Covingtoncunningham0055

Ecotourism in national parks of developing countries is increasingly recognised as a promising option to achieve sustainable development goals, regardless, might imply various paradoxical managerial challenges. This paper, therefore, seeks to contribute a methodological framework utilising ES-based social landscape metrics (SLM) to address the potential barriers in managing ecotourism-integrated multi-functional national parks. We present a mixed-method case study in Vietnam's Tram Chim National Park (TCNP), conducted via semi-structural interviews and PGIS with tourists and locals. Transmembrane Transporters inhibitor Multiple key informants, i.e. TCNP's authorities were also interviewed to provide their managerial insights and assist in verifying the PGIS results obtained from the tourists and locals. Via the quantified and mapped SLMs, the study reveals the differences between tourists and locals in terms of how and where they perceive and appreciate the intangible values of TCNP. Through spatial statistics, we reported important spatial correlations (i) between different categories of Ecosystem Services (ES) and (ii) between ES richness and diversity on different TCNP's land covers. As a contribution to the decision-making outlook, we remarked potential areas to expand of ecotourism activities based on the spatial hot and cold spots. This study concludes by highlighting opportunities for future research in expanding on socio-geographical assessments of ES, especially in the fields of ecotourism.

Proton pump inhibitor (PPI) use is a potential risk factor for hepatic encephalopathy (HE), but few studies have examined the effect on post-TIPS HE. The purpose of this study was to determine whether PPIs are associated with increased rates of post-TIPS HE in an independent patient cohort.

This single-institution retrospective study analyzed 86 patients (54 male, mean age 58.2) following TIPS from 1/1/2017 to 12/31/2019. Dates of PPI usage and episodes of new or worsening HE were recorded. Poisson regression with generalized estimating equations was used to test for association between PPI use and post-TIPS HE and to test for dose dependence. Post-TIPS HE was also analyzed using the Andersen-Gill survival model for recurrent events.

There were 1.88 episodes of new or worsening post-TIPS HE per person-year among 35 patients on uninterrupted PPIs therapy, 1.95 on PPIs and 0.94 off PPIs among 35 patients on intermittent therapy, and 0.47 among 16 patients never on PPIs. PPI use was significantly associated with post-TIPS HE in both univariable (incidence rate ratio (IRR)=2.62; CI=1.41-4.84; p=0.002) and multivariable (IRR=2.31; CI=1.37-3.89; p=0.002) regression. Analysis of only those patients on PPIs showed increased rates of HE with higher doses (IRR=1.17 per 10mg omeprazole equivalent; CI=1.04-1.33; p=0.011). Recurrent events survival analysis supported the association between PPI use and HE in univariable (hazard ratio (HR)=2.17; CI=1.19-3.95; p=0.011) and multivariable (HR=1.87; CI=1.12-3.13; p=0.017) analysis.

In an independent patient cohort PPI use was associated with increased rates of new or worsening post-TIPS HE.

In an independent patient cohort PPI use was associated with increased rates of new or worsening post-TIPS HE.In this study, the albedo factors (number, energy, and dose) of some boron compounds were investigated at a scattering angle of 180°. Eight boron compounds were tested in the mean atomic number range of 4.571 ≤ Z‾ ≤ 19.00. The samples were irradiated by gamma rays emitted at 59.54 keV from an Am-241-point source with an activity of 0.43 MBq. The scattered gamma rays were counted by an ultra-low energy germanium detector with a resolution of 140 eV at 5.9 keV. The results showed that the albedo factors decreased as the mean atomic number increased. The correlations between the albedo factors and mean atomic numbers were also high.The goal of this work was to produce accurate data for use as a 'gold standard' and a valid tool for measurements in reference dosimetry for standard/small static field sizes from 0.5 × 0.5 to 10 × 10 cm2. It is based on the accuracy of the phase space files (PSFs) as a key quantity. Because the IAEA general public database provides few PSFs for the Varian iX, we simulated the head through Monte Carlo (MC) simulations and calculated validated PSFs for 12 square field sizes including seven for small static fields. The resulting dosimetric calculations allowed us to reach a good level of agreement in comparison to our relative and absolute dose measurements performed on a Varian iX in water phantom. Measured and MC calculated output factors were investigated for different detectors. Based on the TRS 483 formalism and MC (PENELOPE/penEasy), we calculated output correction factors for the unshielded Diode-E (T60017) and the PinPoint-3D (T31016) micro-chamber according to manufacturers' blueprints. Our MC results were in agreement with the recommended data; they compete with recent measurements and MC simulations and in particular the TRS 483 MC data obtained from similar simulations. Moreover, our MC results provide supplemental data in comparison to TRS 483 data in particular for the PinPoint-3D (T31016). We suggest our MC output correction factors as new datasets for future TRS compilations. The work was substantial, used different robust MC strategies depending on the scoring regions, and led in most cases to uncertainties of less than 1%.18F-labeled 2-arylbenzoxazole derivative (S)-[18F]28 is potent and selective radiopharmaceutical Aβ tracers for Alzheimer's disease positron-emission tomography (PET). Our study aimed to enable facile preparation of (S)-[18F]28 in commercially available PET tracer production facilities to promote the widespread application and clinical translation. Here, we successfully demonstrated an automated radiosynthesis of (S)-[18F]28 with high radiochemical yield and radiochemical purity by the AllinOne radiosynthesis module. The method developed here can facilitate extensive use of (S)-[18F]28 in large-scale clinical trials.Breast cancer is the most common cancer of women, and fifth leading cause of mortality worldwide. Existing breast cancer regimens are costly and produce severe side effects. This highlights a need for the development of efficient novel therapies, which are cost effective and limit side effects. An electrical pulse (EP)-based chemo therapy, known as electrochemotherapy (ECT) using the natural compound curcumin could be an effective alternative. ECT is a non-surgical modality, which produces excellent anti-tumor efficacy at small drug concentrations due to increased uptake of drugs. In clinics, ECT is shown to be effective in treating advanced, recurrent, and metastatic breast cancers, which are refractory to multiple modalities. ECT with curcumin triggers apoptotic cell death in breast cancer cells and could be an effective alternative, due to curcumin's low cost and reduced side-effects. However, there is a lack of studies quantifying the uptake of curcumin in response to EP application. Towards this, we determined the uptake of different curcuminoids (curcumin, desmethoxycurcumin, and bisdemethoxycurcumin) upon EP application and their impact on cell cytotoxicity.