Immune- and nonimmune-compartment-specific interferon responses are critical determinants of herpes simplex virus-induced generalized infections and acute liver failure

The interferon (IFN) response to viral pathogens is critical for host survival. In humans and mouse models, defects in IFN responses can result in lethal herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) infections, usually from encephalitis. Although rare, HSV-1 can also cause fulminant hepatic failure, which is often fatal. Although herpes simplex encephalitis has been extensively studied, HSV-1 generalized infections and subsequent acute liver failure are less well understood. We previously demonstrated that IFN-αβγR-/- mice are exquisitely susceptible to liver infection following corneal infection with HSV-1. In this study, we used bone marrow chimeras of IFN-αβγR-/- (AG129) and wild-type (WT; 129SvEv) mice to probe the underlying IFN-dependent mechanisms that control HSV-1 pathogenesis. After infection, WT mice with either IFN-αβγR-/- or WT marrow exhibited comparable survival, while IFN-αβγR-/- mice with WT marrow had a significant survival advantage over their counterparts with IFN-αβγR-/- marrow. Furthermore, using bioluminescent imaging to maximize data acquisition, we showed that the transfer of IFN-competent hematopoietic cells controlled HSV-1 replication and damage in the livers of IFN-αβγR-/- mice. Consistent with this, the inability of IFN-αβγR-/- immune cells to control liver infection in IFN-αβγR-/- mice manifested as profoundly elevated aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT) levels, indicative of severe liver damage. In contrast, IFN-αβγR-/-mice receiving WT marrow exhibited only modest elevations of AST and ALT levels. These studies indicate that IFN responsiveness of the immune system is a major determinant of viral tropism and damage during visceral HSV infections

Application of Social Media Platforms for the Development of College Basketball Attendance

poster abstractThe purpose of the current study was to examine why college students do not attend college basketball games. After surveying 116 college students at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), one of the biggest reasons for poor basketball game attendance was due to an overall lack of awareness of the game information. Students did not realize that basketball games were taking place throughout the week. Current studies showed that a college’s athletic website and social media platforms were the first places students looked at in order to find out game information. The survey found that a majority of students used three of the four major social media platforms, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, on a daily basis. With the shortened attention span of Generation Y and Z, social media platforms are the most effective way to capture the attention of those with short attention spans (Gausby, 2015). Comparisons of similar Division I-AAA universities and their athletic websites were used to find what makes a strong athletic website, as spectators visit a universities’ athletic website first for information on upcoming games and events. In addition, the results of the study indicates that winning alone does not necessarily provide a lasting positive impact on attendance. Full utilization of social media with a mix of a strong official athletics website best captures the attention of Generation Y and Z students. Having a strong online presence keeps the awareness of basketball games throughout the season at the forefront of student’s minds. A core of Generation Y and Z fans can be built through a strong online presence, as this is what they use for identification purposes. With this utilization, college basketball games can see an increase in attendance as fan loyalty is built with technology-driven students

Modern Memories : Intersections of Religion, History, and Parks in Guilford County, North Carolina

This study explores connections between individuals' religion, external cultural forces, and collective memory within the context of Guilford County, North Carolina. Guilford County is well known for the Revolutionary War battle that took place there in 1781, for which a National Historic Military Park was established to commemorate the event. However, the emphasis placed on this park's specific history may overshadow other significant local events and historical processes, particularly those of the religious groups in the area, including Quakers, Presbyterians, and Lutherans. What are the links between the ideologies of these religious groups and the expressions of their memories? How do these groups remember history differently? Could the historical narrative be adjusted for accuracy and inclusivity of more groups?  A series of unstructured interviews was conducted from a purposive sample of local residents over the summer of 2013, focusing on those individuals affiliated with Quakerism, Presbyterianism, or Lutheranism. The interviews were supplemented by archival documents and modern texts to better understand how the processes of history and memory unfolded over time. This research intends to further knowledge in both the fields of social memory and religion, as well as help park management to more adequately meet the needs of their surrounding communities. I draw from writings on Schema Theory and Conceptual Metaphor Theory for guidance interpreting the data, ultimately arguing that the narrative of Guilford's past should be combined under the single, cohesive template of `A Fight for Freedom from All Oppression'.  M.A

The Differential Framing Measure for Procrastination : An Implicit Measure of Procrastination Cognitions

The present study attempted to create a scale for measuring the implicit cognitions related to procrastination. Items for the measure were created from a set of cognitive rationalizations derived from existing procrastination research. Unfortunately, the items for the new measure failed to converge on to a single factor, thus inhibiting   further analysis. Nevertheless, data analysis using established measures of procrastination produced a growth curve model that demonstrated the difference between non-procrastinators and procrastinators. The behavioral indicators of procrastination were based on participants' accumulation of participation credits, the   order in which participants registered for their account, and the time taken by participants to activate their account. Significant correlations were found between several established self-report procrastination measures and the criterion measures of procrastination. Thus, this study's findings are limited to the procrastination and criterion   measures used. Nonetheless, the utility of the criterion measure as an indicator of procrastination was demonstrated.  M.A

Role of the DNA Sensor STING in Protection from Lethal Infection following Corneal and Intracerebral Challenge with Herpes Simplex Virus 1

STING is a protein in the cytosolic DNA and cyclic dinucleotide sensor pathway that is critical for the initiation of innate responses to infection by various pathogens. Consistent with this, herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) causes invariable and rapid lethality in STING-deficient (STING(-/-)) mice following intravenous (i.v.) infection. In this study, using real-time bioluminescence imaging and virological assays, as expected, we demonstrated that STING(-/-) mice support greater replication and spread in ocular tissues and the nervous system. In contrast, they did not succumb to challenge via the corneal route even with high titers of a virus that was routinely lethal to STING(-/-) mice by the i.v. route. Corneally infected STING(-/-) mice also showed increased periocular disease and increased corneal and trigeminal ganglia titers, although there was no difference in brain titers. They also showed elevated expression of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and CXCL9 relative to control mice but surprisingly modest changes in type I interferon expression. Finally, we also showed that HSV strains lacking the ability to counter autophagy and the PKR-driven antiviral state had near-wild-type virulence following intracerebral infection of STING(-/-) mice. Together, these data show that while STING is an important component of host resistance to HSV in the cornea, its previously shown immutable role in mediating host survival by the i.v. route was not recapitulated following a mucosal infection route. Furthermore, our data are consistent with the idea that HSV counters STING-mediated induction of the antiviral state and autophagy response, both of which are critical factors for survival following direct infection of the nervous system

Asset Criticality in Mission Reconfigurable Cyber Systems and its Contribution to Key Cyber Terrain

The concept of a common operational picture has been utilized by the military for situational awareness in warfare domains for many years. With the emergence of cyberspace as a domain, there is a necessity to develop doctrine and tools to enable situational awareness for key-decision makers. Our study analyzes key elements that define cyber situational awareness to develop a methodology to identify assets within key cyber terrain, thus enabling situational awareness at the tactical level. For the purposes of this work, we treat critical assets to be key cyber terrain, given that no formal study has determined differences between asset criticality and key cyber terrain. Mission- and operationally- based questions are investigated to identify critical assets with the TOPSIS methodology. Results show that the ICS system can be evaluated using TOPSIS to identify critical assets contributing to key cyber terrain, enabling further research into other interconnected systems

The Differential Interferon Responses of Two Strains of Stat1-Deficient Mice Do Not Alter Susceptibility to HSV-1 and VSV In Vivo

Stat1 is a pivotal transcription factor for generation of the interferon (IFN)-dependent antiviral response. Two Stat1 knockout mouse lines have been previously generated, one deleted the N-terminal domain (ΔNTD) and one in the DNA-binding domain (ΔDBD). These widely-used strains are assumed interchangeable, and both are highly susceptible to various pathogens. In this study, primary cells derived from ΔNTD mice were shown to be significantly more responsive to IFN, and established an antiviral state with greater efficiency than cells derived from ΔDBD mice, following infection with vesicular stomatitis virus and herpes simplex virus type-1. Also, while mice from both strains succumbed rapidly and equally to virus infection, ΔDBD mice supported significantly higher replication in brains and livers than ΔNTD mice. Endpoint-type experimental comparisons of these mouse strains are therefore misleading in failing to indicate important differences in virus replication and innate response

The Differential Interferon Responses of Two Strains of Stat1-Deficient Mice Do Not Alter Susceptibility to HSV-1 and VSV In Vivo

Stat1 is a pivotal transcription factor for generation of the interferon (IFN)-dependent antiviral response. Two Stat1 knockout mouse lines have been previously generated, one deleted the N-terminal domain (ΔNTD) and one in the DNA-binding domain (ΔDBD). These widely-used strains are assumed interchangeable, and both are highly susceptible to various pathogens. In this study, primary cells derived from ΔNTD mice were shown to be significantly more responsive to IFN, and established an antiviral state with greater efficiency than cells derived from ΔDBD mice, following infection with vesicular stomatitis virus and herpes simplex virus type-1. Also, while mice from both strains succumbed rapidly and equally to virus infection, ΔDBD mice supported significantly higher replication in brains and livers than ΔNTD mice. Endpoint-type experimental comparisons of these mouse strains are therefore misleading in failing to indicate important differences in virus replication and innate response

The role of exposure in treatment of anxiety disorders: a meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE: This meta-analysis aimed to determine the overall effect that psychotherapy has on anxiety disorders and to determine what moderates that effect. Studies were grouped by type (efficacy or effectiveness) and grouped by analysis type (completer or intent-to-treat). METHOD: Medline was searched for articles published between 2011 and 2014 that related to the treatment of anxiety disorders. An initial search revealed 8056 articles. Of these, 99 articles met inclusion criteria and were included in the final analyses. RESULTS: Overall, manualised psychotherapy outperformed control conditions. In general, psychotherapy for anxiety disorders had a large effect. This effect appeared to be moderated by the use or lack of use of exposure techniques, with greater effects if exposure was used. This finding held particularly true for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder. CONCLUSION: Psychotherapies for anxiety disorders are both efficacious and effective. Exposure techniques enhance the effect of therapies. Future research work is required to determine what else moderates the effect of such therapies