TGFBR1(*)6A and Int7G24A variants of transforming growth factor-beta receptor 1 in Swedish familial and sporadic breast cancer.

Two common variants in transforming growth factor-beta receptor 1 (TGFBR1), TGFBR1(*)6A and Int7G24A, A allele, have been shown to act as low-penetrance tumour susceptibility alleles in several common cancers, including breast cancer. We evaluated the TGFBR1 9A/6A and Int7G24A variant frequencies in two breast cancer cohorts; a population-based cohort of breast cancer with defined family history (n=459) and in breast cancer patients from a familial cancer clinic (n=340) and in 856 controls from the Stockholm region. The familial patients from both cohorts were further divided into high- and low-risk familial breast cancer based on pedigree analysis. There was no overall association with either variant and breast cancer risk. The TGFBR1(*)6A allelic frequency was, however, higher in low-risk familial breast cancer (0.138), compared to controls (0.106; P=0.04). No significant difference was found in the high-risk familial (0.102) or sporadic cases (0.109; P=0.83 and 0.83, respectively). TGFBR1(*)6A carrier status was further associated with a high-grade sporadic breast cancer (odds ratio: 2.27; 95% confidence interval: 1.01-5.11; P=0.049). These results indicate that the TGFBR1(*)6A variant may be associated with an increased risk of low-risk familial breast cancer and might be a marker for poorly differentiated breast cancer. The Int7G24A variant was not associated with breast cancer risk or clinical presentation of the disease including prognosis in our material.

Effects on leg muscular performance from whole-body vibration exercise: a systematic review.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects on leg muscular performance from whole-body vibration exercise. Literature search was performed on the databases Pubmed, Cinahl, ISI web of science (Sci-expanded, SSCI) and Embase (Rehab & Physical Med). Rating of 19 relevant studies was performed (14 on long-term exercise and five on short-term exercise) using a score system for the methodological quality. Several randomized-controlled trial studies of high to moderate quality show similar improvements from long-term regimen on muscular performance in the legs after a period of whole-body vibration exercise. As there were few studies on short-term exercise and as they had no control groups, the same convincing improvements regarding muscular performance were not achieved. Preliminarily, there is strong to moderate evidence that long-term whole-body vibration exercise can have positive effects on the leg muscular performance among untrained people and elderly women. There is no clear evidence for effects on muscular performance after short-term vibration stimuli.

Linkage analysis in a large Swedish family supports the presence of a susceptibility locus for adenoma and colorectal cancer on chromosome 9q22.32-31.1.

BACKGROUND: The best known hereditary colorectal cancer syndromes, familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) and hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC), constitute about 2% of all colorectal cancers, and there are at least as many non-FAP, non-HNPCC cases where the family history suggests a dominantly inherited colorectal cancer risk. Recently, a locus on chromosome 9q22.2-31.2 was identified by linkage analysis in sib pairs with colorectal cancer or adenoma. METHODS: Linkage analysis for the suggested locus on chromosome 9 was carried out in an extended Swedish family. This family had previously been investigated but following the identification of adenomas in several previously unaffected family members, these subjects were now considered to be gene carriers. RESULTS: In the present study, we found linkage of adenoma and colorectal cancer to chromosome 9q22.32-31.1 with a multipoint LOD score of 2.4. We were also able to define the region for this locus to 7.9 cM between the markers D9S280 and D9S277. CONCLUSIONS: Our result supports the presence of a susceptibility locus predisposing to adenoma and colorectal cancer in this chromosomal region.

A genome wide linkage analysis in Swedish families with hereditary non-familial adenomatous polyposis/non-hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Known colorectal cancer syndromes, such as familial adenomatous polyposis and hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer, have been identified in only a small proportion of cases with a family history of disease. In an attempt to identify loci harbouring novel predisposing genes, we have performed a genome wide linkage analysis in 18 colorectal cancer families recruited from the Department of Clinical Genetics at Karolinska Hospital, Sweden. METHODS: Multipoint parametric and non-parametric linkage analyses were performed using two affected status criteria, stringent and less stringent. Parametric analysis was performed under the assumption of locus homogeneity and locus heterogeneity. RESULTS: The initial scan performed using the less stringent affected status criteria revealed regions of interest on chromosome 11 (marker D11S1314: heterogeneity logarithm of odds (HLOD) score 1.96, non-parametric LOD (NPL) score 1.28; and marker D11S908: HLOD score 2.10, NPL score 2.16) and chromosome 14 (marker D14S258: HLOD score 2.61, NPL score 2.88). Using the stringent affected status criteria, a locus on chromosome 22 was suggested in the parametric analysis (marker D22S315: HLOD score 1.26). After finemapping of the regions on chromosomes 11 and 14, HLOD and NPL scores were reduced but still within the range of suggestive linkage. Haplotype analysis revealed overlapping regions between D11S987 and D11S4207 (proximal region), D11S4120 and D11S4090 (distal region), on chromosome 11, and between D14S1038 and D14S1069 on chromosome 14. CONCLUSION: Our study provides evidence of genetic heterogeneity among Swedish colorectal cancer families. Three novel regions were suggested to be of interest in a proportion of families analysed. Further studies are needed to confirm this result.

Attitudes toward work and retirement in Sweden: a multigroup, multivariate analysis.

This study examines various work and retirement orientations and ascertains how they apply to four a priori-defined groups. Questionnaire data from an age-stratified random sample of 584 men and women, aged sixty to seventy-five, were analyzed by means of stepwise multiple discriminant analysis. Fourteen out of twenty-five variables contributed significantly to three functions, correctly classifying 54% of the individuals. It was found that preretirees, although anticipating loss of employment after retiring, displayed the least work satisfaction and preferred a lower retirement age, manifesting simultaneous positive attitudes toward retirees and their gatherings; early retirees were characterized by negative attitudes toward work as well as retirement and by ambiguous views of retirees and social integration; working retirees appeared the most work-oriented and evidenced distaste for retirement; fully retired persons were characterized as retirement-oriented and as being negative toward social activities. The results are discussed within the context of previous hypotheses and related findings.

Attitudes toward the elderly in Sweden: correlates and age group comparisons.

The objectives were to examine attitudes toward societal relations of the elderly in two age-stratified random samples, aged thirty to sixty-five, and seventy to seventy-five (both groups expressed attitudes toward the latter group), and to explore which of various correlates were associated with the attitudes. Six attitudinal dimensions were analyzed by means of group comparisons and linear regression. The younger group appeared positive toward interactive behavior, the elderly in turn being positive toward previous roles though reluctant to engagement in new activities. Some significant correlates were distinguished, although in a diversified manner over groups and dimensions: Positive attitudes among the younger were associated with low age, high education, and being female. No such clear pattern was found among the elderly, where instead work commitment and contacts with peers were particularly indicative of positive attitudes toward social activities.

A comparative factor analysis of attitudes toward societal relations of the elderly.

The major objectives of this study were to explore the factorial dimensionality of forty-two additudinal items designed to measure attitudes concerning old people, and to compare these factor structures in two groups. Respondents were divided into a younger group (370 participants aged 30-65) and an older group (337 participants aged 70 and 75). Factor analyses were run independently for each group, providing obliquely rotated factors. Six pairs of factors were judged to be congruent and sufficiently reliable: Work, Welfare, Social Work, Dwelling, Gatherings, and Administratorship. One postulated factor emerged in the older group alone and was named Housekeeping, the conceptual counterpart of which split into two conjugate factors in the younger group. Second-order factor analyses yielded two comparable sets of three second-order factors: Social Activities and Self-Care Ability, whereas the third factor connected high welfare with age-segregated dwelling (and low welfare with age-integration).