N-(2-Methoxy­ethyl)phthalimide

The title mol­ecule, C11H11NO3, lies on a crystallographic mirror plane which bis­ects the plane of the phthalimide unit and contains the C and O atoms of the 2-methoxy­ethyl group

Falls efficacy: Extending the understanding of self-efficacy in older adults towards managing falls

Shawn Leng-Hsien Soh - ORCID: 0000-0002-8725-5182 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8725-5182Janet Thomas - ORCID: 0000-0002-1037-7923 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1037-7923Judith Lane - ORCID: 0000-0003-0413-8421 https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0413-8421Publisher's accepted article replaced by VoR 2021-09-02Falls efficacy is a widely studied construct. The understanding of falls efficacy has evolved over time. Falls efficacy was initially perceived to be suitably used as a measure of fear of falling. However, further research suggested that falls efficacy and fear of falling are distinct constructs, and therefore, would be inappropriate to be used as a proxy. Instead, some researchers posited that falls efficacy is synonymous with balance confidence. Falls efficacy has been conventionally understood as the perceived ability of individuals to perform activities without losing balance or falling. A recently conducted systematic review by the authors on existing falls efficacy related measures had revealed a fresh perspective of recognising falls efficacy as a perceived ability to manage a threat of a fall. Falls efficacy, with a broadened interpreted construct, relates to the individual’s perceived self-efficacy of performing necessary actions needed in different scenarios, including pre-fall, near-fall, fall-landing and completed fall. The conventional interpretation of falls efficacy needs a rethinking of perspective. An extended understanding of falls efficacy would provide an integral approach towards improving the agency of individual to deal with falls and would enhance person-centred care.https://doi.org/10.22540/JFSF-06-1316pubpub

Retrospective evaluation of whole exome and genome mutation calls in 746 cancer samples

Funder: NCI U24CA211006Abstract: The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) curated consensus somatic mutation calls using whole exome sequencing (WES) and whole genome sequencing (WGS), respectively. Here, as part of the ICGC/TCGA Pan-Cancer Analysis of Whole Genomes (PCAWG) Consortium, which aggregated whole genome sequencing data from 2,658 cancers across 38 tumour types, we compare WES and WGS side-by-side from 746 TCGA samples, finding that ~80% of mutations overlap in covered exonic regions. We estimate that low variant allele fraction (VAF < 15%) and clonal heterogeneity contribute up to 68% of private WGS mutations and 71% of private WES mutations. We observe that ~30% of private WGS mutations trace to mutations identified by a single variant caller in WES consensus efforts. WGS captures both ~50% more variation in exonic regions and un-observed mutations in loci with variable GC-content. Together, our analysis highlights technological divergences between two reproducible somatic variant detection efforts

The roles of secreted protein acidic and rich in cystiene (Sparc) in intestinal inflammation, healing and fibrosis

Secreted Protein Acidic and Rich in Cysteine (SPARC) is a matricellular protein expressed during tissue repair and regulates cell proliferation and migration. It binds to, and interacts with collagen and regulates matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) expression. The aim was to determine if SPARC modifies intestinal inflammation, healing and fibrogenesis. Intestinal disease was investigated using SPARC null (KO) and wild-type (WT) mice in which inflammation was induced by 3% dextran sodium sulphate (DSS) in the drinking water for 7 days. Inflammation was assessed endoscopically, clinically and histologically on days 7, 14, 21 and 35 after initiation of DSS treatment. Systemic and colonic cytokines and chemokines were quantitated by ELISA and CBA. Colon, mesenteric lymph node and spleen were analysed by flow cytometry and immunofluorescence for inflammatory cell infiltrates. To determine the effect of SPARC on the extracellular matrix (ECM) genes regulation, RNA from colonic tissue, and colonic myofibroblasts from WT and KO mice, were analysed by real time PCR for expression of ECM related genes. KO animals had significantly lower endoscopic scores of inflammation, suffered less weight loss, diarrhoea, faecal blood and had lower spleen/body weight ratios compared to WT animals consistent with less colonic and systemic inflammation. WT mice had higher levels of histological inflammation and damage when compared to KO animals and in the majority of KO animals the colonic mucosa had completely regenerated by day 35 in contrast to the WT mice. Compared to WT mice, in KO animal colons at day 7 there was significantly less IL1β and MIG expression while TGFβ1 levels were higher. Flow cytometric analysis identified a significantly greater percentage of FoxP3+ regulatory T cells in the spleen and draining lymph nodes of KO animals. KO mice also had fewer of cells, such as CD68+ macrophages and Ly6G+ neutrophils, of the innate immune e system infiltrating the inflamed colon. Collagen (Col) 1α1, Col3α1 MMP13 and MMP3 expression levels were reduced in DSS-treated WT colons at day 7 and these were significantly lower than those observed in the KO colons. TIMP1 expression was significantly lower in KO mice at day 35 when healing was complete in this group. TIMP2 and TGFβ1, TGFβ3 were not different between the groups at any time point. The observation by others that collagen fiber diameters in KO colons were noted to be significant smaller than in WT animals suggesting that SPARC modifies the collagen bundling. Compared to unstimulated WT fibroblasts, KO cells had lower Col1α1 and Col3α1 expression. Stimulation with PMA reduced Col1α1 and Col3α1 and increased MMP13 and TIMP1 expression in all the isolated cells, but PMA had no effect on MMP3, TIMP2, TGFβ1 and TGFβ3 expression. DSS induced less colonic and systemic inflammation in KO compared to WT mice and the inflammation appeared to resolve faster. This may be secondary to increased numbers of regulatory T cells and increased colonic TGF-β levels which may inhibit effector cell activity, including cytokine and chemokine expression and aid in the more rapid resolution of inflammation and restoration of the intestinal mucosa. SPARC is able to modify tissue healing potentially through the regulation of collagen expression, bundling and its degradation by MMPs, which impacts on tissue turnover rate and thus delays healing. Hence, SPARC might represent a promising therapeutic target in clinical management of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD)

Physical Activity Opportunities for Older People

Engaging in physical activity is important to optimise health and physical function. The findings in this thesis have contributed to validating a new assessment tool of physical performance (i.e., CBMS-Home) in higher functioning older adults for home or work settings, demonstrated the feasibility, safety and effects of a novel outdoor exercise park intervention for older adults with mild balance dysfunction, and described how older adults remained physically active during the coronavirus pandemic

Exploring physical activity changes and experiences of older adults living in retirement villages during a pandemic

Objective: To explore physical activity changes and participation among physically active older adults living in retirement villages during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted over the telephone. The interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Reflexive thematic analysis was conducted. Results: Seventeen older adults were interviewed, and they engaged in many types of physical activity before the COVID-19 lockdown. During the COVID-19 lockdown, the most common physical activity that older adults participated in was walking. Mental well-being and socialisation were affected during the lockdown, with older adults employing several strategies to help them cope. Conclusions: During the COVID-19 pandemic, physically active residents of retirement villages maintained their physical activity, but with reduced intensity and variety. In some cases, this impacted their mental and physical health. Physical activity resources aimed at facilitating diverse and sufficiently intense physical activity may benefit this group, and others.</p

The early settlers : an exploration of young marriages in Singapore.

This project explored the young marriages in Singapore.Bachelor of Communication Studie