cometadata/datacite-rtg-text-other-reclassification-records huggingface dataset:
Youth co-design of a mobile Personal Exposure Toolkit (PET)
Creators: name: University Of California Office Of The President
Publisher: name: University of California Office of the President
publisherIdentifier: https://ror.org/00dmfq477
publisherIdentifierScheme: ROR
Year: 2024

description: California youth aged 13 to 24 are faced with a high prevalence of tobacco use and many experience secondhand tobacco smoke exposure at home and outdoors. Secondhand tobacco smoke exposure has many acute health effects including exacerbation of asthma, respiratory infections, nasal and eye irritation, and lung irritation, with long-term impacts including lung cancer and heart disease. To address disparities in tobacco use and tobacco smoke exposure in certain populations, include African Americans (AA) and American Indians (AI), we propose a study that engages youth as Citizen Scientists to help them engage in advocacy for smoke free dining and smoke-free apartments. In close collaboration with AA and AI youth, this study develops a mobile phone application with accompanying mobile particle sensor to enable youth to assess real-time exposures in outdoor dining and apartment settings. The tool will allow youth to directly measure and learn about exposure and to share their findings with peers, policy makers, and others in their community. We hypothesize that this tool will be engaging and easy to use, will increase awareness of tobacco smoke health risks, will be used by youth in tobacco prevention and smoke-free activities, and ultimately will increase the likelihood of smoke-free policy adoption. After the completion of this study, we will work with our tobacco control partners in California to apply the toolkit as part of ongoing campaigns for smoke-free dining and smoke-free multi-unit housing.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Smoking Cessation in High Risk Veterans
Creators: name: University Of California Office Of The President
Publisher: name: University of California Office of the President
publisherIdentifier: https://ror.org/00dmfq477
publisherIdentifierScheme: ROR
Year: 2024

description: Individuals with behavioral health problems are a significant tobacco-related health disparity group in that they are more likely to use tobacco and evidence disproportionate consequences from their use. Cigarette smoking is strongly associated with symptoms of emotional distress, while cessation is associated with significant reductions in symptoms of anxiety and depression and improved mental health functioning. Individuals with who have difficulty managing negative emotions (emotional dysregulation) may be especially vulnerable to tobacco dependence and have particular difficulties with smoking cessation. Because cessation studies commonly exclude smokers exhibiting emotional dysregulation (such as recent suicidality and/or acute emotional instability), little extant evidence is available to inform optimal treatment approaches for these smokers.

 Dialectical behavior therapy skills group (DBT-SG) is an evidence-based approach to addressing dysregulation of emotion, teaching skills to help manage emotions more effectively. Preliminary empirical work suggests DBT may also be an effective approach to addressing smoking cessation. Difficulty managing negative emotions is a common reason for smoking cessation failure, suggesting that group DBT may be an effective intervention for cessation. We propose to conduct a pilot treatment study with veterans at risk for suicide as an initial step to developing and evaluating the utility of DBT for smoking cessation in subgroups with high levels of emotion dysregulation.

 The primary aims of the proposed study are to 1) adapt a 12-week, manualized DBT-based group intervention for smoking cessation (DBT-C); 2) conduct a randomized trial testing whether DBT-C has better smoking cessation outcomes than standard smoking cessation treatment (SCCT); 3) evaluate whether DBT-C participants have greater improvements on measures of emotion regulation, mood and suicidality than those in the SSCT conditions; and 4) examine acceptability and feasibility of the intervention.
Public hearing before Assembly Energy and Natural Resources Committee on AR-45 (Directs the Energy and Natural Resources Committee to study the dumping of untreated sewerage in the coastal waters)
Creators: name: No Name Supplied
Publisher: name: No Publisher Supplied
Year: 1984

description: This document includes transcription of testimony given by elected officials, representatives of state and local agencies, among them the NJ Department of Environmental Protection, environmental organizations and concerned citizens at the public hearing held on August 20, 1984 about dumping of untreated sewage in the coastal waters. The appendices include additional testimony, clippings and letters from local organizations and residents.
Deep wells of the New Jersey coastal plain
Creators: name: Kasabach, Haig F.
name: Scudder, Ronald J.
Publisher: name: No Publisher Supplied
Year: 1961

description: The objective of the study was to determine the deepest well or deeper wells with adequate well records or logs in each township or municipal subdivision of the Coastal Plain counties. It was felt that the study would serve two purposes: (1) It would indicate the maximum amount or knowledge in any municipal subdivision. (2) It would indicate areas where adequate subsurface information was lacking. Some areas such as State Parks have not been developed and hence contain no wells. Deep wells are also lacking in some of the southern counties where adequate supplies can be obtained from shallow wells in the Cohansey formation.
Retranscription interview Ismaila Ba, coordinateur général, MCU, Dakar
Creators: name: Costantini, Stephane
Publisher: name: NAKALA - https://nakala.fr (Huma-Num - CNRS)
publisherIdentifier: https://ror.org/04ces3204
publisherIdentifierScheme: ROR
Year: 2024

description: Retranscription interview Ismaila Ba, coordinateur général, MCU, Dakar. Enregistré à Maison Des Cultures Urbaines, Ouakam, Dakar, Sénégal.
description: modified: jamais modifié
Physiphora Fallen 1810
Creators: name: El-Hawagry, Magdi S.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2017
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Diptera
Ulidiidae
Physiphora

description: Genus PHYSIPHORA Fallén
Physiphora Fallén, 1810: 11. Type species: Chrysomyza splendida Fallén, 1817 (= Musca alceae Preyssler, 1791), by subsequent monotypy in Fallén 1817a.
Chrysomyza Fallén, 1817b: 3. Type species: Chrysomyza splendida Fallén, 1817 (= Musca alceae Preyssler, 1791), monotypy. Cliochloria Enderlein, 1927: 103. Type species: Musca aenea Fabricius, 1794, original designation.
description: Published as part of El-Hawagry, Magdi S., 2017, Catalogue of Egyptian Tephritoidea (Diptera: Schizophora: Acalyptratae), pp. 151-190 in Zootaxa 4299 (2) on page 180, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4299.2.1, http://zenodo.org/record/843233
Training the Next Generation of Tobacco Control Advocates in the San Joaquin Valley
Creators: name: University Of California Office Of The President
Publisher: name: University of California Office of the President
publisherIdentifier: https://ror.org/00dmfq477
publisherIdentifierScheme: ROR
Year: 2024

description: California Endgame’s goal to end tobacco use in the state by 2035 requires strengthening tobacco control capacity in all regions of the state, including under-resourced areas like San Joaquin Valley (SJV). A major challenge to advancing tobacco control goals in the region has been cultivating local tobacco control advocates that understand the challenges in the region and are a part of the local community. The purpose of this proposal is to recruit and train the next generation of tobacco control advocates in the San Joaquin Valley. Leveraging the research resources and activity of the UC Merced Nicotine and Cannabis Policy Center (NCPC) and content training at California State University, Stanislaus (CSUS), we will train the next generation of regional tobacco control leaders. Training will focus on three activities: classroom training, research, and tobacco control advocacy. Specifically, students will enroll in identified courses related to tobacco control at CSUS, including courses in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), policy, psychology, and epidemiology. Students will also take part in NCPC’s Training Core internship program. As an NCPC intern, students will be paired with research mentors at UC Merced who will mentor students through a collaborative, team science project focused on tobacco control issues in the region. Last, students will be assigned to a public health department/local lead agency (LLA) as an intern who will assist the LLA on one local tobacco control policy issue. Together, these three activities will provide CSU students a breadth of tobacco control experience. Moreover, the training these students will receive will not only provide instrumental support for local tobacco control activities, but also will provide sustainability to the tobacco control workforce in the region.
Cellular and Molecular Disruptions of the Cephalic Epithelium as Causes of Orofacial Cleft
Creators: name: University Of California Office Of The President
Publisher: name: University of California Office of the President
publisherIdentifier: https://ror.org/00dmfq477
publisherIdentifierScheme: ROR
Year: 2024

description: Orofacial clefts (OFCs) are devastating birth defects that include cleft lip and cleft of the secondary palate (split roof of the mouth). During development, facial prominences containing different types of cells must join to form the upper lip and palate. OFCs occur when the upper lip and/or the palate do not close correctly during embryonic development. A causative relationship has been established between maternal cigarette smoking in early pregnancy and OFCs, as highlighted in the 2014 Surgeon General’s report. Animal studies have demonstrated the detrimental effects of smoke-associated chemicals on the embryo. For example, nicotine impairs palate closure in mice. As mice are a robust model to study the formation of the face, our laboratory has engineered mouse lines with loss of specific genes (Pbx) encoding DNA-binding proteins, which are critical for embryonic development. These mice exhibit OFCs. Notably, a recent study reported that children with OFCs whose mother smoked during pregnancy were more likely to carry specific variants of the human gene IRF6, which works with PBX during head development. Our initial data in mice indicate that before the facial prominences join together, there are 6 different types of cells that make up the tissue layer covering the embryonic head. The cells located at the tips of facial prominences, that we termed “fusion effectors”, exhibit high expression levels of genes associated with OFC. Furthermore, the abundance of “fusion effector” cells is altered in embryos with OFC that lack Pbx genes. Based on our laboratory’s previous results, I hypothesize that the “fusion effector” cells are essential for fusion of the facial prominences and are affected in different mouse models of OFC . To this end, I will: 1) Locate the “fusion effector” cells across development; 2) Define the specific genes expressed by the “fusion effectors”; and 3) Determine whether observed changes in the “fusion effector” cells of mice with Pbx mutations, which exhibit OFC, are also present in mice with Irf6 mutations, which also display OFC. Discovery of new genes and molecular pathways required for normal lip and palate fusion will ultimately provide novel therapeutic targets to mitigate the effects of embryonic exposure to tobacco smoke.
Development of a Combined Conveyor and Heat Extractor for use in Pupuru Processing Plant
Creators: name: Nigerian Journal of Engineering Science Research (NIJESR).
Publisher: name: Nigerian Journal of Engineering Science Research
Year: 2024

description: Cassava (Manihot esculenta, Crantz), when processed into food for human consumption yields different taste of food products, such as pupuru. Pupuru is highly rich essential body nutrients However, the traditional methods of processing it is unproductive when compared to the energy input and incapable of meeting the global demands. These challenges have triggered efforts towards mechanizing its processing, with the intention of alleviating them. Based on this, this study focused on development of an automatic combined conveyor-heat extractor to be utilized in achieving these tasks in 10 kg/batch pupuru processing plant. An automatic combined conveyor and heat extractor was developed with locally sourced materials. The machine, basically, comprises the: feeding system, screw conveyor, gear reduction motor, extraction fans and frame. Five set of experiments were carried out in order to evaluate its performance. The results revealed that the machine has average throughput capacity of  24.47 kg/h and is capable of reducing the heat content of pupuru lumps from 80 oC to 27 oC. The results also revealed that the performance of the machine improves with decrease in the moisture content and increase in the heat content. It was concluded that that the incorporation of this machine into the processing line is an advantage in enhancing food security
Roles of the ESCRT machinery, a target of tobacco smoke, in orofacial clefting
Creators: name: University Of California Office Of The President
Publisher: name: University of California Office of the President
publisherIdentifier: https://ror.org/00dmfq477
publisherIdentifierScheme: ROR
Year: 2024

description: Tobacco is the most commonly used substance during pregnancy in the U.S. Cigarette smoke contains about 7,000 substances derived from burning tobacco and additives. Many of these chemicals are harmful to human health. Pregnant women exposed to cigarette smoke absorb nicotine and other components into their bodies, putting the fetus in contact with these toxic substances. Smoking during pregnancy has been associated with complications such as miscarriage, preterm birth, sudden infant death syndrome, and orofacial cleft (OC), including cleft lip (split upper lip), cleft palate (split roof of the mouth), or both. Children affected by OC need feeding and speech assistance, as well as one or multiple repair surgeries throughout their lives. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has reported that prenatal exposure to cigarette smoke significantly increases the risk of OC in newborns. Furthermore, several studies in animal models have shown that smoke-associated chemicals induce multiple fetal malformations. Nicotine, the primary teratogenic substance contained in tobacco, impairs the closure of the palate in mouse models, leading to OC. Nicotine exerts its effects by binding and activating specific molecules, named nicotinic receptors, present in the fetal face and palate. To prevent accumulation of these activated receptors, the cell employs a degradation system that acts as the cell’s “vacuum cleaner,” known as the ESCRT (Endosomal Sorting Complexes Required for Transport) machinery. Interestingly, it has been reported that cigarette smoke extract leads to misfunction of the ESCRT machinery. I have discovered that cleft palate -a birth defect linked to prenatal tobacco exposure in humans- is observed in mouse models where the ESCRT machinery is not functional. Altogether, these data suggest that the ESCRT machinery directs palatal closure by regulating the cellular levels of specific molecules, including those receptors that specifically bind nicotine. Using engineered mouse lines lacking components of the ESCRT machinery, I aim to identify ESCRT-dependent pathways that are critical for fetal palatal closure. The discovery of new molecules and pathways required for normal face and mouth development will provide novel targets for preventive strategies to mitigate the effects of prenatal tobacco exposure in humans, opening new paths toward repair of OC.
Role of pesticides in triggering electronic cigarette associated lung injury
Creators: name: University Of California Office Of The President
Publisher: name: University of California Office of the President
publisherIdentifier: https://ror.org/00dmfq477
publisherIdentifierScheme: ROR
Year: 2024

description: Nearly 3,000 cases have been diagnosed with electronic cigarette or vaping associated lung injury (EVALI). Although cases of EVALI are on the decline, it is important to still understand the mechanism of EVALI to avoid a future outbreak.

 Although the mechanism of EVALI is largely unknown, EVALI has been associated with using unregulated vaping products, such as marijuana. One family of chemicals used when growing marijuana are pesticides. Pesticides are applied to marijuana plants in order to eliminate bacteria and fungus. Recent reports by media outlets such as NBC Today identify that illegally sold vape products contain a high amount of pesticides; potentially as high as 51 times the safe limit. Of concern is pesticides, such as the antifungals used on marijuana plants, can inhibit the enzyme aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) responsible for metabolizing the toxic aldehydes (acetaldehyde, formaldehyde, and acrolein) inhaled within electronic cigarette aerosol. In this regard, we will test whether pesticides commonly used on plants can inhibit ALDH2 and in turn block the ability to metabolize the toxic aldehydes in electronic cigarette aerosol. Blocking this metabolism of electronic cigarette aerosol will then lead to triggering pulmonary injury.

 To understand the mechanism of EVALI, we will examine how acute inhibition of ALDH2 by pesticides influence the cellular damage caused by aldehydes present in vaping aerosol. When considered in the context of e-cigarette use, we have a unique set of tools with specific skill sets that can determine how the aldehydes in electronic cigarettes, when coupled with pesticides, affects the lung and contributes to the mechanism of EVALI. The work can also open opportunities to develop potential treatment strategies to limit the detrimental effects aldehydes within electronic cigarettes may cause on the lung.
Physiphora alceae
Creators: name: El-Hawagry, Magdi S.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2017
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Diptera
Ulidiidae
Physiphora
Physiphora alceae

description: Physiphora alceae (Preyssler, 1791)
Musca alceae Preyssler, 1791: 129. Bohemia (Czech Republic) (Preyssler’s types are not known to be in existence and are most likely to have been destroyed, see: Rozkosny, Chvala & Pont 1982).
Musca demandata Fabricius, 1798: 564. Unspecified type. Germany (Kiel) (ZMUC).
Chrysomyza splendida Fallén, 1817c: 4. Unspecified type. Sweden (Scania: Esperod) (?).
Ulidia smaragdi Walker, 1849: 1059. Type unknown (BMNH).
Distribution. Cosmopolitan.
Egyptian localities. Common everywhere.
Plants from which flies were swept. Flies of this species can be found commonly around accumulations of
decaying vegetation of any plant species and dung (Allen & Foote 1967; Hafez 1939).
Dates of collection. Throughout the year.
description: Published as part of El-Hawagry, Magdi S., 2017, Catalogue of Egyptian Tephritoidea (Diptera: Schizophora: Acalyptratae), pp. 151-190 in Zootaxa 4299 (2) on page 180, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4299.2.1, http://zenodo.org/record/843233
Effects of Legalized Recreational Marijuana on Tobacco Use across Racialized Groups
Creators: name: University Of California Office Of The President
Publisher: name: University of California Office of the President
publisherIdentifier: https://ror.org/00dmfq477
publisherIdentifierScheme: ROR
Year: 2024

description: Recent declines in cigarette smoking prevalence in California have been offset by increases in the use of vaping products. The legalization of recreational marijuana may promote curiosity and interest, reduce harm perceptions, and increase perceived social acceptability of use. Because of similarities in how each of these products are consumed, a concern that legalized recreational marijuana and its use may increase risk for cigarette smoking and vaping initiation, promote multiple product use, and undermine successful cessation. We will examine how marijuana use behaviors and legalized recreational marijuana policy affects disparities in cigarette smoking and vaping across racialized groups in California. We will then compare California’s cigarette and vaping rates with other US states that also legalized recreational marijuana as well as those that did not. We will analyze data from the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS), the National Survey of Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), and the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study. The Specific Aims of this project are: 1) Examine the range of cigarette smoking and vaping behaviors relative to marijuana use behaviors among adults in California; 2) Evaluate the effect of legalized recreational marijuana policy on cigarette smoking and vaping in California compared with synthetic controls of States in the US that did not implement this policy; 3) Quantify racial and ethnic disparities in cigarette smoking and vaping as impacted by legalized recreational marijuana in California.

 The proposed research is responsive to the following two TRDRP research priorities: 1) Observational studies of co-use of tobacco products with other substances including cannabis; 2) State and local tobacco control policy research to evaluate how cannabis control policy interacts with and potentially undermines tobacco control policy. This proposed project is relevant to efforts aimed at ending the commercial tobacco epidemic for all Californians by detailing how marijuana use and legalization policy may undercut past and future tobacco control progress, particularly across racialized groups in California.
Modifying Tobacco and Cannabis Waste Perceptions and Behaviors: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Creators: name: University Of California Office Of The President
Publisher: name: University of California Office of the President
publisherIdentifier: https://ror.org/00dmfq477
publisherIdentifierScheme: ROR
Year: 2024

description: Young adults, many of whom attend California public universities, experience very high levels of commercial tobacco and cannabis use. This has created a staggering amount of toxic waste from products used to consume tobacco and cannabis, which is known as tobacco, electronic cigarette, and cannabis waste (TECW). There is a need for producers of tobacco and cannabis to be responsible for the waste from their products. When people become aware of what TECW is made of and its environmental harm, they become more supportive of holding manufacturers responsible. There is therefore a pressing need to educate the public about tobacco company tactics, correct misperceptions about what smoking and vaping products are made of, and raise awareness of the profound negative environmental impact of TECW. Such interventions are particularly important among young adults who are critical stakeholders in planetary stewardship and essential to the goal of ending commercial tobacco use.

 Our proposed study will be the first to provide an intervention to change what people know about TECW and how they behave to support policies intended to reduce TECW. We will use the strongest scientific method called a randomized controlled trial. Randomization means participants have an equal chance of being placed into one of two groups, like flipping a coin. One group will receive education about TECW plus training in using a Tracker to report TECW and encounters with research assistants which will motivate and support them to use the Tracker. The other group will receive only education about TECW and a link to Tracker, but no encounters with motivation or support; this is comparable to typical education and serves as a “usual care” control group. A total of 400 young adult students from two universities, one UC and one CSU, will be recruited. Universities are important settings to influence young adults, many of whom attend California colleges. We expect our study will produce results which support actions that reduce TECW, which is a priority area in TRDRP’s Endgame Policy Platform. We expect to share the results at the local, state, and national level to academic and non-academic audiences. We also expect that our intervention can be used in multiple settings and translated to different formats. The study will move our field forward and has potential for broad impact.
High throughput toxicity assessment of electronic-cigarette and tobacco constituents on reproduction
Creators: name: University Of California Office Of The President
Publisher: name: University of California Office of the President
publisherIdentifier: https://ror.org/00dmfq477
publisherIdentifierScheme: ROR
Year: 2024

description: Tobacco use has been identified as a cause of infertility, yet there has been minimal characterization of the responsible chemical constituents needed to establish regulatory guidelines. Besides nicotine, the use of tobacco products results in increased levels of other chemicals and/or their breakdown products in the body, which could have harmful effects to reproduction. New tobacco related products such as e-cigarettes are introducing hundreds of new chemicals to the body that have not been tested for potentially causing reproductive harm. These include flavorants, additional additives and metals unique to these new delivery systems. This is particularly important given that electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are cast as a safer alternative to smoking during pregnancy. One difficulty in determining whether a chemical produces reproductive defects is that a chemical’s effect can harm the ability of the next generation to reproduce because the process to make sperm and egg starts in the fetus. This means the toxic effect of the chemical would take a long time to appear - only when the next generation tries to reproduce. Typically, the reproductive toxicity of the chemical is evaluated in rodents, which is costly, time-consuming and poses ethical dilemmas for animal testing. Therefore, in light of the large and increasing number of potential compounds associated with e-cigarette technology, there is a pressing need to develop fast and reliable, alternative strategies to test a broader number and range of chemicals. Towards this goal, we have developed a high-throughput testing system for evaluating tobacco-related chemicals that cause failure in the process to make sperm and eggs known as meiosis. This system uses yeast instead of rodents which allows us to test many chemicals quickly. We will validate this yeast-based testing system by seeing if the same reproductive toxicities are seen in a worm-based system and a rodent based system. We will see whether the yeast system alone, or a combination of yeast and worm testing systems, can reliably predict mammalian reproductive toxicity and thus can be used to identify potential tobacco-related human reproductive health effects.
Is Organic Beef Really Different from Non-Organic?
Creators: name: Hodshon, Brett
name: Iyer, Shruti
name: Levesque, Renée
name: Fagan, Julie M.
Publisher: name: No Publisher Supplied
Year: 2012

description: Organic cattle are processed in the same way as non-organic cattle and there are chemical additives in organic beef that people should be aware of.
description: Although organic cattle are raised separately and with different regulations than non-organic cattle, when the beef is processed, there is little to no difference. Furthermore, organic meat cannot be processed at the same exact time as non-organic meat in a given facility, it can be processed using the same machinery in the same exact way. This raises questions as to whether organic and non-organic meat are actually different and if the processing facilities are carrying out the necessary precautions to make sure there is no cross-contamination of the meat being labeled as “organic”. These findings will be brought to the attention of the North Central Regional Association of State Agricultural Experiment Station Directors (NCRA) and United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Committee on Agriculture Bioethics. It is hoped that these groups take action to remove the term “organic” when describing beef processing and packaging.
Theoretical Derivation of the Fine structure Constant via a Hypothetical Particle with Granular Electric Charge
Creators: name: Masoud Tavassoli Jahromi
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2025
Subjects: fine structure constant
electric charge
spin
intrinsic mass
magnetic moment

description: Despite its central role in quantum physics,the origin of the fine-structure constant (alpha) remains an open question and a profound mystery.This paper aims to demonstrate how the granularity of electric charge may reveal not only the origin of (alpha) but also the underlying mechanisms behind half-integer spin,magnetic moment,and intrinsic mass.We propose a hypothetical particle with granular electric charge,where each grain possesses an angular velocity degree of freedom.By applying angular momentum quantization to the hypothetical particle,we establish a relationship between Planck’s constant and electromagnetic quantities,leading to a natural derivation of the fine-structure constant.Our numerical calculations yield a value of 0.0072973550 for the fine-structure constant,matching experimental measurements to eight decimal places.The minor difference may be reduced using more accurate numerical solution algorithms.The granular charge model provides explanations for quantum properties of the hypothetical particle that are traditionally regarded as intrinsic to elementary particles,including half-integer spin and magnetic moment.The model further suggests that stability of the distributed granular charge against electrostatic repulsion is achieved through a mechanism of gyromagnetic attraction between rotating grains,offering a new perspective on electrostatic stability.It is proved that the hypothetical particle with granular electric charge can naturally possess only the elementary charge (+/-e) in the form of a particle or an antiparticle.The granular electric charge hypothesis may offer new avenues for investigating the origins of physical constants and fundamental properties,integrating key aspects of quantum mechanics and electromagnetism.
Multimodal precision therapy to prevent tobacco-related head and neck cancer
Creators: name: University Of California Office Of The President
Publisher: name: University of California Office of the President
publisherIdentifier: https://ror.org/00dmfq477
publisherIdentifierScheme: ROR
Year: 2024

description: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNC) is the sixth most common cancer worldwide. Tobacco use is the main risk factor for HNC, and tobacco-associated HNCs have poor prognosis and response to current available treatments. Treating tobacco-associated HNC has been notoriously challenging since new cancer treatments are inaccessible to tobacco-burdened communities (e.g., youth and underprivileged communities), and because of the lack of precise treatment options that specifically treats the genetic makeup of the tumor and its surrounding immune system. For this, drug combinations that can exploit the genetics of tobacco-associated HNC to both prevent tumor growth and stimulate the immune system to eradicate the tumor in a synergistic manner are needed. Recently, our lab showed that patients with tobacco-related precancer lesions benefit from the treatment with the type II diabetes drug, metformin, resulting in complete regression in ~20% of patients and reduced severity in ~60% of patients. Metformin treatment inactivates a protein called mTOR, which HNC cells utilize to grow and survive. Furthermore, previous studies show that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspirin, can stimulate an immune system attack against tumors by inhibiting a protein called COX-2, which tumors use to release inflammatory mediators to its surroundings to suppress and evade an immune system response. For this proposal, I hypothesize that a combination therapy consisting of metformin and NSAIDs will be able to synergistically abolish tobacco-associated HNC tumors by ceasing tumor growth and progression through mTOR inhibition, in addition to recruiting and stimulating immune cells to produce an anti-tumor attack. For this proposal, I will utilize the lab’s recently developed tobacco-associated HNC mouse model — which is genetically 93.9% similar to tobacco-associated human tumors — in order to test my hypothesis. This drug combination serves as a precision medicine approach as it targets multiple components of tobacco-associated HNC biology. Moreover, this combination therapy serves as an accessible treatment option for tobacco-burdened communities that struggle to afford cancer treatments since both are government-approved, commonly prescribed, and low-cost drugs with well-established safety profiles that can be readily purchased at local pharmacies.
Chamaecrista flexuosa
Creators: name: Silva, Lucas
name: Thomaz, Luciana Dias
name: Dutra, Valquíria Ferreira
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2018
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Plantae
Tracheophyta
Magnoliopsida
Fabales
Fabaceae
Chamaecrista
Chamaecrista flexuosa

description: 1.2 Chamaecrista flexuosa (L.) Greene, Pittonia 4: 27. 1899.
Ervas, 40-70 cm alt.; ramos glabros, inermes. Estípulas 6-8,6 × 1-2 mm, lanceoladas, livres, persistentes. Folhas paripinadas, 76-88-folioladas; pecíolos 3,5-4 mm compr., puberulentos; raque foliar ca. 65 mm compr., esparsopubescente; folíolos 6-9 × 0,7-1,6 mm, elípticos, base oblíqua, ápice mucronado, margem inteira, faces adaxial e abaxial glabras; nectários foliares peciolares, caliciformes. Flores solitárias, axilares, assimétricas, pentâmeras, não ressupinadas; cálice dialissépalo, pentâmero, 6,6- 9,5 × 2-4,8 mm, sépalas lanceoladas, vináceas, glabras; corola dialipétala, pentâmera, pétalas ca. 15 × 10 mm, elípticas, amarelas; estames 10, livres, 5,7-6,8 mm compr., homodínamos; filetes amarelos; anteras uniformes, 5-6,1 mm compr., poricidas; estaminódios ausentes; ovário 8 mm compr., séssil, puberulento a tomentoso; estilete 2 mm compr., glabro. Legumes 4,1-5,9 × 4,6 cm, glabros, elasticamente deiscentes. Sementes 8-16, retangulares, 2,5-3,7 × 1,7-2 mm, acinzentadas a oliváceas.
Espécie ocorrente no América do Sul: México, Cuba, Colômbia, Venezuela, Guiana, Suriname, Bolívia, Paraguai, Argentina e Brasil (Irwin & Barneby 1982). No Brasil ocorre em todos os Estados brasileiros, nos Domínios Fitogeográficos da Amazônia, Caatinga, Cerrado, Mata Atlântica e Pantanal (BFG 2015, material suplementar). No PNMJ ocorre em vegetação Arbustiva Aberta Não Inundável. Coletada com flores e frutos em julho.
Diferencia-se das demais espécies de Chamaecrista presentes na área de estudo pelos ramos flexuosos e folíolos mais numerosos que nas demais espécies (76-88 vs. 2-40).
Material examinado: BRASIL. ESPÍRITO SANTO, Vila Velha, Parque Natural Municipal de Jacarenema, 25.VII.2012, L. A. Silva 104 (VIES).
Material adicional examinado: BRASIL, ESPÍRITO SANTO, Vila Velha, Interlagos, 26.VII.2012, L. A. Silva 323 (VIES).
description: Published as part of Silva, Lucas, Thomaz, Luciana Dias & Dutra, Valquíria Ferreira, 2018, Leguminosae no Parque Natural Municipal de Jacarenema, Vila Velha, Espírito Santo, Brasil, pp. 261-289 in Iheringia, Série Botânica 73 (3) on page 268, DOI: 10.21826/2446-8231201873305, http://zenodo.org/record/10950818
Chemistry-derived toxicity of electronic-cigarette aerosols
Creators: name: University Of California Office Of The President
Publisher: name: University of California Office of the President
publisherIdentifier: https://ror.org/00dmfq477
publisherIdentifierScheme: ROR
Year: 2024

description: The global market share for electronic cigarettes as delivery systems for nicotine, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and other psychoactive substances, has grown exponentially. Correspondingly, electronic cigarette usage (vaping) has become a significant health concern, particularly among young people. Although touted as a “less harmful” alternative to conventional tobacco cigarettes, there are certain device operation (e.g., coil temperature, type, age) and vape liquid conditions that produce toxic carbonyls (e.g., formaldehyde or acrolein) or reactive radicals in yields that are comparable to combustible cigarettes. However, the ability for some key vape ingredients to impact the toxicology of aerosols in response to device operation is not well understood. The proposed work investigates how vaping nicotine or nicotine salts and certain flavor additives at different device operation conditions (coil type, temperature, puffing) can impact respiratory health through their impact on the aerosol emissions. One specific focus of our research is how nicotine salt usage in JUUL and other popular vape brands interact with metal coils to modify the release of metals or cause radical formation, and thus, induce oxidative stress or other health outcomes in cell in culture and in mice. A second focus of our research is on phenol flavorant compounds that are relevant to current tobacco-flavored vape products on the market, and terpene flavorants that are relevant to the increasingly popular cannabis vape products. We will study effects of short-term and longer-term exposure in cell culture and in mice to vaping aerosols on inflammation, oxidative stress, and changes in cell/tissue function, which we will link to the detailed chemical composition of the vaping aerosols. The chemical characterization will focus on specific toxicants in vaping aerosols such as radicals, toxic metals, and toxic carbonyl compounds. We will apply human health risk assessment methods to understand how the findings from the chemistry, cell culture models, and mouse inhalation studies apply to human health and disease. This proposal combines the diverse expertise of four investigators in cutting-edge analytical chemistry, in vivo and in vitro pulmonary biology and respiratory health, and human health risk assessment to understand the chemistry-derived toxicity of electronic cigarette aerosols.
Physiphora elbae Steyskal 1968
Creators: name: El-Hawagry, Magdi S.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2017
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Diptera
Ulidiidae
Physiphora
Physiphora elbae

description: Physiphora elbae Steyskal, 1968
Physiphora elbae Steyskal, 1968: 124. Holotype. Egypt (Gebel Elba: Wadi Edeib) (EFC); Paratypes. South Sudan (Wau) (BMNH).
Distribution. AF: Eastern and Southern Africa, Egypt [Gebel Elba].
Egyptian localities. Gebel Elba: Wadi Edeib.
Plants from which flies were swept. Spurge (Euphorbia nubica N.E. BR.).
Dates of collection. June.
description: Published as part of El-Hawagry, Magdi S., 2017, Catalogue of Egyptian Tephritoidea (Diptera: Schizophora: Acalyptratae), pp. 151-190 in Zootaxa 4299 (2) on page 180, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4299.2.1, http://zenodo.org/record/843233
Hazards to Caffeine in Energy Drinks and Healthy Alternatives
Creators: name: Gentile, Sydney L.
name: Khan, Mikail S.
name: McCaw, Carolyn R.
name: Fagan, Julie M.
Publisher: name: No Publisher Supplied
Year: 2012

description: The OTC supplement, Citicoline may really enhance brain function aiding in memory, focus, and alertness
description: SummaryAs college students, there are many sleepless nights of studying for exams, writing papers, and working on projects, which usually requires extra energy. There are many hazardous issues, and dangerous ingredients in energy drinks that are not healthy or natural for the body. The current solutions for this problem are not having much effect on the general public. We feel that the product Nawgan, which is comprised of the substance citicoline, could be a healthy alternative to other harmful energy drinks. For our service project we will edit the Wikipedia site on Citicoline, which can be viewed at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/citicoline. Also, we will give out free samples of Nawgan and brochures at a Rutgers University Event.
Efficacy and Safety of AR101 in Oral Immunotherapy for Peanut Allergy: Results of ARC001, a Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Phase 2 Clinical Trial
Creators: name: Rachid, Rima
name: Vickery, Brian P.
name: MacGinnitie, Andrew J.
name: Bird, J. Andrew
name: Davis, Benjamin P.
name: Jones, Stacie M.
name: Leonard, Stephanie A.
name: ARC001 Study Group
name: Kim, Edwin H.
name: Heimall, Jennifer
name: Spergel, Jonathan M.
name: Wang, Julie
name: Laubach, Susan S.
name: Cianferoni, Antonella
name: Assa'ad, Amal H.
name: Burks, A. Wesley
name: Crestani, Elena
Publisher: name: Elsevier
Year: 2017

description:
BACKGROUND: Peanut oral immunotherapy, using a variety of approaches, has been previously shown to induce desensitization in peanut-allergic subjects, but no products have been approved for clinical use by regulatory agencies. OBJECTIVE: We performed the first phase 2 multicentered study to assess the safety and efficacy of AR101, a novel oral biologic drug product. METHODS: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted at 8 US centers. Eligible subjects were 4 to 26 years old, sensitized to peanut, and had dose-limiting symptoms to ≤143 mg of peanut protein in a screening double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenge (DBPCFC). Subjects were randomized 1:1 to daily AR101 or placebo and gradually up-dosed from 0.5 to 300 mg/day. The primary endpoint was the proportion of subjects in each arm able to tolerate ≥443 mg (cumulative peanut protein) at exit DBPCFC with no or mild symptoms. RESULTS: Fifty-five subjects (29 AR101, 26 placebo) were enrolled. In the intention-to-treat analysis, 23 of 29 (79%) and 18 of 29 (62%) AR101 subjects tolerated ≥443 mg and 1043 mg at exit DBPCFC, respectively, versus 5 of 26 (19%) and 0 of 26 (0%) placebo subjects (both P < .0001). Compared with placebo, AR101 significantly reduced symptom severity during exit DBPCFCs and modulated peanut-specific cellular and humoral immune responses. Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms were the most common treatment-related adverse events (AEs) in both groups, with 6 AR101 subjects (21%) withdrawing, 4 of those due primarily to recurrent GI AEs. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, AR101 demonstrated an acceptable safety profile and demonstrated clinical activity as a potential immunomodulatory treatment option in peanut-allergic children over the age of 4, adolescents, and young adults.
Therapeutically Targeting Mitochondrial Metabolism in Therapy-Resistant Non Small Cell Lung Cancer
Creators: name: University Of California Office Of The President
Publisher: name: University of California Office of the President
publisherIdentifier: https://ror.org/00dmfq477
publisherIdentifierScheme: ROR
Year: 2024

description: The overarching focus of this study is to identify more effective therapies that will improve the overall survival of patients with smoking related lung cancer. Recent breakthroughs with immune based therapies are now able to induce durable responses in approximately 20-30% of lung cancer patients. Unfortunately, many lung cancer patients have tumors that harbor mutations in the KRAS, LKB1 and EGFR genes have “immune cold” lung tumors that are resistance to immune based therapies. The majority of these patients who do not qualify for immune therapy will receive chemotherapy or a tyrosine kinase inhibitor with most patients developing resistance to treatment. Therefore we sought to identify a new approach – one that inhibits nutrient consumption in aggressive metabolically active lung tumors. Fast growing tumors require excessive nutrients to support tumor cell metabolism and growth. Importantly, the restriction of key metabolic pathways causes “energetic crisis” that results in tumor cell death. Simply put, if a tumor cannot eat it cannot survive.

 This approach represents a paradigm shift in the treatment of cancer as we move towards developing personalized therapeutic strategies that selectively target the metabolic needs unique to each tumor as a novel means to improve treatment outcomes. This strategy has proved effective in pre-clinical studies of KRAS, LKB1 and EGFR mutant lung tumors, which have a voracious appetite for sugar and other nutrients. By restricting specific nutrients such as sugar we are able to selectively kill highly aggressive lung tumors while preserving the normal healthy surrounding tissue. A major requirement of metabolic based targeted therapies is to have the metabolic needs of the tumor mapped out. Using imaging and molecular analysis we are able to profile and map the nutrient requirements of metabolically active tumors. This enables us to tailor precise therapies to inhibit tumor cell metabolism and growth that we anticipate will serve as effective second line treatment options for patients. In this study we will examine in depth the metabolic needs of KRAS, LKB1 and EGFR mutant lung cancer in order to identify and translate effective metabolic therapies into clinical use.
T cells in SCLC: tilting the balance towards anti-cancer effects
Creators: name: University Of California Office Of The President
Publisher: name: University of California Office of the President
publisherIdentifier: https://ror.org/00dmfq477
publisherIdentifierScheme: ROR
Year: 2024

description: Tobacco smoking is a leading risk factor for the development of lung cancer. Small cell lung cancer (SCLC), the most fatal form of lung cancer, is highly associated with tobacco smoking, with 98% of SCLC patients having a smoking history. Efforts in the past 40 years to treat SCLC have produced only marginal benefits, and as a result, SCLC remains a disease with limited therapeutic options and dismal survival rates.

 Cancer immunotherapies are revolutionizing the field of oncology. While some types of cancer benefit significantly from T cell-based immunotherapies, only limited effects of T-cell immune checkpoint inhibitors have been observed in SCLC patients. This relative lack of success raises the issue of either identifying new ways to enhance the anti-tumor activity of T cells in SCLC or completely re-thinking how SCLC cells and T cells functionally interact.
 My overall goal is to gain a better understanding of the interactions between T cells and SCLC cells to help develop better immunotherapies against SCLC in the future. My preliminary data show that T cells isolated from either mice or patients with SCLC did not display cytotoxic activity against SCLC cells. In stark contrast, I found that these tumor-associated T cells promote tumor progression by hindering apoptotic signaling in SCLC cells. This unexpected pro-survival effect of T cells on SCLC cells could explain in part the low efficiency of T cell-based immunotherapies in SCLC. Based on these observations, my specific goal is to investigate the mechanisms underlying the pro-tumor effects of T cells in SCLC. First, I will investigate how T cells promote SCLC progression, including by identifying specific pro-tumor T cell subpopulations in SCLC. Second, I will uncover the intrinsic molecular mechanism in SCLC cells that inhibits cell death in the presence of these pro-tumor T cells. Finally, I will try to reverse the anti-apoptotic effects of T cells by blocking key factors that mediate the functional interactions between T cells and SCLC cells.

 Overall, the proposed work will expand our understanding of T cell biology in SCLC. New findings on T cell function may provide novel insights into why current immunotherapies are met with mixed success and hopefully lead to the development of more successful therapeutic strategies for SCLC patients.