Perception of COVID-19 Mitigation Strategies and Correlation to Student Demographics at the University of Mississippi

Are University of Mississippi student perceptions of COVID-19 mitigation strategies correlated to demographics? This research will provide data important for fully understanding the COVID-19 pandemic and to prepare for future pandemics. Additionally, COVID-19 remains a vastly unexplored research topic, and college students’ opinions on mitigation strategies is almost completely untouched.https://egrove.olemiss.edu/hon_posters/1001/thumbnail.jp

Microtubule Length-Regulation by Molecular Motors

Length-regulation of microtubules (MTs) is essential for many cellular processes. Molecular motors like kinesin 8, which move along MTs and also act as depolymerases, are known as key players in MT dynamics. However, the regulatory mechanisms of length control remain elusive. Here, we investigate a stochastic model accounting for the interplay between polymerization kinetics and motor-induced depolymerization. We determine the dependence of MT length and variance on rate constants and motor concentration. Moreover, our analyses reveal how collective phenomena lead to a well-defined MT length.Comment: 7 pages (5 p. letter, 3 p. supplementary information), 4 figures (3 f. letter, 1 f. supplementary information

Effect of a high phophorus diet on indicators of renal health in cats

Objectives High phosphorus intake may further impair renal health in cats with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The hypothesis that a high phosphorus (HP) diet might be nephrotoxic for healthy animals was tested in cats, a species with a high incidence of naturally occurring CKD. Methods Thirteen healthy adult cats were fed a phosphorus excess diet (about five times maintenance requirements), and this HP group was compared with cats on a balanced control diet (CON). The trial lasted for 29 days (10 days of faeces and urine collection). Endogenous creatinine clearance was determined towards the end of the trial. Fresh urine was tested for glucose and proteins. Results Glucosuria and microalbuminuria were observed exclusively in the HP group in 9/13 cats. Creatinine clearance was significantly decreased after feeding HP. In the HP group phosphorus was highly available (apparent digestibility around 60%). Renal phosphorus excretion was significantly increased in the HP group (115 mg/kg body weight/d vs 16 mg/kg body weight/d in the CON group). Conclusions and relevance The intake of a diet with an excessive content of highly available phosphorus may have adverse effects on parameters of kidney function in healthy cats

Identifying Barriers to Justice for Formerly Incarcerated Women of Color in Connecticut

Identifying specific challenges faced by women of color transitioning out of the prison system in Connecticut is critical to developing comprehensive support services following incarceration. However, there is little research on how race, gender, and past incarceration intersect to form unique barriers to justice for formerly incarcerated women of color. Disseminating a digital survey to formerly incarcerated women of color affiliated with the Connecticut nonprofit, Her Time, we collected primarily quantitative data to assess which social services were and were not received and identify the role of Her Time in supporting clients following incarceration. We found that transportation, housing, and employment support were the most frequently requested services following incarceration for respondents, that Her Time was most effective in providing participants with community support, PTSD resources, and education services. These findings have implications for Her Time, the Connecticut re-entry system, and formerly incarcerated Black and Brown women

Knowledge of Vocal Hygiene and Vocal Abuse in Longwood Education Majors

Research has proven that teachers are at high risk for voice disorders. This study examined the amount of vocal hygiene instruction in the Longwood undergraduate educational program via online pretest. The module containing strategies for teachers was distributed. A post-test was sent weeks later to assess the likelihood of implementation

Knowledge of Vocal Hygiene and Vocal Abuse in Longwood Education Majors

Research has proven that teachers are at high risk for voice disorders. This study examined the amount of vocal hygiene instruction in the Longwood undergraduate educational program via online pretest. The module containing strategies for teachers was distributed. A post-test was sent weeks later to assess the likelihood of implementation

Behavioral and hormonal assessment of stress in foals (Equus caballus) throughout the weaning process

This study had the aim to demonstrate the midterm effects (three weeks) of weaning on foals’ welfare. For this purpose, foals’ behavioral changes and fecal levels metabolites of cortisol were evaluated. The observations took place at the state stud farm of Baden-Wuerttemberg in Germany. Ten foals (six colts and four fillies) were observed from one day before weaning up until three weeks after weaning. Weaning was divided into three blocks, the first in September, the second in October, and the last in November. The behavioral observation was done during an eight-hour period between 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. The observer documented the exact behavior shown by the foal every five minutes during the eight hours. To scale the stress experienced by the foal, the glucocorticoid metabolite 11,17-dioxoandrostane was measured with the 11-oxoetiocholanolone enzyme immunoassay, which allows assessing the foal’s plasma cortisol level changes throughout the trail through fecal samples. All foals displayed a distinct hormonal stress response to the weaning process through increased fecal cortisol metabolite levels. Their body posture distribution took a shift from mainly moving before weaning to mainly standing during the three weeks after weaning. Compared with the day before weaning, the foals showed less active behavior and significantly increased their resting behavior. Regarding the overall resting behavior, the weaned foals initially increased their time spent resting in a lying position during daytime and then started to decrease the time lying. After weaning, the foals showed a significant increase in resting while standing. In conclusion, the foals showed an expected behavioral development and an expected curve of cortisol metabolite values throughout the study. However, it seemed that the changes had not returned “back to normal” at three weeks after weaning. Therefore, we suggest that weaned foals need a minimum of three weeks to acclimate to the new situation

How Far Does a Receptor Influence Vibrational Properties of an Odorant?

The biophysical mechanism of the sense of smell, or olfaction, is still highly debated. The mainstream explanation argues for a shape-based recognition of odorant molecules by olfactory receptors, while recent investigations suggest the primary olfactory event to be triggered by a vibrationally-assisted electron transfer reaction. We consider this controversy by studying the influence of a receptor on the vibrational properties of an odorant in atomistic details as the coupling between electronic degrees of freedom of the receptor and the vibrations of the odorant is the key parameter of the vibrationally-assisted electron transfer. Through molecular dynamics simulations we elucidate the binding specificity of a receptor towards acetophenone odorant. The vibrational properties of acetophenone inside the receptor are then studied by the polarizable embedding density functional theory approach, allowing to quantify protein-odorant interactions. Finally, we judge whether the effects of the protein provide any indications towards the existing theories of olfaction