Citations

AbstractThere is increasing evidence that vitamin D may protect against breast cancer. Some studies have suggested that dietary and supplemental vitamin D is associated with reduced mammographic density, which is highly associated with breast cancer risk, although this evidence is not entirely consistent. We investigated a possible association between circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD), the best indicator of vitamin D status, and quantitative mammographic density in the Minnesota Breast Cancer Family Study. Mean values of mammographic density (both percent and area densities) and circulating levels of 25OHD were compared across categories of covariates using ANOVA. Models were adjusted for age and body mass index, as well as other covariates, and also stratified by dietary calcium intake, menopause, and season. Serum, mammographic density, and questionnaire data were available from 487 women [133 premenopausal and 354 postmenopausal; mean age, 56.4 years (range, 27-85 years)] without breast cancer, and for 73%, the blood was drawn within 1 year of their mammogram. No evidence was found for an association between 25OHD and either percent density or total dense area. There was also no evidence for any association when the data were stratified by season of sample (winter and summer) or menopause. However, both percent density and dense area were lowest among those in the highest vitamin D quartile with calcium intake above the median. Unlike some previous reports, vitamin D does not seem to be related to mammographic density in this cohort. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2006;15(10):1988–92)

The purpose of this article is to examine the potential of brief intervention (BI) as a modality for translating health behavior intervention research into practice. We discuss common definitions of BI, applications within common models of translation research, effects of BI on a range of health behaviors and across various populations, current and potential mechanisms, and uses for dissemination to practice. A number of advantages of BI suggest they are well suited for translating behavioral research. In addition, findings from 13 systematic reviews of BI effects show their potential versatility. Basic research on motivation, decision making, and persuasion may be applied to the design of BIs (Type 1 translation). Suggestions for translating BI research into practice are discussed (Type 2 translation). The article concludes that efforts to use BIs to translate research into practice are currently underdeveloped. Recommendations are provided for using BI in translating research into practice.

Abstract Aneurysmal bone cyst (ABC) is a locally aggressive osseous lesion that typically occurs during the first two decades of life. ABC was regarded historically as a nonneoplastic process, but recent cytogenetic data have shown clonal rearrangements of chromosomal bands 16q22 and 17p13, indicating a neoplastic basis in at least some ABCs. Herein we show that a recurring ABC chromosomal translocation t(16;17)(q22;p13) creates a fusion gene in which the osteoblast cadherin 11 gene (CDH11) promoter region on 16q22 is juxtaposed to the entire ubiquitin-specific protease USP6 (Tre2) coding sequence on 17p13. CDH11-USP6 fusion transcripts were demonstrated only in ABC with t(16;17) but other ABCs had CDH11 or USP6 rearrangements resulting from alternate cytogenetic mechanisms. CDH11 is expressed strongly in bone, and our findings implicate a novel oncogenic mechanism in which deregulated USP6 transcription results from juxtaposition to the highly active CDH11 promoter.

In rheumatoid arthritis, peripheral blood T cells have age-inappropriate telomeric erosion. We examined whether HLA-DRB1 * 04 alleles, the major susceptibility genes for this disease, confer risk for T cell senescence. In healthy individuals, HLA-DRB1 * 04 alleles were associated with excessive loss of telomeres in CD4 + T cells. Accelerated telomeric erosion occurred during the first two decades of life and was followed by reduced homeostatic T cell proliferation during adulthood. Premature telomeric loss also affected granulocytes, suggesting that the hematopoietic stem cell is the primary target. Telomeric repair mechanisms were intact in HLA-DRB1 * 04 + donors. We propose that HLA-DRB1 * 04 alleles or genes in linkage disequilibrium regulate stem cell replication and contribute to the accumulation of senescent and autoreactive T cells in rheumatoid arthritis.