Select Metal and Metalloid Surveillance of Free-ranging Eastern Box Turtles from Illinois and Tennessee

The Eastern box turtle has been proposed as a biomonitor because it is long lived, relies on the environment for food and water, and has a small home range. To establish this designation, ISTC partnered with the Illinois Natural History Survey, the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Illinois, and the Clinch River Environmental Studies Organization. Plasma samples from 273 free-range box turtles were collected in 2011 and 2012 in Tennessee and Illinois. Full results reported in Allender, Matthew C., et al (2015). "Select metal and metalloid surveillance of free-ranging Eastern box turtles from Illinois and Tennessee (Terrapene carolina carolina)." Ecotoxicology 24, 1269–1278. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-015-1498-5Ope

Engaging Healthcare Users through Gamification in Knowledge Sharing of Continuous Improvement in Healthcare

Knowledge management systems are key for capturing, retaining, and communicating results from projects and presenting information to staff. The purpose of a knowledge management system is to tap into the vast wisdom from projects and experts across an organization. This research focuses on the knowledge management system within the Veterans Health Administration that was developed as a repository of information on continuous improvement tools such as flowcharts, value stream mapping, 5S, and the application of these in healthcare projects. The use of social network analysis and gamification improves website organization, user participation, and dissemination of shared knowledge related to continuous improvement of operations. The purpose of gamification is to engage, teach, entertain, measure, and improve the ease of use of information systems. The goal of this research is to utilize gamification theory within the knowledge management system to drive behaviors in a targeted audience and engage users in aspects such as writing, contributing, getting the feedback, which will create a more robust, cohesive system. A thorough review of the current knowledge management system was conducted, and a gap analysis was performed comparing the goals and objectives for the system to the current results. Next, gamification techniques with the potential to improve performance were identified and strategies to implement these were developed

The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) BMRF1 promoter for early antigen (EA-D) is regulated by the EBV transactivators, BRLF1 and BZLF1, in a cell-specific manner.

The Epstein-Barr virus early antigen diffuse component (EA-D) is essential for Epstein-Barr virus DNA polymerase activity, and its activity is suppressed during latent infection. We investigated the regulation of the promoter (BMRF1) for this early gene by studying its responsiveness in vitro to two immediate-early viral transactivators, BZLF1 (Z) and BRLF1 (R), focusing on the differences in response in lymphoid cells and epithelial cells. In lymphoid cells, Z or R alone produced only small increases in EA-D promoter activity, whereas both transactivators together produced a large stimulatory effect. In epithelial cells, the Z transactivator alone produced maximal stimulation of the EA-D promoter; the effect of R and Z together was no greater than that of Z alone. Deletional analysis and site-directed mutagenesis of the EA-D promoter demonstrated that in epithelial cells the potential AP-1 binding site plays an essential role in Z responsiveness, although sequences further upstream are also important. In lymphoid cells, only the upstream sequences are required for transactivation by the Z/R combination, and the AP-1 site is dispensable. These data suggest that EA-D (BMRF1) promoter regulation by Z and R is cell type specific and appears to involve different mechanisms in each cell type

Feral swine harming insular sea turtle reproduction: The origin, impacts, behavior and elimination of an invasive species

Feral swine are among the world\u27s most destructive invasive species wherever they are found, with translocations figuring prominently in their range expansions. In contrast, sea turtles are beloved species that are listed as threatened or endangered throughout the world and are the focus of intense conservation efforts. Nest predation by feral swine severely harms sea turtle reproduction in many locations around the world. Here we quantify and economically assess feral swine nest predation at North Island, South Carolina, an important loggerhead sea turtle nesting beach. Feral swine depredation of North Island sea turtle nests was first detected in 2005, with annual nest monitoring initiated in 2010 documenting nearly total losses to feral swine in 2010 and 2011. The cumulative valuation of annual losses for North Island from 2010 to 2016 ranged as high as $1,166,500. To improve nesting success, an integrated approach for eliminating feral swine was implemented in 2010 and greatly intensified in 2013 by adding federal experts. Removal efforts were challenging due to the island\u27s remoteness and impenetrable habitats, weather, hazards in accessing the island, and wariness of the animals, especially as their population diminished. Removal of the final 11 swine required efforts from 2014 to 2016. Nest predation was highly variable and provided another example of the significance of conditioning by feral swine to sea turtle nests on the consequent severity of nest predation. Even the final individual inflicted heavy losses before his removal. Genetic analyses of feral swine removed from North Island and the adjacent mainland revealed that the island\u27s population did not originate from the nearby mainland, meaning they were (illegally) introduced to the island

Feral swine harming insular sea turtle reproduction: The origin, impacts, behavior and elimination of an invasive species

Feral swine are among the world\u27s most destructive invasive species wherever they are found, with translocations figuring prominently in their range expansions. In contrast, sea turtles are beloved species that are listed as threatened or endangered throughout the world and are the focus of intense conservation efforts. Nest predation by feral swine severely harms sea turtle reproduction in many locations around the world. Here we quantify and economically assess feral swine nest predation at North Island, South Carolina, an important loggerhead sea turtle nesting beach. Feral swine depredation of North Island sea turtle nests was first detected in 2005, with annual nest monitoring initiated in 2010 documenting nearly total losses to feral swine in 2010 and 2011. The cumulative valuation of annual losses for North Island from 2010 to 2016 ranged as high as $1,166,500. To improve nesting success, an integrated approach for eliminating feral swine was implemented in 2010 and greatly intensified in 2013 by adding federal experts. Removal efforts were challenging due to the island\u27s remoteness and impenetrable habitats, weather, hazards in accessing the island, and wariness of the animals, especially as their population diminished. Removal of the final 11 swine required efforts from 2014 to 2016. Nest predation was highly variable and provided another example of the significance of conditioning by feral swine to sea turtle nests on the consequent severity of nest predation. Even the final individual inflicted heavy losses before his removal. Genetic analyses of feral swine removed from North Island and the adjacent mainland revealed that the island\u27s population did not originate from the nearby mainland, meaning they were (illegally) introduced to the island

Health Status of HIV-Infected Women Entering Care: Baseline Medical Findings from the Women of Color Initiative

The WOC Initiative is a prospective study of 921 women of color (WOC) entering HIV care at nine (three rural, six urban) sites across the US. A baseline interview was performed that included self-reported limitation(s) in activity, health conditions, and the CDC's health-related quality of life measures (Healthy Days). One-third of the WOC reported limiting an activity because of illness or a health condition and those with an activity limitation reported 13 physically and 14 mentally unhealthy days/month, compared with 5 physically and 9 mentally unhealthy days/month in the absence of an activity limitation. Age was associated with a three- to fourfold increased risk of an activity limitation but only for WOC in the urban sites. Diabetes was associated with a threefold increased risk of a limitation among women at rural sites. Cardiac disease was associated with a six- to sevenfold increased risk of an activity limitation for both urban and rural WOC. HIV+ WOC reported more physically and mentally unhealthy days than the general US female population even without an activity limitation. Prevention and treatment of diabetes and cardiovascular disease will need to be a standard part of HIV care to promote the long-term health and HRQOL for HIV-infected WOC

Baseline Social Characteristics and Barriers to Care from a Special Projects of National Significance Women of Color with HIV Study: A Comparison of Urban and Rural Women and Barriers to HIV Care

We describe the baseline sociodemographic characteristics of the Health Resources and Services Administration's Special Programs of National Significance Women of Color (WOC) Initiative. Between November 2010 and July 2013, 921 WOC were prospectively enrolled in HIV medical care at nine sites, six urban (N=641) and three rural sites (N=280) across the US. We describe the study sample, drawing comparisons between urban and rural sites on sociodemographics, barriers to HIV care, HIV care status at study entry, substance use and sexual risk factors, and the relationship among these variables. Urban sites' participants differed from rural sites on all sociodemographic variables except age (median=42.3). Women at urban sites were more likely to be Hispanic, less educated, single, living alone, unstably housed, unemployed, and to have reported lower income. More urban women were transferring care to HIV care or had been lost to care. Urban women reported more barriers to care, many relating to stigma or fatalism about HIV care. Urban women reported more substance use and sexual risk behaviors. A better understanding of how HIV care is embedded in communities or fragmented across many sites in urban areas may help understand barriers to long-term engagement in HIV care encountered by WOC

Ancient and modern genomics of the Ohlone Indigenous population of California

Traditional knowledge, along with archaeological and linguistic evidence, documents that California supports cultural and linguistically diverse Indigenous populations. Studies that have included ancient genomes in this region, however, have focused primarily on broad-scale migration history of the North American continent, with relatively little attention to local population dynamics. Here, in a partnership involving researchers and the Muwekma Ohlone tribe, we analyze genomic data from ancient and present-day individuals from the San Francisco Bay Area in California: 12 ancient individuals dated to 1905 to 1826 and 601 to 184 calibrated years before the present (cal BP) from two archaeological sites and eight present-day members of the Muwekma Ohlone tribe, whose ancestral lands include these two sites. We find that when compared to other ancient and modern individuals throughout the Americas, the 12 ancient individuals from the San Francisco Bay Area cluster with ancient individuals from Southern California. At a finer scale of analysis, we find that the 12 ancient individuals from the San Francisco Bay Area have distinct ancestry from the other groups and that this ancestry has a component of continuity over time with the eight present-day Muwekma Ohlone individuals. These results add to our understanding of Indigenous population history in the San Francisco Bay Area, in California, and in western North America more broadly

Self-Dual Bending Theory for Vesicles

We present a self-dual bending theory that may enable a better understanding of highly nonlinear global behavior observed in biological vesicles. Adopting this topological approach for spherical vesicles of revolution allows us to describe them as frustrated sine-Gordon kinks. Finally, to illustrate an application of our results, we consider a spherical vesicle globally distorted by two polar latex beads.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figures, LaTeX2e+IOPar