An Empirical Study on Personal Health Records System based on Individual and Environmental Features

To promote the adoption of PHR system, understanding the factors that affect patients’ adoption of PHR system is of necessity. Based on previous research, this paper tries to develop a model to explore those elements that influence the behavior intentions of patients from the perspective of consumers. It is assumed that individual features and environmental features affect individuals’ attitudes to PHR. Data from 265 participants’ response to questionnaire was collected. The SPSS and partial least squares (PLS) technique was adopted to examine the casual relationships this paper hypothesized. The results show that affordability and coercive pressure have the significant effect on individuals’ attitude towards PHR. Therefore, suggestion regarding what developers, institutions and government should do to improve the adoption rate of PHR was raised

Characterizing Immunoglobulin Repertoire from Whole Blood by a Personal Genome Sequencer

In human immune system, V(D)J recombination produces an enormously large repertoire of immunoglobulins (Ig) so that they can tackle different antigens from bacteria, viruses and tumor cells. Several studies have demonstrated the utility of next-generation sequencers such as Roche 454 and Illumina Genome Analyzer to characterize the repertoire of immunoglobulins. However, these techniques typically require separation of B cell population from whole blood and require a few weeks for running the sequencers, so it may not be practical to implement them in clinical settings. Recently, the Ion Torrent personal genome sequencer has emerged as a tabletop personal genome sequencer that can be operated in a time-efficient and cost-effective manner. In this study, we explored the technical feasibility to use multiplex PCR for amplifying V(D)J recombination for IgH, directly from whole blood, then sequence the amplicons by the Ion Torrent sequencer. The whole process including data generation and analysis can be completed in one day. We tested the method in a pilot study on patients with benign, atypical and malignant meningiomas. Despite the noisy data, we were able to compare the samples by their usage frequencies of the V segment, as well as their somatic hypermutation rates. In summary, our study suggested that it is technically feasible to perform clinical monitoring of V(D)J recombination within a day by personal genome sequencers

The spatial distribution and temporal variation of desert riparian forests and their influencing factors in the downstream Heihe River basin, China

Desert riparian forests are the main restored vegetation community in Heihe River basin. They provide critical habitats and a variety of ecosystem services in this arid environment. Since desert riparian forests are also sensitive to disturbance, examining the spatial distribution and temporal variation of these forests and their influencing factors is important to determine the limiting factors of vegetation recovery after long-term restoration. In this study, field experiment and remote sensing data were used to determine the spatial distribution and temporal variation of desert riparian forests and their relationship with the environmental factors. We classified five types of vegetation communities at different distances from the river channel. Community coverage and diversity formed a bimodal pattern, peaking at the distances of 1000 and 3000 m from the river channel. In general, the temporal normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) trend from 2000 to 2014 was positive at different distances from the river channel, except for the region closest to the river bank (i.e. within 500 m from the river channel), which had been undergoing degradation since 2011. The spatial distribution of desert riparian forests was mainly influenced by the spatial heterogeneity of soil properties (e.g. soil moisture, bulk density and soil particle composition). Meanwhile, while the temporal variation of vegetation was affected by both the spatial heterogeneity of soil properties (e.g. soil moisture and soil particle composition) and to a lesser extent, the temporal variation of water availability (e.g. annual average and variability of groundwater, soil moisture and runoff). Since surface (0–30 cm) and deep (100–200 cm) soil moisture, bulk density and the annual average of soil moisture at 100 cm obtained from the remote sensing data were regarded as major determining factors of community distribution and temporal variation, conservation measures that protect the soil structure and prevent soil moisture depletion (e.g. artificial soil cover and water conveyance channels) were suggested to better protect desert riparian forests under climate change and intensive human disturbance

The MLH1 2101C>A (Q701K) variant increases the risk of gastric cancer in Chinese males

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Gastric cancer is one of the most common cancers affecting East Asians, and <it>MLH1 </it>could play a critical role during tumorigenesis in this condition.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Samples from 236 Chinese patients suffering from gastric cancer were screened for <it>MLH1 </it>germline mutations. Carrier frequencies of the mutations were compared between gastric cancer patients and 240 cancer-free controls. Bioinformatic analysis was used to predict the effect of these mutations on protein function and mRNA splicing.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Six <it>MLH1 </it>sequence alterations were identified in gastric cancer patients including two promoter region substitutions, -93G>A and -28A>G, and four missense mutations 649C>T (R217C), 655A>G (I219V), 1151T>A (V384D) and 2101C>A (Q701K). Compared with the <it>MLH1 </it>2101CC genotype, the 2101CA genotype was associated with a risk of gastric cancer (OR = 8.42, 95% CI = 1.04-68.06) in males. Furthermore, the <it>MLH1 </it>2101C>A mutant was predicted by <it>in silico </it>analysis to affect exon splicing ability. Immunohistochemistry of one index patient carrying the <it>MLH1 </it>2101C>A mutation demonstrated a loss of MLH1 protein and normal expression of MSH2 and E-cadherin. No significant differences were demonstrated between cases and controls for the other five <it>MLH1 </it>variants but the data indicated an ethnic difference in the frequency of these variations between Eastern Asians and Western populations.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>An ethnic-specific <it>MLH1 </it>mutation spectrum occurred in Chinese gastric cancer patients. The <it>MLH1 </it>2101C>A mutation could be a marker for susceptibility to gastric cancer, particularly in males.</p

Effect of drip irrigation with saline water on the construction of shelterbelts for soil and groundwater protection in the hinterland of the Taklimakan Desert, China

Fan, J., Wei, Y., Xinwen, W., & Yang, X. (March-April, 2017). Effect of drip irrigation with saline water on the construction of shelterbelts for soil and groundwater protection in the hinterland of the Taklimakan Desert, China. Water Technology and Sciences (in Spanish), 8(2), 19-30. In order to perceive the effect of drip irrigation with saline water in the desert hinterland on plant growth of shelterbelts and underground environment (vadose zone and groundwater), by developing water-saving irrigation technology to ensure the scientifically substantiated utilization of water resources, four different irrigation cycle experiments (difference in irrigation period I: 12d; IV: 25d; II & III: 25d in the summer and the respective spring and autumn periods, which were the same: 15d and 20d, respectively) were carried out during the irrigation season in four different regions of well irrigation area. In this paper, regular on-site investigation was adopted to observe soil, water, and salt. Single-factor analysis of variance and least significant difference (LSD) are used to analyze the data acquired by the survey method and for measuring plant growth, complemented with the comparison of groundwater level and chemical index before and after irrigation. The results showed that the reduction of annual irrigation volume from 420 mm to 201.6 mm had almost no effect on plant growth and could save more than 50% of the water as compared to treatment I. Considering the impact on the height-growth of Tamarix, treatment II could be optimized, so that more than 30% of the water could be saved as compared to treatment I. Three days after irrigation, the salt was leached through the soil body into the groundwater. The groundwater level in the shelterbelt area, total dissolved solids (TDS), and total hardness exhibited an upward trend. Six days after irrigation, the high salt concentration region was found at a depth of 0–30 cm

Water table response to a pumping test in the hinterland core area of the Taklimakan Desert, China

Wei, Y., Fan, J., Xu, X., & Lei, J. (March-April, 2017). Water table response to a pumping test in the hinterland core area of the Taklimakan Desert, China. Water Technology and Sciences (in Spanish), 8(2), 151-158. In this article, hydrogeological parameters were determined by a single well pumping test. Over the course of the study, BETCO was used to eliminate the effects of atmospheric pressure changes on water level based on the regression deconvolution method. The aquifer test was used to analyze data and to calculate hydrogeological parameters. Finally, from the three unconfined aquifer models, though the Boulton model cannot successfully gain well-fitting results, the Theis model with Jacob correction and the Neuman model results obtained hydrogeological parameters by curve-fitting. Additionally, permeability coefficient of the two models is in good agreement with previous research, which can provide a reference for further study in the hinterland of the desert, especially for the construction of hydrological modeling research

Nanoscale Nitrogen Doping in Silicon by Self-Assembled Monolayers

International audienceThis Report presents a nitrogen-doping method by chemically forming self-assembled monolayers on silicon. Van der Pauw technique, secondary-ion mass spectroscopy and low temperature Hall effect measurements are employed to characterize the nitrogen dopants. The experimental data show that the diffusion coefficient of nitrogen dopants is 3.66 × 10−15 cm2 s−1, 2 orders magnitude lower than that of phosphorus dopants in silicon. It is found that less than 1% of nitrogen dopants exhibit electrical activity. The analysis of Hall effect data at low temperatures indicates that the donor energy level for nitrogen dopants is located at 189 meV below the conduction band, consistent with the literature valu

Optimal design of label-free silicon “lab on a chip” biosensors

This paper reported the optimal design of label-free silicon on insulator (SOI) “lab on a chip” biosensors. These devices are designed on the basis of the evanescent field detection principles and interferometer technologies. The well-established silicon device process technology can be applied to fabricate and test these biosensor devices. In addition, these devices can be monolithically integrated with CMOS electronics and microfluidics. For these biosensor devices, multi-mode interferometer (MMI) was employed to combine many stand-alone biosensors to form chip-level biosensor arrays, which enable real-time and label-free monitoring and parallel detection of various analytes in multiple test samples. This sensing and detection technology features the highest detection sensitivity, which can detect analytes at extremely low concentrations instantaneously. This research can lead to innovative commercial development of the new generation of high sensitivity biosensors for a wide range of applications in many fields, such as environmental monitoring, food security control, medical and biological applications

Advanced application of collagen-based biomaterials in tissue repair and restoration

AbstractIn tissue engineering, bioactive materials play an important role, providing structural support, cell regulation and establishing a suitable microenvironment to promote tissue regeneration. As the main component of extracellular matrix, collagen is an important natural bioactive material and it has been widely used in scientific research and clinical applications. Collagen is available from a wide range of animal origin, it can be produced by synthesis or through recombinant protein production systems. The use of pure collagen has inherent disadvantages in terms of physico-chemical properties. For this reason, a processed collagen in different ways can better match the specific requirements as biomaterial for tissue repair. Here, collagen may be used in bone/cartilage regeneration, skin regeneration, cardiovascular repair and other fields, by following different processing methods, including cross-linked collagen, complex, structured collagen, mineralized collagen, carrier and other forms, promoting the development of tissue engineering. This review summarizes a wide range of applications of collagen-based biomaterials and their recent progress in several tissue regeneration fields. Furthermore, the application prospect of bioactive materials based on collagen was outlooked, aiming at inspiring more new progress and advancements in tissue engineering research. Graphical Abstrac

Sialidase facilitates Porphyromonas gingivalis immune evasion by reducing M1 polarization, antigen presentation, and phagocytosis of infected macrophages

BackgroundPorphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis), a major pathogen of periodontitis, can evade host immune defenses. Previously, we found that P. gingivalis W83 sialidase gene mutant strain (ΔPG0352) was more easily cleared by macrophages. The aims of this study were to investigate the effects of sialidase in P. gingivalis on the polarization, antigen presentation, and phagocytosis of infected macrophages and to clarify the mechanism of P. gingivalis immune evasion.MethodsHuman monocytes U937 were differentiated to macrophages and infected with P. gingivalis W83, ΔPG0352, comΔPG0352, and Escherichia coli (E. coli). The phagocytosis of macrophages was observed by transmission electron microscopy and flow cytometry. ELISA or Griess reaction were used to examine the levels of interleukin-12 (IL-12), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and interleukin-10 (IL-10), and the expressions of CD68, CD80 and CD206 were determined by flow cytometry. The expression of major histocompatibility complex-II (MHC-II) was detected by immunofluorescence. A rat periodontitis model was established to determine the M1 and M2 polarization of macrophages.ResultsCompare with P. gingivalis W83, ΔPG0352 increased the levels of IL-12, iNOS, CD80, and MHC-II and inhibited the levels of IL-10 and CD206. Macrophages phagocytosed 75.4% of ΔPG0352 and 59.5% of P. gingivalis W83. In the rat periodontitis model, the levels of M1 and M2 macrophages in P. gingivalis W83 group were both higher than those in ΔPG0352 group, while the ratio of M1/M2 was higher in the ΔPG0352 group. Alveolar bone absorption was lower in ΔPG0352 group.ConclusionSialidase facilitates P. gingivalis immune evasion by reducing M1 polarization, antigen presentation, and phagocytosis of infected macrophages