Second-Trimester Pregnancy Loss at an Urban Hospital

Objectives: Second-trimester spontaneous pregnancy losses are less common than first-trimester losses, and are often associated with ascending infection and/or acute chorioamnionitis. A Medline search revealed only two large studies published in the recent literature, reporting incidences of chorioamnionitis of 39.3% and 58.2%, respectively. These studies did not address the use of histopathology for the identification of organisms. Since ascending infection is likely to be a significant cause of second-trimester loss in the inner-city population at the University Hospital in Newark, New Jersey, we sought to evaluate the usefulness of stains for microorganisms, which are rarely utilized on these specimens. Methods: Retrospective review of the medical records and pathologic material for cases of spontaneous abortions seen at the University Hospital in Newark between January 1999 and March 2001 was undertaken. Stains for microorganisms were performed on archival placental tissue for cases with histologic acute chorioamnionitis. Results: A total of 67 cases were available for review, of which 38 cases (56.7%) showed histologic acute chorioamnionitis, similar to the rates in one previous study, but significantly higher than those in the other (p = 0.01). Of 25 cases with histological chorioamnionitis for which appropriate fetal material was available, 13 cases (52%) showed polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) in the fetal lungs, one case (4%) showed PMNs in the fetal stomach, and seven cases (28%) showed PMNs in both the lung and the stomach. Of the 38 cases with chorioamnionitis, Gram stains showed Gram-positive cocci in six cases, two of which were culture positive for group B streptococcus. Warthin–Starry stains showed filamentous organisms consistent with Fusobacterium sp. in the placenta in three cases. Conclusions: Acute chorioamnionitis is associated with second-trimester pregnancy loss at this inner-city hospital, and may be related to the high incidence of risk factors in this population. A small proportion of cases can be further characterized by the inclusion of Gram and Warthin–Starry stains in the evaluation. Selection of cases with histologic acute chorioamnionitis for further study with special stains may provide additional information on the causative organism

A New Method to Extract Dental Pulp DNA: Application to Universal Detection of Bacteria

BACKGROUND: Dental pulp is used for PCR-based detection of DNA derived from host and bacteremic microorganims. Current protocols require odontology expertise for proper recovery of the dental pulp. Dental pulp specimen exposed to laboratory environment yields contaminants detected using universal 16S rDNA-based detection of bacteria. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We developed a new protocol by encasing decontaminated tooth into sterile resin, extracting DNA into the dental pulp chamber itself and decontaminating PCR reagents by filtration and double restriction enzyme digestion. Application to 16S rDNA-based detection of bacteria in 144 teeth collected in 86 healthy people yielded a unique sequence in only 14 teeth (9.7%) from 12 individuals (14%). Each individual yielded a unique 16S rDNA sequence in 1-2 teeth per individual. Negative controls remained negative. Bacterial identifications were all confirmed by amplification and sequencing of specific rpoB sequence. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The new protocol prevented laboratory contamination of the dental pulp. It allowed the detection of bacteria responsible for dental pulp colonization from blood and periodontal tissue. Only 10% such samples contained 16S rDNA. It provides a new tool for the retrospective diagnostic of bacteremia by allowing the universal detection of bacterial DNA in animal and human, contemporary or ancient tooth. It could be further applied to identification of host DNA in forensic medicine and anthropology

Estimating a threshold price for CO2 emissions of buildings to improve their energy performance level. Case study of a new Spanish home

Energy consumption in homes produces CO2. In many countries, building regulations are being set to enable energy efficiency performance levels to be issued. In Spain, there is a regulated procedure to certify the energy performance of buildings according to their CO2 emissions. Consequently, some software tools have been design to simulate buildings and to obtain their energy consumption and CO2 emissions. In this paper the investment, maintenance and energy consumption costs are calculated for different energy performance levels and for various climatic zones, in a single-family home. According to the results, more energy efficient buildings imply higher construction and maintenance costs, which are not compensated by lower energy costs. Therefore, under current conditions, economic criteria do not support the improvement of the energy efficiency of a dwelling. Among the possible measures to promote energy efficiency, a price on CO2 emissions is to be suggested, including the social cost in the analysis. For this purpose, the cost-optimal methodology is used. In different scenarios for the discount rate y energy prices, various prices for CO2 are obtained, depending on the climatic zone and energy performance level.Ruá Aguilar, MJ.; Guadalajara Olmeda, MN. (2015). Estimating a threshold price for CO2 emissions of buildings to improve their energy performance level. Case study of a new Spanish home. Energy Efficiency. 8(2):183-203. doi:10.1007/s12053-014-9286-2S18320382AICIA. (2009). Escala de calificación energética. Edificios de nueva construcción. Madrid: Instituto para la Diversificación y Ahorro de la Energía, Ministerio de Industria, Turismo y Comercio.Al-Homoud, M. S. (2005). Performance characteristics and practical applications of common building thermal insulation materials. Building and Environment, 40(3), 353–360.Amecke, H. (2012). The impact of energy performances certificates: a survey of German home owners. Energy Policy, 46, 4–14.Andaloro, A., Salomone, R., Ioppolo, G., & Andaloro, L. (2010). Energy certification of buildings: a comparative analysis of progress towards implementation in European countries. Energy Policy, 38(10), 5840–5866.Annunziata, E., Frey, M., & Rizzi, F. (2013). Towards nearly zero-energy buildings: the state-of-art of national regulations in Europe. Energy, 57, 125–133. doi: 10.1016/j.energy.2012.11.049 .Audenaert, A., De Boeck, L., & Roelants, K. (2010). Economic analysis of the profitability of energy-saving architectural measures for the achievement of the EPBD-standard. Energy, 35(7), 2965–2971.Bertrán, A. (2009). Las mediciones en las obras adaptadas al CTE (4th ed.). Granada: Editorial Jorge Loring S.I.Brathal, D., & Langemo, M. (2004). Facilities management: a guide for total workplace design and management. Grand Forks: Knight Printing.Brown, D. W. (1996). Facility maintenance: the manager’s practical guide and handbook. New York: AMACOM American Management Association. New York, NY 10019.Concerted Action EPBD (2008). Implementation of the energy performance of buildings directive. Country reports 2008. Brussels: Directorate General for Energy and Transport, European Commission (available at www.epbd.ca.eu and www.buildup.eu ).Concerted Action EPBD (2011). Implementing the energy performance of buildings directive. Country reports 2011. Brussels: European Union (available at www.epbd.ca.eu and www.buildup.eu ).Davies, H., & Wyatt, D. (2004). Appropriate use or method for durability and service life prediction. Building Research and Information, 32(6), 552–553.Dresner, S., & Ekins, P. (2006). Economic instruments to improve UK home energy efficiency without negative social impacts. Fiscal Studies, 27(1), 47–74.Drury, C. (2008). Management and cost accounting, 7th ed. London.Eurostat European Comission, Instituto de Diversificación y Ahorro de Energía (IDAE), Ministerio de Industria, Energía y Turismo (2011). Proyecto SECH-SPAHOUSEC. Análisis del consumo energético del sector residencial en España. Informe Final. Madrid.Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research ISI (Germany) (2012). Financing the energy efficient transformation of the building sector in the EU. Lessons from the ODYSSEE-MURE project.Garrido, N., Almecija, J. C., Folch, C., Martínez, I. (2011). Certificación energética de edificios. Grupo de Estudios de Energía para la Sostenibilidad (CEES). Cátedra Unesco Sostenibilidad, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. (Available at: upcommons.upc.edu/e-prints/bitstream/2117/11820/1/GAS Natural_090406.pdf).Gómez, J. M., & Esteban, M. A. (2010). Sostenibilidad en la edificación. Comparación de dos tipologías constructivas. Rendimiento de los recursos. Ingeniería de Edificación Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. (Available at: upcommons.upc.edu/pfc/bitstream/2099.1/…/1/PFG_Completo.pdf).Gram-Hanssen, K., Bartiaux, F., Michael Jensen, O., & Cantaert, M. (2007). Do homeowners use energy labels? A comparison between Denmark and Belgium. Energy Policy, 35(5), 2879–2888.Institut de Tecnologia de la Construcció de Catalunya (ITEC) (1991a). Manual de uso y conservación de la vivienda. COAAT Principado de Asturias. Simancas Ediciones S.A. Valladolid.Institut de Tecnologia de la Construcció de Catalunya (ITEC). (1991b). Manteniment de l’edifici. Fitxes (1st ed.). Badalona: Gràfiques Pacífic.Institut de Tecnologia de la Construcció de Catalunya (ITEC). (1991c). Manteniment instal.lacions. Fitxes (1st ed.). Badalona: Gràfiques Pacífic.Institut de Tecnologia de la Construcció de Catalunya (ITEC). (1991d). Manteniment urbanització. Fitxes (1st ed.). Badalona: Gràfiques Pacífic.Institut de Tecnologia de la Construcció de Catalunya (ITEC). (1994). L’actualitat i el cost del manteniment en edificis d’habitatge. Guia pràctic (1st ed.). Barcelona: Gama S.L. Servicios editoriales.Institut de Tecnologia de la Construcció de Catalunya (ITEC). (1996). Ús i manteniment de l’habitatge. Quadern de l’usuari (1st ed.). Zaragoza: Gràfiques Cometa.Institut de Tecnologia de la Construcció de Catalunya (ITEC) (1997). La vivienda: Manual de uso y mantenimient, COAAT de Cantabria. 1ª ed.Institut de Tecnologia de la Construcció de Catalunya (ITEC) (1999). La vivienda: Manual de uso y mantenimiento, COAAT Principado de Asturias. 2ª ed. Simancas Edicionas S.A. Valladolid.Instituto de Diversificación y Ahorro de Energía (IDAE), Ministerio de Industria, Turismo y Comercio (MITYC) (2010). Guía Técnica: Condiciones climáticas exteriores de proyecto, (available at: http://www.minetur.gob.es/energia/desarrollo/eficienciaenergetica/rite/reconocidos/reconocidos/condicionesclimaticas.pdf ).Instituto Eduardo Torroja de Ciencias de la Construcción (IETCC) (2010). Catálogo de Elementos Constructivos del Código Técnico, versión CAT-EC-v06.3-MARZO10. Madrid.Jáber-López, J. T., Valencia-Salazar, I., Peñalvo-López, E., Álvarez-Bel, C., Rivera-López, R., Merino-Hernández, E. (2011). Are energy certification tools for buildings effective? A Spanish case study, Proceedings of the 2011 3rd International Youth Conference on Energetics. Leiria, July 7–9.Johnstone, I. M. (2001a). Energy and mass flows of housing: a model and example. Building and Environment, 36, 27–41.Johnstone, I. M. (2001b). Energy and mass flows of housing: estimating mortality. Building and Environment, 36, 43–51.Kaiser, H. H. (2001). The facilities audit. A process for improving facilities conditions. Arlington: Kirby Lithographic. APPA. The Association of Higher Education Facilities Officers.Kjaerbye, V. H. (2008). Does energy label on residential housing cause energy savings? AKF, Danish Institute of Governmental Research.La Roche, P. (2010). Calculating green house emissions for houses: analysis of the performance of several carbon counting tools in different climates. Informes de la Construcción, 62(517), 61–80.Larsen, B. M., & Nebakken, R. (1997). Norwegian emissions of CO2 1987–1994. Environmental and Resource Economics, 9, 275–290.Laustsen, J. (2008). Energy efficiency requirements in building codes, energy efficiency policies for new buildings. Paris: International Energy Agency information paper.Linares, P., & Labandeira, X. (2010). Energy efficiency: economics and policy. Journal of Economic Surveys, 24(3), 573–592.Liska, R. W. (2000). Means facilities maintenance standards. Kingston: R.S. Means Company, Inc. Construction Publishers & Consultants.Majcen, D., Itard, H., & Visscher, H. (2013). Theoretical vs. actual energy consumption of labelled dwellings in the Netherlands: discrepancies and policy implications. Energy Policy, 54, 125–136.Mercader, M. P., Olivares, M., & Ramírez de Arellano, A. (2012). Modelo de cuantificación del consumo energético en edificación. Informes de la Construcción, 62(308), 567–582.Ministry of Development of Spain. Directorate for Architecture, Housing and Planning. Report on cost optimal calculations and comparison with the current and future energy performance requirements of buildings in Spain. Version 1.1, 7th June 2013.Pérez-Lombard, L., Ortiz, J., & González, R. (2009). A review of benmarching, rating and labelling concepts within the framework of building energy certification schemes. Energy and Buildings, 41(3), 272–278.Piper, J. E. (1995). Handbook of facility management: tools and techniques, formulas and tables. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall Inc.Popescu, D., Bienert, S., Schützenhofer, C., & Boazu, R. (2012). Impact of energy efficiency measures on the economic value of buildings. Applied Energy, 89(1), 454–463.Ramírez de Arellano, A. (2004). Presupuestación de obras. 3ª ed. Universidad de Sevilla. Secretariado de Publicaciones. Colección Manuales Universitarios, 37.Rodríguez-González, A. B., Vinagre-Díaz, J. J., Caañamo, A. J., & Wilby, M. R. (2011). Energy and buildings, 43(4), 980–987.Ruá, M. J., & Guadalajara, N. (2013). Application of compromise programming to a semi-detached housing development in order to balance economic and environmental criteria. Journal of the Operational Research Society, 64, 459–468.Ruá, M. J., & Guadalajara, N. (2014). Using the building energy rating software for mathematically modelling operation costs in a simulated home. International Journal of Computer Mathematics. doi: 10.1080/00207160.2014.892588 .Ruá, M. J., & López-Mesa, B. (2012). Certificación energética de edificios en España y sus implicaciones económicas. Informes de la Construcción, 64(527), 307–318.Rudbeck, C. (2002). Service life of building envelope components: making it operational in economical assessment. Construction and Building Materials, 16(2), 83–89.Ruiz, M. C., & Romero, E. (2011). Energy saving in the conventional design of a Spanish house using thermal simulation. Energy and Building, 43(11), 3226–3235.Sanstad, A. H., Blumstein, C., & Stoff, S. E. (1995). How high are option values in energy-efficiency investments? Energy Policy, 23(9), 739–743.Sumner, J., Bird, L., Smith, H. (2009). Carbon taxes: a review of experience and policy design consideration. Technical Report NREL/TP-6A2-47312. National Renewable Energy Laboratory. US Department of Energy.Tuominen, P., Forsström, J., & Honkatukia, J. (2013). Economic effects of energy efficiency improvements in the Finnish building stock. Energy Policy, 52, 181–189.Ucar, A., & Balo, F. (2009). Effect of fuel type on the optimum thickness of selected insulation materials for the four different climatic regions of Turkey. Applied Energy, 86(5), 730–736.Universidad Politécnica De Madrid. Departamento de Construcción y Vías Rurales (2009). Evaluación de los costes constructivos y consumos energéticos derivados de la calificación energética de viviendas. Precost&E. Fase1.Uzsilaityte, L., & Martinaitis, V. (2010). Search for optimal solution of public building renovation in terms of life cycle. Journal of Environmental Engineering and Landscape Management, 18(2), 102–110.Verbruggen, A. (2012). Financial appraisal of efficiency investments: why the good may be the worst enemy of the best. Energy Efficiency, 5, 571–582

PMeS: Prediction of Methylation Sites Based on Enhanced Feature Encoding Scheme

Protein methylation is predominantly found on lysine and arginine residues, and carries many important biological functions, including gene regulation and signal transduction. Given their important involvement in gene expression, protein methylation and their regulatory enzymes are implicated in a variety of human disease states such as cancer, coronary heart disease and neurodegenerative disorders. Thus, identification of methylation sites can be very helpful for the drug designs of various related diseases. In this study, we developed a method called PMeS to improve the prediction of protein methylation sites based on an enhanced feature encoding scheme and support vector machine. The enhanced feature encoding scheme was composed of the sparse property coding, normalized van der Waals volume, position weight amino acid composition and accessible surface area. The PMeS achieved a promising performance with a sensitivity of 92.45%, a specificity of 93.18%, an accuracy of 92.82% and a Matthew’s correlation coefficient of 85.69% for arginine as well as a sensitivity of 84.38%, a specificity of 93.94%, an accuracy of 89.16% and a Matthew’s correlation coefficient of 78.68% for lysine in 10-fold cross validation. Compared with other existing methods, the PMeS provides better predictive performance and greater robustness. It can be anticipated that the PMeS might be useful to guide future experiments needed to identify potential methylation sites in proteins of interest. The online service is available at http://bioinfo.ncu.edu.cn/inquiries_PMeS.aspx

Genetic Diversity among Ancient Nordic Populations

Using established criteria for work with fossil DNA we have analysed mitochondrial DNA from 92 individuals from 18 locations in Denmark ranging in time from the Mesolithic to the Medieval Age. Unequivocal assignment of mtDNA haplotypes was possible for 56 of the ancient individuals; however, the success rate varied substantially between sites; the highest rates were obtained with untouched, freshly excavated material, whereas heavy handling, archeological preservation and storage for many years influenced the ability to obtain authentic endogenic DNA. While the nucleotide diversity at two locations was similar to that among extant Danes, the diversity at four sites was considerably higher. This supports previous observations for ancient Britons. The overall occurrence of haplogroups did not deviate from extant Scandinavians, however, haplogroup I was significantly more frequent among the ancient Danes (average 13%) than among extant Danes and Scandinavians (∼2.5%) as well as among other ancient population samples reported. Haplogroup I could therefore have been an ancient Southern Scandinavian type “diluted” by later immigration events. Interestingly, the two Neolithic samples (4,200 YBP, Bell Beaker culture) that were typed were haplogroup U4 and U5a, respectively, and the single Bronze Age sample (3,300–3,500 YBP) was haplogroup U4. These two haplogroups have been associated with the Mesolithic populations of Central and Northern Europe. Therefore, at least for Southern Scandinavia, our findings do not support a possible replacement of a haplogroup U dominated hunter-gatherer population by a more haplogroup diverse Neolithic Culture