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Background: People with post‐stroke aphasia (PWA) are more likely to experience serious mood disorders compared with those without. Emotional regulation may be important for influencing life participation after stroke. Understanding emotional regulation in the context of aphasia is important for promoting personally defined recovery, psychological well‐being and life participation. Aims: To explore how individuals experience and regulate negative emotional responses to aphasia as part of re‐engaging with life. Methods & Procedures: In‐depth semi‐structured qualitative interviews with 14 PWA were conducted. The focus and design were developed with public and patient involvement contributors. Reflexive thematic analysis was applied. Outcomes & Results: Analysis generated three themes, which captured inherent diversity across participants in terms of emotional experiences, responses and regulation strategies: (1) emotional upheaval at all stages of recovery; (2) regulating emotional upheaval; and (3) discerning possibilities for life participation. Emotional regulation occurred both within and without the context of formal support services. Conclusions & Implications: Individuals may be differently (en)abled in responding positively, with implications for aphasia psychological support and self‐management interventions. The findings may inform future interventions to optimize well‐being and personally meaningful outcomes for PWA. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: What is already known on the subject: PWA experience significant psychosocial upheaval and are at risk of mood disorders. Emotional regulation may be important for influencing one's emotional state, social participation and relationships after stroke. There is a need to better understand the ways in which PWA experience and regulate their emotions to develop better support for personally defined recovery. What this paper adds to existing knowledge: PWA may experience significant and pervasive mood disorders in the long term after stroke. This may be compounded by worries for their children's well‐being. Some, but not all, regulate emotions by drawing on positivity, determination, gratitude or stoicism. Having (supportive) opportunities to experience the impact of aphasia is important for discerning helpful strategies and participation opportunities. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work?: Confronting altered abilities requires supportive, responsive opportunities sensitive to emotional responses. Opportunities for peer support and/or meaningful emotional support and compassion from family and friends are important therapeutic targets. Therapeutic input should pay attention to any familial and parenting concerns that may be compounding low mood. Although emotional regulation and recovery may occur without formal support, mental health services must be organized in such a way that PWA can access as needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In the context of increasing incidence of stroke in working aged adults, there is a specific need to explore the views of working aged adults with post‐stroke aphasia, whose communication difficulties may result in restricted social participation, loss of employment and changed relationship and parenting roles. This study aimed to explore the perspectives of working aged adults with post‐stroke aphasia in relation to social participation and living well with aphasia (LWA). Design and participants: We conducted qualitative interviews with 14 people with post‐stroke aphasia (PWA). Data were analysed following principles of reflexive, thematic analysis. Patient or Public Contribution: A Public and Patient Involvement aphasia advisory group inputted into the study design and interpretation of data. Results: Social participation spanned 5 themes: Relationships and roles; Social support; Peer network, Aphasia awareness; and Employment and training. Meaningful, interesting social participation for LWA is individually defined. Working aged PWA may require flexible support with parenting, accessing a diverse social network and finding opportunities for meaningful social connection, training and employment. Conclusions: The findings extend knowledge of social participation in the context of LWA for working aged adults by elucidating the individually defined nature of meaningful participation and how PWA may need flexible support with parenting, accessing a diverse social network and training and employment. For aphasia research, policy and services to be relevant, it is crucial that working aged PWA are meaningfully involved in setting the aphasia agenda. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The single‐molecule magnet (SMM) properties of a series of ferrocenium complexes, [Fe(η5‐C5R5)2]+ (R=Me, Bn), are reported. In the presence of an applied dc field, the slow dynamics of the magnetization in [Fe(η5‐C5Me5)2]BArF are revealed. Multireference quantum mechanical calculations show a large energy difference between the ground and first excited states, excluding the commonly invoked, thermally activated (Orbach‐like) mechanism of relaxation. In contrast, a detailed analysis of the relaxation time highlights that both direct and Raman processes are responsible for the SMM properties. Similarly, the bulky ferrocenium complexes, [Fe(η5‐C5Bn5)2]BF4 and [Fe(η5‐C5Bn5)2]PF6, also exhibit magnetization slow dynamics, however an additional relaxation process is clearly detected for these analogous systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The contamination crisis of 2008 has brought to light several risks associated with use of animal tissue derived heparin. Because the total chemical synthesis of heparin is not feasible, a bioengineered approach has been proposed, relying on recombinant enzymes derived from the heparin/HS biosynthetic pathway and Escherichia coli K5 capsular polysaccharide. Intensive process engineering efforts are required to achieve a cost-competitive process for bioengineered heparin compared to commercially available porcine heparins. Towards this goal, we have used 96-well plate based screening for development of a chitosan-based purification process for heparin and precursor polysaccharides. The unique pH responsive behavior of chitosan enables simplified capture of target heparin or related polysaccharides, under low pH and complex solution conditions, followed by elution under mildly basic conditions. The use of mild, basic recovery conditions are compatible with the chemical N-deacetylation/N-sulfonation step used in the bioengineered heparin process. Selective precipitation of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) leads to significant removal of process related impurities such as proteins, DNA and endotoxins. Use of highly sensitive liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance analytical techniques reveal a minimum impact of chitosan-based purification on heparin product composition. © 2015 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 31:1348-1359, 2015 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protein aggregation is a common problem during the purification and formulation of therapeutic proteins. Here we report that polyphenolic disaccharides are unusually effective at preventing protein aggregation. We find that two polyphenolic glycosides-naringin and rutin-endow diverse proteins with the ability to unfold without aggregating when heated, as well as the ability to refold without aggregating when cooled at low glycoside concentrations (<5 mM). This extreme solubilizing activity is a synergistic combination of the glycone and aglycone moieties, as combinations of polyphenols and sugars fail to suppress aggregation. Moreover, the activity of polyphenolic disaccharides is remarkably specific since their monosaccharide counterparts (as well as other common excipients such as arginine, trehalose, and cyclodextrin) fail to prevent aggregation at similar concentrations (<25 mM). We expect that polyphenolic disaccharides will be valuable additives for enhancing the solubility of proteins in applications plagued by protein aggregation. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2012; 109:1869-1874. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES: The Vulnerable Elders Survey (VES), a recently developed screening tool for at-risk older people in the community, has been validated in the United States. This study evaluated its profile in older Irish people. It assessed whether those categorized as vulnerable according to the VES were likely to use health services more frequently than others. DESIGN: Nationally representative cross-sectional interviews. SETTING: Private homes in the community. PARTICIPANTS: Randomly selected older people (aged ≥65) (N=2,033; 68% response). MEASUREMENTS: Interviews included the 13-item VES and questions on health service use. RESULTS: The proportion scoring as vulnerable was identical to the U.S. sample (32.1% vs 32.3%). At the community healthcare level, participants categorized as vulnerable visited their primary care physician more frequently (mean visits 6.7 vs 4.0, P<.001), had more home-based public health nurse visits (29% vs 5%, P<.001), and were more likely to have had preventive influenza vaccinations (81% vs 72%, P<.001) in the previous year. More-vulnerable older adults did not differ on assessment of blood pressure (97% vs 96%), cholesterol (82% vs 85%), or receipt of smoking advice (66% vs 52%). Vulnerable participants were more likely to have used emergency department (17% vs 8%, P<.05), inpatient (21% vs 12%, P<.05), and outpatient (28% vs 21%, P<.05) hospital services. Fourteen percent of those categorized as vulnerable had zero or one visit to their family physician in the previous year. CONCLUSION: This study provides further evidence, from a different healthcare system, of the potential of the VES to differentiate more-vulnerable older people. Prospective studies are needed to assess use of the VES as a clinical decision aid for community professionals such as family physicians and public health nurses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. This study documents psychological well-being, mental health and quality of life in a group of women diagnosed with an iatrogenic hepatitis C (HCV) infection and examines the relationship between HCV RNA status and adjustment to their illness. Design. A cross-sectional design was used. Method, Psychological well-being, mental health and quality of life were assessed in a consecutive clinical sample of 93 women who were anti-HCV positive (ELISA, third generation). Of these, 33 had a self-limiting HCV infection (HCV RNA negative), whereas 60 had chronic HCV infection (HCV RNA positive). Results. Overall, psychological well-being and mental health were diminished in all women and were best predicted by their level of social functioning, which accounted for between 42% and 57% of the variance. When comparing women with chronic HCV infection and those with a self-limiting HCV infection, no differences were detected in quality of life and no association was found between HCV RNA status and a clinical diagnosis of depression or anxiety. Furthermore, no significant differences were demonstrated in HCV RNA positive women when compared according to liver histology on all measures. Conclusion. In both HCV RNA positive and HCV RNA negative women, high levels of psychological distress and impaired quality of life were found. Impairments were not related to HCV RNA status or liver histology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents selected and edited abstracts from the Society for the Study of Addiction Annual Symposium on November 4-5, 1999 in Edinburgh, Great Britain. `Altering American Treatment Professionals' Attitudes Toward Harm Reduction,' by Perilou Goddard; `Shared Care, Shared Success!,' by Rob Kenyon; `Trends in Treated Opiate Misuse in Dublin: The Emergence of Chasing the Dragon,' by Bobby P. Smyth, Mary O'Brien and Joe Barry.