Mechanisms of Bacterial Extracellular Electron Exchange.

The biochemical mechanisms by which microbes interact with extracellular soluble metal ions and insoluble redox-active minerals have been the focus of intense research over the last three decades. The process presents two challenges to the microorganism; firstly electrons have to be transported at the cell surface, which in Gram negative bacteria presents an additional problem of electron transfer across the ~ 6 nm of the outer membrane. Secondly the electrons must be transferred to or from the terminal electron acceptors or donors. This review covers the known mechanisms that bacteria use to transport electrons across the cell envelope to external electron donors/acceptors. In Gram negative bacteria electron transfer across the outer membrane involves the use of an outer membrane β-barrel and cytochrome. These can be in the form of a porin-cytochrome protein, such as Cyc2 of Acidothiobacillus ferrioxydans, or a multiprotein porin-cytochrome complex like MtrCAB of Shewanella oneidensis MR-1. For mineral respiring organisms there is the additional challenge of transferring the electrons from the cell to mineral surface. For the strict anaerobe Geobacter sulfurreducens this requires electron transfer through conductive pili to associated cytochrome OmcS that directly reduces Fe(III)oxides, while the facultative anaerobe S. oneidensis MR-1 accomplishes mineral reduction through direct membrane contact, contact through filamentous extentions and soluble flavin shuttles, all of which require the outer membrane cytochromes MtrC and OmcA in addition to secreted flavin

The Effects of Animal- Assisted Therapy on the Health and Well- Being of Military Veterans: A Systematic Scoping Review and Recommendations for Future Research

Veterans of the armed forces may have experienced a range of physical and psychological traumas during their service, which can lead to long-standing problems with health and well-being, sometimes compounded with challenges accessing and engaging with support. Animal-assisted therapies (AAT) may offer an engaging, holistic approach that could be helpful for the veteran population. The aim of this scoping review is to examine the existing research on the effects of AAT on the health and well-being of veterans. Method: The databases EMBASE (OVID), Web of Science, Cinahl, Cochrane and Medline were searched in October 2020. Articles were screened against inclusion / exclusion criteria (based around language, accessibility, inclusion of veterans, use of AAT) and critically appraised using MMAT v.2018. Data were extracted and analyzed qualitatively. Results: Thirteen articles met the inclusion criteria. The studies showed heterogeneity in design and delivery, including nature of interaction with the animal; therapy duration; goals assigned to each session; and type and number of staff present. The most common animals used were horses, then dogs. The most evaluated health outcomes were post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, depression symptoms and change in quality of life. Short-term results included lower scores on the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 and PTSD checklist. Where assessed, participants enjoyed the therapy programs. Conclusion: This review reveals that currently, clear conclusions on the efficacy of AAT are lacking due to the heterogeneity of programs, session characteristics, small sample sizes and methodological limitations. AAT does appear to show promise, particularly for the short term treatment of psychosocial problems of veterans, but this needs more systematic, robust research and the development of protocols to establish cost effectiveness, feasibility and manualizable protocols

Fingerprinting groundwater pollution in catchments with contrasting contaminant sources using microorganic compounds

Evaluating the occurrence of microorganics helps to understand sources and processes which may be controlling the transport and fate of emerging contaminants (ECs). A study was carried out at the contrasting instrumented environmental observatory sites at Oxford, on the peri-urban floodplain gravel aquifer of the River Thames and Boxford, in the rural valley of the River Lambourn on the chalk aquifer, in Southern England to explore the use of ECs to fingerprint contaminant sources and flow pathways in groundwater. At Oxford compounds were typical of a local waste tip plume (not only plasticisers and solvents but also barbiturates and N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET)) and of the urban area (plasticisers and mood-enhancing drugs such as carbamazepine). At Boxford the results were different with widespread occurrence of agricultural pesticides, their metabolites and the solvent trichloroethene, as well as plasticisers, caffeine, butylated food additives, DEET, parabens and trace polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Groups of compounds used in pharmaceuticals and personal care products of different provenance in the environment could be distinguished, i) historical household and medical waste, ii) long-term household usage persistent in groundwater and iii) current usage and contamination from surface water. Co-contaminant and degradation products can also indicate the likely source of contaminants. A cocktail of contaminants can be used as tracers to provide information on catchment pathways and groundwater/surface water interactions. A prominent feature in this study is the attenuation of many EC compounds in the hyporheic zone

Parent-Child Sexual Communication Among Middle School Youth

Middle school youth (N=1472) in Central Indiana completed a survey about parent-adolescent sexual communi-cation. Being older, female, mixed race, ever had sex, ever arrested, and higher HIV knowledge were associatedwith more frequent sexual communication

Developing Partnerships for Academic Data Science Consulting and Collaboration Units

Data science consulting and collaboration units (DSUs) are core infrastructure for research at universities. Activities span data management, study design, data analysis, data visualization, predictive modelling, preparing reports, manuscript writing and advising on statistical methods and may include an experiential or teaching component. Partnerships are needed for a thriving DSU as an active part of the larger university network. Guidance for identifying, developing and managing successful partnerships for DSUs can be summarized in six rules: (1) align with institutional strategic plans, (2) cultivate partnerships that fit your mission, (3) ensure sustainability and prepare for growth, (4) define clear expectations in a partnership agreement, (5) communicate and (6) expect the unexpected. While these rules are not exhaustive, they are derived from experiences in a diverse set of DSUs, which vary by administrative home, mission, staffing and funding model. As examples in this paper illustrate, these rules can be adapted to different organizational models for DSUs. Clear expectations in partnership agreements are essential for high quality and consistent collaborations and address core activities, duration, staffing, cost and evaluation. A DSU is an organizational asset that should involve thoughtful investment if the institution is to gain real value

The utility of MAS5 expression summary and detection call algorithms

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Used alone, the MAS5.0 algorithm for generating expression summaries has been criticized for high False Positive rates resulting from exaggerated variance at low intensities.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Here we show, with replicated cell line data, that, when used alongside detection calls, MAS5 can be both selective and sensitive. A set of differentially expressed transcripts were identified that were found to be changing by MAS5, but unchanging by RMA and GCRMA. Subsequent analysis by real time PCR confirmed these changes. In addition, with the Latin square datasets often used to assess expression summary algorithms, filtered MAS5.0 was found to have performance approaching that of its peers.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>When used alongside detection calls, MAS5 is a sensitive and selective algorithm for identifying differentially expressed genes.</p

1FGL J1417.7-4407: A likely gamma-ray bright binary with a massive neutron star and a giant secondary

We present multiwavelength observations of the persistent Fermi-LAT unidentified gamma-ray source 1FGL J1417.7-4407, showing it is likely to be associated with a newly discovered X-ray binary containing a massive neutron star (nearly 2 M_sun) and a ~ 0.35 M_sun giant secondary with a 5.4 day period. SOAR optical spectroscopy at a range of orbital phases reveals variable double-peaked H-alpha emission, consistent with the presence of an accretion disk. The lack of radio emission and evidence for a disk suggests the gamma-ray emission is unlikely to originate in a pulsar magnetosphere, but could instead be associated with a pulsar wind, relativistic jet, or could be due to synchrotron self-Compton at the disk--magnetosphere boundary. Assuming a wind or jet, the high ratio of gamma-ray to X-ray luminosity (~ 20) suggests efficient production of gamma-rays, perhaps due to the giant companion. The system appears to be a low-mass X-ray binary that has not yet completed the pulsar recycling process. This system is a good candidate to monitor for a future transition between accretion-powered and rotational-powered states, but in the context of a giant secondary.Comment: ApJL in pres

Sleeping Beauty screen reveals Pparg activation in metastatic prostate cancer

Prostate cancer (CaP) is the most common adult male cancer in the developed world. The paucity of biomarkers to predict prostate tumor biology makes it important to identify key pathways that confer poor prognosis and guide potential targeted therapy. Using a murine forward mutagenesis screen in a Pten-null background, we identified peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (Pparg), encoding a ligand-activated transcription factor, as a promoter of metastatic CaP through activation of lipid signaling pathways, including up-regulation of lipid synthesis enzymes [fatty acid synthase (FASN), acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), ATP citrate lyase (ACLY)]. Importantly, inhibition of PPARG suppressed tumor growth in vivo, with down-regulation of the lipid synthesis program. We show that elevated levels of PPARG strongly correlate with elevation of FASN in human CaP and that high levels of PPARG/FASN and PI3K/pAKT pathway activation confer a poor prognosis. These data suggest that CaP patients could be stratified in terms of PPARG/FASN and PTEN levels to identify patients with aggressive CaP who may respond favorably to PPARG/FASN inhibition

Implementation of a health management mentoring program: year-1 evaluation of its impact on health system strengthening in Zambézia Province, Mozambique

Background: Avante Zambézia is an initiative of a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), Friends in Global Health, LLC (FGH) and the Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health (VIGH) to provide technical assistance to the Mozambican Ministry of Health (MoH) in rural Zambézia Province. Avante Zambézia developed a district level Health Management Mentorship (HMM) program to strengthen health systems in ten of Zambézia’s 17 districts. Our objective was to preliminarily analyze changes in four domains of health system capacity after the HMM’s first year: accounting, Human Resources (HRs), Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E), and transportation management. Methods: Quantitative metrics were developed in each domain. During district visits for weeklong, on-site mentoring, the health management mentoring teams documented each indicator as a success ratio percentage. We analyzed data using linear regressions of each indicator’s mean success ratio across all districts submitting a report over time. Results: Of the four domains, district performance in the accounting domain was the strongest and most sustained. Linear regressions of mean monthly compliance for HR objectives indicated improvement in three of six mean success ratios. The M&E capacity domain showed the least overall improvement. The one indicator analyzed for transportation management suggested progress. Conclusion: Our outcome evaluation demonstrates improvement in health system performance during a HMM initiative. Evaluating which elements of our mentoring program are succeeding in strengthening district level health systems is vital in preparing to transition fiscal and managerial responsibility to local authorities