Virtual Home Visits During COVID-19 Pandemic: Mothers\u27 and Home Visitors\u27 Perspectives

Background The experiences of mothers enrolled in Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) program with virtual home visiting (VHV) during the pandemic remain mostly unknown. This study aimed to describe in detail the experience of home visitors and mothers with VHV during COVID-19 pandemic. This is a prerequisite for guiding future efforts to optimize MIECHV services that are provided through virtual operation. Methods Focus groups discussion were conducted with home visitors (n = 13) and mothers (n = 30) who were enrolled in BabyCare program in Virginia from January 2019 to June 2022. This included mothers who received in-person home visiting (IPHV), VHV, or both (hybrid IPHV and VHV). Inductive analysis was used to identify emergent themes from the transcripts, then coding was conducted following a codebook that was developed by the research team. Results Both mothers and home visitors considered IPHV necessary for a proper assessment of developmental milestones of children, for the assessment of the growth of the child through measuring the weight and height/length of the child, for the mothers to open up and discuss sensitive issues like domestic violence, for building a relationship between home-visitor and the parents, and for other potential benefits (comprehensive assessment of the environment around the child inside and outside the house from home visitors\u27 perspective and detecting abnormal health conditions in children from mothers\u27 perspective). Both mothers and home visitors see that VHV has some role to play but not to be a replacement for IPHV. If VHV is to be used, video conference is preferred by both mothers and home visitors, as it allows for some assessment. Conclusion Mothers and nurses considered IPHV critical for proper and comprehensive assessment of the child and the family and also essential to build the nurse-client relationship. Both mothers and home visitors considered VHV supplementary to IPHV that can be used from time to time particularly with busy mothers. VHV may have little room with parents with intellectual disabilities and the difficulty in dealing with technology seems to be no longer a major issue

Babesia microti, Upstate New York

Five cases of human babesiosis were reported in the Lower Hudson Valley Region of New York State in 2001. An investigation to determine if Babesia microti was present in local Ixodes scapularis ticks yielded 5 positive pools in 123 pools tested, the first detection of B. microti from field-collected I. scapularis in upstate New York

Enucleation and development of cluster headache: a retrospective study

BACKGROUND: Cluster headache (CH) is a neurovascular, primary headache disorder. There are, however, several case reports about patients whose CH started shortly after a structural brain disease or trauma. Motivated by a patient who developed CH 3 weeks after the removal of an eye and by similar case reports, we tested the hypothesis that the removal of an eye is a risk factor for CH. METHODS: A detailed headache questionnaire was filled out by 112 patients on average 8 years after enucleation or evisceration of an eye. RESULTS: While 21 % of these patients experienced previously unknown headaches after the removal of an eye, no patient fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for CH. CONCLUSION: Our data does not suggest that the removal of an eye is a major risk factor for the development of CH

A gene encoding an abscisic acid biosynthetic enzyme (LsNCED4) collocates with the high temperature germination locus Htg6.1 in lettuce (Lactuca sp.)

Thermoinhibition, or failure of seeds to germinate when imbibed at warm temperatures, can be a significant problem in lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) production. The reliability of stand establishment would be improved by increasing the ability of lettuce seeds to germinate at high temperatures. Genes encoding germination- or dormancy-related proteins were mapped in a recombinant inbred line population derived from a cross between L. sativa cv. Salinas and L. serriola accession UC96US23. This revealed several candidate genes that are located in the genomic regions containing quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with temperature and light requirements for germination. In particular, LsNCED4, a temperature-regulated gene in the biosynthetic pathway for abscisic acid (ABA), a germination inhibitor, mapped to the center of a previously detected QTL for high temperature germination (Htg6.1) from UC96US23. Three sets of sister BC3S2 near-isogenic lines (NILs) that were homozygous for the UC96US23 allele of LsNCED4 at Htg6.1 were developed by backcrossing to cv. Salinas and marker-assisted selection followed by selfing. The maximum temperature for germination of NIL seed lots with the UC96US23 allele at LsNCED4 was increased by 2–3°C when compared with sister NIL seed lots lacking the introgression. In addition, the expression of LsNCED4 was two- to threefold lower in the former NIL lines as compared to expression in the latter. Together, these data strongly implicate LsNCED4 as the candidate gene responsible for the Htg6.1 phenotype and indicate that decreased ABA biosynthesis at high imbibition temperatures is a major factor responsible for the increased germination thermotolerance of UC96US23 seeds

Towards a positive cross-cultural lexicography: Enriching our emotional landscape through 216 ‘untranslatable’ words pertaining to well-being

Although much attention has been paid to culture-specific psychopathologies, there have been no comparable attempts to chart positive mental states that may be particular to certain cultures. This paper outlines the beginnings of a positive cross-cultural lexicography of ‘untranslatable’ words pertaining to wellbeing, culled from across the world’s languages. A quasi-systematic search uncovered 216 such terms. Using grounded theory, these words were organised into three categories: feelings (comprising positive and complex feelings); relationships (comprising intimacy and pro-sociality); and character (comprising personal resources and spirituality). The paper has two main aims. First, it aims to provide a window onto cultural differences in constructions of wellbeing, thereby enriching our understanding of wellbeing. Second, a more ambitious aim is that this lexicon may help expand the emotional vocabulary of English speakers (and indeed speakers of all languages), and consequently enrich their experiences of wellbeing. The paper concludes by setting out a research agenda to pursue these aims further

Zen and the Art of Living Mindfully: The Health-Enhancing Potential of Zen Aesthetics

Amidst the burgeoning enthusiasm for mindfulness in the West, there is a concern that the largely secular ‘de-contextualized’ way in which it is being harnessed is denuding it of its potential to improve health and well-being. As such, efforts are underway to ‘re-contextualize’ mindfulness, explicitly drawing on the wider framework of Buddhist ideas and practices in which it was initially developed. This paper aims to contribute to this, doing so by focusing on Zen Buddhism, and in particular on Zen aesthetic principles. The article concentrates on the seven principles identified by Hisamatsu (1971) in his classic text Zen and the Fine Arts: kanso (simplicity); fukinsei (asymmetry); koko (austere sublimity); shizen (naturalness); daisuzoku (freedom from routine); sei-jaku (tranquillity); and yūgen (profound grace). The presence of these principles in works of art is seen as reflecting and communicating insights that are central to Buddhism, such as non-attachment. Moreover, these principles do not only apply to the creation and appreciation of art, but have clear applications for treating health-related issues, and improving quality of life more generally. This paper makes the case that embodying these principles in their lives can help people enhance their psychosomatic well-being, and come to a truer understanding of the essence of mindful living

Odporność łodyg tradycyjnej i samokończącej odmiany bobiku (Vicia faba Spp. minor) na zginanie. Cz.II. Wpływ cech anatomicznych łodyg

Analysis of anatomical traits of faba bean stems, in traditional cultivar Neptun and self-completing one, Granit, was carried out in two stages of seed maturity, both physiological and technical one, on segments of the length of 40 mm, sampled from an internode right under the first pods. Studied faba bean cultivars differed significantly in terms of 8 out of 15 tested anatomical traits of stems. Stem in cultivar Neptun was characterized by a greater width of sclerenchyma, and thickness and width of its cells, as well as width of phloem and xylem. In cultivar Granit, a significantly greater thickness of parenchyma layer and of xylem cells was observed, as well as a higher proportion of tissues in the stem. Plant maturation was accompanied by a significant decrease in the width of epidermis cells, in the thickness of parenchyma layer and in the thickness of sclerenchyma and phloem cells. Only 6 morphological traits of plants were significantly correlated with the anatomical structure of faba bean stems, and they included: plant height and height of the first pod setting, length of the stem fruit-bearing, thickness of the stem wall and its internal diameter, as well as the dry weight of faba bean plant. Significant negative correlations between anatomical traits of stem, and its resistance to bending was observed for: width of epidermis cells, thickness of parenchyma layer and in phloem thickness. Stem section modulus in faba bean was positively correlated with the width of epidermis cells and phloem thickness.Analizę cech anatomicznych łodyg bobiku odmian: tradycyjnej Neptun i samokończącej Granit wykonano w dwóch fazach dojrzałości nasion – fizjologicznej i technicznej na odcinkach o długości 40 mm pobranych z międzywęźla tuż pod pierwszymi strąkami. Badane odmiany bobiku różniły się istotnie pod względem 8 z 15 badanych cech anatomicznych łodyg. Łodyga odmiany Neptun charakteryzowała się większą szerokością sklerenchymy oraz grubością i szerokością jej komórek, a także szerokością łyka i drewna. U odmiany Granit stwierdzono natomiast istotnie większą grubość warstwy miękiszowej i komórek drewna, a także większy udział tkanek w łodydze. Dojrzewaniu roślin towarzyszyło istotne zmniejszanie szerokości komórek skórki, grubości warstwy miękiszowej oraz grubości komórek sklerenchymy i łyka. Tylko 6 cech morfologicznych roślin było istotnie skorelowanych z budową anatomiczną łodyg bobiku, należały do nich: wysokość roślin i wysokość osadzenia pierwszego strąka, długość owocostanu, grubość ściany łodygi i jej średnica wewnętrzna oraz sucha masa rośliny bobiku. Istotne ujemne korelacje między cechami anatomicznymi łodygi a jej wytrzymałością na zginanie stwierdzono dla: szerokości komórek skórki, grubości warstwy miękiszowej i grubości łyka. Wskaźnik wytrzymałości przekroju łodygi bobiku na zginanie był dodatnio skorelowany z szerokością komórek skórki i grubością łyka