The use of pesticides in agricultural activities has increased significantly during the last decades. Several studies have reported the health damage that results from exposure to pesticides. In ...Mexico, hundreds of communities depend economically on agricultural activities. The participation of minors in this type of activity and their exposure to pesticides represents a potential public health problem. A cross-sectional study was conducted, in which urine samples (first-morning urine) were taken from children under 15 years of age in both communities. A total of 281 urine samples obtained in both communities were processed for the determination of pesticides with high-performance liquid chromatography together with tandem mass spectrometry. In 100% of the samples, at least two pesticides of the 17 reported in the total samples were detected. The presence of malathion, metoxuron, and glyphosate was remarkable in more than 70% of the cases. Substantial differences were detected regarding the other compounds. It is necessary to carry out long-term studies to determine the damage to health resulting from this constant exposure and to inform the health authorities about the problem in order to implement preventive measures.
Adult mesenchymal stem cells, such as dental pulp stem cells, are of great interest for cell‐based tissue engineering strategies because they can differentiate into a variety of tissue‐specific ...cells, above all, into osteoblasts. In recent years, epigenetic studies on stem cells have indicated that specific histone alterations and modifying enzymes play essential roles in cell differentiation. However, although several studies have reported that valproic acid (VPA)—a selective inhibitor of histone deacetylases (HDAC)—enhances osteoblast differentiation, data on osteocalcin expression—a late‐stage marker of differentiation—are limited. We therefore decided to study the effect of VPA on dental pulp stem cell differentiation. A low concentration of VPA did not reduce cell viability, proliferation, or cell cycle profile. However, it was sufficient to significantly enhance matrix mineralization by increasing osteopontin and bone sialoprotein expression. In contrast, osteocalcin levels were decreased, an effect induced at the transcriptional level, and were strongly correlated with inhibition of HDAC2. In fact, HDAC2 silencing with shRNA produced a similar effect to that of VPA treatment on the expression of osteoblast‐related markers. We conclude that VPA does not induce terminal differentiation of osteoblasts, but stimulates the generation of less mature cells. Moreover, specific suppression of an individual HDAC by RNA interference could enhance only a single aspect of osteoblast differentiation, and thus produce selective effects. Stem Cells 2014;32:279–289
Background
Racial/ethnic minority groups have a higher burden of renal cell carcinoma (RCC), but RCC among Hispanic Americans (HAs) and American Indians and Alaska Natives (AIs/ANs) are clinically ...not well characterized. We explored variations in age at diagnosis and frequencies of RCC histologic subtypes across racial/ethnic groups and Hispanic subgroups using National Cancer Database (NCDB) and Arizona Cancer Registry Data.
Methods
Adult RCC cases with known race/ethnicity were included. Logistic regression analysis was performed to estimate odds and 95% confidence interval (CI) of early‐onset (age at diagnosis <50 years) and diagnosis with clear cell RCC (ccRCC) or papillary RCC.
Results
A total of 405 073 RCC cases from NCDB and 9751 cases from ACR were identified and included. In both datasets, patients from racial/ethnic minority groups had a younger age at diagnosis than non‐Hispanic White (NHW) patients. In the NCDB, AIs/ANs had twofold increased odds (OR, 2.21; 95% CI, 1.88‐2.59) of early‐onset RCC compared with NHWs. HAs also had twofold increased odds of early‐onset RCC (OR, 2.14; 95% CI, 1.79‐2.55) in the ACR. In NCDB, ccRCC was more prevalent in AIs (86.3%) and Mexican Americans (83.5%) than NHWs (72.5%). AIs/ANs had twofold increased odds of diagnosis with ccRCC (OR, 2.18; 95% CI, 1.85‐2.58) in the NCDB, but the association was stronger in the ACR (OR, 2.83; 95% CI, 2.08‐3.85). Similarly, Mexican Americans had significantly increased odds of diagnosis with ccRCC (OR, 2.00; 95% CI, 1.78‐2.23) in the NCDB.
Conclusions
This study reports younger age at diagnosis and higher frequencies of ccRCC histologic subtype in AIs/ANs and Hispanic subgroups. These variations across racial/ethnic groups and Hispanic subgroups may have potential clinical implications.
Renal cell carcinoma patients from racial/ethnic minority groups have increased risk of diagnosis at a younger age than non‐Hispanic White patients
Several evidences indicate that hormones and neuropeptides function as immunomodulators. Among these, growth hormone (GH) is known to act on the thymic microenvironment, supporting its role in ...thymocyte differentiation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of GH on human thymocytes and thymic epithelial cells (TEC) in the presence of laminin.
GH increased thymocyte adhesion on BSA-coated and further on laminin-coated surfaces. The number of migrating cells in laminin-coated membrane was higher in GH-treated thymocyte group. In both results, VLA-6 expression on thymocytes was constant. Also, treatment with GH enhanced laminin production by TEC after 24 h in culture. However, VLA-6 integrin expression on TEC remained unchanged. Finally, TEC/thymocyte co-culture model demonstrated that GH elevated absolute number of double-negative (CD4(-)CD8(-)) and single-positive CD4(+) and CD8(+) thymocytes. A decrease in cell number was noted in double-positive (CD4(+)CD8(+)) thymocytes.
The results of this study demonstrate that GH is capable of enhancing the migratory capacity of human thymocytes in the presence of laminin and promotes modulation of thymocyte subsets after co-culture with TEC.
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) global pandemic created an unprecedented public health emergency. Early recognition of an infected person and disruption of the transmission pathway are the ...keys to controlling this major public health threat around the world. The scientifically reliable screening method is an RT-PCR test that is performed on an ororhinopharyngeal swab in the laboratory. In the current severe SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, it is necessary to identify devices for rapid diagnosis to reduce the spread of the disease. The aim of this study was to provide a qualitative, rapid, sensitive, and specific method for a diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection based on the recognition of specific antigens of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The device was built by assembling commercially available and custom-made semi-finished products. The method was performed in environments outside the laboratory, i.e., "patient side," with an immediate chemocolorimetric response or with a digital reader using an ELISA method.
Hardness is considered an important parameter for evaluating the clinical performance of dental implant bone drills. It is connected to the chemical composition, microstructure conformation and ...manufacture of the surgical drills.
Microstructure of five dental implant drills using scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) integrated with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry. Vickers microhardness was measured using a CV 2000 microhardness tester with an indentation force of 500 g.
Composition of the implant drills was typical of martensitic stainless steel (MSS). The drills contained 13%-17% of Cr; Mo, Si and Mn were present as minor ligands. The examined bone drills showed different external surface conformation and hardness in relation to the different industrial production processes. A rougher external surface and a higher hardness value are characteristics of the surgical bone drills produced by hot forming; the implant drills produced by machining showed mailing lines on their external surface and a lower hardness.
Different compositions and treatments were used by the manufacturers to improve the hardness of the external layer of the dental implant drills making them prone to a diverse heat generation during the implant site preparation.
The stability and quality of regenerated bone and vessel network was assessed 3 years after grafting intervention, with conventional procedures and in‐line holotomography. The regenerated tissue from ...the graft sites was found to be composed of a fully compact bone with a higher matrix density than control human alveolar spongy bone from the same patient. Although the bone regenerated at the graft sites is not of the proper type found in the mandible, it creates steadier mandibles, may well increase implant stability, and, additionally, may improve resistance to mechanical, physical, chemical, and pharmacological agents.
Mesenchymal stem cells deriving from dental pulp differentiate into osteoblasts capable of producing bone. In previous studies, we extensively demonstrated that, when seeded on collagen I scaffolds, these cells can be conveniently used for the repair of human mandible defects. Here, we assess the stability and quality of the regenerated bone and vessel network 3 years after the grafting intervention, with conventional procedures and in‐line holotomography, an advanced phase‐imaging method using synchrotron radiation that offers improved sensitivity toward low‐absorbing structures. We found that the regenerated tissue from the graft sites was composed of a fully compact bone with a higher matrix density than control human alveolar spongy bone from the same patient. Thus, the regenerated bone, being entirely compact, is completely different from normal alveolar bone. Although the bone regenerated at the graft sites is not of the proper type found in the mandible, it does seem to have a positive clinical impact. In fact, it creates steadier mandibles, may well increase implant stability, and, additionally, may improve resistance to mechanical, physical, chemical, and pharmacological agents.
Craniofacial area represent a unique district of human body characterized by a very high complexity of tissues, innervation and vascularization, and being deputed to many fundamental function such as ...eating, speech, expression of emotions, delivery of sensations such as taste, sight, and earing. For this reasons, tissue loss in this area following trauma or for example oncologic resection, have a tremendous impact on patients' quality of life. In the last 20 years regenerative medicine has emerged as one of the most promising approach to solve problem related to trauma, tissue loss, organ failure etc. One of the most powerful tools to be used for tissue regeneration is represented by stem cells, which have been successfully implanted in different tissue/organs with exciting results. Nevertheless, both autologous and allogeneic stem cell transplantation raise many practical and ethical concerns that make this approach very difficult to apply in clinical practice. For this reason different cell free approaches have been developed aiming to the mobilization, recruitment, and activation of endogenous stem cells into the injury site avoiding exogenous cells implant but instead stimulating patients' own stem cells to repair the lesion. To this aim many strategies have been used including functionalized bioscaffold, controlled release of stem cell chemoattractants, growth factors, BMPs, Platelet-Rich-Plasma, and other new strategies such as ultrasound wave and laser are just being proposed. Here we review all the current and new strategies used for activation and mobilization of endogenous stem cells in the regeneration of craniofacial tissue.
The presence of albumin in urine has been used for more than four decades as a marker of renal and cardiovascular damage. Most of the information on this marker is related to adults. The prevalence ...of albuminuria in the pediatric population has been reported as being 2.2-12.8% in some countries. Most research in this field is related to albuminuria and diseases, such as diabetes and hypertension. Using the methodology described by Arksey and O'Malley in 2005, a scoping review was carried out to show that the presence of albumin in urine in the pediatric population might be associated with environmental, demographic, congenital, infectious, and non-infectious factors. The information collected is supported by 74 references present in PubMed. The results reveal the multiple causes associated with albuminuria in the pediatric population. This information can be very useful for clinical practice by adding knowledge about albuminuria behavior in children.
patients with cervical cancer (CC) receiving chemotherapy and radiotherapy have several gastrointestinal adverse effects.
to evaluate the effect of dietary symbiotic supplementation on fecal ...calprotectin (FCP), bacterial DNA levels, and gastrointestinal adverse effects in patients with CC.
clinical, controlled, randomized, double-blind trial. Patients consumed symbiotics or placebo three times a day for seven weeks. FCP was assessed by Elisa method. DNA from probiotic and pathogenic bacteria were determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Diarrheal evacuations were evaluated with the Bristol stool form scale and nausea and vomiting were measured using the scale of the National Institute of Cancerology of the United States.
after a seven-week treatment, FCP concentration was lower in the symbiotic group compared to the control group (p < 0.001). Stool consistency in the placebo and symbiotic groups was similar at baseline. A significant improvement in stool consistency was obtained in both groups at the end of the intervention (p < 0.001). The concentrations and total proportions of the probiotic and pathogenic bacteria were similar in both groups. Nausea significantly diminished in both groups (p < 0.001) at the end of the trial. Furthermore, the symbiotic group had a statistically significant decrease in the frequency and intensity of vomiting when compared to the control group (p < 0.001).
the symbiotic treatment decreases significantly the FCP levels and the frequency and intensity of vomiting in patients with CC.
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