Downtown and regional shopping centre retailing in Winnipeg

Report : xi, 90 p.The primary objectives of this study on Winnipeg's retail sector are: 1) to identify and analyze any structural and spatial changes which have occurred in downtown and regional shopping centre retail activity. 2) to attempt to identify some of the impacts/effects on downtown retail trade that could be attributed to regional shopping centre development. 3) to assess the changing physical and economic characteristics of the retail trade in Winnipeg. 4) to identify and analyze the shifts occurring in the types of retail activity within the downtown on a micro-level. 5) to identify and compare public perceptions and attitudes towards shopping downtown and/or at regional shopping centres. 6) to offer recommendations concerning present and future downtown development

The experience of teasing in elective cosmetic surgery patients

The role of teasing as a motivator for patients undertaking elective cosmetic surgery was investigated. Pre-operative data were collected, using a range of standardized tests in addition to open ended questions about their experience of teasing, from 449 patients aged 18 to 70 undergoing elective cosmetic surgery in Australia. Just under half of the sample indicated that they had been teased or bullied about their appearance. Teased patients showed significantly higher levels of anxiety, depression and dysmorphic concern; lower levels of physical attractiveness and appearance satisfaction; and lower levels of satisfaction with discrete aspects of their appearance than nonteased patients. Teasing also contributed to longer periods of considering surgery as an answer to body dissatisfaction concerns, even when controlling for age. Prevention education initiatives on appearance-related teasing should be targeted at school students. This, along with earlier detection of the psychological impacts of weight and appearance-related teasing, fewer people, if offered strategies for coping through counseling, may contemplate surgery as a response to this teasing

Characterization of Ku702–NLS as Bipartite Nuclear Localization Sequence for Non-Viral Gene Delivery

Several barriers have to be overcome in order to achieve gene expression in target cells, e.g. cellular uptake, endosomal release and translocation to the nucleus. Nuclear localization sequences (NLS) enhance gene delivery by increasing the uptake of plasmid DNA (pDNA) to the nucleus. So far, only monopartite NLS were analysed for non-viral gene delivery. In this study, we examined the characteristics of a novel bipartite NLS like construct, namely NLS Ku70. We synthesized a dimeric structure of a modified NLS from the Ku70 protein (Ku702-NLS), a nuclear transport active mutant of Ku702-NLS (s1Ku702-NLS) and a nuclear transport deficient mutant of Ku702-NLS (s2Ku702). We examined the transfection efficiency of binary Ku702-NLS/DNA and ternary Ku702-NLS/PEI/DNA gene vector complexes in vitro by using standard transfection protocols as well as the magnetofection method. The application of Ku702-NLS and s1Ku702-NLS increased gene transfer efficiency in vitro and in vivo. This study shows for the first time that the use of bipartite NLS compounds alone or in combination with cationic polymers is a promising strategy to enhance the efficiency of non-viral gene transfer

A descriptive exploratory study of how admissions caused by medication-related harm are documented within inpatients' medical records.

BACKGROUND: Adverse drug reactions, poor patient adherence and errors, here collectively referred to as medication-related harm (MRH), cause around 2.7-8.0% of UK hospital admissions. Communication gaps between successive healthcare providers exist, but little is known about how MRH is recorded in inpatients' medical records. We describe the presence and quality of MRH documentation for patients admitted to a London teaching hospital due to MRH. Additionally, the international classification of disease 10th revision (ICD-10) codes attributed to confirmed MRH-related admissions were studied to explore appropriateness of their use to identify these patients. METHODS: Clinical pharmacists working on an admissions ward in a UK hospital identified patients admitted due to suspected MRH. Six different data sources in each patient's medical record, including the discharge summary, were subsequently examined for MRH-related information. Each data source was examined for statements describing the MRH: symptom and diagnosis, identification of the causative agent, and a statement of the action taken or considered. Statements were categorised as 'explicit' if unambiguous or 'implicit' if open to interpretation. ICD-10 codes attributed to confirmed MRH cases were recorded. RESULTS: Eighty-four patients were identified over 141 data collection days; 75 met our inclusion criteria. MRH documentation was generally present (855 of 1307 statements were identified; 65%), and usually explicit (705 of 855; 82%). The causative agent had the lowest proportion of explicit statements (139 of 201 statements were explicit; 69%). For two (3%) discharged patients, the causal agent was documented in their paper medical record but not on the discharge summary. Of 64 patients with a confirmed MRH diagnosis at discharge, only six (9%) had a MRH-related ICD-10 code. CONCLUSIONS: Availability of information in the paper medical record needs improving and communication of MRH-related information could be enhanced by using explicit statements and documenting reasons for changing medications. ICD-10 codes underestimate the true occurrence of MRH

Motives for choosing growth-enhancing hormone treatment in adolescents with idiopathic short stature: a questionnaire and structured interview study

Background Growth-enhancing hormone treatment is considered a possible intervention in short but otherwise healthy adolescents. Although height gain is an obvious measure for evaluating hormone treatment, this may not be the ultimate goal for the person, but rather a means to reach other goals such as the amelioration of current height-related psychosocial problems or the enhancement of future prospects in life and society. The aim of our study was to clarify the motives of adolescents and their parents when choosing to participate in a growth-enhancing trial combining growth hormone and puberty-delaying hormone treatment. Methods Participants were early pubertal adolescents (25 girls, 13 boys) aged from 11 to 13 years (mean age 11.5 years) with a height standard deviation score (SDS) ranging from -1.03 to -3.43. All had been classified as idiopathic short stature or persistent short stature born small for the gestational age (intrauterine growth retardation) on the basis of a height SDS below -2, or had a height SDS between -1 and -2 and a predicted adult height SDS below -2. The adolescents and their parents completed questionnaires and a structured interview on the presence of height-related stressors, parental worries about their child's behavior and future prospects, problems in psychosocial functioning, and treatment expectations. Questionnaire scores were compared to norms of the general Dutch population. Results The adolescents reported normal psychosocial functioning and highly positive expectations of the treatment in terms of height gain, whereas the parents reported that their children encountered some behavioral problems (being anxious/depressed, and social and attention problems) and height-related stressors (being teased and juvenilized). About 40% of the parents were worried about their children's future prospects for finding a spouse or job. The motives of the adolescents and their parents exhibited rather different profiles. The most prevalent parental worries related to the current or future functioning of their children, while a few cases were characterized by no observed motives or by psychosocial problems only reported by the adolescents themselves. Conclusion The motives for participating in a growth-enhancing hormone trial are more obvious in the parents than in the adolescents themselves. Two out of three parents report worries about the future opportunities or observe modest current psychosocial problems in their children. The adolescents want to gain height, but the motivation underlying this remains unclear. Few of the adolescents experience psychosocial problems. Our analyses revealed differences among individuals in terms of motives, which implies that in an evaluation of hormone treatment, the importance of divergent outcome variables will also differ among individuals. Effectiveness evaluations of hormone treatment to increase height and the consequential fulfillment of other goals must be awaited

Population level determinants of acute mountain sickness among young men: a retrospective study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Many visitors, including military troops, who enter highland regions from low altitude areas may suffer from acute mountain sickness (AMS), which negatively impacts workable man-hours and increases healthcare costs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the population level risk factors and build a multivariate model, which might be applicable to reduce the effects of AMS on Chinese young men traveling to this region.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Chinese highland military medical records were used to obtain data of young men (n = 3727) who entered the Tibet plateau between the years of 2006-2009. The relationship between AMS and travel profile, demographic characteristics, and health behaviors were evaluated by logistic regression. Univariate logistic models estimated the crude odds ratio. The variables that showed significance in the univariate model were included in a multivariate model to derive adjusted odds ratios and build the final model. Data corresponding to odd and even years (2 subsets) were analyzed separately and used in a simple cross-validation.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Univariate analysis indicated that travel profile, prophylactic use, ethnicity, and province of birth were all associated with AMS in both subsets. In multivariate analysis, young men who traveled from lower altitude (600-800 m <it>vs</it>. 1300-1500 m, adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 1.32-1.44) to higher altitudes (4100-4300 m <it>vs</it>. 2900-3100 m, AOR = 3.94-4.12; 3600-3700 m <it>vs</it>. 2900-3100 m, AOR = 2.71-2.74) by air or rapid land transport for emergency mission deployment (emergency land deployment <it>vs</it>. normal land deployment, AOR = 2.08-2.11; normal air deployment <it>vs</it>. normal land deployment, AOR = 2.00-2.20; emergency air deployment <it>vs</it>. normal land deployment, AOR = 2.40-3.34) during the cold season (cold <it>vs</it>. warm, AOR = 1.25-1.28) are at great risk for developing AMS. Non-Tibetan male soldiers (Tibetan <it>vs</it>. Han, AOR = 0.03-0.08), born and raised in lower provinces (eastern <it>vs</it>. northwestern, AOR = 1.32-1.39), and deployed without prophylaxis (prophylactic drug <it>vs</it>. none, AOR = 0.75-0.76), also represented a population at significantly increased risk for AMS. The predicted model was built; the area under receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.703.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Before a group of young men first enter a high altitude area, it is important that a health service plan should be made referring to the group's travel profile and with respect to young men's ethnicity and province of birth. Low-cost Chinese traditional prophylactic drugs might have some effect on decreasing the risk of AMS, although this needs further verification.</p

Simian virus 40 vectors for pulmonary gene therapy

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Sepsis remains the leading cause of death in critically ill patients. One of the primary organs affected by sepsis is the lung, presenting as the Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). Organ damage in sepsis involves an alteration in gene expression, making gene transfer a potential therapeutic modality. This work examines the feasibility of applying simian virus 40 (SV40) vectors for pulmonary gene therapy.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Sepsis-induced ARDS was established by cecal ligation double puncture (2CLP). SV40 vectors carrying the luciferase reporter gene (SV/<it>luc) </it>were administered intratracheally immediately after sepsis induction. Sham operated (SO) as well as 2CLP rats given intratracheal PBS or adenovirus expressing luciferase served as controls. Luc transduction was evaluated by <it>in vivo </it>light detection, immunoassay and luciferase mRNA detection by RT-PCR in tissue harvested from septic rats. Vector abundance and distribution into alveolar cells was evaluated using immunostaining for the SV40 VP1 capsid protein as well as by double staining for VP1 and for the surfactant protein C (proSP-C). Immunostaining for T-lymphocytes was used to evaluate the cellular immune response induced by the vector.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Luc expression measured by <it>in vivo </it>light detection correlated with immunoassay from lung tissue harvested from the same rats. Moreover, our results showed vector presence in type II alveolar cells. The vector did not induce significant cellular immune response.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In the present study we have demonstrated efficient uptake and expression of an SV40 vector in the lungs of animals with sepsis-induced ARDS. These vectors appear to be capable of <it>in vivo </it>transduction of alveolar type II cells and may thus become a future therapeutic tool.</p

The 2018 Lake Louise Acute Mountain Sickness Score.

Roach, Robert C., Peter H. Hackett, Oswald Oelz, Peter Bärtsch, Andrew M. Luks, Martin J. MacInnis, J. Kenneth Baillie, and The Lake Louise AMS Score Consensus Committee. The 2018 Lake Louise Acute Mountain Sickness Score. High Alt Med Biol 19:1-4, 2018.- The Lake Louise Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) scoring system has been a useful research tool since first published in 1991. Recent studies have shown that disturbed sleep at altitude, one of the five symptoms scored for AMS, is more likely due to altitude hypoxia per se, and is not closely related to AMS. To address this issue, and also to evaluate the Lake Louise AMS score in light of decades of experience, experts in high altitude research undertook to revise the score. We here present an international consensus statement resulting from online discussions and meetings at the International Society of Mountain Medicine World Congress in Bolzano, Italy, in May 2014 and at the International Hypoxia Symposium in Lake Louise, Canada, in February 2015. The consensus group has revised the score to eliminate disturbed sleep as a questionnaire item, and has updated instructions for use of the score