Evaluation Of Candidates Research Articles

Creating the nursing care map in the evaluation of kidney transplant candidates: A scoping review and narrative synthesis.

To analyse the aspects involved in the care of individuals assessed as kidney transplant candidates and to identify the role of nurses in providing specialised care for this population. Scoping review. The results were summarised using a narrative synthesis technique. A review of the literature published between 2001 and 2021 was conducted between October and November 2021 using PubMed, CINAHL and SciELO. The research team agreed on a search strategy based on clinical practice guidelines for assessing kidney transplantation candidates. Quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods studies published in peer-reviewed journals in English, Spanish, French and Portuguese were included. A total of 377 studies were identified, and 49 articles were included after the inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied. The narrative synthesis was structured into four themes: Physical needs; Psychological and quality of life needs; Education and adherence needs; and Nurses' role. Nursing assessment of kidney transplantation candidates should encompass physical, psychosocial and adherence aspects. A variety of methodologies and resources are available for this assessment. Nurses contribute to coordinating access to kidney transplantation, aiming to improve adherence to an appropriate lifestyle to prevent patients from being excluded from kidney transplantation or suffering from kidney transplantation-related complications. Based on our findings, we managed to design a nursing care map for kidney transplantation candidates combining the main elements of nursing care that should be incorporated into this process. Advanced practice nursing professionals play a crucial role in accessing renal transplant care.

Psychosocial Risk Stratification in Upper Extremity Transplantation Candidates.

Candidate selection for upper extremity transplantation remains an inherently subjective process. This work evaluated the effect that psychosocial factors have on outcomes, both to standardize evaluation of potential candidates and in optimizing these factors prior to transplantation. Our goal was to measure and quantify the risk that various psychosocial factors have on transplant outcomes. Given that we do not have sufficient post-transplant patients to examine specific factors, we chose to have experts in the field evaluate hypothetical patients based on their experience. We used a Generalized Estimating Equation to estimate and compare surgical candidacy scores using patient scenario vignettes based on the presence or absence of permutations of the following: (1) depression; (2) participation in occupational therapy (OT); (3) expectation of post-transplant function; (4) punctuality; and (5) family support were given to experts in the field. This work suggests there is a decrease in predicted success with increasing numbers of negative factors with participation in OT and realistic expectations of outcomes being most important. An increase in the summarizing risk score from 0 to 1.7 was associated with a decrease in the outcome surgical candidacy score from 8.6 to 5.3, meaning candidates with 2 risk factors would often observe a large drop in surgical candidacy score. Focusing on optimizing psychosocial variables in transplant candidates may help improve hand transplant success.

Preoperative OT Evaluations of Left Ventricular Assist Device Candidates: Outcomes & Impact on Practice

Abstract Date Presented 04/22/2023 Purpose: Describe feasibility and clinical value of preoperative OT evaluations for left ventricular assist device (LVAD) candidates. Design & Method: Single-center observational; descriptive analyses of 139 candidates’ OT evaluations. Results: Cognition, frailty, activities of daily living, and LVAD care measures led OT to predict that 36% would need no assist, 39% some assist, and 24% 24/7 supervision to manage LVADs. Conclusion: The OT protocol gave insight into candidates’ LVAD self-care needs and was feasible. Impact: Supports OT preoperative LVAD consults as standard of care. Primary Author and Speaker: Jessica Asiello Additional Authors and Speakers: Christina M. Kelley Contributing Authors: John Wong, Marissa Dittrich, Abigail Begin, Kimberly Beatty, Erin Donovan, Kellie Cannone, Miranda Mlincek, Zeina Fayad

Identification and evaluation of potential inhibitor molecules against TcyA from Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus

Of the two putative amino acid binding periplasmic receptors of ABC transporter family in Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas), cystine binding receptor (CLasTcyA) has been shown to mainly express in phloem of citrus plant and is a target for inhibitor development. The crystal structure of CLasTcyA in complex with substrates has been reported earlier. The present work reports the identification and evaluation of potential candidates for their inhibitory potential against CLasTcyA. Among many compounds, selected through virtual screening, and MD simulation, pimozide, clidinium, sulfasalazine and folic acid showed significantly higher affinities and stability in complex with CLasTcyA. The SPR studies with CLasTcyA revealed significantly higher binding affinities for pimozide and clidinium (Kd, 2.73 nM and 70 nM, respectively) as compared to cystine (Kd, 1.26 µM). The higher binding affinities could be attributed to significantly increased number of interactions in the binding pocket as evident from the crystal structures of CLasTcyA in complex with pimozide and clidinium as compared to cystine. The CLasTcyA possess relatively large binding pocket where bulkier inhibitors fit quite well. In planta studies, carried out to assess the effect of inhibitors on HLB infected Mosambi plants, showed significant reduction in CLas titre in plants treated with inhibitors as compared to control plants. The results showed that pimozide exhibited higher efficiency as compared to clidinium in reducing CLas titre in treated plants. Our results showed that the inhibitor development against critical proteins like CLasTcyA can be an important strategy in management of HLB.

Machine Learning Approach for Screening Cochlear Implant Candidates: Comparing With the 60/60 Guideline.

To develop a machine learning-based referral guideline for patients undergoing cochlear implant candidacy evaluation (CICE) and to compare with the widely used 60/60 guideline. Retrospective cohort. Tertiary referral center. 772 adults undergoing CICE from 2015 to 2020. Variables included demographics, unaided thresholds, and word recognition score. A random forest classification model was trained on patients undergoing CICE, and bootstrap cross-validation was used to assess the modeling approach's performance. The machine learning-based referral tool was evaluated against the 60/60 guideline based on ability to identify CI candidates under traditional and expanded criteria. Of 587 patients with complete data, 563 (96%) met candidacy at our center, and the 60/60 guideline identified 512 (87%) patients. In the random forest model, word recognition score; thresholds at 3000, 2000, and 125; and age at CICE had the largest impact on candidacy (mean decrease in Gini coefficient, 2.83, 1.60, 1.20, 1.17, and 1.16, respectively). The 60/60 guideline had a sensitivity of 0.91, a specificity of 0.42, and an accuracy of 0.89 (95% confidence interval, 0.86-0.91). The random forest model obtained higher sensitivity (0.96), specificity (1.00), and accuracy (0.96; 95% confidence interval, 0.95-0.98). Across 1,000 bootstrapped iterations, the model yielded a median sensitivity of 0.92 (interquartile range [IQR], 0.85-0.98), specificity of 1.00 (IQR, 0.88-1.00), accuracy of 0.93 (IQR, 0.85-0.97), and area under the curve of 0.96 (IQR, 0.93-0.98). A novel machine learning-based screening model is highly sensitive, specific, and accurate in predicting CI candidacy. Bootstrapping confirmed that this approach is potentially generalizable with consistent results.

Preclinical evaluation of PHH-1V vaccine candidate against SARS-CoV-2 in non-human primates

SARS-CoV-2 emerged in December 2019 and quickly spread worldwide, continuously striking with an unpredictable evolution. Despite the success in vaccine production and mass vaccination programs, the situation is not still completely controlled, and therefore accessible second-generation vaccines are required to mitigate the pandemic. We previously developed an adjuvanted vaccine candidate coded PHH-1V, based on a heterodimer fusion protein comprising the RBD domain of two SARS-CoV-2 variants. Here, we report data on the efficacy, safety, and immunogenicity of PHH-1V in cynomolgus macaques. PHH-1V prime-boost vaccination induces high levels of RBD-specific IgG binding and neutralizing antibodies against several SARS-CoV-2 variants, as well as a balanced Th1/Th2 cellular immune response. Remarkably, PHH-1V vaccination prevents SARS-CoV-2 replication in the lower respiratory tract and significantly reduces viral load in the upper respiratory tract after an experimental infection. These results highlight the potential use of the PHH-1V vaccine in humans, currently undergoing Phase III clinical trials.

The effect of primaries on voters’ evaluation of candidates’ quality–experimental evidence

In this article, I argue that voters not only rely on characteristics of candidates, such as age and gender, but also on procedural cues to evaluate candidates, particularly on how candidates were selected. I argue that selection via primaries, which has become popular in Western Europe, is an important cue to voters. Drawing on procedural fairness theory, I develop contradicting arguments about how primaries affect voters’ evaluations of candidate quality, such that either the logic of procedural fairness improves voters’ evaluations of candidates’ quality, or the violation thereof through clientelism and vote-buying leads to worse evaluations of candidates. I employ a conjoint experiment, implemented in Spain, and analyze responses to an open-ended question to investigate underlying mechanisms. The findings indicate that voters perceive candidates resulting out of primaries as outsiders, who are less corrupt but also less experienced and less competent.

The Effect of Counterstereotypic Gender Strategies on Candidate Evaluations in American Elections

AbstractWomen who ran for office in 2018 used a variety of strategies on the campaign trail, with some highlighting more masculine traits and others more feminine traits, but the latter was more common than in prior years. We ask how effective these strategies are for trait evaluations, perceptions of leadership and competence, likeability, and vote choice and how this effect varies based on respondent’s views about the role of women in society. To explore these relationships, we use data from a two-wave panel conducted in the winter of 2019. Results from our experiment show that female candidates who highlight more masculine traits are perceived as more agentic, less communal, and more competent, and, importantly, they do not appear to suffer from a backlash effect. Those higher in sexism also evaluate women who display these qualities as more competent, though as less warm and likable.

Accuracy of the simple 3D transthoracic echocardiography in the definition of tricuspid valve and right ventricle anatomy

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Introduction The interest in the "forgotten" valve has re-emerged in recent years in consideration of the high mortality rate related to the highest degrees of TR and the recognition of a large amount of patients who remains under treated. Transcatheter tricuspid valve interventions (TTVI) represent a valuable option in high risk surgical candidates when specific anatomic criteria are met. Tailoring the most suitable therapeutic percutaneous strategy for each patient is crucial: an accurate screening aims to quantify regurgitation grade and fully understand the underlying mechanism. Transthoracic and transesophageal is used to assess jet location, leaflets anatomy and motion. ECG-gated Cardiac TC is necessary for the selection of annuloplasty or replacement techniques. Purpose Aim of the study is to compare three different imaging modalities as 3D transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), transesophageal one (TOE) and ECG-gated Cardiac CT for the definition of tricuspid valve anatomy, annular dimensions and right ventricle geometry in patients screened for TTVI. Methods Twenty-one (Age 79 ± 7 years, Female 72%) patients, referred with a diagnosis of at least severe TR in evaluation for percutaneous treatment, were prospectively enrolled in the study and underwent TTE, TOE and Cardiac CT. All measurements were performed in double blind by three different operators and compared. Results In the comparison between 2D/3D TTE and 2D/3D TOE no statistically significant differences were found regarding the evaluation of the valve anatomy, the site of regurgitation and the underlying mechanism (TTE vs TOE: 3D septo-lateral diam 45,8± 4,92 vs 45,87 ± 4,98 mm, p = 0.87; 3D antero-posterior diam 43,5 ± 4,58 vs 43,5 ± 4,53 mm, p = 0.59; Circularity index 0,75± 0,08 vs 0,76± 0,08, p = 0.98; 3D Annular area 16,48±3.9 vs 15,97±3,75 cm2, p = 0.77; Annular perimeter 14,82±1,62 vs 14,93±1,9 cm, p = 0.54). From the double-blind comparison between 3D TTE and Cardio CT, no differences emerged regarding anatomic annulus parameters (area 17,58± 3 vs 17.71±4,3 cm2, p = 0.1; perimeter 14,89±1,6 vs 14,29±1 cm, p = 0.5; maximum diameter 50,5 ± 5 vs 50,6 ± 5.1mm, p = 0.19; minimum diameter 40,25±3.8 vs 41.16± 4,9mm, p = 0.28). Similarly, in the study of right ventricular dimensions, obtained through 3D volumetric reconstruction, TTE was not statistically different to Cardiac CT (3DTTE vs CT: RVD1 51,14 ±2,54 vs 49,42 ± 5 mm, p = 0.5; RVD2 40,62±7,9 vs 40±11 mm,p = 0.7; RVL 72, 12±7 vs 72,12±11 mm, p = 0.8). Conclusions Three-dimensional trans-thoracic echocardiography showed an optimal performance to define tricuspid valve anatomy and right ventricle dimensions when compared with other imaging methods. 3D TT can be safely used for an overall first line in periprocedural evaluation of patients candidates for TTVI, allowing for elaborated study of the characteristics of TR through MPR reconstructions, annular and valvular anatomy, right chambers size and function.

A longitudinal cohort study of mediators of health-related quality of life after pediatric epilepsy surgery or medical treatment.

The purpose of this longitudinal cohort study was to examine the variables that influence health-related quality of life (HRQOL) after epilepsy surgery in children. We examined whether treatment type (surgical vs medical therapy) and seizure control are related to other variables that have been shown to influence HRQOL, namely depressive symptoms in children with epilepsy or their parents, and the availability of family resources. In total, 265 children with drug-resistant epilepsy were recruited from eight epilepsy centers across Canada at the time of their evaluation for candidacy for epilepsy surgery and were assessed at baseline, 6-month, 1-year, and 2-year follow-up. Parents completed the Quality of Life in Childhood Epilepsy Questionnaire (QOLCE-55) and measures of family resources and depression; children completed depression inventories. Causal mediation analyses using natural effect models were used to evaluate the extent to which the relationship between treatment and HRQOL was explained by seizure control, child and parent depressive symptoms, and family resources. Overall, 111 children underwent surgery and 154 were treated with medical therapy only. The HRQOL scores of surgical patients were 3.4 points higher (95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.2, 7.0) relative to medical patients at the 2-year follow-up after adjusting for baseline covariates, with 66% of the effect of surgery attributed to seizure control. Child or parent depressive symptoms and family resources had negligible mediation effects between treatment and HRQOL. The effect of seizure control on HRQOL was not mediated by child or parent depressive symptoms, or by family resources. The findings demonstrate that seizure control is on the causal pathway between epilepsy surgery and improved HRQOL in children with drug-resistant epilepsy. However, child and parent depressive symptoms and family resources were not significant mediators. The results highlight the importance of achieving seizure control to improve HRQOL.

Expanding Understanding of Electrocochleography in Cochlear Implantation: Auditory Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder With Normal Pure Tone Average.

Describe the preoperative decision-making, intraoperative electrocochleographic (ECoG) findings, and outcome of cochlear implantation (CI) in a patient with auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder (ANSD) and normal pure-tone thresholds. A 19-year-old with a history of hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy and seizures was referred for hearing rehabilitation in the setting of typical hearing by pure tone audiometry but poor speech understanding. A diagnosis of ANSD was made based on acoustic brainstem response (ABR), distortion product otoacoustic emission, and acoustic reflex testing. Imaging revealed no central cause of hearing impairment. Right-sided CI. Preoperative and postoperative audiometric data. Intraoperative ECoG. Preoperatively the patient underwent comprehensive audiologic testing with behavioral audiometry, ABR testing, and CI candidacy evaluation. In the right ear, the pure tone average (PTA) was 15 dB and word recognition score was 36%. ABR confirmed ANSD. Preoperative CNC and AzBio in quiet were 8% and 0%, respectively. Intraoperative ECoG amplitudes and audiometry showed responses in the 100 uV range and estimated PTA of 42 dB HL. Postoperative testing at 1-month post-initial activation revealed PTA of 45 dB HL and unchanged word and sentence scores. However, the patient cites an improved ability to communicate and increased confidence and averages over 14 hours of device use daily. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of CI in an ear with normal PTA. Given that nearly all presently available ECoG data comes from patients with greater degrees of hearing loss, this unique case adds to our understanding of hearing preservation in CI.

Aesthetics++: Refining Graphic Designs by Exploring Design Principles and Human Preference.

During the creation of graphic designs, individuals inevitably spend a lot of time and effort on adjusting visual attributes (e.g., positions, colors, and fonts) of elements to make them more aesthetically pleasing. It is a trial-and-error process, requires repetitive edits, and relies on good design knowledge. In this work, we seek to alleviate such difficulty by automatically suggesting aesthetic improvements, i.e., taking an existing design as the input and generating a refined version with improved aesthetic quality as the output. This goal presents two challenges: proposing a refined design based on the user-given one, and assessing whether the new design is better aesthetically. To cope with these challenges, we propose a design principle-guided candidate generation stage and a data-driven candidate evaluation stage. In the candidate generation stage, we generate candidate designs by leveraging design principles as the guidance to make changes around the existing design. In the candidate evaluation stage, we learn a ranking model upon a dataset that can reflect humans' aesthetic preference, and use it to choose the most aesthetically pleasing one from the generated candidates. We implement a prototype system on presentation slides and demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach through quantitative analysis, sample results, and user studies.

2002∼2022년 지방선거 후보 결정에 대한 추적조사

This paper investigated the local elections from 2002 to 2022 and identified the candidate selection criteria. A total of six surveys were conducted, and the data was 3,706 people. Here, the independent variables are the person, external factors, party and pledge factors, and the parameters and dependent variables are reputation and image, and voting decision. The results of the study are summarized as follows. First of all, in the overall model, voting decisions are influenced in the order of person, party, pledge. On the other hand, as external factors such as kindred, academic background and regional ties have a negative effect, it can be seen that local elections reject nepotism. In addition, the criterion for determining candidates was direct interest in image and politicians, not advice from neighbors and reputation of residents. 1) In the 2002 local elections, the criterion for determining candidates was the character factor. policy had a negative effect on decisions. 2) In the 2006 local elections, the criterion for determining candidates was the character factor. 3) the criteria for determining candidates for 2010 are personalities and political parties. The evaluation of the candidate was more important than the evaluation of others. 4) the criterion for determining candidates in 2014 is the character factor. Election pledge is influencing through the image factor. 5) The criteria for selecting candidates for 2018 are pledges and political parties. Advice from neighbors and media evaluations of candidates are rather negative. 6) The criteria for selecting candidates for 2022 is the party factor. Person and pledge were not statistically significant influencing factors, and the image factor formed an important positive (+) relationship in voting decision.In conclusion, it is necessary to activate local politics, increase interest in local elections and turnout, and improve negative regionalism in order to make rational voting decisions for voters in Daegu and Gyeongbuk.

Demonstration of the Early Cardiac Bioavailability of a Non-Specific Cell-Targeted Peptide Using Radionuclide-Based Imaging In Vivo.

The cardiac bioavailability of peptide drugs that inhibit harmful intracellular protein-protein interactions in cardiovascular diseases remains a challenging task in drug development. This study investigates whether a non-specific cell-targeted peptide drug is available in a timely manner at its intended biological destination, the heart, using a combined stepwise nuclear molecular imaging approach. An octapeptide (heart8P) was covalently coupled with the trans-activator of transcription (TAT) protein transduction domain residues 48-59 of human immunodeficiency virus-1 (TAT-heart8P) for efficient internalization into mammalian cells. The pharmacokinetics of TAT-heart8P were evaluated in dogs and rats. The cellular internalization of TAT-heart8P-Cy(5.5) was examined on cardiomyocytes. The real-time cardiac delivery of 68Ga-NODAGA-TAT-heart8P was tested in mice under physiological and pathological conditions. Pharmacokinetic studies of TAT-heart8P in dogs and rats revealed a fast blood clearance, high tissue distribution, and high extraction by the liver. TAT-heart-8P-Cy(5.5) was rapidly internalized in mouse and human cardiomyocytes. Correspondingly, organ uptake of hydrophilic 68Ga-NODAGA-TAT-heart8P occurred rapidly after injection with an initial cardiac bioavailability already 10 min post-injection. The saturable cardiac uptake was revailed by the pre-injection of the unlabeled compound. The cardiac uptake of 68Ga-NODAGA-TAT-heart8P did not change in a model of cell membrane toxicity. This study provides a sequential stepwise workflow to evaluate the cardiac delivery of a hydrophilic, non-specific cell-targeting peptide. 68Ga-NODAGA-TAT-heart8P showed rapid accumulation in the target tissue early after injection. The implementation of PET/CT radionuclide-based imaging methodology as a means to assess effective and temporal cardiac uptake represents a useful and critical application in drug development and pharmacological research and can be extended to the evaluation of comparable drug candidates.

Lung transplantation: A viable option for connective tissue disease.

Interstitial lung disease(ILD) and pulmonary hypertension(PH) caused by connective tissue disease(CTD) are one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality in patients. Although International Heart and Lung Transplant Society (ISHLT) suggested that ILD and PH related to CTD are rare indications for lung transplantation(LTx) in 2006, many LTx centers are concerned that the multi-system involvement of CTD will affect the survival outcome after lung transplantation, and CTD is regarded as a relative contraindication for LTx. However，long-term and short-term survival after LTx in CTD patients is similar to that in common indications for LTx such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis(IPF)，and no higher complications after transplantation in many lung transplant centers. This suggests that LTx may be beneficial for CTD patients who progress to end-stage lung disease, and CTD patients should not be considered a contraindication to LTx. In the future, more prospective studies are needed to analyze the risk factors of LTx in CTD patients to improve survival and reduce the risk of complications. This narrative review summarizes the selection and evaluation of candidates for CTD before LTx, and describes the clinical outcome of CTD after LTx in large-capacity lung transplantation center, the purpose is to help rheumatologists decide when to refer patients with CTD lung involvement to an LTx center and the conditions to consider before transplantation, and to provide confidence to lung transplant experts. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of the Cognitive Function of Adults with Severe Hearing Loss Pre- and Post-Cochlear Implantation Using Verbal Fluency Testing.

Hearing loss is a major public health problem with significant evidence correlating it with cognitive performance. Verbal fluency tests are commonly used to assess lexical access. They provide a great deal of information about a subject's cognitive function. The aim of our study was to evaluate phonemic and semantic lexical access abilities in adults with bilateral severe to profound hearing loss and then to re-evaluate a cohort after cochlear implantation. 103 adult subjects underwent phonemic and semantic fluency tests during a cochlear implant candidacy evaluation. Of the total 103 subjects, 43 subjects underwent the same tests at 3 months post-implantation. Our results showed superior performance in phonemic fluency compared to semantic fluency in subjects prior to implantation. Phonemic fluency was positively correlated with semantic fluency. Similarly, individuals with congenital deafness had better semantic lexical access than individuals with acquired deafness. Results at 3 months post-implantation showed an improvement in phonemic fluency. No correlation was found between the evolution of pre- and post-implant fluency and the auditory gain of the cochlear implant, and we found no significant difference between congenital and acquired deafness. Our study shows an improvement in global cognitive function after cochlear implantation without differentiation of the phonemic-semantic pathway.

Evaluation of physician candidates' attitudes towards phytotherapy practices with a new scale

IntroductionTo measure the attitudes of physician candidates concerning phytotherapy practices and determine the variables affecting their attitudes. MethodThe study data were collected from 524 physician candidates, who were medical faculty students, using a Scale on Attitudes toward Phytotherapy Practices developed by the researchers. Since there is no scale in the literature that reliably and validly reveals the attitudes of physician candidates toward phytotherapy practices, researchers have developed a new scale. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were used in the process of scale development. Univariate and multiple statistical methods were used for descriptive data analysis. ResultsThe developed scale consisted of three factors, 'trust in phytotherapy', 'phytotherapy use’, and 'predisposition', and 23 items based on the five-point Likert type. It was found that physicians’ attitudes toward 'phytotherapy use' were closer to the positive side, while they were undecided concerning the subscales of 'trust in phytotherapy' and 'predisposition'. The attitudes of first-grade physician candidates toward phytotherapy practices were positive, but more negative attitudes were observed in later grades. ConclusionThese findings show that this newly developed scale is reliable and valid and can be used to measure the attitudes of physician candidates towards phytotherapy. In addition, it is thought that the use of phytotherapy can be extended with more scientific studies using different media channels, raising awareness among individuals about phytotherapy, and adding courses that include phytotherapy and its applications to the medical education curriculum.

Design and Immunogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 DNA Vaccine Encoding RBD-PVXCP Fusion Protein.

The potential of immune-evasive mutation accumulation in the SARS-CoV-2 virus has led to its rapid spread, causing over 600 million confirmed cases and more than 6.5 million confirmed deaths. The huge demand for the rapid development and deployment of low-cost and effective vaccines against emerging variants has renewed interest in DNA vaccine technology. Here, we report the rapid generation and immunological evaluation of novel DNA vaccine candidates against the Wuhan-Hu-1 and Omicron variants based on the RBD protein fused with the Potato virus X coat protein (PVXCP). The delivery of DNA vaccines using electroporation in a two-dose regimen induced high-antibody titers and profound cellular responses in mice. The antibody titers induced against the Omicron variant of the vaccine were sufficient for effective protection against both Omicron and Wuhan-Hu-1 virus infections. The PVXCP protein in the vaccine construct shifted the immune response to the favorable Th1-like type and provided the oligomerization of RBD-PVXCP protein. Naked DNA delivery by needle-free injection allowed us to achieve antibody titers comparable with mRNA-LNP delivery in rabbits. These data identify the RBD-PVXCP DNA vaccine platform as a promising solution for robust and effective SARS-CoV-2 protection, supporting further translational study.

From face-to-face to remote evaluation of teacher-education candidates during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Although teacher's personality is an essential component of successful classroom learning, most teacher education programs accept students solely on the basis of scholastic ability scores such as school grades, national test scores (SAT, GRE) or undergraduate college transcripts. To ensure suitability to teaching, a personality-evaluation system was developed in Israel for teacher education candidates. This evaluation system includes non-cognitive measures, such as group dynamic exercises, simulations, a teaching exercise, situational judgement tests, personality tests and an inter-personal interview, all performed face-to-face (FTF) at a testing center. The outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020 brought about lockdowns and social distancing, precluding the administration of this FTF evaluation system. Therefore, the development team adapted the system to online remote testing, using Zoom technology. The present study examined the effect of this transition to remote evaluation on the quality of selection for teaching, looking at suitability-to-teaching scores and the subjective views of applicants and evaluators. A comparison of the 2020 remote scores with the 2019 FTF scores revealed that scores on remote evaluation were slightly lower than FTF scores, and were more centralized. While the candidates found that remote evaluation provided fewer opportunities to express themselves, both candidates and evaluators were satisfied with the administration and convenience of the evaluation day. The Discussion chapter summarizes the unique affordances and constraints of remote evaluations and presents suggestions for changes which might be made when moving an assessment online that could take advantage of this new environment.

A nonenzymatic electrochemical sensor for the detection of hydrogen peroxide in vitro and in vivo fibrosis models

Fibrosis occurs due to the excessive deposition of extracellular matrix caused by cell injury. After various types of tissue injury, the dysregulation of the internal response can eventually lead to the destruction of organ structure and dysfunction. There is increasing evidence that oxidative stress, which is characterized by excessive production of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), is an important cause of fibrosis. Therefore, we synthesized a biosensitive and efficient electrochemical H2O2 sensor based on PtNi nanoparticle-doped N-reduced graphene oxide (PtNi-N-rGO) to detect H2O2 released from transforming growth factor β1 (TGFβ1)-induced myofibroblast. In addition, the sensor could easily detect changes in H2O2 in the lung and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of mice with pulmonary fibrosis. Furthermore, the sensor could also detect H2O2 in activated hepatic stellate cells and the liver of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver fibrosis. Moreover, the alterations in H2O2 detected by the sensor were consistent with nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase 4 (NOX4) protein expression and the staining results of pathological sections. Taken together, these results highlight the use of H2O2 sensors for the rapid detection of fibrosis and facilitate the rapid evaluation of antifibrotic drug candidates.