Isolation and in vitro cultivation of adrenal cells from mice

The adrenal gland consists of two tissues, cortex and medulla, united under one capsule. Adrenal stem/progenitor cells play a key role in development and homeostasis. Here, we describe a protocol for generating primary cultures of adrenal cells from mice. We describe techniques for separating the cortex and medulla, generating spheroid cultures containing stem- and progenitor cells, and for the differentiation into steroidogenic and chromaffin cells, respectively. This protocol enables analysis of various treatments before, during, or after differentiation. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Rubin de Celis et al. (2015), Steenblock et al. (2018), and Werdermann et al. (2021)

Adherence to the 2018 World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF)/American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) Cancer Prevention Recommendations and cancer risk: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

Background: The World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research Cancer Prevention Recommendations are lifestyle‐based guidelines that aim to reduce cancer risk. A systematic review and meta‐analysis of studies investigating associations between a score for adherence to the 2018 Cancer Prevention Recommendations and cancer risk was conducted. Methods: MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus were searched for studies published to November 28, 2022. In meta‐analysis, the estimated risk ratios and 95% CIs for adherence score as a continuous (per 1‐point increment) and categorical (highest vs. lowest score category) variable using random‐effects models were estimated. Results: Eighteen studies (11 cohort; seven case‐control) were included investigating incidence of breast (n = 7), colorectal (n = 5), prostate (n = 2), lung (n = 2), pancreatic (n = 1), endometrial (n = 1), unknown primary cancer (n = 1), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (n = 1), and overall (any) cancer (n = 1). The summary risk ratio per 1‐point increment in adherence score was 0.89 (95% CI, 0.85–0.93; I2 = 76.5%; n = 7) for breast cancer, 0.88 (95% CI, 0.84–0.91; I2 = 26.2%; n = 4) for colorectal cancer, and 0.92 (95% CI, 0.86–0.98, I2 = 66.0%; n = 2) for lung cancer. There were no significant associations with prostate or other cancers. Meta‐analysis results using categorical adherence score variables were consistent with these findings. Conclusions: Greater adherence to the 2018 World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research Cancer Prevention Recommendations was associated with lower risk of breast, colorectal, and lung cancers. Future studies investigating associations with risk of other forms of cancer are warranted. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42022313327

Psychomotor skills, maturity for literacy, self-control and acceptance in preschool children of Huancayo

El objetivo fue establecer si el desarrollo de la psicomotricidad influye en la madurez para la lectoescritura, el autocontrol y la aceptación en preescolares de Huancayo. La investigación es aplicada de nivel teórico. Se desarrolló, experimentó y evaluó los efectos de un programa psicomotor con un diseño cuasi experimental de dos grupos no equivalentes. La población estuvo constituida por estudiantes de 3, 4 y 5 años (II ciclo) de instituciones educativas rural y urbana de Huancayo y la muestra abarcó 179 preescolares de tres instituciones, pero se experimentó en dos, quienes fueron evaluados en las cuatro variables, antes y después del experimento. Los resultados mostraron que los preescolares con mas desarrollo psicomotor alcanzaron mayor madurez para la lectoescritura; ambos grupos mejoraron en su aceptación por los pares así como en su autocontrol. Se concluyo que el programa “estimulando el cerebro y movimiento del niño” favorece el desarrollo de la psicomotricidad; que sí se desarrolla la psicomotricidad, esto influye positivamente en la madurez para la lectoescritura y que no basta la estimulación psicomotriz que vienen recibiendo en las aulas; que los estímulos proporcionados por las actividades que se desarrollan en las aulas, sí permiten que el pequeño aprenda a autorregular su conducta y que en la aceptación de los niños por sus pares, es muy importante el papel que tiene la educación inicial pero que este es potencializado por el programa.The objective was to establish whether the development of psychomotor skills influences the maturity for literacy, self-control and acceptance in preschool children of Huancayo. The research is applied on a theoretical level. Its developed, experimented and evaluated the effects of a psychomotor program with a quasi-experimental design of two groups are not equivalent. The population was composed of students of 3, 4 and 5 years (II cycle) of rural and urban educational institutions of Huancayo and the sample comprised 179 preschool children from three institutions, but it was experimented in two, who were evaluated in the four variables before and after the experiment. The results showed that preschoolers with more psychomotor development reached greater maturity for literacy; both groups improved on their acceptance by peers as well as in their self-control. It was concluded that the program “by stimulating the brain and movement of the child” favors the development of psychomotor skills; that the psychomotor skills its develop, this influences positively on the maturity for the literacy and that it is not enough for the psychomotor stimulation that are receiving in the classroom; that the stimuli provided by the activities carried out in the classrooms, it allows that the child learns to regulate his conduct and that in the acceptance of children by their peers, it is very important the role that has the initial education but that this is maximized by the program

Association of meat, vegetarian, pescatarian and fish-poultry diets with risk of 19 cancer sites and all cancer: findings from the UK Biobank prospective cohort study and meta-analysis

The associations of cancer with types of diets, including vegetarian, fish, and poultry-containing diets, remain unclear. The aim of this study was, therefore, to investigate the association of type of diet with all cancers and 19 site-specific incident cancers in a prospective cohort study and then in a meta-analysis of published prospective cohort studies. A total of 409,110 participants from the UK Biobank study, recruited between 2006 and 2010, were included. The outcomes were incidence of all cancers combined and 19 cancer sites. Associations between the types of diets and cancer were investigated using Cox proportional hazards models. Previously published prospective cohort studies were identified from four databases, and a meta-analysis was conducted using random-effects models. The mean follow-up period was 10.6 years (IQR 10.0; 11.3). Compared with meat-eaters, vegetarians (hazard ratio (HR) 0.87 [95% CI: 0.79 to 0.96]) and pescatarians (HR 0.93 [95% CI: 0.87 to 1.00]) had lower overall cancer risk. Vegetarians also had a lower risk of colorectal and prostate cancers compared with meat-eaters. In the meta-analysis, vegetarians (Risk Ratio (RR): 0.90 [0.86 to 0.94]) and pescatarians (RR 0.91 [0.86; 0.96]) had lower risk of overall and colorectal cancer. No associations between the types of diets and prostate, breast, or lung cancers were found. Compared with meat-eaters, vegetarians and pescatarians had a lower risk of overall, colorectal, and prostate cancer. When results were pooled in a meta-analysis, the associations with overall and colorectal cancer persisted, but the results relating to other specific cancer sites were inconclusive. [Abstract copyright: © 2022. The Author(s).

Psoriasin (S100A7) expression is altered during skin tumorigenesis

BACKGROUND: Psoriasin (S100A7) expression has previously been associated with psoriasiform hyperplasia as well as with tumor progression in breast cancer. Its expression profile for different stages of skin lesions is unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between psoriasin (S100A7) and tumor progression in skin. METHODS: Psoriasin was assessed by immunohistochemistry and levels of expression determined by semi-quantitative scoring in skin biopsies from 50 patients. The cohort included normal skin, actinic keratosis, squamous carcinoma in-situ, invasive squamous cell carcinoma, and basal cell carcinoma. RESULTS: In normal skin, psoriasin was rarely detected in epidermis but was expressed in underlying adnexae. In abnormal epidermis psoriasin was frequently expressed in abnormal keratinocytes in actinic keratosis, in-situ and invasive squamous cell carcinoma, but was rarely observed in the basal epidermal layer or in superficial or invasive basal cell carcinoma. The highest levels of expression were seen within squamous carcinoma in-situ. Significantly reduced levels of expression were observed in both unmatched (p = 0.0001) and matched (p < 0.004) invasive squamous cell carcinoma. Psoriasin expression within abnormal squamous lesions correlated with mitotic count (r = 0.54, p = 0.0036), however no significant relation was found with the intensity of dermal inflammatory cell infiltrates assessed within each pathology. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that altered psoriasin expression occurs in abnormal epidermis and that downregulation may be related to the onset of invasion in squamous cell carcinoma in skin

Expression analysis of the mouse S100A7/psoriasin gene in skin inflammation and mammary tumorigenesis

BACKGROUND: The human psoriasin (S100A7) gene has been implicated in inflammation and tumor progression. Implementation of a mouse model would facilitate further investigation of its function, however little is known of the murine psoriasin gene. In this study we have cloned the cDNA and characterized the expression of the potential murine ortholog of human S100A7/psoriasin in skin inflammation and mammary tumorigenesis. METHODS: On the basis of chromosomal location, phylogenetic analysis, amino acid sequence similarity, conservation of a putative Jab1-binding motif, and similarities of the patterns of mouse S100A7/psoriasin gene expression (measured by RT-PCR and in-situ hybridization) with those of human S100A7/psoriasin, we propose that mouse S100A7/psoriasin is the murine ortholog of human psoriasin/S100A7. RESULTS: Although mouse S100A7/psoriasin is poorly conserved relative to other S100 family members, its pattern of expression parallels that of the human psoriasin gene. In murine skin S100A7/psoriasin was significantly upregulated in relation to inflammation. In murine mammary gland expression is also upregulated in mammary tumors, where it is localized to areas of squamous differentiation. This mirrors the context of expression in human tumor types where both squamous and glandular differentiation occur, including cervical and lung carcinomas. Additionally, mouse S100A7/psoriasin possesses a putative Jab1 binding motif that mediates many downstream functions of the human S100A7 gene. CONCLUSION: These observations and results support the hypothesis that the mouse S100A7 gene is structurally and functionally similar to human S100A7 and may offer a relevant model system for studying its normal biological function and putative role in tumor progression

Differential expression of a BMP4 reporter allele in anterior fungiform versus posterior circumvallate taste buds of mice

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Bone Morphogenetic Protein 4 (BMP4) is a diffusible factor which regulates embryonic taste organ development. However, the role of BMP4 in taste buds of adult mice is unknown. We utilized transgenic mice with LacZ under the control of the BMP4 promoter to reveal the expression of BMP4 in the tongues of adult mice. Further we evaluate the pattern of BMP4 expression with that of markers of specific taste bud cell types and cell proliferation to define and compare the cell populations expressing BMP4 in anterior (fungiform papillae) and posterior (circumvallate papilla) tongue.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>BMP4 is expressed in adult fungiform and circumvallate papillae, i.e., lingual structures composed of non-taste epithelium and taste buds. Unexpectedly, we find both differences and similarities with respect to expression of BMP4-driven ß-galactosidase. In circumvallate papillae, many fusiform cells within taste buds are BMP4-ß-gal positive. Further, a low percentage of BMP4-expressing cells within circumvallate taste buds is immunopositive for markers of each of the three differentiated taste cell types (I, II and III). BMP4-positive intragemmal cells also expressed a putative marker of immature taste cells, Sox2, and consistent with this finding, intragemmal cells expressed BMP4-ß-gal within 24 hours after their final mitosis, as determined by BrdU birthdating. By contrast, in fungiform papillae, BMP4-ß-gal positive cells are never encountered within taste buds. However, in both circumvallate and fungiform papillae, BMP4-ß-gal expressing cells are located in the perigemmal region, comprising basal and edge epithelial cells adjacent to taste buds proper. This region houses the proliferative cell population that gives rise to adult taste cells. However, perigemmal BMP4-ß-gal cells appear mitotically silent in both fungiform and circumvallate taste papillae, as we do not find evidence of their active proliferation using cell cycle immunomarkers and BrdU birthdating.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our data suggest that intragemmal BMP4-ß-gal cells in circumvallate papillae are immature taste cells which eventually differentiate into each of the 3 taste cell types, whereas perigemmal BMP4-ß-gal cells in both circumvallate and fungiform papillae may be slow cycling stem cells, or belong to the stem cell niche to regulate taste cell renewal from the proliferative cell population.</p

Association between T2-related co-morbidities and effectiveness of biologics in severe asthma

Acknowledgments The authors thank Mr. Joash Tan (BSc, Hons), of the Observational and Pragmatic Research Institute (OPRI), and Ms Andrea Lim (BSc, Hons) of the Observational Pragmatic Research Institute (OPRI) for their editorial and formatting assistance that supported the development of this publication. Funding statement: This study was conducted by the Observational and Pragmatic Research Institute (OPRI) Pte Ltd and was partially funded by Optimum Patient Care Global and AstraZeneca Ltd. AstraZeneca UK LimitedPeer reviewe

Estrategia de muestreo usando estimadores de regresión generalizada para la estimación de tasas de favoritismo en elecciones presidenciales en Colombia.

Six favoritism rate estimators for presidential elections, which use GREG estimators in the first stage of sampling, are proposed. Its performance is evaluated with Monte Carlo Simulation and by the variation coefficient, calculated for the 2006 Presidential elections case, using the results from 2002 as auxiliary information. It is found that the estimators proposed don’t have attributes which makes them better than the totals pi-estimators quotient.Se propone el uso y se evalúa el desempeño de seis estimadores de la tasa de favoritismo en elecciones presidenciales que usen GREG estimadores en la primera etapa de selección. Se utiliza el método de simulación Monte Carlo y se calcula el coeficiente de variación de cada uno de los estimadores para el caso especıfico de las elecciones presidenciales del periodo 2006, utilizando como información auxiliar los resultados del periodo 2002. Se concluye que los estimadores propuestos no tienen atributos que los hagan preferibles al cociente de pi-estimadores