6,492 research outputs found
Cancer control needs of 2-1-1 callers in Missouri, North Carolina, Texas, and Washington
Get PDFInnovative interventions are needed to connect underserved populations to cancer control services. With data from Missouri, North Carolina, Texas, and Washington this study a) estimated the cancer control needs of callers to 2-1-1, an information and referral system used by underserved populations, b) compared rates of need to state and national data, and c) examined receptiveness to needed referrals. From October 2009 to March 2010 callers’ (N = 1408) cancer control needs were assessed in six areas: breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening, HPV vaccination, smoking, and smoke-free homes using Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey items. Standardized estimates were compared to state and national rates. Nearly 70% of the sample had at least one cancer control need. Needs were greater for 2-1-1 callers compared to state and national rates, and callers were receptive to referrals. 2-1-1 could potentially be a key partner in efforts to reduce cancer disparities
Nuclear Bar Catalyzed Star Formation: 13^CO, C18^O and Molecular Gas Properties in the Nucleus of Maffei 2
Get PDF(Abridged) We present resolution maps of CO, its isotopologues, and HCN from
in the center of Maffei 2. The J=1-0 rotational lines of 12^CO, 13^CO, C18^O
and HCN, and the J=2-1 lines of 13^CO and C18^O were observed with the OVRO and
BIMA arrays. The 2-1/1-0 line ratios of the isotopologues constrain the bulk of
the molecular gas to originate in low excitation, subthermal gas. From LVG
modeling, we infer that the central GMCs have n(H_2) ~10^2.75 cm^-3 and T_k ~
30 K. Continuum emission at 3.4 mm, 2.7 mm and 1.4 mm was mapped to determine
the distribution and amount of HII regions and dust. Column densities derived
from C18^O and 1.4 mm dust continuum fluxes indicate the CO conversion factor
in the center of Maffei 2 is lower than Galactic by factors of ~2-4. Gas
morphology and the clear ``parallelogram'' in the Position-Velocity diagram
shows that molecular gas orbits within the potential of a nuclear (~220 pc)
bar. The nuclear bar is distinct from the bar that governs the large scale
morphology of Maffei 2. Giant molecular clouds in the nucleus are nonspherical
and have large linewidths. Dense gas and star formation are concentrated at the
sites of the x_1-x_2 orbit intersections of the nuclear bar, suggesting that
the starburst is dynamically triggered.Comment: 50 pages, 14 figures, accepted for publication in Ap
<html>Cancer Control Needs of <i>2-1-1</i> Callers in Missouri, North Carolina, Texas, and Washington</html>
Get PDFInnovative interventions are needed to connect underserved populations to cancer control services. With data from Missouri, North Carolina, Texas, and Washington this study a) estimated the cancer control needs of callers to 2-1-1, an information and referral system used by underserved populations, b) compared rates of need to state and national data, and c) examined receptiveness to needed referrals. From October 2009 to March 2010 callers’ (N = 1408) cancer control needs were assessed in six areas: breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening, HPV vaccination, smoking, and smoke-free homes using Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey items. Standardized estimates were compared to state and national rates. Nearly 70% of the sample had at least one cancer control need. Needs were greater for 2-1-1 callers compared to state and national rates, and callers were receptive to referrals. 2-1-1 could potentially be a key partner in efforts to reduce cancer disparities
Examining the “Urban Advantage” in Maternal Health Care in Developing Countries
Get PDFAndrew Channon and colleagues outline the complexities of urban advantage in maternal health where the urban poor often have worse access to health care than women in rural areas
Foot Loading Characteristics of Chinese Bound Feet Women: A Comparative Analysis
Get PDFThe custom of bound feet among Chinese women has existed for almost a century. This practice has influenced the daily life of Chinese women, especially during everyday locomotion. The primary aim of this study is to analyze the loading patterns of bound feet. Specifically, the plantar pressure and center of pressure were analyzed for peak pressure, contact area, force time integral, center of pressure displacement velocity and trajectory in the anterior- posterior direction via a comparison with normal feet. The key outcomes from this work were that the forefoot and rearfoot of bound feet bear the whole loading during stance phase. The center of pressure displacement velocity of bound feet was also greatly reduced with the shortening of trajectories. This suggests that the proprioceptive system adjusts motor function to adapt to new loading patterns while maintaining locomotive stability. A biomechanical understanding of bound feet may assist with prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of bound feet disorders
Spectroscopic and Mechanistic Studies of Heterodimetallic Forms of Metallo-β-lactamase NDM-1
Get PDFIn an effort to characterize the roles of each metal ion in metallo-β-lactamase NDM-1, heterodimetallic analogues (CoCo-, ZnCo-, and CoCd-) of the enzyme were generated and characterized. UV–vis, 1H NMR, EPR, and EXAFS spectroscopies were used to confirm the fidelity of the metal substitutions, including the presence of a homogeneous, heterodimetallic cluster, with a single-atom bridge. This marks the first preparation of a metallo-β-lactamase selectively substituted with a paramagnetic metal ion, Co(II), either in the Zn1 (CoCd-NDM-1) or in the Zn2 site (ZnCo-NDM-1), as well as both (CoCo-NDM-1). We then used these metal-substituted forms of the enzyme to probe the reaction mechanism, using steady-state and stopped-flow kinetics, stopped-flow fluorescence, and rapid-freeze-quench EPR. Both metal sites show significant effects on the kinetic constants, and both paramagnetic variants (CoCd- and ZnCo-NDM-1) showed significant structural changes on reaction with substrate. These changes are discussed in terms of a minimal kinetic mechanism that incorporates all of the data
Characterization of a Novel Interaction between Bcl-2 Members Diva and Harakiri
Get PDFInteractions within proteins of the Bcl-2 family are key in the regulation of apoptosis. The death-inducing members control apoptotic mechanisms partly by antagonizing the prosurvival proteins through heterodimer formation. Structural and biophysical studies on these complexes are providing important clues to understand their function. To help improve our knowledge on protein-protein interactions within the Bcl-2 family we have studied the binding between two of its members: mouse Diva and human Harakiri. Diva has been shown to perform both prosurvival and killing activity. In contrast, Harakiri induces cell death by interacting with antiapoptotic Bcl-2 members. Here we show using ELISA and NMR that Diva and Harakiri can interact in vitro. Combining the NMR data with the previously reported three-dimensional structure of Diva we find that Harakiri binds to a specific region in Diva. This interacting surface is equivalent to the known binding area of prosurvival Bcl-2 members from the reported structures of the complexes, suggesting that Diva could function at the structural level similarly to the antiapoptotic proteins of the Bcl-2 family. We illustrate this result by building a structural model of the heterodimer using molecular docking and the NMR data as restraints. Moreover, combining circular dichroism and NMR we also show that Harakiri is largely unstructured with residual (13%) α-helical conformation. This result agrees with intrinsic disorder previously observed in other Bcl-2 members. In addition, Harakiri constructs of different length were studied to identify the region critical for the interaction. Differential affinity for Diva of these constructs suggests that the amino acid sequence flanking the interacting region could play an important role in binding
Equivalence of Conventionally-Derived and Parthenote-Derived Human Embryonic Stem Cells
Get PDFAs human embryonic stem cell (hESC) lines can be derived via multiple means, it is important to determine particular characteristics of individual lines that may dictate the applications to which they are best suited. The objective of this work was to determine points of equivalence and differences between conventionally-derived hESC and parthenote-derived hESC lines (phESC) in the undifferentiated state and during neural differentiation.hESC and phESC were exposed to the same expansion conditions and subsequent neural and retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) differentiation protocols. Growth rates and gross morphology were recorded during expansion. RTPCR for developmentally relevant genes and global DNA methylation profiling were used to compare gene expression and epigenetic characteristics. Parthenote lines proliferated more slowly than conventional hESC lines and yielded lower quantities of less mature differentiated cells in a neural progenitor cell (NPC) differentiation protocol. However, the cell lines performed similarly in a RPE differentiation protocol. The DNA methylation analysis showed similar general profiles, but the two cell types differed in methylation of imprinted genes. There were no major differences in gene expression between the lines before differentiation, but when differentiated into NPCs, the two cell types differed in expression of extracellular matrix (ECM) genes.These data show that hESC and phESC are similar in the undifferentiated state, and both cell types are capable of differentiation along neural lineages. The differences between the cell types, in proliferation and extent of differentiation, may be linked, in part, to the observed differences in ECM synthesis and methylation of imprinted genes
Intercalibration of the barrel electromagnetic calorimeter of the CMS experiment at start-up
Get PDFCalibration of the relative response of the individual channels of the barrel electromagnetic calorimeter of the CMS detector was accomplished, before installation, with cosmic ray muons and test beams. One fourth of the calorimeter was exposed to a beam of high energy electrons and the relative calibration of the channels, the intercalibration, was found to be reproducible to a precision of about 0.3%. Additionally, data were collected with cosmic rays for the entire ECAL barrel during the commissioning phase. By comparing the intercalibration constants obtained with the electron beam data with those from the cosmic ray data, it is demonstrated that the latter provide an intercalibration precision of 1.5% over most of the barrel ECAL. The best intercalibration precision is expected to come from the analysis of events collected in situ during the LHC operation. Using data collected with both electrons and pion beams, several aspects of the intercalibration procedures based on electrons or neutral pions were investigated
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