An Assessment of Consumer Preferences for IPM- and Organically Grown Produce

Our study assessed local consumer preferences for IPM- and organically grown produce to determine if market opportunities exist for these products. The majority of those surveyed expressed concern about the health effects of pesticide residues on produce. Results also indicate that consumers would preferentially purchase IPM or organic produce if labels/information were provided at the point of sale to reflect pest management practices. Survey respondents indicated a willingness to pay more for IPM/organic produce than for conventionally grown produce, even if the IPM/organic produce had slight cosmetic blemishes

A scoping review to identify process and outcome measures used in acceptance and commitment therapy research, with adults with acquired neurological conditions

Background: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy interventions are increasing in use in neurological populations. There is a lack of information on the measures available. Purpose: To identify and classify the measures used in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy research studies with adults with acquired neurological conditions. Methods: PRISMA-ScR guided scoping review. MEDLINE, PsycInfo and CINAHL databases searched (up to date 29/06/2022) with forward and backward searching. All study types included. Extraction of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy process-of-change and health-related outcome measures. Outcomes coded using the Core Outcome Measures in Effectiveness Trials (COMET) taxonomy. Results: Three hundred and thirty three papers found on searching. Fifty four studies included and 136 measurement tools extracted. Conditions included multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injury and stroke. Thirty-eight studies measured processes of change, with 32 measures extracted. The process measure most often used was the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (n = 21 studies). One hundred and four health-related outcome measures extracted. Measures exploring quality of life, health status, anxiety and depression occurred most frequently, and were used in all included neurological conditions. COMET domains most frequently coded were emotional functioning/well-being (n = 50), physical functioning (n = 32), role functioning (n = 22) and psychiatric (n = 22). Conclusions: This study provides a resource to support future identification of candidate measures. This could aid development of a Core Outcome Set to support both research and clinical practice. Further research to identify the most appropriate and relevant targets and tools for use in these populations should include expert consensus, patient, carer and public involvement and psychometric examination of measures

Confirmatory Factor Analysis of WAIS-IV in a Clinical Sample: Examining a Bi-Factor Model

There have been a number of studies that have examined the factor structure of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale IV (WAIS-IV) using the standardization sample. In this study, we investigate its factor structure on a clinical neuropsychology sample of mixed aetiology. Correlated factor, higher-order and bi-factor models are all tested. Overall, the results suggest that the WAIS-IV will be suitable for use with this population

Real-time polarimetric biosensing using macroporous alumina membranes

We report the first demonstration of real-time biosensing in free standing macroporous alumina membranes. The membranes with their 200 nm diameter pores are ideal candidates for biosensing applications where fast response times for small sample volumes are needed as they allow analytes to flow through the pores close to the bioreceptors immobilized on the pores walls. A bulk refractive index sensitivity of 5.2×10-6 refractive index units was obtained from signal responses to different concentrations of NaCl solutions flowing through the pores. Finally, after functionalizing the alumina pore surfaces with an epoxysilane and then spotting it with β-Lactoglobulin protein, the interactions between the β-lactoglobulin and rabbit anti-β-lactoglobulin, as well as the interaction between the rabbit anti-β-lactoglobulin and a secondary antibody anti-rabbit Immunoglobulin G were monitored in real-time

Progression of Plasmodium berghei through Anopheles stephensi Is Density-Dependent

It is well documented that the density of Plasmodium in its vertebrate host modulates the physiological response induced; this in turn regulates parasite survival and transmission. It is less clear that parasite density in the mosquito regulates survival and transmission of this important pathogen. Numerous studies have described conversion rates of Plasmodium from one life stage to the next within the mosquito, yet few have considered that these rates might vary with parasite density. Here we establish infections with defined numbers of the rodent malaria parasite Plasmodium berghei to examine how parasite density at each stage of development (gametocytes; ookinetes; oocysts and sporozoites) influences development to the ensuing stage in Anopheles stephensi, and thus the delivery of infectious sporozoites to the vertebrate host. We show that every developmental transition exhibits strong density dependence, with numbers of the ensuing stages saturating at high density. We further show that when fed ookinetes at very low densities, oocyst development is facilitated by increasing ookinete number (i.e., the efficiency of ookinete–oocyst transformation follows a sigmoid relationship). We discuss how observations on this model system generate important hypotheses for the understanding of malaria biology, and how these might guide the rational analysis of interventions against the transmission of the malaria parasites of humans by their diverse vector species

Assessment of the variation in nutritional composition and safety of dried recovered food from United States households and prospects for use in chicken feed

IntroductionNew poultry feed valorization pathways for recovered household food could be enabled by commercially available household devices that dry uneaten food material, arrest spoilage, and preserve nutrient content. However, the nutrient composition, safety, and feed incorporation potential of dried recovered household food (DRHF) is presently unknown.MethodsThirty-eight households spanning 31 states participated in a 4-to-6-week survey to generate and collect food residues that were dried using an in-home device. The DRHF samples were evaluated for chemical composition, digestibility of energy and amino acids, and safety to determine their potential for inclusion in chicken feed.Results and discussionThe DRHF had average levels of 15.9% crude protein, 13.3% crude fat, and 22.6% neutral detergent fiber, and 3.18 kcal/g of nitrogen-adjusted true metabolizable energy (by dry weight). The Windows User-Friendly Feed Formulation 2.1 modeler was used to perform linear programming and develop chicken feed rations for broilers and layers that incorporated DRHF alongside conventional feed ingredients, including corn, soybean meal, dicalcium phosphate, limestone, synthetic amino acids, salt, vitamin premix, and mineral premix. The feed formulation results showed that, on average, DRHF incorporation rates of up to 33 and 37% (by weight) are predicted to avoid any nutrient deficiencies or electrolyte imbalances in the broiler and layer rations, respectively. In the broiler ration, DRHF displaced corn, soybean meal, and limestone to varying degrees, while corn, soybean meal, animal fat, dicalcium phosphate, and limestone were substantially displaced in the layer rations. Addition of vitamin premix was predicted as necessary to facilitate DRHF inclusion in the layer rations. Furthermore, foodborne pathogens, mycotoxins, and heavy metals were either absent or below United States regulatory threshold levels. Measured levels of biogenic amines and fat/oil oxidation were consistent with prior research showing compatibility with chickens. These results can inform future in vivo feeding trials to validate the use of DRHF with varying properties in poultry feed

Augmenting forearm crutches with wireless sensors for lower limb rehabilitation

Forearm crutches are frequently used in the rehabilitation of an injury to the lower limb. The recovery rate is improved if the patient correctly applies a certain fraction of their body weight (specified by a clinician) through the axis of the crutch, referred to as partial weight bearing (PWB). Incorrect weight bearing has been shown to result in an extended recovery period or even cause further damage to the limb. There is currently no minimally invasive tool for long-term monitoring of a patient's PWB in a home environment. This paper describes the research and development of an instrumented forearm crutch that has been developed to wirelessly and autonomously monitor a patient's weight bearing over the full period of their recovery, including its potential use in a home environment. A pair of standard forearm crutches are augmented with low-cost off-the-shelf wireless sensor nodes and electronic components to provide indicative measurements of the applied weight, crutch tilt and hand position on the grip. Data are wirelessly transmitted between crutches and to a remote computer (where they are processed and visualized in LabVIEW), and the patient receives biofeedback by means of an audible signal when they put too much or too little weight through the crutch. The initial results obtained highlight the capability of the instrumented crutch to support physiotherapists and patients in monitoring usage