1,720,998 research outputs found
Characterization of the Myo-inositol Efflux Pathway in Cultured Bovine Lens Epithelial Cells
Get PDFReeves, Rustin E., Characterization of the Myo-inositol Efflux Pathway in Cultured Bovine Lens Epithelial Cells. Doctor of Philosophy (Biomedical Sciences), December, 1997, 173 pp., 1 table, 28 figures, bibliography, 94 titles. The basic cellular requirement of volume regulation utilizes many different channel and transport pathways working on concord to maintain a constant cell volume. Among these are distinct pathways spontaneously activated by changes in cell volume that modulate the gain or loss of certain organic osmolytes, such as myo-inositol (MI). The major goal of this dissertation is to characterize and identify the mechanism involved in the MI effux pathway and explore its relationship with intracellular polyol accumulation in cultured bovine lens epithelial cells (BLECs). Hypertonic exposure of BLECs causes an increase in MI uptake and aldose reductase enzymatic activity, two events which ultimately influence osmolyte efflux. A biphasic efflux pathway induced by rapid cell swelling (hypotonic-induction) was demonstrated in BLECS switched from hypertonice to physiologic medium. Also, intracellular polyol accumulation from galactose exposure resulted in enhanced activation of the MI efflux pathway (polyol-induction). Chloride channel inhibitors effectively blocked MI efflux suggesting a relationship between anion (chloride) movement and intracellular MI loss from cell to medium. Expression of a chloride channel regulatory protein, pICln, was demonstrated by Northern blot analysis in cultured BLECs. Hypertonic exposure upregulates the expression of pICln mRNA while hypotonicity downregulates expression. The volume-sensitivity for transcription of PICln mRNA in BLECs lends strong support for its role in both anion and osmolyte loss associated with the MI efflux pathway. The MI efflux pathway functions as a “relief value” in cell volume regulation by providing a conduit to alleviate intracellular osmotic stress. The mechanism which evolved to function under normal cellular circumstances in relief of excessive accumulation of intracellular osmolytes (i.e. polyols), may, by design, inadvertently promote the loss of essential intracellular volume and nonvolume regulatory organic solutes. Ironically, under certain pathological conditions, this mechanism, designed to protect the cell from intracellular osmotic stress, may instead be detrimental to the cell by promoting the excessive loss of osmolytes essential for normal cell function
Bone Marrow Aspirate vs. Bone Morphogenetic Protein (rhBMP-2) in Multilevel Adult Spinal Deformity Surgery and the Feasibility of Using Adult Mesenchymal Stem Cells.
Get PDFPurpose: To evaluate bone graft substitutes used in spine fusion surgery and determine the feasibility of studying the use of adult stem cells.
Hypothesis: Using a well designed, randomized clinical trial to compare bone graft substitutes used in spine fusion surgery will help determine the best alternative to autologous bone graft.
Design: Retrospective data on two bone graft substitutes will be evaluated. A protocol for studying stem cells in spine fusion will be drafted and the feasibility of implementing the trial will be analyzed.
Results: It is difficult to design a randomized clinical trial to investigate a new surgical technique. The lack of standardization among spine surgeons makes it difficult to control for confounding variables
Quantifying Student Satisfaction and Academic Performance: A Comparison of Four Active Learning Techniques in an Asynchronous, Online, Graduate Anatomy Course
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Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Get PDFThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Variations on the Author
Get PDF“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis
Get PDFWe provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
Medicare 2005 Demonstration Project: Patient Reporting of Nausea Symptoms and Its Impact on Improving Quality of Patient Care
No full textFor the completion of the requirements for my Masters degree in clinical research management, I interned under the mentorship of Ray Page, D.O., Ph.D., at the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders. While at this site, I worked on completing my retrospective chart review research project while also gaining clinical exposure in medical and radiation oncology, observing different aspects of running and managing a medical practice, and learning how to run and manage clinical trials as a future principal investigator. The focus of my internship practicum was to analyze the effectiveness of the 2005 Oncology Demonstration Project. One-hundred thirty three patient charts were identified for this study because as some point during the 2005 year, the patient reported serious symptoms of nausea and vomiting. Over 5,000 patient notes that were documented during the 2005 year were reviewed for the one-hundred and thirty three patient population. Substantial data was collected regarding the ability of the clinicians’ and nurses’ effectiveness in administering nausea and vomiting care with, and without, the 2005 Oncology Demonstration Project. Additional activities during this internship includes shadowing DR. Page, shadowing and learning from the clinical coordinators at the Center, assisting the clinical manager with regulatory binder filling, protocol review, creating a study budget, and participating in, and helping in many other facets of clinical research carried out at the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders
Clinical Research: Drug Studies and Device Trials, Theory and Approach
Get PDFA clinical trial is composed of four different phases. Each of these phases serve a purpose such as testing safety, efficacy, and dosage. These phases are essential to provide the best possible model for mass use of a drug or a new device. Drug studies differ from device studies in their design and their delivery. In this case, a post-operative pain medication was tested, as well as a differential study between two types of cutting devices used in laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The post-operative pain study is a phase III study that is testing the efficacy, safety, and the pharmacokinetics of a proposed drug. The device study is considered a phase IV study because it is evaluating two commonly used techniques for laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Both of these techniques have previously been approved by the FDA and are mass marketed. These two studies were followed for six weeks and evaluated for protocol design, differences and similarities, and for hands on experience in the clinical research arena. Upon completion of the six week opportunity, it is evident that clinical research is a viable piece of medicine today. Following these two studies allowed for an understanding of the differences and similarities encountered when executing a drug study, as well as a device study. The complexities of the two studies were evaluated, and without doubt, the drug study included much more paper work, patient testing, inclusion/exclusion criteria, study evaluation, and most of all, man hours. All in all, this was a very rewarding experience that allowed for a greater understanding of the implementation and value of today’s clinical research
A Novel Approach to Inquiry-Based Learning Models in the Sciences: Utilization of Case Presentations and Patient Encounter Workshops in High School Life Science Classrooms
Get PDFA Novel Approach to Inquiry-Based Learning Models in the Sciences: Utilization of Case Presentations and Patient Encounter Workshops in High School Life Science Classrooms. Lekeisha R. Whitaker. Abstract. A novel approach to inquiry-based learning models is needed in a curriculum that reflects changing demographics, societal demands, and diverse cultural background. The proposed module which is designed to teach the urinary system to Fort Worth Independent District high school biology students as outlined in the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) guide, represents application of this novel tool in the classroom. It is designed to be implemented in inquiry-based learning classrooms that function to encourage the natural process of inquiry throughout grade levels. The proposed module takes advantage of media resources, introductory case reports, and patient encounter workshops that outline diet, disease, and health disparities as a way to capture student interest in content relevant material, engage students in the daily lessons, and invoke long-term retention of basic life science concepts. Through future research and testing of module design and effectiveness in the classroom, the proposed approach to inquiry-based learning may serve to optimize student understanding of fundamental science concepts and diet and disease as it relates to normal body function, with implications that may affect change in lifestyle. Furthermore, the proposed learning module, if effective, may also serve as a template to be used to teach other life science subjects
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