Discharge of Psychiatric Patients to Shelters Increases Homelessness

A comprehensive care plan for patients, including at least income support and assistance resettling in the community, will prevent homelessness.York's Knowledge Mobilization Unit provides services and funding for faculty, graduate students, and community organizations seeking to maximize the impact of academic research and expertise on public policy, social programming, and professional practice. It is supported by SSHRC and CIHR grants, and by the Office of the Vice-President Research & Innovation. [email protected] www.researchimpact.c

THE EFFECTS OF BACKPACK LOADING STYLES ON ENERGY EXPENDITURE AND MOVEMENT IN THE SAGITTAL PLANE DURING TREADMILL WALKING

Backpacking is physically demanding on the body. Although much of the load is carried securely inside the pack, non-secure attachment of provisions is commonly practiced. The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of a non-secure loading style as compared to a secure loading style of a backpack. Fifteen male subjects walked on a treadmill for 10 minutes in four conditions: 2% grade secure and non-secure and 15% grade secure and non-secure. Expired air analysis and movement in the sagittal plane were analyzed. A two-way (pack by grade) ANOVA for energy expenditure yielded significant differences for grade: one minute averages (p < .001), over the each condition (p < .001), and over an estimated 60 minute interval (p = .675). No other energy expenditure differences and no sagittal plane movement differences were found

Community-Based Discharge Planning Improves Health Services

Basing discharge services in the community has improved services for people transitioning out of an acute care mental healthcare facility. It has also reduced readmissions rates, curbing the demand for inpatient services at the hospital level.York's Knowledge Mobilization Unit provides services and funding for faculty, graduate students, and community organizations seeking to maximize the impact of academic research and expertise on public policy, social programming, and professional practice. It is supported by SSHRC and CIHR grants, and by the Office of the Vice-President Research & Innovation. [email protected] www.researchimpact.c

Monoterpenoids and Their Synthetic Derivatives as Leads for New Insect-Control Agents

Monoterpenoids are natural substances which are found in many higher plant species. These plant secondary metabolites are generally considered as self-defense tactics against the plants\u27 enemies. Our study was aimed at the anticipation of improved biological activities through the synthesis of derivatives of the natural monoterpenoids. We have also developed a systematic bioassay system to evaluate the spectrum of toxicities of the monoterpenoids. The results show that the monoterpenoids, either natural or synthetic, have a relatively wide spectrum of activity against agricultural and public health insect pests. Derivatization, especially, to the acyl derivatives of the monoterpenoids, has significantly improved the acute, fumigant, larvicidal and ovicidal activities against the above insects. The ether derivatives also showed enhanced insecticidal activity. When mosquito larvae were treated with the monoterpenoids at sublethal dosages, insect growth and development activity was observed. The enhanced biological activity of the synthetic derivatives of monoterpenoids indicates that optimal chemical structures for insecticides can be possibly elucidated through the study of structure-activity relationships

Men Are More Likely to Be Homeless Than Women

Gender has an impact on people with mental illnesses. Men are more likely to be homeless than women. More social support needs to be provided to members of both gendersYork's Knowledge Mobilization Unit provides services and funding for faculty, graduate students, and community organizations seeking to maximize the impact of academic research and expertise on public policy, social programming, and professional practice. It is supported by SSHRC and CIHR grants, and by the Office of the Vice-President Research & Innovation. [email protected] www.researchimpact.c

How Does Diversity Affect Homelessness?

Diversities such as social class, culture, sexual orientation, disabilities and psychiatric conditions impact poverty and homelessness.York's Knowledge Mobilization Unit provides services and funding for faculty, graduate students, and community organizations seeking to maximize the impact of academic research and expertise on public policy, social programming, and professional practice. It is supported by SSHRC and CIHR grants, and by the Office of the Vice-President Research & Innovation. [email protected] www.researchimpact.c

A theoretical study of the stability of disulfide bridges in various β-sheet structures of protein segment models

Electron structure calculations are used to explore stabilization effects of disulfide bridges in a (Ala–Cys–Ala–Cys–Ala)2 β-sheet model both in the parallel and the anti-parallel (103142 and 143102) arrangements. Stabilities were calculated using a redox reaction involving a weak oxidizing agent (1,4-benzoquinone). The results show that both inter- and intra-strand disulfide SS-bridges stabilize the β-sheet backbone fold. However, inter-strand SS-bridges give more stability than their intra-strand counterparts. For both single and double disulfide linked conformations, stabilization was larger for the parallel than for the anti-parallel β-sheet arrangements

Breadth of antibodies to Plasmodium falciparum variant surface antigens is associated with immunity in a controlled human malaria infection study

Background: Plasmodium falciparum variant surface antigens (VSAs) contribute to malaria pathogenesis by mediating cytoadhesion of infected red blood cells to the microvasculature endothelium. In this study, we investigated the association between anti-VSA antibodies and clinical outcome in a controlled human malaria infection (CHMI) study. Method: We used flow cytometry and ELISA to measure levels of IgG antibodies to VSAs of five heterologous and one homologous P. falciparum parasite isolates, and to two PfEMP1 DBLβ domains in blood samples collected a day before the challenge and 14 days after infection. We also measured the ability of an individual’s plasma to inhibit the interaction between PfEMP1 and ICAM1 using competition ELISA. We then assessed the association between the antibody levels, function, and CHMI defined clinical outcome during a 21-day follow-up period post infection using Cox proportional hazards regression. Results: Antibody levels to the individual isolate VSAs, or to two ICAM1-binding DBLβ domains of PfEMP1, were not associated with a significantly reduced risk of developing parasitemia or of meeting treatment criteria after the challenge after adjusting for exposure. However, anti-VSA antibody breadth (i.e., cumulative response to all the isolates) was a significant predictor of reduced risk of requiring treatment [HR 0.23 (0.10-0.50) p= 0.0002]. Conclusion: The breadth of IgG antibodies to VSAs, but not to individual isolate VSAs, is associated with protection in CHMI

Scintillation Observations and Response of The Ionosphere to Electrodynamics (SORTIE) Mission First Light

At low and middle latitudes, wave-like plasma perturbations are thought to provide the seeds for larger perturbations that may evolve non-linearly to produce irregularities, which in turn have deleterious effects on HF communications and global positioning systems. Unfortunately, there is currently no comprehensive atlas of measurements describing the global spatial or temporal distribution of wave-like perturbations in the ionosphere. The SORTIE mission, a CubeSat experiment with team members from ASTRA, AFRL, UTD, and Boston College, was designed to help map and further understand the wave-like plasma perturbation distributions throughout the ionosphere. The SORTIE 6U CubeSat sensor package measures key in-situ plasma parameters, and includes an ion velocity meter and a planar Langmuir probe. SORTIE will provide (1) the initial spectrum of wave perturbations which are the starting point for plasma instabilities; (2) measured electric fields which determine the magnitude of the instability growth rate near the region where plasma bubbles are generated; (3) initial observations of irregularities in plasma density which result from plasma instability growth. The SORTIE spacecraft was deployed from the ISS in February 2020 and began data collections shortly after orbit insertion. The measurements are expected to continue for at least a year. In this presentation we present the first light results of the SORTIE mission, as well as reviewing the science objectives and providing an overview of the spacecraft and instruments