SNAP 8 refractory boiler development program - Shell side hydraulic characteristics of a full scale SNAP 8 multiple tube model boiler Topical report no. 5

Shell side hydraulic characteristics of full-scale SNAP 8 multiple-tube model boiler over turbulent Reynolds number from 18,000 to 38,00

Design and fabrication of SNAP-8 auxiliary loop heat exchangers Final report

Design and fabrication of prototype auxiliary loop heat exchanger for SNAP

SNAP-8 Refractory Boiler Development program: Analysis and testing of a single tube mercury boiler

Heat transfer and fluid flow during forced convection boiling of wetted mercury with application to design and optimization of once-through boilers for Space Power Rankine Cycle Systems - SNAP-

Measuring antibiotic availability and use in 20 low- and middle-income countries

Objective To assess antibiotic availability and use in health facilities in low- and middle-income countries, using the service provision assessment and service availability and readiness assessment surveys. Methods We obtained data on antibiotic availability at 13 561 health facilities in 13 service provision assessment and 8 service availability and readiness assessment surveys. In 10 service provision assessment surveys, child consultations with health-care providers were observed, giving data on antibiotic use in 22 699 children. Antibiotics were classified as access, watch or reserve, according to the World Health Organization’s AWaRe categories. The percentage of health-care facilities across countries with specific antibiotics available and the proportion of children receiving antibiotics for key clinical syndromes were estimated. Findings The surveys assessed the availability of 27 antibiotics (19 access, 7 watch, 1 unclassified). Co-trimoxazole and metronidazole were most widely available, being in stock at 89.5% (interquartile range, IQR: 11.6%) and 87.1% (IQR: 15.9%) of health facilities, respectively. In contrast, 17 other access and watch antibiotics were stocked, by fewer than a median of 50% of facilities. Of the 22 699 children observed, 60.1% (13 638) were prescribed antibiotics (mostly co-trimoxazole or amoxicillin). Children with respiratory conditions were most often prescribed antibiotics (76.1%; 8972/11 796) followed by undifferentiated fever (50.1%; 760/1518), diarrhoea (45.7%; 1293/2832) and malaria (30.3%; 352/1160). Conclusion Routine health facility surveys provided a valuable data source on the availability and use of antibiotics in low- and middle-income countries. Many access antibiotics were unavailable in a majority of most health-care facilities

The variation of psychopharmacological treatment for people with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD): an international study

Conference Theme: Applying pharmacoepidemiology to improve health care in AsiaPoster PresentationAIM/OBJECTIVE: There is a variation of prescription for ASD treatment between countries. It has been suggested that many people with mental disorders in low/middle-income countries do not receive adequate treatment. This study aimed to investigate psychopharmacological treatment patterns in thirty countries which previously had no published data and the association between country’s income and ASD treatment …published_or_final_versio

Transformations of Progesterone by Subcellular Fractions of Human Skin

Homogenates of human skin metabolize progesterone-4-14C to the same products as whole skin. Studies with subcellular fractions obtained by differential centrifugation indicate the presence in skin of a membrane-bound 5α-reductase and a soluble 20α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (20α-HSD), both of which utilize TPNH as cofactor. The 20α-HSD has a pH optimum of 6.2 and a Km of approximately 7 μM. Unlike placental preparations, the 105,000 × g supernatant fraction prepared from human skin has more 20α-HSD than 17β-hydroxy-steroid dehydrogenase activity. This soluble skin enzyme acting on steroid hormones is distinct from previously reported particulate enzymes

Cytosolic DNA Promotes Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 (STAT3) Phosphorylation by TANK-binding Kinase 1 (TBK1) to Restrain STAT3 Activity

Cytosolic DNA can elicit beneficial as well as undesirable immune responses. For example, viral or microbial DNA triggers cell-intrinsic immune responses to defend against infections, whereas aberrant cytosolic accumulation of self-DNA results in pathological conditions, such as autoimmunity. Given the importance of these DNA-provoked responses, a better understanding of their molecular mechanisms is needed. Cytosolic DNA engages stimulator of interferon genes (STING) to activate TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1), which subsequently phosphorylates the transcription factor interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3) to promote interferon expression. Recent studies have reported that additional transcription factors, including nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 (STAT6), are also activated by cytosolic DNA, suggesting that cytosolic DNA-induced gene expression is orchestrated by multiple factors. Here we show that cytosolic DNA activates STAT3, another member of the STAT family, via an autocrine mechanism involving interferon β (IFNβ) and IL-6. Additionally, we observed a novel cytosolic DNA-induced phosphorylation at serine 754 in the transactivation domain of STAT3. Upon cytosolic DNA stimulation, Ser 754 is directly phosphorylated by TBK1 in a STING-dependent manner. Moreover, Ser 754 phosphorylation inhibits cytosolic DNA-induced STAT3 transcriptional activity and selectively reduces STAT3 target genes that are up-regulated in response to cytosolic DNA. Taken together, our results suggest that cytosolic DNA-induced STAT3 activation via IFNβ and IL-6 is restrained by Ser 754 phosphorylation of STAT3. Our findings reveal a new signaling axis downstream of the cytosolic DNA pathway and suggest potential interactions between innate immune responses and STAT3-driven oncogenic pathways