Biochemical characterization of Bcr136 confirms that it is an est

Biochemical characterization of Bcr136 confirms that it is an esterase that is, however, unable to inactivate macrolides. Using steady-state kinetics, homology-based structure modeling, site-directed mutagenesis, solvent isotope effect studies, pH, and inhibitor profiling performed in various combinations for EreA, EreB, and Bcr136 enzymes, we identified the active site and gained insight into some catalytic features of this novel enzyme superfamily. We rule out the possibility of a Ser/Thr nucleophile and show that one histidine, H46 (EreB numbering),

is essential for catalytic function. This residue is proposed to serve as a general base in activation of a water molecule as the reaction nucleophile. Furthermore, we show that EreA, EreB, and Bcr136 are distinct, with only EreA inhibited by chelating agents and hypothesized to contain a noncatalytic metal. learn more Detailed characterization of these esterases allows for a direct comparison of the resistance determinants, EreA and EreB, with their

prototype, Bcr136, and for the discussion of their potential connections.”
“Microfabrication technology has been adapted to produce micron-scale needles as a safer and painless alternative to hypodermic needle injection, especially for Lonafarnib purchase protein biotherapeutics and vaccines. This study presents a design that encapsulates molecules within microneedles that dissolve within them skin for bolus or sustained delivery and leave behind no biohazardous sharp medical waste. A fabrication process was developed based on casting a viscous aqueous solution during centrifugation to fill a micro-fabricated mold with biocompatible carboxymethylcellulose or amylopectin formulations. This process encapsulated sulforhodamine B, bovine serum albumin, and lysozyme; lysozyme was shown to retain full enzymatic

activity after encapsulation selleck chemicals llc and to remain 96% active after storage for 2 months at room temperature. Microneedles were also shown to be strong enough to insert into cadaver skin and then to dissolve within minutes. Bolus delivery was achieved by encapsulating molecules just within microneedle shafts. For the first time, sustained delivery over hours to days was achieved by encapsulating molecules within the microneedle backing, which served as a controlled release reservoir that delivered molecules by a combination of swelling the backing with interstitial fluid drawn out of the skin and molecule diffusion into the skin via channels formed by dissolved microneedles. We conclude that dissolving microneedles can be designed to gently encapsulate molecules, insert into skin, and enable bolus or sustained release delivery. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“A 49-year-old woman developed a catatonic mute state a few weeks after methadone overdose.

e Shape Strings) is a prerequisite for the successful prediction

e. Shape Strings) is a prerequisite for the successful prediction of three-dimensional (3D) structure as well as protein-protein interaction. We have developed a novel 1D structure prediction

Ferroptosis inhibitor clinical trial method, called Frag1D, based on a straightforward fragment matching algorithm and demonstrated its success in the prediction of three sets of 1D structural alphabets, i.e. the classical three-state secondary structure, three-and eight-state Shape Strings.\n\nResults: By exploiting the vast protein sequence and protein structure data available, we have brought secondary-structure prediction closer to the expected theoretical limit. When tested by a leave-one-out cross validation on a non-redundant set of PDB cutting at 30% sequence identity containing 5860 protein chains, the selleck compound overall per-residue accuracy for secondary-structure prediction, i.e. Q3 is 82.9%. The overall per-residue

accuracy for three- and eight-state Shape Strings are 85.1 and 71.5%, respectively. We have also benchmarked our program with the latest version of PSIPRED for secondary structure prediction and our program predicted 0.3% better in Q3 when tested on 2241 chains with the same training set. For Shape Strings, we compared our method with a recently published method with the same dataset and definition as used by that method. Our program predicted at 2.2% better in accuracy for three-state Shape Strings. By quantitatively investigating the effect of data base size on 1D structure prediction we show that the accuracy increases by similar to 1% with every doubling of the database size.”
“We investigated for the first time the prevalence of avian haemosporidia of genera Plasmodium, Haemoproteus and Leucocytozoon among birds and mosquitoes on Tsushima Island of Japan, which is located between Japan and the Korean Peninsula. Of 55 wild birds belonging to 33 species, 16 (29.1%) tested positive for haemosporidia as follows:

Plasmodium spp. (11/55; 20.0%); Haemoproteus spp. (2/55; 3.6%); and Leucocytozoon spp. (3/55; 5.5%). A genetic lineage isolated from the Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) was identical to that of the known avian malaria parasite P. circumflexum. Several genetic lineages were identical or closely related to the parasite lineages that were previously SC79 detected in birds and mosquitoes in Japan and Korea. Another single identical genetic lineage was also detected in both migratory and resident birds. A total of 753 mosquitoes from 12 species were collected; and one frilly fed Aedes albopictus was positive for avian Plasmodium(1/753; 0.13%) which is identical to a genetic lineage detected in both mosquitoes in Japan and birds in Korea. Blood-meal identifications of blood-fed mosquitoes showed direct contact between the mosquitoes and 4 species of mammals including humans, cattle, rodents and the endangered Tsushima leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis euptilura).


“Histochemical analysis of Alzheimer disease (AD) brain ti


“Histochemical analysis of Alzheimer disease (AD) brain tissues indicates that butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) is present in beta-amyloid (A beta) plaques. The role of

BuChE in AD pathology is unknown, but an animal model developing similar BuChE-associated A beta plaques could provide insights. The APP(SWE)/PSEN1dE9 transgenic mouse (ADTg), which develops A beta plaques, was examined to determine if BuChE associates with these plaques, as in AD. We found that in mature ADTg mice, BuChE activity associated with A beta plaques. The A beta-, thioflavin-S- and BuChE-positive plaques mainly accumulated in the olfactory structures, cerebral cortex, hippocampal formation, amygdala, and cerebellum. selleck chemicals No plaques were stained

for acetylcholinesterase activity. The distribution and abundance https://www.selleckchem.com/products/nu7441.html of plaque staining in ADTg closely resembled many aspects of plaque staining in AD. Butyrylcholinesterase staining consistently showed fewer plaques than were detected with A beta immunostaining but a greater number of plaques than were visualized with thioflavin-S. Double-labeling experiments demonstrated that all BuChE-positive plaques were A beta positive, whereas only some BuChE-positive plaques were thioflavin-S positive. These observations suggest that BuChE is associated with a subpopulation of A beta plaques and may play a role in AD plaque maturation. A further study of this animal model could clarify the role of BuChE in AD pathology.”
“Birds often show efficient oxygen management in order to meet the special demands of their metabolism. However, the structural studies of avian haemoglobins (Hbs) are inadequate for complete understanding of the mechanism involved. Towards this end, purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction studies have been carried out for parakeet Hb. Parakeet Hb was crystallized as the met form in low-salt buffered conditions after extracting haemoglobin from crude blood by microcentrifugation

and purifying the sample by column chromatography. Good-quality crystals were grown from 10% PEG 3350 and a crystal diffracted to about 2.8 angstrom resolution. Preliminary diffraction data showed that the Hb crystal belonged to the monoclinic system (space group C2), with unit-cell parameters a = 110.68, b = 64.27, c = 56.40 angstrom, Selleck LDK378 beta = 109.35 degrees. Matthews volume analysis indicated that the crystals contained a half-tetramer in the asymmetric unit.”
“Complication rates and secondary interventions after coronary procedures in clinical routine: 1-year follow-up based on routine data of a German health insurance company Background: Data on 1-year complication and follow-up intervention rates after coronary angiography (CA) and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in German clinical routine are sparse. This analysis aims to determine these rates.\n\nMethods: The analysis uses 2009 AOK claims data.

Aim: In the present study, we assessed whether there are gender d

Aim: In the present study, we assessed whether there are gender differences in clinical presentation of PD and prevalence of sleep disturbances in individuals diagnosed in the Slovak Republic. Material and method: Questionnaires were distributed to participating neurologists and patients in outpatient practices across the Slovak Republic. Sociodemographic variables – gender, age, age at onset, disease severity according to Hoehn and Yahr stage, phenotype of the dominating symptom of Parkinson’s disease and type of medication – were collected. The Slovak language version of the PDSS was used in a questionnaire

to test sleep disturbances. Results: Data from 1,067 outpatients with PD were collected. Comparative analyses showed males and females not to be significantly different on the majority of the demographic and medical characteristics collected. Males had a slightly higher proportion of individuals

with Hoehn JNK-IN-8 in vivo and Yahr score 4 and, among those taking levodopa medication as monotherapy, males took significantly higher levodopa dose than females (p smaller than 0.01). A significant difference in the distribution of PDSS subscores between males and females was observed on item 7 (distressing hallucinations DZNeP order at night) – score for males 8.22, for females 8.48, p smaller than 0.05. Similar result was observed on item 8 (getting up to pass urine) – score for males 5.90, for females 6.53, p smaller than 0.01.”
“Recently improved understanding of the pathogenesis of human head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) has led to the development of new, molecular-based therapeutic strategies, one of the more promising is the utilisation of tyrosine kinase (TK) inhibitors, targeting epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). In this study, we tested for gefitinib effectiveness in a broad panel of 12 newly established HNSCC cell lines, investigating its ability to reduce cell growth, to induce apoptosis and to SBE-β-CD in vitro modulate cell

cycle and various EGFR pathway-related targets. Gefitinib IC50 values ranged between 0.064 and 33 mu M, its capability to induce apoptosis and cell accumulation in G0/G1 phase was cell line-specific, and the main EGFR-related pathway involved in gefitinib activity was PI3K/Akt/mTor. We characterised our in vitro panel extensively, with the aim to identify predictive factors for gefitinib effectiveness; all cell lines were free of human papillomavirus infection, two were positive for Fhit expression, four expressed wild-type p53, and all of them variously expressed the other two p53 family members, p63 and p73. The comparison between the targets analysed and gefitinib effectiveness evidenced the absence of a clear relationship, excluding them as predictive factors for gefitinib efficacy. Our results confirmed the in vitro efficacy of an anti-EGFR approach, but other targets than those analysed here should be characterised in order to identify valid predictive factors for gefitinib utilisation.

Both the scFv displayed on phage and EV-IgG1 show exquisite speci

Both the scFv displayed on phage and EV-IgG1 show exquisite specificity for binding to the EV neoepitope without cross-reactivity to other NFEV GW-572016 clinical trial containing peptides or WT-APP KMDA cleavage products. EV-IgG1 can detect as little as 0.3 nmol/L of the EV peptide. EV-IgG1 antibody was purified,

conjugated with alkaline phosphatase and utilized in various biological assays. In the BACE1 enzymatic assay using NFEV substrate, a BACE1 inhibitor MRK-3 inhibited cleavage with an IC50 of 2.4 nmol/L with excellent reproducibility. In an APP_NFEV stable SH-SY5Y cellular assay, the EC50 for inhibition of EV-A beta peptide secretion with MRK-3 was 236 nmol/L, consistent with values derived using an EV polyclonal antibody. In an APP_NFEV knock-in mouse model, both A beta_EV40 and A beta_EV42 peptides in brain homogenate showed excellent gene dosage dependence. In conclusion, the EV neoepitope specific monoclonal antibody is a novel reagent for BACE1 inhibitor discovery for both in vitro,

cellular screening selleckchem assays and in vivo biochemical studies. The methods described herein are generally applicable to novel synthetic substrates and enzyme targets to enable robust screening platforms for enzyme inhibitors.”
“Background: The role of estrogen in the growth and survival of ovarian cancer cells is controversial. In this study, we investigated the changes in cell-cycle regulatory proteins in ovarian cancer cell lines after estrogen treatment to explore the role of estrogen in ovarian cancers.\n\nMethods: Two ovarian adenocarcinoma cell lines were used for the study: the first, OC-117-VGH, LBH589 was deficient in estrogen receptors (ER)alpha and ER beta, and the second, OVCAR3, was positive for ER alpha and ER beta. Serial concentrations of estrogen were used to evaluate the effects of estrogen on the survival of ovarian cancer cells. The cell-cycle regulatory proteins, including cyclin D1, cyclin E, p16/INK4a, and p27/KIP1, were used to check

the possible mechanism of an estrogen effect on survival of the cancer cell line.\n\nResults: Estrogen 0.01-1.0 mu M inhibited the growth of both cell lines. There were no differences in cyclin D1 and E expression between the two cell lines after estrogen treatment, but the expression of p16/INK4a and p27/KIP1 was significantly higher in the OC-1170-VGH cell line than in the OVCAR3 cell line.\n\nConclusion: Although the ER-positive and ER-negative ovarian cancer cell lines were inhibited by estrogen, the influence of cell-cycle regulatory proteins was different between the two, suggesting that the inhibitory effect of estrogen on ovarian cancer cell lines might be mediated through different pathways. Copyright (c) 2012 Elsevier Taiwan LLC and the Chinese Medical Association. All rights reserved.”
“In this paper, we investigate the impact of attending school on body weight and obesity using a regression-discontinuity design.

(c) 2010 Elsevier B V All rights reserved “
“Objectives To

(c) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.”
“Objectives. To describe the effect of fatigue on the strength of the bracket-adhesive-enamel complex and characterize the fatigue behavior of the materials tested.\n\nMethods. Upper central incisor brackets (Discovery

(R), Dentaurum) were bonded with a light-curing (Transbond XT (TM), 3M Unitek) and a chemically-curing ERK inhibitor mouse adhesive (Concise (TM), 3M Unitek) on bovine teeth embedded in cylindrical resign bases and stored in water at 37(+/- 2) degrees C for 24 (+/- 2) h. The first 15 specimens were tested with a universal testing machine ZMART.PRO (R) (Zwick GmbH & Co. KG, Ulm, Germany) for ultimate shear bond strength according to the DIN-13990-2-standard. The remaining three groups of 20 specimens under-went fatigue staircase testing of 100, 1000 and 3000 cycles at 1 Hz with a self-made testing machine. The survived specimens were subjected to shear strength testing.\n\nResults. The fatigued specimens showed decreased shear strength with both adhesives at all cycle levels. The shear strength after fatigue for 100, 1000 and 3000 cycles was in the Concise (TM)-groups 34.8%, 59.0%, 47.3% and in the Transbond (TM) XT-groups

33.6%, 23.1%, 27.3% relative to the ultimate shear strength. The fatigue life of the Concise (TM)-groups decreased with increasing stress and Transbond (TM) XT showed lower fatigue ratio with no obvious trend. Prexasertib molecular weight The specimens bonded with Transbond (TM) XT showed typically favorable fracture modes in contrary to Concise (TM).\n\nSignificance. Fatigue of the bracket-adhesive-enamel complex decreased its shear strength. The staircase method can provide a standardized experimental protocol for fatigue studies, however testing at various cycle numbers is recommended.

(C) 2013 Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“Exercise Selleck Evofosfamide has repeatedly been shown to improve glycemic control as assessed by glycated hemoglobin. However, changes in glycated hemoglobin do not provide information regarding which aspects of glycemic control have been altered. The purpose of this systematic review was to examine the effect of exercise as assessed by continuous glucose monitoring systems (CGMS) in type 2 diabetes. Databases (PubMed, Medline, EMBASE) were searched up to February 2013. Eligible studies had participants with type 2 diabetes complete standardized exercise protocols and used CGMS to measure changes in glycemic control. Randomized controlled trials, crossover trials and studies with pre-post designs were included. Average glucose concentration, daily time spent in hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia, and fasting glucose concentration were compared between exercise and control conditions. Eleven studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review.

The production of miRNAs is believed to be dependent upon the DIC

The production of miRNAs is believed to be dependent upon the DICER enzyme. Available evidence suggests that in T lymphocytes, HIV-1 can

both suppress and co-opt the host’s miRNA pathway for its own benefit. In this study, we examined the state of miRNA production in monocytes and macrophages as well as the consequences of viral infection upon the production of miRNA. Monocytes in general express low amounts of miRNA-related proteins, and DICER in particular could not be detected until after monocytes were differentiated into macrophages. In the case where HIV-1 was present prior to differentiation, the expression of DICER was suppressed. MicroRNA chip results for RNA isolated from transfected and treated cells indicated that a drop in miRNA production coincided with DICER protein suppression in macrophages. We found that the expression of DICER in monocytes is restricted by miR-106a, but HIV-1 suppressed Fludarabine mw DICER expression via the viral gene Vpr. Additionally, analysis of miRNA expression in monocytes and macrophages revealed evidence that some miRNAs can be processed by both DICER and PIWIL4. Results presented here have implications for both the pathology of viral infections

in macrophages and the biogenesis of miRNAs. First, HIV-1 suppresses the expression and function of DICER in macrophages via a previously unknown mechanism. Second, the presence of miRNAs in monocytes lacking DICER GPCR Compound Library supplier indicates that some miRNAs can be generated by proteins other than DICER.”
“During exploratory behaviors, the velocity of an organism’s sensory surfaces can have a pronounced effect on the

incoming flow of sensory information. In this study, we quantified variability in the velocity profiles of rat whisking during natural exploratory behavior that included head rotations. A wide continuum of profiles was observed, including Crenigacestat monotonic, delayed, and reversing velocities during protractions and retractions. Three alternative hypotheses for the function of the variable velocity profiles were tested: 1) that they produce bilateral asymmetry specifically correlated with rotational head velocity, 2) that they serve to generate bilaterally asymmetric and/or asynchronous whisker movements independent of head velocity, and 3) that the different profiles-despite increasing variability in instantaneous velocity-reduce variability in the average whisking velocity. Our results favor the third hypothesis and do not support the first two. Specifically, the velocity variability within a whisk can be observed as a shift in the phase of the maximum velocity. We discuss the implications of these results for the control of whisker motion, horizontal object localization, and processing in the thalamus and cortex of the rat vibrissal system.

Increasing cell survival and promoting implant vascularisation ar

Increasing cell survival and promoting implant vascularisation are major challenges. Improved expertise with culturing techniques, together with the incorporation of regulatory requirements, will open the way to high-quality clinical trials investigating the usefulness of cell therapy as a method for achieving bone repair. Cell therapy avoids the drawbacks of autologous bone grafting, preserving the bone stock and diminishing treatment invasiveness. (C) 2013 Published

by Elsevier Masson SAS.”
“P>1. In woodland herbs, the probability of flowering and costs associated with reproduction may strongly depend on environmental context (shade vs. light habitats) and on plant size. This may be particularly true for tuberous orchids that inhabit woodlands, as the amount of incoming radiation and total leaf area strongly determine photosynthetic capacity NCT-501 supplier and

hence the amount of carbohydrates that can be relocated to below-ground storage organs that form next year’s rosette and flowering stalk.\n\n2. To fully comprehend the impact XMU-MP-1 inhibitor of size-dependent reproduction on population dynamics under varying light conditions, life cycle models should therefore include plant size in a continuous manner. In this study, annual changes in plant size and demographic behaviour of the tuberous perennial orchid Orchis purpurea were monitored during seven consecutive years (2003-2009) in open and shaded

woodland. Integral projection models (IPMs) and life table response experiments (LTRE) were used to investigate the extent to which variation in plant size affected the overall population dynamics of this species and to decompose differences in population growth rates between populations of open and shaded woodland into contributions from growth, survival and reproduction.\n\n3. Both plants in shaded and light environments needed to be a certain size to initiate flowering, but this threshold size was almost three times as large in shaded environments as in light environments. Plants in open woodlands flowered more frequently over the years, see more showed less size regression after flowering and produced significantly more fruits than plants in shaded environments, resulting in significantly larger population growth rates.\n\n4. Our life cycle models revealed that costs of reproduction, measured at the population-level, were small in the light environment, and more than buffered by the increase in survival of flowering plants compared to non-flowering plants. In the shade environment, however, the costs of reproduction were significant and made the difference between a stable (current) and a growing (without reproduction costs) population.\n\n5. Synthesis. Light penetration to the soil is a key variable determining population dynamics of woodland orchids.


“Neodymium-doped silicon-rich silicon oxide thin films SiO


“Neodymium-doped silicon-rich silicon oxide thin films SiOx:Nd (1 smaller than = x smaller

than = 2) were deposited by thermal co-evaporation of SiO and SiO2 and annealed at temperatures up to 1200 C. Due to the phase separation process induced by annealing treatments, amorphous silicon nanoparticles (aSi-np) are obtained. For annealing temperatures equal to or above 1000 degrees C, silicon nanocrystals (Si-nc) embedded in a SiO2 matrix are obtained. Photoluminescence (PL) properties of the SiOx:Nd thin films were studied as a function of the silicon excess, the annealing temperature and the Nd content. For annealed samples, Nd-related PL peaks at 920 nm, 1100 nm and 1400 nm are observed. It is shown that, despite the efficient

energy transfer between Si-nc and Nd3+ ions, the highest luminescence see more intensity is obtained for samples containing aSi-np. Moreover, the concentration quenching effect occurs for higher concentration values in samples containing aSi-op, compared to that containing Si-nc. These results show that Si-nc are not necessary to indirectly excite Nd3+ ions and that samples annealed Vactosertib at temperatures lower than 800 degrees C are of potential interest for applications because of a lower thermal budget compared to that required for samples containing Si-nc. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.”
“Temozolomide is a chemotherapeutic drug that is mainly used in the treatment of primary glioblastoma multiforme and recurrent high-grade glioma. Here, we report an efficient good manufacturing practice compliant method for the synthesis of [3-N-C-11-methyl]temozolomide from 3-N-hydroxymethyl temozolomide that cleaves off formaldehyde in situ and becomes activated towards alkylation with [C-11]methyl iodide. The labelling method was developed for an on-going patient study in which the predictive value of [3-N-C-11-methyl]temozolomide and positron emission

tomography on the outcome of temozolomide treatment is being investigated. The precursor was reacted with [C-11]methyl iodide in the presence of 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene in acetonitrile, heated at stepwise increasing temperature. Purification by semipreparative HPLC with pharmaceutical QNZ molecular weight grade eluent and filtration gave approximately 10mL sterile product solution ready for injection containing 1.55 +/- 0.38GBq (n=5), the specific activity was 88 +/- 25GBq/mu mol and the radiochemical purity was 98.5 +/- 1.9%. C-13-NMR spectroscopy confirmed the labelled position after colabelling with C-11 and C-13.”
“Inefficient muscle long-chain fatty acid (LCFA) combustion is associated with insulin resistance, but molecular links between mitochondrial fat catabolism and insulin action remain controversial.

We have cloned and characterized the RmGSK-3 gene from Rhipicepha

We have cloned and characterized the RmGSK-3 gene from Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus tick embryos. DNA and protein sequence analysis depicted high SC79 similarity to the corresponding enzyme, from both vertebrate and invertebrate animals. In addition, the mRNA transcription profile identified during embryogenesis was analyzed.

We observed that the RmGSK-3 mRNA rapidly decreases from the 1st to 3rd day of development, and increases from the 3rd to 15th day. After the 15th day of development, we observed a near 50% reduction in RmGSK-3 mRNA transcription in comparison to the 1st day. We detected the GSK-3 P isoform in egg homogenates throughout embryogenesis using Western blot analysis. RmGSK-3 mRNA was present in fat body, midgut and ovary from partially and fully engorged adult female ticks. The highest mRNA level was observed in ovaries from find more both developmental

stages and in first-day eggs. Furthermore, RmGSK-3 activity correlated with glycogen content variation. Finally, kinase activity in egg homogenates was inhibited by the specific inhibitor, SB-216763. These data suggest that RmGSK-3 beta may be involved in glycogen metabolism regulation during R. microplus embryogenesis. (c) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.”
“In these last years of revolutionary tyrosine kinase inhibitor treatments, patients with chronic myeloid leukemia are most commonly monitored by regular examination of bone marrow and peripheral blood in order to assess the quality of the response to treatment. Biological criteria and adapted methodologies in cytogenetics and molecular biology have been established from clinical trials. To date, it is essential to know these criteria for an optimal therapeutic management of these patients, in order to guarantee a better overall survival and an event-free survival.”
“The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) is a prospective, THZ1 multi-institutional clinical registry established as an auditing instrument to monitor and improve patient care in surgery. To date no publication has queried the NSQIP dataset from a plastic surgery perspective. A retrospective analysis was carried out of all delayed

breast reconstruction cases recorded by the NSQIP from 2005 to 2008 (n = 645). The 30-day morbidity was 5.7%, with wound infections being the most common complication. Logistic regression analysis identified BMI > 25 and preoperative radiotherapy as independent risk factors for overall morbidity and wound infection. The NSQIP does not allow for capture of procedure-specific outcomes and this results in underreporting of overall morbidity compared to the literature; this may limit the capability to assess risk factors for complications. As breast reconstruction modules for NSQIP are currently under development, modifications to capture procedure-specific outcomes are recommended. (C) 2011 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons.