The role of ubiquitination in the regulated trafficking of GLUT4: A study with yeast and adipocytes

It has become increasingly apparent that, besides targeting proteins for proteasomal degradation, ubiquitination has a role in regulating the trafficking of proteins between intracellular compartments. One well-documented example of this is the nitrogen- regulated trafficking of the general amino acid permease. Gap 1p, through the endosomal system of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. It has previously been noted that the nitrogen-regulated trafficking of Gap 1p bears similarity to the insulin-regulated trafficking of the glucose transporter, GLUT4, in fat and muscle cells. Both proteins move from an intracellular location to the cell surface in response to an extrinsic trigger. In this thesis, I show that human GLUT4 is subject to nitrogen-regulated trafficking when expressed in yeast. Furthermore, I demonstrate that, like Gap 1p trafficking in yeast, the regulated trafficking of GLUT4, both in yeast and in the insulin-sensitive cell line 3T3-L1 adipocytes, requires the ubiquitination of the transporter. A model in which ubiquitination is required for the sorting of GLUT4 into the insulin-responsive pool, from where it is mobilised to the cell surface in response to insulin, is presented and discussed

White Screen/White Noise: Racism on the Internet

The Internet is critical for disseminating information, but it does not discriminate against information it carries. Hate speech and racist representations proliferate in social media, online news comment sections and community forums. What can information workers do to counteract those messages? How can critical race consciousness enhance on- and off-line library services? This article attempts to explore how information in the age of rapid technology innovation contributes to structural racism and what librarians and other information professionals can do about it

White Screen/White Noise: Racism and the Internet

The Internet is critical for disseminating information, but it does not discriminate against information it carries. Hate speech and racist representations proliferate in social media, online news comment sections and community forums. What can information workers do to counteract those messages? How can critical race consciousness enhance on- and off-line library services? This article attempts to explore how information in the age of rapid technology innovation contributes to structural racism and what librarians and other information professionals can do about it

Reply to Worth et al

TO THE EDITOR—We thank Worth and colleagues for reflecting on some important points related to our recent study where we reported a 63% reduction in hospital-onset (HO) Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia (SAB) in Australia

Experimental study of electrophysiology using the fEITER system

Within neurophysiology, there is need for improvements to functional brain imaging devices. Neural processing within the brain occurs on milli-second through to second timescales. Currently there are no systems with the sufficient temporal resolution and depth sensitivity. Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) is a technique that offers milli-second imaging, depth sensitivity, portability and low cost. It is already applied routinely in other medical applications such as lung function monitoring and breast imaging. The research presented in this thesis has contributed to the design and development of a 32-electrode EIT system, known as fEITER (functional Electrical Impedance Tomography of Evoked Responses). fEITER has been designed to be a brain imaging device that has a temporal resolution of 100 fps with an overall SNR of greater than 70 dB operating at 10 kHz. In order to carry out human tests using fEITER, the system required applications to the local and national ethics (NRES) as well as safety standards regulation (MHRA). These processes were successfully completed, receiving a 'notice of no objection' for a clinical trial using fEITER at The University of Manchester and Manchester Royal Infirmary. A series of tank tests were analysed as a method of understanding the system performance. The data obtained from human tests showed unique results. The reference data showed a repeating 'saw tooth' that is time-locked to the heart beat of the volunteer, which is a novel observation in medical EIT. Furthermore, the auditory stimuli data showed topographical differences across the scalp with respect to the startle and controlled auditory stimuli. These observations are based on single-event evoked responses, which is unique within the field of evoked potential studies. From the observations reported in this thesis it is plausible that fEITER is measuring voltages changes that are due to the neural processing.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

A reasoned action approach to pregnant smokers’ intention to switch to e-cigarettes: Does educational attainment influence theory application?

Social determinant research has noted educational attainment to be among the strongest influencing factors for tobacco use during pregnancy. Concurrently, maternal e-cigarette use has doubled in recent years, with some citing it as a safer alternative to combustible cigarettes. To better understand the decision-making practices of pregnant persons based on educational attainment, the reasoned action approach (RAA) was used to evaluate factors that may be associated with the intention to switch from cigarettes to e-cigarettes. A sample of U.S. pregnant persons (n = 267) between 18-40 years of age, who smoked at least one cigarette in the past 30 days, completed an online survey about switching from cigarettes to e-cigarettes. RAA constructs (e.g., intentions, instrumental attitudes, etc.) were measured using a pre-validated scale. Using structural equation modeling, the variability of latent variables (i.e., RAA constructs) and their interaction with one another were analyzed by educational attainment via two regression models: one for those who had college experience or had completed a college degree and another for those who had not attended college. Instrumental attitudes, experiential attitudes, and descriptive norms were significantly associated with intention to switch from cigarettes to e-cigarettes among both groups; however, autonomy was only significantly associated with intention among those who had not attended college. The RAA offers a valuable framework for understanding pregnant persons’ decision to switch from cigarettes to e-cigarettes during pregnancy; however, the RAA constructs may be related to intentions differently based on upstream factors, such as educational attainment