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Placement tests are used to support a particular need in a local context--to determine the best starting place for a student entering a specific programme of language study. This brief report will focus on the development of an innovative placement test with self-directed elements for our local needs at a university in Canada for students studying English or French as a second language. Our goals are to produce a more efficient assessment instrument while allowing students more agency through the process. We hope that sharing these details will encourage others to consider the potential of incorporating self-directed elements in low-stakes placement decision-making.

IntroductionThis study evaluated vaccination and prophylactic use of antimicrobials as strategies to prevent Porcine Proliferative Enteropathy (PPE) during nursery and growth-finishing phases.MethodsThree hundred weaned piglets (~ 29 days old) were distributed into groups: NVMED – no vaccinated against Lawsonia intracellularis but in-feed medicated with antimicrobials (amoxicillin, florfenicol, lincomycin, spectinomycin and tilmicosin); VMED – vaccinated and in-feed medicated; VNMED – vaccinated but no in-feed medicated. Piglets were vaccinated at weaning (Porcilis® Ileitis, MSD Animal Health). The following variables were assessed: growth and health performance, anti-L. intracellularis IgG levels, L. intracellularis fecal shedding, Pneumonia and Pleurisy Index (PPI) at slaughter, antimicrobial consumption and costs, and vaccination expenses.ResultsAverage daily gain (ADG) at the nursery phase was lower in VNMED group (p < 0.01); however, there was no treatment effect on feed conversion, ADG, and body weight at growth-finishing phase (p ≥ 0.23). Similar anti-L. intracellularis IgG levels were found for VMED and VNMED groups at all evaluated moments (p = 0.01). L. intracellularis was only detected in feces samples from 4/90 tested piglets and no difference in health performance was found (p > 0.05). Groups presented PPI < 0.89. In-feed antimicrobial consumption and related costs were 3 to 3.5-fold higher for NVMED and VMED groups compared to VNMED group.DiscussionThe prophylactic administration of antimicrobials used in this study did not affect the serological performance post-vaccination against L. intracellularis. Additionally, vaccine use to prevent PPE reduced the antimicrobial consumption and related costs by ~70%, with no impairments on production outputs.

The influence of uncertainty on the method adopted for the determination of radioactive radium concentration in water was analyzed due to the assessment of the radiation hazards of balneotherapy. For the calculation, we considered the influence of the bath in radioactive water containing only 226Ra. 226Ra concentration was determined with two γ-spectrometers armed with HPGe detectors with different relative efficiencies. Both spectrometers were energy-efficiency calibrated with a calibration source and based on numerical simulations. Different methods for qualitative γ-spectrum analysis were adopted. The emanation method and the liquid scintillation method were also used. The uncertainty of humans hazard assessment linearly depends on the adopted radiometric method precision. For effective dose calculation, two models were adopted: the model of external exposure proposed by ICRP Publication 144 and the Reference Men model proposed by ICRP Publication 23, respectively.

With advancements in hardware and software, non-destructive radiometric analytical methods have become popular in a wide range of applications. A typical case is the study of the leaching process of metals from mineral ores and mine tailings. The objective of the current study was to develop a radiometric method based on neutron activation analysis (NAA), in particular, delayed gamma neutron activation analysis (DGNAA), to monitor the process of Mn and Zn leaching from Ti ore, Cu mine tailings, and Zn-Pb mine tailings. The DGNAA method was performed using a neutron source: a deuterium-tritium (D-T) neutron generator for Mn and a MARIA research nuclear reactor for Zn. Laboratory-scale Mn leaching from Ti ores, Cu tailings, and Zn-Pb tailings was investigated using delayed gamma-rays of 56Mn (half-life of 2.6 h). The dissolution efficiencies of Mn were found to increase with interaction time and HCl concentration (1 to 5 M) and to vary with the leaching temperature (22.5 to 110 °C). Such results were found to agree with those obtained by total reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF) spectrometry for the same samples. 65Zn (half-life of 244 days) was chosen to investigate real-time/online leaching of Zn in Ti ore, Cu tailings, and Zn-Pb tailings. During online monitoring, Zn recovery was also reported to increase with increased leaching time. After approximately 300 min of leaching, 80%, 79%, and 53% recovery of Zn in Zn-Pb tailings, Ti ore, and Cu tailings, respectively, were reported. Theoretically, developed mathematical prediction models for 65Zn radiotracer analysis showed that the spherical diffusion model requires much less time to attain saturation compared to the linear diffusion model. The results of NAA for Zn were compared with those obtained by handheld X-ray fluorescence (handheld-XRF) and TXRF analysis. The analyzed samples encompassed leached Ti ore, Cu tailings, and Zn-Pb tailings which were subjected to different conditions of leaching time, temperature, and HCl concentrations. The XRF analysis confirmed that the leaching efficiencies of Zn rise with the increase in leaching time and HCl concentration and fluctuate with leaching temperature. The developed approach is important and can be applied in laboratories and industrial setups for online monitoring of the recovery of any element whose isotopes can be activated using neutrons. The efficiency of the metal-recovery process has a direct impact on the normal operation and economic advantages of hydrometallurgy.

Although generic oral contraceptives (OCPs) can improve adherence and reduce health care expenditures, use of generic OCPs remains low, and the factors that affect generic prescribing are not well understood. We aimed to understand the barriers and facilitators of generic OCP prescribing and potential solutions to increase generic OCP prescribing, as well as pilot an educational module to address clinician misconceptions about generic OCPs. We developed focus group scripts using the 4D model of appreciative inquiry. A total of four focus groups occurred, two at the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) national conference and two at the American College of Physicians (ACP) Internal Medicine meeting. Focus group transcripts were analyzed using a constant comparative method with no a priori hypothesis to generate emerging and reoccurring themes. Findings from these focus groups were used to develop an educational module promoting generic OCP prescribing. Participants were recruited from the AANP Network for Research and the ACP Research Panel. This study demonstrates that health system factors, workflow factors, clinician factors, and patient factors were the main barriers to and facilitators of generic OCP prescribing. Nurse practitioners were responsive to an educational module and reported increased willingness to discuss and prescribe generic OCPs after completing the module. Interventions to increase generic OCP prescribing must address clinician and patient factors within the context of workflow and larger health system factors.

Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a neurological condition linked to liver failure. Acute HE (Type A) occurs with acute liver failure, while chronic HE (Type C) is tied to cirrhosis and portal hypertension. HE treatments lag due to gaps in understanding its development by gender and age. We studied how sex and age impact HE and its severity with combined liver toxins. Our findings indicate that drug-induced (thioacetamide, TAA) brain edema was more severe in aged males than in young males or young/aged female rats. However, adding alcohol (ethanol, EtOH) worsens TAA’s brain edema in both young and aged females, with females experiencing a more severe effect than males. These patterns also apply to Type A HE induced by azoxymethane (AZO) in mice. Similarly, TAA-induced behavioral deficits in Type C HE were milder in young and aged females than in males. Conversely, EtOH and TAA in young/aged males led to severe brain edema and fatality without noticeable behavioral changes. TAA metabolism was slower in aged males than in young or middle-aged rats. When TAA-treated aged male rats received EtOH, there was a slow and sustained plasma level of thioacetamide sulfoxide (TASO). This suggests that with EtOH, TAA-induced HE is more severe in aged males. TAA metabolism was similar in young, middle-aged, and aged female rats. However, with EtOH, young and aged females experience more severe drug-induced HE as compared to middle-aged adult rats. These findings strongly suggest that gender and age play a role in the severity of HE development and that the presence of one or more liver toxins may aggravate the severity of the disease progression.

Abstract Synucleinopathies are neurodegenerative diseases in which α-synuclein protein accumulates in neurons and glia. In these diseases, α-synuclein forms dense intracellular aggregates that are disease hallmarks and actively contribute to tissue pathology. Interestingly, many pathological mechanisms, including iron accumulation and lipid peroxidation, are shared between classical synucleinopathies such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI). However, to date, no studies have determined if α-synuclein accumulation occurs after human SCI. To examine this, cross-sections from injured and non-injured human spinal cords were immunolabeled for α-synuclein. This showed robust α-synuclein accumulation in profiles resembling axons and astrocytes in tissue surrounding the injury, revealing that α-synuclein markedly aggregates in traumatically injured human spinal cords. We also detected significant iron deposition in the injury site, a known catalyst for α-synuclein aggregation. Next a rodent SCI model mimicking the histological features of human SCI revealed aggregates and structurally altered monomers of α-synuclein are present after SCI. To determine if α-synuclein exacerbates SCI pathology, α-synuclein knockout mice were tested. Compared to wild type mice, α-synuclein knockout mice had significantly more spared axons and neurons and lower pro-inflammatory mediators, macrophage accumulation, and iron deposition in the injured spinal cord. Interestingly, locomotor analysis revealed that α-synuclein may be essential for dopamine-mediated hindlimb function after SCI. Collectively, the marked upregulation and long-lasting accumulation of α-synuclein and iron suggests that SCI may fit within the family of synucleinopathies and offer new therapeutic targets for promoting neuron preservation and improving function after spinal trauma.

Abstract Purpose Many radioligands have been developed for the visualization of atherosclerosis by targeting inflammation. However, interpretation of in vivo signals is often limited to plaque identification. We evaluated binding of some promising radioligands in an in vitro approach in atherosclerotic plaques with different phenotypes. Methods Tissue sections of carotid endarterectomy tissue were characterized as early plaque, fibro-calcific plaque, or phenotypically vulnerable plaque. In vitro binding assays for the radioligands [111In]In-DOTATATE; [111In]In-DOTA-JR11; [67Ga]Ga-Pentixafor; [111In]In-DANBIRT; and [111In]In-EC0800 were conducted, the expression of the radioligand targets was assessed via immunohistochemistry. Radioligand binding and expression of radioligand targets was investigated and compared. Results In sections characterized as vulnerable plaque, binding was highest for [111In]In-EC0800; followed by [111In]In-DANBIRT; [67Ga]Ga-Pentixafor; [111In]In-DOTA-JR11; and [111In]In-DOTATATE (0.064 ± 0.036; 0.052 ± 0.029; 0.011 ± 0.003; 0.0066 ± 0.0021; 0.00064 ± 0.00014 %Added activity/mm2, respectively). Binding of [111In]In-DANBIRT and [111In]In-EC0800 was highest across plaque phenotypes, binding of [111In]In-DOTA-JR11 and [67Ga]Ga-Pentixafor differed most between plaque phenotypes. Binding of [111In]In-DOTATATE was the lowest across plaque phenotypes. The areas positive for cells expressing the radioligand’s target differed between plaque phenotypes for all targets, with lowest percentage area of expression in early plaque sections and highest in phenotypically vulnerable plaque sections. Conclusions Radioligands targeting inflammatory cell markers showed different levels of binding in atherosclerotic plaques and among plaque phenotypes. Different radioligands might be used for plaque detection and discerning early from vulnerable plaque. [111In]In-EC0800 and [111In]In-DANBIRT appear most suitable for plaque detection, while [67Ga]Ga-Pentixafor and [111In]In-DOTA-JR11 might be best suited for differentiation between plaque phenotypes.

Francesco Patti,1 María Luisa Martínez Ginés,2 Christiane Norenberg,3 Fernando Duarte Caron4 1Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies, GF Ingrassia; Multiple Sclerosis Center, University of Catania, Catania, Italy; 2Department of Neurology, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañon, Madrid, Spain; 3Bayer AG, Wuppertal, Germany; 4Bayer, Whippany, New Jersey, NY, USACorrespondence: Francesco PattiMultiple Sclerosis Center, University of Catania, Piazza Università, 2, Catania 95131, ItalyEmail patti@unict.itPurpose: Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) would benefit from continued long-term treatment with disease-modifying therapies, and autoinjectors may help improve patients’ satisfaction with therapy, thereby increasing adherence rates. BETACONNECT® is an autoinjector for interferon beta-1b designed to improve the injection experience for patients. The BetaEval Global study assessed medication intake in patients using BETACONNECT to further investigate the value of this autoinjector.Patients and Methods: The BetaEval Global study was a prospective, non-interventional cohort study across multiple European countries in patients with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) or clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) who were starting interferon beta-1b treatment. The decision to administer interferon beta-1b was made independently of the study. Patients were assessed at the initial visits and planned follow-up visits at Weeks 4, 12, and 24. The primary outcome variable was compliance with therapy based on the medication possession ratio (MPR). Injections were automatically recorded by the BETACONNECT device or, in some instances, self-reported by the patients. This allowed for a complete dataset that could be used in the calculation of the MPR.Results: Four hundred ninety-eight patients were enrolled and completed 93.9%, 95.2%, and 95.4% of prescribed injections at Weeks 4, 12, and 24, respectively. Similarly, 76.4% (n=318), 76.6% (n=297), and 81.1% (n=284) of patients completed at least 80% of their prescribed injections. Median scores assessing patient satisfaction with the autoinjector were consistently high across the study.Conclusion: Overall, the results from BetaEval Global demonstrated that in this cohort of patients with RRMS or CIS on interferon beta-1b, use of the BETACONNECT autoinjector was associated with high rates of compliance, adherence, and patient satisfaction.Keywords: multiple sclerosis, interferon beta-1b, autoinjector, adherence, disease-modifying therapy

With advancements in hardware and software, non-destructive radiometric analytical methods have become popular in a wide range of applications. A typical case is the study of the leaching process of metals from mineral ores and mine tailings. The objective of the current study was to develop a radiometric method based on neutron activation analysis (NAA), in particular, delayed gamma neutron activation analysis (DGNAA), to monitor the process of Mn and Zn leaching from Ti ore, Cu mine tailings, and Zn-Pb mine tailings. The DGNAA method was performed using a neutron source: a deuterium-tritium (D-T) neutron generator for Mn and a MARIA research nuclear reactor for Zn. Laboratory-scale Mn leaching from Ti ores, Cu tailings, and Zn-Pb tailings was investigated using delayed gamma-rays of 56Mn (half-life of 2.6 h). The dissolution efficiencies of Mn were found to increase with interaction time and HCl concentration (1 to 5 M) and to vary with the leaching temperature (22.5 to 110 °C). Such results were found to agree with those obtained by total reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF) spectrometry for the same samples. 65Zn (half-life of 244 days) was chosen to investigate real-time/online leaching of Zn in Ti ore, Cu tailings, and Zn-Pb tailings. During online monitoring, Zn recovery was also reported to increase with increased leaching time. After approximately 300 min of leaching, 80%, 79%, and 53% recovery of Zn in Zn-Pb tailings, Ti ore, and Cu tailings, respectively, were reported. Theoretically, developed mathematical prediction models for 65Zn radiotracer analysis showed that the spherical diffusion model requires much less time to attain saturation compared to the linear diffusion model. The results of NAA for Zn were compared with those obtained by handheld X-ray fluorescence (handheld-XRF) and TXRF analysis. The analyzed samples encompassed leached Ti ore, Cu tailings, and Zn-Pb tailings which were subjected to different conditions of leaching time, temperature, and HCl concentrations. The XRF analysis confirmed that the leaching efficiencies of Zn rise with the increase in leaching time and HCl concentration and fluctuate with leaching temperature. The developed approach is important and can be applied in laboratories and industrial setups for online monitoring of the recovery of any element whose isotopes can be activated using neutrons. The efficiency of the metal-recovery process has a direct impact on the normal operation and economic advantages of hydrometallurgy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]