Is the treatment and transport of asystolic cardiac arrest patients to hospital by ambulance services appropriate?

The Paramedic\u27s role requires them to attend many patients in cardiac arrest. The victim\u27 s survival depends on a variety of issues, such as previous medical history, pathological cause of cardiac arrest, presenting cardiac arrest dysrhythmias, and the time elapsed before medical aid is administered. The purpose of this present study was to review current practice advocated by St John Ambulance Service WA for the treatment of the cardiac arrest dysrhythmia `asystole\u27. At present, certain victims of an asystolic arrest are treated and transported to hospital irrespective of time in arrest. As such, questions are raised as to the suitability of transporting these patients with respect to actual or possible patient survival

Optimising observing strategies for monitoring animals using drone-mounted thermal infrared cameras

The proliferation of relatively affordable off-the-shelf drones offers great opportunities for wildlife monitoring and conservation. Similarly the recent reduction in cost of thermal infrared cameras also offers new promise in this field, as they have the advantage over conventional RGB cameras of being able to distinguish animals based on their body heat and being able to detect animals at night. However, the use of drone-mounted thermal infrared cameras comes with several technical challenges. In this paper we address some of these issues, namely thermal contrast problems due to heat from the ground, absorption and emission of thermal infrared radiation by the atmosphere, obscuration by vegetation, and optimizing the flying height of drones for a best balance between covering a large area and being able to accurately image and identify animals of interest. We demonstrate the application of these methods with a case study using field data, and make the first ever detection of the critically endangered riverine rabbit (Bunolagus monticularis) in thermal infrared data. We provide a web-tool so that the community can easily apply these techniques to other studies (http://www.astro.ljmu.ac.uk/~aricburk/uav_calc/)

Алмазные фотоприемники ультрафиолетового диапазона

Изготовлены и исследованы планарные алмазные «солнечно-слепые» фотоприемники УФ-диапазона. Приведено теоретическое обоснование принципов работы и экспериментальные параметры фотоприемников в фоторезистивном и фотодиодном режимах

Genetic mechanisms of critical illness in COVID-19.

Host-mediated lung inflammation is present1, and drives mortality2, in the critical illness caused by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Host genetic variants associated with critical illness may identify mechanistic targets for therapeutic development3. Here we report the results of the GenOMICC (Genetics Of Mortality In Critical Care) genome-wide association study in 2,244 critically ill patients with COVID-19 from 208 UK intensive care units. We have identified and replicated the following new genome-wide significant associations: on chromosome 12q24.13 (rs10735079, P = 1.65 × 10-8) in a gene cluster that encodes antiviral restriction enzyme activators (OAS1, OAS2 and OAS3); on chromosome 19p13.2 (rs74956615, P = 2.3 × 10-8) near the gene that encodes tyrosine kinase 2 (TYK2); on chromosome 19p13.3 (rs2109069, P = 3.98 ×  10-12) within the gene that encodes dipeptidyl peptidase 9 (DPP9); and on chromosome 21q22.1 (rs2236757, P = 4.99 × 10-8) in the interferon receptor gene IFNAR2. We identified potential targets for repurposing of licensed medications: using Mendelian randomization, we found evidence that low expression of IFNAR2, or high expression of TYK2, are associated with life-threatening disease; and transcriptome-wide association in lung tissue revealed that high expression of the monocyte-macrophage chemotactic receptor CCR2 is associated with severe COVID-19. Our results identify robust genetic signals relating to key host antiviral defence mechanisms and mediators of inflammatory organ damage in COVID-19. Both mechanisms may be amenable to targeted treatment with existing drugs. However, large-scale randomized clinical trials will be essential before any change to clinical practice

Rehabilitation versus surgical reconstruction for non-acute anterior cruciate ligament injury (ACL SNNAP): a pragmatic randomised controlled trial

BackgroundAnterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture is a common debilitating injury that can cause instability of the knee. We aimed to investigate the best management strategy between reconstructive surgery and non-surgical treatment for patients with a non-acute ACL injury and persistent symptoms of instability.MethodsWe did a pragmatic, multicentre, superiority, randomised controlled trial in 29 secondary care National Health Service orthopaedic units in the UK. Patients with symptomatic knee problems (instability) consistent with an ACL injury were eligible. We excluded patients with meniscal pathology with characteristics that indicate immediate surgery. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) by computer to either surgery (reconstruction) or rehabilitation (physiotherapy but with subsequent reconstruction permitted if instability persisted after treatment), stratified by site and baseline Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score—4 domain version (KOOS4). This management design represented normal practice. The primary outcome was KOOS4 at 18 months after randomisation. The principal analyses were intention-to-treat based, with KOOS4 results analysed using linear regression. This trial is registered with ISRCTN, ISRCTN10110685, and ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02980367.FindingsBetween Feb 1, 2017, and April 12, 2020, we recruited 316 patients. 156 (49%) participants were randomly assigned to the surgical reconstruction group and 160 (51%) to the rehabilitation group. Mean KOOS4 at 18 months was 73·0 (SD 18·3) in the surgical group and 64·6 (21·6) in the rehabilitation group. The adjusted mean difference was 7·9 (95% CI 2·5–13·2; p=0·0053) in favour of surgical management. 65 (41%) of 160 patients allocated to rehabilitation underwent subsequent surgery according to protocol within 18 months. 43 (28%) of 156 patients allocated to surgery did not receive their allocated treatment. We found no differences between groups in the proportion of intervention-related complications.InterpretationSurgical reconstruction as a management strategy for patients with non-acute ACL injury with persistent symptoms of instability was clinically superior and more cost-effective in comparison with rehabilitation management

AI-driven large language models: strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats

The teaching and learning group within the School of Computer Science and Mathematics would like to lead a discussion around a topic that will likely impact HE significantly: the use of AI-Driven Large Language Models (LLMs) such as those seen powering OpenAI’s GPT-3 Driven ChatGPT, Meta’s LLaMA and DeepMind’s Gopher/Chinchilla AI. Several technology companies and technologies such as Microsoft’s Bing search engine aim to embed these LLM tools to enhance their existing products, and many in the IT industry anticipate them becoming key productivity assistants across many sectors where the written word is sought after. However, they also present significant challenges to Academia when used in assessments such as Online Exams, in class tests and coursework assignments, with their abilities to generate text based on information trained from data scrapped from the web, and their power and accuracy of the information may be used to circumvent a student’s need for good academic study practices and demonstration of knowledge. This session aims to present an overview of LLMs, their current abilities to generate knowledge representation across a variety of different disciplines (using computer science and mathematics as an example), key weaknesses of LLMs such as AI Hallucinations, how their contextual abilities can be exploited as a meaningful tool and comparing them with similar productivity tools such as code generators, spell checkers, online search and reference tools and our ability to detect their usage. The session also would like to open some cross-disciplinary debate in their effect on the professionalism, character, and employability of our graduates, where inappropriate use of these tools may harm the reputation and standing of LJMU and its graduates and approaches in our curriculums to best educate our student base on their capabilities and improprieties. Ultimately, these tools are going to increase in popularity and usage in the coming years – should be fear them or embrace them? AI-driven large language models: strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats Powerpoint. Only LJMU staff and students have access to this resource

Ursinus College Bulletin, February 1977

President\u27s memo • In search of future alumni • Up from the South he arose or the Carterites have gone to Washington • Focus on economics and business administration • Executive assistant to President named • Scholarship established • Department trip planned • Theatre talk • Alumni offer students sound advice • Coming events • Pennsylvania Dutch Studies Program alive and well at Ursinus • Ursinus team tries harder • Increase approved • Protheatre presents • Meistersingers go on tour • Alumni profiles • Spring sports schedule • Advance Ursinus • News notes • Deaths • Marriages • Birthshttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/new_bulletin/1019/thumbnail.jp

The Siren’s Call: Terror Management and The Threat of Sexual Attraction

Why do sexually appealing women often attract derogation and aggression? According to terror management theory, women\u27s sexual allure threatens to increase men\u27s awareness of their corporeality and thus mortality. Accordingly, in Study 1 a subliminal mortality prime decreased men\u27s but not women\u27s attractiveness ratings of alluring women. In Study 2, mortality salience (MS) led men to downplay their sexual intent toward a sexy woman. In Study 3, MS decreased men\u27s interest in a seductive but not a wholesome woman. In Study 4, MS decreased men\u27s but not women\u27s attraction to a sexy opposite-sex target. In Study 5, MS and a corporeal lust prime increased men\u27s tolerance of aggression toward women. Discussion focuses on mortality concerns and male sexual ambivalence