Prognostic factors are clinical and pathological features that give information in estimating the likely clinical outcome of an individual suffering from cancer. The author gives a short review of the most important prognostic factors in breast cancer. 376 breast cancer cases of a ten year interval in a county hospital are summarized. Traditional clinico-pathological parameters i.e. TNM and steroid receptor status are discussed. The more common karyotipic, oncogene and tumor suppressor gene alterations are outlined in the study. Methods for their detection are presented and their value in prognostication is reviewed. Emphasis was laid on steroid receptors, c-erpB-2, p53 and bcl-2 alterations. Genes responsible for heritable forms of increased breast cancer risk are briefly reviewed.

Prognostic factors in breast cancer

Phthalates (diesters of phthalic acid) are widely used as plasticizers and additives in many consumer products. Laboratory animal studies have reported the endocrine-disrupting and reproductive effects of phthalates, and human exposure to this class of chemicals is a concern. Several phthalates have been recognized as substances of high concern. Human exposure to phthalates occurs mainly via dietary sources, dermal absorption, and air inhalation. Phthalates are excreted as conjugated monoesters in urine, and some phthalates, such as di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), undergo secondary metabolism, including oxidative transformation, prior to urinary excretion. The occurrence of phthalates and their metabolites in urine, serum, breast milk, and semen has been widely reported. Urine has been the preferred matrix in human biomonitoring studies, and concentrations on the order of several tens to hundreds of nanograms per milliliter have been reported for several phthalate metabolites. Metabolites of diethyl phthalate (DEP), dibutyl- (DBP) and diisobutyl- (DiBP) phthalates, and DEHP were the most abundant compounds measured in urine. Temporal trends in phthalate exposures varied among countries. In the United States (US), DEHP exposure has declined since 2005, whereas DiNP exposure has increased. In China, DEHP exposure has increased since 2000. For many phthalates, exposures in children are higher than those in adults. Human epidemiological studies have shown a significant association between phthalate exposures and adverse reproductive outcomes in women and men, type II diabetes and insulin resistance, overweight/obesity, allergy, and asthma. This review compiles biomonitoring studies of phthalates and exposure doses to assess health risks from phthalate exposures in populations across the globe.

https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/7/2/21/pdf

A Review of Biomonitoring of Phthalate Exposures

Phthalate diesters, widely used in flexible plastics and consumer products, have become prevalent contaminants in the environment. Human exposure is ubiquitous and higher phthalate metabolite concentrations documented in patients using medications with phthalate-containing slow release capsules raises concerns for potential health effects. Furthermore, animal studies suggest that phthalate exposure can modulate circulating hormone concentrations and thus may be able to adversely affect reproductive physiology and the development of estrogen sensitive target tissues. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review of the epidemiological and experimental animal literature examining the relationship between phthalate exposure and adverse female reproductive health outcomes. The epidemiological literature is sparse for most outcomes studied and plagued by small sample size, methodological weaknesses, and thus fails to support a conclusion of an adverse effect of phthalate exposure. Despite a paucity of experimental animal studies for several phthalates, we conclude that there is sufficient evidence to suggest that phthalates are reproductive toxicants. However, we note that the concentrations needed to induce adverse health effects are high compared to the concentrations measured in contemporary human biomonitoring studies. We propose that the current patchwork of studies, potential for additive effects and evidence of adverse effects of phthalate exposure in subsequent generations and at lower concentrations than in the parental generation support the need for further study.

/pdf/reproductive-and-developmental-effects-of-phthalate-diesters-390sd5mtmg.pdf

Reproductive and developmental effects of phthalate diesters in females.

BACKGROUND
Herein, we describe the consensus guideline methodology, summarize the evidence-based recommendations we provided to the World Health Organization (WHO) for their consideration in the development of global guidance and present a narrative review of the diagnosis of male infertility as related to the eight prioritized (problem or population (P), intervention (I), comparison (C) and outcome(s) (O) (PICO)) questions. Additionally, we discuss the challenges and research gaps identified during the synthesis of this evidence.

/pdf/the-diagnosis-of-male-infertility-an-analysis-of-the-27wchg7ij9.pdf

The diagnosis of male infertility: an analysis of the evidence to support the development of global WHO guidance—challenges and future research opportunities

Depression is a disabling illness which increases the risk of suicide. The Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to a rise in fear, anxiety, stress, and depression among the population: of these, university undergraduates from countries severely affected by COVID-19 are some of the most vulnerable of all, as they face strict lockdown measures and have fewer resources to cope with it. The aim of this study was to analyze the levels of fear of COVID-19, stress, anxiety, and depression during lockdown among undergraduates from Ecuador, and to test these possible predictors of depression using a model taken from our study of the scientific literature. A total of 640 undergraduates (72% women) between 18 and 47 years old (M = 21.69; S.D = 4.093) were surveyed. The resulting mean levels found for stress, anxiety, and depression were above levels considered non-pathological. Women showed higher levels of fear of COVID-19 than men. The statistical prediction for depression showed a good fit. This depression could be related: both directly and positively by fear of COVID-19 and stress, and indirectly, as a result of these two factors, positively mediated by anxiety. Our study concludes by highlighting the important role that the complex relationships between fear, stress, and anxiety can play in the development of depression symptoms and how they can be taken into account in programs aimed at preventing and alleviating this disorder. We propose some general measures for reducing fear of COVID-19 and stress and suggest that specific programs be designed to control and overcome anxiety among undergraduates.

/pdf/fear-of-covid-19-stress-and-anxiety-in-university-1vefm8bhel.pdf

Fear of COVID-19, Stress, and Anxiety in University Undergraduate Students: A Predictive Model for Depression.

Protective effects of curcumin against thyroid hormone imbalance after gas explosion-induced traumatic brain injury via activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis in male rats

Genome-wide alternation and effect of DNA methylation in the impairments of steroidogenesis and spermatogenesis after PM2.5 exposure.

To study the associations between pubertal timing and semen quality and reproductive hormones, 680 volunteers were recruited from universities in Chongqing, China. Pubertal timing was obtained using a questionnaire. The main measurements were five routine semen parameters and six reproductive hormones. After adjusting for potential confounders, we found that early pubertal timing was associated with lower sperm concentration. An one-year increase in age of peak height velocity was associated with a 4.7% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.0 to 8.6) increase in sperm concentration. An one-year increase in age of first spermatorrhea was associated with a 6.4% increase in sperm concentration and a 2.9% decrease in semen volume (95% CI = 1.7 to 11.3, -5.5 to -0.3; respectively). Regarding reproductive hormones, an one-year increase in age of height spurt and peak height velocity was associated with a 6.5% and a 6.7% decrease in estrogen (95% CI = -9.8 to -3.0, -10.4 to -2.8; respectively). While an one-year increase in age of height spurt was associated with higher follicle-stimulating hormone (% change = 2.6, 95% CI = 0.2 to 4.7). This was the first report that has suggested that early pubertal timing is associated with lower sperm concentration. However, further study is still needed to validate this association and fully elucidate the mechanism behind it.

/pdf/early-pubertal-timing-is-associated-with-lower-sperm-3m73oorqdp.pdf

Early pubertal timing is associated with lower sperm concentration in college students

In this study, we investigated the use of nematode-infected Pinus massoniana chips (NPC) as the main ingredient in Pleurotus abieticola substrate. The effects of different substrate formulas on nutritional parameters, including total sugars, polysaccharides, proteins, lipids, amino acids, and fatty acids were assessed. The results indicated that NPC was suitable for P. abieticola cultivation. However, the addition of certain amounts of corncobs (CC) and cottonseed hulks (CH) improved the yield. Substrate T5 (45% NPC, 6% CC, and 27% CH) had the greatest yield (121.38 g per bag), 34.56% greater than the yield of the control (78% poplar chips), which was 79.43 g per bag. Across the 11 substrate formulas tested, the total sugar, polysaccharide, crude protein, and crude lipid contents were 16.60–28.90%, 2.71–3.73%, 36.49–45.42%, and 1.03–4.34%, respectively. On all substrates, the fruiting bodies contained 17 amino acids, primarily glutamine (2.42–4.11%), followed by proline (2.56–3.73%), leucine (2.09–3.19%), phenylalanine (1.56–2.61%), and glycine (1.76–2.55%). The fruiting bodies contained 12 fatty acids, of which linoleic acid was the most abundant (82.36%–84.03%), followed by palmitic acid (6.42%–6.89%) and oleic acid (5.50%–7.34%). The fatty acid content was closely associated with the NPC content, which might indicate that NPC promoted fatty acid accumulation. Thus, NPC represents a new substrate suitable for P. abieticola cultivation.

/pdf/the-yield-and-quality-of-pleurotus-abieticola-grown-on-35gfmmtgpr.pdf

The yield and quality of Pleurotus abieticola grown on nematode-infected Pinus massoniana chips

The invention discloses a load-bearing device comprising a spiral spring and a plurality of weights, wherein the diameter of the spiral spring is sequentially reduced from an upper end to a lower end; the outer wall of the spiral spring is provided with a plurality of fixed rings; and the plurality of weights are respectively placed in the plurality of fixed rings. The load-bearing device is easy to operate, can be conveniently and fast assembled or disassembled during experiments and firmly fixed after being assembled, and can conveniently, fast and accurately regulate the total weight, thereby ensuring the repeatability and the scientificity of the experiments.

Lei Sun

Papers

Protective effects of curcumin against thyroid hormone imbalance after gas explosion-induced traumatic brain injury via activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis in male rats

Genome-wide alternation and effect of DNA methylation in the impairments of steroidogenesis and spermatogenesis after PM2.5 exposure.

Early pubertal timing is associated with lower sperm concentration in college students

The yield and quality of Pleurotus abieticola grown on nematode-infected Pinus massoniana chips

Load-bearing device