Towards a Lagrange-Newton approach for PDE constrained shape optimization

The novel Riemannian view on shape optimization developed in [Schulz, FoCM, 2014] is extended to a Lagrange-Newton approach for PDE constrained shape optimization problems. The extension is based on optimization on Riemannian vector space bundles and exemplified for a simple numerical example.Comment: 16 pages, 4 figures, 1 tabl

Sustainable bioethanol production combining biorefinery principles using combined raw materials from wheat undersown with clover-grass

To obtain the best possible net energy balance of the bioethanol production the biomass raw materials used need to be produced with limited use of non-renewable fossil fuels. Intercropping strategies are known to maximize growth and productivity by including more than one species in the crop stand, very often with legumes as one of the components. In the present study clover-grass is undersown in a traditional wheat crop. Thereby, it is possible to increase input of symbiotic fixation of atmospheric nitrogen into the cropping systems and reduce the need for fertilizer applications. Furthermore, when using such wheat and clover-grass mixtures as raw material, addition of urea and other fermentation nutrients produced from fossil fuels can be reduced in the whole ethanol manufacturing chain. Using second generation ethanol technology mixtures of relative proportions of wheat straw and clover-grass (15:85, 50:50, and 85:15) were pretreated by wet oxidation. The results showed that supplementing wheat straw with clover-grass had a positive effect on the ethanol yield in simultaneous saccharification and fermentation experiments, and the effect was more pronounced in inhibitory substrates. The highest ethanol yield (80% of theoretical) was obtained in the experiment with high fraction (85%) of clover-grass. In order to improve the sugar recovery of clover-grass, it should be separated into a green juice (containing free sugars, fructan, amino acids, vitamins and soluble minerals) for direct fermentation and a fibre pulp for pretreatment together with wheat straw. Based on the obtained results a decentralized biorefinery concept for production of biofuel is suggested emphasizing sustainability, localness, and recycling principle

Impact of blindness, visual impairment and cataract surgery on quality of life and visual functioning among adults aged 40 years and above in Sri Lanka

Aims To assess associations of visual function (VF) and quality of life (QOL) by presenting visual acuity (PVA) and causes of blindness and visual impairment. Methods Multi-stage cluster random sampling was used to identify a nationally representative sample of persons aged ≥ 40 years in Sri Lanka. Previously validated VF and QOL measurement instruments were administered to participants who were blind or severely visually impaired due to cataract, or refractive errors, those with moderate severe visual impairment of any cause and a sample of those with normal/near normal vision (VA ≥6/12 in the better eye). Questionnaires were also administered to persons who had undergone cataract surgery in one or both eyes and had a post-operative vision ≥ 6/60. Results The Cronbach α coefficients showed that the VF and QOL subscales had satisfactory internal consistency and reliability. Mean VF/QOL scores of individuals who were blind (presenting VA < 3/60 in the better eye) were significantly lower and the maximal difficulty in performing VF tasks and QOL-related activities. Persons visually impaired from cataract had the greatest difficulty in performing VF activities and QOL domains on all the items in the VF and QOL questionnaires. Persons operated for cataract had much better VF/QOL outcomes compared to those who were visually impaired due to cataract. Conclusions VF and QOL self-reported questionnaires are very useful to monitor patient-reported functional benefit from blindness control interventions in low and middle- income countries like Sri Lanka

Prevalence of self-reported disability, activity limitation and social participation in Sri Lanka

Introduction The World Health Organization estimates that 15% of the global population has a disability. Available evidence from Sri Lanka shows variable estimates of the magnitude of disability. Objectives Determine the prevalence of self-reported disability in the adult population aged ≥18 years, and associated risk factors in a nationally representative sample in Sri Lanka. Methods The Washington Group short questionnaire was used to identify persons with self-reported disability. Data were collected from responsible adults aged ≥18 years in the selected households. A four point-scale: “no difficulty”, “some difficulty”, “a lot of difficulty” and “cannot do at all” was used. Individuals screening positive for disability were administered an additional questionnaire on activity limitations, social participation and their health and financial concerns. Results Overall 41.5% (4131) [95% CI: 40.5-42.4] reported functional difficulty in at least one domain. The prevalence of disability, i.e. a lot of difficulty or cannot do at all was 3.8% (382) [95% CI: 3.5 – 4.2], while the prevalence of “some functional difficulty” was 37.6% (3749) [95% CI: 36.7-38.6]. The prevalence of disability increased with age and was higher among females, urban residents, and those with lower education and socio-economic status. Minor degrees of functional difficulties were more common among older people, females and people with lower education. Conclusions The prevalence of disability and varying degrees of functional difficulty is high among the adult population of Sri Lanka. Evidence shows that a strategic plan is required to address the magnitude of disability and functional limitations in Sri Lanka

Prevalence and visual outcomes of cataract surgery and cataract surgical coverage in Sri Lanka: findings from the National Blindness and Visual Impairment Survey

Introduction Cataract surgical coverage and visual acuity outcomes are important population level indicators for monitoring access to and the quality of cataract surgery, allowing subgroups with poorer access to be identified. Data on these indicators are not available for Sri Lanka at national level. Objectives Determine cataract surgical coverage and the outcomes of cataract surgery in a nationally representative sample of adults aged ≥40 years. Methods Cluster random sampling with proportionate to size procedures was used. All participants were interviewed to obtain data on education level, movable assets, and the year and place of cataract surgery, if applicable. Presenting and best corrected visual acuities were measured. All participants underwent slit lamp examination, including a dilated examination of the fundus. Cataract surgical coverage was calculated at the person level vision of <3/30, <6/60 and <6/18. Outcomes of cataract surgery were categorized as good (6/18 or better), borderline (<6/18-6/60) or poor (<6/60). Results A total of 345 persons among the 5,779 participants who were examined had undergone cataract surgery in one or both eyes (486 eyes). Cataract surgical coverage, which was high overall 85.4% for vision <3/60; 79.1% for vision <6/60), was significantly higher in younger age groups (Odds Ratio [OR] 5.65, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.42-22.52), those in urban areas (OR 2.8, 95% CI 1.01-7.74) those with higher socio-economic status (OR 6.0; 95% CI 1.96-18.4). Coverage ranged from 60% in Uva Province to 100% in Southern Province. 59.7% of eyes had good outcomes at presentation increasing to 75.1% with correction. Conclusions Cataract surgery indicators for Sri Lanka are good, being better than most other Asian countries. Services should target those living in underserved Provinces

Variation in Tropical Reef Symbiont Metagenomes Defined by Secondary Metabolism

The complex evolution of secondary metabolism is important in biology, drug development, and synthetic biology. To examine this problem at a fine scale, we compared the genomes and chemistry of 24 strains of uncultivated cyanobacteria, Prochloron didemni, that live symbiotically with tropical ascidians and that produce natural products isolated from the animals. Although several animal species were obtained along a >5500 km transect of the Pacific Ocean, P. didemni strains are >97% identical across much of their genomes, with only a few exceptions concentrated in secondary metabolism. Secondary metabolic gene clusters were sporadically present or absent in identical genomic locations with no consistent pattern of co-occurrence. Discrete mutations were observed, leading to new chemicals that we isolated from animals. Functional cassettes encoding diverse chemicals are exchanged among a single population of symbiotic P. didemni that spans the tropical Pacific, providing the host animals with a varying arsenal of secondary metabolites

Sprint interval and sprint continuous training increases circulating CD34+ cells and cardio-respiratory fitness in young healthy women

The improvement of vascular health in the exercising limb can be attained by sprint interval training (SIT). However, the effects on systemic vascular function and on circulating angiogenic cells (CACs) which may contribute to endothelial repair have not been investigated. Additionally, a comparison between SIT and sprint continuous training (SCT) which is less time committing has not been made

Tracking the impact of depression in a perspective-taking task

Research has identified impairments in Theory of Mind (ToM) abilities in depressed patients, particularly in relation to tasks involving empathetic responses and belief reasoning. We aimed to build on this research by exploring the relationship between depressed mood and cognitive ToM, specifically visual perspective-taking ability. High and low depressed participants were eye-tracked as they completed a perspective-taking task, in which they followed the instructions of a ‘director’ to move target objects (e.g. a “teapot with spots on”) around a grid, in the presence of a temporarily-ambiguous competitor object (e.g. a “teapot with stars on”). Importantly, some of the objects in the grid were occluded from the director’s (but not the participant’s) view. Results revealed no group-based difference in participants’ ability to use perspective cues to identify the target object. All participants were faster to select the target object when the competitor was only available to the participant, compared to when the competitor was mutually available to the participant and director. Eye-tracking measures supported this pattern, revealing that perspective directed participants’ visual search immediately upon hearing the ambiguous object’s name (e.g. “teapot”). We discuss how these results fit with previous studies that have shown a negative relationship between depression and ToM

Uncovering a neurological protein signature for severe COVID-19

Coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has sparked a global pandemic with severe complications and high morbidity rate. Neurological symptoms in COVID-19 patients, and neurological sequelae post COVID-19 recovery have been extensively reported. Yet, neurological molecular signature and signaling pathways that are affected in the central nervous system (CNS) of COVID-19 severe patients remain still unknown and need to be identified. Plasma samples from 49 severe COVID-19 patients, 50 mild COVID-19 patients, and 40 healthy controls were subjected to Olink proteomics analysis of 184 CNS-enriched proteins. By using a multi-approach bioinformatics analysis, we identified a 34-neurological protein signature for COVID-19 severity and unveiled dysregulated neurological pathways in severe cases. Here, we identified a new neurological protein signature for severe COVID-19 that was validated in different independent cohorts using blood and postmortem brain samples and shown to correlate with neurological diseases and pharmacological drugs. This protein signature could potentially aid the development of prognostic and diagnostic tools for neurological complications in post-COVID-19 convalescent patients with long term neurological sequelae