Tacrolimus analysis: A comparison of different methods and matrices

We determined the trough blood and plasma concentrations of tacrolimus from the day of transplantation through 30 days posttransplantation in four liver and four kidney transplant patients by three different methods. The first method involved a solid phase extraction of the blood or plasma using Sep-Pak columns (SPs) followed by quantitation of tacrolimus using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA); the second method involved a liquid-liquid extraction using methylene chloride (MC) followed by quantitation of tacrolimus using the ELISA, and the third method involved a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) fractionation of the extract obtained from the solid-phase extraction and quantitation of tacrolimus in the fractions by ELISA. The trough plasma tacrolimus concentrations ranged from 0.1 to 5.2 ng/ml. While the trough plasma concentrations of tacrolimus were similar and independent of the method of analysis in kidney transplant patients and in liver transplant patients with normal biochemical profile, in patients with liver dysfunction, tacrolimus plasma concentrations were higher when measured by SP-ELISA and MC-ELISA methods as compared to the HPLC-ELISA method. In plasma samples obtained from liver transplant patients with liver dysfunction, the presence of some metabolites that cross-reacted with the antibody used in the ELISA could be documented in the HPLC fraction corresponding to the metabolites. This indicates that while tacrolimus metabolites that cross-react significantly with the antibody used in the ELISA do not accumulate in kidney transplant patients, they can appear in the plasma of patients with liver dysfunction. The trough blood tacrolimus concentrations in patients were significantly higher than the corresponding plasma concentrations and ranged from 1.4 to 107 ng/ml. The trough blood tacrolimus concentrations were similar and independent of the method of analysis in kidney and liver transplant patients, suggesting unchanged tacrolimus to be the major component in the blood. The HPLC fractions corresponding to the metabolites of tacrolimus did not contain any components that cross-reacted with the antibody used. This study documents that the methods used in this study for the analysis of blood concentrations of tacrolimus appear to be specific for the parent tacrolimus and can be used in future pharmacokinetic and clinical studies. © 1995 Raven Press, Ltd., New York

Keep Exploring, Sharing, and Tweeting: Connecting Millennials, Social Media and Destination Canada’s Brand

Social media has become a powerful influencer in its ability to sway customer intentions and behaviors in an online setting. Given the importance of social media and its users in acting as information spreaders and disseminators, particularly in the context of global tourism, the goal of this research is to profile and/or understand youth travellers within the context of their social media behaviour. Using latent class analysis which helps to identify unobserved subgroups within a population, this study utilizes the rich dataset offered by Destination Canada which gives valuable traveler-focused information across the globe, including Brazil, China, Australia, Germany, South Korea, United Kingdom, and more. The results of this quantitative analysis reveal important differences based on age, explorer types and lifestyles, and geographic location as it relates to Canadian travel behaviors. By understanding what motivates these millennial-aged travelers particularly, destinations can create an environment where their actions are better anticipated and encouraged. The contribution of this original research is an empirically-informed view of how travelers share their experiences via social media

Interactive Digital Music: Enhancing Listener Engagement with Commercial Music

Listeners have long been inspired to interact with music and create new representations of popular releases. Vinyl offered many opportunities to reappropriate chart music, from scratching and tempo manipulation to mixing multiple songs together. More recently, artists could engage their audience to interact with their music by offering mix-stems online for experimentation and sharing. With the extended processing power of mobile devices, the opportunities for interactive music are dramatically increasing. This paper presents research that demonstrates a novel approach to interactive digital music. The research looks at the emergent format of the album app and extends existing paradigms of interactive music playback. The novel album app designed in this research presents a new opportunity for listeners to engage with recorded content by allowing them to explore alternative takes, renditions of a given song in multiple genres, and by allowing direct interaction with embedded mix-stems. The resultant audio remains true to the artist and producer’s studio vision; it is user-influenced, but machine-controlled. The research is conducted in collaboration with artist Daisy and The Dark and was funded by the UK Arts and Humanities Research Council

From Hashtags to Shopping Bags: Measuring the Rise of eWOM through Social Media and its Impact on Travelers’ Shopping Patterns

The rise of the Internet and the proliferation of social media has amplified the importance of understanding the consumer decision-making process. Not surprisingly, travel industry marketers are devoting greater portions of their marketing budgets towards harnessing the power of social media and electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) as a tool to influence consumer preferences. Yet, to accomplish this goal, marketers need to understand that people differ in their motivation to spread eWOM through social media, and there exists a crucial distinction between organic (consumer-initiated) versus incentivized (company-promoted) eWOM. Therefore, the objective of this study is to draw insights from the nascent eWOM literature and interviews with cross-border travelers to investigate heterogeneity in social media use and the differential impact on travel-related intentions and behaviours. Using a conceptual mapping methodology, our preliminary findings demonstrate patterns of social, opinion forming, and trip planning aspects. Implications for marketers are discussed

Comparing Online and Offline Knowledge Networks of Carbon Capture and Storage

© 2017 The Authors. This paper examines the complex ecosystem of organisations involved in the proposed role out of carbon capture and storage (CCS) in the UK. Through analysis of interview and twitter data, it focuses on the flow of knowledge flows within online and offline networks, highlighting how in this case, CCS retains a niche audience, with communication and information flows concentrated with industry and stakeholder networks at a local and regional scale, as opposed to reaching broader national policy makers, and the wider publics. This brings a unique insight into the construction of networks across intersecting sectors of this critical technology and highlights how for successful implementation CCS, actors may need to reach out beyond their existing network

Developing interventions to address sexuality after stroke: Findings from a four-panel modified delphi study

© 2019 Foundation of Rehabilitation Information. Background: Although stroke has a profound impact on sexuality there are limited evidence-based interventions to support rehabilitation professionals in this area. The aim of the current research was to prioritize content areas and approaches to sexual rehabilitation from the perspective of stroke survivors, their partners, stroke rehabilitation clinicians and researchers. Methods: A 2-step online Delphi method was used to prioritize the content of, and approaches to, sexual rehabilitation with stroke survivors, their partners, stroke rehabilitation clinicians and researchers. Results: Stroke survivors (n=30), their partners (n=18), clinicians and researchers in stroke rehabilitation (n=45) completed at least 1 of 2 investigator-developed surveys. Participants prioritized 18 core content areas for inclusion in sexual rehabilitation following stroke with a high degree of consensus. Another 27 content areas were considered moderately important. There was strong consensus that sexual rehabilitation should be offered in the subacute and chronic phases of stroke recovery. Participants would prefer health professionals to deliver the intervention face-to-face. Conclusion: This study presents opinions from stroke survivors, partners of stroke survivors, clinicians and researchers. The information about content, timing and mode of delivery will be used to develop and evaluate a comprehensive sexuality rehabilitation programme

Experiences of intensive home treatment for a mental health crisis during the perinatal period: A UK qualitative study

Some women with severe perinatal mental health difficulties in England are cared for by acute home treatment services, known as Crisis Resolution Teams (CRTs), which provide short-term home-based treatment for adults experiencing a mental health crisis. Intensive home treatment has been trialed in a number of countries, but it is not known how well suited it is to the needs of perinatal women. This qualitative study aimed to explore how women and practitioners experience the provision of intensive home treatment for perinatal mental health problems. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with women who had received intensive home treatment in the perinatal period (n = 15), and focus groups were held with practitioners working in CRTs or in specialist perinatal mental health services (3 groups, n = 25). Data were analysed thematically. Women commonly found intensive home treatment problematic, experiencing it as intrusive and heavily risk-focused, with poor staff continuity and little tailoring to the perinatal context. However, women valued emotional support when provided, particularly when it had a perinatal focus, sometimes based on practitioners sharing their own experiences. Some women also appreciated avoiding hospital admission, but choice was often limited. Practitioners reported a lack of perinatal training among CRT staff and described difficulties tailoring treatment to perinatal women's needs. Currently, intensive home treatment, as offered by CRTs, may not be well suited to women with perinatal mental health difficulties. Findings suggest a need to develop community crisis responses that are better tailored to the needs of this population