The Mother Maria Kaupas Center - Strategic Plan

This aim of this document is to outline the future vision for the Kaupas Center as a hub for spirituality, community development, and leadership opportunities in Mount Carmel, PA. The report analyzes data from over 200 completed community surveys, 30 door to door pilot surveys, 14 downtown business owner surveys, 27 individual interviews with town leaders and professionals, at least 11 site visits to Mount Carmel, and 10 community meetings attended. This report was developed by a group of Bucknell University Managing for Sustainability student researchers in a senior capstone course MSUS 400 taught by Prof. Eric Martin

Interactions between grassland birds and their snake predators: the potential for conservation conflicts in the Tallgrass prairie

Doctor of PhilosophyDepartment of BiologyKimberly A. WithThe loss, fragmentation, and degradation of grasslands have resulted in widespread declines in grassland birds. Nest predation is the leading cause of avian reproductive failure; therefore minimizing nest predation can lessen the severity of bird declines. Snakes are important predators of bird nests, but little is known about how snakes may enhance predation risk. To address this issue, I studied the habitat use, movement behavior, population genetic structure, and connectivity of snakes in the grasslands of northeastern Kansas. I addressed the connectivity of eastern yellowbelly racer (Coluber constrictor flaviventris) populations by using a landscape genetics approach at a broad scale (13,500 km2). I also radio-tracked the yellowbelly racer and Great Plains ratsnake (Pantherophis emoryi) at Konza Prairie Biological Station to understand their spatial ecology while simultaneously evaluating nest survival in grassland birds. Individual racers had limited dispersal (<3 km), but substantial admixture occurred within 30 km and populations were in migration-drift equilibrium and had high allelic diversity; therefore, racers must be abundant and continuously distributed for gene flow to be fluid throughout the region. Racers may be more likely to encounter bird nests, as they had more frequent movements and traversed greater distances on average than ratsnakes, which exhibited long periods of inactivity between directed movements. As for grassland birds, nest survival rates decreased with increasing shrubs and decreasing vegetation height. Discriminant function analysis revealed that successful nests were likely to occur in tall vegetation but reduced shrub cover, whereas higher shrub cover characterized snake habitats. Because snakes often use shrubs, nests in areas of increased shrubs may be at higher risk of predation by snakes. Targeted removal of shrubs may increase nest success by minimizing the activity of predators attracted to shrubs. Although predator removal is often a strategy for protecting bird populations, it may not be feasible in this instance, especially since snakes are a native component of the grassland community. Efforts to reduce snake predation on grassland bird nests should therefore focus on managing habitat within grasslands (i.e., shrubs) that influence snake activity, as no natural or anthropogenic habitat barriers currently limit snake movement across the landscape

Academic Impact of COVID-19 in Collegiate Athletes

Introduction. The COVID-19 pandemic caused a pause to nearly all sporting activities in the spring of 2020, and collegiate athletes at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)-affiliated universities whose sporting seasons were affected by the pandemic were granted an extra year of athletic eligibility. The study was conducted to determine how collegiate athletes planned to use an additional year of eligibility granted by the NCAA. Methods. The authors conducted a cross-sectional survey of 632 athletes from two universities in the Midwestern United States, between August and September 2021. The athletes completed an anonymous, 9-item survey to assess the effect of the pandemic on athletic season, athletic eligibility, and potential change in an academic or professional career. Chi-square tests, generalized linear mixed models, and adjusted odds ratio were used for the analyses. Results. The participation rate was 74.5% (471 of 632). Nearly 63% (290 of 461) of the athletes received an additional year of eligibility because of the pandemic, with 193 (66.6%) planned to use their extra year for scholastic development. Male athletes (65.3% vs 34.7%; χ2[1, n=290]=11.66, P&lt;.001, Φ=0.20), Division II athletes (59.6% vs 40.4%; χ2[1, n=290]=13.93, P&lt;.001, Φ=0.22), and athletes who had not previously used redshirt (73.1% vs 26.9%; χ2[1, n=290] = 4.79, P=.029, Φ=0.32) where more likely to use their extra year of eligibility academically. Conclusions. Our findings suggest that most of the athletes planned to use their extra year of eligibility to pursue further scholastic or professional development, highlighting the positive part of the COVID-19 pandemic. Future studies should investigate how these findings relate to athletes from universities in different geographical locations, intra-division schools

Improved Database Filtering Technology Enables More Efficient Ab Initio Design of Potent Peptides against Ebola Viruses

The rapid mutations of viruses such as SARS-CoV-2 require vaccine updates and the development of novel antiviral drugs. This article presents an improved database filtering technology for a more effective design of novel antiviral agents. Different from the previous approach, where the most probable parameters were obtained stepwise from the antimicrobial peptide database, we found it possible to accelerate the design process by deriving multiple parameters in a single step during the peptide amino acid analysis. The resulting peptide DFTavP1 displays the ability to inhibit Ebola virus. A deviation from the most probable peptide parameters reduces antiviral activity. The designed peptides appear to block viral entry. In addition, the amino acid signature provides a clue to peptide engineering to gain cell selectivity. Like human cathelicidin LL-37, our engineered peptide DDIP1 inhibits both Ebola and SARS-CoV-2 viruses. These peptides, with broad antiviral activity, may selectively disrupt viral envelopes and offer the lasting efficacy required to treat various RNA viruses, including their emerging mutants

The South African SHARE-TAVI registry: incidence and risk factors leading to conduction disturbances requiring permanent pacemaker implantation

Background: One of the most common complications post transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is the development of heart block requiring permanent pacemaker implantation (PPM). The incidence of PPM in international registries ranges from 13% - 17.5%. Methods: The aim of this observational study was to report the PPM rate in the SHARE-TAVI registry and determine the clinical, electrocardiographic and procedural predictors of PPM as well as the effect of PPM on clinical outcomes. Results: Three hundred and fi ve subjects were analysed. The PPM rate was 9%. Third degree atrioventricular block at the time of implant was the most common indication for PPM. Self-expanding valves (PPM rate 14% vs. 6% for balloon-expandable valves, p=0.02) were correlated with the need for PPM. Baseline ECG predictors of PPM were axis deviation, QRS duration and conduction delay, most notably a pre-existing right bundle branch block (OR 15.88, p&lt;0.01). PPM infl uenced functional class at 30 days, but not the need for repeat hospitalisation or mortality at 30-day and 1-year follow-up. Conclusions: A PPM rate lower than that reported in large international registries was found. Predictors of PPM and the infl uence of PPM on outcomes were similar to those reported in the international data

Poros transmembrana: energía libre de formación, clasificación

Introducción. La formación de poros está asociada a una mayor permeabilidad de la membrana y conductividad eléctrica, así como también, al transporte de fármacos y al intercambio de solutos solubles en agua, entre el exterior y el interior de las células. El estudio de los poros transmembrana, especialmente, estimar su energía libre de formación, resulta relevante para comprender los mecanismos por los cuales se producen tales eventos. Asimismo, para la estimación adecuada de la energía libre es necesario el uso de variables colectivas (VCs) apropiadas. Las VCs son funciones que dependen de la posición que toman las partículas del sistema de estudio y en Dinámica Molecular (DM) permiten aplicar técnicas de mejoramiento de muestreo. Además, las VCs pueden utilizarse como criterio de clasificación de las configuraciones. Los tipos de configuraciones a tener en cuenta son: membrana intacta, poro hidrofóbico, poro hidrofílico y poro de vapor. Nuestro objetivo fue definir VCs adecuadas, por un lado, para estimar la energía libre de la formación de los distintos tipos de poros, y por otro, para clasificar las configuraciones. Resultados. En este trabajo definimos cinco nuevas VCs (, , DT, COW y CHG). Corrimos una metadinámica 2D (Met2D) entre y (VC definida por Tolpekina et al. 1 ), de una bicapa hidratada de POPC semiatomístico. Esto nos permitió conseguir, por primera vez, los cuatro tipos de configuraciones en una misma simulación. Luego, estimamos la superficie de energía libre (FES) de formación de poros transmembrana, a través del repesado de la Met2D con y . Adicionalmente, utilizamos, DT, COW y CHG para clasificar las configuraciones muestreadas. La FES obtenida sugiere la existencia de una barrera energética entre configuraciones de poro de vapor y de poro hidrofílico. Conclusiones. La definición de un nuevo conjunto de VCs nos permitió estudiar la energética de formación de poros de membrana, con distintos grados de hidratación, mediante una única simulación de Dinámica Molecular.Fil: Moyano, Nora Alejandra Elizabeth. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Aplicadas a la Industria; ArgentinaFil: Klug, Joaquín. Dublin City University; IrlandaFil: Triguero, Carles. No especifíca;Fil: Galassi, Vanesa Viviana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; ArgentinaFil: Millán, Raúl Daniel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Aplicadas a la Industria; ArgentinaFil: del Popolo, Mario Gabriel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; ArgentinaXXII Congreso Argentino de Fisicoquímica y Química InorgánicaLa PlataArgentinaUniversidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de IngenieríaAsociación Argentina de Investigaciones Fisicoquímica

The second physical therapy summit on global health: developing an action plan to promote health in daily practice and reduce the burden of non-communicable diseases

Based on indicators that emerged from The First Physical Therapy Summit on Global Health (2007), the Second Summit (2011) identified themes to inform a global physical therapy action plan to integrate health promotion into practice across the World Confederation for Physical Therapy (WCPT) regions. Working questions were: (1) how well is health promotion implemented within physical therapy practice; and (2) how might this be improved across five target audiences (i.e. physical therapist practitioners, educators, researchers, professional body representatives, and government liaisons/consultants). In structured facilitated sessions, Summit representatives (n=32) discussed: (1) within WCPT regions, what is working and the challenges; and (2) across WCPT regions, what are potential directions using World CaféTM methodology. Commonalities outweighed differences with respect to strategies to advance health-focused physical therapy as a clinical competency across regions and within target audiences. Participants agreed that health-focused practice is a professional priority, and a strategic action plan was needed to develop it as a clinical competency. The action plan and recommendations largely paralleled the principles and objectives of the World Health Organization's non-communicable diseases action plan. A third Summit planned for 2015 will provide a mechanism for follow-up to evaluate progress in integrating health-focused physical therapy within the profession.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Wind and trophic status explain within and among-lake variability of algal biomass: Variability of phytoplankton biomass

Phytoplankton biomass and production regulates key aspects of freshwater ecosystems yet its variability and subsequent predictability is poorly understood. We estimated within‐lake variation in biomass using high‐frequency chlorophyll fluorescence data from 18 globally distributed lakes. We tested how variation in fluorescence at monthly, daily, and hourly scales was related to high‐frequency variability of wind, water temperature, and radiation within lakes as well as productivity and physical attributes among lakes. Within lakes, monthly variation dominated, but combined daily and hourly variation were equivalent to that expressed monthly. Among lakes, biomass variability increased with trophic status while, within‐lake biomass variation increased with increasing variability in wind speed. Our results highlight the benefits of high‐frequency chlorophyll monitoring and suggest that predicted changes associated with climate, as well as ongoing cultural eutrophication, are likely to substantially increase the temporal variability of algal biomass and thus the predictability of the services it provides.Additional co-authors: E de Eyto, H Feuchtmayr, M Honti, V Istvánovics, C G McBride, S R Schmidt, D Seekell, P A Staehr, G Zh

It takes two: Evidence for reduced sexual conflict over parental care in a biparental canid

In biparental systems, sexual conflict over parental investment predicts that the parent providing care experiences greater reproductive costs. This inequality in parental contribution is reduced when offspring survival is dependent on biparental care. However, this idea has received little empirical attention. Here, we determined whether mothers and fathers differed in their contribution to care in a captive population of coyotes (Canis latrans). We performed parental care assays on 8 (n = 8 males, 8 females) mated pairs repeatedly over a 10-week period (i.e., 5–15 weeks of litter age) when pairs were first-time breeders (2011), and again as experienced breeders (2013). We quantified consistent individual variation (i.e., repeatability) in 8 care behaviors and examined within- and among-individual correlations to determine if behavioral plasticity within or parental personality across seasons varied by sex. Finally, we extracted hormone metabolites (i.e., cortisol and testosterone) from fecal samples collected during gestation to describe potential links between hormonal mechanisms and individual consistency in parental behaviors. Parents differed in which behaviors were repeatable: mothers demonstrated consistency in provisioning and pup-directed aggression, whereas fathers were consistent in pup checks. However, positive within-individual correlations for identical behaviors (e.g., maternal versus paternal play) suggested that the rate of change in all behaviors except provisioning was highly correlated between the sexes. Moreover, positive among-individual correlations among 50% of identical behaviors suggested that personality differences across parents were highly correlated. Lastly, negative among-individual correlations among pup-directed aggression, provisioning, and gestational testosterone in both sexes demonstrated potential links between preparental hormones and labile parental traits. We provide novel evidence that paternal contribution in a biparental species reaches near equivalent rates of their partners