Southern Adventist University

ABSTRACT Cancer cell-autonomous type 1 interferon (IFN-1) production and signaling is frequently activated in response to DNA damage and has been associated with the development of therapy resistance in several cancer types. However, its cell-autonomous role in driving resistance in high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC), a disease defined by near-universal exposure to genotoxic therapy as frontline treatment, remains unclear. Specifically, whether IFN-1 functions in HGSOC as only a response to genotoxic stress or can independently act in driving resistance phenotypes has not been studied. Utilizing a syngeneic patient-derived model of cisplatin-sensitive (SE) and -resistant (CR) HGSOC, we demonstrate that chronic cisplatin exposure is associated with enrichment of IFN-1 signaling and the interferon-related DNA damage resistance signature (IRDS). Acute cisplatin treatment elicited dynamic, temporal IFN-1 signaling and responses in both sensitive and resistant cells, indicating a conserved stress response in resistant cells. Chronic, low-level exposure to exogenous IFNβ, in the absence of a DNA-damaging agent, was sufficient to phenocopy several features of chronic cisplatin driven resistance, including reduced therapeutic sensitivity, cell cycle arrest, and decreased proliferation. Notably, IFNβ driven resistance occurred without sustained IRDS or canonical interferon stimulated gene (ISG) induction, revealing alternative mechanisms for IFN-1 mediated therapy resistance. Together, these findings identify IFNβ as a functional driver of the development of resistance-associated phenotypes and highlight cell-autonomous IFN-1 signaling as a potential biomarker for resistance and a therapeutic target in platinum-resistant disease.

Identifying stratigraphic continuity across outcrops can sometimes be difficult, especially if they are dominated by discontinuous strata. Therefore, stratigraphers continue to seek new proxies for testing stratigraphic continuity, including fossiliferous horizons. We present a case study examining the potential of fossil bone trace element signatures as a novel proxy for lateral continuity. Specifically, we performed trace element analyses of Edmontosaurus bones from the Neufeld Quarry at Hanson Ranch (HR) in Wyoming, a stratigraphically verified lateral equivalent of the famous HR Bonebed exposed nearby in five “Main Quarries”, to evaluate if these chemical data would independently lead a researcher to the same conclusion of lateral equivalency. Bones from the “Main Quarries” and Neufeld were found to exhibit similar patterns of trace element alteration, including comparable magnitudes of enrichment, spatial patterns of rare earth element uptake, and proportions of specimens exhibiting various styles of diagenetic alteration. Many bones from both sites also exhibit redox signatures indicative of trace element uptake under reducing conditions. These numerous similarities in geochemical alteration patterns independently indicate that the fossil horizon at Neufeld is a lateral continuation of the nearby HR Bonebed. Our findings thus demonstrate the power of trace elements toward identifying laterally equivalent fossil assemblages.

Numerous organisms, including animals, plants, fungi, protists, and bacteria, rely on toxins to meet their needs. Biological toxins have been classified into three groups: poisons transferred passively without a delivery mechanism; toxungens delivered to the body surface without an accompanying wound; and venoms conveyed to internal tissues via the creation of a wound. The distinctions highlight the evolutionary pathways by which toxins acquire specialized functions. Heretofore, the term venom has been largely restricted to animals. However, careful consideration reveals a surprising diversity of organisms that deploy toxic secretions via strategies remarkably analogous to those of venomous animals. Numerous plants inject toxins and pathogenic microorganisms into animals through stinging trichomes, thorns, spines, prickles, raphides, and silica needles. Some plants protect themselves via ants as venomous symbionts. Certain fungi deliver toxins via hyphae into infected hosts for nutritional and/or defensive purposes. Fungi can possess penetration structures, sometimes independent of the hyphae, that create a wound to facilitate toxin delivery. Some protists discharge harpoon-like extrusomes (toxicysts and nematocysts) that penetrate their prey and deliver toxins. Many bacteria possess secretion systems or contractile injection systems that can introduce toxins into targets via wounds. Viruses, though not "true" organisms according to many, include a group (the bacteriophages) which can inject nucleic acids and virion proteins into host cells that inflict damage rivaling that of conventional venoms. Collectively, these examples suggest that venom delivery systems-and even toxungen delivery systems, which we briefly address-are much more widespread than previously recognized. Thus, our understanding of venom as an evolutionary novelty has focused on only a small proportion of venomous organisms. With regard to this widespread form of toxin deployment, the words of the Sherman Brothers in Disney's iconic tune, It's a Small World, could hardly be more apt: "There's so much that we share, that it's time we're aware, it's a small world after all".

Accounting educators are continuously urged to implement appropriate instructional tools that encourage the development of critical thinking skills among undergraduates. This research contributes to sharing the usefulness of diverse teaching approaches, along with the limitations, to better understand which instructional tools are viewed as beneficial in encouraging accounting students to cultivate critical thinking skills. A systematic review of prior studies was undertaken at the undergraduate level within the accounting discipline. A thematic analysis of the literature revealed five instructional tools, and these include class dialogues, research engagements, field trips, case studies, and educational games. The associated challenges suggest that educators require institutional-level training and support to help them appropriately integrate the tools within their curricula. The study outlined five instructional tools however this is not an indication that the approaches to support undergraduates to hone critical thinking capabilities are restricted to these five tools. The labour market continues to become competitive and complex, and research into exploring innovative instructional tools must continue to better prepare the next generation of graduates, translating into a skilled workforce and reducing the skills gap.

Digital course and homework platforms are popular within collegiate mathematics courses. The diversity of choices available to professors leaves them with the monumental task of sorting through the platforms to determine which is best for their class. This paper analyzes the similarities and differences of several digital course and homework platforms to help professors choose between them.

When gospel and culture meet, is the message biblically faithful and culturally appropriate? A theology that begins with culture and where culture is the determining factor will unavoidably end in syncretism. Adventist theology does not start with the cultural context but with the biblical text. A valid approach to contextualization demands a commitment to biblical authority. The message of the Bible must not be compromised. In examining the topic of contextualization, this article first reviews the concepts of culture, a definition of contextualization itself, and the issue of syncretism. Then, it considers different approaches to the balance of Scripture and cultural setting, followed with a focus on the important issues of contextualization and culture, and contextualization and doctrines. In the two final sections, the article deals with implications for missions, evangelism, and pastoral ministry, and considers a faithful approach to contextualization.

Abstract NOTE: The first page of text has been automatically extracted and included below in lieu of an abstract Session: 2711 Teaching Hardware Design of Fixed-Point Digital Signal Processing Systems David V. Anderson1 and Tyson S. Hall2 1 Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332–0250, dva@ece.gatech.edu 2 Southern Adventist University, Collegedale, TN 37315–0370, tyson@southern.edu Abstract Signal processing theory and practice are enabling and driving forces behind multimedia de- vices, communications systems, and even such diverse fields as automotive and medical sys- tems. Over 90% of the signal processing systems on the market used fixed-point arithmetic because of the cost, power, and area savings that fixed-point systems provide. However, most colleges and universities do not teach or teach only a very little fixed-point signal process- ing. This issue is being addressed slowly around the country but now a new challenge or opportunity presents itself. As reconfigurable logic technology matures, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) are increasingly used for signal processing systems. They have the ad- vantage of tremendous throughput, great flexibility, and system integration. The challenge is that signal processing in FPGAs is a much less constrained problem than signal processing in special purpose microprocessors. The opportunity arises in that it is now possible to explore more options and, more especially, to take a more systems-level approach to signal processing systems. In short, designing a signal processing system using FPGAs provides opportunities to look at many system design issues and trade-offs in a classroom setting. We have developed a course to teach signal processing in FPGAs at Georgia Institute of Technology and in this paper we consider the challenges and methods of teaching fixed- point system design in this course. We discuss the topics chosen and how they differ from traditional microprocessor-based courses. We also discuss how systems engineering concepts are woven into the course. 1 Motivation This paper describes the early development of a system design curriculum that uses field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) to implement digital signal processing (DSP) systems. The goals of this curriculum are several-fold, including: • to prepare students for system design problems with which they are likely to be pre- sented upon graduation; Proceedings of the 2007 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition Copyright c 2007, American Society for Engineering Education