bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
230 Optimising Outdoor Recreational Activities in Bali, Indonesia: The Significance of the Cultural Landscape Subak as a Health-Enhancing Environment
Authors: Nilsson Kei
Published: September 2024

Purpose

Subak – the terraced rice landscapes of Bali – appears to be more protected and better preserved than the rest of the greenspaces in Indonesia. As one of the first studies of outdoor recreational activities in the cultural landscape subak, this study aims to describe the significance of this environment – which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site – for the activities to promote and improve health and well-being.

Methods

The study compiled a quantitative questionnaire answered by fifty-eight respondents, five semi-structured in-depth interviews, and a series of participant observations.

Results

Based on mixed methods analyses, the results revealed: (1) outdoor recreational activities in the subak areas have yielded benefits, namely improved cognitive and social skills, as well as an enhanced state of health and well-being, (2) the role of the subak areas in facilitating outdoor recreational activities has shown cognitive, emotional, and behavioural changes in the study participants, and (3) outdoor recreational activities in the subak areas have fostered a more environmentally conscious mindset that helps improve human health and well-being.

Conclusions

This study elucidated possible implications that underlined the activities in the subak as a way to adopt pro-environmental behaviour (PEB) and thereby helped improve human health and well-being, protect the subak environment, and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the context of this study, particularly SDG 3 Good Health and Well-Being, SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities, and SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production. Overall, the mixed methods analysis applied in the study provided new transcendent perspectives that in future research can form the starting point to emphasise the significance of the greenspaces, namely the cultural landscape subak, as a health-enhancing environment for outdoor recreational activities to promote and improve health and well-being.

Funding

The fieldwork was funded by the Swedish government Sida (Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency) through a scholarship of 27,000 SEK.
204 Physical activity insecurity in children and young people at risk of marginalisation: navigating an equitable and safe research experience using co-production principles
Authors: Dodd-Reynolds Caroline , Hall Scarlet , Crowder Mary , Goodyear Victoria , Griffin Naomi , Fairbrother Hannah , Pope Stacey , Scott Steph
Published: September 2024

Purpose

We recently proposed a new conceptualisation for physical activity (PA) insecurity as ‘a limited or restricted ability to be active, reinforced by worries and experiences of feeling uncomfortable, emotionally or physically unsafe’ (Dodd-Reynolds et al., 2024). We suggested that PA insecurity can be related to disadvantage, lack of inclusivity and may be particularly heightened for LGBTQ+ young people.

The Joyful and Safe Physical Activity “JASPA project” aims to develop recommendations to make physical activity more inclusive and safe for LGBTQ+ young people living with disadvantage, via a series of participatory creative visual methods workshops. At the heart of the project lies a desire to create safe spaces for young people to share their experiences and ideas without exacerbating existing worries and fears. Here we present JASPA as a case study to reflect on how principles of co-production can support physical activity research with young people at risk of marginalisation.

Methods

We adopted NIHR (2021) principles on co-producing a research project: sharing of power, including all perspectives and skills, respecting and valuing knowledge of those working together on the research, reciprocity, and building and maintaining relationships. These principles were front and centre of researcher meetings, building trust with organisations and young people, development of creative visual methods workshops, and analyses.

Results

Challenges and opportunities have been numerous and insightful, including institutional power and parental consent; questioning bounded roles and balance of power across researchers and facilitators, as well as participants/co-researchers; iterative participant-researcher-led fieldwork practices to raise difficult conversations; engaging in continual and necessary reflexivity.

Conclusions

In our experience, co-production can be ‘messy’, time-consuming, costly and demanding for all involved, but also offers real and desirable opportunities for innovation in PA research. Using the JASPA project as a case study, we suggest a range of mechanisms to support this process including building in time to develop relationships and build trust, devising working principles for researchers, and participants/co-researchers, flexible methodological boundaries, and debrief activities.

Funding Source

This study/project is funded/supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) School for Public Health Research (SPHR) (Grant Reference Number NIHR 204000).
58 Recreational walking and perceived environmental qualities in Denmark
Authors: Christiansen Lars B , Klein-Wengel Top , Koch Sofie , Høyer-Kruse Jens , Schipperijn Jasper
Published: September 2024

Purpose

The objective of this study is to investigate the variety of motivations behind recreational walking among individuals with diverse sociodemographic backgrounds. Additionally, we aim to employ a dynamic, person-centered approach to assess recreational walking behaviors geographically, along with preferences for the quality of places associated with recreational walking.

Methods

A survey conducted via the map-based platform Maptionnaire included 1838 adult respondents (aged 15-90 years) who engage in recreational walking. Georeferenced data regarding respondents’ home locations, other starting points for walking excursions, and points of interest along their routes were collected. Utilizing Geographic Information System (GIS), distances between home and other starting points, as well as points of interest, were calculated. Traditional questionnaire functions in Maptionnaire were also employed to gather additional information on recreational walking behaviors and motivations.

Results

Predominant motivations for recreational walking included mental well-being, physical health, enjoyment, and experiential aspects of walking. Individuals with tertiary education exhibited a positive correlation with motivations related to mental well-being, experiences, and outdoor activities with pets and children. Higher income levels were associated with experiences, walking with pets, enjoyment of walking, and socializing while walking. Our map-based approach revealed that recreational walking often commences at locations distant from home and is not confined to the immediate neighborhood. A total of 4598 points of interest were identified, with the most frequently cited place qualities being green spaces, water bodies, wildlife, scenic views, and tranquility.

Conclusion

Employing a dynamic, person-centered methodology allowed respondents to pinpoint relevant locations for their walking activities, irrespective of their residential neighborhoods. Recreational walking frequently begins away from home or extends beyond the nearest neighborhood. The median distance from home to mapped points of interest ranged between 1.0 and 1.6 km for home-based trips and between 9.4 and 30.6 km for trips originating from other locations. Greenery, water features, wildlife, scenic views, and tranquility emerged as the most favored place qualities associated with the mapped points.

Support/Funding Source

‘Moving Denmark’ is funded by the Danish philanthropic foundation NordeaFonden (https://nordeafonden.dk/about-nordea-fonden).
118 Can we reasonably recommend strength training twice weekly for the general adult population aged 18-64 years to secure optimal body functionality?
Authors: Simonsen Nina Sjørup , Bilde Jensen Stine , Mogensen Sara Tonni , Skjerning Halfdan Thorsø , Jacobsen Julie Sandell , Andelius Dea Kejlberg , Holt Jessen Nanna , Rasmussen Lene Gissel , Skejø Sebastian , Bueno Solvej Videbæk , Ryom Knud , Kallestrup Per , Christensen Jeanette Reffstrup , Nilsen Rasmus Østergaard
Published: September 2024

Purpose

The objective of the study was to conduct a quality assessment of the scientific literature underlying the Danish Health Authorities (DHA) revised recommendations on physical activity (PA), with focus on the new advice on strength training twice a week to secure optimal body functionality in the adult population aged 18-64 years.

Methods

The study was a scoping review. Reviews conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO), the American and Canadian Health Authorities, and evidence referenced in earlier reports from DHA were included for initial review, as DHA refer to these as base for their PA-guideline revision. Studies included in the reviews were title- and abstract screened to assess whether they investigated PA and/or strength training in a population of adults aged 18-64 years. Studies identified through this screening, were furthermore full text screened, and finally included in a quality assessment, if they investigated a strength training intervention in relation to a measure of body functionality. The quality assessment was inspired by STROBE and the Jadad Scale (for observational studies and RCTs respectively) and extended with an assessment of the study’s research goal compliance (causal or predictive) to evaluate the study’s ability to detect eventual effects of the intervention on body functionality.

Results

A total of 25 out of 879 studies identified in the reviews were selected for quality assessment. Great variations in quality were identified, and many studies (13 out of 25) did not achieve 2/3 of potential quality points. The studies generally support strength training as an effective intervention on body functionality. However, 15 of the 16 RCTs investigated a study population with functional limitations, e.g. populations with musculoskeletal disorders, and most studies were based on a study population in the higher end of the age spectrum 18-64 years.

Conclusions

The literature does not clearly support a recommendation on strength training twice weekly for the general adult population to secure optimal body functionality.

The formulation of PA-guidelines should be based on evidence that 1) aims to draw causal conclusions on the effect of the recommended intervention and 2) investigates a population comparable to the target audience.

Funding

None
240 Does fall prevention also have to hinder physical activity?
Authors: Hansson Eva Ekvall , Fänge Agneta Malmgren , Schmidt Steven
Published: September 2024

Purpose

Physical activity is effective for preventing falls and improves physical and mental health, increase function and quality of life. Regarding people at high risk of falling, such as residents at nursing homes, global guidelines recommend individually adapted exercise programs to prevent falls. These guidelines are not followed. We aimed to map out physical activity among people living at a nursing home. To our knowledge, this is the first study measuring physical activity 24 hours per day among residents at a nursing home.

Method

In this pilot study, persons who lived at one nursing home and could walk without a walking aid wore an Inertial Measurement Unit for 24 hours per day for 3 months. Main outcome measure was steps per day. For each participant, the mean steps per day during the period was calculated and for the total group, the median value of the mean steps per day was calculated.

Results

The participants (n = 5), three women and 2 men, 72 to 98 years old, walked in a median of 65 steps per day (10-356).

Conclusion

In Sweden, instead of following guidelines, technical solutions that monitor if a person tries to move are introduced at nursing homes, often in the form of web cameras. This means that falls are prevented by hindering physical activity and making sure the residents do not move at all. Our study shows that people living in nursing homes can have a very low level of physical activity. We call on all responsible organizations to initiate activities and efforts that enable rather than hinder physical activity. For example, use technology that promotes physical activity, build gyms located in nursing homes, use Virtual Reality to make the bike ride seem to take place outside in a beautiful landscape, and employ physiotherapists who can do balance-training exercises on an everyday basis.
215 The Effectiveness of Digital Tools in Physical Activity Interventions for Individuals with Severe Mental Illness: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Forde Shannon Aisling , Coppinger Tara , Rea Susan , Hanrahan Sinéad
Published: September 2024

Purpose

Individuals with a severe mental illness (SMI) have lower physical activity (PA) levels and higher sedentary behaviour (SB) than the general population. As a result, they have an elevated risk of cardiovascular and metabolic disease. Participating in PA benefits SMI by improving symptoms, cardiorespiratory fitness, social connectedness, and motivation; helping to reduce bodyweight and SB.

Despite the acknowledged benefits of PA, there are numerous barriers to engagement and participation rates remain low. The integration of a digital tool/s may mitigate these barriers and help increase the PA levels of individuals with SMI. This review aims to determine whether digital tool/s are effective at promoting PA in this population.

Methods

A systematic literature review (SLR) was undertaken in March 2023. A search string was developed around key concepts of SMI, PA, and digital interventions. Seven databases were searched. Additional records obtained via alerts from databases were added between March-September 2023.

Returned records were exported to Rayyan. Duplicates were removed and the remaining articles were divided between the four-member team for title/abstract screening. Full-text screening followed, and quality checks were completed by the team via a standard checklist created on Google Forms. Articles selected for review were exported as a list into Microsoft Excel.

Results

Database searches yielded 1,730 articles, with 24 eligible for inclusion.

Eleven studies found PA to increase from participation in a PA intervention that incorporated a digital tool. Walking was the most common form of PA (n = 13) and accelerometery (n = 13) was the most popular digital tool. Twice-weekly PA participation was most frequent. Moderate-vigorous PA was more effective than light PA at promoting PA. Supervised (n = 20) and group (n = 16) interventions were more successful in increasing PA. Community settings (n = 9) was the most common location for interventions. Few studies (n = 5) recorded follow-up data to ascertain if the intervention was effective long-term.

Conclusion

Overall, this review found digital tools are effective at promoting PA among SMI individuals. Future PA interventions aimed at this population should consider incorporating this technology in their design. However, more follow-up studies are needed to ascertain whether these tools can sustain PA long-term.

Funding

ADVANCE CRT
S02-3: Slovenian Approach to Enhance Physical Activity Among Vulnerable Populations
Authors: Ožbolt Petra , Juričan Andrea Backović , Miklavčič Janja Križman
Published: September 2024

Purpose

These policy documents foster physical activity and sports that empowers every individual, regardless of their age, health status, or background, to lead healthier, more active lives. Methodology was based on desk research, analysis and synthesis of Slovenian policy documents.

Policy Description

In Slovenia, policy documents significantly influence the landscape of physical activity and sports, reflecting the nation's commitment to a healthier and more active society for all, including vulnerable populations.

The National Sports Program (2014-2023), outlines a strategic direction for sports development, with a focus on enhancing participation and excellence in sports. This program affects a wide range of populations, including children, adults, individuals with disabilities, and those with chronic diseases.

The National Nutrition and Physical Activity Programme (2015-2025), places strong emphasis on the importance of nutrition and physical activity in improving public health and overall well-being. The impact of this program extends to all citizens, with a particular emphasis on children, pregnant women, adults, and individuals with chronic diseases.

3. The Strategy for the Health of Children and Adolescents (2012; still ongoing), prioritizes the well-being of young generations by considering their environment, including opportunities for physical activity. This strategy primarily targets children and adolescents, addressing concerns related to obesity, health inequalities, and chronic non-communicable diseases.

The Action Programme for Persons with Disabilities (2022-2030), promotes accessibility to sports and physical activities for individuals with disabilities.

Strategic plan for the Development of the Cycling Network with Action Plan (Acceptance Predicted in 2024), aims to enhance active transportation options and promote physical activity, including people with disabilities.

The National Diabetes Prevention and Care Development Programme (2020-2030), have a significant impact on raising awareness about health and physical activity, primarily targets residents with diabetes and those at risk.

7. The National Cancer Control Programme (2022-2026), focusing on prevention and care.

Conclusion

The impact of these policies extends to children, adults, and vulnerable populations, including those with disabilities and chronic non-communicable diseases. These policies create a framework that empowers all citizens, regardless of age or health status, to lead healthier, more active lives.
S02-4: How does the Hungarian Active Lifestyle Strategy address social inclusion?
Authors: Lacza Gyöngyvér , Veress Réka
Published: September 2024

Purpose

The purpose of Sarolta MONSPART Active Lifestyle Strategy is to raise proportion of physically active people with a healthy lifestyle in Hungary. There is special focus on the engagement of senior citizens and people with disadvantaged background.

Project description

The Strategy is the first ever national policy document dedicated to the field of overall promotion of health-enhancing physical activities.

Methods

The development of the Strategy had been initiated by the State Secretary for Active Lifestyle. The University of Sport Sciences had been invited for the coordination of the Strategy’ development, which is based on outcomes of international policy document analysis and national stakeholder consultations. The Strategy identifies ten priority target areas and eight horizontal priorities. “Active seniors” and “Activation of socially disadvantaged groups”, which includes people with disabilities and people with unfavourable socio-economic background are also priority areas.

The implementation of the Strategy is planned to happen on the base of the proposed actions in all priority target areas. Respective governmental and non-governmental organisations have been involved into the drafting of the Strategy. Based on their proposals for implementing actions, an action plan has been drafted. Respectively these organisations are also important actors during the delivery of the proposed initiatives.

The evaluation of the implementation of the Strategy will be based on the proposed indicators, that are part of the Strategy in relation to each proposed action, also reflecting on the number of successfully implemented actions and number of participants.

Dissemination of the strategy has already started during the drafting phase, by the involvement of ca. 50 organisations as consultative partners. After the official approval of the Strategy, communication will be ensured by the State Secretariat for Active Lifestyle and the implementing partners.

Conclusions

The State Secretariat for Active Lifestyle will monitor the implementation of the action plan and collect the well-functioning methods and practices. It is expected that a relevant network of professional organisations will be created in all priority target fields and those networks will be able to provide data and feedback on the proposed actions.
S04-4: The HEPA PAT: An in-depth tool to audit HEPA policies at national level
Authors: Kahlmeier Sonja
Published: September 2024

Purpose

The Health-Enhancing Physical Activity Policy Audit Tool (HEPA PAT) a standardized protocol for the detailed compilation and communication of country-level policy responses on physical inactivity. This presentation aims to briefly present the structure of the tool as well as its use in PA policy research.

Methods

The 29 open-ended and closed questions of the HEPA PAT are structured around a set of 17 key criteria, which were identified based on experiences from several previous guidelines and comparisons of physical activity policy. It supports standardized data collection and is to be completed collaboratively by a team of national stakeholders from all relevant political sectors. However, the process of its application differed across countries.

Results

The HEPA PAT has been applied in 13 European countries (Belgium, Croatia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Switzerland). These studies provided a detailed overview of physical activity policies for the different sections of the tool such as, for instance, leadership and partnerships, policy documents, evaluation, and funding. A recent study has shown that the tool can be applied to understand aspects influencing the policy process (agenda-setting, policy formulation, decision-making, policy implementation, evaluation).

Conclusions

The studies based on the HEPA PAT showed in which areas governments are already active to promote physical activity and what improvements can be made. Cross-country comparisons also showed that procedures and timelines of using the HEPA PAT have to be adapted to national contexts. Overall, the instrument can make an important contribution to understanding and informing physical activity policy, especially when used as an add-on to regular monitoring tools like the EU HEPA Monitoring Framework. The PAT completion also fostered new connections with policy makers and officials in government departments and among HEPA stakeholders within and outside of government, which in itself was seen to be extremely valuable.

Funding Source

No funding
S07 Public green spaces as sustainable environments for inclusive HEPA
Authors: Abu-Omar Karim , Tcymbal Antonina
Published: September 2024

As urban populations around the world continue to grow, the push to transform our cities into greener, more sustainable, and healthier places is gaining momentum. In this context, it is widely recognized that different characteristics of public green spaces influence who accesses them, and how active people are in them. The challenges of equality, volume, and quality of HEPA should thus be addressed by a comprehensive approach that is taking into consideration the characteristics of green space.

The symposium will contribute to an increased understanding of the role of physical environment and characteristics of green spaces to support inclusiveness and sustainability of HEPA. It foresees four presentations addressing the development of the urban environment. Two of which are research-oriented and present which spatial features of green spaces are particularly relevant for promoting PA in the vulnerable groups of older adults and teenagers. Two of which are practice-oriented and address two complementary sides of ensuring environmental quality and sustainability in relation to HEPA as a determinant of quality of life, health, and well-being.
Comparative approaches to understanding speciation: a case study in Xantusia lizards
Authors: Singhal Sonal , Davis Hayden R , Lemos-Espinal Julio A , Fujita Matthew K , Leaché Adam D
Published: September 2024

The diversity of life forms that surround us formed through a variety of processes. Speciation researchers use a suite of comparative approaches to understand both the generalities and the variance underpinning this diversification. Here, we summarize these approaches and what they have taught us, and we then apply them to understand speciation in the night lizards Xantusia, a genus of small lizards found in the arid regions of western North America. Although Xantusia species span both a range of phenotypic and genetic divergence, we find that speciation in Xantusia appears to be a predictable consequence of divergence in extended periods of allopatry. We conclude by identifying possible areas of growth for comparative studies of speciation.
Arginine impacts aggregation, biofilm formation, and antibiotic susceptibility in Enterococcus faecalis
Authors: Snell Alex P , Manias Dawn A , Elbehery Reham R , Dunny Gary M , Willett Julia L E
Published: September 2024

Enterococcus faecalis is a commensal bacterium in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract of humans and other organisms. E. faecalis also causes infections in root canals, wounds, the urinary tract, and on heart valves. E. faecalis metabolizes arginine through the arginine deiminase pathway, which converts arginine to ornithine and releases ATP, ammonia, and CO2. E. faecalis arginine metabolism also affects virulence of other pathogens during co-culture. E. faecalis may encounter elevated levels of arginine in the GI tract or the oral cavity, where arginine is used as a dental therapeutic. Little is known about how E. faecalis responds to growth in arginine in the absence of other bacteria. To address this, we used RNAseq and additional assays to measure growth, gene expression, and biofilm formation in E. faecalis OG1RF grown in arginine. We demonstrate that arginine decreases E. faecalis biofilm production and causes widespread differential expression of genes related to metabolism, quorum sensing, and polysaccharide synthesis. Growth in arginine also increases aggregation of E. faecalis and promotes decreased susceptibility to the antibiotics ampicillin and ceftriaxone. This work provides a platform for understanding how the presence of arginine in biological niches affects E. faecalis physiology and virulence of surrounding microbes.
The P2Y6 Receptor as a Potential Keystone in Essential Hypertension
Authors: Daghbouche-Rubio Nuria , Álvarez-Miguel Inés , Flores Victor Alejandro , Rojo-Mencía Jorge , Navedo Manuel , Nieves-Citrón Madeleine , Cidad Pilar , Pérez-García M Teresa , López-López José R
Published: September 2024

Essential hypertension (HT) is a highly prevalent cardiovascular disease of unclear physiopathology. Pharmacological studies suggest that purinergic P2Y6 receptors (P2ry6) play important roles in cardiovascular function and may contribute to angiotensin II (AgtII) pathophysiological effects. Here, we tested the hypothesis that functional coupling between P2ry6 and AgtII receptors mediates altered vascular reactivity in HT. For this, a multipronged approach was implemented using mesenteric vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and arteries from Blood Pressure Normal (BPN) and Blood Pressure High (BPH) mice. Differential transcriptome profiling of mesenteric artery VSMCs identified P2ry6 purinergic receptor mRNA as one of the top upregulated transcripts in BPH. P2Y receptor activation elicited distinct vascular responses in mesenteric arteries from BPN and BPH mice. Accordingly, 10 µm UTP produced a contraction close to half-maximal activation in BPH arteries but no response in BPN vessels. AgtII-induced contraction was also higher in BPH mice despite having lower AgtII receptor type-1 (Agtr1) expression and was sensitive to P2ry6 modulators. Proximity ligation assay and super-resolution microscopy showed closer localization of Agtr1 and P2ry6 at/near the membrane of BPH mice. This proximal association was reduced in BPN mice, suggesting a functional role for Agtr1-P2ry6 complexes in the hypertensive phenotype. Intriguingly, BPN mice were resistant to AgtII-induced HT and showed reduced P2ry6 expression in VSMCs. Altogether, results suggest that increased functional coupling between P2ry6 and Agtr1 may contribute to enhanced vascular reactivity during HT. In this regard, blocking P2ry6 could be a potential pharmacological strategy to treat HT.
Linear poly-ubiquitin remodels the proteome and influences hundreds of regulators in Drosophila
Authors: Nuga Oluwademilade , Richardson Kristin , Patel Nikhil C , Wang Xusheng , Pagala Vishwajeeth , Stephan Anna , Peng Junmin , Demontis Fabio , Todi Sokol V
Published: September 2024

Ubiquitin controls many cellular processes via its posttranslational conjugation onto substrates. Its use is highly variable due to its ability to form poly-ubiquitin chains with various topologies. Among them, linear chains have emerged as important regulators of immune responses and protein degradation. Previous studies in Drosophila melanogaster found that expression of linear poly-ubiquitin that cannot be dismantled into single moieties leads to their ubiquitination and degradation or, alternatively, to their conjugation onto proteins. However, it remains largely unknown which proteins are sensitive to linear poly-ubiquitin. To address this question, here we expanded the toolkit to modulate linear chains and conducted ultra-deep coverage proteomics from flies that express noncleavable, linear chains comprising 2, 4, or 6 moieties. We found that these chains regulate shared and distinct cellular processes in Drosophila by impacting hundreds of proteins, such as the circadian factor Cryptochrome. Our results provide key insight into the proteome subsets and cellular pathways that are influenced by linear poly-ubiquitin chains with distinct lengths and suggest that the ubiquitin system is exceedingly pliable.
Examining Care Network Characteristics in Older Adults’ Relocation to Residential Care Settings
Authors: Nemmers Natasha , Lai Wenhua , Tsuker Sophia , Haldar Srabani , Freedman Vicki A , Leggett Amanda N
Published: September 2024

Background and Objectives

When older adults face increasing care needs or limited support, remaining safely and comfortably at home becomes challenging. Extant research has primarily concentrated on characteristics of the older adult or their primary caregiver on nursing home admission. This study examines the risk of older adults transitioning to residential care (e.g., assisted living, nursing home), focusing on the influence of their care network or involvement of multiple helpers.

Research Design and Methods

Using the National Health and Aging Trends Study, we conducted competing risk regression models that account for mortality, following 7,085 initially community-dwelling older adults across Rounds 1–9 (2011–2019). We assessed network composition, size, shared tasks, and the number of in-network specialists or generalists while controlling for individual sociodemographic and health factors.

Results

Individuals with care networks that shared medical tasks had the highest risk of moving to a residential care setting, followed by those sharing household tasks. Conversely, shared mobility or self-care and transportation responsibilities were associated with lower risks. Having more generalists, but not specialists, increased the risk. Larger networks were associated with heightened risk, although having close family members like a spouse was protective.

Discussion and Implications

The findings underscore that care network characteristics are critical to older adults’ ability to age in place. Specifically, older adults with larger networks, lacking a spouse or child, and providing complex care are at greater risk for relocating. Understanding care networks can guide interventions related to care network coordination and resource allocation to help avoid or postpone a residential care move.
Identify Non-mutational p53 Functional Deficiency in Human Cancers
Authors: Li Qianpeng , Zhang Yang , Luo Sicheng , Zhang Zhang , Oberg Ann L , Kozono David E , Lu Hua , Sarkaria Jann N , Ma Lina , Wang Liguo
Published: September 2024

An accurate assessment of p53’s functional statuses is critical for cancer genomic medicine. However, there is a significant challenge in identifying tumors with non-mutational p53 inactivation which is not detectable through DNA sequencing. These undetected cases are often misclassified as p53-normal, leading to inaccurate prognosis and downstream association analyses. To address this issue, we built the support vector machine (SVM) models to systematically reassess p53’s functional statuses in TP53 wild-type (TP53WT) tumors from multiple The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) cohorts. Cross-validation demonstrated the good performance of the SVM models with a mean area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of 0.9822, precision of 0.9747, and recall of 0.9784. Our study revealed that a significant proportion (87%–99%) of TP53WT tumors actually had compromised p53 function. Additional analyses uncovered that these genetically intact but functionally impaired (termed as predictively reduced function of p53 or TP53WT-pRF) tumors exhibited genomic and pathophysiologic features akin to TP53-mutant tumors: heightened genomic instability and elevated levels of hypoxia. Clinically, patients with TP53WT-pRF tumors experienced significantly shortened overall survival or progression-free survival compared to those with predictively normal function of p53 (TP53WT-pN) tumors, and these patients also displayed increased sensitivity to platinum-based chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
Disability inclusion in national surveys
Authors: Cerilli Caroline , Varadaraj Varshini , Choi Jennifer , Sweeney Fiona , Castro Franz , Landes Scott D , Swenor Bonnielin K
Published: September 2024

National surveys are important for understanding the disparities that disabled people experience across social determinants of health; however, limited research has examined the methods used to include disabled people in these surveys. This study reviewed nationally representative surveys administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Census Bureau that collected data in the past 5 years and sampled adults ≥18 years. Data from both publicly available online survey documents and a questionnaire emailed to survey administrators were used to determine whether surveys (1) oversampled disabled people, (2) had a data-accessibility protocol to support data collection, and (3) provided multiple data-collection modalities (eg, phone, paper). Of the 201 surveys identified, 30 met the inclusion criteria for the study. Of these 30 surveys, 1 oversampled disabled people, none had a data-collection accessibility protocol, and 21 provided multiple data-collection modalities. This study highlights barriers and opportunities to including disabled people in national surveys, which is essential for ensuring survey data are generalizable to the US population.
Small cardiac vein draining into the inferior vena cava
Authors: Rorris Filippos-Paschalis , Katsilouli Spyridoula , Bobos Dimitrios , Kanakis Meletios
Published: September 2024

Cardiac venous anomalies are rare congenital anatomical anomalies, which are most commonly found on computed tomography scans as an accidental finding. We report a case of a 14-year-old child who was operated for an atrial septal defect, and during the operation, we came across an anomalous drainage of the small cardiac vein into the inferior vena cava. The child’s postoperative course was uneventful.
Niche breadth specialization impacts ecological and evolutionary adaptation following environmental change
Authors: Gubry-Rangin Cécile , Aigle Axel , Herrera-Alsina Leonel , Lancaster Lesley T , Prosser James I
Published: September 2024

Ecological theory predicts that organismal distribution and abundance depend on the ability to adapt to environmental change. It also predicts that eukaryotic specialists and generalists will dominate in extreme environments or following environmental change, respectively. This theory has attracted little attention in prokaryotes, especially in archaea, which drive major global biogeochemical cycles. We tested this concept in Thaumarchaeota using pH niche breadth as a specialization factor. Responses of archaeal growth and activity to pH disturbance were determined empirically in manipulated, long-term, pH-maintained soil plots. The distribution of specialists and generalists was uneven over the pH range, with specialists being more limited to the extreme range. Nonetheless, adaptation of generalists to environmental change was greater than that of specialists, except for environmental changes leading to more extreme conditions. The balance of generalism and specialism over longer timescales was further investigated across evolutionary history. Specialists and generalists diversified at similar rates, reflecting balanced benefits of each strategy, but a higher transition rate from generalists to specialists than the reverse was demonstrated, suggesting that metabolic specialism is more easily gained than metabolic versatility. This study provides evidence for a crucial ecological concept in prokaryotes, significantly extending our understanding of archaeal adaptation to environmental change.
Arbuscular mycorrhizal hyphae facilitate rhizobia dispersal and nodulation in legumes
Authors: He Jiadong , Zhang Lin , Van Dingenen Judith , Desmet Sandrien , Goormachtig Sofie , Calonne-Salmon Maryline , Declerck Stéphane
Published: September 2024

In soil ecosystems, rhizobia occupy the rhizosphere of legume roots to form nodules, a process triggered by microbial recognition of specific root-derived signals (i.e. flavonoids). However, soil conditions can limit bacterial motility, restricting signal perception to the area directly influenced by roots. Legumes, like most plants of agricultural interest, associate with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, whose hyphae develop extensively in the soil, potentially providing an effective dispersal network for rhizobia. We hypothesized that mycelial networks of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi play a role in signal transmission and act as a highway, enabling rhizobia to migrate from distant soil to the roots of leguminous plants. Using in vitro and greenhouse microcosm systems, we demonstrated that Rhizophagus irregularis helps Shinorhizobium meliloti to migrate towards the legume Medicago truncatula, triggering nodulation, a mechanism absent without the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus. Metabolomics analysis revealed eight flavonoids unique to the compartment containing extraradical hyphae of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus linked to M. truncatula roots, associated with Sinorhizobium meliloti growth and nod gene expression. Rhizobia plated on the extraradical hyphae connecting two plants (the legume M. truncatula and non-legume Solanum tuberosum) by a common mycelium network, showed preference for the legume, suggesting the chemoattraction by specific signals transported by the fungus connected to the legume. Simultaneously, S. meliloti stimulated the cytoplasmic/protoplasmic flow in the hyphae, likely increasing the release of nutrients and signals. Our results highlight the importance of extraradical hyphae (i.e. the mycorrhizal pathway) of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi for the migration of rhizobia over long distances to the roots, leading to nodulation.
Hidden syndinian and perkinsid infections in dinoflagellate hosts revealed by single-cell transcriptomics
Authors: Cooney Elizabeth C , Leander Brian S , Keeling Patrick J
Published: September 2024

Free-living core dinoflagellates are commonly infected by members of two parasitic clades that are themselves closely related to dinoflagellates, the marine alveolates and perkinsids. These parasites are abundant and ecologically important, but most species have been difficult to observe directly or cultivate, so our knowledge of them is usually restricted to environmental 18S rRNA gene sequences, as genome-scale molecular data are not available for most species. Here, we report the finding of several of these parasites infecting free-living dinoflagellates. Of the 14 infected host cells collected, only five were identified as containing parasites via light microscopy at the time of collection. Single-cell transcriptome sequencing yielded relatively high transcriptomic coverage for parasites as well as their hosts. Host and parasite homologs were distinguished phylogenetically, allowing us to infer a robust phylogenomic tree based on 192 genes. The tree showed one parasite belongs to an undescribed lineage that is sister to perkinsids, whereas the remainder are members of the syndinian clade within the marine alveolates. Close relatives of all these parasites have been observed in 18S rRNA gene surveys, but until now none had been linked to a specific host. These findings illustrate the efficacy of single-cell isolation and transcriptome sequencing as strategies for gaining deeper insights into the evolutionary history and host relationships of hidden single-celled parasites.
Pathogen non-planktonic phases within the urinary tract impact early infection and resistance evolution
Authors: Raatz Michael , de Azevedo-Lopes Amanda , Drabik Karolina , Traulsen Arne , Waclaw Bartlomiej
Published: September 2024

Treatment of urinary tract infections and the prevention of their recurrence is a pressing global health problem. In a urinary infection, pathogenic bacteria not only reside in the bladder lumen but also attach to and invade the bladder tissue. Planktonic, attached, and intracellular bacteria face different selection pressures from physiological processes such as micturition, immune response, and antibiotic treatment. Here, we use a mathematical model of the initial phase of infection to unravel the effects of these different selective pressures on the ecological and evolutionary dynamics of urinary infections. We explicitly model planktonic bacteria in the bladder lumen, bacteria attached to the bladder wall, and bacteria that have invaded the epithelial cells of the bladder. We find that the presence of non-planktonic bacteria substantially increases the risk of infection establishment and affects evolutionary trajectories leading to resistance during antibiotic treatment. We also show that competitive inoculation with a fast-growing non-pathogenic strain can reduce the pathogen load and increase the efficacy of an antibiotic, but only if the antibiotic is used in moderation. Our study shows that including different compartments is essential to create more realistic models of urinary infections, which may help guide new treatment strategies.
Canadian female perspectives on training in the boys club: advanced therapeutic endoscopy
Authors: Jain Avni , Barker Madeleine , Telford Jennifer
Published: September 2024

Introduction

Unequal female representation in the field of advanced therapeutic endoscopy (ATE) has been recently highlighted in the United States. Previous attempts to determine the barriers to entry into the career have reported a lack of mentorship, patriarchy, inflexible hours/calls and exposure to fluoroscopy. Canadian trainee exposure to ATE and differences in experience between men and women is unknown.

Objectives

We sought to determine the barriers to pursuing a career in ATE, specifically focussing on the perspectives of Canadian female gastroenterology fellows.

Methods

An online survey was developed and distributed to Canadian gastroenterology fellows enrolled in Royal College-accredited programs in 2021-2022

Results

Responses were received from gastroenterology fellows at 12 of the 14 Canadian programs. The response rate was 46% (n = 42, 16 female respondents and 26 male respondents). An equal proportion of male (42%, n = 11) and female (38%, n = 6) trainees indicated interest in a career in ATE. Thirty-eight per cent (n = 6) of female trainees felt that they had inadequate mentorship opportunities/role models within ATE, in comparison to 4% (n = 1) of males (P = .004). Furthermore, 19% (n = 3) of females felt that this lack of mentorship/role models was a primary deterrent from pursuing ATE as a career, in comparison to 0% of males (P = .02). There was equal self-perceived competency surrounding ATE knowledge between both men and women.

Conclusions

Female gastroenterology fellows in Canada lack mentorship and role models in ATE, which seems to be a primary deterrent from pursuing it as a career when compared to their male counterparts. Recognizing and addressing the lack of female leadership and visibility is necessary to improve parity and encourage women to train in the male-dominated field of ATE.
Commentary on Integrative Critical Psychiatry and Psychopharmacology
Authors: Steingard Sandra
Published: September 2024

‘Commentary on Integrative Critical Psychiatry and Psychopharmacology’ is Sandra Steingard’s commentary on Awais Aftab’s chapter ‘Psychiatry and the Critical Landscape’. Steingard views integrative critical psychiatry as a welcome and valuable innovation that joins the long tradition of psychiatric critique. While acknowledging the conceptual difficulties around the distinction between disease-centred and drug-centred models of psychopharmacology, she explains why she still finds value in Moncrieff’s drug-centred paradigm. She sees common ground in the recognition that medications often work in ways that are independent of any ‘disease’ process, and she reaffirms the importance of identifying iatrogenic consequences such as medication withdrawal. She notes that these issues remain poorly appreciated in current psychiatric practice. Steingard explains why she is drawn to open dialogue and need-adapted treatment as approaches that offer ways to engage in transparent and complex discussions with individuals and their families, and believes that values espoused by these approaches are aligned with the spirit of Aftab’s integrative critical psychiatry.
Weaving Conceptual and Empirical Work in Psychiatry
Authors: Aftab Awais , Kendler Kenneth S.
Published: September 2024

Kenneth S. Kendler, MD, is Banks Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry and Professor of Human Genetics at Medical College of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University. He is one of the two editors of the journal Psychological Medicine. He played an active role in the development of DSM-III-R, DSM-IV, and DSM-5 (where he chaired the Scientific Review Committee), and he is currently Vice-Chair of the APA DSM Steering Committee. While Kendler is internationally renowned and highly respected for his work in psychiatric genetics, he has been further catapulted into fame through his widely read commentaries on the philosophical foundations of psychiatry. This interview discusses his views on psychiatric classification, the biopsychosocial model, explanatory pluralism, the DSM notion of dysfunction, the multicausal nature of psychiatric disorders, and epistemic iteration.
Social Constructionism Meets Aging and Dementia
Authors: Aftab Awais , Whitehouse Peter
Published: September 2024

Peter Whitehouse, MD, PhD, a neurologist and transdisciplinarian, is Professor of Neurology, Psychiatry, Cognitive Science, Neuroscience, and Organizational Behavior at Case Western Reserve University. His main foci of interest are ecopsychosocial models of brain health and aging, as well as the role of the arts and humanities in health. He considers himself a wising-up, intergenerative, transdisciplinary, action-oriented scholar, and an emerging artist. He is the author of The Myth of Alzheimer’s (co-written with Daniel George, St Martin’s Press, 2008) and American Dementia: Brain Health in an Unhealthy Society (co-written with Daniel George, Johns Hopkins University Press, 2021). This interview explores issues such as the conceptualization of Alzheimer’s as a disease process distinct from aging, the fascinating early history of Alzheimer’s disease, ecopsychosocial perspectives on brain aging, social construction in medicine, the value of transdisciplinarity, and looping effects between constructs and behaviours.