Medicaid Policy on Sterilization — Anachronistic or Still Relevant?

Female sterilization, typically accomplished by means of tubal ligation, is a widely used method of contraception that is highly effective at preventing unintended pregnancy. Yet there appears to be unmet demand for the procedure in certain segments of the U.S. population. Specifically, low-income women and women from minority racial and ethnic groups may face substantial system-level barriers to obtaining a desired sterilization procedure. One such barrier is the federal policy regarding Medicaid-funded sterilizations. Although this policy was designed to protect vulnerable populations, we believe that it does not effectively fulfill that intention — in fact, it restricts the reproductive autonomy of the women it intends to serve. With the upcoming Medicaid expansions, the number of women affected by these barriers could increase substantially.Population Research Cente

Improving health and safety on construction in Romania. A comparison with Ireland; lessons to be learned

The purpose of health and safety procedures in the construction industry is to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of workers. Due to high accident rates on construction sites internationally, health and safety legislation has focused on minimizing accident causation and promoting construction worker’s safety.  However, little attempts has been made to research the effects of those health and safety interventions on the safety behavior on construction sites in Romania. Therefore, the objective of this research was to explore the health and safety improvements on construction sites in Ireland and compare these with the current state-of-play of the construction sector in Romania. Based on the findings in Ireland, an opportunity exists to improve Health and Safety performance on construction sites in Romania. The main findings demonstrate that the safety can be improved through the introduction of safe working systems, enhanced regulation and enforcement, the role of the management and increased staff awareness and training

Microbes and the marine phosphorus cycle

Author Posting. © Oceanography Society, 2007. This article is posted here by permission of Oceanography Society for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Oceanography 20, 2 (2007): 110-116.Phosphorus (P) is fundamental to life, and years of study in marine systems have built a broad understanding of the marine P cycle. Various aspects of marine P biogeochemistry have been reviewed previously (Benitez-Nelson, 2000; Paytan and McLaughlin, 2007). Here, we focus on recent advances in our understanding of marine P and the interactions between microbes and the P cycle. These advances come from a variety of disciplines, but generally highlight three main themes: (1) ocean microbes are adapted for surviving in a variable P environment, (2) the dissolved organic phosphorus (DOP) pool likely plays a critical role in driving growth, metabolism, and community composition of ocean microorganisms, and (3) P is very rapidly cycled, which highlights its importance in marine systems

REDUCING SUGAR CONTENT IN SIWALAN ROOMIE (Borassus flabellifer L) BEFORE COOKING AND LIQUID BROWN SUGAR AFTER COOKING

Sugar reduction is one of the essential macronutrients used as energy sources. High levels of sugar reduction in food can increase the sweet taste of these foodstuffs. However, the consumption of high sugar food can cause diabetes mellitus. The purpose of this study is to increase the economic value of liquid palm sugar (Borassus flabellifer L) and opportunities as a preservative in the food industry. This research used quantitative descriptive methods. The results showed that the level of sugar reduction in siwalan liquid brown sugar (Borassus flabellifer L) was 15.65%, the water content in the liquid palm sugar sample (Borassus flabellifer L) is 26.78%, and the temperature of the liquid brown sugar after cooking is 230C. The effect of heat or temperature on cooking also causes physical changes in liquid brown sugar such as caramel formation, color and flavour

PLANT BIOACTIVE ; CAROTENOIDS, POLYPHENOLS AND FLAVONOIDS IN IMPROVING THE IMMUNE SYSTEM AGAINST COVID-19 INFECTION

COVID-19 (coronavirus) is a new type of virus that can cause disease in animals and humans. This type of virus causes a crisis or threat to human life in 2020. Before an ideal vaccine or drug is found to prevent COVID-19 infection, steps or approaches are needed that can break the chain of infection. Several things that can be done to prevent COVID-19 infection are to take advantage of the chemical content of natural ingredients, maintain nutritional intake, maintain the resilience of the body's immune system and adhere to health protocols. The public needs to be made aware of the use of natural metabolites in order to maintain the body's defense system. Carotenoids, polyphenols and flavonoids are a group of secondary metabolites in plants that can physiologically increase the body's immune system against bacterial and viral infections. Red, yellow pigments in plants and some organisms known as coarotenoids have the ability to enhance the body's immune response or cellular immune system. While polyphenols and flavonoids are a unique group of phytochemicals in fruits, vegetables and herbs. This component has the potential to inhibit viral replication. People are expected to use plant chemical compounds to improve the body's immune system

The success of e-participation. Learning lessons from Decide Madrid and We asked, You said, We did in Scotland

Electronic participation (e-participation) has grown across the world in recent decades and many governments offer a range of opportunities for e-participation. However, there is a lack of comparative analyses of successful initiatives, which can be useful in supporting subsequent adopters. This paper identifies the best practices and areas for improvement of Decide Madrid and We asked, You said, We did in Scotland, whose software has been widely adopted by hundreds of institutions worldwide. Key common enablers include political leadership and senior management support, top-down approach, high levels of internal and external collaboration, embeddedness in the formal policy-making processes and careful consideration of design features. Most of these factors are related to processes, organizational or managerial dimensions, rather than being linked to the institutional context or ICT. Areas for improvement relate to the way the initiatives provide feedback, allow discussion and flexibility on policy options, incorporate possibilities for offline participation, and involve a wider range of stakeholders. An important contribution is the identification of factors contributing to the robustness and continuity of e-participation initiatives, combining the flexibility of collaborative network governance and the stability of public bureaucracy

Aquatic biosurvey of the Lovell River on UNH land

We assessed the physical, chemical and biological conditions at two sites along the Lovell River on University of New Hampshire (UNH) -owned conservation land. The discharge was 4.4 m3 s-1 at Site 1 and 5.7 m3 s -1 downstream at Site 2. Canopy coverage ranged from 8-25%. Canopy was dominated by Eastern Hemlock (79-84%). Much of the stream was strewn with large boulders and the substrate consisted of rocks of highly variable sizes ( 3-549 cm dia.). Specific conductivity (22.1-23.3 µS), pH (6.4) and temperature (7.9-8.3 °C) varied little between sites. Macro-invertebrate bio-indices indicated either excellent water quality with no apparent organic pollution (3.0/10) or good water quality with possible slight organic pollution (4.4/10)

U.S. adolescent and adult women\u27s experiences accessing and using toilets in schools, workplaces, and public spaces: A multi-site focus group study to inform future research in bladder health

The World Health Organization recognizes access to clean and safe toilets as crucial for public health. This study explored U.S. adolescent and adult cisgender women\u27s lived experiences accessing toilets in schools, workplaces, and public spaces. As part of the Prevention of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (PLUS) Research Consortium, we conducted 44 focus groups with female participants (n = 360; ages 11-93). Focus groups were stratified by age (11-14, 15-17, 18-25, 26-44, 45-64, 65+) and conducted across 7 geographically diverse U.S. sites from July 2017-April 2018. Using a transdisciplinary approach, we conducted conventional qualitative coding informed by our PLUS conceptual framework and used content analysis processes to identify salient themes. Across settings, toilet access was restricted by gatekeepers (i.e., individuals who control access to toilets). In contrast, self-restricting toilet use (deciding not to use the toilet despite biologic need to urinate) was based on internalized norms to prioritize school and job responsibilities over urination. In public spaces, self-restricting use was largely in response to lack of cleanliness. Across the life course, participants perceived gender disparities in the ability to easily access public toilets. Further research is needed to determine if and how these factors impact bladder health across the life course