Translaminar Autonomous System Model for the Modulation of Intraocular and Intracranial Pressure in Human Donor Posterior Segments

There is a current unmet need for a new preclinical human model that can target disease etiology ex vivo using intracranial pressure (ICP) and intraocular pressure (IOP) which can identify various pathogenic paradigms related to the glaucoma pathogenesis. Ex vivo human anterior segment perfusion organ culture models have previously been successfully utilized and applied as effective technologies for the discovery of glaucoma pathogenesis and testing of therapeutics. Preclinical drug screening and research performed on ex vivo human organ systems can be more translatable to clinical research. This article describes in detail the generation and operation of a novel ex vivo human translaminar pressure model called the translaminar autonomous system (TAS). The TAS model can independently regulate ICP and IOP using human donor posterior segments. The model allows for studying pathogenesis in a preclinical manner. It can reduce the use of living animals in ophthalmic research. In contrast to in vitro experimental models, optic nerve head (ONH) tissue structure, complexity, and integrity can also be maintained within the ex vivo TAS model

Regulation of Simulation Use in United States Prelicensure Nursing Programs

Background Simulation usage has proliferated throughout nursing education. Although nursing programs have sought integration of simulation to substitute traditional clinical learning hours, the variability of regulations between states raises questions about consistency of learner outcomes. Methods The Boards of Nursing (BONs) of the United States and the District of Columbia were queried by internet, phone, and email to discover regulations and guidelines for the use of simulation in nursing education. Results More than half of the BONs reported regulations for simulation use, but they varied greatly. Some had regulations defining a percentage of traditional clinical hours that could be replaced with simulation. A few BONs specified an equivalent ratio of hours between simulation and clinical, but most did not. Some BONs described requirements for simulation instructors, but few provided specific criteria. Conclusions This search revealed great variability in how BONs are defining and regulating the use of simulation in prelicensure nursing education including the amount of traditional clinical hours that can be replaced with simulation. Because a description of measured learning that occurs during traditional clinical learning hours is lacking, inconsistency in regulation will persist

Factors Associated with Revision Surgery after Internal Fixation of Hip Fractures

Background: Femoral neck fractures are associated with high rates of revision surgery after management with internal fixation. Using data from the Fixation using Alternative Implants for the Treatment of Hip fractures (FAITH) trial evaluating methods of internal fixation in patients with femoral neck fractures, we investigated associations between baseline and surgical factors and the need for revision surgery to promote healing, relieve pain, treat infection or improve function over 24 months postsurgery. Additionally, we investigated factors associated with (1) hardware removal and (2) implant exchange from cancellous screws (CS) or sliding hip screw (SHS) to total hip arthroplasty, hemiarthroplasty, or another internal fixation device. Methods: We identified 15 potential factors a priori that may be associated with revision surgery, 7 with hardware removal, and 14 with implant exchange. We used multivariable Cox proportional hazards analyses in our investigation. Results: Factors associated with increased risk of revision surgery included: female sex, [hazard ratio (HR) 1.79, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.25-2.50; P = 0.001], higher body mass index (fo

Public space, public discourse, and public libraries

The traditional mission of the public library—supporting the self-education of the citizenry in order that they may become fully participating members in a democratic society—has been devalued of late in favour of popularizing the library to attract more users. This shift has led to an emphasis on entertainment and marketing, and an abandonment of what many feel is the true purpose of a library. Loss of democratic tradition has simultaneously occurred on another front: civic space which allows for public assembly and discourse has disappeared or been downgraded into places for leisure and recreation rather than politics, with a concomitant decline in the quality of public discourse as citizens increasingly depend on profit-driven mass media for their “opinions.” This paper contends that the public library is an ideal physical and psychological space for public discourse. By supporting public discourse, the public library can begin to reinvigorate both the quality of public discourse and its traditional commitment to democratic ideals.Published versio

Open Parks Network: A Cross-Governmental Approach to Open Access and Sustainability

Clemson University and the U.S. National Park Service (NPS) have collaborated since 2010 to develop the Open Parks Network, an open repository of over 230,000 digital objects and metadata records chronicling the diverse cultural and natural history of our nation’s parks, historic sites, and other protected areas. Initially funded by an Institute of Museum and Library Services National Leadership Grant that ended in 2014, this joint effort to deliver wider public access to the unique resources located in NPS libraries, museums, and archives across the U.S. and territories is an intriguing case study in the dynamics of a relationship between a public university and a federal agency. Both partners aim to achieve the common goal of growing and sustaining an open archive after the end of a grant award, but both also have their own organizational priorities, practices, and challenges to consider in their decision-making processes. This panel will explore the origins and evolution of the Open Parks Network, how it has managed to enjoy a period of success post-grant, the importance of building partnerships and developing trust between partners to achieve that success, and the hopes and concerns each partner holds for the program’s future growth and sustainability