Diagnostic informational summaries of common learning-related visual conditions

Diagnostic Informational Summaries of Common Learning-Related Visual Conditions were designed to aid in the education of patients, parents, and teachers. The project addresses 10 of the most commonly encountered visual problems associated with learning: 1) accommodative insufficiency, 2) convergence insufficiency, 3) convergence excess, 4) divergence insufficiency, 5) divergence excess, 6) strabismus, 7) amblyopia, 8) suppression, 9) oculomotor dysfunction, and 10) binocular dysfunction. Each one-page back-to-back informational summary includes a description of the condition, common causes, signs and symptoms, treatment approaches, and general recommendations to support in the successful management of the condition. Through increased communication between parents, educators, and optometrists, these informational summaries help children benefit the most from their vision therapy programs and assist in identifying others in need of vision care

Combining Electro-Osmotic Flow and FTA® Paper for DNA Analysis on Microfluidic Devices

FTA® paper can be used to protect a variety of biological samples prior to analysis, facilitating ease-of-transport to laboratories or long-term archive storage. The use of FTA® paper as a solid phase eradicates the need to elute the nucleic acids from the matrix prior to DNA amplification, enabling both DNA purification and polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based DNA amplification to be performed in a single chamber on the microfluidic device. A disc of FTA® paper, containing a biological sample, was placed within the microfluidic device on top of wax-encapsulated DNA amplification reagents. The disc containing the biological sample was then cleaned up using Tris-EDTA (TE) buffer, which was passed over the disc, via electro-osmotic flow, in order to remove any potential inhibitors of downstream processes. DNA amplification was successfully performed (from buccal cells, whole blood and semen) using a Peltier thermal cycling system, whereupon the stored PCR reagents were released during the initial denaturing step due to the wax barrier melting between the FTA® disc and PCR reagents. Such a system offers advantages in terms of a simple sample introduction interface and the ability to process archived samples in an integrated microfluidic environment with minimal risk of contamination

The patient perspective in research on major depression

Although thousands of studies have examined the genetics, epidemiology, etiology, biology, treatment and prevention of major depressive disorder, we still lack very basic knowledge about what patients with depressive disorders need. Despite the thousands of studies that have been conducted on major depression and the hundreds of randomized trials that have examined the effects of treatments, many patients still do not know how to cope with the daily problems caused by depressive disorders. In this Commentary the need for more research on the perspectives of patients is described. This research should guide treatment studies as well as basic research much more than it currently does. This perpective is especially important to understand and solve the undertreatment of depression, one of the major problems in this area. Up to 50% of depressed patients do not seek treatment, resulting in huge avoidable disease burden and economic costs. In order to solve this problem we need a better understanding of the problems patients encounter in daily life, and what factors contribute to the reasons for seeking treatment or not. Research from the patients' perspective is also necessary to meet the currently unmet information needs of patients, including information about the nature and causes of depression, stigma, medication, treatment and coping with the daily problems of having depression

Legal issues in clouds: towards a risk inventory.

Cloud computing technologies have reached a high level of development, yet a number of obstacles still exist that must be overcome before widespread commercial adoption can become a reality. In a cloud environment, end users requesting services and cloud providers negotiate service-level agreements (SLAs) that provide explicit statements of all expectations and obligations of the participants. If cloud computing is to experience widespread commercial adoption, then incorporating risk assessment techniques is essential during SLA negotiation and service operation. This article focuses on the legal issues surrounding risk assessment in cloud computing. Specifically, it analyses risk regarding data protection and security, and presents the requirements of an inherent risk inventory. The usefulness of such a risk inventory is described in the context of the OPTIMIS project

Robotic rectal resection preserves anorectal function: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

AbstractBackgroundImproving survival rates in rectal cancer patients has generated a growing interest in functional outcomes after total mesorectal excision (TME). The well‐established low anterior resection syndrome (LARS) score assesses postoperative anorectal impairment after TME. Our meta‐analysis is the first to compare bowel function after open, laparoscopic, transanal, and robotic TME.MethodsAll studies reporting functional outcomes after rectal cancer surgery (LARS score) were included, and were compared with a consecutive series of robotic TME (n = 48).ResultsThirty‐two publications were identified, including 5 565 patients. Anorectal function recovered significantly better within one year after robotic TME (3.8 [95%CI –9.709–17.309]) versus laparoscopic TME (26.4 [95%CI 19.524–33.286]), p = 0.006), open TME (26.0 [95%CI 24.338–29.702], p = 0.002) and transanal TME (27.9 [95%CI 22.127–33.669], p = 0.003).ConclusionsRobotic TME enables better recovery of anorectal function compared to other techniques. Further prospective, high‐quality studies are needed to confirm the benefits of robotic surgery

On-site genetic analysis for species identification using lab-on-a-chip

© 2020 The Authors. Ecology and Evolution published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd This paper presents a microfluidic device capable of performing genetic analysis on dung samples to identify White Rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum). The development of a microfluidic device, which can be used in the field, offers a portable and cost-effective solution for DNA analysis and species identification to aid conservation efforts. Optimization of the DNA extraction processes produced equivalent yields compared to conventional kit-based methods within just 5 minutes. The use of a color-changing loop-mediated isothermal amplification reaction for simultaneous detection of the cytochrome B sequence of C. simum enabled positive results to be obtained within as little as 30 minutes. Field testing was performed at Knowsley Safari to demonstrate real-world applicability of the microfluidic device for testing of biological samples