Binational Cultural Adaptation of the keepin' it REAL Substance Use Prevention Program for Adolescents in Mexico.

Sharp increases in substance use rates among youth and the lack of evidence-based prevention interventions in Mexico are a major concern. A team of investigators from Mexico and the USA are actively addressing this gap by culturally adapting keepin' it REAL (kiR)-a former US SAMHSA model program-for Mexico. This paper reports on the processes and outcomes of the cultural adaptation of kiR for adolescents in Mexico.

Traumatic spinal cord injury alters angiogenic factors and TGF-beta1 that may affect vascular recovery.

Traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) disrupts the blood-spinal cord barrier and reduces the blood supply caused by microvascular changes. Vessel regression and neovascularization have been observed in the course of secondary injury contributing to microvascular remodeling after trauma. Spatio-temporal distribution of blood vessels and modulation of gene expression of several angiogenic factors have been investigated in rats after spinal cord compression injury.

Heterogeneous expression of tumor-associated genes in disseminated breast cancer cells.

Background: Gene expression profiles were determined to demonstrate heterogeneity of viable disseminated tumor cells (DTC) in the blood of breast cancer patients.

Patients And Methods: All patients (n = 48) suffered from metastatic disease (M1) and were treated with chemotherapy and/or Herceptin, respectively. Blood samples were analyzed by a DTC detection assay consisting of immunomagnetic tumor cell selection combined with expression profiling of the tumor-associated transcripts GA733-2, MUC-1, HER-2 and Claudin-7.

Combination of immunomagnetic enrichment with multiplex RT-PCR analysis for the detection of disseminated tumor cells.

Background: A highly specific and sensitive tumor cell detection assay is reported, which combines immunomagnetic enrichment with multiplex RT-PCR analysis.

Materials And Methods: The effect on the recovery rate of breast, testicular and colorectal cancer cells using single antibodies and combinations of them for IMS was examined by fluorescence microscopy and multiplex RT-PCR. The clinical utility of a tumor cell detection assay using IMS with multiplex RT-PCR was tested by examination of colorectal cancer blood samples and by comparing the results with CEA serum protein levels.