Building Bridges Toward Science Careers for Youth with Disabilities

Several researchers have addressed the issue of accommodating students with disabilities in college science classrooms (Brazier, Parry, & Fischbach, 2000; Womble & Walker, 2001). However, little research has focused on the types of accommodations and supports needed for students with disabilities at the college level (Stodden, 2000). This brief outlines results of research conducted by the Bridges Project funded by the National Science Foundation Program for Persons with Disabilities. The major goals of the project were (a) to create a model facilitating greater access for students with disabilities to postsecondary education and careers in science and technology, and (b) to investigate issues related to the transition from high school to college for students with disabilities

Coeur d'Alene Tribe Fisheries Program Research, Monitoring and Evaluation Plan; Implementation of Fisheries Enhancement Opportunities on the Coeur d'Alene Reservation, 1997-2002 Technical Report.

Westslope cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarki lewisi) and bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) are currently of special concern regionally and are important to the culture and subsistence needs of the Coeur d'Alene Tribe. The mission of the Coeur d'Alene Tribe Fisheries Program is to restore and maintain these native trout and the habitats that sustain them in order to provide subsistence harvest and recreational fishing opportunities for the Reservation community. The adfluvial life history strategy exhibited by westslope cutthroat and bull trout in the Lake Coeur d'Alene subbasin makes these fish susceptible to habitat degradation and competition in both lake and stream environments. Degraded habitat in Lake Coeur d'Alene and its associated streams and the introduction of exotic species has lead to the decline of westslope cutthroat and listing of bull trout under the endangered species act (Peters et al. 1998). Despite the effects of habitat degradation, several streams on the Reservation still maintain populations of westslope cutthroat trout, albeit in a suppressed condition (Table 1). The results of several early studies looking at fish population status and habitat condition on the Reservation (Graves et al. 1990; Lillengreen et al. 1993, 1996) lead the Tribe to aggressively pursue funding for habitat restoration under the Northwest Power Planning Council's (NWPPC) resident fish substitution program. Through these efforts, habitat restoration needs were identified and projects were initiated. The Coeur d'Alene Tribe Fisheries Program is currently involved in implementing stream habitat restoration projects, reducing the transport of sediment from upland sources, and monitoring fish populations in four watersheds on the Coeur d'Alene Reservation (Figure 1). Restoration projects have included riparian plantings, addition of large woody debris to streams, and complete channel reconstruction to restore historical natural channel forms. In addition, ponds have been constructed to trap sediment from rill and gully erosion associated with agricultural practices, and to provide flow enhancement and ameliorate elevated stream temperatures during the summer base flow period. The implementation of restoration efforts that target the key habitats and lifestages for resident westslope cutthroat trout on the Coeur d'Alene Reservation is one means the Tribe is using to partially mitigate for lost anadromous fisheries. In this context, restoration is consistent with the definition provided by Ebersole et al. (1997), who described stream restoration as the reexpression of habitat capacity in a stream system. At the reach scale, habitat capacity is affected by biotic (e.g., riparian vegetation) and physical (e.g., flooding) processes. Superimposed on the natural biotic and physical processes are anthropogenic stressors (e.g., logging, roads and grazing) that suppress habitat capacity and can result in simplified, degraded stream reaches. The effectiveness of habitat restoration, measured as an increase in native trout abundance, is dependent on reducing limiting factors (e.g., passage barriers, high water temperatures, sediment transport from source areas) in areas that are critical for spawning and rearing lifestages. This plan outlines a monitoring strategy to help determine the effectiveness of specific restoration/enhancement treatments and to track the status of trout populations in four target watersheds

Functional Imaging of the Outer Retinal Complex using High Fidelity Imaging Retinal Densitometry

We describe a new technique, high fdelity Imaging Retinal Densitometry (IRD), which probes the functional integrity of the outer retinal complex. We demonstrate the ability of the technique to map visual pigment optical density and synthesis rates in eyes with and without macular disease. A multispectral retinal imaging device obtained precise measurements of retinal refectance over space and time. Data obtained from healthy controls and 5 patients with intermediate AMD, before and after photopigment bleaching, were used to quantify visual pigment metrics. Heat maps were plotted to summarise the topography of rod and cone pigment kinetics and descriptive statistics conducted to highlight diferences between those with and without AMD. Rod and cone visual pigment synthesis rates in those with AMD (v=0.043SD 0.019min−1 and v=0.119SD 0.046min−1, respectively) were approximately half those observed in healthy controls (v=0.079SD 0.024min−1 for rods and v=0.206SD 0.069min−1 for cones). By mapping visual pigment kinetics across the central retina, high fdelity IRD provides a unique insight into outer retinal complex function. This new technique will improve the phenotypic characterisation, diagnosis and treatment monitoring of various ocular pathologies, including AMD

The Wolbachia Genome of Brugia malayi: Endosymbiont Evolution within a Human Pathogenic Nematode

Complete genome DNA sequence and analysis is presented for Wolbachia, the obligate alpha-proteobacterial endosymbiont required for fertility and survival of the human filarial parasitic nematode Brugia malayi. Although, quantitatively, the genome is even more degraded than those of closely related Rickettsia species, Wolbachia has retained more intact metabolic pathways. The ability to provide riboflavin, flavin adenine dinucleotide, heme, and nucleotides is likely to be Wolbachia's principal contribution to the mutualistic relationship, whereas the host nematode likely supplies amino acids required for Wolbachia growth. Genome comparison of the Wolbachia endosymbiont of B. malayi (wBm) with the Wolbachia endosymbiont of Drosophila melanogaster (wMel) shows that they share similar metabolic trends, although their genomes show a high degree of genome shuffling. In contrast to wMel, wBm contains no prophage and has a reduced level of repeated DNA. Both Wolbachia have lost a considerable number of membrane biogenesis genes that apparently make them unable to synthesize lipid A, the usual component of proteobacterial membranes. However, differences in their peptidoglycan structures may reflect the mutualistic lifestyle of wBm in contrast to the parasitic lifestyle of wMel. The smaller genome size of wBm, relative to wMel, may reflect the loss of genes required for infecting host cells and avoiding host defense systems. Analysis of this first sequenced endosymbiont genome from a filarial nematode provides insight into endosymbiont evolution and additionally provides new potential targets for elimination of cutaneous and lymphatic human filarial disease

A comprehensive analysis of the intramural segment in interarterial anomalous coronary arteries using computed tomography angiography

Aims An anomalous coronary artery originating from the opposite sinus of Valsalva (ACAOS) with an interarterial course can be assessed using computed tomography angiography (CTA) for the presence of high-risk characteristics associated with sudden cardiac death. These features include a slit-like ostium, acute angle take-off, proximal luminal narrowing, and an intramural segment. To date, no robust CTA criteria exist to determine the presence of an intramural segment. We aimed to deduct new CTA parameters to distinguish an intramural course of interarterial ACAOS. Methods Twenty-five patients with an interarterial ACAOS (64% female, mean age 46 years, 88% right ACAOS) from two aca- and results demic hospitals were evaluated. Inclusion criteria were the availability of a preoperative CTA scan (0.51 mm slice thickness) and peroperative confirmation of the intramural segment. Using multiplanar reconstruction of the CTA, the distance between the lumen of the aorta and the lumen of the ACAOS [defined as ‘interluminal space’ (ILS)] was assessed at 2 mm intervals along the intramural segment. Analysis showed a mean ILS of 0.69 + 0.15 mm at 2 mm from the ostium. At the end of the intramural segment where the ACAOS becomes non-intramural, the mean ILS was significantly larger (1.27 + 0.29 mm, P, 0.001). Interobserver agreement evaluation showed good reproducibility (intraclass correlation coefficient 0.77, P, 0.001). Receiver operator characteristic analysis demonstrated that at a cut-off ILS of,0.95 mm, an intramural segment can be diagnosed with 100% sensitivity and 84% specificity. Conclusion The ILS is introduced as a novel and robust CTA parameter to identify an intramural course of interarterial ACAOS. An ILS of,0.95 mm is indicative of an intramural segment

More than 75 percent decline over 27 years in total flying insect biomass in protected areas

Global declines in insects have sparked wide interest among scientists, politicians, and the general public. Loss of insect diversity and abundance is expected to provoke cascading effects on food webs and to jeopardize ecosystem services. Our understanding of the extent and underlying causes of this decline is based on the abundance of single species or taxonomic groups only, rather than changes in insect biomass which is more relevant for ecological functioning. Here, we used a standardized protocol to measure total insect biomass using Malaise traps, deployed over 27 years in 63 nature protection areas in Germany (96 unique location-year combinations) to infer on the status and trend of local entomofauna. Our analysis estimates a seasonal decline of 76%, and mid-summer decline of 82% in flying insect biomass over the 27 years of study. We show that this decline is apparent regardless of habitat type, while changes in weather, land use, and habitat characteristics cannot explain this overall decline. This yet unrecognized loss of insect biomass must be taken into account in evaluating declines in abundance of species depending on insects as a food source, and ecosystem functioning in the European landscape

The First Post-Kepler Brightness Dips of KIC 8462852

We present a photometric detection of the first brightness dips of the unique variable star KIC 8462852 since the end of the Kepler space mission in 2013 May. Our regular photometric surveillance started in October 2015, and a sequence of dipping began in 2017 May continuing on through the end of 2017, when the star was no longer visible from Earth. We distinguish four main 1-2.5% dips, named "Elsie," "Celeste," "Skara Brae," and "Angkor", which persist on timescales from several days to weeks. Our main results so far are: (i) there are no apparent changes of the stellar spectrum or polarization during the dips; (ii) the multiband photometry of the dips shows differential reddening favoring non-grey extinction. Therefore, our data are inconsistent with dip models that invoke optically thick material, but rather they are in-line with predictions for an occulter consisting primarily of ordinary dust, where much of the material must be optically thin with a size scale <<1um, and may also be consistent with models invoking variations intrinsic to the stellar photosphere. Notably, our data do not place constraints on the color of the longer-term "secular" dimming, which may be caused by independent processes, or probe different regimes of a single process

Clinical Sequencing Exploratory Research Consortium: Accelerating Evidence-Based Practice of Genomic Medicine

Despite rapid technical progress and demonstrable effectiveness for some types of diagnosis and therapy, much remains to be learned about clinical genome and exome sequencing (CGES) and its role within the practice of medicine. The Clinical Sequencing Exploratory Research (CSER) consortium includes 18 extramural research projects, one National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) intramural project, and a coordinating center funded by the NHGRI and National Cancer Institute. The consortium is exploring analytic and clinical validity and utility, as well as the ethical, legal, and social implications of sequencing via multidisciplinary approaches; it has thus far recruited 5,577 participants across a spectrum of symptomatic and healthy children and adults by utilizing both germline and cancer sequencing. The CSER consortium is analyzing data and creating publically available procedures and tools related to participant preferences and consent, variant classification, disclosure and management of primary and secondary findings, health outcomes, and integration with electronic health records. Future research directions will refine measures of clinical utility of CGES in both germline and somatic testing, evaluate the use of CGES for screening in healthy individuals, explore the penetrance of pathogenic variants through extensive phenotyping, reduce discordances in public databases of genes and variants, examine social and ethnic disparities in the provision of genomics services, explore regulatory issues, and estimate the value and downstream costs of sequencing. The CSER consortium has established a shared community of research sites by using diverse approaches to pursue the evidence-based development of best practices in genomic medicine

Global patient outcomes after elective surgery: prospective cohort study in 27 low-, middle- and high-income countries.

BACKGROUND: As global initiatives increase patient access to surgical treatments, there remains a need to understand the adverse effects of surgery and define appropriate levels of perioperative care. METHODS: We designed a prospective international 7-day cohort study of outcomes following elective adult inpatient surgery in 27 countries. The primary outcome was in-hospital complications. Secondary outcomes were death following a complication (failure to rescue) and death in hospital. Process measures were admission to critical care immediately after surgery or to treat a complication and duration of hospital stay. A single definition of critical care was used for all countries. RESULTS: A total of 474 hospitals in 19 high-, 7 middle- and 1 low-income country were included in the primary analysis. Data included 44 814 patients with a median hospital stay of 4 (range 2-7) days. A total of 7508 patients (16.8%) developed one or more postoperative complication and 207 died (0.5%). The overall mortality among patients who developed complications was 2.8%. Mortality following complications ranged from 2.4% for pulmonary embolism to 43.9% for cardiac arrest. A total of 4360 (9.7%) patients were admitted to a critical care unit as routine immediately after surgery, of whom 2198 (50.4%) developed a complication, with 105 (2.4%) deaths. A total of 1233 patients (16.4%) were admitted to a critical care unit to treat complications, with 119 (9.7%) deaths. Despite lower baseline risk, outcomes were similar in low- and middle-income compared with high-income countries. CONCLUSIONS: Poor patient outcomes are common after inpatient surgery. Global initiatives to increase access to surgical treatments should also address the need for safe perioperative care. STUDY REGISTRATION: ISRCTN5181700