Application of computer network in interactive optimization

An interactive optimization method for multiple criteria problems by using computer network has been developed. The advantages are as follows: the problem can be solved by many computers in parallel; the researcher is active in the optimization process that makes it possible to discover a new knowledge of the problem. Kompiuterinių tinklo panaudojimas interaktyviam optimizacijos uždavinių sprendimui Santrauka Daugelio kriteriju optimizavimo uždavinys yra dažnai sutinkamas sprendžiant taikomuosius uždavinius. Tačiau jo sprendimas reikalauja pakankamai dideliu kaštu. Pastaruoju metu aktyviai vystomi interaktyvūs optimizacijos metodai. Jie leidžia sprendejui aktyviai valdyti sprendimo procesa. Algoritmo vykdymui spartinti pateikiama lygiagrečiojo metodo versija. Lygiagretieji optimizavimo algoritmai leidžia ne tik išspresti uždavini greičiau, bet ir išspre sti daug sudetingesnius uždavinius, kai panaudojami suminiai daugelio procesoriu resursai. Skaičiavimai atlikti 15 Pentium II kompiuteriu tinkle, naudota PVM ir MPI bibliotekos ir Windows NT operacine sistema. First Published Online: 14 Oct 201

Gene-environment interplay in depressive symptoms:Moderation by age, sex, and physical illness

BackgroundNumerous factors influence late-life depressive symptoms in adults, many not thoroughly characterized. We addressed whether genetic and environmental influences on depressive symptoms differed by age, sex, and physical illness.MethodThe analysis sample included 24 436 twins aged 40–90 years drawn from the Interplay of Genes and Environment across Multiple Studies (IGEMS) Consortium. Biometric analyses tested age, sex, and physical illness moderation of genetic and environmental variance in depressive symptoms.ResultsWomen reported greater depressive symptoms than men. After age 60, there was an accelerating increase in depressive symptom scores with age, but this did not appreciably affect genetic and environmental variances. Overlap in genetic influences between physical illness and depressive symptoms was greater in men than in women. Additionally, in men extent of overlap was greater with worse physical illness (the genetic correlation ranged from near 0.00 for the least physical illness to nearly 0.60 with physical illness 2s.d.above the mean). For men and women, the same environmental factors that influenced depressive symptoms also influenced physical illness.ConclusionsFindings suggested that genetic factors play a larger part in the association between depressive symptoms and physical illness for men than for women. For both sexes, across all ages, physical illness may similarly trigger social and health limitations that contribute to depressive symptoms.</jats:sec

Associations Between Air Pollution Exposure and Empirically Derived Profiles of Cognitive Performance in Older Women

Background:Elucidating associations between exposures to ambient air pollutants and profiles of cognitive performance may provide insight into neurotoxic effects on the aging brain. Objective:We examined associations between empirically derived profiles of cognitive performance and residential concentrations of particulate matter of aerodynamic diameter \u3c 2.5 (PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in older women. Method:Women (N = 2,142) from the Women’s Health Initiative Study of Cognitive Aging completed a neuropsychological assessment measuring attention, visuospatial, language, and episodic memory abilities. Average yearly concentrations of PM2.5 and NO2 were estimated at the participant’s addresses for the 3 years prior to the assessment. Latent profile structural equation models identified subgroups of women exhibiting similar profiles across tests. Multinomial regressions examined associations between exposures and latent profile classification, controlling for covariates. Result:Five latent profiles were identified: low performance across multiple domains (poor multi-domain; n = 282;13%), relatively poor verbal episodic memory (poor memory; n = 216; 10%), average performance across all domains (average multi-domain; n = 974; 45%), superior memory (n = 381; 18%), and superior attention (n = 332; 15%). Using women with average cognitive ability as the referent, higher PM2.5 (per interquartile range [IQR] = 3.64μg/m3) was associated with greater odds of being classified in the poor memory (OR = 1.29; 95% Confidence Interval [CI] = 1.10–1.52) or superior attention (OR = 1.30; 95% CI = 1.10–1.53) profiles. NO2 (per IQR = 9.86 ppb) was associated with higher odds of being classified in the poor memory (OR = 1.38; 95% CI = 1.17–1.63) and lower odds of being classified with superior memory (OR = 0.81; 95% CI = 0.67–0.97). Conclusion:Exposure to PM2.5 and NO2 are associated with patterns of cognitive performance characterized by worse verbal episodic memory relative to performance in other domains

Outdoor air pollution exposure and inter-relation of global cognitive performance and emotional distress in older women

The interrelationships among long-term ambient air pollution exposure, emotional distress and cognitive decline in older adulthood remain unclear. Long-term exposure may impact cognitive performance and subsequently impact emotional health. Conversely, exposure may initially be associated with emotional distress followed by declines in cognitive performance. Here we tested the inter-relationship between global cognitive ability, emotional distress, and exposure to PM2.5 (particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter &lt;2.5 μm) and NO2 (nitrogen dioxide) in 6118 older women (aged 70.6 ± 3.8 years) from the Women's Health Initiative Memory Study. Annual exposure to PM2.5 (interquartile range [IQR] = 3.37 μg/m3) and NO2 (IQR = 9.00 ppb) was estimated at the participant's residence using regionalized national universal kriging models and averaged over the 3-year period before the baseline assessment. Using structural equation mediation models, a latent factor capturing emotional distress was constructed using item-level data from the 6-item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale and the Short Form Health Survey Emotional Well-Being scale at baseline and one-year follow-up. Trajectories of global cognitive performance, assessed by the Modified-Mini Mental State Examination (3MS) annually up to 12 years, were estimated. All effects reported were adjusted for important confounders. Increases in PM2.5 (β = -0.144 per IQR; 95% CI = −0.261; −0.028) and NO2 (β = −0.157 per IQR; 95% CI = −0.291; −0.022) were associated with lower initial 3MS performance. Lower 3MS performance was associated with increased emotional distress (β = −0.008; 95% CI = −0.015; −0.002) over the subsequent year. Significant indirect effect of both exposures on increases in emotional distress mediated by exposure effects on worse global cognitive performance were present. No statistically significant indirect associations were found between exposures and 3MS trajectories putatively mediated by baseline emotional distress. Our study findings support cognitive aging processes as a mediator of the association between PM2.5 and NO2 exposure and emotional distress in later-life

CD56 is a pathogen recognition receptor on human natural killer cells

Aspergillus (A.) fumigatus is an opportunistic fungal mold inducing invasive aspergillosis (IA) in immunocompromised patients. Although antifungal activity of human natural killer (NK) cells was shown in previous studies, the underlying cellular mechanisms and pathogen recognition receptors (PRRs) are still unknown. Using flow cytometry we were able to show that the fluorescence positivity of the surface receptor CD56 significantly decreased upon fungal contact. To visualize the interaction site of NK cells and A. fumigatus we used SEM, CLSM and dSTORM techniques, which clearly demonstrated that NK cells directly interact with A. fumigatus via CD56 and that CD56 is re-organized and accumulated at this interaction site time-dependently. The inhibition of the cytoskeleton showed that the receptor re-organization was an active process dependent on actin re-arrangements. Furthermore, we could show that CD56 plays a role in the fungus mediated NK cell activation, since blocking of CD56 surface receptor reduced fungal mediated NK cell activation and reduced cytokine secretion. These results confirmed the direct interaction of NK cells and A. fumigatus, leading to the conclusion that CD56 is a pathogen recognition receptor. These findings give new insights into the functional role of CD56 in the pathogen recognition during the innate immune response

Behavioural activation by mental health nurses for late-life depression in primary care: a randomized controlled trial

Background: Depressive symptoms are common in older adults. The effectiveness of pharmacological treatments and the availability of psychological treatments in primary care are limited. A behavioural approach to depression treatment might be beneficial to many older adults but such care is still largely unavailable. Behavioural Activation (BA) protocols are less complicated and more easy to train than other psychological therapies, making them very suitable for delivery by less specialised therapists. The recent introduction of the mental health nurse in primary care centres in the Netherlands has created major opportunities for improving the accessibility of psychological treatments for late-life depression in primary care. BA may thus address the needs of older patients while improving treatment outcome and lowering costs.The primary objective of this study is to compare the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of BA in comparison with treatment as usual (TAU) for late-life depression in Dutch primary care. A secondary goal is to explore several potential mechanisms of change, as well as predictors and moderators of treatment outcome of BA for late-life depression. Methods/design: Cluster-randomised controlled multicentre trial with two parallel groups: a) behavioural activation, and b) treatment as usual, conducted in primary care centres with a follow-up of 52 weeks. The main inclusion criterion is a PHQ-9 score > 9. Patients are excluded from the trial in case of severe mental illness that requires specialized treatment, high suicide risk, drug and/or alcohol abuse, prior psychotherapy, change in dosage or type of prescribed antidepressants in the previous 12 weeks, or moderate to severe cognitive impairment. The intervention consists of 8 weekly 30-min BA sessions delivered by a trained mental health nurse. Discussion: We expect BA to be an effective and cost-effective treatment for late-life depression compared to TAU. BA delivered by mental health nurses could increase the availability and accessibility of non-pharmacological treatments for late-life depression in primary care. Trial registration: This study is retrospectively registered in the Dutch Clinical Trial Register NTR6013on August 25th 2016. © 2017 The Author(s)

In-can melting demonstration of wastes from the Idaho Chemical Processing Plant

The immobilization of Idaho Chemical Processing Plant (ICPP) zirconia calcine using Idaho glass composition (ICPP-127) was evaluated at Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) in two engineering-scale in-can melter tests. The glass was initially characterized in the laboratory to verify processing parameters. Glass was then produced in a pilot-scale melter and then in a full-scale melter to evaluate the processing and the resultant product. Potential corrosion problems were identified with the glass and some processing problems were encountered, but neither is insurmountable. The product is a durable leach-resistant glass. The glass appears to be nonhomogeneous, but chemically it is quite uniform

TAIKOMOSIOS FIZINĖS VEIKLOS PROGRAMA NEĮGALIŲJŲ SPORTININKŲ FIZINIŲ YPATYBIŲ UGDYMUI

Moksliniais tyrimais įrodyta, kad fizinis aktyvumas, nepriklausomai nuo įgalumo, stiprina asmens fizines ypatybes, didina savarankiškumą bei gerina gyvenimo kokybę. Darbo tikslas - įvertinti taikomosios fizinės veiklos programos (TFVP) poveikį sėdimojo tinklinio atletų fizinių ypatybių ugdymui. Tyrimas atliktas Vilniaus mieste 2014 metų vasario – balandžio mėnesiais. Dalyvavo Vilniaus „Fenikso“ neįgaliųjų sėdimojo tinklinio komandos 8 neįgalūs sportininkai. TFVP taikyta neįgaliems tinklininkams 6 savaites. Sėdimojo tinklinio atletai buvo apmokyti taisyklingos pratimų atlikimo technikos. Vėliau treniravosi savarankiškai. Treniruotės vyko 2 kartus per savaitę ne mažesniu nei 72 valandų periodiškumu. Treniruotės trukmė – ne ilgiau nei 45 minutės, neįskaičiuojant apšilimui skirto laiko. Po jėgos lavinimo treniruočių buvo atliekami sėdimojo tinklinio technikos elementai, treniruojamos žaidybinės situacijos. Sportininkų fizinės savybės buvo testuojamos prieš TFVP ir po 6 savaičių. Matematiniai skaičiavimai atlikti standartine Microsoft Windows Exel 2003 operacine programa bei matematinės statistikos SPSS 19.0 programa. Taikomosios fizinės veiklos programa taikyta 6 savaites pagerino neįgaliųjų sportininkų fizinius parametrus bei kompleksinio fizinio pasirengimo rodiklius.Research has shown that physical activity regardless of disabled, enhances a person‘s physical characteristics, increase independence and improve quality of life. The aim - to evaluate the application of physical activities (TFVP) on the sciatic volleyball athletes physical properties development. Analyzes were carried out in 2014 February - April. Participated in Vilnius Phoenix „sheltered seating 8 volleyball team athletes with disabilities. TFVP disabled volleyball applied for 6 weeks. Sciatic volleyball athletes were trained in the techniques of regular exercise. Later, self-trained. Training was held 2 times a week for at least 72 hours intervals. Training time - no longer than 45 minutes, not including the warm-up for the time. After strength training exercise was carried out in the sciatic volleyball technical elements trained to dominate the situation. The physical characteristics of the athletes were tested before and after TFVP 6 weeks. Numerical calculations were performed with standard Microsoft Excel for Windows 2003 operating program and mathematical statistics program SPSS 19.0. Adapted physical activity program from 6 weeks improved disabled athletes and the physical parameters of complex physical fitness indicators

Finding Courage: A Case of an Older Adult with Cognitive Impairment due to a Medical Condition

Corticobasal syndrome (CBS) is a progressive complex neurological disorder which affects motor and cognitive functions. Its clinical features include poor coordination and balance, akinetic rigidity, limb apraxia, myoclonus, cognitive impairment, and speech and language impairment. The onset of symptoms usually begins between the ages of 50–70 with the mean onset at 60. The disease duration has been found to be 6–7 years. Given a lack of validated and agreed diagnostic criteria and biological markers, it is difficult to make a CBS diagnosis. The chapter describes a case of an older adult client with CBS