Certainty of Evidence Assessment in Systematic Reviews Published by High-Impact Sports Science Journals: A Meta-epidemiological Study.

BACKGROUND: Assessing certainty of evidence is a key element of any systematic review. The aim of this meta-epidemiology study was to understand the frequency and ways with which certainty of evidence is assessed in contemporary systematic reviews published in high-impact sports science journals. METHODS: We searched PubMed and relevant journal web sites from 1 August 2016 to 11 October 2022 for systematic reviews published in the top-ten highest-impact journals within the 2020 Journal Citation Report for the Sports Sciences category. Pairs of independent reviewers screened items using a priori established criteria. RESULTS: Of 1250 eligible documents, 258 (20.6%) assessed the certainty of evidence, defined as using two or more distinct domains to provide an overall rating of the trustworthiness of findings across studies. Nine methods were cited for assessing certainty, with the most common being the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach (61.6%). The proportion of systematic reviews assessing certainty of evidence appeared to increase over the 6-year timeframe analyzed. Across all reviews analyzed, a large majority addressed the domains of risk of bias, imprecision, and inconsistency of the results. Other certainty domains including indirectness/applicability were less commonly assessed. DISCUSSION: Only one in five recent contemporary systematic reviews in the field of exercise and sports science assessed certainty of evidence. Organizational and institutional education on methods for assessing evidence may help further increase uptake of these methods and improve both the quality and clinical impact of systematic reviews in the field.

Platelet distribution widths and white blood cell are associated with cardiovascular diseases: data mining approaches.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and haematologic factors in a cohort of Iranian adults. METHOD: For a total population of 9,704 aged 35 to 65, a prospective study was designed. Haematologic factors and demographic characteristics (such as gender, age, and smoking status) were completed for all participants. The association between haematologic factors and CVDs was assessed through logistic regression (LR) analysis, decision tree (DT), and bootstrap forest (BF). RESULTS: Almost all of the included factors were significantly associated with CVD (p<.001). Among the included factors, were: age, white blood cell (WBC), and platelet distribution width (PDW) had the strongest correlation with the development of CVD. For unit OR interpretation, WBC has been represented as the most remarkable risk factor for CVD (OR: 1.22 (CI 95% (1.18, 1.27))). Also, age is associated with an increase in the odds of CVD + occurrence (OR: 1.12 (CI 95% (1.11, 1.13))). Moreover, males are times more likely to develop CVD than females (OR: 1.39 (CI 95% (1.22, 1.58))). In DT model, age is the best classifier factor in CVD development, followed by WBC and PDW. Furthermore, based on the BF algorithm, the most crucial factors correlated with CVD are age, WBC, PDW, sex, and smoking status. CONCLUSION: The obtained result from LR, DT, and BF models confirmed that age, WBC, and PDW are the most crucial factors for the development of CVD.

Development of Data Mining Algorithms for Identifying the Best Anthropometric Predictors for Cardiovascular Disease: MASHAD Cohort Study.

INTRODUCTION: Many studies have been published to assess the best anthropometric measurements associated with cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), but controversies still exist. AIM: Investigating the association between CVDs and anthropometric measurements among Iranian adults. METHODS: For a total population of 9354 aged 35 to 65, a prospective study was designed. Anthropometric measurements including ABSI (A Body Shape Index), Body Adiposity Index (BAI), Body Mass Index (BMI), Waist to Height Ratio (WHtR), Body Round Index (BRI), HC (Hip Circumference), Demispan, Mid-arm circumference (MAC), Waist-to-hip (WH) and Waist Circumference (WC) were completed. The association between these parameters and CVDs were assessed through logistic regression (LR) and decision tree (DT) models. RESULTS: During the 6-year follow-up, 4596 individuals (49%) developed CVDs. According to the LR, age, BAI, BMI, Demispan, and BRI, in male and age, WC, BMI, and BAI in female had a significant association with CVDs (p-value < 0.03). Age and BRI for male and age and BMI for female represent the most appropriate estimates for CVDs (OR: 1.07, (95% CI: 1.06, 1.08), 1.36 (1.22, 1.51), 1.14 (1.13, 1.15), and 1.05 (1.02, 1.07), respectively). In the DT for male, those with BRI ≥ 3.87, age ≥ 46 years, and BMI ≥ 35.97 had the highest risk to develop CVDs (90%). Also, in the DT for female, those with age ≥ 54 years and WC ≥ 84 had the highest risk to develop CVDs (71%). CONCLUSION: BRI and age in male and age and BMI in female had the greatest association with CVDs. Also, BRI and BMI was the strongest indices for this prediction.

Prediction of type 2 diabetes mellitus using hematological factors based on machine learning approaches: a cohort study analysis.

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is a significant public health problem globally. The diagnosis and management of diabetes are critical to reduce the diabetes complications including cardiovascular disease and cancer. This study was designed to assess the potential association between T2DM and routinely measured hematological parameters. This study was a subsample of 9000 adults aged 35-65 years recruited as part of Mashhad stroke and heart atherosclerotic disorder (MASHAD) cohort study. Machine learning techniques including logistic regression (LR), decision tree (DT) and bootstrap forest (BF) algorithms were applied to analyze data. All data analyses were performed using SPSS version 22 and SAS JMP Pro version 13 at a significant level of 0.05. Based on the performance indices, the BF model gave high accuracy, precision, specificity, and AUC. Previous studies suggested the positive relationship of triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index with T2DM, so we considered the association of TyG index with hematological factors. We found this association was aligned with their results regarding T2DM, except MCHC. The most effective factors in the BF model were age and WBC (white blood cell). The BF model represented a better performance to predict T2DM. Our model provides valuable information to predict T2DM like age and WBC.

Therapeutic Potential of Herbal Medicine against Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common metabolic disorder associated with obesity, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, and cardiovascular disease. A "multiple hit" model has been a widely accepted explanation for the disease's complicated pathogenesis. Despite advances in our knowledge of the processes underlying NAFLD, no conventional pharmaceutical therapy exists. The only currently approved option is to make lifestyle modifications, such as dietary and physical activity changes. The use of medicinal plants in the treatment of NAFLD has recently gained interest. Thus, we review the current knowledge about these agents based on clinical and preclinical studies. Moreover, the association between NAFLD and colorectal cancer (CRC), one of the most common and lethal malignancies, has recently emerged as a new study area. We overview the shared dysregulated pathways and the potential therapeutic effect of herbal medicines for CRC prevention in patients with NAFLD.

Data mining approaches for type 2 diabetes mellitus prediction using anthropometric measurements.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate the anthropometric measurements most associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) using machine learning approaches. METHODS: A prospective study was designed for a total population of 9354 (43% men and 57% women) aged 35-65. Anthropometric measurements include weight, height, demispan, Hip Circumference (HC), Mid-arm Circumference (MAC), Waist Circumference (WC), Body Roundness Index (BRI), Body Adiposity Index (BAI), A Body Shape Index (ABSI), Body Mass Index (BMI), Waist-to-height Ratio (WHtR), and Waist-to-hip Ratio (WHR) were completed for all participants. The association was assessed using logistic regression (LR) and decision tree (DT) analysis. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was performed to evaluate the DT's accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity using R software. RESULTS: Traditionally, 1461 women and 875 men with T2DM (T2DM group). According to the LR, in males, WC and BIA (p-value < 0.001) and in females, demispan and WC (p-value < 0.001) had the highest correlation with T2DM development risk. The DT indicated that WC has the most crucial effect on T2DM development risk, followed by HC, and BAI. CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed that in both men and women, WC was the most important anthropometric factor to predict T2DM.

Missed nursing care in the COVID-19 pandemic in Iran.

BACKGROUND: Quality of care is one of the most critical issues in nursing care today. Moreover, all health care employees are responsible for providing support and high-quality, safe care. However, nurses caring for COVID-19 patients face problems such as unfamiliar work environments, exposure to the disease, lack of experience in their new positions, and close public and media attention. This study aimed to investigate missed nursing care and the reasons for missed nursing care during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in Iran. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 135 nurses working in COVID-19 units. Data were collected using the MISSCARE Survey. The significance level for the statistical tests was set at p < 0.05. RESULTS: Most of the participants were women and had a bachelor's degree in nursing. There was a lack of supportive and necessary care more than any other form of care. According to nurses, the most common reasons for missed care were urgent patient situations, inadequate staff, and an unexpected rise in patient volume and/or patient acuity on the unit. CONCLUSION: Generally, the results showed that being positioned in a new situation and unfamiliarity with the disease had a significant impact-among nurses-on the amount of care provided. Managers can use this information to solve existing missed-nursing-care problems and contribute to improving the quality of care. These results can be helpful in controlling missed nursing care and finding a more optimal solution for this problem; thus, we can improve the quality of care delivery and increase the satisfaction of nurses and patients. Additionally, an understanding of the kind of missing nursing care during a pandemic can positively enhance the management of similar situations in the future.

The visceral adiposity index and lipid accumulation product as predictors of cardiovascular events in normal weight subjects.

INTRODUCTION: Visceral adipose tissue (VAT) has an important role in the incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) than obesity by itself. The visceral adiposity index (VAI) and lipid accumulation product (LAP) are surrogate indices for measuring VAT. The aimed of this study was to investigate the association of these markers with cardiovascular events among populations with different BMI category in Mashhad, northeast of Iran. METHOD: The present study comprised a prospective cohort of 9685 men and women (35-65 years) who were recruited from MASHAD study. BMI category was defined as normal weight (BMI <25), over weight (25 ≤ BMI<30) and obese (BMI≥30). Demographic, laboratory evaluations, anthropometric and metabolic parameters were performed. Logistic and Cox regression analyses were used to determine the association and risk of cardiovascular events with VAT and LAP. RESULTS: The mean VAI and LAP in CVD patients were significantly higher than in healthy ones in all 3 groups. In terms of CVD event prediction, VAI and LAP had significant association with the incidence of CVD in the second (RR (95% CI): 2.132 (1.047-4.342) and 2.701 (1.397-5.222), respectively) and third tertiles (RR (95% CI): 2.541 (1.163-5.556) and 2.720 (1.159-6.386), respectively) in the normal group, but this association was only found in the third tertiles (RR (95% CI): 2.448 (1.205-4.971) and 2.376 (1.086-5.199), respectively) in the overweight group. The result couldn't find this association for the obese group. CONCLUSION: In this study, we found that there was a significant association between LAP and VAI and cardiovascular events in normal weight and over-weight groups; however, no significant relationship was found in the obese group.

Investigating the psychometric properties of the Persian version of Neonatal Pain, agitation, and sedation scale.

BACKGROUND: The Neonatal Pain, Agitation, and Sedation Scale (N-PASS) is a tool that, in addition to assessing pain, also considers the level of sedation in infants. This study aimed to translate and determine the psychometric properties of pain and sedation parts of the N-PASS in neonates. METHODS: Two evaluators observed 70 non-intubated and 30 intubated infants admitted to the neonatal ward and neonatal intensive care unit. Totally, 1000 observations were done to assess discriminant and criterion validity, internal consistency, and inter-rater reliability. RESULTS: The discriminant validity of both the sedation and pain parts of the Persian version of N-PASS (PN-PASS) was confirmed by significantly increasing the pain score during the painful procedures compared to the rest time. The criterion validity of the PN-PASS was approved by the high correlation (r = 0.85) between the Premature Infant Pain Profile and the PN-PASS. The intraclass correlation coefficient between the two evaluators was in the range of r = 0.71-0.92, and Cronbach's alpha coefficient during non-painful and painful procedures was in the range of α = 0.57 and α = 0.86. CONCLUSION: This study showed that the Persian version of N-PASS is valid and reliable in assessing pain and sedation in term and preterm infants. There were an increase in some items' scores is more related to the mechanism of the procedures than to the painful nature of the stimuli.

Modified Delphi Process to Identify Research Priorities and Measures for Adult Lifestyle Programs to Address Type 2 Diabetes and Other Cardiometabolic Risk Conditions.

OBJECTIVES: Clinical and community guidelines recommend lifestyle (i.e. diet and physical activity) interventions for cardiometabolic conditions (including type 2 diabetes), yet current evidence suggests limited and variable services in primary care and public health settings. New implementation research studies are needed to ensure maximal effectiveness, equity and efficiency across all population subgroups and within the context of health systems. Such work will benefit from use of similar core measures and outcome indicators across studies. This Delphi process was undertaken by a new interdisciplinary volunteer researcher network to identify research priorities and core measures for such studies. METHODS: Interested network members completed 2 rounds of a modified Delphi process delivered through online questionnaire and teleconferences. Consensus was defined as the median and interquartile range within the top third of a 9-point scale. RESULTS: Twenty-five of 53 (47%) members and 18 (34%) participants completed the round 1 and round 2 surveys, respectively. Of 22 possible research priorities, 4 were rated high priority with consensus, including evaluating the efficacy and effectiveness of interventions in place, improving existing interventions for sustainability and clinical and public health research to advance existing knowledge to develop new capacities. Only 15 of the 93 measures and indicators proposed achieved similar consensus. CONCLUSIONS: This first effort confirms broad agreement on research priorities and limited agreement on core indicators/measures. The results provide a starting point for further development of common measures for implementation research in lifestyle studies addressing cardiometabolic conditions.

Pooled Prevalence Estimate of Ocular Manifestations in COVID-19 Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: There are reports of ocular tropism due to respiratory viruses such as severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). Various studies have shown ocular manifestation in coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) patients. We aimed to identify ophthalmic manifestations in COVID-19 patients and establish an association between ocular symptoms and SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods: A systematic search of Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library was conducted for publications from December 2019 to April 2021. The search included MeSH terms such as SARS-CoV-2 and ocular manifestations. The pooled prevalence estimate (PPE) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was calculated using binomial distribution and random effects. The meta-regression method was used to examine factors affecting heterogeneity between studies. Results: Of the 412 retrieved articles, 23 studies with a total of 3,650 COVID-19 patients were analyzed. The PPE for any ocular manifestations was 23.77% (95% CI: 15.73-31.81). The most prevalent symptom was dry eyes with a PPE of 13.66% (95% CI: 5.01-25.51). The PPE with 95% CI for conjunctival hyperemia, conjunctival congestion/conjunctivitis, and ocular pain was 13.41% (4.65-25.51), 9.14% (6.13-12.15), and 10.34% (4.90-15.78), respectively. Only two studies reported ocular discomfort and diplopia. The results of meta-regression analysis showed that age and sample size had no significant effect on the prevalence of any ocular manifestations. There was no significant publication bias in our meta-analysis. Conclusion: There is a high prevalence of ocular manifestations in COVID-19 patients. The most common symptoms are dry eyes, conjunctival hyperemia, conjunctival congestion/conjunctivitis, ocular pain, irritation/itching/burning sensation, and foreign body sensation.

Effect of Sanguisorba minor on scopolamine-induced memory loss in rat: involvement of oxidative stress and acetylcholinesterase.

Sanguisorba minor (S. minor) has neuroprotective and antioxidant activities. However, its potential benefits in ameliorating learning and memory functions have been explored in no studies up to now. So, in the current study, rats were treated with S. minor hydro-ethanolic extract (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg, intraperitoneal (i.p.)) as well as rivastigmine (0.5 mg/kg, i.p.) for 21 consecutive days. Thereafter, their behavioral performance was assessed using Morris water maze (MWM) and passive avoidance (PA) tasks. Notably, 30 min before conducting the tasks, scopolamine was injected. Finally, the biochemical assessments were done using the brain tissue. The extract characterization was performed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, which confirmed the presence of quercetin, myricetin, kaempferol, catechin, ellagic acid, and gallic acid derivatives. In the MWM test, the extract reduced both escape latency and the travelled distance, compared to the scopolamine group. Moreover, in the PA test, the latency to enter the dark chamber significantly increased by the extract, compared to the scopolamine group (p < 0.05-p < 0.001). Notably, the beneficial effects of S. minor on cognitive performance of the scopolamine-treated rats appeared to be similar or even better than rivastigmine in behavior performance. Similar to rivastigmine, it was observed that the extract attenuated both AChE activity and oxidative injury in the brain as evidenced by the increased antioxidant enzymes and total thiol content; however, it decreased malondialdehyde level (p < 0.05-p < 0.001). In conclusion, the results suggested the effectiveness of S. minor in preventing cognitive dysfunction induced by scopolamine. Accordingly, these protective effects might be produced by the regulation of cholinergic activity and oxidative stress. S. minor could be considered as a potential alternative therapy in cognition disorders.

Translation and psychometric properties of the MISSCARE survey-Persian version.

BACKGROUND: Providing safe and high-quality nursing care is an essential task of nursing. Nurses may be unable to provide patients with all of the necessary care for numerous reasons, such as an increase in the number of patients and a low number of nursing staff. Moreover, they may have to omit, postpone, or incompletely perform a series of care, referred to as missed nursing care. The purpose of this study was to translate and conduct psychometric testing of the MISSCARE Survey. METHOD: In this study, we accurately translated the MISSCARE Survey. Its acceptability, construct validity, and internal consistency were analyzed. This cross-sectional study was conducted in the summer of 2020 in educational hospitals in Ardabil, Iran. The participants were 300 nurses who worked in educational hospitals and were randomly selected. RESULTS: Participants in this study included 300 nurses from five units, including general medicine (13.3%), COVID-19 (45.0%), surgery (18.7%), critical care unit (6.3%), and intensive care unit (16.7%), who worked various shifts, of whom 84.7% were female. The total content validity in Part A was 0.944, and that in Part B was 0.969. Part A was divided into three domains (necessary care, secondary care, and supportive care), and Part B was divided into five domains (communication, labor resources, material resources, responsibility, and unpredictable situations). In both parts, the chi-square index was < 3, and the RMSEA index was < 0.08. The internal consistency measured by Cronbach's alpha was 0.933 for Part A and 0.910 for Part B for the Persian version of the MISSCARE Survey. CONCLUSION: Based on the outcomes of this research, it can be concluded that the Persian version of the MISSCARE Survey is valid for use in Iranian hospitals and can be used to identify missed care and the reasons behind it. Nursing managers can also use it to improve the situation and provide the highest-quality care.

Is eating a mixed diet better for health and survival?: A systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal observational studies.

The role of dietary diversity in chronic disease or survival is controversial. This meta-analysis quantified the health impact of dietary diversity. Random-effects models pooled risk ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of 20 longitudinal studies. Total dietary diversity was associated with a 22% lower risk of all-cause mortality (RR 0.78 [95%CI: 0.64, 0.96]), and was inversely associated with incident cancer- or CVD-specific mortality only in subgroup analyses (RR range: 0.53 to 0.90, p < 0.05). Similarly, diversity across healthy foods was inversely associated with all-cause mortality (RR 0.84 [95%CI: 0.73, 0.96]). An inverse association between total diet diversity and incident CVD was significant in non-European populations consuming diets with diverse food groups (RR: 0.93 [95% CI: 0.86-0.99]). Effects on cancer risk are unstudied. Diversity within fruits and/or vegetables showed null associations for all outcomes, except potentially for squamous cell-type carcinomas. More robust research is warranted. Findings indicated greater dietary diversity may benefit overall survival.

The Role of Immunomodulatory Nutrients in Alleviating Complications Related to SARS-CoV-2: A Scoping Review.

The recent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has warranted the need to investigate potential therapies or prophylaxis against this infectious respiratory disease. There is emerging evidence about the potential role of nutrients on COVID-19 in addition to using medications such as hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin. This scoping review aims to explore the literature evaluating the effect of immunomodulatory nutrients on the outcomes including hospitalization, intensive care unit admission, oxygen requirement, and mortality in COVID-19 patients. A literature search of databases including Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science, Cochrane, Scopus, and PubMed, as well as hand-searching in Google Scholar (up to 10 February 2021) was conducted. All human studies with different study designs and without limitation on publication year were included except for non-English-language and review articles. Overall, out of 4412 studies, 19 met our inclusion criteria. Four studies examined the impact of supplementation with vitamin C, 4 studies - zinc, 8 studies - vitamin D, and 3 studies investigated the combination of 2 (zinc and vitamin C) or 3 (vitamin D, vitamin B-12, and magnesium) nutrients. Although limited data exist, available evidence demonstrated that supplementation with immune-supportive micronutrients such as vitamins D and C and zinc may modulate immunity and alleviate the severity and risk of infection. The effectiveness of vitamin C, vitamin D, and zinc on COVID-19 was different based on baseline nutrient status, the duration and dosage of nutrient therapy, time of administration, and severity of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) disease. This review indicated that supplementation with high-dose vitamin C, vitamin D, and zinc may alleviate the complications caused by COVID-19, including inflammatory markers, oxygen therapy, length of hospitalization, and mortality; however, studies were mixed regarding these effects. Further randomized clinical trials are necessary to identify the most effective nutrients and the safe dosage to combat SARS-CoV-2.

Fast-Food Dietary Pattern Is Linked to Higher Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome in Older Canadian Adults.

BACKGROUND: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is known to increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. Diet is a key factor in prevention and development of MetS. This study aimed to determine the association between dietary patterns and MetS among Canadians 12-79 years old using the Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS) combined Cycles 1 and 2 data from 2007-11. We hypothesized that MetS varies among different sociodemographic and lifestyle factors and that Canadians who have less healthy dietary patterns are more likely to have MetS. METHODS: In the CHMS, MetS was determined using objective health measures. The principal component analysis method was used to determine the dietary patterns. Using logistic regression, the association between MetS and dietary patterns, controlling for potential covariates, was investigated for age groups of 12-19, 20-49, and 50-79 years. Survey data were weighted and bootstrapped to be representative at the national level. RESULTS: The prevalence of MetS was 16.9% for ages 12-79 y (n = 4,272, males = 49.6%), representing 26,038,108 Canadians aged 12-79 years. MetS was significantly different across sociodemographic variables; Canadians with less education, income, and activity had higher MetS prevalence than their counterparts. In older adults (50-79 years of age), the "fast-food" dietary pattern was associated with 26% (odds ratio = 1.26; 95% CI: 1.04 to 1.54; p=0.0195) higher likelihood of having MetS. CONCLUSIONS: Among older Canadians, MetS is associated with a "fast-food" dietary pattern after adjustment for socioeconomic/lifestyle factors. Findings suggest the importance of diet quality/composition in the development of MetS among older Canadians and the need for further longitudinal studies on MetS and diet across the lifespan.

Adiposity and the role of diverse social supports: an observational, gender-sensitive study using the baseline Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging.

OBJECTIVE: To quantify associations between four types of social support and measured adiposity among women and men. DESIGN: The cross-sectional sample from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA, 2012-2015). Height, weight and waist circumference (WC) were clinically measured, and perceived availability of informational, tangible, emotional and belonging social supports was self-reported. SETTING: Canada. PARTICIPANTS: 28 779 adults aged 45-85 years from the CLSA. RESULTS: All social support types were associated with WC and BMI among women but not among men. Women reporting the lowest informational support had significantly higher mean BMI (28·84 kg/m2 (95 % CI 28·63, 29·05)) and WC (90·81 cm (95 % CI 90·31, 91·30)) compared with women reporting maximum support (respectively, 28·09 kg/m2 (95 % CI 27·88, 28·30) and 88·92 cm (95 % CI 88·43, 89·4)). Women's abdominal obesity was associated with low levels of informational, emotional and belonging support, and women's general obesity with informational and emotional support. Notably, informational and emotional support were associated with both obesity outcomes independent of other supports among women. Only a low level of informational support was significantly independently associated with higher odds of obesity among men. CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides novel insights into gender-specific associations between different types of social support and adiposity. Prospective studies are needed to further investigate potential causality of these associations between the specific social supports and future weight status, especially among women.

Radiation-Induced Macrophage Senescence Impairs Resolution Programs and Drives Cardiovascular Inflammation.

Radiation is associated with tissue damage and increased risk of atherosclerosis, but there are currently no treatments and a very limited mechanistic understanding of how radiation impacts tissue repair mechanisms. We uncovered that radiation significantly delayed temporal resolution programs that were associated with decreased efferocytosis in vivo. Resolvin D1 (RvD1), a known proresolving ligand, promoted swift resolution and restored efferocytosis in sublethally irradiated mice. Irradiated macrophages exhibited several features of senescence, including increased expression of p16INK4A and p21, heightened levels of SA-ß-gal, COX-2, several proinflammatory cytokines/chemokines, and oxidative stress (OS) in vitro, and when transferred to mice, they exacerbated inflammation in vivo. Mechanistically, heightened OS in senescent macrophages led to impairment in their ability to carry out efficient efferocytosis, and treatment with RvD1 reduced OS and improved efferocytosis. Sublethally irradiated Ldlr -/- mice exhibited increased plaque necrosis, p16INK4A cells, and decreased lesional collagen compared with nonirradiated controls, and treatment with RvD1 significantly reduced necrosis and increased lesional collagen. Removal of p16INK4A hematopoietic cells during advanced atherosclerosis with p16-3MR mice reduced plaque necrosis and increased production of key intraplaque-resolving mediators. Our results demonstrate that sublethal radiation drives macrophage senescence and efferocytosis defects and suggest that RvD1 may be a new therapeutic strategy to limit radiation-induced tissue damage.

RMI-DBG algorithm: A more agile iterative de Bruijn graph algorithm in short read genome assembly.

The de Bruijn Graph algorithm (DBG) as one of the cornerstones algorithms in short read assembly has extended with the rapid advancement of the Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) technologies and low-cost production of millions of high-quality short reads. Erroneous reads, non-uniform coverage, and genomic repeats are three major problems that influence the performance of short read assemblers. To encounter these problems, the iterative DBG algorithm applies multiple [Formula: see text]-mers instead of a single [Formula: see text]-mer, by iterating the DBG graph over a range of [Formula: see text]-mer sizes from the minimum to the maximum. However, the iteration paradigm of iterative DBG deals with complex graphs from the beginning of the algorithm and therefore, causes more potential errors and computational time for resolving various unreal branches. In this research, we propose the Reverse Modified Iterative DBG graph (named RMI-DBG) for short read assembly. RMI-DBG utilizes the DBG algorithm and String graph to achieve the advantages of both algorithms. We present that RMI-DBG performs faster with comparable results in comparison to iterative DBG. Additionally, the quality of the proposed algorithm in terms of continuity and accuracy is evaluated with some commonly-used assemblers via several real datasets of the GAGE-B benchmark.

The Effect of Impact Exercise (Alone or Multicomponent Intervention) on Health-Related Outcomes in Individuals at Risk of Fractures: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

BACKGROUND: Exercise is commonly recommended to prevent and manage osteoporosis. High magnitude strains at rapid rate and short bouts should theoretically elicit an osteogenic response; however, the effects of different levels of impact exercises on several outcomes in people at risk of fracture are still unknown. OBJECTIVE: To report the effect of impact exercise on falls, fractures, adverse events, mortality, bone mineral density (BMD), physical functioning, and health-related quality of life (QoL). METHODS: We included randomized controlled trials testing the effect of impact exercise compared with a non-exercise control on outcomes in adults ≥ 50 years with low BMD or fragility fractures. Two reviewers selected studies and extracted data. Where possible, we pooled outcomes using mean difference (MD) with a fixed-effects model and 95% confidence interval (CI). We reported risk of bias using Cochrane and certainty of evidence using GRADE. RESULTS: We included 29 trials; 19 studies evaluated impact exercise alone, and the remaining trials combined impact with resistance or balance training. Impact exercise alone or combined with resistance training improved Timed Up-and-Go values (MD - 0.95 s, 95% CI - 1.09 to - 0.81, low certainty evidence) and lumbar spine (MD 0.04 g/cm2, 95% CI 0.02-0.06, low certainty evidence) and femoral neck BMD (MD 0.04 g/cm2, 95% CI 0.02-0.07, low certainty evidence). Impact exercise did not improve health-related QoL assessed with QUALEFFO-41 (MD 0.06, 95% CI - 2.18 to 2.30, moderate certainty evidence). The effects of impact exercise on falls, fractures, and mortality are uncertain due to insufficient data. Many trials had a high risk of bias for two or more items. CONCLUSIONS: There is low certainty evidence that impact exercise may improve physical function and BMD in people at risk of fracture. The effect of impact exercises on falls, fractures, and mortality remains unclear. Our findings should be interpreted with caution due to risk of bias and small sample sizes. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registered in Prospero (CRD42018115579) on January 30, 2019.