Delirium knowledge and recognition : a randomized controlled trial of a web-based educational intervention for acute care nurses

Delirium is a significant problem for older hospitalized people and is associated with poor outcomes. It is poorly recognized and evidence suggests that a major reason is lack of education. Nurses, who are educated about delirium, can play a significant role in improving delirium recognition. This study evaluated the impact of a delirium specific educational website. A cluster randomized controlled trial, with a pretest/post-test time series design, was conducted to measure delirium knowledge (DK) and delirium recognition (DR) over three time-points. Statistically significant differences were found between the intervention and non-intervention group. The intervention groups' DK scores were higher and the change over time results were statistically significant [T3 and T1 (t=3.78 p=<0.001) and T2 and T1 baseline (t=5.83 p=<0.001)]. Statistically significant improvements were also seen for DR when comparing T2 and T1 results (t=2.56 p=0.011) between both groups but not for changes in DR scores between T3 and T1 (t=1.80 p=0.074). Participants rated the website highly on the visual, functional and content elements. This study supports the concept that web-based delirium learning is an effective and satisfying method of information delivery for registered nurses. Future research is required to investigate clinical outcomes as a result of this web-based education.

Real-time mobile 3D temperature mapping

The ability to measure surface temperature and represent it on a metrically accurate 3D model has proven applications in many areas such as medical imaging, building energy auditing, and search and rescue. A system is proposed that enables this task to be performed with a handheld sensor, and for the first time with results able to be visualized and analyzed in real-time. A device comprising a thermal-infrared camera and range sensor is calibrated geometrically and used for data capture. The device is localized using a combination of ICP and video-based pose estimation from the thermal-infrared video footage which is shown to reduce the occurrence of failure modes. Furthermore, the problem of misregistration which can introduce severe distortions in assigned surface temperatures is avoided through the use of a risk-averse neighborhood weighting mechanism. Results demonstrate that the system is more stable and accurate than previous approaches, and can be used to accurately model complex objects and environments for practical tasks.

A novel protecting group methodology for syntheses using nitroxides

The methoxyamine group represents an ideal protecting group for the nitroxide moiety. It can be easily and selectively introduced in high yield (typically >90%) to a range of functionalised nitroxides using FeSO4.7H2O and H2O2 in DMSO. Its removal is readily achieved under mild conditions in high yield (70-90%) using mCPBA in a Cope-type elimination process.

Motivating domestic energy conservation through comparative feedback in mobile applications and social networking sites

The progress of technology has led to the increased adoption of energy monitors among household energy consumers. While the monitors available on the market deliver real-time energy usage feedback to the consumer, the form of this data is usually unengaging and mundane. Moreover, it fails to address consumers with different motivations and needs to save and compare energy. This master‟s thesis project presents a study that seeks to inform design guidelines for differently motivated energy consumers. The focus of the research is on comparative feedback supported by a community of energy consumers. In particular, the discussed comparative feedback types are explanatory comparison, temporal self-comparison, norm comparison, one-on-one comparison and ranking, whereby the last three support exploring the potential of socialising energy-related feedback in social networking sites, such as Facebook. These feedback types were integrated in EnergyWiz – a mobile application that enables users to compare with their past performance, neighbours, contacts from social networking sites and other EnergyWiz users. The application was developed through a theory-driven approach and evaluated in personal, semi-structured interviews which provided insights on how motivation-related comparative feedback should be designed. It was also employed in expert focus group discussions which resulted in defining opportunities and challenges before mobile, social energy monitors. The findings have unequivocally shown that users with different motivations to compare and to conserve energy have different preferences for comparative feedback types and design. It was established that one of the most influential factors determining design factors is the people users compare to. In addition, the research found that even simple communication strategies in Facebook, such as wall posts and groups can contribute to engagement with energy conservation practices. The concept of mobility of the application was evaluated as positive since it provides place and time-independent access to the energy consumption data.

Development of hospital disaster resilience : conceptual framework and potential measurement

Objective Despite ‘hospital resilience’ gaining prominence in recent years, it remains poorly defined. This article aims to define hospital resilience, build a preliminary conceptual framework and highlight possible approaches to measurement. Methods Searches were conducted of the commonly used health databases to identify relevant literature and reports. Search terms included ‘resilience and framework or model’ or ‘evaluation or assess or measure and hospital and disaster or emergency or mass casualty and resilience or capacity or preparedness or response or safety’. Articles were retrieved that focussed on disaster resilience frameworks and the evaluation of various hospital capacities. Result A total of 1480 potentially eligible publications were retrieved initially but the final analysis was conducted on 47 articles, which appeared to contribute to the study objectives. Four disaster resilience frameworks and 11 evaluation instruments of hospital disaster capacity were included. Discussion and conclusion Hospital resilience is a comprehensive concept derived from existing disaster resilience frameworks. It has four key domains: hospital safety; disaster preparedness and resources; continuity of essential medical services; recovery and adaptation. These domains were categorised according to four criteria, namely, robustness, redundancy, resourcefulness and rapidity. A conceptual understanding of hospital resilience is essential for an intellectual basis for an integrated approach to system development. This article (1) defines hospital resilience; (2) constructs conceptual framework (including key domains); (3) proposes comprehensive measures for possible inclusion in an evaluation instrument, and; (4) develops a matrix of critical issues to enhance hospital resilience to cope with future disasters.

The politics of Twitter data

Talk of Big Data seems to be everywhere. Indeed, the apparently value-free concept of ‘data’ has seen a spectacular broadening of popular interest, shifting from the dry terminology of labcoat-wearing scientists to the buzzword du jour of marketers. In the business world, data is increasingly framed as an economic asset of critical importance, a commodity on a par with scarce natural resources (Backaitis, 2012; Rotella, 2012). It is social media that has most visibly brought the Big Data moment to media and communication studies, and beyond it, to the social sciences and humanities. Social media data is one of the most important areas of the rapidly growing data market (Manovich, 2012; Steele, 2011). Massive valuations are attached to companies that directly collect and profit from social media data, such as Facebook and Twitter, as well as to resellers and analytics companies like Gnip and DataSift. The expectation attached to the business models of these companies is that their privileged access to data and the resulting valuable insights into the minds of consumers and voters will make them irreplaceable in the future. Analysts and consultants argue that advanced statistical techniques will allow the detection of ongoing communicative events (natural disasters, political uprisings) and the reliable prediction of future ones (electoral choices, consumption)...

Denial predicts outcome in anxiety following group cognitive behavioral therapy

This study aimed to explore whether participants' pretherapy coping strategies predicted the outcome of group cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for anxiety and depression. It was hypothesized that adaptive coping strategies such as the use of active planning and acceptance would be associated with higher reductions, whereas maladaptive coping strategies such as denial and disengagement would be associated with lower reductions in anxious and depressed symptoms following psychotherapy. There were 144 participants who completed group CBT for anxiety and depression. Measures of coping strategies were administered prior to therapy, whereas measures of depression and anxiety were completed both prior to and following therapy. The results showed that higher levels of denial were associated with a poorer outcome, in terms of change in anxiety but not depression, following therapy. These findings suggest the usefulness of using the Denial subscale from the revised Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced (COPE) as a predictor of outcome in group CBT for anxiety.

Strategies and challenges for systematically mapping biologically significant molecular pathways regulating carcinoma epithelial-mesenchymal transition

Enormous progress has been made towards understanding the role of specific factors in the process of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT); however, the complex underlying pathways and the transient nature of the transition continues to present significant challenges. Targeting tumour cell plasticity underpinning EMT is an attractive strategy to combat metastasis. Global gene expression profiling and high-content analyses are among the strategies employed to identify novel EMT regulators. In this review, we highlight several approaches to systematically interrogate key pathways involved in EMT, with particular emphasis on the features of multiparametric, high-content imaging screening strategies that lend themselves to the systematic discovery of highly significant modulators of tumour cell plasticity.

Blurred lines : reconsidering the concept of ‘diversion’ in youth justice systems in Australia

This article revisits ‘diversion’ in the context of youth justice in Australia. Although ‘diversion’ is omnipresent in youth justice, it is rarely subject to critical examination. This article raises four interrelated questions: what young people are to be ‘diverted’ from and to; whether young people are to be ‘diverted’ from the criminal justice system or from offending; whether young people are to be ‘diverted’ from criminal justice processes or outcomes; and whether ‘diversion’ should be considered distinct from crime prevention and early intervention. The article concludes that the confusion about youth ‘diversion’ may foster individualised interventions in young people’s lives.

Error modeling and calibration of exteroceptive sensors for accurate mapping applications

Reliable robotic perception and planning are critical to performing autonomous actions in uncertain, unstructured environments. In field robotic systems, automation is achieved by interpreting exteroceptive sensor information to infer something about the world. This is then mapped to provide a consistent spatial context, so that actions can be planned around the predicted future interaction of the robot and the world. The whole system is as reliable as the weakest link in this chain. In this paper, the term mapping is used broadly to describe the transformation of range-based exteroceptive sensor data (such as LIDAR or stereo vision) to a fixed navigation frame, so that it can be used to form an internal representation of the environment. The coordinate transformation from the sensor frame to the navigation frame is analyzed to produce a spatial error model that captures the dominant geometric and temporal sources of mapping error. This allows the mapping accuracy to be calculated at run time. A generic extrinsic calibration method for exteroceptive range-based sensors is then presented to determine the sensor location and orientation. This allows systematic errors in individual sensors to be minimized, and when multiple sensors are used, it minimizes the systematic contradiction between them to enable reliable multisensor data fusion. The mathematical derivations at the core of this model are not particularly novel or complicated, but the rigorous analysis and application to field robotics seems to be largely absent from the literature to date. The techniques in this paper are simple to implement, and they offer a significant improvement to the accuracy, precision, and integrity of mapped information. Consequently, they should be employed whenever maps are formed from range-based exteroceptive sensor data. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Oscar Pistorius and the death of Reeva Steenkamp : mapping public opinions on Twitter using frame analysis and data mining

This paper uses innovative content analysis techniques to map how the death of Oscar Pistorius' girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, was framed on Twitter conversations. Around 1.5 million posts from a two-week timeframe are analyzed with a combination of syntactic and semantic methods. This analysis is grounded in the frame analysis perspective and is different than sentiment analysis. Instead of looking for explicit evaluations, such as “he is guilty” or “he is innocent”, we showcase through the results how opinions can be identified by complex articulations of more implicit symbolic devices such as examples and metaphors repeatedly mentioned. Different frames are adopted by users as more information about the case is revealed: from a more episodic one, highly used in the very beginning, to more systemic approaches, highlighting the association of the event with urban violence, gun control issues, and violence against women. A detailed timeline of the discussions is provided.

Conceptions of ‘community’ among older adults living in high-density urban areas : an Australian case study

Aim The aim of this study was to explore the social networks of community and its connection to location for older people living in inner city high density (ICHD). Method Using a case study approach employing qualitative (diaries, in-depth interviews) and quantitative (global positioning systems and geographical information systems mapping) methods, this paper explores the everyday interaction and social networks and where they manifest spatially for a group of older ICHD Australians. Results Social networks in two community territories were found to be of particular importance to participants in terms of influencing feelings of well-being, support, social inclusion and cohesion. These two territories include the building where older people reside and the area immediately surrounding the building. Conclusion This study highlights the importance of recognising the spatial aspect to better understand the social networks of community and their effects on well-being and social cohesion for ICHD older people.

A group psychological intervention to enhance the coping and acculturation of international students

There is a shortage of psychological interventions to aid the acculturation of international students. To address this issue, the present study developed and trialled a brief group psychological intervention, the STAR program: Strengths, Transitions, Adjustments, and Resilience. This program was developed using suggestions from international students and university professional and academic staff that had significant dealings and designated roles to guide support international students. It comprises of four weekly two-hour sessions, and is experiential and cognitive-behavioural in nature. The STAR program aims to enhance coping, which is predicted to subsequently improve psychological adaptation (an acculturation outcome). Sixteen international students participated in the pilot trial of the STAR program. The participants completed measures on coping self-efficacy, social self-efficacy, psychological adaptation, and psychological distress pre-intervention, post-intervention, and one-month follow-up. Results showed that participants’ psychological adaptation and coping self-efficacy significantly increased from pre to post, with the treatment gain maintained at the one-month follow-up for psychological adaptation. Increases in social self-efficacy were evident, but these did not reach significance, possibly due to a lack of power. The STAR program did not have an impact on psychological distress; however, participants were only minimally distressed at the commencement of the program. The qualitative feedback gathered from the participants, provided suggestions for further refinement, as well as information about the clinical utility of the STAR program.

Inhibition of homogenous formation of calcium carbonate by poly (acrylic acid). The effect of molar mass and end-group functionality

The ability of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) with different end groups and molar masses prepared by Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization (ATRP) to inhibit the formation of calcium carbonate scale at low and elevated temperatures was investigated. Inhibition of CaCO3 deposition was affected by the hydrophobicity of the end groups of PAA, with the greatest inhibition seen for PAA with hydrophobic end groups of moderate size (6–10 carbons). The morphologies of CaCO3 crystals were significantly distorted in the presence of these PAAs. The smallest morphological change was in the presence of PAA with long hydrophobic end groups (16 carbons) and the relative inhibition observed for all species were in the same order at 30 °C and 100 °C. As well as distorting morphologies, the scale inhibitors appeared to stabilize the less thermodynamically favorable polymorph, vaterite, to a degree proportional to their ability to inhibit precipitation.

Mapping journalism cultures across nations : a comparative study of 18 countries

This article reports key findings from a comparative survey of the role perceptions, epistemological orientations and ethical views of 1800 journalists from 18 countries. The results show that detachment, non-involvement, providing political information and monitoring the government are considered essential journalistic functions around the globe. Impartiality, the reliability and factualness of information, as well as adherence to universal ethical principles are also valued worldwide, though their perceived importance varies across countries. Various aspects of interventionism, objectivism and the importance of separating facts from opinion, on the other hand, seem to play out differently around the globe. Western journalists are generally less supportive of any active promotion of particular values, ideas and social change, and they adhere more to universal principles in their ethical decisions. Journalists from non-western contexts, on the other hand, tend to be more interventionist in their role perceptions and more flexible in their ethical views.