Undergraduate Research in Georgia Classrooms

Despite considerable research describing the positive outcomes of including undergraduate students in research inquiry and investigations (Desai, Gatson, Stiles, Stewart, Laine, & Quick, 2008; Narayanan, 1999; Russell, Hancock, & McCullough, 2007), very little action is taken to include education majors in research endeavors. While universities are seeking to find ways to include students earlier and more often in research projects, students’ perspectives on conducting their own research is overwhelmingly overlooked. The purpose of this symposium is to introduce undergraduate research in education to GERA and to expose these students to conference presentations. In recent years, the College of Education at Georgia Southern University has increased the number of students participating in research as well as provided them with solid initial classroom preparation and professional support to produce “highly efficacious” teachers. It is compelling to listen as they present their findings and discuss their experiences while completing their research investigations. By exploring their experiences, we could find trends to better assist in organizing possibilities and recreating opportunities for our future undergraduate students to explore their passions through research. Additionally, opportunities such as these may increase retention towards graduation and further graduate research experiences

Review of young driver risk taking and its association with other risk taking behaviours

This report documents the investigation of the relationship between risky driving behaviours and other health risk behaviours among youth and young adults, locally and elsewhere. Literature reviews were undertaken of the development of risk taking; young driver behaviour; substance use including alcohol, smoking and illicit drugs; unsafe sex, and self-harm and suicide to identify and compare common risk factors for local youth and those elsewhere. Countermeasures that can be adopted from other risk taking areas and applied to young driver risk taking were also reviewed. A number of recommendations were provided for potential interventions to reduce risk taking on the road as well as others for additional research into the relationship between risk taking on the road and elsewhere for Western Australian youth.Road Safety Council of Western Australiahttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/94210/1/102889.pd

Anti-bacterial activity of inorganic nanomaterials and their antimicrobial peptide conjugates against resistant and non-resistant pathogens

This review details the antimicrobial applications of inorganic nanomaterials of mostly metallic form, and the augmentation of activity by surface conjugation of peptide ligands. The review is subdivided into three main sections, of which the first describes the antimicrobial activity of inorganic nanomaterials against gram-positive, gram-negative and multidrug-resistant bacterial strains. The second section highlights the range of antimicrobial peptides and the drug resistance strategies employed by bacterial species to counter lethality. The final part discusses the role of antimicrobial peptide-decorated inorganic nanomaterials in the fight against bacterial strains that show resistance. General strategies for the preparation of antimicrobial peptides and their conjugation to nanomaterials are discussed, emphasizing the use of elemental and metallic oxide nanomaterials. Importantly, the permeation of antimicrobial peptides through the bacterial membrane is shown to aid the delivery of nanomaterials into bacterial cells. By judicious use of targeting ligands, the nanomaterial becomes able to differentiate between bacterial and mammalian cells and, thus, reduce side effects. Moreover, peptide conjugation to the surface of a nanomaterial will alter surface chemistry in ways that lead to reduction in toxicity and improvements in biocompatibility

Ergativity and the complexity of extraction: A view from Mayan

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PIKfyve regulates melanosome biogenesis.

PIKfyve, VAC14, and FIG4 form a complex that catalyzes the production of PI(3,5)P2, a signaling lipid implicated in process ranging from lysosome maturation to neurodegeneration. While previous studies have identified VAC14 and FIG4 mutations that lead to both neurodegeneration and coat color defects, how PIKfyve regulates melanogenesis is unknown. In this study, we sought to better understand the role of PIKfyve in melanosome biogenesis. Melanocyte-specific PIKfyve knockout mice exhibit greying of the mouse coat and the accumulation of single membrane vesicle structures in melanocytes resembling multivesicular endosomes. PIKfyve inhibition blocks melanosome maturation, the processing of the melanosome protein PMEL, and the trafficking of the melanosome protein TYRP1. Taken together, these studies identify a novel role for PIKfyve in controlling the delivery of proteins from the endosomal compartment to the melanosome, a role that is distinct from the role of PIKfyve in the reformation of lysosomes from endolysosomes

Investigating Outcomes of Adolescents and Young Adults (10–24 Years of Age) Lost to Follow-up from Tuberculosis Treatment in Gaborone, Botswana

This retrospective study investigated outcomes among lost to follow-up (LTFU) adolescents and young adults (AYA, ages 10–24) with tuberculosis (TB) registered from 2008–2014 in Gaborone, using surveillance data. Of 68 LTFU AYA, 16 repeated treatment; 8 completed and 6 were again LTFU. Of 4 confirmed deaths, 3 had TB/HIV co-infection. Approaches to improve AYA retention in TB care are needed

PIKfyve regulates melanosome biogenesis.

PIKfyve, VAC14, and FIG4 form a complex that catalyzes the production of PI(3,5)P2, a signaling lipid implicated in process ranging from lysosome maturation to neurodegeneration. While previous studies have identified VAC14 and FIG4 mutations that lead to both neurodegeneration and coat color defects, how PIKfyve regulates melanogenesis is unknown. In this study, we sought to better understand the role of PIKfyve in melanosome biogenesis. Melanocyte-specific PIKfyve knockout mice exhibit greying of the mouse coat and the accumulation of single membrane vesicle structures in melanocytes resembling multivesicular endosomes. PIKfyve inhibition blocks melanosome maturation, the processing of the melanosome protein PMEL, and the trafficking of the melanosome protein TYRP1. Taken together, these studies identify a novel role for PIKfyve in controlling the delivery of proteins from the endosomal compartment to the melanosome, a role that is distinct from the role of PIKfyve in the reformation of lysosomes from endolysosomes