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BackgroundObesity is currently a worldwide health crisis. Nurses are integral members of the primary health care team and have an important role in managing obesity and administering physical activity (PA) for patients. However, research shows that nurses tend to be overweight or obese, have poor metabolic health, and do not meet PA recommendations. This is problematic because PA is linked to both physiological and psychological well-being and may also influence how nurses counsel their patients. Nursing students are the next generation of nurses; however, there is limited research examining PA (among other lifestyle factors) and metabolic health in nursing students. ObjectiveThe goal of this research is to examine multiple lifestyle factors (including PA, nutrition, sleep, and stress) and determine whether these factors are associated with metabolic health in full-time undergraduate nursing students. MethodsAn estimated 320 nursing students (18 years of age and older) will be assessed for their metabolic health. Metabolic status will be determined by measuring body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), body fat percentage [skinfold measures (FitSystems Inc)], resting blood pressure [automated oscillatory (Omron Healthcare Inc)], and fasting blood glucose (glucometer). Lifestyle factors will also be measured, including PA and sleep [the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and 7-day accelerometry (wGT3X-BT, Actigraph LLC)], nutrition [3-day diet log (Nutritionist Pro, Axxya Systems)], and stress [the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale, heart rate variability assessments, and salivary cortisol (ELISA, Eagle Biosciences)]. The association between metabolic status and PA, sleep quantity and quality, nutrition, and stress will be examined by linear regression analyses. Differences by year of study in metabolic health status, PA, sleep, nutrition, and stress will be examined by 1-way analyses of variance (ANOVAs). To determine the ability of PA, sleep, nutrition, and stress to discriminate prevalent overweight and obesity or poor metabolic status, logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves will be constructed. Statistical analyses will be performed in Stata (version 16.1, StataCorp LLC). ResultsBased on pilot data, we believe senior nursing students will have worse metabolic health (ie, higher BMI and WHR, increased body fat percentage, higher blood pressure, and increased fasting blood glucose) compared to first-year students. We hypothesize that poor PA participation, poor sleep quantity and quality, increased food intake, poor nutrition, and increased stress will be associated with worse metabolic health in full-time nursing students. The study received funding in February 2020. Due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, work on this study has been delayed. We are currently completing our application for institutional research ethics approval. Data collection is projected to begin in January 2021, with data collection and analyses expected to be completed by May 2022. ConclusionsThis study will be the first published research to examine the relationship between lifestyle choices and metabolic status in nursing students attending a Canadian institution. More importantly, the results of this study will support the development of an informed intervention that will target the identified lifestyle factors, improving the physiological and mental health and well-being of nursing students. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)PRR1-10.2196/21342

Undergraduate research experiences are important for the development of scientific identity, appreciation of authentic research, and improvement of persistence toward science careers. We identified a gap in experiential research opportunities for undergraduate Biology students who were seeking a formal yet small-scale research experience that was unique to their own interests and career aspirations. These opportunities may be especially worthwhile for of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) students aspiring to nonresearch scientific careers (i.e., medicine, dentistry, forensics, and communication) and underrepresented STEM students. Here, we reflect on the use of small-scale, individualized undergraduate research experiences that are based on established methods. These experiences have helped to fill this gap and create problem-centered learning opportunities for undergraduate students that are as unique as the students themselves.

The prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in adults is estimated to be at least 1% (Brugha et al., 2011), yet almost all ASD research focuses on children. Adult intervention studies, in particular, are few in number and poor in quality (Bishop-Fitzpatrick, Minshew, & Eack, 2013), and support networks for adults with ASD are much more limited and of a far lower standard than for children (Taylor & Seltzer, 2012). Around half of all adults are rated as having a poor or very poor outcome (Howlin & Moss, 2012), with social independence and integration remaining very limited, even when compared with other groups of individuals with disability (Roux et al., 2013). It is within this context that a 1-day meeting was convened at The University of Sydney to discuss the current state of research on adults with ASD and to identify priorities for future research. Participants were clinicians and/or researchers in the fields of ASD or intellectual disability, from a range of disciplines, including occupational therapy, social work psychology (cognitive, developmental, clinical, and social), child and adult psychiatry, psycholinguistics, disability research and policy, and providers of specialist services for children and adults with ASD. The article summarizes the principal issues raised, identifies gaps in current knowledge, and highlights potential research priorities.

Environmental education can deliver benefits to individuals, society and the environment, but few studies have asked practitioners or participants what they feel these benefits are. This research compares the perspectives of practitioners and participants in environmental education projects, using questionnaires, focus groups and participant observation. Practitioners and participants listed a large number of outcomes, with increasing knowledge about the environment mentioned most frequently. For participants, this was often in relation to gaining new skills. Social outcomes, such as making new friends, were more prominent in participant than practitioner responses. Practitioners did not spontaneously mention any negative outcomes of environmental education, and few were suggested with prompting. Participants suggested more negative outcomes than practitioners, notably damage to the environment. The differing views suggest a need for greater discussion between practitioners and their participants.

Little is known about the evaluation practices of environmental educators. Questionnaires and discussion groups with a convenience sample of UK-based practitioners were used to uncover their evaluation methods. Although many report that they are evaluating regularly, this is mainly monitoring numbers of participants or an assessment of enjoyment. There may be a difference between practitioners' and evaluation experts' understandings of what constitutes evaluation, with many practitioners appearing to see "data collection" and "evaluation" as synonymous. In addition, evaluators would not consider many of the methods used for data collection appropriate. More robust methods for collecting data and longer-term evaluations are often impractical for environmental educators to conduct themselves, and mechanisms are suggested for improving interaction between practitioners, researchers, and evaluators, which could enhance evaluation practice.

During an adenovirus infection, the viral protein E4 11k is responsible for relocalizing specific host cell proteins in order to disrupt normal cellular function to support viral replication. E4 11k has been shown to relocalize processing body (p body) proteins to cytoplasmic aggresomes. These aggresomes are regions of misfolded protein storage that are induced when there is cellular stress. The p body protein Ddx6 has been found in E4 11k-induced aggresomes, but it remained in p bodies in cells treated with the chemical stressor cadmium chloride (CdCl2). Ddx6 was also found to bind directly to E4 11k, which suggests that E4 11k may possess a mechanism to relocate Ddx6 during an infection. Ddx6, along with Pat1b and Edc3, are scaffolding proteins involved in p body formation. As scaffolding proteins are involved in many protein-protein interactions, it is likely the mechanism E4 11k uses to relocate other p body proteins is through interaction with one of these proteins. HeLa cells will be treated with CdCl2 to induce aggresome formation and several p body proteins will be stained, along with gamma tubulin, to indicate which p body proteins are relocalized to aggresomes. We expect at least one p body scaffolding protein to move to aggresomes during this cellular stress., Recommended Citation Authors Heather Vincent (*), Georgia College and State University Follow Sarah West (*), Georgia College and State University Follow Kasey Karen, Georgia College and State University Follow Vincent [...]

Objectives: To estimate the health care and societal costs of inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) in Australia. Design, setting, participants: Microsimulation modelling study based on primary data — collected in interviews of people with IRDs who had ophthalmic or genetic consultations at the Children's Hospital at Westmead or the Save Sight Institute (both Sydney) during 1 January 2019 – 31 December 2020, and of their carers and spouses — and linked Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) and Pharmaceutical Benefits Schedule (PBS) data. Main outcome measures: Annual and lifetime costs for people with IRDs and for their carers and spouses, grouped by payer (Australian government, state governments, individuals, private health insurance) and type (health care costs; societal costs: social support, National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), income and taxation, costs associated with caring for family members with IRDs); estimated annual national cost of IRDs. Results: Ninety‐four people (74 adults, 20 people under 18 years; 55 girls and women [59%]) and 30 carers completed study surveys (participation rate: adults, 66%; children, 66%; carers, 63%). Total estimated lifetime cost was $5.2 million per person with an IRD, of which 87% were societal and 13% health care costs. The three highest cost items were lost income for people with IRDs ($1.4 million), lost income for their carers and spouses ($1.1 million), and social spending by the Australian government (excluding NDIS expenses: $1.0 million). Annual costs were twice as high for people who were legally blind as for those with less impaired vision ($83 910 v $41 357 per person). The estimated total annual cost of IRDs in Australia was $781 million to $1.56 billion. Conclusion: As the societal costs associated with IRDs are much larger than the health care costs, both contributors should be considered when assessing the cost‐effectiveness of interventions for people with IRDs. The increasing loss of income across life reflects the impact of IRDs on employment and career opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We use difference‐in‐differences approaches and parcel‐level data from Minneapolis to estimate the effects of light rail on land use change using alternate definitions of treatment area. Results using circular buffers corroborate previous findings that light rail has virtually no effect on land use change in our study area. In contrast, light rail increases the likelihood of land use change along arterial streets that cross the line at station areas. To accurately model the effects of public transit projects on urban land use, one must consider how potential riders access station areas, rather than assuming accessibility improves radially around a station. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]