High-Resolution Spectral Sleep Analysis Reveals a Novel Association Between Slow Oscillations and Memory Retention in Elderly Adults.

In recognition of the mixed associations between traditionally scored slow wave sleep and memory, we sought to explore the relationships between slow wave sleep, electroencephalographic (EEG) power spectra during sleep and overnight verbal memory retention in older adults. Participants were 101 adults without dementia (52% female, mean age 70.3 years).

Development of a Highly Selective Plasmodium falciparum Proteasome Inhibitor with Anti-malaria Activity in Humanized Mice.

Plasmodium falciparum proteasome (Pf20S) inhibitors are active against Plasmodium at multiple stages-erythrocytic, gametocyte, liver, and gamete activation stages-indicating that selective Pf20S inhibitors possess the potential to be therapeutic, prophylactic, and transmission-blocking antimalarials. Starting from a reported compound, we developed a noncovalent, macrocyclic peptide inhibitor of the malarial proteasome with high species selectivity and improved pharmacokinetic properties. The compound demonstrates specific, time-dependent inhibition of the β5 subunit of the Pf20S, kills artemisinin-sensitive and artemisinin-resistant P.

Medium Matters: A Decade of Media Consumption Predicts Positive and Negative Dimensions of Self-Perceptions of Aging.

Objectives: Media consumption over time is suggested to be a significant contributor to how people develop their self-perceptions of aging (SPA); however, this association has only been investigated with cross-sectional methodologies. The current study used growth curve modeling to examine the influence of 10 years of television, newspaper, radio, and book consumption on positive and negative dimensions of SPA.

Methods: Growth curve modeling on 4 waves of data from the German Aging Survey (N = 2,969), a population-based representative survey of adults aged 40-95, was used to examine the longitudinal associations between media consumption and SPA trajectories.

Total Cellular ATP Production Changes With Primary Substrate in MCF7 Breast Cancer Cells.

Cancer growth is predicted to require substantial rates of substrate catabolism and ATP turnover to drive unrestricted biosynthesis and cell growth. While substrate limitation can dramatically alter cell behavior, the effects of substrate limitation on total cellular ATP production rate is poorly understood. Here, we show that MCF7 breast cancer cells, given different combinations of the common cell culture substrates glucose, glutamine, and pyruvate, display ATP production rates 1.

Changing Prevalence of Potential Mediators of Aminoquinoline, Antifolate, and Artemisinin Resistance Across Uganda.

Background: In Uganda, artemether-lumefantrine is recommended for malaria treatment and sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine for chemoprevention during pregnancy, but drug resistance may limit efficacies.

Methods: Genetic polymorphisms associated with sensitivities to key drugs were characterized in samples collected from 16 sites across Uganda in 2018 and 2019 by ligase detection reaction fluorescent microsphere, molecular inversion probe, dideoxy sequencing, and quantitative polymerase chain reaction assays.

Results: Considering transporter polymorphisms associated with resistance to aminoquinolines, the prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum chloroquine resistance transporter (PfCRT) 76T decreased, but varied markedly between sites (0-46% in 2018; 0-23% in 2019); additional PfCRT polymorphisms and plasmepsin-2/3 amplifications associated elsewhere with resistance to piperaquine were not seen.

Spatiotemporal trends of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Costa Rica.

Background: Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) remains an important neglected tropical disease in Costa Rica, which has one of the largest burdens of this disease in Latin America.

Methods: We identified district-level hotspots of CL from 2006 to 2017 and conducted temporal analysis to identify where hotspots were increasing across the country.

Results: Clear patterns of CL risk were detected, with persistent hotspots located in the Caribbean region, where risk was also found to be increasing over time in some areas.

Sources and Toxicity of Mercury in the San Francisco Bay Area, Spanning California and Beyond.

This report synthesizes and evaluates published scientific literature on the environmental occurrence and biomagnification of mercury with emphasis on the San Francisco Bay Area (SFBA), California. Mercury forms various compounds, well known for their toxicity in humans and environmental ecosystems. Elemental mercury is transported and distributed by air, water, and sediments.

Resistance to Some But Not Other Dimeric Lindenane Sesquiterpenoid Esters Is Mediated by Mutations in a Esterase.

Unique lindenane sesquiterpenoid dimers from spp. were recently identified with promising antiplasmodial activity and potentially novel mechanisms of action. To gain mechanistic insights to this new class of natural products, selection of resistance to the most active antiplasmodial compound, chlorajaponilide C, was explored.

Genetic and metabolomic architecture of variation in diet restriction-mediated lifespan extension in Drosophila.

In most organisms, dietary restriction (DR) increases lifespan. However, several studies have found that genotypes within the same species vary widely in how they respond to DR. To explore the mechanisms underlying this variation, we exposed 178 inbred Drosophila melanogaster lines to a DR or ad libitum (AL) diet, and measured a panel of 105 metabolites under both diets.

A novel bioaugmentation technique effectively increases the skin-associated microbial diversity of captive eastern hellbenders.

Captive environments are maintained in hygienic ways that lack free-flowing microbes found in animals' natural environments. As a result, captive animals often have depauperate host-associated microbial communities compared to conspecifics in the wild and may have increased disease susceptibility and reduced immune function. Eastern hellbenders () have suffered precipitous population declines over the past few decades.

Lead Optimization of Second-Generation Acridones as Broad-Spectrum Antimalarials.

The global impact of malaria remains staggering despite extensive efforts to eradicate the disease. With increasing drug resistance and the absence of a clinically available vaccine, there is an urgent need for novel, affordable, and safe drugs for prevention and treatment of malaria. Previously, we described a novel antimalarial acridone chemotype that is potent against both blood-stage and liver-stage malaria parasites.

A systematic review of interventions for family caregivers who care for patients with advanced cancer at home.

Objective: To examine the characteristics of interventions to support family caregivers of patients with advanced cancer.

Methods: Five databases (CINAHL, Medline, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library) were searched for English language articles of intervention studies utilizing randomized controlled trials or quasi-experimental designs, reporting caregiver-related outcomes of interventions for family caregivers caring for patients with advanced cancer at home.

Results: A total of 11 studies met the inclusion criteria.

Reinvestigation of Mycothiazole Reveals the Penta-2,4-dien-1-ol Residue Imparts Picomolar Potency and 8 Configuration.

Reinvestigation of mycothiazole () revealed picomolar potency (IC = 0.00016, 0.00027, 0.

Plasmodium falciparum Resistance to a Lead Benzoxaborole Due to Blocked Compound Activation and Altered Ubiquitination or Sumoylation.

New antimalarial drugs are needed. The benzoxaborole AN13762 showed excellent activity against cultured , against fresh Ugandan isolates, and in murine malaria models. To gain mechanistic insights, we selected for isolates resistant to AN13762.

Developmental Transcriptomic Analysis of the Cave-Dwelling Crustacean, .

Cave animals are a fascinating group of species often demonstrating characteristics including reduced eyes and pigmentation, metabolic efficiency, and enhanced sensory systems. , an isopod crustacean, is an emerging model for cave biology. Cave and surface forms of this species differ in many characteristics, including eye size, pigmentation, and antennal length.

Practicing Leadership Skills through Peer Mentoring and Teaching: the Lived Experience of BSN Students.

Although leadership theory is introduced in baccalaureate nursing curriculum, opportunities to practice and develop leadership skills are limited for undergraduate nursing students. This study explores the experience of advanced nursing students who provided mentoring and tutoring to beginning nursing students. The experiences they describe are interpreted in light of literature on leadership education in undergraduate nursing schools, as well as that of peer mentoring and peer teaching.

Enantiomer of the novel flexible heteroarotinoid, SL-1-09, blocks cell cycle progression in breast cancer cells.

Flexible heteroarotinoids (Flex-Hets) are compounds with promising anti-cancer activities. SHetA2, a first-generation Flex-Het, has been shown to inhibit the growth of cervical, head and neck, kidney, lung, ovarian, prostate, and breast cancers. However, SHetA2's high lipophilicity, limited selectivity, low oral bioavailability, and complicated synthesis has led to the development of second-generation compounds, such as 1-(1-(naphthalen-1-yl)ethyl)-3-(4-nitrophenyl) thiourea or SL-1-09.

Chronic cadmium exposure decreases the dependency of MCF7 breast cancer cells on ERα.

Cadmium is an environmental contaminant that can activate estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) and contribute to the development and progression of breast cancer. Our lab previously demonstrated that chronic cadmium exposure alters the expression of several ERα-responsive genes and increases the malignancy of breast cancer cells. Although these studies support cadmium's function as a hormone disrupter, the role of ERα in cadmium-induced breast cancer progression remains unclear.

Improvement of Asparagine Ethylenediamines as Anti-malarial -Selective Proteasome Inhibitors.

The proteasome (Pf20S) emerged as a target for antimalarials. Pf20S inhibitors are active at multiple stages of the parasite life cycle and synergize with artemisinins, suggesting that Pf20S inhibitors have potential to be prophylactic, therapeutic, and transmission blocking as well as are useful for combination therapy. We recently reported asparagine ethylenediamines (AsnEDAs) as immunoproteasome inhibitors and modified AsnEDAs as selective Pf20S inhibitors.

Age-Related Changes on the Effects of Job Characteristics on Job Satisfaction: A Longitudinal Analysis.

Older adults constitute an increasingly large share of the workforce. Older workers often contribute positively to organizational outcomes through characteristics such as deep organizational knowledge and long-standing client relationships. Thus, it is important to understand how to maintain or increase older workers' job satisfaction, a variable that has been linked to positive work outcomes.

Discovery and Structural Optimization of Acridones as Broad-Spectrum Antimalarials.

Malaria remains one of the deadliest diseases in the world today. Novel chemoprophylactic and chemotherapeutic antimalarials are needed to support the renewed eradication agenda. We have discovered a novel antimalarial acridone chemotype with dual-stage activity against both liver-stage and blood-stage malaria.