Effects of High-Fidelity Simulation on Student Perceptions of Interprofessional Education

Background: Interprofessional education is gaining momentum in healthcare education through the accreditation standards for various health professions and requirements from government initiatives like the Affordable Care Act. The role of high-fidelity simulation in healthcare education is growing and serves as a mechanism to implement interprofessional education. Purpose: Assess the change in healthcare students’ perceptions of interprofessional education following a high-fidelity emergency medicine simulation. Methods: Students from a medical, nursing, and pharmacy school participated in a high fidelity simulation event. There was first a brief presentation on interdisciplinary teamwork. The Student Perceptions of Interprofessional Clinical Education-Revised 2 (SPICE-R 2) was administered before and after a series of high fidelity simulation cases. A t-test used to compare changes in three factors from pre- to post-test. Results: There were statistically significant differences for the three factors in the pre- and post-test surveys -- interprofessional teamwork and team-based practice (p = 0.004), roles and responsibilities for collaborative practice (p = 0.001), and patient outcomes from collaborative practice (p = 0.009). Post-hoc analysis using ANOVA did not show any significant differences between demographic groups with respect to school, year, and involvement in prior IPE events. Discussion: High-fidelity simulation improved student perceptions of interdisciplinary education in three factors. The interdisciplinary simulation experience highlighted the value of working in interprofessional teams and reinforced the role each profession plays in coordinated patient care. Additionally, students improved their perception of the ability of healthcare teams to deliver positive patient outcomes. Conclusion: High-fidelity simulation provides an eff means to improve student perceptions of interprofessional education across healthcare disciplines

Vibrationally excited populations from IR‐multiphoton absorption. I. Absorbed energy and reaction yield measurements

The molecule 1,1,2‐trifluroethane (TFE) was used in experiments to determine the population distribution of excited molecules produced by infrared multiphoton absorption induced by high power TEA CO2 lasers operating at 1079.85 cm−1 [9.6 μm R(22) line]. Optoacoustic measurements of absorbed laser power provided a measure of the mean energy of the population distribution, while very low pressure photolysis measurements of the collision‐free decomposition yield gave information about the high‐energy tail of the distribution. The experimental results were accurately simulated using a Master Equation model that incorporated Quack’s statistical–dynamical theory of infrared multiphoton absorption (cases B and C), RRKM unimolecular reactions (three channels), and collisional energy transfer. The computer simulations included known TFE molecular properties and only four adjustable parameters, which were very highly constrained in order to fit the experimental data. From the simulations, we conclude that the optical coupling matrix elements are dramatically reduced in magnitude for energies above the reaction thresholds. This effect is symptomatic of the vibrational anharmonicity due to the presence of the reaction channels, even in molecules that have not yet reacted, resulting in vibrational frequency shifts of the absorption lines out of resonance with the laser line. This effect is expected to be present and observable in other highly vibrationally excited molecules.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/69859/2/JCPSA6-83-12-6251-1.pd

Charge density analysis of two polymorphs of antimony(III) oxide

High-resolution X-ray diffraction data have been collected on the cubic polymorph of antimony(III) oxide (senarmontite) to determine the charge distribution in the crystal. The results are in quantitative agreement with crystal Hartree–Fock calculations for this polymorph, and have been compared with theoretical calculations on the orthorhombic polymorph (valentinite). Information about the nature of bonding and relative bond strengths in the two polymorphs has been extracted in a straightforward manner via topological analysis of the electron density. All the close contacts in both polymorphs are found to be similar in nature based on the value of the Laplacian, the magnitude of the electron density and the local energy density at the bond critical points, and these characterise the observed interactions as substantially polar covalent, similar to molecular calculation results on Si–O and Ge–O. Electrostatic potential isosurfaces reveal the octopolar nature of this function for senarmontite, and shed light on the observed packing arrangement of Sb4O6 molecules in the crystal

Formation of levoglucosenone and furfural from three different carrageenans via acid-catalyzed pyrolysis in polyethylene glycol

To further develop the potential for carrageenan-use in a seaweed biorefinery, the acid-catalyzed pyrolysis of kappa-, iota- and lambda-carrageenans has been studied in polyethylene glycol (PEG). Using differential scanning calorimetry, it was found that decomposition temperatures for the three polysaccharides were broadened and lowered by 33–60 °C in the presence of H2SO4 and PEG compared to polysaccharide alone. Levoglucosenone (LGO) and furfural were the major products from all polysaccharides with LGO yields of 21.3 mg/gcarr (3.5 mol%), 10.7 mg/gcarr (2.2 mol%) and 3.9 mg/gcarr (1 mol%) and furfural yields of 5.9 mg/gcarr (1.3 mol%), 2.8 mg/gcarr (0.7 mol%) and 1.2 mg/gcarr (0.4 mol%), for kappa-, iota- and lambda-carrageenans, respectively. Total sulfate inversely correlated with the generation of volatile compounds, and the 3,6-anhydro structure may encourage the formation of the major products during the acid-catalyzed pyrolysis of carrageenan in PEG

Synthesis, Characterisation and Application of Polymeric Scale Inhibitors

Desalination of seawater by both the evaporation (e.g. multi stage flash, MSF) and membrane (e.g. reverse osmosis, RO) processes encounters difficulties with precipitation of sparingly soluble inorganic salts such as calcium carbonate (CaCO), magnesium hydroxide (Mg(OH)) and calcium sulfate (CaSO). These precipitate during the desalination process when their solubility product Ksp is exceeded. To control this scaling problem, several methods for scale prevention and control are used, such as acid and additive treatments. Scale inhibitors are chemical additives that have gained importance in controlling scale formation and/or deposition in recent decades. These are low molecular weight organic compounds, typically phosphonates, or polymers of molecular weight 1000-4000, typically containing carboxylate, sulfonate or phosphonate groups

The MMC BioBank is a Resource that Supports Biomedical Research

Mission: To provide normal and diseased annotated human biospecimens to the research community that supports discoveries leading to improved patient therapies and advances in personalized medicine.https://knowledgeconnection.mainehealth.org/lambrew-retreat-2021/1052/thumbnail.jp

The discovery of potent, selective, and reversible inhibitors of the house dust mite peptidase allergen Der p 1: an innovative approach to the treatment of allergic asthma.

Blocking the bioactivity of allergens is conceptually attractive as a small-molecule therapy for allergic diseases but has not been attempted previously. Group 1 allergens of house dust mites (HDM) are meaningful targets in this quest because they are globally prevalent and clinically important triggers of allergic asthma. Group 1 HDM allergens are cysteine peptidases whose proteolytic activity triggers essential steps in the allergy cascade. Using the HDM allergen Der p 1 as an archetype for structure-based drug discovery, we have identified a series of novel, reversible inhibitors. Potency and selectivity were manipulated by optimizing drug interactions with enzyme binding pockets, while variation of terminal groups conferred the physicochemical and pharmacokinetic attributes required for inhaled delivery. Studies in animals challenged with the gamut of HDM allergens showed an attenuation of allergic responses by targeting just a single component, namely, Der p 1. Our findings suggest that these inhibitors may be used as novel therapies for allergic asthma

Revising acute care systems and processes to improve breastfeeding and maternal postnatal health: a pre and post intervention study in one English maternity unit

Background Most women in the UK give birth in a hospital labour ward, following which they are transferred to a postnatal ward and discharged home within 24 to 48 hours of the birth. Despite policy and guideline recommendations to support planned, effective postnatal care, national surveys of women’s views of maternity care have consistently found in-patient postnatal care, including support for breastfeeding, is poorly rated. Methods Using a Continuous Quality Improvement approach, routine antenatal, intrapartum and postnatal care systems and processes were revised to support implementation of evidence based postnatal practice. To identify if implementation of a multi-faceted QI intervention impacted on outcomes, data on breastfeeding initiation and duration, maternal health and women’s views of care, were collected in a pre and post intervention longitudinal survey. Primary outcomes included initiation, overall duration and duration of exclusive breastfeeding. Secondary outcomes included maternal morbidity, experiences and satisfaction with care. As most outcomes of interest were measured on a nominal scale, these were compared pre and post intervention using logistic regression. Results Data were obtained on 741/1160 (64%) women at 10 days post-birth and 616 (54%) at 3 months post-birth pre-intervention, and 725/1153 (63%) and 575 (50%) respectively postintervention. Post intervention there were statistically significant differences in the initiation (p = 0.050), duration of any breastfeeding (p = 0.020) and duration of exclusive breastfeeding to 10 days (p = 0.038) and duration of any breastfeeding to three months (p = 0.016). Post intervention, women were less likely to report physical morbidity within the first 10 days of birth, and were more positive about their in-patient care. Conclusions It is possible to improve outcomes of routine in-patient care within current resources through continuous quality improvement