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- Feigin, Valery L., et al.
(författare)
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Geomagnetic Storms Can Trigger Stroke Evidence From 6 Large Population-Based Studies in Europe and Australasia
- 2014
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Ingår i: Stroke. - 0039-2499 .- 1524-4628. ; 45:6, s. 1639-1645
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background and Purpose-Although the research linking cardiovascular disorders to geomagnetic activity is accumulating, robust evidence for the impact of geomagnetic activity on stroke occurrence is limited and controversial. Methods-We used a time-stratified case-crossover study design to analyze individual participant and daily geomagnetic activity (as measured by Ap Index) data from several large population-based stroke incidence studies (with information on 11 453 patients with stroke collected during 16 031 764 person-years of observation) in New Zealand, Australia, United Kingdom, France, and Sweden conducted between 1981 and 2004. Hazard ratios and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Results-Overall, geomagnetic storms (Ap Index 60+) were associated with 19% increase in the risk of stroke occurrence (95% CI, 11%-27%). The triggering effect of geomagnetic storms was most evident across the combined group of all strokes in those aged <65 years, increasing stroke risk by >50%: moderate geomagnetic storms (60-99 Ap Index) were associated with a 27% (95% CI, 8%-48%) increased risk of stroke occurrence, strong geomagnetic storms (100-149 Ap Index) with a 52% (95% CI, 19%-92%) increased risk, and severe/extreme geomagnetic storms (Ap Index 150+) with a 52% (95% CI, 19%-94%) increased risk (test for trend, P<2x10(-16)). Conclusions-Geomagnetic storms are associated with increased risk of stroke and should be considered along with other established risk factors. Our findings provide a framework to advance stroke prevention through future investigation of the contribution of geomagnetic factors to the risk of stroke occurrence and pathogenesis.
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| 2. |
- Beal, Jacob, et al.
(författare)
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Robust estimation of bacterial cell count from optical density
- 2020
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Ingår i: Communications Biology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2399-3642. ; 3:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Optical density (OD) is widely used to estimate the density of cells in liquid culture, but cannot be compared between instruments without a standardized calibration protocol and is challenging to relate to actual cell count. We address this with an interlaboratory study comparing three simple, low-cost, and highly accessible OD calibration protocols across 244 laboratories, applied to eight strains of constitutive GFP-expressing E. coli. Based on our results, we recommend calibrating OD to estimated cell count using serial dilution of silica microspheres, which produces highly precise calibration (95.5% of residuals <1.2-fold), is easily assessed for quality control, also assesses instrument effective linear range, and can be combined with fluorescence calibration to obtain units of Molecules of Equivalent Fluorescein (MEFL) per cell, allowing direct comparison and data fusion with flow cytometry measurements: in our study, fluorescence per cell measurements showed only a 1.07-fold mean difference between plate reader and flow cytometry data.
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| 3. |
- Jones, Kelly M., et al.
(författare)
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Determining the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a stroke instructional and educational DVD in a multinational context : a randomized controlled pilot study
- 2018
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Ingår i: Clinical Rehabilitation. - : SAGE Publications. - 0269-2155 .- 1477-0873. ; 32:8, s. 1086-1097
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: To assess the feasibility of conducting a randomized controlled trial of an instructional and educational stroke DVD and determine the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of this intervention in a multinational context. Design: Non-funded, pilot randomized controlled trial of intervention versus usual care. Setting: International, multicentre, community-based. Participants: Community-living adults up to three years post stroke with moderate to severe disability and their nominated informal caregivers. Interventions: Intervention patients viewed and practised rehabilitation techniques demonstrated in the DVD over six weeks. Main measures: Trial feasibility by number of active recruitment sites, recruitment efficiency, randomization and follow-up. Intervention feasibility by patient and caregiver impressions. Preliminary efficacy by the quality of life – 5-level EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D) health status measure, General Health Questionnaire and Centre for Epidemiological Studies–Depression at two months. Results: In total, 14 recruitment sites were established across eight countries. Recruitment was achieved at nine (64%) sites. Over 16 months, 66 participants were recruited (mean (SD) age = 63.5 (12.47) years) and randomized to intervention (n = 34) and control (n = 32) groups. In total, 54 (82%) completed a follow-up assessment. Patient and/or caregiver comments about the benefits and barriers to accessing the intervention were mixed. There were no significant between-group differences in outcomes at two months (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Conducting a multinational trial of a stroke DVD requires full funding. The intervention was acceptable to some patients and their caregivers, yet a generalized education approach did not fully meet their needs and/or expectations. A more individualized method may be required to meet peoples’ changing needs during stroke recovery.
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| 4. |
- Parmar, Priya, et al.
(författare)
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The Stroke Riskometer (TM) App: Validation of a data collection tool and stroke risk predictor
- 2015
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Ingår i: International Journal of Stroke. - : SAGE Publications. - 1747-4949 .- 1747-4930. ; 10:2, s. 231-244
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BackgroundThe greatest potential to reduce the burden of stroke is by primary prevention of first-ever stroke, which constitutes three quarters of all stroke. In addition to population-wide prevention strategies (the mass' approach), the high risk' approach aims to identify individuals at risk of stroke and to modify their risk factors, and risk, accordingly. Current methods of assessing and modifying stroke risk are difficult to access and implement by the general population, amongst whom most future strokes will arise. To help reduce the burden of stroke on individuals and the population a new app, the Stroke Riskometer(TM), has been developed. We aim to explore the validity of the app for predicting the risk of stroke compared with current best methods. Methods752 stroke outcomes from a sample of 9501 individuals across three countries (New Zealand, Russia and the Netherlands) were utilized to investigate the performance of a novel stroke risk prediction tool algorithm (Stroke Riskometer(TM)) compared with two established stroke risk score prediction algorithms (Framingham Stroke Risk Score [FSRS] and QStroke). We calculated the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves and area under the ROC curve (AUROC) with 95% confidence intervals, Harrels C-statistic and D-statistics for measure of discrimination, R-2 statistics to indicate level of variability accounted for by each prediction algorithm, the Hosmer-Lemeshow statistic for calibration, and the sensitivity and specificity of each algorithm. ResultsThe Stroke Riskometer(TM) performed well against the FSRS five-year AUROC for both males (FSRS=750% (95% CI 723%-776%), Stroke Riskometer(TM)=740(95% CI 713%-767%) and females [FSRS=703% (95% CI 679%-728%, Stroke Riskometer(TM)=715% (95% CI 690%-739%)], and better than QStroke [males - 597% (95% CI 573%-620%) and comparable to females=711% (95% CI 690%-731%)]. Discriminative ability of all algorithms was low (C-statistic ranging from 051-056, D-statistic ranging from 001-012). Hosmer-Lemeshow illustrated that all of the predicted risk scores were not well calibrated with the observed event data (P<0006). ConclusionsThe Stroke Riskometer(TM) is comparable in performance for stroke prediction with FSRS and QStroke. All three algorithms performed equally poorly in predicting stroke events. The Stroke Riskometer(TM) will be continually developed and validated to address the need to improve the current stroke risk scoring systems to more accurately predict stroke, particularly by identifying robust ethnic/race ethnicity group and country specific risk factors.
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