Search results for: cancer cell lines

Authors: Ming-Tzu Tsai, Jui-Ting Hsu, Chia-Chieh Lin, Feng-Tsai Chiang, Cheng-Chin Huang

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Far infrared (FIR), an invisible and short electromagnetic waves ranges from 6-14 μm also defines as the “growth ray.” Although the mechanism of FIR is still unknown, most data have suggested that FIR could accelerate the skin microcirculation by elevating the blood flow and nitric-oxide (NO) synthesis. In this present work, the effect of FIR irradiation and endothelial cell growth supplement (ECGS) on human umbilical vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs) was evaluated. To understand whether the cell viability and NO production of HUVECs affected by NO, cells with/without ECGS were treated in the presence or absence of L-NAME, an eNOS inhibitor. For FIR exposure, FIR-emitted ceramic powders consisted of a variety of well-mixed metal oxides were developed. The results showed that L-NAME did had a strong effect on the inhibition of NO production, especially in the ECGS-treated group. However, the cell viability of each group was rarely affected in the presence of L-NAME. Cells with the incubation of ECGS showed much higher cell viability compared to the control. Moreover, NO production of HUVECs exposed to FIR irradiation was significantly inhibited in the presence of L-NAME. It suggested that NO could play a role modulating the downstream signals of HUVECs during FIR exposure.

Keywords: far-infrared irradiation (FIR), nitric oxide (NO), endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), endothelial cell growth supplement (ECGS)

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Authors: A. Reum Son, Jin Seon Kwon, Seung Hun Park, Hai Bang Lee, Moon Suk Kim

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These days, stem cell therapy is focused on for promising source of treatment in clinical human disease. As a supporter of stem cells, in situ-forming hydrogels with growth factors and cells appear to be a promising approach in tissue engineering. To examine osteogenic differentiation of hTMSCs which is one of mesenchymal stem cells in vivo in an injectable hydrogel, we use a methoxy polyethylene glycol-polycaprolactone blockcopolymer (MPEG-PCL) solution with osteogenic factors. We synthesized MPEG-PCL hydrogel and measured viscosity to check sol-gel transition. In order to demonstrate osteogenic ability of hTMSCs, we conducted in vitro osteogenesis experiment. Then, to confirm the cell cytotoxicity, we performed WST-1 with hTMSCs and MPEG-PCL. As the result of in vitro experiment, we implanted cell and hydrogel mixture into animal model and checked degree of osteogenesis with histological analysis and amount of expression genes. Through these experimental data, MPEG-PCL hydrogel has sol-gel transition in temperature change and is biocompatible with stem cells. In histological analysis and gene expression, hTMSCs are very good source of osteogenesis with hydrogel and will use it to tissue engineering as important treatment method. hTMSCs could be a good adult stem cell source for usability of isolation and high proliferation. When hTMSCs are used as cell therapy method with in situ-formed hydrogel, they may provide various benefits like a noninvasive alternative for bone tissue engineering applications.

Keywords: injectable hydrogel, stem cell, osteogenic differentiation, tissue engineering

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Authors: Sidra Suleman, Maliha Suleman, Stephen Brindley

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Oral rehabilitation of head and neck cancer patients plays a crucial role in the quality of life for such individuals post-treatment. Placement of dental implants or implant-retained prostheses can help restore oral function and aesthetics, which is often compromised following surgery. Conventional prosthodontic techniques can be insufficient in rehabilitating such patients due to their altered anatomy and reduced oral competence. Hence, there is a strong clinical need for the placement of dental implants. With an increasing incidence of head and neck cancer patients, the demand for such treatment is rising. Aim: The aim of the study was to determine the survival rate of dental implants in head and neck cancer patients placed at the Restorative and Maxillofacial Department, Royal Stoke University Hospital (RSUH), United Kingdom. Methodology: All patients who received dental implants between January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2020 were identified. Patients were excluded based on three criteria: 1) non-head and neck cancer patients, 2) no outpatient follow-up post-implant placement 3) provision of non-dental implants. Scanned paper notes and electronic records were extracted and analyzed. Implant survival was defined as fixtures that had remained in-situ / not required removal. Sample: Overall, 61 individuals were recruited from the 143 patients identified. The mean age was 64.9 years, with a range of 35 – 89 years. The sample included 37 (60.7%) males and 24 (39.3%) females. In total, 211 implants were placed, of which 40 (19.0%) were in the maxilla, 152 (72.0%) in the mandible and 19 (9.0%) in autogenous bone graft sites. Histologically 57 (93.4%) patients had squamous cell carcinoma, with 43 (70.5%) patients having either stage IVA or IVB disease. As part of treatment, 42 (68.9%) patients received radiotherapy, which was carried out post-operatively for 29 (69.0%) cases. Whereas 21 (34.4%) patients underwent chemotherapy, 13 (61.9%) of which were post-operative. The Median follow-up period was 21.9 months with a range from 0.9 – 91.4 months. During the study, 23 (37.7%) patients died and their data was censored beyond the date of death. Results: In total, four patients who had received radiotherapy had one implant failure each. Two mandibular implants failed secondary to osteoradionecrosis, and two maxillary implants did not survive as a result of failure to osseointegrate. The overall implant survival rates were 99.1% at three years and 98.1% at both 5 and 7 years. Conclusions: Although this data shows that implant failure rates are low, it highlights the difficulty in predicting which patients will be affected. Future studies involving larger cohorts are warranted to further analyze factors affecting outcomes.

Keywords: oncology, dental implants, survival, restorative

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Authors: Abebe Mulugojam Negash, Yongbin Yu, Ekong Favour, Bekalu Nigus Dawit, Molla Woretaw Teshome, Aynalem Birtukan Yirga

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Breast cancer remains a significant health concern, necessitating advancements in diagnostic methodologies. Addressing this, our paper confronts the notable challenges in breast cancer classification, particularly the imbalance in datasets and the constraints in the accuracy and interpretability of prevailing deep learning approaches. We proposed an attention-based residual neural network (ResNet), which effectively combines the robust features of ResNet with an advanced attention mechanism. Enhanced through strategic data augmentation and positive weight adjustments, this approach specifically targets the issue of data imbalance. The proposed model is tested on the BreakHis dataset and achieved accuracies of 99.00%, 99.04%, 98.67%, and 98.08% in different magnifications (40X, 100X, 200X, and 400X), respectively. We evaluated the performance by using different evaluation metrics such as precision, recall, and F1-Score and made comparisons with other state-of-the-art methods. Our experiments demonstrate that the proposed model outperforms existing approaches, achieving higher accuracy in breast cancer classification.

Keywords: residual neural network, attention mechanism, positive weight, data augmentation

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Authors: Jitpisute Chunthorng-Orn, Thana Juckmeta, Onmanee Prajuabjinda, Arunporn Itharat

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Inflammation and oxidative stress work together to produce symptoms in cancer patients. The whole part of it is used as a preparation to treat cancer patients in Khampramong temple which has been a place of treatment and palliative care for cancer patients since 2005. Thus, the objective of this study was to investigate anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities of Heliotropium indicum extracts. Dried plant materials were extracted in a similar manner to those practiced by the Khampramong Temple i.e. maceration in 95% ethanol and boiling in water. For anti-inflammation activity, both extracts were tested for suppression of nitric oxide (NO) production in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells. They were also tested for antioxidant activity by DPPH radical scavenging assay. This study found that the ethanolic extract of Heliotropium indicum exhibited higher inhibitory activity of NO release than Indomethacin as a positive control (IC50 value of 24.17±2.12 and 34.67±6.23 μg/mL, respectively). For DPPH radical scavenging assay, the ethanolic extract also exhibited antioxidant activity but less than BHT as a antioxidant compound (EC50 values = 28.91±4.26 and 13.08±0.29 μg/mL, respectively). In contrast, its water extract had no inhibitory activity on NO release (IC50 > 100 μg/mL) and no inhibitory activity on DPPH radicals (EC50 values > 100 μg/mL). The results showed correlation between anti-inflammation and antioxidant activity and these results also support using this plant to treat cancer patients.

Keywords: Heliotropium indicum, RAW 264.7, DPPH, Khampramong Temple

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Authors: Mastaneh Safarnejad Shad, Wim Dehaen, Steven De Jonghe

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Since CXCR4 is the main coreceptor of HIV-1 and plays an important role in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) entry, numerous efforts were directed towards the discovery of new classes of small molecules that act as CXCR4 antagonists. In addition, CXCR4 antagonists are potentially useful in the treatment of several other disorders, such as cancer cell metastasis, leukemia cell proliferation, rheumatoid arthritis, and pulmonary fibrosis. Since AMD3100 (plerixafor) is the only CXCR4 antagonist which obtained approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), we were motivated to investigate a new category of molecules as CXCR4 antagonists. Most of the scaffolds which have been studied so far as CXCR4 antagonists are based on the tetrahydroquinoline (THQ) moiety in which AMD11070 (mavorixafor), GSK-812394, and TIQ15 displayed the most potent CXCR4 antagonism. Due to the high potency of these scaffolds, two different series of compounds were prepared in this work. In the first set, the THQ moiety is coupled to an amine chain and various isoquinoline derivatives (prepared by an in-house developed triazolization strategy), of which the upper part of molecules is identical to AMD11070 and TIQ15. In the second category of compounds, the THQ moiety was simplified by the synthesis of a substituted pyridine moiety. In order to investigate if CXCR4 antagonism requires the presence of an isoquinoline moiety, the corresponding pyridine analogues were also prepared. In both series of compounds, potent CXCR4 antagonism was noticed.

Keywords: CXCR4 coreceptor, CXCR4 antagonists, HIV inhibitor, tetrahydroquinoline

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Authors: Nassim Salmi

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Postoperative mobilization is an important part of fundamental care. Increased mobilization has a positive effect on recovery, but immobilization is still a challenge in postoperative care. Aims: To report how the establishment of a national nursing database was used to measure postoperative mobilization in patients undergoing surgery for ovarian cancer. Mobilization was defined as at least 3 hours out of bed on postoperative day 1, with the goal set at achieving this in 60% of patients. Clinical nurses on 4400 patients with ovarian cancer performed data entry. Findings: 46.7% of patients met the goal for mobilization on the first postoperative day, but variations in duration and type of mobilization were observed. Of those mobilized, 51.8% had been walking in the hallway. A national nursing database creates opportunities to optimize fundamental care. By comparing nursing data with oncological, surgical, and pathology data, it became possible to study mobilization in relation to cancer stage, comorbidity, treatment, and extent of surgery.

Keywords: postoperative care, gynecology, nursing documentation, database

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Authors: Jiang Yuqi

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Aims: The aim is to analyze the facilitators and barriers of family resilience in cancer patients based on the theoretical domain framework, provide a basis for intervention in the family resilience of cancer patients, and identify the progress and enlightenment of existing intervention projects. Methods: NVivo software was used to code the influencing factors using the framework of 14 theoretical domains as primary nodes; secondary nodes were then refined using thematic analysis, and specific influencing factors were aggregated and analyzed for evaluator reliability. Data sources: PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, CNKI, and Wanfang (search dates: from construction to November 2023). Results: A total of 35 papers were included, with 142 coding points across 14 theoretical domains and 38 secondary nodes. The three most relevant theoretical domains are social influences (norms), the environment and resources, and emotions (mood). The factors with the greatest impact were family support, mood, confidence and beliefs, external support, quality of life, economic circumstances, family adaptation, coping styles with illness, and management. Conclusion: The factors influencing family resilience in cancer patients cover most of the theoretical domains in the Theoretical Domains Framework and are cross-cutting, multi-sourced, and complex. Further in-depth exploration of the key factors influencing family resilience is necessary to provide a basis for intervention research.

Keywords: cancer, survivors, family resilience, theoretical domains framework, literature review

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Authors: Rasha Ahmadi

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Glioblastoma is one of the most frequent brain malignancies, having a high mortality rate and limited survival in individuals with this malignancy. Despite different treatments and surgery, recurrence of glioblastoma cancer stem cells may arise as a subsequent tumor. For this reason, it is crucial to research the markers associated with glioblastoma stem cells and specifically their microenvironment. In this study, using bioinformatics analysis, we analyzed and nominated genes in the microenvironment pathways of glioblastoma stem cells. In this study, an appropriate database was selected for analysis by referring to the GEO database. This dataset comprised gene expression patterns in stem cells derived from glioblastoma patients. Gene clusters were divided as high and low expression. Enrichment databases such as Enrichr, STRING, and GEPIA were utilized to analyze the data appropriately. Finally, we extracted the potential genes 2700 high-expression and 1100 low-expression genes are implicated in the metabolic pathways of glioblastoma cancer progression. Cellular senescence, MAPK, TNF, hypoxia, zimosterol biosynthesis, and phosphatidylinositol metabolism pathways were substantially expressed and the metabolic pathways were downregulated. After assessing the association between protein networks, MSMP, SOX2, FGD4 ,and CNTNAP3 genes with high expression and DMKN and SBSN genes with low were selected. All of these genes were observed in the survival curve, with a survival of fewer than 10 percent over around 15 months. hsa-mir-192-5p, hsa-mir-129-5p, hsa-mir-215-5p, hsa-mir-335-5p, and hsa-mir-340-5p played key function in glioblastoma cancer stem cells microenviroments. We introduced critical genes through integrated and regular bioinformatics studies by assessing the amount of gene expression profile data that can play an important role in targeting genes involved in the energy and microenvironment of glioblastoma cancer stem cells. Have. This study indicated that hsa-mir-192-5p, and hsa-mir-129-5p are appropriate candidates for this.

Keywords: Glioblastoma, Cancer Stem Cells, Biomarker Discovery, Gene Expression Profiles, Bioinformatics Analysis, Tumor Microenvironment

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Authors: A. Dean, M. Pitcher, L. Storer, K. Shanahan, I. Rio, B. Mann

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Purpose: Breast cancer survivors are at risk of specific physical and psycho-social issues, such as arm swelling, fatigue, and depression. Firstly, we investigate symptoms reported by Australia breast cancer survivors upon completion of definitive treatment. Secondly, we evaluate the appropriateness and effectiveness of a multi-centre pilot program nurse-led clinic to identify these issues and make timely referrals to available services. Methods: Patients post-definitive treatment (excluding ongoing hormonal therapy) for early breast cancer or ductal carcinoma in situ were invited to participate. An hour long appointment with a breast care nurse (BCN) was scheduled. In preparation, patients completed validated quality-of-life surveys (FACT-B, Menopause Rating Scale, Distress Thermometer). During the appointment, issues identified in the surveys were addressed and referrals to appropriate services arranged. Results: 183 of 274 (67%) eligible patients attended a nurse-led clinic. Mean age 56.8 years (range 29-87 years), 181/183 women, 105/183 post-menopausal. 96 (55%) participants reported significant level of distress; 31 (18%) participants reported extreme distress or depression. Distress stemmed from a lack of energy (56/175); poor quality of sleep (50/176); inability to work or participate in household activities (35/172) and problems with sex life (28/89). 166 referrals were offered; 94% of patients accepted the referrals. 65% responded to a follow-up survey: the majority of women either strongly agreed or agreed that the BCN was overwhelmingly supportive, helpful in making referrals, and compassionate towards them. 39% reported making lifestyle changes as a result of the BCN. Conclusion: Breast cancer survivors experience a unique set of challenges, including low mood, difficulty sleeping, problems with sex life and fear of disease recurrence. The nurse-led clinic model is an appropriate and effective method to ensure physical and psycho-social issues are identified and managed in a timely manner. This model empowers breast cancer survivors with information about their diagnosis and available services.

Keywords: early breast cancer, survivorship, breast care nursing, oncology nursing and cancer care

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Authors: Nadia Obaed, Lexi Frankel, Amalia Ardeljan, Denis Nigel, Anniki Witter, Omar Rashid

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Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women, with a lifetime risk of one in eight of all women in the United States. Although breast cancer is prevalent throughout the world, the uneven distribution in incidence and mortality rates is shaped by the variation in population structure, environment, genetics and known lifestyle risk factors. Furthermore, the bacterial profile in healthy and cancerous breast tissue differs with a higher relative abundance of bacteria capable of causing DNA damage in breast cancer patients. Previous bacterial infections may change the composition of the microbiome and partially account for the environmental factors promoting breast cancer. One study found that higher amounts of Staphylococcus, Bacillus, and Enterobacteriaceae, of which Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a part, were present in breast tumor tissue. Based on E. coli’s ability to damage DNA, it is hypothesized that there is an increased risk of breast cancer associated with previous E. coli infection. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the correlation between E. coli infection and the incidence of breast cancer. Holy Cross Health, Fort Lauderdale, provided access to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability (HIPAA) compliant national database for the purpose of academic research. International Classification of Disease 9th and 10th Codes (ICD-9, ICD-10) was then used to conduct a retrospective analysis using data from January 2010 to December 2019. All breast cancer diagnoses and all patients infected versus not infected with E. coli that underwent typical E. coli treatment were investigated. The obtained data were matched for age, Charlson Comorbidity Score (CCI score), and antibiotic treatment. Standard statistical methods were applied to determine statistical significance and an odds ratio was used to estimate the relative risk. A total of 81286 patients were identified and analyzed from the initial query and then reduced to 31894 antibiotic-specific treated patients in both the infected and control group, respectively. The incidence of breast cancer was 2.51% and present in 2043 patients in the E. coli group compared to 5.996% and present in 4874 patients in the control group. The incidence of breast cancer was 3.84% and present in 1223 patients in the treated E. coli group compared to 6.38% and present in 2034 patients in the treated control group. The decreased incidence of breast cancer in the E. coli and treated E. coli groups was statistically significant with a p-value of 2.2x10-16 and 2.264x10-16, respectively. The odds ratio in the E. coli and treated E. coli groups was 0.784 and 0.787 with a 95% confidence interval, respectively (0.756-0.813; 0.743-0.833). The current study shows a statistically significant decrease in breast cancer incidence in association with previous Escherichia coli infection. Researching the relationship between single bacterial species is important as only up to 10% of breast cancer risk is attributable to genetics, while the contribution of environmental factors including previous infections potentially accounts for a majority of the preventable risk. Further evaluation is recommended to assess the potential and mechanism of E. coli in decreasing the risk of breast cancer.

Keywords: breast cancer, escherichia coli, incidence, infection, microbiome, risk

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Authors: Daniela E. Marin, Cornelia Braicu, Gina C. Pistol, Roxana Cojocneanu-Petric, Ioana Berindan Neagoe, Mihail A. Gras, Ionelia Taranu

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Aristolochic acid (AA) is a carcinogenic, mutagenic, and nephrotoxic compound commonly found in the Aristolochiaceae family of plants. AA is frequently associated with urothelial carcinoma of the upper urinary tract in human and animals and is considered as being responsible for Balkan Endemic Nephropathy. The pig provides a good animal model because the porcine urological system is very similar to that of humans, both in aspects of physiology and anatomy. MicroRNA (miRNA) are small non-coding RNAs that have an impact on a wide range of biological processes by regulating gene expression at post-transcriptional level. The objective of this study was to analyze the miRNA profiling in the kidneys of AA intoxicated swine. For this purpose, ten TOPIGS-40 crossbred weaned piglets, 4-week-old, male and females with an initial average body weight of 9.83 ± 0.5 kg were studied for 28 days. They were given ad libitum access to water and feed and randomly allotted to one of the following groups: control group (C) or aristolochic acid group (AA). They were fed a maize-soybean-meal-based diet contaminated or not with 0.25mgAA/kg. To profile miRNA in the kidneys of pigs, microarrays and bioinformatics approaches were applied to analyze the miRNA in the kidney of control and AA intoxicated pigs. After normalization, our results have shown that a total of 5 known miRNAs and 4 novel miRNAs had different profiling in the kidney of intoxicated animals versus control ones. Expression of miR-32-5p, miR-497-5p, miR-423-3p, miR-218-5p, miR-128-3p were up-regulated by 0.25mgAA/kg feed, while the expression of miR-9793-5p, miR-9835-3p, miR-9840-3p, miR-4334-5p was down-regulated. The microRNA profiling in kidney of intoxicated animals was associated with modified expression of target genes as: RICTOR, LASP1, SFRP2, DKK2, BMI1, RAF1, IGF1R, MAP2K1, WEE1, HDGF, BCL2, EIF4E etc, involved in cell division cycle, apoptosis, cell differentiation and cell migration, cell signaling, cancer etc. In conclusion, this study provides new data concerning the microRNA profiling in kidney after aristolochic acid intoxications with important implications for human and animal health.

Keywords: aristolochic acid, kidney, microRNA, swine

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Authors: Francisco Pedroza-Montero, Jesús Naín Pedroza-Montero, Diego Soto-Puebla, Osiris Alvarez-Bajo, Beatriz Castaneda, Sofía Navarro-Espinoza, Martín Pedroza-Montero

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Nanodiamonds have been widely studied for their physical properties, including chemical inertness, biocompatibility, optical transparency from the ultraviolet to the infrared region, high thermal conductivity, and mechanical strength. In this work, we studied how the fluorescence spectrum of nanodiamonds quenches concerning the concentration in aqueous solutions systematically ranging from 0.1 to 10 mg/mL. Our results demonstrated a non-linear fluorescence quenching as the concentration increases for both of the NV zero-phonon lines; the 5 mg/mL concentration shows the maximum fluorescence emission. Furthermore, this behaviour is theoretically explained as an electronic recombination process that modulates the intensity in the NV centres. Finally, to gain more insight, the FRET methodology is used to determine the fluorescence efficiency in terms of the fluorophores' separation distance. Thus, the concentration level is simulated as follows, a small distance between nanodiamonds would be considered a highly concentrated system, whereas a large distance would mean a low concentrated one. Although the 5 mg/mL concentration shows the maximum intensity, our main interest is focused on the concentration of 0.5 mg/mL, which our studies demonstrate the optimal human cell viability (99%). In this respect, this concentration has the feature of being as biocompatible as water giving the possibility to internalize it in cells without harming the living media. To this end, not only can we track nanodiamonds on the surface or inside the cell with excellent precision due to their fluorescent intensity, but also, we can perform thermometry tests transforming a fluorescence contrast image into a temperature contrast image.

Keywords: nanodiamonds, fluorescence spectroscopy, concentration, bioimaging, thermometry

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Authors: Khadija Al-Hosni, Moon Fai Chan, Mohammed Al-Azri

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Background: Several studies suggest that most school-age adolescents are poorly informed on cancer warning signs and risk factors. Providing adolescents with sufficient knowledge would increase their awareness in adulthood and improve seeking behaviors later. Significant: The results will provide a clear vision in assisting key decision-makers in formulating policies on the students' awareness programs towards cancer. So, the likelihood of avoiding cancer in the future will be increased or even promote early diagnosis. Objectives: to evaluate the effectiveness of an education program designed to increase awareness of cancer signs and symptoms risk factors, improve the behavior of seeking help among school students in Oman, and address the barriers to obtaining medical help. Methods: A randomized controlled trial with two groups was conducted in Oman. A total of 1716 students (n=886/control, n= 830/education), aged 15-17 years, at 10th and 11th grade from 12 governmental schools 3 in governorates from 20-February-2022 to 12-May-2022. Basic demographic data were collected, and the Cancer Awareness Measure (CAM) was used as the primary outcome. Data were collected at baseline (T0) and 4 weeks after (T1). The intervention group received an education program about cancer's cause and its signs and symptoms. In contrast, the control group did not receive any education related to this issue during the study period. Non-parametric tests were used to compare the outcomes between groups. Results: At T0, the lamp was the most recognized cancer warning sign in the control (55.0%) and intervention (55.2%) groups. However, there were no significant changes at T1 for all signs in the control group. In contrast, all sign outcomes were improved significantly (p<0.001) in the intervention group, and the highest response was unexplained pain (93.3%). Smoking was the most recognized risk factor in both groups: (82.8% for control; 84.1% for intervention) at T0. However, there was no significant change in T1 for the control group, but there was for the intervention group (p<0.001), the highest identification was smoking cigarettes (96.5%). Too scared was the largest barrier to seeking medical help by students in the control group at T0 (63.0%) and T1 (62.8%). However, there were no significant changes in all barriers in this group. Otherwise, being too embarrassed (60.2%) was the largest barrier to seeking medical help for students in the intervention group at T0 and too scared (58.6%) at T1. Although there were reductions in all barriers, significant differences were found in six of ten only (p<0.001). Conclusion: The intervention was effective in improving students' awareness of cancer symptoms, warning signs (p<0.001), and risk factors (p<0.001 reduced the most addressed barriers to seeking medical help (p<0.001) in comparison to the control group. The Ministry of Education in Oman could integrate awareness of cancer within the curriculum, and more interventions are needed on the sociological part to overcome the barriers that interfere with seeking medical help.

Keywords: adolescents, awareness, cancer, education, intervention, student

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Authors: Thanunthon Bowornsakulwong, Charukorn Charukarn, Franck Courtes, Panit Kitsubun, Lalintip Horcharoen

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Vero cell is a continuous cell line that is widely used for the production of viral vaccines. However, due to its adherent characteristic, scaling up strategy in large-scale production remains complicated and thus limited. Consequently, suspension-like Vero cell culture processes based on microcarriers have been introduced and employed while also providing increased surface area per volume unit. However, harvesting Vero cells from microcarriers is a huge challenge due to difficulties in cells detaching, lower recovery yield, time-consuming and dissociation agent carry-over. To overcome these problems, we developed a dissociation-association platform technology for detaching and re-attaching cells during subculturing from microcarriers to microcarriers, which will be conveniently applied to seed trains strategies in large scale bioreactors. Herein, Hillex-2 was used to culture Vero cells in serum-containing media using spinner flasks as a scale-down model. The overall confluency of cells on microcarriers was observed using inverted microscope, and the sample cells were daily detached in order to obtain the kinetics data. The metabolites consumption and by-products formation were determined by Nova Biomedical BioprofileFlex.

Keywords: dissociation-reassociation, microcarrier, scale up, Vero cell

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Authors: Subhash Reddy

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Mobile communication in today’s world means a lot to the human kind, through this many deals are made and others are broken, within seconds. That is because of our sophisticated methods of transporting the data at very high speeds and to very long distances, within no time. That is also because we kept on changing the method of serving the connections as the no of connections kept on increasing, that has led to many methods like TDMA, CDMA, and FDMA, etc. in wireless communications. And also the areas, where the connections are provided are also divided into CELLS, which are the basic blocks for cellular communications. Along with the wireless network, providing a wired network in mobile phones would serve as a very good alternative and would divert the extra traffic of a cell, so that a CELL which is providing wireless network can operate more efficiently.

Keywords: CDMA, FDMA, TDMA, CELL

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Authors: P. Valsalal, S. Thangalakshmi

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There is a widespread changeover in the electrical power industry universally from old-style monopolistic outline towards a horizontally distributed competitive structure to come across the demand of rising consumption. When the transmission lines of derestricted system are incapable to oblige the entire service needs, the lines are overloaded or congested. The governor between customer and power producer is nominated as Independent System Operator (ISO) to lessen the congestion without obstructing transmission line restrictions. Among the existing approaches for congestion management, the frequently used approaches are reorganizing the generation and load curbing. There is a boundary for reorganizing the generators, and further loads may not be supplemented with the prevailing resources unless more private power producers are added in the system by considerably raising the cost. Hence, congestion is relaxed by appropriate Flexible AC Transmission Systems (FACTS) devices which boost the existing transfer capacity of transmission lines. The FACTs device, namely, Unified Power Flow Controller (UPFC) is preferred, and the correct placement of UPFC is more vital and should be positioned in the highly congested line. Hence, the weak line is identified by using power flow performance index with the new objective function with proposed hybrid Fish – Bee algorithm. Further, the location of UPFC at appropriate line reduces the branch loading and minimizes the voltage deviation. The power transfer capacity of lines is determined with and without UPFC in the identified congested line of IEEE 30 bus structure and the simulated results are compared with prevailing algorithms. It is observed that the transfer capacity of existing line is increased with the presented algorithm and thus alleviating the congestion.

Keywords: available line transfer capability, congestion management, FACTS device, Hybrid Fish-Bee Algorithm, ISO, UPFC

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Authors: S. Limpattayanate, M. Hunsom

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A comparison of activity and stability of the as-formed Pt/C, Pt-Co, and Pt-Pd/C electrocatalysts, prepared by a combined approach of impregnation and seeding, was performed. According to the activity test in a single proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell, the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity of the Pt-M/C electro catalyst was slightly lower than that of Pt/C. The j0.9 V and E10 mA/cm2 of the as-prepared electrocatalysts increased in the order of Pt/C>Pt-Co/C>Pt-Pd/C. However, in the medium-to-high current density region, Pt-Pd/C exhibited the best performance. With regard to their stability in a 0.5 M H2SO4 electrolyte solution, the electro chemical surface area decreased as the number of rounds of repetitive potential cycling increased due to the dissolution of the metals within the catalyst structure. For long-term measurement, Pt-Pd/C was the most stable than the other three electrocatalysts.

Keywords: ORR activity, stability, Pt-based electrocatalysts, PEM fuel cell

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Authors: Fethi Benyettou, Abdelkader Aissat, M. A. Benammar

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In this work, we use Silvaco TCAD software for modeling and simulations of standard GaAs solar cell, InAs/GaAs and GaSb/GaAs p-i-n quantum dot solar cell. When comparing 20-layer InAs/GaAs, GaSb/GaAs quantum dots solar cells with standard GaAs solar cell, the conversion efficiency in simulation results increased from 16.48 % to 22.6% and 16.48% to 22.42% respectively. Also, the absorption range edge of photons with low energies extended from 900 nm to 1200 nm.

Keywords: SILVACO TCAD, the quantum dot, simulation, materials engineering

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Authors: Yi Fung Lin, Pei Chen Tsai

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Purpose: Many breast cancer survivors actively seek information about diet, exercise, and nutritional supplements to expedite recovery, reduce the risk of recurrence, and enhance their quality of life. While weight loss is not a primary concern for overweight or obese patients during the active treatment phase, they continue to face the additional burden and risks associated with excess weight post-treatment. This group has complex views on weight loss: they are concerned that exercise or dietary control might exacerbate symptoms, yet they also believe that obesity could negatively impact health. These perceptions can have both positive and negative effects on weight management. Therefore, this qualitative study aimed to explore the factors that influence overweight or obese breast cancer survivors' ability to manage their weight. Method: Eight women participated in in-depth interviews in 2022. Data was extracted based on the verbatim transcripts of the audio files, and the analysis was conducted through careful reading of the text. This qualitative research collected data until data saturation was reached. Results: A total of 22 codes were identified and subsequently integrated into three main themes: (1) Facilitators, including support systems, others' successful weight loss experiences, education, responsibility to others, and motivation; (2) Barriers, encompassing physical limitations, the stigma associated with weight loss, the cost of weight loss, antiestrogen medication, and cancer symptoms; (3) Variable Factors, which comprise perspectives on cancer, perspectives on obesity, and past experiences with weight loss. Conclusions: These findings are similar to previous research on barriers and motivators, highlighting variable factors that exist and can lead to either positive or negative effects on weight loss. The results can inform the development of weight management programs tailored to the needs of overweight or obese breast cancer survivors. Additionally, the identified factors represent vital variables for future studies, serving as valuable references for further research in this area.

Keywords: weight management, breast cancer, overweight, obese, cancer survivors

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Authors: Mattia Dimitri, Martina Ricci, Margherita Romiti, Filippo Bigi, Andrea Corvi

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Tissue engineering has reached a significant milestone with the integration of 3D printing for the creation of complex bioconstructs equipped with vascular networks, crucial for cell maintenance and growth. This study aims to demonstrate the effectiveness of a portable microperfusion system designed to adapt dynamically to the evolving conditions of cell growth within 3D-printed bioconstructs. The microperfusion system was developed to provide a constant and controlled flow of nutrients and oxygen through the integrated vessels in the bioconstruct, replicating in vivo physiological conditions. Through a series of preliminary experiments, we evaluated the system's ability to maintain a favourable environment for cell proliferation and differentiation. Measurements of cell density and viability were performed to monitor the health and functionality of the tissue over time. Preliminary results indicate that the portable microperfusion system not only supports but optimizes cell growth, effectively adapting to changes in metabolic needs during the bioconstruct maturation process. This research opens new perspectives in tissue engineering, demonstrating that a portable microperfusion system can be successfully integrated into 3D-printed bioconstructs, promoting sustainable and uniform cell growth. The implications of this study are far-reaching, with potential applications in regenerative medicine and pharmacological research, providing an innovative platform for the development of functional and complex tissues.

Keywords: microfluidics, biofabrication, micro-perfusion system, 3d bioprinting

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Authors: Eugene Eduful

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This paper introduces an approach that utilizes a Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) to detect vegetation encroachment between segments of distribution lines. The WSN was designed and implemented, involving the seamless integration of Arduino Uno and Mega systems. This integration demonstrates a method for addressing the challenges posed by vegetation interference. The primary aim of the study is to improve the reliability of power supply in areas characterized by forested terrain, specifically targeting overhead powerlines. The experimental results validate the effectiveness of the proposed system, revealing its ability to accurately identify and locate instances of vegetation encroachment with a remarkably high degree of precision.

Keywords: wireless sensor network, vegetation encroachment, line of sight, Arduino Uno, XBEE

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Authors: Mohamed M. Bumadian, D. James Gilmour

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Three bacterial species were isolated from the River Wye (Derbyshire, England) and identified using 16S rRNA gene sequencing as Serratia proteamaculans, Aeromonas hydrophila and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Respiration rates of the strains were measured in order to determine the metabolic activity under salt stress. The highest respiration rates of all three strains were found at 0.17 M and 0.5 M NaCl and then the respiration rate decreased with increasing concentrations of NaCl. In addition, the effect of increasing concentrations of NaCl on malate dehydrogenase activity was determined using cell-free extracts of the three strains. Malate dehydrogenase activity was stimulated at NaCl concentrations up to 0.5 M, and a small level of activity remained even at 3.5 M NaCl. The pH optimum of the malate dehydrogenase in cell-free extracts of all strains was higher than pH 7.5.

Keywords: fresh water, halotolerant pathogenic bacteria, 16S rRNA gene, cell-free extracts, respiration rates, malate dehydrogenase

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Authors: Mohanad Alhabo, Naveed Nawaz

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The ongoing call or data session must be maintained to ensure a good quality of service. This can be accomplished by performing the handover procedure while the user is on the move. However, the dense deployment of small cells in 5G networks is a challenging issue due to the extensive number of handovers. In this paper, a neighbour cell list method is proposed to reduce the number of target small cells and hence minimizing the number of handovers. The neighbour cell list is built by omitting cells that could cause an unnecessary handover and handover failure because of short time of stay of the user in these cells. A multi-attribute decision making technique, simple additive weighting, is then applied to the optimized neighbour cell list. Multi-tier small cells network is considered in this work. The performance of the proposed method is analysed and compared with that of the existing methods. Results disclose that our method has decreased the candidate small cell list, unnecessary handovers, handover failure, and short time of stay cells compared to the competitive method.

Keywords: handover, HetNets, multi-attribute decision making, small cells

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Authors: Jehad Dumireih, Malak Dmirieh, Michael Wink

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The present work is aimed to use plant cell suspension cultures of Crataegus monogyna for biosynthesis of valuable natural products by using quercetin as an inexpensive precursor. Suspension cell cultures of C. monogyna were established by using Murashige and Skoog medium (MS) supplemented with 1 mg/L 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and 1 mg/L kinetin. Cells were harvested from the cultures and extracted by using methanol and ethyl acetate; then the extracts were used for the identification of isoquercetin by HPLC and by mass spectrometry. The incubation of the cells with 0.24 mM quercetin for one week resulted in an 16 fold increase of isoquercetin biosynthesis; the growth rate of the cells increased by 20%. Moreover, the biosynthesis of isoquercetin was enhanced by 40% when we divided the added quercetin into three portions each one with concentration 0.12 mM supplied at 3 days intervals. In addition, we didn’t find any positive effects of adding different concentrations the precursors phenylalanine (0.2 mM) and galactose to the cell cultures. In conclusion, the efficiency of the biotransformation of quercetin into isoquercetin depended on the concentration quercetin, its incubation time and the way of its administration. The results of the present work suggest that the biotechnological methods such as cell suspension cultures could be successfully used to obtain highly valuable natural product starting from inexpensive compound.

Keywords: biosynthesis, biotransformation, Crataegus, isoquercetin

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Authors: S. Muthuraja Soundrapandian, C.K. Subramaniam

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A micro Direct Methanol Fuel Cell (DMFC) of 1 cm2 active area with selective sensor materials to sense methanol for redox, has been developed. Among different Pt alloys, Pt-Sn/C was able to produce high current density and repeatability. Membrane Elecctrode Assembly (MEA) of anode catalyst Pt-Sn/C was prepared with nafion as active membrane and Pt black as cathode catalyst. The sensor’s maximum ability to detect the trace levels of methanol in ppm has been analyzed. A compact sensor set up has also been made and the characterization studies were carried out. The acceptable value of current density was derived by the cell and the results are able to fulfill the needs of DMFC technology for the practical applications.

Keywords: DMFC, sensor, MEA, Pt-Sn

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Authors: Linda P. M. Pluymen, Mariska M. G. Leeflang, I. Stegeman, Henock G. Yebyo, Anne E. M. Brabers, Patrick M. Bossuyt, E. Dekker, Anke J. Woudstra, Mirjam P. Fransen

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Weighing the benefits and harms of colorectal cancer screening can be difficult for individuals. An existing online decision aid was expanded with a benefit-harm analysis to help people make an informed decision about participating in colorectal cancer screening. In a randomized controlled trial, we investigated whether those in the intervention group who used the decision aid with benefit-harm analysis were more certain about their decision than those in the control group who used the decision aid without benefit-harm analysis. Participants were 623 (39% of those invited) men and women aged 45 until 75 years old. Analyses were performed in those 386 participants (62%) who reported to have completed the entire decision aid. No statistically significant differences were observed between intervention and control group in decisional conflict score (mean difference 2.4, 95% CI -0.9, 5.6), clarity of values (mean difference 1.0, 95% CI -4.4, 6.6), deliberation score (mean difference 0.5, 95% CI -0.6, 1.7), anxiety score (mean difference 0.0, 95% CI -0.3, 0.3) and risk perception score (mean difference 0.1, -0.1, 0.3). Adding a benefit-harm analysis to an online decision aid did not improve informed decision making about participating in colorectal cancer screening.

Keywords: benefit-harm analysis, decision aid, informed decision making, personalized decision making

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Authors: R. Tudugala, B. M. A. I. Balasooriya, W. M. Ediri Arachchi, R. W. M. W. K. Rathnayake, T. D. Premaratna

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Brachytherapy involves placing a source of radiation near the cancer site which gives promising prognosis for cervical cancer treatments. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of random variation of treated volumes in between fractions in the 2D image based fractionated high dose rate brachytherapy for cervical cancer at National Cancer Institute Maharagama, Sri Lanka. Dose plans were analyzed for 150 cervical cancer patients with orthogonal radiographs (2D) based brachytherapy. ICRU treated volumes was modeled by translating the applicators with the help of “Multisource HDR plus software”. The difference of treated volumes with respect to the applicator geometry was analyzed by using SPSS 18 software; to derived patient population based estimates of delivered treated volumes relative to ideally treated volumes. Packing was evaluated according to bladder dose, rectum dose and geometry of the dose distribution by three consultant radiation oncologist. The difference of treated volumes depends on types of the applicators, which was used in fractionated brachytherapy. The means of the “Difference of Treated Volume” (DTV) for “Evenly activated tandem (ET)” length” group was ((X_1)) -0.48 cm3 and ((X_2)) 11.85 cm3 for “Unevenly activated tandem length (UET) group. The range of the DTV for ET group was 35.80 cm3 whereas UET group 104.80 cm3. One sample T test was performed to compare the DTV with “Ideal treatment volume difference (0.00cm3)”. It is evident that P value was 0.732 for ET group and for UET it was 0.00 moreover independent two sample T test was performed to compare ET and UET groups and calculated P value was 0.005. Packing was evaluated under three categories 59.38% used “Convenient Packing Technique”, 33.33% used “Fairly Packing Technique” and 7.29% used “Not Convenient Packing” in their fractionated brachytherapy treatments. Random variation of treated volume in ET group is much lower than UET group and there is a significant difference (p<0.05) in between ET and UET groups which affects the dose distribution of the treatment. Furthermore, it can be concluded nearly 92.71% patient’s packing were used acceptable packing technique at NCIM, Sri Lanka.

Keywords: brachytherapy, cervical cancer, high dose rate, tandem, treated volumes

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Authors: Rahy Farooq, Maria Ahmad Khan, Ayesha Isani Majeed

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Objective: The main aim of this research is to assess the knowledge, attitude and practices of female nursing staff and nursing students regarding breast cancer, to provide a baseline for monitoring trends of breast cancer awareness in them. Background: Healthcare professionals are a direct source of information for the patients and the general public as a whole. It is, therefore, essential that the information they convey be accurate and helps in building additional awareness. However, clinical experience does not influence the knowledge, attitude and practices regarding breast cancer. Nurses, being the prime part of the healthcare professionals, play a significant role and hence, their awareness regarding this pressing issue is pertinent. Lack of awareness regarding common presenting symptoms or breast cancer risk factors translates to poor breast cancer screening practices and late diagnosis. Methodology: A cross-sectional study of 280 female nurses was conducted at a tertiary care hospital in Islamabad, Pakistan. A pre-tested structured questionnaire with additional variables like cultural barriers to seeking medical help was used. The scores for outcome variables including knowledge, attitude and practices were pre-defined. Data was analyzed using SPSSv23. Results: Of the 280 participants with a mean age of 28.99±9.98 years, 142 (50.7%) were married, and 138 (49.3%) were unmarried. Mean scores were computed to be 6.14±2.93 (out of 12), 0.30±0.7 (out of 3) and 9.53±1.92 (out of 16) for knowledge, attitude and practice respectively. Using independent sample T-test, a statistically significant correlation was found when means for the score of Attitude was compared with age. With a p-value of 0.018, 117 nurses of age more than 30 years, faced more practical, financial, emotional and service barriers as compared to 163 women younger than 30 years of age. Knowledge of age-related lifetime risks was also significantly poor more in single women; with a p-value of 0.006 for identification of correct age as a risk factor and a p-value of 0.005 for correct identification of risk for development of breast cancer in the lifetime of women. By application of Chi-square test, there was a significant correlation between marital status and cultural barriers to seeking medical help, showing that single women (58.7%) shy away from talking about breast cancer considering it a taboo (p-value 0.028) whereas, more married nurses (59.2%) were apprehensive that they might be considered at fault by the society, as compared to 40.8% of single nurses. (p-value 0.038). Conclusion: Owing to the scarcity of awareness among nurses, this study recognizes the need for delivering effective information to the female nurses regarding breast cancer. Educating patients is likely to be effective if the female nurses play their part and have correct attitudes towards breast cancer practices. A better understanding of the knowledge and practices regarding breast cancer among the nursing population will enable high-risk patients to be recognized early. Therefore, we recommend arrangement of special courses and seminars for all healthcare professionals including the nursing staff.

Keywords: breast cancer, cultural barriers, kap, nurses

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Authors: Liane J. Ioannou, Jonathan Serpell, Joanne Dean, Cino Bendinelli, Jenny Gough, Dean Lisewski, Julie Miller, Win Meyer-Rochow, Stan Sidhu, Duncan Topliss, David Walters, John Zalcberg, Susannah Ahern

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Background: The occurrence of thyroid cancer is increasing throughout the developed world, including Australia and New Zealand, and since the 1990s has become the fastest increasing malignancy. Following the success of a number of institutional databases that monitor outcomes after thyroid surgery, the Australian and New Zealand Endocrine Surgeons (ANZES) agreed to auspice the development of a bi-national thyroid cancer registry. Objectives: To establish a bi-national population-based clinical quality registry with the aim of monitoring and improving the quality of care provided to patients diagnosed with thyroid cancer in Australia and New Zealand. Patients and Methods: The Australian and New Zealand Thyroid Cancer Registry (ANZTCR) captures clinical data for all patients, over the age of 18 years, diagnosed with thyroid cancer, confirmed by histopathology report, that have been diagnosed, assessed or treated at a contributing hospital. Data is collected by endocrine surgeons using a web-based interface, REDCap, primarily via direct data entry. Results: A multi-disciplinary Steering Committee was formed, and with operational support from Monash University the ANZTCR was established in early 2017. The pilot phase of the registry is currently operating in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia, with over 30 sites expected to come on board across Australia and New Zealand in 2018. A modified-Delphi process was undertaken to determine the key quality indicators to be reported by the registry, and a minimum dataset was developed comprising information regarding thyroid cancer diagnosis, pathology, surgery, and 30-day follow up. Conclusion: There are very few established thyroid cancer registries internationally, yet clinical quality registries have shown valuable outcomes and patient benefits in other cancers. The establishment of the ANZTCR provides the opportunity for Australia and New Zealand to further understand the current practice in the treatment of thyroid cancer and reasons for variation in outcomes. The engagement of endocrine surgeons in supporting this initiative is crucial. While the pilot registry has a focus on early clinical outcomes, it is anticipated that future collection of longer-term outcome data particularly for patients with the poor prognostic disease will add significant further value to the registry.

Keywords: thyroid cancer, clinical registry, population health, quality improvement

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