Increasing Awareness on Unhealthy Romantic Relationships for High School Students

Many high school students have not yet developed sufficient skills in having healthy romantic relationships. Because adolescents have not yet developed healthy relationships, they may experience more relationship problems such as toxic dating environments and poor relationship expectations. When adolescents get training in healthy relationships, they can have better communication with their partner and practice healthy boundaries in relationships. In order to address this issue, I created a one-day lesson for 12th grade students at Alisal High School in Salinas, California

Explorations on the Benefits of a Holistic Family Language and Literacy Program in a Latino Community: Multiple Perspectives

Latino families face several challenges when they immigrate to the United States. School-based early childhood programs involving families with a holistic approach indicate effectiveness toward integrating both children and families into the school community. This paper explores, through informal conversations with administrators, teachers, and parents, their beliefs regarding the benefits of a high-quality family program. In this paper, as a consequence of assuming a holistic perspective, the authors describe prospects for academic gains, positive progress regarding social–emotional benefits, and overall improved inclusive community-related benefits for both children and their families.  Additionally, recommendations include strategies to support the challenges confronting newly immigrated Latino families.&nbsp

Evaluación de la corrosión galvánica de uniones soldadas en tuberías de cobre de colectores solares de mediana temperatura para el calentamiento de agua

En el presente trabajo de investigación se enfoca el problema de la corrosión galvánica que se produce en las uniones de soldadura de los tubos de distribución con los tubos de parrilla de un calefactor solar, ambos de material de cobre que forman parte de la manufactura de las parillas de los calefactores solares. El estudio está referido a examinar que la unión soldada de tres tipos de material de aporte (Cobre, Cobre fosforoso y Latón) y dos procesos de soldeo conocidos como de soldadura fuerte Proceso Oxiacetilénico (OAW) y Proceso gas de tungsteno soldadura de arco GTAW (TIG) es el más apropiado para su aplicación industrial. La efectividad del material de aporte más adecuado, así como el Proceso de soldeo más conveniente no solo se basa en permitir que el sistema presente una menor velocidad de corrosión galvánica sino también posea una adecuada consistencia en la unión metalúrgica Cobre – Depósito de Soldadura para que a su vez presente una buena resistencia mecánica al servicio que el panel solar va a presentar. La investigación se examinó en base a tres aspectos: la corrosión galvánica de la unión, la naturaleza de la unión y su resistencia mecánica. En lo que respecta al primer aspecto se construyeron seis probetas representativas de la unión que resultaron de la combinación de los tres elementos de aporte y de los dos procesos de aplicación. Una probeta adicional se preparó para el material del tubo, es decir para el cobre. Estas probetas fueron ensayadas por separado y en forma simulada con agua potable a 65°C mediante la técnica electroquímica potenciostática para obtener sus respectivas curvas de polarización. La combinación posterior de las curvas de polarización Catódica y las de polarización anódica de las diversas soldaduras (Procedimiento de superposición), a través de la teoría de mezcla de potenciales permitió determinar los diferentes potenciales galvánicos y velocidades de corrosión, siendo la combinación, elemento de aporte: ASTM BCu-1 UNS No. C14180 y el proceso de aplicación, el GTAW o TIG Brazing o Soldadura fuerte la más óptima que experimenta una velocidad de corrosión galvánica de 0.003 mm/año para una relación unitaria de áreas catódica/anódica, mínima frente a la presentada por los demás tipos de soldadura y procedimientos de unión (CuZn40TIG que experimenta una velocidad de corrosión galvánica de 0.020 mm/año); esta tasa se incrementa a 0.005 mm/año si la relación de áreas C/A se incrementa a 100; sin embargo es también un valor mínimo frente a la presentada por los otros tipos de soldadura y procesos de aplicación (por ejemplo para el CuZn40-TIG que presenta una velocidad de corrosión de 0.43 mm/año). Los otros dos aspectos no menos importantes de evaluación también se abarcaron a través de probetas representativas de la unión y a la competencia del ensayo metalográfico o mecánico, y para la unión y procesos referidos los resultados de compatibilidad metalúrgica y resistencia fueron también adecuados

Removal of Cu2+ and Ni2+ from Aqueous Solution using SnO2 Nanomaterial effect of: pH, Time, Temperature, interfering cations

Tin oxide, SnO2, nanomaterial was synthesized and tested for the removal of Cu2+ and Ni2+ ions from aqueous solutions. Various parameters for the binding were investigated in batch studied, which included pH, time, temperature, and interferences. In addition, isotherm studied were performed to determine the maximum binding capacity for both Cu2+ and Ni2+ ions. The optimal binding pH determined from the effects of pH were to be at pH 5 for both the Cu2+ and Ni2+ ions. The isotherm studies were performed at temperatures of 4°C, 25 °C, and 45 °C for both the Cu2+ and Ni2+ ions and were found to follow the Langmuir isotherm model. The binding capacities for the Cu2+ ions were 2.63 mg/g, 2.95 mg/g and 3.27 mg/g at the aforementioned temperatures, respectively. Whereas the binding capacities for Ni2+ were 0.79 mg/g, 1.07 mg/g, and 1.46 mg/g at the respective temperatures. The determined thermodynamic parameters for the binding showed that the binding processes for the reactions were endothermic, as the ΔG was observed to decrease with decreasing temperatures. As well the ΔH was 28.73 kJ/mol for Cu2+ (III) and 13.37 kJ/mol for Ni2+. The ΔS was observed to be 92.65 J/mol for Cu2+ and 54.53 J/mol for Ni2+. The free energy of adsorption for the Cu2+ was determined to be 13.99 kJ/mol and the activation energy for the binding of Ni2+ was determined to be 8.09 KJ/mol. The activation energy data indicate that the reaction was occurring through chemisorptio

Associations of online religious participation during COVID-19 lockdown with subsequent health and well-being among UK adults.

Background In-person religious service attendance has been linked to favorable health and well-being outcomes. However, little research has examined whether online religious participation improves these outcomes, especially when in-person attendance is suspended. Methods Using longitudinal data of 8951 UK adults, this study prospectively examined the association between frequency of online religious participation during the stringent lockdown in the UK (23 March –13 May 2020) and 21 indicators of psychological well-being, social well-being, pro-social/altruistic behaviors, psychological distress, and health behaviors. All analyses adjusted for baseline socio-demographic characteristics, pre-pandemic in-person religious service attendance, and prior values of the outcome variables whenever data were available. Bonferroni correction was used to correct for multiple testing. Results Individuals with online religious participation of ≥1/week (v. those with no participation at all) during the lockdown had a lower prevalence of thoughts of self-harm in week 20 (odds ratio 0.24; 95% CI 0.09–0.62). Online religious participation of <1/week (v. no participation) was associated with higher life satisfaction (standardized β = 0.25; 0.11–0.39) and happiness (standardized β = 0.25; 0.08–0.42). However, there was little evidence for the associations between online religious participation and all other outcomes (e.g. depressive symptoms and anxiety). Conclusions There was evidence that online religious participation during the lockdown was associated with some subsequent health and well-being outcomes. Future studies should examine mechanisms underlying the inconsistent results for online v. in-person religious service attendance and also use data from non-pandemic situations

Exploring the natural history of intrinsic capacity impairments: Longitudinal patterns in the 10/66 study

BACKGROUND: intrinsic capacity (IC) is a construct encompassing people\u27s physical and mental abilities. There is an implicit link amongst IC domains: cognition, locomotion, nutrition, sensory and psychological. However, little is known about the integration of the domains. OBJECTIVES: to investigate patterns in the presentation and evolution of IC domain impairments in low-and-middle-income countries and if such patterns were associated with adverse outcomes. METHODS: secondary analyses of the first two waves of the 10/66 study (population-based surveys conducted in eight urban and four rural catchment areas in Cuba, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Peru, Mexico and China). We applied latent transition analysis on IC to find latent statuses (latent clusters) of IC domain impairments. We evaluated the longitudinal association of the latent statuses with the risk of frailty, disability and mortality, and tested concurrent and predictive validity. RESULTS: amongst 14,923 participants included, the four latent statuses were: high IC (43%), low deterioration with impaired locomotion (17%), high deterioration without cognitive impairment (22%), and high deterioration with cognitive impairment (18%). A total of 61% of the participants worsened over time, 35% were stable, and 3% improved to a healthier status.Participants with deteriorated IC had a significantly higher risk of frailty, disability and dementia than people with high IC. There was strong concurrent and predictive validity. (Mortality Hazard Ratio = 4.60, 95%CI 4.16; 5.09; Harrel\u27s C = 0.73 (95%CI 0.72;0.74)). CONCLUSIONS: half of the study population had high IC at baseline, and most participants followed a worsening trend. Four qualitatively different IC statuses or statuses were characterised by low and high levels of deterioration associated with their risk of disability and frailty. Locomotion and cognition impairments showed other trends than psychological and nutrition domains across the latent statuses

Enfermedad neumocócica en pacientes menores de 5 años

Introduction: Pneumococcal disease affects mainly people in the extreme ages of life. In this sense, "Dr. Antonio María Béguez Caesar" Southern Teaching Pediatric Hospital constitutes a place of centinel surveillance of the Pneumococcus National Project, which served as motivation to develop the present investigation on this disease. Objective: To describe the epidemiological, clinical, microbiological and imaging characteristics in patients younger than 5 years admitted due to a pneumoccocical disease.  Methods: An observational, descriptive and prospective study of 170 patients younger than 5 years admitted to the above mentioned hospital in the period 2014-2016 was carried out, for presenting pneumoccocal disease.Results: The early suppression of the maternal feeding (52.3 %) and the presence of coexisting smokers (44.7 %) as main risk factors, besides fever (100.0 %), cough (96.0 %), chest indrawing (74.1 %) and polypnea (70.0 %) as the most frequent symptoms prevailed in the series; while the pneumonia was presented in 82.3 % and there was 10.0 % positiveness to pneumoccocus, by serotypes 19A, 19F, 14 and 6A, with 66.6 % colonization in infants. On the other hand, lethality and proportional mortality for pneumonia were of 2.85 and 8.0 %, respectively, without deaths due to pneumoccocus. Conclusions: Pneumoccocus isolation was low, with prevalence in colonized infants and with mortality indicators due to non pneumoccocal pneumonia, which suggests that the short age is a death risk due to this causeIntroducción: La enfermedad neumocócica afecta prioritariamente a las personas en las edades extremas de la vida. En este sentido, el Hospital Docente Infantil Sur “Dr. Antonio María Béguez César” constituye un sitio de vigilancia centinela del Proyecto Nacional Neumococo, lo cual sirvió de motivación para desarrollar la presente investigación sobre esta enfermedad.Objetivo: Describir las características epidemiológicas, clínicas, microbiológicas e imagenológicas en pacientes menores de 5 años ingresados por presentar enfermedad neumocócica.Métodos: Se realizó un estudio observacional, descriptivo y prospectivo de 170 pacientes menores de 5 años de edad, ingresados en el mencionado centro hospitalario en el período 2014-2016 por presentar enfermedad neumocócica.Resultados: En la serie predominaron la supresión precoz de la lactancia materna (52,3 %) y la existencia de fumadores convivientes (44,7 %) como principales factores de riesgo, además de la fiebre (100,0 %), la tos (96,0 %), el tiraje (74,1%) y la polipnea (70,0 %) como síntomas más frecuentes; mientras que la neumonía se presentó en 82,3 % y hubo 10,0 % de positividad al neumococo, por serotipos 19A, 19F, 14 y 6A,  con 66,6 % de colonización en lactantes. Por su parte, la  letalidad y la mortalidad proporcional por neumonía fueron de 2,85 y 8,0 %, respectivamente, sin decesos por neumococo.Conclusiones: El aislamiento de neumococo resultó bajo, con predominio en lactantes colonizados y con indicadores de mortalidad por neumonía no neumocócica, lo cual sugiere que la corta edad es un riesgo de deceso por dicha causa

Gpr88 Deletion Impacts Motivational Control Without Overt Disruptions to Striatal Dopamine

BackgroundDisrupted motivational control is a common-but poorly treated-feature of psychiatric disorders, arising via aberrant mesolimbic dopaminergic signaling. GPR88 is an orphan G protein-coupled receptor that is highly expressed in the striatum and therefore well placed to modulate disrupted signaling. While the phenotype of Gpr88 knockout mice suggests a role in motivational pathways, it is unclear whether GPR88 is involved in reward valuation and/or effort-based decision making in a sex-dependent manner and whether this involves altered dopamine function.MethodsIn male and female Gpr88 knockout mice, we used touchscreen-based progressive ratio, with and without reward devaluation, and effort-related choice tasks to assess motivation and cost/benefit decision making, respectively. To explore whether these motivational behaviors were related to alterations in the striatal dopamine system, we quantified expression of dopamine-related genes and/or proteins and used [18F]DOPA positron emission tomography and GTPγ[35S] binding to assess presynaptic and postsynaptic dopamine function, respectively.ResultsWe showed that male and female Gpr88 knockout mice displayed greater motivational drive than wild-type mice, which was maintained following reward devaluation. Furthermore, we showed that cost/benefit decision making was impaired in male, but not female, Gpr88 knockout mice. Surprisingly, we found that Gpr88 deletion had no effect on striatal dopamine by any of the measures assessed.ConclusionsOur results highlight that GPR88 regulates motivational control but that disruption of such behaviors following Gpr88 deletion occurs independently of gross perturbations to striatal dopamine at a gene, protein, or functional level. This work provides further insights into GPR88 as a drug target for motivational disorders

Dynamic interventions to control COVID-19 pandemic: a multivariate prediction modelling study comparing 16 worldwide countries

Daniel Reidpath - ORCID: 0000-0002-8796-0420 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8796-0420To date, non-pharmacological interventions (NPI) have been the mainstay for controlling the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. While NPIs are effective in preventing health systems overload, these long-term measures are likely to have significant adverse economic consequences. Therefore, many countries are currently considering to lift the NPIs—increasing the likelihood of disease resurgence. In this regard, dynamic NPIs, with intervals of relaxed social distancing, may provide a more suitable alternative. However, the ideal frequency and duration of intermittent NPIs, and the ideal “break” when interventions can be temporarily relaxed, remain uncertain, especially in resource-poor settings. We employed a multivariate prediction model, based on up-to-date transmission and clinical parameters, to simulate outbreak trajectories in 16 countries, from diverse regions and economic categories. In each country, we then modelled the impacts on intensive care unit (ICU) admissions and deaths over an 18-month period for following scenarios: (1) no intervention, (2) consecutive cycles of mitigation measures followed by a relaxation period, and (3) consecutive cycles of suppression measures followed by a relaxation period. We defined these dynamic interventions based on reduction of the mean reproduction number during each cycle, assuming a basic reproduction number (R0) of 2.2 for no intervention, and subsequent effective reproduction numbers (R) of 0.8 and 0.5 for illustrative dynamic mitigation and suppression interventions, respectively. We found that dynamic cycles of 50-day mitigation followed by a 30-day relaxation reduced transmission, however, were unsuccessful in lowering ICU hospitalizations below manageable limits. By contrast, dynamic cycles of 50-day suppression followed by a 30-day relaxation kept the ICU demands below the national capacities. Additionally, we estimated that a significant number of new infections and deaths, especially in resource-poor countries, would be averted if these dynamic suppression measures were kept in place over an 18-month period. This multi-country analysis demonstrates that intermittent reductions of R below 1 through a potential combination of suppression interventions and relaxation can be an effective strategy for COVID-19 pandemic control. Such a “schedule” of social distancing might be particularly relevant to low-income countries, where a single, prolonged suppression intervention is unsustainable. Efficient implementation of dynamic suppression interventions, therefore, confers a pragmatic option to: (1) prevent critical care overload and deaths, (2) gain time to develop preventive and clinical measures, and (3) reduce economic hardship globally.https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-020-00649-w35pubpub