Hormones Estrone Research Articles

Sex hormone trajectories and association to outcomes after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest

Outcomes and susceptibility to out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) are known to differ by sex, yet little is known about changes in sex hormones after OHCA. We sought to determine the trajectory of sex hormones after OHCA and their association to survival and neurological outcome. Plasma samples were collected from those that survived to hospital admission at four time points (1, 6, 24, and 48h) and estrone, estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone concentrations were quantified via liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Trends in hormones were plotted over time by sex and outcomes. The association between sex, hormone levels with survival and neurological outcome (cerebral performance category 1-2 indicating good outcome and 3-5 for poor outcome) were determined using generalized estimating equation models. Of the 94 OHCA patients, 50 were males and 44 females, with a mean age of 61.3 (+15.7) years. Despite older age and lower BCPR in females compared to males, females had higher proportion of good neurological outcome compared to males. Over the 48h, estrone increased, testosterone decreased, and estradiol and progesterone remained flat. Survivors had lower levels of estrone at all time points but only at early time points for estradiol, progesterone and testosterone. Lower estrone level predicted survival at discharge, even after adjusting for time, sex, age, and hormones independently (β=-3.38, 95% CI=-5.71, -0.85). Females had better neurological scores compared to males after adjusting for estrone (β=1.27, 95% CI=0.01, 2.53) and estradiol (β=2.92, 95% CI=1.13, 4.70). Survivors and those with favorable neurological outcome had lower trend in estrone. The sex hormone estrone, present in both males and females, may be a predictor of survival. When adjusted for estrogens, female sex had better neurological recovery compared to males. The difference in neurological outcome by sex is not explained by estrogens. However, these finding open the door for exploration of other sex-specific pathways in resuscitation after OHCA.

Contamination of Bisphenol A, Nonylphenol, Octylphenol, and Estrone in Major Rivers of Mega Manila, Philippines.

Endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) such as natural and synthetic hormones as well as phenolic industrial chemicals are considered contaminants of emerging concern in environmental waters. While EDCs carried through rivers may impact ecosystem health and productivity, these compounds are still not widely studied nor regulated. In the present study, we report the occurrence of EDCs in urban rivers in Mega Manila, namely, the Marikina, Pasig, Angat, and Pampanga Rivers that drain into Manila Bay. Endocrine-disrupting compounds may have reached these rivers through domestic wastewater and industrial effluents. Water samples from the rivers were extracted by solid-phase extraction before instrumental analysis using a liquid chromatograph coupled to a mass spectrometer. The analytical method exhibited good linear response (>99% in the concentration range of 1-50 µg/L) and low instrument detection limits (0.14-1.46 µg/L) for the hormones estrone (E1), estradiol, ethinylestradiol, progesterone, and testosterone, and the industrial chemicals bisphenol A, nonylphenol, and octylphenol. Of the hormones, E1 was detected up to 11 ng/L. Bisphenol A, nonylphenol, and octylphenol were measured up to 54, 1878, and 62 ng/L, respectively. Endocrine-disrupting compounds are not yet monitored in water bodies in the Philippines and there are no local guidelines yet on occurrence, pollution prevention, and mitigation. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;43:259-266. © 2023 SETAC.

CHANGES IN HEMATOLOGICAL INDICATORS OF NEWBORN CALVES AFTER THE USE OF SODIUM NUCLEINATE AND SYNESTROL IN DRY COWS

The dynamics of newborn calves' morphological, biochemical, and immunological blood parameters after using sodium nucleinate in combination with 2% synestrol in dry cows, as close as possible to calving, are presented. The research involved 20 clinically healthy pregnant cows of the black-and-white breed, selected based on the principle of paired analogues. They were divided into two groups (control and experimental), with ten animals in each and the newborn calves obtained from them. Cows in the experimental group were intramuscularly administered a single dose of a 0.2% aqueous solution of sodium nucleinate at a quantity of 5 ml and a 2% oil solution of synestrol (an analogue of the female sex hormone estrone) at a dose of 1 ml, 3–9 days before calving. Cows in the control group were administered a 0.9% sodium chloride solution. On the first day of life, the blood of the calves showed a higher number of erythrocytes, by 8.5–9.2%, and haemoglobin, by 20.1%, indicating intensive oxidative-reductive processes. An increase in the blood leukocyte count by 11.6–29.9% was also observed, as well as a relative and absolute increase in T-lymphocytes by 6.0–6.6 and 27.1–52.7%, respectively, indicating the development of the cellular component of the immune system. Along with the increased gamma-globulin content in the blood and enhanced nonspecific resistance, the calves adapted faster to external environmental conditions and were resistant to non-infectious diseases.

Boosting photocatalytic degradation of estrone hormone by silica-supported g-C3N4/WO3 using response surface methodology coupled with Box-Behnken design

Boosting photocatalytic degradation of estrone hormone by silica-supported g-C3N4/WO3 using response surface methodology coupled with Box-Behnken design

HEMATOLOGICAL PROFILE OF NEWBORN CALVES AFTER THE APPLICATION OF NUCLEINATE AND SINESTROL TO DRY COWS

The dynamics of morphological, biochemical and immunological parameters of the blood of newborn calves after the use of sodium nucleinate in combination with sinestrol 2% to pregnant cows in the period as close as possible before calving. The objects of the study were 20 clinically healthy pregnant cows of the Black-and-white, selected according to the principle of paired analogues, which were divided into 2 groups (control and experimental) of 10 animals each, and newborn calves obtained from them. On 3-9 days before calving, cows of the experimental group were administered once, intramuscularly, 0.2% aqueous solution of sodium nucleinate at a dose of 5 ml and an oil solution of sinestrol 2% (analogous to the female sex hormone estrone) at a dose of 1 ml. The cows of the control group were injected with 0.9% sodium chloride solution. On the first day of life in the blood of calves, a higher number of erythrocytes by 8.5-9.2%, hemoglobin by 20.1% was found, which indicates a more intense course of oxidation-reduction processes, and an increase in the content of leukocytes in the blood by 11.6 -29.9%, as well as the relative and absolute number of T-lymphocytes, respectively, by 6.0-6.6% and 27.1-52.7%, which indicates the development of the cellular link of the immune system. In combination with an increased content of gamma globulins in the blood and increased non-specific resistance, calves quickly adapted to environmental conditions and were resistant to non-communicable diseases.

A Comparative Study on Certain Blood Metabolites and Hormonal Indices for Detection of Pregnancy of Crossbred Cows of High Altitude: Mizoram

Background: Early detection of pregnancy can perk up the reproductive competence of dairy animals and decreasing the interval between two successive AI. Several methods of pregnancy diagnosis both direct and indirect are being practiced; but to date, none of these technologies qualifies as the ideal pregnancy detection method due to its limitation. The present study was designed to learn about the changes of hormonal and blood metabolites during early bovine pregnancy. Methods: A total of 30 numbers of crossbred cows at 2nd to 5th lactation was selected for the study. Clinico-gynaecological examination was carried out in all the cows and those have devoid of ill health, having a regular estrous cycle and estrus period were inseminated at mid to late estrus. Ten milliliter of blood samples were collected aseptically from all the cows (6 samples from each cow and a total of 180 samples) on day 1, 10, 20, 30, 60 and 90 of post-A.I. From the obtained serum, levels of glucose, cholesterol, BUN, total protein and hormonal profile estrone sulphate, progesterone were analysed. All the cows were observed for the absence of external signs of estrus after AI and pregnancy was confirmed by using ultrasonography and per rectal examination on day 30 to 40 of post insemination. Result: It was observed that level of glucose, BUN, cholesterol and progesterone was significantly increased during early pregnancy (P less than 0.01). While, the serum level of estrone sulphate significantly decreased while advancing the pregnancy. There was positive correlation between the level of progesterone (P less than 0.01) and negative correlation of estrone sulphate (P less than 0.05) with serum glucose, BUN, cholesterol at different days of post A.I. The blood biochemical constituents i.e. glucose, BUN, cholesterol and hormone estrone sulphate, progesterone possibly will used as an ideal marker of early pregnancy in cattle. Thus blood biochemical constituents like glucose, BUN, cholesterol and hormone estrone sulphate, progesterone possibly can be used as a tool for diagnosis of non pregnant dairy cattles with very high accuracy at around 30 days of post insemination.

Unraveling the occurrence of contaminants of emerging concern in groundwater from urban setting: A combined multidisciplinary approach and self-organizing maps

In recent decades, changes in human behavior and new technologies have introduced thousands of new compounds into the environment called "contaminants of emerging concern" (CEC). These compounds have been detected in different environmental compartments such as soil, surface water, air, and groundwater. The presence of these contaminants in groundwater may pose risks to human health when used as potable water. In some urban areas in Brazil, groundwater is normally consumed without previous treatment. This study aimed to use statistical analysis by self-organizing maps (SOM) to evaluate the trends of CEC in urban groundwater systems. A total of 23 CEC compounds including pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and hormones were determined in groundwater samples using solid phase extraction and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. The CEC most frequently detected were atrazine and degradation products, fipronil, simazine, tebuconazole, hexazinone, and caffeine in concentrations up to 300ngL-1. All studied compounds were detected in groundwater at least in one sample. Patterns in the data through SOM have shown a strong positive correlation between atrazine, hexazinone, simazine, tebuthiuron, 2-hydroxyatrazine, and 17β-estradiol. The hormones estrone and testosterone also show a positive correlation due to their similar chemical properties. On the other hand, caffeine was detected in 90% of the samples, likely due to a population habit of taking daily a hot drink made of yerba mate associated with low rates of treated domestic sewage in the study area.

Recent Advances on Innovative Materials from Biowaste Recycling for the Removal of Environmental Estrogens from Water and Soil.

New technologies have been developed around the world to tackle current emergencies such as biowaste recycling, renewable energy production and reduction of environmental pollution. The thermochemical and biological conversions of waste biomass for bioenergy production release solid coproducts and byproducts, namely biochar (BC), hydrochar (HC) and digestate (DG), which can have important environmental and agricultural applications. Due to their physicochemical properties, these carbon-rich materials can behave as biosorbents of contaminants and be used for both wastewater treatment and soil remediation, representing a valid alternative to more expensive products and sophisticated strategies. The alkylphenols bisphenol A, octylphenol and nonylphenol possess estrogenic activity comparable to that of the human steroid hormones estrone, 17β-estradiol (and synthetic analog 17α-ethinyl estradiol) and estriol. Their ubiquitous presence in ecosystems poses a serious threat to wildlife and humans. Conventional wastewater treatment plants often fail to remove environmental estrogens (EEs). This review aims to focus attention on the urgent need to limit the presence of EEs in the environment through a modern and sustainable approach based on the use of recycled biowaste. Materials such as BC, HC and DG, the last being examined here for the first time as a biosorbent, appear appropriate for the removal of EEs both for their negligible cost and continuously improving performance and because their production contributes to solving other emergencies, such as virtuous management of organic waste, carbon sequestration, bioenergy production and implementation of the circular economy. Characterization of biosorbents, qualitative and quantitative aspects of the adsorption/desorption process and data modeling are examined.

Presence of steroid hormones in Lake Titicaca and drinking water, Puno (Peru)

The presence of steroid hormones in lake waters causes contamination of aquatic ecosystems, which may cause endocrine alterations in the organisms that inhabit them. Moreover, many of these waters are purified and distributed to populations located around the lake; therefore, these effects could be repeated in humans who consume these waters. This study reports the presence of steroid hormone residues in the waters of the inner bay of Lake Titicaca and drinking water in the city of Puno-Perú. The Solid phase extraction method was used for sample preparation, and the analyses were developed in an HPLC-DAD system. Results show maximum concentrations of steroid hormones estrone (E1) 1.56, 17 β- estradiol (E2) 2.27, 17 α- ethinylestradiol (EE2) 13. 88 ng L-1 respectively. These concentrations vary at the different monitoring points, and their presence could cause ecotoxicological effects to the endemic aquatic biota that inhabit this part of this lake; at the same time they also could affect the health of the human population that consumes this water

Degradation of hormones in tap water by heterogeneous solar TiO2-photocatalysis: Optimization, degradation products identification, and estrogenic activity removal

Hormones are one of the most hazardous classes of Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CEC) found in tap water, being significantly recalcitrant regarding traditional water treatment processes. In this work, the hormones estrone, 17β-estradiol, 17α-ethinylestradiol, and estriol, present in tap water, were degraded by heterogeneous solar photocatalysis in a flat-plate photochemical reactor (recycle mode) using TiO 2 (P25, Evonik) as the photocatalyst. A fully automated analytical method based on online SPE and LC-UV was developed and validated for monitoring those molecules. For a fixed amount of sample (125 μL), the limit of quantification was 10 μg L −1 (for all four hormones) with coefficients of variation smaller than 20%, and accuracy between 80% and 120%, all of which are acceptable figures for this kind of determination. The reactional system was optimized with the aid of a 2 2 factorial design. At optimized conditions (pH ≈ 6.8, flow rate 250 mL min −1 ), the removal of the four hormones (250 μg L −1 each) was approximately 85% after 3 h of treatment. However, even after 9 h of treatment, it was not possible to completely remove the estrogenic activity (MCF-7 cells) of the treated tap water. The structures of some degradation products were proposed. • Solar-photocatalysis was optimized for four hormones degradation in a FPR reactor. • A fully automatized chromatographic method was developed for degradation monitoring. • LC-MS/MS was used for identification of degradation products from the solar-AOP. • 85% hormones removal reached (pH-independent treatment). • Lower estrogenicity after 9 h treatment.

Electroanalytical Determination of Estrone in Seawater Samples Using Functionalized Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes

AbstractIn this work, a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) modified with multiwalled carbon nanotubes functionalized with carboxylic groups (MWCNT−COOH) was used to determine the hormone estrone in seawater samples. Modification of the electrode was optimized using three successive 10‐μL aliquots of the MWCNT−COOH dispersion in ethanol (1 : 5 mL). The cyclic voltammetry results showed an oxidation peak at 0.59 V with characteristics of an irreversible process, pH dependent and controlled by adsorption of species. The results of square‐wave voltammetry showed that the intensities of peak currents for the MWCNT−COOH/GCE were about 2.5 times higher than for GCE. The calibration curve showed a linearity of 0.9981 and a sensitivity of 0.1521 μA/mol L−1. The limits of detection and quantification were 0.117 and 0.392 μmol L−1, respectively. The recovery obtained using seawater samples was 91%, indicating the applicability of the method in marine environments.

Development of Cantilever Nanoimmunosensors Applied to the Detection of β-Estradiol and Estrone in Water

Endocrine-disrupting are chemical substances that have hormonal activity and can potentially cause diseases to the endocrine system in animals, including humans. Therefore, there is a necessity of to develop sensitive, specific, and reliable analytical systems capable to detect compounds using low-cost and portable devices. In this study, were developed cantilever nanoimmunosensors for $\beta $ -estradiol and estrone hormones detection in tap water. The cantilever nanoimmunosensors were functionalized with anti- $\beta $ -estradiol and anti-estrone antibodies. The device surface was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and polarization modulation infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy and showed an efficient functionalization with conformational changes. Results demonstrated a linear relationship in a range between 0.01 and $50~\mu \text{g}$ /L. A limit of detection of 9 and 26 ng/L (0.009 and 0.026 ppb) and sensitivity of 0.390 and 0.140 V/ng were observed for $\beta $ -estradiol and estrone hormones using the cantilever nanoimmunosensors functionalized anti- $\beta $ -estradiol and anti-estrone, respectively. These results demonstrate that these devices are suitable to be apply in tap water for quality monitoring and detection $\beta $ -estradiol and estrone.

Abstract LB-152: Associations between circulating sex hormone levels and risk of colon cancer among men from six European countries

Abstract Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer worldwide and its incidence is rising. Identifying etiologic pathways and early detection for CRC are key to prevention and reducing mortality as the prognosis for advanced CRC, despite recent improvements in therapy, remains poor. One area of potentially measurable CRC risk factors, that is still relatively unexplored, are circulating levels of endogenous sex hormones. The incidence of CRC is greater in men than in women and a proposed hypothesis for this sex disparity is that higher levels of endogenous estrogens found in women may be protective against CRC. In addition, androgens, including testosterone, have been hypothesized to confer protective effects for CRC in men. However, few studies have evaluated the association between testosterone and CRC in men, and the limited available data suggest that any observed protective association is likely confined to colon rather than rectal cancer. The aim of this study was therefore to evaluate the relation of colon cancer risk with circulating levels of sex hormones and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) in a male population. Preliminary analyses included data from 461 cases of incident colon cancer and 461 matched controls from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort. Sex hormones (estradiol, estrone, testosterone, androstenedione, dehydroepiandrosterone, and progesterone) were measured in prediagnostic plasma samples using liquid chromatography-tandem /mass spectrometry (LC/-MS/MS), and SHBG was measured using a solid phase “sandwich” immunoradiometric assay. To test potential associations between circulating levels of sex hormones and SHBG with the risk of developing colon cancer, conditional logistic regression models were applied to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Multivariable models were adjusted for colon cancer risk factors, including anthropometric parameters, alcohol consumption, physical activity and smoking status. In addition, models including estrone, estradiol and testosterone were adjusted for SHBG and vice versa. Preliminary results indicated an inverse association for testosterone (multivariable OR per SD: 0.80 95% CI: 0.69 - 0.93) and SHBG (multivariable OR per SD: 0.84 95% CI: 0.72 - 0.99) with CRC risk. However, after additional adjustments to SHBG and sex hormone models respectively these associations were attenuated towards the null. No associations were identified for estradiol, estrone, androstenedione, dehydroepiandrosterone, and progesterone. These preliminary results do not support an association between endogenous estrogen and colon cancer in men, while a potential association between testosterone and SHBG and colon cancer will need to be further evaluated. Citation Format: Justin Harbs, Sabina Rinaldi, Audrey Gicquiau, Xijia Liu, Marc Gunter, Bethany Van Guelpen, Neil Murphy, Sophia Harlid, Epic Network. Associations between circulating sex hormone levels and risk of colon cancer among men from six European countries [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-152.

Influence of Excess Biological Sludge Disintegration Processes on Pharmaceutical Compounds, Hormones and PAH Concentrations from Anaerobic Stabilized Sludge

This paper shows the influence of certain biological sludge disintegration processes over the concentrations of emerging pollutants, including classes of structurally different compounds such as pharmaceuticals, hormones and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from anaerobic stabilized sludge. Three processes for sludge disintegration were tested: ultrasonic, ultrasonic + electrokinetic and ultrasonic + electrokinetic + microbubble generation. Activated sludge from an urban wastewater treatment plant was used in the experiments. Both pharmaceuticals from the analgesic and antipyretic classes, as well as the identified hormones (estrone) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), were sensitive to the disintegration processes applied, the experimental results showing the decrease of their concentration correlated with the increase of the disintegration energy.

Occurrence and distribution of hormones and bisphenol A in Laguna Lake, Philippines

The occurrence of hormones and hormone-like compounds in water has been regarded as an emerging environmental concern. These water contaminants are known to cause endocrine disruption that may affect aquatic organisms. In this study, hormones and phenolic xenoestrogens were investigated and measured in the surface waters of Laguna Lake, Philippines. Laguna Lake is the largest lake in the country that has many uses including fish cultivation and source for potable water production. The hormones estrone, 17-beta-estradiol, 17-alpha-ethynylestradiol, progesterone and testosterone as well as the plasticizer bisphenol A in the lake water were determined by solid phase extraction and LC-MS/MS. The extraction method exhibited good recoveries (75-90% in spiked lake water) while the instrumental method of analysis has low detection limits (0.01-0.24μg/L) and good linear response (>99% in the 0-50μg/L concentration range). In the nine sampling sites across the lake, estrone was found in concentrations between 0.03 and 0.30ng/L. 17-Beta-estradiol, testosterone and progesterone were detected in some of the sites in concentrations up to 0.36, 0.22, and 2.05ng/L, respectively. Bisphenol A was detected in all sites in higher concentrations of 0.71-47.40ng/L. Although there are no local guidelines yet, the determination and monitoring of these emerging water contaminants are important because of their potential environmental impacts. Further to this initial study, investigations on point sources spanning the tributary rivers, long-term determination of locational and temporal variations, and assessment of ecotoxicological risks are needed. These are crucial in the regulation and mitigation of discharges into the lake.

Expanding the applicability of magnetic ionic liquids for multiclass determination in biological matrices based on dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction and HPLC with diode array detector analysis.

Monitoring biological samples at trace levels of chemicals from anthropogenic actions such as pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and hormones has become a very important subject. This work describes a method for the determination of eight compounds of different chemical classes in human urine samples. Dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction based on magnetic ionic liquids was used as the sample preparation procedure. The main parameters of the method, such as sample dilution, type, and volume of disperser solvent, amount of magnetic ionic liquids, extraction time, and pH were optimized by univariate and multivariate procedures. Validation was performed using a urine sample of a male volunteer in order to obtain a calibration curve and the main analytical parameters of merit such as limits of detection and quantification. Values varied from 3.0 to 7.5µg/L and from 10 to 25µg/L, respectively. Satisfactory precisions of 21% for intraday (n = 3) and 16% for interday (n = 9) were achieved. Accuracy was evaluated by relative recovery assays using different urine samples and ranged from 75 to 130%. Robustness was assured by the Lenth method. The validated procedure was applied to five urine samples from different volunteers and the hormone estrone was found in one sample.

Cantilever Nanobiosensor Functionalized with Tyrosinase for Detection of Estrone and β-estradiol in Water.

This work aimed to develop cantilever nanobiosensor functionalized with tyrosinase enzyme to detect 17β-estradiol and estrone hormones. In this system, the tyrosinase enzyme was covalently immobilized by self-assembled monolayer onto the cantilever sensor surface. It was possible to verify that the high hormone concentration investigated resulted in high voltage response. The nanobiosensor presented a distinction between the concentrations evaluated and was verified sensitivities of 0.497 and 0.101 V/μg, limit of detection of 0.1 and 0.4 ng/L for the hormones 17β-estradiol and estrone, respectively. The device showed good reversibility and during 30 days of storage maintained about 99% of the original signal. The cantilever nanobiosensor applied in different water samples (ultrapure, river, tap, and mineral) showed good performance, so could be readily extended toward the on-site monitoring of the other trace small molecular pollutants in environmental water matrices.

Application of a stable Ag/TiO2 film in the simultaneous photodegradation of hormones

AbstractBACKGROUNDThe natural hormones estrone (E1) and 17β‐estradiol (E2) and the synthetic hormone 17α‐ethynylestradiol (EE2) are excreted daily by humans and may reach water and wastewater treatment plants, which do not efficiently remove these estrogens. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficiency and reusability of Ag/TiO2 films as catalysts for simultaneous degradation of the hormones E1, E2 and EE2 in aqueous medium by heterogeneous photocatalysis and the contribution of reactive oxygenated species. The influence of aeration on the system and the effects of estrogen concentration and Ag/TiO2 film area were also evaluated in the photodegradation process.RESULTSThe photocatalytic degradation assays showed efficiency higher than 97% for E2 and EE2 (10 μg L−1) after approximately 3.5 h and above 95% for E1 (100 μg L−1) after 4.5 h. It was observed that hydroxyl radical is the main reactive oxidant species in the photodegradation process, responsible for 87, 86 and 79% degradation of E1, E2 and EE2 respectively.CONCLUSIONThe treatment process applied using the Ag/TiO2 films proved to be very stable and efficient for the simultaneous degradation of the studied hormones up to 305 h of reaction period, obtaining a percentage of degradation above 90%. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry

A metal-organic framework of type MIL-101(Cr) for emulsification-assisted micro-solid-phase extraction prior to UHPLC-MS/MS analysis of polar estrogens.

A seamless two-step extraction procedure integrating ultrasound-assisted emulsification microextraction (USAEME) and vortex-assisted micro-solid-phase extraction (μ-SPE) was developed. A highly porous metal-organic framework of type MIL-101(Cr) is used as the sorbent, and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography in combination with tandem mass spectrometry is used for detection. The steroid hormones estrone 17β-estradiol, estriol, and 17α-ethynylestradiol were extracted from water samples by using this method. These steroids are polar and do not pass through the polypropylene membrane that is conventionally used in μ-SPE. In the method presented here, 1-octanol is used in USAEME to extract and pre-concentrate the steroids. This facilitates the transfer to the MIL-101(Cr) phase retained by the membrane in the subsequent μ-SPE step. MIL-101(Cr) was characterized by various methods, and the parameters affecting the overall extraction efficiency were optimized. Under the most favorable conditions, the limits of detection are between 0.95 and 23ngL-1. Good intra-day and inter-day precisions were obtained, with relative standard deviations of ≤ 9.9%. Enrichment factors are between 34 and 52. The method was applied to genuine environmental water samples in which estrone was detected. Relative recoveries ranged between 85.4% and 120.8%. Graphical abstract Schematic of the emulsification-assisted micro-solid-phase extraction (μ-SPE). By emulsifying 1-octanol in the water sample, polar estrogens dissolved in the solvent can easily pass the hydrophobic polypropylene membrane and then are adsorbed onto the unmodified MIL-101(Cr) held within the μ-SPE device.

Increasing Adherence to Adjuvant Hormone Therapy Among Patients With Breast Cancer: A Smart Phone App-Based Pilot Study.

Purpose:This study tested the feasibility and efficacy of using a text-based intervention to increase initiation, decrease discontinuation, and improve adherence as prescribed to adjuvant hormone therapy (AHT) among hyphenate post-menopausal breast cancer survivors.Methods:The 3-month intervention consisted of daily text message reminders to take medication, coupled with a dynamic (eg, feedback on progress) tailored intervention using weekly interactive surveys delivered by a smartphone app. Five clinic sites within the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology participated. Hormone levels were measured prior to AHT initiation and at study exit.Results:Of the 39 patients recruited to the pilot study, 27 (69.2%) completed all study requirements (completed both the baseline and the exit surveys, both blood draws, and did not miss more than 2 weekly surveys). Significant improvements were observed pre- to postintervention for self-reported medication adherence (P = .015), mental health functioning (P = .007), and perceived stress (P = .04). Significant decreases in estradiol, estrogen, and estrone hormone levels were observed from baseline to study exit (P < .001), indicating the accuracy of self-reported AHT adherence. Participants (91.9%) and physicians (100%) agreed that participant participation in the intervention was beneficial.Conclusions:The results of this pilot study established the general feasibility and efficacy of an app-based intervention to support patient AHT adherence. Larger controlled, randomized trials are needed to examine the effectiveness of the app-based intervention in improving AHT and quality of life among breast cancer survivors.