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Open AccessArticle Chronic Respiratory Disorders and Their Treatment among Older People with Intellectual Disability and/or Autism Spectrum Disorder in Comparison with the General Population

by Anna Axmon, Peter Höglund and Gerd Ahlström

Healthcare 2017, 5(3), 40; doi:10.3390/healthcare5030040

Received: 27 June 2017 / Revised: 25 July 2017 / Accepted: 27 July 2017 / Published: 1 August 2017

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Abstract

Respiratory disorders are common among people with intellectual disabilities (ID). However, few studies have investigated these disorders among older people with ID. We identified 7936 people, aged 55+ years, with ID and a reference cohort from the general population. Data on diagnoses of

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Respiratory disorders are common among people with intellectual disabilities (ID). However, few studies have investigated these disorders among older people with ID. We identified 7936 people, aged 55+ years, with ID and a reference cohort from the general population. Data on diagnoses of chronic respiratory disorders, with a focus on asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), were collected, as was information on health care visits due to such disorders. We also added data on the prescription of drugs for obstructive airway diseases. Whereas the risk of having at least one diagnosis of asthma during the study period was similar in the two cohorts, people with ID were less likely than the general population to have been diagnosed with COPD. The same was found for health care visits due to asthma and COPD, respectively. The patterns of drug prescription were similar among people with ID and the general population, with the exception of adrenergics for systemic use, which were more commonly prescribed to people with ID. Thus, older people with ID do not seem to have an increased risk of asthma or COPD. Moreover, the indications are that when diagnosed with any of these disorders, they receive treatment adapted to their particular needs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ageing with Chronic Disease and Disability)

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Open AccessArticle An Efficient Algorithm for the Separable Nonlinear Least Squares Problem

by Yunqiu Shen and Tjalling J. Ypma

Algorithms 2017, 10(3), 78; doi:10.3390/a10030078

Received: 7 June 2017 / Revised: 23 June 2017 / Accepted: 1 July 2017 / Published: 10 July 2017

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Abstract

The nonlinear least squares problem

m i n_{y, z} ∥ A (y) z + b (y) ∥

, where

A (y)

is a full-rank

(N + ℓ) \times N

matrix,

y \in R^{}

[...] Read more.

The nonlinear least squares problem

m i n_{y, z} ∥ A (y) z + b (y) ∥

, where

A (y)

is a full-rank

(N + ℓ) \times N

matrix,

y \in R^{n}

,

z \in R^{N}

and

b (y) \in R^{N + ℓ}

with

ℓ \geq n

, can be solved by first solving a reduced problem

m i n_{y} ∥ f (y) ∥

to find the optimal value

y^{*}

of y, and then solving the resulting linear least squares problem

m i n_{z} ∥ A (y^{*}) z + b (y^{*}) ∥

to find the optimal value

z^{*}

of z. We have previously justified the use of the reduced function

f (y) = C^{T} (y) b (y)

, where

C (y)

is a matrix whose columns form an orthonormal basis for the nullspace of

A^{T} (y)

, and presented a quadratically convergent Gauss–Newton type method for solving

m i n_{y} ∥ C^{T} (y) b (y) ∥

based on the use of QR factorization. In this note, we show how LU factorization can replace the QR factorization in those computations, halving the associated computational cost while also providing opportunities to exploit sparsity and thus further enhance computational efficiency. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Numerical Algorithms for Solving Nonlinear Equations and Systems 2017)

Open AccessReply Reply to Alizadeh’s Letter to the Editor Re: Lu, P.Y. et al., Nutrients 2017, 9, 38

by Pei-Ying Lu, Long Shu, Shan-Shan Shen, Xu-Jiao Chen and Xiao-Yan Zhang

Nutrients 2017, 9(7), 720; doi:10.3390/nu9070720

Received: 6 July 2017 / Revised: 6 July 2017 / Accepted: 6 July 2017 / Published: 7 July 2017

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Abstract

n/a Full article

Open AccessArticle Geographic Variations in Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Luxembourg

by Ala’a Alkerwi, Illiasse El Bahi, Saverio Stranges, Jean Beissel, Charles Delagardelle, Stephanie Noppe and Ngianga-Bakwin Kandala

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2017, 14(6), 648; doi:10.3390/ijerph14060648

Received: 13 April 2017 / Revised: 5 June 2017 / Accepted: 5 June 2017 / Published: 16 June 2017

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Abstract

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and associated behavioural and metabolic risk factors constitute a major public health concern at a global level. Many reports worldwide have documented different risk profiles for populations with demographic variations. The objective of this study was to examine geographic variations

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Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and associated behavioural and metabolic risk factors constitute a major public health concern at a global level. Many reports worldwide have documented different risk profiles for populations with demographic variations. The objective of this study was to examine geographic variations in the top leading cardio metabolic and behavioural risk factors in Luxembourg, in order to provide an overall picture of CVD burden across the country. The analysis conducted was based on data from the nationwide ORISCAV-LUX survey, including 1432 subjects, aged 18–69 years. A self-reported questionnaire, physical examination and blood sampling were performed. Age and sex-adjusted risk profile maps were generated using multivariate Bayesian geo-additive regression models, based on Markov Chain Monte Carlo techniques and were used to evaluate the significance of the spatial effects on the distribution of a range of cardio metabolic risk factors, namely smoking, high body mass index (BMI), high blood pressure, high fasting plasma glucose, alcohol use, high total cholesterol, low glomerular filtration rate, and physical inactivity. Higher prevalence of smoking was observed in the northern regions, higher overweight/obesity and abdominal obesity clustered in the central belt, whereas hypertension was spotted particularly in the southern part of the country. Maps revealed that subjects residing in Luxembourg canton were significantly less likely to be hypertensive or overweight/obese, whereas they were less likely to practice physical activity of ≥8000 Metabolic Equivalent of Task (MET)-min/week. These patterns were also observed at the municipality level in Luxembourg. Statistically, there were non-significant spatial patterns regarding smoking, diabetes, total serum cholesterol and low glomerular filtration rate risk distribution. This comprehensive risk profile mapping showed remarkable geographic variations in cardio metabolic and behavioural risk factors. Considering the prominent burden of CVD this research provides opportunities for tailored interventions and may help to better fight against this escalating public health problem. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Global Health)

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Open AccessArticle Short-Term Associations between Air Pollution Concentrations and Respiratory Health—Comparing Primary Health Care Visits, Hospital Admissions, and Emergency Department Visits in a Multi-Municipality Study

by Tahir Taj, Ebba Malmqvist, Emilie Stroh, Daniel Oudin Åström, Kristina Jakobsson and Anna Oudin

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2017, 14(6), 587; doi:10.3390/ijerph14060587

Received: 22 March 2017 / Revised: 17 May 2017 / Accepted: 27 May 2017 / Published: 31 May 2017

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Abstract

Acute effects of air pollution on respiratory health have traditionally been investigated with data on inpatient admissions, emergency room visits, and mortality. In this study, we aim to describe the total acute effects of air pollution on health care use for respiratory symptoms

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Acute effects of air pollution on respiratory health have traditionally been investigated with data on inpatient admissions, emergency room visits, and mortality. In this study, we aim to describe the total acute effects of air pollution on health care use for respiratory symptoms (ICD10-J00-J99). This will be done by investigating primary health care (PHC) visits, inpatient admissions, and emergency room visits together in five municipalities in southern Sweden, using a case-crossover design. Between 2005 and 2010, there were 81,019 visits to primary health care, 38,217 emergency room visits, and 25,271 inpatient admissions for respiratory symptoms in the study area. There was a 1.85% increase (95% CI: 0.52 to 3.20) in the number of primary health care visits associated with a 10 µg/m³ increase in nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) levels in Malmö, but not in the other municipalities. Air pollution levels were generally not associated with emergency room visits or inpatient admissions, with one exception (in Helsingborg there was a 2.52% increase in emergency room visits for respiratory symptoms associated with a 10 µg/m³ increase in PM₁₀). In conclusion, the results give weak support for short-term effects of air pollution on health care use associated with respiratory health symptoms in the study area. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Pollution and Human Health Risk)

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Open AccessFeature PaperArticle Exploring Streamwater Mixing Dynamics via Handheld Thermal Infrared Imagery

by Marta Antonelli, Julian Klaus, Keith Smettem, Adriaan J. Teuling and Laurent Pfister

Water 2017, 9(5), 358; doi:10.3390/w9050358

Received: 7 March 2017 / Revised: 12 May 2017 / Accepted: 15 May 2017 / Published: 19 May 2017

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Abstract

Stream confluences are important hotspots of aquatic ecological processes. Water mixing dynamics at stream confluences influence physio-chemical characteristics of the stream as well as sediment mobilisation and pollutant dispersal. In this study, we investigated the potential for handheld thermal infrared (TIR) imagery to

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Stream confluences are important hotspots of aquatic ecological processes. Water mixing dynamics at stream confluences influence physio-chemical characteristics of the stream as well as sediment mobilisation and pollutant dispersal. In this study, we investigated the potential for handheld thermal infrared (TIR) imagery to provide rapid information on stream water mixing dynamics at small scales. In-situ visualisation of water mixing patterns can help reduce analytical errors related to stream water sampling locations and improve our understanding of how confluences and tributaries influence aquatic ecological communities. We compared TIR-inferred stream temperature distributions with water electrical conductivity and temperature (measured with a submerged probe) data from cross-channel transects. We show that the use of a portable TIR camera can enhance the visualisation of mixing dynamics taking place at stream confluences, identify the location of the mixing front between two different water sources and the degree of mixing. Interpretation of handheld TIR observations also provided information on how stream morphology and discharge can influence mixing dynamics in small streams. Overall, this study shows that TIR imagery is a valuable support technique for eco-hydrological investigation at small stream confluences. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Developments in Methods for Hydrological Process Understanding)

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Open AccessReview Economic Burden of Obesity: A Systematic Literature Review

by Maximilian Tremmel, Ulf-G. Gerdtham, Peter M. Nilsson and Sanjib Saha

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2017, 14(4), 435; doi:10.3390/ijerph14040435

Received: 5 March 2017 / Revised: 13 April 2017 / Accepted: 16 April 2017 / Published: 19 April 2017

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Abstract

Background: The rising prevalence of obesity represents an important public health issue. An assessment of its costs may be useful in providing recommendations for policy and decision makers. This systematic review aimed to assess the economic burden of obesity and to identify,

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Background: The rising prevalence of obesity represents an important public health issue. An assessment of its costs may be useful in providing recommendations for policy and decision makers. This systematic review aimed to assess the economic burden of obesity and to identify, measure and describe the different obesity-related diseases included in the selected studies. Methods: A systematic literature search of studies in the English language was carried out in Medline (PubMed) and Web of Science databases to select cost-of-illness studies calculating the cost of obesity in a study population aged ≥18 years with obesity, as defined by a body mass index of ≥30 kg/m², for the whole selected country. The time frame for the analysis was January 2011 to September 2016. Results: The included twenty three studies reported a substantial economic burden of obesity in both developed and developing countries. There was considerable heterogeneity in methodological approaches, target populations, study time frames, and perspectives. This prevents an informative comparison between most of the studies. Specifically, there was great variety in the included obesity-related diseases and complications among the studies. Conclusions: There is an urgent need for public health measures to prevent obesity in order to save societal resources. Moreover, international consensus is required on standardized methods to calculate the cost of obesity to improve homogeneity and comparability. This aspect should also be considered when including obesity-related diseases. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Health Services and Health Economics Research)

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Open AccessArticle Evaluating Water Controls on Vegetation Growth in the Semi-Arid Sahel Using Field and Earth Observation Data

by Abdulhakim M. Abdi, Niklas Boke-Olén, David E. Tenenbaum, Torbern Tagesson, Bernard Cappelaere and Jonas Ardö

Remote Sens. 2017, 9(3), 294; doi:10.3390/rs9030294

Received: 31 January 2017 / Revised: 13 March 2017 / Accepted: 14 March 2017 / Published: 21 March 2017

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Abstract

Water loss is a crucial factor for vegetation in the semi-arid Sahel region of Africa. Global satellite-driven estimates of plant CO₂ uptake (gross primary productivity, GPP) have been found to not accurately account for Sahelian conditions, particularly the impact of canopy water

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Water loss is a crucial factor for vegetation in the semi-arid Sahel region of Africa. Global satellite-driven estimates of plant CO₂ uptake (gross primary productivity, GPP) have been found to not accurately account for Sahelian conditions, particularly the impact of canopy water stress. Here, we identify the main biophysical limitations that induce canopy water stress in Sahelian vegetation and evaluate the relationships between field data and Earth observation-derived spectral products for up-scaling GPP. We find that plant-available water and vapor pressure deficit together control the GPP of Sahelian vegetation through their impact on the greening and browning phases. Our results show that a multiple linear regression (MLR) GPP model that combines the enhanced vegetation index, land surface temperature, and the short-wave infrared reflectance (Band 7, 2105–2155 nm) of the moderate-resolution imaging spectroradiometer satellite sensor was able to explain between 88% and 96% of the variability of eddy covariance flux tower GPP at three Sahelian sites (overall = 89%). The MLR GPP model presented here is potentially scalable at a relatively high spatial and temporal resolution. Given the scarcity of field data on CO₂ fluxes in the Sahel, this scalability is important due to the low number of flux towers in the region. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecophysiological Remote Sensing)

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Open AccessArticle Lifestyle and Dietary Determinants of Serum Apolipoprotein A1 and Apolipoprotein B Concentrations: Cross-Sectional Analyses within a Swedish Cohort of 24,984 Individuals

by Kasper Frondelius, Madelene Borg, Ulrika Ericson, Yan Borné, Olle Melander and Emily Sonestedt

Nutrients 2017, 9(3), 211; doi:10.3390/nu9030211

Received: 15 December 2016 / Revised: 21 February 2017 / Accepted: 22 February 2017 / Published: 28 February 2017

Abstract

Low serum apolipoprotein (Apo) A1 concentrations and high serum ApoB concentrations may be better markers of the risk of cardiovascular disease than high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL). However, the associations between modifiable lifestyle factors and Apo concentrations have not been investigated

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Low serum apolipoprotein (Apo) A1 concentrations and high serum ApoB concentrations may be better markers of the risk of cardiovascular disease than high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL). However, the associations between modifiable lifestyle factors and Apo concentrations have not been investigated in detail. Therefore, this study investigated the associations between Apo concentrations and education, lifestyle factors and dietary intake (macronutrients and 34 food groups). These cross-sectional associations were examined among 24,984 individuals in a Swedish population-based cohort. Baseline examinations of the cohort were conducted between 1991 and 1996. Dietary intake was assessed using a modified diet history method. The main determinants of high ApoA1 concentrations (r between 0.05 and 0.25) were high alcohol consumption, high physical activity, non-smoking, and a low body mass index (BMI), and the main determinants of high ApoB concentrations were smoking and a high BMI. The intake of sucrose and food products containing added sugar (such as pastries, sweets, chocolate, jam/sugar and sugar-sweetened beverages) was negatively correlated with ApoA1 concentrations and positively correlated with ApoB concentrations and the ApoB/ApoA1 ratio, whereas the intake of fermented dairy products, such as fermented milk and cheese, was positively correlated with ApoA1 concentrations and negatively correlated with the ApoB/ApoA1 ratio. These results indicate that smoking, obesity, low physical activity, low alcohol consumption and a diet high in sugar and low in fermented dairy products are correlated with an unfavorable Apo profile. Full article

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Open AccessArticle Usage of Smartphone Data to Derive an Indicator for Collaborative Mobility between Individuals

by Bogdan Toader, François Sprumont, Sébastien Faye, Mioara Popescu and Francesco Viti

ISPRS Int. J. Geo-Inf. 2017, 6(3), 62; doi:10.3390/ijgi6030062

Received: 21 December 2016 / Accepted: 21 February 2017 / Published: 24 February 2017

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Abstract

The potential of geospatial big data has been drawing attention for a few years. Despite the larger and larger market penetration of portable technologies (nomadic and wearable devices like smartphones and smartwatches), their opportunities for travel behavior analysis are still relatively unexplored. The

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The potential of geospatial big data has been drawing attention for a few years. Despite the larger and larger market penetration of portable technologies (nomadic and wearable devices like smartphones and smartwatches), their opportunities for travel behavior analysis are still relatively unexplored. The main objective of our study is to extract the human mobility patterns from GPS traces in order to derive an indicator for enhancing Collaborative Mobility (CM) between individuals. The first step, extracting activity duration and location, is done using state-of-the-art automated recognition tools. Sensors data are used to reconstruct individual’s activity location and duration across time. For constructing the indicator, in a second step, we defined different variables and methods for specific case studies. Smartphone sensor data are being collected from a limited number of individuals and for one week. These data are used to evaluate the proposed indicator. Based on the value of the indicator, we analyzed the potential for identifying CM among groups of users, such as sharing traveling resources (e.g., carpooling, ridesharing, parking sharing) and time (rescheduling and reordering activities). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Geospatial Big Data and Transport)

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Open AccessArticle Annual Precipitation Fluctuation and Spatial Differentiation Characteristics of the Horqin Region

by Liangxu Liu, Xueyong Zhao, Qinglan Meng, He Zhao, Xiaoqian Lu, Junkai Gao and Xueli Chang

Sustainability 2017, 9(1), 111; doi:10.3390/su9010111

Received: 1 December 2016 / Revised: 31 December 2016 / Accepted: 4 January 2017 / Published: 13 January 2017

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Abstract

Precipitation is the main water source for vegetation survival in arid and semi-arid areas. However, previous studies always focus on the effects of precipitation in different time scales, but ignore the effects of precipitation in different spatial scales. To further study the effects

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Precipitation is the main water source for vegetation survival in arid and semi-arid areas. However, previous studies always focus on the effects of precipitation in different time scales, but ignore the effects of precipitation in different spatial scales. To further study the effects of precipitation fluctuation in different spatial scales, we used the wavelet analysis method to analyze its temporal and spatial change based on data from eighteen meteorological stations during 1961–2015 in Horqin region. Results showed that: (1) from the overall tendency of precipitation changes, the precipitation inter-annual variations in Horqin region had the tendency of gradually decreasing from the southeast (District IV) to the northwest; (2) the precipitation anomalies of District I–IV between 1960 and 1980 were small and approximate to the normal value; (3) in the time scale of 23–32 years, the cyclical fluctuations were very significant and the annual precipitation underwent two cyclical fluctuations from a period of low precipitation to a period of high precipitation; and (4) as results of analyzing the spatial wavelet variance of sub-region, the main cycle of precipitation in District I, District II and District III was between 10 and 11 years, while the main cycle of precipitation in District IV was 25 years. The main conclusions include the following. (1) This region tended to be arid, and the precipitation gradually decreased from the southeast (District IV) to northwest (District I). (2) The influence of spatial differentiation characteristics on precipitation fluctuation in this region was cyclical fluctuation, which gradually decreased from the southeast to the northwest. The length of the cyclical change period gradually shortened. In the first main cycle, whose annual precipitation changes were most significant, the changing characteristic was District IV and District I decreased from 25 years to 10 years. (3) Predicated from the cyclical changing law that the annual precipitation decreases from high to low, the Horqin region will remain in a period of low precipitation between 2016 and 2020. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Development for Sustainability in Water Constrained Regions)

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Open AccessReply Sometimes More is Too Much: A Rejoinder to the Commentaries on Greiff et al. (2015)

by Samuel Greiff, Matthias Stadler, Philipp Sonnleitner, Christian Wolff and Romain Martin

J. Intell. 2017, 5(1), 6; doi:10.3390/jintelligence5010006

Received: 5 December 2016 / Revised: 24 December 2016 / Accepted: 27 December 2016 / Published: 5 January 2017

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Abstract

In this rejoinder, we respond to two commentaries on the study by Greiff, S.; Stadler, M.; Sonnleitner, P.; Wolff, C.; Martin, R. Sometimes less is more: Comparing the validity of complex problem solving measures. Intelligence 2015, 50, 100–113. The study was

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In this rejoinder, we respond to two commentaries on the study by Greiff, S.; Stadler, M.; Sonnleitner, P.; Wolff, C.; Martin, R. Sometimes less is more: Comparing the validity of complex problem solving measures. Intelligence 2015, 50, 100–113. The study was the first to address the important comparison between a classical measure of complex problem solving (CPS) and the more recent multiple complex systems (MCS) approach regarding their validity. In the study, we investigated the relations between one classical microworld as the initially developed method (here, the Tailorshop) with three more recently developed multiple complex systems (MCS; here, MicroDYN, Genetics Lab, and MicroFIN) tests. We found that the MCS tests showed higher levels of convergent validity with each other than with the Tailorshop even after reasoning was controlled for, thus empirically distinguishing between the two approaches. The commentary by Kretzschmar and the commentary by Funke, Fischer, and Holt expressed several concerns with how our study was conducted, our data was analyzed, and our results were interpreted. Whereas we acknowledge and agree with some of the more general statements made in these commentaries, we respectfully disagree with others, or we consider them to be at least partially in contrast with the existing literature and the currently available empirical evidence. Full article

Open AccessArticle Enabling SDN in VANETs: What is the Impact on Security?

by Antonio Di Maio, Maria Rita Palattella, Ridha Soua, Luca Lamorte, Xavier Vilajosana, Jesus Alonso-Zarate and Thomas Engel

Sensors 2016, 16(12), 2077; doi:10.3390/s16122077

Received: 25 August 2016 / Revised: 11 November 2016 / Accepted: 23 November 2016 / Published: 6 December 2016

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Abstract

The demand for safe and secure journeys over roads and highways has been growing at a tremendous pace over recent decades. At the same time, the smart city paradigm has emerged to improve citizens’ quality of life by developing the smart mobility concept.

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The demand for safe and secure journeys over roads and highways has been growing at a tremendous pace over recent decades. At the same time, the smart city paradigm has emerged to improve citizens’ quality of life by developing the smart mobility concept. Vehicular Ad hoc NETworks (VANETs) are widely recognized to be instrumental in realizing such concept, by enabling appealing safety and infotainment services. Such networks come with their own set of challenges, which range from managing high node mobility to securing data and user privacy. The Software Defined Networking (SDN) paradigm has been identified as a suitable solution for dealing with the dynamic network environment, the increased number of connected devices, and the heterogeneity of applications. While some preliminary investigations have been already conducted to check the applicability of the SDN paradigm to VANETs, and its presumed benefits for managing resources and mobility, it is still unclear what impact SDN will have on security and privacy. Security is a relevant issue in VANETs, because of the impact that threats can have on drivers’ behavior and quality of life. This paper opens a discussion on the security threats that future SDN-enabled VANETs will have to face, and investigates how SDN could be beneficial in building new countermeasures. The analysis is conducted in real use cases (smart parking, smart grid of electric vehicles, platooning, and emergency services), which are expected to be among the vehicular applications that will most benefit from introducing an SDN architecture. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart City: Vision and Reality)

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Open AccessArticle Antimicrobial Protein Candidates from the Thermophilic Geobacillus sp. Strain ZGt-1: Production, Proteomics, and Bioinformatics Analysis

by Rawana N. Alkhalili, Katja Bernfur, Tarek Dishisha, Gashaw Mamo, Jenny Schelin, Björn Canbäck, Cecilia Emanuelsson and Rajni Hatti-Kaul

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2016, 17(8), 1363; doi:10.3390/ijms17081363

Received: 17 June 2016 / Revised: 1 August 2016 / Accepted: 12 August 2016 / Published: 19 August 2016

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Abstract

A thermophilic bacterial strain, Geobacillus sp. ZGt-1, isolated from Zara hot spring in Jordan, was capable of inhibiting the growth of the thermophilic G. stearothermophilus and the mesophilic Bacillus subtilis and Salmonella typhimurium on a solid cultivation medium. Antibacterial activity was not observed

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A thermophilic bacterial strain, Geobacillus sp. ZGt-1, isolated from Zara hot spring in Jordan, was capable of inhibiting the growth of the thermophilic G. stearothermophilus and the mesophilic Bacillus subtilis and Salmonella typhimurium on a solid cultivation medium. Antibacterial activity was not observed when ZGt-1 was cultivated in a liquid medium; however, immobilization of the cells in agar beads that were subjected to sequential batch cultivation in the liquid medium at 60 °C showed increasing antibacterial activity up to 14 cycles. The antibacterial activity was lost on protease treatment of the culture supernatant. Concentration of the protein fraction by ammonium sulphate precipitation followed by denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis separation and analysis of the gel for antibacterial activity against G. stearothermophilus showed a distinct inhibition zone in 15–20 kDa range, suggesting that the active molecule(s) are resistant to denaturation by SDS. Mass spectrometric analysis of the protein bands around the active region resulted in identification of 22 proteins with molecular weight in the range of interest, three of which were new and are here proposed as potential antimicrobial protein candidates by in silico analysis of their amino acid sequences. Mass spectrometric analysis also indicated the presence of partial sequences of antimicrobial enzymes, amidase and dd-carboxypeptidase. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Drug Delivery and Antimicrobial Agents)

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Open AccessArticle Full-Length cDNA Cloning, Molecular Characterization and Differential Expression Analysis of Lysophospholipase I from Ovis aries

by Nan-Nan Liu, Zeng-Shan Liu, Pan Hu, Ying Zhang, Shi-Ying Lu, Yan-Song Li, Yong-Jie Yang, Dong-Song Zhang, Yu Zhou and Hong-Lin Ren

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2016, 17(8), 1206; doi:10.3390/ijms17081206

Received: 3 May 2016 / Revised: 15 June 2016 / Accepted: 19 July 2016 / Published: 28 July 2016

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Abstract

Lysophospholipase I (LYPLA1) is an important protein with multiple functions. In this study, the full-length cDNA of the LYPLA1 gene from Ovis aries (OaLypla1) was cloned using primers and rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) technology. The full-length OaLypla1 was 2457

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Lysophospholipase I (LYPLA1) is an important protein with multiple functions. In this study, the full-length cDNA of the LYPLA1 gene from Ovis aries (OaLypla1) was cloned using primers and rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) technology. The full-length OaLypla1 was 2457 bp with a 5′-untranslated region (UTR) of 24 bp, a 3′-UTR of 1740 bp with a poly (A) tail, and an open reading frame (ORF) of 693 bp encoding a protein of 230 amino acid residues with a predicted molecular weight of 24,625.78 Da. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the OaLypla1 protein shared a high amino acid identity with LYPLA1 of Bos taurus. The recombinant OaLypla1 protein was expressed and purified, and its phospholipase activity was identified. Monoclonal antibodies (mAb) against OaLypla1 that bound native OaLypla1 were generated. Real-time PCR analysis revealed that OaLypla1 was constitutively expressed in the liver, spleen, lung, kidney, and white blood cells of sheep, with the highest level in the kidney. Additionally, the mRNA levels of OaLypla1 in the buffy coats of sheep challenged with virulent or avirulent Brucella strains were down-regulated compared to untreated sheep. The results suggest that OaLypla1 may have an important physiological role in the host response to bacteria. The function of OaLypla1 in the host response to bacterial infection requires further study in the future. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Biochemistry, Molecular and Cellular Biology)

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Open AccessArticle Diet Quality and Change in Blood Lipids during 16 Years of Follow-up and Their Interaction with Genetic Risk for Dyslipidemia

by Emily Sonestedt, Sophie Hellstrand, Isabel Drake, Christina-Alexandra Schulz, Ulrika Ericson, Joanna Hlebowicz, Margaretha M. Persson, Bo Gullberg, Bo Hedblad, Gunnar Engström and Marju Orho-Melander

Nutrients 2016, 8(5), 274; doi:10.3390/nu8050274

Received: 16 March 2016 / Revised: 29 April 2016 / Accepted: 3 May 2016 / Published: 9 May 2016

Abstract

A high diet quality according to the Swedish nutrition recommendations is associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease in the population-based Malmö Diet and Cancer cohort. To further clarify this protective association, we examined the association between high diet quality and change

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A high diet quality according to the Swedish nutrition recommendations is associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease in the population-based Malmö Diet and Cancer cohort. To further clarify this protective association, we examined the association between high diet quality and change in triglycerides, high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), and low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) after 16 years of follow-up in 3152 individuals (61% women; 46–68 years at baseline). In addition, we examined if genetic risk scores composed of 80 lipid-associated genetic variants modify these associations. A diet quality index based on intakes of saturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, sucrose, fiber, fruit and vegetables, and fish was constructed. A high diet quality was associated with lower risk of developing high triglycerides (p = 0.02) and high LDL-C (p = 0.03) during follow-up compared with a low diet quality. We found an association between diet quality and long-term change in HDL-C only among those with lower genetic risk for low HDL-C as opposed to those with higher genetic risk (p-interaction = 0.04). Among those with lower genetic risk for low HDL-C, low diet quality was associated with decreased HDL-C during follow-up (p = 0.05). In conclusion, individuals with high adherence to the Swedish nutrition recommendation had lower risk of developing high triglycerides and LDL-C during 16 years of follow-up. Full article

Open AccessArticle A Hydrological Concept including Lateral Water Flow Compatible with the Biogeochemical Model ForSAFE

by Giuliana Zanchi, Salim Belyazid, Cecilia Akselsson, Lin Yu, Kevin Bishop, Stephan J. Köhler and Harald Grip

Hydrology 2016, 3(1), 11; doi:10.3390/hydrology3010011

Received: 16 December 2015 / Revised: 17 February 2016 / Accepted: 26 February 2016 / Published: 4 March 2016

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Abstract

The study presents a hydrology concept developed to include lateral water flow in the biogeochemical model ForSAFE. The hydrology concept was evaluated against data collected at Svartberget in the Vindeln Research Forest in Northern Sweden. The results show that the new concept allows

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The study presents a hydrology concept developed to include lateral water flow in the biogeochemical model ForSAFE. The hydrology concept was evaluated against data collected at Svartberget in the Vindeln Research Forest in Northern Sweden. The results show that the new concept allows simulation of a saturated and an unsaturated zone in the soil as well as water flow that reaches the stream comparable to measurements. The most relevant differences compared to streamflow measurements are that the model simulates a higher base flow in winter and lower flow peaks after snowmelt. These differences are mainly caused by the assumptions made to regulate the percolation at the bottom of the simulated soil columns. The capability for simulating lateral flows and a saturated zone in ForSAFE can greatly improve the simulation of chemical exchange in the soil and export of elements from the soil to watercourses. Such a model can help improve the understanding of how environmental changes in the forest landscape will influence chemical loads to surface waters. Full article

Open AccessArticle Landslide Deformation Analysis by Coupling Deformation Time Series from SAR Data with Hydrological Factors through Data Assimilation

by Yanan Jiang, Mingsheng Liao, Zhiwei Zhou, Xuguo Shi, Lu Zhang and Time Balz

Remote Sens. 2016, 8(3), 179; doi:10.3390/rs8030179

Received: 2 December 2015 / Revised: 17 January 2016 / Accepted: 14 February 2016 / Published: 25 February 2016

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Abstract

Time-series SAR/InSAR techniques have proven to be effective tools for measuring landslide movements over large regions. Prior studies of these techniques, however, have focused primarily on technical innovation and applications, leaving coupling analysis of slope displacements and trigging factors as an unexplored area

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Time-series SAR/InSAR techniques have proven to be effective tools for measuring landslide movements over large regions. Prior studies of these techniques, however, have focused primarily on technical innovation and applications, leaving coupling analysis of slope displacements and trigging factors as an unexplored area of research. Linking potential landslide inducing factors such as hydrology to SAR/InSAR derived displacements is of crucial importance for understanding landslide deformation mechanisms and could support the development of early-warning systems for disaster mitigation and management. In this study, a sequential data assimilation method named the Ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF), is adopted to explore the response mechanisms of the Shuping landslide movement in relation to hydrological factors. Previous research on the Shuping landslide area shows that the reservoir water level and rainfall are the two main triggering factors in slope failures. To extract the time-series deformations for the Shuping landslide area, Pixel Offset Tracking (POT) technique with corner reflectors was adopted to process the TerraSAR-X StripMap (SM) and High-resolution Spotlight (HS) images. Considering that these triggering factors are the primary causes of displacement fluctuations in periodic displacement, time-series decomposition was carried out to extract the periodic displacement from the POT measurements. The correlations between the periodic displacement and the inducing factors were qualitatively estimated through a grey relational analysis. Based on this analysis, the EnKF method was adopted to explore the response relationships between the displacements and triggering factors. Preliminary results demonstrate the effectiveness of EnKF in studying deformation response mechanisms and understanding landslide development processes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Earth Observations for Geohazards) Printed Edition available

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Open AccessArticle A Memristor-Based Hyperchaotic Complex Lü System and Its Adaptive Complex Generalized Synchronization

by Shibing Wang, Xingyuan Wang, Yufei Zhou and Bo Han

Entropy 2016, 18(2), 58; doi:10.3390/e18020058

Received: 7 December 2015 / Revised: 3 February 2016 / Accepted: 4 February 2016 / Published: 22 February 2016

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Abstract

This paper introduces a new memristor-based hyperchaotic complex Lü system (MHCLS) and investigates its adaptive complex generalized synchronization (ACGS). Firstly, the complex system is constructed based on a memristor-based hyperchaotic real Lü system, and its properties are analyzed theoretically. Secondly, its dynamical behaviors,

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This paper introduces a new memristor-based hyperchaotic complex Lü system (MHCLS) and investigates its adaptive complex generalized synchronization (ACGS). Firstly, the complex system is constructed based on a memristor-based hyperchaotic real Lü system, and its properties are analyzed theoretically. Secondly, its dynamical behaviors, including hyperchaos, chaos, transient phenomena, as well as periodic behaviors, are explored numerically by means of bifurcation diagrams, Lyapunov exponents, phase portraits, and time history diagrams. Thirdly, an adaptive controller and a parameter estimator are proposed to realize complex generalized synchronization and parameter identification of two identical MHCLSs with unknown parameters based on Lyapunov stability theory. Finally, the numerical simulation results of ACGS and its applications to secure communication are presented to verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Complexity)

Open AccessArticle Airborne Hyperspectral Data Predict Fine-Scale Plant Species Diversity in Grazed Dry Grasslands

by Thomas Möckel, Jonas Dalmayne, Barbara C. Schmid, Honor C. Prentice and Karin Hall

Remote Sens. 2016, 8(2), 133; doi:10.3390/rs8020133

Received: 16 September 2015 / Revised: 3 December 2015 / Accepted: 25 January 2016 / Published: 8 February 2016

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Abstract

Semi-natural grasslands with grazing management are characterized by high fine-scale species richness and have a high conservation value. The fact that fine-scale surveys of grassland plant communities are time-consuming may limit the spatial extent of ground-based diversity surveys. Remote sensing tools have the

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Semi-natural grasslands with grazing management are characterized by high fine-scale species richness and have a high conservation value. The fact that fine-scale surveys of grassland plant communities are time-consuming may limit the spatial extent of ground-based diversity surveys. Remote sensing tools have the potential to support field-based sampling and, if remote sensing data are able to identify grassland sites that are likely to support relatively higher or lower levels of species diversity, then field sampling efforts could be directed towards sites that are of potential conservation interest. In the present study, we examined whether aerial hyperspectral (414–2501 nm) remote sensing can be used to predict fine-scale plant species diversity (characterized as species richness and Simpson’s diversity) in dry grazed grasslands. Vascular plant species were recorded within 104 (4 m × 4 m) plots on the island of Öland (Sweden) and each plot was characterized by a 245-waveband hyperspectral data set. We used two different modeling approaches to evaluate the ability of the airborne spectral measurements to predict within-plot species diversity: (1) a spectral response approach, based on reflectance information from (i) all wavebands, and (ii) a subset of wavebands, analyzed with a partial least squares regression model, and (2) a spectral heterogeneity approach, based on the mean distance to the spectral centroid in an ordinary least squares regression model. Species diversity was successfully predicted by the spectral response approach (with an error of ca. 20%) but not by the spectral heterogeneity approach. When using the spectral response approach, iterative selection of important wavebands for the prediction of the diversity measures simplified the model but did not improve its predictive quality (prediction error). Wavebands sensitive to plant pigment content (400–700 nm) and to vegetation structural properties, such as above-ground biomass (700–1300 nm), were identified as being the most important predictors of plant species diversity. We conclude that hyperspectral remote sensing technology is able to identify fine-scale variation in grassland diversity and has a potential use as a tool in surveys of grassland plant diversity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing of Biodiversity)

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Open AccessReview Human Anti-Oxidation Protein A1M—A Potential Kidney Protection Agent in Peptide Receptor Radionuclide Therapy

by Jonas Ahlstedt, Thuy A. Tran, Sven-Erik Strand, Magnus Gram and Bo Åkerström

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2015, 16(12), 30309-30320; doi:10.3390/ijms161226234

Received: 31 October 2015 / Revised: 28 November 2015 / Accepted: 11 December 2015 / Published: 18 December 2015

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Abstract

Peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) has been in clinical use for 15 years to treat metastatic neuroendocrine tumors. PRRT is limited by reabsorption and retention of the administered radiolabeled somatostatin analogues in the proximal tubule. Consequently, it is essential to develop and employ

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Peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) has been in clinical use for 15 years to treat metastatic neuroendocrine tumors. PRRT is limited by reabsorption and retention of the administered radiolabeled somatostatin analogues in the proximal tubule. Consequently, it is essential to develop and employ methods to protect the kidneys during PRRT. Today, infusion of positively charged amino acids is the standard method of kidney protection. Other methods, such as administration of amifostine, are still under evaluation and show promising results. α₁-microglobulin (A1M) is a reductase and radical scavenging protein ubiquitously present in plasma and extravascular tissue. Human A1M has antioxidation properties and has been shown to prevent radiation-induced in vitro cell damage and protect non-irradiated surrounding cells. It has recently been shown in mice that exogenously infused A1M and the somatostatin analogue octreotide are co-localized in proximal tubules of the kidney after intravenous infusion. In this review we describe the current situation of kidney protection during PRRT, discuss the necessity and implications of more precise dosimetry and present A1M as a new, potential candidate for renal protection during PRRT and related targeted radionuclide therapies. Full article

(This article belongs to the collection Radiation Toxicity in Cells)

Open AccessArticle Towards an Autonomous Vision-Based Unmanned Aerial System against Wildlife Poachers

by Miguel A. Olivares-Mendez, Changhong Fu, Philippe Ludivig, Tegawendé F. Bissyandé, Somasundar Kannan, Maciej Zurad, Arun Annaiyan, Holger Voos and Pascual Campoy

Sensors 2015, 15(12), 31362-31391; doi:10.3390/s151229861

Received: 28 September 2015 / Revised: 30 November 2015 / Accepted: 2 December 2015 / Published: 12 December 2015

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 1642 | PDF Full-text (6411 KB) | HTML Full-text | XML Full-text

Abstract

Poaching is an illegal activity that remains out of control in many countries. Based on the 2014 report of the United Nations and Interpol, the illegal trade of global wildlife and natural resources amounts to nearly $ 213 billion every year, which is

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Poaching is an illegal activity that remains out of control in many countries. Based on the 2014 report of the United Nations and Interpol, the illegal trade of global wildlife and natural resources amounts to nearly $ 213 billion every year, which is even helping to fund armed conflicts. Poaching activities around the world are further pushing many animal species on the brink of extinction. Unfortunately, the traditional methods to fight against poachers are not enough, hence the new demands for more efficient approaches. In this context, the use of new technologies on sensors and algorithms, as well as aerial platforms is crucial to face the high increase of poaching activities in the last few years. Our work is focused on the use of vision sensors on UAVs for the detection and tracking of animals and poachers, as well as the use of such sensors to control quadrotors during autonomous vehicle following and autonomous landing. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue UAV Sensors for Environmental Monitoring)

Open AccessArticle Quality of Work: Validation of a New Instrument in Three Languages

by Georges Steffgen, Diane Kohl, Gerhard Reese, Christian Happ and Philipp Sischka

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2015, 12(12), 14988-15006; doi:10.3390/ijerph121214958

Received: 23 September 2015 / Revised: 10 November 2015 / Accepted: 19 November 2015 / Published: 26 November 2015

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Abstract

Introduction and objective: A new instrument to measure quality of work was developed in three languages (German, French and Luxembourgish) and validated in a study of employees working in Luxembourg. Methods and results: A representative sample (n = 1529) was taken

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Introduction and objective: A new instrument to measure quality of work was developed in three languages (German, French and Luxembourgish) and validated in a study of employees working in Luxembourg. Methods and results: A representative sample (n = 1529) was taken and exploratory factor analysis revealed a six-factor solution for the 21-item instrument (satisfaction and respect, mobbing, mental strain at work, cooperation, communication and feedback, and appraisal). Reliability analysis showed satisfying reliability for all six factors and the total questionnaire. In order to examine the construct validity of the new instrument, regression analyses were conducted to test whether the instrument predicted work characteristics’ influence on three components of well-being—burnout, psychological stress and maladaptive coping behaviors. Conclusion: The present validation offers a trilingual inventory for measuring quality of work that may be used, for example, as an assessment tool or for testing the effectiveness of interventions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Stress, Human Health and Wellbeing)

Open AccessArticle Flood Hazard Mapping Combining Hydrodynamic Modeling and Multi Annual Remote Sensing data

by Laura Giustarini, Marco Chini, Renaud Hostache, Florian Pappenberger and Patrick Matgen

Remote Sens. 2015, 7(10), 14200-14226; doi:10.3390/rs71014200

Received: 19 August 2015 / Revised: 6 October 2015 / Accepted: 6 October 2015 / Published: 27 October 2015

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Abstract

This paper explores a method to combine the time and space continuity of a large-scale inundation model with discontinuous satellite microwave observations, for high-resolution flood hazard mapping. The assumption behind this approach is that hydraulic variables computed from continuous spatially-distributed hydrodynamic modeling and

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This paper explores a method to combine the time and space continuity of a large-scale inundation model with discontinuous satellite microwave observations, for high-resolution flood hazard mapping. The assumption behind this approach is that hydraulic variables computed from continuous spatially-distributed hydrodynamic modeling and observed as discrete satellite-derived flood extents are correlated in time, so that probabilities can be transferred from the model series to the observations. A prerequisite is, therefore, the existence of a significant correlation between a modeled variable (i.e., flood extent or volume) and the synchronously-observed flood extent. If this is the case, the availability of model simulations over a long time period allows for a robust estimate of non-exceedance probabilities that can be attributed to corresponding synchronously-available satellite observations. The generated flood hazard map has a spatial resolution equal to that of the satellite images, which is higher than that of currently available large scale inundation models. The method was applied on the Severn River (UK), using the outputs of a global inundation model provided by the European Centre for Medium-range Weather Forecasts and a large collection of ENVISAT ASAR imagery. A comparison between the hazard map obtained with the proposed method and with a more traditional numerical modeling approach supports the hypothesis that combining model results and satellite observations could provide advantages for high-resolution flood hazard mapping, provided that a sufficient number of remote sensing images is available and that a time correlation is present between variables derived from a global model and obtained from satellite observations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing in Flood Monitoring and Management)

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Open AccessArticle Optical, Structural and Paramagnetic Properties of Eu-Doped Ternary Sulfides ALnS₂ (A = Na, K, Rb; Ln = La, Gd, Lu, Y)

by Vítězslav Jarý, Lubomír Havlák, Jan Bárta, Maksym Buryi, Eva Mihóková, Martin Rejman, Valentin Laguta and Martin Nikl

Materials 2015, 8(10), 6978-6998; doi:10.3390/ma8105348

Received: 7 August 2015 / Revised: 19 September 2015 / Accepted: 28 September 2015 / Published: 13 October 2015

Abstract

Eu-doped ternary sulfides of general formula ALnS₂ (A = Na, K, Rb; Ln = La, Gd, Lu, Y) are presented as a novel interesting material family which may find usage as X-ray phosphors or solid state white light emitting diode (LED) lighting.

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Eu-doped ternary sulfides of general formula ALnS₂ (A = Na, K, Rb; Ln = La, Gd, Lu, Y) are presented as a novel interesting material family which may find usage as X-ray phosphors or solid state white light emitting diode (LED) lighting. Samples were synthesized in the form of transparent crystalline hexagonal platelets by chemical reaction under the flow of hydrogen sulfide. Their physical properties were investigated by means of X-ray diffraction, time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy, electron paramagnetic resonance, and X-ray excited fluorescence. Corresponding characteristics, including absorption, radioluminescence, photoluminescence excitation and emission spectra, and decay kinetics curves, were measured and evaluated in a broad temperature range (8–800 K). Calculations including quantum local crystal field potential and spin-Hamiltonian for a paramagnetic particle in D_3d local symmetry and phenomenological model dealing with excited state dynamics were performed to explain the experimentally observed features. Based on the results, an energy diagram of lanthanide energy levels in KLuS₂ is proposed. Color model xy-coordinates are used to compare effects of dopants on the resulting spectrum. The application potential of the mentioned compounds in the field of white LED solid state lighting or X-ray phosphors is thoroughly discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Structure Analysis and Characterization)

Open AccessArticle Chemical Composition Analysis, Antimicrobial Activity and Cytotoxicity Screening of Moss Extracts (Moss Phytochemistry)

by Laura Klavina, Gunta Springe, Vizma Nikolajeva, Illia Martsinkevich, Ilva Nakurte, Diana Dzabijeva and Iveta Steinberga

Molecules 2015, 20(9), 17221-17243; doi:10.3390/molecules200917221

Received: 29 July 2015 / Revised: 6 September 2015 / Accepted: 10 September 2015 / Published: 18 September 2015

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Abstract

Mosses have been neglected as a study subject for a long time. Recent research shows that mosses contain remarkable and unique substances with high biological activity. The aim of this study, accordingly, was to analyze the composition of mosses and to screen their

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Mosses have been neglected as a study subject for a long time. Recent research shows that mosses contain remarkable and unique substances with high biological activity. The aim of this study, accordingly, was to analyze the composition of mosses and to screen their antimicrobial and anticancer activity. The total concentration of polyphenols and carbohydrates, the amount of dry residue and the radical scavenging activity were determined for a preliminary evaluation of the chemical composition of moss extracts. In order to analyze and identify the substances present in mosses, two types of extrahents (chloroform, ethanol) and the GC/MS and LC-TOF-MS methods were used. The antimicrobial activity was tested on four bacteria strains, and the anticancer activity on six cancer cell lines. The obtained results show the presence of a high number of primary (fatty acids and amino acids), but mainly secondary metabolites in moss extracts—including, sterols, terpenoids, polyphenols and others—and a high activity with respect to the studied test organisms. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Natural Products)

Open AccessArticle Prevalence and Correlates of Vitamin D Deficiency and Insufficiency in Luxembourg Adults: Evidence from the Observation of Cardiovascular Risk Factors (ORISCAV-LUX) Study

by Ala'a Alkerwi, Nicolas Sauvageot, Georges Gilson and Saverio Stranges

Nutrients 2015, 7(8), 6780-6796; doi:10.3390/nu7085308

Received: 17 June 2015 / Revised: 23 July 2015 / Accepted: 23 July 2015 / Published: 13 August 2015

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Abstract

Evidence on vitamin D status and related risk factors in Luxembourg adults is lacking. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency and related risk factors among healthy adults in Luxembourg. Based on clinicians’ observations, it was hypothesized

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Evidence on vitamin D status and related risk factors in Luxembourg adults is lacking. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency and related risk factors among healthy adults in Luxembourg. Based on clinicians’ observations, it was hypothesized that vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency might be common in our population, constituting a significant public health concern. A nationally representative random sample of 1432 adults was enrolled in the ORISCAV-LUX study, 2007–2008. The participants were divided into four categories according to their serum concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D]. Descriptive, univariate and multivariate statistical analyses used weighted methods to account for the stratified sampling scheme. Only 17.1% of the population had a “desirable” serum 25(OH)D level ≥75 nmol/L, whereas 27.1% had “inadequate” [serum 25(OH)D level 50–74 nmol/L], 40.4% had “insufficient” [serum 25(OH)D level 25–49 nmol/L], and 15.5% had “deficient” [serum 25(OH)D level <25 nmol/L)]. The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was greater among current smokers, obese subjects, those having reduced HDL-cholesterol level and fair/poor self-perception of health, compared to their counterparts. The prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency was additionally higher among nondrinkers of alcohol, Portuguese and subjects from non-European countries. The final multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that smoking status and obesity were independent correlates of vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency, respectively. Inadequate vitamin D status is highly prevalent among adults in Luxembourg and is associated with specific lifestyle factors. Along with the effect of vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency on the risk of several diseases, cancer and mortality, our findings have practical implications for public health dietary recommendations, and of particular importance for healthcare practitioners and policy makers. Full article

Open AccessArticle Urinary Metabolomic Profiling Reveals the Effect of Shenfu Decoction on Chronic Heart Failure in Rats

by Dawei Yang, Xiaoxing Wang, Yaping Wu, Bo Lu, Aifeng Yuan, Carlos Leon and Na Guo

Molecules 2015, 20(7), 11915-11929; doi:10.3390/molecules200711915

Received: 8 June 2015 / Revised: 18 June 2015 / Accepted: 22 June 2015 / Published: 30 June 2015

Abstract

Shenfu decoction (SFD) can be used to treat patients with sign of Yangqi decline or Yang exhaustion related to chronic heart failure (CHF). We conducted a gas chromatography with time-of-flight mass spectrometer (GC/TOF–MS)-based metabolomic study to increase the understanding of CHF and assess

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Shenfu decoction (SFD) can be used to treat patients with sign of Yangqi decline or Yang exhaustion related to chronic heart failure (CHF). We conducted a gas chromatography with time-of-flight mass spectrometer (GC/TOF–MS)-based metabolomic study to increase the understanding of CHF and assess the efficacies and mechanisms of SFD in treating CHF induced by coronary artery ligation in rats. Based on unsupervised principal component analysis, there was a clear separation between the CHF and sham surgery group, which revealed that CHF disturbed the metabolism of endogenous substances and significantly altered the urine metabolite fingerprints. After SFD treatment, the metabolomics profile found in CHF was significantly reversed, shifting much closer to normal controls and sham surgery group, indicating that SFD has therapeutic effects in CHF, which is in accordance with the hemodynamic assay results. Metabolomic pathway analysis demonstrated that several pathways including fatty acid biosynthesis, fatty acid elongation, steroid biosynthesis, galactose metabolism, and amino acid metabolism were significantly altered in CHF rats. Therefore, we may infer that SFD shows therapeutic efficacy in CHF by restoring these disturbed metabolic pathways, especially those related to energy metabolism. This study offers new methodologies for increasing the understanding of CHF and systematically characterizing the efficacies and mechanisms of SFD in treating CHF. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Metabolites)

Open AccessArticle New Variants of Tomato Thymidine Kinase 1 Selected for Increased Sensitivity of E. coli KY895 towards Azidothymidine

by Louise Slot Christiansen, Louise Egeblad, Birgitte Munch-Petersen, Jure Piškur and Wolfgang Knecht

Cancers 2015, 7(2), 966-980; doi:10.3390/cancers7020819

Received: 28 March 2015 / Revised: 19 May 2015 / Accepted: 27 May 2015 / Published: 8 June 2015

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Abstract

Nucleoside analogues (NA) are prodrugs that are phosphorylated by deoxyribonucleoside kinases (dNKs) as the first step towards a compound toxic to the cell. During the last 20 years, research around dNKs has gone into new organisms other than mammals and viruses. Newly discovered

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Nucleoside analogues (NA) are prodrugs that are phosphorylated by deoxyribonucleoside kinases (dNKs) as the first step towards a compound toxic to the cell. During the last 20 years, research around dNKs has gone into new organisms other than mammals and viruses. Newly discovered dNKs have been tested as enzymes for suicide gene therapy. The tomato thymidine kinase 1 (ToTK1) is a dNK that has been selected for its in vitro kinetic properties and then successfully been tested in vivo for the treatment of malignant glioma. We present the selection of two improved variants of ToTK1 generated by random protein engineering for suicide gene therapy with the NA azidothymidine (AZT).We describe their selection, recombinant production and a subsequent kinetic and biochemical characterization. Their improved performance in killing of E. coli KY895 is accompanied by an increase in specificity for the NA AZT over the natural substrate thymidine as well as a decrease in inhibition by dTTP, the end product of the nucleoside salvage pathway for thymidine. The understanding of the enzymatic properties improving the variants efficacy is instrumental to further develop dNKs for use in suicide gene therapy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cancers Gene Therapy)

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Open AccessReply Response to Huang et al. Comments on Lu et al. Association between Self-Reported Global Sleep Status and Prevalence of Hypertension in Chinese Adults: Data from Kailuan Community. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2015, 12, 488–503

by Kai Lu, Rongjing Ding, Qin Tang, Jia Chen, Li Wang, Changying Wang, Shouling Wu and Dayi Hu

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2015, 12(3), 2903-2904; doi:10.3390/ijerph120302903

Received: 2 March 2015 / Accepted: 2 March 2015 / Published: 5 March 2015

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Abstract

We thank Huang et al. [1] for their interest in reading our article and their time in writing their comments on our work [2]. Our response to their concerns are as follows:[...] Full article

Open AccessComment Comments on Lu et al. Association between Self-Reported Global Sleep Status and Prevalence of Hypertension in Chinese Adults: Data from Kailuan Community. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2015, 12, 488–503

by Yuee Huang, Phanuwat Sriyotha, Gholam Ali and Wenjie Sun

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2015, 12(3), 2901-2902; doi:10.3390/ijerph120302901

Received: 10 February 2015 / Accepted: 2 March 2015 / Published: 5 March 2015

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Abstract

Lu et al. [1] examined the association between sleep status and prevalence of hypertension among Chinese adults varied by age and sex, using a cross-sectional study, including 5461 Chinese (4076 of them were male) aged 18 years or above, in Kailuan communities. Lu

[...] Read more.

Lu et al. [1] examined the association between sleep status and prevalence of hypertension among Chinese adults varied by age and sex, using a cross-sectional study, including 5461 Chinese (4076 of them were male) aged 18 years or above, in Kailuan communities. Lu et al. claimed that short sleep duration was associated with hypertension only among Chinese men, and was attenuated after adjustment of sleep quality. However, the current conclusion of the study remains unclear.[...] Full article

Open AccessArticle Cross-National User Priorities for Housing Provision and Accessibility — Findings from the European innovAge Project

by Maria Haak, Björn Slaug, Frank Oswald, Steven M. Schmidt, Joseph M. Rimland, Signe Tomsone, Thomas Ladö, Torbjörn Svensson and Susanne Iwarsson

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2015, 12(3), 2670-2686; doi:10.3390/ijerph120302670

Received: 4 November 2014 / Revised: 13 February 2015 / Accepted: 16 February 2015 / Published: 2 March 2015

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Abstract

To develop an innovative information and communication technology (ICT) tool intended to help older people in their search for optimal housing solutions, a first step in the development process is to gain knowledge from the intended users. Thus the aim of this study

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To develop an innovative information and communication technology (ICT) tool intended to help older people in their search for optimal housing solutions, a first step in the development process is to gain knowledge from the intended users. Thus the aim of this study was to deepen the knowledge about needs and expectations about housing options as expressed and prioritized by older people, people ageing with disabilities and professionals. A participatory design focus was adopted; 26 people with a range of functional limitations representing the user perspective and 15 professionals with a variety of backgrounds, participated in research circles that were conducted in four European countries. An additional 20 experts were invited as guests to the different research circle meetings. Three themes illustrating cross-national user priorities for housing provision and accessibility were identified: “Information barrier: accessible housing”, “Information barrier: housing adaptation benefits”, and “Cost barrier: housing adaptations”. In conclusion, early user involvement and identification of cross-national differences in priorities and housing options will strengthen the development of a user-friendly ICT tool that can empower older people and people with disabilities to be more active consumers regarding housing provision. Full article

Open AccessArticle Patient-Reported Outcome Measures and Risk Factors in a Quality Registry: A Basis for More Patient-Centered Diabetes Care in Sweden

by Sixten Borg, Bo Palaszewski, Ulf-G Gerdtham, Ödegaard Fredrik, Pontus Roos and Soffia Gudbjörnsdottir

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2014, 11(12), 12223-12246; doi:10.3390/ijerph111212223

Received: 13 August 2014 / Revised: 23 October 2014 / Accepted: 12 November 2014 / Published: 26 November 2014

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1623 | PDF Full-text (794 KB) | HTML Full-text | XML Full-text

Abstract

Diabetes is one of the chronic diseases that constitute the greatest disease burden in the world. The Swedish National Diabetes Register is an essential part of the diabetes care system. Currently it mainly records clinical outcomes, but here we describe how it has

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Diabetes is one of the chronic diseases that constitute the greatest disease burden in the world. The Swedish National Diabetes Register is an essential part of the diabetes care system. Currently it mainly records clinical outcomes, but here we describe how it has started to collect patient-reported outcome measures, complementing the standard registry data on clinical outcomes as a basis for evaluating diabetes care. Our aims were to develop a questionnaire to measure patient abilities and judgments of their experience of diabetes care, to describe a Swedish diabetes patient sample in terms of their abilities, judgments, and risk factors, and to characterize groups of patients with a need for improvement. Patient abilities and judgments were estimated using item response theory. Analyzing them together with standard risk factors for diabetes comorbidities showed that the different types of data describe different aspects of a patient’s situation. These aspects occasionally overlap, but not in any particularly useful way. They both provide important information to decision makers, and neither is necessarily more relevant than the other. Both should therefore be considered, to achieve a more complete evaluation of diabetes care and to promote person-centered care. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Health Services and Health Economics Research)

Open AccessArticle Resveratrol Trimers from Seed Cake of Paeonia rockii

by Pu Liu, Yiran Wang, Jiayu Gao, Zongyuan Lu, Weiping Yin and Ruixue Deng

Molecules 2014, 19(12), 19549-19556; doi:10.3390/molecules191219549

Received: 11 October 2014 / Revised: 7 November 2014 / Accepted: 18 November 2014 / Published: 26 November 2014

Abstract

In the course of screening natural products for antibacterial activities, a total acetone extract of the seed cake of Paeonia rockii showed significant effects against bacterial strains. Bioactivity-guided fractionation of the EtOAc-soluble fraction of the total acetone extract resulted in the isolation

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In the course of screening natural products for antibacterial activities, a total acetone extract of the seed cake of Paeonia rockii showed significant effects against bacterial strains. Bioactivity-guided fractionation of the EtOAc-soluble fraction of the total acetone extract resulted in the isolation and identification of five resveratrol trimers, including rockiiol C (1), gnetin H (2), suffruticosol A (3), suffruticosol B (4) and suffruticosol C (5). The relative configuration of these compounds was elucidated mainly by comprehensive 1D and 2D-NMR experiments. Compound 1 was a new compound. All isolated compounds exhibited strong antibacterial activities against Gram-positive bacteria. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Resveratrol)

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Open AccessArticle Classification of Grassland Successional Stages Using Airborne Hyperspectral Imagery

by Thomas Möckel, Jonas Dalmayne, Honor C. Prentice, Lars Eklundh, Oliver Purschke, Sebastian Schmidtlein and Karin Hall

Remote Sens. 2014, 6(8), 7732-7761; doi:10.3390/rs6087732

Received: 8 April 2014 / Revised: 30 July 2014 / Accepted: 30 July 2014 / Published: 20 August 2014

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Abstract

Plant communities differ in their species composition, and, thus, also in their functional trait composition, at different stages in the succession from arable fields to grazed grassland. We examine whether aerial hyperspectral (414–2501 nm) remote sensing can be used to discriminate between grazed

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Plant communities differ in their species composition, and, thus, also in their functional trait composition, at different stages in the succession from arable fields to grazed grassland. We examine whether aerial hyperspectral (414–2501 nm) remote sensing can be used to discriminate between grazed vegetation belonging to different grassland successional stages. Vascular plant species were recorded in 104.1 m² plots on the island of Öland (Sweden) and the functional properties of the plant species recorded in the plots were characterized in terms of the ground-cover of grasses, specific leaf area and Ellenberg indicator values. Plots were assigned to three different grassland age-classes, representing 5–15, 16–50 and >50 years of grazing management. Partial least squares discriminant analysis models were used to compare classifications based on aerial hyperspectral data with the age-class classification. The remote sensing data successfully classified the plots into age-classes: the overall classification accuracy was higher for a model based on a pre-selected set of wavebands (85%, Kappa statistic value = 0.77) than one using the full set of wavebands (77%, Kappa statistic value = 0.65). Our results show that nutrient availability and grass cover differences between grassland age-classes are detectable by spectral imaging. These techniques may potentially be used for mapping the spatial distribution of grassland habitats at different successional stages. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Earth Observation for Ecosystems Monitoring in Space and Time)

Open AccessArticle Home and Health in the Third Age — Methodological Background and Descriptive Findings

by Maya Kylén, Henrik Ekström, Maria Haak, Sölve Elmståhl and Susanne Iwarsson

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2014, 11(7), 7060-7080; doi:10.3390/ijerph110707060

Received: 30 April 2014 / Revised: 30 June 2014 / Accepted: 1 July 2014 / Published: 11 July 2014

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Abstract

Background: The understanding of the complex relationship between the home environment, well-being and daily functioning in the third age is currently weak. The aim of this paper is to present the methodological background of the Home and Health in the Third Age Study,

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Background: The understanding of the complex relationship between the home environment, well-being and daily functioning in the third age is currently weak. The aim of this paper is to present the methodological background of the Home and Health in the Third Age Study, and describe a sample of men and women in relation to their home and health situation. Methods and Design: The study sample included 371 people aged 67–70, living in ordinary housing in the south of Sweden. Structured interviews and observations were conducted to collect data about objective and perceived aspects of home and health. Results: The majority of the participants were in good health and had few functional limitations. Women had more functional limitations and reported more symptoms than men. Environmental barriers were found in every home investigated; the most were found in the kitchen and hygiene area. Environmental barriers were more common in multi-family than in one-family dwellings. Discussion: This study will increase our knowledge on home and health dynamics among people in the third age. The results have potential to contribute to societal planning related to housing provision, home care and social services for senior citizens. Full article

Open AccessArticle Plumbagin Modulates Leukemia Cell Redox Status

by François Gaascht, Marie-Hélène Teiten, Claudia Cerella, Mario Dicato, Denyse Bagrel and Marc Diederich

Molecules 2014, 19(7), 10011-10032; doi:10.3390/molecules190710011

Received: 3 June 2014 / Revised: 20 June 2014 / Accepted: 25 June 2014 / Published: 10 July 2014

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 1893 | PDF Full-text (1235 KB) | HTML Full-text | XML Full-text

Abstract

Plumbagin is a plant naphtoquinone exerting anti-cancer properties including apoptotic cell death induction and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The aim of this study was to elucidate parameters explaining the differential leukemia cell sensitivity towards this compound. Among several leukemia cell lines,

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Plumbagin is a plant naphtoquinone exerting anti-cancer properties including apoptotic cell death induction and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The aim of this study was to elucidate parameters explaining the differential leukemia cell sensitivity towards this compound. Among several leukemia cell lines, U937 monocytic leukemia cells appeared more sensitive to plumbagin treatment in terms of cytotoxicity and level of apoptotic cell death compared to more resistant Raji Burkitt lymphoma cells. Moreover, U937 cells exhibited a ten-fold higher ROS production compared to Raji. Neither differential incorporation, nor efflux of plumbagin was detected. Pre-treatment with thiol-containing antioxidants prevented ROS production and subsequent induction of cell death by apoptosis whereas non-thiol-containing antioxidants remained ineffective in both cellular models. We conclude that the anticancer potential of plumbagin is driven by pro-oxidant activities related to the cellular thiolstat. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Redox Active Natural Products and Their Interaction with Cellular Signalling Pathways)

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Open AccessArticle Synthesis, Radiolabelling and In Vitro Characterization of the Gallium-68-, Yttrium-90- and Lutetium-177-Labelled PSMA Ligand, CHX-A''-DTPA-DUPA-Pep

by Benjamin Baur, Christoph Solbach, Elena Andreolli, Gordon Winter, Hans-Jürgen Machulla and Sven N. Reske

Pharmaceuticals 2014, 7(5), 517-529; doi:10.3390/ph7050517

Received: 16 December 2013 / Revised: 27 March 2014 / Accepted: 14 April 2014 / Published: 29 April 2014

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Abstract

Since prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) has been identified as a diagnostic target for prostate cancer, many urea-based small PSMA-targeting molecules were developed. First, the clinical application of these Ga-68 labelled compounds in positron emission tomography (PET) showed their diagnostic potential. Besides, the therapy

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Since prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) has been identified as a diagnostic target for prostate cancer, many urea-based small PSMA-targeting molecules were developed. First, the clinical application of these Ga-68 labelled compounds in positron emission tomography (PET) showed their diagnostic potential. Besides, the therapy of prostate cancer is a demanding field, and the use of radiometals with PSMA bearing ligands is a valid approach. In this work, we describe the synthesis of a new PSMA ligand, CHX-A''-DTPA-DUPA-Pep, the subsequent labelling with Ga-68, Lu-177 and Y-90 and the first in vitro characterization. In cell investigations with PSMA-positive LNCaP C4-2 cells, K_D values of ≤14.67 ± 1.95 nM were determined, indicating high biological activities towards PSMA. Radiosyntheses with Ga-68, Lu-177 and Y-90 were developed under mild reaction conditions (room temperature, moderate pH of 5.5 and 7.4, respectively) and resulted in nearly quantitative radiochemical yields within 5 min. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry between Imaging and Radioendotherapy)

Open AccessArticle Development of a Hybrid Nanoprobe for Triple-Modality MR/SPECT/Optical Fluorescence Imaging

by Renata Madru, Pontus Svenmarker, Christian Ingvar, Freddy Ståhlberg, Stefan-Andersson Engels, Linda Knutsson and Sven-Erik Strand

Diagnostics 2014, 4(1), 13-26; doi:10.3390/diagnostics4010013

Received: 29 January 2014 / Revised: 28 February 2014 / Accepted: 4 March 2014 / Published: 10 March 2014

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1970 | PDF Full-text (1435 KB) | HTML Full-text | XML Full-text

Abstract

Hybrid clinical imaging is an emerging technology, which improves disease diagnosis by combining already existing technologies. With the combination of high-resolution morphological imaging, i.e., MRI/CT, and high-sensitive molecular detection offered by SPECT/PET/Optical, physicians can detect disease progression at an early stage and

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Hybrid clinical imaging is an emerging technology, which improves disease diagnosis by combining already existing technologies. With the combination of high-resolution morphological imaging, i.e., MRI/CT, and high-sensitive molecular detection offered by SPECT/PET/Optical, physicians can detect disease progression at an early stage and design patient-specific treatments. To fully exploit the possibilities of hybrid imaging a hybrid probe compatible with each imaging technology is required. Here, we present a hybrid nanoprobe for triple modality MR/SPECT/Fluorescence imaging. Our imaging agent is comprised of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs), labeled with ^99mTc and an Alexa fluorophore (AF), together forming ^99mTc-AF-SPIONs. The agent was stable in human serum, and, after subcutaneous injection in the hind paw of Wistar rats, showed to be highly specific by accumulating in the sentinel lymph node. All three modalities clearly visualized the imaging agent. Our results show that a single imaging agent can be used for hybrid imaging. The use of a single hybrid contrast agent permits simultaneous hybrid imaging and, more conventionally, allow for single modality imaging at different time points. For example, a hybrid contrast agent enables pre-operative planning, intra-operative guidance, and post-operative evaluation with the same contrast agent. Full article

(This article belongs to the collection Hybrid Imaging in Medicine)

Open AccessArticle Relative Deprivation and Sickness Absence in Sweden

by Jonas Helgertz, Wolfgang Hess and Kirk Scott

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2013, 10(9), 3930-3953; doi:10.3390/ijerph10093930

Received: 9 July 2013 / Revised: 14 August 2013 / Accepted: 16 August 2013 / Published: 29 August 2013

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Abstract

Background: A high prevalence of sickness absence in many countries, at a substantial societal cost, underlines the importance to understand its determining mechanisms. This study focuses on the link between relative deprivation and the probability of sickness absence. Methods: 184,000 men and women

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Background: A high prevalence of sickness absence in many countries, at a substantial societal cost, underlines the importance to understand its determining mechanisms. This study focuses on the link between relative deprivation and the probability of sickness absence. Methods: 184,000 men and women in Sweden were followed between 1982 and 2001. The sample consists of working individuals between the ages of 19 and 65. The outcome is defined as experiencing more than 14 days of sickness absence during a year. Based on the complete Swedish population, an individual’s degree of relative deprivation is measured through income compared to individuals of the same age, sex, educational level and type. In accounting for the possibility that sickness absence and socioeconomic status are determined by common factors, discrete-time duration models were estimated, accounting for unobserved heterogeneity through random effects. Results: The results confirm that the failure to account for the dynamics of the individual’s career biases the influence from socioeconomic characteristics. Results consistently suggest a major influence from relative deprivation, with a consistently lower risk of sickness absence among the highly educated. Conclusions: Altering individual’s health behavior through education appears more efficient in reducing the reliance on sickness absence, rather than redistributive policies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Inequalities in Health)

Open AccessReview Long and Short Non-Coding RNAs as Regulators of Hematopoietic Differentiation

by Franck Morceau, Sébastien Chateauvieux, Anthoula Gaigneaux, Mario Dicato and Marc Diederich

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2013, 14(7), 14744-14770; doi:10.3390/ijms140714744

Received: 3 June 2013 / Revised: 5 July 2013 / Accepted: 9 July 2013 / Published: 15 July 2013

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Abstract

Genomic analyses estimated that the proportion of the genome encoding proteins corresponds to approximately 1.5%, while at least 66% are transcribed, suggesting that many non-coding DNA-regions generate non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs). The relevance of these ncRNAs in biological, physiological as well as in pathological

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Genomic analyses estimated that the proportion of the genome encoding proteins corresponds to approximately 1.5%, while at least 66% are transcribed, suggesting that many non-coding DNA-regions generate non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs). The relevance of these ncRNAs in biological, physiological as well as in pathological processes increased over the last two decades with the understanding of their implication in complex regulatory networks. This review particularly focuses on the involvement of two large families of ncRNAs, namely microRNAs (miRNAs) and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the regulation of hematopoiesis. To date, miRNAs have been widely studied, leading to a wealth of data about processing, regulation and mechanisms of action and more specifically, their involvement in hematopoietic differentiation. Notably, the interaction of miRNAs with the regulatory network of transcription factors is well documented whereas roles, regulation and mechanisms of lncRNAs remain largely unexplored in hematopoiesis; this review gathers current data about lncRNAs as well as both potential and confirmed roles in normal and pathological hematopoiesis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Regulation by non-coding RNAs 2013) Printed Edition available

Open AccessArticle Pure and Social Disparities in Distribution of Dentists: A Cross-Sectional Province-Based Study in Iran

by Aliasghar A. Kiadaliri, Reza Hosseinpour, Hassan Haghparast-Bidgoli and Ulf-G Gerdtham

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2013, 10(5), 1882-1894; doi:10.3390/ijerph10051882

Received: 27 March 2013 / Revised: 22 April 2013 / Accepted: 24 April 2013 / Published: 6 May 2013

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 1935 | PDF Full-text (187 KB) | HTML Full-text | XML Full-text

Abstract

During past decades, the number of dentists has continuously increased in Iran. Beside the quantity, the distribution of dentists affects the oral health status of population. The current study aimed to assess the pure and social disparities in distribution of dentists across the

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During past decades, the number of dentists has continuously increased in Iran. Beside the quantity, the distribution of dentists affects the oral health status of population. The current study aimed to assess the pure and social disparities in distribution of dentists across the provinces in Iran in 2009. Data on provinces’ characteristics, including population and social situation, were obtained from multiple sources. The disparity measures (including Gini coefficient, index of dissimilarity, Gaswirth index of disparity and relative index of inequality (RII)) and pairwise correlations were used to evaluate the pure and social disparities in the number of dentists in Iran. On average, there were 28 dentists per 100,000 population in the country. There were substantial pure disparities in the distribution of dentists across the provinces in Iran. The unadjusted and adjusted RII values were 3.82 and 2.13, respectively; indicating area social disparity in favor of people in better-off provinces. There were strong positive correlations between density of dentists and better social rank. It is suggested that the results of this study should be considered in conducting plans for redistribution of dentists in the country. In addition, further analyses are needed to explain these disparities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Health Services and Health Economics Research)

Open AccessArticle Two New Monoterpene Glycosides from Qing Shan Lu Shui Tea with Inhibitory Effects on Leukocyte-Type 12-Lipoxygenase Activity

by Hideyuki Ito, Akemi Otsuki, Hitomi Mori, Peng Li, Mai Kinoshita, Yuki Kawakami, Hideaki Tsuji, Ding Zhi Fang and Yoshitaka Takahashi

Molecules 2013, 18(4), 4257-4266; doi:10.3390/molecules18044257

Received: 18 February 2013 / Revised: 7 April 2013 / Accepted: 8 April 2013 / Published: 11 April 2013

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Abstract

We evaluated the inhibitory effect of 12 Chinese teas on leukocyte-type 12-lipoxygenase (LOX) activity. Tea catechins such as epigallocatechin gallate have been known to exhibit leukocyte-type 12-LOX inhibition. Qing Shan Lu Shui, which contains lower catechin levels than the other tested teas, suppressed

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We evaluated the inhibitory effect of 12 Chinese teas on leukocyte-type 12-lipoxygenase (LOX) activity. Tea catechins such as epigallocatechin gallate have been known to exhibit leukocyte-type 12-LOX inhibition. Qing Shan Lu Shui, which contains lower catechin levels than the other tested teas, suppressed leukocyte-type 12-LOX activity. To characterize the bioactive components of Qing Shan Lu Shui, leukocyte-type 12-LOX inhibitory activity–guided fractionation of the aqueous ethanol extract of the tea was performed, resulting in the isolation of two new monoterpene glycosides: liguroside A (1) and B (2). The structures of compounds 1 and 2 were characterized as (2E,5E)-7-hydroperoxy-3,7-dimethyl-2,5-octadienyl-O-(α-L-rhamnopyranosyl)-(1″→3′)-(4′″-O-trans-p-coumaroyl)-β-D-glucopyranoside and (2E,5E)-7-hydroperoxy-3,7-dimethyl-2,5-octa-dienyl- O-(α-L-rhamnopyranosyl)-(1″→3′)-(4′″-O-cis-p-coumaroyl)-β-D-glucopyranoside, respectively, based on spectral and chemical evidence. Ligurosides A (1) and B (2) showed inhibitory effects on leukocyte-type 12-LOX activity, with IC₅₀ values of 1.7 and 0.7 μM, respectively. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Natural Products)

Open AccessArticle Differential Protein Expression in Response to Abiotic Stress in Two Potato Species: Solanum commersonii Dun and Solanum tuberosum L.

by Raquel Folgado, Bart Panis, Kjell Sergeant, Jenny Renaut, Rony Swennen and Jean-Francois Hausman

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2013, 14(3), 4912-4933; doi:10.3390/ijms14034912

Received: 22 December 2012 / Revised: 8 February 2013 / Accepted: 13 February 2013 / Published: 1 March 2013

Abstract

Better knowledge on responses to dehydration stress could help to improve the existing cryopreservation protocols for potato, since plant tissues processed for cryopreservation are often submitted to similar in vitro stress conditions. Cryopreservation (the best method of conservation for vegetatively propagated plants) of

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Better knowledge on responses to dehydration stress could help to improve the existing cryopreservation protocols for potato, since plant tissues processed for cryopreservation are often submitted to similar in vitro stress conditions. Cryopreservation (the best method of conservation for vegetatively propagated plants) of potato still needs to be standardized to make it available and to conserve the wide diversity of this crop. In the present work, the response to osmotic stress and chilling temperature was investigated in two potato species, Solanum tuberosum and its relative, frost-tolerant S. commersonii. After 14 days of exposure, different growth parameters, such as shoot length and number of leaves, were measured. Furthermore, differentially abundant proteins were identified after performing 2-fluorescence difference gel electrophoresis (2-DIGE) experiments, and soluble carbohydrates were analyzed by High Performance Anion Exchange Chromatography with Pulsed Amperometric Detection (HPAEC-PAD). The results show different responses in both species depending on the stress treatment. Focusing on the differences in growth parameters during the treatments, Solanum commersonii seems to be more affected than S. tuberosum cv. Désirée. At the molecular level, there are some differences and similarities between the two potato species studied that are dependent on the type of stressor. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Abiotic and Biotic Stress Tolerance Mechanisms in Plants)

Open AccessArticle Retrieving the Bioenergy Potential from Maize Crops Using Hyperspectral Remote Sensing

by Thomas Udelhoven, Philippe Delfosse, Christian Bossung, Franz Ronellenfitsch, Frédéric Mayer, Martin Schlerf, Miriam Machwitz and Lucien Hoffmann

Remote Sens. 2013, 5(1), 254-273; doi:10.3390/rs5010254

Received: 20 November 2012 / Revised: 4 January 2013 / Accepted: 4 January 2013 / Published: 15 January 2013

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Abstract

Biogas production from energy crops by anaerobic digestion is becoming increasingly important. The amount of biogas that can be produced per unit of biomass is referred to as the biomethane potential (BMP). For energy crops, the BMP varies among varieties and with crop

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Biogas production from energy crops by anaerobic digestion is becoming increasingly important. The amount of biogas that can be produced per unit of biomass is referred to as the biomethane potential (BMP). For energy crops, the BMP varies among varieties and with crop state during the vegetation period. Traditional ways of analytical BMP determination are based on fermentation trials and require a minimum of 30 days. Here, we present a faster method for BMP retrievals using near infrared spectroscopy and partial least square regression (PLSR). PLSR prediction models were developed based on two different sets of spectral reflectance data: (i) laboratory spectra of silage samples and (ii) airborne imaging spectra (HyMap) of maize canopies under field (in situ) conditions. Biomass was sampled from 35 plots covering different maize varieties and the BMP was determined as BMP per mass (BMP_FM, Nm³ biogas/t fresh matter (Nm³/t FM)) and BMP per area (BMP_area, Nm³ biogas/ha (Nm³/ha)). We found that BMP_FM significantly differs among maize varieties; it could be well retrieved from silage samples in the laboratory approach (R_cv² = 0.82, n = 35), especially at levels >190 Nm³/t. In the in situ approach PLSR prediction quality declined (R_cv² = 0.50, n = 20). BMP_area, on the other hand, was found to be strongly correlated with total biomass, but could not be satisfactorily predicted using airborne HyMap imaging data and PLSR. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Remote Sensing of Agriculture)

Open AccessArticle A Hyperspectral Thermal Infrared Imaging Instrument for Natural Resources Applications

by Martin Schlerf, Gilles Rock, Philippe Lagueux, Franz Ronellenfitsch, Max Gerhards, Lucien Hoffmann and Thomas Udelhoven

Remote Sens. 2012, 4(12), 3995-4009; doi:10.3390/rs4123995

Received: 15 September 2012 / Revised: 3 December 2012 / Accepted: 4 December 2012 / Published: 14 December 2012

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Abstract

A new instrument has been setup at the Centre de Recherche Public-Gabriel Lippmann to measure spectral emissivity values of typical earth surface samples in the 8 to 12 μm range at a spectral resolution of up to 0.25 cm⁻¹. The instrument

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A new instrument has been setup at the Centre de Recherche Public-Gabriel Lippmann to measure spectral emissivity values of typical earth surface samples in the 8 to 12 μm range at a spectral resolution of up to 0.25 cm⁻¹. The instrument is based on a Hyper-Cam-LW built by Telops with a modified fore-optic for vertical measurements at ground level and a platform for airborne acquisitions. A processing chain has been developed to convert calibrated radiances into emissivity spectra. Repeat measurements taken on samples of sandstone show a high repeatability of the system with a wavelength dependent standard deviation of less than 0.01 (1.25% of the mean emissivity). Evaluation of retrieved emissivity spectra indicates good agreement with reference measurements. The new instrument facilitates the assessment of the spatial variability of emissivity spectra of material surfaces—at present still largely unknown—at various scales from ground and airborne platforms and thus will provide new opportunities in environmental remote sensing. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Thermal Remote Sensing Applications: Present Status and Future Possibilities)

Open AccessArticle Simultaneous Source Localization and Polarization Estimation via Non-Orthogonal Joint Diagonalization with Vector-Sensors

by Xiao-Feng Gong, Ke Wang, Qiu-Hua Lin, Zhi-Wen Liu and You-Gen Xu

Sensors 2012, 12(3), 3394-3417; doi:10.3390/s120303394

Received: 16 January 2012 / Revised: 8 February 2012 / Accepted: 21 February 2012 / Published: 8 March 2012

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2083 | PDF Full-text (467 KB) | HTML Full-text | XML Full-text

Abstract

Joint estimation of direction-of-arrival (DOA) and polarization with electromagnetic vector-sensors (EMVS) is considered in the framework of complex-valued non-orthogonal joint diagonalization (CNJD). Two new CNJD algorithms are presented, which propose to tackle the high dimensional optimization problem in CNJD via a sequence of

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Joint estimation of direction-of-arrival (DOA) and polarization with electromagnetic vector-sensors (EMVS) is considered in the framework of complex-valued non-orthogonal joint diagonalization (CNJD). Two new CNJD algorithms are presented, which propose to tackle the high dimensional optimization problem in CNJD via a sequence of simple sub-optimization problems, by using LU or LQ decompositions of the target matrices as well as the Jacobi-type scheme. Furthermore, based on the above CNJD algorithms we present a novel strategy to exploit the multi-dimensional structure present in the second-order statistics of EMVS outputs for simultaneous DOA and polarization estimation. Simulations are provided to compare the proposed strategy with existing tensorial or joint diagonalization based methods. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Physical Sensors)

Open AccessArticle Metastasizing, Luciferase Transduced MAT‑Lu Rat Prostate Cancer Models: Follow up of Bolus and Metronomic Therapy with Doxorubicin as Model Drug

by Peter Jantscheff, Norbert Esser, Andreas Geipel, Peter Woias, Vittorio Ziroli, Frank Goldschmidtboing and Ulrich Massing

Cancers 2011, 3(2), 2679-2695; doi:10.3390/cancers3022679

Received: 4 May 2011 / Revised: 16 May 2011 / Accepted: 16 June 2011 / Published: 17 June 2011

Abstract

The most fatal outcomes of prostate carcinoma (PCa) result from hormone-refractory variants of the tumor, especially from metastatic spread rather than from primary tumor burden. The goal of the study was to establish and apply rat MAT-Lu prostate cancer tumor models for improved

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The most fatal outcomes of prostate carcinoma (PCa) result from hormone-refractory variants of the tumor, especially from metastatic spread rather than from primary tumor burden. The goal of the study was to establish and apply rat MAT-Lu prostate cancer tumor models for improved non-invasive live follow up of tumor growth and metastasis by in vivo bioluminescence. We established luciferase transduced MAT-Lu rat PCa cells and studied tumor growth and metastatic processes in an ectopic as well as orthotopic setting. An intravenous bolus treatment with doxorubicin was used to demonstrate the basic applicability of in vivo imaging to follow up therapeutic intervention in these models. In vitro analysis of tissue homogenates confirmed major metastatic spread of subcutaneous tumors into the lung. Our sensitive method, however, for the first time detects metastasis also in lymph node (11/24), spleen (3/24), kidney (4/24), liver (5/24), and bone tissue (femur or spinal cord - 5/20 and 12/20, respectively). Preliminary data of orthotopic implantation (three animals) showed metastatic invasion to investigated organs in all animals but with varying preference (e.g., to lymph nodes). Intravenous bolus treatment of MAT-Lu PCa with doxorubicin reduced subcutaneous tumor growth by about 50% and the number of animals affected by metastatic lesions in lymph nodes (0/4), lung (3/6) or lumbar spine (0/2), as determined by in vivo imaging and in vitro analysis. Additionally, the possible applicability of the luciferase transduced MAT-Lu model(s) to study basic principles of metronomic therapies via jugular vein catheter, using newly established active microport pumping systems, is presented. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Prostate Cancer)

Open AccessArticle Cancer Incidence and Mortality in Swedish Sterilant Workers Exposed to Ethylene Oxide: Updated Cohort Study Findings 1972–2006

by Zoli Mikoczy, Håkan Tinnerberg, Jonas Björk and Maria Albin

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2011, 8(6), 2009-2019; doi:10.3390/ijerph8062009

Received: 4 May 2011 / Accepted: 28 May 2011 / Published: 3 June 2011

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3603 | PDF Full-text (304 KB) | HTML Full-text | XML Full-text

Abstract

Objectives: To assess whether cancer incidence, mainly from lymphohaematopoietic tumours and breast cancer, and mortality were increased in a cohort of Swedish sterilant workers exposed to low levels of ethylene oxide (EtO), updated with 16 more years of follow up. Methods: The mortality

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Objectives: To assess whether cancer incidence, mainly from lymphohaematopoietic tumours and breast cancer, and mortality were increased in a cohort of Swedish sterilant workers exposed to low levels of ethylene oxide (EtO), updated with 16 more years of follow up. Methods: The mortality and cancer incidence 1972–2006 experienced by a cohort of 2,171 male and female workers employed for at least one year in two plants producing medical equipment sterilised with EtO were investigated. Individual cumulative exposure to EtO was assessed by occupational hygienists. Cause-specific standardized rate ratios were calculated using the regional general population as a comparison for mortality (SMR) and cancer incidence (SIR). Internal Poisson-regression analyses were performed for selected causes. Results: The median cumulative exposure to EtO was 0.13 ppm-years. The overall cancer incidence was close to unity (SIR 0.94, 95% CI 0.82–1.08). Eighteen cases of lymphohaematopoietic cancer were observed (SIR 1.25, 95% CI 0.74–1.98). A healthy worker effect was indicated from a significantly decreased overall mortality and mortality from cardiovascular diseases. Internal analyses found significantly increased rate ratios for breast cancer for the two upper quartiles of cumulative exposure as compared to the lowest 50% of the cohort (IRR 2.76, 95% CI 1.20–6.33 and IRR 3.55, 95% CI 1.58–7.93). Conclusions: The findings from this updated study indicate limited or low risks for human cancer due to occupational exposure from ethylene oxide at the low cumulative exposure levels in this cohort. However a positive exposure-response relation with breast cancer was observed though. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Cancer)

Open AccessArticle On Measurement of Avoidable and Unavoidable Cost of Alcohol: An Application of Method for Estimating Costs Due To Prior Consumption

by Johan Jarl, Ulf-G. Gerdtham, Anne Ludbrook and Dennis Petrie

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2010, 7(7), 2881-2895; doi:10.3390/ijerph7072881

Received: 14 June 2010 / Accepted: 9 July 2010 / Published: 16 July 2010

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Abstract

This study estimates the avoidable and unavoidable costs of alcohol-related, liver cirrhosis inpatient care, controlling for the lag structure and period of decline in disease risk. Lag structures with different lengths are applied to the exposure to risk from alcohol consumption, which allows

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This study estimates the avoidable and unavoidable costs of alcohol-related, liver cirrhosis inpatient care, controlling for the lag structure and period of decline in disease risk. Lag structures with different lengths are applied to the exposure to risk from alcohol consumption, which allows for differentiation between avoidable and unavoidable cases due to prior consumption. A lag length of 20 (men) and 23 (women) years (expected remaining life years) gives a total cost of 592 million SEK. Given alcohol consumption is reduced to zero, 72% of cost could potentially be avoided. It is important to account for the length and structure of the risk decline following a consumption change as this substantially affects the estimates. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Economics)

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