Hepatocellular carcinoma,human immunodeficiency virus and viral hepatitis in the HAART era

The incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)in patients with human immunodeficiency virus(HIV) is rising.HCC in HIV almost invariably occurs in the context of hepatitis C virus(HCV)or hepatitis B virus (HBV)co-infection and,on account of shared modes of transmission,this occurs in more than 33% and 10% of patients with HIV worldwide respectively.It has yet to be clearly established whether HIV directly accelerates HCC pathogenesis or whether the rising incidence is an epiphenomenon of the highly active antiretroviral therapy(HAART)era,wherein the increased longevity of patients with HIV allows long-term complications of viral hepatitis and cirrhosis to develop.Answering this question will have implications for HCC surveillance and the timing of HCV/HBV therapy,which in HIV co-infection presents unique challenges.Once HCC develops,there is growing evidence that HIV co-infection should not preclude conventional therapeutic strategies,including liver transplantation.

经营战略的革命——合作生产（英文）

随着分散生产和非西方工程、科学的复兴,一场经营战略的革命正在崭露头角。这篇理论性论文的贡献在于:(i)评估了革命所处的历史背景;(ii)定义了分散生产的当前迭代,同时建立本次革命创新性、合法化与道德伦理的基础;(iii)表明了关于开发能力、资源和竞争优势的集中生产企业的商业理论,不适用于流体网络中的分散生产;(iv)识别了充分利用分散生产的多样化知识过程中遇到的认知挑战;(v)发现了与集中生产共同发展的法律文书阻碍了经营战略的革命。本研究旨在探讨以合作生产形式进行的分散生产的复兴对新兴多极世界的能力、资源和创新动力的影响。

创新性淀粉节约方案——通过纤维中的淀粉回收提高纸板生产的可持续性

用于制造再生纸和纸板的纤维原材料中含有大量淀粉。由于微生物的活性,使用回收纤维的纸浆中的过程水通常含有大量淀粉水解酶。这经常导致大多数淀粉在回收纤维进入造纸机之前水解掉,因此潜在地增加了废水中的化学需氧量COD、pH值降低,并且由于碳酸钙溶解使得电导率变高。在本文中,我们提出了一种新颖的提高淀粉再利用及包装纸强度的理念。该理念包括使用特定的淀粉酶抑制剂,防止回收纤维和损纸中的淀粉水解,以及全新的助留系统用以提高淀粉在最终产品中的保留率。淀粉酶抑制剂自身或与杀菌剂组合能够有效防止淀粉水解。这在实验室研究和工厂试验均有所体现。此外,留着率和强度实验表明混凝剂、微聚物和新的高分子聚合物的组合提高了淀粉的留着率和滤水性。

Studies on the allostimulatory function of dendritic cells from HCV-HIV-1 co-infected patients

There is increasing recognition of the potential morbidity and mortality associated with HIV-1 and hepatitis C (HCV)co-infection. HIV appears to adversely affect HCV disease while the reciprocal effect of HCV on HIV remains controversial.We therefore studied the effect of co-infection on dendritic cell function versus HIV infection alone, as previous work has shown that HCV impairs dendritic cell (DC) function. HIV-1 positive individuals with HCV were matched for CD4count, HIV- 1 RNA viral load and therapy, to HIV- 1 positive patients without HCV. Monocyte-derived DC were generated and mixed leukocyte reactions were performed. We assessed allostimulatory capacity with and without administration of exogenous Thl cytokines, using thymidine uptake and cell division analyses with the vital dye CFSE. We found that monocyte-derived DC from co-infected individuals showed no significant differences in allostimulatory capacity to ex vivo generated DC from HIV-1 infected individuals without HCV. Unlike the situation with HCV infection alone, this impairment was not reversed by increasing concentrations of either interleukin-2 or -12. Monocyte-derived DC from HIV-1 and HCV co-infected individuals have a similar allostimulatory capacity to DC from matched patients with HIV-1alone. These findings are compatible with results of prior clinical studies that found no evidence that HCV co-infection altered HIV disease progression and has implications for immunotherapeutic approaches in co-infected individuals.

Soil-Based Biofiltration for Air Purification:Potentials for Environmental and Space LifeSupport Application

Soil biofiltration, also known as soil bed reactor (SBR), technology was originally developed in Germany to take advantage of the diversity in microbial mechanisms to control gases producing malodor in industrial processes. The approach has since gained wider international acceptance and continues to see improvements to maximize microbial and process efficiency and extend the range of problematical gases for which the technology can be an effective control. We review the basic mechanisms which underlay microbial soil processes involved in air purification, advantages and limitations of the technology and the current research status of the approach. Soil biofiltration has lower capital and operating/energetic costs than conventional technologies and is well adapted to handle contaminants in moderate concentrations. The systems can be engineered to optimize efficiency though manipulation of temperature, pH, moisture content, soil organic matter and airflow rates. Soil air biofiltration technology was modified for application in the Biosphere 2 project, which demonstrated in preparatory research with a number of closed system testbeds that soil could also support crop plants while also serving as soil filters with airpumps to push air through the soil. This Biosphere 2 research demonstrated in several closed system testbeds that a number of important trace gases could be kept under control and led to the engineering of the entire agricultural soil of Biosphere 2 to serve as a soil filtration unit for the facility. Soil biofiltration, coupled with food crop production, as a component of bioregenerative space life support systems has the advantages of lower energy use and avoidance of the consumables required for other air purification approaches. Expanding use of soil biofiltration can aid a number of environmental applications, from the mitigation of indoor air pollution, as a method of reducing global warming impact of methane (biogas), improvement of industrial air emissions and prevention of accidental release of toxic gases.

Absolute cardiovascular risk assessment by Australian early-career general practitioners: a cross-sectional study

Objective To determine the prevalence and associations of general practice registrars’performing absolute cardio-vascular risk(ACVR)assessment(ACVRa).Design A cross-sectional study employing data(2017–2018)from the Registrar Clinical Encounters in Training project,an ongoing inception cohort study of Australian GP registrars.The outcome measure was whether an ACVRa was performed.Analyses employed univariable and multivariable regression.Analysis was conducted for all patient problems/diagnoses,then for an‘at-risk’population(specific problems/diagnoses for which ACVRa is indicated).Setting Three GP regional training organisations(RTOs)across three Australian states.Participants GP registrars training within participating RTOs.Results 1003 registrars(response rate 96.8%)recorded details of 69105 problems either with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait patients aged 35 years and older or with non-Indigenous patients aged 45 years and older.Of these problems/diagnoses,1721(2.5%(95%CI 2.4%to 2.6%))involved an ACVRa.An ACVRa was‘plausibly indicated’in 10384 problems/diagnoses.Of these,1228(11.8%(95%CI 11.2%to 12.4%))involved ACVRa.For‘all problems/diagnoses’,on multivariable analysis female gender was associated with reduced odds of ACVRa(OR 0.61(95%CI 0.54 to 0.68)).There was some evidence for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people being more likely to receive ACVRa(OR 1.40(95%CI 0.94 to 2.08),p=0.10).There were associations with variables related to continuity of care,with reduced odds of ACVRa:if the patient was new to the registrar(OR 0.65(95%CI 0.57 to 0.75)),new to the practice(OR 0.24(95%CI 0.15 to 0.38))or the problem was new(OR 0.68(95%CI 0.59 to 0.78));and increased odds if personal follow-up was organised(OR 1.43(95%CI 1.24 to 1.66)).For‘ACVRa indicated’problems/diagnoses,findings were similar to those for‘all problems/diagnoses’.Association with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander status,however,was significant at p<0.05(OR 1.60(95%CI 1.04 to 2.46))and association with female gender was attenuated(OR 0.88(95%CI 0.77 to 1.01)).Conclusion Continuity of care is associated with registrars assessing ACVR,reinforcing the importance of care continuity in general practice.Registrars’assessment of an individual patient’s ACVR is targeted to patients with individual risk factors,but this may entail ACVRa underutilisation in female patients and younger age groups.

Biosphere 2’s Lessons about Living on Earth and in Space

Biosphere 2,the largest and most biodiverse closed ecological system facility yet created,has contributed vital lessons for living with our planetary biosphere and for long-term habitation in space.From the space life support perspective,Biosphere 2 contrasted with previous BLSS work by including areas based on Earth wilderness biomes in addition to its provision for human life support and by using a soil-based intensive agricultural system producing a complete human diet.No previous BLSS system had included domestic farm animals.All human and domestic animal wastes were also recycled and returned to the crop soils.Biosphere 2 was important as a first step towards learning how to miniaturize natural ecosystems and develop technological support systems compatible with life.Biosphere 2’s mostly successful operation for three years(1991-1994)changed thinking among space life support scientists and the public at large about the need for minibiospheres for long-term habitation in space.As an Earth systems laboratory,Biosphere 2 was one of the first attempts to make ecology an experimental science at a scale relevant to planetary issues such as climate change,regenerative agriculture,nutrient and water recycling,loss of biodiversity,and understanding of the roles wilderness biomes play in the Earth’s biosphere.Biosphere 2 aroused controversy because of narrow definitions and expectations of how science is to be conducted.The cooperation between engineers and ecologists and the requirement to design a technosphere that supported the life inside without harming it have enormous relevance to what is required in our global home.Applications of bioregenerative life support systems for near-term space applications such as initial Moon and/or Mars bases,will be severely limited by high costs of transport to space and so will rely on lighter weight,hydroponic systems of growing plants which will focus first on water and air regeneration and gradually increase its production of food required by astronauts or inhabitants.The conversion of these systems to more robust and sustainable systems will require advanced technologies,e.g.,to capture sunlight for plant growth or process usable materials from the lunar or Martian atmosphere and regolith,leading to greater utilization of in situ space resources and less on transport from Earth.There are many approaches to the accomplishment of space life support.Significant progress has been made especially by two research efforts in China and the MELiSSA project of the European Space Agency.These approaches use cybernetic controls and the integration of intensive modules to accomplish food production,waste treatment and recycling,atmospheric regeneration,and in some systems,high-protein production from insects and larvae.Biosphere 2 employed a mix of ecological self-organization and human intervention to protect biodiversity for wilderness biomes with a tighter management of food crops in its agriculture.Biosphere 2’s aims were different than bioregenerative life support systems(BLSS)which have focused exclusively on human life support.Much more needs to be learned from both smaller,efficient ground-based BLSS for nearer-term habitation and from minibiospheric systems for long-term space application to transform humanity and Earth-life into truly multiplanet species.