Search

Cybersecurity has become increasingly important not only in the technology sector but in criminal justice professions as well, and significant challenges have arisen as a result. However, these challenges are not well discussed in the literature. To address this gap, and to study the cybersecurity trends impacting criminal justice professionals and the skills, knowledge and abilities criminal justice students need to succeed upon graduation, this research focuses on the role cybersecurity plays in the jobs that compose the main components of the criminal justice system and adjacent areas: law enforcement, the judicial process, corrections, social work, and military. This research utilizes semi-structured interviews with current and recently retired practitioners. Findings from this study revealed eight broad themes, many of which are complementary including changing technologies, generational gaps, over reliance on information technology professionals, and best practices for education composed of experiential learning, soft skills, specialized curriculum and interdisciplinary approaches.

A challenge for professional psychology programs is the assessment of students' professional competence. Despite its potential, objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) has not gained widespread use in the psychological field. However, at Umeå University and Örebro University in Sweden, the OSCE has been introduced at the Clinical psychology programs to assess professional competence. The aim of this study was to explore students' perceptions of whether and how, preparing for and performing the OSCE benefits their professional learning and prepares them for clinical practice. A web-based questionnaire was administered to 88 psychology students who completed the OSCE and field training. Most of the students perceived the OSCE as a valuable experience that benefits their learning. The OSCE prepared them for clinical practice through practical hands-on training, and by providing essential experience in client interaction, increasing students' confidence in the role as a psychologist. Students also reported that feedback from the OSCE was crucial for their ongoing learning, but that the authenticity of the examination can be improved. Based on these findings, recommendations for future OSCEs in professional psychology include appropriate preparations, providing constructive feedback as well as striving for high authenticity in the tasks of the OSCE stations.

Diterpenoid natural products serve critical functions in plant development and ecological adaptation and many diterpenoids have economic value as bioproducts. The family of class II diterpene synthases catalyzes the committed reactions in diterpenoid biosynthesis, converting a common geranylgeranyl diphosphate precursor into different bicyclic prenyl diphosphate scaffolds. Enzymatic rearrangement and modification of these precursors generate the diversity of bioactive diterpenoids. We report the crystal structure of Grindelia robusta 7,13-copalyl diphosphate synthase, GrTPS2, at 2.1 Å of resolution. GrTPS2 catalyzes the committed reaction in the biosynthesis of grindelic acid, which represents the signature metabolite in species of gumweed (Grindelia spp., Asteraceae). Grindelic acid has been explored as a potential source for drug leads and biofuel production. The GrTPS2 crystal structure adopts the conserved three-domain fold of class II diterpene synthases featuring a functional active site in the γβ-domain and a vestigial ɑ-domain. Substrate docking into the active site of the GrTPS2 apo protein structure predicted catalytic amino acids. Biochemical characterization of protein variants identified residues with impact on enzyme activity and catalytic specificity. Specifically, mutagenesis of Y457 provided mechanistic insight into the position-specific deprotonation of the intermediary carbocation to form the characteristic 7,13 double bond of 7,13-copalyl diphosphate.

Abstract: Salt marshes exist at the terrestrial-marine interface, providing important ecosystem services such as nutrient cycling and carbon sequestration. Tidal inputs play a dominant role in salt marsh porewater mixing, and terrestrially derived freshwater inputs are increasingly recognized as important sources of water and solutes to intertidal wetlands. However, there remains a critical gap in understanding the role of freshwater inputs on salt marsh hydrology, and how this may impact marsh subsurface salinity and plant productivity. Here, we address this knowledge gap by examining the hydrologic behavior, porewater salinity, and pickleweed (Sarcocornia pacifica also known as Salicornia pacifica) plant productivity along a salt marsh transect in an estuary along the central coast of California. Through the installation of a suite of hydrometric sensors and routine porewater sampling and vegetation surveys, we sought to understand how seasonal changes in terrestrial freshwater inputs impact salt marsh ecohydrologic processes. We found that salt marsh porewater salinity, shallow subsurface saturation, and pickleweed productivity are closely coupled with elevated upland water level during the winter and spring, and more influenced by tidal inputs during the summer and fall. This seasonal response indicates a switch in salt marsh hydrologic connectivity with the terrestrial upland that impacts ecosystem functioning. Through elucidating the interannual impacts of drought on salt marsh hydrology, we found that the severity of drought and historical precipitation can impact contemporary hydrologic behavior and the duration and timing of the upland-marsh hydrologic connectivity. This implies that the sensitivity of salt marshes to climate change involves a complex interaction between sea level rise and freshwater inputs that vary at seasonal to interannual timescales.

Purpose of reviewThe burdens of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and acute pancreatitis are increasing globally. We reviewed current literature on whether acute pancreatitis is a causal factor for PDAC and examined clinical manifestations of PDAC-associated acute pancreatitis.Recent findingsRecent findings detail the timing of acute pancreatitis before and after PDAC occurrence, further solidifying the evidence for PDAC-associated acute pancreatitis and for acute pancreatitis as a causal risk factor for PDAC. The risk of PDAC remains elevated above the general population in patients with distant history of acute pancreatitis. PDAC risk also increases with recurrent acute pancreatitis episodes, independent of smoking and alcohol. Mechanisms linking acute pancreatitis to PDAC include inflammation and neutrophil infiltration, which can be attenuated by suppressing inflammation and/or epigenetic modulation, thus slowing the progression of acinar-to-ductal metaplasia. Clinical presentation and management of acute pancreatitis in the context of PDAC are discussed, including challenges acute pancreatitis poses in the diagnosis and treatment of PDAC, and novel interventions for PDAC-associated acute pancreatitis.SummaryPDAC risk may be reduced with improved acute pancreatitis prevention and treatment, such as antiinflammatories or epigenetic modulators. Increased acute pancreatitis and PDAC burden warrant more research on better diagnosis and management of PDAC-associated acute pancreatitis.

It has been hypothesized that air pollution can increase an individual's susceptibility to COVID-19. Our study sought to investigate if short-term exposure to a high average level of Air Quality Index (AQI), ozone ([O.sub.3]), particulate matter (P[M.sub.2.5], P[M.sub.10]), sulfur dioxide (S[O.sub.2]), carbon monoxide (CO), and nitrogen dioxide (N[O.sub.2]) are risk factors for death from COVID-19. We conducted an unmatched case-control study to compare the risk of mortality among reported COVID-19 cases within metropolitan statistical areas in Indiana from March 31, 2020, to December 31, 2020 (N = 53,459). Air pollution concentration data at the county level were retrieved from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Pollutant concentrations for the 90 days before disease development were averaged. Data were analyzed using stepwise logistic regression accounting for median air temperature, race, ethnicity, and preexisting conditions as confounders. At the population level, individuals who were exposed to a greater average of P[M.sub.2.5] in the 90 days before the development of COVID-19 had an increased risk of death: OR = 2.16, 95% confidence interval (CI) [1.12, 18.57]. Individuals with chronic lung disease had an increased risk of death in relation to P[M.sub.10]: OR = 2.72, 95% CI [1.15, 6.43]. Short-term exposure to particulate matter may serve as a risk factor for COVID-19 mortality. Keywords: COVID-19, air pollution, Indiana, particulate matter, Introduction In 2020, the third leading cause of death in Indiana was COVID-19 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2024). Since 2020, preliminary studies have demonstrated a relationship between COVID-19 [...]

BACKGROUND: Exposure to arsenic (As) in well water is a well-documented public health issue for Maine and New Hampshire, as well as for other states in the United States and abroad. Arsenic contamination of well water in these locations is primarily attributed to metasedimentary bedrock that leaches As into groundwater. However, As can also enter groundwater reserves from soils contaminated by the historical use of arsenical pesticides. Approximately half of the households in Maine and New Hampshire rely on private wells, many of which have elevated As. Arsenic exposure has been associated with an increased risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, reduced infection resistance, and lower intelligence quotient in children. Despite these known health impacts, well water testing and treatment are not universal. OBJECTIVES: We have approached the problem of low well water testing rates in Maine and New Hampshire communities by developing the All About Arsenic (AAA) project, which engages secondary school teachers and students as citizen scientists in collecting well water samples for analysis of As and other toxic metals and supports their outreach efforts to their communities. METHODS: We assessed this project's public health impact by analyzing student data relative to existing well water quality datasets in both states. In addition, we surveyed private well owners who contributed well water samples to the project to determine the actions taken to mitigate As in well water. RESULTS: Students collected 3,070 drinking water samples for metals testing, and 752 exceeded New Hampshire's As standard of 5ppb. The AAA data has more than doubled the amount of information available to public health agencies about well water quality in multiple municipalities across both states. Students also collected information about well types and treatment systems. Their data reveal that some homeowners did not know what type of wells they had or whether they had filtration systems. Those with filtration systems were often unaware of the type of system, what the system was filtering for, or whether the system was designed to remove As. Through interviews with pilot survey participants, we learned that some had begun mitigating their exposure to As and other toxic metals in response to test results from the AAA project. DISCUSSION: A school-based approach to collecting and analyzing private well water samples can successfully reach communities with low testing rates for toxic elements, such as As and other metals. Importantly, information generated through the program can impact household decisionmaking, and students can influence local and state policymaking by sharing information in their communities. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP13421, Introduction Arsenic (As) in well water is a well-documented public health issue around the world, including in Northern New England states. Of particular note is that bladder cancer mortality rates [...]

BackgroundBlood pressure variability is increasingly linked with cerebrovascular disease and Alzheimer's disease, independent of mean blood pressure levels. Elevated blood pressure variability is also associated with attenuated cerebrovascular reactivity, which may have implications for functional hyperemia underpinning brain network connectivity. It remains unclear whether blood pressure variability is related to functional network connectivity. We examined relationships between beat-to-beat blood pressure variability and functional connectivity in brain networks vulnerable to aging and Alzheimer's disease.Methods53 community-dwelling older adults (mean [SD] age = 69.9 [7.5] years, 62.3% female) without history of dementia or clinical stroke underwent continuous blood pressure monitoring and resting state fMRI scan. Blood pressure variability was calculated as variability independent of mean. Functional connectivity was determined by resting state fMRI for several brain networks: default, salience, dorsal attention, fronto-parietal, and language. Multiple linear regression examined relationships between short-term blood pressure variability and functional network connectivity.ResultsElevated short-term blood pressure variability was associated with lower functional connectivity in the default network (systolic: standardized ß = -0.30 [95% CI -0.59, -0.01], p = .04). There were no significant associations between blood pressure variability and connectivity in other functional networks or between mean blood pressure and functional connectivity in any network.DiscussionOlder adults with elevated short-term blood pressure variability exhibit lower resting state functional connectivity in the default network. Findings support the role of blood pressure variability in neurovascular dysfunction and Alzheimer's disease. Blood pressure variability may represent an understudied early vascular risk factor for neurovascular dysfunction relevant to Alzheimer's disease, with potential therapeutic implications.

BackgroundTremor in Parkinson's disease (PD) is commonly seen in the upper extremities and can involve the lower extremities and mouth. We present a case of a patient with idiopathic PD who presented with abdominal tremor.Case reportA 40-year-old man with a 2-year history of subjective weakness and stiffness in the right arm and leg, followed by emergence of a right hand tremor, subsequently developed abdominal tremor. Patient experienced marked improvement of both abdominal and hand tremor and mobility of the right limbs with levodopa.DiscussionOur case report serves as the second only published report of abdominal tremor in an idiopathic PD patient.HighlightsTremor in Parkinson's disease (PD) commonly affects the upper and lower extremities and mouth. We describe a 40-year-old man with PD who developed abdominal tremor which was brought under control with levodopa. This case is one of only two published reports of abdominal tremor in PD.