Long-term tobacco exposure and immunosenescence: paradoxical effects on T-cells telomere length and telomerase activity

Immunosenescence are alterations on immune system that occurs throughout an individual life. The main characteristic of this process is replicative senescence, evaluated by telomere shortening. Several factors implicate on telomere shortening, such as smoking. In this study, we evaluated the influence of smoking and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) on cytokines, telomere length and telomerase activity. Blood samples were collected from subjects aged over 60 years old: Healthy (never smokers), Smokers (smoking for over 30 years) and COPDs (ex-smokers for ≥15 years). A young group was included as control. PBMCs were cultured for assessment of telomerase activity using RT-PCR, and cytokines secretion flow cytometry. CD4+ and CD8+ purified lymphocytes were used to assess telomere length using FlowFISH. We observed that COPD patients have accelerated telomere shortening. Paradoxically, smokers without lung damage showed preserved telomere length, suggesting that tobacco smoking may affect regulatory mechanisms, such as telomerase. Telomerase activity showed diminished activity in COPDs, while Smokers showed increased activity compared to COPDs and Healthy groups. Extracellular environment reflected this unbalance, indicated by an anti-inflammatory profile in Smokers, while COPDs showed an inflammatory prone profile. Further studies focusing on telomeric maintenance may unveil mechanisms that are associated with cancer under long-term smoking

Staging of lung cancer in a tertiary care setting in Sri Lanka, using TNM 7th edition. A comparison against TNM6

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Lung cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality in Sri Lanka and throughout the world. The latest staging system for lung cancer is the tumor node metastasis (TNM) 7^thedition in which there are major changes to the previous version. The objective of our study was to find out the implications of TNM7^thedition on lung cancer staging in a resource limited setting, and to compare it with the previous TNM 6^thedition.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Patients with histologically proven lung cancer consecutively presented to respiratory unit of Teaching Hospital Kandy, Sri Lanka were recruited to the study over a period of one year from April 2010 to March 2011. They were staged using CT, ultrasound scan of abdomen, bronchoscopy and CT spine and brain when necessary. Staging was done using TNM 7 as well as TNM6. Surgical or non-surgical treatment arms were decided on staging and the number of patients in each treatment arm was compared between the two staging systems.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Out of 62 patients, thirty four patients (54%) had metastatic disease and 19 (30%) of them had pleural effusions (M1a), while 15 (24%) had distant metastasis (M1b). When compared to TNM6 there was no difference in the number of patients in T1 category, but the number in T2 was higher in TNM7 (25 Vs 20). Similarly the number in T3 group was higher in TNM7 (11 Vs 5) and the number in M category was doubled (34 Vs 17 [Chi-6.46, <it>p </it>= 0.011]) compared to TNM 6. The number of patients suitable for surgery were 17(27.5%) in TNM 7 and 18(29%) [Chi-0.02, <it>p </it>= 0.88] in TNM6.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This study shows that a significant proportion of patients were having advanced disease with distant metastasis on presentation. The number of patients falling to stage IV is significantly higher when staged with TNM7 but there was no significant difference in the number of patients undergoing surgery when TNM 7 was used compared to TNM6.</p

Associations between health-related quality of life, physical function and fear of falling in older fallers receiving home care

Falls and injuries in older adults have significant consequences and costs, both personal and to society. Although having a high incidence of falls, high prevalence of fear of falling and a lower quality of life, older adults receiving home care are underrepresented in research on older fallers. The objective of this study is to determine the associations between health-related quality of life (HRQOL), fear of falling and physical function in older fallers receiving home care

Gestational malaria associated to Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum placental mixed-infection followed by foetal loss: a case report from an unstable transmission area in Brazil

Gestational malaria is a multi-factorial syndrome leading to poor outcomes for both the mother and foetus. Although an unusual increasing in the number of hospitalizations caused by Plasmodium vivax has been reported in Brazil, mortality is rarely observed. This is a report of a gestational malaria case that occurred in the city of Manaus (Amazonas State, Brazil) and resulted in foetal loss. The patient presented placental mixed-infection by Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum after diagnosis by nested-PCR, however microscopic analysis failed to detect P. falciparum in the peripheral blood. Furthermore, as the patient did not receive proper treatment for P. falciparum and hospitalization occurred soon after drug treatment, it seems that P. falciparum pathology was modulated by the concurrent presence of P. vivax. Collectively, this case confirms the tropism towards the placenta by both of these species of parasites, reinforces the notion that co-existence of distinct malaria parasites interferes on diseases' outcomes, and opens discussions regarding diagnostic methods, malaria treatment during pregnancy and prenatal care for women living in unstable transmission areas of malaria, such as the Brazilian Amazon

A cross-national study on the antecedents of work–life balance from the fit and balance perspective

Drawing on the perceived work–family fit and balance perspective, this study investigates demands and resources as antecedents of work–life balance (WLB) across four countries (New Zealand, France, Italy and Spain), so as to provide empirical cross-national evidence. Using structural equation modelling analysis on a sample of 870 full time employees, we found that work demands, hours worked and family demands were negatively related to WLB, while job autonomy and supervisor support were positively related to WLB. We also found evidence that resources (job autonomy and supervisor support) moderated the relationships between demands and work–life balance, with high resources consistently buffering any detrimental influence of demands on WLB. Furthermore, our study identified additional predictors of WLB that were unique to some national contexts. For example, in France and Italy, overtime hours worked were negatively associated with WLB, while parental status was positively associated with WLB. Overall, the implications for theory and practice are discussed.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

A Transfer Matrix Method for Resonances in Randall-Sundrum Models

In this paper we discuss in detail a numerical method to study resonances in membranes generated by domain walls in Randall-Sundrum-like scenarios. It is based on similar works to understand the quantum mechanics of electrons subject to the potential barriers that exist in heterostructures in semiconductors. This method was used recently to study resonances of a three form field and lately generalized to arbitrary forms. We apply it to a lot of important models, namely those that contain the Gauge, Gravity and Spinor fields. In many cases we find a rich structure of resonances which depends on the parameters involved.Comment: 25 pages, 17 figure

Dysphagia as a manifestation of esophageal tuberculosis: a report of two cases

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Esophageal involvement by <it>Mycobacterium tuberculosis </it>is rare and the diagnosis is frequently made by means of an esophageal biopsy during the evaluation of dysphagia. There are few cases reported in the literature.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>We present two cases of esophageal tuberculosis in 85- and 65-year-old male Caucasian patients with initial complaints of dysphagia and epigastric pain. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy resulted in the diagnosis of esophageal tuberculosis following the biopsy of lesions of irregular mucosa in one case and a sessile polyp in the other. Pulmonary tuberculosis was detected in one patient. In one patient esophageal stricture developed as a complication. Antituberculous therapy was curative in both patients.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Although rare, esophageal tuberculosis has to be kept in mind in the differential diagnosis of dysphagia. Pulmonary involvement has important implications for contact screening.</p

Eleven fetal echocardiographic planes using 4-dimensional ultrasound with spatio-temporal image correlation (STIC): a logical approach to fetal heart volume analysis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Theoretically, a cross-sectional image of any cardiac planes can be obtained from a STIC fetal heart volume dataset. We described a method to display 11 fetal echocardiographic planes from STIC volumes.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Fetal heart volume datasets were acquired by transverse acquisition from 200 normal fetuses at 15 to 40 weeks of gestation. Analysis of the volume datasets using the described technique to display 11 echocardiographic planes in the multiplanar display mode were performed offline.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Volume datasets from 18 fetuses were excluded due to poor image resolution. The mean visualization rates for all echocardiographic planes at 15-17, 18-22, 23-27, 28-32 and 33-40 weeks of gestation fetuses were 85.6% (range 45.2-96.8%, N = 31), 92.9% (range 64.0-100%, N = 64), 93.4% (range 51.4-100%, N = 37), 88.7%(range 54.5-100%, N = 33) and 81.8% (range 23.5-100%, N = 17) respectively.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Overall, the applied technique can favorably display the pertinent echocardiographic planes. Description of the presented method provides a logical approach to explore the fetal heart volumes.</p