Re-imagining commonly used mobile interfaces for older adults

Many countries have an increasingly ageing population. In recent years, mobile technologies have had a massive impact on social and working lives. As the size of the older user population rises, many people will want to continue professional, social and lifestyle usage of mobiles into 70s and beyond. Mobile technologies can lead to increased community involvement and personal independence. While mobile technologies can provide many opportunities, the ageing process can interfere with their use. This workshop brings together researchers who are re-imagining common mobile interfaces so that they are more suited to use by older adults

Comparative analysis of diagnostic performance, feasibility and cost of different test-methods for thyroid nodules with indeterminate cytology

Since it is impossible to recognize malignancy at fine needle aspiration (FNA) cytology in indeterminate thyroid nodules, surgery is recommended for all of them. However, cancer rate at final histology is < 30%. Many different test-methods have been proposed to increase diagnostic accuracy in such lesions, including Galectin-3-ICC (GAL-3-ICC), BRAF mutation analysis (BRAF), Gene Expression Classifier (GEC) alone and GEC+BRAF, mutation/fusion (M/F) panel, alone, M/F panel+miRNA GEC, and M/F panel by next generation sequencing (NGS), FDG-PET/CT, MIBI-Scan and TSHR mRNA blood assay. We performed systematic reviews and meta-analyses to compare their features, feasibility, diagnostic performance and cost. GEC, GEC+BRAF, M/F panel+miRNA GEC and M/F panel by NGS were the best in ruling-out malignancy (sensitivity = 90%, 89%, 89% and 90% respectively). BRAF and M/F panel alone and by NGS were the best in ruling-in malignancy (specificity = 100%, 93% and 93%). The M/F by NGS showed the highest accuracy (92%) and BRAF the highest diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) (247). GAL-3-ICC performed well as rule-out (sensitivity = 83%) and rule-in test (specificity = 85%), with good accuracy (84%) and high DOR (27) and is one of the cheapest (113 USD) and easiest one to be performed in different clinical settings. In conclusion, the more accurate molecular-based test-methods are still expensive and restricted to few, highly specialized and centralized laboratories. GAL-3-ICC, although limited by some false negatives, represents the most suitable screening test-method to be applied on a large-scale basis in the diagnostic algorithm of indeterminate thyroid lesions

CD4+CD8+ T Cells Represent a Significant Portion of the Anti-HIV T Cell Response to Acute HIV Infection

Previous studies have revealed that HIV infected individuals possess circulating CD4+CD8+ (DP) T-cells specific for HIV antigens. In the present study, we analyzed the proliferation and functional profile of circulating DP T-cells from 30 acutely HIV infected individuals and 10 chronically HIV infected viral controllers. The acutely infected group had DP T-cells which showed more proliferative capability and multifunctionality than both their CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells. DP T-cells were found to exhibit greater proliferation and higher multifunctionality compared to CD4 T-cells in the viral controller group. The DP T-cell response represented 16% of the total anti-HIV proliferative response and greater than 70% of the anti-HIV multifunctional response in the acutely infected subjects. Proliferating DP T-cells of the acutely infected subjects responded to all HIV antigen pools with equal magnitude. Conversely, the multifunctional response was focused on the pool representing Nef, Rev, Tat, VPR and VPU. Meanwhile, the controllers’ DP T-cells focused on Gag and the Nef, Rev, Tat, VPR and VPU pool for both their proliferative and multifunctional responses. Finally, we show that the presence of proliferating DP T-cells following all HIV antigen stimulations is well correlated with proliferating CD4 T-cells while multifunctionality appears to be largely independent of multifunctionality in other T-cell compartments. Therefore, DP T-cells represent a highly reactive cell population during acute HIV infection, which responds independently from the traditional T-cell compartments

Safety and Effectiveness of Central Venous Catheterization in Patients with Cancer: Prospective Observational Study

This study investigated the safety and effectiveness of each type of central venous catheters (CVC) in patients with cancer. We prospectively enrolled patients with cancer who underwent catherization involving a subclavian venous catheter (SVC), peripherally inserted central venous catheter (PICC), or chemo-port (CP) in our department. From March 2007 to March 2009, 116 patients underwent 179 episodes of catherization. A SVC was inserted most frequently (46.4%). Fifty-four complications occurred (30.1%): infection in 23 cases, malpositioning or migration of the tip in 18 cases, thrombosis in eight cases, and bleeding in five cases. Malpositioning or migration of the tip occurred more frequently with a PICC (P<0.001); infection occurred more often with a tunneled catheter (P=0.028) and was observed more often in young patients (P=0.023). The catheter life span was longer for patients with solid cancer (P=0.002) than for those with hematologic cancer, with a CP (P<0.001) than a PICC or SVC, and for an indwelling catheter with image guidance (P=0.014) than a blind procedure. In conclusion, CP is an effective tool for long term use and the fixation of tip is important for the management of PICC

Chapter Ten - Informing marine spatial planning decisions with environmental DNA

Marine management areas provide a key tool for efforts towards sustainable development, reconciling socio-economic goals with those for biodiversity conservation. Decisions about where and when to establish spatial management areas in the oceans are currently hampered by the uncertainties of incomplete, or overly general, information about biodiversity. The analysis of environmental DNA (eDNA) provides a potentially powerful tool to overcome this lack of data in the future. Here we present directions to develop robust approaches to integrate eDNA and spatial planning processes, aiming to provide guidance to underpin tool development. The potential of eDNA use in conservation is widely recognised, although direct applications almost exclusively focus on detection of invasive or threatened species and not spatial management decisions. The implementation of broader interaction between the fields of conservation science and eDNA analysis could create substantial benefits to biodiversity conservation and management. In particular, eDNA analysis can provide information on biodiversity over spatial-temporal scales that are currently prohibitive in spatial planning studies. Here, we provide an overview of how eDNA is currently used in conservation practice, in addition to understanding its limitations and benefits within the context of spatial planning. With the goal to harness rapid technological developments in both molecular and conservation sciences, we provide a horizon scan of the future of eDNA analysis and its application to inform biodiversity conservation in a rapidly changing world

Effects of antiplatelet therapy on stroke risk by brain imaging features of intracerebral haemorrhage and cerebral small vessel diseases: subgroup analyses of the RESTART randomised, open-label trial

Background Findings from the RESTART trial suggest that starting antiplatelet therapy might reduce the risk of recurrent symptomatic intracerebral haemorrhage compared with avoiding antiplatelet therapy. Brain imaging features of intracerebral haemorrhage and cerebral small vessel diseases (such as cerebral microbleeds) are associated with greater risks of recurrent intracerebral haemorrhage. We did subgroup analyses of the RESTART trial to explore whether these brain imaging features modify the effects of antiplatelet therapy

Fixed-dose combination emtricitabine/tenofovir/efavirenz initiated during acute HIV infection; 96-week efficacy and durability

Demonstrate rapid initiation of co-formulated treatment during acute HIV infection (AHI) is feasible and efficacious