A new Drosophila melanogaster research resource: CRISPR-induced mutations for clonal analysis of fourth chromosome genes.

As part of an ongoing effort to generate comprehensive resources for the experimental analysis of fourth chromosome genes in Drosophila melanogaster, the Fourth Chromosome Resource Project has used CRISPR mutagenesis with single guide RNAs to isolate mutations in 62 of the 80 fourth chromosome, protein-coding genes. These mutations were induced on a fourth chromosome bearing a basal FRT insertion to facilitate experimental approaches involving FLP recombinase-induced mitotic recombination. To permit straightforward comparisons among mutant stocks, most of the mutations were generated on isogenic fourth chromosomes, which were then crossed into a common genetic background.

Community health worker and caregiver experiences and perceptions of a multimodal handheld pulse oximeter used in sick child consultations in rural Burundi: A qualitative evaluation.

Community Health Workers (CHWs) in low- and middle-income countries are essential in providing primary health care to remote communities. However, due to limited diagnostic tools, CHWs often struggle to correctly identify childhood illnesses, especially pneumonia. We conducted a prospective pilot study and used qualitative research methods to evaluate acceptability and feasibility of a multimodal pulse oximeter used by CHWs during their integrated community case management (iCCM) of childhood illness consultations in rural Burundi.

Sustainability of an evidence-based intervention supporting transition to independent care for youth living with HIV in Kenya.

Integrating and sustaining evidence-based interventions (EBIs) in routine care is crucial to improving HIV treatment outcomes among youth living with HIV (YLH). However, EBIs are often not sustained post clinical trial. An Adolescent Transition Package (ATP) delivered by health care workers (HCWs) and tested in Kenya in 2021 significantly improved YLH readiness to transition to independent care.

Critical behavioral traits foster peer engagement in Online Mental Health Communities.

Online Mental Health Communities (OMHCs), such as Reddit, have witnessed a surge in popularity as go-to platforms for seeking information and support in managing mental health needs. Platforms like Reddit offer immediate interactions with peers, granting users a vital space for seeking mental health assistance. However, the largely unregulated nature of these platforms introduces intricate challenges for both users and society at large.

HighDimMixedModels.jl: Robust high-dimensional mixed-effects models across omics data.

High-dimensional mixed-effects models are an increasingly important form of regression in which the number of covariates rivals or exceeds the number of samples, which are collected in groups or clusters. The penalized likelihood approach to fitting these models relies on a coordinate descent algorithm that lacks guarantees of convergence to a global optimum. Here, we empirically study the behavior of this algorithm on simulated and real examples of three types of data that are common in modern biology: transcriptome, genome-wide association, and microbiome data.

Casein Kinases 2-dependent phosphorylation of the placental ligand VAR2CSA regulates Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes cytoadhesion.

Placental malaria is characterized by the massive accumulation and sequestration of infected erythrocytes in the placental intervillous blood spaces, causing severe birth outcomes. The variant surface antigen VAR2CSA is associated with Plasmodium falciparum sequestration in the placenta via its capacity to adhere to chondroitin sulfate A. We have previously shown that the extracellular region of VAR2CSA is phosphorylated on several residues and that the phosphorylation enhances the adhesive properties of CSA-binding infected erythrocytes.

Mutations in chikungunya virus nsP4 decrease viral fitness and sensitivity to the broad-spectrum antiviral 4'-Fluorouridine.

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an arthritogenic alphavirus that has re-emerged to cause large outbreaks of human infections worldwide. There are currently no approved antivirals for treatment of CHIKV infection. Recently, we reported that the ribonucleoside analog 4'-fluorouridine (4'-FlU) is a highly potent inhibitor of CHIKV replication, and targets the viral nsP4 RNA dependent RNA polymerase.

Sociodemographic and behavioral factors associated with diet quality among low-income community health center patients with hypertension.

Objective: Identify the most important sociodemographic and behavioral factors related to the diet of low-income adults with hypertension in order to guide the development of a community health worker (CHW) healthy eating intervention for low-income populations with hypertension.

Design: In this cross-sectional analysis, dietary recalls were used to assess Healthy Eating Index-2020 (HEI-2020) total (range: 0 to 100 [best diet quality]) and component scores and sodium intake. Self-reported sociodemographic and behavioral data were entered into a Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression model to determine the relative importance of factors related to diet quality.

Rabies transmitted from vampires to cattle: An overview.

Rabies is a zoonotic infectious disease of global distribution that impacts human and animal health. In rural Latin America, rabies negatively impacts food security and the economy due to losses in livestock production. The common vampire bat, Desmodus rotundus, is the main reservoir and transmitter of rabies virus (RABV) to domestic animals in Latin America.

Modeling maize aflatoxins and fumonisins in a Tanzanian smallholder system: Accounting for diverse risk factors improves mycotoxin models.

Human exposure to mycotoxins is common and often severe in underregulated maize-based food systems. This study explored how monitoring of these systems could help to identify when and where outbreaks occur and inform potential mitigation efforts. Within a maize smallholder system in Kongwa District, Tanzania, we performed two food surveys of mycotoxin contamination at local grain mills, documenting high levels of aflatoxins and fumonisins in maize destined for human consumption.

July effect in hospitalized cirrhosis patients: A US nationwide study using difference-in-differences analysis.

Background: The July effect in US teaching hospitals has been studied with conflicting results. We aimed to evaluate the effect of physician turnover in July on the clinical outcomes of patients hospitalized with cirrhosis.

Methods: We utilized the Nationwide Inpatient Sample database (2016-2019) to identify patients hospitalized with cirrhosis and liver-related complications (variceal bleeding, hepatorenal syndrome, acute-on-chronic liver failure).

Comparison of a non-invasive point-of-care measurement of anemia to conventionally used HemoCue devices in Gambella refugee camp, Ethiopia, 2022.

Annual surveys of refugees in Gambella, Ethiopia suggest that anemia is a persistent public health problem among non-pregnant women of reproductive age (NP-WRA, 15-49 years). Measurement of anemia in most refugee camp settings is conducted using an invasive HemoCue 301. We assessed the accuracy and precision of a non-invasive, pulse CO-oximeter in measuring anemia among NP-WRA in four Gambella refugee camps.

Mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosome and liposome hybrids as transfection nanocarriers of Cas9-GFP plasmid to HEK293T cells.

Exosomes are natural membrane-enclosed nanovesicles (30-150 nm) involved in cell-cell communication. Recently, they have garnered considerable interest as nanocarriers for the controlled transfer of therapeutic agents to cells. Here, exosomes were derived from bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells using three different isolation methods.

Teacher voices matter: The role of teacher autonomy in enhancing job satisfaction and mitigating burnout.

This study aims to explore variables associated with teacher burnout at the end of the 2021-2022 school year and shed light on teachers' mental health issues related to psychological factors. We collected survey data from 824 United States teachers. Using a moderated mediation analytic model, the results of this study showed that teachers' autonomy had considerable interaction effects on job satisfaction and burnout with other variables in this study (i.

Detection of SARS-CoV-2 and a possible variant in shelter cats.

SARS-CoV-2 is the cause of mild to severe acute respiratory disease that led to significant loss of human lives worldwide between 2019 and 2022. The virus has been detected in various animals including cats and dogs making it a major public health concern and a One Health issue. In this study, conjunctival and pharyngeal swabs (n = 350) and serum samples (n = 350) were collected between July and December 2020 from cats that were housed in an animal shelter and tested for the infection of SARS-CoV-2 using real time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) that targeted the N1 and N2 genes, and a SARS-CoV-2 surrogate virus neutralization Test (sVNT), respectively.

The impact of resident involvement and postgraduate year on head and neck surgery for obstructive sleep apnea.

To assess the impact of resident involvement and resident postgraduate year (PGY) on head and neck obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) surgical outcomes. We analyzed head and neck OSA surgeries from 2005-2012 via the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database. Demographic, preoperative, and postoperative variables were analyzed via multivariate regression to determine the impact of resident involvement and resident PGY on 30-day outcomes.

Sex-specific associations of serum testosterone with gray matter volume and cerebral blood flow in midlife individuals at risk for Alzheimer's disease.

Testosterone, an essential sex steroid hormone, influences brain health by impacting neurophysiology and neuropathology throughout the lifespan in both genders. However, human research in this area is limited, particularly in women. This study examines the associations between testosterone levels, gray matter volume (GMV) and cerebral blood flow (CBF) in midlife individuals at risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD), according to sex and menopausal status.

Rural Roads to cognitive Resilience (RRR): A prospective cohort study protocol.

Background: Ambient air pollution, detrimental built and social environments, social isolation (SI), low socioeconomic status (SES), and rural (versus urban) residence have been associated with cognitive decline and risk of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD). Research is needed to investigate the influence of ambient air pollution and built and social environments on SI and cognitive decline among rural, disadvantaged, ethnic minority communities. To address this gap, this cohort study will recruit an ethnoracially diverse, rural Florida sample in geographic proximity to seasonal agricultural burning.

A discrete choice experiment with health professions trainees to improve the urban-rural health care access disparity in Appalachia: Study protocol.

Globally, those who live in rural areas experience significant barriers to accessing health care due to a maldistribution of health care providers. Those who live in rural areas in the Appalachian region of the United States face one of the worst shortages of health care providers despite experiencing more complex health needs compared to Americans in more affluent, urban areas. Prior research has failed to identify effective solutions to narrow the provider maldistribution, despite it being a policy focus for decades.

Tillage type and sentinel insect species affect the relative prevalence of the entomopathogenic fungus, Metarhizium robertsii, in soil.

Because the use of synthetic agrochemicals is generally not allowed in organic crop production systems, growers rely on natural substances and processes, such as microbial control, to suppress insect pests. Reduced tillage practices are associated with beneficial soil organisms, such as entomopathogenic fungi, that can contribute to the natural control of insect pests. The impacts of management, such as tillage, in a cropping system can affect soil biota in the current season and can also persist over time as legacy effects.

How much time to figure out how to get where? Route planning and subjective stress under time pressure.

From a daily commute to military operations in hostile territory and natural disaster responses, people frequently move from place to place. Cognition (e.g.

Communication needs regarding heart failure trajectory and palliative care between patients and healthcare providers: A cross-sectional study.

Introduction: Heart failure (HF) is a chronic condition with an unpredictable trajectory, making effective communication between patients and healthcare providers crucial for optimizing outcomes. This study aims to investigate and compare the communication needs regarding HF trajectory and palliative care between patients and healthcare providers and to identify factors associated with the communication needs of patients with HF.

Methods: A cross-sectional study design was employed, involving 100 patients with HF and 35 healthcare providers.

Association between depression and the prevalence and prognosis of prediabetes: Data from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2013-2018.

Background: Diagnosis and intervention of prediabetes is an emerging approach to preventing the progression and complications of diabetes. Inflammatory factors and dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis have been suggested as potential mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of both diabetes and depression. However, the relationship between depression levels and the prevalence of prediabetes and its prognosis remains elusive.

Microbiota-derived proteins synergize with IL-23 to drive IL22 production in model type 3 innate lymphoid cells.

Microbiota-induced production of IL-22 by type 3 innate lymphoid cells (ILC3) plays an important role in maintaining intestinal health. Such IL-22 production is driven, in part, by IL-23 produced by gut myeloid cells that have sensed select microbial-derived mediators. The extent to which ILC3 can directly respond to microbial metabolites via IL-22 production is less clear, in part due to the difficulty of isolating and maintaining sufficient numbers of viable ILC3 ex vivo.

Food insecurity and early childhood development among children 24-59 months in Nigeria: A multilevel mixed effects modelling of the social determinants of health inequities.

Food insecurity (FI) has been identified as a determinant of child development, yet evidence quantifying this association using the newly developed Early Childhood Development Index 2030 (ECDI2030) remains limited. Herein, we provide national estimates of early childhood development (ECD) risks using the ECDI2030 and examined to what extent FI was associated with ECD among children aged 24-59 months in Nigeria. This population based cross-sectional analyses used data from the UNICEF-supported 2021 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey in Nigeria.