Keys to academic success for under-represented minority young investigators: recommendations from the Research in Academic Pediatrics Initiative on Diversity (RAPID) National Advisory Committee.

BackgroundAlthough Latinos, African-Americans, and American Indians/Alaska Natives comprise 34% of Americans, these under-represented minorities (URMs) account for only 7% of US medical-school faculty. Even when URMs become faculty, they face many substantial challenges to success. Little has been published, however, on keys to academic success for URM young faculty investigators.MethodsThe Research in Academic Pediatrics Initiative on Diversity (RAPID) goal is to enhance the professional advancement of URM junior faculty pursuing research careers in general academic pediatrics. One important RAPID component is the annual mentoring/career-development conference, which targets URM residents, fellows, and junior faculty, and has included 62 URM participants since its 2013 inception. A conference highlight is the panel discussion on keys to academic success for URM young investigators, conducted by the RAPID National Advisory Committee, a diverse group of leading senior researchers. The article aim was to provide a guide to academic success for URM young investigators using the 2018 RAPID Conference panel discussion. A modified Delphi technique was used to provide a systematic approach to obtaining answers to six key questions using an expert panel: the single most important key to success for URM young investigators; ensuring optimal mentorship; how to respond when patients/families say, "I don't want you to see my child because you are ____"; best strategies for maximizing funding success; how to balance serving on time-consuming committees with enough time to advance research/career objectives; and the single thing you wish someone had told you which would have substantially enhanced your success early on.Results/conclusionsThis is the first published practical guide on keys to academic success for URM young investigators. Identified keys to success included having multiple mentors, writing prolifically, being tenaciously persistent, having mentors who are invested in you, dealing with families who do not want you to care for their child because of your race/ethnicity by seeking to understand the reasons and debriefing with colleagues, seeking non-traditional funding streams, balancing committee work with having enough time to advance one's research and career by using these opportunities to generate scholarly products, and asking for all needed resources when negotiating for new jobs

Dienos conjugados y malondialdehído como indicadores de lipoperoxidación en semen de toros “Carora”

Las elevadas temperaturas ambientales incrementan la producción de radicales libres y causan desbalances en los mecanismos antioxidantes. De esta manera se altera el metabolismo celular, lo que repercute en la función reproductiva del macho, con eventuales alteraciones de la capacidad fecundante de los espermatozoides. El objetivo de esta investi­gación fue determinar el grado de lipoperoxidación en semen de toros “Carora” en praderas de la región centroccidental de Venezuela, durante dos años consecutivos en los cuales se registraron temperatura ambiental, humedad y precipitaciones. Se utilizaron 9 toros de 3 a 4 años de edad. El semen se obtuvo con vagina artificial y se preservó a -20°C. Mediante métodos convencionales se obtuvieron los niveles de dienos conjugados (DC) y malondial­dehído (MDA), que fueron analizados estadísticamente mediante el test “t” (p≤0,05). Los niveles de DC fueron de 0,00109 ± 0,00012 nmol/mg de proteínas en el primer año (lluvioso) y 0,00210 ± 0,00030 nmol/mg de proteínas en el segundo año (sequía), siendo la diferencia estadísticamente significativa. En cambio, los niveles seminales de MDA (9,32 ± 2,365 y 7,17 ± 0,510 nmol/mg de proteínas en primer y segundo año respectivamente), no registraron diferencias significativas. El aumento de los niveles de DC (peroxidación en fase inicial) se atribuye a la menor calidad de los pastos por falta de desarrollo debido a insuficientes lluvias del segundo año

Hot topics, urgent priorities, and ensuring success for racial/ethnic minority young investigators in academic pediatrics.

BackgroundThe number of racial/ethnic minority children will exceed the number of white children in the USA by 2018. Although 38% of Americans are minorities, only 12% of pediatricians, 5% of medical-school faculty, and 3% of medical-school professors are minorities. Furthermore, only 5% of all R01 applications for National Institutes of Health grants are from African-American, Latino, and American Indian investigators. Prompted by the persistent lack of diversity in the pediatric and biomedical research workforces, the Academic Pediatric Association Research in Academic Pediatrics Initiative on Diversity (RAPID) was initiated in 2012. RAPID targets applicants who are members of an underrepresented minority group (URM), disabled, or from a socially, culturally, economically, or educationally disadvantaged background. The program, which consists of both a research project and career and leadership development activities, includes an annual career-development and leadership conference which is open to any resident, fellow, or junior faculty member from an URM, disabled, or disadvantaged background who is interested in a career in academic general pediatrics.MethodsAs part of the annual RAPID conference, a Hot Topic Session is held in which the young investigators spend several hours developing a list of hot topics on the most useful faculty and career-development issues. These hot topics are then posed in the form of six "burning questions" to the RAPID National Advisory Committee (comprised of accomplished, nationally recognized senior investigators who are seasoned mentors), the RAPID Director and Co-Director, and the keynote speaker.Results/conclusionsThe six compelling questions posed by the 10 young investigators-along with the responses of the senior conference leadership-provide a unique resource and "survival guide" for ensuring the academic success and optimal career development of young investigators in academic pediatrics from diverse backgrounds. A rich conversation ensued on the topics addressed, consisting of negotiating for protected research time, career trajectories as academic institutions move away from an emphasis on tenure-track positions, how "non-academic" products fit into career development, racism and discrimination in academic medicine and how to address them, coping with isolation as a minority faculty member, and how best to mentor the next generation of academic physicians

(1E,2E)-1,2-Bis(2,2-diphenyl­hydrazin-1-yl­idene)ethane

In the crystal structure of the title compound, C26H22N4, the mol­ecule is located on an inversion centre and shows an E configuration with respect to each C=N bond. The dihedral angle between the phenyl rings in the diphenyl­hydrazone group is 83.69 (11)°. These two rings make dihedral angles of 30.53 (15) and 84.53 (16)° with the central N—N=C—C=N—N dihydrazonoethane plane. Inter­molecular C—H⋯π inter­actions are observed

Efecto protector de la vitamina C sobre el estrés oxidativo y daño al ADN en ratas con diabetes mellitus

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disease of endocrine origin, which main biochemical characteristic is chronic hyperglycemia. The aim of this study was to measure the protective effect of vitamin C (VitC) on oxidative stress in Sprague-Dawley rats with DM induced by Streptozotocin (STZ). We used 16 rats (100 ± 20g), divided into 4 groups: 1) control, 2) STZ (diabetics), 3) VitC + STZ, 4) VitC. In liver homogenate, the concentration of malondiahaldehido, conjugated dienes, and total proteins were determined, as well as the activity of superoxide dismutase and catalase. The ADN damage was measured by comet assay. The results were statistically analyzed using SPSS software version 17.0 for Windows. An Anova test and a multiple DMS comparison (p<0.05) were applied. In the group of animals treated with VitC a decrease in glucose levels was evidenced, as well as in the generation of oxidative stress. Less ADN damage induced by free radicals was also determined. It can be infered that VitC is an effective antioxidant and is a liver protector against to the permanent production of free radicals by diverse sources and that it is also effective in the repair and conservation of ADN. La diabetes mellitas (DM) es una enfermedad metabólica de origen endocrino, cuya principal característica bioquímica es la hiperglucemia crónica. Desencadena procesos bioquímicos graves para el organismo como el estrés oxidativo (EO). El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar el efecto protector de la vitamina C (VitC) sobre el EO en ratas Sprague-Dawley con DM inducida por Streptozotocina (STZ). Se utilizaron 16 ratas (100 ± 20 g), divididas en 4 grupos: 1) control, 2) STZ (diabéticas), 3) VitC + STZ, 4) VitC. En homogenizado de hígado se determinó la concentración de malondiahaldehido, dienos conjugados y proteínas totales. Por otra parte se determinaron las actividades de superóxido dismutasa y catalasa. También se midió el daño al ADN hepático por ensayo cometa. Los resultados se analizaron estadísticamente mediante programa SPSS versión 17.0 para Windows. Se aplicó un Anova y una prueba de comparación múltiple DMS (p<0,05). Se pudo evidenciar que en el grupo de animales tratados con VitC disminuyeron los niveles de glucosa y la generación de EO; también hubo menor daño del ADN por radicales libres. Estos datos permiten inferir que la VitC ejerce una efectiva acción antioxidante y protectora del hígado ante la permanente producción de radicales libres; además de ser efectiva en la reparación y conservación del ADN.

Efecto antioxidante de la melatonina durante la conservación de semen de cerdo

Durante los procesos de conservación espermática se incrementa la producción deradicales libres y se ha planteado la adición de antioxidantes para mejorar la calidad seminaldurante el almacenamiento. Ello asume importancia en especies como el cerdo, donde seha relacionado el estrés oxidativo al daño del espermatozoide durante la conservación, loque afecta su capacidad fecundante. Esta investigación tuvo como objetivo determinar elefecto antioxidante de la melatonina durante la conservación de semen de cerdos a 16°C.Las muestras seminales se tomaron de verracos de 7-18 meses de edad. La recolección delsemen se realizó con mano enguantada. Las muestras seminales con parámetros óptimosfueron diluidas y divididas en alícuotas: control (con diluyente), control con vehículo (diluyentey etanol) y semen con melatonina (1,25 mM). Luego de la preparación de las alícuotas(día 0) y al día 1 de conservación a 16ºC, se evaluaron indicadores de lipoperoxidacióncomo dienos conjugados (DC, extracción con isopropanol) y malondialdehído; la actividadenzimática de la superoxido dismutasa (SOD) se determinó mediante un kit comercial. Losresultados fueron analizados mediante ANOVA, con paquete estadístico SPSS 15.0 paraWindows con p≤0,05. Los niveles de DC en las muestras con melatonina se incrementaronal día 0 y 1 de conservación, de manera significativa (p≤0,05) con respecto al grupo controly con el vehículo, mientras que las concentraciones de malondialdehído al día 1 de conservaciónen las muestras con melatonina presentaron valores significativamente menores(p≤0,05) con respecto al grupo control, con mayor actividad de la SOD (p≤0,05). Se concluyeque la adición de melatonina al semen de cerdo diluido tiene efecto antioxidante durantela conservación espermática a 16°C

(E)-1-(3,4-Dimethyl­benzyl­idene)-2,2-diphenyl­hydrazine

The asymmetric unit of the title compound, C21H20N2, contain two mol­ecules, both of them showing an E configuration of the C=N bond. The dihedral angles between the phenyl rings in the phenyl­hydrazone groups are 86.84 (10) and 84.85 (8)° for the two mol­ecules. Inter­molecular C—H⋯π inter­actions are observed in the crystal structure

Improvements to the X-ray Spectrometer at the Aerosol Laboratory, Instituto de Física, UNAM

Due to the demands of better (accurate and precise) analytical results using X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) at the Aerosol Laboratory, Instituto de Física, UNAM, it was necessary to carry out improvements in instrumentation and analytical procedures in the x-ray spectrometer located in this facility. A new turbomolecular vacuum system was installed, which allows reaching the working pressure in a shorter time. Characteristic x-rays are registered with a Silicon Drift Detector, or SDD, (8 mm thick Be window, 140 eV at 5.9 keV resolution), working directly in a high-vacuum, permitting the detection of x-rays with energies as low as 1 keV (Na Ka) and higher counting rates than in the past. Due to the interference produced by the Rh L x-rays emitted by the tube normally used for atmospheric and food analysis with Cl K x-rays, another tube with a W anode was mounted in the spectrometer to avoid this interference, with the possibility to select operation with any of these tubes. Examples of applications in atmospheric aerosols and other samples are presented, to demonstrate the enhanced function of the spectrometer. Other future modifications are also explained