Role of chemokines in renal cell carcinoma.

With new frontiers of pharmaceutical therapies focusing on tumor growth and angiogenesis, understanding the interaction between immune system and tumor microenvironment has become ever more important. Chemokines and chemokine receptors appear to play an integral role in tumor characteristics. Evidence suggests CXCR4, CXCL5, CXCR7, and stromal derived factor-1 appear to be crucial in survival, growth, and metastasis of renal cell carcinoma.

Smoking in infertile women with polycystic ovary syndrome: baseline validation of self-report and effects on phenotype.

Study Question: Do women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) seeking fertility treatment report smoking accurately and does participation in infertility treatment alter smoking?

Summary Answer: Self-report of smoking in infertile women with PCOS is accurate (based on serum cotinine levels) and smoking is unlikely to change over time with infertility treatment.

What Is Known Already: Women with PCOS have high rates of smoking and it is associated with worse insulin resistance and metabolic dysfunction.

Study Design, Size, Duration: Secondary study of smoking history from a large randomized controlled trial of infertility treatments in women with PCOS (N = 626) including a nested case-control study (N = 148) of serum cotinine levels within this cohort to validate self-report of smoking.

Coupling of downstream RNA polymerase-promoter interactions with formation of catalytically competent transcription initiation complex.

Bacterial RNA polymerase (RNAP) makes extensive contacts with duplex DNA downstream of the transcription bubble in initiation and elongation complexes. We investigated the role of downstream interactions in formation of catalytically competent transcription initiation complex by measuring initiation activity of stable RNAP complexes with model promoter DNA fragments whose downstream ends extend from +3 to +21 relative to the transcription start site at +1. We found that DNA downstream of position +6 does not play a significant role in transcription initiation when RNAP-promoter interactions upstream of the transcription start site are strong and promoter melting region is AT rich.

St George's University's Medical Student Research Institute: A Novel, Virtual Programme for Medical Research Collaboration.

Objective: Medical student research involvement has evolved to be a core component of medical education and is becoming increasingly vital to success in the United States residency match. We sought to develop a research website allowing students and research faculty to collaborate and complete projects online.

Methods: The Medical Student Research Institute (MSRI) was developed by the St George's University School of Medicine in 2009 to encourage, support, facilitate and centralize medical student research.

Cervical dilatation thresholds for initiation of group B streptococcus antibiotic prophylaxis for women with spontaneous preterm labor.

Objective: To determine the optimal time for initiating group B streptococcus (GBS) antibiotic prophylaxis for women in spontaneous preterm labor.

Methods: In total, 227 women delivering singleton infants after presenting with spontaneous preterm labor and intact membranes at 24 0/7-36 6/7 weeks were evaluated, as well as 150 undelivered women with threatened preterm labor during the same time period. The date and time of each cervical examination throughout labor were recorded.

Untreatable surgical site infection: consider pyoderma gangrenosum.

Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is an inflammatory disease characterized by sterile infiltration of the skin by neutrophils. We describe a case of a 63-year-old woman who developed PG following an abdominal wall reconstruction. Her initial presentation was thought to be consistent with a surgical site infection.

Transformation resistance in a premature aging disorder identifies a tumor-protective function of BRD4.

Advanced age and DNA damage accumulation are prominent risk factors for cancer. The premature aging disorder Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) provides a unique opportunity for studying the interplay between DNA damage and aging-associated tumor mechanisms, given that HGPS patients do not develop tumors despite elevated levels of DNA damage. Here, we have used HGPS patient cells to identify a protective mechanism to oncogenesis.

Noninvasive and minimally invasive techniques in body contouring.

Major surgical body contouring procedures have several inherent drawbacks, including hospitalization, anesthetic use, pain, swelling, and prolonged recovery. It is for these reasons that body contouring through noninvasive and minimally invasive methods has become one of the most alluring areas in aesthetic surgery. Patient expectations and demands have driven the field toward safer, less-invasive procedures with less discomfort, fewer complications, and a shorter recovery.

Patient perception of pain care in the United States: a 5-year comparative analysis of hospital consumer assessment of health care providers and systems.

Background: The necessity of aggressive pain management in the hospital setting is becoming increasingly evident. It has been shown to improve patient outcomes, and is now an avenue for Medicare to assess reimbursement. In this cohort analysis, we compared the March 2008 to the December 2012 Hospital Consumer Assessment of Health Plans Survey (HCAHPS) reports in order to determine if pain management has improved in the United States after this national standardized survey was created.

Computational design of metalloproteins.

A number of design strategies exist for the development of novel metalloproteins. These strategies often exploit the inherent symmetry of metal coordination and local topology. Computational design of metal binding sites in flexible regions of proteins is challenging as the number of conformational degrees of freedom is significantly increased.

RNA-binding proteins in regulation of alternative cleavage and polyadenylation.

Almost all eukaryotic pre-mRNAs are processed at the 3' end by the cleavage and polyadenylation (C/P) reaction, which preludes termination of transcription and gives rise to the poly(A) tail of mature mRNA. Genomic studies in recent years have indicated that most eukaryotic mRNA genes have multiple cleavage and polyadenylation sites (pAs), leading to alternative cleavage and polyadenylation (APA) products. APA isoforms generally differ in their 3' untranslated regions (3' UTRs), but can also have different coding sequences (CDSs).

Robotic/virtual reality intervention program individualized to meet the specific sensorimotor impairments of an individual patient: a case study.

A majority of studies examining repetitive task practice facilitated by robots for the treatment of upper extremity paresis utilize standardized protocols applied to large groups. This study will describe a virtually simulated, robot-based intervention customized to match the goals and clinical presentation of a gentleman with upper extremity hemiparesis secondary to stroke. MP, the subject of this case, is an 85-year-old man with left hemiparesis secondary to an intracerebral hemorrhage 5 years prior to examination.

Movement rehabilitation in virtual reality from then to now: how are we doing?

During the past decade, there has been a continuous exploration of how virtual environments can be used to facilitate motor recovery and relearning after neurological impairment. There are two goals for using virtual environments: to improve patients' rehabilitation outcomes beyond our current capabilities or to supplement labor-intensive and time consuming therapies with technology-based interventions. After over a decade of investigation, it seems appropriate to determine whether we are succeeding in meeting such goals.

Multi-platform assessment of transcriptome profiling using RNA-seq in the ABRF next-generation sequencing study.

High-throughput RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) greatly expands the potential for genomics discoveries, but the wide variety of platforms, protocols and performance capabilitites has created the need for comprehensive reference data. Here we describe the Association of Biomolecular Resource Facilities next-generation sequencing (ABRF-NGS) study on RNA-seq. We carried out replicate experiments across 15 laboratory sites using reference RNA standards to test four protocols (poly-A-selected, ribo-depleted, size-selected and degraded) on five sequencing platforms (Illumina HiSeq, Life Technologies PGM and Proton, Pacific Biosciences RS and Roche 454).

Dynamic interactions between plasma IL-1 family cytokines and central endogenous opioid neurotransmitter function in humans.

Evidence in animal models suggests IL-1 family cytokines interact with central endogenous opioid neurotransmitter systems, inducing or perpetuating pathological states such as persistent pain syndromes, depression, substance use disorders, and their comorbidity. Understanding these interactions in humans is particularly relevant to understanding pathological states wherein this neurotransmitter system is implicated (ie, persistent pain, mood disorders, substance use disorders, etc). Here, we examined relationships between IL-1β, IL-1ra, and functional measures of the endogenous opioid system in 34 healthy volunteers, in the absence and presence of a standardized sustained muscular pain challenge, a psychophysical challenge with emotionally and physically stressful components.

Joint analysis of three genome-wide association studies of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in Chinese populations.

We conducted a joint (pooled) analysis of three genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) in individuals of Chinese ancestry (5,337 ESCC cases and 5,787 controls) with 9,654 ESCC cases and 10,058 controls for follow-up. In a logistic regression model adjusted for age, sex, study and two eigenvectors, two new loci achieved genome-wide significance, marked by rs7447927 at 5q31.2 (per-allele odds ratio (OR) = 0.

Integrating palliative care into the PICU: a report from the Improving Palliative Care in the ICU Advisory Board.

Objective: This review highlights benefits that patients, families and clinicians can expect to realize when palliative care is intentionally incorporated into the PICU.

Data Sources: We searched the MEDLINE database from inception to January 2014 for English-language articles using the terms "palliative care" or "end of life care" or "supportive care" and "pediatric intensive care." We also hand-searched reference lists and author files and relevant tools on the Center to Advance Palliative Care website.

Three-dimensional analysis of elbow soft tissue footprints and anatomy.

Background: Tendinous and ligamentous injuries commonly occur in the elbow. This study characterized the location, surface areas, and origin and insertional footprints of major elbow capsuloligamentous and tendinous structures in relation to bony landmarks with the use of a precision 3-dimensional modeling system.

Methods: Nine unpaired cadaveric elbow specimens were dissected and mounted on a custom jig.

Dependence of the sperm/oocyte decision on the nucleosome remodeling factor complex was acquired during recent Caenorhabditis briggsae evolution.

The major families of chromatin remodelers have been conserved throughout eukaryotic evolution. Because they play broad, pleiotropic roles in gene regulation, it was not known if their functions could change rapidly. Here, we show that major alterations in the use of chromatin remodelers are possible, because the nucleosome remodeling factor (NURF) complex has acquired a unique role in the sperm/oocyte decision of the nematode Caenorhabditis briggsae.

Accuracy of initial critical care triage decisions in blast versus non-blast trauma.

Abstract Objective: We investigated the accuracy of initial critical care triage in blast-injured versus non-blast-injured trauma patients, focusing on those inappropriately triaged to the intensive care unit (ICU) for brief (<16 h) stays.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of the Israel National Trauma Registry, applying a predetermined definition of need for initial ICU admission.

Results: A total of 883 blast-injured and 112 185 non-blast-injured patients were categorized according to their need for ICU admission.

Application of bimatoprost ophthalmic solution 0.03% for the treatment of eyebrow hypotrichosis: series of ten cases.

In December 2008, bimatoprost ophthalmic solution 0.03% was approved in the United States for the treatment of hypotrichosis of the eyelashes. Since then, there have been several reports in the literature on the off-label use of bimatoprost ophthalmic solution 0.

Iron deficiency anemia--bridging the knowledge and practice gap.

Despite its high prevalence, anemia often does not receive proper clinical attention, and detection, evaluation, and management of iron deficiency anemia and iron-restricted erythropoiesis can possibly be an unmet medical need. A multidisciplinary panel of clinicians with expertise in anemia management convened and reviewed recent published data on prevalence, etiology, and health implications of anemia as well as current therapeutic options and available guidelines on management of anemia across various patient populations and made recommendations on the detection, diagnostic approach, and management of anemia. The available evidence confirms that the prevalence of anemia is high across all populations, especially in hospitalized patients.

Quality of life, body mass index, and physical activity among uterine cancer patients.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the independent and joint effects of body mass index (BMI) and physical activity (PA) on overall quality of life (QoL) in survivors of uterine cancer.

Methods: We conducted a survey among uterine cancer patients who received curative therapy at the University of Pennsylvania between 2006 and 2010. Surveys assessed the weight, height, PA (college alumnus survey), and QoL (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Gynecologic Oncology Group).