Nonunion bone fractures can impact the quality of life and represent a major economic burden. Scaffold-based tissue engineering has shown promise as an alternative to bone grafting. Achieving ...desirable bone reconstruction requires appropriate surface properties, together with optimizing the internal architecture of 3D scaffolds. This study presents the surface modification of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA), collagen, and PLGA-collagen via an argon plasma treatment. Argon plasma can modify the surface chemistry and topography of biomaterials and improve in vivo integration. Solvent-cast films were prepared using 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propanol and characterized via differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, contact angle measurement, and critical surface tension analysis. For PLGA films, the water contact angle dropped from 70° to 42°, whereas the diiodomethane contact angle reduced from 53° to 32° after the plasma treatment. A set of PLGA-collagen formulations were loaded with nanohydroxyapatite (nHA) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) to enhance their osteoconductivity and hydrophilicity. Then, 3D scaffolds were fabricated using a 3D Bioplotter and characterized via Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. A bicinchoninic acid assay (BCA) was used to compare the protein release from the untreated and plasma-treated scaffolds into phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). The plasma-treated scaffolds had a lower protein release, and the difference compared to the untreated scaffolds was statistically significant.
X-ray irradiation is becoming a mainstream phytosanitary food treatment that is compatible with solving sustainability challenges. However, understanding how consumers respond to X-ray irradiation is ...still underdeveloped in research. In two studies, the current research sheds light on the acceptance of X-ray irradiation by New Zealand consumers, compared with an existing treatment, methyl bromide. Study 1 used focus groups to provide insights into barriers and opportunities of X-ray irradiation perceived by participants who accept, are passive towards, or reject irradiation. Acceptors of X-ray highlighted familiarity of use, non-residue/lack of chemicals, and environmentally friendly as positive factors, whereas danger of radiation and long-term health concerns were strong themes for rejection. Subsequently, study 2 extended this to provide a snapshot of measures representative of such themes to understand current attitudes towards X-ray irradiation itself, and as a replacement for methyl bromide usage. The results of study 2 indicated that when provided with information on X-ray in isolation, under half the respondents (39%) indicated a willingness to eat foods treated with X-ray. However, when forced to choose between food that had been treated with either X-ray or methyl bromide, the majority of respondents (84%) chose irradiation. Overall, the studies present an overview that whilst consumers may be apprehensive or passive about acceptance of X-ray irradiation (study 1), they overwhelmingly accept X-ray irradiation over the current alternative in New Zealand, methyl bromide (study 2). This was voiced by participants as accepting ‘the lesser of two evils’.
•X-ray irradiation is becoming a mainstream phytosanitary food treatment.•When choosing between either X-ray or methyl bromide treatments, 84% of respondents chose irradiation.•Acceptors of X-ray highlighted familiarity, lack of chemicals, and environmentally friendly as factors.•Rejecters of X-ray highlighted danger of radiation and long-term health concerns as factors.
Peroxiredoxins are ubiquitous antioxidant proteins that exhibit a striking variety of quaternary structures, making them appealing building blocks with which nanoscale architectures are created for ...applications in nanotechnology. The solution environment of the protein, as well as protein sequence, influences the presentation of a particular structure, thereby enabling mesoscopic manipulations that affect arrangments at the nanoscale. This chapter will equip us with the knowledge necessary to not only produce and manipulate peroxiredoxin proteins into desired structures but also to characterize the different structures using dynamic light scattering, analytical centrifugation, and negative stain transmission electron microscopy, thereby setting the stage for us to use these proteins for applications in nanotechnology.
PURPOSEMany medical schools require scholarly research projects. However, outcomes data from these initiatives are scarce. The authors studied the impact of the Scholarly Research Project (SRP), a ...four-year longitudinal requirement for all students at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine (UPSOM), on research productivity and residency match.
METHODThe authors conducted a longitudinal study of non-dual-degree UPSOM graduates in 2006 (n = 121, non-SRP participants) versus 2008 (n = 118), 2010 (n = 106), and 2012 (n = 132), all SRP participants. The authors used PubMed for publication data, National Resident Matching Program for residency match results, and Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research for National Institutes of Health funding rank for residency-affiliated academic institutions.
RESULTSResearch productivity of students increased for those completing the SRP, measured as a greater proportion of students with publications (27.3% in 2006 vs. 45.8% in 2008, 55.7% in 2010, and 54.5% in 2012; P < .001) and first-authorship (9.9% in 2006 vs. 26.3% in 2008, 33.0% in 2010, and 35.6% in 2012; P < .001). Across years, there was a significantly greater proportion of students with peer-reviewed publications matched in higher-ranked residency programs (57.0% with publications in the top 10%, 52.7% in the top 10%–25%, 32.4% in the top 25%–50%, 41.2% in the bottom 50%, and 45.2% in unranked programs; P = .018).
CONCLUSIONSLongitudinal research experiences for medical students may be one effective tool in fostering student publications and interest in extending training in a research-focused medical center.
Objective: In contrast to proposals that physical activity (PA) can be a substitute for alcohol use, people who engage in greater overall PA generally consume more alcohol on average than less-active ...peers. Acknowledging that both PA and alcohol use vary considerably from day-to-day, this study evaluated whether established associations reflect daily behavioral coupling within-person, are an artifact of procedures that aggregate behavior over time, or both. Methods: A life span sample of 150 adults (aged 19-89 years) completed three 21-day measurement bursts of a daily diary study. At the end of each day, they reported on their PA and alcohol consumption. Data were analyzed in a negative binomial multilevel regression. Results: As expected, both behaviors exhibited limited between-person variation. After controlling for age, gender, and seasonal and social calendar influences, daily deviations in PA were significantly associated with daily total alcohol use. Once the within-person process linking PA and alcohol use was controlled, usual PA and total alcohol use were not associated. Conclusions: The established between-person association linking PA and alcohol use reflects the aggregation of a daily process that unfolds within-people over time. Further work is needed to identify mediators of this daily association and to evaluate causality, as well as to investigate these relations in high-risk samples.
The frailty syndrome Conroy, Simon; Elliott, Amy
Medicine (Abingdon. 1995, UK ed.),
01/2017, Letnik:
45, Številka:
1
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Abstract Frailty is an important geriatric syndrome with a high prevalence in the community population. It can be seen as a state of extreme vulnerability and loss of resistance to external stressors ...resulting in an increased risk of several adverse outcomes. Although linked with ageing, disability and co-morbidity, many consider frailty as a distinct clinical and pathophysiological entity. A problem with this concept is the search for a suitable operational definition that can be used in clinical practice. Many definitions exist in literature, but there is no agreement on the best measure. The more popular of these definitions include Fried's model of frailty and the Frailty Index. Identification of frailty is recommended to target interventions and help improve outcomes.
To compare acute care virtual visits with in-person visits with respect to equity of access, markers of quality and safety, and parent and provider experience, before and during the coronavirus ...disease 2019 pandemic.
We compared patient demographics, antimicrobial prescribing rates, emergency department (ED) use, and patient-experience scores for virtual visits and in-person care at 2 academic pediatric primary care practices using χ2 testing and interrupted time series analyses. Parent and provider focus groups explored themes related to virtual visit experience and acceptability.
We compared virtual acute care visits conducted in March 2020-February 2021 (n = 8868) with in-person acute care visits conducted in February 2019-March 2020 (n = 24 120) and March 2020-February 2021 (n = 6054). There were small differences in patient race/ethnicity across the different cohorts (P < .01). Virtual visits were associated with a 9.6% (−11.5%, −7.8%, P < .001) decrease in all antibiotic prescribing and a 13.2% (−22.1%, −4.4%, P < .01) decrease in antibiotic prescribing for acute respiratory tract infections. Unanticipated visits to the ED did not significantly differ among visit types. Patient experience scores were significantly greater (P < .05) for virtual acute care in overall rating of care and likelihood to recommend. Focus group themes included safety, distractibility, convenience, treatment, and technology. Providers were broadly accepting of virtual care while parental views were more mixed.
Telehealth acute care visits may not have negative effects on quality and safety, as measured by antimicrobial prescribing and unanticipated ED visit rates. Efforts to increase parental acceptance and avoid creating disparities in access to virtual care will be essential to continued success of telehealth acute care visits.
The D
dopamine receptor is linked to a variety of neuropsychiatric disorders and represents an attractive drug target for the enhancement of cognition in schizophrenia, Alzheimer disease, and other ...disorders. Positive allosteric modulators (PAMs), with their potential for greater selectivity and larger therapeutic windows, may represent a viable drug development strategy, as orthosteric D
receptor agonists possess known clinical liabilities. We discovered two structurally distinct D
receptor PAMs, MLS6585 and MLS1082, via a high-throughput screen of the NIH Molecular Libraries program small-molecule library. Both compounds potentiate dopamine-stimulated G protein- and
-arrestin-mediated signaling and increase the affinity of dopamine for the D
receptor with low micromolar potencies. Neither compound displayed any intrinsic agonist activity. Both compounds were also found to potentiate the efficacy of partial agonists. We tested maximally effective concentrations of each PAM in combination to determine if the compounds might act at separate or similar sites. In combination, MLS1082 + MLS6585 produced an additive potentiation of dopamine potency beyond that caused by either PAM alone for both
-arrestin recruitment and cAMP accumulation, suggesting diverse sites of action. In addition, MLS6585, but not MLS1082, had additive activity with the previously described D
receptor PAM "Compound B," suggesting that MLS1082 and Compound B may share a common binding site. A point mutation (R130Q) in the D
receptor was found to abrogate MLS1082 activity without affecting that of MLS6585, suggesting this residue may be involved in the binding/activity of MLS1082 but not that of MLS6585. Together, MLS1082 and MLS6585 may serve as important tool compounds for the characterization of diverse allosteric sites on the D
receptor as well as the development of optimized lead compounds for therapeutic use.
The National Archives launched a new service called Find Case Law in April of last year. Here Daniel Hoadley, Amy Conroy and Editha Nemsic, of Mishcon de Reya LLP, argue that while this does offer ...some accessibility and legibility it's perhaps not providing access to the full corpus of law that it could, or even should. Also, on a broader level, they propose that there is a case to be made for access to the law being guaranteed and publicly funded.
Background
Repetitive task practice reduces mean upper extremity motor impairment in populations of patients with chronic stroke, but individual response is highly variable. A method to predict ...meaningful reduction in impairment in response to training based on biomarkers and other data collected prior to an intervention is needed to establish realistic rehabilitation goals and to effectively allocate resources.
Objectives
To identify prognostic factors and better understand the biological substrate for reductions in arm impairment in response to repetitive task practice among patients with chronic (≥6 months) post-stroke hemiparesis.
Methods
The intervention is a form of repetitive task practice using a combination of robot-assisted therapy and functional arm use in real-world tasks. Baseline measures include the Fugl-Meyer Assessment, Wolf Motor Function Test, Action Research Arm Test, Stroke Impact Scale, questionnaires on pain and expectancy, MRI, transcranial magnetic stimulation, kinematics, accelerometry, and genomic testing.
Results
Mean increase in FM-UE was 4.6 ± 1.0 SE, median 2.5. Approximately one-third of participants had a clinically meaningful response to the intervention, defined as an increase in FM ≥ 5. The selected logistic regression model had a receiver operating curve with AUC = .988 (Std Error = .011, 95% Wald confidence limits: .967–1) showed little evidence of overfitting. Six variables that predicted response represented impairment, functional, and genomic measures.
Conclusion
A simple weighted sum of 6 baseline factors can accurately predict clinically meaningful impairment reduction after outpatient intensive practice intervention in chronic stroke. Reduction of impairment may be a critical first step to functional improvement. Further validation and generalization of this model will increase its utility in clinical decision-making.
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