ISG15: It's Complicated.
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Dzimianski JV
PROVIDER: S-EPMC6746611 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:Each microbe has the ability to produce a wide variety of sugar structures that includes some combination of glycolipids, glycoproteins, exopolysaccharides and oligosaccharides. For example, bacteria may synthesize lipooligosaccharides or lipopolysaccharides, teichoic and lipoteichoic acids, N- and O-linked glycoproteins, capsular polysaccharides, exopolysaccharides, poly-N-acetylglycosamine polymers, peptidoglycans, osmoregulated periplasmic glucans, trehalose or glycogen, just to name a few of the more broadly distributed carbohydrates that have been studied. The composition of many of these glycans are typically dissimilar from those described in eukaryotes, both in the seemingly endless repertoire of sugars that microbes are capable of synthesizing, and in the unique modifications that are attached to the carbohydrate residues. Furthermore, strain-to-strain differences in the carbohydrate building blocks used to create these glycoconjugates are the norm, and many strains possess additional mechanisms for turning on and off transferases that add specific monosaccharides and/or modifications, exponentially contributing to the structural heterogeneity observed by a single isolate, and preventing any structural generalization at the species level. In the past, a greater proportion of research effort was directed toward characterizing human pathogens rather than commensals or environmental isolates, and historically, the focus was on microbes that were simple to grow in large quantities and straightforward to genetically manipulate. These studies have revealed the complexity that exists among individual strains and have formed a foundation to better understand how other microbes, hosts and environments further transform the glycan composition of a single isolate. These studies also motivate researchers to further explore microbial glycan diversity, particularly as more sensitive analytical instruments and methods are developed to examine microbial populations in situ rather than in large scale from an enriched nutrient flask. This review emphasizes many of these points using the common foodborne pathogen Campylobacter jejuni as the model microbe.
| S-EPMC9561416 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Despite increased restrictions and taxes, decreased social acceptability, and widespread awareness of the harms of tobacco use, many in the U.S. continue to smoke cigarettes. Thus, understanding smokers' attitudes and motivations remains an important goal. This study adopts the consumer psychology concept of brand relationship to provide a new lens through which to examine smokers' attitudes about their cigarette use. Twelve focus groups (N = 143) were conducted with adult cigarette smokers from September to November, 2013. Using a semistructured moderator guide and "top of mind" worksheets, the discussion examined participants' attitudes toward (a) their own cigarette brand and (b) tobacco companies in general. Data were coded and analyzed following principles of thematic analysis. Adult smokers reported positive attitudes toward their cigarette brand, as their brand was strongly associated with the positive experience of smoking (e.g., satisfying craving and relief from withdrawal). In contrast, thinking about tobacco companies in general evoked negative reactions, revealing overwhelmingly negative attitudes toward the industry. Findings reveal a complicated relationship between smokers and their cigarette brand: simultaneously embracing their cigarettes and rejecting the industry that makes them. Taken together, these data suggest smokers maintain largely positive brand relationships, diverting negative feelings about smoking toward the tobacco industry. Finally, they highlight the synergy between branding and the subjective smoking experience, whereby positive brand attitudes are reinforced through withdrawal relief. Ultimately, this information could inform a more complete understanding of how smokers interpret and respond to tobacco communications, including marketing from their brand. (PsycINFO Database Record
| S-EPMC5702884 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Cellular function relies on multiple pathways that are coordinated to ensure the proper execution of gene expression networks. Failure to coordinate the multiple programs active in the cell can have catastrophic consequences and lead to diseases such as cancer. At the post-transcriptional level, RNA modifications play important roles in the regulation of gene expression. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most abundant internal messenger RNA (mRNA) modification and has gained increasing interest in the last few years as a dynamic regulator of RNA metabolism. Modifications regulate all stages of the RNA life cycle, from transcription to decay. Recent studies have pointed to the role of RNA methylation in cancer initiation and progression, and aberrant modification has served as a biomarker of early-stage diagnosis in several cancers. Here, we review the regulation of m6A, disruptions to methylation-dependent pathways that influence carcinogenesis, and potential avenues for m6A-related therapeutic strategies.
| S-EPMC6401303 | biostudies-literature
Project description: Not available
| S-EPMC7427380 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BACKGROUND:Two common ways of measuring disease prevalence include: (1) using self-reported disease diagnosis from survey responses; and (2) using disease-specific diagnosis codes found in administrative data. Because they do not suffer from self-report biases, claims are often assumed to be more objective. However, it is not clear that claims always produce better prevalence estimates. OBJECTIVE:Conduct an assessment of discrepancies between self-report and claims-based measures for 2 diseases in the US elderly to investigate definition, selection, and measurement error issues which may help explain divergence between claims and self-report estimates of prevalence. DATA:Self-reported data from 3 sources are included: the Health and Retirement Study, the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey, and the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Claims-based disease measurements are provided from Medicare claims linked to Health and Retirement Study and Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey participants, comprehensive claims data from a 20% random sample of Medicare enrollees, and private health insurance claims from Humana Inc. METHODS:Prevalence of diagnosed disease in the US elderly are computed and compared across sources. Two medical conditions are considered: diabetes and heart attack. RESULTS:Comparisons of diagnosed diabetes and heart attack prevalence show similar trends by source, but claims differ from self-reports with regard to levels. Selection into insurance plans, disease definitions, and the reference period used by algorithms are identified as sources contributing to differences. CONCLUSIONS:Claims and self-reports both have strengths and weaknesses, which researchers need to consider when interpreting estimates of prevalence from these 2 sources.
| S-EPMC5507726 | biostudies-literature
Project description: Not available
| S-EPMC4597938 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ObjectivesInternationally, public health strategies encourage health care professionals to deliver opportunistic behaviour change interventions. The present study: (1) examines the barriers and enablers to delivering interventions during routine consultations, and (2) provides recommendations for the design of interventions to increase delivery of opportunistic behaviour change interventions.DesignQualitative interview study.MethodsTwenty-eight semi-structured interviews were conducted with patient-facing health care professionals. The Behaviour Change Wheel informed a framework analysis in which findings were mapped onto the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF). Intervention functions and behaviour change techniques (BCTs) targeting each TDF domain were identified.ResultsHealth care professionals understood the importance of opportunistic behaviour change interventions (beliefs about consequences), but were sceptical about their capabilities to facilitate behaviour change with patients (beliefs about capabilities). Some clinicians were unwilling to discuss behaviours perceived as unrelated to the patient's visit (social/professional role and identity). Discipline-specific tasks were prioritized, and delivering interventions was perceived as psychologically burdensome. One-to-one contact was favoured over busy hospital settings (environmental context and resources). Seven intervention functions (training, restriction, environmental restructuring, enablement, education, persuasion, and modelling) and eight BCT groupings (antecedents, associations, comparison of outcomes, covert learning, feedback and monitoring, natural consequences, reward and threat, and self-belief) were identified.ConclusionsAcross disciplines, health care professionals see the value of opportunistic behaviour change interventions. Barriers related to workload, the clinical environment, competence, and perceptions of the health care professional role must be addressed, using appropriate intervention functions and BCTs, in order to support health care professionals to increase the delivery of interventions in routine practice. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? Brief, opportunistic interventions can be a cost effective way of addressing population health problems. Public health policies compel health care professionals to deliver behaviour change interventions opportunistically. Health care professionals do not always deliver interventions opportunistically during routine medical consultations; however the barriers and enablers are currently unclear. What does this study add? This is the first study to examine cross-disciplinary barriers and enablers to delivering opportunistic behaviour change interventions. Across diverse professional groups, working in different medical professions, participants saw the value of delivering opportunistic behaviour change interventions. Targeting key theoretical domains that are shared across professional groups may be useful for increasing the delivery of opportunistic behaviour change interventions.
| S-EPMC6766974 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) requires patients and caregivers to infuse antimicrobials through venous catheters (VCs) in the home. The objective of this study was to perform a patient-centered goal-directed task analysis to identify what is required for successful completion of OPAT. The authors performed 40 semi-structured patient interviews and 20 observations of patients and caregivers performing OPAT-related tasks. Six overall goals were identified: (1) understanding and developing skills in OPAT, (2) receiving supplies, (3) medication administration and VC maintenance, (4) preventing VC harm while performing activities of daily living, (5) managing when hazards lead to failures, and (6) monitoring status. The authors suggest that patients and caregivers use teach-back, take formal OPAT classes, receive visual and verbal instructions, use cognitive aids, learn how to troubleshoot, and receive clear instructions to address areas of uncertainty. Addressing these goals is essential to ensuring the safety of and positive experiences for our patients.
| S-EPMC6917971 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundThe naked mole-rat (Heterocephalus glaber) is among the most social mammals on the planet, living in eusocial groups of up to 300 individuals that contain a single reproductive female and up to three reproductive males. A critical aspect of their complex social system is the division of labour that allows non-breeders to form an effective workforce. Age- or weight-based polyethisms are widely cited as explanations for how labour is divided, but evidence in support of these hypotheses has been equivocal.MethodsTo assess the extent to which individual working behaviour is determined by sex, age, weight and social rank, we studied the behaviours of 103 animals from eight captive colonies. We performed focal sampling and ran mixed-effects models to assess which factors explained variation in working behaviour during six ten-minute observation periods per individual.ResultsContrary to widely-held beliefs, we found that working behaviour did not decrease linearly with weight, although polynomial regressions indicated younger and medium-sized individuals worked most frequently, while high-ranking individuals worked for the shortest periods of time. Working behaviour and its relationship with individual characteristics also varied between colonies.ConclusionsWhile age- or size-based polyethisms may have some influence on working behaviour, we argue that other characteristics of the individual and colony are also important. In particular, the interactions of individual, social and environmental factors must be considered in order to understand the emergence and effectiveness of the division of labour that is so critical to many social organisms.
| S-EPMC7531346 | biostudies-literature
Project description:IntroductionA one-time vancomycin loading dose of 25-30 mg/kg is recommended in the current iteration of the vancomycin consensus guidelines in order to more rapidly achieve target serum concentrations and hasten clinical improvement. However, there are few clinical data to support this practice, and the extents of its benefits are largely unknown.MethodsA multicenter, retrospective, cohort study was performed to assess the impact of a vancomycin loading dose (≥ 20 mg/kg) on clinical outcomes and rates of nephrotoxicity in patients with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteremia. The study matched patients in a 1:1 fashion based on age, Pitt bacteremia score, and bacteremia source. The primary outcome was composite treatment failure (30-day mortality, bacteremia duration ≥ 7 days after vancomycin initiation, persistent signs and symptoms of infection ≥ 7 days after vancomycin initiation, or switch to an alternative antimicrobial agent). Secondary outcomes included duration of bacteremia, length of stay post-bacteremia onset, and nephrotoxicity.ResultsA total of 316 patients with MRSA bacteremia were included. Median first doses in the loading dose and non-loading dose groups were 23.0 mg/kg and 14.3 mg/kg, respectively (P < 0.001). No difference was found in composite failure rates between the non-loading dose and loading dose groups (40.5% vs. 36.7%; P = 0.488) or in the incidence of nephrotoxicity (12.7% vs. 16.5%; P = 0.347). While multivariable regression modeling showed receipt of a vancomycin loading dose on a mg/kg basis was not significantly associated with composite failure [aOR 0.612, 95% CI (0.368-1.019)]; post hoc analyses demonstrated that initial doses ≥ 1750 mg were independently protective against failure [aOR 0.506, 95% CI (0.284-0.902)] without increasing the risk for nephrotoxicity [aOR 0.909, 95% CI (0.432-1.911)].ConclusionThese findings suggest that initial vancomycin doses above a certain threshold may decrease clinical failures without increasing toxicity and that weight-based dosing might not be the optimal strategy.
| S-EPMC6856471 | biostudies-literature