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Background: Hookworm infestation adversely affect humans especially in developing countries. Agricultural workers are predisposed to acquiring hookworm infection due to direct exposure to soil or water where the filariform larvae which is the infective stage live and penetrate the skin. Objectives: To determine the prevalence, infection intensity and knowledge of hookworm infestation among rural fishermen and farmers in Rivers State, Nigeria. Method: A multi-stage sampling technique was used in selecting the participants. 200 fishermen and 200 farmers were recruited between May and November 2021. Stool samples were processed using the Kato- Katz technique. 19 possible answers were summed up to assess knowledge. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 26 and presented in charts and tables. Result: The age of respondents ranged from 18 to 70 years with a mean age of 46 ± 12years. More than 50% of respondents have worked for 10 years. About half of respondents had only primary level of education while the average income was 30,000 Naira monthly. The prevalence of hookworm was 14.5% among fishermen and 12.5% among farmers. Both groups had majority of respondents with light intensity infection. For knowledge of hookworm infection, 55.86% of fishermen were assessed as having poor knowledge while 44.14% were deemed to have good knowledge. Among farmers, 44.13% had good knowledge and 55.86% had poor knowledge of hookworm infections. Conclusion: The prevalence of hookworm was 14.5% among fishermen and 12.5% among farmers. Most respondents had low density hookworm infection while level of knowledge was generally poor. These figures are worrisome thus there is need for awareness of hookworm in particular and other soil-transmitted Helminthes in general in this informal occupational group.

Abstract Photon absorption is the first process in light harvesting. Upon absorption, the photon redistributes electrons in the materials to create a Coulombically bound electron-hole pair called an exciton. The exciton subsequently separates into free charges to conclude light harvesting. When two excitons are in each other’s proximity, they can interact and undergo a two-particle process called exciton-exciton annihilation. In this process, one electron-hole pair spontaneously recombines: its energy is lost and cannot be harnessed for applications. In this work, we demonstrate the creation of two long-lived excitons on the same chromophore site (biexcitons) at room temperature in a strongly coupled H-aggregated zinc phthalocyanine material. We show that exciton-exciton annihilation is suppressed in these H- aggregated chromophores at fluences many orders of magnitudes higher than solar light. When we chemically connect the same aggregated chromophores to allow exciton diffusion, we observe that exciton-exciton annihilation is switched on. Our findings demonstrate a chemical strategy, to toggle on and off the exciton-exciton annihilation process that limits the dynamic range of photovoltaic devices.

Abstract Host factors that define the cellular tropism of SARS-CoV-2 beyond the cognate ACE2 receptor are poorly defined. Here we report that SARS-CoV-2 replication is restricted at a post-entry step in a number of ACE2-positive airway-derived cell lines due to tonic activation of the cGAS-STING pathway mediated by mitochondrial DNA leakage and naturally occurring cGAS and STING variants. Genetic and pharmacological inhibition of the cGAS-STING and type I/III IFN pathways as well as ACE2 overexpression overcome these blocks. SARS-CoV-2 replication in STING knockout cell lines and primary airway cultures induces ISG expression but only in uninfected bystander cells, demonstrating efficient antagonism of the type I/III IFN-pathway in productively infected cells. Pharmacological inhibition of STING in primary airway cells enhances SARS-CoV-2 replication and reduces virus-induced innate immune activation. Together, our study highlights that tonic activation of the cGAS-STING and IFN pathways can impact SARS-CoV-2 cellular tropism in a manner dependent on ACE2 expression levels.

Abstract Objective To assess the feasibility and acceptability of the Oshawa Senior Community Centres (OSCC55 +) virtual programs (VP) in addressing the needs for social connection and interaction for people with dementia (PWD) and their informal caregivers (ICG). Background During the pandemic, PWD faced increased loneliness and reduced social interaction due to a loss of community programs. The OSCC55 + developed VPs to combat social isolation and provide respite for ICG. These efforts highlight the importance of accessible, and technology-based VPs for maintaining social connectedness for PWD. Methods A qualitative interpretive research design with PWD (n = 14) interviews and ICG focus group and one-on-one interviews (n = 11). This research explored the lived experiences of PWD and their ICG, examining the feasibility and acceptability of the VPs. Results The PWD and ICG interviews provided insight into the positive impacts of VP, challenges of VP, program barriers, program facilitating factors, and suggestions for future improvement for the OSCC55 + VPs. Participants highlighted that the VP created an option for them to remain socially connected to their community; while also outlining the positive impact on reducing loneliness, challenges with technology use, the importance of involving younger generations and volunteers, and the need for more culturally inclusive programs. Conclusions The VP developed by OSCC55 + were perceived as effective and useful for PWD and their ICG, helping to reduce feelings of loneliness and relieving caregiving tasks. These findings suggest that VP can complement in-person programs in the future, offering a hybrid model that leverages the strengths of both approaches to better meet the needs of PWD and ICG.

Accurate hydrologic modeling is vital to characterizing how the terrestrial water cycle responds to climate change. Pure deep learning (DL) models have been shown to outperform process-based ones while remaining difficult to interpret. More recently, differentiable physics-informed machine learning models with a physical backbone can systematically integrate physical equations and DL, predicting untrained variables and processes with high performance. However, it is unclear if such models are competitive for global-scale applications with a simple backbone. Therefore, we use – for the first time at this scale – differentiable hydrologic models (full name δHBV-globe1.0-hydroDL, shortened to δHBV here) to simulate the rainfall–runoff processes for 3753 basins around the world. Moreover, we compare the δHBV models to a purely data-driven long short-term memory (LSTM) model to examine their strengths and limitations. Both LSTM and the δHBV models provide competitive daily hydrologic simulation capabilities in global basins, with median Kling–Gupta efficiency values close to or higher than 0.7 (and 0.78 with LSTM for a subset of 1675 basins with long-term discharge records), significantly outperforming traditional models. Moreover, regionalized differentiable models demonstrated stronger spatial generalization ability (median KGE 0.64) than a traditional parameter regionalization approach (median KGE 0.46) and even LSTM for ungauged region tests across continents. Nevertheless, relative to LSTM, the differentiable model was hampered by structural deficiencies for cold or polar regions, highly arid regions, and basins with significant human impacts. This study also sets the benchmark for hydrologic estimates around the world and builds a foundation for improving global hydrologic simulations.

Abstract Background Weight stigma refers to the social rejection, discrimination, and ideological devaluation of individuals because of body size and is a direct result of weight bias and anti-fat attitudes. Individuals with higher weight may be less likely to seek healthcare due to weight stigma, and if or when they do present for care, medical providers with weight bias may fail to provide high quality care. Little, however, is known about the intersectionality of weight stigma and perceptions of healthcare interactions as experienced by individuals who also binge eat. Methods Community-based adults completed online self-report questionnaires regarding generalized weight stigma (Attitudes Towards Obese Persons1), healthcare interaction quality (Patient Perceptions of Healthcare Provider Interaction Quality; PPH), and disordered eating (Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire) via Amazon’s Mechanical Turk platform. For this cross-sectional study, participants were categorized by the presence and absence of regular binge episodes. Pearson’s correlations, T-tests, ANOVA/ANCOVA, and a multivariate regression were used to examine relationships among demographic variables, weight stigma, disordered eating, and the PPH. Results Participants (N = 648) primarily identified as female (65.4%) and White, non-Hispanic (72.7%). Participants’ average age and body mass index (BMI) were 37.5 (SD = 12.3) years old and 27.3 (SD = 6.9) kg/m2, respectively. Higher healthcare provider interaction quality ratings (PPH) were significantly related to lower BMI (r(648)=-0.098,p = 0.012), less weight stigma (r(648) = 0.149,p

This study examines the long-term relation between an Integrated Student Support (ISS) intervention and postsecondary enrollment and completion for predominantly low-income students of color. We use propensity score weighting to estimate the relation between receiving ISS during elementary school and postsecondary outcomes for 2009-2017 high school graduates from an urban district serving a large proportion of students experiencing poverty. We find that students who received ISS in elementary school had a higher probability of enrolling in postsecondary education. For enrolled students, those who received ISS in elementary school had a higher probability of completing postsecondary education than the comparison group. Together, results suggest ISS may be an effective intervention to reduce barriers to postsecondary education and, thereby, to potentially reduce income- and race-based disparities in postsecondary outcomes.

Cultivating Black joy is critical, given censorship placed in schools, on Black bodies, and in the curriculum. This article conceptualizes how the dimensions of culturally responsive teaching practices can help reclaim and reconstruct Black students' sense of well-being in the classroom and their sense of Black Joy. Furthermore, this conceptual piece argues how creating a homeplace can affirm joy and liberation for Black students. This article provides an overview of prominent scholars who have expanded culturally relevant pedagogy, which acknowledges the importance of culturally responsive teaching practices in the classroom. This concept also argues that implementing culturally responsive teaching practices (i.e. instructional practices, curriculum development, teacher-student relationships, classroom climate, etc.) promotes agency, resistance, and liberation for Black students. This article concludes with the discourse on how culturally responsive teaching practices could cultivate Black Joy by disrupting traditional instructional practices and employing practices that foster radical pedagogies to help combat racism and anti-Blackness.

When young children of Color from minoritized communities read decodable readers mandated by their school districts, children approach reading the texts with the expectation that the texts will make sense. While decodable readers allow children to apply their knowledge of phonics skills in context to support their word recognition, they tend to lack meaning and are not written in typical oral speech patterns. Therefore, many children may benefit from engaging in weekly instruction using student-generated decodable readers (SGDRs) that not only support their decoding development but support their reading comprehension as well. The author includes illustrative examples of how first and second-graders created SGDRs to support their decoding and, simultaneously, their comprehension development.

Background: Although the Canadian Consensus Guidelines for Primary Care of Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities recommends conducting periodic health checks in primary care, uptake is lacking. This study seeks to understand factors influencing the conduct of periodic health checks and identify what needs to change to increase them. Method: Qualitative data from five stakeholder groups (adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, primary care providers, administrative staff, family, disability support workers) was guided by the Behaviour Change Wheel and the Theoretical Domains Framework to identify barriers and 'what needs to change' to support periodic health checks. Results: Stakeholders (n = 41) voiced multiple barriers. A total of 31 common and 2 unique themes were identified plus 33 items 'needing to change'. Conclusion: Despite barriers, stakeholders saw merit in periodic health checks as a preventative and equitable healthcare offering for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Results will inform future intervention development steps.

Young children of Color from minoritized communities can co-author decodable stories using phonics skills they have been taught, their lived experiences, and home languages, including nondominant English languages, to develop decoding skills using student-generated decodable readers. While traditional and curricular decodable readers are used during phonics instruction to support children's decoding development, they are written in White Mainstream English and may include diverse characters with experiences more familiar to the White dominant group of American society. Because there is a population of readers experiencing a gap between their identities and phonics instruction, there is an urgent need for their experiences to be improved. Building on my experiences as a primary grades teacher and researcher, I discuss a quantitative and qualitative study conducted in an urban second grade classroom where children of Color and I put culture and race into phonics instruction. Culturally relevant education and the language experience approach were used to advance children's decoding development using their funds of knowledge and existing language experiences which are often a part of their racial identities. By combining these approaches with co-authorship, children of Color from minoritized communities were placed at the center of phonics instruction to receive more equitable educational opportunities while advancing their decoding skills as co-authors of their decodable stories.

The contemporary educational experiences of Black girls suggest a disconnect between their success and what they must navigate on their road to success. Given Black girls' experiences, schools must implement systemic intervention as a part of multitiered systems of support. Interventions should engage antiracist frameworks that center on the creation of homeplace to promote the radical imagination of Black girls while also working to dismantle oppressive policies and practices in K--12 schools. As such, we propose foundational principles of leading antiracist, culturally responsive groups for Black girls that center homeplace while supporting freedom dreaming. We also provide recommendations for challenging oppressive school policies and practices that negatively impact Black girls.

The paper describes a theoretical framework for the study of teachers' promotion of self-regulated learning in the classroom. The Self-Regulated Learning Teacher Promotion Framework (SRL-TPF) utilizes the ICAP theory to assess the affordances of the learning environment for the indirect promotion of SRL, proposes new variables in the investigation of the direct promotion of SRL, and examines how these two ways to promote SRL are related. The SRL-TPF was used to examine the direct and indirect promotion of SRL in filmed observations of 23 Australian classrooms. The results revealed a paucity in the design of Constructive and Interactive lesson tasks that support the indirect promotion of SRL and a preference for the direct support of SRL through implicit strategy instruction and the provision of metacognitive reflection and support. There were important teacher differences in both the direct and indirect promotion of SRL, but the teachers who were more likely to design Constructive and Interactive lesson tasks did not necessarily promote SRL directly and vice versa. The research contributes to a better understanding of the relationship between teaching what to learn (subject content) and how to learn (SRL knowledge and strategies).

Many leaders, especially those new to leadership, may not have the experience or knowledge of systemic change leadership to ensure effective change processes. The Change Leadership Toolkit describes an ecosystem model of systemic change leadership that contains three main interacting components: leadership context, levers, and leader moves. The toolkit includes actionable resources for setting goals and assembling a team as well as six worksheets that campus leaders can use to discover critical contextual factors, identify important levers they can "pull" to amplify change efforts, and outline steps for putting a set of strategic change leader moves in place. Insights are provided by two change leaders who offer real world examples of how they have put the toolkit leader moves and levers into action for change on their campuses.

The purpose of the article is to compare and contrast higher education and research among public relations and journalism students of middle-class and working-class origin. The paper applied Bourdieu's theory of "habitus" to analyze prejudices against the working class, explores whether working-class students express an anti-education view, and whether the appreciation of education (and research in particular) is a predominantly middle-class attitude. Focus groups and an online questionnaire were used to obtain views of students at a university in Northern England. Triple coding (open, axial, selective) was used and the data was then analyzed and presented using thematic analysis. Findings show that early socialization about education as well as students' type of neighborhoods (habitus) influence studies' views of higher education and research in particular. While the findings show some similarity with views in the literature of the middle-class being more inclined to value education, these findings show that this is true only for those who grow up in middle class areas whereas middle-class students who grew up in working-class areas show working-class attitudes toward education. Equally, working-class students who grew up in middle-class areas show what is usually perceived as a middle-class view of education. Both groups of students show a tendency toward embracing a consumerist view of higher education.

RationaleDesigner receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs (DREADDs) are a tool for "remote control" of defined neuronal populations during behavior. These receptors are inert unless bound by an experimenter-administered designer drug, commonly clozapine-n-oxide (CNO). However, questions have emerged about the suitability of CNO as a systemically administered DREADD agonist.ObjectivesSecond-generation agonists such as JHU37160 (J60) have been developed, which may have more favorable properties than CNO. Here we sought to directly compare effects of CNO (0, 1, 5, & 10 mg/kg, i.p.) and J60 (0, 0.03, 0.3, & 3 mg/kg, i.p.) on operant food pursuit.MethodsMale and female TH:Cre + rats and their wildtype (WT) littermates received cre-dependent hM4Di-mCherry vector injections into ventral tegmental area (VTA), causing inhibitory DREADD expression in VTA dopamine neurons of TH:Cre + rats. All rats were trained to stably lever press for palatable food on a fixed ratio 10 schedule, and doses of both agonists were tested on separate days in counterbalanced order.ResultsAll three CNO doses reduced operant rewards earned in rats with DREADDs, and no CNO dose had behavioral effects in WT controls. The highest J60 dose tested significantly reduced responding in DREADD rats, but this dose also increased responding in WTs, indicating non-specific effects. The magnitude of CNO and J60 effects in TH:Cre + rats were correlated and were present in both sexes.ConclusionsFindings demonstrate the usefulness of directly comparing DREADD agonists when optimizing behavioral chemogenetics, and highlight the importance of proper controls, regardless of the DREADD agonist employed.

The Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia) is a Neotropical migratory passerine that breeds in riparian and other wetland habitats across North America. Yellow Warblers use several woody plants as substrates to build nests on, including both native and invasive species. We monitored Yellow Warbler nests from 2018 to 2021 in east-central Illinois, USA, and observed similar numbers of nests in invasive and native plant substrates. We also documented qualitatively lower nest mortality for nests placed in invasive plants compared to native plants. The patterns documented here could suggest that for Yellow Warblers, invasive plant encroachment in riparian habitat may not have strong negative repercussions on their reproductive success. Received 26 April 2023. Accepted 26 December 2023. Key words: invasive species, nest substrate, nest survival. La reinita amarilla (Setophaga petechia) es un paserino migratorio neotropical que se reproduce en habitats riparios y en otros humedales en Norteamerica. Las reinitas amarillas usan varias plantas lenosas como sustrato sobre los cuales con-struir sus nidos, incluyendo tanto especies nativas como invasoras. Monitoreamos nidos de reinita amarilla del 2018 al 2021 en la region centro-este de Illinois, Estados Unidos, y observamos numeros similares de nidos en sustratos de plantas nativas y no nativas. Tambien documentamos una mortalidad de nidos cualitati-vamente menor para nidos colocados sobre plantas invasoras que sobre plantas nativas. Los patrones documentados aqui podrian sugerir que para la reinita amarilla, la llegada de plantas invasoras en habitats riparios podria no tener fuertes repercusiones negativas en su exito reproductivo. Palabras clave: especies invasivas, sustrato del nido. sobrevivencia del nido., The Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia) is a Neotropical migratory passerine that breeds in riparian and other wetland-edge habitats across North America and uses several woody plant substrates for nest building [...]