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Thermodynamic parameters are reported for duplex formation in 1 M NaCl for 16 RNA sequences, each containing a core tetramer duplex, GGCC, and a 3′ overhang consisting of two bases. The results indicate additional double-helical stability is conferred by the double 3′ terminal overhang relative to the single 3′ terminal overhang. A nearest-neighbor analysis of the data indicates that the free energy contribution at 37°C of the second base in the double 3′ terminal overhang varies from 0 to 0.7 kcal/mol. The second base in the 3′ double overhang can contribute nearly the same stability to a duplex as a base pair or a 3′ dangling overhang. Stability contribution of a dangling base, two nucleotides removed from the 3′ end of a duplex, is dependent upon both the identity of the base as well as that of the dangling base that it neighbors. A second dangling base only increases the stability of the duplex when it is neighboring a 3′ purine dangling nucleotide. Furthermore, a second dangling pyrimidine provides a greater contribution to duplex stability than a purine. A nearest-neighbor model was developed to predict the influence of 3′ double overhang on the stability of duplex formation. The model improves the prediction of free energy and melting temperature when tested against six sequences with different core duplexes.

According to a recent report from the Office of Suicide Prevention in the US Department of Veterans Affairs, veterans represent 8.5% of the US population, but account for 18% of all deaths from suicide. The aim of this study of psychiatric patients (n=39; 87% male) was to compare blood gene expression data from veterans with a history of one or more suicide attempts to veterans who had never attempted suicide. The attempter and non-attempter groups were matched for age and race/ethnicity, and both groups included veterans with a diverse psychiatric history that included posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance-use disorders. Veterans were interviewed for lifetime psychiatric history, including a detailed assessment of prior suicide attempts and provided a blood sample. Results of Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) identified several pathways associated with suicide attempts, including the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and WNT signaling pathways. These pathways are of particular interest, given their role in explaining pharmacological treatments for suicidal behavior, including the use of ketamine and lithium. These results suggest that findings observed in civilians are also relevant for veterans and provide a context for interpreting results observed in post-mortem samples. In conclusion, an emerging body of work that shows consistency in findings across blood and brain samples suggests that it might be possible to identify molecular predictors of suicide attempts.

Purpose To describe in detail British Columbia (BC) Cancer Agency (BCCA) Provincial Prostate Brachytherapy (PB) Quality Assurance (QA) Program. Methods and Materials The BCCA PB Program was established in 1997. It operates as one system, unified and supported by electronic and information systems, making it a single PB treatment provider for province of BC and Yukon. To date, >4000 patients have received PB (450 implants in 2011), making it the largest program in Canada. The Program maintains a large provincial prospective electronic database with records on all patients, including disease characteristics, risk stratification, pathology, preplan and postimplant dosimetric data, follow-up of prostate-specific antigen, and toxicity outcomes. Results QA was an integral part of the program since its inception. A formal QA Program was established in 2002, with key components that include: unified eligibility criteria and planning system, comprehensive database, physics and oncologist training and mentorship programs, peer review process, individual performance outcomes and feedback process, structured continuing education and routine assessment of the program's dosimetry, toxicity and prostate-specific antigen outcomes, administration and program leadership that promotes a strong culture of patient safety. The emphasis on creating a robust, broad-based network of skilled providers has been achieved by the program's requirements for training, education, and the QA process. Conclusions The formal QA process is considered a key factor for the success of cancer control outcomes achieved at BCCA. Although this QA model may not be wholly transferable to all PB programs, some of its key components may be applicable to other programs to ensure quality in PB and patient safety.

Thermodynamic parameters are reported for duplex formation of 40 self-complementary RNA duplexes containing wobble terminal base pairs with all possible 3′ single and double-nucleotide overhangs, mimicking the structures of short interfering RNAs (siRNA) and microRNAs (miRNA). Based on nearest neighbor analysis, the addition of a single 3′ dangling nucleotide increases the stability of duplex formation up to 1 kcal/mol in a sequence-dependent manner. The addition of a second dangling nucleotide increases the stability of duplexes closed with wobble base pairs in an idiosyncratic manner. The results allow for the development of a nearest neighbor model, which improves the predication of free energy and melting temperature for duplexes closed by wobble base pairs with 3′ single or double-nucleotide overhangs. Phylogenetic analysis of naturally occurring miRNAs was performed. Selection of the effector miR strand of the mature miRNA duplex appears to be dependent on the orientation of the GU closing base pair rather than the identity of the 3′ double-nucleotide overhang. Thermodynamic parameters for the 5′ single terminal overhangs adjacent to wobble closing base pairs are also presented.

Purpose: To describe the frequency of acute and late Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) urinary toxicity, associated predictive factors, and resolution of International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) in 712 consecutive prostate brachytherapy patients. Methods and Materials: Patients underwent implantation between 1998 and 2003 (median follow-up, 57 months). The IPSS and RTOG toxicity data were prospectively collected. The patient, treatment, and implant factors were examined for an association with urinary toxicity. The time to IPSS resolution was examined using Kaplan-Meier curves, and multivariate modeling of IPSS resolution was done using Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the factors associated with urinary toxicity. Results: The IPSS returned to baseline at a median of 12.6 months. On multivariate analysis, patients with a high baseline IPSS had a quicker resolution of their IPSS. Higher prostate D90 (dose covering 90% of the prostate), maximal postimplant IPSS, and urinary retention slowed the IPSS resolution time. The rate of the actuarial 5-year late urinary (>12 months) RTOG Grade 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 was 32%, 36%, 24%, 6.2%, and 0.1%, respectively. At 7 years, the prevalence of RTOG Grade 0-1 was 92.5%. Patients with a larger prostate volume, greater numbermore » of needles, greater baseline IPSS, and use of hormonal therapy had more acute toxicity. On multivariate analysis, the significant predictors for late greater than or equal to RTOG toxicity 2 were a greater baseline IPSS, maximal postimplant IPSS, presence of acute toxicity, and higher prostate V150 (volume of the prostate covered by 150% of the dose). More recently implanted patients had less acute urinary toxicity and patients given hormonal therapy had less late urinary toxicity (all p < 0.02). Conclusion: Most urinary symptoms resolved within 12 months after prostate brachytherapy, and significant long-term urinary toxicity was very low. Refined patient selection and greater technical experience in prostate brachytherapy were associated with less urinary toxicity.« less

9523 Background: Palliative radiotherapy (RT) plays an important role in the care of patients dying with bone metastases (BM) and is guided by life expectancy . We sought to determine the patterns ...

Indicators of cardiovascular disease risk in premenopausal women before, during, and after a 2-year educational intervention measured prevalence of risk and program effectiveness. Women (n = 277) were assigned to either treatment/education (n = 174) or control (n = 103) group. Many had at least one cardiovascular disease risk factor: high BMI (n = 123); high-fat diet (n = 160); and/or high body fat percent (n = 136). The treatment group was significant for change in calories from fat (P < .01). This study shows that premenopausal women have cardiovascular disease risks that should be addressed, and that nutrition education can successfully change dietary behavior.

Falls are the leading cause of injury, death, and disability among people older than 65. When elders fall, they sustain such injuries as hip, spine, hand, and/or pelvic fractures. The prognosis after such a fall is poor--only half of older adults hospitalized for hip fractures are able to return home or live independently again. Even without injury, falls cause a loss of confidence that results in reduced physical activity, increased dependency, and social withdrawal. As a home care agency dealing with a geriatric population, our goal was to develop a user-friendly fall prevention program that would promote multidisciplinary assessment and intervention. We have developed a preventive approach through which clinicians and patients can collaborate on preventing falls in the home and maintaining our patients' first priority: quality of life.

the prescription dose. The procedure was well tolerated, with all patients having completed the procedure. Four patients developed respiratory suppression, and required reversal with Narcan. All recovered uneventfully. Otherwise, there have been no acute complications to date. Conclusions: TRUS interstitial implant of the prostate under local anesthesia is feasible. Implant time, complications, cost, and scheduling convenience, compare favorably to general or spinal anesthetic technique.

Stacy Miller presents a unit on violence in young adult literature where she begins by helping students understand violence and its origins. Through activities and class discussion, students express strong, informed opinions about Shattering Glass by Gail Giles and recognize the need to read and view images of violence from an oppositional perspective.

The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a two-year education program on changing knowledge, attitudes (AT), subjective norms (SN), and intention (I) to consume a low-fat diet. Pre-menopausal women (n=278) were recruited through Cooperative Extension Service (CES) at seven Illinois sites. Approximately half served as controls receiving no education. The intervention consisted of six monthly education sessions, six months of fact sheet mailings, and four educational follow-up sessions. Knowledge, AT, SN, and I were measured at baseline, 6, 12, and 24 months. Knowledge was measured using the CES Impact Indicators instrument; AT, SN, and I instruments were developed using the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA). T-tests were used to measure differences between treatments (T) and controls (C) and analysis of variance for differences among the time points. At baseline, there was no difference between T and C for knowledge, AT, SN, or I to consume a low-fat diet. There was no significant difference between T and C at later time periods for AT scores because scores were positive and remained so. For I, there was a significant difference between groups at six months (p=0.05) and 24 months (p=0.048), but I was strong at each time period for both T and C. For SN, there were no significant differences between T and C for any time period. Within the T group, education resulted in no significant difference at any time period for any variable except knowledge (p=0.000). None of the TRA or knowledge variables were correlated with body weight, fat, or waist:hip ratios, indicating that those more at CVD risk did not know more or have a different attitude or intention about their diet than those at lower risk. Regression analysis of TRA variables resulted in significant equations (p≤0.012) predicting intention to consume a low-fat diet for both T and C at each time period.

LEARNING OUTCOME: To understand which cardiovascular disease risk factors are most likely to be affected by education and at which time periods these effects are greatest for pre-menopausal Midwestern women. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk assessment and reduction are important issues concerning women's health in the U.S. The objective of this study was to determine whether a two-year education program would decrease CVD risk in pre-menopausal women. Two hundred eighty-two pre-menopausal women were recruited through Cooperative Extension Service at seven Illinois sites. Half served as controls receiving no educational intervention. The intervention consisted of six monthly education sessions, followed by 6 months of fact sheet mailings. Four educational follow-up sessions were provided in year two. CVD risk factor assessment data was collected at baseline and 6, 12, 24 months. CVD risk was calculated based upon body mass index (BMI) >25, % body fat >30%, waist-to-hip ratio >0.8, and % intake of calories from fat > 30%. T-tests were used to determine differences between mean scores for treatment (T) and control (C) groups; repeated measures analysis for differences within a group over time. At baseline, 45% had a BMI > 25; 48% were consuming > 30% of calories as fat; 25% had a waist:hip ratio > 0.8; and 74% had a body fat percentage > 25. There were no significant differences (p

In a double-blind crossover study orally administered aspirin buffered with magnesium aluminum hydroxide significantly reduced ultraviolet light-induced erythema in ten adult male subjects when compared with magnesium aluminum hydroxide used as a placebo. This effect was most noticeable at four and six hours postirradiation but could be detected at 24 hours. Of the four subjects who complained of itching, aspirin relieved this symptom. The amount of aspirin taken (3.6 gm per day) was within the usual therapeutic dose. The mechanism of this effect of aspirin is not known. A possible mechanism of action could be stabilizing lysosomes and the inhibition of kinins or enzymes.