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Tools for standardized data collection: Speech, Language and Hearing measurement protocols in the PhenX Toolkit
No full textThe PhenX Toolkit (https://www.phenxtoolkit.org/) is an online catalog of recommended measurement protocols to facilitate cross-study analyses for biomedical research. An expert review panel (ERP) reviewed and updated the PhenX Toolkit Speech and Hearing domain to improve the precision and consistency of speech, language, and hearing disorder phenotypes. A three-member ERP convened in August 2018 to review the measurement protocols in the PhenX Speech and Hearing domain. Aided by three additional experts in voice assessment, vertigo, and stuttering, the ERP updated the 28 protocols to reflect the latest science and technology. ERP recommendations include six new protocols, five updated protocols (from the same source), and one retired protocol. New additions include two voice-related, three hearing-related, and two speech-related protocols. Additions reflect new phone/tablet applications for hearing and language, and clinical evaluations of voice. “Language” was added to the domain name, which is now “Speech, Language, and Hearing,” to represent language-related protocols. These protocols can facilitate the assessment of speech, language, and hearing in clinical and population research. Common data elements (i.e., use of the same variables across studies) used by geneticists, otolaryngologists, audiologists, speech-language pathologists, and in other disciplines can lead to cross-study data integration and increased statistical power when studies are combined
Inhaled phosphodiesterase inhibitors for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
No full textPhosphodiesterase (PDE) 4 inhibitors prevent the metabolism of cyclic AMP, thereby reducing inflammation. Inhaled PDE4 inhibitors aim to restrict systemic drug exposure to enhance the potential for clinical benefits (in the lungs) versus adverse events (systemically). The orally administered PDE4 inhibitor roflumilast reduces exacerbation rates in the subgroup of COPD patients with a history of exacerbations and the presence of chronic bronchitis, but can cause PDE4 related adverse effects due to systemic exposure. CHF6001 is an inhaled PDE4 inhibitor, while inhaled ensifentrine is an inhibitor of both PDE3 and PDE4; antagonism of PDE3 facilitates smooth muscle relaxation and hence bronchodilation. These inhaled PDE inhibitors have both reported positive findings from early phase clinical trials, and have been well tolerated. Longer term trials are needed to firmly establish the clinical benefits of these drugs
Mineral diagenesis and inferred fluids in basinal mudstones: the Carboniferous Morridge Formation, Widmerpool Gulf, UK
No full textAn appreciation of the diagenetic processes impacting basinal mudstones is important for understanding the properties of mudstones and the nature of fluids which might have been expelled onto adjacent carbonate platforms. This study utilizes petrographic and mineralogical data from mudstones from the Serpukhovian Morridge Formation in the Widmerpool Gulf, UK to investigate the paragenetic succession and associated mineral precipitation during diagenesis of mudstones. Authigenic minerals in the studied samples contain kaolinite, calcite, non-ferroan and ferroan dolomite, pyrite, ankerite, and quartz. The Si/Al ratios in most samples are above 2.5, indicating that most of the studied samples contain excess silica. The widespread presence of authigenic kaolinite and quartz provides important information on the sources for dissolved silica in pore water. The presence of pyritized radiolarians indicates that the dissolution of siliceous radiolarian skeletons is the most likely principle silica source within the system. The illitization of kaolinite also provided a possible silica source for quartz overgrowth during burial diagenesis. It has been long-proposed that the supply of base metals (i.e. Ba, Zn and Mg) for mineralization on the adjacent Derbyshire Platform came from juxtaposed basins, but evidence for this has been limited. The results of this study show that the diagenetic evolution of mudstones in the late Carboniferous links closely to the mineralization observed on the Derbyshire Platform. In the Widmerpool Gulf, the source of magnesium incorporated into dolomite is likely from basinal brine that also provided a source of barium for the barite mineralization. Based on the burial history model, the studied samples were buried to 1.3 km with a temperature of 82℃ in the late Carboniferous. Hydrocarbon was generated during maturation of organic matter and migrated with basinal brines through factures into surrounding formations during basin inversion. This mixed fluid likely contributed to the mineralization on the Derbyshire Platform
Multivariate batch to batch optimisation of fermentation processes to improve productivity
No full textIncreasing the productivity of batch processes presents a complex challenge, with difficulties resulting from, amongst other things, the time-varying and non-linear characteristics that such processes exhibit. This paper presents an innovative optimisation technique which utilises a data-driven Gaussian process regression model, built on time-varying and non-linear historical process data, to iteratively increase batch productivity from one cycle to the next. Specifically, productivity is increased by making appropriate adjustments to batch cycle time and the trajectory of a manipulated variable. The capabilities of the proposed method are demonstrated using two benchmark fermentation simulations, Penicillin production (Pensim) and Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, where it is shown to achieve increases in productivity of between 60% and 97% compared with what was achieved using ‘golden batch’ conditions
Integrating techno-economic, environmental and safety criteria in solvent screening for extraction processes: The case of algae lipid extraction
No full textVolatile organic solvents derived from fossil resources are typically used in extraction processes, but this usually involves high energy consumption for solvent recovery and negative environmental impacts due to solvents’ hazardous, volatile, and flammable nature. This study presents a systematic approach to solvent screening, using molecular and process simulation techniques, data analysis and classification methods applying techno-economic, environmental and safety criteria. This methodology is demonstrated for lipid extraction from wet algae biomass in biofuel production. First, relevant thermodynamic equilibrium data are predicted with the COSMO-RS (Conductor-like Screening Model for Real Solvents) method. The resulting solvents are clustered according to their partition coefficient and selectivity towards the target solute, and screened further, considering their physicochemical properties and health, safety and environmental (HSE) performance. Finally, the lipid extraction process is simulated in Aspen Plus using all screened solvents to obtain technical, economic, and environmental performance data. Out of 88 initial candidates, cyclohexane, limonene, and ethyl tert-butyl ether are identified as potential alternatives to the benchmark solvent, hexane. Whilst these solvents tend to be more expensive and their recovery more energy intensive (higher boiling points) compared to hexane, they have higher selectivity towards lipids thus reducing the solvent intensity of the process, and are less volatile and non-hazardous according to the HSE classification. This methodology can be applied to other extraction process applications or implemented at early stages in process design to evaluate techno-economic, environmental and safety trade-offs when considering and selecting more sustainable alternatives to fossil-derived solvents. Keywords: COSMO-RS, process simulation, green solvents, biodiesel, sustainability indicators.<br/
The Role of Government Policies in Explaining the Internationalization of Chinese Firms
No full textAlthough prior research has recognized the prominent role of governments in stimulating outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) from emerging countries, understanding of the mechanisms through which and the extent to which government policies influence internationalization at the firm level remains rather limited. Drawing from institutional economics and the resource-based view, we examine how OFDI-specific government policies in China influence the decision of Chinese firms to invest abroad. Using a comprehensive dataset of 407,765 firms between 2004 and 2013, our framework indicates that the effectiveness of government policies in stimulating OFDI differs significantly across firms depending on how efficient firms are and their ownership. This study helps us understand the mechanisms through which country-specific institutions in the form of government policies influence foreign investment decisions at the firm level, and how certain contingencies change these effects.<br/
Harvesting Devices’ Heterogeneous Energy Profiles and QoS Requirements in IoT: WPT-NOMA vs BAC-NOMA
No full textThe next generation Internet of Things (IoT) exhibits a unique feature that IoT devices have different energy profiles and quality of service (QoS) requirements. In this paper, two energy and spectrally efficient transmission strategies, namely wireless power transfer assisted non-orthogonal multiple access (WPT-NOMA) and backscatter communication (Back- Com) assisted NOMA (BAC-NOMA), are proposed by utilizing this feature of IoT and employing spectrum and energy cooperation among the devices. In particular, the use of NOMA ensures that the devices with different QoS requirements can share the same spectrum, and WPT and Back-Com are employed to utilize the cooperation among the devices with different energy profiles, which avoids the use of a dedicated power beacon. Furthermore, for the proposed WPT-NOMA scheme, the application of hybridsuccessive interference cancelation (SIC) decoding order is also considered, and analytical results are developed to demonstrate that WPT-NOMA can avoid outage probability error floors and realize the full diversity gain. Unlike WPT-NOMA, BAC-NOMA suffers from an outage probability error floor, and the asymptotic behaviour of this error floor is analyzed in the paper by applying the extreme value theory. In addition, the effect of a unique feature of BAC-NOMA, i.e., employing one device’s signal as the carrier signal for another device, is studied, and its impact on thediversity gain is revealed. Simulation results are also provided to compare the performance of the proposed strategies and verify the developed analytical results
A Quantitative Systematic Review of Clinical Outcome Measure Use in Peripheral Nerve Injury of the Upper Limb
No full textBACKGROUND: Peripheral nerve injury (PNI) is common, leading to reduced function, pain, and psychological impact. Treatment has not progressed partly due to inability to compare outcomes between centres managing PNI. Numerous outcome measures exist but there is no consensus on which outcome measures to use nor when.OBJECTIVE: To perform a systematic review in order to describe and classify outcome measures used in PNI.METHODS: A search of Ovid Medline, Ovid Embase, Allied and Complementary Medicine Database (AMED) and CENTRAL (Cochrane Clinical Trials) was conducted. Randomised control trials, cohort studies, case-controlled and case series ( 5 participants) published from inception of the database until 2019 investigating adult patients with a traumatic upper limb peripheral nerve injury in which an outcome measurement was utilised were included.RESULTS: Ninety-six studies were included (15 RCTs, 8 case-control studies, 18 cohort studies, 5 observational studies and the remainder were case-series or retrospective reviews). Fifty-six individual outcome measures were identified, utilised across 28 different countries and 7,097 patients. Ten core domains were defined: sensory subjective, sensory objective, motor subjective, motor objective, sensorimotor function, psychology and wellbeing, disability, quality of life, pain and discomfort, and neurotrophic measures.CONCLUSION: Lack of consensus on outcome measure use hinders comparison of outcomes between nerve injury centres and the development of novel treatments. Development of a core outcome set will help standardise outcome reporting, improve translation of novel treatments from lab to clinical practice, and ensure future research in peripheral nerve injury is more amenable to systematic review and meta-analysis
A Multi-Objective Multi-Type Facility Location Problem for the Delivery of Personalised Medicine
No full textAdvances in personalised medicine targeting specific subpopulations and individuals pose a challenge to the traditional pharmaceutical industry. With a higher level of personalisation, an already critical supply chain is facing additional demands added by the very sensitive nature of its products. Nevertheless, studies concerned with the efficient development and delivery of these products are scarce. Thus, this paper presents the case of personalised medicine and the challenges imposed by its mass delivery. We propose a multi-objective mathematical model for the location-allocation problem with two interdependent facility types in the case of personalised medicine products. We show its practical application through a cell and gene therapy case study. A multi-objective genetic algorithm with a novel population initialisation procedure is used as solution method
