Near-Space Conditions and their Effects on Physiology

Abstract 1: Jennifer Jo Burden UVA and UVB The NASA Balloon Satellite, which is a balloon that is sent 100,000 feet into the upper atmosphere to collect data, and stream that data live to NASA webpage, will carry experiments that are part of a payload. My experiment will be a Neulog Sensor Logger that will collect data on the UVA and UVB exposure rate of light from the upper stratosphere and on the ground. Data measuring the exposure rate of the light will also be collected from robot welding cells or sections in which one robot will be measured in comparison to the six robots in another cell. The theory is that the UVA exposure does not change from the upper stratosphere to earth nor does the UVA exposure change no matter the number of robots. The UVB rays should decrease in exposure rate of the light as they enter into Earth’s atmosphere unlike the UVA. The significance with UVA and UVB radiation is that in dangerously high levels of radiation can cause damage to the cornea of the eyes. Abstract 2: Sarah Bell NASA KY, HCC The Effects of Low Atmospheric Pressure on Blood Chemistry and Cell Structure The purpose of this research experiment is to study the effects that a large change in atmospheric pressure has on blood chemistry and cell structure. In this experiment, canine blood is being sent to near-space on a helium filled balloon for approximately two hours, and then parachuted back to the ground when the balloon bursts at an approximate altitude of 100,000ft. The blood will be kept from freezing to eliminate any effects of hemolysis (the bursting of blood cells) from this cause, as the lowest temperature reached is below -50oC. Two tubes of blood will be sent to near-space and two will be kept on the ground as controls. One of the tubes sent to near-space and one of the controls are for studying the changes in the blood’s cell structure and are in vacuumed sealed tubes containing an anticoagulant. The other two tubes are for studying the changes in the blood’s chemistry and are in vacuumed sealed tubes containing a different anticoagulant that is more suited for studying the blood’s chemistry. The blood will be analyzed at a professional laboratory for any changes or abnormalities. No changes are anticipated in the blood’s chemistry, but there may be shrinkage or rupture of the blood’s cell structure due to low atmospheric pressure

Efficient homing of antibody-secreting cells to the bone marrow requires RNA-binding protein ZFP36L1.

Cell migration relies on coordinated activity of chemotactic and guidance receptors. Here, we report a specific role for the RNA-binding protein ZFP36L1 in limiting the abundance of molecules involved in the homing of antibody-secreting cells (ASCs) to the bone marrow (BM). In the absence of ZFP36L1, ASCs build up in the spleen and the liver and show diminished accumulation in the BM. ZFP36L1 facilitates migration by directly regulating G protein-coupled receptor kinase 2 (GRK2) and the integrin chains α4 and β1 in splenic ASCs. Expression of CXCR4 and of the integrins α4 and β1 is differentially regulated on ASCs produced at the early and late stages of the immune response. Consequently, deletion of the Zfp36l1 gene has a stronger effect on BM accumulation of high-affinity ASCs formed late in the response. Thus, ZFP36L1 is an integral part of the regulatory network controlling gene expression during ASC homing

Psychosocial factors of caregiver burden in child caregivers: results from the new national study of caregiving

Background Over 50 million informal caregivers in the United States provide care to an aging adult, saving the economy hundreds of billions of dollars annually from costly hospitalization or institutionalization. Despite the benefits associated with caregiving, caregiver stress can lead to negative physical and mental health consequences, or “caregiver burden”. Given these potential negative consequences of caregiver burden, it is important not only to understand the multidimensional components of burden but to also understand the experience from the perspective of the caregiver themselves. Therefore, the objectives of our study are to use exploratory factor analysis to obtain a set of latent factors among a subset of caregiver burden questions identified in previous studies and assess their reliability. Methods All data was obtained from the 2011 National Study of Caregiving (NSOC). Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was performed to identify a set of latent factors assessing four domains of caregiver burden in “child caregivers”: those informal caregivers who provide care to a parent or stepparent. Sensitivity analysis was also conducted by repeating the EFA on demographic subsets of caregivers. Results After multiple factor analyses, four consistent caregiver burden factors emerged from the 23 questions analyzed: Negative emotional, positive emotional, social, and financial. Reliability of each factor varied, and was strongest for the positive emotional domain for caregiver burden. These domains were generally consistent across demographic subsets of informal caregivers. Conclusion These results provide researchers a more comprehensive understanding of caregiver burden to target interventions to protect caregiver health and maintain this vital component of the US health care system

Providers’ Stigmas and the Effects on Patients with Opioid Use Disorder: A Scoping Review

Introduction: One of the most prevalent, dangerous stigmas in health care is the complex bias toward patients with opioid use disorder (OUD). This stigma damages the vital patient–provider relationship, further perpetuating the opioid epidemic. Purpose: Unfortunately, research on the relationship between OUD and provider stigma is greatly lacking. To fill this gap, the present in-depth study undertakes a scoping review of research on providers’ stigma toward OUD in order to determine how enacted stigma affects treatment plans. Methods: Four databases were used to identify articles published from 1999 to 2021. A comprehensive search strategy was developed through a collaborative process between the researchers and a medical librarian. The researchers used the methodological framework developed by Arksey and O’Malley (2005) and expanded upon by Levac et al.(2010) to chart study characteristics and themes. Results: A total of 196 search items were retrieved. After de-duplication (n=31), remaining articles were screened based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria detailed in the protocol. After both a title/abstract review and full-text review, an additional 158 articles were removed. This yielded a total of seven articles. Three main themes were identified in the literature: (1) rural–urban differences in bias; (2) provider concern regarding legal implications and regulatory concerns; and (3) the belief that OUD is a moral failing rather than a medical diagnosis. Implications: Additional research should further analyze prescribed treatment plans for patients with OUD and utilize this information to create future considerations aimed at reducing opioid-related stigma in healthcare in Appalachia

Age, Period, and Cohort Trends in Mood Disorder and Suicide-Related Outcomes in a Nationally Representative Dataset, 2005-2017

Drawing from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH; N = 611,880), a nationally representative survey of U.S. adolescents and adults, we assess age, period, and cohort trends in mood disorder and suicide-related outcomes since the mid-2000s. Rates of major depressive episode in the last year among adolescents aged 12 to 17 increased by 52% 2005-2017; major depressive episode in the last year increased 63% between 2009 and 2017 among young adults 18-25. Serious psychological distress in the last month and suicide-related outcomes (suicidal ideation, plans, attempts, and deaths by suicide) in the last year also increased among young adults 18-25 between 2008 and 2017, with less consistent and weaker increases among adults ages 26 and over. Hierarchical linear modeling analyses separating the effects of age, period, and birth cohort suggest the trends among adults are primarily due to cohort, with a steady rise in mood disorder and suicide-related outcomes over birth cohorts from the early 1980s to the late 1990s. Cultural trends contributing to an increase in mood disorders and suicidal thoughts and behaviors since the mid-2000s, including the rise of electronic communication and digital media and declines in sleep duration, may have had a larger impact on younger people, creating a cohort effect

The effects of a video intervention on posthospitalization pulmonary rehabilitation uptake

Rationale: Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) after hospitalizations for exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) improves exercise capacity and health-related quality of life and reduces readmissions. However, posthospitalization PR uptake is low. To date, no trials of interventions to increase uptake have been conducted.Objectives: To study the effect of a codesigned education video as an adjunct to usual care on posthospitalization PR uptake.Methods: The present study was an assessor- and statistician-blinded randomized controlled trial with nested, qualitative interviews of participants in the intervention group. Participants hospitalized with COPD exacerbations were assigned 1:1 to receive either usual care (COPD discharge bundle including PR information leaflet) or usual care plus the codesigned education video delivered via a handheld tablet device at discharge. Randomization used minimization to balance age, sex, FEV1 % predicted, frailty, transport availability, and previous PR experience.Measurements and Main Results: The primary outcome was PR uptake within 28 days of hospital discharge. A total of 200 patients were recruited, and 196 were randomized (51% female, median FEV1% predicted, 36 [interquartile range, 27-48]). PR uptake was 41% and 34% in the usual care and intervention groups, respectively (P = 0.37), with no differences in secondary (PR referral and completion) or safety (readmissions and death) endpoints. A total of 6 of the 15 participants interviewed could not recall receiving the video.Conclusions: A codesigned education video delivered at hospital discharge did not improve posthospitalization PR uptake, referral, or completion

Deletion of AU-rich elements within the Bcl2 3'UTR reduces protein expression and B cell survival in vivo.

Post-transcriptional mRNA regulation by RNA binding proteins (RBPs) associated with AU-rich elements (AREs) present in the 3' untranslated region (3'UTR) of specific mRNAs modulates transcript stability and translation in eukaryotic cells. Here we have functionally characterised the importance of the AREs present within the Bcl2 3'UTR in order to maintain Bcl2 expression. Gene targeting deletion of 300 nucleotides of the Bcl2 3'UTR rich in AREs diminishes Bcl2 mRNA stability and protein levels in primary B cells, decreasing cell lifespan. Generation of chimeric mice indicates that Bcl2-ARE∆/∆ B cells have an intrinsic competitive disadvantage compared to wild type cells. Biochemical assays and predictions using a bioinformatics approach show that several RBPs bind to the Bcl2 AREs, including AUF1 and HuR proteins. Altogether, association of RBPs to Bcl2 AREs contributes to Bcl2 protein expression by stabilizing Bcl2 mRNA and promotes B cell maintenance

Mid-Infrared Evidence for Accelerated Evolution in Compact Group Galaxies

We find evidence for accelerated evolution in compact group galaxies from the distribution in mid-infrared colorspace of 42 galaxies from 12 Hickson Compact Groups (HCGs) compared to the the distributions of several other samples including the LVL+SINGS galaxies, interacting galaxies, and galaxies from the Coma Cluster. We find that the HCG galaxies are not uniformly distributed in colorspace, as well as quantitative evidence for a gap. Galaxies in the infall region of the Coma cluster also exhibit a non-uniform distribution and a less well defined gap, which may reflect a similarity with the compact group environment. Neither the Coma Center or interacting samples show evidence of a gap, leading us to speculate that the gap is unique to the environment of high galaxy density where gas has not been fully processed or stripped.Comment: To appear in the Proceedings of the Galaxy Wars: Stellar Populations and Star Formation in Interacting Galaxies Conferenc