Survival of breast cancer in southern Iran

Background: Breast cancer is the most frequent cancer in women in the western world. With breast cancer now affecting one in ten women, it is important to know how this disease burden is shared among women. Aims: This study was undertaken to determine the survival rate of breast cancer in southern Iran. Methods and Material: From December 2001 to December 2006, among 8000 hospital-based registered cancer cases in southern Iran, 863 individuals with breast cancer entered our study. One, 5, 10 and 15 year-survival rates were estimated by Kaplan Meier function. Results: Mean age at the time of diagnosis of breast cancer was 46.3 years (SD=11.5). About 25.4% had a previous family history of cancer in their first and 13.8% in their second degree relatives. About 92.5%, 71.3% and 41.4% of breast cancer cases underwent surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, respectively. Nearly 11.7% of patients had a history of exposure to chemical materials. About 32.3% were passive and 19.2% were active smokers. Totally, one, 5, 10 and 15 year-survival rates were 97%, 67%, 45% and 25%, respectively. The survival rate had a significant negative correlation with age at the time of diagnosis. Conclusions: The survival rate of women with breast cancer in southern Iran seems to be identical to other parts of the country and stands between western and eastern European countries

Effect of Different Bulking Materials and Earthworms Species on Bioremediation Potential of Municipal Sewage Sludge

In present study the efficiency for vermiremediation of municipal sewage sludge (MSS) with different bulking materials such as Cow Dung (CD), Sheep Manure (SM) and Garden Soil (GS) in presence of Eudrilus eugeniae and Eisenia foetida was investigated. The results revealed that interaction of worm species and bulking materials had significant effect on moisture %, EC and Cl- but it was non significant for pH and Organic Carbon (OC). At final stage of vermiremediation OC, EC and Cl- were reduced as compare to initial stage. The highest values for EC (8804 µmohs/cm) and OC (25.63 %), were noted in the treatment SS + CD and no worm species.  While maximum Cl- (1423 ppm) was found in treatment SS + no bulking material and no worm species. The results also indicated that the lowest EC (3424 µmohs/cm) was in treatment SS + GS + Eudrilus eugeniae, OC (13.83 %) was in treatment SS + no bulking material + Eudrilus Eugeniae and Cl- (643.0 ppm) was noted in treatment SS + CD + Eudrilus eugeniae. It is concluded that the effective bioremediation of sewage sludge is possible with cow dung manure or garden soil along with Eudrilus eugeniae or Eisenia foetida. Keywords: bulking, earthworm, remediation, sewage sludge

Detection of Helicobacter Pylori in the lacrimal sac mucosa of the patients with primary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction

Helicobacter pylori have been detected in sinonasal mucosa in both normal and pathologic condition. The nasolacrimal duct is within the medial wall of maxillary sinus and open into the nasal cavity, so ascending colonization of nasolacrimal duct and lacrimal sac is possible. The aim of this study is to investigate the presence of H. pylori by polymerase chain (PCR) reaction in the nasal and lacrimal sac mucosa of the patients with primary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction. Eighty patients with primary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction who were scheduled for dacryocystorhinostomy enrolled in the study. The patients were asked if they suffered from the classic symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (heart burn, regurgitation, and acid taste). Tissue samples from the lacrimal sac mucosa and nasal mucosa were obtained during dacryocystorhinostomy surgery. The tissues were analyzed for detection of H. pylori DNA by PCR. The mean age of patients was 41.96±14.7 years (age range, 17-84 Years). PCR for H. pylori DNA was positive in the nasal mucosa in 3 patients, in the lacrimal sac mucosa in 2 patients and in both nasal mucosa and lacrimal sac mucosa in 1 patient. Classic symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease were found in 16 patients (20%). It is possible to detect H. pylori in the lacrimal sac mucosa of some patients with primary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction. More comprehensive studies are needed to determine whether H. pylori plays an etiopathologic role in the development of primary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction

Solitary Osseous Plasmacytoma of the Head and Neck

Purpose: This study aimed to report the characteristics and treatment outcome of 8 patients with solitary osseous plasmacytoma of the head and neck with special focus on mandibular plasmacytoma.Materials and Methods: The study was conducted on 8 patients with solitary osseous plasmacytoma of the head and neck who were treated at two academic tertiary referral hospitals between 1999 and 2010. All the patients were treated with curative intent. Four patients (50%) were primarily treated with radiotherapy alone at initial diagnosis, one patient (12.5%) underwent surgery alone, and 3 patients (37.5%) were treated with gross tumor resection followed by radiotherapy. The median total radiation dose was 46 (range 30-50) GY.Results: There were 4 women and 4 men aging from 37 to 73 years, with a median and mean age of 52 years at diagnosis. Pain (in 7 cases) and swelling (in 5 cases) were the most common presentations. Mandible (in 4 cases) was the most frequent primary site. The median tumor size was 4.8 (range 3.5-6) cm. After a median follow-up of 44 months (range 27-79 months), 5 patients are alive and without disease, one is alive with multiple myeloma, and two died of multiple myeloma.Conclusion: Solitary osseous plasmacytomas of the head and neck have a propensity to involve the mandibular bones and response well to effective local treatments of radiotherapy and/or surgery. These Patients tend to progress to multiple myeloma even years after the initial treatment

Salivary Gland Tumors in Maxillofacial Region: A Retrospective Study of 130 Cases in a Southern Iranian Population

Tumors of the salivary glands are uncommon head and neck neoplasia. We conducted a retrospective study of 392 cases over the last 6 years in Shiraz, south of Iran, to investigate the clinicopathological features of these tumors in Iranian population. The age of the patients ranged from 8 to 85 years, with the mean age 44.57 ± 14.65 years and male-to-female (M : F) ratio was 1.02 : 1. For benign tumors, there was a propensity towards females, whereas the malignant tumor was more common in males. The ratio of benign tumors to malignancies was 2.19 : 1. Pleomorphic adenoma (PA) was the most common tumor and accounted for 85% of all benign tumors, followed by Warthin's tumor (8.6%). Of the 125 malignancies, adenoid cystic carcinoma (40%), mucoepidermoid carcinoma (24%) and invasive squamous cell carcinoma (16%) were the most common histological types. Most of the salivary gland tumors (75%) originated from major salivary glands and the remained (25%) originated from minor glands. The parotid gland was the most common site both in benign and malignant tumors. Most of our findings were similar to those in the literature, with some variations. The salivary tumors slightly predominated in males. Adenoid cystic carcinoma and mucoepidermoid carcinoma constituted the most common malignancies

Optimized immobilization of ZnO:Co electrocatalysts realizes 5% efficiency in photoassisted splitting of water

Dieser Beitrag ist mit Zustimmung des Rechteinhabers aufgrund einer (DFG geförderten) Allianz- bzw. Nationallizenz frei zugänglich.This publication is with permission of the rights owner freely accessible due to an Alliance licence and a national licence (funded by the DFG, German Research Foundation) respectively.Correction: There is an error in Fig. 8 of the manuscript. The correct Fig. 8 is shown in the additional file. To cite the Correction refer to DOI:10.1039/c6ta90030e.Organic solvents with varied electrophoretic mobility have been employed for deposition of nanocrystalline ZnO: Co particles onto fluorinated tin oxide supports. Evaluation of the electrochemical activity for the oxygen evolution reaction proves a clear solvent-dependence with highest activity upon deposition from acetonitrile and lowest activity upon deposition from ethanol. Analysis of the resulting layer thickness and density attributes the improved electrochemical activity of acetonitrile-prepared samples to larger film thicknesses with lower film densities, i.e. to films with higher porosity. The findings suggest that the ZnO: Co films represent an initially nanocrystalline system where the catalytic activity is predominantly confined to a thin surface region rather than to comprise the entire volume. Closer inspection of this surface region proves successive in operando transformation of the nanocrystalline to an amorphous phase during evolution of oxygen. Furthermore, less active but highly transparent ZnO: Co phases, prepared from ethanol-containing suspensions, can be successfully employed in a stacking configuration with a low-cost triple-junction solar cell. Thereby, a solar-to-hydrogen efficiency of 5.0% in splitting of water at pH 14 could be realized. In contrast, highly light-absorbing acetonitrile/acetone-prepared samples limit the efficiency to about 1%, demonstrating thus the decisive influence of the used organic solvent upon electrophoretic deposition. Stability investigations over several days finally prove that the modular architecture, applied here, represents an attractive approach for coupling of highly active electrocatalysts with efficient photovoltaic devices.BMBF, 03IS2071F, Light2Hydrogen - Energien für die ZukunftDFG, SPP 1613, Regenerativ erzeugte Brennstoffe durch lichtgetriebene Wasserspaltung: Aufklärung der Elementarprozesse und Umsetzungsperspektiven auf technologische Konzept

The effects of melatonin and metformin on histological characteristics of the ovary and uterus in letrozole-induced polycystic ovarian syndrome mice: A stereological study

Background: Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) with anovulation, hyperandrogenism, ovarian and uterine histological changes, menstrual irregularities, etc. signs is an infertility type. It seems that melatonin and metformin can improve these abnormalities. Objective: To evaluate the effects of melatonin and metformin on the ovary and uterus in PCOS-induced mice using stereological methods. Materials and Methods: Seventy-two adult female BALB/c mice (8-wk-old, 20-30 gr) were randomly divided into control (distilled water, gavage), PCOS (90 μg/kg letrozole, gavage), PCOS+metformin (500 mg/kg, gavage), PCOS+melatonin (10 mg/kg, intraperitoneal injection), and PCOS+melatonin control (0.5% ethanol saline) groups (n = 12/each). Another PCOS group was kept for a month to ensure that PCOS features remained. Finally, a stereological evaluation of the uterus and ovary was carried out, and vaginal cytology and serum testosterone levels were assessed. Results: PCOS mice treated with metformin and melatonin had lower testosterone levels, body weight, and more regular estrus cycles than the PCOS group (p ≤ 0.001). A significant decrease in conglomerate and daughter gland numbers, and primary, secondary, atretic, and cystic follicles numbers with a significant increase in primordial and Graafian follicles, and corpus luteum numbers (p ≤ 0.001) was seen in these treated mice. Also, endometrial vessels’ volume and length significantly increased, but ovarian, endometrial, myometrial, stromal, and glands volume, and endometrial and myometrial thickness dramatically declined (p ≤ 0.001). Conclusion: It appears that metformin and melatonin could restore the PCOS phenotype including estrus cycle irregularity, high testosterone level, and ovarian and uterine micromorphology to the control levels. However, the 2 treatments had similar effects on the examined parameters. Key words: Polycystic ovarian syndrome, Melatonin, Metformin, Ovary, Uterus, Mice, Stereology