Commedia: Rhetoric And Technology In The Media Commons

This dissertation analyzes the organization of individuals through online social media applications and other community-building websites, such as Facebook, Wikipedia, Google Maps, and online classrooms, using the Aristotelian rhetorical concept of the commonplaces as well as political, critical, and legal theory. Based on these analyses, this dissertation also provides pedagogical recommendations for the teaching of writing with technology in both online and physical classrooms

Renal Mass Ablation in the Octogenarian and Nonagenarian Population

Introduction: The gold standard for the management of T1a and T1b renal tumors is partial nephrectomy. This study aims to analyze the outcomes of renal mass thermal ablations as an alternative therapy in the octogenarian and nonagenarian patient population, specifically. Methods: Departmental database of all percutaneous renal ablations performed between February 2008 and August 2019 was reviewed. 34 tumors were ablated in 19 males and 15 females with a mean age of 84.1 ± 3.1 years (range 80-92 years). Patient demographics, procedural and postprocedural data were evaluated. Results: Ten microwave and 24 cryoablations were performed, all ablations were performed under CT guidance for 27 T1a and 7 T1b renal tumors (1.4-5.9cm). The mean Charlson comorbidity index was 6.7. Thirty-one ablations were performed as the primary management, 3 were performed for tumor recurrence following partial nephrectomy (2) or prior ablation (1). The average number of probes used in cryoablation was 3.3 compared to 2.7 probes used in microwave ablation. Overall complication rate in cases in the 31 cases in which there was sufficient follow up was 23% and major complication rate was 13%, including two episodes of bleeding requiring red blood cell transfusion. Additionally there was one incidentally detected pseudoaneurysm in the ablation cavity of an asymptomatic patient which was subsequently embolized more than one year following the ablation. The mean pre procedure creatinine was 1.20 and mean creatinine at least 3 months post procedure was 1.23. Of the 25 patients with at least 3 months of CT or MR follow up, there was no local recurrence and median follow-up was 23.7 months (range 1.1-94.9 months). Concurrent biopsies were performed in 31 of the 34 cases. The pathology showed a majority of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (15), followed by oncocytic neoplasm (7), nondiagnostic specimen (4) and papillary renal cell carcinoma (3). Discussion: Thermal ablation of renal masses in the elderly population is an effective treatment option with a low recurrence rate. Complications are higher than previously reported in the literature which may be related the advanced age and comorbidities of these patients

Do schools and alcohol mix? Australian parents\u27 perspectives

© 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited. Purpose: Alcohol use by adults at school events and alcohol promotion through school fundraising activities is common, but little is known about secondary school parents\u27 attitudes towards these practices. Parental attitudes may influence principals\u27 decision-making on this topic, particularly in jurisdictions where education department guidance is limited. This study explored parents\u27 attitudes towards the consumption or promotion of alcohol in schools or at school events. Design/methodology/approach: Parents (n = 298) from five non-government secondary schools in Western Australia completed an online survey and provided responses relating to the promotion and availability of alcohol through their child\u27s school. Findings: This sample of parents were evenly divided in support of alcohol consumption or support of schools as alcohol-free zones. Parents reporting higher alcohol consumption were more supportive of alcohol promotion and use through schools, and those with higher education supported use of alcohol for school fundraising. Almost 20% of parents were neutral on several measures indicating they could be swayed by social pressure. Engaging parents is an ongoing challenge for school principals and alcohol may play a part in engagement activities. The results from this small, exploratory study suggest even engaged parents may have very differing views on alcohol use in schools. Practical implications: Education departments are encouraged to explore these issues carefully and introduce changes incrementally to assist decision-making and minimise potential parent disengagement. Originality/value: This paper addresses a knowledge gap about parents\u27 attitudes towards alcohol in secondary schools. These findings can support those involved in the development of school alcohol policies

An Explorative Analysis of European Standards on Building Information Modelling

peer reviewedMany standards for Building Information Modelling (BIM) have been published and more are being prepared. Practitioners and academics often struggle to understand the still-evolving relationships between them and how they can support day-to-day activities. In this research we collect data on BIM standards developed by CEN/TC 442. The standards are presented in a series of prototype online dashboards and analysed to study how they are related to each other and to the different aspects. The results can help standardisation bodies, professionals, and academics understand how key concepts are covered in standards, and explore how they are linked to other domains

Hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells are present in healthy gingiva tissue

Hematopoietic stem cells reside in the bone marrow, where they generate the effector cells that drive immune responses. However, in response to inflammation, some hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) are recruited to tissue sites and undergo extramedullary hematopoiesis. Contrasting with this paradigm, here we show residence and differentiation of HSPCs in healthy gingiva, a key oral barrier in the absence of overt inflammation. We initially defined a population of gingiva monocytes that could be locally maintained; we subsequently identified not only monocyte progenitors but also diverse HSPCs within the gingiva that could give rise to multiple myeloid lineages. Gingiva HSPCs possessed similar differentiation potentials, reconstitution capabilities, and heterogeneity to bone marrow HSPCs. However, gingival HSPCs responded differently to inflammatory insults, responding to oral but not systemic inflammation. Combined, we highlight a novel pathway of myeloid cell development at a healthy barrier, defining a gingiva-specific HSPC network that supports generation of a proportion of the innate immune cells that police this barrier

An explorative analysis of european standards on building information modelling

peer reviewedMany standards for Building Information Modelling (BIM) have been published and more are being prepared. Practitioners and academics often struggle to understand the still-evolving relationships between them and how they can support day-to-day activities. In this research we collect data on BIM standards developed by CEN/TC 442. The standards are presented in a series of prototype online dashboards and analysed to study how they are related to each other and to the different aspects. The results can help standardisation bodies, professionals, and academics understand how key concepts are covered in standards, and explore how they are linked to other domains

DUNDRUM-2: Prospective validation of a structured professional judgment instrument assessing priority for admission from the waiting list for a forensic mental health hospital

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The criteria for deciding who should be admitted first from a waiting list to a forensic secure hospital are not necessarily the same as those for assessing need. Criteria were drafted qualitatively and tested in a prospective 'real life' observational study over a 6-month period.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A researcher rated all those presented at the weekly referrals meeting using the DUNDRUM-1 triage security scale and the DUNDRUM-2 triage urgency scale. The key outcome measure was whether or not the individual was admitted.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Inter-rater reliability and internal consistency for the DUNDRUM-2 were acceptable. The DUNDRUM-1 triage security score and the DUNDRUM-2 triage urgency score correlated r = 0.663. At the time of admission, after a mean of 23.9 (SD35.9) days on the waiting list, those admitted had higher scores on the DUNDRUM-2 triage urgency scale than those not admitted, with no significant difference between locations (remand or sentenced prisoners, less secure hospitals) at the time of admission. Those admitted also had higher DUNDRUM-1 triage security scores. At baseline the receiver operating characteristic area under the curve for a combined score was the best predictor of admission while at the time of admission the DUNDRUM-2 triage urgency score had the largest AUC (0.912, 95% CI 0.838 to 0.986).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The triage urgency items and scale add predictive power to the decision to admit. This is particularly true in maintaining equitability between those referred from different locations.</p

Patient emergency health-care use before hospital admission for COVID-19 and long-term outcomes in Scotland: a national cohort study

BackgroundIt is unclear what effect the pattern of health-care use before admission to hospital with COVID-19 (index admission) has on the long-term outcomes for patients. We sought to describe mortality and emergency readmission to hospital after discharge following the index admission (index discharge), and to assess associations between these outcomes and patterns of health-care use before such admissions.MethodsWe did a national, retrospective, complete cohort study by extracting data from several national databases and linking the databases for all adult patients admitted to hospital in Scotland with COVID-19. We used latent class trajectory modelling to identify distinct clusters of patients on the basis of their emergency admissions to hospital in the 2 years before the index admission. The primary outcomes were mortality and emergency readmission up to 1 year after index admission. We used multivariable regression models to explore associations between these outcomes and patient demographics, vaccination status, level of care received in hospital, and previous emergency hospital use.FindingsBetween March 1, 2020, and Oct 25, 2021, 33 580 patients were admitted to hospital with COVID-19 in Scotland. Overall, the Kaplan-Meier estimate of mortality within 1 year of index admission was 29·6% (95% CI 29·1-30·2). The cumulative incidence of emergency hospital readmission within 30 days of index discharge was 14·4% (95% CI 14·0-14·8), with the number increasing to 35·6% (34·9-36·3) patients at 1 year. Among the 33 580 patients, we identified four distinct patterns of previous emergency hospital use: no admissions (n=18 772 [55·9%]); minimal admissions (n=12 057 [35·9%]); recently high admissions (n=1931 [5·8%]), and persistently high admissions (n=820 [2·4%]). Patients with recently or persistently high admissions were older, more multimorbid, and more likely to have hospital-acquired COVID-19 than patients with no or minimal admissions. People in the minimal, recently high, and persistently high admissions groups had an increased risk of mortality and hospital readmission compared with those in the no admissions group. Compared with the no admissions group, mortality was highest in the recently high admissions group (post-hospital mortality HR 2·70 [95% CI 2·35-2·81]; pInterpretationLong-term mortality and readmission rates for patients hospitalised with COVID-19 were high; within 1 year, one in three patients had died and a third had been readmitted as an emergency. Patterns of hospital use before index admission were strongly predictive of mortality and readmission risk, independent of age, pre-existing comorbidities, and COVID-19 vaccination status. This increasingly precise identification of individuals at high risk of poor outcomes from COVID-19 will enable targeted support.FundingChief Scientist Office Scotland, UK National Institute for Health Research, and UK Research and Innovation