Academic Institutions and One Health: Building Capacity for Transdisciplinary Research Approaches to Address Complex Health Issues at the Animal–Human–Ecosystem Interface

To improve health at the human, animal, and ecosystem interface, defined as One Health, training of researchers must transcend individual disciplines to develop a new process of collaboration. The transdisciplinary research approach integrates frameworks and methodologies beyond academic disciplines and includes involvement of and input from policy makers and members of the community. The authors argue that there should be a significant shift in academic institutions' research capacity to achieve the added value of a transdisciplinary approach for addressing One Health problems. This Perspective is a call to action for academic institutions to provide the foundations for this salient shift. The authors begin by describing the transdisciplinary approach, propose methods for building transdisciplinary research capacity, and highlight three value propositions that support the case. Examples are provided to illustrate how the transdisciplinary approach to research adds value through improved sustainability of impact, increased cost-effectiveness, and enhanced abilities to mitigate potentially harmful unintended consequences. The authors conclude with three key recommendations for academic institutions: (1) a focus on creating enabling environments for One Health and transdisciplinary research, (2) the development of novel funding structures for transdisciplinary research, and (3) training of "transmitters" using real-world-oriented educational programs that break down research silos through collaboration across disciplines

Products of in situ corrosion of depleted uranium ammunition in Bosnia and Herzegovina soils

Hundreds of tons of depleted uranium (DU) ammunition were used in previous armed conflicts in Iraq, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia/Kosovo. The majority (>90%) of DU penetrators miss their target and, if left in the environment, corrode in these postconflict zones. Thus, the best way to understand the fate of bulk DU material in the environment is to characterize the corrosion products of intact DU penetrators under field conditions for extended periods of time. However, such studies are scarce. To fill this knowledge gap, we characterized corrosion products formed from two intact DU penetrators that remained in soils in Bosnia and Herzegovina for over seven years. We used a combination of X-ray powder diffraction, electron microscopy, and X-ray absorption spectroscopy. The results show that metaschoepite (UO3(H2O)(2)) was a main component of the two DU corrosion products. Moreover, studtite ((UO2)O-2(H2O)(2)center dot 2(H2O)) and becquerelite (Ca(UO2)(6)O-4(OH)(6)center dot 8(H2O)) were also identified in the corrosion products. Their formation through transformation of metaschoepite was a result of the geochemical conditions under which the penetrators corroded. Moreover, we propose that the transformation of metaschoepite to becquerelite or studtite in the DU corrosion products would decrese the potential for mobilization of U from corroded DU penetrators exposed to similar environments in postconflict areas

Cervical epithelial damage promotes Ureaplasma parvum ascending infection, intrauterine inflammation and preterm birth induction in mice

Around 40% of preterm births are attributed to ascending intrauterine infection, and Ureaplasma parvum (UP) is commonly isolated in these cases. Here we present a mouse model of ascending UP infection that resembles human disease, using vaginal inoculation combined with mild cervical injury induced by a common spermicide (Nonoxynol-9, as a surrogate for any mechanism of cervical epithelial damage). We measure bacterial load in a non-invasive manner using a luciferase-expressing UP strain, and post-mortem by qPCR and bacterial titration. Cervical exposure to Nonoxynol-9, 24 h pre-inoculation, facilitates intrauterine UP infection, upregulates pro-inflammatory cytokines, and increases preterm birth rates from 13 to 28%. Our results highlight the crucial role of the cervical epithelium as a barrier against ascending infection. In addition, we expect the mouse model will facilitate further research on the potential links between UP infection and preterm birth

Beyond oxygen: complex regulation and activity of hypoxia inducible factors in pregnancy

In the first trimester the extravillous cytotrophoblast cells occlude the uterine spiral arterioles creating a low oxygen environment early in pregnancy, which is essential for pregnancy success. Paradoxically, shallow trophoblast invasion and defective vascular remodelling of the uterine spiral arteries in the first trimester may result in impaired placental perfusion and chronic placental ischemia and hypoxia later in gestation leading to adverse pregnancy outcomes. The hypoxia inducible factors (HIFs) are key mediators of the response to low oxygen. We aimed to elucidate mechanisms of regulation of HIFs and the role these may play in the control of placental differentiation, growth and function in both normal and pathological pregnancies. The Pubmed database was consulted for identification of the most relevant published articles. Search terms used were oxygen, placenta, trophoblast, pregnancy, HIF and hypoxia. The HIFs are able to function throughout all aspects of normal and abnormal placental differentiation, growth and function; during the first trimester (physiologically low oxygen), during mid-late gestation (where there is adequate supply of blood and oxygen to the placenta) and in pathological pregnancies complicated by placental hypoxia/ischemia. During normal pregnancy HIFs may respond to complex alterations in oxygen, hormones, cytokines and growth factors to regulate placental invasion, differentiation, transport and vascularization. In the ever-changing environment created during pregnancy, the HIFs appear to act as key mediators of placental development and function and thereby are likely to be important contributors to both normal and adverse pregnancy outcomes

Pseudojohannite from Jachymov, Musonoi, and La Creusaz: A new member of the zippeite-group

Copyright © 2006 Mineralogical Society of AmericaPseudojohannite is a hydrated copper(II) uranyl sulfate described from Jáchymov, Northern Bohemia, Czech Republic (type locality). Pseudojohannite also occurs at the Musonoï quarry near Kolwezi, Shaba, Congo, and the La Creusaz prospect, Western Swiss Alps. At all three localities, pseudojohannite formed through the interaction of acid sulfate mine drainage waters with uraninite (Jáchymov and La Creusaz) or uranyl silicates (Musonoï). Pseudojohannite forms moss green, non UV-fluorescent aggregates consisting of irregularly shaped crystals measuring up to 25 μm in length and displaying an excellent cleavage parallel to (1̄01). dmeas is 4.31 g/cm3, dcalc 4.38 g/cm3, and the refractive indices are nmin = 1.725 and nmax = 1.740. A high-resolution synchrotron powder diffraction pattern on the material from Musonoï shows that pseudojohannite is triclinic (P1 or P1̄), with α = 10.027(1) Å, b = 10.822(1) Å, c = 13.396(1) Å, α = 87.97(1)°, β = 109.20(1)°, γ = 90.89(1)°, V = 1371.9(5) Å3. The location of the uranium and sulfur atoms in the cell was obtained by direct methods using 1807 reflections extracted from the powder diffractogram. Pseudojohannite contains zippeite-type layers oriented parallel to (1̄01). The empirical chemical formula calculated for a total of 70 O atoms is Cu6.52U7.85S4.0 2O70H55.74, leading to the simplified chemical formula Cu6.5[(UO2)4O4 (SO4)2]2(OH)5·25 H2O. The distance of 9.16 Å between the uranyl-sulfate sheets in pseudojohannite shows that neighboring layers do not share O atoms with the same Cuφ6 [φ = (O,OH)] distorted octahedrons, such as in magnesium-zippeite. Rather, it is expected that Cuφ6 forms a layer bound to the zippeite-type layers by hydrogen bonding, as in marécottite, or one apex of the Cuφ6 polyhedron only is shared with a zippeite-type layer, as in synthetic SZIPPMg. The higher number of cations in the interlayer of pseudojohannite (Cu:S = 1.6:1) compared to marécottite (3:4) and SZIPPMg (1:1) indicates that pseudojohannite has a unique interlayer topology. Ab-initio powder structure solution techniques can be used to obtain important structural information on complex micro-crystalline minerals such as those found in the weathering environment. Pseudojohannite represents a new member of the zippeite group of minerals, and further illustrates the structural complexity of zippeite-group minerals containing divalent cations, which have diverse arrangements in the interlayer. Peudojohannite and other divalent zippeites are common, easily overlooked minerals in acid drainage environments around uranium deposits and wastes.Joël Brugger, Kia Sheree Wallwork, Nicolas Meisser, Allan Pring, Petr Ondru and Jiří Čejk

Cleusonite, (Pb,Sr)(U4+,U6+)(Fe2+ Zn)2(Ti,Fe2+ Fe3+)18(O,OH)38, a new mineral species of the crichtonite group from the western Swiss Alps

Cleusonite, (Pb,Sr)(U4+,U6+) (Fe2+,Zn)(2) (Ti,Fe2+,Fe3+)(18) (O,OH)(38), is a new member of the crichtonite group. It was found at two occurrences in greenschist facies metamorphosed gneissic series of the Mont Fort and Siviez-Mischabel Nappes in Valais, Switzerland (Cleuson and Bella Tolla summit), and named after the type locality. It occurs as black opaque cm-sized tabular crystals with a bright sub-metallic lustre. The crystals consist of multiple rhombohedra and hexagonal prisms that are generally twinned. Measured density is 4.74(4) g/cm(3) and can be corrected to 4.93(12) g/cm(3) for macroscopic swelling due to radiation damage; the calculated density varies from 5.02(6) (untreated) to 5.27(5) (heat-treated crystals); the difference is related to the cell swelling due to the metamictisation. The empirical formula for cleusonite from Cleuson is (Pb0.89Sr0.12)(Sigma=1.01) (U0.79+4U0.30+6)(Sigma=1.09) (Fe1.91+2Zn0.09)(Sigma=2.00) (Ti11.80Fe3.44+2Fe2.33+3V0.19+5Mn0.08Al0.07)(Sigma=17.90) [O-35.37(OH)(2.63)](Sigma=38). Cations were measured by electron microprobe, the presence of structural (OH) was confirmed by infrared spectroscopy and the U6+/U4+ and Fe2+/Fe3+ ratios were determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Cleusonite is partly metamict, and untreated crystals only show three major X-ray diffraction peaks. Because of this radiation-damaged state, the mineral appears optically isotropic and shows a light-grey to white colour in reflected polarized light. Cleusonite is trigonal, space group R $(3) over bar$, and unit-cell parameters are varying from a = 10.576(3), c = 21.325(5) angstrom (untreated crystal) to a = 10.4188(6), c = 20.942(1) angstrom (800 degrees C treatment) and to a = 10.385(2), c = 20.900(7) angstrom (1000 degrees C treatment). The three cells give a common axial ratio 2.01 (1), which is identical to the measured morphological one 2.04(6). ne name cleusonite also applies to the previously described ``uranium-rich senaite'' from Alinci (Macedonia) and the ``plumbodavidite'' from Huanglongpu (China)

Worcester Community Connections Coalition Digital Blue Book

The Worcester Community Connections Coalition (WCCC) assists struggling individuals and families to find critical resources that meet their needs. The WCCC publishes an annual printed family resource guide called the Blue Book. This project developed a digital platform for the Blue Book, allowing it to be more widely available to the community and easily updatable. We conducted stakeholder interviews with social workers and caregivers and developed a mobile-friendly web-based version of the Blue Book. The website features buttons with icons, a scrolling feature, and a separate page for each resource with links, phone numbers, and locations. The Digital Blue Book will allow more Worcester community members access to information when they need it

Pizgrischite, (Cu,Fe)Cu14PbBi17S35, a new sulfosalt from the Swiss Alps: Description crystal structure and occurrence

Copyright © 2007 Mineralogical Association of Canad