• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.375-380
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• 2014

This study examined the incidence rates of cancer cases (averages for 2006-2010) and relationships with environmental radioactivity levels. Soil and water samples were collected from provincial and district centers of Van city and the outdoor gamma doses were determined using a portable gamma scintillation detector. Gross alpha and beta, (226)Ra, (232)Th, and (40)K activities were measured in both tap water and soil samples. Although high rates of stomach and esophagus cancers have been reported previously in Van the underlying reasons have not hitherto been defined. Incidences of cancers were highest in the Gurpmar (326.0) and Ozalp (377.1) counties (p<0.001). As to the results of the gross alpha and gross beta radioactivity measurements in the drinking water, these two counties also had high beta radionuclide levels: Gurpmar ($140mBq/dm^3$) and Ozalp ($206mBq/dm^3$). Even if within the normal range, a relation between the higher rate of the incidence of stomach and esophagus cancers with that of the higher rate of beta radionuclide activity was clear. On Spearman correlation analysis, the relation between higher beta radionuclide levels and cancer incidence was found to be statistically significant (p<0.01). According to the results of the analysis, Van residents receive an average 1.86 mSv/y annual dose from outdoor gamma radiation, ingestion of radionuclides in the drinking water, and indoor $^{222}Rn$ activity. Moreover, gross alpha and beta activities were found to be extremely high in all of the lakes around the city of Van, Turkey. Further investigations with long-term detailed environmental radiation measurements are needed regarding the relationship between cancer cases and environmental radioactivity in the city of Van.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.12
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• pp.5089-5094
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• 2015

FADS1 (fatty acid desaturase 1) plays a crucial role in fatty acid metabolism, and it was recently reported to be involved in tumorigenesis. However, the role of FADS1 expression in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains unknown. In the current study, we investigated the expression and clinical pathologic and prognostic significance of FADS1 in ESCC. Immunohistochemical analyses revealed that 58.2% (146/251) of the ESCC tissues had low levels of FADS1 expression, whereas 41.8% (105/251) exhibited high levels of FADS1 expression. In positive cases, FADS1 expression was detected in the cytoplasm of cells. Correlation analyses demonstrated that FADS1 expression was significantly correlated with tumor location (p=0.025) but not with age, gender, histological grade, tumor status, nodal status or TNM staging. Furthermore, patients with tumors expressing high levels of FADS1had a longer disease-free survival time (p<0.001) and overall survival time (p <0.001). Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that, along with nodal status, FADS1 expression was an independent and significant predictive factor (p<0.001). In conclusion, our study suggested that FADS1 might be a valuable biomarker and potential therapeutic target for ESCC.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.275-282
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• 2003

This study was undertaken to investigate paraquat-induced pulmonary injuries and effects of colchicine on pulmonary fibrosis by paraquat. Fifteen Sprague-Dawley rats were intraperitoneally injected 10 mg/kg of paraquat and repeatedly with 2 days interval. Another 15 rats were injected paraquat as same manner and simultaneously injected 10 mg/kg of colchicine in a week. Five rats in each group were sacrificed 1, 2, and 4 weeks after initial injections, and lungs extracted were observed by light and electron microscopes. On light microscopy, there was mild infiltration of neutrophils, macrophages, and lymphocytes in alveolar spaces and walls at 1 week after paraquat injection. The cellularity of alveolar wall was increased with time. However, the cellularity was not so prominent in paraquat and colchicine simultaneously injected group. On electron microscopy, there was marked swelling or excoriation of type I epithelial cells and alveolar capillary endothelium with infiltration of neutrophils, macrophages and monocytes, and lymphocytes in alveolar walls. Such findings were persisted with time. In addition, fibroblastic proliferation and deposition of collagen fibers were prominent at 4 weeks after paraquat injection. Fibrosis also occurred at 4 weeks after paraquat and colchicine simultaneous injection. It was not proninent than that of paraquat injected group. According to the above result, it would be concluded that the type I pneumocytes and alveolar capillary endothelial cells are most vulnerable on paraquat poisoning, and that the colchicine is effective on inhibition of paraquat-induced pulmonary fibrosis.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.27-31
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• 2012

Objectives: Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C)and vascular endothelial growth factor feceptor-3 (VEGFR-3) in laryngeal squamous carcinoma and its relationship to lymph node metastasis were investigated. Methods: VEGF-C and VEGFR-3 gene expression in 30 cases of normal laryngeal mucosa tissue (NLM), primary laryngeal carcinoma cell carcinomas (PLC) and cervical lymph nodes (CLN) was examined by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Protein levels of VEGF-C expression were determined by immunohistochemical staining in 60 cases of PLC. Results: Expression of VEGF-C and VEGFR-3 different among NLM, PLC and CLN in the same patient. In PLC, expression was significantly higher in lymph node positive group than in the lymph node negative group and associated with histological grade of differentiation; Expression of VEGF-C and VEGFR-3 was not linked with age, sex, site or T stage. Conclusions: A close correlation was found between VEGF-C/VEGFR-3 expression and lymph node metastasis in PLC, suggesting a role in metastasis of laryngeal carcinomas.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.625-631
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• 2012

In order to investigate whether SKI-II could reverse drug resistance and its possible mechanisms, we treated SGC7901/DDP cells with SKI-II or SKI-II in combination with DDP. Then cell growth, apoptosis, micromorphological changes, and expression of SphK1, P-gp, NF-${\kappa}B$, Bcl-2 and Bax were assessed by MTT assay, flow cytometry, electron microscopy, immunocytochemistry and Western blot assay respectively. SGC7901/DDP cells were insensitive to cisplatin 2.5mg/L, but when pretreated with SKI-II, their proliferation was inhibited by cisplatin 2.5mg/L significantly, the inhibition rate increasing with time and dose. The apoptosis rate was also significantly elevated. Expression of SphK1 and P-gp was decreased significantly, Pearson correlation analysis showing significant correlation between the two (r=0.595, P<0.01). Expression of NF-${\kappa}B$ and Bcl-2 was decreased significantly,while that of Bax was increased, compared to the control group. There were significant correlations between SphK1 and NF-${\kappa}B$(r=0.723, P<0.01), NF-${\kappa}B$ and Bcl-2(r=0.768, P<0.01). All these data indicated that SKI-II could reverse drug resistance of SGC7901/DDP to cisplatin by down-regulating expression of P-gp and up-regulating apoptosis through down-regulation of SphK1. The increased apoptotic sensitivity of SGC7901/DDP to cisplatin was due to the decreasing proportion of Bcl-2/Bax via down-regulating NF-${\kappa}B$.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.16 no.3 s.76
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• pp.382-386
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• 2006

A total number of 20 cat samples including 8 parentage testing and 12 individual identification were genotyped. Genomic DNA was extracted from buccal swab, and genotyped by using 10 microsatellite markers (FCA005, FCA26, FCA224, FCA240, FCA453, FCA293, FCA075, FCA105, FCA229, and FCA651). This method consisted of single PCR procedure and showed reasonable amplification of all PCR products. Genotypes were determined by genetic analyzer. The number of alleles per locus of cats varied from 3 to 8 with a mean value of 5.5. Expected heterozygosity was ranged from 0.390 to 0.827 (mean 0.639) and the total exclusion probability of 10 microsatellite loci was 0.9441. Of the 10 markers, FCA240 marker has relatively high PIC value (>0.7). Of the 8 cats, 7 cats were qualified by compatibility according to the Mendelism. These results can give basic information for developing parentage verification and individual identification system in cat.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.39-48
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• 2007

Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease and hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsies (HNPP) are frequent forms of genetically heterogeneous peripheral neuropathies. Reciprocal unequal crossover between flanking CMT1A-REPs on chromosome 17p11.2-p12 is a major cause of CMT type 1A (CMT1A) and HNPP. The importance of a sensitive and rapid method for identifying the CMT1A duplication and HNPP deletion is being emphasized. In the present study, we established a molecular diagnostic method for the CMT1A duplication and HNPP deletion based on hexaplex PCR of 6 microsatellite markers (D17S921, D17S9B, D17S9A, D17S918, D17S4A and D17S2230). The method is highly time-, cost- and sample-saving because the six markers are amplified by a single PCR reaction and resolved with a single capillary in 3 h. Several statistical and forensic estimates indicated that most of these markers are likely to be useful for diagnosing the peripheral neuropathies. Reproducibility, as determined by concordance between independent tests, was estimated to be 100%. The likelihood that genotypes of all six markers are homozygous in randomly selected individuals was calculated to be $1.6{\times}10^{-4}$, which indicates that the statistical error rate for this diagnosis of HNPP deletion is only 0.016%.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.119-124
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• 2017

Objective: The death of animals during transport for slaughter is a major factor indicating the level of welfare in transported animals. The aim of this study was to assess mortality related to the commercial transport of finisher pigs for slaughter in the Czech Republic. Methods: The inspectors of the State Veterinary Administration of the Czech Republic recorded the numbers of finisher pigs transported to processing plants in the Czech Republic for slaughter and the mortality in these pigs in relation to transport in the period from 2009 to 2014. Results: Our results show that the likelihood of death losses in transported pigs increases with increasing transport distance. The transport-related mortality ranged from 0.049% in pigs transported for distances below 50 km to 0.145% in pigs transported for distances exceeding 300 km. The impact of external air temperature on the transport-related mortality found in our study clearly shows that current transport practices fail to ensure the welfare of pigs transported under other than moderate weather. Particularly cold temperatures below $-2^{\circ}C$ were associated with increased death losses in winter transport. Conclusion: Despite a decreasing trend in the mortality of finisher pigs transported for slaughter in Europe, our study suggests that current transport conditions are not efficient at ensuring the welfare of pigs during transport for longer distances and the protection of pigs against the negative impact of extreme ambient temperatures. Further research should focus on developing practical guidelines to improve the welfare of pigs in transit accordingly.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.179-182
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• 2013

Human cytochrome P4502E1 (CYP2E1) is a well-conserved xenobiotic-metabolizing enzyme expressed in liver, kidney, nasal mucosa, brain, lung, and other tissues. CYP2E1 is inducible by ethanol, acetone, and other low-molecular weight substrates and may mediate development of chemically-mediated cancers. CYP2E1 polymorphisms alter the transcriptional activity of the gene. This study was conducted in order to investigate the allele frequency variation in different populations of Andhra Pradesh. Two hundred and twelve subjects belonging to six populations were studied. Genotype and allele frequency were assessed through TaqMan allelic discrimination (rs6413419) and polymerase chain reaction-sequencing (-1295G>C and -1055C>T) after DNA isolation from peripheral leukocytes. The data were compared with other available world populations. The SNP rs6413419 is monomorphic in the present study, -1295G>C and -1055C>T are less polymorphic and followed Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in all the populations studied. The -1295G>C and -1055C>T frequencies were similar and acted as surrogates in all the populations. Analysis of HapMap populations data revealed no significant LD between these markers in all the populations. Low frequency of $CYP2E1^*c2$ could be useful in the understanding of south Indian population gene composition, alcohol metabolism, and alcoholic liver disease development. However, screening of additional populations and further association studies are necessary. The heterogeneity of Indian population as evidenced by the different distribution of $CYP2E1^*c2$ may help in understanding the population genetic and evolutionary aspects of this gene.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.951-955
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• 2014

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) was the fourth most commonly diagnosed cancer in Iran between 2000 and 2009, with adenocarcinoma (AC) as the most common histological type. Demographic, topographic and histological variables are important in the epidemiology and biology of cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate clinicopathological features of colon adenocarcinomas in Qazvin, Iran. Materials and Methods: With a retrospective design, patient records of two pathology wards from March 1997 to March 2013 were studied with regard to anatomical location and histological classification. A broader anatomical grouping was also used including distal vs proximal regions and right sided vs left sided tumors. Data were analyzed using T-test and chi-square test. Results: 118 (50.9%) male and 114 (49.1%) female patients were included in the study. Mean age was $57.3{\pm}14.7$ years, with 29.2% under 50 years. There was no significant gender difference for age at diagnosis. The rectum (56%) and sigmoid colon (25%) were the most frequent anatomical locations. Proximal cases accounted for 18.6% in males and 8.8% in females (p=0.02). AC was more prevalent than other usual types in younger patients. The proportion of proximal cancer was 1.7% in first eight years of the study period vs 12.1% in the second one (p=0.005). A similar trend was also seen in right sided colon cancers (p=0.018). Conclusions: Young people are also at risk for the cancer with poor prognosis. Screening programs and weight loss in obese individuals can reduce incidence and complications of CRC.