Mechanisms of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) regulation: clinical impacts in cancer

Background Limitless self-renewal is one of the hallmarks of cancer and is attained by telomere maintenance, essentially through telomerase (hTERT) activation. Transcriptional regulation of hTERT is believed to play a major role in telomerase activation in human cancers. Main body The dominant interest in telomerase results from its role in cancer. The role of telomeres and telomere maintenance mechanisms is well established as a major driving force in generating chromosomal and genomic instability. Cancer cells have acquired the ability to overcome their fate of senescence via telomere length maintenance mechanisms, mainly by telomerase activation. hTERT expression is up-regulated in tumors via multiple genetic and epigenetic mechanisms including hTERT amplifications, hTERT structural variants, hTERT promoter mutations and epigenetic modifications through hTERT promoter methylation. Genetic (hTERT promoter mutations) and epigenetic (hTERT promoter methylation and miRNAs) events were shown to have clinical implications in cancers that depend on hTERT activation. Knowing that telomeres are crucial for cellular self-renewal, the mechanisms responsible for telomere maintenance have a crucial role in cancer diseases and might be important oncological biomarkers. Thus, rather than quantifying TERT expression and its correlation with telomerase activation, the discovery and the assessment of the mechanisms responsible for TERT upregulation offers important information that may be used for diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment monitoring in oncology. Furthermore, a better understanding of these mechanisms may promote their translation into effective targeted cancer therapies. Conclusion Herein, we reviewed the underlying mechanisms of hTERT regulation, their role in oncogenesis, and the potential clinical applications in telomerase-dependent cancers.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The flora and vegetation of rocky outcrops in three municipalities in the northern region of Ceará, Brazil: phytosociological characterization

Veja material suplementar em <https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.5915233.v2O presente estudo teve como objetivo identificar a flora e a vegetação dos afloramentos rochosos isolados e de baixa altitude (lajedos), na vegetação de Caatinga Arbustiva Aberta, que se encontram nos municípios de Sobral, Groaíras e Santa Quitéria, no estado do Ceará, Brasil e propor uma classificação fitossociológica para estas comunidades xerófilas. Foram definidas cinco áreas de coleta de dados com elevada proporção de rochas expostas (> 80%) onde as excursões de campo decorreram em março de 2014 e 2015 (3º56’S e 40º23’W, 4º01’S e 40º05’W, 4º07’S e 40º08’W, 4º09’S e 40º09’W e 4º03’S e 40º00’W). No estudo da vegetação aplicou-se os métodos TWINSPAN (two-way indicator species analysis) e o clássico sigmatista de Braun-Blanquet. As áreas mínimas dos inventários fitossociológicos variaram de 8 a 16 m2. Foram coletadas as espécies vegetais que crescem em fissuras, fendas e ilhas de vegetação que se encontram em afloramentos rochosos. Foram registradas 88 espécies, distribuídas em 59 gêneros e 30 famílias botânicas. Fabaceae foi a família que se destacou em riqueza específica (20 spp.), seguida por Poaceae (dez spp.), Euphorbiaceae (sete spp.) e Convolvulaceae (seis spp.). Quanto ao endemismo foram registradas, em vegetação rupestre, 19 espécies endêmicas para o Brasil. Na análise fitossociológica da vegetação propôs-se estudar a comunidade de Pilosocereus gounellei (FA.C.Weber) Byles & Rowley e Encholirium spectabile Mart. ex Schult. & Schult.f. e a de Crateva tapia L. e Combretum leprosum Martinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Pelvic floor disorders in postpartum adolescents in the Western Amazon: a cross-sectional study

Lea Tami Suzuki Zuchelo,1,2 Edige Felipe de Sousa Santos,1,3 Francisco Winter Dos Santos Figueiredo,1,4 Fernando Adami,4 Italla Maria Pinheiro Bezerra,1,5 Rodrigo Daminello Raimundo,1 Isabel Cristina Esposito Sorpreso,1,6 Luiz Carlos de Abreu1 1Study Design and Scientific Writing Laboratory, ABC Medical School (FMABC), Santo Andr&eacute;, SP, Brazil; 2School of Physiotherapy, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora (UFJF), Juiz de Fora, MG, Brazil; 3Department of Epidemiology, Universidade de S&atilde;o Paulo (USP), S&atilde;o Paulo, SP, Brazil; 4Epidemiology and Data Analysis Laboratory, ABC Medical School (FMABC), Santo Andr&eacute;, SP, Brazil; 5Nursing Department, School of Sciences of Santa Casa de Miseric&oacute;rdia de Vitoria (EMESCAM), Vit&oacute;ria, ES, Brazil; 6Gynecology Discipline, Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de S&atilde;o Paulo, S&atilde;o Paulo, SP, Brazil Purpose: To analyze the postpartum pelvic floor disorders (PFD) and mode of delivery among adolescents, late adolescents, and young women from Western Amazon. Patients and methods: Cross-sectional study was carried out in the urban area of Western Amazon in the city of Rio Branco, Acre, Brazil, from October 2016 to February 2017. This is a convenience sample of women up to 30 years who completed six months postpartum, separated in three groups according to maternal age: adolescents (age &le;19 years), late adolescents (20&ndash;24 years), and young women (25&ndash;30 years). Participants were home interviewed and answered Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory-20 (PFDI-20). Delivery clinical data were collected from patient&rsquo;s medical records. Results: In total, 285 participants were interviewed: 41 adolescents, 103 late adolescents, and 141 young women. After controlling for confounding factors, prevalences of PFD were higher in the adolescents&rsquo; group compared with the young women&rsquo;s group (urinary incontinence [UI], prevalence ratio [PR] = 1.75, 95% CI 1.14&ndash;2.69; urge urinary incontinence [UUI], PR = 1.88, 95% CI 1.02&ndash;3.47; stress urinary incontinence, PR = 2.00, 95% CI 1.11&ndash;3.62; fecal incontinence [FI], PR = 4.40, 95% CI 1.36&ndash;14.27). PFDI-20 scores also presented higher values in the adolescent group (Pelvic Organ Prolapse Distress Inventory [POPDI], PR = 2.02, 95% CI 1.49&ndash;2.75; urinary distress inventory [UDI], PR = 2.09, 95% CI 1.47&ndash;2.98; PFDI, PR = 2.12, 95% CI 1.47&ndash;2.98). Analyzing the influence of cesarean section, adolescents have higher prevalence of UI (PR = 1.84, 95% CI 1.04&ndash;3.26, P=0.037), UUI (PR = 2.36, 95% CI 1.03&ndash;5.40, P=0.042), and FI (PR = 4.09, 95% CI 1.21&ndash;13.81, P=0.023). In addition, POPDI (PR = 2.15, 95% CI 1.60&ndash;2.89, P&lt;0.001), UDI (PR = 2.25, 95% CI 1.61&ndash;3.16, P&lt;0.001), and PFDI (PR = 2.27, 95% CI 1.68&ndash;3.08, P&lt;0.001) scores are also higher among adolescents where the baby is born by cesarean section. Conclusion: Adolescents present higher prevalence and symptoms of PFD; furthermore, cesarean delivery has a greater negative influence on the pelvic floor of adolescents when compared with young women. This reinforces the importance of PFD investigation among the adolescent population, mainly in developing countries which have high rates of adolescent pregnancy and cesarean section. Keywords: pelvic floor dysfunction, women&rsquo;s health, adolescent, puerperiu

(Re)lembrando Elvira de Felic: gestos e falas de enfermeiras sobre o banho no leito, uma técnica/tecnologia de enfermagem Reacordando Elvira de Felice: gestos y hablas de enfermeras sobre el baño en el lecho, una técnica/tecnología de Enfermería Remembering Elvira de Felice: gestures and speechs of the nurses about the bathing in the bed, a technique/technology of Nursing

Trata-se de uma pesquisa quanti-qualitativa sobre banho no leito, com os objetivos de identificar expressões verbais e caracterizar expressões não verbais durante a execução da atividade de banhar e de ser banhada.. A coleta de dados incluiu o registro de falas, gestos e expressões durante a Cena de Reflexão, uma dramatização do banho em sala de aula, com a participação de 32 enfermeiras e alunas de pós-graduação - mestrado. Os resultados indicaram dois núcleos de representações: o primeiro, "O Corpo que Toca e Fala"; e o segundo, "O Corpo que Toca e Cala". A Multireferencialidade, Subjetividade, Psicossociologia e as concepções de Nightingale, Figueiredo e Carvalho foram usadas como apoio teórico. Os resultados constataram dificuldades das enfermeiras em relação ao toque e ao corpo nu, durante o procedimento técnico, e também quando opinavam e defendiam, de fato, o próprio corpo e o toque como intermediadores de emoções, subjetividade, estética, sexualidade e sensualidade<br>Se trata de una investigación cuanti-cualitativa sobre el baño en el lecho, con los objetivos de identificar expresiones verbales y caracterizar expresiones no verbales durante la actividad de bañar y de ser bañada. La recolección de datos incluyó el registro de hablas, gestos y expresiones durante la Escena de Reflexión, una dramatización del baño en clase, con la participación de 32 enfermeras ya alumnas de posgrado (Maestría). Los resultados indicaron dos núcleos de representaciones: "El cuerpo que toca y habla" y "El cuerpo que toca y calla". La Multireferencialidad, Subjetividad, Psicosociología y las concepciones de Nightgale, Figueiredo Y Carvalho fueron usadas como soporte teórico. Se constató dificultades de las enfermeras en relación al toque y al cuerpo desnudo en el decurso del procedimento técnico, y también cuando opinaban y defendían, en realidad, el propio cuerpo y el toque como intermediadores de emociones, subjetividad, estética, sexualidad y sensualidad<br>This is about a quantitative and qualitative research about the bath in the bed, with the objectives to identify verbal expressions and to characterize not verbal expressions during the execution of the activity to bathe and of being bathed. The collection of data included the register of speechs, gestures and expressions during the Scene of Reflection, a dramatization of the bath in classroom, with the participation of 32 nurses and students of Postgraduation - masters. The results had indicated two nuclei of representations: the first one, "the Body that Touchs and Speaks"; and the second one, "the Body that Touchs and Quiet". The Multireferentiality, Subjectivity, Psychosociology and the conceptions of Nightingale, Figueiredo and Carvalho had been used as theoretical support. The results had evidenced difficulties of the nurses in relation to the touch and to the naked body, during the technician procedure, and also when they thought and they defended, in fact, the proper body and the touch as intermediate of emotions, subjectivity, aesthetic, sexuality and sensuality