NASA Scientific and Technical Aerospace Reports

20040111695 Dartmouth Coll., Hanover, NH
Improving Symptoms Control QOL and Quality of Care for Women with Breast Cancer: Developing a Research
Program on Neurological Effects via Doctoral Education
Bakitas, Marie; Ahles, Tim A.; May 2004; 30 pp.; In English
Contract(s)/Grant(s): DAMD17-03-1-0298
Report No.(s): AD-A425848; No Copyright; Avail: CASI; A03, Hardcopy
The purpose of this traineeship is to develop the academic, clinical, and research skills of an expert advanced practice
nurse within the context of a mentor’s (Tim A. Ahles, Ph.D.) funded program of research of the (central nervous system CNS)
cognitive Effects of Chemotherapy. The scope of the program is to support Ms. Bakitas’ doctoral education with an ultimate
career goal of becoming a Clinical Breast Cancer Research Scientist. In conjunction with the doctoral program, through a
mentored research experience Ms. Bakitas is expanding an established research program on CNS effects of breast cancer
treatment by developing a parallel focus on the peripheral nervous system effects of chemotherapy, (Chemotherapy-Induced
Peripheral Neuropathy CIPN), on quality of life. The major achievements of the trainee at the midterm, are successful
accomplishment of the planned training%activities/tasks originally outlined for the first year, with an additional achievement
of developing (as a co- investigator), a funded grant on chemotherapy induced peripheral -neuropathy. The significance of
these achievements is that the training is providing the initial foundation for developing a clinical nurse expert towards a
program of breast cancer researcher.
DTIC
Cancer; Education; Females; Mammary Glands; Medical Science; Neurology; Peripheral Nervous System; Signs and
Symptoms
20040111696 Burnham Inst., La Jolla, CA
Investigation of Novel Human CED-4 Homolog NAC-X in Apoptosis Regulation of Breast Cancer
Damiano, Jason S.; May 2004; 8 pp.; In English
Contract(s)/Grant(s): DAMD17-01-1-0166
Report No.(s): AD-A425851; No Copyright; Avail: CASI; A02, Hardcopy
Proteins containing a Caspase-Associated Recruitment Domain (CARD) have previously been shown to-serve as key
regulators of tumor cell survival as well as regulators of other- cellular processes, such as cytokine production. Interleukin-l
beta (IL-1B) is a cytokine which has been found to be expressed in breast cancer cells and may be associated with more
aggressive and invasive breast tumors. Here we report the cloning and functional characterization of NAC-X or CLAN
(CARD, LRR, And NACHT-containing protein). CLAN was found to be expressed in several breast cancer cell lines as well
as in monocytes by RT-PCR. Co-immunoprecipitation studies revealed that CLAN associated several other proteins including
caspase-l, Nod2, and NAC. When assayed using an IL-1B ELISA, CLAN was found to induce the activation of caspase-l in
response to bacterial infection or LPS, implying a role for this protein in the innate immune response. CLAN also was found
to enhance cell death following bacterial infection independently of caspase-l. Through its interactions with other
CARD-containing proteins, CLAN may regulate the survival of breast cancer cells and Could be utilized as a novel anti- tumor
target or diagnostic/prognostic biomarker.
DTIC
Apoptosis; Bacterial Diseases; Cancer; Cells (Biology); Mammary Glands
20040111697 Wake Forest Univ., Winston-Salem, NC
Sequence Variants in Estrogen Receptors and Risk for Prostate Cancer
Chang, Bao-Li; Mar. 2004; 28 pp.; In English
Contract(s)/Grant(s): DAMD17-03-1-0046
Report No.(s): AD-A425852; No Copyright; Avail: CASI; A03, Hardcopy
This post doctoral research training aims to prepare the trainee for further prostate cancer research through a genetic
epidemiology study of the role of estrogen receptors (ERs) in prostate cancer etiology. Two goals were proposed in this
postdoctoral training project: 1) to further the trainee’s ability to be an efficient researcher of prostate cancer genetics by
enhancing the trainee’s ability to use bioinformatics tools for genetic data analyses. 2) to comprehensively evaluate multiple
genetic variants in ER genes using both family-based and case-control study designs, thus providing the trainee with realworld
experience in genetic and bioinformatics analyses. Consistent with those%%goals, major accomplishments in the first
half of the training period include: 1) attending statistic and bioinformatics courses, conferences, and workshops. 2) complete
sequencing of all 14 exons, and the -2kb promoter region of the ESR2 gene in 96 subjects for the identification of mutations
and sequence variants. 3) application of the statistics and bioinformatics skills gained in various courses and workshops for
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