The present study aimed to investigate the impact of BRCA1 protein expression on the patients' outcome of ovarian serous carcinoma, and its correlation with different clinicopathologic features.
...Immunohistochemistry with BRCA1 was done for 80 cases of ovarian serous carcinoma that had a positive family history. Correlation with clinico-pathologic variables and patients' outcomes was investigated.
BRCA1 expression was detected in 61.2% of the studied cases. A significant relation with patients' age, tumor grade and tumor stage was found (P<0.05). Also, there was a significant decrease in disease free survival (DFS) & overall survival (OS) in the positive BRCA1 group. Metastasis, recurrence, residual disease, and mortality rate showed significantly higher figures in patient with BRCA1 expression (P<0.05).
Positive BRCA1 expression had proven to be associated with advanced stage & grade of tumors, as well as worsened prognostic survival parameters (metastasis, recurrence, residual disease, and mortality) in patients with ovarian serous carcinoma.
Purpose
Studies of the etiology of inflammatory breast cancer (IBC), a rare but aggressive breast cancer, have been hampered by limited risk factor information. We extend previous studies by ...evaluating a broader range of risk factors.
Methods
Between 2009 and 2015, we conducted a case–control study of IBC at six centers in Egypt, Tunisia, and Morocco; enrolled were 267 IBC cases and for comparison 274 non-IBC cases and 275 controls, both matched on age and geographic area to the IBC cases. We administered questionnaires and collected anthropometric measurements for all study subjects. We used multiple imputation methods to account for missing values and calculated odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using polytomous logistic regression comparing each of the two case groups to the controls, with statistical tests for the difference between the coefficients for the two case groups.
Results
After multivariable adjustment, a livebirth within the previous 2 years (OR 4.6; 95% CI 1.8 to 11.7) and diabetes (OR 1.8; 95% CI 1.1 to 3.0) were associated with increased risk of IBC, but not non-IBC (OR 0.9; 95% CI 0.3 to 2.5 and OR 0.9; 95% CI 0.5 to 1.6 for livebirth and diabetes, respectively). A family history of breast cancer, inflammatory-like breast problems, breast trauma, and low socioeconomic status were associated with increased risk of both tumor types.
Conclusions
We identified novel risk factors for IBC and non-IBC, some of which preferentially increased risk of IBC compared to non-IBC. Upon confirmation, these findings could help illuminate the etiology and aid in prevention of this aggressive cancer.
This study aimed to investigate the combined effects of Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) and Academic Procrastination (AP) on Smartphone Addiction (SA). It also aimed at investigating the relative ...contribution of SRL and academic procrastination to SA among second year- middle school learning disabled students. Moreover, it sought to explore if there were correlations between and among SRL and AP on SA. Quantitative survey research was employed. 68 students from the four schools were selected. The results revealed that there were correlations between and among SRL, AP and SA. Both SRL and AP contributed to the prediction of SA. AP is a more potential predictor than SRL. The results raise our awareness of the negative impact of SA upon students as students who are supposed to be of no risk for SA could use high SRL strategies. Additionally, students who are used to using smartphone excessively are rarely able to attain high academic achievement, and may delay doing their assigned homework.
Left ventricular fibroma is a rare benign tumour of the heart. We present the case of a 24-year-old man with left hemiplegia and bilateral popliteal artery occlusion associated with left ventricular ...mass. The patient underwent successful excision of a pedunculated mass attached to the trabeculae of left ventricular cavity. Histopathologic examination confirmed the presence of fibroma associated with septic thrombus. The association of fibroma and embolization is rare.
This research focuses on strategies for reading comprehension and engagement for students with ASD. There are few studies about the reading comprehension and word decoding of students with autism. ...Research indicates that only two studies investigated strategies to improve reading comprehension among these students. For example, a study of Reading Comprehension Profiles of High-Functioning Students on the Autism Spectrum (2012) found that using anaphoric cueing or asking students to define pronouns after they have been used in reading has been proven effective in improving reading comprehension. In another study, Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder and Literacy Instruction: An Exploratory Study of Elementary Inclusive Settings (2001), researchers found that reading comprehension improved when general education students were taught to use reciprocal questioning. This type of questioning allows students to ask the teacher questions about the reading so that students can demonstrate understanding. Further, using this strategy with general education students increased the number of questions generated, the responses to questions generated, and the responses to questions when using a story map.
Understanding molecular characteristics that distinguish inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) from non-IBC is crucial for elucidating breast cancer etiology and management. We included 3 sets of patients ...from Egypt (48 IBC and 64 non-IBC), Tunisia (24 IBC and 40 non-IBC), and Morocco (42 IBC and 41 non-IBC). Egyptian IBC patients had the highest combined erythema, edema, peau d'orange, and metastasis among the 3 IBC groups. Egyptian IBC tumors had the highest RhoC expression than Tunisians and Moroccan IBCs (87% vs. 50%, vs. 38.1, for the 3 countries, respectively). Tumor emboli were more frequent in Egyptian IBC than non-IBC (Mean ± SD: 14.1 ± 14.0 vs. 7.0 ± 12.9, respectively) (P < 0.001) and Tunisians (Mean ± SD: 3.4 ± 2.5 vs. 1.9 ± 2.0, respectively) (P < 0.01). There was no difference of emboli in Moroccan tumors (1.7 ± 1.2 vs. 1.8 ± 1.2 for IBC and non-IBC, respectively (P=0.66). This study illustrates that RhoC overexpression and tumor emboli are more frequent in IBC relative to non-IBC from Egypt and Tunisia. Tumors of Moroccans were significantly different from Egyptian and Tunisian tumors for RhoC expression and emboli. Future studies should focus on relating epidemiologic factors and clinical pictures to molecular features of IBC in these and other populations.
Background: The present study was carried out to test the antioxidant activity of lactoferrin as a dietary supplement to alleviate the effects of oxidative stress induced by mercury toxicity. ...Hematological and biochemical assays were employed to evaluate the ameliorating effects of lactoferrin. Methods: Sixty male Wistar rats were allotted randomly and equally into three groups; animals in Group 1 served as untreated control, animals in Group 2 were administered orally with mercuric chloride (HgCl 2 ) at the dose of 6 mg/kg bw/day, and animals in Group 3 were administered with HgCl 2 at the same dose and orally dosed with lactoferrin (400 mg/kg bw/day). Hematological indices (erythrocytic and total leukocytic counts, hemoglobin concentration%, and packed cell volume, (PCV%), and biochemical parameters (serum and homogenates of liver and kidney tissues) were assessed in all animals. Serum and tissue homogenate levels of total thiols, glutathione (GSH), catalase, and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) represented the antioxidant markers. The oxidation markers were represented by H 2 O 2 and malondialdehyde (MDA). Results: Compared to the untreated control group, animals in Group 2 (administered with HgCl 2 ) exhibited significantly increased levels of serum enzymes (alanine transferase (ALT), aspertate transferase (AST), and alkaline phosphatase), urea, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, H 2 O 2 , and MDA. These animals showed significantly decreased levels of erythrocytic and total leukocytic counts, hemoglobin concentration, PCV%, total proteins, total thiols, GSH, catalase, and TAC. The hematological and biochemical changes were comparatively reversed toward the control levels in animals of Group 3 (administered with HgCl 2 and orally dosed with lactoferrin). The reversed levels of hematological and biochemical parameters were significantly different compared to Group 2. Conclusions: Based on the encountered amelioration of the assayed hematological and biochemical parameters in animals treated with HgCl 2 and given lactoferrin, it could be concluded that lactoferrin as a dietary supplement might function as an efficient antioxidant to alleviate the oxidative stress induced by mercury toxicity.
The present study was conducted with the aim of investigating the effect of exergames in improving the motor memory and inhibitory control of children with executive functions disorder. Children, ...selected by simple random method were divided into two groups: experimental (n = 16) and control (n = 16). Circle drawing task, and The Serial Reaction Time Task were used to collect and analyze data. The current study is a randomized control trial (RCT) type of research with a two-group pretest, post-test, and follow up -test design in terms of the purpose of applied research and the method of data collection. T-test results for the differences in post- test mean scores between the two groups in motor memory and inhibitory control showed that the treatment group outperformed the control group. There were statistical differences between pre and post measures in favor of post test, and between pre and follow up measures in favor of follow up test, but no statistical differences between post and follow up test. This study demonstrates that it is possible to enhance motor memory and inhibitory control of children with executive functions disorder using exergames intervention.
Immunotherapeutic targets became one of the promising approaches in breast cancer (BC), especially in advanced stage triple-negative subtype (TNBC). However, the role of programmed cell death ligand ...1 (PD-L1) targeting in other BC subtypes, especially in early-stage carcinoma is less explored. We aimed in this study to investigate the prevalence of PD-L1 in early-stage invasive BC of different molecular subtypes and to elucidate its relation to tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILS) density (cytotoxic and regulatory T-cells), established clinicopathological factors and patients' outcome.
One hundred and nine cases of early-stage BC were enrolled in our study. Cases were classified into five molecular subtypes according to the Immunohistochemical data. PD-L1, FOXP3 and CD8 immunostaining were analyzed for all studied cases. PD-L1 expression was correlated with CD8+ cytotoxic T-cells, FOXP3+ regulatory T-cells, histopathologic parameters, BC molecular subtypes, 7-years disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS).
PD-L1 was expressed in 11% of the studied early-stage BC cases. It showed a significant correlation with high tumor grade (p= <0.001), development of metastasis (p=0.037), high FOXP3+ T-cell density (p= <0.001) and low CD8+ T-cells density (p= <0.001). PD-L1 expression was higher in TNBC (16.1%), followed by HER2/neu-enriched group (14.3%). All luminal A cases showed negative PD-L1 expression. PD-L1 was found to be an independent prognostic factor for patients' survival (DFS; p=0.031 and OS: p=0.04).
Although the impact of PD-L1 on early-stage BC outcomes had not been clearly established, our results indicated that PD-L1 is a negative prognostic marker in early settings. PD-L1 can serve as a new therapeutic target for patients with high-grade early-stage breast carcinoma.
Amplification of Her-2/neu gene occurs in 25–30% of breast carcinomas. FDA approved trastuzumab (Herceptin) is effective only in tumors having the gene amplification. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) for ...Her-2/neu protein is widely used but false positive and false negative results exist. Fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH) has both excellent sensitivity and specificity in detecting Her-2/neu amplification. Comparative studies have shown discordant results in proportion of cases with equivocal 2+ immunostain. This study is thus conducted to ascertain the frequency of Her-2/neu gene amplification by FISH in breast carcinoma specified as score 2+ by IHC and to correlate these findings with parameters of prognosis in breast cancer.
From October 2008 till May 2010 all paraffin blocks from cases with invasive breast carcinoma which were scored as 2+ by IHC were eligible for the study, there were 50 cases. Immunohistochemical evaluation of Her-2/neu was performed using the HercepTest. All cases were immunohistochemically evaluated for ER and PR. FISH was performed using FDA approved Path-Vysion Her-2/neu/CEP 17 dual color probe.
Nine cases (18%) out of 50 cases scored as Her-2/neu 2+ by IHC showed true gene amplification with a median value of scoring ratio 4.28 ranging from 2.37 to 13.26. Another two cases showed low level of amplification but when corrected for Her-2/neu/CEP ratio they did not show true amplification as they were associated with polysomy 17. With the exception of tumor size, neither patient’s age, histologic grade nor lymph node status were correlated with Her-2/neu gene amplification. Significant inverse correlation existed between Her-2/neu gene amplification and ER (P=0.01), PR status (P<0.001).
Even though FISH is a more complex and expensive procedure, it should be considered the method of choice for assessment of Her-2/neu gene status especially for equivocal cases by IHC that are not accompanied by true gene amplification in the majority of breast carcinoma cases.
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