Influence of Head Injury on Episodic Memory, Meta-memory, and Cannabis Use

Mild head injuries (MHI) are implicated in impairments of various cognitive constructs, including memory. Specifically, episodic memory performance is shown to be dampened post-MHI. Further, head injuries are also associated with problems in processing and reacting to emotional stimuli and, overall, research has shown that those with head injuries are less able to recall emotional stimuli compared to their No-MHI cohort. This literature is lacking in detailed measures of narrative episodic memory, especially in those with milder versus moderate or severe head injuries. Most studies implement word-list tasks to assess episodic memory, so the aim of the present study was to assess episodic memory using a story task, which is more reflective of memory usage required in day-to-day tasks. The goal of this research was to examine emotionally-valenced narrative recall in persons with MHI, while accounting for possible emotion effects. Subjective-memory, or meta-memory, was also of interest. As head injuries are whole-brain events, various neurological structures can be impacted, but in particular, involvement of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) has been acknowledged. Even minor disruption to the PFC is associated with impulse control and sensation-seeking behaviours, including substance use. Those with a history of MHI have been shown to be more vulnerable to substance use/abuse. Given the recent legalisation of cannabis in Canada and its increased medical and recreational use, in addition to its influence on memory and cognitive, this research also investigates the nature, and interaction, of cannabis consumption in relation to MHI. This study recruited 134 Brock University students to assess the relationships between MHI and episodic memory, subjective memory, emotional processing, and cannabis use. Results indicated that the MHI group performed similarly to the No-MHI group in recall capacity, and with both groups demonstrating a potent valence-related effect. Further, cannabis use was reported to a greater degree by those with an MHI, demonstrating that high-functioning university students have the facilities to overcome possible narrative episodic memory impairments attributable to a head injury, however, they remain disadvantaged in terms of substance use and are disproportionately affected by it

Redesigning Health Care: How Innovative Care can Heal and Not Just Treat our Patients

What if we see every patient as every other painting in a museum of humans? What if we make patients feel less daunted by the walls of hospitals and smell of drugs? The greatest challenge for the health care professionals today is to treat patients with care that not only cures externally, but also soulfully – indirectly increasing patient outcome with greater satisfaction for provider and takers. Today professionals should care for patients creatively, not to just treat them but HEAL. We need to ideate, innovate, motivate and curate a creative care ! Recently, as a designer student pharmacist and Interprofessional council senator, we had organized a small workshop with CoMa(Columbus Museum of Art) for health care professionals called "Art of analysis in Healthcare." The main objective was to teach and make health care students realize the importance of caring, compassion in a special and innovative way. Caring for a patient is an art, for whom everyone is capable of creatively taking care of. The session will talk about OADP method of an art evaluation infused to seek a patient evaluation case. Session will also make the audience to re-think and re-design the way patients are treated and give them tricks and tips to enhance patient satisfaction. Throughout recorded history, we see evidence that pictures, stories, dances, music, and drama have been central to healing rituals. Today's renewed focus on humanistic care is leading to resurgence in the knowledge and practice of incorporating the arts into health care services. Paint brushes and IV tubes may not seem to have much in common, but the arts are increasingly touted as a form of healing that can be as relevant to a patient's well-being as medication. Infused art-care therapies can be used from post-traumatic stress disorder to autism, mental health, chronic illnesses, Alzheimer's and dementia, neurological disorders and brain injuries, premature infants, and physical disabilities – to improve patients' overall health outcomes, treatment compliance, and quality of life. These interventions have shown an economic benefit. Data show that such programs result in patients requiring shorter hospital stays, less medication, and having fewer complications – all of which translates to a reduction in health care costs. Using the same principles, I would also talk about evidence-based design for the new Framework 2.0 with the Wexner Medical Center we are designing with HCD to create healthier and happier space. Consistent research has shown supporting details that I would like to address, especially a 1996 Ohio State study where effects of sounds had been evaluated to be beneficial for different types of cancers like lung, breast, colon, etc. Other research at the University of London showed better blood flow to brain with just the visuals of paintings. "If an art installation gets a patient out of his room or paintings take a person's mind off their pain and lower their stress levels, the art isn't just decorative anymore."AUTHOR AFFILIATION: Smit Patel, Medication therapy Management Intern, College of Pharmacy, [email protected] (Corresponding Author).The greatest challenge for health care professionals today is to treat patients with care that not only cures, but also heals. We need to ideate, innovate, motivate and curate creative care! Studies have shown that art, music, humor, etc. improve humanistic care that betters patient outcomes and rewards hospital revenues. With similar thoughts, a workshop for infusing "Art in Healthcare" showed how deeply art can influence how health care students treat and counsel patients. Evidence-based programs for creative spaces in hospitals have been studied in the past; an instrumental effect would be seen with such creative intervention for the Framework 2.0 with the Wexner Medical Center impacting future patients and employees for happier and healthier outcomes

Does Social Media Sentiment Predict Bitcoin Trading Volume?

Social media sentiment is proven to be an important feature in financial forecasting. While the effect of sentiment is complex and time-varying for traditional financial assets, its role in cryptocurrency markets is unclear. This research explores the predictive power of public sentiment on Bitcoin trading volume. We develop a novel sentiment analysis pipeline for processing Bitcoin-related tweets and achieve state-of-the-art accuracy on a benchmark dataset. Our pipeline also leverages information gain theory to incorporate the impact of textual and non-textual features. We use such features to discern a non-linear relationship between public sentiment and Bitcoin trading volume and discover the optimal predictive horizon for Bitcoin. This research provides a useful module and a foundation for future studies and understanding of Bitcoin market dynamics, and its interaction with social media buzzing

Impact of Cocaine Use on Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients: Insights from Nationwide Inpatient Sample in the United States

Cocaine is the third most common substance of abuse after cannabis and alcohol. The use of cocaine as an illicit substance is implicated as a causative factor for multisystem derangements ranging from an acute crisis to chronic complications. Vasospasm is the proposed mechanism behind adverse events resulting from cocaine abuse, acute ischemic strokes (AIS) being one of the few. Our study looked into in-hospital outcomes owing to cocaine use in the large population based study of AIS patients. Using the national inpatient sample (NIS) database from 2014 of United States of America, we identified AIS patients with cocaine use using International Classification of Disease, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) codes. We compared demographics, mortality, in-hospital outcomes and comorbidities between AIS with cocaine use cohort versus AIS without cocaine use cohort. Acute ischemic strokes (AIS) with cocaine group consisted of higher number of older patients (\u3e 85 years) (25.6% versus 18.7%, p \u3c 0.001) and females (52.4% versus 51.0%, p \u3c 0.001). Cocaine cohort had higher incidence of valvular disorders (13.2% versus 9.7%, p \u3c 0.001), venous thromboembolism (3.5% versus 2.6%, p \u3c 0.03), vasculitis (0.9% versus 0.4%, p \u3c 0.003), sudden cardiac death (0.4% versus 0.2%, p \u3c 0.02), epilepsy (10.1% versus 7.4%, p \u3c 0.001) and major depression (13.2% versus 10.7%, p \u3c 0.007). The multivariate logistic regression analysis found cocaine use to be the major risk factor for hospitalization in AIS cohort. In-hospital mortality (odds ratio (OR)= 1.4, 95% confidence interval= 1.1-1.9, p \u3c 0.003) and the disposition to short-term hospitals (odds ratio (OR)= 2.6, 95% confidence interval = 2.1-3.3, p \u3c 0.001) were also higher in cocaine cohort. Venous thromboembolism was observed to be linked with cocaine use (OR= 1.5, 95% confidence interval= 1.0-2.1, p \u3c 0.01) but less severely than vasculitis (OR= 3.0, 95% confidence interval= 1.6-5.8, p \u3c 0.001). Further prospective research is warranted in this direction to improve the outcomes for AIS and lessen the financial burden on the healthcare system of the United States

Burden of Arrhythmias in Epilepsy Patients: A Nationwide Inpatient Analysis of 1.4 Million Hospitalizations in the United States

Arrhythmias have been one of the common complications in epilepsy patients and have also been the reason for death. However, limited data exist about the burden and outcomes of arrhythmias by subtypes in epilepsy. Our study aims at evaluating the burden and differences in outcomes of various subtypes of arrhythmias in epilepsy patient population. The Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) database from 2014 was examined for epilepsy and arrhythmias related discharges using appropriate International Classification of Disease, Ninth Revision Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) codes. The frequency of arrhythmias, gender differences in arrhythmia by subtypes, in-hospital outcomes and mortality predictors was analyzed. A total of 1,424,320 weighted epilepsy patients was determined and included in this study. Around 23.9% (n = 277,230) patients had cardiac arrhythmias. The most frequent arrhythmias in the descending frequency were: atrial fibrillation (AFib) 9.7%, other unspecified causes 7.3%, sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) 1.4%, bundle branch block (BBB) 1.2%, ventricular tachycardia (VT) 1%. Males were more predisposed to cardiac arrhythmias compared to females (OR [odds ratio]: 1.1, p \u3c 0.001). The prevalence of most subtypes arrhythmias was higher in males. Arrhythmias were present in nearly a quarter of patients with epilepsy. Life threatening arrhythmias were more common in male patients. The length of stay (LOS) and mortality were significantly higher in epilepsy patients with arrhythmia. It is imperative to develop early diagnosis and prompt therapeutic measures to reduce this burden and poor outcomes due to concomitant arrhythmias in epilepsy patients

EVALUATION OF SAFETY & ANTI-UROLITHIATIC PROPERTY OF VARIOUS POLYHERBAL FORMULATIONS USING ETHYLENE GLYCOL-AMMONIUM CHLORIDE & POTASSIUM OXONATE INDUCED UROLITHIASIS IN RATS & MICE RESPECTIVELY

The aim of present work was to evaluate safety & anti- urolithiatic property of various polyherbal formulations using ethylene glycol-ammonium chloride & potassium oxonate induced urolithiasis in rats & mice and to evaluate and to evaluate effect of poly herbal formulation on oxidative stress, i.e. SOD, catalase, LPO and to evaluate of poly herbal formulation on physical parameter i.e. body weight, urine PH, urine volum

Plasma from Volunteers Breathing Helium Reduces Hypoxia-Induced Cell Damage in Human Endothelial Cells-Mechanisms of Remote Protection Against Hypoxia by Helium.

PurposeRemote ischemic preconditioning protects peripheral organs against prolonged ischemia/reperfusion injury via circulating protective factors. Preconditioning with helium protected healthy volunteers against postischemic endothelial dysfunction. We investigated whether plasma from helium-treated volunteers can protect human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) against hypoxia in vitro through release of circulating of factors.MethodsHealthy male volunteers inhaled heliox (79% helium, 21% oxygen) or air for 30 min. Plasma was collected at baseline, directly after inhalation, 6 h and 24 h after start of the experiment. HUVECs were incubated with either 5% or 10% of the plasma for 1 or 2 h and subjected to enzymatically induced hypoxia. Cell damage was measured by LDH content. Furthermore, caveolin 1 (Cav-1), hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF1α), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2, signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT3) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) were determined.ResultsPrehypoxic exposure to 10% plasma obtained 6 h after helium inhalation decreased hypoxia-induced cell damage in HUVEC. Cav-1 knockdown in HUVEC abolished this effect.ConclusionsPlasma of healthy volunteers breathing helium protects HUVEC against hypoxic cell damage, possibly involving circulating Cav-1

Perturbative Corrections for Staggered Four-Fermion Operators

We present results for one-loop matching coefficients between continuum four-fermion operators, defined in the Naive Dimensional Regularization scheme, and staggered fermion operators of various types. We calculate diagrams involving gluon exchange between quark lines, and ``penguin'' diagrams containing quark loops. For the former we use Landau gauge operators, with and without $O(a)$ improvement, and including the tadpole improvement suggested by Lepage and Mackenzie.For the latter we use gauge-invariant operators. Combined with existing results for two-loop anomalous dimension matrices and one-loop matching coefficients, our results allow a lattice calculation of the amplitudes for $K\bar K$ mixing and $K\to\pi\pi$ decays with all corrections of $O(g^2)$ included. We also discuss the mixing of $\Delta S=1$ operators with lower dimension operators, and show that, with staggered fermions, only a single lower dimension operator need be removed by non-perturbative subtraction.Comment: 44 pages latex (uses psfig), 3 ps figures, all bundled using uufiles (correctly this time!), UW/PT-93-

Hybrid Energy Management System Consisting of Battery and Supercapacitor for Electric Vehicle

This paper is mainly focused on Hybrid Energy Management System (HEMS) consisting of Battery (BT) and Super capacitor (SC). Two energy sources connected in with same DC link in parallel manner with the help of Bidirectional DC-DC converter, which is used to separate control of power flow of each source. Here Permanent magnet dc motor (PMDC) motor used as a load and speed control of PMDC motor can be done by PWM method for this purpose chopper circuit is used. Input of chopper circuit is DC link and output of the chopper is given to PMDC motor. This method of energy management gives power splitting between two sources based on State of Charge (SOC) of each individual source during different state of vehicle such as acceleration, constant running and deceleration. Improved filter-based power splitting techniques is implemented. Three acceleration reference points were taken for power splinting at different SOC levels of both energy sources. Objective of this proposed method is best use of both the sources i.e. battery and supercapacitor and maximum use of supercapacitor energy at the time of transient conditions. Battery supply energy during normal running condition or very less load condition. Hence during transient condition SC directly react with system and gives peak power requirement, so stress on battery is reduces hence lifetime of battery is increase, also power available during braking is store in SC and battery, so independence of Electric Vehicle (EV) is increases. Because of less peak power requirement, batteries with less peak output power is used so it is reduced size and cost of batteries. Matlab- Simulink software is used for simulation and also small scale hardware is also implemented of proposed method