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When timing and dose of nutrition support were examined, the modified Nutrition Risk in Critically Ill (mNUTRIC) score did not differentiate high-risk patients who would derive the most benefit from nutrition support: a prospective cohort study
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(http://creat iveco mmons .org/licen ses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium,
provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license,
and indicate if changes were made.Background: The timing and dose of exclusive nutrition support (ENS) have not been investigated in previous studies aimed at validating the modified Nutrition Risk in Critically Ill (mNUTRIC) score. We therefore evaluated the mNUTRIC score by determining the association between dose of nutrition support and 28-day mortality in high-risk patients who received short- and longer-term ENS (7 days). Methods: A prospective cohort study included data from 252 adult patients with >48h of mechanical ventilation in a tertiary care institution in Singapore. The dose of nutrition support (amount received/goal: expressed in percentage) was calculated for a maximum of 14 days. Associations between the dose of energy (and protein) intake and 28-day mortality were evaluated with multivariable Cox regressions. Since patients have different durations of ENS, only the first 6 days of ENS in patients with short- and longer-term ENS were assessed in the Cox regressions to ensure a valid comparison of the associations between energy (and protein) intake and 28-day mortality. Results: In high-risk patients with short-term ENS (n=106), each 10% increase in goal energy intake was associated with an increased hazard of 28-day mortality [adj-HR 1.37 (95% CI 1.17, 1.61)], and this was also observed for protein intake [adj-HR 1.31 (95% CI 1.10, 1.56)]. In contrast, each 10% increase in goal protein intake in high-risk patients with longer-term ENS (n=146) was associated with a lower hazard of 28-day mortality [adj-HR 0.78 (95% CI 0.66, 0.93)]. The mean mNUTRIC scores in these two groups of patients were similar. Conclusion: When timing and dose of nutrition support were examined, the mNUTRIC did not differentiate high-risk patients who would derive the most benefit from nutrition support.The study was funded by the JurongHealth Internal Research & Development
(R&D) Grant
Understanding interfacial interactions of polydopamine and glass fiber and their enhancement mechanisms in epoxy-based laminates
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available under the CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license:
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. This author accepted manuscript is made available following 24 month embargo from date of publication (October 2018) in accordance with the publisher’s archiving policyInterfacial behavior greatly affects the bulk mechanical performance of fiber reinforced polymer laminates. In this study, polydopamine modified glass fiber was used to fabricate short glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) laminates. The interactions between glass fiber and polydopamine were studied experimentally and theoretically by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and density functional calculation respectively. Theoretical study clearly demonstrated that electronic interactions existed between polydopamine and glass fiber, indicating the hydrogen bonds/chemical interactions between them that were also demonstrated by XPS results. The enhanced interfacial interaction significantly benefited GFRP laminates, as demonstrated by various mechanical characterizations such as single fiber pull-out and Mode I interlaminar fracture toughness tests. Combining the theoretical and experimental studies indicated that polydopamine modification of glass fiber could be an easy and effective way to significantly improve the interfacial interactions between glass fiber and matrix and enhance the mechanical properties of GFRP laminates.H. Zhang and Y Ma are grateful for the support of the China Scholarship Council with the visiting scholar program to Flinders University, Australia. This research was partially supported by Longshan Academic Talent Research Supporting Program of SWUST, China (Grant No.: 17LZX411) and the East Lake Scholars Sponsorship Program of WHSU, China
Model-data interaction in groundwater studies: Review of methods, applications and future directions
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available under the CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license:
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. This author accepted manuscript is made available following 24 month embargo from date of publication (Sept 2018) in accordance with the publisher’s archiving policyWe define model-data interaction (MDI) as a two way process between models and data, in which on one hand data can serve the modeling purpose by supporting model discrimination, parameter refinement, uncertainty analysis, etc., and on the other hand models provide a tool for data fusion, interpretation, interpolation, etc. MDI has many applications in the realm of groundwater and has been the topic of extensive research in the groundwater community for the past several decades. This has led to the development of a multitude of increasingly sophisticated methods. The progress of data acquisition technologies and the evolution of models are continuously changing the landscape of groundwater MDI, creating new challenges and opportunities that must be properly understood and addressed. This paper aims to review, analyze and classify research on MDI in groundwater applications, and discusses several related aspects including: (1) basic theoretical concepts and classification of methods, (2) sources of uncertainty and how they are commonly addressed, (3) specific characteristics of groundwater models and data that affect the choice of methods, (4) how models and data can interact to provide added value in groundwater applications, (5) software and codes for MDI, and (6) key issues that will likely form future research directions. The review shows that there are many tools and techniques for groundwater MDI, and this diversity is needed to support different MDI objectives, assumptions, model and data types and computational constraints. The study identifies eight categories of applications for MDI in the groundwater literature, and highlights the growing gap between MDI practices in the research community and those in consulting, industry and government.Behzad Ataie-Ashtiani and Craig T. Simmons acknowledge support from the National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training, Australia. Behzad Ataie-Ashtiani also appreciates the support of the Research Office of the Sharif University of Technology, Iran
Editorial team, Editorial Board and Advisory Board as at December 2018
No full textEditorial team, Editorial Board and Advisory Board for Transnational Literature at the time of the last issue published by Flinders University in December 2018
Food-system actors' perspectives on trust: an international comparison
Get PDF© Copyright 2018 Emerald Publishing Limited. This manuscript version is made available under the publishers Open Access policy.Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to compare the perspectives of actors who contribute to trust in the food system in four high income countries which have diverse food incident histories: Australia, New Zealand (NZ), the United Kingdom (UK) and the Island of Ireland (IOI), focussing on their communication with the public, and their approach to food system interrelationships.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected in two separate studies: the first in Australia, NZ and the UK (Study 1); and the second on the IOI (Study 2). In-depth interviews were conducted with media, food industry and food regulatory actors across the four regions (n=105, Study 1; n=50, Study 2). Analysis focussed on identifying similarities and differences in the perspectives of actors from the four regions regarding the key themes of communication with the public, and relationships between media, industry and regulators.
Findings
While there were many similarities in the way food system actors from the four regions discussed (re)building trust in the context of a food incident, their perceptions differed in a number of critical ways regarding food system actor use of social media, and the attitudes and approaches towards relationships between food system actors.
Originality/value
This paper outlines opportunities for the regions studied to learn from each other when looking for practical strategies to maximise consumer trust in the food system, particularly relating to the use of social media and attitudes towards role definition in industry–regulator relationships
Effectiveness of multicomponent interventions on incidence of delirium in hospitalized older patients with hip fracture: a systematic review
Get PDFThis version is free to view and download for private research and study only. Not for re-distribution, re-sale or use in derivative works. © International Psychogeriatric Association 2018.
This author accepted manuscript is made available following 6 month embargo from date of publication (January 2018) in accordance with the publisher’s copyright policyDelirium is the most frequent complication among the hospitalized elderly with hip fracture. Although, delirium is associated with longer hospital stay, higher mortality rates, worse functional outcomes, and higher institutionalization rates yet health service planners have hugely ignored its existence. This review aims to identify the effectiveness of multicomponent interventions to prevent delirium in hospitalized elderly patients with hip fracture.
This review includes experimental, non-experimental, and observational studies. Electronic searches were conducted in MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Embase, and Web of science.
After inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied, nine full text articles were included in the review. The studies reported the following effect on delirium: We pooled data regarding incidence of delirium from the three RCTs. The effect was in favor of the intervention group (odds ratio 0.64, 95% CI 0.46–0.87). All three RCTs reported that duration of delirium was shorter in the intervention group than in the usual care group (mean 2.9 vs. 3.1 days, median 3 vs. 4 days, median 5.0 vs. 10.2 days). Four other studies reported on the duration of delirium with Milisen and colleagues reported shorter duration of delirium within the intervention group. Four studies reported on severity of delirium with two research groups reporting significant results.
Early engagement of multidisciplinary staff who addresses the risk factors of delirium as soon as the patient presents to the acute care environment is the key element of a successful delirium prevention program. Once delirium had developed, the multicomponent interventions did not appear to make a difference to the duration or severity of delirium
Demographic collapse and low genetic diversity of the Irrawaddy dolphin population inhabiting the Mekong River
Get PDFThis is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.In threatened wildlife populations, it is important to determine whether observed low genetic diversity may be due to recent anthropogenic pressure or the consequence of historic events. Historical size of the Irrawaddy dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris) population inhabiting the Mekong River is unknown and there is significant concern for long-term survival of the remaining population as a result of low abundance, slow reproduction rate, high neonatal mortality, and continuing anthropogenic threats. We investigated population structure and reconstructed the demographic history based on 60 Irrawaddy dolphins samples collected between 2001 and 2009. The phylogenetic analysis indicated reciprocal monophyly of Mekong River Orcaella haplotypes with respect to haplotypes from other populations, suggesting long-standing isolation of the Mekong dolphin population from other Orcaella populations. We found that at least 85% of all individuals in the two main study areas: Kratie and Stung Treng, bore the same mitochondrial haplotype. Out of the 21 microsatellite loci tested, only ten were polymorphic and exhibited very low levels of genetic diversity. Both individual and frequency-based approaches suggest very low and non-significant genetic differentiation of the Mekong dolphin population. Evidence for recent bottlenecks was equivocal. Some results suggested a recent exponential decline in the Mekong dolphin population, with the current size being only 5.2% of the ancestral population. In order for the Mekong dolphin population to have any potential for long-term survival, it is imperative that management priorities focus on preventing any further population fragmentation or genetic loss, reducing or eliminating anthropogenic threats, and promoting connectivity between all subpopulations
The Inner Workings of the Outer Surface: Skin and Gill Microbiota as Indicators of Changing Gut Health in Yellowtail Kingfish
Get PDFThis is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.The mucosal surfaces and associated microbiota of fish are an important primary barrier and provide the first line of defense against potential pathogens. An understanding of the skin and gill microbial assemblages and the factors which drive their composition may provide useful insights into the broad dynamics of fish host–microbial relationships, and may reveal underlying changes in health status. This is particularly pertinent to cultivated systems whereby various stressors may led to conditions (like enteritis) which impinge on productivity. As an economically important species, we assessed whether the outer-surface bacterial communities reflect a change in gut health status of cultivated Yellowtail Kingfish (Seriola lalandi). Active bacterial assemblages were surveyed from RNA extracts from swabs of the skin and gills by constructing Illumina 16S rRNA gene amplicon libraries. Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes were predominant in both the skin and gills, with enrichment of key β-proteobacteria in the gills (Nitrosomonadales and Ferrovales). Fish exhibiting early stage chronic lymphocytic enteritis comprised markedly different global bacterial assemblages compared to those deemed healthy and exhibiting late stages of the disease. This corresponded to an overall loss of diversity and enrichment of Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria, particularly in the gills. In contrast, bacterial assemblages of fish with late stage enteritis were generally similar to those of healthy individuals, though with some distinct taxa. In conclusion, gut health status is an important factor which defines the skin and gill bacterial assemblages of fish and likely reflects changes in immune states and barrier systems during the early onset of conditions like enteritis. This study represents the first to investigate the microbiota of the outer mucosal surfaces of fish in response to underlying chronic gut enteritis, revealing potential biomarkers for assessing fish health in commercial aquaculture systems
How ligand binds to the type 1 insulin-like growth factor receptor
Get PDFThis article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons license, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons license and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
On the taxonomic composition and phylogenetic affinities of the recently proposed clade Vegaviidae Agnolín et al., 2017 ‒ neornithine birds from the Upper Cretaceous of the Southern Hemisphere
Get PDF© 2018 Elsevier. This manuscript version is made available under the CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
This author accepted manuscript is made available following 24 month embargo from date of publication (Feb 2018) in accordance with the publisher’s archiving policyPolarornis and Vegavis from the Upper Cretaceous of Antarctica are among the few Mesozoic birds from the Southern Hemisphere. In the original descriptions, they were assigned to two widely disparate avian clades, that is, Gaviiformes and crown group Anseriformes, respectively. In a recent publication, however, specimens referred to both taxa were classified into a new higher-level taxon, Vegaviidae, to which various other late Mesozoic and early Cenozoic avian taxa were also assigned. Here, we detail that classification into Vegaviidae is poorly supported for most of these latter fossils, which is particularly true for Australornis lovei and an unnamed phaethontiform fossil from the Waipara Greensand in New Zealand. Plesiomorphic traits of the pterygoid and the mandible clearly show that Vegavis is not a representative of crown group Anseriformes, and we furthermore point out that even anseriform or galloanserine affinities of Vegaviidae have not been firmly established