bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Match activity profile of professional female soccer players during a season
Authors: Choi Jun-Hyuk , Joo Chang-Hwa
Published: October 2022

It is necessary to understand movement characteristics of elite female soccer players during a match to develop effective training program. The purpose of this study is to analyze the physical demands of Korean female professional soccer players during a competitive season. Twenty-four female professional players (age: 27.8± 3.9 years; height: 165.7±5.1 cm) from a team, belonging to the women’s professional soccer league in South Korea participated in the study. The players participated in 11 home matches and 10 away matches from April 26 to November 9 of the 2011 season. Body weight and body mass index decreased during the first half-season compared to the preseason (P< 0.05), and the decreased values were maintained until the second half-season. Total distance covered by the players was more than 9.5 km per match. No difference was found in the total distance, movement distance by exercise intensities, number of sprints and accelerations, and maximum speed between the first half- and second half-seasons. Midfielders covered the most distance during a match compared to other positions (P< 0.05). Wing forward covered the most distance of high-intensity exercise. Maximum speed during the match was higher among wing forward and forward than in other positions (P< 0.05). There were no significant differences between home and away matches in all variables (P> 0.05). In conclusion, in order to improve the performance of female soccer players and prevent injuries, a training program should be constructed that considers the characteristics of each player and playing position rather than uniform training in a team.
Relationships among postural stability, physical fitness, and shooting accuracy in Olympic female goalball players
Authors: Makaracı Yücel , Nas Kazım , Pamuk Ömer , Aydemir Mustafa
Published: October 2022

This study aims to examine the relationship between postural performance, physical fitness level, and shooting performance in Olympic female goalball players. Eight Olympic-level goalball players (age: 20.63±4.37 years) were recruited from the Turkish National Women’s Goalball Team. Postural stability, physical fitness, and shooting performance of the players were measured. The postural stability was determined using body sway measurements during parallel and single-leg stances on a force plate. The physical fitness level of the players is evaluated by curl-up, isometric push-up, trunk lift, and grip strength (dominant hand) tests. A goalball-specific shooting accuracy test was used for shooting performance. Independent sample t-test and Pearson correlation were used for statistical processing. No statistical difference was observed in body sway parameters between open eyes and closed eyes conditions except for the anteroposterior sway area. Some of the body sway parameters performed under different stances positively correlated with all physical fitness tests (P< 0.05). There was a positive correlation between the shooting accuracy and trunk lift score (r= 0.767). Right leg sway area anterior-posterior and ellipse area negatively correlated with shooting accuracy (r= -0.629 and r= -0.692 respectively). It is necessary to attach importance to the improvement of the physical fitness level specific to core strength to maintain postural stability for visually impaired athletes. In our study, some factors affecting shooting accuracy were identified, but it is necessary not to restrict a complex structure such as shooting accuracy within certain concepts.
Does Gotu kola supplementation improve cognitive function, inflammation, and oxidative stress more than multicomponent exercise alone? – a randomized controlled study
Authors: Phoemsapthawee Jatuporn , Ammawat Watthanaree , Prasertsri Piyapong , Sathalalai Pakaporn , Leelayuwat Naruemon
Published: October 2022

A randomized control trial was conducted to investigate the synergistic effects of Gotu kola supplementation and multicomponent exercise on cognitive function, inflammation, and oxidative stress in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Sixty participants aged 74.6± 7.3 years with Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores of 20.7± 2.6 were randomly assigned to one of three groups: a multicomponent exercise training group (EXE, n= 20), a multicomponent exercise training with Gotu kola supplementation group (EXE+GK, n= 20), or a placebo-controlled group (CON, n= 20). Each participant received one capsule of placebo or 500 mg twice a day of Gotu kola extract. The multicomponent exercise program comprised of supervised resistance, aerobic, balance and dual-task training: three 80-min sessions/week for 12 weeks. The primary outcomes, such as cognitive function, inflammatory markers, and oxidative stress, were measured before and after the 12-week intervention. Following the interventions, the EXE and EXE+GK had significantly higher MMSE (P<0.01), Digit Span Forward test (DSF) (P<0.01), Digit Span Backward test (P< 0.01) scores, and lower Trail Making Test parts A (P< 0.01) and B (P< 0.01) and lower 8-iso-prostaglandin F2α (P< 0.01) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) (P< 0.01) than the CON. The change in DSF and TNF-α in the EXE+GK had a negative correlation (r= -0.504, P< 0.05). In conclusion, multicomponent exercise training with or without the supplement Gotu kola improves cognitive function, inflammation, and oxidative stress in older adults with MCI. Although supplementing with Gotu kola had no additional effects on cognitive function, it may improve the effects of multicomponent exercise on executive function by decreasing TNF-α levels.
Developing the role of the surgical inflammatory bowel disease clinical nurse specialist
Authors: Whitley Lisa , Rebello Eleanor
Published: October 2022

The role of the inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) clinical nurse specialist (CNS) has continued to develop and evolve since its conception approximately 20 years ago. The role of the IBD CNS is known to improve the quality of care of those diagnosed with IBD (Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis). A high proportion of patients with IBD will require surgery at some point in their lives. This article explores the development of the traditional IBD CNS role to incorporate the patients' surgical needs by introducing the idea of the surgical IBD CNS role.
Conversations With Open Textbook Authors: The Factors That Help and Hinder Accessibility
Authors: Azadbakht Elena , Schultz Teresa
Published: October 2022

For open education resources (OER) to be truly within the reach of all who want or need them, they must be made accessible to disabled learners, which is often a time- and resource-intensive endeavor. This study involved semi-structured interviews with the creators of eight accessible open textbooks identified during a previous research project. A handful of themes emerged that illuminated several common resources and barriers these authors, and their allies, faced in trying to ensure their works were accessible to disabled learners. Accessible open textbooks rely on diverse teams of experts and advocates, funding and access to resources, and a supportive institution or scholarly community. Conversely, a lack of both time and access to or familiarity with easy-to-use technology and tools for making content accessible, as well as long-term staffing and continued maintenance issues, created challenges. These findings highlight the ways in which academic institutions, funders, and open education proponents might support faculty authors of OER struggling with accessibility, such as by providing funding and resources, and by advocating for more robust platforms and tools.
Electro-optic control of the external coupling strength of a high-quality-factor lithium niobate micro-resonator
Authors: Hwang Hyeon , Heo Hyungjun , Ko Kiyoung , Nurrahman Mohamad Reza , Moon Kiwon , Ju Jung Jin , Han Sang-Wook , Jung Hojoong , Lee Hansuek , Seo Min-Kyo
Published: October 2022

Controlling the optical coupling between a micro-resonator and waveguide plays a key role in on-chip photonic circuits. Here, we demonstrate a two-point coupled lithium niobate (LN) racetrack micro-resonator that enables us to electro-optically traverse a full set of the zero-, under-, critical-, and over-coupling regimes with minimized disturbance of the intrinsic properties of the resonant mode. The modulation between the zero- and critical-coupling conditions cost a resonant frequency shift of only ∼344.2 MHz and rarely changed the intrinsic quality (Q) factor of 4.6 × 105. Our device is a promising element in on-chip coherent photon storage/retrieval and its applications.
Sprachsteuerung im Gesundheitswesen – Anforderungen und Auswahl geeigneter Anbieter
Authors: Eggert Mathias , Kreuzer Vincent
Published: October 2022

Das Gesundheitswesen ist konfrontiert mit steigenden Kosten und einer immer schwieriger werdenden Personalsituation. Zeitgleich versprechen moderne Sprachsteuerungssysteme Prozesse in Arztpraxen und Krankenhäusern zu verschlanken und Vorgänge zu beschleunigen. Dennoch wird derzeit der Einsatz von Sprachsteuerungssystemen in Arztpraxen oder Krankenhäusern nur selten beobachtet, was auch an den besonders strengen Datenschutzauflagen der Datenschutzgrundverordnung (DSGVO) liegt. Darüber hinaus wirft die niedrige Nutzungsrate die Frage nach den konkreten Anforderungen und ihrer Umsetzbarkeit auf, was durch den vorliegenden Beitrag adressiert wird, indem die Ergebnisse von Interviews mit acht medizinischen Fachexperten ausgewertet werden. Ergänzend wird die technische Umsetzbarkeit einzelner Anforderungen mit unterschiedlichen Cloud-Anbietern erprobt.
The circular RNA Edis regulates neurodevelopment and innate immunity
Authors: Xiong Xiao-Peng , Liang Weihong , Liu Wei , Xu Shiyu , Li Jian-Liang , Tito Antonio , Situ Julia , Martinez Daniel , Wu Chunlai , Perera Ranjan J. , Zhang Sheng , Zhou Rui
Published: October 2022

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are widely expressed in eukaryotes. However, only a subset has been functionally characterized. We identify and validate a collection of circRNAs in Drosophila, and show that depletion of the brain-enriched circRNA Edis (circ_Ect4) causes hyperactivation of antibacterial innate immunity both in cultured cells and in vivo. Notably, Edis depleted flies display heightened resistance to bacterial infection and enhanced pathogen clearance. Conversely, ectopic Edis expression blocks innate immunity signaling. In addition, inactivation of Edis in vivo leads to impaired locomotor activity and shortened lifespan. Remarkably, these phenotypes can be recapitulated with neuron-specific depletion of Edis, accompanied by defective neurodevelopment. Furthermore, inactivation of Relish suppresses the innate immunity hyperactivation phenotype in the fly brain. Moreover, we provide evidence that Edis encodes a functional protein that associates with and compromises the processing and activation of the immune transcription factor Relish. Importantly, restoring Edis expression or ectopic expression of Edis-encoded protein suppresses both innate immunity and neurodevelopment phenotypes elicited by Edis depletion. Thus, our study establishes Edis as a key regulator of neurodevelopment and innate immunity.
Formation of benign tumors by stem cell deregulation
Authors: Valet Matthieu , Narbonne Patrick
Published: October 2022

Within living organisms, stem cells respond to various cues, including to niche signals and growth factors. Niche signals originate from the stem cell’s microenvironment and promote the undifferentiated state by preventing differentiation, allowing for stem cell self-renewal. On the other hand, growth factors promote stem cell growth and proliferation, while their sources comprise of a systemic input reflecting the animal’s nutritional and metabolic status, and a localized, homeostatic feedback signal from the tissue that the stem cells serve. That homeostatic signal prevents unnecessary stem cell proliferation when the corresponding differentiated tissues already have optimal cell contents. Here, we recapitulate progresses made in our understanding of in vivo stem cell regulation, largely using simple models, and draw the conclusion that 2 types of stem cell deregulations can provoke the formation of benign tumors. Namely, constitutive niche signaling promotes the formation of undifferentiated “stem cell” tumors, while defective homeostatic signaling leads to the formation of differentiated tumors. Finally, we provide evidence that these general principles may be conserved in mammals and as such, may underlie benign tumor formation in humans, while benign tumors can evolve into cancer.
Genome-wide quantification of contributions to sexual fitness identifies genes required for spore viability and health in fission yeast
Authors: Billmyre R. Blake , Eickbush Michael T. , Craig Caroline J. , Lange Jeffrey J. , Wood Christopher , Helston Rachel M. , Zanders Sarah E.
Published: October 2022

Numerous genes required for sexual reproduction remain to be identified even in simple model species like Schizosaccharomyces pombe. To address this, we developed an assay in S. pombe that couples transposon mutagenesis with high-throughput sequencing (TN-seq) to quantitatively measure the fitness contribution of nonessential genes across the genome to sexual reproduction. This approach identified 532 genes that contribute to sex, including more than 200 that were not previously annotated to be involved in the process, of which more than 150 have orthologs in vertebrates. Among our verified hits was an uncharacterized gene, ifs1 (important for sex), that is required for spore viability. In two other hits, plb1 and alg9, we observed a novel mutant phenotype of poor spore health wherein viable spores are produced, but the spores exhibit low fitness and are rapidly outcompeted by wild type. Finally, we fortuitously discovered that a gene previously thought to be essential, sdg1 (social distancing gene), is instead required for growth at low cell densities and can be rescued by conditioned medium. Our assay will be valuable in further studies of sexual reproduction in S. pombe and identifies multiple candidate genes that could contribute to sexual reproduction in other eukaryotes, including humans.
Seroprevalence, correlates and kinetics of SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid IgG antibody in healthcare workers and nonclinical staff at a tertiary hospital: A prevaccine census study
Authors: Maina Daniel , Omuse Geoffrey , Ong’ete George , Mugaine Patrick , Sayed Shahin , Moloo Zahir , Shah Reena , Etyang Anthony , Adam Rodney
Published: October 2022

Background

Healthcare workers and nonclinical staff in medical facilities are perceived to be a high-risk group for acquiring SAR-CoV-2 infection, and more so in countries where COVID-19 vaccination uptake is low. Serosurveillance may best determine the true extent of SARS-CoV-2 infection since most infected HCWs and other staff may be asymptomatic or present with only mild symptoms. Over time, determining the true extent of SARS-CoV-2 infection could inform hospital management and staff whether the preventive measures instituted are effective and valuable in developing targeted solutions.

Methods

This was a census survey study conducted at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi, between November 2020 and February 2021 before the implementation of the COVID-19 vaccination. The SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid IgG test was performed using a chemiluminescent assay.

Results

One thousand six hundred thirty-one (1631) staff enrolled, totalling 60% of the workforce. The overall crude seroprevalence was 18.4% and the adjusted value (for assay sensitivity of 86%) was 21.4% (95% CI; 19.2–23.7). The staff categories with higher prevalence included pharmacy (25.6%), outreach (24%), hospital- based nursing (22.2%) and catering staff (22.6%). Independent predictors of a positive IgG result after adjusting for age, sex and comorbidities included prior COVID-19 like symptoms, odds ratio (OR) 2.0 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.3–3.0, p = 0.001], a prior positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR result OR 12.0 (CI: 7.7–18.7, p<0.001) and working in a clinical COVID-19 designated area, OR 1.9 (CI 1.1–3.3, p = 0.021). The odds of testing positive for IgG after a positive PCR test were lowest if the antibody test was performed more than 2 months later; OR 0.7 (CI: 0.48–0.95, p = 0.025).

Conclusions

The prevalence of anti- SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid IgG among HCWs and nonclinical staff was lower than in the general population. Staff working in clinical areas were not at increased risk when compared to staff working in non-clinical areas.
Collagen cross-links scale with passive stiffness in dystrophic mouse muscles, but are not altered with administration of a lysyl oxidase inhibitor
Authors: Brashear Sarah E. , Wohlgemuth Ross P. , Hu Lin-Ya , Jbeily Elias H. , Christiansen Blaine A. , Smith Lucas R.
Published: October 2022

In Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a lack of functional dystrophin leads to myofiber instability and progressive muscle damage that results in fibrosis. While fibrosis is primarily characterized by an accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) components, there are changes in ECM architecture during fibrosis that relate more closely to functional muscle stiffness. One of these architectural changes in dystrophic muscle is collagen cross-linking, which has been shown to increase the passive muscle stiffness in models of fibrosis including the mdx mouse, a model of DMD. We tested whether the intraperitoneal injections of beta-aminopropionitrile (BAPN), an inhibitor of the cross-linking enzyme lysyl oxidase, would reduce collagen cross-linking and passive stiffness in young and adult mdx mice compared to saline-injected controls. We found no significant differences between BAPN treated and saline treated mice in collagen cross-linking and stiffness parameters. However, we observed that while collagen cross-linking and passive stiffness scaled positively in dystrophic muscles, collagen fiber alignment scaled with passive stiffness distinctly between muscles. We also observed that the dystrophic diaphragm showed the most dramatic fibrosis in terms of collagen content, cross-linking, and stiffness. Overall, we show that while BAPN was not effective at reducing collagen cross-linking, the positive association between collagen cross-linking and stiffness in dystrophic muscles still show cross-linking as a viable target for reducing passive muscle stiffness in DMD or other fibrotic muscle conditions.
Deciphering the mechanism of anhydrobiosis in the entomopathogenic nematode Heterorhabditis indica through comparative transcriptomics
Authors: Balakumaran Manimaran , Chidambaranathan Parameshwaran , Tej Kumar J. P. Jagannadham Prasanth , Sirohi Anil , Kumar Jain Pradeep , Gaikwad Kishore , Iyyappan Yuvaraj , Rao Atmakuri Ramakrishna , Sahu Sarika , Dahuja Anil , Mohan Sharad
Published: October 2022

The entomopathogenic nematode, Heterorhabditis indica, is a popular biocontrol agent of high commercial significance. It possesses tremendous genetic architecture to survive desiccation stress by undergoing anhydrobiosis to increase its lifespan—an attribute exploited in the formulation technology. The comparative transcriptome of unstressed and anhydrobiotic H. indica revealed several previously concealed metabolic events crucial for adapting towards the moisture stress. During the induction of anhydrobiosis in the infective juveniles (IJ), 1584 transcripts were upregulated and 340 downregulated. As a strategy towards anhydrobiotic survival, the IJ showed activation of several genes critical to antioxidant defense, detoxification pathways, signal transduction, unfolded protein response and molecular chaperones and ubiquitin-proteasome system. Differential expression of several genes involved in gluconeogenesis - β-oxidation of fatty acids, glyoxylate pathway; glyceroneogenesis; fatty acid biosynthesis; amino-acid metabolism - shikimate pathway, sachharopine pathway, kyneurine pathway, lysine biosynthesis; one-carbon metabolism—polyamine pathway, transsulfuration pathway, folate cycle, methionine cycle, nucleotide biosynthesis; mevalonate pathway; and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase were also observed. We report the role of shikimate pathway, sachharopine pathway and glyceroneogenesis in anhydrobiotes, and seven classes of repeat proteins, specifically in H. indica for the first time. These results provide insights into anhydrobiotic survival strategies which can be utilized to strengthen the development of novel formulations with enhanced and sustained shelf-life.
A classification framework for identifying bronchitis and pneumonia in children based on a small-scale cough sounds dataset
Authors: Liao Siqi , Song Chao , Wang Xiaoqin , Wang Yanyun
Published: October 2022

Bronchitis and pneumonia are the common respiratory diseases, of which pneumonia is the leading cause of mortality in pediatric patients worldwide and impose intense pressure on health care systems. This study aims to classify bronchitis and pneumonia in children by analyzing cough sounds. We propose a Classification Framework based on Cough Sounds (CFCS) to identify bronchitis and pneumonia in children. Our dataset includes cough sounds from 173 outpatients at the West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China. We adopt aggregation operation to obtain patients’ disease features because some cough chunks carry the disease information while others do not. In the stage of classification in our framework, we adopt Support Vector Machine (SVM) to classify the diseases due to the small scale of our dataset. Furthermore, we apply data augmentation to our dataset to enlarge the number of samples and then adopt Long Short-Term Memory Network (LSTM) to classify. After 45 random tests on RAW dataset, SVM achieves the best classification accuracy of 86.04% and standard deviation of 4.7%. The precision of bronchitis and pneumonia is 93.75% and 87.5%, and their recall is 88.24% and 93.33%. The AUC of SVM and LSTM classification models on the dataset with pitch-shifting data augmentation reach 0.92 and 0.93, respectively. Extensive experimental results show that CFCS can effectively classify children into bronchitis and pneumonia.
The contribution of tourism mobility to tourism economic growth in China
Authors: Liu Jun , Yue Mengting , Yu Fan , Tong Yun
Published: October 2022

Mobility is the key factor in promoting tourism economic growth (TEG), and the transportation infrastructure has essential functions for maintaining an orderly flow of tourists. Based on the theory of fluid mechanics, we put forward the indicator of tourism mobility (TM). This study is the first to measure the level of TM in China and analyze the spatiotemporal evolution characteristics of TM. Applying the Exploratory Spatial Data Analysis method, we analyze the global and local spatial correlation characteristics of TM. Moreover, we further estimate the contribution of TM to TEG by econometric models and the LMDI method. The results show that (1) the TM in China has maintained rapid growth for a long time. However, there are differences in the rate of growth in different regions. The TM in each region only showed a significant positive spatial correlation in 2016–2018. The space-time pattern is constantly changing over time. The local spatial autocorrelation results of TM are stable, and various agglomeration states are stably distributed in some provinces. (2) The regression results of the traditional panel data model and spatial panel data model both show that TM has a significant positive effect on TEG. Moreover, TM has a negative spatial spillover effect on neighboring regions. (3) The result from the decomposition of LMDI shows that the overall contribution of TM to TEG is 15.76%. This shows that improving TM is a crucial way to promote the economic growth of tourism.
Unified transient creep constitutive model based on the crack evolution of micritic bioclastic limestone
Authors: Mo Zuguo , Qian Li , Yao Tianzhi , Gao Yunpeng , Xue Fujun , Zhang Jianhai , Zhang Ru , Liu Enlong
Published: October 2022

The surrounding rock at the exit of the No. 1 drainage tunnel of the Artashi Water Conservancy Project is micritic bioclastic limestone with 55% bioclastic material. This rock underwent unpredictable large and time-dependent deformation during excavation. To date, the mechanical behaviour of this kind of rock has rarely been studied. In this study, traditional triaxial compression tests and multilevel creep tests were conducted on micritic bioclastic limestone, and the results clarified the instantaneous and time-dependent mechanical properties of the rock. Considering that the essence of rock failure is crack growth, the crack strain evolution properties were revealed in rock triaxial compression tests and multilevel creep tests. Based on triaxial compression tests, the evolution of axial cracks with increasing deviatoric stress ratio Rd (ratio of deviatoric stress to peak deviatoric stress) was observed, and an axial crack closure element and new crack growth element were proposed. To simulate the creep behaviour of a rock specimen, the relationship of the rock creep crack strain rate with Rd was studied. A creep crack element was created, and the creep crack strain evolution equation was obtained, which closely fit the experimental data. Combining the 4 element types (elastic element, crack closure element, crack growth element, and creep crack element), a unified transient creep constitutive model (Mo’s model) was proposed, which represented both the transient and time-dependent mechanical properties of the micritic bioclastic limestone.
Water treatment at the point-of-use and treatment preferences among households in Ethiopia: A contemporaneous systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Tamene Aiggan , Habte Aklilu , Woldeyohannes Demelash , Tamrat Habtamu , Endale Fitsum , Eajo Tekle , Afework Abel
Published: October 2022

Background

Water is essential for maintaining human life, health, and dignity. Untreated water consumption causes 1.8 million deaths annually, over 99.8% of which happen in developing nations and 90% of which include children. Point-of-use water treatment enables people without reliable access to safe drinking water to reduce contamination and minimize microbial risk levels. This Systematic Review and Meta-analysis was, therefore, used to identify, select, and critically appraise relevant evidence about water treatment practices and their associated factors among Ethiopian households.

Methods

PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, Scopus, Embase, Google Scholar, ProQuest, and other databases were searched for studies published before May 5, 2022. The final synthesis included twelve investigations. Microsoft Excel was used to extract the data, and STATA 16 was used for the analysis. The Joanna Briggs Institute’s Critical assessment checklist for prevalence studies was used to evaluate the quality of the included studies. Egger’s test and funnel plot were used to assess publication bias. I2 statistics were calculated to check for study heterogeneity. The DerSimonian and Laird random-effects model was used to analyze the pooled effect size, odds ratios, and 95% confidence intervals across studies. Analysis of subgroups was done by publication year and geographic region.

Results

Of the 550 identified articles, 12 studies were eligible for analysis (n = 4849 participants). The pooled prevalence estimate of point-of-use water treatment practice among Ethiopian homes was 36.07% (95% CI: 21.94–50.19, I2 = 99.5%). Receiving training from Community health workers (OR, 1.7; 95% CI: 1.33–2.08), female headship (OR, 2.52; 95% CI: 1.60–3.44), and household wealth (OR, 1.6; 95% CI: 1.19–2.16) were significantly associated with point-of-use water treatment practice.

Conclusion

Despite the absence of safely managed water sources, very few homes routinely treated their drinking water. Adoption of water treatment practices necessitates ongoing communication and assistance from health extension personnel. Moreover, program planners must be aware of the many user categories that households may fall under to guarantee that ongoing training messages and treatment products reach every home.
Generation of human colon organoids from healthy and inflammatory bowel disease mucosa
Authors: Dotti Isabella , Mayorgas Aida , Salas Azucena
Published: October 2022

Ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease are chronic inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) of unknown cause characterized by a relapsing-remitting behavior. Growing evidence supports the idea that the epithelial barrier plays a central role in the pathogenesis of IBD as well as in its evolution over time, thus representing a potential target for novel therapeutic options. In the last decade, the introduction of 3D epithelial cultures from ex vivo-expanded intestinal adult stem cells (ASCs) has impacted our ability to study the function of the epithelium in several gastrointestinal disorders, including IBD. Here, we describe in detail a reproducible protocol to generate Matrigel-embedded epithelial organoids from ASCs of non-IBD and IBD donors using small colonic biopsies, including steps for its optimization. A slightly modified version of this protocol is also provided in case surgical samples are used. With this method, epithelial organoids can be expanded over several passages, thereby generating a large quantity of viable cells that can be used in multiple downstream analyses including genetic, transcriptional, proteomic and/or functional studies. In addition, 3D cultures generated using our protocol are suitable for the establishment of 2D cultures, which can model relevant cell-to-cell interactions that occur in IBD mucosa.
Reproducibility and implementation of a rapid, community-based COVID-19 “test and respond” model in low-income, majority-Latino communities in Northern California
Authors: Chamie Gabriel , Prado Patric , Oviedo Yolanda , Vizcaíno Tatiana , Arechiga Carina , Marson Kara , Carrera Omar , Alvarado Manuel J. , Corchado Claudia G. , Gomez Monica , Mochel Marilyn , de Leon Irene , Garibay Kesia K. , Durazo Arturo , Young Maria-Elena De Trinidad , Yen Irene H. , Sauceda John , Rojas Susana , DeRisi Joe , Petersen Maya , Havlir Diane V. , Marquez Carina
Published: October 2022

Objective

To evaluate implementation of a community-engaged approach to scale up COVID-19 mass testing in low-income, majority-Latino communities.

Methods

In January 2021, we formed a community-academic “Latino COVID-19 Collaborative” with residents, leaders, and community-based organizations (CBOs) from majority-Latinx, low-income communities in three California counties (Marin/Merced/San Francisco). The collaborative met monthly to discuss barriers/facilitators for COVID-19 testing, and plan mass testing events informed by San Francisco’s Unidos en Salud “test and respond” model, offering community-based COVID-19 testing and post-test support in two US-census tracts: Canal (Marin) and Planada (Merced). We evaluated implementation using the RE-AIM framework. To further assess testing barriers, we surveyed a random sample of residents who did not attend the events.

Results

Fifty-five residents and CBO staff participated in the Latino collaborative. Leading facilitators identified to increase testing were extended hours of community-based testing and financial support during isolation. In March-April 2021, 1,217 people attended mass-testing events over 13 days: COVID-19 positivity was 3% and 1% in Canal and Planada, respectively. The RE-AIM evaluation found: census tract testing coverage of 4.2% and 6.3%, respectively; 90% of event attendees were Latino, 89% had household income <$50,000/year, and 44% first-time testers (reach), effectiveness in diagnosing symptomatic cases early (median isolation time: 7 days) and asymptomatic COVID-19 (41% at diagnosis), high adoption by CBOs in both counties, implementation of rapid testing (median: 17.5 minutes) and disclosure, and post-event maintenance of community-based testing. Among 265 non-attendees surveyed, 114 (43%) reported they were aware of the event: reasons for non-attendance among the 114 were insufficient time (32%), inability to leave work (24%), and perceptions that testing was unnecessary post-vaccination (24%) or when asymptomatic (25%).

Conclusion

Community-engaged mass “test and respond” events offer a reproducible approach to rapidly increase COVID-19 testing access in low-income, Latinx communities.
Understanding student perceptions of social computing and online tools to enhance learning
Authors: Deribigbe Semiyu Adejare , Hamdi Wafa Barhoumi , Alzouebi Khadeegha , Frick William , Companioni Assad Asil
Published: October 2022

Social computing software and online tools are gaining credence in teaching and learning spaces, including higher education contexts. However, the adoption of social computing software does not automatically translate into effective teaching and learning if students’ views and needs are not considered along with course learning outcomes. Thus, this study was conducted to explore students’ perspectives and preferences for social computing software and online tools in a university elective course. We employed quantitative and qualitative approaches to understand students’ shared and nuanced thoughts about social computing applications in the study. A questionnaire with quantitative and open-ended qualitative questions was used to collect data. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and an inductive thematic analysis approach. Our findings indicated mixed students’ viewpoints, with some tools reported as highly beneficial while others were less beneficial. For instance, students valued asynchronous sessions, assignment feedback, online discussion, videos, and gamification but reported less interest in phones, journals, icons, and blogs. Students’ specializations also appeared to influence their choice of tools. Those from Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences expressed a slightly different preference than their comparts from Medicine and Health Sciences. Drawing on the findings, we discuss the implications for effective teaching and learning using social computing software, focusing on essential stakeholders. For instance, instructors must regularly conduct diagnostic feedback to determine appropriate tools that can effectively customize students’ learning.
The role of fat distribution and inflammation in the origin of endometrial cancer, study protocol of the ENDOCRINE study
Authors: van den Bosch A. A. S. , Pijnenborg J. M. A. , Romano A. , Haldorsen I. S. , Werner H. M. J.
Published: October 2022

Background

Obesity is a growing problem worldwide, especially in countries with improved socioeconomic circumstances. Also, in the Netherlands the incidence of overweight and obesity is rising. There is increasing evidence on the association between obesity and tumorigenesis. Of all cancer types, endometrial cancer (EC) has the strongest positive correlation with obesity. Obesity is generally defined as a body mass index (BMI) >30, yet does not cover the differences in fat distribution in visceral and subcutaneous compartments. Visceral fat is assumed to be relatively more metabolically active and likely negative prognostic biomarker in non-endometrioid EC. Whereas subcutaneous fat is mainly responsible for oestrogen production through increased aromatase activity.

Objective

The aim of this study is to compare hormone levels and inflammatory markers after bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO) in obese and non-obese patients. Secondary objectives are to compare the effect of fat distribution and diagnosis (benign vs. EC) on the observed changes in hormone levels and inflammatory markers, and to compare the effect of BSO on menopausal complaints.

Methods

Prospective multicentre observational cohort study. A total of 160 patients will be included, of which 80 patients with a normal BMI (18–25 kg/m2) and 80 patients with an obese BMI >32–35 kg/m2. Preoperative abdominal CT will be performed and fasting venous blood samples are obtained for hormone levels and inflammation markers analysis. During surgery, adipose tissue biopsies of subcutaneous and visceral (omental and intestinal epiploic fat) compartments will be collected and stored fresh frozen. In addition a fasting blood draw six weeks after surgery will be obtained. All subjects will fill in two questionnaires before surgery and one after surgery.

Discussion

We hypothesize that BMI, the type of fat distribution, and possibly the underlying pathology significantly influence in hormone levels, and systemic inflammation changes after BSO. Previous studies have found several clues for a relationship between obesity and endometrial cancer. We expect that our study will contribute to pinpoint the exact differences between ‘healthy obesity’ and ‘unhealthy obesity’ and will help to identify patients that are more at risk of developing cancer (or possibly suffer from other related problems such as cardiovascular problems e.g.).
Community attitudes towards Amur tigers (Panthera tigris altaica) and their prey species in Yanbian, Jilin province, a region of northeast China where tigers are returning
Authors: Li Ying , Powell Joshua , Jin Aifen , Ryoo Hee Kyung , Li Hailong , Pandey Puneet , Zhu Weihong , Li Dongwei , Lee Hang
Published: October 2022

Community attitudes towards large carnivores are of central importance to their conservation in human-dominated landscapes. In this study, we evaluate community attitudes and perceptions towards the Amur tiger (Panthera tigris altaica), Amur leopard (Panthera pardus orientalis) and bears (Ursus thibetanus and Ursus arctos), as well as their prey species, namely sika deer (Cervus nippon), roe deer and wild boar (Sus scrofa), in Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture, Jilin province, northeast China. We surveyed 139 households and found that community members’ perceptions of large carnivores and their prey species were influenced by their predominant economic activities; their prior interactions with wildlife; their household income level; and whether they were either long-term residents of Yanbian or had migrated to the region from elsewhere in China. We recorded fairly neutral attitudes towards large carnivores among the communities we surveyed, but strongly negative attitudes were shown towards wild boar, particularly where respondents had lost agricultural products to crop raiding by wild boar. We recommend conservation stakeholders in northeast China utilise this finding to encourage support for large carnivore recovery and conservation by targeting messaging around the importance of the tiger as a key predator of wild boar in the ecosystem. Furthermore, our findings suggest that government provided compensation paid for cattle lost to large carnivore predation (notably, by tigers) may be helping to reduce animosity from cattle owners towards large carnivores. However, we also highlight that compensation for loss of livestock is therefore performing a useful role in mitigating human-wildlife conflict, that there are potentially unintended consequences of the current compensation program, for example it fails to dissuade livestock grazing in protected areas.
Knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to COVID-19 among patients attending public dental clinics in Tanzania: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Sohal Karpal Singh , Moris Rewald L. , Moshy Jeremiah Robert
Published: October 2022

Introduction

The risk of contracting COVID-19 through dental treatment is potentially high, thus several guidelines have been developed to minimize the spread of COVID-19 in the dental office worldwide. These changes have posed some relevant questions among oral health professionals regarding the understanding and attitudes of dental patients toward COVID-19. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practices of dental patients in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Methodology

This cross-sectional study was carried out in 4 public hospitals in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania involving 472 adult patients. Data were collected using a questionnaire that had a set of questions regarding knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP) related to COVID-19. Data were analyzed using the SPSS computer software version 26. For descriptive analysis means, standard error of the mean, and proportion were used. Multivariate regression analysis was utilized for the response analysis. Alpha of less than 0.05 was considered to indicate statistical significance.

Results

Good levels of knowledge, attitude, and practices related to COVID-19 were found in 76.5%, 74.8%, and 58.1% of participants respectively. On performing multivariate analysis, odds of having good knowledge regarding COVID-19 were almost 2 folds higher in participants who were females, with high education levels, those without partners, and those with stable income. Females were 1.5 folds more likely to have a good attitude toward COVID-19 and odds of good practice against COVID-19 were 3 folds higher in young adults compared to the elderly.

Conclusion

A majority of dental patients have good knowledge and attitude related to COVID-19. Predictors of good knowledge were sex, education level, marital status, and income of the participants. Sex predicted good attitude and age predicted good practice.
Hypoxia tolerance, but not low pH tolerance, is associated with a latitudinal cline across populations of Tigriopus californicus
Authors: Deconinck Aimee , Willett Christopher S.
Published: October 2022

Intertidal organisms must tolerate daily fluctuations in environmental parameters, and repeated exposure to co-occurring conditions may result in tolerance to multiple stressors correlating. The intertidal copepod Tigriopus californicus experiences diurnal variation in dissolved oxygen levels and pH as the opposing processes of photosynthesis and cellular respiration lead to coordinated highs during the day and lows at night. While environmental parameters with overlapping spatial gradients frequently result in correlated traits, less attention has been given to exploring temporally correlated stressors. We investigated whether hypoxia tolerance correlates with low pH tolerance by separately testing the hypoxia and low pH stress tolerance separately of 6 genetically differentiated populations of T. californicus. We independently checked for similarities in tolerance for each of the two stressors by latitude, sex, size, and time since collection as predictors. We found that although hypoxia tolerance correlated with latitude, low pH tolerance did not, and no predictor was significant for both stressors. We concluded that temporally coordinated exposure to low pH and low oxygen did not result in populations developing equivalent tolerance for both. Although climate change alters several environmental variables simultaneously, organisms’ abilities to tolerate these changes may not be similarly coupled.
U.S. adolescents’ attitudes toward school, social connection, media use, and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic: Differences as a function of gender identity and school context
Authors: Cingel Drew P. , Lauricella Alexis R. , Taylor Lauren B. , Stevens Hannah R. , Coyne Sarah M. , Wartella Ellen
Published: October 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic changed school contexts and social opportunities dramatically for adolescents around the world. Thus, certain adolescents may have been more susceptible to the stress of the pandemic as a function of differences in schooling. We present data from 1256 United States adolescents (ages 14–16) to examine how the 2020–2021 school context (in-person, hybrid, or virtual) related to feelings of school satisfaction and success, social connection, mental health, and media use. We also examine differences as a function of gender identity. Results demonstrate that school context, particularly in-person compared to virtual schooling, was related to higher school satisfaction and academic success, stronger feelings of social connection and inclusion, lower levels of anxiety and depression, and less problematic media use. Interestingly, adolescents did seem to use media as a tool to support social connection when in hybrid or virtual school contexts, but they also reported higher rates of problematic media use, thus suggesting that media use needs to be examined more carefully to understand its role as a potential protective mechanism for adolescents’ social connection and mental health. These findings provide baseline information about how schools’ responses to the COVID-19 pandemic may have created disparities among youth. These findings have implications for current school interventions.
The prevalence of hyperglycemia and its impact on mortality among people living with HIV in Georgia
Authors: Borkowska Tea , Chkhartishvili Nikoloz , Karkashadze Ekaterine , Chokoshvili Otar , Gabunia Pati , Sharvadze Lali , Tsertsvadze Tengiz
Published: October 2022

Background

Life expectancy and quality of life of people living with HIV have been dramatically improved after introducing antiretroviral therapy, and the prevalence of non-communicable diseases has increased. Several studies have found that hyperglycemia with or without type 2 diabetes was associated with poor outcomes in people living with HIV.

The study’s objective was to determine the prevalence of hyperglycemia and assess its impact on mortality.

Materials and methods

A retrospective cohort study was conducted among people living with HIV diagnosed in 2012–2018 and followed through 2020 at the Infectious Diseases, AIDS and Clinical Immunology Research Center in Tbilisi, Georgia. Primary outcomes of interest included the prevalence of hyperglycemia and mortality. Causes of death were classified according to the Coding of Death in HIV (CoDe) protocol.

Results

Our study included 2914 people living with HIV. Two hundred and forty-two (8.3%) patients had hyperglycemia, with an increasing prevalence by age. Three hundred one (9.7%) participants died over the median 3.71 (IQR: 2.14–5.37) years of follow-up. Among these, 139 (46.2%) were due to AIDS- related causes, 123 (40.9%)—were due to non-AIDS causes, and in 39 (12.9%) cases, the cause of death could not be determined. Overall, the cohort contributed to 11,148 person-years of follow-up (PYFU), translating into a mortality rate of 2.70 deaths per 100 PYFU. The mortality rate was significantly higher among individuals with hyperglycemia—11.17 deaths per 100 PYFU vs 2.07 deaths per 100 PYFU among normoglycemic patients(p<0.0001).

Conclusions

Hyperglycemia was associated with increased odds of mortality. Screening and management of hyperglycemia should be integrated into routine HIV clinical services as part of a comprehensive care package.