SAGE & THYME: a model for training health and social care professionals in patient-focussed support.

Objective: To develop a model for addressing the emotional concerns of patients or their caregivers; to teach the model in a three-hour workshop and to assess the impact of that training on a wide range of health and social care staff.

Methods: A multi-specialty team, including a cancer patient, developed a model based on the evidence relating to emotional support and communication skills. The model (SAGE & THYME) consists of nine steps (see Box 1).

Activation of NF-kappaB nuclear transcription factor by flow in human endothelial cells.

The tractive force generated by blood flow, called fluid shear stress, is an important regulator of endothelial cell gene expression. Several transcription factors are activated by shear stress, including members of the NF-kappaB/Rel family. The nature of the upstream-signaling components involved in the activation of NF-kappaB by flow has been studied in human endothelial cells.

Vav-1 and the IKK alpha subunit of I kappa B kinase functionally associate to induce NF-kappa B activation in response to CD28 engagement.

We have recently observed that CD28 engagement initiates a signaling pathway leading to the activation of I kappa B kinase (IKK) complex and, consequently, to NF-kappa B activation, and we identified Vav-1 as an important mediator of this function. Here we report for the first time that Vav-1 constitutively associates with IKK alpha in both Jurkat and primary CD4(+) T cells. Vav-1/IKK alpha association is mediated by their helix-loop-helix domains, does not involve IKK beta, and is functionally relevant in that Vav-1-associated IKK alpha kinase activity is increased following CD28 engagement by B7.