Well-Grounded: The Neurobiology of Rational Decisions

Contingency calculations—the ability to predict the outcomes of decisions and actions—are critical for survival and success. Our amazing brains continually process past and current experiences to enable us to make the most adaptive choices. But when the brain’s information systems are compromised—by such varying conditions as drug addiction, poverty, mental illness, or even privilege—we can lose the ability to arrive at informed decisions. In this engaging book, behavioral neuroscientist Kelly Lambert explores a variety of the modern factors that can lead to warped neural processing, or distorted realities she terms “brain bubbles.” Individuals who define success in terms of creature comforts and immediate gratification, for instance, may interact less with the physical and social world and thereby dull their ability to imagine varied contingency scenarios. The author underscores how continuous, meaningful, and well-grounded experiences are required if we are to make the best decisions throughout our lives.https://scholarship.richmond.edu/bookshelf/1312/thumbnail.jp

Beer, Booze, and Biofuels: An Introduction to Chemical Engineering

The goal of this thesis project was to provide the layout, curriculum, and scheduling for an introductory course regarding chemical engineering for non-majors. Throughout the course of our studies in chemical engineering and engineering in general it had come to our attention that there were many myths regarding the classes and curriculum. We had heard countless times things such as “I am glad I’m not an engineering major”, “those classes seem so hard and boring”, or “It’s all math”. The purpose of this project and class was to dispel those myths and show non-majors what chemical engineering is all about. This new class covers a wide variety of chemical engineering topics that are covered during a typical 4-year curriculum, but on an introductory level. The project focuses heavily on the introductory level chemical engineering classes and briefly discusses more complex subjects learned in the later years of study. BBB is not extremely math heavy as our students will not have the same background as an average engineering student. Instead this course focuses on the overall concepts and ideas of engineering with a few basic mathematical operations. The laboratory course work focuses on principles of measurement and observation. The required write ups focus on mastery of excel and plotting graphs. The goal is to give the students a feel for what it is like to be an engineer and to gain better understanding of what exactly chemical engineers do. Students should walk out of the class with a new appreciation for the engineering creations present in everyday life

Ductal Carcinoma In Situ: Recent Advances and Future Prospects

Introduction. This article reviews current management strategies for DCIS in the context of recent randomised trials, including the role of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB), adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) and endocrine treatment. Methods. Literature review facilitated by Medline, PubMed, Embase and Cochrane databases. Results. DCIS should be managed in the context of a multidisciplinary team. Local control depends upon clear surgical margins (at least 2 mm is generally acceptable). SLNB is not routine, but can be considered in patients undergoing mastectomy (Mx) with risk factors for occult invasion. RT following BCS significantly reduces local recurrence (LR), particularly in those at high-risk. There remains a lack of level-1 evidence supporting omission of adjuvant RT in selected low-risk cases. Large, multi-centric or recurrent lesions should be treated by Mx and immediate reconstruction should be discussed. Adjuvant hormonal treatment may reduce the risk of LR in selected cases with hormone sensitive disease. Conclusion. Further research is required to determine the role of new RT regimes and endocrine therapies. Biological profiling and molecular analysis represent an opportunity to improve our understanding of tumour biology in DCIS to rationalise treatment. Reliable identification of low-risk lesions could allow treatment to be less radical

WHO criteria for measles elimination: A critique with reference to criteria for polio elimination

Smallpox was formally declared as eradicated in 1979. Smallpox is the only infectious disease of humans that has ever been eradicated. Poliomyelitis has been eliminated from three of the six World Health Organization (WHO) regions although not all countries within those regions always meet the elimination criteria. Elimination criteria for measles are being discussed. We use poliomyelitis and measles as examples to illustrate our assertion that the current approach to documenting measles elimination relies too heavily on criteria for surveillance quality, disadvantaging countries with long established and relatively inflexible surveillance systems. We propose an alternative approach to documenting measles elimination, with the two key criteria being molecular evidence to confirm the lack of a circulating endemic genotype for at least one year and maintenance of 95% coverage of one dose of measles-containing vaccine, with an opportunity for a second dose. Elimination status should be reviewed annually. We suggest four principles that should guide development of final criteria to document measles elimination: countries that have eliminated measles should be able to meet the elimination criteria; quality surveillance criteria are necessary but not sufficient to define elimination; quality surveillance criteria should be guided by elimination criteria, not the other way around; and elimination criteria should not differ between the WHO regions without good reason

Reinvigorating Life: An Architecture for Younger Onset Dementia

Most people are familiar with dementia, but few realise that it is not just an old persons’ disease. Younger onset dementia (YOD) is defined as the onset of dementia before age 65, some afflicted are as young as 30. People with YOD often have children at home, were recently employed, are physically fit and have active social lives. There are currently no facilities in New Zealand for people with YOD, resulting in their institutionalisation in aged-care facilities withdrawn from the local community and environment. The loss of physical and social stimulation often results in confusion, high anxiety and a faster progression of symptoms. Seeking to develop a specialised YOD facility, this thesis examines; existing literature across multiple disciplines, examples of successful YOD facilities internationally, and proposes both a participatory and iterative design method to establish how architecture can reinvigorate the lives of those affected by YOD and instigate a more socially responsive approach to design. This extends to the wider group of ‘lives’ including the care workers, the community and ultimately NZ. The need to provide architecture for memory, autonomy, and therapy was developed from the literature establishing key objectives for the design. In response to the lack of community interaction which occurs with existing dementia facilities, the thesis explores the possibilities inherent in Tschumi’s method of disprogramming. A garden centre is introduced to both contribute to and benefit from the YOD facility. The merging of YOD facility and garden centre into an infinity loop offers continual interaction, establishes a stimulating environment, and reaffirms those affected by YOD as relevant and active members of the community. The thesis engages with the discourse on projective practice to regain memory, autonomy, and activity for those affected by YOD, providing a reinvigorating architecture while simultaneously promoting a more socially responsive approach to design

Calling the Taniwha: Mana Wahine Maori and the Poetry of Roma Potiki

This thesis aims to explore the implications of reading the poetry of Roma Potiki with some of the critical writing about Mana Wahine Maori. At the intersections between the creative and the critical writings, I produce a grouping of literature that I name 'Mana Wahine Maori poetry in English'. Specifically, I contend that combining the kaupapa of Mana Wahine Maori scholarship with the poetry of Roma Potiki, and other Maori women poets, results in new readings of all the texts involved that are rich in complexities and multiplicities. In Chapter One I explain the choice of Roma Potiki's poetry as poutokomanawa for this thesis and briefly introduce some of the issues surrounding genre, canon-making and naming for Mana Wahine Maori poetry in English. Chapter Two illustrates the whakapapa of Mana Wahine Maori critical writings and explores the implications of the 'Mana' in Mana Wahine Maori poetry in English. Chapter Three considers the 'Wahine Maori' of Mana Wahine Maori poetry in English, both by examination of 'Wahine' in its New Zealand context, and by reference to a selection of Black American, Native American and First Nations, Australian Aboriginal and feminist literary critical writings. Chapter Four supports the pluralist nature of Mana Wahine Maori poetry in English by specific reference to Iwi/Hapu/Whanau contexts, urban wahine Maori contexts and wahine takatapui contexts. Finally, Chapter Five examines whether Mana Wahine Maori poetry in English is still a productive grouping when reading the works of not only other wahine Maori poets, but other wahine Maori writers generally, and I use the writings of Keri Hulme to investigate this. Therefore, I argue that naming this diverse collection of writing 'Mana Wahine Maori poetry in English' enables new kinds of readings that admit and debate the multiplicities inherent in all of these works

Usability of Food and Beverage Packs in Hospital - Experiences from the Renal Ward

Abstract presented at The 21st IAPRI World Conference on Packaging, 19-22 June 2018, Zhuhai, Chin

Measles: how many hospitalised cases are we missing?

We aimed to determine whether the Victorian measles surveillance system had missed hospitalised cases of measles during an inter-epidemic period. We searched the Victorian Inpatient Minimum Dataset (VIMD) for the period 1 January 1997 to 30 June 1998 to identify patients with ICD-9 discharge codes for measles (055). The data were compared with that held in the Victorian measles surveillance dataset. The hospital case notes of patients identified in the VIMD but not in the measles surveillance dataset were reviewed systematically to determine whether the patients met case definitions for laboratory-confirmed or clinically compatible measles. Sixteen admissions (15 patients) were identified with a measles ICD-9 code. Eight patients were not identified in the measles surveillance dataset. Of these, one was a laboratory confirmed case of measles and two met a clinical case definition but all should have been notified to the Department of Human Services as suspected cases. While the small number of missed notifications is encouraging in terms of overall measles surveillance, it highlights important deficiencies in the awareness of hospital staff of their role in the control of measles, particularly as Australia moves towards the elimination of measles