16,707 research outputs found
Molecular modifications induced by mud-bath therapy in patients with osteoarthritis
No full textBackground Mud-bath therapy (MBT) is a non-pharmacological approach commonly used to treat osteoarthritis (OA). Several data indicate that MBT improve patient's symptoms (1), exerting a beneficial effect on pain and joint function, although the biological mechanisms involved in the therapeutic response are poorly defined.
Objectives This study aimed to find molecular changes (proteins and mRNA variations) in patients with OA after MBT treatment.
Methods The study included 39 patients whit primary diffuse osteoarthritis, assigned to receive a cycle of mud-bath therapy over a period of 2 weeks added to usual pharmacologic treatment. Whole blood and serum were collected before and after standard MBT treatment: for each time points two pools of patients sera were analyzed by the direct antigen-labeling technology (RayBio® Biotin Label-based Antibody Array, RayBiotech) obtaining a broad, panoramic view of protein expression. Using this semi-quantitative technique up to 1000 target proteins was simultaneously detected, making this approach ideally suited for proteomic studies. Again, pooled samples of mRNA were used to investigate genes expression and to perform the transcriptomic analysis using an high-resolution array design that contains >6.0 million distinct probes, covering coding and non-coding transcripts (GeneChip® HTA 2.0, Affymetrix).
Results At the end of mud-bath therapy, using first a semi-quantitative approach, we observed in both biological replicates increased levels (>1.5 fold change) of: inhibin beta A subunit (INHBA), activin A receptor type 2B (ACVR2B), angiopoietin-1 (ANGPT1), beta-2-microglobulin (B2M), growth differentiation factor 10 (BMP-3b/GDF10), C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 5 (CXCL5), fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2), fibroblast growth factor 12 (FGF12), oxidized low density lipoprotein receptor 1 (OLR1), matrix metallopeptidase 13 (MMP13). We observed that some increased proteins belongs to the same family or pathway: INHBA, ACVR2B and BMP-3b are members of TGF-Beta superfamily; CXCL5 and MMP13 participate into IL-17 signaling pathway; FGF2 and FGF12 are proteins of FGF family. We are currently performing the transcriptome analysis, and the next step will be to correlate detected proteins with mRNA levels considering also post-transcriptional or epigenetic modifications. Finally we will validate these findings with other quantitative techniques (like ELISA and RT-PCR).
Conclusions Our first proteomic and broad spectrum analysis suggest the implication of molecular pathways involved in a wide variety of cellular functions such as gene expression modulation, differentiation, angiogenesis, tissue repair, acute and chronic inflammatory response which may explain the beneficial effects of MBT observed in osteoarthritis. This “omic” approach (proteomic and transcriptomic), generated a huge amount of data that is currently under statistical and bioinformatic analysis.
References
Forestier R, Desfour H, Tessier JM, et al. Spa therapy in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis: a large randomised multicentre trial. Ann Rheum Dis. 2010;69:660–5
Spa therapy induces clinical improvement and protein changes in patients with chronic back pain
No full textThis study is primarily aimed at assessing serum changes on a large panel of proteins in patients with chronic back pain following spa therapy, as well as evaluating different spa therapy regimens as a preliminary exploratory clinical study. Sixty-six patients with chronic back pain secondary to osteoarthritis were randomly enrolled and treated with daily mud packs and bicarbonate-alkaline mineral water baths, or a thermal hydrotherapy rehabilitation scheme, the combination of the two regimens or usual medication only (control group), for two weeks. Clinical variables were evaluated at baseline, after 2 and 12 weeks. One thousand serum proteins were tested before and after a two-week mud bath therapy. All spa treatment groups showed clinical benefit as determined by improvements in VAS pain, Roland Morris disability questionnaire and neck disability index at both time points. The following serum proteins were found greatly increased (≥2.5 fold) after spa treatment: inhibin beta A subunit (INHBA), activin A receptor type 2B (ACVR2B), angiopoietin-1 (ANGPT1), beta-2-microglobulin (B2M), growth differentiation factor 10 (GDF10), C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 5 (CXCL5), fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2), fibroblast growth factor 12 (FGF12), oxidized low density lipoprotein receptor 1 (OLR1), matrix metallopeptidase 13 (MMP13). Three proteins were found greatly decreased (≤0.65 fold): apolipoprotein C-III (Apoc3), interleukin 23 alpha subunit p19 (IL23A) and syndecan-1 (SDC1). Spa therapy was confirmed as beneficial for chronic back pain and proved to induce changes in proteins involved in functions such as gene expression modulation, differentiation, angiogenesis, tissue repair, acute and chronic inflammatory response
Molecular profiling of clinical remission in psoriatic arthritis reveals dysregulation of FOS and CCDC50 genes: a gene expression study
No full textRecent Results From the EU POF-PLUS Project: Multi-Gigabit Transmission Over 1 mm Core Diameter Plastic Optical Fibers
No full textRecent activity to achieve multi-gigabit transmission over 1 mm core diameter graded-index and step-index plastic optical fibers for distances up to 50 meters is reported in this paper. By employing a simple intensity-modulated direct-detection system with pulse amplitude or digital multi-tone modulation techniques, low-cost transceivers and easy to install large-core POFs, it is demonstrated that multi-gigabit transmission up to 10 Gbit/s over 1-mm core diameter POF infrastructure is feasible. The results presented in this paper were obtained in the EU FP7 POF-PLUS project, which focused on applications in different scenarios, such as in next-generation in-building residential networks and in datacom applications
Employing M1 direct calibration/de-embedding approaches for large signal model validation at mm-wave frequencies
No full textIn this contribution, we employ direct calibration/de-embedding approaches to validate the large signal device model of state-of-the-art HBTs and CMOS technologies operating in the mm-wave frequency band WR6. The capability of placing the first tier calibration reference plane in close proximity to the DUT allows the large signal metric to be directly compared with foundry models.Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository 'You share, we take care!' - Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.Electronic
Dynamic Estimation of Vital Signs with mm-wave FMCW Radar
No full textIn this paper, we propose a method for continuous monitoring of vital signs-in particular, respiration frequency-with a commercial mm-wave radar. The nearly constant frequency (NCF) model is adopted to represent chest displacement due to respiration and simulate radar response. Based on this model, an extended Kalman filter (EKF) based estimator is developed to track the breathing frequency of a person. The impact of dynamic model parameters is investigated in numerical simulation. The possibility to track breathing frequency with the proposed method is demonstrated by experimental data processing. Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository ‘You share, we take care!’ – Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.Microwave Sensing, Signals & System
A 23-to-29GHz Receiver with mm-Wave N-Input-N-Output Spatial Notch Filtering and Autonomous Notch-Steering Achieving 20-to-40dB mm-Wave Spatial Rejection and -14dBm In-Notch IP1 dB
No full textDigital beamforming receivers (RXs) support MIMO operation and offer great flexibility and accuracy in multi-beam formation and calibration. However, compared with analog phased-array and hybrid systems, due to the absence of any rejection for spatial in-band blockers, the RX/ADC dynamic range and linearity should be high enough to prevent array saturation. Therefore, the use of self-steering spatial notch filters (SNFs) is necessary to aid the digital beamformers and reduce RX/ADC power consumption while strong blockers exist. To address that, the sub-6GHz RXs in [1], [2] synthesize a baseband spatial notch impedance and translate it to RF by passive mixers. However, this technique cannot be directly applied at mm-wave frequencies as the impedance translational performance of the passive mixers degrades significantly. Hence, the mm-wave beamformer in [3] realizes a cascadable SNF at an intermediate frequency (IF). However, the front-end mm-wave components like mixers and phase shifters have to tolerate strong blockers, thus degrading RX linearity. Besides, it uses multiple IF buffers and VGAs for signal scaling and combining, which could be power-hungry if a similar method is adopted to realize a mm-wave SNF. To improve on those limitations, we propose a scalable SNF structure, which (1) suppresses the strongest in-band blocker at mm-wave frequencies, (2) supports N-input-N-output MIMOs, and (3) requires no active blocks except the phase shifters. A two-step autonomous notch-steering technique is also developed to adjust the SNF notch direction power-efficiently and accurately.Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository 'You share, we take care!' - Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.Electronic
Experiencing the armed struggle : the Soweto generation and after
No full textIncludes bibliographical references (p. 354-369).This study explores the experiences of the rank-and-file soldiers of Umkhonto we Sizwe and the Azanian People's Liberation Anny. Extensive interviews by the author and other researchers reveal the voices of the soldiers themselves. The African National Congress and Pan African Congress archives at the University of the Western Cape and the University of Fort Hare supplement and verify these oral testimonies, as do some published sources. Most previously published materials about the armed struggle against apartheid have already focused on diplomacy, strategy and tactics, operations, leadership, and human rights abuses to the neglect of the soldiers' actual experiences. This study complements these with significant new oral history materials from the Soweto generation of soldiers and their successors. When dealing with MK, many authors have documented issues of the camp structure in Angola, and operations inside South Africa, so much of this detail is only addressed briefly, leaving space to explore the soldiers' experiences. In the case of APLA, very little has been written on its history, and more detail is provided on these subjects. This study therefore deals with the soldiers' politicisation and motivation for joining the armed struggle, their experiences in leaving South Africa and training in exile, the crises in exile which limited their effectiveness for a time, their return to fight in South Africa, and their difficulties in the "new" South Africa. These materials reveal that vast problems remain facing these veterans of the struggle against apartheid, and that they have the potential, if properly supported and employed, to contribute substantially to the development of present day South Africa. Conversely, if their neglect continues, they also have the potential to bring vast harm to the country. Further use of the investigative tools of oral history, especially if extended to the former soldiers' vernacular languages, is necessary to augment the history of South Africa, and these soldiers' contributions
Grouped People Counting Using mm-wave FMCW MIMO Radar
No full textThe problem of radar-based counting of multiple individuals moving as a single group is addressed using an mm-wave multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) frequency-modulated continuous wave (FMCW) radar. This problem is challenging because the different individuals are closer to each other than the range/azimuth resolution, and their bulk Doppler signatures are difficult to distinguish, as they tend to move together. A processing pipeline is proposed, based on the combination of a multiple target tracking algorithm with a classifier to track each group and count the number of people within. Specific salient features are defined for the classifier and extracted from range-azimuth maps and cadence velocity diagrams (CVDs). The proposed pipeline has been experimentally validated in several outdoor scenarios with grouped people. The results show that the combination of tracking algorithm and classifier in the proposed pipeline outperforms alternative methods from the literature as well as a commercial toolbox for people counting.Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository ‘You share, we take care!’ – Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.Microwave Sensing, Signals & System
Proposal of a modified transcervical endometrial resection (TCER) technique for menorrhagia treatment. Feasibility, efficacy, and patients' acceptability
No full textThe aim of this study is to evaluate the feasibility, efficacy, safeness, and patients' acceptability of a modified transcervical endometrial resection (TCER) technique for the treatment of menorrhagia. Eighty-four premenopausal women with menorrhagia after careful investigation and 2 months therapy with GnRHa underwent a modified TCER. It was performed with a standard dual channel, 26 French irrigating resectoscope (Karl Storz, GmbH, Germany) after cervix dilatation to 10 mm and sorbitol mannitol solution used as distension medium. The modified technique was based on the resection of the endometrium and of the first myometrial layers only on the anterior and posterior walls, without treating fundus and cornual areas as usually performed. Endometrial resection was performed to a depth of 4 to 5 mm. Clinical and hysteroscopic follow-up was performed for 60 months. Early and late complications, changing in bleeding patterns, and patients' satisfaction were recorded. Sixty-four out of 73 patients that completed the 60 months improved. Eumenorrhea was achieved in 68.5 %, hypomenorrhea in 5.5 %, and amenorrhea in 13.7 %. Most of the patients (86.3 %) showed satisfaction at the follow-up interview. Control hysteroscopy showed that post modified TCER uterine cavity maintained the possibility of macroscopic and histopathology investigation during follow-up. Modified TCER is a technique easy to perform and effective in the long-term resolution of menorrhagia. In particular, it avoids the formation of synechiae and the shrinkage of the uterine cavity that may be the cause of various long-term complications, such as the delay in the diagnosis of endometrial carcinoma onset
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