Moderators in the Adoption of E-Learning: An Investigation of the Role of Gender

Past research has hypothesized and empirically supported a model for learners’ acceptance of e-learning. To further investigate the influence of gender on e-learning acceptance, data were collected from a sample of 259 Taiwanese undergraduates that were relatively balanced between genders. Comparisons of means and multiple-group Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with LISREL were used to analyze the data. Examining t-test results indicated that differences in construct means between males and females occurred only for some of the model predictors. Specifically, men have more confidence in using the technology, more Internet experience, a higher perception of system interactivity, and higher beliefs of usefulness and ease of use than women. However there is no significant difference in their intentions to use the e-learning system. In addition, multiple-group SEMs revealed that gender moderated some of the relationships between the hypothesized determinants and intentions to use the e-learning system. In particular, women’s adoption intention for distance education purposes is more strongly influenced by system interactivity. Women’s perception of e-learning usefulness is negatively influenced by self-efficacy. Some implications for practical purposes are addressed

Autoimmunity of Gastrointestinal Tract

Gastrointestinal tract diseases are recognised as autoimmune based on typical histopathology, presence of autoantibodies in serum and clinical response to immunosuppressive therapy. Like in other autoimmune diseases, the inducing factor is unknown; however, accumulating data suggests an increasing role of microbiota homeostasis and relation between the immune system (mucous-associated lymphoid tissue) and microbiota in intestinal lumen. The inflammation process is now described as autoinflammation with inflammasome formation or autoimmune chronic inflammation with overproduction of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Diagnostic procedures include autoantibodies assay, histology of biopsy from intestinal mucous, genetic background (especially in celiac disease) and clinical symptoms. Therapy is adjusted to pathomechanism including regulation of microbiota homeostasis with pre-biotics and probiotics, inhibition of inflammatory process with steroids, classical immunosuppression and anti-cytokine monoclonal antibodies and haematopoietic stem cells transplantation in severe cases with therapy resistance, progression and life-threatening course. The aim of this chapter is to review mechanisms of autoinflammation and autoimmunity, diagnosis and therapy of gastrointestinal tract

Occurrence of autoantibodies for gastrointestinal autoimmune diseases in children with common variable immune deficiency and selected IgA deficiency

Introduction: Selected IgA deficiency (IgAD) and common variable immune deficiency (CVID) are humoral immunity deficiencies frequent in children. In both these types of immunodeficiency, autoimmune diseases are present in 20-30% of patients, but the disease profiles are different between adults and children. Autoimmune diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (IBD) and celiac disease are typical for children with IgAD and CVID. Diagnosis is based on clinical symptoms, histology of jejunum and antibodies often preceding the onset of disease. However, the diagnosis of IBD and celiac disease is difficult in immune deficiency patients due to weaker or absent production of antibodies, and different jejunum histology, particular in CVID patients. Aim: Detection of antibodies for autoimmune diseases in children with diagnosis of CVID and IgAD. Material and methods: The study included 43 children with CVID and 63 children with IgAD diagnosis. Antibodies typical for celiac disease (for endomysium, tissue transglutaminase and gliadin) were tested in IgA class (CVID patients), IgG class (IgAD, CVID patients) and found in 16 patients (3 - CVID, 13 - IgAD). Results: Antibodies for IBD (for Saccharomyces cerevisiae antigen - ASCA, goblet cells - Gab, neutrophil’s cytoplasm - ANCA, pancreatic cells - Pab) were noted in 17 patients (7 - CVID, 10 - IgAD). Celiac disease was diagnosed in two children with mild and unspecific clinical symptoms followed by introduction of a gluten-free diet. The remaining children with present antibodies but without clinical symptoms involving the gastrointestinal tract are under careful clinical observation with antibody assay every 6 months. Conclusions: The antibodies are produced despite impaired humoral immunity but the level might be low so the lower limit of positive results is postulated

The Relationships Between Social Media and Human Papillomavirus Awareness and Knowledge: Cross-sectional Study

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection. HPV can infect both females and males, and it can cause many cancers, including anal, cervical, vaginal, vulvar, and penile cancers. HPV vaccination rates are lower than vaccination rates within other national vaccination programs, despite its importance. Research literature indicates that people obtain health-related information from internet sources and social media; however, the association between such health-seeking behavior on social media and HPV-related behaviors has not been consistently demonstrated in the literature. Objective: This study aims to examine the association between social media usage and HPV knowledge and HPV awareness. Methods: This study analyzed public health data collected through the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) conducted by the US National Cancer Institute. The analysis used data collected in 2020; in total, 2948 responses were included in the analysis. Six HPV-related questions were used to identify HPV awareness, HPV vaccine awareness, and HPV knowledge about HPV-related cancers. Four questions about social media usage and one question about online health information–seeking behavior were used to analyze the associations between social media usage and HPV-related behaviors. Initially, six logistic regressions were conducted using replicate weights. Based on the results, significant factors were included in a second set of regression analyses that also included demographic variables. Results: About half of the respondents were aware of HPV (68.40%), the HPV vaccine (64.04%), and the relationship between HPV and cervical cancer (48.00%). However, fewer respondents were knowledgeable about the relationships between HPV and penile cancer (19.18%), anal cancer (18.33%), and oral cancer (19.86%). Although social media usage is associated with HPV awareness, HPV vaccine awareness, and knowledge of cervical cancer, these associations were not significant after adjusting for demographic variables. Those less likely to report HPV awareness and knowledge included older participants, males, those with a household income of less than US $20,000, those with a formal education equal to or less than high school, or those who resided in a household where adults are not fluent in English. Conclusions: After adjusting for demographic variables, social media use was not related to HPV knowledge and awareness, and survey respondents were generally not aware that HPV can lead to specific types of cancer, other than cervical cancer. These results suggest that perhaps a lack of high-quality information on social media may impede HPV awareness and knowledge. Efforts to educate the public about HPV via social media might be improved by using techniques like storytelling or infographics, especially targeting vulnerable populations, such as older participants, males, those with low incomes, those with less formal education, or those who reside in the United States but are not fluent in English

Expression of proteins associated with therapy resistance in rhabdomyosarcoma and neuroblastoma tumour cells

The activity of multidrug resistance (MDR) proteins in tumour cells is associated with an increased resistance to therapy and in consequence with a decreased effectiveness of chemotherapy. The majority of MDR molecules belong to a family of ABC (ATP binding cassette) transporters. Neuroblastoma (NBL) and rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) are common solid tumours of childhood. The response to therapy is better in NBL, worse in RMS, but still unsatisfactory despite surgery and aggressive chemotherapy. The immunohistochemical staining for p-gp (p-glycoprotein), MRP1 (multidrug resistance associated protein 1), BCRP (breast cancer resistance protein) and LRP (lung resistance protein) expression was performed in primary tumour sections of NBL (10 cases) and RMS (10 cases). A different pattern of MDR expression in NBL and RMS were noted. In NBL, MRP1 was expressed in all studied tumours, p-gp, BCRP only in 3 out of 10 tumours, LRP, in 4 cases. The combination of more than one protein was noted in the majority of NBL tumours. In RMS, the expression of 3 or 4 MDR proteins was noted in 9 cases. The high expression of an MDR protein profile in RMS suggests various mechanisms acting simultaneously, which might explain chemotherapy resistance and a low percentage of long-time survival in this tumour

A randomised trial of early palliative care for maternal stress in infants prenatally diagnosed with single-ventricle heart disease

AbstractChildren with single-ventricle disease experience high mortality and complex care. In other life-limiting childhood illnesses, paediatric palliative care may mitigate maternal stress. We hypothesised that early palliative care in the single-ventricle population may have the same benefit for mothers. In this pilot randomised trial of early palliative care, mothers of infants with prenatal single-ventricle diagnoses completed surveys measuring depression, anxiety, coping, and quality of life at a prenatal visit and neonatal discharge. Infants were randomised to receive early palliative care – structured evaluation, psychosocial/spiritual, and communication support before surgery – or standard care. Among 56 eligible mothers, 40 enrolled and completed baseline surveys; 38 neonates were randomised, 18 early palliative care and 20 standard care; and 34 postnatal surveys were completed. Baseline Beck Depression Inventory-II and State-Trait Anxiety Index scores exceeded normal pregnant sample scores (mean 13.76±8.46 versus 7.0±5.0 and 46.34±12.59 versus 29.8±6.35, respectively; p=0.0001); there were no significant differences between study groups. The early palliative care group had a decrease in prenatal to postnatal State-Trait Anxiety Index scores (−7.6 versus 0.3 in standard care, p=0.02), higher postnatal Brief Cope Inventory positive reframing scores (p=0.03), and a positive change in PedsQL Family Impact Module communication and family relationships scores (effect size 0.46 and 0.41, respectively). In conclusion, these data show that mothers of infants with single-ventricle disease experience significant depression and anxiety prenatally. Early palliative care resulted in decreased maternal anxiety, improved maternal positive reframing, and improved communication and family relationships.</jats:p