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Prospective Applications (prospective + application)
Selected AbstractsPneumonia Versus Aspiration Pneumonitis in Nursing Home Residents: Prospective Application of a Clinical AlgorithmJOURNAL OF AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY, Issue 5 2005Joseph M. Mylotte MD Objectives: To prospectively evaluate a clinical algorithm for the diagnosis of pneumonitis and pneumonia in nursing home residents. Design: Prospective cohort study. Setting: Inpatient geriatrics unit. Participants: Nursing home residents admitted to the hospital with suspected pneumonia. Measurements: Identification of pneumonitis and pneumonia using the algorithm; medical record review and abstraction of clinical data; hospital outcome and length of stay. Results: One hundred seventy episodes of suspected pneumonia were screened with the algorithm and classified into four groups: 25% pneumonia, 28% aspiration pneumonitis of 24 hours or less duration, 12% aspiration pneumonitis of more than 24 hours' duration, and 35% an aspiration event without pneumonitis. Presenting symptoms and signs, laboratory tests, severity of illness measures, or serum C-reactive protein levels did not distinguish between the four groups. Those with an aspiration event without pneumonitis tended to be treated less often with antibiotic therapy after admission (P=.004) and after discharge (P=.01). Of those who survived, there was no significant difference in mean hospital length of stay between the four groups. There was no significant difference in the percentage of case fatality between the four groups, but those with aspiration pneumonitis of 24 hours or less duration and with an aspiration event without pneumonitis had a lower mortality than the other two groups. Conclusion: Distribution of episodes of suspected pneumonia by clinical category as determined using the algorithm was similar to that of the derivation study, as were case fatality rates in each category. These findings suggest that the algorithm may be useful for making the distinction between pneumonitis and pneumonia in nursing home residents; further studies are warranted. [source] Prospective application of a multiplex reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction assay for the detection of balanced translocations in leukaemia: a single-laboratory study of 390 paediatric and adult patientsBRITISH JOURNAL OF HAEMATOLOGY, Issue 1 2004Lene Hyldahl Olesen Summary The upfront application of molecular methods for identifying the fusion transcripts arising from balanced translocations in haematopoietic malignancies has several advantages: sensitivity is independent of its frequency, i.e. rare ones are not missed, cytogenetically cryptic aberrations are identified and it provides a platform for minimal residual disease (MRD) detection. Employing a multiplex reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay identifying 27 fusion transcripts we prospectively analysed blood and/or bone marrow samples from 390 patients referred for diagnosis and treatment for acute leukaemia and chronic myeloproliferative disorders (CMPD) from a geographically well-defined region in Denmark. A total of 233 patients were diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), 95 with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) origin and 62 patients were recorded as CMPD. Twenty-three percent AML, 32% ALL and 55% CMPD patients exhibited chromosomal aberrations detected by the multiplex RT-PCR. Cytogenetically cryptic translocations were seen in 15% of the cases. Conversely, the cytogenetic analysis identified chromosomal aberrations other than translocations in 45% of AML cases and 63% of ALL cases. We conclude that, while the fraction of translocation positive leukaemia patients in an unselected cohort is lower than hitherto believed, a molecular approach to their diagnosis is worthwhile, partly for identifying cryptic and rare translocations, partly for monitoring MRD. [source] Modelling poroelastic hollow cylinder experiments with realistic boundary conditionsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL AND ANALYTICAL METHODS IN GEOMECHANICS, Issue 12 2004S. Jourine Abstract A general poroelastic solution for axisymmetrical plane strain problems with time dependent boundary conditions is developed in Laplace domain. Time-domain results are obtained using numerical inversion of the Laplace transform. Previously published solutions can be considered as special cases of the proposed solution. In particular, we could reproduce numerical results for solid and hollow poroelastic cylinders with suddenly applied load/pressure (Rice and Cleary, Rev. Geophys. Space Phys. 1976; 14:227; Schmitt, Tait and Spann, Int. J. Rock Mech. Min. Sci. 1993; 30:1057; Cui and Abousleiman, ASCE J. Eng. Mech. 2001; 127:391). The new solution is used to model laboratory tests on thick-walled hollow cylinders of Berea sandstone subjected to intensive pressure drawdown. In the experiments, pressure at the inner boundary of the hollow cylinder is observed to decline exponentially with a decay constant of 3,5 1/s. It is found that solutions with idealized step-function type inner boundary conditions overestimate the induced tensile radial stresses considerably. Although basic poroelastic phenomena can be modelled properly at long time following a stepwise change in pressure, realistic time varying boundary conditions predict actual rock behaviour better at early time. Experimentally observed axial stresses can be matched but appear to require different values for , and , than are measured at long time. The proposed solution can be used to calculate the stress and pore pressure distributions around boreholes under infinite/finite boundary conditions. Prospective applications include investigating the effect of gradually changing pore pressure, modelling open-hole cavity completions, and describing the phenomenon of wellbore collapse (bridging) during oil or gas blowouts. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] A probabilistic measure of air traffic complexity in 3-D airspaceINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ADAPTIVE CONTROL AND SIGNAL PROCESSING, Issue 10 2010Maria Prandini Abstract In this paper, we propose a new method to evaluate air traffic complexity in 3-D airspace through a probabilistic measure of the airspace occupancy. The key novelty of the approach is that uncertainty in the future aircraft positions is explicitly accounted for when evaluating complexity. Analytic,though approximate,expressions of the complexity measure are derived. Prospective applications for the proposed complexity metric include the timely identification of those multi-aircraft conflict situations that would be difficult to solve because of limited maneuverability space, and the design of trajectories so as to avoid congested regions that would require many tactical maneuvers to pass them through. Numerical examples are provided to illustrate the approach. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Densification of Oxide Nanoparticle Thin Films by Irradiation with Visible LightADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 8 2009Massimo F. Bertino Abstract A technique is presented that allows for altering of the physical characteristics of films of TiO2 nanoparticles by exposure to visible light. In this technique, dye-sensitized oxide nanoparticles are deposited on a substrate by dip-coating. Photodissociation of the organic ligand layer leads to cross-linking of the nanoparticles. Consequently, irradiated films have a decreased porosity, an increased index of refraction and an increased hydrophobicity. Films irradiated with green light are compared to films irradiated with UV light. Within experimental error, visible- and UV-illumination induces the same changes in the films. The mechanism of surfactant elimination in dye-sensitized oxide particles is discussed, patterning is demonstrated, and prospective applications of the technique are considered. [source] Layer-by-Layer Hydrogen-Bonded Polymer Films: From Fundamentals to ApplicationsADVANCED MATERIALS, Issue 30 2009Eugenia Kharlampieva Abstract Recent years have seen increasing interest in the construction of nanoscopically layered materials involving aqueous-based sequential assembly of polymers on solid substrates. In the booming research area of layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly of oppositely charged polymers, self-assembly driven by hydrogen bond formation emerges as a powerful technique. Hydrogen-bonded (HB) LbL materials open new opportunities for LbL films, which are more difficult to produce than their electrostatically assembled counterparts. Specifically, the new properties associated with HB assembly include: 1) the ease of producing films responsive to environmental pH at mild pH values, 2) numerous possibilities for converting HB films into single- or two-component ultrathin hydrogel materials, and 3) the inclusion of polymers with low glass transition temperatures (e.g., poly(ethylene oxide)) within ultrathin films. These properties can lead to new applications for HB LbL films, such as pH- and/or temperature-responsive drug delivery systems, materials with tunable mechanical properties, release films dissolvable under physiological conditions, and proton-exchange membranes for fuel cells. In this report, we discuss the recent developments in the synthesis of LbL materials based on HB assembly, the study of their structure,property relationships, and the prospective applications of HB LbL constructs in biotechnology and biomedicine. [source] Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs): the emergence of a new champion in stem cell technology-driven biomedical applicationsJOURNAL OF TISSUE ENGINEERING AND REGENERATIVE MEDICINE, Issue 6 2010Anjan Kumar Das Abstract Pluripotent stem cells possess the unique property of differentiating into all other cell types of the human body. Further, the discovery of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) in 2006 has opened up new avenues in clinical medicine. In simple language, iPSCs are nothing but somatic cells reprogrammed genetically to exhibit pluripotent characteristics. This process utilizes retroviruses/lentiviruses/adenovirus/plasmids to incorporate candidate genes into somatic cells isolated from any part of the human body. It is also possible to develop disease-specific iPSCs which are most likely to revolutionize research in respect to the pathophysiology of most debilitating diseases, as these can be mimicked ex vivo in the laboratory. These models can also be used to study the safety and efficacy of known drugs or potential drug candidates for a particular diseased condition, limiting the need for animal studies and considerably reducing the time and money required to develop new drugs. Recently, functional neurons, cardiomyocytes, pancreatic islet cells, hepatocytes and retinal cells have been derived from human iPSCs, thus re-confirming the pluripotency and differentiation capacity of these cells. These findings further open up the possibility of using iPSCs in cell replacement therapy for various degenerative disorders. In this review we highlight the development of iPSCs by different methods, their biological characteristics and their prospective applications in regenerative medicine and drug screening. We further discuss some practical limitations pertaining to this technology and how they can be averted for the betterment of human life. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Liposome-Encapsulated Hemoglobin, TRM-645: Current Status of the Development and Important Issues for Clinical ApplicationARTIFICIAL ORGANS, Issue 2 2009Shinichi Kaneda Abstract Clinical application of artificial oxygen carriers as a substitute for blood transfusion has long been expected to solve some of the problems associated with blood transfusion. Use for oxygen delivery treatment for ischemic disease by oxygen delivery has also been examined. These prospective applications of artificial oxygen carriers are, however, still in development. We have developed liposome-encapsulated hemoglobin (LEH), developmental code TRM-645, using technologies for encapsulation of concentrated hemoglobin (Hb) with high encapsulation efficiency as well as surface modification to achieve stability in circulating blood and a long shelf life. We have confirmed the basic efficacy and safety of TRM-645 as a red blood cell substitute in studies on the efficacy of oxygen delivery in vivo, and the safety of TRM-645 has been studied in some animal species. We are now examining various issues related to clinical studies, including further preclinical studies, management of manufacturing and the quality assurance for the Hb solution and liposome preparations manufactured by the GMP facility. [source] | ||||||||||||||||