Working Effectively With Employees who Have Sustained a Brain Injury

This brochure on individuals who have sustained a brain injury and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is one of a series on human resources practices and workplace accommodations for persons with disabilities edited by Susanne M. Bruyère, Ph.D., CRC, SPHR, Director, Program on Employment and Disability, School of Industrial and Labor Relations – Extension Division, Cornell University. It was updated in June, 2000 by Stephanie Hanson, Ph.D., College of Health Professions, University of Florida. The original as written by Thomas P. Golden, M.S., Program on Employment and Disability, Cornell University. Cornell University was funded in the early 1990’s by the U.S. Department of Education National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research as a National Materials Development Project on the employment provisions (Title I) of the ADA (Grant #H133D10155). These updates, and the development of new brochures, have been funded by Cornell’s Program on Employment and Disability, the Pacific Disability and Business Technical Assistance Center, and other supporters

Maine Horseshoe Crab (Limulus polyphemus) Spawning Surveys, 2003

Maine spawning surveys of horseshoe crabs (Limulus polyphemus) continued for a third season in 2003. Survey sites were located in Yarmouth, Brunswick (2 sites), Woolwich, Nobleboro, Damariscotta, Sedgwick, Franklin and Sullivan. The purpose of this project is to establish quantitative baseline data on horseshoe crab populations in Maine as a basis for management of this species. The 2003 season recorded cooler than normal water temperatures through the end of May, which resulted in negligible activity during the initial historical May spawning period. Warmer water temperatures in June supported normal levels of spawning activity, as documented by the June counts. The tagging study on Taunton Bay in Franklin continued for a third year, with more observations (1255) and more individuals observed (900) than in 2002 (1119 and 741, respectively), but fewer than in 2001 (2273 and 1292 respectively). The overall data indicate that horseshoe crab populations are declining at all but two of the sites, both of which are in Brunswick

Maine Horseshoe Crab (Limulus polyphemus) Spawning Surveys, 2004

The Maine Horseshoe Crab Surveys were begun in 2001 to establish quantitative baseline data and determine whether horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus) populations are stable or declining. Spawning counts were conducted at sites from Casco Bay (southern Maine) to Frenchman’s Bay (downeast), to establish an index of relative abundance. Few (relatively) abundant populations remain in Maine at Middle Bay (Harpswell/Brunswick), Thomas Point (Brunswick), and in the Damariscotta River. Healthy but less abundant populations persist in the Bagaduce River (Brooksville/ Sedgwick) and in Taunton Bay (Hancock/Franklin/Sullivan). An intensive tagging study has been conducted on Taunton Bay, which offers a natural population with no known history of harvest, and which is effectively closed to immigration and emigration by the physical characteristics of the Bay. During four field seasons, 6176 observations have been logged on 3883 individuals (2595 males, 1288 females; 66.8%, 33.2%). Returns by the 2001 tag year class have varied between 8.7 and 7.5 % in subsequent years. Females comprised 28% (of 116) of the returning 2001 tagged animals in 2002, and 33% (of 113) in 2003, but declined to only 13% (of 100) returning in 2004—just 1% of the original 2001 tag year class of 1333 (individuals). A cause has not yet been attributed, but adult molting is suspected. However, unless adult molting is confirmed, mortality must be assumed instead. Return rates of individuals tagged in 2001 were analyzed to evaluate spawning site fidelity. While return rates from year to year did not exceed 8.7% of the original tag year class of 1333 individuals, 22% of the individuals were observed again in the years from 2002 to 2004. Similarly, observations for 2004 were analyzed to determine the ratio of new individuals to those observed that had been tagged in the three prior years. In 2004, there were 1384 observations of 915 individuals (592 males, 323 females) at the tagging site, of which 25% had been tagged in prior field seasons. This suggests that a significant number of the adult horseshoe crabs in the vicinity of Shipyard Point may now be tagged, and each additional season of data will increase the value of the existing data for understanding the population dynamics of horseshoe crabs in Taunton Bay, and other sites in Maine

National health governance, science and the media: drivers of COVID-19 responses in Germany, Sweden and the UK in 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented global crisis in which governments had to act in a situation of rapid change and substantial uncertainty. The governments of Germany, Sweden and the UK have taken different paths allowing learning for future pandemic preparedness. To help inform discussions on preparedness, inspired by resilience frameworks, this paper reviews governance structures, and the role of science and the media in the COVID-19 response of Germany, Sweden and the UK in 2020. We mapped legitimacy, interdependence, knowledge generation and the capacity to deal with uncertainty.Our analysis revealed stark differences which were linked to pre-existing governing structures, the traditional role of academia, experience of crisis management and the communication of uncertainty-all of which impacted on how much people trusted their government. Germany leveraged diversity and inclusiveness, a 'patchwork quilt', for which it was heavily criticised during the second wave. The Swedish approach avoided plurality and largely excluded academia, while in the UK's academia played an important role in knowledge generation and in forcing the government to review its strategies. However, the vivant debate left the public with confusing and rapidly changing public health messages. Uncertainty and the lack of evidence on how best to manage the COVID-19 pandemic-the main feature during the first wave-was only communicated explicitly in Germany. All country governments lost trust of their populations during the epidemic due to a mix of communication and transparency failures, and increased questioning of government legitimacy and technical capacity by the public

Redesigning photosynthesis to sustainably meet global food and bioenergy demand

The world's crop productivity is stagnating whereas population growth, rising affluence, and mandates for biofuels put increasing demands on agriculture. Meanwhile, demand for increasing cropland competes with equally crucial global sustainability and environmental protection needs. Addressing this looming agricultural crisis will be one of our greatest scientific challenges in the coming decades, and success will require substantial improvements at many levels. We assert that increasing the efficiency and productivity of photosynthesis in crop plants will be essential if this grand challenge is to be met. Here, we explore an array of prospective redesigns of plant systems at various scales, all aimed at increasing crop yields through improved photosynthetic efficiency and performance. Prospects range from straightforward alterations, already supported by preliminary evidence of feasibility, to substantial redesigns that are currently only conceptual, but that may be enabled by new developments in synthetic biology. Although some proposed redesigns are certain to face obstacles that will require alternate routes, the efforts should lead to new discoveries and technical advances with important impacts on the global problem of crop productivity and bioenergy production

Mosquito nets in a rural area of Western Kenya: ownership, use and quality

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) are regarded as one of the most effective strategies to prevent malaria in Africa. This study analyses the use and quality of nets owned by households in an area of high net coverage.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A structured questionnaire on ownership and use of nets was administered to the households of individuals sampled from a local health centre in south Kisii district, Kenya. A physical inspection of all the nets in the households was done and their conditions recorded on spot check forms designed for that purpose.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Of the 670 households surveyed, 95% owned at least one net. Only 59% of household residents slept under a net during the night prior to the survey. 77% of those who slept under a net used an insecticide-treated net (ITN) or long-lasting insecticide-treated nets (LLIN). Out of 1,627 nets in the survey households, 40% were deemed to be of poor quality because of holes. Compared to other age groups, children aged 5-14 years were most likely to have slept under nets of poor quality (odds ratio 1.41; <it>p </it>= 0.007).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Although net ownership was high following increased delivery of ITNs, continuous promotion of effective maintenance and routine use is needed and efforts to replace damaged nets must be implemented.</p

Ovarian and Breast Cancer Risks Associated With Pathogenic Variants in RAD51C and RAD51D.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to estimate precise age-specific tubo-ovarian carcinoma (TOC) and breast cancer (BC) risks for carriers of pathogenic variants in RAD51C and RAD51D. METHODS: We analyzed data from 6178 families, 125 with pathogenic variants in RAD51C, and 6690 families, 60 with pathogenic variants in RAD51D. TOC and BC relative and cumulative risks were estimated using complex segregation analysis to model the cancer inheritance patterns in families while adjusting for the mode of ascertainment of each family. All statistical tests were two-sided. RESULTS: Pathogenic variants in both RAD51C and RAD51D were associated with TOC (RAD51C: relative risk [RR] = 7.55, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 5.60 to 10.19; P = 5 × 10-40; RAD51D: RR = 7.60, 95% CI = 5.61 to 10.30; P = 5 × 10-39) and BC (RAD51C: RR = 1.99, 95% CI = 1.39 to 2.85; P = 1.55 × 10-4; RAD51D: RR = 1.83, 95% CI = 1.24 to 2.72; P = .002). For both RAD51C and RAD51D, there was a suggestion that the TOC relative risks increased with age until around age 60 years and decreased thereafter. The estimated cumulative risks of developing TOC to age 80 years were 11% (95% CI = 6% to 21%) for RAD51C and 13% (95% CI = 7% to 23%) for RAD51D pathogenic variant carriers. The estimated cumulative risks of developing BC to 80 years were 21% (95% CI = 15% to 29%) for RAD51C and 20% (95% CI = 14% to 28%) for RAD51D pathogenic variant carriers. Both TOC and BC risks for RAD51C and RAD51D pathogenic variant carriers varied by cancer family history and could be as high as 32-36% for TOC, for carriers with two first-degree relatives diagnosed with TOC, or 44-46% for BC, for carriers with two first-degree relatives diagnosed with BC. CONCLUSIONS: These estimates will facilitate the genetic counseling of RAD51C and RAD51D pathogenic variant carriers and justify the incorporation of RAD51C and RAD51D into cancer risk prediction models