Justifying public advocacy by charities: when does political activity become charitable?

Conference Theme: Democratization, Marketization, and the Third SectorIn common law jurisdictions, it has been a well-entrenched rule that charitable organizations must not substantially engage in political activities. Apart from party politics, these include, in American law, “attempt[s] to influence legislation” and in English law, the even broader formulation of “advocacy to change law or policy” ...postprin

Cellular signaling pathways of matrix metalloproteinase gene expression by Pseudomonas aeruginosa-infected human bronchial epithelial cells

Research Dissemination Reports - supported by funds (Research Fund for the Control of Infectious Diseases)published_or_final_versio

Serum superoxide dismutase levels correlate with disease activity markers in stable bronchiectasis

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Differential regulation of cytokine-and phorbol ester-induced activation of nuclear factor kappa B by Pseudomonas aeruginosa pyocyanin in human airway epithelial cells

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ESTUDO DA ASSOCIAÇÃO ENTRE HANSENÍASE E DIABETES MELLITUS EM POPULAÇÃO HIPERENDÊMICA.

Introdução: Os municípios de Linhares e Sooretama, norte do estado do Espírito Santo (ES), estão contidos no cluster de hanseníase n° 4. A incidência da diabetes mellitus vem aumentando exponencialmente, o que pode impactar no desenvolvimento da micobacteriose. Objetivos: Geral: Estudar a associação entre hanseníase e diabetes mellitus. Secundários: 1) Descrever as variáveis clínico- epidemiológicas; 2) Comparar o grau de incapacidade entre pacientes com e sem diabetes mellitus. Metodologia: Estudo caso-controle onde os casos (indivíduos com hanseníase) foram submetidos à avaliação de nervos periféricos, baciloscopia de raspado intradérmico e biópsia com estudo histopatológico de lesão cutânea e casos e controles (pais e filhos de pacientes multibacilares) à avaliação dermatológica e exames de sangue para pesquisa de diabetes mellitus. A associação entre hanseníase e diabetes mellitus foi avaliada pelo OR, com p≤0,05 e IC 95%, teste qui-quadrado e regressão logística. A associação entre grau de incapacidade e diabetes mellitus foi avaliada pelo teste qui-quadrado. Resultados: Dentre os 78 casos, quanto ao sexo: 61,5% eram homens e dentre os 78 controles, 44,8%. A idade média dos casos foi de 44 anos e três meses e entre os controles, 33 anos. Cinco casos apresentaram a forma indeterminada, 26 a tuberculóide, 14 a dimorfa-tuberculóide, nove a dimorfa- dimorfa, 13 a dimorfa-virchowiana e 11 a virchowiana. Dez casos apresentavam reação e 26 grau de incapacidade I ou II. Catorze casos (17,9%) e um controle (1,28%) tinham diabetes mellitus (OR 16,84; IC 95% 2,15-131,58). O teste qui- quadrado com correção de Yates foi de 10,62 (p=0,001). Na regressão logística as variáveis diabetes mellitus, sexo e idade estavam associados à hanseníase de forma independente entre si. Grau de incapacidade I ou II esteve associada à diabetes mellitus, com teste qui-quadrado com correção de Yates de 5,75 (p=0,016). Conclusões: A diabetes mellitus foi estatisticamente associada à hanseníase. Os dados sobre: sexo, idade e grau de incapacidade foram compatíveis com a literatura. A freqüência da hanseníase indeterminada foi inferior e da dimorfa foi superior ao encontrado no ES em 2011 e a incapacidade física foi estatisticamente associada à diabetes mellitus

Characterizing prostaglandin E receptor on epithelial–mesenchymal transition and metastasis in TNBC

This journal suppl. entitled: Primary Therapy of Early Breast Cancer: 14th St.Gallen International Breast Cancer ConferencePoster Presentation: P047postprin

Prostaglandin E2 receptor regulates metastasis and stem-cell like properties in triple-negative breast cancer through SCL19A3

Poster Presentation - Tumor and Cell Biology: no. PO188BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Majority of BRCA1 mutation-associated tumors share pheno-typic similarity to triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), understanding the biology of TNBC may improve management of these patients. TNBC is associated with increased risk of metastatic disease and poor prognosis. Prostaglandin E (EP) receptors have been associated with tumor metastasis, however, the contribution on cancer stem cell compartment …published_or_final_versio

Chinese green tea ameliorates lung injury in cigarette smoke-exposed rats

Background: Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), which has been shown to have potent antioxidant effect, comprises 80% of catechins in Chinese green tea. This study was to investigate whether cigarette smoke (CS) exposure would induce lung morphological changes and oxidative stress in the CS-exposed rat model, and whether Chinese green tea (Lung Chen tea with EGCG as its main active ingredient) consumption would alter oxidative stress in sera and lung leading to protection of CS-induced lung damage. Methods: Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups, i.e. sham air (SA), 4% CS, 2% Lung Chen tea plus SA or 4% CS. Exposure to SA or 4% CS was performed for 1 h/day for 56 days in ventilated smoking chambers. Sera and lung tissues were collected 24 h after last CS exposure for histology and all biochemical assays. Results: Airspace enlargement and goblet cell hyperplasia were observed after 56-day CS exposure alone, which were abolished in the presence of green tea consumption. Serum 8-isoprostane level was significantly elevated (p < 0.01) as well as lung superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase activities in CS-exposed rats compared to SA-exposed rats (p < 0.05), which returned to the levels of SA-exposed rats after Chinese green tea consumption. Conclusion: These results indicate that increased levels of systemic oxidative stress after CS exposure play an important role in the induction of lung damage. Chinese green tea may have the ability to suppress CS-induced oxidative stress that leads to protection of lung injury. © 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.postprin

Clinical value of ciliary assessment in bronchiectasis - a cross sectional study

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Elevated plasma adiponectin levels in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

BACKGROUND: Adiponectin is an anti-inflammatory adipokine that may play a role in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) pathogenesis. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between adiponectin, interleukin (IL) 6, IL-8 and C-reactive protein (CRP) and COPD by evaluating these biomarkers in ever-smokers with or without the disease. METHOD: Plasma levels of adiponectin, IL-6, IL-8 and CRP were measured using commercially available kits in COPD patients (n = 71), healthy ever-smokers (n = 62) and non-smokers (n = 51). RESULTS: There were significant increases in plasma adiponectin, IL-6 and CRP in COPD patients (median [IQR] 4.39 μg/ml [2.68-6.98], 4.19 pg/ml [<2.40-6.40], 8.75 mg/l [4.26-40.63], respectively) compared to healthy ever-smokers (1.90 μg/ml [0.86-2.86], <2.40 pg/ml [<2.40-2.77], 3.71 mg/l [1.97-10.37 mg/l], respectively, P < 0.001) and non-smokers (1.76 μg/ml [1.34-2.52], <2.40 pg/ml [<2.40-2.78], 3.12 mg/l [2.11-5.71], respectively, P < 0.001). COPD patients had lower plasma IL-8 levels than healthy ever-smokers. Among ever-smokers with or without COPD, plasma adiponectin, IL-6 and CRP levels were inversely correlated with forced expiratory volume in 1 second (% predicted) after adjustment for age, body mass index, smoking status and pack-years. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that in COPD patients, adiponectin might be associated with COPD pathogenesis. © 2010 The Union.postprin