Visceral Obesity and Its Shared Role in Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease: A Scoping Review of the Pathophysiology and Pharmacological Treatments

The association between obesity, cancer and cardiovascular disease (CVD) has been demonstrated in animal and epidemiological studies. However, the specific role of visceral obesity on cancer and CVD remains unclear. Visceral adipose tissue (VAT) is a complex and metabolically active tissue, that can produce different adipokines and hormones, responsible for endocrine-metabolic comorbidities. This review explores the potential mechanisms related to VAT that may also be involved in cancer and CVD. In addition, we discuss the shared pharmacological treatments which may reduce the risk of both diseases. This review highlights that chronic inflammation, molecular aspects, metabolic syndrome, secretion of hormones and adiponectin associated to VAT may have synergistic effects and should be further studied in relation to cancer and CVD. Reductions in abdominal and visceral adiposity improve insulin sensitivity, lipid profile and cytokines, which consequently reduce the risk of CVD and some cancers. Several medications have shown to reduce visceral and/or subcutaneous fat. Further research is needed to investigate the pathophysiological mechanisms by which visceral obesity may cause both cancer and CVD. The role of visceral fat in cancer and CVD is an important area to advance. Public health policies to increase public awareness about VAT’s role and ways to manage or prevent it are needed.     

Quantum Dots-Based Optical Fiber Temperature Sensors Fabricated by Layer-by-Layer

Two types of CdTe quantum dots of different sizes (4 and 5 nm) were successfully deposited on optical fibers using the layer-by-layer electrostatic self-assembly method. The sensors showed a linear and reversible variation of the emission wavelength for a temperature range from 30 degC to 100 degC, with a sensitivity of 0.2 nm/degC     

Comparison between the LLC-MK2 and MDCK cell lines in the isolation of parainfluenza virus from nasopharyngeal aspirates

BACKGROUND: We report a prospective comparative study of the efficacy of three commercial cell lines in the isolation of the parainfluenza (PI) virus from nasopharyngeal samples. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In a 16 months period we studied all nasopharyngeal samples from patients with the suspension of a viral respiratory infection. The compared cell lines were LLC-MK2 and MDCK. All samples were processed by the shell-vial assay, incubated 3 days at 36 degrees C. The monolayers were stained by an indirect immunofluorescence assay with a monoclonal antibody against the nucleoprotein of the PI virus. RESULTS: In the study period 746 samples were analyzed, 46 PI virus were isolated, all belonged to the serotype 3. The LLC-MK2 cell line isolated 44 viruses (95.6%) and the MDCK cell line 41 (89.1%), no statistically significant differences were detected (p = 0.14) (qualitative sensitivity). In 84.8% of positive samples, the PI virus was isolated simultaneously in the two cell lines. Neither cell line isolated all PI virus. No statistical differences were detected in the quantitative sensitivity, although the LLC-MK2 cell line detected a slightly more samples with a low viral load (70.4 vs 68.2%). CONCLUSIONS: In view of the results obtained in this study, we believe that anyone of the two cell lines would be used in the isolation of the PI virus from respiratory samples.     

Are max-specified infant facial expressions during face-to-face interaction consistent with differential emotions theory?

Differential emotions theory (DET) proposes that infant facial expressions of emotions are differentiated. To test this hypothesis, the authors examined infant facial expressions longitudinally at 2, 4, and 6 mo of age during face-to-face play and a "still-face" interaction with their mothers. Infant expressions were coded using the Maximally Discriminative Facial Movement Coding System (Max). Consistent with DET, discrete positive expressions occurred more of the time and were of longer duration than blended expressions of positive affect. Contrary to DET, at no age did the proportions or durations of discrete and blended negative expressions differ, and they showed different patterns of developmental change. One is led to either reject or revise DET or else question the adequacy of the Max system. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Presence of epithelial cells in the medullary canal after spinal anesthesia

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Several authors have focused on a causal link between the onset of neurological complications after lumbar injections and the fact that epithelial cells may be drawn into the vertebral canal during these procedures. Complications may arise both early (cephalea, septic and aseptic meningitis) and late (epidermoid tumours). The authors aimed to evaluate whether skin fragments which are carried down by the needle during subarachnoid anesthesia may even be present in the epidural or subarachnoid space three days later and may therefore justify the onset of the above neurological syndromes. METHODS: Five adult cats under narcosis underwent subarachnoid anesthesia using disposable 22G Quincke type needles. Between 0.7 and 1 ml isobaric bupivacaine at 0.50% was injected. The presence of the motor block of the lower limbs was ascertained once the effects of general anesthesia wore off. On the third day, again under general anesthesia, cardio-respiratory arrest was provoked by intravenous injection. Samples of meninges were collected in the injection area. After fixation in a phosphate glutaraldehyde buffer, dehydration in acetone, dehydration by critical point and gold metalisation, the samples were examined using SEM. RESULTS: No epidermal cells were found on the surface of the meninges. On the other hand, a squamous epithelial cell was observed which drained inside a sectioned epidural vessel towards the systemic circulation. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms the possibility that, after subarachnoid anesthesia using 22G Quincke needles, skin fragments may enter the spinal canal. The permanence or otherwise of the epithelial fragments on the third day depends on the size of the fragment drawn down and the efficacy of the drainage system which removes isolated epithelial cells. This phenomenon may justify the self-limiting character of cephalea and meningisms which, even if not treated, regress in a few days, as well as the scarce development of epidermoid tumours.     

Randomized range-maxima in nearly-constant parallel time

Given an array ofn input numbers, therange-maxima problem is that of preprocessing the data so that queries of the type what is the maximum value in subarray [i..j] can be answered quickly using one processor. We present a randomized preprocessing algorithm that runs inO(log^* n) time with high probability, using an optimal number of processors on a CRCW PRAM; each query can be processed in constant time by one processor. We also present a randomized algorithm for a parallel comparison model. Using an optimal number of processors, the preprocessing algorithm runs inO( (n)) time with high probability; each query can be processed inO ( (n)) time by one processor. (As is standard, (n) is the inverse of Ackermann function.) A constant time query can be achieved by some slowdown in the performance of the preprocessing stage.     

Capacity of the electric double layer in molten NaAlCl4

The capacity of the electric double layer at the interfaces Hg/molten NaAlCl₄ and Pt/molten NaAlCl₄ was determined and the influence of the surface-active substances tetramethylammonium chloride and urea was investigated. The dependence of the capacity on the electrode potential was found to agree with a model proposed by Parsons.     

Improving discovery phase of reactive ad hoc routing protocols using Jaccard distance

Recently, more and more research focus has been directed towards optimum designs for Mobile Ad Hoc Networks (MANETs). In this paper, the authors explore novel broadcasting schemes to improve the discovery phase of reactive routing protocols in MANETs. The objective is to reduce the redundancy of routing packets during the discovery phase of the reactive routing protocols for MANETs. For this purpose, the Jaccard distance is used to select dissimilar nodes during the discovery phase in order to reduce redundancy. Furthermore, it is shown that the Jaccard distance is correlated to the Euclidean distance. The simulation results obtained indicate that the Jaccard distance is a suitable metric for improving the discovery phase of the reactive routing protocols in MANETs.