Modifiable risk factors associated with bone deficits in childhood cancer survivors

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>To determine the prevalence and severity of bone deficits in a cohort of childhood cancer survivors (CCS) compared to a healthy sibling control group, and the modifiable factors associated with bone deficits in CCS.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Cross-sectional study of bone health in 319 CCS and 208 healthy sibling controls. Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Generalized estimating equations were used to compare measures between CCS and controls. Among CCS, multivariable logistic regression was used to evaluate odds ratios for BMD Z-score ≤ -1.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>All subjects were younger than 18 years of age. Average time since treatment was 10.1 years (range 4.3 - 17.8 years). CCS were 3.3 times more likely to have whole body BMD Z-score ≤ -1 than controls (95% CI: 1.4-7.8; p = 0.007) and 1.7 times more likely to have lumbar spine BMD Z-score ≤ -1 than controls (95% CI: 1.0-2.7; p = 0.03). Among CCS, hypogonadism, lower lean body mass, higher daily television/computer screen time, lower physical activity, and higher inflammatory marker IL-6, increased the odds of having a BMD Z-score ≤ -1.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>CCS, less than 18 years of age, have bone deficits compared to a healthy control group. Sedentary lifestyle and inflammation may play a role in bone deficits in CCS. Counseling CCS and their caretakers on decreasing television/computer screen time and increasing activity may improve bone health.</p

Metallothionein expression correlates with metastatic and proliferative potential in squamous cell carcinoma of the oesophagus

The goal of this study is to clarify whether the expression of metallothionein (MT) could affect the prognosis and the metastatic potential of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the oesophagus. In paraffin-embedded specimens resected from 57 patients, MT mRNA and protein expressions were detected by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry respectively. The expression of MT was evaluated in respect of clinicopathologic variables and patients' survival. MT mRNA expression was significantly associated with the proportion of lymph node metastasis (71% in MT mRNA-positive tumours vs 42% in MT mRNA-negative tumours; P = 0.0343) and that of distant metastasis (29% in MT mRNA-positive tumours vs 5% in MT mRNA-negative tumours; P = 0.0452). In respect of MT protein expression, the frequency of distant metastasis was more common in MT-positive tumours than in MT-negative tumours (30% in MT-positive tumours vs 8% in MT-negative tumours; P = 0.0446). The survival rate of the patients with MT protein-negative tumours was significantly better than that of the patients with MT protein-positive tumours (P = 0.0340). There was a positive correlation between the expression of MT protein and that of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (P = 0.0018). Therefore, we conclude that MT expression, both at the mRNA and protein levels, may be a potential marker predicting metastatic and proliferative activities of oesophageal SCC. © 1999 Cancer Research Campaig

Membrane Invaginations Reveal Cortical Sites that Pull on Mitotic Spindles in One-Cell C. elegans Embryos

Asymmetric positioning of the mitotic spindle in C. elegans embryos is mediated by force-generating complexes that are anchored at the plasma membrane and that pull on microtubules growing out from the spindle poles. Although asymmetric distribution of the force generators is thought to underlie asymmetric positioning of the spindle, the number and location of the force generators has not been well defined. In particular, it has not been possible to visualize individual force generating events at the cortex. We discovered that perturbation of the acto-myosin cortex leads to the formation of long membrane invaginations that are pulled from the plasma membrane toward the spindle poles. Several lines of evidence show that the invaginations, which also occur in unperturbed embryos though at lower frequency, are pulled by the same force generators responsible for spindle positioning. Thus, the invaginations serve as a tool to localize the sites of force generation at the cortex and allow us to estimate a lower limit on the number of cortical force generators within the cell

Cytogenetic variation of repetitive DNA elements in Hoplias malabaricus (Characiformes - Erythrinidae) from white, black and clear water rivers of the Amazon basin

Abstract Hoplias malabaricus is a common fish species occurring in white, black and clear water rivers of the Amazon basin. Its large distribution across distinct aquatic environments can pose stressful conditions for dispersal and creates possibilities for the emergence of local adaptive profiles. We investigated the chromosomal localization of repetitive DNA markers (constitutive heterochromatin, rDNA and the transposable element REX-3) in populations from the Amazonas river (white water), the Negro river (black water) and the Tapajós river (clear water), in order to address the variation/association of cytogenomic features and environmental conditions. We found a conserved karyotypic macrostructure with a diploid number of 40 chromosomes (20 metacentrics + 20 submetacentrics) in all the samples. Heteromorphism in pair 14 was detected as evidence for the initial differentiation of an XX/XY system. Minor differences detected in the amount of repetitive DNA markers are interpreted as possible signatures of local adaptations to distinct aquatic environments