Viruses, Vol. 8, Pages 222: Treatment of HEV Infection in Patients with a Solid-Organ Transplant and Chronic Hepatitis

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection can cause hepatic and extra-hepatic manifestations. Treatment of HEV infection has been thoroughly studied in solid-organ-transplant patients who have developed a chronic HEV infection. In this review, we report on our current knowledge regarding treatment of HEV infection.

http://ift.tt/2b8BGIL

Microorganisms, Vol. 4, Pages 27: Immunoregulatory Effects Triggered by Lactic Acid Bacteria Exopolysaccharides: New Insights into Molecular Interactions with Host Cells

Researchers have demonstrated that lactic acid bacteria (LAB) with immunomodulatory capabilities (immunobiotics) exert their beneficial effects through several molecules, including cell wall, peptidoglycan, and exopolysaccharides (EPS), that are able to interact with specific host cell receptors. EPS from LAB show a wide heterogeneity in its composition, meaning that biological properties depend on the strain and. therefore, only a part of the mechanism of action has been elucidated for these molecules. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge of the health-promoting actions of EPS from LAB with special focus on their immunoregulatory actions. In addition, we describe our studies using porcine intestinal epithelial cells (PIE cells) as a model to evaluate the molecular interactions of EPS from two immunobiotic LAB strains and the host cells. Our studies showed that EPS from immunobiotic LAB have anti-inflammatory capacities in PIE cells since they are able to reduce the production of inflammatory cytokines in cells challenged with the Toll-like receptor (TLR)-4-agonist lipopolysaccharide. The effects of EPS were dependent on TLR2, TLR4, and negative regulators of TLR signaling. We also reported that the radioprotective 105 (RP105)/MD1 complex, a member of the TLR family, is partially involved in the immunoregulatory effects of the EPS from LAB. Our work described, for the first time, that LAB and their EPS reduce inflammation in intestinal epithelial cells in a RP105/MD1-dependent manner. A continuing challenge for the future is to reveal more effector-receptor relationships in immunobiotic-host interactions that contribute to the beneficial effects of these bacteria on mucosal immune homeostasis. A detailed molecular understanding should lead to a more rational use of immunobiotics in general, and their EPS in particular, as efficient prevention and therapies for specific immune-related disorders in humans and animals.

http://ift.tt/2aVl764

Early postoperative endoscopy for targeted management of patients at risks of anastomotic complications after esophagectomy

Surgery

http://ift.tt/2aVji9e

Infrequent clinical assessment of chronic hepatitis B patients in United States general healthcare settings

Clinical Infectious Diseases

http://ift.tt/2b8AtBg

Genetic variations of DICKKOPF family genes might not be associated with gastric cancer susceptibility

BMC Gastroenterology

http://ift.tt/2aViS2C

Comparison of sequential therapy and amoxicillin/tetracycline containing bismuth quadruple therapy for the first-line eradication of Helicobacter pylori: A prospective, multi-center, randomized clinical trial

BMC Gastroenterology

http://ift.tt/2b8AZiw

The effect of unenhanced MRI on the surgeons decision-making process in females with suspected appendicitis

World Journal of Surgery

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Effectiveness and tolerability of simeprevir and sofosbuvir in nontransplant and post-liver transplant patients with hepatitis C genotype 1

Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics

http://ift.tt/2b8APaV

Biologic mesh in ventral hernia repair: Outcomes, recurrence, and charge analysis

Surgery

http://ift.tt/2aVjmWx

Vonoprazan prevents bleeding from endoscopic submucosal dissection-induced gastric ulcers

Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics

http://ift.tt/2b8AQeZ

Quality of life and medico-legal implications following iatrogenic bile duct injuries

World Journal of Surgery

http://ift.tt/2aVjGEC

Cost-effectiveness of same-admission versus interval cholecystectomy after mild gallstone pancreatitis in the PONCHO trial

British Journal of Surgery

http://ift.tt/2b8Avcn

Pouch reshaping for significant weight regain after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass

Obesity Surgery

http://ift.tt/2aViYHv

Economic evaluation of pegylated interferon plus ribavirin for treatment of chronic hepatitis C in Thailand: Genotype 1 and 6

BMC Gastroenterology

http://ift.tt/2b8AULZ

Observation on the effects of different partitioned moxibustion in treating ulcerative colitis

Journal of Acupuncture and Tuina Science

http://ift.tt/2aVjhCn

Nonstructural 3 protein of hepatitis C virus modulates the tribbles homolog 3/Akt signaling pathway for persistent viral infection

Journal of Virology

http://ift.tt/2b8Asgv

Colonic polyp histopathology and location in a community-based sample of older adults

BMC Gastroenterology

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Randomised clinical study: Inulin short-chain fatty acid esters for targeted delivery of short-chain fatty acids to the human colon

Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics

http://ift.tt/2b8AEwc

Pancreatic duct holder and mucosa squeeze-out technique for duct-to-mucosa pancreatojejunostomy after pancreatoduodenectomy: Propensity score matching analysis

World Journal of Surgery

http://ift.tt/2aViEsy

Ultra E.R.A.S. in laparoscopic colectomy for cancer: discharge after the first flatus? A prospective, randomized trial

Surgical Endoscopy

http://ift.tt/2b8AchD

Glycemic control and variability in association with body mass index and body composition over 18?months in youth with type 1 diabetes

Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice

http://ift.tt/2aViGk6

Economic and public health impacts of policies restricting access to hepatitis C treatment for Medicaid patients

Value in Health

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Polymers, Vol. 8, Pages 306: Protein-Repellence PES Membranes Using Bio-grafting of Ortho-aminophenol

Surface modification becomes an effective tool for improvement of both flux and selectivity of membrane by reducing the adsorption of the components of the fluid used onto its surface. A successful green modification of poly(ethersulfone) (PES) membranes using ortho-aminophenol (2-AP) modifier and laccase enzyme biocatalyst under very flexible conditions is presented in this paper. The modified PES membranes were evaluated using many techniques including total color change, pure water flux, and protein repellence that were related to the gravimetric grafting yield. In addition, static water contact angle on laminated PES layers were determined. Blank and modified commercial membranes (surface and cross-section) and laminated PES layers (surface) were imaged by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and scanning probe microscope (SPM) to illustrate the formed modifying poly(2-aminophenol) layer(s). This green modification resulted in an improvement of both membrane flux and protein repellence, up to 15.4% and 81.27%, respectively, relative to the blank membrane.

http://ift.tt/2aNn2Zf

Mathematics, Vol. 4, Pages 52: Role of Measurement Incompatibility and Uncertainty in Determining Nonlocality

It has been recently shown that measurement incompatibility and fine grained uncertainty—a particular form of preparation uncertainty relation—are deeply related to the nonlocal feature of quantum mechanics. In particular, the degree of measurement incompatibility in a no-signaling theory determines the bound on the violation of Bell-CHSH inequality, and a similar role is also played by (fine-grained) uncertainty along with steering, a subtle non-local phenomenon. We review these connections, along with comments on the difference in the roles played by measurement incompatibility and uncertainty. We also discuss why the toy model of Spekkens (Phys. Rev. A 75, 032110 (2007)) shows no nonlocal feature even though steering is present in this theory.

http://ift.tt/2bj9gKC

Molecules, Vol. 21, Pages 1054: Bioactive Thiazine and Benzothiazine Derivatives: Green Synthesis Methods and Their Medicinal Importance

Thiazines are a group of heterocyclic organic compounds that are still largely unexplored for their pharmacological activities. There are different available methods for the synthesis of thiazine derivatives in the literature. In this review, we discuss available methods of thiazine preparation through green synthesis methods. Beside their synthesis, many thiazine derivatives are biologically active and play an important role in the treatment of various diseases and show promising results of varying degrees, where they act as antibacterial, antifungal, antitumor, antimalarial, antineoplastic, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, analgesic and anticancer agents and thus they represent an interesting class of heterocyclic medicinal compounds worthy of further exploration.

http://ift.tt/2aNnM0j

Brain Sciences, Vol. 6, Pages 30: Medication-Overuse Headache: Differences between Daily and Near-Daily Headache Patients

Medication-overuse headache (MOH) is a challenging neurological disease, which brings frustration for sufferers and treating physicians. The patient's lack of adherence and limited treatment evidence are frequent. The aim of this study was to compare the outcome and treatment strategies between consecutive MOH patients with daily and near-daily headache from a tertiary center. Methods: Every consecutive patient seen between January and December 2014 with the diagnosis of MOH was included. Psychiatric comorbidities, inability to inform baseline headache frequency, current or previous two-month use of preventive medications, and refusal to sign informed consent were exclusion criteria. The patients were evaluated in thorough initial consultations and divided in two groups based on their baseline headache frequency. The diagnosis and treatment strategies were clearly explained. The filling out of a detailed headache diary was requested from all patients. Endpoints compared headache frequency and adherence after two, four, and eight months between the two study groups. Results: One-hundred sixty-eight patients (31 male, 137 female) met the inclusion criteria. Nineteen patients (11.3%) were excluded. All patients had migraine or chronic migraine as primary headaches. Eighty had daily (DH), and 69 near-daily headache (NDH), at baseline consultation. Mean baseline frequency was 24.8 headache days/month (18.9 days/month for the near-daily group), average headache history was 20.6 years and mean time with >15 headache days/month was 4.8 years. Outpatient withdrawal, starting prevention, and enforcing the correct use of rescue therapy was carried out with all patients. After two months, 88% of the DH and 71% of the NDH groups adhered to treatment (p = 0.0002). The HF decreased to 12 and 9 headache days/month, respectively in DH and NDH groups (p > 0.05, non-significant) (Intention-to-treat (ITT) 14 DH; 12 NDH; p > 0.05). After four and eight months, 86.3% and 83.7% of the DH patients, and 59.4% and 55% of the NDH patients were still under treatment (p = 0.0003 and p = 0.0001). The HF decreased, respectively, to nine and nine headache days/month in the DH patients compared to 6 and 7 headache days/month in the NDH group (p > 0.05) (ITT, 12; 12; DH; 10; 11; NDH; p > 0.05). Conclusions: Although open studies provide limited conclusions, withdrawing overused medications and starting prevention may have helped the favorable outcomes. However, daily headache patients had a significantly higher adherence and lower relapse rates than near-daily headache patients, despite a considerable reduced headache frequency in both groups. Additionally, real-world patient studies are scarce and the comparison between these two subsets of patients may be useful to guide clinicians in approaching their patients. Controlled studies are necessary to confirm these observations.

http://ift.tt/2b5x7zM

Sensors, Vol. 16, Pages 1278: On the Dynamic RSS Feedbacks of Indoor Fingerprinting Databases for Localization Reliability Improvement

Location data is one of the most widely used context data types in context-aware and ubiquitous computing applications. To support locating applications in indoor environments, numerous systems with different deployment costs and positioning accuracies have been developed over the past decade. One useful method, based on received signal strength (RSS), provides a set of signal transmission access points. However, compiling a remeasurement RSS database involves a high cost, which is impractical in dynamically changing environments, particularly in highly crowded areas. In this study, we propose a dynamic estimation resampling method for certain locations chosen from a set of remeasurement fingerprinting databases. Our proposed method adaptively applies different, newly updated and offline fingerprinting points according to the temporal and spatial strength of the location. To achieve accuracy within a simulated area, the proposed method requires approximately 3% of the feedback to attain a double correctness probability comparable to similar methods; in a real environment, our proposed method can obtain excellent 1 m accuracy errors in the positioning system.

http://ift.tt/2aTAw15

Societies, Vol. 6, Pages 25: Latinos Need to Stay in Their Place: Differential Segregation in a Multi-Ethnic Suburb

While Latinos face high levels of segregation, there is scant research specifically addressing whites' attitudes towards Latinos regarding their preferences. This study draws from 40 in-depth interviews with whites in Orange County California, an area with a large Latino and Asian population. I demonstrate that white respondents choose to segregate themselves from Latinos. Most studies have used Blumer's group position theory to explain white attitudes and neighborhood preference towards Blacks. My findings supports Blumer's group position theory by revealing why white respondents feel threatened by an increase in the Latino population. Yet, the Asian population has also grown, but white respondents convey positive sentiments towards Asians, and express they feel comfortable living and interacting with them. I argue that white respondents' preferences with regards to integration are not solely based on the size of a group, but rather whether they characterize the group as inferior. Integration has been touted as an American principle. Yet, as the country becomes more diverse, this case study illustrates that white respondents prefer to share space with those they feel similar to, and consequently contribute to Latino segregation.

http://ift.tt/2b5xIS7

Minerals, Vol. 6, Pages 84: Phytomining for Artisanal Gold Mine Tailings Management

Mine tailings are generally disposed of by artisanal and small scale gold miners in poorly constructed containment areas and this leads to environmental risk. Gold phytomining could be a possible option for tailings management at artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) locations where plants accumulate residual gold in their above ground biomass. The value of metal recovered from plants could offset some of the costs of environmental management. Getting gold into plants has been repeatedly demonstrated by many research groups; however, a simple working technology to get gold out of plants is less well described. A field experiment to assess the relevance of the technology to artisanal miners was conducted in Central Lombok, Indonesia between April and June 2015. Tobacco was planted in cyanidation tailings (1 mg/kg gold) and grown for 2.5 months before the entire plot area was irrigated with NaCN to induce metal uptake. Biomass was then harvested (100 kg), air dried, and ashed by miners in equipment currently used to ash activated carbon at the end of a cyanide leach circuit. Borax and silver as a collector metal were added to the tobacco ash and smelted at high temperature to extract metals from the ash. The mass of the final bullion (39 g) was greater than the mass of silver used as a collector (31 g), indicating recovery of metals from the biomass through the smelt process. The gold yield of this trial was low (1.2 mg/kg dry weight biomass concentration), indicating that considerable work must still be done to optimise valuable metal recovery by plants at the field scale. However, the described method to process the biomass was technically feasible, and represents a valid technique that artisanal and small-scale gold miners are willing to adopt if the economic case is good.

http://ift.tt/2aTAGWj

Dentistry Journal, Vol. 4, Pages 27: Behavior Assessment in Children Following Hospital-Based General Anesthesia versus Office-Based General Anesthesia

The purpose of this study was to determine if differences in behavior exist following dental treatment under hospital-based general anesthesia (HBGA) or office-based general anesthesia (OBGA) in the percentage of patients exhibiting positive behavior and in the mean Frankl scores at recall visits. This retrospective study examined records of a pediatric dental office over a 4 year period. Patients presenting before 48 months of age for an initial exam who were diagnosed with early childhood caries were included in the study. Following an initial exam, patients were treated under HBGA or OBGA. Patients were followed to determine their behavior at 6-, 12- and 18-month recall appointments. Fifty-four patients received treatment under HBGA and 26 were treated under OBGA. OBGA patients were significantly more likely to exhibit positive behavior at the 6- and 12-month recall visits p = 0.038 & p = 0.029). Clinicians should consider future behavior when determining general anesthesia treatment modalities in children with early childhood caries presenting to their office.

http://ift.tt/2b5xUAA

Remote Sensing, Vol. 8, Pages 657: Mapping Clearances in Tropical Dry Forests Using Breakpoints, Trend, and Seasonal Components from MODIS Time Series: Does Forest Type Matter?

Tropical environments present a unique challenge for optical time series analysis, primarily owing to fragmented data availability, persistent cloud cover and atmospheric aerosols. Additionally, little is known of whether the performance of time series change detection is affected by diverse forest types found in tropical dry regions. In this paper, we develop a methodology for mapping forest clearing in Southeast Asia using a study region characterised by heterogeneous forest types. Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) time series are decomposed using Breaks For Additive Season and Trend (BFAST) and breakpoints, trend, and seasonal components are combined in a binomial probability model to distinguish between cleared and stable forest. We found that the addition of seasonality and trend information improves the change model performance compared to using breakpoints alone. We also demonstrate the value of considering forest type in disturbance mapping in comparison to the more common approach that combines all forest types into a single generalised forest class. By taking a generalised forest approach, there is less control over the error distribution in each forest type. Dry-deciduous and evergreen forests are especially sensitive to error imbalances using a generalised forest model i.e., clearances were underestimated in evergreen forest, and overestimated in dry-deciduous forest. This suggests that forest type needs to be considered in time series change mapping, especially in heterogeneous forest regions. Our approach builds towards improving large-area monitoring of forest-diverse regions such as Southeast Asia. The findings of this study should also be transferable across optical sensors and are therefore relevant for the future availability of dense time series for the tropics at higher spatial resolutions.

http://ift.tt/2bx2Pba

IJFS, Vol. 4, Pages 16: Capital Regulation and Bank Risk-Taking Behavior: Evidence from Pakistan

In response to the global financial crisis of 2007–2009, risk-based capital requirements have been reinforced in the new Basel III Accord to counter excessive bank risk-taking behavior. However, prior theoretical as well as empirical literature that studies the impact of risk-based capital requirements on bank risk-taking behavior is inconclusive. The primary purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of risk-based capital requirements on bank risk-taking behavior, using a panel dataset of 21 listed commercial banks of Pakistan over the period 2005–2012. Purely regulatory measures of bank capital, capital adequacy ratio, and bank assets portfolio risk, risk-weighted assets to total assets ratio, are used for the main analysis. Recently developed small N panel methods (bias corrected least squares dummy variable (LSDVC) method and system GMM method with instruments collapse option) are used to control for panel fixed effects, dynamic dependent variables, and endogenous independent variables. Overall, the results suggest that commercial banks have reduced assets portfolio risk in response to stringent risk-based capital requirements. Results also confirm that all banks having risk-based capital ratios either lower or higher than the regulatory required limits, have decreased portfolio risk in response to stringent risk-based capital requirements. The results are robust to alternative proxies of bank risk-taking, alternative estimation methods, and alternative samples.

http://ift.tt/2aXdZlA

Toxins, Vol. 8, Pages 241: Identification of an Essential Region for Translocation of Clostridium difficile Toxin B

Clostridium difficile toxin A (TcdA) and toxin B (TcdB) are the major virulence factors involved in C. difficile-associated diarrhea and pseudomembranous colitis. TcdA and TcdB both contain at least four distinct domains: the glucosyltransferase domain, cysteine protease domain, receptor binding domain, and translocation domain. Few studies have investigated the translocation domain and its mechanism of action. Recently, it was demonstrated that a segment of 97 amino acids (AA 1756–1852, designated D97) within the translocation domain of TcdB is essential for the in vitro and in vivo toxicity of TcdB. However, the mechanism by which D97 regulates the action of TcdB in host cells and the important amino acids within this region are unknown. In this study, we discovered that a smaller fragment, amino acids 1756–1780, located in the N-terminus of the D97 fragment, is essential for translocation of the effector glucosyltransferase domain into the host cytosol. A sequence of 25AA within D97 is predicted to form an alpha helical structure and is the critical part of D97. The deletion mutant TcdB∆1756–1780 showed similar glucosyltransferase and cysteine protease activity, cellular binding, and pore formation to wild type TcdB, but it failed to induce the glucosylation of Rho GTPase Rac1 of host cells. Moreover, we found that TcdB∆1756–1780 was rapidly degraded in the endosome of target cells, and therefore its intact glucosyltransferase domain was unable to translocate efficiently into host cytosol. Our finding provides an insight into the molecular mechanisms of action of TcdB in the intoxication of host cells.

http://ift.tt/2aV6n7d

Vaccination with Astragalus and Ginseng Polysaccharides Improves Immune Response of Chickens against H5N1 Avian Influenza Virus

To determine the effect of astragalus and ginseng polysaccharides (APS, GPS) on immune response and improvement of H5N1 vaccine, 360-day-old broilers were randomly divided into 8 groups of 45 chicks, comprising APS groups (1–3); GPS groups (4–6); vaccine group (7); and blank control (8) (without polysaccharide and vaccine). From day 12 after hatch groups 1–3 were given APS and groups 4–6 with GPS both at 100, 200, and 400 (mg/kg), respectively. At day 15 after hatch, groups 1–7 were vaccinated with 0.3 mL H5N1 vaccine subcutaneously; daily weight gain (DWG) and serum Ig antibody (by HI-test) were measured on 3, 7, 14, and 28 days after vaccination. Serum antibody titers and expression of cytokines (IL-2, IL-10, I FN-γ, and TNF) were determined by ELISA and RT-PCR. Results revealed that all the polysaccharide groups were numerically increased in antibody levels and the expression of cytokines was significant () in the APS and GPS groups compared to corresponding vaccine group and blank control. DWG was higher () in 400 mg/kg APS groups than control groups. Thus oral supplements of GPS and APS have shown their potential in the improvement of immune response and could be used as adjuvant in a formulation of H5N1 vaccine.

http://ift.tt/2aXbfF8

Entropy, Vol. 18, Pages 299: Determining the Entropic Index q of Tsallis Entropy in Images through Redundancy

The Boltzmann–Gibbs and Tsallis entropies are essential concepts in statistical physics, which have found multiple applications in many engineering and science areas. In particular, we focus our interest on their applications to image processing through information theory. We present in this article a novel numeric method to calculate the Tsallis entropic index q characteristic to a given image, considering the image as a non-extensive system. The entropic index q is calculated through q-redundancy maximization, which is a methodology that comes from information theory. We find better results in the image processing in the grayscale by using the Tsallis entropy and thresholding q instead of the Shannon entropy.

http://ift.tt/2brRsOF

Symmetry, Vol. 8, Pages 79: Modeling Bottom-Up Visual Attention Using Dihedral Group D4 §

In this paper, first, we briefly describe the dihedral group D 4 that serves as the basis for calculating saliency in our proposed model. Second, our saliency model makes two major changes in a latest state-of-the-art model known as group-based asymmetry. First, based on the properties of the dihedral group D 4 , we simplify the asymmetry calculations associated with the measurement of saliency. This results is an algorithm that reduces the number of calculations by at least half that makes it the fastest among the six best algorithms used in this research article. Second, in order to maximize the information across different chromatic and multi-resolution features, the color image space is de-correlated. We evaluate our algorithm against 10 state-of-the-art saliency models. Our results show that by using optimal parameters for a given dataset, our proposed model can outperform the best saliency algorithm in the literature. However, as the differences among the (few) best saliency models are small, we would like to suggest that our proposed model is among the best and the fastest among the best. Finally, as a part of future work, we suggest that our proposed approach on saliency can be extended to include three-dimensional image data.

http://ift.tt/2aV6qjx

Sustainability, Vol. 8, Pages 804: Towards Equitable and Sustainable Urban Space: Introduction to Special Issue on “Urban Land and Sustainable Development”

The unprecedented wave of global urbanization has exerted increased pressure on urban land and made land-use sustainability an urgent concern. This Special Issue examines patterns, structures, and dynamics of urban land use from the economic, social, and, to a lesser extent, environmental standpoints, in light of the goal of equitable and sustainable development. This introduction discusses the background and design of the Special Issue and highlights the contribution of the selected papers.

http://ift.tt/2brQNwA

Energies, Vol. 9, Pages 633: Non-Vacuum Processed Polymer Composite Antireflection Coating Films for Silicon Solar Cells

A non-vacuum processing method for preparing polymer-based ZrO2/TiO2 multilayer structure antireflection coating (ARC) films for crystalline silicon solar cells by spin coating is introduced. Initially, ZrO2, TiO2 and surface deactivated-TiO2 (SD-TiO2) based films were examined separately and the effect of photocatalytic properties of TiO2 film on the reflectivity on silicon surface was investigated. Degradation of the reflectance performance with increasing reflectivity of up to 2% in the ultraviolet region was confirmed. No significant change of the reflectance was observed when utilizing SD-TiO2 and ZrO2 films. Average reflectance (between 300 nm–1100 nm) of the silicon surface coated with optimized polymer-based ZrO2 single or ZrO2/SD-TiO2 multilayer composite films was decreased down to 6.5% and 5.5%, respectively. Improvement of photocurrent density (Jsc) and conversion efficiency (η) of fabricated silicon solar cells owing to the ZrO2/SD-TiO2 multilayer ARC could be confirmed. The photovoltaic properties of Jsc, the open-circuit photo voltage (VOC), the fill factor (FF), and the η were 31.42 mA cm−2, 575 mV, 71.5% and 12.91%. Efficiency of the solar cells was improved by the ZrO2-polymer/SD-TiO2 polymer ARC composite layer by a factor of 0.8% with an increase of Jsc (2.07 mA cm−2) compared to those of fabricated without the ARC.

http://ift.tt/2aV6orN

Sustainability, Vol. 8, Pages 801: An Interpretive Framework for Assessing and Monitoring the Sustainability of School Gardens

School gardens are, increasingly, an integral part of projects aiming to promote nutritional education and environmental sustainability in many countries throughout the world. In the late 1950s, FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) and UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund) had already developed projects to improve the dietary intake and behavior through school and community gardens. However, notwithstanding decades of experience, real proof of how these programs contribute to improving sustainability has not been well-documented, and reported findings have mostly been anecdotal. Therefore, it is important to begin a process of collecting and monitoring data to quantify the results and possibly improve their efficiency. This study's primary goal is to propose an interpretive structure—the "Sustainable Agri-Food Evaluation Methodology-Garden" (SAEMETH-G), that is able to quantifiably guide the sustainability evaluation of various school garden organizational forms. As a case study, the methodology was applied to 15 school gardens located in three regions of Kenya, Africa. This application of SAEMETH-G as an assessment tool based on user-friendly indicators demonstrates that it is possible to carry out sustainability evaluations of school gardens through a participatory and interdisciplinary approach. Thus, the hypothesis that the original SAEMETH operative framework could be tested in gardens has also been confirmed. SAEMETH-G is a promising tool that has the potential to help us understand school gardens' sustainability better and to use that knowledge in their further development all over the world.

http://ift.tt/2brR6HC

Sensors, Vol. 16, Pages 1283: CO Gas Sensing Properties of Pure and Cu-Incorporated SnO2 Nanoparticles: A Study of Cu-Induced Modifications

Pure and copper (Cu)-incorporated tin oxide (SnO2) pellet gas sensors with characteristics provoking gas sensitivity were fabricated and used for measuring carbon monoxide (CO) atmospheres. Non-spherical pure SnO2 nano-structures were prepared by using urea as the precipitation agent. The resultant SnO2 powders were ball milled and incorporated with a transition metal, Cu, via chemical synthesis method. The incorporation is confirmed by high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM) analysis. By utilizing Cu-incorporated SnO2 pellets an increase in the CO sensitivity by an order of three, and a decrease in the response and recovery times by an order of two, were obtained. This improvement in the sensitivity is due to two factors that arise due to Cu incorporation: necks between the microparticles and stacking faults in the grains. These two factors increased the conductivity and oxygen adsorption, respectively, at the pellets' surface of SnO2 which, in turn, raised the CO sensitivity.

http://ift.tt/2aV6Lmd

Galaxies, Vol. 4, Pages 9: Self-Gravitating Bose-Einstein Condensates and the Thomas-Fermi Approximation

Self-gravitating Bose-Einstein condensates (BEC) have been proposed in various astrophysical contexts, including Bose-stars and BEC dark matter halos. These systems are described by a combination of the Gross-Pitaevskii and Poisson equations (the GPP system). In the analysis of these hypothetical objects, the Thomas-Fermi (TF) approximation is widely used. This approximation is based on the assumption that in the presence of a large number of particles, the kinetic term in the Gross-Pitaevskii energy functional can be neglected, yet it is well known that this assumption is violated near the condensate surface. We also show that the total energy of the self-gravitating condensate in the TF-approximation is positive. The stability of a self-gravitating system is dependent on the total energy being negative. Therefore, the TF-approximation is ill suited to formulate initial conditions in numerical simulations. As an alternative, we offer an approximate solution of the full GPP system.

http://ift.tt/2brRg1S

Entropy, Vol. 18, Pages 300: Assessing the Exergy Costs of a 332-MW Pulverized Coal-Fired Boiler

In this paper, we analyze the exergy costs of a real large industrial boiler with the aim of improving efficiency. Specifically, the 350-MW front-fired, natural circulation, single reheat and balanced draft coal-fired boiler forms part of a 1050-MW conventional power plant located in Spain. We start with a diagram of the power plant, followed by a formulation of the exergy cost allocation problem to determine the exergy cost of the product of the boiler as a whole and the expenses of the individual components and energy streams. We also define a productive structure of the system. Furthermore, a proposal for including the exergy of radiation is provided in this study. Our results show that the unit exergy cost of the product of the boiler goes from 2.352 to 2.5, and that the maximum values are located in the ancillary electrical devices, such as induced-draft fans and coil heaters. Finally, radiation does not have an effect on the electricity cost, but affects at least 30% of the unit exergy cost of the boiler's product.

http://ift.tt/2aV6dwK

Informatics, Vol. 3, Pages 14: Advancing the Direction of Health Information Management in Greek Public Hospitals: Theoretical Directions and Methodological Implications for Sharing Information in order to Obtain Decision-Making

Although consultants have long placed the use of research information at the centre of their activity, the extent that physicians use this information tends to vary widely. Despite this study and its recommendations, there is still a gap between the functions of a manager and the use of the associated information, while the decision-making procedures vary according to the organization in which they work. The cost of IT remains the largest barrier, while some current IT solutions are not user friendly and out-of-date, particularly for public hospitals in Greece. The knowledge management is concerned not only with the facts and figures of production, but also with the know-how of staff. The information needs protocol should not be referred only to those who comply with formal computer-based information systems, but also to those who take into account other informal information and its flow within the organization. In a field such as medicine, where out-of-date information may be positively dangerous, doctors make heavy use of journals and several texts from the web. The decision-making process is a complex approach, particularly in human diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Therefore, it is very important to set priorities in the sector of health information management and promote education and training on information and communication technology (ICT).

http://ift.tt/2brR5Dy

Toxins, Vol. 8, Pages 241: Identification of an Essential Region for Translocation of Clostridium difficile Toxin B

Clostridium difficile toxin A (TcdA) and toxin B (TcdB) are the major virulence factors involved in C. difficile-associated diarrhea and pseudomembranous colitis. TcdA and TcdB both contain at least four distinct domains: the glucosyltransferase domain, cysteine protease domain, receptor binding domain, and translocation domain. Few studies have investigated the translocation domain and its mechanism of action. Recently, it was demonstrated that a segment of 97 amino acids (AA 1756–1852, designated D97) within the translocation domain of TcdB is essential for the in vitro and in vivo toxicity of TcdB. However, the mechanism by which D97 regulates the action of TcdB in host cells and the important amino acids within this region are unknown. In this study, we discovered that a smaller fragment, amino acids 1756–1780, located in the N-terminus of the D97 fragment, is essential for translocation of the effector glucosyltransferase domain into the host cytosol. A sequence of 25AA within D97 is predicted to form an alpha helical structure and is the critical part of D97. The deletion mutant TcdB∆1756–1780 showed similar glucosyltransferase and cysteine protease activity, cellular binding, and pore formation to wild type TcdB, but it failed to induce the glucosylation of Rho GTPase Rac1 of host cells. Moreover, we found that TcdB∆1756–1780 was rapidly degraded in the endosome of target cells, and therefore its intact glucosyltransferase domain was unable to translocate efficiently into host cytosol. Our finding provides an insight into the molecular mechanisms of action of TcdB in the intoxication of host cells.

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Sensors, Vol. 16, Pages 1287: Ontology-Based Architecture for Intelligent Transportation Systems Using a Traffic Sensor Network

Intelligent transportation systems are a set of technological solutions used to improve the performance and safety of road transportation. A crucial element for the success of these systems is the exchange of information, not only between vehicles, but also among other components in the road infrastructure through different applications. One of the most important information sources in this kind of systems is sensors. Sensors can be within vehicles or as part of the infrastructure, such as bridges, roads or traffic signs. Sensors can provide information related to weather conditions and traffic situation, which is useful to improve the driving process. To facilitate the exchange of information between the different applications that use sensor data, a common framework of knowledge is needed to allow interoperability. In this paper an ontology-driven architecture to improve the driving environment through a traffic sensor network is proposed. The system performs different tasks automatically to increase driver safety and comfort using the information provided by the sensors.

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Nutrients, Vol. 8, Pages 493: Maternal Continuing Folic Acid Supplementation after the First Trimester of Pregnancy Increased the Risk of Large-for-Gestational-Age Birth: A Population-Based Birth Cohort Study

Supplementation with folic acid (FA) was proven to prevent neural tube defects (NTDs) and was recommended worldwide before and during early pregnancy. However, much less is known regarding the role of FA after the 12th gestational week (GW). This study aimed to investigate the related effects of continued FA supplementation after the first trimester of pregnancy on fetal growth. The study subjects came from the Ma'anshan-Anhui Birth Cohort Study (MABC) that recruited 3474 pregnant women from the city of Ma'anshan in Anhui Province in China during the period of May 2013 to September 2014. The information on use of vitamin and mineral supplements was recorded in different periods (the first/second/third trimester of pregnancy). Small-for-gestational-age (SGA) births were live-born infants that were <10th percentile of birth weight, and large-for-gestational-age (LGA) births were live-born infants that were ≥90th percentile of birth weight according to nomograms based on gender and gestational age from the latest standards. We used multivariable logistic regression to evaluate the effects of FA supplement consumption in the second/third trimester of pregnancy on the risk of LGA and SGA. In addition, propensity score analysis was also performed to examine the effects. In this prospective birth cohort study conducted in Chinese women who had taken FA in the first trimester of pregnancy, we found that continued FA supplementation with 400 micrograms/day in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy significantly increased the risk of LGA (RR = 1.98 (1.29, 3.04)). This relation was strong or monotonic after adjusting for maternal age, newborn's gender, maternal pre-pregnancy BMI, maternal education level, smoking, alcohol consumption and calcium supplementation. We did not observe that continuing FA supplementation after the first trimester of pregnancy remarkably decreased the risk of SGA. The propensity score analysis showed similar results. To confirm these findings, additional investigations or trials with a large sample and the tracking of folate status throughout pregnancy are recommended.

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Antibiotics, Vol. 5, Pages 27: Exploring Experiences of Delayed Prescribing and Symptomatic Treatment for Urinary Tract Infections among General Practitioners and Patients in Ambulatory Care: A Qualitative Study

"Delayed or back up" antibiotic prescriptions and "symptomatic" treatment may help to reduce inappropriate antibiotic prescribing for Urinary Tract Infections (UTI) in the future. However, more research needs to be conducted in this area before these strategies can be readily promoted in practice. This study explores General Practitioner (GP) and patient attitudes and experiences regarding the use of delayed or back-up antibiotic and symptomatic treatment for UTI. Qualitative face to face interviews with General Practitioners (n = 7) from one urban and one rural practice and telephone interviews with UTI patients (n = 14) from a rural practice were undertaken. Interviews were analysed using framework analysis. GPs believe that antibiotics are necessary when treating UTI. There was little consensus amongst GPs regarding the role of delayed prescribing or symptomatic treatment for UTI. Delayed prescribing may be considered for patients with low grade symptoms and a negative dipstick test. Patients had limited experience of delayed prescribing for UTI. Half indicated they would be satisfied with a delayed prescription the other half would question it. A fear of missing a serious illness was a significant barrier to symptomatic treatment for both GP and patient. The findings of this research provide insight into antibiotic prescribing practices in general practice. It also highlights the need for further empirical research into the effectiveness of alternative treatment strategies such as symptomatic treatment of UTI before such strategies can be readily adopted in practice.

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Sustainability, Vol. 8, Pages 802: Balancing Economic Development and Environmental Conservation for a New Governance of Alpine Areas

In the Alpine environment, Man has always been directly dependent on mountain ecosystems. Social mechanisms have created specific models of governance, capable of assuring the persistence of ecosystems and their capacity to provide essential goods and services. In recent decades, however, dramatic changes have occurred, such as climate change and changes in land use. The complexity common to all linked human-natural environment systems is extremely marked in the Alpine areas and this makes it difficult to understand how resilient these systems may be. Many research questions arise, in particular as to the comprehension and quantification of the impact of changes on the capacity of ecosystems to produce goods and services in a sustainable way, and the possibility of local mechanisms of governance to adapt to both current and future changes. Reasons and effects of change are analysed from the perspective of the specific issues of governance. The importance of the Ecosystems Services (ESs) concept is acknowledged and the necessity for a dynamic assessment of ESs, taking into account people's values and expectations, is particularly stressed. Through a careful analysis of selected papers and case studies, the main gaps in current knowledge are identified and directions for further research are provided.

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Identification of Dietetically Absorbed Rapeseed (Brassica campestris L.) Bee Pollen MicroRNAs in Serum of Mice

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small noncoding RNA that, through mediating posttranscriptional gene regulation, play a critical role in nearly all biological processes. Over the last decade it has become apparent that plant miRNAs may serve as a novel functional component of food with therapeutic effects including anti-influenza and antitumor. Rapeseed bee pollen has good properties in enhancing immune function as well as preventing and treating disease. In this study, we identified the exogenous miRNAs from rapeseed bee pollen in mice blood using RNA-seq technology. We found that miR-166a was the most highly enriched exogenous plant miRNAs in the blood of mice fed with rapeseed bee pollen, followed by miR-159. Subsequently, RT-qPCR results confirmed that these two miRNAs also can be detected in rapeseed bee pollen. Our results suggested that food-derived exogenous miRNAs from rapeseed bee pollen could be absorbed in mice and the abundance of exogenous miRNAs in mouse blood is dependent on their original levels in the rapeseed bee pollen.

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High Dimensional Variable Selection with Error Control

Background. The iterative sure independence screening (ISIS) is a popular method in selecting important variables while maintaining most of the informative variables relevant to the outcome in high throughput data. However, it not only is computationally intensive but also may cause high false discovery rate (FDR). We propose to use the FDR as a screening method to reduce the high dimension to a lower dimension as well as controlling the FDR with three popular variable selection methods: LASSO, SCAD, and MCP. Method. The three methods with the proposed screenings were applied to prostate cancer data with presence of metastasis as the outcome. Results. Simulations showed that the three variable selection methods with the proposed screenings controlled the predefined FDR and produced high area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) scores. In applying these methods to the prostate cancer example, LASSO and MCP selected 12 and 8 genes and produced AUROC scores of 0.746 and 0.764, respectively. Conclusions. We demonstrated that the variable selection methods with the sequential use of FDR and ISIS not only controlled the predefined FDR in the final models but also had relatively high AUROC scores.

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