Molecular apocrine differentiation is a common feature of breast cancer in patients with germline PTEN mutations

International audienceINTRODUCTION: Breast carcinoma is the main malignant tumor occurring in patients with Cowden disease, a cancer-prone syndrome caused by germline mutation of the tumor suppressor gene PTEN characterized by the occurrence throughout life of hyperplastic, hamartomatous and malignant growths affecting various organs. The absence of known histological features for breast cancer arising in a PTEN-mutant background prompted us to explore them for potential new markers. METHODS: We first performed a microarray study of three tumors from patients with Cowden disease in the context of a transcriptomic study of 74 familial breast cancers. A subsequent histological and immunohistochemical study including 12 additional cases of Cowden disease breast carcinomas was performed to confirm the microarray data. RESULTS: Unsupervised clustering of the 74 familial tumors followed the intrinsic gene classification of breast cancer except for a group of five tumors that included the three Cowden tumors. The gene expression profile of the Cowden tumors shows considerable overlap with that of a breast cancer subgroup known as molecular apocrine breast carcinoma, which is suspected to have increased androgenic signaling and shows frequent ERBB2 amplification in sporadic tumors. The histological and immunohistochemical study showed that several cases had apocrine histological features and expressed GGT1, which is a potential new marker for apocrine breast carcinoma. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that activation of the ERBB2-PI3K-AKT pathway by loss of PTEN at early stages of tumorigenesis promotes the formation of breast tumors with apocrine features

Search for lepton-flavour-violating H → μτ decays of the Higgs boson with the ATLAS detector

A direct search for lepton-flavour-violating H → μτ decays of the recently discovered Higgs boson with the ATLAS detector at the LHC is presented. The analysis is performed in the H → μτ had channel, where τ had is a hadronically decaying τ -lepton. The search is based on the data sample of proton-proton collisions collected by the ATLAS experiment corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 20.3 fb−1 at a centre-of-mass energy of s √ =8 s=8 TeV. No statistically significant excess of data over the predicted background is observed. The observed (expected) 95% confidence-level upper limit on the branching fraction, Br(H → μτ ), is 1.85% (1.24%)

Potential cellular and biochemical mechanisms of exercise and physical activity on the ageing process

Exercise in young adults has been consistently shown to improve various aspects of physiological and psychological health but we are now realising the potential benefits of exercise with advancing age. Specifically, exercise improves cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, and metabolic health through reductions in oxidative stress, chronic low-grade inflammation and modulating cellular processes within a variety of tissues. In this this chapter we will discuss the effects of acute and chronic exercise on these processes and conditions in an ageing population, and how physical activity affects our vasculature, skeletal muscle function, our immune system, and cardiometabolic risk in older adults

[Predictors of use of ante-natal care]

OBJECTIVE: To establish the association and possible interactions between emotional and cognitive factors in pregnant women and their use of institutional antenatal care. It was assumed that the knowledge and attitude of a pregnant woman determines her approach to demanding antenatal care. DESIGN: Analytic study. SETTING: Hospitals in the Health Area of Jalisco, Mexico. PARTICIPANTS: 2955 women leaving hospital early who had had at least 2 antenatal consultations. MAIN MEASUREMENTS: Personal and reproductive characteristics of the women, opportunity and continuity of antenatal care, knowledge of pregnancy and the antenatal care programme, attitudes towards institutional medical care of pregnancy. RESULTS: In the logistical regression model, 6 associations or interactions between unsatisfactory antenatal care and the variables analysed were found. The strong association of positive attitudes and sufficient knowledge in achieving satisfactory antenatal care was notable, and was even placed above the question of receiving, or otherwise, free medical provision from the health service. CONCLUSIONS: Undoubtedly, women's educational background plays a major role. This obliges the health services to strengthen their educational programmes by adjusting them to women's culture

[Predictors of use of ante-natal care]

OBJECTIVE: To establish the association and possible interactions between emotional and cognitive factors in pregnant women and their use of institutional antenatal care. It was assumed that the knowledge and attitude of a pregnant woman determines her approach to demanding antenatal care. DESIGN: Analytic study. SETTING: Hospitals in the Health Area of Jalisco, Mexico. PARTICIPANTS: 2955 women leaving hospital early who had had at least 2 antenatal consultations. MAIN MEASUREMENTS: Personal and reproductive characteristics of the women, opportunity and continuity of antenatal care, knowledge of pregnancy and the antenatal care programme, attitudes towards institutional medical care of pregnancy. RESULTS: In the logistical regression model, 6 associations or interactions between unsatisfactory antenatal care and the variables analysed were found. The strong association of positive attitudes and sufficient knowledge in achieving satisfactory antenatal care was notable, and was even placed above the question of receiving, or otherwise, free medical provision from the health service. CONCLUSIONS: Undoubtedly, women's educational background plays a major role. This obliges the health services to strengthen their educational programmes by adjusting them to women's culture

Prevalence and associated factors related to disordered eating in student adolescents of Guadalajara across sex [Prevalencia y factores asociados a las conductas alimentarias de riesgo en adolescentes escolares de Guadalajara según sexo]

Objective. To determine the prevalence and associated factors to disordered eating (DE) in adolescents by sex. Material and methods. A transversal and analytic study was carried out with 1,134 first grade students at a public high school. Self esteem, impulsivity, depressive symptoms, suicidal ideation, entertainment, locus of control, relationship with father/mother, stress and DE were assessed with previously validated and standardized scales. Results. A prevalence of 7.2% of risky eating behaviors was obtained; 2.8% for men and 10.3% for women. In men in the risk analysis the association was maintained for impulsivity, depressive symptoms, suicidal ideation and stress. After the multivaried analysis only depression and stress showed any association. In women in the risk analysis, the association was maintained for impulsivity, depressive symptoms, suicidal ideation and stress, and after the multivaried analysis only impulsivity, suicidal ideation and stress maintained the association. Conclusions. The prevalence of DE was higher among women. The associated factors in men were depressive symptoms and stress, whilst for women was impulsivity, suicidal ideation and stress

Prevalence and associated factors related to disordered eating in student adolescents of Guadalajara across sex [Prevalencia y factores asociados a las conductas alimentarias de riesgo en adolescentes escolares de Guadalajara según sexo]

Objective. To determine the prevalence and associated factors to disordered eating (DE) in adolescents by sex. Material and methods. A transversal and analytic study was carried out with 1,134 first grade students at a public high school. Self esteem, impulsivity, depressive symptoms, suicidal ideation, entertainment, locus of control, relationship with father/mother, stress and DE were assessed with previously validated and standardized scales. Results. A prevalence of 7.2% of risky eating behaviors was obtained; 2.8% for men and 10.3% for women. In men in the risk analysis the association was maintained for impulsivity, depressive symptoms, suicidal ideation and stress. After the multivaried analysis only depression and stress showed any association. In women in the risk analysis, the association was maintained for impulsivity, depressive symptoms, suicidal ideation and stress, and after the multivaried analysis only impulsivity, suicidal ideation and stress maintained the association. Conclusions. The prevalence of DE was higher among women. The associated factors in men were depressive symptoms and stress, whilst for women was impulsivity, suicidal ideation and stress

Ultrafast electron diffuse scattering and its application to 2D materials

The nature of the couplings within and between lattice and charge degrees of freedom is central to condensed matter and materials physics. Despite their fundamental role, detailed momentum-dependent information on the strength of electron-phonon and phonon-phonon couplings across all momenta has proved elusive. Ultrafast electron diffuse scattering provides the answer by measuring momentum-dependent phonon population dynamics similar to how time and angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy views the momentum-dependent occupation dynamics of electronic states. This method proves particularly effective in the study of 2D materials. A sophisticated analysis applied to ultrafast electron scattering measurements of graphite, follows the cascade of electron-phonon and phonon-phonon couplings after pulsed laser excitation in this well studied benchmark system. In a similar experiment on titanium diselenide, electronphonon coupling is measured by observing the effect of photoexcitation on the renormalized phonon frequencies with the characteristic momentum of titanium diselenide's charge density wave transition. Through its sensitivity to transient phonon occupancies and frequencies, ultrafast electron diffuse scattering is a novel and powerful method to unravel the physics of complex phases and properties determined through interplay between the electron and lattice systems.La nature du couplage entre le réseau d'atomes et les porteurs de charges d'un cristal est centrale au domaine de la physique de la matière condensée. Malgré leurs rôles fondamentaux, les couplages électron-phonon et phonon-phonon demeurent mystérieux. La diffraction ultrarapide diffusé par électrons permet de répondre aux questions concernant l'occupation des populations phononiques dans l'entièreté de l'espace réciproque. Plus spécifiquement, les excitations optiques sur un cristal de graphite, initiées par une impulsion laser femtoseconde, génèrent une population électronique excitée particulière, appelée cônes de Dirac. Ces excitations creés un plasma d'´electrons et de trous de densité variable, contrôlée par l'intensité de l'impulsion laser. Cette thèse présente une analyse sophistiquée de données de diffraction ultrarapide diffusé par électrons faisant la lumière sur la relaxation du système électronique excité par impulsion ultrarapide, passant par le couplage avec le réseau d'atomes, puis finissant en relaxation des modes phononiques avec l'environnement. Dans le cas du disélénure de titane (TiSe2), le couplage électron-phonon est mesuré de façon complètement différente; en observant l'effet de la photo-excitation sur les fréquences de phonons renormalisées aux vecteurs d'ondes caractéristiques de la phase d'ondes de charges de TiSe2. A travers la sensitivité aux occupations phononiques temporaires, la diffraction 'ultrarapide diffusé par électrons permet de d´ecortiquer la physique des phases complexes de la matière, et d'élucider la relation entre le système ´electronique et le réseau d'atomes

Contrasting agronomic response of biochar amendment to a Mediterranean Cambisol: Incubation vs. field experiment

Comunicación oral presentada en EGU General Assembly 2015, held 12-17 April, 2015 in Vienna, Austria. id.1480The application of biochar to soil is being proposed as a novel approach to establish a significant long-term sink for atmospheric carbon dioxide in terrestrial ecosystems. In addition, biochars offer a simple, sustainable tool for managing organic wastes and to produce added value products. Numerous research studies pointed out that biochar can act as a soil conditioner enhancing plant growth by supplying and, more importantly, retaining nutrients and by providing other services such as improving soil physical and biological properties.However, the effectiveness of biochar in enhancing plant fertility is a function of soil type, climate, and type of crop [2] but also of the biochar properties. The inherent variability of biochars due to different feedstock and production conditions implies a high variability of their effect on soil properties and productivity. Furthermore, due to the irreversibility of biochar application, it is necessary to perform detailed studies to achieve a high level of certainty that adding biochar to agricultural soils, for whatever reason, will not negatively affect soil health and productivityThe Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions (REA grant agreement nº PCIG12-GA-2012-333784-Biocharisma project) and the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO) (project PCGL2012-37041) are thanked for the financial support of the present study. The “Fondo Social Europeo” is thanked for funding J.M de la Rosa JAE-Doc contract. The European Biochar Network (Biochar as option for sustainable resource management-COST action TD1107) and Bodegas Torres (Spain) are acknowledged for providing the biochar samplesPeer reviewe

Validity and reliability of an instrument for assessing the social, and corporal sexual behaviors among school adolescents [Validaci�n de un cuestionario para el estudio del comportamiento sexual, social y corporal, de adolescentes escolares]

Objective. To validate a self-administered questionnaire about social and corporal sexual behaviors among adolescents, by school level and gender. Material and Methods. The data collection instrument was constructed according to DeVellis and consisted of 26 items. It was used in a prospective longitudinal study conducted in 1994 in Guadalajara, Mexico, among 1243 secondary and high school students. The construct validity of the instrument - was established using exploratory factorial analysis, and its reliability using the Cronbach's alpha test. Results. Five factors were obtained in males and an equal number in women, using eigenvalues >1 and by forcing the best solution. The explained variance was 59.3-70.6%; the factorial weight average was 0.63-0.75, and 13 different factors were selected. The Cronbach's alpha mean was 0.87-0.93 and 16 factors had Cronbach's alpha over 0.70. Conclusions. The instrumen has an acceptable validity and reliability for studying the sexual, social, and corporal behaviors in adolescents similar populations