Fatigue Experienced by Women Before and During Myocardial Infarction: An Integrative Review

RESEARCH QUESTION What is known about fatigue experienced by adult women during the prodromal and acute periods of myocardial infarction (MI)? AIMS 1. Identify what is known about prodromal and acute MI fatigue experienced by women in regard to severity, distress, quality, and timing 2. Summarize the current state of the prodromal and acute MI fatigue literature and make recommendations for clinical practice and future stud

Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Emergency Department Triage Nurses\u27 Response to Patients With Potential Acute Coronary Syndrome

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic added challenges to patient assessment and triage in the emergency department (ED). Objective: To describe the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on ED triage nurse decisions for patients with potential ACS. Methods: This was a secondary analysis of data from a descriptive, electronic, survey-based study. Participants were asked two questions: whether the COVID-19 pandemic had affected their triage and/or assessment practices for patients with potential ACS and if so, how. Descriptive statistics were used to compare characteristics of participants. A qualitative descriptive approach was used to analyze responses to the open-ended questions about the pandemic’s effect on the triage process. Results: Participants from across the US had a mean age of 41.7 (12.3) years; 358 (80.6%) were women. The participants had a median of 10.0 (IQR 16.0) years of experience as a registered nurse, with a median 7.0 (IQR 11.0) years of ED experience. A total of 180 of 444 (40.5%) participants indicated that the COVID-19 pandemic affected their triage processes and assessment of potential ACS patients; 156 (86.7%) provided a response to the open-ended question. Responses revealed four themes, 1) Delays in Triage and Treatment; 2) Ambiguous Patient Presentation; 3) Heightened Awareness of COVID-19 Complications and Sequalae; and 4) Process Changes. Conclusions: Forty percent of ED triage nurses participating reported that triage processes for patients with potential ACS were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Most expressed barriers that resulted in delayed assessment and treatment of patients and often resulted from overlapping cardiac symptoms and COVID-19

A Holistic Exploration of Fatigue Experienced by Women before a Myocardial Infarction

Most women report fatigue in the weeks and months leading to a myocardial infarction (MI). However, fatigue is a complex phenomenon. Dimensions of this MI related fatigue, such as timing, distress, intensity, quality, patterns, and associated characteristics have not been established through focused study of this symptom. A lack of a holistic understanding of this symptom makes clinical decision making difficult, given that fatigue is a frequently reported symptom overall

Women’s Prodromal Myocardial Infarction Symptom Perception, Attribution, and Care Seeking

Most women experience several prodromal symptoms prior to myocardial infarction (MI). While investigators have focused on acuteMI symptom perception, attribution, and care seeking, few have studied how women experience and process prodromalMI symptoms and ultimately decide to seek care

Artificially Introduced Aneuploid Chromosomes Assume a Conserved Position in Colon Cancer Cells

BACKGROUND: Chromosomal aneuploidy is a defining feature of carcinomas. For instance, in colon cancer, an additional copy of Chromosome 7 is not only observed in early pre-malignant polyps, but is faithfully maintained throughout progression to metastasis. These copy number changes show a positive correlation with average transcript levels of resident genes. An independent line of research has also established that specific chromosomes occupy a well conserved 3D position within the interphase nucleus. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We investigated whether cancer-specific aneuploid chromosomes assume a 3D-position similar to that of its endogenous homologues, which would suggest a possible correlation with transcriptional activity. Using 3D-FISH and confocal laser scanning microscopy, we show that Chromosomes 7, 18, or 19 introduced via microcell-mediated chromosome transfer into the parental diploid colon cancer cell line DLD-1 maintain their conserved position in the interphase nucleus. CONCLUSIONS: Our data is therefore consistent with the model that each chromosome has an associated zip code (possibly gene density) that determines its nuclear localization. Whether the nuclear localization determines or is determined by the transcriptional activity of resident genes has yet to be ascertained

Lessons from the evaluation of the UK's NHS R&D Implementation Methods Programme

Background: Concern about the effective use of research was a major factor behind the creation of the NHS R&D Programme in 1991. In 1994, an advisory group was established to identify research priorities in research implementation. The Implementation Methods Programme (IMP) flowed from this, and its commissioning group funded 36 projects. In 2000 responsibility for the programme passed to the National Co-ordinating Centre for NHS Service Delivery and Organisation R&D, which asked the Health Economics Research Group (HERG), Brunel University, to conduct an evaluation in 2002. By then most projects had been completed. This evaluation was intended to cover: the quality of outputs, lessons to be learnt about the communication strategy and the commissioning process, and the benefits from the projects. Methods: We adopted a wide range of quantitative and qualitative methods. They included: documentary analysis, interviews with key actors, questionnaires to the funded lead researchers, questionnaires to potential users, and desk analysis. Results: Quantitative assessment of outputs and dissemination revealed that the IMP funded useful research projects, some of which had considerable impact against the various categories in the HERG payback model, such as publications, further research, research training, impact on health policy, and clinical practice. Qualitative findings from interviews with advisory and commissioning group members indicated that when the IMP was established, implementation research was a relatively unexplored field. This was reflected in the understanding brought to their roles by members of the advisory and commissioning groups, in the way priorities for research were chosen and developed, and in how the research projects were commissioned. The ideological and methodological debates associated with these decisions have continued among those working in this field. The need for an effective communication strategy for the programme as a whole was particularly important. However, such a strategy was never developed, making it difficult to establish the general influence of the IMP as a programme. Conclusion: Our findings about the impact of the work funded, and the difficulties faced by those developing the IMP, have implications for the development of strategic programmes of research in general, as well as for the development of more effective research in this field

Modulatory Role for Retinoid-related Orphan Receptor α in Allergen-induced Lung Inflammation

Rationale: Nuclear receptors play a critical role in the regulation of inflammation, thus representing attractive targets for the treatment of asthma

The Drosophila melanogaster PeptideAtlas facilitates the use of peptide data for improved fly proteomics and genome annotation

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Crucial foundations of any quantitative systems biology experiment are correct genome and proteome annotations. Protein databases compiled from high quality empirical protein identifications that are in turn based on correct gene models increase the correctness, sensitivity, and quantitative accuracy of systems biology genome-scale experiments.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In this manuscript, we present the <it>Drosophila melanogaster </it>PeptideAtlas, a fly proteomics and genomics resource of unsurpassed depth. Based on peptide mass spectrometry data collected in our laboratory the portal <url>http://www.drosophila-peptideatlas.org</url> allows querying fly protein data observed with respect to gene model confirmation and splice site verification as well as for the identification of proteotypic peptides suited for targeted proteomics studies. Additionally, the database provides consensus mass spectra for observed peptides along with qualitative and quantitative information about the number of observations of a particular peptide and the sample(s) in which it was observed.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>PeptideAtlas is an open access database for the <it>Drosophila </it>community that has several features and applications that support (1) reduction of the complexity inherently associated with performing targeted proteomic studies, (2) designing and accelerating shotgun proteomics experiments, (3) confirming or questioning gene models, and (4) adjusting gene models such that they are in line with observed <it>Drosophila </it>peptides. While the database consists of proteomic data it is not required that the user is a proteomics expert.</p

Finishing a whole-genome shotgun: Release 3 of the Drosophila melanogaster euchromatic genome sequence

BACKGROUND: The Drosophila melanogaster genome was the first metazoan genome to have been sequenced by the whole-genome shotgun (WGS) method. Two issues relating to this achievement were widely debated in the genomics community: how correct is the sequence with respect to base-pair (bp) accuracy and frequency of assembly errors? And, how difficult is it to bring a WGS sequence to the accepted standard for finished sequence? We are now in a position to answer these questions. RESULTS: Our finishing process was designed to close gaps, improve sequence quality and validate the assembly. Sequence traces derived from the WGS and draft sequencing of individual bacterial artificial chromosomes (BACs) were assembled into BAC-sized segments. These segments were brought to high quality, and then joined to constitute the sequence of each chromosome arm. Overall assembly was verified by comparison to a physical map of fingerprinted BAC clones. In the current version of the 116.9 Mb euchromatic genome, called Release 3, the six euchromatic chromosome arms are represented by 13 scaffolds with a total of 37 sequence gaps. We compared Release 3 to Release 2; in autosomal regions of unique sequence, the error rate of Release 2 was one in 20,000 bp. CONCLUSIONS: The WGS strategy can efficiently produce a high-quality sequence of a metazoan genome while generating the reagents required for sequence finishing. However, the initial method of repeat assembly was flawed. The sequence we report here, Release 3, is a reliable resource for molecular genetic experimentation and computational analysis