Arsenic Methyltransferase and Apolipoprotein E Polymorphism in Pregnant Women Exposed to Inorganic Arsenic in Drinking Water in Western Romania.

Previous studies have shown that inorganic arsenic (iAs) exposure may be associated with genotoxic and cytotoxic effects. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between several polymorphisms in AS3MT and APOE genes and urinary As and the relationship between these polymorphisms and pregnancy loss. We determined urinary As concentrations and performed genotyping analysis in 50 cases of spontaneous pregnancy loss and 50 controls, matched to cases on gestational age. The most frequently identified AS3MT polymorphisms in both cases and controls were in rs10748835 (80% cases and 68% controls), rs3740400 (78% cases and 64% controls), rs7085104 (74% cases and 48% controls), and rs1046778 (62% cases and 54% controls). We identified 30 different haplotypes in AS3MT SNPs, with four predominant haplotypes (>8%). Cases with Haplotype 1 had four-fold higher urinary DMA and two-fold higher MMA concentration than those without this haplotype, the MMA levels were lower in cases and controls with Haplotype 4 compared to Haplotype 1, and the DMA levels were significantly lower in cases with Haplotype 4 compared to Haplotype 3. Cases with Haplotype 1 had higher levels of all analyzed biomarkers, suggesting that Haplotype 1 may be associated with greater exposure to iAs and tobacco smoke. Our results suggest the importance of the AS3MT gene in iAs metabolism among pregnant women with low-level drinking water iAs exposure.

Targeting Cell Death Mechanism Specifically in Triple Negative Breast Cancer Cell Lines.

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is currently associated with a lack of treatment options. Arsenic derivatives have shown antitumoral activity both in vitro and in vivo; however, their mode of action is not completely understood. In this work we evaluate the response to arsenate of the double positive MCF-7 breast cancer cell line as well as of two different TNBC cell lines, Hs578T and MDA-MB-231. Multimodal experiments were conducted to this end, using functional assays and microarrays. Arsenate was found to induce cytoskeletal alteration, autophagy and apoptosis in TNBC cells, and moderate effects in MCF-7 cells. Gene expression analysis showed that the TNBC cell lines' response to arsenate was more prominent in the G2M checkpoint, autophagy and apoptosis compared to the Human Mammary Epithelial Cells (HMEC) and MCF-7 cell lines. We confirmed the downregulation of anti-apoptotic genes (MCL1, BCL2, TGFß1 and CCND1) by qRT-PCR, and on the protein level, for TGFß2, by ELISA. Insight into the mode of action of arsenate in TNBC cell lines it is provided, and we concluded that TNBC and non-TNBC cell lines reacted differently to arsenate treatment in this particular experimental setup. We suggest the future research of arsenate as a treatment strategy against TNBC.

Telomere length, arsenic exposure and risk of basal cell carcinoma of skin.

Telomere length per se a heritable trait has been reported to be associated with different diseases including cancers. In this study, based on arsenic-exposed 528 cases with basal cell carcinoma (BCC) of skin and 533 healthy controls, we investigated effect of telomere length, measured by real-time PCR, on the disease risk. We observed a statistically significant association between decreased telomere length and increased BCC risk [odds ratio (OR) = 5.92, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 3.92 to 9.01, P < 0.0001]. Due to confounder effect of arsenic exposure, in a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR), telomere length associated single-nucleotide polymorphisms as instrument variables violated valid assumptions; however, one-sample MR adjusted for arsenic exposure indicated an increased risk of BCC with short telomeres. The interaction between arsenic exposure and telomere length on BCC risk was statistically significant (P = 0.02). Within each tertile based on arsenic exposure, the individuals with shorter telomeres were at an increased risk of BCC, with highest risk being in the highest exposed group (OR = 16.13, 95% CI = 6.71 to 40.00, P < 0.0001), followed by those in medium exposure group and low exposure group. The combined effect of highest arsenic exposure and shortest telomeres on BCC risk (OR = 10.56, 95% CI = 5.14 to 21.70) showed a statistically significant departure from additivity (interaction contrast ratio 6.56, P = 0.03). Our results show that in the presence of arsenic exposure, decreased telomere length predisposes individuals to increased risk of BCC, with the effect being synergistic in individuals with highest arsenic exposure and shortest telomeres.

Biological and molecular modifications induced by cadmium and arsenic during breast and prostate cancer development.

Breast and prostate cancer are two of the most common malignancies worldwide. Both cancers can develop into hormone -dependent or -independent subtypes and are associated to environmental exposure in the context of an inherited predisposition. As and Cd have been linked to the onset of both cancers, with the exception of As, which lacks a definitive association with breast carcinogenesis. The two elements exert an opposite effect dependent on acute versus chronic exposure. High doses of As or Cd were shown to induce cell death in acute experimental exposure, while chronic exposure triggers cell proliferation and viability, which is no longer limited by telomere shortening and apoptosis. The chronically exposed cells also increase their invasion capacity and tumorigenic potential. At molecular level, malignant transformation is evidenced mainly by up-regulation of BCL-2, MMP-2, MMP-9, VIM, Snail, Twist, MT, MLH and down-regulation of Casp-3, PTEN, E-CAD, and BAX. The signaling pathways most commonly activated are KRAS, p53, TGF-ß, TNF-α, WNT, NRF2 and AKT. This knowledge could potentially raise public awareness over the health risks faced by the human population living or working in a polluted environment and smokers. Human exposure to As and Cd should be minimize as much as possible. Healthcare policies targeting people belonging to these risk categories should include analysis of: DNA damage, oxidative stress, molecular alterations, and systemic level of heavy metals and of essential minerals. In this review, we present the literature regarding cellular and molecular alterations caused by exposure to As or Cd, focusing on the malignant transformation of normal epithelial cells after long-term intoxication with these two carcinogens.

Assessment of formaldehyde levels in relation to respiratory and allergic symptoms in children from Alba County schools, Romania.

Our study assessed the exposure to formaldehyde of Romanian school children in relation to the classroom indoor environment characteristics and respiratory and allergic symptoms reported in a questionnaire survey, using the data collected in the SINPHONIE (Schools Indoor Pollution and Health: Observatory Network in Europe) project. Measurements of formaldehyde and microclimate parameters were conducted in three classrooms per school, in five schools, together with one outdoor measurement at each school. Questionnaires were used to collect information on classroom characteristics and health effects among children. The indoor formaldehyde levels for a school week varied between 15.5 and 66.2 µg/m3, with a median value of 34.8 µg/m3. The adjusted odds ratios for allergy-like, asthma-like, and flu-like symptoms were 3.23 (95% CI 1.31-8.00), 2.69 (95% CI 1.04-6.97), and 2.39 (95% CI 1.04-5.50), respectively, when exposed to higher formaldehyde levels (≥ 35 µg/m3) during a school week, compared to lower formaldehyde level exposure (< 35 µg/m3). Higher levels of indoor formaldehyde were significantly associated with health symptoms in children. The high indoor formaldehyde levels were related to the use of water-resistant paint for ceiling coverings, moisture damage signs, and lower classroom natural ventilation rates.

Assessment of heavy metals (total chromium, lead, and manganese) contamination of residential soil and homegrown vegetables near a former chemical manufacturing facility in Tarnaveni, Romania.

Our aim was to assess local population exposure to heavy metals resulting from soil and vegetable contamination in Tarnaveni, Romania, an area located near a former chemical factory. We collected residential soil and vegetable samples from Tarnaveni and measured chromium (Cr), lead (Pb), and manganese (Mn) levels by atomic absorption spectrometry. We evaluated the relationship between soil and vegetable metals and the distance from the shuttered chemical factory, and calculated the hazard index to assess local population metal exposure via contaminated vegetable ingestion. Soil metal concentrations ranged between 15.6 and 525.8 mg/kg for total Cr, between 25.4 and 559.5 mg/kg for Pb, and between 363.1 and 1389.6 mg/kg for Mn. We found average concentrations of 17.8 mg/kg for total Cr, 2.2 mg/kg for Pb, and 116.6 mg/kg for Mn in local vegetables. We found soil concentrations for all three metals that exceeded normal background levels according to Romanian regulations (Pb exceeded 100 mg/kg in some of the samples), as well as measurable concentrations of metals in all analyzed vegetable samples. These preliminary data underscore a need for a more extensive investigation into associated adverse health effects in the exposed population.

Low-level arsenic exposure via drinking water consumption and female fecundity - A preliminary investigation.

High level arsenic exposure is associated with reproductive toxicity in experimental and observational studies; however, few data exist to assess risks at low levels. Even less data are available to evaluate the impact of low level arsenic exposure on human fecundity. Our aim in this pilot study was a preliminary evaluation of associations between low level drinking water arsenic contamination and female fecundity. This retrospective study was conducted among women previously recruited to a hospital-based case-control study of spontaneous pregnancy loss in Timis County, Romania. Women (n=94) with planned pregnancies of 5-20 weeks gestation completed a comprehensive physician-administered study questionnaire and reported the number of menstrual cycles attempting to conceive as the time to pregnancy (TTP). Drinking water samples were collected from residential drinking water sources and we determined arsenic levels using hydride generation-atomic absorption spectrometry (HG-AAS). Multivariable Cox-proportional hazards regression with Efron approximation was employed to evaluate TTP as a function of drinking water arsenic concentrations among planned pregnancies, adjusted for covariates. There was no main effect for drinking water arsenic exposure, yet the conditional probability for pregnancy was modestly lower among arsenic exposed women with longer TTPs, relative to women with shorter TTPs, and relative to unexposed women. For example, 1µg/L average drinking water arsenic conferred 5%, 8%, and 10% lower likelihoods for pregnancy in the 6th, 9th, and 12th cycles, respectively (P=0.01). While preliminary, our results suggest that low level arsenic contamination in residential drinking water sources may further impair fecundity among women with longer waiting times; however, this hypothesis requires confirmation by a future, more definitive study.

Teacher respiratory health symptoms in relation to school and home environment.

PURPOSE: Few studies have evaluated teachers' respiratory health, especially its relationship with school/home environment, and school policies. This study assessed asthma and smoking prevalence among teachers in Romania, teacher's perception and knowledge of the school environment, policies and asthma management, and how school and home environment affected asthma, allergy, and respiratory infection symptoms. METHODS: This cross-sectional study obtained information from 104 Romanian teachers utilizing teacher questionnaire data for Romania only, as part of the Schools Indoor Pollution and Health: Observatory Network in Europe (SINPHONIE) study, a multicenter European research project conducted between 2010 and 2012. The SINPHONIE questionnaire collected comprehensive information on school and home environment, respiratory symptoms, smoking, and school policies. We used unconditional logistic regression analysis to examine environment-outcome relationships while controlling for socio-demographics and co-exposures. RESULTS: Our results showed the prevalence of asthma-like symptoms and smoking among teachers in Romania was higher than in other SINPHONIE schools and among US teachers. Factors statistically associated with asthma, allergy, and respiratory infection (all p < 0.05) include perception of health related to poor air quality in school, inappropriate cleaning of ventilation systems, dwelling proximity to busy traffic, and multiple school/home exposures. We also found lack of asthma management and environmental policies in the investigated Romanian schools. CONCLUSION: We concluded that multiple school and home environmental factors were related to respiratory and allergic symptoms. High asthma burden and smoking are important public health problems in Romania. Future studies including larger sample size and exposure measurements are needed to confirm our findings.

Consumption of arsenic-contaminated drinking water and anemia among pregnant and non-pregnant women in northwestern Romania.

Anemia is a global health problem. To evaluate the impact of low-moderate water arsenic exposure (mostly <10 µg/L) on anemia, we conducted a cross-sectional study of 217 Romanian women. The adjusted prevalences for 'any' anemia (prevalence proportion ratio (PPR)=1.71, 95% CI 0.75-3.88) and pregnancy anemia (PPR=2.87, 95% CI 0.62-13.26) were higher among drinking water arsenic exposed women than among unexposed women. These preliminary data underscore the need for a more definitive study in this area.

Polymorphisms in DNA repair genes XRCC1 and XRCC3, occupational exposure to arsenic and sunlight, and the risk of non-melanoma skin cancer in a European case-control study.

X-ray repair cross-complementing group 1 (XRCC1) and group 3 (XRCC3) polymorphisms are relatively frequent in Caucasian populations and may have implications in skin cancer modulation. A few studies have evaluated their association with non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC), but the results are inconsistent. In the current study, we aim to assess the impact of XRCC1 R399Q and XRCC3 T241M polymorphisms on the risk of NMSC associated with sunlight and arsenic exposure. Study participants consist of 618 new cases of NMSC and 527 hospital-based controls frequency matched on age, sex, and county of residence from Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia. Adjusted effects are estimated using multivariable logistic regression. The results indicate an increased risk of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) for the homozygous variant genotype of XRCC1 R399Q (OR 2.53, 95% CI 1.14-5.65) and a protective effect against basal cell carcinoma (BCC) for the homozygous variant genotype of XRCC3 T241M (OR 0.61, 95% CI 0.41-0.92), compared with the respective homozygous common genotypes. Significant interactions are detected between XRCC3 T241M and sunlight exposure at work, and between XRCC3 T241M and exposure to arsenic in drinking water (p-value for interaction <0.10). In conclusion, the current study demonstrates that polymorphisms in XRCC genes may modify the associations between skin cancer risk and exposure to sunlight or arsenic. Given the high prevalence of genetic polymorphisms modifying the association between exposure to environmental carcinogens and NMSC, these results are of substantial relevance to public health.

Consumption of low-moderate level arsenic contaminated water does not increase spontaneous pregnancy loss: a case control study.

BACKGROUND: Previous work suggests an increased risk for spontaneous pregnancy loss linked to high levels of inorganic arsenic (iAs) in drinking water sources (>10 µg/L). However, there has been little focus to date on the impact of low-moderate levels of iAs in drinking water (<10 µg/L). To address this data gap we conducted a hospital-based case-control study in Timis County, Romania. METHODS: We recruited women with incident spontaneous pregnancy loss of 5-20 weeks completed gestation as cases (n = 150), and women with ongoing pregnancies matched by gestational age (±1 week) as controls (n = 150). Participants completed a physician-administered questionnaire and we collected water samples from residential drinking sources. We reconstructed residential drinking water exposure histories using questionnaire data weighted by iAs determined using hydride generation-atomic absorption spectrometry (HG-AAS). Logistic regression models were used to generate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for associations between iAs exposure and loss, conditioned on gestational age and adjusted for maternal age, cigarette smoking, education and prenatal vitamin use. We explored potential interactions in a second set of models. RESULTS: Drinking water arsenic concentrations ranged from 0.0 to 175.1 µg/L, with median 0.4 µg/L and 90th%tile 9.4 µg/L. There were no statistically significant associations between loss and average or peak drinking water iAs concentrations (OR 0.98, 95% CI 0.96-1.01), or for daily iAs intake (OR 1.00, 95% CI 0.98-1.02). We detected modest evidence for an interaction between average iAs concentration and cigarette smoking during pregnancy (P = 0.057) and for daily iAs exposure and prenatal vitamin use (P = 0.085). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest no increased risk for spontaneous pregnancy loss in association with low to moderate level drinking water iAs exposure. Though imprecise, our data also raise the possibility for increased risk among cigarette smokers. Given the low exposures overall, these data should reassure pregnant women and policy makers with regard to the potential effect of drinking water iAs on early pregnancy, though a larger more definitive study to investigate the potential risk increase in conjunction with cigarette smoking is merited.

Inception cohort study of workers exposed to toluene diisocyanate at a polyurethane foam factory: initial one-year follow-up.

BACKGROUND: Isocyanates are one of the most commonly reported causes of occupational asthma; however, the risks of developing isocyanate asthma in modern production facilities remain poorly defined. We evaluated TDI exposure and respiratory health among an inception cohort of workers during their first year of employment at a new polyurethane foam production factory. METHODS: Forty-nine newly hired workers were evaluated pre-employment, 6-months, and 12-months post-employment through questionnaire, spirometry, and TDI-specific serology. Airborne TDI levels were monitored by fixed-point air sampling and limited personal sampling. Qualitative surface SWYPE™ tests were performed to evaluate potential sources of skin exposure. RESULTS: Airborne TDI levels overall were low; over 90% of fixed-point air measurements were below the limit of detection (0.1 ppb). Over the first year of employment, 12 of the 49 original workers (24.5%) were lost to follow-up, no additional workers were enrolled, and seven of the 49 original workers (14.2%) developed either new asthma symptoms (N = 3), TDI-specific IgG (N = 1), new airflow obstruction (N = 1) and/or a decline in FEV1 ≥ 15% (N = 3), findings that could indicate TDI-related health effects. The prevalence of current asthma symptoms was significantly higher in the workers lost to follow-up compared to those who completed the 12-month follow-up (25% vs. 2.7%; P = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest possible early TDI-related health effects in a modern polyurethane production plant. These findings also highlight the need for further longitudinal evaluation of these workers and the challenges of studying workers at risk for isocyanate asthma.

Differential effect of the duration of exposure on the carcinogenicity of cadmium in MCF10A mammary epithelial cells.

The carcinogenic role of cadmium (Cd2+) in breast cancer is still debatable. Current data points to duration of exposure as the most important element. In our study, we designed an in vitro model to investigate the effects of 3 weeks versus 6 weeks of low-level CdCl2 exposure on MCF10A cells. Our results demonstrated that after 3 weeks of CdCl2 exposure the cells displayed significant changes in the DNA integrity, but there was no development of malignant features. Interestingly, after 6 weeks of exposure, the cells significantly increased their invasion, migration and colony formation capacities. Additionally, MCF10A cells exposed for 6 weeks to CdCl2 had many dysregulated genes (4905 up-regulated and 4262 down-regulated). As follows, Cd-induced phenotypical changes are accompanied by a profound modification of the transcriptomic landscape. Furthermore, the molecular alterations driving carcinogenesis in MCF10A cells exposed to CdCl2 were found to be influenced by the duration of exposure, as in the case of MEG8. This long non-coding RNA was down-regulated at 3 weeks, but up-regulated at 6 weeks of exposure. In conclusion, even very low levels of Cd (0.5 µM) can have significant carcinogenic effects on breast cells in the case of subchronic exposure.

Occupational exposure to arsenic and risk of nonmelanoma skin cancer in a multinational European study.

Occupational studies show a high risk of lung cancer related to arsenic exposure by inhalation; however, only a few studies, and with conflicting results, previously examined a potential link between arsenic exposure at work and skin cancer. The aim of this study is to assess airborne arsenic exposures at the workplace and to quantify associations with nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC). The study sample consists of 618 incident cases of NMSC and 527 hospital-based controls aged 30-79 years from Hungary, Romania and Slovakia. Exposures were evaluated by local experts using occupational histories. Information on host factors and other exposures was collected and used to adjust the associations of interest using multivariable logistic regression. The lifetime prevalence of exposure to work-related arsenic is 23.9% for cases and 15.5% for controls. No significant association between arsenic exposure in the workplace and NMSC was detected, although an increased adjusted odd ratio was observed for participants with higher cumulative lifetime workplace exposure to arsenic in dust and fumes compared to referents [odds ratios (OR) = 1.94, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.76-4.95]. There is evidence for modification of the workplace arsenic-NMSC association by work-related sunlight exposure in women, with a markedly increased adjusted OR in the presence of workplace sunlight exposure (OR = 10.22, 95% CI = 2.48-42.07). Workplace coexposure to arsenic and sunlight may thus pose an increased risk of NMSC.

Health effects of air pollutant mixtures (volatile organic compounds, particulate matter, sulfur and nitrogen oxides) - a review of the literature.

The health risks associated with individual air pollutant exposures have been studied and documented, but in real-life, the population is exposed to a multitude of different substances, designated as mixtures. A body of literature on air pollutants indicated that the next step in air pollution research is investigating pollutant mixtures and their potential impacts on health, as a risk assessment of individual air pollutants may actually underestimate the overall risks. This review aims to synthesize the health effects related to air pollutant mixtures containing selected pollutants such as: volatile organic compounds, particulate matter, sulfur and nitrogen oxides. For this review, the PubMed database was used to search for articles published within the last decade, and we included studies assessing the associations between air pollutant mixtures and health effects. The literature search was conducted according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. A number of 110 studies were included in the review from which data on pollutant mixtures, health effects, methods used, and primary results were extracted. Our review emphasized that there are a relatively small number of studies addressing the health effects of air pollutants as mixtures and there is a gap in knowledge regarding the health effects associated with these mixtures. Studying the health effects of air pollutant mixtures is challenging due to the complexity of components that mixtures may contain, and the possible interactions these different components may have.

Urinary arsenic and spontaneous pregnancy loss - a hypothesis-generating case-control investigation in western Romania.

Arsenic occurs as a natural contaminant of drinking water supplies in arsenic endemic areas, posing a threat to public health. Our aim was to evaluate the relationship between urinary arsenic concentrations and spontaneous pregnancy loss in a population with low-moderate level drinking water arsenic exposure (mostly <10 µg/L). We enrolled 150 women with incident spontaneous pregnancy losses and 150 controls with ongoing pregnancies matched by gestational age. We measured arsenic species in urine using high performance liquid chromatography paired to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Urinary arsenic was not related to spontaneous pregnancy loss in conditional logistic regression models adjusted for confounding factors. However, a 10 µg/L increase in urinary arsenic (III + V) salt concentrations was associated with 8.00-fold (95% CI: 0.68, 3.35 × 105) greater odds of spontaneous loss among women using prenatal vitamins in an interaction model (P for interaction = 0.07), although the effect estimate was imprecise. In an additional interaction model, prenatal vitamin use was associated with lower odds of loss (OR = 0.30; 95% CI: 0.13, 0.66), although the association was diminished in the presence of a 10 µg/L increase in urinary inorganic arsenic (OR = 0.44; 95% CI: 0.70, 3.22). Total urinary arsenic was associated with 1.48-fold (95% CI: 0.20, 11.35) greater odds for loss among women with urinary cotinine >50 µg/L in another interaction model (P for interaction = 0.07). These results suggest a potential modest increase in the odds of pregnancy loss associated with increased total urinary arsenic among women smoking during pregnancy (urinary cotinine >50 µg/L). Prenatal vitamin use may act as a protective factor for arsenic exposure associated pregnancy loss, but appears to be less protective with increasing urinary inorganic arsenic concentrations.

Emerging roles and mechanisms of semaphorins activity in cancer.

Semaphorins are regulatory molecules that are linked to the modulation of several cancer processes, such as angiogenesis, cancer cell invasiveness and metastasis, tumor growth, as well as cancer cell survival. Semaphorin (SEMA) activity depends on the cancer histotypes and their particularities. In broad terms, the effects of SEMAs result from their interaction with specific receptors/co-receptors - Plexins, Neuropilins and Integrins - and the subsequent effects upon the downstream effectors (e.g. PI3K/AKT, MAPK/ERK). The present article serves as an integrative review work, discussing the broad implications of semaphorins in cancer, focusing on cell proliferation/survival, angiogenesis, invasion, metastasis, stemness, and chemo-resistance/response whilst highlighting their heterogeneity as a family. Herein, we emphasized that semaphorins are largely implicated in cancer progression, interacting with the tumor microenvironment components. Whilst some SEMAs (e.g. SEMA3A, SEMA3B) function widely as tumor suppressors, others (e.g. SEMA3C) act as pro-tumor semaphorins. The differences observed in terms of the biological structure of SEMAs and the particularities of each cancer histotypes require that each semaphorin be viewed as a unique entity, and its roles must be researched accordingly. A more in-depth and comprehensive view of the molecular mechanisms that promote and sustain the malignant behavior of cancer cells is of utmost importance.

Specific lifestyle factors and in vitro fertilization outcomes in Romanian women: a pilot study.

Background: Infertility is an important health concern worldwide. Although lifestyle habits and behaviors have been widely reported as predictors of IVF outcomes by previous studies, they have not been reported for Romanian women undergoing IVF. In this regard, our pilot study aimed to begin to address the data gap by assessing lifestyle predictors of in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcomes in Romanian women. Study design: Our pilot study included 35 participants who completed a first IVF cycle at a single infertility center. We evaluated individual self-reported lifestyle habits and behaviors as predictors of IVF outcomes, and employed principal component analysis (PCA) to characterize multiple lifestyle habits and behaviors into personal care product (PCP) use, and healthy diet and physical activity patterns as predictors of IVF outcomes. Results: Our PCA analysis showed that greater use of PCPs was associated with lower probabilities of pregnancy (RR: 0.92, 95% CI [0.87-0.98]) and live birth (RR: 0.94, 95% CI [0.88-1.01]) while, the healthy dietary habits and physical activity were associated with a higher likelihood of pregnancy, although without statistical significance (RR: 1.10, 95% CI [0.93-1.30]). Conclusions: In this pilot study we identified associations between IVF outcomes among Romanian women and certain lifestyle habits and behaviors including stress, diet and physical activity, and certain PCP use. We also estimated the joint effects of multiple lifestyle factors using PCA and found that PCP use, healthy dietary habits and physical activity were associated with IVF outcomes.

Development of a New Eco-Friendly Copolymer Based on Chitosan for Enhanced Removal of Pb and Cd from Water.

Worldwide, concerns about heavy metal contamination from manmade and natural sources have increased in recent decades. Metals released into the environment threaten human health, mostly due to their integration into the food chain and persistence. Nature offers a large range of materials with different functionalities, providing also a source of inspiration for scientists working in the field of material synthesis. In the current study, a new type of copolymer is introduced, which was synthesized for the first time by combining chitosan and poly(benzofurane-co-arylacetic acid), for use in the adsorption of toxic heavy metals. Such naturally derived materials can be easily and inexpensively synthesized and separated by simple filtration, thus becoming an attractive alternative solution for wastewater treatment. The new copolymer was investigated by solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray photon electron microscopy. Flame atomic absorption spectrometry was utilized to measure heavy metal concentrations in the investigated samples. Equilibrium isotherms, kinetic 3D models, and artificial neural networks were applied to the experimental data to characterize the adsorption process. Additional adsorption experiments were performed using metal-contaminated water samples collected in two seasons (summer and winter) from two former mining areas in Romania (Roșia Montana and Novaț-Borșa). The results demonstrated high (51-97%) adsorption efficiency for Pb and excellent (95-100%) for Cd, after testing on stock solutions and contaminated water samples. The recyclability study of the copolymer indicated that the removal efficiency decreased to 89% for Pb and 58% for Cd after seven adsorption-desorption cycles.

Interaction between functional polymorphic variants in cytokine genes, established risk factors and susceptibility to basal cell carcinoma of skin.

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) of the skin is the most common neoplasm among the Caucasian population of the Western world. Inflammation may result in oxidative stress and contribute to promotion and progression of tumors, including BCC. The role of cytokines, which are inflammatory modulators, in the biology of tumors has been extensively studied and it is well known that they are aberrantly produced by cancer cells, macrophages and other phagocytic cells. Genetic polymorphisms are known in several cytokine genes, which result in altered expression. In the present association study, we investigated the association of 14 functional polymorphisms in 11 cytokines genes with BCC risk in 529 BCC cases and 532 healthy controls. We have also tested the possible interactions between the genetic variants and three known risk factors for BCC: skin complexion, sun effect and skin response to sun exposure. We did not observe any statistically significant association between SNPs and BCC risk. However, we found that, in a subgroup of subjects more prone to skin burns, carriers of at least one copy of the G allele of rs1800629 (TNF) had an increased risk of BCC [odds ratio (OR) = 2.40, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.38-4.16, P = 0.0005]. Moreover, in subjects less prone to sunburns, we observed that carriers of the C allele of rs1143627 (IL1B) showed a decreased risk (OR = 0.53, 95% CI 0.34-0.82, P = 0.0019). In conclusion, we found that two polymorphisms in inflammatory genes interacting with environmental risk factors could modulate BCC risk.