Development, validation, and reliability testing of the College Perspectives around Food Insecurity survey.

The objective of this study was to develop and to test the validity and reliability of a survey aimed to evaluate internal and external factors associated with college food insecurity. Researchers used a mixed methods approach to evaluate the College Perspectives around Food Insecurity survey. Survey items were constructed from interview data and assigned a social cognitive theory concept (environment, personal, or behavior).

Development and Evaluation of a Presenter Coaching Program at an Academic Surgical Conference.

Objective: Presenting at academic conferences is an important means of disseminating research, networking, and building a professional reputation, but the quality of presentations at conferences is often suboptimal. This project describes the design, implementation, and evaluation of a presentation coaching program offered by an academic surgical society to presenters at its annual meeting.

Design: Oral presenters were paired with a coach and encouraged to meet independently, yet coaching was unstructured.

Strontium isoscape of sub-Saharan Africa allows tracing origins of victims of the transatlantic slave trade.

Strontium isotope (Sr/Sr) analysis with reference to strontium isotope landscapes (Sr isoscapes) allows reconstructing mobility and migration in archaeology, ecology, and forensics. However, despite the vast potential of research involving Sr/Sr analysis particularly in Africa, Sr isoscapes remain unavailable for the largest parts of the continent. Here, we measure the Sr/Sr ratios in 778 environmental samples from 24 African countries and combine this data with published data to model a bioavailable Sr isoscape for sub-Saharan Africa using random forest regression.

A static rooftop shading system for year-round thermal comfort and energy savings in hot climates.

In sun-drenched regions, balancing solar exposure for thermal comfort and minimization of cooling energy presents a key challenge. While passive shading mitigates summer heat gain, it also hinders winter solar benefits, a problem that is echoed by active systems such as photovoltaic panels. Existing adaptive solutions, adjusting to seasonal sun angles, offer flexibility, but introduce complexity, maintenance demands, and potentially higher costs.