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Drawing on the strategic capacity-building perspective, we examine the mediating roles of three innovation strategies, i.e. export formalization, foreign business networking, and proactive competitiveness between managerial capacity and technological and innovation leadership in SME internationalization. Employing a sample of 900 Vietnamese SMEs, we found support for a three-staged internationalization process models allowing for SMEs that export, SMEs with plans to export, and SMEs with no-plans to export. With the identification of the three SME stages, the emphasis on the internationalization process shifts from export performance perspectives to leadership, and this shift has theoretical and practical implications for current knowledge about the SME internationalization process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cisgender women and transgender men are less likely to be assessed for PrEP eligibility, prescribed PrEP, or retained in PrEP care. Thus, this pilot PrEP educational intervention was tailored for healthcare providers (HCPs) in obstetrics/gynecology who provide care to cisgender women and transgender men in an academically-affiliated, public hospital women's health clinic. The three-lecture educational curriculum designed for HCPs focused on PrEP eligibility and counseling, formulations and adherence, and prescription and payment assistance programs. Pre- and post-intervention surveys assessed HCP knowledge and barriers to PrEP counseling and prescription. Among n = 49 participants (mean age = 32.8 years; 85.7% cisgender women, mean years practicing = 4.2 years) pre-intervention, 8.7% had prior PrEP training and 61.2% felt very/somewhat uncomfortable prescribing PrEP. Post-intervention, knowledge of PrEP contraindications, eligibility, follow-up care, and assistance programs all increased. HCPs identified key barriers to PrEP care including lack of a dedicated PrEP navigator, culturally and linguistically appropriate patient materials on PrEP resources/costs, and PrEP-related content integrated into EHRs. Ongoing PrEP educational sessions can provide opportunities to practice PrEP counseling, including information on financial assistance. At the institutional level, incorporating PrEP screening in routine clinical practice via EMR prompts, facilitating PrEP medication monitoring, and enhancing telehealth for follow-up care could enhance PrEP prescription. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technology integration in educational settings has led to the development of novel sensor-based tools that enable students to measure and interact with their environment. Although reports from using such tools can be positive, evaluations are often conducted under controlled conditions and short timeframes. There is a need for longitudinal data collected in realistic classroom settings. However, sustained and authentic classroom use requires technology platforms to be seen by teachers as both easy to use and of value. We describe our development of a sensor-based platform to support science teaching that followed a 14-month design process. We share insights from this design and development approach, and report findings from a six-month large-scale evaluation involving 35 schools and 1245 students. We share lessons learnt, including that technology integration is not an educational goal per se and that technology should be a transparent tool to enable students to achieve their learning goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Worker and work-related musculoskeletal symptoms are prevalent among surgeons operating on human patients. Despite incidence rates for accidents among veterinarians and their staff being 2.9 times higher than that of general practitioners of human medicine, little is known about musculoskeletal symptoms among veterinary surgeons. In this study, 212 board-certified members of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons responded to a survey regarding various work-related activities and their experience with musculoskeletal symptoms in 10 different body regions. Across all body regions, reported pain increased from before to after a typical day of surgery (p <.01). Gender, weight, age, and years performing surgery were worker factors that were related to pain (p <.05), while number of procedures, practice focus, and proportion of minimally invasive surgery were work factors related to pain (p <.05). Our findings suggest that musculoskeletal symptoms are prevalent among veterinary surgeons and may help provide evidence for guidelines for minimising musculoskeletal injuries in veterinary surgery. Practitioner summary: Little is known about the risk factors for musculoskeletal symptoms (MSS) among veterinary surgeons. This cross-sectional survey of veterinary surgeons investigates worker and work factors related to MSS. We show that MSS are prevalent and identify key factors providing evidence that MSS are a concern in veterinary surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Upper Cretaceous Cantwell Formation in Denali National Park and Preserve (DENA) preserves an abundant and diverse ichnofossil record of high latitude dinosaurs. Field-based investigations of the formation remain limited due to its wide areal extent and remoteness, leaving questions concerning its temporal and faunistic relationships to other units unaddressed. Here we describe the largest tracksite known in DENA and all of Alaska – a 7500 square metre outcrop of steeply dipping beds known as the Coliseum. The site exposes 66.3 metres of vertical section consisting of laterally extensive fine- to medium-grained sandstone, mudstone, calcareous shale, and bentonite. Vertebrate trace fossils include true tracks, transmitted tracks, natural casts, and trackways documented via handheld and UAV-assisted photogrammetry, enabling three-dimensional mapping of the site. Facies analysis reveals a depositional environment of crevasse splay and overbank deposits within a fluvial floodplain. U-Pb dating of bentonite collected from the site returned an age of 69.3 ± 0.9 Ma, improving the limited temporal constraints of the formation. We document several ichnotaxa, some new to the formation, representing ornithopods, ceratopsids, and large and small-bodied avian and non-avian theropods. The Coliseum provides a rare window into a high latitude, Late Cretaceous forested ecosystem deposited in a Greenhouse World. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The existing literature has focused little on the health-promoting role of resources for sleep. Mainly risk factors have been highlighted regarding mental health in general. Moreover, for the vulnerable age group of adolescents, resources and their relation to sleep have hardly been explored. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the predictive role of personal/social resources for the likelihood of having chronic sleep problems in adolescents. A sample of n = 131 adolescents (M = 14.31 years, SD = 1.84) completed the Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children and the Questionnaire to Assess Resources for Children and Adolescents at two measurement points about 8 months apart. Binomial logistic regressions controlling for age and sex revealed that higher levels of personal and social resources were associated with a lower likelihood of having chronic sleep problems. Especially optimism and school integration were associated with not experiencing chronic sleep problems. For the first time, this study highlighted multiple resources and their health-promoting role in adolescent sleep. Both personal and social resources seem to be relevant for preventing adolescents from chronic sleep problems. Prevention and intervention programs for sleep disorders in teenagers should especially promote optimism and school integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Noise from firearms is well known to be harmful to human hearing. This problem has been addressed by various military units through the use of muzzle suppressors. However, as suppressor technology has advanced, shooters report hearing the mechanical action of gas-operated semi-automatic rifles (ArmaLite Rifle Model 15 style aka AR-15) as being louder than the suppressed muzzle noise. This study aims to evaluate if harmful noise is present in the shooter's ear, even when impulse noise emanating from the muzzle is suppressed. To characterize the impulse noise of the firearm action caused by the reciprocation of the bolt carrier group (BCG) and subsequent impact when it returns to battery (the forward locked position), the muzzle of a rifle was placed through a constructed plywood wall, and the noise of the action/breech was measured independently from the muzzle noise. This research finds that the impact of the BCG returning to battery (132 dBZ) has the potential to be harmful to the shooter's hearing even when the noise from the muzzle is effectively suppressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emotion regulation plays a crucial role in well-being in everyday life. Effective emotion regulation depends upon adaptively matching a given strategy to a given situation. Recent research has begun to explore these interactions in the context of daily reports of perceived stress, affect, and emotion regulation strategy usage. To further understand these differences in strategy efficacy in an ecologically valid context, we examined responses to real world stressors in a young adult sample. We surveyed a range of emotion regulation strategies, including two forms of cognitive reappraisal (i.e., reinterpretation, which involves cognitively reframing one's emotional responses, and psychological distancing, which involves adopting an objective, impartial perspective). Participants reported strategy usage, momentary perceived stress, and affect in response to multiple ecological momentary assessments over a period of 7 days. Analyses of links between strategy usage and affect revealed that rumination was significantly negatively associated with more positive affect ratings. Further, a significant interaction between momentary perceived stress and reinterpretation usage was observed on affect, such that reinterpretation was more adaptive during situations perceived as less stressful. These results provide further insight into the importance of situational context in determining the effectiveness of particular emotion regulation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maintaining healthy cognitive functioning and delaying cognitive decline in cognitively intact and cognitively impaired adults are major research initiatives for addressing dementia disease burden. Music interventions are promising, non-pharmaceutical treatment options for preserving cognitive function and psychological health in older adults with varying levels of cognitive function. While passive, music interventions have attracted considerable attention in the abnormal cognitive aging literature, active, music interventions such as music creativity are less well-studied. Among 58 older adults with different levels of cognitive function (cognitively healthy to mild cognitive impairment), we examined the feasibility and acceptability of Project CHROMA, a Stage 1 clinical trial developed to assess the effects of a novel, music creativity curriculum on various health outcomes. Music intervention participation (93%), overall study retention (78%), and intervention satisfaction (100%) rates were comparable to other similarly designed clinical trials. Exploratory analyses using mixed-level modeling tested the efficacy of the intervention on cognitive and psychological outcomes. Compared to those in the control condition, participants in the music condition showed some improvements in cognitive functioning and socioemotional well-being. Findings suggest that a 6-week music creativity clinical trial with several multi-modal health assessments can be feasibly implemented within a sample of varying cognitive ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractPsychological science is divided into two distinct methodological traditions. One tradition seeks to understand how people function at the individual level, while the other seeks to understand how people differ from each other. Methodologies that have grown out of these traditions typically rely on different sources of data. While both use statistical models to understand the structure of the data, and these models are often similar, Molenaar (2004) showed that results from one type of analysis rarely transfer to the other, unless unrealistic assumptions hold. This raises the question how we may integrate these approaches. In this paper, we argue that formalized theories can be used to connect intra- and interindividual levels of analysis. This connection is indirect, in the sense that the relationship between theory and data is best understood through the intermediate level of phenomena: robust statistical patterns in empirical data. To illustrate this, we introduce a distinction between intra- and interindividual phenomena, and argue that many psychological theories will have implications for both types of phenomena. Formalization provides us with a methodological tool for investigating what kinds of intra- and interindividual phenomena we should expect to find if the theory under consideration were true. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Student class schedules often involve significant scheduling conflicts and can be challenging to resolve. Three scheduling problems common to students, advisors, and deans at universities include building a schedule, changing schedules for multiple students due to a course cancelation, and finding seats for students on waitlists for multiple courses. This paper presents binary integer programs to solve each, building in complexity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poverty is a contributor to poor health yet it can be challenging to break the cycle of poverty. We analyzed the characteristics of 2,981 CirclesUSA program participants. Of the 2,981 who were screened at program intake, 12.8% achieved success. Participants were more likely to drop out if they had children at home and/or were experiencing generational poverty. Participants with full time employment, stable housing, access to transportation, who experienced situational poverty, held a degree or who were without children at home were more successful. The CirclesUSA approach to poverty is an effective peer coaching model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to present a comprehensive overview of the technical steps in the biomimicry design spiral and endeavours to apply these steps in the design of a swimming gloves. This involves five steps in the biomimicry design spiral as distillation, translation, discovery, emulation and evaluation. The study then provides four alternative designs inspired by the morphology of crab-eating frog legs (Fejervarya cancrivora). Computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulation is conducted to assess drag and lift forces. The simulation incorporates parameters such as fluid density, flow speed, water pressure, turbulence intensity and viscosity. The result reveals that the full-cross (FC) swimming glove design exhibits the highest drag force, while the full-straight (FS) design achieves the highest lift force. The usability test is conducted to evaluate the designs by considering five aspects, i.e. material comfort, ease of use, ease of swimming and non-swimming activities, as well as aesthetics. The potential benefits for the industry are also provided in the end of the article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Governments have developed Indigenous procurement policies (IPPs) in Australia and other colonised countries with Indigenous populations to collaboratively close socioeconomic inequities experienced by Indigenous communities. These policies are widely used in the construction industry because of the volume of government spending on this sector and its significant social impact. However, recent research argues that Indigenous peoples' notions of social value are not reflected in IPP designs, implementation, or evaluation frameworks. To investigate this claim, this research uses a holistic Aboriginal evaluation framework called 'Ngaa-bi-nya' to investigate how IPPs promote social value creation. Using community-based participatory research principles, semi-structured interviews were held with owners and senior managers of Indigenous construction companies in Australia. Findings highlight how social value is created by IPPs when Indigenous contractors use strategic actions to improve Indigenous socioeconomic outcomes, social and cultural development, create stronger connections in the construction industry and promote self-determination. The findings provide new conceptual and operational insights into how IPPs can create social value through partnerships with Indigenous contractors. The insights can be used by buyers and builders to strengthen social value in their supply chains through new ways of collaborative working to support social value creation. They also highlight potential risks of continuing to design and assess social value without the involvement of stakeholders for whom it is intended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ryan White Program at Augusta University (AU RWP) collaborated with community partner, Golden Harvest Food Bank (GHFB), and conducted a food insecurity assessment for the program's client population as well as interviews with the Ryan White medical case managers on the feasibility of incorporating food assistance into the Ryan White Program's services. The duel assessments provided insight into ways to meet the food access needs of the clients at the clinic. Further, the pilot allowed AU RWP and GHFB to approach the creation of a partnership without wasting additional funds and effort that would be unsustainable for either organization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence suggests that patients with upper limb impairment following a stroke do not receive recommended amounts of motor practice. Robotics provide a potential solution to address this gap, but clinical adoption is low. The aim of this study was to utilize the technology acceptance model as a framework to identify factors influencing clinician adoption of robotic devices into practice. Mixed methods including survey data and focus group discussions with allied health clinicians whose primary caseload was rehabilitation of the neurologically impaired upper limb. Surveys based on the technology acceptance measure were completed pre/post exposure to and use of a robotic device. Focus groups discussions based on the theory of planned behaviour were conducted at the conclusion of the study. A total of 34 rehabilitation clinicians completed the surveys with pre-implementation data indicating that rehabilitation clinicians perceive robotic devices as complex to use, which influenced intention to use such devices in practice. The focus groups found that lack of experience and time to learn influenced confidence to implement robotic devices into practice. This study found that perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use of a robotic device in clinical rehabilitation can be improved through experience, training and embedded technological support. However, training and embedded support are not routinely offered, suggesting there is a discordance between current implementation and the learning needs of rehabilitation clinicians. Patients do not receive adequate amounts of upper limb motor practice following a stroke, and although robotic devices have the potential to address this gap, clinical adoption is low. The technology acceptance model identified that clinicians perceive robotic devices to be complex to use with current implementation efforts failing to consider their training needs. Implementation adoption of robotic devices in rehabilitation should be supported with adequate training and technological support if sustainable practice change is to be achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This case study investigated the transformative learning outcomes for undergraduate students enrolled in two sociology courses taught by The State University of New York at Albany, at an urban ecoliteracy environmental justice center. Authors conducted participant observation and gathered data from surveys, semi-structured interviews, and focus groups with university student, high school, and community stakeholders. In the short-term, sociology students exhibited an increased interest in civic engagement, an heightened awareness of community and environmental issues, and committed to adopting pro-environmental behaviors. Transformative learning outcomes were documented in relation to affirming/changes in longer-term academic, life, and career paths. This research contributes to the fields of urban environmental education and environmental sociology that advocate for a better understanding of the outcomes of programs that facilitate youth mentoring and experiential ecojustice pedagogies that emphasize social justice development, issues of power and justice, and the enhancement of civic engagement, action competencies, and critical consciousness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Problem: Writing for publication is a core activity for many medical school faculty, but faculty report numerous challenges to publication. To help address these challenges, some medical schools establish writing support programs, but those programs are often resource-intensive, involving didactic courses, accountability groups, formal mentorships, and even assistance from professional writers. Not all medical schools, however, provide resources for such programs, and many faculty members, especially clinicians, lack time needed to participate. Furthermore, success of these programs is typically judged by the total number of papers published. However, many clinicians would judge success as publication of the occasional papers they decide to write, not the total number of papers they or the group publish. With these issues in mind, we established a low-resource writing program focused on individual acceptance rates rather than total publications. Intervention: Our writing program is an informal group that meets monthly. Members bring their ideas for papers and drafts of papers, and other members provide critique and suggestions for improvement. Members then revise their papers to address that critique prior to journal submission. There are no formal or assigned mentors, courses, lectures, or writing assistants. Context: The program takes place in our family medicine department, in which faculty have various roles. Some group members are clinician-educators seeking to publish occasional clinical reviews or research articles; others are PhDs seeking to publish on aspects of their work. Impact: During the six years of the program, 86% of papers reviewed by the group were accepted for publication and 94% of those were accepted by the journal to which they were first submitted. Publication success rate of individual members averaged 79%. This exceeds the 30–40% acceptance rate for scholarly journals worldwide. Group members published an average of 5.2 papers per member, with some publishing as few as 2–3 papers and others as many as 10–11. Lessons Learned: An informal, low-resource writing program in medical school departments can help faculty reach their publication goals. We found that members were satisfied by having the group help them publish whatever number of papers they decided to write. The program's simple, informal approach fostered a culture of respectful and collegial interactions, in which members learned to depend on and accept critiques from colleagues. Finally, an unexpected benefit of our program resulted from membership of both clinicians and non-clinicians. This provided feedback from individuals with different perspectives, which enhanced development of manuscripts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New Zealand research on inequities in children's developmental health outcomes is sparse. We aimed to describe the prevalence, clustering, and socio-environmental associations of developmental health in preschool-aged children. A latent profile analysis was performed using data from child participants of Growing Up in New Zealand at age 4.5-years to identify profiles of developmental health status. Seven measures were included in the latent profile analysis, representing four domains of developmental health: 'physical', 'motor', 'socioemotional and behavioural', and 'communication and learning'. Multinominal logistic regression was used to investigate socio-environmental associations of latent profile membership. Six latent profiles were identified (N = 6109), including three healthy/flourishing profiles: 'healthy' (52.6% of the sample), 'early social skills flourishing' (14.5%), and 'early learning skills flourishing' (4.0%); and three suboptimal profiles: 'early learning skills difficulties' (19.5%), 'physical health difficulties' (5.6%), and 'developmental difficulties cluster' (3.7%). Children experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage, of Māori or Pacific ethnicity, and with unmet healthcare needs had increased odds of being classified to suboptimal developmental health profiles. In this large, diverse cohort, one-in-four children were classified as having suboptimal developmental health. Addressing inequities in developmental health is crucial to improving health over the life course. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of laminate configuration on mechanical properties were investigated for model glued-laminated timber (GLT) composed of single and mixed fast-growing tree species (Acacia mangium Willd., Maesopsis eminii Engl., and Melia azedarach L.), which were grown in community forests in Indonesia. The simulation of lamina yield was decreased in graded GLT compared with that in GLT with randomly designed, while the mean values of simulated dynamic Young's modulus (DMOE) in graded GLT were higher than those of GLT with randomly designed in each species. Graded GLT with mixed species should be produced to effectively utilize wood resources from fast-growing tree species. All mechanical properties showed higher values in single-species GLT especially for graded GLT, compared with solid lumber, suggesting that laminate configuration was effective for increasing mechanical properties. However, the factors that increase mechanical properties in single-species GLT differed among species. These factors can be evaluated by load-deflection curves. In GLT composed of single and mixed species produced with the same DMOE, almost all other mechanical properties were similar among laminate configurations. It is concluded that laminate configurations with different species and grades are useful for efficiently producing GLT with higher mechanical properties from multiple fast-growing tree species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of idiographic research techniques has gained popularity within psychological research and network analysis in particular. Idiographic research has been proposed as a promising avenue for future research, with differences between idiographic results highlighting evidence for radical heterogeneity. However, in the quest to address the individual in psychology, some classic statistical problems, such as those arising from sampling variation and power limitations, should not be overlooked. This article aims to determine to what extent current tools to compare idiographic networks are suited to disentangle true from illusory heterogeneity in the presence of sampling error. To this end, we investigate the performance of tools to inspect heterogeneity (visual inspection, comparison of centrality measures, investigating standard deviations of random effects, and GIMME) through simulations. Results show that power limitations hamper the validity of conclusions regarding heterogeneity and that the power required to assess heterogeneity adequately is often not realized in current research practice. Of the tools investigated, inspecting standard deviations of random effects and GIMME proved the most suited. However, all tools evaluated leave the door wide open to misinterpret all observed variability in terms of individual differences. Hence, the current paper calls for caution in the use and interpretation of new time-series techniques when it comes to heterogeneity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital technologies enable the dissemination of multimedia resources to support adults with serious mental illness in their self-management and personal recovery. However, delivery needs to accommodate engagement and accessibility challenges. We examined how a digital resource, designed for mental health workers and consumers to use together in session, would be used in routine practice. Thirty consumers and their workers participated. The web-based resource, Self-Management And Recovery Technology (SMART), was available to use within and between sessions, for a 6-month period. Workers initiated in-session use where relevant. Feasibility was explored via uptake and usage data; and acceptability and impact via questionnaires. A pre-post design assessed recovery outcomes for consumers and relationship outcomes for consumers and workers. In participating mental health practitioner-consumer dyads, consumers gave strong acceptability ratings, and reported improved working relationships. However, the resource was typically used in one-third or fewer appointments, with consumers expressing a desire for greater in-session use. Improvements in self-rated personal recovery were not observed, possibly contributed to by low usage. In-session use was found helpful by consumers but may be constrained by other demands in mental health care delivery: collaborative use may require dedicated staff time or more formal implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the relationship between penetrating keratoplasty (PK) and postoperative PRA level and number of unacceptable antigens. A cross-sectionalstudy was performed on patients with history of PK. Patients with prior solid organ transplantation, pregnancy, or blood transfusion were excluded. These findings were combined with a retrospective review. Patients were grouped by single or multiple PKs. The primary outcome was postoperative PRA level. Incidence of postoperative PRA elevation and mean peak PRA was higher in the multiple PK group (p =.08 and p =.010, respectively). Mean number of unacceptable antigens was elevated in the multiple PK group (p =.024). There was a moderately positive correlation between number of PK grafts and PRA level (r = 0.629, p =.0002). PRA level may be influenced by PKs, with higher PRA associated with increased prior PKs. Further studies are necessary to determine the potential prognostic value. Abbreviations: PK: penetrating keratoplasty; PRA: panel reactive antibodies; OSST: ocular surface stem cell transplantation; LSCD: limbal stem cell deficiency [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fain's theoretical conceptualisation of the 'Censorship of the Lover' (1971) offers a framework to investigate the unrepresented traumatic aspects of the hypochondriacal fear of breast cancer. The failure of the maternal role to function as both the mother-of-the-infant and the lover-of-the-father creates considerable deficits in the primal psychosomatic tie. The authors aim to draw attention on to the importance of the mother-of-the-infant facet of the dual maternal function. The threatening repetitive scenario experienced by the hypochondriacal patient is considered as a form of pathological autoerotism, indicating an insufficient construction of psychic bisexuality, and, subsequently, of sexual identity. The hypochondriacal fear of breast cancer constitutes a positive hallucination whereas the denial of the healthy breast represents a negative hallucination (Green, 1993). The topos of the body onto which the fear of death is projected implies the existence of underlying associations related to the subject's history. The complexities surrounding such acute hypochondriacal anxieties are demonstrated in the analysis of a female patient, during which the analytic dyad was called upon to disclose and construct different levels of meaning in order to enhance the capacity for mentalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are conjugating enzymes involved in drug metabolism, antioxidant defence, and cell signalling. Herein, we investigated hepatic GST conjugation in several mouse and rat strains, including both sexes, with a direct comparison to humans. Using general and isoform-selective substrates, all mouse strains had significantly greater activities than humans for total cytosolic GST, GST-M, GST-T, and microsomal GST activities. Some strains had significantly greater GST-P activities compared to humans. Sex differences between males and females were evident in all strains for total cytosolic GST, GST-M, and GST-P, and sex differences in GST-T and microsomal GST activities within strains were noted. All rats had significantly greater activities than humans for GST-M and GST-T; only some strains were significantly greater than humans for GST-P, total cytosolic GST, and microsomal GST. Sex differences within strains showed significantly greater GST-M and GST-T activities in males compared to females. Select strains showed sex differences for total cytosolic and microsomal GST activities; there were no sex differences in GST-P activities. Significant differences in glutathione conjugation between humans and rodents exist, including sex differences. This highlights the need for careful animal selection in pre-clinical studies where GSTs are the primary metabolic pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Boundary between core and outer wood should be clarified for tropical fast-growing tree species to utilize its wood resources under sustainable forestry. This study aimed to determine the boundary between core and outer wood based on the mixed-effects models for radial variations of anatomical characteristics and wood properties in three fast-growing tree species grown in community forests in Indonesia – Acacia mangium Willd., Maesopsis eminii Engl., and Melia azedarach L.. On the basis of the results of the radial variation modeling, almost all anatomical characteristics and wood properties were shown to increase or decrease from pith to bark and then become almost stable. The boundary values between core and outer wood based on exponential function with plateau for absolute changing ratios of estimated properties were 6.1, 6.8, and 5.5 cm for A. mangium, M. eminii, and M. azedarach, respectively. In conclusion, boundary between core and outer wood in respect to multiple characteristics and properties in tropical fast-growing tree species can be determined by combination of mixed-effects modeling and exponential function with convergence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wrist-worn wearables, with sensors to measure physiological responses such as heart rate variability (HRV) and electrodermal activity (EDA), have been increasing and have the potential to be used for continuous monitoring. These devices have been used to detect responses in workers' physical and cognitive demands; however, the accuracy of wrist wearables for distinguishing these demands is unknown, especially since many every day and work activities frequently require motion. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a wrist-worn wearable in measuring physiological changes during different demand conditions. Participants (n = 20 college students) completed a multi-factor laboratory study that considered task (cognitive/physical), difficulty (easy/hard), and motion (motion/no motion). N-back tasks and stationary bike tasks were used to represent cognitive and physical demands, respectively. Metrics of HRV and EDA were measured using reference-standard devices and a validated wrist-wearable. Significant differences between task, motion, and difficulty were observed from HRV measurements from the reference-standard and wrist-worn devices. Wrist wearables are sensitive to detecting workplace demands and may be used as an alternative to reference-standard sensors for continuous health and activity monitoring for worker health and wellness. Findings in this study can provide guidelines on task and conditions that affect the use and interpretation of wrist-worn devices for measuring cognitive and physical demands in healthcare systems. Applications for noninvasive, wrist-worn sensors can be used for continuous health and exercise monitoring HRV and EDA metrics obtained from wrist-worn device are sensitivity in detecting changes in task, difficulty, and motion HRV metric from wrist-worn device had agreement with reference-standard device Wrist-wearables has potential for ubiquitous health monitoring of individuals [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lower-limb wearable resistance (WR) facilitates targeted resistance-based training during sports-specific movement tasks. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of two different WR placements (thigh and shank) on joint kinematics during the acceleration phase of sprint running. Eighteen participants completed maximal effort sprints while unloaded and with 2% body mass thigh- or shank-placed WR. The main findings were as follows: 1) the increase to 10 m sprint time was small with thigh WR (effect size [ES] = 0.24), and with shank WR, the increase was also small but significant (ES = 0.33); 2) significant differences in peak joint angles between the unloaded and WR conditions were small (ES = 0.23–0.38), limited to the hip and knee joints, and <2° on average; 3) aside from peak hip flexion angles, no clear trends were observed in individual difference scores; and, 4) thigh and shank WR produced similar reductions in average hip flexion and extension angular velocities. The significant overload to hip flexion and extension velocity with both thigh- and shank-placed WR may be beneficial to target the flexion and extension actions associated with fast sprint running. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the effectiveness of a 10-week cognitive rehabilitation and lifestyle modifying intervention that integrated compensation strategies, engagement in brain activities, and improving everyday function. The trial was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03549078). Older adults with subjective cognitive concerns and normal performance on a cognitive screener were randomized into the intervention (n = 28) or waitlist control (n = 29) groups. The total sample comprised 57 individuals (age, mean = 74.8, SD = 6.5), mostly female (80.4% of the total sample), and well educated (education years: mean = 15.9, SD = 2.1). Outcome measures were completed at baseline, and immediately and 3- and 6-months post-intervention. Intervention participants reported significant improvements in aspects of everyday functioning and select compensation strategies and brain health activities. Increased compensation strategy use was maintained at 6-month follow up. This intervention has benefits for improving everyday functioning and increasing engagement with compensation strategies and brain health activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Australian prison population is increasingly diverse, yet there is limited research assessing the impact of mental health interventions across culturally diverse groups. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a short-term psycho-educational program on psychological distress, symptoms of mental illness, coping processes, cognitive fusion (i.e., attachment to patterns of thinking or specific thoughts) and somatic issues for 124 people in prison. Cross-cultural comparisons for intervention effects were made for three cultural groups: culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD; N = 45), Indigenous Australian (N = 24) and English-speaking background (ESB; N = 55). Several differences in intervention outcomes were observed across the cultural groups. Following completion of the program, ESB participants reported significantly reduced levels of depressive symptoms, avoidance coping, cognitive fusion and somatic issues. CALD participants reported significantly reduced somatic issues post-intervention. No significant differences were found in the Indigenous Australian group. These findings indicate that cultural background may influence the effectiveness of mental health interventions delivered within prisons. As such, prisons should aim to offer specialized culturally appropriate mental health services to meet diverse needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the United Kingdom, the number of young people (16 to 24 years-old) not in education, employment or training (NEET) was estimated to be c.763,000 in October to December 2019. The purpose of this paper is to explore the experiences of NEET young people attending alternative education provisions that focus on physical and mental health in promoting positive outcomes. Semi-structured interviews with young people (n = 18), parents (n = 10), and staff (n = 8), analysed using Constant Comparative Method, were conducted in an alternative education provision in England and Wales. Analysis led to the identification of themes around motivation, empowerment, and confidence. The findings illustrate that young people in alternative education provisions benefit from an approach that placed health, well-being and confidence building at their core. This paper outlines the implications for policy-makers and practitioners in designing alternative education provisions with physical activity as part of the core curriculum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have demonstrated inconsistency in the effectiveness of staff training programs in consumer directed care (CDC) as a means of enhancing the quality of life (QoL) of residents. The aim of this study was to investigate why this might be the case. We analyzed disaggregated cluster-by-cluster resident QoL outcomes after nursing home staff completed a CDC training program. In total, 33 nursing homes (11 clusters) participated in the study. As with previous studies, the outcomes across nursing homes were inconsistent – QoL improved at some sites but at many it remained stable or declined. Analysis of facilitator notes from the most and least successful clusters indicated that a lack of organizational support, for both the training and subsequent practice of CDC, was potentially the key barrier to effective implementation of training and so improvement in resident QoL. These findings demonstrate that all levels of aged care organizations – on the floor staff, managers and senior staff – need to fully support a CDC model of care to optimize outcomes for residents. Staff require training in CDC as well as long-term culture change within the nursing home so that training can be translated into practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite their promise to increase therapy intensity in neurorehabilitation, robotic devices have not yet seen mainstream adoption. Whilst there are a number of contributing factors, it is obvious that the treating clinician should have a clear understanding of the objectives and limitations of robotic device use. This study sought to explore how devices can be developed to support a clinician in providing clinical best practice. A user-centred design study of a robotic device was conducted, involving build-then-use iterations, where successive iterations are built based on feedback from the use cycle. This work reports results of an analysis of qualitative and quantitative data describing the use of the robotic device in the clinical sessions, and from a focus group with the treating clinicians. The data indicated that use of the device did not result in patient goal-setting and may have resulted in poor movement quality. Therapists expected a higher level of autonomy from the robotic device, and this may have contributed to the above problems. These problems can and should be addressed through modification of both the study design and device to provide more explicit instructions to promote clinical best practice. Encouraging clinical best practice when using evaluating prototype devices within a clinical setting is important to ensure that best practice is maintained – and can be achieved through both study and device design Support from device developers can significantly improve the confidence of therapists during the use of that device in rehabilitation, particularly with new or prototype devices End effector-based robotic devices for rehabilitation show potential for a wide variety of patient presentations and capabilities [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lack of trust in others is a barrier to mental health help seeking and may be a consequence of trauma exposure, which is highly prevalent among people who experience homelessness. This study examined the association between trauma involving violation of trust and mental health help seeking. This study was a secondary analysis of data collected for a randomised controlled trial comparing a 3-year homelessness intervention with standard service provision. The sample included trauma-exposed adults with a history of chronic homelessness in Melbourne (N = 73). Participants identified their worst lifetime trauma and indicated whether someone they knew and trusted was responsible for that event. The primary outcome was 12-month formal mental health help seeking. Controlling for randomisation and baseline posttraumatic stress disorder symptom severity, participants whose worst trauma involved violation of trust reported, on average, 4.34 times as many visits to an outpatient service (e.g., hospital, mental health facility, alcohol and other drug service) as those whose worst trauma did not involve a violation of trust, p =.002. Contrary to expectation, chronically homeless adults whose worst trauma involved violation of trust sought outpatient care more than those whose worst trauma did not involve violation of trust. Mental health professionals should adopt a trauma-informed approach and be aware that trauma exposure may influence help seeking among people who experience chronic homelessness. Key Points What is already known about this topic: Chronically homeless adults have high rates of trauma exposure, trauma-related mental health disorders, and unmet mental health care needs. People experiencing homelessness face multiple barriers to accessing mental health care, and qualitative studies have found feelings of mistrust may be one such barrier. In the general population, interpersonal trauma, particularly trauma involving betrayal, is associated with reduced trust in others, including physicians and health care systems. What this topic adds: Over 12 months, greater outpatient service use was reported by chronically homeless adults whose worst trauma involved violation of trust compared to those whose worst trauma did not involve violation of trust. The violation of trust group included a higher percentage of Aboriginal persons, and a higher percentage of participants whose worst trauma occurred in childhood compared to the no violation of trust group. Mental health professionals, such as psychologists, should apply trauma-informed care principles when providing mental health care for chronically homeless adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trauma involving violation of trust, or betrayal trauma, plays a significant role in the lifetime trajectories of homeless adults. This study investigates this type of trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom severity in the chronically homeless population. The sample consisted of 77 adults with a history of trauma and chronic homelessness in Melbourne, Australia. Using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview Traumatic Events Questionnaire, participants nominated their worst traumatic event and self-reported if their trust was violated as a result of that trauma. PTSD symptom severity was assessed by the 6-item PTSD Checklist. Forty percent of the sample reported violation of trust occurred in their worst trauma. Within this group, 80.6% screened positive for PTSD, compared to 50.0% of those whose worst trauma had not involved a trust violation (p =.006). The violation of trust group presented with significantly more severe PTSD symptoms, in comparison to the group without violation of trust during their worst trauma, controlling for gender, age of worst trauma, cumulative trauma, and psychological distress (p =.020). The findings highlight the importance of providing trauma-informed care and trauma-specific treatment for chronically homeless adults. Trial registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry identifier: ACTRN12616000162415. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This case study investigated the outcomes of an environmental service learning program that incorporated pedagogical components taught within the transformative learning and environmental justice frameworks at an urban ecoliteracy and environmental justice center in Albany, New York. Authors conducted participant observation and gathered data from surveys, semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and journaling with high school, college student, and community stakeholders in an Ecojustice Summer Youth Employment Program. In the short-term, service learners adopted enhanced pro-environmental behaviors, an heightened awareness of community environmental issues, and an increased interest in civic engagement, with multiple participants returning for consecutive service periods. Transformative learning outcomes were documented in relation to affirming/changes in longer-term academic, life, and career paths. This research contributes to the field of experiential environmental education that advocates for a better understanding of the outcomes of pedagogies that emphasize social justice youth development, issues of power and justice, and the enhancement of social action and critical consciousness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Orientation and Mobility (O&M) professionals teach people with low vision or blindness to use specialist assistive technologies to support confident travel, but many O&M clients now prefer a smartphone. This study aimed to investigate what technology O&M professionals in Australia and Malaysia have, use, like, and want to support their client work, to inform the development of O&M technologies and build capacity in the international O&M profession. A technology survey was completed by professionals (n = 36) attending O&M workshops in Malaysia. A revised survey was completed online by O&M specialists (n = 31) primarily in Australia. Qualitative data about technology use came from conferences, workshops and interviews with O&M professionals. Descriptive statistics were analysed together with free-text data. Limited awareness of apps used by clients, unaffordability of devices, and inadequate technology training discouraged many O&M professionals from employing existing technologies in client programmes or for broader professional purposes. Professionals needed to learn smartphone accessibility features and travel-related apps, and ways to use technology during O&M client programmes, initial professional training, ongoing professional development and research. Smartphones are now integral to travel with low vision or blindness and early-adopter O&M clients are the travel tech-experts. O&M professionals need better initial training and then regular upskilling in mainstream O&M technologies to expand clients' travel choices. COVID-19 has created an imperative for technology laggards to upskill for O&M tele-practice. O&M technology could support comprehensive O&M specialist training and practice in Malaysia, to better serve O&M clients with complex needs. Most orientation and mobility (O&M) clients are travelling with a smartphone, so O&M specialists need to be abreast of mainstream technologies, accessibility features and apps used by clients for orientation, mobility, visual efficiency and social engagement. O&M specialists who are technology laggards need human-guided support to develop confidence in using travel technologies, and O&M clients are the experts. COVID-19 has created an imperative to learn skills for O&M tele-practice. Affordability is a significant barrier to O&M professionals and clients accessing specialist travel technologies in Malaysia, and to O&M professionals upgrading technology in Australia. Comprehensive training for O&M specialists is needed in Malaysia to meet the travel needs of clients with low vision or blindness who also have physical, cognitive, sensory or mental health complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many tools have been generated in recent decades to support decision-makers in understanding and acting on climate science, causing stakeholders in the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) to repeatedly express the need for guidance when selecting climate resilience tools. The Climate and Resilience Community of Practice (CoP), Gulf of Mexico Alliance (GOMA), and the Northern Gulf of Mexico Sentinel Site Cooperative (Cooperative) developed and implemented an end-user driven process for tool creation. Research has suggested that integrating target end-users throughout tool development improves the probability a tool will be utilized, yet there is little practical guidance available on how to successfully design and implement an end-user driven tool development process. In this study, an end-user driven process and results from implementing the process during tool development are presented. Challenges, successful approaches, and lessons learned to support future tool development, especially for tools focused on sharing climate science are identified. Guidance is provided on needed expertise, timelines for engagement with target end-users, and methods on how to solicit, analyze, and assimilate end-user needs, perspectives, and priorities into a final product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Community knowledge is a critical input for relevant health programmes and strategies. How community perceptions of risk reflect the burden of mortality is poorly understood. To determine the burden of mortality reflecting community-nominated health risk factors in rural South Africa, where a complex health transition is underway. Three discussion groups (total 48 participants) representing a cross-section of the community nominated health priorities through a Participatory Action Research process. A secondary analysis of Verbal Autopsy (VA) data was performed for deaths in the same community from 1993 to 2015 (n = 14,430). Using population attributable fractions (PAFs) extracted from Global Burden of Disease data for South Africa, deaths were categorised as 'attributable at least in part' to community-nominated risk factors if the PAF of the risk factor to the cause of death was >0. We also calculated 'reducible mortality fractions' (RMFs), defined as the proportions of each and all community-nominated risk factor(s) relative to all possible risk factors for deaths in the population. Three risk factors were nominated as the most important health concerns locally: alcohol abuse, drug abuse, and lack of safe water. Of all causes of deaths 1993–2015, over 77% (n = 11,143) were attributable at least in part to at least one community-nominated risk factor. Causes of attributable deaths, at least in part, to alcohol abuse were most common (52.6%, n = 7,591), followed by drug abuse (29.3%, n = 4,223), and lack of safe water (11.4%, n = 1,652). In terms of the RMF, alcohol use contributed the largest percentage of all possible risk factors leading to death (13.6%), then lack of safe water (7.0%), and drug abuse (1.3%). A substantial proportion of deaths are linked to community-nominated risk factors. Community knowledge is a critical input to understand local health risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In South Africa, community participation has been embraced through the development of progressive policies to address past inequities. However, limited information is available to understand community involvement in priority setting, planning and decision-making in the development and implementation of public services. This narrative review aims to provide evidence on forms, extents, contexts and dynamics of community participation in primary health care (PHC) and water governance in South Africa and draw cross-cutting lessons. This paper focuses on health and water governance structures, such as health committees, Catchment Management Agencies (CMA), Water User Associations (WUAs), Irrigation Boards (IBs) and Community Management Forums (CMFs). Articles were sourced from Medline (Ovid), EMBASE, Google Scholar, Web of Science, WHO Global Health Library, Global Health and Science Citation Index between 1994 and 2020 reporting on community participation in health and water governance in South Africa. Databases were searched using key terms to identify relevant research articles and grey literature. Twenty-one articles were included and analysed thematically. There is limited evidence on how health committees are functioning in all provinces in South Africa. Existing evidence shows that health committees are not functioning effectively due to lack of clarity on roles, autonomy, power, support, and capacity. There was slow progress in establishment of water governance structures, although these are autonomous and have mechanisms for democratic control, unlike health committees. Participation in CMAs/WUAs/IBs/CMFs is also not effective due to manipulation of spaces by elites, lack of capacity of previously disadvantaged individuals, inadequate incentives, and low commitment to the process by stakeholders. Power and authority in decision-making, resources and accountability are key for effective community participation of marginalized people. Practical guidance is urgently required on how mandated participatory governance structures can be sustained and linked to wider governance systems to improve service delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dried seeds of pigeonpea, Cajanus cajan are frequently attacked by a range of insect pests of which Callosobruchus maculatus is the most serious, causing significant loss in post-harvest storage facilities. An experiment was designed to determine the effect of relative humidity on fecundity life table parameters of C. maculatus (Trinidad strain). Age related mortality and fecundity curves for C. maculatus derived in the present study were typical of "r" selected organisms. R0 exhibited a positive correlation with relative humidity ranging from 15.29 at 29.5%RH to 252.17 at 75.5% RH. Maximum longevity for both males and females occurred at 75.5%RH being positively correlated with relative humidity for both sexes. Fifty percent oviposition occurred at humidity of 50.5% > 63.0%> 75.5%>29.5%. The finite rate of increase (λ) for all the relative humidities in the current study was always > 1 indicating an increasing population and was highest at 75.5% RH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioconversion product of shrimp waste with BLS microbes (Bacillus licheniformis, Lactobacillus spp. and Saccharomyces cerevisiae) holds digestive proteases with a great potential to be used as prebiotics for native chicken. In the present work, the ratio of liquid extract bioconversion product and binders formulated both 4:1 (T1); 5:1 (T2), and 6:1 (T3) to entrap prebiotics enzymes from BLS microbes have been characterized. The trials were needed to verify contained in prebiotics from encapsulated liquid extract on quality of feed supplement. The overall results indicated that binders formulated T2 (5:1) capsules of prebioticsBLS extract were better vehicles to deliver shrimp enzymes in native chickens. The implication of metabolizable energy and digestibility at Indonesian local chicken showed that T2 binders formulated improve protein digestibility (80%) and metabolizable energy (3033 kcal/kg) of local chicken. Feeding trial prebiotic BLS used at four levels (0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, or 2%) at basal feed (protein 28.22%), with one treatment of standard feed (protein 32.18%). Supplementing diets with prebiotic BLS, especially at 1.5%, has a variety of growth-promoting effects. The results demonstrate that the observed benefits of prebiotic BLS on low protein diets can be achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Despite the increasing trend in delayed childbirth and the known associated complications in advancing maternal age, limited information exists regarding outcomes in very advanced maternal age by delivery type. This study aims to evaluate maternal and neonatal outcomes in women age 40 or more undergoing cesarean delivery or trial of labor after cesarean delivery.Materials and Methods: We performed a secondary analysis of the Cesarean Section Registry Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units (MFMU) Network data, which was a prospective study of women undergoing repeat cesarean delivery or trial of labor after cesarean delivery from 1 January 1999 to 31 December 2002. Women age 40 years or more at the time of delivery were compared to the control group of women less than 40 years of age.Results: There were 67,389 cases identified that met inclusion criteria. 2,436 (3.6%) were age ≥40 years old, and 65,403 (97.05%) were <40 at delivery. The >40 group had a higher rate of PRBC transfusion (aRR 1.75; 95% CI 1.20-2.56), maternal ICU admission (aRR 2.02; 1.41-2.89), bowel injury (aRR 3.65; 1.43-9.31), placenta accreta (aRR 1.92; 1.09-3.38) and classical uterine incision (aRR 1.59; 1.43-9.31) compared to the control group. Maternal death rates were similar in both groups (p = .30).Conclusion: Women aged 40 or more undergoing repeat cesarean delivery or trial of labor after cesarean delivery are more likely to have maternal complications including intraoperative transfusion, maternal ICU admission, abnormal placentation and surgical complications in comparison to women under age 40. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sneaker is a near disposable foot cover and a precious cultural artefact. It is a platform for some of the most recognizable brands in the world to showcase new technology and a vessel for nostalgia. It is an afterthought we slip on as we shuffle to the bodega on a Sunday morning and an all-consuming subcultural obsession. One can even use it to play sports. Footwear has long served as a means to communicate social status, virility, sexuality, and many other qualities, but how did such an ostensibly practical, prosaic, and ubiquitous item of clothing come to be such a remarkable and versatile icon of contemporary consumer culture? This article attempts to shed light on the actors and practices that have influenced the development of the cultural meanings we have come to associate with the sports shoe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mosquito-borne flavivirus Usutu virus (USUV) is responsible for countless deaths in both resident populations and birds kept in outdoor aviaries. Since 2001, USUV outbreaks have attracted increased attention due to the rapid geographical spread of the virus and its close relationship to West Nile virus (WNV), an emerging pathogen in humans and animals. Similar to WNV, the USUV enzootic transmission cycle predominantly involves Culex spp. as vectors, whereas birds serve as amplifying reservoir hosts. In Europe, USUV-associated disease outbreaks in birds are almost exclusively described during late spring and early autumn (early April to late October). Contagiousness of virus particles excreted by infected birds has not yet been proven, so that the role of non-vector-borne transmission, as it is known for the closely related WNV, remains unclear. Here we report the diagnosis of USUV infection in 15 of 24 birds from mortality outbreaks that occurred during the cold season between late October 2018 and early April 2019, in eight different aviaries located in Germany. Detection of USUV was performed using standardized molecular biological methods and immunohistochemistry for verification of the infection. USUV infection in a parrot species, a tropical finch and two estrildid finches are reported for the first time. Further research on the occurrence of USUV infection during the cold season is key to understanding the dynamics of viral transmission as well as for a profound health risk assessment for aviary birds as well as humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To assess the sensitivity and specificity of lateral midpupil lid distances for the detection of upper lid lateral flare. Lateral lid flare was determined by unanimous agreement among six experienced oculoplastic surgeons in the grading of photographs obtained for patients with Graves orbitopathy (GO). Bézier lines were employed to extract the upper eyelid contours of the patients and a control group of age and sex matched subjects. Custom software was employed to determine 5 lateral midpupil eyelid distances. The sensitivity and specificity of each measurement in detecting lateral flare were estimated from receiver operating characteristic curves. The non-parametric Kruskal–Wallis one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with Dunn's posthoc test was used to compare the median values of the contour parameters between groups. The degree of agreement between judges evaluated with the Fleiss' Kappa test was relatively high (K = 0.69, z = 16.6, p <.0001). The raters classified 12 lids with lateral lid flare (LLF) and 7 without LLF in patients with GO. There was no agreement on the presence or absence of LLF in 11 lids. In all eyes, lateral midpupil lid distances diminished from the center of the eyelid towards the lateral canthus. Receiver operating characteristic analysis for the midpupil distances revealed that the fourth distance from the center demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity in detecting flare. At this location (2.5 mm medial to the lateral canthus) a midpupil distance equal to or greater than 60% of the margin reflex distance (MRD1) indicated the presence of flare. – A single measurement of a lateral midpupil eyelid distance 2.5 mm medial to the lateral canthus is a sensitive and specific measurement for the diagnosis of the LLF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To study the influence of skeletal malocclusion on the oropharyngeal airway volume and the difference in the airway volume among gender and the different types of skeletal malocclusion.Methods: A retrospective analysis of 180 full-field of view (FOV) CBCT scans (55 in Class 1, 55 in Class II, and 70 in Class III) were assessed to measure the oropharyngeal airway volume, ANB angle, SNB angle, and Wits appraisal. The values were compared among different skeletal malocclusions and were correlated to gender.Result: There was a significant result in terms of oropharyngeal airway volume among different types of skeletal malocclusion and ANB angle, SNB angle, and Wits appraisal among males and females.Conclusion: CBCT is a cheaper, more convenient option than polysomnography (PSG) when assessing airways, and thus, a maxillofacial radiologist is importantly placed in the assessment of the retropalatal and retroglossal volume of the oropharyngeal airway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]