581 research outputs found

    Development of a technology adoption and usage prediction tool for assistive technology for people with dementia

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    This article is available open access through the publisher’s website at the link below. Copyright @ The Authors 2013.In the current work, data gleaned from an assistive technology (reminding technology), which has been evaluated with people with Dementia over a period of several years was retrospectively studied to extract the factors that contributed to successful adoption. The aim was to develop a prediction model with the capability of prospectively assessing whether the assistive technology would be suitable for persons with Dementia (and their carer), based on user characteristics, needs and perceptions. Such a prediction tool has the ability to empower a formal carer to assess, through a very limited amount of questions, whether the technology will be adopted and used.EPSR

    Changes of SERCA activity have only modest effects on sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ content in rat ventricular myocytes

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    ABSTRACT: Changes of the activity of the sarco-endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase (SERCA) affect the amplitude of the systolic Ca(2+) transient and thence cardiac contractility. This is thought to be due to alterations of SR Ca(2+) content. Recent work on mice in which the expression of SERCA is decreased found that a large reduction of SERCA expression resulted in a proportionately much smaller decrease of SR Ca(2+) content. The aim of the current work was to investigate the quantitative nature of the dependence of both the amplitude of the systolic Ca(2+) transient and SR Ca(2+) content on SERCA activity during acute partial inhibition of SERCA. Experiments were performed on rat ventricular myocytes. Brief application of thapsigargin (1 μm) resulted in a decrease of SERCA activity as measured from the rate of decay of the systolic Ca(2+) transient. This was accompanied by a decrease in the amplitude of the systolic Ca(2+) transient which was linearly related to that of SERCA activity. However, the fractional decrease in the SR Ca(2+) content was much less than that of SERCA activity. On average SR Ca(2+) content was proportional to SERCA activity raised to the 0.38 ± 0.07 power. This shallow dependence of SR content on SERCA activity arises because Ca(2+) release is a steep function of SR Ca(2+) content. In contrast SR Ca(2+) content was increased 4.59 ± 0.40 (n = 8)-fold by decreasing ryanodine receptor opening with tetracaine (1 mm). Therefore a modest decrease of SR Ca(2+) content results in a proportionately larger fall of Ca(2+) release from the SR which can balance a larger initiating decrease of SERCA. In conclusion, the shallow dependence of SR Ca(2+) content on SERCA activity is expected for a system in which small changes of SR Ca(2+) content produce larger effects on the amplitude of the systolic Ca(2+) transient

    Boosting Long-term Memory via Wakeful Rest: Intentional Rehearsal is not Necessary, Automatic Consolidation is Sufficient.

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    <div><p>People perform better on tests of delayed free recall if learning is followed immediately by a short wakeful rest than by a short period of sensory stimulation. Animal and human work suggests that wakeful resting provides optimal conditions for the consolidation of recently acquired memories. However, an alternative account cannot be ruled out, namely that wakeful resting provides optimal conditions for intentional rehearsal of recently acquired memories, thus driving superior memory. Here we utilised non-recallable words to examine whether wakeful rest boosts long-term memory, even when new memories could not be rehearsed intentionally during the wakeful rest delay. The probing of non-recallable words requires a recognition paradigm. Therefore, we first established, via Experiment 1, that the rest-induced boost in memory observed via free recall can be replicated in a recognition paradigm, using concrete nouns. In Experiment 2, participants heard 30 non-recallable non-words, presented as ‘foreign names in a bridge club abroad’ and then either rested wakefully or played a visual spot-the-difference game for 10 minutes. Retention was probed via recognition at two time points, 15 minutes and 7 days after presentation. As in Experiment 1, wakeful rest boosted recognition significantly, and this boost was maintained for at least 7 days. Our results indicate that the enhancement of memory via wakeful rest is <i>not</i> dependent upon intentional rehearsal of learned material during the rest period. We thus conclude that consolidation is <i>sufficient</i> for this rest-induced memory boost to emerge. We propose that wakeful resting allows for superior memory consolidation, resulting in stronger and/or more veridical representations of experienced events which can be detected via tests of free recall and recognition.</p></div

    Dietary Supplementation with Soluble Plantain Non-Starch Polysaccharides Inhibits Intestinal Invasion of Salmonella Typhimurium in the Chicken

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    Soluble fibres (non-starch polysaccharides, NSP) from edible plants but particularly plantain banana (Musa spp.), have been shown in vitro and ex vivo to prevent various enteric pathogens from adhering to, or translocating across, the human intestinal epithelium, a property that we have termed contrabiotic. Here we report that dietary plantain fibre prevents invasion of the chicken intestinal mucosa by Salmonella. In vivo experiments were performed with chicks fed from hatch on a pellet diet containing soluble plantain NSP (0 to 200 mg/d) and orally infected with S.Typhimurium 4/74 at 8 d of age. Birds were sacrificed 3, 6 and 10 d post-infection. Bacteria were enumerated from liver, spleen and caecal contents. In vitro studies were performed using chicken caecal crypts and porcine intestinal epithelial cells infected with Salmonella enterica serovars following pre-treatment separately with soluble plantain NSP and acidic or neutral polysaccharide fractions of plantain NSP, each compared with saline vehicle. Bacterial adherence and invasion were assessed by gentamicin protection assay. In vivo dietary supplementation with plantain NSP 50 mg/d reduced invasion by S.Typhimurium, as reflected by viable bacterial counts from splenic tissue, by 98.9% (95% CI, 98.1–99.7; P<0.0001). In vitro studies confirmed that plantain NSP (5–10 mg/ml) inhibited adhesion of S.Typhimurium 4/74 to a porcine epithelial cell-line (73% mean inhibition (95% CI, 64–81); P<0.001) and to primary chick caecal crypts (82% mean inhibition (95% CI, 75–90); P<0.001). Adherence inhibition was shown to be mediated via an effect on the epithelial cells and Ussing chamber experiments with ex-vivo human ileal mucosa showed that this effect was associated with increased short circuit current but no change in electrical resistance. The inhibitory activity of plantain NSP lay mainly within the acidic/pectic (homogalacturonan-rich) component. Supplementation of chick feed with plantain NSP was well tolerated and shows promise as a simple approach for reducing invasive salmonellosis

    The Surgical Infection Society revised guidelines on the management of intra-abdominal infection

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    Background: Previous evidence-based guidelines on the management of intra-abdominal infection (IAI) were published by the Surgical Infection Society (SIS) in 1992, 2002, and 2010. At the time the most recent guideline was released, the plan was to update the guideline every five years to ensure the timeliness and appropriateness of the recommendations. Methods: Based on the previous guidelines, the task force outlined a number of topics related to the treatment of patients with IAI and then developed key questions on these various topics. All questions were approached using general and specific literature searches, focusing on articles and other information published since 2008. These publications and additional materials published before 2008 were reviewed by the task force as a whole or by individual subgroups as to relevance to individual questions. Recommendations were developed by a process of iterative consensus, with all task force members voting to accept or reject each recommendation. Grading was based on the GRADE (Grades of Recommendation Assessment, Development, and Evaluation) system; the quality of the evidence was graded as high, moderate, or weak, and the strength of the recommendation was graded as strong or weak. Review of the document was performed by members of the SIS who were not on the task force. After responses were made to all critiques, the document was approved as an official guideline of the SIS by the Executive Council. Results: This guideline summarizes the current recommendations developed by the task force on the treatment of patients who have IAI. Evidence-based recommendations have been made regarding risk assessment in individual patients; source control; the timing, selection, and duration of antimicrobial therapy; and suggested approaches to patients who fail initial therapy. Additional recommendations related to the treatment of pediatric patients with IAI have been included. Summary: The current recommendations of the SIS regarding the treatment of patients with IAI are provided in this guideline

    Modifiers of short-term effects of ozone on mortality in eastern Massachusetts - A case-crossover analysis at individual level

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    <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Substantial epidemiological studies demonstrate associations between exposure to ambient ozone and mortality. A few studies simply examine the modification of this ozone effect by individual characteristics and socioeconomic status, but socioeconomic status was usually coded at the city level.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This study used a case-crossover design to examine whether impacts of ozone on mortality were modified by socioeconomic status coded at the tract or characteristics at an individual level in eastern Massachusetts, US for a period May-September, 1995-2002, with a total of 157,197 non-accident deaths aging 35 years or older. We used moving averages of maximal 8-hour concentrations of ozone monitored at 8 stationary stations as personal exposure.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A 10 ppb increase in the four-day moving average of maximal 8-hour ozone was associated with 1.68% (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.51%, 2.87%), 1.96% (95% CI: -1.83%, 5.90%), 8.28% (95% CI: 0.66%, 16.48%), 0.44% (95% CI: -1.45%, 2.37%), -0.83% (95% CI: -2.94%, 1.32%), -1.09% (95% CI: -4.27%, 2.19%) and 6.5% (95% CI: 1.74%, 11.49%) changes in all natural deaths, respiratory disorders, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, heart diseases, acute myocardial infarction and stroke, respectively. We did not find any evidence that the associations were significantly modified by socioeconomic status or individual characteristics although small differences of estimates across subpopulations were demonstrated.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Exposure to ozone was associated with specific cause mortality in Eastern Massachusetts during May-September, 1995-2002. There was no evidence that effects of ozone on mortality were significantly modified by socioeconomic status and individual characteristics.</p

    Potent Antimalarial 2-Pyrazolyl Quinolone bc1 (Qi) Inhibitors with Improved Drug-like Properties

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    A series of 2-pyrazolyl quinolones has been designed and synthesized in 5-7 steps to optimize for both in vitro antimalarial potency and various in vitro drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics (DMPK) features. The most potent compounds display no cross-resistance with multidrug resistant parasite strains (W2) compared to drug sensitive strains (3D7), with IC50 (concentration of drug required to achieve half maximal growth suppression) values in the range of 15-33 nM. Furthermore, members of the series retain moderate activity against the atovaquone-resistant parasite isolate (TM90C2B). The described 2-pyrazoyl series displays improved DMPK properties, including improved aqueous solubility compared to previously reported quinolone series and acceptable safety margin through in vitro cytotoxicity assessment. The 2-pyrazolyl quinolones are believed to bind to the ubiquinone-reducing Qi site of the parasite bc1 complex, which is supported by crystallographic studies of bovine cytochrome bc1 complex

    Genetic Interaction of Centrosomin and Bazooka in Apical Domain Regulation in Drosophila Photoreceptor

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    Cell polarity genes including Crumbs (Crb) and Par complexes are essential for controlling photoreceptor morphogenesis. Among the Crb and Par complexes, Bazooka (Baz, Par-3 homolog) acts as a nodal component for other cell polarity proteins. Therefore, finding other genes interacting with Baz will help us to understand the cell polarity genes' role in photoreceptor morphogenesis. mutation on developing eyes to determine its role in photoreceptor morphogenesis. We found that Cnn is dispensable for retinal differentiation in eye imaginal discs during the larval stage. However, photoreceptors deficient in Cnn display dramatic morphogenesis defects including the mislocalization of Crumbs (Crb) and Bazooka (Baz) during mid-stage pupal eye development, suggesting that Cnn is specifically required for photoreceptor morphogenesis during pupal eye development. This role of Cnn in apical domain modulation was further supported by Cnn's gain-of-function phenotype. Cnn overexpression in photoreceptors caused the expansion of the apical Crb membrane domain, Baz and adherens junctions (AJs). photoreceptor
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