Search the repository

A+ | A- | | SLO | ENG

Abstract: The theoretical basis of eVOCs as biomarkers for respiratory disease diagnosis is described, followed by a review of the potential biomarkers that have been proposed as targets from in vitro studies. The utility of these targets is then discussed based on comparison with results from clinical breath studies. The current status of breath research is summarised for various diseases, with emphasis placed on quantitative and targeted studies. Potential for bias highlights several important concepts related to standardization, including practices adopted for compound identification, correction for background inspired VOC levels and computation of mixing ratios. The compiled results underline the need for targeted studies across different analytical platforms to understand how sampling and analytical factors impact eVOC quantification. The impact of environmental VOCs as confounders in breath analysis is discussed alongside the potential that eVOCs have as biomarkers of air pollution exposure and future perspectives on clinical breath sampling are provided.
Keywords: breath analysis, disease diagnosis, exhaled volatile organic compounds, respiratory disease, environmental exposure analysis, breath analysis
Published in RUNG: 06.05.2024; Views: 12; Downloads: 0
Link to file
This document has many files! More...

Abstract: The Chinese countryside has long been associated with cultural continuity, albeit in contradictory ways. It has been marginalized for several decades, while all development efforts have focused on urbanization. However, as the tensions and paradoxes of modern urban life become increasingly obvious, the countryside is once again recognized as an enduring symbol of authentic national values. Chinese traditional cultural heritage is rooted in Chinese traditional villages. In fact, being built before the coming of the Republic of China, those villages nowadays still possess a great deal of very important material and immaterial forms of cultural heritage, as a historical record of the Chinese nation development. Through the examination and study of traditional villages in Luoning, and the perspective of theories of architectural conservation theory, community co-construction, and private-public partnership, the dissertation proposes a hybrid county governance model to maximize the stakeholder's functions roles, and operational procedures in the preservation and development of the traditional villages. Thus, through the integration of three stability perspectives—cultural, economic, and social —the dissertation provides the government's optimization strategy for heritage preservation. In the first case study, the governance of Zhangzhuang's traditional village is examined. The village's residents share responsibility for one another and are frequently connected by strong family ties and regular community organization in decision-making. Unfortunately, this thriving community-led government is insufficiently prepared to deal with the expanding tourism industry, it fails when it comes to overarching development objectives, and it lacks substantial experience in the preservation of historic structures. The Second case study investigates the government-led traditional types of villages. These are characterized by low public and community participation, and underdeveloped commodity economies, but being usually of outstanding importance, they result rich in traditional material and intangible cultural resources and have great potential for developing a tourism sector. Government-led efforts to reactivate the development of these villages have the advantages of credibility and authority, preferential policy formulation, and government short-term funding. However, these villages face severe problems in terms of community involvement, complementary market economies, and insufficient long-term government funding. This condition is investigated in the second case of the government's conception and promotion of the "Hou Shangzhuang Village Traditional Village Restoration" project. Despite some initial success, the project came to a standstill due to the competing interests of businesses, the government, and the community. The third case study looks into traditional villages where the primary development component is driven by businesses, creating conditions for the growth of a market economy. The analysis demonstrates that enterprise investments benefit from complementary capital input, resource integration, and effective management. However, the issue of uneven income and benefit distribution, as well as excessive consumption of public resources, pose a serious threat to both: the authenticity and integrity of cultural heritage, as well as the fair and sustainable development of local communities. This situation is examined in the case study of Qianhe Village, where the tourism industry has grown through multiple investment operations by private enterprises. The dissertation examines diverse hybrid governance models for each of these three different cultural, social, and economic heritage contexts. In specific it points to the role of government to efficiently design, validate, and promote responsive solutions for the resilience of cultural heritage of traditional villages in China.
Keywords: Heritage, Traditional Chinese village preservation, planning and management, Government, Governance, Participation, Community Co-construction
Published in RUNG: 11.03.2024; Views: 305; Downloads: 10
Full text (9,17 MB)

Abstract: Background Inhaled mannitol provokes bronchoconstriction via mediators released during osmotic degranulation of inflammatory cells, and, hence represents a useful diagnostic test for asthma and model for acute attacks. We hypothesised that the mannitol challenge would trigger changes in exhaled volatile organic compounds (VOCs), generating both candidate biomarkers and novel insights into their origin. Methods Participants with a clinical diagnosis of asthma, or undergoing investigation for suspected asthma, were recruited. Inhaled mannitol challenges were performed, followed by a sham challenge after 2 weeks in participants with bronchial hyper-responsiveness (BHR). VOCs were collected before and after challenges and analysed using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Results Forty-six patients (mean (SD) age 52 (16) years) completed a mannitol challenge, of which 16 (35%) were positive, and 15 of these completed a sham challenge. Quantities of 16 of 51 identified VOCs changed following mannitol challenge (p<0.05), of which 11 contributed to a multivariate sparse partial least square discriminative analysis model, with a classification error rate of 13.8%. Five of these 16 VOCs also changed (p<0.05) in quantity following the sham challenge, along with four further VOCs. In patients with BHR to mannitol distinct postchallenge VOC signatures were observed compared with post-sham challenge. Conclusion Inhalation of mannitol was associated with changes in breath VOCs, and in people with BHR resulted in a distinct exhaled breath profile when compared with a sham challenge. These differentially expressed VOCs are likely associated with acute airway inflammation and/or bronchoconstriction and merit further investigation as potential biomarkers in asthma.
Keywords: asthma, exhaled volatile organic compounds, pulmonology, breath metabolomics
Published in RUNG: 31.07.2023; Views: 906; Downloads: 3
Link to file

Keywords: accretion, accretion discs, tidal disruption events, transients, galaxies, supermassive black holesc
Published in RUNG: 15.05.2023; Views: 1101; Downloads: 3
Full text (6,36 MB)

Keywords: nanobody rational design, bispecific binders, protein activity inhibition
Published in RUNG: 03.01.2023; Views: 1179; Downloads: 3
Full text (8,75 MB)
This document has many files! More...