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Abstract Background Physical inactivity is a growing concern, contributing significantly to the development of chronic diseases. Virtual reality and active video games have emerged as potential solutions to promote physical activity by integrating immersive experiences with exercise. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is a time-efficient method for improving fitness, but its intensity may reduce motivation. Recent studies suggest that virtual reality (VR) could enhance both the psychological experience and motivation to engage in exercise, making it a promising alternative to traditional HIIT training. Objectives The study aimed to explore the feasibility, efficacy, and potential effects of VR compared to traditional HIIT in terms of physiological and psychological outcomes in physically active adults. Methods Using a parallel-design pilot randomised controlled trial, 10 participants completed the study and were randomly allocated to either the VR group (n = 5) or non-VR group (n = 5). The VR group participated in a single session of HIIT using the Facebook Oculus Quest 2 VR headset, while the non-VR group underwent a single session of traditional HIIT training. Physiological outcomes, including heart rate parameters (measured using a Polar HR monitor) and rating of perceived exertion (RPE, assessed using the Borg scale), as well as psychological outcomes of the flow experience (measured using the Flow State Scale questionnaire) were assessed. Results Statistical analysis showed no significant difference in heart rate parameters between the VR and non-VR groups, indicating that both interventions achieved comparable exercise intensity and meeting the recommended levels for health benefits. However, the VR group demonstrated a lower RPE score (p

Assisted and automated driving systems critically depend on high-quality sensor data to build accurate situational awareness. A key aspect of maintaining this quality is the ability to quantify the perception sensor degradation through detecting dissimilarities in sensor data. Amongst various perception sensors, LiDAR technology has gained traction, due to a significant reduction of its cost and the benefits of providing a detailed 3D understanding of the environment (point cloud). However, measuring the dissimilarity between LiDAR point clouds, especially in the context of data degradation due to noise factors, has been underexplored in the literature. A comprehensive point cloud dissimilarity score metric is essential for detecting severe sensor degradation, which could lead to hazardous events due to the compromised performance of perception tasks. Additionally, this score metric plays a central role in the use of virtual sensor models, where a thorough validation of sensor models is required for accuracy and reliability. To address this gap, this paper introduces a novel framework that evaluates point clouds dissimilarity based on high-level geometries. Contrasting with traditional methods like the computationally expensive Hausdorff metric which involves correspondence-search algorithms, our framework uses a tailored downsampling method to ensure efficiency. This is followed by condensing point clouds into shape signatures which results in efficient comparison. In addition to controlled simulations, our framework demonstrated repeatability, robustness, and consistency, in highly noisy real-world scenarios, surpassing traditional methods.

Abstract Background Infection prevention and control (IPC) is an evidence-based and practical approach to prevention of harm by infection (Infection prevention and control https://www.who.int/health-topics/infection-prevention-and-control#tab=tab_1 ). IPC recommendations targeted at community-acquired infection aim to prevent illness and subsequent hospital readmission. Cohesive guidance for parents of preterm infants has not been clearly established. The review objectives are to identify and map the global characteristics of IPC measures/recommendations for parents of preterm infants discharged home to the community. Methods The scoping review will be conducted using the JBI methodological approach for scoping reviews and reported following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Scoping Review extension (PRISMA ScR) and the PRISMA extension for reporting literature searches in systematic reviews. Electronic databases will be searched and limited by publication year (2013-present day). Grey literature, reference lists and expert-provided sources will be searched against predetermined criteria. A minimum of two authors will independently screen evidence sources and chart evidence on a predetermined charting form. Sources including IPC measures, or recommendations for parents of preterm infants during discharge planning or in the community/home, will be permitted within inclusion criteria. Limits include human studies only and evidence from 2013-present day. Recommendations aimed at professional implementation will be excluded. A descriptive summary of findings will be presented, with diagrammatic and tabular representation. Discussion Collated evidence will guide future research which will subsequently aim to develop policy and enhance clinical approaches. Systematic review registration This review has been registered on the Open Science Framework (OSF) 4th May 2021, available at https://osf.io/9yhzk .

Silencing of STK25, an STE20-type kinase, in human aortic endothelial and smooth muscle cells reduces lipid accumulation and suppresses inflammation and fibrotic pathways, ultimately exerting atheroprotective effects.

Survey respondents who are non-attentive, respond randomly, or misrepresent who they are can impact the outcomes of surveys. Prior findings reported by the CDC have suggested that people engaged in highly dangerous cleaning practices during the COVID-19 pandemic, including ingesting household cleaners such as bleach. In our attempts to replicate the CDC's results, we found that 100% of reported ingestion of household cleaners are made by problematic respondents. Once inattentive, acquiescent, and careless respondents are removed from the sample, we find no evidence that people ingested cleaning products to prevent a COVID-19 infection. These findings have important implications for public health and medical survey research, as well as for best practices for avoiding problematic respondents in all survey research conducted online.

BackgroundPhysical activity is encouraged for people with Multiple Sclerosis. Yoga is a popular form of physical activity and is chosen by some people with Multiple Sclerosis. However, little is known about the impact of yoga for this population, alongside what influences ongoing engagement.AimThe aim of this study is to qualitatively explore the impact of online home-based yoga on people with Multiple Sclerosis and to explore factors that influence engagement.MethodsA qualitative study using semi-structured interviews and focus groups with people with Multiple Sclerosis and a yoga teacher. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. Ethical Approval was gained from Northumbria University.FindingsThree overarching themes emerged from the analysis. 'Yoga as engagement in physical activity' captured the reasoning for participating in yoga and how this method of physical activity was an alternative to physical activity done prior to diagnosis. Frustration was apparent within this theme that some individuals were unable to engage in the range of physical activity that they wished to. 'Yoga is a personalised approach' demonstrated the flexibility and inclusivity of yoga, for individuals with varying symptoms to be able to engage with. Finally, 'yoga impacts individuals both physically and psychologically' captured the focus on the psychological impact of yoga, improving wellbeing and control.ConclusionsYoga gives people with Multiple Sclerosis the feeling of control over their symptoms and a means to engage with meaningful physical activity. Prior involvement in physical activity influenced engagement in yoga and wanting to push themselves. There was reluctance among this group to engage with aerobic activity, which warrants future investigation and support from health and exercise professionals.

Abstract The incorporation of unique molecular identifiers (UMIs) in single-cell RNA-seq assays makes possible the identification of duplicated molecules, thereby facilitating the counting of distinct molecules from sequenced reads. However, we show that the naïve removal of duplicates can lead to a bias due to a “pooled amplification paradox,” and we propose an improved quantification method based on unseen species modeling. Our correction called BUTTERFLY uses a zero truncated negative binomial estimator implemented in the kallisto bustools workflow. We demonstrate its efficacy across cell types and genes and show that in some cases it can invert the relative abundance of genes.

We use data collected from panel phone surveys to document the changes in food security of households in rural Liberia and Malawi during the market disruptions associated with the COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020. We use two distinct empirical approaches in our analysis: (a) an event study around the date of the lockdowns (March to July 2020), and (b) a difference-in-differences analysis comparing the lockdown period in 2020 to the same months in 2021, in order to attempt to control for seasonality. In both countries, market activity was severely disrupted and we observe declines in expenditures. However, we find no evidence of declines in food security.

BackgroundYoga has multiple benefits for individuals living with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), including reduced pain, depression, fatigue, strength, and improved quality of life. During the COVID-19 pandemic, home-based delivery of yoga increased. However, no studies to date have explored online home-based yoga for individuals living with MS, more specifically the motivations, experiences, or the sustainability of home-based yoga practice for individuals living with MS.AimThis study aimed to explore the facilitators and barriers of online yoga provision for individuals living with MS.MethodsOne focus group and three semi-structured interviews were carried out online via Zoom with one yoga instructor and seven yoga participants living with MS. Thematic Analysis was used to analyse this data.FindingsTwo themes were generated from the interviews, the environment and future provision, each with their own sub-themes. The themes reflect various facilitators and barriers of home-based yoga provision which differed depending upon the individuals home environment, social connections, physical ability, and confidence practising yoga. Furthermore, preferences of home provision fluctuated over time depending upon symptoms of MS.ConclusionsHome-based yoga practice is a viable and enjoyable option for individuals living with MS. It is recommended that yoga studios offering home-based yoga provision consider individual differences in preference, as well as fluctuations in symptoms that may create inequitable access to services and may prevent participation for some.

AimAchieve an international consensus on how to recover lost training opportunities. The results of this study will help inform future EAES guidelines about the recovery of surgical training before and after the pandemic.BackgroundA global survey conducted by our team demonstrated significant disruption in surgical training during the COVID-19 pandemic. This was wide-spread and affected all healthcare systems (whether insurance based or funded by public funds) in all participating countries. Thematic analysis revealed the factors perceived by trainees as barriers to training and gave birth to four-point framework of recovery. These are recommendations that can be easily achieved in any country, with minimal resources. Their implementation, however, relies heavily on the active participation and leadership by trainers. Based on the results of the global trainee survey, the authors would like to conduct a Delphi-style survey, addressed to trainers on this occasion, to establish a pragmatic step-by-step approach to improve training during and after the pandemic.MethodsThis will be a mixed qualitative and quantitative study. Semi-structured interviews will be performed with laparoscopic trainers. These will be transcribed and thematic analysis will be applied. A questionnaire will then be proposed; this will be based on both the results of the semi structured interviews and of the global trainee survey. The questionnaire will then be validated by the steering committee of this group (achieve consensus of >80%). After validation, the questionnaire will be disseminated to trainers across the globe. Participants will be asked to consent to participate in further cycles of the Delphi process until more than 80% agreement is achieved.ResultsThis study will result in a pragmatic framework for continuation of surgical training during and after the pandemic (with special focus on minimally invasive surgery training).

Abstract Background Individuals with cancer have reduced quality of life, functionality, range of motion, strength, and an increase in pain and fatigue. Exergaming appears to be an effective rehabilitation tool for Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis and post-stroke patients to improve functionality, balance and quality of life; however, the usefulness of exergaming in individuals with cancer is unknown. The aim of this systematic review is to describe exergaming interventions delivered to adults with a current or previous cancer diagnosis and to report the feasibility, acceptability and outcomes of such interventions. Methods Studies reporting on exergaming interventions delivered to individuals with a current or previous cancer diagnosis were included. 12 electronic databases were searched. Eight articles (seven interventions) were identified. Data were extracted and assessed for quality by two reviewers. Results Three interventions were delivered at hospital, two at home, one at a clinical laboratory, and one did not report. Two interventions were delivered by a physiotherapist, two by an occupational therapist, and one by a nurse, research staff and an exercise physiologist. The Nintendo Wii was used in four of seven studies, whilst the remaining three used the IREX system, BrightArm Duo Rehabilitation System or a custom made exergame. Studies showed that most participants enjoyed the exergaming intervention, and would recommend their use, with some preferring exergaming over standard care interventions. Adherence rates and enjoyment appear greater during exergaming than standard care. Exergaming interventions appear to support improvements balance, function, physical activity levels, strength, fatigue, emotions, cognition and pain. Conclusion Exergaming interventions delivered to individuals with cancer show great heterogeneity; differing in duration, frequency and gaming platform. The disease stage and severity of those included, and the outcome measures assessed also vary widely making it difficult to conclude its effectiveness at this time. However, adherence rates and enjoyment appear greater during exergaming compared to standard care, supporting the feasibility and acceptability of this type of intervention delivery for adults with cancer.

Single-cell RNA sequencing has become a valuable tool for investigating cell types in complex tissues, where clustering of cells enables the identification and comparison of cell populations. Although many studies have sought to develop and compare different clustering approaches, a deeper investigation into the properties of the resulting populations is lacking. Specifically, the presence of misclassified cells can influence downstream analyses, highlighting the need to assess subpopulation purity and to detect such cells. We developed DSAVE (Down-SAmpling based Variation Estimation), a method to evaluate the purity of single-cell transcriptome clusters and to identify misclassified cells. The method utilizes down-sampling to eliminate differences in sampling noise and uses a log-likelihood based metric to help identify misclassified cells. In addition, DSAVE estimates the number of cells needed in a population to achieve a stable average gene expression profile within a certain gene expression range. We show that DSAVE can be used to find potentially misclassified cells that are not detectable by similar tools and reveal the cause of their divergence from the other cells, such as differing cell state or cell type. With the growing use of single-cell RNA-seq, we foresee that DSAVE will be an increasingly useful tool for comparing and purifying subpopulations in single-cell RNA-Seq datasets.

Studies of the gender pay gap are seldom able to simultaneously account for the range of alternative putative mechanisms underlying it. Using CloudResearch, an online microtask platform connecting employers to workers who perform research-related tasks, we examine whether gender pay discrepancies are still evident in a labor market characterized by anonymity, relatively homogeneous work, and flexibility. For 22,271 Mechanical Turk workers who participated in nearly 5 million tasks, we analyze hourly earnings by gender, controlling for key covariates which have been shown previously to lead to differential pay for men and women. On average, women's hourly earnings were 10.5% lower than men's. Several factors contributed to the gender pay gap, including the tendency for women to select tasks that have a lower advertised hourly pay. This study provides evidence that gender pay gaps can arise despite the absence of overt discrimination, labor segregation, and inflexible work arrangements, even after experience, education, and other human capital factors are controlled for. Findings highlight the need to examine other possible causes of the gender pay gap. Potential strategies for reducing the pay gap on online labor markets are also discussed.

Mechanical Turk (MTurk) is a common source of research participants within the academic community. Despite MTurk's utility and benefits over traditional subject pools some researchers have questioned whether it is sustainable. Specifically, some have asked whether MTurk workers are too familiar with manipulations and measures common in the social sciences, the result of many researchers relying on the same small participant pool. Here, we show that concerns about non-naivete on MTurk are due less to the MTurk platform itself and more to the way researchers use the platform. Specifically, we find that there are at least 250,000 MTurk workers worldwide and that a large majority of US workers are new to the platform each year and therefore relatively inexperienced as research participants. We describe how inexperienced workers are excluded from studies, in part, because of the worker reputation qualifications researchers commonly use. Then, we propose and evaluate an alternative approach to sampling on MTurk that allows researchers to access inexperienced participants without sacrificing data quality. We recommend that in some cases researchers should limit the number of highly experienced workers allowed in their study by excluding these workers or by stratifying sample recruitment based on worker experience levels. We discuss the trade-offs of different sampling practices on MTurk and describe how the above sampling strategies can help researchers harness the vast and largely untapped potential of the Mechanical Turk participant pool.

Colonies of Diuraphis (Holcaphis) frequens (Walker) were found on wheat, Triticum aestivum L. in the vicinity of Jokioinen in south-west Finland in summer 1997. The aphid was present in all wheat fields inspected, and was particularly abundant on spring wheat plants of field and plot margins. The aphid was also common on its recognised, host Elymus repens (L.) Gould (couch grass). Damage symptoms, longitudinal chlorotic streaking of tightly rolled leaves, resembled those caused by Diuraphis noxia (Mordvilko), the Russian wheat aphid. Diuraphis frequens appears unlikely to become a serious pest of wheat, and its relative abundance during 1997 may have resulted from particularly hot, dry weather.

Data on grain yield, and terminal severity of net blotch (Pyrenophora teres f. teres) and scald (Rhynchosporium secalis) from Finnish official barley (Hordeum vulgare) variety trials were analysed to indicate the pattern of disease incidence over six years and five sites for nineteen barley genotypes, and the effect of the diseases on yield and the genotype by environment interaction for yield. The effect of climatic factors on net blotch severity were also investigated. The genotype by site interaction for net blotch severity was not statistically significant, but that for yield was. Net blotch severity differed between years, but was similar across sites and there were statistically significant first order interactions between year, site and genotype. ‘Saana’ and ‘Thule’ had relatively low mean terminal net blotch scores and their reaction to the disease was less sensitive to the environment than was that of ‘Tyra’ for example. Analysis of yield data adjusted for net blotch severity indicated that the magnitude of the genotype by environment interaction terms were not accounted for to any significant degree by differences in relative net blotch resistances among the barley genotypes. Overall, mean scores for scald severity were lower than those for net blotch. Terminal net blotch severity was correlated with May rainfall and growing degree days.