Cells establish and sustain structural and functional integrity of the genome to support cellular identity and prevent malignant transformation. In this review, we present a strategic overview of ...epigenetic regulatory mechanisms including histone modifications and higher order chromatin organization (HCO) that are perturbed in breast cancer onset and progression. Implications for dysfunctions that occur in hormone regulation, cell cycle control, and mitotic bookmarking in breast cancer are considered, with an emphasis on epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition and cancer stem cell activities. The architectural organization of regulatory machinery is addressed within the contexts of translating cancer‐compromised genomic organization to advances in breast cancer risk assessment, diagnosis, prognosis, and identification of novel therapeutic targets with high specificity and minimal off target effects.
THE SERIOUS HAZARDS of Transfusion (SHOT) scheme is a UK-wide, independent, professionally led hemovigilance system focused on learning from adverse events. SHOT was established in 1996 as a ...confidential reporting system for significant transfusion-related events, building an evidence base to support blood safety policy decisions, clinical guidelines, clinician education, and improvements in transfusion practice. Recommendations are formulated by an independent steering group drawn from medical royal colleges and professional bodies. Ten years after its inception, SHOT has analyzed 2630 transfusion safety events, published 8 annual reports with recommendations, and presented data nationally and internationally. These recommendations have underpinned key initiatives, in particular the UK Department of Health “Better Blood Transfusion” strategy. SHOT has encouraged open reporting of adverse events and “near-misses” in a supportive, learning culture, vigilance in hospital transfusion practice, and evaluation of information technology to support this process. The importance of education and training has been emphasized. Detailed analysis of events has identified weaknesses in the transfusion chain. A collaborative initiative between SHOT, the Chief Medical Officer for England's National Blood Transfusion Committee, and the National Patient Safety Agency aims to reduce ABO-incompatible transfusions by improving bedside practice. Cumulative SHOT data have documented the decline in transfusion-related graft vs host disease after implementation of leucodepletion and have highlighted transfusion-related acute lung injury and bacterial contamination of platelets as important causes of death and morbidity. The UK blood services have developed strategies to reduce these risks. Future SHOT data will evaluate the success of these and other blood safety improvements.
The original work of Strobl and Hagedorn suggesting the presence of a third intermediate phase in semicrystalline polyethylene was revisted. The current study, involving the collection of Raman ...spectroscopic data on a set of 16 polyethylene samples recorded on two different types of instruments in two different laboratories and employing two different methods of curve fitting to both sets of experimental data, has revealed that the claims in the original paper cannot be asserted. The most important reason leading to this conclusion is a problem in correctly describing the complicated overlapping spectral structure in the 1000-1200 and 1400-1500 cm exp -1 spectral ranges. It is noted that the contribution of the melt in the 1000-1150 cm exp -1 range cannot be described by a single line centered around 1080 cm exp -1 . The present results indicate that the quantification of a third, intermediate, phase in polyethylene is not possible when based on standard Raman spectra.
Haemophilia B might be permanently cured by gene therapy--the introduction of a correct copy of the factor IX gene into the somatic cells of a patient. Here, we have introduced a recombinant human ...factor IX cDNA into primary human keratinocytes by means of a defective retroviral vector. In tissue culture, transduced keratinocytes were found to secrete biologically active factor IX and after transplantation of these cells into nude mice, human factor IX was detected in the bloodstream in small quantities for one week. This is the first demonstration of a therapeutic protein reaching the bloodstream from transduced primary keratinocytes. This may have implications for the treatment of haemophilia B and other disorders.
Insufficient acidification results in dark, firm, and dry beef. While this defect is often indicative of a stress event antemortem, muscle tissue may change in response to feeding regime. Longissimus ...dorsi muscle samples from 10 grain-fed and 10 grass-fed market weight, angus-crossbred beef cattle were collected postmortem. Lower (P < .05) L* and a* values were recorded for steaks from grass-fed cattle. Higher (P < .05) ultimate pH values were noted in lean of grass-fed cattle compared to grain-fed cattle, yet differences in lactate, glycogen and glucose were not detected. Further, increased (P < .05) ultimate pH values and lower (P < .05) lactate accumulations were noted when samples from grass-fed cattle were subjected to an in vitro glycolysis system. Muscle from grass-fed beef possessed nearly two-fold more (P < .05) succinate dehydrogenase and (P < .001) myoglobin than that of grain-fed cattle. These data show lean from grass-fed beef has greater enzymes reflective of oxidative metabolism and suggest dark lean from grass-fed cattle may be a function of more oxidative metabolism rather than a stress-related event antemortem.
•Grain-fed beef had higher L* and a* values than that of grass-fed beef.•Grass-fed beef had higher ultimate pH than that of grain-fed beef.•Muscle of grass-fed beef was more oxidative than that of grain-fed beef.•Myoglobin abundance was increased in grass-fed beef compared to grain-fed beef.
Functional status is associated with patient outcomes, but is rarely included in hospital readmission risk models. The objective of this study was to determine whether functional status is a better ...predictor of 30-day acute care readmission than traditionally investigated variables including demographics and comorbidities.
Retrospective database analysis between 2002 and 2011.
1158 US inpatient rehabilitation facilities.
4,199,002 inpatient rehabilitation facility admissions comprising patients from 16 impairment groups within the Uniform Data System for Medical Rehabilitation database.
Logistic regression models predicting 30-day readmission were developed based on age, gender, comorbidities (Elixhauser comorbidity index, Deyo-Charlson comorbidity index, and Medicare comorbidity tier system), and functional status Functional Independence Measure (FIM). We hypothesized that (1) function-based models would outperform demographic- and comorbidity-based models and (2) the addition of demographic and comorbidity data would not significantly enhance function-based models. For each impairment group, Function Only Models were compared against Demographic-Comorbidity Models and Function Plus Models (Function-Demographic-Comorbidity Models). The primary outcome was 30-day readmission, and the primary measure of model performance was the c-statistic.
All-cause 30-day readmission rate from inpatient rehabilitation facilities to acute care hospitals was 9.87%. C-statistics for the Function Only Models were 0.64 to 0.70. For all 16 impairment groups, the Function Only Model demonstrated better c-statistics than the Demographic-Comorbidity Models (c-statistic difference: 0.03-0.12). The best-performing Function Plus Models exhibited negligible improvements in model performance compared to Function Only Models, with c-statistic improvements of only 0.01 to 0.05.
Readmissions are currently used as a marker of hospital performance, with recent financial penalties to hospitals for excessive readmissions. Function-based readmission models outperform models based only on demographics and comorbidities. Readmission risk models would benefit from the inclusion of functional status as a primary predictor.
This study, an evaluation of the Strong African American Families Program, was designed to determine whether intervention-induced changes in targeted parenting behaviors were associated with young ...adolescents' development of racial pride, self-esteem, and sexual identity. Participants were 332 African American mothers and their 11-year-old children in 9 rural Georgia counties. Families were randomly assigned to a control group or an intervention group. Unlike those in the control families, mothers in the intervention group reported increases in targeted parenting behaviors, which promoted self-esteem, positive racial identity, and positive sexual self-concepts among their children. These findings expand the study of African American youths' identity development by including broader domains of identity and parenting processes other than racial socialization.
Raman Spectroscopy Gerrard, D. L
Analytical chemistry (Washington),
06/1994, Letnik:
66, Številka:
12
Journal Article
Recenzirano
From 1991 to 1993 over 6,000 papers were published dealing with aspects of the theory and application of Raman spectroscopy. Material found in some of these papers is discussed.
Pale, soft and exudative (PSE) pork represents considerable economic losses for the industry due to its limited functionality and undesirable appearance. During the past several decades, exhaustive ...research covering various aspects of the food chain has established genotyping procedures, recommended handling practices, and quality indicators in order to reduce the incidence of inferior pork quality. Despite these efforts, there is still a relatively high occurrence of PSE pork. Development of pork quality attributes is largely governed by the rate and extent of postmortem pH decline. The combination of high temperature at low pH or abnormally low ultimate pH causes denaturation of sarcoplasmic and myofibrillar proteins, resulting in paler color and reduced water holding capacity. The pH decline is closely related to muscle energy availability and demand at or around slaughter. The postmortem degradation of glycogen through glycogenolysis and glycolysis provides ATP to help meet energy demand and decreases pH by generating lactate and H+. Therefore, the flux of metabolites through glycolysis, the involvement of energy signaling pathways that modulate glycolytic activity, and the inherent metabolism of different fiber types are critical factors influencing pH decline and pork quality. Further, recent work implicates adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) as a major energy sensor for the cell, and thus may be involved in the control of postmortem metabolism. The intent of this paper is to review the biochemistry controlling postmortem energy metabolism in pig muscle and explore new information generated using genetic mutations in order to define the fundamental mechanisms controlling the transformation of muscle to meat.
Intracranial electrophysiological recording in patients with refractory focal epilepsy is the gold standard for defining epileptogenic tissue. Although the concordance of intracranial ...electrophysiology, structural MRI, and pathology can identify brain regions for resection, complete seizure control after surgery is not achieved in all patients with focal epilepsy. Repetitive identical behavioural seizures suggest one onset area, but epileptogenesis might be distributed and connected by functional and structural brain networks outside the seizure onset area, which could explain poor postsurgical outcomes in some patients. Similar networks are postulated in neuropsychiatric disorders, such as depression and anxiety, and seem to overlap with posited epilepsy networks, perhaps explaining the high prevalence of comorbid neuropsychiatric disorders in patients with epilepsy. These networks are difficult to verify with available electrophysiological recording approaches. Advances in intracranial technology are needed to confirm the epilepsy network hypothesis and improve surgical outcomes by providing individualised therapies based on specific network contributions.
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