Monitoring Of Progression Research Articles

CRISPR/Cas13a-triggered entropy-driven amplification for colorimetric and fluorescent dual-mode detection of microRNA

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are crucial biomarkers for the early detection and monitoring of disease progression of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Herein, we have devised a method for detecting miRNA using a combination of colorimetric and graphene oxide-based fluorescent techniques. The target miRNA in our design could precisely activate the trans-cleavage activity of the CRISPR-Cas13a system. The activated Cas13a enzyme cuts the “rUrU” section in the P1 probe, generating a nicking site to induce entropy-driven amplification (EDA). One of the available EDA products has the capability to unfold the hairpin probe, thereby initiating the catalytic hairpin assembly, exposing the G-quadruplex structure, facilitating the subsequent color response. The fuel strand labeled with Cy3 successfully established a double-stranded DNA structure with DNA3, and consequently the Cy3 would not be quenched by graphene oxide (GO). The implementation of the dual-mode technique in this method yields greater benefits in terms of improving the precision and consistency of the miRNA measurements. The developed method has the capability to fluorescently measure miRNA-21 levels down to a concentration of 5.8 fM. In addition, the analysis of miRNA targets from clinical samples using this method demonstrates its promising utility in the fields of biomedical research of COPD.

A Protocol for Evaluating Digital Technology for Monitoring Sleep and Circadian Rhythms in Older People and People Living with Dementia in the Community.

Sleep and circadian rhythm disturbance are predictors of poor physical and mental health, including dementia. Long-term digital technology-enabled monitoring of sleep and circadian rhythms in the community has great potential for early diagnosis, monitoring of disease progression, and assessing the effectiveness of interventions. Before novel digital technology-based monitoring can be implemented at scale, its performance and acceptability need to be evaluated and compared to gold-standard methodology in relevant populations. Here, we describe our protocol for the evaluation of novel sleep and circadian technology which we have applied in cognitively intact older adults and are currently using in people living with dementia (PLWD). In this protocol, we test a range of technologies simultaneously at home (7-14 days) and subsequently in a clinical research facility in which gold standard methodology for assessing sleep and circadian physiology is implemented. We emphasize the importance of assessing both nocturnal and diurnal sleep (naps), valid markers of circadian physiology, and that evaluation of technology is best achieved in protocols in which sleep is mildly disturbed and in populations that are relevant to the intended use-case. We provide details on the design, implementation, challenges, and advantages of this protocol, along with examples of datasets.

Family-Centered Early Intervention Deaf/Hard of Hearing (FCEI-DHH): Structure Principles.

This article is the seventh in a series of eight articles that comprise a special issue on family-centered early intervention for children who are deaf or hard of hearing and their families, or FCEI-DHH. This article, Structure Principles, is the third of three articles (preceded by Foundation Principles and Support Principles) that describe the 10 FCEI-DHH Principles. The Structure Principles include 4 Principles (Principle 7, Principle 8, Principle 9, and Principle 10) that highlight (a) the importance of trained and effective Early Intervention (EI) Providers, (b) the need for FCEI-DHH teams to work collaboratively to support families, (c) the considerations for tracking children's progress through developmental assessment, and (d) the essential role of progress monitoring to continuously improve systems.

A Mixed Methods Examination of Decision-Making During Program Exploration and Implementation in Schools.

Schools are a critical setting to promote healthy youth development through the provision of evidence-based programs (EBPs), yet preventive EBPs in schools are underutilized. The Exploration, Preparation, Implementation, Sustainment (EPIS) framework highlights numerous factors that may influence program adoption during the Exploration phase and progress monitoring during the Implementation phase. However, no research has systematically and simultaneously identified the factors that influence school administrators' decision-making during these important processes. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 24 school administrators in the Midwestern region of the U.S. to understand how they weigh various considerations that inform their adoption and progress monitoring of prevention programs. Results indicated that school administrators consider five separate factors during the adoption decision, prioritized in the following order: need for the program, school community buy-in, contextual fit, resources, and program characteristics (including the evidence-base). Further, administrators consider five indicators to monitor program performance, prioritized as follows: intervention fidelity, quantitative and qualitative data that determine if the identified need was met, school community buy-in, resource consumption, and program characteristics. Implications for prevention scientists and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Evaluating circulating tumour cell enrichment techniques to establish an appropriate method for clinical application in glioblastomas.

Brain tumours reduce life expectancy for an average of 20 years per patient, the highest of any cancer. A third of brain tumour patients visit their GP at least five times before diagnosis and many of those are diagnosed late through emergency departments. A possible solution to this challenge is to utilise a "liquid biopsy" blood test designed for circulating tumour cells (CTCs). Such a test could be applied at a primary healthcare centre, contributing to informed decision making for diagnostic imaging referrals. Furthermore, it could also be applied at secondary health care centres for the ongoing monitoring of disease recurrence. There is increased interest in CTC enrichment methods as a potential approach for faster diagnosis and monitoring of disease progression. The aim of this review to compare four CTC enrichment methods - OncoQuick®, Screen Cell®, pluriBead® and Cell Search® - with the objective of identifying a suitable method for application in the clinical setting for the isolation of CTCs from glioblastomas.

Teacher-Parent Collaborative Mentoring Practices on Scholastic Success of Learners

This study explores parental involvement in the modular learning of high school students, focusing on challenges faced, teacher interventions, and the perceived benefits of teacher-parent mentoring. Through in-depth interviews with 80 parents and 5 teachers, the qualitative research uncovers challenges in content mastery, learning environments, material organization, and progress monitoring. Teachers respond with interventions such as workshops, home visitations, and resource provisions. The study reveals that parents struggle with understanding complex subjects, limited learning spaces, and organizing materials. Teachers' interventions include training sessions, home visits, and supplementary materials to address these challenges. Additionally, the research highlights the positive impact of teacher-parent mentoring on scholastic success. Recommendations include continuous training for parents, home visitation programs, resource provisions, progress monitoring support, and institutional backing for mentorship initiatives. These insights contribute to educational practices, guiding the development of effective support systems for high school learners in modular learning environments, emphasizing the importance of collaborative efforts between teachers and parents.

Graph Out Loud: Pre-Service Teachers' Data Decisions and Interpretations of CBM Progress Graphs.

Data-based instruction (DBI) is a process in which teachers use progress data to make ongoing instructional decisions for students with learning disabilities. Curriculum-based measurement (CBM) is a common form of progress monitoring, and CBM data are placed on a graph to guide decision-making. Despite the central role that graph interpretation plays in the successful implementation of DBI, relatively little attention has been devoted to investigating this skill among special education teachers. In the present study, we examined the data decisions of 32 pre-service special education teachers (29 females and 3 males). Participants viewed data presented sequentially on CBM progress graphs and used a think-aloud procedure to explain their reasoning each time they indicated they would make instructional changes. We also asked participants to make the same type of decisions in response to static CBM progress graphs depicting 10 weeks of data. Overall, there was inconsistency in pre-service teachers' responses related to when or why they would make an instructional change. Decisions were often influenced by graph-related features, such as variability in the data. Furthermore, responses suggested misunderstandings that led to premature instructional change decisions and reliance on individual data points.

The mixed-method approach to identify perceived reasons for increased procrastination among students during the first pandemic lockdown in Poland

The beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic brought about a sudden and significant change in the conditions of various academic activities. In the present study, we wanted to investigate the influence of the first pandemic lockdown on procrastination tendencies among Polish students. To achieve this goal we employed a mixed-method, embedded longitudinal study. In the quantitative part of the research, the same group of university students completed the procrastination questionnaire twice: a year before, and two months after the introduction of the first pandemic lockdown. The qualitative part included the open-ended questions about the perceived reasons for an observed change in a tendency to postpone tasks after the pandemic outbreak. Our analyses showed a significant increase in academic procrastination after the lockdown introduction. In particular, students reported a decrease in the study interest and lower working discipline. As the causes of higher procrastination during the lockdown period, students most frequently pointed out the reduced monitoring of work progress by supervisors and lower negative consequences of delaying tasks. The second most frequent theme in provided answers included difficulty in restraining from alternative activities and problems with focusing on tasks or ignoring distractions. Embedding qualitative and quantitative data gave a consistent picture of students' situation in the first lockdown and provided potential explanation for the exacerbation of procrastinatory behaviors after the pandemic outbreak.

Visual Analysis of Dynamic Assessment Research Based on CiteSpace (1990–2022)

Abstract This study uses CiteSpace to map the scientometric analysis of dynamic assessment (DA) research in the Web of Science core collection from 1990 to 2022 in the areas of psychology, education and language learning. Firstly, the study found that DA was initially employed in the fields of psychology and special education, and has been gaining attention from second language acquisition researchers in recent years. And Vygotsky, the representative figure of sociolcultural theory, has the highest influence, and Budoff has the greatest degree as a bridge. Secondly, five research topics are found through keyword clustering, which are early identification, group dynamic assessment, short-term progress monitoring, computerized dynamic assessment and teacher education. At the same time, the analysis of burst reference shows that the computerized dynamic assessment will be the trend in the future, and dynamic assessment of second language tends to use mixed research method. Through a review of previous studies, this paper explores the paradigms and methods of empirical research in DA, hoping to provide new alternatives for future research.

Liquid Biopsy: A Game Changer for Type 2 Diabetes.

As the burden of type 2 diabetes (T2D) continues to escalate globally, there is a growing need for novel, less-invasive biomarkers capable of early diabetes detection and monitoring of disease progression. Liquid biopsy, recognized for its minimally invasive nature, is increasingly being applied beyond oncology, and nevertheless shows its potential when the collection of the tissue biopsy is not possible. This diagnostic approach involves utilizing liquid biopsy markers such as cell-free nucleic acids, extracellular vesicles, and diverse metabolites for the molecular diagnosis of T2D and its related complications. In this context, we thoroughly examine recent developments in T2D liquid biopsy research. Additionally, we discuss the primary challenges and future prospects of employing liquid biopsy in the management of T2D. Prognosis, diagnosis and monitoring of T2D through liquid biopsy could be a game-changing technique for personalized diabetes management.

Outpatient rehabilitation in post-acute COVID-19 patients: a combined progressive treatment protocol

Purpose to investigate the effectiveness of a 4-week combined progressive program on functional abilities, disability status and quality of life (QoL) in COVID-19 recovered patients. Materials & Methods 18 COVID-19 recovered patients performed a combined rehabilitation treatment accounting for 12 sessions, including both respiratory and motor training sessions. A careful monitoring of exercise intensity, duration and progression to tailor complexity evolution on patients’ competencies was carried out. Patients were monitored with different functional scales and self-reported questionnaires before (T0) and after (T1) rehabilitation. Results 6-Minutes Walk Test, Timed Up and Go Test and Short Physical Performance Battery significantly improved, while Physiological Cost Index presented a significant reduction after rehabilitation. Moreover, Barthel Index significantly improved and patients presented significantly increased upper and lower limbs strength at T1. Furthermore, mMRC Dyspnoea Scale presented a significant reduction after training. Finally, physical and psychological well-being scales improved according to Short-Form 36; while, self-reported questionnaires related to mood and depression showed no significant modification after rehabilitation. Conclusions results evidenced the efficacy of the combined progressive intervention in COVID-19 recovered patients. The specific customization on patients’ needs and the careful exercise monitoring promoted improvements on functional abilities and disability status, with positive impact on QoL.

Advances in the Clinical Diagnostics to Equine Back Pain: A Review of Imaging and Functional Modalities.

Back pain is common in ridden horses. Back diseases in horses include Impinging Dorsal Spinous Processes, Ventral Spondylosis, Osteoarthritis of Articular Process, Intervertebral Discs Disease, Vertebral Fractures, Conformational Abnormalities, Desmopathy of the Supraspinous Ligament, Desmopathy of the Intraspinous Ligament, and Longissimus Muscle Strain. Back pain may also develop as a result of lameness (particularly hindlimb lameness). A poorly fitting saddle and an unbalanced rider are also considered important factors influencing the development of back pain in horses. The conventional diagnosis of equine back pain includes a clinical examination and diagnostic imaging examination using ultrasound, radiography, and thermography. Advanced diagnostic modalities of equine back pain involve the objectification of standard procedures through the use of algometers, a lameness locator, biometric mats, and the geometric morphometrics method. In addition to modern diagnostic methods, such as computed tomography and scintigraphy, advances in the diagnosis of equine back pain include the use of electromyography and functional electrical stimulation. The aim of this review article is to familiarize clinicians with the usefulness and capabilities of conventional diagnostic protocols and advanced diagnostic modalities. Although orthopedic examination and traditional diagnostic methods will remain the foundation of the diagnosis of back diseases, modern methods meet the growing expectations towards high-performance horses and allow for deeper diagnostics and objective monitoring of rehabilitation and training progress.

PERCEPTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION PROFESSIONALS ON THE UTILITY OF THE ACTIVITIES, PROGRAMS, OR POLICIES TOOL TO PROMOTE SELF-DETERMINATION FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

Self-determination has been associated with academic success for college students with and without disabilities. The APP Tool was designed to allow higher education professionals to examine which campus Activities, Programs, or Policies (APPs) promote, and which might hinder, the development of student self-determination. This study used the qualitative basic interpretive approach (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016) to analyze data from semi-structured interviews of three focus groups of higher education professionals (practitioners) that were conducted to ascertain their impressions of the utility of the tool. Use of the APP Tool led practitioners to reflect on what self-determination included and what campus efforts were currently fostering these skills. Implications of the APP Tool included use as (1) a progress monitoring tool for student self-determination skills and (2) an evaluation tool for current campus programming.

Prototype Development of Final Year Project Management System to Monitor Student’s Performance

The university requires students to complete a comprehensive software development project in their final year of study in all Information Technology (IT) and Computer Science (CS) programmes, run by the Faculty of Computing & Multimedia (FCOM), Universiti Poly-Tech Malaysia. As the number of students increases by semester, manual procedures for managing student projects become a major issue. Ineffective supervision and monitoring of student progress are more likely to occur as the number of students to supervise per lecturer also increase. This circumstance may contribute to an increase in the number of students who will fail to complete project development within the time frame specified. A log book is currently used to document meetings and discussions between supervisors and students. Although a detailed schedule has been proposed, a monitoring process that triggers specific actions to ensure all deadlines are met is required. The objective of this research is to improve project monitoring and supervision by developing a prototype of a web-based Final Year Project Management System (FYPMS). The initial prototype is built on the dashboard approach concept, where students can see their progress and lecturers can use this centralized system to monitor students' performance. This system’s users are divided into three groups: students, lecturers, and coordinators where they can communicate efficiently and effectively by using this system. By using the FYPMS, the faculty can look forward to better project management, improved supervision, fewer project delays, and a more efficient final year project process.

Global monitoring for biodiversity: Uncertainty, risk, and power analyses to support trend change detection.

Global targets aim to reverse biodiversity declines by 2050 but require knowledge of current trends and future projections under policy intervention. First, given uncertainty in measurement of current trends, we propose a risk framework, considering probability and magnitude of decline. While only 11 of 198 systems analyzed (taxonomic groups by country from the Living Planet Database) showed declining abundance with high certainty, 20% of systems had a 70% chance of strong declines. Society needs to decide acceptable risks of biodiversity loss. Second, we calculated statistical power to detect trend change using ~12,000 populations from 62 systems currently showing strong declines. Current trend uncertainty hinders our ability to assess improvements. Trend change is detectable with high certainty in only 14 systems, even if thousands of populations are sampled, and conservation action reduces net declines to zero immediately, on average. We provide potential solutions to improve monitoring of progress toward biodiversity targets.

Retinal ganglion cell and microvascular density loss in hereditary spastic paraplegia.

Hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP) is characterized by progressive degeneration of distal axons in the long corticospinal tracts. Loss of retinal cells and microvascular networks has neither been suspected nor investigated. We concurrently examined the retinal microvasculature and retinal layer morphology in patients with HSP to assess whether retinal features may portray disease and its progression. Fifteen patients with HSP and 30 healthy controls were included in this cross-sectional case-control study. Disease severity was assessed with the Spastic Paraplegia Rating Scale (SPRS). Severity of ataxia was determined by the Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia (SARA). Retinal microvasculature was measured by means of optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A) and morphology of retinal layers using structural OCT. Mixed-effects models were applied for data analysis. HSP patients showed significantly reduced vessel density of the superficial vascular plexus (SVP), reduced ganglion cell layer (GCL) volume, reduced inner plexiform layer (IPL) volume and reduced temporal-inferior peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL) thickness versus healthy controls. GCL volume reduction correlated significantly with the worsening of visual acuity and higher SARA scores. These findings demonstrate that, in HSP both cells and vascular networks of the retina are compromised. Assessment of the retinal GCL, IPL and SVP may aid in diagnosis and monitoring of disease progression as well as provide novel structural outcome measures for clinical trials.

Glycosaminoglycans: Participants in Microvascular Coagulation of Sepsis.

Sepsis represents a syndromic response to infection and frequently acts as a common pathway leading to fatality in the context of various infectious diseases globally. The pathology of severe sepsis is marked by an excess of inflammation and activated coagulation. A substantial contributor to mortality in sepsis patients is widespread microvascular thrombosis-induced organ dysfunction. Multiple lines of evidence support the notion that sepsis induces endothelial damage, leading to the release of glycosaminoglycans, potentially causing microvascular dysfunction. This review aims to initially elucidate the relationship among endothelial damage, excessive inflammation, and thrombosis in sepsis. Following this, we present a summary of the involvement of glycosaminoglycans in coagulation, elucidating interactions among glycosaminoglycans, platelets, and inflammatory cells. In this section, we also introduce a reasoned generalization of potential signal pathways wherein glycosaminoglycans play a role in clotting. Finally, we discuss current methods for detecting microvascular conditions in sepsis patients from the perspective of glycosaminoglycans. In conclusion, it is imperative to pay closer attention to the role of glycosaminoglycans in the mechanism of microvascular thrombosis in sepsis. Dynamically assessing glycosaminoglycan levels in patients may aid in predicting microvascular conditions, enabling the monitoring of disease progression, adjustment of clinical treatment schemes, and mitigation of both acute and long-term adverse outcomes associated with sepsis.

Urinary miR-185-5p is a biomarker of renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis in IgA nephropathy.

For IgA nephropathy (IgAN), tubular atrophy/interstitial fibrosis is the most important prognostic pathological indicator in the mesangial and endocapillary hypercellularity, segmental sclerosis, interstitial fibrosis/tubular atrophy, and presence of crescents (MEST-C) score. The identification of non-invasive biomarkers for tubular atrophy/interstitial fibrosis would aid clinical monitoring of IgAN progression and improve patient prognosis. The study included 188 patients with primary IgAN in separate confirmation and validation cohorts. The associations of miR-92a-3p, miR-425-5p, and miR-185-5p with renal histopathological lesions and prognosis were explored using Spearman correlation analysis and Kaplan-Meier survival curves. Bioinformatics analysis and dual luciferase experiments were used to identify hub genes for miR-185-5p. The fibrotic phenotypes of tubular epithelial cells were evaluated in vivo and in HK-2 cells. miRNA sequencing and cohort validation revealed that the expression levels of miR-92a-3p, miR-425-5p, and miR-185-5p in urine were significantly increased among patients with IgAN; these levels could predict the extent of tubular atrophy/interstitial fibrosis in such patients. The combination of the three biomarkers resulted in an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.742. The renal prognosis was significantly worse in the miR-185-5p high expression group than in the low expression group (P=0.003). Renal tissue in situ hybridization, bioinformatics analysis, and dual luciferase experiments confirmed that miR-185-5p affects prognosis in patients with IgAN mainly by influencing expression of the target gene tight junction protein 1 (TJP1) in renal tubular epithelial cells. In vitro experiment revealed that an miR-185-5p mimic could reduce TJP1 expression in HK-2 cells, while increasing the levels of α-smooth muscle actin, fibronectin, collagen I, and collagen III; these changes promoted the transformation of renal tubular epithelial cells to a fibrotic phenotype. An miR-185-5p inhibitor can reverse the fibrotic phenotype in renal tubular epithelial cells. In a unilateral ureteral obstruction model, the inhibition of miR-185-5p expression alleviated tubular atrophy/interstitial fibrosis. Urinary miR-185-5p, a non-invasive biomarker of tubular atrophy/interstitial fibrosis in IgAN, may promote the transformation of renal tubular epithelial cells to a fibrotic phenotype via TJP1.

A Point‐of‐Care Sensing Platform for Multiplexed Detection of Chronic Kidney Disease Biomarkers Using Molecularly Imprinted Polymers

AbstractChronic kidney disease (CKD) is one of the most serious non‐communicable diseases affecting the population. In the early‐stages patients have no obvious symptoms, until it becomes life‐threatening leading end‐stage kidney failure. Therefore, it is important to early diagnose CKD to allow therapeutic interventions and progression monitoring. Here, a point‐of‐care (POC) sensing platform is reported for the simultaneous detection of three CKD biomarkers, namely creatinine, urea, and human serum albumin (HSA), using reduced graphene oxide/polydopamine‐molecularly imprinted polymer (rGO/PDA‐MIP) fabricated with novel surface‐molecularly imprinting technology. A multi‐channel electrochemical POC readout system with differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) function is developed, allowing the simultaneous detection of the three biomarkers, in combination with the surface‐MIP electrodes. This sensing platform achieves the record low limit‐of‐detection (LoD) at a femtomolar level for all three analytes, with wide detection ranges covering their physiological concentrations. Clinical validation is performed by measuring these analytes in serum and urine from healthy controls and patients with CKD. The average recovery rate is 81.8–119.1% compared to the results obtained from the hospital, while this platform is more cost‐effective, user‐friendly, and requires less sample‐to‐result time, showing the potential to be deployed in resource‐limited settings for the early diagnosis and tracking progression of CKD.

INTO THE DARKNESS AND SILENCE: EVISCERATION IN A DEAF-MUTE- BLIND PATIENT WITH NEGLECTED GLAUCOMA

Introduction : Glaucoma can have a potentially devastating effect on patient’s vision and quality of life if not treated properly. We described a neglected glaucoma case in a deaf-mute-blind patient that leads to evisceration.
 Case Illustration : A 64-year-old deaf-mute female came to our emergency room with chief complaint of bloody discharge from her right eye 12 hours prior to admission with no history of trauma. Patient’s right eye has been blind for the last four years; her left eye has been nonfunctional since she was in her 30s. She went to a primary clinic during this time but did not get any diagnoses. Physical examination revealed uveal prolapse of the right eye with infiltrates around the remaining cornea; and phtisical left eye with IOP of 30 mmHg and opaque cornea. We performed evisceration with dermato-fat graft of the right eye.
 Discussion : Glaucoma is a challenging disease, especially in developing countries. It is difficult to diagnose due to its nature to be asymptomatic until late in the disease course. The loss of vision is painless and insidious; resulting in late diagnosis unless patients are screened for glaucoma early on. Patient in this report is particularly difficult for the caretaker since she is a deaf-mute patient; resulting in a suspected undiagnosed glaucoma that leads to evisceration and blindness.
 Conclusion : Glaucoma care generally necessitates routine follow-up for monitoring of disease progression and medication adjustments. Good screening system, family support, and integration of eye care into existing healthcare systems is needed for early detection to reduce blindness from glaucoma.