Integrative Review of Music and Music Therapy Interventions on Functional Outcomes in Children with Acquired Brain Injury.

Acquired brain injury (ABI) can result in a multitude of impairments to physical, cognitive, communicative, psychological, and psychosocial functioning. Music interventions are emerging as a valuable form of intervention in the rehabilitation of children with ABI, stimulating brain functions involved in movement, cognition, speech, emotions, and sensory perceptions. To date, the literature detailing the impact of music and music therapy interventions on functional outcomes in children with ABI has not been reviewed systematically. To address this, Whittemore and Knafl's five-stage integrative review framework was employed, which includes (a) problem identification, (b) literature search, (c) data evaluation, (d) data analysis and synthesis, and (e) presentation of the findings. A total of 388 articles were retrieved, and 8 studies met the inclusion criteria. Analysis and synthesis resulted in 3 overarching themes: outcomes of using music therapy in pediatric ABI, music therapy as a motivator in pediatric ABI rehabilitation, and collaboration. The review highlights the pivotal role of music as a motivational catalyst that promotes adherence to rehabilitative intervention. Nevertheless, it underscores a significant gap in empirical research within the field, emphasizing the necessity for larger, more rigorous studies.

Responses of drinking water bulk and biofilm microbiota to elevated water age in bench-scale simulated distribution systems.

Reductions in nonresidential water demand during the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of understanding how water age impacts drinking water quality and microbiota in piped distribution systems. Using benchtop model distribution systems, we aimed to characterize the impacts of elevated water age on microbiota in bulk water and pipe wall biofilms. Five replicate constant-flow reactors were fed with municipal chloraminated tap water for 6 months prior to building closures and 7 months after. After building closures, chloramine levels entering the reactors dropped; in the reactor bulk water and biofilms the mean cell counts and ATP concentrations increased over an order of magnitude while the detection of opportunistic pathogens remained low. Water age, and the corresponding physicochemical changes, strongly influenced microbial abundance and community composition. Differential initial microbial colonization also had a lasting influence on microbial communities in each reactor (i.e., historical contingency).

Membrane protein extraction and purification using partially-esterified SMA polymers.

Styrene maleic acid (SMA) polymers have proven to be very successful for the extraction of membrane proteins, forming SMA lipid particles (SMALPs), which maintain a lipid bilayer around the membrane protein. SMALP-encapsulated membrane proteins can be used for functional and structural studies. The SMALP approach allows retention of important protein-annular lipid interactions, exerts lateral pressure, and offers greater stability than traditional detergent solubilisation. However, SMA polymer does have some limitations, including a sensitivity to divalent cations and low pH, an absorbance spectrum that overlaps with many proteins, and possible restrictions on protein conformational change. Various modified polymers have been developed to try to overcome these challenges, but no clear solution has been found. A series of partially-esterified variants of SMA (SMA 2625, SMA 1440 and SMA 17352) has previously been shown to be highly effective for solubilisation of plant and cyanobacterial thylakoid membranes. It was hypothesised that the partial esterification of maleic acid groups would increase tolerance to divalent cations. Therefore, these partially-esterified polymers were tested for the solubilisation of lipids and membrane proteins, and their tolerance to magnesium ions. It was found that all partially esterified polymers were capable of solubilising and purifying a range of membrane proteins, but the yield of protein was lower with SMA 1440, and the degree of purity was lower for both SMA 1440 and SMA 17352. SMA 2625 performed comparably to SMA 2000. SMA 1440 also showed an increased sensitivity to divalent cations. Thus, it appears the interactions between SMA and divalent cations are more complex than proposed and require further investigation.

The challenges to public health nurse practice in rural Ireland.

OBJECTIVES: The primary objective was to understand the contemporary public health nurse's (PHN) role and the issues that they face working in rural Ireland. DESIGN AND SAMPLE: This study was based on an ethnographic approach with 13 PHNs working in rural areas in the South West of Ireland. MEASUREMENTS: A combination of solicited diaries and semi-structured interviews referred to as the diary/interview method were employed. Diaries were used by the PHNs to record their working day on a staggered basis from February to April 2017 with the subsequent interviews carried out in June and July 2017. RESULTS: Working as a PHN in a rural area presented a number of issues such as time spent on traveling as a result of geographical disparity & poor road networks; client transport issues; a sense of working in isolation; communication issues with respect to computer/tablet hardware availability, mobile phone and broadband connectivity and the availability of, and the physical access to services. CONCLUSION: PHNs operating in rural communities face a distinct set of challenges that they have a limited ability to address. Legislators, health care providers and policymakers need to create a supportive environment that helps address these challenges in Ireland.