Vertically aligned carbon nanotubes (VACNTs) are excellent broadband (UV–VIS–IR) absorbers of light that can be made even darker with plasma treatments. Modification of VACNTs using O2 and/or CF4 ...plasmas is shown to have a significant impact on the reflectance and water repellency. Unfortunately, while O2 plasma treatment reduces the reflectance of VACNTs by changing the top surface morphology, it also makes the VACNTs superhydrophilic. Using an additional CF4 plasma treatment, we show that low reflectance and superhydrophobic surfaces are possible — qualities that are desirable when utilizing VACNTs as black body absorbers in cryogenic environments due to the potential for adsorbed water or ice. Using scanning electron microscopy we show that both plasma treatments can change the surface morphology of the VACNTs similarly, which is associated with a corresponding measured reduction in spectral reflectance. Raman spectroscopy of as-grown and plasma treated samples suggest that plasma treatment is introducing defects and functionalizing the nanotube walls and thereby affecting the water repellency. O2 plasma treated VACNTs have a directional-hemispherical reflectance (d/h) at normal incidence (d = 0°) of 94 ± 4 ppm (with a coverage factor of k = 2) at 660 nm and are superhydrophilic. O2 and CF4 plasma treated VACNTs have a 0°/h reflectance of 163 ± 7 ppm (k = 2) at 660 nm and are superhydrophobic with a contact angle of 159°.
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In September 2011, a total of 511 human cases of anthrax (Bacillus anthracis) infection and 5 deaths were reported in a game management area in the district of Chama, Zambia, near where 85 ...hippopotamuses (Hippopotamus amphibious) had recently died of suspected anthrax. The human infections generally responded to antibiotics. To clarify transmission, we conducted a cross-sectional, interviewer-administered household survey in villages where human anthrax cases and hippopotamuses deaths were reported. Among 284 respondents, 84% ate hippopotamus meat before the outbreak. Eating, carrying, and preparing meat were associated with anthrax infection. Despite the risk, 23% of respondents reported they would eat meat from hippopotamuses found dead again because of food shortage (73%), lack of meat (12%), hunger (7%), and protein shortage (5%). Chronic food insecurity can lead to consumption of unsafe foods, leaving communities susceptible to zoonotic infection. Interagency cooperation is necessary to prevent outbreaks by addressing the root cause of exposure, such as food insecurity.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, ODKLJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
CRISPR-based gene editing technology represents a promising approach to deliver therapies for inherited disorders, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Toxic gain-of-function superoxide ...dismutase 1 (SOD1) mutations are responsible for ~20% of familial ALS cases. Thus, current clinical strategies to treat SOD1-ALS are designed to lower SOD1 levels. Here, we utilized AAV-PHP.B variants to deliver CRISPR-Cas9 guide RNAs designed to disrupt the human SOD1 (huSOD1) transgene in SOD1
mice. A one-time intracerebroventricular injection of AAV.PHP.B-huSOD1-sgRNA into neonatal H11
SOD1
mice caused robust and sustained mutant huSOD1 protein reduction in the cortex and spinal cord, and restored motor function. Neonatal treatment also reduced spinal motor neuron loss, denervation at neuromuscular junction (NMJ) and muscle atrophy, diminished axonal damage and preserved compound muscle action potential throughout the lifespan of treated mice. SOD1
treated mice achieved significant disease-free survival, extending lifespan by more than 110 days. Importantly, a one-time intrathecal or intravenous injection of AAV.PHP.eB-huSOD1-sgRNA in adult H11
SOD1
mice, immediately before symptom onset, also extended lifespan by at least 170 days. We observed substantial protection against disease progression, demonstrating the utility of our CRISPR editing preclinical approach for target evaluation. Our approach uncovered key parameters (e.g., AAV capsid, Cas9 expression) that resulted in improved efficacy compared to similar approaches and can also serve to accelerate drug target validation.
Resident physicians may have difficulty with identifying and managing pediatric septic shock due to limited patient encounters. Simulation-based interventions can enhance competency. We developed a ...low-fidelity tabletop simulation game to teach pediatric septic shock and compared residents' knowledge of and comfort with recognition and management of septic shock.
Pediatric and emergency medicine residents participated in an education session involving a low-fidelity, tabletop simulation in which they managed two simulated pediatric patients with septic shock. The two patients were a 12-year-old healthy male with cold shock due to a urinary tract infection and a 5-year-old female with a history of leukemia who developed warm shock due to pneumonia. Because this session was presented as a board game rather than high-fidelity simulation, learners focused on decision making rather than the mechanics of procedures. Residents completed a survey and a knowledge-based test before and after this session.
Twenty-three pediatric and nine emergency medicine residents participated. Correct responses for the preintervention test were 71%, compared with 83% postintervention. The difference in rates was 12% (95% confidence interval, -0.17 to -0.07;
< .0001). Residents rated this modality as being more useful than lectures or reading and as equivalent to bedside teaching and high-fidelity simulation.
Our pilot low-fidelity simulation improved resident knowledge and comfort with pediatric septic shock care. Further studies are needed to address the impact of low-fidelity simulations on patient outcomes.
Introduction
Pineoblastomas are a category of supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumors (sPNETs) occurring in the pineal gland; some studies support the impression that patients with ...pineoblastomas have a worse prognosis than those with other sPNETs.
Methods
We reviewed the medical records and tissue sections of all patients with the diagnosis of pineoblastoma that were treated at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Children’s Hospital Boston Pediatric Brain Tumor Program between 1986 and 2005.
Results
Thirteen patients with the pathologic diagnosis of pineoblastoma were treated at our Hospital; 11 of these cases had complete records suitable for study. The median age was 8 years 8 months (5 F, 6 M). Surgical, radiation and chemotherapeutic regimens varied from case to case. Three patients had gross total resection and are alive and free of disease, versus four of eight with subtotal resection or biopsy only. Patients who received CSI and multi-agent chemotherapy had improved overall survival.
Conclusions
Seven of eleven patients with pineoblastoma are currently alive and free of disease, reflecting an improved outcome and longer survival than previously appreciated. Gross total surgical resection appeared to correlate with improved survival, as did treatment with craniospinal irradiation and multi-agent chemotherapy. Further study of this group of patients as a distinct diagnostic entity will be necessary to determine optimal therapy.
The millennial generation embraces new technologies as a natural way of accessing and exchanging information, staying connected, and having fun. YouTube, a video-sharing site that allows users to ...upload, view, and share video clips, is among the latest "cool" technologies for enjoying quick laughs, employing a wide variety of corporate activities, and also communicating relevant, engaging instructional content for today's students. This article describes a YouTube video class project that is a natural fit with today's students because it involves cutting-edge social media while addressing a critical component of professional development-communication ethics. This project encourages critical thinking, creativity, and applied learning in a team environment using a "cool" new media tool.
•Upon completion of this case, students understand the basic functions of an enterprise system, Microsoft Dynamics GP.•Students collect and process data, identify internal controls within the system, ...and provide information.•Students’ outcomes report increases in AIS knowledge, system navigation skills, and independent learning.•The case provides instructional material in the form of reference manuals, videos, examples and exercises.
This case increases your understanding of enterprise systems by applying course concepts in an active-learning setting. Specifically, you build on previous course knowledge by using Microsoft Dynamics GP via a cloud provider, DynamicsCloud. Cloud applications allow companies to reduce information technology costs and use one consistent platform across the entire company, whether they have one or many locations across the globe. The case consists of three main parts (i.e., system overview, data collection and storage, and information retrieval) and integrates internal controls and exercises within each part of the case.
Upon completion of this case, you will understand the basic functions of an enterprise system. Activities require you to collect and process data in the revenue and purchasing cycles, identify internal controls within the system, and provide useful information for decision making. In addition, you gain hands-on experience using an enterprise system and acquire skills that transfer to other enterprise systems or to upgraded versions of Dynamics GP, which companies can use to support global operations. The case should increase accounting information system knowledge, system navigation skills, and the ability to learn on your own.
Expandable metallic stents offer advantages over previously available techniques for treating benign tracheobronchial stenosis or obstruction. Endoluminal stent placement offers a rapid and effective ...means of opening up narrowed airways, and results in excellent relief of symptoms and improvement in pulmonary function. Because they are delivered in a nonexpanded state using flexible over-wire systems, they can be placed using a flexible bronchoscope and can be located in second-order bronchial branches. Metallic stents have been used to treat benign airway obstruction caused by anastomotic narrowing after lung transplantation, infection, congenital lesions, tracheobronchial malacia, inflammatory conditions including relapsing polychondritis, Wegener granulomatosis, and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, and external compression from benign mediastinal masses or fibrosis. The stents become epithelialized, which prevents migration and permits ciliary activity to continue. Significant complications can occur, including airway inflammation, stent migration, airway erosion, and stent fracture and collapse, but more serious complications are uncommon. Computed tomography is essential in imaging patients being considered for stent placement, as it allows 1) accurate representation of airway anatomy in three dimensions. 2) measurement of airway diameter, 3) evaluation of airway anatomy distal to a narrowed segment and invisible to bronchoscopy, 4) demonstration of dynamic changes in airway morphologic features during forced exhalation in patients with airway malacia, and 5) demonstration of focal or diffuse air trapping in lung peripheral to the abnormal airway. In patients who have had stent placement, computed tomography is valuable in assessing airway morphologic features and dynamics distal to the stent, and can be valuable in assessing stent dysfunction.
Digital data collection during routine clinical practice is now ubiquitous within hospitals. The data contains valuable information on the care of patients and their response to treatments, offering ...exciting opportunities for research. Typically, data are stored within archival systems that are not intended to support research. These systems are often inaccessible to researchers and structured for optimal storage, rather than interpretability and analysis. Here we present MIMIC-IV, a publicly available database sourced from the electronic health record of the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Information available includes patient measurements, orders, diagnoses, procedures, treatments, and deidentified free-text clinical notes. MIMIC-IV is intended to support a wide array of research studies and educational material, helping to reduce barriers to conducting clinical research.
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