| 1. |
- Abate, Ebba, et al.
(författare)
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Effects of albendazole treatment on the clinical outcome and immunological responses in patients with helminth infection and pulmonary tuberculosis : a randomized clinical trial
- 2013
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Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Background: The impact of helminth infection on the host immune response to tuberculosis (TB) has been characterized in experimental models but less so in the clinical setting. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of deworming on the clinical outcome and cell mediated immune response in active TB.Methods: Newly diagnosed pulmonary TB patients in Gondar, Ethiopia were examined for helminth infection. Helminth-positive TB patients (W+/TB) were randomized to albendazole (400mg X III per os) or placebo. The primary outcome was change in TB-score after 2 months, and secondary outcomes were sputum smear conversion at the 2nd month, and changes in chest x-ray pattern, CD4+ T-cell count, eosinophil count, IgE-levels and immunological responses after 3 months. In a subset of W+/TB, W-/TB patients and healthy controls, flow cytometry and ELISPOT assays were used to characterize the regulatory T-cell population (Tregs) and the frequency of PPD- stimulated IFN-γ, IL-5 and IL-10 producing peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs).Results: A total of 140 helminth co-infected TB patients were included with an HIV coinfection rate of 22.8 %. Following albendazole treatment of the W+/TB patients, there was a significant decrease in helminth infection compared to placebo (8% (4/49) vs. 48 % (22/46), p<0.001). No significant effect was observed for albendazole compared to placebo on the primary outcome as evaluated by the TB-score (5.6 ±2.87 vs. 5.87 ±2.54, p=0.59). Eosinophil counts decreased significantly in the albendazole group. In a subgroup analysis of helminthnegative patients following albendazole treatment versus placebo, the albendazole group showed a trend for lower levels of IL-10 producing cells at month three (p=0.08). At baseline, W+/TB patients had a significantly higher mean level of Tregs (% Tregs/CD4+) compared to W-/TB patients and helminth-positive community controls. Additionally, the frequency of IFN-γ, IL-5 and spontaneous IL-10 levels was increased in helminth-positive compared to helminth-negative TB patients.Conclusions: No significant effects on the clinical outcome as measured with the TB-score was detected after albendazole treatment of helminth-positive TB patients compared to placebo. However, significant changes were observed in specific immunological responses such as reduced eosinophil counts and a trend towards lower levels of IL-10 producing cells. At baseline, helminth co-infected TB patients exhibited an increased Treg response as well as an increased IL-5 and spontaneous IL-10 production.
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| 2. |
- Abate, Ebba, et al.
(författare)
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Impact of helminth infection on the clinical presentation 1 of pulmonary tuberculosis
- 2013
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Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Background: The effects of helminth infection on chronic infectious diseases such as HIV and tuberculosis (TB) merit further characterization. Thus, we assessed the baseline clinical characteristics of helminth infection in patients with active TB in a high endemic area.Methodology: Consecutive, newly diagnosed TB patients were recruited from three health institutions in the north Gondar administrative zone, Ethiopia. Structured questionnaires were used to collect socio-demographic and clinical characteristics. Additionally, the TB score, mid upper arm circumference, body mass index (BMI), BCG vaccination status, stool and sputum microscopy as well as HIV serology and CD4+T cells counts were evaluated.Results: A total of 377 pulmonary TB patients were included in the study. The helminth co infection rate was 33% (123/377) and the most prevalent parasite was Ascaris lumbricoides (53%, 65/123). The HIV co-infection rate was 29% (110/377). Seventy percent (77/110) of the HIV co-infected patients were on anti- retroviral therapy at the time of TB diagnosis. Helminth infection was more prevalent in HIV-negative TB patients compared to HIV-positive TB patients (p=0.025). Smoking and walking bare foot were independently associated to helminth infection in TB patients after adjusting for the influence of HIV. Other than increased eosinophilia, no other significant differences were observed between helminth positive and helminth negative TB patients in the clinical presentation including the TB score, CD4+T-cells, BMI or bacterial load.Conclusion: The clinical presentation of active pulmonary tuberculosis was not affected by helminth infection. Helminth infection was less frequent among HIV-positive TB patients and this finding merits further investigation.
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| 3. |
- Addelyan Rasi, Hamideh, et al.
(författare)
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Towards a Conceptual Framework for the Socio-Cognitive Empowerment of Women in the Middle East Countries : empirical and theoretical foundations
- 2012
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Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Summary: This study set out to construct a conceptual framework that can be used in social work with women in the Middle East and other settings where women are consistently limited in their access to resources and, as a result, their decision-making capacity. We employed a qualitative secondary analysis of data from two intervention projects among Iranian women (n=25). Each intervention spanned over seven months, included individual and group sessions, and involved learning an empowerment-oriented problem-solving model. A constant comparative analysis was used to build the conceptual framework.Findings: The practical lessons from the Iranian projects highlight a process of change with regard to thinking, feeling and acting among women during and after the intervention. As the women developed a number of mental capacities essential to coping and life management, we constructed a theoretical proposition, which offers an explanation of their socio-cognitive empowerment. We supplement the basis for these concepts that emerged in this proposition by integrating them with psychological and social work theories into a broader conceptual framework for social work practice.Applications: A conceptual framework has been developed to provide structural support for social work practice with women in the Middle East. This framework can help social workers to bridge the gap between theory and practice; that is, to draw from existing social work theory and, through our model, better apply this knowledge in their practical work with women in challenging social environments.
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| 4. |
- Afzal, Nadeem, et al.
(författare)
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Digital Multi-bit Cascaded Error-Feedback ΔΣ Modulators With Reduced Hardware and Power Consumption
- 2012
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Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The hardware of the multi-bit digital error feedback modulator (EFM) of arbitrary order has recently been reduced by using multiple EFMs in cascade. In this paper, a modified cascading strategy is devised. Parts of the processing of consecutively placed EFM stages are merged such that a significant amount of circuitry is removed in each stage. In the proposed design, the modulated output is represented by a set of encoded signals to be used by the signal processing block placed after the EFM.To illustrate the savings, a number of configurations of fourth-order EFM designs, composed of two- and three-cascaded stages, have been synthesized in a 65 nm CMOS process technology using conventional and the proposed implementation techniques. Savings of 52.7% and 47%, in terms of area and power consumption, respectively, at an oversampling ratio of 4 could be obtain. The trade-off between sampling frequency and hardware cost is also presented. Due to reduced hardware an increase of up to 600 MHz in the sampling frequency is achieved.
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| 5. |
- Afzal, Nadeem, et al.
(författare)
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On Scaling and Output Cardinality of Multi-Bit Digital Error-Feedback Modulators
- 2012
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Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- In order to determine a maximum allowed input scale for the stable operation of higher-order delta-sigma modulators, the designers largely depend on the analytical and numerical analysis. In this brief, the maximum allowed input scale to a multi-bit digital error-feedback deltasigma modulator of arbitrary order is derived, mathematically. The digital modulator with an arbitrary output word length is stable if its output does not overflow. Thus, to avoid overflow of the modulator output, the relations between the peak values of the involved digital signals are devised. A number of example configurations are presented to illustrate the usefulness of the derivations.
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| 6. |
- Ahrén, Maria, et al.
(författare)
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One-step synthesis of sub 5 nm sized manganese oxide based nanoparticles
- 2013
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Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Sub 5 nm sized manganese oxide nanoparticles; MnOx (1 ≤ x ≤ 2), were synthesized via a short time room temperature synthesis route. The nanoparticles are crystalline, spherically shaped and in the size range of 2-4 nm as shown by transmission electron microscopy studies. Selected area electron diffraction patterns were collected and their appearance indicated that the nanoparticle cores are composed of MnO. Also, co-existence of the (II) and (III) oxidation states at the nanoparticle surface was verified by results achieved from infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. These measurements also supported presence of a minor amount of acetate groups as well as a negligible fraction of carbonate groups at the nanoparticle surfaces. The interpretation of the IR spectra was confirmed by quantum chemical calculations using the high spin manganese nanoparticle Mn12O12(OAc)16(H2O)4, as a model system for the MnOx nanoparticle surface. Bulk MnO and Mn2O3 are known to be antiferromagnetic. The magnetic properties are however somewhat dependent of the crystallite size and changes when scaling down to the nanoregion. The MnOx (1 ≤ x ≤ 2) nanoparticles investigated in this work show a superparamagnetic behavior with a blocking temperature of approximately 12 K proven by means of SQUID measurements. The relaxivities of the nanoparticles and the Mn(OAc)2 precursors were studied with a bench top NMR analyzer verifying nanoparticle r1 and r2 of 0.5 and 6 mMs-1 respectively. The r1 relaxivity is lower than what is earlier reported for Gd based contrast agent, but improvements are expected by further surface modification, due to increased rotational time and higher water dispersability.
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| 7. |
- Aiempanakit, Montri, 1977-, et al.
(författare)
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Ag2Cu2O3 thin films deposited by reactive high power impulse magnetron sputtering
- 2013
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Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Ag2Cu2O3 thin films were prepared by reactive high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) from an alloy silver-copper (Ag0.5Cu0.5) target on silicon and glass substrates. The effects of the oxygen gas flow and the peak power on the structural properties of the films were investigated. Structural characterization by grazing incidence X-ray diffraction measurements show that the structure of Ag2Cu2O3 is related to the oxygen flow and the peak power. Films grown with high peak power required higher oxygen flow rate in order to get stoichiometric Ag2Cu2O3 thin films. It was further found that using HiPIMS, polycrystalline Ag2Cu2O3 films can be grown at room temperature without substrate heating or post-deposition annealing, while films deposited by DCMS exhibit poor crystallinity under the same process conditions.
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| 8. |
- Aijaz, Asim, et al.
(författare)
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Exploring the potential of high power impulse magnetron sputtering for the synthesis of scratch resistant, antireflective coatings
- 2013
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Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Broad band anti-reflective multilayer coatings require the use of a low-index material as a top layer. Normally SiO2 is used which exhibits sufficiently low refractive index (~1.5 at 550 nm) yet its low hardness (~10 GPa) hinders its application in abrasive environments. A strategy to circumnavigate these limitations is the synthesis of multicomponent materials that combine good mechanical and optical performance. In this work we synthesize Al-Si-O thin films seeking to combine the low refractive index of SiO2 and the relatively high hardness of Al2O3. The potential of reactive high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) for synthesizing Al-Si-O suitable for top-layers in anti-reflective coating stacks is explored by depositing films in an Ar+O2 ambient under varied target compositions (Al0.5Si0.5 and Al0.1Si0.9). The behavior of discharge current in metal and oxide mode is correlated with the plasma composition, plasma energetics as well as target surface composition in order to obtain information about the chemical nature and the energy of the film forming species. Plasma composition and plasma energetics are investigated by measuring electron density, electron temperature as well as energy distributions and as fluxes of Ar+, Al+, Si+ and O+ ions. Monte-Carlo based computer simulations are employed to assess the ion-target surface interactions to gain insight into the discharge characteristics as well as film growth. The properties of the grown films (chemical composition, mechanical and optical properties) are investigated and an understanding of the reactive HiPIMS-based growth of anti-reflective Al-Si-O thin films is established. For reference, the plasma and film properties of Al-O are also studied.
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| 9. |
- Aijaz, Asim, et al.
(författare)
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Synthesis of amorphous carbon thin films using acetylene-based high power impulse magnetron sputtering discharges
- 2013
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Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Amorphous carbon (a-C) thin films are synthesized using high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) based Ne-Ar/C2H2 discharges. Plasma properties and film growth are investigated under different gas phase composition and operating pressures. Film mass densities, H content, hardness and compressive stresses are measured. Mass densities in the order of 2.2 g/cm3, hardness close to 25 GPa and H content as low as 11% are obtained. The film properties manifest a dependence on energy and flux of the depositing species and energetic ion bombardment driven structural changes in the films are found to govern the resulting film properties.
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| 10. |
- Ali Abbasi, Mazhar, et al.
(författare)
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The determination of valence band offset and the current transport properties of the p-NiO/n-ZnO heterojunction
- 2013
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Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The electron transport in the electronic devices has significant influence on the device performance, thus current transport properties determination is highly demanded for a particular device. Herein, we report the facile hydrothermal growth method based fabrication of p-NiO/n-ZnO heterojunction. The material characterization was performed by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photo electron spectroscopy. These techniques provided the good crystal quality, pure phase of p-NiO and n-ZnO nanostructures respectively. The measured valance band offset of composite nanostructure is 2.25 eV and conduction band offset was found to be 2.58 eV. The current transport properties of the fabricated p-n junction are governed by three different I-V regions. The impedance spectroscopy was used for the determination of the role of grain boundaries at the interface.
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