SOCIAL MEDIA: CREATING STUDENT AWARENESS OF ITS USE IN THE HIRING PROCESS

As the use of social media permeates our lives, it is important for business educators to promote the effective use of this technology to students for both their role as job seekers as well as potential hiring managers. This article will present current perceptions among business students on using social media in the job search process, primary research from recruiters in an attempt to understand employers’ policies and practices with respect to the use of social media in the hiring process, key laws which students should be aware of with respect to the use of social media by employers, and practical guidance for students throughout their business school experience. In addition, a proposed teaching method will be presented on how to convey this practical guidance to students in a compelling and impactful manner

Evaluation of Standard- and High-Dose Daptomycin versus Linezolid against Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus Isolates in an In Vitro Pharmacokinetic/Pharmacodynamic Model with Simulated Endocardial Vegetations

Daptomycin MICs for enterococci are typically 1- to 2-fold higher than those for Staphylococcus aureus, and there is an imminent need to establish the optimal dose for appropriate treatment of enterococcal infections. We investigated the bactericidal activity of daptomycin at various dose exposures compared to that of linezolid against vancomycin-resistant enterococcus (VRE) in an in vitro pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic model utilizing simulated endocardial vegetations over 96 h. Daptomycin at doses of 6, 8, 10, and 12 mg/kg of body weight/day and linezolid at a dose of 600 mg every 12 h were evaluated against two clinical vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium strains (EFm11499 and 09-184D1051), one of which was linezolid resistant (09-184D1051), and one clinical vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis strain (EFs11496). Daptomycin MICs were 4, 2, and 0.5 μg/ml for EFm11499, 09-184D1051, and EFs11496, respectively. Bactericidal activity, defined as a ≥3 log10 CFU/g reduction from the initial colony count, was demonstrated against all three isolates with all doses of daptomycin; however, bactericidal activity was not sustained with the daptomycin 6- and 8-mg/kg/day regimens. Linezolid was bacteriostatic against EFm11499 and displayed no appreciable activity against 09-184D1051 or EFs11496. Concentration-dependent killing was displayed with more sustained reduction in colony count (3.58 to 6.46 and 5.89 to 6.56 log10 CFU/g) at 96 h for the simulated regimen of daptomycin at doses of 10 and 12 mg/kg/day, respectively (P ≤ 0.012). No E. faecium mutants with reduced susceptibility were recovered at any dosage regimen; however, the E. faecalis strain developed reduced daptomycin susceptibility with daptomycin at 6, 8, and 10 but not at 12 mg/kg/day. Daptomycin displayed a dose-dependent response against three VRE isolates, with high-dose daptomycin producing sustained bactericidal activity. Further research is warranted.This investigator-initiated study was funded by a research grant from Cubist Pharmaceuticals. We are grateful to Audrey Wanger for providing isolate 09-184D1051 and to Marcus Zervos for providing isolates SF11496 and SF11499. M.J.R. has received grant support, has served as a consultant, or has participated as a speaker for Astellas, Cubist, Forest Laboratories, Pfizer, Rib-X, and Novartis and is supported in part by grant R21AI092055 from the NIAID. C.A.A. has received lecture fees, research support, and consulting fees from Pfizer, Inc., and Cubist and has served as a speaker for Novartis. C.A.A. is supported in part by NIH grants R00 AI72961 and R01 AI093749 from the NIAID. B.E.M. has received grant support from Johnson & Johnson, Astellas, Palumed, Intercell, and Cubist, has served as a consultant for Astellas, Cubist, The Medicines Company, Pfizer, Rib-X, AstraZeneca, and Duranta Therapeutics, and was supported in part by NIH grant R01 AI72961

Cognitive dysfunction after analgesia and sedation: Out of the operating room and into the pediatric intensive care unit

In the midst of concerns for potential neurodevelopmental effects after surgical anesthesia, there is a growing awareness that children who require sedation during critical illness are susceptible to neurologic dysfunctions collectively termed pediatric post-intensive care syndrome, or PICS-p. In contrast to healthy children undergoing elective surgery, critically ill children are subject to inordinate neurologic stress or injury and need to be considered separately. Despite recognition of PICS-p, inconsistency in techniques and timing of post-discharge assessments continues to be a significant barrier to understanding the specific role of sedation in later cognitive dysfunction. Nonetheless, available pediatric studies that account for analgesia and sedation consistently identify sedative and opioid analgesic exposures as risk factors for both in-hospital delirium and post-discharge neurologic sequelae. Clinical observations are supported by animal models showing neuroinflammation, increased neuronal death, dysmyelination, and altered synaptic plasticity and neurotransmission. Additionally, intensive care sedation also contributes to sleep disruption, an important and overlooked variable during acute illness and post-discharge recovery. Because analgesia and sedation are potentially modifiable, understanding the underlying mechanisms could transform sedation strategies to improve outcomes. To move the needle on this, prospective clinical studies would benefit from cohesion with regard to datasets and core outcome assessments, including sleep quality. Analyses should also account for the wide range of diagnoses, heterogeneity of this population, and the dynamic nature of neurodevelopment in age cohorts. Much of the related preclinical evidence has been studied in comparatively brief anesthetic exposures in healthy animals during infancy and is not generalizable to critically ill children. Thus, complementary animal models that more accurately reverse translate critical illness paradigms and the effect of analgesia and sedation on neuropathology and functional outcomes are needed. This review explores the interactive role of sedatives and the neurologic vulnerability of critically ill children as it pertains to survivorship and functional outcomes, which is the next frontier in pediatric intensive care

Better Living Through Chemistry: Addressing Emerging Antibiotic Resistance

The increasing emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria is recognized as a major threat to human health worldwide. While the use of small molecule antibiotics has enabled many modern medical advances, it has also facilitated the development of resistant organisms. This minireview provides an overview of current small molecule drugs approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in humans, the unintended consequences of antibiotic use, and the mechanisms that underlie the development of drug resistance. Promising new approaches and strategies to counter antibiotic-resistant bacteria with small molecules are highlighted. However, continued public investment in this area is critical to maintain an edge in our evolutionary arms race against antibiotic-resistant microorganisms. Impact statement The alarming increase in antibiotic-resistant microorganisms is a rapidly emerging threat to human health throughout the world. Historically, small molecule drugs have played a major role in controlling bacterial infections and they continue to offer tremendous potential in countering resistant organisms. This minireview provides a broad overview of the relevant issues, including the diversity of FDA-approved small molecule drugs and mechanisms of drug resistance, unintended consequences of antibiotic use, the current state of development for small molecule antibacterials and financial challenges that impact progress towards novel therapies. The content will be informative to diverse stakeholders, including clinicians, basic scientists, translational scientists and policy makers, and may be used as a bridge between these key players to advance the development of much-needed therapeutics

Physician Intervention to Positive Depression Screens Among Adolescents in Primary Care

Purpose The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of computer-based screening and physician feedback to guide adolescent depression management within primary care. Methods We conducted a prospective cohort study within two clinics of the computer-based depression screening and physician feedback algorithm among youth aged 12–20 years between October 2014 and October 2015 in Marion County (Indianapolis), Indiana. Results Our sample included 2,038 youth (51% female; 60% black; mean age = 14.6 years [standard deviation = 2.1]). Over 20% of youth screened positive for depression on the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 and 303 youth (14.8%) screened positive on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). The most common follow-up action by physicians was a referral to mental health services (34.2% mild, 46.8% moderate, and 72.2% severe range). Almost 11% of youth in the moderate range and 22.7% of youth in the severe range were already prescribed a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor. When predicting mental health service referral, significant predictors in the multivariate analysis included clinic site (40.2% vs. 73.9%; p < .0001) and PHQ-9 score (severe range 77.8% vs. mild range 47.5%; p < .01). Similarly, when predicting initiation of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, only clinic site (28.6% vs. 6.9%; p < .01) and PHQ-9 score (severe range 46.7% vs. moderate range 10.6%; p < .001) were significant. Conclusions When a computer-based decision support system algorithm focused on adolescent depression was implemented in two primary care clinics, a majority of physicians utilized screening results to guide clinical care

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on breast, colorectal, lung, and prostate cancer stage at diagnosis according to race

PURPOSE: To determine if the COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated racial disparities in late-stage presentation of breast, colorectal, lung, and prostate cancers. METHODS: We conducted a registry-based retrospective study of patients with newly reported diagnoses of breast, colorectal, lung, and prostate cancers between March 2019-June 2019 (pre-COVID-19) and March 2020-June 2020 (early-COVID-19). We compared the volume of new diagnoses and stage at presentation according to race between both periods. RESULTS: During the study period, a total of 3528 patients had newly diagnosed cancer; 3304 of which had known disease stages and were included in the formal analyses. 467 (14.1%) were Blacks, and 2743 were (83%) Whites. 1216 (36.8%) had breast, 415 (12.6%) had colorectal, 827 (25%) had lung, and 846 (25.6%) had prostate cancers, respectively. The pre-COVID-19 period included 2120 (64.2%), and the early-COVID-19 period included 1184 (35.8%), representing a proportional 44.2% decline in the volume of new cases of breast, colorectal, lung, and prostate cancers, p \u3c 0.0001. Pre-COVID-19, 16.8% were diagnosed with metastatic disease, versus 20.4% early-COVID-19, representing a proportional increase of 21.4% in the numbers of new cases with metastatic disease, p = 0.01. There was a non-significant proportional decline of 1.9% in Black patients diagnosed with non-metastatic breast, colorectal, lung, and prostate cancers early-COVID-19 (p = 0.71) and a non-significant proportional increase of 7% in Black patients diagnosed with metastatic disease (p = 0.71). Difference-in-difference analyses showed no statistically significant differences in metastatic presentation comparing Black to White patients. CONCLUSION: While we identified substantial reductions in the volume of new cancer diagnoses and increases in metastatic presentations due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the impact was similar for White and Black patients

Astrobites as a Community-led Model for Education, Science Communication, and Accessibility in Astrophysics

Support for early career astronomers who are just beginning to explore astronomy research is imperative to increase retention of diverse practitioners in the field. Since 2010, Astrobites has played an instrumental role in engaging members of the community -- particularly undergraduate and graduate students -- in research. In this white paper, the Astrobites collaboration outlines our multi-faceted online education platform that both eases the transition into astronomy research and promotes inclusive professional development opportunities. We additionally offer recommendations for how the astronomy community can reduce barriers to entry to astronomy research in the coming decade

A designer's approach: How can autistic adults with learning disabilities be involved in the design process?

Autistic adults with limited speech and additional learning disabilities who are often excluded from design research are at the heart of this project. These are people whose perceptions, experiences and interactions with their surroundings are unique, but also are people who may not be able to communicate verbally their differences to the remaining 99% of the population. This, in combination with their distinctive cognitive profile, has resulted in a lack of studies involving people living with autism, and consequently their life experiences may neither be heard nor understood and remain largely unexplored. By reflecting upon the ongoing design collaboration between The Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design and the autism charity The Kingwood Trust, this paper reflects on the approach and methods used in three design studies. Particular attention is paid towards the careful selection, adaptation and development of collaborative design methods for autistic adults and their support staff to be involved. By working beyond the boundaries of a neurotypical culture, the project aims to support the greater goal of improving the everyday experiences of people living with autism by breaking down the barriers to participation

Preoperative Psoas Muscle Size Predicts Postoperative Delirium in Older Adults Undergoing Surgery: A Pilot Cohort Study

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/136001/1/jgs14571.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/136001/2/jgs14571_am.pd