Introduction

Breast feeding has long term effects on the developing immune system which outlive passive immunization of the neonate. We have investigated the transfer of milk immune cells and examined the result of transfer once the recipients were adult.

Methods

Non-transgenic mouse pups were foster-nursed by green fluorescent protein (GFP) transgenic dams for 3 weeks and the fate of GFP+ cells was followed by FACS analysis, immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR for GFP and appropriate immune cell markers. Pups suckled by non-transgenic dams served as controls.

Results

Despite a preponderance of B cells and macrophages in the stomach contents of the pups, most cells undergoing trans-epithelial migration derived from the 3-4% of milk cells positive for T lymphocyte markers. These cells homed to the spleen and thymus, with maximal accumulation at 3-4 weeks. By sensitizing dams with an antigen which elicits a T cell-mediated delayed-type-hypersensitivity (DTH) response, we determined that nursing by a sensitized dam (compared to a non-sensitized dam) amplified a subsequent DTH response in females and yet suppressed one in males.

Discussion

These results suggest that clinical evaluation weighing the pros and cons of nursing male versus female children by mothers with genetically-linked hypersensitivity diseases, such as celiac disease and eczema, or those in regions of the world with endemic DTH-eliciting diseases, such as tuberculosis, may be warranted.

Single feature polymorphisms (SFPs) are microarray-based molecular markers that are detected by hybridization of DNA or cRNA to oligonucleotide probes. With an objective to identify the potential polymorphic markers for drought tolerance in pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millspaugh], an important legume crop for the semi-arid tropics but deficient in genomic resources, Affymetrix Genome Arrays of soybean (Glycine max), a closely related species of pigeonpea were used on cRNA of six parental genotypes of three mapping populations of pigeonpea segregating for agronomic traits like drought tolerance and pod borer (Helicoverpa armigiera) resistance. By using robustified projection pursuit method on 15 pair-wise comparisons for the six parental genotypes, 5,692 SFPs were identified. Number of SFPs varied from 780 (ICPL 8755 × ICPL 227) to 854 (ICPL 151 × ICPL 87) per parental combination of the mapping populations. Randomly selected 179 SFPs were used for validation by Sanger sequencing and good quality sequence data were obtained for 99 genes of which 75 genes showed sequence polymorphisms. While associating the sequence polymorphisms with SFPs detected, true positives were observed for 52.6% SFPs detected. In terms of parental combinations of the mapping populations, occurrence of true positives was 34.48% for ICPL 151 × ICPL 87, 41.86% for ICPL 8755 × ICPL 227, and 81.58% for ICP 28 × ICPW 94. In addition, a set of 139 candidate genes that may be associated with drought tolerance has been identified based on gene ontology analysis of the homologous pigeonpea genes to the soybean genes that detected SFPs between the parents of the mapping populations segregating for drought tolerance.

Myxoid chondrosarcoma is a rare tumor of adulthood. An associated nonrandom reciprocal translocation between chromosome 9 and 22 was previously reported in this tumor. We performed cytogenetic and molecular genetic analysis of a myxoid chondrosarcoma derived from the sphenoid bone. Using restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis, we demonstrated rearrangement and a possible allele loss close to the chromosome 22 breakpoint. In addition, structural rearrangement in the chromosome 10q21.1 region and an allele loss in the chromosome 10q21-q23 region were also detected. In tumor DNA an additional hybridization fragment was detected by pAS-1 probe, which recognizes multiple pseudogenes of argininosuccinate synthetase dispersed in various chromosomes. We were unable to detect chromosomal abnormalities with two additional chromosome 9q probes. This study suggests that multiple gene rearrangements occurred in the myxoid chondrosarcoma and the significance of this is discussed.

Background

Hospitals are implementing discharge support programs to reduce readmissions, and these programs have had mixed success.

Objective

To examine whether a peridischarge, nurse-led intervention decreased emergency department (ED) visits or readmissions among ethnically and linguistically diverse older patients admitted to a safety-net hospital.

Design

Randomized, controlled trial using computer-generated randomization with 1:1 allocation, stratified by language. (Clinical Trials.gov: NCT01221532).

Setting

Publicly funded urban hospital in Northern California.

Patients

Hospitalized adults aged 55 years or older with anticipated discharge to the community who spoke English, Spanish, or Chinese (Mandarin or Cantonese).

Intervention

Usual care versus in-hospital, one-on-one, self-management education given by a dedicated language-concordant registered nurse combined with a telephone follow-up after discharge from a nurse practitioner.

Measurements

Staff blinded to the study groups determined ED visits or readmissions to any facility at 30, 90, and 180 days after initial hospital discharge using administrative data from several hospitals.

Results

There were 700 low-income, ethnically and linguistically diverse patients with a mean age of 66.2 years (SD, 9.0). The primary outcome of ED visits or readmissions did not differ between the intervention and usual care groups (hazard ratio, 1.26 [95% CI, 0.89 to 1.78] at 30 days, 1.21 [CI, 0.91 to 1.62] at 90 days, and 1.11 [CI, 0.86 to 1.43] at 180 days).

Limitations

This study was done at a single acute-care hospital. There were fewer outcomes than expected, which may have caused the study to be underpowered.

Conclusion

A nurse-led, in-hospital discharge support intervention did not show a reduction in readmissions or ED visits among diverse, low-income older adults at a safety-net hospital. Although wide CIs preclude firm conclusions, the intervention may have increased ED visits. Alternative readmission prevention strategies should be tested in this population.

Primary funding source

Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.