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Objective. To estimate the national and regional population attributable fraction (PAF) and potential number of preventable anemia cases for three nutritional risk factors (iron, red blood cell folate [RBCF], and vitamin B12 deficiencies) among women of childbearing age in Belize. Methods. A national probability-based household and micronutrient survey capturing sociodemographic and health information was conducted among 937 nonpregnant Belizean women aged 15–49 years. Blood samples were collected to determine hemoglobin, ferritin, alpha-1-glycoprotein (AGP), RBCF, and vitamin B12 status. All analyses used sample weights and design variables to reflect a complex sample survey. Logistic regression was used to determine adjusted prevalence risk (aPR) ratios, which were then used to estimate national and regional PAF for anemia. Results. The overall prevalence of anemia (hemoglobin

Background: Open reduction and internal fixation with plate is one of the most widely used treatments for distal third humeral shaft fractures. The purpose of this study was to report the outcomes of the treatment of distal third humeral shaft fractures with posterior minimally invasive plate osteosynthesis (MIPO) with segmental isolation of the radial nerve. Methods: We performed an observational, retrospective, consecutive, monocentric, continuous multioperator study. We reviewed 22 distal third humeral shaft fractures treated with posterior MIPO in our institution with an extra-articular distal humerus plate from 2018 to 2021. Inclusion was limited to functionally independent patients with displaced fractures involving the junction of the middle and distal thirds of the humerus and minimum 12-month follow-up for implant removal. We assessed clinical outcomes including range of motion; QuickDASH score; Mayo Elbow Performance Score; and Constant-Murley score. Results: The average follow-up period of the sample was 31.7 ± 11.6 months (range, 15.7-51.3 months). The average elbow flexion and extension were 146.4° ± 7.3° (range, 120°-150°) and −0.7° ± 3.3° (range, −15° to 0°), respectively. The average shoulder anterior flexion, elevation, and abduction were 178.6° ± 3.6° (range, 170°-180°), 179.1° ± 2.9° (range, 170°-180°), and 140.9° ± 14.8° (range, 110°-160°), respectively. The average external rotation was 88.6° ± 6.4 (range, 65°-90°). The mean visual analog scale score for pain was 1.0 ± 1.6 (range, 0-5) and the mean Mayo Elbow Performance Score was 90.5 ± 9.9 (range, 70-100). The mean QuickDASH and Constant–Murley scores were 4.7 ± 6.8 (range, 0-20.5) and 95.5 ± 5.1 (range, 81-100), respectively. Two patients presented with relevant compromise of radial nerve motor function postoperatively (M3 and M2; the more compromised was preoperative injury). All patients recovered radial nerve neuropraxia within six weeks postoperatively. All fractures achieved union. The average anteroposterior and lateral axis were 175.0 ± 3.6 (168.0°-180.0°) and 177.5 ± 2.0 (173.0°-180.0°), respectively. No superficial or deep infection was reported. No cases of re-displacement of fracture, implant failure, or any other implant-related complication in follow-up were reported. No patient required plate withdrawal. Conclusion: The results of this study demonstrate that the posterior MIPO technique is a reliable option for treating distal third shaft humeral fractures. The radial nerve must be identified and protected in all cases to prevent palsy.

Our understanding of how active learning affects different groups of students is still developing. One group often overlooked in higher education research is students with disabilities. Two of the most commonly occurring disabilities on college campuses are attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and specific learning disorders (SLD). We investigated how the incorporation of active-learning practices influences the learning and self-advocacy experiences of students with ADHD and/or SLD (ADHD/SLD) in undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 25 STEM majors with ADHD/SLD registered with a campus disability resource center at a single university, and data were analyzed using qualitative methods. Participants described how they perceived active learning in their STEM courses to support or hinder their learning and how active learning affected their self-advocacy. Many of the active-learning barriers could be attributed to issues related to fidelity of implementation of a particular active-learning strategy and limited awareness of universal design for learning. Active learning was also reported to influence self-advocacy for some participants, and examples of self-advocacy in active-learning STEM courses were identified. Defining the supports and barriers perceived by students with ADHD/SLD is a crucial first step in developing more-inclusive active-learning STEM courses. Suggestions for research and teaching are provided.

The shortage of organs for transplantations is increasing in Europe as well as globally. Many initiatives to the organ shortage, such as opt-out systems for deceased donation and expanding living donation, have been insufficient to meet the rising demand for organs. In recurrent discussions on how to reduce organ shortage, financial incentives and removal of disincentives, have been proposed to stimulate living organ donation and increase the pool of available donor organs. It is important to understand not only the ethical acceptability of (dis)incentives for organ donation, but also its societal acceptance. In this review, we propose a research agenda to help guide future empirical studies on public preferences in Europe towards the removal of disincentives and introduction of incentives for organ donation. We first present a systematic literature review on public opinions concerning (financial) (dis)incentives for organ donation in European countries. Next, we describe the results of a randomized survey experiment conducted in the United States. This experiment is crucial because it suggests that societal support for incentivizing organ donation depends on the specific features and institutional design of the proposed incentive scheme. We conclude by proposing this experiment’s framework as a blueprint for European research on this topic.

This study addresses the need for sustainable and energy-efficient agricultural practices by integrating turbine systems into greenhouse irrigation setups that utilize water from storage basins or ponds. The purpose is to harness excess pressure to generate electricity, enhancing overall system efficiency. This study involves designing a scalable turbine system that adapts to different greenhouse sizes and water pressure conditions. Key methods include a novel 3D design and implementation of a turbine outlet, using CAD modeling and high-precision 3D printing, and the experimental characterization of the system’s power–pressure relationship and pressure losses. Results demonstrate that a single Banki-type turbine generates nearly 12 W at a maximum pressure of 1.4 bar, 0.98 m3/h of flow, pressure 92% loss performance, and 32% efficiency. Scalability tests in the study case reveal that up to eight turbines can be installed in series without dropping below the critical pressure threshold, that is, above 0.6–0.7 bar, the minimum pressure expected for adequate irrigation, and the turbines collectively produce around 60 W, considering the pressure losses with respect to production. These findings confirm the system’s potential to enhance sustainability and energy efficiency in greenhouse operations. This study lays a foundation for future research to optimize 3D-printed components, integrate renewable energy sources, and conduct long-term performance studies, aiming to further improve the system’s applicability and performance in agricultural settings.

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted testing inequities in developing countries. Lack of lateral flow test (LFT) manufacturing capacity was a major COVID-19 response bottleneck in low- and middle-income regions. Here we report the development of an open-access LFT for SARS-CoV-2 detection comparable to commercial tests that requires only locally available supplies. The main critical resource is a locally developed horse polyclonal antibody (pAb) whose sensitivity and selectivity are greatly enhanced by affinity purification. We demonstrate that these Abs can perform similarly to commercial monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), as well as mAbs and other pAbs developed against the same antigen. We report a workflow for test optimization using nasopharyngeal swabs collected for RT-qPCR, spiked with the inactivated virus to determine analytical performance characteristics as the limit of detection, among others. Our final prototype showed a performance similar to available tests (sensitivity of 83.3% compared to RT-qPCR, and 90.9% compared to commercial antigen tests). Finally, we discuss the possibility and the challenges of utilizing affinity-purified pAbs as an alternative for the local development of antigen tests in an outbreak context and as a tool to address inequalities in access to rapid tests.

Pregnancy is a complex and challenging process associated with physiological changes whose objective is to adapt the maternal organism to the increasing energetic requirements due to embryo and fetal development. A failed adaptation to these demands may lead to pregnancy complications that threaten the health of both mothers and their offspring. Since mitochondria are the main organelle responsible for energy generation in the form of ATP, the adequate state of these organelles seems crucial for proper pregnancy development and healthy pregnancy outcomes. The homeostasis of these organelles depends on several aspects, including their content, biogenesis, energy production, oxidative stress, dynamics, and signaling functions, such as apoptosis, which can be modified in relation to diseases during pregnancy. The etiology of pregnancy disorders like preeclampsia, fetal growth restriction, and gestational diabetes mellitus is not yet well understood. Nevertheless, insufficient placental perfusion and oxygen transfer are characteristic of many of them, being associated with alterations in the previously cited different aspects of mitochondrial homeostasis. Therefore, and due to the capacity of these multifactorial organelles to respond to physiological and pathophysiological stimuli, it is of great importance to gather the currently available scientific information regarding the relationship between main pregnancy complications and mitochondrial alterations. According to this, the present review is intended to show clear insight into the possible implications of mitochondria in these disorders, thus providing relevant information for further investigation in relation to the investigation and management of pregnancy diseases.

Wind turbine components’ failure prognosis allows wind farm owners to apply predictive maintenance techniques to their fleets. Determining the health status of a turbine’s component typically requires verifying many variables that should be monitored simultaneously. The scope of this study is the selection of the more relevant variables and the generation of a health status indicator (Failure Index) to be considered as a decision criterion in Operation and Maintenance activities. The proposed methodology is based on Gaussian Mixture Copula Models (GMCMs) combined with a smoothing method (Cubic spline smoothing) to define a component’s health index based on the previous behavior and relationships between the considered variables. The GMCM allows for determining the component’s status in a multivariate environment, providing the selected variables’ joint probability and obtaining an easy-to-track univariate health status indicator. When the health of a component is degrading, anomalous behavior becomes apparent in certain Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) signals. By monitoring these SCADA signals using this indicator, the proposed anomaly detection method could capture the deviations from the healthy working state. The resulting indicator shows whether any failure is likely to occur in a wind turbine component and would aid in a preventive intervention scheduling.