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Case study: beverage temperature at aid stations in ironman triathlon

Burdon CA, Johnson NA, Chapman PG, Munir Che Muhamed A, O'Connor HT

Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab, 2013 Aug;23(4):418-24.
PMID: 23295183

The aim of this study was to measure the effect of environmental conditions and aid-station beverage- cooling practices on the temperature of competitor beverages.
Fulltext The executive disruption model of tinnitus distress: Model validation in two independent datasets using factor score regression

Clarke NA, Akeroyd MA, Henshaw H, Hall DA, Mohamad WNW, Hoare DJ

Front Psychol, 2023;14:1006349.
PMID: 36844272 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1006349

This study presents the executive disruption model (EDM) of tinnitus distress and subsequently validates it statistically using two independent datasets (the Construction Dataset: n = 96 and the Validation Dataset: n = 200). The conceptual EDM was first operationalised as a structural causal model (construction phase). Then multiple regression was used to examine the effect of executive functioning on tinnitus-related distress (validation phase), adjusting for the additional contributions of hearing threshold and psychological distress. For both datasets, executive functioning negatively predicted tinnitus distress score by a similar amount (the Construction Dataset: β = -3.50, p = 0.13 and the Validation Dataset: β = -3.71, p = 0.02). Theoretical implications and applications of the EDM are subsequently discussed; these include the predictive nature of executive functioning in the development of distressing tinnitus, and the clinical utility of the EDM.
Editorial: Nutrition, sarcopenia, and sarcopenic obesity

Berger NA, Yang M, Chan YM, Axelrod CL, Sikalidis AK, Hu W, et al.

Front Nutr, 2023;10:1335927.
PMID: 38162519 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2023.1335927
Fulltext Lymphangioma of the Dorsal Tongue

Nelson BL, Bischoff EL, Nathan A, Ma L

Head Neck Pathol, 2020 Jun;14(2):512-515.
PMID: 31823215 DOI: 10.1007/s12105-019-01108-z

Lymphangiomas are rare, congenital malformations of the lymphatic system which have a marked predilection for the head and neck. In this region, they most commonly occur on the dorsum of the tongue, followed by the lips, buccal mucosa, soft palate, and floor of the mouth. Lymphangiomas of the tongue are commonly present at birth; however, they may go unnoticed until after eruption of the dentition or even puberty. They may present as a defined mass or as macroglossia with impaired speech, difficulty in mastication, and, in extreme cases, airway obstruction. Clinically, lymphagiomas of the tongue are characterized by clusters of pebbly, vesicle-like nodules. A benign proliferation of lymphatic vessels is identified histologically. A classic case of a lymphangioma of the dorsal tongue is presented.
Fulltext Fatal influenza A (H3N2) and Campylobacter jejuni coinfection

Kahar-Bador M, Nathan AM, Soo MH, Mohd Noor S, AbuBakar S, Lum LC, et al.

Singapore Med J, 2009 Mar;50(3):e112-3.
PMID: 19352555

The rapid diagnosis and subtyping of influenza is particularly important in areas where avian influenza (H5N1) is present. The ability to recognise both typical and atypical presentations of influenza is also critical in such settings. A six-month-old male child who visited a H5N1-affected area subsequently died from a severe febrile diarrhoeal illness with minimal respiratory symptoms, and was initially diagnosed with influenza A of an unknown subtype. The final microbiological results showed a highly unusual combination of influenza A (H3N2) and Campylobacter jejuni infection.
Fulltext Phylogenetic analysis of human metapneumovirus among children with acute respiratory infections in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Nor'e SS, Sam IC, Mohamad Fakri EF, Hooi PS, Nathan AM, de Bruyne JA, et al.

Trop Biomed, 2014 Sep;31(3):562-6.
PMID: 25382484 MyJurnal

Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) is a recently discovered cause of viral respiratory infections. We describe clinical and molecular epidemiology of HMPV cases diagnosed in children with respiratory infection at University of Malaya Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The prevalence rate of HMPV between 2010 and 2012 was 1.1%, and HMPV contributed 6.5% of confirmed viral respiratory infections. The HMPV patients had a median age of 1.6 years, and a median hospital admission of 4 days. The most common clinical presentations were fever, rhinitis, pneumonia, vomiting/diarrhoea, and bronchiolitis. Based on the partial sequences of F fusion gene from 26 HMPV strains, 14 (54%) were subgenotype A2b, which was predominant in 2010; 11 (42%) were subgenotype B1, which was predominant in 2012; and 1 (4%) was subgenotype A2a. Knowledge of the circulating subgenotypes in Malaysia, and the displacement of predominant subgenotypes within 3 years, is useful data for future vaccine planning.
Analysis of complications following multidisciplinary functional intervention in paediatric craniomaxillofacial deformities

Hariri F, Abdullah MF, Adam KBC, Bahuri NFA, Kulasegarah J, Nathan AM, et al.

Int J Oral Maxillofac Surg, 2021 Apr;50(4):457-462.
PMID: 32891466 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijom.2020.08.002

Paediatric craniomaxillofacial (CMF) surgery requires a multidisciplinary team approach to ensure the optimal and holistic management of children with craniofacial deformities. The aim of this retrospective study was to analyse the complications following functional interventions among 34 CMF deformity patients in a single multidisciplinary craniofacial centre. Electronic data including patient demographic characteristics and clinical entry were analysed. Inclusion criteria were all paediatric patients with CMF deformities who underwent various functional interventions. A total of 64 interventions (48 intermediate and 16 definitive) were conducted. Based on the Sharma classification of complications, 20.3% were type I, 4.7% were type II, 1.6% were type III, and 4.7% were type IV . Most complications were type I, which included local infection (3.1%) and premature opening of tarsorrhaphy (3.1%). More serious complications (types III and IV) included temporary visual loss (1.6%) and intraoperative haemorrhage (1.6%). Although a low complication rate was observed in intermediate interventions, a higher complication rate was observed in more complex definitive interventions such as monobloc distraction osteogenesis. Although most complications were manageable, effective prevention remains mandatory, as serious complications may lead to permanent damage and mortality. This analysis highlights the importance of a multidisciplinary team approach to optimize the outcomes in CMF patient management.
Fulltext Virus-like Particles Identify an HIV V1V2 Apex-Binding Neutralizing Antibody that Lacks a Protruding Loop

Cale EM, Gorman J, Radakovich NA, Crooks ET, Osawa K, Tong T, et al.

Immunity, 2017 05 16;46(5):777-791.e10.
PMID: 28514685 DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2017.04.011

Most HIV-1-specific neutralizing antibodies isolated to date exhibit unusual characteristics that complicate their elicitation. Neutralizing antibodies that target the V1V2 apex of the HIV-1 envelope (Env) trimer feature unusually long protruding loops, which enable them to penetrate the HIV-1 glycan shield. As antibodies with loops of requisite length are created through uncommon recombination events, an alternative mode of apex binding has been sought. Here, we isolated a lineage of Env apex-directed neutralizing antibodies, N90-VRC38.01-11, by using virus-like particles and conformationally stabilized Env trimers as B cell probes. A crystal structure of N90-VRC38.01 with a scaffolded V1V2 revealed a binding mode involving side-chain-to-side-chain interactions that reduced the distance the antibody loop must traverse the glycan shield, thereby facilitating V1V2 binding via a non-protruding loop. The N90-VRC38 lineage thus identifies a solution for V1V2-apex binding that provides a more conventional B cell pathway for vaccine design.
Fulltext Hair Cortisol in Twins: Heritability and Genetic Overlap with Psychological Variables and Stress-System Genes

Rietschel L, Streit F, Zhu G, McAloney K, Frank J, Couvy-Duchesne B, et al.

Sci Rep, 2017 Nov 10;7(1):15351.
PMID: 29127340 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-11852-3

Hair cortisol concentration (HCC) is a promising measure of long-term hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity. Previous research has suggested an association between HCC and psychological variables, and initial studies of inter-individual variance in HCC have implicated genetic factors. However, whether HCC and psychological variables share genetic risk factors remains unclear. The aims of the present twin study were to: (i) assess the heritability of HCC; (ii) estimate the phenotypic and genetic correlation between HPA axis activity and the psychological variables perceived stress, depressive symptoms, and neuroticism; using formal genetic twin models and molecular genetic methods, i.e. polygenic risk scores (PRS). HCC was measured in 671 adolescents and young adults. These included 115 monozygotic and 183 dizygotic twin-pairs. For 432 subjects PRS scores for plasma cortisol, major depression, and neuroticism were calculated using data from large genome wide association studies. The twin model revealed a heritability for HCC of 72%. No significant phenotypic or genetic correlation was found between HCC and the three psychological variables of interest. PRS did not explain variance in HCC. The present data suggest that HCC is highly heritable. However, the data do not support a strong biological link between HCC and any of the investigated psychological variables.
Fulltext Predicting attitudinal and behavioral responses to COVID-19 pandemic using machine learning

Pavlović T, Azevedo F, De K, Riaño-Moreno JC, Maglić M, Gkinopoulos T, et al.

PNAS Nexus, 2022 Jul;1(3):pgac093.
PMID: 35990802 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgac093

At the beginning of 2020, COVID-19 became a global problem. Despite all the efforts to emphasize the relevance of preventive measures, not everyone adhered to them. Thus, learning more about the characteristics determining attitudinal and behavioral responses to the pandemic is crucial to improving future interventions. In this study, we applied machine learning on the multinational data collected by the International Collaboration on the Social and Moral Psychology of COVID-19 (N = 51,404) to test the predictive efficacy of constructs from social, moral, cognitive, and personality psychology, as well as socio-demographic factors, in the attitudinal and behavioral responses to the pandemic. The results point to several valuable insights. Internalized moral identity provided the most consistent predictive contribution-individuals perceiving moral traits as central to their self-concept reported higher adherence to preventive measures. Similar results were found for morality as cooperation, symbolized moral identity, self-control, open-mindedness, and collective narcissism, while the inverse relationship was evident for the endorsement of conspiracy theories. However, we also found a non-neglible variability in the explained variance and predictive contributions with respect to macro-level factors such as the pandemic stage or cultural region. Overall, the results underscore the importance of morality-related and contextual factors in understanding adherence to public health recommendations during the pandemic.
Fulltext Dissecting the Shared Genetic Architecture of Suicide Attempt, Psychiatric Disorders, and Known Risk Factors

Mullins N, Kang J, Campos AI, Coleman JRI, Edwards AC, Galfalvy H, et al.

Biol Psychiatry, 2022 Feb 01;91(3):313-327.
PMID: 34861974 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2021.05.029

BACKGROUND: Suicide is a leading cause of death worldwide, and nonfatal suicide attempts, which occur far more frequently, are a major source of disability and social and economic burden. Both have substantial genetic etiology, which is partially shared and partially distinct from that of related psychiatric disorders.
METHODS: We conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of 29,782 suicide attempt (SA) cases and 519,961 controls in the International Suicide Genetics Consortium (ISGC). The GWAS of SA was conditioned on psychiatric disorders using GWAS summary statistics via multitrait-based conditional and joint analysis, to remove genetic effects on SA mediated by psychiatric disorders. We investigated the shared and divergent genetic architectures of SA, psychiatric disorders, and other known risk factors.
RESULTS: Two loci reached genome-wide significance for SA: the major histocompatibility complex and an intergenic locus on chromosome 7, the latter of which remained associated with SA after conditioning on psychiatric disorders and replicated in an independent cohort from the Million Veteran Program. This locus has been implicated in risk-taking behavior, smoking, and insomnia. SA showed strong genetic correlation with psychiatric disorders, particularly major depression, and also with smoking, pain, risk-taking behavior, sleep disturbances, lower educational attainment, reproductive traits, lower socioeconomic status, and poorer general health. After conditioning on psychiatric disorders, the genetic correlations between SA and psychiatric disorders decreased, whereas those with nonpsychiatric traits remained largely unchanged.
CONCLUSIONS: Our results identify a risk locus that contributes more strongly to SA than other phenotypes and suggest a shared underlying biology between SA and known risk factors that is not mediated by psychiatric disorders.