Automating Scoliosis Measurements in Radiographic Studies with Machine Learning: Comparing Artificial Intelligence and Clinical Reports

Journal of Digital Imaging - Scoliosis is a condition of abnormal lateral spinal curvature affecting an estimated 2 to 3% of the US population, or seven million people. The Cobb angle is the...     

Rising Cancer Incidence and Role of the Evolving Diet in Kenya

Kenya has experienced an increase in the incidence of various types of cancers in the last few decades. This article highlights dietary factors as major contributors to this rising trend of cancer incidence in Kenya at the backdrop of an evolving diet. Literature search revealed that diet plays a major role in the etiology of various cancers with highest incidence rates in various categories of people in Kenya. Other than among children (≤15 years) and HIV/AIDs patients, diet-related cancers such as esophageal, colorectal, stomach, prostate and breast appear to predominate among Kenyans in various categories, i.e., young people (15?≤?30 years), adults (31?≤?65 years), and older people (>65 years). In the past few decades, Kenya has been undergoing nutritional transition characterized by departure from potentially cancer-protective traditional diets (mostly rich in dietary fiber, fruits, and vegetables) to “western diet” (rich in charred red/organ meats, fat, cholesterol, sugar, and salt) that poses elevated cancer risks. Other potentially carcinogenic factors that characterize the evolving Kenyan diet include; drinking of illicit and/or excess alcohol, traditional soot-laced sour milk, reuse of frying fats/oils, kerosene-laced meals, aflatoxin and agrochemical contaminated foods. The various plausible mechanisms of carcinogenesis of these dietary factors are discussed.     

Increased N7‐methyldeoxyguanosine DNA adducts after occupational exposure to pesticides and influence of genetic polymorphisms of paraoxonase‐1 and glutathione S‐transferase M1 and T1

There are concerns about genetic risks associated with long‐term exposure to pesticides as these compounds may damage DNA, resulting in mutations that eventually lead to cancer, neurological, and reproductive adverse health effects. This study assessed DNA damage in intensive agricultural workers exposed to pesticides by determining the levels of N7‐methyldeoxyguanosine (N7‐MedG), an adduct known to be a robust biomarker of recent exposure to chemical methylating agents. A cohort of 39 plastic greenhouse workers was assessed for changes in lymphocyte DNA N7‐MedG levels between low level and high level exposures during the course of a spraying season. The contributions of genetic polymorphisms of the pesticide‐metabolizing enzymes paraoxonase‐1 (PON1) and the glutathione S‐transferases, GSTM1 and GSTT1, on N7‐MedG levels and other potential confounders were also assessed. N7‐MedG increased in the period of high pesticide exposure as compared to the low exposure period (0.23 and 0.18 µmol N7‐MedG/mol dG for the unadjusted and adjusted linear mixed models, P = 0.02 and 0.08, respectively). Significant decreased levels of erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase and plasma cholinesterase were observed in the high versus low exposure period in both the unadjusted (2.85 U/g hemoglobin and 213.13 U/L, respectively) and adjusted linear mixed models (2.99 U/g hemoglobin and 230.77 U/L, respectively), indicating pesticide intake. In intensive agriculture workers, higher pesticide exposure increased DNA alkylation levels, further demonstrating the genotoxicity of pesticides in man. In addition, pesticide‐exposed individuals with inherited susceptible metabolic genotypes (particularly, null genotype for GSTM1 and the PON1 192R allele) appear to have an increased risk of genotoxic DNA damage. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 56:437–445, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

JPC-2997, a New Aminomethylphenol with High In Vitro and In Vivo Antimalarial Activities against Blood Stages of Plasmodium

4-(tert-Butyl)-2-((tert-butylamino)methyl)-6-(6-(trifluoromethyl)pyridin-3-yl)-phenol (JPC-2997) is a new aminomethylphenol compound that is highly active in vitro against the chloroquine-sensitive D6, the chloroquine-resistant W2, and the multidrug-resistant TM90-C2B Plasmodium falciparum lines, with 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC_50s) ranging from 7 nM to 34 nM. JPC-2997 is >2,500 times less cytotoxic (IC₅₀s > 35 μM) to human (HepG2 and HEK293) and rodent (BHK) cell lines than the D6 parasite line. In comparison to the chemically related WR-194,965, a drug that had advanced to clinical studies, JPC-2997 was 2-fold more active in vitro against P. falciparum lines and 3-fold less cytotoxic. The compound possesses potent in vivo suppression activity against Plasmodium berghei, with a 50% effective dose (ED₅₀) of 0.5 mg/kg of body weight/day following oral dosing in the Peters 4-day test. The radical curative dose of JPC-2997 was remarkably low, at a total dose of 24 mg/kg, using the modified Thompson test. JPC-2997 was effective in curing three Aotus monkeys infected with a chloroquine- and pyrimethamine-resistant strain of Plasmodium vivax at a dose of 20 mg/kg daily for 3 days. At the doses administered, JPC-2997 appeared to be well tolerated in mice and monkeys. Preliminary studies of JPC-2997 in mice show linear pharmacokinetics over the range 2.5 to 40 mg/kg, a low clearance of 0.22 liters/h/kg, a volume of distribution of 15.6 liters/kg, and an elimination half-life of 49.8 h. The high in vivo potency data and lengthy elimination half-life of JPC-2997 suggest that it is worthy of further preclinical assessment as a partner drug.     

Women with Disabilities’ Perceptions of Sexuality,Sexual Abuse and Masturbation

In today’s society, sexuality is recognized as a determining factor in everyone’s wellbeing. As such, it is undeniable that people with physical disabilities have the same affective and sexual needs as everyone else. Nevertheless, people with disabilities face more obstacles that can impair their sex lives. For example, the significant lack of intimacy due to the need for help manipulating personal hygiene products and the behavior of people around them (e.g., overprotection and desexualization) may make them more vulnerable to sexual abuse. Very little scientific and professional documentation or survey data documents their sex lives, and particularly the benefits of masturbation. The purpose of this article is to document the sexual experiences of women with disabilities, the sexual abuse they may suffer and the benefits of masturbation. To do so, a qualitative methodology was used, with eight participants with physical disabilities aged 18 years and over in semi-structured individual interviews. The results of these interviews show, among other things, that masturbation enabled participants to reconcile themselves to earlier negative experiences (e.g., sexual abuse) and to promote their sexual autonomy. Finally, a series of solutions must be applied to facilitate masturbation and protect these women from sexual violence (e.g., prevention programs in educational and hospital settings, better manuals, and training).