Harvester ants are one of the most extensively studied groups of ants, especially the group foraging ants, Messor barbarus (Linnaeus, 1767), which construct long-lasting trunk trails. Limited laboratory investigations have delved into head-on encounters along foraging trails involving workers moving in opposing directions, with fewer corresponding studies conducted in the natural environment. To address this gap, we devised an in-field experimental design to induce lane segregation on the foraging trunk trail of M. barbarus. Using an image-based tracking method, we analyzed the foraging behavior of this species to assess the costs associated with head-on encounters and to figure out the natural coexistence of outgoing and returning workers on a bidirectional route. Our results consistently reveal heightened straightness and speed in unidirectional test lanes, accompanied by an elevated foraging rate compared to bidirectional lanes. This suggests a potential impact of head-on collisions on foraging behavior, especially on foraging efficiency. Additionally, Kinematic analysis revealed distinct movement patterns between outbound and inbound flows, particularly low speed and sinuous trajectories of inbounding unladen workers. The study of encounter rates in two traffic systems hints at the plausible utilization of individual memory by workers within trails, underscoring the pivotal role of encounters in information exchange and load transfer.

BACKGROUND: Approximately two-thirds of the patients admitted to the hospital with an ischemic stroke are discharged directly home. Discontinuity of care may result in avoidable patient harm, re-admissions and even death. We hypothesized that the transfer of information is most essential in this patient group since any future care for these patients relies solely on the information that is available to the care provider responsible at that time.
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the continuity of transmural care in ischemic stroke patients by assessing 1) the transfer of clinical information through discharge letters to general practitioners (GPs), 2) subsequent documentation of this information and early follow-up by GPs and 3) the documentation of medication-related information in discharge letters, at GPs and community pharmacies (CPs).
METHODS: This prospective cohort study was conducted from September 2019 through March 2020 in OLVG, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, in patients with a first stroke discharged directly home. Outcome measures were derived from national guidelines and regional agreements. Results were analyzed using descriptive analysis.
RESULTS: A total of 33 patients were included. Discharge letters (n = 33) and outpatient clinic letters (n = 24) to GPs contained most of the essential items, but 16% (n = 9) of the letters were sent in time. GPs (n = 31) infrequently adhered to guidelines since 10% (n = 3) of the diagnoses were registered using the correct code and 55% (n = 17) of the patients received follow-up shortly after discharge. Medication overviews were inaccurately communicated to GPs since 62% (n = 150) of all prescriptions (n = 243) were correctly noted in the discharge letter. Further loss of information was seen as only 39% (n = 95) of all prescriptions were documented correctly in GP overviews. We found that 59% (n = 144) of the prescriptions were documented correctly in CP overviews.
CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we found that discontinuity of care occurred to a varying extent throughout transmural care in patients with a first stroke who were discharged home.

Hospital-acquired infections caused by multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) are a threat to patient safety and hospital economy. Training in hygiene precautions is known to limit MDRO spread and patient morbidity. As infection prevention is a collaborative task, we developed an interprofessional educational intervention, including a reflective unit about MDRO. This article reports on the perceptions of professionals for MDRO management.
In 2017, we conducted 8 trainings, including facilitated group discussions focusing on the question how participants think others experience MDRO. Results were analyzed using a socio-constructivist qualitative approach.
A total of 51 health care workers from 13 professions and 5 hospitals participated, generating 366 items for coding. Three main themes could be identified: (1) significant barriers in educating clinicians and informing lay persons, (2) emotional reactions-especially anxiety and anger-from the perspective of lay persons and professionals evoked by MDRO, and (3) perceived economic burden.
MDROs generate psychosocial side effects with an impact on health care management and on professional-patient relationships and interprofessional relationships. Specifically, emotions evoked by insufficient information and transparency play a major role. Therefore, hygiene trainings must not be limited to basic skills. In addition, they should be comprised of communication and educational techniques and evoke attentiveness for emotional stress.

BACKGROUND: Discharge summary with medication report effectively counteracts drug-related problems among elderly patients due to insufficient information transfer in care transitions. However, this requires optimal transfer and use of the discharge summaries. This study aimed to examine information transfer with discharge summaries from hospital to primary care.
METHODS: A descriptive study with data consisting of discharge summaries of 115 patients, 75 years or older, using five or more drugs, collected during one week from 28 different hospital wards in Skåne county, Sweden. Two weeks after discharge, information transfer was examined via review of primary care medical records. It was noted whether the discharge summary was received (i.e. scanned to the primary care medical records), if the medication list was updated with drug changes and if a patient chart entry regarding medication or its follow-up was made in the primary care medical records. An electronic survey, which was sent to 151 primary care units in Skåne county, was used to examine experiences of the information transfer.
RESULTS: Out of 115 discharge summaries, 47 (41%) were found in the primary care medical records. Patient chart entries regarding medication or its follow-up were seen in 53 (46%) cases. Drug changes during hospitalisation were seen in 51 out of 76 patients without multidose drug dispensing. In 16 (31%) out of these cases, medication lists were updated in primary care medical records. In the electronic survey, 22 (21%) out of the 107 responding primary care units reported the discharge summary was often received on the day of discharge, while 71 (66%) respondents indicated the discharge summary was always/often received but later. Medication list updates and patient chart entries in the primary care medical records were always/often done upon receipt of the discharge summary according to 61 (57%) respondents.
CONCLUSIONS: The transfer of information was often deficient and the discharge summaries were insufficiently used. Many discharge summaries were lost, an insufficient proportion of medication lists were updated and patient chart entries were often lacking. These findings may increase the risk of medication errors and drug-related problems for elderly in care transitions.

Local field potentials (LFPs) are thought to integrate neuronal processes within the range of a few millimeters of radius, which corresponds to the scale of multiple columns. In this study, the model of LFP in the visual cortex proposed by Mazzoni et al. (2008) was adapted to organize a network of two cortical areas, in which pyramidal neurons were divided into two sub-population modeling columns with spatially organized connections to neurons in other areas. Using the model enabled the relationship between neural firing and LFP to be evaluated, in addition to the LFP coherence between the two areas. Results showed that: (1) neurons in a particular sub-population generated the LFP in the area; (2) the spatial consistency of neural firing in the two areas was strongly correlated with LFP coherence; and (3) this consistency was capable of regulating LFP coherence in a lower frequency band, which was originally introduced to neurons in a particular sub-population. These results were derived from a winner-take-all operation in the columnar structure; thus, they are expected to be common in the cortex. It is suggested that the spatial consistency of neural firing is essential for regulating long-range LFP synchronization, which would facilitate neuronal integration processes over multiple cortical areas.