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In Norway, tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) has been a mandatory notifiable disease since 1975 (Norwegian Surveillance system for communicable diseases, MSIS). According to ECDCs classification, coastal areas in southern Norway (counties of Agder, and Vestfold and Telemark) are endemic for TBE. Further, Viken County (former Østfold, Akershus and Buskerud), and western and northern Norway to Brønnøy municipality is imperiled.

Flaviviruses are a threat to public health and can cause major disease outbreaks. Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is caused by a flavivirus, and it is one of the most important causes of viral encephalitis in Europe and is on the rise in Sweden. As there is no antiviral treatment available, vaccination remains the best protective measure against TBE. Currently available TBE vaccines are based on formalin-inactivated virus produced in cell culture. These vaccines must be delivered by intramuscular injection, have a burdensome immunization schedule, and may exhibit vaccine failure in certain populations. This project aimed to develop an edible TBE vaccine to trigger a stronger immune response through oral delivery of viral antigens to mucosal surfaces. We demonstrated successful expression and post-translational processing of flavivirus structural proteins which then self-assembled to form virus-like particles in Nicotiana benthamiana. We performed oral toxicity tests in mice using various plant species as potential bioreactors and evaluated the immunogenicity of the resulting edible vaccine candidate. Mice immunized with the edible vaccine candidate did not survive challenge with TBE virus. Interestingly, immunization of female mice with a commercial TBE vaccine can protect their offspring against TBE virus infection.

In Norway, tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) has been a mandatory notifiable disease since 1975 (Norwegian Surveillance system for communicable diseases, MSIS). According to ECDCs classification, coastal areas in southern Norway (counties of Agder, and Vestfold and Telemark) are endemic for TBE. Further, Viken County (former Østfold, Akershus and Buskerud), and western and northern Norway to Brønnøy municipality is imperiled.

MetroBeta, a recently completed European Metrology Research Project, aimed at the improvement of the knowledge of the shapes of beta spectra, both in terms of theoretical calculation and measurement. The most prominent experimental work package concerned the measurement of the spectrum shapes of several beta decaying radionuclides by means of metallic magnetic calorimeters (MMCs) with the beta emitter embedded in the absorber. New MMC chips were designed and optimized for five different absorber heat capacities, enabling the measurement of beta spectra with Q values ranging from few tens of keV up to ~ 1 MeV. Several beta spectra were measured with high energy resolution and statistics of up to 107 counts.

High-resolution beta spectrometry based on low-temperature calorimetric detectors requires high-quality source/absorber combinations in order to avoid spectrum artifacts and to achieve optimal detection efficiency. In this work, preparation techniques and quality control methods to fabricate reliable source/absorber assemblies with the radionuclide under investigation embedded into them are discussed.

In Norway, tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) has been a mandatory notifiable disease since 1975 (Norwegian Surveillance system for communicable diseases, MSIS).1 According to ECDCs classification, coastal areas in southern Norway (counties of Agder, and Vestfold and Telemark) are endemic for TBE. Further, Viken County (former Østfold, Akershus and Buskerud), and western and northern Norway to Brønnøy municipality is imperiled.2-9

iv Acknowledgements vi Table of Figures x Table of Tables xiv Chapter 1: Introduction and Historical Setting 1 1.

Paulsen, KM, Butts, CL, and McDermott, BP. Observation of women soccer players' physiology during a single season. J Strength Cond Res 32(6): 1702-1707, 2018-The purpose of this study was to observe heart rate (HR) responses in match settings over the course of a conference season in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I women's soccer. Twenty-one female collegiate soccer players were provided a HR monitor and instructed to wear it for the duration of match play. Player positions included 6 defenders (DEF), 6 midfielders (MID), and 9 forwards (FWD). Defenders were further identified as either center defenders (CD) or outside defenders (OD). A 1-way analysis of variance was used to determine if mean HR varied between FWD, MID, and DEF. An independent t-test was used to determine if there was a difference between CD and OD HRs. The FWD, MID, and DEF did have significantly different mean HR (p ≤ 0.05), but post-hoc analysis revealed no significant differences (p ≥ 0.05). However, CD demonstrated significantly lower HRs than OD (p = 0.009). Player position, specifically in the CD and OD role, impact the intensity of exercise in match settings and may be used to specify training and conditioning sessions.

Prior research has suggested that well-performing school leadership clusters around a set of general core practices, which appear to be effective across a range of national, social and cultural contexts, yet contingent of school leaders being responsive to context and responding appropriately to their different contextual demands when they employ these core practices. So far school leadership in rural regions has received only modest attention in leadership research. Therefore, this study was designed to explore the relationship between the core practices of school leaders, organizational school climate and student academic achievement in primary and lower secondary rural schools in a county in Norway. The research design involved a cross-sectional study based on ratings from 275 teachers situated in 20 rural schools, split into two sub-groups of 10 ‘high-performing’ and 10 ‘low-performing’ schools. The results from the multivariate analysis and comparisons between the sub-groups suggest that two distinct core practices of school leadership emerge as critical in Norwegian rural school settings. Further, the results indicate that in the higher performing rural schools, the teachers reported a more positive organizational school climate, with higher level of collaborative learning and self-confidence, than in the opposite sub-group.

The aim of the European Metrology Research Project MetroBeta is to improve the knowledge of the shapes of beta spectra, both in terms of theoretical calculation and measurement. The precise knowledge of beta spectra is required for the activity standardisation of pure beta emitters. Metallic magnetic calorimeters (MMCs), a type of cryogenic detectors, with the beta emitter embedded in the absorber have proven to be among the best beta spectrometers, in particular for low-energy beta transitions. Within this project, new designs of MMCs optimized for five different beta energy ranges were developed and a new detector module was constructed. The beta spectra of 151Sm, 14C and 99Tc have been measured so far; additional measurements with 36Cl are under preparation. Improved theoretical calculation methods and complementary measurement techniques complete the project.

Accurate decay data of radionuclides are necessary for many fields of science and technology, ranging from medicine and particle physics to metrology. However, data that are in use today are mostly based on measurements or theoretical calculation methods that are rather old. Recent measurements with cryogenic detectors and other methods show significant discrepancies to both older experimental data and theory in some cases. Moreover, the old results often suffer from large or underestimated uncertainties. This is in particular the case for electron-capture (EC) decays, where only a few selected radionuclides have ever been measured. To systematically address these shortcomings, the European metrology project MetroMMC aims at investigating six radionuclides decaying by EC. The nuclides are chosen to cover a wide range of atomic numbers Z, which results in a wide range of decay energies and includes different decay modes, such as pure EC or EC accompanied by $$\gamma $$γ- and/or $$\beta ^{+}$$β+-transitions. These will be measured using metallic magnetic calorimeters (MMCs), cryogenic energy-dispersive detectors with high-energy resolution, low-energy threshold and high, adjustable stopping power that are well suited for measurements of the total decay energy and X-ray spectrometry. Within the MetroMMC project, these detectors are used to obtain X-ray emission intensities of external sources as well as fractional EC probabilities of sources embedded in a $$4\pi $$4π absorber. Experimentally determined nuclear and atomic data will be compared to state-of-the-art theoretical calculations which will be further developed within the project. This contribution introduces the MetroMMC project and in particular its experimental approach. The challenges in EC spectrometry are to adapt the detectors and the source preparation to the different decay channels and the wide energy range involved, while keeping the good resolution and especially the low-energy threshold to measure the EC from outer shells.

Source at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bmc.2019.07.032. The peroxisome proliferator activated receptors (PPARs) are important drug targets in treatment of metabolic and inflammatory disorders. Fibrates, acting as PPARα agonists, have been widely used lipid-lowering agents for decades. However, the currently available PPARα targeting agents show low subtype-specificity and consequently a search for more potent agonists have emerged. In this study, previously isolated oxohexadecenoic acids from the marine algae Chaetoceros karianus were used to design a PPARα-specific analogue. Herein we report the design, synthesis, molecular modelling studies and biological evaluations of the novel 3,5-disubstituted isoxazole analogue 6-(5-heptyl-1,2-oxazol-3-yl)hexanoic acid (1), named ADAM. ADAM shows a clear receptor preference and significant dose-dependent activation of PPARα (EC50 = 47 µM) through its ligand-binding domain (LBD). Moreover, ADAM induces expression of important PPARα target genes, such as CPT1A, in the Huh7 cell line and primary mouse hepatocytes. In addition, ADAM exhibits a moderate ability to regulate PPARγ target genes and drive adipogenesis. Molecular modelling studies indicated that ADAM docks its carboxyl group into opposite ends of the PPARα and -γ LBD. ADAM interacts with the receptor-activating polar network of amino acids (Tyr501, His447 and Ser317) in PPARα, but not in PPARγ LBD. This may explain the lack of PPARγ agonism, and argues for a PPARα-dependent adipogenic function. Such compounds are of interest towards developing new lipid-lowering remedies.

International audience; MetroBeta is a European project aiming at the improvement of the knowledge of the shapes of beta spectra, both in terms of theoretical calculations and measurements. It is part of a common European program of ionizing radiation metrology. Metallic magnetic calorimeters (MMCs) with the beta emitter embedded in the absorber have in the past proven to be among the best beta spectrometers, in particular for low-energy beta transitions. Within this project, new designs of MMCs optimized for five different beta energy ranges were developed. A new detector module with thermal decoupling of MMC and SQUID chips was designed. An important aspect of the research and development concerns the source/absorber preparation techniques. Four beta spectra with maximum energies ranging from 76 to 709 keV will be measured. Improved theoretical calculation methods and complementary measurement techniques complete the project.

In this work, a matrix inversion algorithm for beta spectrometers is proposed that relies on Monte Carlo simulations of single-energy bin distributions. The algorithm allows for high resolution statistical correction of measured beta spectra and does not lead to underdetermined equation systems. An advantage of the method is that a prior knowledge of the true spectrum is not needed. The algorithm is consistent for unfolding beta spectra measured with Metallic Magnetic Calorimeters that employ 4 π solid angle absorbers. It also shows considerable potential for being applied to microcalorimeters with other absorber geometries.

Source at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejmech.2018.06.034. Obesity and associated disorders such as metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes (T2D) have reached epidemic proportions. Several natural products have been reported as Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor (PPAR) agonists, functioning as lead compounds towards developing new anti-diabetic drugs due to adverse side effects of existing PPAR drugs. We recently isolated and identified (7E)-9-oxohexadec-7-enoic acid (1) and (10E)-9-oxohexadec-10-enoic acid (2) from the marine algae Chaetoceros karianus. Herein we report the total synthesis, pharmacological characterization, and biological evaluations of these naturally occurring oxo-fatty acids (oFAs). The syntheses of 1 and 2 afforded sufficient material for extensive biological evaluations. Both oFAs show an appreciable dose-dependent activation of PPARα and -γ, with EC50 values in the micromolar range, and an ability to regulate important PPAR target genes in hepatocytes and adipocytes. Moreover, both 1 and 2 are able to drive adipogenesis when evaluated in the Simpson-Golabi-Behmel syndrome (SGBS) pre-adipocyte cell model, but with lowered expression of adipocyte markers and reduced lipid accumulation compared to the drug rosiglitazone. This seems to be caused by a transient upregulation of PPARγ and C/EBPα expression. Importantly, whole transcriptome analysis shows that both compounds induce anti-diabetic gene programs in adipocytes by upregulating insulin-sensitizing adipokines and repressing pro-inflammatory cytokines.

Three species of aphids regularly attack pecan, Carya illinoinensis, foliage. Two of them, i.e., the blackmargined aphid and the yellow pecan aphid, are predominantly distributed on the lower leaf surface, as are adults and nymphs of most tree-feeding aphid species. This surface provides aphids protection from rain, solar radiation, honeydew dropped by aphids on leaves above and the protruding leaf veins of the lower leaf surface protect from dislodgement by the movement and abrasion of other leaves. However, nymphs of the third species, i.e., black pecan aphid (BPA), do not follow this distribution pattern. Although adult BPA are mostly found on the lower surface, nymphs are distributed about equally between both leaf surfaces. BPA nymphs need to remain stationary to elicit chlorotic feeding lesions and this may explain their movement to the upper leaf surface. Natural enemies spending more time searching the lower surface coupled with BPA nymphs staying in one location to feed provides the best explanation for the observed distribution of BPA nymphs and adults. BPA nymphs that do not remain stationary to elicit chlorotic lesions face higher mortality (in the absence of predators), take longer to develop and result in smaller adults. Thus, BPA nymphs likely move to the upper leaf surface as a predator avoidance strategy.

Background: The procedure of wrapping a heat casualty in ice-water soaked bed sheets to reduce core temperature has received little investigation, despite the practice and recommendation for its use in some military settings. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate the cooling efficacy of ice-sheet cooling (ISC) following exertional hyperthermia. Methods: 13 (11 males, 2 females) participants (age = 23 ± 3 years, height = 176.5 ± 10.3 cm, mass = 78.6 ± 15.3 kg, body fat = 19.6 ± 8.6%, and body surface area = 1.95 ± 0.22 m2) volunteered to complete 2 randomized, crossover design trials on an outdoor recreation field (34.4 ± 1.4°C, 54.4 ± 4.1% relative humidity). Each trial consisted of exercise (self-paced 400-m warm-up, 1,609-m run, and 100-m sprints) followed by 15 minutes of either lying supine in the shade with no treatment (control [CON]) or being treated with ice-water soaked sheets wrapped around their body (ISC). Physiological (rectal temperature [Tre], heart rate, mean-weighted...

This paper presents several phased-array efforts at X and Ku-band based on highly integrated silicon core chips. The work shows that it is possible to build advanced phased-arrays using SiGe chips coupled with GaAs LNAs at each antenna element for low noise operation and high G/T, or GaAs PAs for higher radiated power per element (if needed). The phased-array is constructed on a single printed-circuit board which reduces the cost by a factor of 10x. This will revolutionize X, Ku and Ka-band phased arrays by making them the preferred choice for airborne and mobile platforms due to their reduced height, weight and drag.

Source at http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/md15060148 The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) function as ligand-activated transcription factors that convert signals in the form of lipids to physiological responses through the activation of metabolic target genes. Due to their key roles in lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, the PPARs are important drug targets. However, for several of the PPAR drugs currently in use, adverse side effects have been reported. In an effort to identify compounds from marine organisms that may serve as molecular scaffolds for the development of novel and safer PPAR-targeting drugs, we performed a bioassay-guided screening of organic extracts made from organisms supplied by the Norwegian Biobank of Arctic Marine Organisms (Marbank). Among several interesting hits, we identified two poorly described isomeric oxo-fatty acids from the microalgae Chaetoceros karianus for which we provide the first evidence that they might display dual specificity towards human PPARα and PPARγ. Principal component analysis showed that C. karianus stood out from other Chaetoceros species, both with respect to the metabolic profile and the PPAR activity. The isolation of these compounds holds the potential of uncovering a PPAR pharmacophore with tunable activity and specificity.

The roles of 2-oxoglutarate (2OG)-dependent prolyl-hydroxylases in eukaryotes include collagen stabilization, hypoxia sensing, and translational regulation. The hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) sensing system is conserved in animals, but not in other organisms. However, bioinformatics imply that 2OG-dependent prolyl-hydroxylases (PHDs) homologous to those acting as sensing components for the HIF system in animals occur in prokaryotes. We report cellular, biochemical, and crystallographic analyses revealing that Pseudomonas prolyl-hydroxylase domain containing protein (PPHD) contain a 2OG oxygenase related in structure and function to the animal PHDs. A Pseudomonas aeruginosa PPHD knockout mutant displays impaired growth in the presence of iron chelators and increased production of the virulence factor pyocyanin. We identify elongation factor Tu (EF-Tu) as a PPHD substrate, which undergoes prolyl-4-hydroxylation on its switch I loop. A crystal structure of PPHD reveals striking similarity to human PHD2 and a Chlamydomonas reinhardtii prolyl-4-hydroxylase. A crystal structure of PPHD complexed with intact EF-Tu reveals that major conformational changes occur in both PPHD and EF-Tu, including a >20-Å movement of the EF-Tu switch I loop. Comparison of the PPHD structures with those of HIF and collagen PHDs reveals conservation in substrate recognition despite diverse biological roles and origins. The observed changes will be useful in designing new types of 2OG oxygenase inhibitors based on various conformational states, rather than active site iron chelators, which make up most reported 2OG oxygenase inhibitors. Structurally informed phylogenetic analyses suggest that the role of prolyl-hydroxylation in human hypoxia sensing has ancient origins.

Objective To develop and implement a professional pharmacy curriculum designed to meet the Regis University School of Pharmacy educational outcomes through integration of the biological, pharmaceutical, social/behavior/administrative pharmacy, and clinical sciences using a teaching methodology that is student-centered emphasizing higher-order learning. Methods Curricular content is integrated both horizontally and vertically within a seven-course sequence structure. Team-Based Learning™ (TBL) was selected by the faculty as overarching instructional strategy for delivery of the first three years of the curriculum. All students and faculty were anonymously surveyed after three years to determine perceptions of TBL and its impact on student behaviors and competencies. Both students and faculty preferred the TBL delivery method. Faculty perceived positive effects on student behaviors and engagement, and students recorded favorable perceptions of the impact of TBL on communication and critical thinking skills. Conclusion An integrated pharmacy curriculum delivered primarily by TBL during the first three years of a four-year program was implemented, and it was received positively by nearly all faculty and students.