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This study explores both the coloniality of knowledge and politics of representation and the dominant political ideologies manifested within the Ethiopian Brodcasting Corporation (EBC). It also deepens media coverage of protests by interrogating how the media in Ethiopia construct knowledge and negotiate politics of representation in every aspect of the political scene. The study employed an exploratory case study research design through the lens of decolonial epistemic theory to scrutinise the mass media coverage of protests deployed in the EBC. This study mainly discusses the colonial matrix of power, dominant discourses and their ideologies in EBC regarding protest representation against Addis Ababa's Integrated Master Plan (AAIMP). The study extends its argument to how decolonisation occurs in the struggle for economic control through the land-grabbing political system of the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) government of Ethiopia. The study's central argument regards AAIMP's goal to annex the neighbouring Oromia regions, proposed in 2014. Through this colonial matrix, as emphasised by the work of Tlostanova and Mignolo, the study elaborates on how the government imposes restrictions on the media representation of protests and how and why the media partially or fully ignore or distort the coverage of social movements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Periostin is considered to be a marker of eosinophilic inflammation in patients with asthma. However, there are no literature data on exhaled breath condensate (EBC) periostin level in pediatric patients with asthma. The aim of this study was to analyze EBC periostin concentration in children with mild asthma and to evaluate the potential usefulness of EBC periostin level as a biomarker for the disease. EBC and serum periostin concentrations were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 23 children with asthma and 23 healthy controls. EBC periostin concentration was 250- to 780-fold lower than that found in serum. No significant differences between serum nor EBC periostin concentration in asthmatics and the control group were showed. The comparison between children with Th2 and non-Th2 type of asthma did not show significant differences in periostin concentration, both in serum and EBC. Serum periostin concentration inversely correlated with BMI and age not only in asthma patients but also in controls. In children with mild asthma, periostin may be measured not only in serum but also in EBC. The low periostin level in patients with mild asthma and lack of difference between asthmatic subjects and controls indicate that EBC periostin may not be useful as an asthma biomarker in this group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study was to (1) investigate the possibility to use urates in exhaled breath condensate (EBC) as a biomarker of airway inflammation and control in childhood asthma and (2) explore their association with other biomarkers of airway inflammation and clinical indices of asthma control (Asthma Control Test [ACT], quality of life [PAQLQ], lung function, prn beta-agonist use, time from last exacerbation [TLE]. Methods: This cross-sectional study comprised 103 consecutive patients (age 6-18 years) divided in groups of uncontrolled ([NC], n=53) and controlled asthma ([C], n=50). Measured lung function and biomarkers included: spirometry, eosinophilic cationic protein (ECP), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs- CRP), exhaled NO (FENO), pH and urates in EBC and exhaled breath temperature (EBT). Results: Statistically significant differences were found between groups for EBC urates, EBC pH and EBT (NC versus C: EBC urates, median [IQR], mmol/L; 10 [6] versus 45 [29], p50.001; EBC pH, mean [SD], 7.2 [0.17] versus 7.33 [0.16], p=0.002; EBT mean [SD], °C; 34.26 [0.83], versus 33.90 [0.60], p=0.014). EBC urates showed significant association with TLE and FENO (r=0.518, p50.001; r=0.369, p=0.007, respectively) in NC, and EBC pH (r=0.351, p50.001), FEV1 (r=0.222, p=0.024), ACT (r=0.654, p<0.001), PAQLQ (r=0.686, p<0.001) and prn salbutamol use (r=-0.<27, p<0.001) in all asthmatics. Conclusion: In our study, EBC urates were found to be the best single predictor of asthma control and underlying airway inflammation. Our results provide evidence supporting the potential utility to use EBC urates as an additional noninvasive biomarker of control in childhood asthma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rare earth silicates have been investigated to evaluate their potential as an advanced environmental barrier coating (EBC) that has a higher temperature capability than current EBCs. In order to avoid Lu2Si2O7 surface toughness reduction as well as the appearance of cracks under the extreme working environment conditions of the SiC ceramic EBC exposed to a high temperature combustion atmosphere, we combined Lu2Si2O7 and Lu2SiO5 to change the characteristics in the working temperature range. In this paper, we developed a method for improving the coating toughening mechanism by adjusting the ratio of Lu2Si2O7 and Lu2SiO5. By measuring the thermal expansion coefficient of samples, observing the sample corrosion behaviour with molten salt at 950°C, analysing the phase evolution and surface morphology changes of the samples at different corrosion stages, we found that the composite coating had superior chemical compatibility compared to a single component coating, low volatility and excellent corrosion resistance in molten salt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rare earth silicates have been investigated to evaluate their potential as an advanced environmental barrier coating (EBC) that has a higher temperature capability than current EBCs. In order to avoid Lu2Si2O7 surface toughness reduction as well as the appearance of cracks under the extreme working environment conditions of the SiC ceramic EBC exposed to a high temperature combustion atmosphere, we combined Lu2Si2O7 and Lu2SiO5 to change the characteristics in the working temperature range. In this paper, we developed a method for improving the coating toughening mechanism by adjusting the ratio of Lu2Si2O7 and Lu2SiO5. By measuring the thermal expansion coefficient of samples, observing the sample corrosion behaviour with molten salt at 950°C, analysing the phase evolution and surface morphology changes of the samples at different corrosion stages, we found that the composite coating had superior chemical compatibility compared to a single component coating, low volatility and excellent corrosion resistance in molten salt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rare earth silicates have been investigated to evaluate their potential as an advanced environmental barrier coating (EBC) that has a higher temperature capability than current EBCs. In order to avoid Lu2Si2O7 surface toughness reduction as well as the appearance of cracks under the extreme working environment conditions of the SiC ceramic EBC exposed to a high temperature combustion atmosphere, we combined Lu2Si2O7 and Lu2SiO5 to change the characteristics in the working temperature range. In this paper, we developed a method for improving the coating toughening mechanism by adjusting the ratio of Lu2Si2O7 and Lu2SiO5. By measuring the thermal expansion coefficient of samples, observing the sample corrosion behaviour with molten salt at 950°C, analysing the phase evolution and surface morphology changes of the samples at different corrosion stages, we found that the composite coating had superior chemical compatibility compared to a single component coating, low volatility and excellent corrosion resistance in molten salt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Regulation of pH in the airways is of physiological importance. As acidification of the airways causes bronchoconstriction, the aim of the present study was to find out whether there is any difference in calcium and magnesium in exhaled breath condensate (EBC) of children with uncontrolled asthma (i.e., with endogenous acidification) and children with gastroesophageal reflux disease, GERD (i.e., with exogenous acidification). Material and methods: A total of 142 children were included in the study: children with uncontrolled asthma ( N = 51), children with GERD ( N = 61), and healthy controls ( N = 30). In addition, according to the pH cut-off value children with asthma and GERD were divided into two subgroups, that is, patients with pH ≤ 6.93 (subgroup A) and patients with pH > 6.93 (subgroup B). Results: The mean EBC pH was significantly lower in children with asthma than in children with GERD (6.791 ± 0.374 vs. 7.002 ± 0.361, p = .006). Concentration [median and interquartile range--M (IQR)] of total magnesium, but not calcium, was lower in both asthmatic [(10 (10-40) μmol/L, p = .016)] and GERD children [(20 (10-40) μmol/L, p = .012)] in comparison with controls (47 ± 27 μmol/L). There was no statistically significant difference in EBC calcium and magnesium concentrations between asthmatic and GERD children. In asthmatic children a positive correlation was confirmed between forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1) and magnesium in EBC ( r = 0.307; p = .030), and negative correlation was found between FEV1 and calcium/magnesium ratio ( r = -0.290; p = .047). In addition, positive correlation was confirmed between fractional concentration of exhaled NO and calcium/magnesium ratio (r = 0.360; p = .018). In GERD patients a negative correlation (r = -0.404; p = .003) was found between magnesium and pH values. Concentration of calcium was higher in the GERD subgroup A children [(50 (30-90) μmol/L)] than in the subgroup B children [(30 (20-45) μmol/L, p = .031)]. In addition, concentration of magnesium was higher in the GERD subgroup A children [(30 (20-70) μmol/L)] than in the subgroup B children [(10 (10-20) μmol/L, p < .001)]. Conclusion: The present study indicates that decreased total magnesium concentration may be found in EBCs, irrespective of whether the acidification is the result of endogenous pathomechanisms or reflux-induced mechanisms. In children with GERD, EBC pH-metry should be performed after acute coughing episode. Future research is needed to investigate the mechanisms of onset and dynamics of these changes. Scientific significance: Lower concentration of magnesium may indicate its role in bronchoconstiction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asthma-related symptoms can manifest in children during the early years, but only some of the children will develop the disease. This feasibility study showed that it is possible to apply non-invasive markers (in urine, exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) and exhaled breath condensate (EBC)) in 3-year-old children, and evaluated the biomarkers in relation to health outcomes and potential modifiers. FENO was correlated with respiratory allergy, and was borderline significantly correlated with wheezing, but not with the asthma predictive index (mAPI). EBC pH and urinary 8-oxo-deoxyguanosine were not significantly correlated with these clinical outcomes. An EBC proteolytic peptide pattern was developed, which could distinguish between mAPI-positive and -negative children. Non-invasive biomarkers may become a promising tool for investigating respiratory health in children but further research is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]