Ultra-thin titania films were grown on a Mo(1
1
0) substrate by vapor depositing Ti in an O
2 ambient (5×10
−7 Torr) at 600 K, followed by annealing to 900–1200 K. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy ...showed that titanium oxide films annealed to 900 K were partially reduced, exhibiting Ti
4+, Ti
3+ and Ti
2+ species, whereas films annealed to 1200 K were fully oxidized and exhibited only Ti
4+. Corresponding scanning tunneling microscopy measurements revealed layer-by-layer growth of titania films on Mo(1
1
0) at 900 K. Flat terraces with three different orientations were observed. The line spacings between the neighboring atomic rows for all terraces were ∼6.5 Å, suggesting epitaxial growth of TiO
2(1
1
0)-(1×1). A further anneal of the films to 1200 K led to three-dimensional, rough surfaces for the fully oxidized films, indicating the formation of stable crystallites at high temperature.
The authors examined nutritional risk factors for prostate cancer among 9,559 participants in the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial (United States and Canada, 1994–2003). The presence or absence of ...cancer was determined by prostate biopsy, which was recommended during the trial because of an elevated prostate-specific antigen level or an abnormal digital rectal examination and was offered to all men at the trial's end. Nutrient intake was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire and a structured supplement-use questionnaire. Cancer was detected in 1,703 men; 127 cancers were high-grade (Gleason score 8–10). There were no associations of any nutrient or supplement with prostate cancer risk overall. Risk of high-grade cancer was associated with high intake of polyunsaturated fats (quartile 4 vs. quartile 1: odds ratio = 2.41, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.33, 4.38). Dietary calcium was positively associated with low-grade cancer but inversely associated with high-grade cancer (for quartile 4 vs. quartile 1, odds ratios were 1.27 (95% CI: 1.02, 1.57) and 0.43 (95% CI: 0.21, 0.89), respectively). Neither dietary nor supplemental intakes of nutrients often suggested for prostate cancer prevention, including lycopene, long-chain n-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, vitamin E, and selenium, were significantly associated with cancer risk. High intake of n-6 fatty acids, through their effects on inflammation and oxidative stress, may increase prostate cancer risk.
The incidence rates of endometrial cancer are increasing, which may partly be explained by the rising prevalence of obesity, an established risk factor for endometrial cancer. Hypertension, another ...component of metabolic syndrome, is also increasing in prevalence, and emerging evidence suggests that it may be associated with the development of certain cancers. The role of hypertension independent of other components of metabolic syndrome in the etiology of endometrial cancer remains unclear. In this study, we evaluated hypertension as an independent risk factor for endometrial cancer and whether this association is modified by other established risk factors.
We included 15,631 endometrial cancer cases and 42,239 controls matched on age, race, and study-specific factors from 29 studies in the Epidemiology of Endometrial Cancer Consortium. We used multivariable unconditional logistic regression models to estimate ORs and 95% confidence intervals (CI) to evaluate the association between hypertension and endometrial cancer and whether this association differed by study design, race/ethnicity, body mass index, diabetes status, smoking status, or reproductive factors.
Hypertension was associated with an increased risk of endometrial cancer (OR, 1.14; 95% CI, 1.09-1.19). There was significant heterogeneity by study design (Phet < 0.01), with a stronger magnitude of association observed among case-control versus cohort studies. Stronger associations were also noted for pre-/perimenopausal women and never users of postmenopausal hormone therapy.
Hypertension is associated with endometrial cancer risk independently from known risk factors. Future research should focus on biologic mechanisms underlying this association.
This study provides evidence that hypertension may be an independent risk factor for endometrial cancer.
The majority of patients with Saethre-Chotzen syndrome have mutations in the TWIST gene, which codes for a basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor. Of the genetic alterations identified in TWIST, ...nonsense mutations, frameshifts secondary to small deletions or insertions, and large deletions implicate haploinsufficiency as the pathogenic mechanism. We identified three novel intragenic mutations and six deletions in our patients by using a new strategy to screen for TWIST mutations. We used polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification with subsequent sequencing to identify point mutations and small insertions or deletions in the coding region, and real-time PCR-based gene dosage analysis to identify large deletions encompassing the gene, with confirmation by microsatellite and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analyses. The size of the deletions can also be analyzed by using the gene dosage assay with "PCR walking" across the critical region. In 55 patients with features of Saethre-Chotzen syndrome, 11% were detected to have deletions by real-time gene dosage analysis. Two patients had a translocation or inversion at least 260 kb 3' of the gene, suggesting they had position-effect mutations. Of the 37 patients with classic features of Saethre-Chotzen syndrome, the overall detection rate for TWIST mutations was 68%. The risk for developmental delay in patients with deletions involving the TWIST gene is approximately 90% or eight times more common than in patients with intragenic mutations.
The phenomenological features of 35 obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) patients with a lifetime history of tics were compared to 35 age- and sex-matched OCD patients without tics. Seven categories ...of obsessions and nine categories of compulsions were determined using the symptom checklist of the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (YBOCS). Discriminant function analysis revealed that, compared to their counterparts without tics, OCD patients with tics had more touching, tapping, rubbing, blinking and staring rituals, and fewer cleaning rituals, but did not differ on obsessions. These preliminary findings suggest that the types of compulsions present may help to discriminate between two putative subgroups of OCD, i.e. those with and without tics.
Landscape approaches may be used to determine biotic diversity, landscape stability and watershed integrity. Geographic information systems, remote satellite imagery and landscape ecology technology ...have potential as tools for monitoring environmental quality in large regions in place of finer-scaled monitoring.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
BFBNIB, DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NMLJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) is believed to have a role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. In this 24-week randomized trial involving patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, treatment with ...etanercept, a TNF antagonist, resulted in significant improvement in the psoriasis area-and-severity index. Rates of adverse events were similar in the etanercept and placebo groups.
A TNF antagonist leads to improvement.
Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder that affects approximately 2 percent of the world's population.
1
Patients report substantial disease-related inability to work
2
and may face discrimination, financial distress, or depression.
3
Rapp et al.
4
showed that psoriasis causes more physical and mental disability than many major diseases. Current therapies for psoriasis are not satisfactory.
3
Many therapies are associated with cumulative toxicity that may limit their usefulness in this chronic disease.
1
–
4
Psoriasis is characterized by the infiltration of the skin by activated T cells and an abnormal proliferation of keratinocytes. As a result of overproduction by T cells, keratinocytes, dendritic . . .
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