343 research outputs found
Effects of wildfire on sea otter ( Enhydra lutris ) gene transcript profiles
Wildfires have been shown to impact terrestrial species over a range of temporal scales. Little is known, however, about the more subtle toxicological effects of wildfires, particularly in downstream marine or downwind locations from the wildfire perimeter. These downâcurrent effects may be just as substantial as those effects within the perimeter. We used gene transcription technology, a sensitive indicator of immunological perturbation, to study the effects of the 2008 Basin Complex Fire on the California coast on a sentinel marine species, the sea otter ( Enhydra lutris ). We captured sea otters in 2008 (3 mo after the Basin Complex Fire was controlled) and 2009 (15 mo after the Basin Complex Fire was controlled) in the adjacent nearshore environment near Big Sur, California. Gene responses were distinctly different between Big Sur temporal groups, signifying detoxification of PAH s, possible associated response to potential malignant transformation, and suppression of immune function as the primary responses of sea otters to fire in 2008 compared to those captured in 2009. In general, gene transcription patterns in the 2008 sea otters were indicative of molecular reactions to organic exposure, malignant transformation, and decreased ability to respond to pathogens that seemed to consistent with shortâterm hydrocarbon exposure.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/109779/1/mms12151.pd
Who ate all the pies? The importance of food in the Australian sporting experience
Australians watch live sport in large numbers and traditionally consume high quantities of meat pies, chips and beer within stadiums. However the food and beverage preferences of stadium-attending Australian sports fans are not well understood, particularly in comparison to their North American and European peers. This paper utilised a survey-based approach to understand the satisfaction of fans of Australiaâs national Rugby Union team with stadiums in Australia. While food and beverage offerings were found to be a particular point of dissatisfaction the price and service quality were found to be of greater concern than the healthiness of these. The study also drew on the researchersâ observations and knowledge of recent Australian stadium redevelopments to examine how the traditional offerings may be changing. We conclude that in order to attract greater attendances from a wider market, stadiums in Australia need to provide more
varied, higher quality, healthy food and beverage offerings that are both
affordable and easy to eat
Racism and anti-racism in Europe: a critical analysis of concepts and frameworks
The targets and expressions of racism vary across Europe. This article discusses the relevance of different descriptions and analyses of racism despite the different terms used in different countries such as âethnic minorityâ, âforeignerâ or âblackâ and different interpretations of which differences matter. It shows the significance of a cross-national European perspective on racism. There are important convergences across European countries in the discourses and practices of racism, particularly the distinction between âusefulâ and âabusiveâ migrants. A cross-European perspective can be an important inspiration for anti-racist struggles
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Metabolic gatekeeper function of B-lymphoid transcription factors.
B-lymphoid transcription factors, such as PAX5 and IKZF1, are critical for early B-cell development, yet lesions of the genes encoding these transcription factors occur in over 80% of cases of pre-B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). The importance of these lesions in ALL has, until now, remained unclear. Here, by combining studies using chromatin immunoprecipitation with sequencing and RNA sequencing, we identify a novel B-lymphoid program for transcriptional repression of glucose and energy supply. Our metabolic analyses revealed that PAX5 and IKZF1 enforce a state of chronic energy deprivation, resulting in constitutive activation of the energy-stress sensor AMPK. Dominant-negative mutants of PAX5 and IKZF1, however, relieved this glucose and energy restriction. In a transgenic pre-B ALL mouse model, the heterozygous deletion of Pax5 increased glucose uptake and ATP levels by more than 25-fold. Reconstitution of PAX5 and IKZF1 in samples from patients with pre-B ALL restored a non-permissive state and induced energy crisis and cell death. A CRISPR/Cas9-based screen of PAX5 and IKZF1 transcriptional targets identified the products of NR3C1 (encoding the glucocorticoid receptor), TXNIP (encoding a glucose-feedback sensor) and CNR2 (encoding a cannabinoid receptor) as central effectors of B-lymphoid restriction of glucose and energy supply. Notably, transport-independent lipophilic methyl-conjugates of pyruvate and tricarboxylic acid cycle metabolites bypassed the gatekeeper function of PAX5 and IKZF1 and readily enabled leukaemic transformation. Conversely, pharmacological TXNIP and CNR2 agonists and a small-molecule AMPK inhibitor strongly synergized with glucocorticoids, identifying TXNIP, CNR2 and AMPK as potential therapeutic targets. Furthermore, our results provide a mechanistic explanation for the empirical finding that glucocorticoids are effective in the treatment of B-lymphoid but not myeloid malignancies. Thus, B-lymphoid transcription factors function as metabolic gatekeepers by limiting the amount of cellular ATP to levels that are insufficient for malignant transformation
Cytochrome P4501A biomarker indication of the timeline of chronic exposure of Barrowâs goldeneyes to residual Exxon Valdez oil
Author Posting. © The Author(s), 2010. This is the author's version of the work. It is posted here by permission of Elsevier B.V. for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Marine Pollution Bulletin 62 (2011): 609-614, doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2010.11.015.We examined hepatic EROD activity, as an indicator of CYP1A induction, in Barrow's
goldeneyes captured in areas oiled during the 1989 Exxon Valdez spill and those from
nearby unoiled areas. We found that average EROD activity differed between areas
during 2005, although the magnitude of the difference was reduced relative to a previous
study from 1996/97, and we found that areas did not differ by 2009. Similarly, we found
that the proportion of individuals captured from oiled areas with elevated EROD activity
( 2 times unoiled average) declined from 41% in winter 1996/97 to 10% in 2005 and
15% in 2009. This work adds to a body of literature describing the timelines over which
vertebrates were exposed to residual Exxon Valdez oil and indicates that, for Barrow's
goldeneyes in Prince William Sound, exposure persisted for many years with evidence of
substantially reduced exposure by 2 decades after the spill.This research was supported primarily by the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee
Council
We are all one together : peer educators\u27 views about falls prevention education for community-dwelling older adults - a qualitative study
Background: Falls are common in older people. Despite strong evidence for effective falls prevention strategies, there appears to be limited translation of these strategies from research to clinical practice. Use of peers in delivering falls prevention education messages has been proposed to improve uptake of falls prevention strategies and facilitate translation to practice. Volunteer peer educators often deliver educational presentations on falls prevention to community-dwelling older adults. However, research evaluating the effectiveness of peer-led education approaches in falls prevention has been limited and no known study has evaluated such a program from the perspective of peer educators involved in delivering the message. The purpose of this study was to explore peer educatorsâ perspective about their role in delivering peer-led falls prevention education for community-dwelling older adults.
Methods: A two-stage qualitative inductive constant comparative design was used.In stage one (core component) focus group interviews involving a total of eleven participants were conducted. During stage two (supplementary component) semi-structured interviews with two participants were conducted. Data were analysed thematically by two researchers independently. Key themes were identified and findings were displayed in a conceptual framework.
Results: Peer educators were motivated to deliver educational presentations and importantly, to reach an optimal peer connection with their audience. Key themes identified included both personal and organisational factors that impact on educatorsâ capacity to facilitate their peersâ engagement with the message. Personal factors that facilitated message delivery and engagement included peer-to-peer connection and perceived credibility, while barriers included a reluctance to accept the message that they were at risk of falling by some members in the audience. Organisational factors, including ongoing training for peer educators and formative feedback following presentations, were perceived as essential because they affect successful message delivery.
Conclusions: Peer educators have the potential to effectively deliver falls prevention education to older adults and influence acceptance of the message as they possess the peer-to-peer connection that facilitates optimal engagement. There is a need to consider incorporating learnings from this research into a formal large scale evaluation of the effectiveness of the peer education approach in reducing falls in older adults
The MeerTime Pulsar Timing Array -- A Census of Emission Properties and Timing Potential
MeerTime is a five-year Large Survey Project to time pulsars with MeerKAT,
the 64-dish South African precursor to the Square Kilometre Array. The science
goals for the programme include timing millisecond pulsars (MSPs) to high
precision (< 1 s) to study the Galactic MSP population and to contribute
to global efforts to detect nanohertz gravitational waves with the
International Pulsar Timing Array (IPTA). In order to plan for the remainder of
the programme and to use the allocated time most efficiently, we have conducted
an initial census with the MeerKAT "L-band" receiver of 189 MSPs visible to
MeerKAT and here present their dispersion measures, polarization profiles,
polarization fractions, rotation measures, flux density measurements, spectral
indices, and timing potential. As all of these observations are taken with the
same instrument (which uses coherent dedispersion, interferometric polarization
calibration techniques, and a uniform flux scale), they present an excellent
resource for population studies. We used wideband pulse portraits as timing
standards for each MSP and demonstrated that the MeerTime Pulsar Timing Array
(MPTA) can already contribute significantly to the IPTA as it currently
achieves better than 1 s timing accuracy on 89 MSPs (observed with
fortnightly cadence). By the conclusion of the initial five-year MeerTime
programme in July 2024, the MPTA will be extremely significant in global
efforts to detect the gravitational wave background with a contribution to the
detection statistic comparable to other long-standing timing programmes.Comment: Accepted to PASA. 27 figures. Data to be made available under the DOI
10.5281/zenodo.5347875 at the time of publicatio
Using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) to produce actionable findings: a rapid-cycle evaluation approach to improving implementation
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