Associations Between Social Support and Depression, Stress, and Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Among African American Adults in Houston

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Radiation Quality Effects on Transcriptome Profiles in 3-d Cultures After Particle Irradiation

In this work, we evaluate the differential effects of low- and high-LET radiation on 3-D organotypic cultures in order to investigate radiation quality impacts on gene expression and cellular responses. Reducing uncertainties in current risk models requires new knowledge on the fundamental differences in biological responses (the so-called radiation quality effects) triggered by heavy ion particle radiation versus low-LET radiation associated with Earth-based exposures. We are utilizing novel 3-D organotypic human tissue models that provide a format for study of human cells within a realistic tissue framework, thereby bridging the gap between 2-D monolayer culture and animal models for risk extrapolation to humans. To identify biological pathway signatures unique to heavy ion particle exposure, functional gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was used with whole transcriptome profiling. GSEA has been used extensively as a method to garner biological information in a variety of model systems but has not been commonly used to analyze radiation effects. It is a powerful approach for assessing the functional significance of radiation quality-dependent changes from datasets where the changes are subtle but broad, and where single gene based analysis using rankings of fold-change may not reveal important biological information. We identified 45 statistically significant gene sets at 0.05 q-value cutoff, including 14 gene sets common to gamma and titanium irradiation, 19 gene sets specific to gamma irradiation, and 12 titanium-specific gene sets. Common gene sets largely align with DNA damage, cell cycle, early immune response, and inflammatory cytokine pathway activation. The top gene set enriched for the gamma- and titanium-irradiated samples involved KRAS pathway activation and genes activated in TNF-treated cells, respectively. Another difference noted for the high-LET samples was an apparent enrichment in gene sets involved in cycle cycle/mitotic control. It is plausible that the enrichment in these particular pathways results from the complex DNA damage resulting from high-LET exposure where repair processes are not completed during the same time scale as the less complex damage resulting from low-LET radiation

NASA GeneLab Project: Bridging Space Radiation Omics with Ground Studies

Accurate assessment of risk factors for long-term space missions is critical for human space exploration: therefore it is essential to have a detailed understanding of the biological effects on humans living and working in deep space. Ionizing radiation from Galactic Cosmic Rays (GCR) is one of the major risk factors factor that will impact health of astronauts on extended missions outside the protective effects of the Earth's magnetic field. Currently there are gaps in our knowledge of the health risks associated with chronic low dose, low dose rate ionizing radiation, specifically ions associated with high (H) atomic number (Z) and energy (E). The GeneLab project (genelab.nasa.gov) aims to provide a detailed library of Omics datasets associated with biological samples exposed to HZE. The GeneLab Data System (GLDS) currently includes datasets from both spaceflight and ground-based studies, a majority of which involve exposure to ionizing radiation. In addition to detailed information for ground-based studies, we are in the process of adding detailed, curated dosimetry information for spaceflight missions. GeneLab is the first comprehensive Omics database for space related research from which an investigator can generate hypotheses to direct future experiments utilizing both ground and space biological radiation data. In addition to previously acquired data, the GLDS is continually expanding as Omics related data are generated by the space life sciences community. Here we provide a brief summary of space radiation related data available at GeneLab

Engineering properties and microstructure of a sustainable roof tile manufactured with waste rice husk ash and ceramic sludge addition

Clay replacement with waste rice husk ash (RHA) and ceramic sludge (CS), helps to reduce the consumption of natural clay and solves the ecological issues created by waste disposal. In this study, properties of waste RHA and CS added fired clay tile were investigated, focusing on structural, durability, thermal performance as well as the water quality of the harvested run-off from fired clay roof tiles manufactured in an industrial scale plant. Tiles were cast by clay replacement with waste RHA and CS in four mixtures: 10 %RHA and 0 % CS, 10 % RHA and 10 % CS, 10 % RHA and 15 % CS, and 10 % RHA and 20 % CS (by weight). For 10 %RHA and 10 %CS tiles, dry mass was reduced by 4.9 %, compared with conventional roof tiles, promising a light weight roof tile. Roof tiles with 10 % RHA and 10 %CS showed a transverse breaking load of 1519 N, whereas that of 20 %CS tiles showed 1427 N, indicating that a further 6.5 % strength improvement can be achieved with clay replacement with a combination of two waste materials. Clay replacement with 10 % RHA and 10 % CS resulted in water absorption of 15.25 %. When increasing the clay replacement with combined waste from 10% (10 %RHA and 0%CS) to 30 % (10%RHA and 20 %CS), weight gain due to acid and alkaline attacks reduced from 3.5% to 3.0%, and from 2.2 % to 1.6 %, respectively, indicating enhanced durability performance by incorporating combined waste. High porosity, also confirmed by SEM, contributed to enhanced thermal performance: tile with 10 % RHA and 10 % CS achieved 4.4 °C temperature reduction, compared to the conventional tile. pH value and total solid concentration of run-off water were in the range of recommended values of water for agricultural purposes, ensuring that the collected run-off can be utilized as an alternative water source for potable activities.publishedVersio

Intra- and interspecific polymorphisms ofLeishmania donovani andL. tropica minicircle DNA

A pair of degenerate polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers (LEI-1, TCG GAT CC[C,T] [G,C]TG GGT AGG GGC GT; LEI-2, ACG GAT CC[G,C] [G,C][A,C]C TAT [A,T]TT ACA CC) defining a 0.15-kb segment ofLeishmania minicircle DNA was constructed. These primers amplified not only inter- but also intraspecifically polymorphic sequences. Individual sequences revealed a higher intraspecific than interspecific divergence. It is concluded that individual sequences are of limited relevance for species determination. In contrast, when a data base of 19 different sequences was analyzed in a dendrographic plot, an accurate species differentiation was feasible

Single cell analyses reveal contrasting life strategies of the two main nitrifiers in the ocean

Nitrification, the oxidation of ammonia via nitrite to nitrate, is a key process in marine nitrogen (N) cycling. Although oceanic ammonia and nitrite oxidation are balanced, ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) vastly outnumber the main nitrite oxidizers, the bacterial Nitrospinae. The ecophysiological reasons for this discrepancy in abundance are unclear. Here, we compare substrate utilization and growth of Nitrospinae to AOA in the Gulf of Mexico. Based on our results, more than half of the Nitrospinae cellular N-demand is met by the organic-N compounds urea and cyanate, while AOA mainly assimilate ammonium. Nitrospinae have, under in situ conditions, around four-times higher biomass yield and five-times higher growth rates than AOA, despite their ten-fold lower abundance. Our combined results indicate that differences in mortality between Nitrospinae and AOA, rather than thermodynamics, biomass yield and cell size, determine the abundances of these main marine nitrifiers. Furthermore, there is no need to invoke yet undiscovered, abundant nitrite oxidizers to explain nitrification rates in the ocean

Solid Waste Management in Africa: Governance Failure or Development Opportunity?

Waste management is a social, economic, and environmental problem facing all African countries. If the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development is to be achieved, sustainable waste management approaches must be an environmental and public health imperative deserving political priority. Current reasons for the poor management of waste in Africa, include, amongst others, weak organizational structures; lack of appropriate skills; inadequate budgets; weak legislation; lack of enforcement; low public awareness; corruption, conflict; political instability; and lack of political will. At the heart of the problem, is a failure in governance. However, through these gaps, many social and technological innovations have emerged. Innovations that recognize the opportunity that waste provides as a secondary resource. Diverting waste away from dumpsites and landfills towards reuse, recycling and recovery can improve the livelihoods of thousands of informal waste reclaimers, while also creating new jobs and business opportunities for the continent. Reintroducing secondary resources such as polymer, fiber, metals and nutrients back into local value chains has the potential to strengthen manufacturing economies and reduce the economic burden on product imports. Bringing waste under control in Africa and unlocking the opportunities that “waste” provides as “resource” will require immediate intervention by government, business and civil society

Global Gene Expression Profiling in Lung Tissues of Rat Exposed to Lunar Dust Particles

The Moon's surface is covered by a layer of fine, potential reactive dust. Lunar dust contain about 12% respirable very fine dust (less than 3 micrometers). The habitable area of any lunar landing vehicle and outpost would inevitably be contaminated with lunar dust that could pose a health risk. The purpose of the study is to analyze the dynamics of global gene expression changes in lung tissues of rats exposed to lunar dust particles. F344 rats were exposed for 4 weeks (6h/d; 5d/wk) in noseonly inhalation chambers to concentrations of 0 (control air), 2.1, 6.8, 21, and 61 mg/m3 of lunar dust. Animals were euthanized at 1 day and 13 weeks after the last inhalation exposure. After being lavaged, lung tissue from each animal was collected and total RNA was isolated. Four samples of each dose group were analyzed using Agilent Rat GE v3 microarray to profile global gene expression of 44K transcripts. After background subtraction, normalization, and log transformation, t tests were used to compare the mean expression levels of each exposed group to the control group. Correction for multiple testing was made using the method of Benjamini, Krieger, and Yekuteli (1) to control the false discovery rate. Genes with significant changes of at least 1.75 fold were identified as genes of interest. Both low and high doses of lunar dust caused dramatic, dosedependent global gene expression changes in the lung tissues. However, the responses of lung tissue to low dose lunar dust are distinguished from those of high doses, especially those associated with 61mg/m3 dust exposure. The data were further integrated into the Ingenuity system to analyze the gene ontology (GO), pathway distribution and putative upstream regulators and gene targets. Multiple pathways, functions, and upstream regulators have been identified in response to lunar dust induced damage in the lung tissue

Genetic parameters for cow-specific digestibility predicted by near infrared reflectance spectroscopy

Digestibility traits included in this study were dry matter digestibility (DMD, g/kg), which was calculated based on the indigestible neutral detergent fibre (iNDF, g/kg of dry matter) content in faeces (iNDFf) and in diet (iNDFd), and iNDFf predicted directly from faecal samples by near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS). The data set was collected at three research herds in Finland and one in Norway including in total 931 records from 328 lactating Nordic Red Cattle and Holstein cows. Observations were associated with different accuracy, due to the differences in sampling protocols used for collecting faecal samples. Heritability estimates varied between different sampling protocols and ranged from 0.14 ± 0.06 to 0.51 ± 0.24 for DMD and from 0.13 ± 0.05 to 0.48 ± 0.18 for iNDFf. Estimated genetic standard deviations were 10.5 g/kg and 6.2 g/kg dry matter for DMD and iNDFf, respectively. Results of our study indicated that recording only the iNDF content in the faeces is sufficient to determine genetic variation in cows’ ability to digest feed. The coefficient of genetic variation for DMD was rather small (1.7%), but could be utilized if it is supported by a positive analysis of benefits over costs.Peer reviewe