Showing papers by "University of Peradeniya published in 2019"

Global, regional, and national burden of suicide mortality 1990 to 2016: systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016

Abstract: Objectives To use the estimates from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016 to describe patterns of suicide mortality globally, regionally, and for 195 countries and territories by age, sex, and Socio-demographic index, and to describe temporal trends between 1990 and 2016. Design Systematic analysis. Main outcome measures Crude and age standardised rates from suicide mortality and years of life lost were compared across regions and countries, and by age, sex, and Socio-demographic index (a composite measure of fertility, income, and education). Results The total number of deaths from suicide increased by 6.7% (95% uncertainty interval 0.4% to 15.6%) globally over the 27 year study period to 817 000 (762 000 to 884 000) deaths in 2016. However, the age standardised mortality rate for suicide decreased by 32.7% (27.2% to 36.6%) worldwide between 1990 and 2016, similar to the decline in the global age standardised mortality rate of 30.6%. Suicide was the leading cause of age standardised years of life lost in the Global Burden of Disease region of high income Asia Pacific and was among the top 10 leading causes in eastern Europe, central Europe, western Europe, central Asia, Australasia, southern Latin America, and high income North America. Rates for men were higher than for women across regions, countries, and age groups, except for the 15 to 19 age group. There was variation in the female to male ratio, with higher ratios at lower levels of Socio-demographic index. Women experienced greater decreases in mortality rates (49.0%, 95% uncertainty interval 42.6% to 54.6%) than men (23.8%, 15.6% to 32.7%). Conclusions Age standardised mortality rates for suicide have greatly reduced since 1990, but suicide remains an important contributor to mortality worldwide. Suicide mortality was variable across locations, between sexes, and between age groups. Suicide prevention strategies can be targeted towards vulnerable populations if they are informed by variations in mortality rates.

Review on the optimal placement, sizing and control of an energy storage system in the distribution network

Abstract: Energy storage system (ESS) has developed as an important element in enhancing the performance of the power system especially after the involvement of renewable energy based generation in the system. However, there are a few challenges to employ ESS in distribution network, one of which is to ensure the best location and capacity so as to take the full advantage of installing ESS in the grid. In this paper, an extensive literature review on optimal allocation and control of ESS is performed. Besides, different technologies and the benefits of the ESS are discussed. Some case studies of ESS application in different part of the world are also presented. Finally, this paper emphasizes the future improvement of ESS control and performance to solve more complicated problems originated from the participation of renewable energy generation in the power system.

Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors in Child and Adolescent Health, 1990 to 2017: Findings From the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors 2017 Study

Abstract: Importance: Understanding causes and correlates of health loss among children and adolescents can identify areas of success, stagnation, and emerging threats and thereby facilitate effective improvement strategies. Objective: To estimate mortality and morbidity in children and adolescents from 1990 to 2017 by age and sex in 195 countries and territories. Design, Setting, and Participants: This study examined levels, trends, and spatiotemporal patterns of cause-specific mortality and nonfatal health outcomes using standardized approaches to data processing and statistical analysis. It also describes epidemiologic transitions by evaluating historical associations between disease indicators and the Socio-Demographic Index (SDI), a composite indicator of income, educational attainment, and fertility. Data collected from 1990 to 2017 on children and adolescents from birth through 19 years of age in 195 countries and territories were assessed. Data analysis occurred from January 2018 to August 2018. Exposures: Being under the age of 20 years between 1990 and 2017. Main Outcomes and Measures: Death and disability. All-cause and cause-specific deaths, disability-adjusted life years, years of life lost, and years of life lived with disability. Results: Child and adolescent deaths decreased 51.7% from 13.77 million (95% uncertainty interval [UI], 13.60-13.93 million) in 1990 to 6.64 million (95% UI, 6.44-6.87 million) in 2017, but in 2017, aggregate disability increased 4.7% to a total of 145 million (95% UI, 107-190 million) years lived with disability globally. Progress was uneven, and inequity increased, with low-SDI and low-middle-SDI locations experiencing 82.2% (95% UI, 81.6%-82.9%) of deaths, up from 70.9% (95% UI, 70.4%-71.4%) in 1990. The leading disaggregated causes of disability-adjusted life years in 2017 in the low-SDI quintile were neonatal disorders, lower respiratory infections, diarrhea, malaria, and congenital birth defects, whereas neonatal disorders, congenital birth defects, headache, dermatitis, and anxiety were highest-ranked in the high-SDI quintile. Conclusions and Relevance: Mortality reductions over this 27-year period mean that children are more likely than ever to reach their 20th birthdays. The concomitant expansion of nonfatal health loss and epidemiological transition in children and adolescents, especially in low-SDI and middle-SDI countries, has the potential to increase already overburdened health systems, will affect the human capital potential of societies, and may influence the trajectory of socioeconomic development. Continued monitoring of child and adolescent health loss is crucial to sustain the progress of the past 27 years.

Mapping 123 million neonatal, infant and child deaths between 2000 and 2017

Abstract: Since 2000, many countries have achieved considerable success in improving child survival, but localized progress remains unclear. To inform efforts towards United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 3.2—to end preventable child deaths by 2030—we need consistently estimated data at the subnational level regarding child mortality rates and trends. Here we quantified, for the period 2000–2017, the subnational variation in mortality rates and number of deaths of neonates, infants and children under 5 years of age within 99 low- and middle-income countries using a geostatistical survival model. We estimated that 32% of children under 5 in these countries lived in districts that had attained rates of 25 or fewer child deaths per 1,000 live births by 2017, and that 58% of child deaths between 2000 and 2017 in these countries could have been averted in the absence of geographical inequality. This study enables the identification of high-mortality clusters, patterns of progress and geographical inequalities to inform appropriate investments and implementations that will help to improve the health of all populations.

Heavy metal-induced oxidative stress on seed germination and seedling development: a critical review.

Abstract: Heavy metal contamination in soils can influence plants and animals, often leading to toxicosis. Heavy metals can impact various biochemical processes in plants, including enzyme and antioxidant production, protein mobilization and photosynthesis. Hydrolyzing enzymes play a major role in seed germination. Enzymes such as acid phosphatases, proteases and α-amylases are known to facilitate both seed germination and seedling growth via mobilizing nutrients in the endosperm. In the presence of heavy metals, starch is immobilized and nutrient sources become limited. Moreover, a reduction in proteolytic enzyme activity and an increase in protein and amino acid content can be observed under heavy metal stress. Proline, is an amino acid which is essential for cellular metabolism. Numerous studies have shown an increase in proline content under oxidative stress in higher plants. Furthermore, heat shock protein production has also been observed under heavy metal stress. The chloroplast small heat shock proteins (Hsp) reduce photosynthesis damage, rather than repair or help to recover from heavy metal-induced damage. Heavy metals are destructive substances for photosynthesis. They are involved in destabilizing enzymes, oxidizing photosystem II (PS II) and disrupting the electron transport chain and mineral metabolism. Although the physiological effects of Cd have been investigated thoroughly, other metals such as As, Cr, Hg, Cu and Pb have received relatively little attention. Among agricultural plants, rice has been studied extensively; additional studies are needed to characterize toxicities of different heavy metals on other crops. This review summarizes the current state of our understanding of the effects of heavy metal stress on seed germination and seedling development and highlights informational gaps and areas for future research.

Global photosynthetic capacity is optimized to the environment.

Abstract: Earth system models (ESMs) use photosynthetic capacity, indexed by the maximum Rubisco carboxylation rate (Vcmax ), to simulate carbon assimilation and typically rely on empirical estimates, including an assumed dependence on leaf nitrogen determined from soil fertility. In contrast, new theory, based on biochemical coordination and co-optimization of carboxylation and water costs for photosynthesis, suggests that optimal Vcmax can be predicted from climate alone, irrespective of soil fertility. Here, we develop this theory and find it captures 64% of observed variability in a global, field-measured Vcmax dataset for C3 plants. Soil fertility indices explained substantially less variation (32%). These results indicate that environmentally regulated biophysical constraints and light availability are the first-order drivers of global photosynthetic capacity. Through acclimation and adaptation, plants efficiently utilize resources at the leaf level, thus maximizing potential resource use for growth and reproduction. Our theory offers a robust strategy for dynamically predicting photosynthetic capacity in ESMs.

Incorporating Appliance Usage Patterns for Non-Intrusive Load Monitoring and Load Forecasting

Abstract: This paper proposes a novel non-intrusive load monitoring (NILM) method which incorporates appliance usage patterns (AUPs) to improve performance of active load identification and forecasting. In the first stage, the AUPs of a given residence were learned using a spectral decomposition based standard NILM algorithm. Then, learnt AUPs were utilized to bias the priori probabilities of the appliances through a specifically constructed fuzzy system. The AUPs contain likelihood measures for each appliance to be active at the present instant based on the recent activity/inactivity of appliances and the time of day. Hence, the priori probabilities determined through the AUPs increase the active load identification accuracy of the NILM algorithm. The proposed method was successfully tested for two standard databases containing real household measurements in USA and Germany. The proposed method demonstrates an improvement in active load estimation when applied to the aforementioned databases as the proposed method augments the smart meter readings with the behavioral trends obtained from AUPs. Furthermore, a residential power consumption forecasting mechanism, which can predict the total active power demand of an aggregated set of houses, 5 min ahead of real time, was successfully formulated and implemented utilizing the proposed AUP based technique.

The potential of neglected and underutilized species for improving diets and nutrition

Abstract: Nutrient-rich neglected and underutilized plant species could help transform food systems, provided science and policy are better connected, and greater coordination exists among the diverse stakeholders working with these species. Why have our food systems come to rely on such a narrow range of plant species of limited nutritional value? Today three staple crops (rice, maize and wheat) account for more than 50% of calories consumed while we continue to disregard the huge diversity of nutrient-rich plant species utilized by humanity throughout our history. The reasons for this situation are complex and challenging. Creative approaches are required to ensure greater integration of these plant species in agriculture and food systems, and ultimately greater food diversity on our plates and in our diets. This paper presents an overview of the nutritional value of select neglected and underutilized species (NUS) before describing in detail the work undertaken in four mega-diverse countries—Brazil, Kenya, Sri Lanka and Turkey—to increase the knowledge, appreciation, awareness and utilization of this nutrient-rich biodiversity encompassing both orphan crops and wild edible plant species. The paper highlights the novel and ingenious approaches these countries have used to prioritize a rich diversity of NUS for healthier diets and improved nutrition, and how this knowledge has been used to mainstream these plant species into production and consumption systems, including linking NUS to school meals and public food procurement, dietary guidelines and sustainable gastronomy. The paper concludes with some perspectives on the way forward for NUS and the community working on them (including researchers, universities and government agencies, national ministries, municipalities, producers, and civil society) in meeting the challenges of malnutrition and environmental sustainability in the 2030 sustainable development context.

A critical review of social resilience assessment frameworks in disaster management

Abstract: The role of social resilience in disaster management continues to gain increasing attention and interest from both researchers and practitioners. This paper critically reviews existing frameworks and methods to understand their application in a disaster context, to highlight key challenges and future directions for developing robust social resilience assessment frameworks. The analysis revealed a lack of consistency in key concepts used to measure social resilience to disasters. This results in significant confusion in the way key concepts are understood, interpreted, and applied. Due to the multi-faceted nature of social resilience concepts, there are pronounced theoretical and practical difficulties in carrying out a rapid, but rational, accurate, and meaningful assessment of social resilience to disasters. Many of the key process-oriented indicators are not included in the existent social resilience frameworks, since they are not easy to operationalise due to their dynamic nature. Therefore, a comprehensive social resilience framework that can be adapted to different contexts and integrated with specific measurement tools and guidelines is necessary. Such a comprehensive framework can make resilience measurement consistent across geographies by adapting it with context specific resilience characteristics.

Mechanistic understanding of crystal violet dye sorption by woody biochar: implications for wastewater treatment.

Abstract: Dye-based industries, particularly small and medium scale, discharge their effluents into waterways without treatment due to cost considerations. We investigated the use of biochars produced from the woody tree Gliricidia sepium at 300 °C (GBC300) and 500 °C (GBC500) in the laboratory and at 700 °C from a dendro bioenergy industry (GBC700), to evaluate their potential for sorption of crystal violet (CV) dye. Experiments were conducted to assess the effect of pH reaction time and CV loading on the adsorption process. The equilibrium adsorption capacity was higher with GBC700 (7.9 mg g−1) than GBC500 (4.9 mg g−1) and GBC300 (4.4 mg g−1), at pH 8. The CV sorption process was dependent on the pH, surface area and pore volume of biochar (GBC). Both Freundlich and Hill isotherm models fitted best to the equilibrium isotherm data suggesting cooperative interactions via physisorption and chemisorption mechanisms for CV sorption. The highest Hill sorption capacity of 125.5 mg g−1 was given by GBC700 at pH 8. Kinetic data followed the pseudo-second-order model, suggesting that the sorption process is more inclined toward the chemisorption mechanism. Pore diffusion, π–π electron donor–acceptor interaction and H-bonding were postulated to be involved in physisorption, whereas electrostatic interactions of protonated amine group of CV and negatively charged GBC surface led to a chemisorption type of adsorption. Overall, GBC produced as a by-product of the dendro industry could be a promising remedy for CV removal from an aqueous environment.

Full-Duplex Non-Orthogonal Multiple Access for Next Generation Wireless Systems

Abstract: In this article, we study the combination of NOMA and full-duplex operation as a promising solution to improve the capacity of next-generation wireless systems. We study the application of full-duplex NOMA transmission in wireless cellular, relay and cognitive radio networks, and demonstrate achievable performance gains. It is shown that the effects of self-interference and inter-user interference due to full-duplex operation can be effectively mitigated by optimizing/enhancing the beamforming, power control, and link scheduling techniques. We also discuss research challenges and future directions so that full-duplex NOMA can be made practical in the near future.

The influence of three acid modifications on the physicochemical characteristics of tea-waste biochar pyrolyzed at different temperatures: a comparative study

Abstract: Tea-waste is an abundant feedstock for producing biochar (BC) which is considered to be a cost effective carbonaceous adsorbent useful for water remediation and soil amendment purposes. In the present study, tea-waste BC (TWBC) produced at three different temperatures were subjected to nitric, sulfuric and hydrochloric acid modifications (abbreviated as NM, SM and HM respectively). Characteristics of the raw and modified BC such as ultimate and proximate analyses, surface morphology, surface acidity and functionality, point of zero charge, cation exchange capacity (CEC) and thermal stability were compared to evaluate the influence of pyrolysis temperature and of modifications incorporated. The amount of carboxylic and phenolic surface functionalities on TWBC was seen to decrease by 93.44% and 81.06% respectively when the pyrolysis temperature was increased from 300 to 700 °C. Additionally, the yield of BC was seen to decrease by 46% upon the latter temperature increment. The elemental analysis results provided justification for high-temperature BC being more hydrophobic as was observed by the 61% increase in H/C ratio which is an indication of augmented aromatization. The CEC was the highest for the low-temperature BC and was seen to further increase by NM which is attributed to the 81.89% increase in carboxylic functionalities. The surface area was seen to significantly increase for BC700 upon NM (∼27 times). The SM led to pore wall destruction which was observed in scanning electron microscopy images. Findings would enable the rational use of these particular modifications in relevant remediation and soil amendment applications.

Long-term Effects of Snake Envenoming

Abstract: Long-term effects of envenoming compromise the quality of life of the survivors of snakebite We searched MEDLINE (from 1946) and EMBASE (from 1947) until October 2018 for clinical literature on the long-term effects of snake envenoming using different combinations of search terms We classified conditions that last or appear more than six weeks following envenoming as long term or delayed effects of envenoming Of 257 records identified, 51 articles describe the long-term effects of snake envenoming and were reviewed Disability due to amputations, deformities, contracture formation, and chronic ulceration, rarely with malignant change, have resulted from local necrosis due to bites mainly from African and Asian cobras, and Central and South American Pit-vipers Progression of acute kidney injury into chronic renal failure in Russell’s viper bites has been reported in several studies from India and Sri Lanka Neuromuscular toxicity does not appear to result in long-term effects Endocrine anomalies such as delayed manifestation of hypopituitarism following Russell’s viper bites have been reported Delayed psychological effects such as depressive symptoms, post-traumatic stress disorder and somatisation have been reported Blindness due to primary and secondary effects of venom is a serious, debilitating effect In general, the available studies have linked a clinical effect to a snakebite in retrospect, hence lacked accurate snake authentication, details of acute management and baseline data and are unable to provide a detailed picture of clinical epidemiology of the long-term effects of envenoming In the future, it will be important to follow cohorts of snakebite patients for a longer period of time to understand the true prevalence, severity, clinical progression and risk factors of long-term effects of snake envenoming

Anthropogenic Factors Driving Recent Range Expansion of the Malaria Vector Anopheles stephensi.

Abstract: The malaria vector Anopheles stephensi is found in wide tracts of Asia and the Middle East. The discovery of its presence for the first time in the island of Sri Lanka in 2017, poses a threat of malaria resurgence in a country which had eliminated the disease in 2013. Morphological and genetic characterization showed that the efficient Indian urban vector form An. stephensi sensu stricto or type form, has recently expanded its range to Jaffna and Mannar in northern Sri Lanka that are in proximity to Tamil Nadu state in South India. Comparison of the DNA sequences of the cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 gene in An. stephensi in Jaffna and Mannar in Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu and Puducherry states in South India showed that a haplotype that is due to a sequence change from valine to methionine in the cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 present in the Jaffna and Mannar populations has not been documented so far in Tamil Nadu/Puducherry populations. The Jaffna An. stephensi were closer to Tamil Nadu/Puducherry populations and differed significantly from the Mannar populations. The genetic findings cannot differentiate between separate arrivals of the Jaffna and Mannar An. stephensi from Tamil Nadu or a single arrival and dispersion to the two locations accompanied by micro-evolutionary changes. Anopheles stephensi was observed to undergo preimaginal development in fresh and brackish water domestic wells and over ground cement water storage tanks in the coastal urban environment of Jaffna and Mannar. Anopheles stephensi in Jaffna was resistant to the common insecticides deltamethrin, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane and Malathion. Its preimaginal development in wells and water tanks was susceptible to predation by the larvivorous guppy fish Poecilia reticulata. The arrival, establishment, and spread of An. stephensi in northern Sri Lanka are analyzed in relation to anthropogenic factors that favor its range expansion. The implications of the findings for global public health challenges posed by malaria and other mosquito-borne diseases are discussed.

An Ensemble Learning Approach for Electrocardiogram Sensor Based Human Emotion Recognition

Abstract: Recently, researchers in the area of biosensor based human emotion recognition have used different types of machine learning models for recognizing human emotions. However, most of them still lack the ability to recognize human emotions with higher classification accuracy incorporating a limited number of bio-sensors. In the domain of machine learning, ensemble learning methods have been successfully applied to solve different types of real-world machine learning problems which require improved classification accuracies. Emphasising on that, this research suggests an ensemble learning approach for developing a machine learning model that can recognize four major human emotions namely: anger; sadness; joy; and pleasure incorporating electrocardiogram (ECG) signals. As feature extraction methods, this analysis combines four ECG signal based techniques, namely: heart rate variability; empirical mode decomposition; with-in beat analysis; and frequency spectrum analysis. The first three feature extraction methods are well-known ECG based feature extraction techniques mentioned in the literature, and the fourth technique is a novel method proposed in this study. The machine learning procedure of this investigation evaluates the performance of a set of well-known ensemble learners for emotion classification and further improves the classification results using feature selection as a prior step to ensemble model training. Compared to the best performing single biosensor based model in the literature, the developed ensemble learner has the accuracy gain of 10.77%. Furthermore, the developed model outperforms most of the multiple biosensor based emotion recognition models with a significantly higher classification accuracy gain.

Brain tumor Classification and Segmentation using Faster R-CNN

Abstract: In this study the problem of fully automated brain tumor classification and segmentation, in Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) containing both Glioma and Meningioma types of brain tumors are considered. This paper proposes a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), for classification problem and Faster Region based Convolutional Neural Network (Faster R-CNN) for segmentation problem with reduced number of computations with a higher accuracy level. This research has used 218 images as training set and the systems shows an accuracy of 100% in Meningioma and 87.5% in Glioma classifications and an average confidence level of 94.6% in segmentation of Meningioma tumors. The segmented tumor regions are validated through ground truth analysis and manual analysis by a Neurologist.

Chalcophile element fertility and the formation of porphyry Cu ± Au deposits

Abstract: Chalcophile element fertility, the chalcophile metal abundance in the source magma, is likely to be a critical factor for the formation of porphyry Cu ± Au deposits. In this study, we provide evidence to support this hypothesis by comparing the platinum group element (PGE) geochemistry of barren and ore-bearing Cu ± Au granitic suites. We report the PGE contents of three barren volcanic and subvolcanic suites from Argentina and Japan and two Cu ± Au bearing suites from Indonesia and Chile. These results are compared with those from previous studies of a porphyry Cu-only subvolcanic suite from Chile and three porphyry Cu-Au-bearing suites from Australia and the USA. The barren suites are depleted in PGE abundances by the time of fluid exsolution (< 0.1 ppb Pd and Pd/Pt < ~ 3), which is attributed to early sulfide saturation in a mid to lower crustal magma chamber. In contrast, the Cu ± Au ore-bearing suites contain at least an order of magnitude higher PGE contents than the barren ones at fluid saturation (up to ~ 10 ppb Pd and Pd/Pt of 0.1–40). They are characterized by late sulfide saturation, which allows both chalcophile elements and sulfur to concentrate by fractional crystallization before volatile saturation. We suggest that plots of Pd/MgO against Pd/Pt for igneous suites can be used to estimate chalcophile element fertility and distinguish between barren, porphyry Cu, and porphyry Cu-Au granitoid systems. The positive correlation of these chalcophile element fertility indicators and ore grades suggests that metal contents in magmas play an important role in controlling ore grade, particularly Au, in porphyry Cu ± Au deposits.

High efficiency dye-sensitized solar cell based on a novel gel polymer electrolyte containing RbI and tetrahexylammonium iodide (Hex4NI) salts and multi-layered photoelectrodes of TiO2 nanoparticles

Abstract: High efficiency dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have been achieved using a novel polymer gel electrolyte containing RbI and tetrahexylammonium iodide (Hex4NI) binary salts in combination with multi-layered TiO2 photoelectrodes. Performance enhancers were incorporated to the electrolyte to improve the efficiency in the DSSCs. Varying the salt mass fraction, showed that the conductivity in the electrolyte increases with increasing amount of RbI. The highest ionic conductivity of 4.19 mS cm−1 is exhibited by the electrolyte sample with RbI:Hex4NI weight ratio of 3:1 at 25 °C. The temperature dependence of the electrolytes shows Arrhenius behavior. It is found that the electrolyte with RbI:Hex4NI weight ratio of 1.06:1 is more suitable for DSSC's applications and it has a conductivity of 3.77 mS cm−1. A colloidal suspension of P25 TiO2 nanoparticles was used to make the spin coated photo-anodes in the form of stacks of 1–6 layers. The formation of a highly uniform and porous structure is observed with increasing number of layers from scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction studies revealed that the layers are predominantly anatase phase with crystallite size of 19–22 nm. The band gap was estimated to be around 3.22 eV based on UV–Visible spectroscopy and found to be decreasing slightly with increasing layer thickness. The maximum efficiency of 7.5% and an impressively high current density of 20 mA cm−2 were observed for the 4-layer device with the new gel electrolyte based on RbI and Hex4NI. This study not only brings reliability and consistency to the ways of preparing well-ordered TiO2 photo-anodes but also offers the possibility of low-cost practical and highly efficient quasi-solid state DSSCs.

Oral epithelial dysplasia: Causes, quantification, prognosis, and management challenges.

Abstract: Oral epithelial dysplasia is a spectrum of architectural and cytological epithelial changes caused by accumulation of genetic changes, and is associated with an increased risk of progression to squamous cell carcinoma. It is a microscopic diagnosis of immense clinical importance. The initial reports of oral potentially malignant disorders with oral epithelial dysplasia transforming to oral cancer helped in understanding the nature of oral malignancies. Since then, clinical studies on oral potentially malignant disorders have combined microscopic findings of oral epithelial dysplasia to assess the malignant transformation potential of different grades of epithelial dysplasia. A significant amount of scientific literature has amassed on oral epithelial dysplasia relating to aspects of its diagnosis and management. However, the evidence base is weak as a result of the significant variability of published research. Poorly described study methods, variability in different oral epithelial dysplasia grading systems, inter- and intra-examiner variability causing issues of reliability, inadequate sample size, and inconsistent durations of follow-up are some of the methodological issues contributing to the failure to provide dependable information. Randomized clinical trials on the malignant transformation potential of oral epithelial dysplasia and its treatment outcomes are limited. This comprehensive literature review on oral epithelial dysplasia summarizes the scientific knowledge published in the scientific literature in English since its first description. The historical development, etiological factors, grading systems, diagnostic criteria, assessment of risk factors and prevention of malignant transformation, management principles of different grades of oral epithelial dysplasia (surgical and nonsurgical), recommendations on follow-up, and prognostic indicators are discussed in detail.

Genetic Identification of Two Novel Loci Associated with Steroid-Sensitive Nephrotic Syndrome.

Abstract: Background: Steroid-sensitive nephrotic syndrome (SSNS), the most common form of nephrotic syndrome in childhood, is considered an autoimmune disease with an established classic HLA association. However, the precise etiology of the disease is unclear. In other autoimmune diseases, the identification of loci outside the classic HLA region by genome-wide association studies (GWAS) has provided critical insights into disease pathogenesis. Previously conducted GWAS of SSNS have not identified non-HLA loci achieving genome-wide significance. Methods: In an attempt to identify additional loci associated with SSNS, we conducted a GWAS of a large cohort of European ancestry comprising 422 ethnically homogeneous pediatric patients and 5642 ethnically matched controls. Results : The GWAS found three loci that achieved genome-wide significance, which explain approximately 14% of the genetic risk for SSNS. It confirmed the previously reported association with the HLA-DR/DQ region (lead single-nucleotide polymorphism [SNP] rs9273542, P=1.59×10−43; odds ratio [OR], 3.39; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 2.86 to 4.03) and identified two additional loci outside the HLA region on chromosomes 4q13.3 and 6q22.1. The latter contains the calcium homeostasis modulator family member 6 gene CALHM6 (previously called FAM26F). CALHM6 is implicated in immune response modulation; the lead SNP (rs2637678, P=1.27×10−17; OR, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.44 to 0.60) exhibits strong expression quantitative trait loci effects, the risk allele being associated with lower lymphocytic expression of CALHM6. Conclusions: Because CALHM6 is implicated in regulating the immune response to infection, this may provide an explanation for the typical triggering of SSNS onset by infections. Our results suggest that a genetically conferred risk of immune dysregulation may be a key component in the pathogenesis of SSNS.

Powder Pressed Cuprous Iodide (CuI) as A Hole Transporting Material for Perovskite Solar Cells

Abstract: This study focuses on employing cuprous iodide (CuI) as a hole-transporting material (HTM) in fabricating highly efficient perovskite solar cells (PSCs). The PSCs were made in air with either CuI or 2,2′,7,7′-Tetrakis[N,N-di(4-methoxyphenyl)amino]-9,9′-spirobifluorene (spiro-OMeTAD) as HTMs. A simple and novel pressing method was employed for incorporating CuI powder layer between perovskite layer and Pt top-contact to fabricate devices with CuI, while spiro-OMeTAD was spin-coated between perovskite layer and thermally evaporated Au top-contact to fabricate devices with spiro-OMeTAD. Under illuminations of 100 mW/cm2 with an air mass (AM) 1.5 filter in air, the average short-circuit current density (JSC) of the CuI devices was over 24 mA/cm2, which is marginally higher than that of spiro-OMeTAD devices. Higher JSC of the CuI devices can be attributed to high hole-mobility of CuI that minimizes the electron-hole recombination. However, the average power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the CuI devices were lower than that of spiro-OMeTAD devices due to slightly lower open-circuit voltage (VOC) and fill factor (FF). This is probably due to surface roughness of CuI powder. However, optimized devices with solvent-free powder pressed CuI as HTM show a promising efficiency of over 8.0 % under illuminations of 1 sun (100 mW/cm2) with an air mass 1.5 filter in air, which is the highest among the reported efficiency values for PSCs fabricated in an open environment with CuI as HTM.