Search results for: breast screen
Commenced in January 2007
Frequency: Monthly
Edition: International
Paper Count: 1200

Search results for: breast screen

810 Validation of an Educative Manual for Patients with Breast Cancer Submitted to Radiation Therapy

Authors: Flavia Oliveira de A. M. Cruz, Edison Tostes Faria, Paula Elaine D. Reis

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When the breast is submitted to radiation therapy (RT), the most common effects are pain, skin changes, mobility restrictions, local sensory alteration, and fatigue. These effects, if not managed properly, may reduce the quality of life of cancer patients and may lead to the treatment discontinuation. Therefore, promoting knowledge and guidelines for symptom management remain a high priority for patients and a challenge for health professionals, due to the need to handle side effects in a population with a life-threatening disease. Printed materials are important strategies for supporting educative activities since they help the individual to assimilate and understand the amount of information transmitted. Nurses' behavior can be systematized through the use of an educative manual, which may be effective in promoting information regarding the treatment, self-care and how to control the effects of RT at home. In view of the importance of guaranteeing the validity of the material before its use, the objective of this research was to validate the content and appearance of an educative manual for breast cancer patients undergoing RT. The Theory of Psychometrics was used for the validation process in this descriptive methodological research. A minimum agreement rate (AR) of 80% was considered to guarantee the validity of the material. The data were collected from October to December 2017, by means of two assessments tools, constructed in the form of a Likert scale, with five levels of understanding. These instruments addressed different aspects of the evaluation, in view of two different groups of participants; 17 experts in the theme area of the educative manual, and 12 women that received RT previously to treat breast cancer. The manual was titled 'Orientation Manual: radiation therapy in breast', and was focused on breast cancer patients attended at the Department of Oncology of the Brasília University Hospital (UNACON/HUB). The research project was submitted to the Research Ethics Committee at the School of Health Sciences of the University of Brasília (CAAE: 24592213.1.0000.0030). Only two items of the assessment tool for the experts, one related to the manual's ability to promote behavioral and attitude changes and the other related to the extent of its use for other health services, obtained AR < 80% and were reformulated based on the participants' suggestions and in the literature. All other items were considered appropriate and/or complete appropriate in the three blocks proposed for the experts: objectives - 89%, structure and form - 93%, and relevance - 93%; and good and/or very good in the five blocks of analysis proposed for patients: objectives - 100%, organization - 100%, writing style - 100%, appearance - 100%, and motivation. The appearance and content validation of the educative manual proposed were attended to. The educative manual was considered relevant and pertinent and may contribute to the understanding of the therapeutic process by breast cancer patients during RT, as well as support clinical practice through the nursing consultation.

Keywords: oncology nursing, nursing care, validation studies, educational technology

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809 Combined Treatment of Estrogen-Receptor Positive Breast Microtumors with 4-Hydroxytamoxifen and Novel Non-Steroidal Diethyl Stilbestrol-Like Analog Produces Enhanced Preclinical Treatment Response and Decreased Drug Resistance

Authors: Sarah Crawford, Gerry Lesley

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This research is a pre-clinical assessment of anti-cancer effects of novel non-steroidal diethyl stilbestrol-like estrogen analogs in estrogen-receptor positive/ progesterone-receptor positive human breast cancer microtumors of MCF 7 cell line. Tamoxifen analog formulation (Tam A1) was used as a single agent or in combination with therapeutic concentrations of 4-hydroxytamoxifen, currently used as a long-term treatment for the prevention of breast cancer recurrence in women with estrogen receptor positive/ progesterone receptor positive malignancies. At concentrations ranging from 30-50 microM, Tam A1 induced microtumor disaggregation and cell death. Incremental cytotoxic effects correlated with increasing concentrations of Tam A1. Live tumor microscopy showed that microtumos displayed diffuse borders and substrate-attached cells were rounded-up and poorly adherent. A complete cytotoxic effect was observed using 40-50 microM Tam A1 with time course kinetics similar to 4-hydroxytamoxifen. Combined treatment with TamA1 (30-50 microM) and 4-hydroxytamoxifen (10-15 microM) induced a highly cytotoxic, synergistic combined treatment response that was more rapid and complete than using 4-hydroxytamoxifen as a single agent therapeutic. Microtumors completely dispersed or formed necrotic foci indicating a highly cytotoxic combined treatment response. Moreover, breast cancer microtumors treated with both 4-hydroxytamoxifen and Tam A1 displayed lower levels of long-term post-treatment regrowth, a critical parameter of primary drug resistance, than observed for 4-hydroxytamoxifen when used as a single agent therapeutic. Tumor regrowth at 6 weeks post-treatment with either single agent 4-hydroxy tamoxifen, Tam A1 or a combined treatment was assessed for the development of drug resistance. Breast cancer cells treated with both 4-hydroxytamoxifen and Tam A1 displayed significantly lower levels of post-treatment regrowth, indicative of decreased drug resistance, than observed for either single treatment modality. The preclinical data suggest that combined treatment involving the use of tamoxifen analogs may be a novel clinical approach for long-term maintenance therapy in patients with estrogen-receptor positive/progesterone-receptor positive breast cancer receiving hormonal therapy to prevent disease recurrence. Detailed data on time-course, IC50 and tumor regrowth assays post- treatment as well as a proposed mechanism of action to account for observed synergistic drug effects will be presented.

Keywords: 4-hydroxytamoxifen, tamoxifen analog, drug-resistance, microtumors

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808 A Comparison of Proxemics and Postural Head Movements during Pop Music versus Matched Music Videos

Authors: Harry J. Witchel, James Ackah, Carlos P. Santos, Nachiappan Chockalingam, Carina E. I. Westling

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Introduction: Proxemics is the study of how people perceive and use space. It is commonly proposed that when people like or engage with a person/object, they will move slightly closer to it, often quite subtly and subconsciously. Music videos are known to add entertainment value to a pop song. Our hypothesis was that by adding appropriately matched video to a pop song, it would lead to a net approach of the head to the monitor screen compared to simply listening to an audio-only version of the song. Methods: We presented to 27 participants (ages 21.00 ± 2.89, 15 female) seated in front of 47.5 x 27 cm monitor two musical stimuli in a counterbalanced order; all stimuli were based on music videos by the band OK Go: Here It Goes Again (HIGA, boredom ratings (0-100) = 15.00 ± 4.76, mean ± SEM, standard-error-of-the-mean) and Do What You Want (DWYW, boredom ratings = 23.93 ± 5.98), which did not differ in boredom elicited (P = 0.21, rank-sum test). Each participant experienced each song only once, and one song (counterbalanced) as audio-only versus the other song as a music video. The movement was measured by video-tracking using Kinovea 0.8, based on recording from a lateral aspect; before beginning, each participant had a reflective motion tracking marker placed on the outer canthus of the left eye. Analysis of the Kinovea X-Y coordinate output in comma-separated-variables format was performed in Matlab, as were non-parametric statistical tests. Results: We found that the audio-only stimuli (combined for both HIGA and DWYW, mean ± SEM, 35.71 ± 5.36) were significantly more boring than the music video versions (19.46 ± 3.83, P = 0.0066 Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test (WSRT), Cohen's d = 0.658, N = 28). We also found that participants' heads moved around twice as much during the audio-only versions (speed = 0.590 ± 0.095 mm/sec) compared to the video versions (0.301 ± 0.063 mm/sec, P = 0.00077, WSRT). However, the participants' mean head-to-screen distances were not detectably smaller (i.e. head closer to the screen) during the music videos (74.4 ± 1.8 cm) compared to the audio-only stimuli (73.9 ± 1.8 cm, P = 0.37, WSRT). If anything, during the audio-only condition, they were slightly closer. Interestingly, the ranges of the head-to-screen distances were smaller during the music video (8.6 ± 1.4 cm) compared to the audio-only (12.9 ± 1.7 cm, P = 0.0057, WSRT), the standard deviations were also smaller (P = 0.0027, WSRT), and their heads were held 7 mm higher (video 116.1 ± 0.8 vs. audio-only 116.8 ± 0.8 cm above floor, P = 0.049, WSRT). Discussion: As predicted, sitting and listening to experimenter-selected pop music was more boring than when the music was accompanied by a matched, professionally-made video. However, we did not find that the proxemics of the situation led to approaching the screen. Instead, adding video led to efforts to control the head to a more central and upright viewing position and to suppress head fidgeting.

Keywords: boredom, engagement, music videos, posture, proxemics

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807 Multilayer Thermal Screens for Greenhouse Insulation

Authors: Clara Shenderey, Helena Vitoshkin, Mordechai Barak, Avraham Arbel

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Greenhouse cultivation is an energy-intensive process due to the high demands on cooling or heating according to external climatic conditions, which could be extreme in the summer or winter seasons. The thermal radiation rate inside a greenhouse depends mainly on the type of covering material and greenhouse construction. Using additional thermal screens under a greenhouse covering combined with a dehumidification system improves the insulation and could be cost-effective. Greenhouse covering material usually contains protective ultraviolet (UV) radiation additives to prevent the film wear, insect harm, and crop diseases. This paper investigates the overall heat transfer coefficient, or U-value, for greenhouse polyethylene covering contains UV-additives and glass covering with or without a thermal screen supplement. The hot-box method was employed to evaluate overall heat transfer coefficients experimentally as a function of the type and number of the thermal screens. The results show that the overall heat transfer coefficient decreases with increasing the number of thermal screens as a hyperbolic function. The overall heat transfer coefficient highly depends on the ability of the material to reflect thermal radiation. Using a greenhouse covering, i.e., polyethylene films or glass, in combination with high reflective thermal screens, i.e., containing about 98% of aluminum stripes or aluminum foil, the U-value reduces by 61%-89% in the first case, whereas by 70%-92% in the second case, depending on the number of the thermal screen. Using thermal screens made from low reflective materials may reduce the U-value by 30%-57%. The heat transfer coefficient is an indicator of the thermal insulation properties of the materials, which allows farmers to make decisions on the use of appropriate thermal screens depending on the external and internal climate conditions in a greenhouse.

Keywords: energy-saving thermal screen, greenhouse cover material, heat transfer coefficient, hot box

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806 Contrast Enhancement of Masses in Mammograms Using Multiscale Morphology

Authors: Amit Kamra, V. K. Jain, Pragya

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Mammography is widely used technique for breast cancer screening. There are various other techniques for breast cancer screening but mammography is the most reliable and effective technique. The images obtained through mammography are of low contrast which causes problem for the radiologists to interpret. Hence, a high quality image is mandatory for the processing of the image for extracting any kind of information from it. Many contrast enhancement algorithms have been developed over the years. In the present work, an efficient morphology based technique is proposed for contrast enhancement of masses in mammographic images. The proposed method is based on Multiscale Morphology and it takes into consideration the scale of the structuring element. The proposed method is compared with other state-of-the-art techniques. The experimental results show that the proposed method is better both qualitatively and quantitatively than the other standard contrast enhancement techniques.

Keywords: enhancement, mammography, multi-scale, mathematical morphology

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805 Cutaneous Sarcoidosis Treated with Narrow Band Ultraviolet B (NBUVB) Phototherapy

Authors: Hannah Riva, Sarah Mazal, Jessica L. Marquez, Michael Rains

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A 70-year-old female with a Fitzpatrick skin phenotype II presented with a 13-year history of a scaly rash located on the left breast and bilateral pretibial regions. The patient’s past medical history was otherwise unremarkable, with the exception of surgery involving the left breast. Physical examination revealed infiltrative hyperpigmented scaly plaques and nodules located on the left breast and pretibial regions bilaterally. A negative systemic workup excluded organ involvement. A clinical diagnosis of cutaneous sarcoidosis was made. Prior treatments included triamcinolone 0.1% topical cream and clobetasol 0.05% ointment, which failed to show improvement. Full-body narrow-band UVB (NBUVB) treatment was performed on a tri-weekly basis for eight months. NBUVB dosage was slowly titrated from 300 mJ/cm2 to a final dose of 1800 mJ/cm2 to prevent discomfort and burning sensations. Throughout the duration of her treatment, the patient adhered to a regimen of clobetasol 0.05% topical ointment applied twice daily in two-week intervals. Improvement was noticed after two months, with continued improvement up to eight months. The patient is continuing NBUVB phototherapy treatments for maintenance. In our case, NBUVB phototherapy treatment demonstrated promising results with improvement after two months of treatment. Physicians should consider NBUVB phototherapy as an effective option for patients presenting with cutaneous sarcoidosis.

Keywords: dermatology, sarcoidosis, phototherapy, ultraviolet

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804 Early Diagnosis and Treatment of Cancer Using Synthetic Cationic Peptide

Authors: D. J. Kalita

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Cancer is one of the prime causes of early death worldwide. Mutation of the gene involve in DNA repair and damage, like BRCA2 (Breast cancer gene two) genes, can be detected efficiently by PCR-RFLP to early breast cancer diagnosis and adopt the suitable method of treatment. Host Defense Peptide can be used as blueprint for the design and synthesis of novel anticancer drugs to avoid the side effect of conventional chemotherapy and chemo resistance. The change at nucleotide position 392 of a -› c in the cancer sample of dog mammary tumour at BRCA2 (exon 7) gene lead the creation of a new restriction site for SsiI restriction enzyme. This SNP may be a marker for detection of canine mammary tumour. Support vector machine (SVM) algorithm was used to design and predict the anticancer peptide from the mature functional peptide. MTT assay of MCF-7 cell line after 48 hours of post treatment showed an increase in the number of rounded cells when compared with untreated control cells. The ability of the synthesized peptide to induce apoptosis in MCF-7 cells was further investigated by staining the cells with the fluorescent dye Hoechst stain solution, which allows the evaluation of the nuclear morphology. Numerous cells with dense, pyknotic nuclei (the brighter fluorescence) were observed in treated but not in control MCF-7 cells when viewed using an inverted phase-contrast microscope. Thus, PCR-RFLP is one of the attractive approach for early diagnosis, and synthetic cationic peptide can be used for the treatment of canine mammary tumour.

Keywords: cancer, cationic peptide, host defense peptides, Breast cancer genes

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803 Computational Approaches for Ballistic Impact Response of Stainless Steel 304

Authors: A. Mostafa

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This paper presents a numerical study on determination of ballistic limit velocity (V50) of stainless steel 304 (SS 304) used in manufacturing security screens. The simulated ballistic impact tests were conducted on clamped sheets with different thicknesses using ABAQUS/Explicit nonlinear finite element (FE) package. The ballistic limit velocity was determined using three approaches, namely: numerical tests based on material properties, FE calculated residual velocities and FE calculated residual energies. Johnson-Cook plasticity and failure criterion were utilized to simulate the dynamic behaviour of the SS 304 under various strain rates, while the well-known Lambert-Jonas equation was used for the data regression for the residual velocity and energy model. Good agreement between the investigated numerical methods was achieved. Additionally, the dependence of the ballistic limit velocity on the sheet thickness was observed. The proposed approaches present viable and cost-effective assessment methods of the ballistic performance of SS 304, which will support the development of robust security screen systems.

Keywords: ballistic velocity, stainless steel, numerical approaches, security screen

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802 The Moderating Roles of Bedtime Activities and Anxiety and Depression in the Relationship between Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Sleep Problems in Children

Authors: Lian Tong, Yan Ye, Qiong Yan

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Background: Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often experience sleep problems, but the comorbidity mechanism has not been sufficiently studied. This study aimed to determine the comorbidity of ADHD and sleep problems as well as the moderating effects of bedtime activities and depression/anxiety symptoms on the relationship between ADHD and sleep problems. Methods: We recruited 934 primary students from third to fifth grade and their parents by stratified random sampling from three primary schools in Shanghai, China. This study used parent-reported versions of the ADHD Rating Scale-IV, Children’s Sleep Habits Questionnaire, and Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist. We used hierarchical linear regression analysis to clarify the moderating effects of bedtime activities and depression/anxiety symptoms. Results: We found that children with more ADHD symptoms had shorter sleep durations and more sleep problems on weekdays. Screen time before bedtime strengthened the relationship between ADHD and sleep-disordered breathing. Children with more screen time were more likely to have sleep onset delay, while those with less screen time had more sleep onset problems with increasing ADHD symptoms. The high bedtime eating group experienced more night waking with increasing ADHD symptoms compared with the low bedtime eating group. Anxiety/depression exacerbated total sleep problems and further interacted with ADHD symptoms to predict sleep length and sleep duration problems. Conclusions: Bedtime activities and emotional problems had important moderating effects on the relationship between ADHD and sleep problems. These findings indicate that appropriate bedtime management and emotional management may reduce sleep problems and improve sleep duration for children with ADHD symptoms.

Keywords: ADHD, sleep problems, anxiety/depression, bedtime activities, children

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801 Changes in Knowledge and Awareness for a Community-Based Cancer Screening Educational Program

Authors: Shenghui Wu, Patricia Chalela, Amelie G. Ramirez

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Background: Cervical cancer (CC), colorectal cancer (CRC), and breast cancer (BC) are diseases that can be prevented/detected through early test. Through educational programs, individuals can become better informed about these cancers and understand the importance of screening and early detection. A community-based educational program was developed to improve knowledge and awareness toward the screening of the three cancer types in a South Texas underserved population. Methods: Residents living in Laredo, Texas were invited to participate in the present study. From January 2020 to April 2021, participants were recruited using social media and flyer distributions in general community. Participants received a free live web cancer education presentation delivered by bilingual community health educators, and online pre- and post-education surveys for CC, CRC, and BC separately. Pre-post changes in knowledge for individual items were compared using McNemar’s chi-squared tests. Results: Overall, participants demonstrated increases in CC (n=237), CRC (n=59), and BC (n=56) screening knowledge and awareness after receiving the cancer screening education (Ps<0.05). After receiving the cancer screening education, 85-97% of participants had an intent to talk to a healthcare provider about CC/CRC/BC screening, 88-97% had an intent to get a CC/CRC/BC screening test in the next 12 months or at the next routine appointment, and 90-97% had an intent to talk about CC/CRC/BC with their family members or friends. Conclusion: A community-based educational program can help increase knowledge and awareness about cervical, colorectal, and breast cancer screening, promote positive changes in population's knowledge and awareness about the benefits of cancer screening.

Keywords: cervical cancer, colorectal cancer, breast cancer, educational program, health knowledge, awareness, Hispanics, screening, health education

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800 Endocrine Therapy Resistance and Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition Inhibits by INT3 & Quercetin in MCF7 Cell Lines

Authors: D. Pradhan, G. Tripathy, S. Pradhan

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Objectives: Imperviousness gainst estrogen treatments is a noteworthy reason for infection backslide and mortality in estrogen receptor alpha (ERα)- positive breast diseases. Tamoxifen or estrogen withdrawal builds the reliance of breast malignancy cells on INT3 flagging. Here, we researched the commitment of Quercetin and INT3 motioning in endocrine-safe breast tumor cells. Methods: We utilized two models of endocrine treatments safe (ETR) breast tumor: Tamoxifen-safe (TamR) and long haul estrogen-denied (LTED) MCF7 cells. We assessed the transitory and intrusive limit of these cells by Transwell cells. Articulation of epithelial to mesenchymal move (EMT) controllers and in addition INT3 receptors and targets were assessed by constant PCR and western smudge investigation. Besides, we tried in-vitro hostile to Quercetin monoclonal Antibodies (mAbs) and Gamma Secretase Inhibitors (GSIs) as potential EMT inversion remedial specialists. At last, we created stable Quercetin overexpressing MCF7 cells and assessed their EMT components and reaction to Tamoxifen. Results: We found that ETR cells procured an Epithelial to Mesenchymal move (EMT) phenotype and showed expanded levels of Quercetin and INT3 targets. Interestingly, we distinguished more elevated amount of INT3 however lower levels of INT1 and INT3 proposing a change to motioning through distinctive INT3 receptors after obtaining of resistance. Against Quercetin monoclonal antibodies and the GSI PF03084014 were powerful in obstructing the Quercetin/INT3 pivot and in part repressing the EMT process. As a consequence of this, cell relocation and attack were weakened and the immature microorganism like populace was essentially decreased. Hereditary hushing of Quercetin and INT3 prompted proportionate impacts. At long last, stable overexpression of Quercetin was adequate to make MCF7 lethargic to Tamoxifen by INT3 initiation. Conclusions: ETR cells express abnormal amounts of Quercetin and INT3, whose actuation eventually drives intrusive conduct. Hostile to Quercetin mAbs and GSI PF03084014 lessen articulation of EMT particles decreasing cell obtrusiveness. Quercetin overexpression instigates Tamoxifen resistance connected to obtaining of EMT phenotype. Our discovering propose that focusing on Quercetin and INT3 warrants further clinical Correlation as substantial restorative methodologies in endocrine-safe breast.

Keywords: endocrine, epithelial, mesenchymal, INT3, quercetin, MCF7

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799 Link Between Intensity-trajectories Of Acute Postoperative Pain And Risk Of Chronicization After Breast And Thoracopulmonary Surgery

Authors: Beloulou Mohamed Lamine, Fedili Benamar, Meliani Walid, Chaid Dalila

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Introduction: The risk factors for the chronicization of postoperative pain are numerous and often intricately intertwined. Among these, the severity of acute postoperative pain is currently recognized as one of the most determining factors. Mastectomy and thoracotomy are described as among the most painful surgeries and the most likely to lead to chronic post-surgical pain (CPSP). Objective: To examine the aspects of acute postoperative pain potentially involved in the development of chronic pain following breast and thoracic surgery. Patients and Methods: A prospective study involving 164 patients was conducted over a six-month period. Postoperative pain (during mobilization) was assessed using a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) at various time points after surgery: Day 0, 1st, 2nd, 5th days, 1st and 6th months. Moderate to severe pain was defined as a VAS score ≥ 4. A comparative analysis (univariate analysis) of postoperative pain intensities at different evaluation phases was performed on patients with and without CPSP to identify potential associations with the risk of chronicization six months after surgery. Results: At the 6th month post-surgery, the incidence of CPSP was 43.0%. Moderate to severe acute postoperative pain (in the first five days) was observed in 64% of patients. The highest pain scores were reported among thoracic surgery patients. Comparative measures revealed a highly significant association between the presence of moderate to severe acute pain, especially lasting for ≥ 48 hours, and the occurrence of CPSP (p-value <0.0001). Likewise, the persistence of subacute pain (up to 4 to 6 weeks after surgery), especially of moderate to severe intensity, was significantly associated with the risk of chronicization at six months (p-value <0.0001). Conclusion: CPSP after breast and thoracic surgery remains a fairly common morbidity that profoundly affects the quality of life. Severe acute postoperative pain, especially if it is prolonged and/or with a slow decline in intensity, can be an important predictive factor for the risk of chronicization. Therefore, more effective and intensive management of acute postoperative pain, as well as longitudinal monitoring of its trajectory over time, should be an essential component of strategies for preventing chronic pain after surgery.

Keywords: chronic post-surgical pain, acute postoperative pain, breast and thoracic surgery, subacute postoperative pain, pain trajectory, predictive factor

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798 Therapeutical Role of Copper Oxide Nanoparticles (CuO NPs) for Breast Cancer Therapy

Authors: Dipranjan Laha, Parimal Karmakar

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Metal oxide nanoparticles are well known to generate oxidative stress and deregulate normal cellular activities. Among these, transition metals copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) are more compelling than others and able to modulate different cellular responses. In this work, we have synthesized and characterized CuO NPs by various biophysical methods. These CuO NPs (~30 nm) induce autophagy in human breast cancer cell line, MCF7 in a time and dose-dependent manner. Cellular autophagy was tested by MDC staining, induction of green fluorescent protein light chain 3 (GFP-LC3B) foci by confocal microscopy, transfection of pBABE-puro mCherry-EGFP-LC3B plasmid and western blotting of autophagy marker proteins LC3B, beclin1, and ATG5. Further, inhibition of autophagy by 3-Methyladenine (3-MA) decreased LD50 doses of CuO NPs. Such cell death was associated with the induction of apoptosis as revealed by FACS analysis, cleavage of PARP, dephosphorylation of Bad and increased cleavage product of caspase3. siRNA-mediated inhibition of autophagy-related gene beclin1 also demonstrated similar results. Finally, induction of apoptosis by 3-MA in CuO NPs treated cells were observed by TEM. This study indicates that CuO NPs are a potent inducer of autophagy which may be a cellular defense against the CuO NPs mediated toxicity and inhibition of autophagy switches the cellular response into apoptosis. A combination of CuO NPs with the autophagy inhibitor is essential to induce apoptosis in breast cancer cells. Acknowledgments: The authors would like to acknowledge for financial support for this research work to the Department of Biotechnology (No. BT/PR14661/NNT/28/494/2010), Government of India.

Keywords: nanoparticle, autophagy, apoptosis, siRNA-mediated inhibition

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797 Environmental Pb-Free Cu Front Electrode for Si-Base Solar Cell Application

Authors: Wen-Hsi Lee, C.G. Kao

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In this study, Cu paste was prepared and printed with narrow line screen printing process on polycrystalline Si solar cell which has already finished the back Al printing and deposition of double anti-reflection coatings (DARCs). Then, two-step firing process was applied to sinter the front electrode and obtain the ohmic contact between front electrode and solar cell. The first step was in air atmosphere. In this process, PbO-based glass frit etched the DARCs and Ag recrystallized at the surface of Si, constructing the preliminary contact. The second step was in reducing atmosphere. In this process, CuO reduced to Cu and sintered. Besides, Ag nanoparticles recrystallized in the glass layer at interface due to the interactions between H2, Ag and PbO-based glass frit and the volatility of Pb, constructing the ohmic contact between electrode and solar cell. By experiment and analysis, reaction mechanism in each stage was surmised, and it was also proven that ohmic contact and good sheet resistance for front electrode could both be obtained by applying newly-invented paste and process.

Keywords: front electrode, solar cell, ohmic contact, screen printing, paste

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796 SEM Detection of Folate Receptor in a Murine Breast Cancer Model Using Secondary Antibody-Conjugated, Gold-Coated Magnetite Nanoparticles

Authors: Yasser A. Ahmed, Juleen M Dickson, Evan S. Krystofiak, Julie A. Oliver

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Cancer cells urgently need folate to support their rapid division. Folate receptors (FR) are over-expressed on a wide range of tumor cells, including breast cancer cells. FR are distributed over the entire surface of cancer cells, but are polarized to the apical surface of normal cells. Targeting of cancer cells using specific surface molecules such as folate receptors may be one of the strategies used to kill cancer cells without hurting the neighing normal cells. The aim of the current study was to try a method of SEM detecting FR in a murine breast cancer cell model (4T1 cells) using secondary antibody conjugated to gold or gold-coated magnetite nanoparticles. 4T1 cells were suspended in RPMI medium witth FR antibody and incubated with secondary antibody for fluorescence microscopy. The cells were cultured on 30mm Thermanox coverslips for 18 hours, labeled with FR antibody then incubated with secondary antibody conjugated to gold or gold-coated magnetite nanoparticles and processed to scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis. The fluorescence microscopy study showed strong punctate FR expression on 4T1 cell membrane. With SEM, the labeling with gold or gold-coated magnetite conjugates showed a similar pattern. Specific labeling occurred in nanoparticle clusters, which are clearly visualized in backscattered electron images. The 4T1 tumor cell model may be useful for the development of FR-targeted tumor therapy using gold-coated magnetite nano-particles.

Keywords: cancer cell, nanoparticles, cell culture, SEM

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795 Timely Screening for Palliative Needs in Ambulatory Oncology

Authors: Jaci Mastrandrea

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Background: The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) recommends that healthcare institutions have established processes for integrating palliative care (PC) into cancer treatment and that all cancer patients be screened for PC needs upon initial diagnosis as well as throughout the entire continuum of care (National Comprehensive Cancer Network, 2021). Early PC screening is directly correlated with improved patient outcomes. The Sky Lakes Cancer Treatment Center (SLCTC) is an institution that has access to PC services yet does not have protocols in place for identifying patients with palliative needs or a standardized referral process. The aim of this quality improvement project is to improve early access to PC services by establishing a standardized screening and referral process for outpatient oncology patients. Method: The sample population included all adult patients with an oncology diagnosis who presented to the SLCTC for treatment during the project timeline from March 15th, 2022, to April 29th, 2022. The “Palliative and Supportive Needs Assessment'' (PSNA) screening tool was developed from validated and evidence-based PC referral criteria. The tool was initially implemented using paper forms and later was integrated into the Epic-Beacon EHR system. Patients were screened by registered nurses on the SLCTC treatment team. Nurses responsible for screening patients received an educational inservice prior to implementation. Patients with a PSNA score of three or higher were considered to be a positive screen. Scores of five or higher triggered a PC referral order in the patient’s EHR for the oncologist to review and approve. All patients with a positive screen received an educational handout on the topic of PC, and the EHR was flagged for follow-up. Results: Prior to implementation of the PSCNA screening tool, the SLCTC had zero referrals to PC in the past year, excluding referrals to hospice. Data was collected from the first 100 patient screenings completed within the eight-week data collection period. Seventy-three percent of patients met criteria for PC referral with a score greater than or equal to three. Of those patients who met referral criteria, 53.4% (39 patients) were referred for a palliative and supportive care consultation. Patients that were not referred to PC upon meeting the criteria were flagged in the EHR for re-screening within one to three months. Patients with lung cancer, chronic hematologic malignancies, breast cancer, and gastrointestinal malignancy most frequently met criteria for PC referral and scored highest overall on the scale of 0-12. Conclusion: The implementation of a standardized PC screening tool at the SLCTC significantly increased awareness of PC needs among cancer patients in the outpatient setting. Additionally, data derived from this quality improvement project supports the national recommendation for PC to be an integral component of cancer treatment across the entire continuum of care.

Keywords: oncology, palliative care, symptom management, symptom screening, ambulatory oncology, cancer, supportive care

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794 Design and Facile Synthesis of New Amino Acid Derivatives with Anti-Tumor and Antimicrobial Activities

Authors: Hoda Sabry Othman, Randa Helmy Swellem, Galal Abd El-Moein Nawwar

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N-cyanoacetyl glycine is a reactive polyfunctional precursor for synthesis of new difficult accessible compounds including pyridones, thiazolopyridine and others. The key step of this protocol is the formation of different ylidines which underwent Michael addition with carbon nucleophiles affording various heterocyclic compounds. Selected compounds underwent pharmacological evaluation, in vitro against two cell lines; breast cell line (MCF-7),and liver cell line(HEPG2). Compounds 14, 15a and 16 showed IC50 values 8.93, 8.18 and 8.03 (µ/ml) respectively for breast cell line (MCF-7), while the standard drug (Tamoxifen) revealed IC50 8.31. With respect to the liver cell line (HEPG2), compounds 14 and 15a revealed IC50 18.4 and 13.6(µ/ml) respectively while the IC50 of the standard drug(5-Flurouracil) is 25(µ/ml). The antimicrobial activity was also screened and revealed that oxime 7 and ylidine 9f showed a broad-spectrum activity.

Keywords: antitumor, cyanoacetyl glycine, heterocycles, pyridones

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793 Development and Evaluation of Virtual Basketball Game Using Motion Capture Technology

Authors: Shunsuke Aoki, Taku Ri, Tatsuya Yamazaki

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These days, along with the development of e-sports, video games as a competitive sport is attracting attention. But, in many cases, action in the screen does not match the real motion of operation. Inclusiveness of player motion is needed to increase reality and excitement for sports games. Therefore, in this study, the authors propose a method to recognize player motion by using the motion capture technology and develop a virtual basketball game. The virtual basketball game consists of a screen with nine targets, players, depth sensors, and no ball. The players pretend a two-handed basketball shot without a ball aiming at one of the nine targets on the screen. Time-series data of three-dimensional coordinates of player joints are captured by the depth sensor. 20 joints data are measured for each player to estimate the shooting motion in real-time. The trajectory of the thrown virtual ball is calculated based on the time-series data and hitting on the target is judged as success or failure. The virtual basketball game can be played by 2 to 4 players as a competitive game among the players. The developed game was exhibited to the public for evaluation on the authors' university open campus days. 339 visitors participated in the exhibition and enjoyed the virtual basketball game over the two days. A questionnaire survey on the developed game was conducted for the visitors who experienced the game. As a result of the survey, about 97.3% of the players found the game interesting regardless of whether they had experienced actual basketball before or not. In addition, it is found that women are easy to comfort for shooting motion. The virtual game with motion capture technology has the potential to become a universal entertainment between e-sports and actual sports.

Keywords: basketball, motion capture, questionnaire survey, video ga

Procedia PDF Downloads 126
792 Prototype Development of ARM-7 Based Embedded Controller for Packaging Machine

Authors: Jeelka Ray

Abstract:

Survey of the papers revealed that there is no practical design available for packaging machine based on Embedded system, so the need arose for the development of the prototype model. In this paper, author has worked on the development of an ARM7 based Embedded Controller for controlling the sequence of packaging machine. The unit is made user friendly with TFT and Touch Screen implementing human machine interface (HMI). The different system components are briefly discussed, followed by a description of the overall design. The major functions which involve bag forming, sealing temperature control, fault detection, alarm, animated view on the home screen when the machine is working as per different parameters set makes the machine performance more successful. LPC2478 ARM 7 Embedded Microcontroller controls the coordination of individual control function modules. In back gone days, these machines were manufactured with mechanical fittings. Later on, the electronic system replaced them. With the help of ongoing technologies, these mechanical systems were controlled electronically using Microprocessors. These became the backbone of the system which became a cause for the updating technologies in which the control was handed over to the Microcontrollers with Servo drives for accurate positioning of the material. This helped to maintain the quality of the products. Including all, RS 485 MODBUS Communication technology is used for synchronizing AC Drive & Servo Drive. These all concepts are operated either manually or through a Graphical User Interface. Automatic tuning of heaters, sealers and their temperature is controlled using Proportional, Integral and Derivation loops. In the upcoming latest technological world, the practical implementation of the above mentioned concepts is really important to be in the user friendly environment. Real time model is implemented and tested on the actual machine and received fruitful results.

Keywords: packaging machine, embedded system, ARM 7, micro controller, HMI, TFT, touch screen, PID

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791 Usability Testing with Children: BatiKids Case Study

Authors: Hestiasari Rante, Leonardo De Araújo, Heidi Schelhowe

Abstract:

Usability testing with children is similar in many aspects to usability testing with adults. However, there are a few differences that one needs to be aware of in order to get the most out of the sessions, and to ensure that children are comfortable and enjoying the process. This paper presents the need to acquire methodological knowledge for involving children as test users in usability testing, with consideration on Piaget’s theory of cognitive growth. As a case study, we use BatiKids, an application developed to evoke children’s enthusiasm to be involved in culture heritage preservation. The usability test was applied to 24 children from 9 to 10 years old. The children were divided into two groups; one interacted with the application through a graphic tablet with pen, and the other through touch screen. Both of the groups had to accomplish the same amount of tasks. In the end, children were asked to give feedback. The results suggested that children who interacted using the graphic tablet with pen had more difficulties rather than children who interacted through touch screen. However, the difficulty brought by the graphic tablet with pen is an important learning objective in order to understand the difficulties of using canting, which is an important part of batik.

Keywords: batikids, children, child-computer interaction, usability test

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790 The Superiority of 18F-Sodium Fluoride PET/CT for Detecting Bone Metastases in Comparison with Other Bone Diagnostic Imaging Modalities

Authors: Mojtaba Mirmontazemi, Habibollah Dadgar

Abstract:

Bone is the most common metastasis site in some advanced malignancies, such as prostate and breast cancer. Bone metastasis generally indicates fewer prognostic factors in these patients. Different radiological and molecular imaging modalities are used for detecting bone lesions. Molecular imaging including computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, planar bone scintigraphy, single-photon emission tomography, and positron emission tomography as noninvasive visualization of the biological occurrences has the potential to exact examination, characterization, risk stratification and comprehension of human being diseases. Also, it is potent to straightly visualize targets, specify clearly cellular pathways and provide precision medicine for molecular targeted therapies. These advantages contribute implement personalized treatment for each patient. Currently, NaF PET/CT has significantly replaced standard bone scintigraphy for the detection of bone metastases. On one hand, 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT has gained high attention for accurate staging of primary prostate cancer and restaging after biochemical recurrence. On the other hand, FDG PET/CT is not commonly used in osseous metastases of prostate and breast cancer as well as its usage is limited to staging patients with aggressive primary tumors or localizing the site of disease. In this article, we examine current studies about FDG, NaF, and PSMA PET/CT images in bone metastases diagnostic utility and assess response to treatment in patients with breast and prostate cancer.

Keywords: skeletal metastases, fluorodeoxyglucose, sodium fluoride, molecular imaging, precision medicine, prostate cancer (68Ga-PSMA-11)

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789 A Platform to Screen Targeting Molecules of Ligand-EGFR Interactions

Authors: Wei-Ting Kuo, Feng-Huei Lin

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Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is often constitutively stimulated in cancer owing to the binding of ligands such as epidermal growth factor (EGF), so it is necessary to investigate the interaction between EGFR and its targeting biomolecules which were over ligands binding. This study would focus on the binding affinity and adhesion force of two targeting products anti-EGFR monoclonal antibody (mAb) and peptide A to EGFR comparing with EGF. Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) was used to obtain the equilibrium dissociation constant to evaluate the binding affinity. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was performed to detect adhesion force. The result showed that binding affinity of mAb to EGFR was higher than that of EGF to EGFR, and peptide A to EGFR was lowest. The adhesion force between EGFR and mAb that was higher than EGF and peptide A to EGFR was lowest. From the studies, we could conclude that mAb had better adhesion force and binding affinity to EGFR than that of EGF and peptide A. SPR and AFM could confirm the interaction between receptor and targeting ligand easily and carefully. It provide a platform to screen ligands for receptor targeting and drug delivery.

Keywords: adhesion force, binding affinity, epidermal growth factor receptor, target molecule

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788 Depression and Suicide Risk among HIV/AIDS Positive Individuals Attending an Out Patient HIV/AIDS Clinic in a Nigerian Tertiary Health Institution

Authors: Onyebueke Godwin, Okwarafor Friday

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Introduction: Persons with HIV/AIDS disease are predisposed to mental health disorders such as depression and suicide. HIV/AIDS, being a chronic medical illness with antecedent stigmatization ostracization, leads to low mood, low self-esteem, and a tendency to kill oneself due to the burden of the disease in terms of cost and disability. The aim of one study was to examine the prevalence of depression and risk of suicide among HIV/AIDS patients compared to negative persons. Instruments: The Major Depressive Episode and Suicidality modules of the MINI-Neuropsychiatric inventory were used to screen the attendees. Report: The prevalence of depression and risk of suicide were 27.8% and 7.8%, respectively, for the HIV positive subjects, but 1208% and 2.2%, respectively, for negative subjects. Conclusion and Significance: Persons with HIV/AIDS usually present with mental health symptoms, but the attending physicians usually pay attention to physical symptoms. The symptoms of the disease or the side effects of the medication may mask the mental health disease. Recommendation: There is need to screen HIV/AIDS patents for mental health disorders during clinic visits.

Keywords: depression, HIV/AIDS, suicidality

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787 Exploring the Dose-Response Association of Lifestyle Behaviors and Mental Health among High School Students in the US: A Secondary Analysis of 2021 Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey Data

Authors: Layla Haidar, Shari Esquenazi-Karonika

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Introduction: Mental health includes one’s emotional, psychological, and interpersonal well-being; it ranges from “good” to “poor” on a continuum. At the individual-level, it affects how a person thinks, feels, and acts. Moreover, it determines how they cope with stress, relate to others, and interface with their surroundings. Research has yielded that mental health is directly related with short- and long-term physical health (including chronic disease), health risk behaviors, education-level, employment, and social relationships. As is the case with physical conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, mitigating the behavioral and genetic risks of debilitating mental health conditions like anxiety and depression can nurture a healthier quality of mental health throughout one’s life. In order to maximize the benefits of prevention, it is important to identify modifiable risks and develop protective habits earlier in life. Methods: The Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey (ABES) dataset was used for this study. The ABES survey was administered to high school students (9th-12th grade) during January 2021- June 2021 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The data was analyzed to identify any associations between feelings of sadness, hopelessness, or increased suicidality among high school students with relation to their participation on one or more sports teams and their average daily consumed screen time. Data was analyzed using descriptive and multivariable analytic techniques. A multinomial logistic regression of each variable was conducted to examine if there was an association, while controlling for grade-level, sex, and race. Results: The findings from this study are insightful for administrators and policymakers who wish to address mounting concerns related to student mental health. The study revealed that compared to a student who participated on zero sports teams, students who participated in 1 or more sports teams showed a significantly increased risk of depression (p<0.05). Conversely, the rate of depression in students was significantly less in those who consumed 5 or more hours of screen time per day, compared to those who consumed less than 1 hour per day of screen time (p<0.05). Conclusion: These findings are informative and highlight the importance of understanding the nuances of student participation on sports teams (e.g., physical exertion, social dynamics of team, and the level of competitiveness within the sport). Likewise, the context of an individual’s screen time (e.g., social media, engaging in team-based video games, or watching television) can inform parental or school-based policies about screen time activity. Although physical activity has been proven to be important for emotional and physical well-being of youth, playing on multiple teams could have negative consequences on the emotional state of high school students potentially due to fatigue, overtraining, and injuries. Existing literature has highlighted the negative effects of screen time; however, further research needs to consider the type of screen-based consumption to better understand its effects on mental health.

Keywords: behavioral science, mental health, adolescents, prevention

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786 Quality of Bali Beef and Broiler after Immersion in Liquid Smoke on Different Concentrations and Storage Times

Authors: E. Abustam, M. Yusuf, H. M. Ali, M. I. Said, F. N. Yuliati

Abstract:

The aim of this study was to improve the durability and quality of Bali beef (M. Longissimus dorsi) and broiler carcass through the addition of liquid smoke as a natural preservative. This study was using Longissimus dorsi muscle from male Bali beef aged 3 years, broiler breast and thigh aged 40 days. Three types of meat were marinated in liquid smoke with concentrations of 0, 5, and 10% for 30 minutes at the level of 20% of the sample weight (w/w). The samples were storage at 2-5°C for 1 month. This study designed as a factorial experiment 3 x 3 x 4 based on a completely randomized design with 5 replications; the first factor was meat type (beef, chicken breast and chicken thigh); the 2nd factor was liquid smoke concentrations (0, 5, and 10%), and the 3rd factor was storage duration (1, 2, 3, and 4 weeks). Parameters measured were TBA value, total bacterial colonies, water holding capacity (WHC), shear force value both before and after cooking (80°C – 15min.), and cooking loss. The results showed that the type of meat produced WHC, shear force value, cooking loss and TBA differed between the three types of meat. Higher concentration of liquid smoke, the WHC, shear force value, TBA, and total bacterial colonies were decreased; at a concentration of 10% of liquid smoke, the total bacterial colonies decreased by 57.3% from untreated with liquid smoke. Longer storage, the total bacterial colonies and WHC were increased, while the shear force value and cooking loss were decreased. It can be concluded that a 10% concentration of liquid smoke was able to maintain fat oxidation and bacterial growth in Bali beef and chicken breast and thigh.

Keywords: Bali beef, chicken meat, liquid smoke, meat quality

Procedia PDF Downloads 392
785 Role of Estrogen Receptor-alpha in Mammary Carcinoma by Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms and Molecular Docking: An In-silico Analysis

Authors: Asif Bilal, Fouzia Tanvir, Sibtain Ahmad

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Estrogen receptor alpha, also known as estrogen receptor-1, is highly involved in risk of mammary carcinoma. The objectives of this study were to identify non-synonymous SNPs of estrogen receptor and their association with breast cancer and to identify the chemotherapeutic responses of phytochemicals against it via in-silico study design. For this purpose, different online tools. to identify pathogenic SNPs the tools were SIFT, Polyphen, Polyphen-2, fuNTRp, SNAP2, for finding disease associated SNPs the tools SNP&GO, PhD-SNP, PredictSNP, MAPP, SNAP, MetaSNP, PANTHER, and to check protein stability Mu-Pro, I-Mutant, and CONSURF were used. Post-translational modifications (PTMs) were detected by Musitedeep, Protein secondary structure by SOPMA, protein to protein interaction by STRING, molecular docking by PyRx. Seven SNPs having rsIDs (rs760766066, rs779180038, rs956399300, rs773683317, rs397509428, rs755020320, and rs1131692059) showing mutations on I229T, R243C, Y246H, P336R, Q375H, R394S, and R394H, respectively found to be completely deleterious. The PTMs found were 96 times Glycosylation; 30 times Ubiquitination, a single time Acetylation; and no Hydroxylation and Phosphorylation were found. The protein secondary structure consisted of Alpha helix (Hh) is (28%), Extended strand (Ee) is (21%), Beta turn (Tt) is 7.89% and Random coil (Cc) is (44.11%). Protein-protein interaction analysis revealed that it has strong interaction with Myeloperoxidase, Xanthine dehydrogenase, carboxylesterase 1, Glutathione S-transferase Mu 1, and with estrogen receptors. For molecular docking we used Asiaticoside, Ilekudinuside, Robustoflavone, Irinoticane, Withanolides, and 9-amin0-5 as ligands that extract from phytochemicals and docked with this protein. We found that there was great interaction (from -8.6 to -9.7) of these ligands of phytochemicals at ESR1 wild and two mutants (I229T and R394S). It is concluded that these SNPs found in ESR1 are involved in breast cancer and given phytochemicals are highly helpful against breast cancer as chemotherapeutic agents. Further in vitro and in vivo analysis should be performed to conduct these interactions.

Keywords: breast cancer, ESR1, phytochemicals, molecular docking

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784 Exclusive Breast Feeding Practices in Bangladesh

Authors: Md. Ashikur Rahman

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Optimal breastfeeding practice is essential to reducing childhood morbidity and mortality and helps to achieve Millennium Development Goal (MDG). A cross-sectional study was conducted in a rural area in Dhaka district to explore the barrier to optimal breastfeeding practices. The population of this study constitutes all nursing mothers having children aged 0-6 months, and they were selected purposively. The study adopted a structured and in-depth interview procedure consisting of open and closed-ended questions. Four hundred rural nursing mothers constituted the sample of the structured interview, while 15 were involved in the in-depth interview. Among the respondent's majority (67%) were in the age group 17-25 years, with a mean age of 24.44 years. Most (39.5%) of the mothers were housewives with a secondary level of education (46.5%). About 32% of mothers started breastfeeding within one hour after birth. But delayed initiation was reported in 31.5% of mothers, whereas 36.8% of mothers forgot the exact time of initiation of breastfeeding. The main reason not to practice colostrum was mothers tried to breastfeed, but there was no milk, stated 13.8% of mothers. In addition, about one-third (34.3%) of the respondents practiced pre-lacteal feeding, and among them, 12.8% introduced sugar with water. Reasons given by the mothers for bottle-feeding was that baby was not satisfied with breast milk only; 22.0% of mothers indicated this cause. The main influence to take formula milk by their mother and mothers-in-law was stated by 18.8% of mothers. Some mothers stated that major constraints to EBF were the perception of not having enough milk (25.5 %) and babies crying seems to be hungry (8.8%). One-third of the mothers (31.5%) felt uncomfortable during breastfeeding. Access to antenatal and postnatal counseling in the study area also was a key obstacle to optimal breastfeeding practices. In a qualitative survey, some mothers believed that there was no difference between breast milk and formula milk. Colostrum feeding, pre-lacteal feeding, early initiation of breastfeeding, and exclusive breastfeeding were strongly associated with family type, family member, birth order, religion, husbands' occupation, delivery attendants and delivery type, postnatal care, and health care facilities. To reduce the barriers to the successful practice of exclusive breastfeeding, there is a need for a grass-roots approach to educating and counseling nursing mothers with identifying factors influencing or discouraging the optimal practice.

Keywords: exclusive, breast feeding, practices, Bangladesh

Procedia PDF Downloads 93
783 Dosimetric Comparison of Conventional Plans versus Three Dimensional Conformal Simultaneously Integrated Boost Plans

Authors: Shoukat Ali, Amjad Hussain, Latif-ur-Rehman, Sehrish Inam

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Radiotherapy plays an important role in the management of cancer patients. Approximately 50% of the cancer patients receive radiotherapy at one point or another during the course of treatment. The entire radiotherapy treatment of curative intent is divided into different phases, depending on the histology of the tumor. The established protocols are useful in deciding the total dose, fraction size, and numbers of phases. The objective of this study was to evaluate the dosimetric differences between the conventional treatment protocols and the three-dimensional conformal simultaneously integrated boost (SIB) plans for three different tumors sites (i.e. bladder, breast, and brain). A total of 30 patients with brain, breast and bladder cancers were selected in this retrospective study. All the patients were CT simulated initially. The primary physician contoured PTV1 and PTV2 in the axial slices. The conventional doses prescribed for brain and breast is 60Gy/30 fractions, and 64.8Gy/36 fractions for bladder treatment. For the SIB plans biological effective doses (BED) were calculated for 25 fractions. The two conventional (Phase I and Phase II) and a single SIB plan for each patient were generated on Eclipse™ treatment planning system. Treatment plans were compared and analyzed for coverage index, conformity index, homogeneity index, dose gradient and organs at risk doses.In both plans 95% of PTV volume received a minimum of 95% of the prescribe dose. Dose deviation in the optic chiasm was found to be less than 0.5%. There is no significant difference in lung V20 and heart V30 in the breast plans. In the rectum plans V75%, V50% and V25% were found to be less than 1.2% different. Deviation in the tumor coverage, conformity and homogeneity indices were found to be less than 1%. SIB plans with three dimensional conformal radiotherapy technique reduce the overall treatment time without compromising the target coverage and without increasing dose to the organs at risk. The higher dose per fraction may increase the late effects to some extent. Further studies are required to evaluate the late effects with the intention of standardizing the SIB technique for practical implementation.

Keywords: coverage index, conformity index, dose gradient, homogeneity index, simultaneously integrated boost

Procedia PDF Downloads 476
782 Using Lysosomal Immunogenic Cell Death to Target Breast Cancer via Xanthine Oxidase/Micro-Antibody Fusion Protein

Authors: Iulianna Taritsa, Kuldeep Neote, Eric Fossel

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Lysosome-induced immunogenic cell death (LIICD) is a powerful mechanism of targeting cancer cells that kills circulating malignant cells and primes the host’s immune cells against future remission. Current immunotherapies for cancer are limited in preventing recurrence – a gap that can be bridged by training the immune system to recognize cancer neoantigens. Lysosomal leakage can be induced therapeutically to traffic antigens from dying cells to dendritic cells, which can later present those tumorigenic antigens to T cells. Previous research has shown that oxidative agents administered in the tumor microenvironment can initiate LIICD. We generated a fusion protein between an oxidative agent known as xanthine oxidase (XO) and a mini-antibody specific for EGFR/HER2-sensitive breast tumor cells. The anti-EGFR single domain antibody fragment is uniquely sourced from llama, which is functional without the presence of a light chain. These llama micro-antibodies have been shown to be better able to penetrate tissues and have improved physicochemical stability as compared to traditional monoclonal antibodies. We demonstrate that the fusion protein created is stable and can induce early markers of immunogenic cell death in an in vitro human breast cancer cell line (SkBr3). Specifically, we measured overall cell death, as well as surface-expressed calreticulin, extracellular ATP release, and HMGB1 production. These markers are consensus indicators of ICD. Flow cytometry, luminescence assays, and ELISA were used respectively to quantify biomarker levels between treated versus untreated cells. We also included a positive control group of SkBr3 cells dosed with doxorubicin (a known inducer of LIICD) and a negative control dosed with cisplatin (a known inducer of cell death, but not of the immunogenic variety). We looked at each marker at various time points after cancer cells were treated with the XO/antibody fusion protein, doxorubicin, and cisplatin. Upregulated biomarkers after treatment with the fusion protein indicate an immunogenic response. We thus show the potential for this fusion protein to induce an anticancer effect paired with an adaptive immune response against EGFR/HER2+ cells. Our research in human cell lines here provides evidence for the success of the same therapeutic method for patients and serves as the gateway to developing a new treatment approach against breast cancer.

Keywords: apoptosis, breast cancer, immunogenic cell death, lysosome

Procedia PDF Downloads 199
781 Exploring 1,2,4-Triazine-3(2H)-One Derivatives as Anticancer Agents for Breast Cancer: A QSAR, Molecular Docking, ADMET, and Molecular Dynamics

Authors: Said Belaaouad

Abstract:

This study aimed to explore the quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) of 1,2,4-Triazine-3(2H)-one derivative as a potential anticancer agent against breast cancer. The electronic descriptors were obtained using the Density Functional Theory (DFT) method, and a multiple linear regression techniques was employed to construct the QSAR model. The model exhibited favorable statistical parameters, including R2=0.849, R2adj=0.656, MSE=0.056, R2test=0.710, and Q2cv=0.542, indicating its reliability. Among the descriptors analyzed, absolute electronegativity (χ), total energy (TE), number of hydrogen bond donors (NHD), water solubility (LogS), and shape coefficient (I) were identified as influential factors. Furthermore, leveraging the validated QSAR model, new derivatives of 1,2,4-Triazine-3(2H)-one were designed, and their activity and pharmacokinetic properties were estimated. Subsequently, molecular docking (MD) and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were employed to assess the binding affinity of the designed molecules. The Tubulin colchicine binding site, which plays a crucial role in cancer treatment, was chosen as the target protein. Through the simulation trajectory spanning 100 ns, the binding affinity was calculated using the MMPBSA script. As a result, fourteen novel Tubulin-colchicine inhibitors with promising pharmacokinetic characteristics were identified. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into the QSAR of 1,2,4-Triazine-3(2H)-one derivative as potential anticancer agent, along with the design of new compounds and their assessment through molecular docking and dynamics simulations targeting the Tubulin-colchicine binding site.

Keywords: QSAR, molecular docking, ADMET, 1, 2, 4-triazin-3(2H)-ones, breast cancer, anticancer, molecular dynamic simulations, MMPBSA calculation

Procedia PDF Downloads 97