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This paper presents a case study on condition monitoring of power generators at offshore wind turbines. Two fault detection models are proposed for detecting sudden changes in the sensed value of metallic debris at the generator. The first model uses an exponentially weighted moving average, while the second monitors first-order derivatives using a fixed threshold. This is expected to improve the maintenance activities by avoiding late or early part replacement. The economic impact of the proposed approach is also provided with a realistic depiction of the cost structure associated with the corresponding maintenance plan. While the specifics of the case study are supported by real-life data, considering the prevalence of the use of generators not only in offshore wind turbines but also in other production environments, we believe the case study covered in this paper can be used as a blueprint for similar studies in other applications. • Large scale condition monitoring demonstrates economic benefits. • Case study from real wind turbine population with economic impact assessment. • Sensor for monitoring fault mode results in lead time for maintenance planning. • Sensitivity analysis assesses results despite downtime and power price uncertainty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Several studies have revealed widening of inequalities in life expectancy, but little is known about the recent changes in health expectancy nationally and between socioeconomic groups. This study examines dynamics of national and education-specific life expectancy and health expectancies at age 50 years in Denmark from 2004/2007 to 2015. Methods: Nationwide register data on education and mortality were linked and combined with Danish health data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe and changes in life expectancy and three health expectancy indicators were estimated by Sullivan's method. Results: From 2004 to 2015, national life expectancy at age 50 years increased by 2.4 years for men and 2.1 years for women. Simultaneously, after an initial rapid improvement from 2004 to 2007, the pace of progress in health expectancy decreased. From 2007 to 2015, the difference in life expectancy at age 50 years between men with long and short education increased from 4.3 to 5.0 years. For women, the corresponding increase in the life expectancy gap was less pronounced from 3.5 to 3.8 years. The educational gap in lifetime without long-term illness decreased from 4.6 years to 3.1 years for men and from 6.1 years to 4.6 years for women. On the contrary, the educational gap increased for lifetime without activity limitations and in self-rated good health. Conclusions: Previously observed improvements in health expectancy in Denmark slowed down despite continuing progress in life expectancy. This worrying change coincides with persistent educational inequalities in life expectancy and health expectancy and is a challenge to a sustainable social and health development in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The purpose of the study was to quantify the association between body weight and health by estimating the expected lifetime with and without diabetes (diabetes-free life expectancy) at age 30 and 65. In addition, the diabetes-free life expectancy was stratified by educational level. Methods Life tables by sex, level of education and obese/not obese were constructed using nationwide register data and self-reported data on body weight and height and diabetes from the Danish National Health Survey in 2021. Diabetes-free life expectancies were estimated by Sullivan's method. Results The difference in life expectancy between not obese 30-year-old men with a long and a short education was 5.7 years. For not obese women, the difference was 4.1 years. For obese men and women, the difference in life expectancy at age 30 was 7.0 and 5.2 years. Women could expect more years without and fewer years with diabetes than men regardless of body weight and educational level. Diabetes-free life expectancy differed by 6.9 years between not obese 30-year-old men with a short and a long education and by 7.7 years for obese men with a short and a long education. For women, the differences were 5.9 and 6.6 years. Conclusion The results demonstrate an association of obesity and educational level with life expectancy and diabetes-free life expectancy. There is a need for preventive efforts to reduce educational inequality in life expectancy and diabetes-free life expectancy. Structural intervention will particularly benefit overweight people with short education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the relationship between business practices and enterprise productivity using panel data with matched employer and employee information from Myanmar. The data show that micro, small, and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises in Myanmar typically adopt only a few modern business practices, and the persistence in the use is extremely low. Even so, we find a positive and economically important association between business practices and productivity. Specifically, the empirical results show that a one standard deviation difference in applied business practices (equivalent to applying an additional 4 to 5 of the 20 business practices in focus) is associated with an 8–10 per cent difference in labour productivity. Utilising the employer–employee information to estimate Mincer-type wage regressions, we find that workers receive about half to two-thirds of the productivity gain in higher wages. Overall, our findings support the notion of business practices as a production technology, and we find that workers and managers split the productivity gains evenly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maintaining nanoparticle properties when scaling up a chemical synthesis is challenging due to the complex interplay between reducing agents and precursors. A sonochemical synthesis route does not require the addition of reducing agents as they are instead being continuously generated in-situ by ultrasonic cavitation throughout the reactor volume. To optimize the sonochemical synthesis of nanoparticles, understanding the role of radical scavengers is paramount. In this work we demonstrate that optimum scavenger concentrations exist at which the rate of Ag-nanoparticle formation is maximized. Titanyl dosimetry experiments were used in conjunction with Ag-nanoparticle formation rates to determine these optimum scavenger concentrations. It was found that more hydrophobic scavengers require lower optimum concentrations with 1-butanol < 2-propanol < ethanol < methanol < ethylene glycol. However, the optimum concentration is shifted by an order of magnitude towards higher concentrations when pyrolytic decomposition products contribute to the reduction. The reduction rate is also enhanced considerably. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Motivation: Workplace training is an indispensable part of workforce skill development, but it is often provided irregularly and selectively in private enterprises. This is a missed opportunity given its potential to contribute to employee wellbeing and human capital development, and to boost firm performance. Purpose: We examine workplace training provision and private returns to training in Myanmar, a country with a severely constrained formal educational system and underperforming private sector. Methods and approach: We use linked employer–worker panel data from micro, small, and medium manufacturing enterprises in Myanmar. Our regression framework includes controls for production factors and other standard enterprise and owner characteristics, including employee and owner skills, and unobservable time‐invariant employee and firm heterogeneity. Findings First, we document a low prevalence of training in manufacturing enterprises. Second, we find a wage premium associated with training of about 8%. Third, we show that workplace training is offered selectively to workers and how, when this is the case, the wage gap between trained and untrained workers surpasses 10%. Fourth, we find that prior training (in other firms) or certified training do not contribute to higher wages, indicating that training is largely firm‐specific. Finally, we find that the wage returns to training are particularly high for women and among the least educated workers. Policy implications: Considering the wage return as a lower bound of productivity gains from training, our results suggest that government support of workplace training programmes in private enterprises could help increase performance of the manufacturing sector in Myanmar. High returns to training among the least educated workers indicate that training could improve the overall income distribution in the economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A patient on maintenance hemodialysis asked his physician if it would be safe for him to run a marathon. For healthy persons, studies show that it is relatively safe. Very few data are available on patients on hemodialysis performing out of center endurance exercise. To address this question, we conducted a clinical study to investigate the electrolyte derangements during different running distances. Our main concern was development of hyperkalemia. We present a case of an anuric hemodialysis patient, who ran eight different runs with a maximum distance of 32.2 km. Blood was analyzed before and after the runs. We did not find severe hyperkalemia at any point. According to this study, we found no signs of increased risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reducing the amount of noble metals in catalysts for electrochemical conversion devices is paramount if these devices are to be commercialized. Taking advantage of the high degree of particle property control displayed by the sonochemical method, we set out to synthesize Cu@Pt bimetallic nanocatalysts in an effort to improve the mass activity towards the hydrogen evolution reaction. At least 17 times higher mass activity was found for the carbon supported Cu@Pt bimetallic nanocatalyst (737 mA mg−1, E = − 20   m V) compared to carbon supported Pt nanocatalysts prepared with the same ultrasound conditions (44 mA mg−1, E = − 20   m V). The synthesis was found to proceed with the sonochemical formation of Cu and Cu2O nanoparticles with the addition of PtCl4 leading to galvanic displacement of the Cu-nanoparticles and the formation of a Pt-shell around the Cu-core. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As(III) is the most common arsenic species in copper smelter wastewater but is difficult to remove, and an oxidation to As(V) is desirable. The oxidation of As(III) to As(V) in copper smelter wastewater was studied using in situ‐generated ozone, which has a high oxidation capacity and does not create secondary contaminants. With the aim to determine adequate conditions for As(III) oxidation, experiments considering pH, ozonation time, and oxygen flow rate as variables were done. Experimental tests showed that the best pH was at 2 and with a moderate oxygen flow rate. The complete oxidation of As(III) in both synthetic wastewater and real wastewater was achieved nearly after the same time of ozonation. Pseudo‐first‐order kinetics could model the As(III)‐to‐As(V) oxidation by ozone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Previous research on the association between socioeconomic position (SEP) and dementia has not sufficiently accounted for the complex relationship between education and occupation. We investigated the independent and joint effects of educational attainment and occupation-based SEP on dementia. Methods: We used register-based information about educational attainment, occupation-based SEP, and dementia from 1,210,720 individuals. Information about cognitive ability at conscription was available for a subsample of men. Results: When mutually adjusted, lower educational attainment and occupation-based SEP were associated with higher dementia risk in a dose–response manner. Higher occupation-based SEP partly mitigated the higher dementia risk associated with lower educational attainment. After adjusting for cognitive ability in a subgroup of men, only unskilled work was associated with higher dementia risk. Discussion: Occupation-based SEP is independently associated with dementia and may mitigate the higher dementia risk associated with short education. Future research should elucidate the mechanisms underlying social inequality in dementia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large scale production of electrocatalysts for electrochemical energy conversion devices such as proton exchange membrane fuel cells must be developed to reduce their cost. The current chemical reduction methods used for this synthesis suffer from problems with achieving similar particle properties such as particle size and catalytic activity when scaling up the volume or the precursor concentration. The continuous production of reducing agents through the sonochemical synthesis method could help maintain the reducing conditions (and also the particle properties) upon increasing the reactor volume. In this work we demonstrate that the reducing conditions of Pt-nanoparticles are indeed maintained when the reactor volume is increased from 200 mL to 800 mL. Similar particle sizes, 2.1(0.3) nm at 200 mL and 2.3(0.4) nm at 800 mL, and catalytic activities towards the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) are maintained as well. The reducing conditions were assessed through TiOSO 4 dosimetry, sonochemiluminesence imaging, acoustic power measurements, and Pt(II) reduction rate measurements. Cyclic voltammetry, CO-stripping, hydrogen evolution measurements, ORR measurements, and electron microscopy were used to evaluate the catalytic activity and particle size. The similar particle properties displayed from the two reactor volumes suggest that the sonochemical synthesis of Pt-nanoparticles is suitable for large scale production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a survey of enterprises in Myanmar, we examine demand for formal credit and the extent to which firms are self-constrained by not applying for credit or if they apply and are constrained by bank's rejections. We have information about firm managers' managerial capacity and risk attitude. We use this to test if the allocation of loanable funds is systematically associated with the attributes. We find that these attributes are positively associated with firm performance and the probability of both having credit demand and applying for credit. On the supply side we find no discernible links to the traits once we control for self-constraint in applying for credit. Thus, the traits improve credit access through a higher likelihood of applying for credit not a higher probability of being granted credit when applying. We suggest to improve the allocation of credit by incentivizing banks to utilize information about managers' business capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sediment gravity flows transport large volumes of sand and clay minerals into submarine systems, which store some of the world's major reserves of oil and gas. However, knowledge about grain‐coating clay mineral formation and its role in preserving reservoir quality in deep marine settings is poorly documented. Here we present a case study on the Agat Formation, a deep marine deposit interpreted as a series of turbidites, using a multimethod approach including petrographical, petrophysical and sedimentological data. This study investigates the occurrence and origin of chlorite coating and demonstrates how extensive chlorite coating substantially affects reservoir quality. The presence of green marine clay pellets suggests an initial shallow marine origin and sedimentological evidence reveals that the sediments were later remobilized by gravity flows and deposited at their present location. We suggest that the precursor clay coating was emplaced prior to sediment remobilization because of the presence of clay coating on grain contacts and all detrital components, the continuous nature of coating and the lack of clay bridges between the grains. Therefore, the origin of chlorite coating in deep marine environments may be recognized using the characteristic properties of inherited precursor clay coating. Chlorite coating thickness varies between an upper and lower sand unit, with an average of ca. 4.5 µm and ca. 24 µm, respectively. Permeability is significantly reduced in the interval with exceedingly thick chlorite coating but shows only a subtle decrease in helium porosity. This study enlightens the importance of crucially evaluating porosity in sandstones with thick chlorite coating using a multimethod approach. The results from this study can be useful in future exploration endeavours in the area and in other deep marine systems with a similar setting worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV) inhibitors improve glycemic control by prolonging the action of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). In contrast to GLP-1 analogues, DPP-IV inhibitors are weight-neutral. DPP-IV cleavage of PYY and NPY gives rise to PYY3-36 and NPY3-36 which exert potent anorectic action by stimulating Y2 receptor (Y2R) function. This invites the possibility that DPP-IV inhibitors could be weight-neutral by preventing conversion of PYY/NPY to Y2R-selective peptide agonists. We therefore investigated whether co-administration of an Y2R-selective agonist could unmask potential weight lowering effects of the DDP-IV inhibitor linagliptin. Male diet-induced obese (DIO) mice received once daily subcutaneous treatment with linagliptin (3 mg/kg), a Y2R-selective PYY3-36 analogue (3 or 30 nmol/kg) or combination therapy for 14 days. While linagliptin promoted marginal weight loss without influencing food intake, the PYY3-36 analogue induced significant weight loss and transient suppression of food intake. Both compounds significantly improved oral glucose tolerance. Because combination treatment did not further improve weight loss and glucose tolerance in DIO mice, this suggests that potential negative modulatory effects of DPP-IV inhibitors on endogenous Y2R peptide agonist activity is likely insufficient to influence weight homeostasis. Weight-neutrality of DPP-IV inhibitors may therefore not be explained by counter-regulatory effects on PYY/NPY responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liver and kidney uptake and antisense activity is studied for a series of Locked Nucleic Acid (LNA) oligonucleotides with fully stereo-defined, internucleoside linkages. These stereo-specific phosphorothioates are made with a newly developed synthesis method and are being analyzed both theoretically and experimentally. Their structures are obtained theoretically by using many-body Schrödinger equations applied to a group of 11 stereo-defined LNA antisense oligonucleotides selected for biological experiments. The fully converged electronic structures were obtained from ab initio quantum calculations providing the specific electronic structures. One important result was the observation that the calculated electronic structure, represented by the iso-surface area of the electron density in Å2, correlated linearly with LNA oligonucleotide uptake in the liver and kidney. This study also shows that more complex biological phenomena, such as drug activity, will require more molecular and cellular identifiers than used here before a correlation can be found. Establishing biological correlations between quantum mechanical (QM) calculated structures and antisense oligonucleotides is novel, and this method may constitute new tools in drug discovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study compares four models for industrial condition monitoring including a principal components analysis (PCA) approach and three deep learning models, one of which is a new, lightweight version of another. We also propose a simple attention mechanism for enchancing deep learning models with better predictions and feature importance. Two datasets are used, one simulated from the Tennessee Eastman Process, the other from two feedwater pumps at a Danish combined heat and power plant. Our final results show evidence in favour of the PCA-based approach as it has detection ability comparable to the deep learning approaches as well as faster training time, fewer hyperparameters, as well as robustness to changing operating conditions. We conclude the paper by putting into perspective the importance of building up complexity incrementally with a recommendation to start modelling with simpler and well-tested models before the adoption of more advanced, less transparent models. • A statistical model is compared with deep learning techniques for fault detection. • The principal components model's fault detection is as good as deep learning. • Deep learning method, ARGUELite, shows promise for single regime datasets. • A unique dataset from a power plant feedwater pump was used for model evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The aim of the trial was to examine the influence of ezetimibe on plaque morphology in patients with ST-segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) with respect to fibrous cap thickness (FCT) and arcs of lipid plaque, calcific plaque, and macrophages using Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT).Methods and Results: In 87 statin naïve patients with STEMI treated with primary percutaneous intervention, a non-culprit study plaque in a non-infarct related coronary artery was assessed with OCT at baseline and after 12 months. Patients were treated with atorvastatin 80 mg and randomized (1:1) to ezetimibe 10 mg (n = 43) or placebo (n = 44). An increase in median FCT (ezetimibe 200 (140-260) μm to 240 (190-305) μm (p = 0.002) vs. placebo 205 (135-260) μm to 230 (180-270) μm (p < 0.001), between groups p = ns), a reduction in lipid arc (ezetimibe 1728.5 (1022.5-3904.7)° to 1164.5 (736.6-2580.1)° (p = 0.001) vs. placebo 1671.6 (978.3-2868.7)° to 1373.7 (791.2-2267.3)° (p = 0.019), between groups p = ns), and macrophage arc (ezetimibe 1730.3 (965.7-2984.4)° to 1324.8 (819.0-2819.7)° (p < 0.05) vs. placebo 1570.5 (794.7-3016.8)° to 1418.9 (584.1-2501.1)° (p < 0.01), between groups p = ns) were observed.Conclusion: Aggressive LDL-lowering resulted in changes in OCT assessed plaque composition by increased FCT thickness and a reduction in lipid content and macrophage infiltration. Addition of ezetimibe 10 mg to atorvastatin 80 mg resulted in further LDL reduction, but no additional change in plaque composition was found. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1057/s41287-021-00419-8 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Animal models of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) are important tools in preclinical research and drug discovery. Gubra-Amylin NASH (GAN) diet-induced obese (DIO) mice represent a model of fibrosing NASH. The present study directly assessed the clinical translatability of the model by head-to-head comparison of liver biopsy histological and transcriptome changes in GAN DIO-NASH mouse and human NASH patients.Methods: C57Bl/6 J mice were fed chow or the GAN diet rich in saturated fat (40%), fructose (22%) and cholesterol (2%) for ≥38 weeks. Metabolic parameters as well as plasma and liver biomarkers were assessed. Liver biopsy histology and transcriptome signatures were compared to samples from human lean individuals and patients diagnosed with NASH.Results: Liver lesions in GAN DIO-NASH mice showed similar morphological characteristics compared to the NASH patient validation set, including macrosteatosis, lobular inflammation, hepatocyte ballooning degeneration and periportal/perisinusoidal fibrosis. Histomorphometric analysis indicated comparable increases in markers of hepatic lipid accumulation, inflammation and collagen deposition in GAN DIO-NASH mice and NASH patient samples. Liver biopsies from GAN DIO-NASH mice and NASH patients showed comparable dynamics in several gene expression pathways involved in NASH pathogenesis. Consistent with the clinical features of NASH, GAN DIO-NASH mice demonstrated key components of the metabolic syndrome, including obesity and impaired glucose tolerance.Conclusions: The GAN DIO-NASH mouse model demonstrates good clinical translatability with respect to the histopathological, transcriptional and metabolic aspects of the human disease, highlighting the suitability of the GAN DIO-NASH mouse model for identifying therapeutic targets and characterizing novel drug therapies for NASH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The pension age in Denmark is adjusted in line with projected increasing life expectancy without taking health differentials between occupational groups into account. The purpose was to study occupational disparities in partial life expectancy and health expectancy between the ages of 50 and 75. Methods : Register data on occupation and mortality were combined with data from the Danish part of Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe in 2010–2014 (N =3179). Expected lifetime without and with activity limitations and without and with long-term illness was estimated by Sullivan's method and comparisons made between four occupational groups. Results : We found clear differences between occupational groups. Expected lifetime without activity limitations between the ages of 50 and 75 was about 4.5 years longer for men and women in high skilled white-collar occupations than for men and women in low skilled blue-collar occupations. Men in high skilled blue-collar and low skilled white-collar occupations could expect 2.3 and 3.8 years shorter lifetimes without activity limitations, respectively, than men in high skilled white-collar occupations. For women in low skilled white-collar occupations, lifetime without activity limitations was 2.6 years shorter than for women in high skilled white-collar occupations. Due to few observations, no results were obtained for women in the high skilled blue-collar group. The social gradient was also significant when health was measured by years without long-term illness. Conclusions : The results support implementation of a flexible pension scheme to take into account the health differentials between occupational groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Chile, the budget for managing environmental liabilities such as abandoned tailings impoundments is limited. Using native and endemic plant species to remove heavy metals from tailings represents a low-cost alternative. Ex situ phytoremediation experiments were conducted over a period of seven months. The endemic species Lycium chilense and native species Haplopappus foliosus were used to remove copper and lead from mine tailings. The results indicate that both species can concentrate levels of Cu and Pb higher than the toxicity threshold in the roots and aerial parts, and present high removal efficiency for Cu higher than 50%. In both species, the concentrations of the target elements are higher in the roots than in the aerial parts. Haplopappus foliosus presents the best performance, accumulating higher concentrations of Cu and Pb than Lycium chilense, and presenting a bioconcentration of over one for Cu. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Competency-based training has gained ground in surgical training and with it assessment tools to ensure that training objectives are met. Very few assessment tools are available for evaluating performance in thoracoscopic procedures. Video recordings would provide the possibility of blinded assessment and limited rater bias. This study aimed to provide validity evidence for a newly developed and dedicated tool for assessing competency in Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery (VATS) lobectomy.Methods: Participants with varying experience with VATS lobectomy were included from different countries. Video recordings from participants' performance of a VATS right upper lobe lobectomy on a virtual reality simulator were rated by three raters using a modified version of a newly developed VATS lobectomy assessment tool (the VATSAT) and analyzed in relation to the unitary framework (content, response process, internal structure, relation to other variables, and consequences of testing).Results: Fifty-three participants performed two consecutive simulated VATS lobectomies on the virtual reality simulator, leaving a total of 106 videos. Content established in previously published studies. Response process Standardized data collection was ensured by using an instructional element, uniform data collection, a special rating program, and automatic generation of the results to a database. Raters were carefully instructed in using the VATSAT, and tryout ratings were carried out. Internal structure Inter-rater reliability was calculated as intra-class correlation coefficients, to 0.91 for average measures (p < 0.001). Test/re-test reliability was calculated as Pearson's r of 0.70 (p < 0.001). G-coefficient was calculated to be 0.79 with two procedures and three raters. By performing D-theory was found that either three procedures rated by two raters or five procedures rated by one rater were enough to reach an acceptable G-coefficient of ≥ 0.8. Relation to other variables Significant differences between groups were found (p < 0.001). The participants' VATS lobectomy experience correlated significantly to their VATSAT score (p = 0.016). Consequences of testing The pass/fail score was found to be 14.9 points by the contrasting groups' method, leaving five false positive (29%) and six false negatives (43%).Conclusion: Validity evidence was provided for the VATSAT according to the unitary framework. The VATSAT provides supervisors and assessors with a procedure-specific assessment tool for evaluating VATS lobectomy performance and aids with the decision of when the trainee is ready for unsupervised performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Electrocoagulation (EC) of wastewater from a petroleum refinery is a promising tool for removing selenium. • Selenium is removed by adsorption and/or co-precipitation with iron hydroxides. • Current density has crucial importance for the removal efficiency. Abstract In the present work, an electrocoagulation technique was tested as a possible technological alternative for the treatment of selenium in wastewater from a petroleum refinery. For this purpose, a batch airlift reactor with air stirring was used. The sacrificial electrodes were made of iron to generate the necessary ferrous ions for the process. The results indicated a selenium removal of 90% from the wastewater after 6 h of treatment, achieving a decrease in concentration from 0.30 mg L−1 to 0.03 mg L−1. The current density was found to be an important variable for the process. In conclusion, the electrocoagulation process seems to be a feasible selenium removal technique applied to petroleum refinery wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Multicore processors need to communicate when working on shared tasks. In classical systems, this is performed via shared objects protected by locks, which are implemented with atomic operations on the main memory. However, access to shared main memory is already a bottleneck for multicore processors. Furthermore, the access time to a shared memory is often hard to predict and therefore problematic for real-time systems. This paper presents a shared on-chip memory that is used for communication and supports atomic operations to implement locks. Access to the shared memory is arbitrated with time division multiplexing, providing time-predictable access. The shared memory supports extended time slots so that a processor can execute more than one memory operation atomically. This allows for the implementation of locking and other synchronization primitives. We evaluate this shared scratchpad memory with synchronization support on a 9-core version of the T-CREST multicore platform. Worst-case access latency to the shared scratchpad is 13 clock cycles. Access to the atomic section under full contention, when every processor core wants access to acquire a lock, is 135 clock cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Health impact assessment (HIA) of exposure to air pollution is commonly based on city level (fine) particle concentration and may underestimate health consequences of changing local traffic. Exposure to traffic-related air pollution can be assessed at a high resolution by modelling levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO 2), which together with ultrafine particles mainly originate from diesel-powered vehicles in urban areas. The purpose of this study was to estimate the health benefits of reduced exposure to vehicle emissions assessed as NO 2 at the residence among the citizens of Copenhagen Municipality, Denmark. Methods We utilized residential NO 2 concentrations modelled by use of chemistry transport models to calculate contributions from emission sources to air pollution. The DYNAMO-HIA model was applied to the population of Copenhagen Municipality by using NO 2 concentration estimates combined with demographic data and data from nationwide registers on incidence and prevalence of selected diseases, cause specific mortality, and total mortality of the population of Copenhagen. We used exposure-response functions linking NO 2 concentration estimates at the residential address with the risk of diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and respiratory diseases derived from a large Danish cohort study with the majority of subjects residing in Copenhagen between 1971 and 2010. Different scenarios were modelled to estimate the dynamic impact of NO 2 exposure on related diseases and the potential health benefits of lowering the NO 2 level in the Copenhagen Municipality. Results The annual mean NO 2 concentration was 19.6 μg/m3 and for 70% of the population the range of exposure was between 15 and 21 μg/m3. If NO 2 exposure was reduced to the annual mean rural level of 6 μg/m3, life expectancy in 2040 would increase by one year. The greatest gain in disease-free life expectancy would be lifetime without ischemic heart disease (1.4 years), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (1.5 years for men and 1.6 years for women), and asthma (1.3 years for men and 1.5 years for women). Lowering NO 2 exposure by 20% would increase disease-free life expectancy for the different diseases by 0.3–0.5 years. Using gender specific relative risks affected the results. Conclusions Reducing the NO 2 exposure by controlling traffic-related air pollution reduces the occurrence of some of the most prevalent chronic diseases and increases life expectancy. Such health benefits can be quantified by DYNAMO-HIA in a high resolution exposure modelling. This paper demonstrates how traffic planners can assess health benefits from reduced levels of traffic-related air pollution. Highlights • Nitrogen oxide concentration can serve as a proxy of exposure to traffic-related air pollution. • The annual mean nitrogen oxide concentration is 19.6 μg/m3 in Copenhagen. • One-year gain in life expectancy by lowering nitrogen oxide exposure to rural level • Marked increase in disease-free life expectancies by reducing nitrogen oxide exposure [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Palyno-biostratigraphical studies of upper Albian-Lower Cenomanian successions from East Greenland, the south-western Barents Sea and south-eastern England have revealed new dinoflagellate cyst taxa of clear or questioned ovoidinioid affinities. This paper describes the new genus Sindridinium, four new species - Ovoidinium epelidosphaeroides sp. nov., Epelidosphaeridia manifesta sp. nov., Sindridinium borealis gen. et sp. nov. and Sindridinium anaanae gen. et sp. nov. - and proposes a new combination, Sindridinium? torulosa comb. nov. (formerly Canningia torulosa). The genus Epelidosphaeridia is emended based on features seen in E. manifesta sp. nov., which demonstrate peridiniacean affinities and support inclusion in the Ovoidinioideae. Morphological gradations between Epelidosphaeridia spinosa, E. manifesta sp. nov. and Ovoidinium epelidosphaeroides sp. nov., suggest close phylogenetic relationships, also postulated between Sindridinium? torulosa comb. nov., S. borealis gen. et sp. nov. and S. anaanae gen. et sp. nov. The stratigraphic ranges of the taxa described are calibrated to known dinoflagellate markers and mid-Cretaceous ammonites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The purpose of the study was to estimate life expectancy and the average lifetime with and without chronic disease among male never smokers, ex-smokers and smokers living in the West Bank of the occupied Palestinian territory. Methods: The study used a life table for the West Bank male population and Danish relative risk estimates for death for smokers and ex-smokers vs. never smokers and utilized data from the Palestinian Family Survey 2010. Expected lifetime with and without chronic disease was estimated and the contributions from the mortality and the morbidity effect to smoking related difference in average lifetime with and without chronic disease were assessed by decomposition. Results: In the West bank 40% of the male population are smokers. Life expectancy of 15-year-old Palestinian men who would never start smoking was 59.5 years, 41.1 of which were expected to be without chronic disease. Ex-smokers could expect 57.9 years of remaining lifetime, 37.7 years of which without disease. For lifelong heavy smokers (> 20 cigarettes per day), the expected lifetime was reduced to 52.6 years, of which 38.5 years were without chronic disease. Of the total loss of 6.9 years of life expectancy among heavy smokers, the mortality effect accounted for 2.5 years without and 4.4 years with disease, whereas the morbidity effect was negligible. Conclusions: The high prevalence of smoking causes a considerable loss of life years and lifetime without chronic disease. We recommend the Palestinian health authorities to enforce the antismoking law. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent ancient DNA (aDNA) studies of human pathogens have provided invaluable insights into their evolutionary history and prevalence in space and time. Most of these studies were based on DNA extracted from teeth or postcranial bones. In contrast, no pathogen DNA has been reported from the petrous bone which has become the most desired skeletal element in ancient DNA research due to its high endogenous DNA content. To compare the potential for pathogenic aDNA retrieval from teeth and petrous bones, we sampled these elements from five ancient skeletons, previously shown to be carrying Yersinia pestis. Based on shotgun sequencing data, four of these five plague victims showed clearly detectable levels of Y. pestis DNA in the teeth, whereas all the petrous bones failed to produce Y. pestis DNA above baseline levels. A broader comparative metagenomic analysis of teeth and petrous bones from 10 historical skeletons corroborated these results, showing a much higher microbial diversity in teeth than petrous bones, including pathogenic and oral microbial taxa. Our results imply that although petrous bones are highly valuable for ancient genomic analyses as an excellent source of endogenous DNA, the metagenomic potential of these dense skeletal elements is highly limited. This trade-off must be considered when designing the sampling strategy for an aDNA project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Stø Formation is the most important reservoir interval in the Norwegian Barents Sea, however the reservoir quality can be highly affected by the detrimental effects of quartz cement where there have been extensive post depositional burial. Core plug data from well 7219/8-2 in the Southwestern Barents Sea shows abnormally high porosity and permeability values in certain units of the deeply buried and otherwise highly quartz cemented Stø Formation. The amount of quartz cement in the samples is inversely proportional to the porosity. Samples with high and low porosities are similar texturally and mineralogically, but the high porosity samples have a layer of illitic clay coating the majority of the detrital quartz grains. Illitic clay coating present at grain contacts can result in a lowered IGV given they aid in the dissolution of quartz at interfaces, also creating a source of dissolved silica. Clay induced dissolution means that silica saturation is not a limiting factor in quartz cementation in these samples. The results show that the illitic clay coating is capable of limiting the amount of authigenic quartz overgrowth from 20 to 23% in samples with negligible grain coating to 5–11% in the intervals with high coating coverage. The illitic clay coating inhibits quartz overgrowth by limiting the surface area available for nucleation on detrital grains. The Stø Formation comprises mainly shallow marine deposits of highly reworked clean sandstone. Abnormally high porosities appear to be linked to settings where sediments of a more proximal location are preserved without extensive reworking. The grain coating clay is illitic and most likely originates from clay infiltration processes prior to final deposition. The difference in extent of clay coating in similar facies can mostly be correlated with varying amount of post depositional reworking. This study suggests that there is a potential for considerable porosity and permeability to be preserved in deeply buried sandstones in the Barents Sea. This study could be important in the future exploration activity of deeply buried structures in the area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Coronary vasomotor dysfunction is an important mechanism for angina in patients with unobstructed coronary arteries.Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine sex differences in the prevalence and clinical presentation of vasomotor dysfunction in a European population and to examine sex differences in the dose of acetylcholine leading to a positive acetylcholine provocation test (ACH test).Methods: Between 2007 and 2014, we included 1,379 consecutive patients with stable angina, unobstructed coronaries and ACH test performed for epicardial vasospasm or coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) due to microvascular spasm. The predictive value of sex, risk factors, symptoms, and noninvasive test results was analyzed by means of logistic regression.Results: The mean patient age was 62 years, and 42% were male. There were 813 patients (59%) with a pathological ACH test, 33% for CMD and 26% for epicardial vasospasm. A pathological test was more common in females (70% vs. 43%; p < 0.001). In a multivariable logistic regression model the sex difference was statistically significant with a female-male odds ratio for CMD and epicardial vasospasm of 4.2 (95% confidence interval: 3.1 to 5.5; p < 0.001) and 2.3 (95% confidence interval: 1.7 to 3.1; p < 0.001), respectively. Effort-related symptoms, but neither risk factors nor noninvasive stress tests, contributed to predicting a pathological test. Female patients were more sensitive to acetylcholine with vasomotor dysfunction occurring at lower ACH doses compared with male patients.Conclusions: Vasomotor dysfunction is frequent in patients with angina and unobstructed coronaries in a European population. Female patients have a higher prevalence of vasomotor dysfunction (especially CMD) compared with male patients. A pathological ACH test was observed at lower ACH doses in women compared with men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become the most common cause of chronic liver disease in the Western world. NAFLD is a complex spectrum of liver diseases ranging from benign hepatic steatosis to its more aggressive necroinflammatory manifestation, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). NASH pathogenesis is multifactorial and risk factors are almost identical to those of the metabolic syndrome. This has prompted substantial efforts to identify novel drug therapies for correcting underlying metabolic deficits, and to prevent or alleviate hepatic fibrosis in NASH. Available mouse models of NASH address different aspects of the disease, have varying clinical translatability, and, therefore, also show different utility in drug discovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The individual placement and support approach (IPS) has become a widely recognized evidence-based practice to provide work for more people with severe mental illness. The aim of this literature review was to identify and evaluate research on implementation of IPS, focusing on facilitators and barriers. Contextual, local organizational, cooperation/team and individual factors influence the implementation process. Key facilitators are the use of a fidelity scale to measure and develop quality and the employment of skilled local leaders and IPS specialists. Barriers are located at the contextual level, when the national employment policy and regulation contradict the IPS scheme, and at the local level, where mental health professionals’ negative attitudes towards the IPS scheme and a culture based on a medical approach challenge the implementation of IPS. The evaluation of research in IPS implementation show that most studies are empirically driven, using different understandings of implementation and have a poor theoretical underpinning of the studies. The need for further studies based on comparative methods and more developed theoretical framework is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

We estimate the average rate of return on investments financed by aid and by domestic resource mobilisation, using aggregate data. Both returns are expected to vary across countries and time. Consequently we develop a correlated random coefficients model to estimate the average returns. Across different estimators and two different data sources for GDP and investment our findings are remarkably robust; the average gross return on ‘aid investments’ is about 20 per cent. This is in accord with micro estimates of the economic rate of return on aid projects and with aggregate estimates of the rate of return on public capital. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Aims: The state old-age pension in Denmark increases to keep pace with the projected increase in average life expectancy (LE) without any regard to the social gap in LE and expected lifetime in good health. The purpose of this study was to compare changes in LE and disability-free life expectancy (DFLE) between groups of Danes with high, medium and low levels of education. Methods: Nationwide register data on education and mortality were combined with data from the Surveys of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) surveys in 2006–2007, 2010–2011 and 2013–2014 and the DFLE by educational level was estimated by Sullivan’s method for each of these three time points. Results: Between 2006–2007 and 2013–2014, LE among 65-year-old men and women with a low educational level increased by 1.3 and 1.0 years, respectively, and by 1.4 and 1.3 years for highly educated men and women. The gap in LE between people with high and low levels of education remained more than 2 years. In 2006–2007, 65-year-old men with a high level of education could expect 3.2 more years without disability than men of the same age with a low level of education. In 2013–2014, the difference was 2.9 years. For women, the results were 3.7 and 3.4 years, respectively. Conclusions: With the persistent social inequality in LE of more than 2 years and the continuous gap between high and low educational groups in DFLE of about 3 years, a differential pension age is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this study was to examine the influence of ezetimibe in addition to atorvastatin on plaque composition in patients with first-time ST-segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction treated with primary percutaneous intervention.Methods: Eighty-seven patients were randomized (1:1) to ezetimibe 10mg or placebo in addition to Atorvastatin 80mg. Intravascular ultrasound with iMap was performed at baseline and after 12months in a non-infarct-related artery. Primary endpoint was change in necrotic core (NC). Secondary endpoints were total atheroma volume (TAV) and percentage atheroma volume (PAV).Results: NC did not change significantly: ezetimibe group 24.9 (11.9, 51.3) mm3 to 24.9 (15.3, 54.5) mm3, p=0.76, placebo group 29.4 (16.3, 78.5) mm3 to 32.0 (16.0, 88.7) mm3, p=0.30, (p=0.35 between groups). TAV was reduced in the ezetimibe group only: ezetimibe (200.0 (135.6, 311.9) mm3 to 189.3 (126.4, 269.1) mm3, p<0.001) compared to placebo group (218.4 (163.5, 307.9) mm3 to 212.2 (149.9, 394.8) mm3, p=0.07) (p=0.56 between groups). PAV was reduced in the ezetimibe group only (40.1±8.6% to 39.2±9.0%, p=0.036) compared to placebo group (43.3±9.4% to 42.2±10.7%, p=0.07), p=0.91 between groups.Conclusions: Ezetimibe in addition to atorvastatin therapy did not influence NC content, but was associated with regression of coronary atherosclerosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), early treatment prediction is important to identify patients with inferior overall outcomes. We examined the feasibility of using reductions in BCR-ABL1 transcript levels after 1 month of tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatment to predict therapy response. Fifty-two first-line TKI-treated CML patients were included (imatinib n = 26, dasatinib n = 21, nilotinib n = 5), and BCR-ABL1 transcript levels were measured at diagnosis (dg) and 1, 3, 6, 12, 18, 24, and 36 months. The fold change of the BCR-ABL1 transcripts at 1 month compared to initial BCR-ABL1 transcript levels was used to indicate early therapy response. In our cohort, 21% of patients had no decrease in BCR-ABL1 transcript levels after 1 month and were classified as poor responders. Surprisingly, these patients had lower BCR-ABL1 transcript levels at dg compared to responders (31% vs. 48%, p = 0.0083). Poor responders also significantly more often had enlarged spleen (55% vs. 15%; p<0.01) and a higher percentage of Ph+ CD34+CD38- cells in the bone marrow (91% vs. 75%, p<0.05). The major molecular response rates were inferior in the poor responders (at 12m 18% vs. 64%, p<0.01; 18m 27% vs. 75%, p<0.01; 24m 55% vs. 87%, p<0.01). In conclusion, early treatment response analysis defines a biologically distinct patient subgroup with inferior long-term outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large-scale genomic analyses of ancient human populations have become feasible partly due to refined sampling methods. The inner part of petrous bones and the cementum layer in teeth roots are currently recognized as the best substrates for such research. We present a comparative analysis of DNA preservation in these two substrates obtained from the same human skulls, across a range of different ages and preservation environments. Both substrates display significantly higher endogenous DNA content (average of 16.4% and 40.0% for teeth and petrous bones, respectively) than parietal skull bone (average of 2.2%). Despite sample-to-sample variation, petrous bone overall performs better than tooth cementum (p = 0.001). This difference, however, is driven largely by a cluster of viking skeletons from one particular locality, showing relatively poor molecular tooth preservation (<10% endogenous DNA). In the remaining skeletons there is no systematic difference between the two substrates. A crude preservation (good/bad) applied to each sample prior to DNA-extraction predicted the above/below 10% endogenous DNA threshold in 80% of the cases. Interestingly, we observe signficantly higher levels of cytosine to thymine deamination damage and lower proportions of mitochondrial/nuclear DNA in petrous bone compared to tooth cementum. Lastly, we show that petrous bones from ancient cremated individuals contain no measurable levels of authentic human DNA. Based on these findings we discuss the pros and cons of sampling the different elements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a continuous multistage electrodialytic technique is evaluated as a possible treatment of copper smelter wastewater. Six experiments with different values of feed flow rate, current density and treatment time were carried out. It was possible to concentrate copper during experiments and a maximum recovery of 10% was achieved. The experiment with a feed flow rate of 30 mL min −1 , current density of 300 A m −2 and a treatment time of 2 h was the most efficient, with a copper recovery of 5.1%. In sections where copper was concentrated, a solution with mCu/mAs ratio around 2 was obtained, this value is substantially higher than 0.1, which is the value for a mining wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Central Kv7 ( KCNQ) channels are voltage-dependent potassium channels composed of different combinations of four Kv7 subunits, being differently expressed in the brain. Notably, striatal dopaminergic neurotransmission is strongly suppressed by systemic administration of the pan-Kv7 channel opener retigabine. The effect of retigabine likely involves the inhibition of the activity in mesencephalic dopaminergic neurons projecting to the striatum, but whether Kv7 channels expressed in the striatum may also play a role is not resolved. We therefore assessed the effect of intrastriatal retigabine administration on striatal neuronal excitability in the rat determined by c-Fos immunoreactivity, a marker of neuronal activation. When retigabine was applied locally in the striatum, this resulted in a marked reduction in the number of c-Fos-positive neurons after a strong excitatory striatal stimulus induced by acute systemic haloperidol administration in the rat. The relative mRNA levels of Kv7 subunits in the rat striatum were found to be Kv7.2 = Kv7.3 = Kv7.5 > >Kv7.4. These data suggest that intrastriatal Kv7 channels play a direct role in regulating striatal excitability in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New palynological analysis of samples from 13 offshore wells on the Canadian Margin and six wells on the West Greenland Margin has led to a new event biostratigraphic framework for Cretaceous-Cenozoic strata of the Labrador Sea - Davis Strait - Baffin Bay (Labrador-Baffin Seaway) region. This framework is based on about 150 dinoflagellate cyst taxa and 30 acritarch, algal, fungal and plant microfossil (mostly miospore) taxa. In the systematics we include three new genera of dinocysts (Scalenodinium, Simplicidinium and Taurodinium), 16 new species of dinocysts (Chirop - teridium gilbertii, Chytroeisphaeridia hadra, Cleistosphaeridium elegantulum, Cleistosphaeridium palmatum, Dapsilidinium pseudoinsertum, De flan drea borealis, Evittosphaerula? foraminosa, Gingi - nodinium? flexidentatum, Hystrichosphaeridium quadratum, Hystrichostrogylon digitus, Impletosphaeridium apodastum, Scalenodinium scalenum, Surculosphaeridium convocatum, Talladinium pellis, Taurodinium granulatum and Trithyrodinium? conservatum), four emendations of dinocyst genera (Alterbidinium, Chatangiella, Chiropteridium and Surculosphaeridium), six new combinations for dinocyst species (Alterbidinium biaperturum, Deflandrea majae, Kleithriasphaeridium mantellii, Simplicidinium insolitum, Spongodinium grossum, Spongodinium obscurum), one new acritarch species (Fromea quadrangularis), one new miospore species (Baculatisporites crenulatus) and one new combination for miospores (Tiliaepollenites crassipites). Most of the taxa included provide age information, almost exclusively last occurrences (range 'tops'), but some are useful mainly for environmental interpretations. Collectively, they provide a powerful tool for helping to establish the geological history of the Labrador-Baffin Seaway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exendin-4, a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist, have been demonstrated to promote neuroprotection in the rat 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) neurotoxin model of Parkinson's disease (PD), a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive nigrostriatal dopaminergic neuron loss. In this report, we characterized the effect of a long-acting GLP-1 receptor agonist, liraglutide (500 µg/kg/day, s.c.) in the context of a partial or advanced (full) 6-OHDA induced nigral lesion in the rat. Rats received a low (3 µg, partial lesion) or high (13.5 µg, full lesion) 6-OHDA dose stereotaxically injected into the right medial forebrain bundle (n=17–20 rats per experimental group). Six weeks after induction of a partial nigral dopaminergic lesion, vehicle or liraglutide was administered for four weeks. In the full lesion model, vehicle dosing or liraglutide treatment was applied for a total of six weeks starting three weeks pre-lesion, or administered for three weeks starting on the lesion day. Quantitative stereology was applied to assess the total number of midbrain tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) positive dopaminergic neurons. As compared to vehicle controls, liraglutide had no effect on the rotational responsiveness to d -amphetamine or apomorphine, respectively. In correspondence, while numbers of TH-positive nigral neurons were significantly reduced in the lesion side (partial lesion ≈55%; full lesion ≈90%) liraglutide administration had no influence dopaminergic neuronal loss in either PD model setting. In conclusion, liraglutide showed no neuroprotective effects in the context of moderate or substantial midbrain dopaminergic neuronal loss and associated functional motor deficits in the rat 6-OHDA lesion model of PD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the major histopathological hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is cerebral deposits of extracellular β-amyloid peptides. Preclinical studies have pointed to glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptors as a potential novel target in the treatment of AD. GLP-1 receptor agonists, including exendin-4 and liraglutide, have been shown to promote plaque-lowering and mnemonic effects of in a number of experimental models of AD. Transgenic mouse models carrying genetic mutations of amyloid protein precursor (APP) and presenilin-1 (PS1) are commonly used to assess the pharmacodynamics of potential amyloidosis-lowering and pro-cognitive compounds. In this study, effects of long-term liraglutide treatment were therefore determined in two double APP/PS1 transgenic mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease carrying different clinical APP/PS1 mutations, i.e. the ‘London’ (hAPPLon/PS1A246E) and ‘Swedish’ mutation variant (hAPPSwe/PS1ΔE9) of APP, with co-expression of distinct PS1 variants. Liraglutide was administered in 5 month-old hAPPLon/PS1A246E mice for 3 months (100 or 500 ng/kg/day, s.c.), or 7 month-old hAPPSwe/PS1ΔE9 mice for 5 months (500 ng/kg/day, s.c.). In both models, regional plaque load was quantified throughout the brain using stereological methods. Vehicle-dosed hAPPSwe/PS1ΔE9 mice exhibited considerably higher cerebral plaque load than hAPPLon/PS1A246E control mice. Compared to vehicle-dosed transgenic controls, liraglutide treatment had no effect on the plaque levels in hAPPLon/PS1A246E and hAPPSwe/PS1ΔE9 mice. In conclusion, long-term liraglutide treatment exhibited no effect on cerebral plaque load in two transgenic mouse models of low- and high-grade amyloidosis, which suggests differential sensitivity to long-term liraglutide treatment in various transgenic mouse models mimicking distinct pathological hallmarks of AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To ensure high photocurrents from dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC), it is important that the dye absorbs as much of the energy from the sunlight as possible. To achieve a wide absorption and cover larger parts of the solar spectrum, dyes are frequently fitted with oligothiophene π-spacers. We wish to examine the terthiophene motif as π-spacers in triarylamine dyes and evaluate the suitability of using these in modern copper based DSSC devices. The foundation for this analysis will be the series of seven novel dyes (DMA-6 – DMA-12) which all are fitted with the same donor and acceptor, but linked with seven different terthiophene motifs. The photovoltaic performance of the dyes show that the smallest π-spacer in the series, dithieno[3,2-b:2′,3′-d]thiophene, was the most efficient. The DSSC device sensitized by this dye achieved a power conversion efficiency of 4.4% (J sc = 7.0 mA cm−2, V oc = 0.95 V, FF = 0.66). The photovoltaic performance of the dyes was tested in devices with two different TiO 2 thicknesses, and we established that the thinner TiO 2 yielded the best DSSC performance for all the dyes. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy revealed that the thicker semiconductor layer resulted in a reduction of the effective electron diffusion length. [Display omitted] • Seven novel triarylamine dyes have been prepared and characterized for DSSC. • A detailed structure-property relationship study on terthiophene π-spacers. • A systematic study on the effect of TiO 2 thickness on the dye performance. • Thicker TiO 2 was detrimental for copper-regenerated devices. • The most efficient π-spacer motif was dithieno[3,2-b:2′,3′-d]thiophene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chlorite-coats on quartz surfaces are ubiquitous in various sedimentary environments. Chlorite-coats shield the surface of quartz from quartz cement overgrowths, thus preserving anomalously high porosity in deeply buried sandstone reservoirs. The inhibition of the quartz cement implies that the chlorite-coats on the surface of quartz grains can significantly influence the physicochemical behavior of the quartz grains. Therefore, failure to notice the initial thin microscale coatings forming during deposition can have serious consequences for modeling several geochemical reactions occurring at liquid-solid interfaces. Despite this huge implication, the fundamental mechanisms involved in chlorite-coat formation is not well understood. Here we present an experimental study to determine the parameters that control chlorite-coat formation on the surface of quartz grains. The batch experiments were conducted in a concoction of quartz and chlorite under different conditions of ionic strength, pH, and presence of humic acid (HA), iron- (Fe) and aluminum (Al) oxides). HA, Fe- and Al oxides are suggested to aid the emplacement of chlorite-coat precursors. At pH 7, the quartz–chlorite and quartz–chlorite–Fe/Al-oxides mixing experiments performed in saline and non-saline solution result in equal chlorite-coat coverages, suggesting neither salinity nor Fe and Al-oxides explain the mechanisms of chlorite-coat formation. At pH 5 and 9, however the chlorite-coat coverage was superior only in saline solution, indicating differences in coat coverage may be caused by variable electrokinetic charge distribution due to the distribution and transport of dissolved salt. The chlorite-coat barely formed in experiments that contain HA in quartz–chlorite mixtures regardless of ionic strength and pH. Against a long-standing notion, the presence of organic matter cannot necessarily be prerequisites for binding chlorite on the surface of quartz grains. The dynamic interactions between solution chemistry and surface chemistry of solid phases (quartz, chlorite, HA, Fe and Al oxides) can result in changing the electrokinetic properties in a region near the solid phases and at mineral-solution interfaces. We therefore propose that the electrokinetic response that arises in heterogeneous systems may explain the mechanisms of chlorite-coat formation. [Display omitted] • Chlorite-coats formed on the quartz surface without the presence of binding agents. • Both the saline and non-saline solution favored chlorite-coat formation. • Chlorite-coats on the surface quartz demonstrated an edge-to-edge and face-to-edge patterns. • Electrokinetic properties of multicomponent mixtures dictate chlorite-coat formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In spite of decades of very active labor market policies, 25% of Denmark's population in the working ages are still out-of-work. The aim of this study was to investigate whether that is due to consistent or even increasing prevalence of ill health. For the period of 2002–2011, we investigated if i) the prevalence of four chronic diseases (cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer and mental disorders) among those out-of-work had changed, ii) the occurrence of new cases of those diseases were higher among those who were already out-of-work, or iii) if non-health-related benefits were disproportionately given to individuals recently diagnosed with a disease compared to those without disease. The study was register-based and comprised all Danish residents aged 20–60. During the study period, the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases and mental disorders increased among both employed and non-employed people. The increased prevalence for mental disorder was particularly high among people receiving means-tested benefits. Disease incidence was higher among people outside rather than inside the labor market, especially for mental disorders. Employed people with incident diseases had an unsurprisingly increased risk of leaving the labor market. However, a high proportion of people with incident mental disorders received low level means-tested benefits in the three years following this diagnosis, which is concerning. Men treated for mental disorders in 2006 had high excess probability of receiving a cash-benefit, OR = 4.83 (4.53–5.14) for the period 2007–2010. The estimates were similar for women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In addition to a prominent role in glycemic control, glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists exhibit neuroprotective properties. There is mounting experimental evidence that GLP-1 receptor agonists, including liraglutide, may enhance synaptic plasticity, counteract cognitive deficits and ameliorate neurodegenerative features in preclinical models of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), predominantly in the context of β-amyloid toxicity. Here we characterized the effects of liraglutide in a transgenic mutant tau (hTauP301L) mouse tauopathy model, which develops age-dependent pathology-specific neuronal tau phosphorylation and neurofibrillary tangle formation with progressively compromised motor function (limb clasping). Liraglutide (500 µg/kg/day, s.c., q.d., n =18) or vehicle ( n =18) was administered to hTauP301L mice for 6 months from the age of three months. Vehicle-dosed wild-type FVB/N mice served as normal control ( n =17). The onset and severity of hind limb clasping was markedly different in liraglutide and vehicle-dosed transgenic mice. Clasping behavior was observed in 61% of vehicle-dosed hTauP301L mice with a 55% survival rate in 9-month old transgenic mice. In contrast, liraglutide treatment reduced the clasping rate to 39% of hTauP301L mice, and fully prevented clasping-associated lethality resulting in a survival rate of 89%. Stereological analyses demonstrated that hTauP301L mice exhibited hindbrain-dominant neuronal accumulation of phosphorylated tau closely correlated to the severity of clasping behavior. In correspondence, liraglutide treatment significantly reduced neuronal phospho-tau load by 61.9±10.2% ( p <0.001) in hTauP301L mice, as compared to vehicle-dosed controls. In conclusion, liraglutide significantly reduced tau pathology in a transgenic mouse tauopathy model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Systematic reviews are increasingly used to inform policy makers about the usefulness of interventions. We stress the importance of the research question and argue that traditional Cochrane reviews work best for the focused question 'what works', while many policy interventions give rise to complex questions such as 'when', 'why', 'how' and 'for whom' the interventions 'work'. We categorise the questions and use this as a basis for a typology of systematic reviews. We illustrate the usefulness of the typology by examining reviews of development interventions. These reviews have followed a general trend, moving from focused questions to complex questions, and this gives rise to the same problems and discussions about evidence-ranking and the use of programme theory as witnessed within systematic reviews of interventions in public health and education. We argue that the review question is a natural starting point for developing new practices for systematic reviews. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work a study of the electrochemical peroxidation process (ECP) was carried out by using carbon electrodes and iron nanoparticles. Arsenic removal from synthetic and real wastewater from copper pyro-metallurgical industry was analyzed. The experiments were carried out in a 2 L batch reactor with agitation by air injection with airflow of approximately 5 L min −1 . A fixed current density of 171.7 A·m −2 was used and a drop wise 30% (w/w) hydrogen peroxide dosage of around 0.5–1 mL·min −1 was supplied to the wastewater solution. The evaluated operating parameters were: initial pH of the wastewater that was in the range of 2.0 to 6.5 and the treatment time that was varied from 30 to 180 min. The results when the ECP process was applied for 1 h, in the pH range of 2.0 to 6.5, to treat As(III) synthetic wastewater, showed that the maximum removal of arsenic was 62.4% at a pH of 6.5; being approximately constant when more treatment time was applied. On the other hand, when treating As(V) wastewater, the maximum removal was 99.7% at a pH of 5.0. When working with real wastewater in the pH range of 3.5 to 6.5; the arsenic maximum removal was 96% at pH 6.5. This removal was approximately constant when more treatment time was applied. The ECP process using carbon electrodes and iron nanoparticles showed to be a capable technology to remove high concentrations of arsenic (1300 to 3000 mg·L −1 ). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: In cancer of the uterine cervix, lymph node metastases are associated with a poor prognosis. Even so, the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) does not take into account diagnostic results of methods such as PET/CT, since these are not readily available everywhere. As undetected lymph node metastases can lead to undertreatment, any difference in the underlying prevalence of false-negative scans between CT and PET/CT may be reflected in treatment outcomes. This study investigated survival outcomes in node-negative patients before and after the introduction of PET/CT. Methods: This was a single-institution retrospective analysis of 301 patients with a histopathological diagnosis of cervical cancer. The patients were receiving chemoradiotherapy with curative intent according to the standard protocol of the department for patients without lymph node metastases as assessed by pretreatment CT or PET/CT. Patients were stratified into two groups: PET/CT and non-PET/CT. Patient characteristics and treatment outcomes were acquired from the treatment database. Results: Significant differences of 23 % (95 % CI 17 - 29 %), 19 % (95 % CI 13 - 25 %) and 12 % (95 % CI 6 - 18 %) in 5-year overall, disease-free and disease-specific survival, respectively, were observed between the two patient groups. The difference remained significant in univariate and multivariate analyses of overall survival (hazard ratio 0.61, 95 % CI 0.42 - 0.89; p = 0.010), including age, FIGO stage, performance status, BMI, and histopathology. Conclusion: Inclusion of PET/CT in the preradiotherapy diagnostic protocol may lead to nodal stage migration not reflected in the FIGO stage. It was found to be a significant covariate, and could lead to selection bias that needs to be taken into account when designing and reporting on clinical trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]