XRCC3 THR241MET polymorphism influence on nuclear buds frequency in exposed to formaldehyde

Formaldehyde (FA), also known as formalin, formal and methyl aldehydes, is a colorless, flammable, strong-smelling gas. It has an important application in embalming tissues and that result in exposures for workers in the pathology anatomy laboratories and mortuaries. Occupational exposure to FA has been shown to induce nasopharyngeal cancer and has been classified as carcinogenic to humans (group 1) on the basis of sufficient evidence in humans and sufficient evidence in experimental animals. Manifold in vitro studies clearly indicated that FA is genotoxic. FA induced various genotoxic effects in proliferating cultured mammalian cells. The cytokinesis-block micronucleus (CBMN) assay was originally developped as an ideal system form easuring micronucleus (MN), however it can also be used to measure nucleoplasmic bridges (NBP) and nuclear buds (NBUD). Over the past decade another unique mechanism of micronucleus formation, known as nuclear budding has emerged. NBUDS is considered as a marker of gene amplification and/or altered gene dosage because the nuclear budding process is the mechanism by which cells removed amplified and/excess DNA

Hypophosphatemia As a Possible Biomarker for Epileptic Seizures at the Emergency Department

Introduction: Hypophosphatemia seems to be temporally associated with seizures, despite not being considered a trigger. We aimed to evaluate hypophosphatemia as a biomarker for seizures. Methods: Retrospective study, including all consecutive patients admitted at our central hospital's emergency department from 01/01-31/03/2021, screened as "altered consciousness/syncope" or "seizures", with available phosphate levels. Results: 277 patients included, mostly male (61.7%), mean age 64.3 years. Final diagnosis was "seizure" in 34.7% and "other diagnosis" in 65.3%. Patients with seizures were younger (p200U/L) was more frequent in the seizure group (p=0.04). Odds ratio (OR) of hypophosphatemia for seizures was 4.330 (CI 95% 2.170-8.640, p<0.001), persisting after correction for confounders. OR of hyperCK was 1.890 (CI 95% 1.060-3.371, p=0.03), losing significance when adjusted. Sensitivity was low for both. Hypophosphatemia was more specific (91.2% vs 79.9%). Conclusions: Our findings support hypophosphatemia as a seizure biomarker. More studies are needed.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Biomonitorization in hospital settings with cytostatics occupational exposure

Exposure in a hospital setting is normally due to the use of several antineoplastic drugs simultaneously. Nevertheless, the effects of such mixtures at the cell level and on human health in general are unpredictable and unique due to differences in practice of hospital oncology departments, in the number of patients, protection devices available, and the experience and safety procedures of medical staff. Health care workers who prepare or administer hazardous drugs or who work in areas where these drugs are used may be exposed to these agents in the air, on work surfaces, contaminated clothing, medical equipment, patient excreta, and other surfaces. These workers include specially pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and nursing personnel. Exposures may occur through inhalation resulting from aerosolization of powder or liquid during reconstitution and spillage taking place while preparing or administering to patients, through Cytokinesis-block micronucleus test (CBMN) is extensively used in biomonitoring, since it determines several biomarkers of genotoxicity, such as micronuclei (MN), which are biomarkers of chromosomes breakage or loss, nucleoplasmic bridges (NPB), common biomarkers of chromosome rearrangement, poor repair and/or telomeres fusion, and nuclear buds (NBUD), biomarkers of elimination of amplified DNA.Autoridade para as Condições de Trabalh

Application of alkaline comet assay in human biomonitoring for genotoxicity: a study on occupational exposure to cytostatics

The use of cytostatics drugs in anticancer therapy is increasing. Health care workers can be occupationally exposed to these drugs classified as carcinogenic, mutagenic or teratogenic. Cytostatics drugs are a heterogeneous group of chemicals widely used in the treatment of cancer, nevertheless have been proved to be also mutagens, carcinogens and teratogens. Workers may be exposed to this drug, being in the hospital settings the main focus dwelled upon the pharmacy, and nursing personnel. Alkaline comet assay is one of the most promising short-term genotoxicity assays for human risk assessment, being recommended to monitor populations chronically exposed to genotoxic agents. DNA glycosylase (OGG1) represents the main mechanism of protecting the integrity of the human DNA with respect to 8-OHdG, the most well studied biomarker of oxidative damage.Autoridade para as Condições de Trabalho. AP Tox for AP Tox grant

Cytostatics occupational exposure: genotoxic effects assessment

The use of cytostatics drugs in anticancer therapy is increasing. Health care workers can be occupationally exposed to these drugs classified as carcinogenic, mutagenic or teratogenic. Workers may be exposed to this drug, being in the hospital settings the main focus dwelled upon the pharmacy, and nursing personnel. Although the potential therapeutic benefits of hazardous drugs outweigh the risks of side effects for ill patients, exposed health care workers can have the same side effects with no therapeutic benefit. The exposure to these substances is epidemiologically linked to cancer and nuclear changes detected by the cytokinesis-block micronucleus test (CBMN). This method is extensively used in molecular epidemiology, since it determines several biomarkers of genotoxicity, such as micronuclei (MN), which are biomarkers of chromosomes breakage or loss, nucleoplasmic bridges (NPB), common biomarkers of chromosome rearrangement, poor repair and/or telomeres fusion, and nuclear buds (NBUD), biomarkers of elimination of amplified DNA.Autoridade para as Condições de Trabalh

Can static hyperinflation predict exercise capacity in COPD?

Introduction: The diagnosis and severity assessment of COPD relies on spirometry, and in particular the FEV1. However, it has been proposed that hyperinflation and air-trapping are better predictors of exercise capacity and mortality than the FEV1. Research: QUESTION: Does static hyperinflation predict exercise capacity? Methods: We conducted an observational prospective study. Patients with COPD referred to the lung function laboratory were consecutively recruited. Patients with hyperinflation (the experimental group) were compared to patients without hyperinflation (the control group). The sample sizes were determined assuming an effect size of 0.5 and a power of 0.80. Results: We recruited 124 participants, of whom 87% were male, the mean age was 66.1 ± 8.8 years. 67% were symptomatic (GOLD B or D). Airflow limitation was moderate to severe in the majority of patients (median FEV1 47%, IQR 38-65%) and 43% of patients had static hyperinflation. The median 6MWD was 479 meters (404-510) and peak workload in CPET was 64 watts (46-88) with peak VO2 1.12 L/min, 0.89-1.31 L/min. Patients with lower FEV1, DLCO and IC/TLC and higher RV/TLC had reduced exercise capacity in both 6MWT and CPET, measured as lower distance, greater desaturation and ∆Borg dyspnoea, and reduced workload, peak VO2 and peak VE and higher desaturation and ventilatory limitation (VE/MVV). An IC/TLC < 0.33 predicted reduced exercise performance (peak O2 <60%). Dyspnoea assessed by mMRC and QoL measured by CAT and CCQ were also worse in the hyperinflation in COPD patients. Conclusion: In COPD patients, IC/TLC and RV/TLC are valuable predictors of exercise performance in both 6MWT and CPET and PRO.This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors

Persistence of Left Superior Vena Cava Associated to Esophageal Atresia: Presentation of 5 Cases

Objectivos: A atresia do esófago está associada a uma variedade de malformações congénitas de outros órgãos. A persistência da veia cava superior esquerda e uma das malformações venosas torácicas mais comuns, ocorrendo em 0,3% da população. O objectivo deste estudo é caracterizar a persistência da veia cava superior esquerda nos doentes com atresia do esófago tratados no Hospital Dona Estefânia. Métodos: Estudo retrospectivo dos doentes admitidos por atresia do esófago desde Janeiro 2002 a Dezembro 2013. As seguintes variáveis foram estudadas, considerando, idade gestacional, o peso à nascença, o sexo, tipo de atresia do esófago, ecocardiograma no pré-operatório, malformações associadas, abordagem cirúrgica, eventual ecocardiograma no pós-operatório e angioressonância. Resultados: De um total de 107 doentes, em cinco casos foi diagnosticada persistência da veia cava superior esquerda. Destes, apenas um tinha diagnostico pré-natal. A restante investigação revelou um doente com atresia duodenal e outro com malformação do aparelho urinário, coloboma e malformação bilateral dos pavilhões auriculares. Todos os cinco doentes foram submetidos a toracotomia, esofagoesofagostomia primária após laqueação da fístula traqueo-esofágica e angio-ressonância para caracterizar a malformação vascular. Não houve registo de complicações, quer intra-operatórias quer pós-operatórias. Conclusão: Apesar do estudo pré-operatório, apenas se diagnosticou persistência da veia cava superior esquerda num dos doentes. O diagnóstico é geralmente feito de forma incidental durante a colocação rotineira de catéteres venosos centrais à esquerda. É importante identificar estes doentes e caracterizar o seu padrão de retorno venoso cardíaco, pelo risco de complicações embó1icas paradoxais para o sistema arterial

Reference equations for the 6-minute walk distance in healthy Portuguese subjects 18-70 years old

Introduction Six-minute walk test (6MWT) is used for evaluating functional exercise capacity. To the best of our knowledge, there are no reference equations to predict six-minute walk distance (6MWD) for the Portuguese population. The aims of the present study were to measure anthropometric data and 6MWD in a sample of healthy Portuguese population, to establish reference equations to predict 6MWD and to compare our equations with those obtained by previously published studies. Methods We conducted an observational prospective study. We consecutively recruited 158 healthy 18–70 years old subjects from Porto district, who performed two 6MWTs using a standardized protocol. The best 6MWD was used for further analysis. Results The mean 6MWD was 627.8 m (SD = 73.3 m). The variables that were significantly associated with the 6MWD were age, sex, BMI and ΔHR (Heart Rateat the end of the test − HRat rest). We found three explanatory models for 6MWD, the best with an explanatory power of 38%: 6MWD = 721.7 − 1.6 × Age − 4.0 × BMI + 0.9 × ΔHR + 58.4 × Sex. We verified that 6MWD decreased 1.6 m per year of age, and 4.0 m per unit of BMI and increased 0.892 m per beat per minute. Moreover, on average, males walk 58.4 m more than females (p < 0.001). Applying equations from other studies to our population resulted in an overestimation or underestimation of the 6MWD. Conclusion The present study was the first to describe the 6MWD in healthy Portuguese people aged 18–70 years old and to propose predictive equations. These can contribute to improving the evaluation of Caucasian Mediterranean patients with diseases that affect their functional capacity

Análise da concordância da codificação de causa básica de óbito por acidentes de trânsito

OBJECTIVE: An evaluation of information researched as to basic underlying cause of death by traffic accidents and a comparison with codings attributed on the basis of death certificates. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The official coding of underlying cause of death on Death Certificates was compared with coding based on primary data obtained from five hospitals and accident reports. Kappa statistics with 95% CI were used to assess the agreement between the two coding systems. RESULTS: The research covered 1,719 patients, 57 of whom died. Of these 57 deaths, the official coding for 50 was obtained. Data showed an underreporting of deaths by traffic accidents, since 32% of the 50 deaths were coded as non-specific accidents (E 928.9). There were also 38% of deaths coded as non-specific traffic accidents (E 819.9). Using primary data, non-specific traffic accidents dropped to 4%, accidents to pedestrians (E 814.7) being responsible for 48% of deaths. The Kappa coefficient (0.124), with 95% confidence interval (-0.1533 - 0.4022) was calculated to assess the inter-rater reliability between the two codings, which was considered poor. CONCLUSION: It is concluded that coroners, who perform autopsies on casualties of traffic accidents, should dedicabe greater effort to filling out Death Certificates correctly.OBJETIVO: Avaliar a concordância de informações pesquisadas sobre causa básica de óbito por acidente de trânsito e compará-las com as codificações feitas a partir das Declarações de Óbitos. MATERIAL E MÉTODO: Foram estudados 50 óbitos por acidentes de trânsito ocorridos em 5 hospitais de Belo Horizonte, MG.Com base nas informações obtidas através de questionário procedeu-se à codificação da causa básica dos óbitos. A seguir foi feita análise de concordância entre esta classificação e a registrada na Declaração do Óbito. RESULTADOS: Foi calculado o Kappa (0,124) com intervalo de confiança 95% (-0,1533 - 0,4022), sendo considerada uma baixa concordância. Os dados mostraram também uma subclassificação de óbitos por acidentes de trânsito, uma vez que 32% dos 50 óbitos estudados foram codificados como acidentes não especificados (E928.9). CONCLUSÃO: Concluiu-se pela necessidade de haver maior esforço na melhoria do preenchimento da Declaração de Óbito pelos médicos legistas que realizam as necrópsias em mortes por acidentes de trânsito