No abstract

This study investigates the possible prognostic role of serum metastasin messenger RNA (mRNA) in breast carcinoma as a non-invasive screening tool, and determines metastasin mRNA in the serum of breast cancer patients with high sensitivity (85%) and specificity (100%). A significant difference (P = 0.05) was observed between serum metastasin mRNA and the number of involved lymph nodes. Patients with higher expression of serum metastasin showed poor survival (six times worse) than those with lower levels. Patients negative for serum metastasin mRNA suffered recurrences, while those positive for serum metastasin mRNA suffered distant metastases. The results of this study suggest that serum metastasin mRNA represents an important survival marker in breast carcinoma.

Fas (CD95-APO-1), a member of tumor necrosis factor receptor super-family, exists in two forms, transmembrane and soluble (sFas). It had been suggested that circulating sFas levels and/or tissue FasL may reflect the severity of invasive breast ductal carcinoma. Few studies showed that neither DNA-index nor ploidy is an independent prognostic indicator, and there is no correlation with clinical outcome. The S-phase fraction (SPF) has been shown to be useful prognostic factor in both node-negative and node-positive tumors. The present work was done to find a correlation between sFas, tissue FasL, ploidy and SPF with prognostic factors and survival of breast ductal carcinoma patients. The present study included two groups; a patients group comprised 30 patients with breast ductal carcinoma and a control group that comprised 15 patients with benign breast swellings. Serum sFas was measured using commercially available ELISA kit and tissue FasL expression was studied using avidin-biotine immunohistochemical staining technique. Cell cycle studies were performed using flow cytometry. Serum sFas was significantly higher in breast ductal carcinoma group than in the benign breast swelling control group. A significant negative correlation between serum sFas and overall survival was found. Tissue FasL expression was directly correlated with distant metastasis and poor overall survival. A significant direct correlation was found between moderate and high SPF with worse pathologic parameters. Serum sFas level, tissue FasL immuno-expression and S-phase fraction are independent prognostic factors in breast ductal carcinoma cases.

No abstract

Bi-functional effect of Eryngium bourgatii extract on inhibiting iron corrosion and bacterial growth in both fresh and marine water media was studied using weight loss measurements for corrosion inhibition and well diffusion method for bacterial growth inhibition. At 150 mg/100 mL inhibition efficiency of corrosion reached 95% and 91% in fresh and marine medium respectively. The results showed clearly that E. bourgatii ethanol-hexane crude extract is strongly active in both media. Three quantitative methods were applied for measuring corrosion rate of iron metal cylinders: relative weight loss, iron released in the medium, and turbidity. Statistical analyses showed that the three methods are comparable and any method of the three could be used to measure corrosion rate. Experimental data obeyed Langmuir isotherm model. Optical and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images revealed the smoothness and homogeneity of adsorption layer on the iron nail surface. Regarding bacterial growth inhibition at ratio of 150 mg/100 mL medium was found to be effective.