Last Year\u27s Virus, This Year\u27s Cancer Treatment

For hundreds of years, cancer has stumped medical professionals across the world as a cure evaded them. Now, a new approach to battling cancer has entered the arena: viruses. The concept of using one deadly disease to cure another has elevated cancer research to an entirely new level, with some promising results. This article examines recent research regarding the use of a modified measles virus in improving cancer outcomes

Exploring Family Resilience and Connectedness During a Pandemic in Families Raising a Child with a Neurodevelopmental Disorder

Title from PDF of title page, viewed July 21, 2023Dissertation advisor: Erin P. HambrickVitaIncludes bibliographical references (pages 71-84)Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Department of Psychology. University of Missouri--Kansas City, 2023Families have been significantly affected by coronavirus disease (COVID-19), and those raising a child with a Neurodevelopmental Disorder (NDD) may be particularly vulnerable to negative consequences from the health catastrophe. Family resilience is a contributing factor to a family's strength in time of hardship and refers to the family’s “ability, as a functional system, to withstand and rebound from adversity” (Walsh, 2003, page 1). Additionally, a family’s connectedness (e.g., closeness, support, warmth, responsiveness; Manzi & Brambilla, 2014) can help bolster family resilience (Garner & Yogman, 2021). This study sought to first identify how the pandemic has affected families of children with an NDD compared to their neurotypical peers. Second, we wanted to understand whether differences in family resilience and ratings of connectedness existed between the two groups. Third, we analyzed whether family resilience and connectedness were associated with pandemic impact. Finally, we wanted to test whether the relationship between family resilience, connectedness, and pandemic impact was moderated (e.g., strengthened, diminished, or negated) by whether the family had a child with an NDD diagnosis. Caregivers completed questionnaires of family demographics, pandemic impact, and family resilience. Regarding differences in how the pandemic impacted families, our findings did not suggest that a significant difference existed in how the pandemic impacted (cumulative, indirect, and direct) either group. Next, we analyzed if there was a difference in ratings of overall family resilience between groups, but there was no significant difference in scores. Similarly, there was no significant relationship between family resilience and cumulative pandemic impact. However, there was a moderate, negative correlation between family resilience and indirect pandemic impact, and similar results were found regarding connectedness. Finally, group membership did not moderate the relationship between family resilience and pandemic impact. Implications for how mental health providers can foster and reinforce resilience of all families will be discussed.Introduction -- Review of the literature -- Methodology -- Results -- Discussio

Akan Traditional Games: An Indispensable Tool in Ghanaian Language Classroom in Respect to Classroom Interaction

This investigation examined the potential of incorporating Akan traditional games as an effective tool for enhancing classroom interaction in Ghanaian language classrooms. The study recognizes the importance of creating an engaging and interactive learning environment to facilitate language acquisition and cultural appreciation. Drawing upon previous research on the benefits of game-based learning, the paper investigates the specific role of Akan traditional games in promoting communication, collaboration, and cultural understanding among students. The investigation employs a single-methods research design, qualitative data collection techniques. A sample of (100) participants from Berekum Municipal, Mampong Municipal and Sekondi – Takoradi Municipal were selected, to represent a diverse range of socio-economic backgrounds and language abilities as population sampling. Observation and interviews were conducted to gather qualitative data, allowing deeper understanding of the factors supporting the investigation. The investigation revealed that, traditional games facilitate communication skills, preservation of Cultural Heritage, teamwork, enhanced classroom interaction. The study identified the benefits of incorporating traditional games in terms of learner motivation, engagement, language proficiency and ability to promote participation and excellent engagement. The theory that buttressed the investigation was Vygotsky (1930) sociocultural theory. This theory emphasizes the role of social interaction and cultural context in children\u27s cognitive development

Biocatalytic Enantioselective Synthesis of Atropisomers

[Image: see text] Atropisomeric compounds are found extensively as natural products, as ligands for asymmetric transition-metal catalysis, and increasingly as bioactive and pharmaceutically relevant targets. Their enantioselective synthesis is therefore an important ongoing research target. While a vast majority of known atropisomeric structures are (hetero)biaryls, which display hindered rotation around a C–C single bond, our group’s long-standing interest in the control of molecular conformation has led to the identification and stereoselective preparation of a variety of other classes of “nonbiaryl” atropisomeric compounds displaying restricted rotation around C–C, C–N, C–O, and C–S single bonds. Biocatalytic transformations are finding increasing application in both academic and industrial contexts as a result of a significant broadening of the range of biocatalytic reactions and sources of enzymes available to the synthetic chemist. In this Account, we summarize the main biocatalytic strategies currently available for the asymmetric synthesis of biaryl, heterobiaryl, and nonbiaryl atropisomers. As is the case with more traditional synthetic approaches to these compounds, most biocatalytic methodologies for the construction of enantioenriched atropisomers follow one of two distinct strategies. The first of these is the direct asymmetric construction of atropisomeric bonds. Synthetically applicable biocatalytic methodologies for this type of transformation are limited, despite the extensive research into the biosynthesis of (hetero)biaryls by oxidative homocoupling or cross-coupling of electron-rich arenes. The second of these is the asymmetric transformation of a molecule in which the bond that will form the axis already exists, and this approach represents the majority of biocatalytic strategies available to the synthetic organic chemist. This strategy encompasses a variety of stereoselective techniques including kinetic resolution (KR), desymmetrization, dynamic kinetic resolution (DKR), and dynamic kinetic asymmetric transformation (DYKAT). Nondynamic kinetic resolution (KR) of conformationally stable biaryl derivatives has provided the earliest and most numerous examples of synthetically useful methodologies for the enantioselective preparation of atropisomeric compounds. Lipases (i.e., enzymes that mediate the formation or hydrolysis of esters) are particularly effective and have attracted broad attention. This success has led researchers to broaden the scope of lipase-mediated transformations to desymmetrization reactions, in addition to a limited number of DKR and DYKAT examples. By contrast, our group has used redox enzymes, including an engineered galactose oxidase (GOase) and commercially available ketoreductases (KREDs), to desymmetrize prochiral atropisomeric diaryl ether and biaryl derivatives. Building on this experience and our long-standing interest in dynamic conformational processes, we later harnessed intramolecular noncovalent interactions to facilitate bond rotation at ambient temperatures, which allowed the development of the efficient DKR of heterobiaryl aldehydes using KREDs. With this Account we provide an overview of the current and prospective biocatalytic strategies available to the synthetic organic chemist for the enantioselective preparation of atropisomeric molecules

The Effect of Training Status on Critical Power and Work Prime

Critical Power (CP) represents a threshold of sustainable endurance exercise; work prime (W’) represents the amount of metabolic disturbance one is capable of enduring above CP before exhaustion. CP increases with endurance training, but it is unclear how much of this can be explained by differences in muscle mass and body mass. PURPOSE: Characterize relationship between training status and CP and W when normalized for body and muscle mass. METHODS: We recruited 23 individuals (10 untrained individuals; 7 female, 3 male age= ~23.8yrs and 13 trained individuals; 7 female, 6 male, age= ~25.8yrs). A graded VO2max test was conducted on a cycle ergometer; max work rate (WRmax) was defined as the maximum power output reached during VO2max. The subjects performed a series of intense time-to-task failure tests on the cycle ergometer on two separate visits at different percentages of the WRmax. The relationship between time and work for the various time-to-task failure tests determined CP and W’ through linear regression (work-time method). After CP had been determined, the subjects preformed a final time-to-task-failure test set at ~95% of the determined CP. RESULTS: Absolute CP was notably higher in trained individuals (189.71 ± 39.88 watts) than untrained (146.62 ± 46.85 watts) (pCONCLUSION: Training status appears to affect absolute CP, CP normalized by total body mass and leg lean mass. Furthermore, these trained individuals were able to sustain a power output near CP for a greater period of time

Emergency and Scheduled Respite Care for Caregivers of Persons with Dementia: A Proposed Program

Introduction: Respite care is defined as providing the primary caregiver with relief or a reprieve from care commitments on a short-term or emergency basis. Despite a demonstrated interest in and need for respite care programs, our research has shown that scarce resources exist via a statewide dementia respite program administered by Vermont’s five Area Agencies on Aging. Grants are small and many families do not fall within the eligibility requirements. In FY2010, only 290 families across the state met eligibility requirements (physicians’ diagnosis of dementia, income less than 300% of poverty line, unpaid caregiver, primary residence in VT) and were awarded limited funding for the provision of outside care (up to $750.00 each). For many of these families, this money is typically used to provide substitute care when the primary caregiver is not available. To date, there is no true emergency respite program in place for caregivers. This has placed a strain on families and day facilities, particularly when situations arise in which a caregiver is unable to pick up their family member due to an emergency situation. Our goal was to demonstrate the feasibility of a respite program to address this need.https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/comphp_gallery/1061/thumbnail.jp

The cGAS-STING Pathway Affects Vertebral Bone but Does Not Promote Intervertebral Disc Cell Senescence or Degeneration

The DNA-sensing cGAS-STING pathway promotes the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) and mediates type-I interferon inflammatory responses to foreign viral and bacterial DNA as well as self-DNA. Studies of the intervertebral disc in humans and mice demonstrate associations between aging, increased cell senescence, and disc degeneration. Herein we assessed the role of STING in SASP promotion in STING gain- (N153S) and loss-of-function mouse models. N153S mice evidenced elevated circulating levels of proinflammatory markers including IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α, showed elevated monocyte and macrophage abundance in the vertebral marrow, and exhibited a mild trabecular and cortical bone phenotype in caudal vertebrae. Interestingly, despite systemic inflammation, the structural integrity of the disc and knee articular joint remained intact, and cells did not show a loss of their phenotype or elevated SASP. Transcriptomic analysis of N153S tissues demonstrated an upregulated immune response by disc cells, which did not closely resemble inflammatory changes in human tissues. Interestingly, STING-/- mice also showed a mild vertebral bone phenotype, but the absence of STING did not reduce the abundance of SASP markers or improve the age-associated disc phenotype. Overall, the analyses of N153S and STING-/- mice suggest that the cGAS-STING pathway is not a major contributor to SASP induction and consequent disc aging and degeneration but may play a minor role in the maintenance of trabecular bone in the vertebrae. This work contributes to a growing body of work demonstrating that systemic inflammation is not a key driver of disc degeneration

Whole genome phylogenetic investigation of a West Nile virus strain isolated from a tick sampled from livestock in north eastern Kenya

BACKGROUND:West Nile virus (WNV) has a wide geographical distribution and has been associated to cause neurological disease in humans and horses. Mosquitoes are the traditional vectors for WNV; however, the virus has also been isolated from tick species in North Africa and Europe which could be a means of introduction and spread of the virus over long distances through migratory birds. Although WNV has been isolated in mosquitoes in Kenya, paucity of genetic and pathogenicity data exists. We previously reported the isolation of WNV from ticks collected from livestock and wildlife in Ijara District of Kenya, a hotspot for arbovirus activity. Here we report the full genome sequence and phylogenetic investigation of their origin and relation to strains from other regions. METHODS: A total of 10,488 ticks were sampled from animal hosts, classified to species and processed in pools of up to eight ticks per pool. Virus screening was performed by cell culture, RT-PCR and sequencing. Phylogenetic analysis was carried out to determine the evolutionary relationships of our isolate. RESULTS: Among other viruses, WNV was isolated from a pool of Rhipicephalus pulchellus sampled from cattle, sequenced and submitted to GenBank (Accession number: KC243146). Comparative analysis with 27 different strains revealed that our isolate belongs to lineage 1 and clustered relatively closely to isolates from North Africa and Europe, Russia and the United States. Overall, Bayesian analysis based on nucleotide sequences showed that lineage 1 strains including the Kenyan strain had diverged 200years ago from lineage 2 strains of southern Africa. Ijara strain collected from a tick sampled on livestock was closest to another Kenyan strain and had diverged 20years ago from strains detected in Morocco and Europe and 30years ago from strains identified in the USA. CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this is the first characterized WNV strain isolated from R. pulchellus. The epidemiological role of this tick in WNV transmission and dissemination remains equivocal but presents tick verses mosquito virus transmission has been neglected. Genetic data of this strain suggest that lineage 1 strains from Africa could be dispersed through tick vectors by wild migratory birds to Europe and beyond

Evidence of egg laying grounds for critically endangered flapper skate (Dipturus intermedius) off Orkney, UK

Funding information: Surveys were supported by a grant from WWF Netherlands. The writing of this paper was funded via the SeaMonitor project; supported by the European Union’s INTERREG VA Programme (Environment Theme) and managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) (Grant IVA5060).Essential fish habitats (EFHs) are critical for fish life-history events, including spawning, breeding, feeding or growth. Here we provide evidence of EFH for the Critically Endangered flapper skate (Dipturus intermedius) in the waters around the Orkney Isles, Scotland based on citizen-science observation data. The habitats of potential egg laying sites were parametrised as >20m depth, with boulders or exposed bedrock, in moderate current flow (0.3 - 2.8 knots) with low sedimentation. This information provides a significant contribution to our understanding of EFH for flapper skate. Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

A 5-Enolpyruvylshikimate 3-Phosphate Synthase Functions as a Transcriptional Repressor in Populus.

Long-lived perennial plants, with distinctive habits of inter-annual growth, defense, and physiology, are of great economic and ecological importance. However, some biological mechanisms resulting from genome duplication and functional divergence of genes in these systems remain poorly studied. Here, we discovered an association between a poplar (Populus trichocarpa) 5-enolpyruvylshikimate 3-phosphate synthase gene (PtrEPSP) and lignin biosynthesis. Functional characterization of PtrEPSP revealed that this isoform possesses a helix-turn-helix motif in the N terminus and can function as a transcriptional repressor that regulates expression of genes in the phenylpropanoid pathway in addition to performing its canonical biosynthesis function in the shikimate pathway. We demonstrated that this isoform can localize in the nucleus and specifically binds to the promoter and represses the expression of a SLEEPER-like transcriptional regulator, which itself specifically binds to the promoter and represses the expression of PtrMYB021 (known as MYB46 in Arabidopsis thaliana), a master regulator of the phenylpropanoid pathway and lignin biosynthesis. Analyses of overexpression and RNAi lines targeting PtrEPSP confirmed the predicted changes in PtrMYB021 expression patterns. These results demonstrate that PtrEPSP in its regulatory form and PtrhAT form a transcriptional hierarchy regulating phenylpropanoid pathway and lignin biosynthesis in Populus