Memories of the future

The year is 2020. Sheffield University’s MSc in Electronic & Digital Library Management has been running for 10 years. What paths have its graduates’ careers taken

Multi-ancestry genome-wide association analyses improve resolution of genes and pathways influencing lung function and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease risk

Lung-function impairment underlies chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and predicts mortality. In the largest multi-ancestry genome-wide association meta-analysis of lung function to date, comprising 580,869 participants, we identified 1,020 independent association signals implicating 559 genes supported by ≥2 criteria from a systematic variant-to-gene mapping framework. These genes were enriched in 29 pathways. Individual variants showed heterogeneity across ancestries, age and smoking groups, and collectively as a genetic risk score showed strong association with COPD across ancestry groups. We undertook phenome-wide association studies for selected associated variants as well as trait and pathway-specific genetic risk scores to infer possible consequences of intervening in pathways underlying lung function. We highlight new putative causal variants, genes, proteins and pathways, including those targeted by existing drugs. These findings bring us closer to understanding the mechanisms underlying lung function and COPD, and should inform functional genomics experiments and potentially future COPD therapies

The Simulation and Prototyping of a Density-Based Smart Traffic Control System for Learning Purposes

 With the tremendous technological progress and the widespread use of a variety of technologies, we note how smart cities are providing services efficiently by using technologies. The aim of this project is to build a Smart Traffic Control System (STCS) to facilitate and optimize traffic flow, minimize traffic congestion, and reduce the waiting time by detecting the density on each street. This work has been carried on four phases. Firstly, collecting data by a questionnaire and we received 331 responses. Secondly, using Proteus simulation. Thirdly, building a low fidelity prototype, and fourthly: building the STCS model by using hardware (Arduino tools) and software (Arduino Software IDE). Finally, we learned how to build a system and we recommend using such a system in busy roads to reduced congestion and making traffic flow more efficient

The Simulation and Prototyping of a Density-Based Smart Traffic Control System for Learning Purposes

 With the tremendous technological progress and the widespread use of a variety of technologies, we note how smart cities are providing services efficiently by using technologies. The aim of this project is to build a Smart Traffic Control System (STCS) to facilitate and optimize traffic flow, minimize traffic congestion, and reduce the waiting time by detecting the density on each street. This work has been carried on four phases. Firstly, collecting data by a questionnaire and we received 331 responses. Secondly, using Proteus simulation. Thirdly, building a low fidelity prototype, and fourthly: building the STCS model by using hardware (Arduino tools) and software (Arduino Software IDE). Finally, we learned how to build a system and we recommend using such a system in busy roads to reduced congestion and making traffic flow more efficient.</span

Biosynthesis Effect of Egg White on Formation and Characteristics of NiO/NiCo₂O₄ Nanocomposites

For the successful production of NiO/NiCo2O4 nanocomposites, the environmentally friendly method of egg white supplementation has been used. Several analytical techniques were employed to characterize the morphology, purity, and crystal structure of the as-prepared nanocomposites. These techniques included transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The physical adsorption and magnetic properties of the investigated composite were determined using the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) method and a vibrating-sample magnetometer (VSM), respectively. The results have shown that the as-prepared composite particles had diameters of about 10–25 nm, with uniform distribution. The XRD analysis showed that the as-synthesized composites consisted entirely of cubic structures of both NiO and spinel NiCo2O4 nanoparticles, with a space group of Fd3m. The FTIR analysis showed characteristic vibration modes related to metal oxides, confirming the formation of composites containing NiO and NiCo2O4 crystallites. The investigated composites’ saturation magnetization (MS) and coercivity (HC) were easily controllable because of the ingredients’ ferromagnetic (NiCo2O4) and antiferromagnetic (NiO) characteristics. The excellent combination of the NiO/NiCo2O4 nanocomposites’ properties is anticipated to make this system suitable for a wide range of applications

Empower Generations: Longitudinal Study for National Capacities in Life Sciences and Healthcare

Background: The decrease in the number of adolescents showing genuine interest in the fields of healthcare has been one of the recent concerns worldwide. A plethora of studies have discussed the factors that influence career choices of high school students, including science educational pedagogies, gender, environment, the student’s cognitive capabilities, and social perceptions of occupations being gender-based. As reported in 2012, a majority of the Qatari high-school students have shown a greater interest in business, technological, and administrative careers and a lower interest in healthcare. Comprehensive national and institutional strategies have since been utilized to direct the interest of Qatari generation toward healthcare careers. Objective: The primary objective of this case-control study is to assess the effect of schooling type on the enrollment in the Empower Generations (EG) career training in healthcare at the Qatar University. The secondary objectives are: (1) to describe the effect of initial career interest on the EG and healthcare majors composite’s enrollments and (2) assess the association between the history of enrollment in EG and university GPAs. Method: This is a case-control study that utilized the Qatar University’s enrollment databases for the health professions majors, that is, Health Sciences, Medicine, Pharmacy, and Dentistry. The datasets were collected from the registration records between 2013 and 2020. The statistical analysis was performed on the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 26; the study used Chi-Square Test and Independence and logistic regression to assess the effect of schooling type and initial career interest on the enrollment in the EG training at the Qatar University. All statistics were tested for p = 0.05 and 95% CI. Results: Total QU-Health records of admissions from 2013 to 2020 involve 562 eligible students. A total of 180 students (32%) attended EG training before they were admitted to QU-Health, whereas a total of 382 (68%) were enrolled to QU-Health without attending EG training. The study revealed significant findings regarding the association between EG training and international schools (p < 0.001). Among the group who attended EG training, there were 63 students (75%) who reported that they did not have an initial career interest before they joined the EG training compared to 21 students (25%) reported that they did not have an initial career interest but enrolled immediately to healthcare majors. The findings indicate insignificant association between the history of EG training and the high school percentage p = 0.397. However, the association between a history of EG training and the university’s GPA is significant, with a p < 0.001, OR 5.016 (2.954–8.518). Conclusion: The study has shown significant association between the EG training enrollment and the type of school and the initial career interest of high school students. The EG training is perceived to direct the interest of high school students toward the careers of healthcare and is thought to enhance the performance of college students through their university’s GPAs

Multi-ancestry genome-wide association analyses improve resolution of genes and pathways influencing lung function and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease risk

Funder: British Lung Foundation (BLF); doi: https://doi.org/10.13039/501100000351Funder: DH | National Institute for Health Research (NIHR); doi: https://doi.org/10.13039/501100000272AbstractLung-function impairment underlies chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and predicts mortality. In the largest multi-ancestry genome-wide association meta-analysis of lung function to date, comprising 580,869 participants, we identified 1,020 independent association signals implicating 559 genes supported by ≥2 criteria from a systematic variant-to-gene mapping framework. These genes were enriched in 29 pathways. Individual variants showed heterogeneity across ancestries, age and smoking groups, and collectively as a genetic risk score showed strong association with COPD across ancestry groups. We undertook phenome-wide association studies for selected associated variants as well as trait and pathway-specific genetic risk scores to infer possible consequences of intervening in pathways underlying lung function. We highlight new putative causal variants, genes, proteins and pathways, including those targeted by existing drugs. These findings bring us closer to understanding the mechanisms underlying lung function and COPD, and should inform functional genomics experiments and potentially future COPD therapies.</jats:p

Global economic burden of unmet surgical need for appendicitis

Background There is a substantial gap in provision of adequate surgical care in many low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to identify the economic burden of unmet surgical need for the common condition of appendicitis. Methods Data on the incidence of appendicitis from 170 countries and two different approaches were used to estimate numbers of patients who do not receive surgery: as a fixed proportion of the total unmet surgical need per country (approach 1); and based on country income status (approach 2). Indirect costs with current levels of access and local quality, and those if quality were at the standards of high-income countries, were estimated. A human capital approach was applied, focusing on the economic burden resulting from premature death and absenteeism. Results Excess mortality was 4185 per 100 000 cases of appendicitis using approach 1 and 3448 per 100 000 using approach 2. The economic burden of continuing current levels of access and local quality was US $92 492 million using approach 1 and$73 141 million using approach 2. The economic burden of not providing surgical care to the standards of high-income countries was $95 004 million using approach 1 and$75 666 million using approach 2. The largest share of these costs resulted from premature death (97.7 per cent) and lack of access (97.0 per cent) in contrast to lack of quality. Conclusion For a comparatively non-complex emergency condition such as appendicitis, increasing access to care should be prioritized. Although improving quality of care should not be neglected, increasing provision of care at current standards could reduce societal costs substantially