Role of lipids, lipoproteins and vitamins in women with breast cancer

OBJECTIVES

Improper balance between the production of reactive oxygen metabolites (ROMs), and antioxidative defense system have been defined as oxidative stress in various pathologic conditions. Lipids, lipoproteins and antioxidative vitamins have been associated with the risk of breast cancer. The present case-control study was conducted to investigate the status of antioxidative vitamins (A, C and E), lipids (total cholesterol; TC and triglycerides; TG), lipoproteins (high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; HDL-C and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; LDL-C) and retinol-binding protein (RBP) in breast cancer patients. The aim of the study was to find out oxidative stress in breast cancer.

DESIGN AND METHODS

Plasma lipids, lipoproteins and vitamins were estimated in 54 untreated breast cancer patients of different clinical stages and in 42 age- and sex-matched controls.

RESULTS

Plasma TC (p < 0.05), and LDL-C and TG (p < 0.01) were found to be significantly elevated among breast cancer patients as compared to the controls. On the other hand, plasma HDL-C concentration (p < 0.001) and vitamin C and E (p < 0.01) were observed significantly decreased in breast cancer patients than in the controls. The maximum changes in plasma TC, and vitamin C and E concentrations were observed in breast cancer patients with stage IV when compared with controls.

CONCLUSION

The study suggests that higher levels of TC and TG may play important role in carcinogenesis. Furthermore, the elevated plasma LDL-C concentration, which is more susceptible to oxidation, may result in higher lipid peroxidation in breast cancer patients. However, decreased concentrations of HDL-C and vitamin C and E are not likely to be sufficient enough to counter higher ROMs production reported earlier in breast cancer patients that may cause oxidative stress leading to cellular and molecular damage thereby resulting in cell proliferation and malignant conversions.

Translation of the twelfth chapter of "Uyoonul Anba Fi Tabaqatil Atibba"

This is a translation of an Arabic book "Uyoonul Anba Fi Tabaqatil Atibba" compiled by Ibn-e-Abi Useibia, the famous writer of Abbaside's period of Baghdad in 13th century A.D. This book is in two volumes comprising of 15 chapters dealing with 388 biographies of world known physicians. Looking into the authenticity and importance of this work, the translation of its 12th chapter which is on Indian physicians is being submitted here in this article form. This portion provides information with regard to the Indian physicians, the way of their approach to Baghdad, their miraculous treatments and the literary works etc.

Alauddin Qarshi: a commentator of many classical treatises

This article deals with the life and work of a commentator of six authentic works. He was a discoverer of pulmonary circulation of blood. He described it more or less accurately, almost three centuries before Harvey (1578-1657). The views of medical historians about this scholar have been given in this article.

Lipid peroxidation, free radical production and antioxidant status in breast cancer

Reactive oxygen metabolites (ROMs), including superoxide anion (O2*-), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and hydroxyl radical (*OH), play an important role in carcinogenesis. There are some primary antioxidants such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and catalase (CAT) which protect against cellular and molecular damage caused by the ROMs. We conducted the present study to determine the rate of O2*- and H2O2 production, and concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA), as an index of lipid peroxidation, along with the SOD, GPx and CAT activities in 54 breast cancer (BC) patients. Forty-two age- and sex-matched patients with minor surgical problems, who had no history of any neoplastic or breast disorders, were taken as controls. The rate of O2*- production was significantly higher (p < 0.001) in BC patients than controls, irrespective of clinical stages and menopausal status. Similarly, H2O2 production was significantly higher in BC patients, especially in stage III and postmenopausal groups, as compared to the respective controls. MDA concentration was also observed significantly elevated in stage II (p < 0.001), stage III (p < 0.01), postmenopausal (p < 0.005), and premenopausal (p < 0.02) group as compared to their corresponding controls. SOD and GPx activities were found significantly raised in all the groups (p < 0.001), except the GPx activity was found a smaller alteration in stage IV (p < 0.02). On the contrary, CAT activity was found significantly depressed in all the study groups. The maximum depression was observed in stage II (-61.8%). Lower CAT activity in our study may be the effect of higher production of ROMs, particularly O2*- and *OH. SOD and GPx, however, were less effected by these higher ROMs production. The results of our study have shown a higher ROMs production and decreased CAT activity, which support the oxidative stress hypothesis in carcinogenesis. The relatively higher SOD and GPx may be due to the response of increased ROMs production in the blood. However, the higher SOD and GPx activities may be inadequate to detoxify high levels of H2O2 into H2O leading to the formation of the most dangerous *OH radical followed by MDA. Therefore, administration of CAT may be helpful in the management of BC patients. However, further elaborate clinical studies are required to evaluate the role of such antioxidant enzymes in BC management.

Ayurveda during Abbasid's period

This is a historical paper which deals with a brief account of Abbasid's period. In this article the existence of Ayurveda in Arab countries, arrival of Ayurvedic physicians to Baghdad, their eminence, authenticity and literary additions in medical field has been studied and presented.

Ayurvedic literature in Urdu (Part-II)

This article is a second part of previous work published with the same title in this Bulletin Vol. 28, 1998, P. nos. 151-158. It contains brief notes on six rare Ayurvedic books in Urdu. It provides two types of information, i.e. (i) Introduction to the books studied and (2) Literary history of Ayurveda of that period in which Urdu language had a prominent role in propagation of Arts and Science. It gives an idea for seeking information on these lines regarding the Ayurvedic works in Arabic and Persian also.

Stress reactions of children and adolescents in war and siege conditions

OBJECTIVE

This was a study of posttraumatic stress symptoms in children and adolescents during siege conditions in Sarajevo.

METHOD

Seven hundred ninety-one students aged 7-15 years were surveyed to assess symptoms of posttraumatic stress and level of deprivation.

RESULTS

Girls reported more stress than boys. Loss of family members and deprivation of basic needs were associated with more symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

Personal experiences of siege are related to increased stress.

Ayurvedic literature in Urdu

Urdu is a distinct literary language began to develop in India during Mughal empire. Lots of people read, write and speak, this language in Indian subcontinent. This brief article will shed light on the seven rare books in Urdu compiled and published in the period from 19th century to the first half of the current century. Some books may not have high value but the struggle of the scholars, is appreciable.

The clamshell incision provides adequate exposure for aortic valve replacement and coronary revascularization

The standard median sternotomy provides ready access to all surfaces of the heart and the ascending aorta. When cosmetic considerations, associated medical conditions, such as an esophageal stoma, or tracheostomy preclude use of the median sternotomy, a bilateral transverse sternotomy will provide excellent exposure of the entire ascending aorta and the lateral and inferior walls of the heart.

A rare report of Nizam Ayurvedic Mobile Clinic

This article is a brief account of a rare Urdu booklet entitled 'Report Nizam Ayurvedic Safari Dawakhana'. It is a report of a mobile clinic sent by Nizam VII of Hyderabad to Kumbh Mela at Allahabad on a religious occasion in the year 1942, which was printed in the same year. This report sheds light on the history of the sacred place Prayag, its importance and the activities of the mobile clinic with the remarks of eminent personalities who visited the clinic on the occasion.

Hakeem Ali Gilani: a commentator of canon of Avicenna

Hakim Ali Gilani was a native of Gilan. He was a distinguished physician and medical writer. He wrote commentary on canon of Avicenna. He came to India during Akbar's time and served two Mughal rulers, Akbar and Jahangir. He was praised very much by the medical historians for his vast knowledge, curiosity and intelligence. A brief account of his achievements has been given in this article.

Lesser known Ayurvedic physicians of India from an Urdu book- "Rumoozul Atibba"

In early 20th century some Urdu scholars tried to enrich urdu literature with medical history. They started compiling and publishing the biographies of the contemporary physicians along with their achievements. One of such works "Rumoozul Atibba" a rare book compiled by Hakim Fairozuddin in Urdu, published by 'Darul Kutub Rafiqul Atibba' and printed in 'Rifah-e-Aam Press' at Lahore in the year 1913 A.D. has been taken here. It contains about 150 short biographies of Ayurvedic and Unani physicians, out of which all the twenty biographies of Ayurvedic physicians given in it, have been presented in this article.

Sister chromatid exchange (SCE) studies in breast cancer patients: a follow-up study

Sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) were studied in 20 patients with breast cancer (stage II) before surgery, one month after surgery, and after three years as a follow-up study. Data from 50 age-matched, normal healthy females, preferably from the affected families, served as controls. In each patient, 50 well-spread metaphases were scored for SCEs. The mean values of SCEs per metaphase were 5.80, 4.69, and 5.98 in breast cancer patients before surgery, one month after surgery, and after a gap of three years as a follow-up, respectively. The one-way analysis of variance was applied and it was found that there was a highly significant difference in the frequency of sister chromatid exchanges in these patients before surgery, one month after surgical removal of cancerous tissue, and after three years as a follow-up study. The elevated level of SCEs three years after surgical removal of cancerous tissue predict the chances of development of another type of cancer.

Sister chromatid exchange frequency in breast cancer cases

Sister chromatid exchange (SCE) were studied in 22 patients with breast cancer (i.e., four stage II; 12 stage III, six stage IV) and 10 normal healthy females as age-matched controls. The data obtained in these cases followed a Poisson distribution. An apparent increase in the average rate of SCE/cell was observed with the advancing stage of breast cancer.

Chromatid association in acrocentric chromosomes of abnormal sexual development (ASD) cases

Concordant/discordant associations at chromatid level were compared and found significant (P less than 0.05) in females with primary amenorrhea. This probably suggested that the acrocentric association pattern in this group of ASD and infertility did not follow a random segregation in subsequent cell divisions and that the concordant acrocentric chromosomes have regularly established physical connections with one another, held together for several cell cycles. It could only be speculated that the association of acrocentric chromosome anomalies in some females with abnormal sex chromosomes are due to this reason. In the event that chromosome association has a bearing on chromosome aberrations, the non-random pattern of acrocentric association probably would increase the choice for translocation and non disjunction in the somatic cells in females with primary amenorrhea during ontogenesis.

Frequency of acrocentric association in abnormal sexual development in males and females

A significant difference (P less than 0.05) was observed in a chi 2 comparison of DD, GG and DG-DI associations between male hypogonads and females with primary amenorrhea. This difference increased still further (P less than 0.01) when only DD and GG associations were compared between males and females with abnormal sexual development (ASD). Similarly, when normal males and females were compared for DI, TRI, TETRA, DD vs GG and DG vs GG acrocentric chromosome associations, a significant difference (P less than 0.05) was again observed. The sex difference was also apparent in TRI and TETRA acrocentric associations both in abnormal and normal sexual development males and females. These results suggested that probably sex difference (may be hormonal) influences the number and/or type of acrocentric chromosomes involved in association between males and females with ASD and also between normal males and females.

Sister-chromatid exchange (SCE) rate in normal and abnormal sexual development in males and females

Thirty-three patients with abnormal sexual development (9 male hypogonads, 20 females with primary amenorrhea and 4 cases of ambiguous genitalia), 10 normal males and 8 normal females (below the age of 30 years) were evaluated for SCE/cell and for SCE distribution according to chromosome groups (A to G). Smokers and alcoholics and subjects under medication were excluded from the study. The average rates of SCE/cell in male hypogonads, primary amenorrhea and ambiguous genitalia were 4.23 +/- 1.51, 4.02 +/- 0.90 and 4.33 +/- 1.34, respectively, whereas in normal males and females the average rates were 4.27 +/- 0.69 and 4.49 +/- 0.87, respectively. The SCE data followed a Poisson distribution. Chi-square testing showed a statistically significant difference only in B-group chromosomes when male hypogonads were compared with normal males (p less than 0.02) and females with primary amenorrhea were compared with normal females (p less than 0.02), suggesting the importance of the study of SCE frequency distribution at chromosome group level to bring out the differences otherwise concealed in average rates.

Cerebellar ataxia and total albinism

In this report a family is described where cerebellar ataxia occurred along with total albinism. A possibility of syntenic condition of the two genes responsible for the traits could explain the occurrence of the two conditions. The presence of two traits singly in the sibs reflects a recombinant event and suggests that the linkage is not absolute. Chromosomal study did not show any structural or numerical anomalies except in 1/50 metaphase plates scored in the proband (with cerebellar ataxia) where in chromosome No. 14 proximal intense band (21) seemed to be shifted, inv. (14) (q13q23?). The affected sibs with ataxia and albinism or ataxia alone depicted relatively a lower sister chromatid exchange (SCE) rate than their parents and age matched controls.

Differences between midlife female offenders and those younger than 40

The authors studied 66 women referred for forensic evaluation and classified them into two age groups: 48 women 17-39 years old composed a young adult group and 18 women 40-54 years old composed a midlife group. The midlife group included a significantly larger number of first-time offenders with a higher frequency of medical as well as psychiatric disorders. None of the women in the midlife group was diagnosed as having antisocial personality disorder, but this was the most common diagnosis among the younger women. The authors note the implications of these findings for treatment of older female offenders, especially those in midlife.