Dietary Patterns and Prostate Cancer Aggressiveness in African-American and European-American Men

Several foods and nutrients have been linked to prostate cancer risk, but the effect of overall diet on prostate cancer outcomes is not well understood. Previous research has primarily examined a posteriori dietary patterns in relation to prostate cancer; studies that have used a priori dietary patterns and their relationship with prostate cancer have been inconclusive. Furthermore, racial differences in prostate cancer incidence and aggressiveness are not well understood. Data from the case-only North Carolina-Louisiana Prostate Cancer Project (PCaP) was used to examine the association between overall dietary pattern, as measured by the Mediterranean Diet (MED) score and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) score, and prostate cancer aggressiveness in African-American (AA) and European-American (EA) men. Dietary patterns were assessed using a modified NCI Diet History Questionnaire for a final sample of 1,899 participants. Higher MED scores were found to be inversely associated with high aggressive prostate cancer overall (OR: 92; 95% CI: 0.84-0.99; p trend: 0.03); and results were similar for AA men and EA men. DASH scores were not significantly associated with prostate cancer aggressiveness. These results suggest that following a Mediterranean diet may decrease the risk of developing high aggressive prostate cancer

Multi-omics integrative analyses for decision support systems in personalized cancer treatment

Cancer is a heterogeneous class of diseases caused by the complex interplay of (epi-)genetic aberrations and is difficult to treat due to its heterogeneity. In this thesis, we present a tool suite of novel methods and computational tools for the genetic and molecular characterization of tumors to support decision making in personalized cancer treatments. The first tool included in this tool suite is GeneTrail2, a web service for the statistical analysis of molecular signatures. While GeneTrail2 focuses on the evaluation of aberrant biological pathways and signal cascades, RegulatorTrail identifies those transcriptional regulators that appear to have a high impact on these pathogenic processes. With DrugTargetInspector (DTI), we focus specifically on personalized medicine and translational research. DTI offers comprehensive functions for the evaluation of target molecules, the associated signaling cascades, and the corresponding drugs. Finally, we present ClinOmicsTrailbc, an analysis tool for stratification of breast cancer treatments. ClinOmicsTrailbc supports clinicians with a comprehensive evaluation of on- and off-label drugs as well as immune therapies.Krebs ist eine heterogene Klasse von Erkrankungen, die durch ein komplexes Zusammenspiel von (epi-)genetischen Aberrationen verursacht wird und sich aufgrund ihrer Heterogenität nur schwer behandeln lässt. In dieser Arbeit präsentieren wir eine Reihe neuer Methoden und Berechnungswerkzeuge für die genetische und molekulare Charakterisierung von Tumoren zur Entscheidungsunterstützung bei personalisierten Krebsbehandlungen. Diese Berechnungswerkzeuge beinhalten unter anderem GeneTrail2, einen Webservice für die statistische Analyse molekularer Signaturen. Während GeneTrail2 sich auf die Bewertung von aberranten biologischen Pfaden und Signalkaskaden konzentriert, identifiziert RegulatorTrail jene Transkriptionsregulatoren, die einen hohen Einfluss auf diese pathogenen Prozesse zu haben scheinen. Mit DrugTargetInspector (DTI) fokussieren wir uns speziell auf die personalisierte Medizin und die translationale Forschung. DTI bietet umfangreiche Funktionen für die Bewertung von Zielmolekülen, den dazugehörigen Signalkaskaden und entsprechenden Medikamenten. Schließlich präsentieren wir ClinOmicsTrailbc, ein Analysetool zur Stratifizierung von Brustkrebsbehandlungen. ClinOmicsTrailbc unterstützt Kliniker durch eine umfassende Bewertung von On- und Off-Label-Medikamenten und Immuntherapien

Are chrome extensions compliant with the spirit of least privilege?

Extensions are small applications installed by users and enrich the user experience of browsing the Internet. Browsers expose a set of restricted APIs to extensions. To be used, extensions need to list the permissions associated with these APIs in a mandatory extension file named manifest. In particular, Chrome’s permission ecosystem was designed in the spirit of the least privilege. Yet, this paper demonstrates that 39.8% of the analyzed extensions provided by the official Web Store are compliant with the spirit of least privilege. Also, we develop: (1) a browser extension to make aware regular users of the permissions the extensions they install; (2) a web app where extensions developers can check whether their extensions are compliant with the spirit of the least privileged; and (3) a set of scripts that can be part of the vendors’ acceptance criteria such that when developers upload their extensions to the official repositories, the scripts automatically analyze the extensions and generate a report about the permissions and the usage

The (In)Ability of a Multi-Stakeholder Platform to Address Land Conflicts—Lessons Learnt from an Oil Palm Landscape in Myanmar

Oil palm landscapes are often characterised by land conflicts. Multi-stakeholder platforms (MSP) may be a promising means to contribute to conflict resolution. However, the merits of MSPs are limited in contexts with strong power imbalances and entrenched conflict histories. This study analyses an MSP from Myanmar. We developed an analytical framework based on literature on MSPs and social learning and used qualitative methods such as participatory observation and interviews. The study investigates how the MSP was designed and governed and whether it was effective in addressing the land conflicts around oil palm concessions. The study discusses several promising factors of the MSP for being effective, such as adequate inclusion of stakeholders, secured resources, or effective facilitation. However, the analysis also reveals how hindering factors such as lack of a clear mandate, goal, and decision-making competences of the MSP, insufficient communication, or lack of legal and land governance expertise contributed to only limited effectiveness of the MSP. Further, we discuss whether the MSP was a suitable approach in the given context of nontransparent land governance mechanisms, persisting power disparities, and longstanding conflict history. We conclude that designing and governing an MSP in such a context needs to be done very cautiously—if at all—and recommend paying special attention to ten specific points

AMMAR CTA Córdoba: organización y lucha por el reconocimiento del trabajo sexual

El desarrollo del sistema capitalista, en las últimas décadas, ha expulsado del trabajo formal a grandes capas de la clase trabajadora al generar un contexto laboral marcado por la precarización, la elevada concentración del ingreso, la desocupación y la pobreza. Con ello surgen diversas experiencias laborales emergentes, con formas de autogestión y de organización del trabajo que suponen subjetividades político colectivas distintas a las ya conocidas como asalariadas, cuentapropistas o desocupadas. Tal es el caso de la Asociación de Mujeres Meretrices - Central del Trabajador Argentino Córdoba (AMMAR-CTA Córdoba), la cual sostiene un modelo de organización sindical basado en la organización colectiva, la participación democrática y la autogestión del trabajo; cuyo objetivo es el de mejorar las condiciones de vida de las trabajadoras sexuales autónomas. En esta ponencia nos proponemos identificar las prácticas político/comunicacionales colectivas con el objetivo de problematizar el desarrollo de formas de organización y resistencia laboral alternativas a las tradicionales en el capitalismo. Éstas prácticas requieren estrategias de participación política y comunicacional horizontales, a partir de las cuales las trabajadoras sexuales autónomas organizadas reflexionan colectivamente sobre su propia realidad y re-elaboran definiciones válidas para el colectivo sobre el ser-trabajadora-sexual-autónoma, difundiendo esas significaciones en mensajes a través de diferentes medios y soportes en el espacio público. Las prácticas político/comunicacionales colectivas llevadas a cabo por AMMAR Córdoba representan tácticas a partir de las cuales construyen un discurso propio (palabra), utilizado para realizar intervenciones sobre su realidad cotidiana (acción) y así disputar sentidos contra-hegemónicos sobre el trabajo sexual. Un ejemplo de ello es la "Guía para el abordaje periodístico del trabajo sexual" elaborada en talleres participativos por AMMAR CTA Córdoba y la Red por el Reconocimiento del Trabajo Sexual (RRTS), la cual pretende ampliar el horizonte de saber de sus receptores y así reconstruir las opiniones del público respecto del trabajo sexual. Dichas prácticas serán analizadas a través de las características del Modelo de Gestión Interna, desde una perspectiva que supone recuperar lo comunicacional tanto desde su nivel instrumental como también desde un nivel profundo como una relación social constitutiva de los sujetos.http://www.alaic2015.eci.unc.edu.ar/publicaciones/1-movimientos-sociales-transformaciones-y-contra-hegemonias-desde-la-comunicacion/Fil: Ladydo, Nicolás León. Universidad Nacioanl de Córdoba; Argentina.Fil: Schneider, Lara. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; Argentina.Comunicación de Medios y Socio-cultura

Depression in older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review protocol

Introduction Depression is a common mental disorder and is a major cause of years lived with disability. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused an increase in the prevalence of depression worldwide. Our aim is to identify and synthesise the determinants of depression, the diagnostic assessment tools used to evaluate depression, and the interventions carried out since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in the population aged 60 and older. Methods and analysis A systematic review of the literature will be conducted. The following databases will be searched: CINAHL Plus with Full Text, MedicLatina, MEDLINE with Full Text, and Psychology and Behavioural Sciences Collection. The search strategy will include the following Medical Subject Headings or similar terms: “Depression”, “Depressive Disorder”, “Depressive Symptoms”, “Older Adults”, “Aging”, “Elderly”, Pandemic” and “COVID-19”. Two independent reviewers will ascertain whether the resulting articles meet inclusion and exclusion criteria, and perform the analysis of data quality. Disagreements will be resolved by a third reviewer. All studies reported between December 2019 and March 2022 meeting the following criteria will be included: studies in adults aged 60 and over, and articles written in English, Portuguese, Spanish or German. Information on determinants of depression, assessment instruments used to assess depressive symptoms and/or interventions to decrease depression are reported. Studies will not be excluded based on geographical area study context (eg, community, culture or specific environment). All studies related to diagnostic assessment, care planning and/or intervention strategies specifically for older adults with depression will be included. Ethics and dissemination As only secondary data will be analysed, no ethical approval is required for this study. This scientific article is a systematic review protocol for which data have not yet been extracted or analysed. The results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications