Vitamin K supplementation does not prevent bone loss in ovariectomized Norway rats.

Background: Despite plausible biological mechanisms, the differential abilities of phylloquinone (PK) and menaquinones (MKn) to prevent bone loss remain controversial. The objective of the current study was to compare the effects of PK, menaquinone-4 (MK-4) and menaquinone-7 (MK-7) on the rate of bone loss in ovariectomized (OVX) Norway rats. A secondary aim was to compare the effects of vitamin K with those of bisphosphonates (BP) on bone loss.

Betacellulin promotes cell proliferation in the neural stem cell niche and stimulates neurogenesis.

Neural stem cells (NSCs) reside in specialized niches in the adult mammalian brain, including the subventricular zone and the dentate gyrus, which act to control NSC behavior. Among other cell types within these niches, NSCs are found in close proximity to blood vessels. We carried out an analysis of the interaction between endothelial cells and NSCs, and show that betacellulin (BTC), a member of the EGF family and one of several signaling molecules made by the former, induces NSC proliferation and prevents spontaneous differentiation in culture.

Family-supportive organization perceptions: validation of an abbreviated measure and theory extension.

Although the concept of family-supportive organization perceptions has been well received in the literature, the actual construct has been relatively understudied. In the present study, we accomplish two goals. First using confirmatory factor analysis, we report on the validation of an abbreviated six-item measure of family-supportive organization perceptions that demonstrates limited measurement error.

FGF-23 is associated with cardiac troponin T and mortality in hemodialysis patients.

Fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF-23) is elevated in patients with end-stage kidney disease and has been linked with mortality, vascular calcification, markers of bone turnover, and left ventricular hypertrophy. In this cohort study, we determined the correlates of FGF-23 (including cardiac troponin T [cTNT]) and determined its association with mortality over 3.5 years of follow-up in 103 prevalent hemodialysis patients.

Transcriptional modulation in a leukocyte-depleted splenic cell population during prion disease.

Prion replication in the periphery precedes neuroinvasion in many experimental rodent scrapie models, and in natural sheep scrapie and chronic wasting disease (CWD) in cervids. Prions propagate in the germinal centers of secondary lymphoid organs and are strongly associated with follicular dendritic cells (FDC) and possibly circulating dendritic cells and macrophages. Given the importance of lymphoid organs in prion disease transmission and pathogenesis, gene expression studies may reveal host factors or biological pathways related to prion replication and accumulation.

Predicted 25-hydroxyvitamin D score and change in fasting plasma glucose in the Framingham offspring study.

Data on the association between vitamin D status and actual change in glycemic measures are limited. We examined the prospective association between a predicted 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) score and change in fasting plasma glucose concentration over a mean follow-up of 7 years, in 2571 men and women (mean age 54 years) without diabetes in the Framingham Offspring Study cohort. After adjustment for age, sex, body mass index and fasting plasma glucose at baseline, higher predicted 25(OH)D score at baseline was associated with a smaller 7-year increase in fasting plasma glucose concentrations (0.

What is the role of specialist palliative care in an acute hospital setting? A qualitative study exploring views of patients and carers.

Background: Since the medical specialty of palliative medicine was recognized in 1988, the role of hospital specialist palliative care services has been developing, extending to patients who have a life-limiting illness but are not in the terminal phase.

Aim: This qualitative study aims to explore patient and carer perspectives of the role of palliative care in the acute hospital setting, with patients not imminently dying.

Design: Semi-structured interviews with 12 patients and 10 carers.

The randomized fast-track trial in palliative care: role, utility and ethics in the evaluation of interventions in palliative care?

Background: Randomized trials are the gold standard method for evaluating treatments and services in health care. However, they are often difficult to complete in palliative care, and suffer from poor recruitment.

Aim: To introduce the randomized fast-track trial and its potential use in palliative care.

Corticosteroid-use in primary and secondary brain tumour patients: a review.

Corticosteroids have been effective in the management of cerebral oedema, in the context of brain tumours, for many decades. Though their effectiveness is well-established, this needs to be balanced against their potential to cause significant side effects. There is currently little consensus in the literature about how this should be done.

Metabolomics and its application to studying metal toxicity.

Here we explain the omics approach of metabolomics and how it can be applied to study a physiological response to toxic metal exposure. This review aims to educate the metallomics field to the tool of metabolomics. Metabolomics is becoming an increasingly used tool to compare natural and challenged states of various organisms, from disease states in humans to toxin exposure to environmental systems.

Vitamin D status is not related to development of atrial fibrillation in the community.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is common and is an important cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Vitamin D is an emerging risk factor in cardiovascular disease, and vitamin D status is modifiable. Thus, we sought to investigate whether vitamin D status predisposed to the development of AF in a community-based sample.

Using mixed methods to develop and evaluate complex interventions in palliative care research.

Background: there is increasing interest in combining qualitative and quantitative research methods to provide comprehensiveness and greater knowledge yield. Mixed methods are valuable in the development and evaluation of complex interventions. They are therefore particularly valuable in palliative care research where the majority of interventions are complex, and the identification of outcomes particularly challenging.

Matrix Gla protein polymorphism, but not concentrations, is associated with radiographic hand osteoarthritis.

Objective: Factors associated with mineralization and osteophyte formation in osteoarthritis (OA) are incompletely understood. Genetic polymorphisms of matrix Gla protein (MGP), a mineralization inhibitor, have been associated clinically with conditions of abnormal calcification. We therefore evaluated the relationship of MGP concentrations and polymorphisms at the MGP locus to hand OA.

SARS-CoV 9b protein diffuses into nucleus, undergoes active Crm1 mediated nucleocytoplasmic export and triggers apoptosis when retained in the nucleus.

Background: 9b is an accessory protein of the SARS-CoV. It is a small protein of 98 amino acids and its structure has been solved recently. 9b is known to localize in the extra-nuclear region and has been postulated to possess a nuclear export signal (NES), however the role of NES in 9b functioning is not well understood.

Circulating uncarboxylated matrix gla protein is associated with vitamin K nutritional status, but not coronary artery calcium, in older adults.

Matrix Gla protein (MGP) is a calcification inhibitor in vascular tissue that must be carboxylated by vitamin K to function. Evidence suggests circulating uncarboxylated MGP (ucMGP) is elevated in persons with disease characterized by vascular calcification. The primary purpose of this study was to determine cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between plasma ucMGP, vitamin K status, and coronary artery calcium (CAC) in older adults without coronary heart disease.

Study protocol: Phase III single-blinded fast-track pragmatic randomised controlled trial of a complex intervention for breathlessness in advanced disease.

Background: Breathlessness in advanced disease causes significant distress to patients and carers and presents management challenges to health care professionals. The Breathlessness Intervention Service (BIS) seeks to improve the care of breathless patients with advanced disease (regardless of cause) through the use of evidence-based practice and working with other healthcare providers. BIS delivers a complex intervention (of non-pharmacological and pharmacological treatments) via a multi-professional team.

Differences in metabolism between the biofilm and planktonic response to metal stress.

Bacterial biofilms are known to withstand the effects of toxic metals better than planktonic cultures of the same species. This phenomenon has been attributed to many features of the sessile lifestyle not present in free-swimming populations, but the contribution of intracellular metabolism has not been previously examined. Here, we use a combined GC-MS and (1)H NMR metabolomic approach to quantify whole-cell metabolism in biofilm and planktonic cultures of the multimetal resistant bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens exposed to copper ions.

The evolving food and nutrition agenda: policy and research priorities for the coming decade.

Enormous progress has been made in the past 100 years in improving diet and nutritional status. However, the job is not done. This paper summarizes some of the current challenges and proposes priorities for future research and policy development.

Vitamin K status in spaceflight and ground-based models of spaceflight.

Bone loss is a well-documented change during and after long-duration spaceflight. Many types of countermeasures to bone loss have been proposed, including vitamin K supplementation. The objective of this series of studies was to measure change in vitamin K status in response to microgravity under a variety of spaceflight and spaceflight analog (model) conditions, including long-duration spaceflight studies (n = 15), three bed rest studies (n = 15, 49, and 24), and a 14-day saturation dive (n = 6).

Nonpharmacological interventions for breathlessness.

Purpose Of Review: Breathlessness is difficult to palliate and nonpharmacological interventions are effective management strategies currently available for mobile patients. These are a diverse group of interventions, currently poorly defined and inconsistently used. This review concentrates on identifying and recommending the most effective nonpharmacological strategies for breathlessness, to aid clinical practice.

Cell-mediated transfer of catalase nanoparticles from macrophages to brain endothelial, glial and neuronal cells.

Background: Our laboratories forged the concept of macrophage delivery of protein antioxidants to attenuate neuroinflammation and nigrostriatal neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease. Notably, the delivery of the redox enzyme, catalase, incorporated into a polyion complex micelle ('nanozyme') by bone marrow-derived macrophages protected nigrostriatum against 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine intoxication. Nonetheless, how macrophage delivery of nanozyme increases the efficacy of catalase remains unknown.

Prostaglandin E2 suppresses the differentiation of retinoic acid-producing dendritic cells in mice and humans.

The production of retinoic acid (RA) by dendritic cells (DCs) is critical for the induction of gut-tropic immune responses by driving the expression of intestinal-specific homing receptors, such as α4β7 and CCR9, upon T and B cell activation. However, how RA production is regulated during DC development remains unclear. We describe an unexpected role for prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) as a negative regulator of retinal dehydrogenases (RALDH), the enzymes responsible for RA synthesis.

A role for Rab7 in the movement of secretory granules in cytotoxic T lymphocytes.

Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) are potent killers of virally infected and tumorigenic cells. Upon recognition of target cells, CTL undergo polarized secretion of secretory lysosomes at the immunological synapse (IS) that forms between CTL and target. However, the molecular machinery involved in the polarization of secretory lysosomes is still largely uncharacterized.