Triazole compounds – Potentials in the treatment of cystic fibrosis

Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disease that affects the respiratory and digestive system and is most common among Caucasians of Northern European origin. CF is caused by mutations in a membrane protein CFTR (Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane-conductance Regulator). This mutation impairs the membrane protein’s chloride ion channel function. One of the most common CFTR mutations is the DF508 mutation that affects over 70% of CF cases. Our research has shown that the DF508-CFTR mutation can be partially reversed by physical and chemical means [Heda & Marino, BBRC, 271:659-664, 2000]. In cell lines expressing DF508-CFTR, synthetic anion carriers have shown to augment the chloride ion channel function (Yang et al. J. Biol. Chem.,1278(37) : 35079-35085, 2003). In this study, we use triazole compounds, synthesized in Talukdar lab (IISER, Pune, India), to determine their effects on DF508-CFTR upregulation. These compounds are known for their ability to bind and facilitate chloride influx to cultured cell lines. Methods: Human lung epithelial cell lines (CFBE) transfected with DF508-CFTR were cultured and treated with various concentrations of triazole compounds (ABS-089, PJ-08) at 27 degrees for 60 hours. Cell lysates were then prepared and immunoblotted with anti-CFTR antibody and CFTR-specific signal was detected by chemiluminescence using c300 image analyzer (Azure Biosystems). Results: Both tested compounds showed an increase in the CFTR band-B when compared to the vehicle alone. Conclusion: Our research suggests triazole compounds could potentially be used as therapeutic agents for Cystic Fibrosis treatment

Leslyn Ichter and Maggie Taylor in their Senior Voice Recitals

This is the program for the Senior Recitals of soprano Leslyn Ichter and mezzo-soprano Maggie Taylor. Ms. Ichter was accompanied on the piano by Susan Monroe and Ms. Taylor was accompanied on the piano by Mary Worthen. This recital took place on October 1, 2010, in the McBeth Recital Hall in the Mabee Fine Arts Center

The urban and regional segregation of indigenous Australians: Out of sight, out of mind?

Contrary to popular belief, the majority of Indigenous Australians live in cities and towns rather than remote areas of the country, yet remain segregated and \u27invisible\u27 from the daily lives of non-Indigenous Australians. In 2006, the Australian Indigenous population surpassed half a million. Yet while public and political discourse invariably concentrate on remote Australia, geographically, more than 75% of the Indigenous population is regional or urban and some 31% of Indigenous Australians live in the major cities

Impact of Virtual Simulation-Based Level I Fieldwork on Level II Fieldwork Performance

Fieldwork is an essential part of a student’s education and development to become competent in entry-level occupational therapy skills (ACOTE, 2018). The implications of COVID-19 coupled with staffing shortages and an increase in academic programs resulted in academic fieldwork coordinators competing for a limited number of spots. The Accreditation Council of Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) integrated the use of simulation as an instructional method to meet Standard C.1.9 for Fieldwork I. This study used a retrospective cohort design to determine the impact of virtual simulation-based Level I fieldwork on performance in Level II fieldwork. Thirty-seven Doctor of Occupational Therapy students’ Level II fieldwork performance evaluation scores were compared based on their placement in a traditional or simulation-based Level IA fieldwork. Nineteen students were reassigned to Simucase to complete their Level IA fieldwork due to COVID-19, and the remaining eighteen completed their traditional setting as scheduled. All students then completed a traditional Level IB. The Fieldwork Performance Evaluation (FWPE) was utilized by the students’ fieldwork educators to assess their performance. There was no statistically significant difference between the students that completed the simulation-based Level I fieldwork and the students that completed both Level I experiences in person in their Level IIA and Level IIB FWPE scores (p=0.683, p=0.889). Additionally, there was no statistically significant difference found between the subsections on the FWPE between the two groups. The results of this study advance the current literature regarding the use of simulation-based experiences in occupational therapy education by displaying a comparable alternative to the traditional fieldwork model

Reed Lake Water Quality Monitoring Project January - June 2011 Final Report

Reed Lake is located east of Highway 20 near Alger (WA) on the border of What- com and Skagit Counties. At the western tip of Reed Lake a concrete dam con- trols water flow into Cain Lake. Both lakes are surrounded by communities that have grown rapidly in the last few decades. Development extends to the shoreline around the entire perimeter of Reed Lake, with several boat launches and private docks. Residents around both lakes rely on individual septic systems for waste- water treatment. Recreation on the lake includes boating, swimming, and fishing for annually stocked rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Residents have ex- pressed concern about the deterioration of recreation conditions due to aquatic plant growth hindering boat passage and sediment deposition under docks and swimming areas. Reed Lake has been monitored annually by the Institute for Watershed Studies (IWS) as part of their Small Lakes Monitoring Project, a public service project that generates water quality data for more than 50 local lakes. Although these data have been collected since 2006, they have not been used to provide lake man- agement information for Reed Lake. To supplement the existing data, IWS was contracted by the Glenhaven Lakes Committee to collect six months of additional data and prepare a report that summarizes the water quality results and describes lake management methods that may be helpful for maintaining or improving the water quality in Reed Lake

SB46-20/21: Resolution Establishing the ASUM Legislative Priorities

SB46-20/21: Resolution Establishing the ASUM Legislative Priorities. This resolution passed on a 19Y-1N-0A vote during the December 3, 2020 meeting of the Associated Students of the University of Montana (ASUM)

The Highs and Lows of Ubiquitous Connectivity: Investigating University Students' Experiences and Connections with Well-being

Higher Education has seen a dramatic increase in the use of information and communication technologies in recent years. Universities around the world have built complex Information System infrastructures implementing local networks, wireless networks, cloud services and Virtual Learning Environments (VLE). These technological changes have stretched and expanded the boundaries of traditional campus universities in space and time allowing easy and ubiquitous access to people, information and services. The term “ubiquitous connectivity” identifies this enhanced accessibility to resources due to the development of infrastructures and devices. This qualitative research adopted a holistic approach to investigate how new technologies and ubiquitous connectivity affect university students’ experiences and consequent well-being. Data were collected from on-campus students and staff members (lecturers, learning technologists, tech support, programme administrators) using a qualitative survey, semi-structured interviews and focus groups. The data were analysed using constructivist grounded theory (Charmaz 2006) and situational analysis (Clarke 2005). The data analysis shows that new technologies and ubiquitous connectivity appear to play a positive role in enhancing students’ well-being by providing them: 1. A sense of ease and freedom in managing their daily learning duties 2. A sense of connectedness with other students and lecturers 3. A sense of reassurance by knowing that peer and lecturer support is always at hand 4. A sense of improved workflow by using mobile devices to retrieve information and to take notes anytime and anywhere during the day 5. Flexibility in managing everyday life and in balancing study, work and leisure. However, in some cases new technologies and ubiquitous connectivity seem to have a negative impact on learners’ well-being. The data analysis shows that students can experience: 1. High levels of stress when technology failures occur or when online information is not accessible due to the lack of alternatives in performing their learning duties 2. Difficulties in managing information overload and the constant flux of information arriving to their devices 3. Stress and irritation when dealing with complicate website layouts and disorganised online materials 4. Lack of motivation in attending lectures due to the ease with which materials and information can be retrieved from the VLE and from peers using social apps and networks. 5. Difficulties in developing relationships with lecturers and peers due to the lack of face-to-face communication. These findings can be utilised to provide pedagogical suggestions to university stakeholders to avoid a negative impact of new technologies and ubiquitous connectivity on learners’ well-being and to improve the quality of students’ experiences

Ubiquitous Connectivity and Students’ Well-being: a Situational Analysis in a UK University

Recent research underlined as ubiquitous connectivity has changed the nature of traditional campus universities by creating technology-mediated environments where physical and virtual domains integrate and overlap. The aim of this research is to investigate how ubiquitous connectivity is impacting on university students’ daily lives and consequent wellbeing. On-campus undergraduate and postgraduate university students and staff members from the same department were involved using a qualitative survey, semi-structured interviews and a variation of the Experience Sampling Method. The data analysis followed two different steps: firstly, a socio-constructivist framework was adopted to highlight how students’ experiences with ubiquitous connectivity are socially and discursively constructed. Secondly, the results were discussed in the light of the two main well-being approaches existing in literature: hedonic and eudaimonic. The results show that the hedonic perspective seems to be prominent among students. Ubiquitous connectivity is mainly appreciated for its capability to make university day-to-day experiences easier to manage. Moreover, stress avoidance or relief seems to be one of the main goals that learners seek to obtain through ubiquitous connectivity. However, technologies also play an active role in disrupting learners’ well-being by increasing their level of stress due to difficulties in accessing resources, info overload or unorganised online materials