Gold Coating of Respiratory Cilia for Scanning Electron Microscopy

The optimal thickness of gold coating of cilia for scanning electron microscopy was studied using respiratory mucosa obtained from pigs. We tested 8 different coating times, from 10 seconds to 4 minutes, which resulted in gold layer thicknesses varying from 16 ± 1 nm to 100 ± 3 nm. The thickness of the gold layer with a coating time of 60 seconds and voltage of 2.5 kV was 43 ± 5 nm. This thickness of gold layer gave good image quality without causing any electric charging. With thinner gold films, the amount of electric charging increased. When the coating time was longer, the gold layer was thicker but image quality did not improve. The thicknesses of the gold layers were measured using transmission electron microscopy (TEM)

Yläkoulun liikunnanopettajien kokemuksia ja näkemyksiä koulupäivien liikunnallistamisesta

Yläkoululaiset viettävät arkivuorokaudesta noin kolmasosan koulussa, jonka rooli onkin merkittävä fyysisen aktiivisuuden mahdollistajana. Liikkuva koulu -ohjelma on nimetty päätoimeksi tunnin liikunta-annoksen toteutumiseksi jokaisella oppilaalla, jokaisena koulupäivänä. Toimintakulttuurin liikunnallistaminen on peruskouluihin kohdentuva muutos, jonka onnistuminen vaatii eri toimijatahojen osallisuutta. Tässä tutkimuksessa kartoitettiin yläkoulun liikunnanopettajien kokemuksia ja näkemyksiä 1) liikunnallistamisesta vastanneista tahoista, 2) liikunnallistamisen vaikutuksista omaan työnkuvaan ja 3) oppilaiden mahdollisuuksista saavuttaa tunti liikuntaa koulupäivinä. Liikunnanopettajia lähestyttiin Liikunnan ja Terveystiedon Opettajat ry:n jäsensähköpostilistan kautta touko- ja syyskuussa 2016 (n = 99). Aineistoa analysoitiin frekvenssein, keskiarvoin ja -hajonnoin, Mann-Whitneyn U-testillä sekä teemoitellen. Yli puolet liikunnanopettajista koki liikunnallistamisen jääneen yksin heidän harteilleen lisäten työmäärää, kiirettä ja rasitusta. Silti he näkivät sen eteen tehtävän liian vähän ja muun opetushenkilökunnan osallisuutta peräänkuulutettiin. Suhtautuminen oppilaiden mahdollisuuksiin saavuttaa tunti liikuntaa koulupäivinä oli varovaisen optimistista. Koulupäivän rakenteen muuttaminen nähtiin merkittävänä tekijänä tavoitteen saavuttamiseksi. Oppilaiden asenteissa koettiin myönteistä muutosta tehtyjen liikunnallistamistoimenpiteiden myötä. Toimintakulttuurin liikunnallistamisprosessin organisointi ja vastuunjako yläkouluissa vaativat lisäselvitystä. Liikunnallistamispyrkimysten koettiin tuoneen uusia työtehtäviä vanhojen päälle eikä niinkään muuttaneen liikunnanopettajien työnkuvaa, jonka johdosta ammattiryhmän työhyvinvointia tulee seurata. Mikä on yläkoulun muiden aineenopettajien rooli ja kokemus koulupäivien liikunnallistamisesta – mikäli näitä ei ole, mitkä ovat syitä siihen?</p

COVID Smell Tracker: A research-based mobile application to study smell loss in subjects with COVID-19

Introduction: Up to 60% of people infected with SARS-CoV-2 report anosmia or ageusia during their disease course. “COVID Smell Tracker” is a smart phone application (app) developed to elucidate the onset, duration and extent of anosmia and ageusia through questionnaires. Methods: “COVID Smell Tracker” is publicly available on smart phone devices (www.covidsmelltracker.org). Users complete surveys around demographics, medical history, COVID status and symptomology. Deidentified responses were collated and analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results: Of the 266 users included, the majority were located in Europe (43%) and North America (33%). Male, Caucasian users were most common (54.9% and 61.7% respectively), followed by Indian (10.5%) and Latino (9.4%). The majority of users reported no COVID testing (63%). 164 users reported COVID-related symptoms, and 57% of them reported olfactory dysfunction. Users who were younger age (p = 0.0003) and with type A and B blood types (p = 0.021) experienced smell loss at higher frequencies. Dysgeusia was associated with 28-34% of patients with concomitant smell loss, versus 6%-9% in users without. Smell loss was described as “sudden” (63%), occurring on average 3 days following the onset of any other symptom. Of those that reported resolution of their smell loss, 50% resolved in 1 week, with 75% resolution reported within 1 month. Conclusions: The results herein correlate with other established COVID-related studies, despite relying on purely volunteered data from participants from around the world. This is the first study to suggest an association of age and blood type with smell loss. Mobile app use offers a novel method for safe, remote and granular insight into those suffering from infectious diseases like COVID-19

Outcomes of Dupilumab treatment in patients presenting with severe asthma or chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps, over the age of 65

Introduction: Dupilumab is an IL-4/13 inhibitor that has been successfully implemented in the treatment of severe asthma and chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP). The safety and efficacy of Dupilumab has not been reported for these indications in patients over the age of 65. This study aims to determine the long-term benefits of dupilumab while detailing adverse effects. Methods: This study is a single institution retrospective review of patients receiving dupilumab for severe asthma and/or CRSwNP from 2018 to present. Charts were reviewed for patient demographics, Sino-nasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22) scores, asthma control test (ACT) scores, polyp scores, and adverse effects. We reported the findings of patients over the age of 65 whose first biologic was dupilumab. Results: Thirty-one patients over the age of 65 were identified (mean = 72.2), 18 (58.1%) of whom are female. Twelve (38.7%) presented with severe asthma, 7 (22.6%) with CRSwNP and 12 (38.7%) with both severe asthma and CRSwNP. Compared to baseline, there was a significant difference observed within patients in mean ACT (17.8 to 20.3; n=13, p=0.002), SNOT-22 (40.5 to 23.4; n=10, p= 0.015), and polyp scores (3.06 to 1.13; n=8, p=0.010) post-treatment initiation. Seven patients (22.6%) reported adverse reactions that may or may not be related to dupilumab. Adverse reactions included ophthalmologic (1), musculoskeletal (1), dermatologic (2) and other (2) which included lower extremity edema, tinnitus, hair loss, and TMJ pain. Zero patients reported allergic reactions. Four of the 7 patients who experienced adverse reactions chose to continue dupilumab therapy, while 3 discontinued. Conclusions: Patients over 65 on dupilumab showed improvement in asthma and CRSwNP symptoms. There were significant improvements in ACT, SNOT-22, and nasal polyp scores withing 9 months of therapy initiation. The majority did not experience any adverse effects, demonstrating the value of dupilumab treatment in this patient cohort

International Consensus Statement on Allergy and Rhinology: Allergic Rhinitis

Background: Critical examination of the quality and validity of available allergic rhinitis (AR) literature is necessary to improve understanding and to appropriately translate this knowledge to clinical care of the AR patient. To evaluate the existing AR literature, international multidisciplinary experts with an interest in AR have produced the International Consensus statement on Allergy and Rhinology: Allergic Rhinitis (ICAR:AR). Methods: Using previously described methodology, specific topics were developed relating to AR. Each topic was assigned a literature review, evidence-based review (EBR), or evidence-based review with recommendations (EBRR) format as dictated by available evidence and purpose within the ICAR:AR document. Following iterative reviews of each topic, the ICAR:AR document was synthesized and reviewed by all authors for consensus. Results: The ICAR:AR document addresses over 100 individual topics related to AR, including diagnosis, pathophysiology, epidemiology, disease burden, risk factors for the development of AR, allergy testing modalities, treatment, and other conditions/comorbidities associated with AR. Conclusion: This critical review of the AR literature has identified several strengths; providers can be confident that treatment decisions are supported by rigorous studies. However, there are also substantial gaps in the AR literature. These knowledge gaps should be viewed as opportunities for improvement, as often the things that we teach and the medicine that we practice are not based on the best quality evidence. This document aims to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of the AR literature to identify areas for future AR research and improved understanding

Whole-genome DNA/RNA sequencing identifies truncating mutations in RBCK1 in a novel Mendelian disease with neuromuscular and cardiac involvement

Background: Whole-exome sequencing has identified the causes of several Mendelian diseases by analyzing multiple unrelated cases, but it is more challenging to resolve the cause of extremely rare and suspected Mendelian diseases from individual families. We identified a family quartet with two children, both affected with a previously unreported disease, characterized by progressive muscular weakness and cardiomyopathy, with normal intelligence. During the course of the study, we identified one additional unrelated patient with a comparable phenotype. Methods: We performed whole-genome sequencing (Complete Genomics platform), whole-exome sequencing (Agilent SureSelect exon capture and Illumina Genome Analyzer II platform), SNP genotyping (Illumina HumanHap550 SNP array) and Sanger sequencing on blood samples, as well as RNA-Seq (Illumina HiSeq platform) on transformed lymphoblastoid cell lines. Results: From whole-genome sequence data, we identified RBCK1, a gene encoding an E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase, as the most likely candidate gene, with two protein-truncating mutations in probands in the first family. However, exome data failed to nominate RBCK1 as a candidate gene, due to poor regional coverage. Sanger sequencing identified a private homozygous splice variant in RBCK1 in the proband in the second family, yet SNP genotyping revealed a 1.2Mb copy-neutral region of homozygosity covering RBCK1. RNA-Seq confirmed aberrant splicing of RBCK1 transcripts, resulting in truncated protein products. Conclusions: While the exact mechanism by which these mutations cause disease is unknown, our study represents an example of how the combined use of whole-genome DNA and RNA sequencing can identify a disease-predisposing gene for a novel and extremely rare Mendelian disease

Level of Fatty Acid Binding Protein 5 (FABP5) Is Increased in Sputum of Allergic Asthmatics and Links to Airway Remodeling and Inflammation

FABP5 may contribute to the airway remodeling and inflammation in asthma by fine-tuning the levels of CysLTs, which induce VEGF production.</p