The role of activin in mammary gland development and oncogenesis.

TGFβ contributes to mammary gland development and has paradoxical roles in breast cancer because it has both tumor suppressor and tumor promoter activity. Another member of the TGFβ superfamily, activin, also has roles in the developing mammary gland, but these functions, and the role of activin in breast cancer, are not well characterized. TGFβ and activin share the same intracellular signaling pathways, but divergence in their signaling pathways are suggested.

Lower and upper extremity loading in nordic walking in comparison with walking and running.

Nordic walking (NW) was compared with walking (W) and running (R) with respect to upper and lower limb injury risks. 24 NW-instructors performed W, NW, and R trials on a runway covered with artificial turf at controlled speeds. Foot pronation and ground reaction forces were measured as well as shock wave transmission to the right wrist.

Encephalopathy with neuroserpin inclusion bodies presenting as progressive myoclonus epilepsy and associated with a novel mutation in the Proteinase Inhibitor 12 gene.

Neuroserpin encephalopathy is an autosomal-dominant degenerative disease associated with mutations in the Proteinase Inhibitor 12 (PI12) gene. A 26-year-old male presented with progressive myoclonus epilepsy and declining mental status. He had failed in university studies because of impaired attention, memory and concentration.

Choosing the cosmetically superior laparoscopic access to the abdomen: the importance of the umbilicus.

Background: Single-incision laparoscopy (SIL) is a rapidly growing procedure in the field of surgery. The most frequent site of abdominal access is the umbilicus. Its appearance can be altered during SIL procedures.

BIOSPIDA: A Relational Database Translator for NCBI.

As the volume and availability of biological databases continue widespread growth, it has become increasingly difficult for research scientists to identify all relevant information for biological entities of interest. Details of nucleotide sequences, gene expression, molecular interactions, and three-dimensional structures are maintained across many different databases. To retrieve all necessary information requires an integrated system that can query multiple databases with minimized overhead.

Hexosamine biosynthetic pathway mutations cause neuromuscular transmission defect.

Neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) are synapses that transmit impulses from motor neurons to skeletal muscle fibers leading to muscle contraction. Study of hereditary disorders of neuromuscular transmission, termed congenital myasthenic syndromes (CMS), has helped elucidate fundamental processes influencing development and function of the nerve-muscle synapse. Using genetic linkage, we find 18 different biallelic mutations in the gene encoding glutamine-fructose-6-phosphate transaminase 1 (GFPT1) in 13 unrelated families with an autosomal recessive CMS.

13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine immune sera protects against pneumococcal serotype 1, 3, and 5 bacteremia in a neonatal rat challenge model.

PCV7 was first licensed in the United States in 2000 based on clinical efficacy studies. Since the introduction, PCV7 has demonstrated protective effectiveness for each of the vaccine serotypes. More recently, PCV13 has been licensed in more than 60 countries based on serological noninferiority to PCV7 for the shared serotypes and noninferiority to the least immunogenic serotypes of PCV7 for the additional 6 serotypes in PCV13.

Robotic kidney implantation for kidney transplantation: initial experience.

Despite improvements in minimally invasive techniques over recent decades, kidney implantation into the iliac fossa has remained a domain of open surgery. However, it was hypothesized that it would be feasible to perform robotic transplant kidney implantation as a means of reducing surgical trauma. Two robotic kidney transplantations into the iliac fossa were attempted in human cadavers.

In silico prediction of potential metallothioneins and metallohistins in actinobacteria.

Metallothioneins and metallohistins are short peptides with a high cysteine and/or histidine content able to coordinate metals intracellularly, thereby increasing the tolerance against elevated concentrations of metals. Because of their features, they can be detected by in silico prediction from proteomes annotated from sequenced genomes. Here, we analyzed 73 sequenced actinobacterial genomes for peptides (≤ 100 amino acids) with a high content of cysteine and histidine (≥ 15%) and identified 103 putative metallothioneins and metallohistins.

Robotic hip arthroscopy in human anatomy.

Background: Robotic technology offers technical advantages that might offer new solutions for hip arthroscopy.

Methods: Two hip arthroscopies were performed in human cadavers using the da Vinci surgical system. During both surgeries, a robotic camera and 5 or 8 mm da Vinci trocars with instruments were inserted into the hip joint for manipulation.

Robotic single-incision transabdominal and transvaginal surgery: initial experience with intersecting robotic arms.

Background: Single-incision laparoscopic and natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) are technically challenging methods. Robotics might have the potential to overcome such hurdles with computer technology.

Methods: The da Vinci Standard and S System (Intuitive, Sunnyvale, USA) were used in human cadavers and pigs to perform single-incision transabdominal and transvaginal surgery.

Treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy with ciclosporin A: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled multicentre trial.

Background: Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a rare X-linked progressive disease characterised by loss of ambulation at about age 10 years, with death in early adulthood due to respiratory and cardiac insufficiency. Steroids are effective at slowing the progression of muscle weakness; however, their use is limited by side-effects, prompting the search for alternatives. We assessed the effect of ciclosporin A as monotherapy and in combination with intermittent prednisone for the treatment of ambulant patients with this disorder.

Effects of different shoe-lacing patterns on dorsal pressure distribution during running and perceived comfort.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of four lacing patterns (one regular, one tight, and two seven-eyelet lacings) on dorsal foot pressures during running and the perception of comfort and stability with 14 male rearfoot runners. By using a pressure insole, peak dorsal pressures were measured under the shoe's tongue. Highest peak pressures were found above the talus, the navicular bone, and the first ray.

Broad vaccine coverage predicted for a bivalent recombinant factor H binding protein based vaccine to prevent serogroup B meningococcal disease.

Factor H binding proteins (fHBP), are bacterial surface proteins currently undergoing human clinical trials as candidate serogroup B Neisseria meningitidis (MnB) vaccines. fHBP protein sequences segregate into two distinct subfamilies, designated A and B. Here, we report the specificity and vaccine potential of mono- or bivalent fHBP-containing vaccines.

Molecular characterisation of congenital myasthenic syndromes in Southern Brazil.

Objective: To perform genetic testing of patients with congenital myasthenic syndromes (CMS) from the Southern Brazilian state of Parana.

Patients And Methods: Twenty-five CMS patients from 18 independent families were included in the study. Known CMS genes were sequenced and restriction digest for the mutation RAPSN p.

If you ask them, will they come? Predictors of quarantine compliance during a hypothetical avian influenza pandemic: results from a statewide survey.

Background: An influenza pandemic, such as that of the H1N1 virus, raises questions about how to respond effectively to a lethal outbreak. Most plans have focused on minimizing impact by containing the virus through quarantine, but quarantine has not been used widely in the United States and little is known about what would be the public's response. The purpose of this study was to investigate factors that influence an individual's decision to comply with a hypothetical avian influenza quarantine order.

A computational genomics pipeline for prokaryotic sequencing projects.

Motivation: New sequencing technologies have accelerated research on prokaryotic genomes and have made genome sequencing operations outside major genome sequencing centers routine. However, no off-the-shelf solution exists for the combined assembly, gene prediction, genome annotation and data presentation necessary to interpret sequencing data. The resulting requirement to invest significant resources into custom informatics support for genome sequencing projects remains a major impediment to the accessibility of high-throughput sequence data.

Robotic vs. laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication for gastro-oesophageal reflux disease: systematic review and meta-analysis.

The aim of this meta-analysis was to compare clinical outcome following laparoscopic and robotic Nissen fundoplication. A systematic literature search of Medline, Embase and Cochrane Library databases was performed. Primary outcome measures were the requirement for re-operation, postoperative mortality and postoperative dysphagia.

Robot-assisted oncologic resection for large gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumor: a preliminary case series.

Background: Laparoscopic resection of gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) has been shown as feasible and safe in terms of oncologic results. However, laparoscopic resection has been demonstrated to be mainly suitable for small, favorably localized GIST. The robotic approach may, by its characteristics, enable the surgeon to perform atypical gastrectomies in an unfavorable location (i.

The effect of lecture and a standardized patient encounter on medical student rape myth acceptance and attitudes toward screening patients for a history of sexual assault.

Background: Most physicians fail to routinely screen patients for a history of sexual assault.

Purposes: This study aimed to gauge medical student support for routinely screening patients for a history of sexual assault, examine potential barriers to screening, and determine if attitudes can be changed through educational interventions.

Methods: One hundred three 2nd-year medical students completed a survey before and after a lecture on sexual assault (response rate = 94/103 and 90/103, respectively).

Morbid obesity with achalasia: a surgical challenge.

Achalasia is a relatively rare medical condition that is classically not associated with obesity. The surgical treatment of a simultaneous occurrence of these two diseases requires careful consideration, and only a few reports can be found in the literature combining a Heller myotomy with gastric bypass, duodenal switch, or gastric banding. We report the case of a 69-year-old female patient with early achalasia and obesity who underwent simultaneous laparoscopic gastric sleeve resection and robotic Heller myotomy.

Diagnostic accuracy of contrast echocardiography during adenosine stress for detection of abnormal myocardial perfusion: a prospective comparison with technetium-99 m sestamibi single-photon emission computed tomography.

Myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) utilizes compressible microbubbles behaving similarly to red blood cells. Destruction of microbubbles and observation of the gradual refill into the myocardium are key to evaluating perfusion using real-time MCE. We aimed to assess the feasibility and diagnostic accuracy of qualitative MCE utilizing a 17-segment model for localization of myocardial perfusion abnormalities compared with simultaneous technetium-99 m sestamibi single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT).

Assessment of myocardial perfusion during adenosine stress using real time three-dimensional and two-dimensional myocardial contrast echocardiography: comparison with single-photon emission computed tomography.

Objectives: To evaluate diagnostic accuracy of adenosine two-dimensional and three-dimensional myocardial contrast echocardiography (2D- and 3D-MCE) compared with single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) for assessing myocardial perfusion.

Methods: From January through August 2007, patients with known or suspected CAD who were referred for SPECT underwent simultaneous adenosine 2D-MCE and 3D-MCE (live and full volume [FV]). Perfusion and wall motion in 17 segments in the left anterior descending, left circumflex, and right coronary artery territories were analyzed.

Estrogens, regulation of p53 and breast cancer risk: a balancing act.

The paradoxical effects of ovarian hormones in both the promotion and prevention of breast cancer have been debated for over 30 years. Genetic studies have demonstrated that ovarian hormones act through NF-kappaB to stimulate proliferation and ductal elongation, whereas the p53 tumor suppressor protein plays a central role in rendering the mammary epithelium resistant to tumorigenesis. Transcriptional profiles now suggest that ovarian hormones stimulate a constellation of genes that interact with NF-kappaB and p53 to arbitrate the competing demands for proliferation and surveillance.