Using Systems Engineering to Translate Research into Action

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Magnetically induced release of fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) from polymer nanoparticle composites (PNCs)

Magnetically induced drug release can be used as a site-specific, minimally invasive pharmaceutical treatment. Its purpose is to increase the efficacy of drug therapies to diseased or damaged tissue and to decrease the amount of unnecessary damage to healthy, surrounding tissue. To prove the concept of drug release by a magnetic field, this study focused on the release of a fluorescent molecule from magnetic polymeric nanoparticle composites (PNCs) via induction of an alternating current (AC) magnetic field. Fluorescent magnetic PNCs used were 250 ?m or less in size, and were made of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) containing either the magnetic material magnetite nanoparticles or cobalt nanoparticles, and the fluorescent dye fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC). Characterization of the composites included transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for size and morphology, fluorescent microscopy for fluorescent images, elemental analysis for iron and cobalt content, and superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometer readings for saturation magnetization measurements and field profiles of each particle type. Magnetic release of FITC from the composites was induced by applying an AC magnetic field to the PNCs in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) at various frequencies in the range of 44-430 Hz at the corresponding voltage of 15-123 V, magnetic field strength of approximately 465 G and current of 11 A. The PNCs were exposed to the magnetic field for various amounts of time ranging from 5 minutes to 3 hours and at temperatures of 4°C, 22°C, and 43°C. For each experiment, a control sample that was not exposed to the magnetic field was also tested for release. Fluorescence released was measured using a fluorospectrometer following filtration and sample dilution. The investigations demonstrated that the release of FITC was not significantly dependent on the frequency of the magnetic field, the experimental duration, nor the presence of the AC magnetic field. The study demonstrated, however, that greater release of FITC was dependent on higher temperatures and that magnetite-PNCs released more FITC than cobalt-PNCs. This research potentially leads the way to the biological applications of in-vitro and in-vivo studies of magnetically induced, controlled drug release from magnetic polymeric structures

Medical System Concept of Operations for Mars Exploration Mission-11: Exploration Medical Capability (ExMC) Element - Human Research Program

NASAs exploration missions to Mars will have durations of 2-3 years and will take humans farther away from Earth than ever before. This will result in a paradigm shift for mission planning, spacecraft design, human systems integration, and in-flight medical care. Constraints on real-time communication, resupply, and medical evacuation are major architectural drivers. These constraints require medical system development to be tightly integrated with mission and vehicle design to provide crew autonomy and enable mission success. This concept of operations provides a common vision of medical care for developing a medical system for Mars exploration missions. It documents an overview of the stakeholder needs and goals of a medical system and provides examples of the types of activities the system will be used for during the mission. Development of the concept of operations considers mission variables such as distance from Earth, duration of mission, time to definitive medical care, communication protocols between crewmembers and ground support, personnel capabilities and skill sets, medical hardware and software, and medical data management. The information provided in this document informs the ExMC Systems Engineering effort to define the functions to be provided by the medical system. In addition, this concept of operations will inform the subsequent systems engineering process of developing technical requirements, system architectures, interfaces, and verification and validation approaches for the medical system. This document supports the closure of ExMC Gap Med01: We do not have a concept of operations for medical care during exploration missions, corresponding to the ExMC-managed human system risk: Risk of Adverse Health Outcomes & Decrements in Performance due to Inflight Medical Conditions. This document is applicable to the ExMC Element Systems Engineering process and may be used for collaboration within the Human Research Program

Exploration Medical Capability Systems Engineering Overview and Update

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IMPACT Concept of Operations

NASAs future exploration missions mandate a significant paradigm change for mission planning, spacecraft design, human systems integration, and in-flight medical care due to constraints on mass, volume, power, resupply missions, and medical evacuation capabilities. These constraints require further development of the human health and performance system, which includes the medical, task performance, wellness, data, human and other systems necessary to keep the crew healthy and functioning optimally. The human health and performance system will be tightly integrated with mission and habitat design to provide a sufficient human health and performance infrastructure to enable mission success. A suite of systems engineering tools will aid in the decision making process for the development of such a human health and performance system. This Concept of Operations provides a vision for a tool suite to conduct evaluations of human health and performance system options, inform research prioritization, and provide trade study support, based on evidence, risks, and systems engineering principles. The integrated tool suite under development is IMPACT

Exploration Medical Capability Systems Engineering Overview and Update

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Exploring the intersection of violence against women and girls with post-conflict statebuilding and peacebuilding processes: a new analytical framework

Conflict-related violence against women and girls (VAWG) has drawn increasing attention, yet scholars, policymakers, and practitioners focussed on conflict-related VAWG and those focussed on post-conflict statebuilding and peacebuilding have largely worked separately. Less attention has been given to VAWG during post-conflict transitions than during conflict itself. This article makes three major contributions to guide researchers and policymakers in addressing VAWG in post-conflict contexts. First, it identifies critical gaps in understanding the intersection between VAWG and post-conflict statebuilding and peacebuilding processes. Second, it presents an ecological model to explore the drivers of VAWG during and after armed conflict. Third, it proposes a conceptual framework for analysing and addressing the intersections of VAWG with both post-conflict statebuilding and peacebuilding. The article concludes that application of this framework can help policymakers shape statebuilding and peacebuilding processes to more effectively institutionalise approaches to VAWG so that post-conflict transitions advance sustainable, positive peace

Interpretation of NASA-STD-3001 Levels of Care for Exploration Medical System Development

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Intervención psicosocial enfocada en el manejo de ansiedad y tristeza que presenta el personal de enfermería del área de emergencia de la Clínica Club de Leones “Quito Luz de América” Centro Médico Metropolitano de Carcelén producto de la pandemia por COVID 19, entre los meses de marzo a junio 2021

El presente trabajo que se presentará a continuación contiene la sistematización del proyecto de intervención realizado conjuntamente con el personal de enfermería del área de emergencia de Clínica Club de Leones “Quito Luz de América” Centro Médico Metropolitano de Carcelén, el cual tuvo como finalidad realizar una intervención psicosocial enfocada al manejo de la ansiedad y tristeza, producto de la pandemia por Covid- 19. Esta información se encuentra dividida en dos partes. La primera parte se encuentra el objetivo de la sistematización, en el cual se define con precisión el resultado que se espera de la intervención, a su vez se determinan los aspectos específicos. Se explicarán las herramientas utilizadas, descritas de manera general, también se formularon tres tipos de preguntas entre ellas están: de inicio, interpretativas y de cierre, después se organizará y se procesará la información utilizando matrices y finalmente se hará un análisis de la información. La segunda parte hace referencia a la experiencia de la sistematización, la cual está dividida en los siguientes puntos: justificación, caracterización de los beneficiarios, interpretación, la cual hace referencia a la reflexión de la experiencia y un análisis objetivo, posteriormente tenemos los logros y para culminar las conclusiones y recomendaciones.The present work that will be presented below contains the systematization of the intervention project carried out jointly with the nursing staff of the emergency area of the Clinic Club de Leones "Quito Luz de América" Metropolitan Medical Center of Carcelen, which aimed to carry out a Psychosocial intervention focused on the management of anxiety and sadness, a product of the Covid-19 pandemic. This information is divided into two parts. The first part is the objective of the systematization, in which the expected result of the intervention is precisely defined, in turn the specific aspects are determined. The tools used will be explained, described in a general way, three types of questions were also formulated, among them are: initial, interpretive and closing, then the information will be organized and processed using matrices and finally an analysis of the information will be made. The second part refers to the experience of systematization, which is divided into the following points: justification, characterization of the beneficiaries, interpretation, which refers to the reflection of the experience and an objective analysis, later we have the achievements and to finalize the conclusions and recommendations