Illinois Extension\u27s Readiness to Address Children, Youth, and Families at Risk

The study described here evaluates existing preparedness of Extension unit leaders in one state to meet the needs of children, youth, and families at risk. Survey findings of a representative sample include how leaders perceive at-risk audiences and how they assess their own experience, knowledge, and interest in serving them. We report the specific audiences needing programming in local communities and the programming that currently exists for them. Findings also include the programming leaders would like to offer given unlimited resources. We discuss existing strengths and propose ways to further support these professionals in areas relevant to at-risk audiences

Circulating serum C- reactive protein: a prognostic marker in naive patients with cancer at the Yaounde General Hospital

In Cameroon, the main determinant of cancer mortality is the advanced stage at the time of diagnosis. The purpose of this work is to determine the relationship between C-reactive Protein (CRP) concentration and advanced cancer stage. This is a cross-sectional study conducted at Yaoundé General Hospital. 276 naive patients with histological evidence of cancer were included in this study. Serum CRP level was correlated with the specific characteristics of the tumor. The study population was made of 74% women and 26% men with a minimum age of 22 years and a maximum age of 80 with an average age of 46 years. The cancer type with the highest prevalence was breast cancer (43.5%), followed by Kaposi's sarcoma (8.7%), Non Hodgkin Lymphoma (8.7%), CRP values were Classified into two groups based on pathological values (CRP≥ 6 mg/l) and non-pathological values (CRP <6 mg/l). The elevated CRP concentration was not significantly associated with the presence of metastasis M (P = 0.074), T-cancer stage (P = 0.09), N-lymph nodes (P = 0.111), advanced histological grade G-3 (P = 0.115) and cancer type (P = 0.124). Our study shows that elevated serum CRP is not a marker of cancer extension

The Importance of Diagenetic Processes in Sandstones Facies of the Hamakoussou Sedimentary Basin in North Cameroon: Influence on Reservoir Quality.

Published studies in the Hamakoussou reservoir sandstones are very few and the characterization of the reservoir quality including diagenesis is unknown. In this paper, after lithological reports, classical petrographic techniques have been used to study the diagenesis and reservoir quality of the Hamakoussou sandstones: Diagenetic processes within and around detrital grains show that early cementation by calcite come from volcanic veins and late cementation originating from silicification. Diagenetic phenomena (early cementation, compaction, fracturation and late cementation) show that these sandstones have a low porosity due to the blockage of intergranular pore spaces by cement. Intense volcanic activity associated with the circulation of fluids (silica and calcite) as well as the dissolution along the contacts of quartz grains are the principal sources of early and late cements which are responsible for the decrease in porosity observed in these sandstones. The immediate consequence is the sudden drying up of boreholes drilled for water supply

Involvement of the V2 Vasopressin Receptor in Adaptation to Limited Water Supply

Mammals adapted to a great variety of habitats with different accessibility to water. In addition to changes in kidney morphology, e.g. the length of the loops of Henle, several hormone systems are involved in adaptation to limited water supply, among them the renal-neurohypophysial vasopressin/vasopressin receptor system. Comparison of over 80 mammalian V2 vasopressin receptor (V2R) orthologs revealed high structural and functional conservation of this key component involved in renal water reabsorption. Although many mammalian species have unlimited access to water there is no evidence for complete loss of V2R function indicating an essential role of V2R activity for survival even of those species. In contrast, several marsupial V2R orthologs show a significant increase in basal receptor activity. An increased vasopressin-independent V2R activity can be interpreted as a shift in the set point of the renal-neurohypophysial hormone circuit to realize sufficient water reabsorption already at low hormone levels. As found in other desert mammals arid-adapted marsupials show high urine osmolalities. The gain of basal V2R function in several marsupials may contribute to the increased urine concentration abilities and, therefore, provide an advantage to maintain water and electrolyte homeostasis under limited water supply conditions