Microsatellite Instability in Colorectal Cancer

Cancer is a genetic disease. Cancer cells contain various mutations, which includes SNPs to chromosomal aberrations. Together, these changes are referred to as genome instability. Genetic instability is one of the common characteristics of colorectal cancer. In colorectal cancer three major types of genetic instability have been reported. They are chromosomal translocations, microsatellite instability (MSI), and chromosome instability (CIN). Microsatellite instability occurs due to variations in DNA mismatch repair genes, while chromosomal instability is distinguished by major chromosomal alterations occurring at cell division and usually involves β‐catenin and Adenomatous polyposis coli protein (APC) mutations. This chapter summarizes the major molecular mechanisms leading to genomic and microsatellite instability and tumorigenesis

Challenges and Opportunities in Community Nursing

Community health nursing is a comprehensive, holistic specialty. It is one of the ways through which the Health Department provides health care. Community health nursing not only focuses on the individual\u27s health needs, but the health of the collective population. By working with whole communities and the health care system, a community health nurse can greatly influence the health of a population. Community health nursing offers the nurse a unique opportunity to be involved with a changing area of health care. It is a rapidly evolving field. It is challenging, dynamic, and extremely rewarding. Because of changes in the health care system, shifts in disease patterns, a globalized world, and health disparities between populations, the role of the community nurse is more important than ever. As with any area of nursing, there are and will continue to be many challenges in this field. However, these challenges come with many opportunities. In the proceeding paper we will explore numerous facets of community health nursing, in addition to the aforementioned challenges and opportunities. We will begin with the history of community health nursing and how it came to be. We will also look at the definition of community, and the evolving roles of the community nurse. Then we will explore the various theoretical concepts common to the practice, including the social determinants of health, health promotion, and the epidemiological approach. Finally, we will focus on certain global issues in community health nursing, and the role of the WHO in the community

The Use of Pain Management during Anesthesia and its Benefits for Patients

This study, which focuses on current developments in perioperative analgesia, thoroughly investigates the critical role that anaesthesia plays in managing perioperative pain. With a focus on current developments in surgical analgesic procedures, this paper investigates the basic link between anaesthesia and analgesia. The objective of this research is to clarify the changing landscape of anaesthesia in surgical settings and shed insight on the ways in which these developments are helping patients manage their pain. To support its conclusions, this study collected empirical data and conducted a thorough literature analysis, among other rigorous research methods. This study shows how modern anaesthesia has a big impact on healthcare practitioners and academics in this sector. It also provides vital insights into alternate modes of action and effectiveness. By taking into account these variables, this research aims to advance knowledge of the ways that anaesthesia contributes to patients\u27 better perioperative experiences by reducing pain

Molecular cloning and characterization of a putative OGG_N domain from the camel, Camelus dromedarius

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) oxidize the guanine base in the DNA to 8-oxoguanine (8-oxoG). This lesion, if left unrepaired, causes the transversion of G:C pair to T:A following replication. 8-oxoG is targeted by one of the DNA glycosylases, namely OGG1. Arabian camel (one humped camel, Camelus dromedarius) is adapted to live in desert climate conditions under direct exposure to endogenous and exogenous ROS-producing conditions, among of them the sunlight. In the recent study, partial sequence of camel OGG-1 gene was cloned and analyzed for the first time. A DNA fragment of 567 bases was amplified by reverse transcription PCR. It is equivalent to about 55% from the coding region of the known transcript of many organisms. The level of expression of OGG-1 in different camel tissues (liver, kidney, spleen, lung and testis) was examined using real time-PCR. The highest level of OGG-1 transcript was found in the camel liver (represented as 100%) followed by testis (85%), spleen (78%), kidney (37%) and lung (3%) using 18S ribosomal subunit as endogenous control. The obtained cDNA sequence of OGG-1 showed high similarity with Ailuropoda melanoleuca (86%), Sus scrofa (86%), Canis familiaris (85%), Bos taurus (85%), Macaca mulatta (85%), Homo sapiens (84%), Pan troglodytes (84%) and Pongo abelii (82%).Keywords: Camelus dromedarius, cloning, OGG1, gene expression, DNA glycosylas

Association of single nucleotide polymorphisms in Wnt signaling pathway genes with breast cancer in Saudi patients.

Breast cancer is a complex heterogeneous disease involving genetic and epigenetic alterations in genes encoding proteins that are components of various signaling pathways. Candidate gene approach have identified association of genetic variants in the Wnt signaling pathway genes and increased susceptibility to several diseases including breast cancer. Due to the rarity of somatic mutations in key genes of Wnt pathway, we investigated the association of genetic variants in these genes with predisposition to breast cancers. We performed a case-control study to identify risk variants by examining 15 SNPs located in 8 genes associated with Wnt signaling. Genotypic analysis of individual locus showed statistically significant association of five SNPs located in β-catenin, AXIN2, DKK3, SFRP3 and TCF7L2 with breast cancers. Increased risk was observed only with the SNP in β-catenin while the other four SNPs conferred protection against breast cancers. Majority of these associations persisted after stratification of the cases based on estrogen receptor status and age of on-set of breast cancer. The rs7775 SNP in exon 6 of SFRP3 gene that codes for either arginine or glycine exhibited very strong association with breast cancer, even after Bonferroni's correction. Apart from these five variants, rs3923086 in AXIN2 and rs3763511 in DKK4 that did not show any association in the overall population were significantly associated with early on-set and estrogen receptor negative breast cancers, respectively. This is the first study to utilize pathway based approach to identify association of risk variants in the Wnt signaling pathway genes with breast cancers. Confirmation of our findings in larger populations of different ethnicities would provide evidence for the role of Wnt pathway as well as screening markers for early detection of breast carcinomas

Frequent Activation of Notch Signaling Pathway in Colorectal Cancers and Its Implication in Patient Survival Outcome

Colorectal cancer is a major health concern as it ranks third in incidence and second major cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. A leading cause of treatment failure has been attributed to cancer stem cells that can invariably resist existing chemotherapeutic regimens. Notch signaling pathway has been involved in the maintenance of stem cells besides being crucial in cell fate decision and embryonic development. This pathway has also been implicated in several human malignancies including colorectal cancer. We investigated mRNA expression of four Notch receptors (Notch1–4), five ligands (Jag1, Jag2, Dll1, Dll3, and Dll4), and four target genes (Hes1, Hes5, Hey1, and Hey2) using highly specific TaqMan gene expression assays in colorectal adenomas and cancers. Upregulated expression of Notch receptors ranged between 29 and 73% in colorectal cancers and between 11 and 56% in adenomas. Expression of Notch3 and Notch4 receptors was significantly higher in colorectal cancers compared to normal and adenoma tissues. The Jagged and Delta-like ligands were overexpressed between 25 and 52% in colorectal cancers, while in adenomas, it ranged between 0 and 33%. Combining the data for upregulation of receptors and ligands suggests that 86% colorectal cancers and 56% adenomas exhibited overexpression of Notch pathway genes in our cohort. Notch target genes were upregulated between 24 and 33% in colorectal cancers and between 11 and 22% in adenomas. Collating upregulation of Notch receptors and ligands with the target genes showed concordance in 58% colorectal tumors. Additionally, we evaluated expression of Notch receptors, ligands, and target genes with prognosis using the TCGA mRNA expression dataset. Patients overexpressing Notch3, Notch4, and Hey1 had significantly poorer overall survival relative to those having lower levels of these genes. Taken together, Notch signaling components are aberrantly overexpressed in colorectal tumors, and development of therapeutics targeting the Notch pathway may prove to be beneficial in the management of colorectal cancers

Effects of orthodontic mechanics on root resorption: A comparative study

Background: Orthodontic treatment is a common dental procedure aimed at correcting malocclusions and improving dental aesthetics. However, one of the potential side effects of orthodontic treatment is root resorption, which can lead to permanent damage to the tooth's root structure. Materials and Methods: In this comparative study, 60 orthodontic patients were divided into three groups, each receiving a different orthodontic treatment approach: Group A—conventional fixed orthodontic appliances, Group B—self-ligating orthodontic appliances, and Group C—clear aligners. Digital radiographs were taken before and after treatment to assess root resorption. The extent of root resorption was quantified using a standardized measurement scale. Results: The results indicated that Group A exhibited an average root resorption of 0.2 mm, Group B showed an average root resorption of 0.1 mm, and Group C had the lowest average root resorption of 0.05 mm. These findings suggest that clear aligners resulted in significantly less root resorption compared to conventional fixed orthodontic appliances and self-ligating orthodontic appliances (P < 0.05). Conclusion: This comparative study highlights the differential effects of various orthodontic mechanics on root resorption. Clear aligners demonstrated the least amount of root resorption when compared to conventional fixed orthodontic appliances and self-ligating orthodontic appliances

Transforming nursing care: The impact of information and communication technologies

Background: The integration of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in healthcare, termed eHealth, is transforming nursing practices. These technologies encompass electronic health records (EHRs), computerized decision support systems (CDSSs), and telehealth, among others, and promise to enhance the efficiency, accuracy, and communication in nursing care. Aim: This study aims to evaluate the impact of ICTs on nursing practices, focusing on their influence on nursing care performance indicators and patient outcomes. Methods: An overview of systematic reviews was conducted, adhering to the Cochrane Collaboration methodology and the PICOS framework. The study included qualitative, mixed-method, and quantitative reviews from 1995 onwards, focusing on the impact of ICTs on nursing care. Data extraction and quality assessment were performed using the AMSTAR tool, and a narrative synthesis approach was employed due to study heterogeneity. Results: Of 6187 titles screened, 22 reviews met the inclusion criteria. ICTs were found to impact time management, patient care, and documentation quality. Positive effects included improved access to patient information and enhanced communication. However, challenges such as increased documentation time and the need for adaptation to electronic systems were noted

Novel sequence variants in the TLR6 gene associated with advanced breast cancer risk in the Saudi Arabian population.

Herein, we evaluated the association of the Toll-like receptor 6 (TLR6) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs3796508 (Val327Met) and rs5743810 (Ser249Pro) with breast cancer (BC) susceptibility in Saudi Arabian women, using in silico analysis. We found no significant differences in genotypic and allelic frequencies for rs3796508 between the BC patients (n = 127) and healthy individuals (n = 116). However, 86% of the BC patients, versus 98% of the healthy controls, carried the rs5743810 Pro allele (OR = 0.103, CI = 0.036-0.293, P = 0.00001). Advanced analysis based on the comparison of the estrogen receptor (ER)-positive and -negative patients with the healthy controls indicated a significant association between rs5743810 allelic frequency and BC risk protection (OR = 0.100, CI = 0.034-0.297, P = 0.00001 for ER+ BC cases; OR = 0.102, CI = 0.033-0.318, P = 0.00001 for ER-BC cases). Furthermore, rs5743810 was associated with BC risk protection at either above or below 48 years of age at diagnosis (OR = 0.101, CI = 0.022-0.455, P = 0.00037 for age ≤48 years; OR = 0.120, CI = 0.028-0.519, P = 0.00087 for age >48 years). Such associations were not found for rs3796508. In silico analysis indicated that these SNPs had neutral effects within the TLR6 structure, confirming the protective role of rs5743810. Our findings therefore suggest a strong association between rs5743810 and protection against BC risk in Saudi Arabian women. Importantly, the rs5743810 Pro allele could be a potential BC diagnostic biomarker in this ethnic population

Prevalence of diabetes and its relation with age and sex in Turaif city, northern Saudi Arabia in 2016–2017

Background: The prevalence of diabetes in Saudi Arabia has increased dramatically during the last decades. This increase has been attributed to significant changes in cultural and socio-economic factors. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine prevalence of diabetes and its relation with age and sex in Turaif city, northern Saudi Arabia. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study carried out during the academic year 2016-2017 over a period of 6 months (October 01, 2016 to March 30, 2017). A total of 1,287 Saudi national individuals of both sexes, aged from 1 year to more than 65 years were included in the study. Data were collected by a predesigned questionnaire covering medical history of diabetes, age and sex. Results: Mean age (± SD) was 24.29 (±13.96) years with the minimum age at 1 year and the maximum age at 93 years, male to female ratio was 42.5% to 57.5%. The total prevalence of DM among the studied population was 5.8% and pre-diabetic cases were 6.8%. There were significant relationships between age/sex, and the occurrence of diabetes among the studied population (p<0.05). Conclusions: The total prevalence rate of DM among the studied population of Turaif city, northern Saudi Arabia was 5.8% and pre-diabetic cases were 6.8%. Awareness campaigns and prevention programs about diabetes should be instituted and the existing ones must be strengthened. Adequate commitment from the Ministry of Health is also advocated