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The dawn of a new digital world has emerged with new ways to communicate and collaborate with other people across the globe. Metaverses and Mirror Worlds have broadened our perspectives on the ways we can utilize 3D virtual environments. A Mirror World is a 3D virtual space that depicts a real-life place or environment that people may want to see physically or would like to manipulate to create something new. A perfect example of this would be an art gallery which provides people an outlet to express themselves through various art forms and be able to socialize and have that human interaction that is needed during times when physical presence may be difficult. This project strives to improve user social interactions and make spatial control easier and more fluid in a virtual art gallery, while also incorporating the existing metaphor of permission and user privileges used in synchronous collaborative environments. We worked to create ways for people to be invited into group chats based on proximity, allowing users to give their consent as to who they want to talk to and who they will allow to share control within the space. We also implemented a way to view the space as a 3D map that highlights pieces of artwork around the space for people to teleport to and view at ease. To demonstrate this shared viewing and navigation experience we also focused on incorporating audio and spatial interaction features within the art gallery prototype of X3D and glTF models, images and audio, and HTML user interface. Published version

High-quality early learning has the potential to narrow disparities in children’s learning and development prior to kindergarten entry, particularly for children from families with low incomes and children who are multilingual learners. This study investigates the relationship between preschool quality and children’s learning and development from fall to spring of 1 school year through the analysis of child- and program-level data from approximately 70,000 children in California preschool programs. It suggests that attending a higher-quality-rated program is associated with greater learning and development than attending a lower-quality-rated program.

BACKGROUND: Serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) is measured as an indicator of bone or liver disease. Bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (B-ALP) is an isoform of ALP found in the bone tissue which can predict fractures and heterotopic ossification. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this scoping review was to explore the current use of ALP and B-ALP in studies using humans or animal models of SCI, and to identify ways to advance future research using ALP and B-ALP as a bone marker after SCI. RESULTS: HUMAN STUDIES: 42 studies were included. The evidence regarding changes or differences in ALP levels in individuals with SCI compared to controls is conflicting. For example, a negative correlation between B-ALP and total femur BMD was observed in only one of three studies examining the association. B-ALP seemed to increase after administration of teriparatide, and to decrease after treatment with denosumab. The effects of exercise on ALP and B-ALP levels are heterogeneous and depend on the type of exercise performed. ANIMAL STUDIES: 11 studies were included. There is uncertainty regarding the response of ALP or B-ALP levels after SCI; levels increased after some interventions, including vibration protocols, curcumin supplementation, cycles in electromagnetic field or hyperbaric chamber. Calcitonin or bisphosphonate administration did not affect ALP levels. CONCLUSION: Researchers are encouraged to measure the bone-specific isoform of ALP rather than total ALP in future studies in humans of animal models of SCI.

The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly affected face-to-face social interaction with and among relational partners - relatives, friends, and others. Prior to the pandemic, many people relied on face-toface social play experiences to help them maintain relationships and satisfy relatedness needs. However, growing coronavirus-related concerns have made such activities unwelcome or inaccessible, leading many to turn to technology-mediated experiences, as a safer alternative means of supporting recreational play with nonproximal relational partners. But how does one design technologymediated recreational play experiences to satisfy a diverse range of user needs, interests, and preferences? To explore this area of interest we study the social experience afforded by the multiplayer game, Among Us. We conduct a diary study with students enrolled in an undergraduate HCI course and report on the findings of a post-study reflective activity. Our findings highlight that casual interdependent games that explicitly and implicitly foster social interaction among players, do provide opportunities for satisfying remote play social experiences when augmented by rich communication technologies. Published version

Protein intake in early life influences metabolism, weight gain, and later obesity risk. As such, a better understanding of the effects of protein intake on the postprandial metabolism and its dynamics over time may elucidate underlying mechanisms. In a randomized crossover study, we observed fasted adults who consumed two isocaloric toddler milk formulas concentrated as meals of 480 kcal with 67 g of carbohydrates 30 g (HP) or 7 g (LP) protein, and 10 g or 20 g fat, respectively. Anthropometry and body plethysmography were assessed, and blood samples collected at baseline and over five hours. Time-specific concentrations, areas under concentration curves (AUC), and maximum values of metabolites were compared by paired t-tests to examine the effects of protein content of toddler milks on postprandial plasma concentrations of insulin, glucose, branched-chain amino acids (BCAA), urea and triglycerides. Twenty-seven men and women aged 26.7 ± 5.0 years (BMI: 22.2 ± 2.5 kg/m2) (mean ± SD) participated. BCAA AUC, and Cmax values were significantly higher with HP than LP (144,765 ± 21,221 vs. 97,089 ± 14,650 µmol min/L, p &lt, 0.001, 656 ± 120 vs. 407 ± 66 µmol/L, p &lt, 0.001), as were insulin AUC and Cmax values (6674 ± 3013 vs. 5600 ± 2423 µmol min/L, p = 0.005, 71 ± 37 vs. 55 ± 28 µmol /L, p = 0.001). Higher glucose, urea, and triglyceride concentrations occurred in the late postprandial phase (≥180 min) with HP. In conclusion, we noted that higher milk protein intake induces increased postprandial BCAA concentrations for at least 5 h and led to higher initial insulin secretion. Gluconeogenesis due to an influx of amino acids and their degradation after HP meal might explain the late effects of protein intake on glucose and insulin.

Severe acute kidney injury has a high mortality and is a risk factor for progressive chronic kidney disease. None of the potential therapies that have been identified in preclinical studies have successfully improved clinical outcomes. This failure is partly because animal models rarely reflect the complexity of human disease: most preclinical studies are short term and are commonly performed in healthy, young, male mice. Therapies that are effective in preclinical models that share common clinical features seen in patients with acute kidney injury, including genetic diversity, different sexes, and comorbidities, and evaluate long-term outcomes are more likely to predict success in the clinic. Here, we evaluated susceptibility to chronic kidney disease after ischemia-reperfusion injury with delayed nephrectomy by monitoring long-term functional and histological responses to injury. We defined conditions required to induce long-term postinjury renal dysfunction and fibrosis without increased mortality in a reproducible way and evaluate effect of mouse strains, sexes, and preexisting diabetes on these responses.

Background Pediatric functional abdominal pain disorders (FAPDs) are disorders of brain-gut dysregulation. Psychological factors are known to be related to etiology, maintenance, and exacerbation of pediatric FAPDs. With the evolving literature in the past two decades, a better understanding has emerged of precisely which psychological factors are associated with childhood FAPDs. Purpose This narrative literature review summarizes the literature of both child and parent psychological factors in pediatric FAPD. Where anxiety and depression were major targets in the older literature, present-day focus is increasingly on pain-specific cognitions and coping strategies including disease threat and catastrophizing. In addition, parental reaction to a child's pain is increasingly recognized as an important moderator of a child's outcomes and has become an area for clinical intervention. Screening for these factors and integrative treatment approaches are recommended in childhood FAPD.

Objective After sexual assault, survivors often reach to others for support and receive a range of reactions. Although these reactions have been characterized by researchers as positive (e.g., emotional support) or negative (e.g., victim blaming), survivors vary in their perceptions in ways that do not always match this framework. The goal of this research was to examine the degree to which designations of reactions as "positive" or "negative" fits across types of reactions and explain instances of mismatch between these designations and survivors' perceptions. Method We conducted a qualitative analysis of interviews with 26 survivors of sexual assault to identify themes in their perceptions of social reactions. Results Although social reactions were generally perceived in a manner that matched researcher categorizations, there was significant variation. Perceptions could be characterized in terms of whether the reaction felt comfortable/soothing, consistent with survivors' needs/hopes/expectations, and helpful in the long term. The closeness of survivors' relationships with responders, the degree to which they were impacted by the assault, and the presence of other social reactions explained variation from researcher designations of reaction types. Conclusion This study clarifies the considerations that survivors make when evaluating social reactions and what accounts for discrepant perceptions of these reactions; in particular, they highlight that there is no "one size fits all" reaction to survivors of sexual assault and the context in which reactions occur may affect how they are seen.

Electronic Supplementary Material 3 for Garske et al, 2016, Heterogeneities in the Case Fatality Ratio in the West African Ebola Outbreak 2013 - 2016, Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B. doi: 10.1098/rstb.2016.0308.

Background The ongoing West African Ebola epidemic began in December 2013 in Guinea, probably from a single zoonotic introduction. As a result of ineffective initial control efforts, an Ebola outbreak of unprecedented scale emerged. As of 4 May 2015, it had resulted in more than 19,000 probable and confirmed Ebola cases, mainly in Guinea (3,529), Liberia (5,343), and Sierra Leone (10,746). Here, we present analyses of data collected during the outbreak identifying drivers of transmission and highlighting areas where control could be improved. Methods and Findings Over 19,000 confirmed and probable Ebola cases were reported in West Africa by 4 May 2015. Individuals with confirmed or probable Ebola (“cases”) were asked if they had exposure to other potential Ebola cases (“potential source contacts”) in a funeral or non-funeral context prior to becoming ill. We performed retrospective analyses of a case line-list, collated from national databases of case investigation forms that have been reported to WHO. These analyses were initially performed to assist WHO’s response during the epidemic, and have been updated for publication. We analysed data from 3,529 cases in Guinea, 5,343 in Liberia, and 10,746 in Sierra Leone; exposures were reported by 33% of cases. The proportion of cases reporting a funeral exposure decreased over time. We found a positive correlation (r = 0.35, p < 0.001) between this proportion in a given district for a given month and the within-district transmission intensity, quantified by the estimated reproduction number (R). We also found a negative correlation (r = −0.37, p < 0.001) between R and the district proportion of hospitalised cases admitted within ≤4 days of symptom onset. These two proportions were not correlated, suggesting that reduced funeral attendance and faster hospitalisation independently influenced local transmission intensity. We were able to identify 14% of potential source contacts as cases in the case line-list. Linking cases to the contacts who potentially infected them provided information on the transmission network. This revealed a high degree of heterogeneity in inferred transmissions, with only 20% of cases accounting for at least 73% of new infections, a phenomenon often called super-spreading. Multivariable regression models allowed us to identify predictors of being named as a potential source contact. These were similar for funeral and non-funeral contacts: severe symptoms, death, non-hospitalisation, older age, and travelling prior to symptom onset. Non-funeral exposures were strongly peaked around the death of the contact. There was evidence that hospitalisation reduced but did not eliminate onward exposures. We found that Ebola treatment units were better than other health care facilities at preventing exposure from hospitalised and deceased individuals. The principal limitation of our analysis is limited data quality, with cases not being entered into the database, cases not reporting exposures, or data being entered incorrectly (especially dates, and possible misclassifications). Conclusions Achieving elimination of Ebola is challenging, partly because of super-spreading. Safe funeral practices and fast hospitalisation contributed to the containment of this Ebola epidemic. Continued real-time data capture, reporting, and analysis are vital to track transmission patterns, inform resource deployment, and thus hasten and maintain elimination of the virus from the human population., In this retrospective observational study, Christophe Fraser and colleagues analyze the exposure patterns associated with Ebola transmission during the 2013-2016 epidemic in West Africa., Author Summary Why Was This Study Done? Knowing how and from whom individuals acquire infection can help inform the response to limit the impact of an epidemic; this study presents updated versions of analyses initially performed to assist the international response during the 2013–2016 Ebola epidemic in West Africa. Over 19,000 individuals with confirmed or probable Ebola (“cases”) were reported in West Africa by 4 May 2015. Cases were asked whether they had exposure to potential Ebola cases (“potential source contacts”) in a funeral or non-funeral context prior to becoming ill. What Did the Researchers Do and Find? We analysed data from 3,529 cases in Guinea, 5,343 in Liberia, and 10,746 in Sierra Leone; exposures were reported by 33% of cases. Non-funeral exposures were strongly peaked around the time of death of the contact. There was evidence of super-spreading, with only 20% of cases accounting for at least 73% of new infections. What Do These Findings Mean? Safe funeral practices and fast hospitalisation contributed to the containment of this Ebola epidemic. The data are highly detailed despite the challenging circumstances in the three countries; however, the analyses were limited by data quality, mostly missing data and incorrect entries. In light of viral persistence in reservoirs, it is vital to maintain active surveillance and analysis of Ebola outbreaks to avoid and contain future outbreaks.

Between December 2013 and April 2016, the largest epidemic of Ebola virus disease (EVD) to date generated more than 28,000 cases and more than 11,000 deaths in the large, mobile populations of Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. Tracking the rapid rise and slower decline of the West African epidemic has reinforced some common understandings about the epidemiology and control of EVD but has also generated new insights. Despite having more information about the geographic distribution of the disease, the risk of human infection from animals and from survivors of EVD remains unpredictable over a wide area of equatorial Africa. Until human exposure to infection can be anticipated or avoided, future outbreaks will have to be managed with the classic approach to EVD control — extensive surveillance, rapid detection and diagnosis, comprehensive tracing of contacts, prompt patient isolation, supportive clinical care, rigorous efforts to prevent and control infection, safe and dignified burial, and engagement of the community. Empirical and modeling studies conducted during the West African epidemic have shown that large epidemics of EVD are preventable — a rapid response can interrupt transmission and restrict the size of outbreaks, even in densely populated cities. The critical question now is how to ensure that populations and their health services are ready for the next outbreak, wherever it may occur. Health security across Africa and beyond depends on committing resources to both strengthen national health systems and sustain investment in the next generation of vaccines, drugs, and diagnostics.

Despite efforts to control the outbreak of Ebola virus disease in West Africa, substantial transmission continues. As we reach the 1-year anniversary of the first known case from this outbreak, the WHO team updates the progress in controlling the epidemic.

There is a lack of evidence to support CT staging for distant disease in patients with Clinical Stage I and II melanoma. Staging scans, undertaken prior to Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy (SLNB) in 115 patients with melanoma, between October 2004 and October 2006 were reviewed. CT imaging failed to identify distant site disease in any patient. 67 patients were diagnosed with non-melanoma related abnormalities necessitating further imaging and investigation, ultimately without identifiable benefit in all but one patient. The results of this study further question the need for distant site imaging of melanoma patients prior to SLNB.