The transcription factor Ahr1 links cell size control to amino acid metabolism in the opportunistic yeast Candida albicans.

In most eukaryotes, size homeostasis is exerted in late G1 phase as cells commit to division, called Start in yeast and the Restriction Point in metazoans. At the cellular level, size is dictated by the balance between cellular growth and division such that each cell division is accompanied by a doubling in cell mass. Our systematic screen for size mutants revealed that hundreds of genes markedly altered cell size in the opportunistic yeast Candida albicans, but only few of these overlapped with size control genes in the model yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Integration of Growth and Cell Size via the TOR Pathway and the Dot6 Transcription Factor in .

In most species, size homeostasis appears to be exerted in late G1 phase as cells commit to division, called Start in yeast and the Restriction Point in metazoans. This size threshold couples cell growth to division, and, thereby, establishes long-term size homeostasis. Our former investigations have shown that hundreds of genes markedly altered cell size under homeostatic growth conditions in the opportunistic yeast , but surprisingly only few of these overlapped with size control genes in the budding yeast Here, we investigated one of the divergent potent size regulators in , the Myb-like HTH transcription factor Dot6.

Mms21: A Putative SUMO E3 Ligase in That Negatively Regulates Invasiveness and Filamentation, and Is Required for the Genotoxic and Cellular Stress Response.

In the life cycle of the fungal pathogen , the formation of filamentous cells is a differentiation process that is critically involved in host tissue invasion, and in adaptation to host cell and environmental stresses. Here, we have used the Gene Replacement And Conditional Expression library to identify genes controlling invasiveness and filamentation; conditional repression of the library revealed 69 mutants that triggered these processes. Intriguingly, the genes encoding the small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) E3 ligase Mms21, and all other tested members of the sumoylation pathway, were both nonessential and capable of triggering filamentation upon repression, suggesting an important role for sumoylation in controlling filamentation in We have investigated Mms21 in detail.

Prediagnostic circulating inflammation markers and endometrial cancer risk in the prostate, lung, colorectal and ovarian cancer (PLCO) screening trial.

Inflammation is proposed to increase risk of developing endometrial cancer, but few prospective epidemiologic studies have investigated the relationship between circulating inflammation markers and endometrial cancer risk. In a nested case-control study within the PLCO Screening Trial we measured serum levels of 64 inflammation-related biomarkers in 284 incident endometrial cancer cases and 284 matched controls. Using multivariable logistic regression inflammation markers were evaluated individually and combined into a cross-validated inflammation score.

Assay reproducibility of serum androgen measurements using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

Background: Valid and precise measures of androgen concentrations are needed for etiologic studies of hormonally-related cancers. We developed a high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method with two sample preparations to measure 11 androgens, including adrenal and gonadal androgenic precursors and their 5α-reduced metabolites.

Methods: Androgen levels were measured in serum from 20 healthy volunteers (5 men, 10 premenopausal women, 5 postmenopausal women).

Dietitians' Perspectives on Interventions to Enhance Adherence to Dietary Advice for Chronic Diseases in Adults.

Purpose: To assess dietitians' perspectives on the importance and applicability of interventions to enhance adherence to dietary advice for preventing and managing chronic diseases in adults in the Canadian context.

Methods: Based on a Cochrane systematic review, we identified 8 promising interventions for enhancing adherence to dietary advice: behavioural contracts, exchange lists, feedback based on self-monitoring, individualized menu suggestions, multiple interventions, portion size awareness, telephone follow-up, and videos. Thirty-two dietitians then completed a 3-round Delphi study by responding to an electronic questionnaire asking them to rate the importance and applicability in their practice of the 8 interventions on a 7-point Likert scale.

Identification of six new susceptibility loci for invasive epithelial ovarian cancer.

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified 12 epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) susceptibility alleles. The pattern of association at these loci is consistent in BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers who are at high risk of EOC. After imputation to 1000 Genomes Project data, we assessed associations of 11 million genetic variants with EOC risk from 15,437 cases unselected for family history and 30,845 controls and from 15,252 BRCA1 mutation carriers and 8,211 BRCA2 mutation carriers (3,096 with ovarian cancer), and we combined the results in a meta-analysis.

Exploration of shared decision-making processes among dieticians and patients during a consultation for the nutritional treatment of dyslipidaemia.

Background: Shared decision making (SDM) holds great potential for improving the therapeutic efficiency and quality of nutritional treatment of dyslipidaemia by promoting patient involvement in decision making. Adoption of specific behaviours fostering SDM during consultations has yet to be studied in routine dietetic practice.

Objective: Using a cross-sectional study design, we aimed to explore both dieticians' and patients' adoption of SDM behaviours in dietetic consultations regarding the nutritional treatment of dyslipidaemia.

A transdisciplinary approach to the decision-making process in extreme prematurity.

Background: A wide range of dilemmas encountered in the health domain can be addressed more efficiently by a transdisciplinary approach. The complex context of extreme prematurity, which is raising important challenges for caregivers and parents, warrants such an approach.

Methods: In the present work, experts from various disciplinary fields, namely biomedical, epidemiology, psychology, ethics, and law, were enrolled to participate in a reflection.

Evaluation of pyrethroid exposures in pregnant women from 10 Caribbean countries.

Pyrethroid pesticides are commonly used in tropical regions such as the Caribbean as household insecticides, pet sprays, and where malaria is endemic, impregnated into mosquito-repellent nets. Of particular concern is exposure during pregnancy, as these compounds have the potential to cross the placental barrier and interfere with fetal development, as was shown in limited animal studies. The objective of this study was to evaluate exposure to pyrethroids to pregnant women residing in 10 English-speaking Caribbean countries.

Molecular markers in key steroidogenic pathways, circulating steroid levels, and prostate cancer progression.

Purpose: Prostate cancer is a heterogeneous genetic disease, and molecular methods for predicting prognosis in patients with aggressive form of the disease are urgently needed to better personalize treatment approaches. The objective was to identify host genetic variations in candidate steroidogenic genes affecting hormone levels and prostate cancer progression.

Experimental Design: The study examined two independent cohorts composed of 526 Caucasian men with organ-confined prostate cancer and 601 Taiwanese men on androgen-deprivation therapy.

Protein-protein interactions between the bilirubin-conjugating UDP-glucuronosyltransferase UGT1A1 and its shorter isoform 2 regulatory partner derived from alternative splicing.

The oligomerization of UGTs [UDP (uridine diphosphate)-glucuronosyltransferases] modulates their enzyme activities. Recent findings also indicate that glucuronidation is negatively regulated by the formation of inactive oligomeric complexes between UGT1A enzymes [i1 (isoform 1)] and an enzymatically inactive alternatively spliced i2 (isoform 2). In the present paper, we assessed whether deletion of the UGT-interacting domains previously reported to be critical for enzyme function might be involved in i1-i2 interactions.

Assessing patients' involvement in decision making during the nutritional consultation with a dietitian.

Background: Shared decision making (SDM) represents an interesting approach to optimize the impact of dietary treatment, but there is no evidence that SDM is commonly integrated into diet-related health care.

Objective: To assess the extent to which dietitians involve patients in decisions about dietary treatment.

Methods: We audiotaped dietitians conducting nutritional consultations with their patients, and we transcribed the tapes verbatim.

A liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for monitoring drug exposure in hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients.

A liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method was developed for the quantification of circulating levels of multiple immunosuppressant drugs including cyclosporine (CsA), tacrolimus, methotrexate (Mtx), prednisone, prednisolone, methylprednisone, total and free mycophenolic acid (MPA), as well as MPA phenolic (MPAG) and acyl (AcMPAG) glucuronide metabolites. Linearity, precision and accuracy were validated within the typical therapeutic range of concentrations for each compound. The assay was linear over 0.

The impact of germline genetic variations in hydroxysteroid (17-beta) dehydrogenases on prostate cancer outcomes after prostatectomy.

Background: The relationship between polymorphisms in the hydroxysteroid (17-beta) dehydrogenase (HSD17B) family of genes, which are involved in steroid hormone biotransformation, and the risk of prostate cancer (PCa) progression remains unexplored.

Objective: Determine whether inherited variations in HSD17B genes are associated with PCa progression.

Design, Setting, And Participants: We studied two independent Caucasian cohorts composed of 526 men with organ-confined PCa and 213 men with advanced disease who had a median follow-up of 7.

Exploring dietitians' salient beliefs about shared decision-making behaviors.

Background: Shared decision making (SDM), a process by which health professionals and patients go through the decision-making process together to agree on treatment, is a promising strategy for promoting diet-related decisions that are informed and value based and to which patients adhere well. The objective of the present study was to identify dietitians' salient beliefs regarding their exercise of two behaviors during the clinical encounter, both of which have been deemed essential for SDM to take place: (1) presenting patients with all dietary treatment options for a given health condition and (2) helping patients clarify their values and preferences regarding the options.

Methods: Twenty-one dietitians were allocated to four focus groups.

Interventions to enhance adherence to dietary advice for preventing and managing chronic diseases in adults: a study protocol.

Background: Adoption of a healthy diet has been identified as the cornerstone in the prevention and management of chronic diseases. However, non-adherence to lifestyle changes raises an important issue since adherence level to dietary advice is a key determinant of the effectiveness of dietary treatment. Therefore, based on the results of a Cochrane systematic review on interventions for enhancing adherence to dietary advice for preventing and managing chronic diseases in adults, the aim of this study is to assess the importance and applicability of interventions enhancing adherence to dietary advice in the Canadian context.

Copy-number variations (CNVs) of the human sex steroid metabolizing genes UGT2B17 and UGT2B28 and their associations with a UGT2B15 functional polymorphism.

UGT2B17 and UGT2B28 are among the most commonly deleted genes in humans and encode members of the uridine diphosphate (UDP)-glucuronosyltransferase 2B (UGT2B) subfamily. They are involved, along with UGT2B15, in the catabolism of sex-steroid hormones. Despite the recent biomedical interest in UGT2B17 and UGT2B28 copy-number variations (CNVs) within human populations, the impact of their gene dosage has been hampered by the lack of precise molecular identification of the common deletion breakpoints within high homology sequence regions on chromosome 4.

Leptinemia is not a risk factor for ischemic heart disease in men. Prospective results from the Quebec Cardiovascular Study.

Objective: To investigate the possibility that leptin levels may be predictive of the risk of ischemic heart disease (IHD) through the relationship of leptin to body fat.

Research Design And Methods: The Quebec Cardiovascular Study cohort consisted of 2,103 French-Canadian men without IHD in 1985 who were followed until 1990, by which time 114 had experienced an IHD event. These 114 men were then individually matched for age, BMI, cigarette smoking, and alcohol intake with 114 subjects who were free of IHD at follow-up.