Single Pulse Responses in Cultured Neuronal Networks to Describe Connectivity

Synaptic connections between neurons play a crucial role in cognitive processes like learning and memory. In recent work we developed a method, using conditional firing probability (CFP analysis), to estimate functional connectivity in terms of strength and latency, and here we further explored on this method. CFP analysis estimates functional connectivity between pairs of neurons by calculating the probability that neuron j will fire at t=τ, given that neuron i fired at t=0. Because neuron i often fires more than once in the analysis interval of 500 ms CFPs don't indicate the average response to a single action potential in neuron i. Rather, CFPs are biased by the probability that neuron i will fire again in the analysis interval (CFPi,i, or autocorrelation). We developed a method to estimate single pulse responses (SPRs), by deconvolving CFPi,i from the probability curve. We investigated the performance of this deconvolved measure in experiments with cholinergic network activation of cultured cortical networks. Ideally, acetylcholine should affect only the dynamic behavior of the system, but not the described (glutamatergic) connections in cortical networks. We found that changes in SPRs under different dynamic behavior were much smaller than those in CFPs. However, changes were still considerable, most likely reflecting the non-linear nature of synaptic transmission

Exploring experiences of cancer care in Wales: a thematic analysis of free-text responses to the 2013 Wales Cancer Patient Experience Survey (WCPES)

Objectives To provide the first systematic analysis of a national (Wales) sample of free-text comments from patients with cancer, to determine emerging themes and insights regarding experiences of cancer care in Wales. Design Thematic analysis of free-text data from a population-based survey. Setting and participants Adult patients with a confirmed cancer diagnosis treated within a 3-month period during 2012 in the 7 health boards and 1 trust providing cancer care in Wales. Main outcome measures Free-text categorised by theme, coded as positive or negative, with ratios. Overarching themes are identified incorporating comment categories. Methods 4672 respondents (of n=7352 survey respondents) provided free-text comments. Data were coded using a multistage approach: (1) coding of comments into general categories (eg, nursing, surgery, etc), (2) coding of subcategories within main categories (eg, nursing care, nursing communication, etc), (3) cross-sectional analysis to identify themes cutting across categories, (4) mapping of categories/subcategories to corresponding closed questions in the Wales Cancer Patient Experience Survey (WCPES) data for comparison. Results Most free-text respondents (82%, n 3818) provided positive comments about their cancer care, with 49% (n=2313) giving a negative comment (ratio 0.6:1, negative-to-positive). 3172 respondents (67.9% of free-text respondents) provided a comment mapping to 1 of 4 overarching themes: communication (n=1673, 35.8% free-text respondents, a ratio of 1.0:1); waiting during the treatment and/or post-treatment phase (n=923, 19.8%, ratio 1.5:1); staffing and resource levels (n=671, 14.4% ratio 5.3:1); speed and quality of diagnostic care (n=374, 8.0%, ratio 1.5:1). Within these areas, constituent subthemes are discussed. Conclusions This study presents specific areas of concern for patients with cancer, and reveals a number of themes present across the cancer journey. While the majority of comments were positive, analysis reveals concerns shared by significant numbers of respondents. Timely communication can help to manage these anxieties, even where delays or difficulties in treatment may be encountered

Exploring experiences of cancer care in Wales - a thematic analysis of free-text responses to the 2013 Wales Cancer Patient Experience Survey (WCPES).

Objectives: To provide the first systematic analysis of a national (Wales) sample of free-text comments from cancer patients, to determine emerging themes and insights regarding experiences of cancer care in Wales. Design: Thematic analysis of free-text data from a population-based survey. Setting and Participants: Adult patients with a confirmed cancer diagnosis treated within a three month period during 2012 in the seven Health Boards and one trust providing cancer care in Wales. Main outcome measures: Free-text categorised by theme, coded as positive or negative, with ratios. Overarching themes are identified incorporating comment categories. Methods: 4,672 respondents (of n=7352 survey respondents) provided free-text comments. Data was coded using a multistage approach; (1) coding of comments into general categories (e.g. Nursing, Surgery etc.), (2) coding of sub-categories within main categories (e.g. Nursing Care, Nursing Communication etc.), (3) cross-sectional analysis to identify themes cutting across categories (4) mapping of categories/sub-categories to corresponding closed questions in the WCPES data for comparison. Results: Most free-text respondents (82%, n 3818) provided positive comments about their cancer care, with 49% (n=2313) giving a negative comment (ratio: 0.6:1, negative-to-positive). 3172 respondents (67.9% of free-text respondents) provided a comment mapping to one of four overarching themes: communication (n=1673, 35.8% free-text respondents, a ratio of 1.0:1); waiting during the treatment and/or post-treatment phase (n=923, 19.8%, ratio: 1.5:1); staffing and resource levels (n=671, 14.4% ratio: 5.3:1); speed and quality of diagnostic care (n=374, 8.0%, ratio: 1.5 : 1). Within these areas, constituent sub-themes are discussed. Conclusions: This study presents specific areas of concern for cancer patients, and reveals a number of themes present across the cancer journey. While the majority of comments were positive, analysis reveals concerns shared by significant numbers of respondents. Timely communication can help to manage these anxieties, even where delays or difficulties in treatment may be encountered. Strengths and limitations of the study: • Provides further detail on closed measures in population-based survey. • Indicates area of concern not addressed by closed measures. • Volume of comments and ratios of negative to positive comments in specific areas indicate areas of particular concern

The Evolving Menace of Ransomware: A Comparative Analysis of Pre-pandemic and Mid-pandemic Attacks

Drawing upon direct interviews and secondary sources, this paper presents a qualitative comparative analysis of thirty-nine ransomware attacks, twenty-six of which occurred shortly before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and thirteen of which took place during the pandemic. The research objective was to gain an understanding of how ransomware attacks changed tactics across this period. Using inductive content analysis, a number of key themes emerged, namely: (1) ransomware attackers have adopted more sinister tactics and now commit multiple crimes to maximise their return, (2) the expanded attack surface caused by employees working from home has greatly aggravated the risk of malicious intrusion, (3) the preferred attack vectors have changed, with phishing and VPN exploits now to the fore, (4) failure to adapt common business processes from off-line to on-line interaction has created vulnerabilities, (5) the ongoing laissez-faire attitude towards cybersecurity and lack of preparedness continues to be a substantial problem, and (6) ransomware attacks now pose potentially severe consequences for individuals, whose personal data has become a central part of the game. Recommendations are proposed to address these issues