Dietary isoflavones, the modulator of breast carcinogenesis: Current landscape and future perspectives

Breast cancer is a frightful disease and serious concern in women around the world causing significant health care burden in both developed and developing countries. Extensive research work has shown that breast cancer provides strong resistance to chemical agents, UV radiation, and hormonal treatments. It is generally accepted that cell genetics is not the only main reason for breast cancer and genetic risk factors, for example, mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes constitute 5%-10% of all breast cancer rates. Other related factors include age, gender, race, ethnicity, weight, reproductive factors, exo- and endogenous hormonal exposures, oral contraceptives use, ultraviolet radiation, diet, and night work (circadian disruption). Many studies have revealed that dietary isoflavones regulate breast cancer occurrence, recurrence and prognosis. Dietary isoflavones have long been part of Asian population diet and there is a significant increase as compared to dietary isoflavones intake among other populations. Dietary isoflavones are natural phytoestrogens having both estrogenic and anti-estrogenic potentials on breast cancer cells in culture, animal models and in experimental trials. This literature survey provides a comprehensive overview on the tumor preventive and tumor promoting potentials of dietary isoflavones on breast cancer. In addition, this paper provides a literature review of dietary isoflavones and their effects on up-regulation and down-regulation of different signaling pathways, genes and proteins. Finally, future perspectives of dietary isoflavones and breast cancer researchers are also critically discussed, which will provide a deeper insight regarding the inner molecular mechanisms of action.

effect of premedication with peppermint oil capsules [Colpermin] prior to colonoscopy: a double blind randomized placebo-controlled trial

Background and study aims: colonoscopy is the cornerstone of diagnosing colonic diseases. Investigators have evaluated the effectiveness of antispasmodic agents in colonoscopy with conflicting evidence. The aim of this study is to determine the efficacy of enteric coated peppermint oil capsules [Colpermin®], an antispasmodic agent, on outcomes during colonoscopy

Patients and methods: a total of 80 patients undergoing elective colonoscopy were recruited and randomized in a double blinded fashion to receive either placebo or peppermint oil capsules administered 4 h prior to the procedure

Results: peppermint oil capsules did not affect caecal intubation time when compared with placebo. Patients' tolerance, endoscopist's satisfaction and demand on sedation were also not affected

Conclusion: this randomized controlled trial does not support the routine use of peppermint oil capsules prior to colonoscopy as a tool for procedure optimization, and patients' and endoscopist's satisfaction

Evaluation the Reality of Students to Practice the Skills of Media Education in the light of the Multiple Sources of Media Literacy and its Effects- Survey on a sample of high school students in the Saudi public education

Aims: The study aimed to determine the list of the skills of media education for students, building scale to know degree of students to practice these skills, apply the scale interviewer on study sample and reached to visualize the most important suggestions to activate the students practice the skills of media education that enable them to strengthen positive effects and counteract the negative effects of the multiplicity of sources to get the media literacy

Methods: The study used a survey method

Sample: A sample of 400 single of high school students in Saudi public education and the most important results of the study

Results: Researcher suggested list of the skills of media education, consists of 31 skill, including basic skills in media education and complementary skills, identified in Skills of media literacy, visual literacy, news literacy, information literacy, digital literacy and skills of social media] and Students practiced basic and complementary media education skills a medium degree, this means that students need for more education, developing the capacity and training to the practice of basic and complementary media education skills

Prevalence of anxiety and its relation to academic achievement among preparatory school students in Port-Said City, Egypt

Childhood anxiety disorders remain vastly under-diagnosed, under-treated and understudied despite their widespread prevalence. If anxiety left untreated children with anxiety disorders are at higher risk to perform poorly in school. The aim of the study is to recognize the prevalence of anxiety, identification of factors influencing development of anxiety and anxiety impact on academic achievement in our community children. One hundred and eighty one preparatory school students, aged 12 to 15 years, of both sex, in governmental urban and rural schools in Port-Said, Egypt, were interviewed for evaluation of the presence of anxiety and its severity using a standard Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale [HARS]. The Socioeconomic index was evaluated according to scoring system, established by Alexandria Health Institute. The average of mid-year and final-year exams' degrees was used as an assessment tool for students' school achievement. Ninety five out of 181 students had anxiety manifestations, representing an incidence of 52.5%. The more the occurrence of anxiety among preparatory school students the less their achievement in all academic subjects. We concluded that anxiety manifestations are prevalent among teens. Anxiety had its clear impact on school achievement. There was a clear linear relationship between severer anxiety and poorer school achievement

Time-dependent changes in the vasoconstrictor responses in diabetic rats

Disturbed vascular reactivity is one of the cardinal complications of diabetes mellitus [DM]. Several mechanisms have been postulated to explain changes in vascular responses associated with DM such as altered intracellular calcium levels responses to the alpha -adrenergic stimulant, methoxamine [MTX] and the calcium pump inhibitor, cyclopiazonic acid [CPA] were tested on the aorta of streptozotocin [STZ] diabetic rats 2, 8 and 16 weeks after induction of diabetes. Neither MTX-nor CPA-evoked vasoconstrictor responses were changed in the 2-weeks-diabetic rats. In contrast, both MTX and CPA-induced contractions were significantly [P < 0.05] increased in the 8-weeks diabetic tissues. Conversely, the maximal vasoconstrictor responses to both MTX and CPA were significantly [P <0.05] reduced in the 16-weeks diabetic tissues [P < 0.05]. The increased MTX-induced contractions 8-wekks after induction of diabetes, and the reduction of responses in corresponding tissues 16-weeks after diabetes induction were reversed in the presence of the voltage-dependent calcium channel blocker, nifedipine. Changes in MTX-evoked responses in the 16-week diabetic tissues were unaffected in the Ca[++] -free medium or by endothelial denudation. The data of the current study suggest that: 1] Contractile responses to MTX and CPA change with the development of diabetes. 2] Middle stages of diabetes may be associated with enhanced contractile responses to the alpha-adrenergic agonists and calcium pump inhibitors, whereas in late stages of diabetes attenuation of responses to the same vasoconstrictor agents may develop, 3] Changes of functional Ca[++] store size in the endoplasmic reticulum, and Ca[++] influx, mainly through voltage-dependent Ca[++] channels, may account for altered contractile responses to MTX and CPA in diabetic rats

study of plasma endotholin and nitric oxide in diabetic patients

The endothelin and nitric oxide considered a new system useful to understand and study the molecular mechanisms involved in aging process and in many vascular alteration pathologies. The study of this work was conducted on 65 subjects which divided into three groups. Group I It included 25 NIDDM, 14 male and 11 female. Group II. It included 25 IDDM, 14 male and 11 female. Group III: It included 15 healthy subjects, 8 males and 7 females as control. The following investigation were done to all subjects: fasting and 2 hours PP plasma glucose level-Glycated hemoglobin urine analysis for microalbumin lipid profile plasma levels of endothelin and nitric oxide. The results of this study showed that significant increase in FB and PP blood sugar, cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, microalbumin and endothelin with significant decreases in nitric oxide levels in both diabetic groups compared to controls. The result of previous parameters did, not differ significantly between both studied diabetic groups. Also these results showed that significant elevation endothelin and significant reduction of nitric oxide in poor controlled diabetic subjects as compared to controlled diabetic subjects. Conclusion plasma endothelin and nitric oxide levels could be added as chemical markers of diabetic control

Effect of age on kidney function in man

The present work was carried out on 20 healthy subjects, they were divided into two groups. Group I consisted of 10 subjects ranging in age from 25 to 35 years. Group II consisted of 10 healthy subjects ranging in age from 70 to 80 years. All subjects were submitted to full general and abdominal examination, urine analysis, ECG, blood sugar were within normal range. Creatinine clearance was performed to all subjects. The results showed that, the mean value of serum creatinine was significantly increased in group II in comparison to group I. There is no significant difference between two groups as regard concentration of creatinine in urine and urine volume per 24 hours. As regard creatinine clearance, the mean value showed that there was highly significant decrease in creatinine clearance in group II as compared to group I. The renal function including GFR as was measured by creatinine clearance deline with advancing age. The decline in GFR in old age is due to morphological changes that take place in the kidney and decline of renal blood flow

Comparative study between lines of treatment on menopausal osteoporotic women

Menopausal women are at high risk for osteoporosis than adult women. This study was carried on 60 postmenopausal women with age ranged 45-65 years old, and the last menses was at least one year before. Bone densimetry was performed for every case to confirm the diagnosis. These cases were classified into four groups: group I [control]: 20 postmenopausal women without osteoporosis and not on treatment. Group II: 20 osteoporotic postmenopausal women and not on treatment. Group III 10 osteoporotic postmenopausal women and on hormone replacement therapy [HRT]. Group IV: 10 osteoporotic postmenopausal women and on vitamin D, calcium and exercise therapy. Lines of treatment include hormonal replacement therapy, calcium supplements, vitamin D, fluoride therapy, calcitonin and diphosphonates. In this study, the most two common lines of treatment [HRT and calcium, vitamin D and exercise] were used and results compared. The urinary deoxypyridinoline links as a marker for bone degradation showed improvement by both lines of therapy. It was significantly decreased when compared to osteoporotic women on no treatment. It is advisable to use calcium supplements, vitamin D and exercise to avoid the hazards of HRT which may include venous thrombosis, fibromyomas and other complications. The success of calcium, vitamin D and exercise to improve osteoporosis make this line of treatment advisable to be used in women as well as in men who suffer from osteoporosis to avoid any hazards of anabolic steroids

Lipid peroxidation productts and anaemia in patients with chronic renal failure undergoing hemodialysis

Three groups of patients with chronic renal failure [CRF] undergoing hemodialysis [HD] were selected for this study. Twenty healthy individuals were selected as a control group. Plasma malondialdehyde [MDA] and 4-hydroxynonenal [HNE] were measured in these groups of patients and compared with the healthy control group. In conclusion, the present study showed that there are increased amounts of lipid peroxidation [LPO] in HD patients, particularly who showed a poor response to treatment with recombinant human erythropoietin [rhEPO] and a significant decrease in the oxidative stress occurs in patients with a good response to rhEPO therapy

Gastro-oesophageal after laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a prospective evaluation

The lower oesophageal sphincter [LOS] function was studied in 20 patients with symptomatic gall stone disease before and after laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Nine patients [45%] were still symptomatic 3 - 4 months after surgery. Seven patients [35%] had abnormal pH profile before surgery, increased to fourteen patients [70%] following cholecystectomy [P <0.002]. DeMeester acid reflux score increased from 15.2 to 34.2 post surgery [P<0.001]. The LOS function as assessed by the sphincter function index was significantly reduced in patients with abnormal pH profile [P<0.01]. The mean supine gastric alkaline shift increased from 9.2% to 17.7% [P<0.02]. The incidence of gastritis increased from 4 [20%] to 12 patients [60%]. These data suggest that laparoscopic cholecystectomy results in gastro-oesophageal reflux that appears to be related to compromised lower oesophageal sphincter competence

role of magnesium and calcium ions in atrial natriuretic peptide secretion

For the purpose of examining the role of calcium and magnesium ions in the secretory process of atrial natriuretic peptide [ANP], we studied the effects of hypercalcemia, digitalis "Lanoxine", calcium ion channel blocker "verapamil", hypermagnesemia, potassium ion channel blocker "Glibenclamid", and potassium ion channel opener "cromakalim" on plasma concentration of immunoreactive ANP [ir ANP]. Pentobarbital-anesthetized dogs [n-36] were divided into-6-equal groups [6 each] and treated separately with calcium chloride infusion [0.136 mmol/Kg/min-10 min]. Lanoxine injection [30 micro g/Kg], verapamil injection [300 micro g/Kg], magnesium sulfate infusion [0.168 mmol/Kg/min-10 min] after an initial bolus dose of 1.5 mmol/Kg, glibenclamid injection [0.3 mg/Kg], and cromakalim injection [10 micro g/Kg]. Plasma ir ANP concentrations, mean arterial pressure [MAP], heart rate [HR] and serum calcium and magnesium concentrations were measured. With calcium chloride and magnesium sulfate infusions, serum calcium and magnesium levels and plasma ir ANP concentrations were significantly increased. Also, lanoxine and K[+] -channel blocker "glibenclamid" caused a significant increase in plasma ir ANP concentration while verapamil and the K[+]-channel opener "cromakalim" resulted in a significant decrease. Neither calcium chloride nor lanoxine produced a significant effect on heart rate, but both significantly increased MAP. In contrast, magnesium sulfate and verapamil produced a significant decrease in MAP and HR while glibenclamid and cromakalim were associated with insignificant changes in both HR and MAP. These results suggest that calcium ions may play a key role in the secretory process of ANP and indicate that magnesium ions may also influence ANP secretion by acting via modulation of K[+] -channels

Chest injuries in Alexandria

This report deals with 354 patients with chest injuries. Cardiac injuries [23 patients] are excluded and will be discussed in a separate report. The striking feature in this series is the high incidence of stab wounds with knives. The clinical picture and management of different types of chest injuries are discussed with special stress on flail chest and thoracic-abdominal injuries

Mitral valvotomy under 20 years

Out of 450 mitral valvotomies, 165 patients [36.6%] submitted for closed mitral valvotomy with an average age 17 years. All of them were in sinus rhythm with no history of embolisation, 83% had dyspnea Grade II to III. The mitral valve orifice was 0.5-1 cm in 69.2% and calcified valve in 6%. In 25 patients the lung biopsy showed parenchymal and vascular changes in most of them. The follow-up of 115 patients [70%] from 6 months to 20 years showed excellent, good and fair results in 87.7% and restenosis in 4.3%