Treating secondary malignant neoplasms: A burden of childhood cancer survivors.

Each year approximately 35,000 children and adolescents are diagnosed with cancer in Europe. Five-year survival rates have improved and now reach 80% in most European countries, thanks to a combination of chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery. To date, there are more than 44,000 Italians still living several years after being diagnosed with cancer in developmental age. The risk of premature morbidity and mortality for cancer survivors is well known and documented. Approximately 60% of survivors of cancer in childhood and adolescence have at least one chronic health condition in later life, and more than one in four develop severe or life-threatening disorders. Among the various long-term iatrogenic sequelae of cancer treatments, the most worrisome are second malignant neoplasms. We reported on our mono-institutional experiences of screening and treating secondary breast cancer, secondary thyroid cancer and secondary osteosarcoma. Recommendations on the surveillance needed for cancer survivors because of the risk of late effects of their disease or its treatment suggest that discussing the potential problems early on can be crucial to a patient's future health. These considerations and our consolidated experience strengthen our conviction that survivors of cancer in childhood and adolescence who develop second malignant neoplasms should be treated at highly-specialized centers. Multidisciplinary care requires close communications and high levels of up-to-date professional expertise. This challenging area of health care is also changing rapidly because cancer survivorship is a work in progress, but we cannot wait for definitive conclusions on many aspects because this will take decades, especially for pediatric patients.

Two-Loop Four-Fermion Scattering Amplitude in QED.

We present the first fully analytic evaluation of the transition amplitude for the scattering of a massless into a massive pair of fermions at the two-loop level in quantum electrodynamics. Our result is an essential ingredient for the determination of the electromagnetic coupling within scattering reactions, beyond the currently known accuracy, which has a crucial impact on the evaluation of the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon. It will allow, in particular, for a precise determination of the leading hadronic contribution to the (g-2)_{µ} in the MUonE experiment at CERN, and therefore can be used to shed light on the current discrepancy between the standard model prediction and the experimental measurement for this important physical observable.

Acaricidal activity of the hexanic and hydroethanolic extracts of three medicinal plants against southern cattle tick Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus (Acari: Ixodidae).

The southern cattle tick Rhipicephalus microplus is a major problem for the cattle industry in tropical and subtropical areas worldwide. Chemical products are commonly applied to control it; however, their indiscriminate use has resulted in the appearance of resistant lineages. In the last decades, plants have been used as an alternative to conventional acaricidal drugs, as several plant compounds repel activity, decrease the reproductive potential and reduce the survival rate of ticks. For this reason, the in vitro efficacy of hexanic and hydroalcoholic extracts of Randia aculeata, Moringa oleifera and Carica papaya were evaluated against the larvae and engorged females of R. microplus. Larval packet tests and adult immersion tests were performed with seven concentrations of each of the extracts. The extracts obtained with hydroethanolic solution (polar solvent) exhibited a higher acaricidal activity than extracts prepared with n-hexane (non-polar solvent). Hydroethanolic extracts of R. aculeata seed and shell showed the highest larvicidal activity against R. microplus (100 and 91% mortality, respectively) at a concentration of 100 mg/mL. Randia aculeata (seed and shell), M. oleifera and C. papaya treatments at the same concentration (100 mg/mL) also resulted in adult mortality of 85, 75, 66 and 55%, respectively. The adult immersion test showed that hydroethanolic extracts derived from R. aculeata seed significantly reduced the index of egg laying and increased the percentage inhibition of oviposition of female ticks at a concentration of 100 mg/mL. These results indicate that the tested extracts exhibit acaricidal activity and could be considered as potential agents for the development of alternative natural acaricides against R. microplus.

Influence of oceanic and climate conditions on the early life history of European seabass Dicentrarchus labrax.

Understanding how marine fish early-life history is affected in the long-term by environmental and oceanographic factors is fundamental given its importance to population dynamics and connectivity. This work aimed at determining the influence of these processes on the interannual variability in hatch day and early-life growth patterns of European seabass, over a seven-year period (2011-2017) in the Atlantic Iberian coast. To accomplish this, otolith microstructure analysis was used to determine seabass hatch day and to develop early-growth correlations. In most years, hatching occurred from February to April, with two exceptions: in 2012, hatching started in early-January, and in 2016 an exceptionally long hatching period was registered. Using generalized additive models (GAM), we observed that sea surface temperature (SST), the North Atlantic Oscillation index (NAOi) and Chlorophyll-a (Chla) were the main drivers behind the inter-annual variability in seabass hatch day. Analysis of correlations between growth increments allowed assessing important periods of seabass growth and how future growth is affected. Since seawater temperature is among the main drivers for seabass recruitment and growth, its life cycle may be hampered due to ocean warming and an increasingly unstable climate, with consequences for the natural marine stocks and their harvest.

Extensor hallucis longus tendon and soft-tissue reconstruction with palmaris longus tendon included in a radial forearm free flap: A case report.

Reconstruction of foot structures is challenging because of the need to restore both anatomy and function. Extensor hallucis longus (EHL) excision without reconstruction could result in a flexion deformity of the toe at the interphalangeal joint. In this report, we present a case of the use of a palmaris longus tendon included in a fasciocutaneous radial forearm free flap to reconstruct EHL tendon and soft tissues of the distal foot dorsum. A 41-year-old woman presented with a recurrence of myxoinflammatory fibroblastic sarcoma on the medial part of the left foot dorsum. The EHL tendon was sacrificed, leaving a soft-tissue defect of 14 × 5 cm and 14-cm tendon gap. A 14 × 5 cm radial forearm flap with a 16-cm section of palmaris longus tendon was harvested from the left forearm. Radial artery and its comitant vein were anastomosed with dorsalis pedis artery and vein. EHL tendon repair was performed from the composite mass to the proximal and distal stumps. No complication in the postoperative period occurred. At latest follow-up, 12 months postoperatively, the patient showed a normal joint function and was satisfied with the treatment. Palmaris longus tendon included in a radial forearm free flap could be recommended for combined soft tissue and tendon defects, particularly on the foot dorsum.

Características físicas e microbiológicas de compostagem de resíduos animais / Physical and microbiological characteristics process of composting waste from animals

Objetivou-se com o presente trabalho caracterizar o processo de compostagem de fluxo contínuo e aeração passiva de resíduos da produção e abate da caprino-ovinocultura e de seu composto orgânico gerado. O processo de compostagem utilizou resíduos sólidos provenientes da produção e do abate de caprinos e ovinos e foi realizado em galpão de alvenaria. Os resíduos agropecuários utilizados incluíram sobras de capim-elefante triturado seco, poda de árvores, esterco e carcaça de caprinos e ovinos. Os tratamentos empregados foram três níveis de umidade aplicados nas leiras de compostagem (30, 50 e 70% com base no peso da carcaça dos animais) e épocas do ano de montagem (período seco, transição e úmido) com base na precipitação, com três repetições. As variáveis avaliadas foram atributos químicos, físicos, microbiológicos e parasitológicos do composto e sua comparação com a legislação vigente. O composto orgânico gerado atende as especificações das legislações utilizadas para comparação. Independentemente da época do ano ou da umidade aplicada, o processo de compostagem foi eficiente em reduzir passivos ambientais, como carcaças. A compostagem promoveu a eliminação dos patógenos avaliados, indicando que o composto não oferece risco de transmissão e pode ser utilizado de forma segura.(AU)

The objective of this study to characterize the process of continuous flow of composting and passive aeration of waste production and slaughter the goat and sheep industry and its generated organic compound. The composting process, performed in a brick barn, used solid residues (manure and carcass parts) from the slaughter of goats and sheep along with chopped dry elephant grass and tree trimmings. The treatments employed three moisture levels in the piles and four collections of samples from the piles at timed intervals (0, 30, 60 and 120 days), with three repetitions. The variables evaluated were the chemical and physical attributes of the compost generated. The treatments were three moisture levels applied in compost piles (30, 50 and 70% based on the housing of animals) and assembly times of the year (dry, transitional and humid) based on rainfall, with three replications. The variables were chemical, physical, microbiological and parasitological of the compound and its comparison with current legislation. The generated organic compound meets the specifications of the laws used for comparison. Regardless of the time of year or moisture applied, the composting process was effective in reducing environmental liabilities as carcasses. Composting promoted elimination of this pathogen, indicating that the compound can be used safely.(AU)

Cardiac arrhythmias in stroke unit patients. Evaluation of the cardiac monitoring data. / Arritmias cardiacas en la unidad de ictus: análisis de los datos de la monitorización cardiaca.

INTRODUCTION: Cardiac arrhythmias are frequent in acute stroke. Stroke units are widely equipped with cardiac monitoring systems. Pre-existing heart diseases and heart-brain interactions may be implicated in causing cardiac arrhythmias in acute stroke. This article analyses cardiac arrhythmias detected in patients hospitalised in a stroke unit. METHOD: Prospective observational study of consecutive patients admitted to a stroke unit with cardiac monitoring. We collected clinical data from patients and the characteristics of their cardiac arrhythmias over a 1-year period (2013). Time of arrhythmia onset, associated predisposing factors, and the therapeutic decisions made after detection of arrhythmia were examined. All patients underwent continuous cardiac monitoring during no less than 48hours. RESULTS: Of a total of 332 patients admitted, significant cardiac arrhythmias occurred in 98 patients (29.5%) during their stay in the stroke unit. Tachyarrhythmia (ventricular tachyarrhythmias, supraventricular tachyarrhythmias, complex ventricular ectopy) was present in 90 patients (27.1%); bradyarrhythmia was present in 13 patients (3.91%). Arrhythmias were independently associated with larger size of brain lesion and older age. In 10% of the patient total, therapeutic actions were taken after detection of significant cardiac arrhythmias. Most events occurred within the first 48hours after stroke unit admission. CONCLUSIONS: Systematic cardiac monitoring in patients with acute stroke is useful for detecting clinically relevant cardiac arrhythmias. Incidence of arrhythmia is higher in the first 48hours after stroke unit admission. Age and lesion size were predicted appearance of arrhythmias. Detection of cardiac arrhythmias in a stroke unit has important implications for treatment.

Covalent functionalization of N-doped graphene by N-alkylation.

Nitrogen doped graphene was modified by N-alkylation using a combination of phase transfer catalysis and microwave irradiation. The resulting derivatives of N-doped graphene were analysed showing that the bandgap of the material varied depending on the alkylation agent used.

Characterization of CD28, CTLA4, and ICOS polymorphisms in three Brazilian ethnic groups.

Costimulatory molecules CD28, CTLA-4 (cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen-4), and ICOS (inducible costimulator) genes lie within the 300-kb chromosome region 2q33. CD28, CTLA-4, and ICOS have been described to be important regulators of T-cell activation. With the objective to study ethnic variations in allelic frequencies and linkage disequilibrium (LD) patterns, we genotyped CD28 intron 3 (+17 T>C), CTLA4 promoter (-319 C>T), CTLA4 exon 1 (+49 A>G), and ICOS 3' UTR (1564 T>C) polymorphisms in white (n = 103), mulatto (n = 97), and black (n = 79) Brazilian healthy individuals. No significant deviations from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium were found in any of the population samples. A higher frequency of CD28 +17 C allele was detected in white (27%) in comparison with mulatto (15%) and black (13%) (p = 0.005) populations. LD between CD28 +17 C and CTLA4 -319 T alleles was observed in whites (p < 0.0001), mulattos (p = 0.0001), and blacks (p = 0.0002).

Carrot DNA-methyltransferase is encoded by two classes of genes with differing patterns of expression.

In the present study, the isolation and characterization of two distinct cDNAs that code for carrot DNA (cytosine-5)-methyltransferase (DNA-METase) are reported. The screening of a cDNA library with a carrot genomic DNA fragment, previously obtained by PCR using degenerate primers, has led to the isolation of clones that belong to two distinct classes of genes (Met1 and Met2) which differ in sequence and size. Met1-5 and Met2-21 derived amino acid sequences are more than 85% identical for most of the polypeptide and completely diverge at the N-terminus. The larger size of the Met2-21 cDNA is due to the presence of nearly perfect fivefold repeat of a 171 bp sequence present only once in the Met1-5 cDNA. Northern and in situ hybridization analyses with young carrot plants and somatic embryos indicate that both genes are maximally expressed in proliferating cells (suspension cells, meristems and leaf primordia), but differ quantitatively and spatially in their mode of expression. Polyclonal antibodies were raised in rabbit using fusion proteins corresponding to the regulatory and catalytic regions of the most highly expressed gene (Met1-5). In nuclear carrot extracts, both antibodies were found to recognize a band of about 200 kDa along with some additional bands of lower size. These results provide the first direct demonstration that DNA-METases of a higher eukaryote are encoded by a gene family.

Caixas: segmento de impacto da automaçäo bancária / Tellers: segment of impact in bank automation

O processo de trabalho nos bancos vem sofrendo profundas e rápidas modificaçöes, decorrentes da progressiva informatizaçäo e paralelas modificaçöes na organizaçäo do trabalho. As repercussöes destas transformaçöes nas condiçöes de trabalho e na saúde dos empregados têm sido objeto de estudos e pesquisas em nível internacional e em nosso meio. Recentemente, pesquisa sobre o perfil dos empregados em bancos,realizada pelo Iades, inclui questöes sobre saúde. Este artigo analisa a realçäo saúde/trabalho no segmento dos caixas bancários, com base no estudo desse posto de trabalho e nos dados de morbidade da pesquisa Iades

[Operator exposure levels in nuclear medicine studies]. / Livelli di esposizione dell'operatore in alcune indagini di medicina nucleare.

In diagnostic examinations performed in nuclear medicine, radio-isotopes with a relatively short half-life are used, the quantity varying according to the type of examination. After administration of the labelled substance, the patient becomes a large source of ionizing radiations. During the course of a scintigraphic examination, the operator is obliged to go near the couch to assist the patient in the positions and will therefore inevitably be in this radiation field. The paper reports the radio-activity levels recorded at gonad and eye levels of the operator in positions most frequently held during the course of the most commonly performed scintigraphic examinations using a G.E. STARCAM 500 A gamma-camera.