Production of Bio-Based Polyol from Coconut Fatty Acid Distillate (CFAD) and Crude Glycerol for Rigid Polyurethane Foam Applications.

This study propounds a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based polyurethane (PU) foams, aiming to curtail this nonrenewable resource's continued and uncontrolled use. Coconut fatty acid distillate (CFAD) and crude glycerol (CG), both wastes generated from vegetable oil processes, were utilized for bio-based polyol production for rigid PU foam application. The raw materials were subjected to catalyzed glycerolysis with alkaline-alcohol neutralization and bleaching.

Sex Differences in the Neural Song Circuit and Its Relationship to Song Acoustic Complexity in House Wrens (Troglodytes aedon).

The song circuit in passerine birds is an outstanding model system for understanding the relationship between brain morphology and behavior, in part due to varying degrees of sex differences in structure and function across species. House wrens (Troglodytes aedon) offer a unique opportunity to advance our understanding of this relationship. Intermediate sex differences in song rate and complexity exist in this species compared to other passerines, and, among individual females, song complexity varies dramatically.

Coconut power: a sustainable approach for the removal of Cr ions using a new coconut-based polyurethane foam/activated carbon composite in a fixed-bed column.

To attain efficient removal of hexavalent chromium (Cr) from aqueous solutions, a novel polyurethane foam-activated carbon (PUAC) adsorbent composite was developed. The composite material was synthesized by the binding of coconut shell-based activated carbon (AC) onto a coconut oil-based polyurethane matrix. To thoroughly characterize the physicochemical properties of the newly developed material, various analytical techniques including FTIR spectroscopy, SEM, XRD, BET, and TGA analyses were conducted.

Use of the PRECEDE-PROCEED Model to Pilot an Occupational Physical Activity Intervention: Tailored Through a Community Partnership.

Background: Healthcare and social assistance workers are at increased risk for obesity. This industry has limited access to workplace health promotion resources and reports low rates of physical activity programs for workers.

Methods: This article describes the application of the PRECEDE-PROCEED Model (PPM) to plan, implement, and evaluate a pilot physical activity intervention, Project Move, tailored to promote occupational physical activity and reduce sedentary behaviors among female workers.

Examining the Role of Hypothalamus-Derived Neuromedin-U (NMU) in Bone Remodeling of Rats.

Global loss of the neuropeptide Neuromedin-U (NMU) is associated with increased bone formation and high bone mass in male and female mice by twelve weeks of age, suggesting that NMU suppresses osteoblast differentiation and/or activity in vivo. NMU is highly expressed in numerous anatomical locations including the skeleton and the hypothalamus. This raises the possibility that NMU exerts indirect effects on bone remodeling from an extra-skeletal location such as the brain.

Multiple Schedules Facilitate Rapid Noncontingent Reinforcement Schedule Thinning.

We evaluated a noncontingent reinforcement treatment that included initial brief exposures to signaled alternation of availability and nonavailability of reinforcement, followed by rapid schedule thinning. Results confirmed findings from previous research (typically with differential reinforcement schedules) that establishing stimulus control across multiple treatment components facilitated schedule thinning. We discuss both the clinical utility of this procedure and the utility of stimulus control for making interventions more practical for clinicians.

The Impact of Therapy Dogs on Prelicensure Baccalaureate Nursing Student Test Anxiety.

Aim: This study examined the impact of a therapy dog intervention on baccalaureate nursing student test anxiety.

Background: Nursing student test anxiety may hinder academic performance and program outcomes. Considering this negative impact, it is essential to implement anxiety-reducing strategies.

A novel reaction mechanism for the synthesis of coconut oil-derived biopolyol for rigid poly(urethane-urea) hybrid foam application.

Coconut oil (CO) has become one of the most important renewable raw materials for polyol synthesis due to its abundance and low price. However, the saturated chemical structure of CO limits its capability for functionalization. In this study, a novel reaction mechanism the sequential glycerolysis and amidation of CO triglycerides produced an amine-based polyol (p-CDEA).

The Effects of Acute Resistance Exercise on Memory, Processing Speed, and Mood State After a Cognitive Challenge.

Venezia, AC, Barney, P, Spagnoli, D, Greco-Hiranaka, C, Piepmeier, AT, Smith, JC, and Weiss, LR. The effects of acute resistance exercise on memory, processing speed, and mood state after a cognitive challenge. J Strength Cond Res 37(9): 1738-1745, 2023-Acute moderate-to-vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise has been shown to improve learning and memory, but the effectiveness of acute high-intensity resistance exercise for improving memory is not fully understood.

Meeting a Pandemic Challenge for Interprofessional Education for Nurse Graduate Students: Development of a Remote Session Using Case Studies.

Interprofessional education has become a mainstay of undergraduate and graduate nursing curricula. However, with limitations to physical contact brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, the ability to provide such an experience was challenged. A remote session involving graduate family nurse practitioner, physical therapy, and occupational therapy students was devised using case studies in small groups with a faculty facilitator.

Open access and predatory publishing: a survey of the publishing practices of academic pharmacists and nurses in the United States.

Objective: Academics are under great pressure to publish their research, the rewards for which are well known (tenure, promotion, grant funding, professional prestige). As open access publishing gains acceptance as a publishing option, researchers may choose a "predatory publisher." The purpose of this study is to investigate the motivations and rationale of pharmacy and nursing academics in the United States to publish in open access journals that may be considered "predatory.

Biomarker Discovery for Meta-Classification of Melanoma Metastatic Progression Using Transfer Learning.

Melanoma is considered to be the most serious and aggressive type of skin cancer, and metastasis appears to be the most important factor in its prognosis. Herein, we developed a transfer learning-based biomarker discovery model that could aid in the diagnosis and prognosis of this disease. After applying it to the ensemble machine learning model, results revealed that the genes found were consistent with those found using other methodologies previously applied to the same TCGA (The Cancer Genome Atlas) data set.

Photosynthetic electron transport rate and root dynamics of finger millet in response to .

Finger millet (ragi) is the main food grain for many people, especially in the arid and semiarid regions of developing countries in Asia and Africa. The grains contain an exceptionally higher amount of Ca (>300 mg/100 g) when compared to other major cereals. For sustainable production of ragi in the current scenario of climate change, this study aimed to evaluate the impact of (TRI) on ragi performance.

Reframing Hospital Nursing as a Specialty to Address the Staffing Crisis.

Academia and nursing practice are at a crossroads.

Optimizing Falls-related Planning and Intervention for Nursing Facilities by Ownership Type.

Falls among older adults are a major public health concern: They result in $30 billion in direct US healthcare costs annually and take an immense psychological and physical toll on older adults. Particularly concerning are falls in nursing home settings, which account for three times as many falls in adults over 65 than in any other setting. We hypothesized that tailoring falls prevention and response plans to nursing home profit model (for- or nonprofit) and ownership type (public, private, franchise) would greatly improve effectiveness of general plans.

Swallowing and quality of life in individuals with Marfan syndrome: a cross-sectional study.

Purpose: Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a connective tissue disorder that affects skeletal, ocular, pulmonary, cardiovascular, and central nervous systems. Symptoms may lead to diminished quality of life (QoL) in individuals with MFS compared with healthy individuals. Currently, there is little evidence regarding the impact of MFS on swallowing and QoL.

Are phenome-wide association studies feasible in a developing country?

Phenome-wide association studies (PheWASs), a powerful approach that examines phenotypes associated with a genetic marker, have been used extensively in highly developed countries. Although there may be a clear need for PheWAS in a developing country such as the Philippines, limitations related to resources and practicality would make conducting them a challenge.

A stacked regression ensemble approach for the quantitative determination of biomass feedstock compositions using near infrared spectroscopy.

Rapid, robust, and accurate biomass compositional analyses are required in the bioenergy industry to accurately determine the chemical composition of biomass feedstocks. A stacked regression ensemble approach using near infrared spectroscopic method was developed for the quantitative determination of glucan, xylan, lignin, ash, and extract in biomass feedstocks. A comprehensive comparison of the performance of various machine learning techniques including support vector regression (linear and radial), least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), ridge regression, elastic net, partial least squares, random forests, recursive partitioning and regression trees, gradient boosting, and gaussian process regression was assessed in the training set data (n = 188).

Comprehensive examination and comparison of machine learning techniques for the quantitative determination of adulterants in honey using Fourier infrared spectroscopy with attenuated total reflectance accessory.

Facile, robust, and accurate analyses of honey adulterants are required in the honey industry to assess its purity for commercialization purposes. A stacked regression ensemble approach using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic method was developed for the quantitative determination of corn, cane, beet, and rice syrup adulterants in honey. A training set (n=81) was used to predict the percent adulterant composition of the aforementioned constituents in an independent test set (n=32).

Why Do People of Asian Descent Not Utilize Mental Health Treatments Compared to Other Ethnic Groups in the United States?

Racial and ethnic minorities like Asians in the United States are significantly less likely to receive mental health treatment than Caucasians. Using 2012 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data, we examined the underutilization of mental health treatment in the US and find that being over 65 or 35-44, being unmarried, and being insured were positively associated with mental health treatment utilization, and as mentally unhealthy days increased, the utilization of treatment also increased. The paper offers a discussion on why there is this underutilization of mental health services amongst Asians and what steps can be taken to improve utilization.

Association between demographic characteristics, lower limb range of motion, functional performance, ability to dual task, quality of life and risk of falls in older adults of the United Arab Emirates - A cross-sectional study.

Background: With increasing age, decreased range of motion of lower limb joints, impaired functional performance and balance, pain status, altered dual tasking, and poor quality of life may predict the risk for falls in older adults. Therefore, this study aimed to identify which of the aforementioned variables and demographic factors predict falls in older adults in the United Arab Emirates. In addition, the study examined the association between demographic characteristics and the risk of falls in older adults.

Developing Community-Based Palliative Care Services for People Living with HIV in Africa.

Africa continues to be disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS. Poor access to medical care, limited access to antiretroviral drugs, and lack of supportive care for persons who are symptomatic lead to disease progression. Community-based palliative care services are effective in providing supportive services throughout the course of the illness, but palliative care services are limited in Africa.

Evidence for Occupational Therapy Interventions Supporting Work and Social Participation for Adults With Multiple Sclerosis: A Systematic Review.

Importance: Evidence supports interventions for work and social participation for adults with multiple sclerosis (MS).

Objective: To systematically collect and evaluate the evidence for the effectiveness of interventions within the scope of occupational therapy practice to improve or maintain the performance of and participation in education, work, volunteering, leisure, and social participation among adults with MS.

Data Sources: MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, OTseeker, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews searches for articles published from January 2011 to December 2018.

NMUR1 in the NMU-Mediated Regulation of Bone Remodeling.

Neuromedin-U (NMU) is an evolutionarily conserved peptide that regulates varying physiologic effects including blood pressure, stress and allergic responses, metabolic and feeding behavior, pain perception, and neuroendocrine functions. Recently, several lines of investigation implicate NMU in regulating bone remodeling. For instance, global loss of NMU expression in male and female mice leads to high bone mass due to elevated bone formation rate with no alteration in bone resorption rate or observable defect in skeletal patterning.