A quantitative and qualitative analysis of health care coverage and concerns in Western Wisconsin

Poster with text describing research conducted by Christine Eggers, Kathy German, Ian Hansen and Carleigh Nelson advised by Lois Taft, Eric Jamelske, and Jennifer Johs-Artisensi.In this project we will report on health care coverage and health care concerns of Western Wisconsin residents by collecting both quantitative and qualitative data reflecting health care experiences of individuals who identify themselves as well-insured, underinsured or uninsured. The Coalition for Wisconsin Health and the American Association for Retired Persons (AARP) have both expressed interest in the results of this research to guide the policy debate as Wisconsin moves forward with health care reform efforts. We have received permission to use an AARP survey on health care coverage employed by the state of Vermont prior to their recent state health care reform initiatives and have adapted this survey slightly to meet our specific needs. We hope this process will lead to meaningful comparisons between Vermont and Wisconsin thereby providing valuable information to policymakers. Although we have no initial data to report, our poster describes our research in detail setting the stage for our data collection and analysis in the summer 2007. This project serves to connect the university to the community by ensuring that health care reform decisions are informed by current research, while also providing excellent hands-on experience in data collection and analysis for students.University of Wisconsin--Eau Claire Office of Research and Sponsored Programs

N471D WASH complex subunit strumpellin knock-in mice display mild motor and cardiac abnormalities and BPTF and KLHL11 dysregulation in brain tissue.

AIMS: We investigated N471D WASH complex subunit strumpellin (Washc5) knock-in and Washc5 knock-out mice as models for hereditary spastic paraplegia type 8 (SPG8). METHODS: We generated hetero- and homozygous N471D Washc5 knock-in mice and subjected them to a comprehensive clinical, morphological and laboratory parameter screen, and gait analyses. Brain tissue was used for proteomic analysis. Furthermore, we generated heterozygous Washc5 knock-out mice. WASH complex subunit strumpellin expression was determined by qPCR and immunoblotting. RESULTS: Homozygous N471D Washc5 knock-in mice showed mild dilated cardiomyopathy, decreased acoustic startle reactivity, thinner eye lenses, increased alkaline phosphatase and potassium levels, and increased white blood cell counts. Gait analyses revealed multiple aberrations indicative of locomotor instability. Similarly, the clinical chemistry, haematology, and gait parameters of heterozygous mice also deviated from the values expected for healthy animals, albeit to a lesser extent. Proteomic analysis of brain tissue depicted consistent upregulation of BPTF and downregulation of KLHL11 in hetero- and homozygous knock-in mice. WASHC5-related protein interaction partners and complexes showed no change in abundancies. Heterozygous Washc5 knock-out mice showing normal WASHC5 levels could not be bred to homozygosity. CONCLUSIONS: While biallelic ablation of Washc5 was prenatally lethal, expression of N471D mutated WASHC5 led to several mild clinical and laboratory parameter abnormalities, but not to a typical SPG8 phenotype. The consistent upregulation of BPTF and downregulation of KLHL11 suggest mechanistic links between the expression of N471D mutated WASHC5 and the roles of both proteins in neurodegeneration and protein quality control, respectively

The challenging paradigm of interrelated energy systems towards a more sustainable future

This paper brings together several contemporary topics in energy systems aiming to provide a literature review based reflection on how several interrelated energy systems can contribute together to a more sustainable world. Some directions are discussed, such as the improvement of the energy efficiency and environmental performance of systems, the development of new technologies, the increase of the use of renewable energy sources, the promotion of holistic and multidisciplinary studies, and the implementation of new management rules and "eco-friendly and sustainable" oriented policies at different scales. The interrelations of the diverse energy systems are also discussed in order to address their main social, economic and environmental impacts. The subjects covered include the assessment of the electricity market and its main players (demand, supply, distribution), the evaluation of urban systems (buildings, transportation, commuting), the analysis of the implementation of renewable energy cooperatives, the discussion of the diffusion of the electric vehicle and the importance of new bioenergy systems. This paper also presents relevant research carried out in the framework of the Energy for Sustainability (EfS) Initiative of the University of Coimbra, linking the reviewed areas to the multidisciplinary approach adopted by the EfS Initiative. To conclude, several research topics that should be addressed in the near future are proposed