“Inclusive Practices in Engagement”

Video presentation by Dr. Neal Malik (CSUSB Department of Health Science and Human Ecology) exploring current pedagogical practices that foster inclusivity and examining ways to create greater social justice through a culturally responsive classroom for the Faculty Center for Excellence and Pfau Library\u27s Faculty Video Showcase series

ePortfolios as a High Impact Practice

An e-portfolio has been recognized as a High Impact Practice (HIP). High Impact Practices are defined as “educational experiences that are meaningful, require student action and participation, and contribute to the life-long learning of the student.” (AACU, 2019, ¶2). Preliminary research has revealed that students that engage in HIPs are more likely to achieve higher grades, more readily retain and transfer information, and may narrow equity gaps (Kuh, Gambino, Ludvik, & O’Donnell, 2008). An e-portfolio is an interactive personal digital archive that may contain artifacts (such as resumes, curricula vitae, personal statements, etc.) or examples of achievements (such as projects, awards, recognitions, badges, etc.) (Lorenzo & Ittelson, 2005). Therefore, the creation and maintenance of an e-portfolio would satisfy the requirements of a HIP. Assigning students an e-portfolio project that incorporates both formative and summative assessments of student learning may be worthwhile. Such an assignment, when integrated throughout the Nutrition and Food Science curriculum (NTFS), would also satisfy the Professional Practice Expectations of The Academy (ACEND). Specifically, the following Core Knowledge requirements: KRDN 1.3 Apply critical thinking skills. KRDN 2.1 Demonstrate effective and professional oral and written communication and documentation. Additionally, an e-portfolio could serve to promote student success by serving as a means to showcase skills and accomplishments to potential employers and Dietetic Internship Preceptors

A High Fiber Diet Versus a Low-Carbohydrate Diet for Weight Loss in Obese Individuals With or Without Type 2 Diabetes

In the United States, obesity rates have climbed steadily over the years. Many different diets for weight loss have been proposed and studied, yet no one diet seems to clearly be more beneficial. Among diets that have been promoted are those high in fiber and low in carbohydrates, yet thus far, results of these studies have been mixed. Using a 2x2 complete factorial design, 173 obese men and women with or without type 2 diabetes were randomized to one of two conditions: (a) a high fiber diet (\u3e 40 grams of fiber per day for women, \u3e50 grams of fiber per day for men), or (b) a low carbohydrate diet (\u3c 120 grams carbohydrate per day for both men and women). The two diets were not matched on any macronutrient nor were there any calorie restrictions. Individuals were followed for 16 weeks, upon which participants’ BMI, waist circumference, blood lipids (total, HDL, and LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides), fasting blood sugar levels, and HbAic were measured. Additionally, lipid profiles, fasting blood sugar and HbAic among those with and those without type 2 diabetes were compared. While both groups experienced weight loss, decreases in BMI, waist and hip circumferences and blood pressure, independent t tests revealed no significant differences between diets after 16 weeks with regards to these factors. Total cholesterol (mean difference between groups=9 mg/dL, p= 0.038) and LDL-C levels (mean difference between groups=7 mg/dL, p=0.045) significantly decreased amongst those on the high fiber diet when compared to those on the low-carbohydrate diet. Two-way ANOVA analyses revealed no significant differences in glucose and HbAic levels between those with diabetes when compared to those without. In conclusion, weight loss and several CVD risk factors were similar in obese subjects following a high fiber compared to a low-carbohydrate diet, while total and LDL-C levels were lower on the high fiber diet. When examining the macro- and micronutrient composition between groups, high fiber dieters consumed significantly fewer B-vitamins, whereas low-carbohydrate dieters consumed significantly more sodium, cholesterol, and total fat than those in the high fiber group. Therefore, the proatherogenic effects of a low-carbohydrate may need to be further examined in future studies

Modeling two-photon calcium fluorescence of episodic V1 recordings using multifrequency analysis

The use of two-photon microscopy allows for imaging of deep neural tissue in vivo. This paper examines frequency-based analysis to two-photon calcium fluorescence images with the goal of deriving smooth tuning curves. We present a multifrequency analysis approach for improved extraction of calcium responses in episodic stimulation experiments, that is, when the stimulus is applied for a number of frames, then turned off for the next few frames, and so on. Episodic orientation stimulus was applied while recording from the primary visual cortex of an anesthetized mouse. The multifrequency model demonstrated improved tuning curve descriptions of the neurons. It also offers perspective regarding the characteristics of calcium fluorescence imaging of the brain.National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant DP1-OD003646)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant R01-EB006385)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant EY07023)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant EY017098

The Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer consensus statement on immunotherapy for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounting for over 85% of all cases. Until recently, chemotherapy – characterized by some benefit but only rare durable responses – was the only treatment option for patients with NSCLC whose tumors lacked targetable mutations. By contrast, immune checkpoint inhibitors have demonstrated distinctly durable responses and represent the advent of a new treatment approach for patients with NSCLC. Three immune checkpoint inhibitors, pembrolizumab, nivolumab and atezolizumab, are now approved for use in first- and/or second-line settings for selected patients with advanced NSCLC, with promising benefit also seen in patients with stage III NSCLC. Additionally, durvalumab following chemoradiation has been approved for use in patients with locally advanced disease. Due to the distinct features of cancer immunotherapy, and rapid progress in the field, clinical guidance is needed on the use of these agents, including appropriate patient selection, sequencing of therapies, response monitoring, adverse event management, and biomarker testing. The Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) convened an expert Task Force charged with developing consensus recommendations on these key issues. Following a systematic process as outlined by the National Academy of Medicine, a literature search and panel voting were used to rate the strength of evidence for each recommendation. This consensus statement provides evidence-based recommendations to help clinicians integrate immune checkpoint inhibitors into the treatment plan for patients with NSCLC. This guidance will be updated following relevant advances in the field

Physical Activity Is Associated With Improved Eating Habits During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The aim of this study was to analyze the association between physical activity andeating habits during the COVID-19 pandemic among Brazilian adults. A sample of1,929 participants answered an online survey, however 1,874 were included in theanalysis. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on eating habits was assessedinquiring about participants’ intake of fruits, vegetables, fried foods, and sweetsduring the pandemic. Physical activity was assessed by asking participants abouttheir weekly frequency, intensity and number of minutes/hours engaging in structuredphysical activities per week. Participants were then stratified into categories based onmoderate-to-vigorous intensity (0–30; 31–90; 91–150; 151–300; and >300 min/week)and into active (≥150 min) or inactive (<150 min). Increased sweets consumption wasthe most commonly reported change to eating habits (42.5%), followed by an increase inthe consumption of vegetables (26.6%), fruits (25.9%), and fried foods (17.9%). Physicalactivity practice was related to lower consumption of fried foods (OR = 0.60; p < 0.001)and sweets (OR = 0.53; p < 0.001). A cluster analysis revealed subjects with higherthe level of physical activity was more likely to follow a healthy diet (p < 0.001). Thus,physical activity was positively associated with healthier eating habits. Health authoritiesmust recommend regular physical as a strategy to improve overall health during theCOVID-19 pandemic. Future studies should address the physical activity interventionsto improve health status during a pandemic

Measurements of single top quark production cross sections and |Vtb| in ppbar collisions at sqrt{s}=1.96 TeV

We present measurements of production cross sections of single top quarks in \ppbar collisions at $\sqrt{s}=1.96\;\rm TeV$ in a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $5.4\;\rm fb^{-1}$ collected by the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. We select events with an isolated electron or muon, an imbalance in transverse energy, and two, three, or four jets, with one or two of them containing a bottom hadron. We obtain an inclusive cross section of \sigma({\ppbar}{\rargap}tb+X, tqb+X) = 3.43\pm^{0.73}_{0.74}\;\rm pb and use it to extract the CKM matrix element $0.79 < |V_{tb}| \leq 1$ at the 95% C.L. We also measure \sigma({\ppbar}{\rargap}tb+X) = 0.68\pm^{0.38}_{0.35}\;\rm pb and \sigma({\ppbar}{\rargap}tqb+X) = 2.86\pm^{0.69}_{0.63}\;\rm pb when assuming, respectively, $tqb$ and $tb$ production rates as predicted by the standard model.Comment: 11 pages, 8 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.

Efficacy of bacterial ribosomal RNA-targeted reverse transcription-quantitative PCR for detecting neonatal sepsis: a case control study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Neonatal sepsis is difficult to diagnose and pathogens cannot be detected from blood cultures in many cases. Development of a rapid and accurate method for detecting pathogens is thus essential. The main purpose of this study was to identify etiological agents in clinically diagnosed neonatal sepsis using bacterial ribosomal RNA-targeted reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (BrRNA-RT-qPCR) and to conduct comparisons with the results of conventional blood culture. Since BrRNA-RT-qPCR targets bacterial ribosomal RNA, detection rates using this approach may exceed those using conventional PCR.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Subjects comprised 36 patients with 39 episodes of suspected neonatal sepsis who underwent BrRNA-RT-qPCR and conventional blood culture to diagnose sepsis. Blood samples were collected aseptically for BrRNA-RT-qPCR and blood culture at the time of initial sepsis evaluation by arterial puncture. BrRNA-RT-qPCR and blood culture were undertaken using identical blood samples, and BrRNA-RT-qPCR was performed using 12 primer sets.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Positive rate was significantly higher for BrRNA-RT-qPCR (15/39, 38.5%) than for blood culture (6/39, 15.4%; p = 0.0039). BrRNA-RT-qPCR was able to identify all pathogens detected by blood culture. Furthermore, this method detected pathogens from neonates with clinical sepsis in whom pathogens was not detected by culture methods.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This RT-PCR technique is useful for sensitive detection of pathogens causing neonatal sepsis, even in cases with negative results by blood culture.</p

Measurement of the top quark mass using the matrix element technique in dilepton final states

We present a measurement of the top quark mass in pp¯ collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 1.96 TeV at the Fermilab Tevatron collider. The data were collected by the D0 experiment corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 9.7  fb−1. The matrix element technique is applied to tt¯ events in the final state containing leptons (electrons or muons) with high transverse momenta and at least two jets. The calibration of the jet energy scale determined in the lepton+jets final state of tt¯ decays is applied to jet energies. This correction provides a substantial reduction in systematic uncertainties. We obtain a top quark mass of mt=173.93±1.84  GeV

Search for Higgs bosons decaying to tautau pairs in ppbar collisions at sqrt(s) = 1.96 TeV

We present a search for the production of neutral Higgs bosons decaying into tautau pairs in ppbar collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 1.96 TeV. The data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.4 fb-1, were collected by the D0 experiment at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. We set upper limits at the 95% C.L. on the product of production cross section and branching ratio for a scalar resonance decaying into tautau pairs, and we then interpret these limits as limits on the production of Higgs bosons in the minimal supersymmetric standard model (MSSM) and as constraints in the MSSM parameter space.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures, submitted to PL