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Megan S Joseph,1,* Monica A Tincopa,2,* Patrick Walden,1 Elizabeth Jackson,1 Marisa L Conte,3 Melvyn Rubenfire1 1Division of Cardiovascular Medicine; 2Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology; 3Taubman Health Science Library, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, MI, USA*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Melvyn RubenfireMichigan Medicine Cardiovascular Medicine, Domino’s Farms, Lobby A, 24 Frank Lloyd Wright Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48105, USATel +1 888 287-4480Fax +1 734 998-9587Email mrubenfi@med.umich.eduBackground: The metabolic syndrome (MetS) is highly prevalent and associated with higher risk of diabetes and cardiovascular events. Exercise programs have been shown to improve components of MetS, but the optimal design of a structured exercise program for treatment of the MetS remains unclear.Purpose: To assess the impact of different exercise programs on the MetS and its components.Methods: MEDLINE via PubMed and Embase was searched. Randomized controlled trials of supervised exercise alone and in combination with nutrition programs compared with usual care in adults with the MetS were selected. Two authors independently reviewed articles to select eligible studies and performed data abstraction. Eight studies representing 1218 patients were included. The participants had a median age of 51, median BMI of 29 kg/m2, and were 55% male. Mean weight loss increased with program duration. For combination programs, the mean weight loss was −2.6 kg, −3.7 kg, and −6.5 kg for 3, 6, and 12 months, respectively. The components of the MetS most frequently statistically significantly improved were waist circumference (6/6 studies), blood pressure (4/6 studies), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (3/6 studies).Limitations: Studies did not include long-term follow-up post program completion to evaluate persistence of benefit. It is unknown whether the same results would be found in an older, more obese population.Conclusion: Supervised exercise programs yield significant resolution of components of the MetS, particularly in reducing waist circumference. Longer program duration and frequent interval sessions appear to have highest benefit and thus may help reduce cardiovascular risk and diabetes associated with the MetS.Keywords: metabolic syndrome, exercise programs, obesity

Megan S Joseph,1 Monica A Konerman,2 Min Zhang,1 Boxian Wei,1 Ellen Brinza,1 Patrick Walden,1 Elizabeth A Jackson,1 Melvyn Rubenfire1 1Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Michigan Medicine, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; 2Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Michigan Medicine, Ann Arbor, MI, USA Introduction: Metabolic syndrome is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and multiple other chronic health conditions. Studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of structured diet and exercise programs to improve the components of metabolic syndrome. The durability of these benefits after program completion is unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate trends in cardiovascular risk factors 12 months post completion of a 12- or 24-week structured lifestyle intervention program. Methods: Individuals with metabolic syndrome were referred to the Metabolic Fitness program, a 12- or 24-week lifestyle intervention program consisting of weekly exercise and nutrition education sessions. Patients were assessed at baseline, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks for those in the 24-week program. Data collection included weight, body mass index, waist circumference, body composition percentage, sBP, dBP, fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Unstructured follow-up data were obtained by retrospective chart review for up to 12 months post program completion. Results: Two-hundred twenty-five patients were enrolled in the 12-week program and 121 in the 24-week program. At the conclusion of the 12-week program, patients showed significant improvement in sBP and dBP. At the conclusion of the 24-week program, patients showed significant improvement in body mass index, weight, sBP, dBP, fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, and triglycerides. However, 12 months after program completion, while the majority of parameters were still improved compared with baseline, only change in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol remained significantly improved compared with the end of 12-week program, and sBP had increased back above baseline in both programs. Conclusion: Patients with metabolic syndrome participating in a structured lifestyle intervention program show significant improvement in their cardiovascular risk and metabolic profile at program completion. The durability of these improvements appears to wane over time, however, stressing the need for programs that can facilitate maintenance of long-term behavior change. Keywords: metabolic syndrome, lifestyle interventions, obesity

Genetic diversity is critical to crop breeding and improvement, and dissection of the genomic variation underlying agronomic traits can both assist breeding and give insight into basic biological mechanisms. Although recent genome analyses in plants reveal many structural variants (SVs), most current studies of crop genetic variation are dominated by single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). The extent of the impact of SVs on global trait variation, as well as their utility in genome-wide selection, is not yet understood. In this study, we built an SV data set based on whole-genome resequencing of diverse sorghum lines (n = 363), validated the correlation of photoperiod sensitivity and variety type, and identified SV hotspots underlying the divergent evolution of cellulosic and sweet sorghum. In addition, we showed the complementary contribution of SVs for heritability of traits related to sorghum adaptation. Importantly, inclusion of SV polymorphisms in association studies revealed genotype-phenotype associations not observed with SNPs alone. Three-way genome-wide association studies (GWAS) based on whole-genome SNP, SV, and integrated SNP + SV data sets showed substantial associations between SVs and sorghum traits. The addition of SVs to GWAS substantially increased heritability estimates for some traits, indicating their important contribution to functional allelic variation at the genome level. Our discovery of the widespread impacts of SVs on heritable gene expression variation could render a plausible mechanism for their disproportionate impact on phenotypic variation. This study expands our knowledge of SVs and emphasizes the extensive impacts of SVs on sorghum.

Abstract Background Musculoskeletal alterations causing reduced range of motion of the ankle joint are common in children with cerebral palsy (CP). Objective measurements of passive joint resistance and three-dimensional skeletal muscle volume and muscle architecture can lead to a comprehensive understanding of which factors influence joint range of motion. Research question To investigate the relation between the passive dorsiflexion of the ankle joint, biomechanical contributing factors to the passive joint resistance, and muscular architectural properties of the triceps surae muscle in children with CP. Methods In this cross-sectional observational study, 14 children with spastic CP (bilateral: 5, unilateral: 9, Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) level I:11, II:3) naïve to intramuscular tone reducing treatment, and 14 TD children were included. The passive dorsiflexion of the ankle was measured with a goniometer. Passive joint resistance and related parameters were estimated based on a biomechanical model and measurements using a motorized device, the Neuroflexor. Three-dimensional muscle architecture was quantified with diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging (DT-MRI). Results In the CP group, the median [min, max] passive dorsiflexion was decreased in the most affected leg (MAL) compared to the less affected leg (LAL) (2.5° [-25°, 20°] vs. 12.5° [5°, 30°], p = 0.001). The stiffness coefficient (Nm/rad) in the MAL was significantly higher in children with CP compared to TD children (7.10 [3.39, 62.00] vs. 2.82 [1.24, 10.46], p = 0.015). Muscle architecture properties did not differ between CP and TD, except for pennation angle in the medial gastrocnemius (MG) of the MAL (CP 17.64° (2.29) vs. TD 21.46° (3.20), p = 0.017). The stiffness coefficient, in the MAL, correlated negatively to passive dorsiflexion (rs=-0.638) and pennation angle in medial gastrocnemius (rs=-0.964), and the non-linear coefficient (Non-linear 1) correlated negatively to the fascicle length of the medial gastrocnemius (rs=-0.857). Conclusion This study shows that stiffness of the plantarflexors is related to decreased passive dorsiflexion of the ankle and muscle structure of the MG in high-functioning children with spastic CP. Assessments of how dynamic components as well as microscopic muscle alterations contribute to joint stiffness in the plantarflexors in individuals with CP are warranted. Trial registration Retrospectively registered in ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT05447299. Observational study. Study start: 2019-01-15, register date: 2022-07-01.

Abstract Background This study aimed to investigate the relationship between parent and child COVID-19 immunization series completion using vaccine records. Methods A cross-sectional chart review was performed on parent and child patients at the Albany Medical Center Internal Medicine and Pediatrics practice. Patient and parent demographic data, COVID-19 immunization status, and health care worker status was collected. Patient data was further separated into 2 cohorts to account for vaccine eligibility among child age groups, with 5–11 years and 6 months-4 years cohorts. Chi square or Fisher’s exact test was used where appropriate. Results Across both cohorts, 371 child patients were identified and cross-matched with corresponding parents. Neither cohort offered evidence linking child immunization series completion with the child’s race, ethnicity, or county of residence. However, rates of series completion were higher for children with private insurance versus public options in both the 5–11 years and 6 months-4 years cohorts (both p

Patrick Walden, Qingmei Jiang, Elizabeth A Jackson, Elif A Oral, Martha S Weintraub, Melvyn Rubenfire Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Cardiovascular Medicine at Domino’s Farms, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, MI, USA Background: Lifestyle interventions targeting the components of the metabolic syndrome (MetSyn) have been demonstrated to be a cost-effective and suitable treatment strategy for reducing one’s risk of developing coronary artery disease and diabetes. The optimal duration has not yet been defined. We sought to evaluate the incremental benefit of extending a lifestyle intervention from 3 months to 6 months. Methods: We evaluated 114 participants with at least three criteria for the MetSyn in a physician-referred 6-month lifestyle intervention between August 2008 and December 2012. Baseline and follow-up physiological, biochemical, and anthropometric data were analyzed for mean change and incremental change at each time point. Results: The mean age at enrollment was 53.0±10.2 years, and 42% of participants were males. The mean body mass index at enrollment was 38.2±0.86 kg/m2 for males and 38.6±0.93 kg/m2 for females. Anthropometric measures associated with weight management (body mass index, weight, and body fat percentage) improved significantly with the additional 3-month intervention (P

This position paper reviews four intersecting trends impacting the burnout and turnover of clinical staff in counseling centers in the 2020s: ever expanding service demand, mismatched clinical models, the emergence of third party vendors, and uncompetitive salaries. The authors provide a framework and make recommendations for institutions to take deliberate steps to align the mental health needs of a campus, the resources offered, and the services provided.

The field of college mental health is changing dramatically, and we are approaching a necessary paradigm shift in how "mental health" is defined and addressed. This paper will outline two primary forces impacting how we think about mental health and how a systems change perspective might help us understand what comes next. We will conclude with opportunities to integrate ways of thinking about mental health into the broader well-being and systems change work that higher education institutions have embarked on in recent years. The conclusion will include an overview of a project at the authors' home institution that is aligned with this worldview and holds the promise of a healthier, more sustainable path forward in college mental health.

One of the most significant changes to college mental health is the growing use of telehealth vendors to provide, extend, or augment mental health services provided by college and university counseling centers. In a time of sharply increased demand for services, new investments in the mental health marketplace, and the perception that mental health is a "crisis," the relationships between counseling centers and mental health vendors are increasingly important. This paper provides an overview of these new relationships, briefly reviews relevant history and context, and explores the relationship dynamics shaping this space. In addition, this paper reviews common fears and worries faced by counseling centers when considering vendors, addresses some of the confusion surround vendor/service types, and offers a set of suggestions for the inevitable future relationship in the development of guiding principle and standards.

Research self-efficacy is a key component of college students' career development. This study's purpose was to develop and begin to construct a validity argument for scores from the Sources of Research Self-Efficacy (SRSE) scale in college students. We explored validity evidence for SRSE scores from 719 undergraduate and graduate students based on test content, response processes, internal structure, relations to related variables, and consequences of testing. We present evidence from our development process for test content and response processes. Our statistical analyses suggest that a 20-item four-factor model is appropriate, with subscales representing Mastery Experiences, Vicarious Experiences, Social Persuasion, and Negative Emotional States. Subscale scores showed good internal consistency and correlated with both global research self-efficacy and research outcome expectancy scores. The SRSE shows promise as a measure of the various learning experiences that lead to students' research self-efficacy in university settings.

Female adolescents with disabilities are at an increased risk for mental health concerns, which can negatively impact their self-determination, making transition to postschool opportunities difficult. We analyzed two waves of survey data from 366 female adolescents with disabilities, recruited from 26 U.S. public high schools, as part of a randomized controlled trial of a career development intervention. Participants with mental health concerns evidenced a slower increase in self-determination over the follow-up period than those without such concerns. Individuals assigned to the intervention condition experienced significant gains in self-determination compared with the control. Findings suggest that mental health concerns can operate as a barrier to growth in self-determination skills among this population, though targeted interventions can help in boosting these skills.

The Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists (SCA) is committed to improving the quality, safety, and value that cardiothoracic anesthesiologists bring to patient care. To fulfill this mission, the SCA supports the creation of peer-reviewed manuscripts that establish standards, produce guidelines, critically analyze the literature, interpret preexisting guidelines, and allow experts to engage in consensus opinion. The aim of this report, commissioned by the SCA President, is to summarize the distinctions among these publications and describe a novel SCA-supported framework that provides guidance to SCA members for the creation of these publications. The ultimate goal is that through a standardized and transparent process, the SCA will facilitate up-to-date education and implementation of best practices by cardiovascular and thoracic anesthesiologists to improve patient safety, quality of care, and outcomes.

Abstract Venomous animals have evolved diverse molecular mechanisms to incapacitate prey and defend against predators. Most venom components disrupt nervous, locomotor, and cardiovascular systems or cause tissue damage. The discovery that certain fish-hunting cone snails use weaponized insulins to induce hypoglycemic shock in prey highlights a unique example of toxins targeting glucose homeostasis. Here, we show that, in addition to insulins, the deadly fish hunter, Conus geographus, uses a selective somatostatin receptor 2 (SSTR2) agonist that blocks the release of the insulin-counteracting hormone glucagon, thereby exacerbating insulin-induced hypoglycemia in prey. The native toxin, Consomatin nG1, exists in several proteoforms with a minimized vertebrate somatostatin-like core motif connected to a heavily glycosylated N-terminal region. We demonstrate that the toxin’s N-terminal tail closely mimics a glycosylated somatostatin from fish pancreas and is crucial for activating the fish SSTR2. Collectively, these findings provide a stunning example of chemical mimicry, highlight the combinatorial nature of venom components, and establish glucose homeostasis as an effective target for prey capture.

Accurate air temperature measurements are essential in eddy covariance systems, not only for determining sensible heat flux but also for applying density effect corrections (DECs) to water vapor and CO2 fluxes. However, the influence of wind-induced vibrations of mounting structures on temperature fluctuations remains a subject of investigation. This study examines 30 min average temperature variances and fluxes using eddy covariance systems, combining Campbell Scientific sonic anemometers with closely co-located fine-wire thermocouples alongside LI-COR CO2–H2O gas analyzers at multiple heights above a sagebrush ecosystem. The variances of sonic temperature after humidity corrections (Ts) and sensible heat fluxes derived from Ts are underestimated (e.g., by approximately 5 % for temperature variances and 4 % for sensible heat fluxes at 40.2 m, respectively) as compared with those measured by a fine-wire thermocouple (Tc). Spectral analysis illustrates that these underestimated variances and fluxes are caused by the lower energy levels in the Ts spectra than the Tc spectra in the low-frequency range (natural frequency < 0.02 Hz). These underestimated Ts spectra in the low-frequency range become more pronounced with increasing wind speeds, especially when wind speed exceeds 10 m s−1. Moreover, the underestimated temperature variances and fluxes cause overestimated water vapor and CO2 fluxes through DEC. Our analysis suggests that these underestimations when using Ts are likely due to wind-induced vibrations affecting the tower and mounting arms, altering the time of flight of ultrasonic signals along three sonic measurement paths. This study underscores the importance of further investigations to develop corrections for these errors.

This SoTL project explored sources of student anxiety and motivation across student assessment conditions of traditional numerical grading and pass/fail grading and sought to determine if pass/fail grading was helpful in lowering student anxiety while increasing student motivation to learn. Results indicated that students scored equally well on a test of student learning across pass/fail and numerical grading groups, indicating that pass/fail grading did not lead to poorer course objective mastery. Students were similar in terms of sources of anxiety and levels of anxiety. Motivation across groups was also similar, largely extrinsic in nature, and consistent pre- to post-course. Results coupled with subjective instructor reflection provide some, yet weak, support for the use of pass/fail grading in helping to ease course-related anxiety (at least for some) while still facilitating student development toward course learning goal mastery.

Background: Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) imposes a major healthcare burden. It is hypothesized that bacterial infection could influence atherosclerosis and thrombus formation, potentially contributing to AIS. Objectives: We aim to systematically review all studies that have investigated the presence of bacterial signatures within thrombi retrieved following mechanical thrombectomy (MT) procedures in patients with AIS. Design: This systematic review is designed following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses 2020 checklist. Data sources and methods: A comprehensive search was conducted in the Web of Sciences, PubMed, Scopus, and Embase databases to identify relevant studies. Results: The literature search and screening included 11 studies involving 674 patients, with 414 (61.4%) being male and 260 (38.6%) females. Among all the patients, 393 (58.3%) were positive for bacterial presence in their retrieved thrombi. The most utilized technique for bacterial signature detection was bacterial DNA extraction followed by polymerase chain reaction amplification of the 16S rRNA gene sequence. Staphylococcus aureus was the most studied bacteria among the studies analyzed. Conclusion: Bacterial infections and the presence of bacteria within thrombi may significantly contribute to AIS by initiating or exacerbating atherosclerosis or thrombosis. Understanding the mechanisms by which bacteria affect vascular health is crucial for developing effective preventive and therapeutic strategies for stroke patients.

Summary: Background: While many patients seem to recover from SARS-CoV-2 infections, many patients report experiencing SARS-CoV-2 symptoms for weeks or months after their acute COVID-19 ends, even developing new symptoms weeks after infection. These long-term effects are called post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC) or, more commonly, Long COVID. The overall prevalence of Long COVID is currently unknown, and tools are needed to help identify patients at risk for developing long COVID. Methods: A working group of the Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics-radical (RADx-rad) program, comprised of individuals from various NIH institutes and centers, in collaboration with REsearching COVID to Enhance Recovery (RECOVER) developed and organized the Long COVID Computational Challenge (L3C), a community challenge aimed at incentivizing the broader scientific community to develop interpretable and accurate methods for identifying patients at risk of developing Long COVID. From August 2022 to December 2022, participants developed Long COVID risk prediction algorithms using the National COVID Cohort Collaborative (N3C) data enclave, a harmonized data repository from over 75 healthcare institutions from across the United States (U.S.). Findings: Over the course of the challenge, 74 teams designed and built 35 Long COVID prediction models using the N3C data enclave. The top 10 teams all scored above a 0.80 Area Under the Receiver Operator Curve (AUROC) with the highest scoring model achieving a mean AUROC of 0.895. Included in the top submission was a visualization dashboard that built timelines for each patient, updating the risk of a patient developing Long COVID in response to clinical events. Interpretation: As a result of L3C, federal reviewers identified multiple machine learning models that can be used to identify patients at risk for developing Long COVID. Many of the teams used approaches in their submissions which can be applied to future clinical prediction questions. Funding: Research reported in this RADx® Rad publication was supported by the National Institutes of Health. Timothy Bergquist, Johanna Loomba, and Emily Pfaff were supported by Axle Subcontract: NCATS-STSS-P00438.

OBJECTIVES: The goal of this work was to provide a review of the implementation of data science-driven applications focused on structural or outcome-related nurse-sensitive indicators in the literature in 2021. By conducting this review, we aim to inform readers of trends in the nursing indicators being addressed, the patient populations and settings of focus, and lessons and challenges identified during the implementation of these tools. METHODS: We conducted a rigorous descriptive review of the literature to identify relevant research published in 2021. We extracted data on model development, implementation-related strategies and measures, lessons learned, and challenges and stakeholder involvement. We also assessed whether reports of data science application implementations currently follow the guidelines of the Developmental and Exploratory Clinical Investigations of DEcision support systems driven by AI (DECIDE-AI) framework. RESULTS: Of 4,943 articles found in PubMed (NLM) and CINAHL (EBSCOhost), 11 were included in the final review and data extraction. Systems leveraging data science were developed for adult patient populations and were primarily deployed in hospital settings. The clinical domains targeted included mortality/deterioration, utilization/resource allocation, and hospital-acquired infections/COVID-19. The composition of development teams and types of stakeholders involved varied. Research teams more frequently reported on implementation methods than implementation results. Most studies provided lessons learned that could help inform future implementations of data science systems in health care. CONCLUSION: In 2021, very few studies report on the implementation of data science-driven applications focused on structural- or outcome-related nurse-sensitive indicators. This gap in the sharing of implementation strategies needs to be addressed in order for these systems to be successfully adopted in health care settings.

In this study, we explore how first-generation status and type of research experience are associated with undergraduate students' research self-efficacy and research outcome expectancy during their early research experiences using the framework of social cognitive career theory. Third- and fourth-year undergraduates (n = 242, 45% first-generation) at an urban public research university in the southern United States completed the Research Self-Efficacy Scale (RSES) and the Research Outcome Expectancy Questionnaire (ROEQ). Structural equation modeling results indicated that participation in mentored research activities outside of class was positively related to student research self-efficacy and research outcome expectations. First-generation status was not significantly related to research self-efficacy or research outcome expectations. High research self-efficacy was related to higher research outcome expectancy for all RSES subscales. For all students, participating in mentored research experiences beyond in-class research assignments was predictive of higher research self-efficacy and outcome expectancy, with higher research self-efficacy acting as a mediator between mentored research experiences and research outcome expectancy. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

AbstractPhysical contact such as tackling is a part of youth sport, but associated with concussion risk. Coach communication with athletes about how to approach contact could be a strategy to reduce concussion risk. We interviewed n = 50 adult stakeholders (coaches, referees and administrators) in youth football and soccer to identify barriers and facilitators to coach communication about contact. We framed interviews using the Theory of Planned Behavior, discussing: knowledge/experience, attitudes/beliefs, norms/values and perceived behavioral control. Stakeholders could easily describe ‘good’ contact (knowledge/experience) like keeping your head up (football) and tackling shoulder-to-shoulder (soccer), and ‘bad’ contact like spearing (football) and retaliating against an opponent (soccer). They also talked about the importance of sportsmanship and playing by the rules. Most coaches believed ‘bad’ contact was associated with greater injury (attitudes/beliefs). Coaches felt responsible for managing contact (norms/values), but also described not receiving any information indicating that this was part of their role. Coaches worried about creating a fear of injury, and felt it was important for discussions to be framed positively (perceived behavioral control). In summary, youth football and soccer coaches believe ‘bad’ contact is associated with greater injury risk and feel it is their role to provide youth guidance about contact, but describe a lack of institutional guidance regarding this role. They also are concerned about barriers, including creating fear, and describe ways to address this barrier with language. Developing programs to support coach communication about contact with youth athletes presents a potential strategy for concussion prevention.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was twofold: (1) to determine whether there are speech rhythm differences between preschool-age children who stutter that were eventually diagnosed as persisting (CWS-Per) or recovered (CWS-Rec) and children who do not stutter (CWNS), using empirical spectral analysis and empirical mode decomposition of the speech amplitude envelope; and (2) to determine whether speech rhythm characteristics close to onset are predictive of later persistence. Method: Fifty children (3-4 years of age) participated in the study. Approximately 2-2.5 years after the experimental testing took place, children were assigned to the following groups: CWS-Per (nine boys, one girl), CWS-Rec (18 boys, two girls), and CWNS (18 boys, two girls). All children produced a narrative based on a text-free storybook. From the audio recordings of these narratives, fluent utterances were selected for each child from which seven envelope-based measures were extracted. Group-based differences on each measure as well as predictive analyses were conducted to identify measures that discriminate CWS-Per versus CWS-Rec. Results: CWS-Per were found to have a relatively higher degree of power in suprasyllabic oscillations and greater variability in the timing of syllabic rhythms especially for longer utterances. A logistic regression model using two speech rhythm measures was able to discriminate the eventual outcome of recovery versus persistence, with 80% sensitivity and 75% specificity. Conclusion: Findings suggest that envelope-based speech rhythm measures are a promising approach to assess speech rhythm differences in developmental stuttering, and its potential for identification of children at risk of developing persistent stuttering should be investigated further.

With the massive potential for nanofiber applications within the expanding field of functional materials and green energy materials, electrospinning has become an increasingly interesting method of fabrication, generating many different methods to fabricate different nanofiber types. However, due to limitations, either chemical or instrumental, some polymeric nanofibers can only be synthesised using co-axial or emulsion electrospinning methods. To date fabrication of poly (dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS)/poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) nanofibers via electrospinning have been limited to coaxial method. These nanofibers have found use in medical fields as well as environmental remediation efforts as membranes and filters and also in new age wearable electronics. In addition, there have been no systematic studies documented on the parametric optimisation of PDMS/PMMA nanofibers using electrospinning, particularly concerning applied voltage, flow rate, and collector distance. In this work, a PDMS/PMMA co-polymer nanofiber, synthesised through an optimised emulsion electrospinning method, was fabricated and characterised. A systematic examination of electrospinning parameters was conducted and optimised parameters of 18.5 kV supplied voltage, 10 cm tip-collector distance and a flow rate of 0.2 mL/h resulted in the fabrication of nanofibers with an average diameter of ∼199 nm and super-hydrophobicity, with a contact angle of ∼162°, is reported on.

Abstract Background The cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis), a parasite commonly found on both dogs and cats, is a competent vector for several zoonotic pathogens, including Dipylidium caninum (tapeworms), Bartonella henselae (responsible for cat scratch disease) and Rickettsia felis (responsible for flea-borne spotted fever). Veterinarians recommend that both cats and dogs be routinely treated with medications to prevent flea infestation. Nevertheless, surveys suggest that nearly one third of pet owners do not routinely administer appropriate preventatives. Methods A mathematical model based on weighted averaging over time is developed to predict outdoor flea activity from weather conditions for the contiguous United States. This ‘nowcast’ model can be updated in real time as weather conditions change and serves as an important tool for educating pet owners about the risks of flea-borne disease. We validate our model using Google Trends data for searches for the term ‘fleas.’ This Google Trends data serve as a proxy for true flea activity, as validating the model by collecting fleas over the entire USA is prohibitively costly and time-consuming. Results The average correlation (r) between the nowcast outdoor flea activity predictions and the Google Trends data was moderate: 0.65, 0.70, 0.66, 0.71 and 0.63 for 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, respectively. However, there was substantial regional variation in performance, with the average correlation in the East South Atlantic states being 0.81 while the average correlation in the Mountain states was only 0.45. The nowcast predictions displayed strong seasonal and geographic patterns, with predicted activity generally being highest in the summer months. Conclusions The nowcast model is a valuable tool by which to educate pet owners regarding the risk of fleas and flea-borne disease and the need to routinely administer flea preventatives. While it is ideal for domestic cats and dogs to on flea preventatives year-round, many pets remain vulnerable to flea infestation. Alerting pet owners to the local increased risk of flea activity during certain times of the year may motivate them to administer appropriate routine preventives. Graphical Abstract