Absolute Levels Research Articles

A method to establish height datum online based on absolute hydrostatic leveling system

The fourth generation light source HEPS under construction in China demands higher alignment accuracy. However, it is difficult to improve height accuracy based on the overlap method of geometric and tracker leveling. Based on the study of hydrostatic leveling systems for ground settlement monitoring, this paper proposes a new method, Absolute Hydrostatic Leveling System (AHLS), for establishing height datum. The principle of establishing height datum for AHLS is described in detail, and it is emphasized that absolute calibration of the level is crucialfor implementing this plan. A set of absolute calibration methods for non-contact absolute hydrostatic level is proposed, including measuring key dimensions of the level and precise measurement of liquid depth. The absolute calibration accuracy reaches 0.031 mm. The height accuracy of validating an AHLS between two points within 10 m using a laser tracker is more than 0.05 mm. The results demonstrate the feasibility of using AHLS to establish absolute height datum with high precision. With this method, the absolute height of each point can be obtained independently without any accumulated errors, allowing the establishment of height datum with high precision on a large scale. This approach can be used in the next generation of accelerator devices and also represents a novel method for achieving high-precision vertical monitoring.

Impact of misclassified defective proviruses on HIV reservoir measurements

Most proviruses persisting in people living with HIV (PWH) on antiretroviral therapy (ART) are defective. However, rarer intact proviruses almost always reinitiate viral rebound if ART stops. Therefore, assessing therapies to prevent viral rebound hinges on specifically quantifying intact proviruses. We evaluated the same samples from 10 male PWH on ART using the two-probe intact proviral DNA assay (IPDA) and near full length (nfl) Q4PCR. Both assays admitted similar ratios of intact to total HIV DNA, but IPDA found ~40-fold more intact proviruses. Neither assay suggested defective proviruses decay over 10 years. However, the mean intact half-lives were different: 108 months for IPDA and 65 months for Q4PCR. To reconcile this difference, we modeled additional longitudinal IPDA data and showed that decelerating intact decay could arise from very long-lived intact proviruses and/or misclassified defective proviruses: slowly decaying defective proviruses that are intact in IPDA probe locations (estimated up to 5%, in agreement with sequence library based predictions). The model also demonstrates how misclassification can lead to underestimated efficacy of therapies that exclusively reduce intact proviruses. We conclude that sensitive multi-probe assays combined with specific nfl-verified assays would be optimal to document absolute and changing levels of intact HIV proviruses.

Navigating the “performing-organizing” paradox: tensions between supply chain transparency, coordination, and scope 3 GHG emissions performance

PurposeDrawing on paradox theory and the category of the “performing-organizing” paradox, the study investigates the tensions firms experience in the context of organizing the processes involved in managing their indirect GHG emissions.Design/methodology/approachThe authors develop hypotheses to explain why the paradox elements of supply chain transparency and supply chain coordination affect firms' ability to reduce their indirect supply chains GHG emissions. Using a two-stage method based on data from Refinitiv and CDP for 2002 to 2021, the authors test this study’s hypotheses through panel regression analyses.FindingsWhile greater transparency experience with scope 3 emissions disclosure, GSCM practices and broader supply chain engagement are all associated with higher levels of scope 3 emissions levels, both long-term transparency experience and GSCM practices are also associated with relative reductions in scope 3 emissions over time.Practical implicationsGiven growing pressures on firms to demonstrate both transparency and legitimacy regarding their scope 3 emissions, firms must understand the characteristics of this paradox as this has implications for how emissions performance is perceived and managed. This study's results suggested that firms need to take both a long-term perspective and effectively communicate the differences involved in reporting their emissions performance to avoid unwarranted criticism.Originality/valueFilling a gap in sustainable OSCM studies by providing large-scale quantitative insights into the relationships between organizing and performing, the authors demonstrate that the processes involved in firms' efforts of measuring and managing their indirect scope 3 emissions are paradoxically affected by whether performance outcomes are specified as annual absolute levels of scope 3 emissions, or relative changes over time.

Redes neuronales de apoyo en la docencia bajo Moodle para predicción de deserción y reprobación escolar

Artificial Intelligence (AI) designs computer tools that simulate human intelligence processes, including learning, reasoning, and selfcorrection. In the educational field, AI facilitates the evaluation of student progress thro ugh neural networks that adjust tests to previously achieved achievements. The purpose of this work was to design an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) that will analyze the performance of students in the subject of Biomedical Informatics I at the Facultad de Medicina of the UNAM in order to estimate the probabilities of passing, failing, and dropping out. Materials and methods: A neural network was designed in Python, consisting of 3 fully connected layers, using performance information from approximately 2000 students in the Moodle platform for Biomedical Informatics I during 2019, 2020, and 2021 at the Facultad de Medicina of UNAM. The neural network was trained to estimate the probable performance of the students, executing 2500 epochs with a mean absolute error level of 0.0158. A kappa accuracy rate of 0.947 was obtained through a confusión matrix when classifying between passing and failing grades. For visualization, a web system with a traffic light system was designed to allow evaluation and teaching coordinators from the Department of Biomedical Informatics to consult the results obtained from the network. Discussion: The network must continue to be fed with controlled data, meaning data that is specifically worked for the network’s training, since the quality of the data in the input directly determines the quality of the data obtained at the end of the process, affecting the network’s objective attainment. Conclusion: There is still much to learn and work to be done, but the interdisciplinary effort will allow us to improve our system and ultimately support the educational process of future doctors in the best way possible. Keywords: Neural networks; education; Moodle; dropout; failure; AI; machine learning.

A new clustering method with an ensemble of weighted distance metrics to discover daily patterns of indoor air quality

This paper presents a novel clustering method with an ensemble distance metric to identify meaningful daily patterns of building indoor air quality (IAQ). The novelty of this work is to construct an ensemble of weighted distance metrics with weights being adaptive to the characteristics of IAQ data. The ensemble distance was constructed based on Euclidean distance, Pearson correlation coefficient and cross-correlation coefficient to capture absolute levels, overall trends, and volatilities of IAQ data. The weights for individual distance metrics are automatically adapted to the characteristics of IAQ data based on the Z-scores of the distances among all pair-wise samples in the dataset. In addition, IAQ daily time series are segmented into short sequences to reduce the computational cost. Two datasets containing one-week IAQ observations were used to verify the proposed method. The results showed that the proposed method is able to capture insightful information on the distribution and frequency of the peaks, volatilities, and absolute levels of various IAQ parameters by identifying the patterns with unique characteristics from the IAQ daily sequences. The use of the ensemble distance metric offered better performance with an improved pattern consistency rate of 11–22% when compared with using a single distance metric for IAQ data. The discovered patterns can provide an increased understanding of the pollutant levels, the IAQ changing trends, and the distributions in the peaks and valleys of IAQ pollutants and, hence, can support the optimal operation of building HVAC systems.

Acylated- and unacylated ghrelin during an oral glucose tolerance test in humans at risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus

Background/ObjectivesThe orexigenic peptide hormone ghrelin has been implicated in the pathophysiology of obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus through its effects on nutrient homeostasis. Ghrelin is subject to a unique post-translational acyl modification regulating its biochemical activity.Subjects/MethodsIn this study we aimed to investigate the relation of acylated (AcG) as well as unacylated ghrelin (UnG) with body weight and insulin resistance in the fasting (n = 545) and post-oral glucose tolerance test (oGTT) state (n = 245) in a metabolically well characterized cohort covering a broad range of BMI (17.95 kg/m²–76.25 kg/m²).ResultsFasting AcG (median 94.2 pg/ml) and UnG (median 175.3 pg/ml) were negatively and the AcG/UnG ratio was positively correlated with BMI (all p < 0.0001). Insulin sensitivity (ISI) correlated positively with AcG (p = 0.0014) and UnG (p = 0.0004) but not with the AcG/UnG ratio. In a multivariate analysis, including ISI and BMI, only BMI, but not ISI was independently associated with AcG and UnG concentrations. Significant changes of AcG and UnG concentrations were detectable after oGTT stimulation, with slight decreases after 30 min and increases after 90–120 min. Subject stratification into BMI-divergent groups revealed more pronounced AcG increases in the two groups with BMI < 40 kg/m².ConclusionOur data demonstrate lower concentrations for both AcG and UnG with increasing BMI as well as an increased proportion of the biologically active, acylated form of ghrelin giving point to pharmacologic intervention in ghrelin acylation and/or increase in UnG for treatment of obesity despite decreased absolute AcG levels.

The relationship between salivary Fibroblast Growth Factor-2 and cortisol reactivity and psychological outcomes prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF2) is a biomarker that is associated with depression, anxiety and stress in rodents. In humans, we have previously demonstrated that salivary FGF2 increased following stress in a similar pattern to cortisol, and FGF2 (but not cortisol) reactivity predicted repetitive negative thinking, a transdiagnostic risk factor for mental illness. The current study assessed the relationship between FGF2, cortisol, and mental health before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. We employed a longitudinal correlational design using a convenience sample. We assessed whether FGF2 and cortisol reactivity following the Trier Social Stress Task (TSST) were associated with DASS-21 depression, anxiety and stress, measured at the time of the TSST in 2019-20 (n=87; time 1), and then again in May 2020 during the first wave of COVID-19 in Sydney (n=34 of the original sample; time 2). FGF2 reactivity (but not absolute FGF2 levels) at time 1 predicted depression, anxiety, and stress across timepoints. Cortisol reactivity at time 1 was associated with stress over timepoints, and absolute cortisol levels were associated with depression across timepoints. The sample was comprised of mostly healthy participants from a student population, and there was high attrition between timepoints. The outcomes need to be replicated in larger, more diverse, samples. FGF2 and cortisol may be uniquely predictive of mental health outcomes in healthy samples, potentially allowing for early identification of at-risk individuals.

Levels of Fibrinogen Variants Are Altered in Severe COVID-19.

Background Fibrinogen variants as a result of alternative messenger RNA splicing or protein degradation can affect fibrin(ogen) functions. The levels of these variants might be altered during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), potentially affecting disease severity or the thrombosis risk. Aim To investigate the levels of fibrinogen variants in plasma of patients with COVID-19. Methods In this case-control study, we measured levels of functional fibrinogen using the Clauss assay. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were used to measure antigen levels of total, intact (nondegraded Aα chain), extended Aα chain (α E ), and γ' fibrinogen in healthy controls, patients with pneumococcal infection in the intensive care unit (ICU), ward patients with COVID-19, and ICU patients with COVID-19 (with and without thrombosis, two time points). Results Healthy controls and ward patients with COVID-19 ( n = 10) showed similar fibrinogen (variant) levels. ICU patients with COVID-19 who later did ( n = 19) or did not develop thrombosis ( n = 18) and ICU patients with pneumococcal infection ( n = 6) had higher absolute levels of functional, total, intact, and α E fibrinogen than healthy controls ( n = 7). The relative α E fibrinogen levels were higher in ICU patients with COVID-19 than in healthy controls, while relative γ' fibrinogen levels were lower. After diagnosis of thrombosis, only the functional fibrinogen levels were higher in ICU patients with COVID-19 and thrombosis than in those without, while no differences were observed in the other fibrinogen variants. Conclusion Our results show that severe COVID-19 is associated with increased levels of α E fibrinogen and decreased relative levels of γ' fibrinogen, which may be a cause or consequence of severe disease, but this is not associated with the development of thrombosis.

Exploring Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Development: Challenges, Opportunities and How Can Help Companies Navigate Turbulent Contemporary Times

Abstract The author has carried out a research paper on how ERP systems have evolved, presenting their main characteristics, and conducting a debate between the benefits and challenges but also the opportunities of implementing such a system. Certainly, ERP systems have reached an absolute level of importance over time, being able to be compared with the backbone of the organizations where they are implemented. Research of the available specialized literature was carried out to find gaps in relation to the challenges and opportunities of implementing the three technologies Enterprise Resource Planning, Internet of Things and Artificial Intelligence in a single global system. After the study, it was concluded that by implementing a global system that integrates Enterprise Resource Planning, Internet of Things and Artificial Intelligence but also interconnects all the companies of the same supply flow, organizations can reach the highest level in terms of efficiency, forecast and monitoring but also perfect flexibility by adding Robotic Process Automation to the system. The results of this study complement specialized literature and make an important contribution to the field of study.

Brain Glutathione Increase and Seizure Burden Decrease in Patients with Intractable Epilepsy on Ketogenic Diet.

Ketogenic diet (KD) improves seizure control in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy. As increased mitochondrial levels of glutathione (GSH) might contribute to a change in seizure susceptibility, we quantified changes of absolute GSH levels in the brain by in vivo 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H MRS) and correlate that with degree of seizure control in patients on KD. Five cognitively normal adult patients with drug-resistant epilepsy were initially included and 2 completed the study. Each patient was evaluated by a neurologist and registered dietitian at baseline, 1, 3, and 6 months for seizure status and diet adherence after initiation of a modified atkins diet. Multiple metabolites including GSH were quantified using LCModel (version 6.3-1P; Stephen Provencher, Oakville, ON, CA) on a short echo time single-voxel 1H MRS in parieto/occipital grey matter and parietal white matter on a 3 Tesla General Electric magnet prior to starting the ketogenic diet and at 6 months. Both patients (42-years-old male and 35-years-old female) demonstrated marked increases in absolute GSH level in both gray matter (0.12 to 1.40 and 0.10 to 0.70 international unit [IU]) and white matter (0.65 to 1.50 and 0.80 to 2.00 IU), as well as 50% improvements in seizure duration and frequency. Other metabolites including ketone bodies did not demonstrate consistent changes. Markedly increased levels of GSH (7-fold and 14-fold) were observed in longitudinal prospective study of two adult patients with intractable epilepsy with 50% seizure improvement after initiation of ketogenic diets. This pilot study supports the possible anticonvulsant role of GSH in the brain.

Parental education and child health: The exploration of the cross‐gender intergenerational transmission mechanism

AbstractThis paper analyses the causal effects of different levels of mother's and father's education on child general and mental health, by applying a fixed effects instrumental variable panel data estimator with selection to nationally represented longitudinal data of over 13,000 observations in the United Kingdom from 2008 to 2019. The results reveal a negative association between mother's education and boys' mental health, potentially driven by relative rather than absolute levels of education between parents. Differences in educational attainment between parents signal unequal power and different values, which inhibits conflict resolution and commitment, leading to higher likelihood of breaking up, which in turn may negatively affect child mental health. On the contrary, no evidence is found of causal links between different levels of mother's and father's education on child health, indicating the relevance of potential environmental factors in the intergenerational transmission mechanism. This calls for more co‐ordination of educational interventions with other economic policies, also taking economic cycle into account.

The Concentration of PCSK9-Lp(a) Complexes and the Level of Blood Monocytes in Males with Coronary Atherosclerosis.

In this study we analyzed the concentration of lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)), PCSK9-Lp(a) complexes and the circulating monocyte subsets in coronary atherosclerosis. For this study, 257 patients with coronary atherosclerosis and 68 patients without stenotic atherosclerosis in the coronary, carotid and lower extremity arteries (control group) were enrolled. The monocyte subpopulations (classical CD14++CD16-, intermediate CD14++CD16+ and non-classical CD14+CD16++) were analyzed by direct immunofluorescence and flow cytometry. The Lp(a) and PCSK9-Lp(a) complexes in the serum were detected by ELISA. The concentration of Lp(a) was higher in the coronary atherosclerosis group compared with the controls (23.0 (9.1; 73.3) mg/dL versus 10.7 (4.7; 25.0) mg/dL, p < 0.05). No correlations between the level of Lp(a) and the concentration of the PCSK9-Lp(a) complexes, nor between the level of Lp(a) or PCSK9 and the total number of monocytes, were observed in either group. A slight positive correlation between the concentration of PCSK9-Lp(a) complexes and the absolute level of monocytes was obtained (r = 0.20, p = 0.002) in the patients with atherosclerosis due to the intermediate monocyte subsets (r = 0.33, p = 0.04). According to regression analysis, both the PCSK9-Lp(a) complexes concentration and BMI were related to the absolute number of blood monocytes in patients with atherosclerosis. Further studies are required to determine the pathogenetic contribution of PCSK9-Lp(a) complexes to the development of atherosclerosis.

Absolute stress levels in models of low-heat faults: Links to geophysical observables and differences for crack-like ruptures and self-healing pulses

Absolute levels of stress on faults have profound implications for earthquake physics and fault mechanics. A number of observations suggest that well-developed, mature faults such as the San Andreas Fault are generally “weak,” i.e. operate at much lower levels of shear stress compared to the higher expected shear resistance ∼100 MPa at seismogenic depths. In particular, low heat flow measurements suggest shear stress levels of ∼10 MPa or less on highly localized faults. Geodynamic constraints based on topography and similar considerations also support “weak” fault operation, and are comparable with heat-based constraints for some mature faults, but potentially higher for regions with substantial topography. Here, we investigate measures of average fault shear stress and their relationship to geophysically inferable quantities using numerical simulations of earthquake sequences on rate-and-state faults with low heat production, due to chronic fluid overpressure and/or enhanced dynamic weakening from the thermal pressurization of pore fluids. We review the earthquake energy balance, focusing on energy-based definitions of average shear stress and how the average fault prestress (a measure of fault strength plausibly relevant to geodynamic constraints) can be expressed as the sum of the dissipation-based average rupture stress (which can, in principle, be inferred from shear-heating constraints), and seismologically inferable source properties, such as the static stress drop and apparent stress. Our modeling demonstrates that rapid dynamic weakening and healing of shear resistance during ruptures, as exhibited in self-healing pulses, allows faults to maintain higher average interseismic stress levels despite low dynamic resistance and realistic static stress drops, providing a physical explanation for potential differences between topography-based and heat-based constraints on fault shear stress. In our models, the difference is related to stress undershoot and apparent stress, which can be as large as 1-3 times the static stress drop based on our simulations. Yet suitably large values of apparent stress (and hence radiated energy) are rarely inferred for natural earthquakes, either because radiated energy is underestimated, or suggesting that most large earthquakes do not propagate as sharp enough self-healing pulses with sufficiently large undershoot. Our results emphasize the distinction between dynamic versus static stress changes when relating earthquake source observations to absolute levels of fault stress and suggest that reviewing estimates of radiated energy and static stress drop from large earthquakes, with input from finite-fault numerical modeling, may improve constraints on absolute fault stress levels.

Detection and Quantification of Ammonia as the Ammonium Cation in Human Saliva by 1H NMR: A Promising Probe for Health Status Monitoring, with Special Reference to Cancer.

Ammonia (NH3) has been shown to be a key biomarker for a wide variety of diseases, such as hepatic and chronic kidney diseases (CKD), and cancers. It also has relevance to the oral health research area, and, hence, its determination in appropriate biofluids and tissues is of much importance. However, since it contains exchangeable >N-H protons, its analysis via 1H NMR spectroscopy, which is a widely employed technique in untargeted metabolomic studies, is rendered complicated. In this study, we focused on the 1H NMR analysis of this biomarker in less invasively collected human saliva samples, and we successfully identified and quantified it as ammonium cation (NH4+) in post-collection acidulated forms of this biofluid using both the standard calibration curve and standard addition method (SAM) approaches. For this purpose, n = 27 whole mouth saliva (WMS) samples were provided by healthy human participants, and all donors were required to follow a fasting/oral environment abstention period of 8 h prior to collection. Following acidification (pH 2.00), diluted WMS supernatant samples treated with 10% (v/v) D2O underwent 1H NMR analysis (600 MHz). The acquired results demonstrated that NH4+ can be reliably determined in these supernatants via integration of the central line of its characteristic 1:1:1 intensity triplet resonance (complete spectral range δ = 6.97-7.21 ppm). Experiments performed also demonstrated that any urease-catalysed NH3 generation occurring post-sampling in WMS samples did not affect the results acquired during the usual timespan of laboratory processing required prior to analysis. Further experiments demonstrated that oral mouth-rinsing episodes conducted prior to sample collection, as reported in previous studies, gave rise to major decreases in salivary NH4+ levels thereafter, which renormalised to only 50-60% of their basal control concentrations at the 180-min post-rinsing time point. Therefore, the WMS sample collection method employed significantly affected the absolute levels of this analyte. The LLOD was 60 μmol/L with 128 scans. The mean ± SD salivary NH4+ concentration of WMS supernatants was 11.4 ± 4.5 mmol/L. The potential extension of these analytical strategies to the screening of other metabolites with exchangeable 1H nuclei is discussed, as is their relevance to the monitoring of human disorders involving the excessive generation and/or uptake of cellular/tissue material, or altered homeostasis, in NH3.

Large Eddy Simulation of the ACAT1 fan stage for broadband noise prediction

A numerical study is carried out to assess the aerodynamic and noise radiation specific features of the ACAT1 fan stage, which was tested in the framework of the European project TurbonoiseBB. This study deals with the prediction of the broadband noise radiated by the fan stage at approach conditions, and particularly focuses on the rotor–stator interaction (RSI) noise, which results from the impact of the fan wakes onto the outlet guide vanes (OGV). To this end, two wall-modeled Large Eddy Simulations (LES) with different levels of mesh refinement have been performed on the full fan-OGV stage. The finer mesh significantly improved the aerodynamic predictions in terms of mean flow profiles, but also in terms of RMS profiles and velocity spectra, for which significant disparities are highlighted for the coarser LES. Only slight disparities regarding the turbulent content of the flow remain for the finer LES. The typical flow features at approach conditions are examined and the noise sources on both the stator and the rotor are analyzed, revealing the presence of additional broadband noise sources. Noise predictions are performed by using the free-field Ffowcs Williams and Hawkings (FW-H) analogy, and Goldstein’s in-duct acoustic analogy informed with the pressure fluctuations recorded on the stator and rotor surfaces. FW-H predictions of the stator noise, though well recovering the shape of the experimental spectra, overestimate the radiated noise especially upstream of the fan. Using the finer simulation data substantially reduces the gap with the measurements. Accounting for the duct effect on the sound propagation, further improves the predictions in terms of absolute levels, leading to a good agreement between the finer simulation and the noise measurements. The breakdown of the different stator noise source contributions, in conjunction with rotor broadband noise predictions made it possible to confirm the presence of additional significant broadband noise sources, questioning the common assumption considering the RSI sources as the only dominant fan noise mechanism at approach conditions.

Baseline-free absolute strain estimation for cylindrical structures

The total strain induced by forces in a structure, known as absolute strain, provides crucial information about structural integrity. The unexpected variations in absolute strain can compromise the overall safety of the structural system. In this paper, a baseline-free absolute strain estimation technique is developed based on the acoustoelastic effect of ultrasonic guided wave for in-service cylindrical structures. To generate and sense ultrasonic guided waves, two macro-fiber composite (MFC) transducers were installed on the surfaces of cylindrical structures subjected to tensile force. Additionally, a strain gauge was used to measure the relative strain generated after installing the MFC transducers and the strain gauge. The absolute strain was estimated using the velocity of the ultrasonic guided waves and the relative strain, without the need for calibration tests and baseline data obtained from known absolute strain levels. The effectiveness of the developed technique was experimentally examined using blind data obtained from a hollow steel cylinder and an aluminum mooring cable from a submerged floating tunnel model.

Role of the immune system in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Analysis of the natural killer cells and other circulating lymphocytes in a cohort of ALS patients

AimsNeuroinflammation might be involved in the degeneration and progression of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Here, we studied the role of the circulating lymphocytes in ALS, in particular the NK cells. We focused on the relationship between blood lymphocytes, ALS clinical subtype and disease severity.Subjects and MethodsBlood samples were collected from 92 patients with sporadic ALS, 21 patients with Primary Lateral Sclerosis (PLS) and 37 patients affected by primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) with inactive plaques. Blood was taken from ALS and controls at the time of diagnosis/referral. Circulating lymphocytes were analyzed by flow cytometry with specific antibodies. Values were expressed as absolute number (n°/µl) of viable lymphocytes subpopulations in ALS were compared with controls. Multivariable analysis was made using site of onset, gender changes in ALSFRS-R and disease progression rate (calculated as ΔFS score).ResultsAge at onset was 65y (58–71) in ALS (spinal 67.4%; bulbar, 32.6%), 57y (48–78) in PLS and 56y (44–68) PPMS. Absolute blood levels of the lymphocytes in the different cohorts were within normal range. Furthermore, while levels of lymphocytes T and B were not different between disease groups, NK cells were increased in the ALS cohort (ALS = 236 [158–360] vs. Controls = 174[113–240], p < 0.001). In ALS, blood levels of NK cells were not related with the main clinical-demographic variables, including the rate of disease progression. Multivariable analysis suggested that male gender and bulbar onset were independently associated with a risk of high blood NK cells levels.ConclusionsWe show that blood NK cells are selectively increased in ALS, though their level appear unaffected in patients with an estimated rapidly progressing disease. Being of a male gender and with a bulbar onset seems to confer higher susceptibility to have increased NK lymphocytes levels at diagnosis/referral. Our experiments provides a further clear-cut evidence of the role of the NK lymphocytes as a significant player in ALS pathogenesis.

Les Misérables: An analysis of low SWB across the world.

Global trends indicate that the prevalence of low subjective wellbeing is on the rise, though not all regions are equal in terms of both absolute levels and their trajectories. In this paper, we explore the relative importance of individual- and country-level factors in predicting low SWB. Put differently, we ask if a person found themselves behind a veil of ignorance, should they want to know who they will be or what country they will live in to better understand their risk of having low wellbeing. To answer this question, we leverage data from the most extensive wellbeing survey in the world-the Gallup World Poll. We explore people's likelihood of reporting low evaluative wellbeing (that their life is close to the worst possible life on the Cantril ladder) and low experiential wellbeing (reporting having felt angry, sad, stressed, and worried for most of the day yesterday). Using multilevel models on both measures, we show that individual factors have the greatest explanatory power across both measures, but that country level factors are almost four times more important in explaining the variation in low evaluative wellbeing than low experiential wellbeing around the world. We also present evidence that individual and country-level factors interact, suggesting that a complex system of people and places determines people's likelihood of reporting low SWB.

Evaluation and validation of radial impurity density profiles from CXRS using neutral beam modelling in W7-X

Absolute radial impurity density profiles in the Wendelstein 7-X stellarator (W7-X) are derived from charge exchange recombination spectroscopy using modelling of the neutral beam. The approach is validated via cross comparisons of the neutral beam attenuation, the radial localization of ion temperature measurements, as well as a comparison of the effective plasma charge determined by other diagnostics. The latter implies the validity of the obtained absolute density levels. The simulation based approach novel to W7-X allows to assess the neutral beam halo population, introducing corrections to the shape and amplitude of determined impurity density profiles. To illustrate the capabilities of the derived impurity density profiles, the particle transport properties in a W7-X discharge heated by electron cyclotron resonance heating were assessed. Density profiles for various impurities are found to be flat, consistent with dominant anomalous diffusion in the range 0.1–5.0 m2 s−1. This range of the anomalous transport in such plasmas is in line with other impurity diagnostics at W7-X.

Physiological Dysregulation in Children With and Without Externalizing Difficulties: Novel Insights From Intensive Longitudinal Data.

Extant research on physiological dysregulation in children has focused on point-in-time measures and absolute mean levels of physiology. However, these methods do not capture dynamic fluctuations in physiology that characterize dysregulation. In the present work, we aimed to assess whether physiological dysregulation as captured by fluctuations rather than mean levels would differentiate between children with and without clinically elevated levels of externalizing behavior. As an exploratory approach, we examined fluctuations in children's physiological responses (i.e., root mean square of successive differences [RMSSD] in beat-to-beat heart rate intervals) to social transgression scenarios across 15 short-term measurement occasions (5-second bins). Controlling for mean RMSSD, as well as emotional and cognitive correlates of externalizing behavior (i.e., sympathy and inhibitory control), children with externalizing difficulties exhibited greater within-person fluctuations in RMSSD (i.e., physiological dysregulation) compared to children without externalizing difficulties. The present findings provide preliminary support for using intensive longitudinal data comprised of short-term physiological measurements and point to the centrality of within-child physiological variability as a marker of dysregulation, particularly amongst children with externalizing disorders for whom self-regulation is a core challenge.