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By 12 months of age, infants exhibit behavioral sensitivity to sound symbolism (e.g. sound-shape correspondences) when they hear universally sound symbolic pseudowords (e.g. "bouba," "kiki"). Here, we investigated whether infant's sensitivity to sound-shape correspondences is affected when they hear language-specific sound symbolic words. Using the spontaneous preference-looking paradigm, we tested 12-month-old monolingual Spanish (n = 13) and Basque (n = 16) infants matching Spanish-like pseudowords (i.e. "bubano," "raceto") with rounded and spiky shapes. These pseudowords were created by Spanish-Basque bilingual adults, who then rated pseudowords as more Spanish or Basque-like, and more rounded or spikey-like. Infants were presented with eight congruent (e.g. "bubano" presented with a rounded shape) and incongruent (e.g. "bubano" presented with a spiky shape) trials. Both Spanish and Basque-learning infants displayed similar increased sensitivity to incongruent than to congruent trials. We found weak evidence that language background modulates sound-shape correspondence. These results suggest that at 12 months of age, specific language experience (e.g. Spanish vs. Basque) most likely does not alter sound-shape bias when hearing Spanish-like sound combinations. This study was the first to utilize language-specific instead of language nonspecific stimuli. Nonetheless, similar to previous investigations, the sound-shape bias effect was exhibited at 12 months of age in both language groups.

Introduction: Emergency department (ED) patients requiring immediate treatment often bypass a triage process that includes HIV screening. In this study we aimed to investigate the potential missed opportunity to screen these patients for HIV.Methods: We conducted this cross-sectional study in a municipal ED over a six-week period between June–August 2019. The patient population in this study arrived in the ED as a pre-notification from prehospital services or designated by the ambulance or walk-in triage nurse as requiring immediate medical attention. Medical student researchers collected demographic data and categorized patients into three clinical groups (trauma, medical, psychiatric). They documented the patient’s eligibility for HIV screening as determined by a physician and confirmed that the patient met criteria of clear mental status, controlled pain, stable vital signs, and ability to contribute to a medical history and physical examination. The student researchers did this at initial presentation and then again during the patient’s ED stay of up to eight hours. The study outcomes measured the percentage of total patients within each clinical group (trauma, medical, psychiatric) able to engage in the HIV screening process upon arrival and during an eight-hour ED stay.Results: On average, 700 patients per month are announced on arrival via overhead page, indicating that they require immediate medical attention. During the six-week study, 205 patients (approximately 20% of total) were enrolled: 114 trauma; 56 medical; and 35 psychiatric presentations. The average patient age was 53; 60% of patients were male. Niney-eight (48%) patients were eligible for HIV screening within an eight-hour ED stay; 63 (31%) were able to be screened upon initial presentation and 35 (17%) in the first eight hours of their ED visit. Within medical and trauma subgroups, there was no significant difference in the proportion (36%) of patients that could be screened upon presentation. Among the psychiatric presentations, only five (14%) were able to be screened during their hospital stay.Conclusion: Triage protocols for high-acuity medico-surgical patients resulted in a missed opportunity to screen 48% of patients for HIV. Acute psychiatric patients represented a particular missed opportunity. We advocate for universal HIV screening, facilitated through electronic best practice advisories and a modified triage tailored to higher acuity patients. Implementing these changes would ensure that HIV screening is not overlooked in high-acuity ED patients, leading to early detection and timely interventions.

Introduction The World Health Organization (WHO) has the mandate to develop guidelines and provide recommendations under its normative and global standard-setting function. (1) These guidelines assist health workers, programme managers [...], The World Health Organization (WHO) plays an Important role In developing evidence-based and ethically sound guidelines to assist health workers, programme managers and policy-makers, particularly in countries with limited capacities to create their own. While the development of these guidelines follows rigorous methods, contextualizing recommendations is often necessary to ensure their applicability, feasibility and acceptability at the country level. The adaptation and adoption of global guidelines should happen in a transparent, systematic and participatory manner to maintain credibility while ensuring the ownership necessary for implementation. Here, we present an example from Estonia that showcases the process, requirements and outcomes of implementing WHO guidelines through effective contextualization. The work in Estonia showed that contextualization can shorten guideline development time and reduce costs. To support countries in contextualizing guidelines, including those developed by WHO, to local contexts while maintaining trustworthiness and relevance, the WHO Regional Office for Europe has developed a handbook based on the GRADE- Adolopment approach to guide this process. Furthermore, a rapid assessment of 21 of the 53 Member States in the WHO European Region revealed that many countries need guidance and support to build capacity for contextualizing guidelines. To address the capacity gaps, we suggest a way forward that encompasses four areas of further work: standardizing methods; institutionalizing guideline programmes and initiatives; promoting continuous and shared learning; and providing support and identifying resources. Strengthening countries' capacities to contextualize global guidelines is crucial and will become especially relevant during future health threats, such as pandemics, climate change and conflict situations. [phrase omitted] L'Organisation mondiale de la Sante (OMS) joue un role crucial dans l'elaboration de lignes directrices ethiques et fondees sur des donnees factuelles qui viennent soutenir le personnel de sante, les gestionnaires de programmes et les responsables politiques, en particulier dans les pays qui ne disposent pas de capacites suffisantes pour developper les leurs. Bien que la mise au point de ces lignes directrices suive des methodes rigoureuses, il est souvent indispensable de contextualiser les recommandations pour les rendre applicables, faisables et acceptables a l'echelle nationale. Ladaptation et l'adoption de lignes directrices mondiales doivent s'effectuer en toute transparence, de maniere systematique et participative, en vue de preserver leur credibilite tout en assurant le niveau d'implication necessaire a leur deploiement. Ce document s'appuie sur un exemple provenant d'Estonie pour illustrer le processus, les exigences et les resultats lies a la mise en pratique de lignes directrices emises par l'OMS grace a une contextualisation efficace. Le travail realise en Estonie a montre que cette contextualisation pouvait reduire le temps consacre au developpement de la ligne directrice et faire baisser les couts. Afin d'aider les pays a adapter les lignes directrices, notamment celles elaborees par l'OMS, a chaque contexte local tout en conservant leur fiabilite et leur pertinence, le Bureau regional de l'OMS pour l'Europe a redige un manuel qui s'inspire de l'approche GRADEAdolopment pour guider ce processus. En outre, une evaluation rapide de 21 des 53 Etats Membres de la Region europeenne de l'OMS a revele que nombre d'entre eux avaient besoin d'assistance et de conseils pour developper leurs capacites de contextualisation des lignes directrices. Nous suggerons, pour combler les lacunes, une strategie constituee de quatre axes pour la poursuite des travaux: la standardisation des methodes, l'institutionnalisation des initiatives et programmes relatifs aux lignes directrices, la promotion d'un apprentissage commun et continu, ainsi que la mise a disposition d'un soutien et l'identification des ressources. Renforcer les capacites des pays a contextualiser les lignes directrices mondiales est essentiel et revetira une importance particuliere face a de futures menaces sanitaires telles que les pandemies, le changement climatique et les situations de conflit. [phrase omitted] La Organizacion Mundial de la Salud (OMS) desempena una funcion importante en la elaboracion de directrices basadas en evidencias y solidas desde el punto de vista etico para ayudar al personal sanitario, los gestores de programas y los responsables de formular politicas, sobre todo en paises que tienen una capacidad limitada para crear sus propias directrices. Aunque la elaboracion de estas directrices sigue metodos rigurosos, suele ser necesario contextualizar las recomendaciones para asegurar su aplicabilidad, viabilidad y aceptabilidad a nivel nacional. La adaptacion y la adopcion de directrices mundiales deben realizarse de forma transparente, sistematica y participativa para mantener la credibilidad y asegurar al mismo tiempo la apropiacion necesaria para su implementacion. En este documento, se presenta un ejemplo de Estonia que muestra el proceso, los requisitos y los resultados de la aplicacion de las directrices de la OMS mediante una contextualizacion efectiva. El trabajo realizado en Estonia demostro que la contextualizacion puede acortar el tiempo de elaboracion de las directrices y reducir los costes. Para ayudar a los paises a adaptar las directrices, incluidas las elaboradas por la OMS, a los contextos locales, manteniendo al mismo tiempo su fiabilidad y pertinencia, la Oficina Regional para Europa de la OMS ha elaborado un manual basado en el enfoque GRADE-Adolopment para orientar este proceso. Ademas, una evaluacion rapida de 21 de los 53 Estados Miembros de la Region de Europa de la OMS revelo que muchos paises necesitan orientacion y apoyo para crear capacidad a fin de contextualizar las directrices. Para abordar las carencias de capacidad, se sugiere una via de avance que abarca cuatro areas de trabajo ulterior: estandarizar metodos, institucionalizar programas e iniciativas de directrices, promover el aprendizaje continuo y compartido, y proporcionar apoyo e identificar recursos. El refuerzo de las capacidades de los paises para contextualizar las directrices mundiales es crucial y sera de especial relevancia durante futuras amenazas para la salud, como las pandemias, el cambio climatico y las situaciones de conflicto.

Existing research suggests that mindfulness cultivates positive affect while reducing negative affect, and facilitates increases in resilience. More research is needed to examine the complex mechanisms by which emotional affect likely translates mindfulness into increased states of resilience in undergraduates. We hypothesised that the relationship between mindfulness and resilience in Maltese undergraduates is mediated by both positive and negative affect. Using a cross-sectional survey design and quantitative methodology based on mediation analysis, a questionnaire comprising the Kentucky Inventory of Mindfulness Skills, Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, and Brief Resilience Scale was circulated among 226 Maltese undergraduates. The results support previous research indicating significant relationships between mindfulness and both forms of emotional affect, as well as increased resilience. A path analysis revealed full mediation of the interaction between mindfulness and resilience by affective well-being. The indirect pathways through positive and negative affect to resilience, cumulatively accounted for a majority of the explanatory power attributable to mindfulness alone. Finally, an argument is presented in favour of mindfulness as a more formalised intervention within higher education settings, to support broader psychological wellness outcomes among Maltese undergraduates.

Avian species are in rapid decline worldwide, with 1 in 8 species facing extinction, and in North America shorebird species are declining at a higher proportion than other groups. The nearshore ecosystem in Maine (USA) supports several bird species that rely on intertidal and subtidal zones, including high densities of migratory shorebirds and wintering waterfowl. Additionally, Acadia National Park (ANP) includes some of the country's highest densities of declining populations of Purple Sandpipers (Calidris maritima) and state threatened Harlequin Ducks (Histrionicus histrionicus). We investigated whether the distribution of candidate umbrella species overlapped with the distribution of 5 waterfowl taxa (Common Eiders [Somateria mollissima], Long-tailed Ducks [Clangula hyemalis], Black Scoters [Melanitta americana], Bucephala spp., and Mallards [Anas platyrhynchos]), thereby examining whether conservation actions (e.g., conservation closures) taken to preserve these 2 species of high conservation concern might also benefit the larger taxonomic groups to which they belong, a concept known as umbrella species conservation. To answer this question, bird abundance surveys were conducted within ANP during 2021 and 2022, and detection and occupancy were compared among the focal groups using a hypothesis-driven model. The occupancy distributions of our 5 waterfowl taxa revealed that sites with the highest occupancy estimates for Common Eiders, Long-tailed Ducks, and Black Scoters included sites occupied by Purple Sandpipers and Harlequin Ducks. Bucephala spp. and Mallard occupancy, however, only weakly overlapped with our candidate umbrella detections, occurring in sites with the lowest and mid-range occupancy estimates. Thus, any positive effect of conservation closures based on these 2 species of concern might impact some, but not all, species we surveyed. Including more survey locations occupied by Purple Sandpipers and Harlequin Ducks would be necessary to see if this pattern is generalizable across the region. Our low sample size for umbrella species detections, however, also highlights the limited utility of using rare species as umbrellas. Received 12 August 2023. Accepted 2 March 2024. Key words: coastal ecosystem, Harlequin Duck, Purple Sandpiper, rockweed harvesting, single-species occupancy. (Spanish)-Las especies de aves estan en un declive rapido en todo el mundo, con 1 de cada 8 especies en riesgo de extincion y en Norteamerica las especies de aves costeras estan declinando a una mayor proporcion que otros grupos. El ecosistema litoral en Maine (EEUU) sostiene a varias especies de aves que dependen de zonas intermareal y submareales, incluyendo altas densidades de aves playeras migratorias y aves acuaticas invernales. Adicionalmente, Acadia National Park (ANP) incluye unas de las densidades mas altas del pais de las poblaciones en declive de correlimo Calidris maritima y de pato Histrionicus histrionicus, amenazados a nivel estatal. Estudiamos si la distribucion de especies sombrilla candidatas sobrelapaba con la distribucion de 5 taxa de aves acuaticas (eider Somateria mollissima, pato Clangula hyemalis, pato negro Melanitta americana, Bucephala spp. y pato Anas platyrhynchos), por tanto examinando si las acciones de conservacion (como cierres de conservacion) tomadas para preservar esas 2 especies en peligro critico tambien podrian beneficiar a los grupos taxonomicos mas amplios a los que pertenecen, un concepto conocido como conservacion de especies sombrilla. Para responder a esta pregunta, se realizaron reconocimientos de abundancia de aves en ANP durante el 2021 y el 2022, y se comparo la deteccion y la ocupacion entre grupos focales usando un modelo guiado por hipotesis. La distribucion de ocupacion de nuestras 5 taxa de aves acuaticas mostraron que los sitios con los mayores estimados de ocupacion para eider S. mollissima, pato C. hyemalis y pato negro Melanitta americana incluian sitios ocupados por correlimo C. maritima y pato H. histrionicus. Sin embargo, la ocupacion de Bucephala spp. y de pato A. platyrhynchos solo tuvo un debil sobrelapamiento con la deteccion de nuestras candidatas a especies sombrilla, en sitios con estimados de ocupacion de rango medio y bajo. Entonces, cualquier conclusion positiva del efecto de conservacion basada en estas 2 especies de interes puede tener algun impacto sobre algunas, pero no todas, las especies del reconocimiento. Seria necesario incluir mas localidades de reconocimiento ocupadas por correlimo Calidris maritima y pato H. histrionicus para ver si este patron es generalizable en toda la region. Nuestro bajo numero de reconocimientos para la deteccion de especies sombrilla, sin embargo, tambien recalca el uso limitado de usar especies raras como especies sombrilla. Palabras clave: correlimo Calidris maritima, cosecha de algas, ecosistemas costeros, ocupacion de una sola especie, pato Histrionicus histrionicus., During the Maine winter, the coastal areas of Acadia National Park (ANP) include some of the continental United States' highest densities of both Purple Sandpipers (Calidris maritima) and Harlequin Ducks [...]

This paper discusses the role of the Catholic Church amongst the Maltese diaspora in Australia, and its impact on the maintenance of the Maltese language, a small community language spoken largely by the first generation of immigrants who left Malta after the Second World War. The study is based on interview data collected among three generations of Maltese in Melbourne and Sydney. The findings of this research demonstrate that the Church has been one of the main institutions that supported the Maltese community throughout the years and consequently it had a positive impact on language maintenance. On the other hand, the aging population of the Maltese community will be detrimental to the Maltese language in the years to come, and thus, probably, resulting in a complete shift to English, the dominant language of Australia.

The performance of children and young adults with Down syndrome (DS) on reading subskills and nonword reading was investigated. The performance of the participants with DS (N = 42) was compared to that of typically developing (N = 36) peers matched on fluid intelligence abilities. The study accounted for the different depths in orthography presented by the two languages. The independent samples t-test, Mann-Whitney U-test, ANCOVA and correlation analysis were used to analyse the data. This study identified that the participants with DS had several strengths, such as nonword reading, visual discrimination (VD) and phonological awareness. Verbal short-term memory, visual perceptual processing skills other than VD and rhyming skills were identified as weaker in DS compared with the control group. Results call for educators to expose readers with DS to a phonological approach to reading while accommodating difficulties in VSTM.

Edible mushrooms have high concentrations of vitamins and minerals. They are considered functional foods for their disease-prevention properties. Mushroom consumption may reduce the risk of gastric cancer, the fifth most common cancer worldwide. We investigated the association between mushroom consumption and gastric cancer risk in a pooled analysis within the Stomach Cancer Pooling (StoP) Project and in a meta-analysis that also included previously published studies. A total of 3900 gastric cancer cases and 7792 controls from 11 studies were included in the StoP analysis. Mushroom consumption was measured using food frequency questionnaires. Higher mushroom consumption was associated with a lower risk of gastric cancer [relative risk (RR) for the highest vs. lowest consumption categories, 0.82; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.71-0.95]. The corresponding RRs were 0.59 (95% CI, 0.26-1.33) in a meta-analysis of four previously published studies and 0.77 for all studies combined (95% CI, 0.63-0.95; n = 15 studies). In geographic subgroup analysis, the pooled risk in Western Pacific countries was (RR, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.40-0.87; n = 6). The stronger effect in Asian countries may reflect high level of antioxidants in mushroom species consumed in Asia.