Targeting an RNA-Binding Protein Network in Acute Myeloid Leukemia

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Intraoperative hypercyanosis in a patient with pulmonary artery band: case report and review of the literature

A case of intraoperative cyanosis in a patient with a common atrioventricular canal palliated with a pulmonary artery (PA) band is presented. The patient's physiology was consistent with cyanosis due to inadequate pulmonary blood flow, and responded quickly to typical interventions used for a hypercyanotic episode in a patient with unrepaired Tetralogy of Fallot. Differences and similarities in the physiology of PA banding compared with Tetralogy of Fallot are presented, including a rationale for treatment options for hemodynamic decompensation occurring in the setting of anesthesia and surgery.     

HIV prevalence among female sex workers,drug users and men who have sex with men in Brazil: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Background  

The Brazilian response towards AIDS epidemic is well known, but the absence of a systematic review of vulnerable populations ─ men who have sex with men (MSM), female sex workers (FSW), and drug users (DU) remains a main gap in the available literature. Our goal was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies assessing HIV prevalence among MSM, FSW and DU, calculating a combined pooled prevalence and summarizing factors associated the pooled prevalence for each group.     

Impact of modified gelatin on valvular microtissues

A significant challenge in the field of tissue engineering is the biofabrication of three‐dimensional (3D) functional tissues with direct applications in organ‐on‐a‐chip systems and future organ engineering. Multicellular valvular microtissues can be used as building blocks for the formation of larger scale valvular macrotissues. Yet, for the controlled biofabrication of 3D macrotissues with predefined complex shapes, directed assembly of microtissues through bioprinting is needed. This study aimed to investigate if modified gelatin is an instructive material for valvular microtissues. Valvular microtissues were encapsulated in modified gelatin hydrogels and cross‐linked in the presence of a photoinitiator (Irgacure 2959 or VA‐086). Hydrogel properties were determined, and valvular interstitial cell functions like phenotype, proliferation, migration, mRNA expression of extracellular matrix (ECM) molecules, ECM deposition, and tissue fusion were characterized by histochemical stainings and RT‐qPCR. Encapsulated microtissues remained viable, produced heart valve‐related ECM components, and remained in a quiescent state. However, encapsulation induced some changes in ECM formation and gene expression. Encapsulated microtissues showed lower remodeling capacity and increased expression levels of Col I/V, elastin, hyaluronan, biglycan, decorin, and Sox9 compared with nonencapsulated microtissues. Furthermore, this study demonstrated that proliferation, migration, and tissue fusion was more pronounced in softer gels. In general, we evidenced that modified gelatin is an instructive material for physiologically relevant valvular microtissues and provided a proof of concept for the formation of larger valvular tissue by assembling microtissues at random in soft gels.     

Validation of Immune Status Questionnaire (ISQ) in Indonesian Bahasa Language as simple assessment of perceived immune status.

Objective: This study aimed to determine whether the ISQ can be used to assess immune status in daily clinical practice in Indonesia by translating the questionnaire into Bahasa and analyzing its validity and reliability. Methods: The ISQ was translated both forward and backward by a professional translator fluent in both English and Bahasa. In this study, a cross-sectional study design was used, and Pearson’s correlation test and Cronbach’s Alpha calculation were used to perform the validity and reliability test. The questionnaire is valid if the computed R-value exceeds the R table value. Furthermore, it will also be considered reliable if Cronbach’s Alpha value is greater than 0.60. Result: The computed R-value for each item is greater than the R table value (0.361), implying that all items in the questionnaire are valid. The Cronbach’s Alpha value of 0.706 demonstrates that the questionnaire is reliable. Conclusion: The ISQ is a reliable and valid questionnaire, which can be used in Bahasa to assess patients’ perspectives about their immune status.     

Respiratory symptoms and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among cement factory workers

OBJECTIVES: This study assessed chronic respiratory symptoms and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) among workers exposed to cement dust at a Tanzanian cement factory. METHODS: A total of 120 exposed workers and 107 controls participated in this cross-sectional investigation. Information on demographics, occupational history, chronic respiratory symptoms, smoking habits, and use of respiratory protection equipment was collected by questionnaire. Ventilatory function testing and measurement of personal total dust exposure were also carried out. COPD was diagnosed for workers with chronic bronchitis who also had spirometric airflow obstruction. Chronic respiratory symptoms and COPD were correlated with cumulative total dust exposure and adjusted for age, pack-years, and education. RESULTS: The exposed workers had more chronic cough [odds ratio (OR) 4.5, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.9-10.4], chronic sputum production (OR 10.8, 95% CI 4.4-26.4.), dyspnea (OR 5.3, 95% CI 1.9-15.2), work-related shortness of breath (OR 4.8, 95% CI 1.6-14.2), and chronic bronchitis (OR 5.5, 95% CI 2.0-15.3) than the controls. Chronic cough, chronic sputum production, dyspnea, work-related shortness of breath, and chronic bronchitis were significantly related to cumulative dust exposure of 20.0-99.9 and > or = 100.0 versus <20.0 mg/m3-years. The prevalence of COPD was higher for the exposed group (18.8%) than for the controls (4.8%). The odds ratio for COPD was significantly increased for cumulative dust exposure, > or = 100.0 versus <20.0 mg/m3-years (OR 11.2, 95% CI 2.2-56.0). CONCLUSIONS: Cement workers seem to be at high risk of developing chronic respiratory symptoms and COPD, probably caused by cumulative total dust exposure independent of smoking habits.     

Dust exposure during small-scale mining in Tanzania: a pilot study

Small-scale mining in developing countries is generally labour-intensive and carried out with low levels of mechanization. In the Mererani area in the northern part of Tanzania, there are about 15000 underground miners who are constantly subjected to a poor working environment. Gemstones are found at depths down to 500 m. The objectives of this pilot study were to monitor the exposure to dust during work processes, which are typical of small-scale mining in developing countries, and to make a rough estimation of whether there is a risk of chronic pulmonary diseases for the workers. Personal sampling of respirable dust (n = 15) and 'total' dust (n = 5) was carried out during three consecutive days in one mine, which had a total of 50 workers in two shifts. Sampling started immediately before the miners entered the shaft, and lasted until they reappeared at the mine entrance after 5-8 h. The median crystalline silica content and the combustible content of the respirable dust samples were 14.2 and 5.5%, respectively. When drilling, blasting and shovelling were carried out, the exposure measurements showed high median levels of respirable dust (15.5 mg/m(3)), respirable crystalline silica (2.4 mg/m(3)), respirable combustible dust (1.5 mg/m(3)) and 'total' dust (28.4 mg/m(3)). When only shovelling and loading of sacks took place, the median exposures to respirable dust and respirable crystalline silica were 4.3 and 1.1 mg/m(3). This study shows that the exposure to respirable crystalline silica was high during underground small-scale mining. In the absence of personal protective equipment, the miners in the Mererani area are presumably at a high risk of developing chronic silicosis.     

High exposure to respirable dust and quartz in a labour-intensive coal mine in Tanzania

Labour-intensive mines are numerous in several developing countries, but dust exposure in such mines has not been adequately characterized. The aim of this study was to identify and quantify the determinants of respirable dust and quartz exposure among underground coal mine workers in Tanzania. Personal respirable dust samples (n = 134) were collected from 90 underground workers in June-August 2003 and July-August 2004. The development team had higher exposure to respirable dust and quartz (geometric means 1.80 and 0.073 mg m(-3), respectively) than the mining team (0.47 and 0.013 mg m(-3)), the underground transport team (0.14 and 0.006 mg m(-3)) and the underground maintenance team (0.58 and 0.016 mg m(-3)). The percentages of samples above the threshold limit values (TLVs) of 0.9 mg m(-3) for respirable bituminous coal dust and 0.05 mg m(-3) for respirable quartz, respectively, were higher in the development team (55 and 47%) than in the mining team (20 and 9%). No sample for the underground transport team exceeded the TLV. Drilling in the development was the work task associated with the highest exposure to respirable dust and quartz (17.37 and 0.611 mg m(-3), respectively). Exposure models were constructed using multiple regression model analysis, with log-transformed data on either respirable dust or quartz as the dependent variable and tasks performed as the independent variables. The models for the development section showed that blasting and pneumatic drilling times were major determinants of respirable dust and quartz, explaining 45.2 and 40.7% of the variance, respectively. In the mining team, only blasting significantly determined respirable dust. Immediate actions for improvements are suggested to include implementing effective dust control together with improved training and education programmes for the workers. Dust and quartz in this underground mine should be controlled by giving priority to workers performing drilling and blasting in the development sections of the mine.