Family, lifestyles and new and old type of smoking in young adults: insights from an italian multiple-center study.

BACKGROUND: Tobacco smoke is the epidemic of modern times due to its tremendous burden of diseases and deaths, greater than that produced by alcohol, AIDS, drugs, road accidents, murders and suicides combined. In Italy, 26% of the population smokes and the high prevalence of smoking even among young people is crucial for the Tobacco Industry, because young people are the reservoir which replaces smokers who quit or die. The aim of this study is to investigate smoking habits and determinants of smoking among young adults. METHODS: This cross-sectional study enrolled young people from three Italian regions: Latium (central Italy) Calabria (southern Italy) and Sicily (the largest Italian island). An anonymous, multiple-choice online questionnaire was distributed through social networks. Questions investigated individual habits and lifestyles (smoking, alcohol and coffee consumption, physical activity), the presence of smokers in the family and the use of electronic cigarettes. Descriptive and multivariate analyses were used to describe the characteristics of the sample and to evaluate factors associated with smoking status. All statistical analyses were conducted in SAS software version 9.4 (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA). All hypothesis tests were 2-tailed and p values <0.05 were considered statistically significant. RESULTS: In a sample of 382 subjects between 18 and 34 years, the prevalence of smoking was 25%. A statistically significant higher percentage of smokers is observed among those who drink coffee and those who drink alcohol. Only 48% of smokers usually smoke classic cigarettes, while 45% roll their own cigarettes and 7% use electronic cigarettes. More than half of the smokers, smoke 1 to 5 cigarettes a day, while 17% smoke over 10 cigarettes a day. In families where there was at least 1 smoker, the percentage of smokers was 34% versus only 15% in families where nobody else smokes. The presence of at least 1 smoker in the family was strongly associated with young adults' smoking behavior: subjects with family members who smoke were more than three times as likely to be current smokers, compared to those with no family smokers (Odds Ratio [OR] = 3.14, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.8-5.5, p=0.0001). Alcohol, coffee consumption, unemployment and being a student were also found to be independently and significantly associated with smoking of young adults (alcohol OR=2.96, 95%CI 1.64-5.34; coffee OR= 4.33, 95%CI 1.81-10.39; unemployment OR = 4.76, 95%CI 1.26-17.96; being a student OR = 3.21, 95%CI 1.25-8.27). CONCLUSION: Preventing young people from smoking is crucial in order to stop the Tobacco Epidemic. The Tobacco Industry is selling new products and is using new marketing tactics (i.e. the "influencers" in social media) which are hooking young people to addictive products and behaviors, thus threatening to wipe out decades of progress in curbing tobacco use. Effective action to drastically reduce new and old types of smoking or to pursue the "Tobacco Endgame" requires an increasing commitment not only towards young people, but also towards families, that play an important role in influencing young people.

Are nutrition and physical activity associated with gut microbiota? A pilot study on a sample of healthy young adults.

BACKGROUND: The literature shows that gut microbiota composition is related with health, and a lot of individual and outer factors may determine its variability. In particular, nutrition and exercise seem to influence the presence in the gut of the two major bacterial phyla of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes. STUDY DESIGN: An ongoing cross-sectional investigation is aimed to explore these associations in humans. METHODS: Healthy Caucasian young adults were asked to provide a fecal sample in order to analyze their gut microbiome considering their Body Mass Index (BMI), adherence to Mediterranean diet and Physical Activity (PA) level. RESULTS: A total of 59 participants (49.1% males, mean age 23.1 ± 3.14 years) were enrolled so far. Firmicutes (61.6±14.6) and Bacteroidetes (30.7 ± 13.3) showed the highest relative abundance in fecal samples. The Pearson's analysis showed a significant negative correlation between PA and Firmicutes (r =-0.270, p = 0.03). Linear regression confirmed a significant decrease of this phylum with the increase of PA (R2 = 0.07, p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: These preliminary results suggest the association between physical activity and gut microbiota composition in healthy humans.

Exploring the association between physical activity and gut microbiota composition: a review of current evidence.

The gut microbiota is implicated in digestive, metabolic and immune processes of the host. The physiological and pathophysiological functions of the intestinal microbiota depend of its composition, and several individual or external factors may be associated with the presence of some categories, phyla or species of microorganisms in the gut. In particular, two bacterial phyla - Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes - are predominant in the human gut and their relative concentrations seem to be related with age, gender, diet habits and weight status. In the last decade, several studies have tried to characterize the possible role of physical activity in determining qualitative and quantitative composition of the intestinal microbiota. This review is aimed at exploring the current evidences regarding the association between physical activity and gut microbiota composition in animal models and in the humans. Further studies are needed to clarify the mutual relationships among exercise, diet, nutritional supplements/doping agents and gut microbiota.

Immunogenicity of meningococcal polysaccharide ACWY vaccine in primary immunized or revaccinated adults.

Meningococcal polysaccharide (Men-Ps) vaccine immunogenicity following either primary immunization or revaccination in adults was evaluated. The study population consisted of subjects who have received tetravalent Men-Ps vaccine once (group 1) or at least twice, with a 2-6 dose range (group 2). Human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-typing was performed by polymerase chain reaction and specific immunoglobulin (Ig)G was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Nine months post-immunization, the percentages of individuals with levels of anti-Men-Ps IgG ≥ 2 µg/ml were comparable in both groups, with the exception of anti-Men-PsW135 IgG, which were significantly higher in group 2. The percentage of subjects doubling IgG levels at 9 months was significantly higher in group 1. The high baseline anti-Men-Ps antibody levels negatively influenced the response to revaccination, suggesting a feedback control of specific IgG. The calculated durability of anti-Men-Ps IgG was 2·5-4·5 years, depending on the Men-Ps, following a single vaccine dose. No interference by other vaccinations nor HLA alleles association with immune response were observed. This study confirms that Men-Ps vaccine in adults is immunogenic, even when administered repeatedly, and underlines the vaccine suitability for large-scale adult immunization programmes that the higher costs of conjugate vaccines may limit in developing countries.

Sustainability of prevention practices at the workplace: safety, simplification, productivity and effectiveness.

Traditional full-time employment has evolved into various types of occupational situations, and, nowadays, new work organization strategies have been developed. Previously overlooked risk factors have emerged, such as traffic accidents while commuting or during work hours, poor work organization, and detrimental lifestyles (like alcohol and substance abuse, although recent statistics seem to show a declining trend for the latter). The global scenario shows greater attention to occupational risks, but also, to the reduced degree of protection. Moreover, the elevated costs, the unacceptably high fatal accident rates in some sectors, the complexity of the prevention systems, the lack of prevention training, the inadequate controls (despite the numerous independent supervisory bodies) and the obsolescence of certain precepts, call for a prompt review of the regulatory system. This is especially needed for general simplification, streamlining certification bodies and minimizing references to other provisions in the legislation that make it difficult for Italian and foreign workers to read and understand the rules "without legal interpreters". "New" occupational diseases and occupational risk factors have also been reported in addition to pollution. There are concerns for continued economic and social destabilization, unemployment, commuting, temporary and precarious contracts. All of these contribute to the lack of wellbeing in the working population. Thus, the timing, duration, and types of prevention training should be carefully assessed, making prevention more appealing by evaluating costs and benefits with a widespread use of indicators that make appropriate actions for health promotion "visible", thus encouraging awareness. Although reducing prevention is never justified, it should still be "sustainable" economically in order to avoid waste of resources. It is also essential to have laws which are easily and consistently interpreted and to work on the ethics of employers and employees to ensure that they conform to the standards of other European countries that currently operate with greater effectiveness and lower costs.

Are the school prevention programmes - aimed at de-normalizing smoking among youths - beneficial in the long term? An example from the Smoke Free Class Competition in Italy.

Tobacco smoking by young people is of great concern because it usually leads to regular smoking, nicotine addiction and quitting difficulties. Young people "hooked" by tobacco maintain the profits of the tobacco industry by replacing smokers who quit or die. If new generations could be tobacco-free, as supported by tobacco endgame strategies, the tobacco epidemic could end within decades. Smoking prevention programmes for teens are offered by schools with the aim to prevent or delay smoking onset. Among these, the Smoke Free Class Competition (SFC) was widely implemented in Europe. Its effectiveness yielded conflicting results, but it was only evaluated at short/medium term (6 - 18 months). The aim of this study is to evaluate its effectiveness after a longer follow-up (3 to 5 years) in order to allow enough time for the maturing of the students and the internalization of the experience and its contents. Fifteen classes were randomly sampled from two Italian high schools of Bologna province that regularly offered the SFC to first year students; 382 students (174 participating in the SFC and 208 controls) were retrospectively followed-up and provided their "smoking histories". At the end of their last year of school (after 5 years from the SFC), the percentage of students who stated that they were regular smokers was lower among the SFC students than in controls: 13.5% vs 32.9% (p=0.03). From the students' "smoking histories", statistically significant protective ORs were observed for SFC students at the end of 1st and 5th year: 0.42 (95% CI 0.19-0.93) and 0.32 (95% CI 0.11-0.91) respectively. Absence of smokers in the family was also a strongly statistically significant factor associated with being a non-smoker student. These results suggest that SFC may have a positive impact on lowering the prevalence of smoking in the long term (5 years).

Exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls and hexachlorobenzene, semen quality and testicular cancer risk.

PURPOSE: We carried out a case-control study to investigate the possible role of occupational and environmental exposure to endocrine disruptors in the onset of testicular cancer (TC). METHODS: We evaluated 125 TC patients and 103 controls. Seminal fluid examination and organochlorine analysis were performed in all subjects. Cases and controls were also interviewed using a structured questionnaire to collect demographic information, residence, andrological medical history and dietary information. RESULTS: We found that a higher level of reproductive tract birth defects was associated with a higher risk of TC. With regard to diet, cases reported a higher consumption of milk and dairy products than controls. Overall, there was a statistically significant increase in TC risk in cases with detectable values of total polychlorinated organic compounds against controls (14.4 vs. 1.0 %; p < 0.001). TC patients with detectable levels of organochlorines had lower mean semen parameters than those with undetectable levels, although this difference was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: The International Agency for Research on Cancer recently included dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in Group 1 of known human carcinogens. Our study confirmed and identified various risk factors for testicular cancer: cryptorchidism, consumption of milk and dairy products, parents' occupation and serum concentration of hexachlorobenzene and PCBs and, for the first time, we showed the correlation between semen quality and the serum concentration of these pollutants.

Towards a smoke-free hospital: how the smoking status of health professionals influences their knowledge, attitude and clinical activity. Results from a hospital in central Italy.

OBJECTIVES: In Italy, the prevalence of smoking among health professionals is higher than in the general population and this might hamper their role in the promotion of health. This study aimed to investigate how the smoking status of healthcare professionals might influence knowledge, attitudes and clinical practice in a hospital in central Italy in order to enforce effective tobacco control measures. METHODS: Physicians and professionals of the hospital were asked to complete an anonymous questionnaire which yielded epidemiological and environmental information on knowledge, attitude, clinical practice and quality of the hospital environments, in relation to smoking. RESULTS: Overall, among the employees of the hospital, the smoking prevalence was 47%, (42% among physicians and 43% among nurses); 30% admitted smoking in the hospital and three quarters of the smokers would like to quit. Some knowledge, opinions and attitudes differ statistically among the smoking categories. For example, only 35% of the smokers admitted that smoking is more dangerous to health than atmospheric and car pollution compared with 60% of the ex or never smokers (p=0.04). Fewer smokers realize that their behavior is seen as a role model by patients. A greater percentage of smokers state that patients (34%) and visitors (43%) often smoke in hospital and these percentages are significantly higher than those reported by ex or never smokers (p≤0.05). All smokers claim that they never smoke in patient rooms, infirmaries and clinics, whereas over 20% of ex or never smokers report that smoking sometimes occurs in these places (p=0.015). The mean concentration of PM 2.5 in the 25 rooms was 2.4 µg/m3 with a range from 1 to 7 µg/m3. CONCLUSIONS: This study implies that the prevalence of smoking among health professionals may be very high, and might be twice the rate observed in the general population. Generally, smokers report less knowledge compared with ex and never-smokers and it seems that they systematically underestimate the dangers related to smoking both in their knowledge and in their behavior, and try to socially "normalize" smoking. All this and the evidence of cigarette butts in hospital rooms and clinics, notwithstanding the good quality of the air thanks to the modern ventilation system, imply that there is still a long way to go towards a smoke-free hospital.

Indoor particulate matter and secondhand smoke: simulation of an exposure scenario.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate secondhand smoke (SHS) contribution on indoor Particulate Matter (PM) concentrations due to a single smoked cigarette in a real exposure scenario. METHODS: Total Suspended Particles (TSP) and sizes ≤10 (PM(10)), ≤4 (PM(4)), ≤2.5 (PM(2.5)), and ≤1 µm (PM(1)) levels were measured before, during and after smoking in an enclosed smoke-free environment. The measurement was stopped 30 minutes after extinguishing the cigarette, to focus the monitoring just on SHS. RESULTS: PM(1) concentrations dramatically increased during and 30 minutes after smoking (mean values: 21.1, 1544.0 and 279.0 µg/m3 before, during and after, respectively), while the other PM fractions remained almost unchanged. CONCLUSIONS: This experiment implies that smoking even one cigarette produces important indoor air pollution which may considerably increase individual exposure to ultrafine particles, and, consequently, pose a serious threat to health.

Features and organization of Pain Centers in the Lazio Region, Italy, in 2011.

BACKGROUND: Evidence on pain management highlights the importance of a multidisciplinary approach in order to achieve optimal therapeutic results. Such programs can be guaranteed by the Centers for Pain Management (CPMs), in which multidisciplinary teams are able to provide advanced and specialized activities for the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of chronic benign pain. To date, information related to healthcare supply and the organizational structure of these centers in Italy is incomplete. The aim of this paper was to provide an overview of the healthcare network of the CPMs in the Lazio region. METHODS: A descriptive survey was conducted in all the 37 CPMs existing in the Lazio region in 2011 of which 28 participated. RESULTS: CPMs were located either in Universities or in public or private hospital facilities. They included a clinic, a Day Hospital service, Day surgery and day-beds. CPMs were managed by anaesthesiologists who, in most instances, did not work in a multidisciplinary team. The number of other health professionals available, such as nurses, psychologists and physiotherapists, was limited. CPMs mainly provided drug therapy, Complementary Alternative Medicine (CAM) and complex interventional treatments. The median waiting time was 30 days. The clinics were not homogeneously distributed in the region with a higher concentration in Rome (56%), followed by other provinces of the Lazio region (26%) and the province of Rome (18%). Clearly, Rome was the city which offered the greatest range of healthcare services and the highest number of consultations with patients, which significantly differed from those of the other areas (χ²=19.6 p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: In 2011, the availability of CPMs was not equally distributed throughout the territory, and there was an over-utilization of the facilities in Rome and an under-utilization in the provincial areas. Moreover, this study showed a lack of a multi-professional approach to chronic pain management.

Adherence to anti-osteoporotic therapies: role and determinants of "spot therapy".

UNLABELLED: A successful therapy needs high level of adherence consisting in right drug intake in terms of persistence and compliance. Our study suggests adherence is higher if spot (less than 30 days) therapies are excluded; the analysis of spot therapy causes underlines the importance of the interpersonal aspects of medical practice. INTRODUCTION: A successful therapy needs a high level of adherence consisting in right drug intake in terms of persistence and compliance. The aim of this study was to evaluate anti-osteoporotic therapies recorded in general practitioner databases in the area of Rome, which used the same computerized medical record management. The study focused on evaluating therapy adherence, any adherence changes excluding spot therapies (less than 30 days), and any cause of early therapy discontinuation in a subgroup of patients randomly selected. METHODS: Thirty-one databases were evaluated, including a total of 6,390 anti-osteoporotic therapies: 5,853 were prescribed to women and 537 to men. The prescribed drugs were: vitamin D (13 %), calcium (8.7 %), vitamin D + calcium (40.1 %), raloxifene (3.3 %), alendronate (16.4 %), risedronate (7.7 %), clodronate (10.4 %), or other drugs (0.4 %). Spot therapies represented 53.7 % of the total prescriptions. The difference between adherence in the total group (24.64 %) and the group excluding spot therapies (43.38 %) is significant. The main factors influencing low adherence were side effects (27 %), misinformation given by the physician (17 %), insufficient motivation (9 %), difficult intake (9 %), and no perceived benefits (9 %). RESULTS: Our study suggests adherence is high and similar to other chronic diseases if spot therapies are excluded. The analysis of spot therapy causes suggests that an important role is played by the physician and the interpersonal aspects of medical practice, especially at the first prescriptions. CONCLUSIONS: The physician should collaborate with patients in choosing a personalized medical treatment. Reducing spot therapy could be the real goal in order to improve anti-osteoporotic therapy adherence.

Perception of smoke-free policies among workers in an Italian Local Health Agency: survey of opinions, knowledge and behaviours.

AIM: This study evaluated the opinions and knowledge of the Health-Care-Workers and other employees about smoking in the workplace and investigated their perceptions about the implementation and strengthening of smoke-free policies and their views of proposed smoking cessation course. METHODS: This cross-sectional study analyzed data resulting from a questionnaire administered in the Local Health Agency of Rieti (Italy). Comparisons have been made according to smoking status of participants: Ever Smokers (ES) or Never Smokers (NS). RESULTS: The study was conducted on a sample of 300 workers, the majority of whom think that the smoking ban is not observed in the workplace due to lack of respect for colleagues (59.2% of NS vs 40% of ES, p=0.022). Exposure to Secondhand smoke (SHS) is reported by 15.2% of ES and 30.3% of NS (p=0.006). About 50% of the participants think that the smoking ban has led to an improvement in the quality of interpersonal relationships. Strengthening the smoking ban through frequent inspections would be very effective according to 78% of ES and 88% of NS (p=0.043); having smoking cessation courses within the agency would be considered useful by 56% of ES and 68% of NS (p= 0.064). Relatively few respondents knew of the association between smoking and bladder cancer (35.2% of ES and 47.2% of NS, p=0.061), and asthma exacerbation (66% of ES and 77% of NS, p=0.040). Logistic regression models adjusted for age, gender, work categories and smoking status show that ES report that they are less likely to be exposed to SHS (OR= 0.42, 95% CI 0.22-0.78, p=0.006) and to think that people smoke because of lack of respect (OR= 0.46, 95% CI 0.24-0.87, p=0.018). More frequent inspections (OR= 0.50, 95% CI 0.26-0.95, p=0.037) and smoking cessation courses (OR= 0.61, 95% CI 0.37-1.00, p=0.053) are considered less effective by ES. ES are less likely to know that smoking is a cause of bladder cancer (OR= 0.54, 95% CI 0.32-0.90, p=0.019) and asthma exacerbation (OR= 0.53, 95% CI 0.31-0.92, p=0.023). Fifty-seven percent of current smokers would like to quit, but only 41% would join a cessation course in the agency. CONCLUSION: The results obtained may be used to analyze the effectiveness of tobacco control policy and programs aimed at freeing companies from smoke. Policy makers should provide the best possible protection for workers against exposure to SHS, in particular with enforcement of the smoking ban and smoking cessation courses tailored to maximize potential benefits for both workers and employers.

Electronic cigarettes: an evaluation of exposure to chemicals and fine particulate matter (PM).

The "electronic (e-)cigarette" generates intense scientific debate about its use. Its popularity is increasing worldwide as a method to reduce/quit smoking, and to smoke indoors when restrictions on smoking tobacco are present. WHO recommends caution, until its effectiveness in helping smokers is clarified, and the possible harm evaluated. The aim of this study was to assess the content of the aromatic liquid mixture and its vapour and the Particulate Matter (PM) emissions of an Italian brand of e-cigarette and to compare its PM emissions with a conventional cigarette. Propylene glycol (66%) and glycerine (24%) were main components in the liquid, while the flavouring substances were less than 0.1%. The same substances were detected in the vapour in similar proportions. Fine and ultrafine PM emissions were higher for the conventional versus the e-cigarette (e.g.: PM10=922 vs 52 microg/m3; PM1=80 vs 14 microg/m3). The e-cigarette seems to give some advantages when used instead of the conventional cigarette, but studies are still scanty: it could help smokers to cope with some of the rituals associated with smoking gestures and to reduce or eliminate tobacco consumption avoiding passive smoking. However, the e-cigarette causes exposure to different chemicals compared with conventional cigarettes and thus there is a need for risk evaluation for both e-cigarettes and passive steam exposure in smokers and non smokers.

Safety and efficacy of calcium folinate in psoriasis: an observational study.

An association between psoriasis and cardiovascular diseases has been reported, and treatment of this condition is often considered difficult because the conventional systemic therapies often show several side effects. To assess the efficacy and tolerability of a new drug, folinate calcium, to treat psoriasis, a total of 58 patients affected by active psoriasis were enrolled in a variable period study. These patients had clinically stable, plaque psoriasis involving greater than or equal 6% body surface area. Thirty of these patients were treated with folinate calcium therapy, 15 mg orally once daily, for a variable period based on each patients clinical response. The comparison was made with 28 psoriatic patients treated with conventional systemic therapies (cyclosporine, acitretin, etanercept, efalizumab, infliximab, adalimumab). A clinical improvement was observed in both group, but in the first one we did not observe any side effects, whereas some important side effects were observed in the second. These preliminary results support the effectiveness and tolerability of folinate calcium treatment in psoriasis.

Out-of-hospital helmet CPAP in acute respiratory failure reduces mortality: a study led by nurses.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Acute respiratory failure (ARF) is a condition that must be treated as quickly as possible. Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) is a common method used to treat ARF in hospital. The main objective of our study was to investigate the effect of CPAP prior to admission to the emergency room, on the reduction of endotracheal intubation, in-hospital mortality and on the length of stay in hospital (HLOS). METHODS: A prospective, observational (non-randomised) study with a historical control group. Data from 3 groups of patients with ARF, irrespective of cause, was collected: pre-hospital CPAP (PHCPAP) group, i.e., 35 patients treated with a helmet CPAP in the ambulance, by trained nurses (mean age, years 80.1 +/- 7.9 SD; 14 males); hospital CPAP (HCPAP) group, i.e., 46 patients treated with helmet CPAP in the hospital emergency room (mean age 78.6 +/- 6.9 SD; 27 males), and a historical control group of 125 patients treated with medical therapy only (mean age 76.7 +/- 5.5 SD; 52 males). CPAP was delivered via a helmet interface. RESULTS: Compared with standard medical therapy, helmet CPAP (pre and in-hospital) reduced mortality by 77% (p = 0.005), while pre-hospital helmet CPAP reduced it by 94% (p = 0.011), after adjustment for age, sex, severity of clinical conditions at entry and diagnosis upon admission. HLOS was reduced, compared with standard medical therapy, by 63.5% and by 66% (adjusting for age, sex, severity of clinical conditions at entry and diagnosis at admission) with helmet CPAP (pre and in-hospital) and with helmet CPAP in the ambulance, respectively (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Treating patients with ARF of any cause, with CPAP by trained nurses, before hospital admission, is safe, reduces mortality and the length of stay needed in hospital.

Shear stress-dependent regulation of the human beta-tubulin folding cofactor D gene.

The flowing blood generates shear stress at the endothelial cell surface. The endothelial cells modify their phenotype by alterations in gene expression in response to different levels of fluid shear stress. To identify genes involved in this process, human umbilical vein endothelial cells were exposed to laminar shear stress (venous or arterial levels) in a cone-and-plate apparatus for 24 hours. Using the method of RNA arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction, we cloned a polymerase chain reaction fragment representing an mRNA species downregulated by arterial compared with venous shear stress (shear stress downregulated gene-1, SSD-1). According to Northern blot analysis, corresponding SSD-1 cDNA clones revealed a similar, time-dependent downregulation after 24 hours of arterial shear stress compared with venous shear stress or static controls. Three SSD-1 mRNA species of 2.8, 4.1, and 4.6 kb were expressed in a tissue-specific manner. The encoded amino acid sequence of the human endothelial SSD-1 isoform (4.1-kb mRNA species) revealed 80.4% identity and 90.9% homology to the bovine ss-tubulin folding cofactor D (tfcD) gene. Downregulation of tfcD mRNA expression by shear stress was defined at the level of transcription by nuclear run-on assays. The tfcD protein was downregulated by arterial shear stress. The shear stress-dependent downregulation of tfcD mRNA and protein was attenuated by the NO synthase inhibitor Nomega-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester. Furthermore, the NO donor DETA-NO downregulated tfcD mRNA. Because tfcD was shown to be a microtubule-destabilizing protein, our data suggest a shear stress-dependent regulation of the microtubular dynamics in human endothelial cells.

Sunscreen use, wearing clothes, and number of nevi in 6- to 7-year-old European children. European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Melanoma Cooperative Group.

BACKGROUND: Previous epidemiologic studies have suggested that sunscreen use is associated with an increased risk of melanoma skin cancer. Because high nevi (mole) count in adults is a strong predictor of melanoma, we conducted a study examining the number of nevi in 6- to 7-year-old European children, according to their sunscreen use. METHODS: Whole-body and site-specific counts of nevi 2 mm or larger were performed in 631 children in their first year of primary school in four European cities. Independently, parents were interviewed regarding sun exposure, sunscreen use, and physical sun protection of their child. RESULTS: After adjustment for sun exposure and host characteristics (e.g., skin phototype, eye color), the relative risk for high nevus count on the trunk was 1.68 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.09-2.59) for the highest level of sunscreen use and 0.59 (95% CI = 0.36-0.97) for the highest level of wearing of clothes while in the sun. The sun protection factor had no effect on nevus counts despite a high median value of 17.4. Sunburn number was not associated with nevus count. The highest risk associated with sunscreen use was found among children who had never experienced sunburn. CONCLUSIONS: In white, European children, sunscreen use appears to be associated with development of nevi, probably because it allows longer sun exposures. Wearing clothes may be an effective way to prevent proliferation of nevi. Since a high nevus count is a strong predictor of melanoma, sunscreen use may be involved in melanoma occurrence because it may encourage recreational sun exposure.

Clusterin gene expression in apoptotic MDCK cells is dependent on the apoptosis-inducing stimulus.

Clusterin (Apolipoprotein J, complement lysis inhibitor) is a widely expressed multifunctional glycoprotein. The expression of clusterin mRNA has been reported to be elevated in a broad spectrum of apoptotic or degenerative tissues. More recently, it was shown that within these tissues clusterin is expressed in the surviving rather than in the dying cells, and that clusterin gene expression is actually down-regulated in the apoptotic cells. We have studied the expression of the clusterin gene in apoptotic MDCK cells. Cell death was initiated by three different stimuli: application of the steroid hormone antagonist RU 486, activation of protein kinase C by the application of the phorbol ester TPA, and--since clusterin is involved in lipid and cholesterol transport--perturbation of cell membranes by cholesterol. We show that clusterin gene expression is repressed in cells undergoing apoptosis in response to the application of RU 486 and TPA, but is unchanged in cells in which apoptosis has been triggered by cholesterol treatment.

Deformation-induced endothelin B receptor-mediated smooth muscle cell apoptosis is matrix-dependent.

To maintain normal blood flow, pressure overload in both arteries and veins requires a structural adaptation of the vessel wall (remodelling) that involves smooth muscle cell (SMC) hypertrophy and/or hyperplasia. Due to its potent vasoconstrictor and growth-promoting effects, endothelin-1 (ET-1) is a likely candidate to initiate and/or promote remodelling in blood vessels exposed to a chronic increase in blood pressure. To test this hypothesis, isolated segments of the rabbit carotid artery and jugular vein were perfused at different levels of intraluminal pressure. In both types of segments, pressure overload (160 and 20 mmHg, respectively) resulted in an increase in endothelial prepro-ET-1 and SMC endothelin B receptor (ETB-R) expression. Moreover, in pressurised segments from the carotid artery an ETB-R antagonist-sensitive increase in SMC apoptosis in the media was observed, while in the vein medial SMC started to proliferate. Isolated SMC from these rabbit blood vessels as well as from the aorta and vena cava of the rat, when cultured on a collagen or laminin matrix, uniformly revealed an ETB-R-mediated increase in apoptosis upon exposure to mechanical deformation plus exogenous ET-1 (10 nmol/L). However, when grown on a fibronectin matrix, the cultured SMC did not respond with an increase in apoptosis under otherwise identical experimental conditions. These findings suggest that deformation-induced activation of the endothelin system in the vessel wall not only plays a crucial role in remodelling, but that the structural components of the vessel wall, in particular the cell-matrix interaction, determine how SMC respond phenotypically to these changes in gene expression.

Long-term follow-up in atrophic body gastritis patients: atrophy and intestinal metaplasia are persistent lesions irrespective of Helicobacter pylori infection.

BACKGROUND: Long-term outcome of atrophic body gastritis has not yet been defined. AIM: To investigate at long-term follow-up the behaviour of atrophy and intestinal metaplasia and the occurrence of neoplastic lesions in atrophic body gastritis patients. METHODS: Overall 106 atrophic body gastritis patients with > or = 4-year follow-up were studied; 38 were Helicobacter pylori-positive at histology + serology and cured of infection (group A), 36 were positive at serology and not treated (group B) and 32 were H. pylori-negative (group C). Patients underwent gastroscopy with antral (n = 3) and body (n = 3) biopsies for histology according to the Sydney System. RESULTS: At 6.7-year follow-up body atrophy and intestinal metaplasia remained unchanged in all 106 patients irrespective of H. pylori status. Antral atrophy was significantly increased at follow-up only in group C, whereas antral intestinal metaplasia was unchanged in all three groups. During follow-up eight (8%) patients developed neoplastic lesions (one adenocarcinoma, one adenoma with low-grade dysplasia and six low-grade dysplasia without endoscopic lesions). Antral atrophic gastritis was present at baseline in all but one (88%) of the eight patients with neoplastic lesions, but only in 15 (15%) of the 98 patients without (P < 0.0001, RR = 26.7). CONCLUSIONS: Atrophy and intestinal metaplasia persist at 6.7-year follow-up and atrophic body gastritis patients with panatrophic gastritis are at increased risk of developing neoplastic lesions.