Allelic imbalance at the beta-catenin gene (CTNNB1 at 3p22-21.3) in various human tumor types

beta-catenin is a multifunctional protein: it plays a central role in the cell-cell adhesive junctions, and participates in transduction of the morphogenic Wingless/Wnt-signal. Upon detailed analysis of the human beta-catenin gene, an intragenic polymorphic microsatellite marker could be identified. This marker shows 62% heterozygosity and was used in a study of eleven different tumor types. A high level of beta-catenin allelic imbalance was observed for small cell lung carcinoma, squamous cell lung carcinoma and cervix carcinoma. Other microsatellite markers on 3p24-21 could demonstrate frequent but not invariable codeletion of flanking chromosomal loci. This intragenic polymorphic marker will allow selection of tumor types and tumor samples possibly bearing recessive mutations in the remaining allele of the beta-catenin gene

Crystallization of Polymers Under 1D Confinement

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Is a Coded Physical Activity Diary Valid for Assessing Physical Activity Level and Energy Expenditure in Stroke Patients?

<div><p>Objectives</p><p>to determine the concurrent validity of a physical activity diary for measuring physical activity level and total energy expenditure in hospitalized stroke patients.</p><p>Method</p><p>Sixteen stroke patients kept coded activity diaries and wore SenseWear Pro2 multi-sensor activity monitors during daytime hours for one day. A researcher observed the patients and completed a diary. Data from the patients' diaries were compared with observed and measured data to determine total activity (METs*minutes), activity level and total energy expenditure.</p><p>Results</p><p>Spearman correlations between the patients' and researchers' diaries revealed a high correlation for total METs*minutes (r_s = 0.75, p<0.01) for sedentary (r_s = 0.74,p<0.01) and moderate activities (r_s = 0.71,p<0.01) and a very high correlation (r_s = 0.92, p<0.01) for the total energy expenditure. Comparisons between the patients' diaries and activity monitor data revealed a low correlation (r_s 0.29) for total METs*minutes and energy expenditure.</p><p>Conclusion</p><p>Coded self-monitoring activity diaries appear feasible as a low-tech alternative to labor-intensive observational diaries for determining sedentary, moderate, and total physical activity and for quantifying energy expenditure in hospitalized stroke patients. Given the poor correlation with objective measurements of physical activity, however, further research is needed to validate its use against a gold-standard measure of physical activity intensity and energy expenditure.</p></div