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Effect on Poly(C6H5NH2) Emeraldine Salt by FeCl3 and KMnO4 as Secondary Dopants
Get PDFPolyaniline in its emeraldine salt form was synthesized by chemical method from aniline monomer in the presence of HCl mixed with LiCl and Ammonium-persulphate (APS) as oxidant. Then a portion of samples was de-doped with NH3 solution and another equal portion was separately post doped with secondary dopants such as FeCl3 and KMnO4 respectively. Finally the dried samples of polyaniline prepared in all its three different forms were characterized by ultraviolet – visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, Fourier- Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and electrical conductivity measurement. FT-IR and UV-Vis spectra confirmed the expected structural modification upon doping, undoping and post doping processes of the polymer. The influences of secondary doping on the electrical conductivity were also investigated from their spectroscopic data and the dramatic rise in conductivity was said to be induced from the secondary doping is attributed by structural rearrangement from a compact-coil form of PANI to a more expanded conformation. The result also shows that secondary doping increased the conjugation. Their measured electrical conductivities were from 0.02 for undoped, 156 for primary doped form and increasing from 158 to 210 S/cm for those secondary doped polyaniline
Comparative Study of Biochemical and Nutritional Status of Breast Cancer Patients on Chemotherapy/radiotherapy in Ibadan
Get PDFA comparative study of BCA patients on chemotherapy/radiotherapy and immune booster supplements (combination of essential vitamins and minerals) with apparently healthy controls was investigated by assessing the lipid profile, hepatic transaminases (plasma AST, ALT) total bilurubin, lipid peroxidation and enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant-superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and plasma vitamins C and E respectively. There was no significant difference (p0.05) in total cholesterol, but we observed a significant increase in triglyceride level in BCA patients compared to control. Protein concentration decreased significantly (p0.05) in BCA patients, compared to control. SOD and vitamin C levels were not significantly different while vitamin E decreased significantly (p0.05) in BCA patients compared to control. Lipid peroxidation increased (p0.05) in BCA patients compared to control. We observed an increase in AST, a decrease in ALT and total proteins in BCA patients that were significant and a non-significant decrease in the bilirubin level when compared with control.The results support the fact that BCA patients on chemotherapy have altered dietary intake and the enhanced metabolism of lipids and proteins may increased oxidative stress
Methods other than Experimental Animals for Screening Antitumor Compounds
Get PDFSome scientists avoid the work with experimental animals. For that, it is important to describe alternative methods. In this review, some bioassays were described as an alternative for the experimental animals. The concept of cancer formation was discussed to show why such bioassays are useful for detecting antitumor compounds. The bioassays described in this review are technical, practical and recommended as a preliminary screening of large samples for the existences of antitumor activities. Such bioassays could reduce the pain of the experimental animals
Sulforaphane Induces Cell Cycle Arrest, Migration, Invasion, and Apoptosis in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Cells
Get PDFObjectives: Isothiocyanates (ITC) has long been shown to demonstrate chemopreventive properties. Sulforaphane (SFN) is a major ITC present in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables. We reviewed the current literatures of SFN on ovarian carcinoma cell lines. Methods: Studies were conducted on the effects of SFN on the growth of the OVCAR-3, MDAH 2774 and SKOV-3 ovarian carcinoma cell lines. Chuang et al. evaluated the effect of SFN on ovarian cancer cell cycles. Subsequently Chaudhuri et al. determined the specific pathway that was affected and Bryant et al. explored the signaling mechanisms through which SFN influences the cell growth and proliferation in ovarian cancer cell lines. Results: Chuang et al. showed a concentration dependent decrease in cell density. Analysis of cell cycle phase progression revealed a decrease in the cell populations in S and G2M phases, with an increase of G1 cell population, indicating a G1 cell cycle arrest. The degree of decrease in the replicating population was concentration and time dependent. These results clearly demonstrated an effect of SFN in inducing growth arrest and apoptosis in ovarian carcinoma cell lines. Chaudhuri et al. investigated the effects of sulforaphane on Akt signal transduction pathway. Both total Akt protein and active phosphorylated levels of Akt and phosphoinositide 3-kinase were significantly decreased in sulforaphane-treated ovarian cancer cell lines. Utilizing gene expression profile analysis, Bryant et al. showed SFN treatment resulted in G1 cell cycle arrest through down modulation of RB phosphorylation and by protecting the RB-E2F-1 complex. Conclusions: SFN induced growth arrest and cell death in ovarian cancer cells in G1 cell cycle arrest. The Akt pathway was identified as the possible target for SFN. SFN suppresses growth of ovarian cancer cells in vitro by modulating cell cycle regulatory proteins and by enhancing apoptosis. Inhibition of retinoblastoma (RB) phosphorylation and reduction in levels of free E2F-1 appear to play an important role in ovarian cancer growth arrest, migration, and invasion
Solitary Osseous Plasmacytoma of the Head and Neck
Get PDFPurpose: This study aimed to report the characteristics and treatment outcome of 8 patients with solitary osseous plasmacytoma of the head and neck with special focus on mandibular plasmacytoma.Materials and Methods: The study was conducted on 8 patients with solitary osseous plasmacytoma of the head and neck who were treated at two academic tertiary referral hospitals between 1999 and 2010. All the patients were treated with curative intent. Four patients (50%) were primarily treated with radiotherapy alone at initial diagnosis, one patient (12.5%) underwent surgery alone, and 3 patients (37.5%) were treated with gross tumor resection followed by radiotherapy. The median total radiation dose was 46 (range 30-50) GY.Results: There were 4 women and 4 men aging from 37 to 73 years, with a median and mean age of 52 years at diagnosis. Pain (in 7 cases) and swelling (in 5 cases) were the most common presentations. Mandible (in 4 cases) was the most frequent primary site. The median tumor size was 4.8 (range 3.5-6) cm. After a median follow-up of 44 months (range 27-79 months), 5 patients are alive and without disease, one is alive with multiple myeloma, and two died of multiple myeloma.Conclusion: Solitary osseous plasmacytomas of the head and neck have a propensity to involve the mandibular bones and response well to effective local treatments of radiotherapy and/or surgery. These Patients tend to progress to multiple myeloma even years after the initial treatment
Accumulation of the Mutations in Basal Core Promoter of Hepatitis B Virus Subgenotype C1 Increase the Risk of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Southern China
Get PDFBackground: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotype C is associated with the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In addition, HBV subgenotype C1 is the major subgenotype in Southern China. The aim of this study was to investigate whether there were the specific mutation patterns in HBV/C1 associated with Southern Chinese patients with HCC. Methods: Mutations in HBV basal core promoter (BCP) and their association with HCC were assessed in a matched cross-sectional control study of 102 HCC and 105 chronic hepatitis (CH) patients (from Guangdong, China) infected with HBV/C1. Functional analysis of HBx mutants was performed by the colony formation assay and the luciferase assays. Results: T1762/A1764 double mutations was frequently found in patients infected with HBV/C1, regardless of clinical status (64.7% in HCC and 51.4% in CH, P0.05). Unexpectedly, the adjacent V1753 or A1768 mutation significantly increased the risk of HCC (P0.05). Moreover, the prevalence of triple or quadruple mutations in BCP was significantly higher in patients with HCC than those with CH, particularly for HBeAg-positive-carriers (P0.05). Functional analysis revealed that T1762/A1764 mutation alone did not alter the transcriptional activity and the inhibitory effects on cell proliferation of HBx, but triple or quadruple mutations largely abrogated this effect.Conclusions: Accumulation of mutations involving V1753 or/and A1768 in addition to T1762/A1764 in BCP region were closely related to HCC among the patients infected with HBV/C1, particularly for HBeAg-positive-carriers. The increased risk of HCC caused by BCP variants may be attributable partially to modifying the biological functions of HBx
Lymph Node Involvement in Endometrial Cancer
No full textObjectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcome of pelvic and/or para-aortic lymph node dissection in patients with endometrial cancer with regard to lymph node positivity.Materials and Methods: Retrospective chart review of 125 women with pathologically proven endometrial carcinoma who underwent a systematic surgical staging including lymphadenectomy between January 2006 and January 2011 was performed. Patients’ characteristics, histological findings, lymph node localization and involvement were analyzed. Detailed description of the extirpated and affected lymph nodes divided by area in the 125 patients with endometrial cancer were done.Results: The medical records for 125 patients were eligible for analysis. The mean number of all lymph nodes removed in operation was 38.9±14.194 (range 9 to 81 nodes). The mean number of pelvic lymph nodes (PLN) removed was 32±11.747 (range 9 to 75 nodes) and the mean number of para-aortic lymph nodes (PALN) removed was 7±5.123 (range 0 to 20 nodes). In the 24 patients with nodal metastasis, the mean number of all lymph nodes removed was 37.88±17.501 (range 9 to 81 nodes). The mean number of PLNs removed was 30.71±14.79 (range 9 to 66 nodes) and the mean number of PALNs removed was 7.17±4.198 (range 0 to 16 nodes).Nodal metastasis was shown in 24 (19.2%) patients. Isolated pelvic lymph node metastasis was shown in nine (37%) patients; isolated para-aortic lymph node metastasis was shown in one (4%) patient; both pelvic and para-aortic lymph node metastasis was shown in 14 (59%) patients. The most affected lymph node area was left external iliac artery with a ratio of 14%.Conclusions: In the field of gynecologic cancer surgery, for the determination of adequate number of lymph nodes to be retrieved, lymph node mapping plays a crucial role, and this issue should be investigated in studies performed with larger number of cases in order to standardize procedure of lymphadenectomy
A Family with Co-existing SDHB and SDHD Mutations Causing Hereditary Paraganglioma Syndrome
Get PDFIntroduction: We report the co-occurrence of a SDHD and a SDHB mutation in a family with hereditary paraganglioma syndrome. We compare this finding to simultaneous haploinsufficiency of BRCA1 and BRCA2.Presentation of Case: The 28 year old proband presented as an isolated case in the family with a malignant phaeochromocytoma. Sequencing and MLPA of SDHD and SDHB were performed. A SDHD splice site mutation, c.169+5GA, was identified in the proband, his sister and their father. In addition, a SDHB exon 1 deletion was identified by MLPA in the proband, his sister and their mother. Both mutations have been described previously and considered to be pathogenic. An appropriate screening programme was instituted for carrier relatives. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first report of two SDH subunit mutations in a single family. Though there was no family history to suggest inherited disorder, the simultaneous testing of both genes was diagnostic. The family history is consistent with suggestions that the penetrance of SDHB/SDHD mutations is lower than initially thought
Cancer Stem Cell Markers in Esophageal Cancer
Get PDFEsophageal carcinoma is one of the most malignant of all tumors, and affected patients have low survival rates. The lack of good prognostic and therapeutic targets indicate the mysterious biology of this cancer. Recently, studies with cancer stem cells (CSCs) revealed some clues for better understanding of cancer biology and development. CSCs are derived from normal stem cells and have essential roles in tumor initiation and development of malignancies, such as esophageal carcinoma. Self-renewal studies in CSCs have improved our understanding of the factors that regulate CSCs behaviour and may result in improved prognostic markers and new therapeutic targets. Abnormal activity of major cell signaling pathways such as Shh, Notch, and Wnt play important roles in converting stem cells from normal to cancerous. This manuscript reviews the importance of several processes in the maintenance of esophageal CSCs and introduces probable useful markers for CSC based ESCC therapy
Feasibility of Multisolutions Optimization Technique for Real-Time HDR Brachytherapy of Prostate
Get PDFThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of multisolutions optimization algorithm for High Dose Rate (HDR) brachytherapy of prostate. In this retrospective study, we included data from 20 prostate cancer patients who underwent ultrasound based real time HDR Brachytherapy at institution. The treatment plans of all 20 patients were optimized in Oncentra Prostate treatment planning system (TPS) using inverse dose volume histogram based optimization followed by graphical optimization (GRO) in real time. The data of all the patients were retrieved later, and the treatment plans were re-optimized using multisolutions dose volume histogram based optimization (MDVHO) and multisolutions variance based optimization (MVBO) algorithms with same set of dose constraints, same number of catheters, and same contour set as in GRO. Several Pareto optimal solutions were obtained by varying the weighting factors of composite objective function in finite steps of adequate resolutions. These solutions were then stored in the database of TPS and same decision criteria was employed to pick the final solution using a decision engine. The average values for planning target volume receiving 100% of prescribed dose (V100) for MDVHO, MVBO, and GRO were 95.03%, 86.72% and 97.56%, respectively. The average V100 due to MDVHO was statistically significant (P = 0.002) in comparison to MVBO, whereas the average V100 due to MDVHO and GRO was not statistically significant (P = 0.066). In conclusion, the MDVHO can provide comparable solutions to typical clinical optimizations using GRO within clinically reasonable amount of time. In most of the cases, the plans created by MVBO were not clinically acceptable without users’ further manual intervention