76 research outputs found
The use of autologous fascia lata graft in the laparoscopic reinforcement of large hiatal defect: initial observations of the surgical technique
The Effects Of N, P And Crude Oil On The Decomposition Of Spartina Alterniflora Belowground Biomass
We conducted a laboratory experiment to examine how the decomposition of particulate belowground organic matter from a salt marsh is enhanced, or not, by different mixtures of crude oil, nitrogen (N), or phosphorus (P) acting individually or synergistically. The experiment was conducted in 3.8 L sampling chambers producing varying quantities of gas whose volume was used as a surrogate measure of organic decomposition under anaerobic conditions. Gas production after 28 days, from highest to lowest, was +NP = +N \u3e\u3e\u3e +P, or +oil. The gas production under either +P or +oil conditions was indistinguishable from gas production in the control chamber. Nitrogen, not phosphorus, or +NP, was the dominant factor controlling organic decomposition rates in these experiments. The implication for organic salt marsh soils is that shoreline erosion is enhanced by salt marsh oiling, presumably by its toxicity, but not by its effect on the decomposition rates of plant biomass belowground. Nutrient additions, on the other hand, may compromise the soil strength, creating a stronger disparity in soil strength between upper and lower soil layers leading to marsh loss. Nutrient amendments intended to decrease oil concentration in the marsh may not have the desired effect, and are likely to decrease soil strength, thereby enhancing marsh-to-water conversions in organic salt marsh soils
Drosophila TIEG Is a Modulator of Different Signalling Pathways Involved in Wing Patterning and Cell Proliferation
Acquisition of a final shape and size during organ development requires a
regulated program of growth and patterning controlled by a complex genetic
network of signalling molecules that must be coordinated to provide positional
information to each cell within the corresponding organ or tissue. The mechanism
by which all these signals are coordinated to yield a final response is not well
understood. Here, I have characterized the Drosophila ortholog
of the human TGF-β Inducible Early Gene 1 (dTIEG). TIEG are zinc-finger
proteins that belong to the Krüppel-like factor (KLF) family and were
initially identified in human osteoblasts and pancreatic tumor cells for the
ability to enhance TGF-β response. Using the developing wing of
Drosophila as “in vivo” model, the dTIEG
function has been studied in the control of cell proliferation and patterning.
These results show that dTIEG can modulate Dpp signalling. Furthermore, dTIEG
also regulates the activity of JAK/STAT pathway suggesting a conserved role of
TIEG proteins as positive regulators of TGF-β signalling and as mediators of
the crosstalk between signalling pathways acting in a same cellular context
The effects of N, P and crude oil on the decomposition of Spartina alterniflora belowground biomass
VeriStrat (R) has prognostic value in advanced stage NSCLC patients treated with erlotinib and sorafenib
BACKGROUND: The serum proteomic test VeriStrat has been shown to be able to classify advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients for overall survival (OS) after treatment with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). In this study, VeriStrat was evaluated as a pre-treatment stratification tool in patients with advanced stage NSCLC for treatment with the combination of erlotinib and sorafenib, considering both OS and progression-free survival (PFS) as end points. METHODS: Serum samples from 50 patients treated within the context of a phase II trial of first-line erlotinib and sorafenib were analysed with VeriStrat, a fully locked mass spectrometry-based test that identifies patients likely to have good or poor outcome on EGFR therapy based on eight distinct features in mass spectra. Analysis was performed fully blinded to all clinical data, and then the outcome data were analysed with respect to the obtained serum classifications. RESULTS: VeriStrat classified pre-treatment samples into two groups, VeriStrat Good and VeriStrat Poor, which were significantly different in OS (hazard ratio (HR) 0.30, log-rank P = 0.009) and in PFS (HR 0.40, log-rank P = 0.035). CONCLUSION: VeriStrat has shown its potential for stratification of unselected, advanced stage NSCLC patients treated in first line with a combination of erlotinib and sorafenib. British Journal of Cancer (2012) 107, 1820-1825. doi:10.1038/bjc.2012.470 www.bjcancer.com Published online 18 October 2012 (C) 2012 Cancer Research U
Heritabilities, proportions of heritabilities explained by GWAS findings, and implications of cross-phenotype effects on PR interval
Study to explore diverse interactions of amino acids and vitamin molecule in aqueous environment
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