Short-Term Follow-Up of Oropharyngeal Dysphagia in a Patient with Multiple System Atrophy

Purpose: Dysphagia is a common symptom of Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) and may lead to fatal consequences. Various stages of swallowing were examined to enhance knowledge of swallowing dysfunction and its progression in patients with MSA. Another purpose of this study was to gain insight into what stages of swallowing the dysfunction primarily occurs. Method: The swallows of two patients were examined in the temporal measurements of oral transit time (OTT), pharyngeal transit time (PTT), upper esophageal sphincter (UES), initiation of laryngeal closure (ILC), and laryngeal closure duration (LCD). Each temporal measurement was examined in three different consistencies: thin, thick, and puree. Each consistency was five milliliters. The normal patient’s temporal measurements were recorded once, and the patient with MSA’s temporal measurements were recorded in both an initial and follow-up evaluation, with three months in between measurements. A videoflurosopic study was used to collect quantitative data in seconds and milliseconds on each patient’s swallows. Results: There were significant differences and trends in temporal measurements when comparing normal data to results from the evaluation of the patient with MSA. There were also trends in regard to the consistency that was being swallowed. Overall, OTT and PTT showed increases from the initial to the follow-up evaluation. UES showed the smallest amount of change across evaluation and consistencies, but there were still increases as evaluations were made and MSA progressed. ILC was longest in the follow-up evaluation for all consistencies. LCD was found to increase from the normal to initial evaluation but decreased from the initial to follow-up evaluation for thick and puree consistencies. Conclusion: The progression of MSA affects many aspects of swallowing. Some of these effects and changes can contribute to an unsafe swallow and possibly aspiration. However, some processes of swallowing adjust to compensate for losses in other areas. Understanding how swallowing progresses in patients with MSA can be beneficial for determining adequate treatment and management of this neurodegenerative disorder.https://ir.library.illinoisstate.edu/urs2021csd/1000/thumbnail.jp

Challenges and solutions for allogeneic cell therapy manufacturing

Development of a scalable and robust manufacturing process will be critical for successful commercialization of an allogeneic cell therapy product. However, the biological characteristics of anchorage-dependent cells and the process requirements for mass production of living human cells as a final product create different challenges compared to traditional biotech manufacturing. This presentation will discuss some of these challenges and potential solutions, particularly those that relate to manufacturing of allogeneic cell therapy products at larger volumetric scales. Single-use bioreactors have the potential to be the optimal technology for scalable and costeffective manufacturing of therapeutic cells. However, cell expansion and differentiation processes involving large suspended particles, such as cell aggregates or microcarriers with attached cells, are significantly affected by a bioreactor’s hydrodynamic conditions. The intensity and distribution of conditions such as fluid flow, turbulent energy dissipation rate, and shear forces will influence the quality and quantity of cells. A bioreactor that is capable of creating optimal conditions at small scale during process development and then consistently replicating those conditions at larger scales will be a key enabling technology. Maintaining optimal growth parameters for therapeutic cells during scale up in bioreactors is another critical challenge. In particular, providing sufficient dissolved oxygen and maintaining optimal pH for large-scale cell culture processes will be essential to maximizing cell yield and quality. For recombinant protein manufacturing processes, gas is sparged directly into fluid and anti-foaming agents are added, as such chemicals can be removed during extensive downstream purification steps. In contrast, therapeutic cells are the final product and are more susceptible to shear damage from bursting bubbles, and it would be difficult to remove hydrophobic anti-foaming chemicals from cell membranes through simple buffer washes. Any potential solution for large-scale oxygenation and removal of pCO2 from a bioreactor will likely seek to avoid exposing cells to sparging or foreign chemical contaminants. The process duration and conditions of exchanging spent medium in a bioreactor at larger scales is another potential bottleneck for allogeneic cell therapy manufacturing. Complete and rapid medium exchange is especially crucial for differentiation processes in order to minimize unwanted heterogeneous differentiation of cells. Pausing agitation and allowing cell aggregates or microcarriers to settle in order to remove supernatant and replenish new medium becomes a less desirable option at larger scales due to prolonged processing times and undesirable conditions which can negatively impact cell viability, yield, and quality. The optimal solution will minimize the amount of leftover medium and the time for cells to be transferred into new medium. A final challenge to consider is large scale dissociation of cell aggregates into single cells, or cells from surfaces of microcarriers, for serial passaging or harvesting. Addition of enzymes along with a temporary increase in impeller agitation speed are typically performed to facilitate separation. Depending on a bioreactor’s mixing characteristics, the agitation required to efficiently dissociate considerable quantities of cells at larger volumes may also increase the likelihood of damage to cells. A bioreactor and methodology that can minimize potential harm to cells during dissociation processes are desirable solutions. Ultimately, all of these presented manufacturing process challenges will need to be addressed in order to scale up allogeneic cell therapy products from research and development to clinical and commercial production

Challenges and solutions for allogeneic cell therapy manufacturing

Development of a scalable and robust manufacturing process will be critical for successful commercialization of an allogeneic cell therapy product. However, the biological characteristics of anchorage-dependent cells and the process requirements for mass production of living human cells as a final product create different challenges compared to traditional biotech manufacturing. This presentation will discuss some of these challenges and potential solutions, particularly those that relate to manufacturing of allogeneic cell therapy products at larger volumetric scales. Single-use bioreactors have the potential to be the optimal technology for scalable and cost-effective manufacturing of therapeutic cells. However, cell expansion and differentiation processes involving large suspended particles, such as cell aggregates or microcarriers with attached cells, are significantly affected by a bioreactor’s hydrodynamic conditions. The intensity and distribution of conditions such as fluid flow, turbulent energy dissipation rate, and shear forces will influence the quality and quantity of cells. A bioreactor that is capable of creating optimal conditions at small scale during process development and then consistently replicating those conditions at larger scales will be a key enabling technology. Maintaining optimal growth parameters for therapeutic cells during scale up in bioreactors is another critical challenge. In particular, providing sufficient dissolved oxygen and maintaining optimal pH for large-scale cell culture processes will be essential to maximizing cell yield and quality. For recombinant protein manufacturing processes, gas is sparged directly into fluid and anti-foaming agents are added, as such chemicals can be removed during extensive downstream purification steps. In contrast, therapeutic cells are the final product and are more susceptible to shear damage from bursting bubbles, and it would be difficult to remove hydrophobic anti-foaming chemicals from cell membranes through simple buffer washes. Any potential solution for large-scale oxygenation and removal of pCO2 from a bioreactor will likely seek to avoid exposing cells to sparging or foreign chemical contaminants. The process duration and conditions of exchanging spent medium in a bioreactor at larger scales is another potential bottleneck for allogeneic cell therapy manufacturing. Complete and rapid medium exchange is especially crucial for differentiation processes in order to minimize unwanted heterogeneous differentiation of cells. Pausing agitation and allowing cell aggregates or microcarriers to settle in order to remove supernatant and replenish new medium becomes a less desirable option at larger scales due to prolonged processing times and undesirable conditions which can negatively impact cell viability, yield, and quality. The optimal solution will minimize the amount of leftover medium and the time for cells to be transferred into new medium. A final challenge to consider is large scale dissociation of cell aggregates into single cells, or cells from surfaces of microcarriers, for serial passaging or harvesting. Addition of enzymes along with a temporary increase in impeller agitation speed are typically performed to facilitate separation. Depending on a bioreactor’s mixing characteristics, the agitation required to efficiently dissociate considerable quantities of cells at larger volumes may also increase the likelihood of damage to cells. A bioreactor and methodology that can minimize potential harm to cells during dissociation processes are desirable solutions. Ultimately, all of these presented manufacturing process challenges will need to be addressed in order to scale up allogeneic cell therapy products from research and development to clinical and commercial production

Socio-Ecological Interactions Promote Outbreaks of a Harmful Invasive Plant in an Urban Landscape

Urban landscapes often harbour organisms that harm people and threaten native biodiversity. These landscapes are characterized by differences in socioeconomic context, habitat suitability and patch connectedness. Identifying which spatial differences enable outbreaks of pests, pathogens and invasive species will improve targeted control efforts. We tested hypotheses to explain the distribution and demography of puncturevine Tribulus terrestris, a human-dispersed invasive plant in Boise, a city in the western United States. We hypothesized an increase in puncturevine infestations near low-valued properties with a high proportion of bare ground, the species\u27 preferred microhabitat, that are well connected on the urban road network. To test these hypotheses, we collected data on the abundance, emergence and persistence of reproductive plants in transects spanning \u3e100 km of our study city. We then used hierarchical Bayesian models to evaluate the impacts of spatial covariates on puncturevine distribution and demography. Bare ground cover consistently increased abundance, emergence and persistence of puncturevine, indicating the overarching importance of suitable establishment sites for this invasive species. Property value had the strongest impact on puncturevine abundance and was the most important main effect in the model for puncturevine emergence. In both models, lower-valued properties had a higher risk of puncturevine occurrence. The effects of road network connectivity depended on bare ground cover, with the highest predicted abundance and emergence of puncturevine in patches with low connectivity on the road network and high bare ground cover. Understanding these relationships will require data that can disentangle seed dispersal from establishment limitations

Prevention and Replacement of Challenging Behaviors in Young Children (OPEN)

This presentation will provide caregivers, teachers, and therapists of young children with a function-based planning tool for use in developing a plan of action for frequent child behavior problems. Through the use of the Brief Behavior Questionnaire and Intervention Plan (BBQuIP) tool, attendees will be able to better understand what a child is communicating through his or her behavior, and to devise strategies in order to prevent and replace target behaviors by teaching the child function-specific skills. Participants will leave will leave the workshop with a behavior intervention plan and additional resources

Flourishing, languishing and moderate mental health: prevalence and change in mental health during recovery from drug and alcohol problems

The aim was to explore the utility of Keyes\u27 concept of mental health in a substance addiction context. Mental health is considered the presence of emotional wellbeing in conjunction with high levels of social and psychological functioning. Using Keyes\u27 measure, the frequency of languishing and flourishing is compared between clients who became abstinent and those continuing to use substances following treatment. It was hypothesised that there would be a significant interaction between substance use and levels of mental health over time. Participants were 794 individuals (79.5% male) attending residential substance abuse treatment provided by The Australian Salvation Army. The current sample was drawn from a larger longitudinal study evaluating routine client outcomes. At entry to treatment there were higher rates of languishing compared to population estimates, yet greater rates of flourishing at all time points compared to community normative data. There was a significant interaction between continuous mental health and substance use status. Mental health was rated significantly higher by individuals who were abstinent than those who had used substances at 3-month post-discharge follow-up. The comorbidity of mental illness and substance misuse has previously been investigated, but this is the first study to investigate the prevalence of mental health. While participants who remained abstinent achieved the highest levels of flourishing, at follow-up there were lower rates of languishing than found in a general community sample. Additionally, results suggested that improved mental health was a consequence of reduced severity of alcohol and other drug abuse, and followed reductions in cravings

Community participation and mental health prior to treatment

The purpose of this paper is to investigate Keyes’ (2007) model of mental health, the presence (flourishing) or absence (languishing) of social, emotional and psychological wellbeing, in the context of drug and alcohol misuse and the frequency and pattern of community participation (engaging in society)

Relational complexity influences analogical reasoning ability

Summary: Human language without analogy is like a zebra without stripes. The ability to understand analogies, or to engage in relational reasoning, has been argued to be an important distinction between the cognitive abilities of human and non-human animals. Current studies have failed to robustly show that animals can perform more complex, relational discriminations, in part because such tests rely on linguistic or symbolic experiences, and therefore are not suitable for evaluating analogical reasoning in animals. We report on a methodological approach allowing for direct comparisons of analogical reasoning ability across species. We show that human participants spontaneously make analogical discriminations with minimal verbal instructions, and that the ability to reason analogically is affected by analogical complexity. Furthermore, performance on our task correlated with participants’ fluid intelligence scores. These results show the nuance of analogical reasoning abilities by humans, and provide a means of robustly comparing this capacity across species

Positive Behavior and Visual Supports for Young Children with Autism

The Positive Behavior and Visual Supports (PBVS) project was designed as a 5-session home-based program to complement services provided by Babies Can’t Wait. The curriculum is as a Tier 3 targeted intervention for children with autism developed by the Center for Leadership in Disability at Georgia State University. This presentation will include an overview and discussion of project goals and objectives as well as an in-depth orientation to the use of visual supports and positive behavior strategies to improve communication and social and behavioral development. Participants will be provided with a structured approach to behavior intervention training for caregivers and family members of children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ages 1-3 years old) in home-based settings. Emphasis will be placed on the identification and use of family strengths, training in research-supported behavior assessment and intervention strategies, and the use of visual supports in the establishment of functional child routines. Participants will learn how to help caregivers better understand what their child is communicating through his or her behavior, as well as, how to teach and reinforce more appropriate forms of child communication. Attendees will be informed of the preliminary findings and lessons learned related to the implementation of the PBVS across the state of Georgia. Next steps for the project will be discussed

Flourishing, languishing and moderate mental health: Prevalence and change in mental health during recovery from drug and alcohol problems

The aim was to explore the utility of Keyes’ concept of mental health in a substance addiction context. Mental health is considered the presence of emotional wellbeing in conjunction with high levels of social and psychological functioning. Using Keyes' measure, the frequency of languishing and flourishing is compared between clients who became abstinent and those continuing to use substances following treatment. It was hypothesised that there would be a significant interaction between substance use and levels of mental health over time. Participants were 794 individuals (79.5% male) attending residential substance abuse treatment provided by The Australian Salvation Army. The current sample was drawn from a larger longitudinal study evaluating routine client outcomes. At entry to treatment there were higher rates of languishing compared to population estimates, yet greater rates of flourishing at all time points compared to community normative data. There was a significant interaction between continuous mental health and substance use status. Mental health was rated significantly higher by individuals who were abstinent than those who had used substances at 3-month post-discharge follow-up. The comorbidity of mental illness and substance misuse has previously been investigated, but this is the first study to investigate the prevalence of mental health. While participants who remained abstinent achieved the highest levels of flourishing, at follow-up there were lower rates of languishing than found in a general community sample. Additionally, results suggested that improved mental health was a consequence of reduced severity of alcohol and other drug abuse, and followed reductions in cravings