207 research outputs found
Effect of coping strategies on patient and physician perceptions of disease severity and disability in systemic sclerosis
Objective. Systemic sclerosis (SSc) results in impaired function, disability, and reduced health-related quality of life. We investigated the effect of coping strategies on the patient global assessment of health (PtGA) and Health Assessment QuestionnaireβDisability Index (HAQ-DI), after controlling for clinical characteristics and disease activity. We also explored the relationship between coping strategies and the correlation between the PtGA and physician global assessment (PGA) in SSc. Methods. We undertook posthoc analyses using baseline data obtained from the Raynaud Symptom Study (RSS). The PtGA, Coping Strategies Questionnaire, Pain Catastrophizing Scale, and Scleroderma Health Assessment Questionnaire were collected alongside the PGA, clinical characteristics, and patient demographics. Multivariable linear regression models and correlations were used to evaluate the relationship between coping strategies with the PtGA, HAQ-DI, and PGA. Results. Of the 107 patients with SSc enrolled in the RSS, there were sufficient data available for the analysis of 91 participants. The mean PtGA was 40/100 (SD 27) and the mean HAQ-DI was 0.87/3.0 (SD 0.73). After controlling for clinical and patient demographics, pain catastrophizing and maladaptive coping skills were significantly associated with the PtGA and HAQ-DI scores (P < 0.05 for both), but not the PGA. Conclusion. The effect of coping strategies on PtGA and HAQ-DI (but not PGA in SSc) could influence the result of composite measures incorporating these outcome measures. Interventions to improve patient coping skills may support increased resilience and improve patient-perceived functional status and PtGA in SSc.</p
Dermal denticle assemblages in coral reef sediments correlate with conventional shark surveys
Abstract
It is challenging to assess longβterm trends in mobile, longβlived and relatively rare species such as sharks. Despite ongoing declines in many coastal shark populations, conventional surveys might be too fleeting and too recent to describe population trends over decades to millennia. Placing recent shark declines into historical context should improve management efforts as well as our understanding of past ecosystem dynamics.
A new palaeoecological approach for surveying shark abundance on coral reefs is to quantify dermal denticle assemblages preserved in sediments. This approach assumes that denticle accumulation rates correlate with shark abundances. Here, we test this assumption by comparing the denticle record in surface sediments to three conventional shark survey methods at Palmyra Atoll, Line Islands, central Pacific Ocean, where shark density is high and spatially heterogeneous.
We generally found a significant positive correlation between denticle accumulation rates and shark abundances derived from underwater visual census, baited remote underwater video and hook and line surveys.
Denticle accumulation rates reflected shark abundances, suggesting that denticle assemblages can preserve a signal of timeβaveraged shark abundance in lowβenergy coral reef environments. We offer suggestions for applying this tool to measure shark abundance over long timeβscales in other contexts
MiR203 Mediates Subversion of Stem Cell Properties During Mammary Epithelial Differentiation via Repression of ΞNP63Ξ± and Promotes Mesenchymal-to-Epithelial Transition
During reproductive life, the mammary epithelium undergoes consecutive cycles of proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. Doing so relies on the retained proliferative capacity, prolonged lifespan and developmental potency of mammary stem cells (MaSCs). ΞNp63Ξ±, the predominant TP63 isoform in mammary epithelia, is robustly expressed in MaSCs and is required for preservation of self-renewing capacity in diverse epithelial structures. However, the mechanism(s) underlying subversion of this activity during forfeiture of self-renewing capacity are poorly understood. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) govern critical cellular functions including stem cell maintenance, development, cell cycle regulation and differentiation by disrupting translation of target mRNAs. Data presented here indicate that expression of miR203, a miRNA that targets ΞNp63Ξ± and ΞNp63Ξ² is activated during luminal epithelial differentiation and that this pattern is observed in the murine mammary hierarchy. In addition, we present evidence that the transcription factor Zeb1 represses miR203 expression, thus enhancing ΞNp63Ξ± protein levels. Furthermore, ectopic miR203 suppresses ΞNp63Ξ± expression, proliferation and colony formation. The anti-clonogenic effects mediated by miR203 require suppression of ΞNp63Ξ±. In addition, ectopic miR203 promotes mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition and disrupts activities associated with epithelial stem cells. These studies support a model in which induction of miR203 mediates forfeiture of self-renewing capacity via suppression of ΞNp63Ξ± and may also have anti-tumorigenic activity through its reduction of EMT and cancer stem cell populations
Non-perturbative Landau gauge and infrared critical exponents in QCD
We discuss Faddeev-Popov quantization at the non-perturbative level and show
that Gribov's prescription of cutting off the functional integral at the Gribov
horizon does not change the Schwinger-Dyson equations, but rather resolves an
ambiguity in the solution of these equations. We note that Gribov's
prescription is not exact, and we therefore turn to the method of stochastic
quantization in its time-independent formulation, and recall the proof that it
is correct at the non-perturbative level. The non-perturbative Landau gauge is
derived as a limiting case, and it is found that it yields the Faddeev-Popov
method in Landau gauge with a cut-off at the Gribov horizon, plus a novel term
that corrects for over-counting of Gribov copies inside the Gribov horizon.
Non-perturbative but truncated coupled Schwinger-Dyson equations for the gluon
and ghost propagators and in Landau gauge are solved
asymptotically in the infrared region. The infrared critical exponents or
anomalous dimensions, defined by and are obtained in space-time dimensions . Two
possible solutions are obtained with the values, in dimensions, , or .Comment: 26 pages. Modified 2.25.02 to update references and to clarify
Introduction and Conclusio
Determination of from quenched and dynamical QCD
The scale parameter is computed on the lattice in
the quenched approximation and for flavors of light dynamical quarks.
The dynamical calculation is done with non-perturbatively improved
Wilson fermions. In the continuum limit we obtain
MeV and
MeV, respectively.Comment: 16 pages, 6 figures. Minor changes. Final version to be published in
Phys. Lett.
Alterations of EGFR, p53 and PTEN that mimic changes found in basal-like breast cancer promote transformation of human mammary epithelial cells
Breast cancer can be classified into different molecular subtypes with varying clinical and pathological characteristics. The basal-like breast cancer subtype represents one of the most aggressive and lethal types of breast cancer, and due to poor mechanistic understanding, it lacks targeted therapy. Many basal-like breast cancer patient samples display alterations of established drivers of cancer development, including elevated expression of EGFR, p53 inactivating mutations and loss of expression of the tumor suppressor PTEN; however, their contribution to human basal-like breast cancer pathogenesis remains ill-defined. Using non-transformed human mammary epithelial cells, we set out to determine whether altering EGFR, p53 and PTEN in different combinations could contribute to basal-like breast cancer progression through transformation of cells. Altering PTEN in combination with either p53 or EGFR in contrast to any of the single alterations caused increased growth of transformed colonies in soft agar. Concomitantly modifying all three genes led to the highest rate of cellular proliferation and the greatest degree of anchorage-independent colony formation. Results from our effort to engineer a model of BBC expressing alterations of EGFR, p53 and PTEN suggest that these changes are cooperative and likely play a causal role in basal-like breast cancer pathogenesis. Consideration should be given to targeting EGFR and restoring p53 and PTEN signaling simultaneously as a strategy for treatment of this subtype of breast cancer
The origins of estrogen receptor alpha-positive and estrogen receptor alpha-negative human breast cancer
Current hormonal therapies have benefited millions of patients with breast cancer. Their success, however, is often temporary and limited to a subset of patients whose tumors express estrogen receptor alpha (ER). The therapies are entirely ineffective in ER-negative disease. Recent studies suggest that there are many biological pathways and alterations involved in determining whether ER is expressed and how it is regulated during breast cancer evolution. Improving hormonal therapies, in addition to perfecting current strategies, will also target these newly discovered pathways and alterations, and others yet to be found. The present commentary will briefly highlight a few important observations and unanswered questions regarding ER status and growth regulation during breast cancer evolution, which hopefully will help to stimulate new thinking and progress in this important area of medial research
2019 American College of Rheumatology/Arthritis Foundation Guideline for the Management of Osteoarthritis of the Hand, Hip, and Knee
Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/153772/1/acr24131.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/153772/2/acr24131_am.pd
SS18 Together with Animal-Specific Factors Defines Human BAF-Type SWI/SNF Complexes
Contains fulltext :
94049.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access
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