Factors Related to Stage at Diagnosis in African-American and Caucasian Women Diagnosed with Breast Cancer in the Military Health System

The focus of this descriptive-comparative study was to investigate the relationships between potential access (race, age, socioeconomic status (SES), and the means of discovery of breast cancer), realized access (the length of time between discovery of breast abnormality and diagnosis of breast cancer, and the length of time between diagnosis and initiation of breast cancer treatment), and stage at diagnosis of breast cancer, in African American and Caucasian women, receiving care within an equal economic access health care system. The research questions were answered through secondary analysis, using data obtained from the tumor registry records of 62 African American and 573 Caucasian women diagnosed with breast cancer within the Department of Defense Military Health System, from January 1, 1988 through December 31, 1997. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the sample and the study variables; and independent samples chi-square tests, t-tests, Mann Whitney U tests, analysis of variance, multiple regression, and logistic regression were used to analyze the data. Results indicate that, when compared to Caucasian women, African American women: (a)were diagnosed at a significantly later stage of breast cancer, (b)were significantly younger at the time of diagnosis, (c)were from a significantly lower SES, (d)had a significantly higher percentage of incidental breast self exam (BSE) discovered breast abnormalities, and (e)had a significantly lower percentage of mammogram. discovered breast abnormalities. Women with breast abnormalities discovered by incidental BSE were almost six times more likely to be diagnosed in late stage breast cancer than women with mammogram discovered breast abnormalities. There were no significant differences noted between African American and Caucasian women in length of time between discovery and diagnosis, and length of time between diagnosis and treatment

Integrated Flush Air Data Sensing System Modeling for Planetary Entry Guidance with Direct Force Control

Flush air data sensing (FADS) systems have been previously used at both Earth and Mars to provide onboard estimates of angle of attack, sideslip angle, and dynamic pressure. However, these FADS data were often not used in an in-the-loop sense to inform the onboard guidance and control systems. A method to integrate FADS-derived density and wind estimates with a numerical predictor-corrector guidance algorithm is presented. The method is demonstrated in a high-fidelity simulation of a human-scale Mars entry vehicle that utilizes a hypersonic inflatable aerodynamic decelerator (HIAD) with direct force control. Effects on guidance commands and state uncertainties both with and without FADS system modeling are presented and discussed

Pitting Corrosion in Austenitic Stainless Steel Water Tanks of Hotel Trains

The water storage tanks of hotel trains suffered pitting corrosion. To identify the cause, the tanks were subjected to a detailed metallographic study and the chemical composition of the austenitic stainless steels used in their construction was determined. Both the tank water and the corrosion products were further examined by physicochemical and microbiological testing. Corrosion was shown to be related to an incompatibility between the chloride content of the water and the base and filler metals of the tanks. These findings formed the basis of recommendations aimed at the prevention and control of corrosion in such tanks. Se han detectado problemas de corrosión por picaduras en los depósitos de agua de trenes hotel. Para identificar las causas se llevó a cabo un detallado estudio metalográfico así como de la composición química de los aceros inoxidables austeníticos utilizados en su construcción. También se realizaron estudios fisicoquímicos y microbiológicos de los productos de corrosión. Se ha encontrado que los problemas de corrosión están relacionados con la incompatibilidad entre el contenido en cloruros del agua y los metales base y de aporte de la soldadura de los tanques. En base a estos hallazgos se proponen una serie de recomendaciones encaminadas a la prevención y control de la corrosión de dichos depósitos

Traditional and Health-Related Philanthropy: The Role of Resources and Personality

I study the relationships of resources and personality characteristics to charitable giving, postmortem organ donation, and blood donation in a nationwide sample of persons in households in the Netherlands. I find that specific personality characteristics are related to specific types of giving: agreeableness to blood donation, empathic concern to charitable giving, and prosocial value orientation to postmortem organ donation. I find that giving has a consistently stronger relation to human and social capital than to personality. Human capital increases giving; social capital increases giving only when it is approved by others. Effects of prosocial personality characteristics decline at higher levels of these characteristics. Effects of empathic concern, helpfulness, and social value orientations on generosity are mediated by verbal proficiency and church attendance.

Optimized vascular network by stereolithography for tissue engineered skin

This paper demonstrates the essential and efficient methods to design, and fabricate optimal vascular network for tissue engineering structures based on their physiological conditions. Comprehensive physiological requirements in both micro and macro scales were considered in developing the optimisation design for complex vascular vessels. The optimised design was then manufactured by stereolithography process using materials that are biocompatible, elastic and surface bio-coatable. The materials are self-developed photocurable resin consist of BPA-ethoxylated-diacrylate, lauryl acrylate and isobornylacrylate with Irgacure® 184, the photoinitiator. The optimised vascular vessel offers many advantages: 1) it provides the maximum nutrient supply; 2) it minimises the recirculation areas and 3) it allows the wall shear stress on the vessel in a healthy range. The stereolithography manufactured vascular vessels were then embedded in the hydrogel seeded with cells. The results of in vitro studies show that the optimised vascular network has the lowest cell death rate compared with a pure hydrogel scaffold and a hydrogel scaffold embedded within a single tube in day seven. Consequently, these design and manufacture routes were shown to be viable for exploring and developing a high range complex and specialised artificial vascular networks

Glucose kinase of Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2): large-scale purification and biochemical analysis

Metals in Catalysis, Biomimetics & Inorganic Material

DNA binding and synapsis by the large C-terminal domain of ϕC31 integrase

The integrase (Int) from phage ϕC31 acts on the phage and host-attachment sites, attP and attB, to form an integrated prophage flanked by attL and attR. Excision (attL × attR recombination) is prevented, in the absence of accessory factors, by a putative coiled-coil motif in the C-terminal domain (CTD). Int has a serine recombinase N-terminal domain, required for synapsis of recombination substrates and catalysis. We show here that the coiled-coil motif mediates protein–protein interactions between CTDs, but only when bound to DNA. Although the histidine-tagged CTD (hCTD) was monomeric in solution, hCTD bound cooperatively to three of the recombination substrates (attB, attL and attR). Furthermore, when provided with attP and attB, hCTD brought these substrates together in a synaptic complex. Substitutions in the coiled-coil motif that greatly reduce Int integration activity, L460P and Y475H, prevented CTD–CTD interactions and led to defective DNA binding and no detectable DNA synapsis. A substitution, E449K, in full length Int confers the ability to perform excision in addition to integration as it has gained the ability to synapse attL × attR. hCTDE449K was similar to hCTD in DNA binding but unable to form the CTD synapse suggesting that the CTD synapse is not essential but could be part of the mechanism that controls directionality

Exposure to mild blast forces induces neuropathological effects, neurophysiological deficits and biochemical changes

Direct or indirect exposure to an explosion can induce traumatic brain injury (TBI) of various severity levels. Primary TBI from blast exposure is commonly characterized by internal injuries, such as vascular damage, neuronal injury, and contusion, without external injuries. Current animal models of blast-induced TBI (bTBI) have helped to understand the deleterious effects of moderate to severe blast forces. However, the neurological effects of mild blast forces remain poorly characterized. Here, we investigated the effects caused by mild blast forces combining neuropathological, histological, biochemical and neurophysiological analysis. For this purpose, we employed a rodent blast TBI model with blast forces below the level that causes macroscopic neuropathological changes. We found that mild blast forces induced neuroinflammation in cerebral cortex, striatum and hippocampus. Moreover, mild blast triggered microvascular damage and axonal injury. Furthermore, mild blast caused deficits in hippocampal short-term plasticity and synaptic excitability, but no impairments in long-term potentiation. Finally, mild blast exposure induced proteolytic cleavage of spectrin and the cyclin-dependent kinase 5 activator, p35 in hippocampus. Together, these findings show that mild blast forces can cause aberrant neurological changes that critically impact neuronal functions. These results are consistent with the idea that mild blast forces may induce subclinical pathophysiological changes that may contribute to neurological and psychiatric disorders

Synthetic RNA Silencing of Actinorhodin Biosynthesis in Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2)

We demonstrate the first application of synthetic RNA gene silencers in Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2). Peptide nucleic acid and expressed antisense RNA silencers successfully inhibited actinorhodin production. Synthetic RNA silencing was target-specific and is a new tool for gene regulation and metabolic engineering studies in Streptomyces.Peer reviewe