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Transition from high school to higher education poses a significant challenge for students, particularly in chemistry, where students' prior laboratory experience is varied. Traditional laboratory education, focusing on chemical knowledge, scientific methodology, and practical skills, does not focus on the development of translational skills and establishing a proper level of self-efficacy, critical for students' success as future scientists. To address this problem, we developed the Chemical Kitchen, a transdisciplinary simulation utilizing the parallels between professional gastronomy and chemistry laboratory practices. By engaging students in creative food experiments that mimic chemistry experiments, the course aims to enhance practical skills in a less intimidating environment. We evaluated the impact of the Chemical Kitchen on students' self-efficacy through pre- and postcourse surveys. We found a significant adjustment in students' self-efficacy: those with initially lower self-efficacy experienced increases, while those with initially higher self-efficacy saw decreases, showing a "leveling of the playing field" among first-year chemistry students. Qualitative feedback highlighted the course's success in providing a fun, engaging, and meaningful learning experience, underscoring the importance of innovative teaching methods in enhancing practical skills and confidence. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of the Chemical Kitchen in establishing students' self-efficacy and practical and transferable skills, offering a novel approach to laboratory education that could be beneficial across various scientific disciplines. Future research is encouraged to explore the long-term effects of such interventions on students' engagement with science and their overall development as learners.

The emissions of nitrous oxide (N2O) and leaching of nitrate (NO3) from agricultural cropping systems have considerable negative impacts on climate and the environment. Although these environmental burdens are less per unit area in organic than in non-organic production on average, they are roughly similar per unit of product. If organic farming is to maintain its goal of being environmentally friendly, these loadings must be addressed. We discuss the impact of possible drivers of N2O emissions and NO3 leaching within organic arable farming practice under European climatic conditions, and potential strategies to reduce these. Organic arable crop rotations are generally diverse with the frequent use of legumes, intercropping and organic fertilisers. The soil organic matter content and the share of active organic matter, soil structure, microbial and faunal activity are higher in such diverse rotations, and the yields are lower, than in non-organic arable cropping systems based on less diverse systems and inorganic fertilisers. Soil mineral nitrogen (SMN), N2O emissions and NO3 leaching are low under growing crops, but there is the potential for SMN accumulation and losses after crop termination, harvest or senescence. The risk of high N2O fluxes increases when large amounts of herbage or organic fertilisers with readily available nitrogen (N) and degradable carbon are incorporated into the soil or left on the surface. Freezing/thawing, drying/rewetting, compacted and/or wet soil and mechanical mixing of crop residues into the soil further enhance the risk of high N2O fluxes. N derived from soil organic matter (background emissions) does, however, seem to be the most important driver for N2O emission from organic arable crop rotations, and the correlation between yearly total N-input and N2O emissions is weak. Incorporation of N-rich plant residues or mechanical weeding followed by bare fallow conditions increases the risk of NO3 leaching. In contrast, strategic use of deep-rooted crops with long growing seasons or effective cover crops in the rotation reduces NO3 leaching risk. Enhanced recycling of herbage from green manures, crop residues and cover crops through biogas or composting may increase N efficiency and reduce N2O emissions and NO3 leaching. Mixtures of legumes (e.g. clover or vetch) and non-legumes (e.g. grasses or Brassica species) are as efficient cover crops for reducing NO3 leaching as monocultures of non-legume species. Continued regular use of cover crops has the potential to reduce NO3 leaching and enhance soil organic matter but may enhance N2O emissions. There is a need to optimise the use of crops and cover crops to enhance the synchrony of mineralisation with crop N uptake to enhance crop productivity, and this will concurrently reduce the long-term risks of NO3 leaching and N2O emissions.

Introduction: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is reactivated by the use of immunosuppressive drugs. CMV infection may produce IBD flares refractory to standard therapy. Objective: The aim of our study was to assess the efficacy and safety of faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) for the treatment of CMV colitis in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) flare. Material and methods: A total of 8 children, with mild to severe UC, positive for CMV PCR in colonic biopsies, received 50-100 ml FMT by nasogastric tube on 5 consecutive days in each of 2 weeks. During the study, the subjects were treated with 5ASA and FMT. Immunosuppressant therapy was withdrawn, when CMV colitis was diagnosed by positive DNA PCR in colonic tissues. The clinical response was defined as a decrease of Paediatric UC Activity Index by =20 points. Results: At the 6th week of the study, negative colonic CMV DNA PCR was measured after 10 infusions in 7/8 patients. For one boy, 20 infusions were administered to assess CMV elimination from colonic biopsies. A clinical response was observed in 3/8 patients, with clinical remission in 3/8 patients. Faecal calprotectin decreased significantly in 3 patients. CRP normalized in 2 patients after 6 weeks. No serious adverse effects were observed during and after infusions. Conclusions: FMT seems to be an effective and safe treatment option for CMV colitis in children with UC. This is the first study to demonstrate the application of FMT as a new therapeutic option for CMV colitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: The incidence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is higher in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) than in the general population. While the relationship between GERD and its typical symptom, heartburn, is beyond doubt, its effect on cough or abdominal pain is unclear. In CF patients, in particular, it is often difficult to confirm the causal relationship between GERD and these symptoms. The aim of this trial was to evaluate the effect of omeprazole treatment of GERD on abdominal pain and cough, in children with CF. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a multicentre, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. All children aged 4-18 years underwent 24-hour multichannel intraluminal pH-impedance monitoring. The patients with diagnosed GERD were randomly assigned to receive omeprazole (20 mg twice daily for 12 weeks) or placebo. The severity of symptoms was assessed on visual analog scale. RESULTS: 22 consecutive patients (median age 11.02± 3,67, range 6.4-17.0) were enrolled. A statistically significant reduction in abdominal pain and typical GERD symptoms, but not cough, was observed in both omeprazole (N=12) and placebo (N=10) groups. However, there were no statistically significant differences between the groups in the degree of reduction. We did not observe any differences between the groups in terms of adverse reactions. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment of GERD in children with CF seems not to have a stronger effect than a placebo on the severity of cough and abdominal pain. Considering this, as well as the previously raised concerns about the impact of chronic proton pump inhibitor treatment on the course of CF, perhaps one should be more carecareful in intensively treating suspected atypical GERD symptoms in patients with CF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four functions of federal project officers in managing program evaluations with support from contract research firms are described: (1) articulating evaluation requirements; (2) providing for fairness in contract awards; (3) monitoring ongoing studies; and (4) transmitting evaluation results to decision makers. (Author/PN)

Abstract We compared the internal structure and considered the potential functions of the ephippial walls of several species of Daphniidae. We found that the walls of ephippia in Daphniidae are composed of three interconnected layers of different structure. The external and internal layers, which are relatively solid, are covered by cell-like multiple polyhedron compartments formed by the middle layer. The three layers, which resemble a honeycomb structure, may offer mechanical protection for dormant eggs on one hand and may facilitate passive dispersal of ephippia containing diapausing eggs on the other. The cell-like compartments within the wall may be filled with air that makes them buoyant and may facilitate their passive dispersal within or between water bodies by animate or inanimate vectors operating on the water surface. We found significant structural differences between the ephippia of representatives from the subgenus Daphnia vs Ctenodaphnia. In the first group (in Daphnia pulex and Daphnia longispina) the middle layer is formed from empty cells readily filled with air even after brief contact with the atmosphere while in Ctenodaphnia such as Daphnia magna and Daphnia lumholtzi the middle layer of the ephippium cells are filled with filaments which hardly absorb atmospheric air. Structural differences between the two groups may reflect both their phylogenetic divergence and their various dispersal strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]