Purpose
To ensure clarity in communication in the field of quality of life research, and meaningful use of ‘quality of life’ as a research outcome, requires two things: awareness that there is a ...range of conceptualisations and definitions of ‘quality of life’, and for any particular study, consistency between the way the term is defined and operationalised in that setting. We aimed to identify how frequently research articles described (HR)QOL as a construct of interest, how frequently they referred to “patient-reported outcome (measures)”, which patient-reported outcome measures were used, and how (HR)QOL was defined.
Methods
We reviewed all
Quality of Life Research
articles published in 2017 and recorded whether they described
health-related quality of life
or
quality of life
as constructs of interest, and/or mentioned the term(s)
patient-reported outcome
(
measures
). We recorded definitions of (HR)QOL stated and questionnaires used. We classified articles according to constructs assessed and instruments used, and examined whether articles citing the same definition used the same questionnaires.
Results
We reviewed 300 articles; 65% stated that (HR)QOL was a construct of interest, 27% mentioned patient-reported outcome (measures), and 20% mentioned neither. Fifty-one articles provided definitions of (HR)QOL, citing 66 sources, with 11 definitions cited more than once. PROMIS, SF, EQ-5D, and EORTC instruments were the most commonly used. The only definition and questionnaire consistently used together were the WHO definitions/instruments.
Conclusion
These results demonstrate considerable heterogeneity in the definition and operationalisation of (HR)QOL, between and within studies. This limits meaningful interpretation of (HR)QOL scores and complicates literature searches. Investigators should define constructs and select instruments aligned with their definitions.
► Numerically derived correlations for wound woven wire regenerator pressure drop are proposed. ► Correlations can be used as a cost effective tool to optimize the pressure losses through matrix. ► ...The wound woven matrices provide higher pressure drop compared to stacked woven matrix. ► The derived correlations can be used for Reynolds number range from 0 to 400.
Friction pressure drop correlation equations are derived from a numerical study by characterizing the pressure drop phenomena through porous medium of both types namely stacked and wound woven wire matrices of a Stirling engine regenerator over a specified range of Reynolds number, diameter and porosity. First, a finite volume method (FVM) based numerical approach is used and validated against well known experimentally obtained empirical correlations for a misaligned stacked woven wire matrix, the most widely used due to fabrication issues, for Reynolds number up to 400. The friction pressure drop correlation equation derived from the numerical results corresponds well with the experimentally obtained correlations with less than 5% deviation. Once the numerical approach is validated, the study is further extended to characterize the pressure drop phenomena in a wound woven wire matrix model of a Stirling engine regenerator for a diameter range from 0.080 to 0.110mm and a porosity range from 0.472 to 0.638 within the same Reynolds number range. Thus, the new correlation equations are derived from this numerical study for different flow configurations of the Stirling engine regenerator. The results indicate flow nature and complex geometry dependent friction pressure drop characteristics within the present Stirling engine regenerator system. It is believed that the developed correlations can be applied with confidence as a cost effective solution to characterize and hence to optimize stacked and woven Stirling engine efficiency in the above specified ranges.
We report on a simple carbohydrate amphiphile able to self-assemble into nanofibers upon enzymatic dephosphorylation. The self-assembly can be triggered by alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in solution or ...in situ by the ALP produced by osteosarcoma cell line, SaOs2. In the latter case, assembly and localized gelation occurs mainly on the cell surface. The gelation of the pericellular environment induces a reduction of the SaOs2 metabolic activity at an initial stage (≤7 h) that results in cell death at longer exposure periods (≥24 h). We show that this effect depends on the phosphatase concentration, and thus, it is cell-selective with prechondrocytes ATDC5 (that express ∼15–20 times lower ALP activity compared to SaOs2) not being affected at concentrations ≤1 mM. These results demonstrate that simple carbohydrate derivatives can be used in an antiosteosarcoma strategy with limited impact on the surrounding healthy cells/tissues.
Biosurfactants in food industry Nitschke, M.; Costa, S.G.V.A.O.
Trends in food science & technology,
05/2007, Letnik:
18, Številka:
5
Journal Article
Recenzirano
The increasing environmental concern about chemical surfactants triggers attention to microbial-derived surface-active compounds essentially due to their low toxicity and biodegradable nature. At ...present, biosurfactants are predominantly used in remediation of pollutants; however, they show potential applications in many sectors of food industry. Associated with emulsion forming and stabilization, antiadhesive and antimicrobial activities are some properties of biosurfactants, which could be explored in food processing and formulation. Potential applications of microbial surfactants in food area and the use of agroindustrial wastes as alternative substrates for their production are discussed.
ABSTRACT We report the discovery of a new, low-luminosity star cluster in the outer halo of the Milky Way. High-quality gr photometry is presented, from which a color-magnitude diagram is ...constructed, and estimates of age, Fe/H, /Fe, and distance are derived. The star cluster, which we designate as Kim 2, lies at a heliocentric distance of ∼105 kpc. With a half-light radius of ∼12.8 pc and ellipticity of ϵ ∼ 0.12, it shares the properties of outer halo globular clusters, except for at higher metallicity (Fe/H ∼ −1.0) and lower luminosity ( . These parameters are similar to those for the globular cluster AM 4, which is considered to be associated with the Sagittarius dwarf spheroidal galaxy. We find evidence of dynamical mass segregation and the presence of extra-tidal stars that suggests that Kim 2 is most likely a star cluster. Spectroscopic observations for radial-velocity membership and chemical abundance measurements are needed to further understand the nature of the object.
A
bstract
We initiate the study of Regge theory in a bottom-up holographic model for QCD in the Veneziano limit, where the backreaction of the quarks to the gluon dynamics is included. We determine ...the parameters of the model by carrying out a precise fit to the meson spectrum in QCD. The spectrum for spin-one and pseudoscalar mesons is well reproduced. We then generalise the model to incluce higher spin fields in the bulk trajectories dual to the Pomeron and meson Regge trajectories at the boundary. With this setting, we fit the masses of the mesons with spins
J
= 2, 3, and 4, as well as the experimental data of the total cross-sections
σ
(
γγ
→
X
),
σ
(
γp
→
X
) and
σ
(
pp
→
X
). For the cross sections we obtain a
χ
d
.
o
.
f
2
of 0
.
74 for a total of 199 experimental points.
Measurements are presented and analysed of the strength of the Ca ii triplet lines in red giants in Galactic globular and open clusters, and in a sample of red giants in the LMC disc that have ...significantly different Ca/Fe abundance ratios to the Galactic objects. The Galactic objects are used to generate a calibration between Ca ii triplet line strength and Fe/H, which is then used to estimate Fe/HCaT for the LMC stars. The values are then compared with the Fe/Hspec determinations from high-dispersion spectroscopy. After allowance for a small systematic offset, the two abundance determinations are in excellent agreement. Further, as found in earlier studies, the difference is only a very weak function of the Ca/Fe ratio. For example, changing Ca/Fe from +0.3 to −0.2 causes the Ca ii-based abundance to underestimate Fe/Hspec by only ∼0.15 dex, assuming a Galactic calibration. Consequently, the Ca ii triplet approach to metallicity determinations can be used without significant bias to study stellar systems that have substantially different chemical evolution histories.
Inflammation is a predominant aspect of neurodegenerative diseases and experimental studies performed in animal models of Parkinson’s disease (PD) suggesting that a sustained neuroinflammation ...exacerbates the nigrostriatal degeneration pathway. The central role of microglia in neuroinflammation has been studied as a target for potential neuroprotective drugs for PD, for example nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) inhibitors that regulates microglial activation and migration. The aim of this study was to investigate the neuroprotective response of the iminosugar 1-deoxynojirimycin (1-DNJ) and compare its effect with a combined treatment with ibuprofen. MPTP-treated mice were orally dosed with ibuprofen and/or 1-DNJ 1. Open-field test was used to evaluate behavioral changes. Immunohistochemistry for dopaminergic neurons marker (TH
+
) and microglia markers (Iba-1
+
; CD68
+
) were used to investigate neuronal integrity and microglial activation in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc). The pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6 were analysed by qPCR. Treatments with either 1-DNJ or Ibuprofen alone did not reduce the damage induced by MPTP intoxication. However, combined treatment with 1-DNJ and ibuprofen prevents loss of mesencephalic dopaminergic neurons, decreases the number of CD68
+
/ Iba-1
+
cells, the microglia/neurons interactions, and the pro-inflammatory cytokines, and improves behavioral changes when compared with MPTP-treated animals. In conclusion, these data demonstrate that the combined treatment with a MMPs inhibitor (1-DNJ) plus an anti-inflammatory drug (ibuprofen) has neuroprotective effects open for future therapeutic interventions.
Graphical Abstract
MPTP (1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine) is a protoxicant that, after crossing the Blood Brain Barrier, is metabolized by astrocytic MAO-B to MPDP+, a pyridinium intermediate, which undergoes further two-electron oxidation to yield the toxic metabolite MPP+ (methyl-phenyltetrahydropyridinium) that is then selectively transported into nigral neurons via the mesencephalic dopamine transporter. In this study, we demonstrated that MPTP induced death of dopaminergic neurons, microgliosis, increase of gliapses, motor impairment and neuroinflammation in mice, which were inhibited by combined 1-deoxynojirimycin and ibuprofen treatment.
We report on some thermal phenomena related to the transport of magnons in insulating ferromagnetic systems. The influence of the magnon–phonon dissipation in the magnon thermal conductivity and in ...the spin Seebeck effect is investigated through the Boltzmann’s theory. The spin Peltier effect is also discussed, where the intensity of the effect as a function of the magnetic layer thickness is highlighted. For both effects, our results are compared with some recent reported experimental data for the magnetic insulator yttrium iron garnet (YIG), and the bilayer YIG/Pt. A good agreement between our calculations and experimental data was observed.
•Special issue in honor of Professor Sergio Machado Rezende.•Boltzmann’s theory in the time relaxation approach applied to transport of magnons in insulating magnetic systems.•Temperature gradient at the interface in YIG/Pt bilayer in the pin Peltier effect calculated through Boltzmann’s theory.•Damping-dependence on spin Seebeck effect and thermal conductivity of magnons.•Thickness-dependence on the Spin Peltier Effect.
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