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Optimizing the methodology for the assessment of bulbar conjunctival lissamine green staining
No full textYesSIGNIFICANCE: When using lissamine green for bulbar conjunctival evaluation, the most staining was observed with two applications of the same strip in the same eye, wetted with a drop of saline. The first application was 5 seconds after wetting the strip, and the second was 1 minute later, followed by immediate viewing. This suggests that bulbar staining should be viewed before the lid wiper region.
PURPOSE: This study aimed to optimize the assessment of lissamine green staining of the bulbar conjunctiva by investigating the application technique and subsequent observation period.
METHODS: Twenty-two participants with dry eye (as defined by the Tear Film and Ocular Surface Society Dry Eye Workshop II) were recruited to trial five application methods in randomized order: (1) application immediately after wetting a single strip, (2) application 5 seconds after wetting a single strip, (3) application 10 seconds after wetting a single strip, (4) consecutive single application of sodium fluorescein followed by lissamine green 5 seconds after wetting, and (5) two applications using the same lissamine green strip 5 seconds after wetting, 1 minute apart. Slit-lamp photography of the conjunctiva was performed immediately following application and at 30, 60, 90, and 300 seconds after application. Three experienced (masked)
practitioners independently quantified the visible punctate spots and graded the staining intensity within the images in a random order.
RESULTS: Values for punctate spot count (F = 6.29, p0.05 for both).
CONCLUSIONS: The optimal approach for assessing bulbar conjunctival lissamine green staining involves two applications of a whole infused drop resting on the same strip for 5 seconds, applied 1 minute apart. The ocular surface should be viewed immediately after application to maximize the conjunctival staining observed
Oligo(styryl)benzenes liposomal AIE-dots for bioimaging and phototherapy in an in vitro model of prostate cancer
No full textYesWhilst the development of advanced organic dots with aggregation-induced emission characteristics (AIE-dots) is being intensively studied, their clinical translation in efficient biotherapeutic devices has yet to be tackled. This study explores the synergistic interplay of oligo(styryl)benzenes (OSBs), potent fluorogens with an increased emission in the aggregate state, and Indocyanine green (ICG) as dual Near Infrared (NIR)-visible fluorescent nanovesicles with efficient reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation capacity for cancer treatment using photodynamic therapy (PDT). The co-loading of OSBs and ICG in different nanovesicles has been thoroughly investigated. The nanovesicles’ physicochemical properties were manipulated via molecular engineering by modifying the structural properties of the lipid bilayer and the number of oligo(ethyleneoxide) chains in the OSB structure. Diffusion Ordered Spectroscopy (DOSY) NMR and spectrofluorometric studies revealed key differences in the structure of the vesicles and the arrangement of the OSB and ICG in the bilayer. The in vitro assessment of these OSB-ICG nanovesicles revealed that the formulations can increase the temperature and generate ROS after photoirradiation, showing for the first time their potential as dual photothermal/photodynamic (PTT/PDT) agents in the treatment of prostate cancer. Our study provides an exciting opportunity to extend the range of applications of OSB derivates to potentiate the toxicity of phototherapy in prostate and other types of cancer.Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha/FEDER (project SBPLY/21/180501/000042); the Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha (Grant Nos. 2022-GRIN-34214), the Royal Society Research grant (RGS\R1\221399), the University of Bradford MRC Confidence in Concept grant (RM0039), and the University of Bradford for supporting this research
Financing of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Challenges and Opportunities
No full textNoThe economic and social impact of Covid-19 pandemic both on developing and developed countries has been significant. In addition to the impact of the pandemic, the current Ukraine war has also led to severe supply chain disruptions leading to a sharp increase in food and commodity prices globally. Due to a combination of external shocks and the impact of the pandemic, global economic growth slowed down and is projected to continue to decline. The above factors have led to a sharp increase in government expenditure constraining both developed and developing countries' fiscal capacity. This has further implications for the achievement of SDGs, especially for low-income countries. The challenge for developing countries in the current scenario is to mobilize adequate resources both from domestic and international sources, not just for the achievement of SDGs as such, but also to sustain the livelihoods, health, and welfare of people. This book aims to examine some of these issues in the context of developing countries
Climate change impact on water resources: select proceedings of HYDRO 2023
No full textNoThis book comprises the proceedings of the 28th International Conference on Hydraulics, Water Resources, River and Coastal Engineering (HYDRO 2023) focusing on broad spectrum of emerging opportunities and challenges on the impact of climate change on water resources. It covers a range of topics, including, but not limited to, climate change assessment and downscaling issues, climate change impact and adaptive measures, influence of climate variability on hydro-climatic variables, impact of climate change on water resources of Indian Rivers, etc. Presenting recent advances in the form of illustrations, tables, and text, the content offers readers insights for their own research. In addition, the book addresses fundamental concepts and studies on the impact of climate change on water resources, making it a valuable resource for both beginners and researchers wanting to further their understanding of hydraulics, water resources and coastal engineering
Fostering sustainable consumer behaviour: Unravelling the determinants of repair intentions for smart appliances
Get PDFYesConsumer demand for repair services is vital for prolonging product lifespan, yet factors influencing the repair intention for smart appliances remain unclear. Addressing this gap, we propose an extended theory of planned behaviour, incorporating four additional constructs: environmental knowledge, cost of repair, financial benefit, and data security. We collected data from 383 participants in the United Kingdom, which we analysed using a partial least squares approach. Results reveal that the cost of repair, perceived behavioural control, attitude, and financial benefit directly impact repair intention, while subjective norms do not. Environmental knowledge indirectly influences repair intention through attitude mediation, and data security's impact is not moderated by attitude. This extended theory offers a theoretical foundation for future related studies, providing insights for repair providers, environmental NGOs, and policymakers. Our findings can inform interventions promoting repair behaviour and guide policies incentivising consumers, thus increasing the demand for repair services
Proportion of Antipsychotics with CYP2D6 Pharmacogenetic (PGx) Associations Prescribed in an Early Intervention in Psychosis (EIP) Cohort: A Cross-Sectional Study
Get PDFYesBackground: Prescribing drugs for psychosis (antipsychotics) is challenging due to high rates of poor treatment outcomes, which are in part explained
by an individual’s genetics. Pharmacogenomic (PGx) testing can help clinicians tailor the choice or dose of psychosis drugs to an individual’s genetics,
particularly psychosis drugs with known variable response due to CYP2D6 gene variants (‘CYP2D6-PGx antipsychotics’).
Aims: This study aims to investigate differences between demographic groups prescribed ‘CYP2D6-PGx antipsychotics’ and estimate the proportion of
patients eligible for PGx testing based on current pharmacogenomics guidance.
Methods: A cross-sectional study took place extracting data from 243 patients’ medical records to explore psychosis drug prescribing, including drug
transitions. Demographic data such as age, sex, ethnicity, and clinical sub-team were collected and summarised. Descriptive statistics explored the
proportion of ‘CYP2D6-PGx antipsychotic’ prescribing and the nature of transitions. We used logistic regression analysis to investigate associations
between demographic variables and prescription of ‘CYP2D6-PGx antipsychotic’ versus ‘non-CYP2D6-PGx antipsychotic’.
Results: Two-thirds (164) of patients had been prescribed a ‘CYP2D6-PGx antipsychotic’ (aripiprazole, risperidone, haloperidol or zuclopenthixol).
Over a fifth (23%) of patients would have met the suggested criteria for PGx testing, following two psychosis drug trials. There were no statistically
significant differences between age, sex, or ethnicity in the likelihood of being prescribed a ‘CYP2D6-PGx antipsychotic’.
Conclusions: This study demonstrated high rates of prescribing ‘CYP2D6-PGx-antipsychotics’ in an EIP cohort, providingThis research was supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Yorkshire and Humber Patient Safety Translational Research Centre (NIHR Yorkshire and Humber PSTRC). This research has been funded through a scholarship from the Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust in partnership with the University of Bradford
Cross-efficiency analysis of energy sector using stochastic DEA: Considering pollutant emissions
No full textYesUndesirable outputs can be challenging to avoid in the production of goods and services, often overlooked. Pollution is generally regarded as a negative externality and is taken into account during the production process. The novelty of this study lies in introducing CO2 as an economic “bad” in the energy sector's efficiency measure through a stochastic data envelopment analysis (DEA) cross-efficiency model. Unlike pollution and economic goods, where increased production leads to more pollution, CO2 is weakly disposable, meaning that higher CO2 values lead to a decrease in the number of good outputs produced. The study proposes a new stochastic model based on an extension of the cross-efficiency model and applies it to measure the energy efficiency of 32 thermal power plants in Angola in the presence of undesirable outputs. This will help promote better environmental management. The study's findings offer vital policy insights for the energy sector. The introduction of new stochastic models enables more accurate efficiency measurement under uncertain conditions, aiding policymakers in resource allocation decisions. Additionally, the adoption of stochastic cross-efficiency methods enhances performance assessments, facilitating targeted interventions for underperforming units. These findings contribute to evidence-based policymaking, promoting sustainability and competitiveness within the energy sector
Green missing spots: Information entropy on greenhouse gas emission disclosure by Brazilian companies
No full textYesThis study aims to address a critical gap in the literature by examining the incorporation of uncertainty in measuring carbon emissions using the greenhouse gas (GHG) Protocol methodology across all three scopes. By comprehensively considering the various dimensions of CO2 emissions within the context of organizational activities, our research contributes significantly to the existing body of knowledge. We address challenges such as data quality issues and a high prevalence of missing values by using information entropy, techniques for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS), and an artificial neural network (ANN) to analyze the contextual variables. Our findings, derived from the data sample of 56 companies across 18 sectors and 13 Brazilian states between 2017 and 2019, reveal that Scope 3 emissions exhibit the highest levels of information entropy. Additionally, we highlight the pivotal role of public policies in enhancing the availability of GHG emissions data, which, in turn, positively impacts policy-making practices. By demonstrating the potential for a virtuous cycle between improved information availability and enhanced policy outcomes, our research underscores the importance of addressing uncertainty in carbon emissions measurement for advancing effective climate change mitigation strategies
An overview of additive manufacturing strategies of enzyme-immobilized nanomaterials with application incatalysis and biomedicine.
No full textNoMeticulous and bespoke fabrication of structural materials with simple yet innovative outlines along with on-demand availability is the imperative aspiration for numerous fields. The alliance between nanotechnology and enzymes has led to the establishment of an inimitable and proficient class of materials. With the advancement in the field of additive manufacturing, the fabrication of some complex biological architects is achievable with similitude to the instinctive microenvironment of the biological tissue. Rendering these enzymes-linked nanomaterials through 3D printing for biosensing, catalytic, and biomedical applications is challenging due to the need for a precise controlled, regulated system with scaleup capability for commercialization. The current review highlights the importance of nanomaterials as a persuasive matrix for enzyme immobilization along with the key parameters that regulate the rate of immobilization and the activity of the concerned enzyme. Precise attention has been devoted to the different strategies for immobilizing enzymes in the nanomaterial's matrix. The present review offers a comprehensive discussion on the utility of 3D printing technology for enzyme-immobilized nanomaterials in biosensing, catalysis, and biomedical applications. The employment of 3D printing grants new developments and avenues in the vast field of enzyme- immobilized nanomaterials
Spatial distribution of corrosion products from a bridge pier
No full textYesThis paper studies the spatial distribution of corrosion by-products by a bridge pier within a conductive medium. An electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) technique was used to investigate an uncoated metallic bridge pier submerged in static distilled water. An equivalent circuit model, derived from EIS results, served as the foundation for the study. Further, the role of diffusion was analysed, considering its significance in characterising the transfer of particles from the pier into the surrounding water. This exploration revealed the complex interaction between the diffusion processes of various corrosion by-products as a function of distance. In addition, by evaluating the spatial distribution of iron (II) corrosion by-products and modelling nanoparticle diffusion, the research examined the impact of diffusion and concentration on corrosion particle transmission. The findings, analysed via Nyquist and Bode plots, demonstrate significant differences between theoretical and empirical diffusion coefficients. Results indicated that under natural corrosion conditions, the primary product of the corrosion reaction, iron (II), disperses into the medium when oxidation occurs. The elevated resistivity due to the presence of iron (II) underscores the diffusion effect, leading to corrosion product precipitation and reaching saturation level. Additionally, the results demonstrated ideal values for the diffusion coefficient, which are crucial for advanced corrosion modelling. The results emphasised the need for empirical data to improve corrosion prediction models and informed maintenance strategies for submerged structures