4,760 research outputs found
Evaluating an implementation programme for medication review with follow-up in community pharmacy using a hybrid effectiveness study design: translating evidence into practice.
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate an implementation programme of a community pharmacy medication review with follow-up (MRF) service using a hybrid effectiveness-implementation study design, and to compare the clinical and humanistic outcomes with those in a previously conducted cluster randomised controlled trial (cRCT). SETTING: Community pharmacies in Spain. PARTICIPANTS: 135 community pharmacies and 222 pharmacists providing MRF to polymedicated patients aged 65 or over. INTERVENTION: The intervention was an implementation programme for the MRF service. A national level group was established, mirrored with a provincial level group. A series of interventions were defined (1) to engage pharmacy owners with the implementation model and (2) to provide training to pharmacists consisting of clinical case studies, process of MRF, communication skills and data collection methods and (3) practice change facilitators. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcomes for the implementation programme were progress, reach, fidelity and integration. The secondary outcomes were number of medications, non-controlled health problems, emergency visits, hospitalisations and health-related quality of life, which were compared with a previous 6-month cluster RCT. RESULTS: 55% of pharmacies reached the implementation phase and 35.6% remained in the testing phase at 12 months. A reach of 89.3% (n=844) was achieved. Fidelity average score was 8.45 (min: 6.2, max: 9.3) out of 10. The integration mean score was 3.39 (SD: 0.72) out of 5. MRF service outcomes were similar to the cluster RCT study; however, the magnitude of the outcomes was delayed. CONCLUSIONS: The implementation of pharmacy services is a complex multifactorial process, conditioned by numerous implementation factors. In the absence of remuneration, the implementation of the MRF service is a slow process, taking at least 12 months to complete. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: CGFTRA-2017-01
Tuning the electronic and magnetic properties of 2D g-GaN by H adsorption: An ab-initio study
We have theoretically studied the structural, electronic and magnetic properties of the hydrogen adsorption on a honeycomb gallium-nitride two-dimensional monolayer (2D g-GaN). Results indicate that the band gap energy can be systematically tuned by the hydrogen coverage on the 2D g-GaN in the diluted limit. In addition, a total magnetic moment can be induced in the 2D g-GaN by hydrogen adsorption due to s-p interaction and band structure effects. Although hydrogen adsorption on top of nitrogen atoms shows the most stable energy in the 2D g-GaN, the most stable ferromagnetism -with a nonzero magnetic moment-is obtained when hydrogen is adsorbed on top of Ga atoms. These results indicate that H adatoms on the 2D g-GaN systems could be a potential candidate for future spintronic applications
Apoptosis of peritoneal leucocytes during early stages of Fasciola hepatica infections in sheep
Several immunomodulatory properties have been described in Fasciola hepatica infections. Apoptosis has been shown to be an effective mechanism to avoid the immune response in helminth infections. The aim of the present work was to study apoptosis in peritoneal leucocytes of sheep experimentally infected with F. hepatica during the early stages of infection. Five groups (n = 5) of sheep were used. Groups 2–5 were orally infected with 200 metacercariae (mc) and sacrificed at 1, 3, 9 and 18 days post-infection (dpi), respectively. Group 1 was used as the uninfected control (UC). Apoptosis was detected using three different methods 1) immunocytochemistry (ICC) with a polyclonal antibody anti-active caspase-3; 2) an annexin V flow cytometry assay using the Annexin V-FITC/propidium iodide (PI); and 3) transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The differential leucocyte count revealed that the majority of peritoneal granulocytes were eosinophils, which increased significantly at 9 and 18 dpi with respect to the uninfected controls. The ICC study revealed that the percentage of caspase-3+ apoptotic peritoneal leucocytes increased significantly from 3 dpi onwards with respect to the uninfected controls. The flow cytometry annexin V assay detected a very significant (P < 0.001) increase of apoptotic peritoneal macrophages, lymphocytes and granulocytes, which remained higher than in the UC until 18 dpi. Transmission electron microscopy studies also confirmed the presence of apoptosis in peritoneal eosinophils at 18 dpi. This is the first report of apoptosis induced by F. hepatica in the peritoneal leucocytes of sheep in vivo. The results of this work suggest the importance of apoptosis induction for the survival of the juvenile parasites in the peritoneal migratory stages of infection.This work was supported by EU grants (H2020-635408-PARAGONE) and the Spanish Ministry of Science grant AGL2015-67023-C2-1-R. The TEM studies were carried out by the Central Research Services (SCAI) of the University of CórdobaAccepted manuscriptVeterinari
Comparative dynamics of peritoneal cell immunophenotypes in sheep during the early and late stages of the infection with Fasciola hepatica by flow cytometric analysis
Background: The peritoneal cell populations (PCP) are thought to play a crucial role during the early immune response
in Fasciola hepatica infection while newly excysted juveniles (NEJ) are migrating in the peritoneal cavity (PC) towards the
liver. In this study, we aimed to determine the immunophenotypes of the PCP and to analyse the dynamics of the
recruitment of the PCP during the early and late stage of the infection in sheep infected with F. hepatica.
Methods: Thirty-seven sheep were divided into three groups: Group 1 (n = 20) and 2 (n = 10) were challenged with
F. hepatica, Group 3 (n = 7) was not infected and remained as uninfected control (UC). After the slaughtering, peritoneal
lavages were carried out to isolate peritoneal cell populations at 1, 3, 9 and 18 days post-infection (dpi) for Group 1 and
at 14 weeks post-infection (wpi) for Group 2 and 3. Flow cytometry was conducted to assess the dynamics of peritoneal
cavity cell populations.
Results: TCD4 cells showed a significant decrease at 1 and 18 dpi when compared to UC; no statistical differences were
detected for TCD8 and WC1+
γδ during the early stage of the infection with respect to the UC. CD14 cells exhibited a
decreasing trend, with a significant decrease at 9 and 18 dpi when compared to the UC. The dynamics of MHCII and
CD83 cells showed a similar increasing pattern from 3 to 18 dpi. During the chronic stage, both TCD4 and TCD8 cells
showed no significant differences when compared to the UC, although a slight but statistically significant higher level of
WC1+
γδ cells was observed. A lower percentage of antigen-presenting cells (APCs) was detected with respect to the UC.
Conclusions: The recruitment of the lymphocytes subsets did not show a significant increase during the course of the
infection and only WC1+
γδ cells displayed a significant increase at the chronic stage. For the CD14, a decreasing trend
was observed during the early stage, which was statistically significant at the chronic stage of the infection. Peritoneal
CD83 and MHCII cells developed an increasing trend during the early stage of infection, and showed a significant
decrease at the late stage of the infection.This study was funded by the European Union Grant H2020-635408- PARAGONE and by National Grant AGL2015-67023-C2-1-R. RPC was supported by an FPU grant of the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport. Funding bodies were neither involved in the design of the study nor in analysis and interpretation of the dataVeterinari
Reply to G. Betts's letter referring to "Serum potassium dynamics during acute heart failure hospitalization".
This work was funded by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness) and cofunded by the European Regional Development Fund, through the CIBER in cardiovascular diseases (CB16/11/00502).S
Lorentz-covariant Hamiltonian analysis of BF gravity with the Immirzi parameter
We perform the Lorentz-covariant Hamiltonian analysis of two Lagrangian
action principles that describe general relativity as a constrained BF theory
and that include the Immirzi parameter. The relation between these two
Lagrangian actions has been already studied through a map among the fields
involved. The main difference between these is the way the Immirzi parameter is
included, since in one of them the Immirzi parameter is included explicitly in
the BF terms, whereas in the other (the CMPR action) it is in the constraint on
the B fields. In this work we continue the analysis of their relationship but
at the Hamiltonian level. Particularly, we are interested in seeing how the
above difference appears in the constraint structure of both action principles.
We find that they both possess the same number of first-class and second-class
constraints and satisfy a very similar (off-shell) Poisson-bracket algebra on
account of the type of canonical variables employed. The two algebras can be
transformed into each other by making a suitable change of variablesComment: LaTeX file, no figure
Edge detection algorithm based on fuzzy logic theory for a local vision system of robocup humanoid league
Este artículo presenta el desarrollo de un algoritmo para la extracción de bordes basado en la teoría de lógica difusa, mediante el cual es posible reconocer las marcas de un campo de juego para la liga humanoide de RoboCup. El algoritmo propuesto describe la creación de un sistema de inferencia difuso que permite evaluar la relación existente entre los pixeles de una imagen, encontrando así las variaciones en los niveles de gris para una vecindad de pixeles específica. Posteriormente se plantea la implementación del método OTSU para binarizar la imagen obtenida en el proceso difuso y así generar una imagen que contiene solo los bordes extraídos, validando el algoritmo en imágenes de la liga humanoide. Luego se analizan los resultados obtenidos evidenciando el buen desempeño del algoritmo, considerando que el tiempo de procesamiento de la propuesta es tan solo el 35% más del tiempo necesario en métodos tradicionales, mientras que los bordes extraídos son unos 52% menos susceptibles al ruido.At this paper we shown the development of an algorithm to perform edges extraction based on fuzzy logic theory. This method allows recognizing landmarks on the game field for Humanoid League of RoboCup. The proposed algorithm describes the creation of a fuzzy inference system that permit evaluate the existent relationship between image pixels, finding variations on grey levels of related neighbor pixels. Subsequently, it shows an implementation of OTSU method to binarize an image that was obtained from fuzzy process and so generate an imagecontaining only extracted edges, validating the algorithm with Humanoid League images. Later, we analyze obtained results that evidence a good performance of algorithm, considering that this proposal only takes an extra 35% processing time that will be required by traditional methods, whereas extracted edges are 52% less noise susceptible
Elevated synaptic vesicle release probability in synaptophysin/gyrin family quadruple knockouts
Synaptophysins 1 and 2 and synaptogyrins 1 and 3 constitute a major family of
synaptic vesicle membrane proteins. Unlike other widely expressed synaptic vesicle proteins such
as vSNAREs and synaptotagmins, the primary function has not been resolved. Here, we report
robust elevation in the probability of release of readily releasable vesicles with both high and low
release probabilities at a variety of synapse types from knockout mice missing all four family
members. Neither the number of readily releasable vesicles, nor the timing of recruitment to the
readily releasable pool was affected. The results suggest that family members serve as negative
regulators of neurotransmission, acting directly at the level of exocytosis to dampen connection
strength selectively when presynaptic action potentials fire at low frequency. The widespread
expression suggests that chemical synapses may play a frequency filtering role in biological
computation that is more elemental than presently envisioned
Evaluation of turbulent dissipation rate retrievals from Doppler Cloud Radar
Turbulent dissipation rate retrievals from cloud radar Doppler velocity measurements are evaluated using independent, in situ observations in Arctic stratocumulus clouds. In situ validation data sets of dissipation rate are derived using sonic anemometer measurements from a tethered balloon and high frequency pressure variation observations from a research aircraft, both flown in proximity to stationary, ground-based radars. Modest biases are found among the data sets in particularly low- or high-turbulence regimes, but in general the radar-retrieved values correspond well with the in situ measurements. Root mean square differences are typically a factor of 4-6 relative to any given magnitude of dissipation rate. These differences are no larger than those found when comparing dissipation rates computed from tetheredballoon and meteorological tower-mounted sonic anemometer measurements made at spatial distances of a few hundred meters. Temporal lag analyses suggest that approximately half of the observed differences are due to spatial sampling considerations, such that the anticipated radar-based retrieval uncertainty is on the order of a factor of 2-3. Moreover, radar retrievals are clearly able to capture the vertical dissipation rate structure observed by the in situ sensors, while offering substantially more information on the time variability of turbulence profiles. Together these evaluations indicate that radar-based retrievals can, at a minimum, be used to determine the vertical structure of turbulence in Arctic stratocumulus clouds
- …