Sexual violence against children in a family environment attended by SAMVVIS, Teresina, PI

This study deals with the characterization of sexual violence in children seen at the Services for the Assistance of Women Victims of Sexual Violence (SAMVVIS) from 2004 to 2007 in Teresina, PI. Data collected from 229 charts indicate that the age of the children varies from less than one year up to 12 years of age. The identification of the aggressor was the neighbor (29.7%), stepfather (11.4%), father (9.4%) and uncle with 8.4%. In regards to the occupation of the aggressor, 20.35% are students, unemployed (26.85%) and retired (3.89%). It follows that there is the need for more efficiency in the policy of child protection and a need for campaigns to alert the mothers when choosing the caretakers of their daughters.     

Protective effect of aspirin against mitomycin C-induced carcinogenicity,assessed by the test for detection of epithelial tumor clones (warts) in Drosophila melanogaster

The present study assessed the protective effect of aspirin against carcinogenicity induced by mitomycin C (MMC) by the test for detection of warts/epithelial tumor clones in Drosophila melanogaster. Larvae were treated with different concentrations of aspirin alone (10, 20 or 40?mg/mL) or aspirin in association with MMC. MMC and ultrapure water were employed as the positive and negative control, respectively. Antioxidant activity was determined using the DPPH method. For performing cytotoxicity assay on HeLa cells, the aspirin concentrations used ranged from 200?mmol/L to 3,125?mmol/L. For assessment of apoptosis and necrosis, cells were incubated for 24?h with complete medium in the absence (control group) or presence of aspirin (12.5?mmol/L and 25?mmol/L). The results obtained in the assessment of the possible carcinogenic effects of aspirin at the three concentrations tested indicate no statistically significant increase in tumor frequency compared to the negative control. The anticarcinogenic activity assessment, where the larvae of D. melanogaster were previously induced to tumor formation by MMC and later treated with aspirin, showed a statistically significant reduction in the number of tumors compared to the positive control. Antioxidant activity across the three aspirin concentrations (10, 20 or 40?mg/mL) ranged from 20.81% to 26.5%. It was observed that aspirin reduced growth viability of HeLa cells in a concentration-dependent manner in comparison with the control. These results indicate that aspirin did not induce tumors in Drosophila and reduced MMC-induced carcinogenicity. The antioxidant activity and apoptosis induction appear to be the main mechanisms involved in reducing the frequency of tumors.     

Usnic acid attenuates genomic instability in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells as well as chemical-induced preneoplastic lesions in rat colon

Usnic acid (UA) is one of the pharmacologically most important compounds produced by several lichen species. To better understand the mechanism of action (MOA) of this important substance, this study examined the genotoxicity attributed to UA and its influence on mutagens with varying MOA using the micronucleus (MN) test in Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO). Additional experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of UA on colon carcinogenesis in Wistar rats employing the aberrant crypt focus (ACF) assay. In vitro studies showed a significant increase in the frequency of MN in cultures treated with the highest UA concentration tested (87.13 µM). In contrast, UA concentrations of 10.89, 21.78, or 43.56 µM produced an approximate 60% reduction in chromosomal damage induced by doxorubicin, hydrogen peroxide, and etoposide, indicating an antigenotoxic effect. In the ACF assay, male Wistar rats treated with different UA doses (3.125, 12.5, or 50 mg/kg b.w.) and with the carcinogen 1,2-dimethylhydrazine exhibited a significantly lower incidence of neoplastic lesions in the colon than animals treated only with the carcinogen. Data suggest that the MOA responsible for the chemopreventive effect of UA may be related to interaction with DNA topoisomerase II and/or the antioxidant potential of the compound.     

Assessment of the mutagenic,recombinogenic, and carcinogenic potential of amphotericin B in somatic cells of Drosophila melanogaster

Amphotericin B (AmB) is an antifungal antibiotic extracted from Streptomyces nodosus. Its fungicidal activity depends primarily on its binding to the sterol group that is present in fungal membranes. In view of the toxicity of this drug, the purpose of this study was to evaluate its mutagenic, carcinogenic, and recombinogenic activity, based on the wing somatic mutation and recombination test (SMART) and the epithelial tumor detection test (wts) applied to Drosophila melanogaster. Larvae were chronically treated with different concentrations of AmB (0.01, 0.02, and 0.04?mg/mL). The results revealed that AmB is a promutagen exhibiting increase in the number of spots on individuals from high bioactivation (HB) cross with a high level of cytochrome P450. The results also indicate that the main genotoxic event induced by AmB is recombinogenicity. Homologous recombination can act as a determinant at different stages of carcinogenesis. For verification of carcinogenic potential of this compound, larvae from the wts/mwh and wts/ORR, flr³ were treated with the same three AmB concentrations used in the SMART assay. The results did not provide evidence that AmB has carcinogenic potential in wts/mwh individuals. However, individuals from wts/ORR, flr³ developed tumors at the highest concentration tested.     

Reciproc and Reciproc Blue in the removal of bioceramic and resin-based sealers in retreatment procedures

Objectives

To compare the remaining root canal filling material, dentin removal, apical transportation, and apical extrusion of debris after the retreatment of canals filled with bioceramic or resin-based sealers using the Reciproc or Reciproc Blue instruments.

Materials and methods

Sixty mandibular molars with severely curved mesial roots were selected. The samples were initially instrumented with Reciproc (R25) and then divided into four experimental groups according to the endodontic sealer and retreatment instrument (n = 15): BC Sealer/Reciproc (BCRC), BC Sealer/Reciproc Blue (BCRB), AH Plus/Reciproc (AHRC), and AH Plus/Reciproc Blue (AHRB). The procedure time was measured, and an Eppendorf tube was used in each root canal to store the debris extrusion. The samples were scanned by micro-CT before and after retreatment. The apical transportation, volume of dentin, and filling material were evaluated.

Results

There were no significant differences in the reduction of the volume of obturator material or dentin removal between groups (p > .05). There were also no differences in the amount of extruded material or apical transportation (p > .05). The retreatment time for the AHRC group was significantly lower than that for the other groups (p = .004).

Conclusions

All tested instruments obtained similar efficacy in filling material removal procedures, although no system completely removed the filling material. Retreatment of canals filled with bioceramic BC Sealer may be more time consuming.

Clinical relevance

This study reported that Reciproc and Reciproc Blue can be indicated in retreatment of severely curved root canals filled either with bioceramic or resin-based sealers.

     

Systemic immune mediators reflect tumour-infiltrating lymphocyte intensity and predict therapeutic response in triple-negative breast cancer

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive form of breast cancer (BC). Neoadjuvant chemotherapy has proven efficacy in its treatment, and a pathological complete response (pCR) to therapy is predictive of improved long-term survival. The immune response is key to successful neoadjuvant chemotherapy, as indicated by the relation between the percentage of stromal tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in pre-treated tumour tissue samples and the likelihood of achieving pCR. Here we studied systemic immune mediators from volunteer TNBC patients before undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy to determine the systemic response association with TIL intensity, treatment response and survival. Patients were classified into pCR responder or non-responder at time of surgery. We found higher levels of immune mediators before treatment began in patients that went on to be pCR responders versus non-pCR, with area under the curve (AUC) values of 0.64–0.80. We also observed a positive correlation between inflammatory systemic immune mediators and the percentage of TILs in pCR responder patients. Combining TILs and systemic immune mediator levels provided stronger AUC values (range of 0.72–0.82). Last, performing a progression-free survival analysis with several of the systemic cytokines that predict pCR, segregated the patients into long- and short-survival groups based on high and low production of the cytokines, respectively. Our study demonstrates that circulating cytokines, before treatment begins, predict pCR in TNBC patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Moreover, they may act as a surrogate marker of high TILs or together with TILs to better predict pCR and survival.