Development of electrochemical inhibition biosensor based on bacteria for detection of environmental pollutants

The main aim of this work is to develop a simple inhibition electrochemical sensor array for detection of heavy metals using bacteria. A series of electrical measurements (cyclic voltammograms) were carried out on samples of two types of bacteria, namely Escherichia coli and Shewanella oneidensis along with optical measurements (fluorescence microscopy, optical density, and flow cytometry) for comparison purposes. As a first step, a correlation between DC electrical conductivity and bacteria concentration in solution was established. The study of the effect of heavy metal ions (Hg2+) on DC electrical characteristics of bacteria revealed a possibility of pattern recognition of inhibition agents. Electrical properties of bacteria in solution were compared to those for immobilized bacteria

An examination of the influence of emotional solidarity on value cocreation with international muslim travelers

Given the rising Muslim travel market and the scarcity of research on Muslim inbound market, it is important to elucidate how international Muslim travelers are perceived through the lens of residents in non-Islamic countries. This study provided an insight into how value cocreation is created through emotional solidarity and attitudes in the context of the Muslim travel market. Results of the structural model for American residents were comparatively similar to those of their Korean counterparts, which is indicative of both countries’ acceptance and tolerance of international Muslim travelers. In particular, residents’ openness to experience and the perceived benefit of international Muslim travelers for development of the tourist destination were significant predictors of emotional solidarity. Residents’ emotional solidarity subsequently explained their attitude toward international Muslim travelers. Attitude toward international Muslim travelers would lead to a positive attitude toward Muslim tourism, which in turn, triggered value cocreation behavior with international Muslim travelers.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Evidence for Factorization in Three-body B --> D(*) K- K0 Decays

Motivated by recent experimental results, we use a factorization approach to study the three-body B --> D(*) K- K0 decay modes. Two mechanisms are proposed for kaon pair production: current-produced (from vacuum) and transition (from B meson). The Bbar0 --> D(*)+ K- K0 decay is governed solely by the current-produced mechanism. As the kaon pair can be produced only by the vector current, the matrix element can be extracted from e+ e- --> K Kbar processes via isospin relations. The decay rates obtained this way are in good agreement with experiment. Both current-produced and transition processes contribute to B- --> D(*)0 K- K0 decays. By using QCD counting rules and the measured B- --> D(*)0 K- K0 decay rates, the measured decay spectra can be understood.Comment: 17 pages, 6 figure

Reversible splenial lesion syndrome in neuroleptic malignant syndrome.

Background: Reversible focal lesions in the splenium of the corpus callosum (SCC) or reversible splenial lesion syndrome are rare and little is known about their pathophysiology. Case summary: The authors describe a case of a 65-year-old female who presented with fever, abnormal behaviour and mild hypernatremia. She was on neuropsychiatric treatment for bipolar disorder but denied any history of seizure. After an extensive workout to exclude infection, a clinical diagnosis of neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) was made. Initial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain showed a lesion in the SCC characterized by high-signal intensity on T2-weighted and FLAIR sequences with reduced signal intensity on T1-weighted sequence. Diffuse weighted imaging (DWI) showed restricted diffusion. There was no enhancement following Gadolinium administration. The follow-up MRI 8 weeks later showed complete resolution of the SCC lesion. Conclusion: While the pathophysiology of reversible SCC lesions is still unclear, this case highlights the need to consider NMS in the differential diagnosis of reversible splenial lesion of the corpus callosum

Six-minute walk distance after coronary artery bypass grafting compared with medical therapy in ischaemic cardiomyopathy

Background: In patients with ischaemic left ventricular dysfunction, coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) may decrease mortality, but it is not known whether CABG improves functional capacity. Objective: To determine whether CABG compared with medical therapy alone (MED) increases 6 min walk distance in patients with ischaemic left ventricular dysfunction and coronary artery disease amenable to revascularisation. Methods: The Surgical Treatment in Ischemic Heart disease trial randomised 1212 patients with ischaemic left ventricular dysfunction to CABG or MED. A 6 min walk distance test was performed both at baseline and at least one follow-up assessment at 4, 12, 24 and/or 36 months in 409 patients randomised to CABG and 466 to MED. Change in 6 min walk distance between baseline and follow-up were compared by treatment allocation. Results: 6 min walk distance at baseline for CABG was mean 340±117 m and for MED 339±118 m. Change in walk distance from baseline was similar for CABG and MED groups at 4 months (mean +38 vs +28 m), 12 months (+47 vs +36 m), 24 months (+31 vs +34 m) and 36 months (−7 vs +7 m), P>0.10 for all. Change in walk distance between CABG and MED groups over all assessments was also similar after adjusting for covariates and imputation for missing values (+8 m, 95% CI −7 to 23 m, P=0.29). Results were consistent for subgroups defined by angina, New York Heart Association class ≥3, left ventricular ejection fraction, baseline walk distance and geographic region. Conclusion: In patients with ischaemic left ventricular dysfunction CABG compared with MED alone is known to reduce mortality but is unlikely to result in a clinically significant improvement in functional capacity

Comparative genomic analysis of a multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus hominis ShoR14 clinical isolate from Terengganu, Malaysia, led to the discover of novel mobile genetic elements

Staphylococcus hominis is a coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (CoNS) commensal capable of causing serious systemic infections in humans. The emergence of multidrug-resistant S. hominis strains is of concern but little is known about the characteristics of this organism, particularly from Malaysia. Here, we present the comparative genome analysis of S. hominis ShoR14, a multidrugresistant, methicillin-resistant blood isolate from Terengganu, Malaysia. Genomic DNA of S. hominis ShoR14 was sequenced on the Illumina platform and assembled using Unicycler v0.4.8. ShoR14 belonged to sequence type (ST) 1 which is the most prevalent ST of the S. hominis subsp. hominis. Comparative genomic analysis with closely related strains in the database with complete genome sequences, led to the discovery of a novel variant of the staphylococcal chromosome cassette mec (SCCmec) type VIII element harboring the mecA methicillin-resistance gene in ShoR14 and its possible carriage of a SCCfus element that encodes the fusidic acid resistance gene (fusC). Up to seven possible ShoR14 plasmid contigs were identified, three of which harbored resistance genes for tetracycline (tetK), chloramphenicol (catA7), macrolides, lincosamides, and streptogramin B (ermC). Additionally, we report the discovery of a novel mercury-resistant transposon, Tn7456, other genomic islands, and prophages which make up the S. hominis mobilome

Prognostic Value of Tumor Volume in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

Tumor bulk has been recognized as an important prognostic factor in the treatment of malignancy. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the prognostic value of tumor volume in nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Sixty patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma were included in this study. Tumor contour was outlined on each of the computed tomography (CT) images using an image analyzer. The primary tumor volume (PTV) and nodal tumor volume (NTV) were calculated by a summation-of-areas technique, and the maximal perimeter of primary tumor (MPP) was measured. The loco-regional control rates and disease-specific survival rates were analyzed according to several variables. The patients had a 5-year local control rate of 75.5%, 5-year nodal control rate of 74.6%, and 5-year disease-specific survival rate of 60.2%. Large PTV (> 30 cm3) was associated with a significantly lower local control (p=0.005). Large NTV (> 5 cm3) was associated with a significantly lower nodal control (p=0.019) and lower disease-specific survival (p=0.046). Large MPP (> 18 cm) was associated with a significantly lower local control (p=0.017). In multivariate analysis, the PTV and NTV were found to be independent factors in predicting the local (p=0.015) and nodal (p=0.039) control, respectively. The NTV (p=0.012) and cranial nerve involvement (p=0.009) were factors that predicted disease-specific survival. Our results suggest that the estimation of tumor volume may identify a subgroup of patients with a greater risk of loco-regional failure and can be used to refine the current staging system

Fake news or weak science? Visibility and characterization of anti-vaccine webpages returned by Google in different languages and countries

The 1998 Lancet paper by Wakefield et al , despite subsequent retraction and evidence indicating no causal link between vaccinations and autism, triggered significant parental concern. The aim of this study was to analyse the online information available on this topic. Using localized versions of Google, we searched “autism vaccine” in English, French, Italian, Portuguese, Mandarin and Arabic and analyzed 200 websites for each search engine result page (SERP). A common feature was the newsworthiness of the topic, with news outlets representing 25-50% of the SERP, followed by unaffiliated websites (blogs, social media) that represented 27-41% and included most of the vaccine-negative websites. Between 12% and 24% of websites had a negative stance on vaccines, while most websites were pro-vaccine (43-70%). However, their ranking by Google varied. While in Google.com the first vaccine-negative website was the 43rd in the SERP, there was one vaccine-negative webpage in the top 10 websites in both the British and Australian localized versions and in French and two in Italian, Portuguese and Mandarin, suggesting that the information quality algorithm used by Google may work better in English. Many webpages mentioned celebrities in the context of the link between vaccines and autism, with Donald Trump most frequently. Few websites (1-5%) promoted complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) but 50-100% of these were also vaccine-negative suggesting that CAM users are more exposed to vaccine-negative information. This analysis highlights the need for monitoring the web for information impacting on vaccine uptake

The design and evaluation of an open loop ground source heat pump operating in an ochre-rich coal mine water environment

Mine water from the abandoned coal mines is considered a good source of low enthalpy energy resource as the temperature of the mine water remains stable throughout the year and is suitable to be used for heating and cooling applications when implemented in conjunction with Ground Source Heat Pump (GSHP). The GSHP is considered to be a low carbon technology and its application for space heating and cooling is being actively investigated and developed by companies and local councils around the world. The open loop GSHP installations, in comparison to closed loop systems, are suitable and economical for large scale heating and cooling demands. This is because there is no time delay for heat transfer when compared with closed loop systems and because they use large volumes of coal mine water at a relatively constant temperatures. A few installations both large and small scale open loop mine water heating and cooling systems have been recently constructed throughout the world. However, coal mine water is associated with relatively poor water quality in some cases, often characterised by high salinity and pyrite oxidation. Despite the fact that mine water temperatures are favourably inclined for an efficient GSHP operations, concerns have been raised over the possibility of damage to the equipment due to poor water quality caused by clogging of the heat exchangers due to pyrite oxidation (ochre) in particular. Not much information is available on the impact of ochre has on the performance of an open loop GSHP when it is operated using the coal mine water rich in pyrite. This paper presents a novel design and implementation of an open loop system of GSHP operating in an ochre rich mine water environment. The results show that open loop systems, when combined with suitable heat pump and the associated design configurations of heat exchangers and maintenance procedures, could provide an efficient and reliable heating system at a lower cost