (2.5), 7.1 (2.4) at m1, 7.2 (2.4) at m2, and 7.0 (2.5) at m3. The top 5 PROs ranked by pts overall as most important (weighted summary score) for tracking were Fatigue (71), Physical Function (58), Pain Intensity (50), Pain Interference (49), Duration of Morning Joint Stiffness (41) (Figure 1). Fatigue, Physical Function, and Pain were consistently in the top 5 across diseases while Depression was more frequent among pts with OA, AS and FMS. Pts’ PRO selections showed stability over time except for the RA Flare measure which decreased from 70.5% of RA pts at baseline to 13.6% at m3.Conclusion:The symptoms prioritized by pts included fatigue, physical function, pain, and joint stiffness. Pts‘ choices were consistent over time. These findings provide insights into symptoms rheumatology patients find most important and will be useful to inform design of future patient-centric clinical trials and real-world evidence generation.References:[1]Boers M, et al. J Rheumatol Suppl. 1994;41:86–89.[2]Felson DT, et al. Arthritis Rheum. 1993;36:729–740.[3]Tugwell P, et al. J Rheumatol. 1993;20:555–556.Disclosure of Interests:W. Benjamin Nowell: None declared, Carol L. Kannowski Shareholder of: Eli Lilly and Company, Employee of: Eli Lilly and Company, Kelly Gavigan: None declared, Zhihong Cai Shareholder of: Eli Lilly and Company, Employee of: Eli Lilly and Company, Anabela Cardoso Shareholder of: Eli Lilly and Company, Employee of: Eli Lilly and Company, Theresa Hunter Shareholder of: Eli Lilly and Company, Employee of: Eli Lilly and Company, Shilpa Venkatachalam: None declared, Julie Birt Shareholder of: Eli Lilly and Company, Employee of: Eli Lilly and Company, Jennifer Workman Shareholder of: Eli Lilly and Company, Employee of: Eli Lilly and Company, Jeffrey Curtis Grant/research support from: AbbVie, Amgen, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Corrona, Janssen, Lilly, Myriad, Pfizer, Regeneron, Roche, UCB, Consultant of: AbbVie, Amgen, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Corrona, Janssen, Lilly, Myriad, Pfizer, Regeneron, Roche, UCB

For the multiattribute group decision-making problem in an interval Pythagorean fuzzy environment, the existing experts and scholars have extended the weighted average (WA), ordered weighted average (OWA), generalized ordered weighted average (GOWA), weighted ordered weighted average (WOWA), and other operators to interval fuzzy environment, while the research on the application and promotion of interval Pythagorean fuzzy with generalized weighted ordered weighted average (GWOWA) operator has not been carried out, GWOWA operator not only retains the advantages of WOWA operator but also introduces artificial variables, which increases the ability of decision-makers to control the aggregation of fuzzy information. Therefore, the GWOWA operator model based on interval Pythagorean fuzzy sets is constructed. First, it is proved that interval Pythagorean fuzzy generalized weighted average operator (IVPFGWA) and interval Pythagorean fuzzy generalized ordered weighted average operator (IVPFGOWA) are special cases of IVPFGWOWA operator, and their idempotence, monotonicity, and boundedness are proved; second, a group decision-making method based on interval Pythagorean fuzzy GWOWA operator is presented. Finally, an example is given to illustrate the effectiveness and scientificity of this method. It is found that the interval Pythagorean fuzzy decision-making method of the GWOWA operator alleviates the loss of information in the decision-making process to a great extent. At the same time, with the increase in the value of artificial variables, the gap between the best scheme and other schemes continues to increase, making the decision-making results more obvious, scientific, and accurate.

INTRODUCTION: A massive transfusion protocol (MTP) is defined as a transfusion which exceeds the patient's estimated blood volume within 24 hours. The use of cold-stored, low-titer Group O whole blood (LTOWB) is well established for massive transfusion in military and civilian trauma. However, we do not yet have data supporting the use of LTOWB for non-trauma patients requiring a massive transfusion. Herein lies the importance of this retrospective cohort study as it seeks to answer important questions about the use of LTOWB in non-trauma patients. The primary aim of the study is to establish if mortality 24h and 30d after LTOWB MTP is no worse than after standard, component MTP. Secondary aims include degree of hemolysis, length of stay and, because there is 5% increase in mortality for every minute that blood products are not provided to a trauma patient after an MTP has been activated, time to delivery. METHODS: A retrospective chart review identified non-trauma patients requiring a MTP from July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019, comparing those who received at least one unit of LTOWB ("LTOWB" cohort) to those who received a standard component MTP ("Component" cohort). Each delivery of a component MTP contains 6u of RBCs, 6u of plasma and 1u of platelets. Each LTOWB delivery contains 5u of leukoreduced (using a platelet-sparing filter) LTOWB. Our primary outcomes were 24h and 30d mortality, adjusted for age and Elixhauser comorbidity score. Secondary outcomes included length of stay, hemolysis, and delivery time. Medical records were abstracted for demographics, Total Bilirubin levels, discharge codes, 24h and 30d mortality, and length of stay. Hemolysis was the difference between highest Total Bilirubin in the 5 days following the MTP and the lowest total bilirubin level for the two days prior or on the day of the MTP. Delivery time was calculated as the number of minutes between the time the MTP was ordered in the electronic ordering system and the delivery of the first box of blood products as noted in hospital transportation logs. Discharge codes were used to calculate a weighted Elixhauser comorbidity score as previously described. Statistical analysis was performed utilizing logistic regressions, poisson regression, general linear models, and t-tests as appropriate (Table 2, Table 3). RESULTS: Between 7/1/2018 and 6/30/2019, 93 unique patients received 114 MTPs, of which 19 received at least one unit of LTOWB (Table 1). Seven patients had emergency-issue blood delivered outside of hospital transportation so were included in the analysis. The indication for the MTP was most commonly gastrointestinal bleeding, followed by intra-procedural bleeding and organ bleeding (spleen, pancreas, retroperitoneum, lung, brain and ovarian). Adjusting for age and Elixhauser comorbidity score, there was no statistically significant difference in 24 h mortality (13.4% higher odds in LTOWB cohort compared to component; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.28, 4.64; p: 0.86) or 30 d mortality (14% higher odds in LTOWB cohort compared to component; 95% CI: 0.34, 3.77; p: 0.83), Table 2. There was no statistically significant difference between cohorts in length of stay (for every 1.0 day patients who received LTOWB were admitted, patients who received components were admitted for 0.97d; 95% CI: 0.86, 1.09; p: 0.58), time to delivery, or degree of hemolysis. CONCLUSIONS: For non-trauma patients receiving a massive transfusion, our data suggest that receiving at least one unit of LTOWB does not impact 24 h or 30 d mortality. Length of stay and change in bilirubin were nearly the same for both cohorts suggesting that LTOWB is as safe as component therapy. Although we hypothesized that LTOWB would be delivered faster, we have a small sample size and because component MTP is the default at our institution for non-trauma patients, LTOWB was usually delivered only in subsequent deliveries, not the first one. Therefore, we would not expect to see a difference. Although this is a small study from one institution, it is the first investigation of LTOWB in non-trauma patients. Overall, our data indicates that LTOWB may be a reasonable alternative to component therapy outside of trauma as it does not significantly alter patient outcomes but still eases manufacturing and transfusion logistics. Future research is needed to further establish the effects of LTOWB in this population. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Motivation. Empirical risk minimization(ERM) is a popular framework for learning predictive models from data, which has been used in various domains such as computer vision, text processing, bioinformatics, neuro-biology, temporal point processes, to name a few. We consider the cases where one has apriori information regarding the model structure, the simplest one being the sparsity of the model. The desired sparsity structure can be imputed into ERM problems using a regularizer, which is typically a norm on the model vector. Popular choices of the regularizers include the `1 norm (LASSO) which encourages sparse solutions, block-`1 which encourages block level sparsity, among many others which induce more complicated structures. To impute the structural prior, recently, many studies have considered combinatorial functions on the model's support to be the regularizer. But this leads to an NP-hard problem, which thus motivates us to consider convex relaxations of the corresponding combinatorial functions, which are tractable. Existing work and research gaps. The convex relaxations of combinatorial functions have been studied recently in the context of structured sparsity, but they still lead to inefficient computational procedures in general cases: e.g., even when the combinatorial function is submodular, whose convex relaxations are well studied and easier to work with than the general ones, the resulting problem is computationally expensive (the proximal operator takes O(d6) time for d variables). Hence, the associated high expenses have limited the research interest towards these these regularizers, despite the submodular functions which generate them are expressive enough to encourage many of the structures such as those mentioned before. Hence it remains open to design efficient optimization procedures to work with the submodular penalties, and with combinatorial penalties in general. It is also desirable that the optimization algorithms designed to be applicable across the possible choices of the loss functions arising from various applications. We identify four such problems from these existing research gaps, and address them through the contributions which are listed below. We provide the list of publications related to this thesis following this abstract Contributions. First, we propose a novel kernel learning technique termed as Variable sparsity kernel learning (VSKL) for support vector machines (SVM), which are applicable when there is an apriori information regarding the grouping among the kernels. In such cases, we propose a novel mixed-norm regularizer, which encourages sparse selection of the kernels within a group while selecting all groups. This regularizer can also be viewed as the convex relaxation of a specifi c discrete penalty on the model's support. The resulting non-smooth optimization problem is difficult, where o -the-shelf techniques are not applicable. We propose a mirror descent based optimization algorithm to solve this problem, which has a guaranteed convergence rate of O(1= p T) over T iterations. We demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed algorithm in various scaling experiments, and applicability of the regularizer in an object recognition task. Second, we introduce a family of regularizers termed as Smoothed Ordered Weighted L1 (SOWL) norms, which are derived as the convex relaxation of non-decreasing cardinalitybased submodular penalties, which form an important special class of the general discrete penalties. Considering linear regression, where the presence of correlated predictors cause the traditional regularizers such as Lasso to fail recovering the true support, SOWL has the property of selecting the correlated predictors as groups. While Ordered Weighted `1 (OWL) norms address similar use cases, they are biased to promote undesirable piece-wise constant solutions, which SOWL does not have. SOWL is also shown equivalent to group-lasso, but without specifying the groups explicitly. We develop efficient proximal operators for SOWL, and illustrate its computational and theoretical benefi ts through various simulations. Third, we discuss Hawkes-OWL, an application of OWL regularizers for the setting of multidimensional Hawkes processes. Hawkes process is a multi-dimensional point process (collection of multiple event streams) with self and mutual in fluences between the event streams. While the popular `1 regularizer fails to recover the true models in the presence of strongly correlated event streams, OWL regularization address this issue and groups the correlated predictors. This is the first instance in the literature, where OWL norms, which predominantly have been studied with respect to simple loss functions such as the squared loss, are extended to the Hawkes process with similar theoretical and computational guarantees. In the fourth part, we discuss generic first-order algorithms for learning with Subquadraic norms, a special sub-family of convex relaxations of submodular penalties. We consider subquadratic norms regularization in a very general setting, covering all loss functions, and propose different reformulations of the original problem. The reformulations enable us to propose two different primal-dual algorithms, CP- and ADMM- , both of which having a guaranteed convergence rate of O(1=T ). This study thus provides the rst ever algorithms with e cient convergence rates for learning with subquadratic norms.

Bones are multifunctional passive organs of movement that supports soft tissue and directly attached muscles. They also protect internal organs and are a reserve of calcium, phosphorus and magnesium. Each bone is covered with periosteum, and the adjacent bone surfaces are covered by articular cartilage. Histologically, the bone is an organ composed of many different tissues. The main component is bone tissue (cortical and spongy) composed of a set of bone cells and intercellular substance (mineral and organic), it also contains fat, hematopoietic (bone marrow) and cartilaginous tissue. Bones are a tissue that even in adult life retains the ability to change shape and structure depending on changes in their mechanical and hormonal environment, as well as self-renewal and repair capabilities. This process is called bone turnover. The basic processes of bone turnover are: • bone modeling (incessantly changes in bone shape during individual growth) following resorption and tissue formation at various locations (e.g. bone marrow formation) to increase mass and skeletal morphology. This process occurs in the bones of growing individuals and stops after reaching puberty • bone remodeling (processes involve in maintaining bone tissue by resorbing and replacing old bone tissue with new tissue in the same place, e.g. repairing micro fractures). It is a process involving the removal and internal remodeling of existing bone and is responsible for maintaining tissue mass and architecture of mature bones. Bone turnover is regulated by two types of transformation: • osteoclastogenesis, i.e. formation of cells responsible for bone resorption • osteoblastogenesis, i.e. formation of cells responsible for bone formation (bone matrix synthesis and mineralization) Bone maturity can be defined as the completion of basic structural development and mineralization leading to maximum mass and optimal mechanical strength. The highest rate of increase in pig bone mass is observed in the first twelve weeks after birth. This period of growth is considered crucial for optimizing the growth of the skeleton of pigs, because the degree of bone mineralization in later life stages (adulthood) depends largely on the amount of bone minerals accumulated in the early stages of their growth. The development of the technique allows to determine the condition of the skeletal system (or individual bones) in living animals by methods used in human medicine, or after their slaughter. For in vivo determination of bone properties, Abstract 10 double energy X-ray absorptiometry or computed tomography scanning techniques are used. Both methods allow the quantification of mineral content and bone mineral density. The most important property from a practical point of view is the bone’s bending strength, which is directly determined by the maximum bending force. The most important factors affecting bone strength are: • age (growth period), • gender and the associated hormonal balance, • genotype and modification of genes responsible for bone growth • chemical composition of the body (protein and fat content, and the proportion between these components), • physical activity and related bone load, • nutritional factors: – protein intake influencing synthesis of organic matrix of bone, – content of minerals in the feed (CA, P, Zn, Ca/P, Mg, Mn, Na, Cl, K, Cu ratio) influencing synthesis of the inorganic matrix of bone, – mineral/protein ratio in the diet (Ca/protein, P/protein, Zn/protein) – feed energy concentration, – energy source (content of saturated fatty acids - SFA, content of polyun saturated fatty acids - PUFA, in particular ALA, EPA, DPA, DHA), – feed additives, in particular: enzymes (e.g. phytase releasing of minerals bounded in phytin complexes), probiotics and prebiotics (e.g. inulin improving the function of the digestive tract by increasing absorption of nutrients), – vitamin content that regulate metabolism and biochemical changes occurring in bone tissue (e.g. vitamin D3, B6, C and K). This study was based on the results of research experiments from available literature, and studies on growing pigs carried out at the Kielanowski Institute of Animal Physiology and Nutrition, Polish Academy of Sciences. The tests were performed in total on 300 pigs of Duroc, Pietrain, Puławska breeds, line 990 and hybrids (Great White × Duroc, Great White × Landrace), PIC pigs, slaughtered at different body weight during the growth period from 15 to 130 kg. Bones for biomechanical tests were collected after slaughter from each pig. Their length, mass and volume were determined. Based on these measurements, the specific weight (density, g/cm3) was calculated. Then each bone was cut in the middle of the shaft and the outer and inner diameters were measured both horizontally and vertically. Based on these measurements, the following indicators were calculated: • cortical thickness, • cortical surface, • cortical index. Abstract 11 Bone strength was tested by a three-point bending test. The obtained data enabled the determination of: • bending force (the magnitude of the maximum force at which disintegration and disruption of bone structure occurs), • strength (the amount of maximum force needed to break/crack of bone), • stiffness (quotient of the force acting on the bone and the amount of displacement occurring under the influence of this force). Investigation of changes in physical and biomechanical features of bones during growth was performed on pigs of the synthetic 990 line growing from 15 to 130 kg body weight. The animals were slaughtered successively at a body weight of 15, 30, 40, 50, 70, 90, 110 and 130 kg. After slaughter, the following bones were separated from the right half-carcass: humerus, 3rd and 4th metatarsal bone, femur, tibia and fibula as well as 3rd and 4th metatarsal bone. The features of bones were determined using methods described in the methodology. Describing bone growth with the Gompertz equation, it was found that the earliest slowdown of bone growth curve was observed for metacarpal and metatarsal bones. This means that these bones matured the most quickly. The established data also indicate that the rib is the slowest maturing bone. The femur, humerus, tibia and fibula were between the values of these features for the metatarsal, metacarpal and rib bones. The rate of increase in bone mass and length differed significantly between the examined bones, but in all cases it was lower (coefficient b <1) than the growth rate of the whole body of the animal. The fastest growth rate was estimated for the rib mass (coefficient b = 0.93). Among the long bones, the humerus (coefficient b = 0.81) was characterized by the fastest rate of weight gain, however femur the smallest (coefficient b = 0.71). The lowest rate of bone mass increase was observed in the foot bones, with the metacarpal bones having a slightly higher value of coefficient b than the metatarsal bones (0.67 vs 0.62). The third bone had a lower growth rate than the fourth bone, regardless of whether they were metatarsal or metacarpal. The value of the bending force increased as the animals grew. Regardless of the growth point tested, the highest values were observed for the humerus, tibia and femur, smaller for the metatarsal and metacarpal bone, and the lowest for the fibula and rib. The rate of change in the value of this indicator increased at a similar rate as the body weight changes of the animals in the case of the fibula and the fourth metacarpal bone (b value = 0.98), and more slowly in the case of the metatarsal bone, the third metacarpal bone, and the tibia bone (values of the b ratio 0.81–0.85), and the slowest femur, humerus and rib (value of b = 0.60–0.66). Bone stiffness increased as animals grew. Regardless of the growth point tested, the highest values were observed for the humerus, tibia and femur, smaller for the metatarsal and metacarpal bone, and the lowest for the fibula and rib. Abstract 12 The rate of change in the value of this indicator changed at a faster rate than the increase in weight of pigs in the case of metacarpal and metatarsal bones (coefficient b = 1.01–1.22), slightly slower in the case of fibula (coefficient b = 0.92), definitely slower in the case of the tibia (b = 0.73), ribs (b = 0.66), femur (b = 0.59) and humerus (b = 0.50). Bone strength increased as animals grew. Regardless of the growth point tested, bone strength was as follows femur > tibia > humerus > 4 metacarpal> 3 metacarpal> 3 metatarsal > 4 metatarsal > rib> fibula. The rate of increase in strength of all examined bones was greater than the rate of weight gain of pigs (value of the coefficient b = 2.04–3.26). As the animals grew, the bone density increased. However, the growth rate of this indicator for the majority of bones was slower than the rate of weight gain (the value of the coefficient b ranged from 0.37 – humerus to 0.84 – fibula). The exception was the rib, whose density increased at a similar pace increasing the body weight of animals (value of the coefficient b = 0.97). The study on the influence of the breed and the feeding intensity on bone characteristics (physical and biomechanical) was performed on pigs of the breeds Duroc, Pietrain, and synthetic 990 during a growth period of 15 to 70 kg body weight. Animals were fed ad libitum or dosed system. After slaughter at a body weight of 70 kg, three bones were taken from the right half-carcass: femur, three metatarsal, and three metacarpal and subjected to the determinations described in the methodology. The weight of bones of animals fed aa libitum was significantly lower than in pigs fed restrictively All bones of Duroc breed were significantly heavier and longer than Pietrain and 990 pig bones. The average values of bending force for the examined bones took the following order: III metatarsal bone (63.5 kg) <III metacarpal bone (77.9 kg) <femur (271.5 kg). The feeding system and breed of pigs had no significant effect on the value of this indicator. The average values of the bones strength took the following order: III metatarsal bone (92.6 kg) <III metacarpal (107.2 kg) <femur (353.1 kg). Feeding intensity and breed of animals had no significant effect on the value of this feature of the bones tested. The average bone density took the following order: femur (1.23 g/cm3) <III metatarsal bone (1.26 g/cm3) <III metacarpal bone (1.34 g / cm3). The density of bones of animals fed aa libitum was higher (P<0.01) than in animals fed with a dosing system. The density of examined bones within the breeds took the following order: Pietrain race> line 990> Duroc race. The differences between the “extreme” breeds were: 7.2% (III metatarsal bone), 8.3% (III metacarpal bone), 8.4% (femur). Abstract 13 The average bone stiffness took the following order: III metatarsal bone (35.1 kg/mm) <III metacarpus (41.5 kg/mm) <femur (60.5 kg/mm). This indicator did not differ between the groups of pigs fed at different intensity, except for the metacarpal bone, which was more stiffer in pigs fed aa libitum (P<0.05). The femur of animals fed ad libitum showed a tendency (P<0.09) to be more stiffer and a force of 4.5 kg required for its displacement by 1 mm. Breed differences in stiffness were found for the femur (P <0.05) and III metacarpal bone (P <0.05). For femur, the highest value of this indicator was found in Pietrain pigs (64.5 kg/mm), lower in pigs of 990 line (61.6 kg/mm) and the lowest in Duroc pigs (55.3 kg/mm). In turn, the 3rd metacarpal bone of Duroc and Pietrain pigs had similar stiffness (39.0 and 40.0 kg/mm respectively) and was smaller than that of line 990 pigs (45.4 kg/mm). The thickness of the cortical bone layer took the following order: III metatarsal bone (2.25 mm) <III metacarpal bone (2.41 mm) <femur (5.12 mm). The feeding system did not affect this indicator. Breed differences (P <0.05) for this trait were found only for the femur bone: Duroc (5.42 mm)> line 990 (5.13 mm)> Pietrain (4.81 mm). The cross sectional area of the examined bones was arranged in the following order: III metatarsal bone (84 mm2) <III metacarpal bone (90 mm2) <femur (286 mm2). The feeding system had no effect on the value of this bone trait, with the exception of the femur, which in animals fed the dosing system was 4.7% higher (P<0.05) than in pigs fed ad libitum. Breed differences (P<0.01) in the coross sectional area were found only in femur and III metatarsal bone. The value of this indicator was the highest in Duroc pigs, lower in 990 animals and the lowest in Pietrain pigs. The cortical index of individual bones was in the following order: III metatarsal bone (31.86) <III metacarpal bone (33.86) <femur (44.75). However, its value did not significantly depend on the intensity of feeding or the breed of pigs.

Abstract This paper presents a new higher-order bounded scheme, WACEB, for approximating the convective fluxes in the transport equations. The weighted-average formulation is used for interpolating the variables at cell faces and the weighted-average coefficient is determined from normalized variable formulation and total variation diminishing (TVD) constrains to ensure the boundedness of solution. The new scheme is tested by solving three problems: 1) a pure convection of a box-shaped step profile in an oblique velocity field; 2) a sudden expansion of an oblique velocity field in a cavity, and; 3) a laminar flow over a fence. The results obtained by the present WACEB were compared with the UPWIND and the QUICK schemes and showed that this scheme has at least the second-order accuracy while ensuring boundedness of solutions. Moreover, it was demonstrated that this scheme produces results that better agree with the experimental data in comparison with other schemes.

(1) Introduction. The use of diffractive optical elements (DOE’s) and microlens arrays in optical interconnection systems can potentially provide high throughputs and small system volumes, using components that are amenable to automated design and mass production techniques. This paper considers fixed-weight neural network interconnections based on such components, and focuses on the realm of small system volumes and short propagation lengths (~1 mm) with potential for cascading into a compact, multilayer free-space system. We consider the space-variant interconnection system of Fig. 1, and achieve short propagation lengths by restricting each fanout pattern to a local neighborhood. The system uses an array of NxN sub-DOE's at the input plane to connect to an array of NxN detectors at the output plane. For this locally connected neural network interconnection, each sub-DOE stores one weighted fanout pattern that connects to MxM nearest neighbors in the output plane. The beam incident on each sub-DOE comes from a modulator or an emitter (not shown), which represents an interconnection input node (e.g., an output of a neuron unit). The optics of the interconnection system provides a Fourier transform (in magnitude) from each sub-DOE to the detector array, which serves as a set of neuron unit inputs. We constrain the sub-DOE spacing to be equal to the detector spacing to allow for use in multilayer systems. A globally connected space-variant system can be realized similarly by replacing the microlens array with a bulk lens and letting each input node connect to all output plane detectors [1,2]. The minimum propagation distance and system volume can be shown to be approximately proportional to M and N^M for the local system, and N and A3 for the global system, respectively. While the local system can be used in a smaller volume, its crosstalk levels can be high due to reconstruction noise (e.g., diffraction orders outside of the local fanout neighborhood) of each sub-DOE. In this paper, we describe a crosstalk reduction method enabled by varying the mapping from reconstructed spot locations to detector locations. Several novel DOE designs for, and simulations of, local fixed-weight neural network interconnections are evaluated as a test of this method.

Robotic systems, working together as a team, are becoming valuable players in different real-world applications, from disaster response to warehouse fulfillment services. Centralized solutions to coordinating multi-robot teams often suffer from poor scalability and vulnerability to communication disruptions. This paper develops a decentralized multi-agent task allocation (Dec-MATA) algorithm for multi-robot applications. The task planning problem is posed as a maximum-weighted matching of a bipartite graph, the solution of which using the blossom algorithm allows each robot to autonomously identify the optimal sequence of tasks it should undertake. The graph weights are determined based on a soft clustering process, which also plays a problem decomposition role seeking to reduce the complexity of the individual-agents’ task assignment problems. To evaluate the new Dec-MATA algorithm, a series of case studies (of varying complexity) are performed, with tasks being distributed randomly over an observable 2D environment. A centralized approach, based on a state-of-the-art MILP formulation of the multi-Traveling Salesman problem is used for comparative analysis. While getting within 7–28% of the optimal cost obtained by the centralized algorithm, the Dec-MATA algorithm is found to be 1–3 orders of magnitude faster and minimally sensitive to task-to-robot ratios unlike the centralized algorithm.

This paper focuses on the determination and study of the maximum amplification of the steady state forced response of bladed disks due to mistuning. A general multi-degree-of-freedom dynamic model is adopted for each blade/disk sector and optimization techniques are used to maximize a weighted quadratic norm of the response of the degrees-of-freedom of blade 1 (overall response of blade 1). First, a mathematical optimization effort is conducted in which the resonant mistuned mode shape(s) (1 for engine orders 0 and N/2 where N is the number of blades, 2 otherwise) is selected to maximize the overall response of blade 1. The form of these optimum mode shapes is derived for all weighting matrices. The specific mode shapes are also derived for two particular weights the first one of which depends on the tuned bladed disk mass matrix and for which the overall response is akin to the kinetic energy. A closed form solution is also derived when the analysis focuses solely on the response of a specific degree-of-freedom or a specific stress component. In these cases, the ratio of the corresponding overall response to its tuned counterpart, i.e. the amplification factor, is found to be the product of two terms. The first one is an amplification obtained by tuned variations of the blade properties/mode shapes and thus is referred to as the modal amplification factor. The second term is an amplification obtained by proper mistuning. Interestingly, the modal amplification factor may take on very large values while a representative value of the largest mistuned factor is often the Whitehead limit of (1+N)/2 as in the single-degree-of-freedom per blade model. The above formulation and results are readily extended to the optimization of the blade alone response (as opposed to blade and disk sector). Numerical optimization efforts were also undertaken on both a two-degree-of-freedom per blade disk model and a 24-blade blisk reduced order model. The results of these computational efforts not only confirm the assumptions and findings of the theoretical developments but also demonstrate that substantially larger amplification factors can be obtained with a general natural frequency mistuning as opposed to Young’s modulus mistuning. Finally, an amplification due to mistuning (no tuned amplification) slightly larger than the Whitehead limit was obtained with relative variations in blade alone frequencies less than 0.5%.

Prognostics aims at determining whether a failure of an engineered system (e.g., a nuclear power plant) is impending and estimating the remaining useful life (RUL) before the failure occurs. The traditional data-driven prognostic approach involves the following three steps: (Step 1) construct multiple candidate algorithms using a training data set; (Step 2) evaluate their respective performance using a testing data set; and (Step 3) select the one with the best performance while discarding all the others. There are three main challenges in the traditional data-driven prognostic approach: (i) lack of robustness in the selected standalone algorithm; (ii) waste of the resources for constructing the algorithms that are discarded; and (iii) demand for the testing data in addition to the training data. To address these challenges, this paper proposes an ensemble approach for data-driven prognostics. This approach combines multiple member algorithms with a weighted-sum formulation where the weights are estimated by using one of the three weighting schemes, namely the accuracy-based weighting, diversity-based weighting and optimization-based weighting. In order to estimate the prediction error required by the accuracy- and optimization-based weighting schemes, we propose the use of the k-fold cross validation (CV) as a robust error estimator. The performance of the proposed ensemble approach is verified with three engineering case studies. It can be seen from all the case studies that the ensemble approach achieves better accuracy in RUL predictions compared to any sole algorithm when the member algorithms with good diversity show comparable prediction accuracy.

Abstract A review of the utilization of Drilling Equipment highlighted an opportunity to lower operational cost for the Operator, reduce Capital Employed for the Service Company, and reduce industry Scope 1 CO2 emissions. The Operator and the Oilfield Services Company set the objective of developing a risk-based probability model that could be used to assess the positive and negative financial impacts of reducing, or perhaps entirely removing, the need for backup drilling tools in the historically risk-averse UK North Sea. The scope of the analysis was to be a drilling campaign on a single rig contracted by the Operator (Rig A). The last three years of Drilling tool reliability data from North Sea operations, as recorded by the Drilling Service Provider, were used as an input. To assess the probability of failure, a Binomial Model was developed to create a Binomial Distribution for each tool, before determining the probability of failure of a given drilling string. The method calculates the probability of having 0 to X failures for a selected Drilling tool/string for a given number of runs. Three Binomial Models were developed to analyze the effect of "Easy", "Moderate" and "Challenging" drilling environments on drilling tool reliability. A financial risk model was developed that balanced the probability-weighted cost of failure for the Operator against the lower costs resulting from reduced tool provision by the Service Provider. In order to better estimate the risks and financial impacts on the project, Sensitivity Analysis was performed on the financial risk model using the three Binomial Models. Scope 1 CO2 emission reductions result from fewer logistical movements and diminished backup tool manufacturing requirements. As a result of the analysis, it was shown that recent improvements in tool reliability support a reduction in backup Drilling tools for the majority of North Sea drilling scenarios, meeting the objective of reducing well construction cost while lowering carbon footprint. Open discussions, focused on maximizing economic hydrocarbon recovery, reducing costs for the Operator, improving Return on Capital Employed for the Oilfield Services Provider and reducing Scope 1 CO2 emissions, resulted in a commercial model that could deliver a Win-Win scenario for all parties. It was observed that the approach was scalable, and would deliver further benefit from a broader workscope, generating "network" benefits when applied to a cluster of rigs, and/or an entire play/basin. In addition, the risk model can be applied to alternative industry scenarios where strong reliability data exist.

Abstract. Introduction. The problem of women's health protection in enterprises producing and using nickel and its compounds is particularly relevant, since women make up a significant contingent of workers at some stages of production. Nickel and its compounds are used in the production of high-alloy steels, alloys with copper, chromium, aluminum, as a catalyst in the processes of hydrogenation of fats, in the production of batteries, nickel-plating of metal products. In case of violations of the technological process, labor protection conditions, workers may be exposed to nickel aerosol and its oxides. Purpose. To study the effect of nickel and its insoluble compounds on the reproductive function of white rats. Method of research. The studies were carried out on sexually mature female white rats weighing 180-200 g with a stable estrous cycle lasting 4-6 days. Experimental studies were conducted in accordance with national and international regulatory requirements ensuring humane treatment of animals used in experiments: Directive 2010/63/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of the European Union of September 22, 2010 on the protection of animals used in scientific purposes, Order of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation of 01.04.2016 No. 199n «On approval of the Rules of good laboratory Practice». The industrial conditions for the action of aerosol of insoluble nickel compounds were simulated in a special chamber with an individual intake of aerosol into the breathing zone at a concentration of 0.2 mg / m3 daily for 4 hours during the entire gestation period. The animals were assessed for the dynamics of body weight on the 1st, 8th, 14th and 20th days of pregnancy. On the 20th day of pregnancy, the number of yellow bodies of pregnancy, placentas and fetuses was determined, pre-, post-implantation and total intrauterine death, average length and weight of fetuses, and average placenta weight were calculated. The total number of pregnant females and fetuses was recorded with the subsequent calculation of the number of fetuses per female. Results. The action of an aerosol of insoluble nickel compounds at a concentration of 0.2 mg / m3 in this mode did not lead to a violation of the reproductive function of white rats in all the studied parameters. Conclusion. The experimental data obtained indicate that insoluble nickel compounds at the level of the maximum permissible concentrations for the air of the working area will not pose a risk of developing reproductive health pathology in working women.

In this paper, a novel nodalized reduced order model (NROM) has been developed to analyze the linear stability in a heated channel using supercritical water (SCW) as a coolant. The presented reduced order model is developed based on the two-phase flow system approach. The model is much simplified, which reduced the requirement of computational efforts and resources. In the heated channel, the SCW’s density shows a dramatic downfall near the pseudo-critical temperature, based on which it has been divided into n number of nodes. The one-dimension partial differentiation conservation equations of energy, mass and momentum are used and have been linearized by a small perturbation applied on its steady-state solution. These PDEs are converted into the corresponding time-dependent, nonlinear ordinary differential equations (ODEs) by using weighted residual method applied under some appropriate assumptions and approximations. These sets of ODEs (n+1 equations) are then solved analytically by using a state space approach to capture the stability boundary (SB) in terms of trans-pseudo-critical phase change number (Ntpc), pseudo-subcooling number (Nspc) by applying a constant external pressure drop (ΔPtpc) condition across the channel. The NROM results are found to be in good agreement with the methodology and have been verified by numerical simulation. To extend this as a nonlinear stability analysis, the different types of the Hopf Bifurcation regime are also reported.

Abstract The human body behaves like a vibrating physical system having mass, elastic and damping properties. In order to study the biodynamic behavior of the body, it is common practice to model the body as a lumped single or a multiple-degree-of-freedom (MDOF) system. Standards have been developed using the frequency-weighted root-mean-square (rms) acceleration input to the body as the primary measure of whole-body vibration exposure. In this paper, absorbed power during exposure to vertical whole-body vibration is considered as a potential indicator of the physical stress affecting comfort and health. A four-degree-of-freedom biodynamic model is chosen to represent the body and the absorbed power for the different body segments and the total body is computed. On the basis of the model and of the guidance provided in ISO 2631-1:1997 relating vibration exposure with health risk, computations are carried out to define a health guidance caution zone based on absorbed power.

Abstract There has been discrepancy between the pre-calculated and actual T&D values, because of the dependence of the model’s predictability on assumed inputs. Therefore, to have a reliable model, the users must adjust the model inputs; mainly friction coefficient in order to match the actual T&D. This, however, can mask downhole conditions such as cutting beds, tight holes and sticking tendencies. This paper aims to introduce a machine learning model to predict the continuous profile of the surface drilling torque to detect the operational issues in advance. Actual data of Well-1, starting from the time of drilling a 5-7/8-inch horizontal section until one day prior to the stuck pipe event, was used to train and test a random forest (RF) model with an 80/20 split ratio, to predict the surface drilling torque. The input variables for the model are the drilling surface parameters, namely: flow rate, hook load, rate of penetration, rotary speed, standpipe pressure, and weight-on-bit. The developed model was used to predict the surface drilling torque, which represents the normal trend for the last day leading up to the stuck pipe incident in Well-1. Then the model was integrated with a multivariate metric distance, Mahalanobis, to be used as a classifier to measure how close an actual observation is from the predictive normal trend. Based on a pre-determined threshold, each actual observation was labeled as "NORMAL" or "ANOMAL".

In 2015, the Natural Sounds and Night Skies Division (NSNSD) received a request to collect baseline acoustical data at Mesa Verde National Park (MEVE). Between July and August 2015, as well as February and March 2016, three acoustical monitoring systems were deployed throughout the park, however one site (MEVE002) stopped recording after a couple days during the summer due to wildlife interference. The goal of the study was to establish a baseline soundscape inventory of backcountry and frontcountry sites within the park. This inventory will be used to establish indicators and thresholds of soundscape quality that will support the park and NSNSD in developing a comprehensive approach to protecting the acoustic environment through soundscape management planning. Additionally, results of this study will help the park identify major sources of noise within the park, as well as provide a baseline understanding of the acoustical environment as a whole for use in potential future comparative studies. In this deployment, sound pressure level (SPL) was measured continuously every second by a calibrated sound level meter. Other equipment included an anemometer to collect wind speed and a digital audio recorder collecting continuous recordings to document sound sources. In this document, “sound pressure level” refers to broadband (12.5 Hz–20 kHz), A-weighted, 1-second time averaged sound level (LAeq, 1s), and hereafter referred to as “sound level.” Sound levels are measured on a logarithmic scale relative to the reference sound pressure for atmospheric sources, 20 μPa. The logarithmic scale is a useful way to express the wide range of sound pressures perceived by the human ear. Sound levels are reported in decibels (dB). A-weighting is applied to sound levels in order to account for the response of the human ear (Harris, 1998). To approximate human hearing sensitivity, A-weighting discounts sounds below 1 kHz and above 6 kHz. Trained technicians calculated time audible metrics after monitoring was complete. See Methods section for protocol details, equipment specifications, and metric calculations. Median existing (LA50) and natural ambient (LAnat) metrics are also reported for daytime (7:00–19:00) and nighttime (19:00–7:00). Prominent noise sources at the two backcountry sites (MEVE001 and MEVE002) included vehicles and aircraft, while building and vehicle predominated at the frontcountry site (MEVE003). Table 1 displays time audible values for each of these noise sources during the monitoring period, as well as ambient sound levels. In determining the current conditions of an acoustical environment, it is informative to examine how often sound levels exceed certain values. Table 2 reports the percent of time that measured levels at the three monitoring locations were above four key values.

Advanced cementitious materials, commonly referred to as ultra-high performance concretes (UHPCs), are developing rapidly and show promise for civil infrastructure and protective construction applications. Structures exposed to blasts experience strain rates on the order of 102 s-1 or more. While a great deal of research has been published on the durability and the static properties of UHPC, there is less information on its dynamic properties. The purpose of this report is to (1) compile existing dynamic property data—including compressive strength, tensile strength, elastic modulus, and energy absorption—for six proprietary and research UHPCs and (2) implement a single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) model for axisymmetric UHPC panels under blast loading as a means of comparing the UHPCs. Although simplified, the model allows identification of key material properties and promising materials for physical testing. Model results indicate that tensile strength has the greatest effect on panel deflection, with unit weight and elastic modulus having a moderate effect. CEMTECmultiscale® deflected least in the simulation. Lafarge Ductal®, a commonly available UHPC in North America, performed in the middle of the five UHPCs considered.

Sodium affected soils, along with salt-affected soils, are distributed widely in irrigated areas of the arid and semi-arid region of the world. Some of these soils can and must be reclaimed to meet the increasing demand for food, and existing irrigated lands must be managed to reduce salinization and alkalization associated with deteriorating irrigation water quality. This project was conducted for examining ways to reduce the use of chemical amendments and large quantities of leaching water for reclaiming sodic soils or for preventing soil sodification, We hypothesized that sodicity of calcareous soils irrigated with moderately sodic irrigation water can be controlled by maximizing dissolution of soil CaCO3. The work performed in Israel has shown that dissolution of CaCO3 can be enhanced by elevating the CO2 partial pressure in soils, and by increasing pore water velocity. The concentration of Ca in pore water was at an order of 1.5 mmolc L-1 at a CO2 partial pressure of 5 kPa, which is sufficient to maintain SAR below 4 at salinity of irrigation water of 0.5 dS m-1 or less. Incorporation of crop residue at a flesh weight of 100 Mg ha-1 reduced the exchangeable Na percentage from 19 to 5%, while it remained 14% without crop residue application These findings indicate a possibility of preventing soil sodification with appropriate crop rotation and residue management without chemical amendments, provided that soils remain permeable. In the case of highly sodic soils, dissolution of CaCO3 alone is usually insufficient to maintain soil permeability during initial leaching. We examined the effect of salinity and sodicity on water infiltration, then developed a way to estimate the amendments required on the basis of water infiltration and drainage characteristics, rather than the traditional idea of reducing the exchangeable Na percentage to a pre-fixed value. Initial indications from soil column and lysimeter study are that the proposed method provides realistic estimates of amendment requirements. We further hypothesized that cultivation of salt-tolerant plants with water of elevated salinity can enhance reclamation of severely Na-affected soils primarily through improved water infiltration and increased dissolution of CaCO3 through respiration. An outdoor lysimeter experiment using two saline sodic Entisols sodded with saltgrass for two seasons did not necessarily support this hypothesis. While there was an evidence of increased removal of the exchangeable Na originally present in the soils, the final salinity and sodicity measured were lowest without sod, and highest when sodded. High transpiration rates, coupled with low permeability and/or inadequate leaching seemed to have offset the potential benefits of increased CaCO3 dissolution and subsequent removal of exchangeable Na. Although vegetative means of reclaiming sodic soils had been reported to be effective in sandy soils with sufficient permeability, additional study is needed for its use in saline sodic soils under the high evaporative demand. The use of cool season grass after initial salt leaching with CaCl2 should be explored. Results obtained from this project have several potential applications, which include the use of crop residues for maintaining sodium balance, the use of CaCl2 for initial leaching of poorly permeable clayey sodic soils, and appraisal of sodicity effects, and appropriate rates and types of amendments required for reclamation

The body condition (BC) score is recognized in the dairy industry as an essential tool for managing the energy reserves of the dairy cow, which is essential for sustaining optimal and efficient production over several lactations. The current use of BC scoring depends on the accuracy of subjective visual estimates, and this limits its kusefulness as a management aid in the dairy industry. A measuring tool that would frequently provide objective data on the cow's body reserves would be a major contribution to efficient dairy herd management. Ultrasonic sensors have the potential to be developed into an efficient BC measuring device, and the experimental use of such sensors for subcutaneous fat thickness (SDFT) estimates, as an indication for BC in beef cattle, supports this assumption. The purposes of this project were: 1. To compare visual BC scoring and ultrasonic fat thickness with on-line automated body weight (BW) measurements as monitors of nutritional adequacy of dairy cows at various stages of lactation. 2. To determine the effects of variation in digestive fill in early and late lactation on the accuracy of body weight measurements in lactating cows. 3. To modify an existing ultrasonic system and develop a specialized, low-cost sensor for repeatable determination of body condition scores by users with minimal training and skill. 4. To develop a standard for the assignment of body condition scores based on ultrasonic measurements of subdermal fat thickness. The procedure to execute these objectives involved: 1. Frequent measurement of BW, milk yield (MY), BC (visually scored) and subdermal fat thickness ultrasonically measured of dairy cows, and data analysis on average and individual basis. 2. Testing and selection of an appropriate special-purpose sensor, finding an optimum body location for working an ultrasonic measurement, prcessing the signals obtained, and correlating the resulting measurements with performance responses in lactating cows. Linking the ultrasonic signals to BC scores, and developing a BC scoring data acquisition system are the first steps towards fulfilling the necessary requirements for incorporating this device into an existing dairy herd management system, in order to provide the industry with a powerful managment tool. From the results obtained we could conclude that: 1. BC does not correlate with BW changes during all stages of lactation, although in general terms it does. These results were confirmed by individual cow BW and BC data obtained during the course of lactation, that were supported by individual objective ultrasonic measurement of SDFT. 2. BW changes reflect energy metabolism reliably ony after peak milk yield; early in lactation, a decrease in BW expresses mobilization of body reserves only qualitatively, and not quantitatively. 3. Gastrointestinal content increases throughout the whole period during which dry matter intake (DMI) increases. The drastic increase very early in lactation prevents the use of BW changes as a basis for quantitative estimatio of energy meatabolism; at this stage of lactation, konly a BC score or any other direct measurements willl provide a quantitative estimate of energy metabolism. 4. Ultrasonic measurements of subdermal fat thickness can be used to quantify changes that correlate with the actual condition of the cow, as assessed by performance and the traditional way of scoring. 5. To find the best site on the cow's body at which to obtain responses to BC and its changes in the course of lactation, additional sites have to be examined. From the present study, it seems that the sites between ribs 12 and 13 have the potential for this purpose. 6. The use of templates made it easier to repeat measurements at a desired site and spot. However, the convenient easy-to-handle way to standardize the measurement, described in this study, koffers scope for improvement. 7. The RF peak values of the A-mode are better indicators of the location of fat layer borders than image analysis, from the point of view of future commercial development. 8. The distances between the RF peaks of the A-mode can be automatically measured by suitable software, for future commercial development. 9. Proper analysis of daily body weight and milk yield data can provide the necessary information on body condition changes during lactation, until a direct BC measurement device is developed. 10. In any case, at least one visual BC assessment has to be done, preferably immediately after calving, for calibration purposes.

In this Insight Note, we report results of a phone survey that the RISE Tanzania Research team conducted with 2,240 parents (or alternate primary care-givers) of primary school children following the school closures in Tanzania. After the first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in Tanzania on 16 March 2020, the government ordered all primary schools closed the following day. Schools remained closed until 29 June 2020. Policymakers and other education stakeholders were concerned that the closures would lead to significant learning loss if children did not receive educational support or engagement at home. To help stem learning loss, the government promoted radio, TV, and internet-based learning content to parents of school-age children. The primary aims of the survey were to understand how children and families responded to the school closures, the education related activities they engaged in, and their strategies to send children back to school. The survey also measures households’ engagement with remote learning content over the period of school closures. We supplement the findings of the parent survey with insights from interviews with Ward Education Officers about their activities during the school closures. The survey sample is comprised of primary care-givers (in most cases, parents) of students enrolled in Grades 3 and 4 during the 2020 school year. The survey builds on an existing panel of students assessed in 2019 and 2020 in a nationally representative sample of schools.4 The parent surveys were conducted using Computer Assisted Telephonic Interviewing (CATI) over a two-week period in early September 2020, roughly two months after the re-opening of primary schools. We report the following key findings from this survey: *Almost all (more than 99 percent) of children in our sample were back in school two months after schools re-opened. The vast majority of parents believed it was either safe or extremely safe for their children to return to school. *Only 6 percent of households reported that their children listened to radio lessons during the school closures; and a similar fraction (5.5 percent) tuned into TV lessons over the same period. Less than 1 percent of those surveyed accessed educational programmes on the internet. Households with access to radio or TV reported higher usage. *Approximately 1 in 3 (36 percent) children worked on the family farm during the closures, with most children working either 2 or 3 days a week. Male children were 6.2 percentage points likelier to work on the family farm than female children. *Households have limited access to education materials for their child. While more than 9 out of 10 households have an exercise book, far fewer had access to textbooks (35 percent) or own reading books (31 percent). *One in four parents (24 percent) read a book to their child in the last week.

As a student undertaking a Longitudinal Integrated Clerkship (LIC)1 based in a GP practice in a rural community in the North of Scotland, I have been lucky to be given responsibility and my own clinic lists. Every day I conduct consultations that change my practice: the challenge of clinically applying the theory I have studied, controlling a consultation and efficiently exploring a patient's problems, empathising with and empowering them to play a part in their own care2 – and most difficult I feel – dealing with the vast amount of uncertainty that medicine, and particularly primary care, presents to both clinician and patient. I initially consulted with a lady in her 60s who attended with her husband, complaining of severe lower back pain who was very difficult to assess due to her pain level. Her husband was understandably concerned about the degree of pain she was in. After assessment and discussion with one of the GPs, we agreed some pain relief and a physio assessment in the next few days would be a practical plan. The patient had one red flag, some leg weakness and numbness, which was her ‘normal’ on account of her multiple sclerosis. At the physio assessment a few days later, the physio felt things were worse and some urgent bloods were ordered, unfortunately finding raised cancer and inflammatory markers. A CT scan of the lung found widespread cancer, a later CT of the head after some developing some acute confusion found brain metastases, and a week and a half after presenting to me, the patient sadly died in hospital. While that was all impactful enough on me, it was the follow-up appointment with the husband who attended on the last triage slot of the evening two weeks later that I found completely altered my understanding of grief and the mourning of a loved one. The husband had asked to speak to a Andrew MacFarlane Year 3 ScotGEM Medical Student 2 doctor just to talk about what had happened to his wife. The GP decided that it would be better if he came into the practice - strictly he probably should have been consulted with over the phone due to coronavirus restrictions - but he was asked what he would prefer and he opted to come in. I sat in on the consultation, I had been helping with any examinations the triage doctor needed and I recognised that this was the husband of the lady I had seen a few weeks earlier. He came in and sat down, head lowered, hands fiddling with the zip on his jacket, trying to find what to say. The GP sat, turned so that they were opposite each other with no desk between them - I was seated off to the side, an onlooker, but acknowledged by the patient with a kind nod when he entered the room. The GP asked gently, “How are you doing?” and roughly 30 seconds passed (a long time in a conversation) before the patient spoke. “I just really miss her…” he whispered with great effort, “I don’t understand how this all happened.” Over the next 45 minutes, he spoke about his wife, how much pain she had been in, the rapid deterioration he witnessed, the cancer being found, and cruelly how she had passed away after he had gone home to get some rest after being by her bedside all day in the hospital. He talked about how they had met, how much he missed her, how empty the house felt without her, and asking himself and us how he was meant to move forward with his life. He had a lot of questions for us, and for himself. Had we missed anything – had he missed anything? The GP really just listened for almost the whole consultation, speaking to him gently, reassuring him that this wasn’t his or anyone’s fault. She stated that this was an awful time for him and that what he was feeling was entirely normal and something we will all universally go through. She emphasised that while it wasn’t helpful at the moment, that things would get better over time.3 He was really glad I was there – having shared a consultation with his wife and I – he thanked me emphatically even though I felt like I hadn’t really helped at all. After some tears, frequent moments of silence and a lot of questions, he left having gotten a lot off his chest. “You just have to listen to people, be there for them as they go through things, and answer their questions as best you can” urged my GP as we discussed the case when the patient left. Almost all family caregivers contact their GP with regards to grief and this consultation really made me realise how important an aspect of my practice it will be in the future.4 It has also made me reflect on the emphasis on undergraduate teaching around ‘breaking bad news’ to patients, but nothing taught about when patients are in the process of grieving further down the line.5 The skill Andrew MacFarlane Year 3 ScotGEM Medical Student 3 required to manage a grieving patient is not one limited to general practice. Patients may grieve the loss of function from acute trauma through to chronic illness in all specialties of medicine - in addition to ‘traditional’ grief from loss of family or friends.6 There wasn’t anything ‘medical’ in the consultation, but I came away from it with a real sense of purpose as to why this career is such a privilege. We look after patients so they can spend as much quality time as they are given with their loved ones, and their loved ones are the ones we care for after they are gone. We as doctors are the constant, and we have to meet patients with compassion at their most difficult times – because it is as much a part of the job as the knowledge and the science – and it is the part of us that patients will remember long after they leave our clinic room. Word Count: 993 words References 1. ScotGEM MBChB - Subjects - University of St Andrews [Internet]. [cited 2021 Mar 27]. Available from: https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/subjects/medicine/scotgem-mbchb/ 2. Shared decision making in realistic medicine: what works - gov.scot [Internet]. [cited 2021 Mar 27]. Available from: https://www.gov.scot/publications/works-support-promote-shared-decisionmaking-synthesis-recent-evidence/pages/1/ 3. Ghesquiere AR, Patel SR, Kaplan DB, Bruce ML. Primary care providers’ bereavement care practices: Recommendations for research directions. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2014 Dec;29(12):1221–9. 4. Nielsen MK, Christensen K, Neergaard MA, Bidstrup PE, Guldin M-B. Grief symptoms and primary care use: a prospective study of family caregivers. BJGP Open [Internet]. 2020 Aug 1 [cited 2021 Mar 27];4(3). Available from: https://bjgpopen.org/content/4/3/bjgpopen20X101063 5. O’Connor M, Breen LJ. General Practitioners’ experiences of bereavement care and their educational support needs: a qualitative study. BMC Medical Education. 2014 Mar 27;14(1):59. 6. Sikstrom L, Saikaly R, Ferguson G, Mosher PJ, Bonato S, Soklaridis S. Being there: A scoping review of grief support training in medical education. PLOS ONE. 2019 Nov 27;14(11):e0224325.