Metrics for NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD) Strategic Thrust 3B Vertical Lift Strategic Direction

The NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD) Strategic Implementation Plan details an ambitious plan for aeronautical research for the next quarter century and beyond. It includes a number of advanced technologies needed to address requirements of the overall aviation community (domestic and international), with an emphasis on safety, efficiency, operational flexibility, and alternative propulsion air transport options. The six ARMD Strategic Thrust Areas (STAs) represent a specific set of multi-decade research agendas for creating the global aviation improvements most in demand by the aviation service consumers and the general public. To provide NASA with a measurement of the preeminent value of these research areas, it was necessary to identify and quantify the measurable benefits to the aviation community from capabilities delivered by the research programs. This paper will describe the processes used and the conclusions reached in defining the principal metrics for ARMD Strategic Thrust Area 3B "Vertical Lift Strategic Direction.

Writers Who Care: Advocacy Blogging as Teachers - Professors - Parents

Because we believe strongly that writers develop through authentic writing instruction - and because we see policies that drive practices away from these goals - we have decided to speak up and to speak out through advocacy blogging. Teachers, Profs, Parents: Writers Who Care (writerswhocare.wordpress.com) was born from our frustration with current mandates that limit teachers and students to reductive writing. We know what good writing instruction looks like, and we want to share that knowledge with an audience beyond academia. In doing so, we hope to redefine what it means to be an academic writer and to encourage others to contribute their knowledgeable voices to a very public dialogue. The development of Writers Who Care brought rhetorical complexities and composing challenges that we document with the purpose of helping those interested in developing a deeper knowledge of advocacy blogging

Florbetapir positron emission tomography and cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers

BACKGROUND: We evaluated the relationship between florbetapir-F18 positron emission tomography (FBP PET) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers. METHODS: Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative-Grand Opportunity and Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative 2 (GO/2) healthy control (HC), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and Alzheimer's disease (AD) dementia subjects with clinical measures and CSF collected ±90 days of FBP PET data were analyzed using correlation and logistic regression. RESULTS: In HC and MCI subjects, FBP PET anterior and posterior cingulate and composite standard uptake value ratios correlated with CSF amyloid beta (Aβ1-42) and tau/Aβ1-42 ratios. Using logistic regression, Aβ1-42, total tau (t-tau), phosphorylated tau181P (p-tau), and FBP PET composite each differentiated HC versus AD. Aβ1-42 and t-tau distinguished MCI versus AD, without additional contribution by FBP PET. Total tau and p-tau added discriminative power to FBP PET when classifying HC versus AD. CONCLUSION: Based on cross-sectional diagnostic groups, both amyloid and tau measures distinguish healthy from demented subjects. Longitudinal analyses are needed

Pre-service Teachers as Curriculum Makers: What Could Social Justice Look Like in a Middle School Curriculum?

In this article, we answer the questions 1) What could social justice look like in the middle school curriculum; 2) How do we help young adolescents recognize and repudiate racism and other forms of social injustice; and 3) What are some lessons learned from a middle level teacher preparation with a focus on social justice ? By presenting three examples of social justice curriculum created by pre-service teachers in their teacher leadership education course, we argue for spaces that allow pre-service teachers to be curriculum-makers if we are truly seeking social justice educators in schools. We conclude, through the perspective of the pre-service teachers, effective practices they believe should be a part of teacher preparation that focus on social justice education

Vesicular Ca 2+ Participates in the Catalysis of Exocytosis

Effects of vesicular monoamine transporter inhibitors on catecholamine release from bovine chromaffin cells have been examined at the level of individual exocytotic events. As expected for a depletion of vesicular stores, release evoked by depolarizing agents was decreased following 15-min incubations with reserpine and tetrabenazine, as evidenced by a decrease in exocytotic frequency and amount released per event. In contrast, two reserpine derivatives, methyl reserpate and reserpic acid, were much less effective. Surprisingly, the incubations also decreased the accompanying rise in intracellular Ca(2+) evoked by depolarizing agents. Subcellular studies revealed that reserpine and tetrabenazine at concentrations near their K(i) values not only could increase cytoplasmic catecholamines but also could displace Ca(2+) from vesicles. Furthermore, transient exposure to tetrabenazine and reserpine, but not methyl reserpate and reserpic acid, induced exocytotic release of catecholamines. Reserpine induced a rise in intracellular Ca(2+), as detected by whole-cell measurements with Fura-2. It could induce exocytosis, albeit at a lower frequency, in Ca(2+)-free solutions, supporting an internal Ca(2+) source. Depletion of endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondrial Ca(2+) pools did not eliminate the reserpine-activated release. These results indicate that vesicular Ca(2+) can play an important role in exocytosis and under some conditions may be involved in initiating this process

Framing REDD+ in the Brazilian national media: how discourses evolved amid global negotiation uncertainties

Reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation (REDD+) in tropical countries is an important and contested element of the post-Kyoto climate regime. For policy options which generate controversy between diverse actor groups, such as REDD+, mass media plays an important role in defining and supporting policy possibilities. Analysis of the way in which national media frames issues of climate change and deforestation can offer insights into the nature of the contested domains of the REDD+ policy process. Here, we examine the Brazilian national media discourses surrounding REDD+ because it contributes to setting the tone of policy debates at the federal level. Specifically, we ask the following: (i) How was REDD+ portrayed in the Brazilian national print media and whose opinions and perceptions were represented? and (ii) How have media frames on REDD+ in the national print media changed over time? Our results contribute with new knowledge for understanding the observed progress of REDD+ in Brazil. We identify two main themes that dominate the focus in the national media coverage of REDD+, specifically “politics and policymaking” (representing half the coverage) and “economics and market” (with over a third). Results show that discussions around carbon markets were amongst the most contested and that optimism in relation to REDD+ effectiveness declined over time. The analysis suggests that positions adopted on the national REDD+ strategy were shaped by state and federal collision of interests. We demonstrate an evolution of national concerns from an initial focus on efficiency (e.g. finance and carbon markets) to a recentred focus on equity issues (e.g. implementation of safeguards). We conclude with some thoughts on the implications of these features for REDD+ interventions and implementation in Brazil

Professionalism, Golf Coaching and a Master of Science Degree: A commentary

As a point of reference I congratulate Simon Jenkins on tackling the issue of professionalism in coaching. As he points out coaching is not a profession, but this does not mean that coaching would not benefit from going through a professionalization process. As things stand I find that the stimulus article unpacks some critically important issues of professionalism, broadly within the context of golf coaching. However, I am not sure enough is made of understanding what professional (golf) coaching actually is nor how the development of a professional golf coach can be facilitated by a Master of Science Degree (M.Sc.). I will focus my commentary on these two issues

Clinical use of amyloid-positron emission tomography neuroimaging: Practical and bioethical considerations

Until recently, estimation of β-amyloid plaque density as a key element for identifying Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology as the cause of cognitive impairment was only possible at autopsy. Now with amyloid-positron emission tomography (amyloid-PET) neuroimaging, this AD hallmark can be detected antemortem. Practitioners and patients need to better understand potential diagnostic benefits and limitations of amyloid-PET and the complex practical, ethical, and social implications surrounding this new technology. To complement the practical considerations, Eli Lilly and Company sponsored a Bioethics Advisory Board to discuss ethical issues that might arise from clinical use of amyloid-PET neuroimaging with patients being evaluated for causes of cognitive decline. To best address the multifaceted issues associated with amyloid-PET neuroimaging, we recommend this technology be used only by experienced imaging and treating physicians in appropriately selected patients and only in the context of a comprehensive clinical evaluation with adequate explanations before and after the scan

Coronaridine congeners attenuate fentanyl seeking during prolonged abstinence

Background: The prevalence of opioid use disorder (OUD) has reached epidemic proportions with a record-breaking number of overdose deaths. Over 70% of the record-breaking number of overdose deaths are caused by synthetic opioids, including fentanyl. Fentanyl is commonly administered intravenously or by inhalation (smoking/vaping), which results in rapid drug bioavailability in the brain. There is a current need to identify a novel pharmacologic therapy to treat OUD, and there is increasing evidence to support the use of novel compounds referred to as coronaridine congeners to treat OUD and other psychiatric illnesses. In preclinical models, coronaridine congeners have been shown to decrease self-administration of drugs of abuse and induce antidepressant and anxiolytic effects. Here we used a preclinical fentanyl vapor self-administration model and fast-scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV) to study the anti-addictive effects of two coronaridine congeners, 18-methoxycoronaridine (18-MC) and catharanthine (Cath).Methods: C57BL/6J mice were trained to self-administer vaporized fentanyl (5 mg/mL) or vehicle in airtight operant chambers. Mice self-administered vapor for 1 hour per day for 10 days (sessions were conducted for 5 consecutive days, followed by 2 days off). Chambers were equipped with two nosepokes, one active and one inactive. A successful response in the active nosepoke resulted in a vapor delivery that coincided with the presentation of a cue light, followed by a 1-minute timeout period. Mice learned to self-administer vapor with 3-second vapor deliveries for the first 3 days of training, which was then reduced to 1.5-second vapor deliveries the remaining 7 days. After training, mice were returned to their home cages for a forced abstinence period. Cue-induced drug seeking tests were conducted on abstinence days (AD) 20 and 25. During cue-induced seeking tests, successful responses in the active nosepoke resulted in presentation of the drug-associated cue, but no vapor was delivered (i.e. extinction conditions). Cue-induced drug seeking tests were conducted using a crossover design where half of subjects received coronaridine treatment (18-MC or Cath), while the other half received vehicle (ddH2O), on AD20. On AD25, subjects received the opposite treatment compared to AD20. Mice were injected (i.p.) with either vehicle or coronaridine treatment 1 hour before seeking tests. To examine the molecular mechanism of coronaridine congeners, FSCV was conducted on dopaminergic pre-synaptic terminals in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) neurons to measure dopamine (DA) release in the presence of 18-MC and Cath with or without nicotinic acetylcholine receptor antagonists.Results: We found that both 18-MC and Cath significantly reduced fentanylseeking during prolonged abstinence with no effect on mice that had previously self-administered vehicle. Furthermore, FSCV revealed that 18-MC and Cath significantly reduced DA release onto NAc neurons.Conclusion: In this study, we report that both 18-MC and Cath decrease fentanyl seeking during prolonged abstinence. DA release is important for opioid-related behaviors, and we found that 18-MC and Cath reduce DA release in the NAc, a mechanism that may underlie the effect of coronaridine congeners on fentanyl seeking. Together, these results provide evidence that coronaridine congeners may be promising novel compounds for the pharmacotherapeutic treatment of OUD