Dysgeusia increases the risk for death and other side effects during antineoplastic systemic treatment for solid tumors: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Chemotherapy (CT) is a systemic treatment using a combination of antineoplastic drugs, orally or intravenously, that inhibit tumor growth and fast-growing normal cells. Due to its nonspecificity, chemotherapy can cause a series of adverse effects, such as altered taste (dysgeusia), associated with malnutrition and, consequently, other adverse effects in the gastrointestinal tract and increased mortality risk. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of dysgeusia on the incidence of other adverse effects and overall survival during antineoplastic chemotherapy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: An observational, retrospective, cross-sectional study was conducted using data from the Electronic Health Record system of the Cancer Institute of Ceará over two years. Before the CT session, the multi-professional team evaluated the patient for the presence and severity of adverse effects (AE), using scores from the CTCAE v5.0 scale. Dysgeusia scores were collected and associated with clinical pathological data, with other adverse effects (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, oral mucositis, anorexia, constipation), and with overall survival. Chi-square and Mantel-Cox log-rank tests were used. RESULTS: Of 5744 patients evaluated, dysgeusia presented a frequency of 50.6%, being directly associated with female gender (p=0.001), overweight (p=0.022), high tumor stages (p=0.009), a combination of adjuvant and neoadjuvant (p=0.010) and four-year survival (p=0.030). Dysgeusia frequency was directly associated with diarrhea (p<0.001), anorexia (p<0.001), oral mucositis (p<0.001), nausea (p<0.001), constipation (p<0.001) and vomiting (p<0.001), and inversely associated with fatigue (p=0.035). CONCLUSIONS: Dysgeusia during CT increases the risk of other adverse effects and negatively impacts prognosis.

HIPSTR and thousands of lncRNAs are heterogeneously expressed in human embryos, primordial germ cells and stable cell lines

Eukaryotic genomes are transcribed into numerous regulatory long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). Compared to mRNAs, lncRNAs display higher developmental stage-, tissue-, and cell-subtype-specificity of expression, and are generally less abundant in a population of cells. Despite the progress in single-cell-focused research, the origins of low population-level expression of lncRNAs in homogeneous populations of cells are poorly understood. Here, we identify HIPSTR (Heterogeneously expressed from the Intronic Plus Strand of the TFAP2A-locus RNA), a novel lncRNA gene in the developmentally regulated TFAP2A locus. HIPSTR has evolutionarily conserved expression patterns, its promoter is most active in undifferentiated cells, and depletion of HIPSTR in HEK293 and in pluripotent H1BP cells predominantly affects the genes involved in early organismal development and cell differentiation. Most importantly, we find that HIPSTR is specifically induced and heterogeneously expressed in the 8-cell-stage human embryos during the major wave of embryonic genome activation. We systematically explore the phenomenon of cell-to-cell variation of gene expression and link it to low population-level expression of lncRNAs, showing that, similar to HIPSTR, the expression of thousands of lncRNAs is more highly heterogeneous than the expression of mRNAs in the individual, otherwise indistinguishable cells of totipotent human embryos, primordial germ cells, and stable cell lines

Evidences that human disturbance simplify the ant fauna associated a Stachytarpheta glabra Cham. (Verbenaceae) compromising the benefits of ant-plant mutualism / Evidências de que os impactos antrópicos simplificam a fauna de formiga associada a Stachytarpheta glabra (Verbenaceae) comprometendo os benefícios do mutualismo formiga-planta

Interaction among species, like ants and plants through extrafloral nectaries (EFNs), are important components of ecological communities’ evolution. However, the effect of human disturbance on such specific interactions and its ecological consequences is poorly understood. This study evaluated the outcomes of mutualism between ants and the EFN-bearing plant Stachytarpheta glabra under anthropogenic disturbance. We compared the arthropod fauna composition between two groups of twenty plant individuals, one in an area disturbed by human activities and one in a preserved area. We also check the plant investment in herbivory defense and the consequential leaf damage by herbivore. Our results indicate that such disturbances cause simplification of the associated fauna and lack of proper ant mutualist. This led to four times more herbivory on plants of disturbed areas, despite the equal amount of EFN and ant visitors and low abundance of herbivores. The high pressure of herbivory may difficult the re-establishment of S. glabra, an important pioneer species in ferruginous fields, therefore it may affect resilience of this fragile ecological community.

As interações entre espécies, como por exemplo formigas e plantas através de nectários extraflorais (NEFs), são importantes componentes na evolução das comunidades. Entretanto, pouco é conhecido sobre os efeitos dos impactos antrópicos em interações específicas e suas consequências ecológicas. Este estudo avaliou os resultados do mutualismo entre formigas e NEF em Stachytarpheta glabra em área impactada pela atividade humana. Nós comparamos a composição e estrutura da fauna de artrópodes, em quarenta plantas de dois grupos, um impactado por atividades humanas e o outro preservado. Nós também avaliamos o investimento da planta em defesas contra herbívoros e os danos foliares causados por herbívoros. Nossos resultados indicam que os distúrbios causam a simplificação da fauna associada e a ausência de uma formiga mutualista anti-herbívoros. Isto leva a quatro vezes mais herbivoria nas plantas da área impactada, a despeito da mesma quantidade encontrada para NEF e formigas visitantes. A grande pressão de herbivoria pode dificultar o reestabelecimento de S. glabra, uma espécie pioneira importante nos campos ferruginosos, dessa forma, afetando a resiliência dessa comunidade ecológica ameaçada.

Economic assessment of urban watersheds: developing mechanisms for environmental protection of the Feijão river, São Carlos - SP, Brazil / Avaliação econômica de bacias hidrográficas: desenvolvendo mecanismos para proteção do ribeirão do Feijão, São Carlos - SP, Brasil

In order to determine the willingness of the population of São Carlos (a city in the state of São Paulo, Brazil) to pay for the environmental protection (WTP) of the Feijão River's watershed, the Contingent Valuation Method (CVM), as well as the bidding-games technique, were used. In October 2010, 280 questionnaires were applied to a probabilistic sample of the population. A multivariate logistic regression model was built, creating five scenarios adjusted to the age and probability to pay according to the significant variables found. Concerning the WTP, 56% of the interviewees showed willingness to pay a monthly amount using the water bill as a vehicle for this. The WTP average was 1.94 US Dollar (USD), with a standard deviation of 1.91 USD. The total annual amount for the scenario that considers the whole population over 18 years old was of USD 3,930,616.80. The main argument for the negative WTP was that the interviewees could not afford it (14%).

A fim de determinar a disposição a pagar (DAP) da população de São Carlos – SP, Brasil, para a proteção ambiental da bacia hidrográfica do ribeirão do Feijão, o Método de Valoração Contingencial (MVC), bem como a técnica de eliciação bidding-games foram utilizados. Em outubro de 2010, 280 questionários foram aplicados a uma amostra probabilística da população. Um modelo de regressão logística multivariada foi construído, criando cinco cenários ajustados pela idade e probabilidade de pagar de acordo com as variáveis significativas encontradas. Em relação à DAP, 56% dos entrevistados se mostraram dispostos a pagar uma quantia mensal usando a conta de água como veículo de pagamento. A média DAP foi de 1.94 US Dollar (USD), com um desvio padrão de 1,91 USD. O valor total anual estimado para o cenário que considera toda a população com mais de 18 anos de idade foi de USD 3,930,616.80. O principal argumento para a não DAP foi que os entrevistados não tinham condições financeiras (14%).