Bad Days Research Articles

Effective adsorption of Cr(VI) from aqueous solution by Mg-Fe LDH supported on orange peel activated carbon: isotherm, kinetic, thermodynamics and mechanism studies

The toxic Cr(VI) contaminating water released from the metallurgical, dyeing, and electroplating industries is getting worse day by day and is extremely hazardous to human health. Thus, the development of a cost-effective, quick, and efficient adsorbent is highly essential for the Cr(VI) decontamination from wastewater. Herein, a microwave-assisted carbon-based composite called Mg-Fe LDH@OPAC was prepared by assembling Mg-Fe LDH onto orange peel-activated carbon (OAPC). Prior to investigating deeply into the adsorption behavior of the composite, the Mg-Fe LDH@OPAC formation was confirmed by using instrumental techniques like FESEM, EDS, Zeta potential, XRD, FTIR, Raman, XPS, and BET analyzer. The material had a high surface area of 143.9 m2/g and showed a good monolayer Langmuir uptake capacity of 118.36 mg/g. Under ideal circumstances, the maximum amount of Cr(VI) was removed within just 120 min and showed high efficiency in the presence of other coexisting anions respectively. The adsorption was accounted by pseudo-second-order kinetics and spontaneous in nature. Ultimately, a possible adsorption mechanism was suggested, confirmed by XPS studies; which showed that oxidation-reduction, electrostatic interaction, and surface complexation reaction were responsible for Cr(VI) adsorption on Mg-Fe LDH@OPAC surface.

Finding Joy as a Manager - Even on Bad Days

This article explores strategies for cultivating joy as a manager, even on challenging work days. Through a review of positive psychology and resilience research, the brief establishes why joy matters significantly for managerial performance, decision-making, coping abilities, and growth over time. Key studies linking joy to upward spirals in well-being, higher cognitive functioning, and resilience are referenced. Practical joy-boosting strategies drawn from evidence are then presented, such as expressing gratitude, fostering positive relationships, celebrating wins, and taking brief renewal breaks. Real-world industry examples showcase how managers in retail, higher education, and non-profits have applied these strategies when facing stresses. The article argues managers should recognize cultivating joy as a strategic competency to maximize their own and their teams' potential over the long run. Simple practices can help tap into inner reservoirs of positive emotion and broaden mindsets even amid difficulties.

Fowler’s syndrome—Patient led phenotyping of 265 patients

Aims:To better understand Fowler’s syndrome from a patient perspective. Methods:The survey was created by the Fowler’s syndrome UK charity(FSUK, registered charity number 1196903), and advertised to patients with a diagnosis of Fowler’s syndrome via social media from December 2021 to March 2022. Results:Of 265 participants, 187 (70%) were aged between 15–30 years. Patients self-reported Fowler’s syndrome. Medical notes were not obtained. However, 195 (74%) were diagnosed by either urethral sphincter EMG or urethral pressure profile suggesting a representative sample, with few differences in those not reporting those investigations. 183 (69%) experienced complete urinary retention. Over 75% reported pain in either their bladder, urethra or pelvis. 224 (84%) used catheters to manage symptoms and 80% were taking opiates for pain. Sacral neuromodulation was offered to 75% of patients and found useful by 27% of these patients. Urethral sphincter or detrusor botulinum toxin, pain management, or physiotherapy were offered to between 32%–61% of patients and found beneficial in less than a third of those undertaking them. Over 50% rated impact on life overall as ‘severe’. Over 80% required help with ADLs on their worst day. 200 (75%) reported being told that their symptoms were due to anxiety, “imaginary” or “all in their head”. Conclusions:This is the largest cross-sectional study of women with Fowler’s syndrome. Fowler’s syndrome severely affected quality of life in >50%. Current management options available were recorded as beneficial in fewer than a third of participants. The majority of participants felt unsupported by medical professionals.

Understanding Emotional Outbursts: A Cross-Cultural Study in Latin American Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

One of the behavioral problems strongly associated with emotional dysregulation (ED) in ASD is emotional outbursts (EOs) characterized by a pattern of challenging behavior that varies across individuals and across time. Cultural factors can modulate the expression of EOs. This study aimed to characterize the profile of emotional outbursts (EOs) in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) across various countries in Latin America and to identify clinical, emotional, and contextual factors that contribute to the onset and frequency of EOs within this diverse sample. A cross-sectional and cross-cultural study was conducted between 2023 and 2024 comprising samples from five countries in the Latin American Network for Autism-REAL: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Uruguay, and the Dominican Republic. We studied 689 children with ASD (age x = 8.7 ± 2.6 years) using the Emotional Outburst Questionnaire (EOQ). We identified different types of EO among children with ASD in our sample. The most frequent was the 'behavioral indicators of emotion' (52.0%) followed by 'increased motor activity' (28.3%), 'non-speech vocalizations', (27.6%), 'mild verbal aggression' (23.8%), and 'avoidance' (21.5%). Children in a bad mood or having a bad day or experiencing irritability were the most significant factors that increased the likelihood of EOs. Our results revealed that irritability is an important trigger for EOs and should not be disregarded or underestimated when monitoring the mental health of children with ASD.

Exploring Veteran Mental Health Disparities: A Comparative Analysis of Rural and Urban Communities in the Midwest of the United States.

Veterans face unique mental health challenges influenced by their service experiences and post-military transitions into civilian life. Geographic location also plays an integral role in impacting veterans' outcomes and access to proper care. The purpose of this case study is to examine disparities between rural and urban veterans in the Midwest using data collected from the 2022 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). Self-reported bad mental health days among veterans in rural and urban regions across twelve Midwestern states were analyzed through direct rate estimation and small area estimation techniques utilizing RStudio software. Higher rates of poor mental health days were ultimately observed among urban veterans in most states through both analyses. The results of the direct rate analysis revealed 13.5% of veterans reporting 14 + poor mental health days per month versus 9.5% in rural areas. Likewise, the results of the small area analysis demonstrated 12.2% of veterans reporting 14 + days of poor mental health days per month in urban areas versus 9.8% in rural areas. This highlights the significance of environmental stressors and social determinants of health in differentially impacting mental health outcomes. Thus, tailored interventions utilizing interdisciplinary teams are needed to meet the unique barriers for veterans in different geographic contexts. Despite the cross-sectional nature of the study and reliance on self-reported data, this case study provides valuable insights for mental health disparities among Midwest veterans. Creating a more equitable and accessible mental health landscape for veterans will require targeted and collaborative approaches.

After the Worst Day Ever: What Sick Kids Know About Sustaining Hope in Chronic Illness.

After the Worst Day Ever: What Sick Kids Know About Sustaining Hope in Chronic Illness.

Exploring the meaning of “a good day” for individuals living with advanced cancer: A qualitative interview study.

249 Background: More people are living longer with stage IV cancer due to advances in cancer treatments. However, individuals living with advanced cancer must navigate dynamic treatment schedules, side effects, fear of progression, and uncertainty, resulting in unique day-to-day experiences that may be poorly understood by their health care team. The goal of this project was to better understand the activities, behaviors, and experiences that characterize a “good day” versus a “bad day” among individuals living with advanced cancer. Methods: Twenty participants with stage IV cancer were enrolled (mean 63 years old, range 41-75; 65% female; 65% White and 35% Black; mean 1.5 years since Stage IV diagnosis, range 9 days to 7.5 years). Participants completed semi-structured interviews which involved rating the quality of their day yesterday from 1-5 (1 = very bad and 5 = very good) and characterizing their experiences and activities during the day. Participants were also asked to describe a theoretical ‘very good day’ versus a ‘very bad day’ for them personally, as well as advice they would give to another patient with advanced cancer about how to make a day better. Interview transcripts were reviewed to identify common themes across participants. Results: Interviews revealed that “good days” were associated with feeling like oneself (feeling symptom-free, in control, like pre-cancer self), bringing oneself to engage in activities that bring personal wellness, feeling connected to others (spending quality time with others, helping others, feeling supported and understood by others), feeling accomplished (getting things done, reaching goals), and practicing positive thought patterns (gratitude, reframing success, letting go). On the other hand, loss of control, uncertainty/unpredictability, disruptive physical symptoms, negative experiences with health care, and inability to reach one’s goals were common on “bad days.” When asked what they felt most grateful for yesterday, some participants cited their support system, kids, and grandkids, but the majority of participants reported feeling most grateful for simply living another day, good or bad. Conclusions: Preliminary findings suggest that days on which individuals with advanced cancer are able to engage in activities that give them a sense of normalcy, control, self-identity, and connection to others are better than days without these activities. Findings also suggest that what defines a “good day” looks different between individuals with stage IV cancer. Understanding these individuals’ values and priorities may help care teams support people with advanced cancer to optimize their quality of life and functioning and navigate treatment decisions.

After the Worst Day Ever: What Sick Kids Know about Sustaining Hope in Chronic Illness by Duane R Bidwell

<i>After the Worst Day Ever: What Sick Kids Know about Sustaining Hope in Chronic Illness</i> by Duane R Bidwell

A public health campaign to increase awareness of the risk of dog bites in South Australia

Dog bites are a serious public health problem. A campaign by the Dog and Cat Management Board of South Australia was launched to increase awareness that any dog can bite as a first step in reducing the incidence of dog bites. The aims of this study were to 1) evaluate changes in attitudes to dog bites following the media campaign, and 2) provide baseline data on dog bites and attitudes to interactions with dogs to help target future campaigns. The media campaign ‘Good Dogs Have Bad Days’ was run from July to October, 2023, using TV, radio, billboards and social media. A cross-sectional survey was conducted pre- and post-campaign, including demographics and questions relating to interactions and attitudes to dogs. A total of n = 402 to the pre- and n = 404 responses to the post-campaign surveys were received, with most having owned a dog, living in metropolitan areas, and an equal split of males and females. Over one third (36–37 %) of dog owners and 25–29 % of non-dog owners had been previously bitten by a dog, although most did not require medical attention. Respondents were more likely to agree that any dog can bite if they recalled seeing the campaign, and less likely if they were male and had poor knowledge of the scenarios in which a dog might bite. Older respondents and those from lower socioeconomic areas believed dog bites were a more serious community issue than younger respondents from higher socioeconomic areas. Approximately 70 % of dog owners believed it was safe for strangers to approach their dog, 34–37 % allowed children or other people to pat their dog without permission and less than half separated their dog from visitors or delivery people. In contrast few of the non-dog owners allowed their children to pat a dog without the owner’s permission and only 2 % allowed them to play with dogs without supervision. The results demonstrate a relatively short campaign was associated with increased agreement any dog can bite. The proportion of respondents who had been bitten by a dog affirms the importance of public health campaigns targeting dog attacks. Some behaviours, such as supervising dogs around children and keeping dogs separate from delivery people, had relatively low agreement from dog owners and may be targeted in future campaigns. Public awareness campaigns and ongoing education will help to increase safer interactions with dogs, but it will take time and commitment to achieve a result.

Inisiasi Pembekalan Beladiri Praktis Sebagai Sarana Non-Penal Terhadap Ancaman Kekerasan Seksual di Lingkungan Kampus

The threat of sexual violence in Indonesia, which is getting worse day by day, has become an urgency for all levels of society in Indonesia. Inappropriate legal interpretations in society often raise big question marks about the protection of victims of sexual violence. Therefore, how is forced defense (noodwear) implemented as a reason for abolition of criminal penalties in Indonesia? At the same time, how is Article 49 paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code applied to crimes of morality? To solve this problem, it is not only the government that must intervene. However, people must also have self-defense, for example through practical self-defense movements that can protect themselves, but do not kill the perpetrator so that the victim does not go too far in defending himself. How to implement practical self-defense movements in an effort to protect victims of sexual violence? This is the problem we will examine to provide a solution. In this way, it is hoped that this effort will be able to produce an in-depth study regarding the protection of victims of sexual violence and how to apply practical self-defense to protect themselves when victims experience an act of sexual violence.

Good and bad days at work: A descriptive review of day‐level and experience‐sampling studies

SummaryWorkdays are the main temporal building blocks of people's experiences at work, and many factors potentially contribute to having a good versus a bad day at work. Still, empirical findings on these ingredients are scattered and a bigger picture is missing. This article reviews day‐level and experience‐sampling studies (k = 382 studies) to describe what makes for a good versus bad day at work. We derive outcome criteria for good versus bad days from the circumplex model of effect and identify specific pre‐work factors (sleep, pre‐work events, and pre‐work experiences) and at‐work factors (situational conditions, states and experiences, behaviors, results of one's actions, and work breaks) as their core ingredients. We highlight temporal trends in this rapidly growing research area and critically assess the current state of the literature with respect to theoretical and methodological issues. We link empirical findings that have emerged from our literature review to a homeostatic human sustainability perspective, offer directions for future research, and discuss the practical implementation of research findings.

The Animal Signs in Determining Good and Bad Days in the Ala Ayuning Dewasa on Balinese Caka Calendar

Time determines the good and bad day to start doing something in Balinese society. This study aims to analyze the sign system in the Ala Ayuning Dewasa on the Balinese Caka Calendar. Data is taken from the Balinese Caka Calendar 2023. There are two types of data in this study, namely written and oral data. Written data is in the form of animal name terms and their meanings. Oral data is a description of the relationship between signifiers and signifieds. Written data were collected through observation assisted by note-taking techniques. Researchers observed the sign system in the Ala Ayuning Dewasa on the Balinese Caka Calendar and noted it in the sheets provided. Oral data were obtained from three informants who wrestled with the Ala Ayuning Dewasa on the Balinese Caka Calendar through interviews. The results showed that (1) signifiers were formed from a combination of times called wewaran, wuku, and penanggal/pangelong, (2) there were 20 animal terms consisting of 9 forms of noun phrases, and 11 simple clauses, (3) signifiers and signifieds have a connotation relationship, (4) signifieds are complex which means that one signified can have the meaning of good das, bad day, good and bad days, even one signifier can have up to 5 meanings. This research is a sound guide for Hindus in Bali to discover the meaning of the relationship between animal signifiers and their signifieds in the Ala Ayuning Dewasa on the Balinese Caka Calendar.

PM&lt;sub&gt;2.5&lt;/sub&gt; air pollution trends and patterns in Kandy, Sri Lanka

Air pollution is the leading environmental hazard that has devastating health effects on human health. Identification of trends and patterns of air pollution is crucial in a specific geographic area to inform and implement effective control and mitigation measurements. Standard air pollution monitoring networks are costly for most low-and middle-income countries. The aim of this study was to investigate the variations in the mean concentrations of air pollutants that occur at various times of the day, days of the week, months of the year, and seasons during the period of January 2019 to December 2019 in Kandy, Sri Lanka using low-cost sensors. A regression analysis with dummy variables was used to model the relationship between the concentrations of air pollutants and categorical independent variables, the time of day and day of the week. Considering temporal variations, the study found that pollution is highest in the early morning and evening, and lowest in the afternoon. The worst days for the air quality were Wednesdays and Thursdays, while Sundays had the lowest PM2.5 pollution. The analysis of air quality variations by month showed that December had the lowest air pollution of the examined months. The variation in PM2.5 was greatly influenced by wind speed, wind direction, and rainfall patterns. The study emphasized the importance of long-term consistently management and monitoring of air pollution levels.

AI is gradually hurting consumers’ rights to know the truth behind the graph

Nowadays, AI has been applied into various industries in different degrees. However, with the development of the tech, the privacy leaking and information misleading problem is getting worse day by day. In this research, the researcher shows the main accidents and gives advice on how to solve the problem.

‘The worst day of my life’: Foster carers’ experiences of allegations

Appropriate allegation investigations within social care are paramount to protect children. However, many allegations are unsubstantiated ( Biehal et al., 2014 ) and result in stress and anxiety for fostering families ( Adams, Hassett and Lumsden, 2018 ), financial uncertainty ( Boffey, Stanton and Thomas, 2019 ), unplanned endings and foster carers leaving their role ( Adams, Hassett and Lumsden, 2018 ). There is little research into the prevalence, nature and outcomes of allegations against foster carers. This UK-based study uses The Fostering Network’s State of the Nation’s Foster Care (SOTN) 2021 survey and analyses responses from 3,352 UK foster carers and 99 fostering service staff. Qualitative findings reflect six themes: (1) emotional impacts, (2) financial implications, (3) independent support, (4) social services involvement, (5) understanding allegations, and (6) children being removed or foster carers leaving their role. Quantitative findings show only 25% of those experiencing an allegation believed they were sufficiently communicated with, only 20% believed specified timescales were adhered to, 57% did not receive independent support, and 36% said no support was offered to children in their home. Poor information-sharing and lack of support were found to have exacerbated the stress experienced.

An open trial of biofeedback for long COVID

ObjectiveBiofeedback is a therapeutic treatment model that teaches self-regulation of autonomic functions to alleviate stress-related symptoms. “Long COVID” refers to chronic physical and cognitive sequelae post-SARS-CoV-2 infection. This study examined the efficacy of a six-week intervention, consisting of weekly one-hour sessions combining heart rate variability and temperature biofeedback, for alleviating mood symptoms, somatic symptoms and sleep disturbance of patients diagnosed with long COVID. MethodsData were collected from 20 adult participants aged 22–63 (Mage = 44.1, SDage = 12.2) with varying long COVID symptoms. Within this single arm design, 16 of the 20 participants completed all six sessions of biofeedback; 14 completed an assessment at the three-month post-treatment time point. ResultsParticipants self-reported significant improvements in somatic, anxiety, and depressive symptoms, sleep quality, quality of life, and number of “bad days” immediately after the intervention and three months later (Cohen's d effect size (ES) = 1.09–0.46). Reduced number of medical doctor visits (ES = 0.85) and prescription drug use over the last month (odds ratio = 0.33), as well as improved emotional wellbeing (ES = 0.97) were observed at the three-month time point only. ConclusionResults suggest that this short, readily scalable intervention can be potentially efficacious in alleviating symptoms of long COVID. Despite notable improvements, the major limitation of this study is its lack of control group. While a randomized trial merits study, biofeedback appears to be a brief, effective, non-invasive, and low-cost treatment option for patients with chronic somatic symptoms secondary to SARS-CoV-2 infection.Clinicaltrials.govID: NCT05120648

Efficacy of &lt;i&gt;Chatuprasrutik Basti&lt;/i&gt; in Management Of Oligospermia – A Pilot Study

Oligospermia is one of the most common reasons for infertility in day-to-day life. Infertility is a widespread issue that affects 8-12 % of couples globally on average and is getting worse day by day. It was observed that the pathology is found in approximately incidence of 60% males alone in infertile couples. In Ayurveda, Oligospermia can be correlated with Shukra-Alpta. Bastikarma is considered to be having particular action on Shukra Dhatu and Chatuprasrutik Basti is explained as Shukrakrut Basti in Charak Samhita, So in this study, Chatuprasrutik Basti was selected in the management of Oligospermia. Aim: This clinical investigation looked into how Chatuprasrutik Basti affected the number of sperm in patients with infertility. Study Design: This was interventional clinical research with one arm. Materials and Methods: Chatuprasrutik Basti was administered for two cycles of Basti of 6 days each with a month gap in Seven newly diagnosed cases of Oligospermia from the outpatient Department of Panchakarma at SST’s Ayurved Mahavidyalaya in, Sangamner, Ahmednagar, Maharashtra, India. Statistical Analysis: The “Student paired t-test” was used statistically to analyze the data. Results: At the conclusion of therapy, a significant (p&lt;0.05) result was found in the evaluation of an objective parameter, specifically sperm count, and a significant result was not found in the evaluation of the factor sperm motility as p&gt;0.05. Conclusion: Chatuprasrutik Basti is effective in the management of Oligospermia considering the factor of sperm count.

The impact of extreme dust storms on the national photovoltaic energy supply

This study analyses the consequences of an extreme dust storm that occurred in March 2022 on the Spanish national photovoltaic (PV) energy supply. This event, indeed, substantially raised the particulate matter concentrations and the aerosol optical depths across the country, seriously affecting the surface radiation and posing a substantial threat not only to individual PV systems but also to the national electricity grid. The research, based on the analysis and the forecast of weather, environmental and electrical data, reveals that such event halved the capacity factor of the national PV fleet over a period longer than two weeks. A peak drop as high as 80% was registered, at national level, on the worst day. This underperformance also affected the market share of PV in the national electricity mix, whosemonthly average value fell from the predicted 10.9% to 7.1%. Despite the expectations, however, no significant difference in soiling was found compared to the typical losses, thanks to the occurrence of heavier-than-usual rainfall events. This facilitated the recovery of the national PV capacity, which returned to the expected performance factors as soon as the sky cleared.

Extent and Intensity of Suicidal Ideation and Planning in Patients Presenting With Psychiatric Emergencies

Background In emergency psychiatry high levels of suicidality are encountered. However, empirical studies about the extent of suicidal ideation remain scarce, and data are often gathered retrospectively via medical records. The present observational study aims to assess suicidal ideation, planning, and actions experienced by patients presenting with psychiatric emergencies. Methods In a consecutive sample of 136 patients, a standard psychiatric examination including the Chronological Assessment of Suicide Events (CASE Approach) was completed. An evaluative monitoring form for the CASE Approach was designed to record and quantify the garnered information. Results Almost 60% of the patients reported suicidal ideation with some planning. Approximately 25% had experienced over 10 hours of suicidal ideation on their worst days in the past 2 months; 27% had procured their method of choice, and another 27% had practiced a small, moderate, or serious suicide attempt. Conclusion Findings suggest more intense suicidality in emergency psychiatry than has been reported in previous empirical studies.

Effects of liquid storage of buck semen at refrigeration temperatures on sperm viability and fertility to develop ready to use goat semen diluent

It is generally acknowledged that lower pH throughout liquid storage can decrease sperm motility and energy production, which may be advantageous for maintaining sperm viability during cryopreservation. Hence, the purpose of this study was to see how pH affected sperm viability, motility, membrane integrity, and oxidative changes after 5 days of storage in chemically specified extenders at refrigerator temperatures to formulate a ready-to-use goat semen diluent. Ejaculates were extended with tris-citric acid-fructose diluent with 20% or without egg yolk and stored at 5°C for 5 days. Sperm motility, live count, acrosome integrity, hypo-osmotic swelling positive spermatozoa, pH, and malondialdehyde all substantially differed significantly (P &lt; 0.05) during different days of liquid storage. The pH of diluted semen decreased considerably (P &lt; 0.05) from its original pH of 6.46 on 0 day to pH 6.06 on the 5th day of liquid storage at refrigeration temperature. Diluted semen at refrigeration temperature having 20% egg yolk had significantly higher (P &lt; 0.05) seminal characteristics compared to liquid semen without egg yolk. The liquid storage of semen quality became worse day by day due to a drop in pH and egg yolks acted as a cryoprotectant against the harmful effects of chilling. Hence, 20% egg yolk may be used to enhance the keeping quality of diluted buck semen at refrigeration temperature for up to 5 days. Based on this result, we formulated a ready to use goat semen diluent for liquid semen storage at room temperature and refrigeration temperature.