Positive expectations predict health after heart transplantation.

We explored the relations between positive expectations and adjustment, adherence, and health in cardiac transplant patients. Thirty-one patients and their nurse completed questionnaires before transplantation and at 3 times after surgery. As predicted, patients' self-reported positive expectations were generally associated with good mood, adjustment to the illness, and quality of life, even in patients who experienced health setbacks. High preoperative expectations predicted later adherence to a complex medical regimen. Positive expectations measured before the transplant predicted a substantial amount of the variance in the nurse's ratings of physical health 6 months after surgery, covarying for adherence behavior and preoperative health. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Postmastectomy coping strategies and quality of life.

Examined characteristics that might relate to quality of life in postmastectomy patients with operable breast cancer. 113 women who had been treated for breast cancer during 3.5 yrs preceding the study were surveyed. 53 Ss had received mastectomies alone. The remaining 60 Ss, who had shown some spread of disease to the lymph nodes only, received long-term, prophylactic chemotherapy as an adjunct to mastectomy. Analyses indicated that level of cancer-specific denial was the variable most strongly associated with postmastectomy distress. This coping strategy was more important in explaining distress than were availability of social support, treatment group, time since operation, or age. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A possible role for kinase-associated protein phosphatase in the Arabidopsis CLAVATA1 signaling pathway

Continuous growth and development in plants are accomplished by meristems, groups of undifferentiated cells that persist as stem cells and initiate organs. While the structures of the apical and floral meristems in dicotyledonous plants have been well described, little is known about the underlying molecular mechanisms controlling cell proliferation and differentiation in these structures. We have shown previously that the CLAVATA1 (CLV1) gene in Arabidopsis encodes a receptor kinase-like protein that controls the size of the apical and floral meristems. Here, we show that KAPP, a gene encoding a kinase-associated protein phosphatase, is expressed in apical and young floral meristems, along with CLV1. Overexpression of KAPP mimics the clv1 mutant phenotype. Furthermore, CLV1 has kinase activity: it phosphorylates both itself and KAPP. Finally, KAPP binds and dephosphorylates CLV1. We present a model where KAPP functions as a negative regulator of the CLAVATA1 signal transduction pathway.     

Non‐natural Olefin Cyclopropanation Catalyzed by Diverse Cytochrome P450s and Other Hemoproteins

Recent work has shown that engineered variants of cytochrome P450_BM3 (CYP102A1) efficiently catalyze non‐natural reactions, including carbene and nitrene transfer reactions. Given the broad substrate range of natural P450 enzymes, we set out to explore if this diversity could be leveraged to generate a broad panel of new catalysts for olefin cyclopropanation (i.e., carbene transfer). Here, we took a step towards this goal by characterizing the carbene transfer activities of four new wild‐type P450s that have different native substrates. All four were active and exhibited a range of product selectivities in the model reaction: cyclopropanation of styrene by using ethyl diazoacetate (EDA). Previous work on P450_BM3 demonstrated that mutation of the axial coordinating cysteine, universally conserved among P450 enzymes, to a serine residue, increased activity for this non‐natural reaction. The equivalent mutation in the selected P450s was found to activate carbene transfer chemistry both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, serum albumins complexed with hemin were also found to be efficient in vitro cyclopropanation catalysts.     

Sexual functioning and intimacy in African American and white breast cancer survivors: a descriptive study

This study examines ethnic differences in sexual socialization and attitudes, sexual history and current practices, and the effects of treatment in 147 African American and White breast cancer survivors. Sex-related research in younger healthy populations has shown that cultural values associated with ethnicity influence sexual functioning, but small numbers of African American participants in previous research in breast cancer survivors has limited what we know about that population. In this study, there were few differences between the 2 ethnic groups in a predominantly well-educated, high-income, highly functional sample. However, African American women were significantly less likely to be comfortable with and to practice oral sex, self-touching, and masturbatory behaviors. White women were more likely to report that breast cancer had a negative impact on their sex lives. These differences in sexual repertoire and functioning should be noted by health care practitioners treating the sexual sequelae of breast cancer treatment.     

Drill biopsy confirmation of breast cancer

The technique of drill biopsy of suspicious masses in the breast has been used in 135 patients, with 98.5% accuracy. It has permitted discrimination in the application of expensive scanning studies. Prior confirmation of the diagnosis of carcinoma reduces operating room and anesthesia time, and eliminates the need for two sets of instruments.     

The multi-centre assessment of quality of life: the Interdisciplinary Group for Cancer Care Evaluation (GIVIO) experience in Italy

One of the main issues to be considered in conducting clinical trials concerns the presence of missing data. This aspect is particularly relevant in oncology longitudinal studies, characterized by a long follow-up, and especially in quality of life studies where there is still little knowledge about patients' characteristics that predict loss of data. Since the middle of the 1980s the GIVIO (Interdisciplinary Group for Cancer Care Evaluation) co-operative group has been involved in conducting quality of life assessment studies, also focusing on the development of some strategies aimed at the minimization of missing data. In this paper we report on the results of two trials, which are now completed, concerning the quality of life assessment in a sample of breast and colon cancer patients. In order to cope with the problem of missing data, in both the trials the strategy of follow-up mailing was adopted, which proved to be an effective way to increase the response rate by nearly 50 per cent at each time point.     

Non-autonomy of AGAMOUS function in flower development: use of a Cre/loxP method for mosaic analysis in Arabidopsis

Angiosperms use a multi-layered meristem (typically L1, L2 and L3) to produce primordia that then develop into plant organs. A number of experiments show that communication between the cell layers is important for normal development. We examined whether the function of the flower developmental control gene AGAMOUS involves communication across these layers. We developed a mosaic strategy using the Cre/loxP site-specific recombinase system, and identified the sector structure for mosaics that produced mutant flowers. The major conclusions were that (1) AGAMOUS must be active in the L2 for staminoid and carpelloid tissues, (2) that AGAMOUS must be active in the L2 and the L3 for floral meristem determinacy, and (3) that epidermal cell identity can be communicated by the L2 to the L1 layer.