The Make ‘EM Well Project -Rewards and Recognition Phase

The Make ‘EM Well Project- Rewards and Recognition Background: Physicians report high burnout levels and difficulty finding joy in work, causing a healthcare system crisis. Our institution assessed burnout by administering the Areas of Work-life (AWS) and Maslach Burnout Inventory™ (MBI) Surveys. Emergency Medicine (EM) results were alarming. Effectively rewarding and recognizing employees requires understanding different appreciation languages. Administrators should understand what enhances and detracts from joy in the workplace. This study describes the “Make ‘EM Well Project” and its focus on Rewards and Recognition (RR). Methods: Two surveys were sent to EM providers including faculty, residents, fellows, and advanced practice providers (EMPs). Survey One determined ‘Work Appreciation Languages’. Survey Two, ‘Joy and What Matters,’ determined factors involved in workplace joy and described what matters to EMPs. Results: Acts of service, quality time, and words of affirmation ranked highest as appreciation languages; human interactions mattered most (51%). Internal reward is derived from patient care and teaching Always/Very Often (A/VO) 68% of time, administrative duties A/VO 15%. Eighty percent of EMPs believe RR matter, occurring Sometimes/Rarely/Never (S/R/N) 91% of time. A good day consists of experiencing positive patient interactions (23%), having engaged learners (31%), and working with adequate resources (32%). Detractors from workplace joy include boarding/hallway care (19%), lack of time/resources/administrative issues (32%) and wasteful tasks (17%). Thirty six percent of EMPs feel devalued A/VO, and 68% feel underpaid. Hospital administration support is felt S/R/N in 86% of respondents. Fifty percent feel emergency department leaders listen S/R/N, 91% said hospital leaders listen S/R/N. Conclusions: EMPs rate human interaction, sense of accomplishment, making an impact, and teaching as most important. External RR matter, though EMPs stated that these events rarely occur. RR should be spoken in the preferred languages of acts of service, quality time, and words of affirmation. EMPs feel devalued by administration and other physicians and many perceive lack of support

Multicomponent Copolymer Planar Membranes with Nanoscale Domain Separation

Domain separation is crucial for proper cellular function and numerous biomedical technologies, especially artificial cells. While phase separation in hybrid membranes containing lipids and copolymers is well-known, the membranes' overall stability, limited by the lipid part, is hindering the technological applications. Here, we introduce a fully synthetic planar membrane undergoing phase separation into domains embedded within a continuous phase. The mono- and bilayer membranes are composed of two amphiphilic diblock copolymers (PEO 45 - b -PEHOx 20 and PMOXA 10 - b -PDMS 25 ) with distinct properties and mixed at various concentrations. The molar ratio of the copolymers in the mixture and the nature of the solid support were the key parameters inducing nanoscale phase separation of the planar membranes. The size of the domains and resulting morphology of the nanopatterned surfaces were tailored by adjusting the molar ratios of the copolymers and transfer conditions. Our approach opens new avenues for the development of biomimetic planar membranes with a nanoscale texture

A DNA-micropatterned surface for propagating biomolecular signals by positional on-off assembly of catalytic nanocompartments

Signal transduction is pivotal for the transfer of information between and within living cells. The composition and spatial organization of specified compartments are key to propagating soluble signals. Here, a high-throughput platform mimicking multistep signal transduction which is based on a geometrically defined array of immobilized catalytic nanocompartments (CNCs) that consist of distinct polymeric nanoassemblies encapsulating enzymes and DNA or enzymes alone is presented. The dual role of single entities or tandem CNCs in providing confined but communicating spaces for complex metabolic reactions and in protecting encapsulated compounds from denaturation is explored. To support a controlled spatial organization of CNCs, CNCs are patterned by means of DNA hybridization to a microprinted glass surface. Specifically, CNC-functionalized DNA microarrays are produced where individual reaction compartments are kept in close proximity by a distinct geometrical arrangement to promote effective communication. Besides a remarkable versatility and robustness, the most prominent feature of this platform is the reversibility of DNA-mediated CNC-anchoring which renders it reusable. Micropatterns of polymer-based nanocompartment assemblies offer an ideal scaffold for the development of the next generation responsive and communicative soft-matter analytical devices for applications in catalysis and medicine

Recent Advances in Hybrid Biomimetic Polymer-Based Films: from Assembly to Applications

Biological membranes, in addition to being a cell boundary, can host a variety of proteins that are involved in different biological functions, including selective nutrient transport, signal transduction, inter- and intra-cellular communication, and cell-cell recognition. Due to their extreme complexity, there has been an increasing interest in developing model membrane systems of controlled properties based on combinations of polymers and different biomacromolecules, i.e., polymer-based hybrid films. In this review, we have highlighted recent advances in the development and applications of hybrid biomimetic planar systems based on different polymeric species. We have focused in particular on hybrid films based on (i) polyelectrolytes, (ii) polymer brushes, as well as (iii) tethers and cushions formed from synthetic polymers, and (iv) block copolymers and their combinations with biomacromolecules, such as lipids, proteins, enzymes, biopolymers, and chosen nanoparticles. In this respect, multiple approaches to the synthesis, characterization, and processing of such hybrid films have been presented. The review has further exemplified their bioengineering, biomedical, and environmental applications, in dependence on the composition and properties of the respective hybrids. We believed that this comprehensive review would be of interest to both the specialists in the field of biomimicry as well as persons entering the field

Brown Spider (Loxosceles genus) Venom Toxins: Tools for Biological Purposes

Venomous animals use their venoms as tools for defense or predation. These venoms are complex mixtures, mainly enriched of proteic toxins or peptides with several, and different, biological activities. In general, spider venom is rich in biologically active molecules that are useful in experimental protocols for pharmacology, biochemistry, cell biology and immunology, as well as putative tools for biotechnology and industries. Spider venoms have recently garnered much attention from several research groups worldwide. Brown spider (Loxosceles genus) venom is enriched in low molecular mass proteins (5–40 kDa). Although their venom is produced in minute volumes (a few microliters), and contain only tens of micrograms of protein, the use of techniques based on molecular biology and proteomic analysis has afforded rational projects in the area and permitted the discovery and identification of a great number of novel toxins. The brown spider phospholipase-D family is undoubtedly the most investigated and characterized, although other important toxins, such as low molecular mass insecticidal peptides, metalloproteases and hyaluronidases have also been identified and featured in literature. The molecular pathways of the action of these toxins have been reported and brought new insights in the field of biotechnology. Herein, we shall see how recent reports describing discoveries in the area of brown spider venom have expanded biotechnological uses of molecules identified in these venoms, with special emphasis on the construction of a cDNA library for venom glands, transcriptome analysis, proteomic projects, recombinant expression of different proteic toxins, and finally structural descriptions based on crystallography of toxins

Voltammetric Tracing of Al(III) Using Supramolecular Metal-Polyphenolic Nanofilms Obtained via Electrochemically Assisted Self-Assembly

Supramolecular metal-polyphenolic thin sensor films represent a unique class of composite materials. Their properties and sensitivity can be easily modified via controlled self-assembly of their molecular components. Among the different assembly methods, electrochemically triggered processes are extremely powerful because they allow spatial confinement of the film buildup via an electrical stimuli-controlled process. In this article, an approach to employ the electrochemically assisted self-assembly of a multicomponent supramolecular film based on a naturally occurring polyphenol, tannic acid (TA), is featured. Here, the capacity of polyphenolic compounds to form complexes with metal ions, as well as to act both as reducing agents and stabilizers in colloidal synthesis of metal nanoparticles (NPs) is utilized. The electrochemically triggered self-assembly can be coupled with the ion – printing method, in which the targeted metal ion, in this case Al(III), is incorporated into the film during the synthesis and chemically removed afterwards. This procedure results in a template-like structure of the film with openings ready to bind the same metal ion from the probed solution, thus significantly improving the selectivity of the sensor formed and enhancing its applicability for sensing of toxic metal ions in complex aqueous solutions, such as physiological fluids

Policy transfer in the post-socialist region: The Open Society Institute and the Step By Step initiative

This research is a qualitative case study that analyzes how and why the Open Society Institute (OSI) chose the US-based Head Start (HS) program as an appropriate early childhood education (ECE) model to borrow and implement in the post-socialist region as the Step by Step (SbS) program. With the re-introduction of democracy and open society in the post-socialist region, educational borrowing has become one of the key strategies in the rebuilding and reformation of post-socialist education systems. While the process of educational borrowing is not a new phenomenon, the role of local and national governments' involvement has changed as multiple agencies, ranging from international NGOs to semi-governmental organizations (such as the World Bank), have become involved in the development and implementation of educational reform processes. The provision of ECE has become a critical catalyst to promote stability within transitioning countries, as funding for these programs provides an important site for foreign intervention due to the intrinsic value offered to parents, along with the perceived neutrality of ECE. The study highlights tensions present between local practitioners responsible for implementation of the transferred program and foundation personnel responsible for maintenance and the future of the foundation; and illustrates difficulties in maintaining enthusiasm and impetus for a developed program when the goals of the developing foundation have changed over time. Specifically, the study focused on four main findings: (1) donors choose specific programs and practices that support the mission of the organization; (2) specific forms of transfer are involved in the borrowing process that serve as a filter to the information and practices transferred; (3) there is a need for more genuine local involvement in the early stages of program replication; (4) the transfer of a program is not a linear process; instead it becomes enmeshed in the complex social interactions of individuals and organizations involved in the transfer process