Socio-economic development of countries based on the Composite Country Development Index(CCDI)

World experience indicates the existence of significant imbalances in the development of countries.The problem of assessing the rational development of the regional and national economy is becoming urgent,since such assessments can prevent development imbalances across countries.The aim of this study is to elaborate a methodology to assess the countries’socio-economic development by integraring 12 modern indices of socio-economic development into the Composite Country Development Index(CCDI).The methodology of this research was based on a set of key indices that described socio-economic development level in four fields(social development,digital development,economic development,and environmental security)and then these indices were integrated into the CCDI.The study further applied factor analysis and R-Studio software to define the gaps of social and economic development in 59 selected countries using the trigonometric function of the angle sine.The correlation analysis confirmed the existence of a close interrelation among the studied countries.This paper noted that due to the emergence of new priorities,it is necessary to revise the assessment methodology of socio-economic development level and expand them to cover the decisive factors.This was confirmed by the results obtained,demonstrating various combinations of the development level in the four fields and their impact on the CCDI.The scientific contribution of this research is to form a methodology(e.g.,the CCDI)for evaluating the socio-economic development level of countries in the world.

Effects of NS Series Composite Lactobacillus Prepa-ration on Performance,Plasma Biochemical Indexes and Immunity of Sows

[Objective] The study was aimed to investigate the effects of NS series composite lactobacillus preparation on production performance and some immune indexes of sows. [Method] The sows were fed on the diets supplemented with the NS series composite lactobacillus prepara- tion, and the changes of production performance, plasma biochemical indexes, levels of IgG, IgA and IgM in serum and colostrum, and T lympho- cyte subpopulations were detected. [ Result] When the NS series composite lactobacillus preparation was supplemented to the sow diet at a propor- tion of 0.2%, the average weaning litter weight at 21 days old was significantly increased. The serum contents of total protein and glucose as well as the serum activities of aspartate aminotransferase （AST）, alkaline phosphatase （ALP） and superoxide dismutase （SOD） were significantly in- creased after 30 d post delivery. Moreover, the levels of IgG, IgA and IgM in serum and colostrum of sows were significantly increased at the time of delivery and after 30 d post delivery. The antibodies in colostrum could be maintained at high levels. The percentage of CD3 ＊ and CD4~ ｜ympho- cyte subpopulations was also increased after supplementation with the NS series composite lactobacillus preparation at a proportion of 0.2%. [ （Con- des＇ion] The NS series composite lactobacillus preparation can improve performance, promote growth and metabolism, and enhance humoral and cellular immunity in sows.

Facial Index Based 2D Facial Composite Process for Forensic Investigation in Sri Lanka

The “facial composite” is one of the major fields in the forensic science that helps the criminal investigators to carry out their investigation process. The survey conducted by United States Law Enforcement Agencies confirms that 80% of the law enforcement agencies use computer automated composite systems whereas Sri Lanka is still far behind in the process of facial composite with lot of inefficiencies in the current manual process. Hence this research introduces a novel approach for the manual facial composite process, while eliminating the inefficiencies of the manual procedure in Sri Lanka. In order to overcome this situation, this study introduces an automated image processing based software solution with 2D facial feature templates targeting the Sri Lankan population. Thus, this was the first ever approach that creates the 2D facial feature templates by incorporating both medically defined indexes and relevant aesthetic aspects. Hence, this research study is comprised of two separate analyses on anthropometric indices and facial feature shapes which were carried out targeting the local population. Subsequently, several evaluation techniques were utilized to evaluate this methodology where we obtained an overall success rate as 70.19%. The ultimate goal of this research study is to provide a system to the law enforcement agencies in order to carry out an efficient and effective facial composite process which can lead to increase the success rate of suspect identification.

Exploring overweight and obesity beyond body mass index:A body composition analysis in people with and without patellofemoral pain

Background:We compared body mass index(BMI),body fat,and skeletal muscle mass between(1) a mixed-sex nonathletic cohort of people with patellofemoral pain(PFP) and pain-free people,and(2) a nonathletic cohort of people with PFP and pain-free people subgrouped by sex(i.e.,men and women with PFP vs.pain-free men and women).Methods:This cross-sectional study included 114 people with PFP(71 women,43 men) and 54 pain-free controls(32 women,22 men).All participants attended a single testing session to assess body composition measures,which included BMI,percentage of body fat(%BFBioimpedance),and skeletal muscle mass(both assessed by bioelectrical impedance analysis),and percentage of body fat(%BFskinfoid)(assessed by skinfold caliper analysis).A one-way univariate analysis of covariance(age and physical activity levels as covariates) was used to compare body composition measures between groups(i.e.,PFP vs.pain-free group;women with PFP vs.pain-free women;men with PFP vs.pain-free men).Results:Women with PFP presented significantly higher BMI,%BFBiompedance,and %BFSkinfold,and lower skeletal muscle mass compared to pain-free women(p≤0.04;effect size:-0.47 to 0.85).Men with PFP and men and women combined had no differences in BMI,%BFBioimpedance,%BFSkinfold,and skeletal muscle mass compared to their respective pain-free groups(p> 0.05).Conclusion:Our findings indicate that BMI and body composition measures should be considered as part of the evaluation and management of people with PFP,especially in women,who have demonstrated higher BMI and body fat and lower skeletal muscle mass compared to pain-free controls.Future studies should not assess body composition measures in a mixed-sex population without distinguishing men participants from women participants.

Drillability prediction in some metamorphic rocks using composite penetration rate index(CPRI)–An approach

Assessment of drillability of rocks is vital in the selection,operation,and performance evaluation of cutting tools used in various excavation machinery deployed in mining and tunneling.The commonly used rock drillability prediction methods,namely,drilling rate index(DRI)and Cerchar hardness index(CHI)have limitations in predicting the penetration rate due to differential wear of the cutting tool in rocks with varied hardness and abrasivity.Since cutting tools get blunt differently in different rocks,the stress beneath the tip of the bit decreases until it reaches a threshold value beyond which the penetration rate becomes constant.In this research,a new composite penetration rate index(CPRI)is suggested based on the investigations on four metamorphic rocks viz.quartzite,gneiss,schist and phyllite with varied hardness-abrasivity values.The penetration-time behavior was classified into active,moderate,passive,and dormant phases based on the reduction in penetration rate at different stages of drilling.A comparison of predicted penetration rate values using DRI and CPRI with actual penetration rate values clearly establishes the supremacy of CPRI.Micro-structure and hardness-based index was also developed and correlated with CPRI.The new indices can help predict cutting tool penetration and its consumption more accurately.

A Transparent Photoresist Made of Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticle-Embedded Acrylic Resin with a Tunable Refractive Index for UV-Imprint Lithography

Transparent photoresists with a high refractive index(RI)and high transmittance in visible wavelengths have promising functionalities in optical fields.This work reports a kind of tunable optical material composed of titanium dioxide nanoparticles embedded in acrylic resin with a high RI for ultraviolet(UV)-imprint lithography.The hybrid film exhibits a tunable RI of up to 1.67(589 nm)after being cured by UV light,while maintaining both a high transparency of over 98%in the visible light range and a low haze of less than 0.05%.The precision machining of optical microstructures can be imprinted easily and efficiently using the hybrid resin,which acts as a light guide plate(LGP)to guide the light from the side to the top in order to conserve the energy of the display device.These preliminary studies based on both laboratory and commercial experiments pave the way for exploiting the unparalleled optical properties of nanocomposite resins and promoting their industrial application.

Longitudinal changes in body weight of breastfeeding mothers in the first year after delivery and its relationship with human milk composition:a combined longitudinal and cross-sectional cohort study

Objective:Postpartum weight retention(PPWR)is a common problem among women after childbirth.The main objectives of this study are to understand the changes in body weight of breastfeeding mothers during long-term follow-up and preliminarily explore the relationship between maternal body weight and human milk composition,including macronutrients,leptin,and adiponectin.Methods:The study included a longitudinal cohort(122 mothers),and a cross-sectional cohort(37 mothers).The human milk,maternal weight,and dietary surveys were collected in the longitudinal cohort at different follow-up time points(1-14 days postpartum,2-4 months postpartum,5-7 months postpartum,and 12-17 months postpartum).The maternal body weight was analyzed using the responses in the survey questionnaires.A milk analyzer based on the mid-infrared spectroscopy(MIRS)was used to determine milk composition,and nutrition analysis software evaluated dietary intakes.In the cross-sectional cohort,participating mothers were asked to provide blood and human milk samples and pertinent information related to maternal body composition.Maternal body composition was measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis(BIA),while ELISA analyzed leptin and adiponectin in milk and serum.Results:At 5-7 months postpartum,the PPWR of breastfeeding mothers was(2.46±3.59)kg.At 12-17 months postpartum,the PPWR was(0.98±4.06)kg.PPWR was found to be negatively correlated with milk fat content within 14 days postpartum and positively correlated at 2-4 months postpartum.In addition,the maternal weight and body muscle mass were positively correlated with leptin and adiponectin in milk.Plasma leptin was positively correlated with the mother’s body weight,body mass index(BMI),FAT percentage,and body fat mass,while plasma adiponectin did not correlate with any parameter.The results also indicate that the PPWR did not correlate with leptin and adiponectin in plasma or milk.Conclusions:Breastfeeding mothers may retain considerable weight gain one year after delivery.Human milk composition may be related to changes in maternal body weight.Leptin and adiponectin in breast milk and leptin in plasma are associated with the maternal body composition.This study supports the notion that maternal nutritional status may affect offspring health through lactation,and future research should focus on exploring weight management of postpartum mothers.

Wider frequency domain for negative refraction index in a quantized composite right–left handed transmission line

The refraction index of the quantized lossy composite right-left handed transmission line（CRLH-TL） is deduced in the thermal coherence state. The results show that the negative refraction index（herein the left-handedness） can be implemented by the electric circuit dissipative factors（i.e., the resistances R and conductances G） in a higher frequency band（1.446 GHz≤ ω ≤ 15 GHz）, and flexibly adjusted by the left-handed circuit components（Cl, Ll） and the right-handed circuit components（Cr, Lr） at a lower frequency（ω = 0.995 GHz）. The flexible adjustment for left-handedness in a wider bandwidth will be significant for the microscale circuit design of the CRLH-TL and may make the theoretical preparation for its compact applications.

Association between composite dietary antioxidant index and stroke among individuals with diabetes

BACKGROUND Recent research has underscored the potentially protective role of dietary antioxidants against chronic conditions,such as cardiovascular diseases and stroke.The composite dietary antioxidant index(CDAI),which reflects the overall intake of key dietary antioxidants,has been identified as a crucial metric for exploring this relationship.Although previous research has shown a negative correlation between CDAI levels and stroke risk in prediabetic individuals,there remains a substantial gap in understanding this association among individuals with diabetes,who are at an inherently greater risk for cerebrovascular events.AIM To investigate the association between CDAI and stroke risk in individuals with diabetes.METHODS Using a cross-sectional study design,this investigation analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey spanning from 2003 to 2018 that included 6735 participants aged over 20 years with diabetes.The CDAI was calculated from 24-h dietary recalls to assess intake of key antioxidants:Vitamins A,C,and E;carotenoids;selenium;and zinc.Multivariate logistic regression and restricted cubic spline analysis were used to rigorously examine the relationship between CDAI and stroke risk.RESULTS The participant cohort,with an average age of 59.5 years and a slight male majority,reflected the broader demographic characteristics of individuals with diabetes.The analysis revealed a strong inverse relationship between CDAI levels and stroke risk.Remarkably,those in the highest quintile of CDAI demonstrated a 43%lower prevalence of stroke compared to those in the lowest quintile,even after adjustments for various confounders.This finding not only highlights the negative association between CDAI and stroke risk but also underscores the significant potential of antioxidant-rich diets in reducing stroke prevalence among patients with diabetes.CONCLUSION Our findings suggested that CDAI was inversely associated with stroke prevalence among patients with diabetes.These results suggest incorporating antioxidant-rich foods into dietary regimens as a potential strategy for stroke prevention.

Experimental study on hysteretic behavior of prestressed truss concrete composite beams

This paper describes an experimental study of the hysteretic behavior of prestressed truss concrete composite beams （PTCCBs） under cyclic loading. Five beam models were designed and tested, in which the testing parameters include the global reinforcement index β0, the prestress level 2 and the ratio of stirrup ρsv in the potential plastic hinge zones. Based on the test results, the failure mode and hysteretic behavior of the tested models are obtained. In addition, the P-△ and sectional M-φ hysteretic models for the PTCCBs at the midspan are established. The P-△ hysteretic model shows good agreement with the test results.

Diversity and structural composition of species in dipterocarp forests:a study from Fasiakhali Wildlife Sanctuary, Bangladesh

Fasiakhali Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected area composed of tropical remnant rainforest that harbor substantial number of large,old Garjan（Dipterocarpus spp.）trees.The present study assessed composition,structure and diversity of the species in this protected area.A total of 32 trees species were recorded with DBH ≥ 11 cm belonging to 24 genera and 19 families.The forest is low in plant diversity as represented by Shannon–Wiener diversity and Simpson Dominance indices.Dipterocarpus turbinatus was the most dominant species with maximum relative density,frequency,dominance,and importance value index.Syzygium firmum and Tectona grandis followed in terms of dominance.The structural composition indicated higher number of individuals in the medium growth classes（41 to 〈 511 cm DBH and 16–20 m height ranges）,whereas D.turbinatus was the only species that dominated most of the growth classes.Poor stem density in lower growth classes indicated meager recruitment of regeneration which may be due to lower annual precipitation,increased grazing and encroachments.This study will help to understand the patterns of tree species composition and diversity in the remnant dipterocarp forests of Bangladesh.It will also contribute to identifying threatened plants to undertake D.turbinatus based conservation and sustainable management of the Fasiakhali Wildlife Sanctuary.

A modified multi-objective particle swarm optimization approach and its application to the design of a deepwater composite riser

A modified multi-objective particle swarm optimization method is proposed for obtaining Pareto-optimal solutions effectively. Different from traditional multiobjective particle swarm optimization methods, Kriging meta-models and the trapezoid index are introduced and integrated with the traditional one. Kriging meta-models are built to match expensive or black-box functions. By applying Kriging meta-models, function evaluation numbers are decreased and the boundary Pareto-optimal solutions are identified rapidly. For bi-objective optimization problems, the trapezoid index is calculated as the sum of the trapezoid’s area formed by the Pareto-optimal solutions and one objective axis. It can serve as a measure whether the Pareto-optimal solutions converge to the Pareto front. Illustrative examples indicate that to obtain Paretooptimal solutions, the method proposed needs fewer function evaluations than the traditional multi-objective particle swarm optimization method and the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm II method, and both the accuracy and the computational efficiency are improved. The proposed method is also applied to the design of a deepwater composite riser example in which the structural performances are calculated by numerical analysis. The design aim was to enhance the tension strength and minimize the cost. Under the buckling constraint, the optimal trade-off of tensile strength and material volume is obtained. The results demonstrated that the proposed method can effec tively deal with multi-objective optimizations with black-box functions.

Research on the performance of steel slag and blast furnace slag composite admixture

This study investigates the properties of Baosteel steel slag and blast furnace （BF） slag in order to develop high-performance steel slag and BF slag composite admixture by optimizing the composite mixing technique. Based on the investigation of the stability of steel slag powder and the performance of cement mortar in different mixing ratios and different adding amounts of steel slag and BF slag composite admixture, rational mixing ratios and the adding amount range of steel slag and BF slag composite admixture were determined.

Surgical approach affecting long-term urinary continence status after robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy prospectively evaluated using self-reported functional status(Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite,EPIC-26)

Purpose:The aim of the study was to examine the influence of the surgical approach for robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy(RALP)on long-term urinary continence status in the era of self-reported functional status measures using the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite 26.Materials and methods:This is a prospective evaluation of 232 patients undergoing RALP between September,2019 and September,2020.Urinary continence status and postoperative incontinence(pad usage)were evaluated 12 months after RALP using Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite 26 questionnaires.Patients were categorized according to their surgical approach and outcome into the following groups:successful nerve sparing(NS),primarily without nerve sparing(prim.NNS),and no nerve sparing by secondary resection(NNS by SR).The median levels of their questionnaire outcomes were evaluated and compared using the Wilcoxon rank sum test with continuity correction.Results:Urinary continence status 12 months after RALP differed significantly between the NS and prim.NNS(p=0.0071)and the NS and NNS by SR(p=0.0076)groups.There was no significant difference between the prim.NNS and NNS by SR(p=0.53)groups.Pad usage 12 months after RALP had no significant difference with regard to SR of the neurovascular bundle(p=0.14).Conclusions:Patient-reported outcomes of long-term urinary continence status seem to show no difference in postoperative continence,regardless of whether a non-nerve-sparing result was planned or reached through SR.Instead,preservation of neurovascular bundle seems to lead to better long-term continence rates.

△P index with different gas compositions for instantaneous outburst prediction in coal mines

In this study we measured the △P(initial speed of gas emission) index with different gas concentrations of carbon dioxide(pure CO2,90% CO2+10% CH4,67% CO2+33% CH4,50% CO2+50% CH4,30% CO2+10% CH4 and pure CH4) of coal samples from the No.2 coal seam in the Yaojie Coal Mine,Gansu province,China.The effect of carbon dioxide concentration,gas composition,coal strength and particle size of coal samples on the △P index was investigated.The experimental results show that with gas of various compositions,the △P value of three samples were clearly different.The △P index of coal samples A,B and C(0.2～0.25 mm) were 4,6 and 7 with pure CH4 and 22,30 and 21 when pure CH4 was used.Carbon dioxide concentration affects the △P index markedly.The △P index increases with an increase in carbon dioxide concentration,especially for coal B.Hence,the △P index and K(another outburst index) values tested only with pure CH4 for prediction of the danger of outburst is not accurate.It is important to determine the initial speed of gas emission given the gas composition of the coal seam to be tested for exact outburst prediction.

GPU-based composite subdivision

This paper proposes a novel strategy based on fragment meshes of Shiue et al. for GPU rendering of compos- ite subdivision surfaces. Two enumeration systems are established to label the primitives of each fragment mesh. A sector-layer-index enumeration system is responsible for retrieving proximities for subdivision masks while a sec- tor-index enumeration system designates a 2D texture buffer in GPU. Recurring to the free conversion between them, our approach may get rid of lookup tables that are designed to record subdivision masks. In addition, relatively small composite subdivision masks make it easy to develop automatically retrieving techniques. Finally, as center vertices are often irregular, their computation is related to an average with alterable number of items. Considering that variable loop is not efficient in GPU, we evaluate the center vertex of each fragment mesh using the linear combination of its level 0, level 1 and limit positions instead of averaging schemes. Experiments demonstrate that our approach generally outper- forms that of Shiue et al. in FPS by a long way.

STOCHASTIC BOUNDARY ELEMENT METHOD FOR RELIABILITY ANALYSIS OF PLATE AND BEAMS COMPOSITE STRUCTURES

In this paper, the reliability of orthotropic plate and beams composite structures, which is under the actions of the stochastic loading and stochastic boundary conditions, have been analyzed by stochastic boundary element method. First, the boundary integral equation of orthotropic plate and beams composite structures is given in this paper, and then based on the stochastic boundary element method, the method for reliability analysis of stochastic structures is establishes and formulas for computation of reliability index of orthotropic plate and beams composite structures are obtained. The computed examples show the efficient of the method used in this paper.

Relationship of Food Craving Behavior with Body Mass Index and Body Composition in Reproductive Age Females

Objective: To estimate the relationship of Food Craving (FC) behavior with females’ Body Mass Index (BMI), and body-composition. Design, setting and participants: A cross-sectional study of 302 reproductive-age women from middle-socioeconomic class was conducted at the Health & Occupational-Environmental Laboratory. Variable Measures: A FC behavior questionnaire (FCQ) was designed and validated in 151 female subjects. This questionnaire evaluated five dimensions: FC-leisure, FC-psychological reactance, FC-depression, FC-anxiety/stress, and FC-anger. Dependent variables were Body Mass Index (BMI, kg/m2) and the body fat mass. Interventions: A second group of 151 women completed the FCQ. Anthropometrical variables were recorded using the International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry procedure. Analysis: A multiple regression-analysis using STAT- ISTICS version 7 was performed to determine the relationship of FC behavior with anthropometrical variables described. Results: We demonstrated that 98.7% of women had FC behavior. Women with higher BMI had higher scores of FC-depressions (p = 0.02) and FC-anger (p = 0.007). Food craving behavior (p < 0.0008), and food psychological-reactance (p = 0.006), were positive predictors of BMI;food psychological reactance was also a positive predictor of upper and lower-body fat mass (p = 0.005) and (p = 0.008), respectively. Conclusion and Implications: The food craving behavior is a common problem in the female population. Food psychological reactance, in addition to another affective alteration that present the population of women are predictor variables for the increase in BMI and in body-fat mass. It is important that health professionals are aware of the affective states of their patients.

Proximate and Elemental Composition of Important Fish Species in Makkah Central Fish Market, Saudi Arabia

In spite of the established nutritive value of seafood, fishes have a special ability to store some toxic substances such as heavy metals because of its own respiration system. The goal of current study was to explore the proximate chemical composition, minerals content and levels of heavy metals in edible portions of some important commercial fish species available at Makkah Central Fish Market, Saudi Arabia. The obtained results showed that Indian oil sardine fish had the highest value of crude oil (dry weight) recorded 38.00%, while, rusty parrot fish sample had the least of 1.17%. In contrast, rusty parrot fish had the highest value of crude protein represented 90.75% (dry weight), meanwhile, Indian oil sardine had the least of 54.19%. Consuming about 250 g of Indian oil sardine will cover 100% of Fe RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowances), eating 500 g of the same fish will cover about 30% of Ca RDA. While, 500 g of gilt head bream which has the highest content of K, Na and Mg will cover about 11.7%, 1.5% and 4.1% of these minerals RDA, respectively. As physical hazards, fourteen samples from the thirty three studied samples exceeded the permissible limit of Pb and Cd representing about 42%. Therefore, it is strongly recommended not to eat head, gills or viscera of all fishes.