Reconsidering the 'post-truth critique': Scientific controversies and pandemic responses in Brazil.

Science and Technology Studies (STS) has long been criticized for eroding science's authority and blurring the line between opinions and facts, and more recently for contributing to the emergence of 'far-right populists' and 'anti-science movements'. This article argues that 'post-truth politics' does not necessarily entail epistemic democratization. This claim is based on an investigation of the controversies surrounding public health policies during the Covid-19 pandemic in Brazil.

Establishment and characterization of an orthotopic sinonasal squamous cell carcinoma mouse model.

Background: Despite therapeutic improvements, patients with sinonasal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) still face an unfavorable prognosis and there is great need for alternative treatments.

Methods: SCCNC4 cells, originally derived from a T2N1M0 primary and untreated sinonasal SCC, were inoculated in the maxillary sinus of immunodeficient mice. Histology, invasive behavior, and genetic features were evaluated and compared with the original primary tumor.

Wood dust-related mutational profile of TP53 in intestinal-type sinonasal adenocarcinoma.

Intestinal-type sinonasal adenocarcinoma represents 8% to 25% of all malignant sinonasal cancer and is etiologically related to occupational exposure to wood dust. Despite its clear etiology, the mechanisms behind the carcinogenic effects of wood dust are unclear. Because it is known that carcinogens can leave specific mutational fingerprints, we aimed to analyze the spectrum of TP53 mutations and to relate the findings to the wood dust etiology of the patients.

Gene amplification and protein overexpression of EGFR and ERBB2 in sinonasal squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: Sinonasal squamous cell carcinomas (SNSCCs) are rare tumors with no etiologic link to tobacco or alcohol, as opposed to other squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck. Despite improvements in the field of surgery and radiotherapy, patients with these tumors still face a very unfavorable prognosis, partly because of their localization in a complex anatomic area, which has special relevance for surgery and postoperative treatment. Therefore, there is a need for new therapeutic possibilities for patients with these tumors.

Genetic model of transformation and neoplastic progression in laryngeal epithelium.

Background: The aim of this study was to analyze genetic alterations in the transformation-progression model of laryngeal tumors.

Methods: Copy number changes of 37 genes were analyzed by multiple ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) in 94 tissue samples.

Results: In the smoker normal mucosa group TP53 loss was predominant, whereas in the precursor lesions CDKN2A loss and CDKN2D gain were most frequent.

The usefulness of new serum tumor markers in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Objective: To determine the usefulness of specific and reliable serum biomarkers to predict cervical lymph node metastasis.

Methods: A cross-sectional study of cases and controls. Thirty-nine serum samples of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma were collected from patients during neoplasm resection.

Deletions of N33, STK11 and TP53 are involved in the development of lymph node metastasis in larynx and pharynx carcinomas.

Background: Lymph node metastasis is the mayor cause of mortality in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (45%). The genetic changes underlying metastasis are still largely unknown and genetic markers to predict lymph node positivity still need to be found. The aim of this study was to search such markers by using Multiplex Ligation-dependent Probe Amplification (MLPA), a semi-quantitative PCR technique to detect gene copy number alterations.

Chromosomal changes in relation to clinical outcome in larynx and pharynx squamous cell carcinoma.

Invasive head and neck squamous carcinomas are among the cytogenetically most complex tumors. Perhaps for this reason, there is little consensus on the prognostic value of specific chromosomal aberrations. Here we present results of CGH analysis of 56 clinically well-characterized set of head and neck cancers, consisting of larynx and pharynx only.