The structure and the interaction potential of monolayers of charged polystyrene microparticles at fluid interfaces have been studied by optical microscopy. Microparticles of different sizes have ...been studied over a broad range of surface particle densities. The structural characterization is based on the analysis of images obtained by digital optical microscopy. From the experimental images, radial distribution functions, hexagonal bond order correlation functions, and temporal orientational correlation functions have been calculated for different monolayer states at both the air/water and oil/water interfaces. The interaction potential has been calculated from the structure factor using integral equations within the hypernetted chain closure relationship. For particles trapped at the oil−water interface, it was found that, upon increasing the surface coverage, a freezing transition occurs, that leads to the formation of a 2D crystalline structure. We have studied the freezing densities of particle monolayers at the oil/water interface and compared them with Monte Carlo simulation results reported by H. Löwen. In contrast, at the air−water interface, freezing is inhibited due to the formation of particle aggregates.
Background. Despite the rise of virtual reality (VR)-based interventions in stroke rehabilitation over the past decade, no consensus has been reached on its efficacy. This ostensibly puzzling outcome ...might not be that surprising given that VR is intrinsically neutral to its use—that is, an intervention is effective because of its ability to mobilize recovery mechanisms, not its technology. As VR systems specifically built for rehabilitation might capitalize better on the advantages of technology to implement neuroscientifically grounded protocols, they might be more effective than those designed for recreational gaming. Objective. We evaluate the efficacy of specific VR (SVR) and nonspecific VR (NSVR) systems for rehabilitating upper-limb function and activity after stroke. Methods. We conducted a systematic search for randomized controlled trials with adult stroke patients to analyze the effect of SVR or NSVR systems versus conventional therapy (CT). Results. We identified 30 studies including 1473 patients. SVR showed a significant impact on body function (standardized mean difference SMD = 0.23; 95% CI = 0.10 to 0.36; P = .0007) versus CT, whereas NSVR did not (SMD = 0.16; 95% CI = −0.14 to 0.47; P = .30). This result was replicated in activity measures. Conclusions. Our results suggest that SVR systems are more beneficial than CT for upper-limb recovery, whereas NSVR systems are not. Additionally, we identified 6 principles of neurorehabilitation that are shared across SVR systems and are possibly responsible for their positive effect. These findings may disambiguate the contradictory results found in the current literature.
Summary
What is known and Objective
Psoriatic arthritis is an autoimmune disease characterized by chronic inflammation of the skin and joints. Anti‐TNF drugs reduce the severity of the disease in the ...long term. This study compares the efficacy and safety of adalimumab, etanercept, infliximab and golimumab in patients with psoriatic arthritis.
Methods
Direct comparison was based on a literature search of drug comparison studies, whereas indirect treatment comparison was based on phase III clinical trials with biological agents, involving similar populations and durations, and with the same outcome. ACR50 was taken as primary outcome for comparison, whereas ACR20 and ACR70 were used as secondary outcomes. Indirect comparisons were made using infliximab as the reference drug and the Bucher method. In calculating δ (the maximum acceptable difference as a clinical criterion of equivalence), use was made of half of the absolute risk reduction obtained in the meta‐analysis of the clinical trials included in the indirect comparison (ARR 32%; δ: 16%). The four anti‐TNF drugs were also compared in relation to the secondary outcomes and adverse effects.
Results and Discussion
Reported direct and indirect comparisons of the four drugs did not include golimumab, and did not yield conclusive results. Four clinical trials – one for each drug studied – were identified. The estimated differences for the primary outcome, ACR50, between infliximab and the other drugs were adalimumab (ARR 4%, 95% CI −9·5 to 17·5), etanercept (ARR 4%, 95% CI −10·5 to 18·5) and golimumab (ARR 9%, 95% CI −5·4 to 23·4). Likewise, there were no relevant differences between the drugs in relation to the secondary efficacy outcomes, except for etanercept, which was less effective in ACR70 response. For adverse reactions, there were also no significant differences except for injection site, reactions which were more frequent with etanercept, with a mean difference of 26% relative to infliximab.
What is new and Conclusion
No significant differences were found in ACR50 responses to the four drugs after 24 weeks. Injection‐site reactions were more common with etanercept, but this was insufficient to invalidate the inference that clinically the four drugs can be regarded as clinically equivalent for the treatment of psoriatic arthritis.
We analyze the properties of strongly coupled excitons and photons in systems made of semiconducting two-dimensional transition-metal dichalcogenides embedded in optical cavities. Through a detailed ...microscopic analysis of the coupling, we unveil novel, highly tunable features of the spectrum that result in polariton splitting and a breaking of light-matter selection rules. The dynamics of the composite polaritons is influenced by the Berry phase arising both from their constituents and from the confinement-enhanced coupling. We find that light-matter coupling emerges as a mechanism that enhances the Berry phase of polaritons well beyond that of its elementary constituents, paving the way to achieve a polariton anomalous Hall effect.
Recent acute studies have shown that high‐intensity resistance circuit‐based (HRC) training in hypoxia increases metabolic stress. However, no intervention studies have yet proven their ...effectiveness. This study aimed to analyze the effect of 8 weeks of HRC in hypoxia on aerobic performance, resting energy expenditure (REE), repeat sprint ability (RSA) and hematological variables. Twenty‐eight subjects were assigned to hypoxia (FiO2 = 15%; HRChyp: n = 15; age: 24.6 ± 6.8 years; height: 177.4 ± 5.9 cm; weight: 74.9 ± 11.5 kg) and normoxia (FiO2 = 20.9%; HRCnorm: n = 13; age: 23.2 ± 5.2 years; height: 173.4 ± 6.2 cm; weight: 69.4 ± 7.4 kg) groups. Each training session consisted of two blocks of three exercises (Block 1: bench press, leg extension, front pull down; 2: deadlift, elbow flexion, ankle extension). Each exercise was performed at 6 repetitions maximum. Participants exercised twice weekly for 8 weeks and before and after the training program blood test, REE, RSA and treadmill running test were performed. Fatigue index in the RSA test was significantly decreased in the HRChyp (−0.9%; P < .01; ES = 2.75) but not in the HRCnorm. No changes were observed in REE and hematological variables. Absolute (4.5%; P = .014; ES = 0.42) and relative (5.2%; P = .008; ES = 0.43) maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max), speed at VO2max (4%; P = .010; ES = 0.25) and time to exhaustion (4.1%; P = .012; ES = 0.26) were significantly increased in HRChyp but not in the HRCnorm. No significant differences between groups were found. Compared with normoxic conditions, 8 weeks of HRC training under hypoxic conditions efficiently improves aerobic performance and RSA without changes in REE and red blood O2‐carrying capacity.
Diabetic Macular Edema (DME) is the most common sight-threatening complication of type 2 diabetes. Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) is the most useful imaging technique to diagnose, follow up, and ...evaluate treatments for DME. However, OCT exam and devices are expensive and unavailable in all clinics in low- and middle-income countries. Our primary goal was therefore to develop an alternative method to OCT for DME diagnosis by introducing spectral information derived from spontaneous electroretinogram (ERG) signals as a single input or combined with fundus that is much more widespread. Baseline ERGs were recorded in 233 patients and transformed into scalograms and spectrograms via Wavelet and Fourier transforms, respectively. Using transfer learning, distinct Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) were trained as classifiers for DME using OCT, scalogram, spectrogram, and eye fundus images. Input data were randomly split into training and test sets with a proportion of 80 %–20 %, respectively. The top performers for each input type were selected, OpticNet-71 for OCT, DenseNet-201 for eye fundus, and non-evoked ERG-derived scalograms, to generate a combined model by assigning different weights for each of the selected models. Model validation was performed using a dataset alien to the training phase of the models. None of the models powered by mock ERG-derived input performed well. In contrast, hybrid models showed better results, in particular, the model powered by eye fundus combined with mock ERG-derived information with a 91 % AUC and 86 % F1-score, and the model powered by OCT and mock ERG-derived scalogram images with a 93 % AUC and 89 % F1-score. These data show that the spontaneous ERG-derived input adds predictive value to the fundus- and OCT-based models to diagnose DME, except for the sensitivity of the OCT model which remains the same. The inclusion of mock ERG signals, which have recently been shown to take only 5 min to record in daylight conditions, therefore represents a potential improvement over existing OCT-based models, as well as a reliable and cost-effective alternative when combined with the fundus, especially in underserved areas, to predict DME.
•Images of the oscillatory components of the non-evoked, baseline electroretinogram signals can be combined to fundus input to train models for diabetic macular edema diagnosis with better predictive performance than when trained only with fundus.•Alone, images of the oscillatory components of the non-evoked, baseline electroretinogram signals poorly predict diabetic macular edema.•A hybrid model powered by fundus and mock electroretinogram-derived wavelet scalogram images performs as well as the optical coherence tomography one.•Images of the oscillatory components of the non-evoked, baseline electroretinogram signals can be combined to optical coherence tomography input to train models for diabetic macular edema diagnosis with better predictive performance than when trained only with optical coherence tomography images.
A deeper and wider knowledge of the rheology of concrete could be obtained if a variety of absolute rheological parameters were measured. Although a valuable rheological classification can be induced ...from concrete rheometers, they do not give the same absolute values of the rheological parameters. Moreover, rheological tests with concrete require a large volume of material. The aim of this work is to use the concrete equivalent mortar (CEM) method (Schwartzentruber and Catherine, Mater Struct 33:475–482,
2000
) to get concrete rheological information with an absolute rheometer. Additionally some graph tools that resume the results from several rheological tests are suggested for the design of concretes. CEM have been formulated to test concrete formulations with an absolute rheometer. Steady flow measurements of a CEM corresponding to a self-compacting concrete (SCC) clearly reveal characteristic non-linear viscoplastic behavior which it is not shown by conventional tests used to characterize concretes. The thixotropic behavior of a concrete is well-established using three different rheological tests that can be made with an absolute rheometer testing its corresponding CEM. These tests reveal aspects of the strength and kinetics of the micro-structure that are not observable when thixotropy of concrete is semiquantified with conventional methods. Only with a CEM is possible to make oscillatory shear tests. In this way the viscoelastic behavior of the concrete can be characterized. Results of practical interest are so obtained. For example, the necessity of vibration at rest application to the fresh concrete can be established from frequency sweep tests of CEM in the linear viscoelastic region. The correlation between rheological behaviors of a concrete and its corresponding CEM has been supported. Steady flow and thixotropy rheographs of CEM are suggested as tools for an easy and fast determination of adequate formulation for specific applications.
The impact of rehabilitation on post-stroke motor recovery and its dependency on the patient's chronicity remain unclear. The field has widely accepted the notion of a proportional recovery rule with ...a "critical window for recovery" within the first 3-6 mo poststroke. This hypothesis justifies the general cessation of physical therapy at chronic stages. However, the limits of this critical window have, so far, been poorly defined. In this analysis, we address this question, and we further explore the temporal structure of motor recovery using individual patient data from a homogeneous sample of 219 individuals with mild to moderate upper-limb hemiparesis. We observed that improvement in body function and structure was possible even at late chronic stages. A bootstrapping analysis revealed a gradient of enhanced sensitivity to treatment that extended beyond 12 mo poststroke. Clinical guidelines for rehabilitation should be revised in the context of this temporal structure.
Previous studies in humans suggest that there is a 3- to 6-mo "critical window" of heightened neuroplasticity poststroke. We analyze the temporal structure of recovery in patients with hemiparesis and uncover a precise gradient of enhanced sensitivity to treatment that expands far beyond the limits of the so-called critical window. These findings highlight the need for providing therapy to patients at the chronic and late chronic stages.
Sulphate-rich wastewaters can be generated due to (i) use of saline water as secondary-quality water for sanitation in urban environments (e.g. toilet flushing), (ii) discharge of industrial ...effluents, (iii) sea and brackish water infiltration into the sewage and (iv) use of chemicals, which contain sulphate, in drinking water production. In the presence of an electron donor and absence of oxygen or nitrate, sulphate can be reduced to sulphide. Sulphide can inhibit microbial processes in biological wastewater treatment systems. The objective of the present study was to assess the effects of sulphide concentration on the anaerobic and aerobic physiology of polyphosphate-accumulating organisms (PAOs). For this purpose, a PAO culture, dominated by
Candidatus
Accumulibacter phosphatis clade I (PAO I), was enriched in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) fed with acetate and propionate. To assess the direct inhibition effects and their reversibility, a series of batch activity tests were conducted during and after the exposure of a PAO I culture to different sulphide concentrations. Sulphide affected each physiological process of PAO I in a different manner. At 189 mg TS-S/L, volatile fatty acid uptake was 55% slower and the phosphate release due to anaerobic maintenance increased from 8 to 18 mg PO
4
-P/g VSS/h. Up to 8 mg H
2
S-S/L, the decrease in aerobic phosphorus uptake rate was reversible (Ic
60
). At higher concentrations of sulphide, potassium (>16 mg H
2
S-S/L) and phosphate (>36 mg H
2
S-S/L) were released under aerobic conditions. Ammonia uptake, an indicator of microbial growth, was not observed at any sulphide concentration. This study provides new insights into the potential failure of enhanced biological phosphorus removal sewage plants receiving sulphate- or sulphide-rich wastewaters when sulphide concentrations exceed 8 mg H
2
S-S/L, as PAO I could be potentially inhibited.
In this paper we develop a new DSGE model for a small open economy in a currency union, estimated with Bayesian methods, which incorporates a banking and a housing supply sector, consumers and ...entrepreneurs who accumulate debt, a rich structure of fiscal variables and monopolistic competition in products and labor markets. As an example of its capabilities, the model has been estimated for the Spanish economy, which is an interesting example of a booming economy before the Great Recession, and a country that particularly suffered from the negative consequences of the sovereign debt crisis and exhibited a robust recovery until 2019. Our results show the usefulness of DSGE models, conveniently designed and extended to account for the interaction of real and financial variables and other prominent characteristics of modern economies, as part of our toolkit to analyze the empirical evidence.
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