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This exploratory evaluation of Oklahoma SBAE students' perceived knowledge, experience, interest to learn more, and motivation to pursue a career in the Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources (AFNR) Career Pathway (The National Council for Agricultural Education, 2015) areas while engaging the Agricultural Career Experience (AgCE) curricular resource. The study also sought to evaluate the resource by obtaining SBAE students' and teachers' perceptions of their experience. The Theory of Planned Behavior guided the evaluation's attempt to understand students' and teachers' experience with the resource. Using a convergent, parallel mixed-methods design, data were collected through questionnaires and interviews with students and teachers. Descriptive statistics and eclectic coding strategies were used to explain the quantitative and qualitative findings. Findings were then analyzed to evaluate the curricular resource. The evaluative study found the resource to meet curricular needs associated with Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAEs) and AFNR exposure. However, challenges such as usability of the resource, student engagement, and timing impacted the students' and teachers' perceptions of the resource. It was concluded that the resource serves as a viable tool for programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are ligand-gated ion channels that are widely distributed both pre- and post-synaptically in the mammalian brain. By modulating cation flux across cell membranes, neuronal nAChRs regulate neuronal excitability and the release of a variety of neurotransmitters to influence multiple physiologic and behavioral processes including synaptic plasticity, motor function, attention, learning and memory. Abnormalities of neuronal nAChRs have been implicated in the pathophysiology of neurologic disorders including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, and Tourette´s syndrome, as well as psychiatric disorders including schizophrenia, depression, and anxiety. The potential role of nAChRs in a particular illness may be indicated by alterations in the expression of nAChRs in relevant brain regions, genetic variability in the genes encoding for nAChR subunit proteins, and/or clinical or preclinical observations where specific ligands showed a therapeutic effect. Over the past 25 years, extensive preclinical and some early clinical evidence suggested that ligands at nAChRs might have therapeutic potential for neurologic and psychiatric disorders. However, to date the only approved indications for nAChR ligands are smoking cessation and the treatment of dry eye disease. It has been argued that progress in nAChR drug discovery has been limited by translational gaps between the preclinical models and the human disease as well as unresolved questions regarding the pharmacological goal (i.e., agonism, antagonism or receptor desensitization) depending on the disease.

Organophosphates (OPs) are found in hundreds of important products used worldwide; however, they have been associated with adverse long-term health consequences ranging from neurodevelopmental deficits to age-related neurological diseases. OP exposure has also been implicated in Gulf War Illness; a cluster of medically unexplained chronic symptoms estimated to affect 25–32% of veterans of the Persian Gulf war in 1991. The development of multiple types of chronic illnesses in these veterans at an early age compared to the general population has led to the suggestion that they are experiencing signs of premature or accelerated aging. The process of cellular senescence and the development of the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) is believed to lead to chronic inflammation, chronic illnesses, as well as accelerated biological aging, and a role of environmental exposures in these processes has been suggested, but not extensively studied to date. In the studies described here, we evaluated the persistent effects of a single (acute) exposure of a representative nerve agent OP, diisopropylfluorophosphate (DFP) 4.0 mg/kg on cognitive function, noncognitive behaviors, cellular senescence markers and proinflammatory cytokines in the mouse brain. The results indicated modest, but persistent DFP-related impairments in spatial learning and working memory, but not contextual or cued fear conditioning. DFP exposure was also not associated with negative effects on weight or impairments of the various noncognitive (e.g., motor function or exploratory activity) behavioral assessments. Both histology and quantitative PCR experiments indicated that DFP was associated with persistent alterations in several senescence markers and proinflammatory cytokines in brain regions that are relevant to the performance of the memory-related tasks (e.g., hippocampus, prefrontal cortex). The results thus suggest that single acute exposures to OPs like DFP can lead to persistent impairments in specific domains of cognition that may be related to alterations in cellular senescence and inflammaging in the brain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a challenging medical issue that requires efficacious treatment options to improve long-term quality of life. Cannabidiol (CBD) is a cannabis-derived phytocannabinoid with potential health benefits, including reports from our laboratory and others showing a therapeutic role in the pre-clinical treatment of AD; however, the mechanisms whereby CBD affects AD progression remain undefined. Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are recently discovered immune cells that initiate and orchestrate inflammatory responses. ILC2, a sub-class of ILCs, is proposed to have a role in cognitive function via unknown mechanisms. In this present study, we explored whether CBD ameliorates AD symptoms via the enhancement of acetylcholine (ACh), a cholinergic neurotransmitter involved in cognition that may regulate ILC2. 5xFAD mice were chronically treated by inhalation of a formulation of broad-spectrum CBD for seven months. ACh production, ILC2s profile, brain histopathology, and long-term behavior were assessed. Together, our studies showed that long-term inhalation of CBD improved cognitive function and reduced senile plaques in a murine AD model, effects that were associated with enhanced ACh production and altered ILC2s distribution within the CNS. These findings indicate that inhaled CBD could offer a cost-effective, non-invasive, and effective treatment for managing AD. The beneficial effects of CBD inhalation may be linked to increased ACh production and an altered distribution of ILC2s, highlighting the need for further research in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The odd-odd nucleus 30Na is studied via a one-proton, one-proton-one-neutron and one-neutron removal reaction using an intermediate-energy 31Mg, 32Mg and 31Na radioactive ion beam, respectively. Combining high-resolution γ-ray spectroscopy with the selectivity of the three reaction mechanisms, we are able to distinguish multiple particle-hole configurations. Negative-parity states in 30Na are observed for the first time, providing an important measure of the excitation of the 1p1h/3p3h configuration and hence the sd-pf shell gap. The extracted band structures and level energies serve as invaluable input for the theoretical refinement of the effective interactions used in this region.

Tubulocystic renal cell carcinoma is a rare cancer that was not defined as a distinct entity until the early 2000s. Due to the recency of its classification, it remains poorly understood and leaves much room for future research. This report looks at a unique case of this rare subtype of renal cancer. This specific case is unique due to both the demographics of the affected patient and the finding of bone metaplasia within the tumor. We believe this is the first ever reported incidence of this phenomenon.

This article discusses the potential roles of gangliosides in chemical-induced neurodegenerative diseases and mental health disorders. It emphasizes the importance of environmental factors, particularly toxicants like pesticides, in the development of these illnesses. The article also mentions the use of toxic chemicals as chemical warfare agents and their potential risks to human health. It suggests that gangliosides may play a role in protecting and promoting regeneration of the central nervous system in these diseases and disorders. The article concludes by highlighting the importance of understanding the mechanisms by which chemical agents affect the nervous system and the potential therapeutic strategies involving gangliosides. Additionally, the document provides a list of references for further research on the role of gangliosides in neurological conditions. One of the articles mentioned explores the effects of sarin, a nerve agent, on individuals in Japan, providing insights into the immediate toxicity and long-term effects of sarin exposure. [Extracted from the article]

Previous studies on microtaphonomy have identified multiple types of organic microstructures in fossil vertebrates from a variety of time periods and past environmental settings. This study investigates potential taphonomic, paleoenvironmental, and paleoclimatic controls on soft tissue and cellular preservation in fossil bone. To this end, fifteen vertebrate fossils were studied: eight fossils collected from the Oligocene Sharps Formation of the Arikaree Group in Badlands National Park, South Dakota, and seven fossils from formations in the underlying White River Group, including the Oligocene Brule Formation of Badlands National Park, and the Eocene Chadron Formation of Flagstaff Rim, Wyoming; Toadstool Geologic Park, Nebraska; and Badlands National Park, South Dakota. A portion of each fossil was demineralized to identify any organic microstructures preserved within the fossils. We investigated several factors which may have influenced cellular/soft tissue decay and/or preservation pathways, including taxonomic identity, paleoclimatic conditions, depositional environment, and general diagenetic history (as interpreted through thin section analysis). Soft tissue microstructures were preserved in all fossil samples, and cellular structures morphologically consistent with osteocytes were recovered from 11 of the 15 fossil specimens. Preservation of these microstructures was found to be independent of taxonomy, paleoclimate regime, apatite crystallinity, depositional environment, and general diagenetic history, indicating that biogeochemical reactions operating within microenvironments within skeletal tissues, such as within individual osteocyte lacunae or Haversian canals, may exert stronger controls on soft tissue and biomolecular decay or stabilization than external environmental (or climatic) conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The two-proton knockout reaction Be9(Ti54,Ca52+γ) has been studied at 72 MeV/nucleon. Besides the strong feeding of the Ca52 ground state, the only other sizeable cross section proceeds to a 3- level at 3.9 MeV. There is no measurable direct yield to the first excited 2+ state at 2.6 MeV. The results illustrate the potential of such direct reactions for exploring cross-shell proton excitations in neutron-rich nuclei and confirms the doubly-magic nature of Ca52. © 2006 The American Physical Society.

The odd-odd fp-shell nucleus Sc52 was investigated using in-beam γ-ray spectroscopy following secondary fragmentation of a V55 and Cr57 cocktail beam. Aside from the known γ-ray transition at 674(5) keV, a new decay at Eγ=212(3) keV was observed. It is attributed to the depopulation of a low-lying excited level. This new state is discussed in the framework of shell-model calculations with the GXPF1, GXPF1A, and KB3G effective interactions. These calculations are found to be fairly robust for the low-lying level scheme of Sc52 irrespective of the choice of the effective interaction. In addition, the frequency of spin values predicted by the shell model is successfully modeled by a spin distribution formulated in a statistical approach with an empirical, energy-independent spin-cutoff parameter. © 2006 The American Physical Society.

Stress and stress-induced glucocorticoids have been implicated in many neuropsychiatric disorders including schizophrenia. In addition, the neurotrophin, brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been shown to play an important role in stress-mediated changes in neuroplasticity, however, the exact relationship between glucocorticoid and BDNF levels in schizophrenia is unclear. Here, we measured the levels of cortisol (a major glucocorticoid hormone in humans) and BDNF in prefrontal cortex and CSF samples of postmortem schizophrenia subjects. We also assessed the levels of cortisol and BDNF in the frontal cortex and plasma from an animal model (the offspring of prenatally stressed rats), which demonstrates several behavioral and neuroendocrine abnormalities similar to schizophrenia. A significant increase in cortisol levels was found in prefrontal cortex and CSF samples from subjects with schizophrenia. The BDNF levels were significantly lower in prefrontal cortex and CSF samples of subjects with schizophrenia (compared to age-matched controls). Data from animal studies indicated that prenatally stressed offspring have significantly higher plasma and prefrontal cortex cortisol, whereas BDNF levels were significantly lower when compared to control, non-stressed offspring. Moreover, olanzapine treatment for 45 days starting at postnatal day 60 significantly attenuated prenatal stress-induced increase in cortisol levels in prefrontal cortex, but no change in BDNF levels was observed after olanzapine treatment. A significant negative correlation between BDNF and cortisol was observed in both human and animal studies. The above data from human and animal studies suggest that a negative association between stress hormone, cortisol and neuroprotective molecule, BDNF plays an important role in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia.