The hybrid political role of feminism on Twitter during COVID-19: SISMA Mujer in Colombia.

Twitter proved to be strategic for the dissemination of information, and for the activation of feminist social movements. This article identifies the patterns of representation around feminist movements on Twitter during the COVID-19 pandemic. We analyzed the discourse around a Colombian NGO known as Sisma Mujer, in a corpus of 4415 tweets posted during the first year of COVID-19. The results showed five significant topic categories: gender-based violence, women in peacebuilding, women's human rights, gender equality, and social protest. This activity re-contextualized the online activism of this movement into a new, hybrid role with important political implications for the social movement. Our analysis highlights this role by pointing out how feminist activists framed gender-based violence to generate a discourse on Twitter.

Improvements in identification and quantitation of alkylated PAHs and forensic ratio sourcing.

Parent and alkylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are present in a number of different sources in varying proportions depending on the source material and weathering. This range of PAH sources can make it difficult to determine the origin of exposure(s). Ratios of alkylated and parent PAHs have been applied as a forensic tool to distinguish between different sources. However, few studies have examined PAH ratios comprehensively as indicators for sourcing beyond a single study area or matrix type. In this paper, we introduce an expanded analytical method based on ASTM D7363-13a which we adapted for a gas chromatography triple quadrupole mass spectrometry instrument. The modifications increase selectivity and sensitivity compared to the ASTM method. We added five alkylated series to the method. This method has then been applied to 22 independent forensic ratios. We evaluated the method and the forensic ratios with certified reference materials and known environmental samples. This analytical method and thirteen PAH ratios were found to accurately predict sources of PAHs.

Computed tomography for head injuries in children: Change in Australian usage rates over time.

OBJECTIVE: Paediatric head injury is a common presentation to the ED. North American studies demonstrate increasing use of computed tomography (CT) brain scan (CTB) to investigate head injury. No such data exists for Australian EDs. The aim of this study was to describe CTB use in head injury over time in eight Australian EDs. METHODS: Retrospective ED electronic database and medical imaging database audit was undertaken for the years 2001-2010 by International Classification of Diseases (ICD) 9 or 10 code for head injury in children <16 years. EDs and medical imaging departments of eight hospitals in Australia (five tertiary referral and three mixed departments). Data for ED presentations with head injury, and all CTB performed by medical imaging were merged to obtain a data set of CTB performed within 24 h for head injury-related attendances to the ED. Descriptive and comparative analysis of CTB rates was performed. RESULTS: The rate of CTB over the decade was 10.2% (95% confidence interval (CI) 9.9-10.5). The annual rate varied from 9.5% (95% CI 8.2-10.9) to 12.5% (95% CI 11.2-13.9). CTB use did not increase over time. Median year of age at time of CT scan was 4 years, with an interquartile range of 1.5-9.4 years. Overall there was a 9.2% increase in the CTB scan rate for every additional year of age at presentation (95% CI 6.6-12.1; P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: CTB use in head injuries did not increase during the study period, and rates of CTB were less than reported for North America.

Single session family therapy in youth mental health: can it help?

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of single session therapy in meeting the needs of young people and their families on first presentation to a mental health service. METHOD: We conducted a quantitative analysis of routinely collected data using self- and family member-reported session and outcome rating scales. RESULTS: Both young people and their family members rate single session therapy sessions highly. In addition, both young people and their families rate the young person's mental health and well-being to have improved after the single session therapy intervention, with mothers rating the young person's improvement most highly. CONCLUSIONS: Single session therapy is an effective tool in improving both self- and parent-rated individual, interpersonal, social and overall well-being for young people presenting to a mental health service.

Point-of-Use Mixing of Influenza H5N1 Vaccine and MF59 Adjuvant for Pandemic Vaccination Preparedness: Antibody Responses and Safety. A Phase 1 Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: Avian influenza A/H5N1 has threatened human health for nearly 2 decades. Avian influenza A vaccine without adjuvant is poorly immunogenic. A flexible rapid tactic for mass vaccination will be needed if a pandemic occurs. METHODS: A multicenter, randomized, blinded phase 1 clinical trial evaluated safety and antibody responses after point-of-use mixing of influenza A/Indonesia/05/2005 (H5N1) vaccine with MF59 adjuvant. Field-site pharmacies mixed 3.75, 7.5, or 15 mcg of antigen with or without MF59 adjuvant just prior to intramuscular administration on days 0 and 21 of healthy adults aged 18-49 years. RESULTS: Two hundred and seventy subjects were enrolled. After vaccination, titers of hemagglutination inhibition antibody ≥1:40 were achieved in 80% of subjects receiving 3.75 mcg + MF59 vs only 14% receiving 15 mcg without adjuvant (P < .0001). Peak hemagglutination inhibition antibody geometric mean titers for vaccine + MF59 were ∼65 regardless of antigen dose, and neutralizing titers were 2- to 3-fold higher. Vaccine + MF59 produced cross-reactive antibody responses against 4 heterologous H5N1 viruses. Excellent safety and tolerability were demonstrated. CONCLUSIONS: Point-of-use mixing of H5N1 antigen and MF59 adjuvant achieved target antibody titers in a high percentage of subjects and was safe. The feasibility of the point-of-use mixing should be studied further.

Is there an alternative to the full-leg radiograph for determining knee joint alignment in osteoarthritis?

OBJECTIVE: To assess the concurrent validity of alternative measures of frontal plane knee alignment, namely the radiographic anatomic axis and 5 clinical measures, in medial compartment knee osteoarthritis (OA) as compared with the mechanical axis on radiograph. METHODS: Forty individuals (mean +/- SD age 64.7 +/- 9.4 years) with symptomatic medial knee OA participated. Knee alignment was measured according to the following methods: lower-limb mechanical axis on radiograph, lower-limb anatomic axis on radiograph, visual observation, distance between medial knee joint lines or medial malleoli using a caliper, distance between a plumb line and medial knee joint line or malleolus using a caliper, tibial alignment using a gravity inclinometer, and lower-limb alignment using a goniometer. Data were analyzed using Pearson's correlation coefficient or Spearman's rho correlation coefficient and simple linear regression. RESULTS: The anatomic axis best correlated with the mechanical axis (r = 0.88), followed closely by the inclinometer method (r = 0.80). Other clinical measures of alignment that were significantly associated with the mechanical axis were the caliper method, the plumb-line method, and visual observation (r = 0.76, 0.71, and -0.52, respectively). However, the goniometer method failed to correlate. CONCLUSION: The anatomic axis on radiograph and the inclinometer method appear to be valid alternatives to the mechanical axis on full-leg radiograph for determining frontal plane knee alignment in medial knee OA. These alternative methods of measuring knee alignment may increase the assessment of this parameter by clinicians and researchers alike, given that malalignment is an important indicator of disease progression and treatment outcome.