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Amborella gene presence/absence variation is associated with abiotic stress responses that may contribute to environmental adaptation
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Balance impairments as differential markers of dementia disease subtype
Get PDFBackground: Accurately differentiating dementia subtypes, such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Lewy body disease [including dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and Parkinson’s disease dementia (PDD)] is important to ensure appropriate management and treatment of the disease. Similarities in clinical presentation create difficulties for differential diagnosis. Simple supportive markers, such as balance assessments, may be useful to the diagnostic toolkit. This study aimed to identify differences in balance impairments between different dementia disease subtypes and normal aging using a single triaxial accelerometer.
Methods: Ninety-seven participants were recruited, forming four groups: cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer’s disease (AD group; n = 31), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB group; n = 26), Parkinson’s disease dementia (PDD group; n = 13), and normal aging controls (n = 27). Participants were asked to stand still for 2 minutes in a standardized position with their eyes open while wearing a single triaxial accelerometer on their lower back. Seven balance characteristics were derived, including jerk (combined, mediolateral, and anterior–posterior), root mean square (RMS; combined, mediolateral, and anterior–posterior), and ellipsis. Mann–Whitney U tests identified the balance differences between groups. Receiver operating characteristics and area under the curve (AUC) determined the overall accuracy of the selected balance characteristics.
Results: The PDD group demonstrated higher RMS [combined (p = 0.001), mediolateral (p = 0.005), and anterior–posterior (p = 0.001)] and ellipsis scores (p < 0.002) than the AD group (AUC = 0.71–0.82). The PDD group also demonstrated significantly impaired balance across all characteristics (p ≤ 0.001) compared to the controls (AUC = 0.79–0.83). Balance differences were not significant between PDD and DLB (AUC = 0.69–0.74), DLB and AD (AUC = 0.50–0.65), DLB and controls (AUC = 0.62–0.68), or AD and controls (AUC = 0.55–0.67) following Bonferroni correction.
Discussion: Although feasible and quick to conduct, key findings suggest that an accelerometer-based balance during quiet standing does not differentiate dementia disease subtypes accurately. Assessments that challenge balance more, such as gait or standing with eyes closed, may prove more effective to support differential diagnosis
Cholinergic basal forebrain volumes predict gait decline in Parkinson's disease
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Gait disturbance is an early, disabling feature of Parkinson's disease (PD) that is typically refractory to dopaminergic medication. The cortical cholinergic system, originating in the nucleus basalis of Meynert of the basal forebrain, has been implicated. However, it is not known if degeneration in this region relates to a worsening of disease-specific gait impairment.
Objective
To evaluate associations between sub-regional cholinergic basal forebrain volumes and longitudinal progression of gait impairment in PD.
Methods
99 PD participants and 47 control participants completed gait assessments via an instrumented walkway during 2 minutes of continuous walking, at baseline and for up to 3 years, from which 16 spatiotemporal characteristics were derived. Sub-regional cholinergic basal forebrain volumes were measured at baseline via MRI and a regional map derived from post-mortem histology. Univariate analyses evaluated cross-sectional associations between sub-regional volumes and gait. Linear mixed-effects models assessed whether volumes predicted longitudinal gait changes.
Results
There were no cross-sectional, age-independent relationships between sub-regional volumes and gait. However, nucleus basalis of Meynert volumes predicted longitudinal gait changes unique to PD. Specifically, smaller nucleus basalis of Meynert volume predicted increasing step time variability (P = 0.019) and shortening swing time (P = 0.015); smaller posterior nucleus portions predicted shortening step length (P = 0.007) and increasing step time variability (P = 0.041).
Conclusions
This is the first study to demonstrate that degeneration of the cortical cholinergic system predicts longitudinal progression of gait impairments in PD. Measures of this degeneration may therefore provide a novel biomarker for identifying future mobility loss and falls. © 2020 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
Nutritional significance and Antioxidant-Mediated antiaging effects of Finger Millet: Molecular insights and prospects
Get PDFAging is a multifaceted process that is associated with progressive, lethal, and unalterable changes like damage to different molecules (DNA, proteins, and lipids), cells, tissues, and organs. It is an inevitable process but can be delayed by both genetic and dietary interventions. Besides aging, premature death and age-associated diseases can be dealt with diet regulation and the use of compounds that inhibit the stress responsiveness or promote the damage repair signaling pathways. Natural compounds offer a repertoire of highly diverse structural scaffolds that can offer hopeful candidate chemical entities with antiaging potential. One such source of natural compounds is millets, which are minor cereals with an abundance of high fiber, methionine, calcium, iron, polyphenols, and secondary metabolites, responsible for numerous potential health benefits. The present review article elucidates the nature and significance of different phytochemicals derived from millets with a major focus on finger millet and highlights all the important studies supporting their health benefits with special emphasis on the antiaging effect of these compounds. The present article also proposes the possible mechanisms through which millets can play a significant role in the suppression of aging processes and aging-related diseases by influencing genetic repair, protein glycation, and stress-responsive pathways. We further discuss well-established natural compounds for their use as antiaging drugs and recommend raising awareness for designing novel formulations/combinations from them so that their maximum antiaging potential can be harnessed for the benefit of mankind
Women’s experiences of perimenopause
Get PDFEvery woman, if she lives long enough, will experience perimenopause, the time period leading up to menopause when hormonal changes often cause physical, and sometimes emotional, changes. Whilst menopause has been extensively investigated perimenopause has received little attention and much of the existing research has been conducted by health professionals, with often only a narrow focus. In addition, the experience of women living through perimenopause is largely missing. Knowledge of such experiences can assist in understanding the meaning that perimenopause has for women, and can also assist in providing insight into the effectiveness of current models of care and management.
The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of Western Australian women living through perimenopause. A phenomenological approach, specifically, van Manen’s human sciences (2017) and phenomenology of practice (2014) approaches, were used to collect and analyse qualitative data from eighteen women. van Manen’s (2017) four existentials, namely corporeality, temporality, spatiality and relationality, were used as a reflective lens during the exploration and organisation of the data, resulting in the generation of themes within the four lifeworld existentials. A feminist framework also guided development of the research design and feminist theories, along with Leder’s (1990) essay on the absent body in everyday life, provided support for the discussion of the findings.
The women described their perimenopausal experiences in terms of challenges, and in terms of agency. Challenges related to the body, the environment, and the attitudes of spouses and other family members. The attitude and care provision of medical doctors was also viewed as a challenge by many women. However, the women demonstrated agency by finding alternative sources of care and ways of coping with their symptoms, by drawing on their mothers’ experiences to improve their own, and by seeking valuable friendships in which to safely discuss perimenopause.
The stories of the women demonstrated that the current medical model of care and management does not fit the needs of contemporary perimenopausal women. There is also a general lack of experiential information about perimenopause, and this has resulted in an incomplete and incorrect picture of perimenopause. In addition, adequate support structures for perimenopausal women are missing. Women demonstrate agency, however, by seeking alternative support structures and driving their own changes to improve their midlife health
“The Heart, The Wallet and the Cookie Cutter”: Student and stakeholder experiences of undertaking LANTITE, the high-stakes test in Australian initial teacher education
Get PDFThe aim of this research was to explore initial teacher education (ITE) student and stakeholder perceptions of the student experience of undertaking a nationally mandated, highstakes test: Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education students (LANTITE). This licensure test became a requirement from 1st July 2016 as part of the ongoing reform of teacher education in Australia. Teacher education reform has long been part of international and domestic political agendas, particularly in the pursuit of teacher quality.
This mixed methods study used a pragmatic approach and the research was intentionally designed to give voice to the student experience. There were two distinct participant groups recruited for this study: (a) ITE students from Australian universities; and (b) ITE stakeholders who have regular contact with ITE students and were employed in roles such as teacher educators at universities and teaching staff in Australian schools. There were two phases of the research conducted in early 2019 over an eight-week period. The first phase consisted of a short online questionnaire for both ITE students and stakeholders, and the second phase consisted of a semi-structured telephone interview with individuals from both participant groups who had opted into this component as part of the online questionnaire.
Both ITE students and stakeholders identified three main themes relating to the student experiences of the test: (a) The Heart (emotions and feelings related to the tests); (b) The Wallet (costs associated with the test); and, (c) The Cookie Cutter (the inclusion/exclusion tensions of creating a quality teacher). A diverse range of experiences were recorded and included positive, neutral and negative feedback both about the process and the overall experience. Students also described a range of experiences relating to the different phases of the testing process, including pre-test, during LANTITE and post-test.
The research findings give voice to those most impacted by the implementation of LANTITE in 2017 and provide new insights into how the students are experiencing the tests for the professional authorities, universities and teacher educators who support initial teacher education students in meeting the standards required of LANTITE and complete their preservice course requirements. Furthermore, the findings from this study suggest improvements in communication to students and a range of supports to students undertaking the tests is required for students to have a clearer understanding of the testing process and structure. The research findings also inform several recommendations in relation to improving the processes for students undertaking this test, particularly in relation to student communication and how results and student feedback are offered. A number of suggested policy improvements are also recommended, including the need to proactively engage students in the design and review of the test experience and the importance of taking student wellbeing into consideration in the testing process
Changing healthcare professionals’ attitudes towards voice hearers
Get PDFThe experience of hearing voices remains highly stigmatised, with this stigma holding serious implications for treatment and recovery. Healthcare professionals and healthcare students have been implicated as a source of, and maintaining factor for, this stigma, however there is little research to date examining interventions to reduce this stigma. The overarching aim of this dissertation was to examine the impact of education and direct contact on the implicit and explicit stigma towards voice hearers, held by healthcare professionals and students. This dissertation begins with a narrative literature review of existing literature examining interventions to reduce stigma towards voice hearing, in populations of healthcare professionals, healthcare students, and the general public. The first empirical study examined the impact of an education intervention on implicit and explicit stigma towards voice hearing, in a sample of healthcare professionals (N = 59, aged 24 – 59 years , 83.1% female), from a range of disciplines. Results suggested that the education intervention was effective in reducing explicit but not implicit stigma towards voice hearers. Our second empirical study examined the impact of the same education intervention on explicit and implicit stigma towards voice hearing, in a sample of healthcare students (N = 49, aged 21 – 58 years , 89.8% female). Furthermore, it examined the impact of online versus face-to-face education delivery methods on measures of stigma. Results indicated that both online and face-to-face education delivery were effective in reducing explicit but not implicit stigma towards voice hearing in healthcare students. Finally, empirical study three explored the attitudes and experiences of healthcare students (N = 11, aged 26 – 39 years, 90.9% female) following direct contact with people who experience voice hearing, through the form of semi-structured, reflective interviews. Results indicated that following direct contact, healthcare students demonstrated more positive attitudes towards voice hearing, and also shifted their attitudes towards the self. Taken together, the findings from this dissertation support the use of both education interventions and direct contact to reduce explicit stigma towards people who experience voice hearing, in healthcare professionals and students. While generally implicit stigma remained stable over time, further research is required in this area. Given the detrimental impact of stigma on voice hearer’s experience of voices, treatment and recovery trajectory, it is recommended that these interventions are delivered on a broader scale
Influence of bamboo vinegar powder (BVP) enriched diet on antioxidant status, immunity level, and pro-anti-inflammatory cytokines modulation in Asian sea bass, Lates calcarifer (Bloch 1790) against Vibrio anguillarum
No full textEffect of bamboo vinegar powder (BVP) on growth, immunity, disease resistance, and immune-related gene expressions in juvenile Asian sea bass (barramundi), Lates calcarifer against Vibrio anguillarum was investigated. V. anguillarum infected fish fed by 2g BVP kg−1 diet exhibited significant growth, albumin (AB), serum total protein (TP), and globulin (GB) levels. Similarly, enhanced lysozyme (LZM), phagocytic (PC), anti-protease (AP), respiratory burst (RB), bactericidal (BC) activities and total immunoglobulin (Ig) levels were observed in fish fed 2g BVP kg−1. In addition, use of 2g BVP kg−1 in diet modulated several immune related gene expressions against Vibrio disease. This study exhibited a positive effect of dietary 2g BVP kg−1 diet on hemato-biochemical and immunological responses, which enhance the immunocompetence and health status of L. calcarifer against V. anguillarum infection
A spotter’s guide to SNPtic exons: The common splice variants underlying some SNP–phenotype correlations
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Cryptic exons are typically characterised as deleterious splicing aberrations caused by deep intronic mutations. However, low-level splicing of cryptic exons is sometimes observed in the absence of any pathogenic mutation. Five recent reports have described how low-level splicing of cryptic exons can be modulated by common single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), resulting in phenotypic differences amongst different genotypes.
Methods
We sought to investigate whether additional ‘SNPtic’ exons may exist, and whether these could provide an explanatory mechanism for some of the genotype–phenotype correlations revealed by genome-wide association studies.
We thoroughly searched the literature for reported cryptic exons, cross-referenced their genomic coordinates against the dbSNP database of common SNPs, then screened out SNPs with no reported phenotype associations.
Results
This method discovered five probable SNPtic exons in the genes APC, FGB, GHRL, MYPBC3 and OTC. For four of these five exons, we observed that the phenotype associated with the SNP was compatible with the predicted splicing effect of the nucleotide change, whilst the fifth (in GHRL) likely had a more complex splice-switching effect.
Conclusion
Application of our search methods could augment the knowledge value of future cryptic exon reports and aid in generating better hypotheses for genome-wide association studies
Understanding Chinese female university teachers’ intention to pursue a PhD degree: Some insights from a Chinese university
No full textTo respond to an increasing emphasis placed on research capability and productivity, universities in China are reforming their policies regarding faculty’s performance evaluation and promotion criteria. Faculties are motivated to invest in research, and those without a PhD degree are strongly encouraged to enroll in doctoral programs. From the perspective of the theory of planned behavior, we conducted a qualitative study to explore the factors underpinning the intention to pursue a PhD degree among female teachers in a Chinese university. From data collected via semi-structured interviews, we found that participants were evaluating their pursuit of a doctoral degree in the clashes between the entrenched social-cultural beliefs of women’s role and the institutional expectation of a fully devoted scholar. Accordingly, theoretical and practical implications of our findings are discussed