Isolation and Identification of Phage-Host Protein Interactions as Possible Mediators of Mycobacteriophage Phayonce Gene Host Cytotoxicity

Bacteriophages are ubiquitous viruses containing extremely diverse genomes. Many phage genomes have been bioinformatically annotated; however, many genes lack wet-bench functional characterization. Elucidating individual phage gene function via the isolation of phage-host protein interactions allows for the exploration of novel antibacterial therapies within the context of phage-host biology. Mycobacteriophage Phayonce, infecting the host Mycobacterium smegmatis, encodes two cytotoxic gene, 41 and 64, which lack an annotated function. Using a bacterial two-hybrid screen along with the construction of fusion-protein expression vectors, multiple punitive phage-host protein interactions were isolated for both genes. Once these interactions were verified and sequenced, multiple host M. smegmatis protein interacting partners were identified for gene 41 and one, unknown partner was isolated for gene 64. The host proteins identified using the screen establish a foundation for further investigation between the protein interactions between Phayonce and its host. Once such target identified for gene 41 was a prolyl oligopeptidase, which is predicted to degrade peptide bonds within the host. This may potentially be an explanation for gene 41’s observed host cytotoxicity. Elucidating the phage-host protein interactions of Phayonce’s cytotoxic genes will provide a greater understanding of phage biology, including the various ways that biology can be exploited in the development of novel antibacterial therapeutics

Connecting Simulation-Based Learning and Quality Improvement Among Student Nurses to Prevent Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections

Hospital Acquired Infections (HAIs) are a form of infection a patient acquired during hospitalization. Whether through the application or implementation of medical devices, performing bedside procedures, or non-adherence to following aseptic techniques, healthcare providers are responsible to ensure patients remain safe throughout the course of their inpatient treatment. Over the past 2 years, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has reported HAIs, specifically catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI) have increased above pre-pandemic reported cases (CDC, 2021). These types of infections can lead to many factors that affect the patient and their family such as, “increased length of stay in care facilities, increased risk of mortality, and increased healthcare cost,” (Healthy People 2020, 2022, p. 4) among others. The need to prevent or greatly reduce the number of HAIs is important to the safety and outcome evaluation of the patients. Simulation-based learning (SBL) is a technique used in different industries to grow the knowledge and skill sets of its employees. Simulation-based learning can be a useful tool for nursing students to engage in learning, which is safe and effective, without compromising harm to the real patient. Simulation-based learning has become an important part of the nursing curriculum. As student nurses undergo simulation-based learning, they can practice repetition of skills such as hand hygiene, sterile technique, and patient education, to help increase their knowledge about HAI. Will providing a simulation based-learning model to first-year nursing students increase their awareness, knowledge, and self-related to catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI)

Carrageenans in meat systems

Meat model systems were used to evaluate the interactions between meat proteins and carrageenans and the nature of the forces involved in such as interactions. Experiments conducted with salt-soluble meat proteins (SSMP) and carrageenan (CGN) mixtures indicated that the force needed to compress muscle protein and CGN gels varied with the type of CGN used. Addition of [kappa]- and \iota-CGN increased the gel strength of SSMP gels, however, this effect was significantly greater when [kappa]-CGN was used. The force needed to compress [kappa]-CGN and SSMP gels independently did not add up to the total force required to compress combined SSMP/[kappa]-CGN, suggesting that an interaction between these two polymers may have occurred. [lambda]-CGN affected negatively the gelation of SSMP. All CGN were effective in increasing water holding capacity. SDS-PAGE of samples treated with various destabilizing agents did not indicate the presence of an interaction. Cryo-Scanning electron microscopy studies of SSMP, [kappa]-CGN and SSMP/[kappa]-CGN gels suggested that improvement of water holding capacity and texture of combined SSMP/[kappa]-CGN gels may be due to physical reorganization of the molecules rather than to a molecular interaction between SSMP and [kappa]-CGN;Differential scanning calorimetry studies showed no evidence of protein-polysaccharide interaction. Changes in transition temperatures of myosin and actin were observed upon addition of salt, however, no major shifts in denaturation temperatures of meat proteins were detected when up to 2% CGN was used;The effect of salt type, pH, phosphates and carrageenans on the freeze/thaw stability of cooked-pork sausages was also evaluated. Sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP) decreased thaw drip and increased hardness of all treatments regardless of the type of salt of CGN. KCl did not affect the texture of control samples in the presence of STPP, but decreased the functionality of [kappa]- and \iota-CGN. Meat pH significantly (P \u3c 0.05) increased the hardness and decreased the thaw drip of all CGN treatment, except for [lambda]-CGN which remained unchanged. [kappa]- and \iota-CGN were effective in improving the stability of sausages prepared with low pH meats

A Laplace Transform Finite Difference Scheme for the Fisher-KPP Equation.

© The Author(s) 2021. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)This paper proposes a numerical approach to the solution of the Fisher-KPP reaction-diffusion equation in which the space variable is developed using a purely finite difference scheme and the time development is obtained using a hybrid Laplace Transform Finite Difference Method (LTFDM). The travelling wave solutions usually associated with the Fisher-KPP equation are, in general, not deemed suitable for treatment using Fourier or Laplace transform numerical methods. However, we were able to obtain accurate results when some degree of time discretisation is inbuilt into the process. While this means that the advantage of using the Laplace transform to obtain solutions for any time t is not fully exploited, the method does allow for considerably larger time steps than is otherwise possible for finite-difference methods.Peer reviewedFinal Published versio

GEMINI: a computationally-efficient search engine for large gene expression datasets

Background Low-cost DNA sequencing allows organizations to accumulate massive amounts of genomic data and use that data to answer a diverse range of research questions. Presently, users must search for relevant genomic data using a keyword, accession number of meta-data tag. However, in this search paradigm the form of the query – a text-based string – is mismatched with the form of the target – a genomic profile. Results To improve access to massive genomic data resources, we have developed a fast search engine, GEMINI, that uses a genomic profile as a query to search for similar genomic profiles. GEMINI implements a nearest-neighbor search algorithm using a vantage-point tree to store a database of n profiles and in certain circumstances achieves an O(log n) expected query time in the limit. We tested GEMINI on breast and ovarian cancer gene expression data from The Cancer Genome Atlas project and show that it achieves a query time that scales as the logarithm of the number of records in practice on genomic data. In a database with 105samples, GEMINI identifies the nearest neighbor in 0.05 sec compared to a brute force search time of 0.6 sec. Conclusions GEMINI is a fast search engine that uses a query genomic profile to search for similar profiles in a very large genomic database. It enables users to identify similar profiles independent of sample label, data origin or other meta-data information

The management of challenges related to the innovation process: a multi-case study in industries of the cosmetic sector

Purpose – The objective was to reveal reflections on how the managers of industrial cosmetic companies deal with the challenges related to the innovation process.Design/methodology/approach – Exploratory qualitative research. The present research uses a combination of methods: theoretical-conceptual, bibliographical survey and the multi-case study, by means of the following procedures: semi-structured interview, observation route and document analysis.Findings – I concluded that the main challenges faced by the management of the innovation process in the small business are related to the non-development of a culture focused on innovation and not planning the capacity to decentralize. In the case of the medium sized company, the main challenge related to the innovation process is to manage, simultaneously, the growth of the company on the one hand, and the managerial practices aimed at the use of the knowledge of its team, on the other, in the process of innovation. In the case of the large company, I concluded that the challenges of maintaining the integration of the innovation process and, at the same time, the flexibility to transform the way things are done, are well orchestrated by management because there is constant discussion and shared vision, in a spirit of trust and teamwork.Research limitations/implications – The data cannot be generalized because it is a multi-case study.Practical implications – As soon as the challenges were identified, the assumption was confirmed that the achievement of innovation implies knowing how to integrate resources and capacities, manage periods of instability or irregularity and regularity, based on a culture focused on strategic learning, learning to learn and, systemic learning.Originality/value - This exploratory qualitative research contributes with evidences and analyzes on the management of the innovation process in three companies of different sizes, in which are revealed the managerial actions in relation to the innovation requirements that have been explored from the theoretical bases that support the integration of the learning organizational and management of innovation, and the reflections on how manifest the management of the challenges faced in each company

Youth Employment Patterns in Segmented Labor Markets in the U.S. and Europe

This paper investigates interindustry patterns of youth employment in the United States and six Western European economies. Statistical analysis is conducted on an institutional model that relates youth employment share to two main aspects of national pay structures: the degree of labor-market segmentation (indicated by pay dispersion for adult employees of the same sex) and the importance of wage for age rules (indicated by youth relative pay). Both the degree of segmentation and relative wage levels prove influential, though there are interestingly US/EEC differences.Labor Markets; Segmented Labor Markets

The Use of Music Therapy in the Pediatric Oncology Setting

This paper explores the use of music therapy in the pediatric oncology setting. Music has been used as a form of therapy in multiple fields of medicine and has been found to be beneficial for patients and families. Music therapy comes in many forms, ranging from simple music listening to comprehensive song creation. The pediatric oncology patient experience is full of challenges related to treatment and setting. This study aims to compare and contrast different forms of music therapy used in this specific setting, study the subsequent outcome measures, and inform future research in this topic.Bachelor of Scienc