Prostaglandins antagonistically control Bax activation during apoptosis.

The Bax protein (Bcl-2-associated X protein) is pivotal for the apoptotic process. Bax, which resides in an inactive form in the cytosol of healthy cells, is activated during the early stages of apoptosis and becomes associated with mitochondria through poorly understood mechanisms. In this study, we show that a family of bioactive lipids, namely prostaglandins, regulates Bax-dependent apoptosis.

"Chain-like" trimetallic ruthenium complexes with C7 carbon-rich bridges: experimental and theoretical investigations of electronic communication tuning in five distinct oxidation states.

In this work, we report the synthesis and the electronic properties of the unique highly conjugated molecular wires trans-[Cl-(dppe)(2)Ru=C=C=(Ph)C-CH=(CH(3))C-C[triple bond]C-(X)(2)Ru-C=C-C(CH(3))=CH-C(Ph)=C=C=Ru(dppe)(2)Cl](n+) (n = 2, X = dppe ([3a](OTf)(2)) and dppm ([3b](OTf)(2)) with three similar metal centers spanned by two odd-numbered unsaturated C(7) chains providing a 28 A long conjugated path and displaying five well-separated redox states (n = 0-4). Successive one-electron transfer steps were studied by means of cyclic voltammetry, EPR and UV-vis-NIR-IR spectroelectrochemistry. The electronic and physical properties of the different states were further rationalized with the help of DFT-based calculations.

Comparative effectiveness of MRI in breast cancer (COMICE) trial: a randomised controlled trial.

Background: MRI might improve diagnosis of breast cancer, reducing rates of reoperation. We assessed the clinical efficacy of contrast-enhanced MRI in women with primary breast cancer.

Methods: We undertook an open, parallel group trial in 45 UK centres, with 1623 women aged 18 years or older with biopsy-proven primary breast cancer who were scheduled for wide local excision after triple assessment.

Topoisomerase IIalpha expression rather than gene amplification predicts responsiveness of adjuvant anthracycline-based chemotherapy in women with primary breast cancer.

Introduction: Adjuvant anthracycline-based chemotherapy (AbCTX) is a standard treatment for patients with primary breast cancer. Its main target is topoisomerase IIalpha (TopIIa), a nuclear protein which is important for DNA replication and mitosis. We propose that the overexpression of the TopIIa protein or amplification of the TopIIa gene may be useful in predicting increased responsiveness towards AbCTX.

Circulating tumor cells in solid tumor in metastatic and localized stages.

Unlabelled: The aim of this study was the detection of circulating tumor cells (CTC) in three tumor types of epithelial origin.

Patients And Methods: Four hundred and thirty-eight patients with breast cancer (56.2% localized and 43.

Multicentre randomised controlled trial examining the cost-effectiveness of contrast-enhanced high field magnetic resonance imaging in women with primary breast cancer scheduled for wide local excision (COMICE).

Objectives: To determine whether the addition of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to current patient evaluation by triple assessment would aid tumour localisation within the breast and thus reduce the reoperation rate in women with primary breast tumours who are scheduled for wide local excision (WLE), and to assess whether the addition of MRI would be cost-effective for the UK NHS.

Design: A multicentre, randomised controlled, open, parallel group trial with equal randomisation. The main design was supplemented with a qualitative study to assess patients' experiences of the treatment process and care pathway, and involved the development of a non-scheduled standardised interview (NSSI).

Hypoxia and the malignant glioma microenvironment: regulation and implications for therapy.

Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) tumors are the most common type of brain tumors. These tumors are in general very malignant and can be characterized as rapidly progressive astrocytomas. The pathological characteristics of these tumors are exemplified by an active invasiveness, necrosis and a specialized form of angiogenesis, known as microvascular hyperplasia.

Clopidogrel affects leukocyte dependent platelet aggregation by P2Y12 expressing leukocytes.

Up to 30% of all patients who are treated with a coronary stent do not respond sufficiently to antiplatelet therapy. This condition results in an increased risk for thrombotic complications such as stent thrombosis and myocardial infarction. The aim of the study was to determine clinical parameters modulating ASA and clopidogrel responsiveness.

A grid for a precise analysis of daily activities.

Assessment of daily living activities is essential in patients with Alzheimer's disease. Most current tools quantitatively assess overall ability but provide little qualitative information on individual difficulties. Only a few tools allow therapists to evaluate stereotyped activities and record different types of errors.

Does cognitive impairment influence burden in caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's disease?

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by a progressive deterioration of various cognitive and behavioral abilities, and it also has a health impact on the patients' caregiver. Our aim was to determine the patient (and to a lesser extent the caregiver) characteristics that contribute most to the caregiver burden. We used the baseline data from the ICTUS study, a European longitudinal cohort of patients with mild to moderate AD.

First Report of Aster Yellow Phytoplasmas ('Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris') in Canadian Grapevines.

In North America, elm yellows, aster yellows (AY), and X-disease phytoplasmas have been detected in American grapevines (1), and recently, Bois noir was detected in Canadian vineyards from British Columbia (BC) and Ontario (ON) (2). Typical symptoms of grapevine yellows (GY) include leaf rolling and chlorosis, uneven or total lack of lignification of canes, flower abortion or berry withering, and stunting. In 2006 and 2007, independent surveys were conducted by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) to detect phytoplasmas in Canadian vineyards containing different cultivars in BC, ON, Québec (QC), Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island.

[Hereditary renal cancer].

Kidney cancer is the tenth most common cause of cancer death. There are a growing number of genes known to be associated with an increased risk of specific types of kidney cancer. People with Von Hippel-Lindau syndrome have about a 40% risk of developing multiple bilateral clear cell kidney cancers.

Comparison of models to predict nonsentinel lymph node status in breast cancer patients with metastatic sentinel lymph nodes: a prospective multicenter study.

Purpose: Several models have been developed to predict nonsentinel lymph node (non-SN) status in patients with breast cancer with sentinel lymph node (SN) metastasis. The purpose of our investigation was to compare available models in a prospective, multicenter study.

Patients And Methods: In a cohort of 561 positive-SN patients who underwent axillary lymph node dissection, we evaluated the areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUCs), calibration, rates of false negatives (FN), and number of patients in the group at low risk for non-SN calculated from nine models.

Transplant coordinators and communication with potential organ donor migrant families in France: an exploratory qualitative study.

Donor transplant coordinators often face organ donation refusals by migrant families in France. A multidisciplinary Working Group was asked by "Fondation Greffe de Vie" and Roche Company, in collaboration with the French national agency "Agence de la Biomédecine," to design a support program to improve communication between coordinators and families from other cultures upon the death of a family member who could be a potential donor. CerPhi was asked to conduct a survey of 30 coordinators in 22 French establishments.

Coronary angiogram video compression adapted to medical imaging applications.

H.264/AVC coder has proven to use the most advanced video compression, but, at the cost of high computational complexity. On the other hand, analysis of coronary x-ray images reveals large areas containing no diagnostically important information.

[Models to predict non sentinel lymph node status in breast cancer patients with metastatic sentinel lymph node].

In breast cancer, nine models have been developed to predict non SN status in patients with SN metastasis. Four models are nomograms: the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center nomogram (MSKCC nomogram), the nomogram of Degnim et al. (Mayo nomogram), the nomogram of Pal et al.

Maternal serum screening in cases of mosaic and translocation Down syndrome.

Objectives: To determine if the second-trimester maternal serum markers (MSM) screening for Down syndrome (DS) is efficient in DS mosaicism or structural rearrangement cases.

Method: DS mosaic or translocation cases were reviewed from databases of routine MSM DS screening. The control group consisted of 977 trisomy 21 cases included in a series of 854 902 patients (routine screening).

Immunogenicity, reactogenicity, and safety of a seven-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7) concurrently administered with a fully liquid DTPa-IPV-HBV-Hib combination vaccine in healthy infants.

Aim Of The Study: To evaluate the immunogenicity, safety and reactogenicity of a seven-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7) when given concomitantly with a fully liquid DTaP-IPV-HBV-Hib combination vaccine.

Methods: Two hundred and sixty-six healthy infants in France (n=136) and Germany (n=130) were randomized to receive DTaP-IPV-HBV-Hib and PCV7 (test group) at the age of 2, 3 and 4 months (primary series) and 12-15 months (booster dose), or to receive DTaP-IPV-HBV-Hib at the same time points but PCV7 at the ages of 5, 6, 7 and 13-16 months (control group). Antibody levels to all vaccine antigens were measured before dose 1, 1 month after dose 3, at the time of booster, and 1 month later.

Breaking the symmetry: assembly of cylindrical nanostructures with a C3-symmetrical ligand.

The reaction of a tripodal ligand containing terminal 2,3-dihydroxypyridine groups with (arene)ruthenium(II) complexes resulted in the formation of cylindrical nanostructures.

Preparation of alpha-Oxo semicarbazone oligonucleotide microarrays.

This unit describes the preparation of alpha-oxo aldehyde functionalized oligodeoxynucleotides, the preparation and characterization of semicarbazide glass slides, and the fabrication of alpha-oxo semicarbazone microarrays by site-specific ligation of alpha-oxo-aldehyde oligodeoxynucleotides to the semicarbazide glass slides. The alpha-oxo aldehyde group COCHO is extensively used in ligation chemistry for the preparation of large molecular constructs. It is stable toward air oxidation and mainly present in aqueous solution in the hydrated form COC(OH)(2).

Risk of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) bloodstream infection among patients colonized with VRE.

Background: Colonization with vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) is a risk factor for subsequent VRE bloodstream infection (BSI); however, risk factors for BSI among colonized patients have not been adequately described. We sought to determine the proportion of VRE-colonized patients who subsequently develop VRE BSI and to identify risk factors for VRE BSI among these patients.

Methods: Records of 768 patients colonized with VRE from January 2002 through June 2005 were reviewed.