A primary drawback of solar thermal technologies, especially in a domestic setting, is that collection of thermal energy occurs when solar irradiance is abundant and there is generally little ...requirement for heating. Thermochemical Energy Storage (TCES) offers a means of storing thermal energy interseasonally with little heat loss. A combination of a Solar Thermal Collector (STC) and TCES system will allow a variety of different heating applications, such as domestic space and hot water heating as well as low temperature industrial process heat applications to be met in a low carbon way. This paper describes and assesses the feasibility of two novel technologies currently under development at Loughborough University; i) an evacuated flat plate STC and ii) composite TCES materials, coupled together into a system designed to store and supply thermal energy on demand throughout the year. Experimental results of composite TCES materials along with predicted performance of STC's are used within a developed model to assess key metrics of conceptual TCES + STC systems feasibility, including; charging time, payback time, cost/kWh, energy savings and CO2 savings. This paper demonstrates the economic, energy and carbon savings potential of conceptual TCES + STC systems suitable for domestic use.
•Economic feasibility of novel TCES + STC conceptual systems presented.•Conceptual systems using a Vacuum Flat Plate Collector are the most economical.•30% of the domestic space heating demand can be supplied using these systems.•Significant CO2 reductions possible if systems installed in UK households.•Systems predicted to result in financial savings to the homeowner.
Low vitamin D status has been implicated in the etiology of autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, and inflammatory bowel disease. ...The optimal level of vitamin D intake required to support optimal immune function is not known but is likely to be at least that required for healthy bones. Experimentally, vitamin D deficiency results in the increased incidence of autoimmune disease. Mechanistically, the data point to a role for vitamin D in the development of self-tolerance. The vitamin D hormone (1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D(3)) regulates T helper cell (Th1) and dendritic cell function while inducing regulatory T-cell function. The net result is a decrease in the Th1-driven autoimmune response and decreased severity of symptoms. This review discusses the accumulating evidence pointing to a link between vitamin D and autoimmunity. Increased vitamin D intakes might decrease the incidence and severity of autoimmune diseases and the rate of bone fracture.
Anecdotal data suggest that the amount of vitamin D available in the environment either from sunshine exposure or diet may be an important factor affecting the development of inflammatory bowel ...disease (IBD) in humans. We tested the vitamin D hypothesis in an experimental animal model of IBD. Interleukin (IL)-10 knockout (KO) mice, which spontaneously develop symptoms resembling human IBD, were made vitamin D deficient, vitamin D sufficient or supplemented with active vitamin D (1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol). Vitamin D–deficient IL-10 KO mice rapidly developed diarrhea and a wasting disease, which induced mortality. In contrast, vitamin D–sufficient IL-10 KO mice did not develop diarrhea, waste or die. Supplementation with 50 IU of cholecalciferol (5.0 μg/d) or 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol (0.005 μg/d) significantly (P < 0.05) ameliorated symptoms of IBD in IL-10 KO mice. 1,25-Dihydroxycholecalciferol treatment (0.2 μg/d) for as little as 2 wk blocked the progression and ameliorated (P < 0.05) symptoms in IL-10 KO mice with already established IBD.
Vitamin D‐deficient IL‐10 knockout (KO) mice develop accelerated inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Removing dietary calcium from the diets of vitamin D‐deficient IL‐10 KO mice increased the severity ...of IBD. The mice fed either calcium or active vitamin D (1α,25‐dihydroxyvitamin D3, 1,25D3), developed an intermediate form of IBD, while the mice fed both calcium and 1,25D3 had the mildest form of IBD. TNF‐α secretion from Con A‐stimulated splenocytes was reduced by dietary calcium or 1,25D3 treatment. The IL‐10 KO mice that received both high calcium diets and 1,25D3 treatments had the lowest TNF‐α production. In the colons, a TNF‐α‐inducing transcription factor, LPS‐induced TNF‐α factor (LITAF), was inhibited by 1,25D3, but not by calcium. The inhibition of several TNF‐α‐related genes was associated with the decreased colitis in 1,25D3‐treated IL‐10 KO mice. Furthermore, fulminating IBD in vitamin D receptor/IL‐10 double‐KO mice corresponded with the increased expression of TNF‐α and LITAF in the colon. Our results suggest that dietary calcium has independent effects on IBD severity and that 1,25D3 and high calcium together result in the maximal suppression of experimental IBD. The data support a model where dietary calcium and 1,25D3 treatment directly and indirectly inhibit the TNF‐α pathway and suppress IBD.
The active metabolite of vitamin D (1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) (1,25(OH)(2)D(3))) is known to modulate the immune response in Th1 cell-directed diseases. To investigate the role of vitamin D in Th2 ...cell-directed diseases, experimental allergic asthma was induced in vitamin D receptor (VDR) knockout and in wild-type (WT) mice. As expected, WT mice developed symptoms of airway inflammation with an influx of eosinophils, elevated Th2 cytokine levels, mucous production, and airway hyperresponsiveness. The administration of 1,25(OH)(2)D(3) had no effect on asthma severity. The only discernable effect of 1,25(OH)(2)D(3) on experimental allergic asthma in WT mice was an increased expression of two Th2-related genes (soluble CD23 and GATA-3) in lungs of BALB/c mice exposed to Ag through the nasal route only. By contrast, asthma-induced VDR knockout mice failed to develop airway inflammation, eosinophilia, or airway hyperresponsiveness, despite high IgE concentrations and elevated Th2 cytokines. The data suggest that although 1,25(OH)(2)D(3) induced these Th2-type genes, the treatment failed to have any affect on experimental asthma severity. However, VDR-deficient mice failed to develop experimental allergic asthma, suggesting an important role for the vitamin D endocrine system in the generation of Th2-driven inflammation in the lung.
Purpose
The incidence of chronic groin pain (CGP) and its impact on quality of life (QoL) after hernia repair are not clear with follow-up either being short or retrospective. We present 10-year ...prospective follow-up of a randomized trial for bilateral and recurrent hernia repair focusing on CGP and its impact on QoL.
Methods
Patients enrolled between 1997 and 2000 were contacted by telephone and asked about the presence of CGP. Those patients with CGP were sent two validated questionnaires: a SF-12v2 Health Survey and a Pain Impact Questionnaire (PIQ-6) (QualityMetric, USA).
Results
One hundred and twenty patients were recruited into the original study, and of these, 14 complained of CGP and were sent a PIQ-6 and a SF-12 v2 health survey. Overall, there was a higher incidence of CGP in the laparoscopic group compared with the open group (15 vs. 8 %, ns), but the severity of the pain in the laparoscopic group was less (2 vs. 3.5,
p
= 0.0558). QoL was significantly reduced in patients with CGP compared with the US norm. The laparoscopic group scored higher in 5 out of 8 of the QoL categories compared with the open group, but this was not significant. Overall age-adjusted scores revealed those under 65 years of age felt they had poorer physical health, and this reduced their QoL compared to normal values.
Conclusion
CGP following laparoscopic surgery for inguinal hernia repair is less severe than open repair, but this does not translate into a significant improvement in QoLin this study.
Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving surgical procedures are challenging for recruitment and infrequent in the specialty of bariatrics. The pilot phase of the By-Band-Sleeve study (gastric ...bypass versus gastric band versus sleeve gastrectomy) provided the opportunity for an investigation of recruitment using a qualitative research integrated in trials (QuinteT) recruitment intervention (QRI).
The QRI investigated recruitment in two centers in the pilot phase comparing bypass and banding, through the analysis of 12 in-depth staff interviews, 84 audio recordings of patient consultations, 19 non-participant observations of consultations and patient screening data. QRI findings were developed into a plan of action and fed back to centers to improve information provision and recruitment organization.
Recruitment proved to be extremely difficult with only two patients recruited during the first 2 months. The pivotal issue in Center A was that an effective and established clinical service could not easily adapt to the needs of the RCT. There was little scope to present RCT details or ensure efficient eligibility assessment, and recruiters struggled to convey equipoise. Following presentation of QRI findings, recruitment in Center A increased from 9% in the first 2 months (2/22) to 40% (26/65) in the 4 months thereafter. Center B, commencing recruitment 3 months after Center A, learnt from the emerging issues in Center A and set up a special clinic for trial recruitment. The trial successfully completed pilot recruitment and progressed to the main phase across 11 centers.
The QRI identified key issues that enabled the integration of the trial into the clinical setting. This contributed to successful recruitment in the By-Band-Sleeve trial-currently the largest in bariatric practice-and offers opportunities to optimize recruitment in other trials in bariatrics.
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