Polymorphism of the p38 beta gene in patients with colorectal cancer

The p38 mitogen‑activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways have been proposed to participate in the pathological process of cancer by affecting inflammation, proliferation, metastasis and cell survival. A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP; rs2235356, ‑1628A→G) in the promoter region of the p38β gene has been proposed as a genetic modifier for colorectal cancer (CRC) in a Chinese population. The present study evaluated the susceptibility of patients possessing this SNP to CRC, in addition to determining its association with clinical parameters in Swedish patients with CRC. Using the LightSNiP genotyping assay, this SNP was screened in 389 patients with CRC and 517 control subjects. No significant difference in the genotype distribution or in the allelic frequencies was identified between the two groups nor was any association identified with the clinical parameters. These findings indicate that the ‑1628A→G polymorphism of the p38β gene is not significantly associated with a susceptibility to CRC in a Swedish population.

Protein expression and gene polymorphism of CXCL10 in patients with colorectal cancer

Chemokines (chemotactic cytokines) promote leukocyte attraction to sites of inflammation and cancer. Certain chemokines promote and regulate neoplastic progression, including metastasis and angiogenesis. One such chemokine, CXCL10, was found to be expressed in colorectal cancer (CRC) tissue. To gain insight into the prognostic significance of CXCL10, we investigated whether the levels of this chemokine were altered in the colorectal tissue or plasma of CRC patients. Using Luminex technology for protein analyses, we observed a significantly higher CXCL10 protein level in cancer tissue compared to that in paired normal tissue. Moreover, significantly higher plasma levels of CXCL10 were detected in patients compared to those in control subjects and the plasma levels of CXCL10 in disseminated disease were found to be significantly higher compared to those in localized disease. The single‑nucleotide polymorphism rs8878, which has been described in exon 4 in the 3'‑untranslated region of the CXCL10 gene, was investigated using a TaqMan system. There were significant differences in genotype distribution and allelic frequencies between CRC patients and control subjects. In conclusion, altered CXCL10 protein concentrations in CRC tissues or plasma and the rs8878 genotype variant of CXCL10 may contribute to the prediction of clinical outcome.

School belongingness and mental health functioning across the primary-secondary transition in a mainstream sample: Multi-group cross-lagged analyses

The relationship between school belongingness and mental health functioning before and after the primary-secondary school transition has not been previously investigated in students with and without disabilities. This study used a prospective longitudinal design to test the bi-directional relationships between these constructs, by surveying 266 students with and without disabilities and their parents, 6-months before and after the transition to secondary school. Cross-lagged multi-group analyses found student perception of belongingness in the final year of primary school to contribute to change in their mental health functioning a year later. The beneficial longitudinal effects of school belongingness on subsequent mental health functioning were evident in all student subgroups; even after accounting for prior mental health scores and the cross-time stability in mental health functioning and school belongingness scores. Findings of the current study substantiate the role of school contextual influences on early adolescent mental health functioning. They highlight the importance for primary and secondary schools to assess students' school belongingness and mental health functioning and transfer these records as part of the transition process, so that appropriate scaffolds are in place to support those in need. Longer term longitudinal studies are needed to increase the understanding of the temporal sequencing between school belongingness and mental health functioning of all mainstream students.

The impact of personal background and school contextual factors on academic competence and mental health functioning across the primary-secondary school transition

Students negotiate the transition to secondary school in different ways. While some thrive on the opportunity, others are challenged. A prospective longitudinal design was used to determine the contribution of personal background and school contextual factors on academic competence (AC) and mental health functioning (MHF) of 266 students, 6-months before and after the transition to secondary school. Data from 197 typically developing students and 69 students with a disability were analysed using hierarchical linear regression modelling. Both in primary and secondary school, students with a disability and from socially disadvantaged backgrounds gained poorer scores for AC and MHF than their typically developing and more affluent counterparts. Students who attended independent and mid-range sized primary schools had the highest concurrent AC. Those from independent primary schools had the lowest MHF. The primary school organisational model significantly influenced post-transition AC scores; with students from Kindergarten--Year 7 schools reporting the lowest scores, while those from the Kindergarten--Year 12 structure without middle school having the highest scores. Attending a school which used the Kindergarten--Year 12 with middle school structure was associated with a reduction in AC scores across the transition. Personal background factors accounted for the majority of the variability in post-transition AC and MHF. The contribution of school contextual factors was relatively minor. There is a potential opportunity for schools to provide support to disadvantaged students before the transition to secondary school, as they continue to be at a disadvantage after the transition.