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Bricolage created by Nathan Thompson, Guy Ben-Ary and Sebastian Diecke, is a kinetic biological artwork first exhibited at the Perth International Arts Festival in 2020. The artists used stem cell technologies to create bio-engineered living entities from donated human heart muscle cells. These living entities were suspended in an incubator from the ceiling, and made viewable to gallery-goers, who watched the performance of cells generating and moving independently. This paper considers how the assemblage, animation and performance of cells embedded in Bricolage highlights questions around the conceptualisations and perceptions of life, duration, animation and ‘aliveness’.

The December 1872 death of Hawaiian monarch Kamehameha V spurred renewed interest among U.S. citizens and politicians alike in the annexation of the Hawaiian Islands. To satisfy the public’s increased curiosity about Hawai‘i, in January 1873 the New York Tribune sought testimony in the form of two letters from a well-known expert on the islands: Mark Twain, who had gained nationwide fame based his popular comic lecture “Our Fellow Savages of the Sandwich Islands,” which he delivered across the United States and abroad between 1866 and 1873. Between January and March of 1873 at least seventy newspapers and magazines reprinted excerpts of Mark Twain’s Tribune letters. This article considers how these reprinted excerpts decontextualize or mischaracterize Mark Twain’s insights as well as what they reveal about the American reading public’s views of Mark Twain as both a comedian and as a serious expert on Hawai‘i in the early 1870s.

ObjectivesPaediatric cancer is a leading cause of death for children. Children in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) were four times more likely to die than children in high-income countries (HICs). This study aimed to test the hypothesis that the COVID-19 pandemic had affected the delivery of healthcare services worldwide, and exacerbated the disparity in paediatric cancer outcomes between LMICs and HICs.DesignA multicentre, international, collaborative cohort study.Setting91 hospitals and cancer centres in 39 countries providing cancer treatment to paediatric patients between March and December 2020.ParticipantsPatients were included if they were under the age of 18 years, and newly diagnosed with or undergoing active cancer treatment for Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma, Wilms’ tumour, sarcoma, retinoblastoma, gliomas, medulloblastomas or neuroblastomas, in keeping with the WHO Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer.Main outcome measureAll-cause mortality at 30 days and 90 days.Results1660 patients were recruited. 219 children had changes to their treatment due to the pandemic. Patients in LMICs were primarily affected (n=182/219, 83.1%). Relative to patients with paediatric cancer in HICs, patients with paediatric cancer in LMICs had 12.1 (95% CI 2.93 to 50.3) and 7.9 (95% CI 3.2 to 19.7) times the odds of death at 30 days and 90 days, respectively, after presentation during the COVID-19 pandemic (pConclusionsThe COVID-19 pandemic has affected paediatric oncology service provision. It has disproportionately affected patients in LMICs, highlighting and compounding existing disparities in healthcare systems globally that need addressing urgently. However, many patients with paediatric cancer continued to receive their normal standard of care. This speaks to the adaptability and resilience of healthcare systems and healthcare workers globally.

Complaints that there are “fewer applicants” and/or “less qualified candidates” applying for positions as police/public safety officers may reflect a larger or growing problem in this field’s recruitment efforts today. The two surveys and six survey studies conducted here, including a one-year follow-up, were initiated in order to identify the perceptions of working police/public safety psychologists who regularly attend at least one of three national conferences and may provide a representative base of active police/public safety psychology professionals today. Results include the documented perceptions of these psychologists that up to 50% of their police/public safety agencies have lowered their officer selection standards in recent years, with 58% of the 2019 survey-responding psychologists (N = 51) reporting that at least one of their agencies “lowered its selection standards within the last 12 months.” Psychologists also reported a difference between their “current rate of candidate rejection” on pre-employment psychological evaluations (PEPEs) and their “desired rate of candidate rejection,” suggesting that police/public safety organizations may be hiring more “borderline” or potentially “psychologically-unfit” officers in recent years in order to fill officer vacancies. A number of reasons for apparently increasing selection challenges nationwide are documented in these psychologists’ completed surveys.

IntroductionChildhood cancer is a leading cause of death. It is unclear whether the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted childhood cancer mortality. In this study, we aimed to establish all-cause mortality rates for childhood cancers during the COVID-19 pandemic and determine the factors associated with mortality.MethodsProspective cohort study in 109 institutions in 41 countries. Inclusion criteria: children ResultsAll-cause mortality was 3.4% (n=71/2084) at 30-day follow-up, 5.7% (n=113/1969) at 90-day follow-up and 13.0% (n=206/1581) at 12-month follow-up. The median time from diagnosis to multidisciplinary team (MDT) plan was longest in low-income countries (7 days, IQR 3–11). Multivariable analysis revealed several factors associated with 12-month mortality, including low-income (OR 6.99 (95% CI 2.49 to 19.68); pConclusionsChildren with cancer are more likely to die within 30 days if infected with SARS-CoV-2. However, timely treatment reduced odds of death. This report provides crucial information to balance the benefits of providing anticancer therapy against the risks of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children with cancer.

A timeline of chronological events connected to the Climate Action, Life Below Water, and Quality Education SDGs. We will connect how climate change caused reef decay to education and restoration efforts, after people realized what was happening and then making climate goals and ecological goals. SDG Theme: SDG 4 – Quality Education, SDG 13 - Climate Action, SDG 15 - Life on Land Type: Short talk (e.g. PowerPoint, Google Slides)

To evaluate temporal trends in the management of sinogenic intracranial suppuration and its outcomes in children.A systematic search of databases was performed (Medline, Embase, Cochrane, ClinicalTrials.gov).Studies in children (age18 years) with sinogenic subdural empyema, extradural abscess, and intraparenchymal abscess were included. Data on treatment strategies were extracted. Primary outcome was death90 days. Secondary outcomes were return to theater, neurologic disability at 6 months, and length of stay. Random effects meta-analysis and meta-regression were performed to investigate the effect of time and endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) on these outcomes.A total of 32 retrospective observational studies involving 533 patients recruited across a 45-year period (1975-2020) were included. The pooled estimates for 90-day mortality, permanent neurologic disability, and return to theater were 2.3% (95% CI, 1.1%-3.6%;The outcomes of sinogenic intracranial complications have not changed over the last 45 years, and ESS was not associated with improved patient outcomes. Further high-quality studies are required to determine the most appropriate treatment modalities to improve the burden of morbidity associated with sinogenic intracranial suppuration in children.

Practicing nephrology in New York City, at the epicenter of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in the United States, we have been struck by the continued focus on the concern that a critical deficiency of ventilators will occur. Our efforts in the past weeks have led us to fear

The scale-up of laboratory procedures to industrial production is the main challenge standing between ideation and the successful introduction of novel materials into commercial products. Retaining quality while ensuring high per-batch production yields is the main challenge. Batch processing and other dynamic strategies that preserve product quality can be applied, but they typically involve a variety of experimental parameters and functions that are difficult to optimize because of interdependencies that are often antagonistic. Adaptive Bayesian optimization is demonstrated here as a valuable support tool in increasing both the per-batch yield and quality of short polymer fibers, produced by wet spinning and shear dispersion methods. Through this approach, it is shown that short fiber dispersions with high yield and a specified, targeted fiber length distribution can be obtained with minimal cost of optimization, starting from sub-optimal processing conditions and minimal prior knowledge. The Bayesian function optimization demonstrated here for batch processing could be applied to other dynamic scale-up methods as well as to cases presenting higher dimensional challenges such as shape and structure optimization. This work shows the great potential of synergies between industrial processing, material engineering, and machine learning perspectives.

cellF is a collaborative project at the cutting edge of experimental art and music that brings together artists, musicians, designers and scientists to create the world’s first biological neuron-driven analogue modular synthesizer. It combines biological material with electronic circuitry, presenting a new direction in music performance and production.

New, non-invasive methods for detecting and monitoring species presence are being developed to aid in fisheries and wildlife conservation management. The use of environmental DNA (eDNA) samples for detecting macrobiota is one such group of methods that is rapidly becoming popular and being implemented in national management programs. Here we focus on the development of species-specific targeted assays for probe-based quantitative PCR (qPCR) applications. Using probe-based qPCR offers greater specificity than is possible with primers alone. Furthermore, the ability to quantify the amount of DNA in a sample can be useful in our understanding of the ecology of eDNA and the interpretation of eDNA detection patterns in the field. Careful consideration is needed in the development and testing of these assays to ensure the sensitivity and specificity of detecting the target species from an environmental sample. In this protocol we will delineate the steps needed to design and test probe-based assays for the detection of a target species; including creation of sequence databases, assay design, assay selection and optimization, testing assay performance, and field validation. Following these steps will help achieve an efficient, sensitive, and specific assay that can be used with confidence. We demonstrate this process with our assay designed for populations of the mucket (Actinonaias ligamentina), a freshwater mussel species found in the Clinch River, USA.

The COVID-19 pandemic created an unprecedented strain on hospitals in New York City. Although practitioners focused on the pulmonary devastation, resources for the provision of dialysis proved to be more constrained. To deal with these shortfalls, NYC Health and Hospitals/Bellevue, NYU Brooklyn, NYU Medical Center and the New York Harbor VA Healthcare System, put together a plan to offset the anticipated increased needs for kidney replacement therapy.Prior to the pandemic, peritoneal dialysis was not used for acute kidney injury at Bellevue Hospital. We were able to rapidly establish an acute peritoneal dialysis program at Bellevue Hospital for acute kidney injury patients in the intensive care unit. A dedicated surgery team was assembled to work with the nephrologists for bedside placement of the peritoneal dialysis catheters. A multi-disciplinary team was trained by the lead nephrologist to deliver peritoneal dialysis in the intensive care unit. Between April 8, 2020 and May 8, 2020, 39 peritoneal dialysis catheters were placed at Bellevue Hospital. 38 patients were successfully started on peritoneal dialysis. As of June 10, 2020, 16 patients recovered renal function. One end stage kidney disease patient was converted to peritoneal dialysis and was discharged. One catheter was poorly functioning, and the patient was changed to hemodialysis before recovering renal function. There were no episodes of peritonitis and nine incidents of minor leaking, which resolved. Some patients received successful peritoneal dialysis while being ventilated in the prone position.In summary, despite severe shortages of staff, supplies and dialysis machines during the COVID-19 pandemic, we were able to rapidly implement a de novo peritoneal dialysis program which enabled provision of adequate kidney replacement therapy to all admitted patients who needed it. Our experience is a model for the use of acute peritoneal dialysis in crisis situations.

Major obstacles remain to the implementation of macroscopic quantum computing: hardware problems of noise, decoherence, and scaling; software problems of error correction; and, most important, algorithm construction. Finding truly quantum algorithms is quite difficult, and many of these genuine quantum algorithms, like Shor's prime factoring or phase estimation, require extremely long circuit depth for any practical application, which necessitates error correction. In contrast, we show that machine learning can be used as a systematic method to construct algorithms, that is, to non-algorithmically "program" quantum computers. Quantum machine learning enables us to perform computations without breaking down an algorithm into its gate "building blocks", eliminating that difficult step and potentially increasing efficiency by simplifying and reducing unnecessary complexity. In addition, our non-algorithmic machine learning approach is robust to both noise and to decoherence, which is ideal for running on inherently noisy NISQ devices which are limited in the number of qubits available for error correction. We demonstrate this using a fundamentally non-classical calculation: experimentally estimating the entanglement of an unknown quantum state. Results from this have been successfully ported to the IBM hardware and trained using a hybrid reinforcement learning method., Comment: 9 pages, 21 figures. Submitted to QCE 2020

Designing and implementing algorithms for medium and large scale quantum computers is not easy. In previous work we have suggested, and developed, the idea of using machine learning techniques to train a quantum system such that the desired process is ``learned,'' thus obviating the algorithm design difficulty. This works quite well for small systems. But the goal is macroscopic physical computation. Here, we implement our learned pairwise entanglement witness on Microsoft's Q\#, one of the commercially available gate model quantum computer simulators; we perform statistical analysis to determine reliability and reproducibility; and we show that after training the system in stages for an incrementing number of qubits (2, 3, 4, \ldots) we can infer the pattern for mesoscopic $N$ from simulation results for three-, four-, five-, six-, and seven-qubit systems. Our results suggest a fruitful pathway for general quantum computer algorithm design and for practical computation on noisy intermediate scale quantum devices.

2-Spiropiperidines are a highly desirable, yet under represented structure in drug discovery. 2-Spiropiperidines were synthesised in either a two-pot or one-pot reaction. In the two-pot reaction, the addition of a Weiler dianion to N-Boc imines, followed by deprotection and in situ condensation with a cyclic ketone generated functionalised 2-spiropiperidines in good to excellent yields. In the one-pot reaction, the addition of Chan's diene to N-Boc imines under Maitland-Japp conditions, followed by the addition of sodium bicarbonate and a cyclic ketone formed functionalised 2-spiropiperidines in moderate to good yields.

Designing and implementing algorithms for medium and large scale quantum computers is not easy. In previous work we have suggested, and developed, the idea of using machine learning techniques to train a quantum system such that the desired process is "learned," thus obviating the algorithm design difficulty. This works quite well for small systems. But the goal is macroscopic physical computation. Here, we implement our learned pairwise entanglement witness on Microsoft's Q#, one of the commercially available gate model quantum computer simulators; we perform statistical analysis to determine reliability and reproduceability; and we show that using the machine learning technique called "bootstrapping", we can infer the pattern for mesoscopic N from simulation results for three-, four-, five-, six-, and seven-qubit systems. Our results suggest a fruitful pathway for general quantum computer algorithm design and computation., Comment: Submitted to Quantum Information Processing

The photochemistry of cyclic carbonate esters proceeds by the photochemical extrusion of carbon dioxide to give 1, 3-diradicals which produce oxiranes as well as other radical derived species. The corresponding cyclic sulfite esters, upon irradiation, give intermediates that are trapped by alcohols yet generate no oxiranes. These results are consistent with ionic intermediates.

cellF is the world’s first neuron-driven synthesiser. It is a collaborative project at the cutting-edge of experimental art and music that brings together artists, musicians, designers and scientists to create a cybernetic self-portrait. cellF is an autonomous, bio-analogue electronic musical instrument designed to operate independently and interact with human musicians. The instrument is controlled by a bio-engineered neural network or ‘brain’ derived from skin cells using induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology that is housed in a custom-built synthesiser ‘body’. This paper introduces the cellF project highlighting the background, bio-technology, embodiment, design and performance capabilities.

The timing and location of spawning events are important data for managers seeking to control invasive grass carp populations. Ichthyoplankton tows for grass carp eggs and larvae can be used to detect spawning events, however, these samples can be highly debris-laden, and are expensive and laborious to process. An alternative method, environmental DNA (eDNA) technology, has proven effective in determining the presence of aquatic species. The objectives of this project were to assess the use of eDNA collections and quantitative eDNA analysis to assess the potential spawning of grass carp in five reservoir tributaries, and to compare those results to the more traditional method of ichthyoplankton tows. Grass carp eDNA was detected in 56% of sampling occasions and was detected in all five rivers. Concentrations of grass carp eDNA were orders of magnitude higher in June, corresponding to elevated discharge and egg presence. Grass carp environmental DNA flux (copies/h) was lower when no eggs were present and was higher when velocities and discharge increased and eggs were present. There was a positive relationship between grass carp eDNA flux and egg flux. Our results support the further development of eDNA analysis as a method to detect the spawning events of grass carp or other rheophilic spawners.

Correction for ‘Synthesis of highly substituted 2-spiropiperidines’ by Samuel D. Griggs et al., Org. Biomol. Chem., 2018, DOI: 10.1039/c8ob01272e.

Video games are often heteronormative and contain male characters that embody qualities and behaviors associated with hegemonic masculinity. In light of this, some players have turned to video game modding in order to transform their gaming experiences into more inclusive ones. This chapter explores the emergence of non-heterosexual male erotic content generated by modding in the game Skyrim. Overall, the author finds that the sexual and erotic content “queers” or makes strange game spaces, game play, and game characters resulting in a gaming hybrid that serves as both pleasurable viewing material and as a tactic to challenge the regimes of gender and sexuality-based power often found in games and gaming communities.

Introduction: Although many methods have been proposed to assess clinical performance during resuscitation, robust and generalizable metrics are still lacking. Further research is necessary to develop validated clinical performance assessment tools and show an improvement in outcomes after training. We aimed to establish evidence for validity of a previously published scoring instrumentVthe Clinical Performance Tool (CPT)Vdesigned to evaluate clinical performance during simulated pediatric resuscitations. Methods: This was a prospective experimental trial performed in the simulation laboratory of a pediatric tertiary care facility, with a pretest/posttest design that assessed residents before and after pediatric advanced life support (PALS) certification. Thirteen postgraduate year 1 (PGY1) and 11 PGY3 pediatric residents completed 5 simulated pediatric resuscitation scenarios each during 2 consecutive sessions; between the 2 sessions, they completed a full PALS certification course. All sessions were video recorded. Sessions werescoredbyraters usingtheCPT;totalscoreswereexpressed as a percentage of maximum points possible for each scenario. Validity evidence was established and interpreted according to Messick’s framework. Evidence regarding relations to other variables was assessed by calculating differences in scores between pre-PALS and post-PALS certification and PGY1 and PGY3 using a repeated-measures analysis of variance test. Internal structure evidence was established by assessing interrater reliability using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) for each scenario, a G-study, and a variance component analysis of individual measurement facets (scenarios, raters, and occasions) and associated interactions. Results: Overall scores for the entire study cohort improved by 10% after PALS training. Scores improved by 9.9% (95% confidence interval [CI], 4.5Y15.4) for the pulseless nonshockable arrest (ICC, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.74Y0.92), 14.6% (95% CI, 6.7Y22.4) for the pulseless shockable arrest (ICC, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.96Y0.99), 4.1% (95% CI, j4.5 to 12.8) for the dysrhythmias (ICC, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.87Y0.96), 18.4% (95% CI, 9.7Y27.1) for the respiratory scenario (ICC, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.95Y0.98), and 5.3% (95% CI, j1.4 to 2.0) for the shock scenarios (ICC, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.90Y0.97). There were no differences between PGY1 and PGY3 scores before or after the PALS course. Reliability of the instrument was acceptable as demonstrated by a mean ICC of 0.95 (95% CI, 0.94Y0.96). The G-study coefficient was 0.94. Most variance could be attributed to the subject (57%). Interactions between subject and scenario and subject and occasion were 9.9% and 1.4%, respectively, and variance attributable to rater was minimal (0%). Conclusions: Pediatric residents improved scores on CPT after completion of a PALS course. Clinical Performance Tool scores are sensitive to the increase in skills and knowledge resulting from such a course but not to learners’ levels. Validity evidence from scores for the CPT confirms implementation in new contexts and partially supports internal structure. More evidence is required to further support internal structure and especially to support relations with other variables and consequence evidence. Additional modifications should be made to the CPT before considering its use for high-stakes certification such as PALS. (Sim Healthcare 9:360Y369, 2014)

Black Field Plates (2014) is a series of sound installations. The series is an investigation into the politics of emergent sound composition. By imitating the ways in which natural systems organize matter, these sound installations self-organize sound and compose music.

A general two-step synthesis of 2-spiropiperidines has been developed. δ-Amino-β-ketoesters can be reacted with cyclic ketones to generate 2-spiropiperidines in good to excellent yields. The 2-spiropiperidines formed occupy an under-explored region of 3D-chemical space and are novel scaffolds for use in drug discovery programs. These 2-spiropiperidines can be further functionalised to generate small highly sp3-rich structures, which exhibit an excellent likeness to lead-molecules in drug discovery.

In this study, the electrochemical behaviour of commercially available gold spheres and rods stabilised by carboxylic acid and cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) moieties, respectively, are investigated. The cyclic voltammetric behaviour in acidic electrolyte is distinctly different with the nanorods exhibiting unusual oxidative behaviour due to an electrodissolution process. The nanospheres exhibited responses typical of a highly defective surface which significantly impacted on electrocatalytic activity. A repetitive potential cycling cleaning procedure was also investigated which did not improve the activity of the nanorods and resulted in deactivating the gold spheres due to decreasing the level of surface defects.

With the focus in healthcare around improving quality while reducing costs the clinical and economic management around the use of medications in the inpatient and outpatient settings is critical. In September 2014, drug expenditures increased 12.2 % overall, 13.3 % in clinics, and 4.0 % inpatient. Projections for 2015 are expected to increase by 9 %. Therefore, a variety of drug utilization strategies should be implemented across the healthcare sector including more deployment of pharmacists into direct patient care roles, clinical decision support, and electronic order sets. Meanwhile, specialty medications, used to treat diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, cystic fibrosis, Crohn’s disease, and cancer, have quickly been infused into the market resulting in strong patient outcomes but high expense and fragmentation of care. Retail and mail-order pharmacy services remain unchanged but home infusion is growing due to lower associated total cost of care. Managed care and government programs continue to evolve with healthcare cost constraints utilizing formulary management, restricted networks, rebate agreements with manufacturers, and prior authorization methodologies.

ME-5343 (afidopyropen) is a new and promising insecticide with an unknown mechanism of action that is effective against sucking insects. ME-5343 was highly toxic to pea aphids (Acyrthosiphon pisum), being more toxic than six other widely used insecticides. In contrast, ME-5343 was practically non-toxic to eight other species of insects we tested. ME-5343 was not toxic to German cockroaches (topical application) or American cockroaches (injection), suggesting that lack of toxicity in these species is not due to lack of cuticular penetration. House flies are insensitive to ME-5343 by topical, residual and feeding exposure. Addition of synergists did not change this result, suggesting that insensitivity to ME-5343 in house flies is not due to rapid detoxification nor is it dependent on the method of bioassay used. ME-5343 did not cause firefly lanterns to glow, nor did it prevent the octopamine stimulated lantern glow. Extracellular recordings of action potentials from a tonically active motor nerve of crayfish in situ showed no effects of ME-5343 at concentrations up to 10−5 M. These results suggest that the target site of ME-5343 is not the voltage gated sodium channel, voltage gated potassium channel, GABA gated chloride channel, nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, acetylcholinesterase, octopamine receptor or glutamate receptor. ME-5343 injected into crayfish caused flextion of the legs and tail, similar to the symptoms induced by 5-HT (serotonin). We evaluated the effect of ME-5343 on 5-HT2-like receptors with intracellular recordings of excitatory post-synaptic potentials from the peripheral neuromuscular junction of the crayfish and found no effect of ME-5343. Thus, ME-5343 was neither an agonist nor antagonist of 5-HT2 receptors, did not affect neurotransmitter release and did not affect glutamate receptors. We conclude that ME-5343 is highly toxic to aphids and that this is due to a unique, and currently undefined mechanism of action.