Category Archives: Physiology

Physiology

Exploring Eagle Hearing & Vision Capabilities To Reduce Risk At Wind Farms – CleanTechnica

Clean Power

Published on October 13th, 2020 | by U.S. Department of Energy

October 13th, 2020 by U.S. Department of Energy

Purdue University (Purdue) and the University of Minnesota (UMN) are studying the visual and auditory capabilities of bald and golden eagles to help improve the effectiveness of deterrents used around wind energy facilities. Findings from this research, which is funded by the Wind Energy Technologies Office (WETO), will be made available to eagle deterrent technology developers.

Bald eagles were removed from the endangered species list in 2007 after a strong population recovery. Golden eagles were not listed, but both eagle species are federally protected under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act (BGEPA), which prohibits the killing (or take) of eagles, unless permitted. This act requires that wind energy developers and operators do everything they can to minimize risks to eagles through methods such as careful siting, deterrents, or sensors that monitor for incoming wildlife and shut down wind turbines if an eagle approaches.

One way to reduce risks is to develop technologies that produce sound or a visual cue to deter eagles from entering the airspace around wind turbines. To develop highly effective deterrents based on sound or visual stimuli to which eagles are most sensitive, Purdue University explored both eagle hearing and vision, whereas UMN researchers studied eagle hearing and identified possible surrogate species with hearing capabilities similar to bald and golden eagles.

The Purdue research team worked with seven raptor rehabilitation centers to evaluate eagle hearing and vision ranges. They found that both bald and golden eagles have a blind spot near the tops of their heads (Figure 1) that hinders the birds ability to see a wind turbine ahead of them if looking downward (e.g., while hunting). This finding supports the need for a deterrent that is sufficiently alarming to an eagle to cause it to look up when hunting.

Figure 1. Visual field configurations of the golden eagle (left) and bald eagle (right). The Purdue University team found both species of eagles have a blind spot near the tops of their heads (bottom row). Illustration courtesy of Purdue University

The Purdue team also found that it is highly unlikely that golden or bald eagles can detect ultraviolet light. They identified candidate colors (blue/indigo and orange/red) that would be most visible to eagles against various backgrounds. Furthermore, golden eagles exhibited a higher proportion of stress-related behaviors to visual signals than to sound or light-plus-sound signals. Bald eagles showed a higher proportion of stress-related behavior to light-plus-sound signals. In other words, golden eagles are more likely to respond to visual signals, whereas bald eagles are more likely to respond to a combination of sight and sound. Both species showed some level of adaptation to stimuli over time, indicating the need for additional, randomized visual and auditory signal testing.

Purdue researchers concluded that the auditory systems of bald and golden eagles were sufficiently different to warrant species-specific deterrent signals. They discovered that:

The Purdue research team concluded that these types of signals would be good candidates for further testing with bald eagles but that deterrents for golden eagles should be complex tonal harmonics or modulated sounds that do not change very rapidly.

The UMN research team studied raptors admitted to the universitys Raptor Center for treatment and worked with Sia: the Comanche Nation Ethno-Ornithological Initiative in Cyril, Oklahoma, to assess eagle hearing ranges. Once data were collected, they developed a suite of audio test signals and worked with eagles at the Raptor Center to evaluate which of the signals generated the strongest response.

Researchers found that eagles can hear over a frequency range of at least four octaves, centered on 2 kHz, which is roughly a B note on a piano, three octaves above middle C, with an upper limit between 6 kHz and 10 kHz at 80 decibels, and a lower limit that likely extends below 0.2 kHz.

In addition to evaluating eagles physiological responses to synthetic tones, the research team evaluated the auditory properties of eagle vocalizations to better understand how their vocal repertoire might be used in a deterrent. The findings suggest that companies designing eagle deterrents should consider varying frequency and volume patterns to achieve the strongest and least-habituated responses. They also recommend against broadcasting sound outside the observed responsive frequency band of bald and golden eagles to avoid contributing unnecessarily to existing sound-pollution levels.

After exploring the usefulness of red-tailed hawks as potential surrogate species for field testing auditory deterrents, the UMN research team concluded that the hawks auditory systems are similar enough to bald and golden eagles that they may be used as surrogate species when testing new deterrent devices or signals.

This finding is important because of regulatory protections afforded eagles under the BGEPA. Being able to test on red-tailed hawks will provide a significant benefit to technology developers looking to test the usefulness of their systems prior to field trials. However, researchers noted that testing with eagles in a real-world environment, in addition to any testing on red-tailed hawks, will be critical to any deterrent validation study.

The final technical report on this research is pending publication. The University of Minnesota has published onearticleabout their research in theJournal of Comparative Physiology.

Appreciate CleanTechnicas originality? Consider becoming aCleanTechnica member, supporter, or ambassador or apatron on Patreon.

Sign up for our free daily newsletter or weekly newsletter to never miss a story.

Have a tip for CleanTechnica, want to advertise, or want to suggest a guest for our CleanTech Talk podcast? Contact us here.

Tags: Bald eagles, purdue, Purdue University, university of minnesota, US, wind turbines birds

U.S. Department of Energy The mission of the U.S. Energy Department is to ensure Americas security and prosperity by addressing its energy, environmental and nuclear challenges through transformative science and technology solutions. Learn more.

Follow this link:
Exploring Eagle Hearing & Vision Capabilities To Reduce Risk At Wind Farms - CleanTechnica

Physiology

Crop Biotechnology, physiology and translational genomics to feed and fuel the world – Newswise

Newswise October 6, 2020 Accelerated crop improvement is needed to meet both global population growth and climate change generated stresses on crops. TheCrop Biotechnology, physiology and translational genomics to feed and fuel the worldsymposium at theTranslating Visionary Science to Practice ASA, CSSA, SSSA International Annual Meetingwill address these topics.

The meeting is being held virtually, Nov. 9-13, 2020 and is hosted by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America and Soil Science Society of America. Media are invited; preregistration is required.

The presentations are:

Presentations may be watched asynchronously, and there will be a scheduled Q&A time to speak with presenters during the meeting. Presentations will be available for online viewing for 90 days after the meeting for all registrants. For more information about theTranslating Visionary Science to Practice 2020meeting,visithttps://www.acsmeetings.org/.

Media are invited to attend the conference. Pre-registration by Nov. 2, 2020 is required. Visithttps://www.acsmeetings.org/mediafor registration information.

To speak with one of the scientists, contact Susan V. Fisk, 608-273-8091,sfisk@sciencesocieties.orgto arrange an interview.

Excerpt from:
Crop Biotechnology, physiology and translational genomics to feed and fuel the world - Newswise

Physiology

NIH intramural researcher Dr. Harvey Alter wins 2020 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine – National Institutes of Health

News Release

Monday, October 5, 2020

National Institutes of Health intramural researcher Harvey J. Alter, M.D., has won the 2020 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his contributions to the discovery of the hepatitis C virus. Dr. Alter is a Senior Scholar at the NIH Clinical Centers Department of Transfusion Medicine and shares the award with Michael Houghton, Ph.D., University of Alberta, Canada, and Charles M. Rice, Ph.D., Rockefeller University, New York City.

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said, Prior to their work, the discovery of the Hepatitis A and B viruses had been critical steps forward, but the majority of blood-borne hepatitis cases remained unexplained. The discovery of Hepatitis C virus revealed the cause of the remaining cases of chronic hepatitis and made possible blood tests and new medicines that have saved millions of lives.

I am overwhelmed at the moment, but so pleased that this originally obscure virus has proven to have such a large global impact, said Dr. Alter. There are so many persons at NIH who advanced my research, but for now I can only thank NIH, itself, for creating the permissive and collaborative environment that supported these studies over the course of decades. I dont believe my contributions could have occurred anywhere else.

Dr. Alters career at NIH has spanned more than 50 years where he focused his research on the occurrence of hepatitis in patients who had received blood transfusions. In the 1970s, despite the discovery of hepatitis B, Dr. Alter saw a significant number of patients receiving blood transfusions still developed chronic hepatitis due to an unknown infectious agent. Dr. Alter and his colleagues showed that blood from these hepatitis patients could transmit the disease to chimpanzees, the only susceptible host besides humans. Subsequent studies also demonstrated that the unknown infectious agent had the characteristics of a virus. Alters methodical investigations defined a new, distinct form of chronic viral hepatitis, which became known as non-A, non-B hepatitis. His work was instrumental in leading to the development of new diagnostic and therapeutic agents and providing the scientific basis for instituting blood donor screening programs that have decreased the incidence of transfusion-transmitted hepatitis to near zero.

Harvey Alter is a scientists scientist smart, creative, dedicated, persistent, self-effacing, intensely dedicated to saving lives, said NIH Director Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D. His work to identify the nature of the hepatitis C virus has led to dramatic advances in protecting the blood supply from this very serious illness, and ultimately to the development of highly successful therapy.

Dr. Alter had focused on viral hepatitis even before his work on hepatitis C. In the 1960s, he co-discovered the Australia antigen, a key to detecting hepatitis B virus. Later, he spearheaded a project at the NIH Clinical Center that created a storehouse of blood samples used to uncover the causes and reduce the risk of transfusion-associated hepatitis. In 2000, Alter was awarded the prestigious Clinical Lasker Award. In 2002, he became the first NIH Clinical Center scientist elected to the National Academy of Sciences, and in that same year he was elected to the Institute of Medicine. In 2013, Dr. Alter was honored with the distinguished Canada Gairdner International Award.

Harvey is known for a very sharp sense of humor, a tireless, work ethic, and for treating everyone well, said James K. Gilman, M.D., chief executive officer of the NIH Clinical Center. As a long-time military physician, I am grateful to what Harvey and his co-winners have done to make it possible to provide a safe blood supply to the men and women who serve the country in uniform.

Dr. Alters co-recipient Dr. Rice has received continuous NIH funding totaling more than $67 million since 1987, primarily from NIHs National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

For more on Drs. Alter, Houghton and Rices contributions to the discovery of the hepatitis C virus, visit the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences site: https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/medicine/2020/press-release/.

About the NIH Clinical Center: The NIH Clinical Center is the worlds largest hospital entirely devoted to clinical research. It is a national resource that makes it possible to rapidly translate scientific observations and laboratory discoveries into new approaches for diagnosing, treating, and preventing disease. Over 1,600 clinical research studies are conducted at the NIH Clinical Center, including those focused on cancer, infectious diseases, blood disorders, heart disease, lung disease, alcoholism and drug abuse. For more information about the Clinical Center, visit https://clinicalcenter.nih.gov/index.html.

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH):NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit http://www.nih.gov.

NIHTurning Discovery Into Health

###

More:
NIH intramural researcher Dr. Harvey Alter wins 2020 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine - National Institutes of Health

Physiology

Exercise identified as key to halting progress from diabetes to heart disease – Study – Voxy

An international study led by the University of Otago has revealed how exercise can reduce the chance of diabetes leading on to heart disease.

The research has identified that exercise triggers the release of small sequences of genetic code in the heart called microRNA, which increase protein production to improve heart structure and function.

The study 'Exercise regulates microRNAs to preserve coronary and cardiac function in the diabetic heart has recently been published in the prestigious journal Circulation Research, one of the worlds leading publications in the field of cardiovascular medicine.

Associate Professors Daryl Schwenke and Rajesh Katare, of Otagos Department of Physiology, found that specific microRNA are adversely altered in the early stages of diabetes. These altered microRNA can reliably predict the inevitable onset of heart disease. Associate Professor Katare believes this is a pivotal new development as microRNA can serve as a reliable early biomarker for heart disease in diabetes.

"Weve proven that by using exercise as a treatment, we can increase good microRNA, and reduce bad microRNA from causing damage. Exercise effectively improves regulation of microRNA to prevent the onset and progression of heart disease," Associate Professor Schwenke says.

Along with highlighting the role of exercise in regulating microRNA, the study also shows that microRNA are a potential novel target for the therapeutic treatment of heart disease in people with chronic diabetes.

"By increasing the good microRNA using pharmacological drugs it is possible to effectively reduce heart disease in diabetic subjects. This approach is not solely reliant on exercise," Associate Professor Schwenke says.

Over 250,000 thousand New Zealanders have diabetes according to the Ministry of Health, which defines diabetes as a serious health challenge to our country.

Associate Professor Schwenke believes this research has clear long-term benefits on both the quality of life for diabetic patients with heart disease, as well as alleviating the economic burden associated with current treatment of diabetes.

"By understanding the physiological role of microRNA we can see without doubt the positive role of exercise in preventing diabetic heart disease," he adds.

The study is a collaboration between the University of Otago, Japans National Cardiovascular Research Institute, and the Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute, also of Japan.

Here is the original post:
Exercise identified as key to halting progress from diabetes to heart disease - Study - Voxy

Physiology

Molly Thompson | School of Community Health Sciences – Nevada Today

Summary Research interests

After nearly a decade of working in wildlife biology I decided to shift my research focus from wildlife conservation and physiology to human health. Most wildlife problems today are symptoms of human behavior and I believe that physical and emotional health are essential to altering destructive and dissociative human behaviors. My research interests are broad but include the interfaces of mental and physical health, topics related to traumatic experiences (e.g. denial, recovery and resiliency, and impacts to physical health), and alternative therapies that promote human health while fostering a healthier connection to the environment (e.g. gardening, creative arts rooted in upcycling, and environmentally-based service learning).

2023 (anticipated) PhD in Public Health with specialization in Epidemiology

2017 MS in Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech

2010 BS in Biological Sciences, University of California, Chico

Original post:
Molly Thompson | School of Community Health Sciences - Nevada Today

Physiology

Gene expression altered by direction of forces acting on cell | Illinois – University of Illinois News

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. Tissues and cells in the human body are subjected to a constant push and pull strained by other cells, blood pressure and fluid flow, to name a few. The type and direction of the force on a cell alters gene expression by stretching different regions of DNA, researchers at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign and collaborators in China found in a new study.

The findings could provide insights into physiology and diseases such as fibrosis, cardiovascular disease and malignant cancer, the researchers said.

Force is everywhere in the human body, and both external and internal forces can influence your body far more than you may have thought, said study leader Ning Wang, a professor of mechanical science and engineering at Illinois. These strains profoundly influence cellular behaviors and physiological functions, which are initiated at the level of gene expression.

The effects of physical forces and signals on cells, tissues and organs have been less studied than those of chemical signals and responses, yet physical forces play an important role in how cells function and respond to their environment, Wang said.

Most studies seeking to understand the mechanics of cells apply force using a microscope cantilever probe to tap a cells surface or a focused laser beam to move a tiny particle across the surface. However, these techniques can only move in one dimension. This incomplete picture leaves fundamental questions unanswered, Wang said for example, the difference in the responses to shear stress from blood flow and stretching from blood pressure.

Wang and his collaborators developed a method that allows them to move a magnetic bead in any direction, giving them a picture of the ways forces act on a cell in 3D. They call it three-dimensional magnetic twisting cytometry.

They found that the force from the magnetic bead caused a rapid increase in expression for certain genes, but the amount of the increase depended on the direction the bead moved. When the bead rolled along the long axis of the cell, the increase was the lowest, but when the force was applied perpendicularly across the short axis of the cell gene activity increased the most. When the bead was moved at a 45-degree angle or rotated in the same plane as the cell to induce shear stress, the response was intermediate.

These observations show that gene upregulation and activation are very sensitive to the mode of the applied force, when the magnitude of the force remains unchanged, Wang said.

In further experiments, the researchers found that the reason for the difference lies in the method that the forces are relayed to the cells nucleus, where DNA is housed. Cells have a network of support structures called the cytoskeleton, and the main force-bearing elements are long fibers of the protein actin. When they bend due to a force, they relay that force to the nucleus and stretch the chromosomes.

These actin fibers run lengthwise along the cell. So when the force strains them widthwise, they deform more, stretching the chromosomes more and causing greater gene activity, the researchers found. They published their findings in the journal Nature Communications.

A stress fiber is like a tense violin string. When a stress is applied across the short axis of the cell, its just like when a person plucks a violin string vertically from the strings direction to produce a louder, more forceful sound, Wang said.

The researchers next step will be to create disease models to see how different forces might help explain the mechanism of certain diseases, and to identify possible therapeutic targets or applications.

In certain diseases, such as aortic valve calcification, arterial atherosclerosis, liver fibrosis or malignant tumors, these cellular responses and adaptation go awry, causing the tissues and organs to function abnormally, Wang said. This is the first time that the mechanism of living cells different biological responses to the direction of forces at the level of genes has been revealed, so perhaps with our three-dimensional approach we can understand these diseases better.

The U.S. National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation of China supported this work. Wang is affiliated with the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, the Cancer Center at Illinois, the Carle Illinois College of Medicine, the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, the department of bioengineering and the Holonyak Micro and Nanotechnology Lab at Illinois.

Read the original:
Gene expression altered by direction of forces acting on cell | Illinois - University of Illinois News

Physiology

McMurry University announces annual alumni recognition awards – Abilene Reporter-News

McMurry University, in a news release, announced the selections made by theAlumni Association Board of Directors for the school's annual awards recognizing past graduates.

Dr. Paul E. Stubbs, who recently retired after50 years of owning and operating family dental practices in Austin and Georgetown, will receive the Distinguished Alumni Award.

Stubbs receiveda bachelor of arts degree in biology from McMurry in 1961. He also holds a master of science degree in physiology fromWayne State University College of Medicine and a doctor of dental surgery degree fromBaylor College of Dentistry.

In addition to serving on theon the faculty of McMurry College Biology Department, Stubbs, has served as presidentof both the Austin District Dental Society and Texas Dental Association board of directors. He also served the American Dental Association as chairman of theCouncil on Access, Prevention and Interprofessional Relations.

Stubbs was appointed by the governor to serve on the State Board of Dental Examiners, and was president of theWestern Regional Examining Board in 2008, and was the WREBChief Examiner for dental and dental hygiene board examinations until 2016. He received theGold Medal Service Award from the Texas Dental Association in 2013.

Stubbs, who is also a fellow in theAmerican College of Dentists and the International College of Dentists, served as ICD president in 2013, and was named a Master Fellow in 2018.

The board also namedShaun Martin, a 1999 graduate, as named the recipient of this year'sYoung Alumni Achievement Award.

Martin holds a bachelor of arts degree in communication and psychology (summa cum laude) from McMurry, and also received a master of science degree from Texas Tech University in Lubbock.

After 10 years working for Hendrick Health System, Martin served as executive director ofJunior Achievement of Abilene for three years before, in 2014,joining Atmos Energy as manager of public affairs.

Martin is servingas civic leader toGen. Maryanne Miller in the Air Force's Air Mobility Command and vice chairman of the Abilene Chamber of Commerce Military Affairs Committee. He is also on a variety of community boards, including those of the Abilene Industrial Foundation, Taylor County Expo Center and Civic Abilene.

TheAlumni Association also named five recipients of this year's Outstanding Alumni Awards. They are:Rochelle McSherry Johnson, 1986; Don Taylor, 1956;Sarah Sheppard Shaver, 2002;Tyler McCracken, 2008; andSara von Ende Orr, 1993.

The awards will be presented Oct. 17 in a closed ceremony, which will be livestreamed for theMcMurry Alumni Association.

Read or Share this story: https://www.reporternews.com/story/news/2020/09/29/mcmurry-university-announces-annual-alumni-recognition-awards/3575051001/

Originally posted here:
McMurry University announces annual alumni recognition awards - Abilene Reporter-News

Physiology

Keio University Research: Combating COVID-19: Nationwide genomic analysis to study possible reasons for the low COVID-19 mortality rate in Japan -…

https://research-highlights.keio.ac.jp/

On 21 May, 2020, the Joint Research Coronavirus Task Force was launched in Japan to promote the development of a mucosal vaccine for COVID-19 based on advanced genomic analysis.

"We will analyze 600 blood samples taken from Japanese COVID-19 patients located in approximately 100 hospitals throughout Japan," explains Takanori Kanai of the Keio University School of Medicine, who leads the task force. "One of the goals of the research is to try to understand why the mortality rate due to COVID-19 has remained significantly lower in Japan than the United States and European countries. We think it may be related to genetic differences. We want to resolve this issue and share our results with our colleagues around the world."

Background and goals

This research is being undertaken by experts affiliated with Keio University, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Osaka University, the Institute of Medical Science at the University of Tokyo, the National Center for Global Health and Medicine, the Tokyo Institute of Technology, Kitasato University, and Kyoto University.

"Our research team includes specialists in infectious diseases as well as other fields such as molecular genetics, computational science, and gastroenterology, which is my area of expertise, and is not directly related to epidemiology or infectious diseases," says Kanai. "This project was conceived by a small group of medical doctors and researchers without experience of handling infectious diseases. But the actual project is interdisciplinary, with members including ICU and medical care staff at university hospitals, community healthcare practitioners, immunologists, and even members of the general public. Ultimately, we want to contribute to society through medicine and science."

Working hypotheses for possible reasons for fewer COVID-19 deaths in Japan and Asia

The members of the task force compiled the following list of potential reasons for the low mortality rate in Japan: Japan's world-class medical system; a history of regular face mask use and attention to hygiene (including hand washing) in daily life; a culture of avoiding physical contact akin to social distancing; low expression of virus receptors; BCG vaccination; and differences in immune response due to differences in racial HLA and other polymorphisms.

Gathering samples and genetic information

The task force's goals are to establish a medical response system to predict who is at risk of contracting severe COVID-19 and develop a vaccine using proprietary technology. Genomic analysis technology is being employed to elucidate the genetic basis of the mechanisms that trigger COVID-19 infections to worsen, and thereby develop methods to fight the disease and develop a mucosal vaccine.

The team is focusing on the fact that the number of COVID-19 deaths per capita is far smaller in the Japanese population than it is in Western countries. The 600 blood samples are being studied by methods including high-resolution HLA analysis, SNP array and whole-genome sequence analysis, and T-cell repertoire analysis.

"Our analysis is being used to compare severe cases with mild and asymptomatic cases to identify genes that may be responsible for the exacerbation of COVID-19 in Japanese patients," explains Kanai. "Regarding vaccine development, predicting the target epitope is a major challenge. We are planning to use supercomputer simulations to identify potential antigens for SARS-CoV-2 based on our results for determining the genes that lead to severe cases of COVID-19 in Japanese patients."

Initial findings will be announced in September 2020

The task force plans to announce the initial findings of their research in September 2020. This will include the identities of the genes associated with triggering severe cases of COVID-19 among Japanese people that could be used to predict potential severity during early diagnostics.

"We want to use our results to produce guidelines to mitigate the dangers of overloading the medical care system during potential second or possibly third waves of COVID-19," says Kanai. "Furthermore, our immunological genetic information will be valuable for designing potential vaccines for SARS-CoV-2 for many Japanese people. We will share our results with colleagues in other countries so that they can use them to develop strategies to combat COVID-19 for their own populations."

About the researcher

Takanori Kanai Professor

Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, School of Medicine

Takanori Kanai graduated from the Keio University School of Medicine in 1988. Between 1989 and 2003 he held teaching positions at the Keio University School of Medicine, Keio Cancer Center, and Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU). He has also held distinguished positions including as a committee member of the Harvard Medical Institute Educational Program at TMDU; Section Editor of the journal Inflammatory Bowel Diseases; Associate Editor of Journal of Gastroenterology; Editorial Board Member, American Journal of Physiology and Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology; and Clinical Professor of Medicine (Visiting), TMDU. At the Keio University School of Medicine, he was appointed as an associate professor in 2007 and a professor in 2013, and he has been serving as a vice dean since 2017.

Links

COVID-19 taskforce https://www.covid19-taskforce.jp/en/home/

Takanori Kanai informationhttps://k-ris.keio.ac.jp/html/100002919_en.html

Further informationKeio UniversityOffice of Research Development and Sponsored Projects2-15-45 Mita, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8345 JapanE-mail: [emailprotected]

WebsitesKeio Universityhttps://www.keio.ac.jp/en/

Keio Research Highlightshttps://research-highlights.keio.ac.jp/

About Keio University

Keio University is a private, comprehensive university with six major campuses in the Greater Tokyo area along with a number of affiliated academic institutions. Keio prides itself on educational and research excellence in a wide range of fields and its state-of-the-art university hospital.

Keio was founded in 1858, and it is Japan's first modern institution of higher learning. Over the last century and a half, it has evolved into and continues to maintain its status as a leading university in Japan through its ongoing commitment to producing leaders of the future. Founder Yukichi Fukuzawa, a highly respected educator and one of the most important intellectuals of modern Japan, aspired for Keio to be a pioneer of new discoveries and contribute to society through learning.

SOURCE Keio University

Read the rest here:
Keio University Research: Combating COVID-19: Nationwide genomic analysis to study possible reasons for the low COVID-19 mortality rate in Japan -...

Physiology

Celebrity Chef Carla Hall and University Chancellor Dr. Robert Jones Elected to National 4-H Council Board of Trustees – PRNewswire

CHEVY CHASE, Md., Sept. 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --National 4-H Council has announced the election of two new Trustees to its Board, Carla Hall and Dr. Robert Jones. Both Trustees and 4-H alums share a deep passion for diversity in agriculture and food equity, and will further support the organization's diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.

Celebrity Chef, Cookbook Author and Tennessee 4-H alumna Carla Hall, who can currently be seen hosting Food Network's Halloween Baking Championship, was introduced to television audiences as a competitor on Bravo's "Top Chef" and "Top Chef: All Stars." She co-hosted ABC's Emmy award-winning lifestyle series, The Chew for over seven years and currently serves as a Culinary Contributor on "Good Morning America." She has an ongoing partnership with Food Network and will host additional series and specials with them this year and beyond. In addition to her television appearances, Hall hosts a podcast on the Wondery Platform called "Say Yes with Carla Hall." Hall's latest cookbook, "Carla Hall's Soul Food: Everyday and Celebration," was published in 2018, landing on annual "Best Cookbook" lists across the country and receiving an NAACP Image Awards nomination. Hall's passion for diversity in food culture, agriculture and equity in food access is rooted in her philosophy that food connects us all.

"As a chef, I have an opportunity to share my passion for food and mindful cooking with the world," says Carla Hall. "I'm excited to continue my work with 4-H in this new role and join their efforts to empower all young people as they navigate the effects of the ongoing pandemic, digital divide and widening opportunity gap," added Hall. "By providing youth and their communities across the country with access to hands-on learning experiences in food, nutrition and wellness, they'll all have an opportunity to develop healthy living skills for a lifetime, no matter their circumstances."

A Georgia native and 4-H alumnus, Dr. Robert Jones earned a bachelor's degree in agronomy from Fort Valley State College, a master's degree in crop physiology from the University of Georgia, and a doctorate in crop physiology from the University of Missouri, Columbia. He began his academic career as a faculty member at the University of Minnesota in 1978, where he spent 34 years before becoming the President of the University at Albany, one of SUNY system's leading research universities. Dr. Jones now serves as the first African-American Chancellor of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

"It is no exaggeration to say that the first step in my career was joining my local 4-H club. Those meetings were the first organized events in my life outside of church or school and they set me on a course that changed the trajectory of my life," said Jones. "I found educational opportunities that opened up a world that I never knew existed. I believe that mission is even more vital and more critical today when limited access to childhood educational opportunities leads to unacceptable upper limits on a life and career. 4-H taught me to dream big. And it is my privilege to be able to pay that gift forward today," added Jones.

As Trustees, both Hall and Dr. Jones will support National 4-H Council's strategic priorities, which include growing investment and participation in Cooperative Extension's 4-H program from six million to 10 million youth by 2025 as well as a collaboration with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Given her focus on nutrition, Hall also plans to promote wellness, youth voice and hands-on skills development amongst young people.

"As passionate advocates for young people, agriculture and promoting diversity, equity and inclusion, both Dr. Jones and Ms. Hall will move us even closer to our goal of providing all children with the opportunities they deserve so they can reach their full potential," says Jennifer Sirangelo, president and CEO of National 4-H Council. "Our new Trustees' expertise will help us to drive National 4-H Council's new campaign, Opportunity4All, which aims to rally support for Cooperative Extension's 4-H program and eliminate the opportunity gap that affects 55 million kids across America," added Sirangelo.

Carla Hall: Chef and Author Washington, D.C.Hall first won over audiences when she competed on Bravo's Top Chef and Top Chef: All Stars, where she shared her philosophy to always cook with love. She spent seven years co-hosting ABC's Emmy award winning, popular lifestyle series The Chew, and she currently appears as a Culinary Contributor on Good Morning America. In addition to her television appearances, Hall hosts a podcast on the Wondery Platform, Say Yes with Carla Hall. Her latest cookbook, Carla Hall's Soul Food: Everyday and Celebration, landed on annual 'Best Cookbook' lists across the country and received an NAACP Image Awards nomination.

Born in Nashville, TN, Hall graduated from Howard University's Business School and worked as an accountant for two years, before deciding to switch gears to work as a runway model. It was during that time, as she traveled through Europe, that she realized her deep-rooted passion for food could be her career path. Hall is very active with a number of charities and not-for-profit organizations that reflect her passion for causes close to her heart, in particular advocating for the physical and mental well being of children.

Dr. Robert Jones: Chancellor, University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignIllinoisDr. Jones became Chancellor of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2016, having previously served as President of the University at Albany, State University of New York (SUNY). A Georgia native who studied agronomy and crop physiology, Dr. Jones is an experienced and accomplished scientist and researcher, a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and a fellow of the American Society of Agronomy and the Crop Science Society of America.

During his distinguished, 34-year career at the University of Minnesota, amongst other duties, Dr. Jones had administrative and budgetary responsibilities for the offices for public engagement, equity and diversity, and played a leadership role in establishing the nation's first urban research and outreach/engagement center (UROC), which was designed to help find a solution to complex challenges in economically depressed urban communities. The center was named in Dr. Jones' honor in 2015.

About 4H4H, the nation's largest youth development organization, grows confident young people who are empowered for life today and prepared for career tomorrow. 4H programs empower nearly six million young people across the U.S. through experiences that develop critical life skills. 4H is the youth development program of our nation's Cooperative Extension System and USDA and serves every county and parish in the U.S. through a network of 110 public universities and more than 3000 local Extension offices. Globally, 4H collaborates with independent programs to empower one million youth in 50 countries. The research-backed 4H experience grows young people who are four times more likely to contribute to their communities; two times more likely to make healthier choices; two times more likely to be civically active; and two times more likely to participate in STEM programs.

Learn more about 4H at http://www.4H.org, find us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/4H and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/4H.

SOURCE National 4-H Council

Home Page

View original post here:
Celebrity Chef Carla Hall and University Chancellor Dr. Robert Jones Elected to National 4-H Council Board of Trustees - PRNewswire

Physiology

Predictive Analytics Detects Breast Cancer Spread with 90% Accuracy – HealthITAnalytics.com

September 28, 2020 -A predictive analytics method was able to detect with 90 percent accuracy which stage 0 breast cancers are likely to spread and recur, according to a study published in the American Journal of Physiology-Cell Physiology.

Approximately one in five new breast cancers are caught at their earliest stages, the researchers noted, but physicians arent able to confidently predict which of these stage 0 breast cancers are likely to recur and spread after surgery, or which forms surgery is likely to cure.

Understanding which aggressive a stage 0 cancer is likely to be will help doctors and their patients decide on the best course of treatment, which consists of removal of the tumor and a small amount of tissue followed by radiation, or removal of the entire breast.

To help providers better forecast the aggressiveness of these cancers, researchers developed a predictive analytics tool using samples from 70 patients who had stage 0 breast cancer. These patients had all undergone a mastectomy, and each had at least ten additional years of medical records available. Twenty of the 70 patients experienced a recurrence of their cancer, while 50 did not.

The team stained these tissue samples so that the proteins of interest would fluoresce under the microscope. Then, using a computer vision application, researchers created a library of microscope images associated with either aggressive or non-aggressive ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) based on what had happened to that patient.

Researchers then showed the program roughly 100 micrographs it hadnt seen before, known as holdout images, to see how well it could accurately predict whether that patients cancer was likely to recur.

The computer is looking for patterns in the images that humans cant readily discern, from the level of individual pixels up to an entire image of a million pixels, said Howard Petty, PhD, a professor of ophthalmology and visual sciences, and of microbiology and immunology at Michigan Medicine, the University of Michigans academic medical center.

The program is now able to correctly identify aggressive and non-aggressive disease 96 percent of the time, the researchers noted.

Thats pretty impressive when you consider that a human looking at these images would get the answer right about 70 percent of the time, Petty said. And weve continued to work on reducing the level of false negatives.

The tool also reported false positives in four percent of cases, meaning it identified aggressive disease in patients who did not experience recurrence.

We believe many of these examples speak to the skill of the patients surgeon, who effectively cured them of more aggressive disease in the operating room, Petty said.

Researchers plan to continue to refine the approach using additional samples, and the team expects that with further validation the tool could be approved for clinical use by the FDA within the next few years. The approach could also help providers predict the aggressiveness of similar types of cancer.

We started with a hypothesis about the biochemical mechanisms that drive cancer recurrence, tested the role of the movement of key proteins to the cell membrane in cancer recurrence and then confirmed our understanding of the underlying biology by assessing how well our explanation predicted what we actually see in patients, Petty said.

This improved understanding of the biology of cancer recurrence could also inform the development of new anti-cancer drugs.

By determining that the location of key proteins can predict a cancers aggressiveness, researchers could enhance treatment of stage 0 breast cancers.

Scientists dont really understand what leads to cancer recurrence at the molecular level and that has made it impossible to accurately predict which patients will experience a recurrence and which wont, said Petty.

What we found is that certain key enzymes collect near the cell membrane in these early breast cancers that end up being aggressive, but they dont in the cancers that are non-aggressive.

Read the rest here:
Predictive Analytics Detects Breast Cancer Spread with 90% Accuracy - HealthITAnalytics.com