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New scholarship to benefit Penn State Schuylkill students, honor Bert Evans

The Albert L. Evans Jr. Honorary Scholarship is a tribute to Bert Evans and his example of generous philanthropy.




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Principal Running for Congress to Challenge Incumbent in Democratic Primary

While the number of principals running for office has been dwarfed by teachers, school leaders are hoping to change policies in statehouses and in Washington that they say impact their students and families.




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Intakes of Alcohol and Folate During Adolescence and Risk of Proliferative Benign Breast Disease

Alcohol consumption during adolescence and early adulthood has been associated with an increased risk of biopsy-confirmed benign breast disease (BBD), an established risk factor of breast cancer.

This is the first study to analyze the association between adolescent alcohol consumption and risk of biopsy-confirmed proliferative BBD by adolescent folate intake. The result provides no evidence for protective effects of adolescent folate intake on risk of alcohol-associated BBD. (Read the full article)




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Views of Adolescents and Parents on Pediatric Research Without the Potential for Clinical Benefit

Critics argue that pediatric research without the potential for clinical benefit treats children as mere means to benefit others. Yet, there are no data to assess whether adolescents who participate in research, or their parents, agree with this view.

Respondents felt that by participating in research the adolescents were making important contributions to help others, and the adolescents felt proud to be doing so. These findings support the view that nonbeneficial pediatric research involves a type of charitable activity. (Read the full article)




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Five-Year Follow-up of Harms and Benefits of Behavioral Infant Sleep Intervention: Randomized Trial

Behavioral techniques effectively reduce infant sleep problems and associated maternal depression in the short- to medium-term (4–16 months’ postintervention). Despite their effectiveness, theoretical concerns persist about long-term harm on children’s emotional development, stress regulation, mental health, and the child-parent relationship.

Behavioral sleep techniques did not cause long-lasting harms or benefits to child, child-parent, or maternal outcomes. Parents and health professionals can feel comfortable about using these techniques to reduce the population burden of infant sleep problems and maternal depression. (Read the full article)




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Long-term Benefits of Home-based Preventive Care for Preterm Infants: A Randomized Trial

Randomized controlled trials of early developmental interventions for very preterm infants demonstrate short-term benefits for infant neurobehavioral functioning. The longer-term benefits of these interventions for children and their families are not yet clear.

This randomized trial shows that home-based preventive care over the first year of life for very preterm infants has selective long-term benefits. Caregivers report less anxiety and fewer were at risk for an anxiety disorder. Preschoolers show fewer internalizing behaviors. (Read the full article)




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Benefits of Universal Gloving on Hospital-Acquired Infections in Acute Care Pediatric Units

Health care–associated infections cause considerable morbidity and mortality among hospitalized children. Simple barrier precautions such as universal gloving of health care workers’ hands may reduce transmission of infectious agents between patients.

Mandatory use of gloves during respiratory syncytial virus season in pediatric units prevented other health care–associated infections such as central line–associated bloodstream infections, particularly in intensive care settings. These secondary benefits suggest continuing mandatory gloving throughout the year. (Read the full article)




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Higher-Hazard, No Benefit Research Involving Children: Parental Perspectives

Higher-hazard, no-benefit research involving children may be approved by local institutional review boards only when the protocol enrolls children with the medical condition under study. The ethics of this distinction have been debated, but parental opinions have not been explored.

We found that parental opinions support federal regulations. We discuss parental motivations for and against research participation and the extent to which enrolling a child in higher-hazard, no-benefit research reflects appropriate surrogate decision-making. (Read the full article)




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Adolescent Carotenoid Intake and Benign Breast Disease

Breast tissue may be most sensitive to environmental exposures during adolescence. Carotenoids, a group of pigments found in fruits and vegetables, have antioxidative/antiproliferative properties and may reduce breast cancer risk. Benign breast disease (BBD) is an independent breast cancer risk factor.

In this prospective cohort study, higher adolescent intakes of β-carotene were associated with a lower risk of BBD in young women. BBD prevention may be one of the many positive health effects of fruit and vegetable consumption. (Read the full article)




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Cost-Benefit Analysis of a Medical Emergency Team in a Children's Hospital

Numerous studies have demonstrated clinical benefits of medical emergency team (MET) implementation, including reductions in mortality, cardiac arrests, and critical deterioration events. No studies have evaluated the financial costs and benefits of METs.

The costs of operating an MET can plausibly be recouped with a modest reduction in critical deterioration events. Hospitals reimbursed with bundled payments could see real financial savings by reducing critical deterioration events with a MET. (Read the full article)




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Establishing Benchmarks for the Hospitalized Care of Children With Asthma, Bronchiolitis, and Pneumonia

With the publication of evidence-based guidelines for asthma, bronchiolitis, and pneumonia, numerous efforts have been made to standardize and improve the quality of care. However, despite these guidelines, variation in care exists.

This study establishes clinically achievable benchmarks of care for asthma, bronchiolitis, and pneumonia. Using a published method for achievable benchmarks of care, we calculated average utilization among the high-performers, which can serve as achievable goals for local quality improvement. (Read the full article)




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Benefits of Strict Rest After Acute Concussion: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Expert consensus recommends rest after concussion with stepwise return to activity. Animal and retrospective human data suggest that early mental and physical activity may worsen outcome. There are no pediatric studies testing the efficacy of recommending strict rest after concussion.

Recommending strict rest postinjury did not improve outcome and may have contributed to increased symptom reporting. Usual care (rest for 1–2 days with stepwise return to activity) is currently the best discharge strategy for pediatric mild traumatic brain injury/concussion. (Read the full article)




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The Early Benefits of Human Papillomavirus Vaccination on Cervical Dysplasia and Anogenital Warts

Clinical trials of the quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccine show it to be highly efficacious in preventing vaccine-type–specific cervical dysplasia and anogenital warts, but few studies have assessed its effects in the real world and none have done so at the program/population level.

This study provides strong evidence of the early benefits of quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccination on reductions in cervical dysplasia and possible reductions in anogenital warts among girls aged 14 to 17 years, offering additional justification for not delaying vaccination until girls are older. (Read the full article)




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Public Perceptions of the Benefits and Risks of Newborn Screening

Infant screening is valued by members of the lay public, but how different benefits are independently valued, and whether harms are disvalued, is not known. Public expectations of screening can inform decisions about what diseases to screen for.

The public values clinical benefits of screening and disvalues harms, with tolerance for harm proportional to clinical benefit. These findings support newborn screening policies prioritizing clinical benefits over solely informational benefits, coupled with concerted efforts to avoid or minimize harms. (Read the full article)




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Sweden reaps HatTrick benefits

How the UEFA HatTrick scheme has helped build new stadia and training facilities in Sweden.




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Schools Worry Over New Trump Rule on Immigrants and Federal Benefits

The new Trump administration rule regarding immigrants' use of federal benefits could have an indirect but significant impact on schools, education advocates warn.




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High Court Lifts Block on Trump Rule Barring Green Cards to Some Taking Public Benefits

Some educators and advocates fear the rule will dissuade immigrants from seeking certain government benefits, and that further burdens will fall on schools.




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Fin24.com | OPINION | Could coronavirus threaten the benefits of stokvels for SA savers?

Stokvels are an important strategy for financial survival, so it's crucial to find a way to make them work during the pandemic, says Dr Norman Chivasa.




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Panel Finds Few Learning Benefits in High-Stakes Exams

A 10-year study by a blue-ribbon panel of scientists concludes that high-stakes testing and other accountability measures have largely failed to translate to real improvements in student achievement.




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Fenbendazole controls in vitro growth, virulence potential and animal infection in the Cryptococcus model [Experimental Therapeutics]

The human diseases caused by the fungal pathogens Cryptococcus neoformans and C. gattii are associated with high indices of mortality, and toxic and/or cost-prohibitive therapeutic protocols. The need for affordable antifungals to combat cryptococcal disease is unquestionable. Previous studies suggested benzimidazoles as promising anti-cryptococcal agents combining low cost and high antifungal efficacy, but their therapeutic potential has not been demonstrated so far. In this study, we investigated the antifungal potential of fenbendazole, the most effective anti-cryptococcal benzimidazole. Fenbendazole was inhibitory against 17 different isolates of C. neoformans and C. gattii at a low concentration. The mechanism of anti-cryptococcal activity of fenbendazole involved microtubule disorganization, as previously described for human parasites. In combination with fenbendazole, the concentrations of the standard antifungal amphotericin B required to control cryptococcal growth were lower than those required when this antifungal was used alone. Fenbendazole was not toxic to mammalian cells. During macrophage infection, the anti-cryptococcal effects of fenbendazole included inhibition of intracellular proliferation rates and reduced phagocytic escape through vomocytosis. Fenbendazole deeply affected the cryptococcal capsule. In a mice model of cryptococcosis, the efficacy of fenbendazole to control animal mortality was similar to that observed for amphotericin B. These results indicate that fenbendazole is a promising candidate for the future development of an efficient and affordable therapeutic tool to combat cryptococcosis.




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Combination Therapy Using Benznidazole and Aspirin During the Acute Phase of Experimental Chagas Disease Prevents Cardiovascular Dysfunction and Decreases Typical Cardiac Lesions in the Chronic Phase [Clinical Therapeutics]

Chagas disease, caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, is one of the main causes of death due to cardiomyopathy and heart failure in Latin American countries. The treatment of Chagas disease is directed at eliminating the parasite, decreasing the probability of cardiomyopathy, and disrupting the disease transmission cycle. Benznidazole (BZ) and nifurtimox (NFX) are recognized as effective drugs for the treatment of Chagas disease by the World Health Organization, but both have high toxicity and limited efficacy, especially in the chronic disease phase. At low doses, aspirin (ASA) has been reported to protect against T. cruzi infection. We evaluated the effectiveness of BZ in combination with ASA at low doses during the acute disease phase and evaluated cardiovascular aspects and cardiac lesions in the chronic phase. ASA treatment prevented the cardiovascular dysfunction (hypertension and tachycardia) and typical cardiac lesions. Moreover, BZ+ASA-treated mice had a smaller cardiac fibrotic area than that in BZ-treated mice. These results were associated with an increase in the number of eosinophils and reticulocytes and level of nitric oxide in the plasma and cardiac tissue of ASA-treated mice relative to respective controls. These effects of ASA and BZ+ASA in chronically infected mice were inhibited by pretreatment with the LXA4 receptor antagonist, Boc-2, indicating that the protective effects of ASA are mediated by ASA-triggered lipoxin. These results emphasize the importance of exploring new drug combinations for treatments of acute phase of Chagas disease that are beneficial for chronic patients.




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Continuous Albuterol With Benzalkonium in Children Hospitalized With Severe Asthma

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:

The albuterol dropper bottle used to prepare solutions for continuous nebulization contains the preservative benzalkonium chloride (BAC). BAC, by itself, has been shown to cause bronchospasm. We hypothesized that BAC would decrease the therapeutic efficacy of albuterol in patients with acute asthma exacerbations.

METHODS:

We performed a retrospective cohort study comparing the clinical outcomes of patients <18 years of age receiving continuous nebulized albuterol with and without BAC. For the primary end point (duration of continuous albuterol nebulization), we compared the 2 groups with Kaplan-Meier estimate of survival curves, conducted a log-rank test of difference, and adjusted for baseline characteristics using multivariable Cox regression. A P value <.05 was considered significant.

RESULTS:

A total of 477 patients were included in the analysis (236 exposed to BAC and 241 controls). The duration of continuous nebulization was significantly longer in the BAC group than in the control group (median of 9 vs 6 hours; 15.7% required continuous nebulization compared to 5.8% of controls at 24 hours). The control group was 79% more likely to stop continuous nebulization at any particular point in time (hazard ratio 1.79; 95% confidence interval: 1.45 to 2.22; P < .001) and 43% more likely to stop additional respiratory support (hazard ratio 1.43; 95% confidence interval: 1.16 to 1.75; P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS:

BAC is a functional albuterol antagonist associated with a longer duration of continuous albuterol nebulization treatment and additional respiratory support, suggesting that preservative-free albuterol formulations are safer for use in continuous nebulization.




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Benign Neonatal Shudders, Shivers, Jitteriness, or Tremors: Early Signs of Vitamin D Deficiency

Millicent Collins
Aug 1, 2017; 140:e20160719-e20160719
CASE REPORTS




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Rangers vice-chairman John Bennett criticises 'cynical tactics' of SPFL and insists issue not just Gers vs governing body

Rangers vice-chairman John Bennett has criticised the SPFL for their 'cynical tactics' over their labelling of the club's dossier as a "smoking gun" - and insists the issue is not merely Gers vs the governing body.




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5 Major Benefits of Blended Learning

Modern classrooms are slowly taking a new approach to imparting wisdom and knowledge to the upcoming generation. Traditional classroom teaching techniques are giving way to a new system of blended learning.




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PHP Async HTTP Client Benchmarks (New)

Package:
Summary:
Measure the performance of different HTTP clients
Groups:
Author:
Description:
This package can measure the performance of different HTTP clients...

Read more at https://www.phpclasses.org/package/11636-PHP-Measure-the-performance-of-different-HTTP-clients.html




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Facebook Live concert to benefit United Way's 28 partner agencies set April 24

The Centre County United Way will host #LIVEUNITEDLive, a Facebook Live concert featuring 25 performers with Centre County or Penn State connections, beginning at 6 p.m. April 24 as a fundraiser for 28 nonprofit human service organizations.




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Schuylkill Speaks: Senior Tara Laubenstine continues Penn State family legacy

Tara Laubenstine comes from a long line of Penn Staters. When she began her college search, she knew exactly where she would apply and eagerly wait to be accepted. This week, she will graduate with her bachelor’s degree in business with a minor in psychology, after which she will pursue a career in human resource management. She made the most of her college experience by becoming involved, and with graduation on the horizon, Laubenstine sat down to speak about her college experience and offer advice to the incoming class.




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Unemployment benefits received during the pandemic are taxable

Source: www.consumeraffairs.com - Friday, May 08, 2020
There are a couple of simple ways to stay ahead of the situation, and there's possible relief for those who can't By Gary Guthrie of ConsumerAffairs May 8, 2020 var myLink = "https://my.consumeraffairs.com/tax-relief/get-matched/"; var mySubTitle = "Get matched with an Accredited Tax Relief Partner"; window.onload = function changeLink(){var linkForm = document.getElementsByClassName("wzrd-wg__form")[0];var titleForm = document.getElementsByClassName("wzrd-wg__sbtl")[0];linkForm.setAttribute("action", myLink);if (mySubTitle != ""){titleForm.innerHTML = " " + mySubTitle + " ";}}; The hits keep on comin'! On Friday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that the economy lost 20.5 million jobs in April, with the unemployment rate at 14.7 percent. Thank you, COVID-19. All told, upwards of 22 million Americans have lost their jobs during the pandemic, forcing many to collect unemployment to make ends meet. For some, a bonus of $600 each week in coronavirus relief is being added on. All that is fine and dandy for now, but most of those check recipients are unaware that they're going to have to pay taxes on that money because the IRS views it as "taxable income." Note: the "economic impact payment" Americans received is NOT taxable. "Most people don't realize it. They're thinking in the moment. They don't have much savings, credit is not great and then come April 15, 2021, you have a big tax bill you're not expecting," Ken Lin, the




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MSPs call on UK and Scottish Governments to work together as billions of pounds in benefits go unclaimed

The UK and Scottish Governments must work more closely together to ensure people get the benefits they are entitled to, a new report by the Scottish Parliament’s Social Security Committee has said.




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Intel Benchmarks Core i9 Chips, Preps New Xeon Desktop Line

Intel has released some benchmarks for its next-gen Core i9 'Cascade Lake-X' processors, which will be arriving next month with a big price cut. The company is also slightly dropping prices on Core S-series chips that lack GPUs, and preparing to launch the Xeon W-2200 series.




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Gender Gaps Alter Benefits of Extracurricular Activities, Study Finds

A new study finds that extracurricular activities have differing positive effects for rural boys compared to girls.




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Rural America Gets Attention in Trump Era, But Will Its Schools Benefit?

The new 50-state report from the Rural School and Community Trust, emphasizes early childhood education and college-and-career readiness.




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By bus, bicycle or boat: OMers make Bengali New Testament #1 bestseller

Massive distribution efforts by OM teams in Bangladesh over more than 10 years sowed gospel seeds and made the Bengali New Testament a #1 best seller.




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International Benchmarks

A new report by the World Bank puts the results of much-publicized international tests–which many poor nations do not take part in–on a comparable scale as regional exams commonly used by developing countries.




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Drones May One Day Deliver Your Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream

A Japanese drone startup said on Tuesday it was partnering with Unilever, the owner of Ben & Jerry's, to explore developing an ice cream drone-delivery service in New York.




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Benfica v Shakhtar Donetsk facts

Benfica, unbeaten at home in this competition, bid to reach the last 16 at the expense of a Shakhtar Donetsk side who won an eventful first leg 2-1 in Kharkiv.




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Mercedes-Benz Produces Hand Crafted Face Masks For Employees At Sindelfingen Plant

During the COVID-19 pandemic, however, the daily work routine for tailors and apprentices looks a bit different than usual: for several weeks, they have been producing hand-crafted masks for use of...




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Cooking Tips: Prepare This Quick And Easy Bengali-Style Bhaat Bhaja With Leftover Rice In A Busy Day

Bhaat literally means rice and bhaja means fry; bhaat bhaja is the home-style fried rice among Bengalis. This recipe needs almost nothing for preparation; tastes best with leftover rice.



  • Food & Drinks

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Facilitated Return Of 6,000 Stranded Migrants To State: Bengal Government

The West Bengal government on Saturday refuted the allegations of non-cooperation by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and said that it has facilitated the return of around 6,000 migrants stranded outside...




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Bengal To Receive 8 Trains Carrying Thousands Of Migrants From 4 States

The West Bengal government has agreed to allow eight trains to bring migrants home from four states, the Railway Ministry tweeted today. It said Bengal had until now allowed only two "Shramik"...




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Governor Markell Orders Flags Lowered in Honor of Former State Representative Benjamin Ewing

Governor Markell has ordered the American and Delaware flags at state buildings and facilities lowered in honor of former State Representative Benjamin Ewing.




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Governor Signs Law Bringing Economic and Environmental Benefits of Aquaculture to Delaware

Governor Markell signed House Bill 160 to permit shellfish aquaculture in Delaware's Inland Bays, allowing the state to reap the economic benefits of a multimillion dollar industry while improving water quality in the bays.




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New Delaware study points to benefits of irrigation

Irrigation can increase grain production and profitability even in a near-ideal growing season, a new survey of Delaware cropland shows.




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Delaware WONDER Expanding Services to Support Delawareans Receiving Food Benefits to Break Barriers, Find Jobs

NEW CASTLE (July 23, 2018) – A USDA-funded program designed to help food benefits recipients in Delaware increase their earning power and decrease their dependence on state benefits is expanding its services to eligible participants. Delaware WONDER (Work Opportunity Networks to Develop Employment Readiness), a program administered by the Delaware Department of Health and Social […]




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Governor Carney Signs Executive Order Establishing Health Care Spending and Quality Benchmarks

Order will create subcommittee focused on bettering health care spending, quality across the state WILMINGTON, Del. – Governor Carney on Tuesday signed Executive Order #25 establishing health care spending and quality benchmarks. This Executive Order will form a subcommittee of the Delaware Economic and Financial Advisory Council to focus on reducing the cost of health […]




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Delaware Sets Health Care Spending Benchmark

Benchmark initiative will limit spending growth, improve quality of care NEW CASTLE, Del. – The Delaware Economic and Financial Advisory Council (DEFAC) on Wednesday issued a recommended Benchmark Index that set the state’s health care spending growth target at 3.8 percent for 2019 – the initial year of Delaware’s newly created Health Care Spending Benchmark. […]




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Because of the Federal Shutdown, Delaware and All Other States Will Issue February Food Benefits on or Before Jan. 20

NEW CASTLE (Jan. 14, 2019) – Because of the partial federal government shutdown, Delaware will join other states in issuing food benefits early for February, loading them onto clients’ Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards on or before Jan. 20. The more than 136,000 Delawareans who are clients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will […]




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Delaware Will Issue March Food Benefits on March 4 to Reduce Hardships

NEW CASTLE (Feb. 12, 2019) – To reduce hardships on families and individuals, Delaware will issue March food benefits to all SNAP households on March 4, rather than staggering them across a three-week period. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits will be loaded onto clients’ Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards on March 4, ensuring a […]




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Delaware Will Issue April Food Benefits on April 13 to Reduce Hardships, Help Individuals and Families Budget

NEW CASTLE (March 13, 2019) – To reduce hardships on families and individuals in Delaware and to help households budget their monthly Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, the Department of Health and Social Services is announcing that it will issue all April food benefits on April 13 rather than staggering them across a three-week […]