Microstructure Bio-Material for Behavioral Analysis

Biological applications have a limitation of creating tissue like structures in order to mimic the advanced real like structures, such as human tissues in a small scale. Conventional methods of using lab mice for cancer behavior have limitations due to observation complications. Fabricating an artificial human tissue which can behave similar to a human body tissue consists of components, such as Laminin and Collagen. Collagen in human tissue has elements, such as integrin and serum. Creating serum based proteins are somewhat challenging due to the conditional requirements. This particular approach will address the primary state of the art technique of observing the interaction with cells by mimicking the organs on a chip with blood circulation using a micro-fluidic pump. Bio-material hydrogel structures implanted on a silicon polymer based chip described in this thesis will overcome the limitations of in-vitro analysis. Water purification has become a vital issue in developing countries of the world. Water pollution due to Ammonia has been one of the major concerns with industrial revolution. Purifications were mainly done by chemical methods that can cause human health concerns. The analytically demonstrated method in this thesis using bio-compatible hydrogel will address a new dimension to the water conservation method without causing health issues and eliminating the environmental pollution due to complicated degradable structures. Filtration and efficiency are among the main concerns of using bacteria types such as AOB/NOB directly without encapsulating. Application of using bio-compatible hydrogel based dual encapsulated single pallet structure described in this thesis will address the issue of filtering capability. Pallets can be removed once nitrified, without letting it grow inside the water contaminating aqua based living breads and plants. The process will improve the efficiency of Ammonia removal due to encapsulation. Drug delivery using micro locomotives in neuro-surgery has become one of the future concerns with the development of science. Conventional delivery systems such as vaccines and open surgeries take longer response time once surgeries become more complex. Moreover there is a risk factor of injuring healthy nerves in the organ. Drug delivery approaches of drug encapsulated microspheres and drug embedded nematodes described in this thesis become more applicable to complex scenarios. Nematodes become useful in the future of microsurgeries, as many biologists are focusing on using their healthy nerves to implant in humans. Therefore, such applications like magnetizing nematodes help move locomotives to targeted locations and capture scan images for future medical approaches

Simultaneous measurement of glomerular filtration rate, effective renal plasma flow and tubular secretion in different poultry species by single intravenous bolus of iohexol and para-aminohippuric acid

Simple Summary The aim of this study was to investigate the simultaneous measurement of two different renal markers (iohexol and p-aminohippuric acid) in the plasma of different poultry species as the gold standard method. The two markers reflect three different renal processes: glomerular filtration, effective renal plasma flow, and tubular secretion. The rate at which the kidneys filter blood is called the glomerular filtration rate. The effective renal plasma flow is the volume of plasma that reaches the kidney per time unit. Tubular secretion can be defined as active transport from the peritubular capillaries to the renal tubules. A moderate correlation was observed between tubular secretion and the glomerular filtration rate. A good correlation was demonstrated between the effective renal plasma flow and the glomerular filtration rate. This might be useful to model both renal processes. This approach could support the further development and validation of clinical renal biomarkers. These markers can be useful in the case of a chronic renal disease or renal failure, for which repeated evaluations of the renal function are required. The aim of the current study was to investigate the simultaneous measurement of plasma p-aminohippuric acid (PAH) clearance as a potential marker to assess effective renal plasma flow (eRPF) and tubular secretion (TS), and the plasma clearance of iohexol (IOH) as a marker of the glomerular filtration rate in poultry species. The PAH was administered intravenously (IV) to broiler chickens, layers, turkeys, Muscovy ducks, and pigeons. Each animal received successively a single bolus dose of 10 mg PAH/kg bodyweight (BW) and 100 mg PAH/kg BW to assess the eRPF and TS, respectively. Simultaneously with both PAH administrations, a single IV bolus of 64.7 mg/kg BW of IOH was administered. A high linear correlation (R-2= 0.79) between eRPF, based on the clearance of the low dose of PAH, and BW was observed for the poultry species. The correlation between TS, based on the clearance of the high dose of PAH, and BW was moderate (R-2= 0.50). Finally, a moderate correlation (R-2= 0.68) was demonstrated between GFR and eRPF and between GFR and TS (R-2= 0.56). This presented pharmacokinetic approach of the simultaneous administration of IOH and PAH enabled a simultaneous evaluation of eRPF/TS and GFR, respectively, in different poultry species

An Analysis of Resting-State Functional Transcranial Doppler Recordings from Middle Cerebral Arteries

Functional transcrannial Doppler (fTCD) is used for monitoring the hemodynamics characteristics of major cerebral arteries. Its resting-state characteristics are known only when considering the maximal velocity corresponding to the highest Doppler shift (so called the envelope signals). Significantly more information about the resting-state fTCD can be gained when considering the raw cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV) recordings. In this paper, we considered simultaneously acquired envelope and raw CBFV signals. Specifically, we collected bilateral CBFV recordings from left and right middle cerebral arteries using 20 healthy subjects (10 females). The data collection lasted for 15 minutes. The subjects were asked to remain awake, stay silent, and try to remain thought-free during the data collection. Time, frequency and time-frequency features were extracted from both the raw and the envelope CBFV signals. The effects of age, sex and body-mass index were examined on the extracted features. The results showed that the raw CBFV signals had a higher frequency content, and its temporal structures were almost uncorrelated. The information-theoretic features showed that the raw recordings from left and right middle cerebral arteries had higher content of mutual information than the envelope signals. Age and body-mass index did not have statistically significant effects on the extracted features. Sex-based differences were observed in all three domains and for both, the envelope signals and the raw CBFV signals. These findings indicate that the raw CBFV signals provide valuable information about the cerebral blood flow which can be utilized in further validation of fTCD as a clinical tool. © 2013 Sejdić et al

The development and application of a new tool to assess the adequacy of the content and timing of antenatal care

Abstract Background: Current measures of antenatal care use are limited to initiation of care and number of visits. This study aimed to describe the development and application of a tool to assess the adequacy of the content and timing of antenatal care. Methods: The Content and Timing of care in Pregnancy (CTP) tool was developed based on clinical relevance for ongoing antenatal care and recommendations in national and international guidelines. The tool reflects minimal care recommended in every pregnancy, regardless of parity or risk status. CTP measures timing of initiation of care, content of care (number of blood pressure readings, blood tests and ultrasound scans) and whether the interventions were received at an appropriate time. Antenatal care trajectories for 333 pregnant women were then described using a standard tool (the APNCU index), that measures the quantity of care only, and the new CTP tool. Both tools categorise care into 4 categories, from ‘Inadequate’ (both tools) to ‘Adequate plus’ (APNCU) or ‘Appropriate’ (CTP). Participants recorded the timing and content of their antenatal care prospectively using diaries. Analysis included an examination of similarities and differences in categorisation of care episodes between the tools. Results: According to the CTP tool, the care trajectory of 10,2% of the women was classified as inadequate, 8,4% as intermediate, 36% as sufficient and 45,3% as appropriate. The assessment of quality of care differed significantly between the two tools. Seventeen care trajectories classified as ‘Adequate’ or ‘Adequate plus’ by the APNCU were deemed ‘Inadequate’ by the CTP. This suggests that, despite a high number of visits, these women did not receive the minimal recommended content and timing of care. Conclusions: The CTP tool provides a more detailed assessment of the adequacy of antenatal care than the current standard index. However, guidelines for the content of antenatal care vary, and the tool does not at the moment grade over-use of interventions as ‘Inappropriate’. Further work needs to be done to refine the content items prior to larger scale testing of the impact of the new measure

Physical conditioning and mental stress reduction - a randomised trial in patients undergoing cardiac surgery

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Preoperative anxiety and physical unfitness have been shown to have adverse effects on recovery from cardiac surgery. This study involving cardiac surgery patients was primarily aimed at assessing the feasibility of delivering physical conditioning and stress reduction programs within the public hospital setting. Secondary aims were to evaluate the effect of these programs on quality of life (QOL), rates of postoperative atrial fibrillation (AF) and length of stay (LOS) in hospital.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Elective patients scheduled for coronary artery bypass graft and/or valve surgery at a public hospital in Melbourne, Australia were enrolled. Patients were randomized to receive either holistic therapy (HT) or usual care (UC). HT consisted of a series of light physical exercise sessions together with a mental stress reduction program administered in an outpatient setting for the first two weeks after placement on the waiting list for surgery. A self-administered SF-36 questionnaire was used to measure QOL and hospital records to collect data on LOS and rate of postoperative AF.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The study population comprised 117 patients of whom 60 received HT and 57 received UC. Both programs were able to be delivered within the hospital setting but ongoing therapy beyond the two week duration of the program was not carried out due to long waiting periods and insufficient resources. HT, as delivered in this study, compared to UC did not result in significant changes in QOL, LOS or AF incidence.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Preoperative holistic therapy can be delivered in the hospital setting, although two weeks is insufficient to provide benefits beyond usual care on QOL, LOS or postoperative AF. Further research is now required to determine whether a similar program of longer duration, or targeted to high risk patients can provide measurable benefits.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>This trial was conducted as part of a larger study and according to the principles contained in the CONSORT statement 2001.</p

Dying at home in Belgium: a descriptive GP interview study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>While increasing attention is being paid to enabling terminal patients to remain at home until death, limited information is available on the circumstances in which people at home actually die. Therefore this study aims to describe patient characteristics, functional and cognitive status and physical and psychological symptom burden in the last three months of life among Belgian patients dying at home, according to their GPs.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In 2005, a nationwide and retrospective interview study with GPs took place on people dying at home in Belgium as reported by Sentinel Network of GPs in Belgium. GPs registered all deaths (patients aged 1 year or more) weekly and were interviewed about all patients dying non-suddenly at home, using face-to-face structured interviews.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Interviews were obtained on 205 patients (90% response rate). Between the second and third month before death, 55% were fully invalid or limited in self-care. In the last week of life, almost all were fully invalid. Fifty four percent were unconscious at some point during the last week; 46% were fully conscious. Most frequently reported symptoms were lack of energy, lack of appetite and feeling drowsy. Conditions most difficult for GPs to manage were shortness of breath, lack of energy and pain.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Many people dying at home under the care of their GPs in Belgium function relatively well until the last week of life and cognitive status seems to be preserved until the end in many cases. However, symptoms which GPs find difficult to control still manifest in many patients in the final week of life.</p

Gender-related differences in physiologic color space: a functional transcranial Doppler (fTCD) study

Simultaneous color contrast and color constancy are memory processes associated with color vision, however, the gender-related differences of 'physiologic color space' remains unknown. Color processing was studied in 16 (8 men and 8 women) right-handed healthy subjects using functional transcranial Doppler (fTCD) technique. Mean flow velocity (MFV) was recorded in both right (RMCA) and left (LMCA) middle cerebral arteries in dark and white light conditions, and during color (blue and yellow) stimulations. The data was plotted in a 3D quadratic curve fit to derive a 'physiologic color space' showing the effects of luminance and chromatic contrasts. In men, wavelength-differencing of opponent pairs (yellow-blue) was adjudged by changes in the RMCA MFV for Yellow plotted on the Y-axis, and the RMCA MFV for Blue plotted on the X-axis. In women, frequency-differencing for opponent pairs (blue-yellow) was adjudged by changes in the LMCA MFV for Yellow plotted on the Y-axis, and the LMCA MFV for Blue plotted on the X-axis. The luminance effect on the LMCA MFV in response to white light with the highest luminous flux, was plotted on the (Z - axis), in both men and women. The 3D-color space for women was a mirror-image of that for men, and showed enhanced color constancy. The exponential function model was applied to the data in men, while the logarithmic function model was applied to the data in women. Color space determination may be useful in the study of color memory, adaptive neuroplasticity, cognitive impairment in stroke and neurodegenerative diseases

Nationwide monitoring of end-of-life care via the Sentinel Network of General Practitioners in Belgium: the research protocol of the SENTI-MELC study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>End-of-life care has become an issue of great clinical and public health concern. From analyses of official death certificates, we have societal knowledge on how many people die, at what age, where and from what causes. However, we know little about how people are dying. There is a lack of population-based and nationwide data that evaluate and monitor the circumstances of death and the care received in the final months of life. The present study was designed to describe the places of end-of-life care and care transitions, the caregivers involved in patient care and the actual treatments and care provided to dying patients in Belgium. The patient, residence and healthcare characteristics associated with these aspects of end-of-life care provision will also be studied. In this report, the protocol of the study is outlined.</p> <p>Methods/Design</p> <p>We designed a nationwide mortality follow-back study with data collection in 2005 and 2006, via the nationwide Belgian Sentinel Network of General Practitioners (GPs) i.e. an existing epidemiological surveillance system representative of all GPs in Belgium, covering 1.75% of the total Belgian population. All GPs were asked to report weekly, on a standardized registration form, every patient (>1 year) in their practice who had died, and to identify patients who had died "non-suddenly." The last three months of these patients' lives were surveyed retrospectively. Several quality control measures were used to ensure data of high scientific quality.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>In 2005 and 2006, respectively 1385 and 1305 deaths were identified of which 66% and 63% died non-suddenly. The first results are expected in 2007. Via this study, we will build a descriptive epidemiological database on end-of-life care provision in Belgium, which might serve as baseline measurement to monitor end-of-life care over time. The study will inform medical practice as well as healthcare authorities in setting up an end-of-life care policy. We publish the protocol here to inform others, in particular countries with analogue GP surveillance networks, on the possibilities of performing end-of-life care research. A preliminary analysis of the possible strengths, weaknesses and opportunities of our research is outlined.</p