Multiplication of Cupressus guadalupensis Using the RITA® Temporary Immersion System.

The Guadalupe cypress (Cupressus guadalupensis S. Watson) is an endangered species included in the list of the NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2010. The presence of wild goats in the habitat has been the greatest threat to the propagation and survival of this species. Therefore, there is a need to generate propagation protocols that facilitate the regeneration of the species. Plant tissue culture offers various possibilities that can facilitate the regeneration of species under some risk. Temporary immersion systems have proven to be an option with various advantages in plant tissue culture, such as increasing the number of seedlings generated and reducing production times, compared to semisolid media. The objective of this chapter is to describe a protocol to propagate Guadalupe cypress tissues in a RITA® temporary immersion system.

CAR-T Cell Therapy: From the Shop to Cancer Therapy.

Cancer is a worldwide health problem. Nevertheless, new technologies in the immunotherapy field have emerged. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) technology is a novel biological form to treat cancer; CAR-T cell genetic engineering has positively revolutionized cancer immunotherapy. In this paper, we review the latest developments in CAR-T in cancer treatment. We present the structure of the different generations and variants of CAR-T cells including TRUCK (T cells redirected for universal cytokine killing. We explain the approaches of the CAR-T cells manufactured ex vivo and in vivo. Moreover, we describe the limitations and areas of opportunity for this immunotherapy and the current challenges of treating hematological and solid cancer using CAR-T technology as well as its constraints and engineering approaches. We summarize other immune cells that have been using CAR technology, such as natural killer (NK), macrophages (M), and dendritic cells (DC). We conclude that CAR-T cells have the potential to treat not only cancer but other chronic diseases.

Potential of Nanocellulose as a Dietary Fiber Isolated from Brewer's Spent Grain.

Steady growth in beer production is increasing the number of by-products named brewers' spent grain. Such by-products are a source of several components, where cellulose is usually present in high amounts. The aim of this study was to develop a protocol to obtain a mix of cellulose microfibers with an average diameter of 8-12 µm and cellulose nanoplatelets with an average thickness of 100 nm, which has several applications in the food industry. The process comprised one alkaline treatment followed by acid hydrolysis, giving a new mix of micro and nanocellulose. This mix was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and laser scanning microscopy corroborating the presence and measurements of the cellulose nanostructure, showing an aspect ratio of up to 500. Finally, we demonstrated that the administration of this new type of nanocellulose allowed us to control the weight of mice (feed intake), showing a significant percentage of weight reduction (4.96%) after 15 days compared with their initial weight, indicating the possibility of using this material as a dietary fiber.

Systemic Delivery of Magnetogene Nanoparticle Vector for Gene Expression in Hypoxic Tumors.

Cancer is a disease that causes millions of deaths per year worldwide because conventional treatments have disadvantages such as unspecific tumor selectivity and unwanted toxicity. Most human solid tumors present hypoxic microenvironments and this promotes multidrug resistance. In this study, we present "Magnetogene nanoparticle vector" which takes advantage of the hypoxic microenvironment of solid tumors to increase selective gene expression in tumor cells and reduce unwanted toxicity in healthy cells; this vector was guided by a magnet to the tumor tissue. Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs), chitosan (CS), and the pHRE-Luc plasmid with a hypoxia-inducible promoter were used to synthesize the vector called "Magnetogene nanoparticles" by ionic gelation. The hypoxic functionality of Magnetogene vector nanoparticles was confirmed in the B16F10 cell line by measuring the expression of the luciferase reporter gene under hypoxic and normoxic conditions. Also, the efficiency of the Magnetogene vector was confirmed in vivo. Magnetogene was administered by intravenous injection (IV) in the tail vein and directed through an external magnetic field at the site of tumor growth in C57Bl/6 mice. A Magnetogene vector with a size of 50 to 70 nm was directed and retained at the tumor area and gene expression was higher at the tumor site than in the others tissues, confirming the selectivity of this vector towards hypoxic tumor areas. This nanosystem, that we called the "Magnetogene vector" for systemic delivery and specific gene expression in hypoxic tumors controlled by an external magnetic designed to target hypoxic regions of tumors, can be used for cancer-specific gene therapies.

León (Spain) Health professionals' knowledge and clinical practice towards the relationship between cardiovascular diseases and periodontal disease.

Background: Cardiovascular pathologies have a high prevalence in the geriatric population, with acute myocardial infarction being one of the main causes of death in Spain. These pathologies have a systemic inflammatory component that is of vital importance. We also know in dentistry that the main gingival pathogens are capable of generating a systemic inflammatory response, being indirectly involved in the development of the atherosclerotic lesion, assuming, therefore, that periodontal disease is a cardiovascular risk factor. The objective of this study is to determine the knowledge of health professionals who treat cardiovascular diseases about periodontal disease and its relationship with heart disease. Material and Methods: A health survey was carried out on 100 Cardiologists, Internists and General Practitioners in the province of León. Points of interest in this survey: the professional's own oral health, knowledge of the relationship between periodontal and heart disease and, lastly, the training received in medicine on oral health. Results: 60% of professionals reviewed their oral health annually and 20% randomly. 48% of health professionals were unaware of periodontal diseases, 77% claimed to have not received university training in this regard, only 13% of those surveyed acknowledged having received more than 10 hours of training on oral health in their experience and finally, 90% thought that training in both Medicine and Dentistry should be collaborative. Conclusions: The degree of knowledge of health professionals regarding oral health is poor (77%), therefore the number of collaborative consultations with dental professionals is low (<63%). Training projects targeting a correct preventive medicine are shown to be necessary. Key words:Cardiovascular disease, oral-systemic health, periodontitis, knowledge, physicians.

Differences in the risk of premature cancer mortality between natives and immigrants in Spain.

BACKGROUND: The healthy immigrant paradox has found wide support in the literature. To evaluate this hypothesis that immigrants have better health outcomes than the native population, this study aimed to compare the premature cancer mortality between the native and immigrant populations in Spain. METHODS: We obtained the 2012-15 cause-specific mortality estimates from administrative records and participant characteristics data from the 2011 Spanish census. Using Cox proportional hazards regression models, we calculated the risks of mortality of the native and immigrant populations, and the latter populations' risk based on their regions of origin, and determined the effects of covariates of interest on the calculated risk. RESULTS: Our results show that the risk of premature cancer mortality is lower among immigrants than among natives, and this gap is higher among men than among women. There is a lower mortality rate among Latin American immigrants (Latino men are 81% less likely to die prematurely from cancer than native-born men, and Latino women are 54% less). Moreover, despite social class disparities, immigrants' advantage in cancer mortality remained constant and decreased with increasing length of residence in the host country. CONCLUSIONS: This study provided novel evidence on the 'healthy immigrant paradox', associated with the fact that migrants are favorably selected at origin, cultural patterns of the societies of origin and, in the case of men, there is some convergence or an 'unhealthy' integration that explains the fact that this advantage over natives is lost with more years of residence in Spain.

Facial Swelling After Dental Work Done: A Case of Ludwig's Angina.

Ludwig's angina is a fast-spreading cellulitis located on the floor of the oropharynx and neck (Tami, Othman, Sudhakar, & McKinnon, 2020). Patients may present with a wide range of symptoms depending on the severity of the condition (Reynolds & Chow, 2007). Emergency nurse practitioners need to promptly identify, diagnose, and treat patients with this problem, with close attention to the patient's airway. A compromised airway is the leading cause of mortality from this condition (McDonnough et al., 2019). The diagnosis is generally made with a comprehensive history and physical examination, laboratory values, and imaging studies such as computer tomography (Bridwell, Gottlieb, Koyfman, & Long, 2021). Management includes admission to the hospital, broad-spectrum antibiotics, and specialist surgical consultation (Bridwell et al., 2021).

Scombroid Poisoning: An Overview for the Emergency Nurse Practitioner.

Scombroid poisoning is a common fish-borne disease in clinical settings. Fish that has not been adequately stored after catching can allow bacteria to proliferate, which causes the conversion of histidine to histamine. Once histamine has formed, freezing or cooking the fish will not remove the histamine content. Once the fish is consumed, histamine is released, causing toxicity to the patient with symptoms including cutaneous, gastrointestinal, and anaphylactoid. Emergency nurse practitioners should identify, appropriately diagnose, and treat individuals with scombroid poisoning and avoid misdiagnosing it as fish allergy.

Burden of infectious disease studies in Europe and the United Kingdom: a review of methodological design choices.

This systematic literature review aimed to provide an overview of the characteristics and methods used in studies applying the disability-adjusted life years (DALY) concept for infectious diseases within European Union (EU)/European Economic Area (EEA)/European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries and the United Kingdom. Electronic databases and grey literature were searched for articles reporting the assessment of DALY and its components. We considered studies in which researchers performed DALY calculations using primary epidemiological data input sources. We screened 3053 studies of which 2948 were excluded and 105 studies met our inclusion criteria. Of these studies, 22 were multi-country and 83 were single-country studies, of which 46 were from the Netherlands. Food- and water-borne diseases were the most frequently studied infectious diseases. Between 2015 and 2022, the number of burden of infectious disease studies was 1.6 times higher compared to that published between 2000 and 2014. Almost all studies (97%) estimated DALYs based on the incidence- and pathogen-based approach and without social weighting functions; however, there was less methodological consensus with regards to the disability weights and life tables that were applied. The number of burden of infectious disease studies undertaken across Europe has increased over time. Development and use of guidelines will promote performing burden of infectious disease studies and facilitate comparability of the results.

In Planta Detection of Beauveria bassiana (Ascomycota: Hypocreales) Strains as Endophytes in Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.).

Beauveria bassiana (B. bassiana) is a significant entomopathogenic fungus (EPF) in agriculture as a sprayable biocontrol agent. It has the potential to be established as an endophyte (ENP) in various crops, resulting in beneficial effects for the host plants, including resistance to pest insects and increased growth and yield. However, it is not known whether a B. bassiana strain has such a favorable impact on the plant, since it is a common soil microorganism. Therefore, techniques that allow strain monitoring will be advantageous. To date, methods for detecting or monitoring a specific EPF strain after external application are scarce. In the present study, an in planta nested PCR technique was standardized to differentiate between three B. bassiana strains (GHA, PTG4, and BB37) established as endophytes in bean plants under laboratory conditions by detecting the insertion profile of four group I introns located in the 28S gene of B. bassiana ribosomal DNA. This technique recognized a distinct pattern of bands of different sizes for each strain, with a sensitivity of 1 pg per 10 ng of plant DNA. This molecular approach may be more effective monitoring B. bassiana strains after application to evaluate their significance on crops.

Methodological considerations in injury burden of disease studies across Europe: a systematic literature review.

BACKGROUND: Calculating the disease burden due to injury is complex, as it requires many methodological choices. Until now, an overview of the methodological design choices that have been made in burden of disease (BoD) studies in injury populations is not available. The aim of this systematic literature review was to identify existing injury BoD studies undertaken across Europe and to comprehensively review the methodological design choices and assumption parameters that have been made to calculate years of life lost (YLL) and years lived with disability (YLD) in these studies. METHODS: We searched EMBASE, MEDLINE, Cochrane Central, Google Scholar, and Web of Science, and the grey literature supplemented by handsearching, for BoD studies. We included injury BoD studies that quantified the BoD expressed in YLL, YLD, and disability-adjusted life years (DALY) in countries within the European Region between early-1990 and mid-2021. RESULTS: We retrieved 2,914 results of which 48 performed an injury-specific BoD assessment. Single-country independent and Global Burden of Disease (GBD)-linked injury BoD studies were performed in 11 European countries. Approximately 79% of injury BoD studies reported the BoD by external cause-of-injury. Most independent studies used the incidence-based approach to calculate YLDs. About half of the injury disease burden studies applied disability weights (DWs) developed by the GBD study. Almost all independent injury studies have determined YLL using national life tables. CONCLUSIONS: Considerable methodological variation across independent injury BoD assessments was observed; differences were mainly apparent in the design choices and assumption parameters towards injury YLD calculations, implementation of DWs, and the choice of life table for YLL calculations. Development and use of guidelines for performing and reporting of injury BoD studies is crucial to enhance transparency and comparability of injury BoD estimates across Europe and beyond.

Reward sensitivity and hazardous alcohol consumption in women: The parallel mediation effect of self-control and impulsivity traits.

Introduction: Little research has been carried out on the associations between several individual factors and hazardous alcohol use in women. The aim of this study was first, to study the relationship between reward sensitivity (RS) and alcohol use in both women with and without hazardous drinking separately. Second, to explore the potential mediating roles of the impulsivity and self-control traits in this relationship. Method: The study was analytical and cross-sectional and included 645 female participants (mean age = 19.14; standard deviation (SD)=1.60). All women were divided into two groups (286, 44.3%, with hazardous drinking, HDW; and 359, 55.7%, with light drinking, LDW). Correlation analyses were carried out to explore the associations between the variables, and parallel mediation analyses were performed to investigate the potential mediating roles of impulsivity and self-control in the RS-alcohol use associations in each group separately. Results: A significant association was observed between RS and alcohol use in HDW, contrary to that observed in their counterparts. In addition, both higher impulsivity and less self-control mediated the association between RS and alcohol use only in HDW. Conclusions: Impulsivity and self-control differently affect alcohol use under the condition of high reward sensitivity, only in HDW, suggesting alterations of the dual top-down and bottom-up mechanisms and a possible imbalance between the competing reflexive and impulsive brain systems. More research is needed regarding the individual factors that affect women's drinking to develop sensitive measures for the assessment of alcohol use and more efficient interventions for women.

Stability Phenomena Associated with the Development of Polymer-Based Nanopesticides.

Pesticides have been used in agricultural activity for decades because they represent the first defense against pathogens, harmful insects, and parasitic weeds. Conventional pesticides are commonly employed at high dosages to prevent their loss and degradation, guaranteeing effectiveness; however, this results in a large waste of resources and significant environmental pollution. In this regard, the search for biocompatible, biodegradable, and responsive materials has received greater attention in the last years to achieve the obtention of an efficient and green pesticide formulation. Nanotechnology is a useful tool to design and develop "nanopesticides" that limit pest degradation and ensure a controlled release using a lower concentration than the conventional methods. Besides different types of nanoparticles, polymeric nanocarriers represent the most promising group of nanomaterials to improve the agrochemicals' sustainability due to polymers' intrinsic properties. Polymeric nanoparticles are biocompatible, biodegradable, and suitable for chemical surface modification, making them attractive for pesticide delivery. This review summarizes the current use of synthetic and natural polymer-based nanopesticides, discussing their characteristics and their most common design shapes. Furthermore, we approached the instability phenomena in polymer-based nanopesticides and strategies to avoid it. Finally, we discussed the environmental risks and future challenges of polymeric nanopesticides to present a comprehensive analysis of this type of nanosystem.

Antígenos del sistema ABO y manifestaciones clínicas de la Covid-19 en un área de salud del municipio Bayamo

RESUMEN Introducción: se han descrito una plétora de síntomas/signos que indican claramente que la COVID-19 es una enfermedad compleja, y un número creciente de reportes han sugerido que los grupos sanguíneos ABO están relacionados con el riesgo a desarrollar la enfermedad. Objetivo: identificar si existe relación entre los fenotipos sanguíneos del sistema ABO y las manifestaciones clínicas de la Covid-19 en un área de salud del municipio Bayamo. Métodos: se realizó un estudio descriptivo retrospectivo, que incluyó a 123 pacientes confirmados de COVID-19 con alta epidemiológica. Se determinó el grupo sanguíneo según el sistema ABO. Los sujetos fueron clasificados según el número de síntomas/signos, el predominio de síntomas/signos respiratorios o no. Se analizó la asociación entre los grupos sanguíneos del sistema ABO, los portadores de los diferentes antígenos en comparación con las de aquellos sin el antígeno y los grupos por número de síntomas y signos, y según predominio o no de síntomas/signos respiratorios. Resultados: se encontró una asociación significativa entre el grupo sanguíneo de los pacientes y los grupos según el número de síntomas/signos presentados, así como, entre los portadores de antígenos B y no B y los grupos según el número de síntomas/signos presentados y el predominio de los síntomas respiratorios o no, en todos los casos con una mayor frecuencia de pacientes con el fenotipo A. Conclusiones: se concluye que en este estudio el grupo sanguíneo de los pacientes positivos a la Covid-19 se relacionó con el número de síntomas/signos presentados, con predominio de la frecuencia de portadores del antígeno A sobre los demás.

ABSTRACT Introduction: A plethora of symptoms/signs have been described that clearly indicate that COVID-19 is a complex disease, and a growing number of reports have suggested that ABO blood groups are related to the risk of developing the disease. Objective: to identify if there is a relationship between the blood phenotypes of the ABO system and the clinical manifestations of Covid-19 in a health area in the Bayamo municipality. Methods: a retrospective descriptive study was carried out, which included 123 confirmed COVID-19 patients with epidemiological discharge. Blood group was determined according to the ABO system. The subjects were classified according to the number of symptoms/signs, the predominance of respiratory symptoms/signs or not. The association between the blood groups of the ABO system, the carriers of the different antigens in comparison with those of those without the antigen and the groups by number of symptoms and signs, and according to predominance or not of respiratory symptoms/signs was analyzed. Results: a significant association was found between the blood group of the patients and the groups according to the number of symptoms/signs presented, as well as between carriers of B and non-B antigens and the groups according to the number of symptoms/signs presented and the predominance of respiratory symptoms or not, in all cases with a higher frequency of patients with phenotype A. Conclusions: it is concluded that in this study the blood group of patients positive for Covid-19 was related to the number of symptoms/signs presented, with a predominance of the frequency of carriers of antigen A over the others.

RESUMO Introdução: foi descrita uma infinidade de sintomas/sinais que indicam claramente que a COVID-19 é uma doença complexa, e um número crescente de relatos sugere que os grupos sanguíneos ABO estão relacionados ao risco de desenvolver a doença. Objetivo: identificar se existe relação entre os fenótipos sanguíneos do sistema ABO e as manifestações clínicas da Covid-19 em uma área de saúde do município de Bayamo. Métodos: foi realizado um estudo descritivo retrospectivo, que incluiu 123 pacientes confirmados com COVID-19 com alta epidemiológica. O grupo sanguíneo foi determinado de acordo com o sistema ABO. Os sujeitos foram classificados de acordo com o número de sintomas/sinais, a predominância de sintomas/sinais respiratórios ou não. Foi analisada a associação entre os grupos sanguíneos do sistema ABO, os portadores dos diferentes antígenos em comparação com aqueles sem o antígeno e os grupos por número de sintomas e sinais, e segundo predominância ou não de sintomas/sinais respiratórios. Resultados: foi encontrada associação significativa entre o grupo sanguíneo dos pacientes e os grupos de acordo com o número de sintomas/sinais apresentados, bem como entre os portadores de antígenos B e não-B e os grupos de acordo com o número de sintomas/sinais apresentou e a predominância de sintomas respiratórios ou não, em todos os casos com maior frequência de pacientes com fenótipo A. Conclusões: conclui-se que neste estudo o grupo sanguíneo dos pacientes positivos para Covid-19 esteve relacionado ao número de sintomas/sinais apresentados, com predomínio da frequência de portadores do antígeno A sobre os demais.

Antígenos del sistema ABO y manifestaciones clínicas de la Covid-19 en un área de salud del municipio Bayamo / Antigens of the ABO system and clinical manifestations of Covid-19 in a health area of the Bayamo municipality

Introducción: Se han descrito una plétora de síntomas/signos que indican claramente que la COVID-19 es una enfermedad compleja, y un número creciente de reportes han sugerido que los grupos sanguíneos ABO están relacionados con el riesgo a desarrollar la enfermedad. Objetivo: identificar si existe relación entre los fenotipos sanguíneos del sistema ABO y las manifestaciones clínicas de la Covid-19 en un área de salud del municipio Bayamo. Métodos: se realizó un estudio descriptivo retrospectivo, que incluyó a 123 pacientes confirmados de COVID-19 con alta epidemiológica. Se determinó el grupo sanguíneo según el sistema ABO. Los sujetos fueron clasificados según el número de síntomas/signos, el predominio de síntomas/signos respiratorios o no. Se analizó la asociación entre los grupos sanguíneos del sistema ABO, los portadores de los diferentes antígenos en comparación con las de aquellos sin el antígeno y los grupos por número de síntomas y signos, y según predominio o no de síntomas/signos respiratorios. Resultados: se encontró una asociación significativa entre el grupo sanguíneo de los pacientes y los grupos según el número de síntomas/signos presentados, así como, entre los portadores de antígenos B y no B y los grupos según el número de síntomas/signos presentados y el predominio de los síntomas respiratorios o no, en todos los casos con una mayor frecuencia de pacientes con el fenotipo A. Conclusiones: se concluye que en este estudio el grupo sanguíneo de los pacientes positivos a la Covid-19 se relacionó con el número de síntomas/signos presentados, con predominio de la frecuencia de portadores del antígeno A sobre los demás(AU)

Introduction: A plethora of symptoms/signs have been described that clearly indicate that COVID-19 is a complex disease, and a growing number of reports have suggested that ABO blood groups are related to the risk of developing the disease. Objective: to identify if there is a relationship between the blood phenotypes of the ABO system and the clinical manifestations of Covid-19 in a health area in the Bayamo municipality. Methods: a retrospective descriptive study was carried out, which included 123 confirmed COVID-19 patients with epidemiological discharge. Blood group was determined according to the ABO system. The subjects were classified according to the number of symptoms/signs, the predominance ofrespiratory symptoms/signs or not. The association between the blood groups of the ABO system, the carriers of the different antigens in comparison with those of those without the antigen and the groups by number of symptoms and signs, and according to predominance or not of respiratory symptoms/signs was analyzed. Results: a significant association was found between the blood group of the patients and the groups according to the number of symptoms/signs presented, as well as between carriers of B and non-B antigens and the groups according to the number of symptoms/signs presented and the predominance of respiratory symptoms or not, in all cases with a higher frequency of patients with phenotype A. Conclusions: it is concluded that in this study the blood group of patients positive for Covid-19 was related to the number of symptoms/signs presented, with a predominance of the frequency of carriers of antigen A over the others(EU)

Endometriosis: a guide to investigations and treatment in the emergency department.

Endometriosis is an oestrogen-dependent disorder where endometrial tissue forms lesions outside the uterus, causing chronic inflammation and scarring. Women who have endometriosis may experience a highly variable range of non-specific signs and symptoms, including pelvic pain. Endometriosis is often misdiagnosed, partly because its signs and symptoms can easily be attributed to more common conditions that cause pelvic pain in women, resulting in delayed diagnosis and treatment. This article describes the pathophysiology, aetiology, risk factors for, and signs and symptoms of endometriosis. It also outlines how endometriosis should be investigated and treated in the emergency department (ED). Its aim is to support nurses to deliver effective care to women of reproductive age presenting to the ED with severe pelvic pain.

Long-term outcomes of distal locking in extracapsular fractures treated with trochanteric Gamma3 nails.

BACKGROUND: Few publications have assessed long-term results of distal locking of short endomedullary nails for extracapsular hip fracture. Virtually all of them focus on immediate differences. Criteria for the use of static or dynamic locking are unclear in most nailing systems, and use is advised in unstable fracture patterns or with risk of bell-clapper effect, but often influenced by the "orthopaedic school". MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a historical cohort study on patients diagnosed and operated in 2014 and followed up until endpoint, considered as consolidation or major complication, plus evaluation of overall long-term survival. They were categorised as static distal locking (ST) or dynamic distal locking (DN). Both are comparable, except for all stable pre-operative classifications, Fracture Mobility Score (FMS) at discharge, and immediate post-operative loading, all of which were in favour of DN. RESULTS: Consolidation took place in > 95% of patients, with a non-statistically significant delay trend in ST. Less than 6% in both ST and DN had major complications, with no differences. Most cases suffered early cut-out. Significant fracture collapse was the most frequent minor complication. There were more statistically significant minor and total complications in ST. Infection, without differences, can precede cut-out. Lateral thigh pain was similar and could be related to back-out. In DN, 21.1% of cases were truly dynamised. We did not find differences in mobility or in long-term survival. CONCLUSIONS: Any type of distal locking seems to be safe for consolidation, despite a slightly longer consolidation time in static locking. Early cut-out was the main complication, while others were very infrequent, which is an advantage over helical blade devices. There was a higher rate of minor and overall mechanical complications in ST, but infection and lateral thigh pain were similar. Most non-traumatic mechanical complications occurred around 5-6 weeks. About one in five of the DN truly dynamised, with all cases occurring before 8 weeks. Mobility until endpoint and overall long-term survival were not influenced by the locking mode used. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic study, level 2b.

Selenite Downregulates STAT3 Expression and Provokes Lymphocytosis in the Liver of Chronically Exposed Syrian Golden Hamsters.

Arsenic is considered a worldwide pollutant that can be present in drinking water. Arsenic exposure is associated with various diseases, including cancer. Antioxidants as selenite and α-tocopherol-succinate have been shown to modulate arsenic toxic effects. Since changes in STAT3 and PSMD10 gene expression have been associated with carcinogenesis, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of arsenic exposure and co-treatments with selenite or α-tocopherol-succinate on the expression of these genes, in the livers of chronically exposed Syrian golden hamsters. Animals were divided into six groups: (i) control, (ii) chronically treated with 100 ppm arsenic, (iii) treated with 6 ppm α-tocopherol-succinate (α-TOS), (iv) treated with 8.5 ppm selenite, (v) treated with arsenic + α-TOS, and (vi) treated with arsenic + selenite. Urine samples and livers were collected after 20 weeks of continuous exposure. The urine samples were analyzed for arsenic species by atomic absorption spectrophotometry, and real-time RT-qPCR analysis was performed for gene expression evaluation. A reduction in STAT3 expression was observed in the selenite-treated group. No differences in PSMD10 expression were found among groups. Histopathological analysis revealed hepatic lymphocytosis in selenite-treated animals. As a conclusion, long-term exposure to arsenic does not significantly alter the expression of STAT3 and PSMD10 oncogenes in the livers of hamsters; however, selenite down-regulates STAT3 expression and provokes lymphocytosis.

Differences in Life Expectancy Between Self-Employed Workers and Paid Employees when Retirement Pensioners: Evidence from Spanish Social Security Records.

The aim of this paper is to examine differences in life expectancy (LE) between self-employed (SE) and paid employee (PE) workers when they become retirement pensioners, looking at levels of pension income using administrative data from Spanish social security records. We draw on the Continuous Sample of Working Lives (CSWL) to quantify changes in total life expectancy at age 65 (LE65) among retired men over the longest possible period covered by this data source: 2005-2018. These changes are broken down by pension regime and initial pension income level for three periods. The literature presents mixed evidence, even for the same country-for Japan and Italy, for example-with some studies pointing to higher life expectancy for SE than for PE retirement pensioners while others argue the opposite. In Spain, LE65 is slightly higher for the SE than for PE workers when retirement pensioners. For 2005-2010, a gap in life expectancy of 0.23 years between SE and PE retirement pensioners is observed. This widens to 0.55 years for 2014-2018. A similar trend can be seen if pension income groups are considered. For 2005-2010, the gap in LE65 between pensioners in the lowest and highest income groups is 1.20 years. This widens over time and reaches 1.51 years for 2014-2018. Although these differences are relatively small, they are statistically significant. According to our research, the implications for policy on social security are evident: differences in life expectancy by socioeconomic status and pension regime should be taken into account for a variety of issues involving social security schemes. These include establishing the age of eligibility for retirement pensions and early access to benefits, computing the annuity factors used to determine initial retirement benefits and valuing the liabilities taken on for retirement pensioners.

Winged scapula: an overview of pathophysiology, diagnosis and management.

Patients commonly present to the emergency department (ED) with shoulder injuries and shoulder pain. Winged scapula is one potential underlying cause of shoulder pain which is often forgotten or ill-defined. This non-traumatic skeletal condition typically presents as a prominent protrusion of the medial border of the bone from its normal position in the back. It often results from damage to and/or compression of the long thoracic nerve, which innervates the serratus anterior muscle. History taking, physical examination and imaging are needed to correctly diagnose winged scapula. Conservative management is often sufficient to resolve the condition. However, in some cases further investigations and more invasive treatment modalities are needed. This article provides an overview of the pathophysiology of winged scapula and its diagnosis and management in the ED.