In recent years, shared freight systems have emerged in many cities as a new modality of freight transportation. However, little attention has been paid to the impact of a city’s socioeconomic status on the characteristics of a shared freight network. To fill this gap, in this study, the structural characteristics of an intra-urban shared freight network are measured from the perspective of complex networks, and the correlations between network structure and socioeconomic status are examined. A case study is conducted in Hong Kong using large amounts of GPS trajectory data for freight vehicles and socioeconomic data. The results show that socioeconomic variables such as population size, percentage of elderly residents, percentage of residents with a marital status classified as “other” (i.e., separated, widowed, or divorced), and percentage of residents employed in the tertiary sector have distinct correlations with the structural characteristics. These correlations display spatial non-stationarity. This research can potentially assist decision-makers in improving the operating efficiency of shared freight systems and the governance of digital freight transport.

Background and Objectives: EUS-guided biliary drainage (EUS-BD) was shown to be useful for malignant biliary obstruction (MBO). However, there is lack of consensus on how EUS-BD should be performed.

Methods: This was a worldwide multi-institutional survey among members of the International Society of EUS conducted in February 2018. The survey consisted of 10 questions related to the practice of EUS-BD.

Results: Forty-six endoscopists of them completed the survey. The majority of endoscopists felt that EUS-BD could replace percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage after failure of ERCP. Among all EUS-BD methods, the rendezvous stenting technique should be the first choice. Self-expandable metal stents (SEMSs) were recommended by most endoscopists. For EUS-guided hepaticogastrostomy (HGS), superiority of partially-covered SEMS over fully-covered SEMS was not in agreement. 6-Fr cystotomes were recommended for fistula creation. During the HGS approach, longer SEMS (8 or 10 cm) was recommended. During the choledochoduodenostomy approach, 6-cm SEMS was recommended. During the intrahepatic (IH) approach, the IH segment 3 was recommended.

Conclusion: This is the first worldwide survey on the practice of EUS-BD for MBO. There were wide variations in practice, and randomized studies are urgently needed to establish the best approach for the management of this condition.

The research problem in this study focus on discovering the level ,and degree of national social responsibility for the media organizations ,and the extent of the role it plays ,from the arab audience view,and how it concern in transmitting the news and various topics ,in addition to the effect of professional values of media practices on the social responsibility of these media organizations. حاول الدراسة الكشف عن مستوى ودرجة المسؤولية الإجتماعية والوطنية للمؤسسات الإعلامية ومدى قيامها بأبعاد هذا الدور من وجهة نظر الجمهور العربى والتعرف على مدى اهتمام المؤسسات الإعلامية بالمسؤولية الاجتماعية تجاه الجمهور في نقل الأخبار والموضوعات المختلفة, وتأثير القيم المهنية للعمل الإعلامي على المسؤولية الاجتماعية في المؤسسات الإعلامية وذلك من خلال دراسة مسحية على عينة من الجمهور العام العربى . الكلمات المفتاحية المسؤولية الإجتماعية. . المؤسسات الإعلامية. الجمهور . نقل الاخبار.تطبيقات نظريات الاعلام و الاتصال التقليدية في فضاءات الإعلامية ذلك من خلال دراسة مسحية على عينة من الجمهور العام العرب

Boar taint is an unpleasant smell and taste of pork meat derived from some entire male pigs. The main causes of boar taint are the two compounds androstenone (5α-androst-16-en-3-one) and skatole (3-methylindole). It is crucial to understand the genetic mechanism of boar taint to select pigs for lower androstenone levels and thus reduce boar taint. The aim of the present study was to investigate transcriptome differences in boar testis and liver tissues with divergent androstenone levels using RNA deep sequencing (RNA-Seq). The total number of reads produced for each testis and liver sample ranged from 13,221,550 to 33,206,723 and 12,755,487 to 46,050,468, respectively. In testis samples 46 genes were differentially regulated whereas 25 genes showed differential expression in the liver. The fold change values ranged from -4.68 to 2.90 in testis samples and -2.86 to 3.89 in liver samples. Differentially regulated genes in high androstenone testis and liver samples were enriched in metabolic processes such as lipid metabolism, small molecule biochemistry and molecular transport. This study provides evidence for transcriptome profile and gene polymorphisms of boars with divergent androstenone level using RNA-Seq technology. Digital gene expression analysis identified candidate genes in flavin monooxygenease family, cytochrome P450 family and hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase family. Moreover, polymorphism and association analysis revealed mutation in IRG6, MX1, IFIT2, CYP7A1, FMO5 and KRT18 genes could be potential candidate markers for androstenone levels in boars. Further studies are required for proving the role of candidate genes to be used in genomic selection against boar taint in pig breeding programs.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Assessment of the musculoskeletal system requires consideration of its integrated function with the nervous system. This may be assisted by using valid and reliable methods that simulate real-life situations. Interactive virtual reality (VR) technology may introduce various auditory and visual inputs that mimic real-life scenarios. However, evidence supporting the quality and strength of evidence regarding the adequacy of its psychometric properties in assessing the musculoskeletal function has not been evaluated yet. Therefore, this study reviewed the validity and reliability of VR games and real-time feedback in assessing the musculoskeletal system.

RECENT FINDINGS: Nine studies were included in quality assessment. Based on outcome measures, studies were categorized into range of motion (ROM), balance, reaction time, and cervical motion velocity and accuracy. The majority of the studies were of moderate quality and provided evidence of VR adequate concurrent and, in some cases, known-groups validity. Also, VR showed high intra-rater reliability for most of the measured outcomes. Based on the included studies, there is a limited promising evidence that interactive VR using games or real-time feedback is highly valid and reliable in assessing ROM in asymptomatic participants and patients with chronic neck pain and radial fracture. For the remaining outcomes, evidence is limited to draw a robust conclusion. Future studies are recommended to test VR psychometric properties in different patients' population using a rigor research methodology.

Basic leucine zipper transcription factor 2 (Batf2) activation is detrimental in Type 1-controlled infectious diseases, demonstrated during infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) and Listeria monocytogenes Lm. In Batf2-deficient mice (Batf2), infected with Mtb or Lm, mice survived and displayed reduced tissue pathology compared to infected control mice. Indeed, pulmonary inflammatory macrophage recruitment, pro-inflammatory cytokines and immune effectors were also decreased during tuberculosis. This explains that batf2 mRNA predictive early biomarker found in active TB patients is increased in peripheral blood. Similarly, Lm infection in human macrophages and mouse spleen and liver also increased Batf2 expression. In striking contrast, Type 2-controlled schistosomiasis exacerbates during infected Batf2 mice with increased intestinal fibro-granulomatous inflammation, pro-fibrotic immune cells, and elevated cytokine production leading to wasting disease and early death. Together, these data strongly indicate that Batf2 differentially regulates Type 1 and Type 2 immunity in infectious diseases.