Spectrum of mitochondrial genomic variation and associated clinical presentation of prostate cancer in South African men

BACKGROUND : Prostate cancer incidence and mortality rates are significantly increased in African–American men, but limited studies have been performed within Sub–Saharan African populations. As mitochondria control energy metabolism and apoptosis we speculate that somatic mutations within mitochondrial genomes are candidate drivers of aggressive prostate carcinogenesis. METHODS : We used matched blood and prostate tissue samples from 87 South African men (77 with African ancestry) to perform deep sequencing of complete mitochondrial genomes. Clinical presentation was biased toward aggressive disease (Gleason score >7, 64%), and compared with men without prostate cancer either with or without benign prostatic hyperplasia. RESULTS : We identified 144 somatic mtDNA single nucleotide variants (SNVs), of which 80 were observed in 39 men presenting with aggressive disease. Both the number and frequency of somatic mtDNA SNVs were associated with higher pathological stage. CONCLUSIONS : Besides doubling the total number of somatic PCa-associated mitochondrial genome mutations identified to date, we associate mutational load with aggressive prostate cancer status in men of African ancestry.NIH R21- CA170081, Australian Prostate Cancer Research Centre NSW, the J. Craig Venter Institute, the Garvan Institute, the Petre Foundation, Australia, the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA).http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1097-0045hb201

Preparing alternative learners for college and career readiness

This study addresses the research question: how well does an alternative high school curriculum prepare graduates for success and how effective is the Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program at teaching college and career readiness? This research was conducted as an alternative high school implemented the AVID system in an effort to increase student success when entering the college or career world upon graduation. Graduates of the alternative high school were interviewed regarding job skills and responsibilities. Additionally, a document analysis was completed on the reflective work of current students in the AVID elective class. Interview responses and student reflections were coded for commonalities and connections to the AVID curriculum. This study found that the AVID program does teach strategies and skills that students use post-graduation and is an effective way to increase graduate success