Southwest Research Institute assistance to NASA in biomedical areas of the technology utilization program Final report, 1 Feb. 1969 - 24 Aug. 1970

Research progress in technology transfer by NASA Biomedical Application Tea

Large Language Models are Zero Shot Hypothesis Proposers

Significant scientific discoveries have driven the progress of human civilisation. The explosion of scientific literature and data has created information barriers across disciplines that have slowed the pace of scientific discovery. Large Language Models (LLMs) hold a wealth of global and interdisciplinary knowledge that promises to break down these information barriers and foster a new wave of scientific discovery. However, the potential of LLMs for scientific discovery has not been formally explored. In this paper, we start from investigating whether LLMs can propose scientific hypotheses. To this end, we construct a dataset consist of background knowledge and hypothesis pairs from biomedical literature. The dataset is divided into training, seen, and unseen test sets based on the publication date to control visibility. We subsequently evaluate the hypothesis generation capabilities of various top-tier instructed models in zero-shot, few-shot, and fine-tuning settings, including both closed and open-source LLMs. Additionally, we introduce an LLM-based multi-agent cooperative framework with different role designs and external tools to enhance the capabilities related to generating hypotheses. We also design four metrics through a comprehensive review to evaluate the generated hypotheses for both ChatGPT-based and human evaluations. Through experiments and analyses, we arrive at the following findings: 1) LLMs surprisingly generate untrained yet validated hypotheses from testing literature. 2) Increasing uncertainty facilitates candidate generation, potentially enhancing zero-shot hypothesis generation capabilities. These findings strongly support the potential of LLMs as catalysts for new scientific discoveries and guide further exploration.Comment: Instruction Workshop @ NeurIPS 202

Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy: From Surviving to Thriving

Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy is a life-threatening, inherited disease, and a leading cause of sudden cardiac death in young, otherwise healthy adolescents and adults. Through the advances of modern technology, those who receive this once-devastating diagnosis, now stand an excellent chance at survival through the use of medication and a life-saving device called an implantable cardioverter defibrillator. However, living under the peril of life-threatening arrhythmias and life-saving shocks can cause considerable psychosocial disturbances, and potentially contribute to diminished medical outcomes. Though living with a chronic, life-threatening illness poses many challenges, it is both possible and imperative that we provide those dealing with such a diagnosis the skills necessary to go beyond surviving to thriving. Borrowing heavily from the research and collaborative efforts from the field of positive psychology, Civilian Resilience Training is an empirically-informed set of interventions designed to protect patients with these diagnoses against psychopathology and promote their ability to be resilient in the face of the significant health crises that inevitably arise as a result of their disease, as well as the lesser day-to-day crises life brings. The program is designed to help diminish the negative effects of diagnosis, reduce disease symptomology, and encourage effective coping with defibrillator intervention, while enhancing psychosocial well-being and flourishing. It is hoped this program will serve as an interventional model to build flourishing among patient populations with other chronic diseases as well

Patients\u27 and caregivers\u27 inside perspectives: living with a left-ventricular assist device as destination therapy

Left-ventricular assist devices (LVADs) have improved the quality of life for many patients with advanced heart failure. Past research focused on technology issues and survival rates, but patients\u27 and caregivers\u27 perspectives of living with an LVAD as a destination therapy (e.g., permanent alternative to transplant) was not explored. Roy\u27s adaptation model provided a framework to guide an understanding of how participants adjusted and accepted living with destination therapy. A hermeneutic-phenomenology as described by van Manen was used to explore and describe the essence of destination therapy from patients\u27 and caregivers\u27 perspectives in order to understand the meaning of this experience. Data saturation was achieved with 14 participants (7 men as patients, 71-76 years old; 1 man and 6 women as caregivers, 50-74 years old), who lived with destination therapy at home. Data was collected using open-ended interviews, thematic analysis was ongoing, and final themes were consensually validated. Procedures to ensure trustworthiness are described. Themes were consistent with Roy\u27s adaptation model. Participants illustrated a process of adjustment and eventually accepted the LVAD as part of their lives. Patients adjusted to the LVAD as part of their bodies, accepted the device as necessary to live, and exhibited an improved quality of life. Caregivers described persistent worry and stress and accepted caregiving as part of life. Dyadic perspectives reflected gratefulness for more time to live despite uncertainties about death and dying. Findings advance the knowledge of destination therapy management. These findings may direct a holistic approach to palliative and end of life care, and can heighten nurses\u27 awareness about the process of adaptation as a vital component for the promotion and maintenance of health and well-being among this growing population. Key words: left-ventricular assist devices, destination therapy, caregivers, hermeneutic phenomenology, Roy Adaptation Model

Left Ventricular Assist Device Adjustment Impacted by Patient Trajectory: A Qualitative Exploratory Study

Background: Left Ventricular Assist Devices (LVADs) are used as advanced therapy for advanced heart failure in order to sustain patients until a heart transplant is available (bridge to transplant, ‘BTT’) or until the end of life (destination therapy, ‘DT’). Despite the differences in treatment trajectory, BTT and DT patients are provided the same education. Currently it is unknown if the two groups compare to living with the LVAD regarding adjustment. Aims: The aim of this study was to explore LVAD patient experience, describe how patients construct the impact of the LVAD on daily life and self-care and compare the findings between BTT and DT patients. It is imperative to understand how BTT and DT LVAD recipients construct the patient experience in order to provide patient centric education for each group and promote optimal adjustment. Methods: A general qualitative methodology was conducted with purposeful sampling of 20 LVAD recipients that self-reported either BTT or DT. Transcribed interviews were coded using Atlas.ti V8. Data content was analyzed, and once redundancy was reached relevant themes were identified through content analysis from exemplars. Findings: Participants reported the overarching theme, Living with an LVAD is inconvenient, but life-sustaining. BTT and DT LVAD participants contrasted the LVAD patient experience in three phases, (1) illness perception, (2) LVAD adjustment, and (3) health aspirations. Six components were identified as important to LVAD adjustment among both groups: (1) physical ability, (2) caregiver dependence, (3) self-care, (4) roles, (5) LVAD public perception, and (6) connection. LVAD participants described differences in health aspirations based on the self-reported LVAD indication. Conclusions: BTT and DT LVAD patients experience similar adjustment to the device. Despite the inconveniences of living with the LVAD, participants are grateful for the extended life. If faced with having to live with the LVAD for the remainder of life a majority of participants reported that it would not bother them, or they would be able to adjust. Increased knowledge regarding BTT and DT patient experience is required in to develop patient centric education and resources to ensure optimal LVAD adjustment

Exploring glass as a novel method for hands-free data entry in flexible cystoscopy

We present a way to annotate cystoscopy finding on Google Glass in a reproducible and hands free manner for use by surgeons during operations in the sterile environment inspired by the current practice of hand-drawn sketches. We developed three data entry variants based on speech and head movements. We assessed the feasibility, benefits and drawbacks of the system with 8 surgeons and Foundation Doctors having up to 30 years' cystoscopy experience at a UK hospital in laboratory trials. We report data entry speed and error rate of input modalities and contrast it with the participants' feedback on their perception of usability, acceptance, and suitability for deployment. The results are supportive of new data entry technologies and point out directions for future improvement of eyewear computers. The findings can be generalised to other endoscopic procedures (e.g. OGD/laryngoscopy) and could be included within hospital IT in the future

A TRANSCEIVER DESIGN FOR IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICES

Master'sMASTER OF ENGINEERIN

Wright State University\u27s Symposium of Student Research, Scholarship & Creative Activities from Thursday, October 26, 2023

The student abstract booklet is a compilation of abstracts from students\u27 oral and poster presentations at Wright State University\u27s Symposium of Student Research, Scholarship & Creative Activities on October 26, 2023.https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/celebration_abstract_books/1001/thumbnail.jp

Investigating key factors that influence quality of life in implantable cardioverter defibrillator patients in the cardiac clinic at Groote Schuur Hospital

Text in EnglishInternational studies have demonstrated that Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators (ICDs) can have a significant impact on the Quality of Life (QOL) of patients. This is often due to factors that cause considerable psychological distress and has not been investigated in South Africa before. This research study thus investigated factors that influence QOL in patients with ICDs who are followed up in the Cardiac Clinic at Groote Schuur Hospital. The objectives were to describe demographic, clinical, ICD and patient support characteristics; to determine the prevalence of anxiety and depression; to assess QOL and to establish factors that influence depression, anxiety and QOL. The method involved a quantitative approach and a descriptive, cross-sectional and correlational design. All eligible patients with ICDs from the Cardiac Clinic were invited to participate. Participants completed a Demographic and Clinical Questionnaire, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the SF-36v2 Health Survey. A descriptive analysis of frequencies and summary statistics were done, followed by a regression, comparison and correlational analyses. A total of 70 patients (57 years mean, 65% male) participated in the study. The HADS mean score for anxiety was 6.50, SD 4.52 and for depression 4.96, SD 3.36. The SF-36v2 QOL Physical Component Summary (PCS) mean score was 43.83, SD 9.43 and the Mental Component Summary (MCS) was 47.81, SD 10.71. Factors associated with depression, anxiety and poor QOL included having more than 5 ICD shocks (appropriate or inappropriate). Patients who felt that the ICD influenced their lifestyle positively, was 10.46 times more like to have mental well-being. This study showed that patients with ICDs managed in the state sector, is a vulnerable population. They often live far from hospital, have a high unemployment rate and a poor income. The HADS revealed that 21.4% of the patients had depressive symptoms and 28.6% fulfilled criteria for anxiety. The SF-36v2 revealed that the QOL of patients with ICDs was significantly lower than the norm, with regard to their physical and mental well-being. The study highlights the need for psychological and social support of patients living with ICDs. Keywords: quality of life; implantable cardioverter defibrillator; sudden cardiac death; arrhythmia; anxiety; depression; HADS; SF36v2.PsychologyM.A. (Psychology