Assessing Syrian women's knowledge of breast cancer risk factors, warning signs, and barriers to preventive measures: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to investigate the knowledge of Syrian women about breast cancer risk factors, warning signals, and barriers. Breast cancer is the most common cancer worldwide and the leading cause of cancer death among women. It develops when cells in the breast tissue grow uncontrollably, forming a tumor that can spread to other parts of the body. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This survey was conducted online from September 3 to September 27, 2022, and focused on Syrian women over the age of 18. It was divided into two sections, one focusing on sociodemographic characteristics and the other on breast cancer risk factors, warning signals, and barriers. RESULTS: This study found that the majority of the 1305 participants had inadequate knowledge of breast cancer risk factors, warning signs, and barriers. Those with higher levels of education, such as Ph.D. students, had the highest overall scores. The sample was mostly made up of housewives, married women, and women with moderate monthly incomes. CONCLUSION: This research found that Syrian women have inadequate knowledge about breast cancer, including risk factors, warning signs, and barriers. To reduce mortality rates, increase survival rates, and improve early diagnosis, local health organizations should provide awareness courses to emphasize the importance of annual breast exams.

Influence of Bioinspired Lithium-Doped Titanium Implants on Gingival Fibroblast Bioactivity and Biofilm Adhesion.

Soft tissue integration (STI) at the transmucosal level around dental implants is crucial for the long-term success of dental implants. Surface modification of titanium dental implants could be an effective way to enhance peri-implant STI. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of bioinspired lithium (Li)-doped Ti surface on the behaviour of human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs) and oral biofilm in vitro. HGFs were cultured on various Ti surfaces-Li-doped Ti (Li_Ti), NaOH_Ti and micro-rough Ti (Control_Ti)-and were evaluated for viability, adhesion, extracellular matrix protein expression and cytokine secretion. Furthermore, single species bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus) and multi-species oral biofilms from saliva were cultured on each surface and assessed for viability and metabolic activity. The results show that both Li_Ti and NaOH_Ti significantly increased the proliferation of HGFs compared to the control. Fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) mRNA levels were significantly increased on Li_Ti and NaOH_Ti at day 7. Moreover, Li_Ti upregulated COL-I and fibronectin gene expression compared to the NaOH_Ti. A significant decrease in bacterial metabolic activity was detected for both the Li_Ti and NaOH_Ti surfaces. Together, these results suggest that bioinspired Li-doped Ti promotes HGF bioactivity while suppressing bacterial adhesion and growth. This is of clinical importance regarding STI improvement during the maintenance phase of the dental implant treatment.