LPS quantification of oral samples from the RHINESSA study population

The human immune system defends the body against threats through a complex network of organs, cells, and proteins. It has two subsystems: the innate immune system provides immediate defense, while the adaptive immune system responds specifically to encountered pathogens. Among these pathogens, bacteria hold particular significance. Bacteria are diverse single-celled organisms characterized by their relatively simple cellular structure. They can be broadly classified as Gram-negative or Gram-positive based on the composition of their cell walls. Gram-negative bacteria have a complex structure with an outer membrane and lipopolysaccharides (LPS). The structural configuration of the lipid A domain within LPS significantly influences the interactions with the host immune system, with certain lipid A variants demonstrating higher potency compared to others. Given the substantial connection between the oral microbiome and the overall systemic health of individuals, one of the primary objectives of this master's project was to investigate the levels of LPS in saliva samples collected from adult participants from the community-based generation study Respiratory Health in Northern Europe, Spain, and Australia (RHINESSA), Bergen study center. Limulus Amoebocyte Lysate (LAL) assay is a commonly used technique to determine bulk LPS concentration in samples. However, the extent to which the LAL assay can accurately detect the various lipid A structures remains uncertain, and regrettably, the assay lacks the capability to discriminate between specific lipid A variants. We aimed to evaluate the suitability of the LAL assay for measuring LPS levels in samples obtained through two distinct collection methods (method 1: use of a commercial kit (Norgen); method 2: no kit) as part of a pilot project. Furthermore, we sought to explore the association between gingival and salivary LPS-producing microbiota assessed by 16S rRNA sequencing and salivary LPS activity measured by LAL assay. For this master project, the samples were either collected on-site specifically for the pilot project or obtained from the larger RHINESSA study. The RHINESSA study is a longitudinal, multi-generational research initiative conducted in Europe and Australia, focusing on environmental and genetic factors associated with lung health. Two different LAL assay kits were employed to measure LPS concentrations. The pilot project revealed that both LAL assays was unsuitable for samples collected using the commercial kit. Consequently, when conducting further investigations on the RHINESSA samples, the samples collected using the kit were excluded from analysis due to resource constraints and interference. DNA extraction was performed on the RHINESSA saliva samples, followed by sequencing and bacterial community profiling based on the 16S rRNA gene. The DNA and LPS concentrations of the samples exhibited non-Gaussian distributions, and Mann-Whitney tests unveiled no significant differences between genders or known factors related to oral diseases and LPS concentration. However, male participants exhibited higher LPS levels than females, which could potentially be attributed to factors such as tobacco use, Community Periodontal Index (CPI) score, and oral hygiene practices. Analysis of the bacterial taxonomy and lipid A annotation of gene sequences obtained from the saliva samples revealed a low ratio between bacteria producing hexa-acylated lipid A and those producing penta-acylated lipid A, possibly due to a healthy study population. Similar results were obtained from the analysis of previously collected gene sequences from gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) samples obtained from the same participants. The bacterial composition and abundance in both saliva and GCF exhibited similarities to previous studies in the field. Results from correlation analysis demonstrated a positive correlation between the abundance of penta-acylated bacteria and the concentration of LPS in the samples, while a negative correlation was observed between the abundance of hexa-acylated bacteria and LPS concentration. This finding, in conjunction with the previously identified low hexa:penta ratio, suggests that the potential pro-inflammatory effects of hexa-acylated LPS-producing oral bacteria may be counteracted by the prevalence of more abundant penta-acylated LPS producers. Overall, the analysis of bacterial microbiota utilizing techniques such as 16S rRNA sequencing and the LAL assay for measuring LPS concentration can provide valuable insights into microbial ecology and facilitate a deeper understanding of the complex interplay between environmental and genetic factors that influence human health.Masteroppgave i biomedisinBMED395MAMD-MEDB

Feature Investigation for Stock Returns Prediction Using XGBoost and Deep Learning Sentiment Classification

This paper attempts to quantify predictive power of social media sentiment and financial data in stock prediction by utilizing a comprehensive set of stock-related fundamental and technical variables and social media sentiments. For conducting sentiment analysis, this study employs a pretrained finBERT model that provides three different sentiment classifications and respective softmax scores. Hence, the significance of these variables is evaluated with XGBoost regression and Shapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) frameworks. Through investigating feature importance, this study finds that statistical properties of sentiment variables provide a stronger predictive power than a weighted sentiment score and that it is possible to quantify the impact features make on so-called “black box” models

Purposeful Nurse Hourly Rounding: Plan to Decrease Patient Falls During a Pandemic

Problem: Patient falls remain a critical and persistent safety problem in healthcare today. The prolonged impact of the COVID-19 pandemic raises leadership concerns regarding the safe care of high-risk COVID patients and mitigating the increased stress and potential risks of infection to clinical staff. Context: This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) scholarly project details implementation of an evidence-based purposeful nurse hourly rounding (PNHR) pilot project designed to decrease the incidence of patient falls on a designated COVID-19 unit. Measure: A modified PNHR rounding tool was implemented to guide focused elements for key nurse/patient interactions. Interventions: PNHR strategies were further augmented by innovative quantum caring healthcare leadership (QCHL) principles intended to support team engagement and enhance a culture of safety. The transformational leadership approach and theoretical foundations of QCHL were viewed as pivotal enculturation tactics and were aligned to sustainability goals. The project aim was to decrease the incidence of adult patient falls by 10% over baseline data during a four-month pilot on a designated COVID-19 nursing unit. Results: The post-implementation outcomes highlight a 58% reduction in patient falls from 4.29 to 1.79 falls per 1,000 patient days. Conclusions: Quantitative and qualitative findings support a proactive leadership approach to patient safety and staff engagement that utilizes an evidence-based, structured, timely, and sustainable nurse hourly rounding strategy. Dissemination: Low costs, improved clinical outcomes, and positive impact on patient safety and employee engagement increase the potential for spread of this scholarly project to non-COVID care units across the organization and to other systems

A Study of Student Comfort and Satisfaction within Green Residence Halls

This research contributes to a better understanding of whether green university residential halls benefit students by creating better occupant comfort and satisfaction. Residential halls were considered green by this thesis if they achieved LEED certification. This study addresses Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) in relation to comfort and satisfaction among the college students living in residential halls. The present study surveyed Purdue University students living in a conventional residence hall (First Street Towers) compared with students living in a LEED Gold certified residence hall (Third Street Suites) regarding the comfort and satisfaction provided by their residence halls. A Building Use Studies (BUS) survey was utilized to measure IEQ factors on a seven-point Likert scale; the survey also provided an area for respondents’ qualitative input. The results obtained from these descriptive statistics indicated that the Third Street Suites (LEED Gold certified) residence hall showed slightly higher mean satisfaction scores for location, noise, temperature, air quality and overall comfort; however, inferential statistics found no significant difference in the overall student comfort or satisfaction with the two residential halls. Although the results of this study concluded no significant impact, further studies could be conducted to measure other quantitative factors regarding comfort and satisfaction. Continued research of this kind could guide universities to build dormitories that better match students’ IEQ needs and expectations