Transcriptional profiling of mesenchymal stem cells, undergoing chondrogenesis, and mesenchymal tumours.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) represent an adult stem cell population isolated from the bone marrow with the ability to differentiate down various mesenchymal lineages including cartilage. The development of cartilage is a complex multiphase process regulated by the interplay of factors such as cell density and oxygen availability as well as many signalling pathways including TGFp, MAPK, FGF and Wnt. Using microarrays, the temporal transcriptional changes occurring in the in vitro MSC chondrogenesis model were analysed. The results obtained support the validity of the MSC model system for the study of chondrogenesis, as genes known to play a role in the process such as collagens 2, 9 and 11, aggrecan and the transcription factor Sox9, are expressed in the chronological pattern expected. Genes were also identified that had been previously noted to be expressed in limb development but whose role in chondrogenesis remains unknown, as well as a group of novel factors not previously associated with chondrogenesis. Hes1 and Hey1, the targets of Notch signalling were both found to be upregulated early, and their role in chondrogenesis was investigated by inhibiting Notch signalling. Abolishing the expression of Hes1 and Hey1 had a deleterious effect on the accumulation of the chondrogenic matrix, indicating that these transcription factors are implicated in chondrogenesis. Microarray analysis was also used to compare the expression profiles of a broad range of mesenchymal tumours, resulting in the identification of factors specific to each. The brachyury gene was found to be specifically expressed on chordomas, a tumour derived from notochordal remnants often misdiagnosed for a chondrosarcoma. Immunohistochemistry was performed using a polyclonal antibody to this molecule and was found to distinguish chordomas from over 300 other lesions, including a wide variety of chondroid neoplasms. Brachyury is therefore a specific marker for chordomas, and can be exploited for diagnostic purposes

Online Two-Dimensional Vector Packing with Advice

We consider the online two-dimensional vector packing problem, showing a lower bound of $11/5$ on the competitive ratio of any {\sc AnyFit} strategy for the problem. We provide strategies with competitive ratio $\max\!\left\{2,6\big/\big(1+3\tan(\pi/4-\gamma/2)\big)+\epsilon\right\}$ and logarithmic advice, for any instance where all the input vectors are restricted to have angles in the range $[\pi/4-\gamma/2,\pi/4+\gamma/2]$, for $0\leq\gamma<\pi/3$ and $\max\left\{5/2,4\big/\big(1+2\tan(\pi/4-\gamma/2)\big)+\epsilon\right\}$ and logarithmic advice, for any instance where all the input vectors are restricted to have angles in the range $[\pi/4-\gamma/2,\pi/4+\gamma/2]$, for $0\leq\gamma\leq\pi/3$. In addition, we give a $5/2$-competitive strategy also using logarithmic advice for the unrestricted vectors case. These results should be contrasted to the currently best competitive strategy, FirstFit, having competitive ratio~$27/10$.Comment: 15 pages, 4 figures. This an extended version of an article published in "Algorithms and Complexity. CIAC 2021." Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 12701. Springer, https://doi.org/10.100

Are individuals more accepting of the internet than mobile phone apps being used in clinical practice?

Background: New technology such as the internet and mobile phone applications (&ldquo;apps&rdquo;) are increasingly being used in clinical practice. However, little is known in regards to individual&rsquo;s attitudes towards medical professionals using the internet and apps in the context of their own medical care. The aim of the present study was to examine and compare individual&rsquo;s attitudes towards the use of medically related internet sites and apps in clinical practice.&nbsp;Method: Participants completed an on-line survey which contained questions regarding their own use of mobile phones and the internet, their use of healthcare facilities, and their attitudes towards medical professionals using the internet and apps during consultations. Attitudes were assessed by asking participants to rate 11 statements on a 5 point scale.&nbsp;Results: The survey was completed by 141 individuals. All participants owned a mobile phone, with 82% owning one with application support. Furthermore, all participants had access to the internet at home. Generally participants had more favourable attitudes towards medical professionals using the internet than apps. For example, participants found it more acceptable for doctors to use medically related internet sites than mobile phone apps during consultations with patients. Conclusion: It is possible that attitudes towards the internet were more favourable than that for apps because the internet has been available longer and consequently individuals are more familiar with it. Prior to using newer electronic resources, especially apps, medical professionals should adequately inform patients in regards to their intended use to avoid potential misconceptions.&nbsp;</div

Healthcare professionals’ use of mobile phones and the internet in clinical practice

Background: Over the last few years mobile phone applications have been designed for healthcare professionals. However, little is known in regards to healthcare professionals&rsquo; use of and attitudes towards using smartphones (and applications) within clinical practice. Thus the aims of the present study were to enumerate the number of healthcare professionals that use mobile phones within clinical practice and their attitudes towards using them. Furthermore, given that the internet preceded smartphones, we also established healthcare professionals&rsquo; attitudes towards internet use in clinical practice as a comparison. Method: Forty-three healthcare professionals from a range of disciplines and specialities who were predominantly working in Australia completed an anonymous online survey.&nbsp;Results: Ninety-one per cent of healthcare professionals owned a mobile phone of which 87% used it during clinical practice. No healthcare professional was supplied with a smartphone by their clinical/healthcare workplace. Consequently they used their privately owned device. For ten out of eleven analogous statements healthcare professionals had significantly more positive attitudes towards internet than mobile phone use in clinical practice. However, attitudes for eight of the ten statements&nbsp;pertaining to mobile phone use were positive. Mobile phones were perceived negatively in regard to confidentiality. Furthermore, healthcare professionals&rsquo; also had the perception that patients may think &nbsp;that they are using their mobile for non-medical purposes. Conclusion: Mobiles, including smartphones, are commonly used within clinical practice and at present most healthcare professionals use their privately owned device. Despite healthcare professionals having more positive attitudes toward internet use, their attitudes towards mobile use were largely positive. Our results suggest that mobile phone use, in particular smartphone use, within clinical practice is likely to increase in the future.&nbsp;</div

Are individuals more accepting of the internet than mobile phone apps being used in clinical practice?

Background: New technology such as the internet and mobile phone applications (&ldquo;apps&rdquo;) are increasingly being used in clinical practice. However, little is known in regards to individual&rsquo;s attitudes towards medical professionals using the internet and apps in the context of their own medical care. The aim of the present study was to examine and compare individual&rsquo;s attitudes towards the use of medically related internet sites and apps in clinical practice.&nbsp;Method: Participants completed an on-line survey which contained questions regarding their own use of mobile phones and the internet, their use of healthcare facilities, and their attitudes towards medical professionals using the internet and apps during consultations. Attitudes were assessed by asking participants to rate 11 statements on a 5 point scale.&nbsp;Results: The survey was completed by 141 individuals. All participants owned a mobile phone, with 82% owning one with application support. Furthermore, all participants had access to the internet at home. Generally participants had more favourable attitudes towards medical professionals using the internet than apps. For example, participants found it more acceptable for doctors to use medically related internet sites than mobile phone apps during consultations with patients. Conclusion: It is possible that attitudes towards the internet were more favourable than that for apps because the internet has been available longer and consequently individuals are more familiar with it. Prior to using newer electronic resources, especially apps, medical professionals should adequately inform patients in regards to their intended use to avoid potential misconceptions.&nbsp;</div