Atomic Layer Deposition of ZnO on Multi-walled Carbon Nanotubes and Its Use for Synthesis of CNT–ZnO Heterostructures

In this article, direct coating of ZnO on PECVD-grown multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) is achieved using atomic layer deposition (ALD). Transmission electron microscopy investigation shows that the deposited ZnO shell is continuous and uniform, in contrast to the previously reported particle morphology. The ZnO layer has a good crystalline quality as indicated by Raman and photoluminescence (PL) measurements. We also show that such ZnO layer can be used as seed layer for subsequent hydrothermal growth of ZnO nanorods, resulting in branched CNT–inorganic hybrid nanostructures. Potentially, this method can also apply to the fabrication of ZnO-based hybrid nanostructures on other carbon nanomaterials

Medical student attitudes toward video games and related new media technologies in medical education

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Studies in K-12 and college students show that their learning preferences have been strongly shaped by new media technologies like video games, virtual reality environments, the Internet, and social networks. However, there is no known research on medical students' game experiences or attitudes towards new media technologies in medical education. This investigation seeks to elucidate medical student experiences and attitudes, to see whether they warrant the development of new media teaching methods in medicine.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Medical students from two American universities participated. An anonymous, 30-item, cross-sectional survey addressed demographics, game play experience and attitudes on using new media technologies in medical education. Statistical analysis identified: 1) demographic characteristics; 2) differences between the two universities; 3) how video game play differs across gender, age, degree program and familiarity with computers; and 4) characteristics of students who play most frequently.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>217 medical students participated. About half were female (53%). Respondents liked the idea of using technology to enhance healthcare education (98%), felt that education should make better use of new media technologies (96%), and believed that video games can have educational value (80%). A majority (77%) would use a multiplayer online healthcare simulation on their own time, provided that it helped them to accomplish an important goal. Men and women agreed that they were most inclined to use multiplayer simulations if they were fun (97%), and if they helped to develop skill in patient interactions (90%). However, there was significant gender dissonance over types of favorite games, the educational value of video games, and the desire to participate in games that realistically replicated the experience of clinical practice.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Overall, medical student respondents, including many who do not play video games, held highly favorable views about the use of video games and related new media technology in medical education. Significant gender differences in game play experience and attitudes may represent male video game design bias that stresses male cognitive aptitudes; medical educators hoping to create serious games that will appeal to both men and women must avoid this.</p

Disrupted Routine Medical Visits in Children and Adolescents During the COVID-19 Pandemic, January–June 2021

Introduction: Recent studies have indicated the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted routine vaccinations. This study describes the prevalence and characteristics of children and adolescents experiencing disrupted routine vaccination and other medical visits in the U.S. between January and June 2021. Methods: The National Immunization Surveys were the source of data for this cross-sectional analysis (n=86,893). Parents/guardians of children aged between 6 months and 17 years were identified through random-digit dialing of cellular phone numbers and interviewed. Disrupted visits were assessed by asking: In the last 2 months, was a medical checkup, well-child visit, or vaccination appointment for the child delayed, missed, or not scheduled for any reason? Respondents answering yes were asked: Was it because of COVID-19? Sociodemographic characteristics of children/adolescents with (1) COVID-19–related missed visits and (2) non-COVID-19–related missed visits were examined. Statistical differences within demographic subgroups were determined using t-tests, with p-values <0.05 considered statistically significant. Linear regression models were used to examine the trends in disrupted visits over time. Results: An estimated 7.9% of children/adolescents had a missed visit attributed to COVID-19; 5.2% had a missed visit that was not COVID-19–related. Among children/adolescents with a COVID-19–related missed visit, a higher percentage were of minority race or ethnicity, lived below the poverty level, had a mother without a college degree, and lived in the western U.S. There was a significant decline in the COVID-19–related missed visits over time. Conclusions: COVID-19 disrupted routine vaccination or other medical visits inequitably. Catch-up immunizations are essential for achieving adequate vaccination of all children/adolescents

RRP22 is a farnesylated, nucleolar, Ras-related protein with tumor suppressor potential

Abstract Ras proteins are members of a superfamily of related small GTPases. Some members, such as Ras, are oncogenic. However, other members seem to serve as tumor suppressors, such as Rig and Noey2. We now identify and characterize a novel member of the Ras superfamily, RRP22. Like Ras, RRP22 can be posttranslationally modified by farnesyl. Unlike Ras, RRP22 inhibits cell growth and promotes caspase-independent cell death. Examination of human tumor cells shows that RRP22 is frequently down-regulated due to promoter methylation. Moreover, reexpression of RRP22 in an RRP22-negative neural tumor cell line impairs its growth in soft agar. Unusually for a Ras-related protein, RRP22 localizes to the nucleolus in a GTP-dependent manner, suggesting a novel mechanism of action. Thus, we identify a new member of the Ras superfamily that can serve as a potential tumor suppressor.</jats:p

Surgical Teams’ Attitudes About Surgical Safety and the Surgical Safety Checklist at 10 Years

Objective:. To assess health care professionals’ attitudes on the Surgical Safety Checklist (“the Checklist”) in resource-rich health systems and provide insights on strategies for optimizing Checklist use. Background:. In use for over a decade, the Checklist is a safety instrument aimed at improving operating room communication, teamwork, and evidence-based safety practices. Methods:. An online survey was sent to surgeons, nurses, and anesthesiologists in 5 high-income countries (Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand). Survey results were analyzed using SPSS. Results:. A total of 2032 health care professionals completed the survey. Of these respondents, 47.6% were nurses, 70.5% were women, 65.1% were from the United States, and 50.0% had 20 years of experience or more in their role. Most respondents felt the Checklist positively impacted patient safety (70.9%), team communication (73.1%), and teamwork (58.9%). Only 50.3% of respondents were satisfied their team’s use of the Checklist, and only 47.5% reported team members stopping to fully participate in the process. More nurses lacked confidence regarding their role in the Checklist process than surgeons and anesthesiologists combined (8.9% vs 4.3%). Fewer surgeons and anesthesiologists than nurses felt they received adequate training on the Checklist’s use (57.8% vs 76.7%). Conclusions:. While most respondents perceive the Checklist as enhancing patient safety, not all surgical team members are actively engaging with its use. To enhance buy-in and meaningful use of the Checklist, health systems should provide more training on the Checklist with respect to its purpose and strengthening teamwork

Public Health Surveillance for Mental Health

Public health systems have relied on public health surveillance to plan health programs, and extensive surveillance systems exist for health behaviors and chronic disease. Mental health has used a separate data collection system that emphasizes measurement of disease prevalence and health care use. In recent years, efforts to integrate these systems have included adding chronic disease measures to the Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiology Surveys and depression measures to the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System; other data collection systems have been similarly enhanced. Ongoing challenges to integration include variations in interview protocols, use of different measures of behavior and disease, different interval reference periods, inclusion of substance abuse disorders, dichotomous vs continuous variables, and approaches to data collection. Future directions can address linking surveillance efforts more closely to the needs of state programs, increasing child health measurements in surveys, and improving knowledge dissemination from survey analyses

Nanotubular metal–insulator–metal capacitor arrays for energy storage

Nanostructured devices have the potential to serve as the basis for next-generation energy systems that make use of densely packed interfaces and thin films1. One approach to making such devices is to build multilayer structures of large area inside the open volume of a nanostructured template. Here, we report the use of atomic layer deposition to fabricate arrays of metal–insulator–metal nanocapacitors in anodic aluminium oxide nanopores. These highly regular arrays have a capacitance per unit planar area of 10 F cm-2 for 1-m-thick anodic aluminium oxide and 100 F cm-2 for 10-m-thick anodic aluminium oxide, significantly exceeding previously reported values for metal–insulator–metal capacitors in porous templates2, 3, 4, 5, 6. It should be possible to scale devices fabricated with this approach to make viable energy storage systems that provide both high energy density and high power density