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Men At Risk; A Qualitative Study On Hiv Risk, Gender Identity And Violence Among Men Who Have Sex With Men Who Report High Risk Behavior In Kampala, Uganda., Rachel King, Joseph Barker, Sylvia Nakayiwa, David Katuntu, George Lubwama, Danstan Bagenda, Tim Lane, Alex Opio, Wolfgang Hladik

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

In Uganda, men who have sex with men (MSM) are at high risk for HIV. Between May 2008 and February 2009 in Kampala, Uganda, we used respondent driven sampling (RDS) to recruit 295 MSM≥18 years who reported having had sex with another man in the preceding three months. The parent study conducted HIV and STI testing and collected demographic and HIV-related behavioral data through audio computer-assisted self-administered interviews. We conducted a nested qualitative sub-study with 16 men purposively sampled from among the survey participants based on responses to behavioral variables indicating higher risk for HIV infection. Sub-study participants were interviewed …

Long-Term Outcomes Of Ranibizumab Therapy For Diabetic Macular Edema: The 36-Month Results From Two Phase Iii Trials: Rise And Ride., David M. Brown, Quan Dong Nguyen, Dennis M. Marcus, David S. Boyer, Sunil Patel, Leonard Feiner, Patricio G. Schlottmann, Amy Chen Rundle, Jiameng Zhang, Roman G. Rubio, Anthony P. Adamis, Jason S. Ehrlich, J. Jill Hopkins

Journal Articles: Ophthalmology

PURPOSE: To report 36-month outcomes of RIDE (NCT00473382) and RISE (NCT00473330), trials of ranibizumab in diabetic macular edema (DME).

DESIGN: Phase III, randomized, multicenter, double-masked, 3-year trials, sham injection-controlled for 2 years.

PARTICIPANTS: Adults with DME (n=759), baseline best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) 20/40 to 20/320 Snellen equivalent, and central foveal thickness (CFT) ≥ 275 μm on optical coherence tomography.

METHODS: Patients were randomized equally (1 eye per patient) to monthly 0.5 mg or 0.3 mg ranibizumab or sham injection. In the third year, sham patients, while still masked, were eligible to cross over to monthly 0.5 mg ranibizumab. Macular laser …

The Tumor Suppressor Tere1 (Ubiad1) Prenyltransferase Regulates The Elevated Cholesterol Phenotype In Castration Resistant Prostate Cancer By Controlling A Program Of Ligand Dependent Sxr Target Genes., William J. Fredericks, Jorge Sepulveda, Priti Lai, John E. Tomaszewski, Ming-Fong Lin, Terry Mcgarvey, Frank J. Rauscher, S. Bruce Malkowicz

Journal Articles: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Castrate-Resistant Prostate Cancer (CRPC) is characterized by persistent androgen receptor-driven tumor growth in the apparent absence of systemic androgens. Current evidence suggests that CRPC cells can produce their own androgens from endogenous sterol precursors that act in an intracrine manner to stimulate tumor growth. The mechanisms by which CRPC cells become steroidogenic during tumor progression are not well defined. Herein we describe a novel link between the elevated cholesterol phenotype of CRPC and the TERE1 tumor suppressor protein, a prenyltransferase that synthesizes vitamin K-2, which is a potent endogenous ligand for the SXR nuclear hormone receptor. We show that 50% …

Impaired Expression Of Protein Phosphatase 2a Subunits Enhances Metastatic Potential Of Human Prostate Cancer Cells Through Activation Of Akt Pathway., P Pandey, Parthasarathy Seshacharyulu, Srustidhar Das, Satyanarayana Rachagani, Moorthy P. Ponnusamy, Y Yan, Sonny L. Johansson, K Datta, Ming-Fong Lin, Surinder K. Batra

Journal Articles: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

BACKGROUND: Protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) is a dephosphorylating enzyme, loss of which can contribute to prostate cancer (PCa) pathogenesis. The aim of this study was to analyse the transcriptional and translational expression patterns of individual subunits of the PP2A holoenzyme during PCa progression.

METHODS: Immunohistochemistry (IHC), western blot, and real-time PCR was performed on androgen-dependent (AD) and androgen-independent (AI) PCa cells, and benign and malignant prostate tissues for all the three PP2A (scaffold, regulatory, and catalytic) subunits. Mechanistic and functional studies were performed using various biochemical and cellular techniques.

RESULTS: Through immunohistochemical analysis we observed significantly reduced levels of PP2A-A …

Maresin-1 Reduces The Pro-Inflammatory Response Of Bronchial Epithelial Cells To Organic Dust., Tara M. Nordgren, Art J. Heires, Todd A. Wyatt, Jill A. Poole, Tricia D. Levan, D. Roselyn Cerutis, Debra J. Romberger

Journal Articles: Pulmonary & Critical Care Med

BACKGROUND: Exposure to organic dust causes detrimental airway inflammation. Current preventative and therapeutic measures do not adequately treat resulting disease, necessitating novel therapeutic interventions. Recently identified mediators derived from polyunsaturated fatty acids exhibit anti-inflammatory and pro-resolving actions. We tested the potential of one of these mediators, maresin-1 (MaR1), in reducing organic dust-associated airway inflammation.

METHODS: As bronchial epithelial cells (BECs) are pivotal in initiating organic dust-induced inflammation, we investigated the in vitro effects of MaR1 on a human BEC cell line (BEAS-2B). Cells were pretreated for 1 hour with 0-200 nM MaR1, followed by 1-24 hour treatment with 5% hog …

Androgens Upregulate Cdc25c Protein By Inhibiting Its Proteasomal And Lysosomal Degradation Pathways., Yu-Wei Chou, Li Zhang, Sakthivel Muniyan, Humera Ahmad, Satyendra Kumar, Syed Mahfuzul Alam, Ming-Fong Lin

Journal Articles: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Cdc25C is a cell cycle protein of the dual specificity phosphatase family essential for activating the cdk1/Cyclin B1 complex in cells entering into mitosis. Since altered cell cycle is a hallmark of human cancers, we investigated androgen regulation of Cdc25C protein in human prostate cancer (PCa) cells, including androgen-sensitive (AS) LNCaP C-33 cells and androgen-independent (AI) LNCaP C-81 as well as PC-3 cells. In the regular culture condition containing fetal bovine serum (FBS), Cdc25C protein levels were similar in these PCa cells. In a steroid-reduced condition, Cdc25C protein was greatly decreased in AS C-33 cells but not AI C-81 or …

Intra-Tumoral Heterogeneity In Metastatic Potential And Survival Signaling Between Iso-Clonal Hct116 And Hct116b Human Colon Carcinoma Cell Lines., Sanjib Chowdhury, Melanie Ongchin, Elizabeth Sharratt, Ivan Dominguez, J. Wang, Michael G. Brattain, Ashwani Rajput

Journal Articles: Eppley Institute

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer (CRC) metastasis is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. The molecular mechanisms underlying this complex, multi-step pathway are yet to be completely elucidated. Recent reports have stressed the importance of intra-tumoral heterogeneity in the development of a metastatic phenotype. The purpose of this study was to characterize the intra-tumoral phenotypic heterogeneity between two iso-clonal human colon cancer sublines HCT116 and HCT116b on their ability to undergo metastatic colonization and survive under growth factor deprivation stress (GFDS).

MATERIALS AND METHODS: HCT116 and HCT116b cells were transfected with green fluorescence protein and subcutaneously injected into …

Marked Improvement Of Cytotoxic Effects Induced By Docetaxel On Highly Metastatic And Androgen-Independent Prostate Cancer Cells By Downregulating Macrophage Inhibitory Cytokine-1., M Mimeault, Sonny L. Johansson, Surinder K. Batra

Journal Articles: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

BACKGROUND: Overexpression of macrophage inhibitory cytokine-1 (MIC-1) frequently occurs during the progression of prostate cancer (PC) to androgen-independent (AI) and metastatic disease states and is associated with a poor outcome of patients.

METHODS: The gain- and loss-of-function analyses of MIC-1 were performed to establish its implications for aggressive and chemoresistant phenotypes of metastatic and AI PC cells and the benefit of its downregulation for reversing docetaxel resistance.

RESULTS: The results have indicated that an enhanced level of secreted MIC-1 protein in PC3 cells is associated with their acquisition of epithelial-mesenchymal transition features and higher invasive capacity and docetaxel resistance. Importantly, …

Properties Of Ribbon And Non-Ribbon Release From Rod Photoreceptors Revealed By Visualizing Individual Synaptic Vesicles., Minghui Chen, Matthew J. Van Hook, David Zenisek, Wallace B. Thoreson

Journal Articles: Pharmacology & Experimental Neuroscience

Vesicle release from rod photoreceptors is regulated by Ca(2+) entry through L-type channels located near synaptic ribbons. We characterized sites and kinetics of vesicle release in salamander rods by using total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy to visualize fusion of individual synaptic vesicles. A small number of vesicles were loaded by brief incubation with FM1-43 or a dextran-conjugated, pH-sensitive form of rhodamine, pHrodo. Labeled organelles matched the diffraction-limited size of fluorescent microspheres and disappeared rapidly during stimulation. Consistent with fusion, depolarization-evoked vesicle disappearance paralleled electrophysiological release kinetics and was blocked by inhibiting Ca(2+) influx. Rods maintained tonic release at resting membrane …

Community Knowledge, Attitude And Practice About Malaria In A Low Endemic Setting Of Shewa Robit Town, Northeastern Ethiopia, Andargie Abate, Abraham Degarege, Berhanu Erko

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

BACKGROUND: Since malaria is one of the foremost public health problems in Ethiopia, assessment of situation of the disease, and communities' knowledge and perceptions about malaria is necesary to institute appropriate preventive and control measures. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess malaria prevalence and knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) about the disease among ShewaRobit Town community, northeastern Ethiopia.

METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Shewa Robit Town from October to November 2011. A multi-stage random sampling technique was used to select the study participants. A total of 425 individuals were examined for malaria using thin …

Gaps In Survey Data On Cancer In American Indian And Alaska Native Populations: Examination Of Us Population Surveys, 1960-2010, Shinobu Watanabe-Galloway, Tinka Duran, Jim P. Stimpson, Corey Smith

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

INTRODUCTION: Population-based data are essential for quantifying the problems and measuring the progress made by comprehensive cancer control programs. However, cancer information specific to the American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) population is not readily available. We identified major population-based surveys conducted in the United States that contain questions related to cancer, documented the AI/AN sample size in these surveys, and identified gaps in the types of cancer-related information these surveys collect.

METHODS: We conducted an Internet query of US Department of Health and Human Services agency websites and a Medline search to identify population-based surveys conducted in the United States from …