Enhanced Hsp70 Expression Protects against Acute Lung Injury by Modulating Apoptotic Pathways

The Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a highly lethal inflammatory lung disorder. Apoptosis plays a key role in its pathogenesis. We showed that an adenovirus expressing the 70 kDa heat shock protein Hsp70 (AdHSP) protected against sepsis-induced lung injury. In this study we tested the hypothesis that AdHSP attenuates apoptosis in sepsis-induced lung injury

Informational entropy : a failure tolerance and reliability surrogate for water distribution networks

Evolutionary algorithms are used widely in optimization studies on water distribution networks. The optimization algorithms use simulation models that analyse the networks under various operating conditions. The solution process typically involves cost minimization along with reliability constraints that ensure reasonably satisfactory performance under abnormal operating conditions also. Flow entropy has been employed previously as a surrogate reliability measure. While a body of work exists for a single operating condition under steady state conditions, the effectiveness of flow entropy for systems with multiple operating conditions has received very little attention. This paper describes a multi-objective genetic algorithm that maximizes the flow entropy under multiple operating conditions for any given network. The new methodology proposed is consistent with the maximum entropy formalism that requires active consideration of all the relevant information. Furthermore, an alternative but equivalent flow entropy model that emphasizes the relative uniformity of the nodal demands is described. The flow entropy of water distribution networks under multiple operating conditions is discussed with reference to the joint entropy of multiple probability spaces, which provides the theoretical foundation for the optimization methodology proposed. Besides the rationale, results are included that show that the most robust or failure-tolerant solutions are achieved by maximizing the sum of the entropies

Multi-messenger observations of a binary neutron star merger

On 2017 August 17 a binary neutron star coalescence candidate (later designated GW170817) with merger time 12:41:04 UTC was observed through gravitational waves by the Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo detectors. The Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor independently detected a gamma-ray burst (GRB 170817A) with a time delay of ~1.7 s with respect to the merger time. From the gravitational-wave signal, the source was initially localized to a sky region of 31 deg2 at a luminosity distance of 40+8-8 Mpc and with component masses consistent with neutron stars. The component masses were later measured to be in the range 0.86 to 2.26 Mo. An extensive observing campaign was launched across the electromagnetic spectrum leading to the discovery of a bright optical transient (SSS17a, now with the IAU identification of AT 2017gfo) in NGC 4993 (at ~40 Mpc) less than 11 hours after the merger by the One- Meter, Two Hemisphere (1M2H) team using the 1 m Swope Telescope. The optical transient was independently detected by multiple teams within an hour. Subsequent observations targeted the object and its environment. Early ultraviolet observations revealed a blue transient that faded within 48 hours. Optical and infrared observations showed a redward evolution over ~10 days. Following early non-detections, X-ray and radio emission were discovered at the transient’s position ~9 and ~16 days, respectively, after the merger. Both the X-ray and radio emission likely arise from a physical process that is distinct from the one that generates the UV/optical/near-infrared emission. No ultra-high-energy gamma-rays and no neutrino candidates consistent with the source were found in follow-up searches. These observations support the hypothesis that GW170817 was produced by the merger of two neutron stars in NGC4993 followed by a short gamma-ray burst (GRB 170817A) and a kilonova/macronova powered by the radioactive decay of r-process nuclei synthesized in the ejecta

Effects of Duration of Treatment, HIV and HCV Co-Infection on Hematological and Hepatic Functions in Libyan Patients with Pulmonary Tuberculosis

Background: Pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) remains a major global health problem despite the availability of efficient treatment over the last decades. TB is the most common opportunistic infection among HIV patients and complicated the outcome of treatment globally.&nbsp;Aims: The prevalence of HCV infection among TB patients has not fully been investigated and limited data on rates of HCV co-infection in TB patients exist. Therefore, this study was aimed to investigate the effects of duration of treatment with first line anti-TB drug, HIV, HCV and co-infection on haematological and hepatic functions in Libyan patients with pulmonary TB.&nbsp;Methods: A total of 120 Libyan newly diagnosed pulmonary TB patients (74 males and 46 females) with age range of 26 to 41 years old were enrolled in this study. They were selected for a regular follow up on the basis of inclusion and exclusion criteria. Pulmonary TB was confirmed by chest X-ray and sputum smear in all the patients. Patients were divided into three groups; the first group of 75 patients with no HIV and HCV infections (positive control), the second group of 35 patients who had TB and HIV co-infection, before starting anti-microbial therapy, while the third group consists of 20 patients who had TB and HCV co-infection before starting anti-HCV treatment. All patients received a confirmation of the 1st line anti-TB drug (isoniazid, rifampin, ethambutol and pyrazinamide for five consecutive weeks) simultaneously.Results: The results showed a significant decrease in white blood cells (WBCs) in all the groups of patients and significant changes in other haematological parameters, there were also significant increases in the hepatic enzyme activities, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP), in all the groups which indicate hepatic toxicity.Conclusion: Treatment with first line anti-TB drug simultaneously produced hepatotoxicity after two weeks which is more in HIV and HCV co-infection patients.</p

Demand side energy flexibility management of office buildings

Applying Decentralized Renewable Energy in the built environment is a good approach to reduce the CO2 emissions. However this is not without restrictions towards the stability of the energy grid. Using the flexibility within energy generation, distribution infrastructure, renewable energy sources and the built environment is the ultimate sustainable strategy within the Built Environment. However, at the moment this flexibility on building level is still to be defined. The IEA Annex 67 defines this specific flexibility. Our research is aimed at developing, implementing and evaluating process new control strategies for improving the energy interaction within the building, its environment and the energy infrastructure by effectively incorporating the occupants’ needs for health (ventilation) and comfort (heating/cooling). A bottom-up approach, starting from the user up to the Smart Grid, offers new possibilities for using buildings’ energy flexibility to stabilize the electrical grid. New intelligent process control concepts are necessary which make use of the dynamic possibilities offered by Multi Agent Systems in combination with Building Energy Management Systems. Increasing demand for electrical energy use in buildings and the corresponding carbon emissions has further emphasized the need for the implementation of strategies that improve the energy performance of buildings. Demand side management (DSM) strategies, which aim to actively manage user behavior and how appliances consume energy, is a rapidly growing concept with the potential to contribute worthwhile improvement in buildings energy performance. A coordinated distributed demand side management strategy framework for cooling in combination with a battery electrical storage system is presented and implemented in an office buildings in order to test the concept. The results showed that DSM strategies can be applied while maintaining thermal comfort