A case-control study of the lipid profile of women with breast cancer

Purpose: Neoplastic diseases remain the second most common cause of death, behind cardiovascular diseases, and breast cancer is the leading cause of death among women worldwide. Increased incidence of neoplastic diseases is also known to be accompanied by lipid metabolism disorders.Method: Blood samples for lipid profile testing were taken from the two studied groups, which comprised 110 women with breast cancer and 70 healthy women. Lipid profile testing was conducted on venous blood samples collected among both groups of women on an empty stomach. Statistical analyses were performed using the IBM SPSS Statistics 20 software package.Results: A statistically significant (p<0.05) majority of women with breast cancer had abnormal TC results (67.3%). A statistically significant (p<0.05) majority of control group women (90.0%) had normal HDL-C results. More women with breast cancer (87.3%) had abnormal LDL-C results than healthy women (62.9%), which represented a statistically significant difference (p<0.05). Conclussions: Abnormal lipid profile significantly impacts breast cancer incidence. At the same time it is under influence of abnormal eating habits and low physical activity. Community and oncology nurses, having considerable knowledge about health and lifestyle of their patients, should be more involved in basic education to decrease cancer risk, especially by women with alarming LDL-C level

Insights into the Transposable Mobilome of Paracoccus spp. (Alphaproteobacteria)

Several trap plasmids (enabling positive selection of transposition events) were used to identify a pool of functional transposable elements (TEs) residing in bacteria of the genus Paracoccus (Alphaproteobacteria). Complex analysis of 25 strains representing 20 species of this genus led to the capture and characterization of (i) 37 insertion sequences (ISs) representing 9 IS families (IS3, IS5, IS6, IS21, IS66, IS256, IS1182, IS1380 and IS1634), (ii) a composite transposon Tn6097 generated by two copies of the ISPfe2 (IS1634 family) containing two predicted genetic modules, involved in the arginine deiminase pathway and daunorubicin/doxorubicin resistance, (iii) 3 non-composite transposons of the Tn3 family, including Tn5393 carrying streptomycin resistance and (iv) a transposable genomic island TnPpa1 (45 kb). Some of the elements (e.g. Tn5393, Tn6097 and ISs of the IS903 group of the IS5 family) were shown to contain strong promoters able to drive transcription of genes placed downstream of the target site of transposition. Through the application of trap plasmid pCM132TC, containing a promoterless tetracycline resistance reporter gene, we identified five ways in which transposition can supply promoters to transcriptionally silent genes. Besides highlighting the diversity and specific features of several TEs, the analyses performed in this study have provided novel and interesting information on (i) the dynamics of the process of transposition (e.g. the unusually high frequency of transposition of TnPpa1) and (ii) structural changes in DNA mediated by transposition (e.g. the generation of large deletions in the recipient molecule upon transposition of ISPve1 of the IS21 family). We also demonstrated the great potential of TEs and transposition in the generation of diverse phenotypes as well as in the natural amplification and dissemination of genetic information (of adaptative value) by horizontal gene transfer, which is considered the driving force of bacterial evolution

Amyloid load in the brain of cognitively intact older adults

In this thesis we focused on brain amyloid deposition in a cognitively intact older population: we described its dependence on the genetic polymorphisms and its functional consequences on language and semantic processing. Moreover, we compared the performance of different amyloid biomarkers. All participants included in this project were community recruited cognitively intact older adults (52-74 years old Chapter 3 and 4 or 65-80 years old Chapter 5 and 6) who underwent genetic stratification for APOE and BDNF, conventional neuropsychological testing, volumetric MRI, 18F-flutemetamol PET, and additionally for experiments in Chapter 3 and 4 associative-semantic fMRI and neurolinguistic assessment, or for experiments in Chapter 5 and 6 a second PET with 11C-PIB and lumbar puncture to collect cerebrospinal fluid. In the first part of this work (Chapter 3), we examined whether the BDNF codon 66 polymorphism affects β amyloid deposition and the relationship between β amyloid burden and cognitive scores, and how this relates to the effect of APOE. Our study revealed two key novel findings. First, APOE ε4 carriers exhibited a higher β amyloid load in the presence of one or two BDNF met alleles compared to BDNF met non-carriers. This interaction was localized to precuneus, orbitofrontal cortex, gyrus rectus, and lateral prefrontal cortex. Second, an inverse relationship between Aβ load and episodic memory exists in BDNF met / APOE ε4 carriers but not in any of the other subgroups. This experiment highlights a potential role of the BDNF polymorphism in the preclinical phase of β amyloid deposition and also suggests that the BDNF codon 66 polymorphism may influence resilience against β amyloid-related effects on cognition. In the second part of this project (Chapter 4), we examined whether amyloid load affects the network for language and associative-semantic processing. We found that a higher activity during associative-semantic processing in the posterior left middle temporal gyrus, correlated positively with increased amyloid load. This finding was based on a whole-brain search without prior restriction of the search volume. According to a stepwise linear regression analysis, offline naming reaction times correlated positively with amyloid levels. In a secondary analysis based on a binary approach, the amyloid-positive group exhibited a higher activity compared to the amyloid-negative group during associative-semantic processing in the same region: the posterior left middle temporal gyrus. We concluded that the left posterior temporal activity increase may reflect higher demands for semantic control in the presence of a higher amyloid burden at the preclinical AD stage. In the third part of this project (Chapter 5), we compared two amyloid imaging markers within subjects: 18F-flutemetamol and 11C-PIB. We found that the concordance between binary classification based on 18F-flutemetamol versus 11C-PIB according to semiquantitative assessment (SUVR) was 94%. Concordance of blinded binary visual reads between tracers was 84%. The correlation between 18F-flutemetamol and 11C-PIB SUVR values with cerebellar grey matter as reference region, was 0.84, with a slope of 0.98. Correlations in neocortical regions were significantly lower with pons as reference region. Partial volume correction improved the correlation in two out of 9 investigated regions: striatum and medial temporal cortex. This study provided evidence that for the definition of preclinical AD based on 18F-flutemetamol, concordance with 11C-PIB was highest using semiquantitative assessment with cerebellar grey matter as reference region. In the last part of this work (Chapter 6), we compared the diagnostic accuracy of different cerebrospinal fluid Aβ isoforms, their ratios, total tau, and Aβ42/ttau for detecting amyloid-positive individuals. For this purpose we performed ROC analysis on cerebrospinal fluid analytes with 18F-flutemetamol amyloid PET as classifier. Seven out of 38 subjects (18%) were assigned to the amyloid-positive category based on the PET cut-off. Aβ42/ttau, Aβ42/Aβ40, Aβ42/Aβ38, and Aβ42 had the highest accuracy to identify amyloid-positive subjects (AUC ≥ 0.908). Aβ40 and Aβ38 had significantly lower discriminative power (AUC = 0.571). When specificity was fixed at 90% and 95% Aβ42/ttau had the highest sensitivity, 85.71% and 71.43%, respectively. This experiment showed that for the CSF-based definition of preclinical AD, if a high specificity is required, our data support the use of Aβ 42 over total tau rather than using Aβ42 in isolation.status: publishe

Ujęcie przychodów według regulacji prawa bilansowego i podatkowego w Polsce

W artykule zamieszczono: objaśnienie różnic w pojmowaniu przychodów w podejściu podatkowym i bilan-sowym, definicję oraz systematykę przychodów w aspekcie podatkowym i ujęciu ra-chunkowości, tabele porównawcze różnic między podatkowym a bilansowym ujęciem przycho-dów

The interest of amyloid PET imaging in the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This review evaluates the potential clinical utility of amyloid imaging. RECENT FINDINGS: Amyloid PET is a valid in-vivo marker of neuritic plaque load and correlates with amyloid plaque surface area. Abundant diffuse plaques, however, with scant neuritic plaques can also give rise to a positive scan, most often reported in association with Lewy body disease. Specificity of amyloid PET for discriminating Alzheimer's disease from healthy controls is higher than that of structural MRI. Sensitivity for discriminating Alzheimer's disease from healthy controls or from frontotemporal lobar degeneration is also higher than that of fluorodeoxyglucose-PET, with higher interreader reliability. Within a same center there is high concordance between dichotomization of cases based on amyloid PET versus cerebrospinal fluid Aβ42. In a tentative algorithm, we restrict clinical-diagnostic use to dementia with age of onset before 60 years, primary progressive aphasia and corticobasal syndrome, cases with objective cognitive deficits that could be due to a neurodegenerative cause but also have significant cerebrovascular or psychiatric comorbidity, and rapidly progressive dementia. SUMMARY: Empirical studies that evaluate how amyloid PET can change clinical-diagnostic thinking are starting to emerge. Key questions to be resolved are its role compared with cerebrospinal fluid markers and its impact on patient outcome.status: publishe

Amyloid PET in clinical practice: Its place in the multidimensional space of Alzheimer's disease

Amyloid imaging is currently introduced to the market for clinical use. We will review the evidence demonstrating that the different amyloid PET ligands that are currently available are valid biomarkers for Alzheimer-related β amyloidosis. Based on recent findings from cross-sectional and longitudinal imaging studies using different modalities, we will incorporate amyloid imaging into a multidimensional model of Alzheimer's disease. Aside from the critical role in improving clinical trial design for amyloid-lowering drugs, we will also propose a tentative algorithm for when it may be useful in a memory clinic environment. Gaps in our evidence-based knowledge of the added value of amyloid imaging in a clinical context will be identified and will need to be addressed by dedicated studies of clinical utility.publisher: Elsevier articletitle: Amyloid PET in clinical practice: Its place in the multidimensional space of Alzheimer's disease journaltitle: NeuroImage: Clinical articlelink: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.nicl.2013.03.014 content_type: article copyright: Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc.status: publishe

Coping with stress and quality of life in women with stress urinary incontinence

Introduction: Urinary incontinence (UI) involves uncontrolled leakage of urine through the urethra as a result of damage to its sphincter muscle and a disturbed function of the urogenital diaphragm within the pelvis minor. The symptoms of UI radically impair psychological, somatic, and social functioning. The aim of each disease stress coping process is to reduce the impact of harmful agents as well as the acquisition of necessary preventive measures in order to combat the disorder. Aim of the study was to assess the relationship between coping styles used when dealing with stress associated with disease and the quality of life. Material and methods: The study was carried out at an outpatients’ clinic located in the Lublin Province (eastern Poland), covering 150 women with diagnosed stress urinary incontinence, aged between 32 and 79. The following methods were used: (a) Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (Endler, Parker) to assess coping styles, (b) CASP-19 scale (Higgins, Hyde, Wiggins, Blade) to measure the overall quality of life, and (c) Urinary Incontinence Life Quality Scale (Szymona-Pałkowska, Kraczkowski). Results : The preferred style in the studied group of women was Task-Oriented Coping. This style is associated with a low score on the Independence from Symptoms scale and low Control, being simultaneously correlated with Autonomy and Self-Realisation. Emotion-Oriented Coping is associated with low psychological, physical and social well-being, as well as with little independence from the disease symptoms, little pleasure and self-realisation, but it gives a sense of internal control. Avoidance-Oriented Coping does not significantly correlate with any of the Overall Quality of Life dimensions. Conclusions : Women suffering from UI tend to try to solve their problem by means of cognitive transformation. In their situation, clinging to the problem turns out to be a depressing factor and entails a lower quality of their life

How sensory input-modality influences the responses during property verification

status: accepte

Impact of Sinorhizobium meliloti Exopolysaccharide on Adsorption and Aggregation in the Copper(II) Ions/Supporting Electrolyte/Kaolinite System

To obtain insight into physicochemical interactions between Cu(II) ions, kaolinite, and exopolysaccharide (EPS) synthesized by Sinorhizobium meliloti Rm 1021 soil bacteria, an adsorption, electrokinetic, and aggregation study was performed in the selected systems. The obtained data showed that supporting electrolyte type affects both EPS and Cu(II) ions adsorption. For initial Cu(II) concentration 100 mg/L, 4.36 ± 0.25 mg/g (21.80 ± 1.00%) of the ions were adsorbed in 0.001 M NaCl and 3.76 ± 0.20 mg/g (18.80 ± 1.00%) in 0.001 M CaCl2. The experimental data were best fitted to the Langmuir model as well as pseudo second-order equation. The EPS adsorbed amount on kaolinite was higher in the CaCl2 electrolyte than in NaCl one. For an initial polymer concentration of 100 mg/L, the EPS adsorbed amount was 4.69 ± 0.08 mg/g (23.45 ± 0.40%) in 0.001 M NaCl and 5.26 ± 0.15 mg/g (26.32 ± 0.75%) in 0.001 M CaCl2. In the mixed system, regardless of electrolyte type, exopolysaccharide contributed to immobilization of higher amount of copper(II) ions on the clay mineral. Also, in the samples containing heavy metal ions and exopolysaccharide simultaneously, the aggregation of kaolinite particles was the strongest. The results presented in the paper may be very helpful in soil bioremediation, especially in the development of technologies reducing the mobility of heavy metals in the environment