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Open Access Publications from the University of California

Scholarly Works (15 results)

  • Thesis
  • Peer Reviewed
UC Davis Electronic Theses and Dissertations (2022)

AbstractBackground: Dementia presents significant health and care challenges around the world. Caring for people with dementia could adversely impact the informal caregiver’s physical, psychological, and financial health. As such, various technologies have been developed to help minimize the burden and improve the well-being of caregivers when caring for people with dementia. These assistive technologies include motion detectors, tracking systems, telehealth, and caregiver platforms, to name a few. However, caregivers’ experiences are often ignored when designing these assistive technologies. This review focuses on published literature on informal caregivers’ providing care to persons with dementia and whether assistive technologies aid in reducing caregiver burden.

Methods: The systematic review involved a systematic search of the OVID Medline database following pre-defined inclusion and exclusion criteria in identifying appropriate quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method studies meeting the objective.

Results: The studies reported the potential to reduce burden and stress among caregivers. However, while providing care to persons with dementia, there was no significant change in the stress reduction or amount of burden the caregivers experienced with the AT intervention.

Conclusions: From the review, it was evident that various assistive technologies have positive and negative effects when used in dementia care. As such, assistive technology interventions should be customized for specific settings and caregivers.

Keywords: dementia, assistive technology, informal caregivers, the burden

    Cover page: The Role of Assistive Technology in Supporting Informal Caregivers of Community-Dwelling Older Adults with Dementia: A Systematic Literature Review
    • Thesis
    • Peer Reviewed
    UC Berkeley Electronic Theses and Dissertations (2016)

    Embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells have pluripotent developmental potential, efficiently giving rise to all embryonic cell types, but rarely extra-embryonic lineages. Here, we identify a microRNA miR-34a, whose deficiency in mouse pluripotent stem cells expands their developmental potential to generate both embryonic and extra-embryonic lineages in vitro and in vivo. miR-34a-/- pluripotent stem cells with this bidirectional cell fate potential resemble totipotent 2-cell (2C) blastomeres not only in their cell fate potential, but also in the key molecular signature, namely a strong induction of the MuERV-L (MERVL) family of murine endogenous retroviruses (ERVs). miR-34a represses MERVL expression through transcriptional regulation, at least in part, by repressing the transcription factor GATA-binding protein 2 (Gata2). Consistently, the miR-34a/Gata2 pathway restricts the acquisition of bidirectional cell fate potential in pluripotent stem cells. Altogether, our findings provide vital insights into the complex molecular network that defines and restrict the developmental potential of pluripotent stem cells.

      Cover page: Deficiency of microRNA miR-34a expands cell fate potential in pluripotent stem cells
      • Article
      • Peer Reviewed
      UC Irvine Previously Published Works (2006)
      Plasma flow velocity was measured by Mach probe (MP) and laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) methods in unmagnetized plasmas with supersonic ion beams. Since the ion gyro-radius was much larger than the probe radius, unmagnetized Mach probe theory was used to determine plasma flow in argon RF plasma with a weak magnetic field (<200 G). In order to determine flow velocities, the Mach probe is calibrated via LIF in the absence of the ion beam, where existing probe theories may be valid although they use different geometries (sphere and plane) and analyzing tools [particle-in-cell (PIC) and kinetic models]. For the comparison of the average plasma flow velocities by MP and LIF, the supersonic ion beam velocity was measured by LIF and then incorporated into a simple formula for average plasma velocity with provisions for background plasma density and beam-corrected electron temperature (Te) measured by a triple probe. © 2006 The Japan Society of Applied Physics.
        Cover page: Determination of Plasma Flow Velocity by Mach Probe and Triple Probe with Correction by Laser-Induced Fluorescence in Unmagnetized PlasmasCreative Commons 'BY' version 4.0 license
        • Article
        • Peer Reviewed
        UC Davis Previously Published Works (2019)
        The willing participation of patients in clinical research is a critical element in national efforts to collect health data for precision medicine and large cohort studies. However, recruiting patients is challenging. Clinical data research networks (CDRN) have primarily been used for observational studies, but may be able to enhance recruitment efforts. We need a better understanding of patient motivation and preferences for research participation and their interest in different types of research activities, particularly among those who are already represented in CDRNs. We surveyed a heart failure patient cohort constructed from EHRs in a CDRN to assess research participation. Results showed that CDRN recruitment is feasible. Respondents were most interested in completing a one-time survey and giving a blood sample one time. They were least interested in a study about weight control that require surgery. We found statistically significant associations between race and research activity interests.
          Cover page: Engaging heart failure patients from a clinical data research network: A survey on willingness to participate in different types of research.
          • Article
          LBL Publications (2007)
            Cover page: Chemical forms of calcium in Ca,Zn- and Ca,Cd-containing grains excreted by tobacco trichomes
            • Article
            • Peer Reviewed
            LBL Publications (2015)
              Cover page: A Simple Method of Analyzing the Phase Transition Behavior of a Na-Sn Battery Using Energy-Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy
              • Article
              • Peer Reviewed
              UC Berkeley Previously Published Works (2024)
              Piezoelectric fiber yarns produced by electrospinning offer a versatile platform for intelligent devices, demonstrating mechanical durability and the ability to convert mechanical strain into electric signals. While conventional methods involve twisting a single poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-trifluoroethylene)(P(VDF-TrFE)) fiber mat to create yarns, by limiting control over the mechanical properties, an approach inspired by composite laminate design principles is proposed for strengthening. By stacking multiple electrospun mats in various sequences and twisting them into yarns, the mechanical properties of P(VDF-TrFE) yarn structures are efficiently optimized. By leveraging a multi-objective Bayesian optimization-based machine learning algorithm without imposing specific stacking restrictions, an optimal stacking sequence is determined that simultaneously enhances the ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and failure strain by considering the orientation angles of each aligned fiber mat as discrete design variables. The conditions on the Pareto front that achieve a balanced improvement in both the UTS and failure strain are identified. Additionally, applying corona poling induces extra dipole polarization in the yarn state, successfully fabricating mechanically robust and high-performance piezoelectric P(VDF-TrFE) yarns. Ultimately, the mechanically strengthened piezoelectric yarns demonstrate superior capabilities in self-powered sensing applications, particularly in challenging environments and sports scenarios, substantiating their potential for real-time signal detection.
                Cover page: Multi-Objective Bayesian Optimization for Laminate-Inspired Mechanically Reinforced Piezoelectric Self-Powered Sensing Yarns.
                • Article
                • Peer Reviewed
                UC San Francisco Previously Published Works (1993)
                Using our recently reported whole body PET imaging technique, we performed whole body PET studies of the skeletal system with [18F]fluoride ion in 19 patients with a range of malignant and benign skeletal conditions and in 19 normal male volunteers. The technique produces two-dimensional projection images of the entire skeletal system ("a PET bone scan"), in addition to coronal, sagittal, and axial tomographic images of the skeletal system. The tomographic images had a 13% higher lesion detection sensitivity than the projection images. Whole body PET skeletal imaging with [18F]fluoride ion is technically feasible, provides images of excellent quality, and may be coupled with more quantitatively precise kinetic PET [18F]fluoride ion studies (over limited regions of the body) when numerical estimates of skeletal [18F]fluoride ion uptake are desired. The method is potentially useful in clinical applications where the high resolution and numerical precision of PET are of particular value (e.g., in accurately defining the anatomic location and extent of lesions and in assessing changes in bone metabolism on serial studies).
                  Cover page: Whole Body Skeletal Imaging with [18F]Fluoride Ion and PET
                  • Article
                  • Peer Reviewed
                  2018 Publications (2018)
                    Cover page: Impacts of aerosols on seasonal precipitation and snowpack in California based on convection-permitting WRF-Chem simulations
                    • Article
                    • Peer Reviewed
                    UC Berkeley Previously Published Works (2021)
                    Early blastomeres of mouse preimplantation embryos exhibit bi-potential cell fate, capable of generating both embryonic and extra-embryonic lineages in blastocysts. Here we identify three major two-cell-stage (2C)-specific endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) as the molecular hallmark of this bi-potential plasticity. Using the long terminal repeats (LTRs) of all three 2C-specific ERVs, we identify Krüppel-like factor 5 (Klf5) as their major upstream regulator. Klf5 is essential for bi-potential cell fate; a single Klf5-overexpressing embryonic stem cell (ESC) generates terminally differentiated embryonic and extra-embryonic lineages in chimeric embryos, and Klf5 directly induces inner cell mass (ICM) and trophectoderm (TE) specification genes. Intriguingly, Klf5 and Klf4 act redundantly during ICM specification, whereas Klf5 deficiency alone impairs TE specification. Klf5 is regulated by multiple 2C-specific transcription factors, particularly Dux, and the Dux/Klf5 axis is evolutionarily conserved. The 2C-specific transcription program converges on Klf5 to establish bi-potential cell fate, enabling a cell state with dual activation of ICM and TE genes.
                      Cover page: Klf5 establishes bi-potential cell fate by dual regulation of ICM and TE specification genes
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