Identifying the genetic loci responsible for development of multivulval phenotypes in model organism C. briggsae

Thanks to recent advances in sequencing technology, researchers are rapidly accumulating vast numbers of genomic sequences for countless plant and animal species. However in many cases, little is known regarding the functional significance of any observed sequence differences. The goal of this work is to understand how two sister species of nematode worms have evolved genomic functional and regulatory differences, despite the high degree of similarity between their anatomy and life history traits. C. elegans is a model organism widely used in the field of molecular genetics. In C. elegans, there are four genes known to influence the morphology of the egg-laying structure (vulva) such that single loss-of-function mutations can result in the formation of a multivulval phenotype. The genome of C. briggsae, a sister species to C. elegans, has been less thoroughly studied.In this study, eight mutant strains of C. briggsae possessing the multivulval phenotype have been isolated from a mutagenesis screen. Each strain has been tested against the others using complementation, in order to determine whether the multivulval trait results from mutations within the same gene or represents distinct genes. Current results suggest that mutations in at least seven unique genes have been isolated. Thus the number of genes that can easily mutate to the multivulval phenotype in C. briggsae is larger than that found in C. elegans. Currently, each mutation is in the process of being ‘mapped’ on the genome, meaning its approximate location on one of the six chromosomes is being determined using molecular methods. After the mapping process is completed, each mutation can be sequenced for further analysis. This will confirm which of the C. briggsae strains bear mutations in one of the four genes identified in C. elegans, and which represent different loci previously unknown to influence C. briggsae vulval morphology.Ohio State College of Arts and SciencesNSFPelotonia Undergraduate Fellowship ProgramNo embarg

A Guide to Student Publications

Abstract not Include

The application of antimicrobial stewardship knowledge to nursing practice: a national survey of United Kingdom pre‐registration nursing students.

To assess student nurses understanding and skills in the application of antimicrobial stewardship knowledge to practice. Five hundred and twenty three student nurses responded across 23 UK universities. Although students felt prepared in competencies in infection prevention and control, patient-centred care and interprofessional collaborative practice, they felt less prepared in competencies in which microbiological knowledge, prescribing and its effect on antimicrobial stewardship is required. Problem-based learning, activities in the clinical setting and face-to-face teaching were identified as the preferred modes of education delivery. Those who had shared antimicrobial stewardship teaching with students from other professions reported the benefits to include a broader understanding of antimicrobial stewardship, an understanding of the roles of others in antimicrobial stewardship and improved interprofessional working. There are gaps in student nurses' knowledge of the basic sciences associated with the antimicrobial stewardship activities in which nurses are involved, and a need to strengthen knowledge in pre-registration nurse education programmes pertaining to antimicrobial management, specifically microbiology and antimicrobial regimes and effects on antimicrobial stewardship. Infection prevention and control, patient-centred care and interprofessional collaborative practice are areas of antimicrobial stewardship in which student nurses feel prepared. Interprofessional education would help nurses and other members of the antimicrobial stewardship team clarify the role nurses can play in antimicrobial stewardship and therefore maximize their contribution to antimicrobial stewardship and antimicrobial management. There is a need to strengthen knowledge from the basic sciences, specifically pertaining to antimicrobial management, in pre-registration nurse education programmes. What Problem Did the Study Address?: Nurses must protect health through understanding and applying antimicrobial stewardship knowledge and skills (Nursing and Midwifery Council 2018); however, there is no research available that has investigated nurses understanding and skills of the basic sciences associated with the antimicrobial stewardship activities in which they are involved. What Were the Main Findings?: There are gaps in student nurses' knowledge of the basic sciences (specifically microbiology and prescribing) associated with the antimicrobial stewardship activities in which nurses are involved. Problem-based learning, and activities in the clinical setting, were reported as useful teaching methods, whereas online learning, was seen as less useful. Where and on Whom Will the Research Have an Impact?: Pre-registration nurse education programmes

Opening a Trapdoor in Your Soul: Tim O’Brien’s Pursuit of a True War Story

This thesis project explores Tim O’Brien’s use of fiction to go beyond simply recounting an experience in the Vietnam War to write a true war story through examination of his writing, interviews, and their impact on me as a reader. I dissect three of O’Brien’s fictional narratives for their similarities to and differences from his nonfictional account and investigate the evolution of those differences and what they mean as part of O’Brien’s search for how to best convey the truth and find meaning in his life. The epitome of everything O’Brien wants to offer is realized in his final short story, “On the Rainy River”, where he most powerfully and succinctly captures a true war story.Key Words: Tim O’Brien, Vietnam War, fiction, nonfiction, literature, writing storytelling, war story, trut

Reviving Traditional Native American Food with the Hunt. Fish. Gather. Program

In the United States, high incidences of cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, depression, anxiety, and stress affect large portions of the population. One way to prevent, manage, and protect against these health-related difficulties is to maintain a healthy diet. To accomplish this, people can turn to traditional Native American foods, which are minimally processed, locally produced, nutrient-dense, and low in trans-fat. This study examined health awareness outcomes from the Hunt. Fish. Gather. (H.F.G.) program, a Native American cuisine program seeking to increase awareness of traditional Native foods with a focus on mind, body, spirit, and environment. Upon completion of the program, surveys were administered to participants to measure whether awareness and understanding of traditional Native foods changed. Findings of the survey suggest that the program significantly increased participant awareness and understanding of traditional Native foods. Literature suggests that increasing these may lead to better food habits and improved well-being

Nebraska Child Care Market Rate Survey Report 2019

The Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Act of 2014 was reauthorized with renewed emphasis placed on the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) program, which seeks to provide equal access to quality child care for families. The CCDF program is necessary to ensure children from low-income families have the opportunity to experience stable, high-quality early experiences while their parents experience a pathway to economic stability. A primary goal of the CCDF program is to ensure that low-income families receive CCDF funds to help them access quality child care in the same manner as families that pay the full rate for child care services (Davis et al., 2017). The CCDBG Act requires Lead Agencies to engage in a number of activities designed to inform families receiving CCDF assistance, the general public, and child care providers of various aspects of the new law. This includes a requirement for Lead Agencies to conduct a market rate survey or alternative methodology to establish provider payment rates. Various factors should be considered when provider payment rates are established to ensure children from low-income families have equal access to highquality child care. Federal regulations indicate that the 75th percentile payment rate is a benchmark for gauging equal access for families receiving subsidy. However, States/ Territories are given the freedom to determine their own rates and eligibility requirements for families and programs. The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (NDHHS) is the CCDF Lead Agency in Nebraska. While the reauthorized CCDBG allows states to conduct a market rate survey every three years, state legislation requires that NDHHS adjust the reimbursement rate for child care every odd numbered year. For 2019, NDHHS contracted with the Buffett Early Childhood Institute (referred to as Institute throughout the remainder of this manuscript) at the University of Nebraska to conduct a market rate survey (MRS) for child care in the state of Nebraska. The 2019 MRS was designed to meet the following federal benchmarks: (a) includes the priced child care market; (b) provides complete and current data; (c) represents geographic variations; (d) uses rigorous data collection procedures; and (e) analyzes data in a manner that captures market differences as a function of age group, provider type, and geographic location (45 CFR § 98.4)

Millimeter-Wave Line Ratios and Sub-beam Volume Density Distributions

We explore the use of mm-wave emission line ratios to trace molecular gas density when observations integrate over a wide range of volume densities within a single telescope beam. For observations targeting external galaxies, this case is unavoidable. Using a framework similar to that of Krumholz and Thompson (2007), we model emission for a set of common extragalactic lines from lognormal and power law density distributions. We consider the median density of gas producing emission and the ability to predict density variations from observed line ratios. We emphasize line ratio variations, because these do not require knowing the absolute abundance of our tracers. Patterns of line ratio variations have the prospect to illuminate the high-end shape of the density distribution, and to capture changes in the dense gas fraction and median volume density. Our results with and without a high density power law tail differ appreciably; we highlight better knowledge of the PDF shape as an important area. We also show the implications of sub-beam density distributions for isotopologue studies targeting dense gas tracers. Differential excitation often implies a significant correction to the naive case. We provide tabulated versions of many of our results, which can be used to interpret changes in mm-wave line ratios in terms of changes in the underlying density distributions.Comment: 24 pages, 16 figure, Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal, two online tables temporarily available at http://www.astronomy.ohio-state.edu/~leroy.42/densegas_table2.txt and http://www.astronomy.ohio-state.edu/~leroy.42/densegas_table3.tx

Detection of the diffuse HI emission in the Circumgalactic Medium of NGC 891 and NGC 4565

We present detections of 21-cm emission from neutral hydrogen (HI) in the circumgalactic medium (CGM) of the local edge-on galaxies NGC 891 and NGC 4565 using the Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope (GBT). With our 5$\sigma$ sensitivity of $8.2 \times 10^{16}$ cm$^{-2}$ calculated over a 20 km s$^{-1}$ channel, we achieve $>5\sigma$ detections out to $90-120$ kpc along the minor axes. The velocity width of the CGM emission is as large as that of the disk $\approx 500$ km s$^{-1}$, indicating the existence of a diffuse component permeating the halo. We compare our GBT measurements with interferometric data from the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope (WSRT). The WSRT maps the HI emission from the disk at high S/N but has limited surface brightness sensitivity at the angular scales probed with the GBT. After convolving the WSRT data to the spatial resolution of the GBT (FWHM = 9.1$'$), we find that the emission detected by the WSRT accounts for $48^{+15}_{-25}$% ($58^{+4}_{-18}$%) of the total flux recovered by the GBT from the CGM of NGC 891(NGC 4565). The existence of significant GBT-only flux suggests the presence of a large amount of diffuse, low column density HI emission in the CGM. For reasonable assumptions, the extended diffuse HI could account for $5.2\pm0.9$% and $2.0\pm0.8$% of the total HI emission of NGC 891 and NGC 4565.Comment: 14 pages, 5 figures, published in Ap