Lymphangiography: Its Practical Value in Surgically Staged Patients with Hodgkin's Disease

Since the introduction of “staging laparotomy” (to determine the disease''s stage) in assessing Hodgkin''s disease, some observers have argued that lymphangiography could be safely omitted in the initial diagnostic evaluation.To test these opinions a series of 75 patients with Hodgkin''s disease who had a staging laparotomy and histological correlation with lymphangiograms was reviewed. Of 16 examinations with positive results, one proved to be a false positive. Of the 14 examinations with equivocal results, one proved histologically positive. In the remaining 45 lymphangiograms, five were falsely negative. In all five of these patients abdominal lymph nodes were involved, but in areas that do not routinely opacify on lower extremity lymphangiography. The overall accuracy was 90 percent.Therapeutically, the lymphangiogram permits accurate planning for treatment by radiation therapy so that all known disease is treated and yet bone marrow is not excessively irradiated. Changes in lymph node architecture after therapy provide valuable information as to regression of the disease or signs of its early recurrence.     

Association between urinary indicators of renal dysfunction and metal concentrations in workers chronically co-exposed to cadmium,zinc and lead

The study was carried out in 31 workers co-exposed to cadmium, lead and zinc fumes and dusts in a zinc ore refinery. Urinary cadmium, lead, zinc, β₂-M levels and NAG activities were determined to evaluate the possible dose-effect relationship between these parameters. A correlation was found between urinary cadmium, lead and zinc concentrations, and urinary β₂-M levels and NAG activities of the exposed group. A statistically significant increase was also observed for urinary NAG activity in exposed workers who had urinary cadmium concentrations > 2 μg g^?1 creatinine. However, in the same exposed group, the increment of β₂-M was not statistically significant. In conclusion, the present study thus confirms the earlier observations and may suggest the notion that the urinary NAG seems to be a more sensitive indicator than urinary β₂-M level in early stages of renal injury of moderately cadmium co-exposure with lead and zinc even at urinary cadmium concentration as low as 2 μg g^?1 creatinine. When the earlier studies on the irreversibility of cadmium-induced tubular dysfunction and the present results were taken into consideration, the present health-based biological limit proposed by the WHO (5 μg g^?1 creatinine) seems to be high for the occupational exposure to cadmium.     

Monitoring of genotoxic damage in smokeless tobacco ((Maraş powder) consumers using micronucleated exfoliated oral cells

Mara? powder is a kind of smokeless tobacco used in the south-eastern region of Turkey. The present study was carried out to assess possible DNA damage in exfoliated oral cells of Mara? powder users by analysing the frequencies of micronuclei (MN), which is a simple and reliable biomarker for genotoxic damage and to screen for the detection of site-specific differences in the frequencies of MN. The mean (±SD) MN frequency in the inner lip mucosa site was 1.27(±0.55) % for Mara? powder users and 0.88(±0.47) % for non-smoking control subjects (p < 0.05) and 0.82(±0.40) % for the buccal site of Mara? powder users (p < 0.01). There was no significant site-specific difference between the inner lip site and the buccal mucosa site 0.73(±0.43) % in the MN frequency of non-smoking control subjects (p > 0.05). There was no significant effect of daily consumption of Mara? powder, and duration of usage on MN frequencies. The present study suggests that the oral use of smokeless tobacco represents a genotoxic hazard and also that use of MN from a single site may be misleading as a marker of genotoxic exposure. Habitual use of Mara? powder should be taken into account and could be considered unsafe.     

Cytogenetic analysis of buccal cells from shoeworkers and pathology and anatomy laboratory workers exposed to n-hexane,toluene, methyl ethyl ketone and formaldehyde

People employed in the shoe manufacture and repair industry are at an increased risk for cancer, the strongest evidence being for nasal cancer and leukaemia. A possible causal role for formaldehyde is likely for cancer of the buccal cavity and nasopharynx. Exfoliated buccal cells are good source of tissue for monitoring human exposure to inhaled and ingested occupational and environmental genotoxicants. To assess the cytogenetic damage related to occupational exposure to airborne chemicals during shoe-making and the processes in pathology and anatomy laboratories, the micronuclei (MN) count per 3000 cells was measured in buccal smears from shoe-workers (group I, n = 22) exposed to mainly n-hexane, toluene and methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) and from anatomy and pathology staff (group II, n = 28) exposed to formaldehyde (FA). Eighteen male university staff were used as controls. The mean time-weighted average (TWA) concentrations of n-hexane, toluene and MEK in 10 small shoe workshops were 58.07 p.p.m., 26.62 p.p.m. and 11.39 p.p.m., respectively. The measured air concentrations of FA in the breathing zone of the anatomy and pathology laboratory workers were between 2 and 4 p.p.m. Levels of 2,5-hexadione (2,5-HD) and hippuric acid (HA), metabolic markers of n-hexane and toluene exposure, respectively, were significantly higher in the urine of workers in group I than in control subjects (p < 0.001 and p < 0.01, respectively). The mean (±SD) MN frequencies in buccal mucosa cells from workers in group I, group II and controls were 0.62±0.45%, 0.71±0.56% and 0.33±0.30%, respectively (p < 0.05 and p < 0.05 compared with controls for group I and group II, respectively). The effects of smoking, age and duration of exposure on the frequency of micronucleated buccal cells from workers in all three groups studied were also evaluated. Overall, the results suggest that occupational exposure to organic solvents, mainly n-hexane, toluene, MEK and FA, may cause cytogenetic damage in buccal cells and that use of exfoliated buccal cells seems to be appropriate to measure exposure to organic solvents.     

tRNA Wobble Base Modifications and Boric Acid Resistance in Yeast: Boron-Resistant Deletion Mutants Induce the General Amino Acid Control Mechanism and Activate Boron Efflux

Molecular Biology - Boric acid is essential for plants and has many vital roles in animals and microorganisms. However, its high doses are toxic to all organisms. We previously screened yeast...     

Assessment of DNA strand breakage by comet assay in diabetic patients and the role of antioxidant supplementation

Diabetes patients often show increased production of reactive oxidative species (ROS) together with vascular complications. The presence of these ROS may lead to increased DNA damage in peripheral blood lymphocytes that may be revealed by the comet assay. To test whether DNA is damaged in diabetes, peripheral blood samples were taken from 30 control individuals and 63 diabetic patients (15 insulin dependent (IDDM) and 48 non-insulin dependent (NIDDM)) and the alkaline comet assay was used to evaluate background levels of DNA damage. Significant differences were detected between control and diabetic patients in terms of frequencies of damaged cells. The extend of DNA migration was greater in NIDDM patients by comparison with IDDM patients which might indicate that IDDM patients are handling more oxidative damage on a regular basis. Smoker individuals had higher frequencies of cells with migration by comparison with the non-smokers in both groups. Also, clear differences between patients on placebo and on Vitamin E supplementation for 12 weeks were observed on the basis of the extend of DNA migration during single cell gel electrophoresis.     

Levels of some trace elements and rheumatoid factor in sheep with brucellosis

Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease that is encountered in sheep rather frequently. In this study, 100 sheep diagnosed with brucellosis that had aborts and 40 healthy sheep were used as materials. Analyses for Cu, Zn, Fe, Cr, Ca, Mg, and K were performed with the atomic absorption spectrophotometric method on blood collected from vena jugularis of all the sheep and rheumatoid factor levels were determined by the nephelometry method. Although it was found that Cu, Ca, and rheumatoid factor values in the sera of the sheep with brucellosis were high when compared to the control group (p<0.001, p<0.05, p<0.001, respectively), their serum Zn values were low (p<0.05). No significant changes in serum Cr, Fe, K, and Mg levels were found.     

Screening of antimicrobial,antioxidant, antidiabetic activities,anatomical and morphological properties of Colchicum speciosum Steven (Colchicaceae)

Protoplasma - Colchicum speciosum Steven species is a perennial stemless plant. C. speciosum is a flowering herb native to mountainous regions of northern Turkey, the Caucasus, and northern Iran....