Analysis of Data Collected in Pilot Study of Residential Radon in DeKalb County in 2015.

Dajun DaiRadon is a colorless, odorless, naturally occurring gas. It is currently the second leading cause of lung cancer and the number one cause of lung cancer to non-smokers in the United States. DeKalb County offers free screening for radon for residents. However, screening rates vary across the county. This pilot study focused on 14 selected tracts within DeKalb County with relatively low levels of radon screening. Over 200 households were recruited and homes were tested for indoor radon concentrations on the lowest livable floor over an 8-week period from March – May 2016. Tract-level characteristics were examined to understand the varitations of race, income, education, and poverty status between the 14 selected tracts and all of DeKalb County. The 14 selected tracts were comparable to all of DeKalb County in most factors besides race. Radon was detected in 73% of the homes sample and 4% had levels above the EPA guideline of 4 pCi/L. Multi-variate linear regression was used to compare all housing construction characteristics with radon concentrations and suggested that having a basement was the strongest predictive factor for detectable and/or hazardous levels of radon. Radon screening can identify problems and spur home owners to remediate but low screening rates may impact the potential health impact of free screening programs. More research should be done to identify why screening rates vary in order to identify ways to enhance screening and reduce radon exposure in DeKalb County

How are Asian Americans Seen and Evaluated? Examining Ethnic Stereotypes and their Cultural Complexity

Human stereotypes are more complicated and subtle than scholars or lay people often think. Based on the EPA (i.e., evaluation, potency and accuracy) theory of stereotypes (Lee, 2011; Lee, B., W. & Luo, 2007; Lee, J., & McCauley, 2013; Lee, McCauley & Jussim, 2013; Lee, V. S., & Ma, 2007), it was hypothesized and found that stereotypes of Asian Americans are derived on the basis of both evaluative considerations (prejudice) and a realistic assessment of group characteristics. This produces a pattern of stereotypic judgments that contains both agreement and disagreement when comparing stereotypes of Asian Americans among different perceiver groups (European Americans, non-Asian Minority-Americans). The results of the present study also highlight complexities that arise when one considers the effect of inter-group contact on stereotyping. Specifically, an increase in the frequency of inter-group contact was associated with a reduction in negative stereotyping, whereas an increase in the quality or closeness of inter-group contact was associated with an increase in negative stereotyping. It is concluded that inter-group stereotyping reflects a complex mixture of psychological processes that are in need of further investigation

SARS Transmission among Hospital Workers in Hong Kong

Despite infection control measures, breakthrough transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) occurred for many hospital workers in Hong Kong. We conducted a case-control study of 72 hospital workers with SARS and 144 matched controls. Inconsistent use of goggles, gowns, gloves, and caps was associated with a higher risk for SARS infection (unadjusted odds ratio 2.42 to 20.54, p < 0.05). The likelihood of SARS infection was strongly associated with the amount of personal protection equipment perceived to be inadequate, having <2 hours of infection control training, and not understanding infection control procedures. No significant differences existed between the case and control groups in the proportion of workers who performed high-risk procedures, reported minor protection equipment problems, or had social contact with SARS-infected persons. Perceived inadequacy of personal protection equipment supply, infection control training <2 hours, and inconsistent use of personal protection equipment when in contact with SARS patients were significant independent risk factors for SARS infection

Optogenetic Delay of Status Epilepticus Onset in an In Vivo Rodent Epilepsy Model

Epilepsy is a devastating disease, currently treated with medications, surgery or electrical stimulation. None of these approaches is totally effective and our ability to control seizures remains limited and complicated by frequent side effects. The emerging revolutionary technique of optogenetics enables manipulation of the activity of specific neuronal populations in vivo with exquisite spatiotemporal resolution using light. We used optogenetic approaches to test the role of hippocampal excitatory neurons in the lithium-pilocarpine model of acute elicited seizures in awake behaving rats. Hippocampal pyramidal neurons were transduced in vivo with a virus carrying an enhanced halorhodopsin (eNpHR), a yellow light activated chloride pump, and acute seizure progression was then monitored behaviorally and electrophysiologically in the presence and absence of illumination delivered via an optical fiber. Inhibition of those neurons with illumination prior to seizure onset significantly delayed electrographic and behavioral initiation of status epilepticus, and altered the dynamics of ictal activity development. These results reveal an essential role of hippocampal excitatory neurons in this model of ictogenesis and illustrate the power of optogenetic approaches for elucidation of seizure mechanisms. This early success in controlling seizures also suggests future therapeutic avenues

Human Metapneumovirus Detection in Patients with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome

We used a combination approach of conventional virus isolation and molecular techniques to detect human metapneumovirus (HMPV) in patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Of the 48 study patients, 25 (52.1%) were infected with HMPV; 6 of these 25 patients were also infected with coronavirus, and another 5 patients (10.4%) were infected with coronavirus alone. Using this combination approach, we found that human laryngeal carcinoma (HEp-2) cells were superior to rhesus monkey kidney (LLC-MK2) cells commonly used in previous studies for isolation of HMPV. These widely available HEp-2 cells should be included in conjunction with a molecular method for cell culture followup to detect HMPV, particularly in patients with SARS

Oxidative damages in tubular epithelial cells in IgA nephropathy: role of crosstalk between angiotensin II and aldosterone

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Inhibition of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) slows down the progression of chronic renal diseases (CKD) including IgA nephropathy (IgAN). Herein, we studied the pathogenetic roles of aldosterone (Aldo) in IgAN.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Human mesangial cells (HMC) was activated with polymeric IgA (pIgA) from IgAN patients and the effects on the expression of RAAS components and TGF-β synthesis examined. To study the roles of RAAS in the glomerulotubular communication, proximal tubular epithelial cells (PTEC) was cultured with conditioned medium from pIgA-activated HMC with eplerenone or PD123319, the associated apoptotic event was measured by the generation of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase and reactive oxygen species (ROS).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Polymeric IgA up-regulated the Aldo synthesis and aldosterone synthase expression by HMC. The release of TGF-β by HMC was up-regulated synergistically by AngII and Aldo and this was inhibited by incubation of HMC with losartan plus eplerenone. Cultured PTEC express the mineralocorticoid receptor, but not synthesizing aldosterone. Apoptosis, demonstrated by cleaved PARP expression and caspase 3 activity, was induced in PTEC activated by conditioned medium prepared from HMC cultured with pIgA from IgAN patients. This apoptotic event was associated with increased generation of NADPH oxidase and ROS. Pre-incubation of PTEC with PD123319 and eplerenone achieved complete inhibition of PTEC apoptosis.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our data suggest that AngII and Aldo, released by pIgA activated HMC, served as mediators for inducing apoptosis of PTEC in glomerulo-tubular communications. Crosstalk between AngII and Aldo could participate in determining the tubular pathology of IgAN.</p

Near-Infrared Photometry of the Type IIn SN 2005ip: The Case for Dust Condensation

Near-infrared photometric observations of the Type IIn SN 2005ip in NGC 2906 reveal large fluxes (>1.3 mJy) in the K_s-band over more than 900 days. While warm dust can explain the late-time K_s-band emission of SN 2005ip, the nature of the dust heating source is ambiguous. Shock heating of pre-existing dust by post-shocked gas is unlikely because the forward shock is moving too slowly to have traversed the expected dust-free cavity by the time observations first reveal the K_s emission. While an infrared light echo model correctly predicts a near-infrared luminosity plateau, heating dust to the observed temperatures of ~1400-1600 K at a relatively large distance from the supernova (> 10^{18} cm) requires an extraordinarily high early supernova luminosity (~1 X 10^{11} L_solar). The evidence instead favors condensing dust in the cool, dense shell between the forward and reverse shocks. Both the initial dust temperature and the evolutionary trend towards lower temperatures are consistent with this scenario. We infer that radiation from the circumstellar interaction heats the dust. While this paper includes no spectroscopic confirmation, the photometry is comparable to other SNe that do show spectroscopic evidence for dust formation. Observations of dust formation in SNe are sparse, so these results provide a rare opportunity to consider SNe Type IIn as dust sources.Comment: 11 pages, 6 figures, 3 tables, Accepted for Publication to ApJ: January 20, 200