Oral and Laryngeal Diadochokinesis Across the Life Span: A Scoping Review of Methods, Reference Data, and Clinical Applications

Purpose: The aim of this study was to conduct a scoping review of research on oral and laryngeal diadochokinesis (DDK) in children and adults, either typically developing/developed or with a clinical diagnosis. Method: Searches were conducted with PubMed/MEDLINE, Google Scholar, CINAHL, and legacy sources in retrieved articles. Search terms included the following: DDK, alternating motion rate, maximum repetition rate, sequential motion rate, and syllable repetition rate. Results: Three hundred sixty articles were retrieved and included in the review. Data source tables for children and adults list the number and ages of study participants, DDK task, and language(s) spoken. Cross-sectional data for typically developing children and typically developed adults are compiled for the monosyllables /pʌ/, /tʌ/, and /kʌ/; the trisyllable /pʌtʌkʌ/; and laryngeal DDK. In addition, DDK results are summarized for 26 disorders or conditions. Discussion: A growing number of multidisciplinary reports on DDK affirm its role in clinical practice and research across the world. Atypical DDK is not a well-defined singular entity but rather a label for a collection of disturbances associated with diverse etiologies, including motoric, structural, sensory, and cognitive. The clinical value of DDK can be optimized by consideration of task parameters, analysis method, and population of interest.

Study of Microscale Meniscus Confined Electrodeposition Based on COMSOL

The rate and quality of microscale meniscus confined electrodeposition represent the key to micromanipulation based on electrochemistry and are extremely susceptible to the ambient relative humidity, electrolyte concentration, and applied voltage. To solve this problem, based on a neural network and genetic algorithm approach, this paper optimizes the process parameters of the microscale meniscus confined electrodeposition to achieve high-efficiency and -quality deposition. First, with the COMSOL Multiphysics, the influence factors of electrodeposition were analyzed and the range of high efficiency and quality electrodeposition parameters were discovered. Second, based on the back propagation (BP) neural network, the relationships between influence factors and the rate of microscale meniscus confined electrodeposition were established. Then, in order to achieve effective electrodeposition, the determined electrodeposition rate of 5*10−8 m/s was set as the target value, and the genetic algorithm was used to optimize each parameter. Finally, based on the optimization parameters obtained, we proceeded with simulations and experiments. The results indicate that the deposition rate maximum error is only 2.0% in experiments. The feasibility and accuracy of the method proposed in this paper were verified.

The Physiological Profile of Male Professional Soccer Players: The Effect of Playing Division

The purpose of this study was to present the physiological profile of male soccer players who compete in the professional (Division [D] 1, 2, 3) and semi-professional (D4) Greek soccer leagues, and to compare their physiological profile according to playing division. Using 1,095 players (age: 25.2 ± 4.7 years), twelve anthropometric and physiological characteristics (age, height, body mass, BMI, VO2max, velocity of VO2max velocity at ventilatory threshold, maximum heart rate, maximum lactate, squat jump, 35 m sprint and sprinting fatigue index) were assessed. Factorial analysis of variance revealed a significantly (p < 0.05) enhanced physiological profile amongst the professional, compared to semi-professional players, for 10 of the 12 characteristics assessed between divisions. Regarding aerobic parameters, velocity at maximum oxygen uptake was the variable which discriminated professional, from semi-professional players most. With reference to anaerobic parameters, the 35m sprint was the variable which differentiated players between divisions (i.e. D1/D2 vs. D3/D4). Overall, findings in this study present the physiological profile of soccer players within the specified Greek soccer divisions, with differences identified between professional, and semi-professional divisions. These findings suggest that advanced physiological profiles may contribute to a player’s progression to higher divisions of Greek professional soccer.

Intensity of Walking Training Impacts Cognition Among Assisted Living Residents With Frailty

Exercise has many proven cognitive benefits but the precise intensity to modify cognition is unclear. This pilot study investigated the role of exercise intensity on cognitive outcomes among assisted living residents. We enrolled n=33 frail or pre-frail residents who completed an 8 week, twice-weekly walking intervention. Participants were 66% female, and on average were 88 years old with a MMSE score=25.6, and low cognitive scores (Category Fluency Animals=10.45, Category Fluency Vegetables=7.67, Trail Making Test A=60.82 seconds, Trail Making Test B=155.18 seconds). Walking sessions used 5-minute intervals focused on maximizing steps, fast speeds, and multi-directions for 45 minutes per session. Participants in the high intensity group walked at &gt;70% heart rate maximum or RPE 15-17 and those randomized to the casual intensity group walked at &lt;60% heart rate maximum or RPE &lt;13. Results showed the casual-intensity group improved more on Category Fluency tests (increase of 0.88 animals and 1.06 vegetables) compared to the high-intensity group (increase of 0.12 animals and increase of 0.35 vegetables). On Trail Making Test A, high-intensity participants had a 7.47 second decrease in time to complete compared to the casual-intensity group (2.00 seconds increase). On Trail Making Test B, high-intensity participants decreased time to complete by 27.13 seconds compared to a 26.19 decrease in the casual-intensity group. Results show promising trends in the role of exercise intensity in impacting different elements of cognition among assisted living residents.

Modeling and Algorithm Research on Identification of Wrong Wiring Power Supply Region based on Classification Analysis

The wrong wiring of the power supply region directly affects the accuracy of the metering data. This paper based on the existing data of the power supply regions, defined four indicators which include minimum negative line loss rate, maximum positive line loss rate, minimum power factor and maximum number of negative power values. Then by using the four indicators before and after the wrong wiring rectification of the historical wrong wiring regions and the decision tree algorithm, the wrong wiring regions identification model was built. The identification model was used to identify the wrong wiring regions in all regions of the power company, and the regions identified as wrong wiring by the model were inspected on-site. The inspection result shows that the precision of the model is satisfactory, which can effectively improve the inspection and rectification efficiency of the wrong wiring regions.

Embedding supervised exercise training for men on androgen deprivation therapy into standard prostate cancer care: a feasibility and acceptability study (the STAMINA trial)

Lifestyle interventions involving exercise training offset the adverse effects of androgen deprivation therapy in men with prostate cancer. Yet provision of integrated exercise pathways in cancer care is sparse. This study assessed the feasibility and acceptability of an embedded supervised exercise training intervention into standard prostate cancer care in a single-arm, multicentre prospective cohort study. Feasibility included recruitment, retention, adherence, fidelity and safety. Acceptability of behaviourally informed healthcare and exercise professional training was assessed qualitatively. Despite the imposition of lockdown for the COVID-19 pandemic, referral rates into and adherence to, the intervention was high. Of the 45 men eligible for participation, 79% (n = 36) received the intervention and 47% (n = 21) completed the intervention before a government mandated national lockdown was enforced in the United Kingdom. Patients completed a mean of 27 min of aerobic exercise per session (SD = 3.48), at 77% heart rate maximum (92% of target dose), and 3 sets of 10 reps of 3 resistance exercises twice weekly for 12 weeks, without serious adverse event. The intervention was delivered by 26 healthcare professionals and 16 exercise trainers with moderate to high fidelity, and the intervention was deemed highly acceptable to patients. The impact of societal changes due to the pandemic on the delivery of this face-to-face intervention remain uncertain but positive impacts of embedding exercise provision into prostate cancer care warrant long-term investigation.

Quantum Key Distribution Networks: Challenges and Future Research Issues in Security

A quantum key distribution (QKD) network is proposed to allow QKD protocols to be the infrastructure of the Internet for distributing unconditional security keys instead of existing public-key cryptography based on computationally complex mathematical problems. Numerous countries and research institutes have invested enormous resources to execute correlation studies on QKD networks. Thus, in this study, we surveyed existing QKD network studies and practical field experiments to summarize the research results (e.g., type and architecture of QKD networks, key generating rate, maximum communication distance, and routing protocol). Furthermore, we highlight the three challenges and future research issues in the security of QKD networks and then provide some feasible resolution strategies for these challenges.

Comparison of Different Approaches in Estimating Initial Reproduction Number of SARS-CoV-2 in the Islamic Republic of Iran

Background: The basic reproduction number (R0) is an epidemic threshold parameter that indicates the magnitude of disease transmission and thus allows suggestions for the planning of control measures. Objectives: Our aim in this study was to compare different approaches for estimating R0 in the early stage of the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak and discern the best-fitting model. Methods: The dataset was derived from cumulative laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases from 26th February to 30th May 2020 in Iran. The methods of exponential growth (EG) rate, maximum likelihood (ML), time-dependent (TD) reproduction number, attack rate (AR), and sequential Bayesian (SB) model were used. The gamma distribution (mean 4.41 ± 3.17 days) was used for serial interval (SI) distribution. The best-fitting method was selected according to the lowest root mean square error (RMSE). Results: We obtained the following estimated R0 [95% confidence interval]: 1.55 [1.54; 1.55], 1.46 [1.45; 1.46], 1.31 [1.30; 1.32], and 1.40 [1.39; 1.41] using EG, ML, TD, and SB methods, respectively. Additionally, the EG and ML methods showed an overestimation of R0, and the SB method showed to be under-fitting in the estimation of R0. The AR method estimated R0 equal to one. The TD method had the lowest RMSE. Conclusions: The simulated and actual R0 of TD showed that this method had a good fit for actual data and the lowest RMSE. Therefore, the TD method is the most appropriate method with the best performance in estimating actual R0 values.

Chemical Precipitation method for Sulphate Removal from Treated Wastewater of Al-Doura Refinery

Wastewater treatment by Wastewater Treatment Plant, named (INGECO) in Doura refinery suffers from the elevated level of sulphate ion concentrations compared to the recommended EPA [14] specified (250 mg/L). The annual rate, maximum and peak sulphate concentrations that found to be 360; 425 and 550 mg/L respectively. In this study samples prepared from industrial wastewater and the average, maximum and peak sulphate concentrations to be used in chemical precipitation process by using BaCl2 or Al(OH)3. Results obtained from BaCl2 treatment refer to the optimum (dosage, mixing time and mixing speed) to be used in sulphate removal for reuse purpose were (1.5 g/L, 1.2 hr and 80 rpm), (2.25 g/L, 1.5 hr and 90 rpm) and (3.0 g/L, 2 hr and 90 rpm) for each of average, maximum and peak concentrations respectively. Whereas for disposal purpose, were (0.36 g/L, 15 min and 100 rpm), (1.1 g/L, 15 min and 70 rpm), (1.72 g/L, 15 min and 90 rpm) respectively. This process was achieving of highly sulphate removal, but expensive. Whereas the results obtained by using Al(OH)3 indicated unsuitability for treated refinery wastewater treatment of low sulphate concentrations and neutral pH.

The Assessment and the Within-Plant Variation of the Morpho-Physiological Traits and VOCs Profile in Endemic and Rare Salvia ceratophylloides Ard. (Lamiaceae)

Salvia ceratophylloides (Ard.) is an endemic and rare plant species recently rediscovered as very few individuals at two different Southern Italy sites. The study of within-plant variation is fundamental to understand the plant adaptation to the local conditions, especially in rare species, and consequently to preserve plant biodiversity. Here, we reported the variation of the morpho-ecophysiological and metabolic traits between the sessile and petiolate leaf of S. ceratophylloides plants at two different sites for understanding the adaptation strategies for surviving in these habitats. The S. ceratophylloides individuals exhibited different net photosynthetic rate, maximum quantum yield, light intensity for the saturation of the photosynthetic machinery, stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, leaf area, fractal dimension, and some volatile organic compounds (VOCs) between the different leaf types. This within-plant morpho-physiological and metabolic variation was dependent on the site. These results provide empirical evidence of sharply within-plant variation of the morpho-physiological traits and VOCs profiles in S. ceratophylloides, explaining the adaptation to the local conditions.