Increased serum levels of sCD14 and sCD163 indicate a preponderant role for monocytes in COVID-19 immunopathology

BackgroundEmerging evidence indicates a potential role for monocyte in COVID-19 immunopathology. We investigated two soluble markers of monocyte activation, sCD14 and sCD163, in covid19 patients with the aim of characterizing their potential role in monocyte-macrophage disease immunopathology. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study of its kind.MethodsFifty-nine SARS-Cov-2 positive hospitalized patients, classified according to ICU or non-ICU admission requirement, were prospectively recruited and analyzed by ELISA for levels of sCD14 and sCD163, along with other laboratory parameters, and compared to a healthy control group.ResultssCD14 and sCD163 levels were significantly higher among COVID-19 patients, independently of ICU admission requirement, compared to the control group. We found a significant correlation between sCD14 levels and other inflammatory markers, particularly Interleukin-6, in the non-ICU patients’ group. sCD163 showed a moderate positive correlation with the time at sampling from admission, increasing its value over time, independently of severity group.ConclusionsMonocyte-macrophage activation markers are increased and correlate with other inflammatory markers in SARS-Cov-2 infection, in association to hospital admission. These data suggest a potentially preponderant role for monocyte-macrophage activation in the development of immunopathology of covid19 patients.

TOEFL Preparation for University Students’ Candidates from Asak Paroki MKK

Some private universities in Jakarta use TOEFL or TOEFL-like test as the admission requirement for new students. Therefore, students’ candidates should prepare well to achieve the minimum score for being admitted. Unfortunately, their high school did not give enough training in doing the TOEFL test. The purpose of this community development program is to train high school students to do TOEFL test, especially the Reading section. The participants of the program were seven 12th grade high school students who were included in ASAK Paroki MKK community. They were trying to qualify for admission in Binus University. The program was created in the form of classroom teaching and individual assignment. In this program, we taught them about the TOEFL Reading test types, strategies and tips for doing the test. After the training, the students reported their understanding of TOEFL and confidence in preparing the university admission test.

TOEFL Preparation for University Students’ Candidates from ASAK Paroki MKK

Some private universities in Jakarta use TOEFL or TOEFL-like test as the admission requirement for new students. Therefore, students’ candidates should prepare well to achieve the minimum score for being admitted. Unfortunately, their high school did not give enough training in doing the TOEFL test. The purpose of this community development program is to train high school students to do TOEFL test, especially the Reading section. The participants of the program were seven 12th grade high school students who were included in ASAK Paroki MKK community. They were trying to qualify for admission in Binus University. The program was created in the form of classroom teaching and individual assignment. In this program, we taught them about the TOEFL Reading test types, strategies, and tips for doing the test. After the training, the students reported their understanding of TOEFL and confidence in preparing the university admission test.

Expanding emergency department capacity: a multisite study

Objectives The aims of the present study were to identify predictors of admission and describe outcomes for patients who arrived via ambulance to three Australian public emergency departments (EDs), before and after the opening of 41 additional ED beds within the area. Methods The present study was a retrospective comparative cohort study using deterministically linked health data collected between 3 September 2006 and 2 September 2008. Data included ambulance offload delay, time to see doctor, ED length of stay (LOS), admission requirement, access block, hospital LOS and in-hospital mortality. Logistic regression analysis was undertaken to identify predictors of hospital admission. Results Almost one-third of all 286 037 ED presentations were via ambulance (n = 79 196) and 40.3% required admission. After increasing emergency capacity, the only outcome measure to improve was in-hospital mortality. Ambulance offload delay, time to see doctor, ED LOS, admission requirement, access block and hospital LOS did not improve. Strong predictors of admission before and after increased capacity included age >65 years, Australian Triage Scale (ATS) Category 1–3, diagnoses of circulatory or respiratory conditions and ED LOS >4 h. With additional capacity, the odds ratios for these predictors increased for age >65 years and ED LOS >4 h, and decreased for ATS category and ED diagnoses. Conclusions Expanding ED capacity from 81 to 122 beds within a health service area impacted favourably on mortality outcomes, but not on time-related service outcomes such as ambulance offload time, time to see doctor and ED LOS. To improve all service outcomes, when altering (increasing or decreasing) ED bed numbers, the whole healthcare system needs to be considered.

The Langdell Problem: Historicizing the Century of Historiography, 1906–2000s

Christopher Columbus Langdell (1826–1906) is arguably the most influential figure in the history of legal education in the United States, having shaped the modern law school by introducing a number of significant reforms during his tenure as dean of Harvard Law School (HLS) from 1870 to 1895. Langdell's innovations—including the admission requirement of a bachelor's degree, the graded and sequential curriculum, the hurdle of annual examinations for continuation and graduation, the independent career track for professional faculty, the transformation of the professional library from a textbook repository into a scholarly resource, and the inductive pedagogy of teaching from cases—became the characteristics gradually adopted by university law schools after 1890 and, eventually, schools of other professions. Langdell thus transformed legal education from an undemanding, gentlemanly acculturation into an academic meritocracy.