Opioid-related deaths in Ontario correctional facilities and penitentiaries (2009-2019).

The opioid crisis is a significant public health issue in North America that began in the 1990s with opioid-related deaths increasing each year. Although studies have been published regarding the incidence of opioid-related deaths in the general population, there is limited information regarding deaths in the prison population. To investigate the impact of the opioid epidemic in this vulnerable population, a retrospective study of all drug-related deaths that occurred in correctional facilities and penitentiaries in Ontario, Canada, between January 2009 and December 2019 was conducted.

The effect of pre-analytical variables on downstream application and data analysis of human endometrial biopsies.

Study Question: What are the effects of pre-analytical variables on the downstream analysis of patient-derived endometrial biopsies?

Summary Answer: There are distinct differences in the protein levels of the master regulator of oxygen homeostasis, hypoxia-inducible factor-1-alpha (HIF1α), and the protein and mRNA levels of three related genes, carbonic anhydrase 9 (), vascular endothelial growth factor A () and progesterone receptor () in human endometrial biopsies, depending on the pre-analytical variables: disease status (cancer vs benign), timing of biopsy (pre- vs post-hysterectomy) and type of biopsy (pipelle vs full-thickness).

What Is Known Already: Patient-derived biopsies are vital to endometrial research, but pre-analytical variables relating to their collection may affect downstream analysis, as is evident in other tissues.

Study Design Size Duration: A prospective observational study including patients undergoing hysterectomy for endometrial cancer (EC) or benign indications was conducted at a large tertiary gynaecological unit in the UK.

Telomere and Telomerase-Associated Proteins in Endometrial Carcinogenesis and Cancer-Associated Survival.

Risk of relapse of endometrial cancer (EC) after surgical treatment is 13% and recurrent disease carries a poor prognosis. Research into prognostic indicators is essential to improve EC management and outcome. "Immortality" of most cancer cells is dependent on telomerase, but the role of associated proteins in the endometrium is poorly understood.

Human Endometrial Carcinogenesis Is Associated with Significant Reduction in Long Non-Coding RNA, TERRA.

Telomeres are transcribed as long non-coding RNAs called TERRAs (Telomeric repeat containing RNA) that participate in a variety of cellular regulatory functions. High telomerase activity (TA) is associated with endometrial cancer (EC). This study aimed to examine the levels of three TERRAs, transcribed at chromosomes 1q-2q-4q-10q-13q-22q, 16p and 20q in healthy ( = 23) and pathological ( = 24) human endometrium and to examine their association with cellular proliferation, TA and telomere lengths.

Investigating the Role of Telomere and Telomerase Associated Genes and Proteins in Endometrial Cancer.

Endometrial cancer (EC) is the commonest gynaecological malignancy. Current prognostic markers are inadequate to accurately predict patient survival, necessitating novel prognostic markers, to improve treatment strategies. Telomerase has a unique role within the endometrium, whilst aberrant telomerase activity is a hallmark of many cancers.