The association of non-small cell lung cancer recurrence with allogenic blood transfusion after surgical resection: A propensity score analysis of 1,803 patients.

Background: Conflicting evidence underlies the controversial role of allogenic blood transfusion in recurrence of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Insufficient sample size and failure to measure effects of important confounders in previous studies contribute to the conflicting findings. To overcome these limitations, we applied robust statistics and weighted covariates in a large study cohort.

Analysis of Wnt7a-stimulated JNK activity and cJun phosphorylation in non-small cell lung cancer cells.

The cJun N-terminal kinases (JNKs) are activated in response to diverse growth factors and morphogens, including specific Wnt proteins. Genetic approaches have defined key roles for the JNKs as mediators of the Wnt-regulated epithelial cell programs including planar cell polarity and convergent extension. Moreover, our recent studies demonstrate that the JNK pathway is activated by Wnt-7a and Fzd9 to promote an epithelial differentiation program in lung cancer cells.

Effectiveness of a chronic kidney disease clinic in achieving K/DOQI guideline targets at initiation of dialysis--a single-centre experience.

Background: Limited data exist about the effects of chronic kidney disease (CKD) clinics on quality-of-care indicators in patients before initiation of dialysis.

Methods: A single-centre retrospective chart review study was conducted on all patients who initiated dialysis at the Veterans Affairs Denver Healthcare System between 2000 and 2005. Patients initiating dialysis were evaluated at the start of dialysis and 12 months after dialysis initiation, as a function of care provided by nephrologists in training (renal-hypertension clinic) vs a trained renal nurse practitioner (CKD clinic).

Go molecular function terms are predictive of subcellular localization.

A protein's function is closely linked to its subcellular localization. Use of Gene Ontology (GO) molecular function terms to extend sequence-based subcellular localization prediction has been previously shown to improve predictive performance. Here, we explore directly the relationship between GO function annotations and localization information, identifying both highly predictive single terms, and terms with large information gain with respect to location.

Physical therapy and imaging outcome measures in a haemophilia population treated with factor prophylaxis: current status and future directions.

Routine infusions of factor VIII to prevent bleeding, known as prophylaxis, and other intensive therapies are being more broadly applied to patients with haemophilia. These therapies differ widely in replacement product usage, cost, frequency of venous access and parental effort. In order to address residual issues relating to recommendations, implementation, and evaluations of prophylaxis therapy in persons with haemophila, a multinational working group was formed and called the International Prophylaxis Study Group (IPSG).

The experience of the intensive care unit in a British Army field hospital during the 2003 Gulf conflict.

Over the last few years the Surgeon General's Department has overseen a major update in equipment scales for medical units in the field; anaesthesia and intensive care. This is to meet the aspiration of the Defence Chiefs, that injured servicemen on active service should receive the same standard of care as available in the United Kingdom. This paper discusses the experiences of the Intensive Care Unit operating within a Field Hospital both during the initial war fighting phase and subsequent peace keeping phase of the 2003 Gulf conflict (OP TELIC).

Current therapies in Hodgkin's disease.

Advances in the treatment of Hodgkin's disease (HD) have resulted in cure rates of greater than 80%. This remarkable achievement has occurred in the past 50 years secondary to improvements in combination chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Over the last several decades, with the increase in long-term survivors of HD, it has become evident that cure is not the only issue, and late side-effects of treatment, including secondary malignancies and impaired fertility, are of major concern as well.

Role of biomarkers for early detection of lung cancer and chemoprevention.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in developed countries. The poor prognosis associated with this disease is closely related to the fact that most lung cancer patients are not identified until their malignancy has reached an advanced stage. Recent advances have added to the understanding of the morphological and molecular characteristics of preinvasive bronchial lesions and early lung cancers.

Late clinical, plain X-ray and magnetic resonance imaging findings in haemophilic joints treated with radiosynoviorthesis.

The clinical, plain X-ray and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings were studied in 13 haemophilic joints previously treated with radiosynoviorthesis. (32)P had been injected into the joints at a median of 16 years earlier in an attempt to halt recurrent haemorrhage. Prior to (32)P injection, the majority of joints demonstrated bone damage evident on plain X-ray, secondary to recurrent haemorrhage.

Eukaryotic aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) genes: human polymorphisms, and recommended nomenclature based on divergent evolution and chromosomal mapping.

As currently being performed with an increasing number of superfamilies, a standardized gene nomenclature system is proposed here, based on divergent evolution, using multiple alignment analysis of all 86 eukaryotic aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) amino-acid sequences known at this time. The ALDHs represent a superfamily of NAD(P)(+)-dependent enzymes having similar primary structures that oxidize a wide spectrum of endogenous and exogenous aliphatic and aromatic aldehydes. To date, a total of 54 animal, 15 plant, 14 yeast, and three fungal ALDH genes or cDNAs have been sequenced.

Comparison of expression patterns and cell adhesion properties of the mouse biliary glycoproteins Bbgp1 and Bbgp2.

Biliary glycoproteins are members of the carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) family and behave as cell adhesion molecules. The mouse genome contains two very similar Bgp genes, Bgp1 and Bgp2, whereas the human and rat genomes contain only one BGP gene. A Bgp2 isoform was previously identified as an alternative receptor for the mouse coronavirus mouse hepatitis virus.

Comparison of expression patterns and cell adhesion properties of the mouse biliary glycoproteins Bgp1 and Bgp2.

Biliary glycoproteins are members of the carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) family and behave as cell adhesion molecules. The mouse genome contains two very similar genes, and , whereas the human and rat genomes contain only one gene. A isoform was previously identified as an alternative receptor for the mouse coronavirus mouse hepatitis virus.

Four amino acid changes are associated with the Aldh3a1 locus polymorphism in mice which may be responsible for corneal sensitivity to ultraviolet light.

We studied the phenotype and the nucleotide sequence for the cDNAs of the Aldh3a1a and Aldh3a1c allelic forms of the dioxin-inducible cytosolic aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH3A1) present in inbred mouse strains. This gene is constitutively expressed in cornea, stomach, skin, urinary bladder and lungs. The Aldh3a1a allele is found in most inbred mouse strains and codes for a 'high-activity' corneal enzyme compared to the 'low-activity' encoded by the Aldh3a1c allele in SWR/J strain.

Genotype-phenotype relationships in studies of a polymorphism in NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1.

The NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) genotype-phenotype relationship was examined in individuals with a polymorphism in NQO1. The polymorphism comprises a C to T base change at position 609 of the human NQO1 cDNA (C609T) and codes for a proline to serine substitution in the amino acid structure of the NQO1 protein. Genotyping was performed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of genomic DNA.

Sequential source of the M100 exhibits inter-hemispheric asymmetry.

The most prominent auditory evoked field component occurs at about 100 ms latency and is termed the M100. We recorded M100 data from 20 subjects, in both hemispheres. We modeled the generators with a single equivalent current dipole in a 10 ms sliding window from 0 to 245 ms post-stimulus.

Adenosine decreases post-ischaemic cardiac TNF-alpha production: anti-inflammatory implications for preconditioning and transplantation.

Tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) is an autocrine contributor to myocardial dysfunction and cardiomyocyte death in ischaemia-reperfusion injury (I/R), sepsis, chronic heart failure and cardiac allograft rejection. Cardiac resident macrophages, infiltrating leucocytes, and cardiomyocytes themselves produce TNF-alpha. Although adenosine reduces macrophage TNF-alpha production and protects myocardium against I/R, it remains unknown whether I/R induces an increase in cardiac TNF-alpha in a crystalloid-perfused model (in the absence of blood), and, whether adenosine decreases cardiac TNF-alpha and protects function after I/R.

Reconstitution of SCID mice with haemopoietic precursors: a detailed analysis of gamma delta T-cell reconstitution.

A well-known characteristic of gamma delta T cells is that they are produced in waves during ontogeny, with cells expressing T-cell receptor V gamma 5 appearing early in fetal thymic ontogeny, followed by V gamma 6, then by other gamma delta T-cell types. In addition, evidence exists to suggest that the potential of haemopoietic precursors to generate different types of gamma delta T cells changes in ontogeny. We have used these observations as the basis for an extensive study of the potential for haemopoietic precursors isolated from fetal liver, neonatal spleen and adult bone marrow to reconstitute severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice.

Molecular characterization of mutants affected in the osmoprotectant-dependent induction of phospholipase C in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1.

Production of the two phospholipases C (PLCs) in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 is induced under conditions of phosphate limitation, or by the osmoprotectants choline or glycine betaine. Tn5 mutagenesis was performed on strain PAO1 to isolate mutants deficient in choline-dependent induction of PLC. Two mutants, Tn5T1 and Tn5G19, were identified which produce decreased levels of PLC in phosphate-replete media supplemented with choline.

The Mu strong gyrase-binding site promotes efficient synapsis of the prophage termini.

A strong DNA gyrase-binding site (SGS) is located midway between the termini of the bacteriophage Mu genome and is required for efficient replicative transposition. We have proposed that the SGS promotes the efficient synapsis of the Mu prophage ends (an obligate early step in replicative transposition), and that it does so by helping to organize the prophage DNA into a supercoiled loop with the SGS at the apex of the loop and the prophage termini at the base. The positioning of the synapsing termini equidistant from the SGS is a key element in the proposed model.

Exotoxin A production in Pseudomonas aeruginosa requires the iron-regulated pvdS gene encoding an alternative sigma factor.

Exotoxin A (ETA) is secreted by Pseudomonas aeruginosa under iron-limiting growth conditions. The ETA structural gene, toxA, is regulated at the transcriptional level by the gene products of the regAB operon. The expression of both toxA and regAB is repressed under iron-replete conditions, suggesting a role for the ferric uptake regulator (Fur) in regulation of ETA synthesis; however, the Fur protein does not interact directly with the toxA or the regAB promoters.

Ferric uptake regulator mutants of Pseudomonas aeruginosa with distinct alterations in the iron-dependent repression of exotoxin A and siderophores in aerobic and microaerobic environments.

Because the ferric uptake regulator (fur) appears to be an essential gene in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, resistance to manganese was used as an enrichment to isolate strains carrying point mutations in the fur gene in order to assess its role in the co-ordinate expression of siderophores and exotoxin A (ETA). This report describes a detailed molecular and phenotypic characterization of four mutants and one revertant, which carry point mutations in the fur gene. Two parental strains were used in this study.

Gut-derived mediators of multiple organ failure: platelet-activating factor and interleukin-6.

Laboratory studies suggest that the postischaemic gut serves as a priming bed for circulating neutrophils that provoke multiple organ failure. Platelet-activating factor, generated by phospholipase A2, appears to be active in priming neutrophils in the gut. Interleukin-6 also appears to be elaborated by the postischaemic gut, but may be even more important in distant organs via promoting neutrophil-mediated organ dysfunction.