Anticipation of landing leg masks ankle inversion orientation deficits and peroneal insufficiency during jump landing in people with chronic ankle instability.

Ankle inversion orientation and peroneal activation insufficiency may contribute to lateral ankle sprains during landing in chronic ankle instability (CAI); however, how anticipation alters these factors is neglected. This study aimed to assess the impact of anticipation on joint orientation and muscle activity during landing in individuals with CAI. Fifteen participants with CAI and 15 healthy participants (control) were recruited to perform single-leg landings after bilateral countermovement jumps when the landing limb was specified before (planned) or after (unplanned) take-off. Joint angle (hip, knee, and ankle) and electromyography (gluteus medius, rectus femoris, biceps femoris, gastrocnemius lateral head, tibialis anterior, and peroneal longus) were collected and analyzed with 2 (groups) × 2 (conditions) statistical parametric mapping ANOVA. In the unplanned condition, the CAI group demonstrated a less plantarflexed (maximum difference [MD] = 9.5°, p = 0.047) and more inverted ankle joint (MD = 4.1°, p < 0.001) before ground contact, along with lower peroneal activity at ground contact compared to the control group (MD = 28.9% of peak activation, p < 0.001). No significant differences between groups were observed in the planned condition. In conclusion, anticipation may mask jump landing deficits in people with CAI, including inverted ankle orientation and reduced peroneus longus activity pre- and post-landing, which were observed exclusively in unplanned landings. Clinicians and researchers need to recognize the impact of anticipation on apparent landing deficits and consider the implications for injury prevention and rehabilitation strategies.

A Systematic Review on the Effectiveness of Eyewear in Reducing the Incidence and Severity of Eye Injuries in Racket Sports.

PURPOSE: To assess what eyewear (if any) reduces eye injury incidence and severity in squash, racketball, tennis and badminton. DESIGN: Systematic review following the 'Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses' (PRISMA) and the 'implementing Prisma in Exercise, Rehabilitation, Sport medicine and SporTs science' (PERSiST) guidelines. METHODS: PubMed, SportDiscus and Web of Science were searched on 22nd February 2023. All study types except reviews were eligible. Studies had to report the type of eyewear worn (if any) with a form of eye injury incidence and severity. RESULTS: 364 papers were initially retrieved and after the screening process 29 remained. A subgroup analysis was carried out on studies that had a sample size of five or above, were not only looking at a particular type of eye injury and that had sufficient data to allow the percentage of eye injuries that occurred when no eyewear was worn to be calculated. From this analysis, the median percentage of eye injuries that occurred when no eyewear was worn was found to be 93%. Some of these injuries were serious and required complex treatment. Prescription lenses, contact lenses and industrial eyewear made some injuries more severe. In squash and racketball, lensless eye guards were ineffective as the ball could deform on impact, still making contact with the eye. Only eyewear compliant with updated ASTM (or similar) standards was associated with no eye injuries and so provided adequate protection in all four sports. CONCLUSIONS: Although this systematic review only summarizes evidence on injuries requiring hospital treatment, it is recommended that national governing bodies and key decision makers within squash, racketball, tennis and badminton examine the evidence presented and consider extending existing rules or implementing new recommendations and policies on protective eyewear use to reduce eye injury incidence and severity in their sport.

Sanitation-related violence against women in informal settlements in Kenya: a quantitative analysis.

Introduction: Approximately 3.6 billion people around the world do not have access to safe sanitation options. Those lacking access are not only at risk of diarrheal disease, other tropical diseases, and parasitic infections, they are at greater risk of experiencing violence, particularly women and girls. The burden of lack of access to safe sanitation is disproportionately experienced by women in informal settlements in lower- and middle-income countries, where violence rates tend to be higher and access to sanitation lower. Women lacking access to safe toilets often have to walk long distances to access a facility or open site or use shared toilet facilities, which increase their vulnerability to violence. Methods: We explore the prevalence and multilevel factors associated with women's experiences, observations, and exposure to stories about past-year sanitation-related violence in a probability sample of 550 women in a large informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya using chi-square tests and multivariate logistic regressions. Results: Findings suggest that social/community engagement and social/cultural beliefs are important considerations for hearing about and observing sanitation-related violence, but less so experiences of sanitation-related violence. Alternatively, individual-level and technological factors may be critical factors in actual experiences of violence. Discussion: Sanitation-related violence and creating an environment of safety in which women can take care of their sanitation-related needs in ways that also protect them, their families, and their communities is critical for meeting sanitation-related development agendas and goals such as Sustainable Development Goal 6.2 to achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all by 2030.

Depressive symptoms and associated social and environmental factors among women living in informal settlements in Nairobi, Kenya.

Approximately 280 million people around the world suffer from depression, and the rates are higher among women than men. For women living in informal settlements in lower - and middle-income countries (LMICs) the prevalence and associated burden of depressive symptoms may be particularly high. The purpose of this paper was to explore factors associated with possible major depressive disorder (MDD) in a probability sample of women living in Mathare informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya and to identify potential points for intervention and/or support. Quantitative surveys were conducted with 552 women aged 18-75. Possible MDD was measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire and regressed on individual, household/familial-, and community/interpersonal-level factors. Findings highlight the potential importance of factors such as physical health, economic stress, access to water and sanitation, household and family dynamics, and neighbourhood/village differences in possible MDD among women living in informal settlements. We identify potential points for research, intervention and policy including: providing appropriate tangible assistance or interventions to reduce economic stress/strain; expanding access to water and sanitation and, in doing so, reducing potential burdens to physical health; providing and expanding healthcare to include mental healthcare; and investigating family dynamics and bolstering support for families, particularly for those experiencing conflict.

Someone you can count on: Examining the mediating effect of social support on economic abuse and depression.

The aim of this study was to examine whether social support mediated the relationship between economic abuse, a form of intimate partner violence, and mental health, specifically depression, among pregnant women. This cross-sectional study used a sample of 193 pregnant women living in the United States who participated in an online Qualtrics panel survey in January 2021. Hayes Process Macro was used to assess a mediation model. Economic abuse was associated with increased odds of depressive sympto ms and fewer perceived social supports. Social support mediated the relationship between economic abuse and depression. Implications for research, policy, and practice are discussed. Notably, research focused on economic abuse and efforts to respond to it need to pay particularly close attention to the role that social supports may play in survivor's overall well-being, as well as the impact that economic abuse may have on survivors' perceptions of social support. This may be particularly true for pregnant women experiencing economic abuse for whom social support-related interventions have yielded positive health outcomes.

Altered prefrontal activation during the inhibition of eating responses in women with bulimia nervosa.

BACKGROUND: The sense of 'loss of control' (LOC), or a feeling of being unable to stop eating or control what or how much one is eating, is the most salient aspect of binge eating. However, the neural alterations that may contribute to this experience and eating behavior remain poorly understood. METHODS: We used functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to measure activation in the prefrontal cortices of 23 women with bulimia nervosa (BN) and 23 healthy controls (HC) during two tasks: a novel go/no-go task requiring inhibition of eating responses, and a standard go/no-go task requiring inhibition of button-pressing responses. RESULTS: Women with BN made more commission errors on both tasks. BN subgroups with the most severe LOC eating (n = 12) and those who felt most strongly that they binge ate during the task (n = 12) showed abnormally reduced bilateral ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) and right ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (vlPFC) activation associated with eating-response inhibition. In the entire BN sample, lower eating-task activation in right vlPFC was related to more frequent and severe LOC eating, but no group differences in activation were detected on either task when this full sample was compared with HC. BN severity was unrelated to standard-task activation. CONCLUSIONS: Results provide initial evidence that diminished PFC activation may directly contribute to more severe eating-specific control deficits in BN. Our findings support vmPFC and vlPFC dysfunction as promising treatment targets, and indicate that eating-specific tasks and fNIRS may be useful tools for identifying neural mechanisms underlying dysregulated eating.

Exploring Non-partner Violence in Informal Settlements in Nairobi, Kenya.

Violence against women is a serious public health and human rights concern and can take many forms. Intimate partner violence (IPV) is the subject of the majority of research focused on violence against women around the world; yet the health consequences of non-partner violence (NPV) can be just as serious. There is a critical gap in literature focused on NPV and the co-occurrence of NPV and IPV in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in informal settlements. The unique historical, political, social, geo-spatial, physical, and built environment in informal settlements-often characterized as places with high rates of crime and violence-may be important in understanding NPV and co-occurrence of NPV and IPV in these communities, but more research is needed. The purpose of this study was to explore NPV in a large informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya including its relationship to IPV, correlates, and common perpetrators of NPV in this setting. Data from 552 household-level surveys collected from women in a large informal settlement in Nairobi in 2018 were used in this study. Descriptive statistics and penalized maximum likelihood logistic regressions were used to examine the association between IPV and NPV, correlates, and perpetrators of NPV. Findings showed a strong, positive association between past-year IPV and NPV-highlighting a critical area for future study in IPV, NPV, and poly-victimization research. Results corroborated some findings from existing NPV research, but yielded important new information about correlates and perpetrators of NPV in informal settlements. NPV and poly-victimization have serious health consequences for women in any context, but women in informal settlements also face a number of structural economic, social, political, and environmental challenges that affect their health and wellbeing and may exacerbate the health consequences of violence perpetrated against them. Thus, more research into NPV and poly-victimization in informal settlements is critical.

"There is no place to dispose them. What would you have me do?'': A qualitative study of menstruation in the unique physical and social environment in informal settlements in Nairobi, Kenya.

Menstrual Health and Hygiene (MHH) is an essential component of individual and population-level health and is inextricably linked to the environment. Few scholars have explored women's day-to-day experiences of managing their monthly period within the unique environment of informal settlements. We used data from in-depth interviews with women 18-55 years in Mathare informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya. Findings suggest that aspects of the social environment, particularly menstrual stigma and social and gender inequities, combined with resource limitations, such as lack of water, sanitation, disposal facilities, and waste management influence menstrual management, and this, in turn, impacts the physical environment.

Exploring the Relationship Between Participation in an Adult-women's Soccer League and Intimate Partner Violence in Rural Kenya.

Rates of intimate partner violence (IPV) against women in Sub-Saharan Africa are among the highest of any region in the world. Empirical studies on the effectiveness of IPV-prevention programs in Africa, though few, suggest that successful programs have emphasized community-level engagement and attitudinal change around gender roles. This study explored the relationship between adult women's participation in an all-women's soccer league and IPV in rural Kenya. Nikumbuke Project is a health- and literacy-based program for 702 women in Kwale County, Kenya, that also hosts a women's soccer league. A total of 684 Nikumbuke members completed surveys for this study, 543 of whom identified as having had a partner in the preceding 12 months and were included in this analysis. Participants in the study were, on average, in their late 30s, married with 4-6 children, a primary education or less, and no source of formal employment. Logistic regression models examined the association between a woman's participation in the soccer league and the odds that she would have experienced recent IPV, controlling for other covariates. Women who played on soccer teams had 59% lower odds of reporting physical IPV in the preceding 12 months and approximately 43% lower odds of reporting any form of IPV during the same period compared to women who did not play soccer. Support of more gender-equitable norms was associated with lower odds of all forms of recent violence. More research is needed to identify the underlying reasons for these observed effects and to determine the presence of a causal or temporal relationship between adult women's sports and IPV-risk reduction. Nonetheless, findings from this study point to a novel IPV intervention in communities that might otherwise be resistant to more overt attempts to address gender-based violence (GBV) or where social service agencies with the capacity for IPV-prevention programming may be limited.

Breaking the Cycle: Women's Perceptions of the Causes of Violence and Crime in Informal Settlements in Nairobi, Kenya, and Their Strategies for Response and Prevention.

Crime and violence are serious issues in informal settlements around the world. To date, there is a dearth of evidence about the causes of and effective strategies for reducing and preventing violence and crime in informal settlements in cities in the Global South. Additionally, women's voices are often absent from research focused on violence and crime prevention and reduction in informal settlements. The purpose of this study, therefore, was (1) to identify potential causes of violence and crime in informal settlements, as perceived by women living in Mathare informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya and (2) to highlight residents' strategies for response and prevention. Fifty-five in-depth and walk-along interviews were conducted with women living in Mathare in 2015-2016. A modified grounded theory approach was used to guide data collection and analysis. The most common contributor to violence and crime identified by women in Mathare was idle youth, but leadership and government challenges, corruption and/or inadequacy of police, community barriers, tribalism, and lack of protective infrastructure also emerged as contributing factors. Despite facing many economic, environmental, and day-to-day challenges, women in Mathare identified violence and crime as predominant issues; thus, developing effective response and prevention strategies to these issues is paramount. Women discussed many strategies and initiatives to reduce and prevent violence and crime in informal settlements, but also identified barriers to implementing them. Findings suggest there is a need for trust-building between formal and informal sectors of the community, systems of accountability, and long-term investment to foster sustainable and effective violence and crime response and prevention in these settlements.

"Next, it will be you": Women's Fear of Victimization and Precautionary Safety Behaviors in Informal Settlement Communities in Nairobi, Kenya.

Around one billion people live in informal settlements globally, including over half of Nairobi, Kenya's 3 million residents. The purpose of this study was to explore women's fear of victimization within Mathare, an informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya and how fear of victimization influences women's behaviors. Fifty-five in-depth interviews were conducted with women in 2015-2016. A modified grounded theory approach guided data collection and analysis. Findings suggest fear of victimization is a serious concern in informal settlements, but women have found ways to adapt their behaviors to cope and to continue to function and protect their children despite fearing victimization.

Does your dermatology classifier know what it doesn't know? Detecting the long-tail of unseen conditions.

Supervised deep learning models have proven to be highly effective in classification of dermatological conditions. These models rely on the availability of abundant labeled training examples. However, in the real-world, many dermatological conditions are individually too infrequent for per-condition classification with supervised learning. Although individually infrequent, these conditions may collectively be common and therefore are clinically significant in aggregate. To prevent models from generating erroneous outputs on such examples, there remains a considerable unmet need for deep learning systems that can better detect such infrequent conditions. These infrequent 'outlier' conditions are seen very rarely (or not at all) during training. In this paper, we frame this task as an out-of-distribution (OOD) detection problem. We set up a benchmark ensuring that outlier conditions are disjoint between the model training, validation, and test sets. Unlike traditional OOD detection benchmarks where the task is to detect dataset distribution shift, we aim at the more challenging task of detecting subtle differences resulting from a different pathology or condition. We propose a novel hierarchical outlier detection (HOD) loss, which assigns multiple abstention classes corresponding to each training outlier class and jointly performs a coarse classification of inliers vs. outliers, along with fine-grained classification of the individual classes. We demonstrate that the proposed HOD loss based approach outperforms leading methods that leverage outlier data during training. Further, performance is significantly boosted by using recent representation learning methods (BiT, SimCLR, MICLe). Further, we explore ensembling strategies for OOD detection and propose a diverse ensemble selection process for the best result. We also perform a subgroup analysis over conditions of varying risk levels and different skin types to investigate how OOD performance changes over each subgroup and demonstrate the gains of our framework in comparison to baseline. Furthermore, we go beyond traditional performance metrics and introduce a cost matrix for model trust analysis to approximate downstream clinical impact. We use this cost matrix to compare the proposed method against the baseline, thereby making a stronger case for its effectiveness in real-world scenarios.

Breathing Pattern Disorders Distinguished from Healthy Breathing Patterns Using Optoelectronic Plethysmography.

There is no gold standard diagnostic method for breathing pattern disorders (BPD) which is commonly diagnosed through the exclusion of other pathologies. Optoelectronic plethysmography (OEP) is a 3D motion capture technique that provides a comprehensive noninvasive assessment of chest wall during rest and exercise. The purpose of this study was to determine if OEP can distinguish between active individuals classified with and without BPD at rest and during exercise. Forty-seven individuals with a healthy breathing pattern (HBP) and twenty-six individuals with a BPD performed a submaximal exercise challenge. OEP measured the movement of the chest wall through the calculation of timing, percentage contribution, and phase angle breathing pattern variables. A mixed model repeated measures ANOVA analysed the OEP variables between the groups classified as HBP and BPD at rest, during exercise, and after recovery. At rest, regional contribution variables including ribcage percentage contribution (HBP: 71% and BPD: 69%), abdominal ribcage contribution (HBP: 13% and BPD: 11%), abdomen percentage contribution (HBP: 29% and BPD: 31%), and ribcage and abdomen volume index (HPB: 2.5 and BPD: 2.2) were significantly (p < 0.05) different between groups. During exercise, BPD displayed significantly (p < 0.05) more asynchrony between various thoracic compartments including the ribcage and abdomen phase angle (HBP: -1.9 and BPD: -2.7), pulmonary ribcage and abdomen phase angle (HBP: -0.5 and BPD, 0.5), abdominal ribcage and shoulders phase angle (HBP: -0.3 and BPD: 0.6), and pulmonary ribcage and shoulders phase angle (HBP: 0.2 and BPD: 0.6). Additionally, the novel variables inhale deviation (HBP: 8.8% and BPD: 19.7%) and exhale deviation (HBP: -10.9% and BPD: -17.6%) were also significantly (p < 0.05) different between the groups during high intensity exercise. Regional contribution and phase angles measured via OEP can distinguish BPD from HBP at rest and during exercise. Characteristics of BPD include asynchronous and thoracic dominant breathing patterns that could form part of future objective criteria for the diagnosis of BPD.

Physiological complexity: influence of ageing, disease and neuromuscular fatigue on muscle force and torque fluctuations.

NEW FINDINGS: What is the topic of this review? Physiological complexity in muscle force and torque fluctuations, specifically the quantification of complexity, how neuromuscular complexityis altered by perturbations and the potential mechanism underlying changes in neuromuscular complexity. What advances does it highlight? The necessity to calculate both magnitude- and complexity-based measures for the thorough evaluation of force/torque fluctuations. Also the need for further research on neuromuscular complexity, particularly how it relates to the performance of functional activities (e.g. manual dexterity, balance, locomotion). ABSTRACT: Physiological time series produce inherently complex fluctuations. In the last 30 years, methods have been developed to characterise these fluctuations, and have revealed that they contain information about the function of the system producing them. Two broad classes of metrics are used: (1) those which quantify the regularity of the signal (e.g. entropy metrics); and (2) those which quantify the fractal properties of the signal (e.g. detrended fluctuation analysis). Using these techniques, it has been demonstrated that ageing results in a loss of complexity in the time series of a multitude of signals, including heart rate, respiration, gait and, crucially, muscle force or torque output. This suggests that as the body ages, physiological systems become less adaptable (i.e. the systems' ability to respond rapidly to a changing external environment is diminished). More recently, it has been shown that neuromuscular fatigue causes a substantial loss of muscle torque complexity, a process that can be observed in a few minutes, rather than the decades it requires for the same system to degrade with ageing. The loss of torque complexity with neuromuscular fatigue appears to occur exclusively above the critical torque (at least for tasks lasting up to 30 min). The loss of torque complexity can be exacerbated with previous exercise of the same limb, and reduced by the administration of caffeine, suggesting both peripheral and central mechanisms contribute to this loss. The mechanisms underpinning the loss of complexity are not known but may be related to altered motor unit behaviour as the muscle fatigues.

Fatigue-induced changes in knee-extensor torque complexity and muscle metabolic rate are dependent on joint angle.

PURPOSE: Joint angle is a significant determinant of neuromuscular and metabolic function. We tested the hypothesis that previously reported correlations between knee-extensor torque complexity and metabolic rate ([Formula: see text]) would be conserved at reduced joint angles (i.e. shorter muscle lengths). METHODS: Eleven participants performed intermittent isometric knee-extensor contractions at 50% maximum voluntary torque for 30 min or until task failure (whichever occurred sooner) at joint angles of 30º, 60º and 90º of flexion (0º = extension). Torque and surface EMG were sampled continuously. Complexity and fractal scaling of torque were quantified using approximate entropy (ApEn) and detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) α. [Formula: see text] was determined using near-infrared spectroscopy. RESULTS: Time to task failure/end increased as joint angle decreased (P < 0.001). Over time, complexity decreased at 90º and 60º (decreased ApEn, increased DFA α, both P < 0.001), but not 30º. [Formula: see text] increased at all joint angles (P < 0.001), though the magnitude of this increase was lower at 30º compared to 60º and 90º (both P < 0.01). There were significant correlations between torque complexity and [Formula: see text] at 90º (ApEn, r = - 0.60, P = 0.049) and 60º (ApEn, r = - 0.64, P = 0.035; DFA α, ρ = 0.68, P = 0.015). CONCLUSION: The lack of correlation between [Formula: see text] and complexity at 30º was likely due to low relative task demands, given the similar kinetics of [Formula: see text] and torque complexity. An inverse correlation between [Formula: see text] and knee-extensor torque complexity occurs during high-intensity contractions at intermediate, but not short, muscle lengths.

Novel Real-Time OEP Phase Angle Feedback System for Dysfunctional Breathing Pattern Training-An Acute Intervention Study.

Dysfunctional breathing patterns (DBP) can have an impact on an individual's quality of life and/or exercise performance. Breathing retraining is considered to be the first line of treatment to correct breathing pattern, for example, reducing ribcage versus abdominal movement asynchrony. Optoelectronic plethysmography (OEP) is a non-invasive 3D motion capture technique that measures the movement of the chest wall. The purpose of this study was to investigate if the use of a newly developed real-time OEP phase angle and volume feedback system, as an acute breathing retraining intervention, could result in a greater reduction of phase angle values (i.e., an improvement in movement synchrony) when compared to real-time OEP volume feedback alone. Eighteen individuals with a DBP performed an incremental cycle test with OEP measuring chest wall movement. Participants were randomly assigned to either the control group, which included the volume-based OEP feedback or to the experimental group, which included both the volume-based and phase angle OEP feedback. Participants then repeated the same cycle test using the real-time OEP feedback. The phase angle between the ribcage versus abdomen (RcAbPhase), between the pulmonary ribcage and the combined abdominal ribcage and abdomen (RCpAbPhase), and between the abdomen and the shoulders (AbSPhase) were calculated during both cycle tests. Significant increases in RcAbPhase (pre: -2.89°, post: -1.39°, p < 0.01), RCpAbPhase (pre: -2.00°, post: -0.50°, p < 0.01), and AbSPhase (pre: -2.60°, post: -0.72°, p < 0.01) were found post-intervention in the experimental group. This indicates that the experimental group demonstrated improved synchrony in their breathing pattern and therefore, reverting towards a healthy breathing pattern. This study shows for the first time that dysfunctional breathing patterns can be acutely improved with real-time OEP phase angle feedback and provides interesting insight into the feasibility of using this novel feedback system for breathing pattern retraining in individuals with DBP.

Neighborhood Cohesion, Perceptions of Disorder, and the Geography of Women's Fear of Crime in Informal Settlements in Nairobi, Kenya.

Fear of crime is more pervasive and harder to address than crime itself and can cause physical and psychological health complications, particularly for women. Fear of crime is not always grounded in direct exposure to crime. Instead, it may be more directly linked to social cohesion and/or perceptions of neighborhood disorder, but little is known about these associations in informal settlements. This paper sought to explore these relationships in Mathare-a large informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya. Using responses from surveys with 550 women in Mathare, we conducted regression, mediation, and moderated mediation analyses to investigate relationships between neighborhood disorder, fear of crime, and neighborhood cohesion and explore how these associations vary across geographic spaces (villages). Findings suggest that women's perceptions of neighborhood disorder are associated with fear of crime; neighborhood cohesion partially mediates the relationship between perceptions of neighborhood disorder and fear of crime; women's fear of crime varies by village; and the mediating role of neighborhood cohesion also varies by village. Efforts to build and strengthen social cohesion in informal settlements may help to reduce women's fear of crime, but more research is needed to explore under what conditions and in what spaces interventions are the most effective.

Novel STMN2 Variant Linked to Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Risk and Clinical Phenotype.

OBJECTIVE: There is a critical need to establish genetic markers that explain the complex phenotypes and pathogenicity of ALS. This study identified a polymorphism in the Stathmin-2 gene and investigated its association with sporadic ALS (sALS) disease risk, age-of onset and survival duration. METHODS: The candidate CA repeat was systematically analyzed using PCR, Sanger sequencing and high throughput capillary separation for genotyping. Stathmin-2 expression was investigated using RT-PCR in patient olfactory neurosphere-derived (ONS) cells and RNA sequencing in laser-captured spinal motor neurons. RESULTS: In a case-control analysis of a combined North American sALS cohort (n = 321) and population control group (n = 332), long/long CA genotypes were significantly associated with disease risk (p = 0.042), and most strongly when one allele was a 24 CA repeat (p = 0.0023). In addition, longer CA allele length was associated with earlier age-of-onset (p = 0.039), and shorter survival duration in bulbar-onset cases (p = 0.006). In an Australian longitudinal sALS cohort (n = 67), ALS functional rating scale scores were significantly lower in carriers of the long/long genotype (p = 0.034). Stathmin-2 mRNA expression was reduced in sporadic patient ONS cells. Additionally, sALS patients and controls exhibited variable expression of Stathmin-2 mRNA according to CA genotype in laser-captured spinal motor neurons. CONCLUSIONS: We report a novel non-coding CA repeat in Stathmin-2 which is associated with sALS disease risk and has disease modifying effects. The potential value of this variant as a disease marker and tool for cohort enrichment in clinical trials warrants further investigation.

"It Is Like Medicine": Using Sports to Promote Adult Women's Health in Rural Kenya.

Despite the well-documented health benefits of recreational sports, few opportunities exist in lower- and middle-income countries for adult women to participate in recreational physical activities. An explanatory sequential mixed methods approach was used to explore associations between an innovative soccer program for adult women and self-reported health status. Cross-sectional survey data were collected in 2018-2019 from 702 women in the Nikumbuke Project, a health and literacy program in southeastern rural Kenya, followed by focus group discussions with 225 women who also participated in the Project's soccer program. Quantitative findings suggest that women who participated in soccer had 67% greater odds of reporting good or excellent health than their non-soccer playing peers. Thematic analysis of qualitative data indicated that women credited soccer with less pain, fatigue, and stress, as well as weight loss and reduced dependence on medicine for hypertension, pain, and sleep problems. Women equated health benefits with greater ease and efficiency in completing chores, reduced worries, youthful energy, male-like strength, and pleased husbands. Soccer programs for adult women may be particularly effective interventions in settings where access to health care is limited and where lack of opportunity to engage in physical aerobic activity increases women's risks for poor health outcomes.