The APC gene I1307K variant is rare in Norwegian patients with familial and sporadic colorectal or breast cancer

Recently, a T-to-A transversion creating an 8-base mononucleotide tract in the APC gene, resulting in substitution of lysine for isoleucine at codon 1307 (I1307K), was found in a subset of Ashkenazi Jews. This sequence variant was most frequent in colorectal cancer patients with a positive family history of colorectal cancer. To determine whether the I1307K variant plays a role in colorectal or breast cancer predisposition in the Norwegian population, we have analyzed blood samples from 210 colorectal cancer patients and 183 breast cancer patients by PCR and direct sequencing. Thirty-seven of the colorectal cancer patients had a positive family history of cancer. Among the breast cancer patients, 24 had a family history of colorectal cancer and 75 a family history of breast and/or ovarian cancer. Only one colorectal cancer patient who belonged to a Jewish family was found to carry the A variant. Our data show that the I1307K variant is rare in the Norwegian population and should not be viewed as a candidate for susceptibility testing for colorectal cancer.     

J95-EPINATO based planning parameters for medical support to Operations Other Than War (OOTW)

Canada is a vast country with great diversity in its landscape, industry, culture and communities. The healthcare issues and concerns of people living in rural and remote areas are as fully diverse as the people and the landscape. This article describes the context of rural and remote nursing practice in Canada and discusses issues of health status and the social determinants of health, geographical isolation, professional isolation and cultural safety. It concludes with current initiatives in practice, education, research and policy. Particular issues facing nurses in rural and remote First Nations communities are highlighted.     

The possibility of using a helium-oxygen medium for preservation of isolated organs

From 1967 to 1974 vaginal and cervical smears of about 46,000 teenage girls and young women up to the age of 25 were examined. Among these were 250 doubtful and positive cases (0,54%). Of the 67 positive ones 46 cases were known to be histologically examined (69%); 8 times an invasive carcinoma and 38 times a carcinoma in situ were found. Women under the age of 25 should therefore be included in routine check-up with cervical and vaginal smears.     

Analytical quantification of the impact of sub-slab gravel layer on the airflow from soil into building substructures

The entry of soil gas pollutants into buildings has been the subject of many studies and some analytical airflow models have been developed to estimate this entry into buildings. The existing airflow models do not include the sub-slab gravel layer that can influence significantly the airflow from soil into buildings. In this paper, an analytical airflow model, which considers this sub-slab gravel layer has been developed. Moreover, a 2D finite-element model has been used for numerical comparison. This comparison gave a satisfactory agreement with the analytical model. The airflow model is presented as flow-pressure equation and can be integrated easily in vapour intrusion models or ventilation models to enable the quantification of the impact of these pollutants on indoor air quality.     

Plasma leptin influences gestational weight gain and postpartum weight retention

BACKGROUND: Leptin, a product of the obese (ob) gene, is released from adipocytes. At the same body mass index, women have higher concentrations than men. Thus, during pregnancy, leptin may influence gestational weight gain and retention of a portion of that gain postpartum. OBJECTIVE: We examined the relation between plasma leptin at entry to prenatal care and subsequent changes in weight from entry to prenatal care (at 17 wk gestation, baseline) until 6 mo postpartum. DESIGN: This was an observational study of leptin, gestational weight gain, and postpartum weight retention (at 6 wk and 6 mo postpartum) in 103 low-income pregnant women from Camden, NJ, with a pregravid body mass index (in kg/m2) in the normal range (19.8-26). RESULTS: After potential confounding variables were controlled for, leptin at entry significantly (P < 0.05) predicted weight gain in pregnancy, including measured rate of weight gain (x +/- SEE: 0.25 +/- 0.13 kg x unit log leptin(-1) x wk(-1)), measured rate of third-trimester weight gain (0.37 +/- 0.15 kg x unit log leptin(-1) x wk(-1)), rate of weight gain from recalled pregravid weight (0.23 +/- 0.09 kg x unit log leptin(-1) x wk(-1)), and net rate of gestational weight gain (0.22 +/- 0.09 kg x unit log leptin(-1) x wk(-1)). The leptin concentration at entry also significantly predicted retained weight in the postpartum period (at 6 mo: 7.29 +/- 3.33 kg/unit log leptin at entry) and marginally predicted changes in the sum of skinfold thicknesses (at 6 mo: 14.7 +/- 7.5 mm/unit log leptin at entry). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that a high leptin concentration at entry to prenatal care may predict an increased risk of overweight and obesity in vulnerable women.     

Coumarins XIV: high-resolution mass spectra of 3',4'-disubstituted 3',4'-dihydroseselins

High-resolution mass spectra of 14 3',4'-disubstituted 3',4'-dihydroseselins were examined. The nature of the substituents determinines the mode of fragmentation. Compounds having one or two acyloxy substituents fragment mainly by a pathway leading to the stable coumarinopyrilium ion. Coumarins with alkoxy or hydroxy substituents proceed by way of fission of the chroman ring, accompanied by the loss of two ring carbon atoms. Several generalizations are formulated which will aid in the interpretation of the mass spectra of this class of coumarins from a structural standpoint.