356 research outputs found
Synthesis and Evaluation of Polymeric Ether Glycol Derivatives for Use as Transducer Fluids
A series of end-capped PAG (n-butyl, n-alkyl substituted polypropylene glycol) and PPGs (bis-di-alkyl-,bis-di-halo-, bis-di-fluoroalkylpolypropylene glycol) were synthesized. Optimum reaction conditions were determined in regard to time, temperature, reaction ratios, and solvents for each of the PAG and PPG derivatives. An investigation of the named PAG and PPG derivatives as potentially new sonar transducer fluids was carried out. Density, viscosity and sound speed measurements with regard to temperature, as well as water solubility measurements, were carried out for several of these derivatives. The desirable properties possessed by several of these derivatives make them of potential value in application as transducer fill-fluids
Infusion of donor leukocytes to induce tolerance in organ allograft recipients
To further enhance chimerism, 229 primary allograft recipients have received perioperative intravenous infusion of a single dose of 3 to 6 x 108 unmodified donor bone marrow (BM) cells/kg body weight. In addition, 42 patients have been accrued in a concurrent protocol involving multiple (up to three) sequential perioperative infusions of 2 x 108 BM cells/kg/day from day 0-2 posttransplantation (PTx). Organ recipients (n = 133) for whom BM was not available were monitored as controls. The infusion of BM was safe and except for 50 (18%), all study patients have optimal graft function. Of the control patients, allografts in 30 (23%) have been lost during the course of follow-up. The cumulative risk of acute cellular rejection (ACR) was statistically lower in the study patients compared with that of controls. It is interesting that, 62% of BM-augmented heart recipients were free of ACR (Grade ≥ 3A) in the first 6 months PTx compared to controls. The incidence of obliterative bronchiolitis was also statistically lower in study lung recipients (3.8%) compared with the contemporaneously acquired controls (31%). The levels of donor cell chimerism were at least a log higher in the peripheral blood of majority of the study patients compared with that of controls. The incidence of donor-specific hyporeactivity, as determined by one-way mixed leukocyte reaction, was also higher in those BM-augmented liver, kidney, and lung recipients that could be evaluated compared to controls
Bacteremia in Lung Transplant Recipients in the Current Era
Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/71409/1/j.1600-6143.2006.01565.x.pd
Impact of Home Visit Capacity on Genetic Association Studies of Late-Onset Alzheimer\u27s Disease
INTRODUCTION—Findings for genetic correlates of late-onset Alzheimer\u27s disease (LOAD) in studies that rely solely on clinic visits may differ from those with capacity to follow participants unable to attend clinic visits.
METHODS—We evaluated previously identified LOAD-risk single nucleotide variants in the prospective Adult Changes in Thought study, comparing hazard ratios (HRs) estimated using the full data set of both in-home and clinic visits (n = 1697) to HRs estimated using only data that were obtained from clinic visits (n = 1308). Models were adjusted for age, sex, principal components to account for ancestry, and additional health indicators.
RESULTS—LOAD associations nominally differed for 4 of 21 variants; CR1 and APOE variants were significant after Bonferroni correction.
DISCUSSION—Estimates of genetic associations may differ for studies limited to clinic-only designs. Home visit capacity should be explored as a possible source of heterogeneity and potential bias in genetic studies
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Metabolomics Identifies Metabolic Markers of Maturation in Human Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes.
Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death worldwide. Human pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hPSC-CMs) hold immense clinical potential and recent studies have enabled generation of virtually pure hPSC-CMs with high efficiency in chemically defined and xeno-free conditions. Despite these advances, hPSC-CMs exhibit an immature phenotype and are arrhythmogenic in vivo, necessitating development of strategies to mature these cells. hPSC-CMs undergo significant metabolic alterations during differentiation and maturation. A detailed analysis of the metabolic changes accompanying maturation of hPSC-CMs may prove useful in identifying new strategies to expedite hPSC-CM maturation and also may provide biomarkers for testing or validating hPSC-CM maturation. In this study we identified global metabolic changes which take place during long-term culture and maturation of hPSC-CMs derived from three different hPSC lines. We have identified several metabolic pathways, including phospholipid metabolism and pantothenate and Coenzyme A metabolism, which showed significant enrichment upon maturation in addition to fatty acid oxidation and metabolism. We also identified increases in glycerophosphocholine and the glycerophosphocholine:phosphocholine ratio as potential metabolic biomarkers of maturation. These biomarkers were also affected in a similar manner during murine heart development in vivo. These results support that hPSC-CM maturation is associated with extensive metabolic changes in metabolic network utilization and understanding the roles of these metabolic changes has the potential to develop novel approaches to monitor and expedite hPSC-CM maturation
Analysis of the 24-Hour Activity Cycle: An illustration examining the association with cognitive function in the Adult Changes in Thought (ACT) Study
The 24-hour activity cycle (24HAC) is a new paradigm for studying activity
behaviors in relation to health outcomes. This approach captures the
interrelatedness of the daily time spent in physical activity (PA), sedentary
behavior (SB), and sleep. We illustrate and compare the use of three popular
approaches, namely isotemporal substitution model (ISM), compositional data
analysis (CoDA), and latent profile analysis (LPA) for modeling outcome
associations with the 24HAC. We apply these approaches to assess an association
with a cognitive outcome, measured by CASI item response theory (IRT) score, in
a cohort of 1034 older adults (mean [range] age = 77 [65-100]; 55.8% female;
90% White) who were part of the Adult Changes in Thought (ACT) Activity
Monitoring (ACT-AM) sub-study. PA and SB were assessed with thigh-worn activPAL
accelerometers for 7 days. We highlight differences in assumptions between the
three approaches, discuss statistical challenges, and provide guidance on
interpretation and selecting an appropriate approach. ISM is easiest to apply
and interpret; however, the typical ISM model assumes a linear association.
CoDA specifies a non-linear association through isometric logratio
transformations that are more challenging to apply and interpret. LPA can
classify individuals into groups with similar time-use patterns. Inference on
associations of latent profiles with health outcomes need to account for the
uncertainty of the LPA classifications which is often ignored. The selection of
the most appropriate method should be guided by the scientific questions of
interest and the applicability of each model's assumptions. The analytic
results did not suggest that less time spent on SB and more in PA was
associated with better cognitive function. Further research is needed into the
health implications of the distinct 24HAC patterns identified in this cohort.Comment: 51 pages, 11 tables, 8 figure
Net neutrality discourses: comparing advocacy and regulatory arguments in the United States and the United Kingdom
Telecommunications policy issues rarely make news, much less mobilize thousands of people. Yet this has been occurring in the United States around efforts to introduce "Net neutrality" regulation. A similar grassroots mobilization has not developed in the United Kingdom or elsewhere in Europe. We develop a comparative analysis of U.S. and UK Net neutrality debates with an eye toward identifying the arguments for and against regulation, how those arguments differ between the countries, and what the implications of those differences are for the Internet. Drawing on mass media, advocacy, and regulatory discourses, we find that local regulatory precedents as well as cultural factors contribute to both agenda setting and framing of Net neutrality. The differences between national discourses provide a way to understand both the structural differences between regulatory cultures and the substantive differences between policy interpretations, both of which must be reconciled for the Internet to continue to thrive as a global medium
Net neutrality discourses: comparing advocacy and regulatory arguments in the United States and the United Kingdom
Telecommunications policy issues rarely make news, much less mobilize thousands of people. Yet this has been occurring in the United States around efforts to introduce "Net neutrality" regulation. A similar grassroots mobilization has not developed in the United Kingdom or elsewhere in Europe. We develop a comparative analysis of U.S. and UK Net neutrality debates with an eye toward identifying the arguments for and against regulation, how those arguments differ between the countries, and what the implications of those differences are for the Internet. Drawing on mass media, advocacy, and regulatory discourses, we find that local regulatory precedents as well as cultural factors contribute to both agenda setting and framing of Net neutrality. The differences between national discourses provide a way to understand both the structural differences between regulatory cultures and the substantive differences between policy interpretations, both of which must be reconciled for the Internet to continue to thrive as a global medium
Using a realist approach to evaluate smoking cessation interventions targeting pregnant women and young people
Background
This paper describes a study protocol designed to evaluate a programme of smoking cessation interventions targeting pregnant women and young people living in urban and rural locations in Northeast Scotland. The study design was developed on so-called 'realist' evaluation principles, which are concerned with the implementation of interventions as well as their outcomes.
Methods/design
A two-phased study was designed based on the Theory of Change (TOC) using mixed methods to assess both process and outcome factors. The study was designed with input from the relevant stakeholders. The mixed-methods approach consists of semi-structured interviews with planners, service providers, service users and non-users. These qualitative interviews will be analysed using a thematic framework approach. The quantitative element of the study will include the analysis of routinely collected data and specific project monitoring data, such as data on service engagement, service use, quit rates and changes in smoking status.
Discussion
The process of involving key stakeholders was conducted using logic modelling and TOC tools. Engaging stakeholders, including those responsible for funding, developing and delivering, and those intended to benefit from interventions aimed at them, in their evaluation design, are considered by many to increase the validity and rigour of the subsequent evidence generated. This study is intended to determine not only the components and processes, but also the possible effectiveness of this set of health interventions, and contribute to the evidence base about smoking cessation interventions aimed at priority groups in Scotland. It is also anticipated that this study will contribute to the ongoing debate about the role and challenges of 'realist' evaluation approaches in general, and the utility of logic modelling and TOC approaches in particular, for evaluation of complex health interventions
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