'It is our duty:' Understanding Parents' Perspectives on Reproductive and Sexual Health Education.

South Carolina ranks 16th in the USA for highest rates of teenage pregnancy. The South Carolina Comprehensive Health Education Act (CHEA) does not require medically accurate, unbiased, culturally appropriate materials, and varies greatly in compliance and implementation. This study aimed to better understand parents' perspectives in one county in South Carolina regarding reproductive and sexual health education. A total of 484 parents responded to a qualitative questionnaire, collectively representing 798 students. Researchers conducted a thematic analysis to organise data. Main themes identified include comprehensive reproductive and sexual health education as a duty; dispelling the myth of abstinence-only education; and the value of comprehensive reproductive and sexual health education. Parents described teaching reproductive sexual health education in public schools as a 'duty.' Furthermore, parents rejected the idea that abstinence-only education is effective and believed reproductive and sexual health education should be taught without the influence of religion. Parents valued inclusive reproductive and sexual health education, covering a robust set of topics. Findings from the study provide evidence for the need to update current reproductive and sexual health education materials and legislation to meet parental demands and reduce youth sexual and reproductive health disparities.

Muscle strength, not age, explains unique variance in echo intensity.

Echo intensity (EI) is being increasingly utilized by investigators as an index of skeletal muscle quality. Previous studies have reported independent associations between EI versus both age and muscle strength. PURPOSE: We sought to determine whether EI is more strongly associated with age or strength. METHODS: Twenty-eight younger adults (13 men, 15 women; mean age = 22 years) and 25 older adults (10 men, 15 women; age = 71 years) participated. B-mode ultrasonography was utilized to acquire images of the vastus lateralis and rectus femoris. ImageJ software was used to quantify corrected EI and muscle cross-sectional area (CSA). Each participant performed 40 maximal concentric isokinetic muscle actions of the knee extensors (velocity = 180°·s-1). The mean peak torque of the best three attempts was used to quantify muscle strength. Specific torque was calculated as strength relative to CSA. Fatigability was also quantified. Statistical analyses included independent samples t-tests and stepwise regression. RESULTS: There were large differences between age groups for strength (p < .001, d = 1.831) and CSA (p = .003, d = 0.872). When corrected for subcutaneous tissue thickness, the difference in EI between age groups was small (p = .184, d = 0.371). Stepwise regression revealed that muscle strength was the single best predictor of EI (R2 = 0.206), with age, CSA, specific torque, and fatigability explaining no unique variance. CONCLUSION: Concentric isokinetic muscle strength is a better predictor of EI than age.

Laboratory and Benchtop Performance of a Mealtime Insulin-Delivery System.

BACKGROUND: A basal bolus insulin regimen requires multiple daily insulin injections, which might discourage patient adherence. As a potential solution, a mealtime insulin-delivery system-a 3-day wearable bolus-only patch-was designed to manually administer mealtime insulin discreetly by actuating buttons through clothing, without the need for multiple needle sticks. METHOD: Extensive functional testing of the patch included dose accuracy (from initial fill of the device to empty), pressure-vacuum leak testing, last-dose lockout and occlusion detection (safety alert features that lock the dosing buttons when no insulin is delivered), assessments of insulin drug stability, toxicological risk (including chemical testing), and system biocompatibility. RESULTS: Dosing accuracy was 2 units ±10% (with U-100 insulin) over a range of environmental conditions, with ≥95% reliability and confidence. The fluid seal performance and the safety alert features performed with ≥95% reliability and ≥95% confidence. The system met acceptable standards for insulin (U-100 lispro and aspart) stability for its intended 3-day use, in addition to the operational requirements. The toxicological risk assessment and demonstrated biocompatibility suggested that the patch is safe for human use. CONCLUSIONS: Benchtop performance showed that the bolus-only patch is a safe, accurate, and reliable device for mealtime insulin delivery.

"Straight from the heavens into your bucket": domestic rainwater harvesting as a measure to improve water security in a subarctic indigenous community.

BACKGROUND: Black Tickle-Domino is an extremely water-insecure remote Inuit community in the Canadian subarctic that lacks piped-water. Drinking water consumption in the community is less than a third of the Canadian national average. Water insecurity in the community contributes to adverse health, economic, and social effects and requires urgent action. OBJECTIVES: To test the ability of domestic rainwater harvesting (DRWH) for the first time in the subarctic with the goal of improving water access and use in the community. DESIGN: This project utilised quantitative weekly reporting of water collection and use, as well as focus group discussions. DRWH units were installed at seven water-insecure households chosen by the local government. Results were measured over a 6-week period in 2016. RESULTS: Participants harvested 19.07 gallons of rainwater per week. General purpose water consumption increased by 17% and water retrieval efforts declined by 40.92%. Households saved $12.70 CDN per week. Participants reported perceived improvements to psychological health. Because no potable water was collected, drinking water consumption did not increase. The study identified additional water-insecurity impacts. CONCLUSION: DRWH cannot supply drinking water without proper treatment and filtration; however, it can be a partial remedy to water insecurity in the subarctic. DRWH is appropriately scaled, inexpensive, and participants identified several significant benefits.