Village Building and School Readiness: Closing Opportunity Gaps in a Diverse Society

Examines a community's impacts on child development and frames strategies to build early learning systems in poor minority neighborhoods. Stresses combining services with community-building and developing a diverse early education workforce from within

CHARACTERIZATION AND MEASUREMENT OF THE HIV-1 LATENT RESERVOIR USING SINGLE GENOME ANALYSIS AND DROPLET DIGITAL PCR

Although antiretroviral therapy (ART) suppresses viral replication to clinically undetectable levels, HIV-1 persists in CD4+ T cells in a latent form not targeted by the immune system or ART (Chun et al., 1997b; Finzi et al., 1997; Ruelas and Greene, 2013; Siliciano et al., 2003; Wong et al., 1997a). This latent reservoir is a major barrier to cure. Many individuals initiate ART during chronic infection, and in this setting, most proviruses are defective (Ho et al., 2013a). However, the dynamics of the accumulation and persistence of defective proviruses during acute HIV-1 infection are largely unknown. Here we show that defective proviruses accumulate rapidly within the first few weeks of infection to make up over 93% of all proviruses, regardless of how early ART is initiated. Using an unbiased method to amplify near full-length proviral genomes from HIV-1 infected adults treated at different stages of infection, we demonstrate that early ART initiation limits the size of the reservoir but does not profoundly impact the proviral landscape. This analysis allows us to revise our understanding of the composition of proviral populations and estimate the true reservoir size in individuals treated early vs. late in infection. Additionally, we demonstrate that common assays for measuring the reservoir significantly overestimate or underestimate the size of the latent reservoir and no assay we tested correlates with the number of intact proviruses. Using our analysis of full-genome sequences, we identify regions and features of the HIV-1 genome that, when interrogated simultaneously, specifically distinguish intact HIV from defective genomes. We describe here a novel intact proviral DNA assay (IPDA) using multiplex droplet digital PCR that allows us to accurately quantify the number of intact proviruses, which are likely the closest estimate to the true size of the latent reservoir. In preliminary results from matched patient samples, the IPDA strongly correlates with full-genome sequencing results. Many defective proviruses contain defects that likely preclude elimination by eradication strategies and could obscure the measurement of real changes in the rarer intact proviruses. By eliminating 90-95% of all defective proviruses and measuring primarily intact proviruses, we anticipate the IDPA will better assess the impact of eradication strategies on the true reservoir of virus that must be eliminated to achieve an HIV-1 cure

Comparison of Autonomic Control of Blood Pressure During Standing and Artificial Gravity Induced via Short-Arm Human Centrifuge

Autonomic control of blood pressure is essential toward maintenance of cerebral perfusion during standing, failure of which could lead to fainting. Long-term exposure to microgravity deteriorates autonomic control of blood pressure. Consequently, astronauts experience orthostatic intolerance on their return to gravitational environment. Ground-based studies suggest sporadic training in artificial hypergravity can mitigate spaceflight deconditioning. In this regard, short-arm human centrifuge (SAHC), capable of creating artificial hypergravity of different g-loads, provides an auspicious training tool. Here, we compare autonomic control of blood pressure during centrifugation creating 1-g and 2-g at feet with standing in natural gravity. Continuous blood pressure was acquired simultaneously from 13 healthy participants during supine baseline, standing, supine recovery, centrifugation of 1-g, and 2-g, from which heart rate (RR) and systolic blood pressure (SBP) were derived. The autonomic blood pressure regulation was assessed via spectral analysis of RR and SBP, spontaneous baroreflex sensitivity, and non-linear heart rate and blood pressure causality (RR↔SBP). While majority of these blood pressure regulatory indices were significantly different (p < 0.05) during standing and 2-g centrifugation compared to baseline, no change (p > 0.05) was observed in the same indices during 2-g centrifugation compared to standing. The findings of the study highlight the capability of artificial gravity (2-g at feet) created via SAHC toward evoking blood pressure regulatory controls analogous to standing, therefore, a potential utility toward mitigating deleterious effects of microgravity on cardiovascular performance and minimizing post-flight orthostatic intolerance in astronauts

The Relationship Between Hip Range of Motion and Pitching Kinematics Related to Increased Elbow Valgus Loads in Collegiate Baseball Pitchers: A Pilot Study

# Background Hip range of motion (ROM) during baseball pitching is associated with trunk rotation and shoulder kinematics, which has shown to influence medial elbow valgus loading and pitching performance. The purpose of this study was to measure the relationship between hip rotational ROM and kinematic variables that influence elbow valgus loads in Division 1 collegiate pitchers. # Study Design Descriptive laboratory study. # Methods Three-dimensional pitching motion (Motion Analysis Corp, Santa Rosa, California) analyses were captured for seven Division 1 baseball pitchers. Six kinematic measurements related to medial elbow valgus loading were calculated while the pitchers threw fastballs. Inclinometer measurements were used to measure hip internal (IR), external (ER) ROM, and total rotational arc at the hip (IR + ER ROM). Correlations were used to evaluate the association between hip IR, ER, and total rotational arc ROM (TRARC) and six kinematic variables. # Results Trunk angular velocity was correlated to trail hip ER and TRARC (p <0.01). Lead hip total arc ROM was associated with maximum shoulder ER (p < 0.01). Lead hip IR was correlated to elbow flexion angle at ball release (p < 0.01). # Conclusion Hip ROM during pitching is associated with trunk angular velocity, maximum shoulder ER and elbow flexion angle at ball release. Alterations in hip TRARC appears to influence trunk rotation velocity leading to dependence on increased shoulder ROM and decreased elbow flexion angle at ball release which is associated with diminished pitching performance and excessive medial elbow valgus loads. # Level of Evidence level

Village Water Ozonation System

The Village Water Ozonation System (VWOS) team’s core mission is to provide economically sustainable and culturally sensitive drinking water solutions for communities, to empower them with the ability to properly maintain their drinking water supply, and to transform people’s lives by decreasing the occurrences of waterborne diseases. Currently, the VWOS team is partnering with Friends in Action to implement two drinking water treatment systems this summer for the community living on Rama Cay, an island in Nicaragua. The wells on the island have a high salt content and are contaminated with bacteria which makes the water unsafe to drink; therefore, these two systems consist of a Reverse Osmosis unit, a UV light and other filters to ensure clean water. VWOS is also partnering with Forward Edge International to serve Mama Beth\u27s Children\u27s Home in Kijabe, Kenya. Mama Beth\u27s serves approximately 250 children every day but their water source is heavily contaminated with bacteria. VWOS is designing a chlorination system that will provide safe water for the students with plans to implement it in the summer of 2023. Funding for this work provided by The Collaboratory for Strategic Partnerships and Applied Research.https://mosaic.messiah.edu/engr2022/1021/thumbnail.jp

Youth Baseball Caregiver Understanding of Safe Pitching Guidelines and Player Injury

# Background As more athletes participate in youth baseball, there has been an associated increase in upper extremity injuries. Knowledge of baseball injury prevention guidelines continues to be developed and defined as throwing-related injuries rise. The purpose of this study was to evaluate how knowledgeable youth baseball caregivers were about safe pitching guidelines and secondarily determine pitching practices which may be associated with increased risk of player injury. # Methods A twenty-two question survey comprised of demographic data, knowledge of overhead throwing guidelines, pitching history, presence of risk factors associated with overhead throwing and pitching habits was distributed to the caregivers of youth baseball pitchers in North Central Florida. # Results Eighty-three percent (81/98) of those polled were unaware of the existence of safe pitching guidelines, regardless of the pitcher’s playing experience (p > 0.05). Those who pitched more than six months out of the year were significantly more prone to experience throwing arm pain after a performance (p < 0.05). Fifty-two percent (51/98) of the caregivers recalled their child having throwing arm pain as a direct result of pitching, with twenty-six percent (25/98) of pitchers having to miss either a game or a pitching appearance. Twenty-seven percent (26/98) of all players went on to seek medical evaluation for arm discomfort due to pitching. Pitchers 13 years of age and older were more likely to throw curveballs and miss games because of throwing arm pain (p < 0.05). # Conclusion Despite implementation and accessibility of safe pitching guidelines, a large portion of those surveyed were unaware or noncompliant with these established recommendations. Given the results of this study, further measures need to be taken to improve caregivers’ understanding of current guidelines to help increase compliance and protect youth pitchers. # Level of Evidence Cross-sectional survey study, 3

Significant Role of the Cardiopostural Interaction in Blood Pressure Regulation During Standing

Cardiovascular and postural control systems have been studied independently despite the increasing evidence showing the importance of cardio-postural interaction in blood pressure regulation. In this study, we aimed to assess the role of cardio-postural interaction in relation to cardiac baroreflex in blood pressure regulation under orthostatic stress before and after mild exercise. Physiological variables representing cardiovascular control (heart rate and systolic blood pressure), lower limb muscle activation (electromyography), and postural sway (center of pressure derived from force and moment data during sway) were measured from 17 healthy participants (25±2 years; 8 females) during a sit-to stand test before and after sub-maximal exercise. The cardio-postural control (characterized by baroreflex-mediated muscle-pump effect in response to blood pressure changes, i.e., muscle-pump baroreflex) was assessed using wavelet transform coherence and causality analyses in relation to the baroreflex control of heart rate. Significant cardio-postural blood pressure control was evident counting for almost half of the interaction time with blood pressure changes that observed in the cardiac baroreflex (36.6-72.5% pre-exercise and 34.7-53.9% post-exercise). Thus, cardio-postural input to blood pressure regulation should be considered when investigating orthostatic intolerance. A reduction of both cardiac and muscle-pump baroreflexes in blood pressure regulation was observed post-exercise and was likely due to the absence of excessive venous pooling and a less stressed system after mild exercise. With further studies using more effective protocols evoking venous pooling and muscle-pump activity, the cardio-postural interaction could improve our understanding of the autonomic control system and ultimately lead to a more accurate diagnosis of cardio-postural dysfunctions

Cardiorespiratory fitness is associated with physical literacy in a large sample of Canadian children aged 8 to 12 years

Background The associations between cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and physical literacy in children are largely unknown. The aim of this study was to assess the relationships between CRF, measured using the 20-m shuttle run test (20mSRT), and components of physical literacy among Canadian children aged 8–12 years. Methods A total of 9393 (49.9% girls) children, with a mean (SD) age of 10.1 (±1.2) years, from a cross-sectional surveillance study were included for this analysis. The SRT was evaluated using a standardized 15 m or 20 m protocol. All 15 m SRTs were converted to 20mSRT values using a standardized formula. The four domains of physical literacy (Physical Competence, Daily Behaviour, Motivation and Confidence, and Knowledge and Understanding) were measured using the Canadian Assessment of Physical Literacy. Tertiles were identified for 20mSRT laps, representing low, medium, and high CRF for each age and gender group. Cohen’s d was used to calculate the effect size between the low and high CRF groups. Results CRF was strongly and favourably associated with all components of physical literacy among school-aged Canadian children. The effect size between low and high CRF tertile groups was large for the Physical Competence domain (Cohen’s d range: 1.11–1.94) across age and gender groups, followed by moderate to large effect sizes for Motivation and Confidence (Cohen’s d range: 0.54–1.18), small to moderate effect sizes for Daily Behaviour (Cohen’s d range: 0.25–0.81), and marginal to moderate effect sizes for Knowledge and Understanding (Cohen’s d range: 0.08–0.70). Conclusions This study identified strong favourable associations between CRF and physical literacy and its constituent components in children aged 8–12 years. Future research should investigate the sensitivity and specificity of the 20mSRT in screening those with low physical literacy levels

The Roles of Youth in Society: A Reconceptualization

The 1980s have been characterized as a decade of platforms for educational change. In 19S3 alone, five reports were released by national task forces and commissions, all expressing serious concern for the future of youth and society, and all proposing recommendations for ways in which educational policies and practices might be altered, to address such concerns

The Role of Genetic Variation Near Interferon-Kappa in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a systemic autoimmune disease characterized by increased type I interferons (IFNs) and multiorgan inflammation frequently targeting the skin. IFN-kappa is a type I IFN expressed in skin. A pooled genome-wide scan implicated the IFNK locus in SLE susceptibility. We studied IFNK single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 3982 SLE cases and 4275 controls, composed of European (EA), African-American (AA), and Asian ancestry. rs12553951C was associated with SLE in EA males (odds ratio = 1.93, P = 2.5 × 10−4), but not females. Suggestive associations with skin phenotypes in EA and AA females were found, and these were also sex-specific. IFNK SNPs were associated with increased serum type I IFN in EA and AA SLE patients. Our data suggest a sex-dependent association between IFNK SNPs and SLE and skin phenotypes. The serum IFN association suggests that IFNK variants could influence type I IFN producing plasmacytoid dendritic cells in affected skin