Cytochrome P450 CYP1A1: wider roles in cancer progression and prevention

CYP1A1 is one of the main cytochrome P450 enzymes, examined extensively for its capacity to activate compounds with carcinogenic properties. Continuous exposure to inhalation chemicals and environmental carcinogens is thought to increase the level of CYP1A1 expression in extrahepatic tissues, through the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). Although the latter has long been recognized as a ligand-induced transcription factor, which is responsible for the xenobiotic activating pathway of several phase I and phase II metabolizing enzymes, recent evidence suggests that the AhR is involved in various cell signaling pathways critical to cell cycle regulation and normal homeostasis. Disregulation of these pathways is implicated in tumor progression. In addition, it is becoming increasingly evident that CYP1A1 plays an important role in the detoxication of environmental carcinogens, as well as in the metabolic activation of dietary compounds with cancer preventative activity. Ultimately the contribution of CYP1A1 to cancer progression or prevention may depend on the balance of procarcinogen activation/detoxication and dietary natural product extrahepatic metabolism

Towards BIM-Enhanced Renovation Management Tools with Support to Stakeholder Interaction

This paper presents two renovation management tools that are currently being developed in BIM4EEB project: BIMPlanner—a planning and management tool for housing renovation projects —and BIM4Occupants—a coordination tool between contractors and occupants. An information sharing layer, based on ontologies and linked data technologies, is an essential technical enabler of these tools. The layer allows data sharing across the different components of the toolkit. The tools aim to enhance information sharing between renovation stakeholders and to enrich BIM data with links to other relevant data in renovation projects

Proposta de livro-card como facilitador do aprendizado de ferramentas de Design

The comprehensiveness of the Design field has consistently grown since the emergence of the discipline and the role of the designer as an actor of change, innovation and development is reinforced by increasingly complex projects, which require contemplating social, environmental and technological aspects - among others –. In this context, we analyze the role of knowledge systematization and of project planning in both professional practice and the academy. The present work seeks to assist the process of learning and teaching Design, regarding the use of methods and tools that support the designer in this complex design process. In order to offer an accessible material for teaching in Portuguese, we intend to formulate a text that deeply and objectively addresses some of the tools used by designers. For the elaboration of this material we adopted a design methodology and used the design tools approached throughout each step. Bibliographic searches, case studies, participant observation, similar analysis, interviews, user journey maps, physical prototypes and visual maps were performed. The texts of six tools were written, the guidelines for the writing of the others were elaborated, as well as the layout for the book and the cards. The contributions of this research comes through the reinforcement to the relevance of design research, the use of processes and methods, the facilitation of their teaching for future designers and their use by established professionals, as well as the stimulation for tool research.Trabalho de Conclusão de Curso (Graduação)O campo do Design vem se abrangendo consistentemente desde o surgimento da disciplina e o papel do designer como ator de mudança, inovação e desenvolvimento se reforça com projetos cada vez mais complexos e com a necessidade de contemplar aspectos sociais, ambientais, tecnológicos – entre outros – na solução de problemas. Nesse contexto, avalia-se o papel da sistematização e do processo de projeto tanto na prática profissional quanto no ensino e aprendizagem. O presente trabalho almeja auxiliar no processo de aprendizagem e ensino do Design, no que tange à utilização de métodos e ferramentas que suportam o designer nesse complexo processo de projetar. Na busca por oferecer um material acessível para o ensino em português, temos o intuito de formular um texto que aborde de forma profunda e objetiva algumas ferramentas utilizadas por designers. Para a elaboração do material foi adotada metodologia própria ao design e ao longo de cada etapa utilizamos as ferramentas de projeto abordadas. Foram realizadas pesquisas bibliográficas, estudos de caso, observação participante, análise de similares, entrevista, mapas da jornada do usuário, protótipos físicos e mapas visuais. Foram redigidos os textos de seis ferramentas, e elaboradas as diretrizes para redação das demais, além do layout para o livro e as cartas resumo. Entende-se que as contribuições da presente pesquisa podem vir por meio do reforço à relevância da pesquisa em Design, da utilização de processos e métodos, e da facilitação do ensino dos mesmo para futuros designers e de sua utilização por profissionais já estabelecidos, além de estimular a pesquisa de ferramentas

Orthodeoxia and platypnoea after acute organophosphorus poisoning reversed by CPAP: a newly described cause and review of the literature

AbstractThe case of a 60-year-old male patient, who survived severe organophosphorus poisoning, and subsequently developed platypnoea and orthodeoxia is described. The patient was mechanically ventilated for a long period of time in the intensive care unit. During the weaning trial, he developed platypnoea and orthodeoxia (PaO2 85 mmHg in recumbency, and 40 mmHg in upright position). Interestingly, the patient's orthodeoxia was alleviated on continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment. This is a newly described cause of the platypnoea-orthodeoxia syndrome. The possible pathophysiological mechanisms are discussed and a review of the reported abnormal states associated with this condition is presented

Cancer Microenvironment and Inflammation: Role of Hyaluronan

The role of inflammation in the development of cancer was described as early as 19th century. Abundant evidence supports the preposition that various cancers are triggered by infection and chronic inflammatory disease whereas, evading immune destruction has been proposed as one of the new hallmarks of cancer. Changes of the tumor microenvironment have been closely correlated to cancer-mediated inflammation. Hyaluronan (HA), an important ECM component, has become recognized as an active participant in inflammatory, angiogenic, fibrotic, and cancer promoting processes. This review discusses how HA and specific HA-binding proteins participate in and regulate cancer-related inflammatory processes

Cd, Pb and Hg Biomonitoring in Fish of the Mediterranean Region and Risk Estimations on Fish Consumption

Cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb) and mercury (Hg) are toxic metals with increasing interest due to their tendency to bioaccumulate in fish tissue which may pose a threat to human health via fish consumption. This review of the recent literature on Cd, Pb, Hg levels summarizes data of fish biomonitoring studies in the Mediterranean Sea in order to determine potential risks due to dietary intake of metals. The analytical methods applied are described, with Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy being the most popular. Most of the literature reviewed is focused on the Eastern Mediterranean. Results from the studies indicate that metals mostly accumulate in liver, followed by muscle. Although there are few studies reporting metal levels in fish exceeding the maximum residue levels (MRLs), the bulk of the studies cite levels below the MRLs. The hazard index (HI) of fish consumption, namely the ratio of estimated weekly intake to provisional tolerable weekly intake (EWI/PTWI) was estimated for adult consumers and no risk emerged. The EWI/PTWI ratios of lead and mercury for Italy (0.14 and 0.22 respectively) represent the highest HI levels estimated. In view of maximizing the benefits while minimizing the risks of fish consumption, a more detailed fish-specific database on intakes for consumers is required and extended bimonitoring in as many regions as possible

The concentration of three anti-seizure medications in hair: the effects of hair color, controlling for dose and age

BACKGROUND: This paper assess the relationship between the quantity of three anti-seizure medications in hair and the color of the analyzed hair, while controlling for the effects of dose, dose duration, and patient age for 140 clinical patients undergoing anti-seizure therapy. Three drugs are assessed: carbamazepine (40 patients), valproic acid (40 patients), and phenytoin (60 patients). The relationship between hair assay results, hair color, dose, dose duration, and age is modeled using an analysis of covariance. The covariance model posits the hair assay results as the dependent variable, the hair color as the qualitative categorical independent variable, and dose, dose duration, and age as covariates. The null hypothesis assessed is that there is a no relationship between hair color and the quantity of analyte determined by hair assay such that darker colored hair will demonstrate higher concentrations of analyte than lighter colored hair. RESULTS: The analysis reveals that there is a significant relationship between dose and concentration for all hair color categories independent of the other covariates or the categorical independent variable. CONCLUSION: There does not appear to be any relationship between carbamazepine concentration and hair color. There is a weak relationship between hair color and valproic acid concentration, which the data suggest may be mediated by age. There is a significant, moderate relationship between phenytoin concentration and hair color such that darker colored hair has greater concentration values than lighter colored hair