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: Objective: This study aimed to describe Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women's views of self?collection introduced in the renewed National Cervical Screening Program. Methods: A total of 79 Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander women (50 screened in previous five years, 29 under?screened) from five clinics across three Australian states/territories participated. Topics discussed were perceptions of self?collection, the instruction card and suggestions for implementing self?collection. We employed yarning (a qualitative method), which established relationships and trust between participants and researchers to facilitate culturally safe conversations. Transcripts were analysed thematically. Results: Most women were unaware of self?collection before the yarn but found it to be an acceptable way to participate in cervical screening. Women perceived self?collection would be convenient, provide a sense of control over the screening experience, and maintain privacy and comfort. The instructions were perceived to be simple and easy to follow. Women had concerns about collecting the sample correctly and the accuracy of the sample (compared to clinician?collected samples). Conclusions: Self?collection is acceptable to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women. Implications for public health: Given the inequitable burden of cervical cancer experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, self?collection is likely to significantly improve participation and ultimately improve cervical cancer outcomes., Incidence and mortality rates from cervical cancer are two and four times higher, respectively, for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women compared with non?Indigenous women, despite a nationally organised cervical [...]

With the looming prospect of fossil fuels increasing in price, recent attention has turned to the production of renewable, sustainable replacements for fossil fuels. One such fuel, ethanol, has also been commercially adopted as gasoline additive, and in some vehicles can replace gasoline entirely. Currently the majority of ethanol in North America is produced by the fermentation of corn (Zea mays). This is problematic because corn production, transportation, and fermentation relies heavily on fertilizer, diesel fuel and electricity, all of which are derived from fossil fuels. This research is focused on using kudzu (Pueraria montana) as an alternative feedstock for ethanol production. Kudzu grows quickly without any human inputs, contains up to 50% starch, and is an invasive plant in the southeastern United States. Previous research in our laboratory focused on converting the starch found in kudzu to ethanol, using 1H NMR spectroscopy to analyze the final ethanol concentration. The highest concentration of ethanol we were able to obtain in previous research was 3.5% v/v. In this research, different treatments of kudzu root were studied in order to optimize ethanol production. Kudzu was treated by pressure cooking prior to fermentation with a brewer's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae). The kudzu root was also pretreated with various amylase enzymes to break the starches into fermentable sugars, and the temperature profile of the enzyme treatments was optimized. It is expected that by optimizing both fermentation and root pretreatment techniques, the ethanol produced will be at a high enough concentration to be commercially viable as a bioethanol feedstock., Acknowledgements YHC Quality Enhancement Plan Recommended Citation Authors Jordan T. Pandolph (*), Young Harris College Follow Suzanne E. Moore (*), Young Harris College Follow Charles D. Swor, Young Harris College [...]

Includes results of the "Modern Language Journal's" annual survey of doctoral degrees granted in foreign languages, literatures, cultures, linguistics, and foreign language education in the United States. (Author/VWL)

Abstract Background Overall, Indigenous Australians with cancer are diagnosed with more advanced disease, receive less cancer treatment and have poorer cancer survival than non-Indigenous Australians. The prognosis for Indigenous people with specific cancers varies however, and their prognosis for cancers of the head and neck is largely unknown. We therefore have compared clinical characteristics, treatment and survival between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people diagnosed with head and neck cancer in Queensland, Australia. Methods Rates were based on a cohort of Indigenous people (n = 67), treated in public hospitals between 1998 and 2004 and frequency-matched on age and location to non-Indigenous cases (n = 62) also treated in the public health system. Data were obtained from hospital records and the National Death Index. We used Pearson's Chi-squared analysis to compare categorical data (proportions) and Cox proportional hazard models to assess survival differences. Results There were no significant differences in socioeconomic status, stage at diagnosis or number and severity of comorbidities between Indigenous and non-Indigenous patients, although Indigenous patients were more likely to have diabetes. Indigenous people were significantly less likely to receive any cancer treatment (75% vs. 95%, P = 0.005) and, when cancer stage, socioeconomic status, comorbidities and cancer treatment were taken into account, they experienced greater risk of death from head and neck cancer (HR 1.88, 1.10, 3.22) and from all other causes (HR 5.83, 95% CI 1.09, 31.04). Conclusion These findings show for the first time that Indigenous Australians with head and neck cancer receive less cancer treatment and suggest survival disparity could be reduced if treatment uptake was improved. There is a need for a greater understanding of the reasons for such treatment and survival disparities, including the impact of the poorer overall health on cancer outcomes for Indigenous Australians.

A 34-year- old man presented with acute severe left-sided abdominal and flank pain with associated postprandial nausea and vomiting. CT imaging revealed findings suspicious for a closed loop small bowel obstruction. Intraoperative findings were that of a left paraduodenal hernia (of Landzert) secondary to a mesenteric defect immediately posterior to the ascending branch of the left colic artery. The defect was closed via minilaparotomy. Unfortunately, his postoperative course was complicated by small bowel obstruction which required further laparotomy and adhesiolysis. The patient eventually made a good recovery. Here, we present a rare case of intestinal obstruction and discuss the aetiologies and management of this unusual phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]