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Yeast is a poikilothermic organism and adapts its lipid composition to the environmental temperature to maintain membrane physical properties. Studies addressing temperature‐dependent adaptation of the lipidome have described changes in the phospholipid composition at the level of sum composition (e.g. PC 32:1) and molecular composition (e.g. PC 16:0_16:1). However, there is little information at the level of positional isomers (e.g. PC 16:0/16:1 versus PC 16:1/16:0). Here, we used collision‐ and ozone‐induced dissociation (CID/OzID) mass spectrometry to investigate homeoviscous adaptation of PC, PE and PS to determine the phospholipid acyl chains at the sn‐1 and sn‐2 position. Our data establish the sn‐molecular species composition of PC, PE and PS in the lipidome of yeast cultured at different temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To quantify race, sex, comorbidities, Medicaid status, and compare health outcomes for Medicare-only versus Medicare/Medicaid dual-enrolees who developed a hard-to-heal venous leg ulcer (VLU). Method: Medicare Limited Data Standard analytic hospital inpatient and outpatient department files were used to follow episodes of medical care for a VLU from 1 October 2015–2 October 2019. In an earlier study, patients diagnosed concurrently with chronic venous insufficiency and a VLU were propensity-matched. In this current work, cohorts were split into patients enrolled in Medicare-only and those enrolled in Medicare and Medicaid (dual-enrolees). Treatment methods were compared and the most commonly used cellular, acellular and matrix-like product (CAMP) among Medicare beneficiaries—dehydrated human amnion chorion membrane (DHACM)—was evaluated. Episode claims were used to document demographics, comorbidities and treatments of Medicare enrolees who developed VLUs and outcomes such as time to ulcer closure, rates of complications and hospital usage rates. Quality of life (QoL) metrics, such as pain and time to VLU closure, were compared across the groups. Results: Of the 555,284 Medicare beneficiaries evaluated in this analysis, 27% were Medicare/Medicaid dual-enrolees and 73% were Medicare-only enrolees. To qualify for Medicaid, patient income had to be ≤133% of the federal poverty level. Only 3% of Medicare-only patients and 6% of dual-enrolees had an Advantage plan, a lower rate than the general Medicare population. Dual-enrolees, compared to those covered by Medicare-only, demonstrated: a Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) score one point greater (p<0.0001); a higher percentage (16%) of patients from minority ethnic backgrounds; and significantly higher rates of emergency department visits (p<0.0001) and cellulitis (p=0.034). Dual-enrolees who received early and regularly applied CAMPs also reduced their treatment time by 21 days (p=0.0027), all of which can impact costs. Conclusion: The socioeconomic status of dual-enrolees included near poverty status, a higher percentage of patients from a minority ethnic background, and high rates of comorbidities compared to their Medicare-only counterparts. The VLUs of dual-enrolees took longer to close, developed more complications, and used significantly more hospital resources and expenses. Outcomes significantly improved when VLU episodes were treated with a CAMP, such as DHACM, while following parameters for use. Socioeconomic variables are associated with poor outcomes for patients with hard-to-heal (chronic) wounds. This should be tracked to find cost-effective interventions throughout their journey to provide equitable care and ensure they are not left behind. Greater access for dual-enrolees to CAMPs has the potential to improve clinical outcomes and patient QoL, while concomitantly reducing overall healthcare expenditure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change adaptation research is currently a policy priority. For smallholder farmers, it provides opportunities for resilience building. The research area is growing rapidly and calls to synthesize existing data have been made. Existing work forms a basic picture of the trends in the research area. However, it is limited in scope and methodological approaches used. This work synthesizes climate change adaptation research on smallholder farmers in Southern Africa. It gives an overview of past and current directions of climate change adaptation research using a combination of bibliometric analysis techniques and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis. Results show a steady growth in research, a disproportionate distribution of research and weak research collaboration among Southern African countries. Diverse methodologies are in use but a combination of approaches is rare. Co-occurrence of keywords show recognizable strides in research ranging from adaptation to mitigation linkages to the influence of climate change impacts on adaptation and livelihood outcomes. Strengthened research collaboration between countries in Southern Africa should be advocated for. This would help develop viable, appropriate and localized adaptation solutions. Equitable allocation of funding is pertinent to ensure uniform research activity and adaptation action across the region. A combination of research approaches is needed to push forward adaptation research on smallholder farmers in Southern Africa.

One of the features that distinguishes modern humans from our extinct relatives and ancestors is a globular shape of the braincase [1-4]. As the endocranium closely mirrors the outer shape of the brain, these differences might reflect altered neural architecture [4, 5]. However, in the absence of fossil brain tissue, the underlying neuroanatomical changes as well as their genetic bases remain elusive. To better understand the biological foundations of modern human endocranial shape, we turn to our closest extinct relatives: the Neandertals. Interbreeding between modern humans and Neandertals has resulted in introgressed fragments of Neandertal DNA in the genomes of present-day non-Africans [6, 7]. Based on shape analyses of fossil skull endocasts, we derive a measure of endocranial globularity from structural MRI scans of thousands of modern humans and study the effects of introgressed fragments of Neandertal DNA on this phenotype. We find that Neandertal alleles on chromosomes 1 and 18 are associated with reduced endocranial globularity. These alleles influence expression of two nearby genes, UBR4 and PHLPP1, which are involved in neurogenesis and myelination, respectively. Our findings show how integration of fossil skull data with archaic genomics and neuroimaging can suggest developmental mechanisms that may contribute to the unique modern human endocranial shape.

Typically, consumer advertising is designed to promote or build brand identity for goods or services. Yet when a major crisis disrupts the everyday flow of life, advertisers often pivot from directly pitching their brands to conveying messages that somewhat reflect the tone of public service announcements. After examining the nature of much of the television advertising produced shortly after the United States was placed on lockdown following the announcement of the COVID-19 pandemic, this exploratory study investigates posts to Twitter to begin to address the question: To what extent did viewers’ interpretations of pandemic-themed commercials either accord with or challenge the advertisers’ intended messages of hope? The results show that targeted consumers demonstrated a greater tendency to contest advertisers’ inspirational themes than to passively accept them. These findings are discussed within the context of advertising’s ideological function as propaganda aimed toward especially active audiences in the age of social media.

Purpose: We aimed to describe our technique for and experience with elective endovascular aneurysm repair using EndoAnchors under local anesthesia. Materials and Methods : We included seven patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms who underwent endovascular aneurysm repair using EndoAnchors with a standard regimen consisting of local anesthesia, intravenous sedation, and analgesia. The procedural and follow-up details were retrospectively reviewed. Results : Six out of seven infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms were successfully treated with endovascular aneurysm repair using primary EndoAnchors under local anesthesia. One patient was converted to general anesthesia due to acute aneurysm thrombosis independent of EndoAnchor deployment during the procedure. Remifentanyl infusions of up to 3.2 mg/min, morphine doses up to 6 mg (median, 0.5 mg), and midazolam doses of up to 4 mg (mean, 1.4 mg) were used. The mean theater time was 83 minutes (range, 60-130 minutes). Two patients were discharged on day 0, and the mean hospital stay was one day. All patients were alive between 484 and 1,128 days post-procedure, with no aneurysm-specific reintervention. Conclusion : The combination of local anesthesia, intravenous sedation, and analgesia is a viable strategy for timely and effective endovascular aneurysm repair using EndoAnchors. This technique may allow endovascular repair of more ruptured aneurysms using EndoAnchors with potential survival benefits.

The role of individual subunits in the targeting and function of the mammalian BRG1-associated factors (BAF) complex in embryonic stem cell (ESC) pluripotency maintenance has not yet been elucidated. Here we find that the Bromodomain containing protein 9 (BRD9) and Glioma tumor suppressor candidate region gene 1 (GLTSCR1) or its paralog GLTSCR1-like (GLTSCR1L) define a smaller, non-canonical BAF complex (GBAF complex) in mouse ESCs that is distinct from the canonical ESC BAF complex (esBAF). GBAF and esBAF complexes are targeted to different genomic features, with GBAF co-localizing with key regulators of naive pluripotency, which is consistent with its specific function in maintaining naive pluripotency gene expression. BRD9 interacts with BRD4 in a bromodomain-dependent fashion, which leads to the recruitment of GBAF complexes to chromatin, explaining the functional similarity between these epigenetic regulators. Together, our results highlight the biological importance of BAF complex heterogeneity in maintaining the transcriptional network of pluripotency.

The judiciary has an important role to play in civic education... . I ask my judicial colleagues to continue their efforts to promote public confidence in the judiciary, both through [...]

Fungal infections have become an increasing threat as a result of growing numbers of susceptible hosts and diminishing effectiveness of antifungal drugs due to multi-drug resistance. This reality underscores the need to develop novel drugs with unique mechanisms of action. We recently identified 5-(N,N-hexamethylene)amiloride (HMA), an inhibitor of human Na+/H+ exchanger isoform 1, as a promising scaffold for antifungal drug development. In this work, we carried out susceptibility testing of 45 6-substituted HMA and amiloride analogs against a panel of pathogenic fungi. A series of 6-(2-benzofuran)amiloride and HMA analogs that showed up to a 16-fold increase in activity against Cryptococcus neoformans were identified. Hits from these series showed broad-spectrum activity against both basidiomycete and ascomycete fungal pathogens, including multidrug-resistant clinical isolates.

BackgroundLevel of alcohol consumption is associated with differential risk of atherosclerosis, but little research has investigated this association among HIV+ persons. We evaluated the association between long-term alcohol use and incident atherosclerosis among HIV+ persons.MethodsWe utilized data from HIV+ participants of the Women's Interagency HIV Study (n=483) and the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (n=305) without history of cardiovascular disease. Atherosclerosis was assessed two times by B-mode carotid artery ultrasound imaging from 2004 to 2013. Presence of plaque was defined as focal carotid intima-media thickness over 1.5mm. Those with no plaque at baseline and plaque at follow-up were considered incident cases of atherosclerosis. Group-based trajectory models were used to categorize participants into 10-year drinking patterns representing heavy, moderate, or abstinent-low. Multivariable logistic regressions were conducted to assess the association of long-term moderate and heavy use on atherosclerosis, compared to abstinent-low.ResultsHeavy alcohol consumption was not statistically significantly associated with risk for incident atherosclerosis in women (AOR 1.10, CI 0.40-3.02) or men (AOR 1.31, CI 0.43-4.00), compared to abstinence-low. Moderate consumption was associated with 54% lower odds for incident disease in men (AOR 0.46, CI 0.21-1.00), but not in women (AOR 1.08, CI 0.58-2.00). In cohort-combined analyses, alcohol consumption was not statistically significantly association with incident atherosclerosis (moderate AOR 0.78, CI 0.48-1.27; heavy AOR 1.33, CI 0.66-2.69).ConclusionModerate alcohol consumption was associated with a significant protective effect on incident atherosclerosis in men only. No other levels of alcohol consumption significantly predicted atherosclerosis in men and women compared to abstinent-low.

ARID1A, a subunit of the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex, is frequently mutated in cancer. Deficiency in its homolog ARID1B is synthetically lethal with ARID1A mutation. However, the functional relationship between these homologs has not been explored. Here, we use ATAC-seq, genome-wide histone modification mapping, and expression analysis to examine colorectal cancer cells lacking one or both ARID proteins. We find that ARID1A has a dominant role in maintaining chromatin accessibility at enhancers, while the contribution of ARID1B is evident only in the context of ARID1A mutation. Changes in accessibility are predictive of changes in expression and correlate with loss of H3K4me and H3K27ac marks, nucleosome spacing, and transcription factor binding, particularly at growth pathway genes including MET. We find that ARID1B knockdown in ARID1A mutant ovarian cancer cells causes similar loss of enhancer architecture, suggesting that this is a conserved function underlying the synthetic lethality between ARID1A and ARID1B.

"Flipping the classroom", or reverse instruction has been hailed the new pedagogical approach for preparing students for the 21st century. The idea behind this method is relatively simple. Instead of structuring class work to deliver direct instruction from the teacher in class and giving homework to students to practice outside of class, the sequence is reversed, or "flipped" to provide content instruction as homework and practice or application in the classroom. This paper focuses on the pedagogy of flipped instruction and the experiences of the flipping method with graduate students in Oman. The paper concludes with thoughts about the intrinsic value of flipped instruction within traditional educational systems.

The Afrotropical representatives of the hover fly genus Mesembrius Rondani, 1857 (Diptera) are divided into two subgenera, namely Mesembrius s.s. and Vadonimyia Séguy, 1951 and, in this present work, the subgenus Mesembrius s.s. is revised. A total of 23 Mesembrius s.s. species are recognised for the Afrotropics. Known species are re-described and six species new to science are described: Mesembrius arcuatus sp. nov., M. copelandi sp. nov., M. longipilosus sp. nov., M. sulcus sp. nov., M. tibialis sp. nov. and M. vockerothi sp. nov. Mesembrius africanus (Verrall, 1898) is considered a junior synonym of M. senegalensis (Macquart, 1842), M. ctenifer Hull, 1941 a junior synonym of M. caffer (Loew, 1858), M. lagopus (Loew, 1869) a junior synonym of M. capensis (Macquart, 1842) and M. platytarsis Curran, 1929 a junior synonym of M. simplicipes Curran, 1929. The females of Mesembrius chapini Curran, 1939, M. rex Curran, 1927 and M. regulus (Hull, 1937) are described for the first time. Lectotypes are designated for Mesembrius caffer, M. capensis, M. cyanipennis (Bezzi, 1915), M. minor (Bezzi, 1915), M. senegalensis, M. strigilatus (Bezzi, 1912) and M. tarsatus (Bigot, 1883). Separate identification keys for males and females are presented. We obtained 236 DNA barcodes for 18 species. The relationships amongst the different Mesembrius species are briefly discussed, based on morphological and DNA barcode data.