Critical success factors and challenges for individual digital study assistants in higher education: A mixed methods analysis.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the availability of online higher education programs and tools has grown rapidly. One example is an individual digital study assistant (IDSA) for students, which provides functionalities to train self-regulation skills, to engage with own educational goals and to offer automated, first-level support to higher education institution (HEI) units and employees. An IDSA further can guide students through HEI and their administration. But, what are the critical success factors (CSF) and challenges for an IDSA? We deduce these using a mixed methods approach with one quantitative student survey, two rounds of interviews with various HEI experts, and a literature review. We classified our results according to the information system (IS) success model of DeLone & McLean (2016). Our results and findings show, e.g., that skilled and reliable HEI personnel, well-organized and useful content, cross-platform usability, ease of use, and students' social factors are essential. Attractive IDSA functionalities are a major challenge because students use many apps, daily. Based on our CSF and challenges, we deduce theoretical and practical recommendations and develop a further research agenda.

Sorption of iodine in soils: insight from selective sequential extractions and X-ray absorption spectroscopy.

The environmental fate of iodine is of general geochemical interest as well as of substantial concern in the context of nuclear waste repositories and reprocessing plants. Soils, and in particular soil organic matter (SOM), are known to play a major role in retaining and storing iodine. Therefore, we investigated iodide and iodate sorption by four different reference soils for contact times up to 30 days. Selective sequential extractions and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) were used to characterize binding behavior to different soil components, and the oxidation state and local structure of iodine. For iodide, sorption was fast with 73 to 96% being sorbed within the first 24 h, whereas iodate sorption increased from 11-41% to 62-85% after 30 days. The organic fraction contained most of the adsorbed iodide and iodate. XAS revealed a rapid change of iodide into organically bound iodine when exposed to soil, while iodate did not change its speciation. Migration behavior of both iodine species has to be considered as iodide appears to be the less mobile species due to fast binding to SOM, but with the potential risk of mobilization when oxidized to iodate.

Yeast two-hybrid screening reveals a dual function for the histone acetyltransferase GcnE by controlling glutamine synthesis and development in Aspergillus fumigatus.

The acetyltransferase GcnE is part of the SAGA complex which regulates fungal gene expression through acetylation of chromatin. Target genes of the histone acetyltransferase GcnE include those involved in secondary metabolism and asexual development. Here, we show that the absence of GcnE not only abrogated conidiation, but also strongly impeded vegetative growth of hyphae in the human pathogenic fungus Aspergillus fumigatus. A yeast two-hybrid screen using a Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain whose tRNA molecules were specifically adapted to express A. fumigatus proteins identified two unprecedented proteins that directly interact with GcnE. Glutamine synthetase GlnA as well as a hypothetical protein located on chromosome 8 (GbpA) were identified as binding partners of GcnE and their interaction was confirmed in vivo via bimolecular fluorescence complementation. Phenotypic characterization of gbpA and glnA deletion mutants revealed a role for GbpA during conidiogenesis and confirmed the central role of GlnA in glutamine biosynthesis. The increase of glutamine synthetase activity in the absence of GcnE indicated that GcnE silences GlnA through binding. This finding suggests an expansion of the regulatory role of GcnE in A. fumigatus.

Understanding Educational and Psychosocial Factors Associated with Alcohol Use among Adolescents in Denmark; Implications for Health Literacy Interventions.

Background. Alcohol misuse is a global public health priority, with a variation in prevalence and impact between countries. Alcohol misuse in adolescence is associated with adverse psychological, social and physical health. Adolescents in Denmark have higher alcohol consumption and problematic alcohol use than adolescents in other European countries. Associations between social determinants of health (SDH), psycho-social factors and alcohol consumption are complex and influenced by national context and cultures. This study explored these associations in Danish adolescents. Method. The European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD) survey collects data on alcohol and substance use among 15⁻16-year-old European students. Data contributed by Danish students to the 2011 survey were analyzed. The outcomes of interest were alcohol consumption (any, intoxication and problematic). Health literacy was not directly measured, so self-described educational performance and knowledge about alcohol were used as proxies for health literacy. Exploratory factors thus included socio-demographic, health literacy-related (knowledge about alcohol, educational performance) and psycho-social factors, as well as expectancies of the effect of alcohol (both positive and negative) and self-reported health. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were undertaken. Results. Of the 2768 adolescents who participated in the survey, 2026 (80%) consumed alcohol during the last 30 days, 978 (38%) were intoxicated at least once during the last 30 days, and 1050 (41%) experienced at least one problem because of alcohol use during the last 12 months. Multivariable analysis showed that the factors associated with higher alcohol intake were gender, poor relationships with parents, expectancies of the impact of alcohol (both positive and negative), and the influence of peers and their alcohol use. Higher school performance was related to lower alcohol consumption. Low socio-demographic status was not associated with higher alcohol consumption. Conclusions. This study confirmed the high levels of alcohol intake, intoxication, and problem drinking amongst the Danish students in the survey and the complexity of the socio-demographic, psychosocial, health literacy-related, and environmental factors associated with alcohol behaviours. Approaches to addressing the issue of alcohol use in Danish adolescents will need to be multi-factorial, including supporting students to develop alcohol-related health literacy skills to enable them to make informed choices.

Biosynthesis of methyl-proline containing griselimycins, natural products with anti-tuberculosis activity.

Griselimycins (GMs) are depsidecapeptides with superb anti-tuberculosis activity. They contain up to three (2S,4R)-4-methyl-prolines (4-MePro), of which one blocks oxidative degradation and increases metabolic stability in animal models. The natural congener with this substitution is only a minor component in fermentation cultures. We showed that this product can be significantly increased by feeding the reaction with 4-MePro and we investigated the molecular basis of 4-MePro biosynthesis and incorporation. We identified the GM biosynthetic gene cluster as encoding a nonribosomal peptide synthetase and a sub-operon for 4-MePro formation. Using heterologous expression, gene inactivation, and in vitro experiments, we showed that 4-MePro is generated by leucine hydroxylation, oxidation to an aldehyde, and ring closure with subsequent reduction. The crystal structures of the leucine hydroxylase GriE have been determined in complex with substrates and products, providing insight into the stereospecificity of the reaction.

Health Behavior Change in Older Adults: Testing the Health Action Process Approach at the Inter- and Intraindividual Level.

BACKGROUND: Health behavior change theories usually claim to be universally and individually applicable. Most research has tested behavior change theories at the interindividual level and within young-to-middle-aged populations. However, associations at the interindividual level can differ substantially from associations at the intraindividual level. This study examines the applicability of the Health Action Process Approach (HAPA) at the inter- and the intraindividual level among older adults. METHODS: Two intensive longitudinal studies examined the HAPA model covering two different health behaviors and two different time spans: Study 1 (physical activity, N = 52 × 6 monthly observations) and Study 2 (medication adherence, N = 64 × 30 daily observations). The HAPA constructs (risk awareness, outcome expectancy, self-efficacy, intention, action planning, action control), and self-reported behaviors were assessed. RESULTS: Overall, at the interindividual level, results of both studies largely confirmed the associations specified by the HAPA. At the intraindividual level, results were less in line with the HAPA. Only action control emerged as consistent predictor of behavior. CONCLUSIONS: This study emphasises the importance of examining health behavior change theories at both, the inter- and the intraindividual level.

Assessing adherence to multiple medications and in daily life among patients with multimorbidity.

OBJECTIVE: Chronic conditions often require multiple medication intake. However, past research has focused on assessing overall adherence or adherence to a single index medication only. This study explored adherence measures for multiple medication intake, and in daily life, among patients with multiple chronic conditions (i.e. multimorbidity). DESIGN: Eighty-four patients with multimorbidity and multiple-medication regimens completed three monthly panel questionnaires. A randomly assigned subsample additionally completed a 30-day daily diary. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The Non-Adherence Report; a brief self-report measure of adherence to each prescribed medication (NAR-M), and in daily life. We further assessed the Medication Adherence Report Scale (MARS), and a subsample of participants were randomised to electronic adherence monitoring. RESULTS: The NAR-M indicated M = 94.7% adherence at Time 1 (SD = 9.3%). The NAR-M was significantly correlated with the MARS (rt1 = .52, rt2 = .57, and rt3 = .65; p < .001), and in tendency with electronically assessed adherence (rt2 = .45, rt3 = .46, p < .10). Variance components analysis indicated that between-person differences accounted for 10.2% of the variance in NAR-M adherence rates, whereas 22.9% were attributable to medication by person interactions. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the importance and feasibility of studying adherence to multiple medications differentially, and in daily life. Future studies may use these measures to investigate within-person and between-medication differences in adherence.

Prospective and retrospective memory are differentially related to self-rated omission and commission errors in medication adherence in multimorbidity.

We investigated the relations of self-rated omission errors (i.e., forgetting to take one's medication) and commission errors (i.e., unnecessary repetitions of medication intake because of forgetting that it has already been taken) in medication adherence in multimorbidity to prospective and retrospective memory performance. Moreover, we examined whether these relations were moderated by the number of medications that had to be taken. Eighty-four patients with multimorbidity (aged 28-84 years, M = 62.4) reported medication adherence regarding the last seven days and the number of medications they had to take. In addition, we administered psychometric tests on prospective memory (PM) and retrospective memory performance. We found that reported omission errors in medication adherence were related significantly to lower PM performance. This relationship was increased in individuals with a lower number of medications. In comparison, reported commission errors in medication adherence were related significantly to lower retrospective memory performance. This relationship was increased in individuals with a larger number of medications. Present data suggest that omission errors in medication adherence in multimorbidity may reflect primarily PM errors, particularly if few medications have to be taken, while commission errors may reflect mainly retrospective memory failures, especially with a large number of medications that need to be taken as prescribed. From an applied neuropsychological perspective, these results underline the importance of trying to enhance PM and retrospective memory performance in patients with multimorbidity.

Invisible Support: Effects on the Provider's Positive and Negative Affect.

BACKGROUND: Social support that goes unnoticed by receivers (i.e. invisible support) seems to be most beneficial for the receivers' well-being. The providers' well-being, however, has been neglected so far. This study examines how invisible support is related to the providers' well-being and whether this association is dependent on the providers' relationship satisfaction. METHODS: Overall, 97 non-smoking partners of smokers who were about to quit smoking were examined. Invisible support was assessed dyadically: partners' reports on smoking-specific provided social support together with smokers' reports on received support were assessed at baseline. Partners' relationship satisfaction was also assessed at baseline. Partners' positive and negative affect were measured at baseline and six-week follow-up. RESULTS: No main effects of invisible instrumental or emotional support occurred. However, partners' relationship satisfaction moderated the association between invisible instrumental support and change in partners' negative and positive affect: For partners with lower relationship satisfaction more invisible instrumental support was related to increased negative affect and decreased positive affect, whereas for partners with higher relationship satisfaction the inverse effects occurred. CONCLUSIONS: The study's results emphasise that invisible instrumental support might have emotional costs for the providers. Relationship satisfaction seems to serve as a protective factor.

Antibiotics. Targeting DnaN for tuberculosis therapy using novel griselimycins.

The discovery of Streptomyces-produced streptomycin founded the age of tuberculosis therapy. Despite the subsequent development of a curative regimen for this disease, tuberculosis remains a worldwide problem, and the emergence of multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis has prioritized the need for new drugs. Here we show that new optimized derivatives from Streptomyces-derived griselimycin are highly active against M. tuberculosis, both in vitro and in vivo, by inhibiting the DNA polymerase sliding clamp DnaN. We discovered that resistance to griselimycins, occurring at very low frequency, is associated with amplification of a chromosomal segment containing dnaN, as well as the ori site. Our results demonstrate that griselimycins have high translational potential for tuberculosis treatment, validate DnaN as an antimicrobial target, and capture the process of antibiotic pressure-induced gene amplification.

Microbial communication leading to the activation of silent fungal secondary metabolite gene clusters.

Microorganisms form diverse multispecies communities in various ecosystems. The high abundance of fungal and bacterial species in these consortia results in specific communication between the microorganisms. A key role in this communication is played by secondary metabolites (SMs), which are also called natural products. Recently, it was shown that interspecies "talk" between microorganisms represents a physiological trigger to activate silent gene clusters leading to the formation of novel SMs by the involved species. This review focuses on mixed microbial cultivation, mainly between bacteria and fungi, with a special emphasis on the induced formation of fungal SMs in co-cultures. In addition, the role of chromatin remodeling in the induction is examined, and methodical perspectives for the analysis of natural products are presented. As an example for an intermicrobial interaction elucidated at the molecular level, we discuss the specific interaction between the filamentous fungi Aspergillus nidulans and Aspergillus fumigatus with the soil bacterium Streptomyces rapamycinicus, which provides an excellent model system to enlighten molecular concepts behind regulatory mechanisms and will pave the way to a novel avenue of drug discovery through targeted activation of silent SM gene clusters through co-cultivations of microorganisms.

Stabilisation of health as the centre point of a health psychology of ageing.

Current health psychological theories and research mainly cover improvement of health, recovery from illness or maintenance of health. With this theoretical manuscript, we argue that in ageing societies in which chronic illness and multimorbidity become the norm rather than the exception, this focus of health psychology is no longer sufficient. Instead, in line with a recent conceptualisation of health as "the ability to adapt and to self-manage", we suggest that the centre point of a health psychology of ageing needs to be the stabilisation of health. Current theories of lifespan development, such as the model of selection, optimisation and compensation, the motivational theory of life span development, the two-process model of assimilative and accommodative coping and the recently introduced functional quality of life model are described with regard to their assumptions and related research focussing on stabilisation. All of these models explicitly comprise stabilisation as an important process of successful, healthy ageing. So far, however, the empirical research examining these models does not take stabilisation into account. Implications for research methods and practise of health stabilisation are discussed.

Evaluation of Meibomian Gland Dysfunction and Local Distribution of Meibomian Gland Atrophy by Non-contact Infrared Meibography.

AIMS: The main purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between Meibomian gland atrophy (meiboscore) and Meibomian gland expressibility. In addition, the local distribution of Meibomian gland loss was analyzed. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 128 patients (92 women and 36 men, 57 ± 17 years) from our dry eye clinic was performed. Infrared meibography was performed using the Keratograph 5 M (Oculus, Wetzlar, Germany) and evaluated with a scoring system introduced by Arita et al. RESULTS: A significant inverse correlation between Meibomian gland atrophy measured by meibography and expressible Meibomian glands (r = -0.197, p = 0.003) as well as between meiboscore and TBUT (r = -0.1615, p = 0.012) was found. There also was a significant correlation between the total meiboscore and the age (r = 0.33, p < 0.0001). We could find a strong and highly significant correlation between the total meiboscore and the individual meiboscore of the upper eyelid (r = 0.905, p < 0.0001) and the lower eyelid (r = 0.892, p < 0.0001). There was no significant difference of Meibomian gland atrophy between the individual thirds of the upper eyelid, but for the lower eyelid, we could find a higher degree of Meibomian gland atrophy in the nasal third compared with the middle and the temporal third (Dunn's post hoc test, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Meibomian gland atrophy seems to be not constant over the tarsal plate but the examination of the lower tarsus might be sufficient in most of the cases. The correlation of the meiboscore with functional dry eye parameters suggest that in patients with detectable Meibomian gland atrophy there is also an impaired Meibomian gland function. However, meibography seems not to be sufficient as a single test for the diagnosis of MGD. For the future larger, prospective studies are needed to confirm these results and further evaluate the potential of meibography in the diagnosis of MGD.

Six-month effects of a thermodynamic treatment for MGD and implications of meibomian gland atrophy.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the 6-month effect of a single automated thermodynamic treatment (LipiFlow) and implications of meibomian gland atrophy on treatment efficacy 6 months after application. METHODS: We analyzed the data of 26 subjects with meibomian gland dysfunction before and 6 months after treatment. Investigated parameters included subjective symptoms, lipid layer thickness, meibomian gland assessment, tear osmolarity, corneal and conjunctival staining, lid margin parallel conjunctival folds, Schirmer test values, bulbar redness, tear meniscus height, meibomian gland atrophy, and noninvasive tear break-up time. RESULTS: Subjective symptoms (mean Ocular Surface Disease Index, 42 ± 19 to 33 ± 21; P = 0.004, mean Standard Patient Evaluation of Eye Dryness 16 ± 7 to 12 ± 7; P = 0.0001), lipid layer thickness (44.0 ± 15.6 to 51.3 ± 20.4; P = 0.014), number of expressible glands (2.9 ± 1.6 to 6.4 ± 4.6; P < 0.0001), lid margin parallel conjunctival folds (2.3 ± 1.0 to 2.0 ± 0.9; P = 0.04), and bulbar redness (1.4 ± 0.5 to 1.2 ± 0.5; P = 0.0001) were all improved 6 months after treatment. Symptomatic improvement was higher in patients with less severe meibomian gland atrophy compared with patients with more dropout at treatment. There was no change of meibomian gland atrophy 6 months after treatment. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, the results showed that a single thermodynamic treatment is effective in the treatment of meibomian gland dysfunction and that the effects last for at least 6 months. We suggest performing meibography in every patient before treatment for better prediction of therapeutic effects.

[German translation and adaptation of the uncertainty stress scale high risk pregnancy version III (USS-HRPV) for hospitalised women with high-risk pregnancy]. / Deutsche Übersetzung und Adaptation der «Uncertainty Stress Scale High Risk Pregnancy Version III¼ (USS-HRPV) für hospitalisierte Frauen mit Risikoschwangerschaft.

BACKGROUND: A number of medical and societal factors currently contribute to an increasing number of women who are hospitalised because they are experiencing high-risk pregnancies. The unpredictability of the further course of pregnancy may lead to a feeling of uncertainty, as well as to stress, depending on coping strategies. AIMS: The aims of this study were thus to translate and adapt the USS-HRPV so that uncertainty and stress could be systematically measured on affected women in German speaking areas. METHOD: Translation of the scale was undertaken by first translating into German and then back into English. The two-phase adaptation, carried out with affected women (n = 24) and midwives (n = 10), comprised cognitive interviews and testing of content validity using the Content Validity Index (CVI). Following each data collection phase the instrument was modified with the help of midwifery experts (n = 3). RESULTS: For each item the calculated CVI (I-CVI) in the first phase ranged between 0,10 and 1,0 for the sample of relevant women and midwives while the CVI of the total instrument (S-CVI/Ave) was 0,62 and 0,70 respectively. In the second phase the I-CVI values of the hospitalised women ranged between 0,17 and 1,0 while the S-CVI/Ave value was 0,73. With regard to all of the data, 44 of the original 86 items were removed and 28 altered on language grounds. CONCLUSIONS: As a result of the methodical approach utilised, a firm basis for further validation of the instrument for German speaking areas has been provided.

Evaluation of an automated thermodynamic treatment (LipiFlow®) system for meibomian gland dysfunction: a prospective, randomized, observer-masked trial.

PURPOSE: To compare the effectiveness of a single LipiFlow(®) treatment with combined lid warming and massage in patients with meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD). METHODS: In this prospective, randomized, crossover, observer-masked clinical trial, subjects were randomized to receive either a single 12-min LipiFlow-LipiFlow Thermal Pulsation (LTP) system treatment or to perform combined twice-daily lid warming and massage for 3 months. All subjects were examined before, and 1 and 3 months after initiation of treatments. Investigated parameters included subjective symptoms, lipid layer thickness, meibomian gland assessment, tear break-up time, tear osmolarity, corneal and conjunctival staining, Schirmer test values, and tear meniscus height. RESULTS: A total of 31 subjects completed the 3-month follow-up. At 1 and 3 months, patients in the LipiFlow treatment group had a significant reduction in Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) scores compared with those in the lid-margin hygiene group. Both treatments produced a significant improvement in expressible meibomian glands compared to the baseline parameters, but no significant difference was noted between the two groups. The other investigated objective parameters did not show a significant difference. CONCLUSION: Results of our study show that a single LipiFlow treatment is as least as effective as a 3-month, twice-daily lid margin hygiene regimen for MGD. However, the present study was observer-masked only, and therefore a placebo effect may have confounded any improvements in subjective symptoms and other parameters in both groups.

Bacterium induces cryptic meroterpenoid pathway in the pathogenic fungus Aspergillus fumigatus.

Stimulating encounter: The intimate, physical interaction between the soil-derived bacterium Streptomyces rapamycinicus and the human pathogenic fungus Aspergillus fumigatus led to the activation of an otherwise silent polyketide synthase (PKS) gene cluster coding for an unusual prenylated polyphenol (fumicycline A). The meroterpenoid pathway is regulated by a pathway-specific activator gene as well as by epigenetic factors.

Salmonella-induced mucosal lectin RegIIIß kills competing gut microbiota.

Intestinal inflammation induces alterations of the gut microbiota and promotes overgrowth of the enteric pathogen Salmonella enterica by largely unknown mechanisms. Here, we identified a host factor involved in this process. Specifically, the C-type lectin RegIIIß is strongly upregulated during mucosal infection and released into the gut lumen. In vitro, RegIIIß kills diverse commensal gut bacteria but not Salmonella enterica subspecies I serovar Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium). Protection of the pathogen was attributable to its specific cell envelope structure. Co-infection experiments with an avirulent S. Typhimurium mutant and a RegIIIß-sensitive commensal E. coli strain demonstrated that feeding of RegIIIß was sufficient for suppressing commensals in the absence of all other changes inflicted by mucosal disease. These data suggest that RegIIIß production by the host can promote S. Typhimurium infection by eliminating inhibitory gut microbiota.

Do infrastructures impact on alcohol policy making?

INTRODUCTION: The importance of building and strengthening effective infrastructures within the field of public health has increasingly been recognized. A wide variety of actors and structures can be identified for alcohol policy, including systems for policy development, monitoring, research and work-force development, but too little is known about the complex systems of infrastructure available across European countries and their impact on alcohol policy. OBJECTIVE: This study is part of the Alcohol Measures for Public Health Research Alliance (AMPHORA) project, and aims to map existing infrastructures, but also to examine the relationship between infrastructures and alcohol policy change. METHODS: A survey of alcohol policy infrastructure and infrastructure needs at the national level will be conducted using an updated and adapted questionnaire based on the Health Promotion (HP) Source Project tool. Case studies involving in-depth interviews will be conducted for a selection of countries. Data will be analysed descriptively, mapping alcohol policy infrastructure and identifying needs to reveal any relationship between infrastructure and alcohol policy. EXPECTED RESULTS: This study can contribute to building the scientific knowledge base on this topic as well to policy development. First, the Alcohol Measures for Public Health Research Alliance will produce an extended map of alcohol policy infrastructures in a wide range of European countries. Secondly, the Alcohol Measures for Public Health Research Alliance will foster a better understanding and expand the knowledge base on the role and influence of infrastructure on alcohol policy and practice. Recommendations deriving from this study will identify the need for better utilization of existing infrastructures and for the development of new infrastructures, necessary to develop and implement effective alcohol policy from a public health perspective.

Auditory conflict processing in ADHD.

BACKGROUND: Impaired cognitive control has been implicated as an important developmental pathway to attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Cognitive control is crucial to suppress interference resulting from conflicting information and can be measured by Stroop-like tasks. This study was conducted to gain insight into conflict processing in children with ADHD. METHODS: Event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded in an auditory Stroop task. Twenty-four children with ADHD were compared with 24 control children (aged 8-12 years). RESULTS: No deficit in interference control was found on the auditory Stroop task in children with ADHD. Children with ADHD responded more slowly, less accurately and more variably compared to controls. No differences between the groups occurred in the early conflict-related ERPs. However, the difference between the congruent and the incongruent condition in the 450-550 ms time window was absent in the ADHD group compared to controls. In addition, the conflict sustained potential was found frontally in the ADHD group but parietally in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: These ERP findings suggest that children with ADHD evaluate conflict to a lesser extent and differ in the way their brains select appropriate responses during conflict compared with controls.