Have the Health Gaps Between Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Australian Children Changed over Time? Results from an Australian National Representative Longitudinal Study

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the changes of health gaps between Indigenous and non- Indigenous children over time and to explore critical factors that contribute to the changes. We employed data consisting of two cohorts of Australian children: infant (0/1 year) and children (4/5 years) that are part of the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children. Health outcomes were measured by physical outcome index (POI) and parent-rated health during 2004, 2006 and 2008. We used first-order autoregressive modelling to examine the longitudinal relationship between the changes in health outcomes and possible contributing risk factors. The results showed that the trends of POIs between Indigenous and non- Indigenous children were closing, while the gap of parentrated health between the two populations persisted. We found that health outcomes (both POI and parent-rated health) at an earlier time point (t - 1) were significant predictors of the outcomes at the later time point (t). Carer’s depression status, socio-economic position and neighbourhood liveability had significant and consistent impacts on parent-rated health, but had only varying impacts on POIs between Indigenous and non-Indigenous children as well as between the birth cohorts at different time periods. Similarly, low birth weight, carer’s binge drinking behaviour and other risk factors showed such varying impacts at a particular time period. The study implied that appropriate interventions accompanied by monitoring of health outcomes are necessary in order to decrease the health gaps between Indigenous and non-Indigenous children

Pengaruh Kompetensi Guru Terhadap Komitmen Profesional Dan Dampaknya Pada Kinerja Serta Kepuasan Kerja Guru Matematika SMP Dan Mts

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk memperoleh model hubungan kausalitas dari variabel-variabel kompetensi, komitmen profesional, kinerja dan kepuasan kerja guru matematika. Populasi dalam penelitian ini adalah seluruh guru matematika SMP dan MTs di Kabupaten Ponorogo yang berjumlah 262 orang. Sampel sejumlah 82 orang ditentukan melalui teknik two stage cluster random sampling. Instrumen penelitian ini adalah kuesioner dan lembar penilaian/observasi. Kuesioner digunakan untuk mengumpulkan data komitmen profesional dan kepuasan kerja guru matematika, sedangkan lembar penilaian/observasi digunakan untuk mengumpulkan data kompetensi dan kinerja guru matematika. Data yang diperoleh dianalisis dengan metode Structural Equation Modeling (SEM).Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa: (1) terdapat pengaruh positif kompetensi terhadap komitmen profesional sebesar 15,9%; (2) terdapat pengaruh positif kompetensi terhadap kinerja sebesar 63,6%; (3) terdapat pengaruh positif komitmen profesional terhadap kinerja sebesar 15,9%; dan (4) terdapat pengaruh positif komitmen profesional terhadap kepuasan kerja sebesar 37,8%. Hasil-hasil penelitian di atas dapat mengkonfirmasi kesimpulan penelitian-penelitian sebelumnya

Role of AP-1 in the Coordinate Induction of Rat Glutamate-cysteine Ligase and Glutathione Synthetase by tert -Butylhydroquinone

GSH synthesis occurs via two enzymatic steps catalyzed by glutamate-cysteine ligase (GCL, made up of two subunits) and GSH synthetase (GS). Recently, we described coordinate induction of GCL subunits and GS. To study GS transcriptional regulation, we have cloned and characterized a 2.2-kb 5'-flanking region of the rat GS (GenBank accession number AF333982). One transcriptional start site is located at 51 nucleotides upstream of the translational start site. The rat GS promoter drove efficiently luciferase expression in H4IIE cells. Sequential deletion analysis revealed DNA regions that are involved in positive and negative regulation. One repressor identified was NF1. tert-Butylhydroquinone (TBH) exerted a dose- and time-dependent increase in the mRNA level and promoter activity of both GCL subunits and GS. TBH increased protein binding to several regions of the GS promoter, c-jun expression, and activator protein 1 (AP-1) binding activity to several of the putative AP-1-binding sites of the GS promoter. Blocking AP-1 binding with dominant-negative c-jun led to decreased basal expression and significantly blocked the TBH-induced increase in promoter activity and mRNA level of all three genes. In conclusion, AP-1 is required for basal expression of GCL and GS; while NF1 serves as a repressor of GS, increased AP-1 transactivation is the predominant mechanism for coordinate induction of GCL and GS expression by TBH

Genomic Analyses Reveal Mutational Signatures and Frequently Altered Genes in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide and the fourth most lethal cancer in China. However, although genomic studies have identified some mutations associated with ESCC, we know little of the mutational processes responsible. To identify genome-wide mutational signatures, we performed either whole-genome sequencing (WGS) or whole-exome sequencing (WES) on 104 ESCC individuals and combined our data with those of 88 previously reported samples. An APOBEC-mediated mutational signature in 47% of 192 tumors suggests that APOBEC-catalyzed deamination provides a source of DNA damage in ESCC. Moreover, PIK3CA hotspot mutations (c.1624G>A [p.Glu542Lys] and c.1633G>A [p.Glu545Lys]) were enriched in APOBEC-signature tumors, and no smoking-associated signature was observed in ESCC. In the samples analyzed by WGS, we identified focal (<100 kb) amplifications of CBX4 and CBX8. In our combined cohort, we identified frequent inactivating mutations in AJUBA, ZNF750, and PTCH1 and the chromatin-remodeling genes CREBBP and BAP1, in addition to known mutations. Functional analyses suggest roles for several genes (CBX4, CBX8, AJUBA, and ZNF750) in ESCC. Notably, high activity of hedgehog signaling and the PI3K pathway in approximately 60% of 104 ESCC tumors indicates that therapies targeting these pathways might be particularly promising strategies for ESCC. Collectively, our data provide comprehensive insights into the mutational signatures of ESCC and identify markers for early diagnosis and potential therapeutic targets

Thermal Conductance of Graphene-Titanium Interface: A Molecular Simulation

Titanium is a commonly used material in aviation, aerospace, and military applications, due to the outstanding mechanical properties of titanium and its alloys. However, its relatively low thermal conductivity restricts its extended usage. The use of graphene as a filler shows great potential for the enhancement of thermal conductivity in titanium-based metal-matrix composites (MMCs). We used classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulation methods to explore the thermal conductance at the titanium&ndash;graphene (Ti/Gr) interface for its thermal boundary conductance, which plays an important role in the thermal properties of Ti-based MMCs. The effects of system size, layer number, temperature, and strain were considered. The results show that the thermal boundary conductance (TBC) decreases with an increasing layer number and reaches a plateau at n = 5. TBC falls under tensile strain and, in turn, it grows with compressive strain. The variation of TBC is explained qualitatively by the interfacial atomic vibration coupling factor. Our findings also provide insights into ways to optimize future thermal management based on Ti-based MMCs materials

Socio-demographic disparities in the utilisation of general practice services for Australian children - Results from a nationally representative longitudinal study

<div><p>Objective</p><p>This study aimed to investigate the pattern of general practice services utilization for Australian children and to examine socio-demographic disparities in general practitioner (GP) visits.</p><p>Methods</p><p>We used the linked data from the nationally representative Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC) and the Medicare Australia claims data record. We used survey negative binomial and logistic regression to examine the socio-demographic factors associated with the utilisation of general practice services.</p><p>Results</p><p>The average number of annual GP visits gradually declined from 7.0 at 0–1 year old to 2.4 at 5–8 years (p< .001 for trend) in the infant cohort and from 3.5 at 2–4 years to 2.0 at 9–12 years (p < .001 for trend) in the child cohort. Girls were more likely to visit GPs than boys at 0–1 year old in the infant cohort (RR = 1.06, 95%CI: 1.02–1.11) and at 2–4 years in the child cohort (RR = 1.09, 95%CI: 1.04–1.14), but there were no differences at 2–4 to 5–8 year age periods in the infant cohort and at 5–8 to 9–12 year age period in the child cohort. Children from non-English speaking background were more likely to have a greater number of GP visits compared with their counterparts from English-speaking and Indigenous background up to eight year old in both cohorts (all p < .001). Children from families with the higher socio-economic position, children without private health insurance and children living in non-metropolitan were less likely to have GP consultations in both cohorts. Fair or poor parent-rated health status was associated with greater number of GP visits.</p><p>Conclusion</p><p>Socio-demographic disparities existed in the utilisation of general practice services and varied at different age periods. Family socio-economic position, private health insurance coverage and region of residence strongly associates with the utilisation disparities over all age period. Further policy interventions are called to minimise the disparities in GP utilisation for children in Australian context.</p></div

Complete mitochondrial genomes of two flat-backed millipedes by next-generation sequencing (Diplopoda, Polydesmida)

A lack of mitochondrial genome data from myriapods is hampering progress across genetic, systematic, phylogenetic and evolutionary studies. Here, the complete mitochondrial genomes of two millipedes, Asiomorpha coarctata Saussure, 1860 (Diplopoda: Polydesmida: Paradoxosomatidae) and Xystodesmus sp. (Diplopoda: Polydesmida: Xystodesmidae) were assembled with high coverage using Illumina sequencing data. The mitochondrial genomes of the two newly sequenced species are circular molecules of 15,644 bp and 15,791 bp, within which the typical mitochondrial genome complement of 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNAs and two ribosomal RNA genes could be identified. The mitochondrial genome of A. coarctata is the first complete sequence in the family Paradoxosomatidae (Diplopoda: Polydesmida) and the gene order of the two flat-backed millipedes is novel among known myriapod mitochondrial genomes. Unique translocations have occurred, including inversion of one half of the two genomes with respect to other millipede genomes. Inversion of the entire side of a genome (trnF-nad5-trnH-nad4-nad4L, trnP, nad1-trnL2-trnL1-rrnL-trnV-rrnS, trnQ, trnC and trnY) could constitute a common event in the order Polydesmida. Last, our phylogenetic analyses recovered the monophyletic Progoneata, subphylum Myriapoda and four internal classes