Current and lagged associations of meteorological variables and Aedes mosquito indices with dengue incidence in the Philippines.

BACKGROUND: Dengue is an increasing health burden that has spread throughout the tropics and sub-tropics. There is currently no effective vaccine and control is only possible through integrated vector management. Early warning systems (EWS) to alert potential dengue outbreaks are currently being explored but despite showing promise are yet to come to fruition. This study addresses the association of meteorological variables with both mosquito indices and dengue incidences and assesses the added value of additionally using mosquito indices for predicting dengue incidences. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Entomological surveys were carried out monthly for 14 months in six sites spread across three environmentally different cities of the Philippines. Meteorological and dengue data were acquired. Non-linear generalized additive models were fitted to test associations of the meteorological variables with both mosquito indices and dengue cases. Rain and the diurnal temperature range (DTR) contributed most to explaining the variation in both mosquito indices and number of dengue cases. DTR and minimum temperature also explained variation in dengue cases occurring one and two months later and may offer potentially useful variables for an EWS. The number of adult mosquitoes did associate with the number of dengue cases, but contributed no additional value to meteorological variables for explaining variation in dengue cases. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The use of meteorological variables to predict future risk of dengue holds promise. The lack of added value of using mosquito indices confirms several previous studies and given the onerous nature of obtaining such information, more effort should be placed on improving meteorological information at a finer scale to evaluate efficacy in early warning of dengue outbreaks.

Physiological, anthropometric and athletic performance adaptations from completing a 1-month pre-season period. A two-year longitudinal study in female collegiate soccer players.

Introduction: Collegiate coaches and integrative support staff often utilize pre-season as a brief and intense training period to prepare athletes technically, tactically, and physiologically, to meet the demands of competition during a soccer season. This study sought to examine the dose-response from performing on-field soccer activities during a four-week pre-season period in female collegiate soccer players, and if the magnitude in response was associated with accumulated exercise stress. Methods: A total of twenty-seven healthy female soccer players training as part of a collegiate soccer program volunteered to participate in this two-year longitudinal study. Data collection commenced prior to the start of each pre-season period, at the beginning of August, and was completed at the beginning of September, when pre-season ended. Data collection periods were separated by a 31-day period. Indices of cardiovascular function, anthropometry, and athletic performance were examined during each data collection period. Internal and external measures of accumulated exercise stress were recorded using the Polar Team Pro® system. Results: When comparing the beginning to the end of pre-season, significant improvements were observed in body fat (%) [24.2 ± 6.0 "vs." 23.3 ± 5.6, p = 0.001], heart rate variability (rMSSD) [51.8 ± 25.1 "vs." 67.9 ± 34.6 ms, p = 0.002], resting heart (bpm) [73.8 ± 12.1 "vs." 64.3 ± 8.8, p = 0.001] and cardiorespiratory performance (YoYo IRTL-1) [925.8 ± 272.8 "vs." 1,062.6 ± 223.3 m, p = 0.001]. Significant reductions in musculoskeletal performance were observed through vertical jump height (cm) [24.9 ± 23.7, p = 0.04]. Change in the end of pre-season body weight (kg) was significantly associated with accumulated accelerations and decelerations [r ≥ 0.49, p = 0.01]. End of pre-season change in cardiorespiratory performance was significantly associated with both accumulated training load (au) and TRIMP (au) [r ≥ 0.63, p = 0.01]. Discussion: In conclusion, performing a four-week pre-season period, involving only on-field training, can promote positive and significant adaptations in anthropometry, cardiovascular function, and athletic performance measures in female collegiate soccer players. The magnitudes of these adaptations were associated with both internal and external measures of accumulated exercise stress.

Ready, Set, Go? Impact of the Pandemic on Student Readiness: Laboratories, Preparedness, and Support.

There is little doubt that the pandemic has had a significant impact on students' academic achievement and mental health across the K-16 spectrum. For undergraduate chemistry instructors, data on the number of laboratories students completed in high school and in what mode would be important information in considering what modifications could be implemented in the laboratory curriculum and in messaging about the laboratory activities. Additionally, shedding light on how prepared students feel to succeed at college work, how the pandemic has impacted their preparedness for learning, and what the chemistry community can do to support student learning can shape messaging on the first day and for subsequent activities in the course. An initial and final course survey that sought to shed light on these student experiences and perspectives will be discussed along with the impact on course messaging and structure.

Complete Chloroplast Genome of Topotype Material of the Coast Live Oak Quercus agrifolia Née var. agrifolia (Fagaceae) from California.

Here, we present the chloroplast genome sequence of Quercus agrifolia Née, the California live oak, an ecologically important oak species along the coast of California. The genome is 161,283 bp in length, encodes 132 genes, and has a high level of gene synteny to other Fagaceae.

The complete chloroplast genome of the threatened Napa False Indigo Amorpha californica var. napensis Jeps. 1925 (Fabaceae) from Northern California, USA.

Amorpha californica var. napensis Jeps. 1925, the Napa false indigo, is a threatened shrub endemic to northern California. Here the complete chloroplast genome of topotype material of var. napensis was assembled and characterized to contribute to the bioinformatics, systematics, and conservation of this variety. The chloroplast genome (GenBank accession OK274088) is 158,294 base pairs (bp) in length, encodes 130 genes including 85 protein-coding, 37 tRNA, 8 rRNA, and shows a high-level of gene synteny to other Papilionoideae. Phylogenetic analysis fully resolved var. napensis in a clade with A. fruticosa L. and A. roemeriana Scheele, sister to the Dalbergieae. The newly sequenced chloroplast genome shows that the genetic differences between var. napensis and Amorpha californica Nutt. var. californica are greater than the variation observed between var. napensis and many other Amorpha spp. sequences deposited in GenBank. These data suggest that var. napensis should be elevated to full species rank.

Third party, umbilical cord blood derived regulatory T-cells for prevention of graft versus host disease in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: feasibility, safety and immune reconstitution.

Incubation of umbilical cord blood (UCB) derived regulatory T-cells (Tregs) with fucosyltransferase enzyme improves their ability to home to the target tissue to prevent graft vs. host disease (GVHD). We report results of 5 patients (Double UCB Transplant, n=2; Peripheral Blood Matched Unrelated Donor Transplant, n=3) who received UCB-Tregs (Dose level = 1×106/kg), infused one day prior to the donor graft. All patients received their designated UCB-Treg dose without any infusion reaction. The ratio of conventional T-cells in donor graft was at least 10 times higher than infused UCB-Tregs (ratio range, 12-356). All patients engrafted at median of 13 days (range, 8-17 days). One patient died due to brain hemorrhage on day 45. A bi-modal increase of plasma IL-10 level occurred on day 7 and day 21 and notably, plasma IL-2 level dropped significantly in all patients at Day 7. All evaluable patients developed ≥grade II acute GVHD and at 1 year follow up, all were alive and without evidence of disease relapse. No increase in the chronic GVHD biomarkers (REG3a and Elafin) was observed at day 7. At the time of last follow up, all evaluable patients were off immune-suppression. Stage 2 of this clinical trial examining UCB-Treg at dose level= 1×107/kg is currently underway.

Differentiation within autologous fibrin scaffolds of porcine dermal cells with the mesenchymal stem cell phenotype.

Porcine mesenchymal stem cells (pMSCs) are an attractive source of cells for tissue engineering because their properties are similar to those of human stem cells. pMSCs can be found in different tissues but their dermal origin has not been studied in depth. Additionally, MSCs differentiation in monolayer cultures requires subcultured cells, and these cells are at risk of dedifferentiation when implanting them into living tissue. Following this, we attempted to characterize the MSCs phenotype of porcine dermal cells and to evaluate their cellular proliferation and differentiation in autologous fibrin scaffolds (AFSs). Dermal biopsies and blood samples were obtained from 12 pigs. Dermal cells were characterized by flow cytometry. Frozen autologous plasma was used to prepare AFSs. pMSC differentiation was studied in standard structures (monolayers and pellets) and in AFSs. The pMSCs expressed the CD90 and CD29 markers of the mesenchymal lineage. AFSs afforded adipogenic, osteogenic and chondrogenic differentiation. The porcine dermis can be proposed to be a good source of MSCs with adequate proliferative capacity and a suitable expression of markers. The pMSCs also showed optimal proliferation and differentiation in AFSs, such that these might serve as a promising autologous and implantable material for use in tissue engineering.

Impacto de la educación nutricional sobre alteraciones metabólicas en niños y adolescentes con obesidad / The impact of nutritional education on metabolic disorders in obese children and adolescents

Introducción: La obesidad infantil se ha convertido en un grave problema de salud pública, en cuyos prevención y tratamiento la terapia nutricional tiene un papel importante. Pacientes y método: Ensayo clínico no aleatorizado realizado en 40 niños y adolescentes con obesidad, a quienes se realizó una historia clínica completa, evaluación de hábitos de alimentación a través de encuesta de recordatorio de alimentos de 24 h y frecuencia de consumo de alimentos. Se determinó en todos peso corporal, estatura, pliegues cutáneos, circunferencia de cintura y cadera y concentraciones séricas en ayunas de glucosa, colesterol total y sus fracciones de lipoproteínas de alta densidad (cHDL) y de baja densidad (cLDL) y triglicéridos. La intervención nutricional consistió en identificar el consumo calórico y la cantidad de nutrientes consumidos, y se otorgó asesoría dirigida a modificar los hábitos de alimentación con una dieta normocalórica saludable. Después de 4 meses se midieron nuevamente indicadores bioquímicos, antropométricos y dietéticos. Resultados: Se observó una reducción significativa en el peso corporal (de 56 ± 16,5 a 54,4 ± 16,1 kg), el índice de masa corporal (de 26,5 ± 3,7 a 25,1 ± 3,1), la circunferencia de cintura (de 86,4 ± 11,6 a 81,4 ± 11,4 cm) y la circunferencia media del brazo (de 29 ± 5 a 26 ± 4,2 mm). Se observó también una disminución significativa del colesterol total (de 167,1 ± 30 a 156 ± 26,5 mg/dl) y el cLDL (de 103 ± 21,4 a 84,6 ± 26 mg/dl) y un incremento del cHDL (de 38 ± 7,8 a 43,4 ± 9,3 mg/dl). En todas las comparaciones se obtuvo p < 0,05. Conclusiones: La asesoría dirigida a la modificación de hábitos de alimentación es eficaz en la disminución del peso corporal y la mejora del perfil de lípidos de niños y adolescentes con obesidad (AU)

Introduction: Childhood obesity has become a serious public health problem. Nutritional therapy plays an important role in its prevention and treatment. Patients and methods: A nonrandomized clinical trial was conducted in 40 obese children and adolescents who underwent a complete medical history and assessment of eating habits through 24-hour food recall and a frequency of food consumption questionnaire. In all patients, body weight, height, skinfold thickness, waist and hip circumferences and fasting glucose, total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol, and triglyceride levels were measured. The nutritional intervention consisted of identifying the calorie consumption and nutrient intake, and participants were given advice aimed at changing eating habits with a healthy normocaloric diet. After 4 months, biochemical, anthropometric and dietary indicators were measured again. Results: Significant reductions were observed in body weight (56.0 ± 16.5 to 54.4 ± 16.1 kg), body mass index (26.5 ± 3.7 to 25.1 ± 3.1), waist circumference (86.4 ± 11.6 to 81.4 ± 11.4 cm) and mid-arm circumference (29.0 ± 5.0 to 26.0 ± 4.2 mm). Significant reductions were also observed in total cholesterol (167.1 ± 30.0 to 156.0 ± 26.5 mg/dl) and LDL-cholesterol (103.0 ± 21.4 to 84.6 ± 26.0 mg/dl). A significant increase was found in HDL values (38.0 ± 7.8 to 43.4 ± 9.3 mg/dl). In all comparisons, the p-value was < 0.05. Conclusions: Counseling aimed at changing eating habits is effective in reducing body weight and improves lipid profile in children and adolescents with obesity (AU)

[The impact of nutritional education on metabolic disorders in obese children and adolescents]. / Impacto de la educación nutricional sobre alteraciones metabólicas en niños y adolescentes con obesidad.

INTRODUCTION: Childhood obesity has become a serious public health problem. Nutritional therapy plays an important role in its prevention and treatment. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A nonrandomized clinical trial was conducted in 40 obese children and adolescents who underwent a complete medical history and assessment of eating habits through 24-hour food recall and a frequency of food consumption questionnaire. In all patients, body weight, height, skinfold thickness, waist and hip circumferences and fasting glucose, total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol, and triglyceride levels were measured. The nutritional intervention consisted of identifying the calorie consumption and nutrient intake, and participants were given advice aimed at changing eating habits with a healthy normocaloric diet. After 4 months, biochemical, anthropometric and dietary indicators were measured again. RESULTS: Significant reductions were observed in body weight (56.0 +/- 16.5 to 54.4 +/- 16.1 kg), body mass index (26.5 +/- 3.7 to 25.1 +/- 3.1), waist circumference (86.4 +/- 11.6 to 81.4 +/- 11.4 cm) and mid-arm circumference (29.0 +/- 5.0 to 26.0 +/- 4.2 mm). Significant reductions were also observed in total cholesterol (167.1 +/- 30.0 to 156.0 +/- 26.5 mg/dl) and LDL-cholesterol (103.0 +/- 21.4 to 84.6 +/- 26.0 mg/dl). A significant increase was found in HDL values (38.0 +/- 7.8 to 43.4 +/- 9.3 mg/dl). In all comparisons, the p-value was < 0.05. CONCLUSIONS: Counseling aimed at changing eating habits is effective in reducing body weight and improves lipid profile in children and adolescents with obesity.