An Assessment Tool for E-Government System Performance:-A Citizen-Centric Model

Governments worldwide have, increasingly, implemented e-government initiatives for their potential significant benefits; among which, delivering better services to citizens through increasing citizens‟ convenience, satisfaction, and independence; and saving their time, effort, and cost. Achieving each benefit is an objective to these governments and fulfilling each objective is considered a critical success factors. Hence, governments need to assess the extent to which they were able to obtain their preset goals. This study merely focuses on the citizens‟ perspective of the evaluation. However, the literature seems to lack studies that propose such a sufficient evaluation tool that has been reliably validated. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to fill this gap by proposing and validating a conceptual model and an associated evaluation tool which measures the e-government performance from citizens‟ perspective. The model includes factors which impact citizens‟ perceptions and their psychological and tangible benefits which, in turn, influence their adoption. The model was validated by a survey method and analyzed using PLS. The results support our model and shows that almost all paths in the proposed model are significant

LQ Robust Synthesis With Non-fragile Controllers: The Static State Feedback Case

This paper describes the synthesis of Non-fragile or Resilient regulators for linear systems. The general framework for fragility is described using state space methodologies and the LQH static state feedback case is examined in detail. We discuss the multiplicative structured uncertainties case and propose remedies of the fragility problem. The benchmark problem is taken as example to show how an uncertain or resilient static state feedback controller can affect the performance of the system

Shed urinary ALCAM is an independent prognostic biomarker of three-year overall survival after cystectomy in patients with bladder cancer.

Proteins involved in tumor cell migration can potentially serve as markers of invasive disease. Activated Leukocyte Cell Adhesion Molecule (ALCAM) promotes adhesion, while shedding of its extracellular domain is associated with migration. We hypothesized that shed ALCAM in biofluids could be predictive of progressive disease. ALCAM expression in tumor (n = 198) and shedding in biofluids (n = 120) were measured in two separate VUMC bladder cancer cystectomy cohorts by immunofluorescence and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. The primary outcome measure was accuracy of predicting 3-year overall survival (OS) with shed ALCAM compared to standard clinical indicators alone, assessed by multivariable Cox regression and concordance-indices. Validation was performed by internal bootstrap, a cohort from a second institution (n = 64), and treatment of missing data with multiple-imputation. While ALCAM mRNA expression was unchanged, histological detection of ALCAM decreased with increasing stage (P = 0.004). Importantly, urine ALCAM was elevated 17.0-fold (P < 0.0001) above non-cancer controls, correlated positively with tumor stage (P = 0.018), was an independent predictor of OS after adjusting for age, tumor stage, lymph-node status, and hematuria (HR, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.03-2.06; P = 0.002), and improved prediction of OS by 3.3% (concordance-index, 78.5% vs. 75.2%). Urine ALCAM remained an independent predictor of OS after accounting for treatment with Bacillus Calmette-Guerin, carcinoma in situ, lymph-node dissection, lymphovascular invasion, urine creatinine, and adjuvant chemotherapy (HR, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.02-1.19; P = 0.011). In conclusion, shed ALCAM may be a novel prognostic biomarker in bladder cancer, although prospective validation studies are warranted. These findings demonstrate that markers reporting on cell motility can act as prognostic indicators

Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Tumors Colonized with Bacterial Ferritin-Expressing Escherichia coli

Background: Recent studies have shown that human ferritin can be used as a reporter of gene expression for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Bacteria also encode three classes of ferritin-type molecules with iron accumulation properties. Methods and Findings: Here, we investigated whether these bacterial ferritins can also be used as MRI reporter genes and which of the bacterial ferritins is the most suitable reporter. Bacterial ferritins were overexpressed in probiotic E. coli Nissle 1917. Cultures of these bacteria were analyzed and those generating highest MRI contrast were further investigated in tumor bearing mice. Among members of three classes of bacterial ferritin tested, bacterioferritin showed the most promise as a reporter gene. Although all three proteins accumulated similar amounts of iron when overexpressed individually, bacterioferritin showed the highest contrast change. By site-directed mutagenesis we also show that the heme iron, a unique part of the bacterioferritin molecule, is not critical for MRI contrast change. Tumor-specific induction of bacterioferritin-expression in colonized tumors resulted in contrast changes within the bacteria-colonized tumors. Conclusions: Our data suggest that colonization and gene expression by live vectors expressing bacterioferritin can be monitored by MRI due to contrast change

Nonconvulsive Status Epilepticus in Patients with Altered Mental Status Admitted to Hamad General Hospital, Doha, Qatar

This is a prospective, hospital-based study reporting an update and the prevalence of nonconvulsive status epilepticus (NCSE) in patients with altered mental status (AMS) in Qatar. Patients presenting with NCSE are compared to controls. Two-hundred and fifty patients with AMS are involved. Patients with NCSE are: 65 (12–79 years, m, 37, f, 28); controls: 185 (12–80 years, m, 101, f, 84). Occurrence of NCSE in patients with AMS was 26%. NCSE patients were younger than controls (p < 0.001). Deaths in the NCSE group occurred in 31% and 19% in controls (p < 0.0007). Hospitalization length was longer in NCSE proper and in comatose NCSE compared to controls (p < 0.02, p < 0.03). Recovery occurred in 40% of NCSE patients and 53% of controls (p < 0.08). About 31% of patients (n = 21) had refractory NCSE and 9 died. This is the first study reporting the prevalence of NCSE in Qatar. This prevalence (26%) is in the middle range. NCSE did not do better than the controls, result being disappointing regarding comatose NCSE. NCSE is an emerging condition requiring rapid diagnosis and rapid treatment. Regarding the optimal duration of continuous EGG (cEEG) monitoring to diagnose the majority of NCSE cases, 3 days of cEEG monitoring could accomplish this task

An efficient reusable perylene hydrogel for removing some toxic dyes from contaminated water

From Wiley via Jisc Publications RouterHistory: received 2020-11-24, rev-recd 2021-01-05, accepted 2021-01-11, pub-electronic 2021-02-03, pub-print 2021-09Article version: VoRPublication status: PublishedAbstract: The synthesis of adsorbents that meet the need for large‐scale production at relatively low cost and are capable of removing anionic and cationic toxic dyes from aqueous solutions, with high sorption capacity and reusability, is urgently needed from an environmental and industrial viewpoint. In this context the identification of hydrogels that remove dyes efficiently under ambient conditions and at near‐neutral pH without the necessity of pre‐treatment is an imperative. In this study we report the preparation of two hydrogels using the redox polymerisation of acrylamide, hydroxyethylmethacrylate (HEMA) and N‐isopropylacrylamide (H1) and acrylamide, HEMA, N‐isopropylacrylamide and perylene‐5‐ylpent‐3‐yne‐2‐methylprop‐2‐enoate‐co‐2‐methyl‐2‐(prop‐2‐enoylamino)propane‐1‐sulfonic acid (PePnUMA‐co‐AMPS) (H2). These hydrogels proved to be effective for the removal of methylene blue (MB), fuchsin acid (FA) and Congo Red (CR) from aqueous solution at near‐neutral pH where their adsorption behaviour was in keeping with the Langmuir model having qmax values of 769.2 mg g−1 (MB), 1666.7 mg g−1 (FA) and 2358.2 mg g−1 (CR). The adsorption of MB and FA by these hydrogels follows pseudo‐first‐order kinetics, whilst the adsorption of CR follows pseudo‐second‐order kinetics. Detailed thermodynamic analysis indicated that the dye–adsorbent interaction is primarily one of physisorption in nature. Finally, desorption studies carried out in 1.0 mol L–1 NaClO4 indicated that these adsorbents could be recycled at least four times using a variety of dyes while maintaining their mechanical properties. © 2021 The Authors. Polymer International published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry

Fine-scale variation in the effect of the cushion plant Azorella selago on vascular plants, mosses, hepatics and lichens in the sub-Antarctic

DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT : Accompanying data and R scripts can be accessed at https://catal ogue.saeon.ac.za/recor ds/10.15493/ SAPRI.08172023.SUPPORTING INFORMATION : APPENDIX S1. Pictures of the study site and species on sub-Antarctic Marion Island. APPENDIX S2. Variation of abiotic variables with elevation and aspect. APPENDIX S3. Scoria volumetric water content below Azorella selago, and mean (±SE) scoria moisture beneath A. selago and adjacent sites. APPENDIX S4. Vascular plant, hepatic, lichen and moss species occurrences on Azorella selago and adjacent sites. APPENDIX S5. The correlation between the competitive importance index and the relative interaction intensity index for species richness and cover of vascular plants, hepatics, mosses and lichens. APPENDIX S6. Competitive importance index from distal models for the richness and the cover of vascular plants, hepatics, mosses and lichens. APPENDIX S7. Competitive importance index from proximal models for the richness and cover of vascular plants, hepatics, mosses and lichens. APPENDIX S8. Mean (±SE) competitive importance index for the richness and cover of vascular plant, hepatic, moss and lichen species. APPENDIX S9. Changes in the competitive importance index for species richness (mean ± SE) with elevation (m a.s.l.) for vascular plants, hepatic lichens and mosses. APPENDIX S10. Changes in the competitive importance index for species cover (mean ± SE) with elevation (m a.s.l.) for vascular plants, hepatics, lichens and mosses.QUESTION : Plant–plant interactions can strongly influence community structure and composition. The outcome of these interactions can vary considerably across space and is often linked to environmental conditions, with, for example, a higher prevalence of facilitative interactions typically being observed under greater environmental severity. To date, most studies have documented shifts from competitive to facilitative (or neutral) plant–plant and plant–lichen interactions along gradients of increasing environmental severity from pairwise interspecific interactions. However, few studies have examined if the outcome of these interactions for different taxonomic groups is dependent on environmental conditions across multiple environmental stress gradients. Location: Sub-Antarctic Marion Island. METHODS : We examine community-level variation in the response of four taxa (i.e., vascular plants, hepatics, mosses, and lichens) to an interaction with a long-lived cushion plant species (Azorella selago) that ameliorates microenvironmental conditions, testing how the effect of the cushion plant on the taxa varies along multiple stress gradients at the scale of a landform. RESULTS : Contrary to expectations, even when considering multiple proximate predictor variables, fine-scale spatial variation in the effect of A. selago on the taxa could not be explained. However, the outcome of the interaction with A. selago differed between taxonomic groups, with vascular plants benefitting and the non-vascular taxa experiencing neutral or negative impacts. CONCLUSIONS : This study highlights that the impacts of biotic interactions cannot always be generalized across plant groups, and that it is necessary to consider taxon-specific responses when predicting community-level impacts of biotic interactions. More generally, we demonstrate how complex spatial variation in environmental stressors can be explicitly considered when modelling variation in the outcome of plant–plant interactions.The National Research Foundation's South African National Antarctic Programme; the National Research Foundation Innovation Master's Scholarship; the NRF Externally Funded UP Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme.http://www.wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/jvsam2024Plant Production and Soil ScienceSDG-15:Life on lan

Global analyses revealed age-related alterations in innate immune responses after stimulation of pathogen recognition receptors

Aging leads to dysregulation of multiple components of the immune system that results in increased susceptibility to infections and poor response to vaccines in the aging population. The dysfunctions of adaptive B and T cells are well documented, but the effect of aging on innate immunity remains incompletely understood. Using a heterogeneous population of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), we first undertook transcriptional profiling and found that PBMCs isolated from old individuals (≥ 65 years) exhibited a delayed and altered response to stimulation with TLR4, TLR7/8, and RIG-I agonists compared to cells obtained from adults (≤ 40 years). This delayed response to innate immune agonists resulted in the reduced production of pro-inflammatory and antiviral cytokines and chemokines including TNFα, IL-6, IL-1β, IFNα, IFNγ, CCL2, and CCL7. While the major monocyte and dendritic cell subsets did not change numerically with aging, activation of specific cell types was altered. PBMCs from old subjects also had a lower frequency of CD40+ monocytes, impaired up-regulation of PD-L1 on monocytes and T cells, and increased expression of PD-L2 and B7-H4 on B cells. The defective immune response to innate agonists adversely affected adaptive immunity as TLR-stimulated PBMCs (minus CD3 T cells) from old subjects elicited significantly lower levels of adult T-cell proliferation than those from adult subjects in an allogeneic mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR). Collectively, these age-associated changes in cytokine, chemokine and interferon production, as well as co-stimulatory protein expression could contribute to the blunted memory B- and T-cell immune responses to vaccines and infections

Early prehabilitation reduces admissions and time in hospital in patients with newly diagnosed lung cancer

Objectives Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the UK. Prehabilitation aims to maximise patient fitness and minimise the negative impact of anticancer treatment. What constitutes prehabilitation before non-surgical anticancer treatment is not well established. We present data from a pilot project of Early prehabilitation In lung Cancer.Methods All new patients with likely advanced lung cancer were offered prehabilitation at respiratory clinic, if fit for further investigation. Prehabilitation included assessment and appropriate intervention from a consultant in palliative medicine, registered dietitian and rehabilitation physiotherapist. Four objective endpoints were identified, namely admissions to hospital, time spent in the hospital, treatment rates and overall survival. Outcomes were to be compared with 178 prehab eligible historical controls diagnosed from 2019 to 2021.Results From July 2021 to June 2023, 65 patients underwent prehabilitation and 72% of patients underwent all 3 interventions. 54 patients had a stage 3 or 4 lung cancer. In the prehab group, fewer patients attended Accident and Emergency (31.5 vs 37.4 attendances per 100 patients) and fewer were admitted (51.9 vs 67.9) when compared with historical controls. Those receiving prehab spent a lot less time in the hospital (129.7 vs 543.5 days per 100 patients) with shorter admissions (2.5 vs 8 days). Systemic anticancer treatment rates increased in the short term but were broadly similar overall. Median survival was higher in the prehabilitation group (0.73 vs 0.41 years, p=0.046).Conclusions Early prehabilitation appears to reduce time spent in the hospital. It may improve survival. Further work is required to understand its full effect on treatment rates.<br/

The GABBR1 locus and the G1465A variant is not associated with temporal lobe epilepsy preceded by febrile seizures

BACKGROUND: Polymorphism G1465A in the GABBR1 gene has been suggested as a risk factor for non-lesional temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE); however, this genetic association study has not been independently replicated. We attempted to replicate this study in our cohort of patients with TLE. Furthermore, we also analyzed the coding sequence of this gene and searched for disease-causing mutations. METHODS: We included 120 unrelated individuals with TLE that was preceded by febrile seizures (FS) who did not have any evidence of structural lesions suggesting secondary epilepsy. 66 individuals had positive family history of TLE epilepsy and 54 were sporadic. Each patient was genotyped for the presence of G1465A polymorphism. All exons of the GABBR1 gene were screened by single strand confirmation polymorphism method. Genotypes were compared with two independent matched control groups. RESULTS: We detected two A alleles of the G1465A polymorphism in one homozygous control subject (0.87% of all alleles) and one A allele in a patient with TLE (0.45%, not significant). Other detected polymorphisms in coding regions had similar frequencies in epilepsy patients and control groups. No disease causing mutations in the GABBR1 gene were detected in patients with sporadic or familial TLE. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that TLE preceded by FS is not associated with the polymorphisms or mutations in the GABBR1 gene, including the G1465A polymorphism. The proportion of TLE patients with FS in the original study, reporting this positive association, did not differ between allele A negative and positive cases. Thus, our failure to reproduce this result is likely applicable to all non-lesional TLE epilepsies