Search

Screening for adult Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and differentiating ADHD from comorbid mental health disorders remains to be clinically challenging. A screening tool for ADHD and comorbid mental health disorders is essential, as most adult ADHD is comorbid with several mental health disorders. The current pilot study enrolled 955 consecutive patients attending a tertiary mental health center in Canada and who completed EarlyDetect assessment, with 45.2% of patients diagnosed with ADHD. The best ADHD classification model using composite scoring achieved a balanced accuracy of 0.788, showing a 2.1% increase compared to standalone ADHD screening, detecting four more patients with ADHD per 100 patients. The classification model including ADHD with comorbidity was also successful (balanced accuracy = 0.712). The results suggest the novel screening method can improve ADHD detection accuracy and inform the risk of ADHD with comorbidity, and may further inform specific comorbidity including MDD and BD.

The influence of the hybrid additives of alumina and titanium oxide on varied lubricant characteristics as a cut fluid in steel turning. In varied volumetric concentrations, the hybrid nano lubricant has to evolve. The mixture of alumina and titanium oxide improved its tribology. The new nano-lubricant reduces the wear and nodal temperature of the tool's flank substantially. The application of hybrid nano-particles rather than nano-particles is among the most significant jobs in improving the heat transfer of fluids. We saw several sorts of pairs used to cut fluid and their effects on machining (turning).A potential MQL approach can be tested to limit the excessive use of traditional cutting fluid. The minimum amount of any cutting fluid in this approach is sprayed into the cutting zone at high pressure to improve its penetration into the machining area. Using MQL enhances surface quality and the life of the tool. MQL is a feasible alternative to wet machining. In their perspective. Therefore, both production costs and environmental dangers may be minimized through MQL..

Hard machining plays a vital role in traditional machining for high productivity and for complex jobs. In this type of machining cutting, fluid has major factor property of cutting fluid to minimize the friction and to reduce the temperature at machining area. In the traditional approach, most of the time industries using mineral oils for lubrication or as cutting fluid in machining but a due large amount of using of mineral oils a large amount of oxidation happens which is toxic and harmful to workers. To overcome these effects experiment is done by using vegetable oil with the addition of nanoparticles which enhanced the properties of cutting fluid. The experiment is done on Mild Steel with working pair of Al2O3 and MoS2 nanoparticles in palm oil. Output is taken from this experiment in parameters like cutting forces, surface temperature, tool temperature, and surface roughness. This method gives better results than dry machining.

Background The Leprosy Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (LPEP) program explored the feasibility and impact of contact tracing and the provision of single dose rifampicin (SDR) to eligible contacts of newly diagnosed leprosy patients in Brazil, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Tanzania. As the impact of the programme is difficult to establish in the short term, we apply mathematical modelling to predict its long-term impact on the leprosy incidence. Methodology The individual-based model SIMCOLEP was calibrated and validated to the historic leprosy incidence data in the study areas. For each area, we assessed two scenarios: 1) continuation of existing routine activities as in 2014; and 2) routine activities combined with LPEP starting in 2015. The number of contacts per index patient screened varied from 1 to 36 between areas. Projections were made until 2040. Principal findings In all areas, the LPEP program increased the number of detected cases in the first year(s) of the programme as compared to the routine programme, followed by a faster reduction afterwards with increasing benefit over time. LPEP could accelerate the reduction of the leprosy incidence by up to six years as compared to the routine programme. The impact of LPEP varied by area due to differences in the number of contacts per index patient included and differences in leprosy epidemiology and routine control programme. Conclusions The LPEP program contributes significantly to the reduction of the leprosy incidence and could potentially accelerate the interruption of transmission. It would be advisable to include contact tracing/screening and SDR in routine leprosy programmes., Author summary The Leprosy Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (LPEP) program explored the feasibility and impact of contact tracing and the provision of SDR to eligible contacts of newly diagnosed leprosy patients in states or districts of Brazil, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Tanzania. This study investigated the long-term impact of the LPEP program on the leprosy new case detection rate (NCDR). Our results show that LPEP could reduce the NCDR beyond the impact of the routine leprosy control programme and that many new cases could be prevented. The benefit of LPEP increases gradually over time. LPEP could accelerate the time of reaching predicted NCDR levels of 2040 under routine program by up to six years. Furthermore, we highlighted how the impact varies between countries due to differences in the number of contacts per index patient screened and differences in leprosy epidemiology and national control programme. Generally, including both household contacts and neighbours (> 20 contacts per index patient) would yield the highest impact.

Summary Background Innovative approaches are required for leprosy control to reduce cases and curb transmission of Mycobacterium leprae. Early case detection, contact screening, and chemoprophylaxis are the most promising tools. We aimed to generate evidence on the feasibility of integrating contact tracing and administration of single-dose rifampicin (SDR) into routine leprosy control activities. Methods The leprosy post-exposure prophylaxis (LPEP) programme was an international, multicentre feasibility study implemented within the leprosy control programmes of Brazil, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Tanzania. LPEP explored the feasibility of combining three key interventions: systematically tracing contacts of individuals newly diagnosed with leprosy; screening the traced contacts for leprosy; and administering SDR to eligible contacts. Outcomes were assessed in terms of number of contacts traced, screened, and SDR administration rates. Findings Between Jan 1, 2015, and Aug 1, 2019, LPEP enrolled 9170 index patients and listed 179 769 contacts, of whom 174 782 (97·2%) were successfully traced and screened. Of those screened, 22 854 (13·1%) were excluded from SDR mainly because of health reasons and age. Among those excluded, 810 were confirmed as new patients (46 per 10 000 contacts screened). Among the eligible screened contacts, 1182 (0·7%) refused prophylactic treatment with SDR. Overall, SDR was administered to 151 928 (86·9%) screened contacts. No serious adverse events were reported. Interpretation Post-exposure prophylaxis with SDR is safe; can be integrated into different leprosy control programmes with minimal additional efforts once contact tracing has been established; and is generally well accepted by index patients, their contacts, and health-care workers. The programme has also invigorated local leprosy control through the availability of a prophylactic intervention; therefore, we recommend rolling out SDR in all settings where contact tracing and screening have been established. Funding Novartis Foundation.

A very short three-step approach to trans,trans,trans-2,5-diaryl-3,4-dimethyltetrahydrofuran lignans is reported. The carbon skeleton is assembled in a single step based on an unprecedented tandem reaction consisting of 1,2-addition of aryllithium reagents to α,β-unsaturated aldehydes, ruthenium-catalyzed redox isomerization of the resulting alkoxides to enolates and their dimerization triggered by single electron oxidation. The resulting 2,3-dialkyl-1,4-diketones form with moderate to good d/l-diastereoselectivity and are transformed to the target tetrahydrofuran lignans by reduction and diastereoselective cycloetherification.

Microbioreactors with immobilized cells or enzymes are normally packed uniformly. However, uniform packing is good only when the flow is uniform throughout the microtube. In real situations this is not true. For such cases it was shown recently that, although radial variations may be ignored, a topologically optimized longitudinal distribution of immobilized pellets generated higher outputs of glucoamylase by a recombinant strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. However, topology optimization or any equation-based method requires a good and preferably simple mathematical model. Such models are difficult to formulate for real nonideal conditions. Hence, a recent article by this author employed an expert system that selected between two artificial intelligence AI methods to determine the better method over successive intervals of time. However, such a switching strategy is complex and practically difficult. The present work, therefore, investigates a corresponding set of single standalone AI methods, each incorporating more biological information than earlier methods. For the same S. cerevisiae strain, it was seen that expressing the two input variables—feed concentration of glucose and the lengthwise distribution of immobilized cells—by genetic algorithms allowed greater flexibility and resulted in higher production rates of recombinant glucoamylase than all the methods used previously. This method is also easier to implement than topology optimization and the variable AI method.

Venous catheterization, endotracheal intubation, and mechanical ventilation are necessary for performing total intravenous general anesthesia in rats. Intubation and IV cannulation of the rat is challenging because of the animals’ small size and the lack of equipment specifically designed for the restricted anatomical dimensions. Here, we present methods for tail venous catheterization and intubation that are quickly learned by the provider with clinical operating room experience but lack experience in the lab. For tail venous catheterization, each rat (n = 20) was gently restrained in a rat chamber; its tail was placed in warm water for 10 minutes, and a 24 gauge intravenous catheter was inserted into the lateral tail vein. The catheter was fixed in place using tape and attached to a T-connector for drug administration. A bolus of propofol (n = 10), ketamine (n = 7), or etomidate (n = 3) was administered to achieve rapid deep anesthesia. Once anesthetized, rats were intubated with the aid of a modified pediatric laryngoscope. The standard miller blade 0 was cut on each side for approximately 2/3 of the total blade length to remove a total of half the width. After the ventilator was properly set, the rats’ vital signs and metabolic status were monitored. Throughout the one-hour infusion, the rats’ physiologic parameters were maintained within normal range. These results indicate that intravenous general anesthesia can be performed effectively and safely in small animals using the refined catheterization and intubation methods tested in this study. These techniques are easily reproducible and learned as they mimic the tools and strategies commonly used in the OR.

RH421 is a voltage-sensitive fluorescent styrylpyridinium dye which has often been used to probe the kinetics of Na+,K+-ATPase partial reactions. The origin of the dye’s response has up to now been unclear. Here we show that RH421 responds to phosphorylation of the Na+,K+-ATPase by inorganic phosphate with a fluorescence increase. Analysis of the kinetics of the fluorescence response indicates that the probe is not detecting phosphorylation itself but rather a shift in the protein’s E1/E2 conformational equilibrium induced by preferential phosphate binding to and phosphorylation of enzyme in the E2 conformation. Molecular dynamics simulations of crystal structures in lipid bilayers indicate some change in the protein’s hydrophobic thickness during the E1-E2 transition, which may influence the dye response. However, the transition is known to involve significant rearrangement of the protein’s highly charged lysine-rich cytoplasmic N-terminal sequence. Using poly-L-lysine as a model of the N-terminus, we show that an analogous response of RH421 to the E1 → E2P conformational change is produced by poly-L-lysine binding to the surface of the Na+,K+-ATPase-containing membrane fragments. Thus, it seems that the prime origin of the RH421 fluorescence response is a change in the interaction of the protein’s N-terminus with the surrounding membrane. Quantum mechanical calculations of the dye’s visible absorption spectrum give further support to this conclusion. The results obtained indicate that membrane binding and release of the N-terminus of the Na+,K+-ATPase α-subunit are intimately involved in the protein’s catalytic cycle and could represent an effective site of regulation. Australian Research Council

□ Microbioreactors with immobilized yeast cells are conventionally packed uniformly. A recent study has shown, however, that a topologically optimized distribution of cells yields much greater outputs of the desired product. Because topology optimization is a complex method requiring a good mathematical model, artificial intelligence (AI) has been employed here as an alternative method. For the same system—in other words, immobilized genetically modified yeast cells—an expert system selected online the better of two AI methods—a fuzzy neural network (FNN) and a genetic algorithm (GA)—according to the output of the product recombinant glucoamylase. Progressing in short time intervals enables the expert system to shift continually between the FNN and the GA, thereby maintaining optimal performance at all times. This method is more robust than topology optimization, easier to implement, does not require a mathematical model, and improves glucoamylase output even further.

Bacteria navigating through a chemotactic gradient in their natural habitats or in large bioreactors are under the influence of noise (or fluctuations) inside the cells, at the interfaces of the chemical ligands with the chemoreceptors, and in the external environment that contains the chemoattractant. These sources of noise interact with one another and may strongly affect the chemotactic motility of the cells. Although bacteria have evolved filtering mechanisms, mainly through feedback loops, for intracellular noise and receptor-ligand binding noise, external filters are required for environmental noise. With Escherichia coli as a model system, these aspects are reviewed in terms of their effects on the chemosensory network, models for the filters, and optimization of Chemotaxis under noise-affected conditions. It is suggested that stochastic resonance may be a key feature determining the design of an optimal filtering strategy that encompasses all sources of noise.

Microbial fermentations involving two or more kinds of competing cells and operating under realistic conditions are difficult to monitor, model and optimize by model-based methods. They deviate from ideal behavior in two significant aspects: incomplete dispersion in the broth and the influx of disturbances. The approach here has been to optimize the filtered noise and dispersion on-line through neural networks. This method has been applied to the fed-batch production of streptokinase (SK). The culture has two kinds of cells — active (or productive) and inactive — and their growth is inhibited by the substrate and the primary metabolite (lactic acid). Using simulated data, the fermentation was optimized by a system of three neural networks, updated continually during successive time intervals. Such sequential optimization with dynamic filtering of inflow noise generated better cell growth and SK activity than static optimization and even an ideal fermentation. Les fermentations microbiennes faisant intervenir deux ou plusieurs sortes de cellules en competition et se deroulant dans des conditions reelles, sont difficiles a surveiller, a modeliser et a optimiser par des methodes basees sur des modeles. De telles fermentations s'ecartent du comportement ideal dans deux voies importantes : la dispersion incomplete dans le bouillon et la venue de perturbations. Notre approche consiste ici a optimiser le bruit filtre et la dispersion en continu par des reseaux neuronaux. Cette methode a ete appliquee a la production a alimentation discontinue de streptokinase (SK). La culture comporte deux sortes de cellules — actives (ou productives) ou inactives — et leur croissance est inhibee par le substrat et la metabolite primaire (acide lactique). A l'aide de donnees simulees, la fermentation a ete optimisee par un systeme de trois reseaux neuronaux, qui ont ete mis a jour continuellement a des intervalles de temps successifs. Une telle optimisation sequentielle avec filtrage dynamique du bruit genere une meilleure croissance des cellules et activite du SK que l'optimisation statique et meme la fermentation ideale.

Fermentations involving competition between two or more kinds of cells under nonideal conditions show complex profi les that are sensitive to the extra-cellular environment. These fermentations therefore require accurate and rapid on-line data acquisition and control. However, both on-line measurements and modelling are diffi cult and expensive for large bioreactors, thus limiting the usefulness of model-based control. While neural networks offer an alternative, they require extensive training and can be diffi cult to optimize for large arrays. Hybrid networks combining a few neural networks with some mathematical equations offer a good compromise. The possibility of using a hybrid model for simulation-cum-control has been examined here for the fed-batch production of streptokinase. Under noideal conditions, hybrid neural models outperformed both mathematical models and arrays of neural networks, thus suggesting their viability for large-scale fermentation monitoring and control. Les fermentations provoquant une competition entre deux ou plusieurs sortes de cellules dans des conditions non ideales montrent des profi ls complexes qui sont sensibles a l’environnement extra-cellulaires. Ces fermentations necessitent donc une acquisition et un controle en continu des donnees qui soient precis et rapides. Toutefois, les mesures et la modelisation en continu sont diffi ciles et couteuses pour les grands bioreacteurs, ce qui limite l’utilite du controle base sur des modeles. Les reseaux neuronaux sont une autre possibilite, mais ceux-ci necessitent un entrainement pousse et peuvent etre diffi ciles a optimiser pour de grands dispositifs. Les reseaux hybrides combinant reseaux neuronaux et equations mathematiques offrent un bon compromis. La possibilite d’utiliser un modele hybride pour la simulation et le controle a ete examinee dans ce travail pour la production a alimentation discontinue de streptokinase. Dans des conditions non ideales, les modeles neuronaux hybrides offrent une meilleure performance que les modeles mathematiques ou les dispositifs de reseaux neuronaux, et il pourrait donc s’averer viable pour la surveillance et le controle de fermentation a grande echelle

Diffusion resistance hinders the free chemotactic motility of bacteria through narrow tubes and capillaries. In many such situations, diffusion is significant and often subject to environmental perturbations. This problem has been analyzed through the sensitivities of Escherichia coli cells, a secreted chemoattractant (aspartase) and a nutrient. Differences and similarities among the sensitivity profiles with respect to the three diffusion coefficients reveal useful information about interactions between diffusion and chemotaxis. The results are consistent with the concept of stabilization created by negative feedback, either within the chemosensory network or from outside. Their implications for some real systems are discussed.