Operation PAR

Open wells in agricultural regions of India pose a critical, yet underreported threat to terrestrial wildlife. This study investigates incidents of wildlife falls into open wells across Pune and Ahmednagar districts of Maharashtra between 2009 and 2024. Indian leopards (Panthera pardus fusca) were the most frequently affected species, accounting for 67.6% of the 68 documented cases. Temporal trends indicate an increasing frequency, with peaks in 2019 and 2023. Other species affected include golden jackals, small Indian civets, Asian palm civets, striped hyaenas, and sambar deer. All animals were successfully rescued and released through operations led by Wildlife SOS and the Maharashtra Forest Department. Twenty-one high-risk wells were covered as part of mitigation efforts. The findings underscore the urgency for expanded, proactive programs to cover the wells to reduce wildlife mortality and foster coexistence in human-dominated landscapes.

This study aimed to assess parental perceptions of their children's quality of life (QoL) who had craniofacial clefts, focusing on aesthetics, speech, function and psychology. The study enrolled parents of children aged 5-15 with craniofacial clefts who had received soft tissue correction. Parents completed a questionnaire evaluating their children's QoL post-surgery. Findings revealed that parents observed a significant improvement in their children's QoL following surgical intervention. Notable enhancements were noted in facial appearance, a substantial reduction in instances of teasing and bullying, improved relationships with friends and family, and increased self-confidence among the affected children. Surgical intervention showed a positive influence on these children's facial appearance, speech, self-esteem, social integration, physical well-being and psychological functioning. As a result, it contributed to an overall enhancement in their QoL, emphasizing the importance of such procedures in improving the lives of children with facial clefts. The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12663-025-02737-4.

As the urgency of climate action intensifies, organizations are increasingly required not only to reduce their instantaneous internal emissions (Scopes 1 and 2) and their value chain impacts (Scope 3), but also to demonstrate their overall contribution to climate change. Therefore, this paper introduces and formalizes the concept of Scope 4 emissions, defined as avoided emissions enabled by a company’s products, services, or business models, representing the fourth strategic pillar in corporate climate accounting. The paper proposes how to quantify the Scope 4 emissions through the decarbonization plan, using a stadium decarbonization plan as an illustrative example to show how Scope 1–3 reductions can be complemented by cumulative Scope 4 impacts, the advantages of undertaking proactive approaches toward sustainability and proposing the concept of relative carbon neutrality. Finally, the paper connects the Scope 4 emissions with ESG factors, highlights possible risks and challenges associated with its computation, and inviting regulators and policy makers to devise new Scope 4-based policies and incentives needed when considering the directives’ dynamics (e.g., the Omnibus Package).

Abstract Introduction Post-burn contractures (PBC) are among the major complications of burn injuries yet knowledge about the factors affecting healthcare access among patients with PBC is limited. This study aims to assess the barriers and facilitators to care among pediatric post-burn contracture patients. Methods A cross-sectional study including patients admitted for PBC between April -August 2022. A pre-established questionnaire was administered to assess socio-demographic characteristics and probable factors determining access to care. Logistic regression was used to assess model fit of missed follow-up appointments against independent variables. The area under the curve and goodness of fit were computed. A p-value < 0.05 was considered significant. Results A total of 390 pediatric patients have been included in this study. The majority of patients were female (53.5%) with a median age of 7 years. Most patients had health insurance (97.5%) and belonged to Ubudehe categories 2 (48.8%) or 3 (39.3%). Scalds were the most common burn type (60.4%). The proximal interphalangeal joint (PIP) and elbow were the most frequently affected areas. The most common post-burn contracture type was MASCCA B (48.2%). Regular exercise in the affected region was the most reported facilitator for attending follow-up appointments (76.4%). Lack of money was the most prevalent barrier among those who missed appointments (100%). Patients from lower socio-economic backgrounds (Ubudehe 1) had access to fewer facilitators and reported more geographical barriers. Attending physiotherapy sessions post-discharge significantly reduced the odds of missing follow-up appointments (OR = 0.41, p = 0.02). Conclusions Geographical, educational, and financial barriers emerged as the most important issues to access burn care. We recommend increasing burn prevention measures, improving burn care at lower levels of the Rwanda Health system, enhancing patients’ and families’ education, regular exercise, and better access to occupational therapy. Applicability of Research to Practice These results highlight the need for interventions that promote physiotherapy adherence and address financial limitations to improve post-burn contracture care, decentralization of particularly for those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. Funding for the Study N/A

Reported rates of velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI) after primary palatoplasty for cleft palate (CP) range from 5% to 30%. Although some cases are managed with speech therapy, many patients with VPI require surgical intervention. In this study, we investigate the rate of VPI surgery in patients with CP. A systematic review was undertaken following PRISMA guidelines. PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane databases were used. Studies reporting the rate of VPI surgery in patients with CP were included. Studies containing patients with submucous clefts and/or lacking 6 months follow-up were excluded. Rates of VPI surgery were calculated through weighted means. Fifty-eight articles were included. The overall rate of VPI surgery was 17.5% ± 9.2% (range, 0%-59%). When stratified by phenotype, the rate of VPI surgery was 20.0% ± 13.1% for unilateral cleft lip and palate (range, 0%-39.6%), 27.1% ± 17.2% for bilateral cleft lip and palate (range, 0%-59%), and 14.4% ± 7.2% for isolated CP (range, 0%-47.4%, P > 0.05). When segregated by the palatoplasty technique, the surgical rate was 7.2% ± 3.7% for Furlow, 20.3% ± 19.8% for 2-flap, 5.0% ± 2.8% for Sommerlad, and 23.4% ± 8.0% for 2-stage (P > 0.05). Of studies reporting VPI assessment criteria, speech pathology assessment alone (n = 11, 34.4%) was the most common. Significant variability exists in reported rates of VPI surgery after CP repair. Initial results suggest a higher rate of VPI surgery in association with certain phenotypes and repair techniques, but data are insufficient for robust conclusions.

Conscientious objection is a critical topic that has been sparsely discussed from a global health perspective, despite its special relevance to our inherently diverse field. In this Analysis paper, we argue that blanket prohibitions of a specific type of non-discriminatory conscientious objection are unjustified in the global health context. We begin both by introducing a nuanced account of conscience that is grounded in moral psychology and by providing an overview of discriminatory and non-discriminatory forms of objection. Next, we point to the frequently neglected but ubiquitous presence of moral uncertainty, which entails a need for epistemic humility—that is, an attitude that acknowledges the possibility one might be wrong. We build two arguments on moral uncertainty. First, if epistemic humility is necessary when dealing with values in theory (as appears to be the consensus in bioethics), then it will be even more necessary when these values are applied in the real world. Second, the emergence of global health from its colonial past requires special awareness of, and resistance to, moral imperialism. Absolutist attitudes towards disagreement are thus incompatible with global health’s dual aims of reducing inequity and emerging from colonialism. Indeed, the possibility of global bioethics (which balances respect for plurality with the goal of collective moral progress) hinges on appropriately acknowledging moral uncertainty when faced with inevitable disagreement. This is incompatible with blanket prohibitions of conscientious objection. As a brief final note, we distinguish conscientious objection from the problem of equitable access to care. We note that conflating the two may actually lead to a less equitable picture on the whole. We conclude by recommending that international consensus documents, such as the Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights, be amended to include nuanced guidelines regarding conscientious objection that can then be used as a template by regional and national policymaking bodies.

ABSTRACT In this article, we draw from our collaboration across a diverse cadre of colleagues who have focused on different aspects of teaching, higher education, and carcerality. In particular, our research team, known as STEM-OPS (STEM Opportunities in Prison Settings), studied higher education in prison with a specific focus on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and incarceration. We present interrelated findings from interviews across four people who are formerly incarcerated. Most Higher Education in Prison (HEP) programs are taught by university professors who are experts in content areas (such as science, chemistry, and math) and not pedagogy. As such, we believe teacher educators have an opportunity and an obligation to build professional learning opportunities related to pedagogy to support these instructors’ practices.

Contamination of Agricultural commodities by moulds poses significant challenges due to conducive climatic conditions. Mycotoxins produced by moulds like Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Fusarium present health risks and economic losses. Traditional control measures such as the use of fungicides have drawbacks, necessitating the exploration of eco-friendly alternatives. One such alternatives is the use of Chitosan, a biopolymer derived from chitin found in crustacean exoskeletons. This study evaluated the efficacy of chitosan synthesized from shrimp shells in inhibiting the growth of Aspergillus niger, a common food borne mould of oil seeds such as Sesame. Synthesized Chitosan was characterized using FTIR spectroscopy, UV-visible spectroscopy, and the degree of deacetylation was determined. FTIR analysis showed characteristic absorption peaks ranging from 3911.77 cm-1 to 794.70 cm-1, with higher wave numbers corresponding to stretching vibrations of the C-H, O-H, and N-H bonds functional groups. UV-visible spectroscopy displayed an absorbance peak at 232 nm with an absorbance value of 2.15. The degree of deacetylation of synthesized chitosan was determined to be 98.99%. In vitro experiments showed a concentration-dependent inhibition of A. niger growth by shrimp shell synthesized chitosan. The highest level of inhibition was seen at day 3 with 0.75mg/ml (50%) and 1.0mg/ml (52.1%), meaning the higher the concentration of shrimp shell synthesized chitosan the higher the inhibition. Results suggest chitosan as a potential anti-fungal agent for food preservation and agricultural protection against mould contamination and mitigate post harvest losses and ensure food safety.