Economic Capital and Hispanic Economically Disadvantaged Student Persistence at a Hispanic-Serving Institution

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between college persistence and family income, parental education level, and type of financial aid for first-time, full-time Hispanic economically disadvantaged students selected from a South Texas Hispanic-serving institution. The dependent variable, college persistence, was measured by completed college credit hours per academic year. Predictor variables included family income, collected from the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and parental education level, collected from the FAFSA for Parent 1 and Parent 2, as provided, indicating level of schooling received. Type of financial aid was the category of aid received, such as grants, loans, scholarships, work-study, or other. A quantitative design was useful to examine the impact of family income, parental education level, and type of financial aid on college persistence for first-time, full-time college students attending a Hispanic-serving institution in South Texas. A multiple linear regression analysis was the statistic used to determine if there was a relationship between the dependent variable, college persistence, and the predictor variables: family income, parental education level, and type of financial aid. Testing for the null hypothesis occurred using a level of significance, or alpha level, of .05. The literature review includes a historical Hispanic population growth background, how researchers have historically measured persistence, Hispanic student persistence, understanding the college price, and loan debt impact. The theoretical framework comprised Tinto’s (1975) theory of student departure and Becker’s (1975) human capital theory. This study focused on the persistence section of the theory of student departure and the relationship between persistence and financial aid variables, with human capital theory used to tie the economic aspect of financial aid, particularly student loans, to student persistence. The results showed a relationship between persistence and family income, parental education level, and type of financial aid. The multiple linear regression, conducted independently for enrolled students for 4 academic years, showed grants and scholarships consistently among the top three contributing variables of the total variance in predicting persistence. All seven predictor variables were significant in the first year, with grants and scholarships the top two contributing variables to predict persistence. Six of the seven predictor variables were significant in the second year, with grants and scholarships the top two contributing variables to predict persistence and family income next; parental education level was not significant. In the third year, six of the seven predictor variables were significant, with grants and scholarships the top two contributing variables to predict persistence and family income next; parental education level was not significant. Seven predictor variables were significant in the fourth year, with grants and scholarships the top two contributing variables to predict persistence followed by scholarships. Work-study was not significant

Community Profiles: An Evaluation and Planning Tool for Neighborhood Systems and Environmental Change Efforts

Purpose: Latinos in the US experience health disparities in obesity and related disease outcomes. There is national recognition that modifiable risk factors are influenced by the places that people work, live and play. Latinos are more likely to live in areas with limited access to affordable healthy food and recreational facilities. Design: This paper describes the development and use of neighborhood profiles as a tool for (1) assessing neighborhood built environments and (2) planning for neighborhood-based efforts focused on systems and environmental change. Our neighborhood profiles united four diverse data sources: secondary data, observational assessments, neighborhood connector interviews and resident surveys. Subjects: Twelve mostly urban, largely Latino neighborhoods of high economic disparity in Pima County, Arizona were included. Analysis: Secondary data was analyzed to describe sociodemographic characteristics of neighborhoods, while observational assessments were used to quantify and qualify aspects of the built environment. Neighborhood surveys and connector interviews were analyzed using frequency distributions and content analysis. Results: Neighborhoods varied in healthy food availability and physical activity infrastructure. Overall, residents indicated that community gardens and healthy food options in local stores are priorities. Conclusion: Neighborhood profiles demonstrated potential as an evaluation and community-planning tool to assist communities to create healthy environments

Optical Characterization of a Single Quantum Emitter Based on Vanadium Phthalocyanine Molecules

Single quantum emitters play a fundamental role in the development of quantum technologies such as quantum repeaters, and quantum information processing. Isolating individual molecules with stable optical emission is an essential step for these applications, specially for those molecules that present large coherence times at room temperature. Among them, vanadium-oxide phthalocyanine (VOPc) molecules stand out as promising candidates due to their large coherence times measured in ensemble. However, the optical properties of individual molecules have not yet been reported. Here we show that single VOPc molecules with stable optical properties at room temperature can be isolated. We find that the optical response of the molecule under laser illumination of different polarization agrees well with a system having pyramidal C$_{4v}$ symmetry. Furthermore, the molecule reveals a non-radiative transition rate that depends on the excitation wavelength when its lifetime is interrogated. We provide theoretical calculations that support our experimental findings and provide insight to the role of phonons and internal electronic structure of the molecule. These results demonstrate that this single paramagnetic molecule can function as a single quantum emitter while displaying optical stability under ambient conditions to have their intrinsic properties investigated

Impact of transient correction of increased adrenocortical activity in hypothalamo-damaged, hyperadipose female rats

Objective: To explore the effects of transient correction of enhanced corticoadrenal activity in monosodium L-glutamate (MSG)-damaged female rats on peripheral insulin sensitivity and in vitro retroperitoneal (RP) adipocyte function. Designs: A dose of 4 mg/g body weight (BW) of MSG or vehicle (CTR) was i.p. injected, once every 2 days, between days 2 and 10 of age, in female rats. Intact and 21 day-operated (sham or adrenal enucleation (AE)) rats from both (CTR and MSG) groups were used for experimentation on day 120 of age. Circulating levels of several hormones, in basal and after i.v. high-glucose load conditions, and RP adiposity morphology and function were then evaluated. Results: MSG rats developed increased adrenocortical function, hyperadiposity, hyperleptinemia, hyperinsulinemia and decreased peripheral insulin sensitivity. These characteristics were fully reversed after transient correction of corticoadrenal hyperactivity induced by AE. In addition, in vitro experimentation with isolated RP adipocytes indicated that cells from intact MSG animals displayed decreased sensitivity to insulin and dexamethasone stimulation of leptin secretion. Interestingly, adipocyte dysfunction in MSG rats was fully abrogated after AE-induced transient correction of insulinemia, leptinemia and adrenocortical activity. Importantly, the reversion of these metabolic abnormalities, induced by AE for 21 days, in MSG animals did occur, despite no significant changes in BW values. Conclusion: Our results support that the changes in adipocyte characteristics and peripheral insulin resistance, developed in this pseudo-obese female rat model, are mainly due to increased glucocorticoid production. Importantly, appropriate correction of the enhanced adrenocortical activity fully reversed these abnormal functions.Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología CelularFacultad de Ciencias MédicasFacultad de Ciencias Exacta

CDC2 mediates progestin initiated endometrial stromal cell proliferation: a PR signaling to gene expression independently of its binding to chromatin

Although non-genomic steroid receptor pathways have been studied over the past decade, little is known about the direct gene expression changes that take place as a consequence of their activation. Progesterone controls proliferation of rat endometrial stromal cells during the peri-implantation phase of pregnancy. We showed that picomolar concentration of progestin R5020 mimics this control in UIII endometrial stromal cells via ERK1-2 and AKT activation mediated by interaction of Progesterone Receptor (PR) with Estrogen Receptor beta (ERb) and without transcriptional activity of endogenous PR and ER. Here we identify early downstream targets of cytoplasmic PR signaling and their possible role in endometrial stromal cell proliferation. Microarray analysis of global gene expression changes in UIII cells treated for 45 min with progestin identified 97 up- and 341 down-regulated genes. The most over-represented molecular functions were transcription factors and regulatory factors associated with cell proliferation and cell cycle, a large fraction of which were repressors down-regulated by hormone. Further analysis verified that progestins regulate Ccnd1, JunD, Usf1, Gfi1, Cyr61, and Cdkn1b through PR-mediated activation of ligand-free ER, ERK1-2 or AKT, in the absence of genomic PR binding. ChIP experiments show that progestin promoted the interaction of USF1 with the proximal promoter of the Cdc2 gene. Usf1 knockdown abolished Cdc2 progestin-dependent transcriptional regulation and cell proliferation, which also blocked Cdc2 knockdown. We conclude that progestin-induced proliferation of endometrial stromal cells is mediated by ERK1-2 and AKT dependent early regulation of USF1, which directly induces Cdc2. To our knowledge, this is the first description of early target genes of progestin-activated classical PR via crosstalk with protein kinases and independently of hormone receptor binding to the genomic targets.Fil: Vallejo, Griselda. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (i); ArgentinaFil: la Greca, Alejandro Damián. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (i); ArgentinaFil: Tarifa Reischle, Inti C.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (i); ArgentinaFil: Mestre Citrinovitz, Ana Cecilia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (i); ArgentinaFil: Ballaré, Cecilia. Centro de Regulación Genómica; EspañaFil: Beato, Miguel. Centro de Regulación Genómica; España. Universitat Pompeu Fabra; EspañaFil: Saragüeta, Patricia Esther. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (i); Argentin

Canonical and non-canonical inflammasome activation by outer membrane vesicles derived from Bordetella pertussis

Outer Membrane Vesicles (OMVs) derived from different Gram-negative bacteria have been proposed as an attractive vaccine platform because of their own immunogenic adjuvant properties. Pertussis or whooping cough is a highly contagious vaccine-preventable respiratory disease that resurged during the last decades in many countries. In response to the epidemiological situation, new boosters have been incorporated into vaccination schedules worldwide and new vaccine candidates have started to be designed. Particularly, our group designed a new pertussis vaccine candidate based on OMVs derived from Bordetella pertussis (BpOMVs). To continue with the characterization of the immune response induced by our OMV based vaccine candidate, this work aimed to investigate the ability of OMVs to activate the inflammasome pathway in macrophages. We observed that NLRP3, caspase-1/11, and gasdermin-D (GSDMD) are involved in inflammasome activation by BpOMVs. Moreover, we demonstrated that BpOMVs as well as transfected B. pertussis lipooligosaccharide (BpLOS) induce caspase-11 (Casp11) and guanylate-binding proteins (GBPs) dependent non-canonical inflammasome activation. Our results elucidate the mechanism by which BpOMVs trigger one central pathway of the innate response activation that is expected to skew the adaptive immune response elicited by BpOMVs vaccination.Fil: Elizagaray, Maia Lina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Estudios Inmunológicos y Fisiopatológicos. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Instituto de Estudios Inmunológicos y Fisiopatológicos; ArgentinaFil: Gomes, Marco Túlio R.. Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. Instituto de Ciências Biológicas; BrasilFil: Guimaraes, Erika S.. Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. Instituto de Ciências Biológicas; BrasilFil: Rumbo, Martín. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Estudios Inmunológicos y Fisiopatológicos. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Instituto de Estudios Inmunológicos y Fisiopatológicos; ArgentinaFil: Hozbor, Daniela Flavia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Biotecnología y Biología Molecular. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Instituto de Biotecnología y Biología Molecular; ArgentinaFil: Oliveira, Sergio C.. Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. Instituto de Ciências Biológicas; BrasilFil: Moreno, Griselda Noemí. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Estudios Inmunológicos y Fisiopatológicos. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Instituto de Estudios Inmunológicos y Fisiopatológicos; Argentin

Functional properties of exopolysaccharide (EPS) extract from Lactobacillus fermentum Lf2 and its impact when combined with Bifidobacterium animalis INL1 in yoghurt

The roles of an exopolysaccharide (EPS) extract from Lactobacillus fermentum Lf2 were studied individually or combined with a probiotic strain, Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis INL1. EPS in its purified form caused an increase in the levels of cytokine TNF-α; both purified and crude EPS produced an increase in the regulatory cytokine IL-10. BALB/c mice received yoghurt with no additives (Y), with EPS (YE), with bifidobacteria (YB), or both (YEB) for 25 days. Only the YE group presented significantly increased concentrations of total short chain fatty acids (p < 0.05) including acetic and butyric acids; the levels of the C. coccoides cluster also rose over time (p < 0.05) for this group. A possible bifidogenic role was observed with the YEB group, reflected in the increasing levels of the genus Bifidobacterium along time (p < 0.05); this was not observed when the probiotic was administered solely (YB group)

Generar conciencia sobre minibasurales, contaminación por plásticos y otros R.S.U. una tarea de (responsabilidad) de todos

El presente artículo se refiere a los talleres teórico-prácticos desarrollados, en el marco del Proyecto Voluntariado “Las 3R” financiado por la SPU del Ministerio de Educación de la Nación, con el objeto de difundir y educar sobre contaminación por plásticos, residuos sólidos urbanos y el impacto ambiental negativo que se produce debido a la presencia de minibasurales en los distintos barrios de nuestra ciudad. Mediante el trabajo en conjunto entre docentes y estudiantes de los diferentes niveles educativos, instituciones, y personas interesadas en la problemática planteada se puede disminuir la contaminación debido a los mini basurales a cielo abierto, residuos plásticos (PET, HDPE, PP y otros) y en el proceso lograr que los participantes a los talleres adquieran un aprendizaje significativo sobre tipos de plásticos, usos, y la importancia que presentan los procesos de recolección, separación y reutilización de residuos plásticos. Los talleres son realizados por miembros del grupo GIESMA de la FaCENA con la participación de instituciones educativas del nivel primario y secundario y organizaciones religiosas como CARITAS Corrientes

Aportes a la formación de grado del proyecto de extension “Capacitación productiva y organizacional periurbana: mejorando la sustentabilidad de emprendimientos productivos familiares”

El trabajo de la Extensión Universitaria se inserta dentro de las estrategias prioritarias en la misión social de las universidades. Desde esta concepción se entiende que las actividades de extensión producen un valioso aporte a la formación de todos los participantes, pero muy especialmente a la formación integral de los estudiantes de las carreras de grado. El objetivo del trabajo es analizar el rol del Proyecto de Extensión “Capacitación productiva y organizacional periurbana: Mejorando la sustentabilidad de emprendimientos productivos familiares” en la formación de grado de los estudiantes de la Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales de la UNLP. Hubo distintas modalidades de vinculación de estudiantes con las actividades del proyecto y ellas fueron valoradas en el marco institucional a través de diferentes instrumentos: actividades optativas, becas (de experiencia laboral y en extensión) y realización de trabajos finales de carrera. La participación en todas ellas significó un valioso aporte a la formación integral de los estudiantes. Se fortalecieron diferentes aspectos como la habilidad para trabajar en equipo, la formación práctica -especialmente producción y organización-, a través de un proceso de integración sistemática de teoría, práctica y vivencia, lo cual permitió obtener una mirada reflexiva y comprensiva de sectores productivos postergadosEje temático 5: La articulación con la comunidad b - Programas y experiencias: Voluntariado, cooperación, proyectos de extensión y vinculación con el medioFacultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestale