The adsorption of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) on montmorillonites saturated with calcium (Ca-Mt) and sodium (Na-Mt) as a function of the pH value and PVA concentration in aqueous solution was studied. Owing to the binding effect of the bivalent cation, the adsorption of PVA on Ca-Mt decreases as the pH of the suspension increases, whereas adsorption on Na-Mt is unaffected by the suspension pH. The adsorption maximum of PVA (pH 6) on Ca-Mt was 151.2 mg of PVA g−1 of clay, which is considerably lower than that on Na-Mt (496.2 mg g−1). These adsorption data coincide with the basal spacings obtained for the clays: 1.72 and 2.26 nm for Ca-Mt and Na-Mt, respectively. Sodium permits a greater separation between the clay laminae than calcium, but in both clays the presence of the polymer gives rise to a material in which PVA is intercalated between the laminae and is also adsorbed on the external surface. Adsorption is a slow process and is irreversible in both clays.

We propose a reformulation of the ideal $\mathcal {N}$ of Lebesgue measure zero sets of reals modulo an ideal J on $\omega $, which we denote by $\mathcal {N}_J$. In the same way, we reformulate the ideal $\mathcal {E}$ generated by $F_\sigma $ measure zero sets of reals modulo J, which we denote by $\mathcal {N}^*_J$. We show that these are $\sigma $-ideals and that $\mathcal {N}_J=\mathcal {N}$ iff J has the Baire property, which in turn is equivalent to $\mathcal {N}^*_J=\mathcal {E}$. Moreover, we prove that $\mathcal {N}_J$ does not contain co-meager sets and $\mathcal {N}^*_J$ contains non-meager sets when J does not have the Baire property. We also prove a deep connection between these ideals modulo J and the notion of nearly coherence of filters (or ideals).

We also study the cardinal characteristics associated with $\mathcal {N}_J$ and $\mathcal {N}^*_J$. We show their position with respect to Cichoń’s diagram and prove consistency results in connection with other very classical cardinal characteristics of the continuum, leaving just very few open questions. To achieve this, we discovered a new characterization of $\mathrm {add}(\mathcal {N})$ and $\mathrm {cof}(\mathcal {N})$. We also show that, in Cohen model, we can obtain many different values to the cardinal characteristics associated with our new ideals.

This study is aimed to evaluate the effect and underling mechanism of dietary supplementation with pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) disodium on improving inflammatory liver injury in piglets challenged with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). A total of seventy-two crossbred barrows were allotted into four groups as follows: the CTRL group (basal diet + saline injection); the PQQ group (3 mg/kg PQQ diet + saline injection); the CTRL + LPS group (basal diet + LPS injection) and the PQQ + LPS group (3 mg/kg PQQ diet + LPS injection). On days 7, 11 and 14, piglets were challenged with LPS or saline. Blood was sampled at 4 h after the last LPS injection (day 14), and then the piglets were slaughtered and liver tissue was harvested. The results showed that the hepatic morphology was improved in the PQQ + LPS group compared with the CTRL + LPS group. PQQ supplementation decreased the level of serum inflammatory factors, aspartate aminotransferase and alanine transaminase, and increased the HDL-cholesterol concentration in piglets challenged with LPS; piglets in the PQQ + LPS group had lower liver mRNA level of inflammatory factors and protein level of α-smooth muscle actin than in the CTRL + LPS group. Besides, mRNA expression of STAT3/TGF-β1 pathway and protein level of p-STAT3(Tyr 705) were decreased, and mRNA level of PPARα and protein expression of p-AMPK in liver were increased in the PQQ + LPS group compared with the CTRL + LPS group (P < 0·05). In conclusion, dietary supplementation with PQQ alleviated inflammatory liver injury might partly via inhibition of the STAT3/TGF-β1 pathway in piglets challenged with LPS.

We evaluated diagnostic test and antibiotic utilization among 252 patients from 11 US hospitals who were evaluated for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia during the severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) omicron variant pandemic wave. In our cohort, antibiotic use remained high (62%) among SARS-CoV-2–positive patients and even higher among those who underwent procalcitonin testing (68%).

Gypsies and Travellers are at significantly increased risk of poor physical and mental health compared with the general population. Barriers to accessing mental health services include fear of stigma and discrimination from services, difficulties with signing up to services due to poor educational levels, and the taboo nature of mental health difficulties within the community. To the authors’ knowledge, no research has identified best practice for adapting psychological therapy to meet the needs of this community. This paper presents the case of John (pseudonym), an 80-year-old Irish Traveller, whose respiratory team referred him for psychological intervention for depression and anxiety symptoms. The psychology service was embedded within the respiratory team which enabled easy access to therapy services via an already trusted service. He received 10 sessions of cognitive behavioural therapy for depression, adapted to his age, physical health, and cultural background. His low mood was maintained by withdrawal from activities, rumination of losses, lack of confidence and avoidance of help-seeking. Treatment consisted of culturally adapted psychoeducation, behavioural activation, cognitive restructuring, and behavioural experiments to increase his activity, mood and confidence. The Patient Health Questionnaire and Generalised Anxiety Disorder Scale demonstrated improvements in both depressive and anxious symptoms at the end of therapy. The paper presents an overview of relevant literature before describing John’s case, formulation, culturally adapted intervention techniques and outcomes. Considerations to support best practice for clinicians working with Irish Travellers are made.

Practitioners have mixed views about the value of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) manuals, with some preferring to work based on professional judgement. The workbook represents a compromise, providing guidance and resources without prescribing standardised procedures. Workbooks have not previously been widely addressed in the CBT literature. This exploratory study analysed how practitioners use a CBT workbook (Think Good – Feel Good, TGFG) to support therapeutic work with young people (YP). Practitioners (n=238) completed an online survey about how TGFG is used and how it supports CBT. A convergent mixed-methods design was pursued. Qualitative and quantitative data were analysed using content analysis, descriptive statistics, and chi-squared tests before themes were defined to summarise the dataset. When deciding whether to use TGFG, practitioners consider a YP’s presenting difficulty, level of understanding, motivation, and availability of systemic support. Practitioners use TGFG inside and outside the therapeutic space to plan sessions, revise CBT concepts, and complete worksheets (particularly those with a cognitive focus). Practitioners use TGFG flexibly and pragmatically (combining it with other therapeutic approaches), and they adapt resources to suit a YP’s understanding and interests. TGFG appears to be a widely used resource for practitioners across the range of experience.

The comparisons among 126 14C dates of Carex samples including separated leaf and root parts with acid (A)-treatment and acid-base-acid (ABA)-treatment, and 48 published 14C dates of bulk peat plants on a 92-cm core from Jinchuan Mire in NE China, indicate old carbon influence (OCI) on the 14C dates. The OCI varies with plant species, pretreatment and peat depth. In vascular peat plants such as Carex, humin fractions (remains after ABA treatment) and humic acids are representative of the original plant precursor, while fulvic acids are regarded as the secondary mobile product which should be removed for 14C dating. ABA- treatment removes both fulvic acids and humic acids, whereas A-treatment gets rid of only fulvic acids. Carex roots uptake more dissolved CO2 in peat water. Carex leaves may use more CO2 (involving degassing CO2) above the peat surface. By removing humic acids throughout ABA treatment, the OCI may vary differently over depth (time). ABA treatment cannot eliminate the fixed OCI in humin fractions of vascular peat plants, instead, this treatment may enhance OCI by removing humic acid which may represent the true age of the plants. In addition, Bacon model results on this core could not show rapid changes in accumulation rate.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a common and debilitating disorder that frequently begins in childhood and adolescence. Previous work (Bolton et al., 2011) has demonstrated that brief CBT (5 sessions), supplemented by therapeutic workbooks, is as effective as more traditional length (12 sessions) therapist-delivered treatment for adolescents with OCD. However, as was typical at the time, the treatment was developed with very limited patient and public involvement (PPI) and was delivered in the context of a randomised controlled trial which might affect translation to routine child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS). To be able to implement such treatment within routine clinical services, it is crucial that it acceptable to young people, their families and the clinicians delivering the treatment. The aim of this project was to improve the acceptability of the brief treatment through PPI and consultation with clinicians, and consider issues relating to implementation. This was done through written feedback, interviews and focus groups with five adolescents and two parents, and a focus group and a half-day workshop with 12 clinicians. This led to revisions to the workbooks and materials to improve (a) acceptability by updating the design through changes to wording, language and images, and to ensure that they were consistent with values of equality, diversity and inclusion, and (b) usability by clarifying, adding, removing content, and organising the materials in new ways. We emphasise the importance of continued PPI throughout the project to maximise the translation of findings into practice.