The mental health toll of COVID-19 on healthcare workers (HCW) is not yet fully described. We characterized distress, coping, and preferences for support among NYC HCWs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This was a cross-sectional web survey of physicians, advanced practice providers, residents/fellows, and nurses, conducted during a peak of inpatient admissions for COVID-19 in NYC (April 9th-April 24th 2020) at a large medical center in NYC (n = 657). Results: Positive screens for psychological symptoms were common; 57% for acute stress, 48% for depressive, and 33% for anxiety symptoms. For each, a higher percent of nurses/advanced practice providers screened positive vs. attending physicians, though housestaff's rates for acute stress and depression did not differ from either. Sixty-one percent of participants reported increased sense of meaning/purpose since the COVID-19 outbreak. Physical activity/exercise was the most common coping behavior (59%), and access to an individual therapist with online self-guided counseling (33%) garnered the most interest. Conclusions: NYC HCWs, especially nurses and advanced practice providers, are experiencing COVID-19-related psychological distress. Participants reported using empirically-supported coping behaviors, and endorsed indicators of resilience, but they also reported interest in additional wellness resources. Programs developed to mitigate stress among HCWs during the COVID-19 pandemic should integrate HCW preferences.

According to Bourdieu

Intact p73 function is shown to be an important determinant of cellular sensitivity to anticancer agents. Inhibition of p73 function by dominant-negative proteins or by mutant p53 abrogates apoptosis and cytotoxicity induced by these agents. A polymorphism encoding either arginine (72R) or proline (72P) at codon 72 of p53 influences inhibition of p73 by a range of p53 mutants identified in squamous cancers. Clinical response following cisplatin-based chemo-radiotherapy for advanced head and neck cancer is influenced by this polymorphism, cancers expressing 72R mutants having lower response rates than those expressing 72P mutants. Polymorphism in p53 may influence individual responsiveness to cancer therapy.

A single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in exon 4 results in expression of either arginine (72R) or proline (72P) at codon 72 of p53. We demonstrate that the in vitro response of cells exposed to anticancer agents is strongly influenced by this SNP in wild-type p53. In inducible systems and in cells expressing the endogenous protein, expression of 72P wild-type p53 results in a predominant G1 arrest, with only a minor apoptosis, at drug concentrations causing extensive apoptosis in cells expressing the 72R wild-type variant. The superior apoptosis-inducing activity of the 72R form correlates with more efficient induction of specific apoptosis-associated genes, and is maximal in the presence of serine 46 (S46). In vivo, the outcome of chemo-radiotherapy of squamous carcinomas is more favourable in cancers retaining a wild-type 72R allele, such cases having higher response rates and longer survival than those with wild-type 72P. Together, these results reveal that this SNP is an important determinant of response to anticancer agents in cells expressing wild-type p53. Analysis of complete p53 genotype (mutation and SNP) merits detailed investigation as a simple means for prediction of treatment response and survival in clinical oncology.

iASPP is one of the most evolutionarily conserved inhibitors of p53, whereas ASPP1 and ASPP2 are activators of p53. We show here that, in addition to the DNA-binding domain, the ASPP family members also bind to the proline-rich region of p53, which contains the most common p53 polymorphism at codon 72. Furthermore, the ASPP family members, particularly iASPP, bind to and regulate the activity of p53Pro72 more efficiently than that of p53Arg72. Hence, escape from negative regulation by iASPP is a newly identified mechanism by which p53Arg72 activates apoptosis more efficiently than p53Pro72.

The apoptosis stimulating proteins of p53 (ASPP) family consists of three members, ASPP1, ASPP2 and iASPP. They bind to proteins that are key players in controlling apoptosis (p53, Bcl-2 and RelA/p65) and cell growth (APCL, PP1). So far, the best-known function of the ASPP family members is their ability to regulate the apoptotic function of p53 and its family members, p63 and p73. Biochemical and genetic evidence has shown that ASPP1 and ASPP2 activate, whereas iASPP inhibits, the apoptotic but not the cellcycle arrest function of p53. The p53 tumour suppressor gene, one of the most frequently mutated genes in human cancer, is capable of suppressing tumour growth through its ability to induce apoptosis or cell-cycle arrest. Thus, the ASPP family of proteins helps to determine how cells choose to die and may therefore be a novel target for cancer therapy.

Nearly 90% of human melanomas contain inactivated wild-type p53, the underlying mechanisms for which are not fully understood. Here, we identify that cyclin B1/CDK1-phosphorylates iASPP, which leads to the inhibition of iASPP dimerization, promotion of iASPP monomer nuclear entry, and exposure of its p53 binding sites, leading to increased p53 inhibition. Nuclear iASPP is enriched in melanoma metastasis and associates with poor patient survival. Most wild-type p53-expressing melanoma cell lines coexpress high levels of phosphorylated nuclear iASPP, MDM2, and cyclin B1. Inhibition of MDM2 and iASPP phosphorylation with small molecules induced p53-dependent apoptosis and growth suppression. Concurrent p53 reactivation and BRAFV600E inhibition achieved additive suppression in vivo, presenting an alternative for melanoma therapy.

This paper examines the impact of family background (social class, cultural and economic capital) and ability on the choice of subjects in secondary and tertiary education in Britain.Using a framework that integrates rational choice perspectives and cultural reproduction theory, we assume that children take their parents' social position as a reference for their own choices, and are guided mainly by the amount of economic and cultural capital that is available within the family. Using longitudinal data from the 1958 British birth cohort (N = 13,245), the empirical analysis shows that children from higher social class backgrounds achieved a higher standard in both humanities and scientific subjects in primary and secondary school. Furthermore, children of the professional class were relatively likely to choose the prestigious subjects of medicine and law in university, independent of ability. Both absolute and relative levels of ability were relevant to the choice of subject at degree level, as it was found that people chose subjects that they were relatively good at compared to other subjects. This concept of 'comparative advantage' gives additional insight into field-of-study choices, but does not explain the gender segregation across disciplines.