Although plasma donation by plasmapheresis is generally considered to be safe, there are still concerns about the long-term effects of intensive plasma donation on the levels of certain blood ...components, such as immunoglobulin G (IgG). The IPS study aims to assess donor safety during individualized plasma donation according to pre-donation IgG levels and body weight compared with plasma donation under current German guidelines.
This ongoing prospective multicenter study allows eligible donors to choose between an individualized plasma donation program or plasma donation according to current German guidelines. Adverse events (AEs), serious AEs (SAEs) and serum IgG levels are systematically documented for up to 12 years, with AE/SAE recording from study start until 8 months after the last donation on-study.
At data cut-off (30 th June 2019), 1,919,334 donations in 20,598 donors were documented. The donation-based incidence for all AEs/SAEs was 2.07% in the control group (n = 2155) and 2.22% in the individualized program group (n = 18,443). For related AEs/SAEs, incidences were 1.23% and 1.62%, respectively. Most AEs/SAEs were of mild or moderate severity; events related to venepuncture were most frequent (46.8%). The majority of withdrawals with known causes were due to non-medical reasons. After an initial drop, IgG levels remained stable for up to 10 years.
The results of this interim analysis showed no critical difference in donor safety between donors in an individualized program and those who donated according to current guidelines, supporting the concept of donor stratification by pre-donation IgG levels
•Individualizing plasmapheresis based on IgG levels does not affect donor safety.•Slightly higher donation-based incidence of AEs/SAEs than in control donors.•There is an increase in mild and moderate events directly related to plasma donation.•Overall, donation-based incidences compare favorably with published values.•Higher donation frequencies appear feasible for donors with high IgG levels.
Abstract
Background
Optimal application of the recently updated World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for exercise in advanced age necessitates an accurate adjustment for the age-related ...increasing variability in biological age and fitness levels, alongside detailed recommendations across a range of motor fitness components, including balance, strength, and flexibility. We previously developed and validated a novel tool, designed to both remotely assess these fitness components, and subsequently deliver a personalized exercise program via smartphone.
We describe the design of a prospective randomized control trial, comparing the effectiveness of the remotely delivered personalized multicomponent exercise program to either WHO exercise guidelines or no intervention.
Methods
Participants (
n
= 300) are community dwelling, healthy, functionally independent, cognitively intact volunteers aged ≥65 at low risk for serious fall injuries, assigned using permuted block randomization (age/gender) to intervention, active-control, or control group. The intervention is an 8-week program including individually tailored exercises for upper/lower body, flexibility, strength, and balance (dynamic, static, vestibular); active-controls receive exercising counselling according to WHO guidelines; controls receive no guidance. Primary outcome is participant fitness level, operationalized as 42 digital markers generated from 10 motor fitness measures (balance, strength, flexibility); measured at baseline, mid-trial (4-weeks), trial-end (8-weeks), and follow-up (12-weeks). Target sample size is 300 participants to provide 99% power for moderate and high effect sizes (Cohen’s f = 0.25, 0.40 respectively).
Discussion
The study will help understand the value of individualized motor fitness assessment used to generate personalized multicomponent exercise programs, delivered remotely among older adults.
Trial registration
ClinicalTrials.gov
Identifier:
NCT04181983
Temporary/restrictive measures highlighted by the legislative context – necessary to prevent and eliminate imminent threats to fundamental rights and freedoms – also target the execution of ...individual employment contracts; the following categories of employers are covered by the present measures: those in the private system, central and local public authorities and institutions, regardless of the method of financing and subordination, as well as autonomous utilities, national companies, national companies and companies in which the share capital is wholly owned or majority state or an administrative-territorial unit.
The COVID-19 pandemic forced our institution to question how we deliver information to new students. Prior to the pandemic, our students attended an in-person, day-and-a-half orientation program in ...the summer before their first semester. With the transition to a virtual program format, our institution identified the most critical information delivered in our single-event model and converted that one event to a more purposeful process, complete with pre-orientation modules, a live virtual event, and post-orientation modules. This article shares specific details about the steps taken in the transition to a three-phased orientation experience, outlines the final product of each phase, and discusses future implications for our practice. Specific emphasis is placed on individualized program elements for students, new family and guest programming, and the work of student leaders in a virtual format. Finally, we share advice for professionals and lessons learned that will impact how we approach orientation in the future as we establish a philosophy of orientation as a process, not a program.
Twenty patients disabled for work because of chronic post-traumatic headaches were treated: 13 men, and seven women. Their ages ranged between 26 and 69 years (mean = 40.3). Their accidents occurred ...three months to eight years prior to the initial visit (mean = 1.5 yrs). Thirteen patients had concurrent spinal injuries. They were assigned to an individualized program with emphasis on doctor-patient relationship. All patients received medications, biofeedback, and educational sessions. Thirteen patients with concurrent spinal injuries received additionally therapeutic exercises and transcutaneous nerve stimulation. Five patients needed neuromuscular re-education, and three, stress management. All sessions were individualized. Patients attended the Center one to three times a week for three to 12 weeks (average = 9 weeks). The number of treatment days ranged from six to 37 (average = 18.8 days). The average cost of the program for patients with headache alone was $3849.00; and for those with additional spinal injuries, $7030.00. All patients improved: markedly, 14; moderately, four; and slightly, two patients. The improvement occurred within seven to 150 days (average = 48.7 days). Seventeen out of the 20 patients, (85%) returned to work within 21-224 days (average = 111 days). An individualized outpatient program is very successful in the treatment of post-traumatic headache.
Ribozymes are catalytic RNAs with diverse functions including self-splicing and polymerization. This work aims to discover natural ribozymes that behave as hydrolytic and sequence-specific DNA ...endonucleases, which could be repurposed as DNA manipulation tools. Focused on bacterial group II-C introns, we found that many systems without intron-encoded protein propagate multiple copies in their resident genomes. These introns, named HYdrolytic Endonucleolytic Ribozymes (HYERs), cleaved RNA, single-stranded DNA, bubbled double-stranded DNA (dsDNA), and plasmids in vitro. HYER1 generated dsDNA breaks in the mammalian genome. Cryo-electron microscopy analysis revealed a homodimer structure for HYER1, where each monomer contains a Mg
-dependent hydrolysis pocket and captures DNA complementary to the target recognition site (TRS). Rational designs including TRS extension, recruiting sequence insertion, and heterodimerization yielded engineered HYERs showing improved specificity and flexibility for DNA manipulation.
Several tasks have been used to examine landing biomechanics for evaluation and rehabilitation, especially as related to anterior cruciate ligament injuries. However, comparing results among studies ...in which different tasks were used can be difficult, and it is unclear which task may be most appropriate.
To compare lower extremity biomechanics across 5 commonly used landing tasks.
Descriptive laboratory study.
University-operated US Air Force Special Operations Forces human performance research laboratory.
A total of 65 US Air Force Special Tactics Operators (age = 27.7 ± 5.0 years, height = 176.5 ± 5.7 cm, mass = 83.1 ± 9.1 kg).
Kinematic and kinetic analysis of double- and single-legged drop landing, double- and single-legged stop jump, and forward jump to single-legged landing.
Hip-, knee-, and ankle-joint kinematics; knee-joint forces and moments; and ground reaction forces (GRFs) were the dependent measures. We used repeated-measures analyses of variance or Friedman tests, as appropriate, to assess within-subject differences across tasks.
Peak vertical GRF and peak knee-flexion angle were different among all tasks ( P < .001). Single-legged landings generated higher vertical GRF (χ
= 244.68, P < .001) and lower peak knee-flexion values ( F
= 209.33, P < .001) except for forward jump to single-legged landing, which had the second highest peak vertical GRF and the lowest peak knee-flexion value. The single-legged drop landing generated the highest vertical (χ
= 244.68, P < .001) and posterior (χ
= 164.46, P < .001) GRFs. Peak knee-valgus moment was higher during the double-legged drop landing (χ
= 239.63, P < .001) but similar for all others.
Different landing tasks elicited different biomechanical responses; no single task was best for assessing a wide range of biomechanical variables related to anterior cruciate ligament injuries. Therefore, depending on the goals of the study, using multiple assessment tasks should be considered.
Many academic libraries have implemented personal librarian programs, seeking to improve relationships with students and reduce library anxiety. This pilot study, in which a personal librarian was ...assigned to sections of a general education course, aimed to expand upon the personal librarianship literature by assessing whether a personal librarian influences student academic outcomes and information literacy confidence. Results from the pilot suggest that the presence of and engagement with the personal librarian had minimal and not statistically significant effect on academic outcomes, but engagement with the personal librarian somewhat correlated with growth in information literacy confidence.
Results show that participants increase their athletic performance via individualized programs, but only 1 participant increased her performance in all priorities.
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