scholarly journals Epigenetics and Medicine

OBM Genetics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 05 (03) ◽  
pp. 1-1
Author(s):  
Giuseppe Cocco ◽  
◽  
Philipp Amiet ◽  

“Epigenetics is the study of how your behaviors and environment can cause changes that affect the way your genes work. Unlike genetic changes, epigenetic changes are reversible and do not change your DNA sequence, but they can change how your body reads a DNA sequence” (https://www.cdc.gov/genomics/disease/epigenetics.htm). Epigenetic interactions, along with the genetic expression in innate cells, change the structure and function of chromatin, and thus, turn the genes on and off. Epigenetic changes influence disease load and resistance and play an important role in health maintenance and almost all medical disorders, and differs significantly with sex and ethnicity. Epigenetic changes may have either positive or detrimental effects on the immune system. They are long-lasting, increase a host’s susceptibility to infections and medical pathologies, and affect the efficacy of vaccines. Recent studies have indicated that detrimental epigenetic changes can be mended. Safe and effective mechanisms to reverse detrimental epigenetic scars will have broad medical implications, decrease mortality after infections, and protect the elderly against infections, autoimmune diseases, and cancer. These therapies might be useful for the successful application of vaccines in countries where HIV, parasite infestation, malaria, and other chronic diseases are endemic, and also for a better effect of vaccines in geriatric patients.

Author(s):  
Lusmarina Rodrigues Silva ◽  
Aline Marques Monte ◽  
Rafael Gomes Abreu Bacelar ◽  
Guilherme Antonio Silva Ribeiro ◽  
Aline Maria Dourado Rodrigues ◽  
...  

Objective: to analyze physicochemical, microbiological and dirt parameters in marketed honeys, consumed by the elderly cared for at Integrated Health Center in Teresina, Piauí, Brazil. Method: the following analyses were performed: color, water activity, humidity, ash, pH, acidity, reducing sugars, total sugars, apparent sucrose and insoluble solids. Contamination indicator bacteria, mesophilic microorganisms, filamentous fungi and yeasts, as well as dirt and foreign matter, performed in the period from April to June 2016. Results: analyses of ash, pH, acidity and insoluble solids were outside current standards. Microbiological analyses did not present significant contamination. Also, analyses of dirt showed insect fragments, foreign matter in almost all the samples. Conclusion: parameters of ash, pH, acidity and insoluble solids, as well as dirt and foreign matter, indicated that the samples were not in accordance with current legislation. 


2018 ◽  
Vol 40 (4) ◽  
pp. 261-267 ◽  
Author(s):  
K Tari ◽  
Z Shamsi ◽  
H Reza Ghafari ◽  
A Atashi ◽  
M Shahjahani ◽  
...  

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is increased proliferation of B-cells with peripheral blood and bone marrow involvement, which is usually observed in older people. Genetic mutations, epigenetic changes and miRs play a role in CLL pathogenesis. Del 11q, del l17q, del 6q, trisomy 12, p53 and IgVH mutations are the most important genetic changes in CLL. Deletion of miR-15a and miR-16a can increase bcl2 gene expression, miR-29 and miR-181 deletions decrease the expression of TCL1, and miR-146a deletion prevents tumor metastasis. Epigenetic changes such as hypo- and hypermethylation, ubiquitination, hypo- and hyperacetylation of gene promoters involved in CLL pathogenesis can also play a role in CLL. Expression of CD38 and ZAP70, presence or absence of mutation in IgVH and P53 mutation are among the factors involved in CLL prognosis. Use of monoclonal antibodies against surface markers of B-cells like anti-CD20 as well as tyrosine kinase inhibitors are the most important therapeutic approaches for CLL.


2020 ◽  
Vol 62 (2) ◽  
pp. 86-91
Author(s):  
Justyna Pawlak ◽  
Małgorzata Dudkiewicz ◽  
Łukasz Kikowski

Introduction: The progressing aging process and comorbidities worsen the efficiency of the balance system in the elderly, which leads to a weakening of stability and, as a consequence, to falls and injuries. The first ones lead to: worsening of functioning, reduced mobility, an increased risk of disease and mortality, therefore systematic physical activity and shaping the balance using physiotherapy, which can prevent dangerous falls is very important. Aim: Assessment of the therapeutic effect of physiotherapy on minimizing imbalances in geriatric patients. M aterial and Methods: The study group consisted of 46 people, including 32 women (69.6%) and 14 men (30.4%); average age of respondents – 72.5 years. They were patients of the Department of Rehabilitation of Poddębice Health Center, Ltd. The researchers used a self-made questionnaire, body mass to height index (BMI) and the Tinetti Test. Results: Patients with an elevated BMI (89.1%), as well as those taking more than 4 medication (78.3%), have had more falls over the past year (respectively 91.4% and 81.4%). After the use of comprehensive therapy, none of the patients achieved a worse result than before the physiotherapy while 91.3% of the respondents had an increase in the number of points scored in the Tinetti Test. The percentage of patients at high risk of falling reduced from 67.4% to 37%. There was also a decrease in the fear of walking (in 58.7%), falling (in 57.7%) and climbing stairs (in 47.9%). According to 78.3% of respondents, physiotherapy positively affected their independence and quality of life. Conclusions: The use of comprehensive physiotherapy reduces the fear of walking, climbing stairs and falling, which can be a good predictor of prevention. Both polypragmasia and an elevated body mass index (BMI) increase the risk of falling. Comprehensive physiotherapy of geriatric patients helps to improve balance and gait stereotype. Physiotherapy for the elderly helps improve the quality of life, independence, minimize imbalances, and thus reduce the risk of falls. Balance exercises play an important role in preventing falls.


Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 350
Author(s):  
Julianty Frost ◽  
Mark Frost ◽  
Michael Batie ◽  
Hao Jiang ◽  
Sonia Rocha

Hypoxia—reduction in oxygen availability—plays key roles in both physiological and pathological processes. Given the importance of oxygen for cell and organism viability, mechanisms to sense and respond to hypoxia are in place. A variety of enzymes utilise molecular oxygen, but of particular importance to oxygen sensing are the 2-oxoglutarate (2-OG) dependent dioxygenases (2-OGDs). Of these, Prolyl-hydroxylases have long been recognised to control the levels and function of Hypoxia Inducible Factor (HIF), a master transcriptional regulator in hypoxia, via their hydroxylase activity. However, recent studies are revealing that dioxygenases are involved in almost all aspects of gene regulation, including chromatin organisation, transcription and translation. We highlight the relevance of HIF and 2-OGDs in the control of gene expression in response to hypoxia and their relevance to human biology and health.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (5) ◽  
pp. 2472
Author(s):  
Carl Randall Harrell ◽  
Valentin Djonov ◽  
Vladislav Volarevic

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are self-renewable, rapidly proliferating, multipotent stem cells which reside in almost all post-natal tissues. MSCs possess potent immunoregulatory properties and, in juxtacrine and paracrine manner, modulate phenotype and function of all immune cells that participate in tissue repair and regeneration. Additionally, MSCs produce various pro-angiogenic factors and promote neo-vascularization in healing tissues, contributing to their enhanced repair and regeneration. In this review article, we summarized current knowledge about molecular mechanisms that regulate the crosstalk between MSCs and immune cells in tissue repair and regeneration.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ken Takashima ◽  
Daiki Miyahara ◽  
Takaaki Mizuki ◽  
Hideaki Sone

AbstractIn 1989, den Boer presented the first card-based protocol, called the “five-card trick,” that securely computes the AND function using a deck of physical cards via a series of actions such as shuffling and turning over cards. This protocol enables a couple to confirm their mutual love without revealing their individual feelings. During such a secure computation protocol, it is important to keep any information about the inputs secret. Almost all existing card-based protocols are secure under the assumption that all players participating in a protocol are semi-honest or covert, i.e., they do not deviate from the protocol if there is a chance that they will be caught when cheating. In this paper, we consider a more malicious attack in which a player as an active adversary can reveal cards illegally without any hesitation. Against such an actively revealing card attack, we define the t-secureness, meaning that no information about the inputs leaks even if at most t cards are revealed illegally. We then actually design t-secure AND protocols. Thus, our contribution is the construction of the first formal framework to handle actively revealing card attacks as well as their countermeasures.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 135-135
Author(s):  
Shamsi Fani ◽  
Lizette Munoz ◽  
Susana Lavayen ◽  
Blair McKenzie ◽  
Audrey Chun ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: The Acute Life Interventions Goals & Needs Program (ALIGN) at the Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City aims to work closely with high risk geriatric patients for short term intensive management of acute medical and social issues. Quantitative measures for determining success of the program is comparing emergency room visits and hospitalizations prior to and after enrollment with ALIGN. The Community Paramedicine service allows a paramedic, the ALIGN provider, and an emergency room physician to assess and triage patients in their home via video conference thereby avoiding ED visits for non-urgent services. Method: We reviewed the utilization of the Community Paramedicine service (from July 2017-February 2020) and its impact on ALIGN’s efforts to reduce unnecessary ED visits and hospitalizations. Results: 36 patients were evaluated with the Community Paramedicine service (from July 2017-February 2020). 19 or 52.8% avoided an ED visit and 17 or 47.2% were transported to the ED. 12 or 70.6% were admitted to the hospital of those that were transported to the ED initially. Top reasons for transport to ED included generalized weakness, acute mental status change (AMS), and shortness of breath (SOB). Conclusions: A Community Paramedicine program utilized by a high risk geriatrics team like ALIGN is effective in reducing ED visits and hospitalizations for the elderly population who incur greater expenses to the health care system and traditionally have poorer health outcomes.


1999 ◽  
Vol 55 (3) ◽  
pp. 9-14
Author(s):  
C. J. Eales

Health care systems for elderly people should aim to delay the onset of illness, reducing the final period of infirmity and illness to the shortest possible time. The most effective way to achieve this is by health education and preventative medicine to maintain mobility and function. Changes in life style even in late life may result in improved health, effectively decreasing the incidence of chronic diseases associated with advancing age. This paper presents the problems experienced by elderly persons with chronic diseases and disabilities with indications for meaningful therapeutic interventions.


Author(s):  
Wilson Nadruz ◽  
Brian Claggett ◽  
Alexandra Gonçalves ◽  
Gabriela Querejeta-Roca ◽  
Miguel M. Fernandes-Silva ◽  
...  

1996 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
JESSIE H. AHRONI

Diabetes is a disease that challenges all people to learn, change, and develop. Older people can be taught about diabetes from a human development perspective using Erikson's psychosocial theory of development. Developmental changes in appearance, bodily function, and health status confront almost all persons in later years. If an individual does not have coping resources or a history of successful coping, changes in health status during aging can constitute serious crises. It is important to look at and work with individuals from the context of their entire life cycle rather than in a fixed period of time. The diabetes healthcare team can make more effective use of the theories of human development and aging to enhance the effectiveness of diabetes education for the elderly.


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