Platelet count correlates with stage and predicts survival in melanoma

Cancer is a chronic inflammatory state which is often associated with increased platelet counts. Cancer cells induce thrombopoiesis and activate platelets, which in turn facilitate cancer invasion and metastasis. In this study, we investigate the correlation between platelet counts with each of stage and overall survival in melanoma. This is a retrospective cohort study of 642 melanoma patients diagnosed or treated at a tertiary medical center between 2000 and 2016. Multivariable analysis adjusted for age, sex, stage, and treatment modality. Using multivariable analysis, patients with thrombocytosis around time of diagnosis were more likely to present with distant metastasis (Prevalence Ratio 3.5, 95% CI 2.35–5.22). In patients with metastatic disease and in all stages combined, thrombocytosis predicted decreased 5-year overall survival in univariate and multivariable analysis, and this was most pronounced during the first year after diagnosis. Finally, we show that mice with thrombocytopenia due to the lack of heat shock protein gp96 in their megakaryocytes are protected from melanoma dissemination to the lungs. These findings are concordant with preclinical studies showing a role for platelets in cancer metastasis and suppression of antitumor immunity, further supporting targeting platelets as an adjuvant to immunotherapy in melanoma

A Multi-Opinion Based Metric for Quantifying Polarization on Social Networks: A Case Study from India

Social media has been known to be a hotbed of political and social communications and analyzing the polarization of opinions has been gaining attention. In this study, we have proposed a measure for quantifying polarization on social networks. The proposed metric, unlike state-of-the-art methods, does not assume a two-opinion scenario and applies to multiple opinions. Our metric was tested on both binary opinion based benchmark networks as well as synthetically opinion-labeled social networks with a multi-opinion scenario and varying degrees of polarization. The metric showed promising results for social networks with different levels of polarization. The method was then employed to study polarization using data obtained from Twitter concerning the tri-opinion ("pro", "anti" and "neutral") based communications regarding the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in India. We have measured the polarization on a variety of social networks such as communication networks based on retweets or mentions, a social relationships network based on follower-followee connections and finally hybrid networks by combining the communication networks with the social relationships network. The proposed method suggested a high level of polarization among the users with respect to sharing posts on Twitter, thereby indicating the highly contentious nature of the issue. We also obtained a high polarization score for a social relationships network. Thus indicating the presence of homophily among users i.e. opinion on CAA is in-line with their social relationships on the platform. For a retweet based hybrid network, the scores returned by our polarization metric highlighted opinion to be the key driver in retweeting behaviour irrespective of the social relationships among users. On the contrary, the mention based communications among the users were not polarized in nature.Comment: 17 pages, 7 figures and 2 table

Breast cancer incidence by race/ethnicity and HIV status

In the United States there is a disproportionate burden of breast cancer among racial/ethnic minorities and more work is needed to understand the burden of breast cancer among women living with HIV (WLHIV). This dissertation aimed to gain a better understanding of the factors associated with increasing breast cancer incidence in the general population particularly among at-risk subgroups, adiposity as the strongest modifiable risk factor for breast cancer, and breast cancer incidence by HIV status and race/ethnicity. First, we estimated national trends in breast cancer incidence by race/ethnicity and across subgroups of poverty and geography and national trends in breast cancer risk factors by race/ethnicity and poverty. From 2004 to 2016, breast cancer incidence rates increased across race/ethnicity and subgroups, with greater increases observed for non-Hispanic Black (NHB) women living in higher poverty and rural areas and all regions except the West. There were increases in risk factors—notably body mass index (BMI) among non-Hispanic White (NHW) and Hispanic women not in poverty and alcohol consumption among NHW in poverty and NHB women. Second, we estimated the association between body composition over time (predicted fat and lean mass, BMI, and waist circumference) and breast cancer incidence among Black and White postmenopausal women from 1987 to 2015. We observed differences in body composition and change in body composition over time by race and age. Higher predicted fat mass and waist circumference were associated with increased risk of postmenopausal breast cancer, independent of BMI. Third, we estimated the association between HIV status and breast cancer incidence among women enrolled in Medicaid during 2001 to 2009. HIV status was not associated with breast cancer among women age 18-54 years. Among women aged 55-64 years, WLHIV had a lower breast cancer risk than women without HIV, with similar inferences by race/ethnicity. Overall, these studies inform disparities in breast cancer incidence among diverse populations by race/ethnicity and HIV status. The results highlight subpopulations with an increasing burden of breast cancer, introduce a novel measure of adiposity for breast cancer risk, and describe a unique pattern of breast cancer by HIV status and age

Aggression and adjustment among young adults

Objective: This study was undertaken to determine aggression and adjustment among young adults. Method: To achieve the objectives of the present study the sample of 100 subjects were taken (50 males and 50 females) randomly and were matched in age, sex, education, and occupation. All the subjects were the students of LPU. All the subjects were free from any major physical or psychological illness. Buss and Perry aggression tool and Adjustment inventory for college students were employed with each of the subjects. Results: Results revealed that male subjects showed gross deterioration in aggression and adjustment patterns. Females have showed more greater prominence in adjustment and aggression predispositions. The findings of the study may be implied that males show more hostility (Berkowitz, 1993) and due to parenting protection towards females in turn exhibit better adjustment compared to males. Whereas more responsibility and rejection among male subjects prone them towards less affectively adjusted in different sphere (Pedrosa, 2020). Conclusion: In the domain of aggression male subject scored higher than the females in all the section of it viz anger, physical aggression, hostility and verbal aggression. In adjustment patterns female subjects expressed more predominance on each sphere of it

Comparative efficacy of application of three different desensitizing agents with iontophoresis in the treatment of hypersensitive teeth

Background: The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of sodium fluoride, strontium chloride, methyl prednisolone, and distilled water (control) with iontophoresis in treating hypersensitivity. Materials and Methods: The study recruited 64 subjects fulfilling inclusion and exclusion criteria who were evaluated for hypersensitivity using tactile, air blast, and cold water tests. The subjects were randomly divided into four groups - group A: 2% sodium fluoride, group B: 10% strontium chloride, group C: 0.125% methyl prednisolone, and group D: distilled water (control). The subjects were evaluated for 6 weeks and their responses were recorded on the verbal rating scale. All the reagents were administered through iontophoresis. In the in vitro study, a total of 32 dentin specimens were obtained, which were randomly divided into four groups. The above mentioned reagents were applied onto the dentin specimens through iontophoresis, the unit of which was available in the department, and were evaluated under a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Results: After the statistical analysis, it was found that comparison between group A and group B was nonsignificant, whereas comparison between groups A and C, groups A and D, groups B and C, groups B and D, and groups C and D were significant. In SEM analysis, maximum numbers of occluded tubules were seen with sodium fluoride. Conclusions: Clinically, a single application of iontophoresis with 2% sodium fluoride, 10% strontium chloride, and 0.125% methyl prednisolone proved to be a better therapeutic agent in comparison with distilled water. The SEM results also related with clinical finding in that reduction in the patency of tubules was associated with improvement in treatment efficacy

Livestock Ownership Among Rural Households and Child Morbidity and Mortality: An Analysis of Demographic Health Survey Data from 30 Sub-Saharan African Countries (2005-2015).

Children living in homes with livestock may have both an increased risk of enteric infections and improved access to food, and therefore improved nutritional status. Few studies, however, have characterized these relationships in tandem. This study investigated the association between child health and household ownership of livestock. A cross-sectional study was performed using data from Demographic and Health Surveys conducted in 30 sub-Saharan African countries with 215,971 rural children under 5 years of age from 2005 to 2015. Logistic regression was performed for each country to estimate the relationship between a log2 increase in the number of livestock owned by the household and three child-health outcomes: 2-week prevalence of diarrhea, stunting, and all-cause mortality. Results for each country were combined using meta-analyses. Most countries (22 of 30) displayed an odds ratio (OR) less than 1 for child stunting associated with livestock (pooled OR = 0.97; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.95, 0.99). The results for diarrhea were more even with 14 countries displaying ORs greater than 1 and 10 displaying ORs less than 1. Most countries (22 of 30) displayed an OR greater than 1 for child mortality (pooled OR = 1.04; 95% CI = 1.02, 1.06). All meta-analyses displayed significant heterogeneity by country. Our analysis is consistent with the theory that livestock may have a dual role as protective against stunting, an indicator of chronic malnutrition, and a risk factor for all-cause mortality in children, which may be linked to acute infections. The heterogeneity by country, however, indicates more data are needed on specific household livestock management practices

Livestock Ownership Among Rural Households and Child Morbidity and Mortality: An Analysis of Demographic Health Survey Data from 30 Sub-Saharan African Countries (2005-2015).

Children living in homes with livestock may have both an increased risk of enteric infections and improved access to food, and therefore improved nutritional status. Few studies, however, have characterized these relationships in tandem. This study investigated the association between child health and household ownership of livestock. A cross-sectional study was performed using data from Demographic and Health Surveys conducted in 30 sub-Saharan African countries with 215,971 rural children under 5 years of age from 2005 to 2015. Logistic regression was performed for each country to estimate the relationship between a log2 increase in the number of livestock owned by the household and three child-health outcomes: 2-week prevalence of diarrhea, stunting, and all-cause mortality. Results for each country were combined using meta-analyses. Most countries (22 of 30) displayed an odds ratio (OR) less than 1 for child stunting associated with livestock (pooled OR = 0.97; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.95, 0.99). The results for diarrhea were more even with 14 countries displaying ORs greater than 1 and 10 displaying ORs less than 1. Most countries (22 of 30) displayed an OR greater than 1 for child mortality (pooled OR = 1.04; 95% CI = 1.02, 1.06). All meta-analyses displayed significant heterogeneity by country. Our analysis is consistent with the theory that livestock may have a dual role as protective against stunting, an indicator of chronic malnutrition, and a risk factor for all-cause mortality in children, which may be linked to acute infections. The heterogeneity by country, however, indicates more data are needed on specific household livestock management practices