Emerging targeted strategies for the treatment of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease.

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is a widespread genetic disease that leads to renal failure in the majority of patients. The very first pharmacological treatment, tolvaptan, received Food and Drug Administration approval in 2018 after previous approval in Europe and other countries. However, tolvaptan is moderately effective and may negatively impact a patient's quality of life due to potentially significant side effects. Additional and improved therapies are still urgently needed, and several clinical trials are underway, which are discussed in the companion paper Müller and Benzing (Management of autosomal-dominant polycystic kidney disease-state-of-the-art) Clin Kidney J 2018; 11: i2-i13. Here, we discuss new therapeutic avenues that are currently being investigated at the preclinical stage. We focus on mammalian target of rapamycin and dual kinase inhibitors, compounds that target inflammation and histone deacetylases, RNA-targeted therapeutic strategies, glucosylceramide synthase inhibitors, compounds that affect the metabolism of renal cysts and dietary restriction. We discuss tissue targeting to renal cysts of small molecules via the folate receptor, and of monoclonal antibodies via the polymeric immunoglobulin receptor. A general problem with potential pharmacological approaches is that the many molecular targets that have been implicated in ADPKD are all widely expressed and carry out important functions in many organs and tissues. Because ADPKD is a slowly progressing, chronic disease, it is likely that any therapy will have to continue over years and decades. Therefore, systemically distributed drugs are likely to lead to potentially prohibitive extra-renal side effects during extended treatment. Tissue targeting to renal cysts of such drugs is one potential way around this problem. The use of dietary, instead of pharmacological, interventions is another

Children\u27s implicit recall of junk food, alcohol and gambling sponsorship in Australian sport

BACKGROUND: In Australia, sport is saturated by the promotion of junk food, alcohol and gambling products. This is particularly evident on player jerseys. The effect of this advertising on children, who are exposed to these messages while watching sport, has not been thoroughly investigated. The aim of this research study was to investigate: (1) the extent to which children implicitly recalled shirt sponsors with the correct sporting team; (2) whether children associated some types of sponsors with certain sporting codes more than others; and (3) whether age of the children influenced the correct recall of sponsoring brands and teams. METHOD: This experimental study conducted in New South Wales, Australia used projective techniques to measure the implicit recall of team sponsorship relationships of 85 children aged 5-12 years. Participants were asked to arrange two sets of magnets - one which contained sporting teams and one which contained brand logos - in the manner deemed most appropriate by them. Children were not given any prompts relating to sporting sponsorship relationships. RESULTS: Three quarters (77 %) of the children were able to identify at least one correct shirt sponsor. Children associated alcohol and gambling brands more highly with the more popular sporting code, the National Rugby League compared to the Australian Football League sporting code. Results showed that age had an effect on number of shirt sponsors correctly recalled with 9-12 year olds being significantly more likely than 5-8 year olds to correctly identify team sponsors. CONCLUSIONS: Given children\u27s ability to implicitly recall shirt sponsors in a sporting context, Australian sporting codes should examine their current sponsorship relationships to reduce the number of unhealthy commodity shirt sponsors. While there is some regulation that protects children from the marketing of unhealthy commodity products, these findings suggest that children are still exposed to and recall these sponsorship relationships. Results suggest that the promotion of unhealthy commodity products during sporting matches is contributing to increased awareness amongst children of unhealthy commodity brands. Further investigation is required to examine the extent and impact of marketing initiatives during televised sporting matches on children

The psychology of AMBER Alert: Unresolved issues and implications

The AMBER alert system is likely affected by a number of psychological processes, yet remains understudied. The system assumes people will remember Alert information accurately and notify police, but psychological research on related phenomena (e.g., memory, willingness to help) indicates that people may not be able or willing to act in ways the promote the success of the system. In addition, the system is intended to deter child abductions, however, the system could prompt copycat crimes from perpetrators seeking publicity. The system could also cause a precipitation effect in which a perpetrator who sees the Alert could decide to murder the child immediately to avoid capture. Policy recommendations are made based on psychological research and theory, although more research is needed to develop the most effective system possible

Students’ Perspective of Self-Guided Simulation Training on Process in the Initial Phase of Private Pilot Flight Training: A Preliminary Review

As the demand for flight training increases, self-guided training methods for students can be explored to determine their effect on environment for learning. A series of self-guided simulation training scenarios, aimed at assisting initial private pilot students, were created to be used on Advanced Aviation Training Devices (AATD). A pilot study was conducted where participants, using an AATD, followed a lesson plan with detailed instructions and then were evaluated by an instructor. In addition to evaluation scores, participants were given surveys on their perceptions of the experience overall and how prepared they felt for each evaluation. This preliminary study was conducted to determine student perception of self-guided training, the effectiveness of this type of training, and if there is any impact on the number of flight hours required prior to passing their private pilot pre-solo stage check

Risk and Protective Factors Predictive of Sense of Coherence during Adolescence

This brief report presents a study undertaken to better understand the factors that are related to sense of coherence (SOC) levels among youth. Middle school students (N = 1619) reported on risk and protective factors across ecological domains. Analyses revealed that social support, anger expression, family conflict and neighborhood cohesion were predictors of SOC for both males and females. Community views regarding gang membership was a predictor of SOC only for males, while age was a predictor of SOC only for females. The findings suggest a resiliency and ecological framework may be helpful in understanding SOC in youth

Accessibility Rating Form for Websites and Other Online Platforms

Background. This file provides a coding form developed to judge how accessible websites and other online platforms are to users. Accessibility may be defined as the ease to which a person can perceive content and navigate material (Ross & Ross, 2021). Users are encouraged to adapt this form for their use. Purpose. The rating form can be used to judge the pages of online media, using 14 criteria under two areas: Accessible Media and Accessible Design. One of three grades could be assigned to each criterion: Not Accessible (0 point), Somewhat Accessible (1 point), Accessible (2 points), adapted from published research by Wallace et al. (2010). Initially, this form was developed to rate the website created using the Learning Management System platform, Canvas (Instructure, n.d.), which was adapted as a research survey website. Form validity and reliability. This form was based on guidelines for accessible websites, provided from the World Wide Web Consortium (Zahra, 2019). This form was found to have excellent rater agreement within a preliminary study, which was presented at the 2022 Southwest Chapter Conference Meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine (October 28-29, Costa Mesa, California). The intraclass coefficient statistic was used (four raters, M = .91, LL = .82, UL = .94; Landers, 2015). Results were interpreted using Cicchetti’s (1994) interpretive cut-points. Further detail is reported in the published abstract to the study’s presentation (Wu et al., in press)

The use of induced pluripotent stem cells in domestic animals: a narrative review

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are undifferentiated stem cells characterized by the ability to differentiate into any cell type in the body. iPSCs are a relatively new and rapidly developing technology in many fields of biology, including developmental anatomy and physiology, pathology, and toxicology. These cells have great potential in research as they are self-renewing and pluripotent with minimal ethical concerns. Protocols for their production have been developed for many domestic animal species, which have since been used to further our knowledge in the progression and treatment of diseases. This research is valuable both for veterinary medicine as well as for the prospect of translation to human medicine. Safety, cost, and feasibility are potential barriers for this technology that must be considered before widespread clinical adoption. This review will analyze the literature pertaining to iPSCs derived from various domestic species with a focus on iPSC production and characterization, applications for tissue and disease research, and applications for disease treatment

Evaluating Research Survey Websites in Kinesiology: A Case Study Using An Accessibility Rating Form

Advancing equity in the research and educational practice of kinesiology requires intentional efforts to ensure access divides do not widen nor persist (Ross et al., in press, JOPERD). PURPOSE: Given knowledge of suitability assessment of materials (SAM) principles supports the equitable design of lay print and online material, we evaluated the extent they would also support developing a research survey website consistent with accessibility guidelines for digital technology. METHODS: The study website was adapted from the Canvas learning management system. A cross-sectional formative assessment was performed. Using their knowledge of SAM principles (eg, clear layout, text ≤ 8th grade reading level), the second and third author (JDT, RFH) constructed the website webpages (eg, site welcome page, online questionnaire; Jun.-Jul. 2022). The first author (YSW), using guidelines from two reputable sources (ie, a Canvas tutorial and W3C website), developed a 14-item accessibility rating form to critically appraise the website’s 10 webpages (ie, 1 = Not Accessible, 2 = Somewhat Accessible, 3 = Accessible; Wallace et al., 2010, JPAH). Authors 1-4 then performed a formative assessment of the adapted Canvas websites’ accessibility independently (Jul.-Aug. 2022). Form reliability was assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient and its interpretive cut-points for average absolute-rater agreement (Cicchetti, 1994, Psych Assess; Landers, 2015, Winnower). RESULTS: Average rater agreement was excellent per webpage (M = .91, LL = .82, UL = .94). Mean webpage score ranged between 2.55 (±0.78) to 2.77 (±0.58). Informational pages (eg, welcome page) had greater accessibility than interactive pages (eg, forms). Five discrepant items were systematic, resulting in redundant rater differences (eg, keyboard navigation was hard to notice). All discrepancies were resolved with 100% consensus. CONCLUSION: The findings of the present study suggest knowledge of SAM principles ensures developers can design lay friendly and accessible research survey websites. They further suggest rating forms inclusive of digital accessibility guidelines should be used as a supplement to further meet accessibility and equity goals. We will share our form, then discuss our results using the universal design for learning framework

Factors Associated with Physical Activity Increases and Decreases Among a Sample of Appalachian Residents During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction: Physical activity (PA) can prevent and reduce the deleterious physical and mental health effects of COVID-19 and associated lockdowns. Research conducted early in the pandemic demonstrates that a greater proportion of adults in the U.S. have decreased than increased PA, and the effects vary by sociodemographic factors. Ongoing evidence is important to identify patterns in PA changes during the pandemic. Purpose: This study aims to identify factors associated with increases and decreases in PA during the COVID-19 pandemic in a convenience sample of adults residing in Appalachia. Methods: Surveys were collected from a convenience sample of adults from eight counties in West Virginia from January to March 2021. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify sociodemographic, health, and rurality factors associated with (1) increased PA and (2) decreased PA during the pandemic, assessed retrospectively via self-report. Results: Analysis of 1,401 survey responses revealed that better self-rated health, lower body mass index, and higher income and education were associated with a greater likelihood of more time spent doing PA during the pandemic (p ≤ .05). Respondents with lower self-rated health, higher body mass index, lower income, and lower levels of education—plus females and those living in a more urban county—were more likely to spend less time doing PA during the pandemic (p ≤ .05). Implications: Analyses suggest that pre-pandemic disparities in PA by health, wealth, and education were exacerbated during the pandemic. These must be addressed before physical inactivity and ill health become endemic to the Appalachian Region

Extensive carbon isotopic heterogeneity among methane seep microbiota

To assess and study the heterogeneity of δ^(13)C values for seep microorganisms of the Eel River Basin, we studied two principally different sample sets: sediments from push cores and artificial surfaces colonized over a 14 month in situ incubation. In a single sediment core, the δ^(13)C compositions of methane seep-associated microorganisms were measured and the relative activity of several metabolisms was determined using radiotracers. We observed a large range of archaeal δ^(13)C values (> 50‰) in this microbial community. The δ^(13)C of ANME-1 rods ranged from −24‰ to −87‰. The δ^(13)C of ANME-2 sarcina ranged from −18‰ to −75‰. Initial measurements of shell aggregates were as heavy as −19.5‰ with none observed to be lighter than −57‰. Subsequent measurements on shell aggregates trended lighter reaching values as ^(13)C-depleted as −73‰. The observed isotopic trends found for mixed aggregates were similar to those found for shell aggregates in that the initial measurements were often enriched and the subsequent analyses were more ^(13)C-depleted (with values as light as −56‰). The isotopic heterogeneity and trends observed within taxonomic groups suggest that ANME-1 and ANME-2 sarcina are capable of both methanogenesis and methanotrophy. In situ microbial growth was investigated by incubating a series of slides and silicon (Si) wafers for 14 months in seep sediment. The experiment showed ubiquitous growth of bacterial filaments (mean δ^(13)C = −38 ± 3‰), suggesting that this bacterial morphotype was capable of rapid colonization and growth