Becoming a mother in 2020

Background: Becoming a mother could be described as an exciting and transformative time for women. It is also understood that during pregnancy and the postnatal period, many mothers experience uncertainty and stress due to a myriad of issues including physical and psychosocial difficulties. COVID-19 generally had a profound impact on the mental health of the nation, as the pandemic produced physical health concerns, increased social isolation and financial difficulties. However, for those who became mothers during this time, this experience was even more impactful as they were completing this transition in an uncertain world. This systematic review intended to examine the experiences of women who became mothers during 2020, and to understand how they felt during this time of uncertainty and change. Method: The literature from the results of six databases, was systematically searched. Papers were then screened and selected in line with pre-defined inclusion and exclusion criteria, using the PRISMA method. The remaining papers were then subjected to a quality assessment using a qualitative critical appraisal tool. A total of 17 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in this review. Outcomes: Six main themes emerged from the review: 1) Change to support and relationships, 2) Feeling alone, 3) Missing out on things that were expected, 4) Fear of the COVID-19 virus, 5) Mental health and emotional difficulties and 6) Silver linings. Discussion: Women who became mothers during 2020 described their experience as significantly influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in changes to their expectations of how motherhood would be. Further research is needed into the experience of women from minority ethnic backgrounds, as the majority of the women who took part in the research that was synthesised were White

Letter from L. Wildman to [Louie Strentzel] Muir, 1903 Sep 4.

London 4 September 1903Madam,We have the pleasure to inform you that, since writing to you on the 28th August last, we have been able to collect the cost of our cable to you of the 26th idem.We were unable to do so at the time, as the Telegraph Company here had not instructions to hand us a paid reply form: which mistake has, however, been since rectified by them.We remain,MadamYour obedient servantsL. WildmanMrs. J. Muir.MartinezCalifornia.0621

P2X receptors: epithelial ion channels and regulators of salt and water transport.

When the results from electrophysiological studies of renal epithelial cells are combined with data from in vivo tubule microperfusion experiments and immunohistochemical surveys of the nephron, the accumulated evidence suggests that ATP-gated ion channels, P2X receptors, play a specialized role in the regulation of ion and water movement across the renal tubule and are integral to electrolyte and fluid homeostasis. In this short review, we discuss the concept of P2X receptors as regulators of salt and water salvage pathways, as well as acknowledging their accepted role as ATP-gated ion channels

The development of the apparatus to measure electric field in the presence of ionisation

An Introductory survey of investigations in the Earth’s Atmosphere and beyond, gives evidence from phenomena such as Aurora, Dynamo Theory, and Ionospheric irregularities, for the desirability of detecting and measuring electrostatic fields in these regions, The electrical phenomena associated with isolated conductors in ionised regions are discussed, and the differences and similarities between electrical measurements in laboratory plasmas and extraterrestrial plasmas are pointed out. Estimates for the electric fields and currents interacting with an exposed conductor isolated from the main body of a rocket or satellite in the extra terrestrial plasma are obtained. Considering these estimates, a theory for a device to detect such fields and currents is obtained. This device is in effect, two field mills each having the layout first put forward by Malan and Schonland (1950), rotating about the same axis but working at two different frequencies. This allows two equations to be set up which may be solved for applied field or for applied current. The means for testing and calibrating such an instrument in the laboratory are discussed and the test chamber constructed for the preliminary model is described, and an idea of the results obtained is given. The construction of a mill for flight in an aerobe-Hi rocket, and of apparatus for its accurate calibration is described, and results given for the field, and current sensitivities of both ‘halves’ of the mill. The field sensitivities (9.0 x 10(^-6) and 6 x 10(^-6). Volts/v/m. approx) are as much as 85% of the outputs predicted by theory, but the current sensitivities are best expressed by powers, less than unity, of the applied current, giving for total currents greater than 10(^-9)amps; (V – a) = (10(^10)I)(^b) where V is the mill output, I is the total applied current, a. is the mill output when I <10(^-10)amps, the lowest sensitivity of the current measuring element in the calibration circuit (a. is negligibly different from zero output) and b is the slope of V against I plotted on log. Log. axes. The interpretation of the ‘field and current’ total mill output signals is discussed, and suggestions made to explain departures from theoretical predictions

The Variety of Variables in Automated Real-Time Refinement

The refinement calculus is a well-established theory for deriving program code from specifications. Recent research has extended the theory to handle timing requirements, as well as functional ones, and we have developed an interactive programming tool based on these extensions. Through a number of case studies completed using the tool, this paper explains how the tool helps the programmer by supporting the many forms of variables needed in the theory. These include simple state variables as in the untimed calculus, trace variables that model the evolution of properties over time, auxiliary variables that exist only to support formal reasoning, subroutine parameters, and variables shared between parallel processes