Showing papers by "University of Madeira published in 2014"
TL;DR: The results show that the liver has sensor mechanisms for Plasmodium that mediate a functional antiparasite response driven by type I IFN.
Abstract: After mosquito bite, the malaria parasite first infects the liver, where it is thought to be undetected by the host immune system as it develops into the blood-stage pathogen Maria Mota and her colleagues now report that Plasmodium RNA is detected by hepatocytes, triggering an interferon response that controls the parasite burden in the liver and blood of infected mice
242 citations
Victoria Police1, Erasmus University Rotterdam2, University of the Punjab3, American Board of Legal Medicine4, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute5, University of Ljubljana6, University of Central Florida7, King's College London8, Innsbruck Medical University9, University of Buenos Aires10, University of Zurich11, University of Turin12, University of Santiago de Compostela13, Rio de Janeiro State University14, National Institute of Standards and Technology15, Pompeu Fabra University16, University of the Western Cape17, Leiden University Medical Center18, University of the Philippines Diliman19, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven20, Wrocław Medical University21, Norwegian Institute of Public Health22, University of Benghazi23, Gdańsk Medical University24, University of Madeira25, Netherlands Forensic Institute26, Linköping University27, University of Tsukuba28, Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg29, National Research Institute of Police Science30, University of Leicester31, Dankook University32, University of Salzburg33, University of Sarajevo34, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki35, Medical University of Warsaw36, Yonsei University37, University of Aveiro38, University of Copenhagen39, Central Forensic Science Laboratory40, Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics41, Kunming Medical University42, Royal Thai Police43, Marche Polytechnic University44, University of Helsinki45, Pennsylvania State University46, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek47, University of New Haven48, Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology49, Charité50, University of Guadalajara51, Mahidol University52, University of North Texas Health Science Center53, University of Cologne54, Comenius University in Bratislava55, University of Costa Rica56, Flinders University57, Charles University in Prague58, DSO National Laboratories59
TL;DR: The value of RM Y‐STRs in identifying and separating unrelated and related males and providing a reference database is demonstrated and the value of Y‐ STRs relative to Yfiler is demonstrated.
Abstract: Relevant for various areas of human genetics, Y-chromosomal short tandem repeats (Y-STRs) are commonly used for testing close paternal relationships among individuals and populations, and for male lineage identification. However, even the widely used 17-loci Yfiler set cannot resolve individuals and populations completely. Here, 52 centers generated quality-controlled data of 13 rapidly mutating (RM) Y-STRs in 14,644 related and unrelated males from 111 worldwide populations. Strikingly, >99% of the 12,272 unrelated males were completely individualized. Haplotype diversity was extremely high (global: 0.9999985, regional: 0.99836–0.9999988). Haplotype sharing between populations was almost absent except for six (0.05%) of the 12,156 haplotypes. Haplotype sharing within populations was generally rare (0.8% nonunique haplotypes), significantly lower in urban (0.9%) than rural (2.1%) and highest in endogamous groups (14.3%). Analysis of molecular variance revealed 99.98% of variation within populations, 0.018% among populations within groups, and 0.002% among groups. Of the 2,372 newly and 156 previously typed male relative pairs, 29% were differentiated including 27% of the 2,378 father–son pairs. Relative to Yfiler, haplotype diversity was increased in 86% of the populations tested and overall male relative differentiation was raised by 23.5%. Our study demonstrates the value of RM Y-STRs in identifying and separating unrelated and related males and provides a reference database.
155 citations
TL;DR: A key role played by the PEG spacer is suggested that affords the dendrimer platform with enhanced targeting and therapeutic efficacy of cancer cells and offers new opportunities in the design of multifunctional drug carriers for targeted cancer therapy applications.
Abstract: We report the development of a lactobionic acid (LA)-modified multifunctional dendrimer-based carrier system for targeted therapy of liver cancer cells overexpressing asialoglycoprotein receptors. In this study, generation 5 (G5) poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimers were sequentially modified with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FI) and LA (or polyethylene glycol (PEG)-linked LA, PEG-LA), followed by acetylation of the remaining dendrimer terminal amines. The synthesized G5.NHAc-FI-LA or G5.NHAc-FI-PEG-LA conjugates (NHAc denotes acetamide groups) were used to encapsulate a model anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX). We show that both conjugates are able to encapsulate approximately 5.0 DOX molecules within each dendrimer and the formed dendrimer/DOX complexes are stable under different pH conditions and different aqueous media. The G5.NHAc-FI-PEG-LA conjugate appears to have a better cytocompatibility, enables a slightly faster DOX release rate, and displays better liver cancer cell targeting ability than the G5...
126 citations
TL;DR: In vitro flow cytometry data show that the LA-Au DENPs can be specifically uptaken by a model hepatocarcinoma cell line overexpressing asialoglycoprotein receptors through an active receptor-mediated targeting pathway, indicating a great promise to be used as a nanoprobe for targeted CT imaging of human hepatocellular carcinoma.
Abstract: Development of novel nanomaterial-based contrast agents for targeted computed tomography (CT) imaging of tumors still remains a great challenge. Here we describe a novel approach to fabricating lactobionic acid (LA)-modified dendrimer-entrapped gold nanoparticles (LA-Au DENPs) for in vitro and in vivo targeted CT imaging of human hepatocellular carcinoma. In this study, amine-terminated poly(amidoamine) dendrimers of generation 5 pre-modified with fluorescein isothiocyanate and poly(ethylene glycol)-linked LA were employed as templates to form Au nanoparticles. The remaining dendrimer terminal amines were subjected to an acetylation reaction to form LA-Au DENPs. The prepared LA-Au DENPs were characterized via different methods. Our results reveal that the multifunctional Au DENPs with a Au core size of 2.7 nm have good stability under different pH (5-8) and temperature (4-50 °C) conditions and in different aqueous media, and are noncytotoxic to normal cells but cytotoxic to the targeted hepatocarcinoma cells in the given concentration range. In vitro flow cytometry data show that the LA-Au DENPs can be specifically uptaken by a model hepatocarcinoma cell line overexpressing asialoglycoprotein receptors through an active receptor-mediated targeting pathway. Importantly, the LA-Au DENPs can be used as a highly effective nanoprobe for specific CT imaging of hepatocarcinoma cells in vitro and the xenoplanted tumor model in vivo. The developed LA-Au DENPs with X-ray attenuation property greater than clinically employed iodine-based CT contrast agents hold a great promise to be used as a nanoprobe for targeted CT imaging of human hepatocellular carcinoma.
114 citations
University of British Columbia1, University of Utah2, Boston Children's Hospital3, University of Toronto4, University of California, San Diego5, University of Düsseldorf6, Children's Memorial Hospital7, University of Madeira8, Hacettepe University9, University of Ottawa10, Sapienza University of Rome11, Queen's University12, Université de Sherbrooke13, University of Manitoba14, Mayo Clinic15, Baylor College of Medicine16, Necker-Enfants Malades Hospital17, University of Groningen18
TL;DR: An observational GAMT database will be essential to identify the best treatment to reduce plasma guanidinoacetate levels and improve long-term outcomes.
106 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a practical approach to the promises and challenges associated with surfactants in mechanical alloying/milling is provided, including contamination, the morphology and size of powder particles, formation of alloy and microstructural evolution, as well as the physico-mechanical properties.
Abstract: Mechanical alloying/milling technique is characterized by the repeated welding and fracturing of powder particles in a high-energy ball mill, which often results in excessive cold welding and agglomeration of ductile particles. To achieve the critical balance between cold welding and fracturing, the surface of the deforming particles is modified by introducing a suitable organic material, called surfactant or process control agent (PCA). However, the use of surfactants is self-contradictory by nature and requires further consideration of the milling variables and type/amount of surfactant. The current article provides a practical approach to the promises and challenges associated with surfactants in mechanical alloying/milling. An attempt has been made to address the most crucial aspects correlated with surfactants, including contamination, the morphology and size of powder particles, formation of alloy and microstructural evolution, and powder yield, as well as the physico-mechanical properties, such as ...
100 citations
TL;DR: The data clearly point out the need for studying hemicelluloses in natura rather than in model compound solutions that do not retain the relevant factors influencing process performance, especially to increase the extent of the hydrolysis of poly- and oligosaccharides.
Abstract: Mild fractionation/pretreatment processes are becoming the most preferred choices for biomass processing within the biorefinery framework. To further explore their advantages, new developments are needed, especially to increase the extent of the hydrolysis of poly- and oligosaccharides. A possible way forward is the use of solid acid catalysts that may overcome many current drawbacks of other common methods. In this Review, the advantages and limitations of the use of heterogeneous catalysis for the main groups of solid acid catalysts (zeolites, resins, carbon materials, clays, silicas, and other oxides) and their relation to the hydrolysis of model soluble disaccharides and soluble poly- and oligosaccharides are presented and discussed. Special attention is given to the hydrolysis of hemicelluloses and hemicellulose-derived saccharides into monosaccharides, the impact on process performance of potential catalyst poisons originating from biomass and biomass hydrolysates (e.g., proteins, mineral ions, etc.). The data clearly point out the need for studying hemicelluloses in natura rather than in model compound solutions that do not retain the relevant factors influencing process performance. Furthermore, the desirable traits that solid acid catalysts must possess for the efficient hemicellulose hydrolysis are also presented and discussed with regard to the design of new catalysts.
91 citations
TL;DR: The preparation and in vitro evaluation of a new type of nanohybrid for anticancer drug delivery which is capable of carrying a high load of the cationic Dox through the cell membrane and can be effectively internalized by CAL-72 cells, and exhibit a remarkable higher cytotoxicity to cancer cells than the free Dox.
87 citations
TL;DR: In vitro biological evaluation indicated that the DOX-loaded nanocarriers can be effectively internalized by CAL-72 cells (an osteosarcoma cell line), and exhibit a remarkable higher anticancer cytotoxicity than free DOX.
Abstract: The development of pH-sensitive drug delivery nanosystems that present a low drug release at the physiological pH and are able to increase the extent of the release at a lower pH value (like those existent in the interstitial space of solid tumors (pH 6.5) and in the intracellular endolysosomal compartments (pH 5.0)) is very important for an efficient and safe cancer therapy. Laponite (LP) is a synthetic silicate nanoparticle with a nanodisk structure (25 nm in diameter and 0.92 nm in thickness) and negative-charged surface, which can be used for the encapsulation of doxorubicin (DOX, a cationic drug) through electrostatic interactions and exhibit good pH sensitivity in drug delivery. However, the colloidal instability of LP still limits its potential clinical applications. In this study, we demonstrate an elegant strategy to develop stable Laponite-based nanohybrids through the functionalization of its surface with an amphiphile PEG–PLA copolymer by a self-assembly process. The hydrophobic block of PEG–P...
83 citations
TL;DR: Dendrimer-entrapped gold nanoparticles (Au DENPs) can be formed using low-generation dendrimers pre-modified by polyethylene glycol (PEG), enabling efficient computed tomography imaging of the heart and tumor model of mice.
Abstract: Dendrimer-entrapped gold nanoparticles (Au DENPs) can be formed using low-generation dendrimers pre-modified by polyethylene glycol (PEG) The formed PEGylated Au DENPs with desirable stability, cytocompatibility, and X-ray attenuation properties enable efficient computed tomography imaging of the heart and tumor model of mice
74 citations
Proceedings Article•
01 Jan 2014TL;DR: This work describes the platform AIDR (Artificial Intelligence for Disaster Response), which collects human annotations over time to create and maintain automatic supervised classifiers for social media messages, and studies two significant challenges in its design.
Abstract: An emerging paradigm for the processing of data streams involves human and machine computation working together, allowing human intelligence to process large-scale data. We apply this approach to the classification of crisis-related messages in microblog streams. We begin by describing the platform AIDR (Artificial Intelligence for Disaster Response), which collects human annotations over time to create and maintain automatic supervised classifiers for social media messages. Next, we study two significant challenges in its design: (1) identifying which elements must be labeled by humans, and (2) determining when to ask for such annotations to be done. The first challenge is selecting the items to be labeled by crowdsourcing workers to maximize the productivity of their work. The second challenge is to schedule the work in order to reliably maintain high classification accuracy over time. We provide and validate answers to these challenges by extensive experimentation on realworld datasets.
TL;DR: In vitro studies show that the AG/G5-Dox NGs were effectively taken up by CAL-72 cells and maintain the anticancer cytotoxicity levels of free Dox, demonstrating that AG/ G5 nanogels may serve as a general platform for therapeutic delivery and/or cell imaging.
TL;DR: This review addresses the development and validation of high-performance liquid chromatography methods for vitamin C analysis in food commodities, during the period 2000-2014.
TL;DR: This manuscript critically review the most relevant and promising works in this field, highlighting how the metabolomic profiling of urine can be an extremely valuable tool for the early diagnosis of highly prevalent diseases, such as cardiovascular, oncologic and neurodegenerative ones.
Abstract: For a long time, sample preparation was unrecognized as a critical issue in the analytical methodology, thus limiting the performance that could be achieved. However, the improvement of microextraction techniques, particularly microextraction by packed sorbent (MEPS) and solid-phase microextraction (SPME), completely modified this scenario by introducing unprecedented control over this process. Urine is a biological fluid that is very interesting for metabolomics studies, allowing human health and disease characterization in a minimally invasive form. In this manuscript, we will critically review the most relevant and promising works in this field, highlighting how the metabolomic profiling of urine can be an extremely valuable tool for the early diagnosis of highly prevalent diseases, such as cardiovascular, oncologic and neurodegenerative ones.
TL;DR: The accelerated ageing favoured the development of some volatiles previously reported as typical aromas of finest Madeira wines, particularly phenylacetaldeyde, β-damascenone and 5-ethoxymethylfurfural, which were found as potential contributors to the global aroma of baked wines.
TL;DR: Findings from this study suggest that PEGylated dendrimers may be used as a general drug carrier to encapsulate vari- ous hydrophobic drugs for different therapeutic applications.
Abstract: We report here a general approach to using poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimers modified with polyethylene glycol (PEG) as a platform to encapsulate an anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) for in vitro cancer therapy applications. In this approach, PEGylated PAMAM dendrimers were synthesized by conjugating monomethoxypolyethylene glycol with carboxylic acid end group (mPEG-COOH) onto the surface of generation 5 amine-terminated PAMAM dendrimer (G5.NH2), followed by acetylation of the remaining dendrimer terminal amines. By varying the molar ratios of mPEG-COOH/G5.NH2, G5.NHAc-mPEGn (n 5 5, 10, 20, and 40, respectively) with different PEGylation degrees were obtained. We show that the PEGylated dendrimers are able to encapsulate DOX with approximately similar loading capacity regardless of the PEGylation degree. The formed dendrimer/DOX complexes are water soluble and stable. In vitro release studies show that DOX complexed with the PEGylated dendrimers can be released in a sustained manner. Fur- ther cell viability assay in conjunction with cell morphology observation demonstrates that the G5.NHAc-mPEGn/DOX complexes display effective antitumor activity, and the DOX molecules encapsulated within complexes can be internalized into the cell nucleus, similar to the free DOX drug. Findings from this study suggest that PEGylated dendrimers may be used as a general drug carrier to encapsulate vari- ous hydrophobic drugs for different therapeutic applications. V C 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014, 131, 40358.
TL;DR: A facile approach to assembling low generation poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimer-stabilized gold nanoparticles (Au DSNPs) onto electrospun polymer nanofibrous mats for catalytic applications was reported in this paper.
Abstract: We report here a facile approach to assembling low generation poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimer-stabilized gold nanoparticles (Au DSNPs) onto electrospun polymer nanofibrous mats for catalytic applications. In this study, Au DSNPs formed using amine-terminated generation 2 PAMAM dendrimers as stabilizers were assembled onto electrospun polyacrylic acid (PAA)/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) nanofibrous mats either through electrostatic interactions or through the covalent 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC) coupling reaction. The assembly of Au DSNPs with a mean diameter of 5.4 nm onto the electrospun nanofibrous mats was characterized via different techniques. The catalytic activity of the Au DSNP-assembled nanofibrous mats was evaluated by the transformation of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol. We show that both approaches enable the efficient assembly of Au DSNPs onto nanofiber surfaces and the as prepared Au DSNP-containing nanofibers formed via both approaches have excellent catalytic activity and reusability. However, the Au DSNP-assembled nanofibers via electrostatic physical interactions display a much higher catalytic activity than those formed via the chemical assembly approach. The facile dendrimer-mediated assembly approach to modifying electrospun nanofibers may be used to fabricate other composite nanofiber systems for applications in catalysis, sensing, and biomedical sciences.
TL;DR: The volatile metabolomic patterns from different raw materials commonly used in beer production, namely barley, corn and hop-derived products, were established using a suitable analytical procedure based on dynamic headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) followed by thermal desorption gas chromatography-quadrupole mass spectrometry detection (GC-qMS).
TL;DR: In this article, a self-administered survey applied to a sample of 180 tourists, and four clusters were identified: relaxer cluster, which comprises individuals attracted by opportunities to relax and recharge batteries, are the most dominant, suggesting that the sector mimics, to a large extent, the mass tourism sector.
Abstract: Rural tourism has been promoted as an effective catalyst for growth in rural areas severely hit by the rural structuring process. However, with regard to islands, rural tourism has been mainly advertised and promoted as a counterpoint to mass tourism. While in most Western countries rural tourism has been in place for decades, islands have been pursuing a rural tourism agenda only since the 1990s. Consequently, we face a dearth of research regarding motivation factors that attract tourists to the rural hinterland on islands. The purpose of this study is to segment and profile rural tourists based on benefits sought in order to gain a better understanding of the current demand trends. The data collection procedure were based on a self-administered survey applied to a sample of 180 tourists, and four clusters were identified. The relaxer cluster which comprises individuals attracted by opportunities to relax and recharge batteries, are the most dominant, suggesting that the sector mimics, to a large extent,...
TL;DR: The chemical composition of the lipophilic extract of ripe pulp of banana fruit from several banana cultivars belonging to the Musa acuminata and Musa balbisiana species was studied by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for the first time and is a relevant contribution for the valorisation of these Banana cultivars as sources of valuable phytochemicals with well-established beneficial nutritional and health effects.
TL;DR: A new class of stationary solutions in the theory of glow discharges and plasma-cathode interaction in ambient-gas arc discharges has been found over the past 15 years.
Abstract: A new class of stationary solutions in the theory of glow discharges and plasma–cathode interaction in ambient-gas arc discharges has been found over the past 15 years. These solutions exist simultaneously with the solution given in textbooks, which describes a discharge mode with a uniform or smooth distribution of current over the cathode surface, and describes modes with various configurations of cathode spots: normal spots on glow cathodes, patterns of multiple spots recently observed on cathodes of glow microdischarges and spots on arc cathodes. In particular, these solutions show that cathode spots represent a manifestation of self-organization caused by basic mechanisms of the near-cathode space-charge sheath; another illustration of the richness of the gas discharge science. As far as arc cathodes are concerned, the new solutions have proved relevant for industrial applications. This work is dedicated to reviewing the multiple solutions obtained to date, their systematization, and analysis of their properties and physical meaning. The treatment is performed in the context of general trends of self-organization in bistable nonlinear dissipative systems, which allows one to consider glow discharges or arc–cathode interaction within a single physically transparent framework without going into mathematical details and offers a possibility of systematic computation of the multiple solutions. Relevant computational aspects and experimental data are discussed.
TL;DR: It can be concluded that faya berries represent a rich source of cyanidin-3-glucoside, flavonoids, and vitamin C and higher antioxidant activity than that of the well-known Myrica rubra berries (Chinese bayberry) has been observed.
Abstract: Myrica faya is a fruit tree endemic of the Macaronesia (Azores, Madeira, and Canary Island), and its edible fruits are known as "amorinhos" (little loves), bright red to purple berries , used fresh ...
26 Oct 2014
TL;DR: An online survey deployed to grasp the state of user experience evaluation practice learned that evaluations are mainly conducted by HCIs, software engineers or designers and are perceived to strongly impact the user interface, as well as the business logic level.
Abstract: Despite the growing importance for practice, user experience is often a blurry and doubtful concept both for newcomers and for the industry. Such ambiguity stems from a emergent community of practitioners with diverse backgrounds, to whom user experience encompasses countless interpretations. This paper reports on an online survey deployed to grasp the state of user experience evaluation practice. We learned that evaluations are mainly conducted by HCIs, software engineers or designers and are perceived to strongly impact the user interface, as well as the business logic level. Additionally, informal, low cost methods are widely used and, although most methods rely on paper prototypes, a single artifact is used per evaluation and working prototypes are favored. Moreover, evaluations happen at multiple project phases and various methods are used. Finally, results shows that evaluations are constrained by evaluators' background or occupation. This compels the community to pursue an end-to-end methodology to prevent it.
TL;DR: It is shown that all three types of dendrimers are able to effectively encapsulate DOX and display therapeutic inhibition effect to cancer cells, which is solely associated with the loaded DOX, suggesting that the G5.SAH/DOX complex may not be a proper option for further in vivo research.
Abstract: Generation 5 (G5) poly(amidoamine) dendrimers with acetyl (G5.NHAc), glycidol hydroxyl (G5.NGlyOH), and succinamic acid (G5.SAH) terminal groups were used to physically encapsulate an anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX). Both UV–vis spectroscopy and multiple NMR techniques including one-dimensional NMR and two-dimensional NMR were applied to investigate the interactions between different dendrimers and DOX. The influence of the surface functional groups of G5 dendrimers on the DOX encapsulation, release kinetics, and cancer cell inhibition effect was investigated. We show that all three types of dendrimers are able to effectively encapsulate DOX and display therapeutic inhibition effect to cancer cells, which is solely associated with the loaded DOX. The relatively stronger interactions of G5.NHAc or G5.NGlyOH dendrimers with DOX than that of G5.SAH dendrimers with DOX demonstrated by NMR techniques correlate well with the slow release rate of DOX from G5.NHAc/DOX or G5.NGlyOH/DOX complexes. In contrast, th...
TL;DR: Degradable hybrid hydrogels with improved stability are prepared by incorporating nanodisks of biocompatible laponite in alginate (AG) hydrogel using Ca(2+) as a crosslinker to give a controlled Dox release at physiological environment in a sustained manner.
Abstract: Degradable hybrid hydrogels with improved stability are prepared by incorporating nanodisks of biocompatible laponite (LP) in alginate (AG) hydrogels using Ca(2+) as a crosslinker. The Dox-loaded hybrid hydrogels give a controlled Dox release at physiological environment in a sustained manner. Under conditions that mimic the tumor environment, both the sustainability in the Dox release (up to 17 d) and the release efficiency from LP/AG-Dox hydrogels are improved. The in situ degradation of these hybrid hydrogels gives rise to nanohybrids that might serve as vehicles for carrying Dox through the cell membrane and diminish the effect of Dox ion-trapping in the acidic extracellular environment of the tumor and/or in the endo-lysosomal cell compartments.
TL;DR: Some of the most interesting MEPS and SPME applications are explored, focusing on recent trends and applications to medical diagnostic, particularly the in vivo and near real time applications.
Abstract: The human population continues to grow exponentially in the fast developing and most populated countries, whereas in Western Europe it is getting older and older each year. This inevitably raises the demand for better and more efficient medical services without increasing the economic burden in the same proportion. To meet these requirements, improvement of medical diagnosis is certainly a key aspect to consider. Therefore, we need powerful analytical methodologies able to go deeper and further in the characterization of human metabolism and identification of disease biomarkers and endogenous molecules in body fluids and tissues. The ultimate goal is to have a reliable and early medical diagnosis, mitigating the disease complications as much as possible. Microextraction techniques (METs) represent a key step in these analytical methodologies by providing samples in the suitable volumes and purification levels necessary for the characterization of the target analytes. In this aspect, solid-phase microextraction (SPME) and, more recently, microextraction by packed sorbent (MEPS), are powerful sample preparation techniques, characterized by their reduced time of analysis, low solvent consumption, and broad application. Moreover, as miniaturized techniques, they can be easily automatized to have a high-throughput performance in the clinical environment. In this review, we explore some of the most interesting MEPS and SPME applications, focusing on recent trends and applications to medical diagnostic, particularly the in vivo and near real time applications.
TL;DR: The developed MEPS/GC-MS methodology arises as an important tool to quantify EC in fortified wines, combining efficiency and effectiveness, with simpler, faster and affordable analytical procedures that provide great sensitivity without using sophisticated and expensive equipment.
TL;DR: CRF markedly modifies the relationship between adiposity and mortality in persons with prediabetes and fit individuals have a lower mortality risk irrespective of adiposity level in this high-risk group.
Abstract: OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to examine independent and joint associations of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and different adiposity measures with mortality risk in individuals with pre-diabetes (or impaired fasting glucose). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We examined associations of CRF and fatness with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and all-cause mortality in a cohort of 17,044 participants (89% men) with pre-diabetes (defined as 100≤plasma fasting glucose RESULTS We identified 832 deaths (246 from CVD) during 13.9 ± 7.0 years (mean ± SD) follow-up. Normal-weight individuals who were unfit (lowest one-third) had a higher risk of all-cause (hazard ratio 1.70 [95% CI 1.32-2.18]) and CVD (1.88 [1.13-3.10]) mortality compared with the normal-weight and fit (upper two-thirds) reference group in a model adjusted for age, sex, examination year, and multiple risk factors. The mortality risk for fit individuals who were overweight or obese did not differ significantly from the reference group. Similar patterns were observed for sex-specific thirds of waist circumference and % body fat. CONCLUSIONS CRF markedly modifies the relationship between adiposity and mortality in persons with pre-diabetes. Unfit individuals have a higher and fit individuals have a lower mortality risk irrespective of adiposity level in this high risk group.
TL;DR: This paper gives an overview of MEPS technique, including the role of sample preparation in bioanalysis, the MEPS description namely MEPS formats (on- and off-line), sorbents, experimental and protocols, factors that affect the MePS performance, and the major advantages and limitations of MePS compared with other sample preparation techniques.
Abstract: Sample preparation is an important analytical step regarding the isolation and concentration of desired components from complex matrices and greatly influences their reliable and accurate analysis and data quality. It is the most labor-intensive and error-prone process in analytical methodology and, therefore, may influence the analytical performance of the target analytes quantification. Many conventional sample preparation methods are relatively complicated, involving time-consuming procedures and requiring large volumes of organic solvents. Recent trends in sample preparation include miniaturization, automation, high-throughput performance, on-line coupling with analytical instruments and low-cost operation through extremely low volume or no solvent consumption. Micro-extraction techniques, such as micro-extraction by packed sorbent (MEPS), have these advantages over the traditional techniques. This paper gives an overview of MEPS technique, including the role of sample preparation in bioanalysis, the MEPS description namely MEPS formats (on- and off-line), sorbents, experimental and protocols, factors that affect the MEPS performance, and the major advantages and limitations of MEPS compared with other sample preparation techniques. We also summarize MEPS recent applications in bioanalysis.
11 Nov 2014
TL;DR: The design, implementation and validation of RehabCity, an online game designed for the rehabilitation of cognitive deficits through a gamified approach on activities of daily living (ADLs), suggest that RehabCity is a valid tool for the quantitative assessment of patients with cognitive deficits derived from a brain lesion.
Abstract: Worldwide, more than one in three adults suffers from a cardiovascular disease. According to the World Health Organization, 15 million people experience a stroke each year and, of these, 5 million stay permanently disabled. The current limitations of traditional rehabilitation methods push towards the design of personalized tools that can be used intensively by patients and therapists in clinical or at-home environments. In this paper we present the design, implementation and validation of RehabCity, an online game designed for the rehabilitation of cognitive deficits through a gamified approach on activities of daily living (ADLs). Among other findings, our results show a strong correlation between the RehabCity scoring system and the Mini Mental State Examination test for clinical assessment of cognitive function in several domains. These findings suggest that RehabCity is a valid tool for the quantitative assessment of patients with cognitive deficits derived from a brain lesion.