The Remote Home Environment Assessment (RHEA) Framework is a guide designed to help therapists conduct structured home environment assessments remotely using tools and technology. It offers an efficient and practical approach to overcoming the limitations of facility-based home assessments. The framework offers step-by-step procedures for remote home environment assessment for adult clients with physical dysfunction. It involves four major steps that focus on assessing the client’s physical environment: a) screening for selecting the most appropriate remote home environment assessment modality/ies; b) a preparatory phase that includes signing consent forms, explaining the assessment process, and previewing preliminary information; c) administration of the remote assessment; and d) consolidation of the home information. Furthermore, supplementary materials such as screening form, client and health facility consent forms, home evaluation questionnaire and checklist, and client instructions were developed to facilitate and guide the implementing therapist through the aforementioned steps. Pilot testing is recommended to gain accurate and practical insights into the RHEA Framework’s usability and effectiveness.

Human ; Environment ; Work ; Philippines

RATIONALE/OBJECTIVE

Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) may be associated with meteorologic factors in temperate countries. The authors aimed to investigate the relationship between meteorologic factors and aSAH admissions in the Philippines, a tropical country with two seasons: rainy and dry.

A census review of aSAH admissions from 2015 to 2019 at a tertiary hospital was performed. Meteorologic data were collected for the same time period, and statistical analysis was performed.

A total of 660 patients were admitted for aSAH, 275 and 385 during the rainy and dry seasons, respectively. August and October had the greatest number of mean admissions (13.2) while February had the least (6.2). There was a moderate positive correlation between aSAH admissions and mean temperature. Negligible to weak negative correlations were seen between aSAH admissions and humidity, barometric pressure and precipitation. However, there was no correlation on regression analysis.

There were no significant differences in aSAH admissions between rainy and dry seasons. The authors found an increase in aSAH admissions during months with higher temperatures and HI, and weak to negligible negative correlations between aSAH admissions and humidity, barometric pressure, and precipitation. These findings may inform health care facilities in terms of readiness for aSAH admissions.

INTRODUCTION

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are a leading global health concern. Modifiable behavioral risk factors are increasingly recognized in young adults, especially among medical students who often live independently. This study investigated the association between living alone and modifiable cardiovascular risk factors—sleep quality, sodium intake, physical activity, and body mass index (BMI)—among medical students at UERMMMCI during the 2022-2023 academic year.

Researchers conducted an analytical cross-sectional study among 220 medical students. Validated tools were used: Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Scored Sodium Questionnaire, International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), and BMI classification. Researchers performed statistical analyses using Chi-square tests and calculated relative risks (RR) with 95% confidence intervals.

A significant positive association was found between living alone and poor sleep quality (RR 2.132 p = 0.047). No significant associations were observed between living alone and sodium intake (RR 0.96 p = 0.6868), physical activity (RR 1.18 p = 0.2239), or BMI (RR 1.03 p = 0.7367).

Among the studied cardiovascular risk factors, only poor sleep quality was significantly more prevalent among students living alone. These findings highlight the importance of interventions targeting sleep hygiene in this demographic.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

The drug problem in the Philippines is influenced by various factors, but research on the specific risk factors and onset of drug use—an early predictor of severe drug abuse—is limited. This crosssectional study aims to identify factors associated with the onset of illicit drug use, focusing on variables such as sex, perceived socioeconomic status, adverse life events (including physical, verbal, and sexual abuse, and bullying), adverse home environments (like family substance abuse and parental separation), and premorbidities (such as anxiety and depression). Understanding these factors is crucial since early drug use often predicts more severe abuse later.

This cross-sectional study involved 354 participants aged 7 to 34 years, all undergoing rehabilitation for at least three months. Data were collected through self-administered questionnaires at their rehabilitation centers. Regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between the onset of drug use and the identified risk factors.

Regression analysis revealed that, apart from premorbidities, all the examined factors were significantly correlated with the onset of drug use. Specifically, being male, having higher affluence, experiencing more adverse life events, and living in a more adverse home environment were associated with an earlier onset of drug use. Among these factors, adverse life events and home environment were the strongest predictors of the onset of illicit drug use, while premorbidities did not show a significant relationship with drug use onset.

The study highlights that sex, socioeconomic status, adverse life events, and home environment are significant in the early onset of drug use, while premorbidities are not. Early intervention should focus on these key risk factors. A risk-focused approach, guided by biopsychosocial perspectives, is recommended. Targeted interventions should address adverse life events and home environments to prevent early drug use and subsequent abuse effectively.

The reduction of nitrate to nitrite by the oral microbiota has been proposed to be important for oral health and results in nitric oxide formation that can improve cardiometabolic conditions. Studies of bacterial composition in subgingival plaque suggest that nitrate-reducing bacteria are associated with periodontal health, but the impact of periodontitis on nitrate-reducing capacity (NRC) and, therefore, nitric oxide availability has not been evaluated. The current study aimed to evaluate how periodontitis affects the NRC of the oral microbiota. First, 16S rRNA sequencing data from five different countries were analyzed, revealing that nitrate-reducing bacteria were significantly lower in subgingival plaque of periodontitis patients compared with healthy individuals (P < 0.05 in all five datasets with n = 20-82 samples per dataset). Secondly, subgingival plaque, saliva, and plasma samples were obtained from 42 periodontitis patients before and after periodontal treatment. The oral NRC was determined in vitro by incubating saliva with 8 mmol/L nitrate (a concentration found in saliva after nitrate-rich vegetable intake) and compared with the NRC of 15 healthy individuals. Salivary NRC was found to be diminished in periodontal patients before treatment (P < 0.05) but recovered to healthy levels 90 days post-treatment. Additionally, the subgingival levels of nitrate-reducing bacteria increased after treatment and correlated negatively with periodontitis-associated bacteria (P < 0.01). No significant effect of periodontal treatment on the baseline saliva and plasma nitrate and nitrite levels was found, indicating that differences in the NRC may only be revealed after nitrate intake. Our results suggest that an impaired NRC in periodontitis could limit dietary nitrate-derived nitric oxide levels, and the effect on systemic health should be explored in future studies.
Humans ; Nitrates ; Nitric Oxide ; Nitrites ; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics* ; Periodontitis/microbiology* ; Bacteria ; Dental Plaque/microbiology* ; Saliva/microbiology* ; Microbiota/genetics*

Humans ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome ; Constipation/therapy* ; Probiotics/therapeutic use* ; Patients

The chloroplast genome encodes many key proteins involved in photosynthesis and other metabolic processes, and metabolites synthesized in chloroplasts are essential for normal plant growth and development. Root-UVB (ultraviolet radiation B)-sensitive (RUS) family proteins composed of highly conserved DUF647 domain belong to chloroplast proteins. They play an important role in the regulation of various life activities such as plant morphogenesis, material transport and energy metabolism. This article summarizes the recent advances of the RUS family proteins in the growth and development of plants such as embryonic development, photomorphological construction, VB6 homeostasis, auxin transport and anther development, with the aim to facilitate further study of its molecular regulation mechanism in plant growth and development.
Female ; Pregnancy ; Humans ; Ultraviolet Rays ; Biological Transport ; Chloroplasts/genetics* ; Embryonic Development ; Plant Development/genetics*

Due to the advancement of 16S rRNA sequencing technology, the lower respiratory tract microbiota, which was considered non-existent, has been revealed. The correlation between these microorganisms and diseases such as tumor has been a hot topic in recent years. As the bacteria in the surrounding can infiltrate the tumors, researchers have also begun to pay attention to the biological behavior of tumor bacteria and their interaction with tumors. In this review, we present the characteristic of the lower respiratory tract bacteria and summarize recent research findings on the relationship between these microbiota and lung cancer. On top of that, we also summarize the basic feature of bacteria in tumors and focus on the characteristic of the bacteria in lung cancer. The relationship between bacteria in lung cancer and tumor development is also been discussed. Finally, we review the potential clinical applications of bacterial communities in the lower respiratory tract and lung cancer, and summarize key points of sample collection, sequencing, and contamination control, hoping to provide new ideas for the screening and treatment of tumors.
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Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics* ; Bacteria/genetics* ; Microbiota ; Respiratory System ; Lung/microbiology*

BACKGROUND: There are few multi-city studies on the association between temperature and mortality in basin climates. This study was based on the Sichuan Basin in southwest China to assess the association of basin temperature with non-accidental mortality in the population and with the temperature-related mortality burden. METHODS: Daily mortality data, meteorological and air pollution data were collected for four cities in the Sichuan Basin of southwest China. We used a two-stage time-series analysis to quantify the association between temperature and non-accidental mortality in each city, and a multivariate meta-analysis was performed to obtain the overall cumulative risk. The attributable fractions (AFs) were calculated to access the mortality burden attributable to non-optimal temperature. Additionally, we performed a stratified analyses by gender, age group, education level, and marital status. RESULTS: A total of 751,930 non-accidental deaths were collected in our study. Overall, 10.16% of non-accidental deaths could be attributed to non-optimal temperatures. A majority of temperature-related non-accidental deaths were caused by low temperature, accounting for 9.10% (95% eCI: 5.50%, 12.19%), and heat effects accounted for only 1.06% (95% eCI: 0.76%, 1.33%). The mortality burden attributable to non-optimal temperatures was higher among those under 65 years old, females, those with a low education level, and those with an alternative marriage status. CONCLUSIONS Our study suggested that a significant association between non-optimal temperature and non-accidental mortality. Those under 65 years old, females, and those with a low educational level or alternative marriage status had the highest attributable burden.
Female ; Humans ; China/epidemiology* ; Cities ; Cold Temperature ; Hot Temperature ; Mortality ; Temperature ; Time Factors ; Middle Aged ; Male