How can the measurement of fluorescence help with Eastern Red Cedar disaster?

Juniperus virginiana, more commonly known as the Eastern Red Cedar, has caused excess economic damage due to its dynamic flammability in the Great Plains. Research on the variables in which Eastern Red Cedars are flammable have been proven useful in combating these tragic events. Recording live fuel moisture (LFM) and water potential are accurate when a researcher wants to know the flammability of the plant. However, fluorescence can be used as a more convenient way of measuring water potential, and therefore flammability due to its user-friendly and less costly fluorometer instrument.Howard Hughes Medical Institute Science Education ProgramPlant Biology, Ecology and Evolutio

Cerebral malaria: an unusual case of central diabetes insipidus

Central diabetes insipidus is an uncommon feature of malaria. A previously healthy 72-year-old man presented with fever, rigors, and altered mental status after a recent trip to Liberia, a country known for endemic falciparum malaria. Investigations confirmed plasmodium falciparum parasitemia. Within one week after admission, the serum sodium rose to 166 mEq/L and the urine output increased to 7 liters/day. Other labs were notable for a high serum osmolality, low urine osmolality, and low urine specific gravity. The hypernatremia did not respond to hypotonic fluids. Diabetes insipidus was suspected and parenteral desmopressin was started with a prompt decrease in urinary output and improvement in mental status. Additional testing showed normal anterior pituitary hormones. The desmopressin was eventually tapered off with complete resolution of symptoms. Central diabetes insipidus occurred likely as a result of obstruction of the neurohypophyseal microvasculature. Other endocrinopathies that have been reported with malaria include hyponatremia, adrenal insufficiency, hypothyroidism, hypocalcemia, hypophosphatemia, hyper-, and hypoglycemia, but none manifested in our patient. Though diabetes insipidus is a rare complication of malaria, clinicians need to be aware of this manifestation, as failure to do so may lead to fatality particularly if the patient is dehydrated

Improving the Health of Migrant Workers: A Community Health Nursing Advocacy Project

Background: Migrant workers play a critical role in Canada’s economic structure. Yet, they face insurmountable challenges as they strive to make a living in Canada; one of the most significant issues experienced by migrant workers in Canada pertains to adequate access to health care. A community health nursing course completed during Fall 2020 term afforded five students the opportunity to explore the inequities migrant workers face and the necessary reforms needed to ensure the health, safety, and wellbeing of migrant workers who come to Canada to work, regardless of their status. Purpose: The aim of this paper is to share knowledge with other health care professionals in the hopes of fostering community collaboration and formulating approaches to mitigate the exploitation faced by migrant workers in Canada. Implications: The persistent marginalization and exploitation encountered by migrant workers makes them extremely vulnerable to inequality and injustice. Strategies that nurses can employ to mitigate the marginalization and exploitation of migrant workers in Canada are discussed. Conclusion: Migrant workers deserve adequate access to health care. Nurses can advocate for migrant workers through collaboration with community agencies to build an engaging social responsibility strategy.  &nbsp

Health risk behaviours among adolescents in the English-speaking Caribbean: a review

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The aim of this paper was to review and summarize research on prevalence of health risk behaviours, their outcomes as well as risk and protective factors among adolescents in the English-speaking Caribbean.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Searching of online databases and the World Wide Web as well as hand searching of the <it>West Indian Medical Journal </it>were conducted. Papers on research done on adolescents aged 10 – 19 years old and published during the period 1980 – 2005 were included.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Ninety-five relevant papers were located. Five papers were published in the 1980s, 47 in the 1990s, and from 2000–2005, 43 papers. Health risk behaviours and outcomes were divided into seven themes. Prevalence data obtained for these, included lifetime prevalence of <b>substance use</b>: cigarettes-24% and marijuana-17%; <b>high risk sexual behaviour</b>: initiation of sexual activity ≤ 10 years old-19% and those having more than six partners-19%; <b>teenage pregnancy</b>: teens account for 15–20% of all pregnancies and one-fifth of these teens were in their second pregnancy; <b>Sexually-Transmitted Infections (STIs)</b>: population prevalence of gonorrhoea and/or chlamydia in 18–21 year-olds was 26%; <b>mental health</b>: severe depression in the adolescent age group was 9%, and attempted suicide-12%; <b>violence and juvenile delinquency</b>: carrying a weapon to school in the last 30 days-10% and almost always wanting to kill or injure someone-5%; <b>eating disorders and obesity</b>: overweight-11%, and obesity-7%. Many of the risk behaviours in adolescents were shown to be related to the adolescent's family of origin, home environment and parent-child relationships. Also, the protective effects of family and school connectedness as well as increased religiosity noted in studies from the United States were also applicable in the Caribbean.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>There is a substantial body of literature on Caribbean adolescents documenting prevalence and correlates of health risk behaviours. Future research should emphasize the designing and testing of interventions to alleviate this burden.</p

Obstetric deaths in Trinidad

We determined the causal pathways of pregnancy-related deaths over a 16-year period. Pregnancy-induced hypertension was the chief contributor to our high maternal mortality rate of 36.9 per 100,000 births. Anaesthetic-related deaths were due to a combination of Mendelson's syndrome and faulty intubation technique. An improvement in the health-management system to identify high-risk mothers who need intensive emergency care and the availability of experienced personnel for obstetric anaesthesia appear to be indispensable requirements for reducing and minimising adverse maternal outcome in Trinidad

Eighteen years of maternity care in a new teaching hospital

A new maternity hospital was inaugurated in Trinidad in 1981 to provide access for pregnant women to specialist antenatal care and to trained attendants during childbirth. As an academic tertiary-care institution, it also became a referral centre for high-risk pregnancies and obstetric emergencies. The efficacy of the services provided since inception was evaluated by measurement of mortality statistics, which are the most sensitive indices of maternal care. Over a period of 18 years, there were almost 100,000 births. Although the caesarean section rate was low, the perinatal and maternal mortality rates suggest that there is still a wide gap in obstetric standards between the developed world and this country. Improved vigilance for high-risk groups is required to identify potentially preventable deaths

Abdominal delivery of the second twin

In a series of 220 consecutive twin deliveries, 10 second twins were delivered by caesarean section after vaginal birth of the first, but only six survived. The mean time-interval between the birth of twins was 68 minutes. Because a protracted inter-delivery interval carries risks of placental separation and cervical contraction, prompt trial of version of the second twin followed by vaginal breech extraction under anaesthesia might improve perinatal outcome

Prevention of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy

A prospective randomised clinical trial comprising 510 pregnant patients was performed to determine whether supplementation with calcium, low-dose aspirin or a combination of calcium and low-dose aspirin can lower the incidence of hypertension in pregnancy. Greatest benefits were obtained with calcium. Perinatal mortality was lowest in the aspirin group

Characteristics of the oxygenative metabolism of cysteine in the*rat and the influence of structurally related compounds

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre-DSC:DXN005205 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo