Experimental and modeling study of the autoignition of 1-hexene/iso-octane mixtures at low temperatures

Autoignition delay times have been measured in a rapid compression machine at Lille at temperatures after compression from 630 to 840 K, pressures from 8 to 14 bar, \Phi = 1 and for a iso octane/1 hexene mixture containing 82% iso-octane and 18% 1 hexene. Results have shown that this mixture is strongly more reactive than pure iso-octane, but less reactive than pure 1 hexene. It exhibits a classical low temperature behaviour, with the appearance of cool flame and a negative temperature coefficient region. The composition of the reactive mixture obtained after the cool flame has also been determined. A detailed kinetic model has been obtained by using the system EXGAS, developed in Nancy for the automatic generation of kinetic mechanisms, and an acceptable agreement with the experimental results has been obtained both for autoignition delay times and for the distribution of products. A flow rate analysis reveals that the crossed reactions between species coming from both reactants (like H-abstractions or combinations) are negligible in the main flow consumption of the studied hydrocarbons. The ways of formation of the main primary products observed and the most sensitive rate constants have been identified

Tuberculosis treatment in a refugee and migrant population: 20 years of experience on the Thai-Burmese border.

Although tuberculosis (TB) is a curable disease, it remains a major global health problem and an important cause of morbidity and mortality among vulnerable populations, including refugees and migrants

The velo-uvulo-pharyngeal lift or "roman blinds" technique for treatment of snoring: a preliminary report

Snoring is caused by vibrating anatomical structures in the upper aerodigestive tract. It can be treated surgically and non-surgically, although resective procedures are associated with high postoperative morbidity and failure rate. We describe a new non-resective surgical procedure called the velo-uvulo-pharyngeal lift in which the soft palate is lifted, shortened, advanced and stiffened by means of permanent threads anchored to fibro-osseous attachments at the level of the posterior nasal spine and both pterygoid hamuli. Four adult patients (median age 44.5 years; range 42-65) affected by snoring and mild obstructive sleep apnoea-hypopnoea syndrome (apneoa-hypopnoea index, AHI < 20) requiring septal surgery under general anesthesia also underwent velo-uvulo-pharyngeal lift. There were no significant intra- or post-operative complications, and all of the patients reported immediate snoring relief. The main complaints were slight pain and a sensation of local fullness, both of which spontaneously disappeared within two days. The subjective clinical improvement in snoring was confirmed during post-operative follow-up (median 15.5 months; range 6-25), as was the stable reshaping of the soft velo-uvulo-pharyngeal tissues and enlargement of the mesopharyngeal space. There was also a decrease in daytime sleepiness. Our preliminary results suggest that velo-uvulo-pharyngeal lift is a simple, cost-effective and minimally invasive means of widening the mesopharyngeal space in snoring patients with or without mild sleep apnoea-hypopnoea syndrome. The widening of the mesopharyngeal space prevents contact-induced wall vibrations and its inspiratory obstruction causing hypopnoea and apnoea. It can also be combined with other procedures if indicated

Health-related quality of life and functional changes in DMD:A 12-month longitudinal cohort study

Family caregivers of people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) live stressful lives in which they spend most of their time caring for their loved ones and managing difficult situations, thereby reducing the time spent in taking care of themselves. This situation may last several years. Previous literature has widely highlighted that this situation reduces caregivers' quality of life and increases their psychological distress and risk of health problems, but there is a lack of studies that focus on psychological interventions for these situations. This qualitative study examined a pilot experience of two mutual support groups for family caregivers of people with ALS. The aim was to identify caregivers' needs, the prominent aspects of their experience, and to understand whether and how this intervention strategy might help them. Six partners (four men and two women) and six adult children (five women and one man) participated in the groups, which were conducted in northern Italy. After the support groups finished, participants underwent semi-structured interviews. The authors conducted a content analysis of the transcripts of the interviews and the 20 group sessions. The thematic areas identified were "caregiving," "being the son/daughter of a person with ALS," "being the partner of a person with ALS," "group experience" and "group evaluation." The caregiving experience was profoundly different depending on whether the caregiver was a son/daughter or a partner of a patient with ALS. Moreover, comparison with peers and mutual support helped participants to better cope with ALS and its consequences, to improve their care for their relatives and to overcome typical caregiver isolation. These results suggest the usefulness of involving communities in caregiver support in order to create new networks and activate personal and social resources for well-being

Factors associated with the performance and cost-effectiveness of using lymphatic filariasis transmission assessment surveys for monitoring soil-transmitted helminths: a case study in Kenya.

Transmission assessment surveys (TAS) for lymphatic filariasis have been proposed as a platform to assess the impact of mass drug administration (MDA) on soil-transmitted helminths (STHs). This study used computer simulation and field data from pre- and post-MDA settings across Kenya to evaluate the performance and cost-effectiveness of the TAS design for STH assessment compared with alternative survey designs. Variations in the TAS design and different sample sizes and diagnostic methods were also evaluated. The district-level TAS design correctly classified more districts compared with standard STH designs in pre-MDA settings. Aggregating districts into larger evaluation units in a TAS design decreased performance, whereas age group sampled and sample size had minimal impact. The low diagnostic sensitivity of Kato-Katz and mini-FLOTAC methods was found to increase misclassification. We recommend using a district-level TAS among children 8-10 years of age to assess STH but suggest that key consideration is given to evaluation unit size

Validation of a score tool for measurement of histological severity in juvenile dermatomyositis and association with clinical severity of disease.

OBJECTIVES: To study muscle biopsy tissue from patients with juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM) in order to test the reliability of a score tool designed to quantify the severity of histological abnormalities when applied to biceps humeri in addition to quadriceps femoris. Additionally, to evaluate whether elements of the tool correlate with clinical measures of disease severity. METHODS: 55 patients with JDM with muscle biopsy tissue and clinical data available were included. Biopsy samples (33 quadriceps, 22 biceps) were prepared and stained using standardised protocols. A Latin square design was used by the International Juvenile Dermatomyositis Biopsy Consensus Group to score cases using our previously published score tool. Reliability was assessed by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and scorer agreement (α) by assessing variation in scorers' ratings. Scores from the most reliable tool items correlated with clinical measures of disease activity at the time of biopsy. RESULTS: Inter- and intraobserver agreement was good or high for many tool items, including overall assessment of severity using a Visual Analogue Scale. The tool functioned equally well on biceps and quadriceps samples. A modified tool using the most reliable score items showed good correlation with measures of disease activity. CONCLUSIONS: The JDM biopsy score tool has high inter- and intraobserver agreement and can be used on both biceps and quadriceps muscle tissue. Importantly, the modified tool correlates well with clinical measures of disease activity. We propose that standardised assessment of muscle biopsy tissue should be considered in diagnostic investigation and clinical trials in JDM

Novel post-synthetic generation, isomeric resolution, and characterization of Fapy-dG within oligodeoxynucleotides: differential anomeric impacts on DNA duplex properties

Accumulation of damaged guanine nucleobases within genomic DNA, including the imidazole ring opened N6-(2-Deoxy-α,β-D-erythro-pentafuranosyl)-2,6-diamino-4-hydroxy-5-formylamidopyrimidine (Fapy-dG), is associated with progression of age-related diseases and cancer. To evaluate the impact of this mutagenic lesion on DNA structure and energetics, we have developed a novel synthetic strategy to incorporate cognate Fapy-dG site-specifically within any oligodeoxynucleotide sequence. The scheme involves the synthesis of an oligonucleotide precursor containing a 5-nitropyrimidine moiety at the desired lesion site via standard solid-phase procedures. Following deprotection and isolation, the Fapy-dG lesion is generated by catalytic hydrogenation and subsequent formylation. NMR assignment of the Fapy-dG lesion (X) embedded within a TXT trimer reveals the presence of rotameric and anomeric species. The latter have been characterized by synthesizing the tridecamer oligodeoxynucleotide d(GCGTACXCATGCG) harboring Fapy-dG as the central residue and developing a protocol to resolve the isomeric components. Hybridization of the chromatographically isolated fractions with their complementary d(CGCATGCGTACGC) counterpart yields two Fapy-dG·C duplexes that are differentially destabilized relative to the canonical G·C parent. The resultant duplexes exhibit distinct thermal and thermodynamic profiles that are characteristic of α- and β-anomers, the former more destabilizing than the latter. These anomer-specific impacts are discussed in terms of differential repair enzyme recognition, processing and translesion synthesis

Novel FAM126A mutations in hypomyelination and congenital cataract disease

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Performance of Small Cluster Surveys and the Clustered LQAS Design to estimate Local-level Vaccination Coverage in Mali

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Estimation of vaccination coverage at the local level is essential to identify communities that may require additional support. Cluster surveys can be used in resource-poor settings, when population figures are inaccurate. To be feasible, cluster samples need to be small, without losing robustness of results. The clustered LQAS (CLQAS) approach has been proposed as an alternative, as smaller sample sizes are required.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We explored (i) the efficiency of cluster surveys of decreasing sample size through bootstrapping analysis and (ii) the performance of CLQAS under three alternative sampling plans to classify local VC, using data from a survey carried out in Mali after mass vaccination against meningococcal meningitis group A.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>VC estimates provided by a 10 × 15 cluster survey design were reasonably robust. We used them to classify health areas in three categories and guide mop-up activities: i) health areas not requiring supplemental activities; ii) health areas requiring additional vaccination; iii) health areas requiring further evaluation. As sample size decreased (from 10 × 15 to 10 × 3), standard error of VC and ICC estimates were increasingly unstable. Results of CLQAS simulations were not accurate for most health areas, with an overall risk of misclassification greater than 0.25 in one health area out of three. It was greater than 0.50 in one health area out of two under two of the three sampling plans.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Small sample cluster surveys (10 × 15) are acceptably robust for classification of VC at local level. We do not recommend the CLQAS method as currently formulated for evaluating vaccination programmes.</p