Working memory maintenance is sufficient to reduce state anxiety

Abstract

According to the attentional control theory (ACT) proposed by Eysenck and colleagues, anxiety interferes with cognitive processing by prioritizing bottom-up attentional processes over top-down attentional processes, leading to competition for access to limited resources in working memory, particularly the central executive (Eysenck, Derakshan, Santos, & Calvo, ). However, previous research using the n-back working memory task suggests that working memory load also reduces state anxiety. Assuming that similar mechanisms underlie the effect of anxiety on cognition, and the effect of cognition on anxiety, one possible implication of the ACT would suggest that the reduction of state anxiety with increasing working memory load is driven by activation of central executive attentional control processes. We tested this hypothesis using the Sternberg working memory paradigm, where maintenance processes can be isolated from central executive processes (Altamura et al., ; Sternberg, ). Consistent with the n-back results, subjects showed decreased state anxiety during the maintenance period of high-load trials relative to low-load trials, suggesting that maintenance processes alone are sufficient to achieve this state anxiety reduction. Given that the Sternberg task does not require central executive engagement, these results are not consistent with an implication of the ACT where the cognition/anxiety relationship and anxiety/cognition relationship are mediated by similar central executive mechanisms. Instead, we propose an extension of the ACT such that engaging working memory maintenance suppresses state anxiety in a load-dependent manner. Furthermore, we hypothesize that the efficacy of this effect may moderate the effect of trait anxiety on cognition.

http://ift.tt/29XRQou

An experimental extrapolation technique using the Gafchromic EBT3 film for relative output factor measurements in small x-ray fields

Purpose:

An experimental extrapolation technique is presented, which can be used to determine the relative output factors for very small x-ray fields using the Gafchromic EBT3 film.

Methods:

Relative output factors were measured for the Brainlab SRS cones ranging in diameters from 4 to 30 mm² on a Novalis Trilogy linear accelerator with 6 MV SRS x-rays. The relative output factor was determined from an experimental reducing circular region of interest (ROI) extrapolation technique developed to remove the effects of volume averaging. This was achieved by scanning the EBT3 film measurements with a high scanning resolution of 1200 dpi. From the high resolution scans, the size of the circular regions of interest was varied to produce a plot of relative output factors versus area of analysis. The plot was then extrapolated to zero to determine the relative output factor corresponding to zero volume.

Results:

Results have shown that for a 4 mm field size, the extrapolated relative output factor was measured as a value of 0.651 ± 0.018 as compared to 0.639 ± 0.019 and 0.633 ± 0.021 for 0.5 and 1.0 mm diameter of analysis values, respectively. This showed a change in the relative output factors of 1.8% and 2.8% at these comparative regions of interest sizes. In comparison, the 25 mm cone had negligible differences in the measured output factor between zero extrapolation, 0.5 and 1.0 mm diameter ROIs, respectively.

Conclusions:

This work shows that for very small fields such as 4.0 mm cone sizes, a measureable difference can be seen in the relative output factor based on the circular ROI and the size of the area of analysis using radiochromic film dosimetry. The authors recommend to scan the Gafchromic EBT3 film at a resolution of 1200 dpi for cone sizes less than 7.5 mm and to utilize an extrapolation technique for the output factor measurements of very small field dosimetry.

http://ift.tt/29R26xj

Backscatter dose effects for high atomic number materials being irradiated in the presence of a magnetic field: A Monte Carlo study for the MRI linac

Purpose:

To quantify and explain the backscatter dose effects for clinically relevant high atomic number materials being irradiated in the presence of a 1.5 T transverse magnetic field.

Methods:

Interface effects were investigated using Monte Carlo simulation techniques. We used gpumcd (v5.1) and geant4 (v10.1) for this purpose. gpumcd is a commercial software written for the Elekta AB, MRI linac. Dose was scored using gpumcd in cubic voxels of side 1 and 0.5 mm, in two different virtual phantoms of dimensions 20 × 20 × 20 cm and 5 × 5 × 13.3 cm, respectively. A photon beam was generated from a point 143.5 cm away from the isocenter with energy distribution sampled from a histogram representing the true Elekta, MRI linac photon spectrum. A slab of variable thickness and position containing either bone, aluminum, titanium, stainless steel, or one of the two different dental filling materials was inserted as an inhomogeneity in the 20 × 20 × 20 cm phantom. The 5 × 5 × 13.3 cm phantom was used as a clinical test case in order to explain the dose perturbation effects for a head and neck cancer patient. The back scatter dose factor (BSDF) was defined as the ratio of the doses at a given depth with and without the presence of the inhomogeneity. Backscattered electron fluence was calculated at the inhomogeneity interface using geant4. A 1.5 T magnetic field was applied perpendicular to the direction of the beam in both phantoms, identical to the geometry in the Elekta MRI linac.

Results:

With the application of a 1.5 T magnetic field, all the BSDF's were reduced by 12%–47%, compared to the no magnetic field case. The corresponding backscattered electron fluence at the interface was also reduced by 45%–64%. The reduction in the BSDF at the interface, due to the application of the magnetic field, is manifested in a different manner for each material. In the case of bone, the dose drops at the interface contrary to the expected increase when no magnetic field is applied. In the case of aluminum, the dose at the interface is the same with and without the presence of the aluminum. For all of the other materials the dose increases at the interface.

Conclusions:

The reduction in dose at the interface, in the presence of the magnetic field, is directly related to the reduction in backscattered electron fluence. This reduction occurs due to two different reasons. First, the electron spectrum hitting the interface is changed when the magnetic field is turned on, which results in changes in the electron scattering probability. Second, some electrons that have curved trajectories due to the presence of the magnetic field are absorbed by the higher density side of the interface and no longer contribute to the backscattered electron fluence.

http://ift.tt/29R4tnV

Experimental feasibility of multistatic holography for breast microwave radar image reconstruction

Purpose:

The goal of this study was to assess the experimental feasibility of circular multistatic holography, a novel breast microwave radar reconstruction approach, using experimental datasets recorded using a preclinical experimental setup. The performance of this approach was quantitatively evaluated by calculating the signal to clutter ratio (SCR), contrast to clutter ratio (CCR), tumor to fibroglandular response ratio (TFRR), spatial accuracy, and reconstruction time.

Methods:

Five datasets were recorded using synthetic phantoms with the dielectric properties of breast tissue in the 1–6 GHz range using a custom radar system developed by the authors. The datasets contained synthetic structures that mimic the dielectric properties of fibroglandular breast tissues. Four of these datasets the authors covered an 8 mm inclusion that emulated a tumor. A custom microwave radar system developed at the University of Manitoba was used to record the radar responses from the phantoms. The datasets were reconstructed using the proposed multistatic approach as well as with a monostatic holography approach that has been previously shown to yield the images with the highest contrast and focal quality.

Results:

For all reconstructions, the location of the synthetic tumors in the experimental setup was consistent with the position in the both the monostatic and multistatic reconstructed images. The average spatial error was less than 4 mm, which is half the spatial resolution of the data acquisition system. The average SCR, CCR, and TFRR of the images reconstructed with the multistatic approach were 15.0, 9.4, and 10.0 dB, respectively. In comparison, monostatic images obtained using the datasets from the same experimental setups yielded average SCR, CCR, and TFRR values of 12.8, 4.9, and 5.9 dB. No artifacts, defined as responses generated by the reconstruction method of at least half the energy of the tumor signatures, were noted in the multistatic reconstructions. The average execution time of the images formed using the proposed approach was 4 s, which is one order of magnitude faster than the current state-of-the-art time-domain multistatic breast microwave radar reconstruction algorithms.

Conclusions:

The images generated by the proposed method show that multistatic holography is capable of forming spatially accurate images in real-time with signal to clutter levels and contrast values higher than other published monostatic and multistatic cylindrical radar reconstruction approaches. In comparison to the monostatic holographic approach, the images generated by the proposed multistatic approach had SCR values that were at least 50% higher. The multistatic images had CCR and TFRR values at least 200% greater than those formed using a monostatic approach.

http://ift.tt/29R2g7F

A model of tungsten anode x-ray spectra

Purpose:

A semiempirical model for x-ray production in tungsten thick-targets was evaluated using a new characterization of electron fluence.

Methods:

Electron fluence is modeled taking into account both the energy and angular distributions, each of them adjusted to Monte Carlo simulated data. Distances were scaled by the CSDA range to reduce the energy dependence. Bremsstrahlung production was found by integrating the cross section with the fluence in a 1D penetration model. Characteristic radiation was added using a semiempirical law whose validity was checked. The results were compared the experimental results of Bhat et al., with the SpekCalc numerical tool, and with mcnpx simulation results from the work of Hernandez and Boone.

Results:

The model described shows better agreement with the experimental results than the SpekCalc predictions in the sense of area between the spectra. A general improvement of the predictions of half-value layers is also found. The results are also in good agreement with the simulation results in the 50–640 keV energy range.

Conclusions:

A complete model for x-ray production in thick bremsstrahlung targets has been developed, improving the results of previous works and extending the energy range covered to the 50–640 keV interval.

http://ift.tt/29R4rMC

Long-Term Fatigue and Its Probability of Failure Applied to Dental Implants

It is well known that dental implants have a high success rate but even so, there are a lot of factors that can cause dental implants failure. Fatigue is very sensitive to many variables involved in this phenomenon. This paper takes a close look at fatigue analysis and explains a new method to study fatigue from a probabilistic point of view, based on a cumulative damage model and probabilistic finite elements, with the goal of obtaining the expected life and the probability of failure. Two different dental implants were analysed. The model simulated a load of 178 N applied with an angle of 0°, 15°, and 20° and a force of 489 N with the same angles. Von Mises stress distribution was evaluated and once the methodology proposed here was used, the statistic of the fatigue life and the probability cumulative function were obtained. This function allows us to relate each cycle life with its probability of failure. Cylindrical implant has a worst behaviour under the same loading force compared to the conical implant analysed here. Methodology employed in the present study provides very accuracy results because all possible uncertainties have been taken in mind from the beginning.

http://ift.tt/29SuFcw

Effects of Arm Weight Support Training to Promote Recovery of Upper Limb Function for Subacute Patients after Stroke with Different Levels of Arm Impairments

Purpose. The goal of this study was to investigate the effects of arm weight support training using the ArmeoSpring for subacute patients after stroke with different levels of hemiplegic arm impairments. Methods. 48 inpatients with subacute stroke, stratified into 3 groups from mild to severe upper extremity impairment, were engaged in ArmeoSpring training for 45 minutes daily, 5 days per week for 3 weeks, in addition to conventional rehabilitation. Evaluations were conducted at three measurement occasions: immediately before training (T1); immediately after training (T2); and at a 3-week follow-up (T3) by a blind rater. Results. Shoulder flexion active range of motion, Upper Extremity Scores in the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA), and Vertical Catch had the greatest differences in gain scores for patients between severe and moderate impairments, whereas FMA Hand Scores had significant differences in gain scores between moderate and mild impairments. There was no significant change in muscle tone or hand-path ratios between T1, T2, and T3 within the groups. Conclusion. Arm weight support training is beneficial for subacute stroke patients with moderate to severe arm impairments, especially to improve vertical control such as shoulder flexion, and there were no adverse effects in muscle tone.

http://ift.tt/29RyFZH

Three-Dimensional Assessment of Volumetric Changes in Sinuses Augmented with Two Different Bone Substitutes

Introduction. The bone volume of the posterior maxilla may not be appropriate for implant placement, due to factors such as pneumatized maxillary sinus. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the percentage of graft volume reduction following sinus floor elevation (SFE), with either slow resorbable bone substitute only or a composite of slow and fast resorbable bone substitutes, using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). Materials and Methods. In this retrospective study, CBCT scans of SFE procedures were evaluated to determine the volume of grafted sinus with either deproteinized bovine bone (DBB) or a 2 : 1 mixture of biphasic calcium sulfate (CS) and DBB, as a composite. The volumetric changes of sinus augmentations were measured 2 weeks (V-I) and 6 months (V-II) after operation. Results. Thirty-three patients were included in this study. The average percentage volume reduction was % and % for DBB and composite grafts, respectively. A significant graft volume reduction was observed between V-I and V-II for both groups (). The DBB group exhibited significantly less volume reduction than the composite group (). Conclusions. Augmented sinus volume may change before implant placement. DBB offers greater volume stability during healing than composite grafts.

http://ift.tt/29VSnIj

IJMS, Vol. 17, Pages 1152: The Conserved Arginine Cluster in the Insert of the Third Cytoplasmic Loop of the Long Form of the D2 Dopamine Receptor (D2L-R) Acts as an Intracellular Retention Signal

This study examined whether the conserved arginine cluster present within the 29-amino acid insert of the long form of the D2 dopamine receptor (D2L-R) confers its predominant intracellular localization. We hypothesized that the conserved arginine cluster (RRR) located within the insert could act as an RXR-type endoplasmic reticulum (ER) retention signal. Arginine residues (R) within the cluster at positions 267, 268, and 269 were charge-reserved to glutamic acids (E), either individually or in clusters, thus generating single, double, and triple D2L-R mutants. Through analyses of cellular localization by confocal microscopy and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), radioligand binding assay, bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET2) β-arrestin 2 (βarr2) recruitment assay, and cAMP signaling, it was revealed that charge reversal of the R residues at all three positions within the motif impaired their colocalization with ER marker calnexin and led to significantly improved cell surface expression. Additionally, these data demonstrate that an R to glutamic acid (E) substitution at position 2 within the RXR motif is not functionally permissible. Furthermore, all generated D2L-R mutants preserved their functional integrity regarding ligand binding, agonist-induced βarr2 recruitment and Gαi-mediated signaling. In summary, our results show that the conserved arginine cluster within the 29-amino acid insert of third cytoplasmic loop (IC3) of the D2L-R appears to be the ER retention signal.

http://ift.tt/29KJE8m

Infrared Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry Imaging Analysis of Biospecimens

Analyst, 2016, Accepted Manuscript
DOI: 10.1039/C6AN01189F, Tutorial Review

Mark T Bokhart, David Muddiman
Infrared matrix-assisted laser desorption electrospray ionization (IR-MALDESI) mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) is a technique well suited for analysis of biological specimens. This tutorial review focuses on recent advancements and applications...
The content of this RSS Feed (c) The Royal Society of Chemistry

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Nanoparticles and Intracellular Applications of Surface-enhanced Raman Spectroscopy

Analyst, 2016, Accepted Manuscript
DOI: 10.1039/C6AN01003B, Critical Review

Jack Taylor, Anna Huefner, Li Li, Jonathan Wingfield, Sumeet Mahajan
Surface-enhanced Raman spectrocopy (SERS) offers ultrasensitive vibrational fingerprinting at the nanoscale. Its non-destructive nature affords an ideal tool for interrogation of the intracellular environment, detecting the localisation of biomolecules, delivery...
The content of this RSS Feed (c) The Royal Society of Chemistry

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Corrigendum to “Long-Term Effects of Goshajinkigan in Prevention of Diabetic Complications: A Randomized Open-Labeled Clinical Trial”

http://ift.tt/2adkhR9

Current view of insulin-like growth factor binding protein 2 (IGFBP2) in gliomas

The poor survival rates due to ineffective therapeutic approaches have made gliomas a highly complex and challenging carcinogenic pathological state. Further, Insulin-like growth factor binding protein 2 (IGFBP2) has been reported to have both extracellular and intracellular functions. Moreover, its contribution towards tumor development and progress is not well understood. On the other hand, some studies in the recent past have revealed the roles of both exogenous IGFBP2 treatment as well as IGFBP2 overexpression in the spread of the gliomas. The present review article will refresh the current views of IGFP2 during gliomas.

L'articolo Current view of insulin-like growth factor binding protein 2 (IGFBP2) in gliomas sembra essere il primo su European Review.

http://ift.tt/29Ji0MY

The clinical significance of level changes of hs-CRP, IL-10 and TNF for patients with MS during active and relieving period

OBJECTIVE: Investigate clinical significance of the change of the level of hs-CRP, interleukin-10 (IL-10) and tumor necrosis factors (TNF-α) for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) during the active and the relieving period.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: 36 patients with MS during the active stage and the relieving stage after therapy (experimental group) were compared with 10 healthy people at the relieving period, considered as control group. Immunoturbidimetry was used to examine levels of hs-CRP while the level of IL-10 and TNF-a were tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

RESULTS: Levels of hs-CRP, TNF-a and IL-10 in the serum and cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) were different for MS patient at different stages. Levels of hs-CRP, TNF-a and CSF IL-10 at attacking stage were higher than those at the relieving stage (p <0.05, p <0.01 or p <0.001). The levels of IL-10 in the serum at relieving stage were higher than in the CSF (p <0.05). The levels of TNF-a and IL-10 of MS patients at relieving stage in the serum and CFS were higher than those of healthy people (p <0.05 or p <0.01).

CONCLUSIONS: The significantly increased levels of hs-CRP, TNF-a and CSF IL-10 in the serum and CSF reflect MS at attack stage. The levels of TNF-a and IL-10 in the serum and CSF at the relieving stage of MS patients were higher than those of healthy individuals, suggest that at relieving stage, MS may be still developing. Finally, the increased level of hs-CRP in the serum can be used as an evidence to diagnose MS at the active stage.

L'articolo The clinical significance of level changes of hs-CRP, IL-10 and TNF for patients with MS during active and relieving period sembra essere il primo su European Review.

http://ift.tt/29JbbuH

Snapshot hyperspectral retinal imaging using compact spectral resolving detector array

Hyperspectral retinal imaging captures the light spectrum from each imaging pixel. It provides spectrally encoded retinal physiological and morphological information, which could potentially benefit diagnosis and therapeutic monitoring of retinal diseases. The key challenges in hyperspectral retinal imaging are how to achieve snapshot imaging to avoid motions between the images from multiple spectral bands, and how to design a compact snapshot imager suitable for clinical use. Here, we developed a compact, snapshot hyperspectral fundus camera for rodents using a novel spectral resolving detector array (SRDA), on which a thin-film Fabry–Perot cavity filter was monolithically fabricated on each imaging pixel. We achieved hyperspectral retinal imaging with 16 wavelength bands (460 to 630 nm) at 20 fps. We also demonstrated false-color vessel contrast enhancement and retinal oxygen saturation (sO₂) measurement through spectral analysis. This work could potentially bring hyperspectral retinal imaging from bench to bedside.

Hyperspectral retinal imaging provides spectral information and could benefit retinal diseases diagnosis and treatment. The key challenges in hyperspectral retinal imaging are how to achieve snapshot imaging to avoid motions between the images from multiple spectral bands, and how to design a compact snapshot imager suitable for clinical use. A compact, snapshot hyperspectral fundus camera for rodents using a novel spectral resolving detector array (SRDA) is reported, which captures hyperspectral retinal images at 20 fps. The advantages of hyperspectral imaging are demonstrated through spectral-analysis-based false-color vessel contrast enhancement and retinal oxygen saturation measurement.

http://ift.tt/29R9f4M

Intravital multiphoton photoconversion with a cell membrane dye

Photoconversion, an irreversible shift in a fluorophore emission spectrum after light exposure, is a powerful tool for marking cellular and subcellular compartments and tracking their dynamics in vivo. This paper reports on the photoconversion properties of Di-8-ANEPPS, a commercially available membrane dye. When illuminated with near-infrared femtosecond laser pulses, Di-8-ANEPPS undergoes multiphoton photoconversion as indicated by the supralinear dependence of the conversion rate ρ_pc on the incident power (), and by the ability to photoconvert a thin optical section in a three-dimensional matrix. The characteristic emission spectrum changed from red to blue, and ratiometric analysis on single cells in vitro revealed a 65-fold increase in the blue to red wavelength ratio after photoconversion. The spectral shift is preserved in vivo for hours, making Di-8-ANEPPS a useful dye for intravital cell marking and tracking applications.

The color of the moon can change during a lunar eclipse so can certain fluorescent dyes when light is shone on them. The changes in fluorescence emission spectrum, termed photoconversion, can be highly controlled, thus making this process a useful tool tostudy biological process in vivo at the cellular and subcellular levels. This Letter describes intravital multiphoton photoconversion of Di-8-ANEPPS, a membrane dye, in murine bone marrow.

http://ift.tt/29R6coP

Inverse SORS for detecting a low Raman-active turbid sample placed inside a highly Raman-active diffusely scattering matrix – A feasibility study

The broad range of applications of spatially-offset Raman spectroscopy (SORS) were found to involve samples having only marginal differences in Raman cross-sections between the surface and subsurface targets. We report the results of a feasibility study to evaluate the potential of the approach to identify the presence of a very low Raman-active turbid sample placed inside a highly Raman-active diffusely scattering matrix. Paraffin sandwiched tissue blocks prepared by embedding slices of chicken muscle tissue into solid paraffin blocks were employed as representative samples for the study. It was found that in contrast to the several millimetres of probing depth reported in the earlier applications, the Raman signatures of tissue were best recovered when it was located beneath the surface of the paraffin block at a depth of around a millimetre, beyond which the quality of recovery was increasingly poorer. However, the probing depth could be further increased by increasing the thickness of the embedded tissue sections. The results clearly suggest that though the probing depth achievable under the current condition is less than that found in previous applications, nevertheless it is sufficient for various other applications that would not require probing as deep as was required earlier.

The paper reports a feasibility study aimed to evaluate the potential of inverse SORS in the identification of a very low Raman active sample placed under a highly Raman active compound. The results suggest though the probing depth achieved is much less than that reported earlier, inverse SORS is a promising candidate for a potentially broad range of applications requiring non-invasive SORS measurement of a weak Raman scattering layer below a strongly Raman scattering overlayer

http://ift.tt/29R6axr

The Role of Resorbable Plate and Artificial Bone Substitute in Reconstruction of Large Orbital Floor Defect

It is essential to reduce and reconstruct bony defects adequately in large orbital floor fracture and defect. Among many reconstructive methods, alloplastic materials have attracted attention because of their safety and ease of use. We have used resorbable plates combined with artificial bone substitutes in large orbital floor defect reconstructions and have evaluated their long-term reliability compared with porous polyethylene plate. A total of 147 patients with traumatic orbital floor fracture were included in the study. Surgical results were evaluated by clinical evaluations, exophthalmometry, and computed tomography at least 12 months postoperatively. Both orbital floor height discrepancy and orbital volume change were calculated and compared with preoperative CT findings. The average volume discrepancy and vertical height discrepancies were not different between two groups. Also, exophthalmometric measurements were not significantly different between the two groups. No significant postoperative complication including permanent diplopia, proptosis, and enophthalmos was noted. Use of a resorbable plate with an artificial bone substitute to repair orbital floor defects larger than 2.5 cm2 in size yielded long-lasting, effective reconstruction without significant complications. We therefore propose our approach as an effective alternative method for large orbital floor reconstructions.

http://ift.tt/29Rpmco

Soft Tissue Augmentation Techniques in Implants Placed and Provisionalized Immediately: A Systematic Review

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of techniques for soft tissue augmentation in the placement of immediate implants with and without provisionalization and to assess the quality of the reports in the literature. Randomized clinical trials, prospective clinical trials, and case series were included in this review. Clinical questions were formulated and organised according to the PICOS strategy. An electronic search was performed in PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Scopus, and ISI Web up until June 2016. Interexaminer agreement on eligibility (; ) and quality (; ) was high. Methodological approaches were assessed using criteria based on design related forms designed by the Dutch Cochrane Collaboration. Finally, 14 papers were identified. In two studies, the implant survival was 90%; for the rest of the studies it was 100%. All studies reported favourable aesthetic, biological, and radiographic outcomes. Surgical and biomechanical complications of this technique were not relevant. This technique effectively compensates for the expected loss of volume of the oral soft tissues and maintains high success rates with good aesthetic results over time.

http://ift.tt/29XyS1f

New holostean fishes (Actinopterygii: Neopterygii) from the Middle Triassic of the Monte San Giorgio (Canton Ticino, Switzerland)

The new neopterygian genus Ticinolepis, including two new species T. longaeva and T. crassidens is described from Middle Triassic carbonate platform deposits of the Monte San Giorgio. The anatomy of this fish shows a mosaic of halecomorph and ginglymodian characters and, thus, the new taxon probably represents a basal holostean. During the latest Anisian to earliest Ladinian the two new species coexisted in the intraplatform basin represented by the uppermost Besano Formation, but only T. longaeva sp. nov. inhabited the more restricted basin represented by the Ladinian Meride Limestone (except for the Kalkschieferzone). The more widely distributed type species shows interesting patterns of intraspecific variation including ontogenetic changes and morphological variation over time. The second species presents anatomical features that strongly indicate a strictly durophagous diet. The different distribution of the species is interpreted as a result of habitat partitioning and different adaptability to palaeoenvironmental changes.

http://ift.tt/29KqhfT

The Comparison of Dietary Behaviors among Rural Controlled and Uncontrolled Hypertensive Patients

Nutrition is a dominant peripheral factor in increasing blood pressure; however, little information is available about the nutritional status of hypertensive patients in Iran. This study aimed to compare nutritional behaviors of the rural controlled and uncontrolled hypertensive patients and to determine the predictive power of nutritional behaviors from blood pressure. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 671 rural hypertensive patients, using multistage random sampling method in Ardabil city in 2013. Data were collected by a 3-day food record questionnaire. Nutritional data were extracted by Nutritionist 4 software and analyzed by the SPSS 18 software using Pearson correlation, multiple linear regression, ANOVA, and independent -test. A significant difference was observed in the means of fat intake, cholesterol, saturated fat, sodium, energy, calcium, vitamin C, fiber, and nutritional knowledge between controlled and uncontrolled groups. In the controlled group, sodium, saturated fats, vitamin C, calcium, and energy intake explained 30.6% of the variations in blood pressure and, in the uncontrolled group, sodium, carbohydrate, fiber intake, and nutritional knowledge explained 83% of the variations in blood pressure. There was a significant difference in the nutritional behavior between the two groups and changes in blood pressure could be explained significantly by nutritional behaviors.

http://ift.tt/2a4Dpj2

Decitabine inhibits tumor cell proliferation and up-regulates E-cadherin expression in Epstein-Barr virus-associated gastric cancer

ABSTRACT

The present study investigated the effect of a DNA demethylating agent, decitabine, against Epstein-Barr virus-associated gastric cancer (EBVaGC). Decitabine inhibited cell growth and induced G2/M arrest and apoptosis in EBVaGC cell lines. The expression of E-cadherin was up-regulated and cell motility was significantly inhibited in the cells treated with decitabine. The promoter regions of p73 and RUNX3 were demethylated, and their expression was up-regulated by decitabine. They enhanced the transcription of p21, which induced G2/M arrest and apoptosis through down-regulation of c-Myc. Decitabine also induced the expression of BZLF1 in SNU719. Induction of EBV lytic infection was an alternative way to cause apoptosis of the host cells. This study is the first report to reveal the effectiveness of a demethylating agent in inhibiting tumor cell proliferation and up-regulation of E-cadherin in EBVaGC. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

http://ift.tt/2a8nIWp

Epstein-barr virus strains and variations: Geographic or disease-specific variants?

Summary

The Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) is associated with the development of several diseases, including infectious mononucleosis (IM), Burkitt's Lymphoma (BL), Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma and other neoplasias. The publication of Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) genome 1984 led to several studies regarding the identification of different viral strains. Currently, EBV is divided into EBV type 1 (B95-8 strain) and EBV type 2 (AG876 strain), also known as type A and type B, which have been distinguished based upon genetic differences in the Epstein-Barr nuclear antigens (EBNAs) sequence. Several other EBV strains have been described in the past 10 years considering variations on EBV genome, and many have attempted to clarify if these variations are ethnic or geographically correlated, or if they are disease related. Indeed, there is an increasing interest to describe possible specific disease associations, with emphasis on different malignancies. These studies aim to clarify if these variations are ethnic or geographically correlated, or if they are disease related, thus being important to characterize the epidemiologic genetic distribution of EBV strains on our population. Here, we review the current knowledge on the different EBV strains and variants and its association with different diseases. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

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Acute viral respiratory infections among children in MERS-endemic Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 2012–2013

Abstract

Introduction

The emergence of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) emergence in Saudi Arabia has intensified focus on Acute Respiratory Infections [ARIs]. This study sought to identify respiratory viruses (RVs) associated with ARIs in children presenting at a tertiary hospital.

Methods

Children (aged ≤ 13) presenting with ARI between January 2012 and December 2013 tested for 15 RVs using the Seeplex^R RV15 kit were retrospectively included. Epidemiological data was retrieved from patient records.

Results

Of the 2235 children tested, 61.5% were ≤1 year with a male: female ratio of 3:2. Viruses were detected in 1364 (61.02%) children, 233(10.4%) having dual infections: these viruses include respiratory syncytial virus RSV) (24%), human rhinovirus (hRV) (19.7%), adenovirus (5.7%), influenza virus (5.3%) and parainfluenzavirus-3 (4.6%). Children aged 9-11 months were most infected (60.9%). Lower respiratory tract infections (55.4 %) were significantly more than upper respiratory tract infection (45.3 %) (P<0.001). Seasonal variation of RV was directly and inversely proportional to relative humidity and temperature, respectively, for non MERS coronaviruses (NL63, 229E and OC43).

Conclusion

The study confirms community-acquired RV associated with ARI in children and suggests modulating roles for abiotic factors in RV epidemiology. However, community-based studies are needed to elucidate how these factors locally influence RV epidemiology. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

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Water, Vol. 8, Pages 298: Consideration of Water Uses for Its Sustainable Management, the Case of Issyk-Kul Lake, Kyrgyzstan

Water is an essential element for life, and development would not be possible without its availability. This study identified the main water consumers and their likely impact on water lake level for the case of Issyk-Kul Lake Basin, Kyrgyzstan. Data on precipitation, lake level, irrigation, household and industrial water consumption from 1980 to 2014 were provided by the Department of Water Resources and Irrigation, Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation of the Kyrgyz Republic. The input data was analyzed with OriginPro 8.5 for Statistical Analysis. The results indicated a decreasing irrigation water consumption from 2029.42 to 461.76 million·m3 in 1980 and 2014, respectively. Likewise, households consumed 27.02 million·m3 in 1980 falling to 16.55 million·m3 in 2014, similar to the manufacture's water consumption. However, it was noted that agriculture is a high water consumer, whose water demand for irrigation rises from April to August, the period during which the precipitation also increases. Nevertheless, manufactures and household water consumption do not have timed limits of use like in agriculture, which in turn affects the lake water level. Therefore, as the rainfall increases by April to August, we suggest to harvest and only use the rainfall water during its abundance period. This would help in restoring the lake's water level during the time of rainwater uses, and leads to water consumption balance, flood management and lake biodiversity conservation as well.

http://ift.tt/29QKrtB

Sensors, Vol. 16, Pages 1113: Telecommunication Platforms for Transmitting Sensor Data over Communication Networks—State of the Art and Challenges

The importance of constructing wide-area sensor networks for holistic environmental state evaluation has been demonstrated. A general structure of such a network has been presented with distinction of three segments: local (based on ZigBee, Ethernet and ModBus techniques), core (base on cellular technologies) and the storage/application. The implementation of these techniques requires knowledge of their technical limitations and electromagnetic compatibility issues. The former refer to ZigBee performance degradation in multi-hop transmission, whereas the latter are associated with the common electromagnetic spectrum sharing with other existing technologies or with undesired radiated emissions generated by the radio modules of the sensor network. In many cases, it is also necessary to provide a measurement station with autonomous energy source, such as solar. As stems from measurements of the energetic efficiency of these sources, one should apply them with care and perform detailed power budget since their real performance may turn out to be far from expected. This, in turn, may negatively affect—in particular—the operation of chemical sensors implemented in the network as they often require additional heating.

http://ift.tt/29QHTrm

IJERPH, Vol. 13, Pages 729: Geographical Inequalities in Surgical Treatment for Localized Female Breast Cancer, Queensland, Australia 1997–2011: Improvements over Time but Inequalities Remain

The uptake of breast conserving surgery (BCS) for early stage breast cancer varies by where women live. We investigate whether these geographical patterns have changed over time using population-based data linkage between cancer registry records and hospital inpatient episodes. The study cohort consisted of 11,631 women aged 20 years and over diagnosed with a single primary invasive localised breast cancer between 1997 and 2011 in Queensland, Australia who underwent either BCS (n = 9223, 79%) or mastectomy (n = 2408, 21%). After adjustment for socio-demographic and clinical factors, compared to women living in very high accessibility areas, women in high (Odds Ratio (OR) 0.58 (95% confidence intervals (CI) 0.49, 0.69)), low (OR 0.47 (0.41, 0.54)) and very low (OR 0.44 (0.34, 0.56)) accessibility areas had lower odds of having BCS, while  the odds for women from middle (OR 0.81 (0.69, 0.94)) and most disadvantaged (OR 0.87 (0.71, 0.98)) areas was significantly lower than women living in affluent areas. The association between accessibility and the type of surgery reduced over time (interaction p = 0.028) but not for area disadvantage (interaction p = 0.209). In making informed decisions about surgical treatment, it is crucial that any geographical-related barriers to implementing their preferred treatment are minimised.

http://ift.tt/29RU4mB

Metals, Vol. 6, Pages 167: Atmospheric-Induced Stress Corrosion Cracking of Grade 2205 Duplex Stainless Steel—Effects of 475 °C Embrittlement and Process Orientation

The effect of 475 °C embrittlement and microstructure process orientation on atmospheric-induced stress corrosion cracking (AISCC) of grade 2205 duplex stainless steel has been investigated. AISCC tests were carried out under salt-laden, chloride-containing deposits, on U-bend samples manufactured in rolling (RD) and transverse directions (TD). The occurrence of selective corrosion and stress corrosion cracking was observed, with samples in TD displaying higher propensity towards AISCC. Strains and tensile stresses were observed in both ferrite and austenite, with similar magnitudes in TD, whereas, larger strains and stresses in austenite in RD. The occurrence of 475 °C embrittlement was related to microstructural changes in the ferrite. Exposure to 475 °C heat treatment for 5 to 10 h resulted in better AISCC resistance, with spinodal decomposition believed to enhance the corrosion properties of the ferrite. The austenite was more susceptible to ageing treatments up to 50 h, with the ferrite becoming more susceptible with ageing in excess of 50 h. Increased susceptibility of the ferrite may be related to the formation of additional precipitates, such as R-phase. The implications of heat treatment at 475 °C and the effect of process orientation are discussed in light of microstructure development and propensity to AISCC.

http://ift.tt/29QK0zw

IJERPH, Vol. 13, Pages 728: Association by Spatial Interpolation between Ozone Levels and Lung Function of Residents at an Industrial Complex in South Korea

Spatial interpolation is employed to improve exposure estimates and to assess adverse health effects associated with environmental risk factors. Since various studies have reported that high ozone (O3) concentrations can give rise to adverse effects on respiratory symptoms and lung function, we investigated the association between O3 levels and lung function using a variety of spatial interpolation techniques and evaluated how different methods for estimating exposure may influence health results for a cohort from an industrial complex (Gwangyang Bay) in South Korea in 2009. To estimate daily concentrations of O3 in each subject, four different methods were used, which include simple averaging, nearest neighbor, inverse distance weighting, and kriging. Also, to compare the association between O3 levels and lung function by age-groups, we explored ozone's impacts on three age-related groups: children (9–14 years), adults (15–64 years), and the elderly (≥65 years). The overall change of effect size on lung function in each age group tended to show similar patterns for lag and methods for estimating exposure. A significant negative association was only observed between O3 levels and FVC and FEV1 for most of the lag and methods in children. The largest effect of O3 levels was found at the average for the lung function test day and last 2 days (0–2 days). In conclusions, the spatial interpolation methods may benefit in providing individual-level exposure with appropriate temporal resolution from ambient monitors. However, time-activity patterns of residents, monitoring site locations, methodological choices, and other factors should be considered to minimize exposure misclassification.

http://ift.tt/29QHTaQ

IJERPH, Vol. 13, Pages 725: A Survey of Jellyfish Sting Knowledge among Naval Personnel in Northeast China

Background: Jellyfish envenomation is common along the coastal area, and can cause severe consequences. Naval personnel are among the high-risk population for this injury. The aim of this study was to assess knowledge regarding jellyfish envenomation among naval personnel in a navy unit in northeast China. Methods: A predesigned questionnaire was distributed to 120 naval members in January 2015. The data of 108 respondents were included in the statistical analysis. Results: We found that 38.0% of the respondents selected jellyfish sting as the common wound in their units, and 13.0% had experienced or observed this injury. In addition, 63.0% of the participants rated their own knowledge as "low" or "none". The average score they got was 5.77 ± 2.50, with only 16.7% getting a score above 60% of the full score. The correct rates of five questions were below 60%. No statistical differences existed in the knowledge score among different groups of respondents defined by socio-demographic variables. Conclusions: Jellyfish sting is common in this navy unit, but personnel got a low score on the knowledge assessment. They also lacked confidence in first aid. Medical education and training should be implemented to address this issue.

http://ift.tt/29QKB48

Materials, Vol. 9, Pages 589: In Situ Thermal Generation of Silver Nanoparticles in 3D Printed Polymeric Structures

Polymer nanocomposites have always attracted the interest of researchers and industry because of their potential combination of properties from both the nanofillers and the hosting matrix. Gathering nanomaterials and 3D printing could offer clear advantages and numerous new opportunities in several application fields. Embedding nanofillers in a polymeric matrix could improve the final material properties but usually the printing process gets more difficult. Considering this drawback, in this paper we propose a method to obtain polymer nanocomposites by in situ generation of nanoparticles after the printing process. 3D structures were fabricated through a Digital Light Processing (DLP) system by disolving metal salts in the starting liquid formulation. The 3D fabrication is followed by a thermal treatment in order to induce in situ generation of metal nanoparticles (NPs) in the polymer matrix. Comprehensive studies were systematically performed on the thermo-mechanical characteristics, morphology and electrical properties of the 3D printed nanocomposites.

http://ift.tt/29QHBR1

Materials, Vol. 9, Pages 594: Spectroscopic Study of Plasma Polymerized a-C:H Films Deposited by a Dielectric Barrier Discharge

Plasma polymerized a-C:H thin films have been deposited on Si (100) and aluminum coated glass substrates by a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) operated at medium pressure using C2Hm/Ar (m = 2, 4, 6) gas mixtures. The deposited films were characterized by Fourier transform infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (FT-IRRAS), Raman spectroscopy, and ellipsometry. FT-IRRAS revealed the presence of sp3 and sp2 C–H stretching and C–H bending vibrations of bonds in the films. The presence of D and G bands was confirmed by Raman spectroscopy. Thin films obtained from C2H4/Ar and C2H6/Ar gas mixtures have ID/IG ratios of 0.45 and 0.3, respectively. The refractive indices were 2.8 and 3.1 for C2H4/Ar and C2H6/Ar films, respectively, at a photon energy of 2 eV.

http://ift.tt/29QK4iC

Water, Vol. 8, Pages 301: Ecosystem Services Valuation of Lakeside Wetland Park beside Chaohu Lake in China

Wetland ecosystems are one of the three great ecosystems on Earth. With a deepening of research on wetland ecosystems, researchers have paid more and more attention to wetland ecosystem services such as flood mitigation, climate control, pollution prevention, soil-erosion prevention, biodiversity maintenance, and bio-productivity protection. This study focuses on a lakeside wetland ecosystem in Hefei, a city in central China, and estimates the value of ecosystem services such as material production, air purification, water conservation, biodiversity, recreation, species conservation, education and scientific research. We adopted the market value method, carbon tax method, afforestation cost method, shadow engineering method and contingent value method (CVM) using questionnaire survey data during the study period. The results show that the total value of the ecosystem services of Lakeside Wetland Park was 144 million CNY in 2015. Among these services, the value of society service is the maximum at 91.73 million CNY, followed by ecological service and material production service (42.23 million CNY and 10.43 billion CNY in 2015 respectively). When considering wetland ecosystems for economic development, other services must be considered in addition to material production to obtain a longer-term economic value. This research reveals that there is scope for more comprehensive and integrated model development, including multiple wetland ecosystem services and appropriate handling of wetland ecosystem management impacts.

http://ift.tt/29QHFAC

Materials, Vol. 9, Pages 592: Acoustic Performance of Resilient Materials Using Acrylic Polymer Emulsion Resin

There have been frequent cases of civil complaints and disputes in relation to floor impact noises over the years. To solve these issues, a substantial amount of sound resilient material is installed between the concrete slab and the foamed concrete during construction. A new place-type resilient material is made from cement, silica powder, sodium sulfate, expanded-polystyrene, anhydrite, fly ash, and acrylic polymer emulsion resin. Its physical characteristics such as density, compressive strength, dynamic stiffness, and remanent strain are analyzed to assess the acoustic performance of the material. The experimental results showed the density and the dynamic stiffness of the proposed resilient material is increased with proportional to the use of cement and silica powder due to the high contents of the raw materials. The remanent strain, related to the serviceability of a structure, is found to be inversely proportional to the density and strength. The amount of reduction in the heavyweight impact noise is significant in a material with high density, high strength, and low remanent strain. Finally, specimen no. R4, having the reduction level of 3 dB for impact ball and 1 dB for bang machine in the single number quantity level, respectively, is the best product to obtain overall acoustic performance.

http://ift.tt/29QK426

Materials, Vol. 9, Pages 593: Binary Alkali-Metal Silicon Clathrates by Spark Plasma Sintering: Preparation and Characterization

The binary intermetallic clathrates K8-xSi46 (x = 0.4; 1.2), Rb6.2Si46, Rb11.5Si136 and Cs7.8Si136 were prepared from M4Si4 (M = K, Rb, Cs) precursors by spark-plasma route (SPS) and structurally characterized by Rietveld refinement of PXRD data. The clathrate-II phase Rb11.5Si136 was synthesized for the first time. Partial crystallographic site occupancy of the alkali metals, particularly for the smaller Si20 dodecahedra, was found in all compounds. SPS preparation of Na24Si136 with different SPS current polarities and tooling were performed in order to investigate the role of the electric field on clathrate formation. The electrical and thermal transport properties of K7.6Si46 and K6.8Si46 in the temperature range 4–700 K were investigated. Our findings demonstrate that SPS is a novel tool for the synthesis of intermetallic clathrate phases that are not easily accessible by conventional synthesis techniques.

http://ift.tt/29QHC7F

Energies, Vol. 9, Pages 559: Understanding the Contribution of Mining and Transportation to the Total Life Cycle Impacts of Coal Exported from the United States

The construction of two marine bulk terminals in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States are currently under review and would open up additional thermal coal exports to Asia on the order of almost 100 million additional tonnes per year. The major exporters of coal to Asian markets include Indonesia and Australia. This life cycle analysis (LCA) seeks to understand the role of transportation and mining in the cradle-to-busbar environmental impacts of coal exports from the Powder River Basin (PRB) to Asian countries, when compared to the competitor countries. This LCA shows that: (1) the most significant greenhouse gas (GHG) impacts in the cradle-to-busbar life cycle of coal for power generation come from the combustion of coal in a power plant, even when 90% carbon capture is applied; (2) for non-GHG air impacts, power plant combustion impacts are less dominant and variations in upstream impacts (mining and transportation) are more important; and (3) when comparing impacts between countries, upstream impacts vary for both GHG and non-GHG results, but conclusions that rank countries cannot be made. Future research should include expansion to include non-air impacts, potential consequential effects of coal exports, and a better understanding around the characterization of non-GHG ocean transport impacts.

http://ift.tt/29QKohe

Catalysts, Vol. 6, Pages 104: Zr-Based MOF-808 as Meerwein–Ponndorf–Verley Reduction Catalyst for Challenging Carbonyl Compounds

In the fine chemical industry, transfer hydrogenation of carbonyl compounds is an important route to selectively form the corresponding allyl alcohol. The Meerwein–Ponndorf–Verley reduction (MPV) is catalyzed by a Lewis acid catalyst and easily oxidizable alcohols serve as hydrogen donor. We successfully used the Zr-based metal-organic framework (MOF) MOF-808-P as MPV-catalyst with isopropyl alcohol as solvent and hydride donor. After only 2 h, 99% yield of cinnamyl alcohol was obtained. The highly active MOF-808-P is also a good catalyst for the selective reduction of more challenging substrates such as R-carvone and β-ionone. Two strategies were successfully used to shift the equilibrium towards the desired allylic alcohol products: (1) evaporation of formed acetone and (2) the use of the more strongly reducing 1-indanol. Carveol yield was increased to >70%. These results highlight the great potential of this recently discovered Zr-MOF as a chemically and thermally stable catalyst.

http://ift.tt/29QHBRk

Sensors, Vol. 16, Pages 1116: A New Controller for a Smart Walker Based on Human-Robot Formation

This paper presents the development of a smart walker that uses a formation controller in its displacements. Encoders, a laser range finder and ultrasound are the sensors used in the walker. The control actions are based on the user (human) location, who is the actual formation leader. There is neither a sensor attached to the user's body nor force sensors attached to the arm supports of the walker, and thus, the control algorithm projects the measurements taken from the laser sensor into the user reference and, then, calculates the linear and angular walker's velocity to keep the formation (distance and angle) in relation to the user. An algorithm was developed to detect the user's legs, whose distances from the laser sensor provide the information necessary to the controller. The controller was theoretically analyzed regarding its stability, simulated and validated with real users, showing accurate performance in all experiments. In addition, safety rules are used to check both the user and the device conditions, in order to guarantee that the user will not have any risks when using the smart walker. The applicability of this device is for helping people with lower limb mobility impairments.

http://ift.tt/29QK5Do

Neural stem cells in lead toxicity

Lead (Pb) exposure in the early stages of neurodevelopment results in long-lasting alterations that ultimately cognitive function and behaviour. The prime targets of lead toxicity are the multipotent neural stem cells (NSCs). The present review article will discuss the basic molecular physiology involved in the toxicity mechanisms induced by lead and its resultant counter effects on nervous system and physiology. The article shall help researchers working in the area to design new drugs and therapeutics for the efficient management of neuro-toxic states especially upon prenatal exposure to lead.

L'articolo Neural stem cells in lead toxicity sembra essere il primo su European Review.

http://ift.tt/29KhBWC

Remote Sensing, Vol. 8, Pages 604: Flood Damage Analysis: First Floor Elevation Uncertainty Resulting from LiDAR-Derived Digital Surface Models

The use of high resolution ground-based light detection and ranging (LiDAR) datasets provides spatial density and vertical precision for obtaining highly accurate Digital Surface Models (DSMs). As a result, the reliability of flood damage analysis has improved significantly, owing to the increased accuracy of hydrodynamic models. In addition, considerable error reduction has been achieved in the estimation of first floor elevation, which is a critical parameter for determining structural and content damages in buildings. However, as with any discrete measurement technique, LiDAR data contain object space ambiguities, especially in urban areas where the presence of buildings and the floodplain gives rise to a highly complex landscape that is largely corrected by using ancillary information based on the addition of breaklines to a triangulated irregular network (TIN). The present study provides a methodological approach for assessing uncertainty regarding first floor elevation. This is based on: (i) generation an urban TIN from LiDAR data with a density of 0.5 points·m−2, complemented with the river bathymetry obtained from a field survey with a density of 0.3 points·m−2. The TIN was subsequently improved by adding breaklines and was finally transformed to a raster with a spatial resolution of 2 m; (ii) implementation of a two-dimensional (2D) hydrodynamic model based on the 500-year flood return period. The high resolution DSM obtained in the previous step, facilitated addressing the modelling, since it represented suitable urban features influencing hydraulics (e.g., streets and buildings); and (iii) determination of first floor elevation uncertainty within the 500-year flood zone by performing Monte Carlo simulations based on geostatistics and 1997 control elevation points in order to assess error. Deviations in first floor elevation (average: 0.56 m and standard deviation: 0.33 m) show that this parameter has to be neatly characterized in order to obtain reliable assessments of flood damage assessments and implement realistic risk management.

http://ift.tt/29KiJK1

Coatings, Vol. 6, Pages 28: Effect of Activated Plastic Films on Inactivation of Foodborne Pathogens

In the present study, low density polyethylene films were activated by co-extrusion with zinc oxide, zinc acetate or potassium sorbate. Films were also surface-activated with tyrosol singly or in combination with lactic acid or p-hydroxybenzoic acid. Activated films were tested on Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica and Pseudomonas fluorescens. The combinations showing greatest inhibition zones and broadest inhibitory spectrum were the films activated with tyrosol plus p-hydroxybenzoic acid. A small delay in growth of Listeria innocua was observed on seabream packed in ZnO-activated films during refrigerated storage for 7 days. When films activated with 2.5% tyrosol or with 1.5% tyrosol plus 0.5 p-hydroxybenzoic acid were used for vacuum packaging of smoked salmon and smoked tuna challenged with cocktails of S. enterica and L. monocytogenes strains, the combination of tyrosol and p-hydroxybenzoic acid improved inactivation of both pathogens during chill storage compared to films singly activated with tyrosol. The best results were obtained in smoked salmon, since no viable pathogens were detected after 7 days of chill storage for the activated film. Results from the study highlight the potential of plastic films surface-activated with tyrosol and p-hydroxybenzoic acid in the control of foodborne pathogens in smoked seafood.

http://ift.tt/29IPoTT

Water, Vol. 8, Pages 300: Investigation of the Effects of Ship Induced Waves on the Littoral Zone with Field Measurements and CFD Modeling

Waves induced by ship movement might be harmful for the habitat in the littoral zone of rivers due to the temporally increasing bed shear stress, the high-energy breaking waves and the consequently related detachment of benthic animals. In order to understand the complex hydrodynamic phenomena resulting from littoral waves, we present the testing of a novel methodology that incorporates field observations and numerical tools. The study is performed at a section of the Danube River in Hungary and analyzes the influence of different ship types. The field methods consist of parallel acoustic measurements (using Acoustic Doppler Velocimetry (ADV)) conducted at the riverbed and Large Scale Particle Image Velocimetry (LSPIV) of the water surface. ADV measurements provided near-bed flow velocities based on which the wave induced currents and local bed shear stress could be estimated. The LSPIV was able to quantify the dynamics of the breaking waves along the bank. Furthermore, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling was successfully applied to simulate the propagation and the breaking of littoral waves. The used techniques complement each other well and their joint application provides an adequate tool to support the improvement of riverine habitats.

http://ift.tt/29Ki8YW

Materials, Vol. 9, Pages 585: Solvent-Induced Polymorphism of Iron(II) Spin Crossover Complexes

Two new mononuclear iron(II) compounds (1) and (2) of the general formula [Fe(L)2](BF4)2·nCH3CN (L = 4-(2-bromoethyn-1-yl)-2,6-bis(pyrazol-1-yl)pyridine, n = 1 for (1) and n = 2 for compound (2)), were synthesized. The room temperature crystallization afforded concomitant formation of two different solvent analogues: compound (1) exhibiting triclinic P-1 and compound (2) monoclinic C2/c symmetry. Single-crystal X-ray studies confirmed the presence of the LS (low-spin) state for both compounds at 180 K and of the HS (high-spin) state for compound (2) at 293 K, in full agreement with the magnetic investigations for both solvent polymorphs. Compound (1) exhibits spin transition above 293 K followed by subsequent solvent liberation, while the spin transition of (2) takes already place at 237 K. After complete solvent removal from the crystal lattice, compound (1d) (the desolvated polymorph derived from (1)) exhibits spin transition centered at 342 K accompanied by a thermal hysteresis loop, while the analogous compound (2d) (the desolvated derivate of compound (2)) remains blocked in the HS state over all the investigated temperature range.

http://ift.tt/29IPg6V

Sustainability, Vol. 8, Pages 689: Regional Port Productivity in APEC

The regional growth of the goods and services trade has placed greater pressure on the ports of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) members, especially in the developing countries. The purpose of this study is to apply the generalized metafrontier Malmquist productivity index (gMMPI) to compare the port productivity of developed countries (DCs) and developing countries (LDCs) in APEC. The results indicate that, first, the average rate of utilized capacity among the ports of APEC members was only 65.7% during 2002–2011, which means that another 34.3% of additional through put can be handled with the same level of resources. Second, the average productivity of the container ports in the DCs appeared to be higher than those located in the LDCs. The main sources of productive growth in the DCs were based on scale efficiency change (SEC), technical efficiency change (TEC), and potential technological relative change (PTRC), while the main source of productive growth in LDCs was based on SEC. Third, SEC appeared to be the dominant factor that affects the utilization of all ports.

http://ift.tt/29Ki8Ie

Dentistry Journal, Vol. 4, Pages 23: Comments on Public Health Aspects of Paediatric Dental Treatment under General Anaesthesia. Dent. J. 2016, 4, 20

I would like to comment on an article by Thomson [1] recently published in Dentistry Journal.[...]

http://ift.tt/29KigaU

Applied Sciences, Vol. 6, Pages 205: Heterodyne Angle Deviation Interferometry in Vibration and Bubble Measurements

We proposed heterodyne angle deviation interferometry (HADI) for angle deviation measurements. The phase shift of an angular sensor (which can be a metal film or a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) prism) is proportional to the deviation angle of the test beam. The method has been demonstrated in bubble and speaker's vibration measurements in this paper. In the speaker's vibration measurement, the voltage from the phase channel of a lock-in amplifier includes the vibration level and frequency. In bubble measurement, we can count the number of bubbles passing through the cross section of the laser beam and measure the bubble size from the phase pulse signal.

http://ift.tt/29IPzih

Social Sciences, Vol. 5, Pages 31: Worksheet for Describing and Categorizing a Genocidal Event: A New Tool for Assembling More Objective Data and Classifying Events of Mass Killing

A new tool is presented for facilitating greater objectivity in the chaotic field of genocide studies: first, assembling the available factual data about any event of mass murder systematically; second, contextualizing each of our judgments of the nature of the crime as a choice being made by a given scholar or institution (e.g., a specific court), but not as "God's word." The Worksheet for Describing and Categorizing a Genocidal Event is believed to be innovative in several ways: (1) This model presents researchers with a methodology for developing systematic, extensive and objective information about many different aspects of an event of mass killing; (2) Emphasis is placed on identifying each researcher's guiding concept of genocide; (3) The proposed methodology purposely postpones any effort at classification—including whether an event constitutes "genocide"—until after factual data have been assembled; (4) Categorization of an event is also to be understood as an act of judgment by each researcher, not as scientifically established truth; (5) It is also to be understood that classification in the language of social sciences is different than legal classifications that in turn also are to be understood as based on whatever specific code of law.

http://ift.tt/29IQ4sr

Association of Living Arrangement Conditions and Socioeconomic Differentials with Anemia Status among Women in Rural Bangladesh

In Bangladesh, iron deficiency is the most common cause of anemia and remains a significant public health concern. Being a high anemia prevalent country, numerous efforts have been made to confront the issue especially among women and children by both local and international actors. Though the situation has substantially improved in recent years, a staggering number of adult women are currently living with anemia. The etiology of anemia is a multifactorial problem and has been proposed to be associated with various household, societal, economic, cultural factors apart from dietary habits. However, evidence regarding the household arrangements and socioeconomic determinants of anemia is scarce, especially in the context of Bangladesh. To this end, we utilized the 2011 demographic and health survey data to explore the association between anemia status and selected demographic, socioeconomic, and household characteristics. Our result showed significant correlation of anemia with both sociodemographic and household characteristics. Among the sociodemographic variables the following were found to be significantly associated with anemia status: age (; OR = 1.195; 95% CI = 1.036–1.378) and microcredit membership (; OR = 1.19; 95% CI = 1.037–1.386). Regarding the household arrangements, women utilizing biomass fuel for cooking (; OR = 1.82; 95% CI = 0.981–2.460) were more likely to be anemic.

http://ift.tt/2acNXhg

Esophageal Stent for Refractory Variceal Bleeding: A Systemic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background. Preliminary studies suggest that covered self-expandable metal stents may be helpful in controlling esophageal variceal bleeding. Aims. To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of esophageal stent in refractory variceal bleeding in a systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods. A comprehensive literature search was conducted on PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library covering the period from January 1970 to December 2015. Data were selected and abstracted from eligible studies and were pooled using a random-effects model. Heterogeneity was assessed using test. Results. Five studies involving 80 patients were included in the analysis. The age of patients ranged from 18 to 91 years. The mean duration of follow-up was 46.8 d (range, 30–60 d). The success rate of stent deployment was 96.7% (95% CI: 91.6%–99.5%) and complete response to esophageal stenting was in 93.9% (95% CI: 82.2%–99.6%). The incidence of rebleeding was 13.2% (95% CI: 1.8%–32.8%) and the overall mortality was 34.5% (95% CI: 24.8%–44.8%). Most of patients (87.4%) died from hepatic or multiple organ failure, and only 12.6% of patients died from uncontrolled bleeding. There was no stent-related complication reported and the incidence of stent migration was 21.6% (95% CI: 4.7%–46.1%). Conclusion. Esophageal stent may be considered in patients with variceal bleeding refractory to conventional therapy.

http://ift.tt/2a8h7LH

Delivery after Operation for Deeply Infiltrating Endometriosis

Background. It has been suggested that, during pregnancy, endometriosis can cause a variety of disease-related complications. Objectives. The purpose of the study was to find out if women with histologically confirmed endometriosis do have a higher risk of adverse pregnancy outcome and if they suffer from a higher rate of complications during labor. Study Design. 51 women who underwent surgery because of deeply infiltrating endometriosis in the General Hospital Linz and the Women's General Hospital Linz and who gave birth in the Women's General Hospital Linz after the surgery were included in our survey. Results. 31 women (60.8%) had a spontaneous delivery and in 20 women (39.2%) a caesarean section was performed. There were no cases of third- and fourth-degree perineal lacerations. Collectively there were 4 cases (7.8%) of preterm delivery and one case (2.0%) of premature rupture of membranes. In two women (6.5%) a retained placenta was diagnosed. Conclusions. Our study is the first description on delivery modes after surgery for deeply infiltrating endometriosis. We did not find an elevated risk for perineal or vaginal laceration in women with a history of surgery for deeply infiltrating endometriosis, even when a resection of the rectum or of the posterior vaginal wall had been performed.

http://ift.tt/2acNAmK