Moderate physical activity during neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer patients: effect on cancer-related inflammation and pathological complete response-the Neo-Runner study.

BACKGROUND: Physical activity (PA) reduces the risk of developing breast cancer (BC) and mortality rate in BC patients starting PA after diagnosis. Immunomodulation is considered responsible for these effects. However, limited data exist on the immunomodulation induced by moderate PA (mPA) during neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT). We have investigated the longitudinal change of cytokines during NACT alone or combined with mPA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-three cytokines were analyzed in BC patients at consecutive timepoints: at baseline (T0), before starting mPA (T1), before surgery (T2), and after surgery (T3). mPA consisted of 3-weekly brisk-walking sessions for 9-10 consecutive weeks. RESULTS: Ninety-two patients were assessed: 21 patients refused mPA (untrained) and 71 agreed (trained). At T1, NACT induced significant up-regulation of interleukin (IL)-5, IL-6, IL-15, chemokine ligand (CCL)-2, interferon-γ, and C-X-C motif ligand (CXCL)-10 and reduction of expression of IL-13 and CCL-22. At T2, NACT and mPA induced up-regulation of IL-21, CCL-2, and tumor necrosis factor-α and reduction of expression of IL-8, IL-15, vascular endothelial growth factor, and soluble interleukin 6 receptor. Only CXCL-10 increased in untrained patients. A cytokine score (CS) was created to analyze, all together, the changes between T1 and T2. At T2 the CS decreased in trained and increased in untrained patients. We clustered the patients using cytokines and predictive factors and identified two clusters. The cluster A, encompassing 90% of trained patients, showed more pathological complete response (pCR) compared to the cluster B: 78% versus 22%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: mPA interacts with NACT inducing CS reduction in trained patients not observed in untrained patients, suggesting a reduction of inflammation, notwithstanding chemotherapy. This effect may contribute to the higher rate of pCR observed in the cluster A, including most trained patients.

[Report on the incidence of accidents and occupational diseases in the sector of waste disposal]. / Rapporto sulla frequenza degli infortuni e delle malattie professionali nel settore smaltimento dei rifiuti.

Waste management is continuously evolving, moreover, lack of resources and environmental hygiene issues have given more importance to recycling, establishing the basis of an increased risk in these workers. The aim of this study was to provide a description of occupational health of Italian waste workers in order to highlight key points for ad hoc interventions. Data about injuries and professional disease were extracted from the Italian National Labour Insurance Institute (INAIL) Waste work is a well-known cause of occupational accidents, however occupational disease appear to be less-known with many "unclassified" events. While new researches are needed in order to clarify these emerging issues, education could be the key to assure the waste workers health safety.

[Body mass index in shift workers: relation to diet and physical activity]. / BMI nei lavoratori a turni in relazione alle abitudini alimentari ed all'attività fisica.

UNLABELLED: Many studies investigated adverse effects of rotating shift work, deriving from modifications of circadian rhythms and alimentary behaviours. This may cause the disregulation of glycolipidic metabolism and of insulin secretion, and the development of central obesity. We conducted the present study in order to assess the differences in body mass index (BMI) between day and shift workers, in relation to diet quality and physical activity. DESIGN AND METHODS: The study included 341 male subjects (165 day workers and 176 shift workers). Body weight, height, BMI, waist and hip circumferences were measured. Physical activity and diet quality were assessed by self-reported questionnaires. RESULTS: Shift workers had higher BMI than day workers (27.6 +/- 3.9 vs 26.7 +/- 3.6), and this correlation persisted after adjustment for age. The diet quality was better in shift workers and the level of physical activity was similar in the two groups. DISCUSSION: The results of this study indicate that shift work is an independent risk factors in the development of overweight and central obesity. In fact, although the diet quality was even better in shift workers, and the level of physical activity was similar between day and shift workers, we found that shift workers had higher BMI.

[Low back pain in VDT operators: importance of sports activities]. / Disturbi muscoloscheletrici lombari in addetti al VDT: influenza dell'attività sportiva svolta nel tempo libero.

Video display terminal (VDT) operators are required to maintain a sitting position for extended periods of time. This transverse study assessed the prevalence of lumbar musculoskeletal disorders (low back pain, LBP) in a population of VDT operators and related results to occupational factors and other interfering variables. Data were collected using questionnaires administered to 210 public employees. LBP was defined and evaluated using the Standardized Nordic Questionnaire. The prevalence of LBP was 58.4%; it correlated significantly with the female sex, spinal disorders, sleep disturbances and stress levels. There was a significant negative correlation with exercise and sports activities and with leisure time computer use. Multiple logistic regression adjusted for age and body mass index yielded an LBP odds ratio of 0.19 (C.I.95% 0.07-0.51) for sport-practicing subjects. At least one hour of exercise weekly was the cut-off for a significant reduction in LBP prevalence. The proportion of lumbar musculoskeletal symptoms was not significantly different in VDT operators and the general population. None of the occupational variables considered correlated with development of LBP. The occupational physician should recommend VDT operators to devote some leisure time to exercise.

DNA methylation silences miR-132 in prostate cancer.

Silencing of microRNAs (miRNAs) by promoter CpG island methylation may be an important mechanism in prostate carcinogenesis. To screen for epigenetically silenced miRNAs in prostate cancer (PCa), we treated prostate normal epithelial and carcinoma cells with 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (AZA) and subsequently examined expression changes of 650 miRNAs by megaplex stemloop reverse transcription-quantitative PCR. After applying a selection strategy, we analyzed the methylation status of CpG islands upstream to a subset of miRNAs by methylation-specific PCR. The CpG islands of miR-18b, miR-132, miR-34b/c, miR-148a, miR-450a and miR-542-3p showed methylation patterns congruent with their expression modulations in response to AZA. Methylation analysis of these CpG islands in a panel of 50 human prostate carcinoma specimens and 24 normal controls revealed miR-132 to be methylated in 42% of human cancer cases in a manner positively correlated to total Gleason score and tumor stage. Expression analysis of miR-132 in our tissue panel confirmed its downregulation in methylated tumors. Re-expression of miR-132 in PC3 cells induced cell detachment followed by cell death (anoikis). Two pro-survival proteins-heparin-binding epidermal growth factor and TALIN2-were confirmed as direct targets of miR-132. The results of this study point to miR-132 as a methylation-silenced miRNA with an antimetastatic role in PCa controlling cellular adhesion.

The value of computerized tomography in delineating suprasellar extension of pituitary adenoma for radiotherapeutic management.

Radiotherapy plays a major role in the management of pituitary adenomas, either as a surgical adjunct or as the primary form of treatment. Small field precision techniques are utilized. The ability to employ limited field therapy and produce local control rates of 80--90% demands precise tumor localization. The extrasellar extension of pituitary adenomas has classically been demonstrated on angiographic and pneumoencephalographic examinations. Direct superior extension is accurately delineated by these examinations; lateral extension, however, is not and the total anterior-posterior extent of the tumor may be underestimated. The addition of computerized tomography significantly increases the information available in the assessment of tumor extension and the subsequent accuracy of treatment planning for radiotherapeutic purposes.

Short fat questionnaire: a self-administered measure of fat-intake behaviour.

A brief questionnaire has been developed to measure behaviour related to dietary fat intake. It is self-administered and self-coded. Mean completion time is about three minutes. Criterion validity was assessed by comparison with a well-established food frequency questionnaire using 124 adults from Newcastle and Sydney. The correlations with the questionnaire scores were: r = 0.55 for total fat as a percentage of total energy, r = 0.67 for saturated fat as a percentage of total energy, and r = 0.44 for polyunsaturated to saturated fat ratio. Reproducibility was assessed by re-use by 25 subjects after seven to nine months (r = 0.85). When used in a community survey of other 300 randomly chosen people in the Hunter Region, the mean scores for men and for women and among different age groups were significantly different. The questionnaire was strongly associated with other scales measuring attitudes, behaviour and knowledge related to low-fat diets. The questionnaire appears suitable for rapid self-assessment by subjects, and as it directs their attention to aspects of their diet which might need improvement, it could be used for health education. It might also be used for epidemiological studies to rank subjects broadly according to their fat-intake behaviour.

Community worry about heart disease: a needs survey in the Coalfields and Newcastle areas of the Hunter region.

A needs survey was administered by mail in the Coalfields area of the Hunter region (a lower socioeconomic area around Cessnock) and in a higher socioeconomic area of Newcastle. The purpose was to assist planning for Coalfields Healthy Heartbeat--a community-action heart disease prevention program. Response rates from random samples of residents were 435/897 (49 per cent) for the Coalfields and 565/875 (65 per cent) for Newcastle. In both study areas heart attack was ranked eleventh from a list of 17 potential community worries, well below drugs, crime, road safety, the environment, cancer and 'loss of health'. Coalfields respondents were more worried about all issues on the list than were the residents in Newcastle and were less likely to have heard about recent health promotion campaigns. Coalfields respondents felt that heart disease prevention was the responsibility of the individual, the family, and the medical profession, in that order, and much less the responsibility of local community groups. Results suggest that health promotion strategies incorporating values, language and symbols that are meaningful to distinct subgroups may be more successful than disease-specific programs aimed at the general population.

Hipercolesterolemia y factores de riesgo asociados ambulatorio urbano II "Dr. Leonardo Ruíz Pineda II, San Agustín del Sur, Caracas, Venezuela: año 2002 / Hypercholesterolemia and associate risk factors, urban ambulatory II Dr. Leonardo Ruiz Pineda II San Agustin South, Caracas Venezuela year 2002

La hipercolesterolemia es uno de los principales factores de riesgo cardiovascular modificables. El presente estudio se realizó en el ambulatorio Leonardo Ruiz Pineda II, para determinar los factores de riesgo asociados a hipercolesterolemia, de los pacientes de ambos sexos, entre las edades de 20 a 85 años, que acuden a este centro. La metodología utilizada fue una investigación descriptiva mediante corte transversal, obteniendo la muestra a través de jornadas procurando una buena representatividad y llenando la encuesta de factores de riesgo cardiovascular de la Sociedad Venezolana de Cardiología. Se tomó peso,talla, presión arterial, glicemia y colesterol. Se encontró una asociación directa y significativa entre la prevalencia de hipercolesterolemia y las de: hipertensión arterial, sobrepeso u obesidad, de nivel bastante alta para las dos primeras y moderado para diabetes. En el grupo de menores de 30 años hubo mayor prevalencia de hipertensión, diabetes y sobrepeso u obesidad en el sexo masculino que en el femenino. En el grupo de mayores de 30 años, hubo mayor prevalencia de hipertensión arterial y sobrepeso u obesidad en el sexo femenino mientras la hipercolesterolemia fue mayor en el sexo masculino. Para ambos sexos se aprecia un incremento notable de la presencia de todos los factores de riesgo en el grupo etario de más de 30. Las frecuencias para los factores de riesgo difieren significativamente de las halladas en la consulta así como la odd ratio para obesidad e hipercolesterolemia

Prevalencia de presión arterial elevada y otros factores de riesgo de enfermedad cardiovascular en trabajadores de cafetines de la Universidad Central de Venezuela (ciudad universitaria) / Prevalence high blood pressure and others risk factors of cardiovascular disease in workers of cafe the cafeterias the Universidad Central de Venezuela (university city)

Se realizó un estudio transversal en una muestra de 100 sujetos, trabajadores de cafetines de la Universidad Central de Venezuela, en la cual predonimó el sexo masculino con el 62 por ciento y frente a 38 por ciento del femenino, con media 35+6 años de antiguedad en el oficio; el 72 por ciento tenían oficio de cocinero, "lonchero" y personal de limpieza y el 28 por ciento de cajero y personal administrativo o gerencial. En su mayoría el nivel de enseñanza fue de 7° año o menos. La prevalencia de la presión arterial elevada fue de 33 por ciento y presión de pulso elevada 46.7 por ciento. La media de la presión sistólica, ajustada a la edad, en personas con más de 5 años en el oficio (135 Hg./mm) estaba significativamente aumentada