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Field placement is a milestone in every student's journey towards degree completion. The experience influences career choices, professional identities and emergent practices in the dynamic social work field. While there is a growing body of knowledge regarding this development, as well as research-as-placement for students, there remains a paucity of documentation on what this experience is like, especially regarding the outcomes for students post-placement. To address the gap our team of authors offer a reflective and reflexive autoethnographic account of our experiences as social work students (and supervisor) undertaking research field placements. Our aim is to offer readers a critical perspective of research-as-placement that highlights the potential to enhance academic aspirations post-placement. We promote the benefits for students when supervised/mentored by a social work academic, particularly the personal and professional opportunities that come from the experience that help students locate placement success, research skills development and an academic career pathway. A key finding is the need for further research regarding the experience of students requiring ready-made skills in self-directed and self-paced learning. Ultimately, through this work we propose that research-as-placement creates avenues to build symbolic and social capital in the lives of students and ultimately enrich their social work education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Building Young Men group mentoring program is a new and innovative youth intervention program located in the outer suburbs of Sydney, Australia. Funded and facilitated by a professional sporting organization, the program incorporates the practices of group work, youth work, and mentoring to support adolescent males in exploring safe and healthy transitions into adulthood. The authors have offered the term "Dynamic Group Mentoring," to describe the experience at the intersection of the interventions of group work, youth work, and mentoring as practiced in the Building Young Men program. This model of group mentoring offers significant positive outcomes for adolescent male participants, particularly in supporting the development of confidence, trust, agency, and social capital in their lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Phantom limb pain (PLP) is a complex condition resulting in pain in the missing limb affecting 60–80% amputees. Increasing number of patients are undergoing amputations. Approximately 1 per every 1000 people in the United Kingdom is an amputee. Incidence of PLP can be as high as 80% following amputation. PLP can be severe and difficult to treat. A range of pharmacological interventions exist yet little is known about them in respect to PLP. This article will address the effectiveness of both single pharmacological, therapy as well as drug combination therapy. Methods: We reviewed all literature looking at the evidence for the efficacy of both single and combined pharmacological therapy in the management of phantom limb pain. Not all commonly prescribed analgesic agents have been studied in the use of PLP and in these cases, the evidence of their efficacy in neuropathic pain was reviewed Conclusion: It is difficult to draw definitive conclusions on the pharmacological management of PLP based on current available evidence. Most trials involved small cohorts and were not specific to the PLP. The trials which looked specifically at the PLP population gave conflicting results. Only the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist class demonstrated consistent positive results. Most notably ketamine did produce a reduction in pressure pain thresholds and pain windup associated with PLP, although the numbers in these studies remain small. This benefit was not demonstrated across all NMDA receptor antagonists. Combination therapy has demonstrated effectiveness in previous studies for neuropathic pain but this has never been tested specifically against a PLP cohort. Therefore, combination treatment of agents with proven efficacy in PLP such as opioid and gabapentin deserves a closer examination in a controlled study against a placebo as well as single drug therapy [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the viva being an essential component of all PhD and other doctoral qualifications in UK universities, there is little research into their accessibility for autistic students, or the process of adjusting them to individual students' needs. Autistic student voices about the viva are almost completely absent from the literature. This paper is the first to employ a collaborative, ethnographical case study to explore the doctoral viva voce experience of an autistic student, directly from their perspective and from the perspectives of non-autistic academics central to the process. The experiences we share highlight the limitations of 'reasonable accommodation' plans, if they offer only generic support based on a diagnostic label, rather than taking account of the individual needs, and the importance of recognising the unique role that the viva voce holds within doctoral studies. We present a 'reasonable accommodations' discussion document, to facilitate autistic student-centred discussions and ensure the viva process is fair and accessible. We further assert that accommodations should be formally noted within the examination report as to their use and impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Human polymorphisms with derived alleles that are protective against disease may provide powerful translational opportunities. Here we report a method to identify such candidate polymorphisms and apply it to common non-synonymous SNPs (nsSNPs) associated with common diseases. Our study also sought to establish which of the identified protective nsSNPs show evidence of positive selection, taking this as indirect evidence that the protective variant has a beneficial effect on phenotype. Further, we performed an analysis to quantify the predicted effect of each protective variant on protein function/structure. Results: An initial analysis of eight SNPs previously identified as associated with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), revealed that two of them have a derived allele that is protective against developing the disease. One is in the complement component 2 gene (C2; E318D) and the other is in the complement factor B gene (CFB; R32Q). Then, combining genomewide ancestral allele information with known common disease-associated nsSNPs from the GWAS catalog, we found 32 additional SNPs which have a derived allele that is disease protective. Out of the total 34 identified candidate protective variants (CPVs), we found that 30 show stronger evidence of positive selection than the protective variant in lipoprotein lipase (LPL; S447X), which has already been translated into gene therapy. Furthermore, 11 of these CPVs have a higher probability of affecting protein structure than the lipoprotein lipase protective variant (LPL; S447X). Conclusions: We identify 34 CPVs from the human genome. Diseases they confer protection against include, but are not limited to, type 2 diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, age-related macular degeneration, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis. We propose that those 30 CPVs with evidence of stronger positive selection than the LPL protective variant, may be considered as priority candidates for therapeutic approaches. The next step towards translation will require testing the hypotheses generated by our analyses, specifically whether the CPV arose from a gain-of-function or a loss-of-function mutation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent weeks, several new strains of SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19, have emerged. A recent analysis of the transmission characteristics of the B.1.1.7 variant stratified by age suggests that its higher R SB 0 sb may be largely attributable to an increase in transmission to and among school-age children, whilst infection rates for older people appear to be less affected [[2]]. Higher transmission rates require a higher level of immunity to bring R SB 0 sb below one [[12]] and a more transmissible virus strain, such as the UK B.1.1.7 requires more people to be vaccinated in order to keep the virus and the disease it causes under control. [Extracted from the article]

Understanding how pathogens have evolved to survive in close association with their hosts is an important step in unraveling the biology of host–pathogen interactions. Comparative genomics is a powerful tool to approach this problem as an increasing number of genomes of multiple pathogen species and strains become available. The ever-growing catalog of genome sequences makes comparison of organisms easier, but it also allows us to reconstitute the evolutionary processes occurring at the genomic level that may have led to the acquisition of pathogenic or parasitic mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conferences provide excellent opportunities for academics, HDR students and social work practitioners to network, learn and contribute to the general body of knowledge, and establish or maintain credibility, yet there is little research about the possible opportunities conferences may provide to undergraduate students. This article introduces the notion that undergraduate social work students have much to gain from participation in academic conferences, particularly for generating a research culture among students. It follows a specific case study of undergraduate students' attendance at an international conference by analysing their learning in the development of a greater appreciation of the links between social work research, theory and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Modern applications require advanced techniques and tools to process large volumes of uncertain data. For that purpose we introduce cardinality constraints as a principled tool to control the occurrences of uncertain data. Uncertainty is modeled qualitatively by assigning to each object a degree of possibility by which the object occurs in an uncertain instance. Cardinality constraints are assigned a degree of certainty that stipulates on which objects they hold. Our framework empowers users to model uncertainty in an intuitive way, without the requirement to put a precise value on it. Our class of cardinality constraints enjoys a natural possible world semantics, which is exploited to establish several tools to reason about them. We characterize the associated implication problem axiomatically and algorithmically in linear input time. Furthermore, we show how to visualize any given set of our cardinality constraints in the form of an Armstrong sketch. Even though the problem of finding an Armstrong sketch is precisely exponential, our algorithm computes a sketch with conservative use of time and space. Data engineers may therefore compute Armstrong sketches that they can jointly inspect with domain experts in order to consolidate the set of cardinality constraints meaningful for a given application domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genome sequencing has revolutionized the way in which we approach biological research from fundamental molecular biology to ecology and epidemiology. In the last 10 years the field of genomics has changed enormously as technology has improved and the tools for genomic sequencing have moved out of a few dedicated centers and now can be performed on bench-top instruments. In this review we will cover some of the key discoveries that were catalyzed by some of the first genome projects and discuss how this field is developing, what the new challenges are and how this may impact on research in the near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Entamoeba histolytica is a human pathogen that causes amoebic dysentery and leads to significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Understanding the genome and evolution of the parasite will help explain how, when and why it causes disease. Here we review current knowledge about the evolutionary genomics of Entamoeba: how differences between the genomes of different species may help explain different phenotypes, and how variation among E. histolytica parasites reveals patterns of population structure. The imminent expansion of the amount genome data will greatly improve our knowledge of the genus and of pathogenic species within it. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

"Sport builds character" is a phrase often heard throughout Australian society, but whether it really reflects what happens for young males through sport is debatable. This paper reports on doctoral research with young males. The stories of their sporting experiences provide rich insight into the ways that sport does, and does not, build resilience to facilitate the transition to adulthood and negotiate the adversities of adolescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Sport builds character" is a phrase often heard throughout Australian society, but whether it really reflects what happens for young males through sport is debatable. This paper reports on doctoral research with young males. The stories of their sporting experiences provide rich insight into the ways that sport does, and does not, build resilience to facilitate the transition to adulthood and negotiate the adversities of adolescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of an experimental study of turbulent sand jets and sand-water slurry jets impinging vertically into a stagnant water body. The jets contained silica sand with a median diameter D50 of 206 μm, and with an initial concentration 0.60 by volume for the sand jets, and 0.055-0.124 by volume for the slurry jets. The jets had densimetric Froude numbers between 2.0 and 5.94. The sand concentration and velocity profiles were measured simultaneously using a novel fiber optical probe, up to a distance of 130do for sand jets, and 65do for slurry jets, where do is the jet diameter at the water surface. The jets were found to have self-similar Gaussian profiles. The centerline sand concentration within the jets was found to decrease rapidly, following trends similar to single phase plumes. The centerline sand velocity profile decreased significantly before reaching a plateau region. The 'terminal' centerline sand velocity within this region varies somewhat depending upon sand mass flux, and is between 0.32 and 0.43 m/s. The spreading rates of the jets were found to vary with the particle Froude number. Within the sand jets and the higher Froude number slurry jet, the sand concentration had a smaller spreading rate than the velocity. The other slurry jets had equal concentration/velocity spreading rates. The momentum flux of the sand within the jets was found to decrease sharply, followed by a constant flux below a depth of 25 to 30 jet diameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This note presents the results of an experimental study of circular sand jets in air from three nozzles of diameter of 19.2, 31.1 and 63.8 mm. It was found that the frontal speeds of the sand jets and the steady sand jet velocity accelerate due to gravity with negligible air resistance. The sand velocity does not appear to be affected by sand particle sizes for the three sizes tested. The diameters of sand jets, as they travel downwards, decrease and gradually approach an asymptotic value after a distance of 120 times of the initial jet diameter. The sand concentration in the jet decreases as the distance from the nozzle increases. Waves were observed at the periphery of the sand jet and some preliminary results of wave speed and wavelength are reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past 10 years, microbiology has undergone a revolution that has been driven by access to cheap high- throughput DNA sequencing. It was not long ago that the cloning and sequencing of a target gene could take months or years, whereas now this entire process has been replaced by a 10 mm Internet search of a public genome database. There has been no single innovation that has initiated this rapid technological change; in fact, the core chemistry of DNA sequencing is the same as it was 30 years ago. Instead, progress has been driven by large sequencing centers that have incrementally industrialized the Sanger sequencing method. A side effect of this industrialization is that large-scale sequencing has moved out of small research labs, and the vast majority of sequence data is now generated by large genome centers. Recently, there have been advances in technology that will enable high-throughput genome sequencing to be established in research labs using bench-top instrumentation. These new technologies are already being used to explore the vast microbial diversity in the natural environment and the untapped genetic variation that can occur in bacterial species. It is expected that these powerful new methods will open up new questions to genomic investigation and will also allow high-throughput sequencing to be more than just a discovery exercise but also a routine assay for hypothesis testing. While this review will concentrate on microorganisms, many of the important arguments about the need to measure and understand variation at the species, population and ecosystem level will hold true for many other biological systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article deals with providing renal replacement therapy (RRT) in critical care medicine through the methods of peritoneal dialysis (PD), intermittent haemodialysis (IHD) and continuous renal replacement therapy (CCRT). A discussion of the two processes that occur during RRT, namely, diffusion and convention, which result in the transfer of solutes or fluid across a semipermeable membrane is provided. Cellulose-based and synthetic are the two types of RRT membranes.

In the past few years, the area of comparative genomics of malaria parasites has begun to come of age, with the completion of genome sequencing projects of four Plasmodium species, and several functional genomics studies. A picture is emerging of a parasite genome that is highly adapted to its mammalian and vector hosts, and which uses post-transcriptional gene-silencing as one method for the control of gene expression. The genome is compartmentalized into a core of conserved housekeeping genes, sandwiched between subtelomerically located genes encoding surface antigens. Species-specific gene families shape the preference of the parasite for host cells, in addition to determining interactions with the host immune-system. Recent research has led to the description of a motif that is conserved across Plasmodium species and which plays a central role in protein export into the host cell. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Plasmodium berghei and Plasmodium chabaudi are widely used model malaria species. Comparison of their genomes, integrated with proteomic and microarray data, with the genomes of Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium yoelii revealed a conserved core of 4500 Plasmodium genes in the central regions of the 14 chromosomes and highlighted genes evolving rapidly because of stage-specific selective pressures. Four strategies for gene expression are apparent during the parasites' life cycle: (i) housekeeping; (ii) host-related; (iii) strategy-specific related to invasion, asexual replication, and sexual development; and (iv) stage-specific. We observed posttranscriptional gene silencing through translational repression of messenger RNA during sexual development, and a 47-base 3' untranslated region motif is implicated in this process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The life cycle of the parasite Plasmodium falciparum, responsible for the most deadly form of human malaria, requires specialized protein expression for survival in the mammalian host and insect vector. To identify components of processes controlling gene expression during its life cycle, the malarial genome—along with seven crown eukaryote group genomes—was queried with a reference set of transcription-associated proteins (TAPs). Following clustering on the basis of sequence similarity of the TAPs with their homologs, and together with hidden Markov model profile searches, 156 P. falciparum TAPs were identified. This represents about a third of the number of TAPs usually found in the genome of a free-living eukaryote. Furthermore, the P. falciparum genome appears to contain a low number of sequences, which are highly conserved and abundant within the kingdoms of free-living eukaryotes, that contribute to gene-specific transcriptional regulation. However, in comparison with these other eukaryotic genomes, the CCCH-type zinc finger (common in proteins modulating mRNA decay and translation rates) was found to be the most abundant in the P. falciparum genome. This observation, together with the paucity of malarial transcriptional regulators identified, suggests Plasmodium protein levels are primarily determined by posttranscriptional mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reports on the analysis of the genome sequence of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Genes involved in antigenic variation; Genes for immune evasion and host-parasite interactions; targeting of nuclear-encoded proteins to the apicoplast.

Trypanosoma brucei evades the immune system by switching between Variant Surface Glycoprotein (VSG) genes. The active VSG gene is transcribed in one of approximately 20 telomeric expression sites (ESs). It has been postulated that ES polymorphism plays a role in host adaptation. To gain more insight into ES architecture, we have determined the complete sequence of Bacterial Artificial Chromosomes (BACs) containing DNA from three ESs and their flanking regions. There was variation in the order and number of ES-associated genes (ESAGs). ESAGs 6 and 7, encoding transferrin receptor subunits, are the only ESAGs with functional copies in every ES that has been sequenced until now. A BAC clone containing the VO2 ES sequences comprised approximately half of a 330 kb ‘intermediate’ chromosome. The extensive similarity between this intermediate chromosome and the left telomere of T. brucei 927 chromosome I, suggests that this previously uncharacterised intermediate size class of chromosomes could have arisen from breakage of megabase chromosomes. Unexpected conservation of sequences, including pseudogenes, indicates that the multiple ESs could have arisen through a relatively recent amplification of a single ES. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Analyzes the structure and function of the Aspergillus nidulans nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide phosphatase (NADPH):nitrate reductase. Use of polymerase chain reaction mutagenesis in identifying residues in co-enzyme specificity; Effect of niaD3000 mutant revertants on NAD enzyme activities; Implications of the amino acid change at aspargine 813 for co-enzyme specificity.

Focuses on the continous quality improvement (CQI) principles used in the development of Geriatric Medicine Clerkship for fourth-year medical students. Principles of the course; Incorporation of students, faculty and other teaching professionals into the CQI process; Use of student evaluations on selected lectures.

Presents a case study conducted at a University in New South Wales, Australia in which students and staff were surveyed regarding understandings of the research process. Importance of research in teaching; Methodology of the case study; Perception regarding the level of knowledge of teachers about research processes; Results of the study.

Flaviviruses, such as Dengue and Zika viruses, infect millions of people worldwide using mosquitos as vectors. In this issue of Cell , Zhang et al. reveal how these viruses manipulate the skin microbiome of infected hosts in a way that increases vector recruitment and viral spread. They propose vitamin A as a way to counteract the virus and decrease transmission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND. The effect of hospitalization on nursing home patients with pneumonia is not known. We hoped to learn more about the effect of hospitalization on outcome by comparing patients with pneumonia from 2 nursing homes. METHODS. Using a retrospective chart review, we compared a total of 129 patients with pneumonia from 2 Community nursing homes in upstate New York over a 2-year study period. The main intervention measures were treatment in the hospital or treatment in the nursing home. The main outcome measures were resolution or mortality at 6 weeks. RESULTS. Nursing home B had a hospital admission rate for pneumonia (38.8%) that was double that of nursing home A (19.4%). The patient populations were judged to be similar, and the overall mortality outcome for both (weighted average = 24.8%) was essentially identical. CONCLUSIONS. Doubling the hospital admission rate in 1 of 2 similar groups of nursing home patients with pneumonia was not associated with an improved mortality outcome at 6 weeks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genetic code is one of the most highly conserved features across life. Only a few lineages have deviated from the "universal" genetic code. Amongst the few variants of the genetic code reported to date, the codons UAA and UAG virtually always have the same translation, suggesting that their evolution is coupled. Here, we report the genome and transcriptome sequencing of a novel uncultured ciliate, belonging to the Oligohymenophorea class, where the translation of the UAA and UAG stop codons have changed to specify different amino acids. Genomic and transcriptomic analyses revealed that UAA has been reassigned to encode lysine, while UAG has been reassigned to encode glutamic acid. We identified multiple suppressor tRNA genes with anticodons complementary to the reassigned codons. We show that the retained UGA stop codon is enriched in the 3'UTR immediately downstream of the coding region of genes, suggesting that there is functional drive to maintain tandem stop codons. Using a phylogenomics approach, we reconstructed the ciliate phylogeny and mapped genetic code changes, highlighting the remarkable number of independent genetic code changes within the Ciliophora group of protists. According to our knowledge, this is the first report of a genetic code variant where UAA and UAG encode different amino acids. Author summary: The genetic code is almost universal across life. The vast majority of organisms use the canonical genetic code, which has three stop codons (UAA, UAG, and UGA) and 61 sense codons that code for amino acids. Here, we report the discovery of an unexpected genetic code variant in an uncultured ciliate species from the Oligohymenophorea class, where the canonical stop codons UAA and UAG have been reassigned to code for lysine and glutamic acid, respectively. This is a particularly unusual genetic code reassignment as UAA and UAG differ at the wobble position and their evolution is thought to be coupled. We also report that the remaining stop codon, UGA, is enriched immediately downstream of genes in the same reading frame, suggesting a possible role in minimising deleterious consequences in the event of translational readthrough. Our work documents, for the first time, a genetic code variant where the codons UAA and UAG specify two different amino acids and shows that there are still unexplored genetic code reassignments awaiting discovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The RNA interference (RNAi) pathway is a gene regulation mechanism that utilizes small RNA (sRNA) and Argonaute (Ago) proteins to silence target genes. Our previous work identified a functional RNAi pathway in the protozoan parasite Entamoeba histolytica, including abundant 27 nt antisense sRNA populations which associate with EhAgo2–2 protein. However, there is lack of understanding about the sRNAs that are bound to two other EhAgos (EhAgo2–1 and 2–3), and the mechanism of sRNA regulation itself is unclear in this parasite. Therefore, identification of the entire pool of sRNA species and their sub-populations that associate with each individual EhAgo protein would be a major step forward. Results: In the present study, we sequenced sRNA libraries from both total RNAs and EhAgo bound RNAs. We identified a new population of 31 nt sRNAs that results from the addition of a non-templated 3–4 adenosine nucleotides at the 3′-end of the 27 nt sRNAs, indicating a non-templated RNA-tailing event in the parasite. The relative abundance of these two sRNA populations is linked to the efficacy of gene silencing for the target gene when parasites are transfected with an RNAi-trigger construct, indicating that non-templated sRNA-tailing likely play a role in sRNA regulation in this parasite. We found that both sRNA populations (27 nt and 31 nt) are present in the related parasite Entamoeba invadens, and are unchanged during the development. In sequencing the sRNAs associating with the three EhAgo proteins, we observed that despite distinct cellular localization, all three EhAgo sRNA libraries contain 27 nt sRNAs with 5′-polyphosphate (5′-polyP) structure and share a largely overlapping sRNA repertoire. In addition, our data showed that a fraction of 31 nt sRNAs associate with EhAgo2–2 but not with its mutant protein (C-terminal deletion), nor other two EhAgos, indicating a specific EhAgo site may be required for sRNA modification process in the parasite. Conclusion: We identified a new population of sRNA with non-templated oligo-adenylation modification, which is the first such observation amongst single celled protozoan parasites. Our sRNA sequencing libraries provide the first comprehensive sRNA dataset for all three Entamoeba Ago proteins, which can serve as a useful database for the amoeba community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Europe, Trichomonas gallinae recently emerged as a cause of epidemic disease in songbirds. A clonal strain of the parasite, first found in the United Kingdom, has become the predominant strain there and spread to continental Europe. Discriminating this epidemic strain of T. gallinae from other strains necessitated development of multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Development of the MLST was facilitated by the assembly and annotation of a 54.7 Mb draft genome of a cloned stabilate of the A1 European finch epidemic strain (isolated from Greenfinch, Chloris chloris, XT-1081/07 in 2007) containing 21,924 protein coding genes. This enabled construction of a robust 19 locus MLST based on existing typing loci for Trichomonas vaginalis and T. gallinae. Our MLST has the sensitivity to discriminate strains within existing genotypes confidently, and resolves the American finch A1 genotype from the European finch epidemic A1 genotype. Interestingly, one isolate we obtained from a captive black-naped fruit dove Ptilinopsus melanospilus, was not truly T. gallinae but a hybrid of T. gallinae with a distant trichomonad lineage. Phylogenetic analysis of the individual loci in this fruit dove provides evidence of gene flow between distant trichomonad lineages at 2 of the 19 loci examined and may provide precedence for the emergence of other hybrid trichomonad genomes including T. vaginalis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training amongst the Nepalese community in Australia by exploring the impact on knowledge about mental health first aid, confidence and intentions to help, willingness to have contact and stigmatizing attitudes towards people with mental illness. We hypothesized that since MHFA has been extensively evaluated with other communities and has been found to be effective, it would therefore be effective with this community as well. MHFA training was conducted by an accredited Nepalese-Australian MHFA Instructor with 162 participants from the Nepalese community in four states of Australia. Participants completed an evaluation questionnaire prior to the training (pre-test) and at the end of the training (post-test). The evaluation questionnaire assessed participants? knowledge about what was taught in the course, ability to recognize depression as described in a vignette, confidence in providing help, intentions to provide help, and willingness to have contact and stigmatizing attitudes towards people with mental illness. There were large improvements from pre-test to post-test in knowledge, confidence and intentions to help, medium improvements in willingness to have contact, small-to-medium improvements in stigmatizing attitudes and small improvements in recognition of depression. Participants gave high ratings of the course and the instructor. MHFA training produced improvements in knowledge, confidence, intentions, willingness to have contact and stigmatizing attitudes. The training was also well received. Further research is needed to assess persistence of these effects following the course and any changes in mental health first aid provided to the community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plasmodium vivax has received less attention and study than Plasmodium falciparum, due in part to difficulties in culturing this pathogen. Whole-genome sequencing of both P. vivax and Plasmodium cynomolgi and characterization of genetic variation in these species provide a genetic toolbox for tertian malaria and new insights into the monkey malaria clade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses research on the high-throughput sequencing of entire genomes to identify the mutations that sustain specific phenotypes. In the observed study, this approach is used to genetically characterize the enhanced fermentative capacity of a Pichia stipitis mutant. The availability of usable wild-type reference sequences is integral to the use of whole-genome sequencing to map mutations. The author also addresses the need for researchers to develop workflows that exploit the increased throughput of short-read platforms, as sample preparation has become a bottleneck in data generation.

The introduction of COVID-19 disrupted almost every facet of global societies, including institutions of higher education. With limited time to prepare for the emergent shift to virtual instruction, few educators had the time or emotional energy to invest in course redesign to meet established standards of quality online education. Strained by lack of guidance from their institutions and limited confidence in teaching social group work virtually, twelve group work educators initially participated in a weekly mutual aid group of peer members sponsored by the International Association for Social Work with Groups. This paper describes the evolution of a peer-facilitated, international, mutual aid group for group work educators making the transition to an online format – its conception, formation, purpose, structure, facilitation, and process. The authors address the personal experiences of all members, and place the group into a theoretical context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disruption in stable establishment of commensal gut microbiota by early weaning is an important factor in susceptibility of young animals to enteric disorders. The artificial sweetener SUCRAM [consisting of neohesperidin dihydrochalcone ( NHDC) and saccharin] included in piglets' feed reduces incidence of enteric disease. Pyrosequencing of pig caecal 16S r RNA gene amplicons identified 25 major families encompassing seven bacterial classes with B acteroidia, C lostridia and B acilli dominating the microbiota. There were significant shifts in microbial composition in pigs maintained on a diet containing SUCRAM, establishing SUCRAM as a major influence driving bacterial community dynamics. The most notable change was a significant increase of Lactobacillaceae population abundance, almost entirely due to a single phylotype, designated L actobacillus 4228. The sweetener-induced increase in L actobacillaceae was observed in two different breeds of pigs signifying a general effect. We isolated Lactobacillus 4228, sequenced its genome and found it to be related to L actobacillus amylovorus. In vitro analyses of L actobacillus 4228 growth characteristics showed that presence of NHDC significantly reduces the lag phase of growth and enhances expression of specific sugar transporters, independently of NHDC metabolism. This study suggests that sensing of NHDC by a bacterial plasma membrane receptor underlies sweetener-induced growth of a health promoting gut bacterium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A global international initiative, such as the Earth BioGenome Project (EBP), requires both agreement and coordination on standards to ensure that the collective effort generates rapid progress toward its goals. To this end, the EBP initiated five technical standards committees comprising volunteer members from the global genomics scientific community: Sample Collection and Processing, Sequencing and Assembly, Annotation, Analysis, and IT and Informatics. The current versions of the resulting standards documents are available on the EBP website, with the recognition that opportunities, technologies, and challenges may improve or change in the future, requiring flexibility for the EBP to meet its goals. Here, we describe some highlights from the proposed standards, and areas where additional challenges will need to be met. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Life on Earth has evolved from initial simplicity to the astounding complexity we experience today. Bacteria and archaea have largely excelled in metabolic diversification, but eukaryotes additionally display abundant morphological innovation. How have these innovations come about and what constraints are there on the origins of novelty and the continuing maintenance of biodiversity on Earth? The history of life and the code for the working parts of cells and systems are written in the genome. The Earth BioGenome Project has proposed that the genomes of all extant, named eukaryotes--about 2 million species--should be sequenced to high quality to produce a digital library of life on Earth, beginning with strategic phylogenetic, ecological, and high-impact priorities. Here we discuss why we should sequence all eukaryotic species, not just a representative few scattered across the many branches of the tree of life. We suggest that many questions of evolutionary and ecological significance will only be addressable when whole-genome data representing divergences at all of the branchings in the tree of life or all species in natural ecosystems are available. We envisage that a genomic tree of life will foster understanding of the ongoing processes of speciation, adaptation, and organismal dependencies within entire ecosystems. These explorations will resolve long-standing problems in phylogenetics, evolution, ecology, conservation, agriculture, bioindustry, and medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vaccines offer an affordable and highly effective mechanism for delivering immunity without the substantial risks from infection which include acute illness and long COVID. Using coevolutionary and epidemiological theory, we explain the likely long-term consequences of this policy, and we argue for the benefits of "vaccination passports" and childhood vaccination. The development and deployment of effective vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 infection have boosted public confidence and heralded a change in public health policies. Second, relaxing restrictions boosts transmission and allows the virus population to expand, which enhances its adaptive evolutionary potential and increases the risk of vaccine-resistant strains emerging through antigenic drift [[2]]. [Extracted from the article]

This paper reflects the collective experiences of fourteen internationally based social group work educators who met weekly and virtually for seven months during the transition to online teaching necessitated by the coronavirus pandemic. The meetings functioned as a mutual aid support group sponsored by the International Association of Social Work with Groups (IASWG). The paper discusses the group's perceptions of the essential components of effective online group work education. It begins with a review of the history of online social work education. It then outlines the key components instrumental in the planning and developing of engaged online group work classes. Topics include pre-course preparation, norm setting, and building community in the online classroom. Considerations related to the video conferencing platforms, course formats, activities, managing online fatigue, screen sharing, handling chat features, cameras, and break out rooms are interspersed throughout. The paper concludes with a discussion of the use of mutual aid groups as online teaching tools and highlights the online group work teaching experiences of two members in New Zealand and Namibia. Despite initial hesitancy to teach group work virtually, the authors recognize that this can be done effectively but requires additional planning and, ideally, peer and institutional support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Small RNA mediated gene silencing is a well-conserved regulatory pathway. In the parasite Entamoeba histolytica an endogenous RNAi pathway exists, however, the depth and diversity of the small RNA population remains unknown. Results: To characterize the small RNA population that associates with E. histolytica Argonaute-2 (EhAGO2-2), we immunoprecipitated small RNAs that associate with it and performed one full pyrosequencing run. Data analysis revealed new features of the 27nt small RNAs including the 50-G predominance, distinct small RNA distribution patterns on protein coding genes, small RNAs mapping to both introns and exon-exon junctions, and small RNA targeted genes that are clustered particularly in sections of genome duplication. Characterization of genomic loci to which both sense and antisense small RNAs mapped showed that both sets of small RNAs have 50-polyphosphate termini; strand-specific RT-PCR detected transcripts in both directions at these loci suggesting that both transcripts may serve as template for small RNA generation. In order to determine whether small RNA abundance patterns account for strain-specific gene expression profiles of E. histolytica virulent and non-virulent strains, we sequenced small RNAs from a non-virulent strain and found that small RNAs mapped to genes in a manner consistent with their regulation of strain-specific virulence genes. Conclusions: We provided a full spectrum analysis for E. histolytica AGO2-2 associated 27nt small RNAs. Additionally, comparative analysis of small RNA populations from virulent and non-virulent amebic strains indicates that small RNA populations may regulate virulence genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The Global Enteric Multicenter Study (GEMS) determined the etiologic agents of moderate-to-severe diarrhea (MSD) in children under 5 years old in Africa and Asia. Here, we describe the prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility of nontyphoidal Salmonella (NTS) serovars in GEMS and examine the phylogenetics of Salmonella Typhimurium ST313 isolates. Methods Salmonella isolated from children with MSD or diarrhea-free controls were identified by classical clinical microbiology and serotyped using antisera and/or whole-genome sequence data. We evaluated antimicrobial susceptibility using the Kirby-Bauer disk-diffusion method. Salmonella Typhimurium sequence types were determined using multi-locus sequence typing, and whole-genome sequencing was performed to assess the phylogeny of ST313. Results Of 370 Salmonella- positive individuals, 190 (51.4%) were MSD cases and 180 (48.6%) were diarrhea-free controls. The most frequent Salmonella serovars identified were Salmonella Typhimurium, serogroup O:8 (C2-C3), serogroup O:6,7 (C1), Salmonella Paratyphi B Java, and serogroup O:4 (B). The prevalence of NTS was low but similar across sites, regardless of age, and was similar among both cases and controls except in Kenya, where Salmonella Typhimurium was more commonly associated with cases than controls. Phylogenetic analysis showed that these Salmonella Typhimurium isolates, all ST313, were highly genetically related to isolates from controls. Generally, Salmonella isolates from Asia were resistant to ciprofloxacin and ceftriaxone, but African isolates were susceptible to these antibiotics. Conclusions Our data confirm that NTS is prevalent, albeit at low levels, in Africa and South Asia. Our findings provide further evidence that multidrug-resistant Salmonella Typhimurium ST313 can be carried asymptomatically by humans in sub-Saharan Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple factors drive the progression from healthy mucosa towards sporadic colorectal carcinomas and accumulating evidence associates intestinal bacteria with disease initiation and progression. Therefore, the aim of this study was to provide a first high-resolution map of colonic dysbiosis that is associated with human colorectal cancer (CRC). To this purpose, the microbiomes colonizing colon tumor tissue and adjacent non-malignant mucosa were compared by deep rRNA sequencing. The results revealed striking differences in microbial colonization patterns between these two sites. Although inter-individual colonization in CRC patients was variable, tumors consistently formed a niche for Coriobacteria and other proposed probiotic bacterial species, while potentially pathogenic Enterobacteria were underrepresented in tumor tissue. As the intestinal microbiota is generally stable during adult life, these findings suggest that CRC-associated physiological and metabolic changes recruit tumor-foraging commensal-like bacteria. These microbes thus have an apparent competitive advantage in the tumor microenvironment and thereby seem to replace pathogenic bacteria that may be implicated in CRC etiology. This first glimpse of the CRC microbiome provides an important step towards full understanding of the dynamic interplay between intestinal microbial ecology and sporadic CRC, which may provide important leads towards novel microbiome-related diagnostic tools and therapeutic interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]