Metabolic Syndrome and Positive Frailty Screening: A Cross-Sectional Study with Community-Dwelling Older Adults.

Background: Metabolic Syndrome is a set of disorders that characterized by the association of three or more risk factors, like the obesity central, dyslipidemia, borderline blood pressure, hyperglycemia, and the increase of triglycerides. However, these factors also can be associated with pathophysiology of frailty. Objectives: verifying whether the metabolic syndrome is associated to the positive frailty screening in the older people. Design: Cross-sectional study. Participants: 443 older people living in Rio Branco, Brazil. Setting: Data collection was carried out in two stages: a personal interview and blood collection. Measurements: The diagnosis of metabolic syndrome was based on the criteria of the Third Report of the National Cholesterol Education Program Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults. The frailty screening was performed using subjective questions validated in a previous study. Descriptive statistics and multinomial logistic regression were used for data analyses. Results: There was a predominance of female older people (69.07%), aged between 60 and 79 years (87.13%), with an income greater than or equal to one minimum wage (72.09%), no cognitive decline (75.94%) and depressive symptoms (63.31%), independent for BADL (86.46%) and dependent for IADL (51.69%). From the total sample, 56.88% of the older people were identified as frail, 34.09% pre-frail and 9.03% non frail. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 51.69%. After adjusting by the independent variables, an association between metabolic syndrome and pre-frailty was observed, and older people with metabolic syndrome were more likely to be prefrail (RRR=2.36; 95%CI=1.08-5.18). Conclusion: The metabolic syndrome was associated to the increase chance of screening for prefrailty in the older people evaluated, which reinforces the needy to establish preventive measures in relation to the metabolic syndrome to avoid frailty in the older people.

A robust DF-REML framework for variance components estimation in genetic studies.

MOTIVATION: In genetic association studies, linear mixed models (LMMs) are used to test for associations between phenotypes and candidate single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). These same models are also used to estimate heritability, which is central not only to evolutionary biology but also to the prediction of the response to selection in plant and animal breeding, as well as the prediction of disease risk in humans. However, when one or more of the underlying assumptions are violated, the estimation of variance components may be compromised and therefore so may the estimates of heritability and any other functions of these. Considering that datasets obtained from real life experiments are prone to several sources of contamination, which usually induce the violation of the assumption of the normality of the errors, a robust derivative-free restricted-maximum likelihood framework (DF-REML) together with a robust coefficient of determination are proposed for the LMM in the context of genetic studies of continuous traits. RESULTS: The proposed approach, in addition to the robust estimation of variance components and robust computation of the coefficient of determination, allows in particular for the robust estimation of SNP-based heritability by reducing the bias and increasing the precision of its estimates. The performance of both classical and robust DF-REML approaches is compared via a Monte Carlo simulation study. Additionally, three examples of application of the methodologies to real datasets are given in order to validate the usefulness of the proposed robust approach. Although the main focus of this article is on plant breeding applications, the proposed methodology is applicable to both human and animal genetic studies. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION: Source code implemented in R is available in the Supplementary Material. CONTACT: vmml@fct.unl.pt. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

Clinicopathological prognostic factors of oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma: a retrospective study of 202 cases.

Although several histopathological parameters and grading systems have been described as predictive of the treatment response and outcome of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), none is universally accepted. A new scoring system, the histological risk model, was recently described to be a powerful predictive tool for recurrence and overall survival in OSCC. The aim of this study was to verify the predictive role of the histological risk model in a cohort of 202 patients at all stages of oral/mobile tongue squamous cell carcinoma (OTSCC). Demographic and clinical data were collected from the medical records and the tumours were evaluated using the histological risk model. Statistical analyses were performed using the χ(2) test, the Kaplan-Meier method, and the Cox regression model. The histological risk model showed no statistical correlation with demographic or clinical parameters and did not Predict the outcome of the OTSCC patients. However, multivariate regression analysis revealed a significant correlation of the clinical disease stage with the disease outcome. Despite major efforts to identify new predictive parameters and histological systems, clinical features are still the most reliable prognostic factors for patients with OTSCC.

Effect of ozone application on the resin-dentin microtensile bond strength.

When ozone is used during caries treatment, bond strength can be compromised by the release of oxygen. The use of antioxidant agents neutralizes the free oxygen. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of ozone and sodium ascorbate on resin-dentin microtensile bond strength (µTBS). Forty human third molars were divided into four groups: Group 1, not treated with ozone; Group 2, ozone application followed by acid etching; Group 3, acid etching followed by ozone application; and Group 4, ozone and application of sodium ascorbate. Bonded beams (1.0 mm(2)) were tested under tension (0.5 mm min(-1)). The µTBS values were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the Tukey test (p=0.05). All beams that fractured were analyzed under stereomicroscopy (40×). Group 1 had significantly higher µTBS values than Group 2 or 3. The µTBS values of Groups 1 and 4 were similar and higher than those of Group 2. The use of ozone in Group 2 resulted in lower values of µTBS in all conditions evaluated. The predominant failure mode was adhesive. The application of ozone decreased the µTBS of the dentin-composite resin interface. These values were reversed when compared with Groups 1 and 2 when sodium ascorbate was used.

Heavy metal migration during electroremediation of fly ash from different wastes--modelling.

Fly ash is an airborne material which is considered hazardous waste due to its enrichment on heavy metals. Depending on the waste from which they are originated, fly ash may be further valorised, e.g. as soil amendment or concrete and ceramics adjuvant, or landfilled, when defined as hazardous material. In any case, heavy metal content has to be decreased either for fly ash valorisation or for complying with landfill criteria. The electrodialytic (EDR) process is a remediation technique based on the principle of electrokinetics and dialysis, having the aim to remove heavy metals from contaminated solid media. EDR was here applied to fly ashes from the combustion of straw (ST), from the incineration of municipal solid waste (DK and PT) and from the co-combustion of wood (CW). A statistical study, using F tests, Bonferroni multiple comparison method and a categorical regression, was carried out to determine which variables ("Ash type", "Duration", "Initial pH", "Final pH", "Acidification" and "Dissolution") were the most significant for EDR efficiency. After establishing these, the selected variables were then used to characterize some kinetic parameters, from metals migration during EDR, using a biregressional design. Cd, Cr, Cu, Ca and Zn migration velocity and acceleration to the electrodes (anode and cathode) were then considered. Cd and Cu migration to the cathode were found to be significantly influenced by "Ash type", "Duration", "Final pH" and "Dissolution".

Assessment of the effect of vincristine on the biodistribution of 99Tcm-labelled glucoheptonic acid in female Balb/c mice.

There is evidence that the biodistribution and the pharmacokinetics of 99Tcm radiopharmaceuticals can be modified by some drugs, pathological states, irradiation and surgical procedures. Vincristine have been widely used in various chemotherapeutic protocols in oncology. We are trying to develop an animal model to assess the toxicology in different organs of compounds used as therapeutic drugs. We have studied the effect of vincristine on the distribution of 99Tcm-glucoheptonic acid (99Tcm-GHA) in female mice. After the last dose of vincristine, 99Tcm-GHA (7.4 MBq) was injected, the animals sacrificed and the percentage of radioactivity determined in the isolated organs. The percentage of activity was significantly decreased in the uterus, ovary, spleen, thymus, lymph nodes (inguinal and mesenteric), kidney and heart, but was not significantly altered in the lung, liver, pancreas, stomach, thyroid, brain and bone. Our results can be explained by the metabolic, toxic, therapeutic and immunosuppressive actions of this chemotherapeutic drug.

A model to evaluate the biological effect of natural products: vincristine action on the biodistribution of radiopharmaceuticals in BALB/c female mice.

Natural products have been widely used by human beings. However, sometimes the biological effects of these products are not fully known. We are trying to develop a model to evaluate the toxicity of compounds employed as therapeutic drugs. This model is based on the capability of natural products to alter the biodistribution of radiopharmaceuticals labelled with technetium-99m (99mTc). The acceptance of 99mTc-labelled radiopharmaceuticals is so rapid and its current use so diverse that it is not possible to study this radionuclide's behaviour in the body more deeply. There is evidence that the biodistribution or the pharmacokinetics of radiopharmaceuticals can be modified by some drugs, by pathological states, by irradiation and by surgical procedures. A lack of knowledge of such factors can induce a misvisualization of the scintigraphic images, leading to a misdiagnosis. Vincristine is a natural product that has been employed in various chemotherapeutic protocols in oncology. We have studied the effect of vincristine on the distribution of [99mTc]methylenediphosphonic acid ([99mTc]MDP) in female mice. After the last dose of vincristine, [99mTc]MDP was injected, the animals were sacrificed and the percentage of radioactivity (%ATI) was determined in the isolated organs. The %ATI was significantly decreased in the uterus, ovary, spleen, thymus, lymph nodes (inguinal and mesentheric), kidney, liver, pancreas, stomach, heart, brain and bone of the animals treated with the natural product. Several biological effects have been reported in patients treated with vincristine. These effects could justify the alterations in the uptake of the radiopharmaceutical in specific organs. Moreover, these results have shown that it is possible to employ this model to evaluate the toxicity of drugs.

Acid-sensitive polyethylene glycol conjugates of doxorubicin: preparation, in vitro efficacy and intracellular distribution.

Coupling anticancer drugs to synthetic polymers is a promising approach of enhancing the antitumor efficacy and reducing the side-effects of these agents. Doxorubicin maleimide derivatives containing an amide or acid-sensitive hydrazone linker were therefore coupled to alpha-methoxy-poly(ethylene glycol)-thiopropionic acid amide (MW 20000 Da), alpha,omega-bis-thiopropionic acid amide poly(ethylene glycol) (MW 20000 Da) or alpha-tert-butoxy-poly(ethylene glycol)-thiopropionic acid amide (MW 70000 Da) and the resulting polyethylene glycol (PEG) conjugates isolated through size-exclusion chromatography. The polymer drug derivatives were designed as to release doxorubicin inside the tumor cell by acid-cleavage of the hydrazone bond after uptake of the conjugate by endocytosis. The acid-sensitive PEG conjugates containing the carboxylic hydrazone bonds exhibited in vitro activity against human BXF T24 bladder carcinoma and LXFL 529L lung cancer cells with IC70 values in the range 0.02-1.5 microm (cell culture assay: propidium iodide fluorescence or colony forming assay). In contrast, PEG doxorubicin conjugates containing an amide bond between the drug and the polymer showed no in vitro activity. Fluorescence microscopy studies in LXFL 529 lung cancer cells revealed that free doxorubicin accumulates in the cell nucleus whereas doxorubicin of the acid-sensitive PEG doxorubicin conjugates is primarily localized in the cytoplasm. Nevertheless, the acid-sensitive PEG doxorubicin conjugates retain their ability to bind to calf thymus DNA as shown by fluorescence and visible spectroscopy studies. Results regarding the effect of an acid-sensitive PEG conjugate of molecular weight 20000 in the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay indicate that this conjugate is significantly less embryotoxic than free doxorubicin although antiangiogenic effects were not observed.

Effect of a chemotherapeutic drug on the biodistribution of 99mTc-DTPA in Balb/c mice.

The biodistribution of radiotracers used in diagnostic imaging can be grossly and recognizably altered by a wide variety of drugs and other treatment modalities, such as surgery and radiotherapy. Knowledge of such altered biodistribution is important both in making diagnostic inferences from scans and in dosimetric considerations. Vincristine is a drug that has been used as a component of many chemotherapeutic regimens because of its relative lack of hematologic toxicity. Its mechanism of action is by interfering with microtubule formation. The metabolic fate of vincristine has not been clearly determined and apparently undergoes in vivo decomposition. We have studied the effect of vincristine on the biodistribution of the 99mTc-DTPA. Vincristine was administered by ocular plexus via into female isogenic Balb/c mice. One hour after the last dose, 99mTc-DTPA (7.4 MBq) was injected and after 0.5 hour the animals were rapidly sacrificed. The organs were isolated, the radioactivity uptakes determined in a well counter and the percentages of radioactivity (% rad) in the organs calculated. The results have shown that the percentage rad has not been significantly altered in pancreas, thyroid and brain whilst a significant increased in thymus, ovary, uterus, spleen, kidney, heart, stomach, lung, liver and bone was reported. The results could be explained by the metabolization and/or therapeutic and immunosuppressive action of vincristine.