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Objective: Angler complaints regarding perceived declines in angling quality prompted research to examine the home range, movement, water depth use, and structural habitat use and selection of the Largemouth Bass complex (LBC; Largemouth Bass Micropterus nigricans, Florida Bass M. salmoides, and Largemouth Bass × Florida Bass hybrids) in Toledo Bend and Lake Fork reservoirs, Texas. Methods: A total of 21 LBC individuals at Toledo Bend Reservoir (386–604 mm total length [TL]) and 22 LBC fish at Lake Fork Reservoir (364–545 mm TL) were implanted with radio transmitters and tracked over a 2‐year period. Result: At both reservoirs, LBC home range areas were small (<50 ha) and overall movement was low (~40–100 m/week). Fish primarily occupied water column depths of less than 2 m in both reservoirs and were found in the shallowest depths during the spring. Although overall structural habitat occurrence and selection of LBC fish varied between reservoirs, primarily due to differences at shorelines and creeks (two times higher in Toledo Bend Reservoir) and drops (three times higher in Lake Fork Reservoir), fish selected for the shoreline, drops, points, and creeks in both reservoirs, while drains and flats reflected avoidance. Seasonally, habitat occurrence of LBC fish varied at Toledo Bend Reservoir, primarily due to differences in shoreline use, and flats had the highest fish occurrences during all seasons. At Lake Fork Reservoir, LBC occurrences at flats and drops were high and similar during all seasons. Conclusion: Our estimates of small LBC home ranges and low movement in these large reservoirs were generally similar to those reported in previous studies, regardless of reservoir size. Fish preferred structural habitat types with abrupt slopes, were primarily located offshore, and occupied water column depths that are commonly targeted by LBC anglers. Impact statementThis study is the first to examine structural habitat use and selection by the Largemouth Bass complex (LBC). These results, coupled with estimates of home range and movement, increase the understanding of LBC behavior in larger reservoirs, have applied management implications, and provide information that is directly communicable to LBC anglers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION: We assessed whether macro‐ and/or micro‐structural white matter properties are associated with cognitive resilience to Alzheimer's disease pathology years prior to clinical onset. METHODS: We examined whether global efficiency, an indicator of communication efficiency in brain networks, and diffusion measurements within the limbic network and default mode network moderate the association between amyloid‐β/tau pathology and cognitive decline. We also investigated whether demographic and health/risk factors are associated with white matter properties. RESULTS: Higher global efficiency of the limbic network, as well as free‐water corrected diffusion measures within the tracts of both networks, attenuated the impact of tau pathology on memory decline. Education, age, sex, white matter hyperintensities, and vascular risk factors were associated with white matter properties of both networks. DISCUSSION: White matter can influence cognitive resilience against tau pathology, and promoting education and vascular health may enhance optimal white matter properties. Highlights: Aβ and tau were associated with longitudinal memory change over ∼7.5 years.White matter properties attenuated the impact of tau pathology on memory change.Health/risk factors were associated with white matter properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the importance of increasing access to new therapies for Australian children and adolescents through clinical trials. It emphasizes the need for investment and a coordinated national approach to ensure that Australian children do not fall behind their international peers. The article highlights the benefits of collaborative approaches and strategic investment in pediatric clinical trials, as well as the challenges in delivering high-quality trials in this population. It acknowledges the additional challenges faced in Australia due to distance and regulatory factors, and calls for equitable access to emerging treatments for all Australian children, regardless of their circumstances. The article concludes by emphasizing the need for national investment in pediatric clinical trial delivery in Australia. [Extracted from the article]

Purpose/objectives: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic has presented mental health challenges among healthcare professionals, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Few studies have examined PTSD predictors in dental settings. This cross‐sectional study aimed to describe the relationship between personality traits and PTSD symptoms among US dental residents engaged in patient care during the pandemic. Methods: An online survey was administered to residents in advanced education in general dentistry, dental anesthesia, general practice residency, oral and maxillofacial surgery, and pediatric dentistry programs between September 2020 and April 2021. The survey included a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Big Five Inventory, and the PTSD Checklist for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition. Logistic regression models, analysis of variance, and Tukey tests were used to examine the association between variables and PTSD scores and assess differences in personality traits and PTSD by specialty. Results: Among 149 respondents (mean age = 29.9 ± 4.9 years; 57.0% female), 53.7% reported experiencing stress during the pandemic. Many residents (38.9%) were not aware of available mental health resources. A total of 17.4% of residents met the diagnostic criteria for PTSD, but only 1.3% reported a previous PTSD diagnosis. The most significant predictors of PTSD were neuroticism (odds ratio = 2.90, p = 0.046) and stress unrelated to the resident's program role during the pandemic (odds ratio = 5.88, p = 0.02). Conclusions: PTSD symptoms were highly prevalent among dental residents, with stress and neuroticism being the most significant predictors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Professors often spend a great deal of time counseling poorly performing students, which limits the time dedicated to high achievers. This may be problematic, as psychiatrists have determined that gifted students may be susceptible to feelings of inadequacy despite positive external evidence. Dr. Pauline Clance coined the term "Impostor Phenomenon" (IP) to describe these traits.Objective: Dental students, while academically successful, may be prone to IP and lack appropriate coping strategies. The goal of this project was to create and publish an online module to educate dental students about IP and provide 6 coping mechanisms.Design: After viewing the video at the beginning of the semester, students completed the Clance IP Scale to determine the prevalence of IP thoughts. This was repeated at the end of the semester to determine the impact of the online training module.Results: There was a decrease in postsemester scores from 63.44 (±14.92) to 59.12 (±14.56), n = 103, 86% response rate, dependent samples within subjects t-test, P < 0.001). The percentage of students reporting intense impostor experiences decreased from 13.6% to 4.9%. Females exhibited significantly higher scores than males, but there was no statistically significant impact of age or race on results. The most common reported coping strategies were a reduction in time spent on nonessential tasks and the use of scheduling to prevent procrastination.Conclusion: These results suggest that an online training module can improve awareness of the Impostor Phenomenon and help high-achieving students to cope with their stress and feelings of inadequacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study presented focuses on the role of the neuronal cell adhesion molecule L1 cell adhesion molecule (L1CAM) in retinoblastoma (RB), the most common malignant intraocular childhood tumor. L1CAM is differentially expressed in a variety of human cancers and has been suggested as a promising therapeutic target. We likewise observed differential expression patterns for L1CAM in RB cell lines and patient samples. The two proteases involved in ectodomain shedding of L1CAM (L1CAM sheddases: ADAM10 and ADAM17) were likewise differentially expressed in the RB cell lines investigated, and an involvement in L1CAM processing in RB cells could be verified. We also identified ezrin, galectin-3, and fibroblast growth factor basic as L1CAM signaling target genes in RB cells. Lentiviral L1CAM knockdown induced apoptosis and reduced cell viability, proliferation, growth, and colony formation capacity of RB cells, whereas L1CAM-overexpressing RB cells displayed the opposite effects. Chicken chorioallantoic membrane assays revealed that L1CAM depletion decreases the tumorigenic and migration potential of RB cells in vivo. Moreover, L1CAM depletion decreased viability and tumor growth of etoposideresistant RB cell lines upon etoposide treatment in vitro and in vivo. Thus, L1CAM and its processing sheddases are potential novel targets for future therapeutic RB approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose/Objectives: This study examined effects of active engagement (ENG) and spaced retrieval practice (SRP) on D1 dental students' self‐assessment knowledge acquisition. Methods: D1 dental students (N = 120) were randomly assigned to one of four conditions in a 2 (ENG or no ENG) X 2 (SRP or no SRP) design. Students were tested on their knowledge of a self‐assessment grading rubric (on a 30‐item multiple‐choice exam) and their ability to apply the rubric (on a simulated dentoform assessment). Results: There were significant main effects of both ENG and SRP on both outcome measures. Both ENG and SRP increased students' knowledge of, and ability to apply, the self‐assessment rubric. Effects of ENG were larger than those of SRP. There was also a significant ENG X SRP interaction on the knowledge measure. The effect of SRP was larger in the no‐ENG conditions than the ENG conditions, which may reflect a ceiling effect in the ENG conditions. Conclusions: ENG and SRP have the potential to substantially enhance D1 dental students' learning outcomes. These results should motivate dental educators to reject outdated instructional techniques and thereby unleash students' full learning potential. Additional research is needed with a wider range of dental students and learner topics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aims of this study were to evaluate dental students' clinical shade-matching outcomes (from subjective use of shade guide) with an objective electronic shade-matching tool (spectrophotometer); to assess patients', students', and supervising faculty members' satisfaction with the clinical shade-matching outcomes; and to assess clinicians' support for use of the spectrophotometer to improve esthetic outcomes. A total of 103 volunteer groups, each consisting of patient, dental student, and supervising faculty member at the University of Louisville, were recruited to participate in the study in 2015. Using the spectrophotometer, clinical shade-matching outcome (ΔEclinical) and laboratory shade-matching outcome (ΔElaboratory) were calculated. Two five-point survey items were used to assess the groups' satisfaction with the clinical shade-matching outcome and support for an objective electronic shade-matching tool in the student clinic. The results showed that both ΔEclinical (6.5±2.4) and ΔElaboratory (4.3±2.0) were outside the clinical acceptability threshold ΔE values of 2.7, when visual shade-matching method (subjective usage of shade guide) was used to fabricate definitive restorations. Characteristics of the patients, dental students, supervising faculty members, and restorations had minimal to no effect on the ΔEclinical The patients, dental students, and supervising faculty members generally had positive opinions about the clinical shade-matching outcome, despite the increased ΔEclinical observed. Overall, clinical shade-matching outcomes in this school need further improvement, but the patients' positive opinions may indicate the need to revisit the acceptability threshold ΔE value of 2.7 in the academic setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) genome‐wide association studies (GWAS) identified 75 disease‐associated loci; however, interpretation of these results has proven difficult for two primary reasons. First, linkage disequilibrium between nearby variants makes it difficult to identify the causal variant(s) at each locus. Second, because the vast majority of OA risk variants are non‐coding and can regulate genes from distances of greater than one million base pairs, the genes impacted by AD risk variants are largely unknown. Recently developed genomic approaches can address these hurdles but must be applied to the correct cell types and biological contexts. Method: We quantified the impact of 3,576 AD‐associated genetic variants on enhancer activity by performing massively parallel reporter assays (MPRAs) in resting and activated human macrophages. To map these variants to the genes they regulate we built regulatory networks by mapping 3D chromatin structure (Hi‐C), chromatin accessibility (ATAC), histone K27 acetylation (CUT&RUN), and gene expression (RNA‐seq) in both resting and activated iPSC‐derived microglia. Result: In total we identified 20,992 chromatin loops across resting and activated iPSC‐derived microglia. Among these, 9,544 loops linked 14,576 enhancers to 11,487 genes. 58 loops connected 414 AD‐risk variants queried by our MPRA assays to 85 genes. 212, 19,256, and 2,790 of these loops, enhancers, and genes (respectively) changed in response to activation, providing further insight into their regulatory mechanisms and highlighting the need to study these events in the correct biological context. Conclusion: Ongoing analyses and data integration should reveal further mechanistic details and provide novel AD risk genes for further research and therapeutic development. By intersecting our MPRA results and dynamic regulatory networks with AD GWAS, we were able to identify novel putative genes regulated by non‐coding AD risk variants in a cell‐type and condition‐specific manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of calibration training of departmental faculty and competency graders using an audience response system on operative dentistry concepts across 12 months. The training sessions were designed to further solidify the process and equilibration of clinical opinions among faculty members and provide a more calibrated grading assessment during patient care for student performance feedback. Four (quarterly) calibration sessions occurred over 12 months in 2015. The first session was considered the baseline (control value) for this study. Pre- and post-calibration interrater agreement was assessed. Additionally, a pre and post assessment with ten Likert-scale questions was used to measure students' perceptions of instructional consistency. The results showed that a statistically significant increase in conceptual knowledge scores occurred for both departmental faculty members and competency graders across each of the four sessions (one-factor ANOVA; p<0.05). Interrater reliability agreement also significantly improved for both department faculty members and competency graders' clinical assessments over 12 months of implementation (Cohen's Kappa; p<0.05). There was a statistically significant increase in positive student perceptions on all ten questions (dependent t-test; p<0.05). Implementation of an audience response system for departmental and competency graders was found to be effective in facilitating a discussion forum, calibrating clinical assessments, and improving student perceptions. The positive results from this study support the value of dental schools' introducing faculty development programs to ensure consistent instruction for assessing dental student competence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the process of student self-assessment on operative dentistry skills across four years at the University of Louisville School of Dentistry. First, a retrospective analysis of the Class of 2016 students' self-assessment and faculty assessment grade sheets was conducted to determine mean differences and correlations across time. Both preclinical (D2: n=120) and clinical (D3: n=120; D4: n=120) grade sheets were evaluated. Second, 25 students from each of the D1, D2, D3, and D4 classes in 2016 were asked to evaluate dentoform work, and 25 operative calibrated faculty members graded the same two dentoforms. The results of the retrospective analysis were that the D2 students' self-assessment scores were significantly higher than the faculty scores (t-test; p<0.05), and there was a negative correlation of scores (r=-0.503). The D3 students' self-assessment scores were also significantly higher than the faculty scores (t-test; p<0.05), and there was a negative correlation (r=-0.235). The D4 students' self-assessment scores were not significantly different from the faculty scores (t-test; p>0.05), and there was a positive correlation (r=0.408). In the prospective analysis, the D1, D2, and D3 students graded the dentoforms significantly higher (ANOVA; p<0.05) than did the D4 students and faculty members. There was an increasing correlation of scores directly related to experience (D1: r=-0.120; D2: r=0.255; D3: r=0.352; D4: r=0.689). These results support the concept that students' self-assessment is a learned process through experiential and continual encounters across time. The summative goal for all dental schools is to provide students with the skills and knowledge to critically evaluate their work for self-directed learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecological memory is central to how ecosystems respond to disturbance and is maintained by two types of legacies - information and material. Species life-history traits represent an adaptive response to disturbance and are an information legacy; in contrast, the abiotic and biotic structures (such as seeds or nutrients) produced by single disturbance events are material legacies. Disturbance characteristics that support or maintain these legacies enhance ecological resilience and maintain a 'safe operating space' for ecosystem recovery. However, legacies can be lost or diminished as disturbance regimes and environmental conditions change, generating a 'resilience debt' that manifests only after the system is disturbed. Strong effects of ecological memory on post-disturbance dynamics imply that contingencies (effects that cannot be predicted with certainty) of individual disturbances, interactions among disturbances, and climate variability combine to affect ecosystem resilience. We illustrate these concepts and introduce a novel ecosystem resilience framework with examples of forest disturbances, primarily from North America. Identifying legacies that support resilience in a particular ecosystem can help scientists and resource managers anticipate when disturbances may trigger abrupt shifts in forest ecosystems, and when forests are likely to be resilient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dental students often have difficulty understanding the importance of basic science classes, such as physiology, for their future careers. To help alleviate this problem, the aim of this study was to create and evaluate a series of video modules using simulated patients and custom-designed animations that showcase medical emergencies in the dental practice. First-year students in a dental physiology course formatively assessed their knowledge using embedded questions in each of the three videos; 108 to 114 of the total 120 first-year students answered the questions, for a 90-95% response rate. These responses indicated that while the students could initially recognize the cause of the medical emergency, they had difficulty in applying their knowledge of physiology to the scenario. In two of the three videos, students drastically improved their ability to answer high-level clinical questions at the conclusion of the video. Additionally, when compared to the previous year of the course, there was a significant improvement in unit exam scores on clinically related questions (6.2% increase). Surveys were administered to the first-year students who participated in the video modules and fourth-year students who had completed the course prior to implementation of any clinical material. The response rate for the first-year students was 96% (115/120) and for the fourth-year students was 57% (68/120). The first-year students indicated a more positive perception of the physiology course and its importance for success on board examinations and their dental career than the fourth-year students. The students perceived that the most positive aspects of the modules were the clear applications of physiology to real-life dental situations, the interactive nature of the videos, and the improved student comprehension of course concepts. These results suggest that online modules may be used successfully to improve students' perceptions of the basic sciences and enhance their ability to apply basic science content to clinically important scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on a research entitled "Model Communication Plans for Increasing Awareness and Fostering Acceptance of Direct Potable Reuse," conducted by WateReuse Research Foundation in California. Topics discussed include the importance of water supply diversification, the implementation of indirect potable reuse (IPR) model, and the benefits of water conservation for consumers.

Despite a robust body of evidence of effectiveness of social programs, few evidence-based programs have been scaled for population-level improvement in social problems. Since 2010 the federal government has invested in evidence-based social policy by supporting a number of new evidence-based programs and grant initiatives. These initiatives prioritize federal funding for intervention or prevention programs that have evidence of effectiveness in impact research. The increased attention to evidence in funding decision making is promising; however, to maximize the potential for positive outcomes for children and families, communities need to select programs that fit their needs and resources, the programs need to be implemented with quality, and communities need ongoing support. Drawing on experiences scaling evidence-based programs nationally, the authors raise a number of challenges faced by the field to ensure high-quality implementation and discuss specific proposals, particularly for the research and university communities, for moving the field forward. Recommendations include designing and testing intervention and prevention programs with an eye towards scaling from the start, increased documentation related to implementation of the programs, and working toward an infrastructure to support high-quality, effective dissemination of evidence-based prevention and intervention programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study which examined the use of a flow-through ultraviolet-mediated advanced oxidation (AOP) in removing 2-methylisoborneol from water treated at the Richard Miller Water Treatment Plant in Cincinnati, Ohio. Study authors concluded that chlorine-based AOP provide reduced costs and more efficiency in water treatment.

The article focuses on the use of granular activated carbon (GAC) paired with ultraviolet to reduce operating cost and provide drinking water disinfection efficiency. It states that the use of GAC adsorption as the initial method to remove natural organic matter (NOM) in the water has been gaining attention throughout the water industry. It mentions that the Greater Cincinnati Water Works (GCWW) advocates the use of GAC since it discovers various benefits in the early 1990s.

Ultraviolet (UV) light with hydrogen peroxide degrades a wide array of organic micropollutants. However, natural organic matter (NOM) interferes with contaminant destruction. Seven emerging contaminants were evaluated by UV pilot-scale and collimated beam experiments. UV absorbance scans demonstrated changes in NOM due to radical attack. Waters with different types and amounts of NOM were examined. As NOM increased, electrical energy per order (EE/O) requirements for destruction increased. EE/O increased similarly for the contaminants. Methyl-tertbutyl- ether destruction and EE/O values correlated well with specific UV absorption for all experiments. Both type and amount of NOM should be considered in the design of UV/ hydrogen peroxide facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the anaerobic biological perchlorate (ClO4-) treatment study by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA, which examines the anaerobic effluent-polishing temperatures from 1.5 to 30°C. It says that the study aims to increase the anaerobic contactor effluent water quality to standards for drinking water. Results show that polishing has restored sulfide to below the detection limit, dissolved oxygen to saturation levels, and ammonia in warm weather.

The article presents a study which examines the major assumption inherent to sudden oak death (SOD) and land management that SOD mortality will increase the severity of fire. The study examined host species in a forest monitoring plots in Big Sur, California to know the interaction between SOD mortality and wildfire severity. The results showed that there is no difference in fire severity between infested and uninfested plots, and SOD mortality added to the burn severity.

Background: A challenge with AD prevention is the timely identification of subjects at risk of cognitive symptom onset, mitigating prohibitive costs associated with the trial size and duration. A biomarker risk assignment algorithm (BRAA) consisting of genotypes at the apolipoprotein E (APOE) and translocase of outer mitochondrial membrane 40 homolog (TOMM40) rs10524523 loci ('523) and current age was developed to enrich the TOMMORROW delay of AD onset clinical study. '523 is a poly‐T homopolymer of 14 to 50 residues. For the BRAA, the alleles were categorized by T length as "short" (S: <21), "long" (L: 21‐29), or "very long" (VL: >29). Method: The TOMMORROW study (NCT 01931566) provided a large dataset to assess APOE‐'523 haplotypes to improve the performance of the BRAA. The original BRAA used phased genetic information to determine risk categories (developed in 150 individuals, verified in 1018 individuals). Because phased haplotype data were not available from the samples genotyped in the TOMMORROW study, an optimized calibration was performed using APOE 3/3 and 4/4 homozygous individuals (n=1625). By maximizing the genetic congruency between the APOE and '523 genotypes, the calibration of the '523 categorical boundaries was optimized. Result: From these haplotype data, the '523 categorical assignments were optimized to S: <19; L: 19‐31; and VL: >31. When these optimized categorical assignments were applied retrospectively to the TOMMORROW study cohort (n=1803), the hazard ratio for the time‐to‐event comparison between the high and low risk placebo groups improved from 3.3 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.2‐9.0, P=0.023) to 4.3 (95%CI 1.3‐13.7, P=0.015). Applying the refined BRAA to a future delay of AD onset clinical trial would reduce enrollment by 26% for a 5‐year interventional study versus an all‐comers enrollment strategy. Furthermore, a streamlined, kit‐based genotyping assay for APOE and TOMM40 '523 was evaluated and found to yield congruent results with the sequencing‐based method used for genotyping in the TOMMORROW clinical trial. Conclusion: Using phase 3 clinical trial data, the TOMMORROW BRAA demonstrated the ability to enrich delay of onset/prevention of AD studies for subjects more likely to develop cognitive symptom onset during an acceptable timeframe with significant clinical trial cost savings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Greater Cincinnati (Ohio) Water Works strives to continually improve the effectiveness of its water treatment processes. Questions regarding the vulnerability of the Ohio River watershed to microbial contamination and concerns about compliance with the Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule led the utility to initiate an in-depth study of ultraviolet (UV) disinfection. The study was designed to determine how exposing treated Ohio River water to UV affected (1) the inactivation of Cryptosporidium parvum, bacteria, and viruses, (2)the susceptibility of these microorganisms to free chlorine after partial inactivation with UV, (3) the formation of oxidation and chlorinated disinfection by-products (DBPs), and (4) microbial regrowth (measured by assimilated organic carbon) following UV disinfection. Results indicated that UV alone or UV followed by free chlorine effectively controlled all microorganisms tested. Additionally, no evidence of increased DBP formation or regrowth was observed at UV doses typically used for disinfection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deals with the evaluation of granular active carbon (GAC) pore structure during full-scale treatment and reactivation in Cincinnati, Ohio in February 2003. Concerns on GAC reactivation; Pore size distribution of virgin and reactivated GAC in the area; Comparison of net changes in pore size distributions.

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that impacts nearly 400 million people worldwide, but no effective treatments are available, in large part because the mechanisms underlying this disease are unclear. The accumulation of Amyloid beta (Aβ) in the brain has historically been associated with AD, and recent evidence suggests that neuroinflammation plays a central role in its origin and progression. The combination of these observations has led to propose Aβ as the main trigger to induce the proinflammatory activation of immune brain cells that culminates in neuronal damage and cognitive decline. In order to test this hypothesis, many in vitro systems have been established to study Aβ‐mediated activation of innate immune cells, and the role of AD genetic risk variants in this process. Likewise, in vitro LPS‐activation of brain immune cells models has been used to trigger the inflammasome as a similar approach. Nevertheless, the resemblance of these models to the AD brain has never been comprehensively studied on a genome‐wide scale. Method: We used RNA‐seq to quantify the global transcriptional response of cultured innate immune cells treated with synthetic Aβ or LPS/INFγ and to analyze the resemblance of these responses to the AD brain transcriptome. Result: We observed a robust transcriptional response to LPS/INFγ, but surprisingly we found little to no response to Aβ. The findings were consistent across all cellular models, including several established, primary and iPSC‐derived immune cell lines (macrophages, microglia and astrocytes), and when different formulations and concentrations of Aβ were employed. Conclusion: Our results reveal that synthetic Aβ does not produce a robust transcriptional response in these cells, suggesting that alternative in vitro models to mimic the inflammatory estate in the AD brain, such as the use of LPS‐activated iPSCs‐derived brain immune cells might be the best in vitro model to further understand the molecular mechanisms underlying this disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organismic and Evolutionary Biology

The authors discuss the proper use of vitamin B12 and folate tests. They state that the diagnosis of vitamin B12 and folate deficiencies is difficult since the symptoms are diverse. They say that the tests include blood film examination, full blood count, and red-cell folate (RCF) assays, along with metabolic markers such as homocysteine (Hcy) and methylmalonic acid (MMA). They add that further assessment which examines the complexity in clinical decision making is needed.

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article "Attitudes of Private Hospital Community to Medical Student Teaching" by S. Phillips, and L. A. Klein in the previous issue.

A key component of particulate removal is protection against pathogens. Designers and utility managers retrofitting or building new granular media filters must select media that will balance cost and flow concerns with particulate removal. To find out what type of filter media provides the best protection against protozoa, the authors of thisarticle spiked heat-inactivated, antibiotic-preserved Giardia muris cysts and Cryptosporidium oocysts into the influent to four pilot-scale -one filled with sand only, one with typical dual anthracite-sand,and one with deep dual anthracite-sand. The fourth filter was left empty to act as a control for determining cyst and oocyst loss throughdisintegration or adhesion to piping, sidewalls, and other nonmedia surfaces. Influent and effluent samples were analyzed for protozoa, turbidity, particle counts, and endospores. One filter run was conducted to examine the removal of polystyrene beads. Three replicate runs were studied under winter conditions and three under summer conditions. Study results showed that pathogen removals for the different filter media designs could not be statistically distinguished; all were successful in removing at least 2.5 logs (99.7 percent) of Giardia cysts, Cryptosporidium oocysts, and endospores. Turbidity and particle removal were significantly less. These results indicate that any of the media configurations used at pilot scale would be acceptable for full-scale use. They also imply that media configuration may not be asimportant as proper operation of the treatment process when it comesto protection against pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Zygapophyseal joints of the spine are often affected in ankylosing spondylitis (AS). In this study, we undertook a systematic immunohistologic evaluation of the immunopathology of the zygapophyseal joints in patients with advanced AS., Methods: We obtained zygapophyseal joints from 16 AS patients undergoing polysegmental correction of kyphosis and from 10 non-AS controls (at autopsy). Immunohistologic analysis of the bone marrow was performed by analyzing the number of infiltrating T cells (CD3, CD4, CD8), B cells (CD20), osteoclasts (CD68), bone marrow macrophages (CD68), and microvessel density (CD34) per high-power field., Results: Zygapophyseal joints from 6 of 16 AS patients, but from none of the controls, exhibited 2 or more CD3+ T cell aggregates, signifying persistent inflammation. Interstitial CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were significantly more frequent in AS patients compared with non-AS controls (P = 0.002 and P = 0.049, respectively). While there was no clear difference between the number of CD20+ B cells in AS patients overall compared with controls, there was a significant difference when persistently inflamed joints from patients with AS were compared with joints without active inflammation from patients with AS or joints from controls (both P = 0.03). Microvessel density in bone marrow from AS patients with active inflammation was significantly higher than that in bone marrow from controls., Conclusion: This immunohistologic study of bone marrow from zygapophyseal joints demonstrates persistent inflammation in the spine of patients with AS, including those with longstanding disease. The findings of increased numbers of T cells and B cells and neoangiogenesis suggest that these features play a role in the pathogenesis of AS.