464 research outputs found

    Diagnostic, regenerative or fossil-free- exploring stakeholder perceptions of Swedish food system sustainability

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    In an analysis of food system sustainability challenges and solutions among Swedish food system actors using Q -methodology, five perspectives were identified. One of the main three perspectives placed the highest priority on reduced meat consumption, food waste, and climate impact in agriculture, but downplayed strategies highlighted in the national food strategy and social aspects, and can be interpreted as a diagnostic climate mitigation-oriented perspective that does not reflect current negotiated policy processes or 'softer' values of food. In an alternative regenerative perspective, industrialized large-scale farming and lack of internalization of external costs were regarded as the main problems, and diversity, soil health, and organic farming as the main solutions. Proponents of a third perspective regarded phasing out fossil fuels, increased profitability of companies, increased meat production, and self-sufficiency as high priorities. These contrasting views can be a major barrier to transforming the Swedish food system. However, a number of entry points for change (i.e. aspects highly important for some and neutral for others) were identified, including focusing on healthy diets and increased production of fruit and vegetables. Focusing on these can build trust among stakeholders before moving to discussions about the larger and more sensitive systemic changes needed

    Space Shuttle Program: Automatic rendezvous, proximity operations, and capture (category 3)

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    The NASA Johnson Space Center is actively pursuing the development and demonstration of capabilities for automatic rendezvous, proximity operations, and capture (AR&C) using the Space Shuttle as the active vehicle. This activity combines the technologies, expertise, tools, and facilities of the JSC Tracking and Communications Division (EE), Navigation, Control and Aeronautics Division (EG), Automation and Robotics Division (ER), and Structures and Mechanics Division (ES) of the Engineering Directorate and the Flight Design and Dynamics Division (DM) of the Mission Operations Directorate. Potential benefits of AR&C include more efficient and repeatable rendezvous, proximity operations, and capture operations; reduced impacts on the target vehicles (e.g., Orbiter RCS plume loads); reduced flight crew work loads; reduced ground support requirements; and reduced operational constraints. This paper documents the current JSC capabilities/tools/facilities for AR&C and describes a proposed plan for a progression of ground demonstrations and flight tests and demonstrations of AR&C capabilities. This plan involves the maturing of existing technologies in tracking and communications; guidance, navigation and control; mechanisms; manipulators; and systems management and integrating them into several evolutionary demonstration stages

    Availability: A Metric for Nucleic Acid Strand Displacement Systems

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    DNA strand displacement systems have transformative potential in synthetic biology. While powerful examples have been reported in DNA nanotechnology, such systems are plagued by leakage, which limits network stability, sensitivity, and scalability. An approach to mitigate leakage in DNA nanotechnology, which is applicable to synthetic biology, is to introduce mismatches to complementary fuel sequences at key locations. However, this method overlooks nuances in the secondary structure of the fuel and substrate that impact the leakage reaction kinetics in strand displacement systems. In an effort to quantify the impact of secondary structure on leakage, we introduce the concepts of availability and mutual availability and demonstrate their utility for network analysis. Our approach exposes vulnerable locations on the substrate and quantifies the secondary structure of fuel strands. Using these concepts, a 4-fold reduction in leakage has been achieved. The result is a rational design process that efficiently suppresses leakage and provides new insight into dynamic nucleic acid networks

    The Ursinus Weekly, October 26, 1953

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    British foreign policy is subject of Forum speaker • China collection now on display in Library • Trinity Church holds special student class • Sororities schedule rush week parties • PAC to sponsor bus trip to United Nations, Nov. 14 • Baby sitters made available to faculty for school events • Retreat yields extensive plans for Y activity • Junior class to hold dance November 7 • 1953 alumni news • Freshmen elect officers; Hummel named president • All my sons to be directed by Abramson • Cub and Key plans reunion • Alumnus receives appointment at Washington University • Tonsorial quartets to present program • Editorials: Do we want culture? • From scenery to sex • Engagements • Campus sororities open week of rushing activity • Quartet performs with spirit and versatility • Meistersingers schedule includes concerts, tour • Third team wins, tops Bryn Mawr, 4-0 • Belles tie E. Stroudsburg, Merrifield, Heller counter • Ursinus defeats Swarthmore, 38-21 • Bakermen win 3rd game; Lose fourth to Rutgers • JVs triumph, 6-1, defeating Albright • All-college hockey starts Saturdayhttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/weekly/1480/thumbnail.jp

    The Lantern Vol. 19, No. 1, Winter 1951

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    • Nevin LaRue • There Stands a Wall • An Iron God • Little Reginald and the Goat Tale • The Atom After Dark • Lament • To • Tell Me • Eight-Fifteen • After Reading Robert Frost • New Era • Eternity • Recollection • Two Poemshttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/lantern/1052/thumbnail.jp

    PERP, a host tetraspanning membrane protein, is required for Salmonella-induced inflammation

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    Salmonella enterica Typhimurium induces intestinal inflammation through the activity of type III secreted effector (T3SE) proteins. Our prior results indicate that the secretion of the T3SE SipA and the ability of SipA to induce epithelial cell responses that lead to induction of polymorphonuclear transepithelial migration are not coupled to its direct delivery into epithelial cells from Salmonella. We therefore tested the hypothesis that SipA interacts with a membrane protein located at the apical surface of intestinal epithelial cells. Employing a split ubiquitin yeast-two-hybrid screen, we identified the tetraspanning membrane protein, p53 effector related to PMP-22 (PERP), as a SipA binding partner. SipA and PERP appear to have intersecting activities as we found PERP to be involved in proinflammatory pathways shown to be regulated by SipA. In sum, our studies reveal a critical role for PERP in the pathogenesis of S. Typhimurium, and for the first time demonstrate that SipA, a T3SE protein, can engage a host protein at the epithelial surface

    The Ursinus Weekly, November 19, 1951

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    Four soloists for Messiah concert named • Fraternities give out bids; Plan parties next week • Student-faculty talents presented for benefit of Campus Chest fund • Kiszonas is new senior class prexy • Red Cross disbands • WSGA hears plans for Student Union • Forum speaker says religious belief implies skeptical aspect • Curtain rises on Private Lives act tomorrow night • Nominees listed for \u2753 yearbook positions • Curtain Club play set for 2-night run • Student tells of conditions in Russia • Senior ball set • Campus Chest campaign reaches half-way mark • Haverford College student panel to argue army conscription here • Editorials: Thanksgiving, 1951; East is world headache • Gigi, French play, opens at Philadelphia theater • Alumni • Letters to the editor • Dr. McClure delivers lecture on education • If Collegeville were in Korea, this could happen • Thanksgiving: Pre and Post • Messiah tradition came with Dr. Philip • Bruins to play benefit in York • East Stroudsburg handed initial defeat by Belles • Bears defeated in finale by unbeaten Susquehanna • Curtis Hall wins interdorm title • Women begin to play in intramural hockey • Susquehanna completes unbeaten, untied year • Band attacked for disinterest • Soccer squad closes its season by losing to Franklin & Marshall team • Nevison lectures to Chem society • Intercollegiate bridge tournament to begin • Pediatrics talk given pre-medders • Square dance enjoyedhttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/weekly/1528/thumbnail.jp

    Interactions between Magnetic Nanowires and Living Cells : Uptake, Toxicity and Degradation

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    We report on the uptake, toxicity and degradation of magnetic nanowires by NIH/3T3 mouse fibroblasts. Magnetic nanowires of diameters 200 nm and lengths comprised between 1 {\mu}m and 40 {\mu}m are fabricated by controlled assembly of iron oxide ({\gamma}-Fe2O3) nanoparticles. Using optical and electron microscopy, we show that after 24 h incubation the wires are internalized by the cells and located either in membrane-bound compartments or dispersed in the cytosol. Using fluorescence microscopy, the membrane-bound compartments were identified as late endosomal/lysosomal endosomes labeled with lysosomal associated membrane protein (Lamp1). Toxicity assays evaluating the mitochondrial activity, cell proliferation and production of reactive oxygen species show that the wires do not display acute short-term (< 100 h) toxicity towards the cells. Interestingly, the cells are able to degrade the wires and to transform them into smaller aggregates, even in short time periods (days). This degradation is likely to occur as a consequence of the internal structure of the wires, which is that of a non-covalently bound aggregate. We anticipate that this degradation should prevent long-term asbestos-like toxicity effects related to high aspect ratio morphologies and that these wires represent a promising class of nanomaterials for cell manipulation and microrheology.Comment: 21 pages 12 figure

    Prostate Cancer Risk Is not Altered by TP53AIP1 Germline Mutations in a German Case-Control Series

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    Prostate cancer susceptibility has previously been associated with truncating germline variants in the gene TP53AIP1 (tumor protein p53 regulated apoptosis inducing protein 1). For two apparently recurrent mutations (p.Q22fs and p.S32X) a remarkable OR of 5.1 was reported for prostate cancer risk. Since these findings have not been validated so far, we genotyped p.Q22fs and p.S32X in two German series with a total of 1,207 prostate cancer cases and 1,495 controls. The truncating variants were not significantly associated with prostate cancer in none of the two cohorts, nor in the combined analysis [odds ratio (OR) = 1.16; 95% confidence interval (CI 95%) = 0.62–2.15; p = 0.66]. Carriers showed no significant differences in family history of prostate cancer, age at diagnosis, Gleason score or PSA at diagnosis when compared to non-carrier prostate cancer cases. The large sample size of the combined cohort rejects a high-risk effect greater than 2.2 and indicates a limited role of TP53AIP1 in prostate cancer predisposition

    An evaluation of 9-1-1 calls to assess the effectiveness of dispatch-assisted cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) instructions: design and methodology

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    <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Cardiac arrest is the leading cause of mortality in Canada, and the overall survival rate for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest rarely exceeds 5%. Bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) has been shown to increase survival for cardiac arrest victims. However, bystander CPR rates remain low in Canada, rarely exceeding 15%, despite various attempts to improve them. Dispatch-assisted CPR instructions have the potential to improve rates of bystander CPR and many Canadian urban communities now offer instructions to callers reporting a victim in cardiac arrest. Dispatch-assisted CPR instructions are recommended by the International Guidelines on Emergency Cardiovascular Care, but their ability to improve cardiac arrest survival remains unclear.</p> <p>Methods/Design</p> <p>The overall goal of this study is to better understand the factors leading to successful dispatch-assisted CPR instructions and to ultimately save the lives of more cardiac arrest patients. The study will utilize a before-after, prospective cohort design to specifically: 1) Determine the ability of 9-1-1 dispatchers to correctly diagnose cardiac arrest; 2) Quantify the frequency and impact of perceived agonal breathing on cardiac arrest diagnosis; 3) Measure the frequency with which dispatch-assisted CPR instructions can be successfully completed; and 4) Measure the impact of dispatch-assisted CPR instructions on bystander CPR and survival rates.</p> <p>The study will be conducted in 19 urban communities in Ontario, Canada. All 9-1-1 calls occurring in the study communities reporting out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in victims 16 years of age or older for which resuscitation was attempted will be eligible. Information will be obtained from 9-1-1 call recordings, paramedic patient care reports, base hospital records, fire medical records and hospital medical records. Victim, caller and system characteristics will be measured in the study communities before the introduction of dispatch-assisted CPR instructions (before group), during the introduction (run-in phase), and following the introduction (after group).</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>The study will obtain information essential to the development of clinical trials that will test a variety of educational approaches and delivery methods for telephone cardiopulmonary resuscitation instructions. This will be the first study in the world to clearly quantify the impact of dispatch-assisted CPR instructions on survival to hospital discharge for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest victims.</p> <p>Trial Registration</p> <p>ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00664443</p
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