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As universities shifted to online education with the onset of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, both pedagogy and assessment patterns across disciplines underwent a change, with a shift towards collaborative digital assessments. In this context, using qualitative and quantitative methods for data collection from an assessment conducted for 55 students who worked in groups to create YouTube videos on pre-selected modules, our analysis reveals that this assessment tool had a significant impact on peer learning, motivation and group dynamics. Students were more motivated to learn and share their learning, and they could also successfully engage in recognising and addressing group dynamics, thereby cultivating more than just subject knowledge. This finding aligns with existing scholarship and the paper adds to research about pedagogy and assessment via digital education in the Indian context, which is still upcoming.

This study explores how discussing metaphors for AI can help build awareness of the frames that shape our understanding of AI systems, particularly large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT. Given the pressing need to teach "critical AI literacy", discussion of metaphor provides an opportunity for inquiry and dialogue with space for nuance, playfulness, and critique. Using a collaborative autoethnographic methodology, we analyzed metaphors from a range of sources, and reflected on them individually according to seven questions, then met and discussed our interpretations. We then analyzed how our reflections contributed to the three kinds of literacies delineated in Selber's multiliteracies framework: functional, critical and rhetorical. These allowed us to analyze questions of ethics, equity, and accessibility in relation to AI. We explored each metaphor along the dimension of whether or not it was promoting anthropomorphizing, and to what extent such metaphors imply that AI is sentient. Our findings highlight the role of metaphor reflection in fostering a nuanced understanding of AI, suggesting that our collaborative autoethnographic approach as well as the heuristic model of plotting AI metaphors on dimensions of anthropomorphism and multiliteracies, might be useful for educators and researchers in the pursuit of advancing critical AI literacy.

Introduction: One of the less common and more life-threatening etiologies of adrenal insufficiency is immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-induced primary adrenal insufficiency (PAI). Patients typically present with fatigue, malaise, and nausea and are treated empirically with hydrocortisone.  Case Report: We present the case of a 59-year-old female who presented with hypotension, which initially was thought to be due to hypovolemia or medication-related, but was ultimately found to have PAI. Conclusion: This case highlights the importance of early detection of ICI-induced primary adrenal insufficiency, given its associated morbidity and mortality and its incidence in patients with a history of immunotherapy.

Facilitated subcutaneous immunoglobulin (fSCIG) 10% is an immunoglobulin replacement therapy that utilizes recombinant human hyaluronidase (rHuPH20) to enhance immunoglobulin dispersion and absorption, allowing for longer treatment intervals similar to intravenous immunoglobulin (up to once monthly). fSCIG 10% is indicated in the USA for treating adults and children aged ≥ 2 years with primary immunodeficiency diseases (PIDs). This prospective, non-interventional, open-label, multicenter, post-authorization safety study (NCT02593188) was conducted in the USA from November 2015 to October 2021 to assess the long-term safety of fSCIG 10% in routine clinical practice. Patients with PIDs aged ≥ 16 years who were prescribed and/or had started fSCIG 10% treatment were enrolled. In total, 253 patients were enrolled and included (full analysis set). Participants received fSCIG 10% treatment for a median (interquartile range) of 10.0 (3.5-11.8) months, with the majority of infusions administered every 4 weeks (54.4% [1197/2201 infusions]) and at home (62.6% [1395/2230 infusions]). Overall, 98.5% of infusions were administered without rate reduction, interruption, or discontinuation due to adverse events (AEs). Treatment-related, non-serious AEs were experienced by 52 patients (20.6%, 284 events). Two patients (0.8%) each experienced one treatment-related serious AE (aseptic meningitis and deep vein thrombosis). Development of antibodies against rHuPH20 was uncommon; 14/196 patients (7.1%) tested positive for binding antibodies (titer ≥ 1:160) with no neutralizing antibodies detected. There was no relationship between anti-rHuPH20 antibody positivity and the occurrence of treatment-related serious or non-serious AEs. Long-term, repeated self-administration of fSCIG 10% was well tolerated in US clinical practice by patients with PIDs.

Prior research has produced mixed findings regarding whether women feel more attractive during the fertile phase of the menstrual cycle. Here, we analyzed cycle phase and hormonal predictors of women's self-perceived attractiveness (SPA) assessed within a daily diary study. Forty-three women indicated their SPA, sexual desire, and interest in their own partners or other potential mates each day across 1-2 menstrual cycles; saliva samples collected on corresponding days were assayed for estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone; and photos of the women taken at weekly intervals were rated for attractiveness. Contrary to some prior studies, we did not find a significant increase in SPA within the estimated fertile window (i.e., cycle days when conception is possible). However, within-cycle fluctuations in progesterone were significantly negatively associated with shifts in SPA, with a visible nadir in SPA in the mid-luteal phase. Women's sexual desire and SPA were positively associated, and the two variables fluctuated in very similar ways across the cycle. Third-party ratings of women's photos provided no evidence that women's SPA simply tracked actual changes in their visible attractiveness. Finally, for partnered women, changes in SPA correlated with shifts in attraction to own partners at least as strongly as it did with shifts in fantasy about extra-pair partners. Our findings provide preliminary evidence for the idea that SPA is a component of women's sexual motivation that may change in ways similar to other hormonally regulated shifts in motivational priorities. Additional large-scale studies are necessary to test replication of these preliminary findings.

Engineered reverse hairpin constructs containing a partial C-heptad repeat (CHR) sequence followed by a short loop and full-length N-heptad repeat (NHR) were previously shown to form trimers in solution and to be nanomolar inhibitors of HIV-1 Env mediated fusion. Their target is the in situ gp41 fusion intermediate, and they have similar potency to other previously reported NHR trimers. However, their design implies that the NHR is partially covered by CHR, which would be expected to limit potency. An exposed hydrophobic pocket in the folded structure may be sufficient to confer the observed potency, or they may exist in a partially unfolded state exposing full length NHR. Here we examined their structure by crystallography, CD and fluorescence, establishing that the proteins are folded hairpins both in crystal form and in solution. We examined unfolding in the milieu of the fusion reaction by conducting experiments in the presence of a membrane mimetic solvent and by engineering a disulfide bond into the structure to prevent partial unfolding. We further examined the role of the hydrophobic pocket, using a hairpin-small molecule adduct that occluded the pocket, as confirmed by X-ray footprinting. The results demonstrated that the NHR region nominally covered by CHR in the engineered constructs and the hydrophobic pocket region that is exposed by design were both essential for nanomolar potency and that interaction with membrane is likely to play a role in promoting the required inhibitor structure. The design concepts can be applied to other Class 1 viral fusion proteins.

ABSTRACT : Introduction:: Gastrointestinal (GI) parasites are major health concerns in both humans and domestic animals. Livestock farming is one of the common livelihood practices in rural Nepal. The proximity at human and domestic animal interface increases the chances of dissemination of enteric parasites, especially those of zoonotic importance. This study was aimed at finding the parasite prevalence and risk factors in both humans and their domestic animals in Jirel community. Materials and Methods:: A field survey was conducted on the Jirel ethnic people and their domestic animals in Dolakha district, where a total of 152 fresh fecal samples from humans and domestic animals (cow, pigs, goats, chickens, ducks, and pigeons) were collected. The feces were examined by wet mounts and concentration techniques. A structured questionnaire survey was carried out among the local people and owners of the domestic animals to gather sociodemographic information, awareness, and hygienic practices in relation to parasite transmission Results:: The enteric parasite prevalence was found to be highest in goats (80.0%;12/15), followed by pigs (55.55%;5/9), cows (45.45%;6/11), chickens (11.7%;4/34), and humans (1.41%;1/71), while the fecal samples of ducks and pigeons did not contain any parasites. The only parasite identified in humans was Ascaris lumbricoides. Similarly, three genera of GI parasites (Eimeria sp., Strongyloides sp, and Trichuris sp.) from goats, two genera each from cow (Eimeria sp. and Strongyloides sp.), pigs (Entamoeba sp. and A. suum), and chickens (Eimeria sp. and Ascaridia galli), were detected Conclusions:: Based on the direct field observation, questionnaire survey and laboratory analysis, it is concluded that the Jirel community people are aware of health and hygiene; however, intervention measures are necessary to prevent parasitic infection in their domestic animals.

BACKGROUND: The choice of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) prosthesis is crucial in optimizing short- and long-term outcomes. The objective of this study was to conduct a meta-analysis comparing outcomes of third-generation balloon-expandable valves (BEV) vs self-expanding valves (SEV). METHODS: Electronic databases were searched from inception to June 2023 for studies comparing third-generation BEV vs SEV. Primary outcome was all-cause mortality. Secondary outcomes included clinical and hemodynamic end points. Random-effects models were used to calculate pooled odds ratios (ORs) or weighted mean differences (WMDs). RESULTS: The meta-analysis included 16 studies and 10,174 patients (BEV, 5753 and SEV, 4421). There were no significant differences in 1-year all-cause mortality (OR, 1.15; 95% CI, 0.89-1.48) between third-generation BEV vs SEV. TAVR with third generation BEV was associated with a significantly lower risk of TIA/stroke (OR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.44-0.87), permanent pacemaker implantation (OR, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.44-0.70), and ≥moderate paravalvular leak (PVL, OR, 0.43; 95% CI, 0.25-0.75), and higher risk of ≥moderate patient-prosthesis mismatch (OR, 3.76; 95% CI, 2.33-6.05), higher mean gradient (WMD, 4.35; 95% CI, 3.63-5.08), and smaller effective orifice area (WMD, -0.30; 95% CI, -0.37 to -0.23), compared with SEV. CONCLUSION: In this meta-analysis, TAVR with third-generation BEV vs SEV was associated with similar all-cause mortality, lower risk of TIA/stroke, permanent pacemaker implantation, and ≥moderate PVL, but higher risk of ≥moderate patient-prosthesis mismatch, higher mean gradient, and smaller effective orifice area. Large, adequately powered randomized trials are needed to evaluate long-term outcomes of TAVR with latest generations of BEV vs SEV.

Algae biotechnology holds immense promise for revolutionizing the bioeconomy through the sustainable and scalable production of various bioproducts. However, their development has been hindered by the lack of advanced genetic tools. This study introduces a synthetic biology approach to develop such tools, focusing on the construction and testing of synthetic promoters. By analyzing conserved DNA motifs within the promoter regions of highly expressed genes across six different algal species, we identified cis-regulatory elements (CREs) associated with high transcriptional activity. Combining the algorithms POWRS, STREME, and PhyloGibbs, we predicted 1511 CREs and inserted them into a minimal synthetic promoter sequence in 1, 2, or 3 copies, resulting in 4533 distinct synthetic promoters. These promoters were evaluated in vivo for their capacity to drive the expression of a transgene in a high-throughput manner through next-generation sequencing post antibiotic selection and fluorescence-activated cell sorting. To validate our approach, we sequenced hundreds of transgenic lines showing high levels of GFP expression. Further, we individually tested 14 identified promoters, revealing substantial increases in GFP expression─up to nine times higher than the baseline synthetic promoter, with five matching or even surpassing the performance of the native AR1 promoter. As a result of this study, we identified a catalog of CREs that can now be used to build superior synthetic algal promoters. More importantly, here we present a validated pipeline to generate building blocks for innovative synthetic genetic tools applicable to any algal species with a sequenced genome and transcriptome data set.

ObjectiveHIV treatment regimen during pregnancy was associated with preterm delivery (PTD) in the PROMISE 1077 BF trial. Systemic inflammation among pregnant women with HIV could help explain differences in PTD by treatment regimen. We assessed associations between inflammation, treatment regimen, and PTD.Design/methodsA nested 1 : 1 case-control study ( N  = 362) was conducted within a multicountry randomized trial comparing three HIV regimens in pregnant women: zidovudine alone, or combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) with lopinavir/ritonavir and either zidovudine or tenofovir. Cases were women with PTD (

BACKGROUND: Excision is routinely recommended for atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH) found on core biopsy given cancer upstage rates of near 20%. Identifying a cohort at low-risk for upstage may avoid low-value surgery. Objectives were to elucidate factors predictive of upstage in ADH, specifically near-complete core sampling, to potentially define a group at low upstage risk. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This retrospective, cross-sectional, multi-institutional study from 2015 to 2019 of 221 ADH lesions in 216 patients who underwent excision or active observation (≥ 12 months imaging surveillance, mean follow-up 32.6 months) evaluated clinical, radiologic, pathologic, and procedural factors for association with upstage. Radiologists prospectively examined imaging for lesional size and sampling proportion. RESULTS: Upstage occurred in 37 (16.7%) lesions, 25 (67.6%) to ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and 12 (32.4%) to invasive cancer. Factors independently predictive of upstage were lesion size ≥ 10 mm (OR 5.47, 95% CI 2.03-14.77, p < 0.001), pathologic suspicion for DCIS (OR 12.29, 95% CI 3.24-46.56, p < 0.001), and calcification distribution pattern (OR 8.08, 95% CI 2.04-32.00, p = 0.003, regional; OR 19.28, 95% CI 3.47-106.97, p < 0.001, linear). Near-complete sampling was not correlated with upstage (p = 0.64). All three significant predictors were absent in 65 (29.4%) cases, with a 1.5% upstage rate. CONCLUSIONS: The upstage rate among 221 ADH lesions was 16.7%, highest in lesions ≥ 10 mm, with pathologic suspicion of DCIS, and linear/regional calcifications on mammography. Conversely, 30% of the cohort exhibited all low-risk factors, with an upstage rate < 2%, suggesting that active surveillance may be permissible in lieu of surgery.