Benefits of ACE inhibitors with tissue-active levels in the cardiac-compromised patient

Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) have been proven beneficial to the cardiac-compromised patient, but whether there is an advantage associated with using a tissue-active or systemically-active ACEI is debatable. An investigation into the clinical benefits of tissue ACEI for veterinary patients was undertaken by comparing enalapril with ramipril. Results obtained concluded that although there is much evidence to prove that tissue ACEIs are superior over systemic ACEIs at the cellular level, this does not correlate in the clinical sense. Both enalapril and ramipril provided similar clinical benefits to the cardiac-compromised patient.

The effects of centrally acting ACE inhibitors on the rate of cognitive and functional decline in dementia: a KDD approach

Alzheimer’s Disease and other dementias are one of the most challenging illnesses confronting countries with ageing populations. Treatment options for dementia are limited, and the costs are significant. There is a growing need to develop new treatments for dementia, especially for the elderly. There is also growing evidence that centrally acting angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, which cross the blood-brain barrier, are associated with a reduced rate of cognitive and functional decline in dementia, especially in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The aim of this research is to investigate the effects of centrally acting ACE inhibitors (CACE-Is) on the rate of cognitive and functional decline in dementia, using a three phased KDD process. KDD, as a scientific way to process and analysis clinical data, is used to find useful insights from a variety of clinical databases. The data used are from three clinic databases: Geriatric Assessment Tool (GAT), the Doxycycline and Rifampin for Alzheimer’s Disease (DARAD), and the Qmci validation databases, which were derived from several different geriatric clinics in Canada. This research involves patients diagnosed with AD, vascular or mixed dementia only. Patients were included if baseline and end-point (at least six months apart) Standardised Mini-Mental State Examination (SMMSE), Quick Mild Cognitive Impairment (Qmci) or Activities Daily Living (ADL) scores were available. Basically, the rates of change are compared between patients taking CACE-Is, and those not currently treated with CACE-Is. The results suggest that there is a statistically significant difference in the rate of decline in cognitive and functional scores between CACE-I and NoCACE-I patients. This research also validates that the Qmci, a new short assessment test, has potential to replace the current popular screening tests for cognition in the clinic and clinical trials.

The ACE Basin Project

This brochure describes the ACE Basin. Included is a map and directions for a driving tour of the basin.

Ace's activity book : fun and facts relating to the ACE Basin Reserve

This activity book is a fun way to reinforce and enrich every student’s ACE Basin experience ... to instill a stronger awareness and respect for environmentalism and conservation, to broaden their knowledge of this area where they co-exist with a diversity of other life forms, and to encourage them to enjoy the adventure and discovery within Coastal South Carolina. These pages can also be used as coloring pages.

An investigation into the utility of the Mini Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination (M-ACE) for the early detection of dementia and mild cognitive impairment in people aged 75 and over

Background/Aims: The Mini Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination (M-ACE) is the abbreviated version of the widely-used Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination (ACE-III), a cognitive screening tool that is used internationally in the assessment of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia. The objectives of this study were to investigate the diagnostic accuracy of the M-ACE with individuals aged 75 and over to distinguish between those who do and do not have a dementia or MCI, and also to establish whether the cut-off scores recommended by Hsieh et al. (2014) [9] in the original validation study for the M-ACE are optimal for this age group. Methods: The M-ACE was administered to 58 participants (24 with a diagnosis of dementia, 17 with a diagnosis of MCI and 17 healthy controls). The extent to which scores distinguished between groups (dementia, MCI or no diagnosis) was explored using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Results: The optimal cut-off for detecting dementia was ≤ 21/30 (score ≤ 21/30 indicating dementia with a sensitivity of 0.95, a specificity of 1 and a positive predictive value of 1) compared to the original higher published cut-off of ≤ 25/30 (sensitivity of 0.95, specificity of 0.70 and a positive predictive value of 0.82 in this sample). Conclusions: The M-ACE has excellent diagnostic accuracy for the detection of dementia in a UK clinical sample. It may be necessary to consider lower cut-offs than those given in the original validation study.

Common And Endangered Species: How Does Society Allocate Support For Their Conservation

Examines how society allocates support for species’ conservation when numbers involved are large and resources are limited. Rational behaviour suggests that species in urgent need of conservation will receive more support than those species that are common. However, we demonstrate that in the absence of balanced knowledge common species will receive support more than they would otherwise receive despite society placing high existence values on all species. Twenty four species, both common and endangered and some with a restricted distribution, are examined. We demonstrate that balanced information is vital in order to direct more support for species that are endangered than those that are not. Implications for conservation stemming from the findings are discussed.

Tests of the elaborated intrusion theory of craving and desire : features of alcohol craving during treatment for an alcohol disorder

Objectives. We tested predictions from the elaborated intrusion (EI) theory of desire, which distinguishes intrusive thoughts and elaborations, and emphasizes the importance of imagery. Secondarily, we undertook preliminary evaluations of the Alcohol Craving Experience (ACE) questionnaire, a new measure based on EI Theory. Methods. Participants (N ¼ 232) were in correspondence-based treatment trials for alcohol abuse or dependence. The study used retrospective reports obtained early in treatment using the ACE, and daily self-monitoring of urges, craving, mood and alcohol consumption. Results. The ACE displayed high internal consistency and test – retest reliability and sound relationships with self-monitored craving, and was related to Baseline alcohol dependence, but not to consumption. Imagery during craving was experienced by 81%,with 2.3 senses involved on average. More frequent imagery was associated with longer episode durations and stronger craving. Transient intrusive thoughts were reported by 87% of respondents, and were more common if they frequently attempted to stop alcohol cognitions. Associations between average daily craving and weekly consumption were seen. Depression and negative mood were associated with more frequent, stronger and longer lasting desires for alcohol. Conclusions. Results supported the distinction of automatic and controlled processes in craving, together with the importance of craving imagery. They were also consistent with prediction of consumption from cross-situational averages of craving, and with positive associations between craving and negative mood. However, this study’s retrospective reporting and correlational design require that its results be interpreted cautiously. Research using ecological momentary measures and laboratory manipulations is needed before confident inferences about causality can be made.

Business Creation Processes in Australia : What Start-Up Attempts Get Up and Running, and Why? - A Preliminary Assessment

The Comprehensive Australian Study of Entrepreneurial Emergence (CAUSEE) is the largest study of new firm formation that has ever been undertaken in Australia. CAUSEE follows the development of several samples of new and emerging firms over time. In this report we focus on the drivers of outcomes – in terms of reaching an operational stage vs. terminating the effort – of 493 randomly selected nascent firms whose founders have been comprehensively interviewed on two occasions, 12 months apart. We investigate the outcome effects of three groups of variables: Characteristics of the Venture; Resources Used in the Start-Up Process and Characteristics of the Start-Up Process Itself.

Load–frequency control : a GA-based multi-agent reinforcement learning

The load–frequency control (LFC) problem has been one of the major subjects in a power system. In practice, LFC systems use proportional–integral (PI) controllers. However since these controllers are designed using a linear model, the non-linearities of the system are not accounted for and they are incapable of gaining good dynamical performance for a wide range of operating conditions in a multi-area power system. A strategy for solving this problem because of the distributed nature of a multi-area power system is presented by using a multi-agent reinforcement learning (MARL) approach. It consists of two agents in each power area; the estimator agent provides the area control error (ACE) signal based on the frequency bias estimation and the controller agent uses reinforcement learning to control the power system in which genetic algorithm optimisation is used to tune its parameters. This method does not depend on any knowledge of the system and it admits considerable flexibility in defining the control objective. Also, by finding the ACE signal based on the frequency bias estimation the LFC performance is improved and by using the MARL parallel, computation is realised, leading to a high degree of scalability. Here, to illustrate the accuracy of the proposed approach, a three-area power system example is given with two scenarios.

ePortfolio use by university students in Australia : Informing excellence in policy and practice. Supplementary report : October 2010

In April 2007, the Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC)commissioned a study to examine the diverse approaches to ePortfolio use by students in Australian universities. The goals were to consider the scope, penetration and reasons for use of ePortfolios, and to examine the issues associated with their implementation in higher education. One of the central research activities in the project was a national audit which sought to establish a picture of current and emerging ePortfolio activities in Australian academic institutions. The data collection activities took place in late 2007 and the findings were presented and discussed in the final project report, published in October 2008. In 2010, the idea of a ‘follow up survey’ was developed. The resulting supplementary research activity was undertaken to update the data collected by the AeP project team in late 2007. The plan behind this ‘postscript to AeP’ project was to refresh the picture of ePortfolio practice in Australia by collecting new data to identify and map the use of ePortfolios in adult learning across the higher education, vocational education and training (VET) and the adult community education (ACE) sectors. The supplementary project has been referred to as the ‘AeP PS survey’.