(ONTO)2 Agent: an Ontology-based WWW broker to select ontologies

Knowledge reuse by means of ontologies now faces three important problems: (1) there are no standardized identifying features that characterize ontologies from the user point of view; (2) there are no web sites using the same logical organization, presenting relevant information about ontologies; and (3) the search for appropriate ontologies is hard, timeconsuming and usually fruitless. To solve the above problems, we present: (1) a living set of features that allow us to characterize ontologies from the user point of view and have the same logical organization; (2) a living domain ontology about ontologies (called Reference Ontology) that gathers, describes and has links to existing ontologies; and (3) (ONTO)2Agent, the ontology-based www broker about ontologies that uses the Reference Ontology as a source of its knowledge and retrieves descriptions of ontologies that satisfy a given set of constraints. (ONTO)2Agent is available at http://delicias.dia.fi.upm.es/REFERENCE_ONTOLOGY

New combined CFH/MCP mutations and a rare clinical course in atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome

Atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome (aHUS) is a rare, life-threatening, chronic, genetic disease due to uncontrolled alternative pathway complement activation. In this report, we discuss the case of a heterozygous carrier of a mutation on both factor H and membrane cofactor protein, who persistently presents haemolytic anaemia without need for blood transfusions, normal platelet count, normal renal function and no signs or symptoms of organ injury due to thrombotic microangiopathy 4 years after the diagnosis of aHUS.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Study protocol for a multicentre longitudinal mixed methods study to explore the Outcomes of ChildrEn and fAmilies in the first year after paediatric Intensive Care: the OCEANIC study.

INTRODUCTION: Annually in the UK, 20 000 children become very ill or injured and need specialist care within a paediatric intensive care unit (PICU). Most children survive. However, some children and their families may experience problems after they have left the PICU including physical, functional and/or emotional problems. It is unknown which children and families experience such problems, when these occur or what causes them. The aim of this mixed-method longitudinal cohort study is to understand the physical, functional, emotional and social impact of children surviving PICU (aged: 1 month-17 years), their parents and siblings, during the first year after a PICU admission. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A quantitative study involving 300 child survivors of PICU; 300 parents; and 150-300 siblings will collect data (using self-completion questionnaires) at baseline, PICU discharge, 1, 3, 6 and 12 months post-PICU discharge. Questionnaires will comprise validated and reliable instruments. Demographic data, PICU admission and treatment data, health-related quality of life, functional status, strengths and difficulties behaviour and post-traumatic stress symptoms will be collected from the child. Parent and sibling data will be collected on the impact of paediatric health conditions on the family's functioning capabilities, levels of anxiety and social impact of the child's PICU admission. Data will be analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Concurrently, an embedded qualitative study involving semistructured interviews with 24 enrolled families at 3 months and 9 months post-PICU discharge will be undertaken. Framework analysis will be used to analyse the qualitative data. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study has received ethical approval from the National Health Services Research Ethics Committee (Ref: 19/WM/0290) and full governance clearance. This will be the first UK study to comprehensively investigate physical, functional, emotional and social consequences of PICU survival in the first-year postdischarge.Clinical Trials Registration Number: ISRCTN28072812 [Pre-results]

Oxidative Coupling of Methane for Ethylene Production: Reviewing Kinetic Modelling Approaches, Thermodynamics and Catalysts

Ethylene production via oxidative coupling of methane (OCM) represents an interesting route for natural gas upscaling, being the focus of intensive research worldwide. Here, OCM developments are analysed in terms of kinetic mechanisms and respective applications in chemical reactor models, discussing current challenges and directions for further developments. Furthermore, some thermodynamic aspects of the OCM reactions are also revised, providing achievable olefins yields in a wide range of operational reaction conditions. Finally, OCM catalysts are reviewed in terms of respective catalytic performances and thermal stability, providing an executive summary for future studies on OCM economic feasibility

Echocardiographic evaluation including tissue Doppler imaging in New Zealand white rabbits sedated with ketamine and midazolam

Limited data are available on the use of more recent echocardiographic parameters in the rabbit. Echocardiographic examination, including conventional echocardiography and tissue Doppler imaging (TDI), was performed on 26 male New Zealand white rabbits under ketamine-midazolam sedation. Particular emphasis was placed on the more recent systolic and diastolic parameters, such as myocardial performance index (Tei index) and mitral annular motion (from septal and lateral sides of the left ventricle) obtained using pulsed TDI. Parameters that assessed systolic and diastolic function (fractional shortening, Tei index, and maximal mitral E- and A-wave velocities) were comparable to those reported in the literature for rabbits in the awake state. The less cardiodepressive anaesthetic protocol could offer a good alternative in performing echocardiographic evaluation whenever such caution is necessary. TDI is feasible in healthy rabbits and potentially suitable for the investigation of left ventricle systolic and diastolic function

Gastric microbial community profiling reveals a dysbiotic cancer-associated microbiota

Objective Gastric carcinoma development is triggered by Helicobacter pylori. Chronic H. pylori infection leads to reduced acid secretion, which may allow the growth of a different gastric bacterial community. This change in the microbiome may increase aggression to the gastric mucosa and contribute to malignancy. Our aim was to evaluate the composition of the gastric microbiota in chronic gastritis and in gastric carcinoma. Design The gastric microbiota was retrospectively investigated in 54 patients with gastric carcinoma and 81 patients with chronic gastritis by 16S rRNA gene profiling, using next-generation sequencing. Differences in microbial composition of the two patient groups were assessed using linear discriminant analysis effect size. Associations between the most relevant taxa and clinical diagnosis were validated by real-time quantitative PCR. Predictive functional profiling of microbial communities was obtained with PICRUSt. Results The gastric carcinoma microbiota was characterised by reduced microbial diversity, by decreased abundance of Helicobacter and by the enrichment of other bacterial genera, mostly represented by intestinal commensals. The combination of these taxa into a microbial dysbiosis index revealed that dysbiosis has excellent capacity to discriminate between gastritis and gastric carcinoma. Analysis of the functional features of the microbiota was compatible with the presence of a nitrosating microbial community in carcinoma. The major observations were confirmed in validation cohorts from different geographic origins. Conclusions Detailed analysis of the gastric microbiota revealed for the first time that patients with gastric carcinoma exhibit a dysbiotic microbial community with genotoxic potential, which is distinct from that of patients with chronic gastritis.This research was supported by a Worldwide Cancer Research grant to CF and JCM (Reference 16-1352). RMF, JPM and IPR have fellowships from Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia (FCT; SFRH/BPD/84084/2012, PD/BD/114014/2015 and SFRH/BD/110803/2015, respectively) through Programa Operacional Capital Humano (POCH) and the European Union. JPM's fellowship is in the framework of FCT's PhD Programme BiotechHealth (Ref PD/0016/2012). i3S-Instituto de Investigacao e Inovacao em Saude is funded by Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional (FEDER) funds through the COMPETE 2020-Operacional Programme for Competitiveness and Internationalisation (POCI), Portugal 2020, and by Portuguese funds through Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia (FCT)/Ministerio da Ciencia, Tecnologia e Inovacao (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007274)

Modelling the chemical recycling of crosslinked poly (methyl methacrylate): kinetics of depolymerisation

Whereas increasing plastic solid waste production constitutes one of the main challenges of modern society, mainly due to the lack of suitable recycling technologies, chemical recycling represents an attractive solution for the conversion of plastic solid waste into valuable chemical intermediates. Herein, a kinetic model for the pyrolysis of a dental industry waste, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) crosslinked poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), is presented for the first time. Kinetics parameters and their statistical significance have been estimated from eight non-isothermal thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) experiments with heating rates varying between 5 and 50 °C·min-1 by using nonlinear regression. Our analysis indicates that the mechanism of depolymerisation of EGDMA crosslinked PMMA is likely to involve a consecutive reaction pathway involving two steps. The developed kinetic model - containing five kinetic parameters only - was able to predict well all non-isothermal TGA runs, and was validated against isothermal TGA experiments at 400 °C

A randomised controlled trial of a code-word enuresis alarm

Objective: To compare a novel code-word alarm with a commercially available wireless alarm for treating enuresis Design: Randomised controlled trial with blinding of study personnel and outcome assessors Setting: A tertiary paediatric centre Patients: Children aged six to eighteen with at least three wet nights per week in the previous 6 months referred by doctors Outcomes: Primary outcome: the proportion who achieved a full response (14 consecutive dry nights) by 16 weeks. Secondary outcomes: change in frequency of wetting, duration of alarm training, percentage of wet nights that the child woke to the alarm, adherence to treatment, adverse events and satisfaction with treatment. Results: Of the 353 participants, 176 were assigned to the code-word alarm and 177 to control. At 16 weeks, 54% (95% CI, 47% to 61%) in the experimental group and 47% (95% CI, 40% to 55%) in the control group had achieved a full response (p=0.22), with 74% and 66% respectively attaining a 50% or more reduction in wetting frequency (p=0.14). The experimental group woke more often than the control group (median percentage of waking 88% versus 77%, p=0.003) and had greater reduction in wet nights (median reduction 10 versus 9 nights per fortnight). Fewer in the experimental group discontinued therapy before achieving a full response (27% versus 37% discontinued, p=0.04). There were no significant differences in relapse rates at 6 months, adverse events or satisfaction between the two alarms. In a post hoc subgroup analysis of children with monosymptomatic enuresis, more in the experimental group achieved a full response (66% versus 52%, p=0.047), with higher median percentage of waking (89% versus 79%, p=0.006) and greater reduction in wet nights (median reduction 12 versus 9 nights per fortnight). Conclusions: Although the code-word alarm increased waking, no difference in full response rates was demonstrated between the two alarms.The study was funded by an NHMRC Project Grant (570761). AT was supported by an NHMRC Program Grant (633003) to the Screening & Test Evaluation Program

Microkinetic analysis of ethanol to 1,3-butadiene reactions over MgO-SiO 2 catalysts based on characterization of experimental fluctuations

Microkinetic analysis of ethanol to 1,3-butadiene reactions over MgO-SiO2 catalysts was performed based on the detailed characterization of experimental fluctuations, taking into account the influence of the reaction temperature and catalyst properties on ethanol conversion and product selectivities. The obtained results show that both reaction temperature and catalysts properties affected experimental fluctuations significantly. The local microkinetic information contained in the covariance matrix of experimental fluctuations indicated the change of the rate-limiting step as reaction temperature increased: from 300 to 400 °C, the rate-limiting step was identified as the acetaldehyde condensation, while at 450 °C, ethanol dehydrogenation step limits the 1,3-butadiene production