Charles and Betty Perry in their Palm Beach Home.

Charles and Betty Perry in their Palm Beach home. Charles Edward Perry (Chuck), 1937-1999, was the founding president of Florida International University in Miami, Florida. He grew up in Logan County, West Virginia and graduated from Bowling Green State University. He married Betty Laird in 1960. In 1969, at the age of 32, Perry was the youngest president of any university in the nation. The name of the university reflects Perry’s desire for a title that would not limit the scope of the institution and would support his vision of having close ties to Latin America. Perry and a founding corps opened FIU to 5,667 students in 1972 with only one large building housing six different schools. Perry left the office of President of FIU in 1976 when the student body had grown to 10,000 students and the university had six buildings, offered 134 different degrees and was fully accredited. Charles Perry died on August 30, 1999 at his home in Rockwall, Texas. He is buried on the FIU campus in front of the Graham Center entrance. Betty Laird Perry was born Betty Laird in Ashland, Ohio. She attended Akron General Hospital School of Nursing, where she was the president of the Akron, Ohio TriCity Student Government Association. She received a 3 year diploma in nursing in 1960 and took her state board exams for licensure as an RN that same year. Ultimately, she became licensed in Ohio, Florida and Texas. She met Charles Perry in 1959 and the couple married on September 17, 1960, in Ashland, Ohio; the same week of her graduation. Betty began her nursing career at the Bowling Green State University campus Health Center while Chuck worked on the Admissions staff. In 1974, Mrs. Perry received her BSN from Florida International University and in 1985 she earned a Master's Degree in Healthcare Policy and Planning from Georgia State University. She went on to start her own business, BC Golf, Ltd., in 1992 where she was recognized by Cambridge’s Who's Who for demonstrating dedication, leadership and excellence in business management. Betty’s passion for art is reflected in the Student Art Award at Florida International University which she and Charles Perry started. In 2010-2011, Betty made a generous donation to the Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum Building Fund at Florida International University where she has a gallery named in her honor that is dedicated to student, faculty, and alumni exhibitions.

Betty Perry in the Perry's Palm Beach Home

Betty Perry in the Perry's Palm Beach Home. Betty Laird Perry was born Betty Laird in Ashland, Ohio. She attended Akron General Hospital School of Nursing, where she was the president of the Akron, Ohio TriCity Student Government Association. She received a 3 year diploma in nursing in 1960 and took her state board exams for licensure as an RN that same year. Ultimately, she became licensed in Ohio, Florida and Texas. She met Charles Perry in 1959 and the couple married on September 17, 1960, in Ashland, Ohio; the same week of her graduation. Betty began her nursing career at the Bowling Green State University campus Health Center while Charles worked on the Admissions staff. In 1974, Mrs. Perry received her BSN from Florida International University and in 1985 she earned a Master's Degree in Healthcare Policy and Planning from Georgia State University. Betty and Charles went on to start their own business , BC Golf, Ltd., in 1992. Betty was later recognized by Cambridge’s Who's Who for demonstrating dedication, leadership and excellence in business management. Betty’s passion for art is reflected in the Student Art Award at Florida International University which she and Charles Perry started in the 1970's. In 2010-2011, Betty made a generous donation to the Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum Building Fund at Florida International University where she has a gallery named in her honor that is dedicated to student, faculty, and alumni exhibitions.

Computer assisted synthesis and in-vitro cytotoxic evaluation of new pyrazole-fused isoquinolinoquinones derivatives as PI3K receptor antagonist with promising antitumoral activity

The importance of pyrazole and isoquinoline-5,8-dione scaffolds in medical chemistry is underlined by the high number of drugs currently on trading that contains these active ingredients. Due to their cytotoxic capability, the interest of medicinal chemists in these heterocyclic rings has grown exponentially especially, for cancer therapy. In this project, the first synthesis of pyrazole-fused isoquinoline-5,8-diones has been developed. 1,3-Dipolar cycloaddition followed by oxidative aromatization, established by our research group, has been employed. Screening of reaction conditions and characterization studies about the regioselectivity have been successfully performed. A remote control of regioselectivity, to achieve the two possible regioisomers has been accomplished. Through Molecular Docking studies, Structure-Activity relationship of differently substituted scaffolds containing our central core proved that a family of PI3K inhibitors have been discovered. Finally, in order to verify the promising antitumor activity, a first test of cell viability in vitro on T98G cell line of a solid brain tumor, the Glioblastoma Multiforme, showed cytotoxic inhibition comparable to currently trade anticancer drugs.

A crença sobre a morte e o coping religioso-espiritual em pacientes internados com doenças crônicas

The human being is understood as an integral being, complex, which has multiple dimensions: social, biological, psychological, anthropological, spiritual and others. As its biological dimension, the man presents the possibility of physical illness, which means that the body requires care. The sick away from humans in health and safety conditions, approaching them directly from the finitude and vulnerability condition, leading us to contact the major uncertainties of life: suffering of disease and death. Religiosity and spirituality are important coping strategy for human when faced with borderline situations. When people turn to religion to cope with stress is the religious and spiritual coping. The objective of this research was to evaluate the relationship between the views on death and the religious-spiritual coping in patients with chronic diseases hospitalized. The study included ten patients hospitalized for chronic disease complications Medical Clinic Unit of a public hospital in the city of Uberlândia/MG. two psychological scales were used: Scale Religious-Spiritual Coping Brief (CRE-Brief Scale) and Scale Brief Diverse Perspectives of Death and a structured interview (audiogravada) on the subject of death and religious and spiritual coping. The results indicated that 80% of the sample (N = 8) consisted of patients hospitalized due to chronic diseases, while 20% accounted for patients with AIDS complications. Analyzing the results of scale CRE-Brief, it emphasizes the use of strategies of religious and spiritual coping by participants as compared to CRE Total, all study participants had average or high scores for this index, with a low utilization CRE negative and average utilization CRE Positive. Regarding views on death, the results obtained by the Different Perspectives Quick Scale on Death suggest that this sample agrees with the view death as something that is part of the natural cycle of life (M8 - Death as a natural end) and features the prospect of death as uncertainty, mystery and ignorance (M4 - death as Unknown). The correlations between the measures the factors and items of CRE-Bref and dimensions of Short scales on different perspectives of Death notes the prevalence of correlations of M4 dimensions - Death as unknown and M8 - Death as a natural order to the creditor scale soon. In the interview analysis revealed a positive influence of religion/ spirituality on health, from the perspective of the respondent, highlighting the protection promoted by religion. It also noticed the use of prayer as a coping strategy of hospitalization and illness. Regarding the interview about the topic of death, there was a predominance of issues related to "afterlife", "unknown" and "abandonment", which are associated with the visions of death and mystery and death as a natural end. In the interviews there belief clues about death as a terrifying mystery connected, so the unknown and the feeling of fear on the same. The experience of illness can therefore be considered as a source of vulnerability, since it is present personal perception of danger (external) - own illness and possible death, especially in those patients undergoing ICU - and where control is insufficient for the sense of security, since the hospital providing care to the patient are delegated to third parties and patients assume a passive role. This fact is important and relevant to health professionals who deal daily with patients hospitalized for chronic diseases, since the recourse to religion and spirituality as a coping strategy that psychic movement was not constituted in a form of negative distance or even denial of health condition. On the contrary, it refers to a movement in search of comfort and security provided by the religion and spirituality.

The costs of medical education assessment

Peer reviewed

Improving minimum rate predictors algorithm for compression of volumetric medical images

Medical imaging technologies are experiencing a growth in terms of usage and image resolution, namely in diagnostics systems that require a large set of images, like CT or MRI. Furthermore, legal restrictions impose that these scans must be archived for several years. These facts led to the increase of storage costs in medical image databases and institutions. Thus, a demand for more efficient compression tools, used for archiving and communication, is arising. Currently, the DICOM standard, that makes recommendations for medical communications and imaging compression, recommends lossless encoders such as JPEG, RLE, JPEG-LS and JPEG2000. However, none of these encoders include inter-slice prediction in their algorithms. This dissertation presents the research work on medical image compression, using the MRP encoder. MRP is one of the most efficient lossless image compression algorithm. Several processing techniques are proposed to adapt the input medical images to the encoder characteristics. Two of these techniques, namely changing the alignment of slices for compression and a pixel-wise difference predictor, increased the compression efficiency of MRP, by up to 27.9%. Inter-slice prediction support was also added to MRP, using uni and bi-directional techniques. Also, the pixel-wise difference predictor was added to the algorithm. Overall, the compression efficiency of MRP was improved by 46.1%. Thus, these techniques allow for compression ratio savings of 57.1%, compared to DICOM encoders, and 33.2%, compared to HEVC RExt Random Access. This makes MRP the most efficient of the encoders under study.

Electronic health records: essential tools in integrating substance abuse treatment with primary care.

While substance use problems are considered to be common in medical settings, they are not systematically assessed and diagnosed for treatment management. Research data suggest that the majority of individuals with a substance use disorder either do not use treatment or delay treatment-seeking for over a decade. The separation of substance abuse services from mainstream medical care and a lack of preventive services for substance abuse in primary care can contribute to under-detection of substance use problems. When fully enacted in 2014, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 2010 will address these barriers by supporting preventive services for substance abuse (screening, counseling) and integration of substance abuse care with primary care. One key factor that can help to achieve this goal is to incorporate the standardized screeners or common data elements for substance use and related disorders into the electronic health records (EHR) system in the health care setting. Incentives for care providers to adopt an EHR system for meaningful use are part of the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act 2009. This commentary focuses on recent evidence about routine screening and intervention for alcohol/drug use and related disorders in primary care. Federal efforts in developing common data elements for use as screeners for substance use and related disorders are described. A pressing need for empirical data on screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) for drug-related disorders to inform SBIRT and related EHR efforts is highlighted.

The effects of centrally acting ACE inhibitors on the rate of cognitive and functional decline in dementia: a KDD approach

Alzheimer’s Disease and other dementias are one of the most challenging illnesses confronting countries with ageing populations. Treatment options for dementia are limited, and the costs are significant. There is a growing need to develop new treatments for dementia, especially for the elderly. There is also growing evidence that centrally acting angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, which cross the blood-brain barrier, are associated with a reduced rate of cognitive and functional decline in dementia, especially in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The aim of this research is to investigate the effects of centrally acting ACE inhibitors (CACE-Is) on the rate of cognitive and functional decline in dementia, using a three phased KDD process. KDD, as a scientific way to process and analysis clinical data, is used to find useful insights from a variety of clinical databases. The data used are from three clinic databases: Geriatric Assessment Tool (GAT), the Doxycycline and Rifampin for Alzheimer’s Disease (DARAD), and the Qmci validation databases, which were derived from several different geriatric clinics in Canada. This research involves patients diagnosed with AD, vascular or mixed dementia only. Patients were included if baseline and end-point (at least six months apart) Standardised Mini-Mental State Examination (SMMSE), Quick Mild Cognitive Impairment (Qmci) or Activities Daily Living (ADL) scores were available. Basically, the rates of change are compared between patients taking CACE-Is, and those not currently treated with CACE-Is. The results suggest that there is a statistically significant difference in the rate of decline in cognitive and functional scores between CACE-I and NoCACE-I patients. This research also validates that the Qmci, a new short assessment test, has potential to replace the current popular screening tests for cognition in the clinic and clinical trials.

Fluid resuscitation practice patterns in intensive care units of the USA: a cross-sectional survey of critical care physicians.

BACKGROUND: Fluid resuscitation is a cornerstone of intensive care treatment, yet there is a lack of agreement on how various types of fluids should be used in critically ill patients with different disease states. Therefore, our goal was to investigate the practice patterns of fluid utilization for resuscitation of adult patients in intensive care units (ICUs) within the USA. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional online survey of 502 physicians practicing in medical and surgical ICUs. Survey questions were designed to assess clinical decision-making processes for 3 types of patients who need volume expansion: (1) not bleeding and not septic, (2) bleeding but not septic, (3) requiring resuscitation for sepsis. First-choice fluid used in fluid boluses for these 3 patient types was requested from the respondents. Descriptive statistics were performed using a Kruskal-Wallis test to evaluate differences among the physician groups. Follow-up tests, including t tests, were conducted to evaluate differences between ICU types, hospital settings, and bolus volume. RESULTS: Fluid resuscitation varied with respect to preferences for the factors to determine volume status and preferences for fluid types. The 3 most frequently preferred volume indicators were blood pressure, urine output, and central venous pressure. Regardless of the patient type, the most preferred fluid type was crystalloid, followed by 5 % albumin and then 6 % hydroxyethyl starches (HES) 450/0.70 and 6 % HES 600/0.75. Surprisingly, up to 10 % of physicians still chose HES as the first choice of fluid for resuscitation in sepsis. The clinical specialty and the practice setting of the treating physicians also influenced fluid choices. CONCLUSIONS: Practice patterns of fluid resuscitation varied in the USA, depending on patient characteristics, clinical specialties, and practice settings of the treating physicians.

Role of patient factors, preferences, and distrust in health care and access to liver transplantation and organ donation.

Despite major improvements in access to liver transplantation (LT), disparities remain. Little is known about how distrust in medical care, patient preferences, and the origins shaping those preferences contribute to differences surrounding access. We performed a single-center, cross-sectional survey of adults with end-stage liver disease and compared responses between LT listed and nonlisted patients as well as by race. Questionnaires were administered to 109 patients (72 nonlisted; 37 listed) to assess demographics, health care system distrust (HCSD), religiosity, and factors influencing LT and organ donation (OD). We found that neither HCSD nor religiosity explained differences in access to LT in our population. Listed patients attained higher education levels and were more likely to be insured privately. This was also the case for white versus black patients. All patients reported wanting LT if recommended. However, nonlisted patients were significantly less likely to have discussed LT with their physician or to be referred to a transplant center. They were also much less likely to understand the process of LT. Fewer blacks were referred (44.4% versus 69.7%; P = 0.03) or went to the transplant center if referred (44.4% versus 71.1%; P = 0.02). Fewer black patients felt that minorities had as equal access to LT as whites (29.6% versus 57.3%; P < 0.001). For OD, there were more significant differences in preferences by race than listing status. More whites indicated OD status on their driver's license, and more blacks were likely to become an organ donor if approached by someone of the same cultural or ethnic background (P < 0.01). In conclusion, our analysis demonstrates persistent barriers to LT and OD. With improved patient and provider education and communication, many of these disparities could be successfully overcome. Liver Transplantation 22 895-905 2016 AASLD.

Psychosocial Functioning in Women with Symptoms of Persistent Genital Arousal

Persistent genital arousal disorder (PGAD) is characterized by physiological sexual arousal (vasocongestion, sensitivity of the genitals and nipples) that is described as distressing, and sometimes painful. Although awareness of PGAD is growing, there continues to be a lack of systematic research on this condition. The vast majority of published reports are case studies. Little is known about the symptom characteristics, biological factors, or psychosocial functioning associated with the experience of persistent genital arousal (PGA) symptoms. This study sought to characterize a sample of women with PGA (Study One); compare women with and without PGA symptoms on a series of biopsychosocial factors (Study Two); and undertake an exploratory comparison of women with PGA, painful PGA, and genital pain (Study Three)—all within a biopsychosocial framework. Symptom-free women, women with PGA symptoms, painful PGA, and genital pain, completed an online survey of biological factors (medical history, symptom profiles), psychological factors (depression, anxiety) and social factors (sexual function, relationship satisfaction). Study One found that women report diverse symptoms associated with PGA, with almost half reporting painful symptoms. In Study Two, women with symptoms of PGA reported significantly greater impairment in most domains of psychosocial functioning as compared to symptom-free women. In particular, catastrophizing of vulvar sensations was related to symptom ratings (i.e., greater severity, distress) and psychosocial outcomes (i.e., greater depression and anxiety). Finally, Study Three found that women with PGA symptoms reported some overlap in medical comorbidities and symptom expression as those with combined PGA and vulvodynia and those with vulvodynia symptoms alone; however, there were also a number of significant differences in their associated physical symptoms. These studies indicate that PGA symptoms have negative consequences for the psychosocial functioning of affected women. As such, future research and clinical care may benefit from a biopsychosocial approach to PGA symptoms. These studies highlight areas for more targeted research, including the role of catastrophizing in PGA symptom development and maintenance, and the potential conceptualization of both PGA and vulvodynia (and potentially other conditions) under a general umbrella of ‘genital paraesthesias’ (i.e., disorders characterized by abnormal sensations, such as tingling and burning).

Nanotechnology in food industry II: risk assessment and legislation

Currently, there is increasing use of nanomaterials in the food industry thanks to the many advantages offered and make the products that contain them more competitive in the market. Their physicochemical properties often differ from those of bulk materials, which require specialized risk assessment. This should cover the risks to the health of workers and consumers as well as possible environmental risks. The risk assessment methods must go updating due to more widespread use of nanomaterials, especially now that are making their way down to consumer products. Today there is no specific legislation for nanomaterials, but there are several european dispositions and regulations that include them. This review gives an overview of the risk assessment and the existing current legislation regarding the use of nanotechnology in the food industry.

Anthroponyms in health care interventions

Anthroponyms in Health Care Interventions. This research aims to examine the personal names used by health care professionals to refer to and speak with patients in medical consultations. To this end, a large corpus was created with anthroponyms used in this type of settings and extracted from a variety of sources. The data obtained were then analyzed, classified, described and explained. Our hypothesis is that personal names are relevant elements in the relationship between the health care provider and the patient; however, their use is decidedly complex. In the following pages we will discuss this designative complexity by way of an introduction, an analysis of anthroponymic studies and a conclusion.

Evaluating the objective structured long examination record for nurse education

An objective structured long examination record (OSLER) is a modification of the long-case clinical examination and is mainly used in medical education. This study aims to obtain nursing students' views of the OSLER compared with the objective structured clinical examination (OSCE), which is used to assess discrete clinical skills. A sample of third-year undergraduate nursing students (n=21) volunteered to participate from a cohort of 230 students. Participants undertook the OSLER under examination conditions. Pre-and post-test questionnaires gathered the students' views on the assessments and these were analysed from a mainly qualitative perspective. Teachers' and simulated patient views were also used for data triangulation. The findings indicate that the OSLER ensures more holistic assessment of a student's clinical skills and particularly essential skills such as communication, and that the OSLER, together with the OSCE, should be used to supplement the assessment of clinical competence in nursing education.

Possibility and agency in Figured Worlds: Becoming a ‘good doctor’

Context: Figured Worlds is a socio-cultural theory drawing on Vygotskian and Bakhtinian traditions, which has been applied in research into the development of identities of both learners and teachers in the wider education literature. It is now being adopted in medical education.

Objective: The objective of this paper is to show what Figured Worlds can offer in medical education. Having explained some of its central tenets, we apply it to an important tension in our field.

Application: The assumption that there is a uniform ‘good doctor’ identity, which must be inculcated into medical students, underlies much of what medical educators do, and what our regulators enforce. While diversity is encouraged when students are selected for medical school, pressure to professionalise students creates a drive towards a standardised professional identity by graduation. Using excerpts from reflective pieces written by two junior medical students, we review the basic concepts of Figured Worlds and demonstrate how it can shed light on the implications of this tension. Taking a Bakhtinian approach to discourse, we show how Adam and Sarah develop their professional identities as they negotiate the multiple overlapping and competing ways of being a doctor which they encounter in the world of medical practice. Each demonstrates agency by ‘authoring’ a unique identity in the cultural world of medicine, as they appropriate and re-voice the words of others.

Discussion: Finally, we consider some important areas in medical education where Figured Worlds might prove to be a useful lens: the negotiation of discourses of gender, sexuality and social class, career choice as identification within specialty-specific cultural worlds, and the influence of hidden and informal curricula on doctor identity.