Preventing Sepsis Mortality

This research project explores recent evidence based research on preventing sepsis mortality in inpatient units. Sepsis mortality is an increasing problem in the state of Kentucky and demands immediate intervention. At Baptist Health Paducah, 44 deaths were related to sepsis in a 5-month period. Most deaths related to sepsis can be prevented. This research looks at how these deaths can be prevented and how nurses must change their practice to avoid further mortality from sepsis. This paper includes a literature review of recent research proving that sepsis mortality can be prevented by focusing on discharge teaching to all patients, implementing “code sepsis” in the facility, looking at trends in vital signs over time and strict compliance with sepsis protocols

A mating aggregation of Dasymutilla foxi in southern Arizona (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae)

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Tissue-specific DNA methylation is conserved across human, mouse, and rat, and driven by primary sequence conservation

Abstract Background Uncovering mechanisms of epigenome evolution is an essential step towards understanding the evolution of different cellular phenotypes. While studies have confirmed DNA methylation as a conserved epigenetic mechanism in mammalian development, little is known about the conservation of tissue-specific genome-wide DNA methylation patterns. Results Using a comparative epigenomics approach, we identified and compared the tissue-specific DNA methylation patterns of rat against those of mouse and human across three shared tissue types. We confirmed that tissue-specific differentially methylated regions are strongly associated with tissue-specific regulatory elements. Comparisons between species revealed that at a minimum 11-37% of tissue-specific DNA methylation patterns are conserved, a phenomenon that we define as epigenetic conservation. Conserved DNA methylation is accompanied by conservation of other epigenetic marks including histone modifications. Although a significant amount of locus-specific methylation is epigenetically conserved, the majority of tissue-specific DNA methylation is not conserved across the species and tissue types that we investigated. Examination of the genetic underpinning of epigenetic conservation suggests that primary sequence conservation is a driving force behind epigenetic conservation. In contrast, evolutionary dynamics of tissue-specific DNA methylation are best explained by the maintenance or turnover of binding sites for important transcription factors. Conclusions Our study extends the limited literature of comparative epigenomics and suggests a new paradigm for epigenetic conservation without genetic conservation through analysis of transcription factor binding sites