[ study of cell proliferation, TNF-alpha cytokine production and expression of CD8 marker in peripheral blood lymphocytes of women with polycystic ovary syndrome [PCOS] by co-culture with ovarian tumor cell lines [SKOV3, A2780]]

Introduction: Polycystic ovarian syndrome [PCOS] is a proinflammatory state that underpins the development of metabolic aberration and ovarian dysfunction in the disorder. Chronic inflammation and increased levels of androgens in these patients and their impact on the immune system, may be able to disrupt antitumor activity and thus increase the risk of developing malignancies including ovarian cancer

Materials and Methods: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells of 50 patients with PCOS and healthy controls were purified by Ficoll density gradient centrifugation. We then measured cell proliferation and concentrations of cytokines TNF- alpha at different time intervals [48 and 72 hours] after co-culture of ovarian [SKOV3, A2780] and breast [MCF-7, MDA-468] tumor cell lines with PBMC in indirect contact of trans well system

Results: Proliferative response of executive cells during stimulation with tumor cell lines after 48 hours was not statistically significant between patients and healthy controls. Between the 2 groups, proliferation rates at the end of 72h were significantly higher than after 48h [P<0.01]. The production of TNF- alpha in co-culture of A2780 cell lines significantly increased in the patient group in time compared to the controls [P<0.05]

Conclusion: Our findings confirmed that, compared to healthy individuals low levels of chronic inflammation in patients with PCOS exhibit increased proliferative response of immune cells and TNF- alpha levels. An increased risk of cancers in patients with PCOS however requires investigation of other aspects of anti-tumor responses in vitro, with larger sample sizes

[Efficiency of advanced oxidation and hydroxyl technology in methyl terciary - butyl ether [MTBE]]

Advanced oxidation processes have been demonstrated as the rapid and effective methods for the treatment of a vast range of the refractory pollutants. The aim of this study was to use ozone in reaction with hydroxyl radicals [high-PH] as the reaction accelerator for MTBE degradation in industrial wastewater and polluted water. The effect of O3 with the hydroxyl radicals [high-PH] was experimented for MTBE degradation in an aqueous phase. All the reactions were performed in a semi-continuous bubbling column reactor. The effects of PH, reaction time and rate of O3 needed to attain complete MTBE degradation were examined. MTBE ozonation in five different PHs [10,10.5,11,11.5 and 12] during 100 minutes for each PH was performed. The study showed that the PH=11.5 is the fittest PH for MTBE degradation by the radical reactions. In this pH [intermediates] /[MTBE] ratio was 0.6v / mM that it is 20% more than its nearest ratio [related to PH=11]. The least time [70 minutes] and needed ozone [5.3 moles] for 90% degradation of each mole of MTBE occurred at PH=11.5. The test performed to determine the rate of removed MTBE as a result of air stripping showed that this rate was 11-19.5% at different PHs during 100 minutes. There was no significant relationship between the rate of removed MTBE as a result of air stripping and the aqueous PH at PHs=10-12 at level of 5% error. MTBE is relatively resistant to degradation even in advanced oxidation processes, but with continuous oxidation can be degraded completely and the best PH for that is11.5