A novel family of bacterial sialic acid binding adhesins?

Abstract of Distinction at Nationwide Children's Annual Research RetreatThird place in Biomedical Sciences at the Denman Undergraduate Research ForumPlatelet binding is a critical step in the development of Infective Endocarditis (IE), an infection of the endocardium. However, the mechanisms utilized by IE causing species for binding to platelets remain understudied. Subacute IE, is associated with previously damaged heart valves and is often caused by the bacterial species Streptococcus oralis. S. oralis binds sialic acid, a host carbohydrate found on the surface of platelets. A novel sialic acid binding adhesin, AsaA, was identified in S. oralis. We identified orthologs of AsaA in two other bacterial species that cause IE, Gemella haemolysans and Granulicatella elegans. Our hypothesis is that AsaA mediates adherence of multiple species. G. haemolysans was selected for further study and shares 62% predicted amino acid identity with the non-repeat region of AsaA from S. oralis. G. haemolysans has rarely been studied, so we began by optimizing growth conditions. Binding of the species to platelets was consistently low which prevented the direct assessment of the role of G. haemolysans AsaA in adhesion. Given the same sialic acid binding specificities, the adherence of S. oralis to platelets can be competitively inhibited by recombinant proteins that bind terminal sialic acid. Hence, we recombinantly expressed the binding region of AsaA from G. haemolysans (AsaA_NRGh) and observed the impact of the protein on the adherence of S. oralis to platelets. AsaA_NRGh competitively inhibited adhesion of S. oralis to platelets in an AsaA dependent manner. This finding supports the hypothesis that G. haemolysans AsaA acts as an adhesin. If AsaA is a conserved mechanism of adhesion, a single treatment or preventative measure may target multiple IE causing species.AHA Grant to SJKNo embargoAcademic Major: Microbiolog

Climate of Opportunity: Gender and Movement Building at the Intersection of Reproductive Justice and Environmental Justice

Women's reproductive health and rights are inextricably linked to environmental health and justice issues. Women's bodies and reproductive health are often the markers of environmental contamination through diminished fertility, fetal developmental disabilities and increased rates of cancers. Beginning in 2008, the Foundation brought together grant partners working in these two movements to form the Environmental Justice/Reproductive Justice (EJ/RJ) Collaborative. The Foundation has seen firsthand how joint advocacy generates more inclusive movements and stronger outcomes for communities. This report summarizes the EJ/RJ Collaborative as a reference for funders, policymakers, organizations and others interested in joint advocacy work

Information theoretic thresholding techniques based on particle swarm optimization.

In this dissertation, we discuss multi-level image thresholding techniques based on information theoretic entropies. In order to apply the correlation information of neighboring pixels of an image to obtain better segmentation results, we propose several multi-level thresholding models by using Gray-Level & Local-Average histogram (GLLA) and Gray-Level & Local-Variance histogram (GLLV). Firstly, a RGB color image thresholding model based on GLLA histogram and Tsallis-Havrda-Charv\u27at entropy is discussed. We validate the multi-level thresholding criterion function by using mathematical induction. For each component image, we assign the mean value from each thresholded class to obtain three segmented component images independently. Then we obtain the segmented color image by combining the three segmented component images. Secondly, we use the GLLV histogram to propose three novel entropic multi-level thresholding models based on Shannon entropy, R\u27enyi entropy and Tsallis-Havrda-Charv\u27at entropy respectively. Then we apply these models on the three components of a RGB color image to complete the RGB color image segmentation. An entropic thresholding model is mostly about searching for the optimal threshold values by maximizing or minimizing a criterion function. We apply particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm to search the optimal threshold values for all the models. We conduct the experiments extensively on The Berkeley Segmentation Dataset and Benchmark (BSDS300) and calculate the average four performance indices (Probability Rand Index, PRI, Global Consistency Error, GCE, Variation of Information, VOI and Boundary Displacement Error, BDE) to show the effectiveness and reasonability of the proposed models

Phytosociological analysis of alpine swards and heathlands (pioneer patches) on ridges and peaks in the Julian Alps (NW Slovenia)

We conducted a phytosociological analysis of more than 250 relevés in the Julian Alps and compared them with similar communities elsewhere in the Alps and in the Dinaric Alps to describe the following new syntaxa of alpine swards and heathlands from the alliance Caricion firmae (class Elyno-Seslerietea): Saxifrago squarrosae-Caricetum mucronatae, Saussureo pygmaeae-Caricetum rupestris, Seslerio sphaerocephalae-Dryadetum octopetalae, Homogyno discoloris-Vaccinietum gaultherioidis, Saxifrago paniculatae-Caricetum fuliginosae and Homogyno discoloris-Loiseleurietum caricetosum firmae, the new association Achilleo clavennae-Elynetum myosuroidis from the alliance Oxytropido-Elynion and two new syntaxa from the alliance Loiseleurio-Vaccinion (class Loiseleurio-Vaccinietea): Homogyno alpinae-Vaccinietum gaultherioidis and Empetro-Vaccinietum gaultherioidis rhododendretosum hirsuti. Many species that are rare, of conservation concern or protected in Slovenia occur in the newly described communities

Out for Change: Racial and Economic Justice Issues in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Communities

This research report identifies the range and complexity of issues faced by low-income LGBT people and LGBT people of color, including poverty and economic hardship, homelessness, the criminal justice system, violence and discrimination, and immigrant rights. The report concludes with a series of recommendations for grantmakers to support these issues

Phytogeographical differentiation in the Dinaric fir-beech forest (Omphalodo-Fagetum s. lat.) of the western part of the Illyrian floral province

A phytogeographical assessment of the west-Dinaric fir-beech association Omphalodo- -Fagetum s. lat. (Treg. 1957 corr. Puncer 1980) Marin~ek et al. 1993 (=Abieti-Fagetum dinaricum Tregubov 1957 p.p.) in the western part of the Illyrian floral province is provided. The synoptic phytosociological table and the results of hierarchical classification and ordination showed a quite distinct floristic and phytogeographical pattern of differentiation in a northwest-southeast direction. The proportion of Southeast – European-Illyrian (Illyricoid) species decreases towards the northwest while Alpine species decrease in the opposite direction. Stands from the Trnovski gozd plateau form a geographical variant Omphalodo-Fagetum var. geogr. Saxifraga cuneifolia, further divided into two geographical sub-variants, western – subvar. geogr. Anemone trifolia and central-eastern – subvar. geogr. Omphalodes verna. All other stands belong to the geographical variant Omphalodo- Fagetum var. geogr. Calamintha grandiflora, also further divided into two geographical sub-variants, subvar. geogr. Dentaria pentaphyllos and subvar. geogr. Dentaria polyphylla. Although the distribution area of the association is well defined in its northwest part, the question of its south-eastern border is still open. The preliminary results of analyses indicate that the stands southeast of Velebit and Lička Plješivica should be treated as a different association, distinct from Omphalodo-Fagetum. Further phytosociological and phytogeographical research into the entire Illyrian floral province will therefore be needed to resolve the problem of the southern border of the distribution area of the association Omphalodo-Fagetum and the syntaxonomy of south-eastern Dinaric fir-beech stands

ŠUMSKA VEGETACIJA TEKTONSKIH UDOLINA PIHLJA I VITRA IZNAD VINODOLA (LIBURNIJSKI KRŠ, SJEVEROZAPADNA HRVATSKA)

We studied floristic composition, structure and topology of forest stands in tectonic dolines Pihlja and Vitra above Vinodol valley (Liburnian karst, NW Adriatic). Floristically and structurally homogenous stands represent zonal forests of the association Aristolochio luteae-Quercetum pubescentis (=Ostryo carpinifoliae-Quercetum pubescentis, Ostryo-Carpinion orientalis) and cover 1,75 and 2,73 ha, each (85 and 70 % of tectonic dolines, respectively). Preliminary multivariate analyses revealed several incongruences in current synsystematics and forest topology within the alliance Ostryo-Carpinion orientalis and raised a need for a thorough revision. Unsettled synsystematics makes addressing the forest vegetation zonation of the area uncertain. We assume that various stands with Carpinus orientalis in northwestern Adriatic represent only secondary succession stages in several thermophytic vegetation types. Studied forests in tectonic dolines Pihlja and Vitra represent well preserved stands without any visible traces of wood cutting and are valuable in giving insights into patterns, processes and dynamics of northern-Adriatic vegetation. As such they are in need of a special protection.Pomoću sigmatističke metode istražili smo floristički sastav, strukturu i tipologiju šumskih sastojina razvijenih u tektonskim udolinama Pihlja i Vitra iznad Vinodola (Liburnijski krš, sjeverozapadni Jadran). U florističkom i strukturnom pogledu homogene sastojine predstavljaju zonalne šume medunca zajednice Aristolochio luteae-Quercetum pubescentis (=Ostryo carpinifoliae-Quercetum pubescentis, Ostryo-Carpinion orientalis) koje pokrivaju 1,75 odnosno 2,73 ha (85 i 70 % površine udolina). Rezultati preliminarnih multivariatnih analiza su ukazali na brojna odstupanja od postojeće klasifikacije unutar sveze Ostryo-Carpinion orientalis te potrebu za opsežnom revizijom. Zbog sintaksonomske problematike unutar sveze Ostryo-Carpinion orientalis nije moguće pouzdano ustvrditi tipologiju zajednica odnosno zonalnosti vegetacijskih tipova. Ipak smo mišljenja da sastojine u kojima se javlja bijeli grab (primj. Querco pubescenti-Carpinetum orientalis) na području sjeverozapadnog Jadrana ne predstavljaju zonalan tip vegetacije, već različite sekundarne sukcesijske faze koje vode prema zonalnim sastojinama zajednice Aristolochio luteae-Quercetum pubescentis. Šumske sastojine tektonskih udolina predstavljaju teže dostupne i dobro očuvane šume medunca u kojima nismo naišli na vidljive tragove sječe. Kao takve imaju veliku znanstvenu vrijednost davajući uvid u uzorke, procese i dinamiku vegetacije u sjeverozapadnom Jadranu, pa su potrebne posebne zaštite