Homogeneity assessment of the SuperCam calibration targets onboard rover perseverance.

The SuperCam instrument, onboard the Perseverance rover (Mars 2020 mission) is designed to perform remote analysis on the Martian surface employing several spectroscopic techniques such as Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS), Time-Resolved Raman (TRR), Time-Resolved Fluorescence (TRF) and Visible and Infrared (VISIR) reflectance. In addition, SuperCam also acquires high-resolution images using a color remote micro-imager (RMI) as well as sounds with its microphone. SuperCam has three main subsystems, the Mast Unit (MU) where the laser for chemical analysis and collection optics are housed, the Body Unit (BU) where the different spectrometers are located inside the rover, and the SuperCam Calibration Target (SCCT) located on the rover's deck to facilitate calibration tests at similar ambient conditions as the analyzed samples. To perform adequate calibrations on Mars, the 22 mineral samples included in the complex SCCT assembly must have a very homogeneous distribution of major and minor elements. The analysis and verification of such homogeneity for the 5-6 replicates of the samples included in the SCCT has been the aim of this work. To verify the physic-chemical homogeneity of the calibration targets, micro Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (EDXRF) imaging was first used on the whole surface of the targets, then the relative abundances of the detected elements were computed on 20 randomly distributed areas of 100 × 100 µm. For those targets showing a positive Raman response, micro-Raman spectroscopy imaging was performed on the whole surface of the targets at a resolution of 100 × 100 µm. The %RSD values (percent of relative standard deviation of mean values) for the major elements measured with EDXRF were compared with similar values obtained by two independent LIBS set-ups at spot sizes of 300 µm in diameter. The statistical analysis showed which elements were homogeneously distributed in the 22 mineral targets of the SCCT, providing their uncertainty values for further calibration. Moreover, nine of the 22 targets showed a good Raman response and their mineral distributions were also studied. Those targets can be also used for calibration purposes of the Raman part of SuperCam using the wavenumbers of their main Raman bands proposed in this work.

Equivalence of a single saline nebulised dose of formoterol powder vs three doses of nebulised Albuterol every twenty minutes in acute asthma in children: a suitable cost effective approach for developing nations.

BACKGROUND: An increase in asthma prevalence is reported from developed as well as developing nations, with rising costs from acute asthma and great expenditures to health care systems. Venezuela's Ministry of Health ambulatory facilities care for 80 % or more of a mostly urban and impoverished population of 26 million inhabitants, registering close to a million acute asthma visits per year; a nebulised fixed fenoterol-ipratropium bromide combination (Bero-dual, Boehringer-Ingelheim) in repeated dosing is the standard treatment. OBJECTIVES: to simplify acute asthma care and management in a cost effective manner employing Formoterol Fumarate powder, a long acting beta agonist with immediate bronchodilator effects. METHODOLOGY: Fifty acute asthmatic children (5-12 years old) were randomly assigned (25 patients in each group) to receive either a nebulised single dose (US $1.35) of two 12 microg Formoterol Fumarate capsules (Foradil 12 microg/cap, Novartis Pharma AG, Basel, Switzerland) diluted in 2.5 ml of sterile saline solution; or 3 doses of Albuterol (US $ 6.73) every twenty minutes for one hour (Glaxo Smith Kline Albuterol ampoules, 2.5 mg/2.5 ml, at a dose of 0.15 mg/kg/dose, maximum dose 2.5 mg). Symptoms score, oxygen saturation and lung function testing were recorded before and one hour after commencing treatments. RESULTS: Both groups improved significantly on all parameters, except for FEV(1) in the Albuterol group. CONCLUSIONS: Single dose nebulised Formoterol Fumarate (dry powder) in sterile saline solution, as depicted in this trial, is equivalent to three doses of Albuterol every twenty minutes for one hour in acute asthma in children, simplifying acute care management and at one fifth of medication costs. A pursuit of simpler and more cost effective approaches is found wanting in developing nations with depressed economies and unique cultural and socio-medical contexts; also, in countries where pharmaco-economics orients quality of health policies, novel approaches like this are worth exploring.

Sociodemographic and clinical variables as predictors of the diagnostic characteristics of first episodes of schizophrenia.

This paper examines the association of clinical and sociodemographic factors, including age and sex, with the diagnostic characteristics of first episodes of schizophrenia. The study included all patients with a first episode of schizophrenia who made contact with any of the public mental health services of the Autonomous Region of Cantabria in Northern Spain over a period of 2 years. Diagnostic characteristics were determined using the Spanish version of the Present State Examination (PSE-9), and the Scales for the Assessment of Positive and Negative Symptoms (SAPS and SANS, respectively). The study confirms that the onset of schizophrenia tends to occur earlier in men than in women. However, neither sex nor age of onset were found to be associated with the clinical and psychopathological characteristics of the patients as established by the PSE-CATEGO-ID system. Furthermore, no other factors were found to be associated with these diagnostic characteristics. Being female, having a family history of mental illness, and a poor premorbid adjustment were found to predict negative symptoms as defined by SANS/SAPS scales.

[The female role as assessment of mental health of women within the general population of Cantabria]. / El rol femenino como determinante de la salud mental de las mujeres de la población general de Cantabria.

This paper tries to analyse the relationship between traditional feminine role (marriage, motherhood and housing) and mental health in spanish women. The General Health Questionnaire 60-items (GHQ-60) was used to define "cases" in a random sample of the general population of Cantabria consisting of 630 women aged 17 and over. The rate of probable prevalence of psychiatric disorders was 26.4%. In contrast to previous studies, motherhood and traditional feminine role correlated with the lowest GHQ-60 mean scores. Occupational status was not related to mental health. Women living with husband, children, parents and/or parents-in-law scored lower on GHQ-60 than those living with husband and children. These results are discussed in the light of previous findings in the literature. At least, they reconfirm the importance of socio-cultural factors in community psychiatric disorder.

Sex differences in mental illness: a community study of the influence of physical health and sociodemographic factors.

This paper examines sex differences in psychiatric morbidity, using data from a community sample. The PSE-CATEGO-ID system was used to evaluate psychopathology. Six sociodemographic factors and physical illness were taken as independent variables. Females exhibit both a significantly higher psychiatric morbidity than males and a predominance of syndromes closely related to depression (SD; OD syndromes) and anxiety (GA; SA; TE; IT syndromes). Logistic modelling analysis, carried out separately for each sex, yielded different models. Psychiatric illness in men was best predicted by physical illness, unemployment and the interaction between the two. In contrast, physical illness emerged, in women, as the only factor exerting significant effects on psychiatric morbidity.

Mental health and medical consultation in primary care settings.

This paper examines the effect of psychiatric morbidity, as measured by the GHQ-60, on the probability of being in contact with a primary care physician, and the socio-demographic factors which influenced this effect. We found that the presence of psychiatric morbidity emerged as a major determinant of primary care utilization in both sexes, and about one-sixth of consultations in men and one-fifth of consultations in women could be attributed to it. Logistic modelling was used to investigate the joint effect on general practitioner consultation of psychiatric morbidity and seven socio-demographic variables. Sex, age, and psychiatric morbidity exerted independent, but not interactive, effects on consultation.

Patterns of psychotropic drug use in a Spanish rural community.

Psychotropic drug use was investigated using a two-stage survey of a random sample of persons aged 17 and over from a rural Spanish community. It was found that 6.9%, 11.8% and 25.1% of the population were consuming psychotropic, analgesic and somatic medicines respectively. Women presented a higher rate of psychotropic use than men (prevalence for women 10.7%, for men 2.6%). This female predominance was found to be significantly related to sociodemographic and medical factors. Psychotropic use was also associated with the physical health of the respondent. The coexistence of physical and mental illness generated an increase of consumption, whereas the absence of both types of illness was associated with a very low rate. The rates for physical and for mental illness alone were intermediate and were almost equal.