Faculty Stress Factors at a Public University During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT) during the COVID-19 pandemic brought many challenges to education systems across the world. Faculty at a public university participated in a survey to aid in defining challenges and stress factors experienced with ERT. Eighty-three percent of faculty participating in the survey indicated they were stressed during the pandemic ERT. Linked stress factors included course organization satisfaction, capturing student learning, energy to move to an online format, translating lessons to online, and online teaching experience. Open-ended survey questions additionally identified faculty frustrations from the lack of student engagement, the amount of time to move to the ERT format, and the desire to decrease student enrollment numbers in courses when teaching in the online format. Clemson University gave faculty the option of utilizing a hybrid model of ERT course delivery during the pandemic, rotating students enrolled in a course for in-person class attendance during a portion of the semester, and this model appeared to elevate some of the issues related to student engagement

Impact of Emergency Remote Teaching on University Students at a Public Institution in the United States

The educational experiences of university students participating in Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT) during the COVID-19 pandemic were evaluated using a survey instrument. Students found ERT stressful (89%) and indicated challenges from inadequate internet (91%), lack of privacy (45%), and increased amount of studying (3 hours more per week). Academic rank correlated with stress level during ERT, with freshmen (42%) reporting the highest stress level and seniors (48%) reporting minimal stress. Lack of faceto-face instruction, missing peer interaction and having to teach the course material to themselves were the top issues that students disliked with ERT. Respondents recognized the need for organization, selfmotivation, and increased interaction with other students and instructors as key factors for effectiveness and satisfaction of ERT instruction

Determining the Feasibility of Milk Vending Machines to Improve Calcium Intake Among College Students

Calcium intake declines from late adolescence to young adulthood, in part, due to decreases in accessibility to milk and dairy products. While milk vending has shown demonstrated success in secondary schools, no studies have examined whether milk vending improves calcium intake among college students. We hypothesized that milk and calcium intake would be higher among college students given access to milk vending in their dormitory (milk vending consumers) compared to those lacking access in their dormitory (non-milk vending consumers). Milk vending machines were installed in two dormitories, and two dormitories having non-milk beverage vending served as comparison sites. Students completed a calcium intake questionnaire at the point of milk (n = 73) or non-milk (n = 79) beverage vending purchases. Mean total calcium intake was higher in milk vending consumers (1245 + 543 mg/d) compared to non-milk vending consumers (1042 + 447 mg/d) (p = 0.01). Adjusting for gender and milk vending consumer status, there was a positive association between past month milk vending purchases and daily calcium intake from milk (p \u3c 0.001). Fiftyseven students without in-dormitory access to milk vending reported an interest in milk vending if made available. Milk vending may serve as a novel approach

Recommended Revisions to the National SEP‐1 Sepsis Quality Measure: A commentary by the Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists on the Infectious Diseases Society of America Position Paper

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/154912/1/phar2384.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/154912/2/phar2384_am.pd

RNA-Seq identifies SPGs as a ventral skeletal patterning cue in sea urchins

The sea urchin larval skeleton offers a simple model for formation of developmental patterns. The calcium carbonate skeleton is secreted by primary mesenchyme cells (PMCs) in response to largely unknown patterning cues expressed by the ectoderm. To discover novel ectodermal cues, we performed an unbiased RNA-Seq-based screen and functionally tested candidates; we thereby identified several novel skeletal patterning cues. Among these, we show that SLC26a2/7 is a ventrally expressed sulfate transporter that promotes a ventral accumulation of sulfated proteoglycans, which is required for ventral PMC positioning and skeletal patterning. We show that the effects of SLC perturbation are mimicked by manipulation of either external sulfate levels or proteoglycan sulfation. These results identify novel skeletal patterning genes and demonstrate that ventral proteoglycan sulfation serves as a positional cue for sea urchin skeletal patterning

Fully automated delineation of the optic radiation for surgical planning using clinically feasible sequences

[EN] Quadrantanopia caused by inadvertent severing of Meyer's Loop of the optic radiation is a well-recognised complication of temporal lobectomy for conditions such as epilepsy. Dissection studies indicate that the anterior extent of Meyer's Loop varies considerably between individuals. Quantifying this for individual patients is thus an important step to improve the safety profile of temporal lobectomies. Previous attempts to delineate Meyer's Loop using diffusion MRI tractography have had difficulty estimating its full anterior extent, required manual ROI placement, and/or relied on advanced diffusion sequences that cannot be acquired routinely in most clinics. Here we present CONSULT: a pipeline that can delineate the optic radiation from raw DICOM data in a completely automated way via a combination of robust pre-processing, segmentation, and alignment stages, plus simple improvements that bolster the efficiency and reliability of standard tractography. We tested CONSULT on 696 scans of predominantly healthy participants (539 unique brains), including both advanced acquisitions and simpler acquisitions that could be acquired in clinically acceptable timeframes. Delineations completed without error in 99.4% of the scans. The distance between Meyer's Loop and the temporal pole closely matched both averages and ranges reported in dissection studies for all tested sequences. Median scan-rescan error of this distance was 1¿mm. When tested on two participants with considerable pathology, delineations were successful and realistic. Through this, we demonstrate not only how to identify Meyer's Loop with clinically feasible sequences, but also that this can be achieved without fundamental changes to tractography algorithms or complex post-processing methods.Advance Queensland, Grant/Award Number: R-09964-01; Fundacion Merck Salud; Proyecto Societat Catalana Neurologia; Ministerio de Economia, Industria y Competitividad of Spain, Grant/Award Number: DPI2017-87743-R; Red Espanola de Esclerosis Multiple, Grant/Award Numbers: RD12/0032/0002, RD12/0060/01-02, RD16/0015/0002, RD16/0015/0003; Spanish Government; Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Grant/Award Numbers: FIS 2015 PI15/00061, FIS 2015 - PI15/00587, FIS 2018 - PI18/01030Reid, LB.; Martínez-Heras, E.; Manjón Herrera, JV.; Jeffree, RL.; Alexander, H.; Trinder, J.; Solana, E.... (2021). Fully automated delineation of the optic radiation for surgical planning using clinically feasible sequences. Human Brain Mapping. 42(18):5911-5926. https://doi.org/10.1002/hbm.25658S59115926421

Treatment fidelity monitoring, reporting and findings in a complex aphasia intervention trial: A substudy of the very early rehabilitation in SpEech (VERSE) trial

Background: Treatment fidelity is inconsistently reported in aphasia research, contributing to uncertainty about the effectiveness of types of aphasia therapy following stroke. We outline the processes and outcomes of treatment fidelity monitoring in a pre-specified secondary analysis of the VERSE trial. Methods: VERSE was a 3-arm, single-blinded RCT with a 12-week primary endpoint comparing Usual Care (UC) to two higher intensity treatments: Usual Care-Plus (UC-Plus) and VERSE, a prescribed intervention. Primary outcome results were previously reported. This secondary analysis focused on treatment fidelity. Video-recorded treatment sessions in the higher intensity study arms were evaluated for treatment adherence and treatment differentiation. Treatment components were evaluated using a pre-determined fidelity checklist. Primary outcome: prescribed amount of therapy time (minutes); secondary outcomes: (i) adherence to therapy protocol (%) and (ii) treatment differentiation between control and high intensity groups. Results: Two hundred forty-six participants were randomised to Usual Care (n = 81), Usual Care-Plus (n=82), and VERSE (n = 83). One hundred thirty-five (82%) participants in higher intensity intervention arms received the minimum prescribed therapy minutes. From 10,805 (UC 7787; UC-Plus 1450; VERSE 1568) service events, 431 treatment protocol deviations were noted in 114 participants. Four hundred thirty-seven videos were evaluated. The VERSE therapists achieved over 84% adherence to key protocol elements. Higher stroke and aphasia severity, older age, and being in the UC-Plus group predicted more treatment deviations. Conclusions: We found high levels of treatment adherence and differentiation between the intervention arms, providing greater confidence interpreting our results. The comprehensive systems for intervention fidelity monitoring and reporting in this trial make an important contribution to aphasia research and, we argue, should set a new standard for future aphasia studies. Trial registration: ACTRN 1261300077670

A Randomized Trial of Vaginal Antiseptic Preparation Solutions to Reduce Bacteria Colony Counts in Patients Undergoing Vaginal Surgery

Antiseptic preparation of surgical sites is known to reduce the rate of infective complications. However, surgical site infections (SSI) remain a leading cause of post-operative hospitalizations, increasing patient stress and cost for the healthcare system.1-7 In gynecologic surgery, preparation of the vagina is performed to reduce bacterial load prior to surgery, though it is known to remain contaminated.3 In the US, only solutions containing povidone-iodine (PI) are FDA approved for vaginal preparation; though, a 2018 ACOG Practice Bulletin lists chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) with low (\u3c4%) alcohol concentrations as a reasonable option for off-label use.3 Other preparations for vaginal surgery have been reported including baby shampoo (BS) and a commercially available preparation, containing PCMX (para-chloro-meta-xylenol, Techni-care®, chloroxylenol), that is marketed specifically for use with mucous membranes.8-12 There is a growing need to establish evidence-based alternatives to iodine for vaginal preparation for patients with allergies or sensitivity to iodine-containing products while minimizing postoperative irritation. One retrospective study comparing BS to PI in gynecologic surgeries showed a non-significant lower rate of surgical site infection with BS.9 One major challenge for determining effectiveness of surgical scrubs for reducing SSI is the relatively rare occurrence of postoperative infection. As an alternative proxy for infection colony counts of bacteria/fungi, before and after preparation, have been used.12,13 BS has been shown to reduce bacterial loads in non-gynecologic surgery, but there is limited data regarding its use in vaginal surgery, even though surgeons have been using BS in cases of iodine allergy or intolerance to other antiseptics.9-12CHG use in vaginal surgery has been debated due to concerns about vaginal irritation, however studies have demonstrated that alteration of the solution to 2-4% chlorhexidine with low (4%) alcohol concentration was associated with mild to no vaginal irritation. CHG showed similar reduction in post-incision bacterial counts and wound infections in cesarean delivery, and reduced colony counts during hysterectomy (when compared to PI).14-20 PCMX and CHG were shown to significantly reduce bacterial colonization of extracted root canals, and PCMX has been marketed specifically for vaginal antiseptic preparation.21 While some information on the effectiveness of these four antiseptic preparations has been documented in the literature, at this time there are no randomized controlled trials comparing these solutions in the context of vaginal surgery. Further evaluation and research of antiseptic solutions is warranted to provide evidence for best practices in minimizing infection and irritation. The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of three antiseptic solutions with the standard, PI, for reducing bacterial colonies as a proxy for SSI, and to assess postoperative irritation and infection symptoms

Protocol for the Locomotor Experience Applied Post-stroke (LEAPS) trial: a randomized controlled trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Locomotor training using body weight support and a treadmill as a therapeutic modality for rehabilitation of walking post-stroke is being rapidly adopted into clinical practice. There is an urgent need for a well-designed trial to determine the effectiveness of this intervention.</p> <p>The objective of the Locomotor Experience Applied Post-Stroke (LEAPS) trial is to determine if there is a difference in the proportion of participants who recover walking ability at one year post-stroke when randomized to a specialized locomotor training program (LTP), conducted at 2- or 6-months post-stroke, or those randomized to a home based non-specific, low intensity exercise intervention (HEP) provided 2 months post-stroke. We will determine if the timing of LTP delivery affects gait speed at 1 year and whether initial impairment severity interacts with the timing of LTP. The effect of number of treatment sessions will be determined by changes in gait speed taken pre-treatment and post-12, -24, and -36 sessions.</p> <p>Methods/Design</p> <p>We will recruit 400 adults with moderate or severe walking limitations within 30 days of stroke onset. At two months post stroke, participants are stratified by locomotor impairment severity as determined by overground walking speed and randomly assigned to one of three groups: (a) LTP-Early; (b) LTP-Late or (c) Home Exercise Program -Early. The LTP program includes body weight support on a treadmill and overground training. The LTP and HEP interventions are delivered for 36 sessions over 12 weeks.</p> <p>Primary outcome measure include successful walking recovery defined as the achievement of a 0.4 m/s gait speed or greater by persons with initial severe gait impairment or the achievement of a 0.8 m/s gait speed or greater by persons with initial moderate gait impairment.</p> <p>LEAPS is powered to detect a 20% difference in the proportion of participants achieving successful locomotor recovery between the LTP groups and the HEP group, and a 0.1 m/s mean difference in gait speed change between the two LTP groups.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>The goal of this single-blinded, phase III randomized clinical trial is to provide evidence to guide post-stroke walking recovery programs.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>NCT00243919.</p