Caregivers' Lived Experiences in Providing Care for Vegetative Patients: A Phenomenological Inquiry

The challenges faced by caregivers, encompassing mental, emotional, physical, social, and spiritual dimensions, represent a critical area of study for healthcare professionals aiming to offer comprehensive support. This study, conducted at a Manila tertiary hospital over two weeks in April 2023, utilized an in-depth interview guide to explore the experiences of four diverse caregivers tending to individuals in a vegetative state. Findings revealed four prominent themes: the willingness to assume the caregiver role, lifestyle and social alterations, fear of the unknown, and personal struggles along with coping mechanisms and support systems. The intimate, personal interviews provided a deep understanding of the caregivers' multifaceted challenges. Caring for a loved one in a vegetative state demands substantial emotional and physical tolls, leading to daily anxiety and concern. Recognizing the complexities of their situation and providing the necessary support can significantly alleviate the burdens they face. Moreover, for these caregivers, it becomes a way to reciprocate the love and care previously bestowed upon their loved ones enduring such a condition. This exploration underscores the demanding nature of caring for those in a vegetative state within a familial setting, highlighting the imperative need for holistic support systems and interventions. Understanding the intricacies of caregivers' experiences is pivotal in designing effective strategies to mitigate their challenges and offer the necessary assistance and care

Coordination chemistry of amide-functionalised tetraazamacrocycles: structural, relaxometric and cytotoxicity studies

Three different tetraazamacrocyclic ligands containing four amide substituents that feature groups (namely allyl, styryl and propargyl groups) suitable for polymerisation have been synthesised. Gadolinium(III) complexes of these three ligands have been prepared as potential monomers for the synthesis of polymeric MRI contrast agents. To assess the potential of these monomers as MRI contrast agents, their relaxation enhancement properties and cytotoxicity have been determined. A europium(III) complex of one of these ligands (with propargyl substituents) is also presented together with its PARACEST properties. In addition, to gain further insight into the coordination chemistry of the tetra-propargyl substituted ligand, the corresponding zinc(II) and cadmium(II) complexes have been prepared. The X-ray crystal structures of the tetra-propargyl ligand and its corresponding gadolinium(III), zinc(II) and cadmium(II) complexes are also presented

Head-to-head comparison of amplified plasmonic exosome Aβ42 platform and single-molecule array immunoassay in a memory clinic cohort

Background: Various blood biomarkers reflecting brain amyloid‐β (Aβ) load have recently been proposed with promising results. However, to date, no comparative study among blood biomarkers has been reported. Our objective is to examine the diagnostic performance and cost effectiveness of three blood biomarkers on the same cohort. Methods: Using the same cohort (n=68), we compared the performance of the single‐molecule array (Simoa)‐Aβ40 and Aβ42, Aβ42/Aβ40 and the amplified plasmonic exosome (APEX)‐Aβ42 blood biomarkers using amyloid PET as the reference standard. We also determined the extent to which these blood tests can reduce the recruitment cost of clinical trials by identifying Amyloid positive (Aβ+) participants. Results: Compared to Simoa biomarkers, APEX‐Aβ42 showed significantly higher correlations with amyloid PET retention values and excellent diagnostic performance (sensitivity=100%, specificity=93.3%, AUC=0.995). When utilized for clinical trial recruitment, our simulation showed that pre‐screening with blood biomarkers followed by a confirmatory amyloid PET imaging would roughly half the cost (56.8% reduction for APEX‐Aβ42 and 48.6% for Simoa‐Aβ42/Aβ40) as compared to the situation where only PET imaging is used. Moreover, with a 100% sensitivity; APEX‐Aβ42 pre‐screening does not increase the required number of initial participants. Conclusions: With its high diagnostic performance, APEX is an ideal candidate for Aβ+ subject identification, monitoring, primary care screening, and could efficiently enrich clinical trials with Aβ+ participants while halving recruitment costs

New Clathrin-Based Nanoplatforms for Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Background: Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) has high spatial resolution, but low sensitivity for visualization of molecular targets in the central nervous system (CNS). Our goal was to develop a new MRI method with the potential for non-invasive molecular brain imaging. We herein introduce new bio-nanotechnology approaches for designing CNS contrast media based on the ubiquitous clathrin cell protein. Methodology/Principal Findings: The first approach utilizes three-legged clathrin triskelia modified to carry 81 gadolinium chelates. The second approach uses clathrin cages self-assembled from triskelia and designed to carry 432 gadolinium chelates. Clathrin triskelia and cages were characterized by size, structure, protein concentration, and chelate and gadolinium contents. Relaxivity was evaluated at 0.47 T. A series of studies were conducted to ascertain whether fluorescent-tagged clathrin nanoplatforms could cross the blood brain barriers (BBB) unaided following intranasal, intravenous, and intraperitoneal routes of administration. Clathrin nanoparticles can be constituted as triskelia (18.5 nm in size), and as cages assembled from them (55 nm). The mean chelate: clathrin heavy chain molar ratio was 27.0464.8: 1 fo

Inorganic-Organic Hybrid Nanomaterials for Therapeutic and Diagnostic Imaging Applications

Nanotechnology offers outstanding potential for future biomedical applications. In particular, due to their unique characteristics, hybrid nanomaterials have recently been investigated as promising platforms for imaging and therapeutic applications. This class of nanoparticles can not only retain valuable features of both inorganic and organic moieties, but also provides the ability to systematically modify the properties of the hybrid material through the combination of functional elements. Moreover, the conjugation of targeting moieties on the surface of these nanomaterials gives them specific targeted imaging and therapeutic properties. In this review, we summarize the recent reports in the synthesis of hybrid nanomaterials and their applications in biomedical areas. Their applications as imaging and therapeutic agents in vivo will be highlighted

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents for tumor diagnosis

10.1260/2040-2295.4.1.23Journal of Healthcare Engineering4123-4

Descriptive analytics for operational risk intelligence in financial services

The impacts and consequences of COVID-19 pandemic significantly changed the strategic direction of many industries globally. In the financial services industry operational resiliency of many financial institutions were challenged driving the shift from the traditional risk management approach into the implementation of risk intelligence solutions. Risk experts recognized the importance of using emerging technologies to build the capability to learn from external sources to supplement internal risk management processes as an important factor to support operational resiliency. The purpose of the study is to develop an analytics system that will provide operational risk intelligence from a reliable external source useful for financial institutions to gather external insights and support operational resiliency. It involved stimulation of business need for an analytics system in a selected financial institution to validate insights derived from the system and impact to the operational risk management process. The methodology used is the Knowledge Discovery in Databases (KDD) Process Model appropriate for discovering external risk intelligence. Multiple iterations of system development and evaluation were performed to identify business relevant insights that primarily relate to the business, product, cause, and event types. The overall result of the descriptive analytics revealed new operational risk intelligences that can be presented to various risk management discussions confirmed by the risk experts and focus group discussion participants. Therefore, the stimulation activity of the study helped recognize the need for an analytics system to augment the internal risk management process in the selected financial institution. Key words: data analytics, operational risk management, descriptive analytics, risk intelligence, financial service

Yesterday, today, and tomorrow : a study of Aurelio Tolentino's articulation of nationalism and identity through theatre in the Philippines during the American colonial period

Advisors: Trude Jacobsen.Committee members: Taylor Atkins; Eric Jones.Includes bibliographical references.This dissertation centers the importance of cultural production to the process of creating a coherent national identity and a unified political state in the Philippines. More specifically, I will examine role of theatre in relation to the general development of the nation and the state through Aurelio Tolentino's plays Luhang Tagalog and Kahapon, Ngayon, at Bukas. The Philippines and Filipino people pose a unique case study in the formation of both a specific and coherent national identity and an independent political state space because of geography, varied cultural influences, linguistic diversity, and colonial past. Because of these factors, it is a wonder that a coherent Philippine state exists, much less the generally accepted notion of a Filipino national identity. I argue that cultural production, particularly theatre, actively championed the broader acceptance of a singular Filipino national identity and individual belonging to a collective state at one of the most critical moment in Philippine history; the exit of Spanish colonial rule, the entrance of American imperial rule, and active assertion of political independence of the Philippine Islands by and for the Filipino people. The knowledge formation and critical dialogue occurring through theatre nurtured the notion of a Filipino national identity and buoyed the possibility of a Philippine state across the diverse linguistic and geographic terrain of the archipelago in opposition to the emerging American empire.Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy