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Σάββατο 1 Ιουλίου 2017

Scholar : Ειδοποίηση Μελετητή - [ ΦΩΝΗ ]

Ειδοποίηση Μελετητή:[ ΦΩΝΗ ]

[PDF] Μαγγελάνος (ιταλ. Magellano)/Fabio Turchetti και Luca Congedo

K Griva, G Pappas, K Skandalis, E Kassapi, D Antoniou… - iNTERCULTURAL …, 2017
... Ο Βασιλιάς με αποκάλεσε αδερφό. Τις επόμενες μέρες βαφτίσαμε περισσότερες από 800
ψυχές μεταξύ των οποίων άντρες, γυναίκες και παιδιά. Να η φωνή της ανησυχίας μου! Την
ακούω καθαρά και δυνατά! Κι επίσης ο ρυθμός που τη συνοδεύει. ...
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[PDF] Η τεχνική του καθρέφτη σε συνεδρίες μουσικοθεραπείας με παιδί στο φάσμα του αυτισμού.

Έ Αγγέλη - 2017
Page 1. Ε ΣΥ ΑΡΙΣΤ «Η ΜΟΥΣ ΕΠΙΒΛΕΠ ΥΝΕΞΕΤΑ ΤΟΤΕΛΕ Σ ΤΜΗ ΤΕΧΝΙΚ ΣΙΚΟΘΕΡ Δ Μ
ΠΟΥΣΑ: ΑΣΤΗΣ: ΙΟ ΠΑΝΕ ΣΧΟΛΗ Κ ΗΜΑ ΜΟ ΚΗ ΤΟΥ Κ ΡΑΠΕΙΑΣ ΑΥ ΔΙΠΛΩΜ ΜΟΥΣΙΚ της
ΕΛΕΝ Α ΘΕΟΔΩ ΓΕΩΡΓΙ ΚΑ ΘΕΣΣΑ ΕΠΙΣΤΗΜ ΚΑΛΩΝ ΟΥΣΙΚΩΝ ΚΑΘΡΕΦ Σ ΜΕ ΠΑ ΥΤΙΣΜΟ ...
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[PDF] Ειδική αναπτυξιακή δυσλεξία: κατασκευή θεματικών διαγνωστικού χαρακτήρα, οι οποίες αφορούν στην αξιολόγηση της ΕΑΔ ως προς τον βαθμό δυσκολίας κατά την …

Ι Κολοτούρα, Α Πίννα - 2017
Page 1. Τ.Ε.Ι. ΗΠΕΙΡΟΥ Σ.Ε.Υ.Π. ΙΩΑΝΝΙΝΩΝ ΤΜΗΜΑ ΛΟΓΟΘΕΡΑΠΕΙΑΣ ΠΤΥΧΙΑΚΗ ΕΡΓΑΣΙΑ
ΘΕΜΑ: Ειδική Αναπτυξιακή Δυσλεξία: «Κατασκευή θεματικών διαγνωστικού χαρακτήρα, οι οποίες
αφορούν στην αξιολόγηση της Ε.Α.Δ. ως προς τον βαθμό δυσκολίας κατά τη ...
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Αυτή η Ειδοποίηση του Μελετητή Google σας προσφέρεται από τη Google

Ακύρωση ειδοποίησης
Δημιουργία λίστας των ειδοποιήσεών μου


Scholar : Ειδοποίηση Μελετητή - [ ΒΑΣΗ ΚΡΑΝΙΟΥ ]

Ειδοποίηση Μελετητή:[ ΒΑΣΗ ΚΡΑΝΙΟΥ ]

[PDF] ΕΔΔΑ και παρένθετη μητρότητα

Χ Μίτλεττον - Επίκαιρα νομικά θέματα και αναλύσεις, 2017
... εκτίμησης που έχει κάθε κράτος- μέλος να ρυθμίζει τα ζητήματα αυτά, ενώ οι προσφεύγοντες, όσον
αφορά τα δικά τους δι- καιώματα με βάση το άρθρο 8 ... την είσοδο στην επικράτεια του Βελγίου παι-
διού που γεννήθηκε από Βέλγους στην Ου- κρανία με την εφαρμογή της μεθόδου. ...
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Αυτή η Ειδοποίηση του Μελετητή Google σας προσφέρεται από τη Google

Ακύρωση ειδοποίησης
Δημιουργία λίστας των ειδοποιήσεών μου


Scholar : Ειδοποίηση Μελετητή - [ ΑΚΟΥΣ

Ειδοποίηση Μελετητή:[ ΑΚΟΥΣΤΙΚΟ ]

[PDF] Ειδική αναπτυξιακή δυσλεξία: κατασκευή θεματικών διαγνωστικού χαρακτήρα, οι οποίες αφορούν στην αξιολόγηση της ΕΑΔ ως προς τον βαθμό δυσκολίας κατά την …

Ι Κολοτούρα, Α Πίννα - 2017
... Στην αρχή των προσπαθειών θεωρήθηκαν υπεύθυνα για τις δυσκολίες που αντιμετωπίζουν τα
δυσλεξικά άτομα, ή το οπτικό ή το ακουστικό σύστημα. Τη δεκαετία του ΄70 προστέθηκε μια τρίτη
υποκατηγορία με κύρια δυσκολία τα κινητικά προβλήματα από τους Mattis, French και ...
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Αυτή η Ειδοποίηση του Μελετητή Google σας προσφέρεται από τη Google

Ακύρωση ειδοποίησης
Δημιουργία λίστας των ειδοποιήσεών μου


Scholar : Ειδοποίηση Μελετητή - [ ΦΩΝΗΤ

Ειδοποίηση Μελετητή:[ ΦΩΝΗΤΙΚΕΣ ΧΟΡΔΕΣ ]

[PDF] Ειδική αναπτυξιακή δυσλεξία: κατασκευή θεματικών διαγνωστικού χαρακτήρα, οι οποίες αφορούν στην αξιολόγηση της ΕΑΔ ως προς τον βαθμό δυσκολίας κατά την …

Ι Κολοτούρα, Α Πίννα - 2017
Page 1. Τ.Ε.Ι. ΗΠΕΙΡΟΥ Σ.Ε.Υ.Π. ΙΩΑΝΝΙΝΩΝ ΤΜΗΜΑ ΛΟΓΟΘΕΡΑΠΕΙΑΣ ΠΤΥΧΙΑΚΗ ΕΡΓΑΣΙΑ
ΘΕΜΑ: Ειδική Αναπτυξιακή Δυσλεξία: «Κατασκευή θεματικών διαγνωστικού χαρακτήρα, οι οποίες
αφορούν στην αξιολόγηση της Ε.Α.Δ. ως προς τον βαθμό δυσκολίας κατά τη ...
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Αυτή η Ειδοποίηση του Μελετητή Google σας προσφέρεται από τη Google

Ακύρωση ειδοποίησης
Δημιουργία λίστας των ειδοποιήσεών μου


Scholar : Ειδοποίηση Μελετητή - [ ΣΤΟΜΑ

Ειδοποίηση Μελετητή:[ ΣΤΟΜΑΤΙΚΗ ]

[PDF] Η τεχνική του καθρέφτη σε συνεδρίες μουσικοθεραπείας με παιδί στο φάσμα του αυτισμού.

Έ Αγγέλη - 2017
Page 1. Ε ΣΥ ΑΡΙΣΤ «Η ΜΟΥΣ ΕΠΙΒΛΕΠ ΥΝΕΞΕΤΑ ΤΟΤΕΛΕ Σ ΤΜΗ ΤΕΧΝΙΚ ΣΙΚΟΘΕΡ Δ Μ
ΠΟΥΣΑ: ΑΣΤΗΣ: ΙΟ ΠΑΝΕ ΣΧΟΛΗ Κ ΗΜΑ ΜΟ ΚΗ ΤΟΥ Κ ΡΑΠΕΙΑΣ ΑΥ ΔΙΠΛΩΜ ΜΟΥΣΙΚ της
ΕΛΕΝ Α ΘΕΟΔΩ ΓΕΩΡΓΙ ΚΑ ΘΕΣΣΑ ΕΠΙΣΤΗΜ ΚΑΛΩΝ ΟΥΣΙΚΩΝ ΚΑΘΡΕΦ Σ ΜΕ ΠΑ ΥΤΙΣΜΟ ...
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Αυτή η Ειδοποίηση του Μελετητή Google σας προσφέρεται από τη Google

Ακύρωση ειδοποίησης
Δημιουργία λίστας των ειδοποιήσεών μου


Scholar : Atlantic Journal of Communication, Volume 25, Issue 3, July-August 2017 is now available online on Taylor & Francis Online

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Taylor & Francis Online - The new journals and reference work platform for Taylor & Francis
The online platform for Taylor & Francis Online content

Atlantic Journal of Communication, Volume 25, Issue 3, July-August 2017 is now available online on Taylor & Francis Online.



This new issue contains the following articles:

Original Articles

Philosophy of Communication and Umberto Eco's Infinity of Lists: The Interplay of the Poetic and Pragmatic
Susan Mancino
Pages: 139-150 | DOI: 10.1080/15456870.2017.1324447


Advertising Gay and Lesbian-Themed Films to Mainstream and Niche Audiences: Variations in Portrayal of Intimacy and Stereotypes
Joseph M. Cabosky
Pages: 151-165 | DOI: 10.1080/15456870.2017.1324450


"A Statistically Representative Climate Change Debate": Satirical Television News, Scientific Consensus, and Public Perceptions of Global Warming
Paul R. Brewer & Jessica McKnight
Pages: 166-180 | DOI: 10.1080/15456870.2017.1324453


Blinded by the Spite? Path Model of Political Attitudes, Selectivity, and Social Media
Thomas J. Johnson, Barbara K. Kaye & Angela M. Lee
Pages: 181-196 | DOI: 10.1080/15456870.2017.1324454


Does Sport Celebrity Advocacy Work? Testing the Potential for Endorsements to Backfire
Stephanie G. Schartel Dunn & Gwendelyn S. Nisbett
Pages: 197-206 | DOI: 10.1080/15456870.2017.1324193


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Unilateral proptosis as the initial manifestation of malignancy

Publication date: Available online 30 June 2017
Source:Journal of the Egyptian National Cancer Institute
Author(s): K. Rakul Nambiar, P.S. Ajith, Asha Arjunan
Proptosis, a common sign with a broad differential diagnosis, is defined as anterior displacement and protrusion of one or both orbital globes. Patients can present with varying degrees of chronicity, visual loss and associated symptoms. The etiology of acquired unilateral proptosis is diverse, ranging from benign to life-threatening. The causes of unilateral proptosis include traumatic, vascular, endocrine, inflammatory, infective and malignant. Breast carcinoma is the most common metastatic cause of proptosis; however, proptosis has never been reported as the initial manifestation of breast carcinoma. Our patient presented with unilateral proptosis secondary to an intraorbital lesion and histopathology of orbital lesion was suggestive of metastatic breast adenocarcinoma. She was later diagnosed to have primary breast carcinoma. We present this unusual case of a 56-year-old woman who presented with proptosis as the initial manifestation of a metastatic breast malignancy.



http://ift.tt/2sxpkQ7

What Do We Learn From Explant Analysis Programs?

Publication date: Available online 30 June 2017
Source:European Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery
Author(s): N. Chakfé, F. Heim




http://ift.tt/2sxLEcw

Molecular mechanics of Staphylococcus aureus adhesin, CNA, and the inhibition of bacterial adhesion by stretching collagen.

Molecular mechanics of Staphylococcus aureus adhesin, CNA, and the inhibition of bacterial adhesion by stretching collagen.

PLoS One. 2017;12(6):e0179601

Authors: Madani A, Garakani K, Mofrad MRK

Abstract
Bacterial adhesion to collagen, the most abundant protein in humans, is a critical step in the initiation and persistence of numerous bacterial infections. In this study, we explore the collagen binding mechanism of the multi-modular cell wall anchored collagen adhesin (CNA) in Staphylococcus aureus and examine how applied mechanical forces can modulate adhesion ability. The common structural-functional elements and domain organization of CNA are present across over 50 genera of bacteria. Through the use of molecular dynamics models and normal mode analysis, we shed light on the CNA's structural and conformational dynamics and its interactions with collagen that lead to collagen binding. Our results suggest that the linker region, CNA165-173, acts as a hinge exhibiting bending, extensional, and torsional modes of structural flexibility and its residues are key in the interaction of the CNA-collagen complex. Steered molecular dynamics simulations were conducted with umbrella sampling. During the course of these simulations, the 'locking' latch from the CNA N2 domain was dissociated from its groove in the CNA N1 domain, implying the importance of the latch for effective ligand binding. Finally, we observed that the binding efficiency of the CNA N1-N2 domains to collagen decreases greatly with increasing tensile force application to the collagen peptides. Thus, CNA and similar adhesins might preferentially bind to sites in which collagen fibers are cleaved, such as in wounded, injured, or inflamed tissues, or in which the collagenous tissue is less mature. As alternative techniques for control of bacterial infection are in-demand due to the rise of bacterial antibiotic resistance, results from our computational studies with respect to the mechanoregulation of the collagen binding site may inspire new therapeutics and engineering solutions by mechanically preventing colonization and/or further pathogenesis.

PMID: 28665944 [PubMed - in process]



http://ift.tt/2srukuu

A Discrete Event Simulation Model of Patient Flow in a General Hospital Incorporating Infection Control Policy for Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) and Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus (VRE).

A Discrete Event Simulation Model of Patient Flow in a General Hospital Incorporating Infection Control Policy for Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) and Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus (VRE).

Med Decis Making. 2017 Jun 01;:272989X17713474

Authors: Shenoy ES, Lee H, Ryan EE, Hou T, Walensky RP, Ware W, Hooper DC

Abstract
BACKGROUND: Hospitalized patients are assigned to available staffed beds based on patient acuity and services required. In hospitals with double-occupancy rooms, patients must be additionally matched by gender. Patients with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) or vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) must be bedded in single-occupancy rooms or cohorted with other patients with similar MRSA/VRE flags.
METHODS: We developed a discrete event simulation (DES) model of patient flow through an acute care hospital. Patients are matched to beds based on acuity, service, gender, and known MRSA/VRE colonization. Outcomes included time to bed arrival, length of stay, patient-bed acuity mismatches, occupancy, idle beds, acuity-related transfers, rooms with discordant MRSA/VRE colonization, and transmission due to discordant colonization.
RESULTS: Observed outcomes were well-approximated by model-generated outcomes for time-to-bed arrival (6.7 v. 6.2 to 6.5 h) and length of stay (3.3 v. 2.9 to 3.0 days), with overlapping 90% coverage intervals. Patient-bed acuity mismatches, where patient acuity exceeded bed acuity and where patient acuity was lower than bed acuity, ranged from 0.6 to 0.9 and 8.6 to 11.1 mismatches per h, respectively. Values for observed occupancy, total idle beds, and acuity-related transfers compared favorably to model-predicted values (91% v. 86% to 87% occupancy, 15.1 v. 14.3 to 15.7 total idle beds, and 27.2 v. 22.6 to 23.7 transfers). Rooms with discordant colonization status and transmission due to discordance were modeled without an observed value for comparison. One-way and multi-way sensitivity analyses were performed for idle beds and rooms with discordant colonization.
CONCLUSIONS: We developed and validated a DES model of patient flow incorporating MRSA/VRE flags. The model allowed for quantification of the substantial impact of MRSA/VRE flags on hospital efficiency and potentially avoidable nosocomial transmission.

PMID: 28662601 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]



http://ift.tt/2srui5Q

Surveillance of bacterial colonisation on contact surfaces in different medical wards.

Surveillance of bacterial colonisation on contact surfaces in different medical wards.

Arh Hig Rada Toksikol. 2017 Jun 27;68(2):116-126

Authors: Torkar KG, Ivić S

Abstract
This study was conducted to determine the bacterial colonization of some bacterial groups, including extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBLs) producers and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), on surfaces of the equipment and instruments in patient rooms and other workspaces in three different medical wards. The number of microorganisms on swabs was determined with the colony count method on selective microbiological mediums. The aerobic mesophylic microorganisms were found in 73.5 % out of 102 samples, with the average and maximum values of 2.6 × 102 and 4.6 × 103 colony forming units (CFU) 100 cm-2, respectively. Members of the family Enterobacteriaceae, coagulase positive staphylococci, coagulase-negative staphylococci, and enterococci were detected in 23.4, 31.4, 53.2, and 2.9 % of samples, respectively. The differences in bacterial counts on the surfaces of the psychiatric, oncology, and paediatric wards were statistically significant (P<0.001). About 40 % out of 19 isolates from the family Enterobacteriaceae showed multiple resistance to three or more different groups of tested antibiotics, while ESBL was confirmed for only one strain. Staphylococci isolates were mostly resistant to penicillin. MRSA was confirmed in 5.2 % of the tested S. aureus isolates. Greater attention should be paid to cleaning and the appropriate choice of disinfectants, especially in the psychiatric ward. Employees should be informed about the prevention of the spreading of nosocomial infections. Routine application of rapid methods for hygiene control of surfaces is highly recommended.

PMID: 28665797 [PubMed - in process]



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Application of canonical correlation analysis to a sensitivity study of constitutive model parameter fitting

Publication date: 15 October 2017
Source:Materials & Design, Volume 132
Author(s): Sudipto Mandal, Brian T. Gockel, Anthony D. Rollett
Successful modeling of a material's deformation behavior is dependent on the development of realistic constitutive models that can mimic the actual response of the material of interest. In-depth knowledge about the parameters in a constitutive model will lead to a better understanding of the relationship between flow stress and deformation conditions and will eventually aid in better design of the deformation process. Curve-fitting is generally employed to calibrate constitutive models using experimental data. However, the relative impact of constitutive model parameters on the mechanical response for different models has not been extensively explored. In this study, both local and global sensitivity analysis methods are used to understand and quantify the contribution of the parameters. Canonical correlation analysis (CCA) has been used to understand the effect of constitutive model parameters on the flow stress behavior of titanium alloys. This analysis has been performed for the Mechanical Threshold Stress (MTS) model, which is a constitutive description based on the physics of dislocation motion. The limitations of local sensitivity methods have been highlighted and it has been shown that CCA provides a measure of both an individual variable's contribution and the effectiveness of the parameter set as a whole.

Graphical abstract

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http://ift.tt/2tuMsTY

Sonic metamaterials: Reflection on the role of topology on dispersion surface morphology

Publication date: 15 October 2017
Source:Materials & Design, Volume 132
Author(s): V.N. Gorshkov, N. Navadeh, P. Sareh, V.V. Tereshchuk, A.S. Fallah
Investigating dispersion surface morphology of sonic metamaterials is crucial in providing information on related phenomena as inertial coupling, acoustic transparency, polarisation, and absorption. In the present study, we look into frequency surface morphology of two-dimensional (2D) metamaterials of K3,3 and K6 topologies. The elastic structures under consideration consist of the same substratum lattice points and form a pair of sublattices with hexagonal symmetry. We show that, through introducing universal localised mass-in-mass phononic microstructures at lattice points, six single optical frequency-surfaces can be formed with required properties including negative group velocity. Splitting the frequency-surfaces is based on the classical analog of the quantum phenomenon of 'energy-level repulsion', which can be achieved only through internal anisotropy of the nodes and allows us to obtain different frequency band gaps.

Graphical abstract

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http://ift.tt/2tvjjrT

In situ investigation of extension twinning-detwinning and its effect on the mechanical behavior of AZ31B magnesium alloy

Publication date: 15 October 2017
Source:Materials & Design, Volume 132
Author(s): B.L. Wu, G.S. Duan, X.H. Du, L.H. Song, Y.D. Zhang, M.J. Philippe, C. Esling
Magnesium alloys are usually dominated by the alternation of extension twinning and detwinning when subjected to cyclic plastic deformation. The twinning-detwinning process in AZ31B alloy was investigated by means of in situ observation under EBSD. It was shown that the activation of extension twinning is related to Schmid factor of a deformed grain, but twin variant selection is not directly linked to Schmid factor rank. Strain accommodation factor proposed on the concept of local Schmid factor (LSF) allows a good prediction for twin variant selection. A twin variant is favored when the strain accommodation factor is low. In addition, detwinning was found to induce Bauschinger effect in the alloy during compressive unloading. The completely detwinned twins are accommodated by the adjacent grains with very high strain accommodation factors. Extension twins can form and remain in both compression and tension processes of the cyclic deformation. Residual twins in the second cycle increase in number as compared with the first cycle. This was inferred to stimulate the cyclic strain hardening.

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Control of copper nanowire network properties and application to transparent conducting layer in LED

Publication date: 15 October 2017
Source:Materials & Design, Volume 132
Author(s): Hahnjoo Yoon, Dong Su Shin, Bathula Babu, Taek Gon Kim, Keun Man Song, Jinsub Park
We report the control of structural, optical, and electrical properties of solution processed copper (Cu) nanowires (NWs) by varying the capping agent concentration and demonstrating the enhanced light extraction of GaN-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs) using Cu NWs. Cu NWs were prepared by a simple solvothermal method, and the capping agent concentration effects on the growth of Cu NWs were systematically investigated. The different diameters of Cu NWs were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), UV–visible absorption, and conductivity measurements. All characterization results showed high aspect ratio nanowires with efficient transmittance and conductivity properties. When the synthesized Cu NWs were adopted as a transparent conducting layer, the electroluminescence intensity was improved by its spreading effects. This work will elucidate the influence of capping agents on the physical properties, optical properties, and electrical conductivity of Cu NWs for use as a transparent conductor in optoelectronic devices.

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http://ift.tt/2tv88j1

Zinc fertilisation increases grain zinc and reduces grain lead and cadmium concentrations more in zinc-biofortified than standard wheat cultivar

Publication date: 15 December 2017
Source:Science of The Total Environment, Volumes 605–606
Author(s): Muhammad Qaswar, Shahid Hussain, Zed Rengel
Given that plant uptake and transport systems for metals have some similarities, zinc (Zn)-biofortified cultivars may concurrently accumulate non-essential toxic heavy metals in grains. However, Zn-biofortified cultivars have never been tested for heavy metal accumulation in grains. In a pot experiment, we compared Zn-biofortified wheat (Zincol-2016) with a standard wheat (Faisalabad-2008) cultivar on heavy-metal-contaminated soils for yield response and grain accumulation of Zn, lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd), without or with Zn fertilisation (8mgZnkg−1). The soils, collected from agricultural fields in (i) industrial zone and (ii) peri-urban area, had been receiving industrial and city effluents for >20years. In the two soils, Zn fertilisation significantly (P≤0.05) increased grain yield of both cultivars. Zinc fertilisation increased grain Zn concentration of Zincol-2016 and Faisalabad-2008 by respectively 32 and 18% in industrial-zone soil, and by 15 and 2% in peri-urban soil. Averaged across Zn rates, Zincol-2016 accumulated in grains more than double the Zn amount than Faisalabad-2008 in industrial-zone soil. At 0mgZnkg−1, grain Pb and Cd concentrations were respectively 26 and 33% greater in Zincol-2016 than Faisalabad-2008 in industrial-zone soil, and 86 and 50% greater in Zincol-2016 than Faisalabad-2008 in peri-urban soil. Zinc fertilisation significantly (P≤0.05) decreased concentration of Pb and Cd in grains of both cultivars. In industrial-zone soil, a toxic level of Pb in grains (0.24mgkg−1) was attained at control rate of Zn by Zincol-2016, and was decreased to a safe level (0.07mgkg−1) by application of 8mgZnkg−1. Therefore, biofortified cultivars should not be grown in contaminated soils, and/or sufficient Zn must be applied, to decrease accumulation of non-essential toxic heavy metals in grains. Moreover, future breeding efforts should be directed toward selection of biofortified cultivars that would selectively accumulate Zn in grains, but not the contaminants.

Graphical abstract

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http://ift.tt/2twx3Ck

Geochemistry and toxicity of a large slag pile and its drainage complex in Sudbury, Ontario

Publication date: 15 December 2017
Source:Science of The Total Environment, Volumes 605–606
Author(s): Laura Souter, Shaun A. Watmough
Slag piles from mining activities are common worldwide, but in contrast to mine tailings the environmental impact of runoff from slag piles is less documented. This study was designed to assess the geochemistry and potential toxicity of water draining a large, 62.2ha slag pile in Sudbury, Ontario. The Coniston slag pile contains 12–20Mt of slag from smelting local Ni-Cu ore between 1913 and 1972. Slag leaching experiments confirmed slag is a source of sulphate (SO4), heavy metals (including Fe, Al, Ni, Co, Cu, Zn, Pb, Cr, Mn) and base cations (Ca, K, Mg, Na). Concentrations of some metals draining through slag in column experiments were similar to concentrations measured at the base of the slag pile, although base cations, SO4 and pH were much higher, possibly because of water inputs interacting with the surrounding basic glaciolacustrine landscape. The high pH rapidly precipitates metals, leading to high accumulations in surface sediments in the pond-wetland complex draining from the pile. Away from the pile's base, vegetation cover increases, which increases dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and nutrient concentrations in runoff along with metals with strong binding affinities (e.g. Cu). Total metal concentration in water and sediment exceed provincial guidelines, particularly near the slag pile, however WHAM7 modeling indicated the free metal ion concentration in water is very low. Nevertheless, 48-h toxicity experiments showed that water with greater concentrations of solutes collected close to the slag negatively impacts D. magna, suggesting water draining the slag pile can adversely impact biota in nearby drainage areas.

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The role of micro/nano zeolites doped with zinc cations in the active protection of epoxy ester coating

Publication date: 30 November 2017
Source:Applied Surface Science, Volume 423
Author(s): Leili Rassouli, Reza Naderi, Mohammad Mahdavain
The barrier and ion exchange inhibition properties of NaX zeolite particles were examined in this research. The hydrothermally synthesized zeolite micro and nano particles with different Si/Al ratios were doped with zinc cations and incorporated in epoxy ester coating. The electrochemical data and surface analysis revealed that the doped nano-sized zeolite particles have enhanced barrier properties during immersion time by increasing the electrolyte pathways. In addition, the active anticorrosion properties of the zeolite nanoparticles with lower Si/Al ratio were shown to be more effective than those of zeolite microparticles, probably due to release of more inhibiting species gradually. During the corrosion reaction, the zinc cations released from the zeolite structure due to exchange with Na+ ions from the corrosive media caused a decline in the corrosion rate by forming zinc hydroxide precipitates in the active zones.



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Release of polyester and cotton fibers from textiles in machine washings

Abstract

Microplastics are widely spread in the environment, which along with still increasing production have aroused concern of their impacts on environmental health. The objective of this study is to quantify the number and mass of two most common textile fibers discharged from sequential machine washings to sewers. The number and mass of microfibers released from polyester and cotton textiles in the first wash varied in the range 2.1 × 105 to 1.3 × 107 and 0.12 to 0.33% w/w, respectively. Amounts of released microfibers showed a decreasing trend in sequential washes. The annual emission of polyester and cotton microfibers from household washing machines was estimated to be 154,000 (1.0 × 1014) and 411,000 kg (4.9 × 1014) in Finland (population 5.5 × 106). Due to the high emission values and sorption capacities, the polyester and cotton microfibers may play an important role in the transport and fate of chemical pollutants in the aquatic environment.



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The use of saline aquaculture effluent for production of Enterolobium contortisiliquum seedlings

Abstract

The use of aquaculture effluent for irrigation of field crops has been suggested as the most appropriate biological method for treatment of this effluent. However, using it for irrigation of tree species in seedling nurseries might be a better alternative to avoid soil salinization and groundwater contamination in agricultural fields. This paper aimed at assessing the production of Enterolobium contortisiliquum seedlings under irrigation with saline aquaculture effluent. The experiment was carried out in a randomized complete block design with four replicates and four seedlings per experimental unit. Each replicate was daily irrigated with five solutions containing different concentrations of saline aquaculture effluent diluted with freshwater (0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% effluent). Despite increasing substrate salinity, the dilution of saline aquaculture effluent in the irrigation water promoted greater shoot growth and higher total dry weight in E. contortisiliquum. Moreover, seedlings treated with low concentrations of this effluent increased their leaf area expansion and chlorophyll content. Therefore, the use of solutions containing 25 and 50% effluent allowed the production of high-quality seedlings. These results suggest that saline aquaculture effluent can be reused to irrigate tree species, enabling a successful integration of aquaculture and agriculture and reducing environmental impacts of improper effluent disposal.



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Mitochondrial biology in cancer stem cells

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Publication date: Available online 30 June 2017
Source:Seminars in Cancer Biology
Author(s): Rute Loureiro, Katia A. Mesquita, Silvia Magalhães-Novais, Paulo J. Oliveira, Ignacio Vega-Naredo
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been suggested to be responsible for tumor re-growth and relapse. Physiological and morphological knowledge of CSCs may be essential for the development of new therapeutic strategies targeting cancer development, progression, and recurrence. Current research is focused on a deeper understanding of CSCs metabolic profiles, taking into consideration their energy demands. Energy metabolism and mitochondrial function are important factors operating on stemness maintenance and cell fate specification. Due to the role of mitochondria as central hubs in the overall cell metabolism and death and survival pathways, research on their physiology in CSCs is of paramount importance to decipher mechanisms underlying their therapy-resistant phenotype. In this review, we focus on CSCs mitochondrial biology and mitochondria-related signaling pathways that contribute to CSCs survival and maintenance, thereby representing possible therapeutic targets.



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Nanoparticle formulations to enhance tumor targeting of poorly soluble polyphenols with potential anticancer properties

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Publication date: Available online 1 July 2017
Source:Seminars in Cancer Biology
Author(s): Maria Cristina Bonferoni, Silvia Rossi, Giuseppina Sandri, Franca Ferrari
Polyphenols have been extensively studied for their relevant anticancer activity. Quite often however their instability, extensive metabolization, low bioavailability and poor solubility limit their application in cancer prevention and therapy. Formulation in nanoparticles has been widely proposed as a means to overcome these limits, maximize localization and specific activity at tumor site. The present review is intended as an update of literature regarding nanoparticulate carriers aimed to deliver polyphenols to the cancer site. Three molecules were chosen, all of which were hydrophobic and poorly soluble, representative of different polyphenol classes: quercetin (QT) among the flavonoid group, curcumin (CUR) as representative of curcuminoids, and resveratrol (RSV) among the stilbenes. In particular, nanoparticulate systems suitable for poorly soluble drugs will be described and attention will be paid to characteristics designed to improve tumor targeting, specific delivery and interaction with tumor cells.



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Silymarin impacts on immune system as an immunomodulator: One key for many locks

Publication date: September 2017
Source:International Immunopharmacology, Volume 50
Author(s): Nafiseh Esmaeil, Sima Balouchi Anaraki, Marjan Gharagozloo, Behjat Moayedi
Silymarin is a flavonoid complex extracted from the Silybum marianum plant. It acts as a strong antioxidant and free radical scavenger by different mechanisms. But in addition to antioxidant effects, silymarin/silybin reveals immunomodulatory affects with both immunostimulatory and immunosuppression activities. Different studies have shown that silymarin has the anti-inflammatory effect through the suppression of NF-κB signaling pathway and TNF-α activation. It also has different immunomodulatory activities in a dose and time-dependent manner. As an immunomodulator agent, silymarin inhibits T-lymphocyte function at low doses while stimulates inflammatory processes at high doses. Studies have shown that silymarin has attenuated autoimmune, allergic, preeclampsia, cancer, and immune-mediated liver diseases and also has suppressed oxidative and nitrosative immunotoxicity. Silymarin also has indicated dual effects on proliferation and apoptosis of different cells. In conclusion, based on the current review, silymarin has a broad spectrum of immunomodulatory functions under different conditions. Recognizing the exact mechanisms of silymarin on cellular and molecular pathways would be very valuable for treatment of immune-mediated diseases. Also further studies are needed to assess the utility of silymarin in protection against autoimmune, cancer, allergic and other diseases in human subjects.



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Editorial Board

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Publication date: July–August 2017
Source:Practical Radiation Oncology, Volume 7, Issue 4





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Table of Contents

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Publication date: July–August 2017
Source:Practical Radiation Oncology, Volume 7, Issue 4





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Masthead

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Publication date: July–August 2017
Source:Practical Radiation Oncology, Volume 7, Issue 4





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Implementation of hypofractionated prostate radiation therapy in the United States: A National Cancer Database analysis

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Publication date: July–August 2017
Source:Practical Radiation Oncology, Volume 7, Issue 4
Author(s): William A. Stokes, Brian D. Kavanagh, David Raben, Thomas J. Pugh
PurposePreclinical and clinical research over the past several decades suggests that hypofractionated (HFxn) radiation therapy schedules produce similar treatment outcomes compared with conventionally fractionated (CFxn) radiation therapy for definitive treatment of localized prostate cancer (PCa). We sought to evaluate national trends and identify factors associated with HFxn utilization using the US National Cancer Database.Methods and materialsWe queried the National Cancer Database for men diagnosed with localized (N0,M0) PCa from 2004 through 2013 treated with external beam radiation therapy. Patients were grouped by dose per fraction (DpF) in Gray: CFxn was defined as DpF ≤2.0, moderate HFxn as DpF >2.0 but <5.0, and extreme HFxn as DpF ≥5.0. Men receiving DpF <1.5 or >15.0 were excluded, as were those receiving <25 or >90 Gy total dose. Multiple logistic regression was performed to identify demographic, clinical, and treatment factor associations.ResultsA total of 132,403 men were identified, with 120,055 receiving CFxn, 7264 moderate HFxn, and 5084 extreme HFxn. Although CFxn was by far the most common approach over the analysis period, HFxn use increased from 6.2% in 2004 to 14.2% in 2013 (P < .01). Extreme HFxn use increased the most (from 0.3% to 8.5%), whereas moderate HFxn utilization was unchanged (from 5.9% to 5.7%). HFxn use was independently associated with younger age, later year of diagnosis, non-black race, non-Medicaid insurance, non-Western residence, higher income, academic treatment facility, greater distance from treatment facility, low-risk disease group (by National Comprehensive Cancer Network criteria), and nonreceipt of hormone therapy.ConclusionsAlthough CFxn remains the most common radiation therapy schedule for localized PCa, use of HFxn appears to be increasing in the United States as a result of increased extreme HFxn use. Financial and logistical factors may accelerate adoption of shorter schedules. Considering the multiple demographic and prognostic differences identified between these groups, randomized outcome data comparing extreme HFxn to alternatives are desirable.



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Pathogenic Th17 and Th22 cells are increased in patients with autoimmune thyroid disorders

Abstract

Purpose

To study the levels of pathogenic and non-pathogenic Th17 and Th22 cells in autoimmune thyroid disorders patients. Although Th17 cells seem to play an important role in the pathogenesis of thyroid autoimmune disorders, the specific subsets of these lymphocytes have not been analyzed in this condition.

Methods

We assessed the levels of Th17 (pathogenic and non-pathogenic) and Th22 cells in peripheral blood and thyroid glands of autoimmune thyroid disorders patients (n   =  26, 16 with Graves' disease and 10 with Hashimoto's thyroiditis) and 15 healthy controls by multi-parametric flow cytometry and immunofluorescence microscopy.

Results

We found increased levels of pathogenic Th17 lymphocytes and Th22 cells in peripheral blood from autoimmune thyroid disorders patients. In addition, these cells were detected in thyroid glands from HT patients. Furthermore, we found significant correlations between the levels of these cells and disease activity, disease duration, and the presence of ophthalmopathy.

Conclusions

The increased levels of pathogenic Th17 lymphocytes and Th22 cells in autoimmune thyroid disorders suggest their involvement in the pathogenesis of this condition.



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Field crops ( Ipomoea aquatica Forsk. and Brassica chinensis L.) for phytoremediation of cadmium and nitrate co-contaminated soils via rotation with Sedum alfredii Hance

Abstract

Phytoremediation coupled with crop rotation (PCC) is a feasible strategy for remediation of contaminated soil without interrupting crop production. The objective of this study was to develop a PCC technology system for greenhouse fields co-contaminated with Cd and nitrate using hyperaccumulator Sedum alfredii. In this system, endophytic bacterium M002 inoculation, CO2 fertilization, and fermentation residue were continuously applied to improve the growth of S. alfredii, and low-accumulator Ipomoea aquatica and low-accumulator Brassica chinensis were rotated under reasonable water management. These comprehensive management practices were shown to increase S. alfredii biomass and Cd uptake and reduce Cd and nitrate concentration in I. aquatica and B. chinensis. This crop rotating system could remove 56.5% total Cd, 62.3% DTPA extractable Cd, and 65.4% nitrate, respectively, from the co-contaminated soil in 2 years of phytoremediation, and is an effective way of remediating moderately co-contaminated soil by Cd and nitrate.



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Isotopic signatures of anthropogenic CH4 sources in Alberta, Canada

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Publication date: September 2017
Source:Atmospheric Environment, Volume 164
Author(s): M. Lopez, O.A. Sherwood, E.J. Dlugokencky, R. Kessler, L. Giroux, D.E.J. Worthy
A mobile system was used for continuous ambient measurements of stable CH4 isotopes (12CH4 and 13CH4) and ethane (C2H6). This system was used during a winter mobile campaign to investigate the CH4 isotopic signatures and the C2H6/CH4 ratios of the main anthropogenic sources of CH4 in the Canadian province of Alberta. Individual signatures were derived from δ13CH4 and C2H6 measurements in plumes arriving from identifiable single sources. Methane emissions from beef cattle feedlots (n = 2) and landfill (n = 1) had δ13CH4 signatures of −66.7 ± 2.4‰ and −55.3 ± 0.2‰, respectively. The CH4 emissions associated with the oil or gas industry had distinct δ13CH4 signatures, depending on the formation process. Emissions from oil storage tanks (n = 5) had δ13CH4 signatures ranging from −54.9 ± 2.9‰ to −60.6 ± 0.6‰ and non-detectable C2H6, characteristic of secondary microbial methanogenesis in oil-bearing reservoirs. In contrast, CH4 emissions associated with natural gas facilities (n = 8) had δ13CH4 signatures ranging from −41.7 ± 0.7‰ to −49.7 ± 0.7‰ and C2H6/CH4 molar ratios of 0.10 for raw natural gas to 0.04 for processed/refined natural gas, consistent with thermogenic origins. These isotopic signatures and C2H6/CH4 ratios have been used for source discrimination in the weekly atmospheric measurements of stable CH4 isotopes over a two-month winter period at the Lac La Biche (LLB) measurement station, located in Alberta, approximately 200 km northeast of Edmonton. The average signature of −59.5 ± 1.4‰ observed at LLB is likely associated with transport of air after passing over oil industry sources located south of the station.



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CCN characteristics over a tropical coastal station during south-west monsoon: observations and closure studies

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Publication date: September 2017
Source:Atmospheric Environment, Volume 164
Author(s): V. Jayachandran, Vijayakumar S. Nair, S. Suresh Babu
Number concentration measurements of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) at five supersaturation values between 0.2 and 1.0% were made from a coastal site (Thiruvananthapuram) of peninsular India using a single column CCN counter during the summer monsoon period (June–September) of 2013 and 2014. The CCN concentration over this site showed diurnal variations of high values during nighttime and low values during daytime in association with the change in mesoscale circulation patterns. The inter-annual variations of CCN (CCN0.4% = 2,232 ± 672 cm−3 during August 2013 and CCN0.4% = 941 ± 325 cm−3 during August 2014) are mostly associated with the varying intensity of monsoon rainfall. The variation of CCN number concentration with supersaturation is found to be steeper during nighttime (indicating a less CCN active aerosol system) than during daytime (CCN active system). The CCN activation ratio estimated using simultaneous measurements of CCN and aerosol number (CN) concentration clearly depict the role of land-sea breeze circulations with higher values during daytime than the nighttime. The CCN number concentration predicted for different supersaturations, from measured aerosol number size distribution using Kohler theory, indicate the importance of the change in aerosol composition associated with different airmasses in a coastal environment.



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Concentrations and nitrogen isotope compositions of free amino acids in Pinus massoniana (Lamb.) needles of different ages as indicators of atmospheric nitrogen pollution

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Publication date: September 2017
Source:Atmospheric Environment, Volume 164
Author(s): Yu Xu, Huayun Xiao
Free amino acid δ15N values and concentrations of current-year new (new), current-year mature (middle-age) and previous-year (old) Pinus massoniana (Lamb.) needles were determined for five sites with different distances from a highway in a forest in Guiyang (SW China). Needle free amino acid concentrations decreased with increasing distance from the highway, and only the free amino acid concentrations (total free amino acid, arginine, γ-aminobutyric acid, valine, alanine and proline) in the middle-aged needles demonstrated a strong correlation with distance from the highway, indicating that free amino acid concentrations in middle-aged needles may be a more suitable indicator of nitrogen (N) deposition compared to new and old needles. Needle free amino acid δ15N values were more positive near the highway compared to the more distant sites and increased with increasing needle age, indicating that N deposition in this site may be dominated by isotopically heavy NOx-N from traffic emissions. In sites beyond 400 m from the highway, the δ15N values of total free amino acids, histidine, glutamine, proline, alanine, aspartate, isoleucine, lysine, arginine and serine in each age of needle were noticeably negative compared to their respective δ15N values near the highway. This suggested that needle free amino acid δ15N values from these sites were more affected by 15N-depleted atmospheric NHx-N from soil emissions. This result was further supported by the similarity in the negative moss δ15N values at these sites to the δ15N values of soil-derived NHx-N. Needle free amino acid δ15N values therefore have the potential to provide information about atmospheric N sources. We conclude that needle free amino acid concentrations are sensitive indicators of N deposition and that the age-related free amino acid δ15N values in needles can efficiently reflect atmospheric N sources. This would probably promote the application of the combined plant tissue amino acid concentration and δ15N analyses in N deposition bio-monitoring.



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Trends and sources of ozone and sub-micron aerosols at the Mt. Bachelor Observatory (MBO) during 2004–2015

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Publication date: September 2017
Source:Atmospheric Environment, Volume 165
Author(s): Lei Zhang, Daniel A. Jaffe
In this paper, we report the climatology of tropospheric ozone (O3) and sub-micron aerosol scattering at the Mt. Bachelor Observatory (MBO, 2.8 km asl) in central Oregon, USA, during 2004–2015. The seasonal cycle for O3 showed a bimodal pattern with peaks in April and July, while aerosol scattering (σsp) was lognormally distributed with a very high peak in August and a smaller peak in May. The mean O3 concentrations showed positive and significant trends in all seasons except winter, with a slope of 0.6–0.8 ppbv yr−1. Monthly criteria for isolating free tropospheric (FT) and boundary layer influenced (BLI) air masses at MBO were obtained based on comparison of MBO water vapor (WV) distributions to those of Salem (SLE) and Medford (MFR), Oregon, at equivalent pressure level. In all seasons, FT O3 was, on average, higher than BLI O3, but the seasonal patterns were rather similar. For σsp the FT mean in spring was higher, but the BLI mean in summer was significantly higher, indicating the importance of regional wildfire smoke.To better understand the causes for the seasonal and interannual trends at MBO, we identified four major categories of air masses that impact O3, carbon monoxide (CO) and aerosols: upper troposphere and lower stratosphere (UTLS) O3 intrusion, Asian long-range transport (ALRT), Arctic air pollution (AAP) and plumes from the Pacific Northwest region (PNW). ALRT and PNW plumes can be further divided into wildfires (WF), industrial pollution (IP) and mineral dust (MD). Over the 12 years of observations, 177 individual plume events have been identified. Enhancement ratios (ERs) and Ångström exponents (AEs) of aerosols were calculated for all events. The lowest slope of Δσsp/ΔO3 is a unique feature of UTLS events. PNW-WF events have the highest averages for Δσsp/ΔCO, Δσsp/ΔO3 and Δσsp/ΔNOy compared to other events. These ERs decrease during long-range transport due to the shorter residence time of aerosols compared to the other pollutants. ALRT-WF events have lower absorption AEs (Åap) than PNW-WF, implying that brown carbon (BrC) is generated from biomass burning but its fraction decreases during long-range transport. Signatures of ERs and AEs are useful tools to identify different plume categories. These results demonstrate the increasing impact of baseline O3 on US air quality due to both global sources and regional wildfire events.



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Trends in black carbon and size-resolved particle number concentrations and vehicle emission factors under real-world conditions

Publication date: September 2017
Source:Atmospheric Environment, Volume 165
Author(s): Patricia Krecl, Christer Johansson, Admir Créso Targino, Johan Ström, Lars Burman
Kerbside concentrations of NOx, black carbon (BC), total number of particles (diameter > 4 nm) and number size distribution (28–410 nm) were measured at a busy street canyon in Stockholm in 2006 and 2013. Over this period, there was an important change in the vehicle fleet due to a strong dieselisation process of light-duty vehicles and technological improvement of vehicle engines. This study assesses the impact of these changes on ambient concentrations and particle emission factors (EF). EF were calculated by using a novel approach which combines the NOx tracer method with positive matrix factorisation (PMF) applied to particle number size distributions. NOx concentrations remained rather constant between these two years, whereas a large decrease in particle concentrations was observed, being on average 60% for BC, 50% for total particle number, and 53% for particles in the range 28–100 nm. The PMF analysis yielded three factors that were identified as contributions from gasoline vehicles, diesel fleet, and urban background. This separation allowed the calculation of the average vehicle EF for each particle metric per fuel type. In general, gasoline EF were lower than diesel EF, and EF for 2013 were lower than the ones derived for 2006. The EFBC decreased 77% for both gasoline and diesel fleets, whereas the particle number EF reduction was higher for the gasoline (79%) than for the diesel (37%) fleet. Our EF are consistent with results from other on-road studies, which reinforces that the proposed methodology is suitable for EF determination and to assess the effectiveness of policies implemented to reduce vehicle exhaust emissions. However, our EF are much higher than EF simulated with traffic emission models (HBEFA and COPERT) that are based on dynamometer measurements, except for EFBC for diesel vehicles. This finding suggests that the EF from the two leading models in Europe should be revised for BC (gasoline vehicles) and particle number (all vehicles), since they are used to compile national inventories for the road transportation sector and also to assess their associated health effects. Using the calculated kerbside EF, we estimated that the traffic emissions were lower in 2013 compared to 2006 with a 61% reduction for BC (due to decreases in both gasoline and diesel emissions), and 34–45% for particle number (reduction only in gasoline emissions). Limitations of the application of these EF to other studies are also discussed.



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Relationships between the potential production of the greenhouse gases CO2, CH4 and N2O and soil concentrations of C, N and P across 26 paddy fields in southeastern China

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Publication date: September 2017
Source:Atmospheric Environment, Volume 164
Author(s): Weiqi Wang, Jordi Sardans, Chun Wang, Congsheng Zeng, Chuan Tong, Dolores Asensio, Josep Peñuelas
Paddy fields are a major global anthropogenic source of greenhouse gases. China has the second largest area under rice cultivation, so determining the relationships between the emission of greenhouse gases and soil carbon content, nutrient availabilities and concentrations and physical properties is crucial for minimizing the climatic impacts of rice agriculture. We examined soil nutrients and other properties, greenhouse-gas production and their relationships in 26 paddy fields throughout the province of Fujian in China, one of the most important provinces for rice production. High P and K concentrations, contents and availabilities were correlated with low rates of CO2 production, whereas high C and N contents were correlated with high rates of CH4 production. Mean annual precipitation (MAP) and rates of gas production were not clearly correlated, at least partly due to the management of flooding that can mask the effect of precipitation. Higher mean annual temperatures and soil Fe contents favored the production of N2O. C, N, P and K concentrations and their ratios, especially the C:K and N:K ratios, and P availability were correlated with CO2 and CH4 production across the province, with higher C:K and N:K ratios correlated positively with increased CO2 production and available P correlated negatively with CH4 production. A management strategy to avoid excessive C accumulation in the soil and to increase P availability and decrease available Fe contents would likely decrease the production of greenhouse gases.



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Editorial board

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Publication date: September 2017
Source:Atmospheric Environment, Volume 164





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Long-term quantitative field study of New Particle Formation (NPF) events as a source of Cloud Condensation Nuclei (CCN) in the urban background of Vienna

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Publication date: September 2017
Source:Atmospheric Environment, Volume 164
Author(s): C. Dameto de España, A. Wonaschütz, G. Steiner, B. Rosati, A. Demattio, H. Schuh, R. Hitzenberger
Many studies have indicated New Particle Formation (NPF) events as an important source of CCN in the atmosphere. However, most of these studies are based on indirect determination of CCN concentrations or were of rather short duration. In this study, we present long-term measurements of CCN concentrations and particle number size distributions performed in the urban background of Vienna, Austria, spanning a period of two years. NPF events occurred on 70 of the 539 measurement days. For 38 of these events, concurrent CCN concentrations (measured at 0.5% supersaturation) are available. Direct comparisons of absolute CCN concentrations before and after an event, however, are inconclusive as other influences can lead to changes in CCN concentrations. In this study, we developed criteria to take local emissions of ultrafine particles, atmospheric mixing conditions and changes in air mass into account. A new normalization procedure (CCN/PM2.5) is introduced to account for dilution and concentration effects due to changes in boundary layer height. Other possible influences, such as weather conditions and traffic emissions were accounted for by tracking wind direction and velocity, as well as black carbon (BC) mass concentrations. On 15 event days, all criteria to exclude other influences were met. On 14 days, NPF was found to be a source of CCN (at 0.5% supersaturation), with concentration increases by up to 143%.



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Evaluation of the chemical composition and correlation between the calculated and measured odour concentration of odorous gases from a landfill in Beijing, China

Publication date: September 2017
Source:Atmospheric Environment, Volume 164
Author(s): Chuandong Wu, Jiemin Liu, Peng Zhao, Wenhui Li, Luchun Yan, Martin Piringer, Günther Schauberger
Odorous gases emitted from landfills have always been a public concern, but studies evaluating the odour contribution and the correlation between the odour concentrations are limited. The objectives of this study were to assess the odour contribution and to correlate the measured odour concentration COD with the calculated odour concentration SOAV, which was calculated as sum of individual odour activity value (OAV). Odorous air samples from a landfill in Beijing were collected seasonally and measured by both gas chromatography and an olfactometer. Different from previous studies, we measured the odour threshold of 51 detected compounds using a uniform methodology to minimize the imprecision of citing odour threshold from disparate literature. The odour threshold is used to convert the individual chemical concentration into the OAV, which is used as a surrogate of the odour concentration. Evaluation of the OAV revealed that hydrogen sulfide (65.9%), dimethyl sulfide (14.4%) and trimethylamine (8.6%) contributed the most to the odour at the landfill. Moreover, the correlation between the calculated odour concentration SOAV and the measured odour concentration COD resulted in a linear regression equation of COD = 6.28 SOAV (r = 0.914, n = 24, p < 0.01). Based on the scaling factor K = 6.28, the average ratio of calculated odour concentration to measured odour concentration could be improved from less than 0.2 to 1.1. By the calibration of the calculated odour concentration SOAV, it is possible to use continuous measurements of chemical concentrations to derive odour concentration for this site for monitoring purposes.

Graphical abstract

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Observations of particle extinction, PM2.5 mass concentration profile and flux in north China based on mobile lidar technique

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Publication date: September 2017
Source:Atmospheric Environment, Volume 164
Author(s): Lihui Lv, Wenqing Liu, Tianshu Zhang, Zhenyi Chen, Yunsheng Dong, Guangqiang Fan, Yan Xiang, Yawei Yao, Nan Yang, Baolin Chu, Man Teng, Xiaowen Shu
Fine particle with diameter <2.5 μm (PM2.5) have important direct and indirect effects on human life and activities. However, the studies of fine particle were limited by the lack of monitoring data obtained with multiple fixed site sampling strategies. Mobile monitoring has provided a means for broad measurement of fine particles. In this research, the potential use of mobile lidar to map the distribution and transport of fine particles was discussed. The spatial and temporal distributions of particle extinction, PM2.5 mass concentration and regional transport flux of fine particle in the planetary boundary layer were investigated with the use of vehicle-based mobile lidar and wind field data from north China. Case studies under different pollution levels in Beijing were presented to evaluate the contribution of regional transport. A vehicle-based mobile lidar system was used to obtain the spatial and temporal distributions of particle extinction in the measurement route. Fixed point lidar and a particulate matter sampler were operated next to each other at the University of Chinese Academy of Science (UCAS) in Beijing to determine the relationship between the particle extinction coefficient and PM2.5 mass concentration. The correlation coefficient (R2) between the particle extinction coefficient and PM2.5 mass concentration was found to be over 0.8 when relative humidity (RH) was less than 90%. A mesoscale meteorological model, the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model, was used to obtain profiles of the horizontal wind speed, wind direction and relative humidity. A vehicle-based mobile lidar technique was applied to estimate transport flux based on the PM2.5 profile and vertical profile of wind data. This method was applicable when hygroscopic growth can be neglected (relatively humidity<90%). Southwest was found to be the main pathway of Beijing during the experiments.



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Compositional and surface characterization of HULIS by UV-Vis, FTIR, NMR and XPS: Wintertime study in Northern India

Publication date: September 2017
Source:Atmospheric Environment, Volume 164
Author(s): Varun Kumar, Anubha Goel, Prashant Rajput
This study (first attempt) characterizes HULIS (Humic Like Substances) in wintertime aerosols (n = 12 during day and nighttime each) from Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP, at Kanpur) by using various state-of-the art techniques such as UV-VIS, FTIR, 1H NMR and XPS. Based on UV-Vis analysis the absorption coefficient at 365 nm (babs-365) of HULIS was found to average at 13.6 and 28.8 Mm−1 during day and nighttime, respectively. Relatively high babs-365 of HULIS during the nighttime is attributed to influence of fog-processing. However, the power fit of UV-Vis spectrum provided near similar AAE (absorption Angstrom exponent) value of HULIS centering at 4.9 ± 1.4 and 5.1 ± 1.3 during daytime and nighttime, respectively. FTIR spectra and its double derivative revealed the presence of various functional groups viz. alcohols, ketones aldehydes, carboxylic acids as well as unsaturated and saturated carbon bonds. 1H NMR spectroscopy was applied to quantify relative percentage of various types of hydrogen atoms contained in HULIS, whereas XPS technique provided information on surface composition and oxidation states of various elements present. A significantly high abundance of H‒C‒O group has been observed in HULIS (based on 1H NMR); 41.4± 2.7% and 30.9± 2.4% in day and nighttime, respectively. However, aromatic protons (Ar-H) were higher in nighttime samples (19.3± 1.8%) as compared to that in daytime samples (7.5 ± 1.9). XPS studies revealed presence of various species on the surface of HULIS samples. Carbon existed in 7 different chemical states while total nitrogen and sulfur exhibited 3 and 2 different oxidation states (respectively) on the surface of HULIS. This study reports structural information and absorption properties of HULIS which has implications to their role as cloud condensation nuclei and atmospheric direct radiative forcing.

Graphical abstract

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Persuasive texts for prompting action: Agency assignment in HPV vaccination reminders

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Publication date: Available online 30 June 2017
Source:Vaccine
Author(s): Matthew S. McGlone, Keri K. Stephens, Serena A. Rodriguez, Maria E. Fernandez
Vaccination reminders must both inform and persuade, and text messages designed for this purpose must do so in 160 characters or less. We tested a strategy for improving the impact of HPV vaccination text message reminders through strategic wording. In an experiment conducted in community settings, 167 Spanish-speaking Latina mothers reviewed text message reminders that assigned the cause or "agency" for HPV transmission to their daughters or the virus, and assigned protection agency to the mothers or the vaccine. Reminder messages framing transmission as an action of the virus prompted mothers to perceive the threat as more severe than messages describing their daughters as the cause. Assigning transmission agency to the virus also held a persuasive advantage in boosting mothers' intentions to seek vaccination, particularly when the message cast mothers as agents of protection rather than the vaccine.



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Widespread psoriasis flare following influenza vaccination

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Publication date: Available online 29 June 2017
Source:Vaccine
Author(s): Connie R. Shi, Vinod E. Nambudiri




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Safety of inadvertent anthrax vaccination during pregnancy: An analysis of birth defects in the U.S. military population, 2003–2010

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Publication date: Available online 30 June 2017
Source:Vaccine
Author(s): Ava Marie S. Conlin, Carter J. Sevick, Gia R. Gumbs, Zeina G. Khodr, Anna T. Bukowinski
BackgroundAnthrax vaccine adsorbed (AVA) vaccination is compulsory for United States military servicemembers with operational indicators. As the number of female military servicemembers has increased, so has the chance of inadvertent AVA vaccination during pregnancy. Building upon past analyses assessing AVA vaccination during pregnancy and birth defects risk, this study sought to determine if inadvertent AVA vaccination during pregnancy is significantly associated with risk of birth defects after adjusting for other potential risk factors.MethodsThe study population included 126,839 liveborn infants in the Department of Defense Birth and Infant Health Registry (2003–2010). Mothers were categorized by AVA vaccination exposure timing in relation to pregnancy. Infant medical records were assessed for birth defect diagnoses within the first year of life. Multivariable logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).ResultsInfants of first trimester AVA vaccinated mothers versus receipt at any other time point (OR, 1.10; 95% CI, 0.93–1.29) were not at higher odds of birth defects in adjusted models. Infants of mothers vaccinated prepregnancy versus postpregnancy had a 1.11 (95% CI, 1.01–1.22) higher odds of having a birth defect. Vaccination postpregnancy versus never vaccinated revealed a 10% lower odds of birth defects (OR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.83–0.99).ConclusionsNo strong associations between inadvertent AVA vaccination during pregnancy and birth defects risk were observed. Marginal associations between prepregnancy vaccination or never vaccinated women and birth defects risk was observed when compared to postpregnancy vaccination. These findings may be due to self-selection and/or reverse causation bias when assessing comparisons with postpregnancy vaccination, and a "healthy worker" effect when assessing comparisons with women never vaccinated.



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Prenatal Tdap immunization and risk of maternal and newborn adverse events

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Publication date: Available online 29 June 2017
Source:Vaccine
Author(s): J. Bradley Layton, Anne M. Butler, Dongmei Li, Kim A. Boggess, David J. Weber, Leah J. McGrath, Sylvia Becker-Dreps
Many countries recommend combined tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid and acellular pertussis immunization (Tdap) during pregnancy to stimulate transplacental transmission of pertussis antibodies to newborns. The immune system can be altered during pregnancy, potentially resulting in differing immunization risks in pregnant women. The safety of widespread Tdap immunization during pregnancy needs to be established. Our objective was to assess whether prenatal Tdap immunization was associated with adverse birth outcomes, and to evaluate the effect of timing of Tdap administration on these outcomes.We identified pregnancies at delivery in a large insurance claims database (2010–2014). Tdap immunization was categorized as optimal prenatal (27+weeks), early prenatal (<27weeks), postpartum (≤7days post-delivery), or none. Medical claims were searched to identify maternal adverse immunization reactions (e.g. anaphylaxis, fever, Guillian-Barre syndrome [GBS]), adverse birth outcomes (e.g. preeclampsia/eclampsia, premature rupture or membranes, chorioamnionitis) and newborn outcomes (e.g. respiratory distress, pulmonary hypertension, neonatal jaundice). Women with optimal or early prenatal Tdap were compared to those not immunized in pregnancy, using propensity score-weighted log-binomial regression and Cox proportional hazards models to estimate risk ratios (RR) and hazard ratios (HR). We identified 1,079,034 deliveries and 677,075 linked newborns; 11.5% were immunized optimally and 2.3% immunized early. There were 1 case of post-immunization anaphylaxis, and 12 cases of maternal encephalopathy (all post- delivery); there were no cases of GBS. Optimally-timed immunization was associated with small increased relative risks of: chorioamnionitis [RR=1.11, (95% CI: 1.07–1.15), overall risk=2.8%], and postpartum hemorrhage [RR=1.23 (95% DI: 1.18–1.28), overall risk=2.4%]; however, these relative increases corresponded to low absolute risk increases. Tdap was not associated with increased risk of any adverse newborn outcome. Overall, prenatal Tdap immunization was not associated with newborn adverse events, but potential associations with chorioamnionitis consistent with one previous study and postpartum hemorrhage require further investigation.



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Clostridium difficile chimeric toxin receptor binding domain vaccine induced protection against different strains in active and passive challenge models

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Publication date: Available online 29 June 2017
Source:Vaccine
Author(s): Jing-Hui Tian, Gregory Glenn, David Flyer, Bin Zhou, Ye Liu, Eddie Sullivan, Hua Wu, James F. Cummings, Larry Elllingsworth, Gale Smith
Clostridium difficile is the number one cause of nosocomial antibiotic-associated diarrhea in developed countries. Historically, pathogenesis was attributed two homologous glucosylating toxins, toxin-A (TcdA) and toxin-B (TcdB). Over the past decade, however, highly virulent epidemic strains of C. difficile (B1/NAP1/027) have emerged and are linked to an increase in morbidity and mortality. Increased virulence is attributed to multiple factors including: increased production of A- and B-toxins; production of binary toxin (CDT); and the emergence of more toxic TcdB variants (TcdB(027)). TcdB(027) is more cytotoxicity to cells; causes greater tissue damage and toxicity in animals; and is antigenically distinct from historical TcdB (TcdB(003)). Broadly protective vaccines and therapeutic antibody strategies, therefore, may target TcdA, TcdB variants and CDT. To facilitate the generation of multivalent toxin-based C. difficile vaccines and therapeutic antibodies, we have generated fusion proteins constructed from the receptor binding domains (RBD) of TcdA, TcdB(003), TcdB(027) and CDT. Herein, we describe the development of a trivalent toxin (T-toxin) vaccine (CDTb/TcdB(003)/TcdA) and quadravalent toxin (Q-toxin) vaccine (CDTb/TcB(003)/TcdA/TcdB(027)) fusion proteins that retain the protective toxin neutralizing epitopes. Active immunization of mice or hamsters with T-toxin or Q-toxin fusion protein vaccines elicited the generation of toxin neutralizing antibodies to each of the toxins. Hamsters immunized with the Q-toxin vaccine were broadly protected against spore challenge with historical C. difficile 630 (toxinotype 0/ribotype 003) and epidemic NAP1 (toxinotype III/ribotype 027) strains. Fully human polyclonal antitoxin IgG was produced by immunization of transgenic bovine with these fusion proteins. In passive transfer studies, mice were protected against lethal toxin challenge. Hamsters treated with human antitoxin IgG were completely protected when challenged with historical or epidemic strains of C. difficile. The use of chimeric fusion proteins is an attractive approach to producing multivalent antitoxin vaccines and therapeutic polyclonal antibodies for prevention and treatment of C. difficile infections (CDI).



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Scapular tip and latissimus dorsi osteomyogenous free flap for the reconstruction of a maxillectomy defect: A minimally invasive trans-axillary approach

The purpose of this study was to propose a novel, minimally invasive trans-axillary approach for harvesting the scapular tip and latissimus dorsi osteomyogenous free flap for the reconstruction of a maxillectomy defect. A retrospective case series study of 4 patients who underwent reconstruction using a scapular tip compositefree flap via the trans-axillary approach was conducted. The data (age, sex, pathology, previous treatment, and adjuvant treatment) were collected and analysed. Total operation time, number of hospital days, and the cosmetic and functional outcome of reconstruction were analysed.

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Pathogenic Th17 and Th22 cells are increased in patients with autoimmune thyroid disorders

Abstract

Purpose

To study the levels of pathogenic and non-pathogenic Th17 and Th22 cells in autoimmune thyroid disorders patients. Although Th17 cells seem to play an important role in the pathogenesis of thyroid autoimmune disorders, the specific subsets of these lymphocytes have not been analyzed in this condition.

Methods

We assessed the levels of Th17 (pathogenic and non-pathogenic) and Th22 cells in peripheral blood and thyroid glands of autoimmune thyroid disorders patients (n   =  26, 16 with Graves' disease and 10 with Hashimoto's thyroiditis) and 15 healthy controls by multi-parametric flow cytometry and immunofluorescence microscopy.

Results

We found increased levels of pathogenic Th17 lymphocytes and Th22 cells in peripheral blood from autoimmune thyroid disorders patients. In addition, these cells were detected in thyroid glands from HT patients. Furthermore, we found significant correlations between the levels of these cells and disease activity, disease duration, and the presence of ophthalmopathy.

Conclusions

The increased levels of pathogenic Th17 lymphocytes and Th22 cells in autoimmune thyroid disorders suggest their involvement in the pathogenesis of this condition.



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Polymorphisms in DENND1B gene are associated with asthma and atopy phenotypes in Brazilian children

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Publication date: October 2017
Source:Molecular Immunology, Volume 90
Author(s): Bianca S.D. Fiuza, Milca de J. Silva, Neuza M. Alcântara-Neves, Maurício L. Barreto, Ryan dos S. Costa, Camila A. Figueiredo
Asthma is a heterogeneous disease associated with a complex basis involving environmental factors and individual variabilities. The DENN Domain Containing 1B (DENND1B) gene has an important role on T cell receptor (TCR) down-regulation on Th2 cells and studies have shown that mutations or loss of this factor can be associated with increased Th2 responses and asthma. The aim of this work is to evaluate the association of polymorphisms in the DENND1B with asthma and allergy markers phenotypes in Brazilian children. Genotyping was performed using a commercial panel from Illumina (2.5 Human Omni bead chip) in 1309 participants of SCAALA (Social Change, Asthma, Allergy in Latin American) program. Logistic regressions for asthma and atopy markers were performed using PLINK software 1.9. The analyzes were adjusted for sex, age, helminth infections and ancestry markers. The DENND1B gene was associated with different phenotypes such as severe asthma and atopic markers (specific IgE production, skin prick test and IL-13 production). Among the 166 SNPs analyzed, 72 were associated with asthma and/or allergy markers. In conclusion, polymorphisms in the DENND1B are significantly associated with development of asthma and atopy and these polymorphisms can influence DENND1B expression and consequently, asthma.



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Cosmetics, Vol. 4, Pages 21: Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate Inclusion into Υ-Cyclodextrin and Mesoporous SBA-15: Preparation, Characterization and In Vitro Release Study

Ascorbic acid or vitamin C is a strong antioxidant widely used in cosmetic and food fields. This vitamin is very unstable and rapidly undergoes degradation. In order to solve this problem and to obtain a stable ascorbic acid, Nikkol Group has developed ascorbyltetraisopalmitate (VC-IP). This raw material is an oil phase, already well-known and employed in the cosmetic market. The objective of this study is to obtain VC-IP in micro-powder form, in order to produce a new raw material that is easily dispersible in oil and water phases and useful for make-up and color cosmetic applications. Various types of drug carriers were studied and considered in order to support VC-IP and obtain the conversion in powder. Υ-cyclodextrin and mesoporous silica SBA-15 were chosen as the best candidates. A white powder of supported VC-IP was obtained with each carrier (VC-IP@cyclodextrin, VC-IP@SBA-15). The systems underwent physicochemical characterization and in vitro release tests were carried out. Based on the conducted study, it can be concluded that by supporting VC-IP on Υ-cyclodextrin and SBA-15, it is feasible to obtain a new raw material in powder form. The two carriers possess different release profiles, adding the possibility to finely tune the release of the active component in smart formulations.

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Normative data of dopaminergic neurotransmission functions in substantia nigra measured with MRI and PET: Neuromelanin, dopamine synthesis, dopamine transporters, and dopamine D2 receptors

Publication date: September 2017
Source:NeuroImage, Volume 158
Author(s): Hiroshi Ito, Hiroshi Kawaguchi, Fumitoshi Kodaka, Hiroyuki Takuwa, Yoko Ikoma, Hitoshi Shimada, Yasuyuki Kimura, Chie Seki, Hitoshi Kubo, Shiro Ishii, Harumasa Takano, Tetsuya Suhara
The central dopaminergic system is of major importance in the pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia, and other neuropsychiatric disorders. In the present study, the normative data of dopaminergic neurotransmission functions in the midbrain, consisting of neuromelanin, dopamine synthesis, dopamine transporters and dopamine D2 receptors, were constructed using magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and positron emission tomography (PET). PET studies with L-[β-11C]DOPA, [18F]FE-PE2I and [11C]FLB457 and MRI studies were performed on healthy young men. Neuromelanin accumulation measured by MRI was compared with dopaminergic functions, dopamine synthesis capacity, dopamine transporter binding and dopamine D2 receptor binding measured by PET in the substantia nigra. Although neuromelanin is synthesized from DOPA and dopamine in dopaminergic neurons, neuromelanin accumulation did not correlate with dopamine synthesis capacity in young healthy subjects. The role of dopamine transporters in the substantia nigra is considered to be the transport of dopamine into neurons, and therefore dopamine transporter binding might be related to neuromelanin accumulation; however, no significant correlation was observed between them. A positive correlation between dopamine D2 receptor binding and neuromelanin accumulation was observed, indicating a feedback mechanism by dopaminergic autoreceptors. Discrepancies in regional distribution between neuromelanin accumulation and dopamine synthesis capacity, dopamine transporter binding or dopamine D2 receptor binding were observed in the substantia nigra.

Graphical abstract

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The association between tau PET and retrospective cortical thinning in clinically normal elderly

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Publication date: 15 August 2017
Source:NeuroImage, Volume 157
Author(s): Molly R. LaPoint, Jasmeer P. Chhatwal, Jorge Sepulcre, Keith A. Johnson, Reisa A. Sperling, Aaron P. Schultz
Tau pathology has been associated with neuronal loss at autopsy, but the temporal evolution of tau pathology and atrophy remains unclear. Here, we investigate the association between cross-sectional AV-1451-PET as a marker of tau pathology and cortical thickness cross-sectionally. We also investigated retrospective rates of cortical thinning over the three years preceding the AV-1451 scan in a clinically normal cohort of 103 older adults from the Harvard Aging Brain Study. Tau measurements were Geometric Transfer Matrix partial volume corrected standardized uptake value ratios (SUVRs) with a cerebellar gray reference region. Thirty-four FreeSurfer-defined cortical regions of interest (ROIs) were used for both thickness and AV-1451 in each hemisphere, with seven additional volumetric ROIs. We examined "local" relationships between AV-1451 and cortical thickness in the same ROI, as well as inferior temporal AV-1451 and all thickness ROIs. All models included baseline age and sex, both interacting with time in retrospective longitudinal models, as covariates. Cross-sectional models controlled for the number of days between the two scans. Cross-sectional local comparisons revealed significant associations between elevated AV-1451 and thinner cortical ROIs predominantly in temporal regions, while analyses associating inferior temporal AV-1451 with all cortical ROIs showed a widespread pattern of significant relationships, which was strongest in temporal and parietal cortices. In our retrospective longitudinal analyses, we saw significant relationships in temporal and parietal regions. Significant local relationships were seen in right superior temporal, middle temporal, temporal pole, and fusiform, as well as the left cuneus and banks of the left superior temporal sulcus. Significant relationships between inferior temporal AV-1451 and faster thinning were observed in right temporal regions (middle temporal and fusiform) and bilateral parahippocampal cortices. We observed significant negative relationships between local and inferior temporal AV-1451 signal and both cross-sectional cortical thickness and rates of thinning in lateral and medial temporal regions. This is an important early step toward elucidating the relationship between tau pathology and retrospective longitudinal atrophy in aging and preclinical AD.



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Adult-like processing of naturalistic sounds in auditory cortex by 3- and 9-month old infants

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Publication date: 15 August 2017
Source:NeuroImage, Volume 157
Author(s): Conor J. Wild, Annika C. Linke, Leire Zubiaurre-Elorza, Charlotte Herzmann, Hester Duffy, Victor K. Han, David S.C. Lee, Rhodri Cusack
Functional neuroimaging has been used to show that the developing auditory cortex of very young human infants responds, in some way, to sound. However, impoverished stimuli and uncontrolled designs have made it difficult to attribute brain responses to specific auditory features, and thus made it difficult to assess the maturity of feature tuning in auditory cortex. To address this, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to measure the brain activity evoked by naturalistic sounds (a series of sung lullabies) in two groups of infants (3 and 9 months) and adults. We developed a novel analysis method – inter-subject regression (ISR) – to quantify the similarity of cortical responses between infants and adults, and to decompose components of the response due to different auditory features. We found that the temporal pattern of activity in infant auditory cortex shared similarity with adults. Some of this shared response could be attributed to simple acoustic features, such as frequency, pitch, envelope, but other parts were not, suggesting that even more complex adult-like features are represented in auditory cortex in early infancy.



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Psychiatric reactions to continuous traumatic stress: A Latent Profile Analysis of two Israeli samples

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Publication date: Available online 29 June 2017
Source:Journal of Anxiety Disorders
Author(s): Liat Itzhaky, Mark Gelkopf, Levin Yafit, Jacob Y. Stein, Zahava Solomon
Many individuals worldwide are exposed to continuous traumatic stress (CTS). However, the psychiatric sequela of CTS and the relevance of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnostic criteria in this situation have yet to be determined. Filling this gap, the present study assessed psychiatric reactions to CTS and the relationship between such reactions and functional impairment among two representative samples of adults exposed to ongoing shelling over 6 (n=387) and 9 years (n=468). Assessment included PTSD symptomatology (i.e., intrusion, avoidance, hyperarousal), anxiety, somatization, and depression. Profile categorization aimed to underscore variations in symptom clustering and severity, and determine whether or not a profile is dominated by PTSD symptoms. Latent Profile analyses (LPA) of sample I revealed four distinct symptoms profiles: (1) 'symptomatically resilient'; (2) 'symptomatically low-moderate'; (3) 'symptomatically moderate-high'; and (4) 'symptomatically overall high'. LPA of sample II revealed three distinct symptoms profiles: (1) 'symptomatically resilient'; (2) 'symptomatically low-moderate'; (3) "symptomatically moderate-high". Moreover, profile variation was implicated in dysfunction. Consistent with studies focusing on single trauma exposure, the findings revealed that the most prevalent profile was the symptomatically resilient, indicating that most people exposed to CTS seem to evince a scarce number of psychiatric symptoms. Moreover, reactions to CTS proved broader than the existing PTSD symptomatology. Examining symptom dominance and severity in relation to impairment and dysfunction, and clinical considerations are discussed.



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