METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: A randomized controlled study was conducted on obese women with high breast adiposity (<0.1 Sm-1), aged 40-60 years in Klang Valley, Malaysia. Subjects were assigned to intervention (n=16) and control group (n=15). Intervention group received a home based health education package with close monitoring weekly, personal diet consultation and physical training in group. Assessment was ascertained at three time points; baseline, weeks 8 and 16. Outcome measures were the energy intake, physical activity, body composition, blood tests, blood biomarkers and electrical impedance tomography (EIT) quantitative values. Analyses were done using 2-way repeated measures ANOVA.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: All subjects completed the program without any drop-out. The HSI group had 100% compliance towards the intervention program; their energy intake was reduced for approximately 35% and their activity score was increased for approximately 11%. A significant interaction effect was found in body weight, body mass index (BMI), total cholesterol/HDL, vitamin C intake and matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP-9) (p<0.05). Interestingly, their EIT extremum values were also significantly increased indicating a reduction of breast adiposity. The intervention program was successful in improving body composition, physical activities, MMP9 and breast adipose tissue composition.
OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the relationship between adiposity, lifetime physical activities and serum adiponectin as breast cancer risk factors among Malaysian women in Klang Valley, Malaysia.
DESIGN: A case-control study was carried out among 70 newly diagnosed breast cancer patients and 138 controls aged 29 to 65 years old in Klang Valley.
SUBJECTS: The inclusion criteria for both groups were not having menstruation for premenopausal women, no evidence of pregnancy, not lactating and no chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes at the time of data collection. In addition, the cases must be pathologically newly diagnosed with breast cancer (stage I to III) and not on any therapy for cancer, with the exception of surgery. The controls were matched with cases for age +/- 5 years and menopausal status.
MEASUREMENTS: Subjects were interviewed to obtain information on socio-demography, health and reproductive history using a pretested questionnaire. Subjects were also asked on their engagement of physical activity since secondary school. Anthropometric parameters included height, weight, waist and hips were also measured. A total of 6 ml of fasting venous blood was drawn for analysis of serum adiponectin in duplicate using Linko Adiponectin ELISA Kit. Fasting blood glucose (FBG) and blood pressure were also measured.
RESULTS: Mean body mass index (BMI) among cases and controls were not significantly different (p> 0.05) at 26.1 -/+ 4.8 kg/m2 and 25.3 -/+ 4.5 kg/m2, respectively. FBG among cases (6.3 -/+ 1.8 mmol/L) was higher than controls (5.6 -/+ 1.1 mmol/L) (p<0.05). Waist hip ratio (WHR) of cases (0.85 -/+ 0.07) was also higher than controls (0.80 -/+ 0.06) (p<0.05). Abdominal obesity (WHR > 0.85) increased risk of breast cancer by three folds [Adjusted OR 3.3 (95%CI 1.8-6.2)] (p<0.05). Adiponectin level was inversely related to waist circumference (r=-0.510, p=0.000), BMI (r=-0.448, p=0.000) and FBG (r=-0.290, p=0.026). Adiponectin level in cases (11.9 -/+ 4.8 microg/ml) were lower than controls (15.2 -/+ 7.3 microg/ml) (p<0.05). A greater reduction of breast cancer risk was observed with the increasing level of serum adiponectin level according to percentiles (p<0.05). Subjects with mean serum adiponectin level at the highest quintile (> 75th)( >or= 16.7 microg/ml) had 80% reduced risk of breast cancer [Adjusted OR 0.2 (0.0-0.6)](p<0.05). A higher percentage of cases (47%) had not engaged in any physical activity throughout life as compared to controls (19%)[Adjusted OR 3.7 (1.7-7.7)](p<0.001).
CONCLUSIONS: Abdominal obesity and physical inactivity throughout life were associated with low serum adiponectin and breast cancer risk among subjects. Thus, it is essential for Malaysian women to be physically active and achieve a healthy waistline in order to increase serum adiponectin level and reduce breast cancer risk.
OBJECTIVE: Hence, this study aimed to determine the effects of bedak sejuk made from Oryza sativa ssp. indica (Indica) and Oryza sativa ssp. japonica (Japonica) on UVB-induced B164A5 melanoma cells, and also identify the antioxidant capacities of both types of bedak sejuk.
METHODS: The optimum dose of Indica and Japonica bedak sejuk to treat the cells was determined via the MTT assay. Then, the antioxidant capacities of both types of bedak sejuk were determined using the FRAP assay.
RESULTS: From the MTT assay, it was found that Indica and Japonica bedak sejuk showed no cytotoxic effects towards the cells. Hence, no IC50 can be obtained and two of the higher doses, 50 and 100 g/L were chosen for treatment. In the FRAP assay, Indica bedak sejuk at 50 and 100 g/L showed FRAP values of 0.003 ± 0.001 μg AA (ascorbic acid)/g of bedak sejuk and 0.004 ± 0.0003 μg AA/g of bedak sejuk. Whereas Japonica bedak sejuk at 50 g/L had the same FRAP value as Indica bedak sejuk at 100 g/L. As for Japonica bedak sejuk at 100 g/L, it showed the highest antioxidant capacity with the FRAP value of 0.01 ± 0.0007 μg AA/g of bedak sejuk which was statistically significant (p < 0.05) when compared to other tested concentrations.
CONCLUSION: In conclusion, Japonica bedak sejuk has a higher antioxidant capacity compared to Indica bedak sejuk despite both being not cytotoxic towards the cells. Regardless, further investigations need to be done before bedak sejuk could be developed as potential melanoma chemoprevention agents.
METHODS: A 20 mg/kg dose of fenitrothion was administered orally by gavages for 28 consecutive days. Blood sample was obtained by cardiac puncture and dissection of the testes and cauda epididymis was performed to obtain sperm. The effects of fenitrothion on the body and organ weight, biochemical and oxidative stress, sperm characteristics, histology and ultrastructural changes in the testes were evaluated.
RESULTS: Fenitrothion significantly decreased the body weight gain and weight of the epididymis compared with the control group. Fenitrothion also decreased plasma cholinesterase activity compared with the control group. Fenitrothion altered the sperm characteristics, such as sperm concentration, sperm viability and normal sperm morphology, compared with the control group. Oxidative stress markers, such as malondialdehyde, protein carbonyl, total glutathione and glutathione S-transferase, were significantly increased and superoxide dismutase activity was significantly decreased in the fenitrothion-treated group compared with the control group. The histopathological and ultrastructural examination of the testes of the fenitrothion-treated group revealed alterations corresponding with the biochemical changes compared with the control group.
CONCLUSION: A 20 mg/kg dose of fenitrothion caused deleterious effects on the sperm and testes of Sprague-Dawley rats.
METHODS: A total of 24 seven-week-old female Balb/C mice were randomly categorised into four groups, including two control groups comprising the N-nitroso-trischloroethylurea (NTCU)-induced lung SCC and vehicle control (VC) groups and two treatment groups comprising the 10mg/kg PS (PS10) and 50mg/kg PS (PS50) groups. All lung organs were harvested at week 26 for histopathological analysis.
RESULTS: All PS treatment groups showed chemopreventive activity by inhibiting the progression of lung SCC formation with PS10, resulting in mild hyperplasia, and PS50 was completely reversed in the normal bronchial epithelium layer compared with the VC group. PS treatment also reduced the expression of cytokeratin 5/6 in the bronchial epithelium layer. Both PS10 and PS50 significantly reduced the epithelium thickness compared to the NTCU group (p<0.05). PS is a potential chemopreventive agent against lung SCC growth by suppressing the progression of pre-malignant lesions and reducing the thickness of the bronchial epithelium.
CONCLUSIONS: The underlying molecular mechanisms of PS in lung SCC should be further studied.