Mechanisms of acute cellular allograft rejection followed liver transplantation employs the activation, proliferation and differentiation of CD4+CD154+ and CD8+CD154+ T cells into effector cells ...triggered by direct allorecognition pathway, which is performed by both but is dominated by CD4+ T cells, and indirect allorecognition pathway virtually restricted to CD8+ T cells·
Summary
Decreasing graft rejection and increasing graft and patient survival are great challenges facing liver transplantation (LT). Different T cell subsets participate in the acute cellular rejection (ACR) of the allograft. Cell‐mediated immunity markers of the recipient could help to understand the mechanisms underlying acute rejection. This study aimed to analyse different surface antigens on T cells in a cohort of adult liver patients undergoing LT to determine the influence on ACR using multi‐parametric flow cytometry functional assay. Thirty patients were monitored at baseline and during 1 year post‐transplant. Two groups were established, with (ACR) and without (NACR) acute cellular rejection. Leukocyte, total lymphocyte, percentages of CD4+CD154+ and CD8+CD154+ T cells, human leukocyte antigen (HLA) mismatch between recipient–donor and their relation with ACR as well as the acute rejection frequencies were analysed. T cells were stimulated with concanavalin A (Con‐A) and surface antigens were analysed by fluorescence activated cell sorter (FACS) analysis. A high percentage of CD4+CD154+ T cells (P = 0·001) and a low percentage of CD8+CD154+ T cells (P = 0·002) at baseline were statistically significant in ACR. A receiver operating characteristic analysis determined the cut‐off values capable to stratify patients at high risk of ACR with high sensitivity and specificity for CD4+CD154+ (P = 0·001) and CD8+CD154+ T cells (P = 0·002). In logistic regression analysis, CD4+CD154+, CD8+CD154+ and HLA mismatch were confirmed as independent risk factors to ACR. Post‐transplant percentages of both T cell subsets were significantly higher in ACR, despite variations compared to pretransplant. These findings support the selection of candidates for LT based on the pretransplant percentages of CD4+CD154+ and CD8+CD154+ T cells in parallel with other transplant factors.
Economic integration agreements have significantly decreased import tariffs. We investigate whether national policies can be an effective replacement for tariffs to protect domestic industry. We show ...that (a) European fuel taxes and vehicle emissions policy favored diesel vehicles, a technology popular with European consumers but largely offered only by domestic automakers; (b) European automakers benefitedfrom pro-diesel fuel taxes and a lenient NOx emissions policy to earn significant profits from diesel cars; and (c) that both policies amounted to significant nontariff trade policies equivalent to an import tariff between two to three times the official rate.
•Malaxation time decreased the concentration of all phenols except oleocanthal and oleacein.•Vacuum conditions increased phenolic concentration.•Olive oil oxidative stability depends on individual ...phenols.
Phenolic compounds largely contribute to the nutraceutical properties of virgin olive oil (VOO), the organoleptic attributes and the shelf life due to their antioxidant capabilities. Due to the relevance of malaxation in the oil extraction process, we tested the effects of malaxation time on the concentrations of relevant phenolic compounds in VOO, and we evaluated the influence of performing malaxation under vacuum. An increase in malaxation time significantly decreased the concentrations of aglycone isomers of oleuropein and ligstroside but, conversely, increased the oleocanthal and oleacein contents. Additionally, malaxation under vacuum led to an increase in phenolic contents compared to standard conditions carried out at atmospheric pressure. Finally, we explored the possibility of predicting the VOO oxidative stability on the basis of the phenolic profile, and a model (R2 = 0.923; p < 0.0001) was obtained by combining the concentration of the VOO phenolic compounds and the main fatty acids.
Background
Down syndrome is the most common chromosomal abnormality, with a worldwide incidence of around 0.1% in live births. It is related to several conditions in which the physical therapy could ...take action‐preventing co‐morbidities. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of physical therapy in Down syndrome, to know and compare the effectiveness of different physical therapy interventions in this population.
Methods
A systematic review and a meta‐analysis of randomised controlled trials were conducted. The search was performed during June 2018 in the following databases: PubMed, Web of Science, Physiotherapy Evidence Database and Scopus. The studies were selected using predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. The Physiotherapy Evidence Database scale evaluated the quality of the methods used in the studies. Subsequently, the data were extracted, and statistical analysis was performed when possible.
Results
A total of 27 articles were included, of which nine contributed information to the meta‐analysis. Statistical analysis showed favourable results for the strength of upper and lower limbs standardised mean difference (SMD) = 1.46; 95% confidence interval (CI): (0.77–2.15); and SMD = 2.04; 95% CI: (1.07–3.01) and mediolateral oscillations of balance SMD = −3.30; 95% CI: (−5.34 to −1.26).
Conclusions
The results show the potential benefit of certain types of physical therapy interventions, specifically in strength and balance, in people with Down syndrome. There are still many aspects to clarify and new lines of research.
Nowadays, measuring the quality and quantity of the scientific production is an important necessity since almost every research assessment decision depends, to a great extent, upon the scientific ...merits of the involved researchers. To do that, many different indicators have been proposed in the literature. Two main bibliometric procedures to explore a research field have been defined: performance analysis and science mapping. On the one hand, performance analysis aims at evaluating groups of scientific actors (countries, universities, departments, researchers) and the impact of their activity on the basis of bibliographic data. On the other hand, the extraction of knowledge from the intellectual, social or conceptual structure of a research field could be done by means of science mapping analysis based on bibliographic networks. In this paper, we introduce some of the most important techniques and software tools to analyze the impact of a research field and its scientific structures. Particularly, four bibliometric indices (h, g, hg and q
2
), the h-classics approach to identify the classic papers of a research field and three free science mapping software tools (CitNetExplorer, SciMAT and VOSViewer) are shown.
The production of high-quality wines is one of the primary goals of modern oenology. In this regard, it is known that the potential quality of a wine begins to be determined in the vineyard, where ...the quality of the grape, initially, and later that of the wine, will be influenced by the soil properties. Given the spatial variability of the fundamental soil properties related to the potential grape production, such as texture, soil organic matter content, or cation exchange capacity, it seems that a uniform management of a vineyard is not the most optimal way to achieve higher grape quality. In this sense, the delineation of zones with similar soil characteristics to implement site-specific management is essential, reinforcing the interest in incorporating technologies and methods to determine these homogeneous zones. A case study was conducted in a 3.3 ha vineyard located near Évora, south of Portugal. A non-contact sensor (DUALEM 1S) was used to measure soil apparent electrical conductivity (ECa) in the vineyard, and later, a kriged ECa map was generated. ECa and elevation maps were utilised to delineate homogeneous zones (management zones, MZs) in the field through a clustering process. MZs were validated using some soil properties (texture; pH; organic matter—OM; phosphorous—P2O5; potassium—K2O; the sum of the exchange bases—SEB; and cation exchange capacity—CEC), which were determined from 20 soil samples taken in the different MZs. Validation was also performed using Rasch measures, which were defined based on the formulation of the objective and probabilistic Rasch model, integrating the information from the aforementioned soil properties at each sampling location. The comparison of the MZs was more evident with the use of the Rasch model, as only one value was to be employed in each MZ. Finally, an additional validation was conducted using a vegetation index to consider the plant response, which was different in each MZ. The use of a non-contact sensor to measure ECa constitutes an efficient technological tool for implementing site-specific management in viticulture, which allows for the improvement of decision-making processes by considering the inherent spatial variability of the soil.
Background
Studies suggest that the ingestion of fish oil (FO), a source of the omega‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), can reduce the ...deleterious side‐effects of chemotherapy. The aim of this randomised clinical trial was to evaluate the effect of supplementation with oral FO for 9 weeks on nutritional parameters and inflammatory nutritional risk in patients with haematological malignancies during the beginning of chemotherapy.
Methods
Twenty‐two patients with leukaemia or lymphoma were randomised to the unsupplemented group (UG) (n = 13) or supplemented group (SG) (n = 9). SG received 2 g/day of fish oil for 9 weeks. Nutritional status, serum acute‐phase proteins and plasma fatty acids were evaluated before (T0) and after (T1) the intervention period. Data were analysed using two models; model 1, comprising data from all patients included in the study, and model 2, comprising data from UG patients with no increase in the proportions of EPA and DHA in plasma and data from SG patients showing an at least 100% increase in plasma EPA and DHA.
Results
SG showed an increased plasma proportion of EPA and DHA in both models. In model 2, C‐reactive protein (CRP) and CRP/albumin ratio showed larger reductions in the SG. Overall long‐term survival in both models (465 days after the start of the chemotherapy) was higher in the group ingesting fish oil (P < 0.05).
Conclusions
These findings indicate an improved nutritional‐inflammatory risk and potential effects on long‐term survival in patients with haematological malignancies supplemented with FO during the beginning of chemotherapy.
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•We examine how the probability of scrapping a car depends on the car’s age.•The older the car, the higher is the probability of scrapping it.•Cash for Clunkers' programs have a ...positive and significant effect on scrapping.•Policymakers should use Cash for Clunkers to boost scrapping and reduce pollution.
This study assesses the effect of tax incentives on scrappage in periods of both economic expansion and crisis. Although such incentives are common during a recession, they may also be useful in renewing the vehicle fleet during other periods in order to reduce pollution and improve road safety. The present analysis is based on panel data covering the period from 2011 to 2017 in Spain, where several schemes were intermittently implemented. Using duration models, we specify the scrappage rate as a function of car age and other factors related to business cycle and transportation sector. On the base of this specification, we control for tax incentives. Our results confirm the relevant impact of car age and scrappage schemes on the scrappage rate and, consequently, on fleet age distribution. Therefore, cash for clunkers schemes may be of interest to policymakers as part of a strategy to reduce pollution and road accidents, regardless of the stage of the business cycle.
Samgyeopsal has become a widely popular cuisine in the Philippines since 2014. The rise of Samgyeopsal is evident worldwide as it is available in countries such as the United States, Northern, and ...Southern Asia. This study aimed to explore the intention to eat Samgyeopsal during the COVID-19 pandemic utilizing structural equation modeling and random forest classifier. With a total of 1014 responses collected online, the result showed that utilitarian and hedonic motivation, Korean influence, and attitude led to very high actual behavior in east Samgyeopsal in the Philippines. Moreover, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, and intention led to significant results influencing intention to actual behavior. Lastly, the COVID-19 safety protocol showed the least significant result. This study is the first study that evaluated the intention of consumers to eat Samgyeopsal in the Philippines during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results of this study would be beneficial to Korean BBQ restaurateurs and the further development of their marketing strategies even in other countries. Finally, the model construct of this study can be extended and applied in evaluating the consumers' eating intention toward other varieties of food or cuisines worldwide.
•Few studies have explored the phenolic variability in a high number of monovarietal olive oils.•Phenolic compounds were analyzed in 80 monovarietal oil samples by LC–MS/MS.•Secoiridoids were the ...most concentrated phenols in olive oil.•A high influence of the cultivar on the phenolic levels was detected.•Four groups of cultivars were found through their phenolic profiles by multivariate analysis.
Despite the evident influence of the cultivar on olive oil composition, few studies have been devoted to exploring the variability of phenols in a representative number of monovarietal olive oils. In this study, oil samples from 80 cultivars selected for their impact on worldwide oil production were analyzed to compare their phenolic composition by using a method based on LC–MS/MS. Secoiridoid derivatives were the most concentrated phenols in virgin olive oil, showing high variability that was significantly due to the cultivar. Multivariate analysis allowed discrimination between four groups of cultivars through their phenolic profiles: (i) richer in aglycon isomers of oleuropein and ligstroside; (ii) richer in oleocanthal and oleacein; (iii) richer in flavonoids; and (iv) oils with balanced but reduced phenolic concentrations. Additionally, correlation analysis showed no linkage among aglycon isomers and oleocanthal/oleacein, which can be explained by the enzymatic pathways involved in the metabolism of both oleuropein and ligstroside.
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