How innovation systems emerge to solve ecological problems: Biofuels in the United States and Brazil

This paper discusses the re-emergence of biofuel innovation systems in the United States and Brazil. We argue that innovation systems emerge and evolve to solve a problem, and that the way the problem is framed and articulated has a significant impact on the direction and momentum of this evolution. Additionally, innovation sequences occur with a recurrent pattern of changing problems and innovative solutions. We consider the role of the State as a core actor in the mobilisation of innovation systems and discuss how specific institutional arrangements, political contexts and technological competencies influence how problems are framed. We find that role of the State varies across time as well as across different geographical regions. Finally, we suggest that as ecological problems intensify we might expect to see an increase in State intervention in innovation systems

Development of a Dysphagia Management Protocol for Older Residents in a Care Home Setting. (abstract only)

Purpose: The aim of this study is to develop a co-designed dysphagia management protocol for older residents living in a care home setting. Method: A qualitative study is being conducted within four care homes in a region in the North of England; these were purposively selected to ensure representation of a range of care models across the care home sector. A literature search was conducted to establish good practice in the management of dysphagia in care homes. The findings from the literature review informed the development of semi-structured interview/focus group guides. Eight focus groups have been conducted with 40 members of the nursing and care assistant team and semi-structured interviews conducted with four nursing home managers. These have explored the assessment and management of dysphagia and the barriers and opportunities for improvement in dysphagia management. Interviews will also be conducted with residents (n=16) and nominated relatives, and quality managers (n=4). The interview and focus group data are being analyzed using the Framework Approach. Results: The literature review and preliminary data analysis suggest the following emerging themes: Lack of integrated approaches to education and training; Enablers and barriers to effective dysphagia management; Impact of relationship with other health care professionals on dysphagia management. Conclusion: These findings will lead to the co-design of a protocol for optimizing nutrition and hydration which is based on evidence and best practice principles and which can be adopted in the care home setting. This protocol will be produced by January 2018. The study has been funded by the Abbeyfield Foundation

Releasing Captive-Reared Masked Bobwhites for Population Recovery: A Review

Efforts to reestablish the endangered masked bobwhite (Colinus virginianus ridgwayi) to its former historic range have been a primary focus on the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge (BANWR) since it was established in 1986. Prerelease conditioning techniques developed prior to refuge establishment continued to be utilized in an effort to improve postrelease survival of captive-reared masked bobwhite chicks. Foremost among these techniques was the use of wild Texas bobwhite ( C. v. texanus) males as foster parents. Texas foster parents were released with broods from 1985-1996. The efficacy of this technique was evaluated in 1994 using radio telemetry. Results suggested that postrelease survival of chicks was poor. Using an adaptive approach, prerelease protocols were modified over several years in an effort to improve postrelease survival among chicks. Since 1995. released chicks were monitored via radio telemetry and results of the modified releases indicated survival had improved. Though these results are preliminary and this study is ongoing, it appears that our modifications to prerelease conditioning may improve survival rates of captive-reared masked bobwhite chicks. The results of this research project may have implications for captive-reared quail release projects elsewhere

Comparison of virtual patient simulation with Mannequin-based simulation for improving clinical performances in assessing and managing clinical deterioration: Randomized controlled trial

10.2196/jmir.3322Journal of Medical Internet Research169e21

Exoplanet Research with NASA\u27s EXOTIC

The investigation of exoplanets is a relatively recent field with abundant potential. The launch of the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) in 2018 marks an exponential increase in the amount of exoplanets we can study. 420 planets have been confirmed as of Feb 21st 2024, and as of Feb. 16th 2024, 7,071 exoplanet candidates are actively being researched. While TESS has been pivotal in expanding the field of exoplanet research, it has become equally important for ground-based observations to determine whether or not the transits detected by TESS are exoplanet systems. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) exoplanetary community offers both access to their MicroObservatory telescope and data reduction pipeline, Exoplanet Transit Interpretation Code (EXOTIC), for undergraduate, graduate and civilian scientific researchers to work with. Through the EXOTIC program, we perform multi-aperture photometry with the data given from NASA’s MicroObservatory to obtain light curves for target stars with potential exoplanets. These light curves are then analyzed to find incremental and repetitive dips in the flux that represent a system with a transiting exoplanet. As an ongoing project, we are currently working exclusively with the MicroObservatory data. However, this project has the potential of growing to analyze personal data taken by undergraduate students through EXOTIC to detect or confirm exoplanet candidates. As the field of exoplanetary astrophysics grows, this project stands out as a unique student-led, unfunded team with NASA

Yes-Associated Protein 65 (YAP) Expands Neural Progenitors and Regulates Pax3 Expression in the Neural Plate Border Zone

Yes-associated protein 65 (YAP) contains multiple protein-protein interaction domains and functions as both a transcriptional co-activator and as a scaffolding protein. Mouse embryos lacking YAP did not survive past embryonic day 8.5 and showed signs of defective yolk sac vasculogenesis, chorioallantoic fusion, and anterior-posterior (A-P) axis elongation. Given that the YAP knockout mouse defects might be due in part to nutritional deficiencies, we sought to better characterize a role for YAP during early development using embryos that develop externally. YAP morpholino (MO)-mediated loss-of-function in both frog and fish resulted in incomplete epiboly at gastrulation and impaired axis formation, similar to the mouse phenotype. In frog, germ layer specific genes were expressed, but they were temporally delayed. YAP MO-mediated partial knockdown in frog allowed a shortened axis to form. YAP gain-of-function in Xenopus expanded the progenitor populations in the neural plate (sox2+) and neural plate border zone (pax3+), while inhibiting the expression of later markers of tissues derived from the neural plate border zone (neural crest, pre-placodal ectoderm, hatching gland), as well as epidermis and somitic muscle. YAP directly regulates pax3 expression via association with TEAD1 (N-TEF) at a highly conserved, previously undescribed, TEAD-binding site within the 5′ regulatory region of pax3. Structure/function analyses revealed that the PDZ-binding motif of YAP contributes to the inhibition of epidermal and somitic muscle differentiation, but a complete, intact YAP protein is required for expansion of the neural plate and neural plate border zone progenitor pools. These results provide a thorough analysis of YAP mediated gene expression changes in loss- and gain-of-function experiments. Furthermore, this is the first report to use YAP structure-function analyzes to determine which portion of YAP is involved in specific gene expression changes and the first to show direct in vivo evidence of YAP's role in regulating pax3 neural crest expression

A good drug made better: the Fulvestrant Dose Response Story

Sequential use of endocrine therapies remains the cornerstone of treatment for hormone receptor-positive advanced breast cancer, prior to use of cytotoxic chemotherapy for unresponsive disease. Fulvestrant is an estrogen receptor (ER) antagonist approved for treatment of postmenopausal women with ER+ advanced breast cancer following failure of prior antiestrogen therapy. Initially approved at a monthly dose of 250 mg, the recommended fulvestrant dose was revised to 500 mg (500 mg/month plus 500 mg on Day 14 of Month 1) following demonstration of improved progression-free survival versus fulvestrant 250 mg. We have reviewed the dose-dependent effects of fulvestrant, both from a retrospective combined analysis of dose-dependent reduction of tumor biomarkers in the pre-surgical setting (three previously reported studies: Study 18, NEWEST [Neoadjuvant Endocrine Therapy for Women with Estrogen-Sensitive Tumors] and Trial 57), and from a review of clinical studies for advanced breast cancer in postmenopausal women. Analysis of pre-surgical data revealed a consistent dose-dependent effect for fulvestrant on tumor biomarkers, with increasing fulvestrant dose resulting in greater reductions in ER, progesterone receptor and Ki67 labeling index. The dose-dependent biological effect corresponds with the dose-dependent clinical efficacy observed in the treatment of advanced breast cancer following failure of prior antiestrogen therapy. Although it remains to be determined in a Phase III trial, cross-trial comparisons suggest a dose-dependent relationship for fulvestrant as first-line treatment for advanced breast cancer. Overall, biological and clinical data demonstrate a strong dose-dependent relationship for fulvestrant, supporting the efficacy benefit seen with fulvestrant 500 mg over the 250 mg dose