Creating an engaging science inquiry activity for middle school students that incorporates online remote access to analytical instrumentation

The decline in young peoples’ interest in science and technology education and the reduction in the proportion of students choosing to pursue careers in science and technology have been causing concern internationally for over a decade (OECD 2006). It is known that young people’s attitudes to science and technology are usually established early in life and that efforts to encourage interest and build awareness are best targeted toward middle school students (DeWitt, Archer and Osborne 2014; Riegle-Crumb, Moore and Ramos-Wada 2010). This context prompted three initiatives that came together to create the learning opportunity for middle school students evaluated in the pilot study described in this paper. In the context of their inquiry project, the Grade 8 class worked with science professionals to remotely use an instrument in the university chemistry lab to analyze river water samples for total nitrogen. A pilot study of the initiative that examined students’ responses to survey questions using the lens of productive disciplinary engagement (Engle and Conant 2002) indicated high levels of student engagement, specifically in the discipline of science, that were productive in advancing their learning of science and awareness of the actual practices that science professionals use. At the end of the paper, these findings are corroborated and expanded upon by the teacher in her reflections. Further work will look at how this productive disciplinary engagement develops, by analyzing video recordings of students, teachers and scientists interacting within this collaborative venture

High Risk of Secondary Infections Following Thrombotic Complications in Patients With COVID-19

Background. This study’s primary aim was to evaluate the impact of thrombotic complications on the development of secondary infections. The secondary aim was to compare the etiology of secondary infections in patients with and without thrombotic complications. Methods. This was a cohort study (NCT04318366) of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients hospitalized at IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital between February 25 and June 30, 2020. Incidence rates (IRs) were calculated by univariable Poisson regression as the number of cases per 1000 person-days of follow-up (PDFU) with 95% confidence intervals. The cumulative incidence functions of secondary infections according to thrombotic complications were compared with Gray’s method accounting for competing risk of death. A multivariable Fine-Gray model was applied to assess factors associated with risk of secondary infections. Results. Overall, 109/904 patients had 176 secondary infections (IR, 10.0; 95% CI, 8.8–11.5; per 1000-PDFU). The IRs of secondary infections among patients with or without thrombotic complications were 15.0 (95% CI, 10.7–21.0) and 9.3 (95% CI, 7.9–11.0) per 1000-PDFU, respectively (P = .017). At multivariable analysis, thrombotic complications were associated with the development of secondary infections (subdistribution hazard ratio, 1.788; 95% CI, 1.018–3.140; P = .043). The etiology of secondary infections was similar in patients with and without thrombotic complications. Conclusions. In patients with COVID-19, thrombotic complications were associated with a high risk of secondary infections

A922 Sequential measurement of 1 hour creatinine clearance (1-CRCL) in critically ill patients at risk of acute kidney injury (AKI)

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Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

Funder: European Society of Intensive Care Medicine; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100013347Funder: Flemish Society for Critical Care NursesAbstract: Purpose: Intensive care unit (ICU) patients are particularly susceptible to developing pressure injuries. Epidemiologic data is however unavailable. We aimed to provide an international picture of the extent of pressure injuries and factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries in adult ICU patients. Methods: International 1-day point-prevalence study; follow-up for outcome assessment until hospital discharge (maximum 12 weeks). Factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injury and hospital mortality were assessed by generalised linear mixed-effects regression analysis. Results: Data from 13,254 patients in 1117 ICUs (90 countries) revealed 6747 pressure injuries; 3997 (59.2%) were ICU-acquired. Overall prevalence was 26.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 25.9–27.3). ICU-acquired prevalence was 16.2% (95% CI 15.6–16.8). Sacrum (37%) and heels (19.5%) were most affected. Factors independently associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries were older age, male sex, being underweight, emergency surgery, higher Simplified Acute Physiology Score II, Braden score 3 days, comorbidities (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, immunodeficiency), organ support (renal replacement, mechanical ventilation on ICU admission), and being in a low or lower-middle income-economy. Gradually increasing associations with mortality were identified for increasing severity of pressure injury: stage I (odds ratio [OR] 1.5; 95% CI 1.2–1.8), stage II (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.4–1.9), and stage III or worse (OR 2.8; 95% CI 2.3–3.3). Conclusion: Pressure injuries are common in adult ICU patients. ICU-acquired pressure injuries are associated with mainly intrinsic factors and mortality. Optimal care standards, increased awareness, appropriate resource allocation, and further research into optimal prevention are pivotal to tackle this important patient safety threat

Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

Funder: European Society of Intensive Care Medicine; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100013347Funder: Flemish Society for Critical Care NursesAbstract: Purpose: Intensive care unit (ICU) patients are particularly susceptible to developing pressure injuries. Epidemiologic data is however unavailable. We aimed to provide an international picture of the extent of pressure injuries and factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries in adult ICU patients. Methods: International 1-day point-prevalence study; follow-up for outcome assessment until hospital discharge (maximum 12 weeks). Factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injury and hospital mortality were assessed by generalised linear mixed-effects regression analysis. Results: Data from 13,254 patients in 1117 ICUs (90 countries) revealed 6747 pressure injuries; 3997 (59.2%) were ICU-acquired. Overall prevalence was 26.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 25.9–27.3). ICU-acquired prevalence was 16.2% (95% CI 15.6–16.8). Sacrum (37%) and heels (19.5%) were most affected. Factors independently associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries were older age, male sex, being underweight, emergency surgery, higher Simplified Acute Physiology Score II, Braden score 3 days, comorbidities (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, immunodeficiency), organ support (renal replacement, mechanical ventilation on ICU admission), and being in a low or lower-middle income-economy. Gradually increasing associations with mortality were identified for increasing severity of pressure injury: stage I (odds ratio [OR] 1.5; 95% CI 1.2–1.8), stage II (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.4–1.9), and stage III or worse (OR 2.8; 95% CI 2.3–3.3). Conclusion: Pressure injuries are common in adult ICU patients. ICU-acquired pressure injuries are associated with mainly intrinsic factors and mortality. Optimal care standards, increased awareness, appropriate resource allocation, and further research into optimal prevention are pivotal to tackle this important patient safety threat

Correction to: Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake

Biologically active secondary metabolites isolated from marine and terrestrial sources

A series of new and known secondary metabolites were isolated from marine and terrestrial sources guided by two newly developed, cell-based assays. Investigations into the antimitotic properties of a crude extract from the Caribbean octocoral Erythropodium caribaeorum resulted in the isolation and identification of the known antimitotic agent eleutherobin (61) and six novel structural analogues, 69-74. E. caribaeorum proved to be a new and abundant source of eleutherobin (61), whose pre-clinical development had been impeded by its scarcity, and the structural variations of the new diterpenoids offered key insights into proposed pharmacophore models for microtubule-stabilizing compounds. In addition, single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis and NOE difference experiments provided the first solid-state and solution conformations for eleutherobin (61) and may aid in the development of new models for microtubule stabilization. [diagram] The crude extract from a marine sponge, Stylissa flabelliformis, exhibited potent activity in a new bioassay for G2 cell cycle checkpoint inhibitors. Bioassay-guided fractionation of this active extract resulted in the isolation and identification of the natural product [diagram] debromohymenialdisine (91) and three related alkaloids (85, 94, 103). These compounds were the first G2 checkpoint inhibitors to be found by a rational screen and were structurally distinct from previously reported G2 checkpoint inhibitors. In addition, debromohymenialdisine (91) was found to specifically act on the protein kinases Chkl and Chk2, thus providing a new biochemical tool to probe the molecular basis of G2 checkpoint inhibition. [diagram] As a result of a large-scale screen of natural extracts for G2 checkpoint inhibitors, a series of a-pyrones from the Taiwanese tree Cryptocarya concinna were found to exhibit potent inhibitory activity. Bioassay-guided purification resulted in the isolation and identification of the natural product cryptofolione (130) and three related polyketide lactones (148, 131, 138). Synthetic modifications on these metabolites yielded four additional analogues and led to mode of action and structure-activity relationship studies. The G2 checkpoint inhibitors isolated from C. concinna were structurally different from previously known inhibitors and appear to act by a novel mechanism of action. [diagram]Science, Faculty ofChemistry, Department ofGraduat

First Year Chemistry Laboratory Courses for Distance Learners: Development and Transfer Credit Acceptance

In delivering chemistry courses by distance, a key challenge is to offer the learner an authentic and meaningful laboratory experience that still provides the rigour required to continue on in science. To satisfy this need, two distance general chemistry laboratory courses appropriate for Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) students, including chemistry majors, have been recently developed at Thompson Rivers University. A constructive alignment process was employed which clearly mapped learning outcomes and activities to appropriate assessment tools. These blended laboratory courses feature custom, home experimental kits and combine elements of online and hands-on learning. The courses were designed for flexible continuous enrollment and provide online resources including tutor support, instructional videos, lab report submission, and student evaluation. The assessment of students includes laboratory reports, safety quizzes, reflective journaling, digital photo documentation, and invigilated written and online practical exams. Emphasizing the quality and rigour in these distance laboratory learning experiences allowed both courses to be accepted for B.Sc. transfer credit by other institutions, an important criterion for students. This paper will outline the design and development process of these new blended laboratory courses, their course structures and assessments, and initial student results

Creating an engaging science inquiry activity for middle school students that incorporates online remote access to analytical instrumentation

The decline in young peoples’ interest in science and technology education and the reduction in the proportion of students choosing to pursue careers in science and technology have been causing concern internationally for over a decade (OECD 2006). It is known that young people’s attitudes to science and technology are usually established early in life and that efforts to encourage interest and build awareness are best targeted toward middle school students (DeWitt, Archer and Osborne 2014; Riegle-Crumb, Moore and Ramos-Wada 2010). This context prompted three initiatives that came together to create the learning opportunity for middle school students evaluated in the pilot study described in this paper. In the context of their inquiry project, the Grade 8 class worked with science professionals to remotely use an instrument in the university chemistry lab to analyze river water samples for total nitrogen. A pilot study of the initiative that examined students’ responses to survey questions using the lens of productive disciplinary engagement (Engle and Conant 2002) indicated high levels of student engagement, specifically in the discipline of science, that were productive in advancing their learning of science and awareness of the actual practices that science professionals use. At the end of the paper, these findings are corroborated and expanded upon by the teacher in her reflections. Further work will look at how this productive disciplinary engagement develops, by analyzing video recordings of students, teachers and scientists interacting within this collaborative venture

Post treatment behaviour of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia-grade III

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