Observing the earth from space: Does a virtual reality overview effect experience increase pro-environmental behaviour?

Astronauts (and recently businessmen) often express a renewed sense of responsibility for taking care of the environment, after observing the overwhelming beauty of Earth from space. Despite recent attention for this "overview effect", it is unclear whether experiencing the effect directly impacts pro-environmental behaviour. Using a virtual reality experience, the current research tests in two experimental studies the direct impact of an immersive overview effect experience on both short-term and longer term subsequent pro-environmental behaviours (donating to an environmental NGO, consuming less diary and meat). Furthermore, it investigates whether the technological immersiveness of the VR experience amplifies the effect, and the mediating role of connectedness to nature. Results show no effects of the short (7 minutes) overview effect VR video on pro-environmental behaviour (Study 1). For the longer video (15 minutes, Study 2), the results showed that the most immersive experience (video featuring meditative music and voice-over) appeared to increase connection with nature and higher donation amounts to an eco-NGO, but not significantly. No effects were found for subsequent meat and dairy consumption behaviours (measured on day 2, 4, and 6). These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the specific features determining the effectiveness of the overview effect experiences on actual pro-environmental behaviour, providing important insights to businesses and educational institutions.

A Comprehensive Review of the Covalent Immobilization of Biomolecules onto Electrospun Nanofibers.

Biomolecule immobilization has attracted the attention of various fields such as fine chemistry and biomedicine for their use in several applications such as wastewater, immunosensors, biofuels, et cetera. The performance of immobilized biomolecules depends on the substrate and the immobilization method utilized. Electrospun nanofibers act as an excellent substrate for immobilization due to their large surface area to volume ratio and interconnectivity. While biomolecules can be immobilized using adsorption and encapsulation, covalent immobilization offers a way to permanently fix the material to the fiber surface resulting in high efficiency, good specificity, and excellent stability. This review aims to highlight the various covalent immobilization techniques being utilized and their benefits and drawbacks. These methods typically fall into two categories: (1) direct immobilization and (2) use of crosslinkers. Direct immobilization techniques are usually simple and utilize the strong electrophilic functional groups on the nanofiber. While crosslinkers are used as an intermediary between the nanofiber substrate and the biomolecule, with some crosslinkers being present in the final product and others simply facilitating the reactions. We aim to provide an explanation of each immobilization technique, biomolecules commonly paired with said technique and the benefit of immobilization over the free biomolecule.

Changes of NOx in urban air detected with monitoring VIS-NIR field spectrometer during the coronavirus pandemic: A case study in Germany.

The global outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic has led to a significant reduction of traffic and traffic-related urban air pollution. One important pollutant in this context is NO2. Sudden change in NO2 emissions related to reduction of urban traffic due to infection protection measures can be detected in Düsseldorf, Germany with continuous measurements of down-welling light with a RoX automated field-spectrometer. In comparison to a nearby reference instrument, a waveband around 590 nm was identified as significant for the retrieval in the VIS-NIR spectral range. A decision tree based on principal components which were decomposed from down-welling radiance spectra has been the most robust approach to retrieved NO2 values. Better differentiation of the NO2 value-range is achieved with a partial least square regression model. The results suggest that traffic-related changes of NOx pollution in urban air can be detected through continuous down-welling radiance measurements with inexpensive automated field-spectrometer systems.

Anti-Escherichia coli Functionalized Silver-Doped Carbon Nanofibers for Capture of E. coli in Microfluidic Systems.

Silver-doped carbon nanofibers (SDCNF) are used as the base material for the selective capture of Escherichia coli in microfluidic systems. Fibers were spun in a glovebox with dry atmosphere maintained by forced dry air pumped through the closed environment. This affected the evaporation rate of the solvent during the electrospinning process and the distribution of silver particles within the fiber. Antibodies are immobilized on the surface of the silver-doped polyacrylonitrile (PAN) based carbon nanofibers via a three-step process. The negatively charged silver particles present on the surface of the nanofibers provide suitable sites for positively charged biotinylated poly-(l)-lysine-graft-poly-ethylene-glycol (PLL-g-PEG biotin) conjugate attachment. Streptavidin and a biotinylated anti-E. coli antibody were then added to create anti-E. coli surface functionalized (AESF) nanofibers. Functionalized fibers were able to immobilize up to 130 times the amount of E. coli on the fiber surface compared to neat silver doped fibers. Confocal images show E. coli remains immobilized on fiber mat surface after extensive rinsing showing the bacteria is not simply a result of non-specific binding. To demonstrate selectivity and functionalization with both gram negative and gram-positive antibodies, anti-Staphylococcus aureus surface functionalized (ASSF) nanofibers were also prepared. Experiments with AESF performed with Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and ASSF with E. coli show negligible binding to the fiber surface showing the selectivity of the functionalized membranes. This surface functionalization can be done with a variety of antibodies for tunable selective pathogen capture.

Spatiotemporal Control of CRISPR/Cas9 Function in Cells and Zebrafish using Light-Activated Guide RNA.

We developed a new method for the conditional regulation of CRISPR/Cas9 activity in mammalian cells and zebrafish embryos using photochemically activated, caged guide RNAs (gRNAs). Caged gRNAs are generated by substituting four nucleobases evenly distributed throughout the 5'-protospacer region with caged nucleobases during synthesis. Caging confers complete suppression of gRNA:dsDNA-target hybridization and rapid restoration of CRISPR/Cas9 function upon optical activation. This tool offers simplicity and complete programmability in design, high spatiotemporal specificity in cells and zebrafish embryos, excellent off-to-on switching, and stability by preserving the ability to form Cas9:gRNA ribonucleoprotein complexes. Caged gRNAs are novel tools for the conditional control of gene editing, thereby enabling the investigation of spatiotemporally complex physiological events by obtaining a better understanding of dynamic gene regulation.

Successful simultaneous liver-kidney transplantation for renal failure associated with hereditary complement C3 deficiency.

Hereditary complement C3 deficiency is associated with recurrent bacterial infections and proliferative glomerulonephritis. We describe a case of an adult with complete deficiency of complement C3 due to homozygous mutations in C3 gene: c.1811delT (Val604Glyfs*2), recurrent bacterial infections, crescentic glomerulonephritis, and end-stage renal failure. Following isolated kidney transplantation he would remain C3 deficient with a similar, or increased, risk of infections and glomerulonephritis. As C3 is predominantly synthesized in the liver, with a small proportion of C3 monocyte derived and kidney derived, he proceeded to simultaneous liver-kidney transplantation. The procedure has been successful with restoration of his circulating C3 levels, normal liver and kidney function at 26 months of follow-up. Simultaneous liver-kidney transplant is a viable option to be considered in this rare setting.

Risk of relapse of multiple myeloma following kidney transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) and novel therapies have improved the prognosis for patients with multiple myeloma (MM). For those who undergo ASCT while on dialysis, a similar survival compared with the overall MM population has been reported. Therefore, for patients achieving remission following ASCT, kidney transplantation is an attractive option, offering an improved quality of life and significant economic advantage. METHOD: This case series investigates the outcome of five patients who underwent an ASCT for MM with subsequent kidney transplantation between 2006 and 2012. RESULTS: Four patients presented with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and one progressed to ESRD shortly after diagnosis. Induction chemotherapy regimens with novel agents including thalidomide and bortezomib were utilized. Following attainment of very good partial remission or complete remission, high-dose melphalan ASCTs were performed after a median of 10 months. Kidney transplantation (living donor n = 3, deceased donor n = 2) with tacrolimus-based immunosuppression regimens was completed at a median of 27 months after ASCT. Patients 1 and 3 experienced relapse of myeloma at 6 and 16 months after kidney transplantation. Patients 2, 4 and 5 remain alive at 55 months (median) after kidney transplantation with no evidence of relapse. CONCLUSION: Forty percent of our cohort experienced a relapse in MM within 2 years of kidney transplantation. Death-censored graft survival and patient survival were 80% at 4 years. Our study adds to the growing literature supporting kidney transplantation following successful ASCT for MM and is useful when counselling patients regarding renal and haematological outcomes.

Symmetric dimethylarginine is a stronger predictor of mortality risk than asymmetric dimethylarginine among older people with kidney disease.

BACKGROUND: Circulating asymmetric dimethylarginine and symmetric dimethylarginine are increased in patients with kidney disease. Symmetric dimethylarginine is considered a good marker of glomerular filtration rate, while asymmetric dimethylarginine is a marker of cardiovascular risk. However, a link between symmetric dimethylarginine and all-cause mortality has been reported. In the present study, we evaluated both dimethylarginines as risk and glomerular filtration rate markers in a cohort of elderly white individuals, both with and without chronic kidney disease. METHODS: Glomerular filtration rate was measured in 394 individuals aged >74 years using an iohexol clearance method. Plasma asymmetric dimethylarginine, symmetric dimethylarginine and iohexol were measured simultaneously using isotope dilution tandem mass spectrometry. RESULTS: Plasma asymmetric dimethylarginine concentrations were increased ( P < 0.01) in people with glomerular filtration rate <60 mL/min/1.73 m2 compared with those with glomerular filtration rate ≥60 mL/min/1.73 m2, but did not differ ( P > 0.05) between those with glomerular filtration rate 30-59 mL/min/1.73 m2 and <30 mL/min/1.73 m2. Plasma symmetric dimethylarginine increased consistently across declining glomerular filtration rate categories ( P < 0.0001). Glomerular filtration rate had an independent effect on plasma asymmetric dimethylarginine concentration, while glomerular filtration rate, gender, body mass index and haemoglobin had independent effects on plasma symmetric dimethylarginine concentration. Participants were followed up for a median of 33 months. There were 65 deaths. High plasma asymmetric dimethylarginine ( P = 0.0412) and symmetric dimethylarginine ( P < 0.0001) concentrations were independently associated with reduced survival. CONCLUSIONS: Among elderly white individuals with a range of kidney function, symmetric dimethylarginine was a better marker of glomerular filtration rate and a stronger predictor of outcome than asymmetric dimethylarginine. Future studies should further evaluate the role of symmetric dimethylarginine as a marker of outcome and assess its potential value as a marker of glomerular filtration rate.

Distinct functions of diaphanous-related formins regulate HIV-1 uncoating and transport.

Diaphanous (Dia)-related formins (DRFs) coordinate cytoskeletal remodeling by controlling actin nucleation and microtubule (MT) stabilization to facilitate processes such as cell polarization and migration; yet the full extent of their activities remains unknown. Here, we uncover two discrete roles and functions of DRFs during early human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection. Independent of their actin regulatory activities, Dia1 and Dia2 facilitated HIV-1-induced MT stabilization and the intracellular motility of virus particles. However, DRFs also bound in vitro assembled capsid-nucleocapsid complexes and promoted the disassembly of HIV-1 capsid (CA) shell. This process, also known as "uncoating," is among the most poorly understood stages in the viral lifecycle. Domain analysis and structure modeling revealed that regions of Dia2 that bound viral CA and mediated uncoating as well as early infection contained coiled-coil domains, and that these activities were genetically separable from effects on MT stabilization. Our findings reveal that HIV-1 exploits discrete functions of DRFs to coordinate critical steps in early infection and identifies Dia family members as regulators of the poorly understood process of HIV-1 uncoating.

Factors Related to Suicide in LGBT Populations.

BACKGROUND: There is evidence of heightened vulnerability to nonfatal suicidal behaviors among LGBT populations yet a paucity of studies into fatal behaviors. AIM: The specific aim of this article was to identify factors related to suicide in LGBT individuals in Australia. METHOD: The psychological autopsy (PA) method with a matched case-control study design was used. PA interviews were conducted with 27 next-of-kin of an LGBT person that had died by suicide. Three living LGBT controls per suicide case, matched by age and gender, were also interviewed. RESULTS: The key factors relating to suicide in LGBT people were a lack of acceptance by family and self (reflected in higher internalized homophobia and shame), negative feelings about own sexuality/gender, and dissatisfaction with appearance. LGBT people who died by suicide also tended to go through coming out milestones 2 years earlier than controls. There was a higher prevalence of aggressive behaviors and a more predominant history of physical and sexual abuse. Additionally, there was greater incidence of depression and anxiety and alcohol and substance use disorders. CONCLUSION: Specific predictive factors for suicide in LGBT populations in Australia were identified, including significantly poorer mental health outcomes and more violence across an array of measures.

Base pairing and structural insights into the 5-formylcytosine in RNA duplex.

5-Formylcytidine (f(5)C), a previously discovered natural nucleotide in the mitochondrial tRNA of many species including human, has been recently detected as the oxidative product of 5-methylcytidine (m(5)C) through 5-hydroxymethylcytidine (hm(5)C) in total RNA of mammalian cells. The discovery indicated that these cytosine derivatives in RNA might also play important epigenetic roles similar as in DNA, which has been intensively investigated in the past few years. In this paper, we studied the base pairing specificity of f(5)C in different RNA duplex contexts. We found that the 5-formyl group could increase duplex thermal stability and enhance base pairing specificity. We present three high-resolution crystal structures of an octamer RNA duplex [5'-GUA(f(5)C)GUAC-3']2 that have been solved under three crystallization conditions with different buffers and pH values. Our results showed that the 5-formyl group is located in the same plane as the cytosine base and forms an intra-residue hydrogen bond with the amino group in the N4 position. In addition, this modification increases the base stacking between the f(5)C and the neighboring bases while not causing significant global and local structure perturbations. This work provides insights into the effects of 5-formylcytosine on RNA duplex.

Serum Cystatin C Does Not Predict Mortality or Treatment Failure in Peritoneal Dialysis: A Prospective Study.

UNLABELLED: ♦ BACKGROUND: Small solute clearance, especially that derived from residual renal function (RRF), is an independent risk factor for death in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. Assessment of solute clearance is time-consuming and prone to multiple errors. Cystatin C is a small protein which has been used as a glomerular filtration rate (GFR) marker. We investigated whether serum cystatin C concentrations are related to mortality in patients receiving PD. ♦ METHODS: New and prevalent PD patients (n = 235) underwent assessment of Kt/Vurea, RRF, weekly creatinine clearance (CCr), normalized protein catabolic rate (nPCR) and a peritoneal equilibration test (PET) at intervals. Blood was collected simultaneously for cystatin C measurement. Patients were followed for a median of 1,429 days (range 12 to 2,964 days) until death or study closure. Cause of death was recorded where given. Cox regression was performed to determine whether cystatin C had prognostic value either independently or with adjustment for other factors (age, sex, dialysis modality, diabetic status, cardiovascular comorbidity, Kt/V, CCr, RRF, nPCR or 4 h dialysate to plasma creatinine ratio (4 h D/Pcr) during the PET). The primary outcomes were all-cause mortality and treatment failure. ♦ RESULTS: There were 93 deaths. Increasing age and 4 h D/Pcr ratio, decreased RRF and presence of diabetes were significantly [p < 0.05] negatively associated with survival and treatment failure. Serum cystatin C was not related to either outcome. ♦ CONCLUSIONS: Serum cystatin C concentration does not predict mortality or treatment failure in patients receiving PD.

Clinical Features and HLA Association of 5-Aminosalicylate (5-ASA)-induced Nephrotoxicity in Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Nephrotoxicity is a rare idiosyncratic reaction to 5-aminosalicylate (5-ASA) therapies. The aims of this study were to describe the clinical features of this complication and identify clinically useful genetic markers so that these drugs can be avoided or so that monitoring can be intensified in high-risk patients. METHODS: Inflammatory bowel disease patients were recruited from 89 sites around the world. Inclusion criteria included normal renal function prior to commencing 5-ASA, ≥50% rise in creatinine any time after starting 5-ASA, and physician opinion implicating 5-ASA strong enough to justify drug withdrawal. An adjudication panel identified definite and probable cases from structured case report forms. A genome-wide association study was then undertaken with these cases and 4109 disease controls. RESULTS: After adjudication, 151 cases of 5-ASA-induced nephrotoxicity were identified. Sixty-eight percent of cases were males, with nephrotoxicity occurring at a median age of 39.4 years (range 6-79 years). The median time for development of renal injury after commencing 5-ASA was 3.0 years (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.3-3.7). Only 30% of cases recovered completely after drug withdrawal, with 15 patients requiring permanent renal replacement therapy. A genome-wide association study identified a suggestive association in the HLA region (p = 1×10(-7)) with 5-ASA-induced nephrotoxicity. A sub-group analysis of patients who had a renal biopsy demonstrating interstitial nephritis (n = 55) significantly strengthened this association (p = 4×10(-9), odds ratio 3.1). CONCLUSIONS: This is the largest and most detailed study of 5-ASA-induced nephrotoxicity to date. It highlights the morbidity associated with this condition and identifies for the first time a significant genetic predisposition to drug-induced renal injury.

Total Cyanide Field Spikes for Industrial Wastewater Samples Verify Successful Sample Integrity, Preservation, Pre-Treatment and Testing.

Obtaining accurate and precise results for total cyanide concentrations in wastewater samples is fraught with positive and negative interferences. Even the United States Environmental Protection Agency has acknowledged that it may be difficult or impossible to adequately mitigate all interferences. We demonstrated that a field spike of complex cyanide can be successfully used to demonstrate when sampling, preservation, pre-treatment, and analysis techniques are working adequately to retain any cyanide present in the sample without causing false positives or false negatives. For 257 industrial wastewater effluent samples collected at a wide variety of Greater Boston industries, 237 (92.2%) had usable field spike recoveries, averaging 86.2% recovery. Field spike recoveries for problematic industries that had very high or very low field spike recoveries were useful to show when alternative preservations and field dilutions were successfully preserving total cyanide. The field spike approach is general and should also work in a similar manner for raw and treated drinking water samples.

Agonist-induced platelet procoagulant activity requires shear and a Rac1-dependent signaling mechanism.

Activated platelets facilitate blood coagulation by exposing phosphatidylserine (PS) and releasing microvesicles (MVs). However, the potent physiological agonists thrombin and collagen poorly induce PS exposure when a single agonist is used. To obtain a greater procoagulant response, thrombin is commonly used in combination with glycoprotein VI agonists. However, even under these conditions, only a percentage of platelets express procoagulant activity. To date, it remains unclear why platelets poorly expose PS even when stimulated with multiple agonists and what the signaling pathways are of soluble agonist-induced platelet procoagulant activity. Here we show that physiological levels of shear present in blood significantly enhance agonist-induced platelet PS exposure and MV release, enabling low doses of a single agonist to induce full-scale platelet procoagulant activity. PS exposed on the platelet surface was immediately released as MVs, revealing a tight coupling between the 2 processes under shear. Using platelet-specific Rac1(-/-) mice, we discovered that Rac1 plays a common role in mediating the low-dose agonist-induced procoagulant response independent of platelet aggregation, secretion, and the apoptosis pathway. Platelet-specific Rac1 function was not only important for coagulation in vitro but also for fibrin accumulation in vivo following laser-induced arteriolar injury.

Urinary ATP and visualization of intracellular bacteria: a superior diagnostic marker for recurrent UTI in renal transplant recipients?

Renal transplant recipients (RTR) are highly susceptible to urinary tract infections (UTIs) with over 50% of patients having at least one UTI within the first year. Yet it is generally acknowledged that there is considerable insensitivity and inaccuracy in routine urinalysis when screening for UTIs. Thus a large number of transplant patients with genuine urine infections may go undiagnosed and develop chronic recalcitrant infections, which can be associated with graft loss and morbidity. Given a recent study demonstrating ATP is released by urothelial cells in response to bacteria exposure, possibly acting at metabotropic P2Y receptors mediating a proinflammatory response, we have investigated alternative, and possibly more appropriate, urinalysis techniques in a cohort of RTRs. Mid-stream urine (MSU) samples were collected from 53 outpatient RTRs. Conventional leukocyte esterase and nitrite dipstick tests, and microscopic pyuria counts (in 1 µl), ATP concentration measurements, and identification of intracellular bacteria in shed urothelial cells, were performed on fresh unspun samples and compared to 'gold-standard' bacterial culture results. Of the 53 RTRs, 22% were deemed to have a UTI by 'gold-standard' conventional bacteria culture, whereas 87%, 8% and 4% showed evidence of UTIs according to leukocyte esterase dipstick, nitrite dipstick, and a combination of both dipsticks, respectively. Intracellular bacteria were visualized in shed urothelial cells of 44% of RTRs, however only 1 of the 23 RTRs (44%) was deemed to have a UTI by conventional bacteria culture. A significant association of the 'gold-standard' test with urinary ATP concentration combined with visualization of intracellular bacteria in shed urothelial cells was determined using the Fisher's exact test. It is apparent that standard bedside tests for UTIs give variable results and that seemingly quiescent bacteria in urothelial cells are very common in RTRs and may represent a focus of subclinical infection. Furthermore, our results suggest urinary ATP concentration combined with detection of intracellular bacteria in shed urinary epithelial cells may be a sensitive means by which to detect 'occult' infection in RTRs.

Suicides among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender populations in Australia: an analysis of the Queensland Suicide Register.

INTRODUCTION: Sexual orientation is seldom recorded at death in Australia, and to date there have been no studies on the relationship between those that have died by suicide and sexuality or minority gender identity in Australia. The aim of the present study is to determine whether or not lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT), and intersex individuals who die by suicide constitute a unique subpopulation of those who die by suicide, when compared with non-lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex suicide deaths. METHODS: The Queensland Suicide Register holds records of all suicides in Queensland since 1990. All cases from 2000 to 2009 (inclusive; a total of 5,966 cases) were checked for potential indicators of individuals' sexual orientation and gender identification. A total of 35 lesbian (n = 10), gay (n = 22), bisexual (n = 2), and transgender (n = 1) suicide cases were identified. Three comparison cases of non-LGBT suicides for each LGBT suicide were then located, matched by age and gender. Conditional logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: It was significantly more likely that depression was mentioned in the cases of LGBT suicides than in non-LGBT cases. While 12.4% of the comparison group had been diagnosed with psychotic disorders, there were no such diagnoses among LGBT individuals. LGBT individuals experienced relationship problems more often, with relationship conflict also being more frequent than in non-LGBT cases. DISCUSSION: Despite its limitations, this study - the first of its kind in Australia - seems to indicate that LGBT people would require targeted approaches in mental and general health services.

Addressing the Social Determinants of Suicidal Behaviors and Poor Mental Health in LGBTI Populations in Australia.

The purpose of this article is to describe and assess-as well as identify and rectify gaps in-intervention and prevention initiatives that specifically address poor mental health outcomes and suicidal behaviors in lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) populations in Australia. It begins with an overview of the evidence base for heightened vulnerability to suicidal behaviors among LGBTI people in Australia. It then provides a discussion on the public health implications for LGBTI-targeted mental health initiatives and the prevention of and timely intervention in LGBTI suicidal behaviors. We conclude that the literature supports an increased risk for poorer mental health outcomes and suicidal behaviors in LGBTI populations in the Australian context. Psychological distress and suicidal behaviors in LGBTI people in Australia have social determinants that can and have been addressed through the provision of interventions with a strong evidence base in reducing these outcomes, implemented at a nationwide level, including training of health professionals and gatekeepers to mental health services and the general public. We conclude that the current Australian focus appears to address many of the social determinants of suicidal behaviors and poor mental health in LGBTI people but requires sustained and uniform government support if it is to continue and to produce measurable results.