Chemokine receptor CXCR6 dependent hepatic NK T-cell accumulation promotes inflammation and liver fibrosis

Chronic infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a leading indicator for liver disease. New treatment options are becoming available, and there is a need to characterize the epidemiology and disease burden of HCV. Data for prevalence, viremia, genotype, diagnosis and treatment were obtained through literature searches and expert consensus for 16 countries. for some countries, data from centralized registries were used to estimate diagnosis and treatment rates. Data for the number of liver transplants and the proportion attributable to HCV were obtained from centralized databases. Viremic prevalence estimates varied widely between countries, ranging from 0.3% in Austria, England and Germany to 8.5% in Egypt. the largest viremic populations were in Egypt, with 6358000 cases in 2008 and Brazil with 2106000 cases in 2007. the age distribution of cases differed between countries. in most countries, prevalence rates were higher among males, reflecting higher rates of injection drug use. Diagnosis, treatment and transplant levels also differed considerably between countries. Reliable estimates characterizing HCV-infected populations are critical for addressing HCV-related morbidity and mortality. There is a need to quantify the burden of chronic HCV infection at the national level

A high-throughput cellulase screening system based on droplet microfluidics

A new ultra-high-throughput screening assay for the detection of cellulase activity was developed based on microfluidic sorting. Cellulase activity is detected using a series of coupled enzymes leading to the formation of a fluorescent product that can be detected on a chip. Using this method, we have achieved up to 300-fold enrichments of the active population of cells and greater than 90% purity after just one sorting round. In addition, we proved that we can sort the cellulase-expressing cells from mixtures containing less than 1% active cells

Influence of wall scattering on the early fine structures of measured room impulse responses

The effects of wall diffusing elements on sound-field diffuseness were investigated in a tenth-scale model hall and in a real recital hall. Acoustical measurements were carried out in both halls to measure the surface diffusivity of the lateral walls. In the scale model, the surfaces of the lateral walls and the soffits were covered with diffusers; in the recital hall, the front halves of both lateral walls were treated using reflective panels and absorptive materials. Objective characteristics were investigated using conventional room acoustic parameters and the number of peaks (N-p) computed for the measured impulse responses, which were recorded under diffusive, reflective, and absorptive conditions. In addition, as a measure of the diffuse sound fields, the relative standard deviations (RSDs) of the acoustical parameters were investigated. The diffusive surfaces caused a decrease in the standard deviation of the early decay time and an increase in the Np at higher frequency bands. Auditory experiments using a paired comparison method revealed that the perception of subjective diffuseness could be quantified by using Np. In addition, one listener group's preference was correlated with Np and varied depending on different wall surface treatments. (C) 2015 Acoustical Society of America.Global Frontier R&D Program on <Human-centered Interaction for Coexistence> - National Research Foundation of Korea - Korean Government (MSIP) Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) - Ministry of Educatio

Screening policies, preventive measures and in-hospital infection of COVID-19 in global surgical practices

Background In a surgical setting, COVID-19 patients may trigger in-hospital outbreaks and have worse postoperative outcomes. Despite these risks, there have been no consistent statements on surgical guidelines regarding the perioperative screening or management of COVID-19 patients, and we do not have objective global data that describe the current conditions surrounding this issue. This study aimed to clarify the current global surgical practice including COVID-19 screening, preventive measures and in-hospital infection under the COVID-19 pandemic, and to clarify the international gaps on infection control policies among countries worldwide.Methods During April 2-8, 2020, a cross-sectional online survey on surgical practice was distributed to surgeons worldwide through international surgical societies, social media and personal contacts. Main outcome and measures included preventive measures and screening policies of COVID-19 in surgical practice and centers' experiences of in-hospital COVID-19 infection. Data were analyzed by country's cumulative deaths number by April 8, 2020 (high risk, >5000; intermediate risk, 100-5000; low risk, <100).Results A total of 936 centers in 71 countries responded to the survey (high risk, 330 centers; intermediate risk, 242 centers; low risk, 364 centers). In the majority (71.9%) of the centers, local guidelines recommended preoperative testing based on symptoms or suspicious radiologic findings. Universal testing for every surgical patient was recommended in only 18.4% of the centers. In-hospital COVID-19 infection was reported from 31.5% of the centers, with higher rates in higher risk countries (high risk, 53.6%; intermediate risk, 26.4%; low risk, 14.8%; P<0.001). Of the 295 centers that experienced in-hospital COVID-19 infection, 122 (41.4%) failed to trace it and 58 (19.7%) reported the infection originating from asymptomatic patients/staff members. Higher risk countries adopted more preventive measures including universal testing, routine testing of hospital staff and use of dedicated personal protective equipment in operation theatres, but there were remarkable discrepancies across the countries.Conclusions This large international survey captured the global surgical practice under the COVID-19 pandemic and highlighted the insufficient preoperative screening of COVID-19 in the current surgical practice. More intensive screening programs will be necessary particularly in severely affected countries/institutions