On the gradient rearrangement of functions

In this paper, we introduce a symmetrization technique for the gradient of a \BV function, which separates its absolutely continuous part from its singular part (sum of the jump and the Cantorian part). In particular, we prove an \text{\emph{L}}^{\text{1}} comparison between the function and its symmetrized. Furthermore, we apply this result to obtain Saint-Venant type inequalities for some geometric functionals

Effect of music-based multitask training on cognition and mood in older adults

Background: in a secondary analysis of a randomised controlled trial, we investigated whether 6 months of music-based multitask training had beneficial effects on cognitive functioning and mood in older adults. Methods: 134 community-dwellers aged ≥65 years at increased risk for falling were randomly assigned to either an intervention group (n = 66) who attended once weekly 1-h supervised group classes of multitask exercises, executed to the rhythm of piano music, or a control group with delayed intervention (n = 68) who maintained usual lifestyle habits, for 6 months. A short neuropsychological test battery was administered by an intervention-blinded neuropsychologist at baseline and Month 6, including the mini-mental state examination (MMSE), the clock-drawing test, the frontal assessment battery (FAB) and the hospital anxiety (HADS-A) and depression scale. Results: intention-to-treat analysis showed an improvement in the sensitivity to interference subtest of the FAB (adjusted between-group mean difference (AMD), 0.12; 95% CI, 0.00 to 0.25; P = 0.047) and a reduction in anxiety level (HADS-A; AMD, −0.88; 95% CI, −1.73 to −0.05; P = 0.039) in intervention participants, as compared with the controls. Within-group analysis revealed an increase in MMSE score (P = 0.004) and a reduction in the number of participants with impaired global cognitive performance (i.e., MMSE score ≤23; P = 0.003) with intervention. Conclusion: six months of once weekly music-based multitask training was associated with improved cognitive function and decreased anxiety in community-dwelling older adults, compared with non-exercising controls. Studies designed to further delineate whether training-induced changes in cognitive function could contribute to dual-task gait improvements and falls reduction, remain to be conducte

The FIM® instrument to identify patients at risk of falling in geriatric wards: a 10-year retrospective study

Objectives: the main objective was to evaluate if the admission functional independence measure (FIM®) score could be used to predict the risk of falls in geriatric inpatients. Design: a 10-year retrospective study was performed. Setting: the study was conducted in a 298-bed geriatric teaching hospital in Geneva, Switzerland. Subjects: all patients discharged from the hospital from 1 January 1997 to 31 December 2006 were selected. Main outcome measures: measures used were FIM® scores at admission using the FIM® instrument and number of falls extracted from the institution's fall report forms. Results: during the study period, there were 23,966 hospital stays. A total of 8,254 falls occurred. Of these, 7,995 falls were linked to 4,651 stays. Falls were recorded in 19.4% of hospital stays, with a mean incidence of 7.84 falls per 1,000 patients-days. Although there was a statistically significant relationship between total FIM® score, its subscales, and the risk of falling, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value obtained with receiver operating characteristic curves were insufficient to permit fall prediction. This might be due in part to a non-linear relationship between FIM® score and fall risk. Conclusion: in this study, the FIM® instrument was found to be unable to predict risk of falls in general geriatric ward

Hybrid Energy Storage and Hydrogen Supply Based on Aluminum—a Multiservice Case for Electric Mobility and Energy Storage Services

The realization of a fully decarbonized mobility and energy system requires the availability of carbon-free electricity and fuels which can be ensured only by cost-efficient and sustainable energy storage technologies. In line with this demand, a techno-economic evaluation of aluminum as a cross-sectoral renewable energy carrier is conducted. The assessment, based on a newly developed process, involves the wet combustion of Aluminum at 700 degrees C resulting in heat and hydrogen (H-2) generation. The designed conversion plant enables the contemporaneous generation of electricity and on demand H-2 (up to 4 MW and 46.8 kg h(-1)) with round-trip efficiencies as high as 40.7% and full recycling of the Al2O3 waste. This study, assuming the carbon-free production of Al and three different energy cost scenarios, proves the feasibility of the e-fueling station business case. The overall energy conversion including fuel production (power-to-Al), utilization (Al-to-power and Al-to-H-2), and recycling requires a capital investment of 5200 euro per kW installed power without additional primary material demand. Hence, the estimated power-to-X cost for the Al-based H-2 is estimated in the range of 4.2-9.6 euro kg(-1) H-2, while wind and solar power based green H-2 production cost varies from 6.5 to 12.1 euro kg(-1) H-2

Primary Hyperparathyroidism: Can Parathyroid Carcinoma Be Anticipated on Clinical and Biochemical Grounds? Report of Nine Cases and Review of the Literature

Background: Parathyroid carcinoma (PC) mimics benign primary hyperparathyroidism (PHP), but the diagnosis of PC is seldom available at the time of the first operation. Because PC is plagued by recurrences usually beyond cure, one may wonder whether some of these could be prevented by more extensive resections initially, i.e., if the diagnosis of PC were available at that time. Methods: Over a 25-year period, 311 consecutive patients with PHP underwent operation in our department: 302 had benign disease (adenomas or hyperplasias), and 9 had PC. Several clinical parameters, serum calcium and parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels, and the weight of the parathyroid tumor removed were compared in both groups. Receiver operating characteristic curves and logistical regression analyses were used to distinguish PC from benign PHP. Results: Eight of 9 patients with PC had symptoms, versus 238 (79%) of 302 with benign PHP (not significant). In the PC subgroup, serum calcium and PTH levels and the tumor weights of the parathyroid glands removed were significantly higher than in the benign PHP cohort, even if these three parameters were regularly flawed by low positive predictive values (14%, 20%, and 15%, respectively). Conclusions: Serum calcium, PTH levels, and tumor weights were significantly greater in the PC subgroup, even if not invariably in a discriminatory way. However, when PTH is <4 times the upper limit of normal and tumor weight is <1.9 g, the probability of PC is ni

Survival after Parathyroidectomy in Patients with End-stage Renal Disease and Severe Hyperparathyroidism

Background: Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) are at high risk of mortality. Whether an increased risk of death persists after a parathyroidectomy (PTX) is not clearly established. Subjects and methods: The survival of 40 patients with ESRD and SHPT who underwent PTX was compared with that of 664 ESRD patients. Results: From first dialysis, a lower mortality rate was found in the group of patients who underwent PTX than in the nonoperated ESRD group (hazard ratio: 0.23; 95% CI: 0.14-0.37). The patients who underwent PTX were younger, had a longer time on dialysis, and had a higher prevalence of kidney transplantation. The mean number of comorbidities was lower (Charlson score 4.2±2.1 versus 6.4±2.9, p<0.001). Then, we randomly selected two matched controls for each PTX case (80 controls, 40 PTX) who had at least an equivalent mean duration of dialysis between the first dialysis and PTX of the PTX group. In a univariate model, there was a trend for PTX being associated with prolonged survival. The mortality was higher both among those at an advanced age and those with a high Charlson score. Adjustments for these covariates made the effect of PTX no more significant. Conclusions: The risk of death of patients with severe SHPT leading to PTX differed from that of nonoperated subjects. The apparent differences in survival may be related to the number and severity of associated comorbidities. ESRD patients who undergo PTX may represent a subset of healthier subject

MMT: New Open Source MT for the Translation Industry

MMT is a new open source machine translation software specifically addressing the needs of the translation industry. In this paper we describe its overall architecture and provide details about its major components. We report performance results on a multi-domain benchmark based on public data, on two translation directions, by comparing MMT against state-of-theart commercial and research phrase-based and neural MT systems

Long-Term Exercise in Older Adults: 4-Year Outcomes of Music-Based Multitask Training

Prospective controlled evidence supporting the efficacy of long-term exercise to prevent physical decline and reduce falls in old age is lacking. The present study aimed to assess the effects of long-term music-based multitask exercise (i.e., Jaques-Dalcroze eurhythmics) on physical function and fall risk in older adults. A 3-year follow-up extension of a 1-year randomized controlled trial (NCT01107288) was conducted in Geneva (Switzerland), in which 134 community-dwellers aged ≥65years at increased risk of falls received a 6-month music-based multitask exercise program. Four years following original trial enrolment, 52 subjects (baseline mean±SD age, 75±8years) who (i) have maintained exercise program participation through the 4-year follow-up visit ("long-term intervention group”, n=23) or (ii) have discontinued participation following original trial completion ("control group”, n=29) were studied. They were reassessed in a blind fashion, using the same procedures as at baseline. At 4years, linear mixed-effects models showed significant gait (gait speed, P=0.006) and balance (one-legged stance time, P=0.015) improvements in the long-term intervention group, compared with the control group. Also, long-term intervention subjects did better on Timed Up & Go, Five-Times-Sit-to-Stand and handgrip strength tests, than controls (P<0.05, for all comparisons). Furthermore, the exercise program reduced the risk of falling (relative risk, 0.69; 95% confidence interval, 0.5-0.9; P=0.008). These findings suggest that long-term maintenance of a music-based multitask exercise program is a promising strategy to prevent age-related physical decline in older adults. They also highlight the efficacy of sustained long-term adherence to exercise for falls prevention