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Copper oxide nanoparticles have been successfully synthesized by microwave assisted precipitation method. Different precursors like copper chloride, copper nitrate and copper sulphate were used for synthesis of CuO nanoparticles with different shape, size and catalytic activity. Sodium hydroxide acts as a capping agent and ethanol as solvent for the synthesis. The XRD study was conducted to confirm the single phase monoclinic structure of as-synthesized and annealed CuO nano particles. The morphology of the as-synthesized and annealed CuO samples was analyzed by high resolution field emission scanning electron microscope. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was done for all the synthesized CuO nanoparticles for functional group characterization. The wide band gap and photocatalytic activity were studied by UV-Visible spectroscopy. The photocatalytic degradation of Methylene blue (MB) and Rhodamine B (RhB) dyes in aqueous solution were investigated under UV light (254 nm). In all the cases annealed samples showed good catalytic activity compared to as-synthesized CuO nanoparticles. The CuO nanoparticles from CuCl2 precursor act as excellent photocatalyst for both MB and RhB compared to CuNO₃ and CuSO₄.

This study determined the level of awareness and extent of practice of Liceo de Cagayan University core values among selected college students. Descriptive research design was employed using a researcher-made survey questionnaire that was pilot tested for validity and reliability. The study had 390 respondents, 123 of them were males while 267 were females and most of them belonged to second-year level with the least number of first years. Results revealed that generally, the respondents have moderate level of awareness and moderate level practice of the University core values. The study further underscored that the students’ level of awareness significantly differed with the extent of their practice of the core values. The study suggests the need not only for proper information dissemination of the core values but more importantly for consistent integration of these values in all aspect of teaching-learning situations whether in the classroom or in outside the classroom activities to enhance the awareness and practice of the University core values. Keywords : Awareness, Practice, Core Values

Although the reverse syphilis screening algorithm is more efficient than the traditional algorithm, it may lead to exorbitant costs for health systems serving persons living with HIV needing annual syphilis screening. Alternatively, the traditional screening algorithm is cost saving in many scenarios.

BACKGROUND: The efficacy of vedolizumab, an α4β7 integrin antibody, in Crohn's disease is unknown. METHODS: In an integrated study with separate induction and maintenance trials, we assessed intravenous vedolizumab therapy (300 mg) in adults with active Crohn's disease. In the induction trial, 368 patients were randomly assigned to receive vedolizumab or placebo at weeks 0 and 2 (cohort 1), and 747 patients received open-label vedolizumab at weeks 0 and 2 (cohort 2); disease status was assessed at week 6. In the maintenance trial, 461 patients who had had a response to vedolizumab were randomly assigned to receive placebo or vedolizumab every 8 or 4 weeks until week 52. RESULTS: At week 6, a total of 14.5% of the patients in cohort 1 who received vedolizumab and 6.8% who received placebo were in clinical remission (i.e., had a score on the Crohn's Disease Activity Index [CDAI] of ≤150, with scores ranging from 0 to approximately 600 and higher scores indicating greater disease activity) (P=0.02); a total of 31.4% and 25.7% of the patients, respectively, had a CDAI-100 response (≥100-point decrease in the CDAI score) (P=0.23). Among patients in cohorts 1 and 2 who had a response to induction therapy, 39.0% and 36.4% of those assigned to vedolizumab every 8 weeks and every 4 weeks, respectively, were in clinical remission at week 52, as compared with 21.6% assigned to placebo (P

Highly ordered mesoporous three dimensional la3d cobalt doped KIT-6 (Co-KIT-6) material was synthesized by the simple impregnation method and characterized by various physicochemical techniques such as X-ray diffraction, N2 adsorption-desorption isotherm, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Larger pore diameter tuned with a narrow size distribution was observed for prepared Co-KIT-6. A series of Co-KIT-6 with different weight percentages solutions were prepared and the photocatalytic efficacy of the samples for degradation of methylene blue was studied under UV and visible light using UV-visible spectrophotometer. It was found that the catalytic activity depends on the amount of cobalt incorporated into the material. The complete degradation of dye was observed within 50 min. Different amount of catalyst and reaction time was considered for the optimization studies.

The photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye in aqueous solution was investigated using hexagonal molybdenum oxide (h-MoO3) nanocrystals under visible light irradiation. Chemical precipitation method was utilized to synthesize h-MoO3 and control over the crystal size, shape and distribution were characterized by using HNO3 and HCl as precipitating reagents. The photocatalysts were examined through X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectrum (EDX) for structural, functional, surface morphology and elemental analysis, respectively. The XRD results revealed that the samples were in single phase hexagonal crystal structure. XRD peak broadening analysis was used for crystallite size and strain estimation. The particles were anisotropic in nature and showed one dimensional (1-D) rod structure with hexagonal cross section. Further, the crystal phase stability, optical absorption and emission properties were studied by thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA), diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) and photoluminescence (PL) measurements, respectively. The photocatalytic results demonstrated that the photocatalytic activity of h-MoO3 synthesized using HCl was improved, in comparison to that of HNO3 utilized h-MoO3 sample.

This study determined the extent of dissemination of information, awareness, and degree of acceptability of the revised LDCU vision and mission and the CAS objectives among students and faculty. Descriptive research design was employed using a researcher-made survey questionnaire. Results show a moderate level of the extent of dissemination and awareness of the revised LDCU vision and mission and CAS objectives to both faculty and student-respondents. The finding suggests that information was disseminated properly and clearly through brochures, bulletin boards, leaflets, manuals, posters, and meetings. In terms of degree of acceptability, the results reveal that both faculty and student-respondents accept the vision and mission and CAS objectives for “total human formation” and delivery of “quality education.” Meanwhile, both faculty and student-respondents’ profile shows no significant difference in their extent of dissemination and awareness and with their degree of acceptance of the revised LDCU vision and mission and CAS objectives. It can be implied that they come to accept the vision and mission regardless of their profile. Lastly, both faculty and students’ extent of dissemination and degree of acceptability was found to have a significant difference. It can be deduced that if the information was disseminated clearly through different sources such as posters, bulletin boards, and the like the more they become aware by accepting the revised University’s vision and mission and CAS objectives.  Keywords: Dissemination, awareness, acceptability, revised LDCU vision and mission, CAS objectives

The occurrence of cardiac arrhythmias is dependent on the cellular, structural, autonomic, and hormonal environment in which the heart functions. Stressors such as pregnancy, competitive athletics, and surgery serve to modulate this arrhythmogenic environment. The altered cardiac physiology that results from these stressors can lead to new and recurrent arrhythmias. When these occur, they may have significant implications with respect to patient management, morbidity, and mortality. Mitigation of these consequences depends on the understanding and treatment of pathological rhythms, and on an appreciation of issues particular to these unique populations. The following chapter discusses arrhythmias in the groups comprised of patients in competitive athletics, pregnancy, heart transplant, and after major surgery.

Case studies can help cast light on how schools face the problems of discipline and low achievement, neither of which is created or can be the sole responsibility of the schools. An attempt is made to report on the experience and performance of a public senior high school in the area of discipline. (Author)

“Massacre” was the accepted interpretation for a prehistoric skeletal assemblage of around 90 individuals from Cave 7 in the SE Utah of the North American Southwest since the 1890s. Coltrain and others (Journal of Archaeological Science 39, 2220–2230) rejected this account based on a dispersed suite of AMS radiocarbon dates on purified bone collagen from the interred individuals. Since dates from skeletons exhibiting perimortem damage were scattered across some 400 radiocarbon years, Coltrain et al. argued for multiple interments of victims of violence and related kin spread across several centuries. The temporal placement of interment events in Cave 7 clearly cannot be known independent of radiocarbon assays but such assays should not be privileged above contextual information about which individuals were interred together unless verified by an independent dating laboratory. Only by ignoring important information about burial context in the 1893 field record can the dates of Coltrain et al. be accepted as accurate estimates of time of death. We redated residual collagen from 11 of the Cave 7 individuals because of significant contextual anomalies with some of the prior results. The new assays combined with contextual evidence demonstrate that some of Coltrain et al.’s dates are either too old or too young; the dates are neither sufficiently accurate (true estimates of sample age) nor sufficiently precise (small confidence intervals) to refute a single-event massacre or to confirm multiple interment events in Cave 7. Nonetheless, dates that meet these criteria disclose at least two interment events, a large one of mostly adult males, many exhibiting perimortem damage (a massacre assemblage), and a small one consisting of an adult female with three children. A third interment event of a few adult females and child is possible based primarily on context since the date distribution in this case overlaps substantially with that of the massacre victims; context also hints at other interment events. Aside from chronology we clarify the number of Basketmaker individuals interred at the site and the incidence of perimortem violence. A single-event mass killing continues to be the most likely interpretation for around 58 individuals, mostly adult males (at least 35) but also adult females and children. This incident occurred between cal. AD 20–80 and doubtless had a significant social impact at the time because of its scale, reverberating throughout the early farming communities of the Southwest.

This study was conducted to determine the self-esteem, self-efficacy, and student engagement among gay and lesbian students in the University. It is specifically aimed to associate the level of self-esteem and self-efficacy of the respondents with their affective and cognitive engagement. A purposive sampling procedure was used in gathering the data from the 85 respondents. Adapted survey questionnaires by Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale and General Self-efficacy Scale and a modified Student Engagement Instrument were utilized as guide in gathering the necessary information. Results show that the students’ level of self-esteem was high (3.06) and self-efficacy was also high (3.04). The findings suggest that they have a positive attitude about themselves, and they believe they can surpass almost all the challenges that come their way. In terms of engagement, the level of affective engagement was all high in all indicators while in cognitive engagement, relevance of school work was high (3.39), future aspirations and goals revealed as very high (3.68), however, extrinsic motivation was interpreted as moderate in cognitive engagement (2.32). On the other hand, self-esteem and affective and cognitive engagement were not significantly correlated with each other. It can be gleaned that self-esteem has no bearing on how they engage in affective and cognitive aspects. Hence, it was found out that their level of self-efficacy yielded with a 0.410 Pearson-correlation and a p-value of 0.000 which revealed a strong positive relationship which was significantly associated with their affective and cognitive engagement. It can be deduced that their positive beliefs that they can surpass their problems can be strongly associated with how much they engage affectively and cognitively. Keywords: Self-esteem, self-efficacy, affective and cognitive engagement, gays and lesbians

Verrucous carcinoma, a variant of well-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma, is usually described in the literature as arising in the oral cavity, skin, and larynx. The reports on verrucous carcinoma arising in the genital tract, usually originating in the vagina, vulva, or uterine cervix, are few. Verrucous carcinoma arising in the ovary has not been previously reported. In this article, a unique hybrid carcinoma, a large aggressive verrucous carcinoma in combination with squamous carcinoma of the left ovary and synchronously occurring with a squamous cell carcinoma in the endometrium, is presented. This unique case of a hybrid carcinoma includes the first-known case of this type of carcinoma involving the ovary. The negative cervical evaluation findings, together with the histologic patterns of the tumors in the uterus and the ovary, support the conclusion that these 2 carcinomas are synchronous, one arising in the left ovary and the other arising in the uterus.

The paper was an application of classical ‘Barney G. Glaser’s’ grounded theory methodology on participating in community outreach programs. The main aim of the study was to generate theory from data that will explain what is going on when students participate in outreach programs. The study’s objectives included the discovery of (1) the main concern of the participants and (2) their preponderant behavior in trying to resolve this concern. The whole research process was driven by data; meaning it started with data gathering, followed by comparative data analyzes with data collection, until a substantive theory was generated. In-depth and unstructured one-on-one and group interviews and discussions supplemented with documentary analysis were the methods employed to collect data. Altogether, forty-five students who participated in community outreach programs were interviewed. It was discovered that the students main concern was “getting through”- that is how to end, complete, and pass the community outreach program and achieved benefits or “preconceived self-gain” which unconsciously defined their participation in the community outreach program. To get through and achieved preconceived self-gain, students commonly exhibited “calculating submission” behavior where they measure the degree of participation in the outreach program they participated in vis-a-vis preconceived self-gain. Keywords - grounded theory, community outreach program, getting through, preconceived self-gain, calculating submission, behavior of students

Background HIV+ kidney transplant (KT) for persons living with HIV (PLWH) is both safe and effective, with comparable patient and graft survival rates relative to HIV- KT. The objective of this study was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of HIV+ KT relative to HIV- KT and dialysis. Methods A decision-tree framework was used to assess the cost-effectiveness of the above treatment options for PLWH. Clinical outcomes at 3 years for KT and effectiveness data (expressed in QALYs) were abstracted from previous publications, when available. Costs were assigned from a payer’s perspective using the US Renal Data System and published literature (expressed in 2014 USD). This analysis assumed a three-year time horizon. Sensitivity analyses were explored to understand how changes in 1) acute KT rejection and 2) KT failure impact cost effectiveness. Limitations include small sample size and short follow up time in referenced studies and a lack of health utility data in HIV positive persons with renal failure. We used TreeAge Software (Williamstown, MA). Results HIV+ KT was most cost effective ($299,904/QALY) while both HIV- KT ($329,676) and dialysis ($444,645) were dominated, meaning more costly and less effective. Results were sensitive to the higher KT failure (26% vs. 16%) and acute rejection (39% vs. 17%) observed with HIV- KT relative to HIV+ KT. In sensitivity analysis, as HIV+ KT rejection rates approach 20%, HIV- KT becomes a cost-effective option. As HIV+ KT failure rates approach 26%, HIV- KT becomes cost effective. Conclusion Despite its limitations, this analysis demonstrates that HIV+ kidney transplantation is a cost-effective alternative for PLWH under certain conditions. As KT outcomes, like graft failure and acute rejection rates, continue to improve, it is likely that both HIV positive and negative KT will be cost-effective alternatives to dialysis. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.