A PROFILE OF ADOLESCENTS IN HOUSEHOLDS INFECTED WITH, OR AFFECTED BY, HIV AND AIDS

This article will focus on a profile of adolescents’ households infected with, or affected by,HIV and AIDS. A comprehensive needs assessment by way of a structured schedule wascompleted by means of in-depth interviewing. Interviews were conducted with 169 householdsin two provinces of South Africa and included two black ethnic groups and a coloured group.To draw up the profile issues such as demographic data, number of members of households,main caregiver, child-headed household, school attendance, health and wellbeing, employment,receiving of grants, total household income, death of parents and family members, andbereavement counselling were covere

Transcriptional activation of the miR-17-92 cluster is involved in the growth-promoting effects of MYB in human Ph-positive leukemia cells.

MicroRNAs, non-coding regulators of gene expression, are likely to function as important downstream effectors of many transcription factors including MYB. Optimal levels of MYB are required for transformation/maintenance of BCR-ABL-expressing cells. We investigated whether MYB silencing modulates microRNA expression in Philadelphia-positive (Ph+) leukemia cells and if MYB-regulated microRNAs are important for the MYB addiction of these cells. Thirty-five microRNAs were modulated by MYB silencing in lymphoid and erythromyeloid chronic myeloid leukemia-blast crisis BV173 and K562 cells; 15 of these were concordantly modulated in both lines. We focused on the miR-17-92 cluster because of its oncogenic role in tumors and found that: i) it is a direct MYB target; ii) it partially rescued the impaired proliferation and enhanced apoptosis of MYB-silenced BV173 cells. Moreover, we identified FRZB, a Wnt/β-catenin pathway inhibitor, as a novel target of the miR-17-92 cluster. High expression of MYB in blast cells from 2 Ph+leukemia patients correlated positively with the miR-17-92 cluster and inversely with FRZB. This expression pattern was also observed in a microarray dataset of 122 Ph+acute lymphoblastic leukemias. In vivo experiments in NOD scid gamma mice injected with BV173 cells confirmed that FRZB functions as a Wnt/β-catenin inhibitor even as they failed to demonstrate that this pathway is important for BV173-dependent leukemogenesis. These studies illustrate the global effects of MYB expression on the microRNAs profile of Ph+cells and supports the concept that the MYB addiction of these cells is, in part, caused by modulation of microRNA-regulated pathways affecting cell proliferation and survival. Copyright© 2019 Ferrata Storti Foundation

How is metabolic syndrome related to dyslipidemia?

Godine 1967. Crepaldi je prvi zapazio da se u mnogo ljudi istovremeno pojavljuju pretilost, dislipidemija, šećerna bolest i hipertenzija. Kasnih sedamdesetih godina dvadesetog stoljeća njemački su istraživači takvo nakupljanje stanja nazvali metaboličkim sindromom. Otada je taj sindrom opisivan pod nekoliko naziva kao „sindrom inzulinske rezistencije", „sindrom X", „plurime-tabolički sindrom", te „metabolički sindrom". Sindrom zapravo predstavlja višekomponentnu bolest nastalu kombinacijom načina življenja i čimbenika okoline, s time da su neke populacije pokazale genetičku podložnost za razvoj tog sindroma. Metabolički sindrom povećava rizik za kardiovaskularnu bolest i šećernu bolest tipa 2. Nacionalni program obrazovanja o kolesterolu - Panel liječenja odraslih III (engl. National Cholesterol Education Program - Adult Treatment PanelIII, NCEP-ATP III) prepoznao je metabolički sindrom kao skup abnormalnih stanja koja povećavaju rizik, kako za kardiovaskularnu bolest (KVB), tako i za šećernu bolest tipa 2. Smjernice NCEP-ATP III također su istaknule središnju ulogu abdominalne pretilosti u razvoju tog sindroma. Rastuća prevalencija sindroma ima važne zdravstvene implikacije. Svaka sastavnica metaboličkog sindroma predstavlja potvrđeni čimbenik rizika za KVB, no prisutnost mnogih komponenti rezultira većim rizikom nego zbroj rizika povezanih s pojedinačnim komponentama. Dokazano je, primjerice, da su muškarci s istodobnom prisutnošću hiperin-zulinemije nakon gladovanja, s povišenim koncentracijama apolipoproteina B, te povišenim udjelom malih LDL-čestica imali 20 puta veći rizik razvijanja KVB tijekom petogodišnjeg razdoblja praćenja u studiji, nego muškarci bez tog skupa netradicionalnih biljega rizika. Usto, rizik za KVB povezan s tom aterogenom metaboličkom trojkom ostao je značajan čak i nakon prilagodbe za tradicionalne rizične čimbenike kao što su koncentracije LDL-kolesterola, triglicerida i HDL-kolesterola. Procjena rizika uključuje listu bioloških parametara u kojoj važnu ulogu imaju lipidi, posebice trigliceridi i HDL-čestice. Tradicionalni čimbenici povezani s metaboličkim sindromom su pretilost, inzulinska rezistencija, hiperglikemija, dislipemija, hipertenzija i mikroalbuminurija.The observation that obesity, dyslipidemia, diabetes and hypertension occur simultaneously in many people was first made by Crepaldi in 1967. In the late 1970s this clustering of conditions was termed "metabolic syndrome" by German researchers. Since then the syndrome has been described under a number of guises as "Insulin resistance syndrome", "Syndrome X", "Plurimetabolic syndrome" and the "Metabolic syndrome". The syndrome is a multi-component disease brought on by combination of lifestyle and environmental factors, with some populations exhibiting a genetic susceptibility for its development. Metabolic syndrome increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. The National Cholesterol Education Program - Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP-ATP III) has recognized the metabolic syndrome as a cluster of abnormalities increasing the risk for both cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type 2 diabetes. The NCEP-ATP III guidelines have also underlined the central role of abdominal obesity in the development of this syndrome. The escalating prevalence of the syndrome has important health implications. Each component of the metabolic syndrome is an established cardiovascular disease risk factor, and the presence of multiple components confer greater risk than the sum of the risks associated with the individual ones. For instance, it has been shown that men with the simultaneous presence of fasting hyperinsulinemia, elevated apolipoprotein B concentration and an increased proportion of small LDL particles were characterized by a 20-fold increase in the risk for developing CVD over the 5-year follow-up period of the study, compared with men without this cluster of non-traditional risk markers. In addition, the risk of CVD associated with the atherogenic metabolic triad remained significant even after adjustment for traditional risk factors such as LDL-cholesterol, triglyceride and HDL-cholesterol levels. Risk assessment includes a list of biological parameters wherein lipids play an important role, especially triglycerides and HDL-particles. The traditional factors associated with the syndrome are obesity, insulin resistance, hypergl-ycemia, dyslipemia, hypertension and microalbuminuria

Agave negatively regulates YAP and TAZ transcriptionally and post-translationally in osteosarcoma cell lines

Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most aggressive type of primary solid tumor that develops in bone. Whilst conventional chemotherapy can improve survival rates, the outcome for patients with metastatic or recurrent OS remains poor, so novel treatment agents and strategies are required. Research into new anticancer therapies has paved the way for the utilisation of natural compounds as they are typically less expensive and less toxic compared to conventional chemotherapeutics. Previously published works indicate that Agave exhibits anticancer properties, however potential molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. In the present study, we investigate the anticancer effects of Agave leaf extract in OS cells suggesting that Agave inhibits cell viability, colony formation, and cell migration, and can induce apoptosis in OS cell lines. Moreover, Agave sensitizes OS cells to cisplatin (CDDP) and radiation, to overcome chemo- and radio-resistance. We demonstrate that Agave extract induces a marked decrease of Yes Associated Protein (YAP) and Tafazzin (TAZ) mRNA and protein expression upon treatment. We propose an initial mechanism of action in which Agave induces YAP/TAZ protein degradation, followed by a secondary event whereby Agave inhibits YAP/TAZ transcription, effectively deregulating the Nuclear Factor kappa B (NF-\u3baB) p65:p50 heterodimers responsible for transcriptional induction of YAP and TAZ

Prophylaxis of Acute Enteric Infections and Viral Hepatitis A under Emergency Situation in the Territory of the Amur Region

Hydrological natural disasters and post-flooding epidemiological situation are often attended by epidemic emergencies creating a threat to life-comforts sustaining and sanitary-epidemiologic welfare of a significant number of citizens. To evaluate the efficiency of preventive and anti-epidemic measures the analysis of acute enteric infection incidence rate in the Amur Region for the past decade, during the high water and in the post-flooding period in 2013 has been carried out. Displayed are the data concerning the prophylaxis of acute enteric infections and viral hepatitis A under the conditions of the emergency situation caused by natural calamities notably by flood in the Amur Region. Adequate planning and operative implementation of organizational, preventive and anti-epidemic measures have made it possible to control acute enteric and viral hepatitis A infection at the sporadic level

RANGING THE KHABAROVSK KRAY TERRITORIES BY THE LEVELS OF DYSENTERY EPIDEMIC MANIFESTATIONS

Aim: to reveal the Khabarovsk region territories that are under high risk of spread of dysentery in the period of large-scale flood fallout liquidation. Materials and methods. There was the analysis conducted of dysentery incidence during the period of 2003-2012 including distribution of annual and long-term annual average indicators per 100 000 inhabitants throughout administrative entities of Khabarovsk territory. We used methods that reveal tendencies and evaluated dynamic rates of dysentery epidemic process in time. Results and discussion. Khabarovsk region shows uneven levels of manifestations of epidemic process of dysentery not only during evaluation of annual incidence but also among certain administrative territories. During ten years preceding the flood in the Amur River region, long-term annual average level of incidence equaled to 42.7 ± 1.740/0000 The epidemic process was most intense in the Nanayi region, in other six administrative regions long-term annual average levels of incidence were exceeding similar averaged levels in Khabarovsk region. An intense epidemiologic situation on dysentery in several territories of the region was associated with registration of foci of clustered incidence caused by dysentery Sonne of alimentary and water-borne origin including atypical variants of Shigella Sonne. Conclusion. A year before the flood the elevation of dysentery incidence was registered in most of the territories of Khabarovsk Kray, and there was the evidence of outlined tendency of activation of epidemic process. This served as a basis for required adequate emergency measures for prophylaxis of dysentery

Retrospective Analysis of Enterovirus Infection Morbidity Rate in the Territory of the Amur Region and Peculiarities of Epidemic Process in the Period of Large-Scale Flood

There has been observed a tendency to increment of enterovirus morbidity rate over the past seven years. Foci of this infection have been formed in the area from time to time, with minor forms of the disease being predominant in clinical findings. Genetically enteroviruses circulating in the Amur Region have been characterized as homogenous; however there is a genetic relation among them with and, consequently, epidemiologic connection to enteroviruses originated from China. However, since May, 2013 there has been detected a boost activation of epidemic process as regards enteroviral infection, followed by the formation of two major foci with clustered infection, due to importation from Thailand as well. Emergency situation under conditions of flood (August-September, 2013) has contributed to aggravation of epidemiological situation on enteroviral infection. It has led to the increase in numbers of the exposed up to the maximum level for the past few years. In the territory of the temporal accommodation sites, where affected by high water and exposed to the infection population was placed, registered have been the cases of clustered enterovirus infection

Epidemiological Features of Enterovirus Infection during Flood on the Territory of Jewish Autonomous Region

Long-term manifestations of epidemiological process of enterovirus infection in the Jewish Autonomous Region were similar to those in the Khabarovsk Territory, though with a lower intensity. After establishment of emergency situation regime, in view of the rainfall flooding in 2013, enterovirus morbidity rate had been increasing within three weeks duration, then started to fall rapidly. Clustered cases of enterovirus infection were not registered. Viral serous meningitis ratio was insignificant as minor forms of the disease prevailed; coxsackie virus A-9 and echovirus-6 dominated. During the flood period isolated from samples of patients with minor forms of enteroviral disease were three enterovirus strains, type 71, sub-genotype C4a, possessing a high degree of genetic similarity to the Chinese ones, 2010-2011. All in all impact of the natural disaster on the epidemiological situation on enteroviral infection in the Jewish Autonomous Region turned to be insignificant

A novel spontaneous model of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) using a primary prostate cancer derived cell line demonstrating distinct stem-like characteristics

Cells acquire the invasive and migratory properties necessary for the invasion-metastasis cascade and the establishment of aggressive, metastatic disease by reactivating a latent embryonic programme: epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Herein, we report the development of a new, spontaneous model of EMT which involves four phenotypically distinct clones derived from a primary tumour-derived human prostate cancer cell line (OPCT-1), and its use to explore relationships between EMT and the generation of cancer stem cells (CSCs) in prostate cancer. Expression of epithelial (E-cadherin) and mesenchymal markers (vimentin, fibronectin) revealed that two of the four clones were incapable of spontaneously activating EMT, whereas the others contained large populations of EMT-derived, vimentin-positive cells having spindle-like morphology. One of the two EMT-positive clones exhibited aggressive and stem cell-like characteristics, whereas the other was non-aggressive and showed no stem cell phenotype. One of the two EMT-negative clones exhibited aggressive stem cell-like properties, whereas the other was the least aggressive of all clones. These findings demonstrate the existence of distinct, aggressive CSC-like populations in prostate cancer, but, importantly, that not all cells having a potential for EMT exhibit stem cell-like properties. This unique model can be used to further interrogate the biology of EMT in prostate cancer