New Insights into Genetic Variation and Cancer

Cancer has become the leading cause of death in women, surpassing heart diseases. In males it takes a second place. The disease burden is large and grows as a result of aging of the population, especially in western countries. Cancer research in the past has led to a better understanding of treatment and prognosis. Nevertheless, despite substantial efforts in this research field, the pathogenesis of cancer is still largely unclear. Since long it has been recognized, that cancer is not merely one disease, but ha

Hydropneumbox: yesterday, today, tomorrow

Викладено історію розвитку гідроприводу, як найважливішого засобу механізації і автоматизації виробничих процесів. Відзначено внесок вітчизняних вчених у становлення теорії гідравлічного і пневматичного привод у як науки. Підкреслено провідну роль України в розробці та виробництві елементів і систем гідропневмоприводів. Показані нові тенденції і принципи функціонування мехатронних гідропневмосистем, які забезпечили широкомасштабне впровадження їх в гнучкі автоматизовані виробництва.The prerequisites and history of the emergence and development of industrial hydraulic drive as the most important means of mechanization and automation of production processes is outlined. The contribution of domestic scientists in the process of establishing the theory of hydraulic and pneumatic actuator as science is noted. The leading role of Ukraine both in the past and in the post-Soviet space in the development and production of elements and systems of hydro-pneumatic actuators is underlined, the main enterprise-developers and manufacturers of this equipment are listed. Much attention is paid to the modern stage of development of this industry as an integral part of mechatronic systems. New trends and principles of the functioning of mechatronic hydropneumatic systems are shown, which ensured their large-scale introduction into flexible automated production. Examples of modern elements of mechatronic hydropneumatic systems and schemes of their use in industrial processes are given

High prevalence of peripheral neuropathy in multiple myeloma patients and the impact of vitamin D levels, a cross-sectional study

Purpose: Peripheral neuropathy (PN) is common in patients with multiple myeloma (MM). We hypothesized that the relationship between hypovitaminosis D and PN described in diabetes mellitus patients may also be present in MM patients. Methods: To study this potential association, we assessed the incidence of hypovitaminosis D (vitamin D < 75 nmol/L [= 30 ng/mL]) in smouldering and active MM patients in two Dutch hospitals. Furthermore, a validated questionnaire was used to distinguish different PN grades. Results: Of the 120 patients included between January 2017 and August 2018, 84% had an inadequate vitamin D level (median vitamin D level 49.5 nmol/L [IQR 34–65 nmol/L]; mean age: 68 years [SD ± 7.7]; males: 58%). PN was reported by 69% of patients (n = 83); however, of these 83 patients, PN was not documented in the medical records of 52%. An association was found between lower vitamin D levels and higher incidence of PN in the total population (P = 0.035), and in the active MM patients (P = 0.016). Conclusion: This multi-centre cohort study showed that PN and hypovitaminosis D are common in MM patients, and addressing low vitamin D levels in the treatment of MM patients might be beneficial in reducing the risk of PN. More attention for PN is warranted, as PN is underreported by clinicians. Further research is needed to fully understand the implications of vitamin D in the development of PN in patients with MM. Clinical trial registration: Netherland Trial Register NL5835, date of registration July 28, 2016

Estrogen receptor α polymorphisms and postmenopausal breast cancer risk

Item does not contain fulltextBACKGROUND: The estrogen receptor alpha (ESR1) is a mediator of estrogen response in the breast. The most studied variants in this gene are the PvuII and XbaI polymorphisms, which have been associated to lower sensitivity to estrogen. We evaluated whether these polymorphisms were associated with breast cancer risk by means of an association study in a population of Caucasian postmenopausal women from the Rotterdam study and a meta-analysis of published data. METHODS: The PvuII and XbaI polymorphisms were genotyped in 3,893 women participants of the Rotterdam Study. Baseline information was obtained through a questionnaire. We conducted logistic regression analyses to assess the risk of breast cancer by each of the ESR1 genotypes. Meta-analyses of all publications on these relations were done by retrieving literature from Pubmed and by further checking the reference lists of the articles obtained. RESULTS: There were 38 women with previously diagnosed breast cancer. During follow-up, 152 were additionally diagnosed. The logistic regression analyses showed no difference in risk for postmenopausal breast cancer in carriers of the PvuII or XbaI genotypes neither in overall, incident or prevalent cases. No further evidence of a role of these variants was found in the meta-analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the ESR1 polymorphisms do not play a role in breast cancer risk in Caucasian postmenopausal women

Transformation Textures in Zirconia

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/65433/1/j.1151-2916.1993.tb03696.x.pd

C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, and prostate cancer risk in men aged 65 years and older.

Inflammation is believed to play a role in prostate cancer (PCa) etiology, but it is unclear whether inflammatory markers C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) associate with PCa risk in older men. Using Cox regression, we assessed the relationship between baseline concentrations of CRP and IL-6 and the subsequent PCa risk in the Cardiovascular Health Study, a population-based cohort study of mostly European American men of ages >64 years (n = 2,234; mean follow-up = 8.7 years; 215 incident PCa cases). We also tested associations between CRP and IL-6 tagSNPs and PCa risk, focusing on SNPs that are known to associate with circulating CRP and/or IL-6. Neither CRP nor IL-6 blood concentrations was associated with PCa risk. The C allele of IL-6 SNP rs1800795 (-174), a known functional variant, was associated with increased risk in a dominant model (HR = 1.44; 95% CI = 1.03-2.01; p = 0.03), but was not statistically significant after accounting for multiple tests (permutation p = 0.21). Our results suggest that circulating CRP and IL-6 do not influence PCa risk. SNPs at the CRP locus are not associated with PCa risk in this cohort, while the association between rs1800795 and PCa risk warrants further investigation