Peer tutoring and academic integrity in multicultural context

It has long been common practice for academics to ask colleagues for feedback on their articles when drafting. This practice can be beneficial for both reader and writer, who, by creating a conversation about ideas and their expression, may come closer to an accurate description of their research

The $94 Billion Problem: Application of Safe Acid Technology (SAT) to Combat Biofilm Infections

Purpose: Biofilm infections present a major public health threat. In the U.S. alone, biofilm infections are implicated in up to 550,000 yearly fatalities with an estimated annual cost of $94 billion. Biofilm infections are difficult to treat, as biofilm-secreting bacteria are highly resistant to host immune responses. We hypothesize that Safe Acid Technology (SAT), a unique acid formulation, may reduce the risk of biofilm infections while maximizing patient safety. Methods: SAT anti-biofilm testing was administered by the Montana State University Center for BioFilm Engineering using a single species (Pseudomonas aeruginosa) biofilm grown in the CDC reactor according to ASTM E2871-12 on polycarbonate coupons. After establishing biofilms, the polycarbonate coupons were exposed to SAT formulations at multiple exposure times in varied concentrations. Results:Log reductions of biofilm ranged from 3.61 at concentrations of C50 to 4.82 at C25. This was compared to biofilm concentration of Log 8.62 on control coupons. Conclusion: The current recommended treatment for biofilm infection involves long-term antibiotic therapy, which may reduce bacteria in the perioperative period but has limited ability to address bacterial resistance and penetrate biofilms. Safe Acid Technology, which demonstrates potent anti-biofilm action along with non-toxicity to human mucosa, may prove a superior and cost-effective alternative to the current treatment paradigm for biofilm infections

Exploring co-design in the voluntary sector

Co-design is an approach to design that emphasises the creative contribution that can be made by potential users, clients and other stakeholders in developing products, systems or services. Co-design is widely used in the commercial sector to accelerate user acceptance and reduce product/service failure. Co-design is also becoming widespread in the public sector as a way of engaging citizens in design exploration. However, little is known about the capability of voluntary sector organisations, particularly small and medium sized organisations to undertake co-design activities; and resources that describe how to implement co-design tend to be oriented towards the needs and the context of larger commercial organisations. This paper presents findings from an ongoing investigation into co-design capability in small-and-medium-sized third sector organisations in the UK. The investigation combines an on-line survey, in-depth case studies and interviews

The role of ondansetron in the management of cholestatic or uremic pruritis - a systematic review

Pruritus associated with hepatic or renal failure can be a troublesome symptom, refractory to treatment, associated with significant physical and emotional distress, and reduction in quality of life for patients already burdened with chronic disease. Serotonin has been implicated as a possible pathological mediator, and therefore 5HT3 antagonists have been suggested as a possible therapeutic intervention. Objectives This review of the literature systematically explores the role of ondansetron in the management of cholestatic or uraemic pruritus. Methods Electronic databases were systematically searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) examining the role of ondansetron in cholestatic or uraemic pruritus between 1966 and 2008. Results Five RCTs were included in this systematic review: three for cholestatic pruritus, and two for uraemic pruritus. All trials examined ondansetron versus placebo, however with differing treatment protocols. Overall, three studies showed no benefit to ondansetron over placebo, however two studies in cholestatic pruritus showed small reductions in pruritus with questionable clinical significance. Conclusion Ondansetron was demonstrated to have negligible effect on cholestatic or uraemic pruritus on the basis of a limited number of studies

Antimicrobial catheters for reduction of symptomatic urinary tract infection in adults requiring short-term catheterisation in hospital : a multicentre randomised controlled trial

Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. PMID: 23134837 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Peer reviewedPostprin

Bounds on the Expected Size of the Maximum Agreement Subtree

We prove polynomial upper and lower bounds on the expected size of the maximum agreement subtree of two random binary phylogenetic trees under both the uniform distribution and Yule-Harding distribution. This positively answers a question posed in earlier work. Determining tight upper and lower bounds remains an open problem.Comment: Revised versio