microRNA expression in peripheral blood cells following acute ischemic stroke and their predicted gene targets.

BackgroundmicroRNA (miRNA) are important regulators of gene expression. In patients with ischemic stroke we have previously shown that differences in immune cell gene expression are present. In this study we sought to determine the miRNA that are differentially expressed in peripheral blood cells of patients with acute ischemic stroke and thus may regulate immune cell gene expression.MethodsmiRNA from peripheral blood cells of forty-eight patients with ischemic stroke and vascular risk factor controls were compared. Differentially expressed miRNA in patients with ischemic stroke were determined by microarray with qRT-PCR confirmation. The gene targets and pathways associated with ischemic stroke that may be regulated by the identified miRNA were characterized.ResultsIn patients with acute ischemic stroke, miR-122, miR-148a, let-7i, miR-19a, miR-320d, miR-4429 were decreased and miR-363, miR-487b were increased compared to vascular risk factor controls. These miRNA are predicted to regulate several genes in pathways previously identified by gene expression analyses, including toll-like receptor signaling, NF-κβ signaling, leukocyte extravasation signaling, and the prothrombin activation pathway.ConclusionsSeveral miRNA are differentially expressed in blood cells of patients with acute ischemic stroke. These miRNA may regulate leukocyte gene expression in ischemic stroke including pathways involved in immune activation, leukocyte extravasation and thrombosis

Port of Portland Pump Station

This project focused on the preliminary design of a pump station.https://pilotscholars.up.edu/egr_project/1024/thumbnail.jp

Finite Element Modeling of Meniscal Tears Using Continuum Damage Mechanics and Digital Image Correlation

Meniscal tears are a common, painful, and debilitating knee injury with limited treatment options. Computational models that predict meniscal tears may help advance injury prevention and repair, but first these models must be validated using experimental data. Here we simulated meniscal tears with finite element analysis using continuum damage mechanics (CDM) in a transversely isotropic hyperelastic material. Finite element models were built to recreate the coupon geometry and loading conditions of forty uniaxial tensile experiments of human meniscus that were pulled to failure either parallel or perpendicular to the preferred fiber orientation. Two damage criteria were evaluated for all experiments: von Mises stress and maximum normal Lagrange strain. After we successfully fit all models to experimental force–displacement curves (grip-to-grip), we compared model predicted strains in the tear region at ultimate tensile strength to the strains measured experimentally with digital image correlation (DIC). In general, the damage models underpredicted the strains measured in the tear region, but models using von Mises stress damage criterion had better overall predictions and more accurately simulated experimental tear patterns. For the first time, this study has used DIC to expose strengths and weaknesses of using CDM to model failure behavior in soft fibrous tissue

Towards an Enhanced Evaluation of European Rural Development Policy Reflections on United Kingdom Experience

L’expérience du Royaume-Uni en matière d’évaluation et d’examen de rapports d’évaluation de la programmation 2000-2006 en faveur du développement rural a révélé des faiblesses en ce qui concerne les bénéfices attendus d’une évaluation de politique publique : problèmes de décalage temporel des réactions, de tensions entre la cohérence et l’à-propos de l’évaluation, défis méthodologiques non négligeables pour répondre aux questions clefs relatives à la performance et problèmes importants de disponibilité de données et de financements. La préparation de la dernière programmation (2007-2013) a tenté d’améliorer au moins quelques-unes de ces difficultés, malgré l’émergence de nouveaux enjeux. De toute façon, certains problèmes sont inhérents à la structure actuelle de la programmation et de l’évaluation du développement rural au niveau européen. Une analyse des solutions possibles pour pallier ces difficultés tend à mettre en évidence qu’une approche de plus long terme, plus qualitative et déconcentrée améliorerait l’efficacité de l’évaluation des politiques européennes de développement rural.UK experiences in carrying out evaluations and in reviewing reports relating to the 2000-06 programming period for rural development have exposed weaknesses in harnessing the benefits that policy assessment might be expected to bring. These include problems of timely feedback, tensions between consistency and appropriateness in evaluation, significant methodological challenges in addressing key issues in performance, and important data and resourcing issues. Preparations for the latest (2007-13) programming period have attempted to improve at least some of these difficulties, although new risks are also apparent. However, some problems are inherent in the current structure of rural development programming and evaluation, at EU level. Analysis of potential solutions to these problems suggests that ultimately, a more long-term, qualitative and subsidiary approach would enhance the effectiveness of European RD policy evaluation.

Precision constraints on radiative neutrino decay with CMB spectral distortion

We investigate the radiative decay of the cosmic neutrino background, and its impact on the spectrum of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) that is known to be a nearly perfect black body. We derive exact formulae for the decay of a heavier neutrino into a lighter neutrino and a photon, $\nu_j \to \nu_i + \gamma$, and of absorption as its inverse, $\nu_i + \gamma \to \nu_j$, by accounting for the precise form of the neutrino momentum distribution. Our calculations show that if the neutrinos are heavier than $\mathcal O(0.1)$ eV, the exact formulae give results that differ by $\sim$50%, compared with approximate ones where neutrinos are assumed to be at rest. We also find that spectral distortion due to absorption is more important for heavy neutrino masses (by a factor of $\sim$10 going from a neutrino mass of 0.01 eV to 0.1 eV). By analyzing the CMB spectral data measured with COBE-FIRAS, we obtain lower limits on the neutrino lifetime of $\tau_{12} \gtrsim 4 \times 10^{21}$ s (95% C.L.) for the smaller mass splitting and $\tau_{13} \sim \tau_{23} \gtrsim 10^{19}$ s for the larger mass splitting. These represent up to one order of magnitude improvement over previous CMB constraints. With future CMB experiments such as PIXIE, these limits will improve by roughly 4 orders of magnitude. This translates to a projected upper limit on the neutrino magnetic moment (for certain neutrino masses and decay modes) of $\mu_\nu < 3 \times 10^{-11}\, \mu_B$, where $\mu_B$ is the Bohr magneton. Such constraints would make future precision CMB measurements competitive with lab-based constraints on neutrino magnetic moments.Comment: 14 pages, 9 figures. v2: Added a number of references and clarifications. Matches version published in PR

Do Consumers Really Care? An Economic Analysis of Consumer Attitudes Towards Food Produced Using Prohibited Production Methods

Taking account of consumer preferences for food produced using prohibited production methods matters if welfare of analysis of potential trade deals is to be considered meaningful. To enable this to occur it is necessary to appropriately examine consumer preferences. To this effect, we report the findings from four discrete choice experiments examining UK consumer attitudes for food produced using several agricultural production methods currently prohibited in the UK e.g., chlorine washed chicken. Our results reveal negative preferences for these forms of agricultural production methods whereas EU food safety standards are highly valued. Willingness to pay estimates indicate that the positive values for food safety are frequently greater than the negative values placed on prohibited food production methods. Similarly, UK country of origin was highly valued but organic production was less valued. The implications of these results and the use of stated preference estimates in economic modelling underpinning trade negotiations are discussed

Consumer Preferences regarding Country of Origin Labelling of Meat - FA0156

In this report we present our findings and conclusions on the economics of country of origin food labels (CoOL) as they apply to meat sold to consumers in the UK. The need for this research was motivated by recent EU legislation regarding how meat products can and might be labelled with respect to CoOL. The main objectives of the research were: 1. To review and synthesise the existing literature to identify and understand UK consumer preferences regarding CoOL of meat products. 2. To design and implement a series of hypothetical choice experiments (CEs) to ascertain consumer perception of the relative importance of different labelling requirements in terms of average UK consumer willingness-to-pay (WTP). 3. To cover a broad range of meat products (i.e., unprocessed swine, sheep, goat and poultry) in fresh, chilled, frozen format plus meat used as an ingredient (including beef). To address these objectives we undertook three specific but related pieces of research: 1. We designed and conducted 12 hypothetical CEs via six online survey instruments. To inform the design and implementation of our CEs we undertook an extensive review of the antecedent literature. This review revealed an extensive set of attributes to consider for use in our CEs. We then refined this set of attributes after extensive discussions and a small pilot study. The scope and coverage of products examined reflect the wide ranging scope of the legislation. For all 12 products we estimated WTP for CoOL and various other product attributes. 2. We designed and implemented an additional hypothetical CE employing eyetracking (ET). The ET CE examined respondent attention and attendance to attributes during the CE. The results from the ET were compared to the online survey results yielding information in relation to how well respondents engaged with the CEs, magnitude of estimates as well as consistency. The results from our ET CE provide a means by which to assess the internal validity of the results provided by our 12 online CEs. 3. We undertook an analysis of market transaction data; a revealed preference study using data obtained from Kantar. This piece of analysis allowed us to see the extent to which consumers have already responded to CoOL and if there exists a price premium being paid for CoOL in the UK. The results obtained from the Kantar data allowed us to assess the external validity of our CE results

Association between Self-Reported Prior Nights’ Sleep and Single-Task Gait in Healthy Young Adults: An Exploratory Study Using Machine Learning

Failure to obtain 7-9 hours of sleep has been associated with decreased gait speed in young adults. While Machine Learning (ML) has been used to identify sleep quality in young adults, there are no current studies that have used ML to identify prior night’s sleep in a sample of young adults. PURPOSE: To use ML to identify prior night’s sleep in healthy young adults using single-task walking gait. METHODS: Participants (n=126, age 24.3±4.0yrs; 65% female) completed a survey on their prior night’s sleep and performed a 2-minute walk around a 6m track. Gait data were collected using inertial sensors. Participants were split into 2 groups (\u3c7hs or \u3e9hs: poor sleepers; 7-9hs: good sleepers) and gait characteristics were used to classify participants into each group using ML models via a 10-fold cross validation. A post-hoc ANCOVA was used to assess gait differences. RESULTS: Using Random Forest Classifiers (RFC), top 9 features were extracted. Classification results suggest a 0.79 correlation between gait parameters and prior night’s sleep. The RFC models had a 65.03% mean classification accuracy rate. Top 0.3% of the models had 100% classification accuracy rate. The top 9 features were primarily characteristics that measured variance between lower limb movements. Post-hoc analyses suggest significantly greater variances between lower limb characteristics. CONCLUSION: Good sleepers had more asymmetrical gait patterns (faster gait speed, less trunk motion). Poor sleepers had trouble maintaining gait speed (increased variance in cadence, larger stride lengths, and less time spent in single leg support time). Although the mechanisms of these gait changes are unknown, these findings provide evidence that gait is different for individuals who not receive 7-9 hours of sleep the night before. As evidenced by the high correlation co-efficient of our classification models, gait may be a good way of identifying prior night’s sleep

Ischaemic stroke, haemorrhage and mortality in elderly patients with chronic kidney disease newly started on anticoagulation for atrial fibrillation: a population-based study from UK primary care

Objective To assess the association between anticoagulation, ischaemic stroke, gastrointestinal and cerebral haemorrhage, and all cause mortality in older people with atrial fibrillation and chronic kidney disease. Design Propensity matched, population based, retrospective cohort analysis from January 2006 through December 2016. Setting The Royal College of General Practitioners Research and Surveillance Centre database population of almost 2.73 million patients from 110 general practices across England and Wales. Participants Patients aged 65 years and over with a new diagnosis of atrial fibrillation and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of <50 mL/min/1.73m2, calculated using the chronic kidney disease epidemiology collaboration creatinine equation. Patients with a previous diagnosis of atrial fibrillation or receiving anticoagulation in the preceding 120 days were excluded, as were patients requiring dialysis and recipients of renal transplants. Intervention Receipt of an anticoagulant prescription within 60 days of atrial fibrillation diagnosis. Main outcome measures Ischaemic stroke, cerebral or gastrointestinal haemorrhage, and all cause mortality. Results 6977 patients with chronic kidney disease and newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation were identified, of whom 2434 were on anticoagulants within 60 days of diagnosis and 4543 were not. 2434 pairs were matched using propensity scores by exposure to anticoagulant or none and followed for a median of 506 days. The crude rates for ischaemic stroke and haemorrhage were 4.6 and 1.2 after taking anticoagulants and 1.5 and 0.4 in patients who were not taking anticoagulant per 100 person years, respectively. The hazard ratios for ischaemic stroke, haemorrhage, and all cause mortality for those on anticoagulants were 2.60 (95% confidence interval 2.00 to 3.38), 2.42 (1.44 to 4.05), and 0.82 (0.74 to 0.91) compared with those who received no anticoagulation. Conclusion Giving anticoagulants to older people with concomitant atrial fibrillation and chronic kidney disease was associated with an increased rate of ischaemic stroke and haemorrhage but a paradoxical lowered rate of all cause mortality. Careful consideration should be given before starting anticoagulants in older people with chronic kidney disease who develop atrial fibrillation. There remains an urgent need for adequately powered randomised trials in this population to explore these findings and to provide clarity on correct clinical management