Microbial carbon oxidation in seawater below the hypoxic threshold.

Global oxygen minimum zones (OMZs) often reach hypoxia but seldom reach anoxia. Recently it was reported that Michaelis Menten constants (K) of oxidative enzymes are orders of magnitude higher than respiratory K values, and in the Hypoxic Barrier Hypothesis it was proposed that, in ecosystems experiencing falling oxygen, oxygenase enzyme activities become oxygen-limited long before respiration. We conducted a mesocosm experiment with a phytoplankton bloom as an organic carbon source and controlled dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations in the dark to determine whether hypoxia slows carbon oxidation and oxygen decline.

Factors associated with male recruitment in a multi-site randomized behavioral clinical trial targeting the metabolic syndrome: analysis of screening and recruitment data from the ELM trial.

Background: Males are underrepresented in behavioral clinical trials of lifestyle. The aim of this exploratory study was to investigate factors associated with trial interest in males at different stages of recruitment and overall, into a multi-site behavioral trial targeting lifestyle change and remission of the metabolic syndrome. Similar analyses were performed for female participation to investigate the uniqueness or consistency with the findings for males.

SARS-CoV-2 Infections in a Triad of Primary School Learners (Grades 1-7), Their Parents, and Teachers in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: Protocol for a Cross-Sectional and Nested Case-Cohort Study.

Background: In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) such as South Africa, there is paucity of data on SARS-CoV-2 infections among children attending school, including seroprevalence and transmission dynamics.

Objective: This pilot study aims to assess (1) the prevalence of self-reported or confirmed SARS-CoV-2 prior infections, COVID-19 symptoms (including long COVID), seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, and general/mental health, (2) longitudinal changes in SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence, and (3) SARS-CoV-2 acute infections, immune responses, transmission dynamics, and symptomatic versus asymptomatic contacts in a unique cohort of unvaccinated primary school learners, their parents, teachers, and close contacts in semirural primary school settings.

Methods: Learners (grades 1-7) from primary schools in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, their parents, and teachers will be invited to enroll into the COVID kids school study (CoKiDSS).

Dependability of individualized Direct Behavior Rating Multi-Item Scales (DBR-MIS) for academic enablers.

The present study examined the dependability of three newly developed direct behavior rating multi-item scales (DBR-MIS) of academic enablers (i.e., academic engagement, interpersonal skills, and study skills).

Private sector tuberculosis care quality during the COVID-19 pandemic: a repeated cross-sectional standardised patients study of adherence to national TB guidelines in urban Nigeria.

Only a third of tuberculosis (TB) cases in Nigeria in 2020 were diagnosed and notified, in part due to low detection and under-reporting from the private health sector. Using a standardised patient (SP) survey approach, we assessed how management of presumptive TB in the private sector aligns with national guidelines and whether this differed from a study conducted before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. 13 SPs presented a presumptive TB case to 511 private providers in urban areas of Lagos and Kano states in May and June 2021.

Previous reproductive success and environmental variation influence nest-site fidelity of a subarctic-nesting goose.

Nest-site fidelity is a common strategy in birds and is believed to be adaptive due to familiarity with local conditions. Returning to previously successful nest sites (i.e.

Individual joint contributions to forward propulsion are not related to stability during walking in young or older adults.

Background: Older adults are less stable and walk slower than younger adults, both of which are associated with higher fall risk. Older adults use ankle musculature less and rely more on hip contributions for forward propulsion than younger adults, which has been suggested to be a protective walking strategy to increase stability. However, whether distal-to-proximal redistribution of propulsion and dynamic margin of stability are related has not been determined.

Safety and immunogenicity after a 30-month boost of a subtype C ALVAC-HIV (vCP2438) vaccine prime plus bivalent subtype C gp120/MF59 vaccine boost (HVTN 100): A phase 1-2 randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial.

Induction of broad, durable immune responses is a challenge in HIV vaccine development. HVTN 100 Part A administered subtype C-containing ALVAC-HIV at months 0 and 1, and ALVAC-HIV with bivalent subtype C gp120/MF59 at months 3, 6 and 12. As IgG binding antibody and T-cell responses were similar or greater at month 12.

Exploring threats to internal validity of direct assessment in single-case design research.

Single-case design research studies have historically used external observers to collect time series data that may be used to evaluate intervention effectiveness; however, single-case interventions implemented in educational settings may use the person implementing the intervention (e.g., teacher) to collect data in order to maximize feasibility.

A Qualitative Description of Graduate Students' Perceived Decline in Physical Activity from Undergraduate School.

Many university students, especially graduate students, are experiencing poor physical and psychological health. Thus, universities are initiating programs like Exercise is Medicine-On Campus (EIM-OC) to promote positive physical activity behavior to improve physical and mental health for primarily undergraduate university students. However, the influences on physical activity when transitioning from an undergraduate to a graduate student are unknown.

Changes in physical activity and sleep following the COVID-19 pandemic on a university campus: Perception versus reality.

It has been hypothesized that key lifestyle behaviors of physical activity and sleep worsened in response to the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. However, there have been inconsistencies in findings of changes in these key lifestyle behaviors across populations likely due to the wide variety of assessment methods. The purpose of the study was to compare physical activity and sleep before and after the COVID-19 pandemic using accelerometers and self-reported behaviors.

Genetic adaptation despite high gene flow in a range-expanding population.

Signals of natural selection can be quickly eroded in high gene flow systems, curtailing efforts to understand how and when genetic adaptation occurs in the ocean. This long-standing, unresolved topic in ecology and evolution has renewed importance because changing environmental conditions are driving range expansions that may necessitate rapid evolutionary responses. One example occurs in Kellet's whelk (Kelletia kelletii), a common subtidal gastropod with an ~40- to 60-day pelagic larval duration that expanded their biogeographic range northwards in the 1970s by over 300 km.

Elder Mistreatment Documentation by Prehospital Clinicians: An Analysis of the National Emergency Medical Services Information System Database.

Objectives: Elder mistreatment (EM), encompassing abuse and neglect, is a significant public health issue, affecting up to 10% of community-dwelling older adults annually. Elder mistreatment is a growing concern with a higher prevalence in institutional settings and substantial associated healthcare costs. Prehospital clinicians (PHCs) such as emergency medical technicians and paramedics are uniquely positioned to detect and report EM during their interactions with older adults in their homes.

Pneumothorax Identified by a Remote Physician Using Paramedic-obtained Tele-ultrasound: Case Report.

Introduction: The use of telemedicine and ultrasound is emerging and novel in the field of community paramedicine. However, there is a paucity of data supporting its use and even less evidence that shows a morbidity and mortality benefit. This case highlights a unique way to diagnose a common medical emergency, which can lead to a good outcome.

The Medicines Intelligence Data Platform: A Population-Based Data Resource From New South Wales, Australia.

Background: The Medicines Intelligence (MedIntel) Data Platform is an anonymised linked data resource designed to generate real-world evidence on prescribed medicine use, effectiveness, safety, costs and cost-effectiveness in Australia.

Results: The platform comprises Medicare-eligible people who are ≥18 years and residing in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, any time during 2005-2020, with linked administrative data on dispensed prescription medicines (Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme), health service use (Medicare Benefits Schedule), emergency department visits (NSW Emergency Department Data Collection), hospitalisations (NSW Admitted Patient Data Collection) plus death (National Death Index) and cancer registrations (NSW Cancer Registry). Data are currently available to 2022, with approval to update the cohort and data collections annually.

Safety and pharmacokinetics of subcutaneous administration of broadly neutralizing anti-HIV-1 monoclonal antibodies (bNAbs), given to HIV-1 exposed, uninfected neonates and infants: study protocol for a phase I trial.

Background: The ambitious goal to eliminate new pediatric HIV infections by 2030 requires accelerated prevention strategies in high-risk settings such as South Africa. One approach could be pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) with broadly neutralizing anti-HIV-1 monoclonal antibodies (bNAbs). The aim of our study is to define the optimal dose(s), the ideal combination(s) of bNAbs in terms of potency and breadth, and timing of subcutaneous (SC) administration(s) to prevent breast milk transmission of HIV.

Using tele-paramedicine to conduct in-home fall risk reduction after emergency department discharge: Preliminary data.

Background: Older adults discharged from our emergency department (ED) do not receive comprehensive fall risk evaluations. We conducted a quality improvement project using an existing Community Tele-Paramedicine (CTP) program to perform in-home fall risk assessment and mitigation after ED discharge.

Methods: High falls-risk patients, as defined by STEADI score >4, were referred for a CTP home visit by community paramedics supervised virtually by emergency physicians.

Feasibility and impact of a physical activity and lifestyle program for Aboriginal families with Machado-Joseph disease in the Top End of Australia.

Introduction: Physical activity and lifestyle programs are scarce for people with hereditary ataxias and neurodegenerative diseases. Aboriginal families in the Top End of Australia who have lived with Machado-Joseph disease (MJD) for generations co-designed a physical activity and lifestyle program called the Staying Strong Toolbox. The aim of the present study was to explore feasibility and impact of the program on walking and moving around.

Trajectories of Opioid Use Before and After Cancer Diagnosis: A Population-Based Cohort Study.

Background: Opioid use prior to cancer diagnosis increases the likelihood of long-term use during survivorship, however, patterns of use before and after diagnosis are not understood.

Methods: We used population-based dispensing data linked with cancer and death notifications to identify two cohorts of adults residing in New South Wales initiating opioids within 24 months prior to a first cancer diagnosed between 2014 and 2016: 'survivors' (alive 24 months following diagnosis) and 'decedents' (died within 24 months). We used group-based trajectory modelling to identify trajectories of monthly opioid dispensings and dispensed oral morphine equivalent milligrams (OMEmg) during the 24 months before/after cancer diagnosis.

The medical competence of health care providers in sub-Saharan Africa: Evidence from 16 127 providers across 11 countries.

Despite a consensus that quality of care is critically deficient in low-income countries, few nationally representative studies provide comparable measures of quality of care across countries. To address this gap, we used nationally representative data from in-person administrations of clinical vignettes to measure the competence of 16 127 health care providers across 11 sub-Saharan African countries. Rather than large variations across countries, we found that 81% of the variation in competence is within countries and the characteristics of health care providers do not explain most of this variation.

Astrocytic RIPK3 exerts protective anti-inflammatory activity during viral encephalitis via induction of serpin protease inhibitors.

Flaviviruses pose a significant threat to public health due to their ability to infect the central nervous system (CNS) and cause severe neurologic disease. Astrocytes play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of flavivirus encephalitis through their maintenance of blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity and their modulation of immune cell recruitment and activation within the CNS. We have previously shown that receptor interacting protein kinase-3 (RIPK3) is a central coordinator of neuroinflammation during CNS viral infection, a function that occurs independently of its canonical function in inducing necroptotic cell death.

Metabolic Resistance and Not Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel Gene Mutation Is Associated with Pyrethroid Resistance of (Skuse, 1894) from Cambodia.

(1) Background: In Cambodia, is an important vector of the dengue virus. Vector control using insecticides is a major strategy implemented in managing mosquito-borne diseases. Resistance, however, threatens to undermine the use of insecticides.

Neuronal DAMPs exacerbate neurodegeneration via astrocytic RIPK3 signaling.

Astrocyte activation is a common feature of neurodegenerative diseases. However, the ways in which dying neurons influence the activity of astrocytes is poorly understood. Receptor interacting protein kinase-3 (RIPK3) signaling has recently been described as a key regulator of neuroinflammation, but whether this kinase mediates astrocytic responsiveness to neuronal death has not yet been studied.

RIPK3 promotes neuronal survival by suppressing excitatory neurotransmission during CNS viral infection.

While recent work has identified roles for immune mediators in the regulation of neural activity, the capacity for cell intrinsic innate immune signaling within neurons to influence neurotransmission remains poorly understood. However, the existing evidence linking immune signaling with neuronal function suggests that modulation of neurotransmission may serve previously undefined roles in host protection during infection of the central nervous system. Here, we identify a specialized function for RIPK3, a kinase traditionally associated with necroptotic cell death, in preserving neuronal survival during neurotropic flavivirus infection through the suppression of excitatory neurotransmission.