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Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) is a cytokine synthesized and released by the liver, muscle and fat and acts both locally and systemically to regulate whole-body metabolism. David Mangelsdorf and his colleagues now show in two separate studies that FGF21 also acts on the region of the brain that regulates circadian rhythm, the suprachiasmatic nucleus, to further regulate whole-body metabolism as well as reproductive function. Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) is a hepatokine that acts as a global starvation signal to modulate fuel partitioning and metabolism and repress growth 1 ; however, the site of action of these diverse effects remains unclear. FGF21 signals through a heteromeric cell-surface receptor composed of one of three FGF receptors (FGFR1c, FGFR2c or FGFR3c) in complex with β-Klotho 2 , 3 , 4 , a single-pass transmembrane protein that is enriched in metabolic tissues 5 . Here we show that in addition to its known effects on peripheral metabolism, FGF21 increases systemic glucocorticoid levels, suppresses physical activity and alters circadian behavior, which are all features of the adaptive starvation response. These effects are mediated through β-Klotho expression in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus and the dorsal vagal complex of the hindbrain. Mice lacking the gene encoding β-Klotho ( Klb ) in these regions are refractory to these effects, as well as those on metabolism, insulin and growth. These findings demonstrate a crucial role for the nervous system in mediating the diverse physiologic and pharmacologic actions of FGF21.

Background: Group work is employed in higher education institutions to foster communication, collaborative learning, leadership qualities and teamwork skills. The rationale behind group work as a learning strategy is to ensure that graduates are equipped with teamwork skills.Aim: The aim of this study was to establish whether the final-year radiography students of the National Diploma curriculum in three universities in South Africa were exposed to effective group work.Setting: The study was conducted in three universities in South Africa, all of which offer diagnostic radiography programmes.Methods: This study used a non-experimental descriptive design to collect data. A purposive sampling technique was used to select participants. This was an attempt to conduct a census on 167 students, out of which 124 students responded to the questionnaire, giving a response rate of 74.25%.Results: The findings show that the majority (n = 81; 66.9%) of students did not enjoy group work, as 101 (81.5%) of them preferred less group projects. The results further demonstrated that participants rated factors such as co-operation, leadership, choice, diversity and effectiveness of group work neutral on the Likert scale.Conclusion: The study results imply that factors that contribute towards the effectiveness of group work should be incorporated into group activities in order for student radiographers to be exposed to effective group work. The gaps identified in this study indicate the need for a follow-up study within the current 4-year bachelor’s degree in radiography.Contribution: Identification of a gap in radiography education, which group work needs to be facilitated effectively.

Confidence in the use of Earth observations for monitoring essential climate variables (ECVs) relies on the validation of satellite calibration accuracy to within a well-defined uncertainty. The gap analysis for integrated atmospheric ECV climate monitoring (GAIA-CLIM) project investigated the calibration/validation of satellite data sets using non-satellite reference data. Here, we explore the role of numerical weather prediction (NWP) frameworks for the assessment of several meteorological satellite sensors: the advanced microwave scanning radiometer 2 (AMSR2), microwave humidity sounder-2 (MWHS-2), microwave radiation imager (MWRI), and global precipitation measurement (GPM) microwave imager (GMI). We find departures (observation-model differences) are sensitive to instrument calibration artefacts. Uncertainty in surface emission is identified as a key gap in our ability to validate microwave imagers quantitatively in NWP. The prospects for NWP-based validation of future instruments are considered, taking as examples the microwave sounder (MWS) and infrared atmospheric sounding interferometer-next generation (IASI-NG) on the next generation of European polar-orbiting satellites. Through comparisons with reference radiosondes, uncertainties in NWP fields can be estimated in terms of equivalent top-of-atmosphere brightness temperature. We find NWP-sonde differences are consistent with a total combined uncertainty of 0.15 K for selected temperature sounding channels, while uncertainties for humidity sounding channels typically exceed 1 K.

In this study the impacts of Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) soil moisture data assimilation upon the streamflow prediction of the operational Global Flood Awareness System (GloFAS) were investigated. Two GloFAS experiments were performed, one which used hydro-meteorological forcings produced with the assimilation of the SMOS data, the other using forcings which excluded the assimilation of the SMOS data. Both sets of experiment results were verified against streamflow observations in the United States and Australia. Skill scores were computed for each experiment against the observation datasets, the differences in the skill scores were used to identify where GloFAS skill may be affected by the assimilation of SMOS soil moisture data. In addition, a global assessment was made of the impact upon the 5th and 95th GloFAS flow percentiles to see how SMOS data assimilation affected low and high flows respectively. Results against in-situ observations found that GloFAS skill score was only affected by a small amount. At a global scale, the results showed a large impact on high flows in areas such as the Hudson Bay, central United States, the Sahel and Australia. There was no clear spatial trend to these differences as opposing signs occurred within close proximity to each other. Investigating the differences between the simulations at individual gauging stations showed that they often only occurred during a single flood event; for the remainder of the simulation period the experiments were almost identical. This suggests that SMOS data assimilation may affect the generation of surface runoff during high flow events, but may have less impact on baseflow generation during the remainder of the hydrograph. To further understand this, future work could assess the impact of SMOS data assimilation upon specific hydrological components such as surface and subsurface runoff.

This paper articulates a theory of Black complaint by engaging feminist theories of complaint and Black critical theories of visuality. It focuses on the late 2010s viral video trend of alliteratively nicknamed White women (e.g., “Permit Patty,” “Cornerstore Caroline”) calling the police on Black people and the later Karen meme. Connecting these memes to Simone Browne’s (2015) concept of dark sousveillance, the paper shows that, rather than simply rendering Black people out of sight of the White gaze, the Karen and Permit Patty memes instead place Whiteness and White supremacy on trial by creating a visual archive that legitimizes the testimony of Black individuals living in a climate of anti-Blackness. This paper argues that these memes, viral videos, and the Black online counterpublics that circulate these images comprise an important register for Black grief and activism and suggest an alternative form for demanding redress for Black injury outside the American criminal justice system.

The premier NCAA student-athlete handbook, now in a second, updated edition designed for today’s competitive market and with a new chapter on name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights. Few student-athletes dreaming of athletic stardom ever make it to the pros. Yet, the discipline and skills they’ve developed while balancing a sport and academics make them ideally suited for satisfying careers elsewhere. The book’s authors draw on personal experience, interviews, expert opinion, and industry data to provide a game plan for student-athletes to help them transition from high school to college, navigate evolving rules about NIL rights, and find success in life after college. Modeled after Stephen Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People , this expanded and updated guide provides a much-needed strategy for student-athletes as they prepare for postcollege careers, while serving as a valuable resource for their parents, coaches, and sports administrators across the country.

Developing the critical thinking skills of student radiographers is imperative in an era of rapidly advancing technology. The status of the students' ability to demonstrate critical thinking skills needed to be explored for the Department of Radiography at a comprehensive university to determine if a more explicit curriculum was needed to facilitate these skills. The aim of this article is to present results of a study conducted to determine the critical thinking ability of 3rd year radiography students at a Comprehensive University in South Africa. The research study used a descriptive exploratory design to collect both quantitative and qualitative data. Quantitative data was collected by scoring the participants ability to think critically when answering clinical scenarios posed in the form of vignettes given to the students under assessment conditions. The qualitative data was generated by in-depth field notes made inductively by the researcher. The findings of this study indicated that the majority of participants demonstrated a minimal ability to think critically. The study results imply that in order to improve critical thinking skills of student radiographers, there is a need for curriculum adjustment, to nurture and encourage these skills. It is recommended that facilitators adopt methods to integrate these skills in the curriculum.

The phenomenon of managing paediatric emergencies in the pre-hospital environment within the South African setting is poorly understood with specific regard to what emergency care personnel are experiencing when managing paediatric emergencies. The aim of this study was to explore and describe the lived experiences of emergency care personnel in managing paediatric patients in the pre-hospital environment and to understand the meaning and the significance of these experiences. All participants were purposively sampled from emergency medical services agencies operating within the Johannesburg metropolitan city area. This study followed a qualitative, exploratory, descriptive, phenomenological design, whereby participants purposively sampled within the Johannesburg metropolitan city voluntarily consented to one-on-one interviews ( = 10). Three main themes, with 11 contributing categories, were identified and contextualised with available literature. Emerging from the main themes was an overall sense that managing paediatric emergencies is a negative experience, coloured with feelings of inadequacy, stress, anxiety and even fear. The findings of this study provided new insights into what South African EMS are experiencing when managing paediatric emergencies, which enables future research efforts to identify research and practice gaps that are relevant to paediatric pre-hospital emergency care, and that are specific to the South African environment. This research provides preliminary insight into the lived experiences of prehospital personnel managing paediatric emergencies as well as emerging recommendations for the improvement of the prehospital care of paediatric patients.

Introduction Digital radiography lacks visual clues of exposure techniques used to obtain radiographs, therefore manufacturers have included exposure indicators (EIs). EIs provides feedback about exposure techniques used and evaluating EIs will yield much needed information about exposure trends used in digital radiography. Methods A retrospective explorative quantitative study was conducted at nine randomly selected imaging departments in Gauteng, South Africa. Data pertaining to EI was retrospectively collected using quota sampling and compared to manufacturer recommended (MR) standards. Results A total of 1422 EIs were collected. 50% of these were within the MR standard. 27% of EI indicated overexposure and 23% indicated underexposure. Conclusions Greater evidence of overexposure was noted in the retrospective analysis of the EI. This pilot study shows the need for further investigation into exposure technique practices in digital radiography and the need for measures to halt the evidenced overexposure. Retrospective evaluation of exposure indicators reveals greater overexposure.

Background: Medical imaging (MI) education has experienced a shift aligned with the advances in technology and the role played by radiographers in pattern recognition. This has led to increased use of technology-enhanced teaching and simulated learning approaches (e.g. computer-aided detection [CAD] tools) which also support the increasing requirement to develop pattern-recognition skills at undergraduate level. However, the development of these approaches need to be explored and planned carefully to be context-relevant. Aim: The aim of this study was to explore and describe the need for and capability of a CAD tool for teaching chest radiography pattern recognition in an undergraduate radiography programme. Setting: The setting was a university that offers MI education. Method: The study employed a qualitative descriptive design with an interpretive research paradigm. Purposive sampling was used to recruit information-rich participants for a focus group interview. Information-rich participants were considered to be those who were involved in teaching clinical skills, such as those required in pattern recognition, to radiography students. Data were transcribed verbatim and analysed in a step-by-step approach. Results: Three main themes emerged: (1) a structured approach to enhance implicit skills is critical in the CAD tool design; (2) an authentic tool which is able to simulate real-world experiences in image analysis is essential; and (3) a tool which encourages self-directed learning using a wide variety of pathological conditions would be ideal. Conclusion: The results of this study are essential in guiding radiography educators in designing CAD tools for teaching chest radiography pattern recognition.