Young adult's views on using a poster to learn about fertility: redesigning the fertility education poster.

Fertility awareness should be taught to everyone. The International Reproductive Health Education Collaboration (IRHEC) designed a fertility poster in 2019 but did not have a specific target group in mind. Studies have been conducted in Denmark and Sweden to determine how the poster can be redesigned. In this study, we carried out focus groups with young adults in the UK to ask their views of the poster, with the aim of redesigning it. Six focus groups were undertaken with twenty seven, 18-25 year olds. Five questions were asked: 1. What are your thoughts, feelings, and reactions to the poster? 2. Did you learn anything from the poster? 3. How has reading the poster impacted your opinions or thoughts about having children? 4. What are your opinions about using a poster format to inform and start reflections regarding family building? 5. Reading through each point are there any changes to be made? Content analysis was performed. Themes identified revealed the information on the poster gave the participants some anxiety and apprehension, especially regarding the effect of age on fertility, perceptions of IVF, and gaps in knowledge. The fertility education poster is a good resource for education, but other resources should be developed.

Antibiotic prescribing practices in community and clinical settings during the COVID-19 pandemic in Nairobi, Kenya.

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted healthcare systems, including antibiotic use practices. We present data on patterns of antibiotic dispensing and use in community and hospital settings respectively in Nairobi, Kenya during the pandemic. We conducted interviews with 243 pharmacies in Nairobi using a standardised questionnaire from November to December 2021. The data collected included demographic characteristics, antibiotic customers, types of antibiotics sold, and antibiotic prescribing practices. Additionally, we retrospectively reviewed health records for 992 and 738 patients admitted in COVID-19 and general wards at two large inpatient hospitals between April 2020 and May 2021, and January 2019 to October 2021, respectively. Demographic, utilisation of laboratory services, treatment, clinical, and outcome data were collected using a modified Global WHO Point Prevalence Surveys (Global-PPS) tool. Almost all pharmacies (91.4%) served customers suspected of having COVID-19 with a mean weekly number of 15.6 customers. All pharmacies dispensed antibiotics, mainly azithromycin and beta lactams to suspected COVID-19 infected customers. 83.4% of hospitalised COVID-19 patients received at least one antibiotic at some point during their hospitalisation, which was significantly higher than the 53.8% in general ward patients (p<0.001). Similarly, the average number of antibiotics administered to COVID-19 patients was higher than that of patients in the general ward (1.74 vs 0.9). Azithromycin and ceftriaxone were the most commonly used antibiotics in COVID-19 patients compared to ceftriaxone and metronidazole in the general wards. Only 2% of antibiotic prescriptions for COVID-19 patients were supported by microbiological investigations, which was consistent with the proportion of 6.8% among the general ward population. Antibiotics were commonly prescribed to customers and patients suspected of having COVID-19 either in community pharmacies or in hospital, without a prescription or laboratory diagnosis. These findings emphasize the crucial role of antibiotic stewardship, particularly in community pharmacies, in the context of COVID-19.

Antimicrobial Resistance in Slaughterhouses, Kenya.

Slaughterhouses are hotspots for the transmission of antimicrobial-resistant pathogens. We conducted stakeholder discussions on antimicrobial-resistant pathogens within the slaughterhouse setting. Butchers were described as powerful stakeholders; challenges included limited funding and staff, inadequate infrastructure, and limited laboratory capacity. Slaughterhouse workers understood that their work increased their risk for exposure.

Computational Fluorescence Suppression in Shifted Excitation Raman Spectroscopy.

Fiber-based Raman spectroscopy in the context of in vivo biomedical application suffers from the presence of background fluorescence from the surrounding tissue that might mask the crucial but inherently weak Raman signatures. One method that has shown potential for suppressing the background to reveal the Raman spectra is shifted excitation Raman spectroscopy (SER). SER collects multiple emission spectra by shifting the excitation by small amounts and uses these spectra to computationally suppress the fluorescence background based on the principle that Raman spectrum shifts with excitation while fluorescence spectrum does not. We introduce a method that utilizes the spectral characteristics of the Raman and fluorescence spectra to estimate them more effectively, and compare this approach against existing methods on real world datasets.

Tri-mode optical biopsy probe with fluorescence endomicroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy.

We present an endoscopic probe that combines three distinct optical fibre technologies including: A high-resolution imaging fibre for optical endomicroscopy, a multimode fibre for time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy, and a hollow-core fibre with multimode signal collection cores for Raman spectroscopy. The three fibers are all enclosed within a 1.2 mm diameter clinical grade catheter with a 1.4 mm end cap. To demonstrate the probe's flexibility we provide data acquired with it in loops of radii down to 2 cm. We then use the probe in an anatomically accurate model of adult human airways, showing that it can be navigated to any part of the distal lung using a commercial bronchoscope. Finally, we present data acquired from fresh ex vivo human lung tissue. Our experiments show that this minimally invasive probe can deliver real-time optical biopsies from within the distal lung - simultaneously acquiring co-located high-resolution endomicroscopy and biochemical spectra.

Theory of Mind and Moral Decision-Making in the Context of Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Social impairment in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has been linked to Theory of Mind (ToM) deficits. However, little research has investigated the relationship between ToM and moral decision-making in children with ASD. This study compared moral decision-making and ToM between aggregate-matched ASD and neurotypical boys (n = 38 per group; aged 6-12). In a third-party resource allocation task manipulating recipient merit, wealth, and health, neurotypical children allocated significantly more resources to the morally deserving recipient, suggesting equitable allocation. A comparatively larger portion of the ASD group allocated equally. ToM emerged as a predictor of moral decision-making. We suggest that ToM (cognitive empathy) deficits may underly atypical moral decision-making in ASD by limiting the integration of empathic arousal (affective empathy) with moral information.

Sub millimetre flexible fibre probe for background and fluorescence free Raman spectroscopy.

Using the shifted-excitation Raman difference spectroscopy technique and an optical fibre featuring a negative curvature excitation core and a coaxial ring of high numerical aperture collection cores, we have developed a portable, background and fluorescence free, endoscopic Raman probe. The probe consists of a single fibre with a diameter of less than 0.25 mm packaged in a sub-millimetre tubing, making it compatible with standard bronchoscopes. The Raman excitation light in the fibre is guided in air and therefore interacts little with silica, enabling an almost background free transmission of the excitation light. In addition, we used the shifted-excitation Raman difference spectroscopy technique and a tunable 785 nm laser to separate the fluorescence and the Raman spectrum from highly fluorescent samples, demonstrating the suitability of the probe for biomedical applications. Using this probe we also acquired fluorescence free human lung tissue data.

Neurocognitive considerations when assessing Theory of Mind in Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is characterised by poor social competence; and since Theory of Mind (ToM) is a building block for social-communicative skills and successful social integration, these skills are important to assess when preparing and monitoring educational and therapeutic plans. ToM is a complex skill requiring the ability to form mental concepts, to represent complex constructs verbally, to inhibit some mental states in favour of others, and to consider and compare multiple perspectives. It is critical to consider cognitive influences on the ability to develop and convey ToM skills to ensure that deficits in other cognitive domains do not falsely present as ToM deficits. This consideration is particularly vital in ASD populations with known difficulties not only in ToM, but also in intellectual functioning, language, and executive functioning. This article reviews the influence of intellectual ability, language, working memory, and inhibition skills on the presentation of ToM; with particular focus on ToM in ASD. We discuss practical suggestions based on clinical experience in neuropsychological practice and research in South Africa for the successful assessment of ToM ability.

Effect of monocortical and bicortical screw numbers on the properties of a locking plate-intramedullary rod configuration. An in vitro study on a canine femoral fracture gap model.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effect of varying the number and configuration of locking bicortical and monocortical screws on a plate-rod construct using a mid-diaphyseal femoral ostectomy model. METHODS: Thirty Greyhound femurs were assigned to six groups (A-F). An intramedullary pin was placed in each bone following which a 3.5 mm locking plate was applied with six differing locking screw configurations. Groups A to C had one bicortical screw in the most proximal and distal plate holes and one to three monocortical locking screws in the proximal and distal fragments. Groups D to F had no bicortical screws placed and two to four monocortical locking screws in proximal and distal fragments. Each construct was axially loaded at 4 Hz from a preload of 10 Newtons (N) to 72 N, increasing to 144 N and 216 N, each of 6000 cycles with a further 45,000 cycles at 216 N to simulate a three to six week postoperative convalescence period. Constructs were then loaded to failure. RESULTS: No construct suffered screw loosening or a significant change in construct stiffness during cyclic loading. There was no significant difference in load to failure of any construct (p = 0.34), however, less variation was seen with monocortical constructs. All constructs failed at greater than 2.5 times physiological load, and failure was by bending of the intramedullary pin and plate rather than screw loosening or pull-out. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Axially loaded locking monocortical plate-rod constructs applied to the canine femur may confer no difference biomechanically to those employing locking bicortical screws.

Naltrexone increases negatively-valenced facial responses to happy faces in female participants.

Positive social cues, like happy facial expressions, activate the brain's reward system and indicate interest in social affiliation. Facial mimicry of emotions, which is the predominantly automatic and unconscious imitation of another person's facial expression, has been shown to promote social affiliation. It has been demonstrated repeatedly that the opioid system is vital to social affiliation in rodents, but there is less evidence in humans. We investigated whether a 50mg administration of naltrexone, an opioid antagonist with highest affinity for the mu-opioid system, modulates emotional mimicry. A passive viewing task with dynamic facial expressions was used in a randomized placebo controlled between-subjects design. Mimicry was measured with electromyography (EMG) on three facial muscles, the corrugator supercilii and the depressor jaw muscle, associated with negatively-valenced emotions, and the zygomaticus major, which is activated during smiling. The results demonstrate an increase of negatively-valenced facial responses (corrugator and depressor) to happy facial expressions after naltrexone compared to placebo, consistent with lowered interest in social interaction or affiliation. Our findings provide evidence for a role of the opioid system in modulating automatic behavioral responses to cues of reward and social interaction, and translate to rodent models of the mu-opioid system and social affiliation.

Effect of Osteotomy Position and Tibial Plateau Rotation on the Tensile Force Required for Failure of the Canine Quadriceps Mechanism.

OBJECTIVE: To measure the tensile force required for failure of the quadriceps mechanism with different tibial tuberosity widths and different degrees of rotation of the tibial plateau after radial osteotomy of the proximal tibia. STUDY DESIGN: Ex vivo study, randomized unblocked design ANIMALS: Thirty-five hind limbs from 18 adult Greyhound cadavers. METHODS: Part 1 (15 limbs)--The center of rotation of the proximal tibial radial osteotomy was advanced craniodistally, progressively reducing absolute tibial tuberosity width (ATTW) for 5 different widths. Part 2 (21 limbs)-Tibial plateau rotation was performed at a set ATTW. Rotation was varied as a function of tibial tuberosity position with rotation proximal, level with, or distal to the tuberosity. All 35 limbs were tested with force applied via the quadriceps mechanism until construct failure occurred. RESULTS: All but 2 limbs failed by fracture of the tibial tuberosity. The tensile force required for failure of the quadriceps mechanism increased linearly with increasing ATTW. Significantly less force (P = .016) was required for failure of the quadriceps mechanism when the rotation of the tibial plateau was distal to the level of the patella tendon (mean 1,877 N) compared to when it was above the level of the patella tendon (mean 2,533 N). Rotation of the tibial plateau distal to the level of the patella tendon insertion point resulted in fracture at the base of the tibial tuberosity, level with the tibial plateau buttress. CONCLUSION: The overwhelming mode of failure of the quadriceps mechanism was by tibial tuberosity fracture, thus this was the weakest part of the construct. Reducing the tibial tuberosity width and rotation of the tibial plateau segment below the patella tendon insertion decreased the force required for tibial tuberosity fracture. These results support the idea of a safe point with the tibial plateau segment providing buttress to the tibial tuberosity.

Animal movements and the spread of infectious diseases.

Domestic and wild animal population movements are important in the spread of disease. There are many recent examples of disease spread that have occurred as a result of intentional movements of livestock or wildlife. Understanding the volume of these movements and the risks associated with them is fundamental in elucidating the epidemiology of these diseases, some of which might entail zoonotic risks. The importance of the worldwide animal trade is reviewed and the role of the unregulated trade in animals is highlighted. A range of key examples are discussed in which animal movements have resulted in the introduction of pathogens to previously disease-free areas. Measures based on heightened surveillance are proposed that mitigate the risks of new pathogen introductions.