28232 research outputs found
Sort by
Growth Rates in the Giant Rosette Plants Dendrosenecio adnivalis and Lobelia wollastonii on the Ruwenzori Mountains, Uganda
No full textTrajectory of Improvement in Myelopathic Symptoms From 3 to 12 Months Following Surgery for Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy.
No full textBackgroundDegenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) is a progressive disease resulting from cervical cord compression. The modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association (mJOA) is commonly used to grade myelopathic symptoms, but its persistent postoperative improvement has not been previously explored.ObjectiveTo utilize the Quality Outcomes Database (QOD) to evaluate the trajectory of outcomes in those operatively treated for DCM.MethodsThis study is a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data. The QOD was queried for patients undergoing elective surgery for DCM. Patients were divided into mild (≥14), moderate (9-13), or severe (ResultsA total of 2156 patients who underwent elective surgery for DCM and had complete 3- and 12-mo follow-up were included in our analysis. Patients improved significantly from baseline to 3-mo on their mJOA scores, regardless of their baseline mJOA severity. After adjusting for the relevant preoperative characteristics, the baseline mJOA categories had significant impact on outcome of whether a patient keeps improving in mJOA score from 3 to 12 mo postsurgery. Patient with severe mJOA score at baseline had a higher likelihood of improvement in their myelopathic symptoms, compared to patients with mild mJOA score in.ConclusionMost patients achieve improvement on a shorter follow-up; however, patients with severe symptoms keep on improving until after a longer follow-up. Preoperative identification of such patients helps the clinician settling realistic expectations for each follow-up timepoint
What is Organizational History? Towards a Creative Synthesis of History and Organization Studies
No full textAs a synthesis of organization theory and historiography, the field of organizational history is mature enough to contribute to wider theoretical and historiographical debates and is sufficiently developed for a theoretical consideration of its subject matter. In this introduction to the Special Topic Forum on History and Organization Studies, we take up the question, "What is organizational history?" and consider three distinct arguments that we believe frame the next phase of development for historical work within organization studies. First, we argue that following the "historic turn," organizational history has developed as a subfield of organization studies that takes seriously the matter of history, promoting historical research as a way to enrich the broad endeavor of organization. Second, if "historymatters," then organization theory needs a theoretical account of the past that goes beyond the mere use of history as a context to test or as an example to illustrate theory. Third, the focus on "history that matters" in the present leads to two important considerations: How organizations can use "rhetorical history" as a strategic resource and the need to engage with historiographically significant subjects that connect organization theory to larger humanistic concerns, such as slavery and racism
Integrative Review of Implementation Strategies for Translation of Research-Based Evidence by Nurses
No full textCaspase-1 and the inflammasome promote polycystic kidney disease progression.
No full textWe and others have previously shown that the presence of renal innate immune cells can promote polycystic kidney disease (PKD) progression. In this study, we examined the influence of the inflammasome, a key part of the innate immune system, on PKD. The inflammasome is a system of molecular sensors, receptors, and scaffolds that responds to stimuli like cellular damage or microbes by activating Caspase-1, and generating critical mediators of the inflammatory milieu, including IL-1β and IL-18. We provide evidence that the inflammasome is primed in PKD, as multiple inflammasome sensors were upregulated in cystic kidneys from human ADPKD patients, as well as in kidneys from both orthologous (PKD1 RC/RC or RC/RC) and non-orthologous (jck) mouse models of PKD. Further, we demonstrate that the inflammasome is activated in female RC/RC mice kidneys, and this activation occurs in renal leukocytes, primarily in CD11c+ cells. Knock-out of Casp1, the gene encoding Caspase-1, in the RC/RC mice significantly restrained cystic disease progression in female mice, implying sex-specific differences in the renal immune environment. RNAseq analysis implicated the promotion of MYC/YAP pathways as a mechanism underlying the pro-cystic effects of the Caspase-1/inflammasome in females. Finally, treatment of RC/RC mice with hydroxychloroquine, a widely used immunomodulatory drug that has been shown to inhibit the inflammasome, protected renal function specifically in females and restrained cyst enlargement in both male and female RC/RC mice. Collectively, these results provide evidence for the first time that the activated Caspase-1/inflammasome promotes cyst expansion and disease progression in PKD, particularly in females. Moreover, the data suggest that this innate immune pathway may be a relevant target for therapy in PKD
Legacy of Coal Combustion: Widespread Contamination of Lake Sediments and Implications for Chronic Risks to Aquatic Ecosystems.
No full textElevated concentrations of toxic elements in coal ash pose human and ecological health risks upon release to the environment. Despite wide public concerns about water quality and human health risks from catastrophic coal ash spills and chronic leaking of coal ash ponds, coal ash disposal has only been partially regulated, and its impacts on aquatic sediment quality and ecological health have been overlooked. Here, we present a multiproxy approach of morphologic, magnetic, geochemical, and Sr isotopic analyses, revealing unmonitored coal ash releases over the past 40 to 70 years preserved in the sediment records of five freshwater lakes adjacent to coal-fired power plants across North Carolina. We detected significant sediment contamination and potential chronic ecological risks posed by the occurrence of hundreds of thousands of tons of coal ash solids mainly resulting from high-magnitude stormwater runoff/flooding and direct effluent discharge from coal ash disposal sites. The proximity of hundreds of disposal sites to natural waterways across the U.S. implies that such contamination is likely prevalent nationwide and expected to worsen with climate change
Predicting Mechanical Failure Following Cervical Deformity Surgery: A Composite Score Integrating Age-Adjusted Cervical Alignment Targets.
No full textStudy designRetrospective cohort study.ObjectivesInvestigate a composite score to evaluate the relationship between alignment proportionality and risk of distal junctional kyphosis (DJK).Methods84 patients with minimum 1 year follow-up were included (age = 61.1 ± 10.3 years, 64.3% women). The Cervical Score was constructed using offsets from age-adjusted normative values for sagittal vertical axis (SVA), T1 Slope (TS), and TS minus cervical lordosis (CL). Individual points were assigned based on offset with age-adjusted alignment targets and summed to generate the Cervical Score. Rates of mechanical failure (DJK revision or severe DJK [DJK> 20° and ΔDJK> 10°]) were assessed overall and based on Cervical Score. Logistical regressions assessed associations between early radiographic alignment and 1-year failure rate.ResultsMechanical failure rate was 21.4% (N = 18), 10.7% requiring revision. By multivariate logistical regression: 3-month T1S (OR: .935), TS-CL (OR:0.882), and SVA (OR:1.015) were independent predictors of 1-year failure (all P ConclusionThis study developed a composite alignment score predictive of mechanical failures in CD surgery. A score ≥3 at 3 months following surgery was associated with a marked increase in failure rate. The Cervical Score can be used to analyze sagittal alignment and help define realignment objectives to reduce mechanical failure
Host range, transmissibility and antigenicity of a pangolin coronavirus.
No full textThe pathogenic and cross-species transmission potential of SARS-CoV-2-related coronaviruses (CoVs) remain poorly characterized. Here we recovered a wild-type pangolin (Pg) CoV GD strain including derivatives encoding reporter genes using reverse genetics. In primary human cells, PgCoV replicated efficiently but with reduced fitness and showed less efficient transmission via airborne route compared with SARS-CoV-2 in hamsters. PgCoV was potently inhibited by US Food and Drug Administration approved drugs, and neutralized by COVID-19 patient sera and SARS-CoV-2 therapeutic antibodies in vitro. A pan-Sarbecovirus antibody and SARS-CoV-2 S2P recombinant protein vaccine protected BALB/c mice from PgCoV infection. In K18-hACE2 mice, PgCoV infection caused severe clinical disease, but mice were protected by a SARS-CoV-2 human antibody. Efficient PgCoV replication in primary human cells and hACE2 mice, coupled with a capacity for airborne spread, highlights an emergence potential. However, low competitive fitness, pre-immune humans and the benefit of COVID-19 countermeasures should impede its ability to spread globally in human populations
Risk-benefit assessment of major versus minor osteotomies for flexible and rigid cervical deformity correction.
No full textIntroductionOsteotomies are commonly performed to correct sagittal malalignment in cervical deformity (CD). However, the risks and benefits of performing a major osteotomy for cervical deformity correction have been understudied. The objective of this retrospective cohort study was to investigate the risks and benefits of performing a major osteotomy for CD correction.MethodsPatients stratified based on major osteotomy (MAJ) or minor (MIN). Independent t-tests and Chi-squared tests were used to assess differences between MAJ and MIN. A sub-analysis compared patients with flexible versus rigid CL.Results137 CD patients were included (62 years, 65% F). 19.0% CD patients underwent a MAJ osteotomy. After propensity score matching for cSVA, 52 patients were included. About 19.0% CD patients underwent a MAJ osteotomy. MAJ patients had more minor complications (P = 0.045), despite similar surgical outcomes as MIN. At 3M, MAJ and MIN patients had similar NDI, mJOA, and EQ5D scores, however by 1 year, MAJ patients reached MCID for NDI less than MIN patients (P = 0.003). MAJ patients with rigid deformities had higher rates of complications (79% vs. 29%, P = 0.056) and were less likely to show improvement in NDI at 1 year (0.95 vs. 0.54, P = 0.027). Both groups had similar sagittal realignment at 1 year (all P > 0.05).ConclusionsCervical deformity patients who underwent a major osteotomy had similar clinical outcomes at 3-months but worse outcomes at 1-year as compared to minor osteotomies, likely due to differences in baseline deformity. Patients with rigid deformities who underwent a major osteotomy had higher complication rates and worse clinical improvement despite similar realignment at 1 year