A multicenter case-control study comparing sun exposure habits and use of photoprotection measures in patients diagnosed with different types of skin cancer

Melanoma; Photoprotection measures; Squamous cell carcinomaMelanoma; Mesures de fotoprotecció; Carcinoma de cèl·lules escamosesMelanoma; Medidas de fotoprotección; Carcinoma de células escamosasBackground While skin cancer awareness programs have significantly furthered public understanding about the harmful effects of the sun, there is a disparity between photoprotection knowledge and protection practices. Objective To compare sun exposure habits and photoprotection measures in patients diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma (BCC), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and melanoma versus controls. Methods Multicentre case–control observational study carried out by 13 Spanish dermatologists between April 2020 and August 2022. Patients diagnosed with BCC, SCC, or melanoma were considered cases. The control group consisted of individuals with no history of skin cancer. Results Of the 254 cases (56.2% female; mean age, 62.67 ± 15.65), 119 (31.2%) had BCC, 62 (16.27%) SCC, and 73 (19.1%) melanoma. The control group consisted of 127 (33.33%) individuals. Avoiding sun exposure between 12:00 and 16:00 was the most commonly used photoprotection measure (habitually/always: 63.1%), followed by the use of sunscreen (habitually/always: 58.9%). Patients with melanoma were less likely to use clothing and shade to avoid sun exposure (p  50. No differences were observed in photoprotection measures between people with and without a previous history of skin cancer. Conclusions We describe differences in photoprotection measures and sun exposure patterns among patients diagnosed with different skin tumor types. Whether these differences may influence the type of tumor each developed will require further investigation

The Influence of the Exposome in the Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma, a Multicenter Case–Control Study

Exposome; Squamous cell carcinomaExposoma; Carcinoma cutáneo de células escamosasExposoma; Carcinoma cutani de cèl·lules escamosesIntroduction: The concept of exposome refers to the total of harmful and beneficial environmental exposures that can help predict the organism’s biological responses over time. Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) from sun exposure has been recognized as the main etiological agent of skin cancer, and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is one most commonly associated with chronic exposure. However, in recent years, evidence suggests that lifestyle, environmental pollution, and contaminants in water and food can have an influence. Objectives: To study the relationship between SCC and sun exposure, pollution, stress, and lifestyle in a Spanish cohort. Materials and Method: A multicenter case–control study was carried out in which 13 dermatologists from different regions of Spain recruited cases and controls between April 2020 and August 2022. The group of cases were patients diagnosed with SCC and, as a control group, people who attended Dermatology consultations as companions with no history of skin cancer. Results: A total of 62 patients with SCC and 126 controls were included (62.9% males, median age 76.46 (10.1) and 33.3%, median age 55.7 (15), respectively). The SCC group had experienced more outside work than the controls (75% vs. 22.4%, p < 0.001), less recreational exposure (sunbathing, p = 0.05, and outdoor sports, p = 0.01), and a lower annual income (p = 0.01), with an increase in tobacco exposure (p < 0.001), without differences in other carcinogens, such as ionizing radiation or chemical exposure. The control group had a higher daily screentime use (p < 0.001) and practiced more relaxation activities (p = 0.03). A higher linolenic acid intake and lower coffee consumption were the only dietary variables associated with SCC (p < 0.05). Some chronic medications (anxiolytics, antidepressants, beta-blockers, statins, hydrochlorothiazide, ACE inhibitors, metformin, and omeprazole) were also statistically associated with SCC. Statistical significance for all aforementioned variables was maintained in the multivariate analysis (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The study found a significant association between SCC and multiple exposome-related factors in addition to chronic sun exposure in the Spanish population. Primary prevention strategies should target specific populations, such as outdoor workers promoting sun-safe behaviors and stress-reducing activities, in addition to adequate skin photoprotection in patients under certain medications associated with SCC

Networking of differentially expressed genes in human cancer cells resistant to methotrexate

BACKGROUND: The need for an integrated view of data obtained from high-throughput technologies gave rise to network analyses. These are especially useful to rationalize how external perturbations propagate through the expression of genes. To address this issue in the case of drug resistance, we constructed biological association networks of genes differentially expressed in cell lines resistant to methotrexate (MTX). METHODS: Seven cell lines representative of different types of cancer, including colon cancer (HT29 and Caco2), breast cancer (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-468), pancreatic cancer (MIA PaCa-2), erythroblastic leukemia (K562) and osteosarcoma (Saos-2), were used. The differential expression pattern between sensitive and MTX-resistant cells was determined by whole human genome microarrays and analyzed with the GeneSpring GX software package. Genes deregulated in common between the different cancer cell lines served to generate biological association networks using the Pathway Architect software. RESULTS: Dikkopf homolog-1 (DKK1) is a highly interconnected node in the network generated with genes in common between the two colon cancer cell lines, and functional validations of this target using small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) showed a chemosensitization toward MTX. Members of the UDP-glucuronosyltransferase 1A (UGT1A) family formed a network of genes differentially expressed in the two breast cancer cell lines. siRNA treatment against UGT1A also showed an increase in MTX sensitivity. Eukaryotic translation elongation factor 1 alpha 1 (EEF1A1) was overexpressed among the pancreatic cancer, leukemia and osteosarcoma cell lines, and siRNA treatment against EEF1A1 produced a chemosensitization toward MTX. CONCLUSIONS: Biological association networks identified DKK1, UGT1As and EEF1A1 as important gene nodes in MTX-resistance. Treatments using siRNA technology against these three genes showed chemosensitization toward MTX

Training physical education teachers in ICT : TPACK model

El objetivo principal de este estudio fue analizar la formación en TIC del profesorado de Educación Física (EF) de Educación Primaria, de acuerdo con el modelo TPACK. Se administró la traducción al español del cuestionario TPACK y la escala de autoeficacia computacional, junto a otros ítems para medir el uso de Internet. La muestra del estudio fue de un total de 60 docentes correspondientes a 40 centros educativos de Sevilla y Huelva. Los resultados mostraron que los docentes se sienten competentes en los diferentes conocimientos que propone el modelo, destacando el componente pedagógico y de contenido. Asimismo, el profesorado se autovalora eficaz en diversas acciones con la tecnología, utilizando Internet a diario con un motivo más social que profesional. En cuanto a las variables más importantes del estudio (4 tipos de conocimientos del TPACK y la autoeficacia computacional) se encontraron correlaciones positivas. Concretamente, en los conocimientos tecnológicos (TK, PCK+TPK+TPACK) las correlaciones con la autoeficacia computacional fueron más altasThe main aim of this study was to analyze the training in ICT of Primary Physical Education teachers, according to this model. The Spanish translation of the TPACK survey and Computer Self-Efficacy scale was administered along items to measure the Internet use. A sample of 60 physical education teachers from 40 schools in Seville and Huelva were selected. The results revealed that TPACK perceptions of physical education teachers were at satisfactory levels, especially in the pedagogical component and content knowledge. Also, the teachers showed acceptable levels in the computer self-efficacy scale, by means of using the Internet daily with a social purpose rather than professional. Positive correlations were found in terms of the most important variables of the study (4 types of knowledge of the TPACK and self-efficacy in the use of ICT). Specifically, the technological knowledge (TK, PCK+TPK and TPACK) correlations with computer self-efficacy were higher

Grape Resveratrol Increases Serum Adiponectin and Downregulates Inflammatory Genes in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells: A Triple-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, One-Year Clinical Trial in Patients with Stable Coronary Artery Disease

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits any use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author(s) and the source are credited.[Purpose] The grape and wine polyphenol resveratrol exerts cardiovascular benefits but evidence from randomized human clinical trials is very limited. We investigated dose-depending effects of a resveratrol-containing grape supplement on stable patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) treated according to currently accepted guidelines for secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease.[Methods] In a triple-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, one-year follow-up, 3-arm pilot clinical trial, 75 stable-CAD patients received 350 mg/day of placebo, resveratrol-containing grape extract (grape phenolics plus 8 mg resveratrol) or conventional grape extract lacking resveratrol during 6 months, and a double dose for the following 6 months. Changes in circulating inflammatory and fibrinolytic biomarkers were analyzed. Moreover, the transcriptional profiling of inflammatory genes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was explored using microarrays and functional gene expression analysis.[Results] After 1 year, in contrast to the placebo and conventional grape extract groups, the resveratrol-containing grape extract group showed an increase of the anti-inflammatory serum adiponectin (9.6 %, p = 0.01) and a decrease of the thrombogenic plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1) (−18.6 %, p = 0.05). In addition, 6 key inflammation-related transcription factors were predicted to be significantly activated or inhibited, with 27 extracellular-space acting genes involved in inflammation, cell migration and T-cell interaction signals presenting downregulation (p < 0.05) in PBMCs. No adverse effects were detected in relation to the study products.[Conclusions] Chronic daily consumption of a resveratrol-containing grape nutraceutical could exert cardiovascular benefits in stable-CAD patients treated according to current evidence-based standards, by increasing serum adiponectin, preventing PAI-1 increase and inhibiting atherothrombotic signals in PBMCs.This study was supported by public funds: Projects CICYT-BFU2007-60576 and Consolider-Ingenio 2010 (CSD2007-00063, Fun-C-Food) from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (MICINN) and GERM-06-04486 (Fundación Séneca, Murcia, Spain). Dr. Tomé-Carneiro received a FPI grant from MICINN and Dr. Larrosa received a JAE-DOC contract from the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC, Spain).Peer reviewe

Joc competitiu en línea per aprendre estadística

Un diagnòstic de les pràctiques d'estadística va portar a proposar per a una nova assignatura un joc competitiu en línia de presa de decisions basades en l'estadística. Aquest utilitza dades simulades i un web en què els estudiants adquireixen dades consumint un pressupost, hi introdueixen les decisions que prenen i fan el seguiment de la seva posició en el joc. El resultat final (PRESTON, PRàctiques d'ESTadística ON-line) ja s'ha utilitzat amb èxit a l'ETSEIB (2 quadrimestres, 400 estudiants).Peer Reviewe

Modulation of Haemophilus influenzae interaction with hydrophobic molecules by the VacJ/MlaA lipoprotein impacts strongly on its interplay with the airways.

Airway infection by nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) associates to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbation and asthma neutrophilic airway inflammation. Lipids are key inflammatory mediators in these disease conditions and consequently, NTHi may encounter free fatty acids during airway persistence. However, molecular information on the interplay NTHi-free fatty acids is limited, and we lack evidence on the importance of such interaction to infection. Maintenance of the outer membrane lipid asymmetry may play an essential role in NTHi barrier function and interaction with hydrophobic molecules. VacJ/MlaA-MlaBCDEF prevents phospholipid accumulation at the bacterial surface, being the only system involved in maintaining membrane asymmetry identified in NTHi. We assessed the relationship among the NTHi VacJ/MlaA outer membrane lipoprotein, bacterial and exogenous fatty acids, and respiratory infection. The vacJ/mlaA gene inactivation increased NTHi fatty acid and phospholipid global content and fatty acyl specific species, which in turn increased bacterial susceptibility to hydrophobic antimicrobials, decreased NTHi epithelial infection, and increased clearance during pulmonary infection in mice with both normal lung function and emphysema, maybe related to their shared lung fatty acid profiles. Altogether, we provide evidence for VacJ/MlaA as a key bacterial factor modulating NTHi survival at the human airway upon exposure to hydrophobic molecules

A multicenter case-control study comparing sun exposure habits and use of photoprotection measures in patients diagnosed with different types of skin cancer

Background: While skin cancer awareness programs have significantly furthered public understanding about the harmful effects of the sun, there is a disparity between photoprotection knowledge and protection practices. Objective: To compare sun exposure habits and photoprotection measures in patients diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma (BCC), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and melanoma versus controls. Methods: Multicentre case–control observational study carried out by 13 Spanish dermatologists between April 2020 and August 2022. Patients diagnosed with BCC, SCC, or melanoma were considered cases. The control group consisted of individuals with no history of skin cancer. Results: Of the 254 cases (56.2% female; mean age, 62.67 ± 15.65), 119 (31.2%) had BCC, 62 (16.27%) SCC, and 73 (19.1%) melanoma. The control group consisted of 127 (33.33%) individuals. Avoiding sun exposure between 12:00 and 16:00 was the most commonly used photoprotection measure (habitually/always: 63.1%), followed by the use of sunscreen (habitually/always: 58.9%). Patients with melanoma were less likely to use clothing and shade to avoid sun exposure (p  50. No differences were observed in photoprotection measures between people with and without a previous history of skin cancer. Conclusions: We describe differences in photoprotection measures and sun exposure patterns among patients diagnosed with different skin tumor types. Whether these differences may influence the type of tumor each developed will require further investigation

Pertactin-Deficient Bordetella pertussis with Unusual Mechanism of Pertactin Disruption, Spain, 1986-2018

Bordetella pertussis not expressing pertactin has increased in countries using acellular pertussis vaccines (ACV). The deficiency is mostly caused by pertactin gene disruption by IS481. To assess the effect of the transition from whole-cell vaccine to ACV on the emergence of B. pertussis not expressing pertactin in Spain, we studied 342 isolates collected during 1986-2018. We identified 93 pertactin-deficient isolates. All were detected after introduction of ACV and represented 38% of isolates collected during the ACV period; 58.1% belonged to a genetic cluster of isolates carrying the unusual prn::del(-292, 1340) mutation. Pertactin inactivation by IS481 insertion was identified in 23.7% of pertactin-deficient isolates, arising independently multiple times and in different phylogenetic branches. Our findings support the emergence and dissemination of a cluster of B. pertussis with an infrequent mechanism of pertactin disruption in Spain, probably resulting from introduction of ACV.This work was supported by the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, and cofinanced by the European Regional Development Fund “A Way to Achieve Europe” (Spanish Network for Research in Infectious Diseases, grant no. FIS PI18/00703) and by the Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red (CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas), the Red Española de Investigación en Patología Infecciosa (grant no. CB21/13/00054). A.M.C. is supported by the Agència de Gestió d’Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca de la Generalitat de Catalunya at Vall d’Hebron Institut de Recerca (Ajuts per a la Contractació de Personal Investigador FI, grant no. 2020FI_B2_00145) and by the Spanish Network for Research in Infectious Diseases (grant no. RD16/ 0016/0003). A.M.M. is supported by a grant from the Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria at Vall d’Hebron Institut de Recerca (Contratos Predoctorales de Formación en Investigación, grant no. FI19/00315).S