Carbon Materials as Additives to WO3 for an Enhanced Conversion of Simulated Solar Light

We have explored the impact of the incorporation of nanoporous carbons as additives to tungsten oxide on the photocatalytic degradation of two recalcitrant pollutants: rhodamine B and phenol, under simulated solar light. For this purpose, WO3/carbon mixtures were prepared using three carbon materials with different properties (in terms of porosity, structural order and surface chemistry). Despite the low carbon content used (2 wt. %), a significant increase in the photocatalytic performance of the semiconductor was observed for all the catalysts. Moreover, the influence of the carbon additive on the performance of the photocatalysts was found to be very different for the two pollutants. Carbon additives of hydrophobic nature increased the photodegradation yield of phenol compared to bare WO3, likely due to the higher affinity and stronger interactions of phenol molecules towards basic nanoporous carbons. Oppositely, the use of acidic carbon additives led to higher rhodamine B conversions due to increased acidity of the WO3/carbon mixtures and the stronger affinity of the pollutant for acidic catalyst’s surfaces. As a result, the photooxidation of rhodamine B is favored by means of a coupled (photosensitized and photocatalytic) degradation mechanism. All these results highlight the importance of favoring the interactions of the pollutant with the catalyst’s surface through a detailed design of the features of the photocatalyst

The effect of data analysis strategies in density estimation of mountain ungulates using distance sampling

Distance sampling is being extensively used to estimate the abundance of animal populations. Nevertheless, the great variety of ways in which data can be analyzed may limit comparisons due to the lack of standardization of such protocols. In this study, the influence of analytical procedures for distance sampling data on density estimates and their precision was assessed. We have used data from 21 surveys of mountain ungulates in the Iberian Peninsula, France and the Italian Alps. Data from such surveys were analyzed with the program Distance 6.0. Our analyses show that estimated density can be higher for higher levels of data truncation. We also confirm that the estimates tend to be more precise when data are analyzed without binning and without truncating. We found no evidence of size biased sampling as group size and distances were uncorrelated in most of our surveys. Despite distance sampling being a fairly robust methodology, it can be sensitive to some data analysis strategies

Improved prediction of radiation pneumonitis by combining biological and radiobiological parameters using a data-driven Bayesian network analysis

Grade 2 and higher radiation pneumonitis (RP2) is a potentially fatal toxicity that limits efficacy of radiation therapy (RT). We wished to identify a combined biomarker signature of circulating miRNAs and cytokines which, along with radiobiological and clinical parameters, may better predict a targetable RP2 pathway. In a prospective clinical trial of response-adapted RT for patients (n = 39) with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer, we analyzed patients\u27 plasma, collected pre- and during RT, for microRNAs (miRNAs) and cytokines using array and multiplex enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively. Interactions between candidate biomarkers, radiobiological, and clinical parameters were analyzed using data-driven Bayesian network (DD-BN) analysis. We identified alterations in specific miRNAs (miR-532, -99b and -495, let-7c, -451 and -139-3p) correlating with lung toxicity. High levels of soluble tumor necrosis factor alpha receptor 1 (sTNFR1) were detected in a majority of lung cancer patients. However, among RP patients, within 2 weeks of RT initiation, we noted a trend of temporary decline in sTNFR1 (a physiological scavenger of TNFα) and ADAM17 (a shedding protease that cleaves both membrane-bound TNFα and TNFR1) levels. Cytokine signature identified activation of inflammatory pathway. Using DD-BN we combined miRNA and cytokine data along with generalized equivalent uniform dose (gEUD) to identify pathways with better accuracy of predicting RP2 as compared to either miRNA or cytokines alone. This signature suggests that activation of the TNFα-NFκB inflammatory pathway plays a key role in RP which could be specifically ameliorated by etanercept rather than current therapy of non-specific leukotoxic corticosteroids

Statistical-Thermodynamic Model for Light Scattering from Eye Lens Protein Mixtures

We model light-scattering cross sections of concentrated aqueous mixtures of the bovine eye lens proteins γB- and α-crystallin by adapting a statistical-thermodynamic model of mixtures of spheres with short-range attractions. The model reproduces measured static light scattering cross sections, or Rayleigh ratios, of γB-α mixtures from dilute concentrations where light scattering intensity depends on molecular weights and virial coefficients, to realistically high concentration protein mixtures like those of the lens. The model relates γB-γB and γB-α attraction strengths and the γB-α size ratio to the free energy curvatures that set light scattering efficiency in tandem with protein refractive index increments. The model includes (i) hard-sphere α-α interactions, which create short-range order and transparency at high protein concentrations, (ii) short-range attractive plus hard-core γ-γ interactions, which produce intense light scattering and liquid-liquid phase separation in aqueous γ-crystallin solutions, and (iii) short-range attractive plus hard-core γ-α interactions, which strongly influence highly non-additive light scattering and phase separation in concentrated γ-α mixtures. The model reveals a new lens transparency mechanism, that prominent equilibrium composition fluctuations can be perpendicular to the refractive index gradient. The model reproduces the concave-up dependence of the Rayleigh ratio on α/γ composition at high concentrations, its concave-down nature at intermediate concentrations, non-monotonic dependence of light scattering on γ-α attraction strength, and more intricate, temperature-dependent features. We analytically compute the mixed virial series for light scattering efficiency through third order for the sticky-sphere mixture, and find that the full model represents the available light scattering data at concentrations several times those where the second and third mixed virial contributions fail. The model indicates that increased γ-γ attraction can raise γ-α mixture light scattering far more than it does for solutions of γ-crystallin alone, and can produce marked turbidity tens of degrees celsius above liquid-liquid separation

The Safety Attitudes Questionnaire: psychometric properties, benchmarking data, and emerging research

BACKGROUND: There is widespread interest in measuring healthcare provider attitudes about issues relevant to patient safety (often called safety climate or safety culture). Here we report the psychometric properties, establish benchmarking data, and discuss emerging areas of research with the University of Texas Safety Attitudes Questionnaire. METHODS: Six cross-sectional surveys of health care providers (n = 10,843) in 203 clinical areas (including critical care units, operating rooms, inpatient settings, and ambulatory clinics) in three countries (USA, UK, New Zealand). Multilevel factor analyses yielded results at the clinical area level and the respondent nested within clinical area level. We report scale reliability, floor/ceiling effects, item factor loadings, inter-factor correlations, and percentage of respondents who agree with each item and scale. RESULTS: A six factor model of provider attitudes fit to the data at both the clinical area and respondent nested within clinical area levels. The factors were: Teamwork Climate, Safety Climate, Perceptions of Management, Job Satisfaction, Working Conditions, and Stress Recognition. Scale reliability was 0.9. Provider attitudes varied greatly both within and among organizations. Results are presented to allow benchmarking among organizations and emerging research is discussed. CONCLUSION: The Safety Attitudes Questionnaire demonstrated good psychometric properties. Healthcare organizations can use the survey to measure caregiver attitudes about six patient safety-related domains, to compare themselves with other organizations, to prompt interventions to improve safety attitudes and to measure the effectiveness of these interventions

Ascorbate Biosynthesis during Early Fruit Development Is the Main Reason for Its Accumulation in Kiwi

Background: Ascorbic acid (AsA) is a unique antioxidant as well as an enzyme cofactor. Although it has multiple roles in plants, it is unclear how its accumulation is controlled at the expression level, especially in sink tissues. Kiwifruit (Actinidia) is well-known for its high ascorbate content. Our objective was to determine whether AsA accumulates in the fruits primarily through biosynthesis or because it is imported from the foliage. Methodology/Principal Findings: We systematically investigated AsA levels, biosynthetic capacity, and mRNA expression of genes involved in AsA biosynthesis in kiwi (A. deliciosa cv. Qinmei). Recycling and AsA localization were also monitored during fruit development and among different tissue types. Over time, the amount of AsA, with its capacity for higher biosynthesis and lower recycling, peaked at 30 days after anthesis (DAA), and then decreased markedly up to 60 DAA before declining more slowly. Expression of key genes showed similar patterns of change, except for L-galactono-1,4-lactone dehydrogenase and L-galactose-1-phosphate phosphatase (GPP). However, GPP had good correlation with the rate of AsA accumulation. The expression of these genes could be detected in phloem of stem as well as petiole of leaf and fruit. Additionally, fruit petioles had greater ascorbate amounts, although that was the site of lowest expression by most genes. Fruit microtubule tissues also had higher AsA. However, exogenous applications of AsA to those petioles did not lead to its transport into fruits, and distribution of ascorbate was cell-specific in the fruits, with more accumulation occurring in large