Observational approaches to chimpanzee behavior in an African sanctuary: Implications for research, welfare, and capacity-building.

Research in African ape sanctuaries has emerged as an important context for our understanding of comparative cognition and behavior. While much of this work has focused on experimental studies of cognition, these animals semi-free-range in forest habitats and therefore can also provide important information about the behavior of primates in socioecologically-relevant naturalistic contexts. In this "New Approaches" article, we describe a project where we implemented a synthetic program of observational data collection at Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary in Uganda, directly modeled after long-term data collection protocols at the Kibale Chimpanzee Project in Uganda, a wild chimpanzee field site. The foundation for this project was a strong partnership between sanctuary staff, field site staff, and external researchers. We describe how we developed a data-collection protocol through discussion and collaboration among these groups, and trained sanctuary caregivers to collect novel observational data using these protocols. We use these data as a case study to examine: (1) how behavioral observations in sanctuaries can inform primate welfare and care practices, such as by understanding aggression within the group; (2) how matched observational protocols across sites can inform our understanding of primate behavior across different contexts, including sex differences in social relationships; and (3) how more robust collaborations between foreign researchers and local partners can support capacity-building in primate range countries, along with mentoring and training students more broadly.

Application Site Reactions from the Buprenorphine Transdermal Patch: A Case Series.

Buprenorphine is a partial mu-opioid agonist available as a transdermal patch for use in patients with chronic pain. Transdermal products can be associated with application site reactions (ASRs). The incidence of ASRs to the buprenorphine transdermal patch (BTP) have been described as low and seldom requiring patch discontinuation. In this case series, we describe four patients who developed an erythematous, rash-like ASR to the BTP leading to treatment discontinuation or rotation to buprenorphine buccal films (BBF). All subjects had demonstrated tolerability to lower patch strengths before developing an ASR with titration to a BTP of a higher strength. The strength at which an ASR emerged varied among subjects; however, all ASRs developed with BTP strengths 10 mcg/hr or higher. The dose-response relationship and prolonged onset to ASR emergence may be suggestive of an allergic delayed hypersensitivity reaction. However, in this case series three subjects demonstrated tolerability to BBF either before or after developing a skin reaction to BTP.

Asociación entre estado nutricional, estilo de vida y estrés académico en estudiantes universitarios: Un caso de estudio / Association between nutritional status, lifestyle and academic stress in undergraduate students: A case study

Introducción: Los estudiantes universitarios se encuentran en una etapa de la vida de gran importancia, ya que, es aquí cuando generalmente se consolidan los estilos de vida, además, se sabe que el estrés puede incidir en los hábitos alimentarios y las conductas asociadas a estos. Objetivo: Evaluar la asociación entre estado nutricional, estilos de vida y estrés académico en estudiantes universitarios. Materiales y métodos: Estudio transversal analítico. Se evaluó el estado nutricional haciendo uso del método de bioimpedancia tetrapolar y bajo la consideración de los siguientes parámetros: IMC, masa grasa, grasa visceral y ángulo de fase. Resultados: Los resultados señalan que no existe relación estadísticamente significativa entre el estrés y el IMC (r=0,077; p= 0,265), masa grasa (r= 0,124; p= 0,073), grasa visceral (r= 0,055; p= 0,430) y el ángulo de fase (r= -0,095;p= 0,167). Tampoco existe una relación estadísticamente significativa entre las dimensiones del estrés académico y el IMC, masa grasa, grasa visceral y el ángulo de fase (p> 0,05).Pero sí se observa que, el estilo de vida tiene relación con la masa grasa (r= -0,237; p= 0,001) y la grasa visceral (r= -0,185; p= 0,007), en ambos casos la relación es inversa-mente proporcional. Conclusión: El estilo de vida guarda relación directa con el estado nutricional, y significativa e inversamente proporcional con la masa grasa y grasa visceral. En cuanto a los hábitos alimentarios y actividad física, existe relación significativa e inversamente proporcional con el IMC, masa grasa y grasa visceral. Además, la recreación y manejo del tiempo libre tiene una relación significativa e inversamente proporcional con masa grasa, de la misma forma el autocuidado y cui-dado médico con la grasa visceral. (AU)

Introduction: University students are in a stage of life of great importance, since, it is here when lifestyles are generally consolidated, in addition, it is known that stress can have an impact on eating habits and behaviors associated with these. Objective: To evaluate the association between nutritional status, lifestyles and academic stress in university students. Materials and methods: Analytical cross-sectional study. Nutritional status was evaluated using the tetrapolar bioimpedance method and under consideration of the following parameters: BMI, fat mass, visceral fat and phase angle. Results: The results indicate that there is no statistically significant relationship between stress and BMI (r= 0.077; p=0.265), fat mass (r= 0.124; p= 0.073), visceral fat (r= 0.055; p= 0.430) and phase angle (r= -0.095; p= 0.167). There is also no statistically significant relationship between the dimensions of academic stress and BMI, fat mass, visceral fat and phase angle (p> 0.05). However, it is observed that lifestyle has a relationship with fat mass (r= -0.237; p=0.001) and visceral fat (r= -0.185; p= 0.007), in both cases the relationship is inversely proportional. Conclusion: Lifestyle is directly related to nutritional status, and significantly and inversely proportional to fat massand visceral fat. As for eating habits and physical activity, there is a significant and inversely proportional relationship with BMI, fat mass and visceral fat. In addition, recreation and leisure time management have a significant and inversely proportional relationship with fat mass, as well as self-care and medical care with visceral fat. (AU)

Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes Regarding the Use of Medical Cannabis in the Hospice Population: An Educational Intervention.

BACKGROUND: Currently, 28 states and the District of Columbia have legalized cannabis for medical use despite its remaining Schedule I federally. Benefits of medical cannabis (MC) have been demonstrated in nausea/vomiting associated with chemotherapy, cachexia associated with HIV/AIDS, and certain types of neuropathic pain. However, it is unclear how comfortable hospice providers are with the concept of MC. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to determine changes in knowledge, self-perceived skills, and attitudes (KSA) of hospice providers regarding MC after an online educational intervention. METHODS: The educational intervention consisted of 3 learning modules covering information from 6 learning domains. Participants took a pre- and postcourse survey to assess changes in KSA. Participant demographics were analyzed using descriptive statistics. To detect any differences between pre- and postsurvey answers, a paired t test was used to reduce intersubject variability. RESULTS: Attitudes about the importance of cannabis knowledge were overall positive and did not change significantly after the intervention (N = 94). Both self-perceived skills and knowledge increased significantly, with providers reporting more positive skills, and >75% of respondents answering questions correctly after the intervention. There was a significant difference in attitudes in all domains in the postsurvey between participants who have practiced in hospice <3 years or ≥4 years, but no difference in perceived skills or knowledge. CONCLUSION: Providers' attitudes regarding the importance of MC knowledge were strong and the same before and after. Both the self-perception of skills and direct knowledge were significantly increased after the educational intervention.

Lithographically Patterned PEDOT Nanowires for the Detection of Iron(III) with Nanomolar Sensitivity.

Arrays of nanowires of an electronically conductive polymeric affinity medium tailored to the detection of Fe(III) are prepared, and their properties for detecting Fe(III) are evaluated. This polymeric affinity medium consists of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) into which an iron chelator, deferoxamine (DFA), has been doped during the polymerization process. PEDOT-DFA nanowires are potentiostatically deposited from a solution containing both EDOT and DFA using lithographically patterned nanowire electrodeposition (LPNE). The through-nanowire electrical resistance of PEDOT-DFA nanowires is measured as a function of the Fe(III) concentration. In parallel with measurements on PEDOT-DFA nanowire arrays, the electrochemical impedance of PEDOT-DFA films is characterized as a function of the Fe(III) concentration and the frequency of the impedance measurement in order to better understand the mechanism of transduction. PEDOT-DFA nanowires detect Fe(III) from 10(-4) to 10(-8) M with a limit of detection of 300 pM (calculated) and 10 nM (measured).