9 research outputs found
Prostatic Artery Embolization in Elderly Comorbid Patients with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: Safety, Efficacy, and Predictive Factors of Clinical Failure
No full textBackground: This study aims to evaluate the safety and efficacy of prostatic artery embolization (PAE) in elderly, multimorbid patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Additionally, it seeks to identify technical and clinical factors that predict clinical failure at the mid-term follow-up. Methods: We analyzed the clinical records of 175 consecutive patients who underwent PAE. Technical success was defined as achieving embolization on at least one side. Safety was assessed using the Clavien–Dindo classification. The pre-procedural international prostate symptom score (IPSS), quality of life (QoL) score, prostate volume (PV), prostate-specific antigen (PSA), maximum urinary flow rate (Qmax), and post-void residual urine (PVR) were compared with values assessed at the follow-up evaluation. Clinical failure was defined as no improvement or worsening of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) based on the IPSS at the follow-up evaluation. Univariate and multivariate regression models were applied to identify predictors of clinical failure. Results: 158 patients met the inclusion criteria. The median age was 74 years (68, 79), with a median ASA score of 2 (2, 3) and a Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) of 5 (4, 7). Follow-up assessments were carried out at a median of 12 months (0, 1). IPSS decreased by −5 points (−8, 0), QoL by −1 point (−1, 0), PV by −19 cc (−26, −8), PVR by −45 cc (−25 to −80), and PSA by −1.1 ng/mL (−2.5, −0.2) (p < 0.01); while Qmax improved by 4 mL/s (2, 6) (p < 0.01). A total of 44 patients (30.3%) experienced clinical failure, which was significantly correlated with unilateral embolization (p < 0.01). Multivariate regression analysis indicated that higher CCI, elevated PVR, and the use of larger microspheres were associated with poorer clinical outcomes, with odds ratios of 2.17 (95% CI: 1.4–3.38), 1.02 (95% CI: 1.01–1.03), and 26.83 (95% CI: 4.81–149.8), respectively (p < 0.01). Conclusions: PAE is a safe and effective treatment for elderly multimorbid patients with BPH. Comprehensive pre-procedural clinical assessment, incorporating the CCI and PVR, is essential to optimize treatment outcomes
UND Professor Weinstein to participate in discussion on Adam Smith, father of modern capitalism, in Norway
No full textDr. Jack Weinstein, professor of philosophy and director of the Institute for Philosophy in Public Life at the University of North Dakota, will present a research paper and participate in discussions at the Centre for the Study of Mind in Nature’s (CSMN) “Adam Smith and Virtue” Workshop at the University of Oslo, Norway on Aug. 27-28.
The CSMN is a “Norwegian Centre of Excellence” funded in part by the Research Council of Norway and hosted by the Department of Philosophy, Classics, and History of Art and Ideas at the University of Oslo. Weinstein is one of eight workshop scholar participants representing the U.S., Norway, France and Australia.
“The conference is about trying to figure out what virtue means to Smith,” explains Weinstein. “This means that it is focused on trying to figure out what it means to be a good or moral person in a free-market world.”
Adam Smith is the father of modern capitalism and the author of The Wealth of Nations, one of the most influential books in history. The conference is a place in which scholars can present works in progress and get feedback so they can improve their research.
Weinstein will be opposing the idea of “spontaneous virtues.” He will be rejecting the idea that morality is an automatic response. He argues instead that it is a product of careful deliberation.
“I am using Adam Smith’s writing to explore these questions both to interpret him correctly (he was an 18th century philosopher) and to show how he is still relevant to the contemporary world,” says Weinstein.
About Weinstein:
Weinstein is the author of three books and dozens of articles. He is the recipient of the 2007 UND Foundation/McDermott Award for Individual Excellence in Teaching. He received his Ph.D. in philosophy from Boston University in 1998. Weinstein teaches doctoral courses for the Department of Moral and Social Philosophy at the University of Helsinki (Finland). And has held visiting fellowships or guest professorships at The Center for Scottish Studies at Princeton Theological Seminary, Die Institut für die Wissenschaften vom Menschen, the University of Oklahoma, The State University of New York, Plattsburgh (his undergraduate alma mater), Oklahoma State University and the University of Oulu in Finland.
He is also known for his radio show “Why? Philosophical discussions for everyday life,” which can be heard on the second Sunday of each month at 5 p.m. on Prairie Public Radio. To listen via broadcast radio in North Dakota, tune to 89.3 in Grand Forks, 91.9 in Fargo, 90.5 in Bismarck and on other Prairie Public radio network stations across the state
Perceptions about math placement and pre-calculus/calculus math courses among college first-generation, low-income, students of color
No full text2018 Fall.Includes bibliographical references.The purpose of this study was to explore first-generation, low-income, students' of color experiences with math placement and pre-calculus/calculus courses, focusing on their self-belief in being successful in math. As part of the Progress Through Calculus National Science Foundation research project, eight first-generation, low-income, students of color in STEM at one institution were studied with interviews and focus groups. These students completed pre-calculus/calculus courses during the 2017-2018 academic year. Summarizing how first-generation, low-income, students' of color identities impacted college experiences for these students, a strong dedication to learning and a deep value in seeing the benefit of higher education were combined with an extreme pressure to succeed. As one of the first experiences with students in college, the math placement process revealed anxiety with this high stakes exam. This exam was viewed with a fixed mindset, where most of the students did not take advantage of the minimal support offered. For the majority of students, the placement exam did not enhance their self-belief in being successful in college math, and half the students enrolled in a math course that was different than their placement results. Student experiences in math courses that positively influenced self-belief focused on the transformation as engaged learners; which included valuing practicing, devoting time, gaining mastery with mathematical concepts, working with other students, and understanding the importance of asking for help. Course components students shared that influenced their self-beliefs to be successful in math are illustrated within inclusive pedagogies in the classroom and, in turn, support structures to enhance student learning. Particular aspects of inclusive pedagogy included group active learning, diverse experiences and approaches, and a community of caring. Highlighted support structures were course feedback, learning assistants, and the math lab. A community approach to learning math was illustrated by integrating the aspects of self-belief that empowered engaged learning with inclusive pedagogies and support structures. Promoting a community approach to learning encourages self-belief in math success and may positively influence math completion of first-generation, low-income, students of color
Skills to succeed: a questionnaire developed to measure self-advocacy skills before and after intervention in university students
No full text2010 Fall.Includes bibliographic references (pages 37-41).Covers not scanned.Print version deaccessioned 2022.Objective. Diversity of learners attending post-secondary education is increasing, but students from diverse backgrounds including racial/ethnic minorities, first-generation college students, and students with disabilities continue to graduate at lower rates than their peers. Non-academic skills are an important part of student success in postsecondary education, and self-advocacy is a piece of a non-academic skill set that can lead to greater student retention and increased graduation rates. The purpose of this study was to develop a questionnaire to measure self-advocacy skills in university students and to determine the effectiveness of a self-advocacy intervention. Method: A quasi-experimental, mixed design study was used to determine the quality of a questionnaire to identify self-advocacy skills in college sophomores and the effectiveness of the questionnaire to measure the improvement of self-advocacy skills alter receiving a self-advocacy intervention. A diverse group of 36 students in a Learning Community at Colorado State University were given a questionnaire before the start of fall semester 2009. Students received a self-advocacy intervention to target areas of lower performance based on the pre-intervention questionnaire results and were given a follow-up survey at the end of fall semester. Results: Descriptive statistics indicated that half of the 30 Likert scale questions on the self-advocacy questionnaire did not have ceiling effects. Paired r-tests revealed a significant increase in one self-advocacy area and a decrease in two self-advocacy skill areas. When racial/ethnic groups, first-generation students, and students with disabilities were compared, differences were found in how Asian/Pacific Islander and Hispanic/Latino(a) students answered questions regarding self-advocacy skills. Qualitative data analysis further defined sophomore students’ perceived needs and definitions of self-advocacy. Conclusion: Literature supports that sophomore students often report a decrease in self-efficacy related to their academic experience as they measure their ability or chance for academic success. Students reported a need for increasing motivational and academic skills (test taking, studying) as the top areas for needing improvement. In addition to adding control groups, further refinement of the self-advocacy questionnaire and intervention is required in order to effectively measure and target the student identified self-advocacy needs
How Can International Staff Exchange be Implemented as Part of the Execution of an Internationalisation Strategy in UK Higher Education? The Case of a Strategic Entrepreneur
No full textThis work constructs a bridge across the "knowing-doing gap" of international staff exchange: the gap between strategy formulation and its execution within the constraints of a post-1992 university business school in the UK. It goes beyond the common, well-intentioned and yet vague statements involving the "encouragement" of international staff exchange to propose a model of execution through strategic entrepreneurship.
The promotion of international staff mobility is a founding principle of the "Bologna Process", designed to create a converged system of higher education across Europe. Many UK "new" (ie post-1992) universities are engaged in the development of internationalisation strategies which include staff exchange. Meanwhile, the failure to execute strategy is increasingly acknowledged as a major problem in organisational performance.
Using a first-, second and third-person Insider Action Research (AR) approach, the author initiated, planned, organised and implemented an international staff exchange between universities in the UK and France. Data generated were subjected to a double process of analysis in order to construct the new model. A policy of "subjectivity with transparency" and transcontextual credibility throughout enables the reader to judge transferability. Duality is the nature of this "bridge" and the simplistic transplant of the expatriation policies of commercial organisations is avoided. Concepts from the theoretical literature in three domains - strategic management and entrepreneurship in higher education, internationalisation of higher education and strategy execution through strategic entrepreneurship - are combined with the research analysis to propose that "strategic entrepreneurs" can execute the riskier elements of an internationalisation strategy, such as staff exchange. Members of the creative class, strategic entrepreneurs are attracted and motivated by the foundation of a diverse environment and entrepreneurial culture promoted by a university's values-driven, holistic approach to internationalisation. Their autonomous strategic behaviour must be facilitated by an execution-focussed organisational architecture. In a university, the overall approach to staff exchange should combine central and local (school-based) functions and resource both to develop strategic initiatives and to exploit tactical opportunities.
This work broadens AR from education into strategic management, specifically linking the areas of strategic execution and strategic entrepreneurship
Author Correction: Stability, affinity, and chromatic variants of the glutamate sensor iGluSnFR
No full textBridging the preparedness gap: a systematic review of recommended stockpile items for radiological and nuclear emergencies
No full textAbstract Background While rare, radiological and nuclear (RN) emergencies pose complex challenges that require tailored preparedness strategies. A key aspect is the strategic stockpiling of medical countermeasures (MCMs), yet existing literature offers limited and fragmented recommendations regarding their appropriate composition. Methods This systematic review, conducted following PRISMA guidelines, aims to consolidate and critically appraise available evidence on stockpiling for RN emergencies. Seven databases and selected grey literature sources were screened from 2011 onward. Studies were included if they provided direct or indirect recommendations on stockpiling items. Data extraction was conducted in two steps by independent pairs of reviewers, and identified items were categorized as therapeutics, medical devices, personal protective equipment (PPE), or RN-specific equipment. Items were further analyzed for regulatory status, administration route, shelf-life, and storage requirements. Results Thirty-two articles met the inclusion criteria. Therapeutics dominated the findings, with 50 distinct agents identified, most frequently potassium iodide, Prussian Blue, Ca-/Zn-DTPA, and hematopoietic growth factors such as filgrastim. In contrast, medical devices were not supported by a sufficient level of stockpiling recommendation, while PPE (6 of 32 articles) and RN equipment (14 of 32 articles) were cited less often. Pediatric considerations were rarely addressed, with 2 studies explicitly focused on this population. Gaps in operational guidance, regulatory harmonization, and standardized planning emerged across the literature. Conclusions This review highlights that stockpiling recommendations for RN emergencies remain limited, with greater guidance concentrated on a few therapeutics and little direction for other items. The findings provide an informative evidence base to support more consistent policy and preparedness planning
In vivo behaviour of human precursors into a dystrophic context
No full textThe Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) is a lethal recessive X-linked disease caused by mutations in the dystrophin gene, no effective treatment is available up to date. The development of effective therapies requires the use of animal models both dystrophic and immunotolerant for human cells.
In collaboration with James Di Santo at the Pasteur Institute, a new mutant strain of mice was created: the Rag2−Il2rb−Dmd−. This mutant lacks T and B cells, as well as NK cells. It also harbours a mutation in the dystrophin gene.
This study focuses on the morphological and immunohistochemical characterization of the muscle phenotype of the new mutant mouse, its comparison with the most used DMD model (mdx) and its potential use to evaluate the regenerative potential of human myogenic progenitors.
The results obtained in this thesis have shown that the dystrophic phenotype is similar between the two models. Analysis of muscle regeneration has yielded very promising results. The Rag2−Il2rb−Dmd− mouse shows a peak of spontaneous regeneration between 10 and 16 weeks, which is six weeks of intense regeneration.
Results obtained after transplantation of human myoblasts have confirmed that this new model is very suitable for myogenic cells transplantation, which can effectively participate in muscle regeneration. This is very important because allows to study the behaviour of human myogenic stem cells in natural dystrophic context
Reverse tissue expansion by liposuction deflation for revision of post-surgical thigh scars
No full textScars hypertrophy and widen when stretching mechanical forces are applied to resilient newly formed collagen before it reaches final maturity marring the final result of many surgical procedures and resulting in a clinical problem for many patients. Scar revision by surgical excision remains the traditional treatment for hypertrophic or widespread scars. It relies upon recruitment of local tissues for closure of the ensuing defect. Providing tension-free skin closure is the best option to avoid recurrence. Although tissue expansion procedure is a valuable and reliable technique for scar revision, it has its own disadvantages and potential complications. We describe an alternative method for scar revision that may be applicable in certain situations. Instead of expanding the soft tissues to make available additional skin, deflation by liposuction may be affected to relax the skin envelope thus indirectly providing additional skin for scar revision. 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