Durability Properties of Bacterial Cellulose for Textile Applications

Cellulose used in apparel products often comes from plant sources; however, some bacteria of are also able to produce cellulose. Benefits of bacterial cellulose over plant cellulose include the absence of lignin and hemicelluloses and high crystallinity. Environmental benefits include the reduced need for water and processing chemicals. Current challenges to the material\u27s development are the cost of raw materials and the growth rate of the material. The goal of this project was to address these concerns by comparing the material grown from low cost media. Additionally, materials were treated and dried using a variety of methods and analyzed for textile property impacts

Comfort and Aesthetic Properties of Bacterial Cellulose for Textile Applications

Recently, bacterial cellulose has been investigated for potential applications in textiles and apparel. This material has several unique properties, which make it a promising material for such applications. Several limitations to the material also exist, including lack of consumer familiarity and the material\u27s stiffness. The purpose of this study was to extend previous work by investigating aesthetic and comfort properties of bacterial cellulose grown and dried in a variety of conditions. Samples were grown in four types of media, treated in two conditions and dried in two conditions. Comfort and aesthetic properties were impacted by the different conditions in regards to fabric hand, uniformity and absorption

Balancing the COVID-19 disruption to undergraduate learning and assessment with an academic student support package: implications for student achievement and engagement

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic-induced emergency pivot to online teaching and assessment, an Academic Safety Net was implemented at a regional Australian university to provide academic student support. Bayesian hierarchical models were used to compare student performance between 2019 and 2020. More students withdrew from subjects in 2020, while fewer students remained enrolled but failed. While there was no overall year effect for overall student achievement, exam achievement increased and on-course assessment achievement decreased in 2020. When achievement was analysed according to an assessment task change, a year effect emerged, with the magnitude and direction of the effect dependent on the task changes. The results indicate that the enrolment component of the Academic Safety Net was an effective equity measure that enabled students an extended opportunity to self-withdraw in response to general impacts of the pandemic; while the results component protected the integrity of results awarded during the emergency pivot

The Prairie Post Quarterly Newsletter of the High Plains Regional Climate Center- October 2019

Inside this issue: Message from the director........................................1 Staff spotlight...........................1 Workshops focus on climate services in Kansas....................2 Research highlights................3 AMS Annual Meeting.............3 Update on regional climate conditions..................................4 New ACIS Climate Summary Maps available..........................5 Track precipitation with CLIMOD.......................................5 Recent and upcoming travel and activities.............................

Providing a Helping Hand: Metabolic Regulation of T Follicular Helper Cells and Their Association With Disease.

T follicular helper (Tfh) cells provide support to B cells upon arrival in the germinal center, and thus are critical for the generation of a robust adaptive immune response. Tfh express specific transcription factors and cellular receptors including Bcl6, CXCR5, PD-1, and ICOS, which are critical for homing and overall function. Generally, the induction of an immune response is tightly regulated. However, deviation during this process can result in harmful autoimmunity or the inability to successfully clear pathogens. Recently, it has been shown that Tfh differentiation, activation, and proliferation may be linked with the cellular metabolic state. In this review we will highlight recent discoveries in Tfh differentiation and explore how these cells contribute to functional immunity in disease, including autoimmune-related disorders, cancer, and of particular emphasis, during infection

Apple CRISPR-Cas9-A Recipe for Successful Targeting of AGAMOUS-like Genes in Domestic Apple

Fruit trees and other fruiting hardwood perennials are economically valuable, and there is interest in developing improved varieties. Both conventional breeding and biotechnology approaches are being utilized towards the goal of developing advanced cultivars. Increased knowledge of the effectiveness and efficiency of biotechnology approaches can help guide use of the CRISPR gene-editing technology. Here, we examined CRISPR-Cas9-directed genome editing in the valuable commodity fruit tree Malus x domestica (domestic apple). We transformed two cultivars with dual CRISPR-Cas9 constructs designed to target two AGAMOUS-like genes simultaneously. The main goal was to determine the effectiveness of this approach for achieving target gene changes. We obtained 6 Cas9 control and 38 independent CRISPR-Cas9 events. Of the 38 CRISPR-Cas9 events, 34 (89%) had gene edits and 14 (37%) showed changes to all alleles of both target genes. The most common change was large deletions, which were present in 59% of all changed alleles, followed by small deletions (21%), small insertions (12%), and a combination of small insertions and deletions (8%). Overall, a high rate of successful gene alterations was found. Many of these changes are predicted to cause frameshifts and alterations to the predicted peptides. Future work will include monitoring the floral development and floral form

Measuring & Mapping Mortality in the Elm City: Identifying and Addressing Health Inequities in New Haven with Years of Potential Life Lost (YPLL) and Other Health Determinants

Population health in the City of New Haven, including health care access, health outcomes, and mortality, is influenced by socioeconomic disparities. These disparities exist on both the individual and neighborhood scale, and across demographics such as age, sex, race, and ethnicity. Continued analyses to understand these disparities is imperative to elucidate public health concerns and to design and to implement appropriate initiatives and interventions. The objectives of this study were as follows: To measure the leading causes of death, average life expectancy, and premature death in New Haven using mortality data and stratifying by key variables including age, sex, race, and ethnicity, and to characterize the relationships between mortality, geographic location, and other demographic variables.https://elischolar.library.yale.edu/ysph_pbchrr/1019/thumbnail.jp

Improved Urinary Continence for Stroke Survivors in Inpatient Rehab

https://digitalcommons.psjhealth.org/summit_all/1013/thumbnail.jp

Molecular methods for tracking residual Plasmodium falciparum transmission in a close-to-elimination setting in Zanzibar

Molecular detection of low-density Plasmodium falciparum infections is essential for surveillance studies conducted to inform malaria control strategies in close-to-elimination settings. Molecular monitoring of residual malaria infections usually requires a large study size, therefore sampling and diagnostic processes need to be economical and optimized for high-throughput. A method comparison was undertaken to identify the most efficient diagnostic procedure for processing large collections of community samples with optimal test sensitivity, simplicity, and minimal costs.; In a reactive case detection study conducted on Zanzibar, parasitaemia of 4590 individuals of all ages was investigated by a highly sensitive quantitative (q) PCR that targets multiple var gene copies per parasite genome. To reduce cost, a first round of positivity screening was performed on pools of dried blood spots from five individuals. Ten cycles of a pre-PCR were performed directly on the filter paper punches, followed by qPCR. In a second round, samples of positive pools were individually analysed by pre-PCR and qPCR.; Prevalence in household members and neighbors of index cases was 1.7% (78/4590) with a geometric mean parasite density of 58 parasites/µl blood. Using qPCR as gold standard, diagnostic sensitivity of rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) was 37% (29/78). Infections positive by qPCR but negative by RDT had mean densities of 15 parasites/µl blood.; The approach of pre-screening reactive case detection samples in pools of five was ideal for a low prevalence setting such as in Zanzibar. Performing direct PCR on filter paper punches saves substantial time and justifies the higher cost for a polymerase suitable for amplifying DNA directly from whole blood. Molecular monitoring in community samples provided a more accurate picture of infection prevalence, as it identified a potential reservoir of infection that was largely missed by RDT. The developed qPCR-based methodology for screening large sample sets represents primarily a research tool that should inform the design of malaria elimination strategies. It may also prove beneficial for diagnostic tasks in surveillance-response activities