Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Reiq-Mediated Alarmone Signalling Regulates Growth, Stress-Induced Biofilm Formation And Spore Accumulation In Clostridioides Difficile, Areej Malik, Adenrele Oludiran, Asia Poudel, Orlando Berumen Alvarez, Charles Woodward, Erin B. Purcell

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications

The bacterial stringent response (SR) is a conserved transcriptional reprogramming pathway mediated by the nucleotide signalling alarmones, (pp)pGpp. The SR has been implicated in antibiotic survival in Clostridioides difficile, a biofilm- and spore-forming pathogen that causes resilient, highly recurrent C. difficile infections. The role of the SR in other processes and the effectors by which it regulates C. difficile physiology are unknown. C. difficile RelQ is a clostridial alarmone synthetase. Deletion of relQ dysregulates C. difficile growth in unstressed conditions, affects susceptibility to antibiotic and oxidative stressors and drastically reduces biofilm formation. While wild-type C. difficile displays increased biofilm …

Experiences With Covid-19 Stress Among Hispanic/Latino Farmworkers, Brenda Berumen-Flucker, Hadiza Galadima, Sylvia Shangani, Michele Kekeh, Muge Akpinar-Elci

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Hispanics/Latinos, particularly those that identify as foreign-born, are overrepresented in the agricultural sector in the U.S. Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, this subpopulation of farmworkers was recognized as an invaluable group of essential workers unable to implement COVID-19 protections.

METHODS: Previously validated COVID-19 stress scale measures were identified, adapted, and translated to collect COVID-19 stress data from Hispanic/Latino agricultural workers in two heavily agricultural counties in northeastern North Carolina. Participants were recruited using purposive convenience sampling. Data collection took place from June to November of 2021.

RESULTS: The majority of Hispanic/Latino agricultural workers surveyed reported experiencing worries …

Physical Activity And Sedentary Behaviors In Urban Chinese Children: Grade Level Prevalence And Academic Burden Associations, Xihe Zhu, Justin A. Haegele, Yan Tang, Xueping Wu

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

The objectives of this study were (a) to report grade level prevalence in physical activity and sedentary behaviors and (b) to examine academic burden associations with these behaviors. School-aged children (n = 48,118) reported their physical activity, perception of physical activity sufficiency, factors for activity insufficiency, homework hours, and screen time in a typical week. Data were analyzed using general linear models and logistic regression models of Complex Samples. Prevalence results showed that children had lower physical activity and lower screen viewing time, but higher homework time during transition grades (6th, 9th, and 12th) and high school years. Academic burden …