A systems genetics approach to the characterization of differential low dose radiation responses in BXD recombinant inbred mice

High doses of radiation (HDR) are clearly detrimental to human health, but relatively little is known about the health consequences following exposure to low doses of radiation (LDR, \u3c10cGy). Understanding the risks associated with LDR is of great importance to the general public due to the recent dramatic increase in diagnostic radiological imaging. While HDR clearly suppress immune function, there is evidence that LDR can be immunostimulatory. Within the organism, defining the consequences of LDR is further complicated by the impact of genetic background, particularly in systems such as the immune system for which both radiosensitivity and genetic effects are profound. We addressed the issue of genetic susceptibility to LDR using the immune system as a target system and treated the LDR response as a complex trait analyzed using a systems genetics framework. Using the BXD recombinant inbred strain mouse panel as a genetic reference population allowed us to address the radiation response within the context of natural genetic variation. Our overarching hypothesis is that, within a population, the immunological effects of LDR exposure depend in part on the individual’s baseline immunoprofile and gene expression which are ultimately dependent upon genetic background. We began by establishing the immunophenotypic variation (i.e., T:B cell ratio, CD4:CD8 ratio) within the BXD panel and used baseline spleen transcriptome profiling to identify putative candidate genes controlling these traits, specifically Acp1 and Ptprk for CD4:CD8 ratio. The same set of BXD strains was exposed to LDR (10cGy gamma radiation) to determine effects on immune function and oxidative stress. LDR significantly enhanced neutrophil phagocytosis in a manner that was independent of genetic background. In contrast, genetic background significantly impacted LDR-induced changes in spleen superoxide dismutase activity. By integrating these results with our previous analyses of BXD RI strains, we have demonstrated that baseline expression of Sod2 correlates with LDR-induced SOD activity, and baseline CD4:CD8 ratio is inversely correlated with LDR-induced neutrophil phagocytosis. In addition, spleen transcriptomic data from the BXD parental strains further highlighted the impact of genetic background on LDR responses. These data provide the groundwork for predicting LDR responses using baseline expression, immunophenotypes, and/or genotype

An analysis of the vocabulary of eight fifth grade geography books

Thesis (Ed.M.)--Boston Universit

MS

thesisThis retrospective study compared the clinical courses of 55 back-transported infants with those of 49 infants who remained within regional perinatal center for convalescent care. Although the mean birth weight and mean gestational age of the back-transported infants were significantly less than that of the nontransported infants (£ <0.05), the two groups did not differ in the incidence of respiratory disease, infectious complications, hyperbilirubinemia, patent ductus arteriosus, intraventricular hemorrhage, or necrotizing enterocolitis. The mean daily weight gain of the back-transported infants was significantly greater than that of the nontransported infants (£ <.001). The back-transported infants exhibited a significantly greater number (j) <.05) of new cardiovascular problems after transport. Following transfer, the back-transported infants did not demonstrate increased oxygen needs, increased incidence of feeding intolerance, or change in the frequency or nature of episodes of apnea and bradycardia. A comparison of the incidence of new respiratory, gastrointestinal, metabolic, neurologic, infectious, and miscellaneous problems revealed no statistical difference between the two groups

The Relationship of Motivation and Perceived Parental Encouragement with English Oral Skills Achievement of Grades 6 to 8 Students at Kpis International School, Bangkok

 The purpose of this study was to determine the level of KPIS International School Grades 6-8 students’ motivation, perceived parental encouragement and achievement in learning English oral skills as well as their relationship with each other. A motivation questionnaire was used to collect data from 81 Grades 6-8 students studying Language Arts in the academic year 2016 - 2017 at KPIS International School. Means, standard deviations, multiple correlation coefficient and multiple linear regression were used to analyze the data. The findings showed that the respondents had a slightly high level of motivation, perceived parental encouragement and English oral skills achievement. Amongst the subscale of motivation, students were mostly motivated integratively, followed by instrumentally and were least motivated by their attitudes to the learning situation. The relationships among the variables were investigated and it was found that all three had significant positive relationships with each other. Between motivation and perceived parental encouragement, motivation had a stronger relationship and could explain a higher percentage of variance of English oral skills achievement

Schizophrenia-like Cognitive, Trait and DNA Markers in Regular Cannabis Users

Rationale: Converging evidence suggests that cannabis use can induce psychosis and is a distinct risk factor for schizophrenia. Taken together with the effects of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on neural systems, dopamine and endocannabinoids it is likely that cannabis use may also produce sub- clinical psychosis-linked changes in a much larger number of regular recreational users; observable in schizophrenia-sensitive assessments. Use of the drug by individuals with genetic risk factors for schizophrenia appears to magnify the chances of pathology, and so changes in recreational users with one or more of these genetic markers may be more evident or pronounced. Method: 50 cannabis users and 50 non cannabis users were assessed in each of two studies. Study one assessed selective attention in the Latent Inhibition (LI) and Kamin Blocking (KB) paradigms and examined schizophrenia-linked traits using the short form of the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (the SPQ-B; Raine and Benishay, 1995). Study two assessed executive control (using an Anti-Saccade Test), decision-making (using the Iowa Gambling Task), and selective/sustained attention and inhibitory control (Continuous Performance Test). Study two included additional personality measures to explore paranoia, emotional processing, ambivalence and impulsivity. Across both studies, the relative contribution of seven genetic risk markers in five candidate genes for schizophrenia (DAOA, COMT, NRG1, FAAH and CNR1) were assessed. Key Results: Cannabis use was associated with abolished latent inhibition and significantly riskier decision making, especially in those who used the drug more frequently. Cannabis users reported significantly higher scores for psychosis-linked personality traits and there was a dose-response effect with heavier users experiencing more of these schizotypal traits. Some key trends existed in the genotyping data for the cannabis group. The psychosis-risk C allele in the NRG1 gene was linked to higher SPQ-B scores and more errors on the AST; and was also associated with longer use of cannabis. Cannabis users without the protective three-way T-G-G haplotype COMT gene had higher scores for the SPQ-B disorganised thinking subscale than users with the protective haplotype. Discussion: The data in this thesis suggests that cannabis users are showing differences in brain inhibitory function and decision-making akin to previous research with schizophrenic patients, their first degree relatives and high schizotypy scorers. Exposure to THC may contribute to changes in individuals by pushing them further along a schizophrenia-spectrum resulting in the display of more psychotic-like traits and cognitive dysfunction at sub-clinical levels. These preliminary findings need expansion and replication, particularly with regards to the COMT three-way haplotype

Health Literacy: An Intervention to Improve Health Outcomes

WHO has defined health literacy as the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process and understand basic health information and services needed to make basic health decisions for themselves and their loved ones. The purpose of this article is to outline the scope of low health literacy as a concept and explore some appropriate interventions that researchers and healthcare professionals may use to reduce its negative impact on health outcomes such as mortality. The authors conclude by identifying areas of research that are needed to advance the conceptualization of health literacy in reducing hospital mortality and morbidity

The factors that influence care home residents’ and families’ engagement with decision-making about their care and support: an integrative review of the literature

BACKGROUND: As care homes play an important role in the lives of an increasing number of older people, it is pivotal to understand how residents’ and their families engage in decision-making about their care and support. Internationally, there is an increasing emphasis in long-term care settings on the right of residents to be actively involved in all aspects of decision-making about their care and support. However, the steps necessary to achieving a culture of shared decision-making in long-term care settings remain unclear. The aim of this literature review is to summarise what is known in the literature about the factors that influence care home residents’ and families’ engagement with decision-making about their care and support. METHODS: An integrative literature reviews was carried out, guided by the methodological framework proposed by Whittemore and Knafl (2005). CINAHL, Medline Ovid and ProQuest Health and Medical databases were searched for relevant articles from 2011 to 2021. A three-step method was used, including the use of reference and citation management software to manage search results and identify duplicate citations. Abstracts and full texts were reviewed by two reviewers. Details of the selected articles were then extracted using the Data Extraction Form. RESULTS: In total, 913 articles were located and 22 studies were included in the final analysis. The thematic analysis identified three main themes that illustrate the complexities of shared decision-making in care homes: (a) a positive culture of collaborative and reciprocal relationships; (b) a willingness to engage and a willingness to become engaged; and (c) communicating with intent to share and support rather than inform and direct. CONCLUSION: The implementation of shared decision-making in care homes is highly dependent on the support and nurturing of collaborative and reciprocal relationships between residents, families, and staff. Part of this process includes ascertaining the willingness of residents and families to become engaged in shared decision-making. Communication skills training for staff and guided approaches that view decision-making as a supportive process rather than a once off event are essential prerequisites for implementation. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12877-022-03503-8

Flavor, aroma and color influences on consumer acceptance and flavor profile analysis of polyvinyl chloride and vacuum packaged ground beef

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1985 L96Master of Scienc

The Labor Branch of the Office of Strategic Services: An Academic Study from a Public History Perspective

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)The first chapter of this thesis provides the background of the Labor Branch and the OSS as a whole. From the OSS’s inception in 1942 through its postwar transformation into the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), I cover the evolution of the foreign intelligence community in the United States. This includes sections on the politics within the OSS, the reasons the Labor Branch has not been a focal point of OSS research, and quirks about the Labor Branch that make it stand out from the rest of the OSS. The Labor Branch’s specific role in the infiltration of Germany is also discussed in chapter one. Chapter two is an extension of the materials presented in the first chapter. It focuses on a section of the Labor Branch called Bach Section. This section was devoted to making the infiltration of Germany possible by creating cover stories, forging documents, and preparing agents to go to Germany in the midst of Nazism and be able to survive, gather intelligence, and create resistance networks. The bravery, intelligence, and will of the Bach Section are clear in this chapter, and the reader will recognize that, without the Labor Branch and their colleagues at the Bach Section, no one, be they with the OSS or British intelligence, would have had much success in infiltrating Germany during World War II. My third chapter is a bit more complicated than the first two. In it, I discuss the nuances of writing historical fiction responsibly and as a viable means of public history. As guidance, I undertake a discussion of the OSS in published works of fiction. I give an overview of the way different novelists handle the bureaucracy, agents, accomplishments, and failures of the OSS, revealing what I feel each does effectively and poorly. While discussing each of the potential strengths and pitfalls of historical fiction, especially as seen in the OSS novels, I then provide real examples of how historical fiction might work with a case study involving the OSS Labor Branch. One particular OSS mission, known as the Hammer Mission, serves as my example. I detail different parts of the mission, the men who participated, their training, and the mission itself and discuss how to use these details within a novel