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Erratum: Correction to: Prevention by Regular Exercise of Acute Sleep Deprivation-Induced Impairment of Late Phase LTP and Related Signaling Molecules in the Dentate Gyrus (Molecular neurobiology (2016) 53 5 (2900-2910))
No full textThe original version of this article unfortunately does not include the second affiliating institution of Dr. Munder A. Zagaar. Department of Pharmacy Pracce and Clinical Health Sciences, Texas Southern University, Houston, TX 77004 should have been included on the paper
Design of straight bevel gear for pitting resistance
No full textBased on the Tredgold geometric approximation, a transparent contact stress capacity model for straight bevel gears is presented. A bevel load factor is defined which provides a kinetic link between the physical bevel gear and virtual spur gear. Three design cases of contact stress computations from different references are carried out and compared with AGMA estimates. Differences in results vary from 2.4% to 23.4% with the new model estimates, generally lower than AGMA values. The design sizing version of the new model is applied in two design cases. Comparison of the service load factor values for design sizing and design verification indicates a difference of 0.76% in case 4 and -1.65% in case 5. While more design cases are necessary for further verification of the design approach presented, it may however, be concluded from the results of our study that the design model presented appears reasonable
Synthesis, evaluation of cytotoxic properties of promising curcumin analogues and investigation of possible molecular mechanisms
No full textCurcumin is a popular, plant-derived compound that has been extensively investigated for diverse range of biological activities. Anticancer activity against various types of cancers and high-safety profile associated with curcumin makes it very attractive. In this study, we report the synthesis and evaluation of pyrazole and click chemistry curcumin analogues for Head and Neck cancer. MTT assay against head and neck cancer cell lines CAL27 and UM-SCC-74A revealed the micromolar potency of the synthesized compounds. To determine the possible molecular mechanisms, effect of these analogues in the expression of pSTAT3, pFAK, pERK1/2 and pAKT was studied. Interestingly, compounds 2 and 5 significantly inhibited the pSTAT3 (Tyr 705) phosphorylation. As far as other compounds, they showed potent cytotoxicity against CAL27; however, these compounds did not show any activity on pSTAT3 phosphorylation at IC 50 concentration level. Molecular docking studies revealed the possible binding mode of pyrazole compound 2 in the SH2 domain of STAT3
Modeling vehicle interior noise exposure dose on freeways: Considering weaving segment designs and engine operation
No full textVehicle interior noise functions at the dominant frequencies of 500 Hz below and around 800 Hz, which fall into the bands that may impair hearing. Recent studies demonstrated that freeway commuters are chronically exposed to vehicle interior noise, bearing the risk of hearing impairment. The interior noise evaluation process is mostly conducted in a laboratory environment. The test results and the developed noise models may underestimate or ignore the noise effects from dynamic traffic and road conditions and configuration. However, the interior noise is highly associated with vehicle maneuvering. The vehicle maneuvering on a freeway weaving segment is more complex because of its nature of conflicting areas. This research is intended to explore the risk of the interior noise exposure on freeway weaving segments for freeway commuters and to improve the interior noise estimation by constructing a decision tree learning–based noise exposure dose (NED) model, considering weaving segment designs and engine operation. On-road driving tests were conducted on 12 subjects on State Highway 288 in Houston, Texas. On-board Diagnosis (OBD) II, a smartphone-based roughness app, and a digital sound meter were used to collect vehicle maneuvering and engine information, International Roughness Index, and interior noise levels, respectively. Eleven variables were obtainable from the driving tests, including the length and type of a weaving segment, serving as predictors. The importance of the predictors was estimated by their out-of-bag–permuted predictor delta errors. The hazardous exposure level of the interior noise on weaving segments was quantified to hazard quotient, NED, and daily noise exposure level, respectively. Results showed that the risk of hearing impairment on freeway is acceptable; the interior noise level is the most sensitive to the pavement roughness and is subject to freeway configuration and traffic conditions. The constructed NED model shows high predictive power (R = 0.93, normalized root-mean-square error [NRMSE] \u3c 6.7%). Implications: Vehicle interior noise is usually ignored in the public, and its modeling and evaluation are generally conducted in a laboratory environment, regardless of the interior noise effects from dynamic traffic, road conditions, and road configuration. This study quantified the interior exposure dose on freeway weaving segments, which provides freeway commuters with a sense of interior noise exposure risk. In addition, a bagged decision tree–based interior noise exposure dose model was constructed, considering vehicle maneuvering, vehicle engine operational information, pavement roughness, and weaving segment configuration. The constructed model could significantly improve the interior noise estimation for road engineers and vehicle manufactures
Routine Urine Testing at the Spinal Cord Injury Annual Evaluation Leads to Unnecessary Antibiotic Use: A Pilot Study and Future Directions
No full textObjectives To measure the prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) in persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) at the time of their annual examination and to examine the effect on urine testing during the annual examination on subsequent antibiotic use. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting A major SCI center. Participants Veterans (N=393) with SCI seen for an outpatient annual evaluation in 2012 or 2013. Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures Antibiotic use for bacteriuria within 7 days of the annual evaluation encounter. Results There were 327 clinic visits that met inclusion criteria; of these 327 veterans, 249 had a urine culture performed. A total of 171 urine cultures (69%) were positive for bacteria, of which 22 (13%) represented urinary tract infection (UTI) cases and 149 (87%) were ASB cases. More than a third of the ASB cases (n=53 [36%]) were treated with antibiotics. None of the 78 visits with negative urine cultures received antibiotics to treat the UTI; thus, a positive urine culture alone was associated with antibiotic use (P \u3c .01). Factors predicting antibiotic use were higher age, nitrite presence on urinalysis, and urease-producing organism on culture media. When comparing bladder management strategies, indwelling catheterization was found to be associated with higher levels of pyuria and hematuria than did spontaneous voiding or intermittent catheterization (P \u3c .01). Conclusions Two-thirds of the urine cultures of persons with SCI presenting for their annual examination were positive. Most of the positive cultures represented ASB cases, and more than a third of these were treated with antibiotics. A better understanding of the mandate for urine testing at the annual examination and the outcomes of this practice is an important first step in developing antibiotic stewardship for UTI in persons with SCI
Corruption in Uganda: A Comparative Study of Citizens’ and Public Officials’ Perceptions
Get PDFThe findings of this study into the complex problem of corruption in Uganda dispel the pervasive and popular view that corruption in East Africa’s third largest economy is an exclusive behavior monopolized by public officials. This study finds that corruption is engendered by an unholy alliance between citizens desperate to access services and public officials eager to exact a price on services they are obliged to freely provide. This study determined that corruption in Uganda largely depends upon collaboration by citizens and public officials, hence changing the simplest meaning of corruption from the abuse of public office to an act that benefits the community. Using the Institutional Analysis and Development framework (IAD), the primary purpose of this quantitative comparative study was to examine to what extent citizens and public officials differed in levels of their perception of corruption and the degree of the forms of corruption in Uganda. Using a survey of 12,000 citizens and 670 public officials, we found that citizens and public officials were slightly different in their perception of corruption, but corruption is a collaborative endeavor involving many behaviors that are discussed in detail. Key recommendations are to adopt technological inter-faces, reduce work incentives, and subject potential candidates to prove suitability before working in public service. Future research agendas are also discussed
The Politics of School Discipline: A Quantitative Analysis of the Legalization and Use of Corporal Punishment in the United States
Get PDFCorporal punishment in schools has been criticized for many reasons related to lower student achievement, delinquency, and mental health, but is still legal in 19 states. Attitudes towards corporal punishment have been linked to political leanings, fundamentalist religion, socioeconomic status, and rurality. In this study, I test whether political culture and voting patterns are predictive of the legality and frequency of corporal punishment use in schools, utilizing data from the Office for Civil Rights. Independent of median household income, educational attainment, state demographics, and the share of Evangelical Protestants, states with more Republican votes are more likely to legalize school corporal punishment. However, the main driver of the frequency of corporal punishment use is the prevalence of evangelical Protestants in the state
Legislation Meets Tradition: Interpretations and Implications of the Volunteer Protection Act for Nonprofit Organizations as viewed through the Lens of Hermeneutics
Get PDFVolunteers enable nonprofit organizations to reach more clients and more effectively fulfill their missions. However, the good done by these volunteers may be offset by their careless behavior. Rising fears that resulting lawsuits and monetary damages would deter potential volunteers from volunteering caused Congress to enact the Volunteer Protection Act. This research studies court decisions to ascertain whether the law fulfills its purpose and considers the implications of these interpretations for nonprofit managers. It also tests the usefulness of the hermeneutical approach to legal interpretation and to determine how the Act has changed as a result of these court decisions
Somatic Trp53 mutations differentially drive breast cancer and evolution of metastases
No full textTP53 mutations are the most frequent genetic alterations in breast cancer and are associated with more aggressive disease and worse overall survival. We have created two conditional mutant Trp53 alleles in the mouse that allow expression of Trp53R172H or Trp53R245W missense mutations in single cells surrounded by a normal stroma and immune system. Mice with Trp53 mutations in a few breast epithelial cells develop breast cancers with high similarity to human breast cancer including triple negative. p53R245W tumors are the most aggressive and exhibit metastases to lung and liver. Development of p53R172H breast tumors with some metastases requires additional hits. Sequencing of primary tumors and metastases shows p53R245W drives a parallel evolutionary pattern of metastases. These in vivo models most closely simulate the genesis of human breast cancer and will thus be invaluable in testing novel therapeutic options