This paper deals with the existence, uniqueness and stability uniform of nonlocal solutions for initial-boundary value problems of the Kirchhoff type. The main purpose is to establish the exis- tence of at least one nonlocal solutions for degenerate Kirchhoff-type problems with initial data in the Sobolev spaces and without any restrictions on the size of their norms.

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In this article, we give a new notion of (p,q)-derivatives for continuous functions on coordinates. We also derive post quantum Ostrowski–type inequalities for coordinated convex functions. Our significant results are considered as the generalizations of other results that appeared in the literature.

Surface irrigation has been predominantly used for field crops in agriculture area to boost agricultural yields and outputs, however, this may also raise groundwater tables, salinize soils and reduce water quality due to poor irrigation management. Therefore, it is essential for requiring a better understanding of the hydrologic mechanisms related to soil water fluxes (e.g., evaporation, transpiration, infiltration, deep percolation and groundwater capillary rise) by surface irrigation. This study investigated the impact of surface irrigation on soil water movement and recharge to groundwater in the Yellow River irrigation area of Yinchuan Plain, China. Combining comprehensive filed observation and stable isotopic techniques, we described the soil water mechanism under two land covers (bare ground or maize) in 2019 and 2020. The soil depths affected by precipitation infiltration and evaporation were mainly 0-50 cm, while the soil influenced by irrigation was the entire profile in the mode of piston flow. According to soil water potential variation from 70 to 100 cm, we conclude that the maize root took up the soil water up to the depth of 100 cm during the tasseling period. The infiltration and capillary rise in 2020 were similar with those in 2019. However, the total deep percolation was 156.6 mm in 2020 which was smaller than that in 2019 because of the maize root water uptake. The leakage of ditch was the major recharge resource of groundwater for the fast water table rise. This study is critical for agricultural water management to improve irrigation efficiency and water use efficiency in arid regions.

Calculations of base cation inputs of loads in forest edge canopies are rare, although forest edge canopies play a paradoxical role in the effective capture of atmospheric deposition. Throughfall deposition and canopy exchange of base cations were studied with a continuous throughfall investigation under a natural forest edge and a closed canopy in a subalpine forest over a period of 2 years. Compared with precipitation, the concentration of base cations in the throughfall of both canopies was enriched as expected, but the enrichment level in the forest edge was less than that in the closed canopy. Moreover, the throughfall deposition of base cation fluxes in the closed canopy (35.19 kg ha-1 y-1) was slightly higher than that in the forest edge canopy (33.50 kg ha-1 y-1). Seasonally, the base cation input in the rainy season was 2.32–2.70 times higher than that in the snowy season in throughfall in forest edge canopy and the closed canopy. Furthermore, the canopy budget model suggested that the direction and magnitude of canopy exchange and dry deposition controlled the net throughfall fluxes (NTF) of base cations, and obvious differences could be observed between the canopy and seasonal scales. Compared with other elements, K and Mg leached from the main canopy exchange process, while Ca was absorbed by both canopy types in the annual NTF. These results highlight the spatial variability of base cation chemical characteristics, enhance cognitive the deposition of nutrients and regulatory factors in different forest landscapes, preferably guide the formulation forest ecological management strategies.

Quantifying the uncertainty linked to the degree to which the spatio-temporal variability of the catchment descriptors (CDs), and consequently calibration parameters (CPs), represented in the distributed hydrology models and its impacts on the simulation of flooding events is the main objective of this paper. Here, we introduce a methodology based on ensemble approach principles to characterize the uncertainties of spatio-temporal variations. We use two distributed hydrological models (WaSiM and Hydrotel) and six catchments with different sizes and characteristics, located in southern Quebec, to address this objective. We calibrate the models across four spatial (100, 250, 500, 1000 $m^2$) and two temporal (3 hours and 24 hours) resolutions. Afterwards, all combinations of CDs-CPs pairs are fed to the hydrological models to create an ensemble of simulations for characterizing the uncertainty related to the spatial resolution of the modeling, for each catchment. The catchments are further grouped into large ($>1000 km^2$), medium (between 500 and 1000 $km^2$) and small ($<500km^2$) to examine multiple hypotheses. The ensemble approach shows a significant degree of uncertainty (over $100\%$ error for estimation of extreme streamflow) linked to the spatial discretization of the modeling. Regarding the role of catchment descriptors, results show that first, there is no meaningful link between the uncertainty of the spatial discretization and catchment size, as spatio-temporal discretization uncertainty can be seen across different catchment sizes. Second, the temporal scale plays only a minor role in determining the uncertainty related to spatial discretization. Third, the more physically representative a model is, the more sensitive it is to changes in spatial resolution. Finally, the uncertainty related to model parameters is dominant larger than that of catchment descriptors for most of the catchments. Yet, there are exceptions for which a change in spatio-temporal resolution can alter the distribution of state and flux variables, change the hydrologic response of the catchments, and cause large uncertainties.

The Langcang-Mekong River Basin is the most important transboundary river basin in Asia. However, over the recent decades, dam construction has been increasingly recognized as having profound effects on hydrological processes, aquatic and riparian ecosystems. Understanding these impacts is critical for the foundation of sustainable runoff surface management. In this study, different methods based on both graphical and numerical techniques were applied to assess the effects of the dams on annual, seasonal, and monthly runoff and to detect hydroclimatic trends in the Upper Mekong Basin during the period 1960–2020. The results reveal two change points with respect to seasonal and annual flow regimes; that is 2003 for the flood season and annual flows, and 2013 for the dry season flow. The duration of the flood season and the volume of annual discharges have both significantly decreased since 2003 and the dry season discharge has significantly increased since 2013 (with both p-values < 0.05). The quantitative assessment suggests that, due to the effect of dams, the monthly discharges increased around 10–450 m3/s during the dry season (December to May), while the flood season’s monthly flows decreased significantly, approximately 1028–2150 m3/s from July to October at Chiang Saen station. The study of hydrological changes in the Mekong watershed is expected to be a significant contribution towards a better understanding of large watersheds in which the hydrological responses are influenced not only by climate change at large spatial and temporal scales but also by changes in the physical environment due to the construction of dams.

Tillage practices can change moisture content, nutrient retention and soil properties and so affect crop growth and significantly influence soil stability. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of tillage practices (conventional tillage, CT; soil compaction, CM; subsoil tillage, ST; no tillage, NT; and subsoil tillage and soil compaction, SCM) on soil stability in a hilly region of red soil in China. The parameters of soil stability were soil aggregate stability (SAS), wet aggregate stability (WAS), and soil mechanical stability (SMS). These parameters are closely related to soil erodibility (SE). The results indicated that SAS, WAS, SMS and SE varied significantly across the five tillage methods. The aggregate stability indexes (ASI) of CM (2.64) and CT (2.61) were greater than for other methods, which indicates that CM increased the compactness of soil particles and that the soil structure for NT was relatively stable and less disturbed than for other methods. NT and CM significantly increased soil shear strength (SS) and soil compactness (SC) compared to other methods. NT significantly increased soil resistance to erosion compared to other methods, with K factor = 0.26. NT (ASI = 0.43) had the greatest soil stability and resistance to erosion (SSE), followed by SCM (ASI = 0.41), for which ASI can potentially be increased. The results provide reference parameter values for selecting a suitable tillage method to reduce soil erosion and improve soil productivity in red soil sloping farmland.

This study was aimed at investigating the conflicts that may occur on the part of university students at ULEAM where it was reflected whether in the university effective communication skills are built within the classroom, all through assessment instruments that determine the degree of skills in terms of communication as in interpersonal relationships. This study did provide support to issues in the university environment in the construction by making aware of the impact of an active learning environment, seeing how receptive students are to the topics covered in class and how the follow-up of the course is developed by the teacher by dealing with the difficulties students had in improving the communication of knowledge with better student-teacher interactions.

Background and Aims: At the population level, genetic diversity is a key determinant of a tree species’ capacity to cope with stress. However, little is known about the relative importance of the different components of genetic diversity for tree stress responses. We compared how two sources of genetic diversity, genotype and cytotype (i.e. differences in ploidy levels) influence growth, phytochemical, and physiological traits of Populus tremuloides in the presence and absence of environmental stress.Methods: In a series of field studies, we first assessed variation in traits across diploid and triploid aspen genotypes from Utah and Wisconsin under nonstressed conditions. In two follow-up experiments, we exposed diploid and triploid aspen genotypes from Wisconsin to individual and interactive drought stress and defoliation treatments and quantified trait variations under stress.Key Results: We found that 1) tree growth and associated traits did not differ significantly between ploidy levels under nonstressed conditions. Instead, variation in tree growth and most other traits was driven by genotypic and population differences. 2) Genotypic differences were critical for explaining variation of most of functional traits and their responses to stress. 3) Ploidy level played a subtle role in shaping traits and trait stress responses, as its influence was typically obscured by genotypic differences. 4) As an exception to the third conclusion, we showed that triploid trees expressed minimally higher levels of foliar defenses, photosynthesis, and rubisco activity under well-watered conditions, and displayed slightly greater drought resilience than diploids.Conclusion: Although ploidy level can strongly influence the ecology of tree species, those effects may be relatively small in contrast to the effects of genotypic variation in highly diverse species.

Bronchogenic Cysts are embryologic malformations of the foregut and are rarely found head and neck region. Here we present a case of an upper scapular/lower posterior neck cystic mass which was initially suspicious for lymphatic malformation but confirmed by pathology to be a ectopic bronchogenic cyst.

The aim of this paper is to obtain the equations of motion in n-dimensional space for the case where no external forces act on a mechanical system using analytical methods. One such method is known as Lagrangian Mechanics. Lagrangian Mechanics is founded on the principle of least action which states that the spontaneous change from one configuration to another of a dynamical system has a minimum action value if the law of conservation of energy holds.

Poliomyelitis is a viral infection that may lead to paralysis or death. Paralysis can lead to skeletal and joint deformities. Typical manifestations include equinos cavus and tibial shortening. We report a polio case presented with right equinus foot, clawing in the right great toe, and shortening in the right tibia.

Lumpy skin disease (LSD) is an emerging pox viral disease affecting cattle population worldwide. In India, the first outbreak of LSD is reported during August 2019 in Odisha state, which then followed by outbreaks in crossbred and indigenous cattle population of other states. Present investigation designed to study the prevalence, pathomorphological changes and molecular detection of LSD virus in naturally infected cattle. The overall morbidity of LSD was 4.48% among 30 dairy farms. Skin nodular biopsy, whole blood and serum samples (n= 66) were collected for the diagnosis of LSD by histopathology, PCR and sequencing. The envelope protein gene (P32), Fusion protein (F) and DNA dependent RNA polymerase 30 kDa subunit (RPO30) genes were targeted for PCR testing. Out of 66, 46 cattle showed generalized skin nodules and papules of various sizes (0.5 - 6.5cm) on the skin particularly at neck, face, nose, tail, perineum and udder. Microscopic examination of the skin nodule biopsy tissue revealed presence of diffuse granulomatous inflammation, hyperkeratosis, focal to diffuse vasculitis and lymphangitis, vacuolar degeneration, spongiosis and acanthosis. The inflammatory cells typically comprised of macrophages, lymphocytes, neutrophils and eosinophils along with diffuse necrosis in dermis in chronic cases. The eosinophilic intracytoplasmic viral inclusions in keratinocytes and epithelial cells were detected in few cases. Gel-PCR assay detected P32 gene in 83%, F gene in 72% and RPO30 gene in 77% of skin biopsy samples. Three blood samples were also found positive for P32 gene by PCR. Whereas TaqMan™ probe Real Time PCR targeting EEV glycoprotein gene (LSDV126) detected LSDV in 94% of biopsy samples and three blood samples which indicated its higher sensitive for the diagnosis of LSDV. Phylogenetic analysis of RPO30 gene sequence showed that the isolates from this study were grouped in same cluster with LSDV isolates of Bangladesh, Kenya and other Indian isolates detected during 2019-20.

Injectable bleomycin is infrequently used for recalcitrant warts despite its efficacy, acceptable safety profile, and high patient satisfaction compared to other treatment modalities. We present an immunocompromised patient with a large recalcitrant wart successfully treated with intralesional bleomycin to provide greater clinical exposure, training, and practice with intralesional bleomycin.

Background and aim: Surgical repair of secondary mitral regurgitation is still controversial especially when the cardiac function is reduced. The purpose of this study was to retrospectively investigate the operative and long-term results of mitral valve surgery for secondary mitral valve regurgitation with poor cardiac function. Risk factors for long-term mortality were also investigated. Methods Patients with preoperative echocardiographic left ventricular ejection fraction ≤30% who underwent mitral valve surgery due to secondary mitral regurgitation comprised the study group. Cardiac function and valve regurgitation was assessed with echocardiogram using modifiled Simpson’s method and color-flow Doppler. Peri-operative results and long-term survival were investigated. Results Sixty-nine patients (mean age 65.5 years, 58 males) with secondary mitral regurgitation and poor left ventricular function comprised the study group, and their early results were investigated; long-term results were evaluated in 66 cases. There were no operative/in-hospital deaths. Postoperative echocardiograms showed significantly improved mitral regurgitation, from moderate to severe to less than trivial (p<0.001), although poor left ventricular function remained. Actual 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates were 90.5%, 76.5%, and 63.4%, respectively. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year re-admission-free rates due to heart failure were 74.6%, 61.6%, and 55.3%, respectively. Patients with clinical frailty scale scores ≥4 had a worse prognosis than patients with clinical frailty scale scores <4 (log-rank p=0.046). Conclusions Open mitral valve surgery could be appropriate for secondary mitral valve regurgitation with poor cardiac function, however, operative indications should be considered carefully in patients with high clinical frailty scale scores.

Although splenic tumors are relatively rare, we sometimes encounter incidentalomas in the spleen. In such cases, we must plan treatment based on imaging studies. Herein, we report two cases of splenic hemangioma with different imaging findings, which were resected laparoscopically.

The case of a patient under 2 years of age with acute vomiting, fever and seizures. MR imaging of the brain revealed a right lateral intraventricular mass and mild hydrocephalus. Surgery achieved gross total tumor resection, but tumor histology revealed choroid plexus carcinoma with heavy stratification and atypical “rhabdoid” cells.

Background: The time for PCR positivity to negativity is defined as nucleic acid conversion time (NCT) and is very important in terminating the isolation of patients and determining infectiousness in patients with COVID-19. Objective: The aim of this study is to determine the median NCT and to evaluate the clinical and laboratory parameters affecting it in patients with COVID-19. Methods: This study included 318 mild to moderate patients with COVID-19 diagnosed with PCR positivity retrospectively. Results: The median NCT was 11 days. Patients were divided into 2 groups as early (<11 days) and late conversion (>=11 days). Older age, sore throat, onset fever, fever 72 hours after hospitalization, history of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 virus without a mask and moderated disease were significantly more common in the late conversion group. In addition, favipiravir use was higher in early conversion group and hydroxychloroquine use was higher in late conversion group. In multivariate analysis, sore throat (OR = 2.570; 95% CI: 1.051-6.284) and hydroxychloroquine use (OR = 3.518, 95% CI: 1.163-10.635) were independent risk factors for late conversion. Favipiravir use (OR = 0.062, 95% CI: 0.021-0.184) negatively affected the late conversion. Conclusion: NCT was longer in patients with COVID-19 who had sore throat at admission and were treated with hydroxychloroquine instead of favipiravir. Keywords: COVID-19, Nucleic Acids, Polymerase Chain Reaction, SARS-CoV-2.

Objective To investigate the association between intestinal permeability and severity of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and the value of intestinal permeability in predicting the efficacy of metabolic therapy for NAFLD. Methods Disease severity was compared between patients with normal and elevated intestinal permeability; correlations between D-lactate and different NAFLD parameters were analyzed; and the effects of metabolic therapy on NAFLD patients with normal and elevated intestinal permeability were evaluated. Results A total of 190 patients with NAFLD were enrolled. NAFLD patients with elevated intestinal permeability had significantly higher levels of liver test parameters, liver ultrasonographic fat attenuation parameter, triglyceride, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance value and diamine oxidase (all P˂0.05) than NAFLD patients with normal intestinal permeability. Further, serum D-lactate levels were positively correlated with alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, total bilirubin, indirect bilirubin, fat attenuation parameter, triglyceride, and diamine oxidase (all P˂0.05). Moreover, NAFLD patients with elevated intestinal permeability showed less improvement in TG levels (P=0.014) after metabolic therapy. Conclusion Intestinal permeability correlates with the disease severity in patients with NAFLD. Moreover, intestinal permeability may have value for predicting the efficacy of metabolic therapy for NAFLD patients.

Lipid transporters play an important role in most if not all organisms, ranging from bacteria to humans. For example, in Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the trehalose monomycolate transporter MmpL3 is involved in cell wall biosynthesis, while in humans, cholesterol transporters are involved in normal cell function as well as in disease. Here, using structural and bioinformatics information, we propose that there are proteins that also contain “MmpL3-like” (MMPL) transmembrane (TM) domains in many protozoa, including Trypanosoma cruzi, as well as in the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus, where the fatty acid transporter FarE has the same set of “active-site” residues as those found in the mycobacterial MmpL3s, and in T. cruzi. We also show that there are strong sequence and predicted structural similarities between the TM proton-translocation domain seen in the X-ray structures of mycobacterial MmpL3s and several human as well as fungal lipid transporters, leading to the proposal that there are similar proteins in apicomplexan parasites, and in plants. The animal, fungal, apicomplexan and plant proteins have larger extra-membrane domains than are found in the bacterial MmpL3, but they have a similar TM domain architecture, with the introduction of a (catalytically essential) Phe>His residue change, and a Ser/Thr H-bond network, involved in H +-transport. Overall, the results are of interest since they show that MMPL-family proteins are present in essentially all life-forms: archaea, bacteria, protozoa, fungi, plants and animals and, where known, they are involved in “lipid” (glycolipid, phospholipid, sphingolipid, fatty acid, cholesterol, ergosterol) transport, powered by transmembrane molecular pumps having similar structures.

Large and rapidly growing abdominal tumors endanger vital prognosis in neonates. Sometimes, quickly worsening patients' clinical conditions demand surgical decision-making that cannot wait for precise histological diagnosis. There is neither consensus nor rules to manage these situations. We presented our experience with five patients and we looked in the literature for the best possible management of such rare disease. Laparostomy should be considered only as a safe-life procedure and if the liver is affected by the tumor and a coagulopathy is present, the prognosis is often compromised.

Aim: The placebo effect and the specific effect are often thought to add up (additive model). Whether this is true or whether there is an interaction between the two, can modify the external validity of a trial. This assumption of additivity was tested by Kleijnen et al. in 1994 but the data produced since then has not been synthetized. In this review, we aimed to systematically review the literature to determine whether additivity held. Methods: We searched Medline and Psychinfo up to 10/01/2019. Studies using the balanced placebo design (BPD), testing two different strengths of placebos, were included. The presence of interaction was evaluated by comparing each group in BPD with analysis of variance or covariance. Results: 30 studies were included and the overall risk of bias was high: four found evidence of additivity and 16 studies found evidence of interaction (seven had evidence of positive additivity). Conclusion: Evidence of additivity between placebo and specific features of treatments was rare in our sample. For ailments that are placebo-responsive, pragmatic trials should be preferred to increase their external validity.

OBJECTIVE Community based prospective study was carried out to know about the occurrence of miscarriages in context of Biomass fuel use by rural tribal, pregnant women. DESIGN Cross-sectional analysis. SETTING Villages and Dr. Sushila Nayar Hospital, Utavali, Melghat, Amravati Maharashtra. POPULATION Study in 100 villages, all pregnancies included. METHODS After approval of the institute’s ethics committee, study was conducted in 100 villages. After base information, villages were divided into 50 study, 50 controls, subdivided into 40 study villages with advocacy for protection from ill effects of Biomass fuel, 40 non-advocacy controls and 10 study villages where in addition to advocacy Chimneys were fixed on roofs of huts with no windows, for exit of smoke and 10 controls where neither advocacy was done nor Chimneys were fixed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Change in occurrence of miscarriage with Biomass fuel use. RESULTS In 50 study villages, of 1005 pregnancies, 2.8% reported miscarriages and in 50 controls, of 1097 pregnancies 3.1% had miscarriage. Of 2700 pregnancies in 40 Advocacy study villages 6.6%, of 40 controls of 2700 pregnancies, 10.5% had miscarriages. In 10 villages with Advocacy as well as Chimneys, of 700 pregnancies, 2.4% had miscarriages in 10 controls, of 700 pregnancies 5.6% ended in miscarriages. In first year it could have been underreporting. CONCLUSION In rural tribal women miscarriages were not more than globally known, but Biomass fuel did affect occurrence of miscarriages.