Alcohol Smoking Research Articles

Weekly chemotherapy as first line treatment in frail head and neck cancer patients in the immunotherapy era

ObjectiveFirst-line therapy for metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (R/M HNSCC) has been revolutionized by the introduction of anti-checkpoint monoclonal antibodies, which have shown a significant improvement in overall survival (OS) gaining approval in a first line setting. Efficacy and safety of first-line weekly chemotherapy, compared to 3-weeks treatment, was retrospectively evaluated in a frail patient population with R/M HNSCC with the aim to evaluate its role as part of a personalized first-line approach.MethodsA total of 124 patients with locally incurable R/M HNSCC receiving weekly (21) or three-weekly (103) chemotherapy plus cetuximab in a first line setting from December 2010 to September 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. Treatment outcomes in terms of objective response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS) and toxicities were analysed.ResultsPatients in the three-week subgroup were ECOG PS 0 (39) and 1 (64) while patients in weekly group (21) were all PS 2. No significant differences were reported in terms of age, sex, smoking and previous alcohol abuse considering the two distinct subgroups. Moreover, no statistically significant difference was found in PFS and OS between the two treatment subgroups. The response rate was 35% (36 patients) and 34% (7 patients) in three-week and weekly treatment group, respectively. Seventy patients (68%) in the three-week group experienced chemotherapy-related toxicities, predominantly G3. In the weekly group a predominantly low-grade toxicity was found in a lower number of patients (52%).ConclusionThe weekly schedule appears to be an active and safe strategy in frail patients with R/M HNSCC. Based on these data, a weekly schedule could be considered as a first line treatment in all frail patients excluded from pembrolizumab treatment and a study on the combination of weekly chemotherapy and immunotherapy should be performed.

Understanding the effect of smoking and drinking behavior on Parkinson's disease risk: a Mendelian randomization study

Previous observational studies have identified correlations between Parkinson’s disease (PD) risk and lifestyle factors. However, whether or not those associations are causal remains unclear. To infer causality between PD risk and smoking or alcohol intake, we conducted a two-sample Mendelian randomization study using genome-wide association study summary statistics from the GWAS & Sequencing Consortium of Alcohol and Nicotine use study (1.2 million participants) and the latest meta-analysis from the International Parkinson’s Disease Genomics Consortium (37,688 PD cases and 18,618 proxy-cases). We performed sensitivity analyses, including testing for pleiotropy with MR-Egger and MR-PRESSO, and multivariable MR modeling to account for the genetic effects of competing substance use traits on PD risk. Our results revealed causal associations of alcohol intake (OR 0.79; 95% CI 0.65–0.96; p = 0.021) and smoking continuation (which compares current vs. former smokers) (OR 0.64; 95% CI 0.46–0.89; p = 0.008) with lower PD risk. Multivariable MR analyses showed that the causal association between drinks per week and PD is unlikely due to confounding by smoking behavior. Finally, frailty analyses suggested that the causal effects of both alcohol intake and smoking continuation on PD risk estimated from MR analysis are not explained by the presence of survival bias alone. Our findings support the role of smoking as a protective factor against PD, but only when comparing current vs. former smokers. Similarly, increased alcohol intake had a protective effect over PD risk, with the alcohol dehydrogenase 1B (ADH1B) locus as a potential candidate for further investigation of the mechanisms underlying this association.

Alcohol consumption and smoking are dose dependently worsen the outcome of acute pancreatitis

Alcohol consumption and smoking are dose dependently worsen the outcome of acute pancreatitis

Recurrent acute pancreatitis prevention by the elimination of alcohol and cigarette smoking (reappear): Protocol of a randmozied controlled trial and a cohort study

Recurrent acute pancreatitis prevention by the elimination of alcohol and cigarette smoking (reappear): Protocol of a randmozied controlled trial and a cohort study

Abstract 1625: Distribution and prevalence of LAG-3 expression in samples of melanoma and gastric/gastroesophageal junction cancer

Abstract Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have become the standard of care in a range of tumors. However, a large proportion of patients treated with ICIs have treatment-refractory/resistant tumors requiring innovative approaches. Lymphocyte-activation gene 3 (LAG-3) is an immune checkpoint receptor that inhibits effector T-cell function. Preclinical data suggest that simultaneous activation of the LAG-3 and programmed death-1 pathways results in greater T-cell exhaustion than either pathway alone, leading to impaired antitumor immune response and increased tumor growth. Therefore, LAG-3 may be a promising new target for cancer immunotherapy. The objective of this study was to assess the distribution of LAG-3 expression on lymphocytes in melanoma, gastric cancer (GC), and gastroesophageal junction cancer (GEJC) samples using an immunohistochemistry (IHC) assay. Methods: Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded samples from resected melanoma, GC, or GEJC ≤ 5 years old were procured for analysis. The LAG-3 IHC assay was developed and performed by LabCorp (Research Triangle Park, NC) using the anti-LAG-3 17B4 mouse antibody clone on a Leica Bond III platform. LAG-3 expression was assessed as the percentage of positive immune cells (ICs) within the invasive margin, tumor, and stroma. Programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression on tumor cells (TCs) and ICs was evaluated on the same samples using the Dako PD-L1 IHC 28-8 pharmDx assay to determine the percentage of PD-L1-expressing TCs and the combined positive score (CPS). Results: A total of 102 melanoma samples, 256 GC samples, and 84 GEJC samples were included in this study. LAG-3 expression was detected in the majority of samples across all tumor types, with higher expression in GEJC than in melanoma or GC. LAG-3 prevalence was similar across subgroups based on disease stage (melanoma, GC) and grade (GC). LAG-3 prevalence was also consistent across subgroups based on age, sex, and ethnicity (all tumor types), as well as alcohol consumption and smoking history (melanoma and GC). LAG-3 expression was weakly correlated with PD-L1 expression on TCs (Spearman's ρ of 0.31 for GC, 0.41 for GEJC, and 0.46 for melanoma) and moderately correlated with PD-L1 CPS (Spearman's ρ of 0.63 for GC and 0.73 for GEJC). Similar correlations were observed after binning PD-L1 TC score and CPS. Conclusions: LAG-3-expressing lymphocytes were identified in all tumor types tested. LAG-3 expression did not differ with age, sex, ethnicity, alcohol consumption, and smoking history, and appeared to be associated, but not strongly correlated, with PD-L1 expression in all tumor types. PD-L1 and LAG-3 expression in procured samples may not be reflective of expression observed in clinical trials, and further studies are needed to characterize LAG-3 expression in a clinical setting. Citation Format: Lloye M. Dillon, John Wojcik, Keyur Desai, Ming Lei, Lori Johnson, Bryan McCune, Krystal Johnson, Jeffrey Shuster, Steven M. Anderson, Bin Li. Distribution and prevalence of LAG-3 expression in samples of melanoma and gastric/gastroesophageal junction cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2021; 2021 Apr 10-15 and May 17-21. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(13_Suppl):Abstract nr 1625.

Распространенность алекситимии среди студентов медицинского вуза. Взаимосвязь с соматической заболеваемостью, наличием вредных привычек и уровнем успеваемости

Aim. To determine the prevalence and severity of alexithymia among medical university students. To assess the relationship between somatic pathology in students and academic performance. Material and methods. An anonymous standardized questionnaire survey of 130 students of the Tyumen State Medical University was conducted. The questionnaire is based on a Russian-language validated version of the 20-point Toronto Alexithymia Scale for quantifying alexithymia, including information about age, gender, concomitant psychosomatic diseases, unwanted habits, and self-assessment of academic performance. Results. Among the examined students, the frequency of alexithymia was 6,2%. The risk group for alexithymia included 12.3% of the surveyed students. Diseases of a psychosomatic nature (arterial hypertension, VSD, cephalgia, bronchial asthma, chronic skin diseases) were registered twice as often. Alexithymia is often combined with a number of undesirable habits, among which alcohol abuse, smoking, nail biting, and sweet drinking predominate. The relationship between the presence of alexithymia and reduced academic performance is determined. Conclusion. To reduce the negative impact of alexithymia on somatic and mental health, the effectiveness of training and personal development of students, it is necessary to conduct a systematic assessment of the level of alexithymia. When identifying alexithymia or its risk, use methods of psychotherapeutic correction.

Factors associated with serum IgM concentrations: a general adult population study

Background and aim To investigate the influence of common factors on serum immunoglobulin M (IgM) concentrations in adults, and clinical associations with high and low values. Methods We measured serum IgM levels using immunonephelometry in a random sample of 1510 individuals (aged 18–91 years, 44.7% male). We obtained data defining metabolic syndrome from all participants, defined atopy by skin prick tests to aeroallergens, and assessed lifestyle factors by questionnaire. Results Women showed higher IgM concentrations than men; 95 (6.3%, mostly male) individuals showed low (<0.40 g/L) IgM values, and 64 (4.2%, mostly female) showed high (>2.30 g/L) IgM values. Individuals with abnormal IgM concentrations had no history of opportunistic infections nor a different atopy prevalence. Serum IgM concentrations decreased with age, and obesity was negatively associated with IgM concentrations. Alcohol consumption, smoking, physical activity, and metabolic syndrome had no significant influence in the multivariate analyses. Conclusions Many adults in the general population show abnormally high or low IgM concentrations with no evidence of immunodeficiency-associated diseases. Sex and age should be considered when defining reference IgM concentrations.

Peculiarities of influence of risk factors and cardiometabolic disorders on the course of hypertension with comorbid complications

Objective — to determine the clinical features of the influence of risk factors and cardiometabolic disorders on the course of arterial hypertension (AH) with comorbid complications. Materials and methods. The study included the results of a survey of 580 patients (according to case histories) — 260 (44.8 %) female and 320 (55.2 %) male aged 20 to 88 years (mean age 59.34 ± 8.48) with AH stage II — III, who were examined and treated in the clinic of the State Institution «National Institute of Therapy. L. T. Malaya of National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine” (Kharkiv). All patients had their blood pressure, body weight, height measured, fat and muscle tissue ratios evaluated, and physical activity was determined using pedometers. The indicators of distribution of adipose tissue were calculated: the percentage of fat deposits (PFD), body fat mass (BFM), fat mass index (FMI) according to known formulas. Indicators of carbohydrate, lipid and purine metabolism were evaluated. Results. The severity of the AH was associated with a lower percentage of alcohol consumption (p = 0.012), higher blood pressure levels (p &lt; 0.001), higher functional class of chronic heart failure (CHF) (p &lt; 0.001), more frequent detection of fasting hyperglycemia in patients (p &lt; 0.001), the development of type 2 DM (p &lt; 0.001) and diabetic nephropathy (p &lt; 0.001). The markers of visceral obesity (PBF, BFM and FMI) correlated significantly with a low level of daily physical activity (p ≤ 0.002), a higher degree of AH (p ≤ 0.001), a higher functional class of CHF (p ≤ 0.001), with the presence of left ventricular hypertrophy (p &lt; 0.001), the development of concomitant type 2 DM (p ≤ 0.001). It should be noted that in contrast to BMI, higher rates of PBF, BFM and FMI were more likely to correlate with older age, history of smoking and excessive alcohol consumption as well as the presence of concomitant thyroid pathology. Assessment of the lipid profile showed a significant correlation between BMI, BFM, FMI and the level of triglycerides (TG), very low­density lipoprotein cholesterol and with high­density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL­C). The presence of visceral obesity was strongly correlated with triglyceride­glucose index (TyG index) (p ≤ 0,001). According to the results of the factor analysis, the severity of AH in the examined patients is primarily due to metabolic disorders associated with disorders of lipid metabolism and the development of varying degrees of insulin resistance, which in male is most strongly correlated with TG levels (r = 0.899), atherogenic index of plasma (r = 0.872), TyG index (r = 0.788), in female — with HDL­C (r = –0.770), atherogenic coefficient (r = 0.768), TG (r = 0.749). In contrast to the population of female, for male with AH there is the additional most important component of the indicators was estimated that characterizes the presence of comorbid chronic diseases of the pancreas (r = 0.754) on the background of a history of alcohol abuse (r = 0.627) and/or comorbid non­alcoholic fatty liver disease (r = 0.558). Conclusions. The severity of GC in the examined patients is primarily due to metabolic disorders associated with disorders of lipid metabolism and the development of varying degrees of insulin resistance on the background of visceral obesity.

Health Disparities Among Workers With Standing Position and Limited Restroom Access: A Cosmetics Saleswomen Study in South Korea.

Korean cosmetics sales workers in department stores face harmful working environments, including limited restroom access, working long hours in a standing position, and customer violence. This study investigated health disparities between cosmetics saleswomen and the general population of working women in South Korea. We assessed the prevalence of health indicators, including physician-diagnosed disease, using a cross-sectional survey of 860 Korean cosmetics saleswomen in September 2018. Health indicators of cosmetics saleswomen were compared to those of general working women from the nationally representative datasets (e.g., National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort). We estimated age-standardized prevalence ratios (SPRs) for health outcomes, including physical, mental, and health-related behavioral conditions. Cosmetics saleswomen were more likely to be diagnosed or treated for physical and mental conditions (e.g., cystitis SPR: 4.03, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.48-4.65; plantar fasciitis SPR: 23.48, 95% CI: 18.12-29.93; varicose vein SPR: 38.41, 95% CI: 32.18-45.49; and depression SPR: 11.18, 95% CI: 8.53-14.40) compared to general working women. Prevalence of smoking and hazardous alcohol consumption was also higher among cosmetics saleswomen than those of general women workers. Given our findings, further research is needed to identify work-related risk factors that could deteriorate cosmetic sales workers' health in South Korea.

Analysis of factors contributing to occupational health inequality in Korea: a cross-sectional study using nationally representative survey data

BackgroundDespite the consensus that higher occupational classes tend to have better health and lower mortality rates, one study has reported reversed occupational gradients in mortality rates among Korean men after the economic crisis in the late 2000s. To examine these patterns of health inequality in more detail, we investigated the tendency of occupational gradients in socioeconomic position and multiple pathway indicators known to affect mortality in Korea.MethodsWe used data from 4176 men aged 35–64 in Korea derived from the 2007–2009 and 2013–2015 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. We compared the age-standardized prevalence and age-adjusted mean values of each contributing factor to health inequality among occupational groups, which are divided into upper non-manual workers, lower non-manual workers, manual workers, and others. Contributing factors included childhood and adulthood socioeconomic position indicators, biological risk factors, health behaviors, psychosocial factors, and work environment.ResultsUpper non-manual workers had prominently higher levels of education, income, parental education, and economic activity than lower non-manual and manual workers. The rates of smoking and high-risk alcohol consumption were lower, and the rate of weight control activities was higher, in the non-manual classes. Further, the rates of depression and suicidal ideation were lower, and perceptions of the work environment were more favorable, among non-manual workers than among their manual counterparts.ConclusionsWe detected occupational inequality in a wide range of socioeconomic positions and pathway indicators in Korea with consistently favorable patterns for upper non-manual workers. These occupational gradients do not support the previously reported reversed pattern of higher mortality rates in non-manual groups versus in the manual job class in Korea.

1077-P: Alcohol Consumption, Smoking Habits, and the Risk of Incident Glomerular Hyperfiltration in Subjects with Impaired Fasting Glucose

Although glomerular hyperfiltration (GHF) is a major risk of diabetic nephropathy and it is important to prevent GHF in subjects with prediabetes, it is not known which factors are associated with the risk of GHF. We prospectively examined the relationship of alcohol consumption and smoking habits to the risk of GHF in subjects with impaired fasting glucose (IFG). Study population was 2811 middle-aged Japanese men who had IFG, no proteinuria, no GHF, and no low estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) at baseline, and who did not have low eGFR before the onset of GHF during the follow-up period. GHF was defined as eGFR ≥117 mL/min/1.73 m2, which was the upper 2.5th percentile value of eGFR in the all study population of our cohort. Low eGFR was defined as eGFR &amp;lt;60 mL/min/1.73 m2. Based on daily alcohol consumption, subjects were classified as follows: non-drinkers, 0.1-23.0, 23.1-46.0, and ≥46.1 g ethanol/day. As for smoking habits, subjects were divided into non-smokers, past smokers, and current smokers. During the 6-year follow-up period, 103 men developed GHF. After adjusted for BMI, fasting plasma glucose, systolic blood pressure, use of anti-hypertensive medications, and regular physical exercise, both daily alcohol consumption and smoking habits were independently associated with the risk of the incident GHF. Multiple-adjusted HRs of incident GHF for those who drank 0.1-23.0, 23.1-46.0, and ≥46.1 g ethanol/day were 0.94 (95% CI, 0.46-1.95), 1.34 (0.66-2.70), and 2.48 (1.19-5.15), respectively, compared with non-drinkers. Multiple-adjusted HRs of those for past smokers and current smokers were 0.86 (0.42-1.75), and 1.77 (1.00-3.14), respectively, compared with non-smokers. In conclusion, high daily alcohol consumption and current smoking increased the risk of GHF in subjects with IFG. Disclosure M. Shibata: None. T. Hayashi: None. K. K. Sato: None. S. Uehara: None. N. Nishida: None. K. Okamura: None. I. Shibata: None. H. Koh: None. K. Oue: None. M. Morimoto: None.

Tobacco Use and Alcohol Consumption Among College Students: A Behavioural Study in Belagavi City, Karnataka

Tobacco and alcohol consumption is a major social problem and public health issue worldwide. A review of literature on the studies of tobacco and alcohol consumption among the students across the country reveals that there is considerable prevalence among boys and girls. In this context, a cross-sectional study was conducted on tobacco use and alcohol consumption among college-going students in Belagavi corporation area in Karnataka. The study found that, as a whole, 70%–80% of all students know the harmful health effect of different forms of abuses. Among the three abuses, alcohol ever users are the highest, followed by people smoking tobacco and smokeless tobacco. The ever users of smoking tobacco are almost four times higher among males than females. The age group comprising 16–20 years is a very sensitive age group for initiating smoking and alcohol consumption. Interestingly though students had their first experience for the first time with their friends; their own curiosity was the prime cause to set off any habit. The current users of alcohol (7.2%) were higher than the current users of smoking tobacco (4.7%) and smokeless tobacco (0.37%). The daily users of smoking tobacco and alcohol were 0.87% and 1.8%, respectively. Further, occasional users of smoking tobacco were three times higher than daily users, and occasional users of alcohol were almost four times higher than daily users. None of the students were daily users of smokeless tobacco. The 19–22-year age group and those staying outside home were more vulnerable towards getting into this habit. Therefore, policy intervention is required to this age group. Friends’ assistance is the single largest source to seek advice to quit from any abuse, while least assistance is taken by the professionals. This finding of the study has some critical implication for policy priority at the institutional level. This really calls for the more roles of professional counsellors to address the problem. As a whole, any single solution is not enough, however. Both exogenous and endogenous approaches are required for behavioural changes of youth.

Main Factors Related with the White Coat Effect Level in Patients with Arterial Hypertension and Bronchial Asthma

Aim. To study the main relationships of the white coat effect (WCE) levels in patients with arterial hypertension (AH) with bronchial asthma (BA) who treated with AH and BA drugs in routine clinical practice.Material and Methods. We analyzed the prospective cohort study data of AH patients, some of them had BA without exacerbation. We have formed two groups of patients:1 - control group, patients with AH without BA, the second - with AH + BA. The study consisted of three visits (first visit, 6 months and 12 months visits) and data collection period (30.1±7.6 months of follow-up). The following procedures were performed at the first and 12 month visits: clinical blood pressure (BP) measurements (sitting and standing), 24-hour monitoring ambulatory (ABPM), spirometry, clinical and biochemical blood tests, BA control questionnaires (ACQ) and quality of life (QL) questionnaire (GWBQ), at the second visit clinical BP measurement was performed and, if necessary, the drug dose was corrected.Results. The study included 125 patients, 28 men, 97 women. The first group of AH patients without BA included 85 people, the second (AH + BA) - 40. In AH patients without BA with ischemic heart disease, arterial revascularization, regular alcohol intake and smoking we identified the association with the lower WCE levels. In AH+BA patients with diabetes mellitus, gastrointestinal diseases, higher education was identified WCE decrease. In AH patients without asthma we found inverse relationships WCE levels with respiratory function parameters, the nighttime BP decrease, heart rate and the difference between standing and sitting BP levels, and correlations with the EchoCG variables (the left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) indices), with age, AH duration and body mass index (BMI). In patients with AH + BA we found inverse correlations between WCE levels and some EchoCG variables, the difference between standing and sitting BP levels, and correlations with body weight, BMI.Conclusion. Thereby, in AH patients without BA with ischemic heart disease, revascularization, regular alcohol intake, smoking we identified the association with the lower WCE levels. This patients WCE indices had inverse correlations with height, respiratory function parameters, the BP nighttime decrease, the difference between standing and sitting BP levels and direct relationships with EchoCG variables of LVH, age, AH duration and BMI. In AH + BA patients with diabetes, gastrointestinal diseases, higher education we found relationships with lesser WCE manifestation. WCE levels in this group had inverse correlations with some EchoCG indicators, the standing and sitting BP difference and direct relations with weight and BMI.

Knowledge of breast cancer among medical students in Syrian Private University, Syria: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundBreast cancer is the most common cancer among women and the second leading cause of cancer death globally. Since early diagnosis is crucial to reducing mortality, high levels of knowledge regarding general information, risk factors, and symptoms are required among healthcare professionals to deliver breast cancer care. This study aimed to determine Syrian medical students’ knowledge about breast cancer in the fields of general knowledge, common clinical features, and risk factors.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted at the Syrian Private University in October 2019 (Breast Cancer Awareness Month), Damascus, during the Syrian war crisis. Data were collected through self-administered surveys and analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 25.0 (SPSS Inc., United States). The chi-square test was applied to assess the relationship between the level of knowledge and gender. One way analysis of variance was performed to assess the overall differences in mean knowledge score by study year, GPA, mother’s education, and source of information. Unpaired Student’s T-test was used to analyze the differences in mean knowledge scores (continuous variable) based on smoking status and alcohol consumption.ResultsOf 320 students, 301 completed the questionnaire (response rate = 94.0%), of which 179(59.5%) were males. The study revealed above-average knowledge scores (total mean = 68.4%) regarding breast cancer, general information (71.9%), common clinical features (71.6%), and risk factors (71.6%). Clinical students (4th, 5th, and 6th years) scored higher compared with pre-clinical students (1st, 2nd, and 3rd years).ConclusionThis study showed above-average knowledge scores regarding breast cancer. More efforts to correct misinformation, through reassessing the university curriculum and promoting awareness about breast cancer are required.

EFFECT OF A PHARMACIST INTERVENTION ON SELF MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AMONG HYPERTENSIVE-DIABETIC PATIENTS RECEIVING CARE IN A NIGERIAN TERTIARY HOSPITAL

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of a pharmacist-led intervention on self-management practices among hypertensive-diabetic patients receiving care in a Nigeria tertiary hospital.&#x0D; Methods: The study adopted a prospective, longitudinal; single-blind, two-arm randomised controlled trial to implement a pharmacist-led educational intervention on hypertension management among patients in Federal Medical Centre Lokoja, Kogi State. All the patients who met the eligibility criteria and gave their written consent to participate in the study were recruited into the study randomized in the intervention group (IG) and Control (CG). Data was collected using Hypertension Self Care Activity Level Effects (H-SCALE) questionnaire. The retrieved questionnaires were first coded into Microsoft Excel (2014) for cleaning of errors, after which the data was exported into the Statistical Product and Services Solutions (SPSS for windows, Version 16.0. SPSS Inc. 2007, Chicago, USA) software. Descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentages and mean scores were used to summarise the data. All responses were first presented as frequencies and percentages. Chi-square was used to determine the correlation between socio-demographic and patients’ clinical characteristics. Independent sample t-test and paired sample t-test were used to compare differences between and within groups.&#x0D; Results: At baseline, more patients in the control group were adherent to their medications 16 (11.5) and had low salt diets 47 (33.8) than patients in the intervention group. However, more patients in the intervention group were non-smokers 127 (88.8) and engaged more in physical activity 38 (26.6) than patients in the control group. However, more of the patients in the control group were adherent to weight management practices 38 (27.3) than patients in the intervention group 36 (25.2), at baseline. All the patients in both study groups reported to have taken alcohol in the past seven days. It can be seen that, patients in the intervention group at endpoint, differed positively from the control group at baseline in adherence to medication, physical activity, reducing alcohol consumption and smoking cessation. It can also be observed that the baseline intervention group differed positively from the endpoint in medication adherence (t=-26.045, p&lt;0.001); physical activity (t=-15.081, p&lt;0.001); weight management practices (t=-5.479, p&lt;0.0010, and alcohol consumption 9t=-11.550, p&lt;0.001).&#x0D; Conclusion: A pharmacist led educational intervention had a positive impact on the self-management practices of hypertensive-diabetes patients.

Perillyl alcohol for pediatric TP53- and RAS-mutated SHH-medulloblastoma: an in vitro and in vivo translational pre-clinical study.

Inhalation of perillyl alcohol (POH) recently emerged as an investigational promising antiglioma strategy. However, little attention has been paid to its therapeutic potential for other brain tumors, especially in the pediatric setting. The effects of POH were explored in medulloblastoma cell models belonging to the SHH variant with activation of RAS (ONS-76) or with TP53 mutations (DAOY and UW402), by means of proliferation and invasion assays. Interactions with methotrexate, thiotepa, or ionizing radiation were also assessed. Mice bearing subcutaneous tumors were treated with intraperitoneal injections. Alternatively, animals with intracranial tumors were exposed to intranasal POH alone or combined with radiation. Tumor growth was measured by bioluminescence. Analyses of cytotoxicity to the nasal cavity were also performed, and the presence of POH in the brain, lungs, and plasma was surveyed through chromatography/mass spectrometry. POH decreased cell proliferation and colony formation, with conspicuous death, though the invasive capacity was only affected in the NRAS-mutated cell line. Median-drug effect analysis displayed synergistic combinations with methotrexate. Otherwise, POH showed to be a reasonable radiosensitizer. In vivo, intraperitoneal injection significantly decreased tumor volume. However, its inhalation did not affect orthotopic tumors, neither alone or followed by cranial irradiation. Nasal cavity epithelium showed unimportant alterations, though, no traces of POH or its metabolites were detected in tissue samples. POH presents robust in vitro antimedulloblastoma effects and sensitizes cell lines to other conventional therapeutics, reducing tumor volume when administered intraperitoneally. Nevertheless, further improvement of delivery devices and/or drug formulations are needed to better characterize its effectiveness through inhalation.

Associations of healthy lifestyles with cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers of Alzheimer\u2019s disease pathology in cognitively intact older adults: the CABLE study

ObjectiveWe aimed to investigate the associations between healthy lifestyles and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) biomarkers in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).MethodsA total of 1108 cognitively intact individuals from Chinese Alzheimer’s Biomarker and LifestylE (CABLE) study were examined to evaluate the associations of AD biomarkers with healthy lifestyle factors, including no current smoking, no harmful drinking, absence of social isolation, and regular physical activity. The participants were categorized into groups of favorable, intermediate, and unfavorable lifestyles according to the lifestyle factors. The associations between overall lifestyle and CSF biomarkers were also analyzed.ResultsAmong cognitively intact older adults, those having more social engagement had lower CSF tau (p = 0.009) and p-tau (p < 0.001) than those who had social isolation. Regular physical activity was associated with higher CSF Aβ42 (p = 0.013) and lower levels of CSF tau (p = 0.036) and p-tau (p = 0.007). However, no significant associations were found of smoking status or alcohol intake with CSF biomarkers. When the overall lifestyle of the participants was evaluated by all the four lifestyle factors, favorable lifestyle profiles were related to lower levels of CSF tau (p < 0.001) and p-tau (p < 0.001).ConclusionsThese findings suggest that healthy lifestyles had a beneficial effect on AD pathology among cognitively intact elders.

Extratos vegetais no controle de brevicoryne brassicae nas brassicáceas

Neste projeto foi efetuado os testes dos compostos aquosos com extrato de fumo com álcool (Nicotiana tabacum), extrato de mamona (Ricinus communis), extrato das folhas da árvore kassod (Senna siamea), para o controle do pulgão no cultivo orgânico do brócolis (Brassica oleracea var. italica) e da couve flor (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis). Onde foi realizado no interior de Reserva/PR. Foi efetivado o teste de três canteiros com 12 plantas de brócolis com o extrato de fumo com álcool, três canteiros com o extrato de mamona, e três canteiro com o extrato de mamona, três canteiro com o extrato da folha da (Senna siamea) e três canteiro de testemunha sem os extratos, as medidas entre plantas foram de 60 cm, os canteiros tiveram 1.20m de largura por 2m de comprimento com espaçamento de 50 cm um canteiro do outro. Onde foram acondicionados em ordem aleatória o local dos canteiros. No inverno foi implantado os brócolis ramoso cultivar Santana e no verão a couve flor cultivar Teresópolis gigante, as duas culturas com o mesmo sistema. Com o término do experimento, obteve-se as variáveis com resultados significativos, para o brócolis tivemos a massa total e controle de insetos tendo o extrato de folha da Senna siamea e extrato de mamona com média superiores, respectivamente, no ponto massa seca e fresca por plantas, o extrato de Senna siamea com eficácia superior com os demais extratos no cultivo do brócolis, na cultura do couve flor o extrato de mamona com eficácia superior no controle de insetos, em relação massa seca da inflorescência e matéria seca da inflorescência tivemos o extrato de fumo com eficácia final, ao final do experimentos em relação a controle de insetos da cultura de brócolis e de couve-flor obteve-se o extrato de mamona com eficácia no controle de insetos. Para uma maior eficiência desses extratos vegetais, recomendam-se estudos mais aprimorados que envolvam diferentes concentrações dos extratos, afim de determinar uma proporção mais adequada, que permita uma maior eficiência e controle desse inseto, o que irá acarretar na redução do uso de inseticidas sintéticos para os produtores, resultados assim na diminuição dos impactos ambientais e custos de produção.

Association between ALDH2 polymorphism and esophageal cancer risk in South Koreans: a case-control study

BackgroundAlcohol consumption is a major risk factor for esophageal cancer; however, a high incidence of esophageal cancer is observed particularly among Eastern Asians, although they consume relatively less alcohol, presumably due to the high frequency of aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) rs671 polymorphisms. Nevertheless, the association between ALDH2 polymorphisms and esophageal cancer remains under debate. In the present study, we evaluated the association between ALDH2 rs671 polymorphisms and the risk of esophageal cancer in the South Korean population.MethodsThis study included 783 hospital based-cases and 8732 population-based controls. Information on smoking history and alcohol consumption was obtained from the medical records or interview questionnaires. Age-adjusted logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the association between ALDH2 rs671 polymorphisms and esophageal cancer.ResultsOdds ratios (ORs) for esophageal cancer in men with GA and AA genotypes were 2.75 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.34–3.23) and 0.08 (95% CI: 0.00–0.35), respectively; whereas, in women, these ratios were 2.99 (95% CI: 1.43–6.34) and 6.18 (95% CI: 1.40–19.62), respectively, taking subjects with the ALDH2 GG genotype as a reference. In men, the association between ALDH2 polymorphisms and esophageal cancer was modified by alcohol consumption.ConclusionIn Eastern Asians, ALDH2 rs671 polymorphisms are associated with esophageal cancer, which may be linked to acetaldehyde accumulation.

Implementation of isopropyl alcohol (IPA) inhalation as the first-line treatment for nausea in the emergency department: practical advantages and influence on the quality of care

BackgroundNasal inhalation of isopropyl alcohol (IPA) seems an effective anti-emetic for the symptomatic treatment of nausea in the emergency department (ED) compared to conventional anti-emetics (Ondansetron and Metoclopramide). However, it is not yet known what the practical consequences are related to the use of IPA in the ED.ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to assess the practical implications for patient care associated with IPA use and to evaluate the viability of permanent implementation of IPA inhalation as a first-line therapy for nausea in the ED.MethodsWe conducted a prospective, single-center implementation study comparing ED-based care for nauseated patients before (n=106) and after (n=104) the introduction of IPA. We evaluated the treatment process and cost and assessed implementation using a survey based on recommended implementation outcome measures.ResultsComparing baseline phase to implementation phase, we found a significant increase in the percentage of patients receiving nausea treatment (66.0% versus 97.1%; p<0.001) and a reduction in time to treatment initiation (7 versus 1 min, p<0.001). Additionally, IPA introduction was associated with a decrease in the administration of conventional anti-emetics (0.52 versus 0.23 administrations per patient, p<0.001) and a notable drop in treatment cost (€1.33 versus €0.67 per patient). Nurses were content with IPA implementation and regarded definitive implementation as feasible and sustainable.ConclusionImplementation of IPA as the first-line nausea treatment in the ED can increase the quality of care and improve care efficiency. Definitive implementation of IPA as a first-line treatment in the ED is both viable and practically feasible.Trial registrationNTR, NL7717, Registered on March 23, 2018 - Retrospectively registered