Marshall University Music Department Presents a Senior Recital, Amber King, Soprano

https://mds.marshall.edu/music_perf/1743/thumbnail.jp

Anaerobic carbon monoxide uptake by microbial communities in volcanic deposits at different stages of successional development on o‐yama volcano, Miyake‐jima, Japan

© 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Research on Kilauea and O‐yama Volcanoes has shown that microbial communities and their activities undergo major shifts in response to plant colonization and that molyb-denum‐dependent CO oxidizers (Mo‐COX) and their activities vary with vegetation and deposit age. Results reported here reveal that anaerobic CO oxidation attributed to nickel‐dependent CO oxidizers (Ni‐COX) also occurs in volcanic deposits that encompass different developmental stages. Ni‐COX at three distinct sites responded rapidly to anoxia and oxidized CO from initial concentrations of about 10 ppm to sub‐atmospheric levels. CO was also actively consumed at initial 25% concentrations and 25 °C, and during incubations at 60 °C; however, uptake under the latter conditions was largely confined to an 800‐year‐old forested site. Analyses of microbial communities based on 16S rRNA gene sequences in treatments with and without 25% CO incubated at 25 °C or 60 °C revealed distinct responses to temperature and CO among the sites and evidence for enrichment of known and potentially novel Ni‐COX. The results collectively show that CO uptake by volcanic deposits occurs under a wide range of conditions; that CO oxidizers in volcanic deposits may be more diverse than previously imagined; and that Ni‐dependent CO oxidizers might play previously unsuspected roles in microbial succession

Synthesis and pharmacological evaluation of primary amino acid derivatives (PAADs): novel neurological agents for the treatment of epilepsy and neuropathic pain

Epilepsy and neuropathic pain (NP) are chronic neurological disorders that result from dysregulations in neuronal function. Currently, there is a lack of adequate therapeutic agents available to treat these disorders and the need remains to develop compounds that possess a novel mechanism of action to address the shortcomings of current medications. Recently, the role of voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSCs) has been implicated in the pathophysiological mechanisms of NP, while their role in epilepsy has been known for some time. The functionalized amino acid (FAA) (R)-lacosamide is an emerging antiepileptic drug (AED) that has been shown to selectively promote VGSCs into the slow inactivated state and has recently been approved by the EMEA and the US FDA under the trademark Vimpat[registered trademark] for the adjuvant treatment of partial-onset seizures in adults. (R)-Lacosamide has also demonstrated clinical efficacy in treating painful diabetic neuropathy, but has yet to gain regulatory approval for this indication. The pharmaceutical industry has made advances in developing peripheral nervous system (PNS)-specific agents that target specific isoforms of VGSCs for the treatment of NP. We combined the concept of PNS-selectivity with our knowledge of FAAs and proposed that primary amino acid derivatives (PAADs) may selectively target PNS receptor sites, thereby avoiding potential CNS side effects that makes adherence to pain therapy difficult. Additionally, we examined the effect of PAADs on CNS function due to the excellent anticonvulsant activity of FAAs. We synthesized and evaluated over 50 PAADs in whole animal models of epilepsy and NP, and developed a structure-activity relationship (SAR) that defined the structural requirements for PAAD activity. The SAR revealed excellent anticonvulsant activity and pain attenuation for a novel class of compounds, the C(2)-hydrocarbon PAADs. Then, we synthesized over 40 additional PAADs to optimize anticonvulsant activity and pain attenuation. From our optimization studies, we discovered two PAADs that displayed superior anticonvulsant activity and may rival the therapeutic capabilities of (R)-lacosamide. Finally, we evaluated the most active PAADs in a series of binding and enzymatic assays but we did not reveal any new binding targets of therapeutic relevance

IMPACT OF ASSEMBLY BILL 12 ON EMANCIPATED FOSTER YOUTH

Assembly Bill 12 was passed into law for the purpose of preparing foster youth for the transition into adulthood and provided extended support services and transitional support up to the age of 21. This qualitative study focuses on the experiences and outcome of foster youth who are participating in extended care services. Key findings were identified in the areas of education, social and emotional support, and living arrangements. These key findings provide the social workers with a better understanding of the difficulties associated with the complexity involving the transition to young adulthood. The implications of key findings have resulted in potential contributions to social work at the micro level. Suggestions include: Social worker’s increase their knowledge of the supportive resources that are appropriate for the young adult foster youth and to be well versed in the requirements of AB 12. It is further suggested, at the macro level, curriculums be developed that will connect the traditional role of social work to characteristics involving coaching and mentoring

Information Literacy Reimagined. Deep Learning Practice

UNESCO 2030 (UNESCO, 2015) sustainable development goal 4 highlights the need for inclusive educational practices in order to dismantle the present exclusionary practices in education. These goals are designed to ensure that by 2030, benchmarks are met requiring all children with diverse socio- economic, race and gender backgrounds receive an equitable and quality education. To meet the needs for inclusive educational practices two areas in education are under consideration: teacher training and curriculum development and implementation. This presentation will highlight the work by two professors working with their students to promote an inclusive social justice education and curricula framework. Specifically, the presenters will share their experience of empowering their pre-service and in-service teachers to develop their abilities to conceptualize the principles of culturally relevant/responsive/sustaining curriculum and pedagogy and critically evaluate, develop, and implement such principles in teaching, learning, assessment and evaluation practices in school

Comparison of Communications Styles Amongst Students in Allied Health Professions Programs: How Do Our Students Communicate with Other Healthcare Providers?

Background: Optimal patient outcomes require communication between providers in multiple professions to initiate referrals, communicate patient treatment, and coordinate care. While there is a clear need for increased understanding of the terminology, skills, and scopes of practice of professional colleagues, these tools are of limited effectiveness if there is poor interpersonal communication between team members. Multiple bodies for Interprofessional Practice and Education (IPP/IPE) identify communication skills as an integral part of education. In fact, the third competency domain set down by the Interprofessional Education Collaborative, Interprofessional Communication, states that professionals should, “Recognize how one’s own uniqueness, including experience level, expertise, culture, power, and hierarchy within the healthcare team, contributes to effective communication, conflict resolution, and positive interprofessional working relationships” [1].Methods and Findings: As part of a required interprofessional competence course, first-year students in ten health professions programs completed the Personal Coaching Style Inventory (PSCI) to self-identify personal communication styles. A series of one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) analyses followed by Tukey post-hoc analyses were performed in order to identify significant differences in PSCI component scores between programs. Within groups, students discussed personal and cohort-wide findings as they impact teamwork. The majority of students identified with the Mediator style. Differences in style were also found in relation to profession, gender, and race. The activity prompted discussion of varied roles in team dynamics, and how differences in style could affect interprofessional teamwork.Conclusions: Self-awareness of personal communication styles as well as predominant styles of other health professions may enhance interprofessional communication\skills. The skill with which students approach their team roles in heterogeneous groups following graduation has the potential to increase team functionality and patient outcomes

Persistence and Fadeout of Preschool Participation Effects on Early Reading Skills in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

The adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in September 2015 marked a new milestone for early childhood education, care, and development. For the first time in the framework of global goals, preschool education was described as integral to children’s school readiness. Yet with few exceptions, much of the research on the impact of preschool has stemmed from high-income countries. Even fewer studies have examined preschool participation and later learning across multiple countries. This article helps fill this gap by connecting preschool participation to early primary reading outcomes, as measured by the Early Grade Reading Assessment. Drawing on a unique data set using student-level learning assessments from 16 countries, we use preprimary participation to explain primary school reading skills, including letter knowledge and oral reading fluency. We also model the influence of key demographic variables on these outcomes, including home language and classroom language of instruction (LOI). For a subset of six countries with exceptionally rich data, we examine national-level policy and practice to better understand what might explain the persistence or fadeout of the effect of preschool. Policy makers and practitioners alike will find these results useful in making cases for improving preschool experiences for children in low- and middle-income countries in the next decade of SDG-related efforts