Develop added value uses of high anti-bacterial honey

Honey is valued for its medicinal properties. There interest from industry to develop a rapid method to detect the bioactivity of honey and also to develop value added products from high antibacterial honey.

Improving added value and small medium enterprises capacity in the utilisation of plantation timber for furniture production in Jepara region

Improving added value and Small Medium Enterprises capacity in the utilisation of plantation timber for furniture production in Jepara region of Indonesia: improving recovery, design, manufacturing, R&D and training capacities.

Extraction of added-value products from biomass using ionic liquids

The main purpose of this thesis is to investigate the potential of ionic liquids (ILs) as a new class of extractive solvents for added-value products from biomass. These include phenolic compounds (vanillin, gallic, syringic and vanillic acids), alkaloids (caffeine) and aminoacids (L-tryptophan). The interest on these natural compounds relies on the wide variety of relevant properties shown by those families and further application in the food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. Aiming at developping more benign and effective extraction/purification techniques than those used, a comprehensive study was conducted using aqueous biphasic systems (ABS) composed of ILs and inorganic/organic salts. In addition, ILs were characterized by a polarity scale, using solvatochromic probes, aiming at providing prior indications on the ILs affinity for particular added-value products. Solid-liquid (S-L) extractions from biomass and using aqueous solution of ILs were also investigated. In particular, and applying and experimental factorial design to optimize the operational conditions, caffeine was extracted from guaraná seeds and spent coffee. With both types of extractions it was found that it is possible to recover the high-value compounds and to recycle the IL and salt solutions. Finally, aiming at exploring the recovery of added-value compounds from biomass using a simpler and more suistainable technique, the solubility of gallic acid, vanillin and caffeine was studied in aqueous solutions of several ILs and common salts. With the gathered results it was possible to demonstrate that ILs act as hydrotropes and that water can be used as an adequate antisolvent. This thesis describes the use of ILs towards the development of more effective and sustainable processes.

Cross-cultural adaption of the Health Educaiton Impact Questionnaire: experimental study showed expert committee, not back-translation, added value

Objectives
To assess the contribution of back-translation and expert committee to the content and psychometric properties of a translated multidimensional questionnaire.

Study Design and Setting
Recommendations for questionnaire translation include back-translation and expert committee, but their contribution to measurement properties is unknown. Four English to French translations of the Health Education Impact Questionnaire were generated with and without committee or back-translation. Face validity, acceptability, and structural properties were compared after random assignment to people with rheumatoid arthritis (N = 1,168), chronic renal failure (N = 2,368), and diabetes (N = 538). For face validity, 15 bilingual people compared translations quality with the original. Psychometric properties were examined using confirmatory factor analysis (metric and scalar invariance) and item response theory.

Results
Qualitatively, there were five types of translation errors: style, intensity, frequency/time frame, breadth, and meaning. Bilingual assessors ranked best the translations with committee (P = 0.0026). All translations had good structural properties (root mean square error of approximation <0.05; comparative fit index [CFI], ≥0.899; and Tucker–Lewis index, ≥0.889). Full measurement invariance was observed between translations (ΔCFI ≤ 0.01) with metric invariance between translations and original (lowest ΔCFI = 0.022 between fully constrained models and models with free intercepts). Item characteristic curve analyses revealed no significant differences.

Conclusion
This is the first experimental evidence that back-translation has moderate impact, whereas expert committee helps to ensure accurate content.

Added value of coronary artery calcium score as an adjunct to gated SPECT for the evaluation of coronary artery disease in an intermediate-risk population

The coronary artery calcium (CAC) score is a readily and widely available tool for the noninvasive diagnosis of atherosclerotic coronary artery disease (CAD). The aim of this study was to investigate the added value of the CAC score as an adjunct to gated SPECT for the assessment of CAD in an intermediate-risk population. METHODS: Seventy-seven prospectively recruited patients with intermediate risk (as determined by the Framingham Heart Study 10-y CAD risk score) and referred for coronary angiography because of suspected CAD underwent stress (99m)Tc-tetrofosmin SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) and CT CAC scoring within 2 wk before coronary angiography. The sensitivity and specificity of SPECT alone and of the combination of the 2 methods (SPECT plus CAC score) in demonstrating significant CAD (>/=50% stenosis on coronary angiography) were compared. RESULTS: Forty-two (55%) of the 77 patients had CAD on coronary angiography, and 35 (45%) had abnormal SPECT results. The CAC score was significantly higher in subjects with perfusion abnormalities than in those who had normal SPECT results (889 +/- 836 [mean +/- SD] vs. 286 +/- 335; P < 0.0001). Similarly, with rising CAC scores, a larger percentage of patients had CAD. Receiver-operating-characteristic analysis showed that a CAC score of greater than or equal to 709 was the optimal cutoff for detecting CAD missed by SPECT. SPECT alone had a sensitivity and a specificity for the detection of significant CAD of 76% and 91%, respectively. Combining SPECT with the CAC score (at a cutoff of 709) improved the sensitivity of SPECT (from 76% to 86%) for the detection of CAD, in association with a nonsignificant decrease in specificity (from 91% to 86%). CONCLUSION: The CAC score may offer incremental diagnostic information over SPECT data for identifying patients with significant CAD and negative MPI results.

Added value of dual-energy computed tomography versus single-energy computed tomography in assessing ferromagnetic properties of ballistic projectiles: implications for magnetic resonance imaging of gunshot victims.

OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to assess the discriminative power of dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) versus single-energy CT (SECT) to distinguish between ferromagnetic and non-ferromagnetic ballistic projectiles to improve safety regarding magnetic resonance (MR) imaging studies in patients with retained projectiles. MATERIALS AND METHODS Twenty-seven ballistic projectiles including 25 bullets (diameter, 3-15 mm) and 2 shotgun pellets (2 mm each) were examined in an anthropomorphic chest phantom using 128-section dual-source CT. Data acquisition was performed with tube voltages set at 80, 100, 120, and 140 kV(p). Two readers independently assessed CT numbers of the projectile's core on images reconstructed with an extended CT scale. Dual-energy indices (DEIs) were calculated from both 80-/140-kV(p) and 100-/140-kV(p) pairs; receiver operating characteristics curves were fitted to assess ferromagnetic properties by means of CT numbers and DEI. RESULTS Nine (33%) of the projectiles were ferromagnetic; 18 were nonferromagnetic (67%). Interreader and intrareader correlations of CT number measurements were excellent (intraclass correlation coefficients, >0.906; P<0.001). The DEI calculated from both 80/140 and 100/140 kV(p) were significantly (P<0.05) different between the ferromagnetic and non-ferromagnetic projectiles. The area under the curve (AUC) was 0.75 and 0.8 for the tube voltage pairs of 80/140 and 100/140 kV(p) (P<0.05; 95% confidence interval, 0.57-0.94 and 0.62-0.97, respectively) to differentiate between the ferromagnetic and non-ferromagnetic ballistic projectiles; which increased to 0.83 and 0.85 when shotgun pellets were excluded from the analysis. The AUC for SECT was 0.69 and 0.73 (80 and 100 kV[p], respectively). CONCLUSIONS Measurements of DECT combined with an extended CT scale allow for the discrimination of projectiles with non-ferromagnetic from those with ferromagnetic properties in an anthropomorphic chest phantom with a higher AUC compared with SECT. This study indicates that DECT may have the potential to contribute to MR safety and allow for MR imaging of patients with retained projectiles. However, further studies are necessary before this concept may be used to triage clinical patients before MR.

Don't forget asking the others! - The added value of significant other's reports on patient interpersonal style for the prediction of therapy process and outcome

Theory: Interpersonal factors play a major role in causing and maintaining depression. It is unclear, however, to what degree significant others of the patient need to be involved for characterizing the patient's interpersonal style. Therefore, our study sought to investigate how impact messages as perceived by the patients' significant others add to the prediction of psychotherapy process and outcome above and beyond routine assessments, and therapist factors. Method: 143 outpatients with major depressive disorder were treated by 24 therapists with CBT or Exposure-Based Cognitive Therapy. Interpersonal style was measured pre and post therapy with the informant‐based Impact Message Inventory (IMI), in addition to the self‐report Inventory of Interpersonal Problems (IIP‐32). Indicators for the patients' dominance and affiliation as well as interpersonal distress were calculated from these measures. Depressive and general symptomatology was assessed at pre, post, and at three months follow‐up, and by process measures after every session. Results: Whereas significant other's reports did not add significantly to the prediction of the early therapeutic alliance, central mechanisms of change, or post‐therapy outcome including therapist factors, the best predictor of outcome 3 months post therapy was an increase in dominance as perceived by significant others. Conclusions: The patients' significant others seem to provide important additional information about the patients' interpersonal style and therefore should be included in the diagnostic process. Moreover, practitioners should specifically target interpersonal change as a potential mechanism of change in psychotherapy for depression.

The facility manager architect : the social responsability as an added value.

From the very first steps to execute a building, it is essential to analyze its life cycle. Similarly, we should consider the life cycle when projecting an urban intervention. Professionals of the Facility Management take part in construction projects, developing and managing DBFMO projects (Design, Build, Finance, Maintenance & Operate). Whatever the nature of the promoter is – private or public – promoters are leaders in projects of responsible management of spaces, whether these are work spaces, leisure spaces or residential spaces. They know and identify with the company and its performance, its values and its needs. These professionals give sustainable solutions in the life cycle of buildings (offices and housing), new ways to work and initiatives of innovations linked to current social changes: technology, social networks, and new habits. Concepts where innovation is essential should consider responsible values. Social, economic and sustainable aspects have to associate with the management performed by a Facilities Manager when considering the three groups of stakeholders with which it is linked: economic (shareholders), contractual (users), non-contractual (neighborhoods, organizations, etc.). Marcus Vitruvius Pollio, at the beginning of his book "The Ten Books on Architecture" describes and argues how the distribution in buildings must always adapt to their inhabitants. Let us build cities and buildings with responsible criteria, bearing in mind all its users and the needs of each one of them. Not to mention the need to adapt to future requirements with minimum cost and maximum profitability. These needs, under responsible management, are competencies developed by a Facilities Manager in his day to day. He cares and takes over the entire life cycle of buildings and their surroundings. This work is part of the PhD project whose main aim is to study the added value to the architectural profession when social responsibility criteria are applied in his/her role as Facility Manager.