Septic Shock, Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome, and Disseminated Intravascular Coagulopathy Following Midtrimester Genetic Amniocentesis

Background: Midtrimester genetic amniocentesis is a commonly performed procedure, with acknowledgment of some risk to mother and fetus

Promoviendo la justicia social a través del aprendizaje-servicio en la formación de maestros de Educación Infantil

As early childhood teacher education programs have begun to place greater emphasis on standards and accountability, there has been less focus on working with the community, and especially working on important social justice issues (Kroll, 2013). In this paper we argue that integrating service-learning and teacher education is a strategy for increasing awareness of social justice issues for young children, age three to grade three. Through the use of questionnaires and interviews to collect our data, we found that implementing a cascading service-learning model in teacher education programs has a positive transformative effect on Pre-Service Teachers. Additionally, we examined the effects of social justice service-learning projects on young children. The results from the data indicated that implementing a social justice service-learning project with these participants had a great impact or transformation on them.Como en los programas de formación del profesorado para la primera infancia han empezado a poner mayor énfasis en los estándares y la rendición de cuentas, se está haciendo menos hincapié en el trabajo con la comunidad, y especialmente en trabajos centrados en temas relevantes de justicia social (Kroll, 2013). En este artículo se argumenta que la integración del aprendizaje-servicio y la formación del profesorado es una estrategia para aumentar la conciencia sobre temas de justicia social con los niños pequeños, desde los tres años hasta tercer grado. A través del uso de cuestionarios y entrevistas para la recolección de datos, se encontró que la implementación de un modelo de aprendizaje-servicio en cascada en los programas de formación del profesorado tiene un efecto transformador positivo en profesores en formación. Además, se examinaron los efectos de los proyectos de aprendizaje-servicio de justicia social con niños pequeños. Los resultados de los datos indican que la implementación de un proyecto de aprendizaje-servicio de justicia social con estos participantes tiene un gran impacto o transformación en ellos.Os programas de formação do professorado para a primeira infância começaram a pôr maior ênfase nos padrões e a prestação de contas, dando-se menos ênfase ao trabalho com a comunidade, e especialmente em trabalhos centrados em temas relevantes de justiça social (Kroll, 2013). Neste artigo se argumenta que a integração do aprendizagem-serviço e a formação do professorado é uma estratégia para aumentar a consciência sobre temas de justiça social com as crianças pequenas, desde os três anos até o terceiro grau. Através do uso de questionário e entrevistas para a coleta de dados, encontrou-se que a implementação de um modelo de aprendizagem-serviço em cascata nos programas de formação de professores tem um efeito transformador positivo em professores em formação. Ademais, examinaramse os efeitos dos projetos de aprendizagem-serviço de justiça social com crianças pequenas. Os resultados dos dados indicam que a implantação de um projeto de aprendizagem-serviço de justiça social com estes participantes causa neles um grande impacto ou transformação

Seasonal Migration and Home Ranges of Female Elk in the Black Hills of South Dakota and Wyoming

Understanding the movement and dispersion patterns of elk (Cervus elaphus) on public lands and the underlying factors that affect each will facilitate elk management and help resolve conflicts between management that benefit elk and other uses of land resources. Consequently, there is a need to identify and examine the movement and dispersion patterns of elk in the Black Hills of South Dakota and Wyoming. Our study quantified seasonal movements, determined home ranges of female elk in two areas of the Black Hills, and examined underlying factors associated with each. Elk in the northern area did not demonstrate seasonal migration patterns. Rather, winter ranges in the northern area were contained mostly within the boundaries of the summer range. Elk in the southern area exhibited a north-south migration pattern that coincided with seasonal patterns of snowfall. These elk migrated to winter range in late November and returned to summer range in late April. Home ranges of elk in the southern area were larger (P \u3c 0.01) than home ranges in the northern area. Landscape characteristics with marginally-significant correlations to elk home range area included road density (P = 0.10), and forage:cover ratio (P = 0.08); density of primary and secondary roads and average slope were significantly correlated with elk home range area (P \u3c 0.01). Managers can use this information to develop strategies that meet population goals and reduce conflicts between management for elk and with other resources

Some Advice for Physicians and Other Clinicians Treating Minorities, Women, and Other Patients at Risk of Receiving Health Care Disparities

Studies of inequalities in health care have documented 13 groups of patients who receive disparate care. Disparities are partly due to socioeconomic factors, but nonsocioeconomic factors also play a large contributory role. This article reviews nonsocioeconomic factors, including unconscious bias, stereotyping, racism, gender bias, and limited English proficiency. The authors discuss the clinician’s role in addressing these factors and reducing their impact on the quality of health care. They indicate the significance of cultural humility on the part of caregivers as a means of amelioration. Based on a review of the clinician’s role as well as background considerations in the health care environment, the authors put forward a set of 18 recommendations in the form of a checklist. They posit that implementing these recommendations as part of the patient clinician interaction will maximize the delivery of equitable care, even in the absence of desirable in-depth cross-cultural and psychosocial literacy on the part of the clinician. Trust, mutual respect, and understanding on the part of the caregiver and patient are crucial to optimizing therapeutic outcomes. The guidelines incorporated here are tools to furthering this goal

Acute and Chronic Toxicity of Cobalt to Freshwater Organisms: Using a Species Sensitivity Distribution Approach to Establish International Water Quality Standards

Water quality standards for cobalt (Co) have not been developed for the European Union or United States. The objective of the present study was to produce freshwater Co toxicity data that could be used by both the European Union and the United States to develop appropriate regulatory standards (i.e., environmental quality standards or predicted-no-effect concentrations in Europe and ambient water quality criteria or state water quality standards in the United States). Eleven species, including algae, an aquatic plant, and several invertebrate and fish species, were used in the performance of acute and chronic Co toxicity tests. Acute median lethal or median effective concentration (LC50 or EC50) values ranged from 90.1 mu g Co/L for duckweed (Lemna minor) to 157 000 mu g Co/L for midges (Chironomus tentans). Chronic 10% effect concentration (EC10) values ranged from 4.9 mu g Co/L for duckweed to 2170 mu g Co/L for rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Chronic 20% effect concentration (EC20) values ranged from 11.1 mu g Co/L for water flea (Ceriodaphnia dubia) to 2495 mu g Co/L for O. mykiss. Results indicated that invertebrate and algae/plant species are more sensitive to chronic Co exposures than fish. Acute-to-chronic ratios (derived as acute LC50s divided by chronic EC20s) were lowest for juvenile O. mykiss (0.6) and highest for the snail Lymnaea stagnalis (2670). Following the European-based approach and using EC10 values, species sensitivity distributions (SSDs) were developed and a median hazardous concentration for 5% of the organisms of 1.80 mu g Co/L was derived. Chronic EC20 values were used, also in an SSD approach, to derive a US Environmental Protection Agency-style final chronic value of 7.13 mu g Co/L

ETCE2002/OT-29154 RHEOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF CURING PROCESS OF EPOXY PREPREG USED AS COMPOSITE PIPE JOINTS

ABSTRACT The rheological properties of curing process of epoxy prepreg were measured by Bohlin Rheometer. The variations of storage modulus, loss modulus and viscosity are monitored vs. the cure time and temperature. Viscosity profiles were described by different models. Except the first order viscosity models, new viscosity models based on Boltzmann function were proposed. In the new models, a parameter called critical time was introduced. Critical time is a function of temperature and also meets an Arrhenius law. The activation energy calculated by critical time closes to that obtained by initial viscosity. The kinetic rate constants in the old and new models are comparable at each temperature, and the kinetic activation energies calculated from rate constants in the old and new models are very close. The fitting results show that the proposed new viscosity models are better than the old models for both isothermal and dynamic cure processes

Arkansas AI-Campus Method for the 2019 Kidney Tumor Segmentation Challenge

Our Arkansas AI-Campus team participants the 2019 Kidney Tumor Segmentation Challenge (KiTS19) during the past 4 months. Here the paper provides a summary of our methods and validation results for this grand challenge in biomedical imaging analysis

CONSIDERATIONS FOR GROUT FORMULATIONS FOR FACILITY CLOSURES USING IN SITU STRATEGIES

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is conducting in situ closures (entombment) at a large number of facilities throughout the complex. Among the largest closure actions currently underway are the closures of the P and R Reactors at the Savannah River Site (SRS), near Aiken, South Carolina. In these facilities, subgrade open spaces are being stabilized with grout; this ensures the long term structural integrity of the facilities and permanently immobilizes and isolates residual contamination. The large size and structural complexity of these facilities present a wide variety of challenges for the identification and selection of appropriate fill materials. Considerations for grout formulations must account for flowability, long term stability, set times, heat generation and interactions with materials within the structure. The large size and configuration of the facility necessitates that grout must be pumped from the exterior to the spaces to be filled, which requires that the material must retain a high degree of flowability to move through piping without clogging while achieving the required leveling properties at the pour site. Set times and curing properties must be controlled to meet operations schedules, while not generating sufficient heat to compromise the properties of the fill material. The properties of residual materials can result in additional requirements for grout formulations. If significant quantities of aluminum are present in the facility, common formulations of highly alkaline grouts may not be appropriate because of the potential for hydrogen generation with the resultant risks. SRS is developing specialized inorganic grout formulations that are designed to address this issue. One circum-neutral chemical grout formulation identified for initial consideration did not possess the proper chemical characteristics, having exceptionally short set times and high heat of hydration. Research efforts are directed toward developing grout formulations that can meet operational requirements for chemical compatibility, extended set times and reduced heat generation

Female reproductive tract infections: understandings and care seeking behaviour among women of reproductive age in Lagos, Nigeria

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Reproductive tract infections (RTI's) are endemic in developing countries and entail a heavy toll on women. If untreated, RTI's can lead to adverse health outcomes such as infertility, ectopic pregnancy and increased vulnerability to transmission of the human immunodeficiency virus. It is also associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. While RTI's and its sequelae abound in Nigeria, there is paucity of publications on the subject in the country. This study assessed the understandings and care seeking behavior with regards to RTI's among women of reproductive age in Lagos, Nigeria with the aim of improving awareness on the subject.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A descriptive cross sectional survey of women attending the gynaecological outpatient and family planning clinics of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital was carried out between 1^stJune 2008 and 31^stAugust 2008 using a pre-tested questionnaire. Data was analysed using the Epi-Info 3.5 statistical software of the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta U.S.A.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Most of the respondents (77.2%) had heard of RTI's. Toilet was the most perceived mode of contracting RTI's (44.6%), followed by sexual intercourse and poor hygiene. Vaginal discharge was the commonest symptom of RTI's named while inability to get pregnant was the commonest named complication. Majority of the respondent's demonstrated poor overall knowledge of symptoms and complications of RTI"s. 37.4% of the respondents had experienced symptoms of RTI's in the preceding six months. Vaginal discharge was the commonest symptom reported (21.8%) and the majority of those who reported symptoms sought medical treatment. Government health centres were the most visited health facilities for treatment.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Even though most of the respondents have heard of RTI's and sought treatment when symptomatic, they demonstrated poor overall understanding of the subject. There is need to educate women on preventive strategies, as RTI's are often assymptomatic.</p

Direct reprogramming of human fibroblasts into dopaminergic neuron-like cells

Transplantation of exogenous dopaminergic neuron (DA neurons) is a promising approach for treating Parkinson's disease (PD). However, a major stumbling block has been the lack of a reliable source of donor DA neurons. Here we show that a combination of five transcriptional factors Mash1, Ngn2, Sox2, Nurr1, and Pitx3 can directly and effectively reprogram human fibroblasts into DA neuron-like cells. The reprogrammed cells stained positive for various markers for DA neurons. They also showed characteristic DA uptake and production properties. Moreover, they exhibited DA neuron-specific electrophysiological profiles. Finally, they provided symptomatic relief in a rat PD model. Therefore, our directly reprogrammed DA neuron-like cells are a promising source of cell-replacement therapy for PD