A method for the reduction of aerodynamic drag of road vehicles

A method is proposed for the reduction of the aerodynamic drag of bluff bodies, particularly for application to road transport vehicles. This technique consists of installation of panels on the forward surface of the vehicle facing the airstream. With the help of road tests, it was demonstrated that the attachment of proposed panels can reduce aerodynamic drag of road vehicles and result in significant fuel cost savings and conservation of energy resources

Perinatal Patient Education on Substance Use Risk Factors in the Age of the Opioid Crisis

From 2014 to 2016, NH ranked first for fentanyl and all opioid-related overdose deaths per capita in the United States (Moore et al., 2021). In 2016 the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (NH DHHS) found that there are many repercussions of this opioid crisis including overdose deaths, child and elder abuse, and newborns experiencing withdrawal. In utero substance exposure places a child at a higher risk for developmental, behavioral, and physical health concerns. To address this gap, a secondary data analysis using NH Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) data from 2013 to 2020 was conducted. PRAMS data identifies groups of infants and women at high risk for health problems (CDC, 2021). Variables from three domains were analyzed; what healthcare providers talked about with the patient during pregnancy, reported risk behaviors in pregnancy, and postpartum outcomes. The data analysis revealed that over time, more participants have reported conversations with their care providers regarding the substance use risk factors of smoking and abuse. This finding called for a further investigation as to what happened between 2014 and 2017 in terms of prenatal care and healthcare provider conversations. Perinatal care bundles from the Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health (AIM) work to best address the leading causes of preventable maternal morbidity and mortality (AIM, 2020). The increase and improvement in risk assessment by perinatal providers continues due to the emergence of care bundles that improve the quality and safety of care provided to pregnant women with substance use disorders

Regulation of phenylacetic acid uptake is σ54 dependent in Pseudomonas putida CA-3

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Styrene is a toxic and potentially carcinogenic alkenylbenzene used extensively in the polymer processing industry. Significant quantities of contaminated liquid waste are generated annually as a consequence. However, styrene is not a true xenobiotic and microbial pathways for its aerobic assimilation, via an intermediate, phenylacetic acid, have been identified in a diverse range of environmental isolates. The potential for microbial bioremediation of styrene waste has received considerable research attention over the last number of years. As a result the structure, organisation and encoded function of the genes responsible for styrene and phenylacetic acid sensing, uptake and catabolism have been elucidated. However, a limited understanding persists in relation to host specific regulatory molecules which may impart additional control over these pathways. In this study the styrene degrader <it>Pseudomonas putida </it>CA-3 was subjected to random mini-Tn<it>5 </it>mutagenesis and mutants screened for altered styrene/phenylacetic acid utilisation profiles potentially linked to non-catabolon encoded regulatory influences.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>One mutant, D7, capable of growth on styrene, but not on phenylacetic acid, harboured a Tn<it>5 </it>insertion in the <it>rpoN </it>gene encoding σ54. Complementation of the D7 mutant with the wild type <it>rpoN </it>gene restored the ability of this strain to utilise phenylacetic acid as a sole carbon source. Subsequent RT-PCR analyses revealed that a phenylacetate permease, PaaL, was expressed in wild type <it>P. putida </it>CA-3 cells utilising styrene or phenylacetic acid, but could not be detected in the disrupted D7 mutant. Expression of plasmid borne <it>paaL </it>in mutant D7 was found to fully restore the phenylacetic acid utilisation capacity of the strain to wild type levels. Bioinformatic analysis of the <it>paaL </it>promoter from <it>P. putida </it>CA-3 revealed two σ⁵⁴consensus binding sites in a non-archetypal configuration, with the transcriptional start site being resolved by primer extension analysis. Comparative analyses of genomes encoding phenylacetyl CoA, (PACoA), catabolic operons identified a common association among styrene degradation linked PACoA catabolons in <it>Pseudomonas </it>species studied to date.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>In summary, this is the first study to report RpoN dependent transcriptional activation of the PACoA catabolon <it>paaL </it>gene, encoding a transport protein essential for phenylacetic acid utilisation in <it>P. putida </it>CA-3. Bioinformatic analysis is provided to suggest this regulatory link may be common among styrene degrading <it>Pseudomonads</it>.</p

J. R. Hicks and R. O. Leary to J. E. Davis, 9 May

Regarding medical supplies and services from Dr. E.G. Banks for part of the year 1863. Includes undated envelope.https://egrove.olemiss.edu/ciwar_corresp/1050/thumbnail.jp

Jurors’ Decision-making in a Mock Criminal Trial: The Role of Mental Health Information and Mental Health Literacy

Background: The decision-making of jurors relies on a number of factors, including their understanding of mental health information provided to them in court. Both mental health literacy (MHL) and the type of information provided may influence this decision-making and are under-researched areas within this field. Aims: The thesis aims to contribute to the understanding of MHL as measured by the Mental Health Literacy Scale (MHLS) and to explore the impact of MHL and the presentation of mental health information on juror decision-making in a mock criminal trial. Method: A systematic review of 16 studies using the MHLS explored definitions of MHL used, psychometric properties, populations studied, mean scores, and variables related to the MHLS. An empirical study used an experimental design in which three groups were provided with either no mental health information, a symptomatic description, or a symptomatic description and a diagnostic label of paranoid schizophrenia, to explore the effects of MHL and the information provided on guilt ratings. Results: The MHLS has been widely used in a variety of populations, alongside a number of additional variables and shows reasonable psychometric performance. Higher scores are commonly associated with being female and having prior experience of mental health difficulties. Higher MHL was associated with lower ratings of guilt in a mock criminal trial. Participants who were given a symptomatic description and diagnostic label gave the lowest guilt ratings, while those who received no mental health information gave the highest. Conclusions: MHL is an ambiguous concept with a literature base that lacks consistency of measurement. Both MHL and the type of information presented affected the guilt ratings of participants. This suggests that clinicians may have a role in the education of jurors with regards to mental health and should consider carefully the information they provide in court

Validation of an Automated Body Condition Scoring System Using 3D Imaging

peer-reviewedBody condition scores (BCS) measure a cow’s fat reserves and is important for management and research. Manual BCS assessment is subjective, time-consuming, and requires trained personnel. The BodyMat F (BMF, Ingenera SA, Cureglia, Switzerland) is an automated body condition scoring system using a 3D sensor to estimate BCS. This study assesses the BMF. One hundred and three Holstein Friesian cows were assessed by the BMF and two assessors throughout a lactation. The BMF output is in the 0–5 scale commonly used in France. We develop and report the first equation to convert these scores to the 1–5 scale used by the assessors in Ireland in this study ((0–5 scale × 0.38) + 1.67 → 1–5 scale). Inter-assessor agreement as measured by Lin’s concordance of correlation was 0.67. BMF agreement with the mean of the two assessors was the same as between assessors (0.67). However, agreement was lower for extreme values, particularly in over-conditioned cows where the BMF underestimated BCS relative to the mean of the two human observers. The BMF outperformed human assessors in terms of reproducibility and thus is likely to be especially useful in research contexts. This is the second independent validation of a commercially marketed body condition scoring system as far as the authors are aware. Comparing the results here with the published evaluation of the other system, we conclude that the BMF performed as well or better

Modulation of plant autophagy during pathogen attack

In plants, the highly conserved catabolic process of autophagy has long been known as a means of maintaining cellular homeostasis and coping with abiotic stress conditions. Accumulating evidence has linked autophagy to immunity against invading pathogens, regulating plant cell death, and antimicrobial defences. In turn, it appears that phytopathogens have evolved ways not only to evade autophagic clearance but also to modulate and co-opt autophagy for their own benefit. In this review, we summarize and discuss the emerging discoveries concerning how pathogens modulate both host and self-autophagy machineries to colonize their host plants, delving into the arms race that determines the fate of interorganismal interaction.Fil: Leary, Alexandre Y. Imperial College London; Reino UnidoFil: Sanguankiattichai, Nattapong. University of Oxford; Reino UnidoFil: Duggan, Cian. Imperial College London; Reino UnidoFil: Tumtas, Yasin. Imperial College London; Reino UnidoFil: Pandey, Pooja. Imperial College London; Reino UnidoFil: Segretin, Maria Eugenia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular "Dr. Héctor N. Torres"; ArgentinaFil: Salguero Linares, Jose. Imperial College London; Reino UnidoFil: Savage, Zachary D. Imperial College London; Reino UnidoFil: Yow, Rui Jin. Imperial College London; Reino UnidoFil: Bozkurt, Tolga O.. Imperial College London; Reino Unid