University College Cork

About: University College Cork is a education organization based out in Cork, Ireland. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Irish. The organization has 12056 authors who have published 28452 publications receiving 958414 citations. The organization is also known as: Coláiste na hOllscoile Corcaigh & National University of Ireland, Cork.

Calcium intake, calcium bioavailability and bone health.

Abstract: Calcium accounts for 1-2 % of adult human body weight Over 99 % of total body Ca is found in the teeth and bones Therefore, in addition to the obvious structural role of the skeleton, it also serves as a reservoir for Ca Dietary Ca intake has an important impact on bone metabolism and bone health Chronic Ca deficiency resulting from inadequate intake or poor intestinal absorption is one of several important causes of reduced bone mass and osteoporosis It is vital, therefore, that adequate dietary Ca is consumed at all stages of life - in early life so that the genetically programmed peak bone mass can be reached and in later adulthood so that the skeletal mass can be maintained and age-related bone loss minimised Unfortunately, there is wide variation in the estimates of daily Ca requirements made by different expert authorities Furthermore, there is evidence that many individuals are not consuming these recommended levels The consequence of this for bone health will be discussed in the present review Besides the amount of Ca in the diet, the absorption of dietary Ca in foods is also a critical factor in determining the availability of Ca for bone development and maintenance Thus, there is a need to identify food components and/or functional food ingredients that may positively influence Ca absorption in order to ensure that Ca bioavailability from foods can be optimised This approach may be of particular value in individuals who fail to achieve the dietary recommended level of Ca

Updated standard operating procedures for electrochemotherapy of cutaneous tumours and skin metastases

Abstract: Electrochemotherapy is now in routine clinical use to treat cutaneous metastases of any histology, and is listed in national and international guidelines for cutaneous metastases and primary skin cancer. Electrochemotherapy is used by dermatologists, surgeons, and oncologists, and for different degrees and manifestations of metastases to skin and primary skin tumours not amenable to surgery. This treatment utilises electric pulses to permeabilize cell membranes in tumours, thus allowing a dramatic increase of the cytotoxicity of anti-cancer agents. Response rates, often after only one treatment, are very high across all tumour types. The most frequent indications are cutaneous metastases from malignant melanoma and breast cancer. In 2006, standard operating procedures (SOPs) were written for this novel technology, greatly facilitating introduction and dissemination of the therapy. Since then considerable experience has been obtained treating a wider range of tumour histologies and increasing size of tumours which was not originally thought possible. A pan-European expert panel drawn from a range of disciplines from dermatology, general surgery, head and neck surgery, plastic surgery, and oncology met to form a consensus opinion to update the SOPs based on the experience obtained. This paper contains these updated recommendations for indications for electrochemotherapy, pre-treatment information and evaluation, treatment choices, as well as follow-up.

A five-strain probiotic combination reduces pathogen shedding and alleviates disease signs in pigs challenged with Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium.

Abstract: Salmonella spp. infection is a major cause of gastroenteritis, with many thousands of cases reported in the European Union every year. The use of probiotics offers the potential to improve this situation. Here, we investigate the effects of oral treatment of pigs with a defined lactic acid bacteria culture mixture on both clinical and microbiological signs of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium infection. Fifteen weaned pigs blocked by sex and weight were administered control milk or a mixture of five probiotic strains as either a milk fermentate or milk suspension for a total of 30 days. The mixture consisted of two strains of Lactobacillus murinus and one strain each of Lactobacillus salivarius subsp. salivarius, Lactobacillus pentosus, and Pediococcus pentosaceous. Following probiotic administration for 6 days, animals were challenged orally with serovar Typhimurium; the health of the animals and the microbiological composition of their feces were monitored for 23 days postinfection. Animals treated with probiotic showed reduced incidence, severity, and duration of diarrhea. These animals also gained weight at a greater rate than control pigs administered skim milk. Mean fecal numbers of Salmonella were significantly reduced in probiotic-treated animals at 15 days postinfection (P = 0.01). The administered probiotic bacteria improved both the clinical and microbiological outcome of Salmonella infection. These strains offer significant benefit for use in the food industry and may have potential in human applications.

Recent progress in theoretical and computational investigations of Li-ion battery materials and electrolytes

Abstract: There is an increasing worldwide demand for high energy density batteries In recent years, rechargeable Li-ion batteries have become important power sources, and their performance gains are driving the adoption of electrical vehicles (EV) as viable alternatives to combustion engines The exploration of new Li-ion battery materials is an important focus of materials scientists and computational physicists and chemists throughout the world The practical applications of Li-ion batteries and emerging alternatives may not be limited to portable electronic devices and circumventing hurdles that include range anxiety and safety among others, to their widespread adoption in EV applications in the future requires new electrode materials and a fuller understanding of how the materials and the electrolyte chemistries behave Since this field is advancing rapidly and attracting an increasing number of researchers, it is crucial to summarise the current progress and the key scientific challenges related to Li-ion batteries from theoretical point of view Computational prediction of ideal compounds is the focus of several large consortia, and a leading methodology in designing materials and electrolytes optimized for function, including those for Li-ion batteries In this Perspective, we review the key aspects of Li-ion batteries from theoretical perspectives: the working principles of Li-ion batteries, the cathodes, anodes, and electrolyte solutions that are the current state of the art, and future research directions for advanced Li-ion batteries based on computational materials and electrolyte design