11,849 research outputs found
Gray-matter volume, midbrain dopamine D2/D3 receptors and drug craving in methamphetamine users.
Dysfunction of the mesocorticolimbic system has a critical role in clinical features of addiction. Despite evidence suggesting that midbrain dopamine receptors influence amphetamine-induced dopamine release and that dopamine is involved in methamphetamine-induced neurotoxicity, associations between dopamine receptors and gray-matter volume have been unexplored in methamphetamine users. Here we used magnetic resonance imaging and [(18)F]fallypride positron emission tomography, respectively, to measure gray-matter volume (in 58 methamphetamine users) and dopamine D2/D3 receptor availability (binding potential relative to nondisplaceable uptake of the radiotracer, BPnd) (in 31 methamphetamine users and 37 control participants). Relationships between these measures and self-reported drug craving were examined. Although no difference in midbrain D2/D3 BPnd was detected between methamphetamine and control groups, midbrain D2/D3 BPnd was positively correlated with gray-matter volume in the striatum, prefrontal cortex, insula, hippocampus and temporal cortex in methamphetamine users, but not in control participants (group-by-midbrain D2/D3 BPnd interaction, P<0.05 corrected for multiple comparisons). Craving for methamphetamine was negatively associated with gray-matter volume in the insula, prefrontal cortex, amygdala, temporal cortex, occipital cortex, cerebellum and thalamus (P<0.05 corrected for multiple comparisons). A relationship between midbrain D2/D3 BPnd and methamphetamine craving was not detected. Lower midbrain D2/D3 BPnd may increase vulnerability to deficits in gray-matter volume in mesocorticolimbic circuitry in methamphetamine users, possibly reflecting greater dopamine-induced toxicity. Identifying factors that influence prefrontal and limbic volume, such as midbrain BPnd, may be important for understanding the basis of drug craving, a key factor in the maintenance of substance-use disorders
The reasons for the decline of festival attendees and the link to audience satisfaction
While Wintec starts international student program, it is offering valuable opportunities to acquaint people with other cultures. Festivals celebration on campus often provides a dominant position for diversity groups communicating. The Chinese Festival Celebration reflects the dynamic of New Zealand society in general. These developments are so encouraging of promising international Chinese student outside China begin to cheer and advocate that the festival celebration held jointly by Chinese and non-Chinese. It helped more and more non-Chinese to understand Chinese culture. Over the years many of the records of this bygone era have been lost to them. Chinese culture should be keep explored and maintain enthusiasm for history to bring back these nearly forgotten arts. With this in mind, the researcher was undertaken Chinese cultural events in China to examine the similarities and differences that applied in New Zealand. This report illuminates the perspective of people (international visitors and students) coming from China and other countries towards their expectations. This report presents the results of a quantitative survey conducted, and qualitative interviews to gain a better analysis that investigating the challenges faced by the relationship between quality, satisfaction and the likelihood that would affect attendeesâ repeat visit intent. The report provided an overview that how Chinese cultural event in China, also contrast the differences and similarities that applied in New Zealand stage
Effects of weight loss interventions for adults who are obese on mortality, cardiovascular disease and cancer : a systematic review and meta-analysis
We thank Associate Professor Andrew Grey for helping to resolve discrepancies in data extraction and interpretation for cardiovascular events and cancer events. We thank trialists from 16 studies for clarifying or providing additional information for this review [Andrews 2011, Aveyard 2016, Bennett 2012, de Vos 2014, Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study 2009, Goodwin 2014, Green 2015, Horie 2016, Hunt (FFIT) 2014, Katula 2013, Li (Da Qing) 2014, Logue 2005, Ma 2013, OâNeil 2016, Rejeski (CLIP) 2011, Uusitupa 1993] and also others who provided information, but their trials were later found not to fulfil our inclusion criteria. Funding: The Health Services Research Unit is funded by the Chief Scientist Office of the Scottish Government Health and Social Care Directorate.Peer reviewedPublisher PD
Robust Multi-Image HDR Reconstruction for the Modulo Camera
Photographing scenes with high dynamic range (HDR) poses great challenges to
consumer cameras with their limited sensor bit depth. To address this, Zhao et
al. recently proposed a novel sensor concept - the modulo camera - which
captures the least significant bits of the recorded scene instead of going into
saturation. Similar to conventional pipelines, HDR images can be reconstructed
from multiple exposures, but significantly fewer images are needed than with a
typical saturating sensor. While the concept is appealing, we show that the
original reconstruction approach assumes noise-free measurements and quickly
breaks down otherwise. To address this, we propose a novel reconstruction
algorithm that is robust to image noise and produces significantly fewer
artifacts. We theoretically analyze correctness as well as limitations, and
show that our approach significantly outperforms the baseline on real data.Comment: to appear at the 39th German Conference on Pattern Recognition (GCPR)
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Telmisartan Tablets Repackaged into Dose Administration Aids: Physicochemical Stability under Tropical Conditions
Dose administration aids (DAAs) are commonly used to assist patients with chronic disease to manage multiple medications and thus improve adherence. Several brands of telmisartan, commonly prescribed for hypertension, are available in Australia. Manufacturerâs storage advice is to leave tablets in the blister strip until administered to patients. This study aimed to investigate the stability of telmisartan tablets when repackaged and stored in DAAs, to identify a brand, which is sufficiently stable to be repackaged. All available brands of telmisartan tablets in Australia, which contain different excipients, were repackaged into DAAs and stored at 30 °C, 75% RH for 28 days before screening, using visual inspection and physical testing. A candidate brand was then selected for physicochemical and photostability testing using pharmacopoeial methods. Repackaged MizartÂź tablets were shown to be sufficiently stable, when repackaged and stored under tropical conditions (30 °C, 75% RH) for 28 days. Several of the other brands were deemed inappropriate for repackaging, due to physical instability, highlighting the importance of considering not only the drug, but also excipients to ensure the stability of repackaged medicines. Although the repackaging of telmisartan tablets is not advised, this study provides evidence to support the MizartÂź brand as an option for pharmacists to recommend for repackaging
Bait uptake by wild badgers and its implications for oral vaccination against tuberculosis
This is the final version. Available from Public Library of Science via the DOI in this record.Data Availability: All relevant data are within the paper and its Supporting Information files.The deployment of baits containing vaccines or toxins has been used successfully in the management of wildlife populations, including for disease control. Optimisation of deployment strategies seeks to maximise uptake by the targeted population whilst ensuring cost-effectiveness. Tuberculosis (TB) caused by infection with Mycobacterium bovis affects a broad range of mammalian hosts across the globe, including cattle, wildlife and humans. The control of TB in cattle in the UK and Republic of Ireland is hampered by persistent infection in European badgers (Meles meles). The present study aimed to determine the best strategy for maximising uptake of an oral vaccine by wild badgers, using a surrogate novel bait deployed at 40 badger social groups. Baits contained a blood-borne biomarker (Iophenoxic Acid, IPA) in order to measure consumption in badgers subsequently cage trapped at targeted setts. Evidence for the consumption of bait was found in 83% (199/240) of captured badgers. The probability that badgers had consumed at least one bait (IPA >10 ÎŒg ml-1) was significantly higher following deployment in spring than in summer. Lower uptake amongst social groups where more badgers were captured, suggested competition for baits. The probability of bait consumption was significantly higher at groups where main and outlier setts were provided with baits than at those where outliers were present but not baited. Badgers captured 10â14 days post bait feeding had significantly higher levels of bait uptake compared to those caught 24â28 days later. Uptake rates did not vary significantly in relation to badger age and whether bait was placed above ground or down setts. This study suggests that high levels of bait uptake can be achieved in wild badger populations and identifies factors influencing the potential success of different deployment strategies. The implications for the development of an oral badger vaccine are discussed.Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA
Sclero-conjunctival ischaemia secondary to intra-arterial chemotherapy for retinoblastoma
PURPOSE
Intra-arterial chemotherapy (IAC), delivered directly to the globe via the internal carotid artery is now an established treatment for retinoblastoma. We report a case of anterior segment ischaemia following treatment with multiple intra-arterial chemotherapy (IAC) infusions.
OBSERVATIONS
A 5 month old female presented with bilateral retinoblastoma and was treated with 12 infusions of IAC. Her right eye was enucleated at diagnosis. After her seventh IAC treatment, she developed ipsilateral sixth and third cranial nerve palsies. After the twelfth IAC, she developed an area of conjunctival and scleral ischaemia between 12 and 3 o'clock meridians in her left eye. However, she maintained visual acuity of LogMAR 0.34.
CONCLUSIONS AND IMPORTANCE
The median number of IAC treatments in large studies is three. It is possible that repeated doses of IAC have an accumulative negative effect on the ocular blood supply, risking anterior segment and neurologic sequelae. This case highlights the significant challenge of balancing the salvage of eyes and vision with the potentially significant morbidity associated with IAC
The Bias and Mass Function of Dark Matter Halos in Non-Markovian Extension of the Excursion Set Theory
The excursion set theory based on spherical or ellipsoidal gravitational
collapse provides an elegant analytic framework for calculating the mass
function and the large-scale bias of dark matter haloes. This theory assumes
that the perturbed density field evolves stochastically with the smoothing
scale and exhibits Markovian random walks in the presence of a density barrier.
Here we derive an analytic expression for the halo bias in a new theoretical
model that incorporates non-Markovian extension of the excursion set theory
with a stochastic barrier. This model allows us to handle non-Markovian random
walks and to calculate perturbativly these corrections to the standard
Markovian predictions for the halo mass function and halo bias. Our model
contains only two parameters: kappa, which parameterizes the degree of
non-Markovianity and whose exact value depends on the shape of the filter
function used to smooth the density field, and a, which parameterizes the
degree of stochasticity of the barrier. Appropriate choices of kappa and a in
our new model can lead to a closer match to both the halo mass function and
halo bias in the latest N-body simulations than the standard excursion set
theory.Comment: 10 pages, 1 figure, MNRAS, in press. Minor change
The Large Scale Bias of Dark Matter Halos: Numerical Calibration and Model Tests
We measure the clustering of dark matter halos in a large set of
collisionless cosmological simulations of the flat LCDM cosmology. Halos are
identified using the spherical overdensity algorithm, which finds the mass
around isolated peaks in the density field such that the mean density is Delta
times the background. We calibrate fitting functions for the large scale bias
that are adaptable to any value of Delta we examine. We find a ~6% scatter
about our best fit bias relation. Our fitting functions couple to the halo mass
functions of Tinker et. al. (2008) such that bias of all dark matter is
normalized to unity. We demonstrate that the bias of massive, rare halos is
higher than that predicted in the modified ellipsoidal collapse model of Sheth,
Mo, & Tormen (2001), and approaches the predictions of the spherical collapse
model for the rarest halos. Halo bias results based on friends-of-friends halos
identified with linking length 0.2 are systematically lower than for halos with
the canonical Delta=200 overdensity by ~10%. In contrast to our previous
results on the mass function, we find that the universal bias function evolves
very weakly with redshift, if at all. We use our numerical results, both for
the mass function and the bias relation, to test the peak-background split
model for halo bias. We find that the peak-background split achieves a
reasonable agreement with the numerical results, but ~20% residuals remain,
both at high and low masses.Comment: 11 pages, submitted to ApJ, revised to include referee's coment
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