Neurodiversity Inclusive Practices in Higher Education: Using a Needs Assessment to Spur Change Throughout University Systems

Introduction Approximately 50% of autistic people have average or above average intelligence, and growing numbers of autistic young adults attend college.1 Autistic students experience poor outcomes in college despite being academically well qualified. 34.9% of autistic young adults attempt college within 6 years of high school.2 Of those, approximately 39% will graduate.3 In higher education, there may be a mismatch in supports needed by autistic students versus supports provided. Autistic students report difficulty with sensory overload, mental health concerns, and daily living tasks.4 The majority of supports for autistic students focus on academics, which is a mismatch from autistic students’ self reported needs.

The outcome of patients requiring emergency conversion from off-pump to on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting

Patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) may need emergent institution of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) for circulatory collapse during the operation. Our aim was to evaluate outcome in such patients and identify preoperative and intraoperative risk factors

Transtympanic Hearing Aid: exploratory study on a new device

In this paper, we present the preliminary results achieved with a transtympanic hearing aid (THA). This is a modified digital, open-fit external hearing aid (HA) designed for acute study only, which allows coupling with a pre-implanted ventilation tube. The THA conveys amplified sound directly onto the round window, bypassing the ossicular chain, in contrast with traditional HAs that convey sound onto the second or third portion of the external auditory canal. The THA has been developed as an alternative to standard HAs and active middle ear implants for patients who are unsatisfied with traditional HA outcomes and want to avoid middle-ear implantation. The results achieved using the THA were compared to those obtained with an equivalent device, the Latitude 8 Moxi 13 (Moxi), uncoupled from the ventilation tube, and placed onto the outer ear. For this purpose, 12 patients with conductive (1/12), sensorineural (3/12), or mixed (8/12) hearing loss from moderate to severe, with a pre-implanted ventilation tube, underwent audiological evaluation with both the THA and the Latitude 8 Moxi 13 (Moxi). Our initial results showed that the THA provided significant improvement in the warble tone results in comparison to the Moxi. Moreover, patients with a PTA between 41 and 90 also achieved better results in terms of speech recognition using the THA in comparison to the Moxi. In conclusion, these outcomes provide the first evidence of the potential benefits of the THA over standard open-fit HAs. Nevertheless, these preliminary outcomes require further confirmation

Risultati preliminari con una nuova protesi: La Trastympanic Hearing Aid (THA)

Risultati preliminari con una nuova protesi: La Trastympanic Hearing Aid (THA

Biosynthesis and cellular localization of polyketides in the gastropod mollusc Scaphander lignarius

Opisthobranchs belong to a subclass of highly evolved and specialised marine gastropods that rely on the use of secondary metabolites for their survival. Here we report the full elucidation of the biosynthesis of aromatic metabolites, lignarenones, in one of these gastropods, the cephalaspidean Scaphander lignarius. Feeding experiments with 2H- and 13C-labelled precursors revealed a mixed acetate/propionate polyketide pathway primed by benzoic acid. Phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL), unprecedented in animals, is central to the synthesis of this aromatic precursor by oxidative deamination of lphenylalanine to cinnamic acid. Lignarenones are synthesised in the cytoplasm of specialised eukaryotic cells named Blochmann’s glands, which are distributed in biosynthetic tissue localised in the vulnerable mantle of the mollusc. This result supports the hypothesis that this lineage of gastropods has acquired the genetic information to produce the chemical substances that they use for their survival

The incidence and risk of acute renal failure after cardiac surgery

To evaluate outcome and risk factors of acute renal failure in a surgical population with or without preoperative renal dysfunction

A propensity score analysis on the effect of eliminating cardiopulmonary bypass for coronary artery bypass grafting

Aim. The aim of the study was to investigate if the off-pump technique could reduce the hospital mortality after coronary artery bypass grafting when compared to the standard cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) technique. Methods. An observational study with propensity score matching analysis was performed in a university teaching hospital in 2 899 consecutive patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass grafting. No intervention was performed. Major perioperative complications and hospital mortality were noted. Results. The overall hospital mortality was 1.3% (39/2 899) with no difference between the off-pump (16/802, 2.0%) and the CPB group (23/2 097, 1.1%) P=0.09. Since the off-pump group included patients at high risk, a propensity score analysis was then performed and off-pump patients matched 1:1 to CPB patients in order to have the same pre-operative variables identified by a multivariate analysis as associated to surgeon propensity to operate off-pump: (age, chronic renal failure and low ejection fraction) and the same number of graft performed. The results of the propensity matching still showed no difference in hospital mortality between off-pump and CPB group (1.6% vs 1.1% P=0.6). The off-pump technique showed advantages in terms of transfusion of blood products (P<0.001) and reduction of surgical re-exploration (P=0.04). Conclusion. No difference in hospital mortality in coronary artery bypass grafting patients could be observed between patients operated off-pump or with the standard CPB technique