The experiences of individuals who have had gestational diabetes: A qualitative exploration.

Aim: To qualitatively explore the experiences of individuals with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) in Australia, and to recognise opportunities for leveraging digital health to enhance the support of GDM management.

Method: A cross sectional online survey assessed the experiences of individuals with GDM, the healthcare system and their digital health usage. Respondents (recruited via a national diabetes registry or social media) were adults receiving GDM care within Australia in the last 5 years, who responded to any of three open-ended questions (n = 815) exploring positive, negative and other GDM experiences.

Parallel control of cold-triggered adipocyte thermogenesis by UCP1 and CKB.

That uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) is the sole mediator of adipocyte thermogenesis is a conventional viewpoint that has primarily been inferred from the attenuation of the thermogenic output of mice genetically lacking Ucp1 from birth (germline Ucp1). However, germline Ucp1 mice harbor secondary changes within brown adipose tissue. To mitigate these potentially confounding ancillary changes, we constructed mice with inducible adipocyte-selective Ucp1 disruption.

Use and Preferences of Health Apps among Women and Healthcare Professionals Regarding GDM Postpartum Care Related to Diet, Physical Activity, and Weight Management: A Cross-Sectional Survey.

Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is a common medical complication of pregnancy, which is associated with increased risk of future diabetes. mHealth (mobile health, in this paper applications abbreviated to apps) can facilitate health modifications to decrease future risks. This study aims to understand mHealth app use and preferences among women with past GDM and healthcare professionals (HCP) in Australia.

PDJ amplicon in triple negative breast cancer.

Amplification of chromosome 9p24.1 targeting PD-L1, PD-L2, and JAK2 (PDJ amplicon) is present in subsets of triple negative breast cancers (TNBCs) and is associated with poor clinical outcomes. However, the prevalence of PDJ+ TNBCs varies extensively across studies applying different methods for interrogating samples of interest.

Insights from dietitians providing individualised dietetic care to people living with disabilities: A single site exploration in the community.

Background: The present study aims to share insights and lessons learnt by dietitians providing individualised care to people living with disabilities in the community. This is important to build the evidence to inform dietetic best practice standards.

Methods: The study involved a cross-sectional data audit of dietitian reports for clients living with a disability seen at a metropolitan dietitian clinic in South Australia.

The engagement of nursing and healthcare researchers with digital technologies: lessons learnt in an Australian university.

Background: The use of digital technologies has expanded rapidly in recent years, particularly with the onset of COVID-19. Digital technologies have been implemented in nursing and healthcare to support necessary care.

Aims: This research explored how nursing and healthcare researchers engage with digital technologies, including the types of technologies, facilitators, barriers and suggested improvements to enable engagement.

ADRA1A-Gα signalling potentiates adipocyte thermogenesis through CKB and TNAP.

Noradrenaline (NA) regulates cold-stimulated adipocyte thermogenesis. Aside from cAMP signalling downstream of β-adrenergic receptor activation, how NA promotes thermogenic output is still not fully understood. Here, we show that coordinated α-adrenergic receptor (AR) and β-AR signalling induces the expression of thermogenic genes of the futile creatine cycle, and that early B cell factors, oestrogen-related receptors and PGC1α are required for this response in vivo.

The impact of COVID-19 on the LGBTQ+ community: Comparisons between cisgender, heterosexual people, cisgender sexual minority people, and gender minority people.

There is a dearth of public health data and research focusing on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other sexual and gender minority (LGBTQ+) populations during the coronavirus ("COVID") pandemic. This study evaluated how COVID has impacted health, social, and occupational areas of functioning of the LGBTQ+ community. A community survey was distributed via email by local LGBTQ+ community organizations between September and December 2020.

Beyond Sequencing: Prioritizing and Delivering Neoantigens for Cancer Vaccines.

Neoantigens are tumor-specific proteins and peptides that can be highly immunogenic. Immune-mediated tumor rejection is strongly associated with cytotoxic responses to neoantigen-derived peptides in noncovalent association with self-HLA molecules. Neoantigen-based therapies, such as adoptive T cell transfer, have shown the potential to induce remission of treatment-resistant metastatic disease in select patients.

Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Consumption, Perceptions, and Disparities in Children and Adolescents.

Objective: To examine the association between sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) perceptions-knowledge, attitudes, and norms and media literacy-and beverage consumption, and to identify differences in beverage consumption and SSB perceptions by race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status.

Design: Cross-sectional.

Setting: Diverse California school district.

A Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture Initiative in Ethnic Communities of Northern Thailand: Local Perspectives and Future Prospects.

Background: Nutrition-sensitive agriculture (NSA) interventions can contribute to improved food security and household dietary diversity. As well as undertaking trials, contextual factors that influence sustainability need to be scoped.

Objective: To explore locals' views of an NSA initiative, designed to improve food security and reduce malnutrition in children younger than 5 years, scoping future prospects 6 months after the conclusion of the trial.

Conducting a rapid health promotion audit in suburban Adelaide, South Australia: Can it contribute to revitalising health promotion?

Issues Addressed: How health promotion is implemented varies and it is often not clear what activities are in place in a region. Understanding the extent of health promotion activities helps planning activities.

Methods: This research involved a rapid audit of the types of health promotion activities in a suburban region of South Australia.

IMMUNO-COV v2.0: Development and Validation of a High-Throughput Clinical Assay for Measuring SARS-CoV-2-Neutralizing Antibody Titers.

Neutralizing antibodies are key determinants of protection from future infection, yet well-validated high-throughput assays for measuring titers of SARS-CoV-2-neutralizing antibodies are not generally available. Here, we describe the development and validation of IMMUNO-COV v2.0, a scalable surrogate virus assay, which titrates antibodies that block infection of Vero-ACE2 cells by a luciferase-encoding vesicular stomatitis virus displaying SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoproteins (VSV-SARS2-Fluc).

Developing sugar-sweetened beverage warning labels for young adults.

Objective: There is a lack of qualitative research developing sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) warning labels with their intended end users. We sought to identify promising SSB warning elements for improving label effectiveness and for future testing in policy and institutional settings.

Design: Mixed methods design using ten focus groups, a design task and a survey.

Calcium-Sensing Receptor Contributes to Hyperoxia Effects on Human Fetal Airway Smooth Muscle.

Supplemental O (hyperoxia), necessary for maintenance of oxygenation in premature infants, contributes to neonatal and pediatric airway diseases including asthma. Airway smooth muscle (ASM) is a key resident cell type, responding to hyperoxia with increased contractility and remodeling [proliferation, extracellular matrix (ECM) production], making the mechanisms underlying hyperoxia effects on ASM significant. Recognizing that fetal lungs experience a higher extracellular Ca ([Ca]) environment, we previously reported that the calcium sensing receptor (CaSR) is expressed and functional in human fetal ASM (fASM).

APOE4 Copy Number-Dependent Proteomic Changes in the Cerebrospinal Fluid.

Background: APOE4 has been hypothesized to increase Alzheimer's disease risk by increasing neuroinflammation, though the specific neuroinflammatory pathways involved are unclear.

Objective: Characterize cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) proteomic changes related to APOE4 copy number.

Methods: We analyzed targeted proteomic data from ADNI CSF samples using a linear regression model adjusting for age, sex, and APOE4 copy number, and additional linear models also adjusting for AD clinical status or for CSF Aβ, tau, or p-tau levels.

Choosing and following a very low calorie diet program in Australia: A quasi-mixed methods study to understand experiences, barriers, and facilitators in a self-initiated environment.

Aim: In Australian adults, this study seeks to describe the experiences and factors associated with the perceived outcomes of using a very low calorie diet (VLCD) program for ≥4 weeks.

Methods: A mixed method study using the method perspective was conducted to analyse individual semi-structured interviews conducted via videoconference and cross-sectional survey data. Australians 18 to 65 years were eligible if they were currently consuming at least one VLCD product daily for ≥4 weeks or had ceased consumption within 4 weeks.

Gender inequality in academia: Problems and solutions for women faculty in STEM.

Recently there is widespread interest in women's underrepresentation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM); however, progress toward gender equality in these fields is slow. More alarmingly, these gender disparities worsen when examining women's representation within STEM departments in academia. While the number of women receiving postgraduate degrees has increased in recent years, the number of women in STEM faculty positions remains largely unchanged.

Genomic and Epigenomic Landscaping Defines New Therapeutic Targets for Adenosquamous Carcinoma of the Pancreas.

Adenosquamous cancer of the pancreas (ASCP) is a subtype of pancreatic cancer that has a worse prognosis and greater metastatic potential than the more common pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) subtype. To distinguish the genomic landscape of ASCP and identify actionable targets for this lethal cancer, we applied DNA content flow cytometry to a series of 15 tumor samples including five patient-derived xenografts (PDX). We interrogated purified sorted tumor fractions from these samples with whole-genome copy-number variant (CNV), whole-exome sequencing, and Assay for Transposase-Accessible Chromatin using sequencing (ATAC-seq) analyses.

Attachment impacts cortisol awakening response in chronically depressed individuals.

Background: Early life experiences shape individual attachment, creating a template for regulating emotions in interpersonal situations, likely to persist across the lifespan. Research has shown that individual attachment creates vulnerability for depression, and also impacts the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis. Still, the relationship between attachment and the HPA axis in depressed individuals is unclear.

Development and validation of IMMUNO-COV™: a high-throughput clinical assay for detecting antibodies that neutralize SARS-CoV-2.

We here describe the development and validation of IMMUNO-COV™, a high-throughput clinical test to quantitatively measure SARS-CoV-2-neutralizing antibodies, the specific subset of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies that block viral infection. The test measures the capacity of serum or purified antibodies to neutralize a recombinant Vesicular Stomatitis Virus (VSV) encoding the SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein. This recombinant virus (VSV-SARS-CoV-2-S-Δ19CT) induces fusion in Vero cell monolayers, which is detected as luciferase signal using a dual split protein (DSP) reporter system.

An exploration using system dynamics modelling of population-level mindfulness, mindful eating and healthy weight following intervention.

Background: Mindful eating has been introduced as a strategy to help prevent overweight and obesity.

Aim: The purpose of this research was to develop a simple system dynamics model to investigate the impact of different interventions on population level mindfulness, mindful eating and healthy weight over a 10-year period.

Methods: A model was constructed and outcomes analysed following the addition of four mindful eating interventions, including decreasing busyness (formal and informal work), promotion of mindful eating (e.