Zoonotic realism, computational cognitive science and pandemic prevention

Using animals in food and food production systems is one of many drivers of novel zoonoses. Moving toward less dependence on animal proteins is a possible avenue for reducing pandemic risk, but we think that Wiebers & Feigin’s proposed change to food policy (phasing out animal meat production) is unrealistic in its political achievability and its current capacity to feed the world in a cost-effective and sustainable manner. We suggest that improvements in communication strategies, precipitated by developments in computational cognitive neuroscience, can lead the way to a safer future and are feasible now

Zoonotic realism, computational cognitive science and pandemic prevention

Using animals in food and food production systems is one of many drivers of novel zoonoses. Moving toward less dependence on animal proteins is a possible avenue for reducing pandemic risk, but we think that Wiebers & Feigin’s proposed change to food policy (phasing out animal meat production) is unrealistic in its political achievability and its current capacity to feed the world in a cost-effective and sustainable manner. We suggest that improvements in communication strategies, precipitated by developments in computational cognitive neuroscience, can lead the way to a safer future and are feasible now

Nurses\u27 Alumnae Association Bulletin, April 1962

Staff Nurses Association Alumnae Meetings 1961 Social Committee Clara Melville Scholarship Fund Ways and Means Report Cook Book Report Bulletin Committee Private Duty Nurse\u27s Section Hospital Report and Nursing Service Federal Nursing Service Practice of Nursing Report of Student Council Activities Medical Work in Ghan

In vivo evaluation of pathogenicity and transmissibility of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 hemagglutinin receptor binding domain 222 intrahost variants isolated from a single immunocompromised patient

AbstractThe influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus has circulated worldwide and continued to cause complicated infections and deaths. Reports have identified an increased prevalence of the hemagglutinin receptor binding domain D222G mutation in viruses isolated from individuals who have suffered such severe infections, but this association is still unclear. Virus isolated from a nasopharyngeal wash of a severely ill immunocompromised patient at the time of diagnosis contained the D222, but isolates collected later in his course from a bronchoalveolar lavage contained primarily the G222 mutation and was mixed with a minor population of D222. These clinical isolates were compared to a G222 plaque purified virus in the ferret model. The G222 predominant clinical isolate was the most pathogenic in ferrets and developed the most diversity at the 222 amino acid position during infection, suggesting that increased diversity and not a specific polymorphism at HA 222 may be important in predicting pathogenic potential

Effects of grain by-products as supplements for stocker cattle grazing bermudagrass

Two experiments were conducted to compare corn, dried distillers’ grains (DDG), and pelleted soybean hulls (SH) as supplements for cattle grazing bermudagrass. In Exp. 1, 66 crossbred steers (306 ± 3.2 kg) were stratified by weight and allotted randomly to six 2.4-ha bermudagrass pastures for a 107-d study. One of three supplement treatments (corn, DDG, or SH) was assigned randomly to each pasture group and was offered at 0.5% (as fed) of body weight. Calves were weighed at 28-d intervals and supplement was adjusted after each weigh period. In Exp. 2, five ruminally cannulated steers grazed bermudagrass pasture and were individually fed supplements (corn, DDG, or SH) at 0.5% of body weight in a 3 x 3 replicated, incomplete Latin-square design with a 14-d adaptation and a 5-d sampling period. In Exp. 1, supplementation with DDG and corn increased (P \u3c 0.04) the average daily gain compared to supplementation with SH (0.89, 0.87, and 0.74 kg for DDG, corn, and SH, respectively). In Exp. 2, in situ dry-matter-disappearance kinetic measures of bermudagrass were not affected by type of supplementation. The potential extent of digestion for DDG (93%) was lower than for corn (97%, P = 0.01) and SH (96%, P = 0.06). Supplementation with corn or DDG at 0.5% of body weight improved the gain of stocker cattle grazing bermudagrass compared to supplementation with SH, but these differences were not explained by differences in bermudagrass degradation kinetic

The Role of Mediators in the Development of Longitudinal Mathematics Achievement Associations

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/115932/1/cdev12416_am.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/115932/2/cdev12416.pd

Entertainment (mis)education: The framing of organ donation in entertainment television

Researchers and practitioners who have sought to understand public reluctance to donating organs in spite of favorable attitudes toward organ donation have long thought that belief in myths about donation contribute to the problem. How these myths emerged and more important, why they have persisted in spite of national education campaigns is not clear. In the absence of direct personal experience with organ donation or transplantation, we believe that most people receive their information about donation through the media. In this study, we identify all entertainment television shows with organ donation storylines or subplots broadcast on ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX from [2004][2005]. Frame analysis reveals 2 competing metaframes: the moral corruption of the powerful and organ donors are good people. In addition to the metaframes, 4 secondary frames, and 6 tertiary frames are identified. Organ donation is framed in mostly negative terms, with a few notable exceptions. Recommendations for how to address negative framing of organ donation in the media are offered. Choosing what frame phenomena are to be placed in may do more to determine their meaning than lengthy discussions of the facts of or arguments toward them

Design, assessment, and in vivo evaluation of a computational model illustrating the role of CAV1 in CD4+ T-lymphocytes

Caveolin-1 (CAV1) is a vital scaffold protein heterogeneously expressed in both healthy and malignant tissue. We focus on the role of CAV1 when overexpressed in T-cell leukemia. Previously, we have shown that CAV1 is involved in cell-to-cell communication, cellular proliferation, and immune synapse formation; however, the molecular mechanisms have not been elucidated. We hypothesize that the role of CAV1 in immune synapse formation contributes to immune regulation during leukemic progression, thereby warranting studies of the role of CAV1 in CD4+ T-cells in relation to antigen-presenting cells. To address this need, we developed a computational model of a CD4+ immune effector T-cell to mimic cellular dynamics and molecular signaling under healthy and immunocompromised conditions (i.e., leukemic conditions). Using the Cell Collective computational modeling software, the CD4+ T-cell model was constructed and simulated under CAV1+/+, CAV1+/−, and CAV1−/− conditions to produce a hypothetical immune response. This model allowed us to predict and examine the heterogeneous effects and mechanisms of CAV1 in silico. Experimental results indicate a signature of molecules involved in cellular proliferation, cell survival, and cytoskeletal rearrangement that were highly affected by CAV1 knock out. With this comprehensive model of a CD4+ T-cell, we then validated in vivo protein expression levels. Based on this study, we modeled a CD4+ T-cell, manipulated gene expression in immunocompromised versus competent settings, validated these manipulations in an in vivo murine model, and corroborated acute T-cell leukemia gene expression profiles in human beings. Moreover, we can model an immunocompetent versus an immunocompromised microenvironment to better understand how signaling is regulated in patients with leukemia

Dominant Role of Oncogene Dosage and Absence of Tumor Suppressor Activity in Nras-Driven Hematopoietic Transformation

Biochemical properties of Ras oncoproteins and their transforming ability strongly support a dominant mechanism of action in tumorigenesis. However, genetic studies unexpectedly suggested that wild-type (WT) Ras exerts tumor suppressor activity. Expressing oncogenic Nras[superscript G12D] in the hematopoietic compartment of mice induces an aggressive myeloproliferative neoplasm that is exacerbated in homozygous mutant animals. Here, we show that increased Nras[superscript G12D] gene dosage, but not inactivation of WT Nras, underlies the aggressive in vivo behavior of Nras[superscript G12D over G12D] hematopoietic cells. Modulating Nras[superscript G12D] dosage had discrete effects on myeloid progenitor growth, signal transduction, and sensitivity to MAP-ERK kinase (MEK) inhibition. Furthermore, enforced WT N-Ras expression neither suppressed the growth of Nras-mutant cells nor inhibited myeloid transformation by exogenous Nras[superscript G12D]. Importantly, NRAS expression increased in human cancer cell lines with NRAS mutations. These data have therapeutic implications and support reconsidering the proposed tumor suppressor activity of WT Ras in other cancers.Pfizer Inc. (PD0325901)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant R37CA72614)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant P01CA40046)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant K08CA134649)Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of America (Specialized Center of Research Award LLS 7019-04))American Lebanese Syrian Associated Charitie

Spatial mapping of hematopoietic clones in human bone marrow

UNLABELLED: Clonal hematopoiesis (CH) is the expansion of somatically mutated cells in the hematopoietic compartment of individuals without hematopoietic dysfunction. Large CH clones (i.e., \u3e2% variant allele fraction) predispose to hematologic malignancy, but CH is detected at lower levels in nearly all middle-aged individuals. Prior work has extensively characterized CH in peripheral blood, but the spatial distribution of hematopoietic clones in human bone marrow is largely undescribed. To understand CH at this level, we developed a method for spatially aware somatic mutation profiling and characterized the bone marrow of a patient with polycythemia vera. We identified the complex clonal distribution of somatic mutations in the hematopoietic compartment, the restriction of somatic mutations to specific subpopulations of hematopoietic cells, and spatial constraints of these clones in the bone marrow. This proof of principle paves the way to answering fundamental questions regarding CH spatial organization and factors driving CH expansion and malignant transformation in the bone marrow. SIGNIFICANCE: CH occurs commonly in humans and can predispose to hematologic malignancy. Although well characterized in blood, it is poorly understood how clones are spatially distributed in the bone marrow. To answer this, we developed methods for spatially aware somatic mutation profiling to describe clonal heterogeneity in human bone marrow. See related commentary by Austin and Aifantis, p. 139