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"Lai, Elisa"
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Converting benzene to pyridine
2023
The conversion of benzene to pyridine is achieved using blue light and oxygen, offering new opportunities to single-atom exchange strategies for skeletal editing.
Journal Article
Which dimension of parenting predicts the change of callous unemotional traits in children with disruptive behavior disorder?
by
Righini, Elisabetta
,
Muratori, Pietro
,
Masi, Gabriele
in
Antisocial Personality Disorder - diagnosis
,
Antisocial Personality Disorder - psychology
,
Antisocial Personality Disorder - therapy
2016
Several studies suggested that in addition to child-driven factors (i.e., temperamental style), parenting behavior can, at least in part, influence the maintenance of Callous Unemotional (CU) traits in children; however, more information is needed to distinguish which styles (negative parenting or lack of positive parenting) predict increased levels of CU traits. The aim of the present treatment study was to examine which components of parenting are longitudinally associated with levels of CU traits in children with a disruptive behavior disorder diagnosis.
The current study examined cross-lagged reciprocal effects models between positive and negative parenting practices, and the levels of child CU traits over three time points, including both positive and negative dimensions of parenting in the same model. Participants were 126 Italian children with diagnosis of disruptive behavior disorder (oppositional defiant disorder or conduct disorder), 113 boys and 13 girls, 110 Caucasian, 48 with conduct disorder, and 78 with oppositional defiant disorder, treated with a multi-component intervention, based on cognitive behavioral principles and practices. Participants were all 9–10 years of age at the beginning of the study, and were followed-up until the age of 11–12 years (24 months in total, the first 12 under treatment) using parent report (Alabama Parenting Questionnaire and Child Behavior Check List) and child report (Inventory of Callous-Unemotional Traits) measures.
No significant cross-lagged path was found between negative parenting and CU traits; these two variables were also unrelated when positive parenting was considered in the same model. In contrast, reciprocal effects between positive parenting and CU were found: higher levels of positive parenting predicted lower levels of CU traits.
The current findings suggest that the positive dimension of parenting may need to be targeted in the treatment of DBD children with higher CU traits.
Journal Article
Prevalence and predictors of influenza vaccination among residents of long-term care facilities
by
Poulos, Christopher J.
,
Kunasekaran, Mohana
,
Chughtai, Abrar A.
in
Aged care
,
Ageing
,
Allergy and Immunology
2019
•Influenza burden is high in the elderly, especially those in long-term care facilities (LTCFs).•Vaccine uptake among LTCF residents was high in 2018.•LTCF site, ethnicity and vaccination in the previous year were predictors of vaccination.
Influenza is a respiratory illness which results in significant morbidity and mortality, especially in the older population. Older people living in Long-Term Care Facilities (LTCFs) have a significantly higher risk of infection and complications from influenza. Influenza vaccine is considered the best strategy to prevent infection in high-risk populations. In Australia, the Communicable Diseases Network Australia (CNDA) suggests a vaccination coverage rate of 95% in both staff and residents1. This study aims to measure the vaccination coverage rates for residents in LTCFs and identify predictors of vaccination uptake for these individuals.
This study was conducted in nine LTCFs in four sites from March to September 2018. This was done via medical record reviews for residents over 65 years old in these LTCFs, collecting information such as vaccination status, age, gender, ethnicity and occupation. Simple and multivariable logistic regression was used to calculate the Odds Ratio (OR) to determine significant predictors of influenza vaccination uptake.
The overall vaccination rate among LTCF residents was 83.6%. Significant predictors of vaccination were LTCF location, ethnicity and previous year vaccination status. Residents in LTCF Site D were less likely to be vaccinated compared to Site A (OR 0.11, 95% CI 0.02–0.61), non-Caucasians were less likely to get vaccinated (OR 0.09, 95% CI 0.01–0.67), and residents who refused the 2017 vaccine were less likely to be vaccinated (OR 0.04, 95% CI 0.01–0.15).
Compared with previous Australian studies on LTCF vaccination rates, the overall vaccination rate was high in these LTCFs (83.6% versus 66–84%), but it varied across different sites. Reasons for varying vaccination rates should be explored further – for example, lower rates in non-Caucasians with diverse cultural backgrounds. Better understanding the causes of under-vaccination can help improve vaccination programs in LTCFs.
Journal Article
Deciphering gene regulatory programs in mouse embryonic skin through single-cell multiomics analysis
by
Xu, Jiangshan
,
Cai, Pengfei
,
Hao, Shijie
in
Animal Genetics and Genomics
,
Animals
,
Bioinformatics
2025
Background
Cell type-specific transcriptional heterogeneity in embryonic mouse skin is well-documented, but few studies have investigated the regulatory mechanisms. Here, we present high-throughput single-cell chromatin accessibility and transcriptome sequencing (HT-scCAT-seq), a method that simultaneously profiles transcriptome and chromatin accessibility. We utilized HT-scCAT-seq to dissect the gene regulatory mechanism governing epidermal stratification, periderm terminal differentiation, and fibroblast specification.
Results
By linking chromatin accessibility to gene expression, we identify candidate
cis-
regulatory elements (cCREs) and their target genes which are crucial for dermal and epidermal development. We describe cells with similar gene expression profiles that exhibit distinct chromatin accessibility statuses during periderm terminal differentiation. Finally, we characterize the underlying lineage-determining transcription factors and demonstrate that ALX4 and RUNX2 are candidate transcription factors regulators of the dermal papilla lineage development through in silico perturbation analysis and CUT&Tag experiment.
Conclusions
Overall, HT-scCAT-seq represents a powerful tool for unraveling the spatiotemporal dynamics of gene regulation in single cells. Our results advance the understanding of embryonic skin development while providing a scalable framework for investigating regulatory mechanisms across diverse biological systems and disease contexts.
Journal Article
Influenza vaccine coverage and predictors of vaccination among aged care workers in Sydney Australia
by
Kunasekaran, Mohana
,
Trent, Mallory
,
Poulos, Christopher
in
Aged care workers
,
Allergy and Immunology
,
Australia
2020
•Current influenza vaccination uptake amongst Australian ACWs remain suboptimal at 48%.•The aged care workforce has a large proportion of migrant workers.•Optimising workplace vaccination policies can greatly increase vaccine coverage.•Onsite provision of vaccines overcomes many deterrents to vaccination amongst AWCs.
Aged care facilities (ACFs) are residential communities with a concentration of vulnerable individuals with increased risk of severe influenza infection and complications such as outbreaks, hospitalisations and deaths. Aged care workers (ACW) are potential sources of influenza introduction and transmission in ACFs. Little is known about vaccine uptake among ACW. This study aimed to measure the vaccine uptake rate among Australian ACW and evaluate the demographic determinants of uptake during the influenza season of 2018.
146 ACWs were recruited from 7 facilities of a multisite aged care provider in Sydney. ACWs completed a questionnaire regarding their demographic, occupational and vaccination status. Vaccine coverage was calculated and variables were examined against their 2018 influenza vaccination status in statistical analysis.
ACWs in our study were predominantly from a non-health occupational background with a large proportion of migrant workers (56%, 75/134). Vaccine coverage in 2018 was 48% (65/135). The strongest determinants of vaccine uptake were previous year vaccination history (Odds Ratio [OR] 10.49, 95% CI 3.33–33.10), workplace immunisation programs for employees (OR 7.87, 95% CI 2.47–25.10), casual work as employment status (OR 0.14, 95% CI 0.02–0.77), and presence of comorbidities (OR 4.04, 95% CI 1.23–13.32).
ACW are a unique and understudied group who are critical to infection control in ACFs. Few ACWs have formal health training, and many are migrants who may lack access to subsidised health care and face out of pocket costs for vaccination. Vaccine coverage among ACW were below recommended levels. Provision of influenza vaccine for staff in workplaces is highly effective in raising vaccine coverage amongst ACWs. More research on the aged care sector workforce is needed in order to evaluate the determinants of vaccine uptake among Australian ACWs.
Journal Article
Off-grid appliance performance testing: results and trends for early-stage market development
2020
High-quality, efficient, and off-grid appropriate appliances play an essential role in developing the distributed clean energy market—but little data or market intelligence exists to help market actors make informed decisions. To fill this significant knowledge gap, CLASP, in support of the Efficiency for Access Coalition, has developed the Off-Grid Appliance Data Platform: an off-grid appliance performance database. Based on analysis of the test data from the Platform, the paper provides a glimpse into the current status, efficiency and cost trends, and remaining challenges gleaned from the off-grid television, fan, and refrigeration market—top three appliances with significant potential to scale. The analyses show a wide variation in the efficiency of products across the market. Efficiency improvements are observed, albeit slowly. Analysis shows that prices are decreasing, but have not yet reached a level of affordability for off-grid consumers in Africa and South Asia. Through the appliance performance testing results and market trends, the authors of this paper hope to enhance the global knowledge about off-grid appliances performance. Further research and data collection around sales trends will enhance the comprehensiveness and robustness of future analyses of off-grid appliances.
Journal Article
Testing the Efficacy of Coping Power Universal on Behavioral Problems and Pre-academic Skills in Preschoolers
by
Giofrè, David
,
Modena Alessia
,
Muratori Pietro
in
Behavior disorders
,
Behavior problems
,
Boys
2022
The Coping Power Program is an evidence-based intervention for children identified to be at risk for developing externalizing behavioral problems. The Coping Power Program has been adapted to universally prevent behavioral problems in school-aged children. This study sought to test the efficacy of this adaptation, the Coping Power Universal program, on preschoolers' behavioral difficulties and pre-academic skills. Teachers delivered the intervention in their classes. The study included a sample of Italian children (N = 250, 125 boys) with a mean age of 4.50 years (SD = .50) at the beginning of the study. Classrooms of these children were randomly assigned to receive either the intervention or the Italian preschool standard curriculum. Measures included a questionnaire and objective and standardized measures for numerical intelligence and metaphonological skills delivered by a psychologist to the preschoolers. Classes in which teachers applied the Coping Power Universal program showed lower problematic behaviors and higher pre-academic skills than those in which teachers followed the standard curriculum only. Although further studies are still needed, the current findings showed that the Coping Power Universal program can be adapted for preschoolers with good results. Implications for practice, methodological limitations, and directions for future research are reviewed.
Journal Article
Healthy aging: the INTECMAN project
by
Gastaldelli Amalia
,
Morales, Maria Aurora
,
Severino, Silvia
in
Aging
,
Mild cognitive impairment
,
Neurodegenerative diseases
2021
Aging is associated not only with the reduction of psychophysical and sensory capacities but also with different types of neurodegenerative disorders up to dementia manifestations. Aging in health and self-sufficiency is strictly dependent on the prevention and correction of factors that may determine reduction of psychophysical capacities (e.g., cardiovascular, locomotor and neurodegenerative ones). To reach this goal, due to the dynamics of social and family changes and to the aging of the population, health professionals can be supported by technologies which provide noninvasive monitoring of physiologic parameters and rely on telemedicine, both instruments of support and care for better aging in the home setting. The authors, starting from the initial idea of a personalized monitoring of different psychophysical variables, defined a pilot study to assess the role of a 12-month individually tailored lifestyle counseling on parameters of mild cognitive impairment in a group of elderly subjects. Data derived from the applied approach appeared promising and may open the road to the possible implementation of individual counseling, based on multiparametric non-obtrusive technologies which take into consideration both psychological and physical aspects, to be followed in the home environment.
Journal Article
Which Dimension of Parenting Predict the Change of Callous Unemotional Traits in Children with Disruptive Behavior Disorder?
2016
Abstract Several studies suggested that in addition to child-driven factors (i.e., temperamental style), parenting behavior can, at least in part, influence the maintenance of Callous Unemotional (CU) traits in children; however, more information is needed to distinguish which styles (negative parenting or lack of positive parenting) predict increased levels of CU traits. The aim of the present treatment study was to examine which components of parenting are longitudinally associated with levels of CU traits in children with a disruptive behavior disorder diagnosis. Specifically, the current study examined cross-lagged reciprocal effects models between positive and negative parenting practices, and the levels of child CU traits over three time points, including both positive and negative dimensions of parenting in the same model. Participants were 126 Italian children with diagnosis of disruptive behavior disorder (oppositional defiant disorder or conduct disorder), 113 boys and 13 girls, 110 Caucasian, 48 with conduct disorder, and 78 with oppositional defiant disorder, treated with a multi-component intervention, based on cognitive behavioral principles and practices. Participants were all 9–10 years of age at the beginning of the study, and were followed-up until the age of 11–12 years (24 months in total, the first 12 under treatment) using parent report (Alabama Parenting Questionnaire and Child Behavior Check List) and child report (Inventory of Callous-Unemotional Traits) measures. No significant cross-lagged path was found between negative parenting and CU traits; these two variables were also unrelated when positive parenting was considered in the same model. In contrast, reciprocal effects between positive parenting and CU were found: higher levels of positive parenting predicted lower levels of CU traits. The current findings suggest that the positive dimension of parenting may need to be targeted in the treatment of DBD children with higher CU traits.
Journal Article
Influenza Vaccine Uptake and Associated Factors in Aged Care Facilities
by
Kunasekaran, Mohana
,
Poulos, Chris
,
MacIntyre, Raina
in
Elder care
,
Epidemics
,
Immune response
2019
Introduction:Influenza vaccine is recommended for high-risk populations in Australia (including those aged over 65 years) but is less effective in the elderly due to a progressive and predictable age-related decline in immune function, referred to as immunosenescence. Aged care facilities (ACF) are known to be at high risk of explosive outbreaks of influenza (even in highly vaccinated populations) and may reflect a higher intensity of transmission within the closed setting of ACF, as well as lower immunity and immunosenescence in the frail elderly.Methods:To measure the impact of influenza in aged-care staff (ACS) and residents as well as vaccine effectiveness, a prospective observational epidemiological study was conducted in collaboration with an aged-care provider with multiple sites from March to October 2018. Weekly active surveillance on influenza-like symptoms and questionnaires were used to collect data on two groups: ACS and residents. A range of variables was examined against their 2018 influenza vaccination status in statistical analysis.Results:Vaccination rates were high in residents and consistent with other studies. Vaccine rates in aged-care staff were lower and consistent with other studies.Discussion:Residents and relatives are unlikely to change their minds about vaccination from year to year unless there is targeted effort to persuade them to so, and negative perception of the vaccine is likely to persist. Workplace influenza vaccination programs targeted at staff could be an effective method of raising vaccine uptake.
Journal Article