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The Arabidopsis thaliana Kinesin Centromere-Associated Protein-E (CENP-E) Is Necessary for Proper Cell Division and Differentiation
No full textPlant growth and development relies on coordinated and timely division that produces functional cells with different fates. Checkpoints exist within each phase of the cell cycle such as the G1 checkpoint that checks for DNA damage and the G2 checkpoint that ensures that DNA has been replicated. In mitosis, the Spindle Assembly Checkpoint (SAC), another surveillance mechanism, ensures proper chromosome segregation. We have identified a protein of Arabidopsis thaliana, Centromere Associated Protein-E (CENP-E), that associates with the kinetochore protein complex which associates with the centromere of chromosomes. We call the gene AtCENPE2. An insertion mutation, which we call atcenpe2-1, affects the proper alignment of chromosomes, and causes a slower time to divide. The atcenpe2-1 mutant exhibits stunted growth, embryonic defects, and defects in male gametogenesis, and we show that the mutation is transmissible via pollen and ovules. Mutants have altered root apical meristem morphologies, as well as altered transport of auxin, known to regulate both shoot and root growth and development. Additionally, the mutation causes altered cell divisions in the leaf, resulting in abnormal development and placement of stomatal pores. This research hopes to add to the understanding of mitosis, hormonal integration and regulation of mitotic progression, and the potential link between cell division and cell fate
Comparative Analysis of Laser and LED Light Sources for Intraoral Photodynamic Therapy
No full textPhotodynamic therapy is a drug-light based treatment method that involves administration of photosensitizing drug which is a light-sensitive compound, after some hours which is known as drug-light interval, light of specific wavelength is then delivered to the targeted cell to kill the cancerous cell. ALA-PpIX based PDT uses drug (5-aminolevulinic acid) that are photosensitizing agent to accumulate more Photosensitizer (Protoporphyrin IX) on the cancerous cell, followed by light activation. ALA-PpIX based PDT is commonly used for the treatment of oral cancer, various skin conditions like actinic keratosis, basal cell carcinoma, and acne. For successful PDT treatment of any condition an essential consideration is the selection of a light source with appropriate spectral properties, power, and physical form factor for the target tissue. Many light source like LEDs of different wavelength, laser of different wavelength, and fluorescent Lamp have been used for the treatment of oral cancer and found effective in clinical settings. Due to limited access to suitable conventional treatment of oral cancer in rural clinical settings, we are specifically working on light sources that are reasonably compact, portable and low-cost for use in global health settings where oral cancer incidence is extremely high. It is important to note that the choice of light source in PDT of oral cancer depends on the photosensitizing agent. For the light to activate and excite the photosensitizer, the light emission spectrum has to match the absorption spectrum of the photosensitizer. This research compares and contrasts a red diode laser coupled to a fiber optic with peak emission wavelength of 638nm, powered with high input current of 300mA and input voltage of 2.8V versus a red LED light source with a broader emission spectrum centered at 631nm, powered without heat sink and runs with a low input current of 70mA and input voltage of 3V. The light emitting diode, intended to be used at the lesion site (without fiber coupling) produces a relatively low output power of 11mW (irradiance of 16mW/cm2) compared to the laser source with output power of 100mW and irradiance of 141mW/cm2. Both light source were evaluated for PDT treatment of oral cancer cell (TR146) using 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) as the photosensitizing agent. The result revealed that both LED and diode laser are effective for PDT treatment though the laser achieved better PDT cytotoxic response. Overall, our results suggest that the constraints of LED operation inside the oral cavity without active heat dissipation render it less effective in comparison to the fiber-coupled laser with relatively high driving current enabled by external heat dissipation
Solar Radiation Modification Governance in the Context of Temperature Overshoot
Get PDFAs the climate crisis escalates, governments—and recently even those in the wealthier countries in the Global North—are struggling to manage the impacts we are experiencing around the world in frightening abundance, including record-setting temperatures, fires, floods, and glacial and ice melt. Behind closed doors, policymakers are concerned as they contemplate the increasing likelihood, even under the most ambitious emission reduction pathways, that the world will overshoot the goal agreed upon in the Paris Agreement to limit global average temperature rise to 1.5oC beyond pre-industrial levels.
It is in this “overshoot context” that interest is growing in an emerging, potentially supplementary technique that could be used as an emergency measure to intentionally alter the climate called solar radiation modification (SRM), also referred to as solar geoengineering. This article explores what SRM is; why interest is growing in better understanding the potential risks, benefits, and governance challenges of making use of such techniques compared to not making use of SRM; and why SRM urgently needs governance. Governance refers to structures, processes, and actions through which private and public actors interact to address societal goals at national and international levels
The Gulf: An Appeal for More Coordinated Action on Climate Change
Get PDFThis article seeks to provide the rationale behind Iraqi Prime Minister Al-Sudani’s call at the United Nations for the formation of a negotiating group within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change process that brings together all member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Iraq, and Iran. This article argues that these countries would benefit doubly from such an arrangement, because it would help them better address the direct effects of climate change, on the one hand, and to better address the effects of the measures taken to address climate change, which will affect them as fossil fuel producers, on the other hand. The article cites the example of the Independent Alliance of Latin America and the Caribbean (AILAC), which could serve as a model for this prospective new grouping
Transition to College: Educators Can Make it Happen!
Get PDFEducators play a vital role in setting expectations and sharing resources with students and families who are interested in college. This resource includes steps educators and transition professionals can take to help students with intellectual disability (ID) and their families to explore college options
Exploring College for Students with Intellectual Disability: Families Make it Happen!
Get PDFFamilies play an important role in making college possible for students with intellectual disability (ID)! This resource provides information on college options for students with ID and steps families can take to learn more and support students in exploring the option of college
Evaluating Strategic Leadership Development Programs
Get PDFCompanies that lack an in-depth understanding of leadership development program evaluation may invest in a program that achieves suboptimal results. However, there is no generally prescribed framework for the evaluation of leadership development programs. Thus, the purpose of this action research paper is to provide the basis for vetting leadership development programs based on their organizational fit and investment value, training methodologies, workplace development approaches, coaching and development support, and targeted business outcomes
Part-Time Students/Full Time Lives: Underserving Part-Time Community College Students
No full textIn Massachusetts and across the nation, the percentage of community college students who attend part-time averages more than 60% (Massachusetts Department of Higher Education, 2023; AACC, 2023). Additionally, approximately 80% of students have been enrolled part-time for some of their time in community college (CCSSE, 2018). However, despite their substantial representation at community colleges, this population has historically been not only underrepresented in both quantitative and qualitative scholarship on community college students, but mostly cast in a negative light. Also, part-time students have been overlooked by recent reform efforts aimed primarily at retention, persistence, and graduation (Mann Levesque, 2018). This exploratory interview study of 15 students (10 enrolled; five stopped out) from four Massachusetts community colleges sought to re-frame dominant narratives by centering part-time students’ voices. This study used Perna’s (2006) Proposed Conceptual Model of Student College Choice to examine students’ reasons for attending community college part-time. The study indicated that part-time students’ academic, personal, and professional goals and needs vary widely, and many are exercising their personal agency to achieve these goals and meet these needs. Specifically, I found that (1) students were choosing between community college and not entering higher education instead of choosing among different types of institutions; (2) students did not decide to stay enrolled or leave college specifically due to experiences with faculty, advising, or financial aid; (3) students felt comfortable leaving and returning to their local community college; (4) students engage in intentional choice-making based on the information they have to determine when to stay and when to leave; and (5) students’ workplace served as a form of social and cultural capital for some first-generation and immigrant college students. The findings led me to adapt Perna’s (2006) model into a Part-Time Community College Choice and Persistence Model to show how students draw on their own situated contexts to make intentional decisions around enrollment and persistence. The dissertation concludes with implications for future research and practice
Municipal Perspectives on Managed Retreat
No full textAs coastal municipalities work to address the impacts of climate change, they need access to a variety of strategies. One under-utilized option is managed retreat. To better understand benefits and barriers to retreat, UHI conducted a survey of staff in coastal municipalities throughout Massachusetts. Responses from 47 municipalities showed that while some have considered retreat as a way to mitigate flooding and sea level rise impacts, few are implementing the strategy. The findings of this research, including open-ended responses in the appendix, can guide development of tools and resources to advance managed retreat
Engaging the Adult Learner: An Action Research Study on Delivering Effective Online Learning Experiences
Get PDFSince the pandemic of 2020, there has been a vast increase of adults learning online. Today, online learning is the most popular learning approach among adult learners. However, many adults have faced obstacles and challenges when learning online, resulting in a poor learning experience. Online learning is a modality that has become the forefront of learning in our society and continues to grow more and more popular, which makes it a critically important research area. This paper discusses adult learners and their most common challenges and obstacles when learning online and suggestions on how to avoid them. A positionality statement of my own experience as an instructional designer is included as well as peer-reviewed literature on relevant methodologies and learning theories. Interviews were conducted using open-ended questioning with adult learners from different backgrounds and levels of computer skills to learn about their positive and negative online learning experiences. Instructional designers were surveyed to capture insight on their experiences on implementing online learning modalities. The paper concludes with a list of recommendations and best practices that instructional designers can utilize to assist them in producing effective online learning experiences for adult learners