Mr. Stewart and Mr. Colbert Go to Washington: Television Satirists Outside the Box

The political satirists Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert are largely celebrated for their nightly television programs, which use humor to offer useful political information, provide important forums for deliberation and debate, and serve as sites for alternative interpretations of political reality. Yet, when the two satirists more directly intervene in the field of politics—which they increasingly do—they are often met by a chorus of criticism that suggests they have improperly crossed normative boundaries. This article explores Stewart and Colbert’s “out of the box” political performances, which include, among others, the 2010 Rally to Restore Sanity, Colbert’s testimony before Congress in the same year, and his on-going efforts to run an actual Super PAC that raises and spends money to influence (and critique) the political process. Examining these and other examples of non-traditional, and clearly border-crossing political satire, we consider the ways in which such multi-modal performances--in and off the television screen--work together to provide information, critique, and commentary, as well as a significant form of moral voice and ethical imperative. In turn, we examine the responses from the political and journalistic establishment, which more often than not, constitutes a form of boundary maintenance that seeks to delegitimize such alternative modes of political engagement. Finally, we discuss the significance of the developing relationship between television entertainment and political performance for our understanding of contemporary political practice

The relationship between Hsp70/Hsc70 accumulation, cell death and ROS in suspension-cultured tobacco ( Nicotiana tabacum) cells exposed to LPS from Ralstonia solanacearum.

Heat shock proteins (HSP), although not considered classical defence proteins, have general cytoprotective properties, which promote survival of cells and organisms. Hsp70, in particular, provides resistance to the harmful consequences of various forms of otherwise damaging or even lethal stress including pathogen infection. Increased levels of Hsp70, due to stable transfection of cells with hsp70 genes, or elevated expression in response to stress, generally correlate with the hindrance of cell death processes triggered by a variety of noxious stimuli or toxic agents. The effect of lipopolysaccharides (LPS), the major constituent of the outer membrane of the cell wall (envelope) of almost all Gram-negative bacteria, on Hsp70/Hsc70 expression in plants is unknown. In various mammalian systems, LPS has been shown to induce Hsp70 accumulation, along with programmed (apoptotic) cell death. Contrary to the effects of LPS on animal hosts however, LPS does not elicit cell death in plants, but rather pre-treatment with LPS fraction can prevent or delay the so-called hypersensitive response (HR), thus sensitizing plant tissue to respond more rapidly, or to a greater extent, to subsequently inoculated phytopathogenic bacteria. Elevated levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) reportedly contribute to stress sensing and hsp gene activation, and subsequent Hsp70 induction, during the stress response. Increased ROS production can also trigger cell death via either programmed cell death (PCD), an active (i.e., energy-dependent) physiological suicide mechanism that is genetically regulated, or uncontrolled necrosis, an accidental, lytic form of cell destruction passively triggered by severe trauma or injury. In plants specifically, ROS may be involved in PCD activation during the HR. As a pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP) or general elicitor of defence or resistance-related responses, LPS may trigger some defence-related responses, including an oxidative burst (manifest as increased levels of reactive oxygen species or ROS) in certain plant cells as it does in animal systems. However, there is conflicting evidence that shows that LPS treatment does not elicit an oxidative burst in plants. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of LPS isolated from Ralstonia solanacearum, an extremely harmful soil-borne bacterium that causes Southern wilt in over 200 plant species by infecting the host’s roots and invading the xylem vessels, on Hsp70/Hsc70 accumulation, cell death and ROS production in suspension-cultured tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) cells, in order to gain a better understanding of the inter-relationship between these three phenomena in plant cells responding to LPS(Ralstonia). Western (immuno)blot analysis was used to study the unknown effect of LPS(Ralstonia) on Hsp70/Hsc70 accumulation in tobacco cell suspensions. LPS(Ralstonia) (all concentrations and time periods studied) generally suppressed Hsp70/Hsc70 accumulation. However, only exposure to 100 μg LPS/ml for 3 h caused a significant reduction (P < 0.05). Therefore, there was an early suppression of Hsp70/Hsc70 accumulation in response to 100 μg LPS(Ralstonia)/ml. To determine whether the observed LPS-mediated attenuation in Hsp70/Hsc70 accumulation was due to an increase in cell death in these cells, we investigated the effect of LPS(Ralstonia) on i) the general viability of the cells, and ii) the integrity of nuclear or genomic DNA extracted from LPS-treated suspension-cultured tobacco cells. The AlamarBlue™ (AB) assay was used to investigate the general cell viability in response to LPS(Ralstonia) treatment. LPS(Ralstonia) (all concentrations and time intervals studied) did not significantly affect the overall viability of the cells. Because treatment of tobacco cell suspensions with LPS(Ralstonia) did not result in a significant decrease (P < 0.05) in AB reduction, it was presumed that LPS(Ralstonia) did not appreciably compromise metabolic activity and was therefore not particularly toxic to these cells. Genomic DNA from cells undergoing PCD-associated internucleosomal DNA fragmentation (IDF) typically runs as a ladder of internucleosomal-sized DNA fragments corresponding to multimers of ca. 180 bp in agarose gels. In contrast, random DNA cleavage, usually manifest as smearing of nuclear DNA following agarose gel electrophoresis, is a token of uncontrolled necrosis. Therefore, if so-called “DNA laddering” is observed following agarose gel electrophoresis of genomic DNA extracted from suspension-cultured tobacco cells exposed to LPS(Ralstonia) then it can be assumed that LPS(Ralstonia) induced PCD. Alternatively, if a long, continuous “necrotic smear” is evident after electrophoretic separation of nuclear DNA from LPS-treated cells then LPS(Ralstonia) clearly induced uncontrolled necrosis. Whether or not LPS(Ralstonia) induced PCD-associated IDF or necrotic smearing was determined by investigating genomic DNA fragmentation (or DNA integrity) in response to LPS(Ralstonia) iii treatment. Although no typical DNA ladders were detected following electrophoresis of DNA isolated from LPS-treated cells, PCD may still have transpired. However, this is highly unlikely. No necrotic smearing was evident in LPS-treated samples either, which verifies the hypothesis that LPS(Ralstonia) (25–100 μg/ml) did not induce uncontrolled necrosis in suspension-cultured tobacco cells. In fact, these concentrations of LPS(Ralstonia) did not seem to significantly compromise DNA integrity given that LPS(Ralstonia) (25–100 μg/ml) generally had no appreciable effect on genomic DNA fragmentation (compared to untreated control samples). Incidentally, 24-h exposure of tobacco cell suspensions to higher concentrations of LPS(Ralstonia) (500 and 1000 μg/ml) may have resulted in partial DNA cleavage and/or degradation. Exposure of tobacco cell suspensions to 400 μg LPS(Burkholderia)/ml for 7 days may also have evoked partial DNA cleavage and/or degradation. Whether this cleavage and/or degradation occurred deliberately by means of a fixed or predetermined mechanism or randomly by an uncontrolled mechanism remains uncertain. Finally, the H2DCF-DA (2′, 7′-dihydrodichlorofluorescein-diacetate) fluorescence assay was used to investigate the effect of LPS(Ralstonia) on ROS production, a common factor in the regulation of HSP expression and cell death activation. LPS(Ralstonia) treatment (25–100 μg/ml) generally increased ROS levels in suspension-cultured tobacco cells (compared to untreated control cells). Exposure to 75 μg LPS(Ralstonia)/ml resulted in a particularly prominent elevation in ROS levels almost instantaneously. Incidentally, higher concentrations of LPS(Ralstonia) (500 and 1000 μg/ml) resulted in decreased ROS levels at some point during the assay. Although LPS(Ralstonia) (100 μg/ml for 3 h) significantly decreased Hsp70/Hsc70 accumulation in tobacco cell suspensions, cell death did not appear to be induced. In fact, LPS(Ralstonia) had no effect on general cell viability and appeared to be ineffective at causing PCD-associated IDF (DNA laddering) or necrotic smearing regardless of concentration or time of exposure. Despite these findings, treatment of suspension-cultured tobacco cells with LPS(Ralstonia) (≤ 100 μg/ml) resulted in a mild increase in ROS production. Although the exact mechanism(s) by which LPS(Ralstonia) suppressed Hsp70/Hsc70 accumulation is elusive, our results suggest that the suppression is not related to excessive LPS-mediated injury caused by excessively high ROS levels or increased cell death. We speculate that the prevention of HR-related PCD often observed in plants that are pre-treated with LPS and subsequently inoculated with phytopathogenic bacteria may be dependent on the LPS-mediated suppression of cytosolic Hsp70 expression.Dr. M.J. Cronj

Exposure To Mortality And Its Effects On Teen Drinking

The topic of teen drinking is popular because it has been persistent over time and does not appear to be diminishing in today’s society. Alcohol consumption among adolescents is a major health concern for our adolescents today (Kosterman, Hawkins, Guo, Catalon, & Abbott, 2000). Besides being associated with poor health conditions (Puddey, Rakic, Dimmitt, & Beilin, 1999), adolescent drinking is also correlated with risks such as poor school performance, violence/criminal behavior, and other self-harming behaviors (Mason & Windle, 2002). Aside from these alcohol related risks, there is a higher risk of poor decision making including that of drinking and driving. The current study attempted to determine the relationship among exposure to the negative effects of alcohol, specifically, death as a result of alcohol consumption and driving, and (1) the teen’s participation in alcohol consumption post exposure and (2) the teen’s participation in driving after consuming alcohol post exposure to these negative effects. The current study suggests that knowing someone who has been killed in a drunk-driving accident and the participants’ own reported alcohol consumption is not significantly related, however, knowing someone who has been killed in a drunk driving accident is significantly related to the participants’ own drunk driving behaviors, with those reporting higher levels of drunk driving being those who knew someone killed in a drunk driving accident. The study also indicates that the rated level of closeness to the person the participant knew who had been killed in a drunk driving accident was not significantly related to their own alcohol consumption nor their own drunk driving behaviors. Although the data doesn’t show a level of significance between rated closeness to the person the participant knew who had died in a drunk-driving accident and their own drinking and drunk-driving behaviors, data does indicate a trend toward social group behaviors. There were six participants who reported being “Very Close” to someone who had been killed in a drunk-driving accident. Those six participants reported a higher mean (tables 2 and 4) for both alcohol consumption in the past 30 days and also for driving under the influence of alcohol in the past 30 days. This trend is something that possibly relates back to social group actions (e.g. the peer group of the individual who was killed in a drunk-driving accident is more likely to participate in drinking and drunk-driving than those not in that same peer group). The statistical power of the results indicating the peer groups (closeness) trends was compromised due to the small amount of participants (6 students) that fell within the group that rated being “very close” to someone who had been killed in a drunk-driving accident. This finding may have been found significant had there been more participants in this particular rating group

Estimating Total Phosphorus and Total Suspended Solids Loads from High Frequency Data

Frequently measured turbidity was examined as a surrogate for total phosphorus (TP) and total suspended solids (TSS) loads at two locations in the Little Bear River, Utah, USA. Using regression techniques, equations were developed for TP and TSS as functions of turbidity. The equations accounted for censored data, and additional explanatory variables to represent hydrological conditions were considered for inclusion in the equations. By using the resulting surrogate relationships with high frequency turbidity measurements, high frequency estimates of TP and TSS concentrations were calculated. To examine the effect of sampling frequency, reference loads were determined from the concentration records for two water years. The concentration records were artificially decimated to represent various frequencies of manual grab sampling from which annual loads were calculated and compared to the reference loads

Water Data Science: Data Driven Techniques, Training, and Tools for Improved Management of High Frequency Water Resources Data

Electronic sensors can measure water and climate conditions at high frequency and generate large quantities of observed data. This work addresses data management challenges associated with the volume and complexity of high frequency water data. We developed techniques for automatically reviewing data, created materials for training water data managers, and explored existing and emerging technologies for sensor data management. Data collected by sensors often include errors due to sensor failure or environmental conditions that need to be removed, labeled, or corrected before the data can be used for analysis. Manual review and correction of these data can be tedious and time consuming. To help automate these tasks, we developed a computer program that automatically checks the data for mistakes and attempts to fix them. This tool has the potential to save time and effort and is available to scientists and practitioners who use sensors to monitor water. Scientists may lack skillsets for working with sensor data because traditional engineering or science courses do not address how work with complex data with modern technology. We surveyed and interviewed instructors who teach courses related to “hydroinformatics” or “water data science” to understand challenges in incorporating data science techniques and tools into water resources teaching. Based on their feedback, we created educational materials that demonstrate how the articulated challenges can be effectively addressed to provide high-quality instruction. These materials are available online for students and teachers. In addition to skills for working with sensor data, scientists and engineers need tools for storing, managing, and sharing these data. Hydrologic information systems (HIS) help manage the data collected using sensors. HIS make sure that data can be effectively used by providing the computer infrastructure to get data from sensors in the field to secure data storage and then into the hands of scientists and others who use them. This work describes the evolution of software and standards that comprise HIS. We present the main components of HIS, describe currently available systems and gaps in technology or functionality, and then discuss opportunities for improved infrastructure that would make sensor data easier to collect, manage, and use. In short, we are trying to make sure that sensor data are good and useful; we’re helping instructors teach prospective data collectors and users about water and data; and we are making sure that the systems that enable collection, storage, management, and use of the data work smoothly

Open Learning Resources for Water Data Analysis

Presented as part of the Open for Climate Justice: Lightning Talks event

Story Communion: A Guidebook for Creating Sacred Space to Foster Kinship Amid Diversity in Christian Communities

Christian communities are deeply divided theologically, socioeconomically, ethnically, and politically; thus, the popularity of the saying: “The most segregated time in America is on Sunday mornings.” Though there is wide consensus that this is problematic due to God’s clear desire for kinship among God’s people, most Christians are unsure what to do about this problem. This project aims to remove common barriers to diverse Christian communion by offering an affordable, easily repeatable, portable model for transformational connection across diverse Christian communities. Utilizing a blended methodology that draws upon bibliographic resources, data derived from stakeholder collaboration, and human-centered design and iteration processes, this project is heuristic-based and application-oriented. Barriers to Christian communion amid diversity discussed in this project are lack of opportunity for connection, personal bias, misunderstanding, perceived absence of commonality, lack of psychological safety, and inability to listen well to the stories of others. This project presents a model, called Story Communion©, which removes the barriers for diverse Christian groups by leveraging sacred space for powerful storytelling, deep listening, transformative dialogue, and meaningful feasting. Through research-based elements such as pre-gathering listening workshops, storyteller training, culinary diplomacy, spiritual formation practices, and exclusive participation, Story Communion© offers a unique and effective method for developing Christian kinship. Data collected from stakeholders and research participants indicates that Story Communion© is effective at fostering connection, reducing bias, developing storytelling and deep listening skills, and invoking a sense of curiosity about the presence and activity of God in the lives of diverse others. The Story Communion© guidebook provides Christian communities a research-and-outcome based, practical, and simple method for reaching across perceived divides for the sake of kinship in the Body of Christ

Education of Staff Nurses on the Implementation of a Standardized Clinical Care Pathway for Patients Who Undergo Correction of Pectus Excavatum

Objective: Educate staff nurses on a new standardized clinical care pathway (SCCP) for Nuss Procedure patients to decrease the length of stay, decrease hospital costs, decrease postoperative complications, and improve pain control. Design: Evidence-based practice improvement initiative. Setting/Local Problem: An inpatient surgery unit at a local pediatric medical center with no previous standardized care plan for Nuss Procedure patients. Participants: All staff nurses working on the inpatient surgery unit of a pediatric medical center. Intervention/Measurements: An SCCP was created by a multidisciplinary care team. All staff nurses on the inpatient surgery unit at a local pediatric medical center were assigned an online education module to evaluate pre/post-knowledge of nursing care from a standardized clinical care pathway for patients after receiving the Nuss Procedure. Chart audits were completed to assess staff nurses’ utilization of the SCCP on patients undergoing the Nuss Procedure to assess patient outcome measures and length of stay. This project aimed to enhance policies and protocols and decrease Nuss patients’ length of stay, which in turn improves patient outcomes and healthcare costs. Results: Fourteen out of 32 staff nurses completed the nursing education module, with a 44% compliance rate. Pre-test score (M = 9.07, SD = 1.27). Post-test score (M = 10.71, SD = 0.47). Patient length of stay decreased from M = 4.2 days in 2020 to M =2 days in 2022 (p = 0.001). Chart audits revealed that the nursing staff adhered to charting patient diet and hygiene, not ambulation or incentive spirometry use. Conclusion: Implementation of an SCCP leads to decreased postoperative length of stay in Nuss Procedure patients. In nursing staff, post-knowledge assessment scores were higher than pre-knowledge assessment scores. The nursing staff adhered to charting measures pre-populated in the electronic charting system but showed poor compliance in charting interventions that needed to be manually added to the patient chart. Adherence to a daily patient checklist could not be assessed due to the misplacement of the checklists upon patient discharge

Reproductive Coercion and Relationship Abuse Among Adolescents and Young Women Seeking Care at School Health Centers.

ObjectiveTo investigate demographic differences and evaluate how reproductive coercion and relationship abuse influences young females' care-seeking and sexual health behaviors.MethodsWe conducted a secondary analysis of cross-sectional baseline survey data from sexually active female students (aged 14-19 years) who sought care from school health centers. Outcomes included recent (previous 3 months) reproductive coercion, physical or sexual adolescent relationship abuse, and nonpartner sexual violence victimization. Cluster-adjusted χ tests compared demographics and generalized linear mixed models estimated associations among reproductive coercion, adolescent relationship abuse (physical and sexual abuse in romantic relationships), and care-seeking and sexual health behaviors.ResultsOf 550 sexually active high school females, 12% reported recent reproductive coercion and 17% reported physical or sexual adolescent relationship abuse, with no significant demographic differences. Prevalence of recent nonpartner sexual violence was 17%. There were no observed significant differences in care-seeking behaviors among those with recent reproductive coercion compared with those without. Physical or sexual adolescent relationship abuse was associated with increased odds of seeking testing or treatment for sexually transmitted infections (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.08, 95% CI 1.05-4.13). Females exposed to both adolescent relationship abuse and reproductive coercion had higher odds of having a partner who was 5 or more years older (aOR 4.66, 95% CI 1.51-14.4), having two or more recent sexual partners (aOR 3.86, 95% CI 1.57-9.48), and using hormonal contraception only (aOR 3.77, 95% CI 1.09-13.1 vs hormonal methods with condoms).ConclusionAlmost one in eight females experienced recent reproductive coercion. We did not observe significant demographic differences in reproductive coercion. Partner age and number of sexual partners may elevate risk for abusive relationships. Relationship abuse is prevalent among high school students seeking care, with no clear pattern for case identification. By failing to identify factors associated with harmful partner behaviors, our results support universal assessment for reproductive coercion and relationship abuse among high school-aged adolescents, involving education, resources, and harm-reduction counseling to all patients.Clinical trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01678378

ODM Tools Python: Open Source Software For Managing Continuous Sensor Data

Hydrologic and water quality data is being collected at high frequencies, for extended durations, and with spatial distributions that require infrastructure for data storage and management. The Observations Data Model (ODM), which is part of the Consortium of Universities for the Advancement of Hydrologic Science, Inc. (CUAHSI) Hydrologic Information System (HIS), was developed as a framework in which to organize, store, and describe point observations data. In this paper we describe ODM Tools Python, which is an open source software application that allows ODM users to query and export, visualize, and edit data stored in an ODM database. Previous versions of ODM Tools included functionality to export data series and associated metadata, plot and summarize single data series, generate derivative data series, and edit data series using a set of simple tools. We have developed a new version of ODM Tools in Python that adds a modernized graphical user interface, multiple platform support (Windows, Linux, and Mac), multiple database support (Microsoft SQL Server and MySQL), and support for automated scripting of quality control edits performed on data series through an integrated Python script editor and console. Scripting records the corrections and adjustments made to data series in the quality control process, ensuring that the steps are traceable and reproducible. Additional improvements to ODM Tools Python include customizable queries for data selection and export, the ability to plot multiple data series simultaneously with various plot types, and user-defined functions for data series editing and derivation