Embodying (In)justice and Embodied Truths

2021 ◽  
pp. 55-128
Author(s):  
Nancy Krieger
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Jim Crow ◽  
Health Impacts ◽  
Unsafe Sex ◽  
Economic Segregation ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Ecosocial Theory ◽  
Us Government ◽  
Joint Health ◽  
Breast Cancer Estrogen Receptor

Chapter 2 discusses application of ecosocial theory to analyze the health impacts of Jim Crow and its legal abolition, racialized and economic breast cancer inequities involving the breast cancer estrogen receptor, and the joint health impacts of physical and social hazards at work (including racism, sexism, and heterosexism) and relationship hazards (involving unsafe sex and violence). It also uses ecosocial theory to develop and apply measures of structural injustice, including historical redlining (1930s US government policies imposing racial residential segregation) and contemporary racialized economic segregation. The chapter additionally explains the construct of “emergent embodied phenotypes” and the different types of histories involved in disease processes: societal, individual (lifecourse), pathological/cellular, and evolutionary. It concludes by providing selected examples of how others, in diverse disciplines and settings worldwide, have employed the ecosocial theory of disease distribution to conceptualize and analyze embodiment of (in)justice across a wide range of exposures and outcomes.

Ecosocial Theory, Embodied Truths, and the People's Health

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nancy Krieger
Keyword(s):  
Political Ecology ◽  
Jim Crow ◽  
Historical Context ◽  
Health Impacts ◽  
Unsafe Sex ◽  
Sexually Transmitted ◽  
Public Monuments ◽  
Ecosocial Theory ◽  
Joint Health ◽  
Dominant Narratives

This book employs the ecosocial theory of disease distribution to combine critical political and economic analysis with a deep engagement with biology, in societal, ecological, and historical context. It illuminates what embodying (in)justice entails and the embodied truths revealed by population patterns of health. Chapter 1 explains ecosocial theory and its focus on multilevel spatiotemporal processes of embodying (in)justice, across the lifecourse and historical generations, as shaped by the political economy and political ecology of the societies in which people live. The counter is to dominant narratives that attribute primary causal agency to people’s allegedly innate biology and their allegedly individual (and decontextualized) health behaviors. Chapter 2 discusses application of ecosocial theory to analyze: the health impacts of Jim Crow and its legal abolition; racialized and economic breast cancer inequities; the joint health impacts of physical and social hazards at work (including racism, sexism, and heterosexism) and relationship hazards (involving unsafe sex and violence); and measures of structural injustice. Chapter 3 explores embodied truths and health justice, in relation to: police violence; climate change; fossil fuel extraction and sexually transmitted infectious disease: health benefits of organic food—for whom? ; public monuments, symbols, and the people’s health; and light, vision, and the health of people and other species. The objective is to inform critical and practical research, actions, and alliances to advance health equity—and to strengthen the people’s health—in a deeply troubled world on a threatened planet.

Structure Guided Molecular Docking Assisted Alignment Dependent 3DQSAR Study on Steroidal Aromatase Inhibitors (SAIs) as Anti-breast Cancer Agents

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (7) ◽  
pp. 808-817 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laxmi Banjare ◽  
Sant Kumar Verma ◽  
Akhlesh Kumar Jain ◽  
Suresh Thareja
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Molecular Docking ◽  
Aromatase Inhibitors ◽  
Direct Synthesis ◽  
3D Qsar ◽  
Chemotherapeutic Agents ◽  
Modeling Tools ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Steroidal Aromatase Inhibitors

Background: In spite of the availability of various treatment approaches including surgery, radiotherapy, and hormonal therapy, the steroidal aromatase inhibitors (SAIs) play a significant role as chemotherapeutic agents for the treatment of estrogen-dependent breast cancer with the benefit of reduced risk of recurrence. However, due to greater toxicity and side effects associated with currently available anti-breast cancer agents, there is emergent requirement to develop target-specific AIs with safer anti-breast cancer profile. Methods: It is challenging task to design target-specific and less toxic SAIs, though the molecular modeling tools viz. molecular docking simulations and QSAR have been continuing for more than two decades for the fast and efficient designing of novel, selective, potent and safe molecules against various biological targets to fight the number of dreaded diseases/disorders. In order to design novel and selective SAIs, structure guided molecular docking assisted alignment dependent 3D-QSAR studies was performed on a data set comprises of 22 molecules bearing steroidal scaffold with wide range of aromatase inhibitory activity. Results: 3D-QSAR model developed using molecular weighted (MW) extent alignment approach showed good statistical quality and predictive ability when compared to model developed using moments of inertia (MI) alignment approach. Conclusion: The explored binding interactions and generated pharmacophoric features (steric and electrostatic) of steroidal molecules could be exploited for further design, direct synthesis and development of new potential safer SAIs, that can be effective to reduce the mortality and morbidity associated with breast cancer.

Reverse Screening Bioinformatics Approach to Identify Potential Anti Breast Cancer Targets Using Thymoquinone from Neutraceuticals Black Cumin Oil

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (5) ◽  
pp. 599-609 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sumathi Sundaravadivelu ◽  
Sonia K. Raj ◽  
Banupriya S. Kumar ◽  
Poornima Arumugamand ◽  
Padma P. Ragunathan
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Gene Expression ◽  
Cell Cycle ◽  
Cell Death ◽  
In Silico ◽  
Chemotherapeutic Agents ◽  
Normal Cells ◽  
Black Cumin ◽  
In Silico Docking ◽  
Wide Range

Background: Functional foods, neutraceuticals and natural antioxidants have established their potential roles in the protection of human health and diseases. Thymoquinone (TQ), the main bioactive component of Nigella sativa seeds (black cumin seeds), a plant derived neutraceutical was used by ancient Egyptians because of their ability to cure a variety of health conditions and used as a dietary food supplement. Owing to its multi targeting nature, TQ interferes with a wide range of tumorigenic processes and counteracts carcinogenesis, malignant growth, invasion, migration, and angiogenesis. Additionally, TQ can specifically sensitize tumor cells towards conventional cancer treatments (e.g., radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy) and simultaneously minimize therapy-associated toxic effects in normal cells besides being cost effective and safe. TQ was found to play a protective role when given along with chemotherapeutic agents to normal cells. Methods: In the present study, reverse in silico docking approach was used to search for potential molecular targets for cancer therapy. Various metastatic and apoptotic targets were docked with the target ligand. TQ was also tested for its anticancer activities for its ability to cause cell death, arrest cell cycle and ability to inhibit PARP gene expression. Results: In silico docking studies showed that TQ effectively docked metastatic targets MMPs and other apoptotic and cell proliferation targets EGFR. They were able to bring about cell death mediated by apoptosis, cell cycle arrest in the late apoptotic stage and induce DNA damage too. TQ effectively down regulated PARP gene expression which can lead to enhanced cancer cell death. Conclusion: Thymoquinone a neutraceutical can be employed as a new therapeutic agent to target triple negative breast cancer which is otherwise difficult to treat as there are no receptors on them. Can be employed along with standard chemotherapeutic drugs to treat breast cancer as a combinatorial therapy.

scholarly journals Proteomic Analysis of Zeb1 Interactome in Breast Carcinoma Cells

Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (11) ◽  
pp. 3143
Author(s):  
Sergey E. Parfenyev ◽  
Sergey V. Shabelnikov ◽  
Danila Y. Pozdnyakov ◽  
Olga O. Gnedina ◽  
Leonid S. Adonin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Epithelial To Mesenchymal Transition ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Malignant Neoplasm ◽  
Malignant Neoplasms ◽  
Breast Cancer Patients ◽  
Survival Prognosis ◽  
Mesenchymal Transition ◽  
Wide Range

Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed malignant neoplasm and the second leading cause of cancer death among women. Epithelial-to-mesenchymal Transition (EMT) plays a critical role in the organism development, providing cell migration and tissue formation. However, its erroneous activation in malignancies can serve as the basis for the dissemination of cancer cells and metastasis. The Zeb1 transcription factor, which regulates the EMT activation, has been shown to play an essential role in malignant transformation. This factor is involved in many signaling pathways that influence a wide range of cellular functions via interacting with many proteins that affect its transcriptional functions. Importantly, the interactome of Zeb1 depends on the cellular context. Here, using the inducible expression of Zeb1 in epithelial breast cancer cells, we identified a substantial list of novel potential Zeb1 interaction partners, including proteins involved in the formation of malignant neoplasms, such as ATP-dependent RNA helicase DDX17and a component of the NURD repressor complex, CTBP2. We confirmed the presence of the selected interactors by immunoblotting with specific antibodies. Further, we demonstrated that co-expression of Zeb1 and CTBP2 in breast cancer patients correlated with the poor survival prognosis, thus signifying the functionality of the Zeb1–CTBP2 interaction.

scholarly journals Tamoxifen and oxidative stress: an overlooked connection

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nermin S. Ahmed ◽  
Marek Samec ◽  
Alena Liskova ◽  
Peter Kubatka ◽  
Luciano Saso
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Gold Standard ◽  
Pharmacological Activities ◽  
Standard Drug ◽  
Menopausal Women ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Post Menopausal ◽  
Apoptotic Effects ◽  
And Oxidative Stress

AbstractTamoxifen is the gold standard drug for the treatment of breast cancer in pre and post-menopausal women. Its journey from a failing contraceptive to a blockbuster is an example of pharmaceutical innovation challenges. Tamoxifen has a wide range of pharmacological activities; a drug that was initially thought to work via a simple Estrogen receptor (ER) mechanism was proven to mediate its activity through several non-ER mechanisms. Here in we review the previous literature describing ER and non-ER targets of tamoxifen, we highlighted the overlooked connection between tamoxifen, tamoxifen apoptotic effects and oxidative stress.

scholarly journals A Comparative Analysis of Climate-Risk and Extreme Event-Related Impacts on Well-Being and Health: Policy Implications

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 331 ◽  
Author(s):  
Walter Leal Filho ◽  
Abul Al-Amin ◽  
Gustavo Nagy ◽  
Ulisses Azeiteiro ◽  
Laura Wiesböck ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Extreme Events ◽  
Extreme Event ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Health Impacts ◽  
Climate Risks ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Mental Problems

There are various climate risks that are caused or influenced by climate change. They are known to have a wide range of physical, economic, environmental and social impacts. Apart from damages to the physical environment, many climate risks (climate variability, extreme events and climate-related hazards) are associated with a variety of impacts on human well-being, health, and life-supporting systems. These vary from boosting the proliferation of vectors of diseases (e.g., mosquitos), to mental problems triggered by damage to properties and infrastructure. There is a great variety of literature about the strong links between climate change and health, while there is relatively less literature that specifically examines the health impacts of climate risks and extreme events. This paper is an attempt to address this knowledge gap, by compiling eight examples from a set of industrialised and developing countries, where such interactions are described. The policy implications of these phenomena and the lessons learned from the examples provided are summarised. Some suggestions as to how to avert the potential and real health impacts of climate risks are made, hence assisting efforts to adapt to a problem whose impacts affect millions of people around the world. All the examples studied show some degree of vulnerability to climate risks regardless of their socioeconomic status and need to increase resilience against extreme events.

Micropattern Effect on Breast Cancer Cells Behavior on Isotropically Etched Silicon Microenvironments

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mehdi Nikkhah ◽  
Jeannine S. Strobl ◽  
Bhanu Peddi ◽  
Adedamola Omotosho ◽  
Masoud Agah
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Cancer Diagnostics ◽  
Breast Cancer Diagnostics ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Etched Silicon ◽  
Directed Motility ◽  
Etched Surface ◽  
Silicon Based

In this paper we are investigating three dimensional (3-D) silicon-based microenvironments as potential platforms for breast cancer diagnostics. We have developed isotropically etched microstructures with a wide range of geometrical patterns for this purpose. Our results indicate that with the etched surface ratio of ∼65%, it is possible to capture 80–90% of the cancer cells within each silicon chip. After treatment of the cells with mitomycin C (to block the cell growth) more number of the cells are trapped inside the etched features for longer cultures times (72 h) suggesting that there is a directed motility and attraction of the cells toward the etched cavities and by optimally designing the etched features, the proposed platforms can be potentially used for diagnostics purposes.

scholarly journals Possibilities and limits for using the gut microbiome to improve captive animal health

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica Diaz ◽  
Aspen T. Reese
Keyword(s):  
Gut Microbiome ◽  
Host Species ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Health Impacts ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Host Health ◽  
In Captivity ◽  
Outstanding Question ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Captive Animal

AbstractBecause of its potential to modulate host health, the gut microbiome of captive animals has become an increasingly important area of research. In this paper, we review the current literature comparing the gut microbiomes of wild and captive animals, as well as experiments tracking the microbiome when animals are moved between wild and captive environments. As a whole, these studies report highly idiosyncratic results with significant differences in the effect of captivity on the gut microbiome between host species. While a few studies have analyzed the functional capacity of captive microbiomes, there has been little research directly addressing the health consequences of captive microbiomes. Therefore, the current body of literature cannot broadly answer what costs, if any, arise from having a captive microbiome in captivity. Addressing this outstanding question will be critical to determining whether it is worth pursuing microbial manipulations as a conservation tool. To stimulate the next wave of research which can tie the captive microbiome to functional and health impacts, we outline a wide range of tools that can be used to manipulate the microbiome in captivity and suggest a variety of methods for measuring the impact of such manipulation preceding therapeutic use. Altogether, we caution researchers against generalizing results between host species given the variability in gut community responses to captivity and highlight the need to understand what role the gut microbiome plays in captive animal health before putting microbiome manipulations broadly into practice.

scholarly journals Quebec’s Economic and Commercial Linkages with the United States, 1994–2017

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Earl H. Fry
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Trade Agreement ◽  
The United States ◽  
The North ◽  
Nation States ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Us ◽  
Us Government ◽  
Big Picture ◽  
The Impact

This article examines the ebb and flow of the Quebec government’s economic and commercial relations with the United States in the period 1994–2017. The topic demonstrates the impact of three major forces on Quebec’s economic and commercial ties with the US: (1) the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) which became operational in 1994 and was fully implemented over a 15-year period; (2) the onerous security policies put in place by the US government in the decade following the horrific events of 11 September 2001; and (3) changing economic circumstances in the United States ranging from robust growth to the worst recession since the Great Depression of the 1930s. The article also indicates that the Quebec government continues to sponsor a wide range of activities in the United States, often more elaborate and extensive than comparable activities pursued by many nation-states with representation in the US. 1 1 Stéphane Paquin, ‘Quebec-U.S. Relations: The Big Picture’, American Review of Canadian Studies 46, no. 2 (2016): 149–61.

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