Hormonal and genetic risk factors for breast cancer in a subset of the Karachi population.

Objective: Appraisement of vitamin D receptor (VDR) polymorphisms is thought to be crucial to detect and make approaches targeting groups at risk for breast cancer (BC). Moreover, an understanding of genetic susceptibility can allow us to foresee several risk factors. The objective of our research is to evaluate the T to C base shift within TaqI (rs731236) in exon 9 and the A to G transition within Bsm1 (rs1544410) in intron 8 of the VDR gene as risk factors among BC patients.

Cell death induced by Morarah and Khaltita in hepatoma cancer cells (Huh-7).

Objective: To compare the combined and isolated growth inhibitory effects of Morarah and Khaltita (herbs) on hepatoma cell lines (Huh-7), through induction of apoptosis or necrosis.

Study Design: Comparative controlled in-vitro study.

Place And Duration Of Study: The Molecular Biology Laboratory, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, from June to December 2006.

The extrahepatic manifestations of hepatitis B virus.

Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) leads to a number of hepatic complications, from acute to chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, is a well-established fact. Upcoming clinical research, over the years, associates numerous extrahepatic manifestations during the acute and chronic episodes of hepatitis B with significant morbidity and mortality. A causal relationship between HBV and serious autoimmune disorders has also been observed among certain susceptible vaccine recipients in a defined temporal period following immunization.