Fighting the Double Front: The Military Rights Movement of the World War II Era

For most of history, military service has been directly linked to citizenship and the rights that come with it. Although African Americans have been involved in every American conflict since the Revolutionary War, they were particularly limited to support units because of the connection between fighting in military combat and civilian rights. During the First World War, there was hope that honorable service of African Americans in Europe would help secure more rights in the military. This would not be the case. African Americans learned during World War I that “you don’t do your duty and hope for reward. You make your demand, strike your bargain, and then go fight.” The Second World War would see active, organized resistance to the racial discrimination faced by those African Americans seeking to participate in the war effort. While some historians have pointed to this time as the foundation of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s, others have attributed this time to disillusionment and futile struggle, brushing aside words like “watershed” and “turning point” to place emphasis on the later Civil Rights Movement. This view, however, fails to recognize the impact the World War II experience had on African American society, the U.S. military, and American society as a whole. To view this time exclusively in the shadow of the larger, more overt movement of the 1960s is to take away the very tangible effect these efforts had. By changing the lens through which we view the struggle of African Americans in the World War II Era, we can see it not as a lead in to the Civil Rights Movement but as a stand-alone conflict with strategic and organized efforts to change the African American’s place in the military and war industries. Though undoubtedly linked to later movements, this unnamed fight of the 1940s is not simply the prelude to a bigger, better story. This struggle of the 1940s can be identified as a Military Rights Movement with its own agenda, tactics, and palpable results, including the integration of American troops by President Truman in the years immediately following the conflict

Circadian regulation of adult neurogenesis in zebrafish and its modulation by nutrition

The recently accepted phenomenon of adult neurogenesis is important for basic biological research and, potentially, can have major implications for the treatment of age-related cognitive decline and disease. Investigation into the mechanisms of adult neurogenesis and its ability to replenish brain circuits with new functional neurons requires whole animal models.  Zebrafish, a diurnal vertebrate, has robust cell proliferation in several neurogenic niches, including the cerebellum and dorsal telencephalon, the latter bearing homology to mammalian hippocampus. Because zebrafish demonstrate rapid regeneration in all tissues, including successful repair following brain traumas, they are promising as a model for designing therapies for human brain traumas or stroke. Their long lifespan and gradual aging also makes them an interesting model for the role of neurogenesis in counteracting human neurodegenerative disorders of aging. In different models, it has been found that cell proliferation in adult brain can be significantly affected by behavioral and environmental factors. Among those is nutrition, impacting adult neurogenesis through the amount of caloric intake, meal frequency, and meal content. The study presented here addressed the effects of nutritional factors on adult neurogenesis in a zebrafish model of premature aging due to excessive caloric food intake since early development. Fish were exposed to fasting, different diets and feeding schedules, with the rate of cell proliferation documented in two largest neurogenic niches of the zebrafish brain, the cerebellum and dorsal telencephalon. Here we show that, under normal conditions, fish with premature aging demonstrate dramatic decline in adult neurogenesis in both niches, when compared to age-matched control. The present findings establish an effect of nutrition on neurogenesis in the cerebellum and dorsal telencephalon of adult zebrafish. Zebrafish maintained on HFD, subjected to fasting, or fed only in the evenings showed significant changes in neurogenesis in two distinct neurogenic niches from that of control fish. Remarkably, the two brain regions under investigation displayed partially different responses to nutrition related factors. This was reflected in the cerebellar niche in which neurogenesis was significantly increased by 24h fast/24h refeed, high fat diet, and evening feeding conditions.  Neurogenesis of the cerebellum was significantly decreased in 24h fast, 42h fast/refeed conditions.  In the dorsal telencephalon, neurogenesis was significantly amplified by high protein, and similar to the cerebellum, high fat diet and evening feeding conditions.  In contrast, neurogenesis of the dorsal telencephalon was significantly attenuated only in the 72h fasting condition. This study provides evidence that nutrition plays important role in the modulation of adult neurogenesis in zebrafish, and presence of niche-specific responses to nutritional factors. This further suggests that zebrafish can serve as a model for studying the effects of specific diets, metabolic factors and drugs that affect metabolism in search for prophylactic and therapeutic measures for age-related cognitive decline or neurodegenerative disorders

Field Identification of the Mice Peromyscus leucopus noveboracensis and P. maniculatus gracilis in Central New York

Field identification of the White-footed Mouse (Peromyscus leucopus noveboracensis) and Long-tailed Deer Mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus gracilis) is difficult because of their similar external morphology. Peromyscus were sampled by live-trapping during a five-year period (1992-1996) at the Arnot Teaching and Research Forest, Van Etten, New York and identified to species by electrophoresis of their salivary amylase. No electromorphs were shared between P. leucopus and P. maniculatus, thus permitting unambiguous species identification of individuals. Means and ranges of four external measurements (ear, head-body, hind-foot, and tail) and tail to head-body ratio were determined for amylase-genotyped live mice. Although some body measurements did differ on average between the two species (ear, head-body, and tail for adults; hind-foot and tail for juveniles), the ranges of these overlap considerably. When the four external measurements (excluding the tail to head-body ratio) were used to construct two discriminant-function equations, they yielded correct identification of 80% of the adult P. l. noveboracensis and P. m. gracilis assessed excluding juveniles, and 71% of adult and juvenile mice combined. The function reported here allows partial field identification, but genetic analysis remains the only reliable field method for differentiation between live P. l. noveboracensis and P. m. gracilis. Includes erratum for a figure in this article

How effects on health equity are assessed in systematic reviews of interventions.

BACKGROUND: Enhancing health equity has now achieved international political importance with endorsement from the World Health Assembly in 2009.  The failure of systematic reviews to consider effects on health equity is cited by decision-makers as a limitation to their ability to inform policy and program decisions.  OBJECTIVES: To systematically review methods to assess effects on health equity in systematic reviews of effectiveness. SEARCH STRATEGY: We searched the following databases up to July 2 2010: MEDLINE, PsychINFO, the Cochrane Methodology Register, CINAHL, Education Resources Information Center, Education Abstracts, Criminal Justice Abstracts, Index to Legal Periodicals, PAIS International, Social Services Abstracts, Sociological Abstracts, Digital Dissertations and the Health Technology Assessment Database. We searched SCOPUS to identify articles that cited any of the included studies on October 7 2010. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included empirical studies of cohorts of systematic reviews that assessed methods for measuring effects on health inequalities. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Data were extracted using a pre-tested form by two independent reviewers. Risk of bias was appraised for included studies according to the potential for bias in selection and detection of systematic reviews.  MAIN RESULTS: Thirty-four methodological studies were included.  The methods used by these included studies were: 1) Targeted approaches (n=22); 2) gap approaches (n=12) and gradient approach (n=1).  Gender or sex was assessed in eight out of 34 studies, socioeconomic status in ten studies, race/ethnicity in seven studies, age in seven studies, low and middle income countries in 14 studies, and two studies assessed multiple factors across health inequity may exist.Only three studies provided a definition of health equity. Four methodological approaches to assessing effects on health equity were identified: 1) descriptive assessment of reporting and analysis in systematic reviews (all 34 studies used a type of descriptive method); 2) descriptive assessment of reporting and analysis in original trials (12/34 studies); 3) analytic approaches (10/34 studies); and 4) applicability assessment (11/34 studies). Both analytic and applicability approaches were not reported transparently nor in sufficient detail to judge their credibility. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: There is a need for improvement in conceptual clarity about the definition of health equity, describing sufficient detail about analytic approaches (including subgroup analyses) and transparent reporting of judgments required for applicability assessments in order to assess and report effects on health equity in systematic reviews

Articles Prevalence and burden of HCV co-infection in people living with HIV: a global systematic review and meta-analysis

Summary Background At global level, there are 37 million people infected with HIV and 115 million people with antibodies to hepatitis C virus (HCV). Little is known about the extent of HIV-HCV co-infection. We sought to characterise the epidemiology and burden of HCV co-infection in people living with HIV

Antimicrobial Resistance in Enterococcus spp. Isolated from Environmental Samples in an Area of Intensive Poultry Production

Enterococcus spp. from two poultry farms and proximate surface and ground water sites in an area of intensive poultry production were tested for resistance to 16 clinical antibiotics. Resistance patterns were compared to assess trends and possible correlations for specific antimicrobials and levels of resistance. Enterococci were detected at all 12 surface water sites and three of 28 ground water sites. Resistance to lincomycin, tetracycline, penicillin and ciprofloxacin in poultry litter isolates was high (80.3%, 65.3%, 61.1% and 49.6%, respectively). Resistance in the surface water to the same antibiotics was 87.1%, 24.1%, 7.6% and 12.9%, respectively. Overall, 86% of litter isolates, 58% of surface water isolates and 100% of ground water isolates were resistant to more than one antibiotic. Fifty-four different resistance patterns were recognised in isolates obtained from litter and environmental samples and several E. faecium and E. faecalis isolates from litter and environment samples shared the same resistance pattern. Multiple antibiotic resistant (MAR) indices calculated to assess health risks due to the presence of resistant enterococci suggested an increased presence of antibiotics in surface water, likely from poultry sources as no other wastewater contributions in the area were documented

The Lantern, 2022-2023

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Spontaneous DNA damage to the nuclear genome promotes senescence,redox imbalance and aging

Accumulation of senescent cells over time contributes to aging and age-related diseases. However, what drives senescence in vivo is not clear. Here we used a genetic approach to determine if spontaneous nuclear DNA damage is sufficient to initiate senescence in mammals. Ercc1-/Δ mice with reduced expression of ERCC1-XPF endonuclease have impaired capacity to repair the nuclear genome. Ercc1-/Δ mice accumulated spontaneous, oxidative DNA damage more rapidly than wild-type (WT) mice. As a consequence, senescent cells accumulated more rapidly in Ercc1-/Δ mice compared to repair-competent animals. However, the levels of DNA damage and senescent cells in Ercc1-/Δ mice never exceeded that observed in old WT mice. Surprisingly, levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were increased in tissues of Ercc1-/Δ mice to an extent identical to naturally-aged WT mice. Increased enzymatic production of ROS and decreased antioxidants contributed to the elevation in oxidative stress in both Ercc1-/Δ and aged WT mice. Chronic treatment of Ercc1-/Δ mice with the mitochondrial-targeted radical scavenger XJB-5–131 attenuated oxidative DNA damage, senescence and age-related pathology. Our findings indicate that nuclear genotoxic stress arises, at least in part, due to mitochondrial-derived ROS, and this spontaneous DNA damage is sufficient to drive increased levels of ROS, cellular senescence, and the consequent age-related physiological decline

Spontaneous DNA damage to the nuclear genome promotes senescence, T redox imbalance and aging

Accumulation of senescent cells over time contributes to aging and age-related diseases. However, what drives senescence in vivo is not clear. Here we used a genetic approach to determine if spontaneous nuclear DNA damage is sufficient to initiate senescence in mammals. Ercc1-/Δ mice with reduced expression of ERCC1-XPF endonuclease have impaired capacity to repair the nuclear genome. Ercc1-/Δ mice accumulated spontaneous, oxidative DNA damage more rapidly than wild-type (WT) mice. As a consequence, senescent cells accumulated more rapidly in Ercc1-/Δ mice compared to repair-competent animals. However, the levels of DNA damage and senescent cells in Ercc1-/Δ mice never exceeded that observed in old WT mice. Surprisingly, levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were increased in tissues of Ercc1-/Δ mice to an extent identical to naturally-aged WT mice. Increased enzymatic production of ROS and decreased antioxidants contributed to the elevation in oxidative stress in both Ercc1-/Δ and aged WT mice. Chronic treatment of Ercc1-/Δ mice with the mitochondrial-targeted radical scavenger XJB-5–131 attenuated oxidative DNA damage, senescence and age-related pathology. Our findings indicate that nuclear genotoxic stress arises, at least in part, due to mitochondrial-derived ROS, and this spontaneous DNA damage is sufficient to drive increased levels of ROS, cellular senescence, and the consequent age-related physiological decline

PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) : Checklist and Explanation

Scoping reviews, a type of knowledge synthesis, follow a systematic approach to map evidence on a topic and identify main concepts, theories, sources, and knowledge gaps. Although more scoping reviews are being done, their methodological and reporting quality need improvement. This document presents the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews) checklist and explanation. The checklist was developed by a 24-member expert panel and 2 research leads following published guidance from the EQUATOR (Enhancing the QUAlity and Transparency Of health Research) Network. The final checklist contains 20 essential reporting items and 2 optional items. The authors provide a rationale and an example of good reporting for each item. The intent of the PRISMA-ScR is to help readers (including researchers, publishers, commissioners, policymakers, health care providers, guideline developers, and patients or consumers) develop a greater understanding of relevant terminology, core concepts, and key items to report for scoping reviews