Data review for 3LN redfish in preparation for an updated management strategy evaluation

Data review for 3LN redfish in preparation for an updated management strategy evaluationVersión del editor

2005- 2008 UNLV McNair Journal

Journal articles based on research conducted by undergraduate students in the McNair Scholars Program Table of Contents Biography of Dr. Ronald E. McNair Statements: Dr. Neal J. Smatresk, UNLV President Dr. Juanita P. Fain, Vice President of Student Affairs Dr. William W. Sullivan, Associate Vice President for Retention and Outreach Mr. Keith Rogers, Deputy Executive Director of the Center for Academic Enrichment and Outreach McNair Scholars Institute Staf

Agricultural Practices Influence Salmonella Contamination and Survival in Pre-harvest Tomato Production

Between 2000 and 2010 the Eastern Shore of Virginia was implicated in four Salmonella outbreaks associated with tomato. Therefore, a multi-year study (2012–2015) was performed to investigate presumptive factors associated with the contamination of Salmonella within tomato fields at Virginia Tech’s Eastern Shore Agricultural Research and Extension Center. Factors including irrigation water sources (pond and well), type of soil amendment: fresh poultry litter (PL), PL ash, and a conventional fertilizer (triple superphosphate – TSP), and production practices: staked with plastic mulch (SP), staked without plastic mulch (SW), and non-staked without plastic mulch (NW), were evaluated by split-plot or complete-block design. All field experiments relied on naturally occurring Salmonella contamination, except one follow up experiment (worst-case scenario) which examined the potential for contamination in tomato fruits when Salmonella was applied through drip irrigation. Samples were collected from pond and well water; PL, PL ash, and TSP; and the rhizosphere, leaves, and fruits of tomato plants. Salmonella was quantified using a most probable number method and contamination ratios were calculated for each treatment. Salmonella serovar was determined by molecular serotyping. Salmonella populations varied significantly by year; however, similar trends were evident each year. Findings showed use of untreated pond water and raw PL amendment increased the likelihood of Salmonella detection in tomato plots. Salmonella Newport and Typhimurium were the most frequently detected serovars in pond water and PL amendment samples, respectively. Interestingly, while these factors increased the likelihood of Salmonella detection in tomato plots (rhizosphere and leaves), all tomato fruits sampled (n = 4800) from these plots were Salmonella negative. Contamination of tomato fruits was extremely low (< 1%) even when tomato plots were artificially inoculated with an attenuated Salmonella Newport strain (104 CFU/mL). Furthermore, Salmonella was not detected in tomato plots irrigated using well water and amended with PL ash or TSP. Production practices also influenced the likelihood of Salmonella detection in tomato plots. Salmonella detection was higher in tomato leaf samples for NW plots, compared to SP and SW plots. This study provides evidence that attention to agricultural inputs and production practices may help reduce the likelihood of Salmonella contamination in tomato fields

Mutation in the Gene Encoding Ubiquitin Ligase LRSAM1 in Patients with Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) represents a family of related sensorimotor neuropathies. We studied a large family from a rural eastern Canadian community, with multiple individuals suffering from a condition clinically most similar to autosomal recessive axonal CMT, or AR-CMT2. Homozygosity mapping with high-density SNP genotyping of six affected individuals from the family excluded 23 known genes for various subtypes of CMT and instead identified a single homozygous region on chromosome 9, at 122,423,730–129,841,977 Mbp, shared identical by state in all six affected individuals. A homozygous pathogenic variant was identified in the gene encoding leucine rich repeat and sterile alpha motif 1 (LRSAM1) by direct DNA sequencing of genes within the region in affected DNA samples. The single nucleotide change mutates an intronic consensus acceptor splicing site from AG to AA. Direct analysis of RNA from patient blood demonstrated aberrant splicing of the affected exon, causing an obligatory frameshift and premature truncation of the protein. Western blotting of immortalized cells from a homozygous patient showed complete absence of detectable protein, consistent with the splice site defect. LRSAM1 plays a role in membrane vesicle fusion during viral maturation and for proper adhesion of neuronal cells in culture. Other ubiquitin ligases play documented roles in neurodegenerative diseases. LRSAM1 is a strong candidate for the causal gene for the genetic disorder in our kindred

La performance des candidats noirs et autochtones dans le processus d'admission d'une faculté de médecine

Background: Diversity in medical schools has lagged behind Canada’s growing multicultural population. Dalhousie medical school allows Black and Indigenous applicants to self-identify. We examined how these applicants performed and progressed through the admissions process compared to Other group (applicants who did not self-identify). Methods: Retrospective analysis of four application cycles (2015-2019) was conducted, comparing demographic data, scores for application components (Computer-Based Assessment for Sampling Personal Characteristics (CASPer), MCAT, GPA, supplemental, discretionary, Multiple Mini Interview (MMI)), and final application status between the three groups. Results: Of 1322 applicants, 104 identified as Black, 64 Indigenous, and 1154 Other. GPA was higher in the Other compared to the Indigenous group (p < 0.001). CASPer score was higher in the Other compared to the Black group (p = 0.047). There was no difference between groups for all other application components. A large proportion of Black and Indigenous applicants had incomplete applications. Acceptance rates were similar between all groups. Black applicants declined an admission offer substantially more than expected (31%; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Black and Indigenous applicants who completed their application progressed well through the admissions process. The pool of diverse applicants needs to be increased and support provided for completion of applications. Further study is warranted to understand why qualified applicants decline acceptance.Contexte: Les facultés de médecine ne reflètent pas la diversité croissante de la population multiculturelle du Canada. Celle de l'Université Dalhousie invite les candidats à déclarer s'ils se définissent comme une personne noire ou autochtone. Nous avons fait un examen comparatif du comportement et de la progression dans le processus d'admission des candidats qui ont déclaré leur appartenance à un de ces groupes et des candidats qui ne l’ont pas fait (groupe Autre). Méthodes: Nous avons fait une analyse rétrospective de quatre cycles de candidatures (2015-2019), en comparant les données démographiques, les scores des composantes de la candidature (examen assisté par ordinateur pour l’échantillonnage des caractéristiques personnelles ou CASPer, MCAT, MPC, renseignements complémentaires, décision discrétionnaire, mini-entrevues multiples (MEM)) et le statut final de la candidature des trois groupes. Résultats: Parmi les 1 322 candidats, 104 se sont définis comme étant Noirs, 64 comme Autochtones et 1 154 ont coché « Autre ». La moyenne cumulative du groupe Autre était plus élevée que celle du groupe Personne autochtone (p<0,001). Le score CASPer du groupe Autre était plus élevé que celui du groupe Personne noire (p=0,047). Pour tous les autres éléments de la candidature, il n'y avait pas de différence entre les groupes. Un grand nombre de candidats noirs et autochtones avaient des dossiers incomplets. Les taux d'acceptation des trois groupes étaient similaires. Le nombre de candidats noirs qui ont refusé une offre d'admission était beaucoup plus élevé que prévu (31 %; p<0,001). Conclusions: Les candidats noirs et autochtones dont le dossier était complet ont bien cheminé dans le processus d'admission. Il convient d'élargir le bassin de candidats de diverses origines et de leur proposer de l'aide pour remplir la demande d'admission. D'autres études sont nécessaires pour comprendre pourquoi les candidats sélectionnés refusent une offre d'admission

Performance of Black and Indigenous applicants in a medical school admissions process

Background: Diversity in medical schools has lagged behind Canada’s growing multicultural population. Dalhousie medical school allows Black and Indigenous applicants to self-identify. We examined how these applicants performed and progressed through the admissions process compared to Other group (applicants who did not self-identify).Methods: Retrospective analysis of four application cycles (2015-2019) was conducted, comparing demographic data, scores for application components (Computer-Based Assessment for Sampling Personal Characteristics (CASPer), MCAT, GPA, supplemental, discretionary, Multiple Mini Interview (MMI)), and final application status between the three groups.Results: Of 1322 applicants, 104 identified as Black, 64 Indigenous, and 1154 Other. GPA was higher in the Other compared to the Indigenous group (p < 0.001). CASPer score was higher in the Other compared to the Black group (p = 0.047). There was no difference between groups for all other application components. A large proportion of Black and Indigenous applicants had incomplete applications. Acceptance rates were similar between all groups. Black applicants declined an admission offer substantially more than expected (31%; p < 0.001).Conclusions: Black and Indigenous applicants who completed their application progressed well through the admissions process. The pool of diverse applicants needs to be increased and support provided for completion of applications. Further study is warranted to understand why qualified applicants decline acceptance.Contexte: Les facultés de médecine ne reflètent pas la diversité croissante de la population multiculturelle du Canada. Celle de l'Université Dalhousie invite les candidats à déclarer s'ils se définissent comme une personne noire ou autochtone. Nous avons fait un examen comparatif du comportement et de la progression dans le processus d'admission des candidats qui ont déclaré leur appartenance à un de ces groupes et des candidats qui ne l’ont pas fait (groupe Autre).Méthodes: Nous avons fait une analyse rétrospective de quatre cycles de candidatures (2015-2019), en comparant les données démographiques, les scores des composantes de la candidature (examen assisté par ordinateur pour l’échantillonnage des caractéristiques personnelles ou CASPer, MCAT, MPC, renseignements complémentaires, décision discrétionnaire, mini-entrevues multiples (MEM)) et le statut final de la candidature des trois groupes.Résultats: Parmi les 1 322 candidats, 104 se sont définis comme étant Noirs, 64 comme Autochtones et 1 154 ont coché « Autre ». La moyenne cumulative du groupe Autre était plus élevée que celle du groupe Personne autochtone (p<0,001). Le score CASPer du groupe Autre était plus élevé que celui du groupe Personne noire (p=0,047). Pour tous les autres éléments de la candidature, il n'y avait pas de différence entre les groupes. Un grand nombre de candidats noirs et autochtones avaient des dossiers incomplets. Les taux d'acceptation des trois groupes étaient similaires. Le nombre de candidats noirs qui ont refusé une offre d'admission était beaucoup plus élevé que prévu (31 %; p<0,001).Conclusions: Les candidats noirs et autochtones dont le dossier était complet ont bien cheminé dans le processus d'admission. Il convient d'élargir le bassin de candidats de diverses origines et de leur proposer de l'aide pour remplir la demande d'admission. D'autres études sont nécessaires pour comprendre pourquoi les candidats sélectionnés refusent une offre d'admission

Discussion: Inclusivity in historical interpretation: Who has access and who is erased?

The discussion of ‘authenticity’ in living history has been one of the main themes since the conception of contemporary historical interpretation. Our quest for authenticity should, in my opinion start with a thoughtful discussion: What goal do we want to reach through living history? What does ‘authenticity’ mean in living history? And, in which context does ‘authenticity’ matter? We need to have frank conversations about this. Do we consider historical interpretation an academic endeavour? Or a set of phenomenological experiences through which we can gain a deeper understanding of the past? In which case we should be very critical why people are included or excluded. Does skin colour really matter when experimenting with historical baking techniques? Or why am I, an able-bodied white woman, not questioned about my place in the community when my height (around 1.85 m) would be an extreme statistical anomaly. Historical interpretation is, on one hand, a mental exercise, consisting of a phenomenological experiment, where striving for inclusiveness will add to our understanding of the past. On the other hand, there is the educational context, where we use visual shorthand to convey information. Here a tension arises; we should not discriminate our interpreters based on sex, ethnicity or disability, however, historically speaking they might not have been present or equally present in the situations we are showing. This brings us to a difficult position. These are themes we need to question together; the answer will vary per individual, institution, marginalised group, and the specific context. (by Vera Bos). Moderator: Jess Sha