Iraqi Journal of Cancer and Medical Genetics

A conclusion chapter is written at the end of thesis or dissertation by postgraduate students to express the meaning of results. The conclusion text should be written according to the most acceptable standard guidelines for scientific writing. Conclusions must be written in clear, concise, fully supported by the results obtained, based on fact and logic, and far from exaggeration or speculation. This project included studying and analyzing of the conclusion chapter text in 124 written theses and dissertations by postgraduate students (master and doctor of philosophy) in biological sciences from different Faculties and different Departments. The study also involved interviewing 114 postgraduate students from those fields to obtain their opinion about how to write a conclusion text. All students of both degrees wrote their conclusion in separated numbered statements and no conclusion written in paragraphs. Almost all students tended to repeat all their results in short sentences without any innovation comments. All students showed significant lack in conclusion writing knowledge and they hadn’t any idea about how to write a conclusion text; they just wrote the conclusion chapter in order to fulfill the requirements or obtaining the degree. Almost all students neither tried to read any article or guidelines for how to write a conclusion chapter nor took specific course for writing process in their curriculum. Students tried to mimic the writing style of previous graduate students regardless of that writing style was correct or not. The study concludes that almost all postgraduate students have no knowledge or skill in scientific writing process especially in conclusion text writing. Therefore, it is strongly recommended be to re-evaluate the postgraduate curriculum in order to involve courses that can improve the level scientific writing of theses or dissertations.

Photoimmunotherapy (PIT) is a promising approach which aims to increase the specificity of photosensitisers used in photodynamic therapy through its conjugation to monoclonal antibodies (MAb) directed against tumour antigens. The current study aims to increase and improve the therapeutic selectivity of photodynamic therapy (PDT) by conjugating the HpD to specific (mAb) in order to target one of the specific antigens of mammary adenocarcinoma. a screening has been done to detect specific antigens on mammary adenocarcinoma cells and we found that Cortactin is the unique antigen on tumor tissue in our model, then anti-cortactin mAb was linked to HPD, used for not only improve specificity, but vastly enhances tumor cell killing when they are photo-immunotargeted by HpD-monoclonal antibody conjugates comparing with unconjugated HPD and then exposed to low power He-Ne laser (632 nm). Female mice, which were transplanted with AM3 (mouse mammary adenocarcinoma transplantable tumor line), were randomly divided into five groups of 10 mice each; the first group was treated by PIT using HpD conjugated with Cortactin, in comparison with HpD alone in a second group. The third and fourth were control groups with and without HpD alone respectively. Tumor growth indices and metastasis incidence were calculated. Photo-immunotargeting by HpD-mAb conjugates activated by a low-power He-Ne laser showed significant tumor growth inhibition similar to PDT using unconjugated HpD activated by He-Ne laser, whilst control groups were without any significant effect. The results suggest that conjugation was with low quantity of the HPD or not stable enough and this need further studies.

T-2 toxin is a cytotoxic secondary fungal metabolite that belongs to the trichothecenes mycotoxin family. Hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity were induced in mice by feeding T-2 toxin contaminated wheat. The serum biochemical analysis was observed after 8 weeks by an increase in the plasma activity of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), where that elevation reached (76.00 IU/L) in G2, in comparison with G3 that the ALT level return back to normal level. While the levels of total protein and albumin appeared no significant change in all groups of study. Serum urea showed a significant increase in the mean serum level of urea (52.70 mg/dl) in G2 whereas the treated with grape seed extract could return back the mean serum level of urea to normal level (38.95 mg/dl). Serum level of total bilirubin was observed increase significantly to reach (0.42 mg/dl) in G2 when compared to third group that the grape seed extract reduce the serum level of total bilirubin to normal level (0.34 mg/dl). There was a significant increase in the mean serum level of creatinine was observed in the T-2 toxin group (0.69 mg/dl) when compared to creatinine level in grape seed extract with T-2 toxin recorded a significant reduction (0.54 mg/dl). Histopathological examination of liver and kidney sections confirmed the serum analysis. These results clearly indicated that T-2 toxin has stressful effects on the hepatic and renal tissues.

Regional immune response with mammary gland carcinoma was studied statistically. However, the prognostic value remains conflicting. This study was conducted on thirty normal mice which were inoculated with mammary gland carcinoma. The tumour size of the animals under study were measured before and after laser irradiation by using a vernier and compared with that of non irradiated animals with laser (control group). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of low level laser (LLL) on increasing the response of immune system by stimulating the spleen action to inhibit the cancer cell activity and then decrease the tumour size of inoculated mice. The results of the gross observation showed enlargement in the irradiated spleen in comparison with that of non irradiated ones. It could be said that the enlargement which occurred in the spleen proved that there was an increase in immune response by using laser stimulation. From this study, it may concluded that low level laser(LLL) was an efficient tool in stimulating the defense cells that found in the spleen which attack the cancer cells locally which resulted in decreasing the tumour size of the irradiated inoculated mice.

Most of the currently used cancer therapeutics are natural products. These agents were generally discovered based on their toxicity to cancer cells using various bioassays. Ficus religiosa (FR) plant is important medicinal plant and traditionally used to treat various diseases including mastitis, otitis media, pharyngolaryngitis, urethritis, dysmenorrhea and diabetic. Accordingly, it was aimed to investigate the cytotoxic effect of Ficus religiosa chloroform extract on Patch1 and Gli2 gene expression in Hedgehog pathway and Id1, Id2 and Id3 genes expression in inhibition differentiation pathway on prostate cancer cells, which are resistance to docetaxel (PC3-TxR) in vitro. Chloroform extract of Ficus religiosa plant leaves was performed to tested cytotoxic effect on PC3-TxR by using Sulforhod-amine-B assay and its ability to inhibition genes expression on PC3-TxR cells by using RT-PCR assay. The results showed that F. religiosa chloroform extract display high cytotoxic effect (IC50= 0.3±0.02 mg/ml), and inhibition effect of Id2 and Id3 gene expression more than, Patch1 and Gli2 gene expression on PC3-TxR cells. The present study showed anticancer effect of F. religiosa chloroform extract which target Id pathway on PC3-TxR cells.

The main objective of this research study the toxic effects by fumonisin B1 (FB1) in mice by studying on haematological parameters (Hb, PCV, RBC, WBC and DWBC), mitotic index and histopathological changes of liver and kidney. The following results which obtained from the current research:
The effects of FB1 alone on blood picture were caused significant decrease in Hb, PCV and RBCs count. Total WBCs, neutrophil and eosinophil counts were found to be increased significantly; lymphocytes and basophils were decreased significantly and monocytes were not affected significantly, whereas, no significant differences were noticed in mice treated with cabbage seed extract alone or plus FB1. The results of toxic effects on cytogenic study showed a significant decrease in mitotic index for mice treated FB1 alone, but there were no significant in mice treated with FB1 in combination with cabbage seed extract and no significant difference between mice treated cabbage seed extract alone in comparison with control group. While the histopathological changes, In liver: Showed congestion of central vein with vacuolation of hepatocyte, apoptotic cells and accumulation of inflammatory cells in necrotic areas, also the formation of mitotic figure and single necrotic hepatocyte in group which treated with FB1alone, whereas mice treated with FB1in combination with cabbage seed extract showing regeneration most hepatocytes normal structure. The histopathological study of kidney: Showed atrophy of glomerular tuft, degeneration and necrosis of epithelial lining of proximal and distal convoluted tubules with congestion of blood vessels and wide areas of necrosis in parenchyma, in addition the presences of hyaline casts in urinary tubules due to urinary failure in mice treated with FB1alone, while in mice treated FB1plus cabbage seed extract showed just congestion and cuffing in mice treated with FB1 in combination with cabbage seed extract which indicate that the cabbage seed extract has a protective effects.

Thirty two females with breast cancer were studied .in this study xanthine oxidase levels were compared with normal females. Results obtained in the present study showed that high levels of xanthine oxidase in older age than in lower age . High level of xanthine oxidase was detected in patients having breast cancer and Diabetes Meilltus, heart diseases, and anemia, but no change in xanyhine oxidase was detected in breast cancer with hypertension.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is the leading etiology of gram negative bacteria causing diseases at most medical centers . The bacterium’s virulence depends on number of cell-associated and extracellular factors. Exotoxin A among these virulence factors are toxic for a wide variety of cell line, it inhibits protein synthesis in these lines as well as in numerous organs in animals models. In vitro cytotoxic effects of purified toxin A on two cell lines Rat embryo fibroblast cell line (REF) and on tumor cell line Rhabdomyosarcoma cell line (RD) were studied. Results revealed that toxin A had significant cytotoxic effects on both cell lines.
Conclusion: In vitro evaluating the cytotoxic effects of purified toxin A produced from pseudomonas aeruginosa at different concentration on normal cell line Rat embryo fibroblast cell line (REF) ) and on tumor cell line Rhabdomyosarcoma cell line (RD) revealed that purified exotoxin A has significant inhibitory effects on REF cell line which was dose and time dependent. On the other hand cytotoxic effects of purified toxin A on tumor cell line (RD) reveal that inhibition in cell viability was dependent on concentration of purified toxin A but independent on time.

One hundred- eight of water samples have been collected from six stations in Al-Hammar marshes in the period between 18th till 24th of Aug in 2007. In addition ninety-seven of blood has been collected from marsh’s inhabitants who are living and using the marsh water. Lead level has been detected in both water and blood samples by using flame and flameless atomic absorption respectively, the results showed that most samples of water and blood were contained lead levels higher than the acceptance level mentioned by WHO.

This work represented a preliminary study of the effect of aquous crude extract of date palm pith (Phoenix dactylifera cultivar. Zahdi) on the growing of two cancer cell lines (Human Rabdomyosarcoma –RD), (Glioblastoma-ANG) in vitro. Different concentrations of extracts (1250,2500,5000,10000) μg / ml were taken and it´s effectiveness in inhibiting the growth of cancer cells was tested in different exposure periods are (24,48, 72) hour.
The results showed that there is fatal cytotoxic effect of extract and this effect was dependent on the concentration, It is noticed that the cytotoxic effect increased according to concentration.
The concentration 10000 μg/ml gave higher growth inhibition to RD, were ( 90.7 ) % compaired with control 100% after 24 hours from exposure time, and compaired with other concenterations which gave lower growth inhibition. While inhibition gowth of ANG was ( 82.9)% by 10000 μg/ml for 24 hours. When exposure time increase to 72 hours the percentage of growth inhibition for cell lines (ANG, RD) was (67, 88.8) respectively. This result showed that aquous crude extract of date palm pith have a cytotoxic effect on the growing of the two cell lines (RD, ANG) In vitro.