Biological Amyloids Chemically Damage DNA.

Amyloid fibrils are protein polymers noncovalently assembled through β-strands arranged in a cross-β structure. Biological amyloids were considered chemically inert until we and others recently demonstrated their ability to catalyze chemical reactions in vitro. To further explore the functional repertoire of amyloids, we here probe if fibrils of α-synuclein (αS) display chemical reactivity toward DNA.

Experiences Using Media Health Claims to Teach Evidence-Based Practice to Healthcare Students: A Mixed Methods Study.

Background: A multifaceted and interactive teaching approach is recommended for achieving proficiency in evidence-based practice, with critical thinking considered vital for connecting theory and practice. In this context, we advocate the strategic use of health claims in the media to promote critical thinking, complemented by a blended learning approach and a group exam.

Method: We conducted a convergent mixed methods study, including a cross-sectional survey with structured and open-ended questions as well as focus group interviews, at Oslo Metropolitan University, during the 2020-2021 academic year.

Chlorella and vegetable oil inclusion in diets for growing rabbits: effects on growth, digestibility, plasma metabolites, and caecal fermentations and microbiota.

The inclusion of microalgae in livestock diets has been shown to enhance animal productivity, immune response, and meat quality. However, the role of chlorella (Chlorella vulgaris) in growing rabbit nutrition has been scarcely explored, with available studies focusing on low inclusion levels (<1%) and their effects on rabbit growth and immune response. This study evaluated the growth performance, nutrient digestibility, plasma metabolites, caecal fermentative activity, and caecal microbiota composition of growing rabbits fed diets with different inclusion levels of chlorella and crude fat.

Vegetarians' and vegans' experiences with and attitudes towards ultra-processed foods (UPF): a qualitative study.

Background: The consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPF) is increasing in many countries. Simultaneously, there is a growing number of consumers that follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, many due to its possible positive impact on sustainability and food waste. However, little is known about attitudes towards and experiences with UPF among vegetarians and vegans.

Can general exercise training and pelvic floor muscle training be used as an empowering tool among women with endometriosis? Experiences among women with endometriosis participating in the intervention group of a randomized controlled trial.

Background: The potential benefit of exercise in alleviating symptoms of endometriosis is unclear. Still, exercise may be used to empower women and manage disease symptoms. The purpose of this study was to explore how regular supervised group- and individual exercise training, including pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT), is experienced among women with endometriosis after participating in a randomized controlled trial (RCT).

Design, synthesis and antimycobacterial activity of imidazo[1,5-]quinolines and their zinc-complexes.

Tuberculosis has remained one of the world's deadliest infectious diseases. The complexity and numerous adverse effects of current treatment options as well as the emergence of multi-drug resistant (Mtb) demand research and innovation efforts to yield new anti-mycobacterial agents. In this study, we synthesized a series of imidazo[1,5-]quinolines, including 4 new analogs, and evaluated their activity against Mtb.

Facilitators and barriers to online group work in higher education within health sciences - a scoping review.

Introduction: In health education, group work is essential to prepare students for working in health care and medical teams. Following the widespread adoption of online teaching, group work increasingly takes place in online environments. Although successful group work can provide good learning outcomes, it is unclear what facilitates or hinders online group work in health science education, and to what extent this topic has been addressed.

High-sensitive troponinT, interleukin-8, and interleukin-6 link with post-surgery risk in infant heart surgery.

Background: This study focuses on biomarkers in infants after open heart surgery, and examines the association of high-sensitive troponin T (hs-cTnT), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-8 (IL-8) with postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI), ventilatory support time and need of vasoactive drugs.

Methods: Secondary exploratory study from a double-blinded clinical randomized trial (Mile-1) on 70 infants undergoing open heart surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). In this sub-study, the entire study population was examined without considering the study drugs.

Biomarkers of chronic airflow limitation and COPD identified by mass spectrometry.

Rationale: COPD affects 300 million people worldwide and is the third leading cause of death according to World Health Organization global health estimates. Early symptoms are subtle, and so COPD is often diagnosed at an advanced stage. Thus, there is an unmet need for biomarkers that can identify individuals at early stages of the disease before clinical symptoms have manifested.

Development of 2nd generation aminomethyl spectinomycins that overcome native efflux in abscessus.

(), a nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) species, is an emerging pathogen with high intrinsic drug resistance. Current standard-of-care therapy results in poor outcomes, demonstrating the urgent need to develop effective antimycobacterial regimens. Through synthetic modification of spectinomycin (SPC), we have identified a distinct structural subclass of N-ethylene linked aminomethyl SPCs (eAmSPCs) that are up to 64-fold more potent against over the parent SPC.

Experiences of social support by participants with morbid obesity who participate in a rehabilitation program for health-behavior change: a qualitative study.

Background: Obesity is a global public health concern with significant implications for individuals' physical health and overall well-being. Health-behavior change programs are crucial for addressing obesity and its associated health risks. Social support plays a central role in facilitating successful outcomes in these programs, yet limited qualitative research exists on the experiences of individuals with morbid obesity participating in such interventions.

Experiences of living with binge eating disorder and facilitators of recovery processes: a qualitative study.

Background: Binge eating disorder (BED) is the most prevalent eating disorder worldwide. BED is often associated with low quality of life and mental health problems. Given the complexity of the disorder, recovery may be challenging.

Calcineurin stimulation by Cnb1p overproduction mitigates protein aggregation and α-synuclein toxicity in a yeast model of synucleinopathy.

The calcium-responsive phosphatase, calcineurin, senses changes in Ca concentrations in a calmodulin-dependent manner. Here we report that under non-stress conditions, inactivation of calcineurin signaling or deleting the calcineurin-dependent transcription factor CRZ1 triggered the formation of chaperone Hsp100p (Hsp104p)-associated protein aggregates in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Furthermore, calcineurin inactivation aggravated α-Synuclein-related cytotoxicity.

Nasal IL-13 production identifies patients with late-phase allergic responses.

Background: There is limited knowledge on how local cytokine secretion patterns after nasal allergen challenge correlate with clinical symptoms especially with regard to the "late allergic response," which occurs in approximately 40% to 50% of patients with allergy.

Objective: We sought to characterize the immunologic and clinical nasal responses to birch pollen allergen challenge with a special focus on the late allergic response.

Methods: In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, birch pollen-allergic participants were challenged with birch pollen extract (n = 20) or placebo (n = 10) on 3 consecutive days.

Purchase of ultra-processed foods in Norway: a repeated cross-sectional analysis of food sales in 2013 and 2019.

Objective: A dietary pattern dominated by ultra-processed foods has been associated with non-communicable diseases in several studies. A previous study from 2013 found a high share of ultra-processed foods in Norwegian food sales. This study aimed to investigate the current share of ultra-processed foods in Norway and the development in expenditure on ultra-processed foods from 2013.

Development and Evaluation of a Serious Game Application to Engage University Students in Critical Thinking About Health Claims: Mixed Methods Study.

Background: Misleading health claims are widespread in the media, and making choices based on such claims can negatively affect health. Thus, developing effective learning resources to enable people to think critically about health claims is of great value. Serious games can become an effective learning resource in this respect, as they can affect motivation and learning.

Disulfide-Bond-Induced Structural Frustration and Dynamic Disorder in a Peroxiredoxin from MAS NMR.

Disulfide bond formation is fundamentally important for protein structure and constitutes a key mechanism by which cells regulate the intracellular oxidation state. Peroxiredoxins (PRDXs) eliminate reactive oxygen species such as hydrogen peroxide through a catalytic cycle of Cys oxidation and reduction. Additionally, upon Cys oxidation PRDXs undergo extensive conformational rearrangements that may underlie their presently structurally poorly defined functions as molecular chaperones.

Implementing best practices on data generation and reporting of assays within the ERA4TB consortium.

Tuberculosis (TB) is the historical leading cause of death by a single infectious agent. The European Regimen Accelerator for Tuberculosis (ERA4TB) is a public-private partnership of 30+ institutions with the objective to progress new anti-TB regimens into the clinic. Thus, robust and replicable results across independent laboratories are essential for reliable interpretation of treatment efficacy.

Food Habits and Forms of Food Insecurity among International University Students in Oslo: A Qualitative Study.

A growing number of studies indicate that university students and especially international students are prone to experiencing food insecurity (FI). Still, few studies have investigated forms of FI among international students in Europe. Thus, this qualitative study aims to explore experiences regarding FI among international university students in Oslo.

Severity and impact of accidental bowel leakage two decades after no, one, or two sphincter injuries.

Background: Information about the long-term severity and subjective impact of anal incontinence in women after 1 or 2 consecutive obstetrical anal sphincter injuries is still scarce and contradictory.

Objective: This study aimed to describe the severity and impact of anal incontinence among women with 2 previous deliveries 2 decades after birth and to analyze the relative effect of 1 vs 2 obstetrical anal sphincter injuries in comparison with no obstetrical anal sphincter injuries and the possible influence of obstetrical anal sphincter injury on other pelvic floor disorders.

Study Design: We linked prospectively registered data in the Swedish Medical Birth Register with information from a postal and web-based questionnaire in 2015.

The influence of age and health status for outcomes after mid-urethral sling surgery-a nationwide register study.

Introduction And Hypothesis: The efficacy of mid-urethral sling (MUS) surgery in older women and women with a significant disease burden is limited. We aimed to determine the influence of chronological age and physical status (assessed by the American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status, ASA) classification on outcomes.

Methods: Cure rate, change in frequency of lower urinary tract symptoms, satisfaction, impact, and adverse events after MUS surgery were assessed in 5200 women aged 55-94 years with MUS surgery (2010-2017).