Cytokine profile of obese asthma phenotype

Background: The incidence of asthma and obesity is increasing worldwide. Understanding the causal directions between asthma and obesity could have important therapeutic implications. However, the mechanism connecting the two is not well defined.Objective: This study was undertaken to compare pulmonary function tests (PFTs), C-reactive protein (CRP) and inflammatory cytokines in obesity and asthma in Egyptian adolescents and to investigate whether obese asthmatics have a specific inflammatory phenotype than lean asthmatics.Methods: Fifty asthmatic and 30 control subjects were enrolled in the study and divided into 2 sub-groups: obese and non-obese. Serum levels of CRP, leptin, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-5, body mass index (BMI) and PFTs were done for asthmatics and controls.Results: Serum levels of IL-6, TNF-α and leptin in obese individuals whether asthmatic or not showed significant increase compared to lean ones (P < 0.01). Body mass index (BMI) showed positive linear correlations with serum levels of IL-6, TNF-α, leptin and CRP. Serum IL-5 showed significantly higher levels in all asthmatics versus all controls (P < 0.01). Also serum IL-5 showed non-significant difference between lean and obese asthmatics and it showed significant negative correlations with FEV1/FVC % and PEF.Conclusion: Serum levels ofIL-6, TNF-α and leptin could be considered surrogate markers for obesity, whereas serum IL-5 is considered a marker of airway inflammation in bronchial asthma. Thus obesity and asthma have been shown to coexist together but systemic and airway inflammation appears to operate independent of each other.Keywords: Asthma, cytokines, obesity, phenotyp

An evaluation of stakeholder management approach for improving energy efficiency outcomes in housing

Context - Energy efficient housing is influenced by a number of attributes that describe the key players involved in its production. Stakeholders’ levels of interest, motivation, awareness and power to impose their decision can have an impact on housing energy performance. Understanding these stakeholder attributes can help resolve barriers to energy efficiency performance. Approach - This paper examines a number of stakeholder management approaches, compares their classification and prioritisation approaches and analyses each approach’s suitability to be adopted for managing energy efficiency stakeholders. Results - Energy efficiency stakeholders can be classified as internal and external, with the attributes of power, interest, proximity and knowledge. The most suitable stakeholder management approach enables these attributes to be quantified, and with the addition of a time management, could enable a better understanding and management of energy efficiency stakeholders. Implications - This approach may enable a correlation between stakeholder management strategies and the energy performance of housing, and manage the relationships between stakeholders in a way that ensures the achievement of both their individual interests and sustainability goals. Originality - This paper explores the possibility of applying stakeholders’ theories that are commonly used for managing organisations to one aspect of the housing industry (energy efficiency)

Optimization Of The Electronic And Optical Properties Of Tio2 For Clean Fuel Production

Among different crystal structures and morphologies of TiO2, vertically oriented anatase nanotube arrays show the highest activity for solar energy conversion. However, the long-standing bottleneck is the fact that TiO2 is a wide band gap semiconductor, limiting its activation to the deep-blue and ultraviolet spectral region that contains but a small fraction (5%) of the incident solar energy. Herein, density functional theory (DFT) has been used to compare between density of states of bulk and nanotube forms of TiO2 by using different concentrations of N atoms. The wave functions were described using two different techniques; linear combination of atomic orbital (LCAO) and plane wave. Our results showed a shift in the calculated bandgap for bulk TiO2 only for small concentrations of N atoms as dopant. For TiO2 nanotube, the bandgap decreases as the concentration of N atoms increases. The effect of the diameter of TiO2 nanotubes on their optical and structural properties has also been investigated and discussed in details. Our study presents a protocol to fine tune the optical, electronic and structural properties of TiO2 for energy conversion applications.qscienc

Parametric study for optimizing fiber-reinforced concrete properties

Concrete with fiber reinforcement is stronger and more ductile than concrete without reinforcement. Significant efforts have been made to demonstrate the properties and enhancements of concrete after reinforcement with various types and shapes of fibers. However, the issue of optimization in the reinforcement process is still unanswered. There is no academic study in the literature now available that can pinpoint the ideal fiber type, quantity, and shape and, more crucially, the overall technical viability of the reinforcement. The parametric analysis in this study determines the ideal shape, size, and proportion of fibers. The input and output parameters were separated from the optimization design variables. Input parameters included assessment of samples of fresh and mechanical concrete properties and the influence of type, length, and percentage of fiber on concrete performance. The aim was to establish the most efficient relationship between fiber dose and dimension to optimize the combined responses of workability and splitting tensile, flexural, and compressive strength. The mechanical and fresh properties of concrete reinforced with four different fibers, PFRC-1, PFRC-2, SFRC-1, and SFRC-2, were tested. The analysis showed that SFRC-2-20 mm-1%, with compressive, split tensile, flexural, and workability values of 44.7 MPa, 3.64 MPa, 5.3 MPa, and 6.5 cm respectively, was the most effective combination among the materials investigated. The optimization technique employed in this study offers new, important insights into how input and output parameters relate to one another

Applications of Rare Earth Metals in Al-Si Cast Alloys

The present article reviews a large number of research publications on the effect of mischmetal (MM), rare earth metals (RE), La or Ce, and combinations of La + Ce on the performance of Al-Si cast alloys mainly 319, 356, 380, 413, and 390 alloys. Most of these articles focused on the use of rare earth metals as a substitute for strontium (Sr) as a eutectic silicon (Si) modifier if added in low percentage ( 1 wt.%) is required to achieve a noticeable reduction in grain size, however at the cost of alloy brittleness

Effect of myrrh and thyme on Trichinella spiralis enteral and parenteral phases with inducible nitric oxide expression in mice

Trichinellosis is a serious disease with no satisfactory treatment. We aimed to assess the effect of myrrh (Commiphora molmol

Using relationship mapping to understand sustainable housing stakeholders' actions

The production of sustainable housing requires the cooperation of a variety of participants with different goals, needs, levels of commitment and cultures. To achieve mainstream net zero energy housing objectives, there is arguably a need for a non-linear network of collaboration between all the stakeholders. In order to create and improve such collaborative networks between stakeholders, we first need to map stakeholders’ relationships, processes, and practices. This paper discusses compares and contrasts maps of the sustainable housing production life-cycle in Australia, developed from different perspectives. The paper highlights the strengths and weaknesses of each visualization, clarifying where gaps in connectivity exist within existing industry networks. Understanding these gaps will help researchers and practitioners identify how to improve the collaboration between participants in the housing industry. This in turn may improve decision making across all stakeholder groups, leading to mainstream implementation of sustainability into the housing industry

The role of stakeholder management in energy efficiency outcomes of owner-occupied housing in Australia

This thesis highlights the importance of stakeholders' interactions in enhancing the energy efficiency of housing. It uses stakeholder management as a frame work to quantify the influence of stakeholders on energy efficiency outcomes. This framework is applied and tested on a number of owner-occupied housing in Australia to analyse the effect of stakeholders' attributes (such as their roles, responsibilities, and interests) on the energy performance of houses

Surgical anatomy of greater occipital nerve and its relation to occipital artery

Introduction: The knowledge of the anatomy of greater occipital nerve and its relation to occipital artery is important for the surgeon. Blockage or surgical release of greater occipital nerve is clinically effective in reducing or eliminating chronic migraine symptoms. Aim: The aim of this research was to study the anatomy of greater occipital nerve (GON) and its relation to occipital artery. Also the use of these anatomical measures in local injection of the greater occipital nerve for treatment of migraine. Materials and methods: The study was carried out at the Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University. The posterior neck and scalp of 25 cadaveric heads were dissected. GON was identified and measured relative to bony landmarks. Delineation of GON and occipital artery relationship was done. Twenty patients suffering from migraine diagnosed according to International Headache Society (IHS) criteria (HIS 2004) were treated using GON blockade. The landmark for GON injection was based on the anatomical study. Treatment was assessed using the visual analogue scale for migraine pain. Results: In the anatomical study, the GON was found in all specimens. The diameter of GON was measured at the lower border of inferior oblique, where it pierced SSC, and after its exit from trapezius muscle. The distance between the point where the GON pierced SSC inferior to the external occipital protuberance (EOP) and lateral to the midline was also measured. The GON was parallel to the occipital artery. The distance between GON and occipital artery was measured. In the clinical study, 20 patients suffering from migraine were treated with 1.5 ml of 0.5% bupivacaine using GON blockade. The landmark for GON injection was based on the anatomical study. For the right GON: the vertical location inferior to EOP ranged from 19.85 mm to 26.9 mm with a mean of 23.1 mm. The lateral location from EOP ranged from 11.03 mm to 14.65 mm with a mean of 13.4 mm. For the left GON: the vertical location inferior to EOP ranged from 16.89 mm to 29.5 mm with a mean of 22.1 mm. The lateral location from EOP ranged from 10.89 mm to 15.31 mm with a mean of 14.1 mm. Pain was improved in 70% of patients within the first hour after the first injection. After 1 month, 60% of patients still showed improvement. Conclusion: The knowledge of the anatomy of greater occipital nerve and its relation to occipital artery is important for the surgeon. Blockage or surgical release of greater occipital nerve is clinically effective in eliminating chronic migraine headache