This article presents technical developments in and clinical applications of functional electrical stimulation (FES) in the recovery of gait and motor function in poststroke rehabilitation. We review ...stroke incidence, stimulator design, brain-computer interface-based FES systems, and clinical applications of FES. Developments in different types of foot drop stimulators are reviewed, including hard-wired and microprocessor-based surface stimulator systems. The replacement of the foot switch by using artificial and "natural" sensors as the primary control in foot drop stimulators is reviewed. In addition, this review evaluates the clinical effects of FES applications in gait, motor control, and functional ability compared to conventional therapy alone during poststroke rehabilitation. The literature suggests the combination of FES and a conventional rehabilitation program has a positive therapeutic effect on the recovery of gait, motor function, energy expenditure, and functional ability in stroke patients. On the basis of our review, we recommend using FES therapy along with a conventional rehabilitation program in the poststroke rehabilitation process. In summary, this article describes the need for rigorous technological development, clinical studies, and collaboration between clinicians and engineers for FES systems. Future research would facilitate the design of costeffective FES systems as well as analysis of FES applications in stroke patients to optimize the rehabilitation process.
The Electron-Ion collider (EIC) will be the ultimate facility to study the dynamics played by colored quarks and gluons in the phenomenology of nucleons and nuclei, described by Quantum ...Chromodynamics. The physics programs will greatly rely on efficient particle identification (PID) in both the forward and the backward regions. The forward and the backward RICHes of the EIC have to be able to cover wide acceptance and momentum ranges; in the forward region a dual radiator RICH (dRICH) is foreseen and in the backward region a proximity-focusing RICH can be foreseen to be employed. The geometry and the performance studies of the dRICH have been performed as prescribed in the EIC Yellow Report using the ATHENA software framework. Furthermore, this part of our work reports the effort following the call for EIC detector proposal and the studies related to the forward and the backward RICH performance. In the forward region, the dRICH performance showed a pion- kaon separation from around 1 GeV/c to 50 GeV/c at a three sigma level; the proximity focusing RICH (pfRICH) foreseen for the backward region can reach three sigma separation up to 3 GeV/c for e/$π$ and up to 10 GeV/c for $π$/K mass hypotheses.
At present, it is unclear which treatment strategy is best for couples with unexplained or mild male subfertility. We hypothesized that the prognostic profile influences the effectiveness of assisted ...conception. We addressed this issue by analysing individual patient data (IPD) from randomized controlled trials (RCTs).
We performed an IPD analysis of published RCTs on treatment strategies for subfertile couples. Eligible studies were identified from Cochrane systematic reviews and we also searched Medline and EMBASE. The authors of RCTs that compared expectant management (EM), intracervical insemination (ICI), intrauterine insemination (IUI), all three with or without controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) and IVF in couples with unexplained or male subfertility, and had reported live birth or ongoing pregnancy as an outcome measure, were invited to share their data. For each individual patient the chance of natural conception was calculated with a validated prognostic model. We constructed prognosis-by-treatment curves and tested whether there was a significant interaction between treatment and prognosis.
We acquired data from 8 RCTs, including 2550 couples. In three studies (n = 954) the more invasive treatment strategies tended to be less effective in couples with a high chance of natural conception but this difference did not reach statistical significance (P-value for interaction between prognosis and treatment outcome were 0.71, 0.31 and 0.19). In one study (n = 932 couples) the strategies with COS (ICI and IUI) led to higher pregnancy rates than unstimulated strategies (ICI 8% versus 15%, IUI 13% versus 22%), regardless of prognosis (P-value for interaction in all comparisons >0.5), but at the expense of a high twin rate in the COS strategies (ICI 6% versus 23% and IUI 3% versus 30%, respectively). In two studies (n = 373 couples), the more invasive treatment strategies tended to be more effective in couples with a good prognosis but this difference did not reach statistical significance (P-value for interaction: 0.38 and 0.68). In one study (n = 253 couples) the differential effect of prognosis on treatment effect was limited (P-value for interaction 0.52), perhaps because prognosis was incorporated in the inclusion criteria. The only study that compared EM with IVF included 38 couples, too small for a precise estimate.
In this IPD analysis of couples with unexplained or male subfertility, we did not find a large differential effect of prognosis on the effectiveness of fertility treatment with IUI, COS or IVF.
Study of exotic decay of Cs isotope close to the proton drip line Das, P.; Dattaf, Ushasi; Chakraborty, S. ...
27th International Nuclear Physics Conference, INPC 2019,Glasgow, United Kingdom,2019-07-29 - 2019-08-02,
12/2020, Letnik:
1643, Številka:
1
Journal Article, Conference Proceeding
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
The neutron-deficient 115Cs was produced at ISOLDE, CERN by spallation reaction using 1.4 GeV proton on LaC2 target. The exotic decay modes were studied by using a charged particle array (DSSD and ...pad detectors) and a γ-detector array (four Clovers) at the ISOLDE decay station (IDS). In this report, results on observed β-delayed particle emission from 115Cs, a nucleus close to proton drip line, is presented. By measuring the time distribution in the delayed proton spectrum, the half-life of the ground state of 115Cs was extracted. The obtained half-life is in agreement with previous reported value. For the first time, the p-unbound states of 115Xe, obtained by measuring beta-delayed protons from 115Cs is reported.
Please cite this paper as: Boogaard N van den, Hompes P, Barnhart K, Bhattacharya S, Custers I, Coutifaris C, Goverde A, Guzick D, Litvak P, Steures P, Veen F van der, Bossuyt P, Mol B. The ...prognostic profile of subfertile couples and treatment outcome after expectant management, intrauterine insemination and in vitro fertilisation: a study protocol for the meta‐analysis of individual patient data. BJOG 2012;119:953–957.
Objective The current evidence concerning the best treatment option for couples with unexplained and male subfertility is inconclusive. Most studies that have evaluated the effectiveness of treatment options, such as expectant management (EM), intrauterine insemination (IUI), with or without controlled ovarian stimulation (COS), and in vitro fertilisation (IVF), have not taken the couples’ prognosis into account. It is very likely that the individual prognosis of the couple influences the effect of treatment. Individual patient data analyses allow us to take these prognostic factors into account, and to evaluate their effect on treatment outcome. This study aims to use anonymised data from relevant published trials to perform an individual patient data meta‐analysis, evaluating the effect of couples’ prognosis on the effectiveness of EM, IUI, with or without COS, and IVF.
Methods Based on earlier systematic reviews and an updated search, randomised controlled trials will be considered for inclusion. Untreated subfertile couples with unexplained or male subfertility included in trials comparing EM, IUI, with or without COS, and IVF are included. Authors of the included studies will be invited to share their original anonymised data. The data will be assessed on validity, quality and completeness. The prognosis of the individual couple will be calculated with existing prognostic models. The effect of the prognosis on treatment outcome will be analysed with marker‐by‐treatment predictiveness curves, illustrating the effect of prognosis on treatment outcome. This study is registered in PROSPERO (registration number CRD42011001832).
Conclusion Ultimately, this study may help to select the appropriate fertility treatment, tailored to the needs of an individual couple.
The tropical cyclone Viyaru maintained a unique quasi-uniform intensity during its life span. Despite being in contact with sea surface for >120 hr travelling about 2150 km, the cyclonic storm (CS) ...intensity, once attained, did not intensify further, hitherto not exhibited by any other system over the Bay of Bengal. On the contrary, the cyclone Phailin over the Bay of Bengal intensified into very severe cyclonic storm (VSCS) within about 48 hr from its formation as depression. The system also experienced rapid intensification phase (intensity increased by 30 kts or more during subsequent 24 hours) during its life time and maximum intensity reached up to 115 kts. In this paper, a comparative study is carried out to explore the evolution of the various thermodynamical parameters and possible reasons for such converse features of the two cyclones. Analysis of thermodynamical parameters shows that the development of the lower tropospheric and upper tropospheric potential vorticity (PV) was low and quasi-static during the lifecycle of the cyclone Viyaru. For the cyclone Phailin, there was continuous development of the lower tropospheric and upper tropospheric PV, which attained a very high value during its lifecycle. Also there was poor and fluctuating diabatic heating in the middle and upper troposphere and cooling in the lower troposphere for Viyaru. On the contrary, the diabatic heating was positive from lower to upper troposphere with continuous development and increase up to 6
∘
C in the upper troposphere. The analyses of cross sections of diabatic heating, PV, and the 1000–500 hPa geopotential metre (gpm) thickness contours indicate that the cyclone Viyaru was vertically tilted (westward) and lacked axisymmetry in its structure and converse features (axisymmetric and vertical) that occurred for the cyclone Phailin. In addition, there was a penetration of dry air in the middle troposphere of Viyaru, whereas high moisture existed in the middle troposphere of Phailin. The vertical wind shear (5–10 ms
−1
) near the core of the storm region between 850 and 200 hPa was favourable for both the systems but was higher in the northern region of the cyclone Viyaru. The divergent development of these thermodynamic features conspired to produce converse characteristic of the two cyclones.
This paper demonstrates a modification method for real-time improvement of wind field forecasts for a typical cyclone VARDAH, which formed over the Bay of Bengal (BoB) in 2016. The proposed method to ...improve the wind field forecasts associated with tropical cyclone consists of two components. The first one is the relocation method, which relocates the wind field forecasts obtained from the Global Forecast System(GFS) data of National Centres for Environmental Prediction(NCEP). The relocation of the model forecasts wind field is made on forecast locations generated by Multi Model Ensemble (MME) track forecast of India Meteorological Department(IMD). The second one is the modification of wind speed, which directly modifies the NCEP GFS wind speed forecasts based on intensity forecasts by Statistical Cyclone Intensity Prediction(SCIP) model of IMD. Applying these two methods, the displacement of wind field and underestimation/overestimation of wind speed in the model forecast field can be improved. Both modification methods show considerable improvements in the displacement and speed of wind field forecasts. The displacement error of wind field is found to have improved by about 51% at 48 h and about 80% at 72 h forecast. Overestimation of maximum wind speed in the forecast field is found to be improved by about 88% at 48 h and about 38% at 72 h forecast. The spatial distributions of corrected wind speed forecasts are also found to be more analogous than direct model forecasts with the corresponding analysis wind at all forecast hours. Two proposed modification methods could provide improved wind field forecast associated with tropical cyclones in real-time.
Shigellosis is known to be a major cause of acute childhood diarrhoea in Andaman & Nicobar Islands, India. Rapid emergence of antibiotic resistance warrants continuous monitoring of sensitivity ...pattern of bacterial isolates. We report here the salient findings of an ongoing study on shigellosis in Andaman Islands, India, with regards to change in drug resistance pattern during the past one decade.
During 2006-2009, stools samples from 412 paediatric diarrhoea patients were collected and processed for isolation and identification of Shigella spp. Susceptibility to 22 antimicrobial drugs was tested and MICs were determined for 3 rd generation cephalosporins, quinolones, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid combination and gentamicin. Drug susceptibility pattern of these isolates were compared with that of 33 isolates obtained during 2000-2002.
Shigella isolates were recovered from 50 of 412 stool samples processed. Resistance to ampicillin, nalidixic acid, tetracycline and ciprofloxacin was observed in 100, 96, 94 and 82 per cent of the isolates, respectively. The frequency of resistance to these drugs was significantly (P<0.001) higher than that observed during 2000-2002. Resistance to seven drugs was observed in 2000-2002, whereas resistance to 21 drugs was seen during 2006-2009. The number of drug resistance pattern increased from 13 in 2000-2002 to 43 in 2006-2009. Resistance to newer generation fluoroquinolones, 3 rd generation cephalosporins and augmentin, which was not observed during 2000-2002, appeared during 2006-2009.
The frequency of resistance among Shigella isolates has increased substantially between 2000-2002 and 2006-2009 and the spectrum of resistance has widened. At present, the option for antimicrobial therapy in shigellosis in Andaman is limited to a small number of drugs. Continuous local monitoring of resistance patterns is necessary for the appropriate selection of empirical antimicrobial therapy.
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