#mytweet via Instagram: Exploring User Behaviour across Multiple Social Networks

We study how users of multiple online social networks (OSNs) employ and share information by studying a common user pool that use six OSNs - Flickr, Google+, Instagram, Tumblr, Twitter, and YouTube. We analyze the temporal and topical signature of users' sharing behaviour, showing how they exhibit distinct behaviorial patterns on different networks. We also examine cross-sharing (i.e., the act of user broadcasting their activity to multiple OSNs near-simultaneously), a previously-unstudied behaviour and demonstrate how certain OSNs play the roles of originating source and destination sinks.Comment: IEEE/ACM International Conference on Advances in Social Networks Analysis and Mining, 2015. This is the pre-peer reviewed version and the final version is available at http://wing.comp.nus.edu.sg/publications/2015/lim-et-al-15.pd

Non-invasive in vivo hyperspectral imaging of the retina for potential biomarker use in Alzheimer's disease

Studies of rodent models of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and of human tissues suggest that the retinal changes that occur in AD, including the accumulation of amyloid beta (Abeta), may serve as surrogate markers of brain Abeta levels. As Abeta has a wavelength-dependent effect on light scatter, we investigate the potential for in vivo retinal hyperspectral imaging to serve as a biomarker of brain Abeta. Significant differences in the retinal reflectance spectra are found between individuals with high Abeta burden on brain PET imaging and mild cognitive impairment (n = 15), and age-matched PET-negative controls (n = 20). Retinal imaging scores are correlated with brain Abeta loads. The findings are validated in an independent cohort, using a second hyperspectral camera. A similar spectral difference is found between control and 5xFAD transgenic mice that accumulate Abeta in the brain and retina. These findings indicate that retinal hyperspectral imaging may predict brain Abeta load

Impact of COVID-19 on cardiovascular testing in the United States versus the rest of the world

Objectives: This study sought to quantify and compare the decline in volumes of cardiovascular procedures between the United States and non-US institutions during the early phase of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the care of many non-COVID-19 illnesses. Reductions in diagnostic cardiovascular testing around the world have led to concerns over the implications of reduced testing for cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality. Methods: Data were submitted to the INCAPS-COVID (International Atomic Energy Agency Non-Invasive Cardiology Protocols Study of COVID-19), a multinational registry comprising 909 institutions in 108 countries (including 155 facilities in 40 U.S. states), assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on volumes of diagnostic cardiovascular procedures. Data were obtained for April 2020 and compared with volumes of baseline procedures from March 2019. We compared laboratory characteristics, practices, and procedure volumes between U.S. and non-U.S. facilities and between U.S. geographic regions and identified factors associated with volume reduction in the United States. Results: Reductions in the volumes of procedures in the United States were similar to those in non-U.S. facilities (68% vs. 63%, respectively; p = 0.237), although U.S. facilities reported greater reductions in invasive coronary angiography (69% vs. 53%, respectively; p < 0.001). Significantly more U.S. facilities reported increased use of telehealth and patient screening measures than non-U.S. facilities, such as temperature checks, symptom screenings, and COVID-19 testing. Reductions in volumes of procedures differed between U.S. regions, with larger declines observed in the Northeast (76%) and Midwest (74%) than in the South (62%) and West (44%). Prevalence of COVID-19, staff redeployments, outpatient centers, and urban centers were associated with greater reductions in volume in U.S. facilities in a multivariable analysis. Conclusions: We observed marked reductions in U.S. cardiovascular testing in the early phase of the pandemic and significant variability between U.S. regions. The association between reductions of volumes and COVID-19 prevalence in the United States highlighted the need for proactive efforts to maintain access to cardiovascular testing in areas most affected by outbreaks of COVID-19 infection

Oil-Water Adsorptive Properties of Chemically Treated Sugarcane Bagasse

&lt;p class="1Body"&gt;Among the contaminants plaguing our waters today, oil remains one of the most pervasive and challenging contaminant to remove. Oil pollution occurs not only through factory discharge, but also by accident spills from the fuel of the vehicle or the transportation of oil. Sugarcane bagasse (SB) is an abundant agricultural by-product containing almost half of cellulose and one quarter of lignin. After chemical treatments SB can be modified their hydrophobicity leading to improve its oil adsorptive properties. In a column experiment containing 1 g of SB, oil was able to be adsorbed from oil and water mixture by, from the highest to the lowest uptake, AASB, ASSB, NSB, SSB and BSB with the average oil adsorption capacity of 13.0 mL/g, 11.25 mL/g, 10.50 mL/g, 9.0 mL/g and 8.75 mL/g respectively. The results were concurrently meeting the result of material characterisation using FTIR, where acetic acid treated SB (AASB) consists of high lignin leading to high hydrophobicity. On the other hand, BSB showed the lowest oil adsorption capacity and more hydrophilic due to the lowest amount of lignin present in SB. The result showed a potential use of natural material of SBs with high lignin content to tackle oil spill in water environment.&lt;/p&gt;</jats:p

Initiators and Barriers to Discussion and Treatment of Premature Ejaculation Among Men and Their Partners in Asia Pacific – Results From a Web-based Survey

AbstractIntroductionPremature ejaculation (PE) is one of the most prevalent yet under-reported sexual disorders. Differing sociocultural norms across the Asia-Pacific region provide unique challenges in PE management.MethodsThis web-based study collected data from 5,038 men and women across 11 countries in the Asia-Pacific region. Respondents were recruited from an existing database.Main Outcome MeasuresThe initiators and barriers for PE discussions and for seeking professional management following self-treatment, as well as their choices and expectations of healthcare professionals (HCPs).ResultsMore than two-thirds of respondents have discussed PE with their partners, and men are more likely to initiate the discussion. Top drivers were for both partners to attain sexual satisfaction and greater fulfillment in the relationship. Emotional insecurity was the top barrier for men as they did not want to feel hurt or inadequate. Before consulting an HCP, more than two-thirds of men self-treated their PE for at least 20 months. The primary reason for stopping self-treatment and seeking medical management was a lack of improvement in sexual satisfaction. The ideal attributes that men seek in their HCP included trust and being knowledgeable about PE management.ConclusionAttitudes and barriers to PE and its treatment in the Asia-Pacific region are poorly understood. Many men are reluctant to seek professional advice and therefore resort to self-treatment for extended periods. HCPs can play a key role to empower PE sufferers and partners to understand the prevalence, medical relevance, treatability, and negative impacts of PE on sexual and overall relationships. Greater awareness of the diverse cultural and social norms, education of both partners and HCPs, and the involvement of HCPs through a patient-centric approach are all pivotal in managing PE optimally across the Asia-Pacific region

Incidence and risk factors for rectal pain after laparoscopic rectal cancer surgery

Objective This study was performed to investigate the incidence of and potential risk factors for rectal pain after laparoscopic rectal cancer surgery. Methods We retrospectively analyzed data from 300 patients who underwent laparoscopic rectal cancer surgery. We assessed the presence of rectal pain and categorized patients into Group N (no rectal pain) or Group P (rectal pain). Results In total, 288 patients were included. Of these patients, 39 (13.5%) reported rectal pain and 14 (4.9%) had rectal pain that persisted for &gt;3 months. Univariate analysis revealed that patients in Group P had more preoperative chemoradiotherapy, more ileostomies, longer operation times, more anastomotic margins of &lt;2 cm from the anal verge, more anastomotic leakage, and longer hospital stays. Multivariate analysis identified an anastomotic margin of &lt;2 cm from the anal verge and a long operation time as risk factors. The presence of diabetes mellitus was a negative predictor of rectal pain. Conclusions In this study, the incidence of rectal pain after laparoscopic rectal cancer surgery was 13.5%. An anastomotic margin of &lt;2 cm from the anal verge and a long operation time were risk factors for rectal pain. The presence of diabetes mellitus was a negative predictor of rectal pain. Thus, the possibility of postoperative rectal pain should be discussed preoperatively with patients with these risk factors. </jats:sec

Diesel exhaust particle exposure exacerbates ciliary and epithelial barrier dysfunction in the multiciliated bronchial epithelium models

Airway epithelium, the first defense barrier of the respiratory system, facilitates mucociliary clearance against inflammatory stimuli, such as pathogens and particulates inhaled into the airway and lung. Inhaled particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) can penetrate the alveolar region of the lung, and it can develop and exacerbate respiratory diseases. Although the pathophysiological effects of PM2.5 in the respiratory system are well known, its impact on mucociliary clearance of airway epithelium has yet to be clearly defined. In this study, we used two different 3D in vitro airway models, namely the EpiAirway-full-thickness (FT) model and a normal human bronchial epithelial cell (NHBE)-based air-liquid interface (ALI) system, to investigate the effect of diesel exhaust particles (DEPs) belonging to PM2.5 on mucociliary clearance. RNA-sequencing (RNA-Seq) analyses of EpiAirway-FT exposed to DEPs indicated that DEP-induced differentially expressed genes (DEGs) are related to ciliary and microtubule function and inflammatory-related pathways. The exposure to DEPs significantly decreased the number of ciliated cells and shortened ciliary length. It reduced the expression of cilium-related genes such as acetylated α-tubulin, ARL13B, DNAH5, and DNAL1 in the NHBEs cultured in the ALI system. Furthermore, DEPs significantly increased the expression of MUC5AC, whereas they decreased the expression of epithelial junction proteins, namely, ZO1, Occludin, and E-cadherin. Impairment of mucociliary clearance by DEPs significantly improved the release of epithelial-derived inflammatory and fibrotic mediators such as IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, GM-CSF, MMP-1, VEGF, and S100A9. Taken together, it can be speculated that DEPs can cause ciliary dysfunction, hyperplasia of goblet cells, and the disruption of the epithelial barrier, resulting in the hyperproduction of lung injury mediators. Our data strongly suggest that PM2.5 exposure is directly associated with ciliary and epithelial barrier dysfunction and may exacerbate lung injury

Exogenous 8-Hydroxydeoxyguanosine Attenuates PM_2.5-Induced Inflammation in Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells by Decreasing NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation

Particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) induces lung injury by increasing the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and inflammation. ROS aggravates NLRP3 inflammasome activation, which activates caspase-1, IL-1β, and IL-18 and induces pyroptosis; these factors propagate inflammation. In contrast, treatment with exogenous 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) decreases RAC1 activity and eventually decreases dinucleotide phosphate oxidase (NOX) and ROS generation. To establish modalities that would mitigate PM2.5-induced lung injury, we evaluated whether 8-OHdG decreased PM2.5-induced ROS generation and NLRP3 inflammasome activation in BEAS-2B cells. CCK-8 and lactate dehydrogenase assays were used to determine the treatment concentration. Fluorescence intensity, Western blotting, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and immunoblotting assays were also performed. Treatment with 80 μg/mL PM2.5 increased ROS generation, RAC1 activity, NOX1 expression, NLRP3 inflammasome (NLRP3, ASC, and caspase-1) activity, and IL-1β and IL-18 levels in cells; treatment with 10 μg/mL 8-OHdG significantly attenuated these effects. Furthermore, similar results, such as reduced expression of NOX1, NLRP3, ASC, and caspase-1, were observed in PM2.5-treated BEAS-2B cells when treated with an RAC1 inhibitor. These results show that 8-OHdG mitigates ROS generation and NLRP3 inflammation by inhibiting RAC1 activity and NOX1 expression in respiratory cells exposed to PM2.5