Childhood obesity is a major problem in rich countries due to its high prevalence and its harmful health consequences. An exploratory analysis conducted in the PubMed database highlighted that the ...number of papers published on the relationship between socioeconomic position (SEP) and childhood-adolescent weight status had risen substantially with respect to an earlier review which had covered the period 1990-2005.
To describe the findings on the relationship between SEP and childhood-adolescent weight status in papers published in rich countries from 1990 through 2013, studies were identified in the following databases: PubMed; Web of Knowledge (WOK); PsycINFO; Global Health; and Embase. We included observational studies from the 27 richest OECD countries, which covered study populations aged 0 to 21 years, and used parental education, income and/or occupation as family SEP indicators. A total of 158 papers met the inclusion criteria and reported 134 bivariable and 90 multivariable analyses.
Examination of the results yielded by the bivariable analyses showed that 60.4% of studies found an inverse relationship, 18.7% of studies did not found relationship, and 20.9% of studies found a relationship that varied depending on another variable, such as age, sex or ethnic group; the corresponding percentages in the multivariable analyses were 51.1, 20.0 and 27.8%, respectively. Furthermore, 1.1% found a positive relationship.
The relationship between SEP and childhood-adolescent weight status in rich countries is predominantly inverse and the positive relationship almost has disappeared. The SEP indicator that yields the highest proportion of inverse relationships is parents' education. The proportion of inverse relationships is higher when the weight status is reported by parents instead using objective measurements.
Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is the second most common form of skin cancer. The incidence of metastasis for cSCC is estimated to be around 1.2-5%. Ribosomal protein S6 (p-S6) and the p21 ...protein (p21) are two proteins that play central roles in other cancers. These proteins may be equally important in cSCC, and together, these could constitute a good candidate for metastasis risk assessment of these patients. We investigate the relationship of p-S6 and p21 expression with the impact on the prognosis of head and neck cSCC (cSCCHN). p-S6 and p21 expression was analyzed by immunohistochemistry on paraffin-embedded tissue samples from 116 patients with cSCCHN and associations sought with clinical characteristics. Kaplan-Meier estimators and Cox proportional hazard regression models were also used. The expression of p-S6 was significantly inversely associated with tumor thickness, tumor size, desmoplastic growth, pathological stage, perineural invasion and tumor buds. p21 expression was significantly inversely correlated with >6 mm tumor thickness, desmoplastic growth, and perineural invasion. p-S6-negative expression significantly predicted an increased risk of nodal metastasis (HR = 2.63, 95% CI 1.51-4.54;
< 0.001). p21 expression was not found to be a significant risk factor for nodal metastasis. These findings demonstrate that p-S6-negative expression is an independent predictor of nodal metastasis. The immunohistochemical expression of p-S6 might aid in better risk stratification and management of patients with cSCCHN.
ErbB2-positive breast cancer is characterized by highly aggressive phenotypes and reduced responsiveness to standard therapies. Although specific ErbB2-targeted therapies have been designed, only a ...small percentage of patients respond to these treatments and most of them eventually relapse. The existence of this population of particularly aggressive and non-responding or relapsing patients urges the search for novel therapies. The purpose of this study was to determine whether cannabinoids might constitute a new therapeutic tool for the treatment of ErbB2-positive breast tumors. We analyzed their antitumor potential in a well established and clinically relevant model of ErbB2-driven metastatic breast cancer: the MMTV-neu mouse. We also analyzed the expression of cannabinoid targets in a series of 87 human breast tumors.
Our results show that both Delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol, the most abundant and potent cannabinoid in marijuana, and JWH-133, a non-psychotropic CB2 receptor-selective agonist, reduce tumor growth, tumor number, and the amount/severity of lung metastases in MMTV-neu mice. Histological analyses of the tumors revealed that cannabinoids inhibit cancer cell proliferation, induce cancer cell apoptosis, and impair tumor angiogenesis. Cannabinoid antitumoral action relies, at least partially, on the inhibition of the pro-tumorigenic Akt pathway. We also found that 91% of ErbB2-positive tumors express the non-psychotropic cannabinoid receptor CB2.
Taken together, these results provide a strong preclinical evidence for the use of cannabinoid-based therapies for the management of ErbB2-positive breast cancer.
A common strategy for removing highly toxic organic compounds, such as chlorinated organic compounds, is their adsorption on granular activated carbon. Spent granular activated carbon results in a ...toxic residue to manage; therefore, the regeneration and reuse of granular activated carbon on the site would be advisable. This work studies the regeneration of a granular activated carbon saturated in 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene, chosen as the model chlorinated organic compounds, by heterogeneous Fenton, where iron was previously immobilised on the granular activated carbon surface. This methodology avoids the addition of iron to the aqueous phase at concentrations above the allowable limits and the need for acidification. Three successive cycles of adsorption-regeneration were carried out batchwise (5 gGAC·L−1) with a granular activated carbon saturated with 300 mg124-TCB·gGAC−1. The recovery of the adsorption capacity after regeneration was studied with H2O2 (166 mM, 1.5 the stoichiometric dosage), at different concentrations adsorbed with iron adsorbed concentrations (0–12 mgFe·gGAC−1) and temperatures (20–80 °C). Stable recovery of the adsorption capacity values of 65% were obtained at 180 min with 12 mgFe·gGAC−1 and 60 °C. The porosity and surface chemistry of the adsorbent remained very similar after different adsorption-regeneration cycles without iron leaching into the aqueous phase. The oxidant consumption was close to the stoichiometric value for the mineralization of 1,2,4−trichlorobenzene, with a low unproductive consumption of H2O2 with granular activated carbon. In addition, no aromatic or chlorinated by-products were detected in the aqueous solution obtained in the regeneration process. The negligible toxicity of the aqueous phase with the Microtox bioassay confirmed the absence of toxic oxidation by-products.
Display omitted
•Iron and 124-TCB adsorption on GAC decrease the unproductive H2O2 consumption.•The higher the iron adsorbed, the higher the oxidant.•The higher the iron adsorbed, the higher adsorption capacity recovery.•A positive effect of temperature on GAC regeneration is found up to 60 °C.•GAC surface stable during the regeneration cycles with negligible iron leaching.
The relationship of socioeconomic position with the use of health services may have changed with the emergence of the economic crisis. This study shows that relationship before and during the ...economic crisis, in Germany and in Spain.
Data from the 2006 and 2011 Socio-Economic Panel carried out in Germany, and from the 2006 and 2011 National Health Surveys carried out in Spain were used. The health services investigated were physician consultations and hospitalization. The measures of socioeconomic position used were education and household income. The magnitude of the relationship between socioeconomic position and the use of each health services was estimated by calculating the percentage ratio by binary regression.
In Germany, in both periods, after adjusting for age, sex, type of health insurance and need for care, subjects belonging to the lower educational categories had a lower frequency of physician consultations, while those belonging to the lower income categories had a higher frequency of hospitalization. In the model comparing the two lower socioeconomic categories to the two higher categories, the percentage ratio for physician consultation by education was 0.97 (95%CI 0.96-0.98) in 2006 and 0.96 (95%CI 0.95-0.97) in 2011, and the percentage ratio for hospitalization by income was 1.14 (95%CI 1.05-1.25) in 2006 and 1.12 (95%CI 1.03-1.21) in 2011. In Spain, no significant socioeconomic differences were observed in either period in the frequency of use of these health services in the fully adjusted model.
The results suggest that the economic crisis did not alter accessibility to the health system in either country, given that the socioeconomic pattern in the use of these health services was similar before and during the crisis in both countries.
The TINCR (Terminal differentiation-Induced Non-Coding RNA) gene is selectively expressed in epithelium tissues and is involved in the control of human epidermal differentiation and wound healing. ...Despite its initial report as a long non-coding RNA, the TINCR locus codes for a highly conserved ubiquitin-like microprotein associated with keratinocyte differentiation. Here we report the identification of TINCR as a tumor suppressor in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). TINCR is upregulated by UV-induced DNA damage in a TP53-dependent manner in human keratinocytes. Decreased TINCR protein expression is prevalently found in skin and head and neck squamous cell tumors and TINCR expression suppresses the growth of SCC cells in vitro and in vivo. Consistently, Tincr knockout mice show accelerated tumor development following UVB skin carcinogenesis and increased penetrance of invasive SCCs. Finally, genetic analyses identify loss-of-function mutations and deletions encompassing the TINCR gene in SCC clinical samples supporting a tumor suppressor role in human cancer. Altogether, these results demonstrate a role for TINCR as protein coding tumor suppressor gene recurrently lost in squamous cell carcinomas.
Background
Possible COVID-19 pneumonia patients (ppCOVID-19) generally overwhelmed emergency departments (EDs) during the first COVID-19 wave. Home-confinement and primary-care phone follow-up was ...the first-level regional policy for preventing EDs to collapse. But when X-rays were needed, the traditional outpatient workflow at the radiology department was inefficient and potential interpersonal infections were of concern. We aimed to assess the efficiency of a primary-care high-resolution radiology service (pcHRRS) for ppCOVID-19 in terms of time at hospital and decision’s reliability.
Methods
We assessed 849 consecutive ppCOVID-19 patients, 418 through the pcHRRS (home-confined ppCOVID-19 with negative—group 1- and positive—group 2-X-rays) and 431 arriving with respiratory symptoms to the ED by themselves (group 3). The pcHRRS provided X-rays and oximetry in an only-one-patient agenda. Radiologists made next-step decisions (group 1: pneumonia negative, home-confinement follow-up; group 2: pneumonia positive, ED assessment) according to X-ray results. We used ANOVA and Bonferroni correction, Student T, Chi
2
tests to analyse changes in the ED workload, time-to-decision differences between groups, potential delays in patients acceding through the ED, and pcHRRS performance for deciding admission.
Results
The pcHRRS halved ED respiratory patients (49.2%), allowed faster decisions (group 1 vs. home-discharged group 2 and group 3 patients: 0:41 ± 1:05 h; 3:36 ± 2:58 h; 3:50 ± 3:16 h; group 1 vs. all group 2 and group 3 patients: 0:41 ± 1:05 h; 5.25 ± 3.08; 5:36 ± 4:36 h; group 2 vs. group 3 admitted patients: 5:27 ± 3:08 h vs. 7:42 ± 5:02 h; all
p
< 0.001) and prompted admission (84/93, 90.3%) while maintaining time response for ED patients.
Conclusions
Our pcHRRS may be a more efficient entry-door for ppCOVID-19 by decreasing ED patients and making expedited decisions while guaranteeing social distance.
Treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC), the sixth most frequent cancer worldwide, remains challenging. miRNA dysregulation is closely linked to tumorigenesis and tumor ...progression, thus emerging as suitable targets for cancer treatment. Transcriptomic analysis of TCGA HNSCC dataset revealed that miR-301a expression levels significantly increased in primary tumors, as compared to patient-matched normal tissue. This prompted us to investigate its pathobiological role and potential as new therapeutic target using different preclinical HNSCC models. miR-301a overexpression in HNSCC-derived cell lines led to enhanced proliferation and invasion, whereas miR-301 inhibition reduced these effects. In vivo validation was performed using an orthotopic mouse model. Results concordantly showed that the mitotic counts, the percentage of infiltration depth and Ki67 proliferative index were significantly augmented in the subgroup of mice harboring miR-301a-overexpressing tumors. Further mechanistic characterization revealed PI3K/PTEN/AKT and MEK/ERK pathways as central signaling nodes responsible for mediating the oncogenic activity of miR-301a observed in HNSCC cells. Notably, pharmacological disruption of PI3K and ERK signals with BYL-719 and PD98059, respectively, was effective to completely revert/abolish miR-301a-promoted tumor cell growth and invasion. Altogether, these findings demonstrate that miR-301a dysregulation plays an oncogenic role in HNSCC, thus emerging as a candidate therapeutic target for this disease. Importantly, available PI3K and ERK inhibitors emerge as promising anti-tumor agents to effectively target miR-301a-mediated signal circuit hampering growth-promoting and pro-invasive functions.
Display omitted
•Increased miR-301a expression levels in HNSCC patients.•miR-301a induces the proliferation and invasion of HNSCC cells.•mir301a exhibit tumor-promoting effects in a murine orthotopic model.•PI3K/PTEN and ERK pathways emerge key players in miR-301a-mediated signal circuit.•PI3K and MEK inhibitors block miR-301a growth-promoting and pro-invasive functions.
Chlorinated organic compounds (COCs) are persistent organic pollutants often found in groundwater near industrial sites or in industrial wastewaters. Adsorption into activated carbon is a common ...strategy to remediate these waters, but spent activated carbon results in a toxic residue to manage. To avoid the transport of the chlorinated compounds out of the site, the in-situ regeneration of the spent activated carbon can be considered for reuse to implement a circular economy. In this work, the regeneration of a commercial granular activated carbon (GAC) has been carried out using thermally activated sodium persulfate (TAP). GAC was previously saturated in 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene (124-TCB) as the model compound. The initial adsorption value was 350 mg124‑TCB·gGAC –1. First, the nonproductive consumption of sodium persulfate was studied at different temperatures using nonsaturated GAC. Then, the regeneration of the saturated GAC (5 g) was studied by an aqueous solution (166 mM) of TAP (1 L) at a temperature range from 20 to 80 °C. The possible recovery of the adsorption capacity was studied after 3 h of treatment in three successive adsorption–regeneration cycles at the selected temperature (60 °C). The physicochemical changes of the GAC were also investigated before and after the regeneration treatments. The results evidence the significant deposition of sulfate on the GAC after each treatment of regeneration, which avoids the recovery of the initial adsorption capacity. Therefore, each regeneration cycle was necessarily followed by a washing step at 60 °C to remove this sulfate. After that, the regeneration treatment achieved a stable and high recovery of the initial adsorption capacity of about 48.2%.
A soil contaminated with a B20 biodiesel blend (20 % biodiesel, 80 % diesel) has been treated by modified Fenton process with or without chelant addition. All experiments were conducted without pH ...adjustment. The reagents used were as follows: hydrogen peroxide as oxidant (400–4,000 mmol L⁻¹), ferric ion as catalyst (5–20 mmol L⁻¹), and trisodium citrate (50 mmol L⁻¹) as chelating agent. Soil was spiked at two different pollutant concentrations (1,000–10,000 mg diesel kg⁻¹ soil). Higher total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) removal efficiencies were obtained (up to 75 %) after the treatment in the absence of the chelant due to the low pH obtained in this case. In the presence of chelant, the TPH conversion obtained was lower because both higher pH is obtained and chelant competes with diesel for the oxidant. On the other hand, at neutral pH, the lifetime of the oxidant was increased. Fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) are easier to remove than diesel aliphatic hydrocarbons from the blend. An important decrease of the aqueous phase toxicity was observed after the modified Fenton reaction, supporting that nontoxic by-products were released to the aqueous phase during the treatment.
PDF
