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Determining the silicon concentration of geological materials is desirable because the silica (SiO2) content is an important criterion often used in their classification and in assessing petrogenesis. A rapid, non-destructive, approach for measuring silicon in rocks by reactor fast NAA using a B4C shield and the transmutation reaction 29Si(n, p)29Al is presented that is competitive with other commonly applied analytical techniques. In addition to quantifying silicon the simultaneous determination of U and Co (largely by epithermal NAA), and Mn and V (by activation predominantly with the residual thermal neutron flux) is also generally possible. Silicon, Mn, U, V and Co concentrations are reported for a number of rock standards demonstrating the utility of the method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Age and sex are known predictors of isometric shoulder strength and therefore must be accounted for when noting strength values or administering assessments such as the Constant Score. Given the popularity of the Constant Score, it is important to ensure protocols and values remain clinically relevant and are representative of the intended population. Method: Isometric shoulder strength was recorded for 511 participants without shoulder pathology using the ChatillonTM hand-held dynamometer. Data were stratified by age and sex for comparison with published normative strength series. Other demographic variables were evaluated using linear regression models. Results: Normative values for shoulder strength were generated. Age (p =.003, r 2 =.010) and sex (p <.001, r 2 =.026) were significant predictors of shoulder strength. Height (p =.03, r 2 =.010) was a significant predictor of strength in females and weight was a significant predictor of strength in males (p <.001, r 2 =.017). Hand dominance was also significant, with non-dominant shoulder strength associated with higher strength in females (p <.001, r 2 =.081) and lower strength in males (p <.001, r 2 =.154). Conclusion: This study generated normative shoulder strength values for a sample of the Australian population and provided a comparison between other normative scores. Significant demographic predictors in addition to age and sex were identified. Level of Evidence: III. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agar, a phycocolloid naturally extracted from Gracilariopsis heteroclada is strongly influenced by salinity. Wild stocks of G. heteroclada were exposed to varying salinities (20, 30, 40, 50, 60) for 6 days, and subsequently processed for agar extraction using 5 % NaOH. The extracted agar was evaluated regarding yield, gel rheology, colour composition, chemical properties, and infrared spectra. Results highlighted that hypersaline conditions (salinity 50) could produce high agar yield (4.77 %) and viscosity (10.67 mPa s), while agar samples at salinity 40 exhibited gels with high cohesiveness (6.35 mm), gel breaking strength (3.01 N), and gel strength (390.61 g cm−2) while having a rather high 3,6-anhydrogalactose content (7.49 %). All samples exhibited FTIR signature peaks at 930 cm−1, confirming the identity of extracted agar from G. heteroclada. Exposure at increasing hypersalinity increased the sulphate levels of agar from G. heteroclada, which implies synthesis of sulphated polysaccharides. Moreover, high 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activities were obtained in acid hydrolysed agars at salinities of 40 (74.09 %) and 50 (75.57 %), suggesting that G. heteroclada agars from hypersaline conditions potentially offer antioxidative roles beyond its traditional food use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article argues that coursework in statistical literacy can improve the practice of intelligence analysis in the US. The article describes the gaps in current intelligence education pertaining to statistically literacy, explains how statistical literacy relates to the tasks of intelligence analysis, and offers a series of recommendations for statistical literacy courses specifically designed for future intelligence practitioners. The incorporation of statistical literacy in intelligence studies programs will advance and strengthen the contribution such programs can make to the intelligence workforce, both in the public and private sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Current methods of categorising the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD) have limitations when deciphering administrative data and monitoring healthcare outcomes. These include many-to-one relationships, non-linear sequencing, collinearity, and ambiguous miscellaneous (residual) codes. Objective: Describe novel methodology for clinically meaningful categorisation of 12th Edition of ICD Version 10 Australian modification (ICD-10-AM). Setting: State of Victoria (Australia), population of 6.6 million with over 3 million separations per annum. Method: Diagnosis codes from ICD-10-AM were aggregated into Clinical Diagnosis Group (CDG) sets according to clinical features and associated risk of in-hospital death and complications. Residual codes were excluded. Administrative data from July 2020 to June 2023 were interrogated to ascertain frequency of diagnoses captured by CDG sets. Results: 12,716 (87.9%) of 14,470 total ICD-10-AM codes were aggregated into 406 CDG sets; mean 32 (range 1–288) codes per set. One thousand seven hundred fifty-three (12.1%) were excluded (not allocated): 775 (5.4%) residual codes; 702 (4.9%) indicating reason for healthcare encounter; and 276 (1.9%) ill-defined clinical symptom codes. Over 36-months, 11.8 million separations were coded with 11,898 (82.2%) unique ICD-10-AM diagnoses, including 10,721 (90.1%) present in a CDG set. Of the 8571 (59.2%) codes associated with death or complications, 7813 (91.2%) were present in a CDG set. Conclusion: The CDG list provides a clinically meaningful method of categorisation and interrogating datasets based on ICD-10-AM and complements existing methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives To describe the population pharmacokinetics of cefazolin in infected hospitalized patients requiring intermittent haemodialysis (IHD). Methods This prospective population pharmacokinetic study was conducted in IHD patients prescribed cefazolin 2 g three times weekly. Plasma samples were collected at prespecified timepoints and assayed for total and unbound concentrations using validated LC. Pharmacokinetic modelling and dosing simulations were performed using Pmetrics®. PTA in plasma suitable for MSSA (unbound trough concentrations of ≥2 mg/L for the final 24 h of a 72 h interval) were simulated for different dosing regimens. A PTA of ≥95% was deemed acceptable. Results A total of 260 cefazolin concentrations (130 total, 130 unbound) were collected from 16 patients (14 female) with a median age of 51 years. The median (IQR) pre-dialysis unbound cefazolin concentration for a 3 day dose interval trough was 17.7 (13.5–31.4) mg/L. The median (IQR) unbound fraction was 0.38 (0.32–0.46). The lowest pre-dialysis unbound concentration was 9.1 mg/L. A two-compartment model with a complex protein-binding component adequately described the data. The mean unbound cefazolin CL during IHD was 16.4 ± 4.26 L/h, compared with 0.40 ± 0.19 L/h when dialysis was off. Duration of time on haemodialysis (TOH) was the only covariate supported in the final model. The 2 g three-times-weekly regimen was associated with a PTA of 99.7% on dosing simulations to maintain unbound concentrations of ≥2 mg/L with TOH of 6 months. The 1 g three-times-weekly post-dialysis was associated with a PTA of 95.4%. Conclusions A 2 g three-times-weekly post-dialysis cefazolin regimen is supported for MSSA infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Duke, L.D. and Laakkonen, K., 2024. Managing for sandy coastal habitat in SW Florida: Institutional complexities hinder local agencies' use of best practices. Journal of Coastal Research, 40(6), 1111–1124. Charlotte (North Carolina), ISSN 0749-0208. In the United States, many kinds of management for environmental protection are largely vested in local agencies of municipalities but subject to federal- and state-level policies, regulations, restrictions, and guidelines. These policies commonly overlap, sometimes conflict, and in many cases leave gaps with no guidance for important management aspects. This research conducted a close textual analysis of local planning and management documents, including review of permits for specific projects undertaken in 2000–15, as well as detailed analysis of federal- and state-level policies. The objective was to investigate the interactions and limitations of the existing suite of local, state, and federal policies and rules affecting beach management in SW Florida for sea turtles and beach-nesting birds. The research approach was to assess the extent to which stated and adopted procedures conformed to the best available science in protecting beach habitats, particularly in the context of rising sea level and its potentially devastating impact on beach habitats. Findings show that major rules from two federal agencies (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) and two Florida State agencies (Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and Florida Department of Environmental Protection) have important influences. This research shows uneven and local protections that routinely do not incorporate practices known to be supported by best science, in some cases egregiously so. Local policies vary widely in guidance language and specific protections. Analysis of 35 permitted beach nourishment projects during 2000–15 showed several example projects with excellent habitat protections but a strong majority with few or none of the kinds of protection documented by scientific information to be best practices to protect sandy beach habitat. The articulated conceptual policy goals of federal and state agencies have had almost no penetration into localmunicipalities' policies, guidelines, or procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the factors contributing to drug‐related deaths in English and Welsh prisons between 2015 and 2020. Based on content analysis of all Prison and Probation Ombudsman 'other non‐natural' fatal incident investigation reports, descriptive statistics were generated. Qualitative analysis explored the circumstances surrounding deaths and key risk factors. Most deaths were of men, whose mean age was 39 years. Drug toxicity was the main factor in causing death, exacerbated by underlying physical health conditions and risk‐taking behaviours. A variety of substances were involved. New psychoactive substances became more important over time. A high proportion had recorded histories of substance use and mental illness. During this period, the prison system was under considerable stress creating dangerous environments for drug‐related harm. This study highlights the process of complex interaction between substances used, individual characteristics, situational features and the wider environment in explaining drug‐related deaths in prisons. Implications for policy and practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the discovery of the association between BRAF mutations and fusions in the development of childhood low-grade gliomas and the subsequent recognition that most childhood low-grade glial and glioneuronal tumors have aberrant signaling through the RAS/RAF/MAP kinase pathway, there has been a dramatic change in how these tumors are conceptualized. Many of the fusions and mutations present in these tumors are associated with molecular targets, which have agents in development or already in clinical use. Various agents, including MEK inhibitors, BRAF inhibitors, MTOR inhibitors and, in small subsets of patients NTRK inhibitors, have been used successfully to treat children with recurrent disease, after failure of conventional approaches such as surgery or chemotherapy. The relative benefits of chemotherapy as compared to molecular-targeted therapy for children with newly diagnosed gliomas and neuroglial tumors are under study. Already the combination of an MEK inhibitor and a BRAF inhibitor has been shown superior to conventional chemotherapy (carboplatin and vincristine) in newly diagnosed children with BRAF-V600E mutated low-grade gliomas and neuroglial tumors. However, the long-term effects of such molecular-targeted treatment are unknown. The potential use of molecular-targeted therapy in early treatment has made it mandatory that the molecular make-up of the majority of low-grade glial and glioneuronal tumors is known before initiation of therapy. The primary exception to this rule is in children with neurofibromatosis type 1 who, by definition, have NF1 loss; however, even in this population, gliomas arising in late childhood and adolescence or those not responding to conventional treatment may be candidates for biopsy, especially before entry on molecular-targeted therapy trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Active shooter drills are widely used in schools throughout the United States, with more than 92% of public schools having an active shooter plan. These drills can increase student stress and anxiety and can have a variety of negative effects, such as somatic complaints, anxiety, poor self-regulation of emotions and behaviors, risk for depression, and prevalence of obesity and eating disorders. This article describes the efficacy of physical activity breaks, mindful breathing techniques, and emotional regulation strategies to reduce stress reactivity and enhance recovery in elementary-age students following active shooter safety drills. A list of example activities is provided for each of the three stress management categories. Each of the activities can be adapted to various developmental levels (i.e., K-12), settings (i.e., classroom, hallway, outdoors), and time availability (i.e., one minute to 10 minutes). The strategies may also be utilized following other emergency drills or during other times of high student and classroom stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the effects of gamma irradiation on radiation-induced attenuation (RIA) in photosensitive (Ge-doped) and radiation-hard (F-doped) fibers at cryogenic temperatures (77 K) under different photobleaching conditions. We show that increasing the probe power (1550 nm) and injecting lower wavelength light (970 nm) both resulted in a significant reduction in RIA in both fiber types, where radiation-hard fibers were intrinsically more resistant to the RIA. Deconvolution of RIA growth curves revealed that the RIA was composed of transient and long-term growth components that were correlated with distinct radiation-induced defects specific to each fiber composition. The 1550 nm light more effectively suppressed the transient RIA, while 970 nm more effectively suppressed the long-term RIA. Ultimately, we show that cryogenic RIA may be effectively managed in fiber optic sensing systems using radiation-hard fibers and dual-wavelength photobleaching strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives To explore the implementation of a provincial virtual paediatric consulting service, Child Health Advice in Real-Time Electronically (CHARLiE), integrated into the paediatric on-call schedule in Northwestern British Columbia. Methods Healthcare providers in Northwestern British Columbia responded to a survey (n = 72) and participated in focus groups (n = 35) and key informant interviews (n = 4) to share their experiences engaging in a healthcare model that incorporated virtual paediatric consultants in lieu of in-person local paediatrician coverage over a 28-month period. Survey data was analyzed using descriptive statistics. Themes were generated from a qualitative descriptive approach to focus groups and key informant interview transcripts. Results 96.1% of survey respondents who had used CHARLiE rated it as 'good' or 'very good' in the provision of overall support, while 77.6% reported that CHARLiE improved access to paediatric care. Focus group and key informant interview participants valued CHARLiE's timely, dedicated virtual bedside assessments of patients; collegiality and professionalism; amelioration of local paediatrician burnout; prevention of unnecessary transfers; and offloading of indirect patient care tasks. Video support improved provider confidence and appeared to improve caregiver trust. Suggested improvements included addressing technological barriers, enhancing providers' knowledge of local resources, and enabling continuity of care. Participants identified that virtual care does not replace on-the-ground specialist care. Conclusions Participants valued CHARLiE's 24/7, timely, and collegial video support. While maintaining a full complement of on-the-ground paediatricians remains the goal for some rural communities, dedicated virtual support provides access to paediatric care in smaller communities, thereby improving health equity for children in British Columbia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

STUDY QUESTION Is there an elevated risk of cyanotic congenital heart defects (CCHD) among livebirths following infertility treatments? SUMMARY ANSWER In this population-based study of single livebirths, infertility treatment (either ART or non-ART) was associated with a higher prevalence of CCHD among livebirths. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY The use of infertility treatment has been on the rise over the past few decades. However, there are limited studies assessing the risk of major cardiac defects following infertility treatments. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION A retrospective cohort study of livebirth data from the National Vital Statistics System (NVSS) was conducted, comprising of 9.6 million singleton livebirths among first-time mothers aged 15–49 years from 2016 to 2022. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS Information on infertility treatment use and CCHD was obtained from the health and medical information section of birth certificates, which was completed by healthcare staff after reviewing medical records. Logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% CI. Entropy balancing weighting analysis and probabilistic bias analysis were also performed. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE The proportion of births following infertility treatment increased from 1.9% (27 116) to 3.1% (43 510) during the study period. Overall, there were 5287 cases of CCHD resulting in a prevalence of 0.6 per 1000 livebirths. The prevalence was 1.2 per 1000 live births among infertility treatment users (ART: 1.1 per 1000 livebirths; non-ART: 1.3 per 1000 livebirths) while that for naturally conceived births was 0.5 per 1000 livebirths. Compared to naturally conceived births, the use of any infertility treatment (OR: 2.06, 95% CI: 1.82–2.33), either ART (OR: 2.02, 95% CI: 1.73–2.36) or other infertility treatments (OR: 2.12, 95% CI: 1.74–2.33), was associated with higher odds of CCHD after adjusting for maternal and paternal age, race and ethnicity, and education, as well as maternal nativity, marital status, source of payment, smoking status, and pre-pregnancy measures of BMI, hypertension and diabetes. This association did not differ by the type of infertility treatment (ART versus other infertility treatments) (OR: 1.04, 95% CI: 0.82–1.33, P  = 0.712), and was robust to the presence of exposure and outcome misclassification bias and residual confounding. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION The findings are only limited to livebirths. We did not have the capacity to examine termination data, but differential termination by mode of conception has not been supported by previous studies designed to consider it. Infertility treatment use was self-reported, leading to the potential for selection bias and misclassification for infertility treatment and CCHD. However, the association persisted when systematic bias as well as exposure and outcome misclassification bias were accounted for in the analyses. Information on the underlying etiology of infertility relating to either maternal, paternal, or both factors, data on specific types of ART and other infertility treatments, as well as information on subtypes of CCHD, were all not available. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS In light of the increasing trend in the use of infertility treatment in the USA, and elsewhere, the finding of the current study holds significant importance for the clinical and public health of reproductive-aged individuals. The data show that the use of infertility treatment may expose offspring to elevated odds of severe congenital heart defects such as CCHD studied here. These findings cannot be interpreted causally. While our findings can assist in preconception counseling and prenatal care for pregnancies conceived by either ART or other infertility treatments, they also support some current recommendations that pregnancies resulting from infertility treatments undergo fetal echocardiography screening. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) No funding was sought for the study. The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest. TRIAL REGISTRAION NUMBER N/A [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human exploration of Mars and beyond will demand unprecedented levels of self-sufficiency due to the exceedingly far distances from Earth and lengthy mission durations. As such, astronaut crews must be able to function in a progressively autonomous manner, as they will be unable to rely on timely logistical resupply and/or operational guidance from ground-based mission support teams. One means of increasing autonomy is by incorporating intelligent (i.e., smart) technologies into the mission architecture and habitat design. As plans for sending humans to deep space continue to develop and mature, identifying current and emerging smart technologies and which have the potential to enable these missions or maintain habitability for the crew can be used to explore design options prioritized for autonomous operations. This paper surveys select commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) technologies currently available and marketed terrestrially for use in integrated smart homes and aligns them for consideration by their functional relevance toward potential Smart Habitat (SmartHab) applications in deep-space. • Self-sufficiency becomes increasingly necessary as distance from Earth prohibits timely communication and resupply capability. • Habitability affects a crew's physical, physiological, psychological, and social health, as well as human performance. • Self-sufficiency and habitability for deep space missions may benefit from utilizing 'smart systems'to enable autonomy. • Over 90 smart technologies were reviewed resulting in 97 space-relevant applications for deep space missions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a rapidly evolving technology and skill-based economy, the development and engagement in practical skills and motivation among electronic technology education students is key to their career readiness and employability. Thus, this study investigated the relationship between initial training experiences and electronic technology education students’ motivation and engagement in practical skill learning. The study employed cross-section and correlational survey method to elicit data from 177 sample of electronic technology education students through structured questionnaires. Path analysis and mediation analysis were used for the data analysis. Results showed that initial training experiences positively and significantly predicted motivation, and students’ engagement in practical skill learning. Learning self-efficacy was found to mediate the relationship between initial training experiences and motivation. These findings emphasise the importance of well-designed initial training to enhance students’ motivation and engagement in practical skill development. Thus, this study makes significant contribution to extant literatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractMany Filipina care workers are subrogated to the position of mothers in the more affluent states of Asia. As a consequence, they oftentimes play as the unofficial teachers of the children. In this article, I analyse the process of global subrogation, which often end in what I call an inverted odyssey of the Filipina domestic helper. Using the concept of invertedness in commodity fetishism, this article reads Jose Dalisay’s Soledad’s Sister as an inverted odyssey which views the migration of Filipina care workers as an adventure but without the heroic homecoming. The novel represents the adventure as a dialectic of systems of carelessness and selfcare that is symbolically resolved within the narrative through the recurring image of the ‘woman in the box’. Thus, the article argues that unlike Odysseus’ triumphant nostos (homecoming), the heroine of this inverted odyssey falls victim to her own erotic drives, drowns in a far-flung kingdom, returns home in a box, and drowns again in the hands of thieves. The novel weaves a counter-narrative on the Filipina care worker that challenges prevailing Philippine state discourses on its overseas work force, thereby problematizing both the limitations of the heroine’s selfcare and the systemic carelessness of the states that make the subrogation possible. Ultimately, the inverted Odyssey as symbolized by the novel’s central image of ‘the woman in the box’ shatters appearances and unveils the tragic position of the unrecognized ‘teachers’ in the global feminization and commodification of care work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Locomotor and object control skills are considered essential skills for children to learn due to their potential impact in aiding in future health-enhancing physical activity. Evidence indicates that out-of-school time programs (OST) can provide meaningful movement opportunities for children. It has been found that leaders of OST programs are not equipped with the proper training to improve children's motor skills. The purpose of this study was to gather expert consensus on the essential motor skills that should be practiced and evidence-based activities that should be integrated during OST programming. Methods: A three-round Delphi method was used to establish expert consensus on essential motor skills that children (5–10 years of age) should practice and evidence-based activities that should be integrated during OST programming to enhance child motor skill development. Results: Seven experts completed three rounds, and consensus was established (>70% agreement). Five essential motor skills were identified: overhand throwing, kicking, catching, jumping, and striking. Six evidence-based activities were agreed upon: team sport play, racket sports, swimming, resistance training, jogging/walking, and game-based approaches. Conclusion: Results from this study provide specific motor skills and evidence-based activities that program leaders could integrate during OST programming to enhance child motor skill development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A renewed interest in the concept of ideology is evident in recent constitutional theory. Ideology has featured prominently not only in restatements of traditional Marxist positions and attempted retrievals of the material conception of the constitution, but also in democratic critiques of liberal constitutionalism and theories of constitutional identity. The intention of this article is twofold. Firstly, the article defends the explanatory power of a conception of constitutional ideology that is centred on political domination and the ‘universalisation’ of contingent power relations, rather than more diffuse notions like the symbolic construction of reality or worldviews. Secondly, the article considers distinctive ideological dimensions of modern constitutionalism. An analysis of these dimensions, I contend, confirms modern constitutionalism's strong ideological ‘potential’. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Perinatal depression (PND) is underdiagnosed in the clinical setting. This study explores the role of obstetricians, and other primary care providers of maternal and child healthcare in detecting, screening, and referring women during the perinatal period identified as depressed, anxious, or exhibiting other symptoms of mental health disorders. Method: Information was gathered from obstetricians (n = 16), and other primary care providers (pediatricians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants) (n = 85), on identifying and supporting childbearing women with symptoms of perinatal depression using an online survey. Results: Statistical comparisons across participant groups were adjusted for years of practice in the profession. Statistically significant differences were noted. Obstetricians inquired more about the mother's social support network (p =.011) and addressed mothers that appeared sad, upset, or unhappy (p =.044) compared to other primary care providers. Other primary care providers were more likely to refer patients to mental health support services (p =.005), provide PND-related information in their waiting rooms (p =.008), and use the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) (p =.027). There was also a significant difference in positively identifying eight symptoms of PND between provider groups. Obstetricians had higher rates of identifying the following symptoms: excessive crying (p <.001), feeling little or no attachment to the infant (p <.001), little feeling of enjoyment (p =.021), feelings of failure (p <.001), hopelessness (p <.001), agitation with self and infant (p <.001), fear of being alone with the infant (p =.011), and fear that these symptoms would last (p <.001). Conclusion: Although certain screening practices were performed well, especially by the obstetrician group, screening deficits were noted within each group, and screening practices differed between groups. Training offered to maternal child health primary care providers on addressing perinatal mental health disorders may help improve provider screening practices and detection of PND symptoms in perinatal women. PND screening that combines face-to-face open-ended interviews with standardized screening tools can enhance patient-provider communication, potentially improving PND detection rates and follow-up care in perinatal women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cataract development and progression after pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) is nearly universal among older adults. Therefore, the surgical approach to PPV among these patients may include combined cataract surgery and PPV (phacovitrectomy) or lens-sparing PPV followed by sequential cataract surgery once the cataract is visually significant. Both approaches have advantages and disadvantages that should be considered. Combined phacovitrectomy is less costly and reduces the risk of trauma to the crystalline lens or posterior capsule during PPV but can result in poor fundal view during vitrectomy, prolonged visual rehabilitation, and IOL dislocation from intraocular tamponade. Staged/sequential surgery avoids the limitations of a combined approach, but is associated with higher cost and more complex cataract extraction due to anterior chamber instability and possible PPV-related zonular or posterior capsule injury. In this review, we discuss both surgical approaches and share important preoperative and intraoperative considerations derived from our experience and the existing ophthalmic literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Though it is acknowledged that Nietzsche read Ludwig Feuerbach, little attention has been given to the significance of Feuerbach's anthropological re-imagination of religion for the trajectory of Nietzsche's own vision for liberated humanity, the Übermensch. For Feuerbach, the Christian religion represents a form of wish-fulfillment and subconscious worship of the human being as divine, where many of the presuppositions of orthodox Christianity (monotheism, human fallenness, other-worldliness, etc.) only impede human flourishing. The acknowledgement of the psychological damage wrought by the scheme and implications of Christian metaphysics is, for Feuerbach and Nietzsche alike, a necessary step in liberating humans from their own self-imposed shackles and enabling the human spirit to actualize its latent potentialities. This paper aims to identify Feuerbachian themes that Nietzsche appropriates for his own purposes in Thus Spake Zarathustra, attending to Nietzsche's early reading of Feuerbach's The Essence of Christianity (1841) during a key period of his intellectual development (1861–1863), and arguing that Feuerbach's impact on Nietzsche is far more subtle and profound than commonly recognized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reports on food insecurity (FI) amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. College students in four regions of the US completed the two-item validated Hunger Vital Sign™ screening tool on Qualtrics. FI increased significantly after March 2020 among US students (worry about food running out: 25% to 35%; food did not last: 17% to 21%) with significant regional increase in the Midwest and South. An adjusted multivariable logistic regression model indicated students that ran out of food were significantly at greater odds of experiencing hardship with paying bills (AOR: 5.59, 95% CI =3.90-8.06). The findings identified an increase in the prevalence of FI among college students during the pandemic. Suggestions of how to address FI are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article is a review of Mark Windschitl's book, "Teaching Climate Change," which provides educators with examples of topics to cover and suggestions for implementing climate change content in the classroom. The book is primarily targeted towards K-12 educators, but it may also be useful for college educators. The review presents four vignettes representing different backgrounds of potential readers and discusses how the book may benefit or challenge them. It highlights the strengths of the book, such as the use of vignettes and the inclusion of indigenous knowledge, but also points out some weaknesses, such as deficit-minded language and alarmist discourse. The review also discusses the importance of framing climate change discussions in the classroom and mentions several frameworks that instructors can use. Overall, the review commends Windschitl for starting the conversation about teaching climate change and providing educators with the resources they need. [Extracted from the article]

Background: The world faces a mental health crisis with elevated rates of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress, leaving a profound impact on daily quality of life (QOL). Current treatments show varying degrees of efficacy and carry burdensome challenges. Evidence exists for use of an innovative neurotechnology to reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but the science is lacking for use in the general population. Purposes: The purpose of this pilot study was to explore the effects of microcurrent neurofeedback on depression, anxiety, PTSD symptoms, and QOL in adults. Methodology: This was a one-group, exploratory pilot study that tested outcomes of depression, anxiety, PTSD risk, suicide risk, and QOL in 20 adults using convenience sampling. IASIS microcurrent neurofeedback (I-MCN) was the intervention that was delivered twice a week for 10 weeks; data collection was baseline, 5 weeks, and 10 weeks. Results: Depression, anxiety, PTSD risk, and QOL improved significantly by the 10th and 20th session; suicidal risk showed nonsignificant reduction. Use of a more feasible interventional procedure established a foundation for use in clinical settings for the population. Conclusions: Using a more simpler procedure than what was used in a previous study reflected positive outcomes earlier and sustained over 10 weeks. This safe and effective technology carries rare but easily overcome adverse effects and could be an alternative to existing treatments or treatment-resistant conditions. Implications: Advanced practice nurses can apply the evidence to reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Randomized controlled trials and testing on diverse populations are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Glass fiber wind turbine blades (WTBs) can provide raw material to produce cement. • Glass fiber WTBs can serve as fuel and replace coal to produce cement. • High boron in some glass fiber WTBs might limit replacement rates. • Combustion of fossil-fuel polymer in WTBs can slightly reduce plant CO 2 emissions. • Glass fiber wind turbine blades are compatible with the cement production process. The objective of this paper is to evaluate the feasibility of co-processing wind turbine blade (WTB) material in cement manufacturing to provide an end-of-life means to divert the solid waste of decommissioned WTBs from landfills. Many WTBs consist primarily of glass fiber reinforced thermoset polymers that are difficult to recover or recycle. Portland cement is produced world-wide in large quantities, requiring immense quantities of raw materials (mostly calcium oxide and silicon oxide) and kiln temperatures approaching 1,450 °C. This work contributes analyses of WTB material composition, and predicts the energy provided through the combustible components of the WTBs and raw material contributions provided by incorporating the incombustible components of the WTBs to produce cement. Approximately 40 to 50 % of the WTB material will contribute as fuel to cement production, and approximately 50 to 60 % of the WTB material is expected to be incombustible. One tonne of WTB material can displace approximately 0.4 to 0.5 tonne of coal, while also contributing approximately 0.1 tonne of calcium oxide and 0.3 tonne of silicon oxide as raw material to the cement production process. The glass fiber WTB tested had an average boron content of 4.5 % in the ash. The effects of this high boron content on the cement and its production process should be evaluated. Co-processing WTBs in cement plants will slightly reduce combustion-related CO 2 emissions due to avoided calcination. It seems feasible to co-process glass-fiber reinforced WTBs in cement production as WTBs provide suitable raw materials and compatible fuel for this process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An alicyclic acid anhydride containing four stereoisomers, racemic (1S,2R,3R,4R,5R)‐bicyclo[2.2.2]octane‐2,3,5‐tricarboxylic acid‐2,3‐anhydride (7a+7a′) and racemic (1S,2S,3S,4R,5R)‐bicyclo[2.2.2]octane‐2,3,5‐tricarboxylic acid‐2,3‐anhydride (7b+7b′) (BOTA), is synthesized using phthalic anhydride as the starting material. The chemical structures of the products in each step are fully characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS), elemental analysis, and single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction. The polycondensation process involving BOTA and several diisocyanates is applied to prepare polyamideimides (PAIs). Furthermore, PAI‐Xs are prepared using methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) and various mole ratios of BOTA and 4,4′‐(hexafluoroisopropylidene)diphthalic anhydride (6FDA). PAI‐Xs exhibit good solubility in organic solvents such as dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone (NMP), N,N‐dimethylacetamide (DMAc), γ‐butyrolactone (GBL), N,N‐dimethylformamide (DMF), and m‐cresol at room temperature. They can form flexible films with low coefficients of thermal expansion (CTE) (51–70 ppm °C−1) and high glass transition temperatures (Tg) (222–272 °C). They also demonstrate high transparency with transmittance at 500 nm (T500 nm) ranging from 77.2% to 82.5%. BOTA can be a significant building block in PAI synthesis, offering an alternative to 1,2,4‐trimellitic anhydride (TMA). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Fruit Harvest Helper, a mobile application developed by Northwest Nazarene University's (NNU) Robotics Vision Lab, aims to assist farmers in estimating fruit yield for apple orchards. Currently, farmers manually estimate the fruit yield for an orchard, which is a laborious task. The Fruit Harvest Helper seeks to simplify their process by detecting apples on images of apple trees. Once the number of apples is detected, a correlation can then be applied to this value to obtain a usable yield estimate for an apple tree. While prior research efforts at NNU concentrated on developing an iOS app for blossom detection, this current research aims to adapt that smart farming application for apple detection across multiple platforms, iOS and Android. Borrowing ideas from the former iOS app, the new application was designed with an intuitive user interface that is easy for farmers to use, allowing for quick image selection and processing. Unlike before, the adapted app uses a color ratio-based image-segmentation algorithm written in C++ to detect apples. This algorithm detects apples within apple tree images that farmers select for processing by using OpenCV functions and C++ code. The results of testing the algorithm on a dataset of images indicate an 8.52% Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE) and a Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.6 between detected and actual apples on the trees. These findings were obtained by evaluating the images from both the east and west sides of the trees, which was the best method to reduce the error of this algorithm. The algorithm's processing time was tested for Android and iOS, yielding an average performance of 1.16 s on Android and 0.14 s on iOS. Although the Fruit Harvest Helper shows promise, there are many opportunities for improvement. These opportunities include exploring alternative machine-learning approaches for apple detection, conducting real-world testing without any human assistance, and expanding the app to detect various types of fruit. The Fruit Harvest Helper mobile application is among the many mobile applications contributing to precision agriculture. The app is nearing readiness for farmers to use for the purpose of yield monitoring and farm management within Pink Lady apple orchards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PurposeMethodsResultsConlusionsThe limited evidence for cardiovascular disease (CVD) among adults with vision impairment (VI) has often been from developed countries using self-reported VI. This study evaluated the association of objectively-determined VI with the risk of CVD among adults from low-, middle-, and high-income countries.Data were from 32,268 adults aged 30–74 years without CVD or blindness from China, Ghana, India, Mexico, Russian Federation, South Africa, and the United States during 2007–2010. VI and severe VI was defined as presenting visual acuity worse than 6/18, and 6/60, respectively. The Framingham risk algorithm was used to estimate the risk for incident CVD. Logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals.The mean age of participants was 46.4 years, with half of them being women (49.3%). The age-adjusted prevalence of VI ranged from 1.1% (United States) to 14.2% (South Africa) while severe VI ranged from 0.4% (United States) to 4.5% (Ghana). In models adjusting for country, sociodemographic factors, waist girth, healthcare use, activities of daily living and other health-related factors, VI was associated with CVD risk ≥ 10% (OR = 1.69, 95% CI: 1.22–2.36). This observed association was largely consistent across countries (p = 0.119). The observed CVD risk was similar among adults with moderate or severe VI (OR = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.50–1.83). CVD risk was higher among adults with VI who were <65 years old (OR = 1.89, 95% CI: 1.36–2.63) or were employed (OR = 2.24, 95% CI: 1.58–3.16).This cross-national study shows that individuals with VI are at high risk for future CVD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic conditions associated with aging have proven difficult to prevent or treat. Senescence is a cell fate defined by loss of proliferative capacity and the development of a pro‐inflammatory senescence‐associated secretory phenotype comprised of cytokines/chemokines, proteases, and other factors that promotes age‐related diseases. Specifically, an increase in senescent peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), including T cells, is associated with conditions like frailty, rheumatoid arthritis, and bone loss. However, it is unknown if the percentage of senescent PBMCs associated with age‐associated orthopedic decline could be used for potential diagnostic or prognostic use in orthopedics. Here, we report senescent cell detection using the fluorescent compound C12FDG to quantify PBMCs senescence across a large cohort of healthy and osteoarthritic patients. There is an increase in the percent of circulating C12FDG+ PBMCs that is commensurate with increases in age and senescence‐related serum biomarkers. Interestingly, C12FDG+ PBMCs and T cells also were found to be elevated in patients with mild to moderate osteoarthritis, a progressive joint disease that is strongly associated with inflammation. The percent of C12FDG+ PBMCs and age‐related serum biomarkers were decreased in a small subgroup of study participants taking the senolytic drug fisetin. These results demonstrate quantifiable measurements in a large group of participants that could create a composite score of healthy aging sensitive enough to detect changes following senolytic therapy and may predict age‐related orthopedic decline. Detection of peripheral senescence in PBMCs and subsets using C12FDG may be clinically useful for quantifying cellular senescence and determining how and if it plays a pathological role in osteoarthritic progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sepsis is the world's leading cause of death and its detection from a range of data and coding sources, consistent with consensus clinical definition, is desirable. Objective: To evaluate the performance of three coding definitions (explicit, implicit, and newly proposed synchronous method) for sepsis derived from administrative data compared to a clinical reference standard. Method: Extraction of administrative coded data from Australian metropolitan teaching hospital with 25,000 annual overnight admissions compared to clinical review of medical records; 313 (27.9%) randomly selected adult multi-day stay hospital separations from 1,123 separations with acute infection during July 2019. Estimated prevalence and performance metrics, including positive (PPV) and negative predictive values (NPV), and area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC). Results: Clinical prevalence of sepsis was estimated at 10.7 (95% CI = 10.3–11.3) per 100 separations, and mortality rate of 11.6 (95% CI = 10.3–13.0) per 100 sepsis separations. Explicit method for case detection had high PPV (93.2%) but low NPV (55.8%) compared to the standard implicit method (74.1 and 66.3%, respectively) and proposed synchronous method (80.4% and 80.0%) compared to a standard clinical case definition. ROC for each method: 0.618 (95% CI = 0.538–0.654), 0.698 (95% CI = 0.648–0.748), and 0.802 (95% CI = 0.757–0.846), respectively. Conclusion: In hospitalised Australian patients with community-onset sepsis, the explicit method for sepsis case detection underestimated prevalence. Implicit methods were consistent with consensus definition for sepsis, and proposed synchronous method had better performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Approximately 90% of patients who undergo arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (RCR) are satisfied with their pain levels and function after surgery. However, a subset of patients experience continued symptoms that warrant revision surgery. Preoperative risk factors for RCR failure requiring revision surgery have not been clearly defined. Purpose: To (1) determine the rate of RCR failure requiring revision surgery and (2) identify risk factors for revision surgery, which will help surgeons to determine patients who are at the greatest risk for RCR failure. Study Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis in accordance with PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines were performed. The initial search resulted in 3158 titles, and 533 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility. A total of 10 studies met the following inclusion criteria: (1) human clinical studies, (2) arthroscopic RCR, (3) original clinical research, and (4) evaluation of preoperative risk factors for revision. Results: After a full-text review, a total of 16 risk factors were recorded and analyzed across 10 studies. Corticosteroid injection was the most consistent risk factor for revision surgery, reaching statistical significance in 4 of 4 studies, followed by workers' compensation status (2/3 studies). Patients with corticosteroid injections had a pooled increased risk of revision surgery by 47% (odds ratio, 1.44 [95% CI, 1.36-1.52]). Patients with workers' compensation had a pooled increased risk of revision surgery by 133% (odds ratio, 2.33 [95% CI, 2.09-2.60]). Age, smoking status, diabetes, and obesity were found to be risk factors in half of the analyzed studies. Conclusion: Corticosteroid injections, regardless of the frequency of injections, and workers' compensation status were found to be significant risk factors across the literature based on qualitative analysis and pooled analysis. Surgeons should determine ideal candidates for arthroscopic RCR by accounting for corticosteroid injection history, regardless of the frequency, and insurance status of the patient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite high rates of education expenditure, South Africa's education system remains sharply unequal and underperforms overall compared to other countries. One approach to addressing education inequality and underperformance is community-based peer mentorship. This paper presents evidence from the Nine Tenths mentorship programme in Makhanda (formerly Grahamstown) as a way to improve academic performance among matric students in under-resourced secondary schools. Using school matric pass rates from 2012 to 2021 and student admission metrics for participants in 2020–2022, a strong association is found between the activities of Nine Tenths and improved academic performance. No-fee schools where Nine Tenths is active record pass rates that are 28 percentage points higher on average than schools without Nine Tenths. Matric students who participate in Nine Tenths increase their Admissions Points Score (APS) by 4.23 points on average, and every student between 2020 and 2022 earned a bachelor pass. While the evidence suggests that Nine Tenths is effective, the programme operates on a relatively small scale and is not broad-based in its implementation. The programme shows is a promising example of community-based interventions to address schooling inequality independently and more efficiently than the current education policy in South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research investigates the capability of hydrological site design to mitigate inland flooding. Empirical data for a target watershed characterize interaction among three hydrologic components: stormwater detention ponds; seasonal wetlands; and soils/groundwater. Findings are (a) stormwater ponds' elevation change in response to precipitation events of a given magnitude varies sharply among storms, such that ponds' pre‐event elevation and forecast precipitation are not reliable to predict ponds' ability to detain runoff sufficiently to avoid downstream flooding; (b) water table elevation is governed partly by long‐term seasonal variation but also responds quickly to specific events, and powerfully affects the system's capacity to detain runoff; (c) water table elevation during wet weather periods common to Southwest Florida can be high enough to breach the soil surface for extended periods, severely reducing the capacity of the system to detain runoff; (d) in the target watershed of the Florida Gulf Coast University campus, depressed surface storage in seasonal wetlands compensates for reduced wet season capacity of ponds and soil storage. That mechanism explains why the campus has successfully mitigated flooding including from high‐precipitation events most prone to produce flooding (intense rate, late wet season events), while some downstream communities with components designed to meet the regulatory minimum have experienced inundation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractStudent understanding of climate change is an active and growing area of research, but little research has documented undergraduate students’ knowledge about the biotic impacts of climate change. Here, we address this literature gap by presenting the Inventory of Biotic Climate Literacy (IBCL), a concept inventory developed to assess undergraduate biology student knowledge of how climate change impacts living things. We developed the IBCL through literature review, student and expert interviews, student field tests, and expert review. We implemented two large nationwide field tests and conducted multiple psychometric analyses on these datasets. These analyses resulted in a final tool of 30 items measuring 16 constructs related to the biotic impacts of climate change. We discovered that the final IBCL does not represent a single, simple construct but rather the complicated and interactive concepts that comprise this topic. We suggest that sum scores are still a valuable measure, as certain groups (upperclassmen and politically liberal individuals) scored significantly higher. We also found value in analyzing individual student performance on the IBCL by developing student profiles. The IBCL represents an important tool in assessing student understanding of the complex and growing problem of climate change and its impact on the living world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the molecular and phenotypic aspects of CTLA-4 insufficiency, a rare genetic disorder that affects the immune system. It presents two case studies, one involving a 22-month-old infant and the other a 13-year-old boy, both of whom exhibit different symptoms and outcomes associated with the condition. The article emphasizes the significance of genetic testing in accurately diagnosing and treating CTLA-4 insufficiency. Additionally, it discusses the functional validation of two new variants in the CTLA4 gene and their potential implications for disease progression and treatment. [Extracted from the article]

Objectives Risk aversion has a substantial impact on decision making and is associated with key demographic characteristics. However, few studies have investigated whether risk aversion varies by race. Methods We investigated racial differences in financial risk aversion in 684 older Black and White adults without dementia in the Minority Aging Research Study and Rush Memory and Aging Project matched for age, education, sex, and cognition using Mahalanobis distance. We also investigated whether select contextual factors (self-reported discrimination, socioeconomic status, and literacy) mediated or affective factors (trust, loneliness, and neuroticism) moderated any observed racial differences. Results In regression models adjusted for age, education, sex, and cognitive function, older Black adults were more risk averse than older White adults (Beta = 0.1264, standard error = 0.0227, p value ≤.00001). None of the contextual or affective factors mediated or moderated this association. Discussion Older Black adults are more financially risk averse than older White adults. Because risk aversion may be associated with important financial and health outcomes in older age, more research is needed to investigate the reasons for this difference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores the representation of voice and judgment in Jane Austen's novel "Mansfield Park." It analyzes the portrayal of the Methodist clergyman Edmund including his conception of religion and his own profession, his view of marriage, limitations of his moral goodness and mind, his adverse judgment of Henry and Maria Ward and their marriage, and his lack of family partiality when it comes to her judgment of his sister.

Simple Summary: All commercial swine farms require replacement gilts. Gilts are grown in pens and are commonly exposed to boars to induce estrus. Boar exposure to peri-puberal gilts is time-consuming, with variable results on commercial farms. Our goal was to determine whether a novel boar pheromone (Boar Better®; BB) could replace a live boar, accelerate the onset of puberty, and obtain equal or better percentages of gilts bred. A novel sprayer that allowed gilts to self-administer BB (a putative boar priming pheromone for gilts) at will. The sprayer is an environmental enrichment (EE) device that pigs root, push, and chew. The EE device can all gilts to self-deliver BB during the late pre-puberal period, which may save labor and improve worker and gilt safety by reducing the use of a live boar. In this work, gilts were exposed to either boars on a daily basis or BB self-administered in the EE sprayer. In conclusion, BB induced the same or more gilts to be identified in estrus compared to live boar exposure, and injured fewer gilts while reducing the labor and boar maintenance costs. The data support the idea that BB acted as a priming pheromone to stimulate the onset of estrus in gilts without a boar. Labor is in short supply in animal agriculture. One time-consuming task is estrus detection in gilts. Stimulation with a live boar causes the onset of puberty in young gilts. Typically, a live boar is used to stimulate and identify estrus in the gilts by exposing the gilts to him. Recently, a boar pheromone (BB) was developed to replace the use of a live boar for sows. Additionally, a novel automatic sprayer used as environmental enrichment (EE) by gilts for the self-administration of BB has been developed by this laboratory. A commercial study was conducted to determine whether the use of a live boar could be replaced with a simple EE sprayer, allowing gilts to self-administer BB. Our objective was to determine whether the number and percentage of gilts in estrus obtained using live boars was comparable to self-administration using an EE sprayer containing BB. A total of 242 gilts were randomly assigned to either a live boar (BOAR) or BB self-administration using the environmental enrichment (EE) sprayer. Gilts began simultaneous exposure to either the BOAR or the BB when they were about 4–5 months of age and this continued until they were found in estrus or were injured, died, or never cycled about 2 months later. A total of 83.3% of gilts with exposure to BOAR were identified in estrus and bred, while exposure to BB resulted in 92.9% of gilts reaching puberty and being bred (p < 0.05). The days to reach estrus were 11 days longer for gilts exposed to BB than BOAR. Eight percent more gilts were injured by the BOAR than by using BB (and no boar). The use of BB as a priming pheromone could prevent gilt injuries, save labor, and reduce costs for pig farmers while not inhibiting reproductive output. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many anthropologists have now adopted a relational view of the culture concept. Much research has shown that, far from being bounded or self-replicating, cultures emerge through interactions between social Others. These findings are particularly important to research on borderlands and peripheries, where communities routinely encounter wide-ranging social and political diversity. We present ceramic frequencies alongside petrographic analysis from the Late Woodland component at Esseneca (38OC20) to illustrate two main points: (1) pottery types previously understood as culture historical isolates co-occur in parts of Upstate South Carolina, and (2) potters collected clays from two main geologic formations near the site. This research shows that communities in the region traveled freely, crossing cultural boundaries while acquiring potting clays. We suggest that this level of interaction between disparate social groups laid the foundation for some aspects of Mississippianization in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the concept of "Multiracism" and its implications in a global context. It explores various forms of racism, including anti-Asian racism, and highlights the role of materialistic envy in fueling such racism. The author argues that the arrival of COVID-19 has exacerbated anti-Asian racism, as evidenced by the use of derogatory terms like "Chinese disease" and "China virus." The article also examines the link between racism and modernity, emphasizing the need for a pluralistic understanding of racism in the contemporary world. However, it suggests that the book could have included more case studies from Africa and Asia to provide a comprehensive analysis of multiracism. Overall, the article recommends the book as an excellent resource for understanding and addressing racism. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection constitutes a major medical complication of pregnancy and is associated with adverse feto-maternal outcomes. However, the relationship between maternal serum selenium levels and pregnancy outcomes has been inconsistent. Objective: This study aimed to determine the relationship between maternal serum selenium status and pregnancy outcome in HIV-positive and HIV-negative women in a tertiary health facility. Methodology: A comparative cross-sectional study was carried out among HIV-positive and HIV-negative pregnant women at a tertiary health-care facility in Owerri. Participants were recruited from the labor ward and interviewed using a structured questionnaire. One hundred and ten HIV-positive pregnant women were compared with an equal number of HIV-negative pregnant women. They were matched for age, parity and gestational age. Selenium level was measured using atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Maternal packed cell volume (PCV) was also assessed at recruitment. At delivery, the birth weight was measured using a standard weighing scale and documented. Cases of preterm births, perinatal deaths, major congenital abnormalities, and neonatal admission were noted and also documented. Statistical analysis was performed using means and standard deviation. Chi-square test, Student's t-test, logistic regression, and Pearson correlation were also employed. Statistical significance was considered at P < 0.05. Results: HIV-positive pregnant women had significantly lower mean serum selenium concentration compared with HIV-negative pregnant women (64.3 ± 19.6 µg/L vs. 100.1 ± 30.9 µg/L; P < 0.001). There was a statistically significant association between serum selenium concentration and birth weight among both HIV-positive and HIV-negative pregnant women (P < 0.001). Similarly, a statistically significant association was seen between serum selenium and maternal PCV in HIV-positive and HIV-negative pregnant women (P = 0.024 and P < 0.001, respectively). However, there was no association found between serum selenium and other pregnancy outcomes. Conclusion: HIV-positive pregnant women had a lower mean serum selenium level compared to HIV-negative pregnant women. There was a significant association between low maternal serum selenium level and maternal anemia, as well as low birth weight, especially in HIV-positive pregnant women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many aerosol products rely on the rapid vaporization of volatile propellants to produce a fine spray. In the simplest case, these are binary mixtures of propellant and a delivered product which undergo a flash-evaporation process leaving only the less volatile product in the resultant droplet. In more complex applications, such as pressurized metered-dose inhalers, the non-propellant component may contain dissolved or suspended drug which precipitates or dries to form a matured particle. The size and morphology of the particles depend strongly on the time-history of the droplet as the propellant evaporates. However, measuring the dynamic evaporation processes that occur in dense sprays containing millions of droplets is challenging. In this paper, we demonstrate a novel application of Ultra Small Angle X-ray Scattering to measure the bulk composition of volatile HFC134a-ethanol sprays and compare the obtained results with simple evaporation models in a dry nitrogen environment. The data reveal that diffusion-limiting processes inside the droplet are equally important as external convection and mixing-limited factors in determining evaporative timescales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reads Filipino director Lino Brocka's film Orapronobis (1989) as a commentary on the 1987 Philippine Constitution, a post-dictatorship document which the director helped draft as a member of the Philippine Constitutional Commission. Using a 'law and film' approach, the article argues that the film visualises law's limit concepts such as the state of exception, hostis generis humani , and constituent power. The film depicts the failure of words to control the political world that results in a dystopian constitutional order where human rights monsters and revolutionaries contend. Through an exploration of law's limit concepts, Brocka's Orapronobis represents the limits of Philippine constitutionalism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]