School Food Environments and Policies in U.S. Public Schools

Examines food environments in elementary, middle, and high schools based on seventeen factors, including foods and beverages offered, the availability of vending machines, and how they vary by grade level, location, and other school characteristics

Patterns of symptoms possibly indicative of cancer and associated help-seeking behaviour in a large sample of United Kingdom residents - the USEFUL study

Background.Cancer awareness campaigns aim to increase awareness of the potential seriousness of signs and symptoms of cancer, and encourage their timely presentation to healthcare services. Enhanced understanding of the prevalence of symptoms possibly indicative of cancer in different population subgroups, and associated general practitioner (GP) help-seeking behaviour, will help to target cancer awareness campaigns more effectively.Aim.To determine: i) the prevalence of 21 symptoms possibly indicative of breast, colorectal, lung or upper gastrointestinal cancer in the United Kingdom (UK), including six ‘red flag’ symptoms; ii) whether the prevalence varies among population subgroups; iii) the proportion of symptoms self-reported as presented to GPs; iv) whether GP help-seeking behaviour varies within population subgroups.Methods.Self-completed questionnaire about experience of, and response to, 25 symptoms (including 21 possibly indicative of the four cancers of interest) in the previous month and year; sent to 50,000 adults aged 50 years or more and registered with 21 general practices in Staffordshire, England or across Scotland. Results.Completed questionnaires were received from 16,778 respondents (corrected response rate 34.2%). Almost half (45.8%) of respondents had experienced at least one symptom possibly indicative of cancer in the last month, and 58.5% in the last year. The prevalence of individual symptoms varied widely (e.g. in the last year between near zero% (vomiting up blood) and 15.0% (tired all the time). Red flag symptoms were uncommon. Female gender, inability to work because of illness, smoking, a history of a specified medical diagnosis, low social support and lower household income were consistently associated with experiencing at least one symptom possibly indicative of cancer in both the last month and year. The proportion of people who had contacted their GP about a symptom experienced in the last month varied between 8.1% (persistent cough) and 39.9% (unexplained weight loss); in the last year between 32.8% (hoarseness) and 85.4% (lump in breast). Nearly half of respondents experiencing at least one red flag symptom in the last year did not contact their GP about it. Females, those aged 80+ years, those unable to work because of illness, ex-smokers and those previously diagnosed with a specified condition were more likely to report a symptom possibly indicative of cancer to their GP; and those on high household income less likely.Conclusion.Symptoms possibly indicative of cancer are common among adults aged 50+ years in the UK, although they are not evenly distributed. Help-seeking responses to different symptoms also vary. Our results suggest important opportunities to provide more nuanced messaging and targeting of symptom-based cancer awareness campaigns

Al0.2Ga0.8As 2 × 2 square pixel X-ray photodiode array

A monolithic 2 × 2 square pixel Al0.2Ga0.8As p+-i-n+ mesa X-ray photodiode array (each photodiode area 200 µm by 200 µm, 3 µm i layer) has been fabricated from material grown by MOVPE. The array was electrically characterised across the temperature range 100 °C to -20 °C. Each pixel’s response to illumination with soft X rays from an 55Fe radioisotope X-ray source (Mn Kα = 5.9 keV; Mn Kβ = 6.49 keV) was investigated across the temperature range 30 °C to -20 °C. The best energy resolution (FWHM at 5.9 keV) achieved at 20 °C was 0.76 keV ± 0.06 keV (with 30 V reverse bias applied to the detector). The measured energy resolution is the best so far reported for AlGaAs X-ray photodiodes at 20 °C. It is also the first time a small AlGaAs X-ray photodiode array has been demonstrated. Due to the temperature tolerance and the radiation hardness of AlGaAs, such detectors are expected to find utility in future space science missions exposed to intense radiation environments, for example missions to study the Jovian or Saturnian aurorae and high temperature planetary surfaces

Effect of Water Content on the Thermal Inactivation Kinetics of Horseradish Peroxidase Freeze-Dried from Alkaline pH

The thermal inactivation of horseradish peroxidase freeze-dried from solutions of different pH (8, 10 and 11.5, measured at 25 C) and equilibrated to different water contents was studied in the temperature range from 110 to 150 C. The water contents studied (0.0, 1.4, 16.2 and 25.6 g water per 100 g of dry enzyme) corresponded to water activities of 0.0, 0.11, 0.76 and 0.88 at 4 C. The kinetics were well described by a double exponential model. The enzyme was generally more stable the lower the pH of the original solution, and for all pH values, the maximum stability was obtained at 1.4 g water/100 g dry enzyme. Values of z were generally independent of water content and of the pH of the original solution, and in the range of 15–25 °C, usually found in neutral conditions, with the exception of the enzyme freeze dried from pH 11.5 and equilibrated with phosphorus pentoxide, where a z-value of the stable fraction close to 10 C was found

Initial Acoustoelastic Measurements in Olivine: Investigating the Effect of Stress on P- and S-Wave Velocities

It is well known that elasticity is a key physical property in the determination of the structure and composition of the Earth and provides critical information for the interpretation of seismic data. This study investigates the stress-induced variation in elastic wave velocities, known as the acoustoelastic effect, in San Carlos olivine. A recently developed experimental ultrasonic acoustic system, the Directly Integrated Acoustic System Combined with Pressure Experiments (DIASCoPE), was used with the D-DIA multi-anvil apparatus to transmit ultrasonic sound waves and collect the reflections. We use the DIASCoPE to obtain longitudinal (P) and shear (S) elastic wave velocities from San Carlos olivine at pressures ranging from 3.2–10.5 GPa and temperatures from 450–950°C which we compare to the stress state in the D-DIA derived from synchrotron X-ray diffraction. We use elastic-plastic self-consistent (EPSC) numerical modeling to forward model X-ray diffraction data collected in D-DIA experiments to obtain the macroscopic stress on our sample. We can observe the relationship between the relative elastic wave velocity change (ΔV/V) and macroscopic stress to determine the acoustoelastic constants, and interpret our observations using the linearized first-order equation based on the model proposed by Hughes and Kelly (1953), https://doi.org/10.1103/physrev.92.1145. This work supports the presence of the acoustoelastic effect in San Carlos olivine, which can be measured as a function of pressure and temperature. This study will aid in our understanding of the acoustoelastic effect and provide a new experimental technique to measure the stress state in elastically deformed geologic materials at high pressure conditions

AlGaAs 55Fe X-ray radioisotope microbattery

This paper describes the performance of a fabricated prototype Al0.2Ga0.8As 55Fe radioisotope microbattery photovoltaic cells over the temperature range −20 °C to 50 °C. Two 400 μm diameter p+-i-n+ (3 μm i-layer) Al0.2Ga0.8As mesa photodiodes were used as conversion devices in a novel X-ray microbattery prototype. The changes of the key microbattery parameters were analysed in response to temperature: the open circuit voltage, the maximum output power and the internal conversion efficiency decreased when the temperature was increased. At −20 °C, an open circuit voltage and a maximum output power of 0.2 V and 0.04 pW, respectively, were measured per photodiode. The best internal conversion efficiency achieved for the fabricated prototype was only 0.95% at −20 °C

Income, ethnic diversity and family life in East London during the first wave of the pandemic: An assets approach

Objective: This paper reports first results from a survey of 992 parents and parents to be living in an ethnically diverse and socio-economically unequal borough of East London during the coronavirus pandemic that reduced mobility, closed services and threatened public health. / Background: Little is known about the place based impacts of the pandemic on families with young children. We describe the living circumstances of families with children under five or expecting a baby living in Tower Hamlets during the Coronavirus pandemic in 2020, and then examine the relative importance of household characteristics such as ethnicity and household income for adverse impacts on survey respondents, as seen in mental health outcomes. / Method: a community survey sample recruited with support from the local council comprised 75% mothers/pregnant women, 25% fathers/partners of pregnant women. Reflecting the borough population, 35 percent were White British or Irish and 36 percent were Bangladeshi, and the remainder were from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds. Adopting an assets based approach, we describe material, familial and community assets using three household income bands and seven ethnic groups. We then use regressions to identify which assets were most important in mitigating adversity. / Results: We find that material assets (income, employment, food insecurity, housing quality) were often insecure and in decline but familial assets (home caring practices, couple relationships) were largely sustained. Community assets (informal support, service provision) were less available or means of access had changed. Our analyses find that while descriptively ethnicity structured adverse impacts of the pandemic related changes to family life, income and couple relationships were the most important assets for mitigating adversity as seen in mental health status. / Conclusion: Supporting family assets will require close attention to generating local and decent work as well as enhancing access to community assets

The impact of Covid-19 on families, children aged 0-4 and pregnant women in Tower Hamlets: Wave One Survey Findings

Families in Tower Hamlets is an ongoing research project led by University College London into the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the lives of families with young children and pregnant women. This report is of initial findings from the ‘first 500’ respondents, who completed the survey between July and November 2020. We present findings in terms of seven main ethnic groups that broadly represent proportions in the local population: one third of the population identify as White British and White Irish; a further third identify as Bangladeshi; and a final third identify with a wide range of other ethnicities. There are marked differences within this group so we have used the categories: Other White; Asian Other; Somali; Black & Black Other; and Other ethnic group to illustrate the experiences of respondents. With this lens of ethnicity, combined with analysis by household income, we can see certain clear patterns arising. Here, we focus on five main areas: family livelihoods; housing and environment; supporting children at home; health and social support services; and participants’ own health and mental health. Subsequent outputs will present findings in more detail

Interim Briefing Report. The First 500: The impact of Covid-19 on families, children aged 0-4 and pregnant women in Tower Hamlets

Families in Tower Hamlets is an ongoing research project led by University College London into the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the lives of families with young children and pregnant women. This report is of initial findings from the ‘first 500’ respondents, who completed the survey between July and September 2020. We present findings in terms of three main ethnic groups that broadly represent proportions in the local population: one third of the population identify as White British and White Irish; a further third identify as Bangladeshi; and a final third identify with a wide range of other ethnicities which we have had to present as ‘Other ethnicity’ in this report and we acknowledge this is unlikely to do justice to the range of experience within this group. With this lens of ethnicity, combined with analysis by household income, we can see certain clear patterns arising. Here, we focus on five main areas: family livelihoods; housing and environment; supporting children at home; health and social support services; and participants’ own health and mental health. Subsequent outputs will present findings in more detail

What Family Circumstances, During COVID-19, Impact on Parental Mental Health in an Inner City Community in London?

The introduction of lockdown due to a public health emergency in March 2020 marked the beginning of substantial changes to daily life for all families with young children. Here we report the experience of families from London Borough of Tower Hamlets with high rates of poverty and ethnic and linguistic diversity. This inner city community, like communities worldwide, has experienced a reduction or closure in access to education, support services, and in some cases, a change in or loss of income, job, and food security. Using quantitative survey items (N = 992), we examined what differences in family circumstances, for mothers and fathers of young children aged 0-5 living in Tower Hamlets, during March 2020 to November 2020, were associated with their mental health status. We measure parental mental health using symptoms of depression (self-report: Patient Health Questionnaire depression scale: PHQ-8), symptoms of anxiety levels (self-report: General Anxiety Disorder: GAD-7), and perceptions of direct loneliness. We find parental mental health difficulties are associated with low material assets (financial security, food security, and children having access to outside space), familial assets (parents time for themselves and parent status: lone vs. cohabiting), and community assets (receiving support from friends and family outside the household). South Asian parents and fathers across ethnicities were significantly more likely to experience mental health difficulties, once all other predictors were accounted for. These contributing factors should be considered for future pandemics, where restrictions on people's lives are put in place, and speak to the importance of reducing financial insecurity and food insecurity as a means of improving the mental health of parents