Language Center Design and Management in the Post-Language Laboratory Era

This article is based on a survey sent to the IALLT membership and tomembers of all regional groups. Divided into 3 sections titled“Personal,” “Profession/Organization” and “Language Center,” thesurvey aims to provide an understanding of current trends and issues inthe field of language learning and technology, language center design,and language center management. Findings from the survey reveal adiverse field that differs greatly from institution to institution, one thatis trying to adapt to disruptive technological and pedagogical changesand to balance relatively stable physical spaces and structures withrapidly changing and unstable technological and educationalenvironments

Language Center Design and Management in the Post-Language Laboratory Era

This article is based on a survey sent to the IALLT membership and tomembers of all regional groups. Divided into 3 sections titled“Personal,” “Profession/Organization” and “Language Center,” thesurvey aims to provide an understanding of current trends and issues inthe field of language learning and technology, language center design,and language center management. Findings from the survey reveal adiverse field that differs greatly from institution to institution, one thatis trying to adapt to disruptive technological and pedagogical changesand to balance relatively stable physical spaces and structures withrapidly changing and unstable technological and educationalenvironments

Prevalence of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii from 2005 to 2016 in Switzerland

Background : We describe the prevalence of invasive carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter spp. isolated from 2005 to 2016 in different regions of Switzerland.Methods: Using the Swiss Antibiotic Resistance Centre (anresis) database that includes data from 70% of all hospitalized patients and one third of all ambulatory practitioners in Switzerland, we analysed the number of carbapenem- susceptible and resistant Acinetobacter spp. isolated from blood or cerebrospinal fluid, and further described their temporal and regional fluctuations.Results: From 2005 to 2016, 58 cases of resistant or intermediate strains to carbapenem were observed among 632 cases of invasive Acinetobacter. Multivariable analyses indicated that the number of carbapenem-resistant isolates (mean 4.8 ± sd 2.12) and carbapenem resistance rates per region per annum (8.4% ± 13.9%) were low and stable over the studied period. Large fluctuations were observed at the regional level, with e.g. the North East region displaying resistance rates twice as high as that found in other regions.Conclusion: Despite a relatively stable number of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter isolates in Switzerland, our results suggest the existence of a diverse pool of A. baumannii species in hospital settings, and confirm the implication of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-Acinetobacter baumannii (ACB) complex in the vast majority of clinical infections and nosocomial outbreaks with notable regional fluctuations

Monitoring surface resonances on Co2MnSi(100) by spin-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy

The magnitude of the spin polarization at the Fermi level of ferromagnetic materials at room temperature is a key property for spintronics. Investigating the Heusler compound Co$_2$MnSi a value of 93$\%$ for the spin polarization has been observed at room temperature, where the high spin polarization is related to a stable surface resonance in the majority band extending deep into the bulk. In particular, we identified in our spectroscopical analysis that this surface resonance is embedded in the bulk continuum with a strong coupling to the majority bulk states. The resonance behaves very bulk-like, as it extends over the first six atomic layers of the corresponding (001)-surface. Our study includes experimental investigations, where the bulk electronic structure as well as surface-related features have been investigated using spin-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy (SR-UPS) and for a larger probing depth spin-integrated high energy x-ray photoemission spectroscopy (HAXPES). The results are interpreted in comparison with first-principles band structure and photoemission calculations which consider all relativistic, surface and high-energy effects properly.Comment: 9 pages, 8 figures, Heusler alloy, electronic structure and photoemissio

An experimental investigation of chatter effects on tool life

Tool wear is one of the most important considerations in machining operations as it affects surface quality and integrity, productivity and cost. The most commonly used model for tool life analysis is the one proposed by F.W. Taylor about a century ago. Although the extended form of this equation includes the effects of important cutting conditions on tool wear, tool life studies are mostly performed under stable cutting conditions where the effect of chatter vibrations are not considered. This paper presents an empirical attempt to understand tool life under vibratory cutting conditions. Tool wear data are collected in turning and milling on different work materials under stable and chatter conditions. The effects of cutting conditions as well as severity of chatter on tool life are analyzed. The results indicate significant reduction in tool life due to chatter as expected. They also show that the severity of chatter, and thus the vibration amplitude, strongly reduces the life of cutting tools. These results can be useful in evaluating the real cost of chatter by including the reduced tool life. They can also be useful in justifying the cost of chatter suppression and more rigid machining systems

Assessing the conversion of electronic medical record data into antibiotic stewardship indicators.

BACKGROUND Measuring the appropriateness of antibiotic use is crucial for antibiotic stewardship (ABS) programmes to identify targets for interventions. OBJECTIVES To assess the technical feasibility of converting electronic medical record (EMR) data into ABS indicators. METHODS In this observational feasibility study covering a period of 2 years, the EMRs of patients hospitalized at a large non-university hospital network and receiving at least one dose of a systemic antibiotic were included. ABS indicators measuring steps in the process of antibiotic prescription proposed by the literature were collected and rephrased or defined more specifically to be calculable if needed. Algorithms were programmed in R to convert EMR data into ABS indicators. The indicators were visualized in an interactive dashboard and the plausibility of each output value was assessed. RESULTS In total, data from 25 337 hospitalizations from 20 723 individual patients were analysed and visualized in an interactive dashboard. Algorithms could be programmed to compute 89% (25/28) of all pre-selected indicators assessing treatment decisions automatically out of EMR data, with good data quality for 46% (13/28) of these indicators. According to the data quality observed, the most important issues were (i) missing or meaningless information on indication (e.g. 'mild infection') and (ii) data processing issues such as insufficiently categorized metadata. CONCLUSIONS The calculation of indicators assessing treatment decisions from EMRs was feasible. However, better data structure and processing within EMR systems are crucial for improving the validity of the results

Risk factors and oral health-related quality of life: A case–control comparison between patients after a first-episode psychosis and people from general population

INTRODUCTION: No research is available about the oral health risk factors and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in patients diagnosed with a psychotic disorder. AIM: To compare oral health risk factors and OHRQoL in patients diagnosed with a psychotic disorder (first-episode) to people with no history of psychotic disorder. METHOD: A case-control comparison (1:2) multivariable linear regression analysis and an estimation of prevalence of impact on OHRQoL. RESULTS: Patients diagnosed with a psychotic disorder (first-episode) have lower OHRQoL with more associated risk factors. Of the patients diagnosed with a psychotic disorder (first-episode), 14.8% reported a negative impact on OHRQoL, higher than the prevalence of 1.8% found in people from the general population. DISCUSSION: The high prevalence rate of a negative impact on OHRQoL in patients diagnosed with a psychotic disorder (first-episode) shows the importance of acting at an early stage to prevent a worse outcome. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The findings highlight the need for oral health interventions in patients diagnosed with a psychotic disorder (first-episode). Mental health nurses, as one of the main health professionals supporting the health of patients diagnosed with a mental health disorder, can support oral health (e.g. assess oral health in somatic screening) in order to improve the OHRQoL

Role of the Netrin-like Domain of Procollagen C-Proteinase Enhancer-1 in the Control of Metalloproteinase Activity

The netrin-like (NTR) domain is a feature of several extracellular proteins, most notably the N-terminal domain of tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs), where it functions as a strong inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases and some other members of the metzincin superfamily. The presence of a C-terminal NTR domain in procollagen C-proteinase enhancers (PCPEs), proteins that stimulate the activity of astacin-like tolloid proteinases, raises the possibility that this might also have inhibitory activity. Here we show that both long and short forms of the PCPE-1 NTR domain, the latter beginning at the N-terminal cysteine known to be critical for TIMP activity, show no inhibition, at micromolar concentrations, of several members of the metzincin superfamily, including matrix metalloproteinase-2, bone morphogenetic protein-1 (a tolloid proteinase), and different ADAMTS (a disintegrin and a metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs) proteinases from the adamalysin family. In contrast, we report that the NTR domain within PCPE-1 leads to superstimulation of bone morphogenetic protein-1 activity in the presence of heparin and heparan sulfate. These observations point to a new mechanism whereby binding to cell surface-associated or extracellular heparin-like sulfated glycosaminoglycans might provide a means to accelerate procollagen processing in specific cellular and extracellular microenvironments