The Case for UBUNTU Linux Operating System Performance and Usability for Use in Higher Education in a Virtualized Environment

The use of Linux based Operating Systems (OS) in the classroom is increasing, but there is little research to address usability differences between Windows and Linux based OSs. Moreover, studies related to the ability for students to navigate effectively between Ubuntu 14.04 Long Term Support (LTS) and Windows 8 OSs are scant. This research aims to bridge the gap between modern Linux and Windows Oss, as the former represents a viable alternative to eliminate licensing costs for educational institutions. Preliminary findings, based on the analysis of the System Usability Scale results from a sample of 14 students, demonstrated that Ubuntu users did not require technical support to use the system, while the majority found little inconsistency in the system and regarded it as well integrated

The Power of Community: The Role of Community-Based Organizations in Mitigating COVID-19-Related Impacts on Well-Being Among South Florida's Minoritized Populations

The rapid closure of schools and businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact in South Florida, highlighting diverse challenges to community well-being. Community-based organizations (CBOs) have served as a source of support for community members, particularly in stressful times. Using a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods, and in collaboration with Breakthrough Miami, a CBO committed to addressing the educational opportunity gap in Miami-Dade County, we conducted a study to assess challenges to the well-being of systematically minoritized families during the heart of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study included longitudinal survey data collected via ecological momentary assessment and in-depth interviews with Breakthrough Miami families to gather richer and nuanced data regarding indicators of well-being and CBO engagement. Quantitative results indicated that as perceived stress increased over time, so too did emotional and informational support. Follow-up qualitative interviews indicated that 100% of families identified Breakthrough Miami as a source of academic support during the pandemic. Additionally, families cited the important role Breakthrough Miami played beyond their standard academic programs and services in coping with the most significant sources of stress reported through the pandemic: meeting basic needs and threats to socioemotional well-being. Implications for CBOs are addressed

The Power of Community: The Role of Community-Based Organizations in Mitigating COVID-19-Related Impacts on Well-Being Among South Florida's Minoritized Populations

The rapid closure of schools and businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact in South Florida, highlighting diverse challenges to community well-being. Community-based organizations (CBOs) have served as a source of support for community members, particularly in stressful times. Using a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods, and in collaboration with Breakthrough Miami, a CBO committed to addressing the educational opportunity gap in Miami-Dade County, we conducted a study to assess challenges to the well-being of systematically minoritized families during the heart of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study included longitudinal survey data collected via ecological momentary assessment and in-depth interviews with Breakthrough Miami families to gather richer and nuanced data regarding indicators of well-being and CBO engagement. Quantitative results indicated that as perceived stress increased over time, so too did emotional and informational support. Follow-up qualitative interviews indicated that 100% of families identified Breakthrough Miami as a source of academic support during the pandemic. Additionally, families cited the important role Breakthrough Miami played beyond their standard academic programs and services in coping with the most significant sources of stress reported through the pandemic: meeting basic needs and threats to socioemotional well-being. Implications for CBOs are addressed

Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead

The NLRP3 inflammasome functions as a driver of the myelodysplastic syndrome phenotype

Despite genetic heterogeneity, myelodysplastic syndromes (MDSs) share features of cytological dysplasia and ineffective hematopoiesis. We report that a hallmark of MDSs is activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome, which drives clonal expansion and pyroptotic cell death. Independent of genotype, MDS hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) overexpress inflammasome proteins and manifest activated NLRP3 complexes that direct activation of caspase-1, generation of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and IL-18, and pyroptotic cell death. Mechanistically, pyroptosis is triggered by the alarmin S100A9 that is found in excess in MDS HSPCs and bone marrow plasma. Further, like somatic gene mutations, S100A9-induced signaling activates NADPH oxidase (NOX), increasing levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that initiate cation influx, cell swelling, and β-catenin activation. Notably, knockdown of NLRP3 or caspase-1, neutralization of S100A9, and pharmacologic inhibition of NLRP3 or NOX suppress pyroptosis, ROS generation, and nuclear β-catenin in MDSs and are sufficient to restore effective hematopoiesis. Thus, alarmins and founder gene mutations in MDSs license a common redox-sensitive inflammasome circuit, which suggests new avenues for therapeutic intervention