Phenomenological approaches for quantitative temperature-programmed reduction (TPR) and desorption (TPD) analysis

Simoní Da Ros,Karen Aline Valter Flores,Marcio Schwaab,Elisa Barbosa-Coutinho,Nádia R.C. Fernandes,José Carlos Pinto 한국공업화학회 2021 Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Vol.94 No.-

Temperature-programmed reduction (TPR) and temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) aretechniques widely used for catalyst characterization, providing information about active sites. However,results from these experiments are usually interpreted with the aid of empirical models, based on therepresentation of reduction or desorption profiles as summations of empirical reference curves. In thiscontext, phenomenological approaches can present several advantages over this traditional empiricalapproach, as in this case the extracted information can be based on theoretical models that allows for adeeper understanding of the catalyst properties. For this reason, in the present work, empirical andphenomenological modelling approaches are evaluated for the quantitative analysis of H2-TPR and NH3-TPD profiles, obtained from the characterization of Ni/SiO2 and Al2O3 alumina catalysts, respectively, andresults from both approaches are thoroughly compared and discussed for thefirst time. Our results,obtained from thefitting of both modelling approaches to the whole experimental profile by usingnonlinear regression, indicate that the phenomenological modelling approach can be considered betterand should therefore be preferred, as it allows for significantly more accurate quantification and correctdiscrimination of distinct active sites, in addition to simultaneously enabling the determination ofreduction or desorption kinetics parameters.

Artificial container mosquitoes and first record of Aedes aegypti in the islands of the Paraná Lower Delta, Argentina

María V. Cardo,Paula Rosín,Aníbal E. Carbajo,Darío Vezzani 한국응용곤충학회 2015 Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology Vol.18 No.4

Mosquitoes in artificial containers include Aedes aegypti and the Culex pipiens complex, both recognized worldwide as vectors of diseases. The goal of this study was to characterize mosquito communities in water-filled artificial containers in the islands of one of the major temperate wetlands in South America, and to assess whether A. aegypti is present in the area. Five domestic areas located in the insular Tigre District (Buenos Aires Province, Argentina) were visited monthly between November 2011 and May 2012. A total of 1013 artificial containers (half of themwithwater)were inspected formosquito immatures. 3359 specimens corresponding to seven species were collected in 88 containers. A. aegypti was recorded for the first time in this wetland, and in all land use categories examined from February to May. Among the remaining six species, only Culex dolosus and C. pipiens were highly abundant. 88% of themosquito positive containerswere buckets, dustbins and boats,whereas highly available bottles did not act asmosquito breeding habitats; the key breeding containerwas different for each land use. The Container Index showed differences among land uses, materials, water capacity and volume, and insolation levels. Generalized Linear Mixed Models suggested that the probability of finding mosquitoes was higher for containers located in dumps and recreational areas, made of resin/fiberglass, presenting intermediate water volumes, and not in use if partially or totally shaded but in use for sunlit containers. Recommendations formosquito prevention and control in the islands are proposed.

Role of Headmasters, Teachers, and Supervisors in Knowledge Transfer about Occupational Health and Safety to Pupils in Vocational Education

Ing-Marie Andersson,Kristina Gunnarsson,Gunnar Rosèn 한국산업안전보건공단 산업안전보건연구원 2015 Safety and health at work Vol.6 No.4

Background: Young people are at an increased risk for illness in working life. The authorities stipulate certain goals for training in occupational health and safety (OHS) in vocational schools. A previous study concluded that pupils in vocational education had limited knowledge in the prevention of health risks at work. The aim of the current study, therefore, was to study how OHS training is organized in school and in workplace-based learning (WPL). Methods: The study design featured a qualitative approach, which included interviews with 12 headmasters, 20 teachers, and 20 supervisors at companies in which the pupils had their WPL. The study was conducted at 10 upper secondary schools, located in Central Sweden, that were graduating pupils in four vocational programs. Results: The interviews with headmasters, teachers, and supervisors indicate a staggered picture of how pupils are prepared for safe work. The headmasters generally give teachers the responsibility for how goals should be reached. Teaching is very much based on risk factors that are present in the workshops and on teachers’ own experiences and knowledge. The teaching during WPL also lacks the systematic training in OHS as well as in the traditional classroom environment. Conclusion: Teachers and supervisors did not plan the training in OHS in accordance with the provisions of systematic work environment management. Instead, the teachers based the training on their own experiences. Most of the supervisors did not receive information from the schools as to what should be included when introducing OHS issues in WPL.

Knowledge and Experiences of Risks among Pupils in Vocational Education

Ing-Marie Andersson,Kristina Gunnarsson,Gunnar Rosèn,Marie Moström Åberg 한국산업안전보건공단 산업안전보건연구원 2014 Safety and health at work Vol.5 No.3

Background: Young male and female workers are over-represented in statistics concerning negativeoutcomes of poor work environment and risky work. Young workers often have low awareness of risk, alack of safety training, and inadequate introduction to the work. The aim of this study was to identify theknowledge and experiences of pupils of vocational schools concerning potential work environment risksin their future work. Methods: The study design was a dual one, and included a questionnaire and focus group interviews. Thestudy group consisted of 239 pupils from 10 upper secondary schools, who were graduating pupils infour vocational programs: the Industrial Technology Programme, the Restaurant Management and FoodProgramme, the Transport Programme, and the Handicraft Programme (in which students specialize inwood products). The upper secondary schools were located in the central region of Sweden. Results: The pupils had limited knowledge that employers must, by law, conduct risk analyses andprevent risks. Many felt that they themselves are mainly responsible for performing their tasks safely. Pupils in all programs mentioned acute risk as the greatest risk at work. The theoretical education aboutsafety at work was provided in the 1st year of the 3-year vocational programs. Conclusion: A systematic approach to pupils’ training in work environment, which is a basis for a safe andhealthy workplace, is lacking. The study findings indicate that pupils are offered knowledge far from thatintended by laws and by state-of-the-art occupational health risk research.

Paraaortic sentinel lymph node detection in intermediate and high-risk endometrial cancer by transvaginal ultrasound-guided myometrial injection of radiotracer (TUMIR)

Martina Aida Angeles,Federico Migliorelli,Sergi Vidal-Sicart,Adela Saco,Jaume Ordi,Cristina Ros,Pere Fusté,Meritxell Munmany,Sílvia Escura,Núria Carreras,Nuria Sánchez-Izquierdo,Jaume Pahisa,Aureli To 대한부인종양학회 2021 Journal of Gynecologic Oncology Vol.32 No.4

Objective: We aimed to evaluate the accuracy of sentinel lymph node (SLN) mapping with transvaginal ultrasound-guided myometrial injection of radiotracer (TUMIR) to detect lymph node (LN) metastases, in patients with intermediate and high-risk endometrial cancer (EC), focusing on its performance to detect paraaortic involvement. Methods: Prospective study including women with preoperative intermediate or high-risk EC, according to ESMO-ESGO-ESTRO consensus, who underwent SLN mapping using the TUMIR approach. SLNs were preoperatively localized by planar and single photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography images, and intraoperatively by gamma-probe. Immediately after SLN excision, all women underwent systematic pelvic and paraaortic lymphadenectomy by laparoscopy. Results: The study included 102 patients. The intraoperative SLN detection rate was79.4% (81/102). Pelvic and paraaortic drainage was observed in 92.6% (75/81) and 45.7% (37/81) women, respectively, being exclusively paraaortic in 7.4% (6/81). After systematic lymphadenectomy, LN metastases were identified in 19.6% (20/102) patients, with 45.0% (9/20) showing paraaortic involvement, which was exclusive in 15.0% (3/20). The overall sensitivity and negative predictive value (NPV) of SLNs by the TUMIR approach to detect lymphatic involvement were 87.5% and 97.0%, respectively; and 83.3% and 96.9%, for paraaortic metastases. After applying the MSKCC SLN mapping algorithm, the sensitivity and NPV were 93.8% and 98.5%, respectively. Conclusion: The TUMIR method provides valuable information of endometrial drainage in patients at higher risk of paraaortic LN involvement. The TUMIR approach showed a detection rate of paraaortic SLNs greater than 45% and a high sensitivity and NPV for paraaortic metastases in women with intermediate and high-risk EC.

Beneficial Effects of Fructooligosaccharides Esterified with Lauric Acid in a Metabolic Syndrome Model Induced by a High-Fat and High-Carbohydrate Diet in Wistar Rats

Susana Herna´ndez-Pe´rez,Rosa Marı´a Oliart-Ros,Leticia Casas-Godoy,Georgina Sandoval,Veronica Guarner Lans,Vicente Castrejo´n-Te´llez,Lucı´a Quevedo-Corona,Lucı´a Quevedo-Corona,Carolina Pen˜a-Montes 한국식품영양과학회 2022 Journal of medicinal food Vol.25 No.8

Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a group of abnormalities in which obesity, insulin resistance (IR), oxidative stress, and dyslipidemia stand out. This pathology predisposes to the development of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. The ingestion of linear fructooligosaccharides (FOS) such as inulin reduces conditions such as hyperinsulinemia, increased body fat, and triglyceridemia. When FOS are esterified with fatty acids, they present emulsifying and surfactant properties; however, there are no reports of their function at the biological level. The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the effect of Agave tequilana Weber's FOS (AtW-FOS) and FOS esterified with lauric acid (FOS-LA) in MS markers in a rat model induced by a HFHC diet. Supplementation with AtW-FOS and FOS-LA decreased IR, improved glucose tolerance, reduced liver weight (19%), plasma triglycerides (24%), and blood pressure (16%) when compared with the untreated MS group. In conclusion, the ingestion of AtW-FOS and FOS-LA has beneficial effects in the prevention of MS alterations, showing a high potential for their application in functional foods.

Preferential Binding to Elk-1 by SLE-Associated <i>IL10</i> Risk Allele Upregulates <i>IL10</i> Expression

Sakurai, Daisuke,Zhao, Jian,Deng, Yun,Kelly, Jennifer A.,Brown, Elizabeth E.,Harley, John B.,Bae, Sang-Cheol,Alarcό,n-Riquelme, Marta E.,Edberg, Jeffrey C.,Kimberly, Robert P.,Ramsey-Goldman, Ros Public Library of Science 2013 PLoS genetics Vol.9 No.10

<▼1><P>Immunoregulatory cytokine interleukin-10 (IL-10) is elevated in sera from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) correlating with disease activity. The established association of <I>IL10</I> with SLE and other autoimmune diseases led us to fine map causal variant(s) and to explore underlying mechanisms. We assessed 19 tag SNPs, covering the <I>IL10</I> gene cluster including <I>IL19</I>, <I>IL20</I> and <I>IL24</I>, for association with SLE in 15,533 case and control subjects from four ancestries. The previously reported <I>IL10</I> variant, rs3024505 located at 1 kb downstream of <I>IL10</I>, exhibited the strongest association signal and was confirmed for association with SLE in European American (EA) (<I>P</I> = 2.7×10<SUP>−8</SUP>, OR = 1.30), but not in non-EA ancestries. SNP imputation conducted in EA dataset identified three additional SLE-associated SNPs tagged by rs3024505 (rs3122605, rs3024493 and rs3024495 located at 9.2 kb upstream, intron 3 and 4 of <I>IL10</I>, respectively), and SLE-risk alleles of these SNPs were dose-dependently associated with elevated levels of <I>IL10</I> mRNA in PBMCs and circulating IL-10 protein in SLE patients and controls. Using nuclear extracts of peripheral blood cells from SLE patients for electrophoretic mobility shift assays, we identified specific binding of transcription factor Elk-1 to oligodeoxynucleotides containing the risk (G) allele of rs3122605, suggesting rs3122605 as the most likely causal variant regulating <I>IL10</I> expression. Elk-1 is known to be activated by phosphorylation and nuclear localization to induce transcription. Of interest, phosphorylated Elk-1 (p-Elk-1) detected only in nuclear extracts of SLE PBMCs appeared to increase with disease activity. Co-expression levels of p-Elk-1 and IL-10 were elevated in SLE T, B cells and monocytes, associated with increased disease activity in SLE B cells, and were best downregulated by ERK inhibitor. Taken together, our data suggest that preferential binding of activated Elk-1 to the <I>IL10</I> rs3122605-G allele upregulates <I>IL10</I> expression and confers increased risk for SLE in European Americans.</P></▼1><▼2><P><B>Author Summary</B></P><P>Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a debilitating autoimmune disease characterized by the production of pathogenic autoantibodies, has a strong genetic basis. Variants of the <I>IL10</I> gene, which encodes cytokine interleukin-10 (IL-10) with known function of promoting B cell hyperactivity and autoantibody production, are associated with SLE and other autoimmune diseases, and serum IL-10 levels are elevated in SLE patients correlating with increased disease activity. In this study, to discover SLE-predisposing causal variant(s), we assessed variants within the genomic region containing <I>IL10</I> and its gene family member <I>IL19</I>, <I>IL20</I> and <I>IL24</I> for association with SLE in case and control subjects from diverse ancestries. We identified SLE-associated SNP rs3122605 located at 9.2 kb upstream of <I>IL10</I> as the most likely causal variant in subjects of European ancestry. The SLE-risk allele of rs3122605 was dose-dependently associated with elevated <I>IL10</I> expression at both mRNA and protein levels in peripheral blood samples from SLE patients and controls, which could be explained, at least in part, by its preferential binding to Elk-1, a transcription factor activated in B cells during active disease of SLE patients. Elk-1-mediated IL-10 overexpression could be downregulated by inhibiting activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases, suggesting a potential therapeutic target for SLE.</P></▼2>