239 research outputs found
Discriminating engineering information interaction using eye tracking and an information operations model
Assessment of GFR by four methods in adults in Ashanti, Ghana: the need for an eGFR equation for lean African populations
Background. Equations for estimating glomerular filtration rate (GFR) have not been validated in Sub-Saharan African populations, and data on GFR are few.
Methods. GFR by creatinine clearance (Ccr) using 24-hour urine collections and estimated GFR (eGFR) using the four-variable Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD-4)[creatinine calibrated to isotope dilution mass spectrometry (IDMS) standard], Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) and CockcroftâGault equations were obtained in Ghanaians aged 40â75. The population comprised 1013 inhabitants in 12 villages; 944 provided a serum creatinine and two 24-hour urines. The mean weight was 54.4 kg; mean body mass index was 21.1 kg/m2.
Results. Mean GFR by Ccr was 84.1 ml/min/1.73m2; 86.8% of participants had a GFR of 60 ml/min/1.73m2. Mean MDRD-4 eGFR was 102.3 ml/min/1.73m2 (difference vs. Ccr, 18.2: 95% CI: 16.8â19.5); when the factor for black race was omitted, the value (mean 84.6 ml/min/1.73m2) was close to Ccr. Mean CKD-EPI eGFR was 103.1 ml/min/1.73m2, and 89.4 ml/min/1.73m2 when the factor for race was omitted. The CockcroftâGault equation underestimated GFR compared with Ccr by 9.4 ml/min/1.73m2 (CI: 8.3â10.6); particularly in older age groups. GFR by Ccr, and eGFR by MDRD-4, CKD-EPI and CockcroftâGault showed falls with age: MDRD-4 5.5, Ccr 7.7, CKD-EPI 8.8 and CockcroftâGault 11.0 ml/min/1.73m2/10 years. The percentage of individuals identified with CKD stages 3â5 depended on the method used: MDRD-4 1.6% (7.2 % without factor for black race; CKD-EPI 1.7% (4.7% without factor for black race), Ccr 13.2% and CockcroftâGault 21.0%.
Conclusions. Mean eGFR by both MDRD-4 and CKD-EPI was considerably higher than GFR by Ccr and CockcroftâGault, a difference that may be attributable to leanness. MDRD-4 appeared to underestimate the fall in GFR with age compared with the three other measurements; the fall with CKD-EPI without the adjustment for race was the closest to that of Ccr. An equation tailored specifically to the needs of the lean populations of Africa is urgently needed. For the present, the CKD-EPI equation without the adjustment for black race appears to be the most useful
Racial differences in the responses to shear stress in human umbilical vein endothelial cells
African American ethnicity is an independent risk factor for exaggerated oxidative stress, which is related to inflammation, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. Recently, we reported that in vitro oxidative stress and inflammation levels differ between African American and Caucasian human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), African American HUVECs having higher levels of both. However, it remains to be shown whether the cells would respond differently to external stimuli
798. The Role of Whole-Genome Sequencing in Characterizing the Mechanism of Action of Anti-Tuberculosis Compounds: Demonstrated With Para-Amino Salicylic Acid and Its Analogue
Desempenho agronĂŽmico da bananeira ?BRS Princesa? e atributos quĂmicos do solo fertirrigado com substĂąncias hĂșmicas.
South African womenâs perspectives on self-sampling for cervical cancer screening: A mixed-methods study
Background. Self-sampling as a method of screening for cervical cancer and its precursors is an attractive option for low-resource settings. However, to allow successful integration of self-sampling into national screening programmes, it is necessary to understand womenâs perceptions and beliefs surrounding this method of sampling the cervix.Objectives. To explore womenâs attitudes to self-collection of samples for cervical screening in a low-resource setting in South Africa (SA).Methods. Mixed methods were used to meet the study objectives. We recruited women aged 30 - 65 years into a study in Cape Town, SA, to participate in a cross-sectional survey. All women collected a vaginal self-sample, and underwent visual inspection with acetic acid, colposcopy, and collection of cervical samples and appropriate histology specimens by a doctor. Women had a quantitative questionnairebased exit interview. A subset of these women participated in focus group discussions (FGDs).Results. A total of 822 women answered the exit survey questionnaire and 41 women participated in the FGDs. Most women from the survey had a positive perception of self-sampling, with 93.6% of the women reporting not feeling embarrassed and 89.4% reporting experiencing no discomfort at all when taking a self-sample. This was corroborated by the FGD participants, who found self-sampling easier, more comfortable and less embarrassing than clinician sampling. However, many women (64.7%) felt more confident when the sample was taken by a clinician, despite having a positive attitude towards self-sampling. In most cases this was because they thought that the clinician would take a better sample, as explained by the FGD participants. Although 93.9% of the women were willing to collect a selfsample, the women in the FGDs expressed a preference for doing so at the health facility rather than at home. There were many reasons for this, including the cost of returning to the clinic with the sample.Conclusions. Attitudes regarding self-sample collection were positive in this study population. Participants were willing to perform selfsampling, but expressed concerns regarding the quality of the specimen and the financial implications of returning to the clinic with it. Pilot implementation studies will be useful before this method of sampling is adopted and integrated into screening programmes
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Borehole plugging materials development program, report 2
The data for 2 yr of grout mixtures durability studies developed for the borehole plugging program of the Nuclear Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) are reported. In addition, data for 1 yr of durability studies of grout mixture field samples used to plug the ERDA No. 10 exploratory drill hole near the WIPP site are included. The grout samples and the data do not show any evidence of deterioration during the durability studies that include exposure to brine at both ambient and elevated temperatures. The data include strength, compressional wave velocity, dynamic modulus, expansion, weight change, porosity, permeability, bond strength, chemical analysis of cements, and petrographic examinations. The work was performed at the Concrete Division of the Structures Laboratory of the US Army Engineer Waterways Experiments Station (WES), Vicksburg, Mississippi. The work is continuing at WES
Dynamic Transcriptomic and Phosphoproteomic Analysis During Cell Wall Stress in Aspergillus nidulans
The fungal cell-wall integrity signaling (CWIS) pathway regulates cellular response to environmental stress to enable wall repair and resumption of normal growth. This complex, interconnected, pathway has been only partially characterized in filamentous fungi. To better understand the dynamic cellular response to wall perturbation, a-glucan synthase inhibitor (micafungin) was added to a growing A. nidulans shake-flask culture. From this flask, transcriptomic and phosphoproteomic data were acquired over 10 and 120 min, respectively. To differentiate statistically-significant dynamic behavior from noise, a multivariate adaptive regression splines (MARS) model was applied to both data sets. Over 1800 genes were dynamically expressed and over 700 phosphorylation sites had changing phosphorylation levels upon micafungin exposure. Twelve kinases had altered phosphorylation and phenotypic profiling of all non-essential kinase deletion mutants revealed putative connections between PrkA, Hk-8 â4, and Stk19 and the CWIS pathway. Our collective data implicate actin regulation, endocytosis, and septum formation as critical cellular processes responding to activation of the CWIS pathway, and connections between CWIS and calcium, HOG, and SIN signaling pathways
Crescimento da bananeira Cv. Princesa, em seu primeiro ciclo de produção, sob aplicação de biofertilizantes e extratos vegetais.
PrĂĄticas agrĂcolas sustentĂĄveis, que visam Ă manutenção da qualidade do solo e da produção, atravĂ©s do uso racional e econĂŽmico de insumos como ĂĄgua, fertilizantes e defensivos, estĂŁo sendo pesquisadas atualmente, muitas vezes sendo implementadas, em nĂvel comercial, no campo sem Ă s recomendaçÔes tĂ©cnicas pertinentes oriundas da pesquisa, dentre essas prĂĄticas cita-se a aplicação de extratos vegetais que podem atuar como promotores de crescimento radicular e repelentes naturais de pragas, como nematoides, e de biofertilizantes via fertirrigação, como no caso das substĂąncias hĂșmicas
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