2,990 research outputs found
Harnessing autophagy to overcome mitogenâactivated protein kinase kinase inhibitorâinduced resistance in metastatic melanoma
Background
Patients with malignant melanoma often relapse after treatment with BRAF and/or mitogenâactivated protein kinase kinase (MEK) inhibitors (MEKi) owing to development of drug resistance.
Objectives
To establish the temporal pattern of CD271 regulation during development of resistance by melanoma to trametinib, and determine the association between development of resistance to trametinib and induction of prosurvival autophagy.
Methods
Immunohistochemistry for CD271 and p62 was performed on human naevi and primary malignant melanoma tumours. Western blotting was used to analyse expression of CD271, p62 and LC3 in melanoma subpopulations. Flow cytometry and immunofluorescence microscopy was used to evaluate trametinibâinduced cell death and CD271 expression. MTS viability assays and zebrafish xenografts were used to evaluate the effect of CD271 and autophagy modulation on trametinibâresistant melanoma cell survival and invasion, respectively.
Results
CD271 and autophagic signalling are increased in stage III primary melanomas vs. benign naevi. In vitro studies demonstrate MEKi of BRAFâmutant melanoma induced cytotoxic autophagy, followed by the emergence of CD271âexpressing subpopulations. Trametinibâinduced CD271 reduced autophagic flux, leading to activation of prosurvival autophagy and development of MEKi resistance. Treatment of CD271âexpressing melanoma subpopulations with RNA interference and smallâmolecule inhibitors to CD271 reduced the development of MEKi resistance, while clinically applicable autophagy modulatory agents â including Î9âtetrahydrocannabinol and Vps34 â reduced survival of MEKiâresistant melanoma cells. Combined MEK/autophagy inhibition also reduced the invasive and metastatic potential of MEKiâresistant cells in an in vivo zebrafish xenograft.
Conclusions
These results highlight a novel mechanism of MEKiâinduced drug resistance and suggest that targeting autophagy may be a translatable approach to resensitize drugâresistant melanoma cells to the cytotoxic effects of MEKi
Ambulatory Care in Adult Congenital Heart DiseaseâTime for Change?
\ua9 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.Background: The adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) population is growing in size and complexity. This study evaluates whether present ambulatory care adequately detects problems and considers costs. Methods: A UK single-centre study of clinic attendances amongst 100 ACHD patients (40.4 years, median ACHD AP class 2B) between 2014 and 2019 and the COVID-19 restrictions period (March 2020âJuly 2021). Results: Between 2014 and 2019, there were 575 appointments. Nonatten-dance was 10%; 15 patients recurrently nonattended. Eighty percent of appointments resulted in no decision other than continued review. Electrocardiograms and echocardiograms were frequent, but new findings were rare (5.1%, 4.0%). Decision-making was more common with the higher ACHD AP class and symptoms. Emergency admissions (n = 40) exceeded elective (n = 25), with over half following unremarkable clinic appointments. Distance travelled to the ACHD clinic was 14.9 km (1.6â265), resulting in 433â564 workdays lost. During COVID 19, there were 127 appointments (56% in-person, 41% telephone and 5% video). Decisions were made at 37% in-person and 19% virtual consultations. Nonattendance was 3.9%; there were eight emergency admissions. Conclusion: The main purpose of the ACHD clinic is surveillance. Presently, the clinic does not sufficiently predict or prevent emergency hospital admissions and is costly to patient and provider. COVID-19 has enforced different methods for delivering care that require further evaluation
A feasibility study of signed consent for the collection of patient identifiable information for a national paediatric clinical audit database
Objectives: To investigate the feasibility of obtaining signed consent
for submission of patient identifiable data to a national clinical
audit database and to identify factors influencing the consent process
and its success.
Design: Feasibility study.
Setting: Seven paediatric intensive care units in England.
Participants: Parents/guardians of patients, or patients aged 12-16
years old, approached consecutively over three months for signed
consent for submission of patient identifiable data to the national
clinical audit database the Paediatric Intensive Care Audit Network
(PICANet).
Main outcome measures: The numbers and proportions of admissions for
which signed consent was given, refused, or not obtained (form not
returned or form partially completed but not signed), by age, sex,
level of deprivation, ethnicity (South Asian or not), paediatric index
of mortality score, length of hospital stay (days in paediatric
intensive care).
Results: One unit did not start and one did not fully implement the
protocol, so analysis excluded these two units. Consent was obtained
for 182 of 422 admissions (43%) (range by unit 9% to 84%). Most
(101/182; 55%) consents were taken by staff nurses. One refusal (0.2%)
was received. Consent rates were significantly better for children who
were more severely ill on admission and for hospital stays of six days
or more, and significantly poorer for children aged 10-14 years. Long
hospital stays and children aged 10-14 years remained significant in a
stepwise regression model of the factors that were significant in the
univariate model.
Conclusion: Systematically obtaining individual signed consent for
sharing patient identifiable information with an externally located
clinical audit database is difficult. Obtaining such consent is
unlikely to be successful unless additional resources are specifically
allocated to training, staff time, and administrative support
Uncertainties of size measurements in electron microscopy characterization of nanomaterials in foods
Electron microscopy is a recognized standard tool for nanomaterial characterization, and recommended by the European Food Safety Authority for the size measurement of nanomaterials in food. Despite this, little data have been published assessing the reliability of the method, especially for size measurement of nanomaterials characterized by a broad size distribution and/or added to food matrices. This study is a thorough investigation of the measurement uncertainty when applying electron microscopy for size measurement of engineered nanomaterials in foods. Our results show that the number of measured particles was only a minor source of measurement uncertainty for nanomaterials in food, compared to the combined influence of sampling, sample preparation prior to imaging and the image analysis. The main conclusion is that to improve the measurement reliability, care should be taken to consider replications and matrix removal prior to sample preparation
Emergence of metronidazole-resistant Bacteroides fragilis, India.
This article does not have an abstract
Moving forward in GME reform: a 4 + 1 model of resident ambulatory training
Traditional ambulatory training models have limitations in important domains, including opportunities for residents to learn, fragmentation of care delivery experience, and satisfaction with ambulatory experiences. New models of ambulatory training are needed. To compare the impact of a traditional ambulatory training model with a templated 4 + 1 model. A large university-based internal medicine residency using three different training sites: a patient-centered medical home, a hospital-based ambulatory clinic, and community private practices. Residents, faculty, and administrative staff. Development of a templated 4 + 1 model of residency where trainees do not attend to inpatient and outpatient responsibilities simultaneously. A mixed-methods analysis of survey and nominal group data measuring three primary outcomes: 1) Perception of learning opportunities and quality of faculty teaching; 2) Reported fragmentation of care delivery experience; 3) Satisfaction with ambulatory experiences. Self-reported empanelment was a secondary outcome. Residents\u27 learning opportunities increased (p = 0.007) but quality of faculty teaching was unchanged. Participants reported less fragmentation in the care residents provide patients in the inpatient and outpatient setting (p \u3c 0.0001). Satisfaction with ambulatory training improved (p \u3c 0.0001). Self-reported empanelment also increased (p \u3c 0.0001). Results held true for residents, faculty, and staff at all three ambulatory training sites (p \u3c 0.0001). A 4 + 1 model increased resident time in ambulatory continuity clinic, enhanced learning opportunities, reduced fragmentation of care residents provide, and improved satisfaction with ambulatory experiences. More studies of similar models are needed to evaluate effects on additional trainee and patient outcomes. (C) Society of General Internal Medicine 201
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