Cadmium exposure and risk of breast cancer: A meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Cadmium is a heavy metal with carcinogenic properties, highly prevalent in industrialized areas worldwide. Prior reviews evaluating whether cadmium influences breast cancer have been inconclusive and not reflected several recent studies. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between cadmium exposure and female breast cancer incidence, with an emphasis on separately estimating dietary vs. airborne vs. biomarker measures of cadmium and studies published until October 2022. METHODS: We evaluated risk of bias using set criteria and excluded one study judged to have high risk based on self-report of breast cancer and insufficient adjustment. We conducted a random effects meta-analysis of epidemiological studies, including subgroups by exposure route and by menopausal status. RESULTS: A total of 17 studies were eligible for our meta-analysis. Only 2 studies addressed airborne cadmium directly. Breast cancer risk was elevated in women exposed to higher levels of cadmium across all studies - pooled odds ratio: 1.13 (95% confidence interval: 1.00, 1.28), with notable heterogeneity between studies (I2 = 77%). When examining separately by exposure route, dietary cadmium was not linked with an elevated risk - (OR: 1.05; 95%CI: 0.91, 1.21; I2 = 69%), consistent with prior reviews, but biomarker-based studies showed an elevated but non-significant pooled measure (OR: 1.37; 95%CI: 0.96, 1.94; I2 = 84%). We did not observe any clear patterns of different risk by menopausal status. CONCLUSION: Findings from our meta-analysis suggest that exposure to higher cadmium increases the risk of breast cancer in women, but with remaining questions about whether non-dietary exposure may be more risky or whether residual confounding by constituents of tobacco smoke may be at play.

Pronóstico perinatal y de la paciente embarazada con infección por COVID-19 / Pregnancy and perinatal outcome of a woman with COVID-19 infection

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The relationship between chronic stress, hair cortisol and hypertension.

Inconsistencies in studies of chronic psychosocial stress and hypertension may be explained by the use of stress markers greatly influenced by circadian rhythm and transient stressors. We assessed whether hair cortisol, a marker that captures systemic cortisol over months, was independently associated with hypertension. We measured hair cortisol and blood pressure in 75 consecutive participants in the Survey of the Health of Wisconsin, using an ELISA test. Individuals with values â€‹≥ â€‹median (78.1 â€‹pg/mg) were considered exposed. We used approximate Bayesian logistic regression, with a prior odds ratio of 1.0-4.0, to quantify the multivariate-adjusted hair cortisol-hypertension association. Participants' average age was 46.9 years; 37.3% were male; and 25.3% were hypertensive. Hypertension prevalence was 2.23 times higher in exposed (95% CI: 1.69-3.03). This finding was unlikely explained by differential measurement errors, since we conducted blinded measurements of exposure and outcome. Sensitivity analyses showed the association was unlikely explained by an unmeasured confounder, survival bias, or reverse causality bias. Findings suggest elevated hair cortisol is a risk factor for hypertension. Although feasible, the clinical value of hair cortisol as a tool for hypertension risk stratification or for monitoring the effect of chronic psychosocial stress management interventions is still uncertain.

Factors associated with false-positive self-reported adherence to antihypertensive drugs.

Self-reported medication adherence is known to overestimate true adherence. However, little is known about patient factors that may contribute to the upward bias in self-reported medication adherence. The objective of this study is to examine whether demographic, behavioral, medication and mood factors are associated with being a false-positive self-reported adherer (FPA) to antihypertensive drug treatment. We studied 175 patients (mean age: 50 years; 57% men) from primary-care clinics starting antihypertensive drug treatment. Self-reported adherence (SRA) was measured with the Medication Adherence Report Scale (MARS) and by the number of drug doses missed in the previous week/month, and compared with pill count adherence ratio (PCAR) as gold standard. Data on adherence, demographic, behavioral, medication and mood factors were collected at baseline and every 3 months up to 1 year. FPA was defined as being a non-adherer by PCAR and an adherer by self-report. Mixed effect logistic regression was used for the analysis. Twenty percent of participants were FPA. Anxiety increased (odds ratio (OR): 3.00; P=0.01), whereas smoking (OR: 0.40; P=0.03) and drug side effects (OR: 0.46, P=0.03) decreased the probability for FPA by MARS. Education below high-school completion increased the probability of being an FPA as measured by missing doses in the last month (OR: 1.66; P=0.04) and last week (OR: 1.88; P=0.02). The validity of SRA varies significantly according to drug side effects, behavioral factors and patient's mood. Careful consideration should be given to the use of self-reported measures of adherence among patients likely to be false-positive adherers.

Biological removal of pharmaceutical compounds using white-rot fungi with concomitant FAME production of the residual biomass.

The efficiency of two white-rot fungi (WRF), Trametes versicolor and Ganoderma lucidum, to eliminate thirteen pharmaceutical pollutants with concomitant biodiesel production from the accumulating lipid content after treatment, was examined. The removal efficiency was studied using both individual and combined strains. The results of individual and combined strains showed a total removal (100%) of diclofenac (DCF), gemfibrozil (GFZ), ibuprofen (IBP), progesterone (PGT) and ranitidine (RNT). Lower removals were achieved for 4-acetamidoantipyrin (AAA), clofibric acid (ACF), atenolol (ATN), caffeine (CFN), carbamazepine (CZP), hydrochlorothiazide (HCT), sulfamethoxazole (SMX) and sulpiride (SPD), although the combination of both strains enhanced the system's efficiency, with removals ranging from 15 to 41%. This increase of the removal efficiency when combining both strains was attributed to the interactions developed between them (i.e., competition). Results from enzymatic and cytochrome P450 examination suggested that both extracellular (laccase, MnP, LiP) and intracellular oxidation mechanisms participate in the biological removal of pharmaceuticals. On the other hand, the "green" potential of the fungal sludge generated during the biological removal process was assessed for biodiesel production by means of one-step direct (in-situ) transformation. This process consists of the simultaneous extraction and conversion of lipids contained in the sludge by catalytic esterification/transesterification using a robust acid heterogeneous Zr-SBA-15 catalyst. This catalytic system provided conversions close to 80% of the saponifiable fraction (including free fatty acids and glycerides) in the presence of high amount of impurities. The overall weight FAME yield, based on the initial dried mass, was close to 30% for both strains.

Assessment of the efficiency of in situ bioremediation techniques in a creosote polluted soil: change in bacterial community.

This work aimed to assess the effectiveness of different in situ bioremediation treatments (bioaugmentation, biostimulation, bioaugmentation and biostimulation, and natural attenuation) on creosote polluted soil. Toxicity, microbial respiration, creosote degradation and the evolution of bacterial communities were analyzed. Results showed that creosote decreased significantly in all treatments, and no significant differences were found between treatments. However, some specific polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) were degraded to a greater extent by biostimulation. The dominance of low temperatures (8.9 °C average) slowed down microbial creosote and PAH uptake and, despite significantly creosote degradation (>60%) at the end of the experiment, toxicity remained constant and high throughout the biodegradation process. DGGE results revealed that biostimulation showed the highest microbial biodiversity, although at the end of the biodegradation process, community composition in all treatments was different from that of the control assay (unpolluted soil). The active uncultured bacteria belonged to the genera Pseudomonas, Sphingomonas, Flexibacter, Pantoea and Balneimonas, the latter two of which have not been previously described as PAH degraders. The majority of the species identified during the creosote biodegradation belonged to Pseudomonas genus, which has been widely studied in bioremediation processes. Results confirmed that some bacteria have an intrinsic capacity to degrade the creosote without previous exposure.

Effect of surfactants on PAH biodegradation by a bacterial consortium and on the dynamics of the bacterial community during the process.

The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of a non-biodegradable (Tergitol NP-10) and a biodegradable (Tween-80) surfactant on growth, degradation rate and microbial dynamics of a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAHs) degrading consortium (C2PL05) from a petroleum polluted soil, applying cultivable and non cultivable techniques. Growth and degradation rate were significantly lower with Tergitol NP-10 than that with Tween-80. Toxicity did not show any significant reduction with Tergitol NP-10 whereas with Tween-80 toxicity was almost depleted (30%) after 40 days. Regarding to the cultured bacteria, Pseudomonas and Stenotrophomonas groups were dominant during PAH degradation with Tergitol NP-10, whereas Enterobacter and Stenotrophomonas were dominant with Tween-80. DGGE analyses (PRIMER and MDS) showed that bacteria composition was more similar between treatments when PAHs were consumed than when PAHs concentration was still high. Community changes between treatments were a consequence of Pseudomonas sp., Sphingomonas sp., Sphingobium sp. and Agromonas sp.

Low-grade oils and fats: effect of several impurities on biodiesel production over sulfonic acid heterogeneous catalysts.

Different lipidic wastes and low-grade oils and fats have been characterized and evaluated as feedstocks for the acid-catalyzed production of FAME. The characterization of these materials has revealed significant contents of free fatty acids, Na, K, Ca, Mg, P, unsaponifiable matter and humidity. Arenesulfonic acid-functionalized SBA-15 silica catalyst has provided yields to FAME close to 80% in the simultaneous esterification-transesterification of the different feedstocks, regardless of their nature and properties, using methanol under the following reaction conditions: 160 °C, 2 h, methanol to oil molar ratio of 30, 8 wt.% catalyst loading, and 2000 rpm stirring rate. Nevertheless, reutilization of the catalyst is compromised by high levels of impurities, especially because of deactivation by strong interaction of unsaponifiable matter with the catalytic sites. The conditioning of these materials by aqueous washing in the presence of cationic-exchange resin Amberlyst-15, followed by a drying step, resulted in a lower deactivation of the catalyst.

Patterns and predictors of personal exposure to indoor air pollution from biomass combustion among women and children in rural China.

UNLABELLED: Indoor air pollution (IAP) from domestic biomass combustion is an important health risk factor, yet direct measurements of personal IAP exposure are scarce. We measured 24-h integrated gravimetric exposure to particles < 2.5 µm in aerodynamic diameter (particulate matter, PM2.5) in 280 adult women and 240 children in rural Yunnan, China. We also measured indoor PM2.5 concentrations in a random sample of 44 kitchens. The geometric mean winter PM2.5 exposure among adult women was twice that of summer exposure [117 µg/m³ (95% CI: 107, 128) vs. 55 µg/m³ (95% CI: 49, 62)]. Children's geometric mean exposure in summer was 53 µg/m³ (95% CI: 46, 61). Indoor PM2.5 concentrations were moderately correlated with women's personal exposure (r=0.58), but not for children. Ventilation during cooking, cookstove maintenance, and kitchen structure were significant predictors of personal PM2.5 exposure among women primarily cooking with biomass. These findings can be used to develop exposure assessment models for future epidemiologic research and inform interventions and policies aimed at reducing IAP exposure. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Our results suggest that reducing overall PM pollution exposure in this population may be best achieved by reducing winter exposure. Behavioral interventions such as increasing ventilation during cooking or encouraging stove cleaning and maintenance may help achieve these reductions.

Functionalization, self-assembly, and photoswitching quenching for azobenzene derivatives adsorbed on Au(111).

We have used scanning tunneling microscopy to investigate the structure and photoswitching behavior of azobenzene molecules functionalized with bulky spacer groups and adsorbed onto Au(111). We find that positioning tert-butyl "legs" in a canted arrangement on the azobenzene phenyl rings quenches photoisomerizability of the molecule on Au(111). Addition of cyano groups at the para positions changes the molecular self-assembly significantly, but does not alter the quenched photoisomerizability. This behavior likely arises from a combination of molecule-surface interactions, molecule-molecule interactions, and alteration of azobenzene electronic structure resulting from the position-specific addition of tert-butyl groups.

Immobilization strategies for laccase from Trametes versicolor on mesostructured silica materials and the application to the degradation of naphthalene.

The oxidation of naphthalene by immobilized laccase from Trametes versicolor has been performed using diverse immobilization strategies on mesostructured silica materials. Laccase was immobilized by physical adsorption on several SBA-15 with different textural properties and by covalent attachment on functionalized SBA-15 prepared by co-condensation method (direct synthesis). The adsorption of laccase was partially reversible and showed some degree of lixiviation. However, covalently attached laccase to aminopropyl and aminobutyl functionalized SBA-15 exhibited important activity for the degradation of naphthalene with, respectively, 35% and 39%wt of removal in 5h. The aminopropyl biocatalyst retained higher activity after repeated uses than the corresponding aminobutyl.

Magnetization reversal of nanoscale islands: how size and shape affect the arrhenius prefactor.

The thermal switching behavior of individual in-plane magnetized Fe/W(110) nanoislands is investigated by a combined study of variable-temperature spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy and Monte Carlo simulations. Even for islands consisting of less than 100 atoms the magnetization reversal takes place via nucleation and propagation. The Arrhenius prefactor is found to strongly depend on the individual island size and shape, and based on the experimental results a simple model is developed to describe the magnetization reversal in terms of metastable states. Complementary Monte Carlo simulations confirm the model and provide new insight into the microscopic processes involved in magnetization reversal of smallest nanomagnets.

The Latin American Consortium of Studies in Obesity (LASO).

Current, high-quality data are needed to evaluate the health impact of the epidemic of obesity in Latin America. The Latin American Consortium of Studies of Obesity (LASO) has been established, with the objectives of (i) Accurately estimating the prevalence of obesity and its distribution by sociodemographic characteristics; (ii) Identifying ethnic, socioeconomic and behavioural determinants of obesity; (iii) Estimating the association between various anthropometric indicators or obesity and major cardiovascular risk factors and (iv) Quantifying the validity of standard definitions of the various indexes of obesity in Latin American population. To achieve these objectives, LASO makes use of individual data from existing studies. To date, the LASO consortium includes data from 11 studies from eight countries (Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Peru, Puerto Rico and Venezuela), including a total of 32,462 subjects. This article describes the overall organization of LASO, the individual studies involved and the overall strategy for data analysis. LASO will foster the development of collaborative obesity research among Latin American investigators. More important, results from LASO will be instrumental to inform health policies aiming to curtail the epidemic of obesity in the region.

Isolation and genetic identification of PAH degrading bacteria from a microbial consortium.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH; naphthalene, anthracene and phenanthrene) degrading microbial consortium C2PL05 was obtained from a sandy soil chronically exposed to petroleum products, collected from a petrochemical complex in Puertollano (Ciudad Real, Spain). The consortium C2PL05 was highly efficient degrading completely naphthalene, phenanthrene and anthracene in around 18 days of cultivation. The toxicity (Microtox method) generated by the PAH and by the intermediate metabolites was reduced to levels close to non-toxic in almost 40 days of cultivation. The identified bacteria from the contaminated soil belonged to gamma-proteobacteria and could be include in Enterobacter and Pseudomonas genus. DGGE analysis revealed uncultured Stenotrophomonas ribotypes as a possible PAH degrader in the microbial consortium. The present work shows the potential use of these microorganisms and the total consortium for the bioremediation of PAH polluted areas since the biodegradation of these chemicals takes place along with a significant decrease in toxicity.

Interethnic differences in the accuracy of anthropometric indicators of obesity in screening for high risk of coronary heart disease.

BACKGROUND: Cut points for defining obesity have been derived from mortality data among Whites from Europe and the United States and their accuracy to screen for high risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) in other ethnic groups has been questioned. OBJECTIVE: To compare the accuracy and to define ethnic and gender-specific optimal cut points for body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) when they are used in screening for high risk of CHD in the Latin-American and the US populations. METHODS: We estimated the accuracy and optimal cut points for BMI, WC and WHR to screen for CHD risk in Latin Americans (n=18 976), non-Hispanic Whites (Whites; n=8956), non-Hispanic Blacks (Blacks; n=5205) and Hispanics (n=5803). High risk of CHD was defined as a 10-year risk > or =20% (Framingham equation). The area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUC) and the misclassification-cost term were used to assess accuracy and to identify optimal cut points. RESULTS: WHR had the highest AUC in all ethnic groups (from 0.75 to 0.82) and BMI had the lowest (from 0.50 to 0.59). Optimal cut point for BMI was similar across ethnic/gender groups (27 kg/m(2)). In women, cut points for WC (94 cm) and WHR (0.91) were consistent by ethnicity. In men, cut points for WC and WHR varied significantly with ethnicity: from 91 cm in Latin Americans to 102 cm in Whites, and from 0.94 in Latin Americans to 0.99 in Hispanics, respectively. CONCLUSION: WHR is the most accurate anthropometric indicator to screen for high risk of CHD, whereas BMI is almost uninformative. The same BMI cut point should be used in all men and women. Unique cut points for WC and WHR should be used in all women, but ethnic-specific cut points seem warranted among men.

Current-induced magnetization switching with a spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscope.

Switching the magnetization of a magnetic bit by injection of a spin-polarized current offers the possibility for the development of innovative high-density data storage technologies. We show how individual superparamagnetic iron nanoislands with typical sizes of 100 atoms can be addressed and locally switched using a magnetic scanning probe tip, thus demonstrating current-induced magnetization reversal across a vacuum barrier combined with the ultimate resolution of spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy. Our technique allows us to separate and quantify three fundamental contributions involved in magnetization switching (i.e., current-induced spin torque, heating the island by the tunneling current, and Oersted field effects), thereby providing an improved understanding of the switching mechanism.

Independent association between inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, and TNF-alpha) and essential hypertension.

High blood pressure (HBP) has been associated with elevated C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of chronic mild inflammation. However, the association between HBP and other inflammatory markers, particularly interleukin 6 (IL-6) and tumour necrosis alpha (TNF-alpha), has not been evaluated in well-controlled studies. We examined the cross-sectional relationship between IL-6, TNF-alpha, and CRP and HBP in a random sample of 196 healthy subjects. All markers were measured in duplicate with high-sensitivity ELISA tests. Three blood pressure (BP) measurments were averaged for the analysis, and subjects with systolic BP >or=140 and/or diastolic BP >or=90 mmHg were considered hypertensive. Log binomial regression was used to estimate multivariate-adjusted prevalence ratios (PR) of HBP. Of the subjects, 40% (79) were hypertensive (mean age: 44 years; range 30-64). After adjustment for age, sex, body mass index, family history of HBP, and the level of the other inflammatory markers, subjects in the second (PR: 3.10, P=0.003), third (PR: 2.32; P=0.031), and fourth quartiles (PR: 2.30; P=0.036) of IL-6 were more than twice as likely to be hypertensive than those in the first quartile. Corresponding PR estimates for TNF-alpha levels were 1.41 (P=0.014) for the second; 1.59 (P=0.001) for the third; and 1.61 (P=0.025) for the fourth quartile. The CRP-HBP association was not statistically significant. Our results suggest that TNF-alpha and IL-6 could be independent risk factors for HBP in apparently healthy subjects. Nevertheless, the temporal relationship between elevated inflammation markers and HBP should be ascertained in prospective cohort studies.