Perinatal Programming of Asthma: The Role of Gut Microbiota

Perinatal programming, a dominant theory for the origins of cardiovascular disease, proposes that environmental stimuli influence developmental pathways during critical periods of prenatal and postnatal development, inducing permanent changes in metabolism. In this paper, we present evidence for the perinatal programming of asthma via the intestinal microbiome. While epigenetic mechanisms continue to provide new explanations for the programming hypothesis of asthma development, it is increasingly apparent that the intestinal microbiota plays an independent and potentially interactive role. Commensal gut bacteria are essential to immune system development, and exposures disrupting the infant gut microbiota have been linked to asthma. This paper summarizes the recent findings that implicate caesarean delivery, breastfeeding, perinatal stress, probiotics, and antibiotics as modifiers of infant gut microbiota in the development of asthma

Control Of Wind-Induced Motion Of Tall Buildings Using Smart Facade Systems

The development of non-load bearing curtain walling technology around the turn of the 20th centre along with an effort to reduce the energy consumption of the building and dependence on artificial lightening, the development of high performance glass and efficient building system has seen architectural trends move toward maximising glass surface areas in order to optimise natural light. This presents an opportunity to also investigate the façade system potential to become a filter for wind-induced vibration. The façade has been rarely considered or designed as a potential windinduced vibration absorber for tall buildings. In this paper the potential of utilizing a moveable exterior façade in a double-skin façade system is investigated and shown that with optimal choices of materials for stiffness and damping of brackets connecting the two skins, a substantial portion of wind-induced vibration energy can be dissipated which leads to avoiding expensive lateral stiffening systems and/or space consuming large damper systems such as tuned mass or liquid dampers. The works have demonstrated that up to 50% of response caused by winds can be absorbed by a smart and efficient façade design, including purely passive systems with constant stiffness and damping or better, by a smart system possessing variable stiffness for different phases of façade movement

Control of wind-induced motion of tall buildings using smart façade systems

The development of non-load bearing curtain walling technology around the turn of the 20th centre along with the effects to reduce the energy consumption of the building and dependence on artificial lightening, as well as the development of high performance glass and efficient building systems has seen ar-chitectural trends to move toward maximising glass surface areas in order to optimise natural daylight. This present study shows the potential offaçade systems potential to become an energy absorber of wind-induced vibrations. The façade has been rarely considered or designed as a potential wind-induced vibration absorber for tall buildings in the past. In this paper the potential of utilizing a moveable exterior façade in a double-skin façade is investigated and shown that with optimal choices of materials for stiffness and damping of brackets connecting the two skins, a substantial portion of wind-induced vibration energy can be dissipated which leads to avoiding expensive lateral stiffening systems and/or space consuming large damper systems such as tuned mass or liquid dampers. The work has demonstrated that up to 50% of response caused by winds can be absorbed by a smart and efficient façade design, including purely passive systems with constant stiffness and damping or better, by a smart a system possessing variable stiffness for different phases of façade move-ment

Rickettsial pathogens and their arthropod vectors.

Rickettsial diseases, important causes of illness and death worldwide, exist primarily in endemic and enzootic foci that occasionally give rise to sporadic or seasonal outbreaks. Rickettsial pathogens are highly specialized for obligate intracellular survival in both the vertebrate host and the invertebrate vector. While studies often focus primarily on the vertebrate host, the arthropod vector is often more important in the natural maintenance of the pathogen. Consequently, coevolution of rickettsiae with arthropods is responsible for many features of the host-pathogen relationship that are unique among arthropod-borne diseases, including efficient pathogen replication, long-term maintenance of infection, and transstadial and transovarial transmission. This article examines the common features of the host-pathogen relationship and of the arthropod vectors of the typhus and spotted fever group rickettsiae

Comparison of original and revised reinforcement sensitivity theory in clinically-stable schizophrenia and bipolar disorder patients

ABSTRACT Introduction: The study of personality can help explicate the pathology of psychological disorders. To this end,our study compared the profile of factors from the original (o) and revised (r) reinforcement sensitivity theory (RST) of personality in schizophrenia (SC), bipolar disorder (BD) patients, both compared with healthy controls(HC). Method: 34 SC patients, 52 BD patients, and 72 matched HC completed: Yang Mania Rating Scale (YMRS), Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), BAS/BIS scale, and the Jackson-5 scale. Data were analyzed by chi square, independent t-test, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). Results: SC patients had lower o-BIS, r-BIS and o-BAS, and r-BAS scores than the BD and HC groups. Compared to HC, SC and BD patients had higher Freeze and Fight scores. Depression in SC was significantly higher than other two groups; and in BD it was higher than HC. Conclusion: SC, BD, and HC differ on both o-RST and r-RST; however, the more nuanced knowledge from r-RST may be helpful in the diagnosis, etiology and psychotherapy. Keywords: Original reinforcement sensitivity theory Revised reinforcement sensitivity theory Behavioral brain systems Schizophrenia Bipolar disorde

The elicitation of key performance indicators of e-government providers: A bottom-up approach

Copyright @ 2013 EMCIS.Delivering an adequate e-Government service (e-service) is becoming more of a necessity in today's digital world. In order to improve e-services and increase the engagement of both users' and providers' side, studies on the performance evaluation of such provided e-services are taking places. However a clear identification of the key performance indicators from the e-Government providers’ side is not well explored. This shortcoming hampers the conduct of a holistic evaluation of an e-service provision from the perspective of its stakeholders in order to improve e-services as well as to increase e-services take-ups. In this paper, a systematic process to identify indicators is implemented based on a bottom-up approach. The process used three focus-group meetings with providers, users, and academics in Qatar, Lebanon and UK to collect, identify and validate key indicators from the perspective of e-services’ providers. The approach resulted in the identification of five factors levels (service, technology, employees, policy and management and social responsibilities) with fifteen sub-categories of SMART variables. Hence, leading to the development of a new model, STEPS, that can fully explain and predict e-government success from the providers’ point of view. It will work as a strategic management tool to align various stakeholders on common goal and values based on evidence based evaluation of e-services using smart measurable indicators for the improvement of an e-service at the engagement level in the field of e-government. In addition, other fields can benefit from the outcome of this work, such as logistics service providers, who make their services available across new and existing relationships between the Internet commerce firms, their customers, and their vendors

Humoral and protective response of Indian major carps to immersion vaccination with Aeromonas hydrophila

Fry of the Indian major carps, Catta catla (Ham.), Labeo rohita (Ham.) and Cirrhinus mrigala (Ham.) were immunized at 4 and 8 weeks post hatching (wph) by direct immersion in a suspension (10 super(8) cells ml super(-1))of heat inactivated Aeromonas hydrophila. Following the same procedure, booster dose was administered 20 days after the first immersion. Antibodies as well as protective response produced in both the groups after the first and the booster immersion were different and significant (P<0.05). No significant difference was found between the species in the two age groups. The specimens immunized 8 wph showed higher antibody titres and protection than the 4 wph group. C. catla had higher relative percent survival followed by L. rohita and C. mrigala

Innovative Remote Smart Home for Immersive Engagement

An openly accessible, remotely operated smart home will be demonstrated as a tool for students to learn about residential energy usage and environmental impacts. Specifically, the demonstration unit provides classrooms an engaging experience that teaches students about energy efficiency technologies and how their behavior will have an impact on energy usage and the environment. It is expected that as students become aware of and understand how various energy efficiency technologies work barriers to their adoption will be lowered. The use of a web accessible, remote laboratory dramatically reduces lab setup time and equipment cost/space requirements for educators. Special attention is given to the web based interface to ensure the system is easy to use and requires only a standard web browser in order to operate. The interface also includes a video link so the user can feel that they are working with real hardware in real time and not using a simulation or virtual facility. An associated website provides a self-scheduling tool to provide access to the system and a resource for related background information on smart grid and residential energy efficiency technologies. In addition, supporting instructional materials that coincide with NGSS standards are available via download

Evaluating iron deficiency anaemia in the third trimester of pregnancy with haematological parameters and serum ferritin concentration

Background: Iron deficiency is the commonest cause of anaemia and at least half of anaemia cases will have causes other than iron deficiency. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of iron deficiency anaemia among antenatal mothers based on haematological parameters and serum ferritin levels.Methods: This was a hospital based cross sectional study, conducted at Meenakshi Medical College and Research Institute, Kancheepuram from January 2017 to June 2018. Two hundred antenatal mothers who were diagnosed with anaemia in the third trimester of pregnancy were evaluated by haematological parameters and serum ferritin assay.Results: 38% of women had mild anaemia, 50% had moderate anaemia and 12% had severe anaemia. On peripheral smear, 60% had microcytic hypochromic anaemia indicating iron deficiency, and 12% had megaloblastic anaemia. In 41% of cases, the mean corpuscular volume was 160µg/lit in 19% of cases.Conclusions: Based on the haematological parameters and serum ferritin estimation, in 60% of cases, anaemia was due to iron deficiency. Before initiating treatment, it is important to differentiate various types of anaemia, so that appropriate treatment can be given