VolKilau: Volcano rapid response balloon campaign during the 2018 Kilauea eruption

After nearly 35 years of stable activity, the Kilauea volcanic system in Hawaii went through sudden changes in May 2018 with the emergence of 20 volcanic fissures along the Lower Eastern Rift Zone (LERZ), destroying 700 homes in Leilani Estates and forcing more than 2,000 people to evacuate. Elevated volcanic emissions lasted for several months between May and September 2018, leading to low visibility and poor air quality in Hawaii and across the western Pacific. The NASA-funded VolKilau mission was rapidly mounted and conducted between 11 and 18 June 2018 to (i) profile volcanic emissions with SO2 and aerosol measurements, (ii) validate satellite observations, and (iii) increase readiness for the next large volcanic eruption. Through a series of balloon-borne measurements with tethered and free-released launches, we measured SO2 concentration, aerosol concentration, and optical properties 60–80 km downwind from the volcanic fissures using gas sensors, optical particle counters, backscatter sondes, and an aerosol impactor. While most of the measurements made during the Kilauea eruption were ground based, the VolKilau mission represented a unique opportunity to characterize plume properties, constrain emission profiles, study early chemistry involving the conversion of SO2 into sulfuric acid, and understand the influence of water clouds in the removal of SO2. This unprecedented combination of measurements has significantly improved our team’s ability to assess the atmospheric and human impacts of a major event such as this

Innovating the didactical methodologies applied in Universities through Second Life and Practice Firm: case study

The paper analyses and discusses Second Life and Practice Firm as two innovative methodologies used in education considering the recent experiences carried out by Bologna University - Forlì School of Economics, Management and Statistics. Although fast advancements in ICTs frontier for teaching and learning and their criticisms, Higher Education Institutions increasingly used Second Life and Practice firm to test new didactical methodologies. All these topics will be discussed by analysing the experiences in progress carried out by Bologna University - Forlì School of Economics, Management and Statistics in the usage of Second Life, started in 2008, and of Practice Firm through which Perting, the first simulated firm established in an Italian University, operates in consulting services and ICT goods trade. The research question refers to: how we can connect Practice Firm and Second Life in the learning transfer of knowledge, capacities and skills? The paper outlines the main features and implications of these didactical methodologies and how they can be connected for improving the educational process undertaken by Universities

Hospital adoption of antimicrobial stewardship programmes in Gulf Cooperation Council countries: A review of existing evidence

© 2018 International Society for Chemotherapy of Infection and Cancer Antimicrobial resistance is increasing at an alarming rate in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) owing to the overuse and misuse of antimicrobials. Novel and rare multidrug-resistant strains can spread globally since the region is host to the largest expatriate population in the world as well as a pilgrimage destination for more than 4 million people annually. Adoption of antimicrobial stewardship programmes (ASPs) could improve the use of antimicrobials and reduce antimicrobial resistance in the region. However, despite the established benefits of these interventions, little is known about the level of their adoption in the region and the impact of these programmes on antimicrobial use and resistance. This study aimed to review existing evidence on the level of adoption of ASPs, the facilitators and barriers to their adoption, and outcomes of their adoption in GCC hospitals

The Fungal Cell Wall : Structure, Biosynthesis, and Function

N.G. is funded by the Wellcome Trust via a senior investigator award and a strategic award and by the MRC Centre for Medical Mycology. C.M. acknowledges the support of the Wellcome Trust and the MRC. N.G. and C.M. are part of the MRC Centre for Medical Mycology. J.P.L. acknowledges support from ANR, Aviesan, and FRM.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Quality of life impact and recovery after ureteroscopy and stent insertion: Insights from daily surveys in STENTS

BACKGROUND: Our objective was to describe day-to-day evolution and variations in patient-reported stent-associated symptoms (SAS) in the STudy to Enhance uNderstanding of sTent-associated Symptoms (STENTS), a prospective multicenter observational cohort study, using multiple instruments with conceptual overlap in various domains. METHODS: In a nested cohort of the STENTS study, the initial 40 participants having unilateral ureteroscopy (URS) and stent placement underwent daily assessment of self-reported measures using the Brief Pain Inventory short form, Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System measures for pain severity and pain interference, the Urinary Score of the Ureteral Stent Symptom Questionnaire, and Symptoms of Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction Research Network Symptom Index. Pain intensity, pain interference, urinary symptoms, and bother were obtained preoperatively, daily until stent removal, and at postoperative day (POD) 30. RESULTS: The median age was 44 years (IQR 29,58), and 53% were female. The size of the dominant stone was 7.5 mm (IQR 5,11), and 50% were located in the kidney. There was consistency among instruments assessing similar concepts. Pain intensity and urinary symptoms increased from baseline to POD 1 with apparent peaks in the first 2 days, remained elevated with stent in situ, and varied widely among individuals. Interference due to pain, and bother due to urinary symptoms, likewise demonstrated high individual variability. CONCLUSIONS: This first study investigating daily SAS allows for a more in-depth look at the lived experience after URS and the impact on quality of life. Different instruments measuring pain intensity, pain interference, and urinary symptoms produced consistent assessments of patients\u27 experiences. The overall daily stability of pain and urinary symptoms after URS was also marked by high patient-level variation, suggesting an opportunity to identify characteristics associated with severe SAS after URS

Adapting an evidence-supported optimization program for mental health and sport performance in collegiate athletes to fit youth from ethnic/racial minority and low-income neighborhoods: A National Institutes of Health stage model feasibility study

The current study addresses the need to empirically develop effective mental health interventions for youth from ethnic/racial minority and low-income neighborhoods. Using Stage Model evaluation methods supported by the National Institutes of Health in the US to address underutilization of mental healthcare among racial/ethnic minority youth, this feasibility study demonstrates empirical adaptation of an innovative sport-specific psychological intervention for use in youth from ethnic/racial minority and low-income neighborhoods. An international group of professionals familiar with sport performance and mental health intervention serving the target population experientially examined the adapted intervention protocols in workshops and provided feedback. Survey results indicated the professionals found the intervention components were easy to administer and likely to be safe, enjoyable, engaging and efficacious for youth mental health and sport performance. The protocols were revised based on feedback from these professionals and the intervention was examined in a case trial involving an Asian American youth who evidenced Social Anxiety Disorder. Case study results indicated the intervention could be implemented with integrity, and severity of psychiatric symptoms and factors interfering with sport performance decreased after intervention implementation. The participant’s relationships with family, coaches and teammates were also improved

Bioavailability in soils

The consumption of locally-produced vegetables by humans may be an important exposure pathway for soil contaminants in many urban settings and for agricultural land use. Hence, prediction of metal and metalloid uptake by vegetables from contaminated soils is an important part of the Human Health Risk Assessment procedure. The behaviour of metals (cadmium, chromium, cobalt, copper, mercury, molybdenum, nickel, lead and zinc) and metalloids (arsenic, boron and selenium) in contaminated soils depends to a large extent on the intrinsic charge, valence and speciation of the contaminant ion, and soil properties such as pH, redox status and contents of clay and/or organic matter. However, chemistry and behaviour of the contaminant in soil alone cannot predict soil-to-plant transfer. Root uptake, root selectivity, ion interactions, rhizosphere processes, leaf uptake from the atmosphere, and plant partitioning are important processes that ultimately govern the accumulation ofmetals and metalloids in edible vegetable tissues. Mechanistic models to accurately describe all these processes have not yet been developed, let alone validated under field conditions. Hence, to estimate risks by vegetable consumption, empirical models have been used to correlate concentrations of metals and metalloids in contaminated soils, soil physico-chemical characteristics, and concentrations of elements in vegetable tissues. These models should only be used within the bounds of their calibration, and often need to be re-calibrated or validated using local soil and environmental conditions on a regional or site-specific basis.Mike J. McLaughlin, Erik Smolders, Fien Degryse, and Rene Rietr

The Hubble Constant

I review the current state of determinations of the Hubble constant, which gives the length scale of the Universe by relating the expansion velocity of objects to their distance. There are two broad categories of measurements. The first uses individual astrophysical objects which have some property that allows their intrinsic luminosity or size to be determined, or allows the determination of their distance by geometric means. The second category comprises the use of all-sky cosmic microwave background, or correlations between large samples of galaxies, to determine information about the geometry of the Universe and hence the Hubble constant, typically in a combination with other cosmological parameters. Many, but not all, object-based measurements give $H_0$ values of around 72-74km/s/Mpc , with typical errors of 2-3km/s/Mpc. This is in mild discrepancy with CMB-based measurements, in particular those from the Planck satellite, which give values of 67-68km/s/Mpc and typical errors of 1-2km/s/Mpc. The size of the remaining systematics indicate that accuracy rather than precision is the remaining problem in a good determination of the Hubble constant. Whether a discrepancy exists, and whether new physics is needed to resolve it, depends on details of the systematics of the object-based methods, and also on the assumptions about other cosmological parameters and which datasets are combined in the case of the all-sky methods.Comment: Extensively revised and updated since the 2007 version: accepted by Living Reviews in Relativity as a major (2014) update of LRR 10, 4, 200

Current (Food) allergenic risk assessment: is it fit for novel foods? status quo and identification of gaps

Food allergies are recognized as a global health concern. In order to protect allergic consumers from severe symptoms, allergenic risk assessment for well-known foods and foods containing genetically modified ingredients is installed. However, population is steadily growing and there is a rising need to provide adequate protein-based foods, including novel sources, not yet used for human consumption. In this context safety issues such as a potential increased allergenic risk need to be assessed before marketing novel food sources. Therefore, the established allergenic risk assessment for genetically modified organisms needs to be re-evaluated for its applicability for risk assessment of novel food proteins. Two different scenarios of allergic sensitization have to be assessed. The first scenario is the presence of already known allergenic structures in novel foods. For this, a comparative assessment can be performed and the range of cross-reactivity can be explored, while in the second scenario allergic reactions are observed toward so far novel allergenic structures and no reference material is available. This review summarizes the current analytical methods for allergenic risk assessment, highlighting the strengths and limitations of each method and discussing the gaps in this assessment that need to be addressed in the near future.Austrian Science Fund [FWF SFB F4603]; Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia [OI172024]; MINECO, Spain [AGL2014-59771-R]; PROMAR: Projetos Pilotos e a Transformacao de Embarcacoes de Pesca [31-03-05-FEP-0060]info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio