Reconfigurable Carbon Nanotube Multiplexed Sensing Devices

Here we report on the fabrication of reconfigurable and solution processable nanoscale biosensors with multisensing capability, based on single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). Distinct DNA-wrapped (hence water-soluble) CNTs were immobilized from solution onto different prepatterned electrodes on the same chip, via a low-cost dielectrophoresis (DEP) methodology. The CNTs were functionalized with specific, and different, aptamer sequences that were employed as selective recognition elements for biomarkers indicative of stress and neuro-trauma conditions. Multiplexed detection of three different biomarkers was successfully performed, and real-time detection was achieved in serum down to physiologically relevant concentrations of 50 nM, 10 nM, and 500 pM for cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEAS), and neuropeptide Y (NPY), respectively. Additionally, the fabricated nanoscale devices were shown to be reconfigurable and reusable via a simple cleaning procedure. The general applicability of the strategy presented, and the facile device fabrication from aqueous solution, hold great potential for the development of the next generation of low power consumption portable diagnostic assays for the simultaneous monitoring of different health parameters

Evidence accumulation rate moderates the relationship between enriched environment exposure and age-related response speed declines

Older adults exposed to enriched environments (EEs) maintain relatively higher levels of cognitive function, even in the face of compromised markers of brain health. Response speed (RS) is often used as a simple proxy to measure the preservation of global cognitive function in older adults. However, it is unknown which specific selection, decision, and/or motor processes provide the most specific indices of neurocognitive health. Here, using a simple decision task with electroencephalography (EEG), we found that the efficiency with which an individual accumulates sensory evidence was a critical determinant of the extent to which RS was preserved in older adults (63% female, 37% male). Moreover, the mitigating influence of EE on age-related RS declines was most pronounced when evidence accumulation rates were shallowest. These results suggest that the phenomenon of cognitive reserve, whereby high EE individuals can better tolerate suboptimal brain health to facilitate the preservation of cognitive function, is not just applicable to neuroanatomical indicators of brain aging but can be observed in markers of neurophysiology. Our results suggest that EEG metrics of evidence accumulation may index neurocognitive vulnerability of the aging brain. Significance Statement Response speed in older adults is closely linked with trajectories of cognitive aging. Here, by recording brain activity while individuals perform a simple computer task, we identify a neural metric that is a critical determinant of response speed. Older adults exposed to greater cognitive and social stimulation throughout a lifetime could maintain faster responding, even when this neural metric was impaired. This work suggests EEG is a useful technique for interrogating how a lifetime of stimulation benefits brain health in aging

The association between nurse staffing and quality of care in emergency departments: A systematic review

Background: The relationship between nurse staffing, skill-mix and quality of care has been well-established in medical and surgical settings, however, there is relatively limited evidence of this relationship in emergency departments. Those that have been published identified that lower nurse staffing levels in emergency departments are generally associated with worse outcomes with the conclusion that the evidence in emergency settings was, at best, weak. Methods: We searched thirteen electronic databases for potentially eligible papers published in English up to December 2023. Studies were included if they reported on patient outcomes associated with nurse staffing within emergency departments. Observational, cross-sectional, prospective, retrospective, interrupted time-series designs, difference-in-difference, randomised control trials or quasi-experimental studies and controlled before and after studies study designs were considered for inclusion. Team members independently screened titles and abstracts. Data was synthesised using a narrative approach. Results: We identified 16 papers for inclusion; the majority of the studies (n = 10/16) were observational. The evidence reviewed identified that poorer staffing levels within emergency departments are associated with increased patient wait times, a higher proportion of patients who leave without being seen and an increased length of stay. Lower levels of nurse staffing are also associated with an increase in time to medications and therapeutic interventions, and increased risk of cardiac arrest within the emergency department. Conclusion: Overall, there remains limited high-quality empirical evidence addressing the association between emergency department nurse staffing and patient outcomes. However, it is evident that lower levels of nurse staffing are associated with adverse events that can result in delays to the provision of care and serious outcomes for patients. There is a need for longitudinal studies coupled with research that considers the relationship with skill-mix, other staffing grades and patient outcomes as well as a wider range of geographical settings. Tweetable abstract: Lower levels of nurse staffing in emergency departments are associated with delays in patients receiving treatments and poor quality care including an increase in leaving without being seen, delay in accessing treatments and medications and cardiac arrest

Meeting Report of the Third Annual Tri-Service Microbiome Consortium Symposium

The Tri-Service Microbiome Consortium (TSMC) was founded to enhance collaboration, coordination, and communication of microbiome research among U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) organizations and to facilitate resource, material and information sharing among consortium members. The 2019 annual symposium was held 22–24 October 2019 at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, OH. Presentations and discussions centered on microbiome-related topics within five broad thematic areas: 1) human microbiomes; 2) transitioning products into Warfighter solutions; 3) environmental microbiomes; 4) engineering microbiomes; and 5) microbiome simulation and characterization. Collectively, the symposium provided an update on the scope of current DoD microbiome research efforts, highlighted innovative research being done in academia and industry that can be leveraged by the DoD, and fostered collaborative opportunities. This report summarizes the presentations and outcomes of the 3rd annual TSMC symposium

A clinical practice guideline for primary care physiotherapy in patients with haemophilia

Introduction: As a result of centralisation of haemophilia care to a limited number of intramural settings, many persons with haemophilia have to travel long distances to attend their haemophilia specialised treatment centre. However, regular physiotherapy treatment can be provided by primary care physiotherapists in the person's own region. Due to the rarity of the disease most primary care physiotherapists have limited experience with this population. This study aims to provide a clinical practice guideline for primary care physiotherapists working with persons with bleeding disorders. Method: A list of the most urgent key-questions was derived from a previous study. Literature was summarised using the grading of recommendations assessment, development, and evaluation (GRADE) evidence-to-decision framework. Recommendations were drafted based on four 90 min consensus meetings with expert physiotherapists. Recommendations were finalised after feedback and >80% consensus of all stakeholders (including PWH, physiotherapists, haematologists and the corresponding societies). Results: A list of 82 recommendations was formulated to support primary care physiotherapists when treating a person with a bleeding disorder. These recommendations could be divided into 13 categories: two including recommendations on organisation of care, six on therapy for adult patients with bleeding disorders and five on therapy adaptations for paediatric care. Therapy recommendations included treatment after a joint- or muscle bleed, haemophilic arthropathy, chronic synovitis, non-haemophilia related conditions and orthopaedic surgery. Conclusion: An evidence-based practice guideline, based on current evidence from literature and clinical expertise, has been developed for primary care physiotherapists treating a person with haemophilia. To improve care, the recommendations should be implemented in daily practice

An Airport Experience Framework from a Tourism Perspective

This study, by integrating the perspectives of sociological, psychological, and service marketing and management, all of which affect the passenger experience, proposes a theoretical framework for the creation of the airport experience in relation to tourism. This research responds to the current phenomenon in which airports are offering other types of experiences within the airport terminal, expanding the role of an airport from being a utility for transportation into a place where various and different values can be offered. This research explores the current airport experience and adds to research on airport experience by clarifying ten key components necessary for airport passenger experience propositions based on existing research, the current industry phenomena, and the empirical study. The paper also underlines those components that can enhance passenger experience in relation to tourism and highlights the role that airports contribute to a destination

The Radio Ammonia Mid-plane Survey (RAMPS) Pilot Survey

The Radio Ammonia Mid-Plane Survey (RAMPS) is a molecular line survey that aims to map a portion of the Galactic midplane in the first quadrant of the Galaxy (l = 10°–40°, | b| \leqslant 0\buildrel{\circ}\over{.} 4) using the Green Bank Telescope. We present results from the pilot survey, which has mapped approximately 6.5 square degrees in fields centered at l = 10°, 23°, 24°, 28°, 29°, 30°, 31°, 38°, 45°, and 47°. RAMPS observes the NH3 inversion transitions NH3(1,1)–(5,5), the H2O 61,6–52,3 maser line at 22.235 GHz, and several other molecular lines. We present a representative portion of the data from the pilot survey, including NH3(1,1) and NH3(2,2) integrated intensity maps, H2O maser positions, maps of NH3 velocity, NH3 line width, total NH3 column density, and NH3 rotational temperature. These data and the data cubes from which they were produced are publicly available on the RAMPS website (http://sites.bu.edu/ramps/)

Thermal Feedback in the High-mass Star- and Cluster-forming Region W51

Interstellar matter and star formatio

Hypothermia following antipsychotic drug use

Objective: Hypothermia is an adverse drug reaction (ADR) of antipsychotic drug (APD) use. Risk factors for hypothermia in ADP users are unknown. We studied which risk factors for hypothermia can be identified based on case reports. Method: Case reports of hypothermia in APD-users found in PUBMED or EMBASE were searched for risk factors. The WHO international database for Adverse Drug Reactions was searched for reports of hypothermia and APD use. Results: The literature search resulted in 32 articles containing 43 case reports. In the WHO database, 480 reports were registered of patients developing hypothermia during the use of APDs which almost equals the number of reports for hyperthermia associated with APD use (n=524). Hypothermia risk seems to be increased in the first days following start or dose increase of APs. APs with strong 5-HT2 antagonism seem to be more involved in hypothermia; 55% of hypothermia reports are for atypical antipsychotics. Schizophrenia was the most prevalent diagnosis in the case reports. Conclusion: Especially in admitted patients who are not able to control their own environment or physical status, frequent measurements of body temperature (with a thermometer that can measure low body temperatures) must be performed in order to detect developing hypothermia

The EEG signature of sensory evidence accumulation during decision formation closely tracks subjective perceptual experience

How neural representations of low-level visual information are accessed by higher-order processes to inform decisions and give rise to conscious experience is a longstanding question. Research on perceptual decision making has revealed a late event-related EEG potential (the Centro-Parietal Positivity, CPP) to be a correlate of the accumulation of sensory evidence. We tested how this evidence accumulation signal relates to externally presented (physical) and internally experienced (subjective) sensory evidence. Our results show that the known relationship between the physical strength of the external evidence and the evidence accumulation signal (reflected in the CPP amplitude) is mediated by the level of subjective experience of stimulus strength. This shows that the CPP closely tracks the subjective perceptual evidence, over and above the physically presented evidence. We conclude that a remarkably close relationship exists between the evidence accumulation process (i.e. CPP) and subjective perceptual experience, suggesting that neural decision processes and components of conscious experience are tightly linked