Vetiveria zizanioides) growing on an abandoned terrace slopes in Spain. The results comprise tables showing the resistance of each tested vetiver plant to pullout forces applied to it at various angles. The dataset also contains the measurements of the displacement at each pullout force increment. The dataset also includes the plots of the pullout resistance of each vetiver plant against the measured displacement.The data set presented in this article includes the results of pullout tests carried out on vetiver grass ( Specifications TableValue of the data•This data set provides an insight into the behavior of vetiver grass grown in semi-arid climate during potential erosion or shallow landslide event•This data set can be used to develop a reinforcement models for vegetated soils•This data set can be combined with published data on root distribution of vetiver to derive the strength that vetiver root systems can impart on soil•This data set can be combined with published data on above-ground vetiver plant morphology to derive the sediment retention capacity of vetiver plants•This dataset can serve as a benchmark for measurement and presentation of parameters required for derivation of root reinforcement models and soil-root interaction1Vetiveria zizanioides) growing on row on an abandoned terrace slopes in Spain is shown on The data set of the results of pullout tests carried out on vetiver grass (2In order to investigate the pullout resistance of vetiver grass, 24 plants were randomly chosen from a plantation on an abandoned terrace near Almudaina, Spain and were used as a test sample


Dopamine neurons of the substantia nigra compacta (SNc) and ventral tegmental area (VTA) are critical components of the neuronal machinery to control emotion and movement in mammals. The slow and gradual death of these neurons as seen in Parkinson's disease has triggered a large investment in research toward unraveling the molecular determinants that are used to generate these neurons and to get an insight in their apparent selective vulnerability. Here, I set out to summarize the current view on the molecular distinctions that exist within this mesodiencephalic dopamine (mdDA) system and elaborate on the molecular programming that is responsible for creating such diversity. Regulation of behavior and more specific emotion is critically regulated by dopaminergic neurons located in the mesodiencephalon. These dopaminergic (DA) neurons can be sub-classified within their own groups by specific molecular features  to follow the developmental trajectory  enriched in the SNc of the mdDA population, were it was proposed to have a major function in local retinoic acid synthesis and was suggested to play a role in disulfiram (Antabuse) induced neurotoxicity leading to parkinsonism and catatonia  , also known as paternal expressed gene 1(Peg1), is a is a member of the divergent alpha-beta hydrolase protein family. In the liver, Mest inhibits Lrp6 glycosylation through enhancing ubiquitination of beta-catenin and therefore is able to regulate balancing of canonical and non-canonical Wnt signaling (Jung et al., Based on initial gene expression comparison studies performed on human PD patients and controls, NeuroD6 was identified to be enriched in VTA neurons (Chung et al., The first data that hinted toward subset specific molecular coding involved in the generation of mdDA neuronal subsets was published at least a decade ago (Smidt et al., The author confirms being the sole contributor of this work and approved it for publication.The author declares that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.


We report on a patient with visual agnosia for line drawings and silhouette pictures following cerebral infarction in the region of the right posterior cerebral artery. The patient retained the ability to recognize real objects and their photographs, and could precisely copy line drawings of objects that she could not name. This case report highlights the importance of clinicians and researchers paying special attention to avoid overlooking agnosia in such cases. The factors that lead to problems in the identification of stimuli other than real objects in agnosic cases are discussed.


Although the semantic memory impairment has been largely documented in Alzheimer's disease, little is known about semantic memory in the preclinical phase of the disease (Mild Cognitive Impairment). The purpose of this study was to document the nature of semantic breakdown using a battery of tests assessing different aspects of conceptual knowledge: knowledge about common objects, famous people and famous public events. Results indicate that all domains of semantic memory were impaired in MCI individuals but knowledge about famous people and famous events was affected to a greater extent than knowledge about objects. This pattern of results suggests that conceptual entities with distinctive and unique properties may be more prone to semantic breakdown in MCI. In summary, results of this study support the view that genuine semantic deficits are present in MCI. It could be useful to investigate the etiological outcome of patients failing or succeeding at such tests.


Current treatment options for men with early localized prostate cancer are either some form of radical therapy or active surveillance. Radical therapy is usually associated with significant adverse effects that might jeopardize a man's quality of life. Some observers believe that PSA screening has resulted in the over diagnosis and over treatment of prostate cancer. Many men are being diagnosed with an early stage, small volume, unifocal or unilateral prostate cancer but are reluctant to accept watchful waiting or active surveillance. Focal cryoablation is the less than complete ablation of the gland with ice. Based on review of the limited amount of material available in the current literature, focal cryoablation can provide acceptable cancer control while preserving sexual potency and urinary continence. Focal cryoablation may fill a void in the therapeutic options available to patients with unifocal or unilateral prostate cancer who have a strong desire to maintain their quality of life.


Now, VariZIG is also available from a second distributor .In July 2013, CDC published updated recommendations for the use of VariZIG for postexposure prophylaxis of varicella for persons at high risk for severe disease who lack evidence of immunity to varicella and for whom varicella vaccine is contraindicated (


The “psychic tonus” model or PTM [1] of hemispheric specialization states that the left hemisphere is a psychic and behavioral activator and that the right hemisphere is an inhibitor. The PTM predicts that the tonus of visual representation ought to manifest hemispheric specialization in the occipital lobes. Specifically PTM predicts that pathological positive visual tonus  ought to be associated more frequently with right occipital lesions. PTM also predicts that pathological negative visual tonus  ought to result more often from left occipital lesions. We reviewed 78 cases of post lesion hallucination and 12 cases of post lesion loss of evocation of images, all following a unilateral lesion. Analyses of these relevant previously published cases support the predictions. In accordance with previously published demonstrations of hemispheric specialization for auditory tonus in the temporal lobes and for somesthetic tonus in the parietal lobes, the present findings extend the psychic tonus model of hemispheric specialization to vision in the occipital lobes.


In Bærentsen , variousAs indicated by Patanjali, there are types of mental fluctuations  that one has to overcome to reach a stable meditative state (which are discussed in detail elsewhere; Woods, The various techniques and modalities of meditation suggested in the respective traditions involve clearing out the fluctuations caused by numerous faculties. A deeper insight into various types and stages associated with each of these techniques reveal that each different type of meditation involves a process to reduce any of the noise components and gradually takes through different stages of evolvement to reach the same and ultimate experiential state Woods, . Such anThe dynamics of how an individual responds and benefits from meditation practice depends on his current evolutionary state which is driven by both the inherent and acquired personality traits and external influences etc. (Fingelkurts et al., From this viewpoint, all the data emerging from different studies on meditation are essentially indicating various levels and extent of noise. That is the reason why each type of meditation involves different levels of coherence and neural patterns (Travis et al., JR came up with an idea to write comments and extend the original article. Both JR and SR analyzed and wrote the article.The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.


None of the authors have any commercial associations or financial disclosures that might pose or create a conflict of interest.We describe a simple technique for excision of rhinophyma using equipment found commonly in theatre. The nose is infiltrated with lignocaine and adrenaline, and a colposcopic loop electrode  is used to shave excess tissue in smooth planes while providing simultaneous haemostasis. The burr  is then used to soften the nasal contours into the desired appearance. Additional haemostasis is performed with loop diathermy before the wound is dressed.Excision of rhinophyma is typically a bloody and time consuming affair. Our technique creates a smoothly contoured appearance and simultaneous haemostasis with only a few passes of the loop cautery tip.


This letter is written in response to a review recently published in the journal. The aim is to highlight a potential methodological limitation common to many studies comparing bipolar patients with few previous episodes versus those with multiple episodes, and in which the results are interpreted as indicating the longitudinal course of the illness. Dear Editor,We read with great interest the recently published review by Joyce et al.  entitledIn addition to the limitations described very accurately in the review, we would like to highlight an unconsidered aspect that could be critical for interpreting the results. BD is a very heterogeneous illness in terms of severity, with some patients experiencing a few recurrences and complete functional recovery throughout their lifespan and others showing multiple episodes and marked functional impairment despite treatment (Goodwin and Jamison Joyce et al.  proposedClinical staging and neuroprogression proposed for BD are very attractive and potentially useful models (Berk et al.


Asymptomatic hematuria is very common in pediatric and adolescent patients. In contrast to painless hematuria in adults, the differential diagnosis and investigative modalities in the pediatric population is vastly different. This article presents the major diseases that may cause hematuria in children and suggests an evaluation algorithm for the pediatric urologist.


Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium is one of the most common isolated serovars. Here, we reported the draft genomes of 40 S. Typhimurium strains isolated from humans and food in Brazil. These draft genomes will improve phylogenetic analysis and will help enhance our understanding of strains of this serovar isolated in Brazil.Salmonellosis is an important health problem worldwide and  Salmonella enterica is recognized as one of the most common pathogen causes of foodborne disease worldwide   . The numSalmonella Typhimurium strains isolated from humans and food in Brazil. It will also provide phylogenetic insights into their evolution. A more detailed report of these genomic features will be addressed in a future publication.The data provided will help in understanding the molecular epidemiology of Salmonella Typhimurium isolates are available in GenBank and are listed in The draft genome sequences for these 40


Vsto vesicles of blood transfusions have been shown to deliver glycosylphosphatidylinositol-linked proteins to recipient erythrocytes, to display prothrombotic activity, and to have an inhibitory effect on macrophages. The interaction of Vsto vesicles with and their effect on neutrophilic granulocytes has not yet been studied in detail. Fluorescentlylabeled Vsto and calcium-induced vesicles were preparedin order to study the uptake of labeled vesicular components by neutrophils as compared to the process of phagocytosis of zymosan using flow cytometry and confocal microscopy. The activating effect of Vsto vesicles on neutrophils was addressed by a luminometric assay for stimulated radical oxygen species (ROS) generation. Coincubation of vesicles and neutrophils results in a transfer of vesicular components to the cells. This uptake is different from a phagocytotic process and is enhanced upon interference with the cellular actin cytoskeleton. Preincubation of neutrophils with Vsto vesicles results in an enhanced ROS generation by neutrophils, which is further increased upon fMLP stimulation and during zymosan phagocytosis. The activating effect of Vsto vesicles on neutrophils might be due to the specific accumulation of lysophospholipidsin Vsto vesicles and should be considered as a possible contributor to the pathogenesis of transfusion-related acute lung injury.Erythrocytes are known to shed vesicles


It is possible to modulate the amount of AL loaded into the nanospheres up to a maximum value of about 17 wt %. In vitro tests were performed using a human osteosarcoma cell line (MG63) and a murine monocyte/macrophage cell line as osteoclast model (RAW 264.7). The results indicate that even the lower concentration of alendronate provokes decreased tumor cell viability, and that osteoclast activity exhibits an alendronate dose-dependent inhibition. The data suggest that nMBG can act as a suitable support for the local delivery of alendronate, and that the antiresorptive and antitumor properties of the functionalized mesoporous nanospheres can be modulated by varying the amount of alendronate loading.In this work we synthesized mesoporous bioactive glass nanospheres (nMBG) with the aim to utilize them as substrates for loading one of the most potent amino-bisphosphonates, alendronate (AL). The results of the chemical and structural characterization show that the nMBG display a relatively high surface area (528 m In detail, Oscar is an OCLs’ associated receptor, its expression follows TRAP during osteoclasts differentiation ; CtsK isin vitro tests prove that the proposed multifunctional system is a promising platform for controlled regulation of osteosarcoma cells and osteoclast activity, providing a new tool for OS treatment.The approach developed in this study allows mesoporous bioglass nanospheres to be loaded with increasing amounts of alendronate up to about 17 wt % and yields materials where the ability to promote mineralization of the nanospheres is coupled with the antiresorptive and anticancer properties of alendronate. The results of


The European Society for the Study of Tourette syndrome (ESSTS) was established in Denmark in 2000 by Mary Robertson and Anne Korsgaard. The aims of the organisation are to foster research activity and raise awareness of Tourette syndrome throughout Europe. The organisation went into abeyance in 2002 but was resurrected in 2007 in Bari, Italy. Since that time ESSTS has grown and prospered. We have established elected officers and a constitution. We have successfully applied for three large scale European research grants and have members throughout the European Union. We have held yearly meetings across Europe including two training schools and we have developed successful alliances with patient support groups. ESSTS has developed and published the first European guidelines on assessment, diagnosis and treatment of Tourette syndrome.


Sexual health is an important global public health concern. Planning effective strategies to improve sexual health requires a high degree of attention to the local epidemiological trends and cultural context where the strategy is to be implemented. The paper by Chemtob et al. describes the process to develop a plan that aims to reduce the burden of Sexually Transmitted Infections in Israel by 2025. This commentary argues that increased attention to planning and implementation of sexual health policy is required in order to address the real burden of disease. Sexual health should not be merely addressed from a communicable disease control perspective but should comprehensively address health and wellbeing of all population groups through a positive approach in line with the WHO current definition of sexual health. As even traditionally culturally conservative societies are experiencing rapid changes in attitudes and practices towards sexual lifestyles, the challenge is to ensure that sexual health strategies combine evidence-informed measures and good practices with culturally appropriate communication and implementation approaches. The paper by Chemtob and colleagues  “A natioThe authors clearly demonstrate the large variation in reported epidemiology and practice that exists between countries in Europe pointing to the need for a more robust evidence base for policy making in the area of sexual health. They rightly highlight the issue of underreporting which may be a key factor explaining the degree of variation observed and reach the conclusion that different approaches to better capture the real epidemiological situation are necessary.Estimation of the burden of STIsThe paper focusses primarily on estimation of the burden of STIs, screening for STIs and implementation of strategies to reduce the burden of STIs.Various countries have different systems of collection of data. This is essential for each individual country to have a good picture of trends in order to have a clear picture of the situation including the risk groups to be targeted as well as monitoring of progress being made. Robust and reliable surveillance systems are critical in order to inform relevant stakeholders in an accurate and timely fashion. The epidemiology of STIs including HIV is constantly evolving and information on new cases, routes of transmission and patient outcomes are important needed to monitor the epidemiology of infection. Surveillance systems therefore need to keep pace with the changing nature of epidemics at national and European levels.Passive surveillance, which collects information from laboratories, clinics and STI control programmes and serviceBehavioural surveillance collects data from behaviours of specific target groupsSentinel which identify specific centres and they report on their practice eg that seen in GermanyPeriodic cross sectional surveysThere are various forms of surveillance systems for STIs which include:In many countries, the number of reported STIs represent only the “tip of the iceberg” for various reasons. The commonest reason is because most infections are asymptomatic or else they are not diagnosed. There could also be unreported symptomatic cases due to stigma and discrimination, fear of potential conflict with sexual partner especially in the married group, self-prescription of medicines from pharmacies or empirical treatment in the community. Many countries have legal frameworks which mandate notification by doctors to notify cases of infectious diseases. Some countries also have a legal obligation for the notification of positive samples from laboratories .Screening of STIsUnderreporting for STIs can be tackled through the development of a sentinel surveillance system focusing on a selected primary care doctors who will report on the cases they see in their practice and this is extrapolated to the general population. Enhanced surveillance of STI in Europe is essential to outline the distribution of disease and evaluate the public health response to control the transmission of infections . The EurImplementation of strategies to reduce the burden of STIsScreening individuals to determine if they have been infected with or exposed to an infectious disease is a core public health strategy. Early identification of cases and early linkage to treatment has important public health benefits. In the area of STIs, early treatment reduces the risks of transmission to others and also reduces the risks to health of the patient including long term effects such as infertility. Early diagnosis for HIV and linkage to care through a treat all approach is one of the UN targets for ending HIV/ AIDS. Routine, voluntary HIV testing benefits both affected individuals and their intimate partners by facilitating early access to prevention, care and treatment services.A comprehensive approach to disease prevention, testing and care is a basic public health strategy. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control commissioned a project with the aim of increasing the understanding of how HIV and STI can be prevented among vulnerable groups in the broader context of sexual health and health promotion . The maiThis paper by Chemtob et al. outlines the components of the Israeli strategy to control STIs. The strategy covered the main aspects which are evidence based. One crucial element in strategy formulation is the identification of vulnerable groups based on the national epidemiology of the people being affected. Combination STI and HIV prevention measures are more cost effective if taken through a comprehensive approach.The focus on social determinants of sexual health is unfortunately a missing element in many strategies. Yet social determinants have an impact on health of vulnerable populations. Such groups may have barriers such as preventing high risk individuals from accessing services offering preventive services. These barriers include national legislation such as laws governing sexual conduct. One of these laws includes age of sexual consent which affects the age of first start of sexual encounters. Sex between same gender sex is now legal in several countries and so no legal barriers are identified in this area. Accessibility of service provision and fear of stigma and marginalisation are other reasons which may keep persons from coming forward to access services.This paper has a second important contribution. It raises the issue of different epidemiological patterns between religious groups. As societies in Europe and elsewhere become more ethnically heterogenous due to increased migration, the way in which these demographic changes affect sexual lifestyles needs to be taken into account in planning sexual health policy.The authors place a specific emphasis on groups at risk such as men who have sex with men (MSM) and commercial sex workers. However, the wider implications of changing sexual attitudes and practices amongst the general population are somewhat overlooked. The importance of regular population surveys complemented by in-depth qualitative research with specific groups needs to be given more importance. The value of the numbers and trends of STIs achieved through passive and active surveillance needs to be placed in the broader context and narrative of societal attitudes and practices. These are often difficult to extract and confront in conservative and religious countries. Yet, evidence points towards rapid societal change leading to fast changing sexual health practices. These are often least well addressed by those countries not typically used to dealing with such a situation and the Israeli approach is to be commended in this regard.In 2016 the World Health Organisation published its strategy on Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) for the period 2016–2021 . This isHowever if each country takes steps to define the specific populations that are most affected by sexually transmitted infection epidemics including populations most likely to have a high number of sex partners, such as sex workers and their clients as well as other populations such as men who have sex with men, transgendered people, and people with an existing sexually transmitted infection, including people living with HIV this is a good start. Other groups considered to be particularly vulnerable to sexually transmitted infections include young people and adolescents, women, mobile populations, children and young people living on the street, prisoners, drug users and people affected by conflict and civil unrest.In our view, the key element to ensure success in addressing sexual health at country level is that the response is one which is firmly rooted in epidemiological evidence but which gives due attention to the social context. Planning and implementing sexual health strategies is a challenging policy area for public health. The rising trends in STIs combined with rapidly changing societal norms and sexual lifestyles and practices make the need to address sexual health at both individual and population levels an urgent one. Public health professionals and policy makers need to use the whole array of health promotion tools ranging from legislation, effective communication, empowerment of individuals and communities as well as strengthening health services in order to make positive progress to improve sexual health and well-being.


The impact of type 2 diabetes on ageing societies is great and populations across the globe are becoming more diverse. Complications of diabetes unequally affect particular groups in the UK older people, and people with a South Asian background are two population groups with increased risk whose numbers will grow in the future. We explored the evidence about diabetes care for older people with South Asian ethnicity to understand the contexts and mechanisms behind interventions to reduce inequalities. We used a realist approach to review the literature, mapped the main areas where relevant evidence exists, and explored the concepts and mechanisms which underpinned interventions. From this we constructed a theoretical framework for a programme of research and put forward suggestions for what our analysis might mean to providers, researchers, and policy makers. Broad themes of cultural competency; comorbidities and stratification; and access emerged as mid-level mechanisms which have individualised, culturally intelligent, and ethical care at their heart and through which inequalities can be addressed. These provide a theoretical framework for future research to advance knowledge about concordance; culturally meaningful measures of depression and cognitive impairment; and care planning in different contexts which support effective diabetes care for aging and diverse populations. Although longevity in the UK is increasing, average increases mask important differences within the population –3. FurthThe purpose of this research was to review the evidence to guide a programme of applied research to address the key areas and processes for reducing inequalities in diabetes care for older people from ethnic minority groups. We focussed in this instance on South Asians in the UK as this group has an established history in the UK (making up fifty percent or more of the population in some UK locations) and so would be likely to feature in the relevant research literature.We define ethnicity as a consciousness of belonging to a particular group based on commonality of family origin and culture of shared values and beliefs which is socially constructed  and loosThe term “older people” is used variously according to context and different age-related dimensions: chronological, biological, functional, psychological, and social. In western societies, it broadly aligns with age of retirement 60 or 65+ , 8 but tThis study's principal interest was diabetes care and prevention in relation to inequality, ethnicity, and the older population rather than the aetiology of diabetes per se, although this was necessarily touched on where it related to clinical practice and management of older people who are living with diabetes. Diabetes care in the UK is a context specific and complex activity because it takes place across NHS settings through consultations in primary and secondary care and in people's home through self-management and care support.Inequality was the main lens through which the literature review was conducted. The starting point was that our previous research in related areas had found inadequate care of older people with diabetes particularly those being cared for in residential settings ; that prAlthough familiar with some of the concepts associated with reducing inequalities in access to diabetes care, such as cultural competency and concordance , we had The review had two parts: Part 1, a mapping phase where we thematically synthesised the relevant studies into the main areas of research evidence; and Part 2, a theory building phase where we hypothesised, by abstracting from the evidence, a theoretical framework for moving forward from this base. As the work was early stage the emergent theory raised further questions which will help test and refine the theory in the future. As it stands however the review highlights a number of issues for policy makers, providers, and researchers concerned with reducing and preventing inequalities in diabetes care and these are summarised at the end of this paper.We reviewed literature at the intersection of three areas: quality diabetes care, older people, and ethnicity see . The revFollowing an initial exploratory phase we decided to apply a realist approach to review the literature. This methodology was considered the most appropriate because it accommodated the broad research question; was compatible with the complex and context related nature of diabetes care; was sympathetic to the usage of a multimethod, multidisciplinary evidence base; and would facilitate the exposition of theory through emerging and generalisable mechanisms . This coThe search would be limited to the previous 30-year timeframe and to studies from the UK. The period 1985 to 2015 spanned several changes of UK governing parties and associated health policies some of which addressed health inequalities in relation to diabetes care, the impact of which would be captured in literature published during this time.The search would focus specifically on the UK population. Ethnic minorities and health systems are different in different countries and diabetes care is context related. Literature on ethnicity, access, and cultural competency from other countries such as the US, Canada, and Australia was drawn on where appropriate in the analysis and discussion of mechanisms.The search would focus on the UKs' South Asian population rather than other or all ethnic minorities living in the UK. Previous research by members of the team provided insight into some of the inequalities that people with a South Asian background experience . As thesThe search would use common age descriptors for older people as well as specific age categories from 55 years upwards. In the context of diabetes and care for minority groups age as a descriptor could be relative and variable depending on the population and phase of care .The search would use descriptors for diabetes that included the key complications: diabetic neuropathy, retinopathy, and nephropathy. Terms for the latter would be expanded as studies of diabetic nephropathy and end stage kidney disease would be likely to include the older South Asian population because of the links between ethnicity, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and longevity , 15.The search would be inclusive of research using qualitative and quantitative methods as well as grey literature in line with the realist methodology to prioritise relevance and contribution to theory building . The quaWe conducted an initial scoping phase in which we hand-searched for research publications and tested different search strategies with available electronic databases. We made a number of decisions about the search strategy which are listed as follows:A combination of hand searching and electronic searching of publication databases was carried out. ∗ OR hypoglycem∗ OR non insulin dependent diabetes mellitus OR NIDDM OR insulin OR insulin resistance OR glucose level OR glucose regulation OR haemoglobin A1c OR HbA1C OR metabol∗ OR foot problems OR amputation OR lower extremity OR lower limb OR complications OR nephropathy OR retinopathy OR kidney disease OR chronic kidney disease OR renal OR renal impairment OR kidney damage OR albuminuria OR proteinuria OR microalbuminura OR renal replacement therapy OR CKD OR ESRD OR ESRF OR ESKD OR ESKF OR RRT OR end stage renal disease OR end stage kidney disease OR end stage kidney failure OR end stage renal failure OR dialysis OR primary care AND Older people OR older persons OR elder∗ OR old age OR ageing OR aging OR late life OR frail∗ OR non frail OR end of life OR geriatrics OR gerontology OR post menopausal OR over 55 years OR over 60 years OR over 65 years OR over 70 years OR over 75 years OR over 80 years OR over 85 years OR over 90 years OR over 95 years OR over 100 years OR end of life OR functional disability OR functional decline OR mortality AND Ethn∗ OR race OR culture OR BAME OR BME OR minorit∗ OR ethnic minority OR asia∗ OR Indoasia∗ OR south asia∗ OR Indian OR Pakistani OR Bangladeshi OR Sri Lankan OR racial OR black∗ OR culturally and linguistically diverse group OR CALDDiabetes OR diabetes mellitus OR type 1 diabetes OR T1DM OR type 2 diabetes OR T2DM OR hyperglycemThe following databases were searched: Academic Search Elite, CINAHL Plus with Full Text, MEDLINE, MEDLINE with Full Text, PsycARTICLES, PsycINFO, SocINDEX with Full Text, and Global Health. Publication abstracts were searched using keyword criteria as follows:Electronic search results were screened for duplication and relevance to the review area and question. Copies of the full publication were obtained for included abstracts which were screened and those considered relevant included in the analysis. This process was conducted by EW and MW jointly, with assistance from an information specialist and with input and oversight from the other members of the author team.The research question “What are the key mechanisms for reducing inequalities in diabetes care in the UK for older people with a South Asian background?” was the basis of capturing learning from the published literature. In realist terms it was conceptualised as a complex intervention comprising government policy, applied research, and evidence based practice from the UK which addressed inequalities in diabetes outcomes and care for older people with diabetes from ethnic minorities and spanned the diabetes care system as a whole. We drew on the RAMESES guidance  for repo Part 1: the overview and mapping of literature relevant to the research question and search criteria. Included studies were analysed thematically into broad areas. Part 2: the building of a theoretical framework for research in response to the question. For each mapped area we considered the context, mechanisms, and outcomes and considered how these related to common concepts also emerging from the literature that could be explanatory in terms of observed inequalities in diabetes care and interventions to reduce them see .The realist programme theory developed iteratively through the scoping, mapping, and theory building stages of the literature review and the findings are reported in two parts in The results of the literature search are summarised in Following thematic analysis the included literature was following broad areas.There were very few studies which specifically investigated diabetes, older people, and ethnicity, and even fewer (none) which specifically addressed diabetes care for older South Asian people in the UK. Although studies which included South Asian people with diabetes often stated in their background that diabetes was a leading cause of mortality and morbidity and South Asians were the largest ethnic minority in the UK, the majority of studies identified by our literature search concerned prevalence and incidence of diabetes, diabetes related complications, and associated conditions particularly cardiovascular disease. Exceptions to this were the UK Asian Diabetes Study (UKADS)  and the In South Asians, the prevalence of type 2 diabetes is 4 times greater than that of White Europeans . Most ofWhere ethnicity was discussed in relation to inequalities in the research literature it was mainly to explain variations in outcomes or patterns of distribution within a given population and there was a dearth of studies which analysed inequalities as it related to diabetes care specifically for older people with a South Asian ethnic background. There were very few studies about diabetes and diabetes care which explicitly included older South Asian people as participants and a similar number of papers which discussed the lack of participation of older people and ethnic minorities in studies as a research issue , 28.Studies of diabetes which include an analysis by ethnicity invariably noted the earlier onset of diabetes in South Asians compared to White Europeans as an important factor in understanding both aetiology and disease progression as well as indicating a timeframe for intervention and prevention which is different to the majority population. South Asians experience diabetes approximately 10 years before White Europeans and show signs of more rapid progression of complications , 30. ResTogether, key UK government guidelines, the Quality Outcomes Framework and the National Service Frameworks for Diabetes and Kidney Disease, have encouraged GPs to consider ethnicity as a factor for earlier diagnosis and targeted care. These quality initiatives have gone some way to redress inequalities in diabetes care  but therSeveral of the studies which detail South Asian ethnicity describe the heterogeneity within the broad South Asian descriptor for the UK's diverse South Asian population and some, depending on the data source, were able to break down their results across the main South Asian groups  in the UK . EthniciThe complicating associations between diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD) were the subject of over half the studies identified through our electronic search. These were seeking to understand the aetiology of morbidity and mortality of CVD and included diabetes and ethnicity as established risk factors in the analysis . SimilarDifferences in diabetes related mortality and morbidity between different ethnic groups outlined in a small number of publications point to different mechanisms through which ethnicity exerts influence. For example, South Asian and Black groups both have increased risk of diabetes, CVD, and Stroke  comparedStudies which focus on diabetic nephropathy show that South Asians also experience complications at an earlier age and their progression is faster than in White Europeans. South Asians' risk of diabetic nephropathy is 13 times that of the White European population . As a grOther diabetes complications, retinopathy and neuropathy, have a similar association with ethnicity; that is, they have been found to be associated with increased risk factors  and are As the South Asian population is ageing and as longevity is main risk factor for comorbidities in older people, the incidence of end stage renal failure and dementia are set to increase in South Asian ethnic group . Both thDepression as a comorbid condition for people with diabetes is associated with both increased risk of developing cardiovascular problems as well as being secondary to cardiovascular complications and increasing risk of mortality . It is aIndividualised assessment of need and cultural sensitivity are included within the national service frameworks for diabetes, kidney disease, and care of older people –24 as meResearch into the extent of how well healthcare services are able to meet the needs of South Asian people who have diabetes has found that whilst services have implemented the organisational element of quality improvement policy such as the Quality Outcomes Framework and shifts of diabetes care from secondary to primary care they may not have resulted in quality of care from the patient perspective , 57 nor The small number of trials testing culturally appropriate self-management programmes  and struPilots of integrated diabetes care such as the North West London Integrated Care Pilot for people over 75 years of age considered ethnicity in their design and analysis , 62. ThePatient experience research with South Asian people with diabetes in primary care identified barriers one of which was a need for information and health education to be delivered in a culturally appropriate way that matches an individual's understanding of health and disease, as well as taking into account the broader social context for ethnic minority groups and common psychological responses –68. FindA care pathway approach to exploring patient experience of diabetes care across primary care and specialist renal care found that South Asian patients referred to renal care lacked awareness of kidney complications of diabetes despite familiarity with diabetes over more than 10 years. Furthermore reflecting back on diabetes care patients felt there had been missed opportunities for information and self-management support .The small number of studies of South Asian patients' experiences of care in secondary care kidney services also tells us more about the care of older South Asian people with diabetes as nearly half the South Asian patients requiring renal replacement therapy also have T2DM . CommuniThe exploratory mapping of the literature in this review created a context for the second part of our analysis. Explanatory concepts which emerged from the literature alongside the observational data were cultural stratification and comorbidities, cultural competency, and access. The relationship between these concepts and the CMO analyses in each mapped area is shown in As diabetes complications are associated with longevity and length of time with diabetes as well as South Asian ethnicity, it is common that older South Asian people with diabetes will have multiple comorbidities requiring some sort of prioritisation and integration of treatment and care according to which conditions are of most concern or life limiting. Stratification of patients by risk, comorbidities, patient experience, and diagnosis is therefore a key part of informing effective care , 73 and The fact that South Asian people develop diabetes earlier and experience the complications younger means that in the context of diabetes care the descriptor “older” age needs to be brought forward relative to the White European population. The changing demographics of the UK mean that there will be more older South Asian people in the future and half will have developed diabetes by age 80 .Studies which identified the cardiovascular risk and outcomes associated with diabetes and South Asian ethnicity and the small number breaking it down further into the predominant South Asian groups in the UK provide evidence for the high risk that South Asians with diabetes have for cardiovascular disease mortality and morbidity and persisting inequalities . This fiDetection of prediabetes, incident diabetes, and diabetes complications is important for prevention of the onset and progression of complications through the provision of appropriate and timely care which may need to be more aggressive for South Asians because of the greater risk for cardiovascular  complications. Measures to detect complications which are culturally mediated, that is, dependent on language or ideas of dependency and quality of life, such as depression and cognitive impairment, need to be sensitive enough to identify complications in heterogeneous populations , 76.The range of complications which are associated with older age and diabetes may contribute to frailty which results in vulnerability to sudden changes in health states and increased risk of falls, disability, long term care, and death . A recogResearch Question. How can knowledge about diabetes comorbidities and associated impacts for older people with a South Asian background improve care that maximises quality of life and NHS resources?Whereas stratification on the basis of disease, comorbidities, and symptoms dictates the context for clinical care, the way that information is conveyed and discussed to people with diabetes is important for supporting self-management and decision making in patient care.Understanding the importance of social and cultural influences on patients' health beliefs, and behaviours; considering how these factors interact at multiple levels of the health care delivery system ; and finally, devising interventions that take these issues into account to assure quality health care delivery to diverse patient populations. Research which investigated ethnicity and quality of diabetes care in South Asian patients in primary and secondary care identified the importance of individualising care within a culturally competent approach to support concordance in the care process [The opportunities for prevention of diabetes and complications are an important part improving outcomes for older South Asian people with diabetes because of the earlier and extended timeframe that they are living with diabetes. The focus on primary care and integrated care as a means of delivering patient centred outcomes, if supported by systemic knowledge and awareness of culture within the NHS, aligns with the concept of culturally competent care: process . For indTo achieve this one on one with patients requires the resources within the system to be in place and a full understanding of the challenge. The evidence as it stands suggests that although it is possible to target diabetes interventions  and makeThe concept of cultural intelligence takes the theory of cultural competency further , 86 by sResearch Question. What are the most effective communication methods for promoting concordance in diabetes care with older people with a South Asian background?A person has access to quality care when the care they experience is meaningful and effective , 88. As Whilst the national quality improvement frameworks for diabetes and kidney services have improved diabetes care in terms of the infrastructure for monitoring in primary care with incentives for practices to do this, the evidence suggests that these do not support access to all aspects of diabetes care and that it can be fragmented and variable for all patients particularly for South Asian groups for whom there can be more barriers –91.It has been estimated that a quarter of care home residents are likely to have diabetes  and whilOur review of the literature highlights there is a dearth of research studies which have considered access as a collective function of providers within local systems and which include older patient and carer participation in diabetes care at local and individual levels. This is despite the growing awareness of the diabetes epidemic and observations that older age is when cultural differences and sensitivities can be most acutely experienced ; healthcThe prevention imperative to reduce levels of diabetes and complications requires intervention to raise public awareness of the issues of diabetes care for older people from ethnic minority groups and to shift attitudes of patients and clinicians towards a more empowered approach  to care Whilst evaluation of on-going programmes such as integrated care initiative, National Diabetes Audit with Patient Experience of Diabetes Services, and House of Care  will conResearch Question. What are patients and their informal and formal carers experience of involvement in care planning and how can these inform service improvement for older people living with diabetes who have a South Asian background?Current policy and interventions to reduce inequalities in diabetes care in older people with South Asian ethnicity have not resulted in a knowledge base of what works to reduce complications and the poorer outcomes for this population. This exploratory synthesis of the literature is the first to put forward a theory based framework for doing so.The lack of a body of research evidence which addresses inequality and quality of diabetes care for older South Asian people with diabetes reflects many and complex relationships between diabetes and macro- and microvascular complications; the different settings where care is provided; the lack of specific inclusion of older South Asian people in research; and the heterogeneity within ethnic and age descriptors. Studies which, by default, have included this group highlighted that the ethnic specific and ageing effects of diabetes require further enquiry.Limitations of this review relate to complexity; diffuse literature; a broad research question; and the multidimensional influence of ethnicity and culture on health. We mitigated any shortfalls in capturing relevant literature via electronic databases by hand searching and including grey literature and including broad age descriptors which was in line with the exploratory nature of this study. The realist approach taken helped to expand the knowledge base by identifying common mechanisms across different contexts which together contributed to a theoretical framework for policy, research, and practice.It is both a strength and a limitation that our review was conducted by a team with familiarity with particular areas of the literature, that is, diabetic nephropathy and end stage renal failure in South Asians, and frailty in relation to diabetes and older people. Whilst it helped inform the search strategy and theory building it could constitute bias as published research of inequalities in diabetic kidney disease and kidney care made an important contribution and the subsequent analysis applied some of the concepts from diabetic nephropathy research previously published by two of the authors . To mitiTeam composition comprised public health researchers and senior academics who have been involved in guideline development, some of whom are practicing clinicians, strengthened our analysis and interpretation in policy and practice terms. Theory building from such a broad question and diverse literature base identified mechanisms which were “mid-level,” conceptual, and compatible with a systems viewpoint, and interpretation into practical questions for policy makers, clinicians, and researchers was a useful element of this review see .Although this piece of work was limited to a UK perspective and a focus on one  ethnic grouping, the rationale, realist methodology used, and the resulting theoretical framework could equally well be applied to other groups and other diverse populations in other countries. The focus of the review was on understanding the mechanisms which could be useful for reducing inequalities in diabetes care and because the work was exploratory the theoretical ideas are at an early stage and conceptual so also relevant to other health systems.Our theory building went further to identify submechanisms: concordance; the use of culturally meaningful measures for comorbidities affecting older people such as depression and cognitive impairment; and care planning, in particular understanding ways that older people with diabetes can be involved to ensure that it is as person centred as possible. These submechanisms, articulated as future research questions, were at the next level of abstraction from the evidence reviewed. Addressing these will enable us to revisit and refine this early theoretical framework to further improve understanding of how to ensure equitable care at the intersection represented with a “?” in Underpinning individualised care and pertinent to understanding these mechanisms is the ability of the healthcare system to work with the intersectionalities of individuals and groups within a population. The heterogeneity within broad ethnicity and age descriptors is lost in much of the research literature and a more nuanced approach to understanding individual identity and influences on health  will be Research with diverse groups of older people and their care providers in different clinical and community settings requires a culturally intelligent approach by researchers , 102. CoIn practice terms too the awareness of multiple identities and individual experiences affecting diabetes care including, but not exclusive to ethnic group and age, requires closer involvement between patients and practitioners in negotiating care in order for it to be truly person centred . AlthougIn a similar way the relevance of this review in policy terms should be seen in the context of other influences on health inequalities, that is, the psychological, sociological, economic, and life course factors , 105. AlThis review has found that there are very few studies which address care of older people with diabetes who have a South Asian background. As policy makers need evidence to help them respond to the changing demographic profile of the UK to commission effective services to prevent avoidable mortality and morbidity and maximise resources, this is an important limitation in the existing evidence base.There is commissioning guidance for diabetes services and integrated care which by default covers care for chronic conditions and older people and points to earlier onset, need for services to consider ethnicity , but it South Asian people experience diabetes earlier than White Europeans and have a greater risk of complications and faster progression so that care providers and patients would benefit from a better informed and targeted approach to intervention.For policy, practice and research to make an impact on reducing inequalities in diabetes care for older people with diverse backgrounds we suggest attention is given to all three of the mid-level mechanisms: access, comorbidities, and stratification and cultural competency.Research that specifically includes older people with a South Asian background would go some way to providing knowledge about the best way to do this.The definition of “older” people needs to be redefined in the context of diabetes care and South Asian ethnicity and the influence of intersectionalities require more attention to understand and apply these mechanisms for reducing inequalities in diabetes care.


CHDs affect approximately one in 100 births every year in the United States and are the most common type of birth defect .CDC-funded research recently reported associations for certain CHDs in infants of mothers who were exposed to pesticides at work (


Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is comprised of several distinct histologic subtypes many of which have characteristic cytogenetic abnormalities. The molecular pathogenesis of some of these neoplasms is beginning to be elucidated. Yet renal cell carcinoma is often discovered at an advanced clinical stage and effective pharmacologic therapies for this disease remain to be discovered. For these reasons, renal cell carcinoma is ideally suited to the genome scale investigation made possible by DNA microarrays. A number of DNA array studies of renal cell carcinoma have been published. Renal cell carcinomas have also been studied by array based comparative genomic hybridization. The purpose of this review will be to summarize these studies, to compare the results of the different studies, and to suggest future areas of investigation with a particular emphasis on clinically relevant advances.


The modeling and simulation of Switched Reluctance (SR) machine and drives is challenging for its dual pole salient structure and magnetic saturation. This paper presents the input data in form of experimentally obtained magnetization characteristics. This data was used for computer simulation based model of SR machine, “Selecting Best Interpolation Technique for Simulation Modeling of Switched Reluctance Machine”  Specifications TableValue of the Data•Flux data is useful for determination of steady state and transient performance of machines•The presented data is obvious for switched reluctance modeling irrespective of how it is obtained i.e. through experiments or computer softwares.•This data shows evidence of nonlinear characteristics of the machine.•Once having this data, remaining data tables are obtained easily and it is easier to find missing data points by interpolation techniques.•Accurate simulation in different areas relating SR machine is possible with this data if current and torque of the machine counted.1The data of flux linkage presented in this article is useful for modeling and simulation of existing SR machine especially when phase current, and phase instantaneous torque profile of SR machine are discussed. Furthermore; an ample picture of this data in 3-D is given for purpose of illustration.22.1Electrical machines are judged from its electrical and more importantly the magnetic circuit. The data of flux linkage presented in this paper actually epitomizes the magnetic behavior of the existing machine  The experiment setup is shown in The obtained data of induced EMF and data of flux after integration is shown in graphical form in Measured data of flux for different current values and different rotor position is graphically represented in Additional data of static torque is also experimentally obtained by locked rotor test by allowing current to flow through motor winding and measuring toque on dynamometer. The set of measured data in graphical representation can be seen from


Recognition memory can be supported by both the assessment of the familiarity of an item and by the recollection of the context in which an item was encountered. The neural substrates of these memory processes are controversial. To address these issues we applied repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) over the right and left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) of healthy subjects performing a remember/know task. rTMS disrupted familiarity judgments when applied before encoding of stimuli over both right and left DLPFC. rTMS disrupted recollection when applied before encoding of stimuli over the right DLPFC. These findings suggest that the DLPFC plays a critical role in recognition memory based on familiarity as well as recollection.


We will also discuss how these negative findings can help to design future clinical trial using tDCS to treat individuals with chronic pain.In a recent clinical trial we demonstrated the analgesic effects of anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI); however, the positive impact of tDCS on pain was not paralleled by an improvement in quality of life or other related clinical scales. Here we discuss the reasons of such tDCS is an alternative but relevant therapeutic option to manage pain and stimulate motor recovery in patients with SCI. This non-invasive neuromodulation technique has been shown to significantly and sustainably reduce pain if applied repeatedly in various pain syndromes  M1 may not be an appropriate target to modulate mood or satisfaction with life; (2) the primary outcome was pain and therefore this study was not designed to specifically detect change in such scales; (3) the SWLS and PHQ-9 may not be accurate or sensitive enough to detect changes due to tDCS treatment.a priori hypothesis and to select the appropriate clinical scale(s) accordingly. A recent framework developed by researchers from National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), called the research domain criteria (RDoC) is useful for such analysis.Based on the current tDCS literature and the present understanding of pain sensitization mechanisms, the sensorimotor cortex is the most relevant area to target when aiming at treating pain , anodal M1 tDCS has been shown to activate ipsilateral motor areas  as well as contralateral or long-distance areas  and subcortical areas (anterior cingulate cortex) in healthy controls  targeting the same cortical network should be tested in addition to tDCS in order to prime its effects.Regarding the selection of the main outcome measure(s), especially when it concerns clinical scales, it is of an upmost importance to choose a sensitive tool that accurately evaluates the symptoms being treated and/or the mechanisms of the therapy. In our case, the mental states evaluated by the selected scales  are unrelated to modulation of the motor cortex excitability. The expected improvements would have been related to the indirect effects of pain relief on patients' quality of life and satisfaction. Despite the fact that many studies have demonstrated a correlation between pain levels and quality of life (Wahl et al., AT and FF: wrote the manuscript. RZ and LM: significantly reviewed the manuscript for intellectual content and approved the final version of the manuscript.The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.


For humans, activity during the night is correlated with multiple pathologies that may reflect a lack of harmony among components of the circadian system; however, it remains difficult to identify causal links between nocturnal activity and different pathologies based on the data available from epidemiological studies. Animal models that use forced activity or timed sleep deprivation provide evidence of circadian disruptions that may be at the core of the health risks faced by human night and shift workers. One valuable insight from that work is the importance of changes in the distribution of food intake as a cause of metabolic imbalances associated with activity during the natural rest phase. Limitations of those models stem from the use of only nocturnal laboratory rodents and the fact that they do not replicate situations in which humans engage in work with high cognitive demands or engage voluntarily in nocturnal activity . Temporal niche switches by rodents have been observed in the wild and interpreted as adaptive responses to energetic challenges, but possible negative outcomes, similar to those associated with human eveningness, have not been systematically studied. Species in which a proportion of animals shows a switch from a day-active to a night-active  when given access to running wheels provide a unique opportunity to model human eveningness in a diurnal rodent. In particular, the mosaic of phases of brain oscillators in night-active grass rats may provide clues about the circadian challenges faced by humans who show voluntary nocturnal wakefulness. Our contemporary global society has created demands that require many of us to be active during the natural rest phase of our species, the night. This is exemplified by increasing number of individuals who work nights and thus are awake and engaged with the environment at least for part of the time normally dominated by human sleep. There is a rich, albeit mostly correlational, literature linking night and shift work to a multitude of pathologies including higher risk of cancer , metabolvia direct retinal projections from melanopsin-containing retinal ganglion cells  , 8 that on cells . Outputson cells . Night oon cells , 11. HowAnimal models of shift work have used almost exclusively laboratory rodents  is remarkably different if the animals are forcibly kept awake at night compared to when they show unconstrained night wakefulness ] rhythms in the SCN  or the nAvailable models using constrained (forced activity and timed sleep deprivation) or unconstrained (wheel running availability) activity during the natural rest phase of a species do not incorporate the effect of the type of engagement with the environment that goes on during the new active phase. In particular, these models do not replicate instances of human nocturnal activity with significant attentional and cognitive demands, e.g., nurses in hospitals or technicians working at nuclear plants. Experiments in which nocturnal laboratory rats are trained and tested during the day on tasks that demand enhanced attentional performance provide evidence of clear circadian effects that include a shift to a predominantly diurnal chronotype with salient anticipatory activity that persists for days after the training is discontinued , 47. ActThe work from our group discussed here was carried out in accordance with the recommendations of the Michigan State University All University Committee on Animal Use and Care, and the National Institute of Health guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. All protocols were approved by the Michigan State University All University Committee on Animal Use and Care.The ideas presented here stem from discussions among the three authors, AN wrote the first draft and LS and LY edited and expanded the initial version.The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.


The epigenome is a set of heritable modifications and tags that affect the genome without changing the intrinsic DNA sequence. These marks include DNA methylation, modifications to histone proteins around which DNA is wrapped and expression of noncoding RNA. Alterations in all of these processes have been reported in patients with COPD. In some cases these differences are linked to disease severity and susceptibility and may account for the limited value of genetic studies in COPD. Animal models of COPD suggest that epigenetic modifications and processes are linked to COPD and may be tractable targets for therapeutic intervention


We present an overview of the current literature and management techniques for vaginal extrusion or urinary tract erosion of graft materials used in pelvic floor reconstruction. A MEDLINE search was performed to identify literature pertaining to the incidence and management of vaginal or urinary tract exposure of graft materials commonly used in anti-incontinence and pelvic floor reconstructive procedures. Dependent on the type of mesh material used, a vaginal extrusion rate of up to 77% has been reported. The currently accepted, loosely woven, monofilament type I polypropylene meshes appear to have acceptable lower exposure rates in the range of 1–3% for slings, but with the larger area of mesh used in prolapse repairs, the rate increases to up to 10%. With the current widespread use of graft materials to reinforce pelvic floor reconstructive techniques, it is imperative for surgeons to be familiar with potential complications related to the materials and proper management of these complications. Although it is beginning to appear that the benefit of using some synthetic materials may outweigh the risks, proper management and understanding of the risks is important in order to counsel our patients appropriately and responsibly prior to their surgeries.


Viruses are master molecular manipulators, and evolved to thrive and survive in all species. Key to their continuing success has been the ability to subvert host cell defence systems to ensure viral survival, replication and proliferation. Amongst the diverse arsenal of defence mechanisms deployed by multicellular hosts are those that rely on rapid activation of programmed cell death or apoptosis pathways, to trigger premature cell death of infected host cells. Apoptosis of an infected host cell has been identified as a powerful mechanism to curtail viral spread, and consequently, viruses have evolved sophisticated molecular strategies to subvert host cell apoptotic defences.This special issue is devoted to the interplay of viruses and host cell apoptotic signalling pathways. Many viruses manipulate apoptosis for their own purpose, and Zhou et al. review the interplay of viruses with death receptor mediated apoptosis . This coI hope that the research articles and reviews that were assembled for this special issue will shed light for both experts and interested bystanders on the complex and sometimes unexpected interplay between viruses and host cell apoptosis signalling pathways, and inspires researchers to investigate the many unresolved questions about the ways and means utilized by viruses to manipulate life and death of an infected cell.


Integrating social client relationship management (CRM 2.0) in the built environment can enhance the relationship between construction organizations and client towards sustaining a long and lasting collaboration. The data exploration analyzed the e-readiness of contracting and consulting construction firms in the uptake of CRM 2.0 and the barriers encountered in the adoption of the modern business tool. The targeted organizations consist of seventy five (75) construction businesses operating in Lagos State which were selected from a pool of registered contracting and consulting construction firms using random sampling technique. Descriptive statistics of the e-readiness of contracting and consulting construction firms for CRM 2.0 adoption and barriers limiting its uptake were analyzed. Also, inferential analysis using Mann–Whitney U statistical and independent sample t-test was performed on the dataset obtained. The data generated will support construction firms on the necessity to engage in client social relationship management in ensuring sustainable client relationship management in the built environment. Specifications tableValue of the data•Clients are the most important entity in the construction business, therefore managing their needs is paramount to the success of construction organizations.•The dataset will enable researchers to advance on the subject of social client relationship management in the built environment as there is a dearth of studies in this area as it relate to the construction industry •An understanding of the data when analyzed compared with existing data on client relationship management can help ascertain the sustainable route to managing client relationship in the built environment.•The dataset can help construction stakeholders understand the barriers militating against the uptake of client social relationship management so as to develop a framework that can successfully increase the uptake of ICT tools and other relationship management tools in the built environment.•Clients are the most important entity in the construction business, therefore managing their needs is paramount to the success of construction organizations.1p-value at .40 and .36 which is higher that the alpha value of .05 depicts that there was no significant difference between contracting and consulting firms on barriers militating against the adoption of social media in social client relationship management (CRM 2.0) in their construction business.Social client relationship management (CRM 2.0) is a business strategy that uses internet and social media platforms to enhance traditional, one-dimensional interactions between companies and their existing and potential customers by giving clients greater control over how they communicate with the firms they do business with and providing them with the tools needed to form the foundation of the relationship. In order to measure the relationship management that exist between clients and construction organization, the data exploration covered contractor and consultant construction firm's readiness to uptake social client relationship management (CRM 2.0) in the built environment and barriers militating against its uptake. The necessity of the data on Client Relationship Management uptake is due to the slow rate of adoption of the modern client management tool in the built environment compared to other industries like telecommunication and logistic enterprise 2The population for the data exploration is the summation of construction organizations which comprises of consulting and contracting firms in Nigeria. The dataset collected is more specific to construction business of contracting and consulting firms operating in Lagos State. Lagos State has many head offices of construction organizations within the state. The contracting and consulting construction firms used to generate the data were selected randomly from the pool of the record of registered construction organizations in the study area. A cross-sectional research survey design was used in selecting the sample size of seventy-five (75) construction organizations. Questionnaire instruments were directed to managerial staff that deal with client and client organizations. Similar field surveys that have obtained dataset in like manner include


Now, the time required to replace a field light is up to seven times faster and the time to realign a reticule is reduced to the order of three times faster. Only one quality control (QC) check is required after these adjustments. Removal of excess heat within the gantry head has eliminated two major problems: (A) the metal rod supporting the mirror assembly for the field light no longer expands and contracts causing a misalignment of the field light projection, and (B) the damage to the bearing in the cooling fan assembly has been eliminated. The simulator is now more functional and these improvements have reduced downtime significantly, making repairs and adjustments much more convenient and efficient.The modifications made to a radiotherapy simulator that improve its functionality and minimize its downtime are described. Functionality was enhanced with some simple effective improvements. Decreasing the frequency and time spent on repairs reduced downtime. These “in‐house” improvements were made to a Varian Ximatron simulator at the Tom Baker Cancer Center. Now there is easier access to the field light and optical distance indicator (ODI). Projections of the field light and ODI are much brighter and ODI adjustment is more reproducible. A crosshair was etched onto the clear PACS number(s): 87.53.Vb, 87.53.Xd Conventional radiotherapy simulators are still the workhorses for treatment simulation even with the popularity of CT‐simulators and virtual simulation. Almost all treatment facilities use conventional simulation for tumor localization and treatment simulation for many treatment sites. They are much less expensive and simpler and cheaper to repair and maintain than the more complicated CT‐simulators.Some conventional simulator designs do not allow convenient or timely repair and replacement of components within the gantry simulator head. The compactness of all of the various systems makes it difficult to gain access to the affected component and not adversely affect other nearby components unintentionally. Thus, seemingly simple routine servicing that should be quick to complete are made difficult and untimely.The replacement of burnt out light bulbs for the field light and optical distance indicator (ODI) assemblies require immediate replacement usually during a busy clinical day. On the average replacement occurs once or twice a year and there have been years where light bulb replacement occurred up to four times. The proximity of these lights is so close to other crucial components that any tampering with them may adversely affect the others. Again what should be simple tasks are manifest into inordinate amounts of time during the useful clinical day causing an increase in downtime that should be preventable or reducible.All improvements have been made to the components in the head of the simulator gantry with the intent of making convenient and more efficient adjustments and major savings in downtime. Before modifications downtime from these components ranged from 5.5 to 22.5 h per year, and after the improvements downtime was reduced to the range of 3.5 to 5.5 h. The time to plan trouble shoot, and implement the modifications took approximately one week of nonclinical time. Duplicate original equipment manufacturer's (OEM) components were modified externally allowing continued clinical use of the simulator. Final implementation of the completed modules was efficient and also performed outside of clinical time (see Table II). The importance of the field light, ODI, and reticule alignment see Fig.  in the sSeven major improvements have been made to deal with the following problems:(i) Gaining access to the affected device in a timely manner within a tightly compacted and confined space. Many components are within very close proximity to one another within the simulator head. In fact, some systems block access to others and some systems cannot be handled without simultaneously touching and adversely affecting another.(ii) Heat buildup caused by the burning bulbs of the field light and ODI. This heating and eventual cooling causes the metal rod supporting the mirror to expand and contract. The mirror, which is then a moving target, changes the optical projection of the reticule crosshair causing a perceived misalignment. In the cooled state, this misalignment disappears.(iii) The cooling fan bearing wears down with latent heat originating from hot light bulbs causing premature failure.(iv) Alignment mechanism for ODI lacks reproducible control using only one screw to control tilt. Thus, trial and error is used in positioning.(v) Projections of the field light and the ODI are dim enough that they are difficult to read on the patient.(vi) Damaged or loose reticules have been time consuming to realign.(vii) Quality control checks after any of the above mentioned repairs have been very time consuming and may have to be repeated in an iterative repair procedure causing further delay to clinical service. Reducing repetition of these or eliminating them altogether is desirable in reducing downtime.The lamp assembly was modified with fiber optics  to make the manipulation of the assembly more convenient and timely. It was relocated to share the housing  with the ODI and the cooling fan that is shown in Fig. A special tilting mechanism was added to the fiber optic inputs for the field light and ODI  shown in Fig. The ODI mechanism for alignment was controlled from a single screw or pivot  It was modified to allow movements using two independently placed screws. This allows a push‐pull dynamic facilitating more reproducible movements for alignment. Figure All of the improvements have produced a reduction of downtime and more convenient repairs and maintenance (see Table II). The components requiring the most frequent servicing, namely the field light and ODI, were improved significantly. The modified design facilitates easier access to these components while minimizing or eliminating the potential for adverse effects to other components nearby. This increases efficiency by eliminating needless adjustments and the accompanying QC checks.3 Replacing the light bulb for the field light for example will no longer affect the bulb positioning since it is fixed within the new housing and this eliminates the lengthy amount of time that was required previously to reposition the bulb. Now the QC afterwards is done only once for the affected component only.The heat that builds up from the field light and the ODI light was concentrated and made the assembly too hot to touch. The conduction of this heat caused the expansion of the mounting rod see Fig.  that supThe tilting mechanism for the field light and ODI is a very simple but significant improvement. This feature locks the corresponding light bulb into a position eliminating the fiber optic input falling on the optical shadow created by the apex of the bulb. A significant increase in brightness is achieved for both systems.Any positioning adjustment of the ODI can now be done in a reproducible manner with the new dual screw push‐pull mechanism. A large increase in efficiency is realized over that of the previous single screw trial and error mechanism.x‐ray center coincides with the optical center and the collimator axis of rotation.The addition of the optical crosshair markings on the previously clear acrylic exit window facilitates an effective starting point for realignment and replacement of the reticule. The reticule crosshair is aligned optically with the projection from the acrylic window crosshair. Then centering of the crosshair is tested optically followed by a fluoroscopic test to verify that the optical and fluoroscopic crosshair images match.A Varian Ximatron simulator has been improved with regards to utility and the reduction of downtime. The field light and ODI assembly have been combined into one housing together with the cooling fan which now runs continually to remove any heating problems from the lights. This design makes these components more accessible and their adjustment independent of other components in the simulator gantry head. The field light has been modified to include fiber optics and any light bulb replacement occurs at a fixed position within the housing, eliminating time‐consuming optical maneuvering. Increased brightness to both the field light and ODI has been achieved with a tilting mechanism that fixes the bulb into a shadow‐free position within the assembly. The continuously running cooling fan reduces the heat enough such that it disallows the previously occurring displacement of the mirror. This saves much time and frustration in repair. Premature failure of the fan is also avoided. The ODI adjustment mechanism has been converted from a trial and error device utilizing a single screw into a dual screw push‐pull dynamic allowing reproducibility. A permanent optical crosshair that overlaps optically with the reticule crosshair has been added to the clear acrylic sheet composing the exit window. This allows an efficient reticule replacement or adjustment. All of these improvements have significantly reduced downtime of repair, replacement, and repositioning. The frequency of QC after routine adjustments has been greatly diminished with the added confidence of the design.


Haematopoiesis is the term used to describe the production of blood cells. This is a tightly regulated hierarchical system in which mature circulating blood cells develop from a small population of haematopoietic stem (HSC) and progenitor cells within the microenvironment of the bone marrow. Molecular and genetic abnormalities arising in these stem cells lead to a block in the normal programme of proliferation and differentiation and result in the development of the blood cancers known as the leukaemias and lymphomas. Recently the regulatory role of the bone marrow microenvironment or niche has also become increasingly recognised. The interface between the bone and bone marrow (endosteum) and the region surrounding the blood vessels (perivascular) provide distinct niches harbouring quiescent HSC or proliferative HSC respectively. Current chemotherapeutic regimes can often successfully target the proliferative HSC but disease relapse occurs due to residual quiescent HSC. Understanding these developmental and regulatory processes and the associated cell communication mechanisms are thus crucial to the development of new treatment strategies. The CCN family of proteins have been recognised to play a key role in all aspects of haematopoiesis. Normal adult blood cell production (haematopoiesis) takes place mainly within the bone marrow. It is now acknowledged that this microenvironment plays a key role in maintaining the balance between proliferation and differentiation  with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) and CD34+ cells from 100 cord blood samples  is also a recognised source of haematopoietic progenitor cells although these cells differ subtly from those found in bone marrow  is characterised by the accumulation of malignant plasma cells in the bone marrow (BM) leading to the overproduction of monoclonal immunoglobulins, osteolytic bone lesions, renal disease and immunodeficiency. MM is usually preceded by the premalignant conditions monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) and/or smouldering multiple myeloma (SMM). Interactions between MM cells and the BM microenvironment are well-established to play a role in supporting the growth and survival of MM cells, as well as enhancing bone resorption through increased osteoclast activity and suppression of osteoblast activity  is a term used to represent a group of leukaemias in which there is a block in differentiation in the myeloid lineage of cells. These leukaemias are the result of malignant transformation in haematopoietic stem or progenitor cells and are characterised by the presence of 20 % or more immature blast cells in the blood or bone marrow at diagnosis. AML is classified into specific subtypes based on cytogenetic and molecular characteristics defined by the World Health Organisation. This classification provides prognostic information regarding poor, intermediate and favourable risk groups  study  is from the MILE (Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL) is the most common leukaemia found in children but it is also found in adults where it has a poor prognosis. Research in this field is focussed on finding new prognostic biomarkers and alternative therapeutic targets  compared to non-Hodgkins (32 patients) lymphoma  is the only blood cancer which is characterised by a single specific genetic marker, the Philadelphia chromosome. This is caused by a reciprocal translocation between chromosomes 9 and 22 and leads to the formation of the bcr-abl fusion protein associated with elevated tyrosine kinase activity. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors have been developed as targeted therapy for CML and have been successful in obtaining long term remissions in patients. Nevertheless, many patients become resistant to these inhibitors and it is acknowledged that the leukaemia initiating cell remains. Efforts are now being made to find targets other than the kinase activity and to understand the relationship of the leukaemic stem cell with the surrounding microenvironment (Hughes and Ross CCN3 expression is dys-regulated at both the RNA and protein level in CML and there is a reciprocal relationship between CCN3 and BCR-ABL expression (McCallum et al. The mechanism of action of CCN3-induced growth regulation has been investigated using a number of cell line models. In the FDCP-MIX CML cell line model it was shown that BCR-ABL kinase activity not only regulates transcriptional activity but also enhances CCN3 secretion by the cells (McCallum et al. CCN3 is a non-canonical NOTCH ligand which is known to be a core signalling pathway in the haematopoietic system (Bigas et al. With the advent of high throughput technologies it is possible to screen for expression of thousands of genes in both cell lines and primary clinical material. CCN family members are now included on many microarray platforms and information on expression profiling is increasing exponentially. Two large online datasets discussed in this review, BloodSpot and MILE, are prime examples of information which suggests a wider involvement of CCN family members in blood cancer than currently appreciated but has not yet been validated (Kohlmann et al. This review has focused on the role of CCN members in haematological malignancies where there is more than simply basic expression data available. The haematology research community is currently focusing on targeting the microenvironment in addition to the malignant stem cell to improve therapeutic efficacy. It is clear the CCN family will play a key part in these future developments.


This review will discuss the importance of sequencing long chondroitin sulfate and dermatan sulfate chains specifically derived from decorin. Decorin is a member of the small leucine-rich repeat proteoglycans and ubiquitously expressed primarily in the skin. Sequence information and diverse function of glycosaminoglycans is further influenced by variable expression through the core protein indicating the importance to analyse glycosaminoglycans from specific proteoglycans.


The electroactivity of purine and pyrimidine bases is the most important property of nucleic acids that is very useful for determining oligonucleotides using square wave voltammetry. This study was focused on the electrochemical behavior of adenine-containing oligonucleotides before and after their isolation using paramagnetic particles. Two peaks were detected—peak A related to the reduction of adenine base and another peak B involved in the interactions between individual adenine strands and contributes to the formation of various spatial structures. The influence of the number of adenine bases in the strand in the isolation process using paramagnetic particles was investigated too. The limits of detection  were calculated, whereas N was expressed as standard deviation of noise determined in the signal domain unless stated otherwise [The mathematical analysis of the data and their graphical interpretation were analyzed by software Matlab . The results are expressed as mean ± standard deviation (S.D.) unless noted otherwise  and changes in analytical parameters . It seems that the separation processes based on magnetic materials could change the properties of biomolecules and influence especially their usage in


Neurodegenerative disorders encompass a range of medical conditions which primarily affect the neurons in the human brains. Such conditions result in the disorders of the central nervous system which eventually lead to the progressive loss of neural tissues including death of neurons . An insight into the prospective roles of haptoglobin (Hp) (an endogenous hemoglobin-binding protein) in traumatic brain injury and other acute brain injuries is discussed in another report which portrays to be helpful in understanding the inconsistency in outcomes of clinical studies regarding the importance of Hp phenotypes in such brain injuries . This study is a step forward to develop and progress with new therapeutics in the prevention of cerebral hemorrhage which is a common feature of traumatic brain injury and its associated chronic disabilities . Furthermore, important and significant biomarkers for neurodegeneration have been investigated and studied for their sensitivity and specificity in this e-book that sheds new lights in treatment of irreversible cognitive deficit and dementia in elderly population. Biomarkers represent important molecular diagnostic tools and thus the development of novel biomarkers could bring significant breakthroughs in an early diagnosis of neurodegeneration .This e-book showcases important and significant reports that cover a wide range of areas in neurodegeneration research and treatment. These include diagnosis and prognosis; role of neuroactive drugs in regulating central nervous system; advances in novel biomarkers; brain injury induced neurobehavioral outcomes and also connectivity between spinal muscular atrophy and loss of α-motors neurons among other reports. One of the reports investigates the origin and potential function of corpora amylacea (CA) which are found in large numbers in the central nervous system of the patients with neurodegenerative diseases. Immunohistochemistry analyses were employed to reveal fungal proteins present in CA from patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease . In another review, adropin is discussed as a biomarker for the diagnosis of central nervous system disorders and is considered as a potential therapeutic candidate in central nervous system injuries . It is believed that hyper excitability in neuronal network possibly contributes to the cognitive deficits in Alzheimer's disease and this is addressed in a research report that sheds light on the mechanism of aberrant neuronal networks in Alzheimer's disease . To this end, researchers conducted investigations on the excitability in cultured pyramidal neurons from APP/PS1 mice using patch clamp recording techniques. This provides an important insight into the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease that could be helpful in developing new therapeutic avenues in the future . This e-book covers another area of neurodegeneration: spinal muscular atrophy, which is an early-onset, autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disease that is characterized by the loss of spinal α-motor neurons leading to infant deaths (Butchbach). The author highlights why a better understanding of the underlying mechanism causing spinal muscular atrophy and the accurate measurements thereof are crucial to control such neurodegenerative disease in infants (Butchbach). The molecular mechanisms of C9orf72 gene causing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, frontotemporal dementias and atypical parkinsonian syndromes are also discussed (Munteanu and Lynch).In a particular review, the application of stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells in combating neurodegeneration is discussed that addresses the issues of diagnosis, modeling, and therapeutic transplantation strategies (In concluding our thoughts and deliberations, we do hope that this discussion forum in the form of an edited e-book will advance our further understanding to have an enhanced insight of neurogenesis and eventual cure for neurodegenerative diseases. Future research directions might involve multifunctional biomolecular diagnostic markers and technology platforms that would significantly enhance and augment the accuracy, specificity and sensitivity that would drive an early diagnosis and prognosis of various neurodegenerative disorders.Both authors have made substantial intellectual contribution to the work, and approved it for publication.The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.


The data presented in this article are related to the research article entitled “The Influence of Atrium on Energy Performance of Hotel Building”   Specifications TableValue of the data•The detailed thermal loading data provided for design alternatives of atrium type hotel buildings in Belgrade would give designers a better understanding of hotel energy demands.•The building energy modeling and simulation is performed using EnergyPlus simulation software, and could be compared to other studies that used different simulation techniques.•The data presented in this article could be used for analyzing the facilities located in the climatic conditions similar to Belgrade climate.•Atrium design alternatives could be used as a basis for further research and development of hotel building envelopes.1The data in this article present input data and schedules for the building energy simulation of design alternatives of atrium type hotel building .The research method includes the creation of a hypothetical model for the analysis, design of alternatives, application of numerical simulations using computer software, and comparative analyses of the selected results. The building energy simulation is carried out by OpenStudio SketchUp PlugIn – an interface that integrates with EnergyPlus simulation engine. Certain parameters in the particular model are changed  so that the observation of how the changes influence energy performance of the building could be conducted.


This data presented herein are the research summary of “mechanical behavior and durability performance of concrete containing recycled concrete aggregate”   Specifications TableValue of the data•The influence of replacement of recycle concrete aggregate in production of new structural concrete is discussed here•This data set can also be used as a guideline for others to scrutinize the properties of recycle concrete aggregate•The research data presented herein may be useful to manufacture different commercial elements using recycle concrete aggregate•This data set may also encourage to recycle other wastes to minimize the dependency on natural resources1This dataset reported herein were obtained from the experimental studies conducted on the different percentages of recycle concrete aggregate (RCA) replacement in the concrete mix and relate them to the influence of physical, mechanical and durability properties. The detailed of the dataset can also be found in 2The materials compositions for different RCA mixes used in the research are shown in The RCA was collected from the different sources of construction and demolition waste (C&DW) sites in the Western Cape region of South Africa. Concrete was then made by replacing different percentages  of NA by RCA as they are assigned RCA0 to RCA100 in The physical properties of aggregates such as relative density of aggregates, aggregate crushing value, flakiness index, and water absorption capacity were also measured and presented in


The data presented herein are compilations of the research summary of “Assessment of the Quality of Steel Reinforcement Bars Available in Nigerian Market”  [1]. This data article provides information on the properties and cost of steel rebars used in reinforced concrete in Lagos, Nigeria. The data is based on the properties of 12 mm rebar brands which are the most used steel diameter in construction and they include actual diameters, yield strengths, ultimate strengths, ultimate/yield strength ratio, ductility and the cost of each brand. This data also contains the limiting standard properties of the highlighted properties in this data. Specifications TableValue of the data•This data will assist in assessing the role of steel rebars in the quality of our reinforced concrete properties and form a basis on how to prefer solutions to managing the challenges the state of the steel might pose to construction and durability of building structures.•The data can be used in collaboration with other related research outcome to develop a local factor of safety for the steel rebar as used in the design of reinforced concrete.•This data can form a basis for the standard regulatory bodies or agencies to query erring steel rebar manufacturing brands with a view to improving their quality or appraising complying brands.1Over 90% of storey building in Nigeria are of structures made from reinforced concrete 2The method of sampling these rebars is by market survey to identify the steel brands used in this data, purchased three cuts of 12 mm diameter rebars for each identified steel brand from three different merchants. The cuts were labeled and sent to the laboratory for tests. 12 mm diameter bar size was chosen because it is the most used in structural design work in Nigeria Reinforced concrete is designed according to a recommended standard procedure