Revisions to USDA biotechnology regulations: The SECURE rule

In keeping with the directive in Executive Order 13874 (Modernizing the Regulatory Framework for Agricultural Biotechnology Products) to adopt regulatory approaches that are proportionate to risk and avoid arbitrary distinctions across like products, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) revised its biotechnology regulations by promulgating the Sustainable, Ecological, Consistent, Uniform, Responsible, and Efficient (SECURE) rule. Specifically, the SECURE rule 1) establishes exemptions for plants modified by genetic engineering where the modification could otherwise have been made through conventional breeding, 2) uses risk posed by the introduced trait to determine whether an organism is regulated, rather than relying on whether the organism was developed using a plant pest, and 3) provides a mechanism for a rapid initial review to efficiently distinguish plants developed using genetic engineering that do not pose plausible pathways to increased plant pest risk from those that do. As a result of the focused oversight on potentially riskier crops developed using genetic engineering, USDA is expected to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of its oversight program. The reduced regulatory burden is expected to promote innovation by expanding the number and diversity of developers to include smaller businesses and academics and to increase the number and variety of traits being developed through biotechnology.     

Transferability of Medication Administration Simulation Training to Clinical Settings

The study examines the impact of one-on-one simulation for medication administration (MA) on prelicensure student preparedness for and performance of MA in the clinical setting.We used a prospective quasi-experimental interventional study applying Kirkpatrick's model to the simulation experience addressing MA.Simulation increased student preparedness. Students' critical thinking and approach during the MA process were significantly higher in the clinical setting.One-on-one MA simulation is an effective educational method for improving student learning and performance in practice.     

Predicting long-term outcomes after cardiac arrest by using serum neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin

Objectives

Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) is secreted by various tissues in pathologic states. Previous studies reported that post-cardiac arrest serum NGAL levels correlate with short-term neurologic outcomes and survival. The aim of this study was to examine the associations between NGAL levels post-cardiac arrest and long-term outcomes and survival.

Knowledge,facilitators and barriers to the practice of person-centred care in aged care workers: a qualitative study

The current study describes aged care workers' interpretation of the concept of person-centred care; and identifies the barriers that exist to impede its practice, and the facilitators that encourage person-centred care practice. Data were collected from interviews with aged care workers from two residential aged care facilities providing both high and low care for residents with and without physical and psychological issues based in Australia. Data were analysed to identify and explore categories of meaning for barriers and facilitators. Analysis is grounded in Brooker's VIPS framework for person-centred dementia care which is utilised as a comparative tool for analysing participants' understanding of person-centred care. Findings revealed that aged care workers have a reasonable but incomplete understanding of person-centred care. Insufficient time and residents' dementia behaviours acted as barriers to care workers' provision of person-centred care. Teamwork was found to facilitate person-centred care by increasing instrumental and relationship resources     

Dietary Bioactives: Establishing a Scientific Framework for Recommended Intakes

In the United States, dietary reference intakes describe the relations between nutrient intakes and indicators of adequacy, prevention of disease, and avoidance of excessive intakes among healthy populations for essential nutrients but not dietary bioactive components (DBCs), whose absence from the diet is presumably not deleterious to health (i.e., does not cause a deficiency syndrome). An appropriate framework is needed for establishing recommended intakes for which public health messages and food labeling for DBCs can be derived, because their putative health benefits may not be readily defined in the context of nutritional essentiality. In addition, a myriad of factors make determining their intake and status and investigating their discrete contributions to health particularly challenging. Therefore, the ASN Dietary Bioactive Components Research Interest Section felt it worthwhile to convene a special “hot topic” session at the 2014 Experimental Biology meeting to discuss this issue and serve as a call for future scientific dialogue on establishing a framework for recommended intakes of DBCs. This session summary captures the discussions and presentations that transpired during this session.     

The Tougher the Better: An Economic Analysis of Increased Payment Thresholds on the Performance of General Practices

We investigate whether and how a change in performance‐related payment motivated General Practitioners (GPs) in Scotland. We evaluate the effect of increases in the performance thresholds required for maximum payment under the Quality and Outcomes Framework in April 2006. A difference‐in‐differences estimator with fixed effects was employed to examine the number of patients treated under clinical indicators whose payment schedules were revised and to compare these with the figures for those indicators whose schedules remained unchanged. The results suggest that the increase in the maximum performance thresholds increased GPs' performance by 1.77% on average. Low‐performing GPs improved significantly more (13.22%) than their high‐performing counterparts (0.24%). Changes to maximum performance thresholds are differentially effective in incentivising GPs and could be used further to raise GPs' performance across all indicators. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Ethical implications of home telecare for older people: a framework derived from a multisited participative study

Context

Telecare and telehealth developments have recently attracted much attention in research and service development contexts, where their evaluation has predominantly concerned effectiveness and efficiency. Their social and ethical implications, in contrast, have received little scrutiny.

Objective

To develop an ethical framework for telecare systems based on analysis of observations of telecare‐in‐use and citizens’ panel deliberations.

Design

Ethnographic study (observation, work shadowing), interviews, older citizens’ panels and a participative conference.

Setting

Participants’ homes, workplaces and familiar community venues in England, Spain, the Netherlands and Norway 2008–2011.

Results

Older respondents expressed concerns that telecare might be used to replace face‐to‐face/hands‐on care to cut costs. Citizens’ panels strongly advocated ethical and social questions being considered in tandem with technical and policy developments. Older people are too often excluded from telecare system design, and installation is often wrongly seen as a one‐off event. Some systems enhance self‐care by increasing self‐awareness, while others shift agency away from the older person, introducing new forms of dependency.

Conclusions

Telecare has care limitations; it is not a solution, but a shift in networks of relations and responsibilities. Telecare cannot be meaningfully evaluated as an entity, but rather in the situated relations people and technologies create together. Characteristics of ethical telecare include on‐going user/carer engagement in decision making about systems: in‐home system evolution with feedback opportunities built into implementation. System design should be horizontal, ‘two‐way’/interactive rather than vertical or ‘one‐way’. An ethical framework for telecare has been developed from these conclusions (Table 1).     

Lifespan and reproduction in Drosophila: New insights from nutritional geometry

Modest dietary restriction (DR) prolongs life in a wide range of organisms, spanning single-celled yeast to mammals. Here, we report the use of recent techniques in nutrition research to quantify the detailed relationship between diet, nutrient intake, lifespan, and reproduction in Drosophila melanogaster. Caloric restriction (CR) was not responsible for extending lifespan in our experimental flies. Response surfaces for lifespan and fecundity were maximized at different protein-carbohydrate intakes, with longevity highest at a protein-to-carbohydrate ratio of 1:16 and egg-laying rate maximized at 1:2. Lifetime egg production, the measure closest to fitness, was maximized at an intermediate P:C ratio of 1:4. Flies offered a choice of complementary foods regulated intake to maximize lifetime egg production. The results indicate a role for both direct costs of reproduction and other deleterious consequences of ingesting high levels of protein. We unite a body of apparently conflicting work within a common framework and provide a platform for studying aging in all organisms.     

乳腺结节超声BI-RADS分类3~5类的量化评分研究

目的探讨基于超声BI-RADS分类的量化评分方法在乳腺结节良恶性风险评估中的应用价值。方法回顾性分析486个最大直径>1 cm的乳腺结节,将其超声征象与患者年龄作为评分指标并进行赋值,计算每个结节的总分并根据设定的BI-RADS 3~5类的分值界限进行BI-RADS分类。绘制ROC曲线,寻找最佳诊断分值界限。结果 486个乳腺结节中良性结节368个,恶性结节118个。ROC曲线下面积为0.952,以总分9分作为诊断界值,其灵敏度、特异度、准确度分别为91.52%、83.69%、85.60%。BI-RADS 3、4a、4b、4c、5类的恶性构成比分别为0%、8.06%、29.09%、65.22%、92.54%。结论基于乳腺结节超声BI-RADS分类的量化评分方法可行性大,对常规超声下乳腺结节的良恶性风险评估有较高的准确度,有助于BI-RADS分类的推广应用。     

不同头位吞咽不同黏度液体食物对健康成人舌骨上肌群表面肌电的影响

目的 探讨不同头位吞咽不同黏度液体食物对健康成人舌骨上肌群表面肌电的影响。 方法 随机选取健康受试者20例,按随机数字表法设置的顺序,依次采用3种头位吞咽5种浓度的食物,每口量均为5 ml,实时记录每次吞咽时左、右侧舌骨上肌群的表面肌电信号。对原始肌电信号进行处理后,分析不同黏度和头位对舌骨上肌群激活水平影响的主效应,再采用简单效应分析确定黏度、头位和舌骨上肌群激活水平的交互效应。 结果 不同头位或不同黏度的主效应均存在差异,差异均有统计学意义（P＜0.05）。右转头位和右侧屈头位吞咽同黏度液体食物时,左侧舌骨上肌群净振幅值均高于右侧舌骨上肌群,差异均有统计学意义（P＜0.05）。吞咽同黏度液体食物时,在中立位、右转头位、右侧屈头位,左侧舌骨上肌群的净振幅值依次增高,差异均有统计学意义（P＜0.05）。在吞咽同黏度（0～3级）的液体食物时,右转头位右侧舌骨上肌群的净振幅值低于中立位和右侧屈头位,差异均有统计学意义（P＜0.05）。在吞咽4级的液体食物时,右侧屈头位右侧舌骨上肌群的净振幅值高于中立位和右转头位,差异均有统计学意义（P＜0.05）。右转头位吞咽0级液体食物时,左侧舌骨上肌群净振幅值显著低于吞咽1～4级的液体食物,差异均有统计学意义（P＜0.05）。右侧屈头位吞咽0级液体食物时,左侧舌骨上肌群净振幅值显著低于吞咽2～4级液体食物,吞咽1级液体食物时,左侧舌骨上肌群净振幅值显著低于吞咽3～4级的液体食物,差异均有统计学意义（P＜0.05）。右侧屈头位吞咽4级的液体食物时,右侧舌骨上肌群净振幅值高于吞咽0～1级的液体食物,吞咽3级液体食物时,右侧舌骨上肌群净振幅值高于吞咽1级的液体食物,差异均有统计学意义（P＜0.05）。 结论 吞咽时采用不同的头位和黏度,可不同程度地影响舌骨上肌群的收缩。