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Acceptability of Sharing Internet Browsing History for Cancer Research: Think-Aloud and Interview Study.
Full text linkBACKGROUND: Growing interest surrounds how internet search behaviors might provide digital signals of disease prior to diagnosis, for example, when people search symptoms online. Internet browsing data offer novel opportunities for understanding response to symptoms, public health surveillance, and early intervention in conditions such as cancer. However, the acceptability of using such sensitive data in medical research remains unclear, particularly among individuals at higher risk of health and digital exclusion, such as older adults and those from minority ethnic groups or with a lower socioeconomic status. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to explore the feasibility and acceptability of using internet browsing history data for health research. METHODS: Participants were purposively sampled to ensure representation from groups at risk of digital and health inequalities via community organizations and charities. We conducted semistructured and think-aloud interviews allowing participants to reflect on hypothetical research involving sharing their internet browsing data. The adapted theoretical framework of acceptability guided the interview structure and coding. The interviews were transcribed, coded in NVivo, and thematically analyzed. Patient and public involvement informed the study approach, participant-facing documents, and the interpretation of the findings. RESULTS: Twenty participants (10 with a history of cancer and 10 without) were included in the study representing a range of age, gender, and ethnic and socioeconomic groups. Key themes focused on factors necessary for acceptability, including trust, transparency, and control and on perceived feasibility and individual willingness. Trust and transparency were fundamental to participants' willingness to share data. Trust in researchers would have to be earned through clear communication, ethical data handling, and familiarity with a named research team. Privacy concerns were prominent, with participants wanting control over what was shared, particularly regarding nonhealth-related information (such as details related to banking) or activity related to others (such as their children). Potential use or misuse of data beyond the original research purpose caused more concern than the nature of the shared data itself. Digital literacy varied; many expressed concerns over the technical aspects of sharing data. Participants also doubted the value of their individual internet browsing history, for example, as they chose not to search for health information due to the prevalence of misinformation. However, they described wider benefits arising from internet browsing history research, such as potential advancements in early detection and opportunities to promote credible online sources. CONCLUSIONS: Participant recommendations balanced privacy concerns against the potential of internet history data for early diagnosis and health research. The study highlights ethical and inclusive approaches to health research using internet browsing history. Future researchers should consider defining the scope of health-specific data filters, providing user-friendly information and guidance for study participants, and ensuring that participants are able to contact research team members to build trust and facilitate data sharing
wgbstools: a computational suite for DNA methylation sequencing data analysis.
Full text linkNext-generation methylation-aware sequencing of DNA sheds light on the fundamental role of methylation in cellular function in health and disease, increasing the number of covered CpG sites from hundreds of thousands in previous array-based approaches to tens of millions across the whole genome. While array-based approaches are limited to single-CpG resolution, next-generation sequencing allows for a more detailed, single-molecule fragment-level analysis; however, existing tools to fully use this capability are not yet well developed. Here, we present wgbstools, an extensive computational suite tailored for methylation sequencing data. wgbstools allows fast access and ultracompact anonymized representation of high-throughput methylome data, obtained through various library preparation and sequencing methods, with a custom epiread file format achieving a compression factor of over 100x from the input BAM file. In addition, wgbstools contains state-of-the-art algorithms for genomic segmentation, biomarker identification, genetic and epigenetic data integration, and more. wgbstools offers fragment-level analysis and informative visualizations, across multiple genomic regions and samples
Nanoscale deformation mechanics in the bone- cartilage unit
Full text linkThe articular cartilage, calcified plate and the trabecular bone forms the bio-assembly known as the bone-cartilage unit (BCU) or osteochondral unit and has exceptional biomechanical capability of bearing and transferring load during joint motion and weight bearing. Change in the structure or composition of any component of the BCU, e.g. by mechanobiologically driven changes, may result in loss of function, disruption of whole joint integrity and initiate osteoarthritic pathology in the joint. As these changes can originate at the molecular- and supramolecular level, understanding the functional design of such interfaces at the nanoscale in both healthy and degenerative conditions is of importance. The bone-cartilage interface, exhibits gradients in both structure and mechanical properties, resulting in gradients in strain during physiological activity. On one side, there is a layer of articular cartilage with depth- dependent gradients in fibre orientation, type II collagen/proteoglycan content ratios, hydration, and nanoscale collagen fibrillar pre-strain and intramolecular disorder. However, the structure of the collagen network and the response upon loading, injury and ageing at nanoscale, remain unclear. High brilliance synchrotron small angle X-ray scattering was utilized to study the fibrillar structure across the BCU, measuring the gradient in the pre- strain in collagen and related ultrastructural properties, in the bone-cartilage interface, to better characterize this biomechanical interface critical for healthy joint function. The investigation demonstrated the presence of a physiological internal strain gradient within the collagen nanofibrils across the BCU. Furthermore, it revealed that mineralised collagen nanofibrils in the calcified cartilage exhibited tensile pre-strain relative to those in the underlying trabecular bone. Within the calcified part of the BCU, a finer-scale gradient in pre-strain is observed. Furthermore, the full-field mapping of the nanoscale deformation in the fibrillar network across the entire intact bone-cartilage unit upon physiological loading is reported. The study demonstrated a continuous spatial transition between different fibril strain modes (microscale reorientation and nanoscale kinking) from the surface to the bone–cartilage interface. In addition, it showed that injury disrupted the nanoscale organisation of the collagen fibrillar network, and that ageing exacerbated these effects. These insights contribute to a deeper understanding of the nanoscale mechanics of the BCU, informing potential therapeutic strategies aimed at preserving or restoring joint integrity in the context of injury and aging
Modelling and simulation of solute segregation and eutectic phase precipitation during laser directed energy deposition of precipitation-strengthened Ni-based superalloys
Full text linkGold’s Odyssey: Power, Value, and the Labyrinths of Morality in the Eighteenth-Century Money It-Narrative
Full text linkThis thesis examines the money it-narrative, a subgenre of the eighteenth-century it-narrative, or novel of circulation. Beginning with an overview of the money it-narrative and its recurrent plot structures, this study explores four key thematic concerns that define the genre. The first is the body-spirit dichotomy, which shapes the characterization of specie it-narrators. Like humans, these figures possess both a body and a soul and serve as narrators and protagonists. This dualism reflects broader anxieties about precious metal coin versus paper banknotes, a tension that, as recent critics of the genre have shown, preoccupied British society throughout the long eighteenth century. These anxieties intersect with fears surrounding the Mississippi and South Sea Bubbles (both 1720), which saw investments reduced to worthless share tickets. The study then examines hoarding versus investing, embodied in the figure of the miser, a frequently recurring character in the money it-narrative. The miser’s consistent portrayal as a detested figure reflects the decline of mercantilist thought − which equated hoarded bullion with wealth − and the concomitant rise of economic theories advocating for productive circulation and free-market principles. The third issue explored in this study is how the it-narrative reflects Britain’s financial relationships with its overseas territories and colonies in the eighteenth century. Through close readings of the money it-narrative, this section shows Britons abroad prioritizing monetary gain over national and personal honour. The final topic examines how money it-narratives for children function as both cautionary tales and sources of Sentimentalist moral instruction, shaping young readers’ attitudes toward wealth, trade, and virtue
Significant kidney impairment in pediatric inflammatory bowel disease and practice points for pediatric gastroenterologists
No full textThe UK Soft Drink Industry Levy and Inequalities in Caries-Related Extractions
Full text linkThis study evaluated the impact of the Soft Drinks Industry Levy (SDIL) on socioeconomic inequalities in hospital admissions for caries-related extractions in England. The study used monthly data on hospital admissions in NHS hospitals in England between March 2007 and December 2024 for 0- to 17-y-olds. Admission rates for caries-related extractions were standardised by population size (per 100,000 person-months) and stratified by area deprivation quintiles. The slope and relative indices of inequality (SII and RII) were used to evaluate the magnitude of the absolute and relative inequalities in admission rates by area deprivation. Admission rates for tonsillectomy were chosen as a negative control outcome. A segmented regression model was fitted with a parameterization that incorporated 4 key policy and contextual phases: SDIL announcement, implementation, COVID-19 lockdown, and postlockdown recovery. When the counterfactual and observed trends were compared, there were absolute reductions in the SII for caries-related extractions of 3.89 (95% CI: 2.38, 5.39) and 9.27 (95% CI: 7.15, 11.40) at 22 and 80 mo after implementation, corresponding to relative reductions of 9.16% (95% CI: 3.18, 15.13) and 25.54% (95% CI: 15.74, 35.34), respectively. There were also absolute reductions in the RII of 0.03 (95% CI: 0.01, 0.05) at 22 and 80 mo after implementation, corresponding to relative reductions of 13.52% (95% CI: 4.56, 22.48) and 12.74% (95% CI: 4.49, 20.99). No differences in SII or RII were observed for tonsillectomy admission rates. The introduction of the SDIL was associated with reductions in deprivation-related inequalities in admission rates for caries-related extractions among children in England.</jats:p
