Probation Officers\u27 Attitudes on Illinois Electronic Monitoring Program for Drug Offenders

Probation Officers\u27 Attitudes on Illinois Electronic Monitoring Program For Drug Offenders by Erika Jones-Dilworth MPA, Governors State University, 2009 BS, Governors State University, 2007 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Public Policy & Administration Walden University November 201

Hypertension, end-stage renal disease and mesangiocapillary glomerulonephritis in methamphetamine users

BACKGROUND: Methamphetamine abuse has risen dramatically in South Africa. The chronic effects of abuse on the kidneys and blood pressure have not been documented. This study reviewed patients referred for evaluation of kidney disease and/or hypertension, who had been abusing methamphetamines. METHODS: The records of patients referred to the renal unit between 2005 and 2013 who had been using methamphetamines were retrospectively reviewed. Patient demographics, biophysical parameters, blood pressure, renal function, renal ultrasound and biopsy findings, complications of chronic kidney disease and comorbidities were recorded. RESULTS: Forty-seven patients were included in the study. Their mean age was 29 years. Hypertension was present in 42 (89.4%) of patients, with malignant hypertension in 21 (44.7%). Forty-five (95.7%) had chronic kidney disease (CKD), and 26 (55.3%) had end-stage renal disease. Renal biopsies were performed in 24 patients. Twelve (50.0%) of the biopsies showed hypertensive changes and 14 (58.3%) mesangiocapillary glomerulonephritis type 1, with deposition of IgM and C3 complement. CONCLUSION: Methamphetamine use is associated with severe hypertension, mesangiocapillary glomerulonephritis and CKD

Quantum measurements of atoms using cavity QED

Generalized quantum measurements are an important extension of projective or von Neumann measurements, in that they can be used to describe any measurement that can be implemented on a quantum system. We describe how to realize two non-standard quantum measurements using cavity quantum electrodynamics (QED). The first measurement optimally and unabmiguously distinguishes between two non-orthogonal quantum states. The second example is a measurement that demonstrates superadditive quantum coding gain. The experimental tools used are single-atom unitary operations effected by Ramsey pulses and two-atom Tavis-Cummings interactions. We show how the superadditive quantum coding gain is affected by errors in the field-ionisation detection of atoms, and that even with rather high levels of experimental imperfections, a reasonable amount of superadditivity can still be seen. To date, these types of measurement have only been realized on photons. It would be of great interest to have realizations using other physical systems. This is for fundamental reasons, but also since quantum coding gain in general increases with code word length, and a realization using atoms could be more easily scaled than existing realizations using photons.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figure

The Influence of Simulated Drowning Audits on Lifeguard Surveillance and Swimmer Risk-Taking at Public Swimming Pools

An alarming number of injuries and drowning events occur at lifeguarded swimming pools. One strategy used in the aquatics industry to improve swimming safety is simulated drowning lifeguard audits. During audits, supervisors arrive unannounced and ask on-duty lifeguard(s) to rescue a dummy. This study tested whether audits effectively improve lifeguard surveillance and reduce swimmer risk-taking behaviors. A pre-post design examined lifeguard surveillance and swimmer risk-taking prior to, 3 days after, and a month after conducting unannounced lifeguard audits at 14 public swimming pools. Lifeguard surveillance and swimmer risk-taking were assessed via behavioral observation. Following the audits, lifeguards were less distracted and swimmers took fewer risks. Simulated drowning lifeguard audits appear to offer a useful strategy to improve lifeguard surveillance and decrease swimmer risk-taking at public swimming pools

Health-related quality of life in a PD-First programme in South Africa

Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa, offers a PD-First policy as a result of haemodialysis (HD) restrictions and resource limitations. This study aimed to compare health-related quality of life (HRQOL) between HD and peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients, given the lack of autonomy in modality choice and the socio-economic challenges. This single-centre, cross-sectional study was performed between July 2015 and December 2016. Demographic, socio-economic variables and perceptions of safety were collected. HRQOL was assessed using the Kidney Disease Quality of Life-Short Form (KDQOL-SFTM) version 1.3. All data were compared between the two dialysis modalities; 77 HD and 33 PD patients were included in the study and there were no significant differences in demographics. Median age was 42.5 years (IQR: 32.4–48.6) and 57.3% were female. HD patients had less pain (P = 0.036), better emotional well-being (P = 0.020) and a better energy/fatigue score (P = 0.015). Both cohorts experienced role-limitations due to physical health with PD being more affected overall (P = 0.05). The only significant symptom in the kidney domain was that PD patients experienced more shortness of breath (P < 0.001). Patients in both groups had very poor socio-economic circumstances, and safety within their communities was a major concern. The patients in our dialysis service have very challenging social circumstances. Those on PD scored worse in four HRQOL domains, possibly due to a lack of autonomy in dialysis modality choice and less frequent contact with dialysis staff. Additional psychological and social support needs to be instituted to help improve our patients’ well-being on PD

A 3D Automated Classification Scheme for the TAUVEX data pipeline

In order to develop a pipeline for automated classification of stars to be observed by the TAUVEX ultraviolet space Telescope, we employ an artificial neural network (ANN) technique for classifying stars by using synthetic spectra in the UV region from 1250\AA to 3220\AA as the training set and International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) low resolution spectra as the test set. Both the data sets have been pre-processed to mimic the observations of the TAUVEX ultraviolet imager. We have successfully classified 229 stars from the IUE low resolution catalog to within 3-4 spectral sub-class using two different simulated training spectra, the TAUVEX spectra of 286 spectral types and UVBLUE spectra of 277 spectral types. Further, we have also been able to obtain the colour excess (i.e. E(B-V) in magnitude units) or the interstellar reddening for those IUE spectra which have known reddening to an accuracy of better than 0.1 magnitudes. It has been shown that even with the limitation of data from just photometric bands, ANNs have not only classified the stars, but also provided satisfactory estimates for interstellar extinction. The ANN based classification scheme has been successfully tested on the simulated TAUVEX data pipeline. It is expected that the same technique can be employed for data validation in the ultraviolet from the virtual observatories. Finally, the interstellar extinction estimated by applying the ANNs on the TAUVEX data base would provide an extensive extinction map for our galaxy and which could in turn be modeled for the dust distribution in the galaxy.Comment: 8 pages, 12 figures, Accepted for publication in MNRAS; High resolution figures available from the authors on reques

The R563Q Mutation of the Beta Subunit of the Epithelial Sodium Channel: Prevalence and Effect

Hypertension is a major worldwide predictor of morbidity and mortality. The search for genes that contribute to blood pressure is ongoing. The epithelial sodium channel genes were implicated when the beta subunit (SCNN1B, gene ID 6338) was found to have a mutation that caused Liddle's syndrome. The R563Q mutation in the beta subunit has been associated with hypertension and pre-eclampsia in the Xhosa and Coloured people in Cape Town. The thesis consists of a cross-sectional analysis of the prevalence of the R563Q mutation in multiple ethnic groups in South Africa and a longitudinal functional assessment in response to saline infusion. The objectives were to determine the prevalence of the R563Q mutation and association with hypertension, and if it persists within families; to speculate as to the origins of the mutation; to determine if there were any relevant clinical differences between comparable patients with essential hypertension; to determine if the mutation predicted a difference in response to acute sodium loading and if a physiological difference is observed in sodium channel activity when expressed in oocytes. 8 A high frequency of hypertensives in Johannesburg and Cape Town were found to be heterozygous and the mutation associated with hypertension, including within families. In the Khoisan the R563Q mutation was found at a high frequency (19%) in a random sample, suggesting the mutation originated from this population. The saline challenge illustrated the in vivo effects of the mutation. The results suggest that the sodium channel is innately overactive in heterozygous subjects and that counter-regulatory mechanisms are in place to compensate for changes in renal sodium handling. However, preliminary in vitro testing in oocytes did not show a difference in sodium channel activity. Conclusion: This thesis has shown that the R563Q mutation is found in multiple ethnic groups in South Africa, in which it associates with hypertension; and possibly originated from the Khoisan. In vivo effects are described. The results are important because hypertension resulting from the R563Q mutation is a common and treatable cause of hypertension. It is recommended that hypertension units in South Africa screen for the mutation and alter treatment appropriately. A further recommendation is that a sodium channel inhibitor, such as amiloride, in an appropriate form, is registered in South Africa for the treatment of hypertension

Comprehensive Immune Monitoring of Clinical Trials to Advance Human Immunotherapy.

The success of immunotherapy has led to a myriad of clinical trials accompanied by efforts to gain mechanistic insight and identify predictive signatures for personalization. However, many immune monitoring technologies face investigator bias, missing unanticipated cellular responses in limited clinical material. We present here a mass cytometry (CyTOF) workflow for standardized, systems-level biomarker discovery in immunotherapy trials. To broadly enumerate immune cell identity and activity, we established and extensively assessed a reference panel of 33 antibodies to cover major cell subsets, simultaneously quantifying activation and immune checkpoint molecules in a single assay. This assay enumerates ≥98% of peripheral immune cells with ≥4 positively identifying antigens. Robustness and reproducibility are demonstrated on multiple samples types, across two research centers and by orthogonal measurements. Using automated analysis, we identify stratifying immune signatures in bone marrow transplantation-associated graft-versus-host disease. Together, this validated workflow ensures comprehensive immunophenotypic analysis and data comparability and will accelerate biomarker discovery