Effects of Interventions Addressing School Environments or Educational Assets on Adolescent Sexual Health: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

CONTEXT: School-based interventions that aim to modify sexual health knowledge, attitudes and behaviors have mixed and often unsustained effects on adolescent sexual health outcomes. However, observational evidence suggests that broader school-related factors, such as school climate and academic attainment, can influence outcomes. METHODS: Nine databases were searched in July 2017 for randomized and quasi-experimental evaluations of interventions addressing school-level environment or student-level educational assets, to examine whether such interventions can promote young people's sexual health. Searches were limited to studies published since 1990 but were not restricted by language. Studies were assessed for risk of bias and synthesized narratively and meta-analytically. RESULTS: Searches yielded 11 evaluations, published from 1999 to 2016, of interventions related to school-level environment or student-level educational assets. Because of inconsistent reporting, the risk of bias was not clear for most studies, and meta-analysis was possible for only one outcome. The meta-analysis of three randomized trials provided some evidence that school-environment interventions may delay sexual debut (pooled odds ratio, 0.5). Narrative synthesis of the remaining outcomes found mixed results, but suggests that interventions addressing school-level environment may delay sexual debut and that those addressing student-level educational assets may reduce risk of pregnancy and STDs. CONCLUSIONS: Additional and more rigorous evidence is needed to assess the probability that interventions addressing school-related factors are effective and to provide better understanding of the mechanisms by which they may work to improve adolescent sexual health

Multiple elements in human β-globin locus control region 5′ HS 2 are involved in enhancer activity and position independent, transgene expression

The human β-globin Locus Control Region (LCR) has two important activities. First, the LCR opens a 200 kb chromosomal domain containing the human ε-, γ- and β-giobin genes and, secondly, these sequences function as a powerful enhancer of ε-, γ- and β-globin gene expression. Erythrold-specific, DNase I hypersensitive sites (HS) mark sequences that are critical for LCR activity. Previous experiments demonstrated that a 1.9 kb fragment containing the 5′ HS 2 site confers position-independent expression in transgenic mice and enhances human β-giobin gene expression 100-fold. Further analysis of this region demonstrates that multiple sequences are required for maximal enhancer activity; deletion of SP1, NF-E2, GATA-1 or USF binding sites significantly decrease β-globin gene expression. In contrast, no single site is required for position- independent transgene expression; all mice with site- specific mutations in 5′ HS 2 express human β-globin mRNA regardless of the site of transgene integration. Apparently, multiple combinations of protein binding sites in 5′ HS 2 are sufficient to prevent chromosomal position effects that inhibit transgene expression. © 1994 Oxford University Press

Atividade de peroxidase de três populações de "Switchgrass" (Panicum virgatum L.) em resposta à injúria do pulgão-verdedos-cereais (Schizaphis graminum) (Hemiptera: Aphididae).

?Switchgrass? é uma gramínea que tem recebido atenção especial como uma cultura bioenergética nos EUA. Os pulgões foram relatados como uma praga potencial em populações desta gramínea e não está claro como a manipulação genética para uma melhor produção de bioenergia afetará a capacidade da planta em tolerar a injuria deste inseto. Portanto, os objetivos deste estudo foram comparar o teor de proteína total e atividade de peroxidase de três populações de ?switchgrass? (Kanlow, KxS e Summer) a injuria pelo pulgão-verde-dos-cereais

Epigenetic Chromatin Silencing: Bistability and Front Propagation

The role of post-translational modification of histones in eukaryotic gene regulation is well recognized. Epigenetic silencing of genes via heritable chromatin modifications plays a major role in cell fate specification in higher organisms. We formulate a coarse-grained model of chromatin silencing in yeast and study the conditions under which the system becomes bistable, allowing for different epigenetic states. We also study the dynamics of the boundary between the two locally stable states of chromatin: silenced and unsilenced. The model could be of use in guiding the discussion on chromatin silencing in general. In the context of silencing in budding yeast, it helps us understand the phenotype of various mutants, some of which may be non-trivial to see without the help of a mathematical model. One such example is a mutation that reduces the rate of background acetylation of particular histone side-chains that competes with the deacetylation by Sir2p. The resulting negative feedback due to a Sir protein depletion effect gives rise to interesting counter-intuitive consequences. Our mathematical analysis brings forth the different dynamical behaviors possible within the same molecular model and guides the formulation of more refined hypotheses that could be addressed experimentally.Comment: 19 pages, 5 figure

LEARNING AND VISUALIZING MUSIC SPECIFICATIONS USING PATTERN GRAPHS

ABSTRACT We describe a system to learn and visualize specifications from song(s) in symbolic and audio formats. The core of our approach is based on a software engineering procedure called specification mining. Our procedure extracts patterns from feature vectors and uses them to build pattern graphs. The feature vectors are created by segmenting song(s) and extracting time and and frequency domain features from them, such as chromagrams, chord degree and interval classification. The pattern graphs built on these feature vectors provide the likelihood of a pattern between nodes, as well as start and ending nodes. The pattern graphs learned from a song(s) describe formal specifications that can be used for human interpretable quantitatively and qualitatively song comparison or to perform supervisory control in machine improvisation. We offer results in song summarization, song and style validation and machine improvisation with formal specifications

Transcriptional analysis of defense mechanisms in upland tetraploid switchgrass to greenbugs

Background: Aphid infestation of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) has the potential to reduce yields and biomass quality. Although switchgrass-greenbug (Schizaphis graminum; GB) interactions have been studied at the whole plant level, little information is available on plant defense responses at the molecular level. Results: The global transcriptomic response of switchgrass cv Summer to GB was monitored by RNA-Seq in infested and control (uninfested) plants harvested at 5, 10, and 15 days after infestation (DAI). Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in infested plants were analyzed relative to control uninfested plants at each time point. DEGs in GB-infested plants induced by 5-DAI included an upregulation of reactive burst oxidases and several cell wall receptors. Expression changes in genes linked to redox metabolism, cell wall structure, and hormone biosynthesis were also observed by 5- DAI. At 10-DAI, network analysis indicated a massive upregulation of defense-associated genes, including NAC, WRKY, and MYB classes of transcription factors and potential ancillary signaling molecules such as leucine aminopeptidases. Molecular evidence for loss of chloroplastic functions was also detected at this time point. Supporting these molecular changes, chlorophyll content was significantly decreased, and ROS levels were elevated in infested plants 10-DAI. Total peroxidase and laccase activities were elevated in infested plants at 10-DAI relative to control uninfested plants. The net result appeared to be a broad scale defensive response that led to an apparent reduction in C and N assimilation and a potential redirection of nutrients away from GB and towards the production of defensive compounds, such as pipecolic acid, chlorogenic acid, and trehalose by 10-DAI. By 15-DAI, evidence of recovery in primary metabolism was noted based on transcript abundances for genes associated with carbon, nitrogen, and nutrient assimilation. Conclusions: Extensive remodeling of the plant transcriptome and the production of ROS and several defensive metabolites in an upland switchgrass cultivar were observed in response to GB feeding. The early loss and apparent recovery in primary metabolism by 15-DAI would suggest that these transcriptional changes in later stages of GB infestation could underlie the recovery response categorized for this switchgrass cultivar. These results can be exploited to develop switchgrass lines with more durable resistance to GB and potentially other aphids

Comparison of 6 Mortality Risk Scores for Prediction of 1-Year Mortality Risk in Older Adults with Multimorbidity

Importance: The most appropriate therapy for older adults with multimorbidity may depend on life expectancy (ie, mortality risk), and several scores have been developed to predict 1-year mortality risk. However, often, these mortality risk scores have not been externally validated in large sample sizes, and a head-to-head comparison in a prospective contemporary cohort is lacking. Objective: To prospectively compare the performance of 6 scores in predicting the 1-year mortality risk in hospitalized older adults with multimorbidity. Design, Setting, and Participants: This prognostic study analyzed data of participants in the OPERAM (Optimising Therapy to Prevent Avoidable Hospital Admissions in Multimorbid Older People) trial, which was conducted between December 1, 2016, and October 31, 2018, in surgical and nonsurgical departments of 4 university-based hospitals in Louvain, Belgium; Utrecht, the Netherlands; Cork, Republic of Ireland; and Bern, Switzerland. Eligible participants in the OPERAM trial had multimorbidity (≥3 coexisting chronic diseases), were aged 70 years or older, had polypharmacy (≥5 long-term medications), and were admitted to a participating ward. Data were analyzed from April 1 to September 30, 2020. Main Outcomes and Measures: The outcome of interest was any-cause death occurring in the first year of inclusion in the OPERAM trial. Overall performance, discrimination, and calibration of the following 6 scores were assessed: Burden of Illness Score for Elderly Persons, CARING (Cancer, Admissions ≥2, Residence in a nursing home, Intensive care unit admit with multiorgan failure, ≥2 Noncancer hospice guidelines) Criteria, Charlson Comorbidity Index, Gagné Index, Levine Index, and Walter Index. These scores were assessed using the following measures: Brier score (0 indicates perfect overall performance and 0.25 indicates a noninformative model); C-statistic and 95% CI; Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test and calibration plots; and sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values. Results: The 1879 patients in the study had a median (IQR) age of 79 (74-84) years and 835 were women (44.4%). The median (IQR) number of chronic diseases was 11 (8-16). Within 1 year, 375 participants (20.0%) died. Brier scores ranged from 0.16 (Gagné Index) to 0.24 (Burden of Illness Score for Elderly Persons). C-statistic values ranged from 0.62 (95% CI, 0.59-0.65) for Charlson Comorbidity Index to 0.69 (95% CI, 0.66-0.72) for the Walter Index. Calibration was good for the Gagné Index and moderate for other mortality risk scores. Conclusions and Relevance: Results of this prognostic study suggest that all 6 of the 1-year mortality risk scores examined had moderate prognostic performance, discriminatory power, and calibration in a large cohort of hospitalized older adults with multimorbidity. Overall, none of these mortality risk scores outperformed the others, and thus none could be recommended for use in daily clinical practice.