Impact of Supportive Housing on Neighborhood Property Values: A Study of Two Campuses

Property valuation data were analyzed for two supportive campus sites for the same program for single mothers that are performing at different rates with regard to matriculation and graduation. The impact of these campuses on the valuation of neighboring residential properties was found to not have a negative impact. Property values were found to increase at a greater rate than nearby control neighborhoods. This provides an approach that the Jeremiah Program can provide to defuse neighborhood opposition against new campuses. By reducing neighbors’ concerns, the program can increase the number of available sites to consider for development. The program should then adopt a policy of locating new campuses in high-opportunity neighborhoods that promote advancement of its residents by being in a more supportive neighborhood

Protein Production Development with Recombinant Vaccinia Virus

The vaccinia virus expression system was developed into a scaleable recombinant protein production process in perfused mammalian cell culture. Growth of anchorage dependent HeLa cells on microcarriers and the suspension adapted HeLa S3 cell line were studied in bioreactor cultures utilizing the ATF System or hollow fiber filter, respectively, for perfusion. Recombinant vaccinia virus expressing enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) as a model protein was used to study the effects of several process parameters on expression. These included multiplicity of infection (MOI), volume during infection, serum concentration during infection, inducer concentration, timing of inducer addition relative to infection, and dissolved oxygen and temperature during the protein production phase. Increases in protein yield were made as each of these parameters was studied. The microcarrier based system reached 20 mg/l EGFP while the suspension based system achieved 27 mg/l under the conditions found through experiment. A second virus containing the gene for gp120, an HIV envelope coat protein with complex post-translational modifications, was produced in microcarrier based bioreactor culture with HeLa cells. The protein produced was purified and analyzed for post-translational modifications which found that half of the molecular weight was contributed through N-linked glycans. The reactor culture produced 10.5 mg/l gp120 at 96 hours post infection with an ID(50) of 3.1 µg/ml. A survey of expression, using both EGFP and gp120 expressing viruses, was conducted on several mammalian cell lines which may be more appropriate for commercial manufacturing processes. Results varied, depending on the protein produced, with HeLa cells producing the most EGFP and BS-C-1 the most gp120. 293 cells performed fairly well in both cases and their use in other manufacturing processes and ability to grow in serum-free suspension culture lead to a recommendation that they be considered for further process development. These studies have provided insight into the vaccinia virus expression system as a potentially large-scale production method for complex human proteins. Further optimization of the process could continue to increase the yields and potentially bring this viral process into the arena of available technologies for production

What Comes after the Trial? An Observational Study of the Real-World Uptake of an E-Mental Health Intervention by General Practitioners to Reduce Depressive Symptoms in Their Patients

Unguided and free e-mental health platforms can offer a viable treatment and self-help option for depression. This study aims to investigate, from a public health perspective, the real-world uptake, benefits, barriers, and implementation support needed by general practitioners (GPs). The study presents data from a spin-off GP survey conducted 2.5 years subsequent to a cluster-randomized trial. A total of N = 68 GPs (intervention group (IG) GPs = 38, control group (CG) GPs = 30) participated in the survey (response rate 62.4%). Data were collected via postal questionnaires. Overall, 66.2% of the GPs were female. The average age was 51.6 years (SD = 9.4), and 48.5% of the GPs indicated that they continued (IG) or started recommending (CG) the e-mental health intervention under real-world conditions beyond the trial. A number of benefits could be identified, such as ease of integration and strengthening patient activation in disease management. Future implementation support should include providing appealing informational materials and including explainer videos. Workshops, conferences, and professional journals were identified as suitable for dissemination. Social media approaches were less appealing. Measures should be taken to make it easier for health care professionals to use an intervention after the trial and to integrate it into everyday practice

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Avoidance of Health Care, Symptom Severity, and Mental Well-Being in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease

The COVID-19 pandemic affected regular health care for patients with chronic diseases. However, the impact of the pandemic on primary care for patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) who are enrolled in a structured disease management program (DMP) in Germany is not clear. We investigated whether the pandemic affected primary care and health outcomes of DMP-CAD patients (n = 750) by using a questionnaire assessing patients’ utilization of medical care, CAD symptoms, as well as health behavior and mental health since March 2020. We found that out of concern about getting infected with COVID-19, 9.1% of the patients did not consult a medical practitioner despite having CAD symptoms. Perceived own influence on infection risk was lower and anxiety was higher in these patients compared to symptomatic CAD patients who consulted a physician. Among the patients who reported chest pain lasting longer than 30 min, one third did not consult a medical practitioner subsequently. These patients were generally more worried about COVID-19. Patients with at least one worsening CAD symptom (chest pain, dyspnea, perspiration, or nausea without apparent reason) since the pandemic showed more depressive symptoms, higher anxiety scores, and were less likely to consult a doctor despite having CAD symptoms out of fear of infection. Our results provide evidence that the majority of patients received sufficient medical care during the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany. However, one in ten patients could be considered particularly at risk for medical undersupply and adverse health outcomes. The perceived infection risk with COVID-19 might have facilitated the decision not to consult a medical doctor

Individualized versus Standardized Risk Assessment in Patients at High Risk for Adverse Drug Reactions (The IDrug Randomized Controlled Trial)–Never Change a Running System?

The aim of this study was to compare effects of an individualized with a standardized risk assessment for adverse drug reactions to improve drug treatment with antithrombotic drugs in older adults. A randomized controlled trial was conducted in general practitioner (GP) offices. Patients aged 60 years and older, multi-morbid, taking antithrombotic drugs and at least one additional drug continuously were randomized to individualized and standardized risk assessment groups. Patients were followed up for nine months. A composite endpoint defined as at least one bleeding, thromboembolic event or death reported via a trigger list was used. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. In total, N = 340 patients were enrolled from 43 GP offices. Patients in the individualized risk assessment group met the composite endpoint more often than in the standardized group (OR 1.63 [95%CI 1.02–2.63]) with multiple adjustments. The OR was higher in patients on phenprocoumon treatment (OR 1.99 [95%CI 1.05–3.76]), and not significant on DOAC treatment (OR 1.52 [95%CI 0.63–3.69]). Pharmacogenenetic variants of CYP2C9, 2C19 and VKORC1 were not observed to be associated with the composite endpoint. The results of this study may indicate that the time point for implementing individualized risk assessments is of importance

Relativistically invariant analysis of Δ\Delta --isobar production in deuteron electrodisintegration: e−+d→e−+Δ+N:e^-+d\to e^-+\Delta +N: general analysis of polarization effects

The differential cross section and the polarization observables for $\Delta$--isobar production in the deuteron electrodisintegration process, $e^-+d\to e^-+\Delta +N$, are calculated in a general formalism based on structure functions. The obtained expressions have a general nature, hold for one--photon--exchange, assuming P--invariance of the electromagnetic interaction and the conservation of the hadron electromagnetic current. The dependence of the differential cross section of the $e^-+d\to e^- +\Delta +N$ reaction on the vector and tensor polarizations of the deuteron target with unpolarized and longitudinally polarized electrons is considered. The general dependence of the asymmetries on two of five kinematic variables, the azimuthal angle $\phi$ and $\epsilon$ (linear polarization of the virtual photon) is calculated. A similar analysis is performed for the polarization of the nucleon produced in $\gamma ^*d \to \Delta N$ reaction provided the electron beam is unpolarized or longitudinally polarized. Polarization effects, which are due to the strong $\Delta N-$ interaction in the final state are calculated. The photoproduction of the $\Delta$--isobar on the deuteron target has been considered in detail, as a particular case. The differential cross section and various polarization observables have been derived in terms of the reaction amplitudes. The polarization observables due to the linear and circular polarizations of the photon, when the deuteron target is arbitrarily polarized have been derived in terms of the reaction amplitudes. The polarization of the final nucleon is also considered.Comment: 52 page