We report a study of the e+e– → D+D–π+π– process using e+e– collision data samples with an integrated luminosity of 2.5 fb–1 at center-of-mass energies from 4.36 to 4.60GeV, collected with the BESIII ...detector at the BEPCII storage ring. The D1(2420)+ is observed in the D+π+π– mass spectrum. The mass and width of the D1(2420)+ are measured to be (2427.2 ± 1.0stat. ± 1.2syst.)MeV/c2 and (23.2 ± 2.3stat. ± 2.3syst.)MeV, respectively. The first errors are statistical and the second ones are systematic. In addition, the Born cross sections of the e+e– → D1(2420)+ D– + c.c. → D+D–π+π– and e+e– → ψ(3770)π+π– → D+D–π+π– processes are measured as a function of the center-of-mass energy.
We report the first observation of a_{0}^{0}(980)-f_{0}(980) mixing in the decays of J/ψ→ϕf_{0}(980)→ϕa_{0}^{0}(980)→ϕηπ^{0} and χ_{c1}→a_{0}^{0}(980)π^{0}→f_{0}(980)π^{0}→π^{+}π^{-}π^{0}, using data ...samples of 1.31×10^{9} J/ψ events and 4.48×10^{8} ψ(3686) events accumulated with the BESIII detector. The signals of f_{0}(980)→a_{0}^{0}(980) and a_{0}^{0}(980)→f_{0}(980) mixing are observed at levels of statistical significance of 7.4σ and 5.5σ, respectively. The corresponding branching fractions and mixing intensities are measured and the constraint regions on the coupling constants, g_{a_{0}K^{+}K^{-}} and g_{f_{0}K^{+}K^{-}}, are estimated. The results improve the understanding of the nature of a_{0}^{0}(980) and f_{0}(980).
Abstract Angiogenesis and blood-brain-barrier (BBB) damage have been proposed to contribute to epileptogenesis and/or ictogenesis in experimental and human epilepsy. We tested a hypothesis that after ...brain injury angiogenesis occurs in the most damaged hippocampal areas with the highest need of tissue repair, and associates with formation of epileptogenic neuronal networks. We induced status epilepticus (SE) with pilocarpine in adult rats, and investigated endothelial cell proliferation (BrdU and rat endothelial cell antigen-1 (RECA-1) double-labeling), vessel length (unbiased stereology), thrombocyte aggregation (thrombocyte immunostaining), neurodegeneration (Nissl staining), neurogenesis (doublecortin (DCX) immunohistochemistry), and mossy fiber sprouting (Timm staining) in the hippocampus at different time points post-SE. As functional measures we determined BBB leakage (quantified immunoglobulin G (IgG) immunostaining), and hippocampal blood volume (CBV) and flow (CBF) in vivo (magnetic resonance imaging, MRI). The total length of hippocampal blood vessels was decreased by 17% at 2 d after status epilepticus (SE) induced by pilocarpine in adult rats ( P <0.05 as compared to controls) which was not accompanied by alterations in hippocampal blood volume (BV) and flow (BF). Number of proliferating endothelial cells peaked at 4 d post-SE and correlated with an increase in vessel length ( r =0.900, P <0.05). Vessels length had recovered to control level or even higher at 2 wk post-SE, angiogenesis being most prominent in the CA3 (128% as compared to that in controls, P <0.05), and was associated with increased BV (178% as compared to that in controls, P <0.05). Enlargement of vessel diameter in the hippocampal fissure was associated with thrombocyte aggregation in distal capillaries. BBB was most leaky during the first 4 d post-SE and increased IgG extravasation was observed for 60 d. Our data show that magnitude of endothelial cell proliferation is not associated with severity of acute post-SE neurodegeneration or formation of abnormal neuronal network. This encourages identification of molecular targets that initiate and maintain specific aspects of tissue reorganization, including preservation and proliferation of endothelial cells to reduce the risk of epileptogenesis and enhance recovery after brain injury.
This paper presents a decision support system for identifying customer typology using cluster analysis to segment relevant customers. The approach is demonstrated using data from a company selling ...nutritional supplements, consisting of approximately 130,000 records from six Central European countries. The analysis results in distinct groups of customers, which are proposed for more effective management of customer relationships. The findings have implications for retailers, helping them focus on the most profitable customer segments to increase sales and profits and build lasting relationships. Furthermore, cluster analysis proves to be an appropriate statistical method for classification and provides valuable insights into patterns and trends in the analysed data. Overall, this paper contributes to development and comparison of methods for customer segmentation and demonstrates their potential for improving economic efficiency and building long-term customer relationships.
Despite considerable work to encourage women to enter the profession, engineering continues to be heavily male dominated. Research shows that women in engineering experience unequal treatment ...starting from their entry into the occupation. My research will discuss the experiences of gender inequality for women working in engineering fields by looking at the empirical literature examining the hiring process, chilly climates, hostile work environments, pay and promotion inequalities, and the challenges women engineers face due to competing identities and motherhood. I will show that the oppression and inequality of women reflects and perpetuates a culture that favors male-dominance and exclusionary practices within the engineering profession.
Bus passenger transport is very important for sustainable urban mobility, and due to the characteristics of the street network, it is usually realized in the conditions of mixed traffic flow. ...Disturbances and sudden changes of traffic flow parameters occurring in the street network in a mixed traffic flow affect the disruptions in schedule and travel time of all vehicles in the traffic flow, including public transport (PT) vehicles. In order to keep to the planned schedule in the peak hours of PT lines carried out in the conditions of mixed traffic flow, the operators introduce new vehicles or reduce the vehicles’ dwell time at terminuses, which is often impossible to do. The use of a larger number of public transport vehicles increases the fuel consumption, pollutants’ emission, and the operating costs. In this paper, a network optimization model was developed for defining the influence of the change of traffic flow parameters in a mixed traffic flow on travel time of PT vehicles. The model takes into consideration uncertain time unevenness of the change of traffic flow parameters, which enables determining the optimization of travel time and defining the necessary number of public transport vehicles for the purpose of keeping to the planned schedule. In order to develop the transport model, counting and analysis of the characteristics of traffic flow at 61 intersections on the city territory were carried out. The model was tested on bus line number 4 of PT in Novi Sad. The model showed that it is possible to achieve certain savings regarding the number of vehicles with the unchanged headway, that is, the unchanged level of service which is offered to the users. With the application of the model in real traffic conditions, significant savings, as well as operating and external costs’ reduction, can be achieved, which contributes to the sustainability of public bus transport in urban environments.
The transport sector is the second largest source of greenhouse gas pollution in terms of total carbon dioxide emissions in the European Union. Reducing emissions in transport is more expensive than ...in other sectors because transport is still heavily reliant on fossil fuels. For years, electric vehicles have played a prominent role in the transport sector in terms of solving the f harmful gas emissions problem. They have the potential to reduce CO2 emissions by offering an alternative to conventional vehicles based on internal combustion engines. Although they have zero CO2 emissions in the tailpipe, electric vehicles require the consumption of electricity to produce them as well as to power the battery, which contributes to the creation of CO2 emissions. The paper compares the use of a delivery vehicle with an internal combustion engine and an electric vehicle in the field of road transportation of the postal sector from the aspect of environmental sustainability. The electric vehicle use showed a lower generation of CO2 by 114.2 g/km, taking into account the average emission of carbon dioxide for electric vehicles according to the data of the European Union.
Nowadays, we face many problems in the field of transport. The application of intelligent transport systems should improve problems related to congestion management, road safety, access to data in ...the transport environment, and environmental protection. The paper presents two concepts that are key to the improvement and development of the transport sector. The development and application of automatic vehicle location since the 1960s has led to an improvement in the efficiency of transport companies’ operations and the quality of their services. This technology has led to improved efficiency of the transport service, better utilisation of resources and improved quality of service. However, the most modern concept that initiates the improvement of existing solutions and encourages the development of new solutions in the field of transport is the IoT (Internet of Things) concept. In freight transport, the application of IoT technology enables cost management, reduction of CO2 emissions and avoidance of congestion through the use of alternative routes.
To determine the effects of solute molecular weight and lipophilicity on the permeability of a retinal pigment epithelium (RPE)-choroid preparation.
Fresh RPE-choroid specimens from bovine eyes were ...placed in diffusion chambers for permeability experiments with carboxyfluorescein, fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labeled dextrans with molecular masses from 4 to 80 kDa, and beta-blockers exhibiting a wide range of lipophilicity (atenolol, nadolol, pindolol, timolol, metoprolol, and betaxolol). Permeability experiments were performed both in the choroid-to-retina (inward) direction and in the retina-to-choroid (outward) direction. Carboxyfluorescein and FITC-dextrans were determined by fluorometry, and beta-blockers by HPLC. The transepithelial electrical resistance and potential difference were monitored during the experiments.
Permeability of the fluorescent FITC-dextran probes through RPE-choroid decreased significantly with the increasing size of the probe. RPE-choroid was 35 times more permeable to carboxyfluorescein (376 Da) than to FITC-dextran 80 kDa. The permeabilities of lipophilic beta-blockers were up to 8 and 20 times higher than that of hydrophilic atenolol and carboxyfluorescein, respectively. The lag time of solute flux across the RPE-choroid increased with the molecular weight and lipophilicity. Compared with published data on isolated sclera, bovine RPE-choroid was 10 to 100 times less permeable to hydrophilic compounds and macromolecules. The permeability of lipophilic molecules in RPE-choroid was in the same range as in the sclera.
RPE is a major barrier and may be the rate-limiting factor in the retinal delivery of hydrophilic drugs and macromolecules through the transscleral route. For lipophilic molecules, RPE-choroid, and sclera are approximately equal barriers.
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