Connecting Rodents to Our Roots: A Journey into Education and Outreach

The natural world often relies on processes that are not immediately apparent to us. Even if such a behind‐the‐scenes process is well researched, that research might have little effect if the public does not learn about it. This article describes my experience researching the important relationship between small mammals, mycorrhizal fungi, and forest health and then describes the outreach program I conducted on this topic. With a research team from the University of New Hampshire and funded by a Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF), I observed the movement and diet patterns of seven rodent species at the Dartmouth College Woodland. Our research showed that rodents carried truffle spores from the established woods into regenerating sections of forest, which needed to establish relationships with the fungi in order to grow and thrive. To extend my summer field research and to apply my studies as an outdoor education major, I created an experiential outreach program to educate the public and show them how they can help to maintain forest health. The engagement of participants, their feedback at the end of the program, and their ability to discuss what they had learned made the outreach program a success

Long-term neurocognitive function of pediatric patients with severe combined immune deficiency (SCID): pre- and post-hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT).

BACKGROUND:Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is the only cure for patients with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID). The purpose of this study was to evaluate long-term neurodevelopment of patients with SCID following myeloablative chemotherapy and HSCT. MATERIALS AND METHODS:Sixteen pediatric patients diagnosed with SCID were tested using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development and the validated Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (VABS) pre- and 1-year post-HSCT. Three years post-HSCT, there were 11 patients available for testing and four patients available 5 years post-HSCT. Patients greater than 3 years of age were administered the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence. Both raw scores and scaled scores were analyzed. RESULTS:There was a significant decrease 1 year post-HSCT in the Bayley Mental Developmental Index (MDI) [92.5 (pre) vs. 70.81 (1 year post), p < 0.0001] and the VABS [99.73 (pre) vs. 79.87 (1 year post), p = <0.0001]. There was a significant decrease over time in the MDI [95.00 (pre) vs. 72.64 (1 year post) vs. 71.82 (3 years post), p < 0.0001], but no significant change between 1 and 3 years post-HSCT. There was no change in the Bayley Psychomotor Development Scale (PDI) [82.4 (pre) vs. 84.8 (1 year post), p = 0.68]. The PDI scores decreased over time [86.29 (pre) vs. 86 (1 year post) vs. 74.14 (3 years post), p = 0.045]. Although there was a decrease in scaled scores, there was not a loss of skills. Analysis of raw scores showed that there was an increase in the raw test scores, which indicated that these children acquired developmental skills, but at a slower rate than normal infants and toddlers. Younger children had a more significant decrease in adaptive scores compared with older children. CONCLUSIONS:These findings may reflect the effects of the isolation and prolonged hospitalization that characterizes the immediate post-transplant period. Patients miss out on social interactions and learning opportunities that normally occur at their respective stages of development. These restrictions keep patients from acquiring developmentally appropriate cognitive skills as well as gross and fine motor developmental milestones. Longitudinal follow-up will be important to quantify acquisition of skills

Fetal Biometry is a Prerequisite Part of Modern Antenatal Care

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Relationship of Acute Phase Reactants and Fat Accumulation during Treatment for Tuberculosis

Background. Tuberculosis causes inflammation and muscle wasting. We investigated how attenuation of inflammation relates to repletion of body composition during treatment in an underserved population. Design. Twenty-four patients (23 to 79 years old) with pulmonary tuberculosis and inflammation (pretreatment albumin = 2.96 ± 0.13 g/dL, C-reactive protein [CRP] = 6.71 ± 1.34 μg/dL, and beta-2-microglobulin = 1.68 ± 0.10 μg/L) were evaluated and had BIA over 24 weeks. Results. Weight increased by 3.02 ± 0.81 kg (5.5%; P = 0.007) at week 4 and by 8.59 ± 0.97 kg (15.6%; P < 0.0001) at week 24. Repletion of body mass was primarily fat, which increased by 2.09 ± 0.52 kg at week 4 and 5.05 ± 0.56 kg at week 24 (P = 0.004 and P < 0.0001 versus baseline). Fat-free mass (FFM), body cell mass (BCM), and phase angle did not increase until study week 8. Albumin rose to 3.65 ± 0.14 g/dL by week 4 (P < 0.001) and slowly increased thereafter. CRP levels declined by ∼50% at each interval visit. Conclusions. During the initial treatment, acute phase reactants returned towards normal. The predominant accrual of fat mass probably reflects ongoing, low levels of inflammation

Variation in genetic admixture and population structure among Latinos: the Los Angeles Latino eye study (LALES)

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Population structure and admixture have strong confounding effects on genetic association studies. Discordant frequencies for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) risk alleles and for AMD incidence and prevalence rates are reported across different ethnic groups. We examined the genomic ancestry characterizing 538 Latinos drawn from the Los Angeles Latino Eye Study [LALES] as part of an ongoing AMD-association study. To help assess the degree of Native American ancestry inherited by Latino populations we sampled 25 Mayans and 5 Mexican Indians collected through Coriell's Institute. Levels of European, Asian, and African descent in Latinos were inferred through the USC Multiethnic Panel (USC MEP), formed from a sample from the Multiethnic Cohort (MEC) study, the Yoruba African samples from HapMap II, the Singapore Chinese Health Study, and a prospective cohort from Shanghai, China. A total of 233 ancestry informative markers were genotyped for 538 LALES Latinos, 30 Native Americans, and 355 USC MEP individuals (African Americans, Japanese, Chinese, European Americans, Latinos, and Native Hawaiians). Sensitivity of ancestry estimates to relative sample size was considered.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We detected strong evidence for recent population admixture in LALES Latinos. Gradients of increasing Native American background and of correspondingly decreasing European ancestry were observed as a function of birth origin from North to South. The strongest excess of homozygosity, a reflection of recent population admixture, was observed in non-US born Latinos that recently populated the US. A set of 42 SNPs especially informative for distinguishing between Native Americans and Europeans were identified.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These findings reflect the historic migration patterns of Native Americans and suggest that while the 'Latino' label is used to categorize the entire population, there exists a strong degree of heterogeneity within that population, and that it will be important to assess this heterogeneity within future association studies on Latino populations. Our study raises awareness of the diversity within "Latinos" and the necessity to assess appropriate risk and treatment management.</p

Microeletrônica: qual é a ambição do Brasil?

Bibliografia: p. 393-396.A importância da eletrônica é cada vez mais percebida no cotidiano de empresas, governos e pessoas. Dos brinquedos infantis a aviões e carros não tripulados, passando pela automação do agronegócio, indústria e serviços, os componentes semicondutores estão no coração da Revolução da Informação, agregando parcelas cada vez maiores das funcionalidades e do custo a esses bens. Tal como diversos países desenvolvidos e em desenvolvimento, o Brasil definiu as bases de sua estratégia e tornou a posicionar o setor como prioritário desde o início da década de 2000. O artigo realiza uma análise da série de medidas implantadas, com consequente criação de “embriões” privados e públicos de um ecossistema produtivo em construção e propõe algumas recomendações para os agentes públicos e privados envolvidos com o setor. Como uma indústria dependente de incentivos e com longo prazo de maturação, é de suma importância que o governo redobre o compromisso com uma agenda de longo prazo, criando condições para que esses embriões floresçam e para que o Brasil seja um destino competitivo para novos investimentos. Para tanto, há necessidade de implementar um conjunto amplo e oordenado de medidas, centradas em ações para formação de pessoal, financiamento, incentivo à inovação, desenvolvimento de mercado local, logística, entre outros. O esforço do governo para a gestão dessas iniciativas é fundamental, com identificação de interlocutores de alto nível e priorização efetiva na implementação das medidas já percebidas