APPLICATION PRIVACY LOCK

An application lock system can lock user interface elements associated with an application upon receiving a request from a user or when the system determines a session as being inactive at least for a predetermined time period. Applications may include, for example, a web browser application, a word processor application, or a file manager application. When the system receives a request to lock the session at the application, the system locks one or more user interface elements associated with the session. If a request is not received, then the system determines whether the session at the application is inactive for the predetermined time period. If the session at the application is inactive for the predetermined time period, the system locks one or more user interface elements associated with the session. If the session at the application is inactive for less than the predetermined time period, the system keeps the one or more user interface elements associated with the session unlocked

Transforming a Dynamics Course to an Active, Blended, and Collaborative Format: Focus on the Faculty

Mechanical engineering programs are increasingly applying educational research by transforming courses to be more interactive and to use a blend of online and face-to-face materials. However, the process of an existing course adopting these new practices is not well studied, and even less is understood about the faculty experience from on-boarding to delivery of a new curriculum or pedagogy. In this study, we follow the translation of an active, blended, and collaborative (ABC) curriculum for a core dynamics course from a large public university (where the ABC curriculum was developed) to a small private university. We use interpretive phenomenology to focus on the lived experience of the instructor newly implementing these course materials, format, and pedagogical approach. Specifically, we address the following research questions: (1) What is the lived experience of a mechanical engineering instructor at a different institution as she adopts and adapts the provided materials and format? (2) How does the experience of this instructor evolve throughout the semester? We use rich qualitative data to understand the experience of the instructor, who taught this course in its prior format and, in Fall 2015, taught the “off-term” core dynamics course via the new ABC structure. Through weekly reflection prompts, pre- and post-semester interviews, and supplementary process data (e.g., notes of weekly meetings between the new implementer and ABC team at the large public university), we describe and characterize the multi-faceted instructor experience. This includes her experience learning about the curriculum and online tools, implementing the class and adjusting her teaching practices, and assessing her students’ engagement with the course and understanding of dynamics concepts. Our findings suggest further areas of inquiry for studies of faculty practices around curriculum adoption, including probing opportunities for cross-institutional collaborations to share materials and transform courses, interrogating variation in mechanical engineering department and student cultures, and studying sources of faculty development and support throughout the course transformation process

Tumour-elicited neutrophils engage mitochondrial metabolism to circumvent nutrient limitations and maintain immune suppression

Neutrophils are a vital component of immune protection, yet in cancer they may promote tumour progression, partly by generating reactive oxygen species (ROS) that disrupts lymphocyte functions. Metabolically, neutrophils are often discounted as purely glycolytic. Here we show that immature, c-Kit+ neutrophils subsets can engage in oxidative mitochondrial metabolism. With limited glucose supply, oxidative neutrophils use mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation to support NADPH oxidase-dependent ROS production. In 4T1 tumour-bearing mice, mitochondrial fitness is enhanced in splenic neutrophils and is driven by c-Kit signalling. Concordantly, tumour-elicited oxidative neutrophils are able to maintain ROS production and T cell suppression when glucose utilisation is restricted. Consistent with these findings, peripheral blood neutrophils from patients with cancer also display increased immaturity, mitochondrial content and oxidative phosphorylation. Together, our data suggest that the glucose-restricted tumour microenvironment induces metabolically adapted, oxidative neutrophils to maintain local immune suppression

Effects of multiple-bond ruptures on kinetic parameters extracted from force spectroscopy measurements: Revisiting biotin-streptavidin interactions

Force spectroscopy measurements of the rupture of the molecular bond between biotin and streptavidin often results in a wide distribution of rupture forces. We attribute the long tail of high rupture forces to the nearly simultaneous rupture of more than one molecular bond. To decrease the number of possible bonds, we employed hydrophilic polymeric tethers to attach biotin molecules to the atomic force microscope probe. It is shown that the measured distributions of rupture forces still contain high forces that cannot be described by the forced dissociation from a deep potential well. We employed a recently developed analytical model of simultaneous rupture of two bonds connected by polymer tethers with uneven length to fit the measured distributions. The resulting kinetic parameters agree with the energy landscape predicted by molecular dynamics simulations. It is demonstrated that when more than one molecular bond might rupture during the pulling measurements there is a noise-limited range of probe velocities where the kinetic parameters measured by force spectroscopy correspond to the true energy landscape. Outside this range of velocities, the kinetic parameters extracted by using the standard most probable force approach might be interpreted as artificial energy barriers that are not present in the actual energy landscape. Factors that affect the range of useful velocities are discussed

An evaluation of knowledge, attitude and practices about prescribing fixed dose combinations among resident doctors

Background: Fixed Dose Combinations (FDCs) improve patient compliance and decrease pill burden. However, irrational prescribing of FDCs is a major health concern. As resident doctors are primarily involved in patient management at tertiary care hospitals, knowledge about prescribing FDCs is of paramount importance. Objective: To evaluate knowledge, attitude and practice, regarding use of FDCs by resident doctors at a tertiary care teaching hospital. Materials and Methods: The study was carried out among resident doctors working at Civil Hospital, Ahmedabad, a tertiary care teaching hospital. One hundred resident doctors from the departments of medicine, obstetrics and gynaecology, surgery, paediatrics, skin and psychiatry, who gave their informed consent, were enrolled. A prevalidated questionnaire regarding knowledge, attitude and prescribing practice of fixed dose combinations was filled up. Data was analyzed with suitable statistical tests. Results: Out of the 100 residents recruited for the study, 34, 33 and 33 residents were selected from the 1 st , 2 nd and 3 rd year respectively. The resident doctors were not aware about all of the advantages and disadvantages of FDCs. On an average, only 31% of the residents (lowest 16% among 1 st year residents) had knowledge about the Essential Medicine List (EML). Knowledge about rationality of given FDCs was lacking in 81% of the residents. Only 47% could name a single banned FDC in India. Common sources of information about FDCs were medical representatives, colleagues/peers, the Monthly Index of Medical Specialities (MIMS) and Continuous Medical Education (CMEs). A majority of residents (96%) agreed that FDCs should be allowed to be marketed. The residents opined that most commonly prescribed FDCs were of antimicrobial drugs, amongst which amoxicillin + clavulanic acid was the most frequent. Conclusion: There is need to improve knowledge about rationality, EML, usage and banned FDCs in post graduate medical students to promote the rational use of drugs

Ultrasound-guided Supraclavicular Brachial Plexus Block with Ropivacaine in Basilic Vein Transposition Surgery for Chronic Renal Failure Patients: An Interventional Study

Introduction: Basilic Vein Transposition surgery (BVT) is preferred under ultrasound-guided supraclavicular brachial plexus block, which provides excellent and safe anaesthesia in Chronic Renal Failure (CRF) patients. Ropivacaine, with a shorter elimination half-life than bupivacaine and better pharmacokinetics, is a safer option as a local anaesthetic agent in CRF. Aim: To assess the onset and duration of sensory and motor blockade with 20 mL of 0.5% ropivacaine in ultrasound-guided supraclavicular block and the need for additional local infiltration at the surgical site for BVT. Materials and Methods: In present interventional study conducted in the Department of Anaesthesiology, Pramukhswami Medical College, Bhaikaka University, Karamsad, Anand, Gujarat, India, 25 American Society of Anaesthesiologists (ASA) III/IV CRF patients, aged 18-80 years, who underwent BVT surgery, were included from December 2021 to November 2022. A 20 mL dose of 0.5% ropivacaine was administered to these patients via ultrasound-guided supraclavicular block. The surgeon performed local infiltration with 10 mL of lignocaine at the T2 dermatomal area in all patients. Descriptive statistics were calculated for age, weight, ASA status, onset and duration of sensory and motor blockade, and the need for additional local infiltration. Results: The mean age and mean weight of the patients were 52 years and 57.68 kg, respectively. Total 17 were male and eight were female, while 23 were ASA III and two were ASA IV. After administering the supraclavicular block, the mean onset of sensory and motor blockade was 9±2.3629 and 13.16±2.6721 minutes, respectively. The mean duration of sensory and motor blockade was 612.8±132.815 and 522.8±121.124 minutes, respectively. All patients required local site infiltration (10 mL of 1% lignocaine-Adrenaline) as the T2 dermatome is usually spared by the supraclavicular block. Three patients required additional local anaesthetic infiltration. Conclusion: Minimising the concentration and volume of local anaesthetic drugs without compromising efficacy is challenging, particularly in BVT, where the incision is extensive and performed under supraclavicular BPB in high-risk CRF patients. The anaesthesia practice of using a low volume of 0.5% ropivacaine in BPB under ultrasound guidance, along with local anaesthetic infiltration with 1% lignocaine with adrenaline at the T2 dermatome, can serve this purpose without any complications

Isolated pulmonary hydatid cyst: Misinterpreted as metastatic pulmonary lesion in an operated case of carcinoma breast in young female

Hydatidosis is caused by Echinococcus granulosus. Humans may be infected incidentally as intermediate host by the accidental consumption of soil, water, or food contaminated by fecal matter of an infected animal. Hydatidosis is one of the most symptomatic parasitic infections in various livestock - raising countries. Lung is the second most commonly affected organ following the liver. The symptoms depend on the size and site of the lesion. It can present as an asymptomatic pulmonary lesion to hemoptysis, chest pain, coughing anaphylaxis, and shock. There are very few reported cases of isolated lung hydatidosis without exposure to animals or nonvegetarian diet. For hydatidosis, serology and imaging are diagnostic tools. Surgical removal and/or chemotherapy are the main-stay of treatment. Here, we discuss a case of persistent left lower lobe cystic lesion in young female with a history of operated left breast carcinoma which was thought to be of metastatic lesion but ultimately confirmed as pulmonary hydatid cyst after unintended aspiration of cystic fluid to rule out malignancy. Pulmonary hydatidosis should always be considered as a differential diagnosis when dealing with a cystic lesion on radiology