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Background: Cognitive treatment response varies highly in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). Identification of mechanisms is essential for predicting response. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate whether brain network function predicts response to cognitive rehabilitation therapy (CRT) and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT). Methods: PwMS with cognitive complaints completed CRT, MBCT, or enhanced treatment as usual (ETAU) and performed three measurements (baseline, post-treatment, 6-month follow-up). Baseline magnetoencephalography (MEG) measures were used to predict treatment effects on cognitive complaints, personalized cognitive goals, and information processing speed (IPS) using mixed models (secondary analysis REMIND-MS study). Results: We included 105 PwMS (96 included in prediction analyses; 32 CRT, 31 MBCT, 33 ETAU), and 56 healthy controls with baseline MEG. MEG did not predict reductions in complaints. Higher connectivity predicted better goal achievement after MBCT (p = 0.010) and CRT (p = 0.018). Lower gamma power (p = 0.006) and higher connectivity (p = 0.020) predicted larger IPS benefits after MBCT. These MEG predictors indicated worse brain function compared to healthy controls (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Brain network function predicted better cognitive goal achievement after MBCT and CRT, and IPS improvements after MBCT. PwMS with neuronal slowing and hyperconnectivity were most prone to show treatment response, making network function a promising tool for personalized treatment recommendations. Trial registration: The REMIND-MS study was prospectively registered in the Dutch Trial registry (NL6285; https://trialsearch.who.int/Trial2.aspx?TrialID=NTR6459). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mangrove forests play a vital role in the environment. They provide a number of ecosystem services for supporting marine biodiversity, humans, and other living organisms inhabiting the area. This study aimed to determine the community structure and regeneration capacity of mangrove forests in Lebak, Sultan Kudarat, Philippines. Community structure was determined through relative density, relative frequency, relative dominance, and importance value. Using the center point circular plot method, 13 plots with 40 m diameter were established in two sampling sites: natural stand and reforested. Shannon-Weiner diversity and evenness indexes were used to determine species diversity and distribution, respectively. This study recorded a total of 14 462 individuals within the 1256 m² sampling plots, having Rhizophoraceae as the most abundant family with seven species that cover about 71% of both mangrove ecosystems. The vegetation analysis revealed that Ceriops tagal (70.35%) and Rhizophora mucronata (96.51%) had the highest importance value in the natural stand and reforested mangrove forests, respectively. Furthermore, these two species were also accounted for having the highest regeneration contribution among all species in each site. Shannon-Weiner diversity index revealed that the natural stand was more diverse compared to the reforested mangrove forest. However, the Shannon-Weiner evenness index showed that species in the reforested mangrove forest are more evenly distributed than species in the natural stand. Natural mangrove stands in Lebak have complex community structure and have higher regeneration capacity than the reforested mangrove forest. With this, the study suggested continuing the best practices employed for mangrove conservation in the area and crafting a strategic plan for sustainable mangrove resource utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since their discovery in 2004, carbon dots (CDs), with particle sizes < 10 nm, have found use in various applications, mainly based on the material's fluorescent properties. However, other potential uses of CDs remain relatively unexplored when compared to other carbon-based nanomaterials. In particular, the use of CDs as catalysts and as supports for use in catalytic reactions, is still in its infancy. Many studies have indicated the advantages of using CDs in catalysis, but there are difficulties associated with their stability, separation, and aggregation due to their small size. This small size does however allow for studying the interaction of small catalyst particles with small dimensional supports, including the inverse support interaction. However, recent studies have indicated that CDs are not stable under high temperature conditions (especially >250 °C; with and without a catalyst) suggesting that the CDs may agglomerate and transform under some reaction conditions. The agglomeration of the metal in a CD/metal catalyst, especially because of the CDs agglomeration and transformation at high temperature, is not always considered in studies using CDs as catalysts, as post-reaction analysis of a catalyst is not always undertaken. Further, it appears that under modest thermal reaction conditions, CDs can react with some metal ions to change their morphology, a reaction that relates to the metal reducibility. This review has thus been undertaken to indicate the advantages, as well as the limitations, of using CDs in catalytic studies. The various techniques that have been used to evaluate these issues is given, and some examples from the literature that highlight the use of CDs in catalysis are described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A method for enhancing the stability of high speed antiferromagnetic skyrmions in racetrack devices is proposed and demonstrated numerically. Spatial modulation of the Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interaction via a patterned top heavy metal gives rise to a strong confining potential. This counteracts skyrmion deformation perpendicular to the direction of propagation and the subsequent annihilation on contact with the racetrack's horizontal boundaries. An achievable increase in the maximum driving current density of 135%, enabling higher velocities of 28%, is predicted. Furthermore, an extended saturating behavior of the mobility relation due to the imposed confinement is also found at large driving amplitudes, further enhancing skyrmion stability at high velocities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Iron deficiency anaemia during pregnancy is one of the most common and intractable nutritional problems in the world as well as in India today. Traditional treatment for anemia based on either oral iron or blood transfusion or both, has had drawbacks. Thus iron sucrose and recombinant human erythropoietin can become promising management options. Objective To assess improvement in anaemic state and the duration required for the improvement in hematological parameters with or without injection erythropoietin in pregnant females receiving iron sucrose. Method And Materials Randomized control trial was conducted on 212 anaemic pregnant women (Hb < 11 gm%) for analysing the comparison of patient response to parenteral iron sucrose alone (Group A = 104 patients) with Inj. Recombinant Human Erythropoietin (rhEPO) along with routine tab iron (Group B = 108 patients), from November 2020 to October 2022. Data related to demography, clinical history along with various blood parameters were collected, analyzed and compared between the two groups. Result Mean pre- and post-treatment Hb was 8.86 ± 0.79 gm% and 9.77 ± 0.56 gm% in group A re. in comparison to 8.71 ± 1.06 gm% 9.79 ± 0.07 gm% in group B respectively. No significant difference was seen in rise in Hb, MCHC, serum iron and serum ferritin and fall in TIBC in treatment while significant increase in MCV, MCH within both the groups post treatment. Mean duration for improvement in Hb by 1gm% in group A was 5.850 ± 0.983 days post-treatment while 12.390 ± 1.528 days in group B. Conclusion We noticed that mean duration required for improvement in haemoglobin level by 1gm% in group A was significantly lesser i.e. 5.850 ± 0.983 days following treatment than mean duration in group B was 12.390 ± 1.528 days (p < 0.001). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies investigating the efficacy of errorless learning (EL), a rehabilitation method in which the occurrence of errors during learning are eliminated, have predominantly involved patients with memory impairment. However, the most recent perspective on the underlying mechanism of EL explicitly takes executive processes into account. The aim of this study was to investigate whether EL of object locations is beneficial for memory performance compared to trial-and-error learning (TEL) in patients with acquired brain injury (ABI) experiencing executive deficits (N = 15) and matched healthy controls (N = 15). Participants completed an EL and TEL condition of a computerized spatial learning task, in which the location of everyday objects had to be memorized. The number of errors made during learning was predetermined, varying from 0 (EL condition) to 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 errors (TEL condition). Results showed a beneficial effect of EL on memory performance in both ABI patients and controls (p <.001), but this advantage was not larger in ABI patients compared to controls and was not moderated by the amount of errors made during learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Gmelina arborea Roxb. is a fast-growing plant that has been utilized as feed resource for livestock production particularly for goat production. However, this plant was noted to contain toxic compounds which can affect the production and performance of livestock animals. These contradictory results is the primary reason of determining the localization of secondary products which is commonly noted as toxic compounds in plants. Thus, this study aims to provide baseline information on cell and tissue localization of different plant secondary products present in Gmelina arborea. Methods: Field-laboratory investigation was conducted in the last quarter of 2021. Localization of these compounds were determined by sectioning and histochemical analysis. Stains and reagents were used to detect the location of these compounds. Result: Most of the secondary products were detected in the epidermis, parenchyma and collenchyma in the cortex and near vascular tissues and mesophyll cells of the lamina. The results of this study support the results of different phytochemical studies conducted using this plant. This is an indicator that plant secondary products are widely distributed in the different parts of the plant. Considering plants as forage for livestock, especially for goats, necessitates the consideration on the presence and localization of these phytochemicals as these may have nutritional and toxic effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cranioplasties are common procedures in plastic surgery. The use of tissue expansion (TE) in staged cranioplasties is less common. We present two cases of cranioplasties with TE and systematically review literature describing the use of TE in staged cranioplasties and postoperative outcomes. A systematic review was performed by querying multiple databases. Eligible articles include published case series, retrospective reviews, and systematic reviews that described use of TE for staged bony cranioplasty. Data regarding study size, patient demographics, preoperative characteristics, staged procedure characteristics, and postoperative outcomes were collected. Of 755 identified publications, 26 met inclusion criteria. 85 patients underwent a staged cranioplasty with TE. Average defect size was 122 cm 2 , and 30.9% of patients received a previous reconstruction. Average expansion period was 14.2 weeks. The most common soft tissue closures were performed with skin expansion only (75.3%), free/pedicled flap (20.1%), and skin graft (4.7%). The mean postoperative follow-up time was 23.9 months. Overall infection and local complication rates were 3.53 and 9.41%, respectively. The most common complications were cerebrospinal fluid leak (7.1%), hematoma (7.1%), implant exposure (3.5%), and infection (3.5%). Factors associated with higher complication rates include the following: use of alloplastic calvarial implants and defects of congenital etiology (p = 0.023 and 0.035, respectively). This is the first comprehensive review to describe current practices and outcomes in staged cranioplasty with TE. Adequate soft tissue coverage contributes to successful cranioplasties and TE can play a safe and effective role in selected cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interpretation of this finding is less clear but suggests that for presurgical patients tests with particular combinations of learning and format type (e.g., learning with repeated trials, tested via recall) may on average slightly outperform tests with other combinations. Taking all nonverbal memory tests together, patients with RTLE performed slightly worse than patients with LTLE, in both the presurgical and postsurgical patient groups, with larger differences for the postsurgical group compared to the presurgical groups. Change in nonverbal memory performance following TLR showed an overall pattern of mild improvement in left TLR patients and no change in right TLR patients. [Extracted from the article]

Nonverbal memory tests have great potential value for detecting the impact of lateralized pathology and predicting the risk of memory loss following right temporal lobe resection (TLR) for temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) patients, but this potential has not been realized. Previous reviews suggest that stimulus type moderates the capacity of nonverbal memory tests to detect right-lateralized pathology (i.e., faces > designs), but the roles of other task-related factors have not been systematically explored. We address these limitations using mixed model meta-regression (k = 158) of right-lateralization effects (right worse than left TLE) testing the moderating effects of: 1) stimulus type (designs, faces, spatial), 2) learning format (single trial, repeated trials), 3) testing delay (immediate or long delay), and 4) testing format (recall, recognition) for three patient scenarios: 1) presurgical, 2) postsurgical, and 3) postsurgical change. For presurgical patients the size of the right-lateralization effect was significantly moderated by stimulus type (faces > designs), testing format (recall > recognition) and its interaction with the learning format (repeated trials more affected by format effect than single trials) of the nonverbal memory tests. For postsurgical patients and presurgical-postsurgical change, test format moderated the size of the right-lateralization effect (recognition > recall) and this explained and overshadowed effects of stimulus type (i.e., faces > designs). This comprehensive review reveals the value of recognition testing in gauging the risk of nonverbal memory decline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon dots (CDs) represent a relatively new type of carbon allotrope with a 0-D structure and with nanoparticle sizes < 10 nm. A large number of research articles have been published on the synthesis, characteristics, mechanisms and applications of this carbon allotrope. Many of these articles have also shown that CDs can be synthesized from "bottom-up" and "top-down" methods. The "top-down" methods are dominated by the breaking down of large carbon structures such as fullerene, graphene, carbon black and carbon nanotubes into the CDs. What is less known is that CDs also have the potential to be used as carbon substrates for the synthesis of larger carbon structures such as 1-D carbon nanotubes, 2-D or 3-D graphene-based nanosheets and 3-D porous carbon frameworks. Herein, we present a review of the synthesis strategies used to convert the 0-D carbons into these higher-dimensional carbons. The methods involve the use of catalysts or thermal procedures to generate the larger structures. The surface functional groups on the CDs, typically containing nitrogen and oxygen, appear to be important in the process of creating the larger carbon structures that typically are formed via the generation of covalent bonds. The CD building blocks can also 'aggregate' to form so called supra-CDs. The mechanism for the formation of the structures made from CDs, the physical properties of the CDs and their applications (for example in energy devices and as reagents for use in medicinal fields) will also be discussed. We hope that this review will serve to provide valuable insights into this area of CD research and a novel viewpoint on the exploration of CDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes a substantial burden in older adults. Viral load in RSV-infected adults is generally lower compared to young children, which could result in suboptimal sensitivity of RSV diagnostics. Although the Xpert® Xpress Flu/RSV assay has been used in routine clinical care, its sensitivity to diagnose RSV infection in older adults is largely unknown. We aimed to compare the performance of the Xpert® Xpress Flu/RSV assay with real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in home-dwelling older adults (≥60 years of age).Methods: Nasopharyngeal swabs were tested with Xpert® Xpress Flu/RSV and compared to RSV RT-PCR in older adults with acute respiratory tract infections with different levels of disease severity.Results: We studied 758 respiratory samples from 561 older adults from 2 consecutive RSV seasons. Thirty-five (4.6%) samples tested positive for RSV by at least 1 of the assays, of which 2 samples were negative by Xpert® Xpress Flu/RSV and 3 samples by real-time RT-PCR. The positive percentage agreement (PPA) was 90.9% (95% confidence interval [CI], 76.4%-96.8%) and negative percentage agreement was 99.7% (95% CI, 99.0%-99.9%). Viral loads were low (≤103 copies/mL or cycle threshold value ≥34) in all cases with discordant results for the 2 assays.Conclusions: The PPA of Xpert® Xpress Flu/RSV compared to routine RT-PCR is high for RSV detection in home-dwelling older adults. The assay is fast and easy to use at the point of care.Clinical Trials Registration: NCT03621930. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: There is a need for a brief assessment of cognitive function, both in patient care and scientific research, for which the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) is a psychometrically reliable and valid tool. However, fine-grained normative data allowing for adjustment for age, education, and/or sex are lacking, especially for its Memory Index Score (MIS). (2) Methods: A total of 820 healthy individuals aged 18–91 (366 men) completed the Dutch MoCA (version 7.1), of whom 182 also completed the cued recall and recognition memory subtests enabling calculation of the MIS. Regression-based normative data were computed for the MoCA Total Score and MIS, following the data-handling procedure of the Advanced Neuropsychological Diagnostics Infrastructure (ANDI). (3) Results: Age, education level, and sex were significant predictors of the MoCA Total Score (Conditional R2 = 0.4, Marginal R2 = 0.12, restricted maximum likelihood (REML) criterion at convergence: 3470.1) and MIS (Marginal R2 = 0.14, REML criterion at convergence: 682.8). Percentile distributions are presented that allow for age, education and sex adjustment for the MoCA Total Score and the MIS. (4) Conclusions: We present normative data covering the full adult life span that can be used for the screening for overall cognitive deficits and memory impairment, not only in older people with or people at risk of neurodegenerative disease, but also in younger individuals with acquired brain injury, neurological disease, or non-neurological medical conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3), the commonest dominantly inherited ataxia worldwide, is characterized by disruption in the cerebellar-cerebral and striatal-cortical networks. Findings on SCA3-associated cognitive impairments are mixed. The classification models, tests and scoring systems used, language, culture, ataxia severity, and depressive symptoms are all potential confounders in neuropsychological assessments and may have contributed to the heterogeneity of the neurocognitive profile of SCA3. We conducted a systematic review of studies evaluating neurocognitive function in SCA3 patients. Of 1304 articles identified, 15 articles met the eligibility criteria. All articles were of excellent quality according to the National Institutes of Health quality assessment tool for case–control studies. In line with the disrupted cerebellar-cerebral and striatal-cortical networks in SCA3, this systematic review found that the neurocognitive profile of SCA3 is characterized by a core impairment of executive function that affects processes such as nonverbal reasoning, executive aspects of language, and recall. Conversely, neurocognitive domains such as general intelligence, verbal reasoning, semantic aspect of language, attention/processing speed, recognition, and visuospatial perception and construction are relatively preserved. This review highlights the importance of evaluating neurocognitive function in SCA3 patients. Considering the negative impact of cognitive and affective impairment on quality of life, this review points to the profound impairments that existing or future treatments should prioritize. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fe-SCC adsorbent was used in a batch procedure to remove Cr(VI) from an aqueous solution. An RSM and an ANN model were developed using data gathered from 30 batch trials, which were then utilized to optimize and accelerate the absorption processes. As a result of a three-level, four-factors central composite design (CCD) in RSM, the impacts of operational factors such as Cr(VI) concentration, contact duration, the dosage of adsorbent, and pH of solution were evaluated. The suggested quadratic model had a coefficient of determination (R²) value of 0.996 and a Fisher F-value of 264.18, which indicated an excellent match of the experimental data. When it came to figuring out how important the various variables were in determining the best process conditions, response surface plots came in handy. Assuming ideal operating circumstances, the maximum removal of Cr(VI) was determined to be 98.3% when the test variables stayed unchanged at a maximum desirable value of 0.978: 20 mg/L initial Cr(VI) concentration plus 0.1 g Fe-SCC dosage, pH 8, and 13 min of contact time. The same architecture was used to construct an ANN model that predicted Cr(VI) adsorption with acceptable accuracy (R² = 0.962). The R² coefficient of determination and the order of relevance of the operational parameters were used to compare the two models. The experimental datasets were well-suited to both models, as seen by the overall findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein we report on the direct synthesis of solid hydrophobic carbon dots (CDs) and simultaneously carbon spheres (CSs), using a vertical chemical vapour deposition (CVD) reactor. The HRTEM data indicated that the CDs and CSs originated from different carbon building blocks indicated that the CDs and CSs originated from different carbon building blocks. The CDs were obtained by reacting acetylene (C2H2) and Ar mixtures at high flow rates (=500 sccm) and high temperatures (800-1000 °C). TEM studies indicated that the CDs produced were graphene-like quantum dots that increased in size from c. 3 nm to 8 nm as the Ar flow rate (constant C2H2 flow rate) was decreased, while small solid CSs (c. 100 nm) were also synthesised in the process. The CSs had a typical spherical layered structure with no graphitic core. A mechanism to rationalise the observation that the CDs and CSs grew simultaneously by different pathways with no formation of intermediate-sized particles is given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We approach the problem of identifying the stratigraphic markers using seismic data in automated mode. This automation would be achieved through the application of correlation exponent and its double derivative for the first time. Prominent contrasts derived from correlation exponents from seismic trace are associated with the different stratigraphic layers that help to isolate these layers. Further explicit analysis of double derivative of correlation exponent aids to segregate the un-compacted and compacted sediments. The feasibility and reliability of the proposed technique were tested over the seismic traces of Taranaki Basin. 48 seismic traces traversing the various geological features identified by earlier researchers in the field were selected. The combined interpretation of the anomalous value of correlation exponent and their double derivative for the seismic traces indicate the prominent geological features: progradation surfaces, bright spots, sedimentary packages and faults. This study presents a tool for automated seismic interpretation and reservoir characterization. The overall success in identification of various features by correlation exponent is about 77.3%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the idea that music acts as a mnemonic aid, musical mnemonics (i.e., sung presentation of information, also referred to as 'music as a structural prompt'), are being used in educational and therapeutic settings. However, evidence in general and patient populations is still scarce. We investigated whether musical mnemonics affect working and episodic memory performance in cognitively unimpaired individuals and persons with Alzheimer's dementia (AD). Furthermore, we examined the possible contribution of musical expertise. We comprehensively searched the PubMed and PsycINFO databases for studies published between 1970 and 2022. Also, reference lists of all identified papers were manually extracted to identify additional articles. Of 1,126 records identified, 37 were eligible and included. Beneficial effects of musical mnemonics on some aspect of memory performance were reported in 28 of 37 studies, including nine on AD. Nine studies found no beneficial effect. Familiarity contributed positively to this beneficial effect in cognitively unimpaired adults, but require more extensive investigation in AD. Musical expertise generally did not lead to additional benefits for cognitively unimpaired participants, but may benefit people with AD. Musical mnemonics may help to learn and remember verbal information in cognitively unimpaired individuals and individuals with memory impairment. Here, we provide a theoretical model of the possible underlying mechanisms of musical mnemonics, building on previous frameworks. We also discuss the implications for designing music-based mnemonics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy, inter-reader agreement, and associated pathologies on MR images of patients with confirmed TC. Methods and materials: In this retrospective study, 168 ankle MRI exams were included, consisting of 56 patients with clinically or surgically confirmed TC and 112 controls without TC, matched for age and sex. Images were analyzed independently by three radiologists blinded to clinical information. The evaluation criteria included the presence, type, and location of TC, as well as associated pathologies. After calculating diagnostic accuracy and the odds ratio of demographic data and anatomic coalition type for associated pathologies, inter-reader agreement was assessed using kappa statistics. Results: The majority of TCs were non-osseous (91.1%) and located at the calcaneonavicular (33.9%) or talocalcaneal joint (66.1%). Associated pathologies included adjacent and distant bone marrow edema (57.1% and 25.0%), osteochondral defect of the talar dome (OCD, 19.6%), and joint effusion (10.7%) and accessory anterolateral talar facet (17.9%). Talar OCD was associated with increased patient age (p = 0.03). MRI exhibited a cumulative sensitivity and specificity of 95.8% and 94.3% with almost perfect inter-reader agreement (κ = 0.895). Conclusion: MRI is a reliable method for detecting tarsal coalition and identifying commonly associated pathologies. Therefore, we recommend the routine use of MRI in the diagnostic workup of patients with foot pain and suspected tarsal coalition. Clinical relevance statement: MRI is an accurate and reliable modality for diagnosing tarsal coalitions and detecting associated pathologies, while improving patient safety compared to computed tomography by avoiding radiation exposure. Key Points: • Despite the technological progress in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT) is still regarded as the gold standard for diagnosing tarsal coalition (TC). • MRI had a cumulative sensitivity of 95.8% and specificity of 94.3% for detecting tarsal coalition with an almost perfect inter-reader agreement. • MRI demonstrates high accuracy and reliability in diagnosing tarsal coalitions and is useful for identifying associated pathologies, while also improving patient safety by avoiding radiation exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we examine the energy absorption and containment capabilities of a newly proposed dual-ring design accounting for interactions between a released blade and fully bladed fan disk using three-dimensional finite element analysis. The components of this dual-ring design are strategically selected to ensure high energy absorption and high impact resistance, thus leading to reduced damage of the disk and increased safety. Three containment ring designs are examined: (i) conventional single-ring design composed of one of titanium, aluminum, or Kevlar; (ii) a newly proposed aluminum-Kevlar dual-ring arrangement; and (iii) dual-ring arrangement with an interfacial gap between them to arrest and contain the released blade and ensure free passage of the trailing blades. The results of our numerical simulations indicate that although the single-ring design resists penetration and contains the released blade within the confines of the disk, it does not remove the released blade from the path of the trailing blades leading to severe damage to the fan disk. On the contrary, our new dual-ring design, which contains an interfacial gap, has potential to successfully arrest the released blade within the confines of the ring and out of the path of the trailing blades. This design can significantly reduce the impact damage to the fan disk and reduce kinetic energy of the released blade to near zero in less than half a rotation of the fan disk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This systematic review focuses on the effect of bilateral deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) on language function in Parkinson's disease (PD). It fills an important gap in recent reviews by considering other language tasks in addition to verbal fluency. Method: We critically and systematically reviewed the literature on studies that investigated the effect of bilateral STN-DBS on language function in PD. All studies included a matched PD control group who were on best medical treatment, with language testing at similar baseline and follow-up intervals as the DBS PD group. Results: Thirteen identified studies included a form of a verbal fluency task, seven studies included picture naming, and only two studies included more language-oriented tasks. We found that verbal fluency was negatively affected after DBS, whereas picture naming was unaffected. Studies investigating individual change patterns using reliable change indices showed that individual variability is larger for picture naming than for verbal fluency. Conclusions: Verbal fluency is the most frequently investigated aspect of language function. Our analysis showed a pattern of decline in verbal fluency across multiple studies after STN-DBS, whereas picture naming was unaffected. Data on more language-oriented tests in a large DBS sample and best medical treatment control group are sparse. The investigation of language function in PD after DBS requires sensitive language tests (with and without time pressure) and experimental designs as used in the studies reviewed here. Reliable change index statistics are a promising tool for investigating individual differences in performance after DBS. Supplemental Material: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha. 14794458 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nature underpins human well-being in critical ways, especially in health. Nature provides pollination of nutritious crops, purification of drinking water, protection from floods, and climate security, among other well-studied health benefits. A crucial, yet challenging, research frontier is clarifying how nature promotes physical activity for its many mental and physical health benefits, particularly in densely populated cities with scarce and dwindling access to nature. Here we frame this frontier by conceptually developing a spatial decision-support tool that shows where, how, and for whom urban nature promotes physical activity, to inform urban greening efforts and broader health assessments. We synthesize what is known, present a model framework, and detail the model steps and data needs that can yield generalizable spatial models and an effective tool for assessing the urban nature-physical activity relationship. Current knowledge supports an initial model that can distinguish broad trends and enrich urban planning, spatial policy, and public health decisions. New, iterative research and application will reveal the importance of different types of urban nature, the different subpopulations who will benefit from it, and nature's potential contribution to creating more equitable, green, livable cities with active inhabitants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to examine social cognition and social functioning in a group of amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) and Alzheimer's dementia (AD) patients. Thirty one people with aMCI, 29 individuals with AD, and 45 healthy older adults participated in the study. Facial expressions of happiness, anger, fear, disgust, and surprise presented in different intensities had to be labelled. Mentalizing was assessed using first‐order belief theory of mind (ToM) stories and everyday social functioning by the Inventory of Interpersonal Situations (IIS), completed by an informant. aMCI patients were impaired in recognizing the emotions anger, disgust, and fear, while AD patients were impaired in recognizing the emotions anger, disgust, and surprise. More importantly, no significant differences between aMCI and AD patients were found on overall emotion recognition. Both the aMCI and AD patients were impaired on the ToM task, but no differences between the aMCI and AD patients were found. On everyday social functioning, only the AD patients showed impairments. No associations between the IIS and ToM were found, but the IIS and emotion perception were significantly correlated. Regression analysis taking all potentially confounding variables into account showed that only mood, but not the social‐cognitive task performance or any other cognitive variable, predicted social functioning. aMCI and AD patients demonstrated impairments in mentalizing and facial emotion perception, and showed decrements in everyday social functioning. Informing caregivers about these deficits may help them to understand deficits in social cognition that may be present already in the MCI stage of Alzheimer's disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little attention has been given to the use of osmium (Os) as a catalyst or promoter for the Fischer Tropsch synthesis (FTS). Reports indicate that Os primarily produces C1 and C2 hydrocarbons and no long chain hydrocarbons, and that Os deactivates in the reaction. To investigate osmium based catalysts used in FT reactions, the synthesis and use of osmium nanoparticles supported on SiO2, or encapsulated inside hollow carbon spheres (HCSs), was studied. Os@HCS was prepared by loading Os (as (NH4)2OsCl6) onto a sacrificial Stӧber SiO2 sphere template and the Os/SiO2 was then encapsulated by a carbon layer, deposited by CVD, using toluene. Removal of the sacrificial template, shown by EM, PXRD, TGA, BET and TPR studies revealed that the Os@HCS catalyst had been successfully synthesized (dOs = 9–23 nm; dHCS = 454–560 nm; shell thickness = ca. 20 nm). FTS evaluation studies showed that Os@HCS and Os/SiO2 (as reference), mainly produced C1 and C2 hydrocarbons with a high selectivity towards methane (> ~ 65%). Post analysis of the catalysts by XRD and HRTEM revealed that the Os readily sintered on the supports under syngas, providing a deactivation pathway for the catalyst under FT conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We construct quasi coherent state (QCS) of the (1 + 1) dimensional Dirac oscillator as eigenstates of matrix annihilation operators. It has been shown that the QCS exhibits non-classical features like quadrature squeezing. It has also been found that for a general complex coherence parameter the quadratures are correlated and the QCS satisfies Schrödinger–Robertson uncertainty relation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order for textures in intrinsic antiferromagnets to be applied in proposed spintronics devices, localized and controllable writing is required. Here, the feasibility of a simple scheme for spin-Hall torque driven localized writing of chiral antiferromagnetic (AFM) domain wall (DW) pairs at a chosen location in AFM nano stripes is investigated. Short voltage pulses causing in-plane current-injection across transverse contacts in the heavy metal trigger a localized horizontal boundary-nucleated reverse AFM domain that propagates throughout the width to the opposite boundary, defining a locally written DW pair without affecting information in other parts of the device. The nucleation mechanism is examined, indicating exchange torque governing. A diagram of the number of DW-pairs written as a function of applied writing pulse amplitude and pulse duration is shown for a generic antiferromagnet, illustrating the degree of control required of the excitation protocol. Simulations of write and drive pulses are also presented, showing that the slight current bending around the writing contacts does not impose any significant pinning nor nucleation of unwanted textures for a typical driving amplitude. The advantages of this simple scheme are that it does not require any component for vertical spin-polarized current injection nor lasers for writing as in previous proposals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cognitive training research has revealed support for both the magnification and compensation accounts, respectively predicting larger or smaller training benefits for individuals already having strong cognitive abilities. A recent study in older adults (OAs) revealed evidence for the Compensation-Related Utilization of Neural Circuits Hypothesis, which best fits a magnification account. Only few studies examined working memory (WM) training gains in OAs as a function of initial executive functioning level. Here, we tracked the progress of high and low functioning OAs across WM training sessions. The high functioning OAs continued to improve their performance on the three training tasks. However, for one of the training tasks, the low functioning participants failed to improve performance or terminated participation in the course of training. The results suggest that during cognitive training, evaluation of the individual's cognitive capacity and performance monitoring are essential to maintain an optimal balance between cognitive resources and task demands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes significant morbidity and mortality in infants worldwide. Although prematurity and cardiopulmonary disease are risk factors for severe disease, the majority of infants hospitalized with RSV are previously healthy. Various vaccines and therapeutics are under development and expected to be available in the near future. To inform the use of these new vaccines and therapeutics, it is necessary to determine the burden of RSV disease in Europe. We will prospectively follow-up a birth cohort to obtain incidence data on RSV acute respiratory tract infection (ARTI).Methods: Multicenter prospective study of a birth cohort consisting of 10 000 healthy infants, recruited during 3 consecutive years. RSV associated hospitalization in the first year of life will be determined by questionnaires and hospital chart reviews. A nested cohort of 1000 infants will be actively followed. In case of ARTI, a respiratory sample will be collected for RSV molecular diagnosis.Results: The primary outcome is the incidence rate of RSV-associated hospitalization in the first year of life. In the active cohort the primary outcome is RSV associated ARTI and MA-ARTI.Conclusions: We will provide key information to fill the gaps in knowledge about the burden of RSV disease in healthy infants.Clinical Trials Registration: NCT03627572. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major cause of hospitalization in infants. Early detection of RSV can optimize clinical management and minimize use of antibiotics. BinaxNOW RSV (BN) is a rapid antigen detection test that is widely used. We aimed to validate the sensitivity of BN in hospitalized and nonhospitalized infants against the gold standard of molecular diagnosis.Methods: We evaluated the performance of BN in infants with acute respiratory tract infections with different degrees of disease severity. Diagnostic accuracy of BN test results were compared with molecular diagnosis as reference standard.Results: One hundred sixty-two respiratory samples from 148 children from October 2017 to February 2019 were studied. Sixty-six (40.7%) samples tested positive for RSV (30 hospitalizations, 31 medically attended episodes not requiring hospitalization, and 5 nonmedically attended episodes). Five of these samples tested positive with BN, leading to an overall sensitivity of BN of 7.6% (95% confidence interval [CI], 3.3%-16.5%) and a specificity of 100% (95% CI, 96.2%-100%). Sensitivity was low in all subgroups.Conclusions: We found a low sensitivity of BN for point-of-care detection of RSV infection. BinaxNOW RSV should be used and interpreted with caution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Theories of student engagement for dropout and school completion are proposed to begin as early as age five. Student engagement in elementary-age students has been linked to school completion, post-secondary education, and achievement. However, there is little research examining patterns and profiles of student engagement in this population. In an effort to provide more individualized support and intervention, work in the field of student engagement has begun to examine profiles of student engagement and disengagement or disaffection. This study explored the identification of distinguishable groups based on student engagement in a sample of third-grade students and those groups' associations with demographic and outcome variables. Consistent with findings of research with older students, four distinct profiles of student engagement were found for males and females: Engaged, Cognitively/Affectively Disengaged, Behaviorally Disengaged, Disaffected. An additional class characterized by high absences was found for males. Demographic characteristics were associated with cluster attributes for males (Free or Reduced Lunch, special education, English Learner, and race-ethnicity) and female (El status). Cluster affiliation was significantly associated with seventh grade Math and Language Arts grades for both males and females and absences for males. Implications and future directions for research are discussed. The findings from the current study indicate there are discernible classes of student engagement and disengagement that can be identified as early as the third grade. These results may aid in the early identification of those at risk for dropping out of school and more effectively link students to targeted early interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dopaminergic dysfunction in the basal ganglia, particularly in the posterior putamen, is often viewed as the primary pathological mechanism behind motor slowing (i.e. bradykinesia) in Parkinson's disease. However, striatal dopamine loss fails to account for interindividual differences in motor phenotype and rate of decline, implying that the expression of motor symptoms depends on additional mechanisms, some of which may be compensatory in nature. Building on observations of increased motor-related activity in the parieto-premotor cortex of Parkinson patients, we tested the hypothesis that interindividual differences in clinical severity are determined by compensatory cortical mechanisms and not just by basal ganglia dysfunction. Using functional MRI, we measured variability in motor- and selection-related brain activity during a visuomotor task in 353 patients with Parkinson's disease (≤5 years disease duration) and 60 healthy controls. In this task, we manipulated action selection demand by varying the number of possible actions that individuals could choose from. Clinical variability was characterized in two ways. First, patients were categorized into three previously validated, discrete clinical subtypes that are hypothesized to reflect distinct routes of α-synuclein propagation: diffuse-malignant (n = 42), intermediate (n = 128) or mild motor-predominant (n = 150). Second, we used the scores of bradykinesia severity and cognitive performance across the entire sample as continuous measures. Patients showed motor slowing (longer response times) and reduced motor-related activity in the basal ganglia compared with controls. However, basal ganglia activity did not differ between clinical subtypes and was not associated with clinical scores. This indicates a limited role for striatal dysfunction in shaping interindividual differences in clinical severity. Consistent with our hypothesis, we observed enhanced action selection-related activity in the parieto-premotor cortex of patients with a mild-motor predominant subtype, both compared to patients with a diffuse-malignant subtype and controls. Furthermore, increased parieto-premotor activity was related to lower bradykinesia severity and better cognitive performance, which points to a compensatory role. We conclude that parieto-premotor compensation, rather than basal ganglia dysfunction, shapes interindividual variability in symptom severity in Parkinson's disease. Future interventions may focus on maintaining and enhancing compensatory cortical mechanisms, rather than only attempting to normalize basal ganglia dysfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Governmental agencies across the globe are constantly evolving with stringent emission laws to tackle the problem of CO2 and NOx/SOx emissions. New emission standards force the Truck OEM's to redesign the engine. The paper is aimed to measure the header tube joint stress of the radiator subjected to random variations in geometry, shape and material properties. Linear analysis will not consider the uncertainty and randomness due to tolerance, process changes, part-part variation etc. Stochastic finite element analysis (FEA) is carried out to account the uncertainty in the system. The finite element model of radiator system is built and baseline linear simulation is performed to obtain the baseline deformation and baseline stress responses. Then the uncertainty and random variation due to the geometry, material and shape variable is defined by a normal distribution function. Random designs are generated by defining the upper and lower bound limit values for the input design variable. Random designs are populated using Monte-Carlo simulation technique. 250 random design points are created for each design variables. Then stochastic simulation is performed to evaluate the responses at random design points. Statistical and probabilistic tools are used to post process the simulation results. The paper showcases application of stochastic simulation method which aids in indentifying the robust design with minimum variations. This also enables engineers and designers to understand the relationship and significance between different design variables in designing energy efficient systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrocarbon (HC) and non-hydrocarbon (NHC) zones have been characterized using fractal analysis of wireline log data. Well-log responses such as spontaneous potential (SP), gamma ray (GR), resistivity (LLD, LLS, MSFL), neutron porosity (NPHI), bulk density (RHOB) log have been analyzed from five boreholes of Bhogpara oil field using rescaled range (R/S) and power spectrum density (PSD) techniques. Primarily, both the techniques were applied on the log responses associated with the traditionally identified potential and non-potential zones of 100 m thickness. The Hurst exponent (HPSD) obtained using PSD analysis for GR, NPHI and RHOB log, shows higher values for HC zones as compared to the NHC zones. Furthermore, to understand the scaling pattern more explicitly for main potential sector of the reservoir. Both of the techniques were applied to the wireline log data that are associated with traditionally defined HC and NHC zones of different thickness. The Hurst exponent (HR/S) obtained using R/S analysis was found to be of relatively higher values for HC zones as compared to the NHC zones for all wireline log response. Again opposite trend was also observed for HPSD values that obtained from GR, MSFL, NPHI and RHOB log responses only. Hence, the HC and NHC zones can be delineated from fractal analysis of wireline logs and also overcome the chance of misinterpretation, which is quite possible in the case of hydrocarbon zone detection in traditional reservoir characterization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The STAR-TReC trial is an international multi-center, randomized, phase II study assessing the feasibility of short-course radiotherapy or long-course chemoradiotherapy as an alternative to total mesorectal excision surgery. A new target volume is used for both (chemo)radiotherapy arms which includes only the mesorectum. The treatment planning QA revealed substantial variation in dose to organs at risk (OAR) between centers. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the treatment plan variability in terms of dose to OAR and assess the effect of a national study group meeting on the quality and variability of treatment plans for mesorectum-only planning for rectal cancer.Methods: Eight centers produced 25 × 2 Gy treatment plans for five cases. The OAR were the bowel cavity, bladder and femoral heads. A study group meeting for the participating centers was organized to discuss the planning results. At the meeting, the values of the treatment plan DVH parameters were distributed among centers so that results could be compared. Subsequently, the centers were invited to perform replanning if they considered this to be necessary.Results: All treatment plans, both initial planning and replanning, fulfilled the target constraints. Dose to OAR varied considerably for the initial planning, especially for dose levels below 20 Gy, indicating that there was room for trade-offs between the defined OAR. Five centers performed replanning for all cases. One center did not perform replanning at all and two centers performed replanning on two and three cases, respectively. On average, replanning reduced the bowel cavity V20Gy by 12.6%, bowel cavity V10Gy by 22.0%, bladder V35Gy by 14.7% and bladder V10Gy by 10.8%. In 26/30 replanned cases the V10Gy of both the bowel cavity and bladder was lower, indicating an overall lower dose to these OAR instead of a different trade-off. In addition, the bowel cavity V10Gy and V20Gy showed more similarity between centers.Conclusions: Dose to OAR varied considerably between centers, especially for dose levels below 20 Gy. The study group meeting and the distribution of the initial planning results among centers resulted in lower dose to the defined OAR and reduced variability between centers after replanning.Trial Registration: The STAR-TReC trial, ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02945566. Registered 26 October 2016, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02945566). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seismicity variation along with crustal heterogeneity using natural source is of prime interest in advance research nowadays. In the global scenario, North-East India is one of the prominent seismicity active zone characterized by its tectonically complex set-up. The seismicity study area encompasses between 18°–32°N latitude and 88°–102°E longitude, which basically locates the Shillong plateau and its surrounding in north-east part of India. Here, we have attempted to forecast the seismicity pattern as well as the crustal heterogeneity for Shillong plateau in north-east part of India. In this regard, we have used the most basic seismicity parameter like b value and fractal correlation dimension (Dc) along with focal mechanism characteristic over the entire region of study. The correlation experiment between the lower Dc value and b value indicates the possibility of an earthquake of large magnitude in the south central Burma basin and Shillong plateau region. Various dynamic faults and associated seismicity spread over all around the North-East India supports the possible rejuvenation of pop-up structure for Shillong plateau. We have tested our proposed method on real dataset, presented and analysed our experimental results and compared it with other methods and the overall results are found to be satisfactory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Raw milk contains wide microbial diversity, composed mainly of lactic acid bacteria (LAB), which are used as probiotics in both human and animal husbandry. We isolated, characterized, and evaluated LAB from indigenous Bangladeshi raw milk to assess probiotic potential, including antagonistic activity (against Escherichia coli O157: H7, Enterococcus faecalis, Salmonella Typhimurium, Salmonella Enteritidis, and Listeria monocytogenes), survivability in simulated gastric juice, tolerance to phenol and bile salts, adhesion to ileum epithelial cells, auto- and co-aggregation, hydrophobicity, a-glucosidase inhibitory activity, and antibiotic susceptibility tests. The 4 most promising LAB strains showed probiotic potential and were identified as Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus plantarum (which produced plantaricin EF), Lactobacillus fermentum, and Lactobacillus paracasei. These strains inhibited all pathogens tested at various degrees, and competitively excluded pathogens with viable counts of 3.0 to 6.0 log cfu/mL. Bacteriocin, organic acids, and low-molecular-weight substances were mainly responsible for antimicrobial activity by the LAB strains. All 4 LAB strains were resistant to oxacillin and 3 were resistant to vancomycin and streptomycin, with multiple antibiotic resistance indices >0.2. After further in vivo evaluation, these LAB strains could be considered probiotic candidates with application in the food industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trait-specific characterization of rice landraces has significant potential for germplasm management, varietal identification and mining of novel gene/allele for various traits. In the current study, we have characterized 98 unique rice landraces collected from coastal regions of India, affected by submergence and salinity, based on Sub1 and Saltol quantitative trait loci (QTL) linked microsatellite markers. Among these genotypes, four genotypes (IC536558, IC536559, IC536604 and IC536604-1) collected from Kerala and two genotypes (AC34902 and IC324589) collected from West Bengal were identified with tolerance to submergence and salinity stress. A high level of genetic diversity of H e = 0.349 and 0.529 at Sub1 and Saltol QTL region was detected by QTL-linked microsatellite markers, respectively. At Sub1 region one genotype, AC34902, was detected with maximum allelic similarity with FR13A, a known submergence tolerant variety. Besides, five genotypes (IC211188-1, IC536604-1, IC536604, IC536558 and IC536559) showed comparatively close genetic relationship with the salt tolerant variety FL478 for Saltol QTL and were clustered together in the neighbour joining dendrogram. Considering the haplotype structure, five genotypes (IC203801, IC203778, IC324584, IC413608 and IC413638) were identified which did not contain any common allele similar to FR13A but were still tolerant to submergence. These individuals need further characterization for identification of new alleles responsible for their tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: In cognitive neuroscience, well-controlled and highly specific paradigms have been developed to measure cognitive processes over the last decades, often using computer-assisted presentation and response registration. This approach is in contrast with the traditional paper-and-pencil tests used in clinical neuropsychology, which typically assess cognitive function in a less specific manner, often even at the level of a cognitive domain. As a result, important aspects of cognitive (dys)function may be missed during a neuropsychological assessment. This paper focuses on the main challenges that need to be overcome in order to successfully integrate experimental paradigms from cognitive neuroscience into the clinical practice of neuropsychologists. Method: Six challenges are discussed: (i) experimental paradigms are often lengthy and may be overly specific; (ii) technical limitations even today hamper their application in clinics; (iii) the psychometric properties of methods used in cognitive neuroscience are under-examined or poor; (iv) many paradigms from cognitive neuroscience rely on reaction times rather than accuracy, limiting their use in the many brain-injured patients with processing speed deficits; (v) the predictive and ecological validity of these paradigms often unclear; (vi) technological progress (e.g. Moore's law) seriously affects the continuous availability of experimental computerized assessment methods. Conclusion: Both cognitive neuroscientists and clinical neuropsychologists should work together to develop and validate novel paradigms for use in clinical assessments that are platform-independent, reliable and valid, user friendly and easy to use in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Variations in the management of pediatric patients at children's hospitals (CHs) and non-CHs (NCHs) have been well described, especially within the trauma literature. However, little is known about the outcomes and costs of common general surgical procedures at NCHs. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of CH designation on the outcomes and costs of appendectomy and cholecystectomy. Methods The Kids' Inpatient Database (2003-2012) was queried for patients aged under 18 y who underwent appendectomy or cholecystectomy at CHs and NCHs. Outcomes analyzed included disease severity, complications, laparoscopy, length of stay (LOS), and cost. Results Most of appendectomies and cholecystectomies were performed at NCHs. Overall, CHs cared for younger children were more likely to be teaching hospitals, had higher costs, and longer LOS. On multivariate analysis for appendectomies, CHs were associated with higher rates of perforated appendicitis (OR = 1.53, 95% CI = 1.42-1.66, P < 0.001), less complications (OR = 0.68, 95% CI = 0.61-0.75, P < 0.001), increased laparoscopy (OR = 2.93, 95% CI = 2.36-3.64, P < 0.001), longer LOS (RR = 1.13, 95% CI = 1.09-1.17, P < 0.001), and higher costs (exponentiated log $ = 1.19, 95% CI = 1.13-1.24, P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis for cholecystectomies revealed that CHs were associated with less laparoscopy (OR = 0.58, 95% CI = 0.50-0.67, P < 0.001), longer LOS (RR = 1.26, 95% CI = 1.19-1.34, P < 0.001), and higher costs (exponentiated log $ = 1.29, 95% CI = 1.22-1.37, P < 0.001) with similar complications. Independent predictors of LOS and cost included CH designation, negative appendectomy, perforated appendicitis, complications, younger age, black patients, and public insurance. Conclusions Variations in surgical management, outcomes, and costs after appendectomy and cholecystectomy exist between CHs and NCHs. CHs excelled in treating complicated appendicitis. NCHs effectively performed cholecystectomies. These differences in outcomes require further investigation to identify modifiable factors to optimize care across all hospitals for these common surgical diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper describes the Box Task, a paradigm for the computerized assessment of visuospatial working memory. In this task, hidden objects have to be searched by opening closed boxes that are shown at different locations on the computer screen. The set size (i.e., number of boxes that must be searched) can be varied and different error scores can be computed that measure specific working memory processes (i.e., the number of within-search and between-search errors). The Box Task also has a developer’s mode in which new stimulus displays can be designed for use in tailored experiments. The Box Task comes with a standard set of stimulus displays (including practice trials, as well as stimulus displays with 4, 6, and 8 boxes). The raw data can be analyzed easily and the results of individual participants can be aggregated into one spreadsheet for further statistical analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Variations in the management of adolescents at children's hospitals (CHs) and nonchildren's hospitals (NCHs) have been well described in the trauma literature. However, the effects of CH designation on outcomes after common general surgical procedures have not been investigated. The purpose of this study was to compare the outcomes and costs of adolescent cholecystectomies performed at CHs and NCHs. Within the California State Inpatient Database (2005-2011), we identified 8117 cholecystectomy patients aged 13 to 18 years at CHs and NCHs. Outcomes (laparoscopy, intraoperative cholangiogram, length of stay (LOS), and complications) and costs were analyzed. CHs cared for younger patients, more uninsured patients, and more black patients. NCHs were associated with higher laparoscopy use (95.7% vs 88.3%, P < 0.01), higher intraoperative cholangiogram rates (28.8% vs 11.9%, P < 0.001), shorter LOS (3.2 vs 5.0 days, P < 0.01), and lower costs by $5797 per patient ($11,219 vs $17,016, P < 0.01). Although there was no significant difference in overall complication rates, CHs had higher rates of infectious complications (2.0% vs 1.0%, P = 0.004). Adolescent cholecystectomies are safely performed at NCHs while achieving increased laparoscopy use, shorter LOS, and lower costs compared with CHs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we investigate the free vibration response of a rotating blade in a gas turbine engine. The blade is modeled as a tapered Timoshenko beam with nonlinear variations in its cross-section properties. The governing equations of motions are derived using Lagrangian mechanics and Rayleigh-Ritz method. These equations take into account centrifugal stiffening, axial and lateral coupling due to Coriolis effect, shear deformation, and rotary inertia. We examine the effect of the beam geometry upon its axial and lateral free vibration response. The effects of rotational speed, taper ratio, chord ratio, hub radius, and slenderness ratio on the natural frequencies are analyzed. The results of our analysis indicate that the taper ratio, slenderness ratio, and rotational speed of the beam govern its free lateral vibration response. The axial vibration of the beam is significantly affected by the slenderness ratio, but it is found to be independent of the hub radius. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vibrational branching ratios and photoelectron angular distributions were measured for 4σ-1g photoionization of CO2 in the energy range 20–28 eV. Of particular interest are three vibrational components of the resulting CO+2 C 2Σ+g state—the allowed (000) and (100) bands and the forbidden (101) band. The wavelength dependence of the beta parameter for the forbidden band deviated significantly from that of the two allowed bands, showing instead a strong resemblance to that of the B 2Σ+u state. This behavior suggests that vibronic coupling to the B 2Σ+u state is responsible for the appearance of the forbidden (101) band in the C 2Σ+g state photoelectron spectrum. We also observe evidence for other many-body effects—shape-resonance-induced continuum–continuum coupling and doubly excited autoionizing resonances—in the present data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The CS+2 valence satellites have been studied with photoelectron spectroscopy using synchrotron radiation in the 35–75 eV photon energy range. Partial cross sections (σ) and asymmetry parameters (β) for most bands have been measured as a function of photon energy. Below 28 eV binding energy, the symmetry of satellite bands has been identified on the basis of their β value and a comparison between experimental photoelectron spectra and new ab initio SCF-CI calculations of CS+2 corrected for transition moments. For the bands with binding energies above 28 eV no configuration interactions states of CS+2 are predicted with significant intensity. We suggest that they originate from the opening of direct double ionization continua. This is supported by the similarity of their cross sections with the total double ionization one. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Configuration interaction states of CO+2 have been observed as satellites in a high resolution photoelectron spectrum of CO2 using an angle resolved electron spectrometer and far UV synchrotron radiation in the 30–55 eV photon energy range. Ten satellites have been identified in the 22–40 eV binding energy region and classified as the result of outer and inner valence ionization processes on the basis of their asymmetry parameter ( β) values. Theoretical calculations of configuration interaction states of CO+2 using an ab-initio SCF-CI method show that three-hole-two-particle excited configurations are necessary to explain the line positions and intensities. The calculated satellite spectrum, corrected for transition moments at 45 and 1254 eV, shows an excellent agreement with experiment and allows assignments of both outer and inner valence satellite lines, with Πg, Πu, Σ+g, and Σ+u symmetries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flame retardancy was imparted to jute fabric through application of organophosphorus flame retardants (OFR) and tetrakis (hydroxymethyl) phosphonium chloride (THPC). The OFR agent was used in conjunction with melamine formaldehyde as binder and phosphoric acid as a catalyst. THPC was applied in the form of a THPC-urea complex. Both the flame retardants were applied to scoured and bleached jute hessian fabrics by conventional pad-dry-cure method. The treated fabric samples were tested for flame retardancy in terms of limiting oxygen index (LOI) as well as vertical flammability and for durability of the finish. There was an increase of up to 116% and 46% in the LOI value of OFR and THPC-treated fabrics respectively as compared to untreated fabric. However improvement in thermal behavior was accompanied by a loss in tenacity of treated fabric. THPC-treated fabrics showed better durability as compared to OFR-treated samples. The TGA and DSC of treated samples showed that at a temperature of 600°C, a large amount (42%) of residue is left and char formation takes place. The process facilitated formation of lower volatiles in treated samples as compared to untreated samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In order to establish the effect of alumina modification and calcination temperature on the reducibility of cobalt oxide, alumina-modified cobalt oxide crystallites containing less than 2.5 wt% Al were prepared via incipient wetness impregnation, and calcined at 300 °C or 500 °C. The catalysts were characterised using X-ray diffraction, scanning transmission electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, temperature programmed reduction (TPR) and X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy. The alumina modification was found to prevent sintering during calcination and decrease the reducibility of the catalysts. With increasing alumina loading, and increasing calcination temperature, reduction peaks shift to higher temperatures and peaks above 400 °C appear in the TPR. The kinetic evaluation shows that the decreased reducibility is due to a decrease in the pre-exponential factor, which suggests that the alumina modification hinders hydrogen activation and the nucleation of reduced cobalt phases. The catalysts are completely reduced below 800 °C, and no CoAl2O4 phase formation was observed. TPR peaks between 400 and 650 °C were assigned to the formation of a non-stoichiometric cobalt-alumina phase with cobalt ions in octahedral coordination, while peaks between 650 and 800 °C correspond to cobalt ions in tetrahedral coordination. The results show that introduction of small amounts of alumina to cobalt oxide can have drastic effects on the rate of reduction and sintering.Graphical Abstract: [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Goat pox disease outbreaks were observed in different places affecting Black Bengal Goats in West Bengal (WB) and Tellicherry, Vembur and non‐descriptive breeds in Tamil Nadu (TN) causing severe lesions and mortality up to 30%. Clinical specimens from all the outbreaks were screened by polymerase chain reaction followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR‐RFLP) and confirmed the diseases as Goat Pox. Virus isolation in Vero cell line was done with randomly selected ten samples, cytopathic effects (CPE) characterized by syncytia and intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies were observed after several blind passages. Nucleotide sequence of complete p32 gene using randomly selected two isolates and three clinical specimens revealed presence of Goat pox virus (GTPV)‐specific signature residues in all the sequences. Phylogenetic analysis using the present five sequences along with GenBank data of GTPV complete p32 gene sequences showed all the GTPV sequences cluster together except Pellor strain (NC004003) and FZ Chinese strain (KC951854). The five sequences either from WB or TN cluster more closely with GTPV isolates of Maharashtra state that were responsible for cross species outbreak of pox disease in both sheep (KF468759) and goats (KF468762) in India during the year 2010. All the Indian goat pox viruses, including the Mukteswar strain, isolated in 1946 and sequence reported in 2004 clustered together with the GTPVs causing the recent outbreaks. It was observed that GTPVs caused similar clinical manifestation irrespective of their geographical locations and breed characteristics, no variation observed among the Indian isolates based on p32 gene over the period of seventy years and disease outbreaks could not be observed or reported in vaccinated goats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: First feeding performance of the milletseed butterflyfish (Chaetodon miliaris) was evaluated using three experiments examining prey type, microalgal cell density and prey density. To ensure no size bias existed between trials, morphometric measurements, fertilization and hatch rates were recorded for each trial. The proportion of larvae feeding and feeding intensity were measured in each experiment. To evaluate prey type, larvae were offered small size Brachionus plicatilis and Parvocalanus crassirostris nauplii in clear water and water greened with Tisochrysis lutea (Tiso). In trial 1, green water and P. crassirostris nauplii had a significantly higher proportion of larvae feeding and feeding intensity. In trial 2 no differences were detected between P. crassirostris treatments. Microalgae experiments evaluated six treatments ranging from 0 cells/ml to 8 × 105 cells/ml. Feeding response increased as microalgae was added to the environment, but no statistical differences were discerned between treatments besides the highest cell density (8 × 105 cells/ml) and lowest cell density in both trials (0 cells/ml). To determine if prey density had an effect on first feeding response P. crassirostris nauplii were added to tanks at 1 to 15 nauplii/ml. No significant differences in the feeding response were found between prey densities of 1–15 P. crassirostris nauplii/ml in either trial. This study revealed that C. miliaris larvae had the highest first feeding response, measured by the proportion of larvae feeding and feeding intensity per larvae, with the prey item P. crassirostris nauplii in green water and prey densities between 1 and 15 nauplii/ml. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]