Analysis Results for Lunar Soil Simulant Using a Portable X-Ray Fluorescence Analyzer

Lunar soil will potentially be used for oxygen generation, water generation, and as filler for building blocks during habitation missions on the Moon. NASA s in situ fabrication and repair program is evaluating portable technologies that can assess the chemistry of lunar soil and lunar soil simulants. This Technical Memorandum summarizes the results of the JSC 1 lunar soil simulant analysis using the TRACeR III IV handheld x-ray fluorescence analyzer, manufactured by KeyMaster Technologies, Inc. The focus of the evaluation was to determine how well the current instrument configuration would detect and quantify the components of JSC-1

Don't Call Me "It": Examining the Relationship Between Experiences of Child Abuse and Creativity as an Adult

Researchers have conducted numerous studies examining the effects of one?s home life on future success; however, only a small portion of that research covers the specific effects that negative home environments can have on adult creativity. Seeing a close relationship between upbringing and the creative mind, one can infer that childhood abuse has a significant influence on an adult?s ability to reach high levels of creative achievement. Experiencing abuse at an early age inhibits feelings of psychological safety and may limit creative potential as well. Researchers who have conducted studies in this area have found mixed results on the relationship between child abuse and creativity. To explore this topic, each participant was given the Abbreviated Torrance Test for Adults. This test measures four aspects of creativity: fluency, flexibility, originality and elaboration. Each participant was also given the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), which provided a quantitative measure of abuse experiences for each individual. The study hypothesized that individuals who score higher on the CTQ will score lower on the Abbreviated Torrance Test for Adults. Although the results were not statistically significant, they supported the hypothesis that measures of abuse were negatively correlated with creativity scores. Having identified a relationship between abuse and creativity, experts in the field of creativity should conduct further studies to deepen the understanding of how abusive environments discourage creative production

Engaging Graduate Students in the Online Learning Environment: A Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Approach to Teacher Preparation

Today’s classroom is more diverse than ever; it is imperative that universities find solutions for meeting these diverse learning needs. One potential solution is Universal Design for Learning (UDL), which is a promising practice in the K-12 classroom. UDL is based on the idea that diversity among students is predictable and systematic adjustments to the curriculum should be made based on that predictability. While there is strong research supporting the use of UDL for traditional K-12 classrooms, there is little research regarding its implementation in the online university teacher preparation classroom. This study explores the use of UDL for increasing student engagement in online Special Education teacher preparation courses. The authors seek to expand on the literature regarding the use of UDL in the university setting by examining the impact of engagement strategies in online Special Education teacher preparation courses. Results of a case study utilizing a qualitative survey of online teacher preparation candidates are examined

Global large-scale stratosphere–troposphere exchange in modern reanalyses

Stratosphere–troposphere exchange (STE) has important impacts on the chemical and radiative properties of the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere. This study presents a 15-year climatology of global large-scale STE from four modern reanalyses: ERA-Interim, JRA-55, MERRA-2, and MERRA. STE is separated into three regions (tropics, subtropics, and extratropics) and two transport directions (stratosphere-to-troposphere transport or STT and troposphere-to-stratosphere transport or TST) in an attempt to identify the significance of known transport mechanisms. The extratropics and tropics are separated by the tropopause break. Any STE occurring between the tropics and the extratropics through the tropopause break is considered subtropical exchange (i.e., in the vicinity of the subtropical jet). In addition, this study employs a method to identify STE as that which crosses the lapse-rate tropopause (LRT), while most previous studies have used a potential vorticity (PV) isosurface as the troposphere–stratosphere boundary. PV-based and LRT-based STE climatologies are compared using the ERA-Interim reanalysis output. The comparison reveals quantitative and qualitative differences, particularly for TST in the polar regions. Based upon spatiotemporal integrations, we find STE to be STT dominant in ERA-Interim and JRA-55 and TST dominant in MERRA and MERRA-2. The sources of the differences are mainly attributed to inconsistencies in the representation of STE in the subtropics and extratropics. Time series during the 15-year analysis period show long-term changes that are argued to correspond with changes in the Brewer–Dobson circulation

Preclinical evaluation of lime juice as a topical microbicide candidate

Background: The continued growth of the global HIV epidemic highlights the urgent need to develop novel prevention strategies to reduce HIV transmission. The development of topical microbicides is likely to take a number of years before such a product would be widely available. This has resulted in a call for the rapid introduction of simpler vaginal intervention strategies in the interim period. One suggested practice would be vaginal douching with natural products including lime or lemon juice. Here we present a comprehensive preclinical evaluation of lime juice (LiJ) as a potential intervention strategy against HIV. Results: Pre-treatment of HIV with LiJ demonstrated direct virucidal activity, with 10% juice inactivating the virus within 5 minutes. However, this activity was significantly reduced in the presence of seminal plasma, where inactivation required maintaining a 1:1 mixture of neat LiJ and seminal plasma for more than 5 minutes. Additionally, LiJ demonstrated both time and dosedependent toxicity towards cervicovaginal epithelium, where exposure to 50% juice caused 75–90% toxicity within 5 minutes increasing to 95% by 30 minutes. Cervicovaginal epithelial cell monolayers were more susceptible to the effects of LiJ with 8.8% juice causing 50% toxicity after 5 minutes. Reconstructed stratified cervicovaginal epithelium appeared more resilient to LiJ toxicity with 30 minutes exposure to 50% LiJ having little effect on viability. However viability was reduced by 75% and 90% following 60 and 120 minutes exposure. Furthermore, repeat application (several times daily) of 25% LiJ caused 80–90% reduction in viability. Conclusion: These data demonstrate that the virucidal activity of LiJ is severely compromised in the presence of seminal plasma. Potentially, to be effective against HIV in vivo, women would need to apply a volume of neat LiJ equal to that of an ejaculate, and maintain this ratio vaginally for 5–30 minutes after ejaculation. Data presented here suggest that this would have significant adverse effects on the genital mucosa. These data raise serious questions about the plausibility and safety of such a prevention approach

Acuity and Contrast Sensitivity in Monkeys After Neonatal Intraocular Lens Implantation With and Without Parttime Occlusion of the Fellow Eye

Purpose. The authors used a monkey model to evaluate intraocular lenses (IOLs) for the treatment of infantile cataract in humans. Specifically, they sought to assess the effectiveness of IOLs, with and without occlusion therapy, in preventing amblyopia. Methods. A diffuser contact lens was placed on one eye each of 11 neonatal monkeys to simulate an infantile cataract. A unilateral lensectomy, combined with the implantation of an IOL, was performed on the same eye 1 to 2 weeks after birth. Clear contact lenses were used to adjust the optical correction of the pseudophakic eyes to a near point, and opaque lenses were used to maintain daily parttime (70%) occlusion of the fellow eyes of half the subjects. Behavioral methods were used to assess grating acuity, optotype acuity (Landolt C), and contrast sensitivity. Results. In five of the animals, complications that developed in the eye with the implant were severe enough to interfere with visual function. The authors present only behavioral outcomes obtained before or in the absence of surgical complications. In monkeys that underwent daily 70% occlusion, grating acuity in the pseudophakic eyes eventually matured to normal adult levels. Grating acuity was significantly poorer in animals with no occlusion therapy. Even in animals with normal grating acuity, assessments of optotype acuity revealed amblyopic deficits; contrast sensitivity was impaired as well at middle and low spatial frequencies. Conclusions. The current study demonstrates that if there are no complications secondary to surgery, normal grating acuity can be obtained in neonatal monkey eyes that undergo IOL implantation, optical correction of the pseudophakic eye to a near point, and 70% occlusion of the fellow eye. However, these good outcomes for grating acuity cannot be attained without occlusion therapy. In addition, optotype acuity and sensitivity to contrast always are impaired

Clinical response to antibiotic regimens in lower limb cellulitis: a systematic review

There is variation in the treatment of lower limb cellulitis (LLC) with no agreement on the most effective antibiotic regimen. Many patients with cellulitis fail to respond to first-line antibiotics. This can negatively affect patient care and result in unnecessary hospital admissions. The aim of this systematic review was to determine the clinical response and safety of antibiotic regimens for the management of LLC. A systematic review for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted using OVID MEDLINE, Ovid Embase and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials in January 2019. Outcomes of interest included the clinical response to antibiotic regimens (type, dose, route, duration) and the safety of antibiotics in LLC. Trial quality was identified using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. Four RCTs were included. All included studies showed no significant differences between the clinical response to different antibiotic type, administration route, treatment duration or dose. LLC may be overtreated and shorter courses of oral antibiotics, possibly with lower doses, may be more suitable. There is a lack of published data on the clinical response and safety of antibiotics in LLC. Three studies were high risk for bias overall. Further high-quality studies may help determine whether less intensive antibiotic regimens can effectively treat LLC

Identification of hip fracture patients from radiographs using Fourier analysis of the trabecular structure: a cross-sectional study

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Antiepileptic drugs’ tolerability and safety – a systematic review and meta-analysis of adverse effects in dogs

<p>Various anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) are used for the management of idiopathic epilepsy (IE) in dogs. Their safety profile is an important consideration for regulatory bodies, owners and prescribing clinicians. However, information on their adverse effects still remains limited with most of it derived from non-blinded non-randomized uncontrolled trials and case reports.</p><p><span>This poster won third place, which was presented at the Veterinary Evidence Today conference, Edinburgh November 1-3, 2016. </span></p><br /> <img src="https://www.veterinaryevidence.org/rcvskmod/icons/oa-icon.jpg" alt="Open Access" /

Systematic review of antiepileptic drugs’ safety and effectiveness in feline epilepsy

Understanding the efficacy and safety profile of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) in feline epilepsy is a crucial consideration for managing this important brain disease. However, there is a lack of information about the treatment of feline epilepsy and therefore a systematic review was constructed to assess current evidence for the AEDs’ efficacy and tolerability in cats. The methods and materials of our former systematic reviews in canine epilepsy were mostly mirrored for the current systematic review in cats. Databases of PubMed, CAB Direct and Google scholar were searched to detect peer-reviewed studies reporting efficacy and/or adverse effects of AEDs in cats. The studies were assessed with regards to their quality of evidence, i.e. study design, study population, diagnostic criteria and overall risk of bias and the outcome measures reported, i.e. prevalence and 95% confidence interval of the successful and affected population in each study and in total