Supetai Well Water Purification

The rural Kenyan community of Oldonya Rasha had depended on water from a distant spring of unknown quality from which there have been reports of typhoid. A non-governmental organization, Sabore’s Well, built the centrally-located Supetai Well with the intention of solving the lack of accessible potable water, but due to high fluoride levels in the groundwater, this water source is unsafe. The team designed a water treatment system to be integrated into the existing well infrastructure that removes fluoride and pathogens to meet Kenyan and World Health Organization (WHO) water quality standards. The design includes dosage of alum and soda ash; a parshall flume for chemical mixing and coagulation; a vertical impeller flocculator; a sedimentation basin; a slow sand filter; and a final holding tank with inline chlorinators for disinfection. The system supports a conservative load estimate to be a consistent and dependable potable water source, and was designed to empower the community with self-sufficiency after the initial development. The team will deliver the design to the client along with a cost estimate, sludge management and disposal procedure, a non-technical operation and maintenance manual, and a community education plan

'I can actually do it without any help or someone watching over me all the time and giving me constant instruction': Autistic adolescent boys' perspectives on engagement in online video gaming

Research into autistic adolescents' engagement in online gaming has so far focused on time spent gaming, or characterizing problematic gaming behaviour and has relied mostly on caregiver report. In the current study, we interviewed 12 autistic adolescent boys, asking about their perspectives on their engagement in online gaming, and their motivations. We analysed the interview data using thematic analysis and identified three key themes in the data, which focused on agency and a sense of belonging, emotion regulation, and acknowledgement of the differing perceptions that the young people and their caregivers had of gaming. Our findings show the need to include the viewpoints of autistic young people in research about their interests and well-being, and provide insights that can help caregivers and professionals to support autistic young people in flourishing

The ability of career maturity indicators to predict interest score differentiation, consistency, and elevation among undergraduate students enrolled in a career/life planning course

The purpose of this research was to investigate relationships between the attitudinal and cognitive components of career maturity as assessed by the Career Development Inventory (CDI) and interest score differentiation, consistency, and elevation as assessed by the Strong Interest Inventory (SII). 252 undergraduate students enrolled in a career/life planning course at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 101 males and 151 females, comprised the sample. Multiple regression analyses were conducted, with the CDI scales as predictor variables and the interest measures as dependent variables. The regression coefficients associated with corresponding career maturity measures for males and females did not differ significantly, making it unnecessary to examine separate regression equations for males and females. Gender differences in means for differentiation and consistency were found. Interest consistency was weakly predicted by Knowledge of One's Preferred Occupation (PO scale), and score elevation was weakly predicted by the Career Exploration (CE scale) and the PO scales. Differentiation was not predicted by any of the career maturity variables

The role of the teacher

The teacher’s role may be perceived and described in many ways. It is possible that emphasis is placed upon facilitating, supporting, leading and guiding the cognitive development of the learner. Skills, knowledge and understanding, which are embodied in curriculum documentation and presented according to subject relevance, are often foregrounded. The process of translating curricula such as this into practice is sufficiently challenging;, however, the preceding chapters highlight the multi-faceted role of the teacher, which extends beyond the measureable and more tangible outcomes of learning. In an age of supercomplexity, the teacher is amidst competing and often conflicting demands, which are difficult to navigate. As a moral practice, teachers will consider and respond to the needs and well-being of the learner not only contemplating how pupils might perform in assessments but also reflecting upon the needs and experiences of the pupil as an individual in their own right - collaborating and communicating with other professionals beyond the geography of the classroom and forging sustainable and productive links between home and school. At the core of such activity are teachers’ own values, and to gain a better understanding of these, this chapter examines the individual and the collective voice of teachers drawn from a range of practice settings. In so doing, this chapter explores the ways in which teachers conceptualizse and enact their role and the factors that influence their values, identity and practice

"Post-GDM support would be really good for mothers": A qualitative interview study exploring how to support a healthy diet and physical activity after gestational diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). They are therefore recommended to follow a healthy diet and be physically active in order to reduce that risk. However, achieving and maintaining these behaviours in the postpartum period is challenging. This study sought to explore women's views on suggested practical approaches to achieve and maintain a healthy diet and physical activity to reduce T2DM risk. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews with 20 participants in Cambridgeshire, UK were conducted at three to 48 months after GDM. The participants' current diet and physical activity, intentions for any changes, and views on potential interventions to help manage T2DM risk through these behaviours were discussed. Framework analysis was used to analyse the transcripts. The interview schedule, suggested interventions, and thematic framework were based on a recent systematic review. RESULTS: Most of the participants wanted to eat more healthily and be more active. A third of the participants considered that postpartum support for these behaviours would be transformative, a third thought it would be beneficial, and a third did not want additional support. The majority agreed that more information about the impact of diet and physical activity on diabetes risk, support to exercise with others, and advice about eating healthily, exercising with a busy schedule, monitoring progress and sustaining changes would facilitate a healthy diet and physical activity. Four other suggested interventions received mixed responses. It would be acceptable for this support to be delivered throughout pregnancy and postpartum through a range of formats. Clinicians were seen to have important roles in giving or signposting to support. CONCLUSIONS: Many women would appreciate more support to reduce their T2DM risk after GDM and believe that a variety of interventions to integrate changes into their daily lives would help them to sustain healthier lifestyles.RAD was funded by a PhD studentship from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) School for Primary Care Research (SPCR; SPCR-S-S102). This paper presents independent research funded by the NIHR SPCR. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NIHR, the NHS or the Department of Health. JAUS was funded by a Cancer Research UK Cancer Prevention Fellowship (C55650/A21464). SJG is supported by the Medical Research Council (MC_UU_12015/4). The University of Cambridge has received salary support in respect of SJG from the NHS in the East of England through the Clinical Academic Reserve. CEA is supported by an Action Medical Research Grant (GN2778) and a Medical Research Council New Investigator Research Grant (MR/T016701/1). CLM is supported by the Diabetes UK Harry Keen Intermediate Clinical Fellowship (DUK-HKF 17/0005712) and the European Foundation for the Study of Diabetes – Novo Nordisk Foundation Future Leaders’ Award (NNF19SA058974). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript

‘Oh, I’ve got an appointment’: A qualitative interview study exploring how to support attendance at diabetes screening after gestational diabetes

Funder: NIHR School for Primary Care Research; Id: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100013374Funder: Cancer Research UK; Id: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000289Funder: Action Medical Research; Id: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000317Funder: European Foundation for the Study of Diabetes; Id: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100001648Funder: Medical Research Council; Id: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000265Funder: Diabetes UK; Id: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000361Abstract: Aims: To explore the views of women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) on suggested practical approaches to support diabetes screening attendance after GDM, which is recommended but poorly attended. Methods: We conducted semi‐structured interviews with 20 participants in Cambridgeshire, UK who had been diagnosed with GDM and were 3–48 months postpartum. Interviews covered whether participants had been screened and why, plans for future screening and their views on potential interventions to facilitate attendance (at the first postpartum test and annual testing). Framework analysis was used to analyse the transcripts. The interview schedule, suggested interventions and thematic framework were based on a recent systematic review. Results: Sixteen participants had undergone screening since pregnancy, explaining that they had an appointment arranged and wanted reassurance that they did not have diabetes. The participants who had not been tested were not aware that it was recommended. Only 13 had planned to attend subsequent tests at the start of the interview. Eight themes to support future attendance were discussed. The majority of the participants agreed that changing the processes for arranging tests, offering choice in test location and combining appointments would facilitate attendance. Child‐friendly clinics, more opportunities to understand GDM and the role of postpartum testing, stopping self‐testing and increasing their GP’s awareness of their pregnancy received inconsistent feedback. The nature of the test used did not appear to influence attendance. Conclusions: The participants wanted to be screened for diabetes after GDM. We have identified interventions that could be relatively simply incorporated into routine practice to facilitate screening attendance, such as flexibility in the appointment location or time and sending invitations for tests

APERO: A PipelinE to Reduce Observations -- Demonstration with SPIRou

With the maturation of near-infrared high-resolution spectroscopy, especially when used for precision radial velocity, data reduction has faced unprecedented challenges in terms of how one goes from raw data to calibrated, extracted, and corrected data with required precisions of thousandths of a pixel. Here we present APERO (A PipelinE to Reduce Observations), specifically focused on SPIRou, the near-infrared spectropolarimeter on the Canada--France--Hawaii Telescope (SPectropolarim\`etre InfraROUge, CFHT). In this paper, we give an overview of APERO and detail the reduction procedure for SPIRou. APERO delivers telluric-corrected 2D and 1D spectra as well as polarimetry products. APERO enables precise stable radial velocity measurements on sky (via the LBL algorithm), good to at least ~2 m/s over the current 5-year lifetime of SPIRou.Comment: Accepted for publication in PASP. 55 pages, 29 figures, 10 pages of Appendice

Field-deployable, quantitative, rapid identification of active Ebola virus infection in unprocessed blood

The West African Ebola virus outbreak underlined the importance of delivering mass diagnostic capability outside the clinical or primary care setting in effectively containing public health emergencies caused by infectious disease. Yet, to date, there is no solution for reliably deploying at the point of need the gold standard diagnostic method, real time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT- qPCR), in a laboratory infrastructure-free manner. In this proof of principle work, we demonstrate direct performance of RT-qPCR on fresh blood using far-red fluorophores to resolve fluorogenic signal inhibition and controlled, rapid freeze/thawing to achieve viral genome extraction in a single reaction chamber assay. The resulting process is entirely free of manual or automated sample pre-processing, requires no microfluidics or magnetic/mechanical sample handling and thus utilizes low cost consumables. This enables a fast, laboratory infrastructure-free, minimal risk and simple standard operating procedure suited to frontline, field use. Developing this novel approach on recombinant bacteriophage and recombinant human immunodeficiency virus (HIV; Lentivirus), we demonstrate clinical utility in symptomatic EBOV patient screening using live, infectious Filoviruses and surrogate patient samples. Moreover, we evidence assay co-linearity independent of viral particle structure that may enable viral load quantification through pre-calibration, with no loss of specificity across an 8 log- linear maximum dynamic range. The resulting quantitative rapid identification (QuRapID) molecular diagnostic platform, openly accessible for assay development, meets the requirements of resource- limited countries and provides a fast response solution for mass public health screening against emerging biosecurity threats