The Gift:Transforming Lives through Organ Donation

It is my great pleasure to introduce this comic. Our project originated from an honest conversation with my friend and colleague Prof Chris Murray: how to communicate complex issues surrounding the issue of organ donation? Over the last seven years I have had the honour of being an ambassador for the Organ Donation campaign by telling my son, Andrew’s, story.Through my role as an Organ Donation ambassador I meet courageous and selfless people. Some are in desperate need of hope, some are in the position to provide hope, and those who, through their professionalism and dedication, transform lives.Our sincere thanks for the support of the following organisations: University of Dundee; the NHS Blood and Transplant Specialist Nurses in Organ Donation; Dundee Comics Creative Space; Good Life, Good Death, Good Grief, and the Organ Donation Comics team. it is only through their support that this projectcame to fruition.In the following pages we share heartfelt stories and life experiences related to organ donation. By doing so we hope to bring awareness to a wider audience and prompt honest conversations about organ donation.Finally, I would like thank my sons Andrew and Stuart for warming my heart. Through tears and laughter we present to you… The Gift

Process Evaluation of a Pilot Physical Activity and Social-Emotional Learning Curriculum Implemented in a Summer Care Program for Child and Adolescent Girls

Physical activity (PA) and social-emotional learning (SEL) are critical for healthy development, yet few programs have evaluated integrated promotion efforts within out-of-school summer contexts. The EmpowerHER program was piloted in a summer care program for girls. This study aimed to conduct a process evaluation, assessing the program\u27s fidelity to curriculum design and theory to make recommendations for continuous program improvement. The EmpowerHER curriculum was tailored towards girls (n=11, 10-14 years old) and implemented through a community summer care program. The 8-week program consisted of 90-minute sessions conducted twice per week during the summer of 2023 in Texas, USA. Fidelity was evaluated using the System for Observing Fitness Instruction Time (SOFIT), which characterized participant PA levels, lesson context, social interactions, and instructor interactions. Participants wore ActiGraph GT9X accelerometers to measure PA and completed surveys to assess perceptions of activities. SOFIT observations revealed varying levels of PA across sessions, with peaks in Sessions 4 (26%) and 5 (12%). Accelerometer data showed higher light PA (M=18.3±6.1 min) compared to moderate-to-vigorous PA (M=9.6±4.9 min) per session. Surveys indicated high enjoyment (M=4.6±0.3), learning (M=4.1±0.1), and perceived PA engagement (M=4.5±0.2). Participants expressed preferences for interactive activities and more gym time. Triangulating multi-method process data enabled nuanced optimization of intervention components session-by-session. The curriculum balanced educational components with PA opportunities, but would benefit from more consistent PA. Positive social interactions and participant feedback highlighted the program\u27s potential to enhance SEL. Future iterations should prioritize activities that foster positive relationships and maximize PA

The Fourteenth Data Release of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey: First Spectroscopic Data from the extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey and from the second phase of the Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment

The fourth generation of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS-IV) has been in operation since July 2014. This paper describes the second data release from this phase, and the fourteenth from SDSS overall (making this, Data Release Fourteen or DR14). This release makes public data taken by SDSS-IV in its first two years of operation (July 2014-2016). Like all previous SDSS releases, DR14 is cumulative, including the most recent reductions and calibrations of all data taken by SDSS since the first phase began operations in 2000. New in DR14 is the first public release of data from the extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (eBOSS); the first data from the second phase of the Apache Point Observatory (APO) Galactic Evolution Experiment (APOGEE-2), including stellar parameter estimates from an innovative data driven machine learning algorithm known as "The Cannon"; and almost twice as many data cubes from the Mapping Nearby Galaxies at APO (MaNGA) survey as were in the previous release (N = 2812 in total). This paper describes the location and format of the publicly available data from SDSS-IV surveys. We provide references to the important technical papers describing how these data have been taken (both targeting and observation details) and processed for scientific use. The SDSS website (www.sdss.org) has been updated for this release, and provides links to data downloads, as well as tutorials and examples of data use. SDSS-IV is planning to continue to collect astronomical data until 2020, and will be followed by SDSS-V.Comment: SDSS-IV collaboration alphabetical author data release paper. DR14 happened on 31st July 2017. 19 pages, 5 figures. Accepted by ApJS on 28th Nov 2017 (this is the "post-print" and "post-proofs" version; minor corrections only from v1, and most of errors found in proofs corrected

Drive-through testing for SARS-CoV-2 in symptomatic health and social care workers and household members:an observational cohort study

The requirement for health and social care workers to self-isolate when they or their household contacts develop symptoms consistent with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection can lead to critical staff shortages in the context of a pandemic. In this report, we describe the implementation of a drive-through testing service in a single National Health Service region in Scotland. From 17 March 2020 to 11 April 2020, 1890 SARS-CoV-2 reverse transcription PCR assay (RT-PCR) tests were performed. 22% of tests were positive. Allowing the remaining 78% of staff to return to work within 24 hours was estimated to save over 8000 working days during the peak pandemic period.</p

Adherence to physical activity guidelines associated with self-care management and self-regulatory efficacy for type 2 diabetes among Black/African American men

Background: Existing literature primarily focuses on predominantly Caucasian populations, creating a gap in understanding the factors influencing physical activity (PA) adherence and self-care behaviors specifically in Black/African American men with Type 2 diabetes (T2D), a group disproportionately affected by the condition. This study aimed to examine the relationship between adherence to PA guidelines, self-care management and self-regulatory efficacy for T2D among Black/African American men. Methods: Cross-sectional data from 1225 Black/African American men with T2D were analyzed, with adherence to PA guidelines defined as 450 Metabolic Equivalent of Task (MET)-minutes/week or more. Self-care management and self-regulatory efficacy were measured using validated questionnaires. Results: Descriptive statistics, bivariate analyses and logistic regression models were used to analyze the relationships between PA adherence, self-care management and self-regulatory efficacy. The average of participants’ age was 41.9 years old (±14.5), and number of chronic conditions was 2.5 (±1.9). Participants who adhered to PA guidelines demonstrated significantly higher self-care management and self-regulatory efficacy compared to non-adherents. Younger participants (aged 21–40) reported an average of 4.33 days per week of self-care management, while middle-aged and older participants (aged 40 and above) reported 4.42 days. Non-adherents across all age groups reported lower self-care management and self-regulatory efficacy scores. Logistic regression analysis revealed that self-regulatory efficacy, age, Body Mass Index (BMI) and employment status were significant predictors of PA adherence. Higher self-regulatory efficacy is associated with improved confidence in managing T2D, making individuals more likely to engage in regular PA, which is essential for effective diabetes management. Conclusions: Targeted interventions to enhance self-regulatory efficacy and promote PA adherence, particularly tailored to address barriers faced by younger and unemployed individuals, could have substantial benefits for diabetes self-management

Triangle Interprofessional Partners for Prevention (TIPP): Students Collaborating to Improve Care for Superutilizer Patients

Background: • In the US, 5% of Medicaid patients account for nearly half of health care costs, but this spending does not improve patient outcomes. • Cost-effectiveness and value are an increasing focus in health care; therefore these so-called superutilizer (SU) patients are garnering increased national attention, through the initiatives of Camden Coalition. • Interdisciplinary care can improve care for patients, but medical education often neglects these interprofessional (IP) experiences. • Triangle Interprofessional Partners for Prevention (TIPP) was established with a way to improve SU patient care, decrease hospitalization costs, and promote IP education among students in health care fields. Objectives: 1. Develop sustainable processes to engage IP students in improving quality of health care. 2. Decrease unnecessary hospitalizations and Emergency Department visits for SU patients, lowering total hospital charges. 3. Increase opportunities for IP students to collaborate, fostering mutual understanding and respect. Methods: • An EMR-generated algorithm identified SU patients at UNC (>3 hospitalizations in 12 months). • IP teams of 2-3 social work, nursing, public health, and medicine students conducted home visits and appointments to identify root causes of hospitalizations. Teams worked closely with patients to address risk factors for readmission and coordinate care. • Students met weekly with IP faculty to discuss patient needs and progress. Examples of services provided to patients include: assistance with food insecurity and unstable housing, arranging a new primary care physician, facilitating application for financial assistance with medical bills. Results: • Recruitment is ongoing, but preliminary results for patients enrolled in 2016 are available. • Of the seven enrolled patients, pre-intervention average monthly inpatient charges ranged from $2,235 to$19,662 monthly. Pre-intervention average monthly outpatient charges ranged from $0 to$6,457. • Post-intervention, average monthly inpatient cost decreased in five of seven patients. For these patients, average monthly inpatient charges ranged from $0 to$50,267 and outpatient charges ranged from $85 to$5,290. Three of seven patients have not had any additional hospitalizations post-intervention. Five of seven patients had a decrease in average hospitalization rate. • Results last updated February 2017 Key Lessons for Dissemination: To support other programs who wish to adapt this model at their home institutions, we summarize these key lessons for implementation: o Identifying and Connecting with Patients • During the course of our program, we trialed models including inpatient, outpatient, and a mixed patient populations, balancing SU needs with logistical necessities. It was easiest for us to successfully make contact with hospitalized patients, thus we favor an inpatient population model. If we were unable to connect with hospitalized patients before discharge, we established initial contact with patients over the phone. • We initially experienced challenges identifying hospitalized patients and assigning available team members in real time. A team member with protected time to identify patients is ideal. o IP Education and Collaboration • The divergent schedules of IP students presented challenges in finding a consistent time to meet as a large team. We propose identifying a weekly IP half day set aside by all schools for IP activities. • Successful implementation of IP initiatives requires institutional buy-in and administrative support. Our enthusiastic and supportive IP faculty champions have been essential to the TIPP’s success. o Students as significant contributors to care • We believe this program is mutually beneficial to student and patient and demonstrates the students’ potential to directly improve patient care. • Students are low cost contributors to care. TIPP’s cost of implementation consists solely of faculty time contributed to meeting with students. o Sustainability • TIPP is currently run by faculty and student volunteers. As we continue to grow, incorporating students from other professional schools, and as UNC transitions to a Next Generation Accountable Care Organization, institutional buy-in will be key to future sustainability. Conclusion: • As high value care becomes an increasing focus, addressing these SU patients is an important strategy to improve the quality and efficiency of health care. • TIPP is a student-driven organization aiming to improve the quality and efficiency of SU patient care and promote IP education. • Students work in IP teams to address SU patients’ risk factors for rehospitalization. • IP educational opportunities are an important way to develop quality interdisciplinary care givers in the future. • Results from patients recruited last year demonstrate that five of seven enrolled patients had a decrease in average monthly inpatient cost and average hospitalization rate after enrollment in the TIPP program. • Patient recruitment is ongoing and as we continue to refine our processes, we hope to include additional IP students from the schools of pharmacy and physician assistants. • Students are an abundant, untapped resource in academic medical centers and a potentially significant contributor to improve the quality and efficiency of patient care

Oxygen optodes on oceanographic moorings: recommendations for deployment and in situ calibration

Increasing interest in the deployment of optical oxygen sensors, or optodes, on oceanographic moorings reflects the value of dissolved oxygen (DO) measurements in studies of physical and biogeochemical processes. Optodes are well-suited for moored applications but require careful, multi-step calibrations in the field to ensure data accuracy. Without a standardized set of protocols, this can be an obstacle for science teams lacking expertise in optode data processing and calibration. Here, we provide a set of recommendations for the deployment and in situ calibration of data from moored optodes, developed from our experience working with a set of 60 optodes deployed as part of the Gases in the Overturning and Horizontal circulation of the Subpolar North Atlantic Program (GOHSNAP). In particular, we detail the correction of drift in moored optodes, which occurs in two forms: (i) an irreversible, time-dependent drift that occurs during both optode storage and deployment and (ii) a reversible and pressure-and-time-dependent drift that is detectable in some optodes deployed at depths greater than 1,000 m. The latter is virtually unidentified in the literature yet appears to cause a low-bias in measured DO on the order of 1 to 3 µmol kg−1 per 1,000 m of depth, appearing as an exponential decay over the first days to months of deployment. Comparisons of our calibrated DO time series against serendipitous mid-deployment conductivity-temperature-depth (CTD)-DO profiles, as well as biogeochemical (BGC)-ARGO float profiles, suggest the protocols described here yield an accuracy in optode-DO of ∼1%, or approximately 2.5 to 3 µmol kg−1. We intend this paper to serve as both documentation of the current best practices in the deployment of moored optodes as well as a guide for science teams seeking to collect high-quality moored oxygen data, regardless of expertise

Leaf venation network evolution across clades and scales

Leaf venation architecture varies greatly among living and fossil plants. However, we still have a limited understanding of when, why and in which clades new architectures arose and how they impacted leaf functioning. Using data from 1,000 extant and extinct (fossil) plants, we reconstructed approximately 400 million years of venation evolution across clades and vein sizes. Overall, venation networks evolved from having fewer veins and less smooth loops to having more veins and smoother loops, but these changes only occurred in small and medium vein sizes. The diversity of architectural designs increased biphasically, first peaking in the Paleozoic, then decreasing during the Cretaceous, then increasing again in the Cenozoic, when recent angiosperm lineages initiated a second and ongoing phase of diversification. Vein evolution was not associated with temperature and CO2 fluctuations but was associated with insect diversification. Our results highlight the complexity of the evolutionary trajectory and potential drivers of venation network architecture