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Impact of DNA Extraction Methods on Quantitative PCR Telomere Length Assay Precision in Human Saliva Samples
Get PDFTelomere length (TL) has emerged as a promising replicative cellular aging marker that reflects both genetic and non-genetic influences. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) TL measurement has been favored as a cost-effective method that can be easily implemented, especially in population studies with limited quantities of source material. However, several recent reports have revealed inconsistencies in telomere length measurements when applying different DNA extraction methods to the same source material. In this study we tested three DNA extraction methods on saliva samples from 48 participants of the National Growth and Health Study (NGHS) collected with DNA Genotek’s Oragene kit. The chosen extraction kits represent three distinct approaches to genomic DNA extraction from lysed cells and we employed two different operators to carry out all assays on the same samples. We measured DNA yield and quality and calculated the between-operator agreement of qPCR TL measurements (intraclass correlation, ICC). Our analyses showed that while both QIAamp and Agencourt DNAdvance had higher agreement between the 2 operators (ICC=0.937, CI [0.891, 0.965] and ICC=0.95, CI [0.911, 0.972] respectively), compared to PrepIT kit (ICC=0.809, CI [0.678, 0.889]), QIAamp extracted DNA samples were notably degraded. Using generalizability theory, we found that the participant-by-extraction-method interaction explained about 10% of total variation in TL, suggesting that TL differences across methods are somewhat participant-specific. Therefore, our results suggest that the among the three DNA extraction methods tested, Agencourt (magnetic bead purification) is the preferred kit, and we also strongly recommend against combining different extraction methods within a study population
Awareness of Mobile Phone Radiation and Its Potential Health Hazards Among Students and Working-class Population During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-sectional Survey
Get PDFCOVID-19 pandemic has caused an increased dependence on mobile phones by students and working professionals. Mobile phones are indispensable gadgets with a wide range of applications. However, there are potential risks associated with its usage in terms of radiofrequency radiation. The objective of this study was to evaluate the knowledge of radiation and its biological adverse effects caused due to the usage of mobile phones among students and working professionals. An online awareness survey was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic among 351 participants using Google forms. The questionnaire was disseminated to the WhatsApp groups of students and working professionals and the data was statistically analysed. Among the 351 subjects, 72% of the respondents used their mobile phones for more than 4 hours per day. However, less than 20% were fully aware of mobile phone radiation being listed in the possible carcinogen list by the World Health Organization (WHO). In addition, only half of the respondents considered the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) value and information on radiation emission while purchasing a new phone. To conclude, the need for awareness of potential hazards associated with the mobile phone radiation seems crucial, especially during this time when everyone in the world and especially school and college students are highly dependent on mobile phones
The Future of Psychotherapy for Youth
Get PDFDespite countless modifications to adapt adult psychotherapy to treat pediatric populations, recent meta-analytic findings have found only modest effect sizes for the treatment of pediatric depression. Additionally, recent neuroscientific evidence suggests that most mental health disorders share greater comorbidity with other distinct mental health disorders and also have greater within-disorder heterogeneity than previously thought. This review aims to integrate recent findings of analytic reviews with developments in neuroscience to encourage the field to think differently about how to best improve pediatric psychotherapy and our understanding of the developing brain. This article examines why our approach to treating mood disorders in the pediatric population must change based on our current understanding of the neurocognitive and psychosocial etiologies of these disorders and to highlight the importance transdiagnostic perspectives. Perhaps, neuroscientific methods can one day become adjunctive to psychotherapy to help personalize approaches, and to help provide valuable insight into emerging psychopathology even before symptoms manifest
Optimizing the Internet Despite Threat to IP: How Fashion Designers in Nigeria are Leveraging Digital Media Platforms for Market Entry and Growth
Get PDFIt has been argued that the file-sharing dimension of the internet undermines the intellectual property rights of creative producers. By simply clicking a button, creative works such as music, films, books and fashion designs can be accessed, used and distributed free-of-charge via digital media platforms. This has led to what some writers termed copyfights between those that support the unrestricted sharing of creative works over the internet, and those who support the protection of the copyright of creative producers on the internet. This problem continues to dog creative producers in the knowledge economy. This article examines how this problem has affected fashion designers as creative producers, and how they have managed it. It argues that fashion designers have effectively leveraged and optimized the file-sharing dimension of the internet, and concludes that the internet is a strategic imperative for fashion designers and perhaps for every creative worker in the digital era
COVID-19 School Closures in Uganda and their Impact on the Well-being of Teachers in Private Institutions in Semi-urban Districts
Get PDFObjective: This article explored how teachers were supported for continued professional growth and on their general well-being before and after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Experiences of teachers of private schools in Semi-Urban districts during COVID-19 Wave 1&2 lockdown in Uganda are explored. It assess professional growth aspects and their well-being before and during closure of education institutions. The study illustrates challenges experienced by the teachers as well as coping strategies adopted.
Methods: In-depth individual interviews, and key informant interviews were employed. At the time of reaching saturation, one hundred and three private secondary school teachers had been interviewed; eight key informants that were head teachers of selected private schools. Data was analyzed using the Conservation of Resources (COR) theory.
Results: Teachers’ professional growth is in limbo after suffocation during the COVID-19 given longtime school closures with inability of private schools to earn from their clientele. The well-being of teachers is wanting. Many teachers ought not return to teaching and are engaged in various trades for a living.
Conclusion: Teachers of private academic institutions contribute to government’s effort in providing quality education. Exploring their experiences during emergencies such as the current COVID-19 pandemic informs stakeholders in education on how to deal with their professional growth and general well-being.
Conclusion: Teachers of private academic institutions contribute to government’s effort in providing quality education. Exploring their experiences during emergencies such as the current COVID-19 pandemic informs stakeholders in education on how to deal with their professional growth and general well-being
Global Education in STEM and Healthcare: Implications of COVID-19
Get PDFThe Coronavirus Infectious Disease 2019 (COVID-19) was declared a pandemic in March of 2020. Since then, most schools, colleges, and universities across the globe stopped delivering classes face-to-face and transitioned into virtual modalities of instruction. This reformation of academics has had an impact on every field of study, especially those students in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), and in the realm of healthcare education. Ranging from middle/high school to undergraduate and graduate programs, STEM degrees require intensive curricula integrating extensive lectures on theoretical topics and laboratory exercises to apply those concepts in a practical setting. Likewise, healthcare education involves hands-on, clinical lab components working on patients, guided by supervisors. The guidelines developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States recommended refraining from these physical learning environments since social distancing has been an important preventative measure against the contagion. As in-person classes, labs, and residencies across the world were disrupted, students, faculty, staff, and administrators of STEM and healthcare fields had to face and navigate multifarious challenges to continue the education effectively, while maintaining safety. This review encapsulates such effects of the pandemic on STEM and healthcare education in various countries. The analysis aims to provide an insight into the strategies of distance education and alternative pedagogies for these disciplines adopted by institutions globally in the light of COVID-19, which could potentially serve as a reference model during any future pandemics
China, Aspiration to Become a Football Superpower: What We Need to Know?
Get PDFThe purpose of this paper is to find out the Chinese aspiration towards the football business, its risks, and challenges. Specifically, we examined the national and international Chinese investments in football. Our findings revealed that there is a tendency for China to offer a large sum of money to the foreign players to attract them but also to invest in infrastructure across the country in order to increase the population's interest in this sport. Imperative to know that, the state's asserted desire to become a great football nation, public and private companies must follow people’s hope. It has been found that big football fans are involved in the development of football in China. The goal is to find the future Mbappé or Ronaldo who will allow China to shine as a football superpower
Analytical and Experimental Study on Flexural Behavior of Beam-column Joint with Addition of Polypropylene Fibers
Get PDFKey scope of this research is evaluation of actions of beam to column joints under the impact load acting on it. The beam-column joints, a common area between frame beams and columns. It is the most critical zone to ensure the global response of such momentary resistance structures. Several approaches have been attempted over the years by many civil engineers and practitioners to improve the deficiently thorough joint in between beam and column. The highest bending moment and shear forces in the framed structures are at the junction area. As a result, that joint between beam and column is one of a collapse zone. Joint in outer is more important among the beam-column joints. The effect may be caused by a weight falling on the design object or possibly falling off the design object and hitting the hard surface. In this work, an emphasis has been made to understand the joint vulnerability against impact loads and its behavior is analyzed using the ANSYS software. From this experimental program observed that, impact resistance in RCC beam to column joints can be improved by improving stiffness by added polypropylene fibers and energy absorption can also be improved
Comparative Analysis of Rainfall-Runoff Modeling Using Support Vector Machines for Two Dams in Uttarakhand
Get PDFThe main objective of this study was to evaluate and compare the performances of rainfall-runoff models that were developed by using support vector machines (SVMs). Rainfall and runoff data of Haripura and Baur dams were adopted on daily basis from Irrigation Division Rudrapur in Uttarakhand. In this study, radial kernel function was used. As the values of Cost function (C), and varies, performances of the models can be altered. So, at optimum values of these variables, there exists a best correlation between rainfall and runoff. It can be inferred from the study that SVM models provide satisfactory results for both dams. These results can be used for runoff prediction for various purpose such as irrigation etc
Synthesis and Characterization of Zinc (II) Phthalocyanine for Screening Potential Solar Cell Dye Application
Get PDFPhthalocyanine molecules have the potential to be used in select Dye Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSCs) and Luminescent Solar Concentrators (LSCs), due to UV-Vis absorbance in the 300-450 (nm) Soret Band, corresponding to π HOMO-1 to π* LUMO transition and 550-690 (nm) Q-band, corresponding to π HOMO to π* LUMO transitions. In this study Tetranitro Zinc (II) Phthalocyanine is synthesized via base catalysis before the product is characterized via IR, 1H NMR & UV-Vis analysis. Assessing the desirability of the Tetranitro Zinc (II) Phthalocyanine as a solar organic semiconducting dye in DSSCs and LSCs. The desirability is assessed by novel computational DFT calculations, of the aggregation binding mode to deduce if Aggregation-Caused Quenching (ACQ) is occurring in the aggregated sample. ACQ is known to reduce DSSCs and LSCs generation of useful photo-active current. Aggregation-Caused Quenching (ACQ) is mathematically indicated in Phthalocyanine aggregation and Tetranitro Zinc (II) Phthalocyanine’s desirability is assessed for further use in DSSCs and LSCs