Vitamin D-Loaded Nanostructured Lipid Carrier (NLC): A New Strategy for Enhancing Efficacy of Doxorubicin in Breast Cancer Treatment

The dangerous dose-dependent side effects of anticancer agents triggered the finding of new approaches for elevated chemotherapy efficacy. This study investigated the potential application of nanostructured lipid careers (NLCs) in increasing vitamin D₃ (VitD) effectiveness in breast cancer cell (MCF-7) in concurrent administration with doxorubicin (Dox). VitD-loaded NLCs were characterized by particle size, zeta potential, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscope. Cytotoxicity and molecular effects of formulation were evaluated by MTT, DAPI staining, flow cytometry, and real-time quantitative PCR assays. The formulation revealed mean particle size of 87±5 nm with a polydispersity index of 0.24 confirmed by SEM images. The IC₅₀ values for VitD and Dox were 1.3 ± 0.04 and 0.65 ± 0.05 µM, respectively. VitD-loaded NLCs decreased the percentage of cell proliferation from 49 ± 7.2% to 37 ± 5.1% (P < 0.05). Cotreatment of the cells with VitD-loaded NLCs and Dox caused over a twofold increase in the percentage of apoptosis (P < 0.05). Gene expression profile demonstrated a significant decrease in antiapoptotic factor survivin along with increase in proapoptotic factor Bax mRNA levels. Overall, our results introduced the NLC technology as a novel strategy to elevate the efficacy of chemotherapeutics in breast cancer.     

A study of sexual health information among Central Michigan University students

Journal of Public Health - College students are presumed to be exposed to a vast amount of sexual health information and may participate in various sexual behaviors. Without appropriate sources of...     

Leptin and its association with polycystic ovary syndrome: a twin study

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrinopathy with symptoms such as obesity, insulin resistance and hyperandrogenemia. PCOS might be the result of a genetic disorder. Genetic discrepancy in the production of leptin, a product of the obesity gene, may lead to various endocrinopathies such as PCOS. The objective of this study was first, to ascertain the incidence of PCOS, using the gold standard; second, to ascertain the genetic property of leptin; and third, to evaluate the association between leptin concentration and PCOS. A total of 154 Tehran-resident female–female twins were studied. They included 48 pairs of monozygotic (MZ) and 29 pairs of dyzygotic (DZ) twins, aged 15–45 years. Clinical, ultrasound and biochemical findings were used to diagnose PCOS. The incidence of PCOS using biochemical and clinical features was 16.2%. The correlation coefficient between serum leptin levels of MZ twins was higher than that of the DZ twins. The serum level of leptin was similar between subjects with or without PCOS, irrespective of their zygosity. It was concluded that the incidence of PCOS is high among twins, and that leptin is likely to be genetically determined, although the effect of environmental factors cannot be denied. This study did not find any association between the diagnosis of PCOS and leptin level. However, the link between the two may lie with other entities such as eating disorders and/or obesity.     

The Impact of Intimate Partner Violence on the Mental Health of Pregnant Women Residing in Slum Areas: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background

Intimate partner violence is one of the most common types of violence, and the association between intimate partner violence and mental health has serious implications for public health. This article aimed at investigating the impact of IPV on the mental health of pregnant women who reside in slum areas.

Methods

A group of 456 women living in slum areas was investigated. The Conflict Tactics Scale was used to measure the respondent’s experience of different types of IPV during the past year. General Health Questionnaire-28 was used to measure the likelihood that an individual had a psychiatric disorder.

Results

A total of 456 pregnant women aged ≥ 20 years were interviewed using a shortened version of the Conflict Tactics Scale and the General Health Questionnaire. All types of intimate partner violence were found to be associated with various mental health problems (p < 0.05). Overall, physical (AOR: 3.61; 95% CI 2.11–6.17) and sexual (AOR: 1.72; 95% CI 1.01–2.94) violence increased the odds of probable psychiatric disorders in victims compared with their counterparts who had not experienced such types of violence.

Conclusions

Further research is needed on the relationship between intimate partner violence and other mental health problems, protocols to screen for intimate partner violence in healthcare settings, and supportive services.

     

Idiopathic Hirsutism or Polycystic Ovary Syndrome?

Summary: Polycystic ovaries (PCO) were detected using ultrasound imaging in a series of 173 women who presented with significant hirsutism and in some cases with irregular menstruation. Patients were divided into 3 groups. Those with hirsutism and regular menstruation (cycles >8 per year, Group 1, n = 96); those with hirsutism and oligomenorrhoea (cycles < 8 per year, Group 2, n = 44) and those with hirsutism and amenorrhoea (cycles <2 per year, group 3, n = 33). These 3 groups were compared with subjects with normal ovaries and regular cycles of 26–34 days and without hirsutism (n = 29) and also with a group of women with PCO and regular cycles who had no sign of hirsutism (n = 90). PCO were found in 86% of Group 1, 97% of Group 2 and 94% of women within Group 3. The results suggest that the term 'idiopathic hirsutism' may not be appropriate .
An abnormal biochemical test consisting of a luteinizing hormone level >9 U/L, testosterone level >2.2 nmol/L, sex hormone binding globulin <32 nmol/L or free androgen index >4.5 was 100%, 91% and 76% sensitive for detecting PCO amongst women with amenorrhoea, oligomenorrhoea and idiopathic hirsutism respectively.     

Is 3alpha-androstenol pheromone related to menstrual synchrony?

BACKGROUND AND METHODOLOGY: The ovarian cycles of females living and interacting together may synchronise due to pheromones released from axillary secretary glands, the highest concentration of which is produced in the mid-follicular phase, prior to ovulation. The objective of this study was to find evidence for menstrual synchrony in a group of female students living together and to obtain a correlation between the ability to smell the putative pheromone, 5alpha-androst-16-en-3alpha-ol (3alpha-androstenol), found in apocrine secretions and menstrual synchrony. This cross-sectional study involved 88 students who completed a standard questionnaire and whose sense of smell was measured using ten varying thresholds. The menstrual history, friendship scale and menstrual hygiene score was determined for the participants. RESULTS: A total of 59.1% of the subjects studied were found to have menstrual synchrony. There was no significant association between menstrual synchrony and smelling threshold. However, a significant correlation was found between menstrual synchrony and personal hygiene score (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The phenomenon of menstrual synchrony may be related to various factors. The results failed to demonstrate any significant difference between synchronised and non-synchronised subjects in detecting the steroid by sense of smell. However, the odours associated with menstrual blood or vaginal discharge might have an affect on menstrual synchrony.     

Oral malignant melanoma diagnosed in an Iranian population over an 11-year period

Objective

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of oral malignant melanoma along with age range and site of presentation over an 11-year period in Iran.

Materials and methods

The files of Tehran Cancer Institute served as a source of material for this study. Files were systematically searched for all malignant melanomas and oral malignant melanomas during an 11-year period. Prepared slides and demographic data from the biopsy files were reviewed. Statistical analysis was performed with the use of SPSS.

Results

Of the 38,993 cases accessed during the 11-year period, 569 were identified as malignant melanomas, while 41 cases among this group had malignant oral melanomas comprising 0.1% of the total cases and 7.2% of all the malignant melanoma lesions.

Conclusion

The palate was the most common location for oral malignant melanoma. Thus, all melanocytic lesions in the palate should be viewed with caution, and biopsy is recommended to rule out melanoma.     

Quantitative analysis of argyrophilic nuclear organizer regions in giant cell lesions of jaws

J Oral Pathol Med (2010) 39 : 431–434 Background: Giant cell lesions of the jaws are considerably similar according to histopathologic characteristics yet show different clinical behaviors. These lesions include central giant cell granuloma (CGCG), aneurysmal bone cyst, Cherubism, and Brown tumor associated with hyperparathyroidism. The present study aimed to investigate AgNORs count in these lesions as a proliferative marker and to determine whether it can be used to discriminate between them or not. Methods: Forty‐one cases of giant cell lesions of jaws were retrived from Oral Pathology Department (1987–2007). They included 21 cases of CGCG, eight cases of aneurysmal bone cyst (ABC), six cases of Cherubism, six cases of Brown tumor. The mean AgNORs count was calculated for all cases. To compare mean AgNORs in groups of lesions, ANOVA test was performed. Results: Mean AgNOR counts were: (0/85 ± 0/29) in CGCG, (0/76 ± 0/32) in ABC (0/87 ± 0/10) in Cherubism and (0/82 ± 0/16) in Brown tumor. A significant difference was not observed in AgNOR counts among these groups of lesions. Conclusions: Jaws giant cell containing lesions have no acceptable differences in mean AgNORs.