This study aims to investigate the impact of exposure to e-vapor aerosols on the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. The assessment was performed over a 6-month period on ApoE−/− female mice. Three different E-vapor formulations (carrier (propylene glycol and vegetable glycerol), base (carrier and nicotine) and test (base and flavor)) were tested and compared with the impact of exposure to the mainstream smoke of cigarettes. Classical endpoints were first explored: biomarkers of exposure, hematological and lipidic...

Background:The outcomes of culture-negative peritonitis in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients have been reported to be superior to those of culture-positive peritonitis. The current study aimed to examine whether this observation also applied to different subtypes of culture-positive peritonitis.Methods:This multicentre registry study included all episodes of peritonitis in adult PD patients in Australia between 2004 and 2014. The primary outcome was medical cure. Secondary outcomes were catheter removal, hemodialysis transfer, relapsing/recurrent peritonitis and peritonitis-related death. These...

Abstract Background This qualitative pilot study aimed to establish views of traditional and biomedical practitioners towards collaboration between the two sectors on the treatment of people with mental illness in Zanzibar, Tanzania. Methods Six traditional healers (known as “waganga” in Swahili) and six nurses working in government secondary mental health services were invited to participate in a series of focus group discussions (FGDs). Two sets of FGDs took place approximately seven weeks apart. In each...

Abstract Background This qualitative pilot study aimed to establish views of traditional and biomedical practitioners towards collaboration between the two sectors on the treatment of people with mental illness in Zanzibar, Tanzania. Methods Six traditional healers (known as “waganga” in Swahili) and six nurses working in government secondary mental health services were invited to participate in a series of focus group discussions (FGDs). Two sets of FGDs took place approximately seven weeks apart. In each...

Abstract Background Rapid progression contributes to treatment failure in anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) patients. In a preliminary study, we demonstrated that some hematopoietic factors may be involved in the progression of ATC. The adaptor protein LNK, which is a negative regulator of hematopoietic cytokine signalling, has been studied extensively in malignant hematopoietic cells. However, there are few studies on LNK in solid tumours. Methods Real-time PCR, immunohistochemistry (IHC) and western blot analysis of LNK were...

Abstract Background In 2017, 425 million adults worldwide had diabetes; 80% were living in low and middle-income countries. Bangladesh had 6.9 million adults with diabetes; death from diabetes comprised 3% of the country’s total mortality. This study looked at different factors (personal, familial, social, and financial) affecting both the life of patients with diabetes type 2 and the management of the disease. It also explored patient’s perception of the mobile health intervention in the context...

Abstract Background Japan is one of the few countries believed to have eliminated soil-transmitted helminths (STHs). In 1949, the national prevalence of Ascaris lumbricoides was 62.9%, which decreased to 0.6% in 1973 due to improvements in infrastructure, socioeconomic status, and the implementation of national STH control measures. The Parasitosis Prevention Law ended in 1994 and population-level screening ceased in Japan; therefore, current transmission status of STH in Japan is not well characterized. Sporadic cases of...

Abstract Background An increasing number of children are suffering from brain damage-related visual processing dysfunctions (VPD). There is currently a lack of evidence-based intervention methods that can be used early in development. We developed a visual intervention protocol suitable from 1 year of age. The protocol is structured, comprehensive and individually adaptive, and is paired with quantitative outcome assessments. Our aim is to investigate the effectiveness of this first visual intervention program for young children...

Abstract Background Extension stems provide stability to revision total knee arthroplasty (RTKA). Little is known regarding the relationship between stem characteristics and RTKA stability. We aimed to identify the relationship between canal filling ratio (CFR) and aseptic loosening following RTKA. Methods We retrospectively reviewed demographics, radiographic parameters, and outcomes associated with RTKA performed between 2008 and 2013 in a tertiary hospital. The inclusion criteria were: revision for aseptic loosening, hybrid fixation, minor bone defect, Zimmer®...

In this paper, we study the power scaling in high power continuous-wave Raman fiber amplifier employing graded-index passive fiber. The maximum output power is 2.087 kW at 1130 nm with optical conversion efficiency of 90.1%. To the best of our knowledge, this is the highest power in the fields of Raman fiber lasers based merely on Stokes radiation. The beam quality parameter M² raises up from 15 to 8.9 during the power boosting process, then...

Abstract Background Passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags are used to study the movement and behaviour in populations of a wide variety of fish species and for a number of different applications from fisheries to aquaculture. Before embarking on long-term studies, it is important to collect information on both short- and medium-term survival and tag retention for the species in question. In this study, 90 juvenile lumpfish (10–20 g, 30 fish per replicate tank) were implanted...

Predicted secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters in 30 streptomycetes genome

In this letter, we present a snapshot hyperspectral light field imaging system using a single camera. By integrating an unfocused light field camera with a snapshot hyperspectral imager, the Image Mapping Spectrometer, we captured a 5D (x,y,u,v,λ) ( x,y, spatial coordinates; u,v, emittance angles; λ, wavelength) datacube in a single camera exposure. The corresponding volumetric image (x,y,z) at each wavelength is then computed through a scale-depth space transform. We demonstrated the snapshot advantage of our...

Abstract Background Fibrinogen concentrate (FC) is frequently used to treat bleeding trauma patients, although the clinical effects are not well known. In this study we describe demographic and clinical outcome data in a cohort of trauma patients receiving FC, compared to a matched control group, who did not receive FC. Methods This retrospective, single-center, observational study included adult trauma patients admitted to a level 1-trauma center in Sweden between January 2013 and June 2015. The...

Abstract Background Oral Health Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) measures play an important role in understanding subjective patient experiences in oral health care. The Oral Impact on Daily Performance (OIDP) scale is a validated OHRQoL tool that measures the impact and extent to which an individual’s daily activities may be compromised by their oral health. It is commonly used to facilitate oral health service planning. The aim of this study was to modify and validate...

Abstract Background Fibrinogen concentrate (FC) is frequently used to treat bleeding trauma patients, although the clinical effects are not well known. In this study we describe demographic and clinical outcome data in a cohort of trauma patients receiving FC, compared to a matched control group, who did not receive FC. Methods This retrospective, single-center, observational study included adult trauma patients admitted to a level 1-trauma center in Sweden between January 2013 and June 2015. The...

Abstract Motivation Drug discovery investigations need to incorporate network pharmacology concepts while navigating the complex landscape of drug-target and target-target interactions. This task requires solutions that integrate high-quality biomedical data, combined with analytic and predictive workflows as well as efficient visualization. SmartGraph is an innovative platform that utilizes state-of-the-art technologies such as a Neo4j graph-database, Angular web framework, RxJS asynchronous event library and D3 visualization to accomplish these goals. Results The SmartGraph framework integrates high...

Abstract Background Han and Uygur are the two main nationalities living in Xinjiang, China. There are significant differences in the incidence of metabolic diseases for two nationalities, but the specific reasons are not clear. Obesity is an important risk factor for the development of metabolic syndrome, which may be closely related to the increase of serum free fatty acids (FFAs) content. This study aims to use metabolomics to compare the changes of serum FFAs profiles...

X-Porous TTA is a variant of the conventional tibial tuberosity advancement for the treatment of the cruciate-deficient stifle in the dog. Although the basic principles are the same, the technique presents some peculiarities. The most important specific feature is represented by the use of a single screw on the tibial side of the plate. The tibial screw will function as a hinge, allowing the tibial crest to exert cyclic compression on the tibial metaphysis during...

Abstract Sulfur-doped graphene oxide (SA-GO) prepared by sulfuration and alkylation of graphene oxide is applied as an efficient green anti-wear additive for harsh operation conditions of engines. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis reveals the sulfur content of octadecylamine-modified SA-GO (sulfuration follows alkylation) is increased by 79 times compared with the reverse process that alkylation follows sulfuration, suggesting the preparation route is a key factor of the sulfuration process. The higher sulfur content and –C–S–C– sulfur bonding...

Abstract The hierarchical porous SiOC ceramics (HPSCs) have been prepared by the pyrolysis of precursors (the mixture of dimethicone and KH-570) and polyacrylonitrile nanofibers (porous template). The HPSCs possess hierarchical porous structure with a BET surface area of 51.4 m2/g and have a good anti-oxidation property (only 5.1 wt.% weight loss). Owing to the porous structure, the HPSCs deliver an optimal reflection loss value of − 47.9 dB at 12.24 GHz and an effective absorption...

Abstract The hierarchical porous SiOC ceramics (HPSCs) have been prepared by the pyrolysis of precursors (the mixture of dimethicone and KH-570) and polyacrylonitrile nanofibers (porous template). The HPSCs possess hierarchical porous structure with a BET surface area of 51.4 m2/g and have a good anti-oxidation property (only 5.1 wt.% weight loss). Owing to the porous structure, the HPSCs deliver an optimal reflection loss value of − 47.9 dB at 12.24 GHz and an effective absorption...

Abstract Background Nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of neuropsychiatric diseases. Bipolar disorder (BD) is associated with metabolic abnormalities and NNMT regulates energy metabolism and may also exert a causal role in metabolic disorders. The present study aimed to determine serum NNMT levels in patients with BD and compared the results with that of healthy controls, to explore the correlation between NNMT and clinical and metabolic characteristics. Methods The NNMT levels of...