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The level structure of Al36 has been studied via β decay of Mg36 at the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) and the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory (NSCL). A long-lived isomer in Al36 was identified which decays by β to an excited state of Si36. The ground state and the isomeric state of Al36 were found to populate different energy levels of Si36. The results from the two data sets in the present work complement each other. Configuration interaction calculations performed with the FSU shell-model Hamiltonians provide reasonable descriptions to the experimental observations and offer insight into future improvements of the theoretical interpretation.

Background: Women with cardiometabolic pregnancy complications are at increased risk of future diabetes and heart disease which can be reduced through lifestyle management postpartum. Objectives: This study aimed to explore preferred intervention characteristics and behaviour change needs of women with or without prior cardiometabolic pregnancy complications for engaging in postpartum lifestyle interventions. Design: Quantitative cross-sectional study. Methods: Online survey. Results: Overall, 473 women were included, 207 (gestational diabetes (n = 105), gestational hypertension (n = 39), preeclampsia (n = 35), preterm birth (n = 65) and small for gestational age (n = 23)) with and 266 without prior cardiometabolic pregnancy complications. Women with and without complications had similar intervention preferences, with delivery ideally by a healthcare professional with expertise in women’s health, occurring during maternal child health nurse visits or online, commencing 7 weeks to 3 months post birth, with 15- to 30-min monthly sessions, lasting 1 year and including monitoring of progress and social support. Women with prior complications preferred intervention content on women’s health, mental health, exercise, mother’s diet and their children’s health and needed to know more about how to change behaviour, have more time to do it and feel they want to do it enough to participate. There were significant differences between groups, with more women with prior cardiometabolic pregnancy complications wanting content on women’s health (87.9% vs 80.8%, p = 0.037), mother’s diet (72.5% vs 60.5%, p = 0.007), preventing diabetes or heart disease (43.5% vs 27.4%, p

We examined the role of anti-extractivism as environmental peacebuilding through a conflict transformation framework. Environmental peacebuilding aims to foster peace through addressing environmental issues to remedy root causes of conflict; such efforts must further account for and respond to the changing climate. To this end, we explored how community-level movements encounter structural constraints, oppressions, or opportunities. Rather than relying on existing structures as a means to resolve conflict, we suggest that environmental conflict transformation presents an opportunity to foster climate resilient peace responding to differing needs of various groups, extending beyond the absence of war, and responding to the realities of climate change. We conducted case studies with the organizations Casa Pueblo in Puerto Rico and Movimento Bem Viver in Brazil to explore how conflict transformation helps shift environmental peacebuilding toward both being able to respond to destructive patterns and to achieve a more peaceful future through a process of change. We argue that the act of negating extractivism is a positive action toward transformation for peace. We thus contribute theoretical and empirical insight to the study of environmental peacebuilding, broadening ongoing discussions on building climate resilient peace that is beneficial to both humans and the environment.

For international students, seeking a tertiary education outside of their home countries has been a common practice for centuries. However, recent years have brought a significant influx in the number of international students entering the United States to procure a postsecondary education. In 2018-2019, Open Doors (Institute for International Education, 2019) reported an increase in the number of international students studying in the United States for the 14th consecutive year. Because maintaining this stream of international students is of utmost importance to university officials, they strive to meet the educational goals of this student population. Understanding factors that impact the academic achievement of international students is critical. The background characteristics, precollege characteristics, and college experiences of international students have been found to predict cognitive skills development, and cognitive skills development has been linked to optimal academic achievement and student satisfaction.

BackgroundGirls have unique developmental pathways to substance use and justice system involvement, warranting gender-responsive intervention. We tested the efficacy of VOICES (a 12-session, weekly trauma-informed, gender-responsive substance use intervention) in reducing substance use and HIV/STI risk behaviors among justice- and school-referred girls.MethodsParticipants were 113 girls (Mage = 15.7 years, SD = 1.4; 12 % White, 19 % Black, 15 % multi-racial; 42 % Latinx) with a history of substance use referred from juvenile justice (29 %) and school systems (71 %). Study assessments were completed at baseline, 3-, 6- and 9-months follow-up. Primary outcomes included substance use and HIV/STI risk behaviors; secondary outcomes included psychiatric symptoms (including posttraumatic stress) and delinquent acts. We hypothesized that girls randomized to the VOICES (n = 51) versus GirlHealth (attention control; n = 62) condition would report reduced alcohol, cannabis and other substance use, HIV/STI risk behaviors, psychiatric symptoms, and delinquent acts.ResultsGirls randomized to VOICES reported significantly less cannabis use over 9-month follow-up relative to the control condition (time by intervention, p < .01), but there were no between group differences over time in HIV/STI risk behavior. Girls in both conditions reported fewer psychiatric symptoms and delinquent acts over time.ConclusionsData support the use of a trauma-informed, gender-responsive intervention to reduce cannabis use among girls with a substance use history and legal involvement; reducing cannabis use in this population has implications for preventing future justice involvement and improving public health outcomes for girls and young women, who are at disproportionate health and legal risk relative to their male counterparts.

Utilizing data from the 2012 University of California Undergraduate Experience Survey (UCUES), the following question was addressed: "What are the direct and indirect effects of writing proficiency on cognitive development among international students?" Because many international students have chosen to study in the United States to improve their academic achievement, the higher education community has needed greater understanding of those factors which contribute significantly to the success and satisfaction of international students. Writing proficiency is one such factor, and the findings of this research study have suggested the importance of providing support and designing programs for improved writing skills.

Darren M Brenner,1 Spencer D Dorn,2 Ronald P Fogel,3 Jennifer Christie,4 Adam P Laitman,5 Jonathan Rosenberg6 1Internal Medicine-Gastroenterology, Northwestern University-Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA; 2Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, UNC School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; 3Digestive Health Center of Michigan, Chesterfield, MI, USA; 4Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA; 5Salix Pharmaceuticals, Bridgewater, NJ, USA; 6GI Alliance of Illinois, Gurnee, IL, USACorrespondence: Darren M Brenner, MD, FACG, AGAF, RFF, Northwestern Memorial Hospital/Arkes Family Pavilion, 676 N St Clair Street, Suite 1400, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA, Tel +1 312 695 8132, Fax +1 312 695 3999, Email Darren.Brenner@nm.orgPurpose: Patients with irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C) experience abdominal pain with altered bowel movements. Plecanatide is indicated as IBS-C treatment in adults. This integrated analysis further characterizes plecanatide efficacy and safety in IBS-C.Patients and Methods: Data pooled from 2 identically designed phase 3 trials included adults with IBS-C randomized to plecanatide 3 mg or 6 mg, or placebo once daily for 12 weeks. A daily diary recorded stool frequency/symptoms, with abdominal pain, bloating, cramping, discomfort, fullness, and straining intensity individually rated. Overall response (primary endpoint) was defined as ≥ 30% improvement from baseline in average worst abdominal pain severity and increase of ≥ 1 complete spontaneous bowel movement, during same week (composite), for ≥ 6 of 12 weeks. Secondary endpoints included sustained response (overall response, plus meeting weekly composite criteria during ≥ 2 of last 4 treatment weeks) and changes from baseline in individual symptoms. Safety assessments included adverse event monitoring.Results: Overall, 2176 patients (74.0% female; mean [SD] age, 43.5 [14.1] years) were included in efficacy analyses (plecanatide 3 mg [n = 724], 6 mg [n = 723], placebo [n = 729]). A significantly greater percentage of patients achieved overall response with plecanatide 3 mg (25.6%) and 6 mg (26.7%) versus placebo (16.0%; both P < 0.001 vs placebo). A significantly greater percentage of patients were sustained responders with plecanatide 3 mg (24.3%) and 6 mg (25.6%) versus placebo (15.6%; both P < 0.001 vs placebo). Significant improvements from baseline in abdominal discomfort, abdominal fullness, abdominal pain, bloating, and cramping occurred as early as Week 1 (Week 2 for abdominal pain) with plecanatide and were maintained through Week 12 versus placebo. Diarrhea, the most common adverse event, occurred in 4.3% (3 mg), 4.0% (6 mg) and 1.0% (placebo) of patients, leading to study discontinuation in 1.2%, 1.4%, and 0 patients, respectively.Conclusion: Plecanatide is safe and effective for treating global and individual IBS-C symptoms.Keywords: abdominal pain, bloating, functional GI disorders, guanylate cyclase-C agonist, irritable bowel syndrome

Abstract We present an ocean-basin-scale dataset that includes tail fluke photographic identification (photo-ID) and encounter data for most living individual humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in the North Pacific Ocean. The dataset was built through a broad collaboration combining 39 separate curated photo-ID catalogs, supplemented with community science data. Data from throughout the North Pacific were aggregated into 13 regions, including six breeding regions, six feeding regions, and one migratory corridor. All images were compared with minimal pre-processing using a recently developed image recognition algorithm based on machine learning through artificial intelligence; this system is capable of rapidly detecting matches between individuals with an estimated 97–99% accuracy. For the 2001–2021 study period, a total of 27,956 unique individuals were documented in 157,350 encounters. Each individual was encountered, on average, in 5.6 sampling periods (i.e., breeding and feeding seasons), with an annual average of 87% of whales encountered in more than one season. The combined dataset and image recognition tool represents a living and accessible resource for collaborative, basin-wide studies of a keystone marine mammal in a time of rapid ecological change.

Gut microbiome analysis is costly and poses a significant challenge for determining the gut microbiota composition to facilitate the adoption of personalized nutritional interventions. Emerging evidence suggests dysbiosis as a contributor to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), but the results remain uncertain. Moreover, IBS prevalence is becoming a public health problem in the adult Lebanese population. This study aimed at estimating the gut microbiota’s composition using a Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) and exploring its correlation with IBS among Lebanese adults. A cross-sectional study was conducted for 388 adults during the summer 2023. An online questionnaire collected information about sociodemographic characteristics, anthropometric measures, health status, and dietary habits through a semiquantitative FFQ. We observed the influence of Western diet among the three patterns that were identified. Participants were clustered into two groups based on their estimated (poor or good) microbiota composition, EPMC and EGMC, respectively. We observed a significant inverse relationship between IBS symptoms and EGMC. Participants experiencing IBS symptoms were less likely to exhibit a good gut microbiota compared to those without any IBS symptoms (AOR = 0.614, 95% CI (0.402–0.937), P=0.024), and a higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet was significantly associated with lower odds of having IBS symptoms (AOR = 0.786, 95% CI (0.635–0.973), P=0.027). Our study revealed a dietary shift toward a more Westernized pattern among Lebanese adults who experienced symptoms of IBS. FFQ may be used to estimate the gut microbiota to provide customized nutritional therapy for patients suffering from IBS.

The abrupt onset of the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated an unprecedented shift to remote schooling for students across the United States and required many caregivers to take a primary or secondary role as schoolteacher. The goal of this study was to better understand caregivers' experiences of schooling from home during the spring 2020 COVID-19 closures. Roughly 1,000 caregivers, the majority of whom were White, highly educated mothers, responded to the survey, documenting their children's daily remote learning experiences and providing insight into the frequency and perceived quality of specialized services and individualized support plans. Results highlight the wide variability in students' daily educational experiences. Estimates of assigned work ranged from less than 30 minutes to more than three hours per day across grade levels, and approximately 1 in 4 caregivers reported that their child received no synchronous instruction. Furthermore, reports provide insight into the specific stresses experienced by caregivers in navigating schooling from home, most notably related to time and communication.

Set in the context of a statewide research university system, this study attempted to improve our understanding of cognitive skills development among international students. Specifically, this study examined how the patterns and predictors of cognitive skills development among this population differ from their domestic counterparts. The study utilized data from the 2010 University of California Undergraduate Experience Survey (UCUES). This study identified unique patterns in both cognitive skills development and college experiences among international students. Findings also suggest that some college experiences, such as research engagement with faculty and satisfaction with advising, can possibly facilitate greater gains in cognitive skills among international students. The study discusses the theoretical and practical implications of the findings.

We examined the role of anti-extractivism as environmental peacebuilding through a conflict transformation framework. Environmental peacebuilding aims to foster peace through addressing environmental issues to remedy root causes of conflict; such efforts must further account for and respond to the changing climate. To this end, we explored how community-level movements encounter structural constraints, oppressions, or opportunities. Rather than relying on existing structures as a means to resolve conflict, we suggest that environmental conflict transformation presents an opportunity to foster climate resilient peace responding to differing needs of various groups, extending beyond the absence of war, and responding to the realities of climate change. We conducted case studies with the organizations Casa Pueblo in Puerto Rico and Movimento Bem Viver in Brazil to explore how conflict transformation helps shift environmental peacebuilding toward both being able to respond to destructive patterns and to achieve a more peaceful future through a process of change. We argue that the act of negating extractivism is a positive action toward transformation for peace. We thus contribute theoretical and empirical insight to the study of environmental peacebuilding, broadening ongoing discussions on building climate resilient peace that is beneficial to both humans and the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Women with cardiometabolic pregnancy complications are at increased risk of future diabetes and heart disease which can be reduced through lifestyle management postpartum. Objectives: This study aimed to explore preferred intervention characteristics and behaviour change needs of women with or without prior cardiometabolic pregnancy complications for engaging in postpartum lifestyle interventions. Design: Quantitative cross-sectional study. Methods: Online survey. Results: Overall, 473 women were included, 207 (gestational diabetes (n = 105), gestational hypertension (n = 39), preeclampsia (n = 35), preterm birth (n = 65) and small for gestational age (n = 23)) with and 266 without prior cardiometabolic pregnancy complications. Women with and without complications had similar intervention preferences, with delivery ideally by a healthcare professional with expertise in women's health, occurring during maternal child health nurse visits or online, commencing 7 weeks to 3 months post birth, with 15- to 30-min monthly sessions, lasting 1 year and including monitoring of progress and social support. Women with prior complications preferred intervention content on women's health, mental health, exercise, mother's diet and their children's health and needed to know more about how to change behaviour, have more time to do it and feel they want to do it enough to participate. There were significant differences between groups, with more women with prior cardiometabolic pregnancy complications wanting content on women's health (87.9% vs 80.8%, p = 0.037), mother's diet (72.5% vs 60.5%, p = 0.007), preventing diabetes or heart disease (43.5% vs 27.4%, p < 0.001) and exercise after birth (78.3% vs 68.0%, p = 0.014), having someone to monitor their progress (69.6% vs 58.6%, p = 0.014), needing the necessary materials (47.3% vs 37.6%, p = 0.033), triggers to prompt them (44.0% vs 31.6%, p = 0.006) and feeling they want to do it enough (73.4%, 63.2%, p = 0.018). Conclusion: These unique preferences should be considered in future postpartum lifestyle interventions to enhance engagement, improve health and reduce risk of future cardiometabolic disease in these high-risk women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]