THE EDITOR, Madam: In times of great challenge and hardship we must continue, as a people, to uphold the values and attitudes that make us truly Jamaican. It is a time for true patriotism and for us to reach down and pull up those among us with...

St Petersburg is undoubtedly one of the most picturesque cities in the world – from its European-inspired architecture, its signature colourful, eclectic-style to its neoclassical and Baroque style to its water corridors, and the art, the city is a...

Clinical studies have suggested that changes in peripheral nerve microcirculation may contribute to nerve damage in diabetic polyneuropathy (DN). High-sensitivity troponin T (hsTNT) assays have been recently shown to provide predictive values for both cardiac and peripheral microangiopathy in type 2 diabetes (T2D). This study investigated the association of sciatic nerve structural damage in 3 Tesla (3T) magnetic resonance neurography (MRN) with hsTNT and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide serum levels in patients with T2D. MRN at 3T was performed in 51 patients with T2D (23 without DN, 28 with DN) and 10 control subjects without diabetes. The sciatic nerve’s fractional anisotropy (FA), a marker of structural nerve integrity, was correlated with clinical, electrophysiological, and serological data. In patients with T2D, hsTNT showed a negative correlation with the sciatic nerve’s FA (r = –0.52, P < 0.001), with a closer correlation in DN patients (r = –0.66, P < 0.001). hsTNT further correlated positively with the neuropathy disability score (r = 0.39, P = 0.005). Negative correlations were found with sural nerve conduction velocities (NCVs) (r = –0.65, P < 0.001) and tibial NCVs (r = –0.44, P = 0.002) and amplitudes (r = –0.53, P < 0.001). This study is the first to show that hsTNT is a potential indicator for structural nerve damage in T2D. Our results indirectly support the hypothesis that microangiopathy contributes to structural nerve damage in T2D.

The sale of two Jewel properties will inject US$60 million into loss-making Playa Resorts while reducing the hotel rooms it operates in Jamaica by more 40 per cent. Playa announced the sale of Jewel Runaway Bay Beach Resort...

DESPITE TUMBLING sales and challenges with hire-purchase accounts, two of the largest retailers of home furniture and appliances, Courts Jamaica and Singer Jamaica, have found glimmers of hope during the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s because work-from...

Incorporation of ribonucleotides into DNA can severely diminish genome integrity. However, how ribonucleotides instigate DNA damage is poorly understood. In DNA, they can promote replication stress and genomic instability and have been implicated in several diseases. We report here the impact of the ribonucleotide rATP and of its naturally occurring damaged analog 1,N6-ethenoadenosine (1,N6-ϵrA) on translesion synthesis (TLS), mediated by human DNA polymerase η (hpol η), and on RNase H2–mediated incision. Mass spectral analysis revealed that 1,N6-ϵrA in DNA generates extensive frameshifts during TLS, which can lead to genomic instability. Moreover, steady-state kinetic analysis of the TLS process indicated that deoxypurines (i.e. dATP and dGTP) are inserted predominantly opposite 1,N6-ϵrA. We also show that hpol η acts as a reverse transcriptase in the presence of damaged ribonucleotide 1,N6-ϵrA but has poor RNA primer extension activities. Steady-state kinetic analysis of reverse transcription and RNA primer extension showed that hpol η favors the addition of dATP and dGTP opposite 1,N6-ϵrA. We also found that RNase H2 recognizes 1,N6-ϵrA but has limited incision activity across from this lesion, which can lead to the persistence of this detrimental DNA adduct. We conclude that the damaged and unrepaired ribonucleotide 1,N6-ϵrA in DNA exhibits mutagenic potential and can also alter the reading frame in an mRNA transcript because 1,N6-ϵrA is incompletely incised by RNase H2.

Experts on this Spanish language webinar examine the operation of today’s interior immigration enforcement system and how state and local governments, civil society, and consulates are responding.    

A Spanish language webinar examining the operation of today’s interior enforcement system and how state and local governments, civil society, and consulates are responding.    

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Philip Rivers will become the head football coach at St. Michael Catholic High School, the school announced Friday.

The deadline for dental offices to install amalgam separators remains intact but the Environmental Protection Agency announced March 26 that it will be initiating “a new temporary enforcement discretion policy” during the COVID-19 pandemic.

OBJECTIVE

Acrylamide exposure from daily-consumed food has raised global concern. We aimed to assess the exposure-response relationships of internal acrylamide exposure with oxidative DNA damage, lipid peroxidation, and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) alteration and investigate the mediating role of oxidative DNA damage and lipid peroxidation in the association of internal acrylamide exposure with FPG.

The Trump administration’s plan to create a "merit-based" U.S. immigration system, lessening the longstanding focus on family reunification in favor of more economic migrants, has met with a lackluster response from Democrats and Republicans alike. This Policy Beat article explores how the Trump proposal would reshape immigration to the United States, and how it compares to selection systems in other countries and past debates about changing the U.S. system.

According to conventional wisdom, front-runners win presidential nominations. Democrats and Republicans who start the race for a presidential nomination with the largest amount of money and the best poll numbers are supposed to be the ones most likely to walk away with victory months later.

Tell all the Truth but tell it slant/Success in Circuit lies/Too bright for our infirm Delight/The Truth's superb surprise . . .

Put yourself in the shoes of Sen. Barack Obama or Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton. You are widely seen by Democratic voters as a transformational presidential candidate. Democrats are nearly evenly divided between you and your competitor, and you think you are the best candidate for your party -- and...

A few years ago, psychologists Mahzarin Banaji and Thierry Devos showed the names of a number of celebrities to a group of volunteers and asked them to classify the well-known personalities as American or non-American. The list included television personality Connie Chung and tennis star Michael ...

This recipe was featured on Foodie Tuesday, a weekly segment with Raf Epstein on Drive, 774 ABC Melbourne, 3:30 PM, courtesy of George Calombaris. George's new book is called "Greek."

1/4 small watermelon vegetable oil, for deep-frying 50 g vine leaves in brine 1/3 cup plain flour 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to garnish 500 g calamari, cleaned, scored and cut into bite-sized pieces, tentacles reserved salt flakes and cracked pepper 200 g green olives 200 g goat's curd, broken into small pieces

Seafood in a different way by the Golden Pig.

150g panko crumbs 1 clove of crushed garlic 1 tsp. ground ginger 2 tsps. curry powder 1 tsp. ground cumin 2 tsps. ground coriander 1 tsp. black mustard seeds 1 tsp. chilli flakes 2 tsps. caster sugar Pinch of salt 3 free range eggs, beaten 100g plain flour with a pinch of salt 1 cauliflower, broken in to small florets Sunflower oil for deep frying Sauce: Handful of chopped parsley Handful of chopped coriander leaves Handful of chopped mint leaves 1 tbsp. tamarind paste 1 tsp. maple syrup 1 tbsp. olive oil 2 tsps. lime juice Pinch of salt 2 tbsps. water

This recipe features on Foodie Tuesday, a weekly segment on 774 Drive with Raf Epstein, 3.30PM, shared by Dan Hunter, chef and owner of Otways' restaurant Brae.

This is the biscuit base to sprinkle in top of the cake Make enough to accomodate 22 cm round tin 50 g Unsalted Butter 50 g Raw Sugar 50 g Almond Meal 8 g of Coco Powder Pinch of Salt 40 g plain Flour Beat all ingredients together in machine with k beater Roll into oblong wrap in glad and freeze Cake mix 250 g eggs or 5 x large eggs 75 g of local honey 125 g castor sugar beat all ingredients together 75 g Almond Meal 120 g plain Flour 25 g coco powder 8 g Baking powder sieve ingredients Add to egg mix then add 120 ml of double Cream Melt together 70 g 70% best quality chocolate 75 g unsalted butter

For the study, 10 couples spent 45 minutes inside a brain scanner together in close physical contact.

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It goes by the name “Smart Disclosure,” in an announcement to the heads of federal departments and agencies. The term “smart disclosure” refers to the timely release of complex information and data in standardized, machine readable formats in ways that enable consumers to make informed decisions. Smart disclosure will typically take the form of providing [...]

Recounting her story of finding opportunity and stability in the US, Elizabeth Camarillo Gutierrez examines the flaws in narratives that simplify and idealize the immigrant experience -- and shares hard-earned wisdom on the best way to help those around us. "Our world is one that flourishes when different voices come together," she says.

By Emily Reynolds. Participants whose self-esteem was based on financial success felt more lonely and disconnected from others.

A businessman, Patrick served two terms as governor of Massachusetts and has credited education with his own dramatic rise to success.

Michael Sentance, who would oversee ESSA implementation as state superintendent, is less than a year into the job and under fire by the state board for his communication and leadership style.

Alabama lawmakers passed a charter school law last year, becoming the 43rd state to adopt one.

Board members didn't act on a resolution to revoke Alabama's version of the Common Core State Standards.

Michael Sentance abruptly resigns less than a year after being hired to oversee Alabama's schools and as board members were preparing to decide his fate after a brutal evaluation.

State of the States: Latest governor's address before the legislature.

A rural Southern school with a predominantly Native American population engages the whole community in its continued quest for improvement.

In his 2008 State of the State speech, Gov. Riley urged lawmakers to expand the state’s prekindergarten program and protect some of his K-12 initiatives from budget cuts.

The state's last superintendent resigned under pressure after he attempted to take over Montgomery's school system and figure out a way to grade the state's schools.

A K-8 charter school has opened in Livingston, Ala., that is making history.

State Board of Education members weighed in today about a proposal to eliminate their elected positions and replace the board with an appointed commission.

This Quality Counts 2019 Highlights Report captures all the data you need to assess your state's performance on key educational outcomes.

This Quality Counts 2020 Highlights Report captures all the data you need to assess your state's performance on key educational outcomes.

Can a Democrat with a record of tying test scores to teacher evaluations win a U.S. Senate seat in Colorado? Mike Johnston, a former Obama campaign adviser, wants to find out.