Associations of TNFR1 with kidney function outcomes by age, gender, and baseline kidney function status: Data from the Heart and Soul Study.

Tumor necrosis factor receptor type 1 (TNFR1) is associated with kidney disease and mortality risk in various populations [1], [2]. We evaluated associations of TNFR1 with mortality and mediators of this relationship in doi: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2017.05.021. Whether or not these associations are influenced by age, gender, or baseline kidney function are not known. We evaluated associations of TNFR1 levels with measures of kidney function stratifying by these variables. Our outcomes included estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) < 60 ml/min/1.73 m2, albumin to creatinine ratio (ACR) >30 mg/g, and rapid kidney function loss, defined as a change in eGFR of greater than 3% per year

Testing the Assumptions of the Network Paradigm for Studying Depression

Depression is a major public health problem. Decades of research have been conducted to create a classification system aligned with the complex phenomenological features of depression. The dominant classification system for depression is the latent paradigm, which conceptualizes observable symptoms of depression as effects of an underlying disorder. There is increasing evidence, however, that the latent model is inadequate to inform the prognosis and treatment of depression. Specifically, evidence is accumulating that symptoms of depression do not necessarily arise due to an underlying condition, but that symptoms occur as a network in which each one is causally related to a previous symptom. This dissertation critically evaluated the underlying assumptions of this “network paradigm,” one of the frameworks which had been proposed as an alternative to the traditional latent paradigm, as an appropriate model for studying depression. The first chapter systematically evaluated empirical depression network studies regarding whether the study design included an examination of the paradigm’s assumptions. In the second chapter, I investigated the relationships among depressive symptoms and determined whether causal relationships among depressive symptoms, a key assumption underlying this paradigm, could be a plausible explanation. The last chapter investigated a central controversy within the network literature regarding consistent findings and measurement error. The first chapter found that the majority of depression network studies published in the literature were not capable of providing empirical support of symptom causal relationships and often neglected to investigate the impact of measurement error. The second chapter estimated a significant relationship between two depressive symptoms - sadness and anhedonia, using an inverse probability treatment-weighted regression estimation approach in the context of longitudinal data. Causal relationships among symptoms, a key assumption underlying the network paradigm, may be a plausible explanation for the depressive symptom relationships. The third chapter found that statistical network models are not robust to measurement error through a series of simulation studies. Measurement error remained a general threat against the network paradigm, and existing network findings should be interpreted with caution. Overall, the network paradigm may be appropriate for study depression, but existing findings should be interpreted with caution. There is a need to explore the fundamental assumptions of paradigms prior to widespread application

Impacts of new and emerging assistive technologies for ageing and disabled housing

This research looks at how smart home assistive technologies (AT) may be best used in both the aged care and disability sectors to reduce the need for support services. It includes an assessment of ease of use, quality-of-life and cost benefit analysis, and contributes to the development of policy options that could facilitate effective adoption of smart home AT in Australia

Art, entertainment and commodities : eroded boundaries in a mixed-use building in SoHo, New York

Thesis (M. Arch.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Architecture, 1998.Includes bibliographical references (p. 73-74).SoHo, in New York City, is a neighborhood with an intense mixture of diverse activities. However, its character is changing as more shops are moving in and forcing existing galleries out of their street level spaces or out of the neighborhood altogether. This project proposes a mixed-use building on an infill site in SoHo that condenses a mix of programs currently dispersed throughout the neighborhood and puts them into a single building. By integrating these diverse programs into a single design, the project confronts contemporary questions about the distinctions between art, entertainment and commodity. Within the thesis, unified modes of display, programmatic and spatial overlaps, and visual sequences are the means of architecturally eroding these boundaries.by Chu-Jun Huang.M.Arch

Public Health Implications of Evictions: Modeling the Costs for Landlords, Tenants, and Society

In the United States, more than 13% of renters experience a formal or informal eviction in their lifetime. Forced moves contribute to a decline in job status, mental and physical health, material possessions, safety, social networks, housing aid, and neighborhood stability. Previous research has explored the risk factors, causes, and costs to those burdened by evictions. However, the costs of evictions incurred by all stakeholders involved in the process of evictions and homelessness remain largely unexplored. The homeownership rate in New Haven is less than 30%, and more than 52% of households are ‘cost-burdened,’ meaning more than 30% of income “is spent on housing costs associated with owning or renting a home.” Thus, this project set out to analyze the contributing burdens of costs within New Haven, Connecticut.https://elischolar.library.yale.edu/ysph_pbchrr/1016/thumbnail.jp

Teacher development multi-year studies: Impact of COVID-19 on teaching practices in Lao PDR, Timor-Leste and Vanuatu: A discussion paper for practitioners and policymakers

The COVID-19 pandemic caused significant disruptions to education systems around the world. Many governments responded abruptly, quickly closing schools and transitioning to home learning. This paper explores the impact of extended school closures due to COVID-19 on teaching and student learning in three countries – Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Laos), Timor-Leste and Vanuatu. This research extends the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT)’s multi-year Teacher Development Studies, which are commissioned under the Evaluation Analytics Service (EAS). This study series involves the investigation of DFAT-funded teacher development initiatives in Laos, Timor-Leste and Vanuatu to understand the extent to which the investments have improved teaching quality and student learning. In 2021, regular data collection for the study was extended to include COVID-19 impact questions, thereby providing an opportunity to understand a wide range of education stakeholder perspectives on their experience of transitioning and implementing home learning, the impact on teaching practices and student learning, and the level of support teachers were provided during the pandemic

Understanding stigma as a barrier to accessing cancer treatment in South Africa: implications for public health campaigns

Introduction: Cancer contributes to significant illness burden in South Africa, with delayed diagnosis resulting from limited knowledge of cancer, lack of biomedical treatment and stigma. This study examines ways in which people are identified as having cancer through perspectives of traditional healing or the biomedical model. Additionally, we sought to understand the stigma associated with cancer, including stereotypes, anticipated discrimination and coping styles. Methods: Livestrong Foundation conducted 11 semi-structured focus groups with key community stakeholders in three South African townships. Interviews examined the negative consequences of being labeled with a cancer diagnosis as well as causes of, possible prevention of and barriers and methods to improve access to cancer treatment. Analyses were completed using directed content analysis. Results: Revealed three main labeling mechanisms: physical appearance of perceived signs/symptoms of cancer, diagnosis by a traditional healer, or a biomedical diagnosis by a Western physician. Being labeled led to anticipated discrimination in response to prevalent cancer stereotypes. This contributed to delayed treatment, use of traditional healers instead of biomedical treatment and secrecy of symptoms and/or diagnosis. Further, perceptions of cancer were commonly conflated with HIV/TB owing to prior educational campaigns. Conclusion: Our study deepens the understanding of the cancer labeling process in South Africa and the resulting negative effects of stigma. Future anti-stigma interventions should partner with traditional healers due to their respected community status and consider how previous health interventions may significantly impact current understandings of illness

Post-mortem culture of Balamuthia mandrillaris from the brain and cerebrospinal fluid of a case of granulomatous amoebic meningoencephalitis, using human brain microvascular endothelial cells

The first isolation in the UK of Balamuthia mandrillaris amoebae from a fatal case of granulomatous amoebic meningoencephalitis is reported. Using primary cultures of human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMECs), amoebae were isolated from the brain and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The cultures showed a cytopathic effect at 20–28 days, but morphologically identifiable B. mandrillaris amoebae were seen in cleared plaques in subcultures at 45 days. The identification of the organism was later confirmed using PCR on Chelex-treated extracts. Serum taken while the patient was still alive reacted strongly with slide antigen prepared from cultures of the post-mortem isolate, and also with those from a baboon B. mandrillaris strain at 1 : 10 000 in indirect immunofluorescence, but with Acanthamoeba castellanii (Neff) at 1 : 160, supporting B. mandrillaris to be the causative agent. If the presence of amoebae in the post-mortem CSF reflects the condition in life, PCR studies on CSF and on biopsies of cutaneous lesions may also be a valuable tool. The role of HBMECs in understanding the interactions of B. mandrillaris with the blood–brain barrier is discussed

DYn-2 based identification of Arabidopsis sulfenomes

Identifying the sulfenylation state of stressed cells is emerging as a strategic approach for the detection of key reactive oxygen species signaling proteins. Here, we optimized an in vivo trapping method for cysteine sulfenic acids in hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) stressed plant cells using a dimedone based DYn-2 probe. We demonstrated that DYn-2 specifically detects sulfenylation events in an H2O2 dose- and time-dependent way. With mass spectrometry, we identified 226 sulfenylated proteins after H2O2 treatment of Arabidopsis cells, residing in the cytoplasm (123); plastid (68); mitochondria (14); nucleus (10); endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi and plasma membrane (7) and peroxisomes (4). Of these, 123 sulfenylated proteins have never been reported before to undergo cysteine oxidative post-translational modifications in plants. All in all, with this DYn-2 approach, we have identified new sulfenylated proteins, and gave a first glance on the locations of the sulfenomes of Arabidopsis thaliana

Modernizing and Harmonizing Regulatory Data Requirements for Genetically Modified Crops-Perspectives From a Workshop

Genetically modified (GM) crops that have been engineered to express transgenes have been in commercial use since 1995 and are annually grown on 200 million hectares globally. These crops have provided documented benefits to food security, rural economies, and the environment, with no substantiated case of food, feed, or environmental harm attributable to cultivation or consumption. Despite this extensive history of advantages and safety, the level of regulatory scrutiny has continually increased, placing undue burdens on regulators, developers, and society, while reinforcing consumer distrust of the technology. CropLife International held a workshop at the 16th International Society of Biosafety Research (ISBR) Symposium to examine the scientific basis for modernizing global regulatory frameworks for GM crops. Participants represented a spectrum of global stakeholders, including academic researchers, GM crop developers, regulatory consultants, and regulators. Concurrently examining the considerations of food and feed safety, along with environmental safety, for GM crops, the workshop presented recommendations for a core set of data that should always be considered, and supplementary (i.e., conditional) data that would be warranted only on a case-by-case basis to address specific plausible hypotheses of harm. Then, using a case-study involving a hypothetical GM maize event expressing two familiar traits (insect protection and herbicide tolerance), participants were asked to consider these recommendations and discuss if any additional data might be warranted to support a science-based risk assessment or for regulatory decision-making. The discussions during the workshop highlighted that the set of data to address the food, feed, and environmental safety of the hypothetical GM maize, in relation to a conventional comparator, could be modernized compared to current global regulatory requirements. If these scientific approaches to modernize data packages for GM crop regulation were adopted globally, GM crops could be commercialized in a more timely manner, thereby enabling development of more diverse GM traits to benefit growers, consumers, and the environment