Seven Foundational Principles of Population Health Policy

In 2016, Keyes and Galea issued 9 foundational principles of population health science and invited further deliberations by specialists to advance the field. This article presents 7 foundational principles of population health policy whose intersection with health care, public health, preventive medicine, and now population health, presents unique challenges. These principles are in response to a number of overarching questions that have arisen in over a decade of the authors\u27 collective practice in the public and private sectors, and having taught policy within programs of medicine, law, nursing, and public health at the graduate and executive levels. The principles address an audience of practitioners and policy makers, mindful of the pressing health care challenges of our time, including: rising health-related expenditures, an aging population, workforce shortages, health disparities, and a backdrop of inequities rooted in social determinants that have not been adequately translated into formal policies or practices among the key stakeholders in population health. These principles are meant to empower stakeholders—whether it is the planner or the practitioner, the decision maker or the dedicated caregiver—and inform the development of practical tools, research, and education

Effects of serum uric acid on tophus involvement of tendon?

Background:The worldwide prevalence of hyperuricemia and burden of gout is reportedly increased in last few decades. Serum uric acid levels above threshold levels result in nucleation of monosodium urate (MSU) crystals and leads to deposition of crystals in tissues and around joints among cases of long-standing hyperuricemia. However, subclinical inflammation always precedes the deposition of crystals and other manifestation of gout. Material & Methods: In the present study 200 Patients who were diagnosed with gout by ACR (American College of Rheumatology) criteria were enrolled for the study by simple random sampling. Clearance from Institutional Ethics Committee was taken before start of study. Written informed consent was taken from each study participant. Results: In the present study, 112 (56%) patients the serum uric acid levels were found more than 7 mg/dl. Out of these patients 34 (30.4%) were previously diagnosed with high serum uric acid (more than 7 mg/dl). We found that intra-tendinous tophus is most common in patellar tendon among 18 (9%) patients which is followed by involvement of quadriceps tendon among16 (8%) patients and involvement of Achilles tendon and peroneus tendon among 6 (3%) cases respectively. tophi in both quadriceps and Achilles tendon among14 (7%) patients which is followed by involvement of both quadriceps and patellar tendon among 10 (5%) patients and 6 (3%) patients had involvement of both patellar and Achilles tendon.Conclusion: We concluded from the present study that the ultrasound examination and all the hyperechoic aggregates of intra-tendinous tophus was the most common presentation among tendons of lower limb. Involvement of patellar tendon was the most common presentation which is followed by Quadriceps and Achilles tendon.   Key words:Uric acid, Tophus, Tendon

Dosimetric Analysis of Neural and Vascular Structures in Skull Base Tumors Treated with Stereotactic Radiosurgery.

Objective To examine the relationship between the prescribed target dose and the dose to healthy neurovascular structures in patients with vestibular schwannomas treated with stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). Study Design Case series with chart review. Setting SRS center from 2011 to 2013. Subjects Twenty patients with vestibular schwannomas treated at the center from 2011 to 2013. Methods Twenty patients with vestibular schwannomas were included. The average radiation dose delivered to healthy neurovascular structures (eg, carotid artery, basilar artery, facial nerve, trigeminal nerve, and cochlea) was analyzed. Results Twenty patients with vestibular schwannomas who were treated with fused computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging-guided SRS were included in the study. The prescribed dose ranged from 10.58 to 17.40 Gy over 1 to 3 hypofractions to cover 95% of the target tumor volume. The mean dose to the carotid artery was 5.66 Gy (95% confidence interval [CI], 4.53-6.80 Gy), anterior inferior cerebellar artery was 8.70 Gy (95% CI, 4.54-12.86 Gy), intratemporal facial nerve was 3.76 Gy (95% CI, 3.04-4.08 Gy), trigeminal nerve was 5.21 Gy (95% CI, 3.31-7.11 Gy), and the cochlea was 8.70 Gy (95% CI, 7.81-9.59 Gy). Conclusions SRS for certain vestibular schwannomas can expose the anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA) and carotid artery to radiation doses that can potentially initiate atherosclerotic processes. The higher doses to the AICA and carotid artery correlated with increasing tumor volume. The dose delivered to other structures such as the cochlea and intratemporal facial nerve appears to be lower and much less likely to cause immediate complications when shielded

Early clinical outcomes after small incision lenticule extraction surgery (SMILE)

Purpose Dry eye is known to impact on clinical outcomes after laser vision correction and the use of a newer ‘all femtosecond laser’ surgical approach may be associated with less impact on the ocular surface post-operatively. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the early clinical outcomes and tear instability after the first small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) cases undertaken by three surgeons at a single site in the UK. Methods Retrospective audit. Seventy-one eyes of 37 patients underwent SMILE surgery using the Zeiss VisuMax laser system (Carl Zeiss Meditec, Germany). Uncorrected and corrected distance visual acuity, spherical equivalent refraction, fluorescein enhanced tear break up time, simulated keratometry and complications were evaluated pre- and post-operatively where applicable. Results The study population consisted of 21 males and 16 females. The mean ± standard deviation age was 33 ± 8 years. The results showed that 100% of eyes achieved 20/40 or better and 88% achieved 20/20 or better uncorrected distance visual acuity. The spherical equivalent refraction after surgery was within ±0.50D in 82% of eyes at three months. There was no significant difference in tear break up time from pre-operative levels at three months. Complications were infrequent. Conclusions This early data from surgeons’ first SMILE procedures suggest SMILE provides good outcomes in terms of refractive predictability and visual acuity with minimal impact on the tear film. Longitudinal research will further improve our understanding of the longer-term impact of SMILE on clinical outcomes, ocular surface metrics and patient reported outcomes

The challenging and critical role of information professionals in combating AIDS in India

Paper presented at Asia-Pacific Conference on Library & Information Education and Practice 2006, Singapore.The nature of work for librarians/information professionals is undergoing a profound transformation, due to the arrival of deadly diseases like AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome) and the change in information needs of the local community. This change necessitates much more professional expertise, updated knowledge, critical thinking and involvement in developing effective AIDS literacy programs. Information professionals serving in different libraries or potential information dissemination centers can provide dedicated services to society by helping to access AIDS information not only in urban settings but also in rural environments. This paper outlines strategies for effective collaboration in the context of AIDS literacy promotion efforts. It identifies a number of obstacles in the process of empowering the community and suitable measures essential for success

E-repository at Drexel University: vision and evolution

Presented at IEEE Library Advisory Council Meeting, New York City, NY

Impact of interdisciplinary scientific research on science and engineering librarianship in academic institutions

Looking at the ongoing trend in academic institutions with science and engineering focus, it appears that information needs of researchers in those areas are becoming increasingly interdisciplinary in nature. For example, Nanotechnology research requires collaboration among researchers from various expertise areas such as Chemistry, Materials Science and Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Physics, Biotechnology, Nanomedicine, etc. Analysis of book requests, journal requests along with consultations with faculty and students are indicative of how interdisciplinary their needs have become. The nature of interdisciplinary information is expected to have an impact on science and engineering librarianship from several perspectives such as collection development in both print and electronic media, outreach, collection management, library instruction and how both science and engineering librarians interact with each other. This poster focuses on analyzing research trends at Drexel University and proposes that close collaboration of the science and engineering librarians is crucial for the successful delivery of information services to emerging technology areas

Innovative approaches to information literacy instruction for engineering undergraduates at Drexel University

European Journal of Engineering Education, 32(3): pp. 243–251As information professionals, engineering librarians have the primary responsibilities of providing access to engineering information resources and giving instruction in how to use these resources. In the case of undergraduate engineering students, this extends to building their information literacy skills, an important component in helping them become lifelong learners; to be curious and independent, and to take greater responsibility for their own learning. The challenge in building information literacy in engineering students is to acquaint the students with the array of library resources available to them and to help them intelligently navigate the systems that contain the information. Too often, information literacy instruction is presented as a set of procedures for locating a hypothetical resource in the library. However, students are not interested in finding some resource randomly chosen as an example; they want to find resources that they perceive as being important and useful. During the 2005-2006 academic year, the engineering librarians at Drexel University took this into consideration and employed a new methodology for information literacy instruction: combining an online tutorial covering basic library skills with face-to-face consultations between student design teams and the engineering librarians. By utilizing varied instruction techniques aimed at different learning styles, with a strong active learning component delivered at the student's point of need - when they have a concrete, perceived information need - information literacy instruction can be improved so that engineering students retain more and develop lifelong learning skills

UC-14 TeleClinic

TeleClinic is a telemedicine web application that provides ease of access and a medium for interaction between patients and their respective doctors and administrators. In particular, this web portal includes a chat feature, an area for medical reports, an area for appointment requests, and an area for video recordings. Additionally, TeleClinic meets the requirements prescribed by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (H.I.P.A.A.) via upholding data privacy and safeguarding medical information. To maximize its overall utility, TeleClinic utilizes the React and React Redux libraries for its front-end and a NoSQL database in Google Firebase for its back-end.Advisors(s): Dr. Ken HogansonTopic(s): IoT/Cloud/NetworkingCS 485