Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome: From Phenotype to Genetic Basis

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is a complex chronic clinical syndrome, characterized by snoring, periodic apnea, hypoxemia during sleep, and daytime hypersomnolence. It affects 4-5% of the general population. Racial studies and chromosomal mapping, familial studies and twin studies have provided evidence for the possible link between the OSAS and genetic factors and also most of the risk factors involved in the pathogenesis of OSAS are largely genetically determined. A percentage of 35-40% of its variance can be attributed to genetic factors. It is likely that genetic factors associated with craniofacial structure, body fat distribution and neural control of the upper airway muscles interact to produce the OSAS phenotype. Although the role of specific genes that influence the development of OSAS has not yet been identified, current researches, especially in animal model, suggest that several genetic systems may be important. In this chapter, we will first define the OSAS phenotype, the pathogenesis and the risk factors involved in the OSAS that may be inherited, then, we will review the current progress in the genetics of OSAS and suggest a few future perspectives in the development of therapeutic agents for this complex disease entity

Performance and Stability of Doped Ceria–Zirconia Catalyst for a Multifuel Reforming

In the present work, the catalytic behavior of nickel-based catalysts supported on ceria/zirconia, undoped and doped with lanthanum and neodymium (3.5Ni/Ce0.8La0.5Nd0.2Zr0.13O2−x), was investigated under different reactions: steam reforming, partial oxidation and autothermal reforming of different fuels (methane, biogas, and propane). The catalytic properties of these catalysts were evaluated at a temperature of 800 °C, under atmospheric pressure, at GSHV = 120,000 h−1, using steam/carbon and oxygen/carbon ratio, respectively, of S/C = 2.5 and O/C = 0.5 and, in the case of autothermal conditions, with the addition of H2S (100 ppm) as a contaminant. Depending on the tested fuel, ATR, SR, and POX reactions over doped and undoped catalysts showed different results. In particular, the doped catalyst, due to neodymium and lanthanum doping, better distributed nickel species on the catalyst surface, promoting a higher concentration of defect groups and oxygen vacancies. This resulted in improved catalytic performance and resistance to deactivation. Endurance catalytic test also confirmed the beneficial effect of the doped catalysts

New insights into the dynamics that control the activity of ceria-zirconia solid solutions in thermochemical water splitting cycles

The reactivity of a ceria-rich Ce0.85Zr0.15O2 solid solution toward the thermochemical water splitting process (TWS) was studied over repeated H2/H2O redox cycles. The structural and surface modifications after treatment at high temperature under air or N2 atmospheres were characterized by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS). Samples treated under nitrogen resulted more active due to phase segregation with formation of a zirconyl oxynitride phase in catalytic amount. Insertion of N3- into the structure contributes to an increase in the numbers of oxygen vacancies that preferably arrange in large clusters, and to the stabilization of Ce3+ centers on the surface. In comparison, treatment under air resulted in a different arrangement of defects with less Ce3+ and smaller and more numerous vacancy clusters. This affects charge transfer and H-coupling processes, which play an important role in boosting the rate of H2 production. The behavior is found to be only slightly dependent on the starting ceria-zirconia composition, and it is related to the development of a similar surface heterostructure configuration, characterized by the presence of at least a ceria-rich solid solution and a (cerium-doped) zirconyl oxynitride phase, which is supposed to act as a promoter for TWS reaction. The above findings confirm the importance of a multiphase structure in the design of ceria-zirconia oxides for water splitting reaction and allow a step forward to find an optimal composition. Moreover, the results indicate that doping with nitrogen might be a novel approach for the design of robust, thermally resistant, and redox active materials.Postprint (author's final draft

Use of SMS texts for facilitating access to online alcohol interventions: a feasibility study

A41 Use of SMS texts for facilitating access to online alcohol interventions: a feasibility study In: Addiction Science & Clinical Practice 2017, 12(Suppl 1): A4

Effect of spark plasma sintering and high-pressure torsion on the microstructural and mechanical properties of a Cu–SiC composite

This investigation examines the problem of homogenization in metal matrix composites (MMCs) and the methods of increasing their strength using severe plastic deformation (SPD). In this research MMCs of pure copper and silicon carbide were synthesized by spark plasma sintering (SPS) and then further processed via highpressure torsion (HPT). The microstructures in the sintered and in the deformed materials were investigated using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (STEM). The mechanical properties were evaluated in microhardness tests and in tensile testing. The thermal conductivity of the composites was measured with the use of a laser pulse technique. Microstructural analysis revealed that HPT processing leads to an improved densification of the SPS-produced composites with significant grain refinement in the copper matrix and with fragmentation of the SiC particles and their homogeneous distribution in the copper matrix. The HPT processing of Cu and the Cu-SiC samples enhanced their mechanical properties at the expense of limiting their plasticity. Processing by HPT also had a major influence on the thermal conductivity of materials. It is demonstrated that the deformed samples exhibit higher thermal conductivity than the initial coarse-grained samples

The Social Worker’s Role in Ensuring Quality Counsel for Defendants with Mental Illness

The current literature surrounding the intersection of criminal justice and mental health is addressed. First, the history of overrepresentation of individuals with a mental health disorder in the criminal justice system is discussed, followed by a discussion of the current gaps in the literature. These gaps need to be addressed to inform better practices among public defenders and their decision making role with clients who have a mental health disorder. The lack of research is evident in ambiguous judicial guidance in ensuring that defendants with a mental health disorder are able to exercise autonomy relevant to their case. Social workers are professionally positioned to advocate for this population, in a way that public defenders are not

An e-Learning Platform for SME Manager Upgrade and its Evolution Toward a Distributed Training Environment

The purpose of this paper is to describe the work in progress related to the customisation, the trial and the evaluation of an innovative e-learning platform for manager upgrade in Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) in the framework of an EC funded project named InTraServ and its forthcoming re- engineering process aimed to the adoption of distributed services in the framework of another EC funded project named Diogene. The present e-learning solution includes several state-of-the-art technologies and methodologies such as: metadata and ontologies for knowledge manipulation, fuzzy learner modelling, intelligent course tailoring, case based reasoning, business games and simulation tools. The proposed solution is based on the distribution of working tasks among content provider services, content discovery services, content brokering services, training services, curriculum vitae searching services and collaboration services

An e-learning platform for SME manager upgrade and its evolution toward a distributed training environment

The evaluation of an innovative e-learning platform for manager upgrade in Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) in the framework of an EC funded project named InTraServ and its forthcoming reengineering process aimed to the adoption of distributed services in the framework of another EC funded project named Diogene. The present e-learning solution includes several state-of-the-art technologies and methodologies such as: metadata and ontologies for knowledge manipulation, fuzzy learner modelling, intelligent course tailoring, case based reasoning, business games and simulation tools. The proposed solution is based on the distribution of working tasks among content provider services, content discovery services, content brokering services, training services, curriculum vitae searching services and collaboration services