Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Clinical trials: the challenge of recruitment and retention of participants.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES This article, based on the available literature, attempts to discuss the importance of recruitment and retention of research participants, the associated barriers and challenges, and various strategies to overcome these barriers. BACKGROUND The inability to recruit and retain the required participants in a research project poses serious threats to both the internal and the external validity of a research study. Despite serious implications, the issues of recruitment and retention do not receive due attention in research and publications. Literature suggests a lack of coordinated efforts to collect information on the outcomes of recruitment experiences in clinical trials and population studies. Studies often mention the number of participants who refuse to participate; however, the majority of the studies often fail to mention the specific reasons insufficient recruitment or retention of the participants. DESIGN A methodological paper. METHOD Various participant-, context-, environment- and research-related factors are examined that affect the phenomenon of recruitment and retention of the participants in a study. RESULTS Delayed or inefficient recruitment also has financial and ethical implications. Although there are many pieces of information scattered throughout academic journals on recruitment and retention of participants in research, few authors have dealt with the issue holistically. It is imperative for researchers to understand the importance of recruitment and retention of research participants, the associated barriers and challenges, and various strategies to overcome these barriers. CONCLUSION Appropriate recording and reporting of the problems faced while recruiting and retaining the participants in research studies can help not only in understating the challenge, but will also help in devising the strategies to overcome this problem. This article was an attempt to synthesise and review the available literature on recruitment and retention issues, which demand extensive theoretical and conceptual thinking as part of the research design. RELEVANCE TO PRACTICE An understanding of the challenges and issues related to recruitment and retention can help researchers to think ahead about the strategies to overcome these issues and consequently save the time and energy of the participants, researchers and funding agencies.
Engraftment of NOD/SCID Mice with Human CD34+Cells Transduced by Concentrated Oncoretroviral Vector Particles Pseudotyped with the Feline Endogenous Retrovirus (RD114) Envelope Protein

ABSTRACT Oncoretrovirus vectors pseudotyped with the feline endogenous retrovirus (RD114) envelope protein produced by the FLYRD18 packaging cell line have previously been shown to transduce human hematopoietic progenitor cells with a greater efficiency than similar amphotropic envelope-pseudotyped vectors. In this report, we describe the production and efficient concentration of RD114-pseudotyped murine leukemia virus (MLV)-based vectors. Following a single round of centrifugation, vector supernatants were concentrated approximately 200-fold with a 50 to 70% yield. Concentrated vector stocks transduced prestimulated human CD34+ (hCD34+) cells with approximately 69% efficiency (n = 7, standard deviation = 4.4%) using a single addition of vector at a low multiplicity of infection (MOI = 5). Introduction of transduced hCD34+ cells into irradiated NOD/SCID recipients resulted in multilineage engraftment with long-term transgene expression. These data demonstrate that RD114-pseudotyped MLV-based vectors can be efficiently concentrated to high titers and that hCD34+cells transduced with concentrated vector stocks retain in vivo repopulating potential. These results highlight the potential of RD114-pseudotyped oncoretrovirus vectors for future clinical implementation in hematopoietic stem cell gene transfer.
Calibration of self-reported oral health to clinically determined standards.

OBJECTIVE Self-report of oral health is an inexpensive approach to assessing an individual's oral health status, but it is heavily influenced by personal views and usually differs from that of clinically determined oral health status. To assist researchers and clinicians in estimating oral health self-report, we summarize clinically determined oral health measures that can objectively measure oral health and evaluate the discrepancies between self-reported and clinically determined oral health status. We test hypotheses of trends across covariates, thereby creating optimal calibration models and tools that can adjust self-reported oral health to clinically determined standards. METHODS Using National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data, we examined the discrepancy between self-reported and clinically determined oral health. We evaluated the relationship between the degree of this discrepancy and possible factors contributing to this discrepancy, such as patient characteristics and general health condition. We used a regression approach to develop calibration models for self-reported oral health. RESULTS The relationship between self-reported and clinically determined oral health is complex. Generally, there is a discrepancy between the two that can best be calibrated by a model that includes general health condition, number of times a person has received health care, gender, age, education, and income. CONCLUSION The model we developed can be used to calibrate and adjust self-reported oral health status to that of clinically determined standards and for oral health screening of large populations in federal, state, and local programs, enabling great savings in resources used in dental care.
Distributed hierarchical droop control of boost converters in DC microgrids

Voltage stability and accurate current-sharing are primary features of an efficiently operating power distribution network, such as a dc islanded-microgrid. This paper presents the development of a distributed hierarchical droop control architecture for dc-dc boost converters within a dc islanded-microgrid. Decentralised controllers are conventionally designed for local voltage and current control without accounting for coupling to other converters. However, due to the non-minimum phase action of boost converters, global knowledge of coupling is required to inform stable local controller tuning over a range of load disturbances. Consensus-based distributed secondary controllers, utilising low-bandwidth communications, are designed to coordinate voltage levels and improve current-sharing accuracy. The control architecture is tested in response to communication faults, non-linear loads, and plug-and-play operations.
Broadly tunable compact continuous-wave Cr(2+):ZnS laser.

We report the development of a continuous-wave, room-temperature Cr(2+) ZnS laser that is compact and tunable over 700 nm. The laser is pumped by a diode-pumped Er-fiber laser and generates 0.7 W of linearly polarized radiation at 2.35microm , at up to 40% slope efficiency. Cr(2+) ZnS directly diode-pumped at 1.6microm yields polarized radiation that is tunable over 400 nm at up to 25 mW of output power. A comparison of Cr(2+) ZnS with Cr ZnSe (70 mW, 350 nm) in a similar setup is given. As opposed to Cr ZnSe, the Cr ZnS laser is intrinsically polarized. Finally, we observe sensitization of the output radiation by a few milliwatts of the visible (470-500-nm) and near-infrared (740-770-nm) radiation.
Entrepreneurial orientation and firm performance in Indian SMEs: Universal and contingency perspectives

This article explores entrepreneurial orientation (EO); this notion has received considerable theoretical and empirical attention in organizational research, emerging as one of the most widely accepted firm-level constructs in the literature. As knowledge in this area has expanded, researchers have delved into the contextual factors that influence the relationship between EO and organizational performance. With the goal of better understanding the circumstances under which pursuing entrepreneurial strategies result in favourable performance outcomes, this article investigates the EO–performance relationship among small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in India. Data collected from 198 Indian SMEs revealed a strong positive linkage between EO and firm performance. Environmental contingencies – demand growth and competitive intensity – were theorized and found to have a moderating influence on the EO–performance relationship. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.
Validation of a genomic classifier that predicts metastatic disease progression in men with high-risk pathologic features postprostatectomy.

36 Background: Following radical prostatectomy (RP), 30-40% of patients have adverse pathology and are deemed at high risk for metastatic progression. The objective of this study was to validate the ability of Decipher, a genomic classifier (GC), to improve prediction of metastatic disease progression compared with clinical variables in order to better identify candidates for therapy intensification. METHODS A previously developed 22-feature GC model was validated in a prospectively designed case-cohort study of a clinically high-risk population (i.e., with one or more adverse pathological features) of 1,010 RP patients treated at Mayo Clinic between 2000-2006. A random sample of 20% of the cohort was subjected to microarray analysis and GC scores were generated for 219 patients. The primary endpoint, the c-index for predicting metastatic disease progression (i.e., positive bone or CT scans) was evaluated in a blinded analysis. Cox modeling and decision curve analyses were used to compare the performance of GC to individual clinical variables and prediction models. RESULTS GC had a c-index 0.79 (95% CI 0.71-0.86) that was significantly better than any single clinical variable. Cumulative incidence curves in the cohort showed that 72% of patients had low GC scores with only 3% and 6% incidence of metastatic disease at 5 and 10 years post RP. In contrast, for the 28% of patients with high GC scores, the cumulative incidence was 17% and 25% at 5 and 10 years post RP. Decision curve analysis showed that the GC model had higher overall net benefit compared to clinical variables over a wide range of 'decision-to-treat' thresholds for risk of metastasis. In multivariable modeling with clinicopathologic variables, GC remained the only significant independent predictor of metastasis (HR=1.51, for each 0.1 unit increment, p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS GC can better predict metastatic disease progression compared with clinical variables and may select among patients with adverse pathology a majority that is in fact at low risk for metastasis.
Improvement of measurement by S-parameter method using transmission line theory

Recently, S-parameter method that is the measuring method of the input impedance of the balanced antenna using a vector network analyzer is proposed. It is a problem of this method that the jig influences measured value when the measuring frequency increases. To remove the influence of the jig, we have examined compensating method using the ABCD-matrix. In this study, we examine the effect to reduce the influence of the inner conductor of jig made of semi-rigid cable using the transmission line theory. It was shown that the transmission line theory is effective for improvement of the measurement accuracy.
Gamma Interferon Inhibits Production of Anti-OspA Borreliacidal Antibody In Vitro

ABSTRACT The ability of a Lyme borreliosis vaccine to induce and maintain sustained levels of borreliacidal antibody is necessary for prolonged protection against infection with Borrelia burgdorferi. Vaccination against infection with B. burgdorferi could be improved by determining the mechanism(s) that influences the production of protective borreliacidal antibody. Borreliacidal antibody was inhibited in cultures of lymph node cells obtained from C3H/HeJ mice vaccinated with formalin-inactivated B. burgdorferi and cultured with macrophages and B. burgdorferi and treated with recombinant gamma interferon (rIFN-γ). The suppression of production of outer surface protein A (OspA) borreliacidal antibody by rIFN-γ was not affected by the time of treatment. In addition, treatment with rIFN-γ inhibited the production of other anti-B. burgdorferi antibodies. By contrast, treatment of cultures of immune lymph node cells with anti-IFN-γ marginally increased the production of borreliacidal antibody and enhanced the production of other antibodies directed against B. burgdorferi. These results show that IFN-γ does not play a major role in the production of anti-OspA borreliacidal antibody. Additional studies are needed to determine which cytokine(s) will enhance production of borreliacidal antibody.
Human serum‐induced porcine endothelial cell E‐selectin expression is associated with IgG3 and IgM anti‐Gal antibodies

Naturally occurring anti‐Galα1‐3Gal (anti‐Gal) antibodies and complement induce hyperacute rejection (HAR) of porcine organs transplanted to primates. If the hyperacute reaction is prevented, an acute vascular rejection (AVR) occurs within hours to few days. Antibodies are important for the development of AVR, whereas the role of complement is still not clarified. AVR is characterized by protein synthesis‐dependent endothelial cell (EC) activation. In the present study we investigated the relation between EC activation as measured by E‐selectin expression, and the concentrations of anti‐Gal antibodies of IgM, IgG and IgG subclasses in sera from 80 healthy blood donors selected on the basis of sex and age. There was a significant correlation between E‐selectin expression and the concentration of IgG3 anti‐Gal (r=0.39; P=0.019), which was not seen for the other IgG subclasses or for total IgG anti‐Gal. A modest, but significant correlation was found between the concentration of IgM anti‐Gal and E‐selectin expression (r=0.38; P=0.040), but not between IgM and IgG3 anti‐Gal. There was a large interindividual variation in anti‐Gal antibodies, 50‐fold for IgM and 70‐fold for IgG. Females had significantly higher concentrations of IgM anti‐Gal than males (P=0.0006), which was explained by a substantial increase in IgM anti‐Gal concentration in younger women. The concentration of IgG anti‐Gal and the degree of E‐selectin expression did not differ between sex or age groups. In conclusion, the close correlation between anti‐Gal antibodies of the potent complement activating IgG3 subclass and porcine EC activation, may imply that these antibodies play a role in EC activation characteristic of AVR.
Eosinophil-Derived IL-10 Supports Chronic Nematode Infection

Eosinophilia is a feature of the host immune response that distinguishes parasitic worms from other pathogens, yet a discrete function for eosinophils in worm infection has been elusive. The aim of this study was to clarify the mechanism(s) underlying the striking and unexpected observation that eosinophils protect intracellular, muscle-stage Trichinella spiralis larvae against NO-mediated killing. Our findings indicate that eosinophils are specifically recruited to sites of infection at the earliest stage of muscle infection, consistent with a local response to injury. Early recruitment is essential for larval survival. By producing IL-10 at the initiation of infection, eosinophils expand IL-10+ myeloid dendritic cells and CD4+ IL-10+ T lymphocytes that inhibit inducible NO synthase (iNOS) expression and protect intracellular larvae. The results document a novel immunoregulatory function of eosinophils in helminth infection, in which eosinophil-derived IL-10 drives immune responses that eventually limit local NO production. In this way, the parasite co-opts an immune response in a way that enhances its own survival.
Peroxisomal Impairment in Niemann-Pick Type C Disease*

Niemann-Pick type C disease (NPC) belongs to the group of lysosomal storage diseases characterized by an accumulation of cholesterol and sphingomyelin. Using a mutant mouse strain, enzymatic markers for lysosomes, mitochondria, microsomes, and peroxisomes were investigated in the liver and brain. Aside from lysosomal changes, we found a sizable decrease of peroxisomal β-oxidation of fatty acids and catalase activity in the brain and liver. Isolated peroxisomes displayed a significant decrease of these enzyme activities. Furthermore, the only phospholipid change in brain was a decreased content of the plasmalogen form of phosphatidylethanolamine, and the dimethylacetal pattern was also modified. The electron microscopical appearance of peroxisomes did not display any large changes. The defect of peroxisomal enzymes was already present 18 days before the onset of the disease. In contrast, the lysosomal marker enzyme increased in activity only 6 days after appearance of the symptoms. The events of the studied process have previously been considered to be elicited by a lysosomal deficiency, but this study demonstrates disturbances similar to those in a number of peroxisomal diseases. It appears that the peroxisomal impairment is an early event in the process and could be a factor in the development of Niemann-Pick type C disease.
New York City Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

Thorpe et al. (1) are to be commended for undertaking a comprehensive evaluation of glycemic status in adults from New York City. Their article represents the efforts of a health and nutrition survey within a large metropolitan area, the New York City (NYC) Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (HANES), and provides very useful information concerning the prevalence of hyperglycemia and control of diabetes in an urban setting. Such efforts have been undertaken in the U.S. by way of national surveys of the populace in terms of lifestyle behaviors and risk factor levels over several decades (2–4), but a survey that used population-based methods in a single city is new, provides valuable information, and may well serve as a model for the future. The study by Thorpe et al. reports that diabetes affects 12.5% of adults living in New York City and that the frequency of pre-diabetes, which was previously called “impaired fasting glucose,” was almost double that (23.5%). Using the 1997 American Diabetes Association criteria for diabetes and data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III, 1988–1994), the investigators reported that the prevalence of impaired fasting glucose was 6.9%, undiagnosed diabetes 2.8%, and diagnosed diabetes 5.1% (5). Previously, Harris et al. expressed concern that the prevalence of diabetes in American adults aged 40–74 years had increased from 8.9% in 1976–1980 to 12.3% in 1988–1994. The 1999–2003 NHANES estimates of diabetes are generally 6.6% at ages 40–59 years and ∼15.5% after age 60 years, which suggests that the national prevalence of diabetes after age 40 …
Dissociable memory effects after medial thalamus lesions in the rat

Variable neuropathology in cases of diencephalic amnesia has led to uncertainty in identifying key thalamic nuclei and their potential role in learning and memory. Based on the principal neural connections of the medial thalamus, the current study tested the hypothesis that different aggregates of thalamic nuclei contribute to separate memory systems. Lesions of the anterior thalamic aggregate (AT), which comprises the anterodorsal, anteromedial and anteroventral nuclei produced substantial deficits in both working and reference spatial memory in a radial arm maze task in rats, supporting the view that the AT is an integral part of a hippocampal memory system. Lesions to the lateral thalamic aggregate (LT), which comprises the intralaminar nuclei (centrolateral, paracentral and rostral central medial nuclei) and lateral mediodorsal thalamic nuclei (lateral and paralamellar nuclei) produced a mild working memory impairment only, while lesions to the posteromedial thalamic aggregate (MT), which comprises the central and medial mediodorsal thalamic nuclei and the intermediodorsal nucleus had no effect on radial arm maze performance. In contrast, only MT lesions impaired learning associated with memory for reward value, consistent with the idea that the MT contributes to an amygdala memory system. Compared with chance discrimination, the control and AT groups, but not MT or LT groups, showed evidence for temporal order memory for two recently presented objects; all groups showed intact object recognition for novel vs. familiar objects. These new dissociations show that different medial thalamic aggregates participate in multiple memory systems and reinforce the idea that memory deficits in diencephalic amnesics may vary as a function of the relative involvement of different thalamic regions.
Incentivizing fruit and vegetable purchases among participants in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children

Abstract Objective In 2009, the US Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) began to provide participants with cash-value vouchers to purchase fruits and vegetables ($US 10 for women and $US 6 for children per month). The present paper assesses the potential effects of the new WIC incentives on fruit and vegetable purchases among WIC households in two New England states. Design A pre–post assessment of changes in fruit and vegetable purchases after the WIC revisions in generalized estimating equation models. Setting Scanner data on grocery purchases from a regional supermarket chain in New England, USA. Subjects WIC-participating households (n 2137) that regularly shopped at the chain during January–September 2009 and January–September 2010. Results After the WIC revisions, purchases of fresh and frozen vegetables increased in volume by 17·5 % and 27·8 %, respectively. The biggest improvements were observed for fresh fruit, an increase of 28·6 %, adding almost a kilogram of fresh fruits per household per month. WIC households spent three times more of their WIC vouchers on purchasing fresh fruits than fresh vegetables. The magnitudes of substitution effects were relatively small: between 4 % (fresh fruit) and 13 % (canned vegetables) of the amounts purchased in 2009 with non-WIC funds were replaced by purchases made using WIC vouchers in 2010. Conclusions The provision of fruit and vegetable benefits in the revised WIC food packages increased overall purchases of fruits and vegetables among WIC-participating households in New England. Efforts to encourage consumption of fruits and vegetables by people receiving federal food assistance are paying off.
Magnetic resonance fluoroscopy using spirals with variable sampling densities

The imaging of dynamic processes in the body is of considerable interest in interventional examinations as well as kinematic studies, and spiral imaging is a fast magnetic resonance imaging technique ideally suited for such fluoroscopic applications. In this manuscript, magnetic resonance fluoroscopy pulse sequences in which interleaved spirals are used to continuously acquire data and reconstruct one movie frame for each repetition time interval are implemented. For many applications, not all of k‐space needs to be updated each frame, and nonuniform k‐space sampling can be used to exploit this rapid imaging strategy by allowing variable update rates for different spatial frequencies. Using the appropriate reconstruction algorithm, the temporal updating rate for each spatial frequency is effectively proportional to the corresponding k‐space sampling density. Results from a motion phantom as well as in in vivo gadolinium diethylenetriaminopentaacetic acid (Gd‐DTPA) bolus tracking studies in a rat model demonstrate the high temporal resolution achievable using these techniques as well as the tradeoffs available with nonuniform sampling densities. This paper focuses on the acquisition of real‐time dynamic information, and all images presented are reconstructed retrospectively. The issues of real‐time data reconstruction and display are not addressed.