Malignant gliomas are the commonest primary malignant tumours of the brain and carry a poor prognosis with current treatment modalities. Chemotherapy is an increasingly important treatment option for these turnouts; however response is limited by the development of drug resistance. A study was undertaken to investigate the feasibility of providing information about tumour chemosensitivity in vitro by culturing glioma tumour cells in a hospital setting and performing chemnosensitivity assays on them using five common chemotherapeutic agents i.e. Cisplatin, Carmustine, Paclitaxel, Temozolomide and Etoposide. It was found that a successful culture was obtained in roughly half the patients (21/47) where culture was attempted, and in those successful cultures information about drug sensitivity could be provided within 3 weeks. The colorimnetric MTS assay and the luminescent ATP assay were compared for chemosensitivity results and it was found that the ATP assay was more sensitive in that it could detect cell death at lower cell numbers. A wide variation was found in the range of chemosensitivities between known glial cell lines and primary cultures and also between the various primary cultures. De Novo drug resistance was also shown to develop in subsequent subcultures derived from the primary culture. Every tumour is unique phenotypically and genotypically and several factors induding clinical characteristics, radiological features and conventional histology might act as pointers to this uniqueness. Proteins ktown to be associated with drug resistance in other tumours might be contributory to the development of drug resistance in gliomas. Profiles of successfully assayed tumours (nr19) were prepared induding clinical and radiological data, histology, culture characteristics, chemosensitivity data and immunohistochemistry for pglycoprotein (PGP), multiple drug resistance associated protein 1(MRP1), p53, Ki-67 and MGMT proteins. These profiles did not show any correlation between the factors analyzed and chemosensitivity to the five chemotherapeutic agents used. Functional studies of drug efflux pumps PGP and MRPI, performed on 5 cultures using drug efflux assays and confocal microscopy demonstrated no correlation between presence of the proteins on immunostaining and their functional activity.

In the United Kingdom (UK), men face a significantly higher risk of contracting and dying from cancer. Prostate, lung and colorectal cancer are the most common cancers diagnosed in men; with prostate cancer disproportionately affecting black men. Little is known about black African (BA) and black African-Caribbean (BAC) men’s view towards cancer; yet culture and acculturation determine the way in which people understand, explain and develop their attitudes towards cancer. Hence, cancer prevention and early detection strategies may not be sensitive to UK-based black men views, affecting their awareness of risk factors and early detection services. An evidence based understanding about black men’s views towards cancer is needed to effectively target cancer prevention strategies. This qualitative study explored the influence of culture on the views of UK based BA and BAC men towards cancer. In collaboration with black community organisations based in Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham, and London, 27 participants were recruited. Convenience and theoretical sampling methods were used. Data were collected from June 2013-February 2014 using semi-structured one-to-one interviews. Data were analysed using the grounded theory analytical method. BA and BAC men have their own distinct beliefs concerning the causes of cancer, which influence how they view cancer as a whole. Seven categories: ‘Cultural views’; ‘Religious beliefs’; ‘Avoiding Babylon’; ‘Alienation’; ‘Suspicious mind’; ‘Advertisements and information influence very little’, and ‘Gap in service provision (Bridging the gap)’ were identified as sub-categories revolving around the core category: ‘Cancer through black eyes’. Cancer was not viewed as a purely medical condition through black eyes. Black men’s views towards cancer were closely linked to socially constructed perspectives of themselves, linked with their cultural and religious beliefs; what being black male means in society, the meanings of historical phenomena like slavery, and the meanings they ascribed to social systems and establishments, such as healthcare systems. Clinical risk factors such as smoking and obesity had different meanings and symbolisation through black eyes. There were macro- and micro-level similarities and differences between BA and BAC men. Cancer-related services, such as public-health campaigns, aimed at black men need to be sensitive enough to understand cancer through black eyes. Public health campaigns based on only the clinical meaning of cancer mismatch with black men’s understandings of cancer. Accordingly, the effort made to increase public awareness of cancer and to reduce health inequality in this regard may continue to be ineffective. Findings from this study can be used to inform public health policy makers, and healthcare professionals more broadly, including professionals involved in health promotion, as well as charitable organisations aiming to provide services that will be utilised by BA and BAC men.

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a major metabolic disorder leading to severe long term complications including cardiomyopathy, nephropathy, retinopathy and neuropathy that are common in type 1 DM (T1DM) and type 2 DM (T2DM). Epidemiological studies have demonstrated a role of hyperglycaemia (HG) in eliciting adverse cardiac and renal outcomes including heart failure (HF), diastolic and renal dysfunction. This study investigated the effect of HG on left ventricle (LV) and kidney structural remodelling, function and underlying molecular events associated with the two organs over a period of 2 and 4 months compared to age-matched control. Methods: Molecular mechanisms underlying HG-induced remodelling changes including extracellular matrix (ECM) and myocyte apoptosis deposition, underlying cytokine induction, recapitulation of foetal genes, and transcriptional alterations that may influence the ECM and intracellular calcium [Ca2+]i handling in the LV and kidney of T1DM as well as T2DM were examined in this study. LV and kidney isolations following 2 and 4 months of the development of T1DM were used to assess the remodelling changes and underlying transforming growth factor β1 (TGFβ1) activity, gene expression profile of the ECM and calcium mediators using histological, immunohistochemical and quantitative gene expression analyses compared to age-matched Wistar control rats. Results: The results show that T1DM over 4 months can elicit severe structural and molecular changes in the LV and the kidney compared to 2 months of DM. The severity of these changes was significantly less in respective healthy age-matched control animals. The isolated ventricular cardiomyocytes from T1DM rats displayed altered cellular calcium (Ca2+) homeostasis and [Ca2+]i translating to alterations in mRNA abundance of key Ca2+ handling proteins, cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ATPase 2a (SERCA2a), ryanodine receptor (RyR2), Na2+/Ca2+ exchanger, phospholamban (Plb), L-type Ca2+ channel proteins (Cav1.2 and Cav1.3), calmodulin2 (Calm2) and Ca2+/calmodulin-dependant protein kinase II delta (CaMK2d) were significantly (p < 0.05) altered in DM compared to age-matched control animals. The results showed LV and kidney remodelling in the T1DM rats with increased ECM deposition that translated into increased gene expressions of key components (collagen 1α, collagen 3α, fibronectin and elastin) and modulators i.e. MMP2 and MMP9 and their tissue inhibitor (TIMP4), connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), integrin 5α and connexin 43 (Cx43) of the ECM. Molecular derangements underlying this phenotype included increased TGFβ1 transcription and activity, recapitulation of foetal gene phenotype atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) with marked hypertrophy, underscored by caspase-3 mediated cell apoptosis. Electron microscopic analysis revealed ultrastructural alterations in LV highlighted by increased mitochondrial number and altered mitochondrial population, whereas the kidney presented with increase glomerular basement membrane thickness in T1DM compared to controls. These data clearly show that adult vs young adult, in combination with STZ-induced T1DM, can elicit severe changes to both the heart and the kidney, respectively in structural, functional and biochemical alterations. The final part of the study revealed exercise training after 2-3 months may have beneficial effects in T2DM animals compared to sedentary control rats. Ventricular myocyte and shortening were generally well preserved despite alterations in mRNA gene expression encoding a variety of cardiac muscle proteins in the exercised trained adult GK diabetic rat. LV remodelling in GK rat presented with marked hypertrophy of cardiomyocytes and increased ECM deposition that altogether translated into increased ECM components and regulators which were reversed by exercise training. Conclusions: The present results have demonstrated that T1DM, if left untreated, can lead to severe changes to both the heart and the kidney. These changes seem to occur at structural and molecular levels leading to dysfunction of the heart and kidney and the severity of the damage is enhanced over time. Data suggests that diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) may have possible origins in pro-fibrotic and pro-hypertrophic mechanisms. Moreover, this study demonstrates that physical exercise training continues to be one of the most valuable forms of non-pharmacological therapy in DM. Data concerning molecular signalling cascades and ECM phenotype is particularly significant as targeting features of structural remodelling may delay onset and severity of myocardial and renal complications.

<p>Dental health is an important aspect of one’s health and well-being (American Dental Association, 2015). This research analyzes six factors (income level, weather, sales tax, population density, dentist density, and water quality) to examine their relationship with oral health conditions based on 2015 state-level data in the United States. The results show that these factors indeed affect oral health conditions. The analysis results clearly show that income level, dentist density, temperature, and water quality have significant positive effects while temperature has a negative effect effects on oral health at state level.</p><p><br></p> <p>Furthermore, this study uses a multilinear regression algorithm stepwise method to build three predictive models on different income groups, using the above factors to predict oral health. These models can be a helpful reference for further research in related areas, including but not limited to insurance companies, research institutes that work on improving public oral health, and government agencies.</p>

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