Introduction Current evaluation of patients suspected of a non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS) involves the use of algorithms that incorporate clinical information, electrocardiogram (ECG) and high-sensitivity cardiac troponins (hs-troponins). While primarily designed to rule out NSTE-ACS safely, these algorithms can also be used for rule in of NSTE-ACS in some patients. Still, in a substantial number of patients, these algorithms do not provide a conclusive work-up. These patients often present with an atypical clinical profile and low-range positive hs-troponin values without a characteristic rise or fall pattern. They represent a heterogeneous group of patients with various underlying conditions; only a fraction (30%–40%) will eventually be diagnosed with a myocardial infarction. Uncertainty exists about the optimal diagnostic strategy and their management depends on the clinical perspective of the treating physician ranging from direct discharge to admission for invasive coronary angiography. Coronary CT angiography (CCTA) is a non-invasive test that has been shown to be safe, fast and reliable in the evaluation of coronary artery disease. In this study, we will determine the usefulness of CCTA in patients with acute chest pain and low-range positive hs-troponin values. Methods and analysis A prospective, double-blind, observational, multicentre study conducted in the Netherlands. Patients aged 30–80 years presenting to the emergency department with acute chest pain and a suspicion of NSTE-ACS, a normal or non-diagnostic ECG and low-range positive hs-troponins will be scheduled to undergo CCTA. The primary outcome is the diagnostic accuracy of CCTA for the diagnosis of NSTE-ACS at discharge, in terms of sensitivity and negative predictive value. Ethics and dissemination This study was approved by the Medical Research Ethics Committee of Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam, the Netherlands (registration number MEC-2017-506). Written informed consent to participate will be obtained from all participants. This study’s findings will be published in a peer-reviewed journal. Trial registration number ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03129659).

Background and Objectives: Although vitamin D insufficiency or deficiency is prevalent in children with allergic diseases, recommendations for supplementation dosing regimens are imprecise and variable in the literature, because clinical trials aiming to determine optimal doses were scarce in the past. This study aimed to investigate supplementation of vitamin D3 that may achieve therapeutically effective but not toxic serum levels in a subpopulation of children with allergic diseases and concomitant hypovitaminosis D. Materials and Methods: The retrospective, observational study with a cross-sectional design included 94 children suffering from allergic diseases and having vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency who were prescribed high-dose vitamin D3 supplementation by a pediatrician for at least 6 weeks and not more than 9 weeks. Serum levels of the major metabolite of vitamin D (25-(OH)D) were determined in all children twice: before and two weeks after the end of vitamin D3 supplementation. Results: An increase in serum level of the 25-(OH)D after supplementation was significant. However, if the subjects had higher serum levels of the 25-(OH)D before the supplementation, and if the supplementation lasted 8 instead of 6 weeks, the absolute increase in serum level of the 25-(OH)D was lower. Patients taking corticosteroids as inhalation or intranasally had a more intense effect of vitamin D3 supplementation, i.e., the absolute increase in levels of 25-(OH)D was higher than in patients not using such medication. Conclusions: Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency in children with allergic diseases can be treated with maximal recommended doses of vitamin D3 for a short period of time, especially if they were prescribed with inhalation or intranasal corticosteroids.

The COST Action Gene Regulation Ensemble Effort for the Knowledge Commons (GREEKC, CA15205, www.greekc.org) organized nine workshops in a four-year period, starting September 2016. The workshops brought together a wide range of experts from all over the world working on various parts of the knowledge cycle that is central to understanding gene regulatory mechanisms. The discussions between ontologists, curators, text miners, biologists, bioinformaticians, philosophers and computational scientists spawned a host of activities aimed to update and standardise existing knowledge management workflows, encourage new experimental approaches and thoroughly involve end-users in the process to design the Gene Regulation Knowledge Commons (GRKC). The GREEKC consortium describes its main achievements, contextualised in a state-of-the-art of current tools and resources that today represent the GRKC.

Poultry meat production is one of the most dynamic sectors in agriculture, recording the quickest growth in the food industry, while egg production has shown strong growth in the last twenty years. Combined with meat production, it is achieving the highest growth when it comes to meeting protein needs for the global population. In economic terms, coccidiosis is one of the most significant poultry diseases. Effective application of coccidiostats in poultry feed has been playing a key role in development of commercial poultry production for more than 50 years. The aim of this research was to estimate occurrence and residue concentrations of coccidiostats in table eggs, poultry liver and meat, available on the market in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H). Residues of lasalocid were found in table eggs, while residues of nicarbazin, maduramicin and diclazuril were detected in broiler meat and liver.

This research aimed to study the influence of differences in the composition and storage length of mechanically deboned poultry meat (MDPM) on the sensory properties of frankfurters. Three variants of frankfurters were produced from three respective alternatives of MDPM that differed solely in proportions of meat from broiler backs and necks. Similarly, a commercially available and freshly produced MDPM of unknown composition was used as the control. All the four variants of MDPM were stored at -18 °C for 1, 45 and 90 days. Sensory profiling of the frankfurters was performed by 8 panellists using a quantitative-descriptive analysis (QDA). Two-factorial ANOVA and principal component analysis (PCA) of the sensory evaluation results revealed significant (p < 0.05) effects of the storage time of the MDPM variants on sensory characteristics of the frankfurters, regardless of their composition.

Healthcare users and providers increasingly utilize social media to interact with one another. For a future understanding of when and how these interactions supplement or replace offline doctor-patient interactions, it is essential to understand who interacts, about what, and how these interactions can be categorized in a taxonomy. We draw on affordance theory and employ a mixed-methods approach to study social media interactions among healthcare users and providers. We first engage in qualitative content analysis, which is followed by cluster analysis. We identify five archetypal interactions and categorize these in a taxonomy that adds to current literature on how social media is utilized in the healthcare context. We also provide a clear and systematic overview of the interactions in different social media categories that can stimulate future research regarding doctor-patient interactions. Furthermore, we identify a new and distinct type of social media enabled interaction in healthcare, namely lifestyle support, focusing on prevention.

Abstract In recent years, significant achievements have been made with respect to the development of SF6-free gas insulated substations (GIS). In parallel, the interest in installing SF6-free GIS by utilities increased steadily and tenders for new substations or upgrades, which regularly also include alternative technologies. The excellent performance of SF6 was unequivocally accepted by all vendors and users so that the community became used to single technology solutions. This is no longer the case with alternative gas mixtures, and multiple technological solutions are available. However, from the present body of literature it is not possible to make a full and comparative evaluation of different alternative gas switchgear, i.e. circuit-breakers and disconnectors. Thus, the High-Voltage Laboratory of ETH Zürich started investigations and measurements of basic experiments that allow an unbiased comparison of properties of alternative gas mixtures relevant for switching. The two main purposes of these investigations are to define a set of measurements that allow an estimation and comparison of switching performance with different gas mixtures, independent of a specific interruption nozzle geometry, drive system, electrostatic design, and other design specific features, and to perform (some of) these measurements comparing pure SF6, with air, pure CO2, CO2/O2 mixture, and further specific gas mixtures that are currently proposed by manufacturers for SF6 replacement. The basic analysis behind the definition of measurements will be given in detail and the design principles of the chosen test devices and the derived test currents and diagnostics will be introduced. Test results themselves will not be given, rather they will be the subject of separate future publications.