Development and standalone testing of the Air-breathing Microwave Plasma CAThode (AMPCAT)

Air-breathing electric propulsion (ABEP) refers to a spacecraft in very-low Earth orbit (VLEO) harnessing upper atmospheric air as propellant for an electric thruster. This allows the orbital altitude to be maintained via drag-compensation, removing the need for on-board propellant storage and allowing a mission lifetime which is not limited by propellant capacity. A cathode (or neutraliser) is required for the high-specific impulse electrostatic thruster designs proposed for an ABEP application. One such study is the AETHER EU H2020 project, which aims to design an ABEP system that can be tested on-ground in a VLEO-representative environment. There is therefore a need to develop a cathode for ABEP as conventional thermionic hollow cathodes are susceptible to oxygen poisoning. The Air-breathing Microwave Plasma CAThode (AMPCAT) presented here is based on a plasma electron source, using a 2.45 GHz microwave antenna directly-inserted into the plasma volume to ionise neutral air particles. This study details the cathode design and the results of iterative standalone testing, with a particular focus on: (a) the identification of a dual-mode current emission, with transition from lower- to higher-current mode with air at bias values around 70 V between the extracting anode and internal cathode surfaces, (b) a comparison of performance relative to xenon, for which the peak extracted current is 30–40% higher than air at equivalent inputs, and (c) the effect of antenna electrical isolation, using alumina shielding thicknesses in the 0.1–0.7 mm range. Standalone cathode tests demonstrate 0.8 A of stable extracted current with 0.1 mg/s mass flow rate of a 0.48O2 + 0.52N2 mixture, relative bias of 80 V and input microwave power of 70 W. To the authors’ knowledge, the demonstration of an extracted current in the 1 A order using air, without visible material degradation after several hours of operation, is a novel development in the cathode literature

Synthesis of an ordered mesoporous carbon with graphitic characteristics and its application for dye adsorption

An ordered mesoporous carbon (OMC) was prepared by a chemical vapor deposition technique using liquid petroleum gas (LPG) as the carbon source. During synthesis, LPG was effectively adsorbed in the ordered mesopores of SBA-15 silica and converted to a graphitic carbon at 800 °C. X-ray diffraction and nitrogen adsorption/desorption data and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) of the OMC confirmed its ordered mesoporous structure. The OMC was utilized as an adsorbent in the removal of dyes from aqueous solution. A commercial powder activated carbon (AC) was also investigated to obtain comparative data. The efficiency of the OMC for dye adsorption was tested using acidic dye acid orange 8 (AO8) and basic dyes methylene blue (MB) and rhodamine B (RB). The results show that adsorption was affected by the molecular size of the dye, the textural properties of carbon adsorbent and surface-dye interactions. The adsorption capacities of the OMC for acid orange 8 (AO8), methylene blue (MB) and rhodamine B (RB) were determined to be 222, 833, and 233 mg/g, respectively. The adsorption capacities of the AC for AO8, MB, and RB were determined to be 141, 313, and 185 mg/ g, respectively. The OMC demonstrated to be an excellent adsorbent for the removal of MB from wastewater.Web of Scienc

La Relación Entre la Motivación Docente y Variables de la Organización: Revisión de la Literatura

Abstract Teacher motivation plays a central role in education because ofitsimpacton student motivation. Previous reviews of teacher motivation have focused on individual variables and psychopathology indicators. However, it is also important to understand the effect of organizational variableson teacher motivationbecause these highlightthe contextthat the teacher is a part of(i.e.,the school). The literature review in this paper analysed studies related to teacher motivation and a pre-defined group of organizational variablesthat werepublished between 1990 and 2014 in several electronic databases.The study found that organizational culture was the most studied variable associated with teacher motivationand most studies in this area were published between 2010 and 2014.Further,there was a prevalence of quantitative studies. This paper concludes with the theoreticaland practical implications of the results,as well assuggestions for future research directions

Comparing face-to-face and internet-based basic body awareness therapy for fibromyalgia: a randomized controlled trial

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate and compare the effecs of face-to-face and internet-based Basic Body Awareness Therapy (BBAT), in patients with fibromyalgia (FM). Materials and methods: FM-diagnosed patients were randomly allocated to one of three groups: face-to-face BBAT (F2F-BBAT), internet-based BBAT (I-BBAT), or a waiting list control group (CG). The F2F-BBAT group underwent individual 8-week BBAT sessions (2 sessions per week). The I-BBAT group received an equivalent dosage of BBAT via online video conferencing software. The primary outcome was the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire Revised (FIQR). Secondary outcomes included the pressure pain threshold (PPT) via algometer, the PostureScreen Mobile (R) (PSM) application, the Short Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ), the Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36), and plasma fibrinogen and haptoglobin levels. Results: A total of 41 patients completed the study. Both the F2F-BBAT (n = 14) and I-BBAT (n = 13) groups showed significant improvements in all outcome measures (p 0.05). Conversely, the CG (n = 14) demonstrated no substantial improvements in the outcome measures (p > 0.05). Compared to the CG, both the F2F-BBAT and I-BBAT groups exhibited superior results in FIQR, PPT, PSM, SF-MPQ, and multiple SF-36 sub-parameters (p < 0.05). Conclusion: This study showed that BBAT delivered via internet-based telerehabilitation can have comparable effective results on clinical parameters with conventional face-to face BBAT in patients with FM. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04981132

Use of the Auto-inflammatory Disease Activity Index to monitor disease activity in patients with colchicine-resistant Familial Mediterranean Fever, Mevalonate Kinase Deficiency, and TRAPS treated with canakinumab

To evaluate the feasibility of the autoinflammatory disease activity index (AIDAI) as a tool to assess disease activity in patients with hereditary recurrent fever syndromes (HRFs) treated with canakinumab

Objective detection of wheeze at home by parents through a digital device: usage patterns and relationship with SABA administration.

INTRODUCTION: Wheezing is an important indicator of exacerbated respiratory symptoms in early childhood and must be monitored to regulate pharmacological therapy. However, parents' subjective perception of wheezing in their children is not always precise. We investigated the objective identification of children's wheezing by parents using a digital wheeze detector (WheezeScanTM, OMRON Healthcare Co. Ltd), its longitudinal usage patterns, and its relationship with SABA administration. METHODS: We conducted a secondary nested analysis of data from the intervention arm of a multi-center randomized controlled trial completed in 2021-2022 in Berlin (Germany), London (United Kingdom), and Istanbul (Turkey). Children aged 4 to 84 months with doctor's diagnosed wheezing (GINA step 1 or 2) were included. Using an electronic diary (Wheeze-MonitorTM, TPS), parents monitored and recorded for 120 days at home the presence or absence of their child's wheezing, detected both, with WheezeScanTM ("objective" wheezing), and subjective ("perceived" wheezing). Parents also recorded the child's symptoms, medication intake, and family quality of life. Questionnaires regarding symptom control, quality of life, and parental self-efficacy were answered at baseline and after 90 and 120 days. RESULTS: Eighty-one/87 families completed the intervention arm of the study. WheezeScanTM was on average used 0.7 (SD 0.6) times a day, with each patient reporting a positive, negative, or "error" outcome on average in 57%, 39%, and 5% of measurements, respectively. The use of WheezeScanTM declined slightly during the first 90 days of monitoring and steeply thereafter. Repeated usage of WheezeScanTM in the same day was more frequent after a "wheeze" (HR 1.5, 95% CI 1.37-1.65, p < 0.001) and an "error" (HR 2.01, 95% CI 1.70-2.38, p < 0.001) result, compared to a "no wheeze" outcome. The average per-patient daily agreement between "objective" and "perceived" wheezing/non-wheezing was 75% at the start of the monitoring period and only weakly persisted as time passed (Spearman's rho=0.09). The frequency of short-acting beta-2-agonists (SABA) administration was lower in days with closely interspaced consecutive device uses during which the patient's status was perceived as "never wheeze" (32/455, 7%) than in those perceived as "persistent wheeze" (53/119, 44%; OR 36.6, 95% CI [14.3, 94.1]). CONCLUSION: Daily use of a digital WheezeScanTM at home allows parents to detect their child's unperceived wheezing and discloses to caregivers the longitudinal patterns of a child's wheezing disorder. Digital monitoring of wheezing also highlights poor adherence to guidelines in SABA administration for wheezing children, with under-treatment being much more frequent than over-treatment. This pioneering study opens new perspectives for further investigation of digital wheeze detectors in the early diagnosis and proper self-management of wheezing disorders in childhood

Clinical efficacy and satisfaction of a digital wheeze detector in a multicentre randomised controlled trial: the WheezeScan study.

INTRODUCTION: Wheezing is common in preschool children and its clinical assessment often challenging for caretakers. This study aims to evaluate the impact of a novel digital wheeze detector (WheezeScan™) on disease control in a home care setting. METHODS: A multicentre randomised open-label controlled trial was conducted in Berlin, Istanbul and London. Participants aged 4-84 months with a doctor's diagnosis of recurrent wheezing in the past 12 months were included. While the control group followed usual care, the intervention group received the WheezeScan™ for at-home use for 120 days. Parents completed questionnaires regarding their child's respiratory symptoms, disease-related and parental quality of life, and caretaker self-efficacy at baseline (T0), 90 days (T1) and 4 months (T2). RESULTS: A total of 167 children, with a mean±sd age of 3.2±1.6 years, were enrolled in the study (intervention group n=87; control group n=80). There was no statistically significant difference in wheeze control assessed by TRACK (mean difference 3.8, 95% CI -2.3-9.9; p=0.2) at T1 between treatment groups (primary outcome). Children's and parental quality of life and parental self-efficacy were comparable between both groups at T1. The evaluation of device usability and perception showed that parents found it useful. CONCLUSION: In the current study population, the wheeze detector did not show significant impact on the home management of preschool wheezing. Hence, further research is needed to better understand how the perception and usage behaviour may influence the clinical impact of a digital support

Relationship between serum bilirubin levels and metabolic syndrome in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders

Objective: We investigated the relationship between serum bilirubin levels and metabolic syndrome (MetS), and the longitudinal effects of baseline serum bilirubin concentrations on MetS in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders undergoing atypical antipsychotics. Methods: The sample of this study consisted of 131 patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Waist circumference, blood pressure, and levels of triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, fasting glucose, and insulin were evaluated at baseline and at month six. Serum bilirubin levels were measured at baseline. Serum bilirubin levels of the patients with and without MetS criteria were compared. We also compared patients with high and low bilirubin levels (upper and lower 50th percentiles of serum bilirubin levels) in terms of MetS criteria, MetS frequency, and course of MetS. Results: Serum direct bilirubin levels were more consistently related to MetS and MetS-related variables. The waist circumference and triglyceride criteria for MetS were significantly related to low serum direct bilirubin at baseline; waist circumference and fasting glucose criteria, and insulin resistance were associated with low serum direct bilirubin at follow-up. MetS diagnosis and the presence of the waist circumference criterion were more frequent at the baseline and the follow-up in low bilirubin group. At the end of the follow-up period, the rate of reverse MetS was significantly higher in the high bilirubin group. Conclusion: Our results have suggested that serum direct bilirubin levels showed a more reliable and stable relationship with abdominal obesity for MetS components.in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders using antipsychotics. Further studies are required. Copyright © 2017, Korean College of Neuropsychopharmacology

Performance in adults of the EULAR/PRINTO/PRES (Ankara 2008) classification criteria for IgA vasculitis

Objective: To examine the performance in adults of the European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR)/Pediatric Rheumatology European Society (PReS)-endorsed Ankara 2008 classification criteria for IgA vasculitis (IgAV). Methods: The EULAR/PReS/Ankara 2008 classification criteria for IgAV were applied to patients enrolled in an international observational cohort which included patients with IgAV and comparators with other forms of small-vessel and medium-vessel vasculitis. After the initial assessment of the performance of the criteria, possible revisions to increase the performance were tested. The revised criteria were then assessed in an independent validation cohort within a multicentre Turkish vasculitis registry. Results: The dataset consisted of 178 IgAV cases and 1705 comparators. The Ankara 2008 criteria require skin involvement plus one of the following four criteria: abdominal pain, a biopsy showing IgA deposition, arthritis or arthralgia, or renal involvement (any haematuria and/or proteinuria). The specificity of the criteria improved when a positive test for anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody or blood cryoglobulins was considered an exclusion criterion. The revised criteria had a sensitivity of 76.4% (95% CI 69.8% to 82.2%) and a specificity of 94.5% (95.0% CI 93.4% to 95.1%). In the validation set, the sensitivity and specificity of the revised criteria were 97.8% (95% CI 94.0% to 99.0%) and 85.0% (95.0% CI 78.0% to 90.0%), respectively. Conclusion: The revised EULAR/PReS-endorsed Ankara 2008 IgAV classification criteria perform well in adults with IgAV and are appropriate for use in clinical research

Reliability of dynamic causal modelling of resting‐state magnetoencephalography

This study assesses the reliability of resting‐state dynamic causal modelling (DCM) of magnetoencephalography (MEG) under conductance‐based canonical microcircuit models, in terms of both posterior parameter estimates and model evidence. We use resting‐state MEG data from two sessions, acquired 2 weeks apart, from a cohort with high between‐subject variance arising from Alzheimer's disease. Our focus is not on the effect of disease, but on the reliability of the methods (as within‐subject between‐session agreement), which is crucial for future studies of disease progression and drug intervention. To assess the reliability of first‐level DCMs, we compare model evidence associated with the covariance among subject‐specific free energies (i.e., the ‘quality’ of the models) with versus without interclass correlations. We then used parametric empirical Bayes (PEB) to investigate the differences between the inferred DCM parameter probability distributions at the between subject level. Specifically, we examined the evidence for or against parameter differences (i) within‐subject, within‐session, and between‐epochs; (ii) within‐subject between‐session; and (iii) within‐site between‐subjects, accommodating the conditional dependency among parameter estimates. We show that for data acquired close in time, and under similar circumstances, more than 95% of inferred DCM parameters are unlikely to differ, speaking to mutual predictability over sessions. Using PEB, we show a reciprocal relationship between a conventional definition of ‘reliability’ and the conditional dependency among inferred model parameters. Our analyses confirm the reliability and reproducibility of the conductance‐based DCMs for resting‐state neurophysiological data. In this respect, the implicit generative modelling is suitable for interventional and longitudinal studies of neurological and psychiatric disorders