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Our program Development and Peace has stood by the people of South Sudan since before the country’s independence in 2011. During that time, Development and Peace supported several appeals made by Sudanaid (Caritas Sudan) to help communities cope with food shortages in times of crisis.
We also prioritized peacebuilding efforts in the lead-up to the referendum for independence and the transition to a new country through awareness activities to encourage peace and tolerance, as well as emergency preparations in case of the outbreak of violence.
After independence, we supported the newly formed Caritas South Sudan in becoming operational and partnered with them to provide humanitarian aid to over 27,000 households searching for a new beginning, as people displaced by years of fighting between Sudan and South Sudan began to return to their homeland.
Our current focus is responding to the growing needs of those affected by ongoing conflict and food insecurity in the country. We have been working with the Society of Daughters of Mary Immaculate (DMI) and Caritas South Sudan in providing food, water, shelter, health care, psychosocial services and access to education. Citizens also need to be supported in the long-term goals of achieving peace, reconciliation, democracy and sustainable development and as conditions permit, we will work with local organizations in forwarding these objectives.
“The DMI Sisters helped the twins by providing powdered milk and nutritious food twice per month. They also helped me with my other children by giving soap, clothes, and food. It has been a great support for us.”Mary Nyatwya Yoal, a mother of four who adopted twins orphaned by the death of their mother in childbirth and the disappearance of their father in the conflict. The issues we work on to build justice:
Peace and reconciliation The situation South Sudan is the world’s newest country, but its creation came after years of fighting between rebel groups and Sudanese forces caused by ethnic and religious tensions. In 2005, a peace treaty was signed between the two parties allowing for a referendum on independence for South Sudan. In 2010, the population in the South voted overwhelmingly in favour of separating from Sudan and the new nation of South Sudan was created in July 2011. Although the initial transition was relatively peaceful, South Sudan has struggled to coalesce into a peaceful and democratic society where sustainable development can take place and the population can live in security. Years of brutality haunt the population, and violence continues to erupt in various parts of the country. A power struggle between various political factions led to a two-year bloody civil war from 2013-2015 that came to a halt with a peace agreement was signed in August 2015. Renewed fighting in July 2016, however, has placed this peace agreement in jeopardy.
The civilian population has suffered enormously from the civil war. Thousands of people have been killed, more than 2.5 million people have been displaced and close to 5 million are living with the threat of food insecurity. Source: world Food Programme
News East Africa and northeastern Nigeria: urgent aid is needed to respond to the humanitarian crisis March 23, 2017 Development and Peace – Caritas Canada is profoundly concerned about the famine in South Sudan, and the humanitarian crises in Somalia, Yemen, and Nigeria. The situation is also very troubling in certain neighbouring countries...
Read more here Civilians caught in crossfire of renewed violence in South Sudan July 18, 2016 Violent clashes in Juba, the capital of South Sudan, have left 300 dead, and have displaced at least 35,000 people, who are taking refuge in UN camps and compounds, church grounds and the forest. Although a fragile ceasefire remains in place, it is feared that fighting could resume at any moment. Read more here Development and Peace scales up response in South Sudan as crisis persists September 25, 2014 As the political and humanitarian crisis in South Sudan continues to deteriorate, and millions face hunger in the coming months, Development and Peace is increasing its relief efforts in the country. Read more here Situation in South Sudan devastating: Interview from the field August 12, 2014 The current conflict and food crisis in South Sudan has been described as the worst in the world by the United Nations. Caritas Internationalis (CI) launched an appeal to its members worldwide to support emergency relief programs in the country. Read more here South Sudan: Conflict and hunger shatter the dreams of those who came home July 29, 2014 Zainab Rahma looks longingly at a photo in her hand. In it, she sits proudly with three of her children.
“This was just five years ago. Look how beautiful I was. We were happy. This was our life,” she says. Read more here South Sudan struggles for peace three years after independence July 8, 2014 It should be a day of celebration in South Sudan today. July 9th marks the third anniversary of the country’s hard-fought independence. Instead, the population lives amidst conflict and terror, the threat of hunger and disease looming large. Read more here South Sudan: Renewed conflict displaces nearly one million people March 18, 2014 Since becoming its own nation in 2011, South Sudan has struggled to establish a society of peace and democracy. Lingering tensions that exist between various armed political and ethnic groups, which pre-date the creation of the country, were re-ignited in December 2013, when clashes erupted in the capital Juba. Since then, violence has spread to other parts of the country. Read more here Pictures Facebook Like
In numbers
169 out of 188countries on the Human Development Index
2011Year the country came into being
9 in 10households depend on crop farming, livestock, fishing or forestry |
Who Was Pythagoras?
Pythagoras (c. 580–500 B.C.) was an ancient Greek philosopher who was interested in numbers and their meanings. He discovered the relationships between mathematics and music, proposing that sounds and their relationships with other sounds can be measured using numbers. He also proposed that the Earth is a sphere, that the Earth, Moon, and stars revolve around the Sun, and that astronomy (the study of stars, planets, and heavenly bodies) could be written as mathematical sentences...
Pythagoras (c. 580–500 B.C.) was an ancient Greek philosopher who was interested in numbers and their meanings. He discovered the relationships between mathematics and music, proposing that sounds and their relationships with other sounds can be measured using numbers. He also proposed that the Earth is a sphere, that the Earth, Moon, and stars revolve around the Sun, and that astronomy (the study of stars, planets, and heavenly bodies) could be written as mathematical sentences called equations. Pythagoras and his followers used lines, triangles, and squares made out of pebbles to represent numbers.
Today Pythagoras is best remembered for the Pythagorean theorem: The square of the length of the hypotenuse (the side of a right triangle opposite the right angle) of a right triangle equals the sum of the squares of the lengths of the triangle's other two sides.
Further Information: "Pythagoras and Pythagoreanism." Catholic Encyclopedia. [Online] Available http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/125876.htm, November 8, 2000; "Pythagoras." Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. [Online] Available http://www.utm.edu/research/iep/p/pythagor.htm, November 8, 2000; Weate, Jeremy. A Young Person's Guide to Philosophy. New York: Dorling Kindersley, 1998, p. 10. |
Home > Wellwood Monitoring Project Final Report Released
By Christy Pattengill-Semmens, REEF Director of Science
A REEF Advanced Assessment Team member surveys the fish assemblage on a restoration module at the Wellwood grounding site.Parrotfishes, such as this stoplight parrotfish terminal male, appear to be responding the quickest to restoration efforts. Photo courtesy New World Publications. The M/V Wellwood, a 122-meter freighter, ran aground in 1984 on Molasses Reef off Key Largo, Florida. The grounding destroyed 1,285 square meters of living corals. The grounding transformed the area into a flattened, barren pavement covered with coral rubble. Eighteen years after the grounding, the area resembled nearby hard ground habitat with little structure and the benthic community was dominated by gorgonians. Natural recovery to a state similar to the pre-grounding condition failed to occur within a reasonable time frame and therefore, habitat restoration was initiated in May 2002. In the Fall of 2007, REEF completed a five-year monitoring project on the fish assemblages at the Wellwood grounding site and two nearby reference areas. A Summary Report, which summarizes the results of the monitoring effort, has been completed and is available for download from the REEF Wellwood Monitoring webpage.
Baseline surveys were conducted just prior to and immediately following restoration, quarterly monitoring took place through Year 1 and semi-annual monitoring in Years 2 through 5. The primary goals of this project were to aid in the assessment of restoration efforts and provide a benchmark for long-term evaluation of the fish communities at the grounding site. Teams of REEF Advanced Assessment Team divers conducted 558 roving fish surveys and 559 belt transect surveys during the five year monitoring project.
Report Conclusions:
After initial colonization, Restoration site fish assemblage diversity, density and biomass have leveled off and remain lower than that at nearby reference areas. A total of 165 fish species were recorded at the Restoration Site during the 5-year project. In comparison, 189 were documented at the North Reference site and 207 were documented at the South Reference Site. Parrotfish and surgeonfish appear to be responding quickest to the restoration efforts, with densities and biomass values similar to that of the reference sites. Grunt and snapper species are primarily absent from the Restoration Site. The relatively short duration of this study makes it difficult for results to be teased out from natural population variability. Similarly, definitive conclusions cannot be achieved from these data due to the limited amount of time that has passed since restoration and the well-known decadal processes that are required for coral reef development. However, these data will serve as a critical baseline for assessing future changes and the effect of any future restoration efforts at the site.
For more information about the 5-year project and to read the full report, visit the REEF Wellwood Monitoring webpage. There was also a longer story about the project in the January 2008 REEF-in-Brief. Notes from the Field – 2009 REEF Grouper Moon Project
By Dr. Brice Semmens, Grouper Moon Project Scientist
Grouper Moon Project researchers and volunteers documented Nassau grouper spawning on all three Cayman Islands in 2009. This spawning release image was taken on the Little Cayman aggregation. Photo by Brice Semmens.Thousands of Nassau grouper aggregated to spawn on the west end of Little Cayman Island following the full moon in February. Photo by Phil Bush.The Cayman Brac team aboard the Glen Ellen.Grouper Moon researchers take video with lasers of individual Nassau grouper on the aggregation. The images are later analyzed to determine the size distribution of the aggregation.The Grand Cayman team happy after finding aggregating grouper. Dr. Semmens presents findings from the project to over 75 Little Cayman residents and visitors.Over 1,000 Nassau grouper were found on Cayman Brac, an area that was previously thought to only have a small, remnant spawning aggregation. Photo by Phil Bush.The path of the current drifter that was released at the Cayman Brac aggregation site on the night of spawning (19 days at sea). The current pattern is similar to that seen with drifters released on Little Cayman. Jamaica is in the southeast corner. Since 2001, REEF has led the Grouper Moon Project, a multi-faceted, collaborative research effort in the Cayman Islands aimed at better understanding Nassau grouper reproduction and the role that marine reserves can play in the long-term protection of this endangered species. The 2009 spawning season was the most ambitious to date for the project. For the first time, we had teams of researchers and volunteers stationed on each of the three Cayman Islands--Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, and Little Cayman. The field season was certainly a success; among many interesting results and accomplishments, our most exciting find was that the teams on all three islands witnessed Nassau grouper spawning on the same night (Valentine’s Day, of all days! – which happened to be 5 nights after the full moon). In 2003 the Cayman Island Marine Conservation Board instituted an 8-year fishing ban on Nassau grouper at all historically known aggregation sites in the Cayman Islands. This followed the discovery by fisherman of 7,000 aggregating Nassau grouper on the west end of Little Cayman in 2001 and the subsequent harvest of 4,000 of those fish over two spawning seasons. At the time, all other known Nassau grouper aggregations in the Cayman Islands had become inactive due to over-harvest. Thanks to a three-year grant awarded in 2008 by the Lenfest Ocean Program of the Pew Charitable Trusts, REEF is conducting research through the Grouper Moon Project to evaluate the current status of the Cayman Islands spawning aggregations and the effect of these harvest protections -- “The reproductive biology of remnant Nassau grouper stocks: implications for Cayman Islands Marine Protected Area (MPA) management”.The broad goals for the 2009 spawning season were to continue monitoring recovery in the large spawning aggregation on Little Cayman, and to expand research into the fate of remnant spawning aggregations on Cayman Brac and Grand Cayman; aggregations on both of these islands were fished to exhaustion in the recent past. In addition to the island specific objectives, the Grouper Moon research program expanded satellite drifter work this season. These drifters, which track current patterns associated with the body of water the grouper eggs were spawned in, will continue to report positions for 45 days after spawning; this length of time is the approximate larval duration for Nassau grouper. REEF also continued education and outreach efforts through public talks about spawning aggregations and the Grouper Moon research. Talks were held at the Little Cayman National Trust and Dive Tech/Cobalt Coast Resort.2009 Aggregation Season Results SummaryThe Little Cayman team continued the long-term monitoring of this aggregation, which includes counting the number of fish that show up, estimating the size of the fish, and recording the timing and amount of spawning observed. The Cayman Brac team’s goal was to document whether or not aggregating Nassau grouper were spawning-- evidence of spawning would refute the theory that Nassau grouper fail to recover once overfished because fish on small aggregations no longer release gametes. In the 2008 spawning season, the Grouper Moon research team discovered the location of an aggregation of Nassau grouper on Cayman Brac. This year, armed with this information, REEF and CIDOE researchers spent the full 2009 spawning season observing, videoing and documenting the Cayman Brac spawning aggregation. In addition, the team was able to accomplish the primary goal of this season’s work on the island—team members both observed and videoed spawning. Objectives for the Grand Cayman team were similar, except that they first had the task of discovering where Nassau grouper on that island go (if anywhere) during the spawning season. Using the acoutic tag pinger signal of just ONE Nassau grouper (of 6 total individuals tagged on Grand Cayman in 2008), divers confirmed the presence of aggregating grouper near the historic East End aggregation site and a dusk dive on February 14th yielded this season’s biggest accomplishment– team members witnessed Nassau grouper spawning on Grand Cayman!The findings stemming from this work are unquestionably novel, and are certainly good news —protections on aggregation sites that have been fished to exhaustion will protect those few individuals that remain, and will protect stocks of fishes that are contributing to the next generation of this endangered reef fish. Put simply, our research demonstrates that overfished aggregations are down, but not out.Why Does This Matter?Nassau grouper are not just icons of the Caribbean; they are a social and ecological cornerstone of the region’s coral reefs. Historically, Nassau grouper represented one of the region’s most economically important fisheries. Unfortunately, due to intense harvest on spawning aggregations, their populations have dwindled to a fraction of their historic numbers. The species became the first Caribbean reef fish to be listed as endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the species is candidate listed under the US Endangered Species Act. The precipitous decline in mass spawning aggregations of Caribbean grouper species has been well documented. The majority of known Caribbean aggregation sites are now inactive due to the ease with which aggregating species are caught. And those that are still active contain significantly fewer fish than the 10s of thousands that historically gathered at these special places.As part of our work on the Grouper Moon Project, REEF will continue to develop a comprehensive assessment of the status of the Cayman Island’s Nassau grouper spawning population as a guide for future Nassau grouper restoration and conservation policy.Collaborators and Supporters Who Make This Project PossibleREEF would like to thank our collaborators at the Cayman Islands Department of the Environment, specifically Phil Bush, Bradley Johnson, Croy McCoy, James Gibb, Tim Austin, Gina Ebanks-Pietre, Chris Dixon, Keith Neale, Delwin McLaughlin and Robert Walton, as well as Drs. Scott and Selina Heppell from Oregon State University. REEF Volunteers have always been at the core of our Grouper Moon field work and 2009 was no exception – heartfelt thanks to Judie Clee, Thor Dunmire, Tracey Griffin, Doug Harder, Brenda Hitt, Denise Mizell and Sheryl Shea. The Grouper Moon Project has continued through the years empowered by the first year’s success and the passion of early project leader Leslie Whaylen Clift. Assistance from OSU graduate students, Stephanie Kraft and Heather Reiff, is much appreciated. Principal financial support is from the Lenfest Ocean Program of the Pew Charitable Trusts and the CIDOE. Additional funding is from Mr. Wayne Panton, Mr. Dan Scott, Clive and Stella Wood, Franklin and Cassandra Neal, and hundreds of REEF members. Continued in-kind logistical support from island businesses and residents, including the Little Cayman Beach Resort/Reef Divers, the Southern Cross Club and Peter Hillenbrand, is also much appreciated. And finally, our ground-breaking achievements on Cayman Brac would not have been possible without the generous support of Wayne Sullivan, who donated his vessel the Glen Ellen, his time (and patience), his equipment and technical diving expertise, and his crew, Brady Booton and Jules James.For more information on the project, visit the Grouper Moon Project Webpage. If you would like to support this critical marine conservation research, please donate today through the REEF Website or call REEF HQ at 305-852-0030. Grouper Moon Project Research Planned for February 2010
Approximately 4,000 Nassau grouper aggregate each winter off the west end of Little Cayman Island. Photo by Phil Bush. Planning is underway for REEF's annual research on Nassau grouper spawning aggregations in the Cayman Islands for the 2010 spawning season - the Grouper Moon Project. This collaborative conservation program between REEF and the Cayman Islands Department of the Environment is entering its 8th year. Thanks to funding from the Lenfest Ocean Program of the Pew Charitable Trusts, the research team is conducting innovative research that is critical to the long-term survival of this iconic Caribbean species. Grouper Moon scientists will be in the field January 30 - February 12, 2010. If you are looking for a winter getaway and are considering the Cayman Islands, this is a great time to visit Little Cayman. While there are not opportunities for recreational divers to visit the aggregation, researchers will be giving several public talks and divers on Bloody Bay Wall will witness the mass migrations of the normally solitary Nassau grouper from their home reefs out to the aggregation site. Another good reason -- the acclaimed Southern Cross Club has offered to donate a percentage of any package booked by REEF members during that time to support REEF's Grouper Moon Project. To take a vacation and make a positive impact for the grouper, contact the Southern Cross Club reservation office directly at 1-800-899-2582 or info@SouthernCrossClub.com -- be sure to mention that you are a REEF member!
More information about the 2010 research and program objectives for the Grouper Moon Project will be included in future issues of REEF-in-Brief. you can also find out more about the Project on the Grouper Moon Project Webpage.
Grouper Moon Project 2010
By Brice Semmens, Ph.D., Grouper Moon Project Lead Scientist
Over 4,000 Nassau grouper can be found on the Little Cayman spawning aggregation. This is the largest known aggregation of this endangered reef fish. Photo by Phil Bush.Spawning was documented during four nights on the Little Cayman site. Photo by Brice Semmens.REEF Board of Trustee member, Heather George, and REEF Advisory Panel Member, Dr. Steve Gittings, helped with this year's field effort.Denise Mizell, along with Wayne Sullivan and the crew of the Glen Ellen, made up the Grand Cayman team. Since 2001, REEF has led the Grouper Moon Project, a multi-faceted, collaborative research effort with the Cayman Islands Department of the Environment (CIDOE) aimed at better understanding Nassau grouper reproduction and the role that marine reserves can play in the long-term protection of this endangered species. Earlier this month, we had researchers and volunteers in the field for two weeks to conduct field research on spawning aggregations in Grand Cayman and Little Cayman. The site on Little Cayman represents one of the largest known remaining aggregations of Nassau grouper; our research will provide valuable guidance to both the Cayman Islands government and others throughout the Caribbean on how to best protect this important coral reef fish.
In 2003 the Cayman Island Marine Conservation Board instituted an 8-year fishing ban on Nassau grouper at all known aggregation sites in the Cayman Islands (both current and historic). This followed the discovery by fisherman of 7,000 aggregating Nassau grouper on the west end of Little Cayman in 2001 and the subsequent harvest of 4,000 of those fish over two spawning seasons. At the time, all other known Nassau grouper aggregations in the Cayman Islands had become inactive due to over-harvest. Thanks to a three-year grant awarded in 2008 by the Lenfest Ocean Program of the Pew Charitable Trusts, REEF is conducting research through the Grouper Moon Project to evaluate the current status of the Cayman Islands spawning aggregations and the effect of these harvest protections -- “The reproductive biology of remnant Nassau grouper stocks: implications for Cayman Islands Marine Protected Area (MPA) management”. The broad goals for the 2010 spawning season were to continue monitoring recovery in the large spawning aggregation on Little Cayman, and to expand research into the fate of remnant spawning aggregations on Grand Cayman; aggregations on this island were fished to exhaustion in the recent past. REEF continued education and outreach efforts through public talks about spawning aggregations and the Grouper Moon research. As the sunset provision on the current legislation nears, REEF is working closely with the Cayman Islands government to translate the findings from our research into effective long-term protections. I spent time with the Honorable Mark Scotland, the Minister of Health, Environment, Youth, Sports & Culture, which oversees the Department of Environment in the Cayman Islands, discussing the project, our ground-breaking results, and recommendations for the future of this iconic species.
2010 Aggregation Season Results SummaryThe Little Cayman team continued the long-term monitoring of this aggregation, which includes counting the number of fish that show up, estimating the size of the fish, and recording the timing and amount of spawning observed. The REEF research team uses lasers mounted on a video camera to record sizes of fish. If you would like to see what the Little Cayman aggregation looks like during the day, check out this video on YouTube. You will see the laser marks on the fish. Note that these are all Nassau grouper, just in different spawning colors. The team estimated that the number of fish showing up at the aggregation is approaching 4,000. We are also seeing a decrease if average size, which indicates that younger fish are starting to show up (good news!). Spawning was observed on four consecutive nights, starting 4 days after the full moon.
The Grand Cayman team’s primary goal was to document the remnant Nassau grouper aggregation on the East End of Grand Cayman and hopefully observe spawning. The status of this aggregation was initially documented by a Grouper Moon team in 2009. This year, with a lot of help from our partners at CIDOE and Wayne Sullivan and his crew aboard the Glen Ellen, REEF volunteer Denise Mizell was able to head up this critical component of our research. While several hundred fish were found at this historical spawning site, spawning was not documented. Unfortunately, we believe that fisherman were illegally fishing on the aggregation when our team was not on site. It is possible that this disturbance prevented the fish from spawning. This is disappointing news, but we are hopeful that the Cayman Islands government will pass revised legislation and provide more enforcement before next spawning season in order to protect the few remaining Nassau grouper on Grand Cayman.
Why Does This Matter?Nassau grouper are not just icons of the Caribbean; they are a social and ecological cornerstone of the region’s coral reefs. Historically, Nassau grouper represented one of the region’s most economically important fisheries. Unfortunately, due to intense harvest on spawning aggregations, their populations have dwindled to a fraction of their historic numbers. The species became the first Caribbean reef fish to be listed as endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the species is candidate listed under the US Endangered Species Act. The precipitous decline in mass spawning aggregations of Caribbean grouper species has been well documented. The majority of known Caribbean aggregation sites are now inactive due to the ease with which aggregating species are caught. And those that are still active contain significantly fewer fish than the 10s of thousands that historically gathered at these special places.As part of our work on the Grouper Moon Project, REEF will continue to develop a comprehensive assessment of the status of the Cayman Island’s Nassau grouper spawning population as a guide for future Nassau grouper restoration and conservation policy.
Collaborators and Supporters Who Make This Project PossibleREEF would like to thank our collaborators at the Cayman Islands Department of the Environment, specifically Phil Bush, Bradley Johnson, Croy McCoy, James Gibb, Tim Austin, Gina Ebanks-Pietre, Keith Neale, Delwin McLaughlin and Robert Walton, as well as Drs. Scott and Selina Heppell from Oregon State University. REEF Volunteers have always been at the core of our Grouper Moon field work and 2010 was no exception – heartfelt thanks to Heather George, Steve Gittings, Denise Mizell and Sheryl Shea. The support and assistance of Thor Dunmire is also greatly appreciated. The Grouper Moon Project has continued through the years empowered by the first year’s success and the passion of early project leader Leslie Whaylen Clift. Assistance from OSU graduate student, Stephanie Kraft Archer, is much appreciated. Principal financial support is from the Lenfest Ocean Program of the Pew Charitable Trusts and the CIDOE. Additional funding is from Mr. Wayne Panton, Mr. Dan Scott, Clive and Stella Wood, Franklin and Cassandra Neal, and hundreds of REEF members. Continued in-kind logistical support from island businesses and residents, including the Little Cayman Beach Resort/Reef Divers, the Southern Cross Club, Peter Hillenbrand, Dottie Benjamin, and Judie Clee is also much appreciated. To alleviate the constraints of diving deep depths on regular scuba, several other sponsors came on board to assist in the project, including Divetech and PM Gas of Grand Cayman, Silent Diving of Brockville, Ontario and Shearwater Research of Vancouver, British Columbia. And finally, our work on Grand Cayman would not have been possible without the generous support of Wayne Sullivan, who donated his vessel the Glen Ellen, his time (and patience), his equipment and technical diving expertise, and his crew, Brady Booton and several others.
For more information on the project, visit the Grouper Moon Project Webpage. If you would like to support this critical marine conservation research, please donate today through the REEF Website or call REEF HQ at 305-852-0030. REEF News Tidbits
By REEF Staff
These good-looking shirts are a great way to show your support for REEF's Nassau grouper conservation programs! Nassau Grouper Shirts Back in the Online Store - After selling out, "Grumpy" shirts are now back in stock in the REEF online store. These short and long-sleeve shirts features the face of a Nassau Grouper. "Grumpy" is the artwork of Rogest, who created the piece to celebrate REEF's Grouper Moon Project and our work to conserve this Caribbean icon. The shirts feature the tag line "Extinction Makes Me Grumpy". Get yours today, they won't last long. New REEF Field Stations - This past month, we welcomed Beaches Boscobel Resort & Golf Club in Jamaica to our growing list of Field Stations. They join the almost 200 Field Stations and Independent Instructors worldwide. Did You Know -- REEF Online Data Entry Available in All Regions - REEF surveyors in ALL regions can now submit their data online. We greatly encourage everyone to enter their surveys online rather than use the paper scanforms, if possible. And remember -- if you conduct a survey at a site that is not yet in REEF's Zone Code database, send us an email (data@reef.org) with the site name and latitude/longitude of the site and we will create the code for you. The 8-digit zone code must be in the system before you can enter data from the site. Become a Fan of REEF on Facebook - The REEF Facebook Page is a place to find the latest information about our programs and events, REEF's marine conservation work, and exclusive content and stories. It's also a great place for our members to post pictures, fish stories and whatever is on their mind. Become a "Fan" today! REEF
Reef Environmental Education Foundation on Facebook Putting It to Work: Who’s Using REEF Data, January 2011
By Christy Pattengill-Semmens, Director of Science
Every month, scientists, government agencies, and other groups request raw data from REEF’s Fish Survey Project database. Here is a sampling of who has asked for REEF data recently and what they are using it for:
- Researchers from the Centro de Ecología Marina de Utila requested data on yellowtail snapper and other snapper and grouper species. The group is working to develop an ecosystem approach to managing Caribbean coral reefs in the face of climate change .
- Scientists from NOAA Fisheries are using sightings of the Indo-Pacific lionfish in REEF surveys to evaluate the rapid invasion of this species into the Florida Keys.
Putting It to Work: REEF Presents at Rockfish Conference
By Christy Pattengill-Semmens, Ph.D., Director of Science
REEF Director of Science, Christy Pattengill-Semmens, and REEF Outreach Coordinator, Janna Nichols, attended a rockfish conference in Seattle earlier this week. The workshop, Rockfish Recovery in the Salish Sea: Research and Management Priorities, was organized by NOAA, WDFW, and the SeaDoc Society, and served as a venue for scientists, managers, and policy makers from throughout the region to share their work and help chart a course for future work. Christy presented an overview of REEF data collected throughout the Salish Sea, and showed distribution maps for 12 species of rockfish. The REEF Volunteer Survey Program expanded to the Northwest in 1998. To date, REEF volunteers have submitted 12,495 surveys from 781 sites throughout the Salish Sea. These data are a valuable information resource for those working to protect and restore declining rockfish populations. Several other active Pacific Northwest surveyors also attended the conference.
New Fishinars Added To Schedule
By Janna Nichols, REEF Outreach Coordinator
Photo by Carol Cox. If you haven't had a chance to attend one of our Fishinars yet, you should! New sessions are continually being added, so check out the Webinar Training page (www.REEF.org/resources/webinars) to see the current schedule and to register for one or more sessions. These popular online training sessions (webinars) provide fishie fun in the comfort of your own home. Fishinars are open to divers, snorkelers, and devout landlubbers alike. Participation is free but you need to register for each session you want to attend. No special software is required, just a web browser. You don't need a microphone or a webcam to be able to participate. Great for first-timers or those wanting a review. Upcoming sessions include:
NORTHERN GULF OF MEXICO: DAPPER DOZEN Wednesday, February 1st at 5pm PST / 8pm EST
ROCKFISH ROCK Thursday, February 2nd at 6pm PST / 9pm EST
CARIBBEAN CRYPTICS Wednesday, February 15th at 6pm PST / 9pm EST
PACIFIC NW ADVANCED FISH ID Tuesday, February 21st at 7pm PST - Part 1; Wednesday, February 22nd at 7pm PST - Part 2; Thursday, February 23rd at 7pm PST - Part 3
NOT EXACTLY BUMS: FISH THAT LIVE UNDER FLORIDA'S BLUE HERON BRIDGE Wednesday, February 29th at 5pm PST / 8pm EST
PERPLEXING PARROTFISH Wednesday, March 14th at 5pm PST / 8pm EST
25 CARIBBEAN FISH YOU SHOULD KNOW Wednesday, March 28th at 5pm PST / 8pm EST
One Week Remains To Double Your Donation
Photo by Ned DeLoach There is just one week left to Double Your Donation as part of our Summer Fundraising Campaign. We are so close to reaching our goal of raising $60,000 in 60 days! Please help us in this final stretch, every donation counts! You can contribute through our secure website at www.REEF.org/contribute, mail your donation to REEF at PO Box 246 - Key Largo, FL 33037, or call us at 305-852-0030. Double your donation and ensure REEF’s marine conservation programs can continue. Your donation supports programs such as our free Fishinars, Volunteer Fish Survey database management, Lionfish outreach, and Nassau Grouper conservation and education. Thank you to all of our members who have donated so far to our summer matching campaign, and thanks to the generosity of the Curtis and Edith Munson Foundation for matching your contributions!
REEF's Marine Conservation Internship Program
By Martha Klitzkie, REEF General Manager
Many of you know that REEF helps out sea-dwelling creatures, but you may not know that we also help prepare our future land-dwelling leaders to deal with issues facing our marine ecosystems. Meet the faces of our Marine Conservation Internship Program! Every four months, REEF invites hundreds of applicants to compete for four internship positions. The chosen interns implement community outreach and education programs focused on reef fish identification and lionfish handling and collection. Interns also dive and volunteer with partner organizations in the Florida Keys. Examples of some average daily intern activities include computer data entry, helping to write and layout newsletters and flyers, packaging orders, answering phone calls and e-mails, greeting visitors at REEF Headquarters, biological assessment fieldwork and data analysis, community education and outreach, writing, artwork, and GIS mapping.
For more information on this program or if you know someone who would like to apply, please visit the Internship Webpage or email General Manager, Martha Klitzkie, at Martha@reef.org. Applications for the Fall internship are due June 15th.
Source URL: http://www.reef.org/enews/articles |
Home / Health / Medicine / Tests & Treatment
5 Things to Know About X-Ray Radiationby Marianne Spoon
| Things to Know About X-Ray Radiation
Cell damage from radiation can alter our DNA, increasing the chances of our cells mutating during replication or even turning cancerous with time.
Medioimages/Photodisc/Digital Vision/Thinkstock
Wilhelm Roentgen stumbled upon the potential of X-rays while tinkering with cathode instruments in 1895. The German physicist placed different objects in front of them to measure their reactions in front of a photographic plate that can record images.Roentgen wanted to know what his wife's hand would look like when exposed to the mysterious rays. Lo and behold, the plate produced an image of her bones and flesh, much like what we see today in medical X-rays. The ability to create images within the human body was revolutionary, Nobel Prize-worthy work.Today, X-rays are used in a variety of places, ranging from dentist and doctors' offices to safety checkpoints at airports. Although the medical scans help doctors and patients around the world monitor injuries and conditions, they also have a downside: radiation.As we'll discuss, X-rays emit a type of radiation that can be harmful to humans if the intensity is too high or the exposure is too frequent. In this article, we'll explore the risks and benefits of using this tool to reveal valuable information about ourselves and the universe.But first, we'll look at the dual personality of X-rays and why they can be both helpful and harmful. Read on to find out more.
X-rays: Helpful and Harmful
What's in a Dose?
In the United States, radiation exposure is usually measured in millisieverts (mSv). The average chest X-ray exposes patients to 0.1 mSv of radiation, while mammograms expose patients to 0.7 mSv of radiation. To put this in perspective, the average human is exposed to around 3 mSv of radiation per year from all possible sources [source: Radiological Society of North America]. In this sense, one chest X-ray is the equivalent to the amount of radiation you'd experience naturally over a 10-day period.
It's best to think of X-rays for what they are: a type of electromagnetic energy. These rays have short wavelengths, allowing them to carry a lot of energy. Yet when one considers what happens when they intercept the human body, the term ionizing radiation enters the equation.Ionizing radiation can knock off electrons that orbit the nuclei of atoms -- sort of like if something knocked Earth from its orbit around the sun. When electrons become displaced, they create charged molecules, or atoms called ions, which can scatter and disrupt other atoms in our cells.Cell damage from radiation can alter our DNA as well, increasing the chances of our cells mutating during replication or even turning cancerous with time. This is why doctors use only the effective dose of X-rays, or the lowest amount to get the job done during medical imaging. What's more, the radiation adds up over time, so frequency matters, too.X-rays aren't all doom and gloom, though. Thankfully, our cells heal themselves after brief encounters. In medical contexts, X-rays provide a glimpse of bones, teeth and internal organs not visible from outside the body. They help assess breaks, fractures and abnormal growth in bones and allow doctors to track the effectiveness of surgeries. Ultimately, the benefits of receiving proper medical treatment often outweigh the risks of radiation.It's also true that X-rays clue us in to the strange things our children and pets accidentally swallow. Next, learn which group has the largest vulnerability to X-ray radiation.
Children are More Vulnerable
In special circumstances, doctors will want to conduct a computerized tomography (CT) scan to gain a 3-D view of a patient's body. These images are collected by using X-rays, which increase a patient's radiation exposure. Because of this, CT scans are rarely performed, especially on children.
Brief exposure to ionizing radiation isn't as worrisome in adults because mature cells can quickly repair themselves (for the most part), but babies' and children's bones and tissues are more at risk. Kids' cells divide more rapidly as they grow, creating more opportunities for mutations and DNA damage to be replicated. Pregnant women should tell their doctors they're with child before having any X-rays. And even though most medical scans avoid exposing fetuses to radiation, it's important to talk things over with a doctor to be sure.Also, because the effects of radiation on the body accumulate with time, doctors reserve the use of X-rays on young patients for times when an immediate health concern outweighs the long-term risk -- much like what's done for adults [source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration]. This vulnerability leaves children at a greater risk of developing cancer and other health problems later in life.Next time you're due for medical tests, it might be a good idea to ask a few questions. Find out what's appropriate to ask on the following page.
Exposure is Preventable
Reducing Radiation
If you're not given one already, be sure to ask whether you can wear a protective shield such as a lead apron while receiving a medical X-ray. Also, for dental X-rays, you can ask whether your dentist performs faster X-rays (in the "E" or "F" category) that reduces the length of time you're exposed [source: FDA].
Sure, X-ray radiation has its dark side, but there's plenty you can do to reduce your exposure.First, you should understand that scientists have created ways to minimize exposure to X-ray radiation. This mostly includes offering recommendations, measuring the entrance skin doses -- the amount of rays absorbed through the skin -- of certain procedures, ensuring equipment is working properly and providing the best training to people operating the machines. In general, the FDA regulates the production of X-ray equipment, while states make laws to oversee the technology's use [source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency].To ensure you're not being unnecessarily exposed, check the instruction and certification level of the technicians and doctors performing medical X-rays. Since training varies, you'll want to seek professionals with more education and experience. For instance, you might want to find clinics with board-certified radiologists for more serious scans. Don't be afraid to ask your doctor why an X-ray is or isn't necessary.Can you be exposed to X-ray radiation outside the doctor's office? Find out on the next page.
X-Ray Radiation in Airports
We've learned that medical X-rays give doctors a unique glimpse into the flesh and bone beneath your skin, but how else are they used?In recent years, the U.S. Transportation Security Administration has used X-ray body scanners to detect weapons and other potentially dangerous objects that can't be picked up by metal detectors. This certainly beefs up security for passengers before boarding an airplane, but it also exposes them to X-ray radiation. The use of these backscatter scanners has caused controversy, but is still common in many U.S. airports. Generally speaking, though, the amount of radiation is small compared to typical medical scans. For perspective, the average amount of radiation people are exposed to from these scanners equates to two minutes of being airborne on a plane while at its normal altitude -- a place that lacks the atmosphere's protection from incoming radiation [source: TSA].Still, frequent flyers as well as airplane personnel should be more cautious about using scanners too often.Did you know X-ray radiation isn't just limited to our world? Keep reading to learn about its use in science.
It Tells Us Cool Stuff
X-ray radiation's use in astronomy gives us plenty of cool information about the universe.Many events in space, ranging from black holes to comets and stars, give off unique radiation signatures. Although we generally clump all X-rays together, the ones coming from space are a bit different. They're created from natural phenomena in the universe that give off immense amounts of energy (and heat).To measure X-ray radiation, or the energy from particles in space, scientists collect information using satellites outside Earth's atmosphere. Such X-rays give us clues to the origins of the universe and contribute to our perceptions of auroras that routinely line the night sky.Back on Earth, scientists create X-rays with particle accelerators, which move electrons near the speed of light around a track until they emit beams of the radiation. This allows researchers to examine the atomic structure of materials -- both synthetic and environmental.Want to learn more about X-ray radiation? Peruse the next page for more interesting sources.
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Related ArticlesX-ray Radiation Quiz5 Cool Things About EKGs5 Ways to Prevent Skin Cancer10 Cancer Myths10 Instances of Medical Quackery Throughout HistorySourcesCenters for Disease Control and Prevention. "Emergency Preparedness and Response: Radiation Emergencies -- Measuring Radiation." May 10, 2006. (April 20, 2011)http://www.bt.cdc.gov/radiation/measurement.aspMayo Clinic. "CT scan." Jan. 12, 2010. (April 20, 2011)http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/ct-scan/MY00309NASA. "The Electromagnetic Spectrum." March 27, 2007. (April 20, 2011)http://science.hq.nasa.gov/kids/imagers/ems/xrays.htmlNASA. "Most Distant X-Ray Jet Discovered Provides Clues to Big Bang." NASA News. Nov. 25, 2007. (April 20, 2011)http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2003/nov/HQ_03367_xray_jet.htmlNobelPrize.org. "Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen - Biography." (April 20, 2011) http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/physics/laureates/1901/rontgen-bio.htmlRadiological Society of North America. "Radiation Exposure in X-Ray and CT Examinations." Nov. 15, 2010. (April 20, 2011)http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/safety/index.cfm?pg=sfty_xrayTransportation Security Administration, U.S. Department of Homeland Security. "Frequently Asked Questions: Advanced Imaging Technology." (April 20, 2011)http://blog.tsa.gov/2009/11/response-to-oops-backscatter-x-ray.htmlUniversity of Colorado. "X-Ray Safety." Physics 2000. (April 20, 2011)http://www.colorado.edu/physics/2000/xray/xray_abs3.htmlU.S. Environmental Protection Agency. "Radiation Protection: Health Effects." March 24, 2011. (April 20, 2011)http://www.epa.gov/rpdweb00/understand/health_effects.htmlU.S. Environmental Protection Agency. "RadTown USA: Medical X-Rays." July 19, 2010. (April 20, 2011).http://www.epa.gov/radtown/medical-xrays.htmlU.S. Food and Drug Administration. "Radiology and Children." June 23, 2008. (April 29, 2011)http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm048578.htmU.S. Food and Drug Administration. "Reducing Radiation from Medical X-Rays." Feb. 19, 2009. (April 29, 2011)http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm095505.htm
Things to Know About X-Ray Radiation
Spoon, Marianne. "5 Things to Know About X-Ray Radiation" 09 May 2011. HowStuffWorks.com. <http://health.howstuffworks.com/medicine/tests-treatment/5-things-to-know-about-x-ray-radiation.htm> 26 November 2015.
5: X-rays: Helpful and Harmful
4: Children are More Vulnerable
3: Exposure is Preventable
2: X-Ray Radiation in Airports
1: It Tells Us Cool Stuff
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WARF signs exclusive licensing contract on ultrasound technology
MADISON - Echometrix, a developer of proprietary ultrasound technology, and the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF), the private, non-profit patent and licensing organization for the University of Wisconsin-Madison, announced that they have signed an exclusive license agreement that provides Echometrix the rights to make, use and sell ultrasound software and devices based on its innovative technology in the United States, Europe and Japan. "The addition of the intellectual property developed by my co-founders, Dr. Hirohito Kobayashi and Dr. Ray Vanderby at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, will create a sustainable competitive advantage in the underpenetrated and growing musculoskeletal ultrasound market," says Barbara Israel, company co-founder and chief executive officer. "We also believe that this is the beginning of an important research and development collaboration between Echometrix and the Vanderby lab." Israel also believes that the technology will create rapid growth in the musculoskeletal ultrasound market."The technology will offer orthopedics, sports medicine, physical therapy and rheumatology practitioners a new tool to quantitatively assess the function of ligaments and tendons, which could both improve patient outcomes and lower the cost of assessing musculoskeletal injuries," Heim says. The ultrasound technology could impact patient health positively.Echometrix's technology is designed to improve the speed, convenience and ability to evaluate musculoskeletal conditions at a lower cost than current methods. The company's ultrasound technology is uniquely able to assess the functional status of soft tissues and to identify conditions such as stretched ligaments, torn tendons, micro tears, and tissue inflammation. It also may prove valuable in assessing common conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome and damaged rotator cuffs. |
Cause of Death in Urban Africa: New Experiments with Verbal Autopsy Questionnaires in Accra, Ghana
Samantha Lattof, Harvard School of Public Health
Richard Biritwum, Ghana Medical School
In a pilot study conducted in Accra, Ghana, we first examine the completeness and coverage of these systems and then report on the use of verbal autopsy questionnaires to establish the probable causes of death based on interviews with next of kin. These causes are compared with the information found on death certificates. The paper briefly describes the system in place in Accra for the routine medical certification of causes of death, the issuance of burial permits and the registration of deaths with the Births and Deaths Registry. Several features of the system seem to operate against wider formal registration of causes of death. The paper concludes with some recommendations on how urban mortality in Africa could be re-examined using a combination of census, survey, facility-based and routine death registration with a view to establishing clear patterns of causes of death in such populations. |
From Employee to Green Entrepreneur
Environmental issues are front and center of our lives in the 21st century. Once people realize the impact of global warming and climate change on the planet, it’s a short step to wanting to actively do something about it. But if you can’t afford to spend your life working for change without payment, the ideal way to combine your passion with a way to earn a living is to find “green” jobs.
As renewable energy takes off and becomes mainstream, more jobs are opening up, with great potential for a future career as a green entrepreneur. Here are some suggestions on how to find a green job.
Most green jobs need some form of technical expertise. Whether you’re interested in pursuing a career as a provider of solar energy systems, or your ambition is to begin organic farming, it’s best to get some formal education before you start. If you have an aptitude for scientific study, environmental engineering is a field in which you can use the principles of science, biology and chemistry to find solutions for problems facing the environment. These range from earth-friendly jobs such as the disposal of waste, through public health issues, air purity and water pollution. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2010 there were more than 51,400 environmental engineers working in green jobs in the United States, earning median salaries of around $78,740 a year.
Non-Scientific Occupations
You don’t have to be a rocket scientist, however, to become a green entrepreneur. A variety of earth-friendly jobs exist, including basic administrative work for green companies such as reception, accounting and marketing. Research the requirements for these types of jobs, and establish what sort of education, skills and experience you need to qualify.
Revise your Resume
It’s often said that jobseekers need to customize their resume for the position they are interested in. This is particularly important if you apply for green jobs. Highlight previous experience that may be relevant to the position you want, such as your achievements in former earth-friendly jobs. List any additional skills and attributes you have that could help you, such as a hobby growing organic plants, or volunteer hours you put in during your school career with environmental organizations. Mention your support for organizations such as Greenpeace, or the knowledge of carbon dating you gained in a school project. All of these attributes can help to prove your passion for the subject.
Working with Nonprofits
Often, you can find green jobs with nonprofit organizations. Conduct research to find out which nonprofits to approach, and check their mission and vision to see if it aligns with your beliefs. Investigate their financial status before applying, because jobs in the nonprofit sector may pay lower rates than the private or public sectors. Many of these green jobs carry a lot of responsibility, and you need to be sure that you are comfortable with the pay rates offered.
Become a Green Entrepreneur
Solar energy is big in the U.S., and anyone with a passion for environmental issues and a little capital can become a retailer and installer of solar systems. Most solar energy dealers represent one or more solar manufacturers, and usually the suppliers provide training in the installation and servicing of their products. Instead of spending time on how to find a green job, start your own business and you can create green jobs for others.
If it isn’t possible to find green jobs right away, consider volunteering your time for a green organization. You will gain experience in the field as well as make new friends and build your network of contacts in readiness for a shot at earth-friendly jobs in the future. While you are learning how to find a green job, you will be able to make a difference in a small way and at the same time, check out whether this is the right long term career choice for you.
Transmission & Distribution World is edited for engineers and operating professionals in the electric power industry. Feature articles are written primarily by technical editors and industry professionals in the user and manufacturer groups. Yearly editorial content includes feature articles on electrical transmission & distribution, substations, construction, operation and maintenance, automation, and other articles pertinent to the electric power industry.
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Professor Shivendra S. Panwar Speaks at FCC Post-Sandy Field Hearing
When Superstorm Sandy hit the East Coast in late October of 2012, about a quarter of the cell phone tower sites in the region shut down, causing millions of lost calls. With flood waters rising and winds raging, many could not reach loved ones or emergency services. Even days later, service outages remained widespread.
In response, on February 5, 2013, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) held its first post-storm field hearing to examine the challenges to the country’s communications networks posed by natural disasters like Sandy and other crises. Among the participants was Shivendra S. Panwar, a professor in the electrical and computer engineering department at the Polytechnic Institute of New York University (NYU-Poly), a faculty member of NYU WIRELESS, and director of the New York State Center for Advanced Technology in Telecommunications (CATT). Panwar, who is a leader in the field of wireless research, which includes the study of femtocells--small, low-power cellular base stations usually intended for use in a home or office--sat on a panel titled “Outside the Box: New Ideas to Improve Communications Services.”
At the hearing, in addition to discussing femtocells--which connect to the service provider’s network via broadband and can greatly expand both coverage and capacity--Panwar stressed the importance of cooperation between companies to prevent the dangerous service disruptions that occurred during Sandy.
“The convergence of the cellular industry on a common standard, 4G LTE, offers an opportunity, heretofore unavailable, to build robustness across competing carriers during man-made and natural disasters,” he explained. “Aggregating resources would allow emergency communications to be provided to customers. If two identical carriers pool their resources, they can double the capacity delivered to each customer, even as their combined pool of customers doubles. Equivalently, this means near normal service can be maintained even if half the cell towers are lost during a disaster.”
He also pointed out that such cooperation would incur only a modest incremental increase in cost, making it exceedingly feasible on a practical level.
With many consumers giving up their landlines for the sake of economy and depending totally on mobile networks, the issue is a vital one for both telecommunications engineers and policy makers.
“Clearly a regulatory and policy environment that encourages cooperation between competing service providers would be needed to bring this vision to fruition,” Panwar asserted.
The recipient of numerous accolades, including the IEEE Communication Society's Leonard G. Abraham Prize in the Field of Communication Systems, Panwar was joined on the panel by Brian Fontes, the head of the National Emergency Number Association, a professional organization solely focused on 9-1-1 policy, technology, operations, and education issues; Bill Smith, the president of network operations at AT&T; and other select industry leaders.
Cybersecurity Awareness Month Lasts All Year Long at Tandon
Posted October 19th, 2017
Visionary VR/AR projects from Tandon community featured at NYC Media Lab Summit
Professor Brain Discusses Machine Learning and Bias: The Story of the Enron Email Archive
Tandon Researcher Engineering Antidotes to Chemical Weapons
News from Cable alumni magazine.
Posted January 21st, 2015
Transformative Process
Global Search for Best White Hat Student Hackers Narrows as 5 Countries Prep for NYU Cyber Security Awareness Week Games
Cybersecurity Protocol That Fends Off Automobile Hacks Named to Popular Science Magazine's List of Top 100 Technologies of The Year
BP Funds Smart Mobility Track, Leads New Round of Sponsorship for Urban Future Lab Competition |
Electrical resistivity in precision cranberry farming
soil variability
One of the most important issues in precision agriculture is to develop site specific principles of crop management based on variability of soil and hydrological properties. Accessing spatial variability of soil properties often require high-density and repetitious sampling, which is costly, time-consuming, and labor-intensive. One of the challenges facing the adoption of precision agriculture technology is the identification of productivity-related variability of soil properties accurately and cost-effectively.
The application of the geophysical methods of electrical resistivity makes it possible to define areas of electrically contrasting soils, which have distinct properties and, therefore, should be used in agriculture in different ways. Electrical resistivity is a composite characteristic of soils, which generally related to soil texture, stone, salt, and humus contents, and arrangement of the genetic soil horizons. This is the complex of the factors, which directly influence yield of the most of the crops. The advantage of measuring electrical resistivity is that it can be measured directly in the field without actual taking of soil samples and analyzing them in the laboratory. Thus, implication of the electrical resistivity techniques of soil characterization can tremendously decreases time and labor, required to delineate management zones within the fields.
Chatsworth, NJ
39° 49' 3" N, 74° 32' 7.0008" W
See map: Google Maps Puerto Varas 41° 19' 58.6704" S, 72° 58' 55.8408" W
Vertical Electrical Sounding to Detect Groundwater Levels in Arid Areas
Water and salt content distributions within the soil profile are the main properties causing considerable variations in electrical resistivity. In arid areas, the water content and salt distributions are determined mainly by the saline groundwater, rather then by precipitation. The soil profile is divided into a top unsaturated layer with high resistivity and a bottom layer saturated by saline groundwater with low resistivity. Considering large differences in electrical resistivity between the unsaturated and saturated zones, the VES method was applied to detect the saline groundwater level. Location
Gandurino, AST
45° 50' 56.4" N, 48° 0' 23.04" E
Vertical Electrical Sounding to Detect Soil Salinity in Arid Areas
arid areas
Water and salt content distributions within the soil profile are the main properties causing considerable variations in electrical resistivity or conductivity. Since the evaporation in the arid areas (Astrakhan, Russia) is about five times higher than the precipitation, the water content and salt distributions are determined mainly by the saline groundwater.
The differentiation of salinity in the unsaturated zone of the soil profiles was revealed by small fluctuations of electrical resistivity in upper part of the VES profiles. We thoroughly interpreted the VES results to estimate the layers with different electrical conductivities (EC) for 12 soil profiles. The total salt content was measured in soil samples collected from the layers of the profiles as shown in Table (columns 1 and 2) for one example profile. » landviser's blog
Evaluation of stone contents in soils with electrical geophysical methods to aid orchard planning
soil profiles
Establishments of orchards and vineyards are long-term and money-intensive, but highly pay-off projects. This study allowed developing procedure for incorporating geophysical survey data into recommendations of usage skeletal soils under orchards. Geophysical methods of electrical resistivity, such as VES and four-electrode profiling provided the information about spatial distributions of stones in skeletal soils. The resistivity of rocks or stones is much higher (about 104-1012 ohm m) than the resistivity of soil horizons with any texture. Therefore, high resistivity will indicate the presence of stones in soil profiles.
Study was conducted on skeletal soils (Paleoxerolls and Lithic Xerorthents) formed on carbonate-cemented marine deposit, limestone, or pebbles of alluvial origin in western part of Crimea Peninsula, Ukraine. The stone content varied from 2 to 90% of fragments coarse than 2 mm by volume and stony layers occurred in soil profiles at the depth as shallow as 12 cm.
Saky » landviser's blog
Applications of LandMapper handheld for near-surface soil surveys and beyond
On-the-go sensors, designed to measure soil electrical resistivity (ER) or electrical conductivity (EC) are vital for faster non-destructive soil mapping in precision agriculture, civil and environmental engineering, archaeology and other near-surface applications. Compared with electromagnetic methods and ground penetrating radar, methods of EC/ER measured with direct current and four-electrode probe have fewer limitations and were successfully applied on clayish and saline soils as well as on highly resistive stony and sandy soils. However, commercially available contact devices, which utilize a four-electrode principle, are bulky, very expensive, and can be used only on fallow fields. Multi-electrode ER-imaging systems applied in deep geophysical explorations are heavy, cumbersome and their use is usually cost-prohibited in many near-surface applications, such as forestry, archaeology, environmental site assessment and cleanup, and in agricultural surveys on farms growing perennial horticultural crops, vegetables, or turf-grass. In such applications there is a need for accurate, portable, low-cost device to quickly check resistivity of the ground on-a-spot, especially on the sites non-accessible with heavy machinery.
Four-electrode principle of EC/ER measurements
Our equipment utilizes well-known four-electrode principle to measure electrical resistivity or conductivity (Fig).
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Soil Electrical Geophysics - public library @Zotero
Landviser maintains public library of publications related to "Soil Electrical Geophysics" on Zotero servers. You can view and browse that library below. PDFs of publications in public domain are attached to the respective listings in the library and are stored on this website. For most publications registration on Zotero or our website is not required, although we are strongly encourage you to register to gain access to all materials, receive timely updates and easily manage your own research library.
Using LandMapper to Monitor Soil Salinity and Mitigate Its Effects on Rice Production at US Gulf Coast
Most of the soils along US Gulf Coast are naturally slightly saline and some are waterlogged during much of the growing season. Naturally, those areas are used for rice production rotated with cattle grazing or hay growing. Soil salinity of those areas varies spatially and temporarily due to drought, hurricane-pushed sea water surges, micro-elevation within fields, variability of salinity levels in irrigation water. Monitoring soil and water salinity with conventional techniques of collecting soil samples by farmer and sending them to outside lab is costly and time-consuming. Such approach fails to provide timely advice to the farmer regarding crop selection pre-planting and mitigation inputs during the growing season. Several rice farms affected by Katrina and Ike hurricanes were monitored in 2006-2011 utilizing field soil EC meter, LandMapper ERM-02, consumer-grade GPS, and other common equipment available to a farmer. On six test fields EC values were recorded with LandMapper directly in the field at 30 locations in less than 45 min.
Cite this presentation:
Golovko, Larisa, and Anatoly Pozdnyakov. “Using LandMapper to Monitor Soil Salinity and Mitigate Its Effects on Rice Production at US Gulf Coast.” In Making Waves: Geophysical Innovations for a Thirsty World. Tucson AZ: Environmental and Engineering Geophysical Society, 2012. http://www.landviser.net/webfm_send/94.
Registered users can download full proceeding paper: Using LandMapper to Monitor Soil Salinity and Mitigate Its Effects on Rice Production at US Gulf Coast Locations
See map: Google Maps SAGEEP 2012
Vertical Electrical Sounding and Self-Potential Methods to Survey for Placement of Potable Water Wells
potable water wells
Water is a precious commodity in most urban and rural areas. Luck of local potable water sources threatens not only thriving but a mere survival of rural communities all over the world. Establishing potable water wells requires a lot of fundings and resources and often cost prohibitive for local governments in South America and Africa.
Searching for shallow groundwater require knowledge of subsurface layers and locating intensity and directions of water fluxes, which can be accomplished with geophysical methods of vertical electrical sounding (VES) and self-potential (SP). A method of VES can distinguish differences in electrical resistivity or conductivity at the multiple (10+) layers in soil profiles. These differences reveal the changes in soil texture and structure between water-bearing and waterproof layers, which form a framework for the subsurface water fluxes. The directions and intensities of the fluxes can then be evaluated with the self-potential method. However, conventional equipment for VES and SP is very expensive, bulky and complicated to operate. We tested a simple low-cost handheld device, LandMapper ERM-02, to evaluate layers in the ground with VES method and results were well correlated with drilled profiles in Central TX. Information is provided for the VES array assembly, field measuring procedure and interpretation of sounding results. Previously, device was used in Astrakhan area, Russia for estimation of the groundwater table and salinity layers in the soil profiles. The method of self-potential was used to estimate subsurface water flux directions and intensities through the measured variation in electrical potential on the soil surface and direct potable wells placement in Kiev, Urkaine and Dmitrov, Russia.
Golovko, Larisa, Anatoly Pozdnyakov, and Terry Waller. “A Vertical Electrical Sounding and Self-Potential Methods to Survey for Placement of Potable Water Wells.” In Making Waves: Geophysical Innovations for a Thirsty World. Tucson AZ: Environmental and Engineering Geophysical Society, 2012. http://www.landviser.net/webfm_send/89 Locations
Water For All International
ELECTRICAL POTENTIAL (Self-Potential) MEASUREMENTS with LandMapper ERM-02
The self-potential (SP) method was used by Fox as early as 1830 on sulphide veins in a Cornish mine, but the systematic use of the SP and electrical resistivity methods in conventional geophysics dates from about 1920 (Parasnis, 1997). The SP method is based on measuring the natural potential differences, which generally exist between any two points on the ground. These potentials are associated with electrical currents in the soil. Large potentials are generally observed over sulphide and graphite ore bodies, graphitic shale, magnetite, galena, and other electronically highly conducting minerals (usually negative). However, SP anomalies are greatly affected by local geological and topographical conditions. These effects are considered in exploration geophysics as “noise”. The electrical potential anomalies over the highly conducting rock are usually overcome these environmental “noise”, thus, the natural electrical potentials existing in soils are usually not considered in conventional geophysics.
LandMapper ERM-02, equipped with proper non-polarizing electrodes, can be used to measure such “noise” electrical potentials created in soils due to soil-forming process and water/ion movements. The electrical potentials in soils, clays, marls, and other water-saturated and unsaturated sediments can be explained by such phenomena as ionic layers, electro-filtration, pH differences, and electro-osmosis.
Another possible environmental and engineering application of self-potential method is to study subsurface water movement. Measurements of electro-filtration potentials or streaming potentials have been used in USSR to detect water leakage spots on the submerged slopes of earth dams (Semenov, 1980). The application of self-potential method to outline water fluxes in shallow subsurface of urban soils is described in (Pozdnyakova et al., 2001). The detail description of self-potential method procedure is provided in LandMapper manual.
Another important application of LandMapper ERM-02 is measuring electrical potentials between soils and plants. Electrical balance between soil and plants is important for plant health and electrical potential gradient governs water and nutrient uptake by plants. Monitoring of electrical potentials in plants and soils is a cutting-edge research topic in the leading scientific centers around the world.
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Kiev-Pechersk Lavra
Kiev 50° 24' 59.1768" N, 30° 33' 55.836" E
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Neuroblastoma in Children
Home > Cancer Resources > Types of Children’s Cancer > Solid Tumors > Neuroblastoma
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About Neuroblastoma
Neuroblastoma is the second most common solid tumor in childhood affecting about 7% of all children with cancer. It is the most common solid cancer in infants. There are over 700 cases each year in the U.S. Neuroblastoma most often originates in the adrenal glands, which are located on top of each kidney. However, tumors can begin anywhere in the body. Other common sites are the chest, neck and pelvis. While it may be found in only one spot in the body at the time of diagnosis in some patients, in others the cancer may have spread (metastasized) from its primary location to the lymph nodes, bone marrow, or bones.
Many researchers believe that neuroblastoma develops when normal neuroblasts (the immature cells of the sympathetic nervous system) fail to mature into normal nerve cells. The sympathetic nervous system aids in the control of the body’s internal organs. The cells that make up neuroblastoma tumors are called neuroblasts. In this disease, the neuroblasts grow and divide without the usual controls, leading to the growth of a cancerous mass of cells, also called a tumor.
Signs and Symptoms of Neuroblastoma
The symptoms vary depending on the location of the tumor. Some of the more common symptoms include:
Abdominal swelling, pain, constipation or difficulty urinating if a tumor is present in the abdomen
A lump or bump in the neck that can sometimes be accompanied by drooping of the eyelid, a small pupil, and lack of sweating on the same side of the face
Bone pain
Fatigue, if the disease has spread to the bone marrow
Bleeding and bruising
Difficulty breathing if the tumor is present in the chest
Weakness or paralysis if the tumor is near the spinal cord
Less frequent symptoms caused by hormones released by the neuroblastoma cells include:
Rapid heartbeat
Persistent diarrhea
News About Neuroblastoma
Neuroblastoma in Children was last modified: February 8th, 2017 by Geoff Duncan
Past CureSearch Young Investigator Shizhen Zhu, MD, PhD, and her colleagues at the Mayo clinic have made a significant discovery in understanding how neuroblastoma spreads. CureSearch is proud to have funded research that helped lead to this discovery and looks... read more
3 Years Old at Diagnosis. “The first time, it was just complete shock and we went into autopilot mode to just fight. This time around, it hit us a little harder because I think we thought we might have actually been out of the woods after so long.” Those... read more
“It’s Not Who I Am Underneath, But What I Do That Defines Me:” Wes’ Superhero Story
If you’re not familiar with the quote in the title of this post, it’s from Bruce Wayne in Batman Begins. We chose it because nothing could better describe young superhero Wes Chang (and because Batman is Wes’ favorite superhero). To understand how we... read more |
Ratio decompression
Ratio decompression (usually referred to in abbreviated form as ratio deco) is a technique for calculating decompression schedules for scuba divers engaged in deep diving without using dive tables, decompression software or a dive computer. It is generally taught as part of the "DIR" philosophy of diving promoted by organisations such Global Underwater Explorers (GUE) and Unified Team Diving (UTD) at the advanced technical diving level. It is designed for decompression diving executed deeper than standard recreational diving depth limits using trimix as a "bottom mix" breathing gas.
1 Theory
2 Methodology
3 Limitations
4 Independent review
Theory[edit]
The physiology behind the off-gassing of nitrogen or helium absorbed by the body from breathing gases under pressure has never been definitively established, particularly in relation to the formation of bubbles in the body's tissues,[1][dead link] and a number of different algorithms have been developed over the years, based on simplified hypotheses of gas transport and absorption in body tissues, modified to fit empirical data, to predict the rate of off-gassing to reduce the risk of decompression sickness in divers to an acceptable level. However, these models do not describe the individual physiology of the diver accurately: divers have been known to suffer symptomatic decompression sickness whilst diving within the limits of dive tables or dive computers (sometimes referred to as an "undeserved hit"), and divers have exceeded No Decompression Limits but remained asymptomatic.
While Ratio Decompression is not a complete decompression model, it most resembles those of Bühlmann alogrithm, and the Varying Permeability Model algorithm, with emphasis on the use of deep stops and gradient factors.[citation needed] |
Important mechanism involved in production of mosquito eggs identified
University of California - Riverside
Female mosquitoes rely on a blood-meal as a source of nutrients required for reproduction. If the mechanisms that govern mosquitoes' egg production are better understood, novel approaches to controlling the reproduction and population of mosquitoes can be devised. A team of scientists has made a research breakthrough in understanding, at the molecular level, one such mechanism related to the mosquito reproductive process. This mechanism includes small regulatory RNA molecules known as microRNAs.
Keira J. Lucas, a fifth-year Ph.D. graduate student in the Graduate Program in Genetics, Genomics and Bioinformatics at UC Riverside, is the research paper's first author.
Credit: Raikhel Lab, UC Riverside
Diseases transmitted by mosquitoes have contributed to the death and suffering of millions throughout human history, earning the mosquito the title as the world's most dangerous animal. Even today, several devastating mosquito-borne diseases (such as malaria, dengue fever and West Nile virus) continue to rage.
The urgent need to better control mosquito numbers and interfere with disease transmission has guided much mosquito research in laboratories worldwide. Female mosquitoes rely on a blood-meal as a source of nutrients required for reproduction. The thinking is that if the mechanisms that govern mosquitoes' egg production are better understood, novel approaches to controlling the reproduction and population of mosquitoes can be devised.
Now a team of scientists at the University of California, Riverside has made a research breakthrough in understanding, at the molecular level, one such mechanism related to the mosquito reproductive process. This mechanism includes small regulatory RNA molecules known as microRNAs or miRNAs.
The researchers report in this week's issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that they have identified microRNA-8 (miR-8) as an essential regulator of mosquito reproductive events. They note that its depletion in the female mosquito results in severe defects related to egg development and deposition.
Using newly established genetic tools in mosquito biology and doing analysis that identifies microRNA targets, they were able to show that miR-8 plays an essential role in the female mosquito "fat body" (fatty tissue analogous to the mammalian liver) by regulating a molecule, called "swim," that miR-8 directly targets. High levels of this molecule are detrimental to egg development.
"To our knowledge, this is the first time a mosquito miRNA has been investigated in this specific manner," said Alexander Raikhel, a distinguished professor of entomology, who has received wide acclaim for his research in the areas of insect reproductive biology. "In the lab, female transgenic mosquitoes with deficiency in miR-8 displayed severely compromised ovary development and reduced egg-laying."
While the researchers focused in this study on only Aedes aegypti, the mosquito that spreads dengue and yellow fever, their research results can be applied also to other disease-spreading mosquitoes.
"Our work provides insight into the importance of miRNAs in adult mosquito development and how these small regulatory molecules have potential to serve as novel control approach to regulate mosquito numbers," Raikhel said.
He explained that what his lab had set out to do was introduce birth control in mosquitoes.
"We were looking to find a way to disrupt the host-seeking behavior of mosquitoes by interrupting their egg development," he said. "With egg development halted, the population of mosquitoes would eventually collapse."
At UC Riverside, Raikhel's lab specializes in understanding the molecular basis of events in the mosquito reproduction cycle linked to a blood meal and pathogen transmission. His research focuses, too, on how pathogens of major human diseases, transmitted by mosquitoes, interact with their mosquito hosts. A member of the National Academy of Sciences, he occupies the Mir S. Mulla Chair in Entomology at UCR, as well as the University of California President's Chair.
To date, no effective vaccines for malaria, dengue fever or West Nile virus exist. This lack of vaccines, along with increasing pesticide resistance in mosquitoes, adds to the urgency of exploring alternative strategies for mosquito control.
Nearly 2.5 billion people are at risk for contracting dengue fever. Each year, there are 100 million cases of dengue in the world. Yellow fever results in 30,000 deaths per year; about 200,000 cases are reported each year. Malaria alone causes over a million deaths annually. Dengue fever is emerging across the globe at an alarming rate; more than three billion people are now at risk of contracting this serious and debilitating viral disease. West Nile virus has invaded and spread throughout North America in just one decade; thousands in the United States are afflicted with this mosquito-borne virus every year.
Materials provided by University of California - Riverside. Original written by Iqbal Pittalwala. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Alexander Raikhel et al. MicroRNA-8 targets the Wingless signaling pathway in the female mosquito fat body to regulate reproductive processes. PNAS, January 2015 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1424408112
University of California - Riverside. "Important mechanism involved in production of mosquito eggs identified." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 20 January 2015. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/01/150120142815.htm>.
University of California - Riverside. (2015, January 20). Important mechanism involved in production of mosquito eggs identified. ScienceDaily. Retrieved May 23, 2017 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/01/150120142815.htm
University of California - Riverside. "Important mechanism involved in production of mosquito eggs identified." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/01/150120142815.htm (accessed May 23, 2017).
Biochemistry Research
Mosquito Egg Hunt: Many Culex Species Prefer Alternatives to Standing Water
Apr. 12, 2017 The conventional wisdom about where many mosquitoes lay their eggs -- in standing water -- is not always wise. Research into a diverse group of mosquitoes shows that many, if not most, regularly lay ... read more Researchers Aim to Disrupt Egg Production in Dengue And Zika-Spreading Mosquito
Feb. 22, 2017 The mosquito Aedes aegypti, which can spread dengue fever, chikungunya, Zika fever, and yellow fever virus, requires a blood meal to develop eggs. One way to control the spread of these diseases is ... read more Hormone Receptor Found That Allows Mosquitoes to Reproduce
Apr. 9, 2015 Entomologists have unlocked one of the hormonal mechanisms that allow mosquitoes to produce eggs. The results provide insight into how reproduction is regulated in female mosquitoes, which transmit ... read more How Malaria-Spreading Mosquitoes Can Tell You're Home
Jan. 22, 2015 Females of the malaria-spreading mosquito tend to obtain their blood meals within human dwellings. But is human odor enough as a reliable cue for the mosquitoes in finding humans to bite? Not quite, ... read more RELATED TERMS
Pest (animal)
Pollination management |
Videoconferencing between hospital clinicians, nursing home staff offers new dementia treatment
Nursing homes in the United States care for increasing numbers of people with dementia, yet many lack access to geriatric psychiatrists, behavioral neurologists and other specialists who may help manage symptoms associated with dementia, including behavioral issues. As a result, nursing home staff may resort to physical restraints or antipsychotic medications to manage behavioral challenges, which can significantly compromise a patient's health, autonomy and dignity.
A new study, led by clinician researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) and Hebrew SeniorLife and published online in the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, has found that use of video consultation technology that brings together nursing home staff and hospital-based clinical experts was associated with significant reductions in the use of physical restraints and antipsychotic medication among patients with dementia. Researchers found that patients in the facilities involved in the study were 75 percent less likely to be physically restrained and 17 percent less likely to be prescribed antipsychotic medications.
"There is a two-pronged issue facing nursing homes in the United States: shortages of geriatricians, behavioral neurologists and geriatric psychiatrists and a lack of proximity of community nursing homes to larger medical facilities with specialists," said corresponding author Stephen Gordon, MD, MBA, a geriatrician in the Division of Gerontology at BIDMC and at Hebrew SeniorLife. "Video conference technology can bring academic medical center specialists and nursing home staff together in a collaborative effort to care for patients with dementia."
"The data show that video conference technology can, indeed, have a significant impact on how often patients are physically restrained or given antipsychotic medications," he added. "It's clear that by working together clinicians and nursing home staff can notably improve patients' health and quality of life."
In 2012, BIDMC clinicians implemented Project ECHO-AGE, a case-based, video consultation program aimed to extend needed geriatric specialty care for patients with dementia from the hospital into community-based nursing homes. ECHO-AGE was adapted from a model of care known as the Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO) Project, which was originally developed by Sanjeev Aurora, MD, of the University of New Mexico to manage hepatitis C in rural parts of that state. BIDMC clinicians launched Project ECHO-AGE in the hopes that enhanced collaboration between care providers would improve the quality of care for people with dementia in the community.
Project ECHO-AGE uses video consultation technology to facilitate bi-weekly conversations between teams of front line nursing home staff and a team of clinical experts at BIDMC, including a geriatrician facilitator, geropsychiatrist, behavioral neurologist and a social worker. During each 120-minute videoconference, the interdisciplinary teams discuss and offer recommendations for three or four patient cases. The discussion may include didactic sessions and reviews of individual treatment plans.
With the goal of assessing the impact of Project ECHO-AGE, the researchers used a matched cohort of 11 nursing homes in Massachusetts and Maine. The facilities were matched with two other similar facilities based on facility size, non-profit or for-profit status, region, affiliation with a larger nursing home chain, staff rating and overall quality rating.
"We found that nursing home facilities that participated in Project ECHO-AGE saw a significant reduction in the use of physical restraints and antipsychotic medication among patients with dementia," said study senior author, Lewis A. Lipsitz, MD, Chief of the Division of Gerontology at BIDMC and Director of the Institute for Aging Research at Hebrew SeniorLife. "These significant reductions also imply a potential decrease in adverse events such as falls, fractures and hospitalizations. As a result, further study of ECHO-AGE is warranted for the continued improvement of geriatric care management and lower health care costs."
Explore further: Education can reduce use of antipsychotic drugs in nursing home patients
More information: Stephen E. Gordon et al, Impact of a Videoconference Educational Intervention on Physical Restraint and Antipsychotic Use in Nursing Homes: Results From the ECHO-AGE Pilot Study, Journal of the American Medical Directors Association (2016). DOI: 10.1016/j.jamda.2016.03.002
Provided by: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Education can reduce use of antipsychotic drugs in nursing home patients
A new review in The Cochrane Library finds that education and social support for staff and caregivers can reduce the use of antipsychotics in nursing home patients with dementia. Improved staff training and education, communication ...
US nursing homes reducing use of antipsychotic drugs
(HealthDay)—A year-old nationwide effort to prevent the unnecessary use of antipsychotic medications in U.S. nursing homes already seems to be working, public health officials report, as facilities begin to opt for patient-centered ...
Researchers to investigate overuse of antipsychotic drugs in dementia patients
Rutgers will take the lead in a three-year study that will investigate the effectiveness of federal and state initiatives to address overprescribing of antipsychotic medications for dementia patients in nursing homes.
Does obesity lead to more nursing home admission and a lower quality of care?
In a study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, researchers examined the care that obese older adults receive when they are admitted to nursing homes.
Half of long-stay nursing home residents go to hospital ED regardless of cognitive status
A new study from the Indiana University Center for Aging Research and the Regenstrief Institute has found that almost half of all long-stay nursing home residents experience at least one transfer to an Emergency Department ...
Study finds hospice use does not increase long stay nursing home decedents' care costs
Use of hospice services does not increase care costs in the last six months of life for long-stay nursing homes residents according to an analysis conducted by researchers from the Indiana University Center for Aging Research ...
One e-cigarette with nicotine leads to adrenaline changes in nonsmokers' hearts
A new UCLA study found that healthy nonsmokers experienced increased adrenaline levels in their heart after one electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) with nicotine but there were no increased adrenaline levels when the study ...
Higher levels of fluoride in pregnant woman linked to lower intelligence in their children
Fluoride in the urine of pregnant women shows a correlation with lower measures of intelligence in their children, according to University of Toronto researchers who conducted the first study of its kind and size to examine ...
Researchers see popular herbicide affecting health across generations
First, the good news. Washington State University researchers have found that a rat exposed to a popular herbicide while in the womb developed no diseases and showed no apparent health effects aside from lower weight.
India has avoided 1 million child deaths since 2005, new study concludes
India has avoided about 1 million deaths of children under age five since 2005, driven by significant reductions in mortality from pneumonia, diarrhea, tetanus and measles, according to new research published today.
Gulf spill oil dispersants associated with health symptoms in cleanup workers
Workers who were likely exposed to dispersants while cleaning up the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill experienced a range of health symptoms including cough and wheeze, and skin and eye irritation, according to scientists ...
Study suggests link between youth football and later-life emotional, behavioral impairment
A new study has found an association between participation in youth tackle football before age 12 and impaired mood and behavior later in life. The study appears in Nature's Translational Psychiatry. |
Transcriptome analyses suggest a disturbance of iron homeostasis in soybean leaves during white mold disease establishment.
Calla, B., Blahut-Beatty, L., Koziol, L., Simmonds, D.H., and Clough, S.J. (2014). "Transcriptome analyses suggest a disturbance of iron homeostasis in soybean leaves during white mold disease establishment.", Molecular Plant Pathology, 15(6), pp. 576-588. doi : 10.1111/mpp.12113 Access to full text
Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is a serious pathogen of numerous crops around the world. The major virulence factor of this pathogen is oxalic acid (OA). Mutants that cannot produce OA do not cause disease, and plants that express enzymes that degrade OA, such as oxalate oxidase (OxO) are very resistant to S. sclerotiorum. To look at the effect that OA has on plants, we infiltrated soybean leaves with 5 mM OA and examined gene expression changes 2 hours post infiltration. By comparing gene expression levels between leaves of a transgenic soybean carrying an OxO gene (OxO) and its parent AC Colibri (AC) infiltrated with OA (pH 2.4) or water (pH 2.4 or 5.5), we were able to compare the effects of OA dependent or independent of its pH. Gene expression by microarray analysis identified 2,390 genes that were changing in expression as determined by using overall F-tests p-value cut off of 0.001. The additional requirement that at least one pairwise t-test false discovery rate (fdr) corrected p-value be less than 0.001 reduced the list of most highly significant differentially expressed genes to 1054. Independent of pH, OA altered expression levels of 78 genes, with ferritin showing the strongest induction by OA. The combination of OA plus its low pH caused 1,045 genes (99% of all the significant genes) to be differentially expressed, with many of the up-regulated genes being related to basal defense, such as genes of the phenylpropanoid pathway and various cytochrome P450s. RNA-seq was also conducted on four samples: OxO or AC Colbri genotypes infiltrated with either OA pH 2.4 or water pH 2.4. The RNA-seq analysis also identified ferritin paralogs as strongly induced by OA. As expression of ferritin, a gene that encodes for an iron-storage protein, is induced by free iron, these results suggest that S. sclerotiorum is benefitting from the ability of OA to free iron from plant proteins, as this would induce host cell death, and to also uptake and assimilation the iron for its own metabolic needs. |
First Earth-Orbit Teleportation: China Teleports Object To Space Through Quantum Entanglement
11 July 2017, 9:41 pm EDT By Allan Adamson Tech Times
What is Ruby chocolate?
Scientists from China made historic achievement with the first ever teleportation of an object from Earth to space. The experiment involved pairs of photons, Micius satellite, and quantum entanglement. ( NASA | Getty Images )
Teleportation has taken a giant leap as Chinese scientists successfully teleported an object from Earth to space for the first time.
In a historic achievement, researchers teleported a photon from the Gobi Desert to the satellite Micius, which orbits 300 miles above Earth. The breakthrough was made possible through a process known as quantum entanglement.
Micius
Micius is a highly sensitive photon receiver capable of detecting the quantum states of single photons that are fired from Earth. The satellite makes it possible for scientists on Earth to conduct a range of physics experiments that involve quantum entanglement, cryptography, and teleportation.
The Micius team now announced the results of its first experiment on teleportation and which involves the world's first satellite-to-ground quantum network.
Teleportation, which has become a standard operation in quantum optic labs worldwide, relies on the phenomenon of entanglement. The process happens when two particles such as photons react as one without a physical connection between them. They form at the same instance and point in space and share the same existence.
Large spans of distance can separate this existence, but the changes applied to one pair will be reflected in the other pair regardless of the expanse that separates them.
For the experiment, the researchers created entangled pairs of photons at a rate of about 4,000 per second. For each pair, one photon was beamed to the Micius satellite that orbits Earth while the other was kept on the ground.
The researchers then measured both photons to determine if entanglement was taking place and if they were able to teleport photons through the process. The researchers sent millions of photons over a period of 32 days. Of these, 911 cases had positive results.
Quantum Internet
The researchers added that the success of the experiment has implications on the developments of quantum internet. Quantum communication could be the answer to vulnerabilities of current internet connection, as it promises more secure communication channels.
"An outstanding open challenge for a global-scale "quantum internet" is to significantly extend the range for teleportation," wrote Ji-Gang Ren, a researcher from the University of Science and Technology of China, and colleagues in their study.
"A promising solution to this problem is exploiting satellite platform and space-based link, which can conveniently connect two remote points on the Earth with greatly reduced channel loss because most of the photons' propagation path is in empty space."
Teleportation, Quantum teleportation, China, space |
Unlocking the Potential of Anaerobic Digesters
tags: anaerobic digestion, biogas digester, methane
by Ryan Stockwell The recent floods along the Red River focused the nation’s attention on yet another natural disaster. They also galvanized and united communities up and down the Red as they battled to save their homes and communities from destruction.
While watching from afar through the convenience of live televised coverage, I was truly amazed at the teamwork evident throughout each community as residents and volunteers worked together, filling sandbags, forming “sandbag brigades” to move the bags by hand to existing levees, then placing each sandbag, one by one, to raise walls of protection along the cresting Red. In many ways these heroic efforts seem an apt metaphor for the work and approach needed to address greenhouse gas emissions. Not only will the work of addressing climate change require all members of the community to commit to and pursue a unified goal, it will take coordination, vision, and planning to ensure that the work is completed as effectively and efficiently as possible and that the work of many is not wasted because of a failure on the part of leaders to raise the levees along an ignored stretch of the river.
Widespread introduction of anaerobic digesters across animal agriculture has the potential to greatly reduce nutrient and pathogen runoff, while also eliminating up to a third of the greenhouse gas emissions credited to agriculture.
This shortsightedness in flood management is akin to fighting to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in certain sectors like automobiles while ignoring the emissions from other sectors like farm waste management. A full 14% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions come from agriculture, yet most—if not all—attention is focused on large-scale electric power generation (32%) and transportation (25%). So even if transportation emissions are cut in half over the next 20 years, the continuation and probable growth in emissions from the agricultural sector will overshadow any gains.
It’s from this perspective we must ask, How will we address agricultural emissions? While we have multiple policy paths ranging from a strict regulation of greenhouse gases from the agricultural sector to a more lax support for voluntary efforts to curb emissions, the first and more important issue to resolve is determining how we will curb emissions. Then we can help state legislatures and Congress figure out how to get there.
One solution that deserves more consideration is the widespread implementation of anaerobic digesters. Digesters act as big cooking pots where manure and other organic waste is heated in a sealed tank. The heat allows bacteria to break down the waste, effectively pulling off the methane in the sealed tank. Then the methane can be burned in an engine to create electricity. The electricity produces very few emissions, is renewable, and has the added benefit of dispatchability—it can be turned on and off when needed, unlike wind or solar.
Methane from animal waste poses a considerable source of emissions, and has 20 times the greenhouse gas impact of carbon dioxide. Moreover, animal waste causes a number of other environmental and human health issues. When undigested manure is applied to land it releases ammonia in a gas form. Undigested manure also contains potassium, nitrogen and phosphorous vital to plant growth. Unfortunately it is often difficult for plants to obtain the nutrients from undigested manure, creating widespread potential for runoff into waterways. Animal waste runoff contributes to the Gulf of Mexico “Dead Zone,” an area roughly the size of New Jersey located at the mouth of the Mississippi River that is inhospitable to aquatic life. Excess nutrients contribute to the growth of algal blooms, and when they die oxygen is used to decompose the algae, creating hypoxic conditions. This uses up the oxygen that would otherwise be consumed by aquatic life. Along with these nutrients, undigested manure also contains pathogens that can harm wildlife and humans if released into waterways.
Fortunately, technology exists that not only provides a clean energy source, but resolves or greatly reduces the problems of nutrient release into waterways. Digesting manure allows it to more readily release nutrients to plants, greatly reducing the potential for nutrient runoff into waterways. Digested manure also kills over 99% of all pathogens, almost entirely eliminating the risk of introducing pathogens such as ecoli and cryptosporidium into our water supply.
Widespread introduction of anaerobic digesters across animal agriculture has the potential to greatly reduce nutrient and pathogen runoff, while also eliminating up to a third of the greenhouse gas emissions credited to agriculture. Couple that with the role digesters could play in creating clean, renewable energy and eventually displacing fossil fuel power with its high greenhouse gas emissions, and you get a double impact in reducing greenhouse gases—once in the agricultural sector and again in the electric sector. Addressing greenhouse gases in the agricultural sector is just as necessary to reducing total greenhouse gas emissions as it is to sandbag along the entire length of a flooding river. In fact, the strategy of addressing agricultural greenhouse gas emissions through digesters is like putting down sandbags twice the size of traditional sandbags, making it much easier to achieve our collective goal of containing a flooding river of greenhouse gas emissions.
This article is from the June 2009 issue of The Conservation Planner, a publication of The Minnesota Project. Click here to download the entire issue and explore past issues >>
from → Agriculture, Energy
← Measuring Sustainability on the Farm
Unallotment Will Impact Many: Energy and Agriculture Are Not Exempt → |
ENDANGERED SPECIES BREEDING AND RESEARCH
Zoos are responding to species decline and are leading the way in preserving animal populations. Conservation breeding of threatened and endangered animals is conducted through Species Survival Plans (SSP), cooperative breeding programs coordinated through the Association of Zoos & Aquariums. Woodland Park Zoo participates in 72 Species Survival Plans, from tiny invertebrates to big cats.
See a list of endangered species at the zoo
Led by experts in husbandry, nutrition, veterinary care, behavior, conservation and genetics, AZA-accredited institutions manage each species as one population in North America to maximize genetic diversity, with the goal of ensuring the long-term survival of the population and the health of individual animals. SSPs also involve a variety of other collaborative conservation activities such as research, public education, planned reintroduction and field projects.
Species reintroduction
Some species are reared at the zoo for release back into protected wild habitats, including the western pond turtle, Oregon spotted frog and Oregon silverspot butterfly. Research
Accredited zoos today play an irreplaceable role in the species survival equation. Scientific research being conducted in zoos on species’ health, social behavior and reproduction are major contributions to the knowledge base on which field conservation relies. In fact, many successful conservation technologies used in the wild have been developed in partnership with zoos, as have advances in wildlife medicine. These approaches integrate the best of zoo- and field-based skills and practices.
Snow Leopard Trust tests the effectiveness of different scents in attracting snow leopards to field camera sites at Woodland Park Zoo before bringing the technique to the wild. |
Live-cell imaging to compare the transfection and gene silencing efficiency of calcium phosphate nanoparticles and a liposomal transfection agent
Chernousova, S. and Epple, M.
Volume: Pages:
DOI: 10.1038/gt.2017.13
The processing of DNA (for transfection) and short interfering RNA (siRNA; for gene silencing), introduced into HeLa cells by triple-shell calcium phosphate nanoparticles, was followed by live-cell imaging. For comparison, the commercial liposomal transfection agent Lipofectamine was used. The cells were incubated with these delivery systems, carrying either enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP)-encoding DNA or siRNA against eGFP. In the latter case, HeLa cells that stably expressed eGFP were used. The expression of eGFP started after 5 h in the case of nanoparticles and after 4 h in the case of Lipofectamine. The corresponding times for gene silencing were 5 h (nanoparticles) and immediately after incubation (Lipofectamine). The expression of eGFP was notably enhanced 2–3 h after cell division (mitosis). In general, the transfection and gene silencing efficiencies of the nanoparticles were lower than those of Lipofectamime, even at a substantially higher dose (factor 20) of nucleic acids. However, the cytotoxicity of the nanoparticles was lower than that of Lipofectamine, making them suitable vectors for in vivo application.Gene Therapy advance online publication, 9 March 2017; doi:10.1038/gt.2017.13. © 2017 The Author(s) |
Exopolysaccharide from Bacillus subtilis Induces Anti-Inflammatory M2 Macrophages That Prevent T Cell–Mediated Disease
Mallory L. Paynich, Sara E. Jones-Burrage and Katherine L. Knight
J Immunol April 1, 2017, 198 (7) 2689-2698; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4049/jimmunol.1601641
Mallory L. Paynich
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153
Sara E. Jones-Burrage
Katherine L. Knight
Commensal bacteria contribute to immune homeostasis in the gastrointestinal tract; however, the underlying mechanisms for this are not well understood. A single dose of exopolysaccharide (EPS) from the probiotic spore-forming bacterium Bacillus subtilis protects mice from acute colitis induced by the enteric pathogen Citrobacter rodentium. Adoptive transfer of macrophage-rich peritoneal cells from EPS-treated mice confers protection from disease to recipient mice. In vivo, EPS induces development of anti-inflammatory M2 macrophages in a TLR4-dependent manner, and these cells inhibit T cell activation in vitro and in C. rodentium–infected mice. In vitro, M2 macrophages inhibit CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. The inhibition of CD4+ T cells is dependent on TGF-β, whereas inhibition of CD8+ T cells is dependent on TGF-β and PD-L1. We suggest that administration of B. subtilis EPS can be used to broadly inhibit T cell activation and, thus, control T cell–mediated immune responses in numerous inflammatory diseases.
This work was supported by National Institutes of Health Grants R21AI098187, R01AI110586, R01AI050260, and F31DK104541.
Abbreviations used in this article:
Arg-1
arginase-1
day postinfection
dextran sulfate sodium
experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis
exopolysaccharide
iTreg
inducible regulatory T cell
mesenteric lymph node
polysaccharide A
wild-type.
Accepted January 19, 2017.
Vol. 198, Issue 7
Editorial Board (PDF)
You are going to email the following Exopolysaccharide from Bacillus subtilis Induces Anti-Inflammatory M2 Macrophages That Prevent T Cell–Mediated Disease
Mallory L. Paynich, Sara E. Jones-Burrage, Katherine L. Knight
The Journal of Immunology April 1, 2017, 198 (7) 2689-2698; DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1601641
STAT4 Regulates the CD8+ Regulatory T Cell/T Follicular Helper Cell Axis and Promotes Atherogenesis in Insulin-Resistant Ldlr−/− Mice
Reactive Oxygen Species Regulate the Inflammatory Function of NKT Cells through Promyelocytic Leukemia Zinc Finger
Peripheral Deletion of CD8 T Cells Requires p38 MAPK in Cross-Presenting Dendritic Cells
Show more IMMUNE REGULATION |
Diabetes: How sweet is it? (part two)
Type I diabetes requires that a person takes insulin to control blood sugar levels because their body is no longer producing insulin. Type II diabetes is when insulin is being produced, but the body is not using it as efficiently, or there is not enough insulin to control blood sugar levels. The American Dietetic Association has made recommendations for helping control Type I and Type II diabetes through the diet. For people with Type I diabetes, the diet is based on their usual food habits, activity, and type and amount of insulin they are on. Type I diabetics need to monitor blood sugar and adjust insulin on a daily basis. To control Type II diabetes, the emphasis should be on getting blood sugars, triglycerides, cholesterol and blood pressure in normal ranges. Checking these areas on a regular basis is very important. Mild to moderate weight loss may also improve control of diabetes. This can be done by regular exercise and learning new behaviors and attitudes. Some of us may remember the standard diabetic diets for 1200 calories, 1500 calories, etc. Everyone on that calorie level had the follow the same diet. However, for the first time in nearly 75 years, the American Diabetes Association's updated guidelines say there is no one diabetic diet. These canned diets are no longer recommended because they don't take into account a person's food preferences and habits. The old advice also specified the exact percentage of calories that were supposed to come from proteins, carbohydrates and fat. Now, the only recommendation is that 10 to 20 percent of the total calories per day should come from protein. What is a diabetic supposed to do for a diet? A registered dietitian can be very helpful in planning a diet based on the person's type of diabetes, age, medical problems, lifestyle, financial situation, culture, ethnic background and education. When we talk about changes in the diabetic diet, we also need to talk about sugar. Are sugary foods off limits for people with diabetes? The answer is no, because all carbohydrates break down into sugars. The starch from potatoes or bread, or the sugar in cookies and cake break down into sugar for our body to use. Instead of looking at the type of carbohydrate in the food, we need to look at the total carbohydrates for the day and spread these out throughout the day. Carbohydrates from sweets still play a key role in the overall diet, but they don't have anymore of an affect on blood sugar than the starchy carbohydrates from foods like bread. Of course cakes and cookies add lots of calories and few nutrients to the diet, so moderation is a good idea for anyone who wants to eat healthy. Back to Part I
Learn more about diabetes
The American Diabetes Assocation
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How to Become an EMT or a Paramedic
Have you ever wondered what a Paramedic can do or what the training is like? Here is a description of the experience of the people who come to you in an emergency: EMT-Basic Initial training at the EMT-Basic level introduces the student to basic anatomy and physiology, medical terminology, patient assessment skills, CPR, immobilization of fractures, bleeding control, basic airway control, oxygen administration, childbirth and delivery, incident command for large-scale incidents, hazardous material awareness, blood-borne pathogens, emergency vehicle driver training, and operation of an automated external defibrillator. Ride time with a preceptor is mandated for practicing newly learned skills under the supervision of an experienced paramedic. EMT-Intermediate After completing EMT-Basic training, the EMT-Intermediate student receives further instruction on anatomy and physiology, and medical terminology and patient assessment. They also learn intravenous canulation, pulse oximetry, EKG interpretation, oral intubation, and how to administer specific medications. These medications include aspirin, nitroglycerine, dextrose, thiamine, epinephrine, benadryl, and nebulized albuterol along with the management of poisonings. Field training with experienced Paramedics and hospital clinical rotations are conducted along with classroom lectures. Paramedic Paramedic training goes into more depth on the topics covered in EMT and EMT-Intermediate classes. Paramedics also learn nasal intubation, cricothyrotomy, cardiac pacing, cardioversion, 12-lead EKG interpretation, manual removal of foreign body obstructions in the airway, needle decompression for collapsed lungs, and intraosseous canulation. Additional medications that can be given to treat heart attacks, diabetic reactions, allergic reactions, respiratory complications and cardiac arrest include morphine, versed, valium, lasix, glucagon, calcium, atropine, adenosine, lidocaine, sodium bicarbonate, romazicon, narcan, toradol, solumedrol, phenergan, brethine, magnesium, and dopamine. Ongoing field training and hospital rotations are performed through the duration of the Paramedic training. Training doesn't stop once a student is out of school. Maintaining a Paramedic certification includes ongoing monthly training, fulfilling recertification requirements and advanced classes in cardiology, trauma care, and pediatrics. So, the next time you see an ambulance, what you are really looking at is a mobile emergency room staffed with professional, highly trained medical technicians equipped with the latest technology which is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. |
Relationship Between Bone Density And Erosion In Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis, the most common form of inflammatory arthritis, affects almost three percent of people over age 65. RA patients experience pain, functional limitations and two forms of disabling bone disease: focal erosions and osteoporosis.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the most common form of inflammatory arthritis, affects almost three percent of people over age 65. RA patients experience pain, functional limitations and two forms of disabling bone disease: focal erosions and osteoporosis. After five years of disease, up to 50 percent of RA patients show evidence of focal erosions and RA doubles the risk of osteoporosis and fractures. A new study examined the relationship between these two RA-related processes, in the hopes of providing insight into the underlying pathophysiology of RA-related bone disease.
Led by Daniel H. Solomon of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston , the study involved 163 postmenopausal women with RA, none of whom were taking osteoporosis medications. Participants underwent bone density scans of the hip and spine, as well as X-rays of the hand to determine if they had bone erosions.
The results showed that hip bone mineral density (BMD) correlated with bone erosion, but the relationship was not statistically significant after adjusting for clinical factors such as age, BMI and use of oral glucocorticoids used to treat RA. The relationship did appear stronger, however, in patients with early RA. "Our findings suggest that the relationship between focal erosions and generalized osteoporosis is complicated and modified by many aspects of RA and other factors," the authors state. They point out that with longer disease duration, other variables such as the use of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), disease activity and markers of inflammation may dilute the relationship between focal erosions and hip BMD.
As to why there was a stronger relationship between hip BMD and erosions than with spine BMD, there are several possible explanations. It's possible that the inflammation underlying RA affects the hip more than the spine or that the effects are more apparent at the hip, which may more closely relate to joint mobility and overall functional status.
Several prior studies have examined the bone manifestations of RA, but the current study is one of the only ones to date that has focused on the relationship between two skeletal manifestations of the disease. The authors note that almost all participants were taking DMARDs, which may blunt the relationship between erosions and BMD. Also, patients were not currently taking glucocorticoids or osteoporosis medications but may have in the past, which might have had an effect on the results. Supplemental vitamin D use may also have had an unforeseen effect.
"It may be that the presumed association between erosions and BMD is most relevant with regard to patients with severe or early untreated RA," the authors conclude. This could become increasingly important as more bone-directed treatments become part of RA treatment protocols. For example, data from trials of a monoclonal antibody directed at a molecule important in bone metabolism suggest that it may be effective at improving BMD and reducing progression of erosion. Since focal erosions and osteoporosis may be manifestations of a similar inflammatory response, further studies may clarify important roles of inflammation in both of these processes in RA.
Solomon et al. The relationship between focal erosions and generalized osteoporosis in postmenopausal women with rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis & Rheumatism, 2009; 60 (6): 1624 DOI: 10.1002/art.24551
Wiley-Blackwell. "Relationship Between Bone Density And Erosion In Arthritis." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 16 June 2009. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090601182920.htm>.
Wiley-Blackwell. (2009, June 16). Relationship Between Bone Density And Erosion In Arthritis. ScienceDaily. Retrieved July 28, 2014 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090601182920.htm
Wiley-Blackwell. "Relationship Between Bone Density And Erosion In Arthritis." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090601182920.htm (accessed July 28, 2014). |
Summer 2017>
Discoveries>
by Todd McLeish
Lucy Hutyra and Andrew Reinmann looked at the effect of forest fragmentation on carbon storage.Photo by Cydney Scott for Boston University Photography.
As human population grows, forests often become more and more fragmented as trees are cut down to make way for roads, housing developments, office parks, and shopping centers. Most research on forest fragmentation has examined its negative effects on wildlife and biodiversity. But two Boston University researchers recently investigated the effect of fragmentation on carbon storage and found some surprisingly positive news.
Associate Professor Lucy Hutyra and former BU post-doctoral researcher Andrew Reinmann, now an assistant professor at the City University of New York, discovered that trees at the edges of forests in southern New England grow faster and absorb more carbon than those in the interior. “When you create that edge, you essentially are reducing competition and freeing up more resources like light, water, and nutrients for trees,” Reinmann said, noting that the effect extends about 20 meters in from the forest edge. This finding was the result of studying 21 fragmented forest plots dominated by red oak in greater Boston. The researchers mapped every tree over 5 centimeters in diameter and collected cores from 210 trees at least 10 centimeters in diameter to get an estimate of the biomass of the forest and how it changes from the edge to the interior.
Reinmann said the faster growth rates and increased carbon absorption seen on forest edges are not a justification for further fragmenting the forested landscape. “When you fragment a forest, the remaining forest can offset a little bit of what was lost, but not completely,” he said. “So fragmentation may not be as terrible from a carbon perspective as we thought, but it is still bad.”
Further, the results of this research weren’t all positive: The cores collected also revealed that trees on the edge of a forest grow more slowly when they are stressed by heat – and as the climate changes and temperatures rise, heat stress is likely to increase.
The researchers defined heat stress as the number of days the forest was exposed to temperatures above 27 degrees Celsius in June and July, the months when most wood is produced. “That’s the average high temperature in July in the Boston area, so that’s the temperature the trees are used to growing in,” Reinmann said. “Any higher than that and we saw a decline in growth.”
That decline was most pronounced at the edge of the forest, where growth declined from heat stress three times faster than in the interior. “The forest edge is typically hotter than the interior,” he added, “so you would expect heat stress to be magnified at the edge because the trees aren’t buffered as the interior trees are.”
Based on the results of this study, Reinmann believes that climate models that calculate carbon storage in southern New England are likely underestimating how much carbon is being removed from the atmosphere because they are not including the positive “edge effect.” But as temperatures increase, that carbon benefit may decline significantly.
© 2017 by the author; this article may not be copied or reproduced without the author's consent.
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From Summer 2017 |
Key To Fighting Cancer May Lie In Germs
Filed Under: cancer, Dr. Maria Simbra
PITTSBURGH (CBS) — A year ago, Audra Katz was diagnosed with breast cancer. But before she got treatment, she gave researchers a stash of her germs.
“They gave me the kit. I was able to do it at home. It was a couple of swabs,” she says.
“It’s the new frontier of health, in medicine,” says Emma McCune, a researcher at UCSF.
In samples taken from her mouth and gut, Audra handed over a treasure trove. Her microbes, along with samples from other breast cancer patients, may hold the key to diagnosing, treating and even preventing the disease.
“I think that we will find that they hold a key place in our understanding of cancer,” says lead researcher, Dr. Laura Esserman.
About 100 trillion microbes – that’s about two to six pounds worth – live in or on the human body.
“These are bacteria, fungi, viruses and other organisms,” says Dr. John Swartzberg, of the UC Berkeley School of Public Health.
He says not all our germs are bad. In fact, most are beneficial. They break down food, teach our immune system to recognize danger, even produce anti-inflammatory compounds.
“These organisms are absolutely necessary to be living in us in order for us to survive,” he adds.
For more on this story, visit CBS San Francisco.
Our good and bad germs mix without problem. But, in women with breast cancer, the mix is off.
In one study, their breast tissue had lower levels of a protective germ, and higher levels of possibly damaging microbes
“There are differences in the breast tissue of people who have cancer compared to people who don’t,” says Dr. Esserman.
She says there are all kinds of colonies of bacteria that live synergistically in our bodies. And while much is unknown, one way to mess them up? Antibiotics.
“Antibiotics used inappropriately are extremely dangerous because they alter our microbes,” she says.
Cultures that get rid of bacteria are plagued by autoimmune and allergic diseases. Research shows women who use lots of antibiotics are at an increased risk of breast cancer.
Doctors now wonder whether cultivating or maintaining a healthier mix of microbes could reduce the risk.
“Will that help us prevent breast cancer? That’s actually the question of the day,” says Dr. Esserman.
Another big question – whether you can manipulate your microbes, or microbiota, to improve cancer treatments.
“So our therapies are good but they can always be better,” says Dr. Ami Bhatt, a professor of medicine and genetics.
“I’m very excited about investigating whether or not we can turn up the effectiveness of certain drugs that we know are pretty good in cancer by changing the composition of the gut microbiota,” Dr. Bhatt.
In the meantime, Dr. Bhatt and her team have changed their lifestyles.
“I am actually very loath to take antibiotics unless I really need them,” she said.
They eat more plants and fewer processed foods, it’s what our microbes prefer.
“Maybe I should go home and eat more fiber. Or use fewer products with antimicrobials,” says team member Fiona.
“I’m a lot more health conscious, knowing what my microbes need,” says team member Jessica.
As for Audra, she says, “These microbes they’re there. We need to figure out how to access them to potentially help us.” |
Polynesian seafarers discovered America long before Europeans, says DNA study
New DNA analysis of sweet potatoes, which were first cultivated in the Americas, suggests that Polynesians reached the New World long before Columbus.
Bryan Nelson January 22, 2013, 9:53 p.m.
Photo: Wiki Commons
The prevailing theory about the "rediscovery" of the American continents used to be such a simple tale. Most people are familiar with it: In 1492, Christopher Columbus sailed the ocean blue. Then that theory was complicated when, in 1960, archaeologists discovered a site in Canada's Newfoundland, called L'Anse aux Meadows, which proved that Norse explorers likely beat Columbus to the punch by about 500 years.
Now startling new DNA evidence promises to complicate the story even more. It turns out that it was not Columbus or the Norse — or any Europeans at all — who first rediscovered the Americas. It was actually the Polynesians.
All modern Polynesian peoples can trace their origins back to a sea-migrating Austronesian people who were the first humans to discover and populate most of the Pacific islands, including lands as far-reaching as Hawaii, New Zealand and Easter Island. Despite the Polynesians' incredible sea-faring ability, however, few theorists have been willing to say that Polynesians could have made it as far east as the Americas. That is, until now.
Clues about the migration patterns of the early Polynesians have been revealed thanks to a new DNA analysis performed on a prolific Polynesian crop: the sweet potato, according to Nature. The origin of the sweet potato in Polynesia has long been a mystery, since the crop was first domesticated in the Andes of South America about 8,000 years ago, and it couldn't have spread to other parts of the world until contact was made. In other words, if Europeans were indeed the first to make contact with the Americas between 500 and 1,000 years ago, then the sweet potato shouldn't be found anywhere else in the world until then.
The extensive DNA study looked at genetic samples taken from modern sweet potatoes from around the world and historical specimens kept in herbarium collections. Remarkably, the herbarium specimens included plants collected during Capt. James Cook’s 1769 visits to New Zealand and the Society Islands. The findings confirmed that sweet potatoes in Polynesia were part of a distinct lineage that were already present in the area when European voyagers introduced different lines elsewhere. In other words, sweet potatoes made it out of America before European contact.
The question remains: How else could Polynesians have gotten their hands on sweet potatoes prior to European contact, if not by traveling to America themselves? The possibility that sweet potato seeds could have inadvertently floated from the Americas to Polynesia on land rafts is believed to be highly unlikely.
Researchers believe that Polynesian seafarers must have discovered the Americas first, long before Europeans did. The new DNA evidence, taken together with archaeological and linguistic evidence regarding the timeline of Polynesian expansion, suggests that an original contact date between 500 CE and 700 CE between Polynesia and America seems likely. That means that Polynesians would have arrived in South America even before the Norse had landed in Newfoundland.
The findings show that the technological capabilities of ancient peoples and cultures from around the world should not be underestimated, and that the history of human expansion across the globe is probably far more complicated than anyone could have previously imagined.
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Warmer growing season temperatures and milder winters could allow some of these insects to expand their territory and produce an extra generation of offspring each year, said Noah Diffenbaugh, the Purdue University associate professor of earth and atmospheric sciences who led the study.
"Our projections showed all of the species studied spreading into agricultural areas where they currently are not endemic," said Diffenbaugh, who is interim director of the Purdue Climate Change Research Center. "The greatest potential range expansion was seen with the corn earworm, which is known to infest other high-value crops such as sweet corn and tomatoes. Warming could allow populations to survive the winter in the upper Midwest, the key region for corn production, as well as areas of the West where other high-value crops are grown."
The United States is the largest corn producer in the world and contributes almost half of the world's total production, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Within the United States, corn and corn syrup are used in common food items such as cereal and soft drinks, as well as being used as feed for livestock. Outside of the United States, struggling countries depend on U.S. corn crops to feed starving populations.
"The world depends on U.S corn production for a variety of uses," Diffenbaugh said. "Ethanol production and a growing world population are increasing demand for corn. Expansion of the pests' ranges could have substantial impacts through decreased yields and increased costs for seed and pest management."
Diffenbaugh collaborated with Purdue professors Christian Krupke, an entomologist, and Corinne Alexander, an agricultural economist, as well as with Michael White from Utah State University. The team incorporated the survival temperature thresholds of each species with a highly detailed climate change model for the United States. A paper detailing their work was recently published online in Environmental Research Letters.
"Basically, we examined both the number of days warm enough for the pests to grow and the number of days cold enough to kill the pests, assuming the pests' documented climate tolerances remain the same," Krupke said. "This tells us what could happen in projected future climates. However, the model cannot take into account the dynamic nature of any ecological system. There are significant additional factors that could come into play such as interaction of the pests with the environment, relocation of corn and other crops and changing human management of the pests."
The research team studied the potential end-of-the-century distributions of the corn earworm, Heliothis zea; the European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis; northern corn rootworm, Diabrotica barberi; and western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera.
The team used the physiological thresholds for each species coupled with models of development to determine how each would respond to projected climate change scenarios.
For example, the pupal stage of the corn earworm overwinters and cannot withstand more than five days at temperatures below 14 degrees Fahrenheit. It also requires six days at a temperature of about 55 degrees Fahrenheit to complete development. By including these parameters in the climate model, the team was able to project future temperature-based distributions for each pest, Diffenbaugh said.
Krupke said the insects in this study should not be adversely affected by temperature increases.
"The limiting factor for these pests is usually cold tolerance, specifically their ability to overwinter and re-infest the crop the next season," he said. "Increases in temperatures, even summer temperatures, generally benefit these pests. An effectively longer season, or more days exceeding their minimum temperature range, provides them with additional time to feed, mate and reproduce."
The corn earworm is of particular concern because it is migratory and pesticide resistant, he said.
"The corn earworm is an established global pest, and particularly in the Southern U.S., where it has proven difficult to manage," Krupke said. "It is resistant to several existing pesticides, and adult moths are capable of being transported long distances in the jet stream to infest new crops."
Alexander said a reduction in corn yields could have substantial economic and social impacts, including higher food prices and reduced food supply.
"Losses due to insect pests, including the resources required to control them, is the biggest cost for corn production," Alexander said. "The European corn borer has been estimated to cost the United States around $1 billion annually, and the corn earworm is responsible for destroying about 2 percent of the corn crop."
Low corn reserves add to the impact of a poor growing season. The 2007-08 30-year low inventory resulted in the United Nation's Food and Agricultural Organization Food Price Index increasing by 47 percent, with cereal prices increasing 62 percent, she said.
"With increasing demand and a limited supply, even small reductions in yield, for example from a pest expanding its range by 60 miles, could result in substantial economic and social consequences," Alexander said. "In addition to loss of yields, the variation in yields could drive up the costs of insurance and disaster relief for farmers."
The research team next will look at a broader range of crops and will work to create a more complete modeling framework, Diffenbaugh said.
'/>"/>Contact: Elizabeth K. Gardner
ekgardner@purdue.edu
Purdue UniversitySource:Eurekalert 0GOODRelated biology news :1. Purdue researcher invents molecule that stops SARS2. Purdue researchers propose way to incorporate deforestation into climate change treaty3. Purdue researchers obtain a snapshot clarifying how materials enter cells4. Purdue research finds similarities in dog, human breast cancer pre-malignant lesions5. Purdue researchers click nutrition with camera diet study6. Study links ecosystem changes in temperate lakes to climate warming7. Study of placenta unexpectedly leads to cancer gene8. New study pardons the misunderstood egg9. Ocean fish farming harms wild fish, study says10. Proactive care saves lives of seniors, study finds11. Orangutans spontaneous whistling opens new chapter in study of evolution of speech
(Date:11/20/2015)... , November 20, 2015 ... company focused on the growing mobile commerce market and ... Gino Pereira , was recently interviewed on ... will air on this weekend on Bloomberg Europe ... America . --> NXTD ) ("NXT-ID" or ... (Date:11/18/2015)... --> --> ... report titled Gesture Recognition Market - Global Industry Analysis, ... to the report, the global gesture recognition market was valued at ... US$29.1 bn by 2021, at a CAGR of 20.3% ... dominated the global gesture recognition market in ... (Date:11/17/2015)... 17, 2015 Pressure BioSciences, Inc. (OTCQB: PBIO) ... and sale of broadly enabling, pressure cycling technology ("PCT")-based ... today announced it has received gross proceeds of $745,000 ... Placement (the "Offering"), increasing the total amount raised to ... additional closings are expected in the near future. ... Breaking Biology News(10 mins):[1] NXT-ID Featured on The RedChip Money Report Airing on Bloomberg Network[1] Global Gesture Recognition Market to Log 20.3% CAGR to Exceed US$29 bn by 2021: Transparency Market Research[1] Pressure BioSciences Closes Additional $745,000 of $5 Million PIPE; Funding Received to Date Exceeds $4,000,000(Date:11/26/2015)... MUMBAI , November 26, 2015 ... --> Accutest Research ... accredited Contract Research Organization (CRO), has ... Chase Cancer Center - Temple Health ... , (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151126/10135429 ) ... (Date:11/25/2015)... BRUSSELS , November 25, 2015 ... in cat and human plaque and pave the way for ... health problems in cats ... the most commonly diagnosed health problems in cats, yet relatively ... until now. Two collaborative studies have been conducted by researchers ... (Date:11/25/2015)... Orexigen® Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: OREX ) ... chat discussion at the Piper Jaffray 27th Annual Healthcare ... discussion is scheduled for Wednesday, December 2, at 8:00 ... replay will be available for 14 days after the ... NormartVP, Corporate Communications and Business Development , BrewLife(858) 875-8629 ... (Date:11/24/2015)... Calif. , Nov. 24, 2015 Cepheid ... will be speaking at the following conference, and invited ... New York, NY Tuesday, December 1, 2015 ... New York, NY Tuesday, December 1, 2015 ... Jaffray Healthcare Conference, New York, NY ... Breaking Biology Technology:[0] Accutest and Fox Chase Cancer Center - Temple Health Form Strategic Partnership on Clinical Trials for Oncology[0] New Research Reveals Bacteria Associated With Feline Gum Disease for the First Time[0] Orexigen Therapeutics to Speak at the Piper Jaffray 27th Annual Healthcare Conference[0] Cepheid to Webcast Upcoming Financial PresentationBiology NavigationAIDS/HIVBioinformaticsBiotechnologyBiochemistryCancerCell BiologyDevelopmental BiologyEcologyEnvironmentEvolutionFood TechnologyGeneGeneticsGenomicsHealth/MedicineImmunologyMicroarrayMicrobiologyMolecularMarine BiologyNanobiotechnologyNeurobiologyPlant SciencesStem CellSystems BiologyVirusWomen HealthMedical NavigationAbortionAchesADHDAddictionAlcoholAllergyAlternative MedicineAlzheimer's DementiaAnxiety/StressArthritisAutismBacteriaBloodBird Flu/Avian FluBonesBreast CancerCancerCardiovascularCervical CancerChikungunyaCholesterolClinical TrialsColorectal CancerConferencesCrohn'sCystic FibrosisDengueDentistryDepressionDiabetesDrugEating DisordersEducationEpilepsyErectile DysfunctionEye Health/BlindnessFertilityFlu/ColdGastroIntestinalGeneticsGoutHeadache/MigraineHearing/DeafnessHIV/AIDSHuntington's DiseaseHypertensionImmune System/VaccinesInsuranceInfectious DiseasesIrritable-Bowel SyndromeInternetLeukemiaLifestyleLiver Disease/HepatitisLung CancerLupusMad Cow DiseaseMedical DevicesMedical Students/TrainingMedicare/MedicaidMedicoMen's healthMental HealthMRI/UltrasoundMRSA/Drug ResistanceMultiple SclerosisMuscular DystrophyNeurologyNursingNutrition/DietObesity/Weight LossPain/AnestheticsParkinson's DiseasePediatrics/Children's HealthPharma/Biotech IndustryPharmacy/PharmacistsPregnancyPrematureProstatePsychology/PsychiatryRehabilitationRespiratory/AsthmaSARSSchizophreniaSeniors/AgingSexual HealthSleep/Sleep DisordersSmokingStatinsStem Cell ResearchStrokeSurgeryTransplants/Organ DonationsVirusesWater - Air QualityWomen's HealthCopyright © 2003-2012 Bio-Medicine. All rights reserved.ABOUT | CONTACT US | DISCLAIMER | PRIVACY POLICY | TERMS AND CONDITIONS |
59th Consecutive Youth Range Workshop
The weeklong Youth Range Workshop, sponsored by the Texas Section Society for Range Management, is held annually to recognize outstanding Texas youth and to provide them with an opportunity for complimentary training in range and natural resource management, stewardship and leadership. According to Dr. Barron Rector ‘83 and Hoyt Seidensticker ‘91, Workshop Co-Coordinators, youth participants learned about the principles of ecology, ecosystem level management, range and watershed management and gained an understanding of the plant-soil-water relationship. Dr. Robert Knight ’80 conducted hands-on activities in plant identification and collection and a session on plant-soil-water relationships. Field trips for hands-on training to Mason and Menard County ranches, and the Kerr Wildlife Management Area where Paul Loeffler ‘79 conducted a brush management demonstrations, Jenny Pluhar ‘84 represented the International Society for Range management as president-elect, and Lee Knox ’96 lead a reseeding project and range planning project.
This was the 59th consecutive year for this educational program conducted for Texas youth. The Workshop began in 1955 and has provided training and been of benefit to more than 2000 Texas youth.
Thanks also to Dr. Jake Landers, retired Extension Range Management Specialist and Joe Franklin '87, NRCS Zone Range Management Specialist. |
UN agriculture chief lauds ‘key’ role of family farmers in food-secure futureFamily poultry production is an important component of the livelihoods of many small farmers in developing countries. Photo: FAO/Giuseppe Bizzarri
27 October 2014 Praising family farmers for their key role in meeting the needs of a growing world population, the head of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) stressed the need to seize global momentum to improve the widespread food insecurity still haunting many rural areas around the world.
Speaking today at the opening of a two-day Global Dialogue on Family Farming in Rome, Director-General José Graziano da Silva said that family farmers are “central to what FAO does, to what the world wants and to what the world needs: a sustainable and food secure future.”
Addressing the paradox facing family farmers worldwide, Mr. Graziano da Silva underscored that the rural areas susceptible to food insecurity are the same areas that serve as the breadbaskets for their communities and the world at large.
The Director-General stressed that governments, farmers’ organizations and the private sector must galvanize concrete action to look beyond production and acknowledge family farms as transmitters of knowledge and central allies in providing healthier diets, including through strong local food systems that link farms to schools and communities.
Mr. Graziano da Silva also noted the attention that family farming is receiving in the post-2015 development agenda, adding that “perhaps the greatest success of the International Year is the strong political commitment we achieved.” He said that the success could be seen in the attention that family farming was receiving in the post-2015 development agenda.
The Global Dialogue brings together family farmers and their organizations, government representatives, civil society, private sector, academia and development agencies to take stock of progress thus far and identify key areas of work and international collaboration related to family farming beyond 2014.
Also in attendance at the opening were Sándor Fazekas, Minister of Agriculture of Hungary; Carlos Casamiquela, Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Fishery of Argentina; Nicos Kouyialis, Minister of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment of Cyprus; Amadou Diallo, Minister and High Commissioner of the 3N Initiative of Niger; and Ana María Baiardi, Minister for Woman of Paraguay.
The Global Dialogue on Family Farming comes two weeks after governments agreed on a 60-point Framework of Action on Nutrition that is expected to be adopted at the upcoming Second International Conference on Nutrition, which will be held in Rome from 19-21 November. The closing of the International Year of Family Farming is scheduled to take place on 27 November in the Philippines.
On World Food Day, UN lauds role of family farmers in ending global hunger
Country-level action 'new frontier' for tackling soil pollution – UN agriculture agency
Sri Lanka's food gap widens in wake of regional floods and drought, UN agencies warn
As South Sudan famine ebbs, UN warns millions still face 'extreme hunger on the edge of a cliff'
Help preserve land – our 'home and future' – UN urges on World Day to Combat Desertification
UN agencies explore nuclear applications to combat food fraud and contamination |
George L. Askew
HEAL Role Chair of Development Committee
George L. Askew, MD, is Deputy Commissioner of Health in the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. There he is responsible for overseeing and managing the Division of Family and Child Health (DFCH). The mission of DFCH is to promote health, prevent disease and advance health equity among New York City families and children. Prior to this he was appointed by the Obama Administration to serve as the first Chief Medical Officer for the Administration for Children & Families (ACF) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). In that role he provided expert advice and consultation to the Assistant Secretary for Children and Families on plans, programs, policies, and initiatives that addressed the health needs and strengths of children and families facing significant social, health, and economic challenges. This included: Affordable Care Act outreach and education, early childhood health and development, and the health of victims and survivors of human trafficking. Of note, Dr. Askew was one of the core developers of the SOAR Human Trafficking Training for Health Care and Social Service Providers. Dr. Askew has a longstanding history of innovative work in child and family advocacy and executive leadership. Prior to joining HHS he was Deputy CEO and Chief Development Officer for Voices for America’s Children, Founder of Docs For Tots, and former CEO and President of Jumpstart for Young Children. Because of his initiative, vision, and national impact, in 2005 Dr. Askew was named an Ashoka International Fellow. He was recognized as a national and global leader for his efforts to link health professionals with early childhood advocacy, embodying the ideals of civic engagement and creative solution-building nurtured by the international fellowship program. Dr. Askew was born and raised in inner-city Cleveland, Ohio. He earned a BA in Psychology and Social Relations at Harvard University, is a graduate of the Case Western Reserve School of Medicine, and a member of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Class of 1992 Epidemic Intelligence Service, also known as the “Disease Detectives.” |
Abstract:Fort Cobb Reservoir in northwest Caddo County Oklahoma is managed by the Bureau of Reclamation for water supply, recreation, flood control, and wildlife. Excessive amounts of nitrogen in the watershed have the potential to cause long-term eutrophication of the reservoir and increase already elevated concentrations of nitrogen in the Rush Springs aquifer. The U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Bureau of Reclamation studied ground water in the area surrounding a swine feeding operation located less than 2 miles upgradient from Fort Cobb Reservoir in Caddo County, Oklahoma. Objectives of the study were to (1) determine if the operation was contributing nitrogen to the ground water and (2) measure changes in ground-water levels and determine the local ground-water flow direction in the area surrounding the swine feeding operation.
Nitrate concentrations (28.1 and 31.5 milligrams per liter) were largest in two ground-water samples from a well upgradient of the wastewater lagoon. Nitrate concentrations ranged from 4.30 to 8.20 milligrams per liter in samples from downgradient wells. Traces of ammonia and nitrite were detected in a downgradient well, but not in upgradient wells. d15N values indicate atmospheric nitrogen, synthetic fertilizer, or plants were the predominate sources of nitrate in ground water from the downgradient wells. The d15N values in these samples are depleted in nitrogen-15, indicating that animal waste was not a significant contributor of nitrate.
Manganese concentrations (1,150 and 965 micrograms per liter) in samples from a downgradient well were substantially larger than concentrations in samples from other wells, exceeding the secondary drinking-water standard of 50 micrograms per liter. Larger concentrations of bicarbonate, magnesium, fluoride, and iron and a higher pH were also measured in water from a downgradient well.
Ground-water levels in an observation well were higher from April to mid-July and lower during the late summer and in the fall due to a seasonal decrease in precipitation, increase in water withdrawals, and increase in evapotranspiration. Ground water near the wastewater spray field moved south-southeast toward Willow Creek along a gradient of about 50 feet per mile.
Analysis of ground-water samples suggest that commercial fertilizer is contributing nitrate upgradient of the swine feeding operation and that wastewater from the lagoon is contributing reduced forms of nitrogen, ammonia and nitrite. Additional downgradient wells would be needed to (1) determine if the swine feeding operation is adding excessive amounts of nitrogen to ground water, (2) determine the vertical dimension of wastewater flow, and (3) the extent of wastewater downgradient of the lagoon.
Citation Author: Becker, Carol J.
Citation LatN: Citation LatS: Citation LonE: Citation LonW: Citation Month: Citation No Pagination: Citation Number Of Pages: Citation Online Only Flag: Citation Phsyical Description: v, 20 p. : ill., maps (some col.) ; 28 cm.
Citation Projection: Citation Public Comments: Citation Publisher: Citation Series: Water-Resources Investigations Report
Citation Search Results Text: Ground-water quality, levels, and flow direction near Fort Cobb Reservoir, Caddo County, Oklahoma, 1998-2000; 2001; WRI; 2001-4076; Water-Resources Investigations Report; Becker, Carol J.
Text: Ground-water quality, levels, and flow direction near Fort Cobb Reservoir, Caddo County, Oklahoma, 1998-2000; 2001; WRI; 2001-4076; Water-Resources Investigations Report; Becker, Carol J.
URL (INDEX PAGE): http://pubs.usgs.gov/wri/wri01-4076/ |
Cause of fatal inflammation of the heart muscle identified
Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres
Scientists have found out that inflammations of the heart muscle are caused by attacks of a specific type of immune cells. These immune cells attack the body's own tissue because during their maturation they did not have the chance to develop tolerance against a protein that is only found in the heart muscle.
Scientists of the German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ), jointly with colleagues in the United States, have found out that inflammations of the heart muscle are caused by attacks of a specific type of immune cells. These immune cells attack the body's own tissue because during their maturation they did not have the chance to develop tolerance against a protein that is only found in the heart muscle.
An inflammation of the heart muscle, or myocarditis, frequently precedes a dangerous and often fatal heart enlargement. In many cases, the only promising treatment left is heart transplantation. For many years now, medical evidence has suggested that this dangerous inflammation is caused by autoimmune reactions, i.e., attacks by the body's own immune system.
However, it remained unclear whether it is antibodies or immune cells that damage the heart muscle tissue. It was also unknown which of the proteins in the cardiac muscle is the target of these fatal immune attacks. Jointly with colleagues from Harvard, the Dana Faber Cancer Institute and other U.S. research institutes, Professor Dr. Bruno Kyewski of the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) set out to investigate these questions.
The investigators studied mice that are often spontaneously affected by fatal myocarditis. Studying these animals, they discovered that α-MyHC, a type of heart muscle protein called myosin, is the target of autoaggressive immune cells. This protein is highly specific of the heart muscle and is not found in muscles of the skeleton.
Why is it that immune cells suddenly start attacking a harmless own protein? "This is the result of a lack of tolerance training," says DKFZ's Professor Dr. Bruno Kyewski. T cells, a specific type of immune cells, are prepared for their job during their early development in a special organ called thymus gland. Here they are presented a multitude of the body's own molecules which they are expected to recognize as known and harmless on their later patrols through the body. "We have now discovered that there is no α-MyHC in the thymus tissue of these mice. T cells therefore have no opportunity during their 'education' to meet this protein and thus develop specific tolerance."
The scientists also provided strong support for this hypothesis. They modified the mice's genetic material in such a way that their thymus gland became capable of producing α-MyHC. These animals were no longer affected by autoimmune myocarditis.
This hypothesis appears to be valid not only for mice, but also for humans. The investigators showed that human thymus tissue does not produce α-MyHC, either. Therefore, there are human T cells permanently circulating in the bloodstream which also have the potential of attacking the heart. "Normally, this causes no problems," said Bruno Kyewski. "But if the cardiac muscle gets damaged by a viral infection or an infarction and larger amounts of α-MyHC are released from the defective tissue, the fragile tolerance breaks down."
The results now published by the German-U.S. team are expected to contribute to developing more specific treatments against autoimmune myocarditis. So far, a common approach has been to attempt to suppress the production of antibodies in patients. "But now we know that we have to selectively block specific T cells to protect the heart in such cases," explained Kyewski.
The above post is reprinted from materials provided by Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.
HuiJuan Lv, Evis Havari, Sheena Pinto, Raju V.S.R.K. Gottumukkala, Lizbeth Cornivelli, Khadir Raddassi, Takashi Matsui, Anthony Rosenzweig, Roderick T. Bronson, Ross Smith, Anne L. Fletcher, Shannon J. Turley, Kai Wucherpfennig, Bruno Kyewski, Myra A. Lipes. Impaired thymic tolerance to α-myosin directs autoimmunity to the heart in mice and humans. Journal of Clinical Investigation, 2011; DOI: 10.1172/JCI44583
Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres. "Cause of fatal inflammation of the heart muscle identified." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 30 March 2011. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110329095656.htm>.
Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres. (2011, March 30). Cause of fatal inflammation of the heart muscle identified. ScienceDaily. Retrieved September 5, 2015 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110329095656.htm
Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres. "Cause of fatal inflammation of the heart muscle identified." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110329095656.htm (accessed September 5, 2015).
Turbo-Charging Hormone Can Regrow the Heart, Animal Study Suggests
Apr. 7, 2015 Researchers have discovered a way to stimulate muscle regrowth in the heart of a mouse, opening up prospects of new treatments for people who suffer heart ... read more Toward Fixing Damaged Hearts Through Tissue Engineering
Jan. 22, 2014 In the US, someone suffers a heart attack every 34 seconds -- their heart is starved of oxygen and suffers irreparable damage. Engineering new heart tissue in the laboratory that could eventually be ... read more Heart of Silk: Scientists Use Silk from the Tasar Silkworm as a Scaffold for Heart Tissue
Jan. 27, 2012 Damaged human heart muscle cannot be regenerated. Scar tissue grows in place of the damaged muscle cells. Scientists are seeking to restore complete cardiac function with the help of artificial ... read more Protein Could Be New Target to Reduce Damage After Heart Attack
Feb. 24, 2011 A protein called fibronectin-EDA was linked to heart muscle damage after a heart attack in an animal study. Mice genetically altered to lack FN-EDA had less heart damage after a heart attack. ... read more Strange & Offbeat |
Title: Mechanistic modelling of energy consumption in CNC machining
Author: Imani Asrai, Reza
Awarding Body: University of Bath
Current Institution: University of Bath
http://opus.bath.ac.uk/40980/
Consumption of energy is a key medium through which humans adversely affect their environment. Sustainable transition in the scale and composition of total primary energy demand in the 21st century is also a requirement for sustainable development of human civilisations in the face of diminishing resources of fossil fuels. One possible approach to reducing energy consumption is the energy efficient utilisation of existing energy consuming systems. This approach is less costly and time consuming than replacing the existing systems with new energy efficient ones. In addition to that, methods developed through this approach can, in principal form, be applied to more efficient future generations of systems too. Information about a quantitative measure of energy efficiency at different states of operation of a system can be utilised for optimisation of its energy consumption through computation of its most efficient state(s) of operation subject to a given set of constraints. The main contribution of this research is to develop a novel mechanistic model for energy consumption of a CNC machine tool, as an energy consuming system, in order to analytically construct a mathematical relationship between the machine tool’s overall power consumption and its operating parameters, i.e., spindle speed, feed rate and depth of cut. The analytically derived formula is experimentally validated for the case of straight slut milling of aluminium on a 3-axis CNC milling machine. The research provides evidence for substantial performance improvement in the case of the mechanistic model developed here in comparison with the currently most widely used model for energy consumption of CNC milling machines, i.e., Gutowski et al. 2006, through further analysis of the empirical data acquired during the validation experiments. |
HealthMpowerment.org: An Online and Mobile HIV Intervention for Young Black MSM
Hightow-Weidman, Lisa B. University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
See 23 grants from Lisa Hightow-Weidman
In response to a previously unrecognized epidemic of HIV infection affecting young Black men who have sex with men (BMSM) in North Carolina (NC) who met sexual partners on the internet we sought to design a tailored, theory-based interactive HIV/STI prevention website for young BMSM. While previous studies have found that computer-based interventions are efficacious in reducing HIV related sexual risks, to date, no internet-based intervention has been developed specifically for young BMSM. Based on prior successful internet interventions to encourage weight loss, increase physical activity or promote smoking/alcohol cessation, we developed a theory-based website that provides tailored and personalized feedback. Formative data developing and pilot testing HealthMpowerment.org (HMP), our theory-based, tailored and tested website indicate that this intervention is acceptable and relevant to the prevention issues currently faced by young BMSM. Moreover, we have demonstrated that we can deliver this intervention over the internet and successfully recruit and retain a high percentage (90%) of BMSM for participation over a one-month follow-up period. Smart phone ownership is rapidly growing and provides internet access that is "always on" - allowing for the delivery of interventions to persons on the go, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The cell phone industry has documented high levels of use among Blacks creating an increased likelihood, using cell phones, of delivering highly engaging prevention messages to hard-to-reach populations, including those that may not typically access in-person or group interventions. An intervention combining traditional internet with mobile phone technology allows for location independence and increased flexibility, reach and impact. Both the internet and phone based interventions have been shown to improve knowledge and health outcomes among minorities and those with low socioeconomic status (SES) thus the potential for use among young BMSM is enormous. By further refining this intervention and including a mobile phone based platform, we believe we can create a comprehensive internet-based HIV risk reduction intervention for a population that is underserved by currently available prevention interventions. Specifically we plan to use data from feasibility and acceptability testing of our tested and theory-based internet intervention to refine, enhance and test the HMP intervention website, including novel features delivered via mobile phone technology. We then plan to conduct a two arm randomized controlled trial with young BMSM comparing the enhanced HMP intervention to a control condition consisting of links to currently available HIV/STI internet sites.
This unique study seeks to further refine a theory-based, internet intervention, HealthMpowerment.org, that has been developed for young Black MSM. By enhancing the current intervention and including a mobile phone based platform, we believe we can create a comprehensive internet-based HIV risk reduction intervention for a population that is underserved by currently available prevention interventions
Study SectionBehavioral and Social Science Approaches to Preventing HIV/AIDS Study Section (BSPH) Program OfficerPequegnat, Willo Project Start2011-09-20
NameUniversity of North Carolina Chapel Hill DepartmentInternal Medicine/Medicine
HealthMpowerment.org: An Online and Mobile HIV Intervention for Young Black MSMHightow-Weidman, Lisa B. / University of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Health Mpowerment.org: a novel Internet and mobile phone HIV intervention for youHightow-Weidman, Lisa B. / University of North Carolina Chapel Hill
LeGrand, Sara; Muessig, Kathryn E; Pike, Emily C et al. (2014) If you build it will they come? Addressing social isolation within a technology-based HIV intervention for young black men who have sex with men. AIDS Care 26:1194-200
Muessig, Kathryn E; Pike, Emily C; Legrand, Sara et al. (2013) Mobile phone applications for the care and prevention of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases: a review. J Med Internet Res 15:e1
Muessig, Kathryn E; Pike, Emily C; Fowler, Beth et al. (2013) Putting prevention in their pockets: developing mobile phone-based HIV interventions for black men who have sex with men. AIDS Patient Care STDS 27:211-22
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Diagnosis and management of ophthalmological features in patients with mucopolysaccharidosis
You are currently viewing an earlier version of this article (September 18, 2010).
Stefano Ferrari1,
Diego Ponzin1,
Jane L Ashworth2,
Kristina Teär Fahnehjelm3,4,
C Gail Summers5,
Paul R Harmatz6,
Maurizio Scarpa7
1The Veneto Eye Bank Foundation, Venice, Italy
2Manchester Royal Eye Hospital, Manchester, UK
3Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden
4Department of Paediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, St Erik Eye Hospital, Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge, Sweden
5Departments of Ophthalmology and Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
6Children's Hospital & Research Center Oakland, Oakland, California, USA
7Department of Paediatrics, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
Correspondence to Dr Maurizio Scarpa, Department of Paediatrics, University of Padua, Via Giustiniani 3, 35128 Padua, Italy; scarpa{at}pediatria.unipd.it
Ocular pathology is common in patients with mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS), a hereditary lysosomal storage disorder, where the eye as well as other tissues accumulate excessive amounts of glycosaminoglycans. Despite genetic and phenotypic heterogeneity within and between different types of MPS, the disease symptoms and clinical signs often manifest during the first 6 months of life with increasing head size, recurrent infections, umbilical hernia, growth retardation and skeletal problems. Typical ocular features include corneal clouding, ocular hypertension/glaucoma, retinal degeneration and optic nerve atrophy. Visual deterioration and sensitivity to light may substantially reduce the quality of life in MPS patients, particularly when left untreated. As an early intervention, haematopoietic stem cell transplantation and/or enzyme replacement therapy are likely to improve patients' symptoms and survival, as well as visual outcome. Thus, it is of utmost importance to ensure proper detection and accurate diagnosis of MPS at an early age. It is of fundamental value to increase awareness and knowledge among ophthalmologists of the ocular problems affecting MPS patients and to highlight potential diagnostic pitfalls and difficulties in patient care. This review provides insight into the prevalence and severity of ocular features in patients with MPS and gives guidance for early diagnosis and follow-up of MPS patients. MPS poses therapeutic challenges in ocular management, which places ophthalmologists next to paediatricians at the forefront of interventions to prevent long-term sequelae of this rare but serious disease.
mucopolysaccharidoses
diagnostic tests/investigation
child health (paediatrics)
Funding BioMarin Europe Ltd, London, UK.
Competing interests SF, DP, JLA and CGS have no competing interests to declare. KTF has received travel expenses from BioMarin. PRH has provided consulting support to BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc., Novato, California, USA, and has received research grants, speaker's honorarium and travel support from BioMarin. MS has received unrestricted research and travel grants from BioMarin, Actelion, Genzyme and Shire. |
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The Arbor Day Foundation Blog
Diversity of trees crucial to urban forestry success
Rebekah Magill
Whether for disaster recovery, beautification, or something else, as cities are planting trees, it behooves them to be aware of how each unique tree species varies in the benefits it can provide to the urban environment.
The updated release of the USDA plant hardiness zone map has indicated the potential affect changing climate conditions will have on the survival of certain plant species. In addition to the new map, a recent Science 2.0 article revealed the results of a collaborative study from the Sapienza University of Rome and Portland State University. This study determined that biodiversity in urban forests impacts the removal of ozone from a city’s atmosphere.
In other words, different groups of tree species perform different levels of ozone uptake activities at different times (and temperatures), ultimately complementing each other and working together synergistically.
The ozone is a necessary chemical that protects us against the sun’s rays, while exerting its own negative impact on the environment by damaging man-made materials and polluting crops. Understanding which tree species can survive in your city and which species are best for removing ozone can result in long-term benefits for you and your community.
In urban areas, ozone can be problematic and removal services costly. Learning how different tree species respond to environmental conditions would aid managers in developing systems for planting the right amount of trees in the right places. According to Science 2.0:
Managers in several U.S. cities–including D.C., New York, Baltimore, Atlanta, and Chicago–already tout urban forests as a cost-effective method of reducing air pollution, and these results suggest that other cities would experience similar benefits. Given that over half the world’s population currently lives in ever-expanding urban areas, this management practice could improve air quality for a significant number of people.
The Arbor Day Foundation has been extolling the dynamic benefits of urban forests for decades. Urban forests raise property value, add aesthetic appeal, lower temperatures, change wind patterns, reduce energy use (and costs) and improve air quality. Through its Tree City USA program, the Arbor Day Foundation has awarded national recognition to over 3,400 communities (where over 135 million people live) for implementing their own urban and community forest sustainability programs.
Planting trees in your city provide many benefits. So plant trees…and plant a variety of trees, in the right places to make those benefits count.
Category: Tree City USA | Tags: biodiversity. View all posts by Rebekah Magill. Comments for this post are closed. |
The Home of the Brave, a 15-bed temporary shelter for homeless veterans on Sharps Road in Milford, celebrated its 20th year of operation Friday with an open house attended by dozens of local dignitaries and state legislators. What began as a shared concern among eight local veterans is today the state’s oldest and most successful non-profit dedicated to transitioning homeless servicemen off the streets and into adequate housing.
The Home of the Brave, a 15-bed temporary shelter for homeless veterans on Sharps Road in Milford, celebrated its 20th year of operation Friday with an open house attended by dozens of local dignitaries and state legislators.
“Through the foresight and persistence of many, this worthwhile foundation, through the home it has established, has proved itself a haven of shelter and rehabilitation,” Sen. Joseph W. Booth (R-Georgetown) said Friday, reading from a formal tribute issued by the State Senate to commemorate the home’s anniversary. “And what a facility it is.”
Co-founder and current board member Les Stephenson, who served in the 1st Battalion, Ninth Division of the Marine Corps in Vietnam, said the facility has come a long way from its initial inception in 1992.
“The way it started was eight of us veterans were all in a counseling group together and we met a gentleman who was homeless,” Stephenson said. “He was admitted at Wilmington Hospital and then discharged and no one knew what happened to him.”
Concerned about the plight of their fellow veteran and others like him, they each pitched in $1 to open a bank account that they could use to raise funds for a transitional housing shelter for men in similar situations, Stephenson said.
In 1994, the veterans opened the original four-bed Home of the Brave with money raised from private donations and a grant from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Today, the current facility, which opened in 1996, provides temporary housing to homeless veterans, as well as individual case management; mental health, vocational and benefits counseling; referrals to substance abuse programs and medical services; transportation to work and appointments; clothing; and household items for their new living arrangements upon discharge.
“The Veterans Affairs grant we receive for our operating costs allows the veterans to stay here for up to two years, but our goal is to get them enough resources to get housing – whether on their own, with their families or through the VA – within six to nine months,” said Linda Boone, chairwoman of the Home of the Brave’s board of directors and the former CEO of the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans. “While they are here, they treat it just like their home. They all have chores to do, just like any family.”
Boone said Home of the Brave currently is working to raise money to purchase a similar home capable of housing up to six female veterans and their children.
“As of 2009, there were 585 homeless veterans in Delaware, about 5 percent of whom are women,” she said.
Current Home of the Brave resident Lloyd Veeney, a 58-year-old U.S. Army veteran from Grasonville, Md., spent five years on the streets and in various shelters before a social worker at a Veterans Affairs hospital referred him to the facility in May.
“I would still be on the streets if I hadn’t come here,” he said Friday. “The best part is they help you get your benefits and assist you with getting back on your feet and getting your own place. I would recommend it to any veteran who was in the same situation I was.”
Liz Byers-Jiron, the deputy executive director of the Home of the Brave, said the main goal of the facility is to provide struggling veterans with a fresh start.
“Every one of these guys has a hidden treasure,” she said. “All they need is someone to help them regain their inner strength. It is truly and honor and a privilege to work with them. ”
Email Scott Goss at scott.goss@doverpost.com |
Nash hopes new online hub for networks will boost ‘purple power’
A unique new website aims to bring together networks representing hundreds of thousands of disabled employees across the UK.
PurpleSpace will support the leaders of disabled employee networks (DENs) and disabled employees themselves in a bid to share best practice, and provide opportunities for learning, networking and professional development.
DENs are set up by disabled employees within an organisation and provide their members with peer support on disability-related issues, and help them develop their careers.
PurpleSpace – named because of the increasing use of that colour to represent disabled people – has been created by former RADAR chief executive Kate Nash, whose company Kate Nash Associates (KNA) has worked with organisations such as Thomson Reuters, RBS, the global consultancy Ernst & Young, and the Metropolitan police.
KNA already works with 300 DENs, with a combined community of about 850,000 disabled employees.
Nash said she wanted to “create a new social and economic ‘movement’ of employees helping others to navigate the experience of disability and stay in and get on at work”.
She said: “PurpleSpace will facilitate the biggest UK conversation between network leaders and disabled employees about how to stay in work and flourish when you acquire a disability or health condition.”
The site was set up with the help of umbrella networks such as the Civil Service Disability Network, the Disabled Police Association (DPA), the Employers Stammering Network, the National Association of Disabled Staff Networks (NADSN), and NHS England’s Disability and Wellbeing Network.
Andy Garrett, DPA’s vice-chair and a PurpleSpace ambassador, said: “I am full of excitement and anticipation that PurpleSpace will open and build multiple new avenues for disability networks and their leaders; developing their skills, sharing resources and initiatives and working together to release disability potential across a wide range of organisations.”
Hamied Haroon, founder and convener of NADSN, said: “The launch of the PurpleSpace initiative couldn’t have come at a more critical time for disabled employees.
“PurpleSpace will provide a unique platform for me and other network leaders from disparate sectors and backgrounds to connect and support each other.” |
The birth of new cardiac cells
December 5, 2012 Recent research has shown that there are new cells that develop in the heart, but how these cardiac cells are born and how frequently they are generated remains unclear. In new research from Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH), researchers use a novel method to identify these new heart cells and describe their origins.
This research is published in Nature on December 5, 2012.
A sophisticated imaging system (MIMS) demonstrates cell division in the adult mammalian heart.
"The question about how often cardiac cells are born has been extremely difficult to answer because there was a need for new techniques to help us understand this process. We are especially excited about our findings because of the novel way in which were able to show new heart cells, using Multi-isotope Imaging Mass Spectrometry (MIMS). Our collaborator, Claude Lechene, MD, had developed this technology, and as a team we harnessed this for the cardiac regeneration question." said Richard T. Lee, MD, a physician and researcher in the Cardiovascular Division at BWH and senior author of the paper. "These data present one piece of the puzzle when it comes to the discussion around the generation of new cardiac cells."
The team of BWH researchers marked existing cardiac cells genetically to cause them to express a green fluorescent protein. Then they used Multi-isotope Imaging Mass Spectrometry (MIMS) to examine the development of new heart muscle cells, called cardiomyocytes, in a pre clinical model over a period of months. Researchers were surprised to find that new heart muscle cells primarily arose from existing heart muscle cells, rather than stem cells. Even in the setting of a heart attack, when stem cells are thought to be activated, most new heart cells were born from pre-existing heart cells.
"Our data show that adult cardiomyocytes are primarily responsible for the generation of new cardiomyocytes and that as we age, we lose some capacity to form new heart cells," said Dr. Lee. "This means that we are losing our potential to rebuild the heart in the latter half of life, just when most heart disease hits us. If we can unravel why this occurs, we may be able to unleash some heart regeneration potential."
Explore further: Helping the heart help itself: Research points to new use for stem cells
Brigham and Women's Hospital
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Biography of Beethoven for Children
By Kristine Tucker
Statue of Beethoven
As an elementary school teacher, you might discuss the composer Ludwig van Beethoven as part of your social studies or music curriculum. Your biography should include details such as Beethoven's birth in Bonn, Germany, in 1770 and his ability to earn a living by playing the organ at age 12. Beethoven composed nine symphonies, one opera and dozens of other musical compositions. He had a troubled upbringing and never married or had children. Discuss with your class that even though Beethoven struggled with academic subjects, his musical abilities set him apart as a talented musician and composer.
Childhood Struggles
Discuss Beethoven's upbringing and mention some of his childhood struggles. He first learned to play the piano, violin and organ from his father. However, his father was an alcoholic and was very strict, often punishing Beethoven by sending him to the cellar when he didn't play the piano right. Beethoven had two younger brothers and a mild-mannered mother. Children will relate to the fact that Beethoven was an average student who didn't perform well in math or spelling. Some historians believe Beethoven might have struggled with dyslexia. Two of Beethoven's favorite foods were macaroni and cheese and strong coffee, according to the Dallas Symphony Orchestra's website for children.
Formal Training
Talk with your class about Beethoven's formal training. When Beethoven was 17, the local government sent him to Vienna, Austria, to study with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Shortly after arriving, Beethoven's mother fell ill, so Beethoven had to return to Bonn. Students will sympathize with Beethoven knowing that he suffered great depression after his mother died. He didn't return to Vienna for two years. Mozart died before Beethoven could study with him again, so Beethoven spent the majority of his training and educational years with composers Joseph Haydn, Antonio Salieri and Johann Albrechtsberger. Students should learn that it was during this time that Beethoven earned a reputation for being a stellar pianist and composer.
Famous Compositions
Introduce students to some of Beethoven's most famous compositions and play them on your computer or CD player. Discuss how Beethoven's musical compositions often reflected the influences of his teachers. However, his "Symphony No. 3 -- Eroica" went beyond his teachers' skills and led to his rise to fame. Beethoven wrote a full-length opera "Fidelio," a church mass "Missa Solemnis" and "String Quartet No. 14." Ask the music teacher or an upper-grade piano student to play "Fur Elise" or "Moonlight Sonata" on the piano for your class.
Struggle With Deafness
Include a section on Beethoven's struggle with deafness in your biography. When Beethoven was only 26 years old, he started to lose his hearing. By the time of his death, he was almost completely deaf. Students will be inspired to learn that Beethoven's hearing loss didn't affect his ability to compose music, even though he couldn't play the piano anymore. Beethoven wrote one of his most famous symphonies, "Symphony No. 9," near the end of his life. Discuss Beethoven's death with your class. He died of liver disease in 1827 when he was only 56 years old. Some doctors believe his deafness was caused by typhus -- a bacterial disease he contracted in 1796.
Dallas Symphony Orchestra Kids: Ludwig Van Beethoven, Composer
KidsKonnect.com: Van Beethoven, Ludwig
Classics for Kids: Beethoven's Biography
Bio.com: Ludwig Van Beethoven
As curriculum developer and educator, Kristine Tucker has enjoyed the plethora of English assignments she's read (and graded!) over the years. Her experiences as vice-president of an energy consulting firm have given her the opportunity to explore business writing and HR. Tucker has a BA and holds Ohio teaching credentials.
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Study asks how ADHD teens cope
By PEGGY LIM - McClatchy Newspapers
Paula Luper failed her end-of-third-grade test in 1998, leaving 14 questions blank.
"I remember being very embarrassed I couldn't finish," Luper, 18, said. "I didn't tell any of my friends."
A study that was begun that school year in Johnston County, N.C. - one of the largest ever conducted anywhere on attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder - prompted Luper's parents to consult a doctor, who formally diagnosed her with ADHD.
A decade after that original study, researchers are back. They hope to clarify how the disorder evolves as students navigate their teenage years and adulthood.
Luper, who stopped taking ADHD medication last year as a high school junior, had doubts about taking part in the follow-up study. After weeks of consideration, she decided to participate.
Researchers say they need her help. The closest example of a large community-based study of ADHD - outside of the Johnston County one - dates back to the 1960s in California. Researchers at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in Research Triangle Park, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and Duke University chose Johnston County because of its diversity and manageable size.
Most of what is known about ADHD stems from smaller clinical studies, predominantly of Caucasian boys with the hyperactive form of the disorder. Much less is known about ADHD in young adults, especially females, African-Americans and children with the inattentive type of ADHD.
"This information is crucial for doctors, therapists, teachers or social workers trying to help youth with ADHD," said Andrew Rowland, now an epidemiology professor at the University of New Mexico.
The original study, involving 6,099 first- through fifth-graders in all Johnston County elementary schools, revealed some alarming initial results. Parent surveys showed that about 10 percent of the elementary school students had been diagnosed with ADHD. The finding challenged previous studies citing estimates that 3 percent to 5 percent of children have ADHD.
The study also indicated that 7 percent of children were taking stimulant medication to help them calm down or concentrate. Many of the children taking stimulants, however, continued to show symptoms of ADHD, suggesting problems with the doses or with how they were taking the medication. ADHD remains hotly debated because some see it as a result of poor parenting, not a disorder, and they worry that the nation is excessively medicating millions of youngsters.
Rowland said hundreds of studies have shown that stimulants, such as Ritalin and Concerta, help children with ADHD concentrate in the short run.
"What is not known," he said, "is how well those medications work over the long term and if they make a difference in important everyday areas like grades, sleep, ability to make friends or get along with family members."
Luper said she began taking Ritalin in the fourth grade. She swallowed a pill with breakfast before school. The drug made her queasy. It made her feel as if she were the only one in a room. Rather than chat with friends as she might normally want to, she would just feel like sitting quietly. But the sacrifice was worth it.
Before that point, anything would distract her - classmates talking, paper being crumpled, a pin dropping.
"I was making better grades than I would without it," she said. "I knew in 10 years it wouldn't matter how I had felt - it would matter what I'd learned."
Related stories from Columbus Ledger-Enquirer
More on the study
Denise Luper, a teacher at North Johnston High School, said she didn't see the full effect drugs had on her daughter until she taught her SAT prep in ninth grade. By then, Paula had switched to another medication, Concerta.
"I told my husband I didn't like it," Denise Luper said. "She's just a zombie sometimes. She's there in body, focused, but it's not her. I'm used to this happy-go-lucky person."
Jesse Paul Luper was no fan of the way the drugs seemed to drain his daughter's energy either. He didn't want the medication to slow her down when she competed in volleyball or soccer games.
Gradually, Paula Luper eased off the drugs. Second semester last year, she took a new drug, Strattera, but only in the weeks around major tests or during final exams. This year, she refrained from taking any medication.
"I try to be more alert," she said. "I know if I do bad, I'm going to have to get back on it."
Her teachers say she has compensated well, continuing to earn A's and B's on her report cards.
"She's good about listening and carrying out assignments," said Anne Wyman, her business teacher. "I would not know she had ADHD, if it was not documented."
Still, Luper has continued to make small modifications to cope with ADHD.
In her English class this year, the teacher would assign short stories to read, such as a Sherlock Holmes mystery. But on quizzes afterward, Luper's mind would go blank.
"It was a zoning-out problem," said Curtis Mangum, her English teacher, "not an intelligence problem."
Denise Luper asked the teacher if her daughter could take notes about the stories as she read. Soon, she was acing the quizzes.
Luper's record seems to run counter to one theory researchers think this new study will test - that people with ADHD are more prone to risky behaviors, such as drinking, having unsafe sex or substance abuse.
"There is some evidence that teens with ADHD have more health risk behaviors and more accidents," Rowland said. "We don't know if that is true when you look at a community sample."
But whatever results the new study finds, they could help Paula Luper down the road. After studying at Johnston Community College and East Carolina University, she hopes to become a high school sports coach and a resource teacher.
"Because I'm ADHD," she said. "I want to help kids like me." |
Hadassah Pioneer Named Honorary President of International European Liver Congress
Tuesday, Mar 29 2016
www.hadassah.org | News & Stories
Prof. Daniel Shouval, founding head of the Hadassah Medical Center’s Liver Unit. The European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) has named Prof. Daniel Shouval, founding head of the Hadassah Medical Center’s Liver Unit, “Honorary President” of its International Liver Congress™ 2016. The 2016 Conference will take place in Barcelona, April 13-17, with more than 10,000 researchers and physicians from five continents.
EASL's choice expresses recognition of Prof. Shouval's contribution to the understanding and treatment of liver disease in Israel and the world, particularly his work on developing a vaccine for hepatitis B. As a result of Prof. Shouval’s work, Israel was among the first countries to endorse universal vaccination for hepatitis B, a leading cause of liver cancer and liver failure. Today, 189 of the 194 countries belonging to the World Health Organization recommend this vaccine.
Prof. Shouval was also involved in developing a vaccine for hepatitis A. Israel became the first country to institute universal vaccination for this disease, which was very common in the region. As a result, there was a 95 percent drop in its incidence among children and young adults. The vaccines he and his team created for hepatitis A and B have virtually wiped out these diseases.
In 1983, Prof. Shouval established the first liver unit in Israel at Hadassah, which he directed for almost 30 years until his retirement in 2010. He treated thousands of patients during his long career at Hadassah, where he was responsible for many breakthroughs, mentored generations of outstanding liver experts, and published pivotal research papers. Today, he continues to teach medicine and to advise the World Health Organization and other health bodies in Europe, Asia, and Africa.
“As someone who has devoted his life to the study of the liver," said Prof. Shouval, “I am very moved at being chosen. More than that, the honor recognizes the work of the outstanding Hadassah liver team that provides hope to patients who had no hope. Furthermore, it recognizes the contribution of the Israeli medical establishment in general, and Hadassah in particular, in finding cures for diseases that threaten such a wide population."
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Growing Importance of Natural Farming in India
Author – Rashmi Kulranjan
Image – Pixabay
Modern agricultural practices have a major impact on the environment. Climate change, deforestation, genetic engineering, irrigation problems, pollutants, soil degradation and waste are some of the concerns that are connected with agriculture. Excessive use of fertilisers such as urea, nitrate, phosphorous along with many other pesticides have affected air, water, and soil quality.
Genetically engineered crops are herbicide-tolerant and their overuse has created herbicide resistant “super weeds”. Non-target plants, birds, fish and other wildlife have also been killed because of pesticide application. Soil degradation has affected the microbial community of the soil, altering the nutrient cycle, pest control and chemical transformation properties of soil.
Natural farming is the solution to reducing all these hazards. This sustainable way of farming is also known as ‘Do-nothing farming’ or ‘No-tillage farming’. It was first popularised by Masanobu Fukuoka, in the 1940s in Japan. The idea is to let nature play a dominant role to the maximum extent possible. In natural farming, the farmer is considered only a facilitator and the real work is done by nature itself. In a natural farm, there are no good or bad organisms; all are vital for a balanced ecosystem.
Features of Natural Farming in India
Image – subbugarden.in
• Physical work and labour can be highly reduced as compared to other agricultural systems
• Yields similar to chemical agriculture is possible
• There is an increase in soil fertility year after year
• Water requirement is minimized
The idea of natural farming is, however, not something that is imported from Japan. Similar ideas have been widely practised in Indian agriculture for over thousands of years. In India, natural farming is often referred to as ‘Rishi Kheti’, which is based on ancient Vedic principles of farming like the use of animal waste and herbal juices for controlling pests and promoting growth of plants.
The principles of natural farming are:
• No till farming – ploughing the soil alters the natural environment of the soil and promotes the growth of weeds.
• No weeding by tillage or herbicides – weeds are not eliminated but can be suppressed by spreading straw over freshly sown land and growing ground cover.
• No chemical fertilizers – this is because adding chemical fertilizers help in the growth of the plant but not of the soil, which continues to deteriorate.
• No dependence on chemical pesticides – nature’s own balancing act prevents any one species from gaining the upper hand.
Regions Practicing Natural Farming in India
Raulia, Madhya Pradesh
Pratap C Aggarwal who became the Coordinator of the Friends Rural Centre at Rasulia, founded the ‘The One-Straw Revolution’ – the Indian version of the Fukuoka method. The community’s concern for soil health and small farmers led them to make drastic changes in their own farming practices. They slowly took to natural farming and called it ‘Rishi Kheti’. Ploughing was banned for they believed that ploughing would damage the soil and turn it into sand. Chemical fertilizers were stopped and instead organic manure was used. Hardy local varieties of crops were grown. Plants such as clover were grown to eliminate the other less useful ones. Some of their achievements are:
• Yields of up to 20 quintals were obtained
• Good yields for all other food crops except wheat
• Higher total production than under the previous chemical assisted system
• 6-8 fold increase in net profit and a vast improvement in the soil fertility
Navadarshanam, Krishnagiri
Image – navadarshanam.org
In 1990, Ananthu, Jyoti, Partapji and Sudeshji, all belonging to different backgrounds, founded Navdarshanam. It is an expanse of 110acres of hilly land that borders the Thally reserve forest, along the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border. Here different varieties of locally available crops like rice, chilli, turmeric, lemon grass, onions, potatoes, coccinia, amaranth, and lady’s finger is grown. Some of the crops grown here are used to make food items that are sold by an organisation called Navdarshanam Trust Self Help Group.
Zero Budget Natural Farming
Image – palekarzerobudgetspiritualfarming.org
Subhash Palekar innovated a new method of natural farming called ’Zero budget natural framing’. His method is inspired from various ancient Indian farming techniques, the main being ‘Jiwamitra’. The formulation was a revelation that followed appraisal and practical experience of various farming techniques for over two decades, right from the seventies while he was a student at the Shri Shivaji Agriculture College in Amravati.
He has conducted around 150 research projects in his own farm for over six years to develop this method. According to him, it acts as a natural catalytic agent to increase the microbial populations in the soil thus encouraging humus formation.
Image – WhyHunger
Krishnappa Dasappa Gowda from Karnataka is does natural farming in five acres of land. His land is purely rain fed. He claims that the straw mulching can collect 6 liters of water every day. The magic is because of humus. On his farm he is grows banana, arecanut, coconut, musambi, vanilla, black pepper, coffee and ginger. His total income per acre is around INR600,000 per year as compared to a mere INR20,000 if he were to practice chemical farming.
Faridkot, Punjab
Image – Youtube Screen Grab
Amarjeet Sharma has been practicing natural farming on 5 acres of his land since 2007. Increasing costs of inputs, degradation of environment and water quality and deteriorating health of the people consuming the crops were the reasons why he switched from chemical to natural farming. With this method he was able to reduce his water consumption up to 70%. He is currently growing cotton, wheat, bajra and jowar. He plans to grow fruit trees like banana, peaches, pear, mango and orange in the coming years.
Shahkot, Punjab
Image – khetivirasatmission.org
Sher Singh is practicing natural farming on six acres of his land since 2009. He grows about 30 vegetables on 3-4 acres and turmeric, wheat and basmati on the rest. Application of a mixture of cow dung, urine, jiggery and gram flour has resulted in good yields on his farm. He also does mulching of unnecessary grass and vegetable waste. This helps to increase the soil biomass.
Currently, numerous farmers throughout India are practicing Zero Budget Natural Farming and many have been successful.
Factfile –
http://satavic.org/natural-farming/
Wiki/Environmental impact of agriculture
http://isha.sadhguru.org
http://www.theecostore.in
http://indianexpress.com
http://www.khetivirasatmission.org
Pics Captions & Courtesy –
http://subbugarden.in/
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Targeting Tumor Microenvironment with Silibinin: Promise and Potential for a Translational Cancer Chemopreventive Strategy
Author(s): Gagan Deep, Rajesh Agarwal. University of Colorado Denver, 12850 E. Montview Blvd, C238, Aurora, CO 80045.
Tumor microenvironment (TME) refers to the dynamic cellular and extra-cellular components surrounding tumor cells at each stage of the carcinogenesis. TME has now emerged as an integral and inseparable part of the carcinogenesis that plays a critical role in tumor growth, angiogenesis, epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), invasion, migration and metastasis. Besides its vital role in carcinogenesis, TME is also a better drug target because of its relative genetic stability with lesser probability for the development of drug-resistance. Several drugs targeting the TME (endothelial cells, macrophages, cancer-associated fibroblasts, or extra-cellular matrix) have either been approved or are in clinical trials. Recently, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs targeting inflammation were reported to also prevent several cancers. These exciting developments suggest that cancer chemopreventive strategies targeting both tumor and TME would be better and effective towards preventing, retarding or reversing the process of carcinogenesis. Here, we have reviewed the effect of a well established hepatoprotective and chemopreventive agent silibinin on cellular (endothelial, fibroblast and immune cells) and non-cellular components (cytokines, growth factors, proteinases etc.) of the TME. Silibinin targets TME constituents as well as their interaction with cancer cells, thereby inhibiting tumor growth, angiogenesis, inflammation, EMT, and metastasis. Silibinin is already in clinical trials, and based upon completed studies we suggest that its chemopreventive effectiveness should be verified through its effect on biological end points in both tumor and TME. Overall, we believe that the chemopreventive strategies targeting both tumor and TME have practical and translational utility in lowering the cancer burden.
Keywords: Angiogenesis, Chemoprevention, Inflammation, Metastasis, Silibinin, Tumor microenvironment.
Title:Targeting Tumor Microenvironment with Silibinin: Promise and Potential for a Translational Cancer Chemopreventive Strategy
Author(s):Gagan Deep and Rajesh Agarwal
Affiliation:University of Colorado Denver, 12850 E. Montview Blvd, C238, Aurora, CO 80045.
Keywords:Angiogenesis, Chemoprevention, Inflammation, Metastasis, Silibinin, Tumor microenvironment.
Abstract:Tumor microenvironment (TME) refers to the dynamic cellular and extra-cellular components surrounding tumor cells at each stage of the carcinogenesis. TME has now emerged as an integral and inseparable part of the carcinogenesis that plays a critical role in tumor growth, angiogenesis, epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), invasion, migration and metastasis. Besides its vital role in carcinogenesis, TME is also a better drug target because of its relative genetic stability with lesser probability for the development of drug-resistance. Several drugs targeting the TME (endothelial cells, macrophages, cancer-associated fibroblasts, or extra-cellular matrix) have either been approved or are in clinical trials. Recently, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs targeting inflammation were reported to also prevent several cancers. These exciting developments suggest that cancer chemopreventive strategies targeting both tumor and TME would be better and effective towards preventing, retarding or reversing the process of carcinogenesis. Here, we have reviewed the effect of a well established hepatoprotective and chemopreventive agent silibinin on cellular (endothelial, fibroblast and immune cells) and non-cellular components (cytokines, growth factors, proteinases etc.) of the TME. Silibinin targets TME constituents as well as their interaction with cancer cells, thereby inhibiting tumor growth, angiogenesis, inflammation, EMT, and metastasis. Silibinin is already in clinical trials, and based upon completed studies we suggest that its chemopreventive effectiveness should be verified through its effect on biological end points in both tumor and TME. Overall, we believe that the chemopreventive strategies targeting both tumor and TME have practical and translational utility in lowering the cancer burden. |
The Facts You Need to Know About the Symptoms and Treatment of MRSA
Eczema and Dermatitis
Simple moves like hand-washing can lower risk By Heather Brannon, MD | Reviewed by a board-certified physician
Microbiologist examining an MRSA bacteria on plate.
R Parulan Jr./Moment/Getty Images
More in Skin Health
The bacteria staph (Staphylococcus aureus), normally lives on the skin and sometimes in nasal passages. It's the most common cause of skin and soft tissue infections in most countries of the world. There are many strains of S. aureus in the world today, but an important evolving strain is Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).MRSA is not killed by the typical antibiotics that eliminate staph, but doctors still provide treatment for the strain.
Get the facts on the signs and symptoms of staph infections as well as about diagnosis and treatment options with this review.OverviewS. aureus causes skin infections such as folliculitis, furuncles, carbuncles and cellulitis. Normally these infections are treated with a group of antibiotics called β-lactam antibiotics, but these antibiotics don't kill MRSA. Examples of β-lactam antibiotics include:Penicillins such as benzathine penicillin, nafcillin, and dicloxacillinCephalosporins such as cephalexin, cefuroxime, and ceftriaxoneMonobactams such as aztreonamCarbapenems such as imipenemWhere Did MRSA Come From?S. aureus, like many bacteria, has the ability to mutate to survive. As the bacteria has been exposed to antibiotics, there have been tiny, incremental changes in the DNA of the bacteria that allow it to adapt and survive. Certain strains of the same bacteria develop that have different properties and different adaptations.
MRSA has been traced back to a strain in the 1950s called phage type 80/81 that was known for its ability to cause serious infections.TypesMRSA has been divided into two different types:CA-MRSA: Community-aquired MRSAHA-MRSA: Hospital-acquired MRSAIn general HA-MRSA is the more serious of the two sub-types.
However, it's difficult to pin down the facts about the differences between these infections because there are different definitions of the sub-types. Also, because of the nature of bacterial resistance, the sub-types themselves are changing.DiagnosisThe definitive way to diagnose a MRSA infection is to perform a bacterial culture on pus from an infected wound. At times culturing the fluid from the inside of the nose is done to determine if a person is a carrier of the bacteria.TreatmentsFor minor skin infections sometimes the only treatment needed is to drain the pus. This is called an I & D, or incision and drainage. Drainage is also used for more serious infections along with antibiotics that are used to kill the bacteria. There are antibiotics that treat MRSA, but resistance to some of these antibiotics is starting to develop in some areas. Sometimes a combination of antibiotics is used to prevent further resistance from developing. Antibiotics that are typically used include:trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (Septra or Bactrim)clindamycinlinezolidtetracyclinevancomycinPreventionPersonal hygiene measures are the key to preventing MRSA infections. There are certain risk factors for developing MRSA infections and knowing what these are can help you avoid those situations.
Specific guidelines to follow include:Cover actively draining woundsDon't touch another person's woundsDon't share personal objects like towels and razorsClean hands regularly using antibacterial soap or alcohol-based gelsSources:Gould, IM. “Antibiotics, skin and soft tissue infection and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: cause and effect.” Int J Antimicrob Agents. 34 Suppl 1(2009): S8-11.Kil, EH et al. “Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: an update for the dermatologist, Part 2: Pathogenesis and cutaneous manifestations.” Cutis. 81(2008): 247-54.Miller, LG, and SL Kaplan. “Staphylococcus aureus: a community pathogen.” Infectious Disease Clinics of North America. 23(2009): 35-52.
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Amélie Proulx Wins $10,000 RBC Emerging Ceramics Award
BY Leah Sandals
A view of Amélie Proulx’s winning artwork Jardinet Méchanique, which combines ceramics with microprocessors to create a moving gardenscape / photo Frances Juriansz
Quebec City ceramics artist Amélie Proulx took home the $10,000 first prize at the RBC Emerging Artist People’s Choice Award last night. The announcement took place at a related exhibition at Toronto’s Gardiner Museum, which invited the public to cast votes deciding the winner.
The other artists nominated were Robin DuPont (representing British Columbia), Michael Flaherty (representing Newfoundland and Labrador), Monica Mercedes Martinez (representing Manitoba) and Linda Sormin (representing Ontario).
Proulx, who graduated from NSCAD University with her MFA in 2010 and also studied art at Concordia University, is known for works that make unconventional use of the ceramic form. For her 2011 work Glissements, she created a life-sized industrial pulley system out of porcelain. For Poussières de langage—another work created around that same time—she created an eight-foot-long ceramic surface that moved and undulated like the surface of a river.
Proulx’s winning artwork at the Gardiner Museum, Jardinet Mécanique, merged microcontrollers with porcelain flowers and a steel table to create a kind of moving garden.
“When clay is fired, it irreversibly becomes ceramics,” Proulx said in her artist statement. “The process of firing renders this material stable and permanent, thereby conserving its characteristics of stability and immutability for millenia. My explorations with this material lead me to develop different strategies for unsettling the inherent characteristics of ceramics and suggesting that this material could be perpetually transformed.”
Rachel Gotlieb, interim executive director and chief curator of the Gardiner Museum, said in a release that Proulx’s “masterful installation work empowers ceramics with a new sense of agency and design.”
“Amélie Proulx frees herself from the utilitarian and decorative connotations often associated with the ceramic medium in order to create works that transport us into a dreamlike world,” nominator Jean-Pierre Labiau, curator of exhibitions and decorative arts at the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec, wrote. “In her work, excess, apparent lack of composition and elements of surprise are united in harmony. Proulx offers a reflection that is anchored in our contemporary world without, however, neglecting a poetic dimension.”
In 2010, Proulx also received an honourable mention from the Outstanding Student Achievement in Contemporary Sculpture competition organized by the International Sculpture Center in New Jersey. In 2012, she co-founded a collective studio space for ceramicists, Les Ateliers du Trois Cinquième, in Quebec City. She also teaches ceramics and visual arts at the Maison des métiers d’arts de Québec and Cégep Sainte-Foy.
This was the third year of the RBC Emerging Artist People’s Choice Award, which provides each nominated artist with an opportunity to showcase their work at the Gardiner. To be eligible, participating artists must have been Canadian citizens or permanent residents, out of school and practicing for at least three years; no more than 10 years. They also must have participated in at least one exhibition at a recognized gallery, museum or other arts organization.
Labiau was one of five nominators this year, who also included Katrina Chaytor, ceramics faculty at the Alberta College of Art and Design; Bruce Cochrane, ceramic artist and former head of ceramics at the Sheridan Institute; Gloria Hickey, curator and writer on crafts in St. John’s; and Grace Nickel, professor of ceramics at the University of Manitoba.
5 Artists Nominated for $10K Ceramic Art Prize
Five up-and-coming Canadian artists who work with clay have been nominated for the $10,000 RBC Emerging Artist People’s Choice Award. The award is decided by public votes that are cast both online...
Alberta Artist Wins $10K Ceramic Art Prize
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Publication # 09-RA008 Use of a clinical algorithm can reduce unnecessary antibiotic use for treatment of sore throat in adults
Research Activities, May 2009, No. 345 A majority of adults with sore throat are prescribed antibiotics despite being infected with respiratory viruses which, unlike bacteria, do not respond to antibiotic treatment. Using a simple clinical scoring algorithm (the Centor Criteria), results in about 40 percent of adults getting a test for streptococcal bacteria and fewer than 20 percent getting antibiotics, finds a new study. The algorithm allows clinicians to sufficiently predict the presence or absence of group A b-hemolytic streptococci (GABHS) and avoid prescribing antibiotics to patients unlikely to have strep throat, explains Jeffrey A. Linder, M.D., M.P.H., of Brigham and Women's Hospital.In evaluating patients with sore throat, the principal goal is identifying patients likely to have GABHS. Only 5 to 15 percent of adult patients seeking care for sore throat are likely to have GABHS. The clinical scoring algorithm known as the "Centor Criteria" consist of four findings that are each assigned one point: history of fever, absence of cough, tender or swollen lymph glands in the neck, and red and swollen tonsils. These criteria are easy to implement and accurately stratify adult patients with suspected GABHS. The recommended algorithm suggests that patients with 0 or 1 finding do not require testing or antibiotics. Patients with 2 or 3 findings should have a rapid strep test (rather than a throat culture) performed, and the results should guide antibiotic treatment. Patients with four findings should receive antibiotics. Throat cultures are not recommended due to the time it takes to get the test results back from the laboratory. Patients with none of the criteria have a 3 percent chance of strep throat while those with all four have a 41 percent chance of the disease.The author stresses that sore throats can be the result of other causes or infections that may or may not require antibiotics. For example, non-group A streptococci accounts for 5 to 26 percent of patients with sore throat. Other causes include Epstein-Barr virus, Mycoplasma and Chlamydia pneumonia, Neisseria gonorrhea, and Hemophilus influenzae. He also cautions that clinicians who treat patients who might be at risk for undiagnosed or untreated strep infection (such as those with a history of acute rheumatic fever or documented exposure) may want to use a lower threshold for diagnosing and treating GABHS.The study was supported by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (HS14563).See "Evaluation and management of adult pharyngitis" by Dr. Linder in the Fall/Winter 2008 Comprehensive Therapy 34(3-4), pp. 196-203. Current as of May 2009
Internet Citation: Use of a clinical algorithm can reduce unnecessary antibiotic use for treatment of sore throat in adults: Research Activities, May 2009, No. 345.
May 2009. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://archive.ahrq.gov/news/newsletters/research-activities/may09/0509RA15.html |
Abstract 98: The biological significance of T3-regulated endoglin in human hepatoma cells.
Yang-Hsiang Lin, Ya-Hui Huang, I-Hsiao Chung and Kwang-Huei Lin
Yang-Hsiang Lin
Chang Gung Univ., Taoyuan, Taiwan.
Ya-Hui Huang
I-Hsiao Chung
Kwang-Huei Lin
DOI: 10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-98 Published April 2013
Hypothyroidism has been associated with significantly elevated risk for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), although the precise underlying mechanisms remain unknown at present. Thyroid hormone (T3) and its receptor (TR) are involved in metabolism and growth. Endoglin is a T3/TR candidate target gene identified from our previous studies. Here, we demonstrated that T3 positively regulates endoglin mRNA and protein levels, both in vitro and in vivo. The thyroid hormone response elements (TRE) of endoglin were identified at positions -2114/-2004 and -2032/-1973 of the promoter region using the electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay. Endoglin was downregulated in subgroups of HCC patients, and significantly associated with histology grade (negative association, p = 0.001), and this expression level was significantly associated with TRα1 in these HCC patients. Knockdown of endoglin expression in HCC cells promoted cell proliferation in the presence of T3. Moreover, endoglin stabilized p21 expression at the translational level. Based on the collective findings, we propose that endoglin is stimulated by T3 to stabilize p21, leading to the inhibition of cell proliferation. Endoglin and TRα1 levels are reduced in HCC, resulting in increased proliferative activity.
Citation Format: Yang-Hsiang Lin, Ya-Hui Huang, I-Hsiao Chung, Kwang-Huei Lin. The biological significance of T3-regulated endoglin in human hepatoma cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 98. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-98
You are going to email the following Abstract 98: The biological significance of T3-regulated endoglin in human hepatoma cells.
Cancer Res April 15 2013 (73) (8 Supplement) 98; DOI: 10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-98
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Abstract 85: Endocrine resistant luminal breast cancer xenografts are powerful models for the analysis of sensitivity to endocrine and everolimus treatments . |
Human–computer information retrieval
(Redirected from Human Computer Information Retrieval)
Human-computer information retrieval (HCIR) is the study of information retrieval techniques that bring human intelligence into the search process. The fields of human-computer interaction (HCI) and information retrieval (IR) have both developed innovative techniques to address the challenge of navigating complex information spaces, but their insights have often failed to cross disciplinary borders. Human–computer information retrieval has emerged in academic research and industry practice to bring together research in the fields of IR and HCI, in order to create new kinds of search systems that depend on continuous human control of the search process.
2 What is HCIR?
This term human–computer information retrieval was coined by Gary Marchionini in a series of lectures delivered between 2004 and 2006.[1] Marchionini’s main thesis is that "HCIR aims to empower people to explore large-scale information bases but demands that people also take responsibility for this control by expending cognitive and physical energy."
In 1996 and 1998, a pair of workshops at the University of Glasgow on information retrieval and human–computer interaction sought to address the overlap between these two fields. Marchionini notes the impact of the World Wide Web and the sudden increase in information literacy – changes that were only embryonic in the late 1990s.
A few workshops have focused on the intersection of IR and HCI. The Workshop on Exploratory Search, initiated by the University of Maryland Human-Computer Interaction Lab in 2005, alternates between the Association for Computing Machinery Special Interest Group on Information Retrieval (SIGIR) and Special Interest Group on Computer-Human Interaction (CHI) conferences. Also in 2005, the European Science Foundation held an Exploratory Workshop on Information Retrieval in Context. Then, the first Workshop on Human Computer Information Retrieval was held in 2007 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
What is HCIR?[edit]
HCIR includes various aspects of IR and HCI. These include exploratory search, in which users generally combine querying and browsing strategies to foster learning and investigation; information retrieval in context (i.e., taking into account aspects of the user or environment that are typically not reflected in a query); and interactive information retrieval, which Peter Ingwersen defines as "the interactive communication processes that occur during the retrieval of information by involving all the major participants in information retrieval (IR), i.e. the user, the intermediary, and the IR system."[2]
A key concern of HCIR is that IR systems intended for human users be implemented and evaluated in a way that reflects the needs of those users.[3] |
Extremophile ecosystem thrives in Arctic frost flowers 18 December 2012 by
Rowan Hooper
See more: To see the image this article refers to, keep checking Picture of the Day on our news blog Short Sharp Science
OFF the coast of Barrow, Alaska, the Beaufort Sea is host to a remarkable ecosystem - a bloom of frost flowers. It makes for a beautiful winter scene, but that's not what's got biologists excited.
When the air is dry, still and about 20 °C colder than the water under a thin layer of surface ice, the ice can vaporise and refreeze in the form of delicate crystalline shards. As the hollow frost flowers grow, they incorporate salt and marine bacteria into their structure. When the sun manages to get over the horizon (there is a polar night lasting some 65 days in Barrow, from when the sun sets on 18 November) it dispels the fog, illuminates the frost flowers, and a microbial world blossoms.
Jeffrey Bowman and Jody Deming of the University of Washington, Seattle, study the formation of the flowers both in the Arctic Ocean and the lab. They have found that psychrophiles - cold-loving microorganisms - are more common in the frost flowers than in established sea ice, despite frost flowers being much colder.
Psychrophiles are exciting for a number of reasons. They contain antifreeze to protect their DNA, and microbiologists from the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, have used them to break down organic waste and produce methane. But best of all for astrobiologists, they are important model organisms to test the limits of life - given that many of the prospective sites for extraterrestrial life in the solar system are on icy moons.
Bowman and Deming have also found that the microbes living in the Alaskan frost flowers produce formaldehyde, a precursor of sugars such as ribose, which is a key component of RNA. They speculate that in a prebiotic era, frost flowers may have contributed to the primordial soup of organic materials that slopped around before life evolved. |
Rutgers School of Business-Camden Earns Prestigious Award for Executive Education Program
CAMDEN — The Rutgers School of Business–Camden has been recognized
by Chief Learning Officer Magazine for
its work with equipment manufacturer Caterpillar, Inc. in building a global
learning solution through its Executive Education Program.
Rutgers–Camden received the bronze “Learning in Practice Award for
Excellence in E-Learning” from the magazine at the fall 2012 Chief Learning
Officer Symposium, held Sept. 19 in Colorado Springs, Colo.
The awards are presented annually to training providers that have
collaborated with clients to enhance business performance and meet business
objectives through outstanding learning initiatives. “To be recognized by an industry leader like CLO Magazine and their stellar group of industry experts with this
prestigious award is an honor that we appreciate,” says Ray Compari, associate
dean and director of executive education at the Rutgers School of
Business–Camden. “It’s gratifying to know that our strategy of partnering with
clients to develop a customized curriculum makes such a significant impact on
their businesses.” Rutgers–Camden and Caterpillar, Inc. collaborated in designing and
implementing a multi-faceted online sales management program to enhance the
sales capabilities and performance of Caterpillar dealers. The goal was to help
them effectively sell Caterpillar products in a competitive global market.
The 10-month program, conducted virtually, focused on sales topics
including sales funnel management, leadership, coaching, competition, hiring
and performance management, and metrics.
To date, Caterpillar dealers from Canada, Malaysia, the Middle
East, South Africa, and throughout the U.S. have been trained.
Ruud Kronenburg, dean of Caterpillar University, which is the
company’s education and training division, says the manufacturer was “seeking
an academic partnership that would help us develop, design, and deliver a
unique global sales management training program we were confident would yield a
high return.”
“Our dealers and their ability to sell and support Caterpillar
products and services are instrumental to our organizational success,”
Kronenburg says.
Caterpillar is the world’s leading manufacturer of
construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, industrial
gas turbines and diesel-electric locomotives.
Executive Education at the Rutgers School of Business–Camden
provides world class online and classroom training solutions to companies and
individuals around the world in nearly every industry including manufacturing,
healthcare, state and local government, finance, insurance, gaming,
transportation, service, consumer goods, and technology.
The program offers award-winning custom and individual training
programs that combine thought leadership from the Rutgers academic community
with best practices from the business community.
Courses cover all organizational areas including leadership,
process improvement, change management, finance and accounting, information
technology, sales and marketing, and human resources.
For more information and course offerings, visitexeced.rutgers.edu.
Film Series to Highlight Metropolitan and Urban Issues September 8, 2014 Throughout the fall, metropolitan and urban issues will be front and center, as Rutgers University–Camden presents a thought-provoking film and discussion series. Center for Urban Research and Education to Host Lecture on Public Housing Elimination September 5, 2014 The Center for Urban Research and Education (CURE) at Rutgers University–Camden will offer a free lecture addressing issues related to public housing elimination, as evidenced in the city of Atlan BA/DO Program Places Undergraduates on Fast Track to Medical School September 4, 2014 The path many students must follow to medical school can be a long and arduous one, but a group of new first-year undergraduates in Rutgers University–Camden’s growing BA/DO program aren’t backing down from the challenge. Prestigious Scholarship Brings International Student to Rutgers–Camden for Master’s Degree September 2, 2014 Moving to a new country to learn an unfamiliar language and pursue graduate-level education can be very intimidating, but a year after first arriving in Philadelphia, Aylin Aydogdu is as familiar with her surroundings as a native resident. Computational Analysis Plays Key Role in Developing Treatments for Infectious Diseases September 2, 2014 In the fight against infectious diseases, researchers often look for new methods to improve treatments and find cures. Computational biology is one field that is playing an increasingly significant role in that fight. Pages« first‹ previous123456789…next ›last » Back to Top |
The Cytochrome P450 enzymes play a major role in the metabolism of drugs. A change in their activity, either by inhibition or induction, may have significant effects in the pharmacokinetics and therefore in pharmacologic effects of the compounds. While inhibition of CYP450 enzymes responsible for the metabolism of a co-medicated drug may raise its concentration to a toxic level, induction of CYP450 may hasten the elimination of the co-medicated drug to sub-therapeutic levels leading to dramatic decrease of its pharmacological response. These drug-drug interactions (DDI) are critical safety concerns in preclinical and clinical development by the regulatory agencies. Therefore early stage screening of compounds for potential DDI using in vitro techniques becomes indispensable in order to reduce late stage compound attrition. |
New DNA repair pathway
(PhysOrg.com) -- UC Davis researchers have found a new pathway for repairing DNA damaged by oxygen radicals. The results are published this week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
"This new inducible pathway gives cells greater capacity to repair oxidative damage," said Peter Beal, professor of chemistry at UC Davis and senior author of the paper.
As part of its inflammatory response, the body's immune system produces oxygen radicals, or reactive oxygen species, to kill bacteria, parasites or tumors. But chronic inflammation, for example in the gut, has been linked to cancer, said co-author Professor Sheila David, also of the Department of Chemistry.
Oxygen radicals are strongly linked to cancer and aging and are also formed during metabolism and upon exposure to environmental toxins and radiation. Understanding more about how this damage can be repaired could lead to a better understanding of the causes of some cancers.
Oxygen radicals can react with the four bases that make up the "letters" of DNA -- A, C, G and T -- so that the "spelling" of genes gets changed. The accumulation of spelling errors (called mutations) can lead to cancer.
David's laboratory studies an enzyme called NEIL1 that detects and repairs these aberrant or damaged bases before changes in the genome become permanent.
Beal's group works on RNA editing. The first step in turning a gene into a protein is to make a copy of the DNA in RNA. This messenger RNA is then translated into the chain of amino acids that makes up a protein. In some cases, this RNA is "edited" between the transcription from DNA and the translation into protein.
At a conference last year, Beal -- who happens to be David's husband -- spotted NEIL1 among a list of genes that had just been discovered to be subject to RNA editing, and passed the news on to David.
On investigation, they found that NEIL1's messenger RNA is edited by an enzyme called ADAR1. In that editing, one of the chains of amino acids that make up NEIL1 changes from lysine to arginine, causing a slight, but noticeable, change in the structure of the protein.
Using a cell line derived from nerve cells, the team found no editing of NEIL1 RNA in resting cells. But when the cells were treated with interferon, which is produced during inflammation and to fight off viruses, the cells started making ADAR1 and editing NEIL1.
"The interferon-treated cells had two forms of the NEIL1 protein, one with lysine and one with arginine," Beal said.
NEIL1 can fix a number of different damaged DNA bases that form when normal DNA bases are attacked by oxygen radicals. Beal and David found that the two different forms of NEIL1 had different abilities to act upon the damaged DNA bases: the basic, lysine version had a broader range but lower activity, while the edited, arginine form had higher activity but was effective against a more limited range of targets. That might give the cell more flexibility in responding to DNA damage.
Beal and David believe that the whole system works something like this: Inflammation creates oxygen radicals, which damage DNA, which is repaired by NEIL1. Inflammation also generates interferon, which induces ADAR1, which then edits NEIL1 to produce the more active, specific form to cope with more severe types of DNA base damage.
Explore further: Genetically engineered mice yield clues to 'knocking out' cancer
Provided by: UC Davis
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kevinrtrs
1 / 5 (7) Nov 09, 2010
Beal and David believe that the whole system works something like this: Inflammation creates oxygen radicals, which damage DNA, which is repaired by NEIL1. Inflammation also generates interferon, which induces ADAR1, which then edits NEIL1 to produce the more active, specific form to cope with more severe types of DNA base damage
So just how did this evolve? Seems like a lot of foreknowledge is required before this could happen. And since random mutations do not have this foreknowledge, just how DID it happen? Couple this one tiny little bit with the millions of other little bits of foreknowledge required and the CHANCE occurrence of man from molecules becomes terribly, vanishingly small.
Man did NOT evolve from a lower single-celled form but was fully formed at the beginning.
So just how did this evolve? Seems like a lot of foreknowledge is required before this could happen. And since random mutations do not have this foreknowledge, just how DID it happen?
How do people win the lottery without knowing exactly which numbers are going to be drawn.
It's an amazing thing that can't ever happen, ever. The lottery must be rigged.
And he used to ride dinosaurs to the quarry and enjoy rock bowling after work.
Skultch
Kevinrtrs, you are the worst of this site's trolls. You have absolutely NO chance at convincing anyone. Why are you here? |
Social Media: A Force for Political Change in Egypt
Guest author: Kira BaiasuThere has been much debate surrounding the role of social media in the 2011 Egyptian Revolution. Though the movement that led to the ousting of President Husni Mubarak has been dubbed the “Facebook Revolution,” it is not the first time that foreign media has been quick to connect a social networking site with a popular uprising. The 2009 Iranian protests were labeled the “Twitter Revolution,” and ever since there are those who are adamant that social media is a vital instrument for mobilizing the masses while others argue that social media is just a new means of communication in a history of popular uprisings that fared quite well without these new technological innovations. While social media is not necessary for organizing revolutions it served three important functions leading up to the Egyptian Revolution. It aided in building a politically conscious civil society over the course of a number of years prior to the Revolution, it lowered the threshold for engaging in political dissent by providing a relatively anonymous space for political debate in a country that outlaws gatherings of five or more people, and it allowed organizers to plan protests more easily and anonymously.One of the first scholars to coin the term “cyber-resistance” in the context of Middle Eastern social movements was Mamoun Fandy. As far back as 1999, Fandy identified that Saudi opposition movements, such as the Movement for Islamic Reform in Arabia (MIRA), were using the internet as a tool for circumventing the ever watchful eyes of the oppressive regime. Fandy found that the internet offered both opposition groups and the state an intermediate space where they were able to disseminate information in a virtual space that was beyond limited conceptual and physical spaces. The internet provided “a new space for airing grievances with minimal risk.” By emailing opposition newsletters and information throughout the Kingdom, MIRA was able to promote its cause without the physical risk of going out into the streets in protest or holding illegal meetings that could be shut down by the authorities. Critics might argue that there was little difference between the use of email and the more traditional method of distributing cassette tapes by anti-regime clerics, but the novelty was that by using email, information could be disseminated simultaneously and immediately to a large number of people simply with a click of the mouse. Other than the work of Fandy and a few others, there was little written about the use of social networking in political protest movements for quite a while. While the media began to latch on to the importance of social networking after Facebook and Twitter helped rally the youth vote in the 2008 American presidential elections, it was during the protests following the 2009 Iranian presidential elections that social networking sites were deemed such a central tool in mobilizing the masses that the uprising was labeled by many as the “Twitter Revolution.” Within the Iranian context, Twitter was used to organize protests and disseminate information. According to Time magazine, Twitter was the medium of the movement because it was easy for average citizens to use but difficult for government authorities to control. The purpose of Twitter is for news to spread and spread fast, which makes it an ideal method for organizing a mass protest. Even when the government attempted to block Twitter, proxy servers were set up to allow Twitter content into Iran through network addresses that had not been blocked. In June 2009 the U.S. State Department reached out to Twitter and asked the company to delay its planned upgrades so that Iranian protesters using the social networking site would be protected and would have access to it as a means of communication. This request by the U.S. government highlights the importance of sites such as Twitter and Facebook not only for casual social networking but also as a political instrument, a fact that governments both promoting democratic initiatives and attempting to maintain authoritarian rule are beginning to recognize. Just as soon as the media began to proclaim that social networking was pivotal for mass mobilization in the Iranian uprisings, others began to question how important these sites really were and claimed that their centrality was overstated. Throughout history, protests against oppressive regimes occurred without the use of social networking sites. People still managed to organize and amass large crowds virtually overnight before the advent of Twitter, including during the 1979 Iranian Revolution. Wasn’t Twitter just a new way of doing the same old thing? The debate over the importance of social networking continued during the 2011 Egyptian Revolution. Just as the Iranian protests had been labeled the Twitter Revolution, the foreign press was quick to cast the Egyptian uprising as the Facebook Revolution. However, as quickly as the name caught on, it was called into question on January 27, 2011 when the Egyptian government took the unprecedented step of shutting down all internet service in the country. In addition to the Internet blackout, a large number of Egyptians lost mobile service. Despite the unanticipated loss of virtually all modern technological means of communication, protest organizers were able to bring out larger crowds than ever using flyers and leaflets, word of mouth, and mosques as centers for congregation. If protest organizers were still able to amass large crowds in such a short period of time without the use of social networking then why bother to call it a Facebook Revolution at all?The importance of Facebook in the Egyptian Revolution lies in the events leading up to the Revolution. Revolutions are not usually spontaneous events. While outsiders may not anticipate the uprising until it occurs, revolutions often take careful planning and slowly unfold over a long period of time. In 2008, the April 6 Youth Movement used Facebook and YouTube to organize a nationwide strike in support of workers in al-Mahalla al-Kubra. During the strikes citizen journalists used Twitter, Facebook, and Flickr to report on strikes and draw attention to their cause. By 2009 a New York Times article reported that the April 6 Youth Movement Facebook group had 70,000 members, mostly young educated Egyptians who were novices to the political scene. The group members’ primary political grievances have centered on free speech, government nepotism, and economic stagnation. In addition to followers using the Facebook page as a public forum for political discussion, the organizers of the April 6 Youth Movement are able to post politically relevant news articles and videos to their wall and send out messages to followers providing political updates, accurate information, and news about upcoming events and protests. In terms of bringing people off the web and into the streets, it has been a place for debating and planning protests and calling followers to engage in political activism. In a relatively closed society with government controlled media, the Movement was able to use Facebook as a tool for developing a young, politically informed civil society. Social media, in this case Facebook, lowers the threshold for political participation in countries ruled by authoritarian or closed regimes. While individuals’ private preferences may be in favor of regime change, the risks to one’s safety are often too large to publicly display such preferences. The Internet provides a greater degree of anonymity where citizens can express their political ideas with less fear of reprisal. It also allows groups to circumvent the Egyptian Emergency Law that criminalizes the assembly of 5 or more people in a gathering that could "threaten public order." Facebook allows citizens from different areas of the country, who might otherwise never meet, to share political views and realize that they are not alone in their feelings of opposition to the regime. In short, Facebook aids in the development of civil society, particularly in countries where open political opposition is often curbed by force. The April 6 Youth Movement is not the only group to use social media to reach the Egyptian masses. We are all Khalid Said, founded by Google executive Wael Ghonim as both a Facebook page and blog, was created in response to the death of twenty-eight year old political blogger Khalid Said at the hands of Egyptian police in Alexandria after Said posted a video on his blog exposing police corruption. The purpose of the pages was to end torture in Egypt by exposing the brutality of the Egyptian regime. Posting graphic pictures and videos and providing information on Egyptian torture, the pages outraged many Egyptians and in 2010 more than 11,000 people heeded the call for silent protests in Cairo, Alexandria, and across Egypt against Khalid Said’s death. These protests were organized on the "We are all Khalid Said" Facebook page. We are all Khalid Said has become the largest Egyptian dissident page, attracting over one hundred thousand followers, who again came out in protest during the 2011 Egyptian Revolution. In addition to the April 6 Youth Movement and We are all Khalid Said, other groups such as Kifaya, a grassroots coalition that opposed Husni Mubarak’s presidency, began using social networking to organize protests against the regime in 2004, close to the time of the 2005 presidential elections. There have been numerous smaller political pages that have popped up around the country from Suez to Port Said. However, it is not only the number of followers that a page has that is so important in forming a revolution. If one looks solely at the development of a politically conscious civil society, then the number of followers is a good measure of political activity. However, the Egyptian Revolution began on January 25, 2011 as an interaction between smaller organized groups, such as the April 6 Youth Movement, We are all Khalid Said, Justice and Freedom, Muslim Brotherhood youth, ElBaradei's campaign, The Popular Democratic Movement for Change (HASHD), and The Democratic Front, and a larger mass of disorganized, everyday citizens with economic grievances. Though small, the organizing groups were clearly effective in bringing people to the streets who had never engaged in political activity a day in their lives. While organizers did meet in person, social media was sometimes a safer way to interact and plan. In protests organized in the years preceding the revolution, oftentimes organizers would never meet in person, conducting all planning and coordinating through Facebook. While there will remain skeptics who feel that the role of social media leading up to the Egyptian Revolution has been overstated, one thing is certain. If one logs onto Facebook today, there are more Egyptians than ever before using the site to discuss the constitutional referendum, the role of the military, and a host of politically pressing issues. It appears that at least in the near future, Facebook will provide one of the primary forums for Egyptian youth’s political debates.
Media digunakan bukan hanya untuk informasi berita, tetapi juga untuk perang informasi, propaganda.
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Solutions 'nuclear' Iran http://laodongme.blogspot.com/2011/11/giai-phap-van-e-hat-nhan-iran-thang.html
It's nice to hear about this big change that drive middle east to a new hope. Social medias could be a big help.
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There has been much debate surrounding the role of social media in the 2011 Egyptian Revolution. Though the movement that led to the ousting of President Husni Mubarak has been dubbed the “Facebook Revolution,” it is not the first time that foreign media has been quick to connect a social networking site with a popular uprising. full article
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What Democracies Can Learn From Greece's Failed Populist Experiment
by Stathis Kalyvas
While the crisis in Greece no longer captures international headlines as it once did, the country’s troubles never went away. Greece remains the only Eurozone country still subject to a joint Eurozone-International Monetary Fund fiscal adjustment and structural reform program. In the long-running saga’s latest episode, the recent completion of a crucial compliance review paves the way for the release of $7.6 billion in bailout funds to Greece from its creditors in exchange for further budget cuts and tax increases.
Greece’s troubles date back to the implosion of its economy in 2010. Faced with a massive budget shortfall caused by a combination of overspending and undertaxing at a time of swelling global financial risk, Greece found itself unable to refinance its huge debt. As a member of the Eurozone and a debtor to several major European banks, it was able to elude outright default, securing a bailout from its European partners who, with the assistance of the IMF, demanded an onerous fiscal adjustment. With or without a bailout, an adjustment of such magnitude was both necessary and painful. But the hastily designed, poorly implemented program exacerbated Greece’s considerable economic distortions—a large and inefficient public sector and an uncompetitive private one—triggering a brutal economic depression accompanied by massive unemployment. Combined with the inevitable political turmoil that ensued, this crisis sparked a global scare about Greece’s imminent exit from the Eurozone, which carried dire implications for the survival of the common European currency.
All this made Greece fertile terrain for populism, long before Trump crashed onto the scene and a referendum brought us to the brink of Britain’s exit from the European Union. In fact, Greece’s experiment in populism—broadly pointing to political movements that emerge from the margins to challenge mainstream politicians in the name of the people, while preaching a gospel of sweeping change and scolding the “elites” as failed, corrupt, and responsible for most social ills—has a great deal in common with those in America and Britain.
By upending conventional political practice and highlighting their status as political outsiders, populists secure a political advantage in a time of crisis, change, and uncertainty. Yet, as Greece’s experiment showed, such disruption is very costly. Embracing their outsider status might deliver victory to populists, but does little to help them navigate a complex reality that requires serious, long-term planning, and compromise. If anything, reality sets populists up for costly failure.
Yulie Foka
Aristides Hatzis' op-eds on major international media
The Surprisingly, Almost Eerily, Calm Greek Election (Wall Street Journal, September 16, 2015)Statesman or Ideologue - Tsipras has to Chooce (Financial Times, July 11, 2015)A Perilous 'No' to the Status Quo (Wall Street Journal, July 8, 2015)A "Take-It-Or-Leave It" Vote is a Recipe for Disaster for Greece (Financial Times, June 28, 2015)A Split Verdict on the Blackmail and Bullying Over Greece (Financial Times, June 11, 2015)There's No Compromising With the Greeks (Wall Street Journal, February 4, 2015)Greece Needs Broader Structural Reforms Than Syriza Has Proposed (New York Times, January 27, 2015)Greece's Reforms Have Only Cracked the Surface (Wall Street Journal, December 6, 2013)Greece Needs a Fresh Start (New York Times, December 1, 2013)Watch Greece - it may become Weimar Germany (Financial Times, November 7, 2013)Lots of Excuses for the Cyprus Plan, One Big Problem (New York Times, March 19, 2013)Political Unity Must Come First (New York Times, January 28, 2013)Storming the Greek Academy (Wall Street Journal, November 15, 2012)Germany Should Stay in the Eurozone (New York Times, November 12, 2012)In Greece, Syriza Will Be Back With a Vengeance (CNBC, June 29, 2012) Back to the 1930s: The Hammer, Sickle and Swastika (Financial Times, June 19, 2012) Adding to the Uncertainty (New York Times, November 2, 2011)The Inevitable Second Slump (New York Times, October 11, 2011)From Athens to Seoul (Korean Herald, August 23, 2011) Lessons from Greece (Korean Herald, August 11, 2011)Moral Hazard in Greece (New York Times, June 26, 2011)
Aristides Hatzis on the Greek Crisis
Greece at a Crossroads: What is at Stake, and What to Expect. A Webinar featuring Aristides HatzisThe Economic Crisis and the Economic ScienceGreece as a Precautionary Tale of the Welfare StateAristides Hatzis' visit to South KoreaGreece's Institutional Deficit (in Greek)Voice of America interview (in Greek)
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Ελληνική Ένωση Οικονομικής Ανάλυσης του Δικαίου
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This blog is dedicated to the understanding of the current Greek (but also European) economic, political and institutional crisis. It was created by Prof. Aristides Hatzis of the University of Athens, after many requests by his students who seek a source of reliable analysis on the Greek current affairs. Its aim is to post commentary and reports published mainly in the major U.S. and European media and to encourage a rigorous discussion.
A chronology of key events (BBC News)Greek Drama: Who's Who (WSJ)The Greek crisis explained (France24)IMF and Greece Fast FactsEurozone debt crisis jargon-buster (FT)Eurozone debt crisis: Greek timeline (Guardian)Q&A: Greek Debt Crisis (BBC)Financial Glossary (BBC)Understanding modern Greece: a Q&A (Stathis Kalyvas)
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Greek Default Watch
by Stathis Kalyvas The Atlantic May 4, 2017 While the crisis in Greece no longer captures international headlines as it once did, the...
Greece agrees deal with creditors on bailout reforms
by Kerin Hope Financial Times May 2, 2017 Greece has wrapped up a deal with creditors on details of reforms that must be enacted before...
Θόδωρος Πελαγίδης: Μέση Γη: Η Επιστροφή του Πολιτικού Κέντρου
IMF Warns Greece That Additional Economic Overhauls Are Needed
by Ian Talley Wall Street Journal April 23, 2017 The International Monetary Fund had a sobering message for Greece this weekend: Even...
Greece downgrades 2017 growth forecasts
by Kerin Hope & Claire Jones Financial Times May 14, 2017 Greece has unveiled a four-year budget proposal that assumes sharply lo...
Greece's Deal With Creditors Paves Way for Debt Relief Talks
by Eleni Chrepa & Sotiris Nikas Bloomberg May 2, 2017 Greece and its creditors from the euro area and the International Monetary Fu...
Number of Chinese Tourists Visiting Greece to Rise 10-Fold
by Eleni Chrepa & Sotiris Nikas Bloomberg May 9, 2017 Fosun International Ltd., the Chinese conglomerate that’s part of a venture...
Greeks walk out in national strike over austerity
by Kerin Hope Financial Times May 17, 2017 Greek unions staged a nationwide strike on Wednesday to protest against fresh austerity me...
Greece Rescue Payout Moves Closer With Deal to Quicken Talks
by Viktoria Dendrinou, Nikos Chrysoloras & Ian Wishart Bloomberg April 7, 2017 Greece and its international creditors struck an a...
Greece’s Creditors Propose Debt Swap
by Jan Hildebrand & Martin Greive Handelsblatt Global May 4, 2017 Greece’s international creditors – the European Commission, the...
Greek Creditors, IMF Seek to Bridge Differences Ov...
Anarchists Fill Services Void Left by Faltering Gr...
Athens calls on creditors to strike a deal
Greek parliament backs reform package
IMF, euro zone say need more time to reach Greek d...
EU Passports for Sale in Sunny Cyprus Lure Rich Ru...
Number of Chinese Tourists Visiting Greece to Rise...
What Democracies Can Learn From Greece's Failed Po...
Greek Marathon Isn’t Over Yet
Greece agrees deal with creditors on bailout refor...
Greece's Deal With Creditors Paves Way for Debt Re...
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Collégiale de Candes-Saint-Martin (Sara Lutan-Hassner)
The small village of Candes-Saint-Martin is located in western France, en route from Tours to Chinon, on the border of three regions – Anjou, Maine and Touraine – close to Fontevraud (about 5 km). The reputation of Candes is tightly connected with the death of St. Martin, in November 397. Although the enigma of its collegiate church is not entirely unveiled, its dimensions, its topographic setting, as well as its remarkable sculptural programs and assumed patrons, illustrate the way a Medieval work of art elucidates itself and guides the scholar through the unknown pages of its historical and artistic biography.
Based on art-historical data and examined in the historical context of the Angevin Empire, it might be assumed that in the course of its construction and decoration St. Martin in Candes may have been mostly under the Plantagenet domain: Henry II (since 1154 king of England, Duke of Aquitaine, Count of Anjou, Maine and Touraine), Queen Eleanor, and their sons Richard the Lionheart and John Lackland. From the 1180s until the last quarter of the 13th century France witnessed the decline of the Angevin Empire and the severe crisis between Henry II and his sons, which led to a fierce war of succession and finally brought about its end. From 1204, when Philip Augustus defeated John and annexed Anjou, Maine, and Touraine, St. Martin in Candes was integrated into the Capetian royal domain.
The northern main façade (fortified in the 15th century) and two-story northern porch constitute the most imposing part of the edifice, where the major sculptural programs are located.
Collégiale de Candes-Saint-Martin, Candes-Saint-Martin (Indre-et-Loire) Photo by Marc Hassner
They continue into the inner church where they are carved on capitals, consoles, corbles and key-stones of the nave, the transept, and the choir, making their iconographic ensemble problematic to decipher.
Interior, northern aisle, Collégiale de Candes-Saint-Martin, Candes-Saint-Martin (Indre-et-Loire) Photo by Marc Hassner
The association of St. Martin in Candes with royal patrons is supported, mainly, by its architecture and the royal iconography of its sculptural programs. The two-level northern porch conforms to a well-established imperial tradition. Its upper story comprises a rib-vaulted hall-chapel dedicated to Saint Michael. Its ground level is dominated by a multi-ribbed vault supported by a central column
Northern porch, Collégiale de Candes-Saint-Martin, Candes-Saint-Martin (Indre-et-Loire) Photo by Marc Hassner
Thus, although it draws elements from the massive Carolingian Westwerk, the double northern façade in Candes seems to constitute, rather, a monumental Northwerk that may have served as a royal portal for local dignitaries.
The exterior northern wall, which faces the confluence of the Vienne and Loire rivers is incomplete. Nevertheless, its upper part is dominated by a gallery of fourteen frontal figures of haloed saints.
Among the figures we can identify Saint Theodore (or Saint George), Saint James, Saint Denis and Saint John the Baptist.
Seven stairs lead today into the inner porch of the northern façade, which leaves too, like the exterior wall, a general impression of incompleteness. Its sculptural program covers three main areas: the tympanum and the sculpted inner left archivolt, a row of statutes on either side of the central door, and the socles. The tympanum displays a local depiction of The Last Judgment that echoes the well known scenes of the early Gothic cathedrals (St. Denis, Chartres, Reims). The single sculpted archivolt consists of four scenes sculpted in individual miniature “architectural shells.” The lower scene to the left presents a blessed royal couple on its way to Heaven, led by a large, high ranking clerical figure, while two angels shelter them under their large wings.
Northern porch, left archivolt, lower scene, Collégiale de Candes-Saint-Martin, Candes-Saint-Martin (Indre-et-Loire) Photo by Marc Hassner
The lower area of the inner porch features a row of saints who relate to the figure of Christ on the tympanum in a manner reminiscent of the jamb statues around the “Beau-Dieu” in the great Gothic cathedrals. They wear haloes and their postures and attire indicate high social or clerical ranks.
Northern porch, figures on right side of the central door, Collégiale de Candes-Saint-Martin, Candes-Saint-Martin (Indre-et-Loire) Photo by Marc Hassner
The socles are topped with nine male and female sculpted heads (four of them crowned), of various ages and both genders, set within floral frames.
Northern porch, right socle, Collégiale de Candes-Saint-Martin, Candes-Saint-Martin (Indre-et-Loire) Photo by Marc Hassner
The foliage clusters beneath them are populated with monsters and hybrid creatures, some of them devouring human heads . Their place in the portal’s hierarchical program of the Last Judgment, beneath the images of the saints, not only identifies them as among the blessed, but also follow a long pictorial tradition of reflecting the Christological concept of heavenly and earthly hierarchies, usually enhanced by royal patrons.
Northern porch, left socle, detail; a young girl of the court, Collégiale de Candes-Saint-Martin, Candes-Saint-Martin (Indre-et-Loire) Photo by Marc Hassner
The images of royal figures in Candes, molded with unusual attention to detail, constitute a rather unique appearance. As a group they gains a new collective significance, far more expanded, profound and concrete than that of each image individually. Seen thus, they bear a definite associative power to the traditional image of the Tree of Jesse, whose earliest depictions (ca. 1140-1150) are believed to be found in the windows of St. Denis and Chartres cathedrals, as well as on the western façade of Notre-Dame–la-Grande in Poitiers. I postulate that while reading the individual images from right to left, one may identify members of a unified royal succession: the founder ,the king and queen (sharing identical, geometric-patterned crowns and similar features), the loving couple, the prince and princess (wearing floral crowns, ) and the young children of the court. The Tree of Jesse was often used by patrons during the 12th and 13th centuries, as a means of political and religious strategy to enhance simultaneously their royal and ecclesiastical images.
The images above the sculpted heads, in ten arched niches, seem significant for the figures below: an amorous pair of birds, a fully dressed knight slaying a dragon, a crowned merman playing the harp, and a mermaid with a fish behind her, holding her tail in her left hand . Some of them seem to be symbolic expressions of the historical and legendary attributes of the Plantagenets. The knight slaying the dragon recalls St. George, the patron saint of the English kings, who is associated with Richard the Lionheart. The peculiar depiction of the mermaid above the founder’s head possibly alludes to the often cited comment by Richard, “We came from the Devil and to the Devil we will return”, a reference to the legends about the demonic origins of both sides of the Angevin House.
It seems that the sculpted images of the collegiate church were part of a vast program initiated by the Plantagenets to portray their double nature as members of a noble and royal dynasty, as Angevin counts and as Anglo-Norman kings. The “two bodies” of the Plantagenet dynasty grew out of both noble and royal roots. On the one hand, they were the descendants of local Angevins nobles – the Dukes of Anjou, Maine, and Touraine, and on the other, of the Kings of England. The collegiate church of St. Martin was built during a turbulent period in the history of the region. Situated at the core of the Plantagenet dominions, Candes was caught in a lengthy conflict between the Plantagenets and the Capetians. This was also a period of severe political and family crises for the Plantagenets, among them: the murder of Thomas Becket and his canonization two years later (in 1172); the rebellion of Henry’s sons against him, headed by their mother, Eleanor, in 1174; the ensuing imprisonment of Eleanor in England for the next ten years; and the death of young King Henry in 1183.
Crucifixion window, Cathédrale de Saint Pierre, Poitiers (Vienne) Photo by Dennis Aubrey
Additional depictions of royalty in the Angevin kingdom suggest that the royal busts sculpted on the socles of the collegiate church in Candes can be associated with an even larger program that may represent a successive dynastic group (The Crucifixion Window in St. Pierre cathedral in Poitiers [See Dennis Aubrey’s post on Poitiers’ Angevin Masterpiece. Via Lucis Photography, 27.7.13], or the Plantagenets tombs at Fontevraud ). The goals and meanings of these programs can be compared to the literary campaigns led by Henry II and his court.
Their visual patterns plausibly echo Plantagenet courtly ideology and dynastic awareness. Angevin genealogical literature during the 12th century, in both England and Anjou, as laudatory and flattering as it may have been, could not set the Anjou dynasty on a par with the long since famous Capetians, who did not need to consolidate their royal origins or courtly rights. Obviously, in shaping their new dynastic perception, the Plantagenets found it essential not only to glorify and commemorate their noble origins as counts of Anjou, Maine and Touraine and dukes of Normandy and Aquitaine, but also to reinforce their royal descent as kings of England.
Though powerful in the latter capacity, in France they were still subordinate to the king of France, to whom they had to pay homage. By enhancing their royal lineage, the Plantagenets presented a royal dynasty comparable to the indisputable, time-honored dynastic conception of their utmost rivals, the Capetians. Their dynastic consolidation was most likely underpinned by visual representations that turned their dynastic awareness into a highly useful political tool in their struggle for courtly recognition in France.
Biographical sketch for Sara Lutan-Hassner
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Guest Post – Dr. Sara Lutan-Hassner
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Congrtulations on a wonderful and professional achievement
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USAF Fact Sheet NAVSTAR Global Positioning System Mission
The Navstar Global Positioning System (GPS) is a space-based radio-positioning system consisting of a constellation of more than 20 orbiting satellites that provides global navigation and timing information to users. In addition to the satellites, the system consists of a worldwide satellite control network and GPS receiver units that translate satellite signals into position information. The system is
operated and controlled by the 50th Space Wing located at Falcon Air Force Base, Colo.
GPS satellites orbit the earth every 12 hours emitting continuous navigation signals. With the proper equipment, users can receive these signals to calculate time, location and velocity. The signals are so accurate, time can be figured to within a millionth of a second, velocity within a fraction of a mile per hour and location to within a few meters. Positioning accuracy for military users is at least 7-10 meters (22 - 32 feet) while accuracy for civilian user is about 70 - 100 meters (229 - 328 feet).
GPS provides the following 24-hour worldwide service:
Accurate three-dimensional location information (providing latitude, longitude and altitude readings)
���������Accurate velocity information
���������Passive all-weather operations
���������Precise timing services
���������Continuous real-time information
���������Support to an unlimited number of users and areas
The Delta II expendable launch vehicle is used to launch GPS satellites from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., into six circular orbits of nearly 11,000 nautical miles. While orbiting the earth, the system transmits signals on two different L-band frequencies.
The Navstar GPS system is managed by the Navstar GPS Joint Program Office at Air Force Materiel Command's Space and Missile Systems Center at Los Angeles Air Force Base, Calif.
There are four generations of the GPS satellite: the Block I, Block II/IIA, Block IIR and Block IIF. Block I satellites were used to test the principles of the system, and lessons learned from these 11 satellites were incorporated into later blocks. Blocks II and IIA satellites make up the current
constellation.
Block IIR satellites will replace II/IIA satellites as they reach the end of their service life. Block IIR satellites are able to determine their own position by performing inter-satellite ranging and have reprogrammable satellite processors enabling problem fixes and upgrades in flight. They also have increased satellite autonomy and radiation hardness, and have the ability to be launched into any of the required GPS orbits with a 60-day notice. Block IIR satellites require fewer ground contracts to maintain the constellation, and will be launched through the year 2002.
Block IIF satellites are the fourth generation of the navigation satellites and will be used as sustainment vehicles. This block will have an improved design life of 12.7 years and provide a dramatic increase in the growth space for additional payloads and missions.
The GPS master control station, operated by the 2nd Space Operations Squadron at Falcon AFB, Colo., is responsible for monitoring and controlling the GPS satellite constellation. The GPS-dedicated ground system consists of five monitor stations and four ground antennas located around the world.
The monitor stations use GPS receivers to passively track the navigation signals of all satellites. Information from the monitor stations is then processed at the master control station and used to update the satellite navigation messages. The master control station crew then sends updated navigation information to GPS satellites through ground antennas using an S-band signal. The ground antennas are also used to transmit commands to satellites and to receive satellites' telemetry data.
GPS was put to the test during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm where coalition forces relied heavily on GPS to navigate the featureless desert of Southwest Asia.
GPS is being integrated into nearly all facets of the modern battlefield. Its highly accurate navigation signals will help rescue downed aircrews with the development of new GPS survival radios, and lightweight GPS receivers have become a standard issue for some American and allied forces-forward air controllers, pilots, tank drivers and ground troops all use GPS.
Primary Function: ���������Precise navigation, timing and velocity ���������information worldwide
Primary Contractors: ���������Block I and II/IIA, Rockwell; ���������Block IIR, Lockheed Martin; ���������Block IIF, Boeing - North American
Power Plant: ������������������Block IIA, Solar panels generating 1,000-1,050�watts; ���������Block IIR, solar panels generating 1,130 watts
Launch vehicle: Delta II Weight: ���������Block IIA, 3,670 pounds (1,816 kilograms); ���������Block IIR, 4,480 pounds (2,217 kilograms)
Height: ���������Block IIA, 136 inches (3.4 meters); ���������Block IIR, 70 inches (1.7 meters) Width (includes wingspan): ���������Block IIA, 208.6 inches (5.3 meters); ���������Block IIR, 449 inches (11.4
meters)
Orbit altitude: ���������Block IIA, 10,988 nautical miles; ���������Block IIR, 10,898 nautical miles
Design life: ���������Block II/IIA, 7.5 years; ���������Block IIR, 10 years
Date of First Launch: ���������1978
Date Constellation Operational: July 1995 (at full operational capacity)
Inventory: ���������Block II/IIA, 27 fully operational satellites; ���������contract for 21 Block IIR; ���������and contract and
options for 33 Block IIF
NAVIGATION INFORMATION SERVICE The U.S. Coast Guard operates and maintains the Navigation Information Service for civilian GPS users. It can be reached at (703) 313-5900, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern time.
Air Force Space Command, Public Affairs Office; 150 Vandenberg, Suite 1105; Peterson
AFB, Colo. 80914-4500; DSN 692-3731 or (719) 554-3731. March 1998
LOSING A FRIEND
VINNIE'S UNTIMELY DEATH
VINNIE'S INTERROGATIONS
SATELLITE INFORMATION
BATTLELAB
COSMIC CONSPIRACY
EOS: NEXT GENERATION
PACHYDERM PATROL
RAPID TARGETING CAPABILITY
SATELLITE OR UFO?
SPACE WARS
UFO RELATED
WHAT'S A UER?
UFO SHOT DOWN
USAF UFO RELEASE
UFOs & ASTRONAUTS-1����ASTRONAUTS-2
GORDON COOPER-1����COOPER-2
MOON FACTS
HYPERSONIC MISSILE����
MICROCHIP IMPLANTS
RUSSIAN BOMBS
TITAN ROCKET EXPLODES
J.BOND JOHNSON
SYMBOLS?
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MORE SCANS ���������������
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LINKS ������������������������������������������������������������������������EMAIL RON REGEHR
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Health-Related Quality of Life and Oropharyngeal Dysphagia: A Systematic Review
Jones, E.
Speyer, R.
Kertscher, B.
Denman, D.
Swan, K.
Cordier, Reinie
© 2017 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC The negative impact of increased bolus modification on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in persons with oropharyngeal dysphagia (OD) has been described in previous literature; however, findings may have been influenced by the severity of OD and underlying etiology. The current systematic review therefore aims to investigate the relationships between HRQoL and OD and to report on changes in HRQoL and OD following intervention. This review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA statement. A systematic search of the literature was performed using PubMed and Embase. All available English publications up to February 2016 that reported on OD and HRQoL were included. Articles that studied OD arising from esophageal dysfunction or included less than 15 participants with OD, were excluded. Thirty-five studies met the inclusion criteria. Inverse bidirectional relationships were found between decreased HRQoL and increased OD severity. Following intervention, changes were evident through improved HRQoL with decreased OD severity. The findings of this paper highlight the importance of targeting HRQoL in patients with OD. However, because of the heterogeneity in methodology, terminology, and assessment procedures used in the retrieved articles, the generalization of study results is limited. More research investigating the relationships between HRQoL and OD is needed. Future studies should implement study designs that lead to stronger levels of evidence, quantify the severity of OD and underlying diseases, use validated measures and less ambiguous terminology.
Jones, E. and Speyer, R. and Kertscher, B. and Denman, D. and Swan, K. and Cordier, R. 2017. Health-Related Quality of Life and Oropharyngeal Dysphagia: A Systematic Review. Dysphagia: pp. 1-32.
Health-related quality of life and continuation rate on first-line anti-tumour necrosis factor therapy among rheumatoid arthritis patients from the Australian Rheumatology Association Database
Staples, M.; March, L.; Lassere, M.; Reid, Christopher; Buchbinder, R. (2011)
Objectives: To describe changes in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) up to 60 months after commencing anti-TNF therapy for RA patients enrolled in the Australian Rheumatology Association Database (ARAD), and to ...
Personality affects aspects of health-related quality of life in Parkinson’s disease via psychological coping strategies.
Whitworth, Stephanie; Loftus, Andrea; Skinner, Timothy; Gasson, Natalie; Barker, Roger; Bucks, Romola; Thomas, Meghan (2013)
Background: Personality traits influence health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in Parkinson's disease (PD). Further, an individual's personality traits can influence the strategies they use to cope with a particular ...
What is the methodological and reporting quality of health related quality of life in chronic heart failure clinical trials?
Chang, Sungwon; Davidson, P.; Newton, P.; Krum, H.; Salamonson, Y.; McDonald, P. (2013)
Background: Although the number of clinical trials assessing health related quality of life (HRQoL) in chronic heart failure (CHF) has increased exponentially over the last decade, little is known about the quality of ... |
‘Zoomable’ map of poplar proteins offers new view of bioenergy crop
Researchers seeking to improve production of ethanol from woody crops have a new resource in the form of an extensive molecular map of poplar tree proteins.
An extensive molecular map of poplar tree proteins from Oak Ridge National Laboratory offers new insight into the plant’s biological processes. Knowing how poplar trees alter their proteins to change and adapt to environmental surroundings could help bioenergy researchers develop plants better suited to biofuel production.
Credit: Image courtesy of Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Researchers seeking to improve production of ethanol from woody crops have a new resource in the form of an extensive molecular map of poplar tree proteins, published by a team from the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
Populus, a fast-growing perennial tree, holds potential as a bioenergy crop due to its ability to produce large amounts of biomass on non-agricultural land. Now, a study by ORNL scientists with the Department of Energy's BioEnergy Science Center has provided the most comprehensive look to date at poplar's proteome, the suite of proteins produced by a plant's cells. The study is featured on the cover of January's Molecular and Cellular Proteomics.
"The ability to comprehensively measure genes and proteins helps us understand the range of molecular machinery that a plant uses to do its life functions," said ORNL's Robert Hettich. "This can provide the information necessary to modify a metabolic process to do something specific, such as altering the lignin content of a tree to make it better suited for biofuel production. "
The ORNL research team measured more than 11,000 proteins in different parts of poplar, including mature leaves, young leaves, roots and stems. This systematic approach yielded a so-called proteome atlas, which maps out the proteins present in the various tissue types at a given point in time. Lead coauthors Paul Abraham and Richard Giannone describe how the atlas offers a broad overview of the poplar proteome and also the ability to zoom in on specific biological features, such as pathways and individual proteins.
"We tried to provide a zoomable view, like Google maps, so you can look at the system from various perspectives," Abraham said. "By having these different viewpoints, it makes it easier to mine out the relevant biological information."
Obtaining and analyzing information about plant proteomes is especially tricky, considering a plant such as poplar can potentially manufacture more than 40,000 different proteins. Unlike an organism's genome, which is the same for every cell and remains constant, the proteome varies from cell to cell and changes over time as the plant adapts to different environmental conditions.
"The analytical techniques we've demonstrated allow us to measure the range of proteins very deeply and specifically, so we can start to figure out, for instance, how the protein machinery in a leaf differs from the ones in the trunk," Hettich said. "Or we can look at a tree that's very young versus one that's very old, thus enabling us to understand how all these proteins are changing as a function of the tree growing older."
Knowing how plants change and adapt to environmental surroundings by altering their proteins could help bioenergy researchers develop poplar trees better suited to biofuel production.
"It's the proteins that directly alter the morphology, anatomy, and function of a plant cell," Abraham said. "If we can identify the proteins that create a favorable trait such as fast growth, then we can incorporate that protein or modify it to develop a superior plant with all favorable traits through transgenics."
The study's coauthors are ORNL's Robert Hettich, Paul Abraham, Richard Giannone, Rachel Adams, Udaya Kalluri and Gerald Tuskan.
The above post is reprinted from materials provided by Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.
P. Abraham, R. J. Giannone, R. M. Adams, U. Kalluri, G. A. Tuskan, R. L. Hettich. Putting the Pieces Together: High-performance LC-MS/MS Provides Network-, Pathway-, and Protein-level Perspectives in Populus. Molecular & Cellular Proteomics, 2012; 12 (1): 106 DOI: 10.1074/mcp.M112.022996
Oak Ridge National Laboratory. "‘Zoomable’ map of poplar proteins offers new view of bioenergy crop." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 29 January 2013. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/01/130129130851.htm>.
Oak Ridge National Laboratory. (2013, January 29). ‘Zoomable’ map of poplar proteins offers new view of bioenergy crop. ScienceDaily. Retrieved February 14, 2016 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/01/130129130851.htm
Oak Ridge National Laboratory. "‘Zoomable’ map of poplar proteins offers new view of bioenergy crop." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/01/130129130851.htm (accessed February 14, 2016).
Alcohol fuel
Bioenergy: Genetics of Wood Formation
Apr. 17, 2015 To begin to understand poplar growth, a possible bioenergy crop, scientists built a robust high-throughput pipeline for studying the hierarchy of genetic regulation of wood formation using ... read more Trees That Can Increase Biomass Production
Sep. 22, 2014 Thanks to biotechnology, researchers have increased the production of woody species. This result is of great interest to the energy market, they ... read more Field Trial With Lignin Modified Poplars Shows Potential for Bio-Based Economy
Dec. 30, 2013 The results of a field trial with genetically modified poplar trees in Belgium, shows that the wood of lignin modified poplar trees can be converted into sugars in a more efficient way. These sugars ... read more Genomes of Fungi That Threaten Wheat, Poplars Sequenced
May 9, 2011 Scientists have sequenced the genomes of two fungal pathogens -- one that threatens global wheat supplies and another that limits production of a tree crop valued as a future source for ... read more Strange & Offbeat |
Travel Warning Issued As Ebola Outbreak Worsens
(HealthDay News) — With the World Health Organization reporting that the death toll in the West African Ebola outbreak has risen to 729, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday issued a travel warning for the region.
The "Level 3 travel advisory" urges that all non-essential travel to the affected countries -- Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone -- be avoided. "The bottom line is that Ebola is worsening in West Africa," CDC Director Tom Frieden, MD, told reporters in a press briefing.
In the meantime, putting a halt to the epidemic is "not going to be quick. It's not going to be easy. But we know what to do," Frieden said. He added that the CDC is sending 50 additional experts to the region over the next month. In another precautionary measure, Frieden said the CDC will be assisting in efforts in the affected countries to prevent Ebola-infected people from boarding planes. If such incidents do occur, protocols will be put in place to identify sick passengers, alert those they may have come into contact with, and, if necessary, quarantine people at risk.
At this point, there are no plans to screen passengers arriving in the United States from West Africa for Ebola, the CDC said. "It is important to note that Ebola is not contagious until symptoms appear, and that transmission is through direct contact of bodily fluids of an infected, symptomatic person or exposure to objects like needles that have been contaminated with infected secretions," the CDC said in a news release. |
Behavioral and histopathological alterations resulting from mild fluid percussion injury.
The majority of people who sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI) have an injury that can be classified as mild (often referred to as concussion). Although head CT scans for most subjects who have sustained a mild TBI (mTBI) are negative, these persons may still suffer from neurocognitive and neurobehavioral deficits. In order to expedite pre-clinical research and develop therapies, there is a need for well-characterized animal models of mTBI that reflect the neurological, neurocognitive, and pathological changes seen in human patients. In the present study, we examined the motor, cognitive, and histopathological changes resulting from 1.0 and 1.5 atmosphere (atm) overpressure fluid percussion injury (FPI). Both 1.0 and 1.5 atm FPI injury caused transient suppression of acute neurological functions, but did not result in visible brain contusion. Animals injured with 1.0 atm FPI did not show significant motor, vestibulomotor, or learning and memory deficits. In contrast, 1.5 atm injury caused transient motor disturbances, and resulted in a significant impairment of spatial learning and short-term memory. In addition, 1.5 atm FPI caused a marked reduction in cerebral perfusion at the site of injury that lasted for several hours. Consistent with previous studies, 1.5 atm FPI did not cause visible neuronal loss in the hippocampus or in the neocortex. However, a robust inflammatory response (as indicated by enhanced GFAP and Iba1 immunoreactivity) in the corpus callosum and the thalamus was observed. Examination of fractional anisotropy color maps after diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) revealed a significant decrease of FA values in the cingulum, an area found to have increased silver impregnation, suggesting axonal injury. Increased silver impregnation was also observed in the corpus callosum, and internal and external capsules. These findings are consistent with the deficits and pathologies associated with mild TBI in humans, and support the use of mild FPI as a model to evaluate putative therapeutic options.
Michael J Hylin; Sara A Orsi; Jing Zhao; Kurt Bockhorst; Alec Perez; Anthony N Moore; Pramod K Dash
Type: Journal Article; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S. Date: 2013-05-07
Title: Journal of neurotrauma Volume: 30 ISSN: 1557-9042 ISO Abbreviation: J. Neurotrauma Publication Date: 2013 May
Nlm Unique ID: 8811626 Medline TA: J Neurotrauma Country: United States
Behavior, Animal*
Brain / pathology*, physiopathology
Brain Concussion / complications*, pathology*, physiopathology
Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Memory Disorders / etiology, pathology
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What makes an organization valuable to society?
What value are large organizations bringing to society? And, when they are getting it right, how can and should corporations build trust and gain legitimacy within society? The University of St. Gallen in Switzerland has developed a “Public Value Scorecard” (PVSC) to help organizations understand and increase their value to society.
Corporations need a better sense of society’s expectations. They need management tools to treasure public value and constantly monitor how things evolve over time. In particular, a common framework is needed that allows for a language that is robust enough to systematically give different world views and value systems.
Corporations need a better sense of society’s expectations. They need management tools to treasure public value and constantly monitor how things evolve over time.
At the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland, a PVSC has been developed that helps organizations to understand and increase their value to society. The scorecard is based on psychological needs theory and allows for tailor-made indicators in five dimensions.
The PVSC is applied both for internal or external groups, stakeholders, investors or customers. It systematically generates management information on what it means to contribute to society at large. Following current insights in academic psychology, it measures impacts against people’s basic needs that cannot otherwise be captured. In this way, public value is created when a company’s action (e.g., via its products or services) leads to a positive evaluation of needs fulfilment.
For example, a major Swiss insurance company recently used the PVSC to better understand the societal implications of a specific M&A transaction; information that was, otherwise, not available. Fresenius Medical Care, a leading provider of dialysis products and services, used the scorecard to analyze the public value of its clinics, as perceived by major stakeholders. As a consequence, the PVSC is seen as the next improvement for the existing balanced scorecard. The soccer club FC Bayern Munich employed the PVSC to identify public values that may both foster and hinder growth in the next few years. As a Champions League winner, the club aspires to grow substantially, while maintaining its roots in the region.
High-performing organizations are ahead in treasuring their public value. They not only use it for their risk management, but link it to their value proposition. In summary, public value is a major chance to improve resilience and to grow and develop. What could be more attractive for leaders than to make a difference to society?
Prof. Dr. Timo Meynhardt
Managing Director, University of St. Gallen, Switzerland
Prof. em. Dr. Peter Gomez
University of St. Gallen, Switzerland
Markus T. Schweizer
Managing Partner Advisory Services EY, Switzerland
Increasing the public value of your business
With growing awareness among the corporate sector of the importance of a company’s public value, there is more recognition of the need to engage with local communities. While some companies struggle to make their mark, ... Read more.
The economics of good and evil
Does it pay to be good? It is a question that businesses and economists should ask, but seldom do. ... Read more.
Reaping what you sow: the evolution of CSR
Companies are increasingly recognizing that socially responsible activities can help, rather than hinder, their profitability. ... Read more.
Measuring corporate sustainability, maximizing shareholder value
Although sustainability issues are omnipresent, a company’s contribution to sustainability is still hard to measure. This article reconciles the concepts of corporate sustainability and the shareholder value management. The model of Sustainable Value Added is ... Read more. |
How Israel Uses Water to Control Palestinian Life
by Charlotte Silver
A Palestinian carries water tanks to his house in Shuafat, East Jerusalem, April 3, 2014.
It’s not yet summer when I arrive in East Jerusalem during a broiling heat wave. In the area known as Shuafat Ridge, bitter fights break out between neighbors this time of year, when water becomes more scarce and the neighborhood is rife with accusations of water theft. The tens of thousands of Palestinians who live here use around half the amount of water recommended by the World Health Organization?and they struggle to obtain even that.
Shuafat Ridge, on the eastern edge of Jerusalem, is cut off from the rest of the city by the twisting, eight-meter Separation Wall, which Israel began building here in 2005. Soaring apartment buildings, packed tightly into the cramped space allotted to these residents, loom over the barrier.
Just to the east of Shuafat is the huge Jewish settlement of Pisgat Ze’ev, established in the early 1980s. The people living there can gaze down onto the backyards and dilapidated homes of what has become Jerusalem’s slum. Shuafat Ridge, like the land on which Pisgat Ze’ev is built and the rest of East Jerusalem, was annexed by Israel in 1967, though the international community does not recognize Israeli sovereignty here.
While precise population data on Shuafat Ridge don’t exist, it is estimated that it has quadrupled in the past ten years, with some 80,000 people living in its four neighborhoods, which include a refugee camp. The antiquated water infrastructure is sufficient for just 15,000. Last year most people here went over a month without any running water (they survived by trucking water in from the West Bank and buying bottled water).
Meanwhile, the European Union rated Jerusalem among the top five cities in the world for water efficiency, management, and innovation. Indeed, Israel’s annual water technology exports have climbed to a peak of over $2 billion. Israel’s water technology has been praised since the state first claimed to make the desert bloom. At first, the industry helped to unify the young Jewish state. The government poured money into constructing the National Water Carrier, which diverted water from Lake Tiberias in the north to the Negev desert in the south, supplying the agricultural kibbutzim. Israel wrested control over the lake’s northern source by seizing Syria’s Golan Heights in the 1967 war, when it also conquered the West Bank with its valuable aquifers.
Today, Israel offers the products associated with its so-called water triumphs to the world, promising to liberate other regions from the threats of drought and scarcity. At home, it uses water to control Palestinians.
Dahoud Abu Assab, or Abu Adam, picked me up just outside the Separation Wall in his dusty Range Rover. Wearing a white baseball cap and matching collared shirt, Abu Adam offered me his blistered hand before driving us through the Israeli military checkpoint to get to Shuafat Ridge.
As the vehicle trundled down the crowded main street, Abu Adam pointed out countless hazards: a roadside gas stand spewing benzene onto the street, a burning heap of trash close by, no sidewalks, and a cavernous pothole. Last year, a 7-year-old girl was killed by a car after falling into it on her way home from school.
While Israel’s construction of the wall, followed by a near-total cessation of municipal services here, would seem to constitute official government abandonment of this neighborhood, residents still have to pay city taxes. Indeed, Palestinian residents in occupied East Jerusalem have a precarious status: The vast majority are not citizens of Israel, but they do carry Jerusalem ID cards, which allow them to move relatively freely throughout Jerusalem and the State of Israel, in contrast to their compatriots in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. But they must meet certain onerous criteria to maintain residency and status as Jerusalemites; since 1967, Israel has revoked the status of over 14,000 Palestinians in East Jerusalem. “They are treating us as if we are not married and we are not divorced,” Abu Adam says, referring to the Israeli government.
Efrat Cohen-Bar, an Israeli architect who specializes in urban planning, particularly in East Jerusalem, describes this contradiction as “schizophrenic.” For the past eleven years she has worked for Bimkom, an Israeli NGO guided by the principle that planning, space, and architecture are integral aspects of human rights. Bimkom advocates fair planning policies in Israel, East Jerusalem, and Area C of the West Bank, where the Israeli military has full control.
“They [the planning authorities] wanted to put on the other side of the wall as many Palestinians as possible, but at the same time maintain the area as part of annexed Greater Jerusalem,” Cohen-Bar explains to me.
Bimkom’s office is located in West Jerusalem in a neighborhood called Rehavia. Like most of the Jewish side of the city, the streets are clearly marked, with comfortably wide sidewalks. The buildings are only two to four stories high. There’s a reason for this well-functioning, harmonious system: It was developed according to a 1920s plan designed by the renowned German-Jewish architect Richard Kauffmann. After he emigrated to Palestine in 1920, Kauffmann was commissioned by the British Mandate authorities, who controlled Palestine at the time, to design several neighborhoods in West Jerusalem.
East Jerusalem, on the other hand, was never provided such a comprehensive plan. By the 1990s, only one-third of East Jerusalem had housing development plans, and Shuafat Ridge has received none, Cohen-Bar found in her research. Shuafat’s residents are virtually barred from obtaining construction permits. “The idea was if people can’t build, they will leave Jerusalem,” Cohen-Bar says.
In fact, the relentless scarcity of water in Shuafat Ridge is integral to Israel’s larger strategy for East Jerusalem. In the mid-1970s, the director of policy planning for the Jerusalem municipality, Yisrael Kimhi, explained that “one of the cornerstones in the planning of Jerusalem is the demographic question.” The “demographic balance,” as it’s more frequently known, refers to the conclusions of the Gafni Committee, which was established in 1972 to determine development in the city. Adapting the committee’s recommendations, the government eventually decided to maintain a 70-to-30 ratio of Jews to Arabs in Greater Jerusalem. Throughout the tenure of Teddy Kollek, who served as Jerusalem’s mayor from 1965 to 1993, the government adopted a policy of neglect toward East Jerusalem to meet those recommendations?an approach acknowledged by Kollek himself as well as former city employees who served under him.
Speaking at Bimkom’s office, Cohen-Bar says, “They use the planning system as a tool for demographic balance, but with no success.” The statistics bear this out: As of 2012, the ratio of Israeli Jews to Palestinian Arabs in Jerusalem was 61 to 39. Even so, the effect of these punitive policies can be seen in Shuafat Ridge, where people are corralled into a ghetto.
Abu Adam lived in Shuafat refugee camp until he bought some land and built a house for his family in one of the neighborhoods in Shuafat Ridge. Like tens of thousands of other residents who have built homes across this valley, he knew there was no point in waiting for Israel to issue him a permit, so he built his house without one.
And like nearly everyone else, Abu Adam’s water connection is considered illegal. It’s hooked up through an improvised system designed by resourceful residents: From the 200 meters that are connected to the central water supply, a spidery network of skinny plastic tubes stretches toward the surrounding apartment buildings. Small motors propelling the water are scattered throughout the neighborhood. But even with this impressive home-grown system, the three kilometers of pipes at the bottom of the valley are not sufficient for the whole camp. People who live at the higher elevations are the last to fill their tanks with water?if there’s any left.
“People get insane,” a passing man tells me, when he realizes that Abu Adam is talking to me about water. Pointing to the top of the valley, he added, “People up there cry from lack of water.”
Almost none of the 80,000 residents pay a water bill. The meters that are legally connected to the central supply measure not just the consumption of the homes directly connected to them but hundreds of others tapping illegally into them, thus making payment impossible. The residents say they would be far happier to pay and be connected, but they’ve run into endless government roadblocks.
At the height of last year’s critical shortage, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel petitioned the Supreme Court to find a durable solution. Arguing that all people have a right to water, ACRI called upon the state to connect residents to an official source. About two weeks later, water flowed back into the pipes as before. “But since the humanitarian crisis ended, no real solution has been reached,” says Anne Suciu, one of ACRI’s lawyers working on the case.
Abu Adam takes me to the home of Musa Ahmed Hussein Hassan at the very top of the valley. As one of the local mukhtars, he is responsible for solving disputes between neighbors?many of which are over water. Hassan says in both summer and winter, his tap is dry during the day. He stays up until midnight every night just to fill his water tank because “by morning, there won’t be any left.”
No one can tell me why the water was shut off last summer, but Suciu says there are rumors that Hagihon, the Israeli company that provides water to the city, intentionally turned it off so the state would finally be compelled to intervene.
“Thieves,” Eli Cohen, Hagihon’s deputy director, tells me, referring to the Palestinians living in Shuafat Ridge. Cohen’s assistant, who is translating during our interview, tries to soften his boss’s words. “The more politically correct term is ‘consuming water without measurement,’ ” he says. But Cohen says his company is fed up with losing tens of millions of shekels a year providing water to thousands of people who don’t pay for it.
In a September 2013 interview, Cohen blamed the government for not allowing his company to improve the dilapidated water infrastructure in the area. “We came even to the most senior government offices, including meetings with ministers, and I’m sorry to say we do not receive responses.”
When ACRI filed its petition against Hagihon and several state agencies last year, Hagihon proposed a 189.5 million shekel ($55 million) project that would connect all houses, regardless of legality, to a totally revamped water supply consisting of thirty kilometers of pipes. But the government bodies refused to fund it, saying they would never provide water to illegal structures.
The Supreme Court upheld the government’s position. Invoking an earlier ruling against Bedouins in Israel’s Negev who had refused to leave so-called “unrecognized” villages, the court ruled that the state is only obliged to provide “reasonable access to sources of water at the minimal level” so as to provide an “incentive for lawful settlement.” If planning has failed to impose the demographic “balance” Israel wants for Jerusalem, denial of water may be the state’s punishment for those who have defied it.
Hagihon returned to the negotiating table with a much less extensive and far cheaper plan, which the state has accepted on condition that residents pay for it themselves. But Suciu says the cheaper plan will do nothing to help those who live at the top of the valley, and that residents are not willing to pay for substandard service. In the most recent development, the state has proposed an entirely new way to collect money from residents without meters so as to avoid investing any money of its own: They will measure the total consumption of water and divide the cost equally among the population. “The water authority is trying to make sure people pay without making sure they get their right to water,” Suciu says. The Supreme Court has referred a longer-term solution to the National Security Council, the political body in the prime minister’s office that was responsible for overseeing construction of the Separation Wall.
Meanwhile, since the beginning of this summer, according to Suciu, some areas of Shuafat Ridge have already gone up to three days without a drop of running water.
Whether in the West Bank or Jerusalem, Palestinians’ right to water has been reduced to a “right” to purchase water from Israel?which not only maintains control over all natural resources in the region but refuses to allow Palestinians the water connections that are routinely granted not only to Israelis inside Israel but to illegal settlements as well. For Palestinians in Shuafat Ridge, even this right is compromised by Israel’s goal of demographic dominance.
Posted by editors at 6:55 AM
Labels: Palestinians
"If you really want to get a sense of “what happened” in Vietnam ... just imagine that you’re actually crouched in your basement, that your home above is ablaze, that lethal helicopters are hovering overhead, and that heavily-armed teenagers — foreigners who don’t speak your language — are out there in your yard, screaming commands you don’t understand, rolling grenades into your neighbor’s cellar, and if you run out through the flames, into the chaos, one of them might just shoot you." - Nick Turse
Indigenous North Americans
South Americans
Indigenous South Americans
“Everywhere I go, every town I visit, you don’t see any industries. You don’t see any factories. You don’t see anything. We don’t make anything. We are really the poorest country on earth, but people refuse to see that. We are only surviving. We are only looking good because of our military might, because we are an empire. But this force cannot go on forever. It should be so obvious that we’re only chugging along, bullying people into lending us money and sending us stuff that we don’t deserve, that we haven’t earned. How can we survive? Hundreds of thousands of Americans have been reduced to living like savages in this self-proclaimed greatest country on earth.” - Linh Dinh
"I hate Indians. They are a beastly people with a beastly religion. The famine was their own fault for breeding like rabbits." - Winston Churchill, talking about the Bengal famine in 1943.
"Whiteness is a dangerous concept. It is not about skin color. It is not even about race. It is about the willful blindness used to justify white supremacy. It is about using moral rhetoric to defend exploitation, racism, mass murder, reigns of terror and the crimes of empire." - Chris Hedges
"[The U.S.] never would have dropped the bomb if the Japanese had had white skin. It was a monstrous, racist act." - Lawrence Ferlinghetti
"Some black people always will be twice as good. But they generally find white predation to be thrice as fast."
"...white supremacy is not merely the work of hotheaded demagogues, or a matter of false consciousness, but a force so fundamental to America that it is difficult to imagine the country without it." - Ta-Nehisi Coates, from his Atlantic article, The Case for Reparations
Chagossians
"First, they tried to shoot the dogs. Next, they tried to poison them with strychnine. When both failed as efficient killing methods, British government agents and U.S. Navy personnel used raw meat to lure the pets into a sealed shed. Locking them inside, they gassed the howling animals with exhaust piped in from U.S. military vehicles. Then, setting coconut husks ablaze, they burned the dogs’ carcasses as their owners were left to watch and ponder their own fate." - David Vine writing about the ethnic cleansing of Diego Garcia
Iraqis
American Underclass
“I think D.C. is a perfect example of what America is. You have this big white house representing the government, that was built by slaves, that’s beautiful, excellent manicured lawns, and right outside the gate you have 50 homeless people sleeping in a park. Right outside of the gate of the White House. That perfectly describes America.” - T-Dubb-O, one of the founders, along with Tef Poe, Tory Russell, Tara Thompson and Rika Tyler, of Hands Up United
I Can Tell You How Adam Goodes Feels. Every Indige...
Why I Support the BDS Movement Against Israel
How Israel Uses Water to Control Palestinian Life...
America's Unpeople: Criminalizing Poverty in the R...
How Slavery and Its Aftermath Still Impact Black A...
Words of Israeli Leaders
Happy Fucking Birthday America
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At IrriGator we invest considerable time and resources into communicating research-based information on water-use and water management. Rare, however, is the opportunity to gauge how the public is receiving and digesting these efforts. Enter the UF/IFAS PIE Center’s annual Public Opinion of Water in Florida survey.
The Center’s survey polled 749 Florida residents on a number of water-related topics. The ensuing report paints a helpful picture about what the public knows and doesn't know and where messaging and communication can be improved or adjusted. A sample of these findings include:
Water ranks 3rd, below health care and the economy, on a priority list of those surveyed
Few of those surveyed felt water quality was getting better in any of Florida's water bodies
85% of those surveyed indicated they were likely/very likely to pay attention to a water news item
72% of those surveyed are willing to pay more for their water bills if it would ensure adequate water resources for Florida's future
"I think the public generally understands
water conservation when they are affected by it.
That is, when they don’t have enough water,
the importance hits home. Those affected
by the drought in California right now
would be a good example."
-Dr. Michael Dukes
In a recent interview for Landscape Management, Dr. Michael Dukes, director of the UF/IFAS Center for Landscape Conservation and Ecology, addresses some aspects of successful water communication. Namely, context counts. When water scarcity is a factor, the public is generally more receptive to messaging. And in drought circumstances conservation messaging tends to saturate the media.
Knowing what we don't know about what you think you know about water: an infographic
Further, Dr. Dukes also notes how the development of a water efficient ethic within the Green Industry coincided with implementation of water conserving programs, devices and codes at both the manufacturing and agency levels. There are advantages to being able to communicate important information from a non-crisis position.
Teachables
As someone whose work encompasses Extension and communication, the most useful gems among the Center’s survey results are Figure 33 and Figure 35.
Extension? What's that? (courtesy: Public Opinions of Water in Florida)
For me, Fig. 33 (above) confirms the shortcomings of engaging the public by way of what are often understaffed, inadequately resourced and marginal channels throughout the state. On the other hand, Fig. 35 (below) is fraught with possibility, suggesting an accessible audience consuming content online - a multimedia platform today’s educators are well-versed in utilizing.
See you on the interwebs (courtesy: Public Opinions of Water in Florida)
In a great article addressing the water survey, Jenny Adler of the UF Water Institute said it best: “We are given an incredible opportunity (which will also be a challenge) to share current water research and knowledge about water issues through these identified outlets.”
The PIE Center recently hosted a webinar on water issues and the implications for agriculture featuring Dr. Kati Migliaccio and Dr. Alexa Lamm. View the webinar here.
The PIE Center recently hosted a webinar featuring Dr. Michael Dukes addressing the landscape water use aspects of the survey. View the webinar here.
Labels: Center for Landscape Conservation and Ecology, PIE Center, Public Opinions of Water in Florida, Water Institute, water quality, water quantity
Kati March 3, 2015 at 4:29 PM
Great Webinar! This is a good series - with an active audience! |
Female College Grads See Big Wage Gain from Delaying Motherhood
By Elizabeth Gregory
The economic roots of the ongoing trend in delaying motherhood have become only more clear in the recent recession. But economics has been a motivating factor at least since the 1960s, when the trend began. (Numbers of first births to women 35 and over started rising in the '70s, but the trend began when those same women refrained from earlier births in the '60s.)
A 2011 study by Amalia Miller on compensation (based on a pool of women who first gave birth between ages 20 and 34) indicates that women with college degrees go on to gain 5 percent in wages per year of delay on average, and 12 percent or more in earnings per year of delay.*
The difference between wages and earning comes from expanded hours on the job -- delayers can work full-time before kids and maintain that schedule once kids arrive because they can at that point afford good childcare. Thus, if you are 18 and childless, go to college, graduate at 22, go to work, then have a child at 25, you will make about 36 percent more per year from there on than you would have made if you had had that child upon graduation.
If you delay till age 30, the average age when female college grads have their first child (for male college grads, it's 32), you will make roughly 96 percent more across your career than your younger-mom, college-grad self. And so on, increasing with each year of delay.
College grads get special benefit because going to college in itself provides women with part of the boost in wages, based on training and new eligibility for better-paid professions. The rest of the boost comes from concentrated time put in on the job, which is easier without kids in a context of limited affordable childcare and employer bias against mothers.
Though economists can now demonstrate that delaying motherhood links to higher earnings and other benefits, for decades prior, steadily increasing numbers of working women have been figuring that out without benefit of experts, through deduction and attention to one another's examples, as they've negotiated the still-shifting world of work in our post-birth control world.
Current anti-contraception politics would have strong economic and political effects, since limiting women's ability to control their fertility means lowering their wages and their political clout.
*"The Effects of Motherhood Timing on Career Path," Journal of Population Economics 24, no. 3 (July 2011): 1071-1100. Miller's article documents that the overall wage gain to all women averages out to 3 percent per year of delay, but notes that the gain is realized only by college grads. When calculated for the smaller pool of college graduates only, she finds a 5 percent wage gain and confirmed via an email to the author a concomitant earnings gain of roughly 12 percent.
Follow Elizabeth Gregory on Twitter: www.twitter.com/egregory
Elizabeth Gregory Author, 'Ready: Why Women Are Embracing the New Later Motherhood'
Ready:Why Women Are Embracing The New Later Motherhood Shelley Correll Politics Later Motherhood Economics
Ready: Why Women Are Embracing the New Later Motherhood |
Destination Project receives $200-million investment from Government of Alberta
The Destination Project, a transformational undertaking that will fundamentally alter the path of the University of Lethbridge, received the stamp of approval from the Government of Alberta Friday as the Honourable Thomas Lukaszuk, Deputy Premier and Minister of Enterprise and Advanced Education, announced a $200-million investment in the project.
The Destination Project includes the construction of new science facilities that will house a significant part of the science teaching and research activities on campus. Further, a comprehensive revitalization of the iconic University Hall will take place. The result will add 35,000 sq. metres to the campus footprint, but more importantly, the project will help define the University’s direction for the foreseeable future.
The Destination Project will be the most significant undertaking the University has seen since the construction of the original University Hall in 1972.
Lukaszuk says the Destination Project investment is about providing an exceptional learning environment for students, as well as strengthening the broader community.
“We are proud to invest in this Campus Alberta project because we know that ensuring a world-class education for our young people is essential for building southern Alberta,” says Lukaszuk. “We recognize that our students need access to learning today if they are to compete for jobs tomorrow.”
In the past two years, the University of Lethbridge has received $12.5 million from the Government of Alberta for the planning phase of the project, and a significant amount of activity has already taken place. Final site selection for the Destination Project is expected in the near future.
University of Lethbridge President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Mike Mahon says the Alberta government’s investment in the Destination Project is not only a tremendous boon to the University of Lethbridge, but to southern Alberta in general.
“I cannot overstate how momentous this day is to the future of the University of Lethbridge and southern Alberta as a whole,” says Mahon. “This is the most significant development of our Lethbridge campus since University Hall was completed in 1972.
“The Destination Project will contribute to Alberta’s ability to recruit the best and brightest scientific talent to our province, but it is more than a teaching and research space. Rather, it is a place for community engagement and outreach; a research incubator; a place where undergraduate and graduate research opportunities develop; where knowledge transfer and commercialization happen; a place where the next generation of researchers, scientists and scholars credit for the start of their science careers.”
Cheryl Dick, Chief Executive Officer of Economic Development Lethbridge, says the Destination Project will be a key economic driver for southern Alberta.
“The economic diversification we will see as a result of this investment is substantial,” says Dick. “Not only will we benefit in the short term from the construction activity associated with the project, but the region will profit greatly in the long term through the influx of people and the generation of associated industries.”
By building new science facilities, Vice-President (Research), Dr. Dan Weeks, says that the University is further able to create links between high school learning experiences and those found at the U of L.
Already, through programs such as High School iGEM (which earlier this year finished first at an international competition for young synthetic biologists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston, MA), the University provides valuable opportunities for high school students to take their learning to another level.
“The U of L’s iGEM program has introduced these world-class high school students to leading faculty, as well as graduate and undergraduate student mentors. This early exposure to University researchers helps students make smooth transitions from high school to post-secondary study and potentially to entrepreneurial endeavours,” says Weeks. “The Destination Project will allow the U of L to give even more Alberta high school students the chance to participate in outstanding research experiences such as these. Eventually, we will see graduates poised to flourish in Alberta’s ever diversifying economy.”
As science activities move into new facilities, University Hall will be the site of a major redevelopment.
“A key aspect of this entire project is the eventual regeneration of University Hall,” says Provost and Vice-President (Academic), Dr. Andy Hakin. “This will give the University the opportunity to create an environment that will lead the academic world in redefining liberal education for generations to come.”
For more on the Destination Project, and to follow its continued development, visit destination-project.ulethbridge.ca.
The Destination Project
Destination Project to fundamentally change the University of Lethbridge
University of Lethbridge Destination Project Video
Economic Development Lethbridge
Destination Project
Mike Mahon
Thomas Lukaszuk
Cheryl Dick
Andy Hakin
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Teachers' Perceptions of and Self-Efficacy in Modeling and Providing Opportunities for Social and Emotional Learning Competencies
Elizabeth Sullivan, Johnson & Wales University
Abstract There is extensive research on the importance of the development of students’ social-emotional learning (SEL) competencies (Kress & Elias, 2013; Taylor & Larson, 1999). Research suggests that, a primary responsibility of middle schools is to address the developmental needs of adolescents, who are experiencing a major transition as they move between elementary school and high school. In order for maximum intellectual growth to take place, social-emotional, as well as physical growth must be incorporated into the plan (Dickinson, 2001). ^ The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of educators’ beliefs about the development of social-emotional skills being a component of their instruction. Further, the study sought to examine educators’ confidence in modeling the skills and providing SEL opportunities for their students. A mixed methods sequential explanatory strategy was used to examine data from teachers (N=47) in one rural middle school in a recently regionalized school district. ^ Quantitative analysis revealed significant difference between content area teachers’ familiarity with SEL, with special educators being higher than math and science teachers (p=.001). A trend was also found that indicated special educators understand and endorse SEL more than math, science, and unified arts teachers (p=.009). No significant differences were found with the demographics. Qualitative findings pointed to the need for training and professional development so teachers may become more skilled at providing SEL opportunities to students, and more efficacious in modeling social-emotional competencies. Additionally, relevant professional development may assist teachers in overcoming obstacles identified in qualitative data. ^ Moving further into the 21st century, it is essential that educators provide students with all the skills they will need to be successful in college and career, as well as within society. These skills include, but are not limited to the abilities to effectively communicate with others, to collaborate with diverse groups of people, and to think critically. In order to best address students’ ability to attain proficiency in these skills, school leaders may consider the implementation of a school-wide social and emotional learning program.^
Subject Area Education, Educational Psychology
Sullivan, Elizabeth, "Teachers' Perceptions of and Self-Efficacy in Modeling and Providing Opportunities for Social and Emotional Learning Competencies" (2015). Dissertation & Theses Collection. AAI3700997.
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Unmanned airborne or aerial vehicles (UAVs), commonly referred to as drones, have become an option for a broad range of application scenarios. Relatively inexpensive, lightweight and easily deployable, drones provide a viable alternative to traditional forms of flight, such as full-scale aircraft and helicopters. Drones typically resemble one of several common design variants, including fixed-wing, foldable-wing, rotary, and multi-rotor designs. Modern integrated and embedded systems are creating a balance between cost, operational complexity, payload capacity and drone size
Drone Gallery
The DroneLab explores the use of lightweight UAVs as well as terrestrial and underwater drones for a broad range of use scenarios, often in tandem with other robotic systems. Drones have become the ubiquitous choice for imaging on land, under water and in the air, for environmental and habitat monitoring, disaster and post-disaster reconnaissance, search and rescue, real-estate development and marketing, general photography, videography, cinematography, archaeology and in our case the documentation and reconstruction of cultural heritage sites.
The DroneLab’s research focuses on drones in the context of an integrative sensing methodology for data-enabled applications. The ubiquitous applications of drones have created a broad spectrum of opportunities for designing, developing, testing and deploying airborne, terrestrial and submersible robots, carrying a variety of payloads, from multispectral imaging to physical sample collection or placement. Current state-of-the-art drones as well as emerging technologies and associated applications can be found in our drone toolbox.
The DroneLab is uniquely equipped to provide expert solutions related to a wide range of challenges in aerial, ground and underwater imaging. From platforms developed in-house for use in STEM education to modified drone technologies for use in hard-to-reach or hostile environments, our scientists and engineers can offer research, equipment and expert services, and the lab welcomes expressions of interest in potential collaborations with other institutions involved or interested in drone-related research and development. Contact our team via dronelab@ucsd.edu.
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EILISH FIGHTS SILENT KILLER
A BUXTON mum is spearheading a drive urging women and GPs to act on new guidance about how to spot Ovarian Cancer in a bid to stop women dying from the disease.
Eilish Colclough was diagnosed with the disease at the age of 39 and has spent several years campaigning with the charity Target Ovarian Cancer to raise awareness of the condition often referred to as the “silent killer”.
And now Eilish, whose cancer is terminal, is urging people to act on new guidance issued by the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) on how to spot the disease, so women can be diagnosed and treated earlier, and lives may be saved.
Her call is being supported by Target Ovarian Cancer, who say that official figures show accurate and swift diagnosis of the fourth most common cancer killer of women could help save up to 500 lives a year in the UK.
There is no national screening programme in place and Ovarian Cancer is often initially wrongly diagnosed as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) so once the cancer is actually discovered, it is often too late for many women.
Eilish said: “This guidance for GPs and women is really important and a major step forward in making sure that women, wherever they live, get the right tests and a diagnosis as quickly as possible.
“I urge women and GPs to take note of the symptoms and stop calling this disease the ‘silent killer’. It has symptoms and women’s lives can be saved only if more people know about them.”
NICE’s guidance includes key priorities for implementation such as being aware of the symptoms and signs to look out for, particularly if a woman reports having symptoms on a persistent or frequent basis; carrying out the appropriate tests for ovarian cancer in any women aged 50 or over who have experienced symptoms within the last 12 months that suggest IBS and asking the right questions if symptoms suggest ovarian cancer is present.
Eilish is also trying to make women more aware of the symptoms to look for so they can see their GP and be tested as early as possible.
And Target Ovarian Cancer is calling for the Department of Health to launch a national awareness campaign to ensure that women are informed about the disease, and for the NICE guidance to be implemented swiftly and consistently.
• Eilish’s journey - see page two. |
Exercise your way to longer life
Researchers in Copenhagen have found that cyclists who ride more strenuously are likely to live longer than those who take it easy, while other studies have shown that doing even a small amount of exercise can lengthen life.
The Danish study, published in The European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, followed 5,106 adult recreational cyclists for about 18 years.
Participants reported the number of hours they were riding their bikes for, and how hard.
Deaths among the group were recorded, and results showed that the men and women who said they had ridden at a fast pace lived longer than the slower cyclists.
None of the cyclists took part in racing, however.
The study authors concluded that adult cyclists would be better off riding faster.
Meanwhile, a study at the Harvard Medical School found that the total amount of energy consumed was a more important factor in determining longevity, not the intensity of exercise a person did.
Writing in the journal PLoS Medicine, researchers from the National Cancer Institute and other institutions used data from 650,000 adults in the United States who had participated in the Institute's studies.
They compared study participants' activity levels with the 150 minutes of moderate activity (defined as something like brisk walking) per week which is currently recommended by the US government.
Participants who did this lived on average 3.4 years longer than those who didn't.
However, doing more than the recommended amount of exercise only conferred limited benefits compared with those who did only that amount of exercise.
For example, people who did twice as much as the recommended level of exercise only lived on average 10 months longer than those who matched the recommended level.
The benefits still held if people were overweight or obese, regardless of whether or not weight loss occurred.
And people who only managed an average of 10 minutes' walking a day still lived an average of two years longer than those who did no exercise at all.
According to study lead author Steven Moore, research fellow with the National Cancer Institute, maximum longevity was reached at a physical activity level equivalent to 65 minutes per day of walking.
He said there was no evidence that walking for any longer than that would lengthen life at all.
The study authors concluded that people who exercise even only a little can lengthen their lifespan.
Co-author I-Min Lee added that intense exercise could probably also give an additional benefit above moderate exercise.
But she said that people who did not wish to exercise more intensely, or who were unable to, should not worry about it, because most of the benefits of exercise are gained in the move from none at all to only a little.
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Title: Exercise your way to longer life
Date Added: 20th Nov 2012
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Nerve growth factor pretreatment attenuates oxygen and glucose deprivation-induced c-Jun amino-terminal kinase 1 and stress-activated kinases p38alpha and p38beta activation and confers neuroprotection in the pheochromocytoma PC12 Model.
Neurotrophins such as nerve growth factor (NGF) are considered putative neuroprotective compounds in the central nervous system. To investigate the cellular and molecular neuroprotective mechanisms of NGF under ischemia, we used a unique oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD) device. In this system we used pheochromocytoma PC12 cells to elucidate NGF neuroprotective effect. PC12 cells were exposed to OGD, followed by addition of glucose and oxygen (OGD reperfusion). Neuronal cell death induced in this model was measured by the release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), activation of caspase-3 and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), measured with specific anti-phospho-antibodies. Pretreatment of the cultures with 50 ng/mL NGF, 18 h prior to OGD insult, conferred 30% neuroprotection. However, treatment of the cultures with NGF concomitantly with the OGD insult did not result in neuroprotection. Time-course experiments showed marked activation of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and p38 MAPK isoforms during the OGD phase but not during OGD reperfusion. Pretreatment of the cultures with 50 ng/mL NGF, 18 h prior to OGD insult, resulted in 50% attenuation of OGD-induced activation of JNK1, and 20% and 50% attenuation of OGD-induced activation of p38alpha and beta, respectively. These findings support the notion that NGF confers neuroprotection from OGD insult, a phenomenon coincidentally related to differential inhibition of MAPK stress kinase isoforms, and provide the PC12 model as an in vitro OGD system to investigate molecular mechanisms of neurotoxicity and neuroprotection.
Rinat Tabakman; Hao Jiang; Erik Schaefer; Robert A Levine; Philip Lazarovici
17901218 - The requirement for phr1 in cns axon tract formation reveals the corticostriatal bounda...12082228 - A purine-sensitive mechanism regulates the molecular program for axon growth.9856458 - Identification and characterization of novel substrates of trk receptors in developing ...1744998 - Involvement of protein kinase activation in neurotrophic effects of basic fibroblast gr...9038168 - Ralgds functions in ras- and camp-mediated growth stimulation.10839418 - Comparative lipoplasty analysis of in vivo-treated adipose tissue.
Title: Journal of molecular neuroscience : MN
ISO Abbreviation: J. Mol. Neurosci.
Medline TA: J Mol Neurosci
Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91120, Israel.
AnimalsBrain Ischemia
drug therapy*, enzymology*Caspase 3Caspases
metabolismCell Hypoxia
drug effects, physiologyEnzyme Activation
drug effectsGlucose
deficiency, metabolismIsoenzymes
antagonists & inhibitors, metabolismJNK Mitogen-Activated Protein KinasesL-Lactate Dehydrogenase
metabolismMitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1
drug effects, metabolismMitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 11Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 14Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
antagonists & inhibitors*, metabolismModels, BiologicalNerve Growth Factor
pharmacology*, therapeutic useNeuroprotective Agents
pharmacology*, therapeutic usePC12 CellsRatsReperfusion Injury
drug therapy, enzymologyp38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
0/Isoenzymes; 0/Neuroprotective Agents; 50-99-7/Glucose; 9061-61-4/Nerve Growth Factor; EC 1.1.1.27/L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; EC 2.7.11.24/JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; EC 2.7.11.24/Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1; EC 2.7.11.24/Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 11; EC 2.7.11.24/Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 14; EC 2.7.11.24/Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; EC 2.7.11.24/p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; EC 3.4.22.-/Casp3 protein, rat; EC 3.4.22.-/Caspase 3; EC 3.4.22.-/Caspases
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Economic recession and fertility in the developed world
Tomas Sobotka, Vienna Institute of Demography
Vegard Skirbekk, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA)
This paper examines the effects of past economic recessions on fertility in the developed world. First we study how fertility levels and trends are affected by aggregate-level indicators of the recession, such as declining GDP levels, falling consumer confidence and rising unemployment. Subsequently, we discuss particular mechanisms and pathways through which the recession affects fertility behavior at the individual level, including the effects of economic uncertainty, changes on the housing market and rising enrolment in higher education. Most studies find that fertility tends to be pro-cyclical and often rises and declines with the ups and downs of the business cycle. Usually, these aggregate effects are relatively small (typically, several percentage points) and of relatively short durations; in addition they often seem to influence especially the timing of childbearing rather than the level (quantum) of fertility. Therefore, the recession-induced fertility changes can often be ‘overrun’ by major long-term fertility shifts that continue seemingly uninterrupted during the recession—such as the fertility declines before and during the ‘Great Depression’ of the 1930s and before and during the oil shock crises of the 1970s. The tendency of recessions to have overall small negative impact is partly explained by differential fertility responses by social groups, family status, age, and parity. Furthermore, various policies and institutions modify or even reverse the relationship between recessions and fertility.
Presented in Session 43: Economic uncertainty and fertility |
New clinical practice guideline may help reduce the pain of childhood immunization
November 22, 2010 A new evidence-based clinical practice guideline will help doctors, healthcare providers and parents reduce the pain and distress of immunization in children, states an article in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
Immunization injections are the most common source of physician-induced pain in childhood and are given many times to most Canadian children. Pain from vaccine injections needs to be addressed at an early age to avoid needle fears and anxiety at future procedures, and non-compliance of immunization schedules.
A panel of experts from across Canada with expertise in immunization, pediatrics, pain, evidence-based medicine, education, knowledge translation, health policy and guideline development created the guideline. It is based on 71 studies including 8050 children.
Recommendations were organized into categories (infants and neonates, injection procedure process, parent-led strategies, pharmacotherapy, and psychological strategies.) Suggestions to reduce pain include breastfeeding infants during immunization, using the least painful brand of vaccine, vaccinating rapidly in children, use of topical anesthetics and more. In addition, the different strategies can be combined in order to further improve pain relief.
"The information contained in this guideline is generalizable to healthy children receiving immunization injections worldwide," writes Dr. Anna Taddio, Adjunct Scientist and Pharmacist at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and Associate Professor in the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Toronto with coauthors. "Suggestions are offered to assist in the implementation of the guideline in different immunization settings. Not all of the recommendations may be appropriate or effective in all situations or for all children. The pain-relieving method should be tailored to the individual child"
New vaccine administration technologies, such as microneedles, and needle-free administration techniques, such as nasal sprays, also need additional research as alternatives to injections.
"What is now needed is a knowledge translation strategy aimed at facilitating the uptake of these recommendations in clinical practice," conclude the authors.
Explore further: Universal infant hepatitis B immunization recommended |
Law alumnus named director of School of Public Affairs and Administration
LAWRENCE – The University of Kansas has named an alumnus who is a nationally recognized public administrator as the new director of its School of Public Affairs and Administration.
Reggie Robinson, who has held numerous leadership and advisory posts at the state and federal level, was selected to lead the top-ranked school after a nationwide search. As director, Robinson will return to the institution where he earned his law degree in 1987.
“I’m pleased to appoint an experienced administrator and dedicated public servant,” said Danny Anderson, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. “Reggie captivated those he met with his strategic view and knowledge of the public sector. KU is fortunate to attract a person with administrative talent and distinction in the field as a Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration.”
Most recently, Robinson has been professor of law and director for the Center of Law and Government at Washburn University. He has also served as the president and CEO of the Kansas Board of Regents and chief of staff to the KU chancellor. He has served the federal government beginning as a White House fellow in 1993 and in a number of senior positions with the Department of Justice, including service as deputy associate attorney general of the United States. Robinson also served active duty in the Army.
“I am thoroughly pleased about this exciting opportunity to lead one of my alma mater's truly outstanding academic units,” Robinson said. “I am deeply grateful to the leadership of the university and the College for this opportunity. I can't wait to work with the distinguished set of colleagues – both faculty and staff – that await in the School of Public Affairs and Administration.”
Robinson has a strong record of public service focused on civil rights, juvenile justice and higher education policy. Throughout his career and volunteer experiences he has encouraged people with leadership capacity to step outside their own assumptions and perspectives, bridge different points of view, see common ground and help others see it as well.
“Reggie understands government and public service from the inside out. He knows how to move policy and institutions forward, often turning obstacles into opportunities. The school welcomes this experienced, perceptive and caring leader as our new director, and together we look forward to advancing teaching and research in the public service,” said Steven Maynard-Moody, professor in the school and chair of the search committee.
Robinson replaces Marilu Goodyear, who will step down after nine years as director. Goodyear has been appointed as the assistant vice chancellor for academic program development for the Edwards Campus and will continue to teach in the School of Public Affairs and Administration.
The School of Public Affairs and Administration is consistently ranked as the best graduate school in the nation in city management and urban policy, and it is among the top five graduate schools in the nation in public management administration (2013 U.S. News & World Report Best Graduate Schools).
The distinction reflects the school’s commitment to providing a top-notch master’s degree in public administration education to those who seek to manage at the local, city, county, state, national or international levels, or in the nonprofit sector. The MPA degree is offered at the Edwards and Lawrence campuses and in Topeka. The school is also currently celebrating the 10th anniversary of its undergraduate degree, which is available through the Edwards Campus. In addition, many of the school’s doctoral graduates are now professors at universities with renowned public administration departments.
Through its Public Management Center, the school provides award-winning professional development programs to the state and regional workforce: Kansas Certified Public Manager Program, Emerging Leaders Academy, Law Enforcement Leadership Academy, Supervisory Leadership Training, along with custom courses and annual training events, including the Inspiring Women in Public Administration Conference, National Forum for Black Public Administrators Executive Leadership Institute and the Kansas City / County Management Conference.
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Transfer of ultraviolet photon energy into fluorescent light in the visible path represents a new and efficient protection mechanism of sunscreens
Author(s): Theognosia Vergou; Christina Antoniou; Alexa Patzelt; Heike Richter; Sabine Schanzer; Wolfram Sterry; Jürgen M. Lademann; Leonhard Zastrow; Karin Golz; Olivier Doucet
The development of sunscreens with high sun protection factor (SPF) values but low filter concentrations is the ultimate goal. The purpose of the present study was to investigate why a sunscreen spray and cream with different concentrations of the same UV-filters provided the same SPF. Therefore, the homogeneity of the distribution of both sunscreens was investigated by laser scanning microscopy (LSM) and tape stripping (TS). Additionally, the energy transfer mechanisms of the sunscreens on the skin were analyzed. The TS and LSM showed a better homogeneity of the distribution of the spray. With Wood's light, a total absorption of the irradiation was detected in the spray area. In contrast, after cream treatment, an intensive fluorescent signal was observed. It was demonstrated that this fluorescent signal was caused by nonthermal energy transferred from the UV-filters to one compound of the cream releasing its excitation energy by fluorescence. This nonthermal energy transfer seemed to be the reason for the high efficiency of the cream, which is subjected to thermal relaxation. The transfer of UV photon energy into fluorescent light represents a new approach to increase the efficiency of sunscreens and could form the basis for a new generation of sunscreens.
Date Published: 1 October 2011PDF: 6 pagesJ. Biomed. Opt. 16(10) 105001 doi: 10.1117/1.3631790 Published in: Journal of Biomedical Optics Volume 16, Issue 10Show Author AffiliationsTheognosia Vergou, Univ. of Athens (Greece)Christina Antoniou, Univ. of Athens (Greece)Alexa Patzelt, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin (Germany)Heike Richter, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin (Germany)Sabine Schanzer, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin (Germany)Wolfram Sterry, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin (Germany)Jürgen M. Lademann, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin (Germany)Leonhard Zastrow, Coty Beauty Lancaster Group (Monaco)Karin Golz, Coty Beauty Lancaster Group (Morocco)Olivier Doucet, Coty Beauty Lancaster Group (Morocco) |
Home > History of Metaphysics > Aristotle
Aristotle's Metaphysics
Metaphysics has signified many things in the history of philosophy, but it has not strayed far from a literal reading of "beyond the physical." The term was invented by the 1st-century BCE head of Aristotle's Peripatetic school, Andronicus of Rhodes. Andronicus edited and arranged Aristotle's works, giving the name Metaphysics (τα μετα τα φυσικα βιβλια), literally "the books beyond the physics," perhaps the books to be read after reading Aristotle's books on nature, which he called the Physics. The Greek for nature is physis, so metaphysical is also "beyond the natural." Proponents of modern naturalism deny the existence of anything metaphysical.
Aristotle never used the term metaphysics. For Plato, Aristotle's master, the realm of abstract ideas was more "real" than that of physical. i.e., material or concrete, objects, because ideas can be more permanent (the Being of Parmenides), whereas material objects are constantly changing (the Becoming of Heraclitus). Where Plato made his realm of ideas the "real world," Aristotle made the material world the source of ideas as mere abstractions from common properties found in many concrete objects. Even Neoplatonists like Porphyry also worried about the existential status of the Platonic ideas. Does Being exist? What does it mean to say "Being Is"?
In recent centuries then, metaphysical has become "beyond the material." Metaphysics has become the study of immaterial things, like the mind, which is said to "supervene" on the material brain. Metaphysics is a kind of idealism, in stark contrast to "eliminative" materialism. And metaphysics has failed in proportion to the phenomenal success of naturalism, the idea that the laws of nature alone can completely explain the contents of the universe.
The books of Aristotle that Andronicus considered "beyond nature" included Aristotle's "First Philosophy" — ontology (the science of being), cosmology (the fundamental processes and original causes of physical things), and theology (is a god required as "first cause?").
Aristotle's Physics describes the four "causes" or "explanations" (aitia) of change and movement of objects already existing in the universe (the ideal formal and final causes, vs. the efficient and material causes). Aristotle's metaphysics can then be seen as explanations for existence itself. What exists? What is it to be? What processes can bring things into (or out of) existence? Is there a cause or explanation for the universe as a whole?
In critical philosophical discourse, metaphysics has perhaps been tarnished by its Latinate translation as "supernatural," with its strong theological implications. But from the beginning, Aristotle's books on "First Philosophy" considered God among the possible causes of the fundamental things in the universe. Tracing the regress of causes back in time as an infinite chain, Aristotle postulated a first cause or "uncaused cause." Where every motion needs a prior mover to explain it, he postulated an "unmoved first mover." These postulates became a major element of theology down to modern times.
Modern metaphysics is described as the study of the fundamental structure of reality, and as such foundational not only to philosophy but for logic, mathematics, and all the sciences. Some see a need for a foundation to metaphysics itself, called metametaphysics, but this invites an infinite regress of "meta all the way down (or up)."
Aristotle's First Philosophy included theology, since first causes, new beginnings or genesis, might depend on the existence of God. And there remain strong connections between many modern metaphysicians and theologians. |
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 6 (HealthDay News) -- The bacteria responsible for whooping cough may be evolving into different strains, and the current vaccine can't offer complete protection against these new strains, researchers report. In recent years, cases of whooping cough have risen dramatically. Tens of thousands have been sickened, and 18 deaths have been reported, mostly in infants, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Several recent studies have focused on the potential of waning immunity from the whooping cough vaccine over time. In a letter in the Feb. 7 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers pointed out that there may be another culprit: an evolution in the bug itself. The vaccine contains a number of components that help give the body immunity against the whooping cough bacteria (Bordetella pertussis). One of these components is called pertactin. Strains of the whooping cough bacteria that are pertactin-negative have been found in Japan, France, Finland and, now, the United States, the researchers reported in the letter. That means that at least one component of the current vaccine is ineffective against these newly found strains. "There are several theories as to why we're seeing more pertussis," said Dr. Kenneth Bromberg, chairman of pediatrics and director of the Vaccine Research Center at the Brooklyn Hospital Center, in New York City. "One theory is better diagnosis. A second [theory] is that the vaccines are not as good in terms of longevity as the whole-cell vaccine was. The third theory is that there have been genetic changes in the strains of pertussis, such that it makes new strains immune or relatively immune to the current vaccines." "The thought is that the bacteria have gotten smart and are eliminating the pertactin in themselves," said Bromberg, who was not involved in the current research. A second letter in the same journal issue addressed another of the theories that Bromberg outlined: the effectiveness of the current vaccine.In the late 1990s, the vaccine was switched from a whole-cell vaccine to what's known as an acellular vaccine. "The whole-cell vaccine contains the whole cell of killed bacteria, so every protein that the bacteria makes is in it, forcing the person to mount an immune response to every part of the bacteria," said the letter's co-author, Dr. Paul Cieslak, medical director of the Oregon Immunization Program, in Portland. "With the new, acellular vaccine, they picked the proteins they thought were most important. Without the whole cell, there are fewer side effects, but it may be a little less effective."Oregon experienced a significant increase in the number of whooping cough cases last year. Oregon maintains statewide records on immunizations, as well as records of who has had a confirmed case of whooping cough. This information allowed Cieslak and his colleagues to go back and review what type of vaccine had been given to those who later were infected with whooping cough. They found that the reported cases of whooping cough were significantly lower in youngsters who had their first immunization with the whole-cell vaccine rather than the acellular vaccine. Does that mean that whole-cell vaccine should make a comeback? "No one is making the argument for whole-cell vaccine," Cieslak said. "Without the whole cell in the vaccine, there are fewer side effects. It may be a little less effective, but it's got to be safe."Bromberg agreed. "The whole-cell vaccine isn't coming back. The acellular vaccine is significantly better in terms of not causing reactions, but it doesn't work for as long as we thought," he said. Cieslak said that even though the current vaccine isn't perfect, "we certainly recommend getting the vaccine. You are still far better off with the vaccine." Bromberg added that experts are trying to figure out ways to better use the current vaccine. For example, the CDC recently added a recommendation that all pregnant women should receive the whooping cough vaccine late in pregnancy to offer protection to their newborns. More informationLearn more about preventing whooping cough from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
SOURCES: Paul Cieslak, M.D., medical director, Oregon Immunization Program, Portland, Ore.; Kenneth Bromberg, M.D., chairman of pediatrics and director of the Vaccine Research Center, Brooklyn Hospital Center, New York City; Feb. 7, 2013, New England Journal of Medicine
'/>"/>Copyright©2012 ScoutNews,LLC.All rights reserved 0GOODRelated medicine news :1. Whooping Cough Vaccine for Pregnant Women Among New Recommendations2. Technique IDs Deadliest Whooping Cough Cases3. Findings support safety of whooping cough vaccine for older adults4. Whooping Cough Vaccine Less Effective Over Time: Study5. CDC Panel: All Pregnant Women Should Get Whooping Cough Shot 6. Whooping Cough Vaccine Protection Fades Over Time: Study 7. Is Improved Vaccine Causing Whooping Cough Outbreaks?8. Whooping Cough Cases Reaching Record Highs: CDC9. What did we learn from the 2010 California whooping cough epidemic?10. Patient Education Helps Prevent Overuse of Antibiotics for Cough, Study Finds11. Many People Underestimate How Long a Cough Should Last
(Date:11/27/2015)... (PRWEB) , ... November 27, 2015 , ... Lizzie’s Lice ... The company is offering customers 10% off of their purchase of lice treatment product. ... at full price. According to a company spokesperson. “Finding lice is a sure way ... (Date:11/27/2015)... (PRWEB) , ... November 27, 2015 , ... ... of the well-respected Microsoft Dynamics SL User Group (MSDSLUG). Recognized as Microsoft’s official ... independent group of Microsoft Dynamics SL software users, partners, industry experts and representatives. ... (Date:11/27/2015)... (PRWEB) , ... November 27, 2015 , ... ... the largest, most successful and prominent nonprofit healthcare organizations in the country. They ... involvement with various organizations, and helped advance the healthcare industry as a whole ... (Date:11/26/2015)... ... November 26, 2015 , ... Inevitably when people think Thanksgiving, they also ... buy during the Black Friday and Cyber Monday massage chair sales to ... Internet high and low to find the best massage chair deals, they can see ... (Date:11/26/2015)... ... November 26, 2015 , ... PRMA Plastic Surgery is updating their ... surgeons performed their 6,000th free flap breast reconstruction surgery! , “What an accomplishment for ... excited to rebuild lives and it’s an honor to have served all of these ... Breaking Medicine News(10 mins):[0] Lizzie’s Lice Pickers Announces Holiday Promotion With 10% Off The Purchase Of Treatment And Complimentary Head Check[0] Intellitec Solutions Joins Microsoft Dynamics SL User Group[0] Becker's Hospital Review Names 130 Nonprofit Hospital and Health System CEOs to Know[0] Emassagechair.com Announces their Holiday Massage Chair Sales[0] PRMA Performs 6,000th Flap Breast Reconstruction Procedure(Date:11/26/2015)... 3D bioprinting market is expected to reach ... by Grand View Research Inc. Rising prevalence of chronic diseases ... is expected to boost the market growth, as 3D bioprinting ... --> 3D bioprinting market is expected to reach ... by Grand View Research Inc. Rising prevalence of chronic diseases ... (Date:11/26/2015)... 26, 2015 http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/6ln9lq/2016_future ... "2016 Future Horizons and Growth Strategies ... Market: Supplier Shares, Country Segment Forecasts, Competitive ... offering. --> http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/6ln9lq/2016_future ) has ... Future Horizons and Growth Strategies in the ... (Date:11/26/2015)... PUNE, India , November 26, ... --> --> RnRMarketResearch.com ... Research Report" and "Investigation Report on ... 2019 and 2021 forecasts data and ... library. http://www.rnrmarketresearch.com/global-repaglinide-industry-2015-market-research-report-market-report.html . ... Breaking Medicine Technology:[0] 3D Bioprinting Market Worth $1.82 Billion By 2022: Grand View Research, Inc.[0] German Drugs of Abuse Testing Market 2016 - Explores Future Trends; and Provides Test Volume and Sales Forecasts, by Market Segment and Individual Assay[0] World Repaglinide Market 2016-2021 Forecasts AnalysisBiology NavigationAIDS/HIVBioinformaticsBiotechnologyBiochemistryCancerCell BiologyDevelopmental BiologyEcologyEnvironmentEvolutionFood TechnologyGeneGeneticsGenomicsHealth/MedicineImmunologyMicroarrayMicrobiologyMolecularMarine BiologyNanobiotechnologyNeurobiologyPlant SciencesStem CellSystems BiologyVirusWomen HealthMedical NavigationAbortionAchesADHDAddictionAlcoholAllergyAlternative MedicineAlzheimer's DementiaAnxiety/StressArthritisAutismBacteriaBloodBird Flu/Avian FluBonesBreast CancerCancerCardiovascularCervical CancerChikungunyaCholesterolClinical TrialsColorectal CancerConferencesCrohn'sCystic FibrosisDengueDentistryDepressionDiabetesDrugEating DisordersEducationEpilepsyErectile DysfunctionEye Health/BlindnessFertilityFlu/ColdGastroIntestinalGeneticsGoutHeadache/MigraineHearing/DeafnessHIV/AIDSHuntington's DiseaseHypertensionImmune System/VaccinesInsuranceInfectious DiseasesIrritable-Bowel SyndromeInternetLeukemiaLifestyleLiver Disease/HepatitisLung CancerLupusMad Cow DiseaseMedical DevicesMedical Students/TrainingMedicare/MedicaidMedicoMen's healthMental HealthMRI/UltrasoundMRSA/Drug ResistanceMultiple SclerosisMuscular DystrophyNeurologyNursingNutrition/DietObesity/Weight LossPain/AnestheticsParkinson's DiseasePediatrics/Children's HealthPharma/Biotech IndustryPharmacy/PharmacistsPregnancyPrematureProstatePsychology/PsychiatryRehabilitationRespiratory/AsthmaSARSSchizophreniaSeniors/AgingSexual HealthSleep/Sleep DisordersSmokingStatinsStem Cell ResearchStrokeSurgeryTransplants/Organ DonationsVirusesWater - Air QualityWomen's HealthCopyright © 2003-2012 Bio-Medicine. All rights reserved.ABOUT | CONTACT US | DISCLAIMER | PRIVACY POLICY | TERMS AND CONDITIONS |
New data suggests HIV superinfection rate comparable to initial HIV infection
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) superinfection may be as common as initial HIV infection and is not limited to high risk-populations, according to a new study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).
In the first large-scale study of HIV superinfection in a general heterosexual population, researchers examined the rate of superinfection among a community of sub-Saharan adults. HIV superinfection occurs when an HIV-infected individual acquires a new viral strain that is phylogenetically different from all other detectable viral strains.
Superinfection can have detrimental clinical effects as well as accelerated disease progression, and increased HIV drug resistance even among individuals who were previously controlling their HIV infection. The results are featured online in of the Journal of Infectious Diseases. "We found it remarkable that the rates of superinfection and underlying new HIV infections were equivalent. This raises many interesting questions about the natural immune response and its inability to generate resistance to HIV reinfection," said Thomas Quinn, MD, MS, co-author of the study, an NIAID senior investigator, a professor with the Bloomberg School's Department of International Health and director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Global Health. ... more about:»Gates Foundation »HIV »HIV infection »HIV-negative »NIAID »blood sample »diseases »general population »health services »immune response »infectious outbreaks "For years there has been great debate regarding the rate of HIV superinfection among populations, and previous studies have focused on individuals exposed to the virus through high-risk sexual activity or intravenous drug use," said Andrew Redd, PhD, lead author of the study and a postdoctoral fellow at the Laboratory of Immunoregulation at NIAID. "We were looking to determine the rate of HIV superinfection among a broader, general population using a novel technique sensitive enough to detect even the lowest levels of circulating HIV strains." Researchers, in collaboration with colleagues at the NIAID Rocky Mountain Laboratories, the Johns Hopkins Rakai Health Sciences Program in Kalisizo, Uganda, and Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda, used an ultra-deep sequencing technique to examine the blood samples of HIV-infected participants of the Rakai Community Cohort Study. Samples were tested at initial HIV diagnosis and at least one year later, prior to beginning antiretroviral therapy. The rate of superinfection was then compared to an estimated overall HIV incidence rate for HIV-negative individuals during this same time. Of the 149 individuals tested, Quinn and colleagues identified seven cases of HIV superinfection during follow-up and all were initially infected with some variant of HIV subtype D. In addition, the rate of superinfection was 1.44 per 100 persons and consisted of both intersubtype and intrasubtype superinfections, comparable to primary HIV incidence in initially HIV-negative individuals in the general population in Rakai.
"These results also have significant implications for estimations of the age of the HIV epidemic and for phylogenetic modeling of viral evolution because many of these models assume that superinfection is not occurring," suggest the authors. "In addition, the finding that superinfection is common and occurs within and between HIV subtypes suggests that the immune response elicited by primary infection confers limited protection and raises concerns that vaccine strategies designed to replicate the natural anti-HIV immune response may have limited effectiveness." Redd added, "Our findings suggest that HIV vaccine strategies designed to recreate the natural immune response to HIV may be insufficient to protect an individual from infection. However, the data also provide an interesting new population to explore since it is possible that some individuals will be protected from superinfection. Determining what controls this could lead to new avenues for vaccine research."
"The Rates of HIV Superinfection and Primary HIV Incidence in a General Population in Rakai, Uganda," was written by Andrew D. Redd, Caroline E. Mullis, David Serwadda, Xiangrong Kong, Craig Martens, Stacy M. Ricklefs, Aaron A. R. Tobian, Changchang Xiao, Mary K. Grabowski, Fred Nalugoda, Godfrey Kigozi, Oliver Laeyendecker, Joseph Kagaayi, Nelson Sewankambo, Ronald H. Gray, Stephen F. Porcella, Maria J. Wawer and Thomas C. Quinn.
The research was supported in part by the National Institutes of Health and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Natalie Wood-Wright | EurekAlert!
http://www.jhsph.edu
Further reports about: > Gates Foundation
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Do Believers Need to Confess Their Sins for Forgiveness?
According to the Bible, when someone believes in Jesus Christ as Savior, that person's sins are forgiven. If that is so, should Christians continue to confess their post-salvation sins after believing in Christ? Some say that confession is unnecessary since all the believer's sins are forgiven already. What is the scriptural perspective?
The Believer's Positional Forgiveness
To the Christian, forgiveness means to be released or freed from the guilt of sins as a personal offense in a relationship. One of the results of faith in Jesus Christ as Savior is that God forgives the believer's sins that were an offense against Him. In this sense, forgiveness is granted once for all eternity. It is a positional truth like justification and redemption, which is why forgiveness is sometimes linked in the Scriptures with eternal salvation.
In the Gospels, the positional aspect of forgiveness is seen by its contrast with eternal condemnation (Mark 3:28-29). Jesus and His death (blood) secures this remission of (release from) sin (Matt. 26:28). In this way He is "the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). He paid the ransom for all people (Matt. 20:28). Ransom implies release or freedom from the guilt of sin for all who receive it. Forgiveness is used in other salvation contexts in Acts (Acts 5:31; 13:38-39; 26:17-18).
The Apostle Paul makes some definitive statements about the positional forgiveness that occurs at the time of justification. In Romans 4:5-7 he links forgiveness with justification through faith. Also, in Ephesians 1:7 Paul describes one of the benefits of being in Christ: "In Him [Christ] we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins." Similarly, in Colossians 2:13 he says, "And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses." In the surrounding context, it is clear that Paul is speaking of a benefit of the believer's new position and identity with Christ (Col. 2:11-12, 14). "Trespasses" is virtually synonymous with sins. The verb "having forgiven" is in the Greek aorist tense signifying a completed action. The action that is completed is the forgiveness of "all" sins, which includes even future sins because all the believer's sins were future when Jesus died on the cross. In two similarly worded passages, Paul argues that Christians should forgive one another because Christ has forgiven them (Eph. 4:32; Col. 3:13). The author of Hebrews also asserts positional forgiveness in Hebrews 10:17-18 by citing the result of the New Covenant of Jeremiah 31:34 in terms of "Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more."
Clearly, all these passages show that those who have believed in Jesus Christ as Savior have had all their sins forgiven on the basis of Jesus' full and final payment on the cross. So why must Christians confess their sins?
The Believer's Fellowship Forgiveness
Christians must confess their sins so that they can experience the forgiveness that is theirs positionally. In other words, because of Jesus' death on the cross and one's faith in Him, sin's power to condemn is annulled forever, but it still has power to sever a believer's experience of fellowship with the Heavenly Father. The first is a judicial forgiveness, the latter a family forgiveness. Because of judicial forgiveness, the Christian has the privilege of enjoying fellowship or communion with God in the Christian walk, but this privilege can be abused or interrupted by sin.
The believer's fellowship with God is the theme of First John (1 John 1:3-4; See GraceNotes no. 37, "Interpreting 1 John"). This fellowship depends on walking truthfully in the light of God's Word and God's will (1 John 1:5-8). As a believer walks in the light, sins become visible or apparent. When God brings these sins to mind and convicts the conscience, the believer can deny the truth about his or her sin or confess them to God. According to 1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, He if faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." To confess literally means "to say the same thing," thus "to acknowledge, to agree." Upon that honest confession, God forgives because He is "faithful" to His own character and His commitment to His children. He is also "just" because He has accepted His Son's payment for that sin. Because God is faithful and just, the believer's confession restores fellowship with God. Given the theme of fellowship, 1 John 1:9 is obviously intended for those who are saved, not the unsaved (note that John uses "we"!).
John understood this principle well. His Gospel includes the story of Jesus washing the disciples' feet. In that account, when Peter tries to refuse washing, Jesus says, "He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean" (John 13:10). The reference to bathing and complete cleansing is a reference to positional forgiveness, but the washing of feet pictures the ongoing necessity of forgiveness and cleansing from sins committed as a Christian.
King David also understood the principle of confessing sin to restore fellowship. After his sin with Bathsheeba and Uriah, he confesses his sin to restore fellowship with God (Ps. 32:5). Similarly, in Psalm 51, David confesses his sin to receive cleansing and to restore the joy of his fellowship with God. David's salvation was not the issue; his fellowship was.
Jesus taught the principle of confession to restore fellowship with God and others in the familiar Lord's Prayer (better called the Disciples' Prayer). He taught that believers should pray "And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us" (Luke 11:4). Thus He taught the necessity of forgiveness to restore the believer's relationship vertically to God and horizontally to other people. There are many other passages where confession of sin is the basis for restoring fellowship in the divine or human relationships (Matt. 6:14-15; 18:21, 35; Luke 17:3-4; 2 Cor. 2:7, 10; Eph. 4:32; Col. 3:13). Simply put, confession restores fellowship in a relationship, whether divine or human.
There is no question that believers have the secure position of having all their sins forgiven on the basis of Jesus Christ's full payment on the cross. However, a believer's experience often contradicts his or her position. Sins committed after justification do not jeopardize the believer's positional forgiveness, but adversely affect the believer's enjoyment of that position and his or her fellowship with God. To restore the joy of fellowship, the believer is taught to confess sins to God who will forgive and cleanse from the guilt of those sins. An illustration may help. If a son offends his father, the father may agree to absorb the pain of the offense and forgive the son. In the father's eyes, the son is forgiven. However, to fully experience the father's forgiveness and enjoy fellowship in the relationship, the son must acknowledge (confess) his offense to his father. God is a Heavenly Father, a God of love and grace, who will always restore fellowship with those who seek forgiveness for their sins. |
Improving emotional intelligence
By Golnaz Sadri
Executive SummaryMost people are familiar with the old IQ tests that measure a person’s intelligence quotient. But these days, scholars and practitioners are paying additional attention to how a person’s emotional intelligence affects performance. Luckily, organizations have many options to increase their workforce’s emotional intelligence. Most of us are familiar with the use of intelligence tests for predicting behaviors such as educational achievement and job performance. Intelligence tests are standardized instruments designed to measure IQ (intelligence quotient).Recently, the concept of emotional intelligence has generated interest, with some authors suggesting that emotional intelligence (EI) may be more important than intellectual intelligence in determining success in jobs with a heavy interpersonal component such as management, sales and leadership. EI relates to four dimensions of skills and behaviors: a person’s ability to understand his or her own behavior, a person’s ability to regulate his or her own behavior, a person’s ability to understand other people’s behavior and a person’s ability to regulate other people’s behavior. This article reviews the literature on the concept of EI and makes some recommendations about how to develop the EI of managers and leaders. The article is divided into four sections: the first section examines the two most cited models of EI; the second section reviews research evidence linking EI with management performance; the third section looks at whether EI responds to training; and the fourth section gives suggestions for developing EI.
EI models
J.D. Mayer, P. Salovey and D.R. Caruso in Psychological Inquiry define emotional intelligence as “the capacity to reason about emotions, and of emotions to enhance thinking. It includes the abilities to accurately perceive emotions, to access and generate emotions so as to assist thought, to understand emotions and emotional knowledge, and to reflectively regulate emotions so as to promote emotional and intellectual growth.” Their model for EI, which has been widely accepted by the academic community, consists of four levels of emotional abilities. The most basic level is the ability to perceive emotion and includes skills such as recognizing facial expressions in others and interpreting what those expressions mean. The second level is the ability to use emotion to facilitate thought and includes skills such as weighing conflicting emotions against each other to determine how one should react. The third level, understanding emotion, involves labeling emotions and understanding the relationships associated with shifts in emotion. The fourth level is the ability to manage emotion within oneself and others. This can include, for example, calming down after becoming angry or being able to alleviate the anxiety of another person. This model is measured through the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT), a self-report measure. In his book Emotional Intelligence, Daniel Goleman defines EI as “abilities such as being able to motivate oneself and persist in the face of frustrations; to control impulse and delay gratification; to regulate one’s moods and keep distress from swamping the ability to think; to empathize and to hope.” Goleman’s model has gained more attention from the nonacademic community. This model of EI consists of five skill areas, three of which relate to personal competence and two of which relate to social competence. The personal competencies include self-awareness (awareness of one’s inner feelings, preferences, capabilities and intuitions); self-regulation (the ability to manage one’s inner feelings, impulses and capabilities); and motivation (the ability to direct one’s emotions toward goal attainment). The social competencies include empathy (the ability to be aware of the feelings, needs and concerns of others); and social skills (the ability to direct the behavior of others toward goal attainment). Two measurement tools are based on Goleman’s model: the Emotional Competency Inventory (ECI) and the Emotional and Social Competency Inventory (ESCI). EI and management performance
A number of authors and researchers argue that EI is important for effective management and leadership and that EI shows a relationship with performance beyond intellectual ability and personality factors. There is evidence that managers high in EI are able to perceive, evaluate, anticipate and manage emotions in a way that enables them to work with and motivate their subordinates. Research has shown that a manager’s or team leader’s EI helps motivate the team and builds supportive relationships among team members. R.K. Cooper in Training and Development identifies a number of high profile business leaders who demonstrate what he refers to as the “four cornerstones” of EI: emotional literacy, emotional fitness, emotional depth and emotional alchemy. A study of 350 university students participating in 108 teams found that teams consisting of members higher in EI performed better than teams with members lower in EI. This study found that EI affected the type of conflict strategies adopted. Those higher in EI were more likely to use collaboration when resolving conflicts at the individual and team level. In a study comparing 51 high potential managers with 51 regular managers, the EI subscales of assertiveness, independence, optimism, flexibility and social responsibility separated the high potential managers from managers performing at an average level. Another study found that employees were more creative when their team leaders possessed self-control against criticism and were more empathetic. There is a relationship between EI and transformational leadership. In one study, managers with higher self-reported ratings of EI were rated as more transformational by their subordinates. Subordinates rated managers with higher self-reported ratings of EI as showing more idealized influence, inspirational motivation and individualized consideration.
The studies described here show that EI relates to managerial effectiveness. In a study of 40 managers participating in a leadership development center, M. Higgs and P. Aitken in the Journal of Managerial Psychology found EI to be related to a number of aspects of leadership, and they suggest that EI is likely to prove a good predictor of leadership potential. As such, assessment centers and other selection procedures targeted at selecting effective managers and leaders will benefit by including EI as one of the selection criteria.
Self-reported measures of EI can be used to determine the level of a person’s EI. In addition, observation of participant behavior in the various interpersonal and group activities included as part of an assessment center is a valuable source of information about someone’s EI. Training. It works
Evidence shows that a person’s EI can be improved through training and development. For example, American Express financial advisors developed an emotional competence training program in the early 1990s. The study compared the performance of financial advisors who worked under managers that received emotional competence training against those who worked under managers that did not receive the training. P. Smith at the Consortium for Research on Emotional Intelligence in Organizations reports that advisors who worked for a trained manager were able to grow their businesses at a rate of 18.1 percent over 15 months. This compares favorably to the 16.2 percent growth rate for advisors who worked under a manager who did not benefit from EI training.
R. Kelley and J. Caplan in Harvard Business Review describe a study at Bell Labs where nine nonintellectual strategies that differentiated star performers from average performers were identified. The nine strategies included: taking initiative, networking, self-management, teamwork effectiveness, leadership, followership, perspective, show-and-tell and organizational savvy. Bell Labs developed a program that focused on teaching these skills to engineering employees. Kelley and Caplan note that at the time their article was written, 600 engineers had participated in this program, which led to an increase in worker productivity (about 25 percent after one year) and an improved organizational climate.
K.S. Groves, M.P. McEnrue and W. Shen in the Journal of Management Development found that a group of 135 employed business students who underwent an 11-week EI training program showed significant gains in EI, while a control group showed no pre-test, post-test differences. These studies show that people are able to develop their EI, and much of the executive coaching currently being performed by organizations focuses on developing people’s interpersonal and social skills.
A plethora of choices
Management development programs are popular and cost organizations billions of dollars annually. Such programs take a variety of approaches. S.J. Allen and N.S. Hartman in S.A.M. Advanced Management Journal identify 27 approaches to training managers and leaders: group reflection, individual reflection, service learning, outdoor management development, low ropes course, team building, fellowships, sabbaticals, developmental relationships, networking with senior executives, degree programs, self-paced learning, classroom-based learning, e-learning, executive coaching, instruments, assessment centers, 360 degree feedback, just-in-time training, developmental assignments, simulations, games, personal development plans, action learning, job enrichment, job enlargement and job rotation. A number of these approaches can help organizations develop their employees’ EI. Self-awareness is developed by getting participants to look at themselves. Of the activities identified by Allen and Hartman, those most pertinent to developing self-awareness include individual reflection, group reflection, executive coaching, instruments, simulations, personal development plans, low ropes course, team building, fellowships, sabbaticals, assessment centers, developmental assignments, simulations, job enrichment and job enlargement. Individual reflection focuses on a person’s goals, past experiences and personal mission and is captured through activities like keeping a journal of work activities, challenges and responses. Group reflection typically occurs after a team building activity. Participants discuss the pattern of events during the exercise and identify strategies for improvement. Executive coaching is an individualized method of learning where a coach works with a client in a one-to-one relationship to assist in accomplishing behavioral improvements back at the workplace.
Instruments are a popular vehicle for raising self-awareness. A combination of self-reports and 360 degree instruments is used often as part of management development programs. A number of measurement tools have been developed to measure EI, including the Social Competency Inventory and the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test mentioned earlier. But EI training programs will increase their benefits by including any measures that help raise awareness about different dimensions of the self. While the specific instrument used may vary, it is important to pay particular attention to the psychometric properties of each instrument to ensure that the measure adopted is reliable, valid and will strengthen a training and development program.
Simulations can focus on a number of aspects of behavior, such as communication or conflict resolution. Such exercises provide employees the opportunity to practice these skills in a nonthreatening environment and then reflect on how effectively they handled the situation and whether they would change their approach to similar situations in the future. Low ropes courses typically are outdoor activities that present participants with developmental scenarios, providing opportunities after completion to reflect on how well participants handled the challenges presented to them. Fellowships require participants to engage in a focused project and can help managers identify and refine their particular interests and passions. Sabbaticals, like fellowships, provide participants with time to focus on projects of particular interest to them and help redefine and develop a person’s interests, skills and priorities. Assessment centers involve participants in a variety of activities, including group activities, paired simulations and role playing exercises, and trained observers give participants feedback about their strengths and weaknesses. Feedback of this nature can be a valuable vehicle for developing self-awareness. Finally, job enrichment (adding tasks of greater responsibility to a person’s job) and job enlargement (adding tasks of equal difficulty to a person’s job) can help develop self-awareness when, after several weeks, the job incumbent reflects on the experience and on how well she is doing.
Self-regulation requires that a person observe his behavior and make changes where necessary. Of the activities identified by Allen and Hartman, those most likely to enhance self-regulation include self-paced learning, executive coaching, 360 degree feedback, developmental assignments, games, personal development plans and action learning.
Self-paced learning is an individualized form of learning in which the participant completes a book, workbook or recorded material at her own pace. Having a coach work with a client on a one-to-one basis to raise awareness of how the client’s behavior affects the workplace is a useful tool in developing self-regulation. Feedback, both self-generated as well as 360 degree, assists with self-regulation because it identifies the strengths and pitfalls of the individual’s particular style and identifies next steps in managing behavior. Feedback from others helps develop self-regulation if measurements are taken twice or more, particularly if the manager is given opportunities in the interim to change his behavior.
Developmental assignments are structured so that they challenge individuals and provide them an opportunity to learn. Personal development plans involve the individual in developing and taking responsibility for her training and development. This might include looking at behaviors or asking people to reconnect with their inner values, talents and passions. To develop self-regulation, a person sets behavior-oriented goals and then monitors progress toward these goals. Awareness of others can be developed through group reflection, service learning, team building, developmental relationships, networking with senior executives, classroom-based training and job rotation. Group reflection typically involves a team simulation exercise, ranging from simple paper and pencil activities to more elaborate outdoor training, paired with group reflection at the completion of the team simulation. These drills help build awareness of others and how one’s behavior affects the group. One simple way to generate feedback is through a round-robin exercise where each group member asks the other group members for feedback on specific aspects of her behavior. Think of having the group answer questions like this: Do you see me as a person who dominates the group discussion? Service learning involves engagement in activities that target individual and community needs. This is a very good way to raise awareness about other people with diverse backgrounds and needs. The focus of team building is to facilitate cooperation among team members and helps team members set goals and priorities, examine the way they conduct their work and how they interact. Developmental relationships aim to provide individuals with the support they need to meet their developmental needs. Managers can help raise their awareness of others by taking on the senior role in the developmental relationship. Networking with senior executives provides exposure to other people and can help managers understand different work styles and preferences. Classroom-based training typically lasts from three to five days and also can assist in raising awareness of others. For this, training content should be geared toward relevant topics, such as the differences between individuals. Finally, job rotation and cross-training can increase awareness of other people’s jobs, skill sets and challenges. Regulating the behavior of others relies on collaborative goal-setting and using effective social skills to motivate and guide subordinates toward goal accomplishment. Of the activities identified by Allen and Hartman, those that contribute best to developing skills at regulating others are outdoor management development, low ropes courses, team building, developmental relationships, action learning and group simulations. Outdoor management development simulations get managers to examine the strengths and weaknesses of their current approach to leading others. Similar benefits accrue from low ropes courses, after which managers are asked to examine and reflect on their leadership. Team building involves members working cooperatively to analyze the task aspect of their work as well as the interpersonal processes occurring within the group. These activities help managers develop skills to motivate and guide others. Developmental relationships may be formal or informal, but they help provide the target individual with information, support and challenges. Again, these relationships can help managers develop skills at regulating the work of others if the manager takes on the senior role in the developmental relationship. Action learning engages participants in concrete experience and subsequent reflection on that experience with the objective of developing ways to overcome potential challenges existing within the workplace. Group simulations mirror the ways managers work with others and can help develop their skills at managing and working with people. Picking and choosing
Organizations that aim to develop the EI of their managers should not attempt to improve all four EI competencies – self-awareness, self-regulation, awareness of others and regulation of others – in the same training program. Instead, focus on developing one or more as standalone competencies and provide training to participants who lack the requisite skills on an as-needed basis. For example, the top training priority for one manager might be developing self-awareness, for another it may be improving self-regulation, for a third, developing awareness of others, while for a fourth, the initial focus for training might be developing skills for motivating and regulating others. The level of priority will depend on an organization’s assessment of each manager’s EI prior to the training program.
Golnaz Sadri is a professor of organizational behavior in the Mihaylo College of Business and Economics at California State University, Fullerton. She holds a B.S. in management sciences and a Ph.D. in industrial/organizational psychology from the Victoria University of Manchester in the United Kingdom. Her research has been published in prominent journals, including Applied Psychology: An International Review, the Journal of Vocational Behavior, the Journal of Managerial Psychology and Leadership Quarterly. She also participates in various national and international conferences, including those hosted by the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, the Western Academy of Management and the National Academy of Management. |
Raising a Child with Disabilities: How Love, Compassion and Understanding Can Conquer Tragedy
After the birth of my son, Will, my wife had another difficult pregnancy. The medical recommendation was an abortion, or how the doctors put it: “A premature ending of the pregnancy using a surgical dilation and curettage.” That was the day my wife and I learned our child had genetic defects that could bring lifelong problems including congenital heart problems. That was the day my wife and I chose life instead of death and asked the doctors to stitch her uterus so she could try to carry our child to term.
NOTE: This post is a follow up to Tragedy, Hope and New Beginnings, which discusses the effects of toxins and poisons military members and their families are exposed to.
The doctors told us if we did this there would need to be more testing, other procedures, and that we likely would still lose our child. The doctors told us of a life of medical expenses, hospital visits, and likely more surgeries. My wife and I allowed the procedures that would ensure our child’s health but we never wanted to know the results of the tests. We never wanted to know the exact, devastating diagnosis.
Why? Because our child was more important to us than the devastating diagnosis or how such diagnosis could be used to help us “make the right” decision. The right decision to us was to have our child, as long as our child’s health and my wife’s health were not in danger.
Until that moment, I thought I’d lived through difficult days. As a child, I’d been hit by a car while riding my bike and dragged beneath it. I’d seen my step-father die in an explosion and soon after, my sister, Bridgette, from an undiagnosed brain injury suffered in the explosion. I’d been deployed to conflict zones and survived numerous combat and combat support missions.
But that moment—that day—was one of the most difficult of my life and it was followed by months of difficulty, with the pregnancy, with stress and worry. That year was also the first of many to follow where our medical expenses topped $30,000.
There were many more scares during the pregnancy and times when our child was almost lost to us, but six months later, my daughter was born. I took one look at her and named her Sapphire, because to me, she was as precious and wonderful as the gemstone which is her namesake.
The doctors saw only her devastating diagnosis as they whisked her away. I saw five fingers on each tiny hand, five toes on each tiny foot, beautiful brown eyes, and a cute button nose. I saw Sapphire, my daughter, who I loved instantly and unquestioningly.
Posted by Robert Stanek at 7:14 AM 1 comment:
Labels: author's life, being a writer, children with disabilities, compassion, dads, family, kids, moms, robert stanek
Raising a Child with Disabilities: How Love, Compa... |
Urologists Study Fluorescent Dye, Blue Light To Detect Bladder Tumors
University Of Rochester Medical Center
One of the challenges urologic surgeons face when treating early bladder cancers is that they can’t see tiny tumors during procedures to remove larger tumors. Missing the tiny tumors increases the chances that the cancer could recur, sometimes as early as three months after treatment.
Urologists at the James P. Wilmot Cancer Center are joining an international clinical study of a new photosensitizer – a liquid dye inserted into the bladder -- to improve detection of small tumors that will likely grow after surgery.
The photosensitizer, when placed in the bladder, makes cancer cells glow bright pink under a blue light. This makes it easier for surgeons to see and remove during cystoscopic procedures. A cystoscopy involves insertion of a thin, lighted instrument, a cystoscope, into the urethra and bladder for examination and tissue samples can be removed and examined.
Hexvix, or hexyl aminolevulinate, is similar to a chemical found naturally in the body and contains porphyrins. Cancer cells absorb this substance faster than healthy cells, and they turn fluorescent pink when the cystoscope light changes from white to blue.
“The change in color is dramatic and this lets us see tiny tumors or satellite tumors that we wouldn’t have seen before with traditional white lighting during cystoscopy,” says Edward M. Messing, M.D., urology chair, at the Wilmot Cancer Center at the University of Rochester Medical Center. The Wilmot Cancer Center is the only upstate New York site testing this new technique.
The randomized Phase III study of hexvix, the new drug, will enroll 620 people in the United States, Canada and Europe, including about 30 in Rochester. Hexvix, developed by PhotoCure ASA of Norway, is used in European countries and this study may open its use to patients in the United States. PhotoCure is funding this study.
The American Cancer Society estimates 60,240 new cases of bladder cancer will be diagnosed in the U.S. this year. Bladder cancer is more common among men than women and more common among whites than blacks. When found and treated early, the chances for survival are very good. About 12,710 Americans will die of the disease.
The above post is reprinted from materials provided by University Of Rochester Medical Center. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.
University Of Rochester Medical Center. "Urologists Study Fluorescent Dye, Blue Light To Detect Bladder Tumors." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 25 January 2005. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/01/050124011311.htm>.
University Of Rochester Medical Center. (2005, January 25). Urologists Study Fluorescent Dye, Blue Light To Detect Bladder Tumors. ScienceDaily. Retrieved February 8, 2016 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/01/050124011311.htm
University Of Rochester Medical Center. "Urologists Study Fluorescent Dye, Blue Light To Detect Bladder Tumors." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/01/050124011311.htm (accessed February 8, 2016).
Two Separate Molecular Profiles of Invasive Bladder Cancer, Genomic Analysis Reveals
Jan. 30, 2014 In the second-ever whole-genome analysis in bladder cancer, researchers found two distinct patterns of genetic alteration in tumors and identified a potential ... read more Classification System for Bladder Cancer Prognosis
Jan. 29, 2014 Researchers have developed a classification system to determine the prognosis for bladder cancer. It is hoped that this will prove useful for future bladder cancer research and drug ... read more In a Surprise Finding, Gene Mutation Found Linked to Low-Risk Bladder Cancer
Oct. 13, 2013 An international research team has discovered a genetic mutation linked to low-risk bladder cancer. The investigators identified STAG2 as one of the most commonly mutated genes in bladder cancer, ... read more New Imaging Agent Improves Detection of Bladder Cancer, Experts Say
Oct. 20, 2011 A select number of medical centers in the U.S. are offering a newly approved optical imaging agent for the detection of papillary cancer of the bladder in patients with known or suspected bladder ... read more Strange & Offbeat |
Fluorescent labeling of tRNAs for dynamics experiments
Betteridge, T
Liu, H
GAMPER, H
KIRILLOV, S
Cooperman, BS
Hou, Y
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press
RNA, 2007, 13 (9), pp. 1594 - 1601
Transfer RNAs (tRNAs) are substrates for complex enzymes, such as aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases and ribosomes, and play an essential role in translation of genetic information into protein sequences. Here we describe a general method for labeling tRNAs with fluorescent dyes, so that the activities and dynamics of the labeled tRNAs can be directly monitored by fluorescence during the ribosomal decoding process. This method makes use of the previously reported fluorescent labeling of natural tRNAs at dihydrouridine (D) positions, but extends the previous method to synthetic tRNAs by preparing tRNA transcripts and introducing D residues into transcripts with the yeast enzyme Dus1p dihydrouridine synthase. Using the unmodified transcript of Escherichia coli tRNAPro as an example, which has U17 and U17a in the D loop, we show that Dus1p catalyzes conversion of one of these Us (mostly U17a) to D, and that the modified tRNA can be labeled with the fluorophores proflavin and rhodamine 110, with overall labeling yields comparable to those obtained with the native yeast tRNAPhe. Further, the transcript of yeast tRNAPhe, modified by Dus1p and labeled with proflavin, translocates on the ribosome at a rate similar to that of the proflavin-labeled native yeast tRNAPhe. These results demonstrate that synthetic tRNA transcripts, which may be designed to contain mutations not found in nature, can be labeled and studied. Such labeled tRNAs should have broad utility in research that involves studies of tRNA maturation, aminoacylation, and tRNAribosome interactions.
10.1261/rna.475407
0601 Biochemistry and Cell Biology
OK-SAM |
Art and Design stimulates creativity and imagination. It provides visual, tactile and sensory experiences and a special way of understanding and responding to the world. It enables children to communicate what they see, feel and think through the use of colour, texture, form, pattern and different materials and processes.
Children become involved in shaping their environments through art and design activities. They learn to make informed judgements and aesthetic and practical decisions. They explore ideas and meanings through the work of artists and designers. Through learning about the roles and functions of art, they can explore the impact it has had on contemporary life and that of different times and cultures. The appreciation and enjoyment of the visual arts enriches all our lives.
At all times we aim to provide a rich environment in which we encourage and value creativity. Our children experience a wide range of activities that they respond to, using the various senses. We enrich the teaching of Art through visiting artists both from our local community and beyond, gallery trips, and opportunities to work collaboratively with professionals working across various media.
In this academic year, 2014-2015, we have a focus on Expressive Arts and enriching opportunities within art in particular. We are enjoying visits and visitors supporting the development of artistic experiences, for example WOMAD, and are enjoying a focus on developing art skills within our classrooms, thereby empowering our children with lifelong skills and developing their ability to express themselves creatively.
We value creativity as an important way of developing confident and enthusiastic life-long learners. As a school community, we celebrate the artistic achievements of all our pupils. We hold an annual art celebration – The Helen Craine Art Award, supported by a local Trust which further promotes art and forms another lovely link to our community and local artists.
In our extra-curricular provision, children have the opportunity to take part in painting, sewing and knitting after-school clubs. We also provide enrichment opportunities for some of our children, working and learning alongside visitors and local enthusiasts, eg glass making and Colerne’s Crazy Quilters.
Parental help
If you have a passion or interest in art and design and would like to share this with the children then we would love to hear from you; speak to Rob Parsons or contact the office to arrange a chat, thank you. |
Pediatrics / Children's Health
International study reveals that most children are unaware of cigarette warning labels
Published: Tuesday 4 March 2014 Published: Tue 4 Mar 2014 email
An international study of children's perceptions of cigarette package warning labels found that the majority of children are unaware that they exist. Children in countries where larger warning labels are used, and which include a compelling graphic image of the negative health impacts of smoking, were more likely to be aware of and understand the health risks of tobacco products. The study, led by Dina Borzekowski, Ed.D, in the University of Maryland School of Public Health (UMD), and Joanna Cohen, Ph.D., Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (JHU), showed that only 38 percent of children had any awareness of warning labels currently being featured on cigarette packages. Even after showing warning labels to participating children, around two-thirds (62 percent) of the children were unable to explain what the health warnings were about. Among the six countries studied, awareness and understanding of health warning labels was greatest among children in Brazil, where graphic warning labels, often featuring extremely gruesome pictures, have been featured since 2002 and cover 100 percent of either the front or back of the cigarette package.
Their findings, published in the Journal of Public Health, offer data from a sample of 2,423 five and six year-old children interviewed in Brazil, China, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Russia about their awareness and understanding of cigarette health warning labels.
"Pro-smoking messages are reaching the world's most susceptible audiences," explains Borzekowski, research professor in the UMD's Department of Behavioral and Community Health. "We need to do a better job globally to reach children with anti-smoking messages. To do this, health warning messages should be big and clear, especially for low-literacy populations, children and young people." According to the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), tobacco product packages and labeling should effectively communicate the health risks associated with tobacco use, and that the effectiveness of these health warnings and messages increases with their prominence and with the use of pictures.
This new study follows recent work by Borzekowski and Cohen published in the journal Pediatrics in October 2013. The earlier piece, drawn from the same sample of five and six year olds, provided evidence that young children recognize cigarette brands. More than two-thirds could identify cigarette brand logos, with the highest percentages in the sample from China (86 percent could identify at least one brand). In contrast to the higher awareness among children in Brazil, where tobacco warning labels and large and graphic, awareness and understanding of health warning labels was lowest among children from India and Nigeria. The Indian warning label shows an image of a symbolic scorpion and the Nigerian warning label uses only a vague text message ("The Federal Ministry of Health warns that smokers are liable to die young.")
"Heath warning labels on cigarette packs are an important medium for communicating about the serious health effects caused by tobacco products," said Cohen, director of the JHU Institute for Global Tobacco Control. "These messages are most effective when the labels are large and include pictures that evoke an emotional response."
Rate this article International study reveals that most children are unaware of cigarette warning labels
These tabs require JavaScript to be enabled. This work was supported by the Institute for Global Tobacco Control’s (IGTC) at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, with funding from the Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use. University of Maryland
Source: EurekAlert!, the online, global news service operated by AAAS, the science society Visit our Smoking / Quit Smoking category page for the latest news on this subject, or sign up to our newsletter to receive the latest updates on Smoking / Quit Smoking. Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:MLAUniversity of Maryland. "International study reveals that most children are unaware of cigarette warning labels." Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 4 Mar. 2014. Web.27 Feb. 2017. <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/273397.php>APAUniversity of Maryland. (2014, March 4). "International study reveals that most children are unaware of cigarette warning labels." Medical News Today. Retrieved fromhttp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/273397.php.Please note: If no author information is provided, the source is cited instead. Contact our news editors
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Exercise Improves Executive Function in Children Educational outcomes of sedentary children benefit from the dose-response effect of exercise
FRIDAY, Feb. 18 (HealthDay News) -- Exercise is associated with improved executive function and mathematical achievement in children, according to a study published in the January issue of Health Psychology.
Catherine L. Davis, Ph.D., from the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta, and colleagues assessed the effect of exercise on executive function in 171 overweight, sedentary children aged 7 to 11. The children were assigned to an exercise program that included 20 or 40 minutes of aerobic exercise per day, or to a control group for an average of 13 weeks. The Cognitive Assessment System and Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Achievement III were used as psychological evaluations, which provided a blinded outcome measurement of cognitive and academic achievement. Twenty children participated in a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) sub-study, and underwent imaging at baseline and at the end of the study.
The investigators identified a dose-response benefit on executive function and achievement in mathematics according to intention-to-treat analysis. There was some evidence from fMRI data of increased bilateral prefrontal cortex activity and reduced bilateral posterior parietal cortex activity, which could be attributed to exercise.
"These experimental data offer evidence that a vigorous after-school aerobic exercise program improved executive function in dose-response fashion among overweight children. Changes in corresponding brain-activation patterns were observed," the authors write.
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Home Child health UCSF Studies Examine Antibiotic Prescribing Patterns for Children
UCSF Studies Examine Antibiotic Prescribing Patterns for Children
1:56 May 25, 2011
In the case of asthma, the findings have led to a new trial, in which the value of targeted antibiotics is being tested.
Both studies are published in the June issue of the journal Pediatrics and now are available online.
Promoting Judicious Use of Antibiotics
“It is critical for pediatricians to promote the judicious use of antibiotics,” said Michael Cabana, MD, MPH, senior author of the asthma study and chief of general pediatrics at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital.
Nearly 9 million children in the United States have asthma, a chronic respiratory condition that causes the lung’s airways to swell and narrow, according to the National Institutes of Health. While certain medications do help prevent asthma attacks and control ongoing symptoms, national health guidelines do not currently recommend antibiotics as an asthma therapy.
Michael Cabana, MD, MPH
Cabana, along with first author Ian Paul, MD, MSc, of the Penn State College of Medicine, and colleagues examined data from two nationally representative surveys that track visits to doctors’ offices and emergency departments throughout the country. They assessed how frequently antibiotics were prescribed to children younger than 18 who were seen for asthma-specific complaints from 1998 to 2007.
Of the 5,198 outpatient visits included in the analysis, antibiotics were prescribed during nearly one in six visits. The researchers estimate that this equates to about 1 million antibiotic prescriptions for kids with asthma in the United States each year.
The study also indicated that when pediatricians discussed best practices for treating asthma and preventing attacks during office visits, patients were less likely to receive antibiotic prescriptions. As a next step, the researchers emphasize the importance of encouraging more doctors to take the time to educate their patients about asthma in order to eliminate unwarranted prescriptions.
Additionally, researchers need to systematically examine whether antibiotics have any positive impact on asthma symptoms, so national guidelines can be adjusted, if necessary. According to Cabana, there are anecdotal reports suggesting that some antibiotics – particularly a group of drugs called macrolides – may help reduce asthma-related inflammation. UCSF has been designated one of nine participating centers in a recently launched NIH-sponsored trial that will test whether antibiotics are effective in children with asthma.
Improving Therapies for Kids
“This study is a great example of how we have to constantly examine and question what we do, so we can develop valuable studies that will help us continue to improve the therapies we can offer to kids,” Cabana added. “Just because something does not fall within today’s guidelines doesn’t mean we should automatically dismiss it as being potentially helpful.”
Hillary Copp, MD, MS
In the second study, lead UCSF author Hillary Copp, MD, MS, and colleagues investigated patterns of antibiotic use for pediatric urinary tract infections (UTIs) using the same national survey data from 1998 to 2007. On average, urinary tract infections account for at least 1.5 million outpatient visits by children each year in the United States.
The study focused on prescriptions of broad-spectrum antibiotics, which act against a wide range of disease-causing bacteria. Narrow-spectrum antibiotics, in contrast, are effective against more specific families of bacteria, and cause less bacterial resistance since they are more targeted.
Based on the 1,828 doctor visits for pediatric urinary tract infections captured in the analysis, the researchers found that antibiotics were prescribed during 70 percent of the visits, and broad-spectrum antibiotics were the prescription of choice one-third of the time. Moreover, the use of a specific class of broad-spectrum antibiotics, called third-generation cephalosporins, doubled during the study period. Given that narrower-spectrum alternatives often are just as effective against infections, the findings imply that efforts are needed to educate physicians in order to promote more appropriate drug selection, explained Copp.
“It is always concerning when we see a rise in a particular antibiotic class, as this can create drug resistance through antibiotic selection pressures,” said Copp, who is an assistant professor of pediatric urology at UCSF. “It is okay to prescribe broad-spectrum antibiotics if a doctor thinks the clinical scenario warrants it. However, when this is done, a urine sample should be obtained so therapy can be tailored accordingly and patients can transition to a more narrow-spectrum drug based on the urine culture results.”
Co-authors on the asthma study include Judith Maselli, MSPH; Homer Boushey, MD; and Dennis Nielson, MD, PhD, all of UCSF. Co-authors from other institutions include Adam Hersh, MD, PhD, of the University of Utah. The UTI study’s co-authors include Daniel Shapiro of UCSF and Adam Hersh, MD, PhD, of the University of Utah.
The studies were funded by grants from the National Institutes of Health.
Kate Vidinsky
kate.vidinsky@ucsf.edu
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Applying diamond coatings at lower temperatures expands options for electronic devices
A new method for creating thin films of diamonds, which is described in the journal Applied Physics Letters, produced by AIP Publishing, may allow manufacturers to enhance future electronics.
In industrial and high-tech settings, diamonds are particularly valued for their hardness, optical clarity, smoothness, and resistance to chemicals, radiation and electrical fields. For electronics applications, researchers "dope" diamonds in order to make them conductive, introducing the semiconductor boron into the diamond manufacturing process. In the past, it has been a challenge to imbue electronic devices with diamond-like qualities by applying a doped diamond coating, or thin film because the high temperatures required to apply a doped diamond thin film would destroy sensitive electronics, including biosensors, semiconductors, and photonic and optical devices.
In their Applied Physics Letters paper, a team of researchers at Advanced Diamond Technologies, Inc., in Romeoville, Illinois report creating thin films of boron-doped diamond at temperatures low enough (between 460-600°C) to coat many of these devices.
While low-temperature deposition of boron-doped diamond thin films is not conceptually new, the research team found no evidence in the literature of such diamond films that had both sufficient quality and manufacturing rates fast enough to be commercially useful. Tweaking their own normal-temperature boron doping recipe by both lowering the temperature and adjusting the typical ratio of methane to hydrogen gas yielded a high quality film without appreciable change in conductivity or smoothness compared to diamond films made at higher temperatures. The researchers say more data and study is needed to better understand low-temperature opportunities.
Even so, by further optimizing the recipe, the researchers expect to be able to deposit boron-doped diamond thin films at temperatures even lower than 400° C.
"The lower the deposition temperature, the larger number of electronic device applications we can enable," said Hongjun Zeng of Advanced Diamond Technologies, Inc. "That will further expand the product categories for thin, smooth, conductive diamond coatings," Zeng added.
Explore further: Novel synthesis technique for high efficiency conversion of source gas to diamond
More information: The article, "Low Temperature Boron Doped Diamond" by Hongjun Zeng, Prabhu U. Arumugam, Shabnam Siddiqui, and John A. Carlisle appears in the journal Applied Physics Letters. dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4809671
Journal reference: Applied Physics Letters
Provided by: American Institute of Physics
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cyberCMDR
not rated yet Jul 03, 2013
Interesting. It this technique becomes common, perhaps it could be applied to other forms of manufacturing. I imagine diamond coated piston cylinders could have interesting effects on possible combustion temperatures and therefore fuel efficiency.
I've always wondered if a thin film diamond coating would make a durable non-stick surface for cooking pans.
NikFromNYC
1 / 5 (3) Jul 03, 2013
Is it better than Home Depot spray paint, dear pay wall?
Maybe removing the need for petroleum or synthetic lubricant by having diamond on diamond surfaces, at regular combustion temperatures... |
According to new guidelines released by the American Heart Association, American College of Cardiology and The Obesity Society in November 2013, doctors should consider obesity a disease and more actively treat obese patients for weight loss. The guidelines reflect the latest information that scientists have about weight loss to prevent heart disease and stroke, the nation’s No. 1
and No. 5
killers. “The subsequent health problems of obesity and the risk factors in a person’s family history passed down through the generations have become increasingly more of a burden. That’s the siren sound we can no longer ignore,” said Gordon Tomaselli, M.D., past president of the American Heart Association and co-chair of the subcommittee that guided the completion of the guidelines. Tomaselli is chief of cardiology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore. Included in the new guideline is a first-of-its-kind roadmap to help patients lose weight and keep it off. Healthcare providers must find out who would benefit from weight loss by calculating at least once a year each of their patient’s body mass index (BMI), which is an indicator of obesity based on height and weight. Patients with a BMI of 30 or higher are considered obese and need treatment. In the U.S., nearly 78 million adults are obese. BMI in children is measured using a children's BMI calculator from the CDC. Patients would then participate in a medically supervised weight loss program two or three times a month for at least six months. “Telling patients they need to lose weight is not enough. We want healthcare providers to own the problem. Just like they own the problem of glycemic control in a patient with diabetes, they need to own the problem of weight management,” said Donna Ryan, M.D., co-chair of the committee that wrote the guidelines and professor emeritus at Louisiana State University’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge. Physicians also should consider weight-loss surgery for severely obese patients who have one or more obesity-related health problem, such as diabetes, sleep apnea or high blood pressure. In the past, doctors waited until patients were struggling with two such issues. The guidelines do not endorse any one weight loss surgery. Rather, the choice of procedure should be based on the person’s age, severity of obesity, the risk of complications and other factors. In the U.S., about 200,000 adults have bariatric surgery each year. Learn more about extreme obesity. The best strategy to lose weight and keep it off requires a three-pronged approach: Eat fewer calories than your body needs, Exercise more and Change unhealthy behaviors. More people benefit from weight loss than previously thought. The new guideline also recommends weight loss for some overweight people. Someone would qualify with a BMI of 25 to 29.9, and one risk factor, such as elevated blood pressure or high triglycerides (blood fats). That’s a change from the 1998 federal guidelines that said overweight people needed to have at least two risk factors to benefit from weight loss. Behavioral strategies may include monitoring weight, setting goals, tracking food and calorie intake and creating an environment at home and work that discourages overeating. Counseling also helps people shore up their ability to deal with temptations and other challenges to their weight-loss plan. Patients are more likely to follow a weight loss routine when guided by a registered dietitian, behavioral psychologist or other trained professional in a healthcare setting, according to the guidelines. Telephone- and web-based weight loss programs also work, though not as well. ‘There is no magic diet for weight loss.’ The new guidelines finally put to rest the idea that there is an ideal weight loss diet for everyone, Ryan said, adding, “There is no magic diet for weight loss.” In fact, she said, more than a dozen dietary patterns have proven effective in helping people lose weight as long as they involve eating fewer calories than the body needs to maintain weight. Some diets call for higher protein. Others are built on eating fewer carbohydrates or reduced fat. Your doctor should use your food preferences and health to select the most appropriate diet. For example, someone with high cholesterol might benefit most from a low-fat diet that reduces both weight and cholesterol. People also don’t need to reach a normal weight to reap the health benefits of weight loss. Shedding even a modest number of pounds can have significant health benefits, said Frank Hu, M.D., Ph.D., an American Heart Association volunteer who helped write the guidelines. “Sustained weight loss of just five percent can significantly lower blood pressure, blood glucose and improve blood lipids,” said Hu, a professor of nutrition and epidemiology at Harvard School of Public Health in Boston. For a 180-pound woman, that’s a weight loss of just nine pounds. Even as little as 3 percent weight loss can lower the risk for Type 2 diabetes, the guidelines say. For people trying to keep the weight off, exercise is more essential. The guidelines recommend 200 to 300 minutes of physical activity a week to prevent extra pounds from creeping back. People should also participate in a weight loss maintenance program for at least one year. “You really need a full year to engrain those healthy behaviors around food and exercise,” Ryan said. Learn more: What the new cardiovascular prevention guidelines mean to you infographic Read the full guidelines Childhood Obesity Weight Management • Home• Body Mass Index (BMI)- BMI Calculator for Adults- BMI in Children- Frequently Asked Questions About BMI• Losing Weight- Introduction- How to Eat Healthy- 5 Goals to Losing Weight- Recognizing Roadblocks- Eating When Not Hungry- Keeping the Weight Off- Losing Weight and Other Educational Brochures• Obesity- Introduction- Understanding the American Obesity Epidemic- Treating Obesity as a Disease- Childhood Obesity
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Is Love At First Sight Real? Geneticists Offer Tantalizing Clues
Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology
Leave it to geneticists to answer a question that has perplexed humanity since the dawn of time: does love at first sight truly exist? Scientists discovered that at the genetic level, some males and females are more compatible than others, and that this compatibility plays an important role in mate selection, mating outcomes, and future reproductive behaviors.
Leave it to geneticists to answer a question that has perplexed humanity since the dawn of time: does love at first sight truly exist? According to a study published in the April 2009 issue of the journal Genetics, a team of scientists from the United States and Australia discovered that at the genetic level, some males and females are more compatible than others, and that this compatibility plays an important role in mate selection, mating outcomes, and future reproductive behaviors. In experiments involving fruit flies, the researchers found that before mating, females experience what amounts to "genetic priming," making them more likely to mate with certain males over others.
"Our research helps to shed light on the complex biochemistry involved in mate selection and reproduction," said Mariana Wolfner, Professor of Developmental Biology at Cornell University and the senior scientist involved in the study. "These findings may lead to ways to curb unwanted insect populations by activating or deactivating genes that play a role in female mating decisions," she added.
To reach their conclusions, scientists mated two different strains of fruit fly females to males either from their own strain or to males from the other strain. They noted the males with which females of each strain tended to mate and then examined whether the females showed differences in behavior soon after mating and in reproduction-related activities, such as how many offspring were produced and how many sperm were stored. They also examined the females' RNA to compare the genes expressed in females mated to males of different strains. They found that despite observed differences in mating behaviors and reproduction activities in females mated to different strains of males, there were only negligible mating-dependent differences in gene expression between the groups. This suggests that genetic changes involved in mate choice and reproduction were in place before mating began.
"It appears that females really do care about the character of their consorts," said Mark Johnston, Editor-in-Chief of the journal Genetics, "but they may not have as much control over our choice of mates as they'd like to think."
Materials provided by Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. "Is Love At First Sight Real? Geneticists Offer Tantalizing Clues." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 8 April 2009. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090407145203.htm>.
Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. (2009, April 8). Is Love At First Sight Real? Geneticists Offer Tantalizing Clues. ScienceDaily. Retrieved May 23, 2017 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090407145203.htm
Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. "Is Love At First Sight Real? Geneticists Offer Tantalizing Clues." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090407145203.htm (accessed May 23, 2017).
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Platonic love |
Prohibitin 1 modulates mitochondrial stress-related autophagy in human colonic epithelial cells. Arwa S Kathiria, Lindsay D Butcher, Linda A Feagins, Rhonda F Souza, C Richard Boland, Arianne L Theiss.
Autophagy is an adaptive response to extracellular and intracellular stress by which cytoplasmic components and organelles, including damaged mitochondria, are degraded to promote cell survival and restore cell homeostasis. Certain genes involved in autophagy confer susceptibility to Crohns disease. Reactive oxygen species and pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor ? (TNF?), both of which are increased during active inflammatory bowel disease, promote cellular injury and autophagy via mitochondrial damage. Prohibitin (PHB), which plays a role in maintaining normal mitochondrial respiratory function, is decreased during active inflammatory bowel disease. Restoration of colonic epithelial PHB expression protects mice from experimental colitis and combats oxidative stress. In this study, we investigated the potential role of PHB in modulating mitochondrial stress-related autophagy in intestinal epithelial cells.
Enhancement of Apoptotic and Autophagic Induction by a Novel Synthetic C-1 Analogue of 7-deoxypancratistatin in Human Breast Adenocarcinoma and Neuroblastoma Cells with Tamoxifen Authors: Dennis Ma, Jonathan Collins, Tomas Hudlicky, Siyaram Pandey. Published: 05-30-2012 JoVE Medicine
Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers amongst women in North America. Many current anti-cancer treatments, including ionizing radiation, induce apoptosis via DNA damage. Unfortunately, such treatments are non-selective to cancer cells and produce similar toxicity in normal cells. We have reported selective induction of apoptosis in cancer cells by the natural compound pancratistatin (PST). Recently, a novel PST analogue, a C-1 acetoxymethyl derivative of 7-deoxypancratistatin (JCTH-4), was produced by de novo synthesis and it exhibits comparable selective apoptosis inducing activity in several cancer cell lines. Recently, autophagy has been implicated in malignancies as both pro-survival and pro-death mechanisms in response to chemotherapy. Tamoxifen (TAM) has invariably demonstrated induction of pro-survival autophagy in numerous cancers. In this study, the efficacy of JCTH-4 alone and in combination with TAM to induce cell death in human breast cancer (MCF7) and neuroblastoma (SH-SY5Y) cells was evaluated. TAM alone induced autophagy, but insignificant cell death whereas JCTH-4 alone caused significant induction of apoptosis with some induction of autophagy. Interestingly, the combinatory treatment yielded a drastic increase in apoptotic and autophagic induction. We monitored time-dependent morphological changes in MCF7 cells undergoing TAM-induced autophagy, JCTH-4-induced apoptosis and autophagy, and accelerated cell death with combinatorial treatment using time-lapse microscopy. We have demonstrated these compounds to induce apoptosis/autophagy by mitochondrial targeting in these cancer cells. Importantly, these treatments did not affect the survival of noncancerous human fibroblasts. Thus, these results indicate that JCTH-4 in combination with TAM could be used as a safe and very potent anti-cancer therapy against breast cancer and neuroblastoma cells. 19 Related JoVE Articles!
Play ButtonDNBS/TNBS Colitis Models: Providing Insights Into Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Effects of Dietary FatAuthors: Vijay Morampudi, Ganive Bhinder, Xiujuan Wu, Chuanbin Dai, Ho Pan Sham, Bruce A. Vallance, Kevan Jacobson. Institutions: BC Children's Hospital.Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD), including Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis, have long been associated with a genetic basis, and more recently host immune responses to microbial and environmental agents. Dinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (DNBS)-induced colitis allows one to study the pathogenesis of IBD associated environmental triggers such as stress and diet, the effects of potential therapies, and the mechanisms underlying intestinal inflammation and mucosal injury. In this paper, we investigated the effects of dietary n-3 and n-6 fatty acids on the colonic mucosal inflammatory response to DNBS-induced colitis in rats. All rats were fed identical diets with the exception of different types of fatty acids [safflower oil (SO), canola oil (CO), or fish oil (FO)] for three weeks prior to exposure to intrarectal DNBS. Control rats given intrarectal ethanol continued gaining weight over the 5 day study, whereas, DNBS-treated rats fed lipid diets all lost weight with FO and CO fed rats demonstrating significant weight loss by 48 hr and rats fed SO by 72 hr. Weight gain resumed after 72 hr post DNBS, and by 5 days post DNBS, the FO group had a higher body weight than SO or CO groups. Colonic sections collected 5 days post DNBS-treatment showed focal ulceration, crypt destruction, goblet cell depletion, and mucosal infiltration of both acute and chronic inflammatory cells that differed in severity among diet groups. The SO fed group showed the most severe damage followed by the CO, and FO fed groups that showed the mildest degree of tissue injury. Similarly, colonic myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, a marker of neutrophil activity was significantly higher in SO followed by CO fed rats, with FO fed rats having significantly lower MPO activity. These results demonstrate the use of DNBS-induced colitis, as outlined in this protocol, to determine the impact of diet in the pathogenesis of IBD.Medicine, Issue 84, Chemical colitis, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, intra rectal administration, intestinal inflammation, transmural inflammation, myeloperoxidase activity51297Play ButtonMurine Colitis Modeling using Dextran Sulfate Sodium (DSS)Authors: Caitlyn G. Whittem, Amanda D. Williams, Christopher S. Williams. Institutions: Vanderbilt University, Vanderbilt University.Colitis can occur from viral or bacterial infections, ischemic insult, or autoimmune disorders; most notably Ulcerative Colitis and the colonic variant of Crohn’s Disease - Crohn’s Colitis. Acute colitis may present with abdominal pain and distention, malabsorption, diarrhea, hematochezia and mucus in the stool. We are beginning to understand the complex interactions between the environment, genetics, and epithelial barrier dysfunction in Inflammatory Bowel Disease and animal models of colitis have been essential in advancing our understanding of this disease. One popular model involves supplementing the drinking water of mice with low-molecular weight Dextran Sodium Sulfate (DSS), resulting in epithelial damage and a robust inflammatory response in the colon lasting several days 1.Variations of this approach can be used to model acute injury, acute injury followed by repair, and repeated cycles of DSS interspersed with recovery modeling chronic inflammatory diseases 2. After a single four-day treatment of 3% DSS in drinking water, mice show signs of acute colitis including weight loss, bloody stools, and diarrhea. Mice are euthanized at the conclusion of the treatment course and at necropsy dissected colons are processed and can be 'Swiss rolled" 3 to allow microscopic analysis of the entire colon or infused with formalin as "sausages" to allow macroscopic analysis. Tissue is then embedded in paraffin, sectioned, and stained for histologic review.Medicine, Issue 35, Dextran sulfate sodium (DSS), murine acute colitis model, colon, Swiss roll, acute colonic damage1652Play ButtonIsolation of Primary Myofibroblasts from Mouse and Human Colon TissueAuthors: Hassan Khalil, Wenxian Nie, Robert A Edwards, James Yoo. Institutions: UCLA, UC Irvine.The myofibroblast is a stromal cell of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract that has been gaining considerable attention for its critical role in many GI functions. While several myofibroblast cell lines are commercially available to study these cells in vitro, research results from a cell line exposed to experimental cell culture conditions have inherent limitations due to the overly reductionist nature of the work. Use of primary myofibroblasts offers a great advantage in terms of confirming experimental findings identified in a cell line. Isolation of primary myofibroblasts from an animal model allows for the study of myofibroblasts under conditions that more closely mimic the disease state being studied. Isolation of primary myofibroblasts from human colon tissue provides arguably the most relevant experimental data, since the cells come directly from patients with the underlying disease. We describe a well-established technique that can be utilized to isolate primary myofibroblasts from both mouse and human colon tissue. These isolated cells have been characterized to be alpha-smooth muscle actin and vimentin-positive, and desmin-negative, consistent with subepithelial intestinal myofibroblasts. Primary myofibroblast cells can be grown in cell culture and used for experimental purposes over a limited number of passages.Cellular Biology, Issue 80, Myofibroblasts, Mesenchymal Stromal Cells, Gastrointestinal Tract, stroma, colon, primary cells50611Play ButtonSingle Drosophila Ommatidium Dissection and ImagingAuthors: Vera Volpi, Daniel Mackay, Manolis Fanto. Institutions: King's College London.The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster has made invaluable contributions to neuroscience research and has been used widely as a model for neurodegenerative diseases because of its powerful genetics1. The fly eye in particular has been the organ of choice for neurodegeneration research, being the most accessible and life-dispensable part of the Drosophila nervous system. However the major caveat of intact eyes is the difficulty, because of the intense autofluorescence of the pigment, in imaging intracellular events, such as autophagy dynamics2, which are paramount to understanding of neurodegeneration.
We have recently used the dissection and culture of single ommatidia3 that has been essential for our understanding of autophagic dysfunctions in a fly model of Dentatorubro-Pallidoluysian Atrophy (DRPLA)3, 4.
We now report a comprehensive description of this technique (Fig. 1), adapted from electrophysiological studies5, which is likely to expand dramatically the possibility of fly models for neurodegeneration. This method can be adapted to image live subcellular events and to monitor effective drug administration onto photoreceptor cells (Fig. 2). If used in combination with mosaic techniques6-8, the responses of genetically different cells can be assayed in parallel (Fig. 2).Neuroscience, Issue 54, Drosophila, cell biology, neuroscience, autophagy2882Play ButtonBioenergetic Profile Experiment using C2C12 Myoblast CellsAuthors: David G. Nicholls, Victor M. Darley-Usmar, Min Wu, Per Bo Jensen, George W. Rogers, David A. Ferrick. Institutions: Novato, CA, University of Alabama at Birmingham - UAB, North Billerica, MA.The ability to measure cellular metabolism and understand mitochondrial dysfunction, has enabled scientists worldwide to advance their research in understanding the role of mitochondrial function in obesity, diabetes, aging, cancer, cardiovascular function and safety toxicity.
This assay is derived from a classic experiment to assess mitochondria and serves as a framework with which to build more complex experiments aimed at understanding both physiologic and pathophysiologic function of mitochondria and to predict the ability of cells to respond to stress and/or insults.Cellular Biology, Issue 46, Mitochondrial dysfunction, cellular, bioenergetics, metabolism, cancer, obesity, diabetes, aging, neurodegeneration2511Play ButtonDeficient Pms2, ERCC1, Ku86, CcOI in Field Defects During Progression to Colon CancerAuthors: Huy Nguyen, Cristy Loustaunau, Alexander Facista, Lois Ramsey, Nadia Hassounah, Hilary Taylor, Robert Krouse, Claire M. Payne, V. Liana Tsikitis, Steve Goldschmid, Bhaskar Banerjee, Rafael F. Perini, Carol Bernstein. Institutions: University of Arizona, Tucson, Tucson, AZ, University of Arizona, Tucson, Tucson, AZ, University of Arizona, Tucson.In carcinogenesis, the "field defect" is recognized clinically because of the high propensity of survivors of certain cancers to develop other malignancies of the same tissue type, often in a nearby location. Such field defects have been indicated in colon cancer. The molecular abnormalities that are responsible for a field defect in the colon should be detectable at high frequency in the histologically normal tissue surrounding a colonic adenocarcinoma or surrounding an adenoma with advanced neoplasia (well on the way to a colon cancer), but at low frequency in the colonic mucosa from patients without colonic neoplasia.
Using immunohistochemistry, entire crypts within 10 cm on each side of colonic adenocarcinomas or advanced colonic neoplasias were found to be frequently reduced or absent in expression for two DNA repair proteins, Pms2 and/or ERCC1. Pms2 is a dual role protein, active in DNA mismatch repair as well as needed in apoptosis of cells with excess DNA damage. ERCC1 is active in DNA nucleotide excision repair. The reduced or absent expression of both ERCC1 and Pms2 would create cells with both increased ability to survive (apoptosis resistance) and increased level of mutability. The reduced or absent expression of both ERCC1 and Pms2 is likely an early step in progression to colon cancer.
DNA repair gene Ku86 (active in DNA non-homologous end joining) and Cytochrome c Oxidase Subunit I (involved in apoptosis) had each been reported to be decreased in expression in mucosal areas close to colon cancers. However, immunohistochemical evaluation of their levels of expression showed only low to modest frequencies of crypts to be deficient in their expression in a field defect surrounding colon cancer or surrounding advanced colonic neoplasia.
We show, here, our method of evaluation of crypts for expression of ERCC1, Pms2, Ku86 and CcOI. We show that frequency of entire crypts deficient for Pms2 and ERCC1 is often as great as 70% to 95% in 20 cm long areas surrounding a colonic neoplasia, while frequency of crypts deficient in Ku86 has a median value of 2% and frequency of crypts deficient in CcOI has a median value of 16% in these areas. The entire colon is 150 cm long (about 5 feet) and has about 10 million crypts in its mucosal layer. The defect in Pms2 and ERCC1 surrounding a colon cancer thus may include 1 million crypts. It is from a defective crypt that colon cancer arises.Cellular Biology, Issue 41, DNA Repair, Apoptosis, Field Defect, Colon Cancer, Pms2, ERCC1, Cytochrome c Oxidase Subunit I, Ku86, Immunohistochemistry, Cancer Resection1931Play Button
Murine Endoscopy for In Vivo Multimodal Imaging of Carcinogenesis and Assessment of Intestinal Wound Healing and InflammationAuthors: Markus Brückner, Philipp Lenz, Tobias M. Nowacki, Friederike Pott, Dirk Foell, Dominik Bettenworth. Institutions: University Hospital Münster, University Children's Hospital Münster.Mouse models are widely used to study pathogenesis of human diseases and to evaluate diagnostic procedures as well as therapeutic interventions preclinically. However, valid assessment of pathological alterations often requires histological analysis, and when performed ex vivo, necessitates death of the animal. Therefore in conventional experimental settings, intra-individual follow-up examinations are rarely possible. Thus, development of murine endoscopy in live mice enables investigators for the first time to both directly visualize the gastrointestinal mucosa and also repeat the procedure to monitor for alterations. Numerous applications for in vivo murine endoscopy exist, including studying intestinal inflammation or wound healing, obtaining mucosal biopsies repeatedly, and to locally administer diagnostic or therapeutic agents using miniature injection catheters. Most recently, molecular imaging has extended diagnostic imaging modalities allowing specific detection of distinct target molecules using specific photoprobes. In conclusion, murine endoscopy has emerged as a novel cutting-edge technology for diagnostic experimental in vivo imaging and may significantly impact on preclinical research in various fields.Medicine, Issue 90, gastroenterology, in vivo imaging, murine endoscopy, diagnostic imaging, carcinogenesis, intestinal wound healing, experimental colitis 51875Play ButtonThe Use of Primary Human Fibroblasts for Monitoring Mitochondrial Phenotypes in the Field of Parkinson's DiseaseAuthors: Lena F. Burbulla, Rejko Krüger. Institutions: DZNE, University of Tübingen.Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common movement disorder and affects 1% of people over the age of 60 1. Because ageing is the most important risk factor, cases of PD will increase during the next decades 2. Next to pathological protein folding and impaired protein degradation pathways, alterations of mitochondrial function and morphology were pointed out as further hallmark of neurodegeneration in PD 3-11.
After years of research in murine and human cancer cells as in vitro models to dissect molecular pathways of Parkinsonism, the use of human fibroblasts from patients and appropriate controls as ex vivo models has become a valuable research tool, if potential caveats are considered. Other than immortalized, rather artificial cell models, primary fibroblasts from patients carrying disease-associated mutations apparently reflect important pathological features of the human disease.
Here we delineate the procedure of taking skin biopsies, culturing human fibroblasts and using detailed protocols for essential microscopic techniques to define mitochondrial phenotypes. These were used to investigate different features associated with PD that are relevant to mitochondrial function and dynamics. Ex vivo, mitochondria can be analyzed in terms of their function, morphology, colocalization with lysosomes (the organelles degrading dysfunctional mitochondria) and degradation via the lysosomal pathway. These phenotypes are highly relevant for the identification of early signs of PD and may precede clinical motor symptoms in human disease-gene carriers. Hence, the assays presented here can be utilized as valuable tools to identify pathological features of neurodegeneration and help to define new therapeutic strategies in PD.Medicine, Issue 68, Genetics, Cellular Biology, Physiology, Parkinson's disease, fibroblasts, mitochondria, live cell imaging, mitochondrial function, mitochondrial morphology, mitophagy4228Play ButtonVisualization of Vascular Ca2+ Signaling Triggered by Paracrine Derived ROSAuthors: Karthik Mallilankaraman, Rajesh Kumar Gandhirajan, Brian J. Hawkins, Muniswamy Madesh. Institutions: Temple University , University of Washington.Oxidative stress has been implicated in a number of pathologic conditions including ischemia/reperfusion damage and sepsis. The concept of oxidative stress refers to the aberrant formation of ROS (reactive oxygen species), which include O2•-, H2O2, and hydroxyl radicals. Reactive oxygen species influences a multitude of cellular processes including signal transduction, cell proliferation and cell death1-6. ROS have the potential to damage vascular and organ cells directly, and can initiate secondary chemical reactions and genetic alterations that ultimately result in an amplification of the initial ROS-mediated tissue damage. A key component of the amplification cascade that exacerbates irreversible tissue damage is the recruitment and activation of circulating inflammatory cells. During inflammation, inflammatory cells produce cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα) and IL-1 that activate endothelial cells (EC) and epithelial cells and further augment the inflammatory response7. Vascular endothelial dysfunction is an established feature of acute inflammation. Macrophages contribute to endothelial dysfunction during inflammation by mechanisms that remain unclear. Activation of macrophages results in the extracellular release of O2•- and various pro-inflammatory cytokines, which triggers pathologic signaling in adjacent cells8. NADPH oxidases are the major and primary source of ROS in most of the cell types. Recently, it is shown by us and others9,10 that ROS produced by NADPH oxidases induce the mitochondrial ROS production during many pathophysiological conditions. Hence measuring the mitochondrial ROS production is equally important in addition to measuring cytosolic ROS. Macrophages produce ROS by the flavoprotein enzyme NADPH oxidase which plays a primary role in inflammation. Once activated, phagocytic NADPH oxidase produces copious amounts of O2•- that are important in the host defense mechanism11,12. Although paracrine-derived O2•- plays an important role in the pathogenesis of vascular diseases, visualization of paracrine ROS-induced intracellular signaling including Ca2+ mobilization is still hypothesis. We have developed a model in which activated macrophages are used as a source of O2•- to transduce a signal to adjacent endothelial cells. Using this model we demonstrate that macrophage-derived O2•- lead to calcium signaling in adjacent endothelial cells.
Molecular Biology, Issue 58, Reactive oxygen species, Calcium, paracrine superoxide, endothelial cells, confocal microscopy3511Play ButtonFlexible Colonoscopy in Mice to Evaluate the Severity of Colitis and Colorectal Tumors Using a Validated Endoscopic Scoring SystemAuthors: Tomohiro Kodani, Alex Rodriguez-Palacios, Daniele Corridoni, Loris Lopetuso, Luca Di Martino, Brian Marks, James Pizarro, Theresa Pizarro, Amitabh Chak, Fabio Cominelli. Institutions: Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland.The use of modern endoscopy for research purposes has greatly facilitated our understanding of gastrointestinal pathologies. In particular, experimental endoscopy has been highly useful for studies that require repeated assessments in a single laboratory animal, such as those evaluating mechanisms of chronic inflammatory bowel disease and the progression of colorectal cancer. However, the methods used across studies are highly variable. At least three endoscopic scoring systems have been published for murine colitis and published protocols for the assessment of colorectal tumors fail to address the presence of concomitant colonic inflammation. This study develops and validates a reproducible endoscopic scoring system that integrates evaluation of both inflammation and tumors simultaneously. This novel scoring system has three major components: 1) assessment of the extent and severity of colorectal inflammation (based on perianal findings, transparency of the wall, mucosal bleeding, and focal lesions), 2) quantitative recording of tumor lesions (grid map and bar graph), and 3) numerical sorting of clinical cases by their pathological and research relevance based on decimal units with assigned categories of observed lesions and endoscopic complications (decimal identifiers). The video and manuscript presented herein were prepared, following IACUC-approved protocols, to allow investigators to score their own experimental mice using a well-validated and highly reproducible endoscopic methodology, with the system option to differentiate distal from proximal endoscopic colitis (D-PECS).Medicine, Issue 80, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, colon cancer, Clostridium difficile, SAMP mice, DSS/AOM-colitis, decimal scoring identifier50843Play ButtonMethods to Assess Subcellular Compartments of Muscle in C. elegansAuthors: Christopher J. Gaffney, Joseph J. Bass, Thomas F. Barratt, Nathaniel J. Szewczyk. Institutions: University of Nottingham.Muscle is a dynamic tissue that responds to changes in nutrition, exercise, and disease state. The loss of muscle mass and function with disease and age are significant public health burdens. We currently understand little about the genetic regulation of muscle health with disease or age. The nematode C. elegans is an established model for understanding the genomic regulation of biological processes of interest. This worm’s body wall muscles display a large degree of homology with the muscles of higher metazoan species. Since C. elegans is a transparent organism, the localization of GFP to mitochondria and sarcomeres allows visualization of these structures in vivo. Similarly, feeding animals cationic dyes, which accumulate based on the existence of a mitochondrial membrane potential, allows the assessment of mitochondrial function in vivo. These methods, as well as assessment of muscle protein homeostasis, are combined with assessment of whole animal muscle function, in the form of movement assays, to allow correlation of sub-cellular defects with functional measures of muscle performance. Thus, C. elegans provides a powerful platform with which to assess the impact of mutations, gene knockdown, and/or chemical compounds upon muscle structure and function. Lastly, as GFP, cationic dyes, and movement assays are assessed non-invasively, prospective studies of muscle structure and function can be conducted across the whole life course and this at present cannot be easily investigated in vivo in any other organism.Developmental Biology, Issue 93, Physiology, C. elegans, muscle, mitochondria, sarcomeres, ageing52043Play ButtonSetting-up an In Vitro Model of Rat Blood-brain Barrier (BBB): A Focus on BBB Impermeability and Receptor-mediated TransportAuthors: Yves Molino, Françoise Jabès, Emmanuelle Lacassagne, Nicolas Gaudin, Michel Khrestchatisky. Institutions: VECT-HORUS SAS, CNRS, NICN UMR 7259.The blood brain barrier (BBB) specifically regulates molecular and cellular flux between the blood and the nervous tissue. Our aim was to develop and characterize a highly reproducible rat syngeneic in vitro model of the BBB using co-cultures of primary rat brain endothelial cells (RBEC) and astrocytes to study receptors involved in transcytosis across the endothelial cell monolayer. Astrocytes were isolated by mechanical dissection following trypsin digestion and were frozen for later co-culture. RBEC were isolated from 5-week-old rat cortices. The brains were cleaned of meninges and white matter, and mechanically dissociated following enzymatic digestion. Thereafter, the tissue homogenate was centrifuged in bovine serum albumin to separate vessel fragments from nervous tissue. The vessel fragments underwent a second enzymatic digestion to free endothelial cells from their extracellular matrix. The remaining contaminating cells such as pericytes were further eliminated by plating the microvessel fragments in puromycin-containing medium. They were then passaged onto filters for co-culture with astrocytes grown on the bottom of the wells. RBEC expressed high levels of tight junction (TJ) proteins such as occludin, claudin-5 and ZO-1 with a typical localization at the cell borders. The transendothelial electrical resistance (TEER) of brain endothelial monolayers, indicating the tightness of TJs reached 300 ohm·cm2 on average. The endothelial permeability coefficients (Pe) for lucifer yellow (LY) was highly reproducible with an average of 0.26 ± 0.11 x 10-3 cm/min. Brain endothelial cells organized in monolayers expressed the efflux transporter P-glycoprotein (P-gp), showed a polarized transport of rhodamine 123, a ligand for P-gp, and showed specific transport of transferrin-Cy3 and DiILDL across the endothelial cell monolayer. In conclusion, we provide a protocol for setting up an in vitro BBB model that is highly reproducible due to the quality assurance methods, and that is suitable for research on BBB transporters and receptors.Medicine, Issue 88, rat brain endothelial cells (RBEC), mouse, spinal cord, tight junction (TJ), receptor-mediated transport (RMT), low density lipoprotein (LDL), LDLR, transferrin, TfR, P-glycoprotein (P-gp), transendothelial electrical resistance (TEER),51278Play ButtonA Fluorescence Microscopy Assay for Monitoring Mitophagy in the Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiaeAuthors: Dalibor Mijaljica, Mark Prescott, Rodney J. Devenish. Institutions: Monash University.Autophagy is important for turnover of cellular components under a range of different conditions. It serves an essential homeostatic function as well as a quality control mechanism that can target and selectively degrade cellular material including organelles1-4. For example, damaged or redundant mitochondria (Fig. 1), not disposed of by autophagy, can represent a threat to cellular homeostasis and cell survival. In the yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, nutrient deprivation (e.g., nitrogen starvation) or damage can promote selective turnover of mitochondria by autophagy in a process termed mitophagy 5-9.
We describe a simple fluorescence microscopy approach to assess autophagy. For clarity we restrict our description here to show how the approach can be used to monitor mitophagy in yeast cells. The assay makes use of a fluorescent reporter, Rosella, which is a dual-emission biosensor comprising a relatively pH-stable red fluorescent protein linked to a pH-sensitive green fluorescent protein. The operation of this reporter relies on differences in pH between the vacuole (pH ~ 5.0-5.5) and mitochondria (pH ~ 8.2) in living cells. Under growing conditions, wild type cells exhibit both red and green fluorescence distributed in a manner characteristic of the mitochondria. Fluorescence emission is not associated with the vacuole. When subjected to nitrogen starvation, a condition which induces mitophagy, in addition to red and green fluorescence labeling the mitochondria, cells exhibit the accumulation of red, but not green fluorescence, in the acidic vacuolar lumen representing the delivery of mitochondria to the vacuole. Scoring cells with red, but not green fluorescent vacuoles can be used as a measure of mitophagic activity in cells5,10-12.
Cell Biology, Issue 53, autophagy, microscopy, mitochondria, nucleus, yeast2779Play ButtonAnalysis of Oxidative Stress in Zebrafish EmbryosAuthors: Vera Mugoni, Annalisa Camporeale, Massimo M. Santoro. Institutions: University of Torino, Vesalius Research Center, VIB.High levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) may cause a change of cellular redox state towards oxidative stress condition. This situation causes oxidation of molecules (lipid, DNA, protein) and leads to cell death. Oxidative stress also impacts the progression of several pathological conditions such as diabetes, retinopathies, neurodegeneration, and cancer. Thus, it is important to define tools to investigate oxidative stress conditions not only at the level of single cells but also in the context of whole organisms. Here, we consider the zebrafish embryo as a useful in vivo system to perform such studies and present a protocol to measure in vivo oxidative stress. Taking advantage of fluorescent ROS probes and zebrafish transgenic fluorescent lines, we develop two different methods to measure oxidative stress in vivo: i) a “whole embryo ROS-detection method” for qualitative measurement of oxidative stress and ii) a “single-cell ROS detection method” for quantitative measurements of oxidative stress. Herein, we demonstrate the efficacy of these procedures by increasing oxidative stress in tissues by oxidant agents and physiological or genetic methods. This protocol is amenable for forward genetic screens and it will help address cause-effect relationships of ROS in animal models of oxidative stress-related pathologies such as neurological disorders and cancer.Developmental Biology, Issue 89, Danio rerio, zebrafish embryos, endothelial cells, redox state analysis, oxidative stress detection, in vivo ROS measurements, FACS (fluorescence activated cell sorter), molecular probes51328Play ButtonBioenergetics and the Oxidative Burst: Protocols for the Isolation and Evaluation of Human Leukocytes and PlateletsAuthors: Philip A. Kramer, Balu K. Chacko, Saranya Ravi, Michelle S. Johnson, Tanecia Mitchell, Victor M. Darley-Usmar. Institutions: University of Alabama at Birmingham.Mitochondrial dysfunction is known to play a significant role in a number of pathological conditions such as atherosclerosis, diabetes, septic shock, and neurodegenerative diseases but assessing changes in bioenergetic function in patients is challenging. Although diseases such as diabetes or atherosclerosis present clinically with specific organ impairment, the systemic components of the pathology, such as hyperglycemia or inflammation, can alter bioenergetic function in circulating leukocytes or platelets. This concept has been recognized for some time but its widespread application has been constrained by the large number of primary cells needed for bioenergetic analysis. This technical limitation has been overcome by combining the specificity of the magnetic bead isolation techniques, cell adhesion techniques, which allow cells to be attached without activation to microplates, and the sensitivity of new technologies designed for high throughput microplate respirometry. An example of this equipment is the extracellular flux analyzer. Such instrumentation typically uses oxygen and pH sensitive probes to measure rates of change in these parameters in adherent cells, which can then be related to metabolism. Here we detail the methods for the isolation and plating of monocytes, lymphocytes, neutrophils and platelets, without activation, from human blood and the analysis of mitochondrial bioenergetic function in these cells. In addition, we demonstrate how the oxidative burst in monocytes and neutrophils can also be measured in the same samples. Since these methods use only 8-20 ml human blood they have potential for monitoring reactive oxygen species generation and bioenergetics in a clinical setting.Immunology, Issue 85, bioenergetics, translational, mitochondria, oxidative stress, reserve capacity, leukocytes51301Play ButtonUse of Shigella flexneri to Study Autophagy-Cytoskeleton InteractionsAuthors: Maria J. Mazon Moya, Emma Colucci-Guyon, Serge Mostowy. Institutions: Imperial College London, Institut Pasteur, Unité Macrophages et Développement de l'Immunité.Shigella flexneri is an intracellular pathogen that can escape from phagosomes to reach the cytosol, and polymerize the host actin cytoskeleton to promote its motility and dissemination. New work has shown that proteins involved in actin-based motility are also linked to autophagy, an intracellular degradation process crucial for cell autonomous immunity. Strikingly, host cells may prevent actin-based motility of S. flexneri by compartmentalizing bacteria inside ‘septin cages’ and targeting them to autophagy. These observations indicate that a more complete understanding of septins, a family of filamentous GTP-binding proteins, will provide new insights into the process of autophagy. This report describes protocols to monitor autophagy-cytoskeleton interactions caused by S. flexneri in vitro using tissue culture cells and in vivo using zebrafish larvae. These protocols enable investigation of intracellular mechanisms that control bacterial dissemination at the molecular, cellular, and whole organism level.Infection, Issue 91, ATG8/LC3, autophagy, cytoskeleton, HeLa cells, p62, septin, Shigella, zebrafish51601Play ButtonCecal Ligation and Puncture-induced Sepsis as a Model To Study Autophagy in MiceAuthors: Ilias I. Siempos, Hilaire C. Lam, Yan Ding, Mary E. Choi, Augustine M. K. Choi, Stefan W. Ryter. Institutions: Brigham and Women's Hospital, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, University of Athens Medical School, Evangelismos Hospital, Athens, Greece.Experimental sepsis can be induced in mice using the cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) method, which causes polymicrobial sepsis. Here, a protocol is provided to induce sepsis of varying severity in mice using the CLP technique. Autophagy is a fundamental tissue response to stress and pathogen invasion. Two current protocols to assess autophagy in vivo in the context of experimental sepsis are also presented here. (I) Transgenic mice expressing green fluorescence protein (GFP)-LC3 fusion protein are subjected to CLP. Localized enhancement of GFP signal (puncta), as assayed either by immunohistochemical or confocal assays, can be used to detect enhanced autophagosome formation and, thus, altered activation of the autophagy pathway. (II) Enhanced autophagic vacuole (autophagosome) formation per unit tissue area (as a marker of autophagy stimulation) can be quantified using electron microscopy. The study of autophagic responses to sepsis is a critical component of understanding the mechanisms by which tissues respond to infection. Research findings in this area may ultimately contribute towards understanding the pathogenesis of sepsis, which represents a major problem in critical care medicine.Infection, Issue 84, autophagosome, Autophagy, cecal ligation and puncture, mice, sepsis51066Play ButtonInvestigating Intestinal Inflammation in DSS-induced Model of IBDAuthors: Janice J. Kim, Md. Sharif Shajib, Marcus M. Manocha, Waliul I. Khan. Institutions: McMaster University .Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) encompasses a range of intestinal pathologies, the most common of which are ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's Disease (CD). Both UC and CD, when present in the colon, generate a similar symptom profile which can include diarrhea, rectal bleeding, abdominal pain, and weight loss.1 Although the pathogenesis of IBD remains unknown, it is described as a multifactorial disease that involves both genetic and environmental components.2
There are numerous and variable animal models of colonic inflammation that resemble several features of IBD. Animal models of colitis range from those arising spontaneously in susceptible strains of certain species to those requiring administration of specific concentrations of colitis-inducing chemicals, such as dextran sulphate sodium (DSS). Chemical-induced models of gut inflammation are the most commonly used and best described models of IBD. Administration of DSS in drinking water produces acute or chronic colitis depending on the administration protocol.3 Animals given DSS exhibit weight loss and signs of loose stool or diarrhea, sometimes with evidence of rectal bleeding.4,5 Here, we describe the methods by which colitis development and the resulting inflammatory response can be characterized following administration of DSS. These methods include histological analysis of hematoxylin/eosin stained colon sections, measurement of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and determination of myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, which can be used as a surrogate marker of inflammation.6
The extent of the inflammatory response in disease state can be assessed by the presence of clinical symptoms or by alteration in histology in mucosal tissue. Colonic histological damage is assessed by using a scoring system that considers loss of crypt architecture, inflammatory cell infiltration, muscle thickening, goblet cell depletion, and crypt abscess.7 Quantitatively, levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines with acute inflammatory properties, such as interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6 and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α,can be determined using conventional ELISA methods. In addition, MPO activity can be measured using a colorimetric assay and used as an index of inflammation.8
In experimental colitis, disease severity is often correlated with an increase in MPO activity and higher levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Colitis severity and inflammation-associated damage can be assessed by examining stool consistency and bleeding, in addition to assessing the histopathological state of the intestine using hematoxylin/eosin stained colonic tissue sections. Colonic tissue fragments can be used to determine MPO activity and cytokine production. Taken together, these measures can be used to evaluate the intestinal inflammatory response in animal models of experimental colitis.Medicine, Issue 60, inflammation, myeloperoxidase (MPO), acute colonic damage, granulocyte, colon, dextran sulfate sodium (DSS), neutrophil3678Play ButtonThe Citrobacter rodentium Mouse Model: Studying Pathogen and Host Contributions to Infectious ColitisAuthors: Ganive Bhinder, Ho Pan Sham, Justin M. Chan, Vijay Morampudi, Kevan Jacobson, Bruce A. Vallance. Institutions: BC Children's Hospital.This protocol outlines the steps required to produce a robust model of infectious disease and colitis, as well as the methods used to characterize Citrobacter rodentium infection in mice. C. rodentium is a gram negative, murine specific bacterial pathogen that is closely related to the clinically important human pathogens enteropathogenic E. coli and enterohemorrhagic E. coli. Upon infection with C. rodentium, immunocompetent mice suffer from modest and transient weight loss and diarrhea. Histologically, intestinal crypt elongation, immune cell infiltration, and goblet cell depletion are observed. Clearance of infection is achieved after 3 to 4 weeks. Measurement of intestinal epithelial barrier integrity, bacterial load, and histological damage at different time points after infection, allow the characterization of mouse strains susceptible to infection.
The virulence mechanisms by which bacterial pathogens colonize the intestinal tract of their hosts, as well as specific host responses that defend against such infections are poorly understood. Therefore the C. rodentium model of enteric bacterial infection serves as a valuable tool to aid in our understanding of these processes. Enteric bacteria have also been linked to Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBDs). It has been hypothesized that the maladaptive chronic inflammatory responses seen in IBD patients develop in genetically susceptible individuals following abnormal exposure of the intestinal mucosal immune system to enteric bacteria. Therefore, the study of models of infectious colitis offers significant potential for defining potentially pathogenic host responses to enteric bacteria. C. rodentium induced colitis is one such rare model that allows for the analysis of host responses to enteric bacteria, furthering our understanding of potential mechanisms of IBD pathogenesis; essential in the development of novel preventative and therapeutic treatments. Infection, Issue 72, Immunology, Medicine, Infectious Diseases, Anatomy, Physiology, Biomedical Engineering, Microbiology, Gastrointestinal Tract, Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections, Colitis, Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, Infectious colitis, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, colitis, hyperplasia, immunostaining, epithelial barrier integrity, FITC-dextran, oral gavage, mouse, animal model50222 |
Children of Light and Children of Darkness
Reinhold Niebuhr’s Essay at Sixty Years
by Dale M. Coulter
This year marks the sixtieth anniversary of Reinhold Niebuhr’s attempt to place the democratic experiment on more firm ground. His The Children of Light and the Children of Darkness represents Niebuhr’s effort to save democracy from itself.His essay rests on at least three premises. Niebuhr thought that in theory democracy accounted for the spiritual and social nature of human existence as well as its unique variety and necessities. That is, democracy could provide the space to realize the human capacity for transcendence by unleashing the indeterminate variety of human creativity and vitality. This made it potentially a permanently valid form of social and political organization. At the same time, he agreed with the basic critique of the practice of democracy by Catholic interlocutors (most notably Jacques Maritain), namely, that the “libertarian and individualistic version” of democracy constructed by bourgeois civilization was unsustainable and in fact “in the process of disintegration.” Finally, he thought that democracy must find a more adequate cultural basis that took seriously the Christian doctrine of sin in the effort to balance the freedom of the individual and the freedom of the community. Human creativity and vitality will become destructive given human sinfulness.In support of these premises, Niebuhr applied the metaphors of children of darkness and children of light to two basic approaches to democratic life. The children of light are those who recognize that self-interest must be disciplined by a more universal law whereas the children of darkness are those who see no universal law beyond the self either individually or nationally. Niebuhr suggested that modern democracies mainly consist of children of light who recognize the need for a more universal law to govern self-interest. Yet, too often they also entertained a form of sentimentalism that underestimated the power of self-interest either among the moral cynics (children of darkness) or even among themselves. In short, the children of light have not always understood that inordinate self-love corrupts every level of human moral and social achievement and thus do not provide the necessary mechanisms to balance individual and collective interests. As part of his argument, Niebuhr also criticized the social-contract theory of the origin of civil government for wrongly assuming that “communities, and not merely governments, are created by a fiat of the human will.” He saw this as an expression of the bourgeois notion of individual mastery over collective forces and historical destiny. Communities were not the instrument of “atomic individuals” who agree to create minimal “traffic rules” to govern collective existence. His Christian assumptions that community is the prior creation of God in the sense of the organic relatedness of life would not allow him to embrace such bourgeois individualism.This is nowhere more apparent than his comments on marriage in which he suggests that bourgeois culture sought to apply the social-contract theory of government to family life. “The theory assumed that two people could establish a sexual partnership by a revocable contract and that the contract should preserve as much liberty as possible for each partner. But a healthy marriage produces children who are not revocable. It initiates an organic process of mutuality which outruns any decision which created it.” Niebuhr could also draw the contrasts too sharply such as when he claims that self-transcendence ends in mystic otherworldliness unless it is directed toward indeterminate realizations of the self in the life of the other. He surmised that mystics had difficulty living with the moral ambiguities of communities since they perceive a purer form of existence. On the one hand, he recognized the Protestant principle that prophetic individuals (like a Luther) can possess moral insight into the universal law that brings this law to bear on idolatrous forms of community. On the other hand, his own biases against forms of Christianity that emphasized transcendence caused him to find quietist demons lurking around too many corners. This is part of what united his concerns over Barth’s theology, Billy Graham’s revivalism, and mysticism. Niebuhr did not account for the fact that from within a vision of transcendence, the Pietist streams connecting a Barth, a Graham, and Pentecostals found both the resources and the internal compulsion to move out in mission for society.While his criticisms of Catholicism return to a seminal difference between a Protestant vision and a Catholic or Orthodox one, he pushes the boundaries so far as to fail to provide an adequate ecclesiology. From a Protestant perspective, Niebuhr argued that Catholicism too exhibits the blindness of the children of light by virtue of the fact that it criticizes the rationalization of bourgeois interests in the world while not seeing the “ideological taint” in the medieval world and the medieval church. Indeed the Protestant vision embodies the notion that even the visible church can possess this ideological taint and thus must always be reforming to a more faithful understanding of the gospel. Doctrinal development is not always progress and therefore requires various types of reform and renewal. The infallibility of the church is an eschatological reality glimpsed partially in its communal life and the visions of the people of God as they are shaped by that life.Niebuhr also did not possess an adequate grasp of the role of the church within medieval society because he did not understand the contours of that society. He criticizes John of Salisbury’s claim in Policraticus that the church is the soul of society as a “perfect rationalization of clerical political authority” without recognizing it as a twelfth century form of Christian realism. The nobility of the twelfth century remained a warrior class who sought to establish and strengthen their political domains through conflict as much as through alliance. Indeed, John of Salisbury, who saw the archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Becket murdered in the cathedral by rogue knights, understood what it meant to say that the church must prevent the warrior class from destroying itself and others. Through her social existence and call to transcendence, the church sought to mitigate against the promotion of honor in the service of self-interest. Here ultimately one finds a basic problem critics of Niebuhr have identified. The democratic experiment and the world community toward which it is leading in Niebuhr’s mind seems to have replaced the church. At the end of his essay, Niebuhr places his hope in the realization of a world community without mentioning the church as the vehicle for such a community. Niebuhr’s essay remains an important contribution to efforts to ground democratic life in a deeper analysis of the human person as a member of a community. Recognizing that human life best flourishes in organic relation to community and nature while also seeking to transcend these in freedom, Niebuhr argued that the children of light must become attuned to the ways in which inordinate desire taints all forms of life. Human freedom must surrender to a more universal law in such a way as to check its destructive capacity and unleash its creative potential. Most importantly, he argued that the democratic order requires a proper view of the human person if it is to endure. 0 Print
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Articles by Dale M. Coulter @dalemcoulter |
<< Back to August 2001
Battling Heart Disease with B Vitamins
By Angela Pirisi
Heart disease is the number one killer in North America. Scientists are aggressively seeking to pinpoint the most important risk factors so as to better design a comprehensive preventive strategy against this insidious disease. As it is, heart disease affects 60.8 million Americans and was related to nearly one million deaths in 1998, according to the American Heart Association.
Scientists long ago warned us about the cardiovascular dangers of a high-fat diet, sedentary lifestyle, smoking, high cholesterol-triglycerides and diabetes. In recent years, research has uncovered yet another important culprit in the development of heart disease, namely homocysteine. Study after study over the past decade has shown that, regardless of being clear of other risk factors, even mildly elevated levels of homocysteine in one’s bloodstream can single out victims by making them susceptible to heart disease. Homocysteine is a naturally occurring amino acid in the body which, in excessive amounts, tends to build up in the blood and is believed to be at the root of arterial inflammation and damage. What recent research has also turned up is the discovery that folic acid, vitamin B12 and vitamin B6 supplementation can be used successfully to lower homocysteine levels.
Besides reducing homocysteine concentrations, increasing folic acid, vitamin B6 and B12 intake also works against heart disease by improving vascular endothelial function and related flow-mediated vasodilation.1-2 A Polish study showed that an eight-week treatment with folic acid (5 milligrams daily), vitamin B6 (300 milligrams daily) and B12 (1000 micrograms weekly) not only cut in half homocysteine levels (from 20 to 10 micromoles/liter). It also diminished the production of a blood-clotting enzyme, thrombin, which plays a proliferative role in heart disease and stroke.3
Nutrient status
Low circulating levels of folate were
linked to a 50% greater risk of
vascular disease in men. The same
study also found that low levels of
vitamin B6 increased the risk two to
threefold in both sexes.
As scientists attempted to measure homocysteine levels, they began to look for other markers of high homocysteine levels and their associated cardiovascular (and cerebrovascular) risks. One large focus has been the vital role that certain nutritional deficiencies might play in affecting homocysteine levels and precipitating the arterial damage that leads to cardiovascular disease. So, as much as scientists have devoted time to studying the merits of folic acid and vitamin B12 in reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke, demonstrating the harmful impact of nutritional deficiencies has taught researchers even more about certain vitamins as a preventative means.
For instance, recent studies have noted that suboptimal serum levels of folic acid, vitamin B12and vitamin B6 may underlie the development of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease. Why? It’s believed that such deficiencies lead to inadequate production of S-adenosyl-methionine, creating a state of turmoil called hypomethylation. And this, in turn, may damage the DNA in arterial cells, leading to the mutation and proliferation of smooth-muscle cells, thus paving the way for atherosclerosis. Many experts believe, however, that vitamin supplementation can not only correct the nutritional deficiencies but also help to reverse the atherosclerotic process in people with existing heart disease.4
More specifically, low folate status has been seen as one culprit that precipitates the development of cardiovascular disease. The most recent findings suggest that people with the lowest folate status had more than twice the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease as those with the highest levels of the nutrient. The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, Bethseda, MD reported such findings after examining the serum folate concentrations of 689 adults, ages 30 to 75, without cardiovascular disease or diabetes.5
Similarly, a 15-year Canadian study involving over 5000 men and women with no history of heart disease, aged 35 to 79, showed that the lower the folate levels, the higher was the risk of heart disease-related death. It reported that people with low blood folate levels (below 6.8 nanomoles per liter) have a 69% increase in the risk of fatal coronary heart disease than individuals with higher levels (above 13.6 nanomoles per liter).6 These study findings are very significant, for one, because the sample included both young and old, male and female. As well, the results point to a correlation between lower blood folate values and mortality, as opposed to just a risk of heart disease, or arterial blockage and damage. What’s even more interesting is that the researchers found an inflated risk of death even in people with so-called normal folate status, which calls into question whether we should be boosting our recommended daily allowance. Meanwhile, one multicenter European study, which compared 750 male and female patients with vascular disease to 800 healthy controls, found that low circulating levels of folate were linked to a 50% greater risk of vascular disease in men. The same study also found that low levels of vitamin B6 increased the risk two to threefold in both sexes.7
Individuals with malabsorption
problems, be it from a genetic glitch,
gastrointestinal diseases, age or
existing cardiovascular disease, may
need to step up their daily intake
through supplementation just to meet
the recommended daily allowance.
One study by researchers at the University of Chile even found that, in contrast to other findings, folate levels—and not vitamin B12—were notably low in people with atherosclerosis. The team of scientists had compared serum homocysteine, folate and vitamin B12 measurements among 32 patients with peripheral vascular disease versus 24 healthy controls, and 52 patients with coronary artery disease versus 42 matched controls. Results showed that homocysteine and vitamin B12 levels didn’t vary greatly among patients and controls, but that folate levels were 37% lower in vascular patients and 22% lower in coronary patients compared to controls.8
A vitamin B12 deficiency has also been noted as contributing to cardiovascular disease. Consider, for instance, evidence from one study conducted in the Slovak Republic that showed that the frequency of high homocysteine levels is higher in vegans (53%) and vegetarians (28%) compared to omnivores (5%).9 It’s believed that the reasons for the huge discrepancies lies in vitamin intake, particularly vitamin B12, as vegans consume none from dietary sources, and vegetarians only consume about one third the amount that omnivores do (124% versus 383% of the RDA). In fact, this study, which examined 62 vegetarians, 32 vegans and 59 omnivores, found that 78% of the vegans studied were vitamin B12-deficient, as were 24% of vegetarians, but 0% of the omnivores showed a deficiency. Folate levels, however, were comparable among the three groups. The authors concluded that vitamin B12 deficiency was chiefly responsible for mildly elevated homocysteine levels in vegans and vegetarians.
Similarly, in many developing countries, studies have found diets low in folate and vitamin B12 are what may account for the increased risk of both cardiovascular disease and neural tube defects. In fact, when US researchers measured the folate and vitamin B12 status of adolescent girls in northern Nigeria of marrying and childbearing age (12 to 16 years), 9% of the subjects had serum vitamin B12 concentrations that fell below the lower limit of the reference range for their age group. This was consistent, said the authors, with the fact that their diet lacks vitamin B12.10
Meanwhile, according to a 1998 report by the American Heart Association,11 about one fifth of the US population may stand a heightened risk of heart attack and stroke because their diet lacks a sufficient amount of vitamin B6 and folic acid. While previous research has suggested that elevated homocysteine levels were the result of too little vitamin B6 or folic acid, the authors of this report were surprised to find that vitamin B6 deficiency was linked to heart disease and stroke risk independently of where homocysteine levels stood. A B6 deficiency was found among 20% of subjects, and levels of these nutrients were generally lower in individuals with heart disease or stroke than in healthy controls. More importantly, those demonstrating a deficiency had twice the risk of heart disease and stroke. Some research suggests that dietary deficiencies of folic acid, vitamin B12 and vitamin B6 seem common among elderly people in North America, which might represent “one pathogenic factor related to the incidence of hyperhomocys-teinaemia.”12 Such deficiencies might also offer a reason why high homocysteine levels seem to prevail among 30% to 40% of the elderly population compared to only 5% to 10% of the general population.13
How Folic Acid and B12 Reduce Homocysteine
Folic acid and B12 are cofactors of methionine synthase, a key enzyme in homocysteine metabolism.1 As such, they help to break down the amino acid and convert it into another compound, methionine (which is necessary for proper DNA methylation), indeed pointing to an important pivotal role for these nutrients in heart disease prevention.2-4 Studies to date have shown that folic acid alone may reduce heart disease risk by as much as 30% to 40%, primarily through its ability to lower homocysteine. In fact, folic acid has been deemed the mainstay of treatment for hyperhomocysteinaemia (elevated homocysteine.5 However, folic acid works best when teamed up with vitamin B12, which enhances the benefits of folic acid supplementation.6 Generally speaking, doctors recom-mend that vitamin B12 be added to supplements containing folic acid, so as to prevent masking of a B12 deficiency.7
Auer J, Wien Med Wochenschr 2001;151(1-2):25-28.
Saw SM, et al. Am J Clin Nutr 2001 Feb;73(2):232-239.
Conri C, et al. Presse Med 2000 Apr 8;29(13):737-741.
Osganian SK, et al. JAMA 1999 Apr 7;281(13):1189-1196.
Cattaneo, M. Ann Med 2000 Dec;32 Suppl 1:46-52.
Bronstrup, A, et al. Am J Clin Nutr 1998 Nov;68:1104-1110.
Boushey, CJ, et al. JAMA 1995 Oct 4;274(13):1049-1057.
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Mechanism of Cell-Type-Specific Signaling in Tumor Development Determined Researchers from Mayo Clinic and Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Marseille have discovered the mechanisms behind two checkpoints in cell growth and development and tumor progession. They report that a protein called Erbin along with tumor suppressor Merlin control the activation of PAK2 in epithelial cells. PAK2 is a downstream component of TGF-ß signaling and a target for cancer growth and fibrotic tissue development. In epithelial cells, however, TGF-ß is unable to activate PAK2. “We decided to look at the factors that prevented PAK2 activation in epithelial cells,” explains Edward Leof, Ph.D., a Mayo Clinic biochemist who led the study, which appears in Developmental Cell. The paper is called “Erbin and the NF2 Tumor Suppressor Merlin Cooperatively Regulate Cell-Type-Specific Activation of PAK2 by TGF-ß.”
The scientists found that Erbin controls Merlin, and when Merlin is absent or mutated, the result is schwannoma, a form of tumor involving Schwann cells, which make up the myelin sheath that covers nerves. Merlin has also reportedly been shown to play a part in causing melanoma, mesothelioma, and possibly colorectal cancers.
Additionally, the researchers showed that in epithelial cells, which have high levels of Erbin, the formation of an Erbin/Merlin complex prevents PAK2 activity following growth factor stimulation. In the absence of Erbin or Merlin, however, TGF-ß stimulates PAK2 activity in some epithelia, overcoming a critical checkpoint in tumor progression.
Scientists Uncover Novel Mechanism for Suppression of Oncogene
Antisense, noncoding RNA of p15 induce epigentic changes that inhibit gene expression according to Nature study.
HPV18 DNA Levels Aren’t Indicative of the Probability of Precancerous Cervical Lesions
Study in the <i>Journal of the National Cancer Institute</i> documents data from 303 participants.
Chromosomal Alterations Confirmed and New Ones Implicated in Cancer
<i>PNAS</i> paper identified SAMD12 gene in inter- and intra-chromosomal switches. |
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Queer women are ignored in HIV research: this is a problem and here is why it matters
By Carmen Logie
Lesbian, bisexual and queer women are rarely included in HIV research. Women who have sex with women, and their HIV infection rates, are not captured anywhere because women cannot report having a woman as a sexual partner in Canada’s HIV statistics. The current record only allows women to report HIV exposure either through injection drug use or heterosexual sex. This contributes to the erasure of women’s sexual and gender diversity and fluidity in HIV research. Queer* women are ignored in HIV research: this is a problem and here is why it matters.
Queer women have a range of sexual practices and partners: There is a sexual and gender fluidity that is missed by current epidemiological categories, and subsequently in the majority of HIV research. People’s sexual identities may not always reflect standard understandings of sexual practices. For example, persons identifying as lesbians may have sex with cisgender or transgender men. Lesbian, bisexual and queer women may use drugs and may share needles; some research indicates that women who are queer and use drugs may in fact have elevated rates of exposure to HIV. We know homophobia can contribute to poverty, social exclusion and mental health challenges, including substance use, so keeping our mind open to the fact that queer women may use drugs to cope with homophobia can allow us to move beyond the assumption that all women who use drugs are straight. Queer women can also be transgender, and transphobia has negative impacts on wellbeing.
Queer women experience stigma, discrimination and are more likely to report sexual violence: For the last five years there is an increasing focus on social drivers of HIV, in particular stigma, discrimination and violence. There is emerging literature, from South Africa and in forthcoming data from a national Canadian study conducted by the Canadian HIV Women’s Sexual and Reproductive Health Cohort Study (CHIWOS), that demonstrates forced sex as a risk factor for HIV transmission among women, and among queer women in particular. Homophobic rape, often known as ‘corrective rape,’ targets queer women across the globe. Categorizing HIV transmission from homophobic rape as ‘heterosexual sex’ misses the point that it was violent and homophobic. It misses the point that queer women can be at risk for HIV just for being who they are. Applying a lens that looks at the intersection of stigma and discrimination based on sexuality, race, gender identity, class, and nationality, among others, shows the complexity that needs to be considered when we think of the lived realities of queer women.
Queer women have the same—or higher—rates of other sexually transmitted infections: There is an abundance of research that shows queer women have the same, and sometimes even higher, rates of other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) than heterosexual women. There are also differences in STI risks between women who have sex with women, with several studies showing women who report having cis men as sex partners having higher rates of STIs. Despite these STI risks, queer women have a low perception of risk, and limited uptake of safer sex strategies. Research that I conducted shows linkages between a lifetime history of STIs among queer women and sexual stigma, forced sex, and women believing that their healthcare provider was uncomfortable with their sexual orientation. My forthcoming research also shows that homophobia reduces safer sex practices among queer women with low social support and low coping skills. We know having another STI elevates HIV infection risks, so this is another reason to include women’s sexual identity and partners in our research.
The solution is quite simple. Why don’t we just ask women about their own, and their sex partners’ sexual and gender identities?
* I use ‘queer’ to convey asserted, non-heterosexual identities and affiliations claimed by women across multiple contexts/interactions
Carmen Logie is an assistant professor in the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work at the University of Toronto. She is also the adjunct scientist for Women’s College Research Institute at Women’s College Hospital in Toronto.
Carmen Logie
23. Feb, 2016 at 10:33 pm
DrLogie nails it!!
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The CATIE Blog is our way of bringing more people into the conversation about HIV and hepatitis C. From science to social issues, you’ll see posts from CATIE staff and others across the country giving their take on a wide range of topics. In addition to being Canada’s source for HIV and hepatitis C information, CATIE wants to facilitate the exchange of opinions on the front line.
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Le blogue de CATIE est notre façon de faire participer un plus grand nombre de personnes à la conversation sur le VIH et l’hépatite C. Des sciences aux enjeux sociaux, les publications du personnel de CATIE et d’autres de partout au Canada vous permettront de connaître leurs points de vue sur une vaste gamme de sujets. En plus d’être la source canadienne de renseignements sur le VIH et l’hépatite C, CATIE souhaite faciliter les échanges d’opinions entre les travailleurs de première ligne.
Recent posts / Billets récents
How intimate partner violence affects women living with HIV La clinique SABSA fait preuve de résilience et gagne sa lutte pour demeurer ouverte! | The SABSA clinic shows its resilience and wins its fight to stay open! National survey reveals information habits of people living with HIV | Un sondage national révèle de l’information sur les habitudes des personnes vivant avec le VIH Lessons learned from the HCV Symposium Part 2: Equal access, equal representation | Leçons tirées du Symposium sur le VHC Partie 2 : Accès égal, représentation égale Lessons learned from the HCV Symposium Part 1: Blinders off, and who cleans up after the fight? | Leçons tirées du Symposium sur le VHC Partie 1 : Une fois les œillères enlevées, qui nettoie après la bagarre? The CATIE Blog is a unique opportunity for individuals to express a wide latitude of opinion on a range of issues. It is noted that the views expressed in the blog are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the policies or opinions of CATIE nor the views of its funders.
Le Blogue de CATIE est une occasion sans pareil d’exprimer des opinions personnelles sur une diversité d’enjeux. Il est à noter que les opinions exprimées dans le blogue sont celles des auteurs et ne reflètent pas nécessairement les politiques ou opinions de CATIE ni les points de vue de ses bailleurs de fonds.
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#73: Giant Ice Meteors Fall From Clear Skies
20-pound chunks of ice falling on a sunny day? It's no urban myth.
By Karen Wright|Tuesday, December 09, 2008
RELATED TAGS: EARTH SCIENCE, GLOBAL WARMING, NATURAL DISASTERS, POLLUTION, TOP 100 STORIES OF 2008
Remains of an ice meteor on a factory roof in Spain.
Photo Courtesy of Guardia Civil
Climate experts have long warned that global warming could bring an increase in extreme weather, such as hurricanes and drought. They never mentioned 20-pound chunks of ice falling from the clear blue sky, tearing through roofs, shattering windshields, and gouging impact craters. Yet reports of such “clear-sky ice fall events” have been on the rise worldwide in recent years, and in February Spanish researchers offered further evidence that the increase could be due to climate change.
Monster ice meteors, called megacryometeors, drop singly from cloudless skies and can weigh a couple hundred pounds. More than 50 such events have been reported globally in the past seven years alone, according to Jesús Martínez-Frías, a planetary geologist at the Center for Astrobiology in Madrid.
In the February study, Martínez-Frías and his group describe a 20-pound megacryometeor that crashed through the roof of an industrial warehouse east of Madrid on a clear morning in 2007. Like other megacryometeors, the ice chunk had a chemical and molecular composition identical to that of rainwater derived from the troposphere, the lowest layer of the atmosphere. Martínez-Frías believes that megacryometeors form when an ice crystal is driven repeatedly through cold water vapor by atmospheric turbulence, acquiring coat after coat of frozen water. He notes that both turbulence and water vapor concentrations have increased in the upper boundary of the troposphere due to climate change.
“We think it’s important to monitor these phenomena, not only because they can be a potential natural hazard for people and aviation, but because they may be signals of more serious environmental problems,” Martínez-Frías says.
The first of several climate verdicts is in: 2016 was the warmest year on record — as widely expected
Climate change in 2016 — and continuing into 2017 — has brought the planet into "truly uncharted territory"
The Lava Catcher
Is Cloud Seeding Worth the Bet?
The iceberg about to crack off Antarctica will be a million times more voluminous than the Empire State Building
Why you should take hyperventilating headlines about CO2 with a grain of salt — but still be quite concerned |
Got Shots? Immunizations Save Lives, Especially The Lives Of Seniors
A February 2010 report entitled Adult Immunization: Shots to Save Lives, released by the Trust for America's Health, the Infectious Diseases Society of America and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation found that more than 33 percent of American adult ages 65 and older had not been immunized against pneumonia as of 2008. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other experts recommend that all seniors be vaccinated against pneumonia—a one-time shot for most individuals—because seniors who get the seasonal flu are at risk for developing pneumonia as a complication. Even in the state with the highest immunization rate, Oregon, 26.8 percent of seniors were not immunized. Washington, DC had the lowest percentage of seniors immunized, barely more than half. The Adult Immunization report found millions of adults go without routine and recommended vaccinations each year, leading to an estimated 40,000 to 50,000 preventable deaths, thousands of preventable illnesses and $10 billion in preventable health care costs each year. Beyond the low rates of pneumonia immunizations, only 2.1 percent of eligible adults have had the tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough vaccine in the previous two years and only 36.1 percent of all adults were vaccinated against the seasonal flu in 2008. |
Study: Lose weight while listening to your MP3 player (w/ Podcast)
(PhysOrg.com) -- With obesity and weight-related illnesses on the rise, researchers continue to look for better ways to help people shed extra pounds and keep them off. A new University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill study finds that help may be as close as the earbuds on your MP3 player.
“Our interest was in using emerging technologies to help busy people maintain their interest in becoming healthier,” said Gabrielle M. Turner-McGrievy, Ph.D., postdoctoral fellow in the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health’s nutrition department and the study’s lead author.
“The [MP3 player] technology has some advantages over the Internet,” Turner-McGrievy said. “It feels more personal when someone is using earphones, as if someone is speaking directly to you. We want to take advantage of that intimacy and tailor messages that will bring success to people looking for ways to reach a healthy weight.”
The study, “Pounds Off Digitally (POD) Study: A Randomized Podcasting Weight Loss Intervention,” is published online on Sept. 15 in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
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Listen to a sample of the enhanced weight loss podcasts.
The study involved a 12-week randomized controlled trial of 78 overweight men and women (body mass index, or BMI, of 25 points to 40 points) in the Raleigh-Durham area. Participants in a control group listened to 24 episodes of a currently available weight-loss podcast, while another group listened to an enhanced podcast, designed using behavior change theories.
The enhanced podcast used tenets of social cognitive theory - including that behavior change is based upon an individual’s expectancy (how much they would value an end result) and expectation (whether they believe they will succeed or fail). The recordings included exercise and nutrition information, a soap opera that discussed weight loss and an audio journal of another person trying to lose weight but whose progress was a week or two ahead of the participant’s. For example, as participants worked on setting calorie goals, decreasing fat intake and increasing exercise, they could observe that the audio diarist was able to set goals, adjust to setbacks and succeed behaviorally.
Study participants who used the enhanced podcast experienced a significantly greater decrease in both weight and BMI than the control group. The enhanced group lost 6.4 pounds in 12 weeks, compared to 0.7 pounds in the control group, and dropped one point in BMI, compared to a 0.1 point drop in the control group.
“I found the nutrition and exercise information very useful,” one participant said. “It was also nice to hear people talking about how you don’t just take a pill and ‘Bam!’ You just dropped 10 pounds!”
Another reported that the podcasts were “informative, contained good tips and were a very special motivator” and that they were “fundamental in producing what I believe is a permanent change in my lifestyle.”
Turner-McGrievy said she would like to examine whether podcasting can be used longer-term to help people maintain weight loss. She is also interested in whether podcasts directly targeted to participants’ needs, such as helping them make healthy choices when eating out, would result in greater weight loss.
Provided by University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
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Current knowledge, attitude, and patterns of oral contraceptives utilization among women in Jordan
Sanaa K. Bardaweel1Email author,
Amal A. Akour2 and
Maria-Vanessa Z. Kilani1
© Bardaweel et al. 2015
Accepted: 3 December 2015
Studies exploring the knowledge, attitude and patterns of OCs use among women in Jordan are lacking. The aim of this study was to assess knowledge, attitude, and patterns of oral contraceptives (OCs) utilization among women in Jordan.
A face-to-face questionnaire inquiring demographic information and issues related to knowledge and use of OCs was completed by women (n = 1571), who have had used OCs at least once in their lifetime. A model was created to assess the effects of knowledge, attitude and previous experience on the patterns of OCs utilization.
Jordanian women exhibited positive attitudes towards OCs efficacy and safety. This positive attitude was approvingly associated with the patterns of use. However, only half of participating women reported that they knew how to use OCs. About 60 % of women received recommendations for OCs use from a physician. Moreover, women’s knowledge about OCs mechanism of action was obtained namely from physician (29.9 %). Side effects were reported in 75.1 % of participating women. Reported side effects were headache (41.2 %), mood swings (35.5 %), irritability (33.5 %) and weight gain (28.7 %). Interestingly, the occurrence of side effects was the main reason for OCs discontinuation.
The study showed that women who have positive attitude toward OCs tend to utilize them more appropriately. However, there is still need for educational programs to enhance knowledge about OCs utilization in Jordan.
Oral contraceptivesWomenAttitudeKnowledgeBehavior
Contraception, the deliberate prevention of pregnancy, can be achieved via several approaches. Some contraceptive methods prevent the release of secondary oocytes and sperms from gonads, others limit sperm access to the mature egg to prevent fertilization, whereas certain contraceptive methods allow fertilization to occur before, ultimately, preventing implantation of an embryo. Except for complete abstinence from sexual intercourse, the incidence of unwanted pregnancies might occur with any of the contraception methods [1–3].
Demographic studies in Jordan indicate that the annual fertility rate is 4.4 per woman [4], with fertility rate being defined as the average number of live births or children per woman [5]. While 1 in 4 women, worldwide, recommence to have a fourth child after three consecutive pregnancies, 50 % of Jordanian women who have had three births would try to get pregnant again within 2 years [6]. The relatively high fertility rate in Jordan with the allied short birth interval between births can be attributed to the lack of knowledge available on possible contraception methods [7, 8]. In addition, several demographic and non-demographic factors have been shown to influence Jordanian women’s beliefs about contraception [6, 9]. Indeed, religion, education, employment and gender of children were among the most prominent factors that influence Jordanian women’s beliefs and behavior towards contraception [10–13].
Oral contraceptives (OCs), are one of the most prevalent forms of reversible contraceptive methods used among women of reproductive age worldwide [14, 15]. In Jordan, OCs are the second most popular method of contraception preceded by the intrauterine devices [9]. Unfortunately, Jordan Pharmacy law has no regulations to restrict prescription medications use, hence, OCs can be obtained from community pharmacies without prescription. In spite of their widespread utilization in Jordan, several misconceptions dominate common knowledge of Jordanian women regarding OCs. In 1996, Farsoun et al. identified decisive hurdles to the use of modern contraceptive methods in Jordan. Serious side effects due to OCs, such as cancer, back pain, headaches, dizziness, hair loss, weight gain, and infertility, were all linked to Jordanian women’s beliefs about OCs.
During the last decade, augmented emphasis on the use of OCs to prevent pregnancy has been practiced by media to promote their utilization among Jordanian women. The later also comes along with education to enhance their awareness of safe and effective use of OCs. In spite of that, no studies have taken place since the last two decades to address this issue. Studies exploring the knowledge, attitude and patterns of OCs use among women in Jordan are, therefore, needed. In fact, Jordanian women could potentially benefit from increased information and advice on OCs to ensure better and regulated use that is compatible with their therapeutic purpose. Hence, the aim of this study was to describe four different aspects of OCs utilization among women in Jordan; patterns of use, attitude toward use, knowledge and previous experience. The study also aimed to determine where women acquire advice and whom they consult regarding their OCs utilization.
Ethical approval to perform the study was obtained from the Scientific Committee at the Deanship of Scientific Research at The University of Jordan. Participants’ information remained confidential and within the institution. Verbal informed consent to participate in the study was obtained based on a standard written statement.
Jordanian women who, were married, able to give informed consent, and used OCs at least once in their lifetime, were asked to participate in the study. Many misconceptions, like fear of side effects, especially among unmarried females are strongly dominant among Jordanian women towards the use of contraceptives. Indeed, very small percentages of OCs users are unmarried females and thus this sample criterion was designed to suit the sociocultural characteristics of the Jordanian community.
Data were collected from women living in different districts of Jordan. Selection was performed via a convenient non-random sampling technique from women who visit community pharmacies, fertility, obstetrics and gynecology outpatient clinics in the capital city of Jordan, Amman. The study took place between March 2013 and December 2013.
The study questionnaire was structured based on initial discussions with women, using OCs, and health professionals (Additional file 1). Furthermore, the questionnaire was validated by a committee whose members were health professionals, consisting of three family medicine physicians, a pharmacist, and a nurse. The questionnaire was written in English and then translated into Arabic. Both versions of the questionnaire were checked by three members of the public with no medical background.
The questionnaire was administered by well-trained administrators on each site. The principle investigator coordinated the logistic aspects of questionnaire distribution, data collection, and following responses. The questionnaire gathered data about four aspects of OCs use; patterns of use, attitude toward use, knowledge and previous experience. This was based on the hypothesis that three predictor variables, knowledge, attitude and previous experience, can influence the patterns of use of OCs. Knowledge was measured through direct questions inquiring whether participants know how OCs manifest their action in the body, how to self-administer OCs, how to maintain the efficacy of OCs, and if OCs have potential drug-drug interactions. Secondly, attitude was assessed by asking the participants if they prefer to use OCs, if they think OCs are effective, or safe, or if they fear side effects. Previous experience was measured via asking whether OCs were successful in preventing pregnancy, or if side effects ensue that women had to stop their pill use (refer to Table 2 for detailed description of items). Patterns of use, which is the outcome variable, was evaluated by examining the purpose of pill use, and whether or not women had received doctor’s consultation or prescription before using the pill.
Data were coded, entered and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences program (SPSS) database for Windows, version 17 (SAS Institute, Cary, NC). The analysis of answers involved descriptive quantitative statistics e.g. frequency and percentage. Chi-square and Fisher exact tests were used to test for significant association between groups.
A pattern of use, i.e. the outcome variable, was converted into a categorical variable: the sum of three variables was obtained (pill used for birth control purposes, doctor consultation obtained, and pill was prescribed). Those who scored < two were defined as inappropriate users, while those who scored > two were considered as appropriate users. In the same way, the predictors were decoded into categorical variables. Attitudes were considered positive if a score of more than 3 out of 5 was achieved, good knowledge and experience is defined as a score more than 3 out of 5 and 4 out of 6; respectively. To assess the relationship between knowledge, attitude, previous experience and the patterns of use, logistic regression was utilized. All hypothesis testing was two-sided, with a probability value of 0.05 deemed as significant.
Study demographics
In this study, 2000 questionnaires were distributed among Jordanian women who use oral contraceptives, and thus were included in the study, and data were collected from 1571 women (response rate 78.5 %). Table 1 describes the demographic characteristics of the study sample. Participants’ ages ranged between 18 and 50 years old. The majority of women has been married for more than 5 years (≈80 %), and about 60 % of the participating women has three or more children. More than half of the study sample included housewives (55.7 %) living in the capital of Jordan “Amman” (68.2 %). One third of the sample has high school education, and about the same percentage has an undergraduate education. Two thirds of the sample was of low to intermediate (up to 1000 JD) monthly income.
Demographic characteristics of women using oral contraceptives in Jordan, 2013
DESCRIPTIVE PARAMETER
N (VALID PERCENT %)
Age in years (n = 1564)
> 35
Education (n = 1543)
115 (7.50)
97 (6.30)
Occupation (n = 1530)
Residence city (n = 1538)
Irbid
Al-Zarqa’
Monthly income of the family (n = 1542)
< 1000 JOD
> 1000 JOD
Marriage duration (n = 1462)
< 1 year
Number of previous pregnancies (n = 1376)
≤ 2
> 4
Nulliparous
Number of children (n = 1428)
More than four
Number of abortions (n = 1448)
Patterns and attitudes
The pill utilization pattern, attitude towards pills use and knowledge were described in Table 2. The pill utilization pattern showed a positive trend. Indeed, more than half of women used pills for birth control purposes; i.e. contraception. In addition, more than 75 % of women received doctor consultation and prescription before usage. Although OCs utilization pattern was considered appropriate among participating women, the attitude toward using OCs was neutral. Nearly about 60 % of women prefer using OCs as a method for contraception. In spite of neutral attitude toward safety, participants had a positive attitude toward efficacy. In fact, more than 80 % of the study population believes that pills are effective. Nonetheless, 74.7 % were concerned about side effects, namely, hormonal disturbances (Table 2).
Oral contraceptives utilization pattern, attitude and knowledge
PILL UTILIZATION PATTERN
Purpose of Use (n = 1571)a
Stop menstruation
Doctor consultation before use (n = 1553)
Pills were prescribed (n = 1538)
ATTITUDE TOWARD PILL USE
Prefer use of pills as method of contraception (n = 1519)
Reasons for preferring pills (n = 1571)
Suitability for body
Think pills are safe (n = 1519)
Think pills are effective (n = 1506)
Fear of pills’ side effects
Believe pills can causea
Hormonal Disturbances
PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE WITH PILLS
Pills were effective (n = 1296)
Ever had side effects (n = 1561)
Ever stopped pills (use alternative method) (n = 1406)
Reason for stopping pillsa
Ineffectiveness
Difficulty of use
Pills recommended bya
How to use pill (n = 1497)
Source of knowledge about mechanism of pills’ action
If medications can counteract the pill efficacy (n = 1494)
Antibiotics can counteract the pill (n = 1492)
Received instructions how to use the pill (n = 1509)
Received instructions to maintain pill efficacy (n = 1490)
aThis question could have had more than one of the answers; hence, the cumulative frequency is more than 100 %
About 83 % of participating women stated that OCs were effective; however, side effects were also reported in 75.1 % of the study population. Reported side effects were headache (41.2 %), mood swings (35.5 %), irritability (33.5 %) and weight gain (28.7 %) (Fig. 1). As expected, the incidence of side effects was the main reason for OCs cessation and the utilization of alternative contraception methods (Fig. 2). Cost and unavailability of OCs only had minor effect (0.12 %) the decision to stop pills, which is considered as a good indicator of the health care system in Jordan.
Side effects encountered by women using oral contraceptives
Reasons for oral contraceptives cessation for women in Jordan
Although (82.5 %) of the participating women received consultation from the physician, only half of women knew how to use OCs (Table 2). Surprisingly, very little consultation was obtained from pharmacists (Table 2). Only 15 % of the participating women knew that certain medications could decrease OCs efficacy, and consequently, about the same percentage reported the knowledge that antibiotics may deactivate OCs. Nevertheless, 74.4 % of women got instructions for OCs use from physicians.
As stated in the “methods” section, a model was created to study the effect of knowledge, attitude, and previous experience on patterns of OCs utilization (Table 3). Binary logistic regression revealed that the model has 84.8 % predictive power and it was significant (p-value =0.011). R2 was 0.017, which means that the independent variables can explain 17 % of variance in the dependent variable. Only attitude was significantly associated with appropriate utilization (OR = 1.75, p < 0.002). Women with positive attitude are 75 % more likely to use OCs appropriately. Unfortunately, knowledge and previous experience did not have a significant effect on use patterns. Therefore, the effect of each individual item on the outcome variable was evaluated separately.
Binary logistic regression of knowledge, attitude and previous experience with utilization of oral contraceptives
Covariate
% positive
As previously mentioned, patterns of use, the outcome variable, was generated by the sum of three items (pill use for contraception, physician consultation and pill prescription), with those scoring more than 2 considered as appropriate users, i.e., showing positive utilization patterns. Chi-square test, to study the correlation between individual items of the questionnaire and patterns of use, was performed (Table 4). Interestingly, 82.1 % of women were considered as “appropriate users”. No significant differences in OCs appropriate utilization were found according to demographic variables, i.e. age, education, outcome, etc. The percentage of appropriate pill users was significantly higher in women who prefer using the pill as contraception method compared to those who do not (84.9 % vs. 79.3 %; respectively; p = 0.005). In addition, when women prefer OCs because they think they are effective or suitable for their body, they tend to use the pill more appropriately (87.2 % vs. 81.5 % {p = 0.000} and 94.8 vs. 80.6 {p = 0.029}); respectively. Those who had good attitude about OCs efficacy and safety tend to be appropriate users; among those who think OCs are effective, 84.0 % were appropriate users compared to those who did not (75.7 %); p = 0.002. Likewise, women who think OCs are safe, are more likely to be appropriate users (85.6 % vs. 78.6 %). Moreover, if OCs were indeed effective, appropriate use was more likely (86.0 vs. 77.5 %; p = 0.002). Furthermore, there was a correlation between the source of recommendation of pill use and the patterns of use. If a physician recommends the pill, the percentage of appropriate users was higher (97.6 % vs. 58.3 %). If the pill was recommended by other sources, however, the trend is reversed. When OCs are recommended by family, neighbors, pharmacists or media, the proportion of appropriate users will be less (52.7 % vs. 86.4 %, 42.2 % vs. 84.9 %, 58.3 % vs. 97.6 % and 61.5 % vs. 83.7 %); respectively.
Pearson correlation of individual characteristics with oral contraceptives utilization
Prefer using pills as a method of contraception
Reason for preference is suitability for body
Reason for preference is effectiveness of pill
Thinks pills are effective
Thinks pills are safe
Thinks pills cause infertility
Pills were effective
Knowledge how pill works
Source of knowledge about mechanism of pills’ action is physician
Source of knowledge about maintenance of pill efficacy is physician/pharmacist
Source of knowledge about use of pill is physician/pharmacist
Pill was recommended by physician
Pill was recommended by pharmacist
Pill was recommended by family
Pill was recommended my neighbors
Pill was recommended by media
Ever suffered from side effects
Side effects as reason for stopping the pill
Ever suffered from headache
Ever suffered from breast swelling
Interestingly, even if women suffered from side effects, the tendency of appropriate use increases (83.9 vs 78.0 %), specifically if the side effect experienced was headache (85.7 % vs 80.1 %) or breast swelling (91.6 % vs 91.8 %). However, the percentage is less if women believe that pills could cause infertility (77 % vs. 83.2 %). This result implicate that the aforementioned side effects would be experienced despite the appropriate use of OCs.
When women are more knowledgeable about the mechanism OCs action, they will have a higher probability of appropriate use (88.5 % vs. 75.4 %); especially if the physician was the source of knowledge (96.7 % vs. 76.2 %) and if the physician/pharmacist informed them how to maintain pill efficacy (91.1 % vs. 75.3 %) and how to use the pill (88.8 % vs. 64.4 %).
This is the first large cross-sectional study to evaluate oral contraceptives (OCs) utilization patterns among Jordanian females of a wide age range (18–50 years). This study used rigorous comprehensive and face-to-face interview. Furthermore, the later was filled in a reliable, valid questionnaire. In addition, this study was designed to unravel the attitude of Jordanian female population specifically towards OCs and, therefore, promote education programs that could preferentially enhance OCs utilization in Jordan.
In this study, Jordanian women showed a good pattern of OCs utilization; the majority of them were using OCs for birth control purposes, and they received prescriptions and consultations from physicians. Interestingly, no significant differences in OCs utilization pattern were found according to demographic variables, i.e. age, education, outcome, etc. In addition, Jordanian women have positive attitudes regarding OCs efficacy and safety. However, only half of women self- reported that they knew how to use OCs, and only few of them are actually aware of medications that can decrease the pill efficacy. Most women received recommendations for OCs use from a physician. Moreover, the physician was the main source of knowledge for OCs. Unfortunately, the contribution of other healthcare professionals, such as pharmacists and nurses, was minor. All items of knowledge were positively correlated with the use patterns.
Surprisingly, women who suffered from side effects were more likely to be appropriate users. This might be attributed to the fact that the side effects, mostly experienced by these women, were minor in nature, ranging between headache, mood swings and irritability, and consequently women were least concerned about them. On the other side, suffering from side effects was the main reason women to stop OCs and switch to an alternative contraception method. Collectively, the positive attitude toward use was highly correlated with the use patterns.
Historically, there was a negative attitude toward the use of OCs in middle-eastern societies, and Jordan was not an exception [8, 11, 12, 16, 17]. Many misconceptions, like fear of side effects and underestimating efficacy, prevented women from OCs use [8]. In 2004, Kirdli et al.[18] showed that positive attitude and beliefs were among the factors that contributed to Jordanian women’s intention to use OCs, which complies with the results from our study. Since then, many educational programs were implemented to enhance women’s attitudes and knowledge on the rationale use of OCs. Consequently, we expect a leap with regard to these aspects within the last 10 years.
In addition, individual [19], sociocultural [20], institutional and political [21] factors that are substantial in women’s preferences related to OCs use have been investigated in different countries. Among the factors that have specifically captured the attention of healthcare researchers is the attitude of women towards OCs [22, 23]. Unfortunately, most studies were designed to investigate attitudes toward contraceptives in general [24]. Limited number of studies has been designed to study attitudes toward specific contraceptive methods such as OCs. This study was designed to unravel the attitude of Jordanian female population towards OCs and, therefore, promote education programs that could preferentially enhance OCs utilization in Jordan. In addition, no studies have ever described the knowledge of Jordanian population about rationale pill use, and patterns of utilization. The aim of this study was, therefore, to describe four different aspects of pill utilization including patterns of use, attitude toward use, knowledge and previous experience.
Our findings imply that more education programs about OCs use are still warranted. Although more than half of participating women self-reported that they knew how to use OCs, few women could identify medications that interact with OCs, or interfere with their efficacy. Less than 50 % received instructions on how to maintain the efficacy of OCs to prevent pregnancies. For most cases, physicians were the main source of knowledge. Hence, there is a need to increase the contribution of other healthcare professionals such as nurses and pharmacists into the education process, especially about the rationale use of OCs and how to maintain their efficacy. Furthermore, it is essential to enhance the role of other accessible sources of knowledge such as media, workshops, focus groups and internet, in the improvement of women awareness toward OCs use as a critical part of the family planning continuum.
One of the limitations of this study, which is inherent to cross-sectional studies, that it can only assess association between variables at one point of time. In addition, a convenient non-random sampling technique was adopted which, at least in part, explains that most of women in the study resides in Amman, the capital of Jordan. It will be therefore hard to generalize our findings to residents in other cities of Jordan.
In conclusion, this study revealed an improvement of utilization patterns and attitudes towards OCs among Jordanian women over the last 10 years. However, there is still a gap in the knowledge about how to use OCs and how to maintain their efficacy. The study showed that women who has positive attitude toward OCs use tend to utilize them more appropriately. Educational programs provided via various healthcare professionals and other sources can enhance women’s knowledge about the rationale OCs utilization, and thus maximize beneficial effects and reduce side effects. The later will increase the tendency of having positive experience and thus positive attitudes toward OCs usage. It would be crucial for future researchers to investigate attitudes and knowledge of OCs use in women who have never used OCs and compare it to those who have had used them, as well as compare it toward that of using alternative contraceptive methods, such as intrauterine devices, and transdermal batches. Moreover, studying the effect of various educational programs on the appropriate utilization of OCs is warranted.
The authors would like to thank the questionnaire participants who kindly devoted their time to the study. The authors would also like to acknowledge The Deanship of the Scientific Research at The University of Jordan for financial support and the volunteer students who participated in data collection and questionnaire administration.
Additional file 1: The usage of contraceptive pills in birth control by a sample of Jordanian women. (PDF 195 kb)
Authors would like to disclose no conflict of interest.
SB participated in the design of the study, acquisition and interpretation of data, helped to draft the questionnaire, participated in writing the manuscript and revised it. AA participated in the design of the study, helped to draft the questionnaire and participated in writing the manuscript and revised it. MK participated in the design of the study and helped to draft the questionnaire. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, The University of Jordan
Department of Biopharmaceutics and Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, The University of Jordan
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Open Position: Selection Program Coordinator Overview
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designing reports and dashboards and conducting analysis to inform selection planning and decision making; and
identifying tools and training needs to assist team members in optimizing their Salesforce usage, and troubleshooting problems as they arise.
Candidate and Landscape Research
Conducting research to identify leaders and organizations that will further diversify and broaden the Pahara candidate pool, ensuring consistent and accurate candidate background data, as well as understanding of current education trends
Supporting the development of partnerships with other organizations that have the potential to be strong nominators for Pahara programs
Nominations and External Communications
Drafting and posting materials related to nominations and new cohorts
Processing electronic submissions via web-based forms, and email communication
Tracking candidate progression through application processes, and troubleshooting communication challenges
Assembling summary materials for Selection Team and external Selection Committee
2. Achieving optimal team capacity and rhythm of cohort selection and closure
Contributing to Selection Team strategy discussions
Developing and monitoring Selection work plans using Smartsheet Project Management Platform, and collaborating with Director of Selection to ensure team is meeting defined milestones
Contributing to the building and refining of annual processes as the organization grows and adds new programs
Selection Process Support
With the Director of Selection, assisting in stewarding the flow of information and decision-making involved in assembling exceptional cohorts, by:
assuring that processes and tools are well planned and implemented to facilitate staff access and sharing of candidate information;
managing and developing components of the Selection Team’s outreach strategy including conducting analysis, setting goals, and tracking results; and
planning and coordinating key Selection staff meetings and materials.
Administrative and Logistical Support
Providing general administrative and logistical support to the Selection and broader Pahara team, by:
assisting with document management;
managing recurring meeting scheduling and agendas, including conference lines and screen sharing technology as needed;
taking notes during meetings and calls; and
completing special cross-team projects as needed
Pahara is a strong fit for professionals who are resourceful, responsible, tenacious, independent, and self-confident, and who possess strong personal drive and motivation and demonstrate exemplary professional behavior and values.
Compelling candidates will show evidence of the following skills and experiences:
a minimum of 5 years of professional work experience;
exceptional organizational skills and acute attention to detail;
ability to work independently and virtually in a fast-paced environment;
proficiency with Salesforce or other CRM platform;
strong written and verbal communication skills;
strong research skills;
experience handling confidential information, and a deep understanding of the issues around candidate confidentiality;
an enthusiastic, yet pragmatic, approach to using data and technology to improve team performance;
a track record of interacting at all levels within an organization, both internally and externally, on various projects with multiple participants;
proficiency in Microsoft Office and Google applications, with ability to type at least 40WPM; and
preferably, an Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree.
In addition, ideal candidates will have:
at least 2 years of project management experience;
experience in a human resources, executive search, or recruiting setting;
commitment to the mission of accelerating the achievement of low income students; and
familiarity with the challenges facing urban schools and education reform efforts in the U.S.
Finally, the successful candidate will bring the following personal values and characteristics:
ability to build and maintain relationships, particularly in times of rapid change;
maturity, humility, and a roll-up-your-sleeves attitude;
high level of integrity, trust and accountability as well as sound discernment and judgment;
commitment to diversity of all types at every level of our work;
ability to learn quickly, be flexible and take an optimistic, fun approach to work; and
orientation toward excellence and results in all work products and interactions.
Reporting Relationships
The Program Coordinator will work with multiple teams within the organization, and will report to the Director of Selection.
We are a nimble and partially virtual organization by design, so that our professionals can work where they have built their lives. However, given the close collaboration with team members reporting to the Napa, California office, a location within commutable distance to the office is required. A Napa or North/East Bay Area location is strongly preferred. The Selection Program Coordinator will work from the office at least three days per week and will need their own transportation.
Pahara is committed to nondiscrimination and to providing equal opportunity. It is our policy to ensure that all individuals with whom we are in contact are treated equally without regard to age, color, disability, gender, marital status, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, expression, gender identity, or veteran’s status.The review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. Applications should consist of a letter of interest and a current resume, and should be directed to:
via: Pahara Hiring Team |
Debating with the Eumenides
Aspects of the Reception of Greek Tragedy in Modern Greece
Editor(s): Vayos Liapis, Antonis Petrides, Maria Pavlou
Subjects: Classics , Literary Classics
Series: Pierides
Modern Greek national and cultural identities consist, largely, of clusters of cultural memory, shaped by an ongoing dialogue with the classical past. Within this dialogue between modern Greece and classical antiquity, Greek tragedy takes pride of place. In this volume, ten scholars from Cyprus, Greece, the United Kingdom and the United States explore the various ways in which Greek tragedy and tragic myth have been reimagined and rewritten in modern Greek drama and poetry. The book’s extensive coverage includes major modern Greek authors, such as Cavafy, Seferis, and Ritsos, as well as less well-known, but equally rich and rewarding, 20th- and 21st-century texts.
Vayos Liapis is Professor of Theatre Studies at the Open University of Cyprus. His main areas of interest are Greek tragedy of the 5th and 4th centuries B.C. and the modern reception of Greek tragedy. His latest book is A Commentary on the Rhesus Attributed to Euripides (2012), and his latest co-edited volume is Performance in Greek and Roman Theatre (2013).
Antonis K. Petrides is Assistant Professor of Classics at the Open University of Cyprus, and his main area of interest is Ancient Greek drama and its modern reception. He is the author of Menander, New Comedy and the Visual (2014), and co-editor of New Perspectives in Postclassical Comedy (2010).
Μaria Pavlou is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Cyprus. Her main areas of interest are archaic lyric poetry, Plato, digital classics, and modern reception of Greek tragedy. She has published works on several Greek authors, including Pindar, Thucydides, Plato, Yannis Ritsos and Iakovos Kambanellis. |
Subsets and Splits