Monthly Archives: September 2023

Archer said the accomplishments of the RIVER program thus far are particularly impressive considering the program has only been in place for five years. (Image courtesy of Steve McCaw / NIEHS)

Recipients of the NIEHS Outstanding New Environmental Scientists (ONES) and Revolutionizing Innovative, Visionary Environmental Health Research (RIVER) awards gathered at NIEHS for a symposium July 27-28 to discuss their scientific endeavors and forge new connections. More than two dozen plenary talks and nearly as many poster presentations reflected the breadth of the funded research, covering topics that ranged from assessing the impact of indoor air quality on children to pinpointing the mechanisms of chromosome instability in blue whales.

These flagship programs focus on funding people versus projects, said NIEHS Deputy Director Trevor Archer, Ph.D. The researchers we support have demonstrated vision, foresight, and thinking about how environmental science is going to progress over the next decade, and they are enormously successful in building bold and exciting new ideas.

Justin Colacino, Ph.D., of the University of Michigan presented a plenary talk on his ONES grant, which was so successful that he was able to renew it on the first try. Colacinos project focuses on development, stem cells, and breast cancer disparities.

There are really profound disparities in breast cancer incidence and outcomes, said Colacino. Breast cancer mortality rates in Black women compared to Asian women, for instance, are two to three times higher. And we dont have a great handle on whats going on.

Colacino explained what research from his lab and others has shown thus far.

We still have a whole lot of work to do, said Colacino. This support from NIEHS has been a springboard for my career. Im so grateful for the opportunity.

Outside Rodbell Auditorium, the air buzzed with energy as researchers flitted from poster to poster, eagerly making new contacts and absorbing fresh insights.

Its so great to see so many people whose work Ive read and admired in the same room, said ONES awardee Amy Padula, Ph.D., of the University of California, San Francisco, as she presented her poster on the impact of wildfires on preterm birth. I have a long list of people to talk to, and I havent gotten to everybody yet.

In addition to the plenaries and posters, a panel of senior researchers described how they parlayed their ONES award into the prestigious RIVER award. Many of the panelists joked about the daunting task of compressing more than 15 years of their lives into 10 minutes before dutifully regaling the audience with stories of scientific successes and setbacks.

Sequestration hit when I was trying to renew my ONES and was going up for tenure, so that was a challenging time, said Patricia Opresko, Ph.D., of the University of Pittsburgh as she presented a timeline of her career overlaid with grant numbers. But I like to think of all those smaller mid-career grants as stepping stones that eventually led me to the RIVER.

During the Q&A, ONES awardee Alessandro Venosa, Ph.D., of the University of Utah asked whether the panelists thought it was the science itself or the connections they made as ONES recipients that eventually helped them transition to a RIVER award.

For me, it was both, because the ONES was really generous and allowed me to explore a lot of new boundaries beyond the three aims typical of other grants, said Yu-Ying He, Ph.D., of the University of Chicago and former NIEHS posdoc. The collaborations also made those new directions possible and pushed me to think outside the box.

Citations: Nguyen VK, Kahana A, Heidt J, Polemi K, Kvasnicka J, Jolliet O, Colacino JA. 2020. A comprehensive analysis of racial disparities in chemical biomarker concentrations in United States women, 1999-2014. Environ Int 137:105496.

Thong T, Fort CA, Hill EM, Colacino JA. Environmental exposures, stem cells, and cancer. 2019. Pharmacol Ther 204:107398.

Polemi KM, Nguyen VK, Heidt J, Kahana A, Jolliet O, Colacino JA. 2021. Identifying the link between chemical exposures and breast cancer in African American women via integrated in vitro and exposure biomarker data. Toxicology 463:152964.

(Marla Broadfoot, Ph.D., is a contract writer for the NIEHS Office of Communications and Public Liaison.)

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September 2023: Innovative researchers celebrate scientific ... - Environmental Factor Newsletter

Like many athletes, Hoyos placed immense pressure on herself throughout her golf career to overcome challenges and succeed. These high expectations, coupled with a perfectionist mind frame, held her back from executing and enjoying the sport she grew up loving.

Hoyos realized she had to make a mental change if she wanted to be great. During matches, she started letting go and not allow a bad shot to determine the outcome of her overall performance. Hoyos credits her strong mentality as the catalyst for change during her last season at Lynn.

Letting go is the best course of action, said Hoyos. How you react to moments of stress will determine the outcome.

This positive mindset elevated her game and validated her position as a high-caliber athlete. On the last day of Nationals, Coach Keith Larson officially announced that Hoyos won the PING Womens Golf Association (WGCA) Division II Player of the Year award. In addition, Hoyos earned WGCA First Team All-American honors, she was a WGCA All-South Region first-team honoree, the 2023 Sunshine State Conference Golfer of the Year with First-Team All-SSC honors and was also a Honda DII Athlete of the Year finalist. With her new mentality for the game and support from her teammates, she felt on top of the world. It was a great season for me and the whole team. My season at Lynn was a perfect way to end my career as a collegiate athlete.

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Progress over perfectionism - Lynn University

Representatives with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District hosted a public meeting to discuss a Formerly Used Defense Site, or FUDS, project with Clark County residents July 25 at the Aliante Library in Las Vegas.

Geophysicists, munitions experts, chemists and program managers with the South Pacific Divisions Sacramento and Albuquerque districts answered questions about the Nellis Remedial Action Munitions Response Site 03 FUDS Project.

Once the remediation process is complete, the city will benefit by being able to use the land that once presented a potential hazard, said Harry Hendler, Los Angeles District environmental lead and FUDS program manager.

The Department of Defense is responsible for environmental restoration of properties that were formerly owned by, leased to, or otherwise possessed by, the U.S. and under the jurisdiction of the U.S. secretary of defense before October 1986. The Corps executes the program pursuant to the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liabilities Act.

MRS 03 is currently in the remedial investigation phase, but after cleanup is completed, the City of North Las Vegas plans to develop the MRS 03 site into a restaurant and entertainment center (will be zoned as commercial area) to support future UNLV-north campus and nearby communities in North Las Vegas, wrote Kay Chang-Minami, Los Angeles District FUDS project manager, in a provided statement.

There are more than 10,000 potential FUDS properties across the country and its territories ranging in sizes from less than an acre to hundreds of thousands of acres. The FUDS areas can be found in industrial or residential areas as well as on federal, tribal or state properties.

Nellis MRS 03 FUDS Project is going well, Chang-Minami said. Stakeholders are currently reviewing the draft final Quality Assurance Project Plan as it relates to remedial investigation process.

The Corps is dedicated to protecting human health and the environment by investigating and, if required, cleaning up potential contamination or munitions that may remain on these properties from past Department of Defense activities.

Investigation is currently scheduled to start in January 2024 after the holidays, Chang-Minami added.

As of Sept. 30, 2021, approximately 5,400 FUDS areas nationwide have been identified for investigation and cleanup.

The LA District supports the public and military in Arizona with a variety of projects and planning, engineering, construction and environmental services. Projects include flood-risk management, navigation, recreation, and infrastructure and environmental stewardship.

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LA District FUDS team makes progress on Nellis Remedial Action ... - spl.usace.army.mil

(SACRAMENTO)

If youre driving in the area of Highway 50 and E. Bidwell Street in Folsom, you may notice new signs of progress on UC Davis Healths planned medical campus. Crews are preparing the site for the first of three projects: a 112,000 square foot outpatient clinic. Two new signs also proclaim the area the future home of the Folsom Center for Health.

One of the signs was unveiled on Friday in an event at the worksite. A construction worker used a crane to remove a drape that was covering it, revealing the name and the partners behind the project: UC Davis Health, contractor Rudolph and Sletten, designers LPAS Architecture and Design and Boulder Associates and construction management team Jacobs.

UC Davis Health leaders, partners and officials from the City of Folsom were on hand for the event.

Were excited to be moving forward on this critical project to expand and innovate patient care in Folsom, said Mike Condrin, interim chief administrator for UC Davis Medical Center and chief operating officer for UC Davis Health Hospital Division. Weve been caring for Folsom for more than two decades, and this project will allow us to consolidate and grow primary and specialty care in the area while modernizing at the same time.

The new three-story outpatient clinic, called the Folsom Medical Office Building, will include primary and specialty care, a lab for blood draws, ophthalmology and an optic shop. It will also feature imaging and an infusion suite offering treatments for cancer patients and other services. The building will have unobstructed views of the Sierra foothills.

The City of Folsom is excited to celebrate the progress of UC Davis Healths future medical campus in Folsom Ranch, said Folsom Mayor Rosario Rodriguez. With groundwork already underway, this expansion will ensure the health and wellness of our residents by providing top-tier, accessible outpatient medical care close to home. With 40 acres dedicated to this campus, UC Davis Health is positioned to expand alongside the city, planning for the Folsom communitys needs today and for many generations.

The $171 million medical building, set to be completed in 2025, is the first of several projects planned for the lot at the southwest corner of Highway 50 and E. Bidwell, in Folsom Ranch. Also planned are a surgery center, a hotel and a micro-hospital with an emergency department with up to 30 beds. The project will evolve with the areas needs, notes Condrin.

The beauty of this project is that we can adapt and grow with the community. Our goal is to provide the services people need from maternity care to advanced imaging close to home so that people dont need to drive to Sacramento to get specialty care, Condrin explained.

The new health campus will utilize the latest in technology, with a focus on delivering more care outside of the hospital, in outpatient centers, clinics or at home, reducing costs and making patients more comfortable.

UC Davis Health is following the University of California Sustainable Practices Policy for the project, ensuring that energy efficiency, water conservation, waste reduction and efficient transportation are incorporated in the design from the beginning.

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Signs of progress on new Folsom Medical Office Building - UC Davis Health

PARIS Volkan Oezdemir showed off his ground game at UFC Fight Night 226.

Oezdemir (19-7 MMA, 7-6 UFC) submitted Bogdan Guskov (14-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC) with a rear-naked choke in the first round in Saturdays main card at Accor Arena in Paris. Oezdemir credits his time training at All Star Gym in Sweden with Khamzat Chimaev, which led to his first submission win since 2012.

I took it how it came, but I also put a lot of emphasis on my ground, Oezdemir told reporters at the UFC Fight Night 226 post-fight news conference. Now Ive been training at All Star for my third camp. I feel really great. The first two camps were back-to-back. I just came, it was like eight weeks before the fight. So, full camp, a lot of volume, three to four trainings a day, really hard.

Training with Khamzat, it was really tough. It put a toll on the body, then I was off two weeks vacation, come back again, another camp, felt overtrained, but fought. But now with the offseason, being able to train now, I can feel the progression, work on my techniques, understand all the concepts they can propose, and now you can see that in my fight.

Oezdemir gained confidence in knowing that if he can handle Chimaevs wrestling in the practice room, no one should trouble him in a fight. He plans on helping him out for his upcoming fight against Paulo Costa at UFC 294 on Oct. 21 in Abu Dhabi.

Once youre able to protect a takedown, just stand back up against this guy, you know youre going to be able to do that against everybody else, Oezdemir said. Just the input he puts, the volume, and the intensity he brings all the camp, its really amazing. So, now hes training in Abu Dhabi, Im going to also be following him during the last phase of his camp preparing for his next fight.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkies event hub for UFC Fight Night 226.

Story originally appeared on MMA Junkie

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UFC Fight Night 226 winner Volkan Oezdemir pleased with progress after training with Khamzat Chimaev - Yahoo Sports

Saturday's 10-0 rout of the host Chicago White Sox assured the Detroit Tigers of a winning record against American League Central foes this season.

Has Bill Belichick lost his touch? | Agree to Disagree

While Detroit (62-74) resides in third place in the division entering Sunday's series finale in Chicago, the accomplishment still is something for the rebuilding organization to tout.

"We're proud of that because we play each of these teams very well," Tigers manager AJ Hinch said. "Obviously, we need to clean up some things against other teams and we have a lot of work to do, but if you're going to win your division and start pushing us in the right direction to where we want to get to, that's an ingredient. So we know we can do it, we know we can match up against these guys."

The Tigers took a 5-4 lead in the season series against the White Sox (53-83) with four meetings between the clubs remaining.

Detroit collected a season-high 18 hits on Saturday, led by a 4-for-5 effort from Miguel Cabrera, who recorded the 49th four-hit game of his career.

Five other Tigers finished with multi-hit games, while three pitchers combined on a four-hit shutout.

Left-hander Tarik Skubal (3-3, 3.93 ERA) will try to pitch Detroit to a three-game series sweep of Chicago, which has lost four of its last five games.

Skubal pitched to a 3.45 ERA in five August starts covering 28 2/3 innings but is coming off a Tuesday loss in which two of the four hits allowed to the New York Yankees were home runs. Skubal delivered a quality start nonetheless as he was effective with his changeup.

"I was pretty confident in it. ... I felt like I was able to keep them off-balance," he said.

Right-hander Michael Kopech (5-12, 5.08) will get the call for Chicago as he tries for some success in the second half.

Kopech is 1-4 with a 7.39 ERA in his past seven starts and hasn't worked more than 5 1/3 innings during that span.

"It's easy to kind of let your mind spin down that hole a little bit (and) get to a point of woe is me,'" Kopech said. "Ultimately, that only leads to more issues, to more negativity, to not trusting yourself. And getting out of that (mindset) is the best way to overcome in this game as a team and as an individual.

"And there's been times this year where I struggled to get out of it."

Kopech had one of his better starts of the season against the Tigers on June 4, spacing two runs and three hits in seven innings of a no-decision. In seven career appearances against Detroit, including six starts, he is 1-1 with a 3.63 ERA.

Skubal, who has not faced the White Sox this season, is 3-2 with a 6.11 ERA in six career starts vs. them.

White Sox center fielder Luis Robert Jr. was a late scratch Saturday after experiencing right quad tightness. Robert ranks second in the AL with 35 home runs.

Field Level Media

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Seeing signs of progress, Tigers take on White Sox - Deadspin

ASIA

Despite many ongoing regional integration processes, we have yet to achieve equal opportunities when it comes to the international mobility of students, professionals and skilled workers. Several factors contribute to this reality, with the recognition of higher education qualifications being a critical one that can either facilitate or hinder such mobility.

Academic recognition

The significance of academic recognition has become apparent with the growing numbers of international students studying in various countries. This has led to a rising demand to assess and recognise foreign qualifications acquired by domestic students, ensuring their equivalence with domestic qualifications.

Academic recognition also includes recognition of domestic qualifications by other countries. This can drive countries to prioritise academic recognition. The main goal should be establishing two-way recognition, ensuring qualifications are mutually recognised. By emphasising this, countries can foster comprehensive and inclusive academic recognition that benefits individuals and promotes international collaboration.

This is particularly relevant as numerous countries aspire to become new higher education hubs. Enhancing the recognition of qualifications offered by these hubs becomes crucial to bolstering their appeal to both domestic and international students.

Academic recognition serves two main purposes: facilitating further studies and enhancing employment prospects. In the context of further studies, there are generally fewer obstacles and barriers to overcome since university admission criteria tend to be more flexible, driven by competition to attract international students.

However, recognising qualifications for employment opportunities is a more complicated process involving the higher education sector and various other stakeholders, such as immigration, industry and human resource experts.

Skills recognition plays a pivotal role in facilitating skills migration, particularly in countries that are facing labour shortages. However, countries striving to achieve full employment may opt to implement protective measures to regulate the influx of skilled workers.

Academic recognition is gaining relevance for many countries, extending beyond the few traditionally regarded as the primary sending and receiving countries of international students. The stakes are high as we collectively move towards a more interconnected and globalised future.

UNESCOs recognition conventions

For the past half-century, UNESCO has been at the forefront of promoting the recognition of qualifications concerning higher education, making it a flagship activity. The first generation of regional conventions concerning academic recognition emerged in the 1970s, driven by the imperative of fostering intellectual solidarity and international understanding.

Europe spearheaded the initiation of the second generation of regional recognition conventions by adopting the Lisbon Convention in 1997. This was followed by Asia and the Pacific, which adopted the Tokyo Convention in 2011 which entered into force in 2018.

Subsequently, we have witnessed the development and implementation of the second generation of regional recognition conventions in Africa, and Latin America and the Caribbean.

The emergence of the second generation of regional recognition conventions can be attributed to regional integration, technological advancements and globalisation. These developments eventually paved the way for the development of UNESCOs Global Convention on Higher Education, which entered into force after obtaining the necessary number of ratifications earlier this year.

By utilising recognition as a strategic entry point for UNESCOs engagement in higher education, we forge a vital connection between recognition, quality assurance and qualifications frameworks, thereby facilitating the smooth cross-border mobility of students and professionals.

The main objective is promoting and strengthening international cooperation in higher education, ensuring that academic recognition, quality assurance and mobility resonate synchronously, leading to a more accessible and globally connected higher education landscape.

Central Asian countries have the potential to serve as a vital link between Asia-Pacific and Europe by actively ratifying and implementing both the Tokyo and the Global convention, which are complementary.

By being parties to these conventions, Central Asian countries can collaborate with other parties to foster mutual recognition arrangements, advance the development of recognition tools and access capacity-building opportunities, thereby expanding their influence and contributing to the international higher education community.

Expanding recognition portfolios

The establishment and functioning of competent recognition authorities and national information centres (NICs) serve as vital implementation mechanisms for the UNESCO recognition conventions.

It is worth noting that these entities may differ in their organisational structure across countries. In certain countries, they are distinct and operate as separate entities; in others, they function as a unified entity.

Irrespective of their structure in different countries, their primary objective is to promote inclusivity by encouraging all parties to the conventions to expand their recognition services to cover diverse qualifications acquired through various delivery methods, including online and blended learning as well as micro-credentials.

While it is essential to prioritise the recognition of traditional school-leaving diplomas, certificates and standardised tests for higher education access, we must also tackle the growing diversity of learning programmes offered by the growing number of learning providers utilising advanced technologies. To achieve this, we must align our recognition portfolio with the increasing adoption of flexible learning pathways.

We need to shift our mindset regarding online and blended learning, integrating them seamlessly into the national higher education ecosystem. In other words, they should be perceived not merely as contingency or back-up plans for emergencies but as essential and integral components of the higher education system.

There has been a remarkable surge in efforts to streamline learning programmes across different countries and regions. Micro-credential programmes have been introduced to boost the agility, relevance and quality of higher education offerings. To meet this demand, our recognition authorities, including higher education providers, must be sufficiently equipped to provide recognition services for these micro-credential programmes.

Information-sharing

According to UNESCOs conventions on academic recognition, the main approach to recognition should involve comparing qualification information between countries to assess substantial differences. Therefore, the establishment and efficient operation of NICs are of paramount importance.

This work should already have been established within relevant ministries as public information and outreach are integral components of their regular responsibilities. However, in many cases, the need for standardised templates to share information on higher education systems is evident. Furthermore, the absence of international language options can exacerbate this challenge.

The conventions have delineated specific focus areas for NICs regarding their information provision, including a comprehensive list of recognised or accredited higher education institutions, national quality assurance systems, qualifications frameworks and more.

Robust research support is fundamental for NICs to ensure that all the provided information is well-developed and consistently updated. Asia and the Pacific are home to several well-established and functioning NICs in countries like Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand and the Republic of Korea.

Nevertheless, some countries in the region are still in the process of developing their NICs. Encouraging mutual learning and support among these centres will be vital in building capacity and strengthening the network of NICs in the region.

Interregional cooperation, especially between Asia-Pacific and Europe, plays a crucial role in mobilising experiences and expertise for capacity building. This cooperation can be further reinforced by acknowledging that half of the 12 countries that have ratified the Tokyo Convention are also parties to the Lisbon Convention, including Armenia, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, Turkey and the Holy See.

We strongly urge the Central Asian countries to expedite their ratification of UNESCO conventions on higher education, as this will foster greater collaboration and collective progress in the region.

Brain drain, gain and circulation

Facilitating academic recognition significantly removes barriers to the cross-border mobility of students and professionals, thereby contributing to enhanced access, quality and equity in higher education provision.

However, sending countries often face challenges associated with brain drain, as the departure of talented individuals contributes to the brain gain experienced by many receiving countries.

We need to get past the concepts of brain drain and brain gain and instead embrace the idea of brain circulation. This approach allows talented individuals to have equal opportunities to move across borders, contributing their skills locally, internationally and globally, thus fostering a more interconnected and collaborative global community.

To achieve this, the implementation of well-balanced policies is crucial. These policies should minimise risks, maximise opportunities and create mutually beneficial outcomes for both sending and receiving countries. Enhanced mobility, supported by fair, transparent and effective academic recognition mechanisms, will be vital in realising these objectives.

Libing Wang is director (ad interim) of the UNESCO Multisectoral Regional Office in Bangkok, Thailand. This is a lightly adapted version of a keynote speech delivered at the recent International Conference on Central Asia as the Next Higher Education Hub, held in Tashkent, the Republic of Uzbekistan.

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Qualifications recognition: A door to collective progress - University World News

DECATUR As one of the first visitors to the 2023 Farm Progress Show, New Berlin resident Kevin Bilyeu and a few family members waited for the gates to open before 7 a.m. Tuesday in the dewy fields of Progress City USA in Decatur.

We just want to walk around and see everything, he said about the vendors who are highlighting the latest in ag-related products and technology.

The Farm Progress Show began its three-day run Tuesday with a sizeable crowd throughout the day eager to take in the event.

The family arrived early to beat the crowds. This was their first visit to the international agricultural event. But it wasnt too bad, Bilyeu said. We got right in here.

This year marks the 70th anniversary for the Farm Progress Show.

Matt Jungmann, the national events director for Farm Progress, has been a part of the annual agriculture event since 1995. The weather, crowds and traffic were cooperating with the staff and volunteers by early Tuesday morning, he said.

Everything looks great, Jungmann said. You cant ask for much more.

Decatur hosts the Farm Progress Show every other year, alternating with a permanent site in Boone, Iowa.

A study by the company that owns the Farm Progress Show estimated that the three-day show, which takes two months to prep and several weeks after it ends to tear down, will pump $31 million into the host community's economy through direct and indirect dollars spent by visitors, exhibitors and local suppliers. It's also estimated that 9,000 hotel rooms will be booked in Central Illinois as a result of the show.

The first arriving crowds to the 2023 Farm Progress Show were greeted by several songs from the University of Illinois Marching Band during the opening ceremonies sponsored by the Illinois-based Wyffels Hybrids.

Although the weather has been a concern for farmers throughout the country, Wyffels District Sales Manager Mike Earles had communicated with many local farmers before the Farm Progress Shows opening ceremony and learned their fields were showing positive results.

Our crops have still been up and down for the most part, he said. But walking these fields today, its remarkable to see what these hybrids can do with little to no rain through a crucial part of the growing season.

The annual event is a highlight for the vendors as well.

According to Bill Blakely, Agco media relations and public relations for North America, Farm Progress is an opportunity to meet face-to-face with customers and other vendors.

"It gives us the ability to understand their needs, understand their wants, to provide the kind of products that they want," he said. "It also important for us to talk to our vendors. We've got a lot of meetings taking place here."

Todd Miller arrived early with his mother, Marilyn, to get a golf cart. As a farmer from Niantic, the Millers have attended the Farm Progress Show in the past and know what to expect from the large crowds. And this is close, he said about the nearby venue. I look for new stuff.

And dream about it, his mother added.

The Farm Progress Show is the ideal opportunity for Edwardsville farmer Dan Niemeier to check out the latest agricultural trends. Its just an annual review, he said.

Niemeier also gets reacquainted with others in the business before the fall harvest begins.

This is a connection event, he said. And this is kind of a down-time.

Contact Donnette Beckett at (217) 421-6983. Follow her on Twitter: @donnettebHR

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Farm Progress Show opens on Tuesday in Decatur - Herald & Review