Cross-interval histogram analysis of neuronal activity on multi-electrode arrays

Cross-neuron-interval histogram (CNIH) analysis has been performed in order to study correlated activity and connectivity between pairs of neurons in a spontaneously active developing cultured network of rat cortical cells. Thirty-eight histograms could be analyzed using two parameters, one for the shape and one for the average number per interval bin. The histogram shape varied gradually between flat and clearly peaked around zero interval, indicating no/abundant connectivity and direct connection pathways, respectively

Assessing the Need for a Mental Health Task Force for Aviation Science Students at Bridgewater State University

In the current landscape of aviation, the issue of mental health is of great concern, particularly among flight training students who grapple with depression in silence. A report issued by the Pilot Mental Health Aviation Rulemaking Committee in April 2024 underscored seven significant barriers impeding pilots from seeking necessary support for mental health concerns. Consequently, we completed a study aimed at understanding the prevailing mental health challenges among flight training students and identifying strategies for institutions, such as Bridgewater State University (BSU), to offer meaningful assistance. Our study consisted of a survey distributed to 14 institutions in the United States. Participants were requested to complete the Patient Health Questionnaire 9, a validated tool for assessing depression severity. More than half of the participants reported mild to severe depression symptoms, and about half of the participants cited fear of repercussions from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as a deterrent to seeking help. The majority of participants also indicated that they would not be likely to use a mental health program if one was implemented at their institution. Considering these findings, it becomes imperative for institutions like BSU to adopt effective and proactive tools that support their flight training students. These include but are not limited to, education on FAA policies, regular check-ins with students, and implementing a student mentorship program

Assessing the Need for a Mental Health Task Force for Aviation Science Students at Bridgewater State University

In the current landscape of aviation, the issue of mental health is of great concern, particularly among flight training students who have shown to grapple with depression in silence. A report issued by the Pilot Mental Health Aviation Rulemaking Committee in April 2024 underscored seven significant barriers impeding pilots from seeking necessary support for mental health concerns. Consequently, we completed a study aimed at understanding the prevailing mental health challenges among flight training students and identify strategies for institutions such as Bridgewater State University (BSU) to offer meaningful assistance. Our study consisted of a survey distributed to 14 institutions in the United States. Participants were requested to complete the Patient Health Questionnaire 9, a validated tool for assessing depression severity. More than half of the participants reported mild to severe depression, and about half of the participants cited fear of repercussions from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as a deterrent to seeking help. The majority of participants also indicated that they would not be likely to use a mental health program if one was implemented at their institution. Considering these findings, it becomes imperative for institutions like BSU to adopt tools in supporting their flight training students that are effective and proactive. These include but are not limited to, education on FAA policies, regular check-ins with students, and implementing a student mentorship program

Characterization of postharvest changes in onion and their relation with storage time

Onion (Allium cepa L.) is the most economically important Allium crop. The commercial cycle of onion starts with the harvest and expect for the bulbs a conservation in bulks or in storage area at controlled temperature and relative humidity. The storage period need a particular attention because coincides with the dormancy period, when plants stop their growth, so it is very important to prolong the storage potential as much as possible. The most important moment in onions cultivation is the moment when the dormancy start. Dormancy is a period where the biological activities of bulbs are reduced. This period starts when the climatic condition become unfavorable for the life of the bulbs, and is exactly when this period starts begin that the onions are harvested, because the consumption of energy and oxygen is low. Deterioration in store is largely due to resumption of growth. The long term aim of this project at Lund University in collaboration with Swedish Agricultural University is to find a compound that can be used as marker to determine the storage time of the onions. The objective of this MSc thesis was to develop methods and analysis to characterize onions during storage. An onion consists of different layers and they all differ from the outer shell to the center, so to monitor the ongoing biological activities in the onions during storage the three segments: outer layer, middle layer and the inner layer are studied. The results show that water activity show no correlation between samples according to harvest time. The results show some differences between growing fields, but there are similarities between the values of the bulbs from fields A and B, A and C and between C and D fields, the data show no significant differences in water activity trough the layers. The total soluble contents analysis indicates that there are not significant differences in onion according to the harvest time, while there any similarities in onion soluble content according to the analyzed layer, so it’s possible to say that each layer has different sugars content. As of the field effect is possible to say that there are similarities between field A,B and D, but those fields are significantly different from field C. The texture analysis shows that the hardness decrease from the outer to medium layers and from medium to inner layers, the growing field and the harvest time are not relevant in modifying the texture, there are also no significant difference between growing fields and harvest time. The dry matter results suggest a greatly dependence from the harvest time, and in lesser extent from the growing field. The fructan assay results shows that the most influent factors in this assay are the growing fields and the onion layer. An histochemical analysis was made to research difference in starch. This results of this study shows that the quality parameter are mostly dependent the growing field this suggest a correlation between the quality of the crop and the culture methods. Not very influent proved to be instead the harvest time, showing that the onion can keep for a long period of time the quality parameters in an acceptable range.This study have the purpose of investigate the internal changes in stored onion and attempt a correlation with the storage time. Storage time is very important for industries because is during this time that the onion have the highest loss in terms of weight, nutritional substances and water and this results in an economic loss. This study focuses on finding an index or a compound that can predict the time that onions can stay stored before sprouting. The onions were stored during a phase called dormancy. In the dormancy phase onions are sleepy, so consumption of energy and respiration are at their lowest value. At the end of dormancy the onion has a life resumption and respiration rate as metabolic index start to grow and a new sprout begin to come out from the neck. In my master degree thesis were analyzed onions from 4 different growing fields (A, B, C and D), 3 different storage time (4, 11 master and 17 weeks), each onion were divided in 3 layers (outer, middle and inner layer). The results obtained in my thesis shows: the differences in the composition of onion in the different layers, specifically the soluble solids contents (sugars, acids…) have no correlations with the storage time. Water activity analysis show an increment during storage time and this increments can be used to predict the time for storage before onions start to sprout. The results of texture analysis shows no correlation between hardness of the samples and the storage time. The dry matter content in the bulbs have shown a correlation with the storage time, decreasing during the weeks of storage. During this experimentation also the content in fructane. Fructane is composed by a long chain of fructose molecules, fructose is the sugar more present in fruit, as the name suggest, the results of fructane investigation says that can be important to analyze this compound because is positive related with hormones that can regulated the growth and life cycle of the bulbs, anyway no correlations were shown between storage time and fructane content. Essentially is possible from the results of my thesis to conclude that dry matter, activity water are correlated with the storage time. A special attention need to be put on fructane because it is not correlated to the available storage time, but is correlated with abscisic acid, an hormones that can regulate the growth of the bulbs, so can be really important to use this value to understand in which vital phase the bulbs are. About the samples that I have analyzed, from the results is possible to speculate that the decrease of fructane concentration and dry matter in the bulbs and the subsequent increment of total soluble solids can be an indicator of the end of dormancy phase. This study can be useful as a start point for more studies aimed to deepening the general knowledge about process and molecules involved in: growth, resumption of life and sprouting of vegetables and more specifically of onions

Extracellular Superoxide Dismutase Expression in Papillary Thyroid Cancer Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal Cells Modulates Cancer Cell Growth and Migration

Tumor stroma-secreted growth factors, cytokines, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) influence tumor development from early stages to the metastasis phase. Previous studies have demonstrated downregulation of ROS-producing extracellular superoxide dismutase (SOD3) in thyroid cancer cell lines although according to recent data, the expression of SOD3 at physiological levels stimulates normal and cancer cell proliferation. Therefore, to analyze the expression of SOD3 in tumor stroma, we characterized stromal cells from the thyroid. We report mutually exclusive desmoplasia and inflammation in papillary and follicular thyroid cancers and the presence of multipotent mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) in non-carcinogenic thyroids and papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). The phenotypic and differentiation characteristics of Thyroid MSCs and PTC MSCs were comparable with bone marrow MSCs. A molecular level analysis showed increased FIBROBLAST ACTIVATING PROTEIN, COLLAGEN 1 TYPE A1, TENASCIN, and SOD3 expression in PTC MSCs compared to Thyroid MSCs, suggesting the presence of MSCs with a fibrotic fingerprint in papillary thyroid cancer tumors and the autocrine-paracrine conversion of SOD3 expression, which was enhanced by cancer cells. Stromal SOD3 had a stimulatory effect on cancer cell growth and an inhibitory effect on cancer cell migration, thus indicating that SOD3 might be a novel player in thyroid tumor stroma

Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia: A Case Study Correlating Cytogenetic Abnormality with Prognosis

Advancements in medical technology today have positively impacted the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of cancers. Particularly acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) has completely improved from having the poorest prognosis to one of the best. Acute promyelocytic leukemia is a malignant disease of hematopoietic tissue classified by WHO as leukemia with \u3e20% blasts from the myeloid lineage, specifically promyelocytes. Determined in 1976, FAB classified AML subtypes M1-M7, with APL being M3. Specific characteristics classify the subtype of AML, with each resulting from a different genetic abnormality. The focus of APL diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis occurs around the known PML-RARα fusion gene. Flow cytometry, karyotyping, and FISH are all methods done within the lab to determine this genetic abnormality. These molecular methods have been crucial in dictating targeted treatment options for patients and thus improving prognosis. Throughout my internship for medical laboratory science at Rhode Island Hospital I have acquired knowledge and hands-on experience with the process of diagnosing any type of hematological disease. Using this I have accumulated real-life characteristics of acute promyelocytic leukemia and formulated a case study. The purpose of the case study is to demonstrate the process by which APL becomes evident for the patient and how it proceeds through the lab. By understanding the foundation of this disease, the importance of diagnostics comes to light. This case study focuses on a specific type of acute promyelocytic leukemia, the microgranular variant. Each step reviewed from physical examination to molecular methods contributes to prognosis. The goal in presenting this case study, along with research findings, is to emphasize the importance of diagnostic testing and the upcoming positive impacts the growing molecular lab world has on the patient population

Retarget di software in ambito avionico : il caso di un simulatore di volo per un elicottero

LAUREA MAGISTRALEIl presente lavoro rappresenta il contributo alla realizzazione di un simulatore di volo a scopo di addestramento per un particolare modello di elicottero. Si tratta di un Full Flight Simulator, che sostituisce e integra legalmente le ore di volo per il conseguimento di una certificazione, licenza o brevetto. Il nucleo di questo progetto è il cosiddetto “retarget” del software del computer di bordo (AMC), ossia il suo adattamento (porting) per l'uso all'interno del simulatore. L'apparato in questione incorpora principalmente le funzioni di FMS (Flight Management System) e di monitoraggio dello stato di salute dell'elicottero. Il retarget ha comportato la riscrittura del software di base (“Middleware”) e la ricostruzione di tutte le funzionalità di input/output per permettere la comunicazione con l'esterno, ossia col framework di simulazione o in alternativa con lo stesso sistema di test che viene utilizzato per la verifica e validazione dell'AMC vero e proprio. Tra le funzioni principali del Middleware che sono state riprodotte vi è la sincronizzazione e lo scambio di dati tra le due copie dell'AMC presenti sull'elicottero in configurazione ridondata. Si sono dovute affrontare tutte le problematiche derivanti dal cambiamento di architettura, sia hardware sia software, da un PowerPC con un sistema operativo embedded a un PC con sistema operativo Windows, come fornito dall'assemblatore del simulatore. È stata realizzata una soluzione ad hoc per il passaggio ad un'architettura con una rappresentazione dei dati (endianness) diversa, eventualità non inizialmente prevista nello sviluppo del software dell'AMC. Il codice sorgente dell'AMC è interamente scritto in Ada, tuttavia le metodologie impiegate si possono applicare, con i dovuti adattamenti, ad altri casi di porting

Gut Microbiota and Obesity in Adults and Children: The State of the Art

In recent decades, obesity has become a serious public health problem affecting both children and adults. Considering the multifactorial origin of obesity, including modifiable factors, childhood was identified as the golden age for investing in obesity prevention by both promoting proper lifestyles and actively intervening in possible triggers. The gut microbiota is at the center of the most recent scientific studies and plays a key role in obesity development because it is intimately linked to energetic-humoral variations in the host: its alterations can promote a state of excessive energy storage, and it can be manipulated to maintain energy homoeostasis. This review aims to offer a panoramic understanding of the interplay between obesity and the gut microbiota, focusing on the contribution that the gut microbiota could have to the prevention of childhood obesity and its complications in adulthood. Currently, the use of some specific probiotic strains has been shown to be able to act on some secondary metabolic consequences of obesity (such as liver steatosis and insulin resistance) without any effect on weight loss. Although definitive conclusions cannot be drawn on the real impact of probiotics and prebiotics, there is no doubt that they represent an exciting new frontier in the treatment of obesity and associated metabolic dysfunctions. Targeted studies randomized on specific populations and homogeneous for ethnicity, sex, and age are urgently needed to reach definitive conclusions about the influence of microbiota on weight. In particular, we still need more studies in the pediatric population to better understand when the switch to an obese-like gut microbiota takes place and to better comprehend the right timing of each intervention, including the use of pre/probiotics, to improve it