1,368 research outputs found
A note on -factorizations of representations
In this paper we give an overview on -factorizations of Lie group
representations and introduce the notion of smooth -factorization.Comment: This article is dedicated to the fond memories of Gerrit van Dij
Formulation Development Of Nanoparticulate Formulation In Ophthalmic Drug Delivery System
The major challenge faced by today’s pharmacologist and formulation scientist is ocular drug delivery. Topical eye drop is the most convenient and patient compliant route of drug administration, especially for the treatment of anterior segment diseases. Delivery of drugs to the targeted ocular tissues is restricted by various precorneal, dynamic and static ocular barriers. Also, therapeutic drug levels are not maintained for longer duration in target tissues. So, the present work on ocular drug delivery research make advanced towards developing a novel, safe and patient compliant formulation and drug delivery devices/techniques, which may surpass these barriers and maintain drug levels in tissues. Anterior segment drug delivery advances are witnessed by modulation of conventional topical solutions with permeation and viscosity enhancers. Also, it includes development of nano formulations have also been introduced for anterior segment ocular drug delivery. these novel devices and/or formulations are easy to formulate, no/negligibly irritating, possess high precorneal residence time, sustain the drug release, and enhance ocular bioavailability of therapeutics. An update of current research advancement in ocular drug delivery necessitates and helps drug delivery scientists to modulate their process and develop novel and safe drug delivery strategies followed by current nanotechnology-based formulation developments and also, recent developments with other ocular drug delivery strategies employing in situ formulation.
 
Classification of Cognitive Load and Expertise for Adaptive Simulation using Deep Multitask Learning
Simulations are a pedagogical means of enabling a risk-free way for
healthcare practitioners to learn, maintain, or enhance their knowledge and
skills. Such simulations should provide an optimum amount of cognitive load to
the learner and be tailored to their levels of expertise. However, most current
simulations are a one-type-fits-all tool used to train different learners
regardless of their existing skills, expertise, and ability to handle cognitive
load. To address this problem, we propose an end-to-end framework for a trauma
simulation that actively classifies a participant's level of cognitive load and
expertise for the development of a dynamically adaptive simulation. To
facilitate this solution, trauma simulations were developed for the collection
of electrocardiogram (ECG) signals of both novice and expert practitioners. A
multitask deep neural network was developed to utilize this data and classify
high and low cognitive load, as well as expert and novice participants. A
leave-one-subject-out (LOSO) validation was used to evaluate the effectiveness
of our model, achieving an accuracy of 89.4% and 96.6% for classification of
cognitive load and expertise, respectively.Comment: 2019 IEEE. Personal use of this material is permitted. Permission
from IEEE must be obtained for all other uses, in any current or future
media, including reprinting/republishing this material for advertising or
promotional purposes, creating new collective works, for resale or
redistribution to servers or lists, or reuse of any copyrighted component of
this work in other work
The Solubility of Tugarinovite (MoO 2
The solubility of tugarinovite (MoO2) in pure water was investigated at temperatures between 400 and 800°C and at pressures ranging between 95 and 480 MPa by using in situ synchrotron X-ray fluorescence (SXRF) to separately analyze high temperature aqueous solutions in a hydrothermal diamond anvil cell (HDAC). The concentration of molybdenum in the fluid at 400 and 500°C was below detection; however, at temperatures between 600 and 800°C, the solubility of tugarinovite increased with increasing temperature by two orders of magnitude. The molybdenum concentration at 600°C and 800°C is 44 ppm and 658 ppm, respectively. The results complement the data of Kudrin (1985) and provide the first measurement of MoO2 solubility at pressure and temperature conditions comparable to intrusion-related Mo deposit formation. The data are also relevant to the study of water chemistry and corrosion product transport in supercritical-water-cooled reactors, where Mo-bearing steel alloys interact with aqueous solutions at temperatures greater than 600°C. The application of in situ SXRF to solubility measurements of sparingly soluble minerals is recommended because it circumvents analytical uncertainties inherent in determinations obtained by quenching and weight loss measurements
Novel rat Alzheimer's disease models based on AAV-mediated gene transfer to selectively increase hippocampal Aβ levels
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by a decline in cognitive function and accumulation of amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) in extracellular plaques. Mutations in amyloid precursor protein (APP) and presenilins alter APP metabolism resulting in accumulation of Aβ42, a peptide essential for the formation of amyloid deposits and proposed to initiate the cascade leading to AD. However, the role of Aβ40, the more prevalent Aβ peptide secreted by cells and a major component of cerebral Aβ deposits, is less clear. In this study, virally-mediated gene transfer was used to selectively increase hippocampal levels of human Aβ42 and Aβ40 in adult Wistar rats, allowing examination of the contribution of each to the cognitive deficits and pathology seen in AD.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors encoding BRI-Aβ cDNAs were generated resulting in high-level hippocampal expression and secretion of the specific encoded Aβ peptide. As a comparison the effect of AAV-mediated overexpression of APPsw was also examined. Animals were tested for development of learning and memory deficits (open field, Morris water maze, passive avoidance, novel object recognition) three months after infusion of AAV. A range of impairments was found, with the most pronounced deficits observed in animals co-injected with both AAV-BRI-Aβ40 and AAV-BRI-Aβ42. Brain tissue was analyzed by ELISA and immunohistochemistry to quantify levels of detergent soluble and insoluble Aβ peptides. BRI-Aβ42 and the combination of BRI-Aβ40+42 overexpression resulted in elevated levels of detergent-insoluble Aβ. No significant increase in detergent-insoluble Aβ was seen in the rats expressing APPsw or BRI-Aβ40. No pathological features were noted in any rats, except the AAV-BRI-Aβ42 rats which showed focal, amorphous, Thioflavin-negative Aβ42 deposits.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The results show that AAV-mediated gene transfer is a valuable tool to model aspects of AD pathology <it>in vivo</it>, and demonstrate that whilst expression of Aβ42 alone is sufficient to initiate Aβ deposition, both Aβ40 and Aβ42 may contribute to cognitive deficits.</p
Predictors of breast cancer screening uptake: a pre intervention community survey in Malaysia
Introduction: Despite health education efforts to educate women on breast cancer and breast cancer screening modalities, the incidence of breast cancer and presentation at an advanced stage are still a problem in Malaysia. Objectives: To determine factors associated with the uptake of breast cancer screening among women in the general population. Methods: This pre-intervention survey was conducted in a suburban district. All households were approached and women aged 20 to 60 years old were interviewed with pre-tested guided questionnaires. Variables collected included socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge on breast cancer and screening practice of breast cancer. Univariate and multivariate analysis were performed. Results: 41.5 of a total of 381 respondents scored above average; the mean knowledge score on causes and risks factors of breast cancer was 3.41 out of 5 (SD1.609). 58.5 had ever practiced BSE with half of them performing it at regular monthly intervals. Uptake of CBE by nurses and by doctors was 40.7 and 37.3, respectively. Mammogram uptake was 14.6. Significant predictors of BSE were good knowledge of breast cancer (OR=2.654, 95 CI: 1.033-6.816), being married (OR=2.213, 95 CI: 1.201-4.076) and attending CBE (OR=1.729, 95 CI: 1.122-2.665). Significant predictors for CBE included being married (OR=2.161, 95 CI: 1.174-3.979), good knowledge of breast cancer (OR=2.286, 95 CI: 1.012-5.161), and social support for breast cancer screening (OR=2.312, 95 CI: 1.245-4.293). Women who had CBE were more likely to undergo mammographic screening of the breast (OR=5.744, 95 CI: 2.112-15.623), p<0.005. Conclusion: CBE attendance is a strong factor in promoting BSE and mammography, educating women on the importance of breast cancer screening and on how to conduct BSE. The currently opportunistic conduct of CBE should be extended to active calling of women for CBE
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