The expression of alternative splice variants of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 in invasive breast cancer and cell line models

The Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 (HER2) is an oncogene expressed in 25-30% of invasive breast cancers. The HER2 gene encodes an 185kDa transmembrane protein with tyrosine kinase activity. Gene amplification or protein expression of HER2 is a predictor of poor prognosis in women with breast cancer, and also indicates a favourable response to Trastuzumab (Herceptin) therapy, or a combinational therapy comprising Herceptin plus chemotherapy. However, resistance to Trastuzumab remains the case in approximately 50% of HER2 amplified/overexpressing tumours. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of Trastuzumab resistance is critical in the treatment of patients whose breast cancers express this aggressive disease phenotype. In this study, it is postulated that the abnormal generation of mRNA splice variants may be responsible for the continued tumour growth and progression.The aim of this study is to investigate the expression of alternative splice variants in invasive breast cancer, and to increase our understanding of the regulation of HER2 and HER2 splice variants in invasive breast cancer. The coding region of HER2 cDNA was PCR amplified in HER2 positive cell lines (SKOV-3, SKBR-3, and MDA-MB-453). The regulation of HER2 expression was investigated by siRNA silencing of the splice factor SRSF1 and its phosphorylating gene SRPK1. The role of hypoxia and the inhibition of SRPK1 via SRPIN340 were also investigated for its effects of HER2 expression in cell lines. Human cancer tissues known to be positive for HER2 were tested for the expression of alternative splice variants of HER2.RT-PCR results reveal new alternative splice variants in invasive breast cancer cells. These new alternative splice variants of HER2 have also been detected in HER2-positive breast cancer samples. Furthermore, the splice factor SRPK1 and SRSF1 have shown regulatory effects on the expression of HER2 in HER2-positive cell line MDA-MB-453. This study identifies for the first time two novel splice variants with deletions in the transmembrane and kinase domains of the HER2 gene, both with very distinct functional and structural differences. These findings conclude that alternative splicing plays a crucial role in the regulation of HER2 expression, and possibly in the response of breast cancer patients to current targeted HER2 therapies

Effects of Age, Gender and Body Mass Index on Reaction to Air Condition

Abstract: This study investigated the effect of age, gender, and body mass index (BMI) on reaction to air condition. Forty eight undergraduates (21 males and 27 females) randomly selected from Imo State University, Owerri, Nigeria within the age range of 17-30 years participated in the study. 26 of them were of normal weight (BMI 24). They were exposed to an air conditioned room for two hours and then their reaction to cold measured using Response to Cold questionnaire. Employing t-test and ANOVA for data analyses, the results showed that body size, age, and gender had no statistically significant effect on reaction to cold condition while exposure to cold condition had a significant influence on both systolic and diastolic blood pressures of all participants. Key words: Body mass index; Air condition; Reaction; Blood pressure; Systolic blood pressure; Diastolic blood pressure; Cold Résumé: Cette étude a examiné l'effet de l'âge, du sexe et de l’indice de masse corporelle (IMC) sur la réaction des gens envers l’air climatisé. Quarante-huit étudiants de premier cycle (21 hommes et 27 femmes) sélectionnés au hasard dans l'Université de l’état d’Imo à Owerri au Nigeria dans une tranche d'âge de 17 ans à 30 ans ont participé à cette étude. 26 d'entre eux avaient un poids normal (IMC 24). Ils ont été exposés dans une salle climatisée pour deux heures, puis leur réaction au froid a été mesuré en utilisant le questionnaire de Réponse au froid. Après le t-test et une analyse de variance des données, les résultats ont montré que la taille corporelle, l'âge et le sexe n'avaient aucun d’effet statistiquement significatif sur la réaction à l'état froid, tandis que l'exposition à l'état froid avait une influence significative sur les pressions artérielles systoliques et diastoliques de tous les participants. Mots clés: Indice de masse corporelle; Climatisation; Iréaction; Pression artérielle; Pression artérielle systolique; Pression artérielle diastolique; Froi

Collecting Duct Carcinoma With Cardiac Metastases: A Case Report & Literature Review

AbstractCollecting duct carcinoma (CDC), is a rare and aggressive form of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) accounting for around 1% of all renal malignancy. It affects younger patients and is associated with rapid progression, distant spread and poor prognosis. Cardiac metastases from all types of RCC, without involvement of the inferior vena cava are very rare. We present the case of a 54 year old man with a history of CDC, who presents with collapse and ventricular tachycardia secondary to multifocal cardiac metastases. We are not aware of any other reports in the literature of CDC and cardiac metastases

British medical and health policies in West Africa c1920-1960.

This thesis deals with the parts played by the Colonial Office and colonial governments in providing medical and health services in British West Africa. The themes addressed are: the provision of medical and health services; the organization of Colonial medical research; and the recruitment of medical officers. The inter-war period saw the development of a number of medical institutions established in government centres by the various colonial administrations. The provision of health care facilities in the rural areas was the responsibility of local authorities. During world war two, the Colonial Advisory Medical Committee produced for the first time a statement of policy on medicine and health for the Colonial Empire. This emphasised not only the provision of curative facilities but also the provision of preventive health care services. Apart from the provision of medical and health facilities, efforts were also made to stimulate interest in medical research. Medical research in British West Africa before WWII was carried out as part of the routine duties of Colonial Medical Departments. However, the Colonial Medical Research Committee, set up in 1945 by the Colonial Office, was to exert considerable influence on research policy in the region. The committee, which was dominated by the Medical Research Council favoured fundamental research. However, fundamental research was considered not relevant to the immediate needs of colonial peoples. Instead, there was established a medical research organization, with emphasis on applied research and the investigation of the most prevalent diseases in West Africa. Meanwhile, between the wars, the Colonial Office tackled the problem of recruiting medical officers by creating the post of Chief Medical Adviser and by the amalgamation of the colonial medical services (CMS). Upto the outbreak of the war, however, the Office was still unable to meet the personnel requirements for the CMS. This problem was further aggravated with the creation in 1940, of the National Health Service. The end of WWII also saw an increase in international cooperation. United Nations specialised agencies such as the World Health Organization began to take an active interest in the health problems of African peoples

“Oriaku Vs Okpataku”: The Changing Roles of Femininity within The Patriarchal Igbo Tradition in Nigeria

Over time, the ease of access has been to the advantage of men and the disadvantage of women, especially in a traditional society like Nigeria. However, despite the marginalization, it appears that women are beginning to challenge norms, traditions, cultures, and stereotypes by breaking free from the shackles of patriarchy. Hence, this study examines the current perception of femininity concerning employment and income. Specifically, it aimed at understanding how the clamor for gender equality and equity has changed one of the characteristics of femininity from “Oriaku” to “Okpataku” in a typical patriarchal society like Anambra State, Nigeria. Using the Constructionist Theory of representation as a framework, the study adopts in-depth interviews as a qualitative approach. Findings reveal that both men and women are more comfortable with being Okpataku than Oriaku, owing to the recent harsh economic reality in the country. Recommendations were made based on the findings

SOCIAL MEDIA NETWORKS AND ASSOCIATED VULNERABILITY TO SEXUAL RISK BEHAVIOURS AMONG UNDERGRADUATES

This study explored web 2.0 popularly called Social media network and the associated vulnerability of sexual risk behaviours of undergraduates. 422 undergraduates served as participants in the study. The participants; 199 males and 223 females were drawn from the population of undergraduates in Nnamdi Azikiwe University and Imo State University. The age of the participants ranged from 17 to 26 years, with a mean age of 22.50yrs and standard deviation of 1.30yrs. The participants were selected through simple random sampling technique. Two hypotheses were formulated to guide the study while correlation design and Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient was the adopted design and statistics for the study. Two instruments: Social Media Use/Abuse Scale and Associated Vulnerability to Sexual Risk Behaviour Scale both developed by Ifeakandu (2011) were used to collate data. After analysis, the result confirmed that there is a significant correlation between use/abuse of social media networks and associated vulnerability to sexual risk behaviours of undergraduates at r = .62, p < .05 (n = 422). Also, the study confirmed that females had more associated vulnerability to sexual risk behaviours than their male counterparts at mean score of 73.44 with standard deviation of 1.106 for females and M = 71.29 and SD =1.859 for males. The study therefore recommended that stakeholders should sensitize and regulate the youths on the positive use of the social media networks while all hands must be on deck to discourage youths from abuse of social media keeping in mind that there are associated sexual risk behaviours with explicit social media consumption.  Article visualizations

Urologist led one-stop testicular clinic:the UK 'gold standard'

Prompt diagnosis and early treatment for testicular cancer is vital. To help with this a one-stop, urologist run, testicular clinic with testicular ultrasound scanning as an integral part of the clinic format was introduced to investigate patients in an efficient and timely manner. The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility and efficiency of running a one-stop testicular clinic. A prospectively collected electronic database of all patients attending a one-stop testicular clinic at a busy university hospital was interrogated over a 6-year period. Only new referral males, above the age of 15 years old were included. Case notes were reviewed retrospectively. A total of 1757 patients were found with a median age of 36. 6.3 % had a suspicious ultrasound scan and overall 5.6 % were found to have malignancy histologically. In addition a significant proportion of men with a history of testicular maldescent went on to develop testicular cancer (p < 0.01). Median time from referral to clinic and clinic to orchidectomy for suspected testicular cancers was 9 and 5 days respectively (95 % CI). Some of the benefits of a urologist run one-stop testicular clinic include: timely diagnosis and treatment, early reassurance with normal investigations, the discovery of clinically unsuspecting malignancy and the increase in teaching opportunities. These collective benefits must improve patient experience and benefit the department as a whole. A urologist led one-stop testicular clinic should be regarded as the gold standard

Nutritional and Psychological Implications of Low Micro-Nutrient Status of Pregnant Women in Imo State, Nigeria

In this paper we examined the micro –nutrient status of pregnant women and its nutritional and psychological implications. Using rural women, we found that their micro nutrient status was low in the first and third trimesters: the nutritional and psychological implications ranging from high mortality and morbidity rate of pregnant women and infants, low birth weight to impaired cognitive and behavioral conditions were discussed.Keywords

Education, Male Child and Childlessness as Predictors of Spouse Abuse Among Rural and Urban Igbo-Nigerian Women

This research work investigated education, male child and childlessness as predictors of spouse abuse among Ibowomen living in the rural and urban areas in Nigeria. The purposive sampling was used to select 331 married women, with age range of 22-66, and all living in Imo state. The spouse rape inventory (Sri) developed by Uwaoma, Udeagha and Madukwe, (2011) was used to collect data. The multiple regression analysis of the SPSS II version 15 was used to analyze data. The researchers found education and residential area as significant predictors while male child and childlessness were not significant predictors of spouse abuse. The discussion highlighted the role of education in equipping women with the knowledge of their sexual rights and skills on how to cope with marriage based problems especially when they live in the rural areas.Key words: Education; Abuse; Spouse Abuse; Male Child; ChildlessnessRésumé Ce travail de recherche a étudié l’éducation, les enfants de sexe masculin et l’infécondité comme des prédicteurs de violence conjugale chez les Ibo-femmes vivant dans les zones rurales et urbaines au Nigeria. L’échantillonnage raisonné a été utilisé pour sélectionner 331 femmes mariées, avec la gamme d’âge des 22-66, et tous vivent dans l’État d’Imo. L’inventaire viol conjoint (Sri) développé par Uwaoma, Udeagha et Madukwe, (2011) a été utilisé pour recueillir des données. L’analyse de régression multiple de la version SPSS II 15 a été utilisé pour analyser les données. Les chercheurs ont constaté domaine de l’éducation et résidentiel des prédicteurs significatifs tout enfant de sexe masculin et l’infécondité sont pas des prédicteurs significatifs de violence conjugale. La discussion a souligné le rôle de l’éducation à équiper les femmes de la connaissance de leurs droits sexuels et des compétences sur la façon de faire face à des problèmes de mariage à base surtout quand ils vivent dans les zones rurales.Mots clés: Education; Violence; Violence conjugale; Enfant de sexe mâle; Infécondit

The IDENTIFY study: the investigation and detection of urological neoplasia in patients referred with suspected urinary tract cancer - a multicentre observational study.

Funder: Action Bladder Cancer UKFunder: Rosetrees Trust; Id: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000833Funder: Urology Care Foundation; Id: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100006280OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the contemporary prevalence of urinary tract cancer (bladder cancer, upper tract urothelial cancer [UTUC] and renal cancer) in patients referred to secondary care with haematuria, adjusted for established patient risk markers and geographical variation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was an international multicentre prospective observational study. We included patients aged ≥16 years, referred to secondary care with suspected urinary tract cancer. Patients with a known or previous urological malignancy were excluded. We estimated the prevalence of bladder cancer, UTUC, renal cancer and prostate cancer; stratified by age, type of haematuria, sex, and smoking. We used a multivariable mixed-effects logistic regression to adjust cancer prevalence for age, type of haematuria, sex, smoking, hospitals, and countries. RESULTS: Of the 11 059 patients assessed for eligibility, 10 896 were included from 110 hospitals across 26 countries. The overall adjusted cancer prevalence (n = 2257) was 28.2% (95% confidence interval [CI] 22.3-34.1), bladder cancer (n = 1951) 24.7% (95% CI 19.1-30.2), UTUC (n = 128) 1.14% (95% CI 0.77-1.52), renal cancer (n = 107) 1.05% (95% CI 0.80-1.29), and prostate cancer (n = 124) 1.75% (95% CI 1.32-2.18). The odds ratios for patient risk markers in the model for all cancers were: age 1.04 (95% CI 1.03-1.05; P < 0.001), visible haematuria 3.47 (95% CI 2.90-4.15; P < 0.001), male sex 1.30 (95% CI 1.14-1.50; P < 0.001), and smoking 2.70 (95% CI 2.30-3.18; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: A better understanding of cancer prevalence across an international population is required to inform clinical guidelines. We are the first to report urinary tract cancer prevalence across an international population in patients referred to secondary care, adjusted for patient risk markers and geographical variation. Bladder cancer was the most prevalent disease. Visible haematuria was the strongest predictor for urinary tract cancer