Non-Coding RNAs in Agrobacterium tumerfaciens

A. tumefaciens is a plant pathogen responsible for crown gall disease in infected plants and is unique in its ability to carry out inter-kingdom gene transformation. For this reason, A. tumefaciens has been extensively studied with regards to its transformation capabilities and is widely used as a tool for plant transformation. Recent work has identified hundreds of putative non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) that map to regions on the chromosomes of A. tumefaciens. ncRNAs, called non-coding because they are not believed to code for proteins, are thought to play important regulatory roles in organisms from every walk of life. Further studies of the roles of ncRNAs in A. tumefaciens have the potential to reveal conserved ncRNA regulatory mechanisms, increase knowledge regarding plant-pathogen interactions, and provide insight into ways to broaden Agrobacterium’s transformation capabilities in recalcitrant plant species

Reorganization of a government's engineering division to model civilian organization for success

textThe Directorate Public of Works Engineering Service Branch is responsible new designs, renovations of existing construction, and general supervision of new construction. Over the years (especially in the last two or three years), the Design Branch has been perceived as providing a low quality product. The quality can be directly related to personnel issues within the organization such as heavy workloads, low morale, lack of respect for management, and lack of leadership which is required to improve the quality of work. As a result of the evaluation of the current organizational structure and how it contributes to the personnel aspects of its staff I have recommended that the organization transitions from an operational structure to a matrix structure. I have furthermore, identifying the strengths of the recommended structure and how it will contribute to the improvement in the quality of the design. I have also identified weaknesses of the recommended structure and sought to identify solutions to minimize negative impacts on the organization. The roles and responsibilities are also identified in the recommended matrix organizational structure.Engineering Managemen

Well-being in the context of Indigenous heritage management: A Hach Winik perspective from Metzabok, Chiapas, Mexico

In this article, we examine what local well-being means in the contexts of collaborative heritage management and national development in Mexico. Driven by the request of Lacandon Mayas (including the second author) who live in Puerto Bello Metzabok, Chiapas, Mexico, in 2018, we engaged in archeological consolidation and heritage management to promote local tourism and sustainable economic development. This collaboration raised a series of ethical and practical questions of how to engage with the Eurocentric project of development. Addressing these issues has become critical, as the Mexican president\u27s signature infrastructure project, Tren Maya (Maya Train), is designed to promote nationwide development via increased cultural heritage tourism in Chiapas and southern Mexico. Through critical reflection on experiences with Metzabok community members, we address Eurocentrism and colonialism by enacting a Lacandon (i.e., Hach Winik) buen vivir. This form of well-being is relational and communal and creates a common good that includes more-than-humans. Via this critical perspective, we argue that a decolonial project can use the tools of development as an initial step in creating Indigenous well-being

Improving Frequency of Hand Hygiene Education from Providers to Patients

Hand hygiene compliance is one of the most simplest forms of preventing infection. This paper focuses on improving the frequency and standardizing hand hygiene education to patients delivered by health care professionals from a primary care clinic. The ambulatory suburban community clinic in Oakland primarily serves the underserved population. The target population are the following providers: Physicians, Physician Assistants, Nurse Practitioners, Registered Nurse, Licensed Practical Nurse, and Medical Assistants. A survey was adapted from evidence-based studies, WHO, and CDC to collect data on current hand hygiene education provided to patients from healthcare professionals. An additional survey was given to patients to assess baseline hand hygiene compliance and education that was provided by their health care providers. An educational tool was created for Physicians, Physician Assistants, Nurse Practitioners, Registered Nurse, Licensed Practical Nurse, Medical Assistants and Nursing Students to have available during patient calls to promote standardized hand hygiene education. Eighteen of 38 providers responded to surveys. Of those 18, 61.1% of health care providers stated hand hygiene education was not at all provided to their patients. The results called for standardizing hand hygiene education to be implemented using the educational tool four weeks to test effectiveness. Due to the competing demands of staff involvement during the COVID-19 transition, the clinical staff did not buy-in. For the implementation tool to take place, we recommended that future nursing students pilot the study by using the hand hygiene educational tool in person to test effectiveness. After the implementation of the educational tool during patient appointments, we would like to see an 20% increase of healthcare professionals providing hand hygiene education

Effects of Hydrogen Bonding and Molecular Chain Flexibility of Substituted n-Alkyldimethylsilanes On Impact Ice Adhesion Shear Strength

The effects of hydrogen bonding and molecular flexibility upon ice adhesion shear strength were investigated using aluminum substrates coated with substituted n-alkyldimethylalkoxysilanes. The location of the chemical group substitution was on the opposing end of the linear n-alkyl chain with respect to silicon. Three hydrogen-bonding characteristics were evaluated: 1) non-hydrogen bonding, 2) donor/acceptor, and 3) acceptor. Varying the length of the n-alkyl chain provided an assessment of molecular chain flexibility. Coated and uncoated aluminum surfaces were characterized by receding water contact angle and surface roughness. Ice adhesion shear strength was determined in the Adverse Environment Rotor Test Stand facility from -16 to -8C that simulated aircraft in-flight icing conditions within the FAR Part 25/29 Appendix C icing envelope. Surface roughness of the coatings was similar allowing for comparison of the test results. An adhesion reduction factor, based on the ice adhesion shear strength data with respect to uncoated aluminum obtained at the same temperature, was calculated to compare the data. The results revealed complex interactions with impacting supercooled water droplets that were interdependent upon ice accretion temperature, surface energy characteristics of water and ice, hydrogen bonding characteristic of the substituent, and length of the n-alkyl chain. To aid in explaining the results, 1) changes in the surface energy component (i.e., non-polar and polar) values that water undergoes during its phase change from liquid to solid that arise from the freezing of impacting supercooled water droplets on the surface depended upon the temperature during accretion were taken into account and 2) the physical properties (i.e., water solubility and melting point) of small compounds analogous to the substituted n-alkyldimethylalkoxysilanes used in this study were compared

Identifying Occupational Therapy’s Role in the Interprofessional Team for Combating Barriers to Correct Medication Adherence for Older Adults

Occupational therapy is crucial to the interprofessional team, with a focus on client-centered interventions, a holistic approach to health promotion and prevention and a comprehensive overlook on quality of life. The focus of occupational therapy is to collaborate with clients to find meaningful engagement in occupations to promote participation. The occupational therapist’s perspective on the person holistically marks their contribution to the interprofessional team in order to meet the needs to provide for the client, their families, and their community (Doll & Earland, 2020). Other than occupational therapists, the interdisciplinary team may consist of nurses, pharmacists and caregivers. Nurses are in a position to teach medication self-management to patients and their families to prepare them for discharge. Pharmacists are in a position where they are able to review regimen complexity when conducting medication reviews (Elliot, et al., 2013). In addition, they directly communicate information to the patient\u27s primary healthcare provider. By doing so, the patient will have a clearer understanding of the appropriate medications to consume. Formal and informal caregivers, who are taught to distribute medications properly to those they are caring for, can be seen as collaborators in the interdisciplinary team

Extraction-Purification-Formulation de composés naturels capables de bloquer la synthèse de l'Aflatoxine B1

La contamination des récoltes par les aflatoxines (métabolites secondaires fongiques cancérigènes pour l’homme) est un problème de santé publique majeur, en particulier dans les régions chaudes où les conditions sont favorables pour le développement des espèces fongiques productrices (A. flavus et A. parasiticus). Cependant, les changements climatiques en cours modifient la distribution de ces toxines et leur présence a été signalée en Europe et notamment en France. Pour limiter l’exposition des consommateurs à ces contaminants, il existe des réglementations dans de nombreux pays dont l’Europe. Ces limites visent à protéger les consommateurs mais ont aussi des impacts économiques forts en limitant la valeur des lots contaminés. Afin de limiter la contamination des récoltes par les aflatoxines, différentes stratégies ont été développées. Elles visent à prévenir la contamination, décontaminer les aliments ou limiter les effets toxiques des contaminants présents (détoxification). Nos travaux visent à améliorer la lutte contre la contamination en prévenant la biosynthèse de la toxine par les espèces fongiques présentes dans les récoltes par l'utilisation d'extraits naturels de plantes, source de composés bioactifs et principalement de composés phénoliques à activité antioxydante. Dans ce contexte, nous avons, dans un premier temps, évalué la capacité des extraits aqueux de trois plantes mexicaines (Mimosa tenuiflora, Larrea tridentata et Lippia graveolens) à inhiber la production d'aflatoxine B1 par A. flavus. Ces extraits ont ensuite été caractérisés pour leur teneur en composés phénoliques et leur capacité antioxydante. Ils ont ensuite été fractionnés pour caractériser les molécules/propriétés biologiques responsables de l’inhibition de la production d'AFB1. Ces essais montrent qu’il existe une relation entre la teneur en composés phénoliques et la capacité antioxydante des extraits et leur capacité à inhiber la production d'AFB1

Demand Driven Research Support in the Library: A Case Study in History and Digital Humanities

This section presents the timeline of instruction support, research consultation, and collection development offered by faculty librarians Molly Castro and Christopher M. Jimenez to support History Professor Kyle Pan and History grad student Noel Hernandez. Noel’s dissertation research and accompanying digital history project on the history of rock bands in Latin America serve as a case study on demand driven research support from librarians in both Information & Research Services and Digital Humanities