A Qualitative Exploration of a Massachusetts Drug Court: How are the 10 Key Components Applied?

Due to drug policy changes in the 1980s, the criminal justice system was forced to create diversion programs to deal with the rising numbers of drug offenders in the system. Based on “therapeutic jurisprudence”, drug courts began opening across the county in 1989, using the “ten key components” as a guide for policy implementation. The purpose of this study was to analyze how closely a Massachusetts drug court adheres to drug court’s 10 key components. Drug court participants’ perceptions on the application of the 10 key components were acquired by an in-depth, face-to-face interview session. This research also used court observation to study drug court as an alternative to incarceration. This study found that although this Massachusetts drug court adheres to the 10 key components, there is room for improvement

Desenvolvimento de ferramenta vocacionada para o dimensionamento de estruturas metálicas de acordo com a NP EN 1993-1-1

Trabalho desenvolvido em parceria com a empresa Casais.A presente comunicação descreve o desenvolvimento de uma ferramenta informática vocacionada para o dimensionamento de estruturas metálicas de acordo com a NP EN 1993 1 1 [1]. A ferramenta AciariUM é direcionada para a verificação e dimensionamento (ELU) de vigas-coluna em aço sujeitas a flexão composta desviada. Foi desenvolvida como meio de análise de elementos em aço e de verificação expedita dos resultados recolhidos a partir de programas comerciais de análise estrutural. Permite ao utilizador um controlo total sobre os resultados, na medida em que todo o algoritmo e procedimento de cálculo relativo a cada parâmetro está disponível para consulta e edição.É dirigido um especial agradecimento: à CASAIS – Engenharia e Construção, S.A. e à Universidade do Minho por acolherem este projeto; aos suportes dos programas CYPE 3D e Robot Structural Analysis pela disponibilidade com que interagiram com os autores deste projeto sempre que a sua intervenção foi solicitada

Avaliação da resistência de cultivares de feijoeiro (Phaseolus spp.) a Meloidogyne javanica, para uso como porta-enxerto

Das diversas pragas e doenças que afetam o feijoeiro (Phaseolus spp.), encontram-se os nemátodes-das-galhas-radiculares (NGR), Meloidogyne spp., sendo amplamente conhecido o seu efeito devastador em culturas hortícolas. A principal estratégia de controlo assenta na aplicação de nematodicidas, que têm sido progressivamente restringidos. Têm sido consideradas técnicas de controlo alternativas, como a enxertia de hortícolas em porta-enxertos resistentes. Os objetivos do estudo foram: 1) conhecer a reação de cultivares de feijoeiro (Phaseolus vulgaris e P. coccineus) a Meloidogyne javanica, considerando o seu grau de suscetibilidade ou resistência; 2) avaliar a severidade dos danos causados nas raízes; e 3) inferir sobre a potencial utilização destas cultivares como porta-enxerto comercial de feijoeiro. Foi realizado um ensaio em vaso, com cinco repetições de cada uma de nove cultivares testadas, que decorreu numa sala de culturas com condições controladas. As plantas foram inoculadas com 5000 ovos e jovens de M. javanica; plantas não inoculadas serviram de testemunha negativa, sendo a testemunha positiva plantas de tomateiro cv. Tiny Tim reconhecidamente suscetível a M. javanica. Sessenta dias após a inoculação, procedeu-se à determinação do número de galhas e de massas de ovos nas raízes. Nenhuma das cultivares testadas foi completamente resistente ao nemátode. No entanto, através de uma análise comparativa, foi detetado um potencial de resistência nas cultivares Bencanta e Oriente, em que foram registados níveis do número de galhas, de massas de ovos e de reprodução dos nemátodes comparáveis aos de cultivares classificadas como resistentes. As cultivares Bencanta e Oriente revelaram resultados promissores relativamente à sua utilização como porta-enxertos resistentes a NGR, justificando-se uma investigação mais aprofundada para testar e avaliar a viabilidade da sua utilização na enxertia de feijoeiro, em condições controladas e no campo, e na presença de outras espécies de NGR.Evaluation of the resistance of common bean (Phaseolus spp.) to Meloidogyne javanica, for use as rootstocks. Among the numerous pests and diseases that affect common bean (Phaseolus spp.), root-knot nematodes (RKN), Meloidogyne spp., are the ones that stand out for their devastating effects on horticultural crops. The main control strategy is based on the application of nematicides, which have been 1 progressively restricted. Alternative nematode management methods have been considered, such as vegetable grafting using resistant cultivars. The objectives of this study were: 1) to know the reaction of nine cultivars of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris and P. coccineus) to Meloidogyne javanica, considering their degree of susceptibility and resistance; 2) to assess the severity of damage to the roots; and 3) to infer on the potential use of these cultivars as commercial bean rootstocks. A pot experiment was done under controlled conditions in a culture room, and each treatment consisted of five replicates. Plants were inoculated with 5000 eggs and second stage juveniles of M. javanica, with uninoculated plants serving as negative control and susceptible tomato plants cv. Tiny Tim being used as positive control. Sixty days after inoculation, roots were observed to determine the number of galls and egg masses. None of the tested cultivars was completely resistant to the nematode. However, through a comparative analysis, a potential for resistance was detected in Bencanta and Oriente cultivars, with levels of nematode-induced galls and egg masses comparable to those of cultivars classified as resistant. The Bencanta and Oriente cultivars showed promising results regarding their use as resistant rootstocks to RKN, justifying further research to test and assess the feasibility of their use in bean grafting, under controlled conditions and in the field, and in the presence of other species of RKN.Programa Estratégico UID/BIA/04050/2013 (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007569), financiado por fundos nacionais através da Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, e pelo Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional (FEDER), através do COMPETE 2020 – Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalização (POCI)Empresa Alípio Dias & Irmão LdaEmpresa Tozer Iberica SLEscola Superior Agrária de Ponte de LimaLaboratório de Nematologia da Universidade de Coimbrainfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Replication stress and chromatin context link ATM activation to a role in DNA replication

ATM-mediated signaling in response to DNA damage is a barrier to tumorigenesis. Here we asked whether replication stress could also contribute to ATM signaling. We demonstrate that, in the absence of DNA damage, ATM responds to replication stress in a hypoxia-induced heterochromatin-like context. In certain hypoxic conditions, replication stress occurs in the absence of detectable DNA damage. Hypoxia also induces H3K9me3, a histone modification associated with gene repression and heterochromatin. Hypoxia-induced replication stress together with increased H3K9me3 leads to ATM activation. Importantly, ATM prevents the accumulation of DNA damage in hypoxia. Most significantly, we describe a stress-specific role for ATM in maintaining DNA replication rates in a background of increased H3K9me3. Furthermore, the ATM-mediated response to oncogene-induced replication stress is enhanced in hypoxic conditions. Together, these data indicate that hypoxia plays a critical role in the activation of the DNA damage response, therefore contributing to this barrier to tumorigenesis

Uso de medicamentos em gestantes

Antecedentes/Objetivos: O uso de medicamentos por gestantes deve ser considerado um problema de saúde pública (Carmo, 2003; Baldon et al, 2006). É um comportamento de alto risco terapêutico com elevados riscos potenciais, sobretudo, para o feto, mas também para a gestante (Olesen et al, 1999; Oliveira & Fonseca, 2006). Os efeitos sobre o feto dependem do fármaco ou substância, da paciente, da época de exposição durante a gestação, da frequência e da dose total, resultando potencialmente em teratogenia ou com consequências farmacológicas e toxicológicas diversas (Sorensen & De Jong-Van, 1997). Foram objetivos desta investigação determinar a prevalência do uso de medicamentos por gestantes em 2 Centros Hospitalares do Norte de Portugal, avaliando se existe relação entre as características maternas, fonte de indicação e os resultados obtidos pelas gestantes na sua experiência com medicamentos. Métodos: Trata-se de um estudo quantitativo transversal, observacional e analítico. A recolha de dados foi feita de Março a Maio de 2012. Todas as gestantes foram convidadas a participar, independentemente, do tempo de gestação. Participaram, nesta investigação, 125 gestantes. Resultados: Verificou-se que 79,2% das gestantes declararam utilizar pelo menos um medicamento, destas 5,1% fizeram-no sem prescrição médica. O Ferro (45%) e o Ácido Fólico (25%) foram os mais consumidos, porém, medicamentos considerados de risco para o feto também foram utilizados, nomeadamente, Atarax (2%), Minocin (1%), Omeprazol (1%), Amoxicilina (1%) e Cartia (1%). O trimestre gestacional foi o único parâmetro que registou diferenças na toma de medicação, sendo que foram as gestantes que se encontravam no terceiro trimestre de gravidez as que mais recorreram ao consumo de medicamentos (85,3%). Conclusiones: Embora o consumo de medicamentos durante a gestação seja uma realidade, esta tendência tem vindo a diminuir ao longo dos anos. Como medidas a serem tomadas na tentativa de reduzir o consumo de medicamentos não prescritos, sugere-se a realização de campanhas educativas em saúde e a partilha de informação que alerte para os riscos e contraindicações, bem como, a orientação sobre medidas alternativas não farmacológicas que poderão ser adotadas pelas gestantes

Validation of in-house knowledge-based planning model for advance-stage lung cancer patients treated using VMAT radiotherapy

Objectives: Radiotherapy plan quality may vary considerably depending on planner's experience and time constraints. The variability in treatment plans can be assessed by calculating the difference between achieved and the optimal dose distribution. The achieved treatment plans may still be suboptimal if there is further scope to reduce organs-at- risk doses without compromising target coverage and deliverability. This study aims to develop a knowledge-based planning (KBP) model to reduce variability of volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) lung plans by predicting minimum achievable lung volume-dose metrics. Methods: Dosimetric and geometric data collected from 40 retrospective plans were used to develop KBP models aiming to predict the minimum achievable lung dose metrics via calculating the ratio of the residual lung volume to the total lung volume. Model accuracy was verified by replanning 40 plans. Plan complexity metrics were calculated using locally developed script and their effect on treatment delivery was assessed via measurement. Results: The use of KBP resulted in significant reduction in plan variability in all three studied dosimetric parameters V5, V20 and mean lung dose by 4.9% (p = 0.007, 10.8 to 5.9%), 1.3% (p = 0.038, 4.0 to 2.7%) and 0.9 Gy (p = 0.012, 2.5 to 1.6Gy), respectively. It also increased lung sparing without compromising the overall plan quality. The accuracy of the model was proven as clinically acceptable. Plan complexity increased compared to original plans; however, the implication on delivery errors was clinically insignificant as demonstrated by plan verification measurements. Conclusion: Our in-house model for VMAT lung plans led to a significant reduction in plan variability with concurrent decrease in lung dose. Our study also demonstrated that treatment delivery verifications are important prior to clinical implementation of KBP models. Advances in knowledge: In-house KBP models can predict minimum achievable lung dose-volume constraints for advance-stage lung cancer patients treated with VMAT. The study demonstrates that plan complexity could increase and should be assessed prior to clinical implementation

The role of glucosinolates from cruciferous vegetables (Brassicaceae) in gastrointestinal cancers: from prevention to therapeutics

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is composed of rapidly renewing cells, which increase the likelihood of cancer. Colorectal cancer is one of the most frequently diagnosed GI cancers and currently stands in second place regarding cancer-related mortality. Unfortunately, the treatment of GI is limited, and few developments have occurred in the field over the years. With this in mind, new therapeutic strategies involving biologically active phytocompounds are being evaluated as anti-cancer agents. Vegetables such as broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, and radish, all belonging to the Brassicaceae family, are high in dietary fibre, minerals, vitamins, carotenoids, polyphenols, and glucosinolates. The latter compound is a secondary metabolite characteristic of this family and, when biologically active, has demonstrated anti-cancer properties. This article reviews the literature regarding the potential of Cruciferous vegetables in the prevention and/or treatment of GI cancers and the relevance of appropriate compound formulations for improving the stability and bioaccessibility of the major Cruciferous compounds, with a particular focus on glucosinolates

HIF-1 alpha-independent hypoxia-induced rapid PTK6 stabilization is associated with increased motility and invasion

© 2014 Landes Bioscience. PTK6/Brk is a non-receptor tyrosine kinase overexpressed in cancer. Here we demonstrate that cytosolic PTK6 is rapidly and robustly induced in response to hypoxic conditions in a HIF-1-independent manner. Furthermore, a proportion of hypoxic PTK6 subsequently re-localized to the cell membrane. We observed that the rapid stabilization of PTK6 is associated with a decrease in PTK6 ubiquitylation and we have identified c-Cbl as a putative PTK6 E3 ligase in normoxia. The consequences of hypoxia-induced PTK6 stabilization and subcellular re-localization to the plasma membrane include increased cell motility and invasion, suggesting PTK6 targeting as a therapeutic approach to reduce hypoxia-regulated metastatic potential. This could have particular significance for breast cancer patients with triple negative disease

Natural Products as a Source for New Leads in Cancer Research and Treatment

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