Hydroponic Growth of [C]-Labeled Tobacco for DNA Damage Studies in Cigarette Smokers.

Cigarette smoking is the acknowledged major cause of cancers of the lung and oral cavity and is an established important risk factor for multiple other cancers. DNA addition products (DNA adducts) caused by cigarette smoking are critical factors in its mechanism of carcinogenesis. However, most DNA adducts detected to date in humans cannot be specifically ascribed to smoking but rather have multiple exogenous and endogenous sources.

High Enrichment [ C]-Labeling of Plants Grown Hydroponically from Seed to Seed in a Controlled C-Carbon Dioxide Atmosphere Enclosure.

In vivo isotopic labeling empowers proteomic and metabolomic analyses to resolve relationships between the molecular composition, environment, and phenotype of an organism. Carbon-13 is particularly useful for plant labeling as it can be introduced via CO gas and readily assimilated into plant metabolic systems through natural carbon fixation. While short-term labeling experiments can be performed within a simple sealed enclosure, long-term growth in an isolated environment raises many challenges beyond nutrient availability and buildup of metabolic waste.

Prior coronary artery bypass graft surgery patients undergoing diagnostic coronary angiography have multiple uncontrolled coronary artery disease risk factors and high risk for cardiovascular events.

Limited contemporary data exist on the cardiovascular risk of patients with prior coronary artery bypass grafting surgery (CABG) requiring diagnostic coronary angiography. We examined the prevalence and control of coronary artery disease risk factors and the outcomes of 367 prior CABG patients who underwent diagnostic coronary angiography between October 1, 2004 and May 31, 2007 at the Dallas Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Mean age was 65 +/- 9 years, 97% were men, and the mean time from CABG to diagnostic angiography was 8.

Perioperative risk of patients undergoing noncardiac surgery after coronary artery bypass surgery.

Background: Most data suggesting that noncardiac surgery early after coronary artery bypass surgery carries low risk are derived from post hoc analyses of randomized controlled trials, with only limited data derived from contemporary, nonselected, and nontrial patients.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients who underwent coronary artery bypass surgery at our institution between January 1999 and October 2006 to determine whether they subsequently had major noncardiac surgery and what the outcomes of the noncardiac surgery were.

Results: During the study period, 1065 patients underwent coronary artery bypass surgery, and 272 (26%) subsequently underwent 467 major noncardiac surgeries.

Impact on contrast, fluoroscopy, and catheter utilization from knowing the coronary artery bypass graft anatomy before diagnostic coronary angiography.

To what extent the unavailability of coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) anatomy complicates the performance of diagnostic coronary angiography has not been studied. The medical and catheterization records and coronary angiograms of 367 consecutive CABG surgery patients who underwent 394 diagnostic coronary angiographic studies from October 1, 2004, to May 31, 2007, were retrospectively reviewed. The patients' mean age was 65+/-9 years, and 97% were men.