Tilings of Annular Region

We present our summer research on mathematical tiling. We classified which rectangular annular regions are tileable by the set of T and skew tretrominoes. We present a partial proof of this result, and discuss some of the context for this problem

Competitive Tiling

Competitive tiling consists of two players, a tile set, a region, and a non-negative integer d. Alice and Bob, our two players, alternate placing tiles on the untiled squares of the region. They play until no more tiles can be placed. Alice wins if at most d squares are untiled at the end of the game, and Bob wins if more than d squares are untiled. For given regions and tile sets we are interested in the smallest value of d such that Alice has a winning strategy. We call this the game tiling number. In this project, we focus on finding the game tiling number for the game played with dominoes on 2 x n rectangles, modified 2 x n rectangles, and rectangular annular regions

Crossover: How Artists Build Careers Across Commercial, Nonprofit and Community Work

Explores how Los Angeles and San Francisco Bay area musicians, writers, and performing and visual artists move across sectors as part of their artistic and career development. Includes suggestions for developing opportunity and support for crossover

Effects of Conflict-related Sexual Violence on Kinship Networks: Case of Rohingya Refugees in Bangladesh

With the outset in feminist theory on wartime rape (Brownmiller, 1975) this paper iluminates how kinship networks are affected by conflict-related sexual violence. Following feminist scholars we argue that one way conflict-related sexual violence is intened to damage communities is by destroying their cohesion. An analysis of kinship relations of Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh indicates that members of the community post refuge struggle to protect “the conjugal order” (MacKenzie, 2010) and social norms related to family and marriage. Attempting to avoid the shame and stigmatisation of sexual violence, kinship networks are being reevaluated in order to protect both the family’s honour and the survivors. This is done for example by shunning survivors or making use of corrective measures like child marriage and restrictions on women’s movement. Thus, when women are subjected to conflict-related sexual violence they are victimized twice: first through the experience of sexual violence during conflict, then by stigmatisation post conflict

Analysis of Public Preprint Server Comments on NIH Preprint Pilot Articles

Objectives: Given the increased prevalence of preprints during the COVID-19 pandemic, this project sought to analyze public comments left on a sample of preprint articles from the NIH Preprint Pilot to determine if they were substantive in nature. Analysis of article titles and qualitative coding of the comments was conducted. This analysis was designed to obtain both quantitative and qualitative measures of comments on a selected group of articles so that the relationship between public commenting and scientific rigor could be explored. Methods: The first 1,000 preprint articles to be indexed in PubMed Central and hosted on two preprint platforms (bioRxiv and medRxiv) were selected. Using the preprint servers’ associated commenting platforms, full text comment threads and Twitter information was obtained, and summary statistics of commenting platforms were produced. From the article sample a total of 494 comments were collected from public commenters using the Disqus platform to provide feedback on the articles. Using the article titles, the authors explored indications of the relationship between article topic and frequency of commenter engagement. Preliminary coding was conducted using a ‘thumbs up/thumbs down’ method and potential categorizations were suggested. Utilizing these suggestions, the authors created and refined a draft codebook. Finally, thirteen categorizations, ten for substantive comments and three for not substantive comments, were created and used to qualitatively code the comment sample. Results: Two rounds of coding were completed to reach sufficient interrater reliability. The authors found that most of the public comments were substantive, with over 28% meeting the criteria for critique, 21.5% as questions for authors, and over 11% having aspects of a formal peer review process. The analysis revealed engagement between commenters and preprint authors, demonstrated through author responses to questions, updates, and feedback. Commenters also provided suggestions for future research (3.6%) and indicated their intent to utilize the preprint findings in future research projects of their own (2.6%). Conclusions: This project provides evidence of the impact of public commenting on scientific rigor. Public commenting was frequently substantive, and provided critique which sometimes led to direct revisions of the preprint article. Commenters also provided responses similar in nature to the formal peer review process, providing authors with feedback faster than the traditional process. Through preprints authors can disseminate their research to a wide audience earlier, and comments indicated that some readers intended to use the preprint findings in their own research, accelerating the potential for scientific discovery. As the prevalence of preprints continues to grow and public engagement with preprints increases, this paper’s methodology can be replicated and refined to further analyze the value of public commenting on preprints

A Scoping Review to Assess Risk of Fracture Associated with Anxiolytic Medications

Introduction. Recent research has focused on evaluating the impact of pharmalogical sources on fracture risk. The purpose of this study was to review the literature on anxiolytic medications that may be associated with an increased risk of fracture. Methods. A search was conducted in MEDLINE and Embase databases to identify primary clinical studies of patients who sustained a fracture while prescribed anxiolytic medications and were published prior to July 2021. Anxiolytics defined by ATC Class N05B, beta blockers, and zolpidem were included. The search terms consisted of variations of the following: (“Psychotropic Drugs” or MeSH terms) AND (“Fracture” or MeSH terms).  Results. Of 3,213 studies, 13 (0.4%) met inclusion criteria and were evaluated. Fractures associated with benzodiazepine were reported in 12 of 13 studies; the highest risk occurred in patients aged 60 years and older, RR=2.29, 95% CI (1.48-4.40). The ATC Class N05B showed an increased fracture risk for those < 55 years of age that differed by sex: for men RR=5.42, 95% CI(4.86-6.05) and for women it was RR=3.33, 95% CI (3.03-3.66). Zolpidem also showed an increase fracture risk, RR=2.29, 95% CI(1.48-3.56), but only during the first 4 weeks of treatment. A relative risk of 0.77, 95% CI(.72-.83) was observed for beta blockers. Conclusions.  Fractures are a mainstay of traumatic injuries and are accompanied by economical, physiological, and psychological hardship. Fortunately, with proper assessment and prophylactic measures, fracture risk can be reduced dramatically. Anxiolytic medications have been described widely to increase fracture risk, such as benzodiazepines  in 60+ year old patients, and ATC Class N05B Anxiolytics increased fracture risk of RR=5.42, 95% CI (4.86-6.05) in 55+ year old men and  in 55+ year old women. Yet, some studies showed that at low doses, nitrazepam lowered fracture risk. Other anxiolytic medications, such as zolpidem and beta blockers, also showed a decrease in fracture risk; however, only one study has been published on each of these medications. Ultimately, this scoping review helped to illuminate the inconsistency of anxiolytic fracture risk assessment while simultaneously illustrating the necessary steps to guide future research

Staff perspectives from Australian hospitals seeking to improve implementation of thrombolysis care for acute stroke

Background: Intravenous thrombolysis is one of few evidence-based treatments for acute stroke. Treatment uptake is low outside major stroke care centres. There is a need for greater understanding of barriers encountered by clinicians when seeking to increase thrombolysis rates.This work is related to a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) partnership grant (ID569328) and is part-funded by a Translating Research Into Practice fellowship, with collaborative funding from Boehringer Ingelheim and in-kind support from the Agency for Clinical Innovation Stroke Care Network/Stroke Services NSW, Victorian Stroke Clinical Network, National Stroke Foundation and NSW Cardiovascular Research Network–National Heart Foundation, Hunter Medical Research Institute and the University of Newcastle. Christine Paul is supported by an NHMRC Career Development Fellowship (APP1061335)

A national prospective cohort study of SARS/COV2 pandemic outcomes in the U.S.: The CHASING COVID Cohort

Introduction: The Chasing COVID Cohort (C 3 ) study is a US-based, geographically and socio-demographically diverse sample of adults (18 and older) enrolled into a prospective cohort study during the upswing of the U.S. COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: We used internet-based strategies to enroll C 3 participants beginning March 28th, 2020. Following baseline questionnaire completion, study participants will be contacted monthly (for 6 months) to complete assessments of engagement in non-pharmaceutical interventions (e.g., use of cloth masks, avoiding large gatherings); COVID-19 symptoms; SARS/COV2 testing and diagnosis; hospitalizations; healthcare access; and uptake of health messaging. Dried blood spot (DBS) specimens will be collected at the first follow-up assessment (last week of April 2020) and at month 3 (last week of June 2020) and stored until a validated serologic test is available. Results: As of April 20, 2020, the number of people that completed the baseline survey and provided contact information for follow-up was 7,070. Participants resided in all 50 US states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and Guam. At least 24% of participants were frontline workers (healthcare and other essential workers). Twenty-three percent (23%) were 60+ years, 24% were Black or Hispanic, 52% were men, and 52% were currently employed. Nearly 20% reported recent COVID-like symptoms (cough, fever or shortness of breath) and a high proportion reported engaging in non-pharmaceutical interventions that reduce SARS/COV2 spread (93% avoided groups \u3e20, 58% wore masks; 73% quarantined). More than half (54%) had higher risk for severe COVID-19 illness should they become infected with SARS/COV2 based on age, underlying health conditions (e.g., chronic lung disease), or daily smoking. Discussion: A geographically and socio-demographically diverse group of participants was rapidly enrolled in the C3 during the upswing of the SARS/COV2 pandemic. Strengths of the C3 include the potential for direct observation of, and risk factors for, seroconversion and incident COVID disease (among those with or without antibodies to SARS/COV2) in areas of active transmission

Can a multicomponent multidisciplinary implementation package change physicians' and nurses' perceptions and practices regarding thrombolysis for acute ischemic stroke? : an exploratory analysis of a cluster-randomized trial

Background: The Thrombolysis ImPlementation in Stroke (TIPS) trial tested the effect of a multicomponent, multidisciplinary, collaborative intervention designed to increase the rates of intravenous thrombolysis via a cluster randomized controlled trial at 20 Australian hospitals (ten intervention, ten control). This sub-study investigated changes in self-reported perceptions and practices of physicians and nurses working in acute stroke care at the participating hospitals. Methods: A survey with 74 statements was administered during the pre-and post-intervention periods to staff at 19 of the 20 hospitals. An exploratory factor analysis identified the structure of the survey items and linear mixed modeling was applied to the final survey domain scores to explore the differences between groups over time. Result: The response rate was 45% for both the pre-(503 out of 1127 eligible staff from 19 hospitals) and post-intervention (414 out of 919 eligible staff from 18 hospitals) period. Four survey domains were identified: (1) hospital performance indicators, feedback, and training; (2) personal perceptions about thrombolysis evidence and implementation; (3) personal stroke skills and hospital stroke care policies; and (4) emergency and ambulance procedures. There was a significant pre-to post-intervention mean increase (0.21 95% CI 0.09; 0.34; p < 0.01) in scores relating to hospital performance indicators, feedback, and training; for the intervention hospitals compared to control hospitals. There was a corresponding increase in mean scores regarding perceptions about the thrombolysis evidence and implementation (0.21, 95% CI 0.06; 0.36; p < 0.05). Sub-group analysis indicated that the improvements were restricted to nurses' responses. Conclusion: TIPS resulted in changes in some aspects of nurses' perceptions relating to the evidence for intravenous thrombolysis and its implementation and hospital performance indicators, feedback, and training. However, there is a need to explore further strategies for influencing the views of physicians given limited statistical power in the physician sample