Association of sporadic breast cancer with <Emphasis Type="Italic">PTEN/MMAC1/TEP1</Emphasis> promoter hypermethylation

PTEN/MMAC1/TEP1 encodes a tumor suppressor protein, which regulates cell cycle progression, translation, and apoptosis by blocking the activation of Akt/PKB. The loss of PTEN function increases cell survival and induces tumor invasion. In this study, PTEN promoter status and its correlation with genetic and pathologic parameters were analyzed in genomic DNA from Iranian patients with breast cancer. DNA methylation patterns in the CpG islands were determined by a methylation-specific PCR (MSP) assay. PTEN promoter methylation was found to be present in 37 of 53(70%) tumor tissues and none in 20 normal counterparts. Moreover, promoter methylation was found in patients with heterozygote mutation in the PTEN gene. The pathological history of cancerous tissue sections showed that PTEN gene could be inactivated at the stages III and IV in sporadic breast cancer. These findings suggested that promoter hypermethylation of PTEN might contribute to the progression of sporadic breast cancer in human.     

Erectile dysfunction among hemodialysis patients

Objective  

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a distressing problem in hemodialysis patients. A combination of organic and psychological factors has been reported to take part in the pathophysiology of this condition. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of sexual dysfunction among hemodialysis patients.     

Spatial and temporal evaluation of cell attachment to printed polycaprolactone microfibres

Surface topography plays a crucial role in influencing cellular responses and has therefore been utilized in the development of numerous implantable devices. Whilst numerous studies have either investigated cell attachment or migration post-attachment, few have looked at the early-stages of this process temporally. The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of time-lapse microscopy to study the behaviour of fibroblasts cultured with polycaprolactone microfibres and to assess spatially and temporally the cell–structure interaction over a 24 h period. Ordered polymeric structures were printed (predetermined) onto glass substrates using an electrohydrodynamic direct write process to produce fine (3–5 μm wide) structures. Fibroblast attachment and migration were characterized as a function of distance perpendicular from structures (～17.3, 34.6 and 51.9 μm). The use of time-lapse microscopy revealed a gradual decrease in cell attachment as the distance from the microfibres was increased. The technique also revealed that some cells were attaching and detaching from the microfibre multiple times. Our findings demonstrate that time-lapse microscopy is a useful technique for evaluating early-stage cell–biomaterial interaction that is capable of recording important events that might otherwise be overlooked.     

Determining age- and sex-related changes in serum biochemical and electrolytes profile of beluga (Huso huso)

The age- and sex-related change of serum biochemical and electrolytes blood parameters of beluga (Huso huso) in culture conditions were investigated. Blood samples were obtained from 4-, 6-, 7- and 8-year-old beluga (n?=?7 for each sex and age) reared in culture conditions. Alb, bilirubin and TOP levels in 7- and 8-year-old fish of both sexes were significantly higher (p?<?0.05) than in 4- and 6-year-old fish. The mean values of Glc were significantly different (p?<?0.05) in both sexes of 6-, 7- and 8-year-old cultured fish. However, the 8-year-old fish of both sexes had higher CHO and TGL levels than the others (p?<?0.05). There were no significant differences (p?<?0.05) among all electrolyte levels in the fish serum of both sexes. These results suggest that the blood parameters of beluga are affected by age- and sex-related factors. These findings provide some information for the environmental and aquaculture officials responsible for future decisions regarding the management and rearing of fish used for human purposes.     

A prospective study of alcohol consumption and renal cell carcinoma risk

Recent epidemiological studies suggest that alcohol consumption may reduce renal cell carcinoma (RCC) risk, although inconsistent findings have been reported by sex and alcoholic beverage type. To better understand the relationship between alcohol consumption and RCC risk, we conducted an analysis within the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial. We followed up participants in the analytic cohort (N = 107,998) through 2010 for incident RCC (N = 408), and computed hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for alcohol intake using Cox regression with adjustment for age, sex, race, study center, hypertension, body mass index, and smoking status. In this study population increasing alcohol consumption was associated with reduced RCC risk compared to non‐drinkers (>9.75 g day^?1: HR, 0.67; 95%CI, 0.50 to 0.89; p trend = 0.002). We observed similar patterns of association for men and women as well as by alcohol beverage type. In analyses stratified by smoking status, the inverse association with consumption was apparent for ever smokers (HR, 0.51; 95%CI, 0.36 to 0.73; p trend<0.0001) but not among never smokers (HR, 1.08; 95%CI, 0.66 to 1.76; P trend = 0.78; p interaction = 0.01). Our study findings offer further support that alcohol consumption is associated with reduced RCC risk, regardless of sex or alcoholic beverage type. The finding of interaction with smoking is novel and requires confirmation.     

Orbital Doppler evaluation of blood flow velocities in optic neuritis

Purpose

To evaluate orbital blood flow velocities and optic nerve diameter with Doppler and gray-scale sonography in patients with acute unilateral optic neuritis (ON).

Methods

Orbital Doppler and gray-scale sonography was performed in 46 eyes of 23 patients aged 19- to 47-years with acute unilateral ON. ON was diagnosed by an ophthalmologist on the basis of clinical presentation, presence of decreased visual acuity and assessment of visual evoked potentials. The peak systolic velocity (PSV) and end-diastolic velocity (EDV), as well as the resistance index (RI) and pulsatile index (PI) of the ophthalmic artery (OA), central retinal artery (CRA), posterior ciliary arteries (PCAs) and optic nerve diameter were measured in both eyes. We compared results from affected and unaffected eyes using the paired t-test. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves was used to assess the diagnosis of ON based on measured blood flow parameters of the OA, CRA and PCAs and optic nerve diameter.

Results

The mean (standard deviation) optic nerve diameter in eyes with ON was 4.1 (0.8) mm, which was significantly larger than the 3.0 (0.4) mm diameter measured in unaffected control eyes (p < 0.001). There were no differences in average PSV, EDV, RI, or PI of the OA and CRA between affected and unaffected eyes (p > 0.05). The mean RI in the PCAs was slightly lower in the eyes with ON than in the contralateral eyes (0.60 vs. 0.64, p < 0.05). The area under the ROC curves indicated that optic nerve diameter was the best parameter for the diagnosis of ON.

Conclusions

Optic nerve diameter was related to ON, but orbital blood flow parameters were not.     

TNF-Alpha Gene Polymorphisms in Iranian Azari Turkish Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Diseases

Context:

Crohn''s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) are chronic inflammatory diseases of the bowel (IBD) whose causes are not fully known. Emerging data indicate that alterations in cytokine synthesis may play a role in IBD pathogenesis.

Aims:

We aimed to determine the association between tumor necrosis factor-alfa (TNFα) promoter polymorphisms (at positions − 308 and − 1031) and susceptibility to IBD among Iranian Azari Turkish patients.

Settings and Design:

One hundred and one patients with IBD and 100 healthy subjects were analyzed.

Materials and Methods:

Both polymorphisms in the promoter region of the TNFα gene at positions -1031T/C and -308G/A were detected by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism assay. All statistical analyses were calculated with SPSS for Windows 16.0. The Fisher''s exact test was used to test for departure from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium of the genotype frequencies (P > 0.05).

Results:

The allele frequency of the TNFα-308G and -1031T were higher in IBD patients but did not reach statistical significance. However, the homozygous TT genotype for the SNP-1031 T > C was significantly higher in UC patients than in healthy controls (P = 0.01) and the heterozygous CT genotype for the SNP -1031 T > C was significantly lower in UC patients than in healthy controls (P = 0.03).

Conclusions:

The TNFα-1031 T allele confers a significant risk for developing UC in Iranian Azeri Turkish patients. Also the frequency of TNFα-1031 C allele was considerably low among patients with UC and it may have protective role among them (OR = 0.43; P = 0.01).