Physiotalk: Connectedness and constructive change – An explanatory theory

Physiotalk was launched in December 2013 with its main purpose being to help physiotherapists learn, share, influence and ultimately improve services for patients and communities through fortnightly tweetchats and related blogs. A tweetchat is defined as a formalised discussion held via Twitter at a set time on a predefined topic with questions tweeted out at regular intervals and bound by the use of a common hashtag; in this instance #physiotalk. Physiotalk tweetchats are held fortnightly and promoted through www.physiotalk.co.uk, Twitter and Facebook. The tweetchats can be hosted by Physiotalk or by a guest host who has a specific interest in a topic. In 2016 an investigation of the reach of Physiotalk was carried out using publicly available analytical tools which demonstrated the reach of this digital community both within the UK and globally. In two years Physiotalk had gained 12,592 followers from 113 countries and hosted 61 tweetchats with up to 99 people participating in each chat (Thomas et al 2016). There was a need to explore further beyond these metrics to look at the impact of participating in a Physiotalk tweetchat on the participants, with particular reference to continuing professional development (CPD).https://journals.kent.ac.uk/index.php/ajpp/article/view/8772pubpub

Concerted control of multiple histone promoter factors during cell density inhibition of proliferation in osteosarcoma cells: reciprocal regulation of cell cycle-controlled and bone-related genes

Cell density-induced growth inhibition of osteosarcoma cells (ROS 17/2.8) results in the shutdown of proliferation-specific histone H4 and H2B genes and the concomitant up-regulation of several osteoblast-related genes. In several respects, this reciprocal regulatory relationship is analogous to the proliferation/differentiation transition stage during development of the bone cell phenotype in normal diploid osteoblasts. Here, we comprehensively analyzed the promoter binding activities interfacing with key regulatory elements in the cell cycle-dependent histone and bone-specific osteocalcin genes. Similarly, we examined factors interacting with a series of general transcription regulatory elements that are present in a broad spectrum of promoters. The results show that histone promoter binding activities HiNF-D, HiNF-P/H4TF-2, H4UA-1, and OCT-1, as well as AP-1 activity, are proliferation dependent. These factors decline coordinately during the cessation of proliferation in both ROS 17/2.8 bone tumor cells and normal diploid osteoblasts. Collective down-regulation of these trans-activating factors occurs in both cell types within the physiological context of constitutive regulation of ubiquitous transcription factors (Sp1, ATF, and CCAAT binding proteins). In addition, during growth inhibition of ROS 17/2.8 cells we observe a complex series of modifications in protein/DNA interactions of the osteocalcin gene. These modifications include both increased and decreased representation of promoter factor complexes occurring at steroid hormone response elements as well as tissue-specific basal promoter sequences. These results demonstrate cell growth regulation of the promoter factors binding to the proliferation-specific histone and tissue-specific osteocalcin genes during the cessation of proliferation

Temporal dynamics of hot desert microbial communities reveal structural and functional responses to water input

8 páginas, 4 figuras. -- The first publication is available at https://www.nature.comThe temporal dynamics of desert soil microbial communities are poorly understood. Given the implications for ecosystem functioning under a global change scenario, a better understanding of desert microbial community stability is crucial. Here, we sampled soils in the central Namib Desert on sixteen different occasions over a one-year period. Using Illumina-based amplicon sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene, we found that α-diversity (richness) was more variable at a given sampling date (spatial variability) than over the course of one year (temporal variability). Community composition remained essentially unchanged across the first 10 months, indicating that spatial sampling might be more important than temporal sampling when assessing β-diversity patterns in desert soils. However, a major shift in microbial community composition was found following a single precipitation event. This shift in composition was associated with a rapid increase in CO2 respiration and productivity, supporting the view that desert soil microbial communities respond rapidly to re-wetting and that this response may be the result of both taxon-specific selection and changes in the availability or accessibility of organic substrates. Recovery to quasi pre-disturbance community composition was achieved within one month after rainfall.We gratefully acknowledge financial support from the National Research Foundation of South Africa (grant no.81779 and TTK2008052000003), the Research Council of Norway (grant No. 180352) and the University of the Western Cape. Partial support was also provided under the Laboratory Directed Research and Development Program at PNNL, a multiprogram national laboratory operated by Battelle for the U.S. Department of Energy under contract DE-AC05-76RL01830.Peer reviewe

Comparative systems biology of human and mouse as a tool to guide the modeling of human placental pathology

Placental abnormalities are associated with two of the most common and serious complications of human pregnancy, maternal preeclampsia (PE) and fetal intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), each disorder affecting ∼5% of all pregnancies. An important question for the use of the mouse as a model for studying human disease is the degree of functional conservation of genetic control pathways from human to mouse. The human and mouse placenta show structural similarities, but there have been no systematic attempts to assess their molecular similarities or differences. We collected protein and mRNA expression data through shot-gun proteomics and microarray expression analysis of the highly vascular exchange region, microdissected from the human and mouse near-term placenta. Over 7000 ortholog genes were detected with 70% co-expressed in both species. Close to 90% agreement was found between our human proteomic results and 1649 genes assayed by immunohistochemistry for expression in the human placenta in the Human Protein Atlas. Interestingly, over 80% of genes known to cause placental phenotypes in mouse are co-expressed in human. Several of these phenotype-associated proteins form a tight protein–protein interaction network involving 15 known and 34 novel candidate proteins also likely important in placental structure and/or function. The entire data are available as a web-accessible database to guide the informed development of mouse models to study human disease

Recovery from Covid-19 critical illness:a secondary analysis of the ISARIC4C CCP-UK cohort study and the RECOVER trial

Background: We aimed to compare the prevalence and severity of fatigue in survivors of Covid-19 versus non-Covid-19 critical illness, and to explore potential associations between baseline characteristics and worse recovery. Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis of two prospectively collected datasets. The population included was 92 patients who received invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) with Covid-19, and 240 patients who received IMV with non-Covid-19 illness before the pandemic. Follow-up data was collected post-hospital discharge using self-reported questionnaires. The main outcome measures were self-reported fatigue severity and the prevalence of severe fatigue (severity >7/10) 3 to 12-months post-hospital discharge. Results: Covid-19 IMV-patients were significantly younger with less prior comorbidity, and more males, than pre-pandemic IMV-patients. At 3-months, the prevalence (38.9% [7/18] vs. 27.1% [51/188]) and severity (median 5.5/10 vs. 5.0/10) of fatigue was similar between the Covid-19 and pre-pandemic populations respectively. At 6-months, the prevalence (10.3% [3/29] vs. 32.5% [54/166]) and severity (median 2.0/10 vs. 5.7/10) of fatigue was less in the Covid-19 cohort. In the total sample of IMV-patients included (i.e. all Covid-19 and pre- pandemic patients), having Covid-19 was significantly associated with less severe fatigue (severity <7/10) after adjusting for age, sex, and prior comorbidity (adjusted OR 0.35 (95%CI 0.15-0.76, p=0.01). Conclusion: Fatigue may be less severe after Covid-19 than after other critical illness

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

What matters versus what’s the matter – exploring perceptions of person-centred practice in nursing and physiotherapy social media communities: a qualitative study

This is a pre-copyedited, peer-reviewed version of the following article Ward, A., Eng, C., McCue, V., Stewart, R., Strain, K., McCormack, B., Dukhu, S., Thomas, J. & Bulley, C. (2018) What matters versus what’s the matter – exploring perceptions of person-centred practice in nursing and physiotherapy social media communities: a qualitative study. International Practice Development Journal, 8 (2), [Article: 3], which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.19043/ipdj.82.003 in the International Journal of Practice Development.Background: Person-centred practice (PCP) is advocated internationally across multiple healthcare contexts and professions. Originating in nursing and medicine, its enactment in physiotherapy requires careful consideration.Aims and Objectives: to explore perceptions of PCP within nursing and physiotherapy online social media communities to gain insight into differences and similarities in how PCP may be enacted professionally.Methods: A large, online focus group was undertaken through an international tweet chat within the existing social media communities: WeNurses and Physiotalk. Participants were fully informed before participation. Tweets from the hour-long tweet chat plus 15 minutes were downloaded via Symplur. Analysis was undertaken using Interpretative Phenomenological Approach with consideration of group development of insight and meaning. Tweets were analysed if by nurses and physiotherapists, related to the research aim, and interpretable.Results: 233 of 504 tweets were analysed, by 38 nurses and 23 physiotherapists. Four themes are discussed here: 1. Relationship between professionals and patients, 2. Perceptions of who holds the power, 3. Treating the condition not the person, and 4. Impacts of organisational demands. Nurses and physiotherapists were seen to share many perceptions of person-centred practice, with the latter demonstrating a focus on informed decision making and education to empower. Discussion also showed a biomedical approach was often taken by physiotherapists. Patient privacy was highlighted by nurses. Explanatory theory was produced to incorporate the views of physiotherapists alongside established perceptions of PCP from nursing literature, expanding insights into profession-specific applications.Conclusions: Perceptions of PCP described by participants were generally supportive of previous PCP frameworks. Insights suggested some physiotherapists may perceive their professional role in a way that is not completely consistent with PCP; this would benefit from further exploration. The importance of education to empower patients within collaborative relationships was emphasised in relation to physiotherapy and may represent key aspects of the role.IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: • Discussion supported many similarities in the perceptions of PCP between nursing and physiotherapy online communities that resonate with existing frameworks, including prioritisation of what matters to the patient and empowerment through relationship, and the barriers to this resulting from structures and cultures within workplaces. • Participants from both professions emphasised the importance of focusing on the beliefs, values and priorities of the person, in development of a collaborative relationship, with shared decision making. • Physiotherapists involved in the tweetchat placed additional emphasis on the need to empower patients through education, to enable greater participation in informed and shared decision making. • Tweets suggested that there are risks to the enactment of PCP among physiotherapists. Some may focus on the condition rather than the person, and view the professional as expert with greater power in the therapeutic relationship.8pubpub2 [3

Genetic epilepsy with febrile seizures plus: definite and borderline phenotypes

Generalised epilepsy with febrile seizures plus (GEFS+) is the most studied familial epilepsy syndrome. However, characteristics of UK families have not previously been reported. Among the first 80 families recruited to our families study, four broad subphenotypes were identified: families with classical GEFS+; families with borderline GEFS+; families with unclassified epilepsy; and families with an alternative syndromal diagnosis. Borderline GEFS+ families shared many characteristics of classical GEFS+ families—such as prominent febrile seizures plus and early onset febrile seizures—but included more adults with focal epilepsies (rather than the idiopathic generalised epilepsies predominating in GEFS+) and double the prevalence of migraine. Thus the authors believe that a novel and robust familial epilepsy phenotype has been identified. Subcategorising families with epilepsy is helpful in targeting both clinical and research resources. Most families with GEFS+ have no identified causal mutation, and so predicting genetic homogeneity by identifying endophenotypes becomes more important