The generation of a DNA profile from skeletal remains is an important part of the identification process in both mass disaster and unidentified person cases. Since bones and teeth are often the only biological materials remaining after exposure to environmental conditions, intense heat, certain traumatic events and in cases where a significant amount of time has passed since the death of the individual, the ability to purify large quantities of informative DNA from these hard tissues would be beneficial. Since sampling the hard tissues for genetic analysis is a destructive process, it is important to understand those environmental and intrinsic factors that contribute to DNA preservation. This will serve as a brief introduction to these topics, since skeletal sampling strategies and molecular taphonomy have been discussed in depth elsewhere. Additionally advances in skeletal DNA extraction and analysis will be discussed. Currently there is great variation in the DNA isolation methods used by laboratories to purify DNA from the hard tissues; however, a standardized set of short tandem repeat (STR) loci is analyzed by many US laboratories to allow for comparisons across samples and jurisdictions. Recent advances have allowed for the generation of DNA profiles from smaller quantities of template DNA and have expanded the number of loci analyzed for greater discriminatory power and predictions regarding the geographic ancestry and phenotype of the individual. Finally, utilizing databases and expanding the number of comparison samples will be discussed in light of their role in the identification process.

Background Addressing overweight and obesity among men at-risk for obesity-related diseases and disability in rural communities is a public health issue. Commercial smartphone applications (apps) that promote self-monitoring for weight loss are widely available. Evidence is lacking regarding what support is required to enhance user engagement with and effectiveness of those technologies. Pragmatically comparing these apps effectiveness, including rural men’s desired forms of support when using them, can lead to greater weight loss intervention impact and reach. This study assessed the feasibility and acceptability of a mobile technology application applied differently across two groups for weight loss. Methods In a two-armed, pragmatic pilot feasibility study, 80 overweight and obese men aged 40–69 were randomized using a 1:1 ratio to either an enhanced Mobile Technology Plus (MT+) intervention or a basic Mobile Technology (MT) intervention. The MT+ group had an enhanced smartphone app for self-monitoring (text messaging, discussion group, Wi-Fi scale) whereas the MT group received a basic app that allowed self-monitoring logging only. Assessments were collected at baseline, 3 and 6 months. App logs were analyzed to track engagement and adherence to self-monitoring. Acceptability was assessed via focus groups. Analysis included descriptive statistics and qualitative content analysis. Results Of 80 men recruited, forty were allocated to each arm. All were included in the primary analysis. Recruitment ended after 10 months with a 97.5 and 92.5% (3 month, 6 month) retention rate. Over 90% of men reported via survey and focus groups that Lose-It app and smart scale (MT+) was an acceptable way to self-monitor weight, dietary intake and physical activity. Adherence to daily app self-monitoring of at least 800 dietary calories or more (reported respectively as MT+, MT) was positive with 73.4, 51.6% tracking at least 5 days a week. Adherence to tracking activity via recorded steps four or more days weekly was positive, 87.8, 64.6%. Men also adhered to self-weighing at least once weekly, 64, 46.3%. At 6 months, an observed mean weight loss was 7.03 kg (95% CI: 3.67, 10.39) for MT+ group and 4.14 kg (95% CI: 2.22, 6.06) for MT group, with 42.9 and 34.2% meeting ≥5% weight loss, respectively. No adverse events were reported. Conclusions This National Institutes of Health-funded pilot study using mobile technologies to support behavior change for weight loss was found to be feasible and acceptable among midlife and older rural men. The interventions demonstrated successful reductions in weight, noting differing adherence to lifestyle behaviors of eating, monitoring and activity between groups, with men in the MT+ having more favorable results. These findings will be used to inform the design of a larger scale, clinical trial. Trial registration The trial was prospectively registered with ClinicalTrials NCT03329079. 11/1/2017.

Iodination of a bifunctional ligand framework restores p53 function by interacting with and inhibiting mutant p53 aggregation.

Monocyte activation in response to recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) was examined in vitro in septic shock patients. These monocytes exhibited a greater respiratory burst activity than monocytes from healthy subjects; the response to secondary stimulation with bacterial stimuli was attenuated. GM-CSF restored the ability of monocytes to respond appropriately to secondary stimulation. Expression of certain integrin adhesion molecules, L-selectin, and Fcgamma receptors was increased on monocytes of septic shock patients; expression of CD11c was reduced. GM-CSF up-regulated integrin expression and decreased L-selectin, FcgammaRII, and FcgammaRIII expression. Septic patients exhibited greater biologic activity of monocyte tissue factor than did healthy subjects. Priming monocytes with GM-CSF accelerated tissue factor activation following stimulation with lipopolysaccharide and bacterial culture supernatant. Certain parameters of monocyte function may be restored by exposure to GM-CSF. This benefit may be offset by an increase in monocyte procoagulant activity.