Determination of bacterial contamination of milk using fluorometry

The aim of this paper is to determine the feasibility of using fluorometric methods as an indicator for quality and contamination of milk with E.coli bacteria, and selection the suitable wavelength to be used with laser induced auto fluorescence. Three groups of milk samples were used in this study: Fresh pasteurized milk samples, milk samples containing different concentration of E.coli bacteria which were added artificially, and milk samples that were kept in refrigerator for 3-5 days. Thirteen excitation wavelengths were used to get the emission spectra for all milk samples using spectroflourometer .The results showed that the emission spectra at 275nm excitation wavelength gave a good differentiation between these three groups. The data analysis demonstrated that the proposed method can bring progress in identification of milk quality and contamination with rapidness, high sensitivity and low cost diagnostic tool. Laser light at this wavelength that transmitted by optical fiber can be used for milk samples examination in situe and for more precise results

HECT E3 Ubiquitin Ligase Itch Functions as a Novel Nega

The transcription factor Gli-similar 3 (Glis3) plays a critical role in the generation of pancreatic ß cells and the regulation insulin gene transcription and has been implicated in the development of several pathologies, including type 1 and 2 diabetes and polycystic kidney disease. However, little is known about the proteins and posttranslational modifications that regulate or mediate Glis3 transcriptional activity. In this study, we identify by mass-spectrometry and yeast 2-hybrid analyses several proteins that interact with the N-terminal region of Glis3. These include the WW-domain-containing HECT E3 ubiquitin ligases, Itch, Smurf2, and Nedd4. The interaction between Glis3 and the HECT E3 ubiquitin ligases was verified by co-immunoprecipitation assays and mutation analysis. All three proteins interact through their WW-domains with a PPxY motif located in the Glis3 N-terminus. However, only Itch significantly contributed to Glis3 polyubiquitination and reduced Glis3 stability by enhancing its proteasomal degradation. Itch-mediated degradation of Glis3 required the PPxY motif-dependent interaction between Glis3 and the WW-domains of Itch as well as the presence of the Glis3 zinc finger domains. Transcription analyses demonstrated that Itch dramatically inhibited Glis3-mediated transactivation and endogenous Ins2 expression by increasing Glis3 protein turnover. Taken together, our study identifies Itch as a critical negative regulator of Glis3-mediated transcriptional activity. This regulation provides a novel mechanism to modulate Glis3-driven gene expression and suggests that it may play a role in a number of physiological processes controlled by Glis3, such as insulin transcription, as well as in Glis3-associated diseases

YPFS Lessons Learned Oral History Project: An Interview with Timothy Massad

Suggested Citation Form: Massad, Timothy, 2020. “Lessons Learned Interview. Interview by Yasemin Sim Esmen. Yale Program on Financial Stability Lessons Learned Oral History Project. September 29-30th, 2020. Transcript. https://ypfs.som.yale.edu/library/ypfs-lesson-learned-oral-history-project-interview-timothy-massa

Mechanisms of motivational interviewing in health promotion: a Bayesian mediation analysis

BACKGROUND: Counselor behaviors that mediate the efficacy of motivational interviewing (MI) are not well understood, especially when applied to health behavior promotion. We hypothesized that client change talk mediates the relationship between counselor variables and subsequent client behavior change. METHODS: Purposeful sampling identified individuals from a prospective randomized worksite trial using an MI intervention to promote firefighters’ healthy diet and regular exercise that increased dietary intake of fruits and vegetables (n = 21) or did not increase intake of fruits and vegetables (n = 22). MI interactions were coded using the Motivational Interviewing Skill Code (MISC 2.1) to categorize counselor and firefighter verbal utterances. Both Bayesian and frequentist mediation analyses were used to investigate whether client change talk mediated the relationship between counselor skills and behavior change. RESULTS: Counselors’ global spirit, empathy, and direction and MI-consistent behavioral counts (e.g., reflections, open questions, affirmations, emphasize control) significantly correlated with firefighters’ total client change talk utterances (rs = 0.42, 0.40, 0.30, and 0.61, respectively), which correlated significantly with their fruit and vegetable intake increase (r = 0.33). Both Bayesian and frequentist mediation analyses demonstrated that findings were consistent with hypotheses, such that total client change talk mediated the relationship between counselor’s skills—MI-consistent behaviors [Bayesian mediated effect: αβ = .06 (.03), 95% CI = .02, .12] and MI spirit [Bayesian mediated effect: αβ = .06 (.03), 95% CI = .01, .13]—and increased fruit and vegetable consumption. CONCLUSION: Motivational interviewing is a resource- and time-intensive intervention, and is currently being applied in many arenas. Previous research has identified the importance of counselor behaviors and client change talk in the treatment of substance use disorders. Our results indicate that similar mechanisms may underlie the effects of MI for dietary change. These results inform MI training and application by identifying those processes critical for MI success in health promotion domains

A panel of oxidative stress assays does not provide supplementary diagnostic information in Behcet's disease patients

Published onlineJournal ArticleBACKGROUND: Recent findings suggest a role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of Behcet's disease (BD), but the utility of oxidative stress-associated assays in offering diagnostic information or in the monitoring of disease activity is largely unassessed. OBJECTIVE AND METHODS: We aimed to measure oxidative and inflammatory markers, along with the markers of reactive nitrogen species, S-nitrosothiols and 3-nitrotyrosine, in BD patients (n = 100) and healthy volunteers (n = 50). These markers were evaluated in regard to their role in the pathogenesis of BD as well as their relation to clinical presentation, disease activity and duration. RESULTS: Median values for erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein, leukocyte count, and IL-18 levels, as well as myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, were statistically higher in the patient group compared to controls. Some inflammation markers (ESR, neutrophil and leukocyte counts) were statistically higher (p 0.05 in all statistical comparisons), nor was there any difference in median levels of these oxidative stress markers in active disease versus disease remission. S-nitrosothiols and 3-nitrotyrosine were undetectable in BD plasma. CONCLUSIONS: The application of oxidative stress-associated measures to BD blood samples offered no supplemental diagnostic or disease activity information to that provided by standard laboratory measures of inflammation. S-nitrosothiols and 3-nitrotyrosine appeared not to be markers for active BD; thus the search for biochemical markers that will indicate the active period should be continued with larger studies

Yükseköğretimde Öğretim ve İdari Amaçlı Teknoloji Kullanımı: Bir Durum Saptaması

The purpose of this study is to explore the discrepancy pertaining to the current and the expected technology utilization, by examining the perceptions of all members of the School of Education in a state university of Turkey. In order to do so, this study examined participants’ perceptions and attitudes toward the utilization of technology for instruction and administration by assessing their thoughts on technology use to offer suggestions for better practice.Bu çalışma, bir devlet üniversitesinin eğitim fakültesinde, teknoloji kullanımı konusunda mevcut ve hedeflenen durumu ortaya çıkararak, farklılıkların belirlenmesi ve bu farklılıkları ortadan kaldırmaya yönelik önerilerde bulunulması amacıyla yapılmıştır. Bu amaca yönelik olarak tüm eğitim fakültesi mensuplarının öğretim ve idari amaçlı teknoloji kullanımı konusundaki görüş ve tutumları belirlenmiş, bulgular doğrultusunda önerilerde bulunulmuştur