The College Choice Process of African American and Hispanic Women

Studies examining access and college participation have generally focused on racial and ethnic minorities as a group. This study qualitatively examined the college choice process for African American and Hispanic females. Through the voices of these women, three major themes that support their decision to attend college were identified. All study participants were from a single, case study large Southwestern university

Proposal of a survey-based methodology for the determination of the energy consumption in the residential sector

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A nurse-led coaching intervention with home telemonitoring for patients with heart failure: Protocol for a feasibility randomized clinical trial

Poor treatment adherence and lack of self-care behaviors are significant contributors to hospital readmissions of people with heart failure (HF). A transitional program with non-invasive telemonitoring may help sustain patients and their caregivers to timely recognize signs and symptoms of exacerbation.We will conduct a Randomized Clinical Trial (RCT) to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of a 6-month supportive intervention for patients discharged home after cardiac decompensation. Forty-five people aged 65 years and over will be randomized to either receive a supportive intervention in addition to standard care, which combines nurse-led telephone coaching and a home-based self-monitoring vital signs program, or standard care alone. Four aspects of the feasibility will be assessed using a mixed-methods approach: process outcomes (e.g., recruitment rate), resources required (e.g., adherence to the intervention), management data (e.g., completeness of data collection), and scientific value (e.g. 90- and 180-day all-cause and HF-related readmissions, self-care capacity, quality of life, psychological well-being, mortality, etc.). Participants will be interviewed to explore preferences and satisfaction with the intervention. The study is expected to provide valuable insight into the design of a definitive RCT

L’Istituto professionale Giovanni Plana di Torino. Una proposta di intervento di conoscenza e valorizzazione

The building of the Giovanni Plana Institute for Industry and Crafts of Turin was built in the 20s of the twentieth century, following the implementation of the Casati Law, in an area that is now semi - central of the city, at that time almost rural. quickly became the site of the establishment of important manufacturing plants, such as the Lancia car factory, which was the main driving force for the rapid demographic growth of the district. The current institute, which stands on an irregular trapezoidal shaped lot, consists of two main buildings - stylistically attributable to a late eclecticism that is a prelude to the passage towards Decò and Rationalism - to which were added successive recognizable expansions. The object of the contribution is the result of a collaboration between the Polytechnic and the Plana Institute, within a project of knowledge and enhancement of the institute that falls within the scope of the initiatives foreseen by the National Operative Reform of Education Plan secondary and higher fired by the Ministry of Education in 2015. The objective of the project is the knowledge and enhancement of the Institute in its architectural and material consistency, and the recognition of its historical, cultural and social value in relati on to the St. Paul district in Turin. The proposal focuses on the elaboration of an ecomuseum project of the historical collections of the dental and optics teaching equipment of the Plana Institute, also with the contribution of two degree theses conducted at the Politecnico di Torino. 1213

Beta-Cyclodextrin Nanosponges as Multifunctional Ingredient in Water-Containing Semisolid Formulations for Skin Delivery

A β-cyclodextrin nanosponge cross-linked with pyromellitic dianhydride (βNS-PYRO) is reported for the first time as multifunctional ingredient in semisolid formulations for drug delivery to the skin. The role of βNS-PYRO on solubilization and stabilization of the photosensitizer benzoporphyrin-derivative monoacid ring A (BPDMA) and all-trans retinoic acid (atRA) as well as its effect on skin permeation of diclofenac (DIC) was investigated. Aqueous solutions, gels, and cream-gels were prepared from mixtures of βNS-PYRO with a conventional gelling agent at specific ratios. The incorporation of BPDMA in βNS-PYRO water solutions prevented its aggregation and gave kinetically stable complexes with high photostability and singlet oxygen generation upon irradiation. atRA incorporated in the βNS-PYRO-containing gel demonstrated a remarkable stability as compared with the formulation without βNS-PYRO, resulting in an eightfold increase of its lifetime. Skin permeation studies highlighted that βNS-PYRO in gels and cream-gels containing DIC significantly decreased the amount of drug permeated through the skin while increasing its amount in stratum corneum and viable epidermis. Overall, swellable βNS-PYRO turns to be a multifunctional coingredient with potential in topical monophasic and biphasic formulations to stabilize light-sensitive drugs and to localize the action of highly penetrating drugs in the external layers of skin

Enhancing Vitamin D3 Efficacy: Insights from Complexation with Cyclodextrin Nanosponges and Its Impact on Gut–Brain Axes in Physiology and IBS Syndrome

Vitamin D3 (VitD3) plays a crucial role in various cellular functions through its receptor interaction. The biological activity of Vitamin D3 can vary based on its solubility and stability. Thus, the challenge lies in maximizing its biological effects through its complexation within cyclodextrin (βNS-CDI 1:4) nanosponges (NS) (defined as VitD3NS). Therefore, its activity has been evaluated on two different gut–brain axes (healthy gut/degenerative brain and inflammatory bowel syndrome gut/degenerative brain axis). At the gut level, VitD3-NS mitigated liposaccharide-induced damage (100 ng/mL; for 48 h), restoring viability, integrity, and activity of tight junctions and reducing ROS production, lipid peroxidation, and cytokines levels. Following intestinal transit, VitD3-NS improved the neurodegenerative condition in the healthy axis and the IBS model, suggesting the ability of VitD3-NS to preserve efficacy and beneficial effects even in IBS conditions. In conclusion, this study demonstrates the ability of this novel form of VitD3, named VitD3-NS, to act on the gut–brain axis in healthy and damaged conditions, emphasizing enhanced biological activity through VitD3 complexation, as such complexation increases the beneficial effect of vitamin D3 in both the gut and brain by about 50%