Continued Presence Research Articles

Searching the InSight Seismic Data for Mars’s Background-Free Oscillations

Abstract Mars’s atmosphere has theoretically been predicted to be strong enough to continuously excite Mars’s background-free oscillations, potentially providing an independent means of verifying radial seismic body-wave models of Mars determined from marsquakes and meteorite impacts recorded during the Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy, and Heat Transport (InSight) mission. To extract the background-free oscillations, we processed and analyzed the continuous seismic data, consisting of 966 Sols (a Sol is equivalent to a Martian day), collected by the Mars InSight mission using both automated and manual deglitching schemes to remove nonseismic disturbances. We then computed 1-Sol-long autocorrelations for the entire data set and stacked these to enhance any normal-mode peaks present in the spectrum. We find that while peaks in the stacked spectrum in the 2–4 mHz frequency band align with predictions based on seismic body-wave models and appear to be consistent across the different processing and stacking methods applied, unambiguous detection of atmosphere-induced free oscillations in the Martian seismic data nevertheless remains difficult. This possibly relates to the limited number of Sols of data that stack coherently and the continued presence of glitch-related signal that affects the seismic data across the normal-mode frequency range (∼1–10 mHz). Improved deglitching schemes may allow for clearer detection and identification in the future.

The ventricular septal defect in tetralogy of Fallot: A multi-centre morphological and statistical shape analysis study

Abstract Background Ventricular septal defects (VSDs) in Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) are often thought to be ‘large and unrestricted’ but experience suggests they have a more heterogenous morphology. Understanding the morphological variations and dimensions is the first step in modifying surgical closure or optimising potential device design. Purpose The objective of this study was to perform a comprehensive multi-center morphological analysis of the characteristics of the VSD in TOF. Additionally, we sought to perform a preliminary 2D shape analysis and principal component analysis (PCA) on standardised photos of the VSDs. Through this multi-dimensional approach, we aim to elucidate the morphological variations and structural characteristics of the VSD in TOF as a basis for future 3D shape analysis. Methods Of 495 specimens analysed, 460 were included in the morphological analysis. Standardised protocol was applied to assess the characteristics of the VSD: basic measurements of the height, width, inferior limb, and length of the inferior fibrous rim (if perimembranous) were taken and indexed to ventricular length. The degree of aortic override and presence of aorto-mitral continuity were also documented with double outlet right ventricle (DORV) being defined as more than 50% of aorta supported by the right ventricle. Statistical analysis was performed to assess variations in TOF morphology across different age groups and disease phenotypes. Standardised photographs of 130 VSDs were taken from the right ventricle and traced for PCA, in order to assess shape variations among the VSDs. Results Both the length of the inferior limb of the PM VSD and the length of the fibrous rim increased with ventricular length but the rate of change was lower for the fibrous rim. A chi-square analysis comparing the presence of double outlet right ventricle and the presence of a fibrous continuity between the aortic and mitral valves showed no association between these features (p = 0.89). The results of PCA in the indexed datasets showed that the largest variation was in the size of the VSD and then from the shape of the VSD where two distinct morphologies emerged: a classic V-shaped VSD and wide but shallow variant. Discussion Our study challenges conventional definitions and assumptions regarding the morphological characteristics of the VSD in TOF and suggests that components may change size at differing rates. Our study conclusively shows that DORV and TOF can co-exist and the definition of DORV should be made independently of the presence of aorto-mitral continuity. Contrary to the traditional view of TOF featuring large unrestricted VSDs, our findings suggest wide shallow VSDs are common. These findings challenge paradigms and underscore a necessity for the continuing morphological re-evaluation of TOF utilising large datasets with a diverse phenotypic spread.

Apoptosis signaling is activated as a transient pulse in neurons.

Apoptosis is a fundamental process of all mammalian cells but exactly how it is regulated in different primary cells remains less explored. In most contexts, apoptosis is engaged to eliminate cells. However, postmitotic cells such as neurons must efficiently balance the need for developmental apoptosis versus the physiological needs for their long-term survival. Neurons are capable of reversing the commitment to death even after the point of cytochrome c release. This ability of neurons to recover from an apoptotic signal suggests that activation of the apoptotic pathway in neurons could be much more transient than is currently recognized. Here, we investigated whether the apoptotic pathway in neurons is a persistent signal or a transient pulse in continuous presence of apoptotic stimulus. We have examined this at three key steps in apoptotic signaling: phosphorylation of c-Jun, induction of the BH3-only family proteins and Bax activation. Strikingly, we found all three of these events occur as transient signals following Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) deprivation-induced apoptosis in sympathetic neurons. This transient apoptosis signal would effectively allow neurons to reset and permit recovery if the apoptotic stimulus is reversed. Excitingly, we have also discovered that a neuron's ability to recover from an apoptotic signal is dependent on expression of the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family protein Bcl-xL. Bcl-xL-deficient neurons lose the ability to recover from NGF deprivation even if NGF is restored. Additionally, we show that recovery from a previous exposure to NGF deprivation is protective against subsequent deprivation. Together, these results define a novel mechanism by which apoptosis is regulated in neurons where the transient pulse of the apoptotic signaling supports neuronal resilience.

Pseudorabies Virus Prevalence in Lung Samples of Hunted Wild Boars in Northwestern Greece

Aujeszky’s Disease, caused by the pseudorabies virus (PRV), is an acute, often fatal disease affecting mainly pigs and incidentally other animals. While eradicated in several countries, PRV persists in wild boar populations, posing a risk to domestic pigs. This study investigates PRV prevalence in wild boars in the region of Epirus, located in the northwest of Greece. During the 2021–2022 hunting season, 110 lung samples from hunted wild boars were collected and analyzed for PRV DNA and cytopathic effects in cell cultures. PRV DNA was detected in 19 samples (17.3%), 18 of which exhibiting cytopathic effects, allowing for virus titer determination. Notably, in one sample, PRV DNA was detected without a cytopathic effect. These findings underscore the continued presence of PRV in Greek wild boars, highlighting the need for ongoing monitoring to prevent transmission to domestic pigs and other animals.

An evaluation of trends for mesothelioma mortality in American women: Addressing the content of a recent Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR).

Mesothelioma is a fatal disease that has historically been associated with exposure to airborne asbestos. Because occupational asbestos exposures dropped dramatically in the late 1960s and early 1970s, far fewer cases of mesothelioma today are due to these fibers but, instead, are usually a result of the aging process or genetic predisposition. In May of 2022, a Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) was issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regarding malignant mesothelioma incidence in women from 1999 to 2020. While this MMWR alerted citizens to the continued presence of the disease, after reading this article one might have thought that the CDC was suggesting that the disease was increasing in women due to asbestos exposures (which it is not). In the present analysis, we investigate several factors related to the interpretation of epidemiological data for mesothelioma, including the role of asbestos as a risk factor over time. The authors conducted a review of the scientific community's understanding of mesothelioma incidence and asbestos exposures amongst women, as well as an investigation of the methods and references in the MMWR article. Although various articles have recently discussed the incidence of both peritoneal and pleural mesothelioma in women, it is fortunate that the age-adjusted rates for mesothelioma have remained flat (neither increased nor decreased significantly) in women for the past 50 years. Incredibly few women in the U. S. have had appreciable cumulative exposures to any type of asbestos (chrysotile, amosite, or crocidolite) in the workplace or from the ambient environment, especially since about 1965-1970. In this paper, we highlight six factors that should be considered when evaluating the incidence of mesothelioma amongst American women in the current era. Without sufficient consideration of these factors, improper conclusions have been drawn over the past several years.

A classical study on parliamentary procedure. Conceptions of parliament in Josef Redlich’s Recht und Technik des Englischen Parlamentarismus (1905)

ABSTRACT In this article I analyse the intellectual contribution of Josef Redlich’s Recht und Technik des Englischen Parlamentarismus, a classical study on the Westminster parliamentary procedure from 1905. Redlich presents the origins of the procedural literature and the revision of British parliamentary procedure in the second half of the nineteenth century, the extended post-reform parliamentary agenda as well as the Irish members’ obstruction campaign. He emphasizes parliament’s measures for dealing with the scarce time threatening to paralyze its activities. His perspective is that of guaranteeing an efficient parliamentary government in the age of democratizing representation and extending legislation, which was realized at the cost of thorough debates deliberating pro et contra. With later scholarship, we could emphasize the continuous presence of deliberative procedure and rhetoric at Westminster.

EBryoSoil: a citizen science application to monitor changes in soil ecosystems.

Biological soil covers (BSCs) play a pivotal role in ecosystem functioning by enhancing soil stability, mediating nutrient cycling, and influencing soil hydrology. Recognized as ecosystem engineers, they can physically modify, maintain, or create habitats, facilitating plant community development. Through these intricate interactions, BSCs contribute significantly to ecological processes, highlighting their importance in the overall health and functionality of the ecosystems of the Iberian Peninsula. Here we present the results obtained from the contributions of the citizen scientists uploaded from November 2019 to January 2021 with eBryoSoil, an app that allows citizens to participate in mapping the BSC communities across the Iberian Peninsula. Here, we emphasize the importance of habitats and consequently, their interaction with climatic variables for the persistence of BSCs (lichens and bryophytes). Conservation efforts targeted at preserving diverse habitats are essential to ensure the continued presence of lichen and bryophyte communities. Despite challenges posed by the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak, this citizen science project demonstrated success in utilizing a specifically tailored app to gather valuable information on BSC communities, providing insights into their vulnerability to climate change. This program serves as an illustrative example of how citizen science can effectively identify and study vulnerable habitats, offering a blueprint for future studies focused on understudied organisms.

Perineal massage and warm compresses–Implementation study of a complex intervention in health

ObjectivesTo determine the effect of using tailored and multifaceted strategies on the acceptability, appropriateness, feasibility and adoption of a perineal massage and warm compress intervention by midwives in a maternity ward of a tertiary hospital in Portugal. MethodsThe complex intervention in health was developed based on the Medical Research Council framework and guided by the Theory of Change. Tailored and multifaceted strategies, including dissemination, integration and implementing process strategies, were applied. A mixed-methods approach was adopted, with a combination of qualitative (semi-open interviews) and quantitative (surveys, audits and electronic health records) methods. Surveys were applied to assess the acceptability, appropriateness and feasibility of the intervention. In order to evaluate adoption of the intervention, data from interviews were introduced into NVivo Version 10 to perform thematic analysis, and each audit checklist criterion was analysed using McNemar's exact test to determine differences in paired proportion. ResultsThis study found high acceptability (mean±standard deviation 4.28±0.45), high appropriateness (4.32±0.47) and high feasibility (4.26±0.43) of the intervention by midwives. Differences were reported for most topics between interviews conducted before and after implementation of the intervention. Pre-intervention, the midwives reported that the main factor affecting the application of perineal protection techniques was the lack of continuous presence of the midwife. The birth position was the alternative birth position (hands and knees, side-lying, squatting and semi-sitting), avoiding the lithotomy position. Techniques used for perineal protection were warm compresses, hands-on techniques, hands-off techniques and spontaneous pushing; and the reasons given for performing an episiotomy were large (high-birthweight) baby, Kristeller manoeuvre, tense perineum and previous obstetric sphincter injury. Post-intervention, the midwives reported that the presence of a second person increases the safety of professionals and women and improves working relations. The technique used for perineal protection was autonomy to adapt the intervention with perineal massage and warm compresses. A comfortable birth position for woman was used, and the rate of episiotomy reduced (only performed in the case of fetal distress). Regarding audits, significant differences (p < 0.05) were found for all audit criteria (pre- and post-intervention), which means that midwives adopted the intervention into their clinical practice. ConclusionAcceptability, appropriateness, feasibility and adoption of the intervention by midwives were high. Thus, tailored and multifaceted strategies were effective to achieve the implementation outcomes.

The transcendent call from aesthetic experiences

In this article, I discuss theological aesthetics in light of various descriptions of experiences of transcendence that art can provide for human beings. The American author Patti Smith describes, e.g. how works of art “call her” so that she must respond with art productions of her own. This looks similar to what German sociologist Hartmut Rosa calls “resonance”. He describes art as one of the places where an experience of vertical resonance can take place. Smith’s experiences also correspond to the description of the basic experience of transcendence of human beings as they are interpreted by the Danish philosopher Dorthe Jørgensen. However, she reduces these experiences to be immanent in nature because they are objectless. I suggest that systematic theology can contribute with a distinct theological interpretation of aesthetic experiences through a three-fold argument. First, to combine beauty and infinity in the being of God. Second, to reinterpret the notion of the incarnation as God’s continuous presence in the world. And third, by combining natural theology’s point that creation speaks of God with a reinterpretation of the artefacts that humans can create. As such, this paper proposes how systematic theology can contribute to the interpretation of aesthetic experiences of transcendence.

Land and Atmospheric Drivers of the 2023 Flood in India

AbstractFloods in India are recurring natural disasters resulting from extreme precipitation during the summer monsoon season (June–September). The recent flood in North India in July 2023 caused substantial damage to lives, agriculture, and infrastructure. However, what led to the 2023 North India flood and the role of atmospheric and land drivers still need to be examined. Using in situ observations, satellite data, and ERA5 reanalysis combined with hydrological and hydrodynamical modeling, we examine the role of land and atmospheric drivers in flood occurrence and its impacts. Extreme precipitation in a large region during 7–10 July 2023 created favorable conditions for the flood in the hilly terrains and plains of north India. More than 300 mm of precipitation fell in just 4 days, which was eight times higher than the long‐term average (2001–2022). Anomalously high moisture transport over northern India was recorded on 7 July 2023, making atmospheric conditions favorable for intense landfall. Increased column water vapor and specific humidity at different pressure levels confirmed the continuous moisture presence before the extreme rainfall that caused floods in northern India from 7 to 12 July 2023. Atmospheric and land (high antecedent soil moisture) conditions contributed to a more than 200% rise in streamflow at several gauge stations. Satellite‐based flood extent shows a considerable flood inundation that caused damage in the Sutlej and Yamuna River basins. Our findings highlight the crucial role of the favorable land and atmospheric conditions that caused floods and flash floods in north India in July 2023.

Between mourning and hope: A mixed-methods study of ambiguous loss and posttraumatic stress symptoms among partners of Israel defence force veterans.

Spouses of military combatants often experience adverse outcomes, including posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) in the event of ambiguous loss (AL). AL refers to an uncertain situation regarding a person's status as alive or as cognitively present. The former ambiguity is categorized by the term physical AL (PAL), which refers to the continued psychological presence of a person, despite their physical absence. The latter ambiguity, categorized by the term psychological AL or ambiguous presence, refers to when a person is emotionally absent, despite their physical presence. Though AL has been widely researched, there are still gaps around the AL-posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) relationship, especially regarding dyadic variables that can moderate this relationship. Also, most of the AL military-related studies are qualitative, with only a few that combine qualitative and quantitative research methods. We address these gaps in an innovative mixed-methods study examining the emotional experience of Israeli veterans' spouses with a focus on the relationship between AL, PTSS, and dyadic adjustment (DA). The study included 63 participants, all spouses of Israeli veterans. We used self-report questionnaires (AL, Dyadic Adjustment Scale, and PTSD Checklist for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition) and a semistructured narrative interview. Our results revealed positive correlations between AL-PTSS and PAL-PTSS. Also, an interaction effect was found in which the lower the DA level, the stronger the PAL-PTSS correlation. Conversely, the higher the DA level, the stronger the ambiguous presence-PTSS correlation. Qualitative findings identified themes in the experience of these situations, including uncertainty and ambivalence. Our qualitative and quantitative results combined suggest that the way military couples deal with AL may be an important emotional experience requiring specific attention from mental health professionals. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

First Detection and Characterization of Smacovirus in the Human Vagina in Two Sequential Samples over a Twelve-Day Interval

Background: Smacovirus is a CRESS-DNA virus identified almost exclusively in transient fecal samples from various vertebrate species. Objective: We evaluated human vaginal samples for the presence and maintenance of Smacovirus. Methods: Viral metagenomics analysis was performed on vaginal samples collected from 28 apparently healthy women in New York City, USA. Twenty-one of the women provided duplicate samples over a 12–21-day interval. Results: Phylogenetic analysis identified two samples from the same individual, collected over a twelve-day interval, that were positive for the complete Smacovirus genome. All detected sequence contigs belonged to a single variant of CRESS-DNA. Conclusions: The continuous presence of Smacovirus in the human vagina over a twelve-day period was identified.

Enhancing Data Accessibility and Usability: Insights from Observation Data at the Ieodo Ocean Research Station (2005-2023)

The Ieodo Ocean Research Station (IORS) has been a critical site for collecting oceanic and atmospheric data over 19 years (2005-2023). This study analyzes key parameters including tide, wave, water temperature, salinity, wind, air temperature, etc. While these datasets have provided valuable insights into regional climatic and oceanographic phenomena, significant incorrect data were identified, particularly in the records from 2015 to 2019. Issues such as overlapping data spanning multiple years, non-chronological ordering, and discrepancies in decimal precision were detected likely due to inadequate data handling during the adjustment process in programs like Excel. These errors, which persisted for years without detection or correction, highlight a lack of responsibility and verification among both government and private sector employees involved in data management. Given the substantial investment of government resources in the IORS, the continuous presence of incorrect data on official platforms raises concerns that extend beyond the responsible parties to the broader scientific and public communities. To prevent future occurrences, the study emphasized the need for stringent data management practices and ongoing accuracy in data handling, ensuring that the IORS continues to serve as a reliable resource for oceanographic research in Korea and globally.

Electrospun PCL Nerve Wrap Coated with Graphene Oxide Supports Axonal Growth in a Rat Sciatic Nerve Injury Model.

Background/Objectives: Peripheral nerve injuries (PNIs) are a debilitating problem, resulting in diminished quality of life due to the continued presence of both chronic and acute pain. The current standard of practice for the repair of PNIs larger than 10 mm is the use of autologous nerve grafts. Autologous nerve grafts have limitations that often result in outcomes that are not sufficient to remove motor and sensory impairments. Bio-mimetic nanocomposite scaffolds combined with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) represent a promising approach for PNIs. In this study, we investigated the potential of an electrospun wrap of polycaprolactone (PCL) + graphene oxide (GO), with and without xenogeneic human adipose tissue-derived MSCs (hADMSCs) to use as a platform for neural tissue engineering. Methods: We evaluated, in vitro and in vivo, the potential of the nerve wrap in providing support for axonal growth. To establish the rat sciatic nerve defect model, a 10 mm long limiting defect was created in the rat sciatic nerve of 18 Lewis rats. Rats treated with the nanocomposites were compared with autograft-treated defects. Gait, histological, and muscle analyses were performed after sacrifice at 12 weeks post-surgery. Results: Our findings demonstrate that hADMSCs had the potential to transdifferentiate into neural lineage and that the nanocomposite successfully delivered hADMSCs to the injury site. Histologically, we show that the PCL + GO nanocomposite with hADMSCs is comparable to the autologous nerve graft, to support and guide axonal growth. Conclusions: The novel PCL + GO nerve wrap and hADMSCs used in this study provide a foundation on which to build upon and generate future strategies for PNI repair.

Keeping Students with Long-term Conditions Connected with Schools: Facilitators for Sustainable Virtual Connections.

Students with Long-Term Conditions (LTCs) experience prolonged absences that can impact their school connectedness and belonging. Inclusive education policies in New Zealand advocate for equitable learning opportunities for students with disabilities. Students with LTCs are included under this purview, but responses to their unique learning and connectedness needs are not well articulated. Literature suggests the potential of technology to enable virtual connections to keep these students' continued presence and engagement in class (i.e., sustainable connections). Studies internationally and in New Zealand, argue that virtual connections with schools can enhance educational opportunities and a sense of belonging for students with LTCs. However, limited research is available on developing and nurturing such ongoing connections with schools. This article reports on a qualitative study investigating New Zealand stakeholder perspectives on the facilitators of virtual connection with schools for students with LTCs. Findings from a thematic analysis of 18 individual interviews with stakeholders highlighted six facilitators for virtually connecting these students with schools, indicating the need for a flexible approach tailored to students' needs, strong support systems and purposeful, safe and inclusive connection opportunities. The stakeholders indicated these facilitators as essential for the virtual school connections to be sustainable and enhance students with LTCs' presence, belonging and social connection in schools.

Synaptonemal complex protects double-Holliday junctions during meiosis.

Chromosomal linkages formed through crossover recombination are essential for accurate segregation of homologous chromosomes during meiosis1. DNA events of recombination are spatially and functionally linked to structural components of meiotic chromosomes2. Imperatively, biased resolution of double-Holliday junction (dHJ) intermediates into crossovers3,4 occurs within the synaptonemal complex (SC), the meiosis-specific structure that mediates homolog synapsis during the pachytene stage5,6. However, the SC's role in crossing over remains unclear. Here we show that SC promotes crossover-specific resolution by protecting dHJs from unscheduled and aberrant resolution. When key SC components are conditionally inactivated during pachytene, dHJs are resolved into noncrossover products by Sgs1-Top3-Rmi1 (STR), the yeast ortholog of the human BLM complex7. Cohesin, the core component of SC lateral elements, plays a primary role in chromatin organization and is required to maintain both SCs and crossover recombination complexes (CRCs) during pachytene. SC central region component Zip1 is required to maintain CRCs even when dHJs are stabilized by inactivating STR. Reciprocally, SC stability requires continuous presence of CRCs, an unanticipated interdependence with important implications for SC dynamics. In conclusion, through hierarchical and interdependent functions of its key components, the SC enables crossover-specific dHJ resolution and thereby ensures the linkage and segregation of homologous chromosomes.

Opinions of Patients, Families and Healthcare Professionals on Family Involvement in the Care of Patients Hospitalized in a Moroccan University Hospital: A Cross-Sectional Observational Survey.

Opinion surveys on family participation in care in non-Western countries are rare. This study aims to assess the opinions of patients, families, and healthcare professionals regarding family involvement in care to identify their preferences and the associated factors. A cross-sectional survey was conducted over eight months involving 717 participants, using structured questionnaires at the Acute Assessment Unit of a university hospital in Morocco. Comparative analyses examined the association between participant characteristics and the preferences of care categories. Poisson regression was applied to determine factors associated with participant preferences. Attitudes toward family participation in care were positive, with an average score of 3.62 ± 0.43 on a 4-point Likert scale. Healthcare professionals were more favorable towards family participation, with an average of 10.6 ± 2.44 types of care, compared to 7.17 ± 1.96 for families and 5.71 ± 2.16 for patients. Participants' opinions converged on a set of simple and less technical care tasks. Factors significantly associated with patient preferences in the final adjustment model (p < 0.05) included frailty, loss of autonomy, length of stay, and regular and continuous (day and night) family presence. This study highlights the strong support of health professionals, patients, and families for family participation in care. Understanding these preferences and related factors is essential to maximize family participation and develop a model of Patient And Family Centered Care adapted to the Moroccan context.

Digital Afterlives: Imagining Effective Policies and Regulations for Digital Remains

The digital platforms we engage with daily are brimming with the digital traces of the dead. These digital remains – or the photos, videos, and text messages left behind by deceased users (Lingel 2013), have given rise to the digital death industry – an umbrella term for online platforms that offer services such as online memorialisations, virtual funerals, and graves, andinteractions with avatars of the deceased through chatbots and virtual reality (Öhman and Floridi 2017). Mourners turn to these digital infrastructures to express their grief and experience the continued presence of the deceased through their digital remains (Kasket 2020). Yet the presence of digital remains and the digital death industry presents several policy concerns related toprivacy, digital dignity, the question of access and ownership, and the potential for commodifying deceased user data (Kasket, 2019). Without effective policies and regulations that provide guidelines for service providers and internet users, the dead are not afforded privacy rights nor considerations for their digital dignity and protections for their postmortem data. Left exposed and with no legal safeguards in place, digital remains are vulnerable to offences with tremendous emotional implications for the bereaved.Guided by information ethics as a theoretical framework exploring questions related to creating, accessing, and collecting digital data (Bruneault et al., 2023), my lightning talk asks us to imagine constructing potential policies and regulations that serve to protect our posthumous digital footprint.

Evaluation of a self-monitoring protocol for assessing soot and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon exposure among chimney sweeps.

Traditional methods for measuring chemical exposure have challenges in terms of obtaining sufficient data; therefore, improved methods for better assessing occupational exposure are needed. One possible approach to mitigate these challenges is to use self-monitoring methods such as sensors, diaries, or biomarkers. In the present study, a self-monitored method for measuring soot exposure, which included real-time air monitoring, a work diary, and the collection of urine samples, was evaluated. To validate the method, exposure measurements during the workday and diary entries were compared with velocities calculated from GPS tracking and the expected polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) metabolite patterns in urine. The method was applied with chimney sweeps, an occupational group at a high risk of many severe health outcomes and for whom effective control measures for reducing exposure are needed. In the study, 20 chimney sweeps followed a self-monitoring protocol for 8 consecutive workdays. Personal exposure to soot was measured as black carbon (BC) using micro-aethalometers. A diary was used to record the work tasks performed, and urine samples were collected and analysed for PAH metabolites. From the expected 160 full day measurements, 146 (91%) BC measurements and 149 (93%) diaries were collected. From the expected 320 urine samples, 304 (95%) were collected. The tasks noted in the diaries overlapped with information obtained from the GPS tracking of the chimney sweeps, which covered 96% of the measurement time. The PAH metabolites in urine increased during the work week. Factors believed to have positively influenced the sample collection and task documentation were the highly motivated participants and the continuous presence of trained occupational hygiene professionals during the planning of the study and throughout the measurement stage, during which they were available to inform, instruct, and address questions. In conclusion, the self-monitored protocol used in this study with chimney sweeps is a valuable and valid method that can be used to collect larger numbers of samples. This is especially valuable for occupations in which the employees are working independently and the exposure is difficult to monitor with traditional occupational hygiene methods.

Takaful Insurance: Its nature, Ruling, Characteristics, and the Challenges It Faces

This study aimed to clarify the reality of takaful insurance and the basis on which it is founded. It addressed the Islamic legal ruling on it, its characteristics, the difference between it and commercial insurance, and the main challenges facing the development of the takaful insurance industry in general. The study concluded that takaful insurance is permissible under Islamic law, as it is based on the principle of donation and does not aim to profit from others' money. It differs in its nature and objectives from commercial insurance. The study recommended the continuous presence of Sharia supervisory boards within Islamic financial institutions to monitor operations. It also suggested that takaful insurance companies, or those offering this product, should enhance their marketing efforts to better promote its concept and nature, ensuring its broader acceptance.