cometadata/datacite-rtg-text-other-reclassification-records huggingface dataset:
The relevance of polydrug use in HIV risk and associated injecting and sexual risk behaviours among people who inject drugs
Creators: name: Tavitian-Exley, Isabel
Publisher: name: Imperial College London
Year: 2016

description: HIV transmission has effectively been reduced in many countries by focusing on high transmission foci with interventions tailored to key populations groups and high risk behaviours. However people who inject drugs (PWID) still accounted for significant proportions of new HIV and Hepatitis C infections in several regions in 2014 . Among PWID, as in other populations, risk behaviours are not distributed equally. Polydrug use (using multiple drugs) in particular has increasingly been cited as a source of harm and possibly greater HIV infection risk but remains under-researched. In this thesis, I assessed the epidemiological significance of polydrug use on HIV and HCV risk behaviours among PWID, using several methods, and data sources from different settings. Multiple methodological challenges were faced, related to inherent difficulties in studying PWID, including stigmatised behaviours, comparatively small sample sizes and the absence of sampling frame for PWID. I established that polydrug use was frequent among PWID, in contrast with the common assumption that PWID mainly inject heroin, and considerable proportions of injectors across locations had recently injected or used multiple drugs (chapter 2). I generated new evidence on the biological and behavioural risks associated with injecting certain drugs and drug combinations in three stages. First, in the meta-analysis, HIV incidence rates were consistently higher among PWID injecting cocaine, amphetamine (ATS) or combinations of heroin and stimulants, compared to those not injecting or not injecting the drug(s). Wide confidence intervals and inconsistent reference categories however, limited conclusions (chapter 3). Second, I identified differences in injecting risk and HIV status between ATS and opiate injectors (chapter 5), and greater injecting and sexual risk among polydrug- than single-drug injectors in Russia and Estonia (chapter 6). Finally, using a generic polydrug typology developed in latent variable modelling, I found significant differences in HIV-related injecting and sexual risk behaviours between polydrug classes (chapter 7). The results of this work fill important research gaps by establishing that polydrug use is frequent and associated with substantial heterogeneity in HIV risk among PWID. My thesis examines the implications of these findings and proposes a polydrug use typology to help tailor drug and HIV prevention and treatment interventions to high risk PWID sub-groups to prevent the spread of new HIV and HCV infections.
Numerical simulation of aerosol dynamics in an impinging jet with microdroplet coalescence§
Creators: name: Wu, Jiandong
name: Xu, Jiyun
name: Wang, Hao
Publisher: name: Taylor & Francis
Year: 2020
Subjects: Biophysics
Physical Sciences not elsewhere classified
Cell Biology
Biotechnology
Chemical Sciences not elsewhere classified
Mathematical Sciences not elsewhere classified

description: Droplet laden jet plays important roles in cutting-edge technologies including spray cooling, aerosol jet printing, pollution control, and cascade impactors. In this work, a numerical simulation scheme for jet flow is proposed. The turbulence is calculated based on the-f model and the droplets are described by the discrete phase model. The droplet-droplet collisions are calculated by a mesh-independent collision model. The results are compared with an experiment in which concentric dual-ring deposition patterns were observed on the impinging plate. The effects of the droplet volume fraction are investigated. Criteria for the necessity of two-way coupling as well as coalescence calculation are provided. This work provides a practical tool for aerosol impinging research and design.
title: 01_1019
Creators: name: Wesley Baldwin, John
name: Baldwin, John W.
Publisher: name: NAKALA - https://nakala.fr (Huma-Num - CNRS)
publisherIdentifier: https://ror.org/04ces3204
publisherIdentifierScheme: ROR
Year: 2018
Subjects: subject: LaMOP
subject: Laboratoire de Médiévistique Occidentale de Paris

description: L'ensemble de ces notes ont été crée par John Baldwin lors d'une de ses premières périodes de résidence à Paris. Ces documents comprennent tous les magistri qu’il avait pu rencontrer dans ses sources. Aux XIIème et XIIIème siècles, les universités n'existant pas encore, le titre de magister s'il évoque certainement une compétence n'est pas rattaché de façon systématique au passage par les écoles. De surcroît, les magistris sont le plus souvent désignés par leur seul prénom. La lecture de ces données est donc difficile et suppose un long travail pour tenter d'identifier un individu auquel on pourrait rattacher plusieurs mentions. John Baldwin avait donc renoncé à utiliser ces données pour donner un prolongement à sa magnifique étude sur les gradués d'université et leur emploi par les Capétiens et les Plantagenêts. Néanmoins, il a conservé ces données et elles sont potentiellement très utile dans le cadre de Studium, comme le sont toutes les mentions dans les volumes des Fasti Ecclesiae Gallicanae de chanoines portant ce titre de magister sans autres précisions. L'ampleur des dépouillements rend ces données très utiles et nous devons une grande reconnaissance à John Baldwin pour avoir pris la peine de faire photocopier ses fiches et de nous les avoir transmises amicalement.
Les données ainsi que les images des fiches sont accessibles sur le site Internet à l'adresse suivante : http://studium-baldwin.lamop.fr/.
Les transcriptions des fiches ont été effectuées par des étudiants de Paris 1 Panthéon - Sorbonne mais elles n'ont pas été corrigées par la suite.
description: Relation: https://lamop.hypotheses.org/
Advanced numerical and statistical techniques to assess erosion and flood risk in coastal zones
Creators: name: Clare, Mariana Cristina De Andrade
Publisher: name: Imperial College London
Year: 2021

description: Throughout history, coastal zones have been vulnerable to the dual risks of erosion and flooding. With climate change likely to exacerbate these risks in the coming decades, coasts are becoming an ever more critical location on which to apply hydro-morphodynamic models blended with advanced numerical and statistical techniques, to assess risk. We implement a novel depth-averaged hydro-morphodynamic model using a discontinuous Galerkin based finite element discretisation within the coastal ocean model {\em Thetis}. Our model is the first with this discretisation to simulate both bedload and suspended sediment transport, and is validated for test cases in fully wet and wet-dry domains. These test cases show our model is more accurate, efficient and robust than industry-standard models. Additionally, we use our model to implement the first fully flexible and freely available adjoint hydro-morphodynamic model framework which we then successfully use for sensitivity analysis, inversion and calibration of uncertain parameters. Furthermore, we implement the first moving mesh framework with a depth-averaged hydro-morphodynamic model, and show that mesh movement can help resolve the multi-scale issues often present in hydro-morphodynamic problems, improving their accuracy and efficiency. We present the first application of the multilevel Monte Carlo method (MLMC) and multilevel multifidelity Monte Carlo method (MLMF) to industry-standard hydro-morphodynamic models as a tool to quantify uncertainty in erosion and flood risk. We use these methods to estimate expected values and cumulative distributions of variables which are of interest to decision makers. MLMC, and more notably MLMF, significantly reduce computational cost compared to the standard Monte Carlo method whilst retaining the same level of accuracy, enabling in-depth statistical analysis of complex test cases that was previously unfeasible. The comprehensive toolkit of techniques we develop provides a crucial foundation for researchers and stakeholders seeking to assess and mitigate coastal risks in an accurate and efficient manner.
Disaggregated effects of the brazilian family health strategy
Creators: name: Hone, Thomas Vincent
Publisher: name: Imperial College London
Year: 2016

description: Background Primary health care (PHC) is an essential part of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and key to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), but a lack of robust evidence, including on disaggregated effects, in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) is limiting prioritisation of PHC in national and international health agendas. The Brazilian Family Health Strategy (the Estratégia de Saúde da Família (ESF)) is an important setting for understanding disaggregated effects of primary care given that it is a highly replicable PHC model that has been rapidly expanded in recent years and excellent data systems exist to facilitate evaluation. Objective To generate evidence on the differential impact of the ESF across geographical and population sub-groups. Methods 1. Fixed-effects longitudinal regression of 1,622 municipalities is employed examining the association between ESF coverage and amenable mortality by the strength of municipal governance. 2. Fixed-effects longitudinal regression of 1,622 municipalities is employed examining differential associations between ESF coverage and ambulatory care-sensitive conditions (ACSC) across racial groups. 3. Survival analysis is undertaken on 601,208 adults (aged 18-74) from a disadvantaged urban population in Rio de Janeiro and the overall and disaggregate effects of ESF registration on mortality are examined. Results Expansion and coverage with the ESF was associated with reductions in mortality in all three analyses: 1. Amenable mortality declined on average 1.7% a year whilst expanding municipal ESF coverage from 0 to 100% was associated with 6.8% reduction in amenable mortality. Examining differences by strength of municipal governance revealed ESF expansion was associated with greater reductions in amenable mortality in the municipalities with the highest governance scores. 2. ACSC mortality decreased annually by 3.4% for the black/pardo study population and by 2.9% in the white population. There were different effects of expanding ESF between racial groups with a 100% increase in municipal ESF coverage associated with a 15.4% reduction in ACSC mortality in the black/pardo population and a 6.8% reduction in the white population. 3. Adults in Rio de Janeiro who were registered with ESF teams had an 18% reduction in the risk of mortality from ACSCs. Conclusions This thesis demonstrates that, whilst many other factors have contributed to better health in Brazil over recent decades, primary care has played a role in reducing mortality especially in disadvantaged populations. Policy-makers should pay greater attention to the role primary care has in global development agendas for UHC and the SDGs.
Additional file 1 of Robust expansion and functional maturation of human hepatoblasts by chemical strategy
Creators: name: Pan, Tingcai
name: Tao, Jiawang
name: Chen, Yan
name: Zhang, Jiaye
name: Getachew, Anteneh
name: Zhuang, Yuanqi
name: Wang, Ning
name: Xu, Yingying
name: Tan, Shenglin
name: Fang, Ji
name: Yang, Fan
name: Lin, Xianhua
name: You, Kai
name: Gao, Yi
name: Li, Yin-xiong
Publisher: name: figshare
Year: 2021
Subjects: subject: Biophysics
subject: Biochemistry
subject: Cell Biology
subject: Genetics
subject: FOS: Biological sciences
subject: Neuroscience
subject: Physiology
subject: Pharmacology
subject: Chemical Sciences not elsewhere classified
subject: Developmental Biology
subject: Cancer

description: Additional file 1.
Identification of hospital pay for performance schemes' theoretical frameworks, design characteristics, factors potentially influencing success and development of reporting guidelines: a mixed-method study
Creators: name: Car, Mate
Publisher: name: Imperial College London
Year: 2016

description: Background: Pay for performance is increasingly being introduced into health systems. Previous research found conflicting results regarding the effectiveness of pay for performance. Objectives: In this thesis, I focus on pay for performance for hospitals as institutions and aimed to understand: (a) how and why pay for performance produces its effects, (b) what are the mechanisms by which pay for performance is believed to result in its intended outcomes and (c) to develop a framework for reporting of hospital pay for performance incentive schemes. Methods: Drawing on the principles of realist review, I collected and summarised existing literature on pay for performance. Results: Analysing 143 papers, I found pay for performance is an umbrella term for a multitude of interventions that differ significantly in their motivations, design used and outcome expectations. The number of factors identified to influence pay for performance across many studies was greater than reported by any single study, suggesting an unawareness of factors or else inconsistent reporting of important factors which affect results and their interpretation. I discovered a number of context-mechanism-outcome configurations for performance incentive designs. I propose a set of reporting guidelines to improve the quality of reporting of research on pay for performance in hospitals. Conclusion: Pay for performance in the broadest sense represents paying to encourage a specific performance pattern. Using this realisation and comparing to conventional payment systems, it is evident that even they encourage performance patterns. Pay for performance is not the perfect answer for every issue, but needs to be considered as one of the tools to achieve policy objectives.
A UPLC-MS based exploration of the xenobiotic and endogenous metabolic phenotypes of pre-clinical models of hepatotoxicity
Creators: name: Grant, Isobelle Jean
Publisher: name: Imperial College London
Year: 2016

description: To reduce late stage attrition during drug development, and improve the diagnosis of drug induced liver injury (DILI), a greater mechanistic understanding of DILI and improved predictive biomarkers are required. In this thesis, the xenobiotic and endogenous metabolic phenotypes of model hepatotoxins are studied in the rat using an ultra-performance liquid chromatography- mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS) based metabonomics approach. The idiosyncratic hepatotoxin Tienilic Acid (TA), was compared to its structural analogue, Tienilic Acid Isomer (TAI), which is an intrinsic hepatotoxin. TAI dosing resulted in elevated ALT activity and liver necrosis, whereas TA showed no signs of toxicity. The untargeted UPLC-MS approach revealed both previously reported and novel TA drug metabolites, including likely acyl-glucuronides and amino acid conjugates. In contrast, the TAI metabolites detected were predominantly glutathione (GSH) related; reflective of higher reactive metabolite formation. Untargeted UPLC-MS and targeted ion-pair-LC-MS revealed numerous endogenous metabolic alterations, including an elevation in hepatic and plasma ophthalmic acid, common to TA and TAI treated animals. In addition, a unique elevation in pyroglutamate was detected in response to TAI. Interestingly, both ophthalmic acid and pyroglutamic acid have previously been associated with hepatic GSH depletion and oxidative stress. Hepatic oxidative stress is a well-established mechanism in intrinsic toxicity, but has a less established role in idiosyncratic toxicity. To enable further assessment of these compounds, and other glutathione related metabolites, as potential biomarkers of hepatic oxidative stress, a quantitative UPLC-MS/MS assay was developed. Interestingly, despite TA and TAI both depleting hepatic GSH and elevating ophthalmic acid, they were found to impact other circulating metabolites in different ways. To further explore the dynamics of these metabolites, the assay was applied to plasma from paracetamol (APAP) dosed rats; a model GSH depleting hepatotoxin. Quantitative data such as these may contribute to the further development and validation of mathematical models to predict hepatic glutathione status from multiple circulating plasma biomarkers. This thesis demonstrates the utility of a UPLC-MS based approach for hypothesis generation and biomarker development.
Exploring interstitial mediators in burn injury
Creators: name: Friston, Dominic
Publisher: name: Imperial College London
Year: 2016

description: Burn injury remains a major clinical challenge to both survival and to quality of life. Its progressive, aberrant inflammation underlies the lethal dysfunction of various organs and the pain it induces is excruciating and notoriously difficult to manage. While it is known that burn injury’s complex local and disseminating pathology is orchestrated from the burned tissue, few studies have sought to characterise the local signalling environment. An enhanced understanding of the local and acutely temporally-dynamic processes defining burn injury and its progression is required for the development of novel therapeutic interventions. First, the viability of microdialysis as an interstitial sampling technique was established in a histologically-validated deep partial-thickness rat burn model before analysing the microdialysate’s dynamic composition over three hours post-burn via metabolomics and a multiplex cytokine immunoassay. Next-Generation sequencing libraries of the burn and control microdialysis sites were prepared to measure transcriptional changes potentially underlying the interstitial profile characterising burn injury. The cytokines leptin and fractalkine, three lysophosphatidylcholine species (LPC(18:0), LPC(16:0) and LPC(14:0)), niacinamide and uric acid were all identified as molecules upregulated locally in the burn injury interstitium for the first time, which was further supported by the differential expression of their associated genes. In vitro study of LPC(18:0)’s possible contribution to inflammation and/or pain in burn injury elucidated its potentiation of TRPV1-mediated nociceptor responses, highlighting this interaction as a potential mechanism of lysophosphatidylcholine’s established inflammatory and algogenic effects and implicating them in burn injury. This project is the first exploratory analysis of the burn site interstitium, demonstrating the feasibility of combining local and continuous sampling with untargeted and multiplex molecular profiling for comprehensive study of any pathological state. Elucidating the functional relevance of the many elevated mediators and the nociceptor sensitisation reported presently in burn injury is an exciting prospect.
CCWI2017: F141 'Optimising valve placement and pressure control for multi-feed sectors in water supply networks using outer approximation'
Creators: name: Pecci, Filippo
name: Stoianov, Ivan
Publisher: name: The University of Sheffield
Year: 2017
Subjects: subject: 90599 Civil Engineering not elsewhere classified
subject: FOS: Civil engineering

description: In this paper, we investigate the problem of optimising both the location and control settings of pressure reducing valves in multi-feed sectors in water supply networks. A simplification of the problem formulation is presented with respect to previously published research by reducing the degree of nonlinearity of optimisation constraints. The resulting optimisation problem is a nonconvex mixed integer nonlinear program. We then apply an outer approximation algorithm for the generation of good quality solutions of the considered design-for-control problem. We evaluate the presented method on a large-scale operational water supply network in the UK.
Η επιρροή της εξάρτησης στον καταλογισμό του δράστη και η συσχέτιση του άρθρου 30 παρ. 4 Ν. 4139/2013 με τις διατάξεις των άρθρων 34 και 36 του Ποινικού Κώδικα
Creators: name: Σκληθριώτη, Ευδοξία Ευσταθίου
Publisher: name: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
Year: 2023
Subjects: Άρθρο 30 παρ. 4 Ν.4139/2013
Καταλογισμός
Εξάρτηση
Article 30 (4) of Law 4139/2013
Imputability
Drug dependence

description: Στην παρούσα μελέτη γίνεται αναφορά στην στοχευμένη επιλογή του νομοθέτη να θεσπίσει ειδικό πλαίσιο διατάξεων για τους εξαρτημένους από ναρκωτικές ουσίες δράστες και τους λόγους που τον ώθησαν στην επιλογή αυτή. Στη συνέχεια διερευνάται διεξοδικώς το άρθρο 30 και ειδικότερα οι ρυθμίσεις που εισάγει και το πεδίο εφαρμογής του. Ακολουθεί η περιγραφή του χαρακτήρα που φέρουν τα εγκλήματα που τελέστηκαν από εξαρτημένο δράστη, καθώς αυτό αποτελεί ένα ζήτημα που προβλημάτισε έντονα θεωρία και νομολογία. Καταλήγοντας, ακολουθεί η σημαντικότερη ανάλυση του παρόν πονήματος που αποτελεί και τον πυρήνα του, καθώς επιχειρείται η διερεύνηση της επίδρασης της εξάρτησης στον καταλογισμό του δράστη με βάση τις γενικές διατάξεις του Ποινικού Κώδικα και συγκεκριμένα θίγεται το ζήτημα της άρσης του καταλογισμού του εξαρτημένου δράστη κατά το άρθρο 34 ΠΚ και το ζήτημα της μείωσης του καταλογισμού του ίδιου δράστη κατά τη διάταξη του άρθρου 36 ΠΚ.
description: The present study refers to the legislator's targeted choice to establish a specific framework of provisions for drug-dependent offenders and the reasons that led him to this choice. Then Article 30 (4) of Law 4139/2013 is then thoroughly investigated, in particular the arrangements it introduces and its scope of application. This is followed by a description of the character of the crimes committed by a drug-dependent offender, as this is an issue that has been a major concern for theory and jurisprudence. In conclusion, the most important analysis of this thesis follows, which constitutes its core, as it attempts to investigate the effect of drug dependency on the imputation of the offender on the basis of the general provisions of the Penal Code and specifically addresses the issue of the elimination of the imputation of the dependent offender according to article 34 of the Penal Code and the issue of the reduction of the imputation of the same offender according to the provision of article 36 of the Penal Code.
description: Σε συνεργασία με: Πανεπιστήμιο Λευκωσίας
Application of gold nanorods in cancer theranostics
Creators: name: Singh, Mohan
Publisher: name: Imperial College London
Year: 2016

description: In the UK, oesophagogastric cancer is often diagnosed late resulting in only a third of patients being suitable for definitive treatment. The 5-year survival for oesophageal and gastric cancer is 12% and 17% respectively. Despite the need for early detection there remains an inherent risk of missing cancerous lesions during endoscopy. In this research, the combined theranostic (therapy and diagnostic) potential of gold nanorods in gastrointestinal adenocarcinoma is scrutinised. The aims of this thesis were to assess the viability of applying photothermal therapy in human adenocarcinoma ex vivo tissues, determine their efficiency and safety within a rodent cancer model and to design a practical method for simultaneous imaging and therapy of cancer in vivo. Studies were conducted to establish the optimal gold nanorod concentration and irradiation power required for inducing hyperthermic effects in human and porcine tissues and then evaluate the photothermal effects on ex vivo human oesophageal and gastric adenocarcinoma. Multi-functionalised fluorescent gold nanorods were exposed to human adenocarcinoma cells to test in vitro targeting efficiency using immunohistochemistry and fluorescence microscopy. A theranostic approach developed from in vivo studies is described and shown to be effective in identifying tumours and performing image-guided photothermal therapy. Key principles for successful photothermal therapy are outlined. The theranostic potential offered by functionalised gold nanorods have a place in early and late stage cancers, and can be a valuable adjunct in surgery and endoscopy. Safety considerations of the application of gold nanorods and photothermal therapy are evaluated in vivo. Gold nanorods are appraised to be inherently safe while harbouring excellent translational potential as effective theranostic tools. This work has shown that nanotechnology could now be considered for human gastrointestinal tumours. Providing an alternative means of treatment that is effective, cheap and rapid can incur significant improvements in patient prognosis, cancer treatment and quality of life.
Η Φοροδιαφυγή στον ΦΠΑ: Νομολογιακή Εφαρμογή του Άρθρου 66 παρ. 1β του Ν 4174/2013 και Ζητήματα Ερμηνείας του Νέου Αδικήματος της Διασυνοριακής Απάτης Σχετικά με τον ΦΠΑ του Άρθρου 23 Ν 4689/2020
Creators: name: Σταμάτη, Λαμπρινή Αθανασίου
Publisher: name: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
Year: 2023
Subjects: subject: Νομική
subject: Φοροδιαφυγή
subject: ΦΠΑ
subject: Law
subject: FOS: Law
subject: Tax Evasion
subject: VAT

description: Ελληνική Περίληψη Με την παρούσα διπλωματική εργασία επιχειρείται μία προσέγγιση των διαφόρων μορφών ποινικής ευθύνης που μπορούν να ανακύψουν σε σχέση με τη φοροδιαφυγή στον ΦΠΑ. Μετά από μία συνοπτική παρουσίαση του συστήματος επιβολής και είσπραξης του ΦΠΑ, καθώς και των βασικών μορφών απάτης σε επίπεδο ενδοκοινοτικών συναλλαγών, αναλύονται οι βασικοί τρόποι τέλεσης του αδικήματος, όπως αυτοί τυποποιούνται στο άρθρο 66 παρ. 1 του Ν 4174/2013, με έμφαση στη νομολογία. Επιπλέον, γίνεται ειδική μνεία σε επίκαιρα ζητήματα παραγραφής του αδικήματος της φοροδιαφυγής στον ΦΠΑ υπό το πρίσμα του Ν 4745/2020 και του μεταγενέστερου Ν 4764/2020, ενώ, τέλος, επιχειρείται μία παρουσίαση του νέου αδικήματος της απάτης σε βάρος των οικονομικών συμφερόντων της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης.
description: This diploma thesis attempts to approach the various forms of criminal liability that may arise in relation to VAT evasion. After a brief presentation of the system for charging and collecting VAT, as well as the main forms of fraud at the level of intra-Community transactions, the main ways in which the offence was committed are analyzed, as standardized in Article 66 para. 1 of Law 4174/2013, with emphasis on case law. In addition, special reference is made to current issues of limitation of the offence of VAT evasion considering Law 4745/2020 and the subsequent Law 4764/2020, while, finally, an attempt is made to present the new offence of fraud against the financial interests of the European Union.
description: Σε συνεργασία με: Νομικής (Δημοκρίτειο Πανεπιστήμιο Θράκης)
The role of lemur tyrosine kinase 3 (LMTK3) in DNA damage repair
Creators: name: Lit, Lei Cheng
Publisher: name: Imperial College London
Year: 2016

description: The lemur tyrosine kinase 3 (LMTK3) is a member of the receptor tyrosine kinase family, previously identified as an oestrogen receptor alpha regulator that involve in endocrine resistance. Importantly, LMTK3 expression has been found in colorectal cancer, non-small cell lung cancer and particularly elevated in high-grade breast cancer. Indeed, LMTK3 overexpression promotes cancer progression and regulates gene transcription of LMTK3-bound tumour suppressor-like genes. Nonetheless, the function and the molecular mechanism of this kinase to overcome drug cytotoxicity in chemotherapy, remain poorly defined. The aims of this thesis are to discover whether LMTK3 plays a role in DNA damage response to doxorubicin and elucidate its mechanism of actions. To study LMTK3 function, we generated stably overexpressed-LMTK3 cell lines. Next, we found that in doxorubicin treatment, these cell lines were more resistant as compared with its control cells. In response to doxorubicin, at the early response, the overexpression of LMTK3 reduced phosphorylation of ATM at serine 1981, which led to decrease serine 428 KAP1 and serine 139 H2AX phosphorylation. In addition, overexpressed-LMTK3 cells reduced H2AX monoubiquitination. These series of events attenuate doxorubicin-induced DNA damage, protecting cells from death. Then we demonstrated that LMTK3 facilitates homologous recombination repair rather than non-homologous end-joining repair. We determined that LMTK3 directly binds to RAD51 and maintains the RAD51 protein level. Overexpression of LMTK3 maintained RAD51 in the nuclear compartment and may recruit RAD51 to filaments which enhance the repair of damaged DNA. Our present study provides a mechanistic insight of LMTK3 role in protecting cells from doxorubicin-induced DNA damage and promoting homologous recombination repair pathway through RAD51 binding.
Entrepreneurial entry by people with disabilities
Creators: name: Renko, Maija
name: Harris, Sarah Parker
name: Caldwell, Katherine
Publisher: name: University of Illinois at Chicago
Year: 2022
Subjects: Uncategorized

description: This article investigates the effect of disability on progress in the start-up process. One person out of 10 has a disability, yet entrepreneurship literature remains silent on the contributions of this population. This is surprising given that people with disabilities are more likely to be self-employed than the general population. Results from the Panel Study of Entrepreneurial Dynamics show that start-up efforts by nascent entrepreneurs with disabilities are less likely to result in the emergence of a viable organization, indicating that nascent entrepreneurs with disabilities face particular challenges.
CCWI2017: F83 'Operational interventions in WDS to improve water quality: a comparison of multi-objective optimization formulations'
Creators: name: Quintiliani, Claudia
name: Marquez-Calvo, Oscar
name: Alfonso, Leonardo
name: Cristo, Cristiana Di
name: Leopardi, Angelo
name: Marinis, Giovanni De
Publisher: name: The University of Sheffield
Year: 2017
Subjects: subject: 90599 Civil Engineering not elsewhere classified
subject: FOS: Civil engineering

description: Managing water quality in drinking water distribution systems is very important to guarantee consumers’ health. Disinfection is used to reduce the risk of pathogenic contamination or microbial species proliferation. Chlorine is a disinfection substance that is traditionally used due to its effectiveness and low cost. However, the use of chlorine has related disinfection by-products, some of which can have carcinogenic effects on human health (e.g., trihalomethanes, THMs). In this context, the objective of this paper is to compare different multi-objective optimization problem formulations to improve the operational interventions of WDSs, in order to reduce the formation of THMs in the network. The analysis of two case studies shows that operating valves is more convenient than operating hydrants and pumps in most of the proposed formulations.
Επίδραση της απόστασης από τη θάλασσα στη σύσταση των σωματιδιακών επικαθήσεων σε μνημεία της Θεσσαλονίκης
Creators: name: Στρόλιου, Αικατερίνη Δημητρίου
Publisher: name: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
Year: 2023
Subjects: Ιοντική Χρωματογραφία
Επικαθήσεις
Θαλάσσιο σπρέι
Ionic chromatography
Deposits
Sea spray ions

description: Στην παρούσα εργασία μελετήθηκε η ιοντική σύσταση των σωματιδιακών επικαθήσεων από μνημεία της πόλης της Θεσσαλονίκης. Για τον σκοπό αυτό, πραγματοποιήθηκε δειγματοληψία 24 δειγμάτων, από επτά διαφορετικά μνημεία της πόλης με διαφορετική απόσταση και υψόμετρο από τη θάλασσα, από το βορειότερο μνημείο που ήταν το Επταπύργιο έως το νοτιότερο που ήταν ο Λευκός Πύργος. Ο προσδιορισμός των ιοντικών συστατικών των δειγμάτων των σωματιδιακών επικαθήσεων έγινε με την τεχνική της ιοντικής χρωματογραφίας (IC). Προσδιορίστηκαν ανόργανα και οργανικά ανιόντα νιτρικών, θειικών, χλωριούχων, οξικών, φορμικών και οξαλικών, καθώς και κατιόντα νατρίου, καλίου, μαγνησίου και ασβεστίου. Η παρούσα εργασία επικεντρώθηκε κατά κύριο λόγο στην παρουσία των ιόντων του θαλάσσιου σπρέι (Cl- και Na+) πάνω στις σωματιδιακές επικαθήσεις των μνημείων της Θεσσαλονίκης και κατά πόσο επηρεάζει η απόσταση και το υψόμετρο των μνημείων στην παρουσία αυτών των ιόντων. Τα αποτελέσματα συσχετίστηκαν με μνημεία της νότιας και κεντρικής Ευρώπης, έτσι ώστε να εξαχθούν χρήσιμα συμπεράσματα.
description: In the present work, the ionic composition of particulate deposits from monuments of the city of Thessaloniki was studied. For this purpose, 24 samples were sampled, from seven different monuments of the city with different distances and highs from the sea, from the northernmost monument which was the Eptapyrgio to the southernmost which was the White Tower. The determination of the ionic components of the samples of the particulate deposits was done by the ion chromatography (IC) technique. Inorganic and organic anions of nitrate, sulfate, chloride, acetate, formate, and oxalate, as well as cations of sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium were determined. This work mainly focused primarily on the presence of sea spray ions (Cl- and Na+) on the particulate deposits of the monuments of Thessaloniki and how the distance and altitude of the monuments affect the presence of these ions. The results were comparative with other monuments of southern and central Europe, in order to draw useful conclusions.
description: Σε συνεργασία με: Ανώτατη Διακλαδική Σχολή Πολέμου (Α.ΔΙ.Σ.ΠΟ)
Imaging of metabolism in 3D Culture by FLIM
Creators: name: Chennell, George
Publisher: name: Imperial College London
Year: 2016

description: The work presented in this thesis is aimed to develop and evaluate methodologies for noninvasive measurements of metabolism using fluorescence microscopy. The use of 3D cell cultures in biomedical research is increasing and these require appropriate tools and techniques to provide quantitative readouts for image-based studies. Fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) can provide robust readouts in complex optical samples and here I have investigated its application to map changes in the response of genetically expressed biosensors utilising Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) in spheroids. In particular, I adapted a FRET biosensor for the activity of a key metabolic enzyme, AMP activated protein kinase (AMPK), by substituting the donor fluorescent protein ECFP for mTurquoise2, in order to improve its performance in FLIM-based assays. I developed spheroid cultures expressing FRET biosensors and studied these using quantitative FRET readouts. To take account of possible influences of the microenvironment of 3D culture on the fluorescence lifetime measurements, I generated spheroids expressing simple fluorescent proteins and expressing an inactive mutation of the FRET biosensor. I evaluated the new AMPK FRET biosensor, demonstrating improved performance for fluorescence lifetime readouts, and compared dose responses for a direct activator of AMPK with the biosensor expressed in “2D” monolayer cultures and in spheroids, consistently observing a uniform response. In contrast, the dose response of an indirect activator of AMPK in spheroids presented a spatially varying AMPK activation. I further explored the application of FLIM to map the readout of a genetically expressed FRET biosensor for glucose and again observed a spatially varying response in spheroids. I then explored cell specific AMPK activities using FRET biosensors in prostate cancer cells and bone marrow stromal cells with a spheroid system of tumour stromal interactions. I also used biosensors for ATP and glucose concentration in a similar manner and undertook measurements of oxygen consumption rates using a metabolic flux analyser. I observed changes in metabolism that indicate the prostate cancer cells were metabolically benefitting from the interaction with bone marrow cells.
Sepsis in pregnancy: a rodent model exploring the cardiovascular adaptation and susceptibility to infection
Creators: name: Zöllner, Julia
Publisher: name: Imperial College London
Year: 2016

description: Sepsis is a major cause of maternal mortality worldwide and is therefore an area of particular importance. Septic shock is characterised by cardiovascular collapse and multi organ dysfunction resulting from an overwhelming immune response to a bacterial infection. Nitric oxide (NO) release during pregnancy may exacerbate sepsis-induced hypotension. The endogenous inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase, asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), is an important regulator of vascular NO production in sepsis. DDAH1 (Dimethylargnine Dimethylamino Hydrolase) regulates ADMA concentrations in the vasculature. The objective of this thesis was to understand the impact of sepsis on cardiovascular function during pregnancy using a polymicrobial sepsis model in rodents. In addition, the impact of treatment with L-257, a DDAH1-selective inhibitor on maternal outcomes during septic shock in pregnancy was investigated. Mortality was significantly increased during pregnancy as compared to non-pregnant controls (10% vs 50%). Cardiovascular collapse ensued in the 24 hours preceding the humane endpoint in both groups and was comparable. The cytokine and chemokine response during pregnancy did not demonstrate an immunocompromised phenotype or Th1/Th2 bias. Leukocyte trafficking to lung was increased during pregnancy and appeared to be exaggerated as compared to non-pregnant controls. Bacterial load in blood and peritoneal fluid was not increased during pregnancy and nor were NO levels elevated. DDAH1 inhibition appeared to be valuable during sepsis in pregnancy. Findings indicated that treatment with L-257 and Imipenem treatment improved haemodynamic function, decreased the bacterial load and consequently improved survival in experimental septic shock to 50%. DDAH1 inhibition provided cardiovascular support without impairing the pathogen-specific immune response. Aortic cell lysate showed increased ADMA concentration following L-257 treatment. Therefore, DDAH1 inhibition may offer a new therapeutic pathway for pregnant women with septic shock and may result in better outcomes for both mothers and babies.
Additional file 1 of Systematic identification of key functional modules and genes in esophageal cancer
Creators: name: Wu, Rui
name: Zhuang, Hao
name: Mei, Yu-Kun
name: Sun, Jin-Yu
name: Dong, Tao
name: Zhao, Li-Li
name: Fan, Zhi-Ning
name: Liu, Li
Publisher: name: figshare
Year: 2021
Subjects: subject: Biochemistry
subject: Medicine
subject: Cell Biology
subject: Genetics
subject: FOS: Biological sciences
subject: Sociology
subject: FOS: Sociology
subject: Immunology
subject: FOS: Clinical medicine
subject: Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified
subject: Mathematical Sciences not elsewhere classified

description: Additional file 1: Figure S1. Volcano plot of up-regulated and down-regulated DEGs in GSE20347(A), GSE29001(B), and GSE111044(C).
Η ψαλτική παράδοση μέσα από τις ερμηνείες του Θρασύβουλου Στανίτσα
Creators: name: Συμεωνίδης, Χρήστος Νικηφόρου
Publisher: name: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
Year: 2023
Subjects: Ψαλτική παράδοση
Ερμηνείες
Θρασύβουλος Στανίτσας
Psaltic tradition
Interpretations
Trasyvoylos Stanitsas

description: Η παρούσα εργασία πραγματεύεται την Ψαλτική παράδοση μέσα από τις ερμηνείες του Θρασύβουλου Στανίτσα. Χωρίζεται σε 2 τόμος. Ο πρώτος μιλάει, για την παιδική ηλικία του Στανίτσα, την Ψαλτική τέχνη, τις Εκκλησίες στην Κωνσταντινούπολη με τις οποίες είχε επαφή στα πρώτα βήματα στην ψαλτική τέχνη ο Στανίτσας, τις σχέσεις με τον Κωνσταντίνο Πρίγγο, για τον Στανίτσα ως ερμηνευτή και για τον Στανίτσα ως χοράρχη (βιογραφικές αναφορές). Στη συνέχεια, παρατίθεται μια ενδεικτική εργογραφία και η ανάλυση 2 επιλεγμένων έργων. Ακολουθεί αποτίμηση έργου, συμπεράσματα, βιβλιογραφία και παραρτήματα.
description: The present work deals with the Psaltic tradition through the interpretations of Thrasyvoulos Stanitsas. It is divided into 2 volumes. The first speaks about the childhood of Stanitsas, the Chanting art, the Churches in Constantinople, with whom Stanitsas had contacts in the first steps in the art of chanting, relations with Constantine Pringo, Stanitsas as a performer, and for Stanitsa as chief instructor of his byzantine choir (biographical reports). Then, an indicative worksheet and analysis of 2 selected projects is presented. Project evaluation follows, conclusions, bibliography and annexes.
Collagen & aortopathy gene abnormalities in ehlers danlos syndrome (EDS) & sporadic thoracic aortic aneurysm & dissection (TAAD)
Creators: name: Weerakkody, Ruwan
Publisher: name: Imperial College London
Year: 2017

description: Introduction: Ehlers Danlos Syndrome(EDS) and Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm & Dissection(TAAD) comprise rare Mendelian vascular phenotypes associated with significant premature morbidity and mortality. New sequencing technologies may allow the better characterisation of their genetic basis, thereby informing clinical management and identifying novel molecular pathways. Methods: A combined strategy of targeted high-throughput sequencing to identify the mutational spectrum in known collagen and aortopathy-susceptibility genes and whole-exome sequencing to identify novel candidate genes was used in large cohorts of EDS (n=600+) and TAAD (n=1200+). Results: Using targeted sequencing in 177 EDS index cases, 32 pathogenic or likely pathogenic (P/LP) variants (including 9 new diagnoses) and 21 Variants of uncertain significance (VUS’s) were identified. In 1,050 TAAD index cases, 61(5.8%) P/LP variants (30 in FBN1) and 209(20%) VUS’s were identified. Only 47% of P/LP variant in FBN1 had a prior clinical diagnosis of Marfan syndrome and only 51% of P/LP variants in any gene (40% in FBN1) had a positive family history. Patients with any P/LP variant had a greater likelihood of: aortic dissection (OR 2.36), younger age <50 years (OR 5.3) and positive family history (OR 3.4). Exome sequencing in 189 unrelated EDS index cases without a genetic diagnosis, revealed a novel disease-causing gene, C1R, in Periodontal EDS. Provisional candidate genes were prioritised in patients with classical EDS features without COL5A1/2 mutations. Exome sequencing with linkage analysis in a dominant TAAD pedigree revealed a potentially pathogenic deep intronic variant in FBN1 and 3 provisional candidate genes in a recessive Kyphoscoliosis EDS pedigree. Conclusion: This work has shown that targeted sequencing with new, high-throughput sequencing technology can be useful in revealing new genotype-phenotype relationships and directing genotype-specific clinical management in EDS and TAAD. Whole exome sequencing in well selected cases was also found to be useful in identifying novel genes underlying these phenotypes, thereby revealing a new pathogenic mechanism underlying connective tissue disease.
Metabolic consequences following colonic resection in patients with Familial Adenomatous Polyposis [FAP]
Creators: name: Mallappa, Sreelakshmi
Publisher: name: Imperial College London
Year: 2016

description: Introduction: The colon is an active metabolic organ, and its removal leads to sodium depletion, chronic activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS), hyperaldosteronism and abnormal glucose tolerance. Previous work has studied patients who have undergone colectomy for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), so results may be confounded by the effects of inflammation and/or prior medication use. Patients with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) undergo prophylactic colectomy with ileorectal anastomosis (IRA), restorative proctocolectomy (RPC) or proctocolectomy with end-ileostomy (PPC), usually in their late teens. These patients do not have IBD and are usually not on medication, thus providing a better group to study. Aims: The aim of the work in this thesis was to determine the prevalence of metabolic disturbances following colectomy in patients with FAP, and to evaluate the efficacy of oral rehydration therapy (ORT) in correcting and preventing these metabolic disturbances. Methods: This thesis comprises three clinical studies of patients with FAP who had undergone colectomy, using validated questionnaires and diaries (food and bowel habit symptom diaries), clinical and biochemical data (one observational study and two single-blinded, placebo-controlled randomised trials). This thesis also describes the immunohistochemistry findings related to small intestinal adaptation following colectomy. Findings: Nearly half of our patients (47%) demonstrated activation of RAAS post colectomy with increased plasma aldosterone values, a state of dehydration and poor quality of life. ORT reversed these metabolic disturbances leading to a positive impact on the quality of life. Incorporating ORT in the standard post-operative care plan resulted in prevention of RAAS activation. Conclusions: Metabolic disturbances are common following colectomy. ORT forms a safe, efficient and cost-effective treatment strategy to restore the metabolic homeostasis and also prevent metabolic disturbances if incorporated from the immediate post-operative period.
National evaluation of the NHS Health Check programme
Creators: name: Chang, Kiara Chu-Mei
Publisher: name: Imperial College London
Year: 2016

description: Introduction: I aimed to evaluate the performance of the National Health Service (NHS) Health Check in the first four years since April 2009. The programme offers all English adults aged 40-74 years, and without known vascular disease, a cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk assessment and management Health Check every five years. Methods: Electronic medical records of 300,000 random sample of patients who were aged 40-74 years old but not filtered by other Health Check eligibility criteria were obtained from a nationally representative UK primary care database. Multilevel logistic regression was performed to examine variations in programme coverage. Programme impact on the management of CVD risks and early detection of selected vascular conditions was examined using a difference-in-differences matching analysis. A model-based cost-utility analysis was conducted to estimate the relative long-term costs and benefits of the NHS Health Check with a lifetime time horizon. Results: National coverage of the programme was low in the first four years and varied between general practices and English regions although no significant differences were observed between areas of different levels of deprivation. The programme had contributed to a statistically significant but clinically modest reduction in global CVD risk and individual risk factors among attendees but smoking prevalence stayed unchanged. The prescribing of statins increased significantly but the absolute statin prescribing remained low after Health Checks. The programme appears to be cost-effective long-term, based on the benefits of medical and lifestyle interventions being realised. Conclusions: The NHS Health Check needs to be improved substantially via better planning, implementation, monitoring, and management before any anticipated public health benefit are achieved. High-quality research is required to identify the most effective strategies such as a combination of CVD risk assessment programme and other population-wide programmes for the prevention of CVD.