Purpose: To evaluate carcinogenic human papillomavirus (HPV) mRNA for E6 and E7 mRNA detection on clinical specimens to identify women
with cervical precancer and cancer.
Experimental Design: We ...evaluated a prototype assay that collectively detects oncogenes E6/E7 mRNA for 14 carcinogenic HPV genotypes on a sample
of liquid cytology specimens ( n = 531), masked to clinical data and to the presence of HPV genotypes detected by PGMY09/11 L1 consensus primer PCR assay.
Results: We found an increasing likelihood of testing positive for carcinogenic HPV E6/E7 mRNA with increasing severity of cytology
( P Trend < 0.0001) and histology ( P Trend < 0.0001), with 94% of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 3 (CIN3) histology cases (46 of 49) and all five cancer cases
testing positive for carcinogenic HPV E6/E7 mRNA. Overall, fewer specimens tested positive for carcinogenic HPV E6/E7 mRNA
than for carcinogenic HPV DNA ( P < 0.0001, McNemar's χ 2 test), especially in women with <CIN1 ( P < 0.0001). We also found that using a higher positive cutpoint for detection of carcinogenic HPV E6/E7 mRNA improved the
association of positive test results with cervical precancer and cancer by reducing the number of test positives in women
without precancer without reducing clinical sensitivity for cervical precancer and cancer compared with detection of carcinogenic
HPV E6/E7 mRNA using a lower positive cutpoint by the same assay and with detection of carcinogenic HPV DNA.
Conclusions: We found that carcinogenic HPV E6/E7 mRNA is a potentially useful biomarker for detection of cervical precancer and cancer
and warrants further evaluation.
The development and evaluation of Un Abrazo Para La Familia, A Hug for the Family is described. Un Abrazo is discussed as an effective model of education, information-sharing, and skill-building for ...use with low-income co-survivors of cancer.
Sixty co-survivors participated. The majority were women and all reported being Hispanic.
Using quantitative data (N=60), the needs, concerns, and characteristics of the co-survivor population served through Un Abrazo are presented. Further, we offer three qualitative case studies (with one co-survivor, one survivor, and one non-participant) to illustrate the model and its impact.
The median level of education level of co-survivors was 12 years. The majority were unemployed and/or identified as homemakers, and indicated receipt of services indicating low-income status. Half reported not having health insurance. The top four cancer-related needs or concerns were: Information, Concern for another person, Cost/health insurance, and Fears.
Recognizing the centrality of the family in addressing cancer allows for a wider view of the disease and the needs that arise during and after treatment. Key rehabilitation strategies appropriate for intervening with co-survivors of cancer include assessing and building upon strengths and abilities and making culturally-respectful cancer-related information and support accessible.
Results from a prototype real-time PCR assay that separately detected human papillomavirus genotype 16 (HPV16), HPV18, and 12 other carcinogenic HPV genotypes in aggregate (cobas 4800 HPV test) and ...results from a PCR assay that detects 37 HPV genotypes individually (Linear Array) were compared using a convenience sample of cervical specimens (n = 531). The percentage of total agreement between the two assays was 94.7% (95% confidence interval, 92.5 to 96.5%). The Linear Array test was more likely than cobas 4800 HPV test to test positive for the 12 other carcinogenic HPV genotypes among women without evidence of cervical disease (P = 0.004).
AIMS: Escherichia coli (EC) is the primary indicator micro‐organism in regulations for sewage sludge reuse. The aim of this work was to assess the ability of EC to enter and recover from a ...viable‐but‐not‐culturable state (VBNC) after sludge hygienization treatments. METHODS AND RESULTS: The persistence of EC, somatic coliphages (SOMCPH), spores of sulphite‐reducing clostridia (SRC) and Salmonella spp. was assessed in digested sludge after different pasteurization treatments and storage conditions. Pasteurization at 55°C produced EC‐injured cells that were resuscitated during the first 24 h. Different sludge treatments altered the inactivation kinetics of EC, while SOMCPH and SRC did not resuscitate and showed lower die‐off than EC. No regrowth was observed in stored sludge for up to 60 days. CONCLUSIONS: EC monitoring by culturable methods is not by itself a suitable method for assessing the hygienization achieved in sludge as EC can enter into VBNC from which it can recover during the first hours of storage. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The regulations should indicate the time when monitoring of EC should be performed to avoid the period when EC can resuscitate from VBNC or add alternative microbial indicators, such as SOMCPH, which do not have a VBNC state.
ABSTRACT
Determining the distribution of redshifts of galaxies observed by wide-field photometric experiments like the Dark Energy Survey (DES) is an essential component to mapping the matter density ...field with gravitational lensing. In this work we describe the methods used to assign individual weak lensing source galaxies from the DES Year 3 Weak Lensing Source Catalogue to four tomographic bins and to estimate the redshift distributions in these bins. As the first application of these methods to data, we validate that the assumptions made apply to the DES Y3 weak lensing source galaxies and develop a full treatment of systematic uncertainties. Our method consists of combining information from three independent likelihood functions: self-organizing map p(z) (sompz), a method for constraining redshifts from galaxy photometry; clustering redshifts (WZ), constraints on redshifts from cross-correlations of galaxy density functions; and shear ratios (SRs), which provide constraints on redshifts from the ratios of the galaxy-shear correlation functions at small scales. Finally, we describe how these independent probes are combined to yield an ensemble of redshift distributions encapsulating our full uncertainty. We calibrate redshifts with combined effective uncertainties of σ〈z〉 ∼ 0.01 on the mean redshift in each tomographic bin.
•Gender influences on some alterations caused by occupational benzene exposure.•Gender alters the biotransformation of benzene to trans, trans-muconic acid.•Women may be more susceptible to blood ...alterations caused by benzene exposure.•These data contribute to the development of specific standards to women protection.
Women are employed in increasing numbers as gasoline station attendants, a work category with risk of exposure to benzene. We have assessed the effect of gender on biomarkers of occupational benzene exposure. Gasoline station attendants (20 men and 20 women) and 40 control individuals (20 men and 20 women) with no history of occupational benzene exposure were evaluated. Benzene exposure was monitoring by environmental and biological measurements. Urinary trans,trans-muconic acid levels, well-known genetic and hematological alterations linked to benzene exposure, and non-cancer effects on the immune, hepatic, and renal systems were investigated. Our results suggest a potential effect of gender on some effects of occupational benzene exposure, particularly the hematological parameters and trans,trans-muconic acid levels. Despite limitations of our study, our findings provide important considerations about occupational exposure of women to benzene and may contribute to the development of occupational protection standards.
The breast cancer diagnosis causes a high level of suffering and distress in patients who experience difficulties in coping. There is a need to improve knowledge of emotional and spiritual coping in ...response to the stressful situation of women who must face this diagnosis.
The aims of this study were to map women's spiritual and emotional coping experiences reported after a breast cancer diagnosis and examine the proposed interventions and suggestions for clinical practice.
A scoping review was performed by searching the Scientific Electronic Library Online, Scopus, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Latin American & Caribbean Health Sciences Literature, Medical Literature Analyses and Retrieval System Online, Spanish Bibliographic Index of Health Sciences, PSYCINFO, and Google Scholar databases using Medical Subject Headings terms. Additional pertinent studies were identified by reviewing the bibliographies of the included studies. Twenty articles were included according to the recommendations for scoping reviews.
Study findings regarding emotional and spiritual coping with the diagnosis and proposed interventions were synthesized. A thematic list of interventions and recommendations for clinical practice is also provided.
The studies demonstrated that women with breast cancer are challenged by their emotions and experiences. The review highlights the importance of spiritual coping for redefining women's meaning in life. In clinical practice, caring for women's inherent needs when they are coping with a diagnosis is important to establish integral care.
Nurses can evaluate coping strategies, offer support for adaptation to the disease, provide qualified listening, help women in their search for significance while coping with cancer, and help them identify ways to overcome this stressful situation. Similarly, they can encourage patients to find spiritual comfort and emotional support.
Abstract Objective High-risk (HR) human papillomavirus (HPV) testing is important in cervical cancer screening for triage to colposcopy. This study evaluated the clinical performance of the Cervista® ...HPV HR and 16/18 genotyping tests for detection of HPV in cervical cytology specimens. Methods The tests were prospectively evaluated in a multicenter clinical study. DNA was extracted from approximately 4000 residual liquid-based cytology specimens collected during routine liquid-based Papanicolaou tests at standard of care visits and was assessed for the presence of HR HPV and/or HPV types 16 and 18. All women with cytology results of atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASC-US) or greater underwent colposcopic examination and biopsies were collected. Test results were compared with local colposcopy and histology results from a central pathology review panel. Results There were 1347 subjects with complete data sets of cytology, HR HPV, colposcopy, and histology included in the analysis of the HPV HR test. Sensitivity of the HPV HR test for detection of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 2+ among women with ASC-US cytology was 92.8% (95% confidence interval CI: 84.1–96.9) and the negative predictive value (NPV) was 99.1% (95% CI: 98.1–99.6). Sensitivity for detection of ≥ CIN 3 in women with ASC-US was 100% (95% CI: 85.1–100) and the NPV was 100% (95% CI: 99.4–100). The specificity of the test for detection of ≥ CIN 2 and ≥ CIN 3 was 44.2% (95% CI: 41.5–46.9) and 43% (95% CI: 40.3–45.7), respectively. The HPV 16/18 genotyping test also performed as expected in women with ASC-US cytology who were positive for HR HPV. Conclusion The Cervista® HPV HR test can be clinically used for detecting HR HPV types in conjunction with cervical cytology for use in triage of women with ASC-US cytology during routine cervical cancer screening.
ABSTRACT
We present reconstructed convergence maps, mass maps, from the Dark Energy Survey (DES) third year (Y3) weak gravitational lensing data set. The mass maps are weighted projections of the ...density field (primarily dark matter) in the foreground of the observed galaxies. We use four reconstruction methods, each is a maximum a posteriori estimate with a different model for the prior probability of the map: Kaiser–Squires, null B-mode prior, Gaussian prior, and a sparsity prior. All methods are implemented on the celestial sphere to accommodate the large sky coverage of the DES Y3 data. We compare the methods using realistic ΛCDM simulations with mock data that are closely matched to the DES Y3 data. We quantify the performance of the methods at the map level and then apply the reconstruction methods to the DES Y3 data, performing tests for systematic error effects. The maps are compared with optical foreground cosmic-web structures and are used to evaluate the lensing signal from cosmic-void profiles. The recovered dark matter map covers the largest sky fraction of any galaxy weak lensing map to date.
Abstract Objective In vitro data and pilot data suggest that green tea catechins may possess chemopreventive activity for cervical cancer and precursor lesions. We conducted a randomized, ...double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of Polyphenon E (decaffeinated and enriched green tea catechin extract) in women with persistent human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and low-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN1) to evaluate the potential of Polyphenon E for cervical cancer prevention. Methods Ninety-eight eligible women were randomized to receive either Polyphenon E (containing 800 mg epigallocatechin gallate) or placebo once daily for 4 months. The primary study outcome was oncogenic HPV clearance and clearance of CIN1. Results Polyphenon E was shown to be acceptable, safe and well tolerated. There was no difference in the response rate by treatment allocation. Complete response, defined as negative for high-risk HPV and normal histopathology, was noted in 7 (17.1%) and 6 (14.6%) women in the Polyphenon E and placebo arms, respectively. Progression, defined as persistent oncogenic HPV with histopathologic evidence of progression, was more common in the Polyphenon E group than in the placebo group 6 (14.6%) vs. 3 (7.7%). Conclusion Based on the largest randomized placebo-controlled trial of a green tea extract for HPV related cervical disease, we conclude that 4 months of Polyphenon E intervention did not promote the clearance of persistent high-risk HPV and related CIN1. Further studies may be necessary to better delineate the risk factors for persistent HPV infection and biology of the disease to facilitate the evaluation of chemopreventive strategies.
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