Capture Tools Research Articles

Current Practices for Delivering New Diagnosis Education at Children's Oncology Group Institutions: A Report From the Children's Oncology Group.

The Children's Oncology Group (COG) Nursing Discipline developed expert consensus recommendations and resources to guide the delivery of new diagnosis education across its member institutions. Current new diagnosis education practices across COG member institutions are unknown. To understand current new diagnosis education practices across COG member institutions. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of COG nurses between July and October 2023 to elicit current practices to deliver new diagnosis education to families across COG institutions. Data were collected and managed using REDCap electronic data capture tools. Individual responses from single institutions were averaged as a single institution-level response. Respondents included 146/227 (64.3%) COG institutions across 5 countries. Advanced practice nurses and nurse educators have primary responsibility for new diagnosis education at 28.1% and 26.7% of institutions, respectively. Less than half (42.4%) of institutions have a clearly defined process for delivering new diagnosis patient/family education. Almost all (88.2%) institutions use the COG Family Handbook; 64.7% use the COG New Diagnosis Guide, and 41.9% use the COG KidsCare app to support the delivery of new diagnosis education. More than half (61.5%) of institutions use checklists to facilitate the delivery of new diagnosis education, with 81.6% of large institutions versus 44.1% of small institutions reporting the use of checklists ( P = .004). There is variability in current new diagnosis education practices across COG institutions. These findings highlight opportunities for implementing standardized approaches aligned with expert consensus recommendations for the delivery of new diagnosis education.

Validation of a 3D Markerless Motion Capture Tool Using Multiple Pose and Depth Estimations for Quantitative Gait Analysis

Gait analysis is essential for evaluating walking patterns and identifying functional limitations. Traditional marker-based motion capture tools are costly, time-consuming, and require skilled operators. This study evaluated a 3D Marker-less Motion Capture (3D MMC) system using pose and depth estimations with the gold-standard Motion Capture (MOCAP) system for measuring hip and knee joint angles during gait at three speeds (0.7, 1.0, 1.3 m/s). Fifteen healthy participants performed gait tasks which were captured by both systems. The 3D MMC system demonstrated good accuracy (LCC > 0.96) and excellent inter-session reliability (RMSE < 3°). However, moderate-to-high accuracy with constant biases was observed during specific gait events, due to differences in sample rates and kinematic methods. Limitations include the use of only healthy participants and limited key points in the pose estimation model. The 3D MMC system shows potential as a reliable tool for gait analysis, offering enhanced usability for clinical and research applications.

Artificial Internalizing Receptors: Intracellular Delivery of Cargo Through Bio-Orthogonal Recognition.

Drug targeting is a methodology that helps to overcome the side effects of therapeutic molecules. However, insufficient targeting specificity and the on-target/off-site delivery leave much room for improvement in the targeting endeavors. One approach to enhance the specificity of drug targeting is to engineer artificial receptors with recognition ligands not observed in nature. To this end, artificial internalizing receptors that feature cholesterylamine as the artificial pull-in mechanism, and an anti-fluorescein antibody as the exofacial recognition and capture tool are developed. Fluorescein labeling is among the most routine techniques in biochemistry and can readily provide a way to make cognate derivatives for receptor-mediated endocytosis using these artificial receptors. Herein, the synthesis and the structure-activity relationship for these artificial receptors are detailed, their potency and efficacy in mediating drug delivery for the antibody-drug conjugates are illustrated, and the scope and limitations of targeting the chemically engineered cells via artificial receptors are investigated. Taken together, the presented data explore an innovative approach to drug targeting and contribute to the development of techniques in cell engineering using the tools of chemistry.

Elucidating flow-directed 98% CO2 absorption using millimeter-sized coiled flow inverters: Nanocellulose-aided sustainable scope

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the United Nations drive the global efforts to discover a sustainable carbon capture method for the reduction of anthropogenic CO2 emissions. Concentrated alkanolamine solutions are being used as CO2 capture mediums for batch processes amid several disadvantages, such as energy intensiveness and poor efficiency. In this work, millimeter-sized coiled flow inverters (CFI) have been explored as a point-source CO2 capture tool for highly efficient, continuous operations. Solvent and CO2 gas flow rates are found to dictate the slug flow regime and, more specfically, slug lengths. High interfacial area and residence time remain the driving factors for enhanced CO2 capture using CFI. About 98% CO2 absorption efficiency has been achieved for 3% aqueous diethanolamine solution in CFI . The efficacy of nanocellulose, a sustainable nanomaterial has been unearthed for CO2 capture at low flow rate.

Novel rate-based modeling and mass transfer performance of CO2 absorption in rotating spiral contactor

For the process of CO2 absorption, existing gas-liquid contactors suffer from low mass transfer performance and low gas-liquid ratios. In this study, a rotating spiral contactor was developed to overcome these drawbacks and a novel rate-based model was developed to predict the CO2 absorption performance. The effective interfacial area (ae), overall volumetric mass transfer coefficient (KGae) and CO2 absorption efficiency (η) were investigated. The results showed that the ae was 913–1125 m2/m3 superior to the conventional contactor. In the range of gas–liquid ratio of 200–1800, the KGae and η were 1.4–10.1 kmol.m-3.h-1.kPa-1 and 40.5–99.6 %, respectively. The rate-based model predicted the KGae and η with the AARD of 6.71 % and 1.90 %, respectively. Also, it has better robustness even in highly nonlinear temperature and composition distributions. This study provides a potential contactor and a new modeling tool for CO2 capture and other gas-liquid separation.

Dissolving Districts: Did Property Values Fall When California Terminated Its Redevelopment Agencies?

California pioneered the use of tax increment finance (TIF) to promote redevelopment, but in 2012 all redevelopment agencies in the state were simultaneously (and unexpectedly) dissolved, essentially eliminating TIF-supported redevelopment in California. This paper uses hedonic methods to analyze changes in residential property values associated with the dissolution of TIF districts in five cities in northern Orange County. If TIF is necessary for (re)development in the TIF districts, then the unexpected elimination of TIF-funded redevelopment should have reduced property values. The authors find that, within the study area, the elimination of TIF was not associated with decreases in residential values within TIF districts, and quality-adjusted home prices in and near former TIF districts continued to grow at a rate at least comparable to citywide rates in the aftermath of the dissolution. These findings raise the concern that TIF may function as a tool for revenue capture before the TIF districts reach the anticipated expiration dates. In the absence of significant regulatory safeguards, TIF may be used to capture revenue from overlapping governments, instead of serving as an engine of economic development.

A Web-Based Questionnaire Builder to Facilitate form Management for the Electronic Data Capture with REDCap.

REDCap, a popular platform for building surveys for electronic data capture, offers two methods for creating questionnaires: an interactive web interface to modify single questions and an upload method to import entire questionnaires. Both methods present limitations in terms of usability and time needed for different tasks. We propose a browser-based web application to design and manage REDCap questionnaires using a What-You-See-Is-What-You-Get approach. The application provides a user-friendly interface for a comprehensive overview of all imported questionnaires, and three distinct views cater to different aspects of the questionnaire design process. The questionnaires can be imported and exported through the REDCap CSV format and thus integrate seamlessly into its environment. REDCapQB represents a significant advancement in questionnaire design and management, offering researchers a powerful and user-friendly tool for electronic data capture in translational research studies within the REDCap ecosystem.

What could improve surgical data system at health facilities with high surgical volume in Ethiopia?

BackgroundThe effective management of surgical and anesthesia care relies on quality data and its readily availability for both patient-centered decision-making and facility-level improvement efforts. Recognizing this critical need, the Strengthening Systems for Improved Surgical Outcomes (SSISO) project addressed surgical care data management and information use practices across 23 health facilities from October 2019 to September 2022. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of SSISO interventions in enhancing practices related to surgical data capture, reporting, analysis, and visualization.MethodsThis study employed a mixed method, pre- post intervention evaluation design to assess changes in data management and utilization practices at intervention facilities. The intervention packages included capacity building trainings, monthly mentorship visits facilitated by a hub-and-spoke approach, provision of data capture tools, and reinforcement of performance review teams. Data collection occurred at baseline (February – April 2020) and endline (April – June 2022). The evaluation focused on the availability and appropriate use of data capture tools, as well as changes in performance review practices. Appropriate use of registers was defined as filling all the necessary data onto the registers, and this was verified by completeness of selected key data elements in the registers.ResultsThe proportion of health facilities with Operation Room (OR) scheduling, referral, and surgical site infection registers significantly increased by 34.8%, 56.5% and 87%, respectively, at project endline compared to baseline. Availability of OR and Anesthesia registers remained high throughout the project, at 91.3% and 95.6%, respectively. Furthermore, the appropriate use of these registers improved, with statistically significant increases observed for OR scheduling registers (34.8% increase). Increases were also noted for OR register (9.5% increase) and anesthesia register (4.5% increase), although not statistically significant. Assessing the prior three months reports, the report submissions to the Ministry of Health/Regional Health Bureau (MOH/RHB) rose from 85 to 100%, reflecting complete reporting at endline period. Additionally, the proportion of surgical teams analyzing and displaying data for informed decision-making significantly increased from 30.4% at baseline to 60.8% at endline period.ConclusionThe implemented interventions positively impacted surgical data management and utilization practice at intervention facilities. These positive changes were likely attributable to capacity building trainings and regular mentorship visits via hub-and-spoke approach. Hence, we recommend further investigation into the effectiveness of similar intervention packages in improving surgical data management, data analysis and visualization practices in low- and middle-income country settings.

Validation of a Novel Mobile Application for Assessing Pediatric Tracheostomy Emergency Simulations.

Pediatric tracheostomy is associated with high morbidity and mortality, yet clinician knowledge and quality of tracheostomy care may vary widely. In situ simulation is effective at detecting and mitigating related latent safety threats, but evaluation via retrospective video review has disadvantages (eg, delayed analysis, and potential data loss). We evaluated whether a novel mobile application is accurate and reliable for assessment of in situ tracheostomy emergency simulations. A novel mobile application was developed for assessment of tracheostomy emergency in situ simulation team performance. After 1.25 hours of training, 6 raters scored 10 tracheostomy emergency simulation videos for the occurrence and timing of 12 critical steps. To assess accuracy, rater scores were compared to a reference standard to determine agreement for occurrence or absence of critical steps and a timestamp within ±5 seconds. Interrater reliability was determined through Cohen's and Fleiss' kappa and intraclass correlation coefficient. Raters had 86.0% agreement with the reference standard when considering step occurrence and timing, and 92.8% agreement when considering only occurrence. The average timestamp difference from the reference standard was 1.3 ± 18.5 seconds. Overall interrater reliability was almost perfect for both step occurrence (Fleiss' kappa of 0.81) and timing of step (intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.99). Using our novel mobile application, raters with minimal training accurately and reliably assessed videos of tracheostomy emergency simulations and identified areas for future refinement. With refinements, this innovative mobile application is an effective tool for real-time data capture of time-critical steps in in situ tracheostomy emergency simulations.

Large-Scale S. aureus Screening with Molecular Epidemiology; the Role of MSSA and Community MRSA in Hospital Transmissions

Background: The frequency of Staphylococcus aureus transmission in hospitals is unknown: symptomatic infection may occur months after transmission and colonization, and infection prevention efforts rely on indirect measurements, rather than direct detection of transmission events. We implemented a hospital-based S. aureus screening program, combined with whole genome sequencing of S. aureus surveillance and clinical cultures and data extracted from the electronic health record, to identify S. aureus clonal complex-, patient- and location-specific factors associated with S. aureus transmission in our health system. Methods: Screening S. aureus cultures were obtained at admission by nasal swab for adults admitted to Medicine, Transplant, Oncology and intensive care, and weekly by swab of nares, axilla and groin for children admitted to intensive care and Oncology at NYU Langone Health in New York City. All methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) from screening and clinical (blood, wound, sputum) cultures and all methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) from screening and blood cultures underwent whole genome sequencing. Isolates from distinct patients with < 2 0 single nucleotide pair differences were considered genetically related. Electronic health data was extracted for descriptive statistics and for spatiotemporal plots to assess plausible transmissions. We used REDCap electronic data capture tools hosted at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and SAS software for data analysis to evaluate S. aureus transmissions between November 2022 and November 2023. Results: We analyzed 8,567 S. aureus isolates: including 6,552 screening cultures, 1,008 blood cultures, and 1,007 clinical cultures. We found 424 plausible S. aureus hospital transmissions using sequencing and electronic health data. Screening cultures identified 75% of transmissions that would have otherwise been missed with blood and clinical cultures alone. The majority of positive screening cultures isolated MSSA, but the proportion of transmissions due to MSSA differed by age. In children, MSSA colonization accounted for 62% of transmissions. In adults, only 15% of transmissions were due to MSSA colonization, whereas MRSA colonization accounted for 56% of transmissions. Analysis of adult MRSA isolates by clonal complex found that 45% of transmissions were due to CC8, higher than the 17% among isolates agnostic of transmissions. Emergency departments and the neonatal intensive care unit had the highest number of transmissions. Patients involved in transmissions had longer lengths of stay and frequent hospitalizations. Conclusions: A S. aureus screening program, coupled with genome sequencing and electronic health data, can identify patient group, hospital locations and clonal complexes that are at high risk for S. aureus transmissions.

High prevalence and risk of malaria among asymptomatic individuals from villages with high prevalence of artemisinin partial resistance in Kyerwa district of Kagera region, north-western Tanzania

BackgroundAlthough Tanzania adopted and has been implementing effective interventions to control and eventually eliminate malaria, the disease is still a leading public health problem, and the country experiences heterogeneous transmission. Recent studies reported the emergence of parasites with artemisinin partial resistance (ART-R) in Kagera region with high prevalence (> 10.0%) in two districts of Karagwe and Kyerwa. This study assessed the prevalence and predictors/risk of malaria infections among asymptomatic individuals living in a hyperendemic area where ART-R has emerged in Kyerwa District of Kagera region, north-western Tanzania.MethodsThis was a community-based cross-sectional survey which was conducted in July and August 2023 and involved individuals aged ≥ 6 months from five villages in Kyerwa district. Demographic, anthropometric, clinical, parasitological, type of house inhabited and socio-economic status (SES) data were collected using electronic capture tools run on Open Data Kit (ODK) software. Predictors/risks of malaria infections were determined by univariate and multivariate logistic regression, and the results were presented as crude (cORs) and adjusted odds ratios (aORs), with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).ResultsOverall, 4454 individuals were tested using rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs), and 1979 (44.4%) had positive results. The prevalence of malaria infections ranged from 14.4% to 68.5% and varied significantly among the villages (p < 0.001). The prevalence and odds of infections were significantly higher in males (aOR = 1.28, 95% CI 1.08 –1.51, p = 0.003), school children (aged 5–≤10 years (aOR = 3.88, 95% CI 3.07–4.91, p < 0.001) and 10–≤15 years (aOR = 4.06, 95% CI 3.22–5.13, p < 0.001)) and among individuals who were not using bed nets (aOR = 1.22, 95% CI 1.03–1.46, p = 0.024). The odds of malaria infections were also higher in individuals with lower SES (aOR = 1.42, 95% CI 1.17–1.72, p < 0.001), and living in houses without windows (aOR = 2.08, 95% CI 1.46–2.96, p < 0.001), partially open (aOR = 1.33, 95% CI 1.11–1.58, p = 0.002) or fully open windows (aOR = 1.30, 95%CI 1.05–1.61, p = 0.015).ConclusionThe five villages had a high prevalence of malaria infections and heterogeneity at micro-geographic levels. Groups with higher odds of malaria infections included school children, males, and individuals with low SES, living in poorly constructed houses or non-bed net users. These are important baseline data from an area with high prevalence of parasites with ART-R and will be useful in planning interventions for these groups, and in future studies to monitor the trends and potential spread of such parasites, and in designing a response to ART-R.

Melanoma immunotherapy longitudinal database: A comprehensive approach to capture oncological and toxicity data.

e23314 Background: Evaluating immunotherapy approaches is consistently performed in melanoma, a forefront cancer in immunotherapy responsiveness. Although immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) showed the highest significant survival benefits in melanoma, 50% of patients experience recurrence/refractory disease, and ~59% develop grade 3/4 immune-related adverse events (irAEs). Thus, understanding the disease's natural history, exploring biomarkers of response/toxicity, and identifying the efficacy/safety of immunotherapy using real-world data is warranted. Methods: We established a centralized pro-/retrospective database on Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap), encompassing patients' demographics/comorbidities, disease risk factors, clinicopathological parameters, genomic/immune profiling, treatment modalities, tumor outcomes, irAEs, and patients’ reported outcomes (PROs). Additionally, to streamline data collection and minimize the required time, effort, and cost for manual retrieval, we developed an automated pathway for data capture using MD Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC) electronic data capture (EDC) tools which pull clinical data from EPIC. Data quality will be validated by comparing it to manually retrieved data from an ongoing study of melanoma patients treated with ICIs in the adjuvant setting (NCT04990726). Results: A total of 4074 immunotherapy-treated melanoma patients were identified. We automatically captured demographics and laboratory values at predefined time points from REDCap, along with PROs using validated electronic self-reported questionnaires already built in REDCap. We also automatically captured family history, comorbidities, pathology data, and cancer treatments from the Data Management Initiative (DMI) validated software that automatically captures data from 12 various institutional sources that complement each other, including Radiation Oncology Database, the Biospecimen Information Management System,...etc. Moreover, genomic data were automatically pulled from the Molecular and Clinical Data Integration Platform for 1850 patients. Automated capture of tumor response and irAEs according to the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors 1.1. and Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version-5, respectively are currently ongoing and will be presented. Conclusions: Integrating EDC tools demonstrated accurate real-time data capture and minimized the manual retrieval burden. Our immunotherapy-treated melanoma patients’ cohort provides a comprehensive and a valuable resource for exploring the safety signals and efficacy of various immunotherapeutic approaches beyond clinical trials.

Tailored electrocardiographic-based criteria for different pacing locations within the left bundle branch

Abstract Background QRS morphology transition criteria are the current gold-standard for the confirmation of LBB capture during LBBAP, but they are seen in less than 40% of procedures. Thus, physiologic ECG-based criteria are widely used to confirm LBBP. Current CSP guidelines recommend 100% specific cut-off points (V6-RWPT&amp;lt; 75 ms or V6-V1 interpeak interval &amp;gt; 44 ms) to confirm LBB capture but these values were never validated for different pacing locations. Purpose To describe diagnostic performance of paced V6-RWPT, V6-V1 interpeak interval and paced aVL-RWPT for different pacing sites within the LBB and to determine 100% specific values at each pacing location. Methods Consecutive patients with an attempt of LBBAP procedure were screened at our institution. Only patients with unequivocal LBB capture according to QRS transition criteria were selected. The study population was divided into subgroups according to the site of pacing (left bundle trunk pacing (LBTP), left septal fascicular pacing (LSFP), left posterior fascicular pacing (LPFP) and left anterior fascicular pacing (LAFP)). Results 147 patients with unequivocal LBB capture were analyzed (mean age 77.5±10.4 years, 50.3% male, 95.2% preserved LVEF, and 94.6% with bradycardia pacing indication. Non-diseased LBB (narrow QRS complex or isolated RBBB) was present in 70.7% of patients (n=104). Left fascicular pacing was the most common type of LBB capture achieved (82.8%) while LBTP accounted for 17.2% of cases. LFSP was the most frequent fascicular capture (54.1%), followed by LPFP (36%) and LAFP (9.9%). The ROC curves of paced V6-RWPT for the differential diagnosis of LBBP and LVSP showed good diagnostic performance among different pacing locations (figure 1). The highest AUC were found in patients with LSFP and LAFP (94.9% and 93.2%, respectively). The 100% V6-RWPT specific cut-off value was 68 ms (SN) 25%) in LPFP, 75 ms (SN 56.5%) in LBTP, 79.5 ms (SN 75%) in LSFP and 81 ms (SN 90.9%) in LAFP (figure 1). The diagnostic performance of V6-V1 interpeak interval was also good among study subgroups (figure 2). The highest AUC were found in patients with LBTP and LSFP (89% and 89.4%, respectively). The 100% V6-V1 interpeak interval specific cut-off value was 35.5 ms (SN 65.2%) in LBTP, 53.5 ms (SN 32.5%) in LPFP, 46 ms (SN 44.1%) in LSFP and 41 ms (SN 63.6%) in LAFP (figure 2). Diagnostic performance of paced aVL-RWPT was good among study subgroups (AUC of 93% in LAFP, 80.1% in LBTP, 84% in LSFP and 77.5% in LPFP). The 100% specific cut-off values for LBBP confirmation were 74 ms, 74.5 ms and 73.5 ms for LBTP, LSFP and LPFP patients, respectively, but it was 68 ms in patients with LAFP (SN 66.7%). Conclusions Diagnostic performance of the physiologic ECG-based criteria for the discrimination of LBBP, was good among different pacing locations within the LBB. Tailored cut-off values depending on the site of pacing might be useful additional tools for better LBB capture confirmation.Figure 1Figure 2

Implementation of nurse administered propofol sedation for same-day discharge pulsed field ablation of atrial fibrillation is safe and has excellent patient reviews

Abstract Background In June 2022, we introduced Pulsed Field Ablation (PFA) for de novo pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Simultaneously, deep sedation with propofol undertaken by trained nurses from the cath lab was introduced. Purpose To evaluate feasibility, safety and patient reported experience for same-day discharge AF ablations performed with PFA on propofol sedation. Methods Patients with an ASA physical status classification of 1 or 2 referred for de novo AF ablation were planned for PFA in propofol sedation. Three nurses with previous experience from the intensive care unit planned and undertook the sedation. In addition, two nurses were trained locally. The initial 200 consecutive patients were included in the observational cohort study after signing consent to participate in follow-up after the procedure. Study data were collected and managed using REDCap electronic data capture tools. In addition to procedure related data, patient-reported quality measures were acquired 30 days after the procedure by an internet based questionnaire including scaling and open questions. Results 96% of the procedures were successfully completed using only propofol while 4% were scheduled for general anesthesia, mainly because of sleep apnea and high BMI. The average procedure time for the first 100 procedures was 57 min (95% CI, 54.1-62.9) and 45 min (95% CI, 42.6-47.4) for the following 100 procedures. Acute PVI was achieved during all procedures. No sedation related adverse effects were observed. One patient experienced pericardial tamponade requiring prolonged hospitalization. 87% were discharged on the same day as planned while 12% remained hospitalized one additional day for reassurance and social reasons. 93% (186/200) completed the questionnaire. 56% of patient only responded "very little" or "not at all" to all questions about adverse symptoms during and after the procedure. For each specific symptom, 80 to 95 % were only experienced "very little" or "not at all" (Fig 1). In general, patients felt safe about the preparation for and handling of the sedation (Fig 2). Conclusions Nurse administered deep sedation with propofol, provides excellent pain relief for PFA procedures, facilitates an efficient workflow and can safely be implemented and administered by nurses from the cath lab. Propofol sedation constitutes an important alternative to general anesthesia that is not widely available.Figure 1Figure 2

A smartphone-based fluorescent biosensor with metal-organic framework biocomposites and cotton swabs for the rapid determination of tetrodotoxin in seafood

BackgroundTetrodotoxin (TTX) is a potent neurovirulent marine biotoxin that is present in puffer fish and certain marine animals. It is capable of causing severe neurotoxic symptoms and even death when consumed through contaminated seafood. Due to its high toxicity, developing an effective assay for TTX determination in seafood has significant benefits for food safety and human health. Currently, it remains challenging to achieve on-site determination of TTX in seafood. To facilitate mass on-site assays, more affordable technologies utilizing accessible equipment that require no skilled personnel are needed. ResultsA smartphone-based portable fluorescent biosensor is proposed for TTX determination by using metal-organic framework (MOF) biocomposites and cotton swabs. Oriented antibody (Ab)-decorated and fluorescent quantum dot (QD)-loaded MOF biocomposites (QD@MOF*Ab) are rapidly synthesized for binding targets and fluorescent responses by utilizing the tunability of zinc-based MOF. Moreover, facile Ab-immobilized household cotton swabs are utilized as TTX capture tools. TTX forms sandwich immune complexes with QD@MOF*Ab probes, achieving signal amplification. These probes are excited by a portable device to generate bright fluorescent signals, which can be detected by the naked eye, and TTX quantitative results are obtained using a smartphone. When observed with the naked eye, the limit of detection (LOD) is 0.4 ng/mL, while intelligent quantitation presents an LOD of 0.13 ng/mL at logarithmic concentrations of 0.2–400 ng/mL. SignificanceThis biosensor is convenient to use, and an easy-to-operate analysis is completed within 15 min, thus demonstrating excellent performance in terms of detection speed and portability. Furthermore, it successfully determines TTX contents in puffer fish and clam samples, demonstrating its potential for monitoring seafood. Herein, this work provides a favorable rapid sensing platform that is easily portable.

AI‐PSM: Where are we now?

AbstractSince its public debut in late 2022, ChatGPT has sparked growing interest in AI (Artificial Intelligence) within the Process Safety Management (PSM) community, serving as a tool for data capture and industry‐wide knowledge utilization. While machine learning (ML) had previously been explored in process safety, the emergence of large language models with chat‐style interfaces has made AI more accessible to non‐experts. Over the past year, I have managed the “AI‐PSM” LinkedIn group, facilitating discussions among PSM practitioners on the AI applications in PSM. These discussions have been analyzed using Prof. Thomas Malone's “4 Roles of AI” framework. This paper explores prevailing sentiments among AI‐PSM group members using Malone's model, addressing challenges such as mathematical problem‐solving, errors, and benchmarking.

Droplet impact simulation with Cahn–Hilliard phase field method coupling Navier-slip boundary and dynamic contact angle model

As a highly promising interface capture tool, the phase field method (PFM) has gained fast development in the past 20 years or so including in the simulation of droplet impact. The mobility tuning parameter χ of PFM, however, is hard to determine since it ambiguously reflects the relative strength between advection and diffuse effects that are difficult to quantify. This problem becomes even more complex when it is coupled with the contact line movement modeling, i.e., the dynamic contact angle (DCA) model, which is closely related to the effective slip (Ls,e) and the Navier-slip (Ls). This study systematically investigated the factors that would take effect at the interface capture and the contact line movement in droplet impact simulation. The value and the scaling law of Ls,e as for its dependence on χ and interface thickness (ε) was first confirmed, and an approximation scheme for defining the DCA model was proposed based on the difference between the apparent contact line moving velocity (Ucl) and the Navier-slip velocity at the contact line (Ucl′), which is inherently determined by Ls,e and Ls, respectively. After validation with the experiments, the scaling law of χ with ε, i.e., the sharp-interface limit, was finally obtained, which provides improved droplet impact simulation.

Network Traffic Virtualization Using Wireshark and Pygeoip

Security analysts possess the requisite expertise to discern various types of network traffic, detect instances of unusually high activity, and pinpoint the specific network nodes responsible. Furthermore, network traffic visualization aids users in pinpointing servers and tracking data flows, thereby enabling researchers to identify potential online threats. Leveraging Wireshark's functionalities as both a packet tracer and capture tool, the process of network analysis hinges on the selection of appropriate packet capture parameters. In this study, Wireshark serves as the cornerstone for creating a network tracking system. By employing Wireshark to capture data packets, analyze them, and subsequently translate the IP addresses into latitude and longitude coordinates, researchers can plot the source and destination IPs on a Google map. This innovative approach allows users to visualize network traffic patterns on a geographical scale and effectively monitor them.

A global analysis of the use of immunoglobulin, shortages in supply, and mitigating measures: A survey of hospital providers (a BEST Collaborative study).

Immunoglobulin (IG) therapy is widely used to treat primary and secondary immune deficiencies and as immunomodulatory agent for various disorders. There is great concern that shortages of IG may rise, potentially affecting medical treatment options. An international survey was developed to study how intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIGs) are used and managed within hospitals in case of shortages. Study data were collected and managed using REDCap electronic data capture tools hosted by the Biomedical Excellence for Safer Transfusion (BEST) Collaborative. The survey was directed to hospital pharmacists and blood bank transfusion professionals and disseminated through members of the BEST Collaborative network. Survey respondents from institutions in the USA, Canada, Europe, Japan, and Australia (n = 13) confirmed that the primary specialties utilizing IG are neurology, hematology, and immunology. More than 60% of respondents reported IG supply shortages, but mitigation strategies were not well developed. As IG is the leading driver in plasma demand, more studies are needed to understand current and future demand for IG from the clinical perspective. Necessity lies in establishing clinical guidance to address shortages.

Examining Institutional Challenges of Land Value Capture: The Case of Implementing Land-based Taxes in the Philippines

Leveraging the increase in property values emerges as an innovative financing method, enabling property owners and developers to contribute to collective benefit. The special assessment tax or special levy is a land value capture tool used to recover the costs of government infrastructure projects. Despite its long-standing existence in the Philippines’ Local Government Code, it is underutilized and its potentials as revenue sources have not been realized. This qualitative study combines extensive literature reviews and semi-structured interviews, including a self-assessment scoring of government staff in the cities of Metro Manila, citing perspectives and experiences in land taxation to examine institutional challenges in utilizing the special assessment tax. Findings reveal that institutional, financial, and technical capacity problems have prevented its utilization despite existing legal mechanisms. Moreover, there is a noteworthy gap in understanding and application at the local level, as the concept of land value capture is yet to be mainstreamed in local public finance. The discussions aim to inform cities and municipalities about the untapped potential of the special assessment tax as a viable revenue source for local development and the regulation of urban growth. Additionally, the study advocates for the importance of building capacities in land-based financing. It emphasizes the need for support and improvements in the current institutional arrangements of land valuation to address socio-economic inequalities.