Prednisolone as preservation additive prevents from ischemia reperfusion injury in a rat model of orthotopic lung transplantation

The lung is, more than other solid organs, susceptible for ischemia reperfusion injury after orthotopic transplantation. Corticosteroids are known to potently suppress pro-inflammatory processes when given in the post-operative setting or during rejection episodes. Whereas their use has been approved for these clinical indications, there is no study investigating its potential as a preservation additive in preventing vascular damage already in the phase of ischemia. To investigate these effects we performed orthotopic lung transplantations (LTX) in the rat. Prednisolone was either added to the perfusion solution for lung preservation or omitted and rats were followed for 48 hours after LTX. Prednisolone preconditioning significantly increased survival and diminished reperfusion edema. Hypoxia induced vasoactive cytokines such as VEGF were reduced. Markers of leukocyte invasiveness like matrix metalloprotease (MMP)-2, or common pro-inflammatory molecules like the CXCR4 receptor or the chemokine (C-C motif) ligand (CCL)-2 were downregulated by prednisolone. Neutrophil recruitment to the grafts was only increased in Perfadex treated lungs. Together with this, prednisolone treated animals displayed significantly reduced lung protein levels of neutrophil chemoattractants like CINC-1, CINC-2α/β and LIX and upregulated tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1. Interestingly, lung macrophage invasion was increased in both, Perfadex and prednisolone treated grafts, as measured by MMP-12 or RM4. Markers of anti-inflammatory macrophage transdifferentiation like MRC-1, IL-13, IL-4 and CD163, significantly correlated with prednisolone treatment. These observations lead to the conclusion that prednisolone as an additive to the perfusion solution protects from hypoxia triggered danger signals already in the phase of ischemia and thus reduces graft edema in the phase of reperfusion. Additionally, prednisolone preconditioning might also lead to macrophage polarization as a beneficial long-term effect

A Smartphone-Based Tool for Rapid, Portable, and Automated Wide-Field Retinal Imaging.

Purpose:High-quality, wide-field retinal imaging is a valuable method for screening preventable, vision-threatening diseases of the retina. Smartphone-based retinal cameras hold promise for increasing access to retinal imaging, but variable image quality and restricted field of view can limit their utility. We developed and clinically tested a smartphone-based system that addresses these challenges with automation-assisted imaging. Methods:The system was designed to improve smartphone retinal imaging by combining automated fixation guidance, photomontage, and multicolored illumination with optimized optics, user-tested ergonomics, and touch-screen interface. System performance was evaluated from images of ophthalmic patients taken by nonophthalmic personnel. Two masked ophthalmologists evaluated images for abnormalities and disease severity. Results:The system automatically generated 100° retinal photomontages from five overlapping images in under 1 minute at full resolution (52.3 pixels per retinal degree) fully on-phone, revealing numerous retinal abnormalities. Feasibility of the system for diabetic retinopathy (DR) screening using the retinal photomontages was performed in 71 diabetics by masked graders. DR grade matched perfectly with dilated clinical examination in 55.1% of eyes and within 1 severity level for 85.2% of eyes. For referral-warranted DR, average sensitivity was 93.3% and specificity 56.8%. Conclusions:Automation-assisted imaging produced high-quality, wide-field retinal images that demonstrate the potential of smartphone-based retinal cameras to be used for retinal disease screening. Translational Relevance:Enhancement of smartphone-based retinal imaging through automation and software intelligence holds great promise for increasing the accessibility of retinal screening

How effectively do horizontal and vertical response strategies of long-finned pilot whales reduce sound exposure from naval sonar?

PJW was supported with studentships of The Netherlands Ministry of Defence (grant number 032.30370/01.02) and the VSB Foundation (grant number VSB.08/228-E) and Ren e Dekeling is acknowledged for making funding possible. The 3S project was supported by the US Office of Naval Research, The Netherlands Ministry of Defence, Royal Norwegian Navy and Norwegian Ministry of Defence, and by World Wildlife Fund Norway. PLT received funding from the MASTS pooling initiative (The Marine Alliance for Science and Technology for Scotland) and their support is gratefully acknowledged.The behaviour of a marine mammal near a noise source can modulate the sound exposure it receives. We demonstrate that two long-finned pilot whales both surfaced in synchrony with consecutive arrivals of multiple sonar pulses. We then assess the effect of surfacing and other behavioural response strategies on the received cumulative sound exposure levels and maximum sound pressure levels (SPLs) by modelling realistic spatiotemporal interactions of a pilot whale with an approaching source. Under the propagation conditions of our model, some response strategies observed in the wild were effective in reducing received levels (e.g. movement perpendicular to the source's line of approach), but others were not (e.g. switching from deep to shallow diving; synchronous surfacing after maximum SPLs). Our study exemplifies how simulations of source-whale interactions guided by detailed observational data can improve our understanding about motivations behind behaviour responses observed in the wild (e.g., reducing sound exposure, prey movement).PostprintPeer reviewe

Indonesian EFL Undergraduate Students' Interest Towards Metacognitive Strategy in Reading Academic Comprehension

Academic reading comprehension is affected by many factors. This research was focused on understanding academic reading comprehension from the perspectives of interest and metacognitive strategy. This research aimed to find a correlation between students’ interests and metacognitive strategy (before and during reading academic comprehension). The research was conducted at Sanata Dharma University, Yogyakarta. There were 27 students who participated in this research. The survey design using a correlational study was applied to analyze the data from the survey-open and close-ended questionnaires. Pearson coefficient correlation was used in exposing the correctional status. The result of the current study showed that there is a positive moderate correlation between students’ interest and metacognitive strategy in reading academic comprehension. Supported by an open-ended data interpretation, this research found that both interest and metacognitive strategy are correlated especially in terms of self-motivation and self-regulation, mood, and strategy employment in reading academic comprehension. This research would have a great theoretical and practical contribution to the English language department, especially for teachers and students in terms of reading academic comprehension.

The Tetrapyrollic Motif in Nitrogen Doped Carbons and M-N-C Electrocatalysts as Active Site in the Outer-Sphere Mechanism of the Alkaline Oxygen Reduction Reaction

Development and fundamental understanding of precious-group-metal-free electrocatalysts is hampered by limitations in the quantification of the intrinsic activity of different catalytic sites and understanding the different reaction mechanisms. Comparing isomorphic nitrogen-doped carbons, Zn-N-Cs and Fe-N-Cs with the common tetrapyrrolic motif, a catalyst-independent outer-sphere rate-determining step in the alkaline oxygen reduction reaction is observed. Density functional theory (DFT) simulations on tetrapyrrolic model structures indicate the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) level as a good descriptor for the catalytic activity. Contour plots suggest that the electron transfer occurs directly from the tetrapyrrolic coordination site, rather than from the metal center. Metal-free tetrapyrrolic N4 sites are discovered to be highly active oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) active sites in alkaline that reach turnover frequencies (TOF) of 0.33 and 1.84 s−1 at 0.80 and 0.75 VRHE in the order of magnitude of tetrapyrrolic Fe–N4 sites in the acidic ORR. While Zn-coordination lowers the HOMO level and therefore the catalytic activity, Fe-coordination lifts the HOMO level resulting in TOF values of 0.4 and 4 s−1 for tetrapyrrolic Fe–N4 sites at 0.90 and 0.85 VRHE, respectively. At higher mass activities, the peroxide reduction becomes rate-limiting, where highest peroxide production rates are observed for the nitrogen-doped carbon

Tools to evaluate future actions on the traffic in Lausanne

Lausanne-Morges agglomeration will experiment strong increases in the number of inhabitants and jobs until 2020. The additional trips generated by these increases will have to be carried out in a larger proportion by soft mobility and transit. There are many projects aiming at facilitating this orientation, in particular projects of important transit lines. As these projects are very expensive, it is important to evaluate their impact before making a choice. This must not be delayed, in order to get Federal funds. However the existing data concerning the demand are limited. For the past, one has data of the federal census of 2000 on commuters trips, as well as cars and transit passengers counts for 2005. For the future, there are estimates of the forecasted increases for population and employment by zone. A modal shift model was established and calibrated for 2005, in order to have a better idea of transit and cars trips in 2020. The main feature of the approach is related to the lack of behavioural data, and the mere availability of a estricted number of data. For example, the parking data, very important to explain the modal split, are not available. Nevertheless it was possible to identify a model exploiting the few data available. We will discuss its limitations and present some hints in order to improve it

Montage dune matrice multimodale 2020 avec le modèle EMME/2 de lagglomération Lausanne-Morges

Cette étude produit, pour lagglomération lausannoise, une matrice de la demande motorisée (voiture + transports en commun) à lheure de pointe du matin en 2020, ainsi quune fonction de répartition modale permettant de déterminer la part de chaque mode en fonction de la qualité respective des 2 offres. La matrice 2020 est calculée à partir de celle de 2005 et de pronostics daccroissement par zone de la population et des emplois. Quant à la fonction de répartition, elle est calibrée en partant de la demande et de la qualité doffre respectives pour ces 2 modes en 2005. Des résultats sont présentés, accompagnés dune analyse critique