The structure of the extant transcriptional control network of the TOL plasmid pWW0 born by Pseudomonas putida mt-2 for biodegradation of m-xylene is far more complex than one would consider ...necessary from a mere engineering point of view. In order to penetrate the underlying logic of such a network, which controls a major environmental cleanup bioprocess, we have developed a dynamic model of the key regulatory node formed by the Ps/Pr promoters of pWW0, where the clustering of control elements is maximal. The model layout was validated with batch cultures estimating parameter values and its predictive capability was confirmed with independent sets of experimental data. The model revealed how regulatory outputs originated in the divergent and overlapping Ps/Pr segment, which expresses the transcription factors XylS and XylR respectively, are computed into distinct instructions to the upper and lower catabolic xyl operons for either simultaneous or stepwise consumption of m-xylene and/or succinate. In this respect, the model reveals that the architecture of the Ps/Pr is poised to discriminate the abundance of alternative and competing C sources, in particular m-xylene versus succinate. The proposed framework provides a first systemic understanding of the causality and connectivity of the regulatory elements that shape this exemplary regulatory network, facilitating the use of model analysis towards genetic circuit optimization.
Karl Popper's falsificationist epistemology that all knowledge advances through a process of conjectures and refutations carries profound implications for politics and education. In this article, I ...first argue that, on a political level, it is necessary to establish and maintain an open society by fostering not only five core values, viz. freedom, tolerance, respect, rationalism, and equalitarianism, but also three crucial practices, viz. democracy, state interventionism, and piecemeal social engineering. Then, considering that an open society places great political, and thus educational, demands upon its members, I examine the role played by education in its establishment and maintenance, focusing on its educational aims, curriculum, and pedagogy.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
BFBNIB, DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
We report a 32 year-old Chinese lady with history of tetralogy of Fallot, presented to us with chest pain due to hypocalcemia secondary to hypoparathyroidism. With her dysmerphic facial features and ...intellectual disability 22q11.2 deletion was suspected and confirmed by genetic study. Clinicians should consider the diagnosis of DiGeorge syndrome in adult patient with past medical history of congenital heart disease, facial dysmorphism, intellectual disability and primary hypoparathyroidism.
To investigate whether the survival results after resection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have improved within the past decade by an analysis of a prospective cohort of patients over a 10-year ...period.
The surgical death rate after resection of HCC has greatly improved in recent years, but the long-term prognosis remains unsatisfactory. It remains unknown whether the survival results after resection of HCC have improved within the past decade.
The clinicopathologic and follow-up data of 377 patients who underwent curative resection of HCC between January 1989 and January 1999 were prospectively collected. These patients were categorized according to two time periods: before 1994 (group 1, n = 136) and after 1994 (group 2, n = 241). The two groups were compared for clinicopathologic data and survival results. The prognostic factors for disease-free survival were further analyzed to identify the factors that might have led to improved survival outcomes.
The overall and disease-free survival results were significantly better in group 2 compared with group 1. Patients in group 2 had significantly higher proportions of subclinical presentation, small tumors, and tumors of early pTNM stage. There were also significantly lower frequencies of histologic margin involvement, less intraoperative blood loss, and a lower transfusion rate in group 2. By multivariate analysis, early pTNM stage, subclinical HCC, and no perioperative transfusion were independent favorable prognostic factors for disease-free survival.
Significant improvement of overall and disease-free survival results after resection of HCC has been achieved within the past decade as a result of advances in the diagnosis and surgical management of HCC. Earlier diagnosis of HCC by better imaging modalities, increased detection of subclinical HCC by screening of high-risk patients, and a reduced perioperative transfusion rate were identified as the major contributory factors for the improved outcomes.
Without the implementation of mandatory vaccination, it was difficult to increase the influenza vaccination rate among healthcare workers. We described the strategy of personal coaching and assess ...its impact in increasing the influenza vaccination rate among healthcare workers in Hong Kong.
Personal coaching of individual staff led by the infection control officer (ICO) and senior nursing officer (SNO) from infection control team could overcome barriers and promote on-site vaccination. The influenza vaccination rates among different categories of staff in 2016/2017 (year 1, baseline), 2017/2018 (year 2, promotion using social media), and 2018/2019 to 2020/2021 (year 3–5, promotion using personal coaching) were analysed in a healthcare region with 8490 ± 206 staff during the study period.
With the implementation of personal coaching, the influenza vaccination rates increased significantly among medical (65.0% vs 57.0%, p = 0.048), nursing (30.6% vs 21.1%, p < 0.001), allied health (37.0% vs 27.4%, p < 0.001), care-related supporting staff (37.7% vs 27.3%, p < 0.001), and non-professional staff (27.3% vs 22.3%, p < 0.001) in year 3 compared with year 2, and also significantly increased among all staff in year 4 (38.0% vs 34.7%, p < 0.001) and year 5 (45.2% vs 38.0%, p < 0.001) when compared with the preceding year. The increase in vaccination rate was not apparent with social media promotion alone (26.4%, year 2 vs 25.6%, year 1, p = 0.305).
Personal coaching led by ICO and SNO significantly increased the vaccination rates among healthcare workers in 3 consecutive years. This model could be promulgated to unit heads to establish a hospital culture conducive to vaccination.
This paper presents the orientation control of a differential mobile robot through the synchronization of the motions of two driving wheels, using an adaptive coupling control algorithm. The ...orientation error is usually caused by the synchronization error between two driving wheels and has the largest impact on the motion accuracy. The proposed controller incorporates the cross-coupling technology into an adaptive control architecture and guarantees asymptotic convergence to zero of the position tracking errors of two wheels as well as the synchronization error between them. Experiments demonstrate that the proposed control method exhibits better motion performance than traditional control methods especially in the orientation control.
Background:
Delirium in elderly orthopaedic patients poses an enormous medical, social and financial burden to the healthcare system, and causes significant distress to patients and their caregivers. ...We examined whether a Multi-component Care Bundle (MCB) could reduce the incidence of post-operative delirium (POD) in fractured hip patients.
Methods:
An observational study was conducted, analyzing 154 patients (mean age ± SD, 85 ± 7.8, 68% women) admitted to Queen Mary Hospital with hip fracture. Half of the patients were cared for in the control group before MCB was introduced, which included installation of orientation aids, introduction of a Caregiver Empowerment Program, and incorporation of ultrasound-guided Fascia Iliaca Block (FIB) into the analgesia protocol.
Results:
There were fewer patients with POD in the MCB group, compared with the control group (18/76, 23.4% v 34/76, 44.2%, p = 0.006). Patients in MCB group consumed less opioid ( 4/77 v 13/77, p = 0.048), experienced less post-operative dizziness (2/77, 2.6% v 13/77, 16.9%, p = 0.003) and had a shorter median day to start walking post-operatively (day 1 IQR 1-2 vs day 2 IQR 2-3; p = 0.001) than the control group. Length of stay was not affected.
Conclusion:
MCB effectively reduces POD, postoperative dizziness, opioid consumption, and days to start mobilization postoperatively.
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