scholarly journals 10040 Proactive and responsive COVID-19 multidisciplinary research support through the University of Minnesota’s Clinical Research Support Center

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-2
Author(s):  
Brian L. Odlaug ◽  
Francoise Crevel ◽  
Nicole Tosun ◽  
Ryan Lee ◽  
Carrie McKenzie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Research ◽  
Multidisciplinary Research ◽  
Research Support ◽  
The University

The consolidation of microscopy technology into a university research support facility: Reflections on the 1980's and projections for the 1990's at the university of iowa

1993 ◽  
Vol 51 ◽  
pp. 476-477
Author(s):  
Kenneth C. Moore
Keyword(s):  
Laser Scanning ◽  
Freeze Fracture ◽  
Freeze Substitution ◽  
Research Support ◽  
University Of Iowa ◽  
Staff Members ◽  
The Past ◽  
Research Grade ◽  
The University ◽  
Support Facility

The University of Iowa Central Electron Microscopy Research Facility(CEMRF) was established in 1981 to support all faculty, staff and students needing this technology. Initially the CEMRF was operated with one TEM, one SEM, three staff members and supported about 30 projects a year. During the past twelve years, the facility has replaced all instrumentation pre-dating 1981, and now includes 2 TEM's, 2 SEM's, 2 EDS systems, cryo-transfer specimen holders for both TEM and SEM, 2 parafin microtomes, 4 ultamicrotomes including cryoultramicrotomy, a Laser Scanning Confocal microscope, a research grade light microscope, an Ion Mill, film and print processing equipment, a rapid cryo-freezer, freeze substitution apparatus, a freeze-fracture/etching system, vacuum evaporators, sputter coaters, a plasma asher, and is currently evaluating scanning probe microscopes for acquisition. The facility presently consists of 10 staff members and supports over 150 projects annually from 44 departments in 5 Colleges and 10 industrial laboratories. One of the unique strengths of the CEMRF is that both Biomedical and Physical scientists use the facility.

User Evaluation of an Integrated Medical Workstation for Clinical Data Analysis

1993 ◽  
Vol 32 (05) ◽  
pp. 365-372 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Timmeis ◽  
J. H. van Bemmel ◽  
E. M. van Mulligen
Keyword(s):  
Data Analysis ◽  
Clinical Research ◽  
Clinical Data ◽  
University Hospital ◽  
User Evaluation ◽  
Scientific Staff ◽  
Medical Institutions ◽  
Clinical Data Analysis ◽  
Research Problems ◽  
The University

AbstractResults are presented of the user evaluation of an integrated medical workstation for support of clinical research. Twenty-seven users were recruited from medical and scientific staff of the University Hospital Dijkzigt, the Faculty of Medicine of the Erasmus University Rotterdam, and from other Dutch medical institutions; and all were given a written, self-contained tutorial. Subsequently, an experiment was done in which six clinical data analysis problems had to be solved and an evaluation form was filled out. The aim of this user evaluation was to obtain insight in the benefits of integration for support of clinical data analysis for clinicians and biomedical researchers. The problems were divided into two sets, with gradually more complex problems. In the first set users were guided in a stepwise fashion to solve the problems. In the second set each stepwise problem had an open counterpart. During the evaluation, the workstation continuously recorded the user’s actions. From these results significant differences became apparent between clinicians and non-clinicians for the correctness (means 54% and 81%, respectively, p = 0.04), completeness (means 64% and 88%, respectively, p = 0.01), and number of problems solved (means 67% and 90%, respectively, p = 0.02). These differences were absent for the stepwise problems. Physicians tend to skip more problems than biomedical researchers. No statistically significant differences were found between users with and without clinical data analysis experience, for correctness (means 74% and 72%, respectively, p = 0.95), and completeness (means 82% and 79%, respectively, p = 0.40). It appeared that various clinical research problems can be solved easily with support of the workstation; the results of this experiment can be used as guidance for the development of the successor of this prototype workstation and serve as a reference for the assessment of next versions.

Clinical applications of nanomedicine research with Sourav Bhattacharjee

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sourav Bhattacharjee
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Research ◽  
Cancer Treatment ◽  
Clinical Applications ◽  
University College ◽  
The University

In this second Expert Perspective video with Sourav Bhattacharjee of the University College Dublin, Sourav discusses how nanomedicine is being used in clinical research, with particular emphasis on the role of nanomedicine and nanotechnology in cancer treatment.

scholarly journals THU0528 NAILFOLD VIDEOCAPILLAROSCOPY REPORTING IN CLINICAL RESEARCH: INTERNATIONAL DELPHI BASED CONSENSUS

2020 ◽  
Vol 79 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 503.1-504
Author(s):  
F. Ingegnoli ◽  
T. Schioppo ◽  
A. Herrick ◽  
A. Sulli ◽  
F. Bartoli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Clinical Research ◽  
Rheumatic Diseases ◽  
Unmet Need ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Invasive Technique ◽  
Delphi Consensus ◽  
Research Support ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Research Studies

Background:Nailfold capillaroscopy (NVC), a non-invasive technique to assess microcirculation, is increasingly being incorporated into rheumatology routine clinical practice. Currently, the degree of description of NVC methods varies amongst research studies, making interpretation and comparison between studies challenging. In this field, an unmet need is the standardization of items to be reported in research studies using NVC.Objectives:To perform a Delphi consensus on minimum reporting standards in methodology for clinical research, based on the items derived from a systematic review focused on this topic.Methods:The systematic review of the literature on NVC methodology relating to rheumatic diseases was performed according to PRISMA guidelines (PROSPERO CRD42018104660) to July 22nd2018 using MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus. Then, a three-step web-based Delphi consensus was performed in between members of the EULAR study group on microcirculation in rheumatic diseases and the Scleroderma Clinical Trials Consortium. Participants were asked to rate each item from 1 (not appropriate) to 9 (completely appropriate).Results:In total, 3491 references were retrieved in the initial search strategy, 2862 were excluded as duplicates or after title/abstract screening. 632 articles were retrieved for full paper review of which 319 fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Regarding patient preparation before the exam, data were scarce: 38% reported acclimatization, 5% to avoid caffeine and smoking, 3% to wash hands and 2% to avoid manicure. Concerning the device description: 90% reported type of instrument, 77% brand/model, 72% magnification, 46% oil use, 40% room temperature and 35% software for image analysis. As regards to examination details: 76% which fingers examined, 75% number of fingers examined, 15% operator experience, 13% reason for finger exclusion, 9% number of images, 8% quality check of the images and 3% time spent for the exam. Then, a three-round Delphi consensus on the selected items was completed by 80 participants internationally, from 31 countries located in Australia, Asia, Europe, North and South America. Some items reached the agreement at the second round (85 participants), and other items were suggested as important to consider in a future research agenda (e.g. temperature for acclimatization, the impact of smoking, allergies at the application of the oil to the nailbed, significance of pericapillary edema, methods of reporting hemorrhages, ramified and giant capillaries). The final agreement results are reported below:Conclusion:On the basis of the available literature the description of NVC methods was highly heterogeneous and individual published studies differed markedly. These practical suggestions developed using a Delphi process among international participants provide a guidance to improve and to standardize the NVC methodology in future clinical research studies.Disclosure of Interests:Francesca Ingegnoli: None declared, Tommaso Schioppo: None declared, Ariane Herrick: None declared, Alberto Sulli Grant/research support from: Laboratori Baldacci, Francesca Bartoli: None declared, Nicola Ughi: None declared, John Pauling: None declared, Maurizio Cutolo Grant/research support from: Bristol-Myers Squibb, Actelion, Celgene, Consultant of: Bristol-Myers Squibb, Speakers bureau: Sigma-Alpha, Vanessa Smith Grant/research support from: The affiliated company received grants from Research Foundation - Flanders (FWO), Belgian Fund for Scientific Research in Rheumatic diseases (FWRO), Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co and Janssen-Cilag NV, Consultant of: Boehringer-Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co, Speakers bureau: Actelion Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Boehringer-Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co and UCB Biopharma Sprl

scholarly journals FRI0416 COMBINATION OF SERUM ADIPOKINES/RELATED INFLAMMATORY FACTORS AND RATIOS AS PREDICTORS OF INFRAPATELLAR FAT PAD VOLUME IN KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS PATIENTS: USAGE OF A COMPREHENSIVE MACHINE LEARNING APPROACH

2020 ◽  
Vol 79 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 806.1-807
Author(s):  
H. Bonakdari ◽  
G. Tardif ◽  
F. Abram ◽  
J. P. Pelletier ◽  
J. Martel-Pelletier
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Serum Levels ◽  
Infrapatellar Fat Pad ◽  
Inflammatory Factors ◽  
Fat Pad ◽  
Research Support ◽  
Knee Oa ◽  
Total Cohort ◽  
Low Bmi ◽  
The University

Background:One of the hurdles in osteoarthritis (OA) drug discovery and the improvement of therapeutic approaches is the early identification of patients who will progress. It is therefore crucial to find efficient and reliable means of screening OA progressors. Although the main risk factors, age, gender and body mass index (BMI), are important, they alone are poor predictors. However, serum factors could be potential biomarkers for early prediction of knee OA progression.Objectives:In a first step toward finding early reliable predictors of OA progressors, this study aimed to determine, in OA individuals, the optimum combination of serum levels of adipokines/related inflammatory factors, their ratios, and the three main OA risk factors for predicting knee OA infrapatellar fat pad (IPFP) volume, as this tissue has been associated with knee OA onset and progression.Methods:Serum and magnetic resonance images (MRI) were from the Osteoarthritis Initiative at baseline. Variables (48) comprised the 3 main OA risk factors (age, gender, BMI), 6 adipokines, 3 inflammatory factors, and their 36 ratios. IPFP volume was assessed on MRI with a neural network methodology. The best variables and models were identified in Total cohort (n=678), High-BMI (n=341) and Low-BMI (n=337), using an artificial intelligence selection approach: the adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system embedded with fuzzy c-means clustering (ANFIS-FCM). Performance was validated using uncertainty analyses and statistical indices. Reproducibility was done using 80 OA patients from a clinical trial (female, n=57; male, n=23).Results:For the three groups, 8.44E+14 sub-variables were investigated and 48 models were selected. The best model for each group included five variables: the three risk factors and adipsin/C-reactive protein combined for Total cohort, adipsin/chemerin; High-BMI, chemerin/adiponectin high molecular weight; and Low-BMI, interleukin-8. Data also revealed that the main form of the ratio used for the model was justified, as the use of the inverse form slightly decreased the performance of the model in both training and testing stages. Further investigation indicated that gender improved (13-16%) the prediction results compared to the BMI-based models. For each gender, we then generated a pseudocode (an evolutionary computation equation) with the 5 variables for predicting IPFP volume. Reproducibility experiments were excellent (correlation coefficient: female 0.83, male 0.95).Conclusion:This study demonstrates, for the first time, that the combination of the serum levels of adipokines/inflammatory factors and the three main risk factors of OA could predict IPFP volume with high reproducibility, and superior performance with gender separation. By using the models for each gender and the pseudocodes for OA patients provided in this study, the next step will be to develop a predictive model for OA progressors.Acknowledgments:This work was funded by the Chair in Osteoarthritis of the University of Montreal, the Osteoarthritis Research Unit of the University of Montreal Hospital Research Centre, the Groupe de recherches des maladies rhumatismales du Québec and by ArthroLab Inc., all from Montreal, Quebec, Canada.Disclosure of Interests:Hossein Bonakdari: None declared, Ginette Tardif: None declared, François Abram Employee of: ArthroLab Inc., Jean-Pierre Pelletier Shareholder of: ArthroLab Inc., Grant/research support from: TRB Chemedica, Speakers bureau: TRB Chemedica and Mylan, Johanne Martel-Pelletier Shareholder of: ArthroLab Inc., Grant/research support from: TRB Chemedica

scholarly journals ResUHUrge: A Low Cost and Fully Functional Ventilator Indicated for Application in COVID-19 Patients

Sensors ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (23) ◽  
pp. 6774
Author(s):  
Francisco José Vivas Fernández ◽  
José Sánchez Segovia ◽  
Ismael Martel Bravo ◽  
Carlos García Ramos ◽  
Daniel Ruiz Castilla ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Low Cost ◽  
Pulmonary Ventilation ◽  
Lung Infection ◽  
Health Condition ◽  
Multidisciplinary Research ◽  
Global North ◽  
Severity Of The Disease ◽  
Open Source Hardware ◽  
The University

Although the cure for the SARS-CoV-2 virus (COVID-19) will come in the form of pharmaceutical solutions and/or a vaccine, one of the only ways to face it at present is to guarantee the best quality of health for patients, so that they can overcome the disease on their own. Therefore, and considering that COVID-19 generally causes damage to the respiratory system (in the form of lung infection), it is essential to ensure the best pulmonary ventilation for the patient. However, depending on the severity of the disease and the health condition of the patient, the situation can become critical when the patient has respiratory distress or becomes unable to breathe on his/her own. In that case, the ventilator becomes the lifeline of the patient. This device must keep patients stable until, on their own or with the help of medications, they manage to overcome the lung infection. However, with thousands or hundreds of thousands of infected patients, no country has enough ventilators. If this situation has become critical in the Global North, it has turned disastrous in developing countries, where ventilators are even more scarce. This article shows the race against time of a multidisciplinary research team at the University of Huelva, UHU, southwest of Spain, to develop an inexpensive, multifunctional, and easy-to-manufacture ventilator, which has been named ResUHUrge. The device meets all medical requirements and is developed with open-source hardware and software.

scholarly journals A multi-analytical approach for the characterisation of the oldest pictorial cycle in the 12th century monastery Santa Maria delle Cerrate

2013 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giuseppe E. De Benedetto ◽  
Amedeo Savino ◽  
Daniela Fico ◽  
Daniela Rizzo ◽  
Antonio Pennetta ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Analytical Approach ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Inorganic Materials ◽  
Multidisciplinary Research ◽  
South Italy ◽  
Material Characterisation ◽  
12Th Century ◽  
Materials Used ◽  
The University ◽  
Santa Maria

A multidisciplinary research, currently in progress at the University of Salento in collaboration with the Lecce Provincial Museum, interests different artistic expressions widespread in the Salento peninsula (South Italy). In the present study, the characterisation of organic and inorganic materials used in the oldest pictorial cycle found in the 12th century monastery Santa Maria delle Cerrate was carried out thanks to a multi-analytical approach. Previous investigations have focused on the problem of dating the frescoes mainly on the basis of the stylistic aspects and the material characterisation has been definitely underinvestigated. Chromatographic and spectrometric techniques were used: micro-Raman spectroscopy was used for recognising pigments and gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection for analysing organic binders. These techniques enabled us to characterise pigments and binders. The presence of both true fresco and tempera bound pigments was assessed. Among the different pigments detected, the results relevant to the blue paints were interesting: two different blue pigments were, indeed, identified, lapis lazuli and smalt (cobalt blue glass) both unexpected. As a result, Santa Maria delle Cerrate appears to be the first known example of their use in South Italy. From a conservation point of view, moreover, the knowledge of the palette permitted to highlight the reason of observed decay of some paints: for instance, lead white was used in some panels, explaining their blackening.

scholarly journals The Use and Reuse of Printed Illustrations in 15th-Century Venetian Editions

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristina Dondi ◽  
Abhishek Dutta ◽  
Matilde Malaspina ◽  
Andrew Zisserman
Keyword(s):  
Material Culture ◽  
Engineering Science ◽  
Research Support ◽  
Support Tool ◽  
Searchable Database ◽  
University Of Oxford ◽  
15Th Century ◽  
Artistic Styles ◽  
The University ◽  
Visual Geometry

A presentation of the 15cILLUSTRATION database and website, a searchable database of 15th-century printed illustrations developed by the 15cBOOKTRADE Project in collaboration with the Visual Geometry Group (VGG) at the Department of Engineering Science of the University of Oxford. 15cILLUSTRATION is the first comprehensive and systematic tool to track and investigate the production, use, circulation, and copying of woodblocks, iconographic subjects, artistic styles, within 15th-century printed illustrated editions. The paper illustrates the potential of the 15cILLUSTRATION website as a research support tool for art historians, book historians, philologists and historians of visual and material culture.

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