Wetting and energetics in nanoparticle etching of graphene

Molten metallic nanoparticles have recently been used to construct graphene nanostructures with crystallographic edges. The mechanism by which this happens, however, remains unclear. Here, we present a simple model that explains how a droplet can etch graphene. Two factors possibly contribute to this process: a difference between the equilibrium wettability of graphene and the substrate that supports it, or the large surface energy associated with the graphene edge. We calculate the etching velocities due to either of these factors and make testable predictions for evaluating the significance of each in graphene etching. This model is general and can be applied to other materials systems as well. As an example, we show how our model can be used to extend a current theory of droplet motion on binary semiconductor surfaces

Active contour approach for accurate quantitative airway analysis

Chronic airway disease causes structural changes in the lungs including peribronchial thickening and airway dilatation. Multi-detector computed tomography (CT) yields detailed near-isotropic images of the lungs, and thus the potential to obtain quantitative measurements of lumen diameter and airway wall thickness. Such measurements would allow standardized assessment, and physicians to diagnose and locate airway abnormalities, adapt treatment, and monitor progress over time. However, due to the sheer number of airways per patient, systematic analysis is infeasible in routine clinical practice without automation. We have developed an automated and real-time method based on active contours to estimate both airway lumen and wall dimensions; the method does not require manual contour initialization but only a starting point on the targeted airway. While the lumen contour segmentation is purely region-based, the estimation of the outer diameter considers the inner wall segmentation as well as local intensity variation, in order anticipate the presence of nearby arteries and exclude them. These properties make the method more robust than the Full-Width Half Maximum (FWHM) approach. Results are demonstrated on a phantom dataset with known dimensions and on a human dataset where the automated measurements are compared against two human operators. The average error on the phantom measurements was 0.10mm and 0.14mm for inner and outer diameters, showing sub-voxel accuracy. Similarly, the mean variation from the average manual measurement was 0.14mm and 0.18mm for inner and outer diameters respectively

The BRICS (Bronchiectasis Radiologically Indexed CT Score)- a multi-center study score for use in idiopathic and post infective bronchiectasis

OBJECTIVES: The goal of this study was to develop a simplified radiological score that could assess clinical disease severity in bronchiectasis. METHODS: The Bronchiectasis Radiologically Indexed CT Score (BRICS) was devised based on a multivariable analysis of the Bhalla score and its ability in predicting clinical parameters of severity. The score was then externally validated in six centers in 302 patients. RESULTS: A total of 184 high-resolution CT scans were scored for the validation cohort. In a multiple logistic regression model, disease severity markers significantly associated with the Bhalla score were percent predicted FEV1, sputum purulence, and exacerbations requiring hospital admission. Components of the Bhalla score that were significantly associated with the disease severity markers were bronchial dilatation and number of bronchopulmonary segments with emphysema. The BRICS was developed with these two parameters. The receiver operating-characteristic curve values for BRICS in the derivation cohort were 0.79 for percent predicted FEV1, 0.71 for sputum purulence, and 0.75 for hospital admissions per year; these values were 0.81, 0.70, and 0.70, respectively, in the validation cohort. Sputum free neutrophil elastase activity was significantly elevated in the group with emphysema on CT imaging. CONCLUSIONS: A simplified CT scoring system can be used as an adjunct to clinical parameters to predict disease severity in patients with idiopathic and postinfective bronchiectasis

Mirror Movements Identified in Patients with Moebius Syndrome

Background: Moebius syndrome is a rare disorder with minimum clinical criteria of congenital facial weakness in association with impairment in abduction of one or both eyes. Mirror movements are not known to be associated with Moebius syndrome. Case Report: We present three patients who meet minimum criteria for a diagnosis of Moebius syndrome and who also display mirror movements. Discussion: This case series suggests that Moebius syndrome may be associated with mirror movements. Further investigation to delineate the genetic etiologies of Moebius syndrome is ongoing. Patients with Moebius syndrome and mirror movements may represent a specific subclass of this disorder

Аналіз динаміки виявлення інвазійних хвороб тварин за проведення ветеринарно-санітарної експертизи

The main direction of state policy regarding the guaranty safety and quality of animal products is the creation of conditions that are safe for human health during the production and sale of food raw materials. According to current legislation of Ukraine responsibility for the safety of food products placed on the manufacturer but government control plays an important role. This is especially true today, when almost 69.5% of meat is produced in private home farms. It is mainly sold in the agro-industrial markets. The State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety should perform the conditions of modern European regulation and base its activities on the basis of risk assessment. One of the risks are parasitosis, as their negative effect affects the health of millions of people in the world. In this cjnnection the purpose of the study was to analyze the dynamics of the identification of invasive diseases at the stages of slaughter of animals and the sale of slaughter products. Research material was reporting on veterinary medicine (Form № 5-vet and Form № 6-vet) of a number of districts of Odessa region for 2014‒2017. It was founded that 75943 animals were slaughtered in 2014‒2017: 91.18% pigs, 8.14% cattle and 0.68% sheep. The analysis of the dynamics of slaughter, depending on its location, showed that from 41.85% to 99.81% of animals were slaughtered at courtyard. According to the results of veterinary-sanitary control and supervision during the slaughter for the studied years there were no cases of diseases. It was founded that 22617 animal’s carcasses came to the agrofood markets of the regions for the years 2014‒2017, among which 89.56% were pig carcasses, 10,11% cattle carcasses and only 0.33% sheep. According to results of veterinary-sanitary examination in the conditions of SLVSE in the markets, specialists established 351 cases of diseases. In the study of pig carcasses 246 cases of diseases were detected: among them of non-communicable (45.93%) and invasive (54.07%) etiology (echinococcosis). Luring the expertise of cattle carcases was founded 96 cases of diseases: – dicroceliosis (98.96%) and exinococcosis (1.04%); during the expertise of sheep’s carcases – 9 cases of diseases – dicroceliosis (66.67%) and exinococcosis (33.33%). Considering that during the reporting period, according to the results of veterinary-sanitary control and supervision during the slaughter of animals, no cases of diseases were detected, but at the same time the number of cases of detection of invasive diseases during veterinary-sanitary examination in SLVSE on markets constantly increases risk management at the stage of slaughter can be considered not sufficiently effective. Also, the results of our research indicate that the current system for managing the safety of slaughter products is still based primarily on the study of the final product. It does not take into account all possible risks at the previous stages of production. This system can’t fully guarantee to consumer safety of products.Основним напрямом державної політики щодо гарантованої безпечності та якості продуктів тваринного походження є створення умов безпеки для здоров’я людей під час виробництва та реалізації продовольчої сировини. Згідно з чинним законодавством України відповідальність за безпечність харчової продукції покладена на виробника, але важливу роль відіграє і державний контроль. Особливо це актуально сьогодні коли майже 69,5% м’яса виробляється у приватних селянських господарствах, що в переважній кількості реалізується на агропромислових ринках. Державна служба України з питань безпеки харчових продуктів повинна виконувати вимоги сучасної європейської регламентації та організувати свою діяльність на основі засад оцінки ризиків, одним з яких є паразитози, адже їх негативний вплив відбивається на здоров’ї мільйонів людей у світі. В зв’язку з цим метою дослідження було проаналізувати динаміку виявлення інвазійних захворювань на етапах забою тварин і реалізації продуктів забою. Матеріалом досліджень була звітність з питань ветеринарної медицини (Форма № 5-вет і Форма № 6-вет) низки районів Одеської області за 2014–2017 роки. Встановлено, що за 2014–2017 роки в районах забито 75943 голів тварин, з яких 91,18% становили свині, 8,14% велика рогата худоба і 0,68% – вівці. Аналіз динаміки забою залежно від місця його проведення виявив, що від 41,85% до 99,81% забою тварин проводиться подвірно, а за результатами ветеринарно-санітарного контролю і нагляду – під час забою за дослідні роки не було виявлено жодного випадку хвороб. Встановлено, що за 2014–2017 роки на агропродовольчі ринки районів для реалізації надійшло 22617 туш тварин, з яких 89,56% становили туші свиней, 10,11% туші великої рогатої худоби і лише 0,33% – туші овець. За результатами ветеринарно-санітарної експертизи в умовах ДЛВСЕ на ринках фахівцями було зафіксовано 351 випадок хвороб. Зокрема за дослідження туш свиней виявлено 246 випадків хвороби незаразної (45,93%) та інвазійної (54,07%) етіології, а саме ехінококоз; за експертизи туш ВРХ виявлено 96 випадків хвороб – дикроцеліоз (98,96%) та ехінококоз (1,04%); за експертизи туш овець – 9 випадків хвороб – дикроцеліоз (66,67%) та ехінококоз (33,33%). Враховуючи, що за звітний період за результатами ветеринарно-санітарного контролю і нагляду під час забою тварин жодного випадку хвороб виявлено не було, а натомість кількість випадків виявлення інвазійних хвороб під час ветеринарно-санітарної експертизи в умовах ДЛВСЕ на агропромислових ринках невпинно зростає, систему управління ризиками на етапі забою можна вважати недостатньо ефективною. Також результати наших досліджень свідчать про той факт, що діюча в державі система управління безпечністю продуктів забою і досі ґрунтується передовсім на досліджені кінцевого продукту, не враховує всі можливі ризики на попередніх етапах виробництва і тим самим не може повністю гарантувати споживачу безпечність продукту

Loop diuretics association with Alzheimer’s disease risk

Objectives: To investigate whether exposure history to two common loop diuretics, bumetanide and furosemide, affects the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease (AD) after accounting for socioeconomic status and congestive heart failure.Methods: Individuals exposed to bumetanide or furosemide were identified in the Stanford University electronic health record using the de-identified Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership platform. We matched the AD case cohort to a control cohort (1:20 case:control) on gender, race, ethnicity, and hypertension, and controlled for variables that could potentially be collinear with bumetanide exposure and/or AD diagnosis. Among individuals older than 65 years, 5,839 AD cases and 116,103 matched controls were included. A total of 1,759 patients (54 cases and 1,705 controls) were exposed to bumetanide.Results: After adjusting for socioeconomic status and other confounders, the exposure of bumetanide and furosemide was significantly associated with reduced AD risk (respectively, bumetanide odds ratio [OR] = 0.23; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.15–0.36; p = 4.0 × 10−11; furosemide OR = 0.42; 95% CI, 0.38–0.47; p < 2.0 × 10−16).Discussion: Our study replicates in an independent sample that a history of bumetanide exposure is associated with reduced AD risk while also highlighting an association of the most common loop diuretic (furosemide) with reduced AD risk. These associations need to be additionally replicated, and the mechanism of action remains to be investigated

Inflammation in sputum relates to progression of disease in subjects with COPD: a prospective descriptive study

BACKGROUND: Inflammation is considered to be of primary pathogenic importance in COPD but the evidence on which current understanding is based does not distinguish between cause and effect, and no single mechanism can account for the complex pathology. We performed a prospective longitudinal study of subjects with COPD that related markers of sputum inflammation at baseline to subsequent disease progression. METHODS: A cohort of 56 patients with chronic bronchitis was characterized in the stable state at baseline and after an interval of four years, using physiological measures and CT densitometry. Sputum markers of airway inflammation were quantified at baseline from spontaneously produced sputum in a sub-group (n = 38), and inflammation severity was related to subsequent disease progression. RESULTS: Physiological and CT measures indicated disease progression in the whole group. In the sub-group, sputum myeloperoxidase correlated with decline in FEV(1 )(rs = -0.344, p = 0.019, n = 37). LTB4 and albumin leakage correlated with TLCO decline (rs = -0.310, p = 0.033, rs = -0.401, p = 0.008, respectively, n = 35) and IL-8 correlated with progression of lung densitometric indices (rs = -0.464, p = 0.005, n = 38). CONCLUSION: The data support a principal causative role for neutrophilic inflammation in the pathogenesis of COPD and suggest that the measurement of sputum inflammatory markers may have a predictive role in clinical practice