Factors Associated with Closely Spaced Pregnancies at the Departmental Hospital Centre of Zou-Collines (Benin) in 2022

Introduction: Birth spacing to prevent closely-spaced pregnancies, which are a source of maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality, is not always respected by our women, as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). The objective was to study the factors associated with closely-spaced pregnancies among women followed at the Departmental Hospital Center du Zou et du Colline (DHC/Z-C) in 2022. Study Method: This was a descriptive, analytical cross-sectional study with prospective data collection from 20 May to 30 June 2022. Results: At the end of the study, 83 of the 117 women surveyed had close pregnancies, a frequency of 70.94%. They had an average age of 27.0 ± 6.3 years and were of Fon ethnicity and related in 91.57% of cases. The majority were married (96.60%). The factors significantly associated with these closely spaced pregnancies were age between 25 and 30 years, household occupation, age at first birth, age at marriage, women’s perception of contraceptive method (CM), women’s knowledge of the existence of a center providing family planning services and non-use of MC. Conclusion: Close pregnancies are still very common in the commune of Abomey. It is therefore important to increase the use of contraceptive methods in this part of the country.

Separation of closely spaced modes by combining complex envelope displacement analysis with method of generating intrinsic mode functions through filtering algorithm based on wavelet packet decomposition

One of the important issues in the system identification and the spectrum analysis is the frequency resolution, i.e., the capability of distinguishing between two or more closely spaced frequency components. In the modal identification by the empirical mode decomposition （EMD） method, because of the separating capability of the method, it is still a challenge to consistently and reliably identify the parameters of structures of which modes are not well separated. A new method is introduced to generate the intrin- sic mode functions （IMFs） through the filtering algorithm based on the wavelet packet decomposition （GIFWPD）. In this paper, it is demonstrated that the CIFWPD method alone has a good capability of separating close modes, even under the severe condition beyond the critical frequency ratio limit which makes it impossible to separate two closely spaced harmonics by the EMD method. However, the GIFWPD-only based method is impelled to use a very fine sampling frequency with consequent prohibitive computational costs. Therefore, in order to decrease the computational load by reducing the amount of samples and improve the effectiveness of separation by increasing the frequency ratio, the present paper uses a combination of the complex envelope displacement analysis （CEDA） and the GIFWPD method. For the validation, two examples from the previous works are taken to show the results obtained by the GIFWPD-only based method and by combining the CEDA with the GIFWPD method.

Multi-objective Collaborative Optimization for Scheduling Aircraft Landing on Closely Spaced Parallel Runways Based on Genetic Algorithms

A scheduling model of closely spaced parallel runways for arrival aircraft was proposed,with multi-objections of the minimum flight delay cost,the maximum airport capacity,the minimum workload of air traffic controller and the maximum fairness of airlines′scheduling.The time interval between two runways and changes of aircraft landing order were taken as the constraints.Genetic algorithm was used to solve the model,and the model constrained unit delay cost of the aircraft with multiple flight tasks to reduce its delay influence range.Each objective function value or the fitness of particle unsatisfied the constrain condition would be punished.Finally,one domestic airport hub was introduced to verify the algorithm and the model.The results showed that the genetic algorithm presented strong convergence and timeliness for solving constraint multi-objective aircraft landing problem on closely spaced parallel runways,and the optimization results were better than that of actual scheduling.

Ratios of Closely Related Elements in Soil and Their Implications

This paper has investigated the ratios of closely related elements such as Mn,Cr,V,Ni,Co,Cu,Pb,Cd,Ba,Sr,La and Ce in the major soils of China,and the factors affecting them,and explored their use as indicators in soil formation,material transport and environmental pollution.Results show that the effect of soil-forming processes on the ratios of closely related elements varied with different elements,and became greater in the sequence of Ce/La <V/Cr≈Ni/Co<Zn/Cu≈Zn/Pb<Zn/Cd<Mn/Cr<Ba/Sr.The magnitude of the variation in the ratios of closely related elements depended on the chemical properties of the elements themselves,on the one hand,and the parent material and climatic conditions on the other.The ratio of Ba/Sr showed a distinct zonality,decreasing gradually in the sequence:cool temperate zone acid soils>grassland soils>desert soils and increasing gradually from the semi-arid subhumid zone soils>the temperate zone neutral soils>the north subtropic zone soils>tropical and subtropical acid soils.

Characteristics of non-volatile metabolites in fresh shoots from tea plant(Camellia sinensis)and its closely related species and varieties

Tea plant(Camellia sinensis)and its closely related species and varieties belong to Sect.Thea(L.)Dyer,Camellia L.There are abundant compounds in the fresh shoots of section Thea(L.)Dyer species and varieties.Their variation in different tea species and varieties is unclear.Fresh shoots from 336 accessions of C.sinensis and its closely related species and varieties were harvested and their non-volatile metabolites were detected through UPLC-MS(ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry).A total of 374 non-volatile metabolites were identified,which can be divided into 27 categories.Among them,32 compounds were flavonoid polymers.The tea plants were divided into two groups,according to the Calinski criterion according to the composition of metabolites.The top 30 differential metabolites in C.sinensis var.sinensis,C.sinensis var.assamica,C.sinensis var.pubilimba,C.tachangensis,and C.taliensis,belong to amino acids and their derivatives,benzoic acid derivatives,carbohydrates,coumarins,flavonol glycosides,organic acids,quinoline acid and its derivatives.The results provide new insights for further understanding the characteristic metabolites of tea plant and its closely related species and varieties.

EXPLORATION OF SUBSTITUTION OF REPEATED MODE SUBSPACES FOR CLOSELY SPACED MODE SUBSPACES

A new quantitative concept is introduced in this paper, which may be used to facilitate the measurement of the controllability of a subspace similar to subspace controllability degree. Then the concrete form of the subspace controllability degree of a flexible structure is derived, and the errors of subspace controllability degree and dynamical response caused by the substitution of a repeated mode subspace for a closely spaced mode subspace are discussed. All the results show that this substitution is rational under some conditions.

Genetic Diversity of Jinsha Pomelo and Its Closely-related Germplasms Assessed by SSR Molecular Markers

SSR molecular markers were used to analyze the genetic diversity of 8 Jinsha pomelo germplasm and its closely-related varieties from main planting area in Jiangxi Province. A total of 92 alleles were detected from 26 pairs of selected primers with 53. 68% of polymorphism. The alleles detected per locus were ranged from 2 to 8. On average,3. 54 alleles were amplified from per pair of primers. The similarity coefficients of the 8 varieties were in the range of 0. 729-0. 924.According to the genetic similarities based on UPGMA method,all materials were divided into two groups of Jinlan pomelo and Shatian pomelo at the similarity coefficient of 0. 738.

Variable stiffness control algorithm for high-rising buildings of closely spaced frequencies based on wavelet transforms

To establish the algorithm of SAT-TMD system with the wavelet transform(WT),the modal mass participation ratio is proposed to distinguish if the high-rising structure has the characteristic of closely distributed frequencies.A time varying analytical model of high-rising structure such as TV-tower with the SAT-TMD is developed.The proposed new idea is to use WT to identify the dominant frequency of structural response in a segment time,and track its variation as a function of time to retune the SAT-TMD.The effectiveness of SAT-TMD is investigated and it is more robust to change in building stiffness and damping than that of the TMD with a fixed frequency corresponding to a fixed mode frequency of the building.It is proved that SAT-TMD is particularly effective in reducing the response even when the building stiffness is changed by ±15%;whereas the TMD loses its effectiveness under such building stiffness variations.

Comparative Study of Salinity Tolerance an Oceanic Sea Skater, <i>Halobates</i><i>micans</i>and Its Closely Related Fresh Water Species, <i>Metrocoris</i><i>histrio</i>

This study aims, first, to examine the limit for tolerance to lower salinity by an oceanic sea skater, Halobates micans, and , second, to make it clear whether exclusively fresh water Halobatinae species, Metrocoris histrio has salinity tolerance. Adults of H. micans were collected using Neuston Net from the starboard side of R/V MIRAI on a fixed station at 8°S, 80°E, whereas those of M. histrio were collected from a small pond filled with a spring fresh water in Kochi (33°N, 133°E), Japan. Time in survival was measured in starved condition under several salinity conditions: 0‰, 2‰, 4‰, 6‰, 8‰, 9‰ and 10‰ for H. micans;0‰, 5‰, 10‰, 12.5‰, 15‰ for M. histrio. Half of adults were in coma due to lower salinity under 10‰ and time in survival was less than 10 hours under less than 4‰ for H. micans. Time in survival was half at 5‰ of 80 hours on average at 0‰ as a control and less than 10 hours at 10‰ or higher salinity for M. histrio. Relatively flexible osmo-regulation ability by H. micans would be related to wide variety of salinity condition of surface oceanic water, whereas very limited tolerance even to lower salinity of 5‰ may be permitted by the no chances to be exposed to brackish water in natural habitats of M. histrio. This study showed that salinity tolerance of Halobatinae species would reflect, directly, the salinity condition of their habitats.

Media Closely Followed the Dialogue

The Dialogue has received great attention from the media.China Central Television,Xinhua News Agency,Xinhuanet,People’s Daily,People’s Daily Online,the website of China News Service,China Daily Website,China Radio International,Jiangxi Daily,Information Daily and many other

Safety assessment of approximate segregated parallel operation on closely spaced parallel runways

With the continuous growth of air traffic flow, some airports in China or other countries begin to construct Closely Spaced Parallel Runways(CSPR) to meet the capacity requirement of civil aviation. In this paper, the simulation and calculation method of flight trajectory is developed,as well as the collision risk calculation method and wake vortex encounter risk calculation method.New methods for departure and go-around procedures are proposed to achieve approximate segregated parallel operation in an attempt to obtain approximately the same results on closely spaced parallel runways as on widely spaced parallel runways. By comparing with the independent parallel departure and segregated parallel operation in ICAO Doc. 9643, it is found that the lateral separation between aircraft in this proposal is not less than the separations in the other two cases. Based on the simulation calculation of flight trajectories under different conditions, the probabilities of collision conflict and encountering wake vortex are lower than those in current operation plan.The proposed plan has no special requirements in pilot operation, control command procedures,airport facilities, or meteorological observation and prediction, so it is convenient to promote and implement at the airports with closely spaced parallel runways.

Numerical study on failure propagation between two closely spaced tunnels

An increasing number of engineering accidents have shown that the failure of a tunnel can propagate to a neighbouring tunnel.However,due to the complex interaction between the failed tunnel structure and the soil medium,the mechanism by which the failure is propagated between two closely spaced tunnels remains unclear.In this study,the coupled EulerianLagrangian(CEL)modelling technique was adopted to investigate the influence of a failed tunnel(FT)on an adjacent tunnel,which was termed an“influenced tunnel”(IT).The safety of the IT was analysed in detail under different circumstances,such as different failure positions of the FT,different failure degrees of the FT,and different spatial relationships between the two tunnels.The simulation results indicated that the most adverse case may occur when the two tunnels are arranged as offsets and the IT is the upper tunnel.Under this circumstance,significant shear deformation may occur in IT because IT is located at the shear band of the FT.

Induced neural stem cells regulate microglial activation through Akt-mediated upregulation of CXCR4 and Crry in a mouse model of closed head injury

Microglial activation that occurs rapidly after closed head injury may play important and complex roles in neuroinflammation-associated neuronal damage and repair.We previously reported that induced neural stem cells can modulate the behavior of activated microglia via CXCL12/CXCR4 signaling,influencing their activation such that they can promote neurological recovery.However,the mechanism of CXCR4 upregulation in induced neural stem cells remains unclear.In this study,we found that nuclear factor-κB activation induced by closed head injury mouse serum in microglia promoted CXCL12 and tumor necrosis factor-αexpression but suppressed insulin-like growth factor-1 expression.However,recombinant complement receptor 2-conjugated Crry(CR2-Crry)reduced the effects of closed head injury mouse serum-induced nuclear factor-κB activation in microglia and the levels of activated microglia,CXCL12,and tumor necrosis factor-α.Additionally,we observed that,in response to stimulation(including stimulation by CXCL12 secreted by activated microglia),CXCR4 and Crry levels can be upregulated in induced neural stem cells via the interplay among CXCL12/CXCR4,Crry,and Akt signaling to modulate microglial activation.In agreement with these in vitro experimental results,we found that Akt activation enhanced the immunoregulatory effects of induced neural stem cell grafts on microglial activation,leading to the promotion of neurological recovery via insulin-like growth factor-1 secretion and the neuroprotective effects of induced neural stem cell grafts through CXCR4 and Crry upregulation in the injured cortices of closed head injury mice.Notably,these beneficial effects of Akt activation in induced neural stem cells were positively correlated with the therapeutic effects of induced neural stem cells on neuronal injury,cerebral edema,and neurological disorders post–closed head injury.In conclusion,our findings reveal that Akt activation may enhance the immunoregulatory effects of induced neural stem cells on microglial activation via upregulation of CXCR4 and Crry,thereby promoting induced neural stem cell–mediated improvement of neuronal injury,cerebral edema,and neurological disorders following closed head injury.

Individually resolved luminescence from closely stacked GaN/AlN quantum wells

Investigating closely stacked GaN/AlN multiple quantum wells(MQWs)by means of cathodoluminescence spectroscopy directly performed in a scanning transmission electron microscope,we have reached an ultimate spatial resolution ofσCL=1.8 nm.The pseudomorphically grown MQWs with high interface quality emit in the deep ultraviolet spectral range.Demonstrating the capability of resolving the 10.8 nm separated,ultra-thin quantum wells,a cathodoluminescence profile was taken across individual ones.Applying a diffusion model of excitons generated by a Gaussian-broadened electron probe,the spatial resolution of cathodoluminescence down to the free exciton Bohr radius scale has been determined.

Based on point merge for paired approach sequencing on closely spaced parallel runways

The paired approach is a kind of efficiency approach to closely spaced parallel runways(CSPRs),and the point merge system has the powerful interval management function,which is effective to realize the converge of traffic flows from different approach directions.In order to improve the operation efficiency of the airport terminal area,a model of paired approach sequencing based on point merge is proposed to investigate the problem of increasing the operation capacity of the closely spaced parallel runways.Taking the minimum average flight delay time as the objective,the flight distance on sequencing legs,wake turbulence separation and paired approach safety separation as constraints,the genetic algorithm is used to optimize the paired approach sequencing of arrival flights.Taking the closely parallel runways of Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport run south as an example,the point merge program is designed and the effect of model was analyzed.The results show that after optimization,the average delay time and average landing time are reduced by 40.6%and 51.8%respectively,the capacity of the closely spaced parallel runways are 1.1 times higher than the actual,the flight uptime rate can reach 100%.It is concluded that the proposed model is feasible,which can effectively reduce delay times and alleviate congestion in terminal areas.

Synovitis, acne, pustulosis, hyperostosis, and osteitis syndrome as a cause of pneumothorax: A case report

BACKGROUND Synovitis,acne,pustulosis,hyperostosis,and osteitis(SAPHO)syndrome,a rare inflammatory disease,was described in 1987 by Chamot et al,who identified its common characteristics and transitional forms through case reports.The inci-dence rate is now 1 in 10000 among Caucasians and 0.00144 in 10000 among Japanese.Pneumothorax occurs when gas enters the pleural cavity,typically due to lung disease or chest trauma,and is characterized as either spontaneous or traumatic.Spontaneous pneumothorax is commonly linked to congenital lung tissue abnormalities or lung conditions,such as ruptured pulmonary bullae,emphysema,and bronchial asthma.Respiratory involvement in SAPHO syn-drome has historically been noted.CASE SUMMARY We present the case of a 44-year-old male patient who had previously been diagnosed with SAPHO syndrome.Following a two-year cessation of methotrexate therapy,he experienced recurrent anterior chest wall and joint pain accompanied by dyspnea.We conducted a comprehensive examination for the patient,which included physical examination,laboratory tests,and imaging studies.The clinical presentation and treatment outcomes suggest that his pneumothorax was related to an episode of SAPHO syndrome.We performed closed thoracic drainage surgery for the patient and treated his symptoms with etoricoxib(60 mg daily).Upon discharge,methotrexate was prescribed again.In subsequent follow-ups,there was no recurrence of joint and respiratory symptoms observed in the patient.CONCLUSION SAPHO syndrome has been proposed as a transitional stage between ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis.One study reported a 0.29%incidence of spontaneous pneumothorax in patients with ankylosing spondylitis,higher than in the general population.Additionally,30%of patients with SAPHO syndrome test positive for HLA-B27,an antigen linked to ankylosing spondylitis.Symptomatically,some patients with SAPHO syndrome meet diagnostic criteria for ankylosing spondylitis,with sternoclavicular joint involvement and paravertebral ossific-ations resembling syndesmophytes in ankylosing spondylitis.These features suggest a possible linked between SAPHO syndrome and ankylosing spondylitis.

Hepatitis B core-related antigen as a promising serological marker for monitoring hepatitis B virus cure

Hepatitis B virus(HBV)infection is a global health concern.The current sequen-tial endpoints for the treatment of HBV infection include viral suppression,hepatitis B e antigen(HBeAg)seroconversion,functional cure,and covalently closed circular DNA(cccDNA)clearance.Serum hepatitis B core-related antigen(HBcrAg)is an emerging HBV marker comprising three components:HBeAg,hepatitis B core antigen,and p22cr.It responds well to the transcriptional activity of cccDNA in the patient's liver and is a promising alternative marker for serolo-gical testing.There is a strong correlation,and a decrease in its level corresponds to sustained viral suppression.In patients with chronic hepatitis B(CHB),serum HBcrAg levels are good predictors of HBeAg seroconversion(both spontaneous and after antiviral therapy),particularly in HBeAg-positive patients.Both low baseline HBcrAg levels and decreasing levels early in antiviral therapy favored HBsAg seroconversion,which may serve as a good surrogate option for treatment endpoints.In this review,we summarize the role of serum HBcrAg in the treat-ment of CHB.Therefore,long-term continuous monitoring of serum HBcrAg levels contributes to the clinical management of patients with CHB and optimizes the choice of treatment regimen,making it a promising marker for monitoring HBV cure.

On the placement of actuators and sensors for flexible structures with closely spaced modes

This paper analyzed the fundamental limitations of previous work and developed a new method to optimally locate actuators and sensors for structures with close modes. Optimization criteria were defined based on the distinguishing modal controllability and observability measures of close modes. An appropriate genetic algorism was adopted as the optimization algorism. Solving the high order Lyapunov functions was avoided by means of the closed-form expressions for controllability and observability Grammians. Since structure with widely separated natural frequencies is approximately balanced, computational efficiency was improved by grouping close modes together and dealing with the resulting subsystems independently. Finally, the effectiveness and optimality of the novel placement scheme were verified on a model structure with close modes.

Is the Cape Stone Forest in Shantou City formed by wave erosion? A comparison of the pedestal rocks on the coasts and the mountains of Queshi in eastern Guangdong, China

Cape Stone Forest is a group of granite rock pillars(pedestal rocks) towering over Shilin Lake, on the southern shore of Shantou Bay in eastern Guangdong, China. The rock pillars were previously identified as sea stacks because they have marine notch-like concave sidewalls at their base, and more importantly, the lake is immediately adjacent to the bay, which is exposed to the open sea. However, rock pillars similar in shape and size can also be found at the top of Queshi Mountain, which is only about 300 meters northwest of the lake and about 85 meters above sea level. Therefore, the marine origin of Cape Stone Forest is seriously questioned. In this study, 3D imagery and drone technology were used to collect data in the investigations without direct manual measurements in the water or on the mountain. It shows that the concave sidewalls of the rock pillars in the lake and on the mountains occur at different heights and are exposed to different directions, while a natural sea stack on Mayu Island at the mouth of Shantou Bay has a horizontal notch parallel to the sea level, although the granite rock of the sea stack is the same as that of the lake and the mountains. The eastern side of the island, where the sea stack is located, is exposed to the open sea but blocks large waves for the rock pillars in the lake. Therefore, the origin of Cape Stone Forest cannot be explained by wave-based mechanisms. The only satisfactory explanation that takes into account all the field evidence is that the narrow rock pillars of the lake and mountain were formed by chemical weathering that penetrated closely the spaced joints of the granite rock, and the notch-like concave sidewalls were formed by more effective chemical weathering at the base of the pillars.

Evaluation of the Impact of Driver Behavior on Back of Queues Events in Work Zones Using the SHRP2 Naturalistic Driving Study Data

The SHRP2 Naturalistic Driving Study was used to evaluate the impact of various work zone and driver characteristics on back of queue safety critical events (crash, near-crash, or conflicts) The model included 43 SCE and 209 “normal” events which were used as controls. The traces included representing 209 unique drivers. A Mixed-Effects Logistic Regression model was developed with probability of a SCE as the response variable and driver and work zone characteristics as predictor variables. The final model indicated glances over 1 second away from the driving task and following closely increased risk of an SCE by 3.8 times and 2.9 times, respectively. Average speed was negatively correlated to crash risk. This is counterintuitive since in most cases, it is expected that higher speeds are related to back of queue crashes. However, most queues form under congested conditions. As a result, vehicles encountering a back of queue would be more likely to be traveling at lower speeds.