Tag: nevin manimala

J Phys Ther Educ. 2023 Dec 1;37(4):342-350. doi: 10.1097/JTE.0000000000000310. Epub 2023 Oct 5.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Physical therapy professional education program directors (PDs) face stress associated with work roles and responsibilities, which can cause burnout and job turnover.

REVIEW OF LITERATURE: Burnout and turnover in physical therapy education PD positions are influenced by inexperience, insufficient compensation, decreased support, heavy workloads, difficulty hiring and retaining faculty, and internal conflict. Program directors also receive insufficient training in their roles. Individuals with greater resilience, or the ability to face adversity with positive outcomes, may be more resistant to stress, burnout, and turnover. Therefore, this study’s purpose was to explore the relationships among leadership behaviors, demographic and program factors, and resilience in physical therapy PDs.

SUBJECTS: Of the 600 physical therapy PDs invited to participate in the study, 126 directors completed the survey (21% response rate).

METHODS: The survey included demographic questions, the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ-5X), and the 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10). Correlational analyses were used to investigate relationships among leadership behaviors, demographic and program factors, and resilience.

RESULTS: Participants included 43 physical therapist and 82 physical therapist assistant PDs (79.4% female and 20.6% male participants; mean age, 52.0 ± 8.3 years; mean years in role, 7.3 ± 6.9 years). Mean MLQ-5X scores showed that participants primarily used transformational leadership (TFL) behaviors. The mean CD-RISC-10 score for participants was 33.06 (±4.10). Analysis revealed statistically significant positive relationships between all TFL behaviors and resilience. Exploratory regression analysis revealed that 3 leadership behaviors and one demographic factor may contribute to resilience in participants, although the proportion of variance was modest (39%).

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: This is the first study to offer insight regarding the relationships between leadership behaviors and resilience in physical therapy PDs. These results may help lay the foundation for future research in this area, with the goal of decreasing burnout and job turnover through increased resilience.

PMID:38478790 | DOI:10.1097/JTE.0000000000000310

Cornea. 2024 Mar 13. doi: 10.1097/ICO.0000000000003515. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the associations between central corneal endothelial cell density (ECD), endothelial morphology, and corneal thickness (central corneal thickness) with the anterior chamber depth, corneal volume (CV), white-to-white (WTW) distance, mean anterior chamber angle (CAmean), and gender in healthy individuals.

METHODS: This observational study included 136 healthy volunteers. The ECD, coefficient of variation of cell area, and hexagonal cell appearance ratio (%Hex) were measured by means of specular microscopy. The central corneal thickness, anterior chamber depth, CV, WTW distance, and the angle width of 12 points were taken by the Pentacam HR Scheimpflug anterior segment imaging. The arithmetical mean of the 12 points was considered as the CAmean. We used mixed effect linear regression model for the statistical analysis of the data.

RESULTS: ECD was positively correlated with CV (P = 0.028), while after adjusting for age, it was negatively correlated with age (P < 0.001). Coefficient of variation of cell area was positively correlated with CAmean (P = 0.036), while after adjusting for age, it was positively correlated with age (P < 0.001) and CAmean (P = 0.005). Hex was negatively correlated with WTW (P = 0.023) and CAmean (P = 0.025), and after adjusting for age, this correlation remained the same (P = 0.029 when correlated with WTW and P = 0.035 with CAmean).

CONCLUSIONS: There were significant changes in the morphology of the corneal endothelial cells in eyes with wider anterior chamber angle. Greater pleomorphism and polymegethism of the corneal endothelium was observed in healthy patients with wider CAmean. Deepening of the anterior chamber as myopia progresses could render the corneal endothelium more fragile and susceptible to mechanical stress, which is an area worthy of further study.

PMID:38478761 | DOI:10.1097/ICO.0000000000003515

Hepatology. 2024 Mar 13. doi: 10.1097/HEP.0000000000000779. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AIMS: Despite the availability of highly effective direct-acting antiviral therapy, chronic hepatitis C (CHC) continues to cause a major public health burden. In many high-income countries, treatment rates have been declining, which was exacerbated by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, threatening the ability to meet the World Health Organization (WHO)’s targets for eliminating hepatitis C virus (HCV) as a public health threat by 2030. We sought to model the impact of CHC in Canada, a resource-rich country with ongoing immigration from HCV-endemic regions; which relies exclusively on risk-based screening for case identification.

APPROACH RESULTS: We developed an agent-based model to characterize the HCV epidemic in a high-income country with ongoing immigration. Combinations of prevention such as harm-reduction, screening, and treatment strategies were considered. Model parameters were estimated from the literature and calibrated against historical HCV data. Sensitivity analyses were performed to assess uncertainty. Under the current status quo of risk-based screening, we predict the incidence of CHC-induced decompensated cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and liver-related deaths would decrease by 79.4%, 76.1%, and 62.1%, respectively, between 2015-2030, but CHC incidence would only decrease by 11.1%. Results were sensitive to HCV transmission rate and annual number of people initiating treatment.

CONCLUSIONS: Current risk-based screening, and subsequent treatment, will be inadequate to achieve WHO goals. With extensive scale-up in screening, and treatment, the mortality target may be achievable, but the target for preventing new CHC cases is unlikely reachable, highlighting the importance of developing enhanced harm-reduction strategies for HCV elimination.

PMID:38478751 | DOI:10.1097/HEP.0000000000000779

Vascular. 2024 Mar 13:17085381241239428. doi: 10.1177/17085381241239428. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) presenting with hostile neck anatomy can represent a challenge in surgical decision-making. We hypothesized that, patients who require reinterventions have higher rates of compromised neck anatomy at initial presentation and may indicate a need for altered surveillance paradigm.

METHODS: Patients presenting with ruptured AAA to a single tertiary care institution from 2014 to 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. Those treated with infrarenal EVAR, with no prior aortic surgeries, and with available pre-operative computed tomography (CT) scans were included. Demographics, timing and type of reintervention, follow-up, and survival were collected. CT scans were assessed for hostile neck anatomy via measurements of diameter, length, angle, taper, bulge, calcification, and thrombus. Demographics, comorbidities, and neck anatomy of those with and without reintervention were compared using Fischer’s Exact and Student’s T-test. Survival was analyzed via Kaplan-Meier and log-rank test.

RESULTS: Eighty-nine patients were available for analysis, 37 of which met inclusion criteria. Intraoperative death occurred in 3 patients (8.1%) and 1 patient (2.7%) was intraoperatively converted to an open repair. Thirty-day and 1-year survival were 97% and 91%, respectively. The reintervention rate was 30% (n = 10), occurring at a median of 200 days (18-2053 days) after the index operation. All patients requiring reintervention met hostile neck criteria (p = .002) and had a statistically higher number of hostile neck criteria (1.80 vs 0.87, p = .03). Thirty percent (n = 3) of patients that received a reintervention had neck diameter greater than 3 cm, compared to zero patients in the non-reintervention group (p = .022). Proximal reinterventions (n = 5) had statistically higher neck diameters and neck angle compared to the non-reintervention group.

CONCLUSION: Infrarenal rEVAR is effective at preventing acute mortality despite specific anatomic considerations that may contribute to the higher reintervention rates, and therefore those parameters ought to be considered when following patients in the post-intervention period.

PMID:38478714 | DOI:10.1177/17085381241239428

Phytopathology. 2024 Mar 13. doi: 10.1094/PHYTO-12-23-0474-R. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Unraveling the intricacies of soybean cyst nematode (Heterodera glycines) race 4 resistance and susceptibility in soybean breeding lines-11-452 (highly resistant) and Dongsheng1 (DS1, highly susceptible)-was the focal point of this study. Employing cutting-edge N6-methyladenosine (m6A)-seq and RNA-seq techniques, we delved into the impact of m6A modification on gene expression and plant defense responses. Through the evaluation of nematode development in both resistant and susceptible roots, a pivotal time point (3 days post inoculation) for m6A methylation sequencing was identified. Our sequencing data exhibited robust statistics, successful soybean genome mapping, and prevalent m6A peak distributions, primarily in 3’UTR (Untranslated region) and stop codon regions. Analysis of differentially expressed m6A peaks (DMPs) and expressed genes (DEGs) revealed distinctive patterns between resistant and susceptible genotypes. In the highly resistant line (11-452), key resistance and defense-associated genes displayed increased expression coupled with inhibited methylation, encompassing crucial players like R genes, receptor kinases, and transcription factors. Conversely, the highly susceptible DS1 line exhibited heightened expression correlated with decreased methylation in genes linked to susceptibility pathways, including Mildew Locus O (MLO)-like proteins and regulatory elements affecting defense mechanisms. Genome-wide assessments, GO/KEGG analyses, and DMP/DEG overlap emphasized the intricate interplay of m6A modifications, alternative splicing, microRNA and gene regulation in plant defense. Protein-protein interaction networks illuminated defense-pivotal genes, delineating divergent mechanisms in resistant and susceptible responses. This study sheds light on the dynamic correlation between methylation, splicing, and gene expression, providing profound insights into plant responses to nematode infection.

PMID:38478699 | DOI:10.1094/PHYTO-12-23-0474-R

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2024 Mar 19;121(12):e2317284121. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2317284121. Epub 2024 Mar 13.

ABSTRACT

Since its emergence in late 2019, SARS-CoV-2 has diversified into a large number of lineages and caused multiple waves of infection globally. Novel lineages have the potential to spread rapidly and internationally if they have higher intrinsic transmissibility and/or can evade host immune responses, as has been seen with the Alpha, Delta, and Omicron variants of concern. They can also cause increased mortality and morbidity if they have increased virulence, as was seen for Alpha and Delta. Phylogenetic methods provide the “gold standard” for representing the global diversity of SARS-CoV-2 and to identify newly emerging lineages. However, these methods are computationally expensive, struggle when datasets get too large, and require manual curation to designate new lineages. These challenges provide a motivation to develop complementary methods that can incorporate all of the genetic data available without down-sampling to extract meaningful information rapidly and with minimal curation. In this paper, we demonstrate the utility of using algorithmic approaches based on word-statistics to represent whole sequences, bringing speed, scalability, and interpretability to the construction of genetic topologies. While not serving as a substitute for current phylogenetic analyses, the proposed methods can be used as a complementary, and fully automatable, approach to identify and confirm new emerging variants.

PMID:38478692 | DOI:10.1073/pnas.2317284121

Sci Adv. 2024 Mar 15;10(11):eadk0785. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adk0785. Epub 2024 Mar 13.

ABSTRACT

Cell migration is a critical contributor to metastasis. Cytokine production and its role in cancer cell migration have been traditionally associated with immune cells. We find that the histone methyltransferase Mixed-Lineage Leukemia 1 (MLL1) controls 3D cell migration via cytokines, IL-6, IL-8, and TGF-β1, secreted by the cancer cells themselves. MLL1, with its scaffold protein Menin, controls actin filament assembly via the IL-6/8/pSTAT3/Arp3 axis and myosin contractility via the TGF-β1/Gli2/ROCK1/2/pMLC2 axis, which together regulate dynamic protrusion generation and 3D cell migration. MLL1 also regulates cell proliferation via mitosis-based and cell cycle-related pathways. Mice bearing orthotopic MLL1-depleted tumors exhibit decreased lung metastatic burden and longer survival. MLL1 depletion leads to lower metastatic burden even when controlling for the difference in primary tumor growth rates. Combining MLL1-Menin inhibitor with paclitaxel abrogates tumor growth and metastasis, including preexistent metastasis. These results establish MLL1 as a potent regulator of cell migration and highlight the potential of targeting MLL1 in patients with metastatic disease.

PMID:38478601 | DOI:10.1126/sciadv.adk0785

PLoS One. 2024 Mar 13;19(3):e0299645. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0299645. eCollection 2024.

ABSTRACT

Monodominant tree communities can have phenotypic trait variation (intraspecific variation) as extreme as the trait variation across a forest with higher species diversity. An example of such forests is those composed of Quercus, an important genus of woody angiosperms in the montane neotropical forest. The Andean oak, or Quercus humboldtii Bonpl., is the sole member of this genus in South America and a characteristic component of montane ecosystems. Although there are several studies on the ecology and genetic structure of this species, there are few studies on the functional trait diversity among populations. Understanding functional traits can improve our comprehension of how organisms respond to various environmental conditions. In this study, we aimed to evaluate differences in six functional traits in individuals of the Andean oak, in two ontogenetic stages (juveniles and adults) from three populations with contrasting environmental conditions. Additionally, using T-statistics, we assessed the impact of external filters (e.g., climate, resource availability, large-scale biotic interactions) on population assembly. We found a remarkable level of functional differentiation among Andean oak forests, with all traits differing between populations and five traits differing between ontogenetic stages. External filters had a stronger influence in populations with more extreme environmental conditions. These findings emphasize the dynamic and context-dependent nature of functional traits in this species. However, given the limited exploration of functional diversity in Andean oak populations, further studies are needed to inform conservation efforts.

PMID:38478564 | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0299645

PLoS One. 2024 Mar 13;19(3):e0299459. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0299459. eCollection 2024.

ABSTRACT

China’s tourism economy has experienced significant regional disparities. However, little attention has been paid to understanding the intricate mechanisms through which the interplay of influential factors gives rise to such disparities. Utilizing statistical data from the tourism economy of 31 provinces in mainland China, this study investigates regional tourism economic disparity through the asymmetric modeling of fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA). The findings reveal that the causes of regional tourism economic disparity exhibit asymmetry; varying approaches contribute to the formation of high and low levels of tourism economy; the functioning of the most influential factors is impacted by other antecedent conditions, presenting an asymmetric non-linear effect; favorable transportation convenience is a necessary condition for a high level of tourism economy, while poor tourism attraction is a necessary condition for a low level of tourism economy. This research not only introduces a fresh perspective on regional tourism economic disparities, enabling an in-depth comprehension of the complex interactions and nonlinear functional mechanisms of influential factors, but also explores a region-based tourism development model, offering valuable practical guidance for policymakers in the tourism sector.

PMID:38478560 | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0299459

PLoS One. 2024 Mar 13;19(3):e0299484. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0299484. eCollection 2024.

ABSTRACT

Little is known about the effect of statin use in lung cancer development in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). We analyzed the database of the National Health Insurance Service to further investigate the clinical impacts of statin on lung cancer development and overall survival (OS) in IPF patients. The analysis included 9,182 individuals diagnosed with IPF, of which 3,372 (36.7%) were statin users. Compared to statin non-users, the time from diagnosis of IPF to lung cancer development and OS were longer in statin users in IPF patients. In Cox proportional hazard regression models, higher statin compliance, statin use, and being female had an inverse association with lung cancer risk, while older age at diagnosis of IPF and smoking history were associated with higher risk of lung cancer in IPF patients. For OS, statin use, female sex, higher physical activity frequency, and diabetes were associated with longer survival. In contrast, older age at diagnosis of IPF and smoking history were associated with shorter OS in IPF patients. These data from a large population indicate that statin had an independent protective association with lung cancer development and mortality in IPF patients.

PMID:38478558 | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0299484