4 research outputs found
Smoking determines the 10-year (2004–2014) prognosis in patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome: the GREECS observational study
ARF: a versatile DNA damage response ally at the crossroads of development and tumorigenesis.
Alternative reading frame (ARF) is a tumor suppressor protein that senses oncogenic and other stressogenic signals. It can trigger p53-dependent and -independent responses with cell cycle arrest and apoptosis induction being the most prominent ones. Other ARF activities, particularly p53-independent ones, that could help in understanding cancer development and provide potential therapeutic exploitation are underrated. Although ARF is generally not expressed in normal tissues, it is essential for ocular and male germ cells development. The underlying mechanism(s) in these processes, while not clearly defined, point toward a functional link between ARF, DNA damage and angiogenesis. Based on a recent study from our group demonstrating a functional interplay between ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) and ARF during carcinogenesis, we discuss the role of ARF at the crossroads of cancer and developmental processes
Smoking determines the 10-year (2004–2014) prognosis in patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome: the GREECS observational study
Background
Smoking has long been positively associated with the development and progression of coronary heart
disease. However, longitudinal cohort studies evaluating smoking habits among cardiac patients as well as the role of
socio-demographic factors determining such behaviours are scarce and have been focused on primary care practice.
Thus the aim of the present work was to examine the association of active smoking and behaviours and exposure to
second-hand smoke, with the 10-year Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) prognosis, among cardiovascular patients.
Methods
From October 2003 to September 2004, a sample of six Greek hospitals was selected and almost
allconsecutive 2172 ACS patients were enrolled. In 2013–14, the 10-year follow-up was performed in 1918
participants (11 % loss to follow-up). Smoking habits at the time of entry to the study, as well as during the
follow-up period were studied using a standard questionnaire.
Results
Patients who had >60 pack-years of smoking had 57.8 % higher ACS mortality and 24.6 % higher risk for any
ACS event. Nested model, adjusted only for age and sex, revealed that for every 30 pack-years of smoking increase, the
associated ACS risk increased by 13 % (95 % CI 1.03, 1.30, p = 0.001). When further adjusted analysis, including several
potential confounders, was applied the tested relationship was still significant (95 %CI 1.03, 1.30, p = 0.09). Accordingly, the
risk for fatal ACS events increased by 8 % for every 30 pack-years of smoking increase (95 % CI 1.03, 1.63, p = 0.06).
Moreover, 52 % of the patients reported being exposed to secondhand smoke and when further adjustments were
made, it was revealed that they had 33 % (95 % CI 1.12, 1.60, p = 0.01) higher risk of having recurrent ACS events.
Conclusions
Active smoking and second-hand smoke among cardiac patients still represent a substantial clinical
burden. Thus, smoking cessation policies should be incorporated into the long-term therapeutic management
Micro-CT for Biological and Biomedical Studies: A Comparison of Imaging Techniques
Several imaging techniques are used in biological and biomedical
studies. Micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) is a non-destructive
imaging technique that allows the rapid digitisation of internal and
external structures of a sample in three dimensions and with great
resolution. In this review, the strengths and weaknesses of some common
imaging techniques applied in biological and biomedical fields, such as
optical microscopy, confocal laser scanning microscopy, and scanning
electron microscopy, are presented and compared with the micro-CT
technique through five use cases. Finally, the ability of micro-CT to
create non-destructively 3D anatomical and morphological data in
sub-micron resolution and the necessity to develop complementary methods
with other imaging techniques, in order to overcome limitations caused
by each technique, is emphasised