Apparatus for measuring thermal conductivity Patent

Development of apparatus for measuring thermal conductivit

Sustainability assessment of high voltage transmission lines

This work aims to contribute to the proposal of a multi-criteria based methodology for sustainability evaluation of impacts from high voltage transmission lines integrating indicators reflecting environmental and socio-economic criteria. The proposed methodology was applied to a transmission grid project in Manaus/Amazonas, Brazil, evaluating its sustainability. From the analysis, it can be observed that the implementation of the project tends to have a significant impact during the construction phase. The most important indexes come from the environmental dimension resulting from a proximity to environmental protected areas and reduction of vegetation both during implementation and operation phases, which is particularly important for the case of Amazonia forest. As for the socio-economic index, this reflects an optimistic expectation of the population towards the arrival of electricity to communities that can lead to the creation of more jobs and improvement of cities infrastructures along with the low expected impact on local protected communities, given the previous studies addressing these concerns during the design phase. Based on the results achieved, avenues for future research are proposed.This work is financed by the ERDF – European Regional Development Fund through the Oper ational Programme for Competitiveness and Internationalisation COMPETE 2020 Programme, and by National Funds through the Portuguese funding agency, FCT Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, within project SAICTPAC/0004/2015-POCI/01/0145/FEDER/016434.as well as by the ALGORITMI research Centre POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007043 and FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia within the Project Scope: UID/CEC/00319/2013

Glutathione s-transferase omega in the lung and sputum supernatants of COPD patients

BACKGROUND: The major contribution to oxidant related lung damage in COPD is from the oxidant/antioxidant imbalance and possibly impaired antioxidant defence. Glutathione (GSH) is one of the most important antioxidants in human lung and lung secretions, but the mechanisms participating in its homeostasis are partly unclear. Glutathione-S-transferase omega (GSTO) is a recently characterized cysteine containing enzyme with the capability to bind and release GSH in vitro. GSTO has not been investigated in human lung or lung diseases. METHODS: GSTO1-1 was investigated by immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis in 72 lung tissue specimens and 40 sputum specimens from non-smokers, smokers and COPD, in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and in plasma from healthy non-smokers and smokers. It was also examined in human monocytes and bronchial epithelial cells and their culture mediums in vitro. RESULTS: GSTO1-1 was mainly expressed in alveolar macrophages, but it was also found in airway and alveolar epithelium and in extracellular fluids including sputum supernatants, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, plasma and cell culture mediums. The levels of GSTO1-1 were significantly lower in the sputum supernatants (p = 0.023) and lung homogenates (p = 0.003) of COPD patients than in nonsmokers. CONCLUSION: GSTO1-1 is abundant in the alveolar macrophages, but it is also present in extracellular fluids and in airway secretions, the levels being decreased in COPD. The clinical significance of GSTO1-1 and its role in regulating GSH homeostasis in airway secretions, however, needs further investigations

Low-level gas multicounter for C-14 dating of small samples: Electronic, numerical and shielding optimisation

Up to 14 methane samples can be dated simultaneously in our compact gas multicounter. Sample detectors are 10 ml (NTP) in volume each. They are made of copper and linked to form two 7 detector rigid assemblies which are filled in situ. Monitoring of the counting conditions is enabled through multichannel analysis of the cosmic pulse height spectrum, which shows the changes in gas amplification due to impurities or leakage. HV is set (and adjusted) automatically using the cosmic peak. All individual events are stored on disc, including pulse height (PH), risetime (RT) (both 256 Ch), time of arrival (TA), detector identification, anticoincidence status and elapsed and live time. Software programs analyse and validate data. Numerical discrimination and manipulations of counting parameters can be performed without destroying the original data set. Statistical quality control is based on chi-square and Poisson distribution of count rates around their mean in user defined energy regions as weil as time of arrival of pulses mode. TA analysis offers the user an early means for recognizing some types of system malfunction that otherwise might remain undetected for Jong periods of time. RT analysis is used to discriminate sample beta pulses from environmental radiation pulses, resulting in a low background with compact and relat ively inexpensive shielding. The automatic high voltage setting, PH, RT and TA electronics as weil as the liquid scintillation anticoincidence systems are applicable to all existing gas counting systems. Delivery of the gas multicounter to the Australian National University is to take place at the end of the year 1984

Low-level liquid scintillation spectrometer for ß-counting

A new liquid scintillation (LS) spectrometer has been developed. lt improves the signal to noise ratio of C-14 assays by an order of magnitude compared to conventional LS systems. As a result, precision for a modern sample is 0.2 % and the dating limit is 64 Ky BP for a 15 ml sample of benzene. Sophisticated MCA facilities allow the use of Multiparameter Multichannel Analysis for data validation and age evaluation. Despite the high sophistication, the spectrometer, (named QUANTULUS) is seif contained, microprocessor controlled and user friendly. lt can be used with full advantage in a normal laboratory environment

Psychological well-being is associated with better nutrient intakes in heterogeneous older populations

Non peer reviewe

Molecular Differentiation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Strains without IS6110 Insertions

By using standard restriction fragment length polymorphism, 6 zero-copy IS6110 Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates were identified from 1,180 Maryland isolates as part of the National Tuberculosis Genotyping Surveillance Network Project. By using various genotyping methods, we demonstrated that this zero band cluster can be differentiated into six genotypes

Burden of Oral Symptoms and Health-Related Quality of Life in Long-Term Care Settings in Helsinki, Finland

Objectives Poor oral health may complicate eating and deteriorate nutritional status. However, little is known about how the burden of oral symptoms (OS) is associated with the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of vulnerable older people in institutional settings. This study explores how the burden of certain OS (chewing problems, swallowing difficulties, dry mouth) is associated with functioning, morbidity, nutritional status and eating habits. It also examines the association between the OS burden and HRQoL. Design A cross-sectional study in 2017. Setting All long-term care wards in Helsinki, Finland. Participants 2401 older residents (74% females, mean age 83.9). Measurements Nurses assessed the residents and completed questionnaires on the participants' demographics, functional status, diagnoses, OS and eating habits. Nutritional status was assessed using the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) and HRQoL with a 15-dimensional instrument (15D). Results Of the residents, 25.4% had one OS and 16.6% two or three OS. OS burden was associated linearly with poorer cognitive and physical functioning and a higher number of comorbidities, edentulousness without dentures, and less frequent teeth brushing/denture cleaning. OS burden was also associated with malnutrition, lower BMI and eating less during main meals. In the multivariate analyses adjusted for various confounding factors, a higher number of OS was associated with lower HRQoL. OS burden correlated with nearly all dimensions of HRQoL. Conclusion Oral symptoms are associated with generic HRQoL. Therefore, OS should be regularly assessed and managed in daily care.Peer reviewe

Higher Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid to Saturated Fatty Acid Ratio Is Associated With Cognition, Mobility, Nutrient Intakes, and Higher Diet Quality in Heterogeneous Older Populations

Non peer reviewe