Falloncallesen9038

Recent studies have uncovered that specific sphingolipids are involved in ER stress. This review summarizes the roles of sphingolipids in ER stress and human diseases in the context of pathogenic events.Phase-mode electrostatic force microscopy (EFM-Phase) is a viable technique to image surface electrostatic potential of silicon oxide stripes fabricated by oxidation scanning probe lithography, exhibiting an inhomogeneous distribution of localized charges trapped within the stripes during the electrochemical reaction. We show here that these nanopatterns are useful benchmark samples for assessing the spatial/voltage resolution of EFM-phase. To quantitatively extract the relevant observables, we developed and applied an analytical model of the electrostatic interactions in which the tip and the surface are modelled in a prolate spheroidal coordinates system, fitting accurately experimental data. A lateral resolution of ∼60 nm, which is comparable to the lateral resolution of EFM experiments reported in the literature, and a charge resolution of ∼20 electrons are achieved. This electrostatic analysis evidences the presence of a bimodal population of trapped charges in the nanopatterned stripes.Background Arboviruses such as dengue virus, yellow fever virus, Zika virus and chikungunya virus are major threats to human health globally, including countries in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR). Aims This study aimed to assess laboratory proficiency in EMR countries for detection of dengue virus, yellow fever virus, Zika virus and chikungunya virus. Methods A global external quality assessment programme for arbovirus diagnostics was developed and run in 2016 and 2018. National-level public health laboratories were instructed to apply the polymerase chain reaction detection method on specimen panels containing dengue virus, yellow fever virus, Zika virus and chikungunya virus. Results Over both rounds of the programme, 100% of participating EMR laboratories correctly detected yellow fever virus and chikungunya virus, ≥ 84.6% detected dengue fever virus and ≥ 76.9% detected Zika virus. Conclusion While participating EMR countries demonstrated good proficiency in detecting arboviruses, only half of them were enrolled in the global external quality assessment programme, providing an incomplete picture of regional capacity. Effort should be put into increasing participation in subsequent rounds.Background The epidemiology of herpes simplex virus infections is of growing interest but information on its seroprevalence in many countries is scarce. Aims This study aimed to measure the seroprevalence of herpes simplex virus type 1 and type 2 in Filipino and Indian men living in Qatar. click here Methods Blood serum specimens were collected from male blood donors aged ≥ 18 years in Qatar from 2013 to 2016. HerpeSelect® 1/2 and Euroline-WB assays were used to measure antibodies to herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 in 120 Filipino and 325 Indian men. Results The seroprevalence of herpes simplex virus-1 was 84.9% (95% confidence interval (CI) 78.4-90.0%) in Filipino men and 48.3% (95% CI 43.6-53.0%) in Indian men. The seroprevalence of herpes simplex virus-2 was 8.3% (95% CI 4.6-13.7%) in Filipinos and 3.7% (95% CI 2.2-5.9%) in Indians. The seroprevalence of herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 increased with age, but this trend was only statistically significant in Indian men (P = 0.013 and P = 0.011 respectively). Conclusions The seroprevalence rates of herpes simplex virus-2 in Filipino and Indian men living in Qatar were similar to those found in the Philippines and India. However, the seroprevalence of herpes simplex virus-1 in Indians, while similar to that found in India, was substantially lower than that of other countries in Asia and developing countries worldwide, which needs further investigation.Background Little is known about the nutritional knowledge of children in Kuwait and school-based nutrition interventions are scarce. No validated tool to assess the nutrition knowledge of schoolchildren in Kuwait is available. Aims This study determined the validity and reliability of a nutrition knowledge questionnaire in Kuwaiti primary-school children, and measured children's nutrition knowledge before and after a nutrition awareness intervention. Methods The questionnaire included five questions to measure nutritional knowledge. The face and content validity were assessed by nutrition and paediatric experts. To assess questionnaire reliability and nutrition knowledge, 642 schoolchildren (8-12 years) were assigned to an intervention, control or reliability group. Each group completed the questionnaire twice, one or two weeks apart. Students in the intervention group attended a nutrition knowledge presentation before completing the questionnaire the second time. Independent and paired samples t-tests were used to assess score differences between and within the intervention and control groups for changes in nutrition knowledge. Pearson correlation coefficients were used to measure score consistency in the reliability group. Results Overall, the questionnaire had good content validity and moderate to strong reliability (r = 0.44, P less then 0.001). Students in the intervention group had significantly higher mean nutritional knowledge scores after the intervention (from 3.65 (SD 1.03) to 4.20 (SD 1.02); P = 0.17). Control group scores were mostly unchanged. Conclusions The Kuwait child nutrition knowledge questionnaire is a valid and reliable tool to assess nutritional knowledge in schoolchildren in Kuwait. Nutrition knowledge of Kuwaiti schoolchildren should be improved using age-appropriate interventions in school.Background Classrooms are an important environment for young children as this is where they spend a large part of their time. Aims This study was designed to quantify the levels of heavy metals in classroom dusts in Shiraz, a city southwestern Iran. The potential association between heavy metal levels and childhood asthma was also investigated. Methods We selected 32 schools for collecting classroom dust samples during September-November 2016. The concentration of 10 heavy metals was measured in these dust samples by optical emission spectrometry. The diagnosis of childhood asthma was made using both the medical chart of each student and examination by an allergist. The data were analysed using SPSS, version 21.0. Results The concentration of heavy metals in classroom dust samples ranged from 7559 to 53 723.0 mg/kg (mean 16 945.5 mg/kg) for Fe, 169.0 to 952.0 mg/kg (mean 288.9 mg/kg) for Mn, and 9.0 to 971.0 mg/kg (mean 258.8 mg/kg) for Pb. We found no correlation between heavy metals in classroom dust and childhood asthma.