KEYNOTE ADDRESS - From Student to Educator: The Evolution of Diversity and Inclusion

During this interactive presentation, Dr. Lucero will share her experiences as a woman of color with hearing loss and a deaf educator; through her storytelling, the audience will reflect on how evolving perspectives on diversity and inclusion have informed current practices in deaf education

Safety and efficacy of Bolus administration of magnesium sulphate for preeclampsia

Context: Magnesium sulphate is currently the drug of choice in the prevention and treatment of eclampsia. On-going research is addressing its administration in terms of dosage, duration and safety.Objective: We evaluated a modified method of magnesium sulphate administration with respect to safety, efficacy and maternofetal outcome.Design, Setting And Subjects: This was a prospective cohort study conducted at the UBTH, Benin City with patients managed for severe preeclampsia between June and December, 2011. The Zuspan regimen was compared with a modified intravenous regimen in which magnesium maintenance therapy was given as 1g hourly bolus injection administered over 10 minutes. Both methods were evaluated for safety, efficacy and materno-fetal outcome.Result: The mean age, parity, gestational age and body mass index were 28.09±5.5 years, 2.72±1.98, 36.67±3.54 weeks and 26.51±5.60 respectively. Both methods achieved therapeutic levels, but blood pressure control was better in the continuous group than the bolus group (27% vs 100%, P=0.000). Birth asphyxia occurred in 14.8% of the babies and was 3 times more in the continuous group (22% vs 7.5%; p=0.062). More babies in the bolus group were admitted to SCBU (54.1% vs 7.9%; p=0.000). There was no early neonatal death, and no maternal death in the first week of puerperium.Conclusion: This study showed that hourly bolus intravenous administration of magnesium sulphate is comparable to continuous intravenous therapy in terms of safety and efficacy in the treatment of severe preeclampsia. A larger scale study is recommended to further confirm our findings.Keywords: safety, efficacy, bolus magnesium sulphate, preeclampsia, University of Benin Teaching HospitalTrop J Obstet Gynaecol, 30 (1), April 201

From Student to Educator: Reflecting on the Evolution of Diversity and Inclusion in Deaf Education

What is now considered best practices for working with culturally and linguistically diverse families and in inclusive education in deaf education has changed drastically from what was in place in 1979 when Renee Lucero was diagnosed with a hearing loss. During this interactive presentation, we will reflect on how evolving perspectives on diversity and inclusion have informed current practices in deaf education. Dr. Lucero will share her personal and professional experiences as a woman of color with hearing loss and a deaf educator to demonstrate how much the landscape of deaf education has changed in recent decades. As a result of this activity, participants will be able to: Summarize evidence-informed practices when serving culturally and linguistically diverse families Identify at least three new evidence-informed practices to directly implement into their own teaching Describe the evolution of best practices in diversity and inclusive education in deaf educatio

Pyrolysis-gass chromatography-mass spectrometry of soil humic fractions: II. The high boiling point compounds

4 pages, 1 figure, 1 table, 16 references.-- Publicado en el apartado: Division S-3-Soil Microbiology and Biochemistry.Pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry studies of soil fulvic and humic acids were made. The high boiling point compounds produced by pyrolysis were separated in a column packed with Chromosorb AW DMCS 80-100 mesh coated with 10% FFAP. Humic acids with a high nitrogen content yielded a complex variety of protein derivatives, such as alkylpyridines, alkylpyrroles, alkylbenzonitriles, indoles, piperidines, pyrazines, and pyrrolidones. Humic acids with low N content yielded a smaller number of heterocyclic nitrogen compounds. Lignin derivatives were also identified, but the amount varied in different samples. Furanes were not as prominent as protein and lignin fragments. Acid hydrolysis released proteins, polysaccharides, and lignins, which could be considered as companion materials of a humic "core". The majority of the pyrolysis compounds from the residue after hydrolysis were identified as alkylbenzenes, alkylnaphthalenes, phenols, benzofuranes, indenes, and fluorenes. Alkanes and alkenes were noted in trace amounts. Pyrolysis behavior of fulvic acids differed from that of humic acids. They produced poorly resolved pyrograms with smaller number and a lower intensity of peaks, from which only furfurals, phenols, benzofuranes, and naphthalenes could be identified.Peer reviewe

Self-Care: A Vital Practice to Improve Health Promoting Lifestyles of a Novice Nurse Practitioner

Abstract Purpose: The project aimed to improve students\u27 health-promoting lifestyles while enrolled in a master\u27s degree nurse practitioner (NP) program by integrating self-care plan modules in their final-year curriculum. Background: New NPs should be equipped with self-care practices while enrolled in the master\u27s degree program to develop health-promoting lifestyles, enhance overall well-being, and endorse healthy lifestyles to their patients. Methods: A convenience sampling was used in a single group pre- and post-survey using health-promoting lifestyle profile II (HPLP II) administered to NP students for eight consecutive weeks after performing a lifestyle self-care plan (LSCP). The survey included the six HPLP II subscales: spiritual growth, interpersonal relations, nutrition, physical activity, health responsibilities, and stress management. Results: Out of 17 participants, 13 completed the project. The participants’ healthy lifestyles improved. Health responsibility and interpersonal relations improved significantly. Stress management, physical fitness, and nutrition improvement minimally. Spiritual growth was consistently high in pre- and post-surveys. Participants reported they liked the self-care videos and found them helpful, but most did not have time to practice self-care due to busy schedules. Significance: Although new NPs cannot always avoid stress, adding self-care practice modules in the master’s degree curriculum could help improve healthy lifestyles, which may benefit them and the entire healthcare system

Moving to another world: understanding the impact of clinical trial closure on research participants living with HIV in Uganda

Despite an increasing need for clinical trials involving people living with HIV (PLWH), little is known about how PLWH experience trial closure, particularly in low-income countries, where the majority of trials take place. We sought to explore the impact of trial closure on PLWH in Uganda. This was an interpretive, grounded theory study using in-depth interviews, conducted between October 2014 and August 2015. Adult participants (N = 23) from 3 trials were included. The findings indicated that trial closure was represented as “moving to another world” and was an emotional transition, linked to a loss of quality care in the research environment, the need to find alternative health facilities, fear of experiencing unwanted side effects, a desire to receive trial feedback, and difficulties linking to posttrial care. We concluded that PLWH leaving trials in a resource-limited setting required holistic care to facilitate their transition back to “usual care.

Internet Safety and Security Surveys - A Review

www.imm.dtu.d

Estudio de la estabilidad oxidativa de aceites funcionalizados con derivados de hidroxitirosol

Las materias grasas sufren procesos de autooxidación que conducen a la formación de productos volátiles que les confieren olor y sabor desagradable, haciéndolas inaceptables para el consumo humano. Para evitarlo, se utilizan aditivos que retrasan este proceso, con la consiguiente prolongación de la vida útil del producto. Sin embargo la gama de productos con carácter de aditivo antioxidante para alimentos es reducida pues, aparte de los extractos vegetales, la mayoría son productos fenólicos sintéticos, excepto los tocoferoles y el palmitato de ascorbilo que son los que presentan una menor capacidad de protección. Por este motivo la industria alimentaria está requiriendo antioxidantes más potentes, a ser posible de origen natural, que no tengan sabor y que además confieran al alimento propiedades funcionales. El hidroxitirosol (HTy) y una serie de derivados son orto-difenoles con fuerte carácter antioxidante que se encuentran en el aceite de oliva y que poseen numerosas propiedades farmacológicas y nutricionales que dan lugar a que el aceite de oliva virgen sea reconocido como cardiosaludable. Los derivados mayoritarios del HTy en el aceite de oliva tienen marcado sabor amargo y el HTy libre es un producto siruposo de difícil disolución en grasas por lo que no se han utilizado en los alimentos grasos. Sin embargo, ciertos derivados del hidroxilo primario, tales como éteres y ésteres de hidroxitirosilo, han demostrado ser insípidos y tener buena solubilidad en grasas manteniendo un fuerte carácter antioxidante. En la presente Tesis se profundiza en la investigación de las propiedades antioxidantes de los alquil éteres (AEHTy), ésteres grasos (EGHTy) y acetato (AcHTy) de hidroxitirosilo y sus interacciones con el α-tocoferol (α-T), antioxidante presente en la mayoría de los aceites vegetales, para que puedan ser utilizados como aditivos liposolubles en alimentos grasos. Así mismo, se estudia un procedimiento de obtención de EGHTy y se optimizan métodos analíticos para la determinación de todos estos derivados en matrices oleosas. Los AEHTy son sustancias obtenidas por reacción de yoduros de alquilo con el HTy con los OH fenólicos protegidos, y que han mostrado tener interesantes propiedades farmacológicas y nutricionales ya que después de la ingesta no se hidrolizan en el tracto intestinal, manteniendo su carácter lipofílico hasta que se forman los glucurónidos o sulfatos. Mediante la oxidación acelerada Rancimat® se ha investigado la actividad antioxidante de los AEHTy en matrices oleosas de diferente grado de insaturación, así como el efecto de la presencia de α-T. Utilizando el sistema de oxidación a baja temperatura open cup, se ha investigado también el efecto de la insaturación de la matriz, siguiéndose la evolución de los parámetros de calidad y de las concentraciones de α-T y AEHTy. Las capacidades antioxidantes fueron ligeramente mayores que las de los ésteres homólogos. El método más conveniente para la obtención de EGHTy es por transesterificación de ésteres alquílicos de ácidos grasos con HTy libre. Debido a que para disponer de los AEHTy y EGHTy es necesario proceder a una síntesis seguida de una purificación del producto de la reacción, en esta Tesis se ha investigado la síntesis de los EGHTy por reacción del HTy libre con los triacilgliceroles que componen los aceites, en un proceso simple y económico que puede ser aplicado fácilmente por la industria refinadora de aceites y que no requiere el aislamiento y la purificación del producto. Como producto de la reacción se obtiene un aceite que contiene una alta concentración de una mezcla de EGHTy, y que puede ser usado directamente como aditivo antioxidante para alimentos grasos. La reacción se ha desarrollado en aceites con muy diversa composición en ácidos grasos y se han estudiado las variables que intervienen en el proceso, tales como relación HTy/aceite, cantidad de enzima, soporte sólido para la dispersión del HTy, temperatura y tiempo de reacción. Los aceites resultantes se han caracterizado por la composición en ácidos grasos, y los perfiles glicerídico y de EGHTy, así como por el contenido total en HTy solubilizado y ésteres. Los EGHTy están presentes en pequeña cantidad en el aceite de oliva virgen y tienen un marcado carácter lipofílico que se pierde en parte tras la ingesta ya que en el tracto intestinal se hidrolizan a HTy libre. Para el estudio de la capacidad antioxidante de los ésteres se han aplicado procesos de oxidación open cup a temperatura ambiente así como la oxidación acelerada a alta temperatura en equipo Rancimat®, utilizándose el acetato de hidroxitirosilo (AcHTy) como representante de esta familia de ésteres. Se ha estudiado su actividad en comparación con la del α-T y la de las mezclas de ambos, para conocer la influencia de este compuesto sobre la capacidad de los ésteres. Como resultado se ha observado que los ésteres tienen una alta capacidad antioxidante y que ejercen un efecto protector sobre el tocoferol al ralentizar la disminución de su concentración con el tiempo. Por otra parte el α-T ejerce un efecto aditivo positivo para bajas concentraciones de AcHTy mientras que el efecto es sustractivo para altas. Finalmente, utilizando aceites con una alta concentración de EGHTy obtenidos in situ se han enriquecido aceites de diverso grado de insaturación a diversas concentraciones, se ha determinado la estabilidad Rancimat y se ha estimado la vida útil de los aceites a temperatura ambiente, mediante la extrapolación de los periodos de inducción Rancimat a temperaturas elevadas. Como conclusión final, se afirma que tanto los éteres como los ésteres de hidroxitirosilo tienen alta capacidad antioxidante, en ventaja con el α-T y los antioxidantes fenólicos sintéticos de uso habitual, por lo que pueden ser usados como aditivos antioxidantes de las materias grasas, aportando carácter funcional al alimento y presentando una actividad que depende de la composición en ácidos grasos de la matriz lipídica y de su contenido de tocoferoles

Adding Salt to Pepper: A Structured Security Assessment over a Humanoid Robot

The rise of connectivity, digitalization, robotics, and artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly changing our society and shaping its future development. During this technological and societal revolution, security has been persistently neglected, yet a hacked robot can act as an insider threat in organizations, industries, public spaces, and private homes. In this paper, we perform a structured security assessment of Pepper, a commercial humanoid robot. Our analysis, composed by an automated and a manual part, points out a relevant number of security flaws that can be used to take over and command the robot. Furthermore, we suggest how these issues could be fixed, thus, avoided in the future. The very final aim of this work is to push the rise of the security level of IoT products before they are sold on the public market.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures, 4 table