The University of Kansas: Journals@KU
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Home range, seasonal movement patterns, and overwintering ecology in two Spotted Turtle (Clemmys guttata) populations in northwest Indiana
Get PDFLand-use change has resulted in natural habitats becoming fragmented and disjunct. Wetland ecosystemsin the United States are one example that has impacted wetland-adapted species. One species, the Spotted Turtle(Clemmys guttata), lives and relies on freshwater wetland habitats. Unfortunately, relatively little is known about thespatial and habitat requirements for C. guttata, especially in fragmented habitats. Using ground-based radio-telemetryand thermal ecology, we calculated seasonal home ranges and examined overwintering ecology for 30 adult turtlesfrom April 2022 to January 2023 at two sites in northern Indiana. We then calculated annual and seasonal (seasonalmovement areas, SMA) home ranges using 100% Minimum Convex Polygons (MCP) and annual 95%, 90%, and50% kernel density estimates (KDs). Our results show MCPs were not significantly different between sexes or sitesbut differed significantly across seasons (highest in spring). Annual KDs (95%, 90%, and 50%) did not differ betweensites. Daily mean air temperatures prior to overwintering were 12.01 °C and no turtle was recorded to have a carapacialtemperature below 0.5 °C. Results of this study show that even in these highly fragmented areas Spotted Turtles canoperate similar to other populations in more natural habitats. These data can be used to help develop managementplans for Spotted Turtle populations in disjunct and/or urban areas
Melanism in the Ring-headed Dwarf Snake, Eirenis modestus (Martin 1838) (Serpentes: Colubridae), from Symi, Greece
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Aurora kinase A in urological cancers
Get PDFAurora kinases are a family of serine/threonine kinases of whom function to preserve the integrity and fidelity of chromosomal segregation. In mammals, aurora kinase A (AurkA) is vital to the mitotic phase of the cell cycle as a consequence of its spatial and timely interactions with various types of cell cycle substrates. Since AurkA is present in all of the mammalian somatic cell cycles, it is also detectable in many different types and stages of cancers. Specific activation sites, feedback loops, and substrate interactions have been identified and linked to the progression of urological cancers. It is inarguable that the slightest hint of disorder among AurkA can disrupt the cell cycle’s ability to regulate the growth and progression of cells in all conditions due to its direct interactions with tumor suppressing molecules. Discovering that AurkA interacts with FOXO3a, PLK1, TPX2, TPX2, SPOP, YBX1 and CXCR7 in ways that were unknown before 2019 has revealed new targeted treatment options that may surpass current methodology in efficiency and length of remission. The aim of this paper is to highlight AurkA’s oncogenic role in urological cancers, in addition to emphasizing newfound pathways and mechanisms that introduce the prostate cancer research field to more options for therapeutic approaches
FOXA2 and NKX2-1 Orchestrate Neuroendocrine Lineage Plasticity in Prostate Cancer
No full textNeuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC) is a treatment-resistant subtype that arises through lineage plasticity, allowing tumor cells to bypass androgen receptor (AR)–targeted therapies. In a recent study, Lu et al. define a transcriptional and epigenetic hierarchy that drives this transdifferentiation. The pioneer factor FOXA2 initiates enhancer remodeling and regional DNA demethylation, while the neural lineage transcription factor NKX2-1 is required to complete the NE program. Together, these factors reorganize 3D chromatin architecture and activate lineage-specific genes through enhancer–promoter looping. Crucially, the histone acetyltransferase p300/CBP is essential cofactor in this process. Pharmacologic inhibition of p300/CBP with CCS1477 suppresses NE gene expression and impairs tumor growth in NEPC models. These findings offer a mechanistic insight of lineage plasticity and highlight p300/CBP as promising therapeutic targets. The study also raises key questions about the stability and reversibility of chromatin remodeling and sets a framework for understanding enhancer-driven plasticity in other cancers
“I Signed the House over to a Cat”: Humor of the Belarusian 2020–2021 Protests
Get PDFPost-electoral protests in 2020 were unprecedented in Belarus: not only in terms of their massive size and long duration, but also because of the abundant use of humor by the protesters. As a phenomenon that has both cognitive and emotional sides, humor plays an important role in political protests. It can help as a way to cope with anger and fear, but it can also mark people’s belonging to certain social groups. Using Belarusian 2020 protest posters as data sources, we explore what topics of protest humor were popular, how protest posters functioned as a prominent instrument of political activism, and why humor played such a pivotal role in 2020 Belarusian political protests. We argue that one of the most significant and appealing aspects of the use of protest humor was how it allowed individuals to express their political views in creative ways as opposed to the more simplified and straightforward rhetorical tools of authoritarian systems. With the rise of police brutality and repression against protestors, humor became a way to demarcate clear boundaries between a violent “them” and a creative, intelligent, and peaceful “us.
A Gamified Intervention to Enhance First Year Student-Athletes\u27 Academic Self-Efficacy and Well-Being: A Mixed Methods Study
Get PDFStudent-athletes hold lower academic efficacy beliefs than non-athletes (Jolly, 2008) and often report struggling with academics during their first year of college (Huml et al., 2019). Stress, burnout, and mental health concerns have increased since the pandemic, impacting academic performance and self-efficacy. Gamification can enhance motivation and self-efficacy and appeals to this generation (Kapp, 2012). The purpose of this intervention was to increase academic self-efficacy, reduce perceptions of academic stress, and shift stress mindsets in first year student-athletes. We utilized a mixed methods approach grounded in a pragmatic paradigm. Student-athletes (n = 24) and a comparable non-athlete control group (n = 35) completed measures of academic self-efficacy, perceived academic stress, and stress mindset at three points during the semester. Student-athletes attended workshops and completed tasks to practice and develop various mental tools and skills, and participated in semi-structured interviews to evaluate the program. Data analysis revealed significant differences between student-athletes and non-athletes in academic self-efficacy, one of four perceived academic stress subscales, and stress mindset (p < .001 for all) following the intervention. Student-athletes evaluated the overall program and workshops as beneficial. Qualitative data analysis produced seven themes and guided recommendations for practitioners and campus-level programming
Revisiting Interscholastic Competitive Balance: A Decade of Trends on Policy, Participation, and Public/Private Schools
No full textIn 2015, Johnson et al. completed the first comprehensive national review of interscholastic competitive balance policies that established a baseline for approaches to ensure fair and equitable high school athletic competition. The review concluded that several types of policies were created to curb the disproportionate amount of success achieved by private schools. Such policies were in addition to enrollment classifications, which are a staple of competitive balance in every state. In the decade since that evaluation, polices have evolved. The purpose of this study was to replicate the 2015 study to determine the current status of policy implementation, and identify trends that could help guide interscholastic stakeholders. Results indicated more schools exist overall, and more than half of all states have made policy adjustments. Specifically, there was a 3.2% increase in public schools (16,978), a 6.8% increase in private schools (2,760), a 150% increase in states that use enrollment multipliers (20), a 25% decrease in states that use separate playoffs (3), a 167% increase in states that use success factors (8), and a 350% increase in states that use socioeconomic factors (9). The implications of these trends related to enrollment, public/private schools, athletic success, wealth, and the theory of distributive justice are discussed.
Public Awareness of Risks Associated with Alcohol Drinking in the US: A Population-Based Cross-Sectional Survey Study
Get PDFIntroduction. Alcohol consumption is a leading preventable cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States, contributing to over 178,000 deaths annually. Despite known links to liver disease and cancer, few adults report receiving counseling on alcohol-related risks from health care professionals. Authors of this cross-sectional, population-based study assessed the prevalence of alcohol-related counseling among United States adults and identified sociodemographic and behavioral factors associated with receiving such advice.
Methods. Data were drawn from the 2022 Health Information National Trends Survey, a nationally representative sample of United States adults. The primary outcome was whether respondents reported receiving information from a health care professional about the negative health risks of alcohol use, including specific negative health consequences. Survey-weighted univariate, bivariate, and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to identify predictors of receiving counseling.
Results. Only 26.1% of respondents reported receiving alcohol-related counseling, and just 10.9% specifically were informed about liver disease. Multivariable analysis showed higher odds of counseling among adults aged 18-34 (OR = 2.43; 95% CI, 1.84-3.21), non-Hispanic Black respondents (OR = 1.45; 95% CI, 1.20-1.75), those with income under $20,000 (OR = 1.27; 95% CI, 1.02-1.59), and individuals consuming more than one alcoholic drink per week (OR = 1.40; 95% CI, 1.22-1.61). Lower odds were found among women (OR = 0.67; 95% CI, 0.59-0.77), and those worried about cancer (OR = 0.81; 95% CI, 0.67-0.96).
Conclusions. Findings highlight important gaps and disparities in alcohol-related counseling. Standardized interventions and improved outreach are needed to align prevention efforts with patient risk