Childhood Obesity and Familial Hypercholesterolemia: Genetic Diseases that Contribute to Cardiovascular Disease

Childhood obesity occurs as the result of an imbalance between caloric intake and energy expenditure. Genetic risk factors for obesity have become an area of research due to its permanency. Mutated genes such as Fat Mass and Obesity Associated (FTO), Leptin (LEP), Leptin Receptor (LEPR), Melanocortin 4 Receptor (MC4R), Adiponectin C1Q and Collagen Domain Containing (ADIPOQ), Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin Type 1 (PCSK1), and Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma (PPARG) all contribute to the development of childhood obesity. In the presence of high cholesterol caused by obesity, the genetic condition known as familial hypercholesterolemia is exacerbated. Familial hypercholesterolemia is caused by a mutation in the following genes: Low Density Lipoprotein Receptor (LDLR), Apolipoprotein B (APOB), Low Density Lipoprotein Receptor Adaptor Protein 1 (LDLRAP1), and the Proprotein Convertase Subtillisin/Kexin Type 9 (PCSK9). Familial hypercholesterolemia and childhood obesity both contribute to elevated serum cholesterol levels resulting in the accelerated progression of atherosclerosis in children. Another sequela of hypercholesterolemia, atherosclerosis, is an arterial disease that contributes to the development of cardiovascular disease in children. Nurses play a prominent role in the prevention of childhood obesity through education within the community and school setting. As a result of childhood obesity and familial hyperlipidemia, both genetically-linked, cardiovascular disease has become prevalent in the pediatric population

Balancing academia and family life: The gendered strains and struggles between the UK and China compared

Purpose: This paper aims to explore and compare academics’ experiences of managing work-life balance (WLB) in the British and Chinese contexts. The authors have three specific purposes. Firstly, to investigate whether there are marked gender differences in either context, given female and male academics’ work is considered fully comparable. Secondly, to examine contextual factors contributing to gender differences that influence and shape decisions in WLB and career paths. Thirdly, to explore the gendered consequences and implications. Design/methodology/approach: A cross-national and multilevel analytical approach to WLB was chosen to unpick and explore gender land contextual differences and their influence on individual academics’ coping strategies. To reflect the exploratory nature of uncovering individual experience and perceptions, the authors used in-depth, semi-structured interviews. In total, 37 academics participated in the study, comprised of 18 participants from 6 universities in the UK and 19 participants from 6 universities in China. Findings: This study reveals gendered differences in both the British and Chinese contexts in three main aspects, namely, sourcing support; managing emotions; and making choices, but more distinct differences in the latter context. Most significantly, it highlights that individual academics’ capacity in cultivating and using coping strategies was shaped simultaneously by multi-layered factors at the country level, the HE institutional level and the individual academics’ level. Originality/value: Very few cross-cultural WLB studies explore gender differences. This cross-national comparative study is of particular value in making the “invisible visible” in terms of the gendered nature of choices and decisions within the context of WLB. The study has significant implications for female academics exercising individual scope in carving out a career, and for academic managers and institutions, in terms of support, structure and policy

Soil particle-size analysis: A comparison of two methods

Knowing the proportion of particle sizes in soil is important to soil scientists and agronomists. The mixture of sand, silt, and clay influences water movement, solute transport, nutrient retention, and many other properties and processes in soil. The standard method for particle size determination is a somewhat time-consuming process. An equally accurate but shorter method would be appealing for many reasons. The objective of this study was to compare a standard method of particle-size analysis using a hydrometer to an abbreviated hydrometer method, which, instead of 12 h for the standard method, requires about 3 h to complete. Twenty-four soil samples of varying textural classes determined by the standard method were reprocessed for particle-size and textural-class determination using an abbreviated hydrometer method. Results of the methods comparison showed that the textural class from the abbreviated method matched that of the standard method in only 10 of 24 samples and that the abbreviated method over-estimated the amount of total sand in the soil sample. The abbreviated method was reasonably accurate in comparison to the standard method with respect to percentages of clay and silt. Based on this comparison, the time savings gained with the abbreviated method do not outweigh the lack of accuracy of particle-size determination with coarsetextured soils, but may be justifiable for fine-textured soils without a large fraction of sand-sized material

Cerebrovascular Accident Survival: Strategies of Flight Nursing and Aeromedical Transport

Cerebrovascular accidents (CVA), known as strokes, are a leading cause of death worldwide. The delivery and timing of treatment for CVAs is a critical factor in restoring health to the patient. One of the variables in recovery is the method of transport used in bringing the patient to a health care facility. Aeromedical transport remains a valuable resource to achieve full recovery in stroke patients. An ongoing debate of risk versus benefit of helicopter emergency services will be included as well as examination of variables including location, time, physiology of the flight, and the patient’s condition to be scrutinized. In conclusion, aeromedical service will be evaluated to determine the efficacy in transport of CVA patients and survivability outcomes

Phylogenetic distribution of an endogenous strain of Dahlia mosaic virus in members of Asteraceae

Dahlia mosaic virus (DMV) is a double-stranded DNA viral pathogen. A newly discovered strain of this virus called DMV-D10 was first observed in Dahlia variabilis. DMV-D10 does not induce visible symptoms of infection in the host plant, and is classified as an endogenous pararetrovirus. These viruses have the ability to integrate their viral sequences into the host plant genome, which can be transmitted vertically to offspring. Currently, no studies have examined the host range of DMV-D10. Because DMV-D10 has only been observed in Dahlia, the objective for this study was to determine if presence of DMV-D10 follows an evolutionary relationship among species closely related to Dahlia. It was hypothesized species in the same tribe (Coreopsideae) as Dahlia, such as Cosmos, were more likely to be infected with DMV-D10 compared to species within other tribes in the Asteraceae family. PCR results for a movement protein gene indicate DMV-D10 is more widely spread across Asteraceae than in Dahlia species. DMV-D10 was present in Callistephus chinensis (Astereae tribe), Centaurea cyanus (Cardueae tribe), and Dahlia variabilis (Coreopsideae tribe), but not in Tagetes erecta (Tageteae tribe) or Cosmos bipinnatus (Coreopsideae tribe). Therefore, phylogenetic relationship in host plants does not necessarily determine presence or absence of DMV-D10. This leads to questions of how this virus can move to other species in other tribes. Future work will further explore host range, and if there are physiological symptoms associated with DMV-D10 infection

Developmental Trajectories of Positive Emotion Regulation: The Moderating Effects of Gender and Parenting

This study examined the frequency of daily positive events as a predictor of positive emotion regulation strategies in adolescence, particularly dampening and positive rumination. Furthermore, I hypothesized this relationship may be moderated by the gender of the adolescent and their parent’s socialization of positive emotion, through enhancing or dampening their adolescent’s positive emotion. Lastly, I hypothesized that the moderation of parental socialization of positive emotion on emotion regulation would differ based on the gender of the adolescent. Adolescents in Belgium participated in a longitudinal self-report study (nbaseline= 815) assessed at three timepoints. Cross-sectionally, daily positive events significantly predicted adolescent positive rumination, such that as the frequency of daily positive events increased as youth positive rumination increased. Both cross-sectionally and longitudinally, maternal and paternal enhancing predicted youth positive rumination. Additionally, both maternal and paternal enhancing moderated the relationship between daily positive events and youth positive rumination, such that greater frequency of daily positive events predicted greater youth positive rumination, and the relationship was strengthened by greater parental enhancing. Maternal enhancing also buffered the relationship between daily positive events and dampening. Increased parental dampening cross-sectionally predicted greater dampening, and longitudinally predicted decreased dampening. Parental dampening did not moderate the relationship between daily positive events and emotion regulation strategies. The above relationships did not differ for boys and girls. Three-way interactions of gender on the moderation of the relationship between daily positive events and emotion regulation strategies by parental socialization of emotion were not able to be interpreted due to non-significance at the two-way interaction level. These results suggest a therapeutic value to increased daily positive events and parental enhancing in the development of adaptive emotion regulation strategies for adolescents

The Ekklesia as an Assembly That Invokes Response

The ekklesia is often translated as “church” and divided between a sacred and secular definition. However, this translation and separation loses the significance and nuances of the term. The etymology of the word renders the ekklesia as an assembly of those who have been called out. The Greek usage of the word presents the ekkelsia as a political phenomenon in which the ekkelsia is an assembly that gathers to benefit the common good of the entire polis. Biblically, the ekkelsia is often understood as an assembly of those who have been called by God and has a spiritual, relational, geographical, and universal existence. By evaluating the bibilcal usage of ekklesia within its Greek context, it becomes apparent that the biblical ekklesia is similarly for the purpose of seeking the common good. Unlike the Greek ekklesia, which seeks to benefit the polis in order to create a beneficial society, the biblical ekklesia is intended to seek the common good in order that mankind might be saved through Jesus Christ. For Christians, expanding the definition of ekklesia based on wider contexts means that first, believers must respond to the call to be a part of the ekklesia and be an active member of the assembly. Secondly, believers must seek the common good of those within and outside of the ekklesia through fulfilling the great commission by fulfilling the greatest commandment. This requires involvement with the rest of the world, rather than simply a weekly gathering