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The Mathematics behind Illusion
Get PDFHistorically, research on optical, or visual illusions has belonged mainly to the field of psychology. However, in the 1980s, Professor Kokichi Sugihara, Meiji University, Japan, introduced a mathematical approach to design and classify 3-dimensional optical illusions. This presentation provides a sample of the mathematics behind some types of visual illusions.https://idun.augsburg.edu/zyzzogeton/1023/thumbnail.jp
Medical Treatment of Diabetes Compared to Bariatric Surgery
Get PDFIn this retrospective review, metabolic factors present in diabetic patients who underwent bariatric surgery were compared against those who were treated with medical therapy alone. These factors include: diabetes remission, glycosylated hemoglobin levels, medication use, changes in beta cells function, insulin sensitivity, incretin levels, weight loss, lipid profiles and blood pressures. Following bariatric surgery, patients observed superior changes in diabetes remission rates, glycosylated hemoglobin levels, medication use, beta cell function, insulin sensitivity, incretin levels, and weight loss when compared to those who were treated with medical therapy alone. Blood pressure changes were not significantly different among the two treatment groups. Between 3-5 years after surgery, the surgical group showed significantly lower levels of low-density lipoproteins, total cholesterol, and triglycerides. In addition, high density lipoprotein values were raised in greater amounts following bariatric surgery. Diabetic patients who undergo bariatric surgery report higher amounts of minor complications following surgery than those who are not diagnosed with diabetes. This paper also examined the side effects and safety of bariatric surgery to determine associated risks and benefits. Nutritional deficiencies, bone metabolism, dumping syndrome, and surgical complications should be considered potential risk factors by patients who are considering bariatric surgery to treat their diabetes. Benefits following surgery include a decreased death rate from coronary artery disease, diabetes, and cancer
The Role of Temperature Management in Neurologic Outcomes of Adult Cardiac Arrests:
Get PDFBackground: Targeted Temperature control for post cardiac arrest patients has a long history dating back to the ancient Greeks. In the last twenty years there has been a push to define and implement a protocol for targeted temperature control for post cardiac arrest patients, specifically those with ventricular fibrillation arrests, to improve neurological outcomes and post-arrest quality of life. In this review, literature from the last twenty years and beyond was examined to attempt to determine whether populations treated with therapeutic hypothermia experienced improved neurological results.
Methods: Literature searches were preformed using the PubMed database as well as Google Scholar.
Conclusion: Based on the current research, it was determined that the field of therapeutic hypothermia has significant shortcomings in research based on overall applicability and potential benefit. In its current form, therapeutic hypothermia is weakly recommended by governing health authorities and does not appear to offer any significant benefit on neurological outcomes for patients suffering from out of hospital ventricular fibrillation cardiac arrest. Implementation of therapy was found to be associated with significant risks to the patient in terms of complications, hospital stay, mortality, and cost. All this considered, it seems that the future of TTM hangs in the balance. Further randomized research trials are needed within the field to conclusively determine whether or not therapeutic temperature management has a role in revised cardiac arrest protocols moving forward
Family-inclusive Services for Children With Complex Health Care Needs
No full textFamilies of children with complex health care needs are at a greater risk to experience poor health and well-being. Research has shown families of complex health care needs experience increased financial, physical, and emotional caregiver burdens resulting in a negative impact on the family’s health and well-being. While providing public health nurse home visits in collaboration with community partners to families of children with complex health care needs, observations identified a gap in knowledge and awareness of services offered through the home visiting program. To address the gap in knowledge and awareness by community partners, a Midwest public health agency conducted a focus group to improve the knowledge, awareness, and utilization of services offered. A project guided by Jean Watson’s Human Caring Theory demonstrates the importance of a transpersonal relationship and Caritas process seven to implement teaching and learning through a relational connection addressing the needs and concerns of the family and community partners. The proposed project consisted of an educational video and written material providing an overview of services offered for community partners to use when referring families of children with complex health care needs to the home visiting program. The goal of this educational project was to improve the knowledge, awareness, and utilization of an established family-inclusive program, ultimately increasing the health and well-being of the family unit. The nurse’s ability to recognize the impact experiences, culture, and relational connection can have on understanding and attaining health and well-being is essential
The Great Flood: An Exploration of Fluid Resuscitation in Sepsis
Get PDFSepsis and septic shock continue to be major causes of in-hospital mortality. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared sepsis as a global health top priority as of 2017. To combat sepsis mortality, the Surviving Sepsis Campaign (SSC) released the first set of guidelines in 2004 and continues to publish treatment guidelines, updating the guidelines every four years based on emerging evidence. The 2018 update to the 2016 guidelines contains an Hour-1 Bundle released by the SSC, which includes a rapid infusion of a 30 ml/kg fluid bolus as a strong recommendation with low quality evidence. Recently, studies have challenged this recommendation, demonstrating complications due to fluid overload when following the guideline. This continues to be a source of controversy, as the fluid bolus is included in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services SEP-1 performance measure, requiring healthcare practitioners to administer the bolus despite the risks of harm. A literature review was conducted utilizing PubMed to explore the following question: in adult patients with sepsis or septic shock, does initially administering at least 30 ml/kg of fluid improve morbidity and mortality compared to other treatment modalities, such as a fluid restrictive approach or early introduction of vasopressors? The null hypothesis was that there would be no difference amongst treatment modalities. This review revealed that giving a standard 30 ml/kg fluid bolus may be harmful, potentially leading to poorer outcomes. Alternative fluid administration approaches are discussed
EMIC Waves in the Earth\u27s Inner Magnetosphere as a Function of Solar Wind Structures During Solar Maximum
Get PDFHere we analyze the statistics of electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves observed in the Earth\u27s inner magnetosphere during coronal mass ejection (CME), high-speed stream (HSS), and quiet solar wind (QSW) conditions in the upstream solar wind (SW). For our analysis we use the EMIC wave observations by the two Van Allen Probes during their first magnetic local time (MLT) revolution. The major results of our analysis are as follows: (1) Criteria to identify the HSS, CME, and QSW conditions in the SW are formulated. (2) 54%, 36%, and 10% of EMIC wave events are observed during CME, HSS, and QSW, respectively. (3) 12% of events are closely associated with the fast growth of magnetospheric compression, among which 76%, 24%, and 0% are observed during CME, HSS, and QSW, respectively. (4) A majority of the QSW, HSS-driven, and CME-driven events is observed in the 9–12, 12–24, and 8–24 hr MLT sectors, respectively. (5) CME-driven events are distributed along all L shells, whereas the majority of the HSS-driven and QSW events are confined to L \u3e 3.5. (6) The fractions of events during CME and HSS have a maximum in the near-equatorial region, whereas the fractions of the QSW events have a minimum there. (7) Independent of the SW driver, no strong events are observed below the local O+ gyrofrequency, whereas 65–70% and 30–35% of events are observed between the O+ and He+ gyrofrequencies and above the He+ gyrofrequency, respectively
Appropriating the Comanche: Hell or High Water and the New Southwest
Get PDFHell or High Water (2016) takes the elegiac mode – the wistful lament for the myth of the Old West – and recasts it as a raucous country song on the dismantling of that myth by twenty-first-century capitalism. In the wake of the Great Recession, director David Mackenzie and screenwriter Taylor Sheridan pair off two iconic sets of Western characters: a couple of down-and-out bank-robbing brothers shadowed by an old, White Texas Ranger and his American-Indian/Mex- ican-American deputy. The values of the lawmen and the outlaw brothers are not mutually exclusive – each pair shares more with the other than with the new mate- rialistic order around them. The overarching metaphor for men who repeatedly confront the socioeconomic forces pitted against their values is the Comanche, to which several characters lay claim. Hell or High Water gives us both a lament for the myth of the Old West and a tart critique of the film Western and of the real- world exploitation of the region, its people, and the American dream they cling to
Development of RT-qPCR Assay for a Mn Transport Gene Expression in Human Neuroblastoma Cells
No full textManganese (Mn) is an essential trace metal required for the normal physiological processes in humans. It plays an important role as a constituent of multiple enzymes and an activator of other enzymes. However, elevated cellular levels are toxic and may lead to the development of an irreversible Parkinson like syndrome that has no treatment. Recently, a new form of homozygous mutations in SLC30A10 causes familial parkinsonism associated with manganese (Mn) retention. SLC30A10 is a cell surface-localized Mn efflux transporter that reduces cellular Mn levels and protects against Mn-induced toxicity. The discoveries of these genetic diseases have transformed our understanding of Mn homeostasis, detoxification, and neurotoxicity. Gene expression analysis is increasingly vital in many fields of biological research. Validation of the real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) technique is a very accurate and sensitive method and becoming widely used to quantify gene expression from neuroblastoma cells. It can be used to quantify mRNA expression levels. This method allows for the direct detection of PCR products combining amplification and detection in one single step.https://idun.augsburg.edu/zyzzogeton/1020/thumbnail.jp
Human Airway Epithelial Secretions Differentially Inhibit Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa Functions
No full textCystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disease caused by the mutation of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator (CFTR) protein, which normally transports anions across cell membranes. Dysfunction of the CFTR on airway epithelial cells reduces the levels and/or activity of several antimicrobial molecules secreted by these cells, and may contribute to the persistence of bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the lungs of patients with CF. Thus, we hypothesize that normal human airway epithelial cells secrete one or more active molecules that inhibit functions related to S. aureus and P. aeruginosa growth and/or biofilm formation. To test this hypothesis, we quantified the effects of apical airway epithelial cell secretions on the growth rate and static biofilm formation of S. aureus and P. aeruginosa. The apical secretions dose-dependently inhibited S. aureus biofilm formation but had no effect on the rate of S. aureus growth. Conversely, P. aeruginosa biofilm formation was not affected by the apical secretions, but its growth rate was dose-dependently inhibited. Boiling the apical secretions for 10 minutes at 100 °C resulted in increased inhibition of S. aureus biofilm formation, and reversed the inhibition of P. aeruginosa growth. This suggests that there may be more than one molecule involved with these inhibitory effects.https://idun.augsburg.edu/zyzzogeton/1019/thumbnail.jp
Achieving an Inclusive Nursing Culture: Developing a Model for Diversity and Inclusion Education
Get PDFThe creation of an inclusive environment is essential in health care. Therefore, this paper describes the development of an educational project to achieve a more inclusive nursing culture with registered nurse case managers at a large Midwest teaching hospital. This project sets forth the goal of establishing and discussing diversity and inclusion education by proposing a model with reflection, learning, and growth as self- sustaining practices in an ongoing cycle of praxis with Chinn and Kramer’s emancipatory knowing. Over the course of a year, monthly modules will be taught by a facilitator who will encourage discussion and reflection on various topics, skills, and issues related to diversity and inclusion. The aim is for participants to be enabled to build a new unit culture through the recognition and expansion of their personal and collective patterns using the theoretical framework of Margaret Newman’s Health as Expanding Consciousness. Registered nurse case managers will be able to add new skills and concepts over time to make a stronger, more diverse pattern of reflection, experience, and identity in their nursing practice. In turn, this new pattern fosters recognition of a patient’s individual needs and encourages informed and compassionate care for all patients. The provided care then respects the impact of their backgrounds, experiences, and identity on their needs as patients. Only with this continuous reflection and pursuit of broad perspectives can the registered nurse case manager hope to become genuinely inclusive of all