Computational analysis of the behavior of atmospheric pollution due to demographic, structural factors, vehicular flow and commerce activities

According to the latest assessments made by the world health organization (WHO2016), the atmospheric pollution (air), has become one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality in the world, with a steep growth of respiratory diseases, increase in lung cancer, ocular complications, and dermis diseases [1,2,3]. Currently, there are governments which still underestimate investments in environmental care, turning their countries into only consumers and predators of the ecosystem [1,2,3]. Worldwide, several cities have been implementing different regional strategies to decrease environmental pollution, however, these actions have not been effective enough and significant indices of contamination and emergency declarations persist [1,2,3]. Medellín is one of the cities most affected by polluting gases in Latin America due to the high growth of construction sector, high vehicular flow, increase in commerce, besides a little assertive planting trees system, among other reasons [1,2,3]. With the purpose of providing new researching elements which benefit the improvement of air quality in the cities of the world, it is pretended to mathematically model and computationally implement the behavior of the flow of air, e.g., in zones in the city of Medellín to determine the extent of pollution by tightness, impact of current architectural designs, vehicular transport, high commerce flow, and confinement in the public transport system. The simulations allowed to identify spotlights of particulate tightness caused by architectural designs of the city which do not benefit air flow. Also, recirculating gases were observed in different zones of the city. This research can offer greater knowledge around the incidence of pollution generated by structures and architecture. Likewise, these studies can contribute to a better urban, structural and ecological reordering in cities, the implementation of an assertive arborization system, and the possibility to orientate effective strategies over cleaning (purification) and contaminant extracting systems

Análise de componentes principais no estudo da diversidade genética de caprinos.

Analisou-se dados biométricos de raças exóticas Toggenbourg, Saanen, Anglonubiana, Alpina e Boer. No Marrocos, foram amostrados caprinos locais Drâa, Zagora e Rhâali. Mensurou-se altura de cernelha (AC), altura da maçã do peito ao chão (AP) e comprimento de orelha (CO). A profundidade torácica foi calculada (AC-AP) e foram estabelecidos índices entre duas medidas corporais. As variáveis foram submetidas à análise de componentes principais (ACP) através do programa SAS v. 9.0. Do total de sete componentes, os dois primeiros foram suficientes para acumular 74,87% da variância total dos dados. Na representação gráfica da distribuição dos indivíduos, observou-se que Toggebourg, Saanen e Alpina ocuparam apenas os quadrantes esquerdos e Zagora apenas nos quadrantes direitos. Drâa ocupou os quadrantes superiores. Apresentaram menos identidade as populações de Rhâali, Boer e Anglo-nubiana, cujos indivíduos se dispersaram entre ambos os quadrantes inferiores e o superior direito. Estes resultados estão de acordo com o histórico e a distribuição geográfica das raças, alertam para a necessidade de outros estudos sobre os caprinos marroquinos. Os resultados da ACP foram consistentes, permitindo preconizá-la como uma técnica auxiliar em estudos futuros

Mechanical design report of the barrel liquid argon presampler

The note describes the mechanical design of the Atlas barrel presampler and its evolution since the publication of thecalorimeter TDR in December 9

Microbial ligand costimulation drives neutrophilic steroid-refractory asthma

Funding: The authors thank the Wellcome Trust (102705) and the Universities of Aberdeen and Cape Town for funding. This research was also supported, in part, by National Institutes of Health GM53522 and GM083016 to DLW. KF and BNL are funded by the Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, BNL is the recipient of an European Research Commission consolidator grant and participates in the European Union FP7 programs EUBIOPRED and MedALL. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Systemic and local eosinophil inflammation during the birch pollen season in allergic patients with predominant rhinitis or asthma

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The aim of the study was to investigate inflammation during the birch pollen season in patients with rhinitis or asthma.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Subjects with birch pollen asthma (n = 7) or rhinitis (n = 9) and controls (n = 5) were studied before and during pollen seasons. Eosinophils (Eos), eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) and human neutrophil lipocalin were analysed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Allergic asthmatics had a larger decline in FEV1 after inhaling hypertonic saline than patients with rhinitis (median) (-7.0 vs.-0.4%, p = 0.02). The asthmatics had a lower sesonal PEFR than the rhinitis group. The seasonal increase in B-Eos was higher among patients with asthma (+0.17 × 109/L) and rhinitis (+0.27 × 109/L) than among controls (+0.01 × 109/L, p = 0.01). Allergic asthmatics and patients with rhinitis had a larger increase in sputum ECP (+2180 and +310 μg/L) than the controls (-146 μg/L, p = 0.02). No significant differences in inflammatory parameters were found between the two groups of allergic patients.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Patients with allergic asthma and rhinitis have the same degree of eosinophil inflammation. Despite this, only the asthmatic group experienced an impairment in lung function during the pollen season.</p

The “Missing” Link Between Acute Hemodynamic Effect and Clinical Response

The hemodynamic, mechanical and electrical effects of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) occur immediate and are lasting as long as CRT is delivered. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that acute hemodynamic effects should predict long-term outcome. However, in the literature there is more evidence against than in favour of this idea. This raises the question of what factor(s) do relate to the benefit of CRT. There is increasing evidence that dyssynchrony, presumably through the resultant abnormal local mechanical behaviour, induces extensive remodelling, comprising structure, as well as electrophysiological and contractile processes. Resynchronization has been shown to reverse these processes, even in cases of limited hemodynamic improvement. These data may indicate the need for a paradigm shift in order to achieve maximal long-term CRT response

Synthesis of tenascin and laminin beta2 chain in human bronchial epithelial cells is enhanced by cysteinyl leukotrienes via CysLT1 receptor

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Cysteinyl leukotrienes (CysLTs) are key mediators of asthma, but their role in the genesis of airway remodeling is insufficiently understood. Recent evidence suggests that increased expression of tenascin (Tn) and laminin (Ln) β2 chain is indicative of the remodeling activity in asthma, but represents also an example of deposition of extracellular matrix, which affects the airway wall compliance. We tested the hypothesis that CysLTs affect production of Tn and Ln β2 chain by human bronchial epithelial cells and elucidated, which of the CysLT receptors, CysLT₁or CysLT₂, mediate this effect.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Cultured BEAS-2B human bronchial epithelial cells were stimulated with leukotriene D₄(LTD₄) and E₄(LTE₄) and evaluated by immunocytochemistry, Western blotting, flow cytometry, and RT-PCR. CysLT receptors were differentially blocked with use of montelukast or BAY u9773.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>LTD₄and LTE₄significantly augmented the expression of Tn, whereas LTD₄, distinctly from LTE₄, was able to increase also the Ln β2 chain. Although the expression of CysLT₂prevailed over that of CysLT₁, the up-regulation of Tn and Ln β2 chain by CysLTs was completely blocked by the CysLT₁-selective antagonist montelukast with no difference between montelukast and the dual antagonist BAY u9773 for the inhibitory capacity.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These findings suggest that the CysLT-induced up-regulation of Tn and Ln β2 chain, an important epithelium-linked aspect of airway remodeling, is mediated predominantly by the CysLT₁receptor. The results provide a novel aspect to support the use of CysLT₁receptor antagonists in the anti-remodeling treatment of asthma.</p

Exhaled breath condensate cysteinyl leukotrienes and airway remodeling in childhood asthma: a pilot study

BACKGROUND: It has been suggested that cysteinyl leukotrienes (cysLTs) play an important role in airway remodeling. Previous reports have indicated that cysLTs augment human airway smooth muscle cell proliferation. Recently, cysLTs have been measured in exhaled breath condensate (EBC). The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between cysLTs in EBC and another marker of airway remodeling, reticular basement membrane (RBM) thickening, in endobronchial biopsies in children. METHODS: 29 children, aged 4–15 years, with moderate to severe persistent asthma, who underwent bronchoscopy as part of their clinical assessment, were included. Subjects underwent spirometry and EBC collection for cysLTs analysis, followed by bronchoscopy and endobronchial biopsy within 24 hours. RESULTS: EBC cysLTs were significantly lower in asthmatic children who were treated with montelukast than in those who were not (median (interquartile range) 36.62 (22.60–101.05) versus 249.1 (74.21–526.36) pg/ml, p = 0.004). There was a significant relationship between EBC cysLTs and RBM thickness in the subgroup of children who were not treated with montelukast (n = 13, r = 0.75, p = 0.003). CONCLUSION: EBC cysLTs appear to be associated with RBM thickening in asthma