The effectiveness and characteristics of mHealth interventions to increase adolescent's use of Sexual and Reproductive Health services in Sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review

Background mHealth innovations have been proposed as an effective solution to improving adolescent access to and use of Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) services; particularly in regions with deeply entrenched traditional social norms. However, research demonstrating the effectiveness and theoretical basis of the interventions is lacking. Aim Our aim was to describe mHealth intervention components, assesses their effectiveness, acceptability, and cost in improving adolescent's uptake of SRH services in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Methods This paper is based on a systematic review. Twenty bibliographic databases and repositories including MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CINAHL, were searched using pre-defined search terms. Of the 10, 990 records screened, only 10 studies met the inclusion criteria. The mERA checklist was used to critically assess the transparency and completeness in reporting of mHealth intervention studies. The behaviour change components of mHealth interventions were coded using the taxonomy of Behaviour Change Techniques (BCTs). The protocol was registered in the 'International Prospective Register for Systematic Reviews' (PROSPERO-CRD42020179051). Results The results showed that mHealth interventions were effective and improved adolescent's uptake of SRH services across a wide range of services. The evidence was strongest for contraceptive use. Interventions with two-way interactive functions and more behaviour change techniques embedded in the interventions improved adolescent uptake of SRH services to greater extent. Findings suggest that mHealth interventions promoting prevention or treatment adherence for HIV for individuals at risk of or living with HIV are acceptable to adolescents, and are feasible to deliver in SSA. Limited data from two studies reported interventions were inexpensive, however, none of the studies evaluated cost-effectiveness. Conclusion There is a need to develop mHealth interventions tailored for adolescents which are theoretically informed and incorporate effective behaviour change techniques. Such interventions, if low cost, have the potential to be a cost-effective means to improve the sexual and reproductive health outcomes in SSA

Streptomyces coelicolor strains lacking polyprenol phosphate mannose synthase and protein O-mannosyl transferase are hyper-susceptible to multiple antibiotics

Polyprenol phosphate mannose (PPM) is a lipid-linked sugar donor used by extra-cytoplasmic glycosyl tranferases in bacteria. PPM is synthesiszed by polyprenol phosphate mannose synthase, Ppm1, and in most Actinobacteria is used as the sugar donor for protein O-mannosyl transferase, Pmt, in protein glycosylation. Ppm1 and Pmt have homologues in yeasts and humans, where they are required for protein O-mannosylation. Actinobacteria also use PPM for lipoglycan biosynthesis. Here we show that ppm1 mutants of Streptomyces coelicolor have increased susceptibility to a number of antibiotics that target cell wall biosynthesis. The pmt mutants also have mildly increased antibiotic susceptibilities, in particular to β-lactams and vancomycin. Despite normal induction of the vancomycin gene cluster, vanSRJKHAX, the pmt and ppm1 mutants remained highly vancomycin sensitive indicating that the mechanism of resistance is blocked post-transcriptionally. Differential RNA expression analysis indicated that catabolic pathways were downregulated and anabolic ones upregulated in the ppm1 mutant compared to the parent or complemented strains. Of note was the increase in expression of fatty acid biosynthetic genes in the ppm1-mutant. A change in lipid composition was confirmed using Raman spectroscopy, which showed that the ppm1-mutant had a greater relative proportion of unsaturated fatty acids compared to the parent or the complemented mutant. Taken together, these data suggest that an inability to synthesize PPM (ppm1) and loss of the glycoproteome (pmt-mutant) can detrimentally affect membrane or cell envelope functions leading to loss of intrinsic and, in the case of vancomycin, acquired antibiotic resistance

Simulating Cardiac Fluid Dynamics in the Human Heart

Cardiac fluid dynamics fundamentally involves interactions between complex blood flows and the structural deformations of the muscular heart walls and the thin, flexible valve leaflets. There has been longstanding scientific, engineering, and medical interest in creating mathematical models of the heart that capture, explain, and predict these fluid-structure interactions. However, existing computational models that account for interactions among the blood, the actively contracting myocardium, and the cardiac valves are limited in their abilities to predict valve performance, resolve fine-scale flow features, or use realistic descriptions of tissue biomechanics. Here we introduce and benchmark a comprehensive mathematical model of cardiac fluid dynamics in the human heart. A unique feature of our model is that it incorporates biomechanically detailed descriptions of all major cardiac structures that are calibrated using tensile tests of human tissue specimens to reflect the heart's microstructure. Further, it is the first fluid-structure interaction model of the heart that provides anatomically and physiologically detailed representations of all four cardiac valves. We demonstrate that this integrative model generates physiologic dynamics, including realistic pressure-volume loops that automatically capture isovolumetric contraction and relaxation, and predicts fine-scale flow features. None of these outputs are prescribed; instead, they emerge from interactions within our comprehensive description of cardiac physiology. Such models can serve as tools for predicting the impacts of medical devices or clinical interventions. They also can serve as platforms for mechanistic studies of cardiac pathophysiology and dysfunction, including congenital defects, cardiomyopathies, and heart failure, that are difficult or impossible to perform in patients

Report of the Committee on Resolutions- Declaration

Pamphlet concerning a declaration made by the National Educational Association at the forty-third annual convention

Portfolio Vol. V N 1

Dippery, Franklin M. Unnamed. Prose. 2. Shields, Margaret. The Dance . Prose. 4. Raymond, Toby. Tundra . Prose. 7. Pruyn, Scott. Lest We Forget . Poem. 9. Tolan, Maurice. Pronounced \u27Mejico\u27 . Picture. 10. Phillips, Alison. Pronounced Mejico . Prose. 10. Benson, Virginia. Matter of Opinion . Poem. 12. Benson, Virginia. Cloud Shadows . Poem. 12. Benson, Virginia. Autumn Organist . Poem. 12. Sherman, Hoyt Leon. Orchard . Picture. 12. Nussbaum, Ervin. The End of John Brown . Picture. 13. Brannon, Pat. Revolution . Poem. 13. Anonymous, Pat. A Dream . Poem. 13. Anonymous, Pat. Her . Poem. 13. Seagrave, Leslie. Tibetan Rug . Prose. 14. Benson, Virginia. Cronin-The Keys of the Kingdom . Prose. 15. Benson, Virginia. Koestler-Darkness at Noon . Prose. 15. Jones, Charles. Mr. Doakes Almost Goes to Washington . Prose. 16. Collins, Peggy. Thespiana . Prose. 18. Smith, Duke. Keeping the Records Straight . Prose. 19

Portfolio Vol. IV N 2

Mahood, Danner L. War Sonnets. Poetry. 2. Lenser, Eugene. Landscape. Picture. 2. Lay, Mary Virginia. Damned Laughter. Prose. 3-4. Card, Dorothy. They Call It Love. Prose. 5. Kinney, John. Maestro. Prose. 7-9. Anstaett, Joe. Styleglance. Picture. 6. Beckham, Adela. Still the Echo. Poetry. 10. Bridge, Robert. Design for Life. Prose. 11. Seagrave, Dr. Gordon. Letter from Burma. Prose. 12-13. Chin, David K. To know their theatre is to know the Chinese people. Prose. 15. Jones, Charles. The Bookshelf. Prose. 16. Smith, Duke. Keeping the Records Straight. Prose. 17. Beckham, Adela. If Love Could Be. Prose. 19. Raymond, Toby. The Courtship of Miles Standish. Poetry. 20. King, Horace. The Case for Modern Art. Prose. 21-22. Elliot, Frances Gray. Black and White Dancers. Picture. 10